Xion snapped a picture of a pretty blonde girl with her camera... ironically right when that child had been trying to do the same thing, so Xion got a photo of the gal just when she'd been trying to take one herself. But Xion went along with the oddity all the same, thinking that the yearbook staff might like the originality of it.

...Sarah Hart looked a lot like Roxas. And since Xion's boyfriend, Roxas, was the most popular boy in school, Xion thought that everyone would have to love this picturesque moment of Sarah for that, if nothing else.

...There was even a part of Xion that thought about firing up Photoshop on her phone and editing one of her images of Roxas with one of Sarah, so that way she'd win the best taken yearbook capture that way, but she didn't.

Why? Because as Xion walked towards where Roxas was in the hall now, and linked her arm with his, she couldn't help but to get her attention on something else Sarah related—as that girl got up from where she'd been sitting on the floor, and went to talk with John Smith in angry, hushed tones:

"You ever think that John and Sarah are in the mafia together, or something?" Xion ventured, just when said person yanked open a closet door and peered into it, as if she was begging for it to be a secret passage.

Roxas just shrugged, and turned to Xion with a smile at her query. "They seem no worse than us, when we were talking about Subject X and all. And clearly we're the good guys."

And not being able to argue that, Xion decided to just put it all behind them… and to go find a closet to go makeout in themselves. Extra curriculars were overrated, anyway.

…

Honestly? Xion and Roxas didn't give much thought to John and Sarah after seeing them in the hall, though when they were both watching the news that night—and seeing how everything was going to hell in a handbasket at their school—they'd realize they should have.

On the screen, Xion saw these… monsters—she didn't know how else to put it: they looked like how she would imagine Davy Jones might, if he had demon dogs at his side—had broken into their school, and had leveled most of it… and had killed a few of the students who'd been in their after-hours.

And the two Nobodies had actually been there after hours themselves, but they'd apparently left before all of this had started…

If only- if only they hadn't done that—Xion now thought sadly, as her hands shook before her at this revelation… They could have saved some of their friends, if only they'd cared about photography club.

But: it didn't seem like it was too late to save John and Sarah, who Xion was fairly certain were still safe at the school.

Call her crazy… but she thought those two had known what was going to happen before it did.

And that earlier, they'd caught Sarah and John looking for cover in case these—whatever they were—found them: which they had.

The media, as Xion listened in—putting some of her thoughts behind her—was saying that John was wanted, for suspicion with all of this.

But even with the little Xion knew of him, she knew that he wasn't responsible.

He was connected to it—probably the target—but not the master manipulator:

After all, the press always lied: Xion, Roxas, Lea, and Isa had been the first to learn that on some of their missions in Twilight Town lately.

"I know you guys see what's goin' on there… But I dunno if you should get involved. Looks like a massacre… like what Sora saw of Insomnia, that time," Lea said, being the rational voice of legal guardian right now… Even if he was being a bit of a hypocrite, since he clearly did want to get down there himself: Lea had become altruistic. And perhaps this was most seen, in how he'd been the only one of them to still be willing to call on his Keyblade after the War.

But Roxas—clearly still having some Boy Scout in himself, Xion concluded—argued: "Then that's even more reason like me should be one of the first responders!" And he slammed his hands down on their blue and white kitchen table as he did so, nearly splitting it in two.

Xion, being Roxas' other, knew what he was getting at. How could she not? Roxas, more than anyone, could almost become invincible when he was fighting… which was exactly what Twilight High needed right now.

But since Lea had nearly lost them both forever, Xion got why he was so reluctant for them to be reckless.

And if she was a better person, she may have been in shock for the kind heart that Lea had… but she wasn't. But her heart did end up freezing another way.

Snow, of all things—a rare commodity in Twilight Town—began blowing through a window in the kitchen that the family had left cracked, and it bathed the room in a sort of peace that no one in it would know for a while: Least of all Isa.

But Xion—and everyone—was oblivious to that fact now. So instead of dwelling on it, she dug out a lucky charm that Kairi had made her and examined it thoughtfully.

"Lea," Xion whispered now, in much the tone she had, when trying to convince Roxas he should forgive him for manhandling her. "You know it's the right thing to do. And that's what we do, isn't it? So why don't we all go? You and Isa can watch over us, that way. And perhaps be a mentor to these other young kids, like you were us… And if anything should happen, our wayfinders will always push us back together again. You know they will."

And Lea and Isa—seeming not being able to argue with this logic—both took one of Xion's hands at these words, as they made a sort of group circle and closed their eyes: taking in this moment, that wasn't truly a goodbye (and hopefully it never would be)… but also sort of was.

And Roxas? What did he do? He just slipped behind Xion, and took the lucky charm out of her hand and held onto it himself.

As he did, he held Xion's gaze in a long glance that she couldn't look away from: this between them said everything, after all.

But while Xion thought it was that right he did this—because they really were the Sora and Kairi to each other, weren't they? And this had always served those two well—she also found herself hoping against hope, that they wouldn't have the same sort of fate as those wielders had had before the Master of Masters had intervened in their lives.

…

The trip to Twilight High, was—in some ways—more eventful than what they encountered when they actually got there.

Lea, Isa, and Roxas had all finally admitted that using Corridors of Darkness were too risky, so they'd had to use a different means of transportation:

So, Isa had long ago bought them a green jeep to get around in… And they used it now: going over awkward cobble stone here, glass there, and nearly bits of gate that were falling their way as they continued forward.

…And it was about at that time that Xion decided to get out of the vehicle, while it was still moving, and to jump out in front of it—knowing that Isa would stop in time—so he didn't destroy his tires by continuing.

It was very much… the direct approach, Xion knew—somewhat embarrassed—but it was either that, or have Isa risk going over that steel and through a fence that would pierce all of their torsos if they continued.

"Xion!" Lea roared, getting out himself now—but after Isa had stopped, unlike what Xion had done—and grabbing her by her collar as he shook her in his blind panic. "What was that?! Do you know you could have gotten yourself killed?! Do you know that-"

But Xion never got to figure out what she needed to know in Lea's mind, because the family fell silent when they saw Roxas climbing up the fence and going over to the football field a few yards away from them… Where two kids were fighting a demonic entity, that reminded Xion very much of Cerberus?!

"We've got to go help Roxas now!" Isa bellowed: somehow saying even that gracefully, but then losing all grace as he tried to speed over to his son.

And Xion understood the urgency, since outside of Twilight Town… Roxas hadn't fought as many big enemies like this as Sora had.

So, Isa did one of his "Moon, Shine Down!" attacks—while Roxas was running the monster's way, with Kingdom Key in hand—before Rox could get to it.

And just like that, the moon beam Isa had used—mixed with some fire John, and some brunette girl had been able to create—destroyed the… thing, and made it disappear. All that was left afterwards, was smoldering grass and bleachers.

And naturally, John—for Xion, now that she was closer, could tell that it was him—and the girl thought that Roxas and the rest of them were their enemies, too:

John's hands up, and the woman looked like she was about to try and get in a fist fight with them, too.

And as much as this sucked—because Xion didn't want to fight—she found she couldn't blame them? Who purposely ran into danger like they just had, after all?

And deeming that a fist fight wasn't good enough in her books, the girl suddenly looked up to the sky—as if asking Zeus himself to strike down anyone who might try and harm her.

And it was at that point that Xion decided that she finally had to act.

"Uhh… let's not," she asserted—summoning her Keyblade to hand, but making sure to hold it just to her side, so these new friends wouldn't think she was a threat. "Lightning won't go hand-in-hand with this metal I have here.

"Anyway, John… What's going on? I'm asking for Roxas, not myself."

…Which was a complete lie coming from Xion, of course, but since Roxas was so popular, she thought that if any of them was capable of getting these people to trust them… that, well, it'd be Roxas.

And sure enough, Xion's idea seemed to do the trick. And she tried her best not to be jealous of this… but the friendship between boys never ceased to amaze her.

"Roxas," John said, getting up from his knees and shaking the hand of Xion's love. "I don't- I don't want to impose. But seeing what you can do in gym class- We could really use your help! I just lost my- my dad, and-"

And this was another place where she had to try and not be envious… because what if John liked Roxas in the love sense? …Or what if Roxas liked him?

If that was the case, she knew she'd just have to trust them both—since she herself was in love with Roxas… but thought there was something about Sarah.

But more than this inane relationship drama—that Xion tried to tell herself she shouldn't even be feeling, since she'd been in the Organization—was the intense sympathy Xion felt for John, as he tried his best not to lose it after this death:

Xion remembered all too well, what it had been like to see Axel die through Sora's eyes… And she wouldn't wish it on anyone.

"John," the mysterious brunette girl said, as she came forward and put a gentle hand on his shoulder—surprising Xion, because she hadn't thought this type of woman could be capable of it. "The battle- believe it or not, it's over. We don't need spiky's help to fight anymore. We don't need anyone's. And if you want to bury Henri…"

"Which we will," Isa piped up nearly simultaneously with Brunette's words: in a show of kindness from him—Xion knew it—but she couldn't help fearing he was only doing so, because he regretted how he hadn't offered to help bury her, if need be, when she had fainted before her on a mission in Twilight Town, and then during it.

But Roxas seemed to snort at both ideas, as he reprimanded the brunette, "You don't seem the type who would slow down for anything. And take it from someone who forgot what it was like to stop and smell the roses: that's not a way to live your life. Whoever this guy is, you should- should bury him… But I do get the concept of not having enough time… So, I'll help you guys move on without doing that, but only after saying that piece."

Xion didn't often hear Roxas make speeches like Sora did, but when he did do it, they always mattered.

And to Xion—and Lea and Isa, too—this was one of the most important ones he'd done, that showed just how far he'd come.

And when he was done speaking, the wind picked up to put some of the fires out… and dawn began to break.

And perhaps for that fact more than anything else, Xion, Lea, Isa, John, the girl, and some new people now joining them—including Sarah-paid rapt attention to him.

That girl—who Xion would soon come to learn was named "Six"—looked like she wanted to say something to Roxas' schooling: probably that they again didn't need any aid—but in realizing how she'd just prove Roxas' point about not smelling the roses if she did, she kept her mouth shut.

And wordlessly, John—being the unspoken leader for the moment, as he perhaps got the most out of the two points—began leading everyone away, to escape.

…

The group eventually stopped on a grassy hill, that turned into a cemetery: the outskirts of Twilight Town.

Xion had actually seen these pastures from afar many a time, while going all over Twilight Town—one perhaps could see them best from Sunset Hill or the Station—but she'd yet to actually step foot on one… until now.

"So, let me get this straight," Lea was the one to try and summarize now, as he put his hands on his hips and shook his head in a very exasperated tone.

And despite everything—despite the life and death situation they had just been in, and still might be in the future—Xion couldn't help giggling at it, thinking that if anyone was a character enough to repeat these important points without being boring about it… it was Lea.

"You all… two of you, at least, are aliens in a war against other ones? Bad ones. And you came to Twilight Town as infants to escape them… but now they've followed you here and want to destroy all of Twilight Town and other planets? Oy! And here I thought we were done with the worlds saving stuff!"

"'World saving'?" Sarah asked in a questioning manner, with her head tilted to the side and her hands fidgeting with her camera.

Xion guessed that she was just dying to try and capture a shot, to settle her nerves and nothing more but wouldn't dare do it.

"Yes… 'world saving' you could call us aliens, too—for in a sense, we are—but more than anything… we're sort of created, or recreated, beings… Since you're telling us yours, I think it's only fair we tell you ours," Xion sputtered as fast as she could, before anyone could get on her about the World Order!

But in her mind, if these guys were from another planet, they already knew about different worlds. So why even bother with it?!

After her spiel, Xion thought for sure John would be the first to ask for their help in so many words—since he'd been the most responsive to them before—but instead, it was Sarah:

Walking over to Xion with a certain poise, that made her instantly have to try and stamp down her crush on her.

…But there was a part of Xion that had had feelings for Kairi because of Sora, and she felt that part of herself awakening now.

"Will you help us, then?" Sarah begged, an urgency in her eyes that the self-confessed aliens didn't have… probably because they were used to all this trauma and had learned how to deal with it, but Sarah hadn't.

…And since Sarah was reminding Xion so much of Kairi now, she knew what was probably going to happen now given Kairi's track record.

And sure enough, John, and Six were now insisting that Sarah couldn't come with them: that none of the humans could, for that matter.

Sarah was refusing this, because naturally she was, but yet… she was also soon relenting, via a tender moment she was now having with John, where they stood close together… his hand on her cheek and then running through her hair, as they whispered and nearly kissed.

Xion felt tears dotting her eyes at this, because it somehow spoke too much of false words and gestures: Xion tricking Roxas into assisting with her suicide, and her then having to say goodbye to him… and then assure him him they'd see each other again, when she didn't know if that was the case and her heart broke.

Roxas—seeming to sense the near panic Xion was having, as she was transported back into the past—ran over to her side, much like he had during the Keyblade War and pulled her into his arms as she tried to not fall apart.

But when everyone stopped what they were doing to turn their attention to her and Roxas (Lea and Isa even itching to come to her, she could tell), Xion tried to get it together and return to the matter at hand: because she didn't deserve to be the center of attention right now. Not when she'd been the only one getting things to move forward here. And how desperately they needed to move forward.

"No," Xion said—pulling away from Roxas' embrace, but maintaining her hand in his: she wanted to keep this moment suitable for audiences. But at the same time, she needed him. "Ignore me. My breakdown isn't… important. I just- I lost Roxas before. And what you're doing now, John and Sarah, reminds me of that. But more of note… I don't think Sarah should be left alone."

And though Xion explained it well, no one came to see her point of view about the Sarah thing. But the aliens did change their mind about all humans being banned from them.

Sam was chosen to go along with John and Six—since he needed to find his father through them—and Mark and Sarah realized that they did have to go home, at least for the moment. But Mark promised he would look after Sarah.

And knowing how entangled Mark and Sarah were before this—and how messed up their relationship was—Xion saw this as a testament to just how much he had changed for the better: like another person she knew, Riku.

After the Mark thing, Xion should have been rejoicing for some of the positive exchanges she and her family had just made happen… but she couldn't find it in her.

She told Lea and Isa to go with the aliens—to help them defeat the Mogs, who would try and destroy everything—but she was going to stay with Sarah… and Roxas had opted for the same thing.

…

"Xion? Can I talk to you?" Roxas wondered aloud, as he came out onto the rooftop that Xion was sitting on.

She was at the top of Sarah's home, as they waited for the world to realize Sarah was more important than it knew so far.

It was a nice, easy quest with the woman Xion had a slight girl -rush on…

And yet she was miserable: something she hadn't been since living in Twilight Town with this new life, and she couldn't figure out why.

Anyway, Xion was about to tell Roxas that she loved him, so of course he could talk to her—the words were even already on her lips—but Roxas was interrupting her before she could get them out… guessing things so correctly, that it was almost uncanny.

"…Xion, it's all well and good ta wanna help this Pure Light… or whatever she is. She reminds you of Kairi. I get it. But it isn't because of that that you're doing this. It's because she reminds you of yourself."

Roxas was spot-on, of course. And perhaps he got this, because she, arguably, had once been made up of parts of him, too.

…But she was also Sora and Kairi, which was why she was relating to Sarah.

…Xion's existence was such a mess—or at least had been—that she couldn't help rolling her eyes at just the thought of it. And she almost wanted to jump from the roof, just to try and end the confusion that way. And maybe she would have, if she didn't have to now worry about aiding the greater good again.

…There was a lot that Xion still needed to work out about herself. And if she hadn't come back in a new body, she might have actually had that chance.

"Roxas, don't psycho-analyze me," Xion stated, getting to her feet and pecking him on the cheek once—to try and let him know that she really didn't mean the jibe. She'd been in Organization XIII, after all: there were much worse things that could be done to her—"I mean… that is a thing. And part of the reason I'm helping her. You're right. But it's also because the Mogadorians know about her relationship with John…. You know they'll eventually try and use her as bait for that reason. And if we want to protect the multiverse for something greater than Xehanort, why risk that?"

Roxas didn't say anything to Xion's counter point and he really could have.

Trying to stop anything was usually a self-fulfilling prophecy, and you'd instead cause to happen what you were trying to avoid: both of these teens knew it well, and perhaps Roxas should have called Xion out on it. She even allowed that.

…And yet Roxas just sat with Xion to offer her moral support, and held her hand and let her lean her head on his shoulder.

And it was more than enough for Xion, and she snuggled right into him… even while thinking about the uncertain future.