Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is the property of Disney and Square Enix

Strangers Once More

"Best friends forever!"

Isa stares impassively over his ice cream, unimpressed. "We've only just met, Lea."

"Right, right," he says, holding up both hands in mock-surrender, "but I just have this feeling, you know? I mean, just today we beat up a bunch of bullies, outran the guards, wrecked some pretty fantastic mayhem and now here we are, safe and sound, eating the best ice cream in the world. Isn't that amazing?"

"I wouldn't have had to do any of that if you hadn't dragged me into your fight to begin with," he points out.

Lea waves a dismissive hand. "You say that now, but anyone could see how much you were itching to get in on the action."

He should deny that, really, except he finds that he doesn't want to. Logically thinking, it should have been one of the worst days of his life. Instead, well, he's never had so much fun.

And the redhead probably knows it too, judging by the wide smirk spreading across his face. "So what do you say?"

Well, what else could he say?


"Lea!"

"What?"

Isa sits up, trying to focus. Lea is sitting at his table, playing with his ridiculous Frisbees. Frowning, he blinks rapidly, trying to clear his head. "How long was I asleep?"

"Two days," Lea replies bluntly.

"That long?"

"Yep."

A strange pause follows, as if his friend is holding back. Isa looks up. "What is it?"

Lea doesn't answer immediately, twirling his frisbee around and around in anxious circles. When he finally speaks, the words are so low that Isa has to strain to hear them. "You were talking in your sleep."

"Oh." He curses inwardly; not again. "Did I say anything interesting?"

"You said something about the Garden falling, and how shadows were coming alive. Something about looking for the Heart Kingdom." Round and round it went, balancing precariously on his bony fingers.

There's more. Isa waits.

Suddenly, Lea looks up, locking their gazes through the sheer intensity burning his green eyes. "You said I'd die," he blurts out, "twice."

At that, it starts coming back to him; the dream rushes into his mind and he shivers, watching helplessly as the images overlap in his room—there is darkness everywhere, whispering to him, calling him but he can't leave yet, not without his friend, not without Lea—

But Lea's already gone, they purr, he's already joined us. Now it's your turn.

He shakes his head, uncertain—

And then there's fire. Hot searing flames licking at his skin, burning through his lungs. It should hurt but it doesn't; after all, he's not the one dying—

Isa jerks awake with his head on his knees, fighting to breathe. He can feel someone rubbing his back in smooth, comforting circles; he is aware of Lea next to him, chanting a mantra over and over again. "Just a dream. It was just a dream."

And for now, Isa believes him.


"You've changed," he says, shaking his head at the retreating figure.

In an instant, his fellow Nobody is shoving an accusing finger in his face. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I have changed. But you know what?" The heat in his words burn; he can almost see sparks flickering in the air between them. "You know what? I'm not the only one."

Without another word, his once friend turns his back and walks away.

And that is the last time he sees Lea.