"My goodness," said Merlin, in what was quite possibly the understatement of the century, "she seems to have turned him into a Dusk."
Ignoring how he knew the Dusk was Axel- Merlin knew lots of things and the method wasn't important just then- Aerith asked, "Can you change him back? Roxas is missing, and we can't seem to find any trace of where he went."
"Wouldn't it be easier if I just found Roxas for you?"
"And have him come back to see Axel like this?" Leon said, and shook his head slowly. "I wouldn't want to see those fireworks."
"What about Namine? This is her work, she should be able to undo it."
Aerith shared a glance with Leon before explaining, "She went to look for Roxas. We haven't heard from her since."
"Perhaps I could find her for you?" Merlin suggested, obviously not eager to attempt to fix Axel. "It would be simpler."
"Finding her and bringing her here are two completely different things, and there's no guarantee she'll cooperate." Leon snapped. He was even unhappier than usual. "It's possible she's trapped, wherever she is. I knew Xemnas wouldn't just welcome her with open arms."
"All the more reason to rescue her!" Merlin pointed out cheerfully, and rolled up his huge sleeves without waiting for the others to argue.
"This is your fault," Leon commented to Cloud, who had been standing motionless in a corner of the room for so long Leon had almost forgotten he was there. "I told you this guy wouldn't be any use."
"Any better ideas?" Cloud muttered, giving Leon an evil look. "Didn't think so. Let's mosey."
Just then, Merlin cried out- it was difficult to say with what emotion, but it certainly got everyone's attention. "Ah! She's in prison! And . . . my, what's this? Roxas is with her, my goodness!"
"Can you get them out?" Aerith asked, rushing to the magician's elbow. His eyes twinkled at her.
"Don't insult me." he said playfully. The wizard then waved his wizened arms in the air and mumbled a few words, and Roxas and Namine appeared in the room in a very unlikely puff of smoke, looking very concerned and very confused and, in Roxas' case, very angry. Merlin went to sit down- he was not as young as he would be, you know- and left Cloud, Leon, Aerith and the Dusk to explain everything. Although, Cloud was almost as talkative as the Dusk, so he hardly counted.
"Roxas, Namine!" Aerith cried, embracing them both. "Are you all right?"
"Fine." Roxas snapped, extricating himself from the hug. "Is that Axel?" He pointed at the Dusk, which was still, for once.
"Sort of." said Leon. "Namine?"
"Yes, that's him. His memories have been unlinked."
"Put him back." Roxas commanded. Namine had seen the same rage on his face when he had been set on killing Saix. She put her hands up in a gesture of peace.
"I will, I promise. It won't take more than an hour. They haven't been separated long, and he hasn't made any new ones- Dusks aren't sentient- so it won't take long at all. Calm down, Roxas. It will be okay."
"It had better be." he warned. There was a moment of silence.
"Come on, Roxas, let's get you cleaned up." Aerith said at last, gently laying her fingertips on Roxas' shoulder. "Namine needs space to work."
For once, Roxas allowed himself to be led off without protest. The whole room relaxed when he had gone. The Dusk slunk over to one of Merlin's desks and knocked down a bottle, then turned a somersault, apparently in amusement, because it repeated the process with another bottle, and then another- knock down, flip, knock down, smash! Two flips.
"Please hurry." Leon said, pained by the hilarity behind him.
Namine simply nodded, sat down, and, after a moment of thought, threw a book at the Dusk. This rendered it unconscious.
"Now." she said. "I'll start with the basics. Axel, Number Eight, The Flurry of Dancing Flames. . . ."