I am glad Part 2 is starting off strong, let me tell you! Shout outs:

soraroxas123: Thanks, and they probably are!

Lucenthia: Thanks a lot! Yeah, now he knows where he belongs, pretty much, and that's reinforced this chapters.

The Unknowing Herald: Wow, thanks a ton! It has been a while since that, hasn't it?

T1M3: Thanks! I wanted to give Kairi a little moment, because she hadn't done much but stand around. Once we get back to the Temples, she'll have more screen time.

Alright, you know what comes next! Enjoy!

Chapter 28: Jason's Story

The first memory disappeared around them, and was quickly replaced by one that Jack knew very well. He would never forget the white walls of his only real home.

They were standing in Eraqus' castle at the Land of Departure, and before the Wanderer could ask what they were doing there, the ethereal doors opened.

In walked the younger Jason, and Eraqus walked out toward him. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Jason?" said man greeted welcomingly. Jason smiled kindly and grasped his friend's outstretched hand.

"I wanted to tell you. I'm going away for a couple of weeks, to investigate some new leads. I've placed a spell of concealment around my family, so they won't be recognized by outside eyes. It shall keep them out of sight for a long while, or until I return. However, should anything happen to me, I want you take care of them like your own." he explained. Eraqus nodded immediately.

"Of course, Jason. However, you know that the concealing spell will hide them from all but the caster, being yourself right?" he replied.

"Yes. But should I be unable to return, the spell will weaken over time until it eventually breaks. By that time, my children shall be well out of toddler-hood, and their lights should reach you easily." Jason agreed.

"I promise you, should anything happen, I shall watch over your sons as if they were my own children." Eraqus promised, though he had a suspicious look on his face. Jason smiled once more and clapped his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Thank you. Although I doubt there will be anything to worry about, it is good to know that contingencies are in place." he said genuinely.

With that, almost on purpose, the scene fell apart in order to construct a new one.

As the old memory shattered at the seams, Jack and Jason waited and watched as the vapor began to construct new surroundings for them. It didn't take long for the younger of the two to realize what world was coming up around him.

"The Keyblade Graveyard. Why am I not surprised?" he muttered. Jason was silent as the vapor created illusions of his younger self, along with Xehanort.

"Naturally, this world has been searched many times. Did you say that you found new information here?" the younger Jason asked as he gazed at the landscape. Xehanort grunted.

"Are you aware of a world known merely as the Crossroads?" he asked instead of answering. Jason turned to him.

"I have never been there, but I have heard of it." he replied. Xehanort began pacing with his back to him.

"In bygone ages, it was the center of the Realm of Light. Grand Crossing, it was once called. Now, it teeters on the very edge of Nothingness, forgotten. Do you know why? Those who ruled it caused the clash that we call the Keyblade War. At the end of the fighting, that very world shook to the core, and was literally split in two. Here lies half of what once was Grand Crossing. The Choosing Grounds, they were praised by the world's inhabitants." he explained calmly, as if he knew the information by heart.

"How came you by this history, Xehanort?" Jason questioned after listening. The older man chuckled quietly.

"As I said, there are few places among the worlds that I have not seen. I know much more than Eraqus ever will, shut inside our late Master's castle as he always is." he answered cryptically. The younger of the two shook his head slightly.

"You judge him too harshly. He watches over the worlds in his own way, and he is raising that orphan he found in Radiant Garden. Eraqus is a great man, to have taken in the boy so readily." Jason told him defensively. Xehanort sighed and nodded.

"No, you are correct. Eraqus is like a brother to me, and a better man than I could ever be. I am too hungry for knowledge, a trait we both share." he agreed.

"How old is the little one now, anyway?" Jason asked.

"As I recall, Terra would be almost two years of age by now. I never would have thought Eraqus would adopt a babe merely three months old. Then again, that boy shall now be destined to become a Wielder, like us." Xehanort commented, though he was losing his patience with the idle talk. But then, he thought about something and turned to his companion.

"What of your children? Twins, correct? Do you think either of them has the potential to join us one day?" he asked casually. The other man's reaction made him even more interested.

"I hope not. One Keyblade is enough for any family. I do not wish my life on those two boys. My heritage is tainted as it is, and I do not need more reasons for the Elder One to choose among the two of them. No, if the light should bless my wishes, I would choose ordinary lives for the both of them. The calm one, Jack, I would wish a family of his own unto him, and a place of status among our world's community. The feisty one, I can already tell he shall be a handful in future days. But they are my life, and I would give anything for them." Jason replied firmly. He wanted the Keyblade to have nothing to do with his bloodline.

"Would you abandon the search for truth in favor of your family?" Xehanort asked suddenly, and the younger master turned toward him. "Would you cast aside the friend that retrieved you from those islands? Yen Sid and I were always much older than you and Eraqus. Perhaps that is why you forsook me in favor of him." the older man pushed aggressively. Jason looked at him disbelievingly.

"Are you threatening me, Xehanort?" he asked. Xehanort narrowed his eyes as he placed his hands behind his back.

"You failed me long ago, but now I give you the chance to make up for it. Join me on this venture into the heart of all darkness! There, we shall forge the X-blade and throw open the door to the Keyblade War!" he offered dramatically and loudly. After saying that, he summoned his Keyblade and darkness erupted across his body.

Jason took several steps back in shock. "Has the darkness taken you, Xehanort?!" he exclaimed. Xehanort readied his Keyblade.

"If you do not stand with me, then you are merely in my way." he warned. Jason snarled angrily, for the first time realizing who the man truly was. (Jason's Theme{They Fought as Legends, Epic Score})

"Eraqus and Yen Sid shall hear about this!" he yelled as Cleansing Light appeared in his hand. Xehanort merely chuckled.

"Really? I am more than aware of the concealing spell you cast upon your family before our departure. Should you return to either of them, the light you share shall instantly allow me past the defenses you set up. Do you now see my ultimatum, Jason?! Join me yourself, or I shall take your sons instead!" he declared maniacally. Jason glared at him, not knowing how to react to such treachery.

"They are not yours to take! You will NEVER touch my family!" he roared as he charged. Xehanort smiled widely as he swung widely. Jason swiftly struck out and blocked, immediately wringing the weapon lock in a circle to break it. He dove headfirst toward the other man, but Xehanort teleported.

Jason hit the ground and rolled forward, back on to his feet. He let out a war cry as he turned and pointed his Keyblade to where Xehanort was now standing. A beam of light came forth from the tip of Cleansing Light and coursed toward the older man, who countered it with an equal beam of darkness. "How far you have fallen, my friend. All it took were a few hints of greater knowledge, and you could not wait to leave your family behind!" Xehanort taunted. Jason shook his head.

"You have turned to darkness, and you taunt me with sinking low?! Eraqus will see you dead!" he roared as he pushed forward. The two beams exploded into a cloud of debris, and he leaped through it. Reappearing close to his opponent, he raised his Keyblade high and prepared for a crash landing. Xehanort quickly raised his palm, and a bolt of black lightning connected to Jason's midsection. He let out a groan as he fell back and hit the ground.

"Eraqus shall never know the truth. It dies with you." the older man told him coldly as he raised his hand once more. Jason felt the ground beneath him tremble, and he leaped to his feet and dashed away just before an earthy spike arose out of it.

"I am not that easy to put down." he declared as he paced calmly in front of his former friend. Xehanort chuckled.

"Even should you escape today, you shall abandon the Order. Unless you wish your family to become my new vessels of darkness, you will flee in order to keep your precious spell intact. That is the only possible way to keep them from me! Do you not see, Jason? I have won no matter what way this ends!" he declared gleefully.

"Not if I kill you, you don't!" Jason yelled angrily. He charged with light and dashed toward him. Xehanort shook his head slowly and waited. As the younger master went for a fatal strike, his opponent repulsed his arms and knocked him backwards with a chaotic wave of energy.

Jason grunted as he hit the ground and pushed himself back onto his feet. "Ever have the Keyblade Wielders existed, and so shall they always exist! It is in the short lives we live, that determine whether we fade into obscurity or live on as legends!" Xehanort yelled.

"When did you become so cynical?!" Jason yelled back. He ran forward and slammed his thin blade against the broad one that was Xehanort's. They glared at each other through the weapons lock, and that was when Jason suddenly heard a voice inside his head.

"This is not your destiny. The boy who shall defeat Xehanort has already been chosen. Victory shall not be yours if you choose to remain." it said.

Jack and the real Jason heard it as if it had been spoken aloud. Jack looked around for the source of the voice, but saw no other person.

The younger Jason seemed unnerved by what he had just heard, and in that moment Xehanort knocked him off balance and reached in, grabbing him by the throat. Darkness covered his glove as he tightened his grip around Jason's neck, making the other man's eyes bulge.

In desperation, he placed his own hand upon Xehanort's, wordlessly muttering a spell as he did so. Xehanort glanced at him curiously, and in the next moment, an explosion engulfed the both of them. (end Jason's Theme)

"That is enough." the real Jason announced. Jack nodded as the memory's walls collapsed around him, revealing Jason's Station again.

LAND OF DEPARTURE, CASTLE ROOF….

(Jack's Theme{Something to Believe in, Epic Score})

"I don't understand." he immediately said. Jason nodded slowly.

"After that moment, I had just enough time to get away. Xehanort won that day. I realized that what he said was true. If I were to resurface anywhere near the Islands or my fellow Wielders, the light of our hearts would have been too bright. It would have allowed him to see through the spell I used to keep you from his sight. That is why I never returned, Jack. I was not willing to risk you or your brother for Xehanort's insanity. Instead, I traveled the worlds and relied on Eraqus to find you when the time was right." he explained.

"Except the spell didn't work. Xehanort still found Marek and I before Eraqus did." Jack pointed out.

"Yes, I know. Marek's strong desire to be independent weakened the barrier trying to hold him back enough to fracture it. Xehanort could sense you through the seams and pushed from the other side, just as Marek pushed from within. I sensed his merge with Darkness, though at the time I merely knew he had come in contact with a being of great dark power. I sensed him leave the Islands first, so I set out to find him. Before I could do so, I grew aware of Xehanort's presence back home, where I knew you to still be. In desperation, I hurried there, but you were already gone." Jason explained gravely, looking away from his son as he spoke.

"What did you do then?" the younger man asked softly. Jason had never spoken about the missing years. He knew it had to be hard.

"I saw your mother's grave, and that shattered what little perseverance I had left. I found her dead, and knew you and your brother to be either missing or under Xehanort's control. I could not bear the shame of facing Eraqus and Yen Sid, and even when I considered going to them, I knew Xehanort still held you within his grip. I feared for you, and hoped that as long as I remained hidden, he would keep you as an asset. I turned out to be correct on that count, at least. I lived in exile until three years later, where I was struck down by a young man wearing my father's Keyblade Wielder attire." Jason explained, his eyes glazing over as he remembered such memories.

"You knew it was me from the beginning." Jack surmised. His blood father nodded.

"I knew at that moment that you had become of a servant of the dark. But at the same time, you were alive. After our battle, I found myself among the dead, and yet I was not one of them. I remember a very ironic thing: I had been slain by my youngest son, and when I awoke, I realized I had been saved from death by my oldest. It was not until later that I realized Marek had become one with darkness incarnate, popularly called the Illusion. As I gathered my senses, I met a young woman who desperately sought to follow the hooded boy who had struck me down. I provided her a way to follow you, and knew what happened after that." he elaborated. Jack nodded.

"And then I know the rest. You were held in semi-stasis until the needed time, at which point Illusion called you forth to be his general. I appreciate you telling me all of this, but why did you?" he replied before asking. Jason slowly stood to his feet and stretched.

"Because it was time. Now you know my truths, just as I know yours. I did not abandon you, Jack. I did everything in my power to protect you, I hope that one day you understand that. All I wanted was to keep Xehanort and the Keyblade as far away from you as possible. But I failed. That is my legacy. I failed to protect what mattered. I believe that is the legacy of my generation. It is up to you to lead this new generation of Wielders against the oncoming tide. One day soon, you shall stand where I stand now. I pass all of my mistakes to you, so that you may understand and use them to lead your friends wisely. I am prepared to pass my mantle on to you. You are ready." he explained solemnly. Jack stood to his feet with a smile.

"What, are you retiring before the battle's over?" he asked lightheartedly. Jason smiled slightly at the comment.

"I would not leave this fight up to you young people. I shall continue to fight, in Eraqus' stead. He was incredibly proud of you, as am I. I know he was the one who raised you. I know he was the one you considered a father, and I respect that. I merely hope that one day you can forgive me for not being there when you needed me." he replied.

"I forgave you a long time ago, Jason. You weren't there to stop Xehanort, but you've helped me countless times since the last Keyblade War. Heck, you brought all the Wielders together and founded this Agency. You're the one who's given us a fighting chance." Jack told him firmly, but softly. The older man nodded gratefully, and both prepared to head back into the castle. (end Jack's Theme)

As soon as they reached the living room, Riku walked up to them. "Jason, Saenatar's sending his forces out across the worlds. We need people out there to follow his agents. If we learn where they're planning to strike, we can be ready for them." he explained. Jason nodded and walked over to the computer stand in the corner.

"Pierce and his team will remain in Radiant Garden as the last line of defense. Roxas and Namine shall remain near Twilight Town with Andrix and Tahara in reserve. The rest shall scatter and maintain regular patrols. I will alert the Council of Sovereigns to the danger." he agreed. Riku nodded and walked out of the room.

"Jack, it looks like you have visitors outside." Mist said from near the window. Little Pierce popped his head up to look out of it with a giggle. Jack smiled slightly to both of them and walked over, opening up the front doors and stepping outside.

"Today's full of surprises, isn't it?" he greeted the two men standing in the courtyard. Marek turned toward him and nodded once.

"I was following a lead on Saenatar when I ran into this guy out in the Lanes." he explained. Jack smiled as he looked over to the man in shining blue armor standing next to his brother.

"Jack, it has been too long." Kain greeted. The Wanderer reached over and grasped his forearm in greeting. The dragoon returned the warm gesture. "How are you faring?" he asked. Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, we seem to be making progress. We've taken down one member of the Organization, at least. Did you come to speak to Jason?" he said. Kain nodded.

"Cecil sent me to report on our preparations, since he is too preoccupied to attend this week's meeting with the Council." he explained.

"Well, he's inside. You're certainly welcome. No one saw you enter, right?" Jack asked after he gestured toward the front doors.

"I made sure. Though, I don't see the importance. This place can't be found, except by those who already know where it is." Marek muttered irritably as he took a seat on one of the outside benches.

"Aren't you coming inside?" Jack asked him after Kain walked through the doors. The older brother scoffed coldly.

"And do what? Play nice with our dear old dad? Think I'll pass. I already stopped just to let your friend in here. Unless I'm needed in the next few minutes, I'm gonna check up on my lead. Till then, I think I'll take a short nap." Marek muttered as he lay down and covered his eyes with the back of his hand.

The brown haired man sighed, shaking his head as he turned and followed Kain into the castle.

"We have watched our borders vigilantly, and there have been no sightings of the Organization anywhere near Baron. Cecil is massing his forces, and we are nearing completion on that front. Our forces will be ready within days, Jason. Then, they shall be put wherever the Council instructs." the dragoon was saying when Jack walked in.

"Finally, some good news. Thank you, Kain, we must…." Jason began, but then the computer started beeping.

"Twilight Town's under fire! I can see Blaze from here, Jason!" Andrix's voice echoed through the speaker. The three quickly ran over to the desk and Jason tapped the mic.

"Who else is with you?!" he demanded. There was static for a moment.

"Tahara and I are heading down right now! Roxas and Namine are already on the ground!" he answered then.

"Alright. Keep Blaze occupied for the time being. Help is coming." the Grandmaster replied.

"Roger…" Andrix muttered and cut off. Jason looked to Jack, who nodded.

"I'll head there immediately." he said as Riku walked into the room. He had just taken one step toward the door when the computer beeped again. This time, they heard Mickey's voice.

"Jason, there's a huge storm over my kingdom! It's not natural! The weather is bending out of shape in ways I've never seen before! I need help here as soon as they can get here!"the mouse king exclaimed worriedly. Jason sighed for a moment and looked back at Jack.

"You say there's an unnatural storm over the kingdom?" the older man inquired. Before Mickey could say anything, they heard a voice from across the room.

"It is Maynaimar. Saenatar has no experience as a General, and so he has sent my old friend out on his own to attack a world that humanity shall defend to their dying breath." Dawnomar explained from where he had appeared.

"Wait, so there's an Organization member there by himself attacking a world?" Riku asked. Dawnomar nodded slightly.

"Were Adenar still in charge, he would not make such a foolish mistake. However, Saenatar has proved his folly as a leader. Maynaimar stands alone, and alone he can be overpowered. His greatest strength lies in the elements: earth, wind, fire, ice, and lightning. He shall use all to his advantage, but he is one of the least gifted members of the Council, battle-wise." he explained.

"Well, Maechil's gonna be pretty upset with Saenatar when we take down their weatherman." Jack muttered as he made for the door, only to find it already open.

"Wonder what he'll do then. Don't old people just watch the weatherman all day? That just might drive Maechil insane enough to come out and face us himself." Marek commented as he leaned on the doorframe.

"Don't antagonize him!" Riku spluttered.

"We'll go help Mickey. Just keep an eye on Roxas and his group over in Twilight Town." Jack told him and Jason. The latter nodded.

"Sora is also on his way to Disney Kingdom. Rendezvous with him there, and see what can be done about Maynaimar." he said.

"He is one of my oldest friends. If his end is nigh, make it a swift one." Dawnomar quietly asked. Jack looked at him and nodded. With that, he and Marek walked outside and, to Jack's reluctance, headed through a dark portal.

No rest for the wicked, right? No, we aren't gonna see Maynaimar's climax quite yet. We still have a little ways to go before that, haha. Well, I hope you enjoyed the explanations and setup given this chapter. Now Jason's past has come to light, so there are only a few unanswered questions left. Thanks for reading!