Okay, I actually started working on this chapter before I completely finished the first story. Not the smartest decision, but my brain was being a bit uncooperative. I think it needed a break from working on the Keyblade War portion of "Kingdom Hearts 3" and all the fight scenes. So yeah, I decided to work on this a little to get my brain working again. Which made it really hard to resist the urge to start posting this fic early.
Of course, it is possible that people will try reading this before finishing "Big Brother Instinct" anyway. Not like I can stop them. So… spoiler alert for both that fic and canon.
There are some differences between the canon ending of "Kingdom Hearts 3" and my canon divergence version of events. Some will be more immediately relevant than others. While Sora didn't have to run off to bring Kairi back at the end (because she is much harder to kidnap and/or murder this time around), he still ends up disappearing. Not at a beach party with everyone on the Destiny Islands, but pretty much immediately after they beat Xehanort. Saïx turns back into Isa and is currently in Radiant Garden because that whole "become a somebody again" thing is rough on a guy. Riku's replica did not fade from existence because neither Sora nor Riku would put up with that nonsense, so Naminé will have to wait a bit longer for a replica body of her own.
There are obviously other things that will be different from the canon game ending, but these are the things that are most immediately important. Hopefully you'll enjoy this glimpse of what happens after the Keyblade War in the series that now has a proper title: "Instinctively Family." Enjoy the story!
Parental Instinct
Lea had spent so much time and energy struggling and fighting to get his friends back, to find them and keep them safe, that he'd never had the chance to really consider what would come after. What they would do after he had them back and Xehanort and company were no longer a threat.
And now he'd done it. Roxas and Xion were alive, safe, and real. Isa was Isa again, even if he was currently in Radiant Garden under observations and being carefully monitored in case losing and regaining his heart twice caused issues. And yes, he still had no clue where that girl from over a decade ago might be, but Lea felt comfortable enough to leave that issue on the back burner until a new lead showed up. And yes, Sora had pulled a disappearing act after apparently pulling one too many impossible stunts, but no one was giving up hope of finding a way to bring him back and Lea wouldn't be surprised if he just showed up perfectly fine with half a dozen new friends. With everyone working on that problem, there really wasn't much that Lea could do to help at the moment.
For now, he'd found every friend that he currently needed to bring back. And that left him with the huge realization that for the first time in he couldn't even guess how long, Lea had absolutely no plan or idea where to go from there. He had no goal, no scheme, no ruthless boss, and no mission assignments. All he had was a Keyblade and two teenage toddlers who needed him.
Roxas and Xion needed him. They needed him. Lea never even finished school, spending a good chunk of his formative years as a Nobody and Organization XIII's assassin, but now he needed to figure out how to take care of the kids properly. Because they deserved normal lives. Or at least as normal as a couple of formerly-Nobody Keyblade wielders who were physically young teenagers and chronologically toddlers could possibly be. Lea needed to figure out how to give them real lives beyond fighting and keeping creepy old guys from plunging everything into everlasting darkness.
And the first thing that real people with real lives needed was a home.
He asked them, the half-pints still tired and overwhelmed by everything. He asked them where they considered to be home. Or where they would want to be their home. Because Lea would follow them anywhere. If they asked to stay in the Realm of Darkness, he would go. Though if they actually suggested they move there, he reserved the right to complain about it. But Roxas and Xion both said Twilight Town.
He really wasn't that surprised.
As part of the current working plan on searching for hints on how to get Sora back, everyone who ever spent time inside his heart would be spending the day at Radiant Garden. Being poked, prodded, and scanned in case there was still some form of connection that they could trace back to the missing Keyblade wielder. Most of the attention would be on Ventus, Roxas, and Xion since they'd lent Sora their strength before he disappeared. Though Lea thought he heard someone mention scanning Kairi too. And while part of him wanted to stay close to his half-pints, to keep them within his sight because some aching part of him kept whispering what if they disappear again, Lea wasn't certain that he could handle going back to that lab again. Not so soon after last time.
But if he was doing something productive instead, then he wasn't being a coward. He needed to be the responsible adult. Regardless of how strange it was to think of himself in that manner. Taking care of practical matters was the right thing to do.
That didn't stop him from forcing Gummiphones into their hands and making Roxas and Xion promise to call him immediately if anything happened, good or bad. He would definitely have to thank Chip, Dale, and possibly Ienzo for building all those Gummiphones right before the confrontation at the Keyblade Graveyard. He also tried to take comfort in the fact that there would be other people there to keep an eye on everyone. Riku and his replica. Aqua, watching over both Ventus and Terra, who also needed to be checked over after his long and complicated possession. He didn't know Aqua very well yet, but she seemed to be the protective and maternal sort. None of them would let anything happen to his half-pints. They would be fine.
And Lea's reluctance to return to Radiant Garden in general and the secret lab specifically didn't stop him from giving Kairi a hug and even squeezing Riku on the shoulder before the group left Master Yen Sid's tower. They deserved to know that he had their backs too if they needed it.
Lea might have got his best friends back, but that didn't mean everyone else was that lucky. Yesterday's loss would be the roughest on those two.
The first obstacle toward Lea's new mission of giving the half-pints a chance at a normal life wasn't as big of a problem as it could have been. Despite dropping out of school as a teenager due to losing his heart and being essentially conscripted into Organization XIII for a decade, Lea wasn't stupid. And he'd realized that with the exception of his sea-salt ice cream, there had been very little that the Nobodies could use munny for.
After all, they were supposed to avoid most people and that included shopping. And the one place where they were encouraged to buy items was set up on a point system dependent on how effective that they were at their missions. Only synthesizing required actual munny. The equipment, upgrades, and occasional potions were carefully controlled, ensuring that no one could get too much or grow too powerful. And to be honest, Roxas always spent more buying and synthesizing supplies from the Organization XIII Moogle than the rest of them. There had been no reason to collect and save very much munny in Organization XIII because it did them almost no good. The most reasonable thing would be to gather just enough to occasionally synthesize something useful.
But Lea wasn't stupid. Even as Axel, he recognized that not saving any munny ensured that he and Saïx would remain dependent on Organization XIII. And he'd always seen the group as a means to an end. They'd both squirreled away their resources. Items found in chests that he didn't need could be sold if he was careful about it. And Heartless tended to leave behind various bits of elemental material and even munny. Lea didn't want to think too closely about where that munny came from originally, but he figured that it either belonged to whoever they were before becoming a Heartless or else the creatures accumulated it by attacking other victims. Regardless, Lea managed to hide a decent stash of munny over the years and now he finally had a reason to use it.
Leaving behind his black coat felt strange after wearing one for such a long time. In some ways, however, it felt good. Like he was leaving that part of his past behind and fully embracing his new life. But it still felt strange not wearing the durable and thick material. It was familiar and memorable. And he hesitated before stepping through the dark corridor. He wasn't exactly comfortable risking his newly regained heart to the darkness so soon.
But the black coats for Organization XIII weren't exactly subtle. And he couldn't just hide in the shadows like he used to. He needed to interact with people and that meant blending in. He needed to wear something that didn't immediately draw attention. Something that didn't practically scream that he was untrustworthy and dangerous.
And if the fairies claimed that his new clothes would protect him from the darkness just as effectively as his black coat, he would just have to trust them. None of the others seemed to have issues with their outfits or the protective qualities. And they were at least semi-fashionable while complimenting the owners' preferences.
He didn't really have any complaints about the appearance of the clothes. Dark plaid shirt, black sleeveless jacket, a pair of durable dark maroon pants, and mid-calf leather boots all added up to something comfortable and practical that he could deal with, even if it was still strange to wear something new. The fairies did good work.
Though he did wonder about their recent obsession with plaid.
Twilight Town remained almost exactly how he'd remembered it. As the closest world to the World That Never Was, he'd spent a lot of time there over the years. And then, once he started the sea-salt ice cream routine with Roxas and later Xion, Lea spent even more time there. Even if it was only in the evenings and only on the clocktower.
The skies never strayed far from the time of day that gave the town its name. Golden light might shift towards reds and oranges before the sun slipped just barely below the horizon, leaving a rich shade of purple. But then the purples would return to the reds and oranges before melting back into the warm golden color. It never reached the black of complete night, the pinks of morning, nor the bright blue of midday. Just various shades of the different points of twilight. It existed on the edge of day and night, just as the world existed on the edge of light and darkness.
He knew the town, even with some minor recent changes. The clocktower had been built on the Central Station, the large train station that led to other districts of the city, out towards the countryside, and eventually a beach. The clocktower loomed over Station Plaza, which connected towards a neighborhood known as Station Heights. There were a few homes there and being relatively close to the clocktower had its appeal.
Lea also knew that Station Heights was part of the long, winding, and steep road called Market Street, which eventually led down to the Tram Common. Market Street also connected to the sandlot where they had their Struggle Tournament every year and where several kids and teenagers liked to practice. Furthermore, Market Street also connected to the back alley where the local kids had their hideout. The one under some of the train tracks. Any of the homes that were scattered around there would probably work out well. Roxas seemed to enjoy the Struggle Tournament in that data version of Twilight Town and Xion might like it. Assuming that the two of them could hold back enough to compete. Regardless, living near those familiar landmarks might encourage the kids to meet the locals a bit faster.
The Tram Common itself was more of a commercial neighborhood than a residential one, though there were still some people who lived there. Especially those who owned an apartment above their store. It was easier for him to see the changes there. One of the shops had been replaced by a fancy and expensive restaurant with a sign reading "Le Grand Bistrot" and an empty lot had been turned into an outdoor theater to watch silent movies. And the hole in the wall where it was easy to slip out to the forest and eventually towards the old mansion had finally been patched up. But mostly it remained an open-market area with a variety of different shops and a free tram circling around.
The old mansion itself was an option. It would take some work to make it habitable again and the hole in the wall being repaired made it harder to access than before. But it wouldn't cost any munny either. The place had essentially been abandoned and forgotten by everyone except adventurous teenagers wanting to scare themselves. The half-pints would have all the space that they could possibly want and could practice with their Keyblades outside without drawing any attention from the locals. But the big problem was the history of the place. It held too many unpleasant memories for Lea. Fighting both Xion and Roxas at separate points, both times his last encounters with the kids before they disappeared. And he couldn't imagine that their memories were any better. It would be easier to live somewhere else and avoid that entire minefield of potential issues.
Lea suspected that he would have better luck finding a place to live in Sunset Terrace. That district was more residential and tended to have larger apartments and homes. It was calmer and more peaceful. The biggest immediate problem was that it was away from the shops, the clocktower, and the more familiar parts of Twilight Town. To reach Sunset Terrace, they would either have to take a train from Central Station over to Sunset Station or they would have to walk through the Underground Concourse. Or they could take dark corridors, but that would involve making certain that they were wearing protective clothes that day. But on the other hand, it was a nice area and watching the trains on Sunset Hill might be as relaxing as sitting on the clocktower.
The half-pints might prefer living farther away from the bustle and noise of the more central locations. The World That Never Was couldn't exactly be described as a crowded place and Destiny Islands was pretty laid back. They might find the Sunset Terrace to be a better fit.
His original plan, as much as he'd actually planned things, was to find several places that were currently for sale or rent. Then he would go through and see which ones would suit their needs and that he could afford with his current stockpile of munny. Lea would fix up a list of possibilities. Then, on a later day, he would bring back Roxas and Xion and get their opinions on whichever ones that he'd narrowed it down to.
But after searching the newspaper and the various bulletin boards for listings and finding a few possibilities, Lea stumbled onto a slight hitch in that plan. He had munny. But he had no form of identification or any type of legal paperwork that would be valid in Twilight Town. Any proof that he existed as a person would be in Radiant Garden, assuming that it wasn't lost when the world fell to darkness. And unlike the people of Radiant Garden, Twilight Town was still ignorant about the existence of other worlds. He could already hear Donald screeching "world order" in his barely-coherent voice.
He couldn't just tell them that his birth certificate and all school records might have been destroyed when the Heartless attacked and that he didn't have a credit history because he spent his entire adult life as a Nobody. And the majority of the people with a property on the market didn't want to sell or rent a home to a stranger without any form of ID. Or if they did, then the price suddenly shot up in response to the perceived "risk" of such a "shady" buyer.
Though the experience did remind Lea that he would need to find someone to forge some paperwork concerning Roxas and Xion. Specifically, paperwork that would be valid in Twilight Town.
It felt like the entire day had been a waste of time. Lea was about two minutes away from just leaving entirely and postponing the search until he could figure out who could fix up some fake IDs for him. He suspected that Ienzo, Ansem, or Even could do the job if necessary, but they would probably be busy trying to figure out how to bring Sora back and then crafting a replica body for Naminé. Assuming that Even wasn't still unconscious since he apparently was the slowest at recovering from the destruction of his Nobody and reforming as a person based on previous experience. And assuming that Even would want anything to do with Lea.
But before Lea could give up and head back, he spotted an older woman pinning a new sheet of paper to the bulletin board. And some stubborn part of him compelled him to try one last time.
Gina, it turned out, was a bit more open-minded than the other people that he'd talked to all day. She looked old enough to be someone's young grandmother, her brown hair showing streaks of grey, but her personality seemed more like someone's adventurous aunt. The type who never settled down and had no interest in raising children herself, but would happily spoil her nieces and nephews when she visited. And it turned out that she loved to talk to people.
Gina was the type of person that polite people called eccentric. She was someone spontaneous and willing to take risks. Risks such as opening up a boutique in the Tram Common years ago where she sold and did custom alterations for dresses, suits, and other formalwear. The older building had been neglected for some time before that and had more space than she could possibly use, but Gina decided that was where she wanted her shop to be. She built her business from the ground up, investing everything that she had and managing to come out on top.
And she later took other risks. Such as recently renovating the building to give the first floor larger windows to display her work and deciding to continue renovations further, turning the unused second and third floors of the building into apartments to rent out for extra income. And since she'd managed to apparently buy the place at a lower price before the new restaurant and other changes in recent years had increased the property values, her asking price turned out to be a lot lower than most of the other apartments in the area. It was only luck that Lea found her and her flyers before someone else did.
Of course, that also meant that he couldn't risk waiting to see what Roxas and Xion thought about the place. Not if he didn't want someone else making an offer first. But when she showed him the apartment and it matched the short list of requirements that he'd been searching for earlier in the day, he knew that he wasn't going to find anything better and took the deal. Gina left him in the empty apartment while she went down to get some paperwork.
Even if she was willing to let the lack of identification slide, he apparently still needed to sign a few things.
Lea picked a wall and leaned against it, sighing tiredly. A few things were still aching from all the recent fighting. He was pretty certain that Ansem would have preferred that he take it easy instead of running all over Twilight Town. But this was something that he needed to do. And it wasn't like Lea was good at following advice anyway. Leaning against the wall and relaxing a moment helped though.
He pulled out his Gummiphone and stared at it. He wanted to call Roxas and Xion to check on how they were doing. But if it was anything like when they were scanning Sora's heart, there was a decent chance that they were sleeping through the process. He could try calling Kairi or Riku to see if they could fill him in on what was happening, but yesterday had been hard on them and Lea didn't want to push things just yet. He considered trying Aqua or Ventus and having one of them update him on the situation, but his mind finally drifted to another possibility.
Lea didn't even know if he had a Gummiphone yet, but Ienzo, Chip, Dale, and Jiminy were passing the things out like crazy. He had a feeling that anyone who was on the guardian's side for more than five minutes would have one. It was at least worth a try.
Lea poked at the device for a couple minutes before finding a way to contact him. Thank goodness for databases that automatically updated since there was only a limited number of Gummiphones anyway. It was much more convenient than having to manually update the thing every time that they added someone new.
The Gummiphone rang a few times before someone answered. And Lea couldn't help smiling at the familiar face looking back at him in surprise. Especially when he saw green eyes instead of that gut-wrenching shade of yellow.
"Hey, Isa," he said quietly. "How're you doing? I'm guessing that they aren't crowding you too much if they're busy checking over the kids today."
"Lea." Giving a short nod of greetings on the screen, Isa continued, "They've come to check on me a few times, but you're right. The others have been spending most of the day in the lab. I've been keeping my distance. I didn't think that it would be wise to force my presence on any of them quite yet. Especially not Roxas or Xion."
And because Isa probably didn't feel any more comfortable in that lab than Lea did. But he was right. Roxas and Xion might have agreed to give Isa a chance, but it would be hard to forget how Saïx treated them and it might be better for their first reintroduction to have Lea there to serve as a buffer.
"But you're doing okay? No unexpected problems?" asked Lea.
"I'm… Physically, I am feeling better. My previous weakness and exhaustion have mostly passed. While certainly not comfortable, my recompletion doesn't seem to be causing me any more issues than my previous experience." Pausing a moment, Isa added, "I did speak with Even earlier. He claims that reforming after his destruction via a Keyblade was easier and a preferable process to having his Nobody destroyed by a different method. Fewer lingering traces of damage and he is recovering more quickly. Since I met my fate at the hands of a Keyblade wielder on both occasions, I have nothing to compare it to and will have to take his word on the matter."
Lea tried to ignore the guilt that briefly washed over him. It wasn't as if he and Vexen were ever close. Not to mention it was over very quickly. But having a heart sometimes meant feeling bad about incinerating fellow members of the Organization. He wasn't certain if he felt worse about that death or when he used the Riku replica to strangle Zexion. Neither event was exactly his finest moment. And even if the destruction of their Nobodies helped reunite them with their hearts, he knew that it couldn't have been a pleasant way to go. His own demise wasn't exactly fun, but at least it was on his own terms.
He should probably apologize to Even at some point too.
"Good to hear that you're doing better, Isa," he said. "And how does it feel to have your own heart back? And more importantly, not have some weird old guy's heart jammed in you?"
"It's… an adjustment." His words came out slow and deliberate. "You were right that the emotions feel a bit overwhelming right now. It makes me thankful to have some peace and quiet to come to terms with things. Other than checking on Even briefly, I've mostly been keeping to the bedroom that they provided."
Giving him an encouraging smile, Lea said, "It'll get easier. Promise. And don't isolate yourself too much. You've got a whole castle of people who know what it feels like to suddenly feel a lot of strong emotions after a decade as a Nobody. They should be able to help. And Even, Ienzo, and even Ansem should be able to make sure that you're recovering the way that you should. They'll give you check ups and everything."
"I'm sure you were eager to turn yourself over to their care, Lea," he said dryly.
He couldn't help it. Lea laughed at the sarcastic comment. It was a small thing, but it felt so much like the Isa that he grew up with. He couldn't even describe how much he missed his friend.
After a couple moments, Lea said, "To be fair, I was a little busy right after. You know, trying to find you, keeping Sora from ending up Xehanort's new puppet, and trying to figure out how to summon a Keyblade. Those things are not nearly as cooperative as you might think. At least, it wasn't at the start. I'll have to tell you about some of the training I did with Kairi. For a Princess of Heart, that girl can be vicious when she's sparring."
"I could tell. She was difficult to contain as a prisoner before she began wielding a Keyblade. When I fought her yesterday, she demonstrated a surprising amount of skill for how long she's been training."
Trying to brush past the issue of the events of the day before, Lea rubbed the back of his head and said, "Yeah, there was a weird time thing going on. Merlin fixed it up. We were training and practicing somewhere that time didn't really work right. So we actually trained a lot longer than you'd think." Then, looking away from the screen, Lea added, "But listen… I'm currently getting a place in Twilight Town. Roxas and Xion like this world and after everything that's happened, they need a place to stay. Somewhere they can be a bunch of kids like we were back in Radiant Garden. But that doesn't mean I'm leaving you behind. I'm not. And I need you to promise me something. If you need me, you call me immediately. I don't care what time it is or what I'm doing. You call me, Isa. And I'll be there. You're still one of my best friends. I'm not abandoning any of you. And since you have a Gummiphone, you have no excuse not to call me if something happens or if you just need to talk or whatever. And if you need more than to talk, I don't have to wait for a Gummi Ship. I'll make this work. And maybe over time, things will smooth out enough that everyone can at least be friendly together."
"I should applaud your optimism," he said. Then, a little quieter and suddenly looking a lot more tired than before, Isa said, "I've missed that. I missed you. And… I'm grateful that you didn't die. When they said you were…"
"Hey," said Lea, interrupting the darker mood that was settling over his friend, "you're not getting rid of me that easily. I still had things to do. Friends to drag back. And I'm just letting you know, if you hadn't shown back up with your heart afterwards, I'd find a way to get you back anyway. You're not allowed to disappear on me either."
"I believe you. If you managed to regain Roxas and Xion, even when you had no memory of her existence and had no reason to be looking for her, then I'm certain that you would have found a way to retrieve me regardless of the circumstances."
"You bet I would have." Shifting slightly, Lea said, "I better let you rest some more. I'm sure one of the mad scientists will try to poke at you before long. And I should probably see what's taking the lady so long with the paperwork. Oh, and since you'll probably see him before I will, ask Ienzo if he or one of the others can try to fix up some fake birth certificates and stuff for Roxas and Xion. And probably me too since I don't think Twilight Town's versions look the same as Radiant Garden's."
"I'll pass the message along. Be careful, Lea."
"Come on. How much trouble could I get into around here?"
"Do you truly want me to answer that?"
Laughing lightly, Lea finally ended the call. It took longer for the smile to leave his face. While Isa had always been more reserved than him, he was already showing a lot more of his old self. Willing to tease and be snarky back at Lea without it turning cold or sharp-edged. He'd missed that.
He stared at the Gummiphone as he absently rubbed at his chest, wincing at the lingering pain of still-healing wounds. He still wanted to call Roxas or Xion. It felt wrong to have them out of his sight for too long.
Lea knew that they were both with people who would look out for them and protect them. And he knew that they were more than capable of protecting themselves. He knew that they should be safe.
But being away from them so soon, after already losing them once and barely getting them back, felt wrong. His chest ached in a way that had nothing to do with previous injuries. There was a tightness there. And the more he thought about how far away they were and how easy it would be for them to disappear, perhaps yanked away by their connection to the missing Sora, the harder that it was to breathe.
But they were fine. Lea forced himself to remember that as he reluctantly put away his Gummiphone. He knew they would be fine. They were safe. He would see them soon. And if anything happened, there were multiple Keyblade wielders present. And even if he wasn't down in the lab with everyone, Isa was in the same castle. No one would let the half-pints disappear again. He didn't need to call them in the middle of everything. He didn't need to interrupt their efforts to trace the connections to Sora and bring the kid home. Lea just needed to get everything ready and then he could meet them at Master Yen Sid's tower that evening. Everything would be fine. They would be fine.
"I'm sorry that I took so long," said Gina, coming through the door. "The paperwork somehow ended up in my pile of orders. I'm usually much more organized than that."
"No problem." He pushed himself away from the wall, appreciating the distraction. "It wasn't that bad of a wait."
"All right, let's see… Basic appliances come with the apartment. Stove, oven, microwave oven, fridge, the washer and dryer combo set… They can stack on each other to save space," she said, repeating some of the points that she'd mentioned earlier.
She passed over her handful of papers to him. Lea knew that everything she was explaining was already in the contract. That didn't stop him from reading it over anyway. Just in case she missed something or forgot to mention it. He didn't want any surprises.
"I've listed the deposit and the monthly rent. Water and electricity are a flat fee included as part of the rent. I don't have the patience to figure out it out and adjust it each individual month, so don't worry if you want to take a longer shower or something occasionally. No one's lived here yet and I just finished remodeling these floors, which means everything should be in good working order for quite some time. I'll cover the cost of general maintenance and repairs. Unless you've tried something especially dumb and you broke something as a result. If that happens, that'll come out of the deposit."
Gina gestured vaguely towards the walls as Lea flipped to the next page of the prepared renter's contract. The legalese was giving him a bit of a headache, but he could mostly understand it.
Sort of.
A little bit.
Yeah, he'd never really considered things like the cost of water, electricity, and a deposit before. They didn't come up working as the Organization's assassin. Today had been a hard lesson in exactly how little that he actually knew about these types of responsibilities. Turns out that being a Nobody for over a decade didn't actually prepare you at all for adult life. Who knew?
"They painted everything a pretty neutral color when they finished remodeling. Though I admit it also makes the place a bit boring. But I have no problem if you want to repaint, hang up some pictures up, or something. I just ask that you talk to me before you start knocking down walls or putting new ones up. And the walls of this building were already pretty thick even before the remodel, so noise shouldn't be too much of an issue. I remember being young and how loud I could get; I made certain that they did a good job with the soundproofing. Whenever someone rents out the neighboring apartment or the two downstairs, you shouldn't have to worry too much about disturbing them if you and your family get a little rambunctious. You mentioned that you had kids?"
"Yeah, I'm taking care of a couple of teenagers," he said, avoiding the complicated discussion of their physical ages versus their chronological ones. "I sort of stumbled into looking after them. It's a long story."
She smiled and said, "Well, it was still nice of you to take them in like that. I look forward to running into them sometime after you move in. Hopefully they'll like their bedrooms and don't argue too much over who gets the one closest to the bathroom. I remember that fight with my sister when we moved when I was twelve. I didn't speak to her for almost a week."
"Nah," he said with a small chuckle. "I don't think either of them will fight over something like that."
"What are their names?"
Lea smiled and said, "Roxas and Xion."
Xion opened her eyes slowly, blinking away the grogginess and the glare. Standing in front of her was Ansem the Wise and Ienzo, watching her reactions carefully. She wasn't completely certain that she enjoyed the feeling of being someone's scientific project. And while she didn't hate Ansem the Wise the same way that Roxas did, when he wasn't wrestling with his uncomfortable gratitude for his help when Lea needed it, Xion wasn't exactly comfortable around him either. Her limited experience with him during his time as DiZ wasn't the most pleasant, but it wasn't the worst treatment that she'd ever received either. She didn't really know Ienzo that well either; Zexion had left for Castle Oblivion back in those hazy early days before she'd even started going on missions or speaking.
But she could put all of that aside. Ienzo had been nothing except nice to her since she returned to existence, even reassuring her that she wouldn't harm Roxas like before. And whatever mistakes that he might have made as DiZ, Ansem seemed determined to make up for them. But most importantly, she was sitting in the chair in the lab and letting them scan her heart for a very good reason.
"Did you find anything?" she asked.
"Unfortunately, no."
Xion looked past the others. For a second, she thought it was Riku who answered. But then she noticed the difference in height and hair length and mentally corrected herself. It was Riku's replica, standing over a different chair holding Kairi. Arms crossed and expression serious, he shook his head slowly.
Of the three chairs, she and Roxas were just waking up in their own. Ventus had already climbed out and was being looked over by the rather protective Aqua and Terra, which had clearly allowed Kairi to claim his chair. The more experienced trio of Keyblade wielders had withdrawn to a corner of the lab and were apparently telling Ventus the news themselves.
Riku wasn't in the lab anymore. He must have left after finding out that it didn't work.
"The connections between Sora's heart and the hearts of you, Roxas, and Ventus might have been strong before," said Ienzo slowly. "Strong enough that the three of you could share your strength with him for a time. But now… those connections are too faint for us to properly detect. That might be simply the result of whatever state his heart is in or wherever his location might be. Or perhaps it was an instinctive measure to keep the three of you from continuing to share your strength with him until all four of you disappeared instead of just him. Or perhaps those connections are simply something that our current equipment cannot measure. We cannot be certain without more information."
Ansem gestured towards the other chair and continued, "We are checking Kairi's heart as well in case her status as a Princess of Heart and the complete lack of darkness makes a difference, but I suspect that we will encounter similar results. At the very least, we can get some baseline scans of her heart that should aid us when the time comes to restore Naminé."
"But right now," said Roxas, climbing out of his own chair, "you have no clue how to find Sora or get him back."
Hesitating a moment, Ansem the Wise shook his head slowly. Xion could practically feel the mood in the room dropping.
"Not at the moment. But we have not yet exhausted all possible avenues available to us," he said.
Taking a step forward, one hand drifting up to her chest, Aqua said, "We can search through the library in the Land of Departure. There are ancient tomes of the past, filled with knowledge about hearts, Keyblades, and those who wield them. Perhaps there will be something that we can use to help Sora there."
"If you wish to share the knowledge of those ancient scholars, I would be honored," said Ansem. "Naminé offers yet another possibility. She has the power to influence the heart and specifically the memories of Sora and those who are connected to him. Perhaps after she is restored, she will be able to trace the connections to him in a way that we currently cannot."
"Unfortunately, it will take time to prepare her a body." Ienzo glanced back towards Kairi. "With Even's return and his research, we should be able to craft a replica for her. But it isn't the fastest process. Not if we want one that is stable and nearly indistinguishable from a normal human body. It is delicate work and some things are not worth the risk of rushing."
Xion knew that far too well. She had been one of the earlier models originally. And saying that there had been problems would be an understatement. She was meant to absorb some of Roxas's abilities. Enough to wield the Keyblade. But she'd kept absorbing more and more power and memories. She was broken in a way that no one could fix and the only way that she could stop it before her existence destroyed Roxas…
No. Naminé deserved better. She deserved a proper body that wouldn't end up broken, dangerous, and doomed to inevitable destruction.
She shivered, clasping her hands together in front of her. Xion didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to think about the possibility of her new body being flawed in some way. She didn't want to think about how it could break down or turn against her too. She didn't want to think about the idea that she was the problem and not her replica body, that she was doomed to the same destructive cycle. She didn't want to think about how something could go wrong with her and she might disappear again.
That wouldn't happen. She was stable this time. Ienzo even did scans before and said that she was no different than any other real girl.
"How long?" asked Riku's replica, still staring at Kairi. "You said it will take time, but how much time? How long until Naminé can be restored?"
His voice solemn and grave, Ansem the Wise said, "Months. Several months. I cannot give you a more exact estimation since the replicas are Even's creation, not mine. I can only go off of his research. But perhaps I am overestimating the necessary time. I will ask him for a more accurate timeframe once he has recovered a bit more from his experiences."
The replica's face showed a flash of frustration before settling into resignation. He gave Kairi one last look before taking a step away from her. Something about the tired, lonely, and miserably accepting look on his face made Xion approach him cautiously. She wanted to say something. She wanted to help. Mostly because she didn't like seeing anyone in that state, but it was more than that. He was the only other replica that she'd ever met. There was a connection between them.
"Do… you have a name?" she asked quietly.
Glancing up at her in surprise, he said, "Not my own. Not before. I've always been called Riku. Because that's who I thought I was at first. But I've been considering something that Sora suggested. A new name."
"Did you pick one?" asked Ienzo.
Riku's replica looked towards him, but didn't meet his eyes. And Ienzo took an involuntary step back when the replica turned his attention in his direction. Xion didn't know why, but there seemed to be an uncomfortable tension between the two of them. There was some unknown and unpleasant history lingering over them. She could see guilt from the replica and unease and maybe a faint thread of fear from Ienzo.
But at least they didn't seem as bad as Roxas and Ansem. The only reason that she believed that Roxas hadn't literally attacked the man at some point since their return was because he helped save Lea. That had earned the man a shaky truce.
"I did pick a name," said the replica slowly. "Kiru."
After a moment of consideration, Roxas said, "That's not bad."
"Then it is nice to properly meet you, Kiru," said Xion. "And don't worry. Naminé will be with us soon enough. We'll just have to be patient until Vex– Even can make her a new body. And it's better to take some time than to risk making her a body that isn't stable." Xion shook her head, not letting those fears about her own existence gain any ground. "And you're not the only one who would like to see her again. She was nice when we met, even if what she told me was upsetting. And when she's here, she might be able to help us get Sora back."
"Though that isn't the only reason that we want her back," reassured Roxas quickly.
"And while you wait, you can get things ready for her," she continued.
"Exactly," said Aqua from her spot next to Ventus. "I've heard a little bit about your histories, Kiru. And I know that you both came from… unusual backgrounds. Do you or Naminé have a place to stay? Clothes other than the ones that you're wearing right now? A home?"
Xion was actually thinking about getting Naminé some ice cream to welcome her back, but Aqua was raising some good points too.
Kiru's fist briefly squeezed shut before relaxing. He didn't look completely comfortable as the center of attention, but he seemed to be considering their suggestions. And he looked calmer. More thoughtful than his earlier frustrations.
"Riku told me that," he said slowly, "I could come back to the Destiny Islands with him. He said I could stay with his family. Or maybe at Sora's house until he's back." Kiru shifted slightly on his feet. "I don't know if that would work out long term and I don't know if Naminé would want to stay on the Destiny Islands. We both remember living there, but we never actually did."
Xion could certainly relate to the problems of remembering events from a life that didn't belong to her. The strange disconnect. Feeling that something was both familiar and foreign at the same time. And the desire for something that truly belonged solely to her.
"You're right," he continued. "I should use this time to make preparations for Naminé's arrival. She deserves to have a proper home." Kiru smiled slightly. "Perhaps I could also find her a set of colored pencils and a new sketchbook. She loves to draw."
Giving the replica a considering look as he straightened up, Terra asked, "How long have you wielded a Keyblade, Kiru?"
"Since yesterday."
Terra glanced towards Aqua. There was some form of silent communication taking place. She knew exactly what he was thinking and seemed to agree with his idea. Xion could tell. That type of deep understanding of each other without needing words seemed like a sign of a close and enduring friendship.
"You don't have to accept," said Terra carefully, "but you could come with us back to the Land of Departure if you want. It was always meant to be a safe haven for Keyblade wielders. That includes you."
Nodding, Aqua added, "And it is the responsibility of Keyblade masters to teach the next generation of wielders. It is only right for us to offer you those teachings. You wouldn't have to learn all on your own. We could give you formal and structured training from the start." She paused a moment with a slight frown. "Though we might need to adjust things from what we were taught. Recent events have revealed that Master Eraqus's teachings weren't always correct and that his views on light and darkness were… imperfect."
"I… May I think about it?" asked Kiru, looking a little overwhelmed.
"Of course. The offer has no time limit," said Terra. "You are under no obligation either way."
Looking up from the equipment with a heavy sigh, Ansem said, "I am having no better luck at tracing a connection between Kairi's heart and Sora than we did with the others. It would seem that Naminé remains our best hope to locate the boy."
"Then it's up to her," said Riku as he stepped back into the room. "And she's never let us down yet."
Lea found his half-pints sitting on the bed in their borrowed room when he returned to Master Yen Sid's tower. Not even finding a place to live had spelled the end of his day. The apartment didn't come furnished, so Lea spent the rest of the day scouring various second-hand and discount stores for the more immediately necessities. Including furniture. His larger purchases were due for delivery the next day. He'd also found a few smaller basics. Very simple and plain bedding, towels, and such. More personalized and better quality versions could be picked out later. For now, he was focusing on the bare essentials to get them started.
Which was why Lea was carrying a small bag of clothes. Plain white t-shirts and loose-fitting, soft, and comfortable black shorts. He'd bought a set for each of them, perfectly identical except for the fact his were much larger. It would give Roxas and Xion something to wear that wouldn't draw attention the same way their black coats would. They would work at least until they could go clothes shopping for themselves. And as an added bonus, the t-shirt and shorts combo were comfortable enough to be used afterwards as pajamas.
"Ienzo called earlier," he said, sitting down next to them. "No luck?"
Shaking his head, Roxas said, "They think that Naminé might be able to find him, but it'll take a while to make her a replica body. So everyone is stuck waiting."
"I doubt everyone will just sit around doing nothing the whole time," said Lea. "They'll be poking around the different worlds looking for clues in their spare time. I guarantee it."
Xion smiled slightly and said, "I do think I heard Riku mention to Kairi that he was thinking of doing some searching on the weekends while waiting for Naminé's return."
Leaning over to look at the bag, Roxas asked, "What's in there?"
"Surprises for tomorrow. Which is why I'm not telling," teased Lea. "You'll have to wait and see."
Scowling playfully, he complained, "No fair."
Giggling, Xion leaned over and wrapped her arms around Roxas. He started laughing as he tried to shrug her off. Lea took the opportunity to drop the bag on the floor and shove them back on the mattress, earning him twin yelps of surprise. He dodged their flailing hands to snatch up a pillow to lightly smack them a couple of times. The startled squeaks and laughter made Lea grin. The pair scrambled back upright, now with messier hair.
The play-fighting came to a sudden halt as they tried to tackle him down on the mattress too. Lea couldn't help the sudden gasp and wince from the sharp stab of pain to his ribs. He was healing, but not fully healed yet. The impact had agitated his injuries. The pair immediately scrambled back with guilty expressions as he recovered from the worst of it.
"I'm sorry," said Roxas quickly, eyes wide with worry. "I'm so sorry, Axel."
Looking equally horrified by their actions, Xion asked, "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," said Lea, sitting up slowly. "It just caught me by surprise. That's my own fault. Shouldn't have tried roughhousing yet."
He was doing better. He honestly was. The actual lacerations were essentially healed over enough that bleeding was no longer an issue, though he was clearly adding another four scars to his current collection. Right next to the starburst burn scars on his sternum from his fiery destruction as a Nobody and higher up and on the opposite side from the rather ugly scar from Saïx's claymore. He'd honestly had too many death- and near-death experiences to be entirely healthy. But while the cuts were nearly gone, the colorful bruises and battered ribs would take longer. Especially after Saïx managed to hit him hard before banishing his weapon. That probably set things back a bit.
"I'm still sorry," said Roxas.
Reaching over to squeeze his shoulder, Lea said, "Don't worry about it. You know me. I'm tough."
That caused some relieved chuckles. Then he pulled them over in a careful hug. They might not have indulged in a lot of physical affection during their time in the Organization beyond some playful shoves and such, but there was something comforting about getting to hold his half-pints close. Holding them close and knowing that they were safe, real, and alive. Maybe someday he would get used to the idea that he had them both back. Maybe someday he wouldn't feel immediately calmer just by hugging the pair tight. But for now, Lea would enjoy the warmth and twin heartbeats that meant that Roxas and Xion hadn't disappeared again.
"We have a lot of things to sort out still," said Lea. "But tomorrow we'll head over to Twilight Town for that surprise."
Xion frowned thoughtfully and asked, "Didn't you say the surprise was in the bag?"
"It's a two-part surprise," he said, reluctantly ending the embrace. "And if you want to know more, you'll have to wait until morning. Until then, I'm grabbing some sleep."
In the past, that would be the cue for Roxas and Xion to tease him about wasting his time napping. But their overprotectiveness that emerged after his most recent near-death experience hadn't quite ended after the Keyblade War. Which meant there were no complaints about him getting more rest. Hopefully their worry over him would fade with time. He almost missed the jokes about his sleeping patterns.
Lea claimed a spot in the center of the mattress as Roxas turned off the lights. Then the two half-pints curled up on either side of him just as he managed to snag the blanket for them. And, making a mental note to add proper blankets to the list of things to get and not just the sheets that he'd already bought, Lea closed his eyes and settled down to sleep.
Yes, Riku's replica did follow Sora's suggestion and just rearrange the letters of Riku's name to come up with one for himself (without adding the X). And fun fact. "Kiru" is apparently a Japanese word meaning "to cut," possibly with the specific nuance of "to kill with a blade." Considering that the first time we meet the character, he's fighting with a sword… Yep, the name fits.
And look at Lea trying to be a responsible adult and do all the adulting things while having no real clue what he's doing. He is just so lucky that Gina is taking pity on his poor soul. But he's doing his best because he's going to give the half-pints the life that they deserve.