Roxas and Xion wake up mid-morning. The two collect their few belongings off the floor and leave the empty home. It served its purpose, but they won't be needing a permanent home for a long time.
"So, what should we do first?" Xion asked, regarding their goal of saving Sora.
"I don't know for sure, but I think a good starting point would be to find him first," Roxas says in response. "Though I'm not sure where exactly he would be. Maybe Destiny Islands?"
"Actually, I have an idea where he might be. Follow me." Xion says, leading the way to the abandoned Mansion located within Twilight Town's woods. The two make their way into the central hall of the mansion. It's clearly been abandoned for some time. Stone statues are crumbled on the ground, and the stone tiling seems to have long been cracked. Xion stops and looks towards the upper left area on the second hall.
"She's here."
"Who's she?" Roxas asks in confusion.
"It might be easier if you just meet her, follow me" The two climb up the stairs and make their way to a white room, many drawings of familiar people, including Roxas, Xion, Axel, Kairi, Riku . . . and Sora. There's a large white table in the center, at the end of the table sits a girl, with blonde hair and blue eyes, she wears a simple white dress, and she has a striking resemblance to Xion and Kairi. "Roxas, I'd like you to meet Namine."
"Hi- Roxas." Says Namine in a disappointing voice. She continues to speak. "I see there's been a change in plans."
"Yes, I'm sorry, but I think everyone will be better off if we do things this way instead," Xion responds.
"Are you sure? You've been in pain for so long." Namine says. It seems the two have talked on more than one occasion "I don't think Diz would agree with this." Namine says worryingly.
"To be honest Namine, When I thought about it some more last night, I don't think Diz ever had the best intentions for anyone involved. All he seemed to care about was getting revenge. He didn't care about anyone, he just saw us as tools, a means to an end." Xion says, her words beginning to carry some spite.
"Wait, I'm confused, who's Diz? What does Namine have to do with the old plan?" Roxas asks. Xion and Namine explain the events of the past. How Namine was forcefully involved in the task of removing and altering Sora's memories, What actually happened at castle oblivion, and Diz's plan.
"So that's why you're doing this. You feel like you owe Sora a lot, don't you?" Roxas asks. Namine nods her head in agreement. Roxas and Xion look at each other, and nod in unison before turning their heads back to Namine.
"Why not come with us? We could use some help with traversing certain worlds, Plus, I wouldn't want to stay in the same place for so long personally." Roxas says. Namine Pauses for a moment before finally answering
"Sure. The old plan isn't working out very well anyways." Namine gets up and the three exit the room. "Before we leave, we should attend to Sora and His friends. There's something very important we must do if we plan on doing things your way. Follow me." Namine takes the three to the room at the opposite end of the hall. At first, it looks like an ordinary library, but with a flash of light, the floor disappears, revealing the entrance to a sort of lab below. As the three move closer to Sora's location, Roxas notices something in the corner of one of the rooms and inquires about it.
"What's that computer for?" Roxas asks. Namine hesitates, before revealing its purpose.
"It is a prison. It was created specifically to hold you in a perfect digital recreation of Twilight Town until Sora was ready for his awakening."
"That's. . . disturbing. Diz really did plan to use everything at his disposal, huh?" Roxas said. The three quickly move on to the next room. It's large but mostly empty. The three are about to reach the exit when they're suddenly surrounded by many Dusks. Roxas and Xion draw their keyblades and attack, while Namine stands behind them, unable to summon a keyblade of her own. After defeating the Dusks they hear a familiar voice.
"Simply amazing Roxas, Xion, very impressed." The three turn around to face the voice. In front of them stands Their old friend, Axel.
"Axel. . ." Roxas says, in disbelief. How had he found them so quickly?
"You thought I wouldn't think to check this world again after your escape yesterday? I'm not smart like Saix, but I'm not an IDIOT." The walls begin to flare as Axel creates walls of fire, stopping the three from getting an escape. "I didn't want to do this, but the organization forced my hand! You're all coming with me, dead or alive. So don't make me do this and give up while you can!" Axel shouts, summoning his two Chakram. It seems like they had no choice, they'd have to fight their way out.
Roxas, Xion, and Namine dodge out of the way as Axel throws his flaming Chakram. Namine gets as close to the room's corner as she can without touching the wall of fire.
"I just have to stay out of their way," Namine thinks to herself as she witnesses the battle unfolding in front of her eyes. Pillars of fire ignite throughout the room, Roxas and Xion barely evading each and everyone one. Roxas charges Axel from the front while Xion attempts to strike his back, but Axel sees this coming and summons a pillar right in front of Roxas, giving him enough time to backhand Xion with his chakram. With Xion on the ground, Axel turns his attention to Roxas, The two charge at each other, before Axel jumps backwards, Chakram in hand
"Don't forget this!" Axel shouts, throwing and retrieving flaming chakram in rapid succession, chaining multiple hits before striking Roxas in the chest, knocking him backwards into the wall of fire. "Got it memorized?" Axel says, approaching Roxas, who's barely able to get up. Namine looks on in horror, Xion starts to get up but she cannot turn the tide of the battle alone. Namine charges at Axel, who had completely forgotten she was there, she runs into him, knocking him off balance, seeing this window of opportunity, Xion runs up and strikes his back, knocking him into the air. Roxas, finally back on his feet, pulls out Oblivion and Oathkeeper. He jumps as Xion dives below him and gives him a boost with her keyblade, he soars high into the air and strikes at Axel from above, slamming him into the ground, and clearing the fire. The three back away from Axel as he slowly gets back up.
"Axel. . ." Roxas says, saddened at the state of his best friend.
"We're Sorry Axel, but we can't go back. When all of this is over, we can eat ice cream at the clock tower, like old times." Xion says, Bearing no hard feelings towards Axel.
"Promise?" Axel asks.
"Promise." The two say in return. Axel, his mission failed, Opens a corridor of darkness, and leaves.
The two, exhausted from their battle with Axel, Walk slowly with Namine as she guides them to Sora. Eventually, they reach the room where Donald, Goofy, and Sora lie dormant. Namine begins to mess around with the pods they sleep in, as well as messing around with some sort of spell.
"What are you doing?" Xion asks.
"Previously, we had been in a rush to get Sora's memories back, since we didn't know how long he could sleep while we restore his memories. But since we're no longer going with that plan, I'm putting my efforts into making sure they stay in slumber until we find another way to restore them to their former selves." After messing around for a bit longer, Namine finishes setting everything up, and the three head towards the mansion entrance.
After exiting the library, the three find Hayner, Pence, and Olette inside the mansion. The three see each other and they approach one another, exchanging welcomes.
"We'd thought you two left without saying goodbye," Hayner said jokingly
"Who's this?" Olette asks, her attention focused on Namine
The three explain what had happened within the mansion, giving a short summary of everything, including their encounter with Axel.
"We'd thought we heard something going on over here. Glad you guys are okay!" Pence says, surprised at just how experienced in combat they were. Suddenly, the three remember why they were searching for them.
"There was a strange man at the train station this morning, he had blue robes and a long beard. Said he was looking for you." the three were confused, none of them have ever met somebody of that description, but he sounded like a good lead, and they follow Hayner, Pence, and Olette to the station. There they find a strange purple train, that they've never seen the likes of before. Xion, Roxas, and Namine exchange farewells with Hayner, Pence, and Olette, and the three board the train, knowing not where it will take them.
When the train stops they find themselves outside a large tower, with large doors on the front. The night sky matching the star and moon imagery on the tower. The three step out of the train and it suddenly disappears. If they had a way out, it's no longer there, their only real option of escape being their black coats, but only enough for two people, limiting their options severely.
As they make their way towards the tower, they notice a large cat-like creature peeking inside the tower from the outside.
"Is that-?"
"Who I think it is?" Xion says, finishing Roxas' sentence for him. The cat acknowledges them and converses with them without turning around, not recognizing their voices.
"Hehehe. I sent some of my lackeys inside to see if the master of this here tower's as big and tough as they say. Word is, he's a real powerful sorcerer. Which would make him the perfect bodyguard for me. See, it doesn't matter how tough he is- once he's a heartless, he'll do as I say!"
"You're gonna turn him into what!?" Roxas says with a mixture of shock and laughter, unable to take the cat seriously. The cat realizes that he's not just talking to any random people, and turns around.
"Wha. . . AAAH! You two!?"
"Pete, what's an idiot like you doing here?"
"Hey! I'm not an idiot! Once I find Maleficent, we're gonna conquer all worlds! Starting with yours!" Pete says, not even knowing where these three even come from. "Heartless squad! Roundup!" As Pete says that, multiple shadows appear. Xion and Roxas take out the shadows with ease. They've fought worse. Once the heartless are gone they realize Pete has run off, leaving just them and the tower. The three ascend the tower, slaying any stray shadows that are still inside. Finally, the three make their way to one last staircase, that leads to a shining gold door. Upon opening the door and entering the room inside, they find themselves in the presence of a tall man in blue robes.
"So, you are the nobodies that wield the keyblade. I am Yen Sid. With the King as busy as he is, and Riku seemingly disappearing off the face of the worlds, I will be instructing you on how to become keyblade masters."
"Sorry, but why exactly do we need to be keyblade masters? And why did you summon us here?" Xion asks
"If you wish to restore Sora of his memories without sacrificing your nonexistence, you will need to gain the power of waking, which can only be obtained by passing a modified version of the mark of mastery exam." Seeing little choice in the manner, the three nod, agreeing to let Master Yen-Sid help them. "You have a perilous journey ahead of you. You must be well prepared." Master Yen-Sid waves his hand, and in a puff of smoke, a strange book appears
"This book contains valuable knowledge you will need for your journey. Study it carefully. Once you have finished, Go to the room to your right. There, the three fairies will bestow upon you new power." Upon reading the book, the three learn in detail the journeys Sora had been through, to save his friends and defeat Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. After learning everything they could, the three enter the room to their right,'
Within it they find the three fairies Yen Sid had spoken of. With a wave of their wands, Energy courses throughout Roxas and Xion's bodies and with a flash . . . the two had slight modifications to their outfits. Xion now having three rings on her right hand, with indentations where a gemstone would normally be, and the charm on Roxas' necklace having three indentations, one of which had a red gem within it. Despite the seemingly underwhelming changes, the three fairies explain how by obtaining new powers throughout their journey, the three could transform and gain increased power. The three explain how the red gem within Roxas necklace gives him the power of Valor, allowing him to control at will when he can wield two keyblades, instead of only being able to wield them when his life depends on it. However, it comes at the cost of being unable to use any magic while using it.
After exchanging thanks for the new power, the three return to Master Yen Sid. He motions for them to come towards the window, to which they do. Suddenly an aircraft appears outside. The master explains that this is known as a gummi ship, and they can use it to travel throughout the many worlds without the use of their black coats, Thankful to the master, the three set off with a newfound goal. Become powerful enough to take the Mark of Mastery Exam, and stop what's left of Organization XIII.