Xion finished the last of her sea salt ice cream as the six teenagers hang out in their usual spot.
"So, your fall vacation's almost over huh?" asks Roxas Olette nods
"Yeah, in three days we'll be back in school," Olette explains.
"Speaking of which, are you two gonna go to school?" asks Hayner. Xion and Roxas look at each other, neither of which really having an answer.
"I mean, it would be nice, but. . ." Roxas trails off.
"We're busy being keyblade bearers as is, on top of that we have our mark of mastery exam in a bit over a month," says Xion.
"A bit over a month huh? So only a few weeks after Christmas then?" asks Pence, to which Roxas and Xion nod.
"Speaking of which, in a few weeks it's supposed to start getting cold again. This weekend's the last warm days we'll have for a few months," says Olette off hand. "I wonder what we should do. . ." Olette ponders.
"Why not go to the beach?" asks Hayner "We were supposed to go before school started, but then, well, everything got so busy."
"That'd be nice," Olette says cheerfully. "How about you two? Would you be down for a visit to the beach?" Roxas and Xion think for a moment, before answering.
"Yeah, we'd like that," says Xion.
"Can we invite Namine too?" asks Roxas.
"Of course, the more people the better," says Hayner.
"Yeah, invite anyone you'd like," says Olette, before a thought occurs to her. "You guys do have swimsuits, right?" Roxas and Xion look at each other, before turning to their friends again.
"Uh. . . we never actually thought about that," Roxas admits as he rubs the back of his neck. The five laugh for a moment, before settling down.
"Well I guess that settles it," says Hayner as the group stands up. "We're going to the beach!" he exclaims.
"Should we go shopping now?" asks Pence looking at the time.
"No, it's already getting pretty late. We can write down things we need to get and make sure we gather them all tomorrow," says Olette. The gang exits the usual spot. Hayner, Pence, and Olette head back to their place while Roxas and Xion prepare to visit Destiny Islands, both to pick up Namine from her training with master Aqua, but to also inform them of their weekend plans.
"The beach? This weekend?" Namine is taken aback by the sudden news.
"I mean, you don't have to come if you don't want to," says Xion.
"It's not that, I'm just surprised that you're telling me on such short notice," says Namine nervously.
"We still have all of tomorrow to prepare" Roxas reassures her.
"What's happening?" asks Kairi as she notices the three on the raised island. Roxas and Xion inform her of their weekend plans.
"Oh! I've never seen the beaches of Twilight Town. I wonder what it's like over there." Kairi wonders.
"Well I mean, we were told that we could invite anyone we want so, you and Riku are free to come to," says Xion. "We're going shopping tomorrow for all the supplies, so you can come with us too." Xion offers. Kairi smiles.
"I'd love to," she says as she turns away. "I'll tell Aqua and Riku as well, so don't worry about telling them. See you tomorrow!" says Kairi as she runs off. The three wave farewell before taking the gummi ship back home. Upon arriving in Twilight Town, the three split up, Roxas going back to Hayner's place, while Xion and Namine walk to Olette's house.
"Hmm, what will we need. . ." Hayner thinks out loud. "Well, we'll need to get you a swimsuit. . ." he says, looking over at Roxas, who lays in his sleeping bag. "Hmm. . . sunscreen. . . ? Nah, we don't need sunscreen."
"We absolutely do need sunscreen Hayner," says Roxas as he stares up at the ceiling. "Besides, Aqua will kill us if she finds out we're not wearing any."
Hayner sighs. "Yeah, you're right. Wouldn't wanna piss off the keyblade master. She's scary when she wants to be." Hayner thinks for a moment. "Anything else?"
"Sea salt ice cream," says Roxas.
"Right, can't go wrong with sea salt ice cream," says Hayner, before suddenly laughing.
"Hey, remember when you randomly guessed Sea salt ice cream as the password to Ansem's computer? And it turned out to actually be the password?" Roxas laughs.
"Yeah, I remember that. Still can't believe he made his password his favorite ice cream flavor."
"I know right?" the two laugh for a bit before they finalize their list. Hayner practically leaps into his bed after turning off the lights, inviting the temptation of slumber to take over him for the night Roxas continues to stare at the ceiling, only one thought on his mind.
"Axel. . ." he says in a quiet, somber tone. Roxas sighs as he closes his eyes, pushing away his lament.
The next day, the boys and girls split up to do their shopping as they prepare for the next day.
"How about this one?" asks Xion, showing Olette a two-piece bathing suit she found.
"But it's black," says Olette
"Is that a bad thing?" asks Xion confusingly.
"No. . . it's just that you always wear black. Even right now you're wearing black." she says. Xion looks down at her usual outfit.
". . . My skirt is white though. . ." she says half-jokingly. Namine laughs a little as she looks at a one-piece swimsuit, it reminds her of the top she wore as a mermaid.
"I like this one. . . but it's also white. . ." she says remarking Olette's comment on Xion's swimwear choice earlier.
"It's fine you three, just wear what you like. Says Aqua as she looks through the adult-sized swimwear." she sighs as she looks through the wide variety of swimwear, annoyed at how few non-bikinis this particular store carries.
"I wonder what the others are doing right now." Xion ponders.
"Pence came by and told me they already got something for Roxas to wear, so now they're going to get things like sunscreen and ice cream," says Olette, as she looks through more possible swimwear for Xion. "Now that I think about it, we eat a lot of ice cream. It's probably not good for us to eat so much."
"Ice cream is bad for our health but good for hearts," Xion says jokingly. The four girls laugh before continuing to sort through the wide variety of clothing. Many, many hours later, Xion stares up at the ceiling as she lays in her sleeping bag. This doesn't go unnoticed.
"You look troubled, are you okay Xion?" asks Namine.
"Are you worried about what Roxas will think?" asks Olette.
"I guess yeah, I do hope he likes it. . ." Says Xion quietly.
"Is that it?" asks Olette. Xion nods before turning to her side away from her. Olette knows she's lying, but chooses not to pry, some things are best kept private. "Okay well, goodnight. We have a big day tomorrow," she says, turning off the lights and climbing into her bed.
Namine lies on her side as she looks at Xion, the two make eye contact, despite the darkness, and Namine mouths something clearly. "Axel?" She asks, without a sound. Xion nods her head slowly and closes her eyes before Namine does the same.
The last day of vacation comes around, and the boys arrive at the beach, preparing a little spot for their group while the girls finish getting ready. Riku looks around and takes in the feeling of this area, his black and purple trunks complementing his silver hair as he thinks deeply. It's a beautiful day outside, the sun is shining, birds are singing. And a pleasant breeze cools their skin. With a day as nice as this, it's surprising there aren't more kids on the beach. In fact, they're the only people on the beach that day.
Riku grew up on the beach, it's literally where he spent all his time. but Twilight Town was much different than Destiny Islands. It was always warm at home, the seasons barely mark a change in temperature, and he's never seen snow in his life. Meanwhile, Twilight Town is different in a way Riku can't really articulate. Roxas takes a bite out of his sea salt ice cream. His white swim trunks sticking out compared to the darker colored swimwear his peers wear, the only non-white part of it being the red and black stripes going down the sides of it.
"Geeze they're taking forever, wanna just hop into the water without them?" asks Roxas, but before his peers can answer the sound of Olette's voice emerges.
"We're here! Sorry, it took so long!" The four turn to look at the four figures that approach them. Olette wears an orange-yellow two-piece swimsuit with a bright yellow flower pattern dotted on her swimwear.
Next to Olette is Kairi, wearing a white and pink one-piece with purple frills where her bathing suit ends and her legs begin. Behind her is Namine, who wears a simple white one-piece swimsuit with two small white ribbons on her back. Standing tall behind the group is the full-time keyblade master, part-time babysitter, Aqua. She wears a respectable black and blue top as well as a blue bottom.
The boys smile and wave them over to their spot, the large umbrella has more than enough shade for all of them, not that it's needed with the calm breeze and all. Roxas is a tad distracted though, as Xion sits beside him. Her black top is complemented well by her white skirt-like bottom. Roxas can't help but admire his special one.
The nine of them enjoy their day at the beach as they eat ice cream, play games like nine-square and volleyball, and splashing each other with water. They even build a few sandcastles. Roxas and Xion sit by each other in the sand and hold each other's hands while holding ice cream in another.
"You two are really close to each other huh?" asks Hayner, his gray tank top contrasting his camouflage swim trunks. "I guess I'm not really surprised. When two people go through a lot, they tend to form some sort of special bond, and seeing what you guys have been through, well, it's only natural you would be close." Olette begins making her way to Hayner as Roxas and Xion notice pence walking away from the beach. "Your lucky Roxas, I probably wouldn't be able to tell if a girl liked me, even if they hit me over the head with their lo-" suddenly Olette hits him over the head with her palm "Ow! What was that for?" asks Hayner Olette sighs.
"Nevermind, just letting you know Pence is leaving, and we probably should too." she informs him
"Huh? Why?" asks Hayner.
". . . you know. . .school?" Hayner opens his eye wide
"Agh! I forgot about that! I don't even have my homework finished!" says Hayner. He turns to Roxas and Xion. "Sorry! I have to go! See you later!" he says quickly before dashing off the beach to join pence. Olette sighs
"He can't take a hint can he?" asks Roxas. Olette shakes her head.
"Don't worry Olette, you'll get your chance," Xion reassures her. Olette smiles and nods.
"Thanks, Xion." She says, before walking off the beach and making her way back to the bathrooms to change so she can go home. As the time ticks and the sun gets closer and closer to the setting, more people begin to leave. Riku, Kairi, and Aqua leave and prepare to go back to Destiny Islands, and once Riku is gone, Namine prepares to leave too, exhausted from all the activity. Leaving just Roxas and Xion at the beach, watching the sun together. Xion turns her head to look at her beloved.
"Any more sea salt ice cream left?" asks Xion.
"Just one. Made sure to save it." Roxas responds. The two dig a tiny little hole with their hands before Roxas takes the sea salt ice cream out of its plastic wrapping. He puts it in the hole, before the two bury it in the sand, before sitting beside it and watching the sunset together, like old times.
"Hey Axel, it's been a while hasn't it," Roxas says aloud
"We finally got to visit the beach, it was as great as you said it was," says Xion.
"You would have liked it. . ." says Roxas, as tears begin to form in his eyes. "Damnit. . . I said I wouldn't cry. . ." He wipes away his tears as Xion reassuringly wraps an arm over his shoulder. Roxas takes a deep breath before continuing where he left off.
"The sunset is beautiful, I haven't seen it like this in what feels like forever. It's a shame. . . you can't enjoy it with us. . ." Roxas says, his breath shaky.
"I'm sorry it took so long, but we finally kept our promise," says Xion, watching the sun slowly lower closer and closer to the horizon.
"Things aren't over, we still have a long way to go before we keep our last promise," says Roxas. "But it's reassuring to know that when we leave, whether it be in combat, or surrounded by friends and family. . . we'll join you," says Roxas, lowering his right hand by his side and onto the sand.
"Until then. . . save some ice cream for us, wherever you are. Okay, Axel?" asks Xion, pulling her hand away from Roxas's shoulder, and placing it on top of his hand. As they watch evening become twilight, then twilight become dusk, then dusk become night.