I absolutely love how much everyone enjoyed the last chapter. Thanks for all the great comments. They've got a plan on how to move forward and everyone is doing their best to make sure that Lea actually takes care of himself (and that they help take care of him too).
"This is absolute torture," groaned Lea, letting his head drop on the keyboard.
"That's the third time you've said that. And yet it still hasn't killed you."
"Isa, please, my brain is melting. You're making me to go through old files and I've spent the last two hours reading requisition forms for machine parts from twelve years ago. Have mercy on me."
"Have you decided to emulate Demyx?"
Lea raised his head to glare at Isa. He wasn't surprised to spot hints of a smirk on his friend's face. The urge to throw something at Isa was hard to ignore.
Unfortunately, there was nothing at hand. The lab hidden in the basement, while continuing the tradition of secret underground laboratories with disguised entrances, didn't have many random knickknacks lying around for ammunition. It was a sleek and pale space that reminded him of something that belonged in Castle Oblivion or the Castle That Never Was. He would have expected Vexen to be responsible for the place rather than Master Ansem. Or rather, DiZ.
"Not every file that we recover will be relevant to locating Braig, Sora, or her," said Isa. "But we have to work our way through them regardless in case there is something pertinent that is not immediately evident. And it is useful to sort this information out in general."
"Yeah, I get why someone has to do it," he muttered. "But research is more of your thing. We both know that I'm not that great at this part of things. That's why you handled it while I took care of the icky jobs."
"Maybe we can work on renovations to the mansion later this afternoon. You might prefer the more physical tasks."
"Sounds less boring at least."
Lea turned his attention back towards the computer screen. It had not grown any less boring. But he reluctantly forced himself to resume reading through the forms. Maybe it would list a shipment of mysterious girls with amnesia headed for an unknown location. It would be a nice change of pace for answers to drop in their lap.
"There's something that you said the other day," said Isa slowly, "and what you just said reminded me of it."
Glancing back at him Lea said, "I've done a lot of talking lately. Remind me what I said."
"You said something about fighting being the only thing that you're good at. Which is certainly not true."
Isa turned away from his own computer to look towards Lea. Staring at him firmly. Trying to make it clear that there would be no arguing. That what he was saying was the full and honest truth and that it was vital that Lea believed him as he continued.
"While no one would argue that you aren't capable in combat, you have far more to offer than just that. If nothing else, you have always been better than me when it comes to dealing with people. You knew how to help Roxas and Xion to grow and learn about the world. Teaching them to be real people and not just tools for the Organization. You managed to forge a friendship with Kairi despite multiple attempts to kidnap her in the past. You navigated all the obstacles involved with setting up a household, getting the children started with school, helping them navigate challenges ranging from bullying to puberty, and offering emotional support for everyone with a Keyblade. You have always been more than a pair of chakrams, Lea."
Chuckling dryly as he ducked his head, he said, "When you put it like that, it sounds more impressive than it really is."
"I disagree. It sounds exactly as impressive as it is."
"Yeah, well," said Lea with a small shrug, "you should probably know that I've been making it up as I go along."
"I'm quite certain that everyone raising children is improvising as well," he said. "They only seem to know what they are doing because we were children at the time."
"I don't know, Isa. Your mother definitely knew how to handle us." Smiling faintly, he said, "She always seemed to know when we were up to something when we had sleepovers as kids."
"If that was true, we wouldn't have gotten into nearly as much trouble."
Hesitating a moment, Lea said cautiously, "While you were staying at Radiant Garden after being recompleted… Did you try to find your family?"
"I was busy with my recovery and my work," said Isa, looking away suddenly. "I didn't have time to locate them."
Lea nodded slowly. He could only imagine how difficult it would be to see them again after everything that happened. They would ask what happened to Isa and Lea. And there was no way to explain about their involvement with Organization XIII that wouldn't sound awful. In one way or another. Isa wouldn't want to see his parents' disappointment or worry. His avoidance made sense.
Of course, Lea hadn't sought out his own parents either. But their relationship had always been different than the one that Isa shared with his family.
"If you and the half-pints intend to encourage me to take care of myself better," said Lea carefully, "perhaps you should also consider trying a few things that are good for you too. I'm sure they would like to see you."
Isa's parents would be happy to know that he was alive and safe, regardless of what might have happened since he disappeared. They would forgive him for his actions as a Nobody. That was the kind of people that they were. As opposed to Lea's parents who probably didn't even notice that he never came home one day. Isa should at least try to salvage his relationship with his parents.
Still refusing to look at him, Isa said, "Perhaps… But not today. We still have work to do."
"Urgh," he groaned. "Back to brain melting."
Despite being scattered across multiple worlds, Kairi tried to keep in touch with the others. Calling Naminé and Kiru regularly. Exchanging pictures with Roxas and Xion. Asking for updates on the search for Sora. The Gummiphone helped keep everyone connected.
And yet some people refused to tell her anything.
Snagging a spare Gummi Ship wasn't hard. A sharp glare and Riku loaned her one of King Mickey's extras. Flying it was trickier, but she managed.
The warm golden light of Twilight Town might have been calm, soothing, and comforting for most people. Unfortunately, it didn't extinguish her anger. She stomped through the weaving streets, eyes dashing from face to face as she searched. Looking for the familiar figure that she needed to find. Not Sora, but someone else. The tall redhead that she was looking for. He tended to stand out in a crowd.
Kairi turned a corner and there he was. Lea's eyes widened in surprise and he smiled. Then he seemed to properly notice her expression. He took a small step back, earning a look of confusion from the other three.
Good. He'd realized that he'd messed up.
She broke into a run. And, wearing his magically-enhanced darkness-resistant clothing, Lea apparently decided his smartest move was to retreat through a dark corridor. Except Kairi wasn't afraid of those things. Not since the first time she risked diving into one. And she dove in now, chasing after him before it could close.
Lea didn't travel far along the pathways through darkness. He couldn't escape from her and he was smart enough to realize it. Kairi emerged at the top of the clocktower. The height above the city slowed her sprint to a more cautious speed, but it didn't stop Kairi. When Lea held his hands up in surrender, she kicked him hard in the shin.
"Ow," he complained.
"Hypocrite." Kairi glared up at him. "After all of that time telling me to talk to you if something was wrong, you… you…" She kicked him again. "I had to find out from Xion what happened."
Grimacing, he asked, "She told you?"
"You've been having nightmares and setting yourself on fire, Axel," she snapped. "That's not all right. You should have told me something was wrong."
"I'm sorry," muttered Lea, scratching the back of his head. "I get it. I messed up. I already got lectured about it. Got it memorized and everything."
Kairi glared a moment longer. Then she lunged forward to trap him in a tight hug. His arms curled around her in return as her anger gradually melted away. Leaving only worry and relief behind.
"You do that again and I'll shove you off this clocktower," she mumbled into his jacket. "I can't lose any more friends."
She didn't mean to let that last part slip out, but it was true. With Sora still missing, Kairi refused to let her other friends disappear. She would fight to keep them safe.
"I'm not going anywhere. And I'll try to do better at taking care of myself moving forward."
"Good," she said firmly.
Golden light filtered down through the trees. A steady breeze stirred the leaves, making them rustle quietly high above. And occasionally a soft scratching came from the shadows. The soft scratching of Heartless scurrying around the edges as they watched with glowing yellow eyes and waiting for their chance to pounce. They didn't always attack when someone set foot outside the town walls, but it was unspoken fact that there were monsters lurking in the woods.
But as always, the Heartless were drawn out in larger numbers by the power of the Keyblades and the strong hearts wielding them.
One of the Shadows grew bold, flattening to the ground as it slid forwards like a true shadow as it tried to close the distance. It circled the trio of Keybearers before choosing the easier targets. Three children sitting on a log observing events. Their hearts were strong with only faint traces of darkness and they held no Keyblades to protect themselves.
But when the Shadow rose up and slashed at them, it discovered that the trio of ordinary teenagers were armed with Struggle bats. Hayner swung hard, knocking the Heartless back with his combo.
"Water!" shouted Xion, Keyblade directed towards the bold creature.
The Heartless wasn't strong enough to withstand the magically-summoned burst of water that struck. A freed heart floated away as a few bright pieces of munny tumbled to the ground.
"No matter how many times that you guys do that," said Hayner, "that's still cool."
She grinned at him, Pence, and Olette as Roxas sent his own spell at a Heartless. Their friends had decided to join them for the magic lesson. Which had involved a small lecture from Aqua on the importance of maintaining the world order, that each individual world had its own individual understanding of how things worked, that it wasn't their place to force a different perspective or rules on other worlds since they wouldn't have a full understanding of that new world either, and that most people couldn't easily handle the disruption to their worldview. It was an impressive speech. One that sounded either practiced or memorized from someone else. Probably Master Eraqus. But since they couldn't exactly go back and un-tell their friends, Aqua didn't complain too much.
Water magic didn't turn out to be that difficult to learn. Certainly easier than Gravity or Stop magic. She remembered Sora learning those spells. Or rather, she remembered remembering it. Water magic turned out to be somewhere between Fire and Ice magic. A few minutes of instructions from Aqua and both Xion and Roxas were ready to test out the spell on the local Heartless population.
"Over there," said Pence. "There's a different one."
Xion looked where he pointed. Rather than another familiar Shadow, it was a monkey-like Heartless with blue fur, sharp claws on its large paws, golden bracelets and anklets, and an emblem on its chest. Agile and fast, Xion recognized a Powerwild when she saw one. They weren't much stronger than a Shadow, but they were better climbers. It would be easier to take out the Heartless before it took to the trees.
She exchanged a quick look with Roxas. Either of them could easily handle the creature. It was mostly a question of which one of them wanted to practice with the new spell.
Except Aqua cartwheeled towards the Heartless. Cloaked in a white aura, she flashed towards the target. Four fast strikes from different directions, leaving behind trailing wisps of energy until they surrounded the target. A final downward slash sent it all crashing in a powerful shockwave. The Powerwild shattered in a shower of munny.
"What was that?" asked Olette, standing up suddenly.
Smiling slightly, Aqua said, "Ghost Drive. I haven't used that technique in a while." Turning her attention back towards Roxas and Xion, she said, "I hope you don't mind my assistance with that one."
"Of course not. Maybe you can teach us that trick later," said Roxas.
"I wish you could teach us that." Hayner gestured towards the spot where the Powerwild used to be. "That was amazing."
Smiling politely, Aqua said, "Thank you. It isn't something that anyone can do. Not even every Keyblade wielder can perform the same fighting moves as another. Each person is unique and you have to take that into account. Terra has always been better at physical combat while I have always preferred a stronger use of magic. But we can adapt another's abilities to suit our own strengths and fighting styles." Turning back towards Roxas and Xion, she said, "I am impressed on how quickly you've both picked up the spell."
Xion smiled to herself. Sora always learned new spells and fighting moves quickly. It just came naturally to him. And apparently she and Roxas shared that same knack as him. But it was nice to actually learn things by practice rather than simply knowing it. School had already shown her that she enjoyed learning. Aqua's tutoring just gave Xion more opportunities.
"I appreciate you taking the time to come teach us," she said.
"It is nice to visit your world. Twilight Town is beautiful," said Aqua. "And to be honest, it is a nice change of pace. We've been researching possible ways to locate Sora, training Kiru, and… working on a few issues. Including Terra and I trying to get past our problems addressing our own darkness. I appreciate the distraction and the change of scenery."
Grinning, Roxas said, "Next time, you're welcome to invite Terra and Ventus to join us. They might like the chance to relax also. Kiru and Naminé too."
"We still haven't met them," said Hayner. "They should definitely come by. We could teach them how to have Struggle matches."
Looking towards their friend, he said, "You're planning to teach everyone how to play, aren't you?"
"Yeah. You guys always push me to the limits and make me try harder. With all of you to practice against, I'm definitely going to win the tournament this year."
"As long as Roxas and Riku don't compete," said Olette with a smirk. "No one else would have a chance."
"Come on," laughed Roxas. "I follow the rules."
"Except against Riku," reminded Xion.
Nodding, he agreed, "Except against Riku."
While her friends briefly chuckled, Xion took a moment to pull out her Gummiphone and sent a quick message to Lea. She didn't want to interrupt things enough for an actual call, but the devices could send typed out message too. And they had been trying to keep Lea informed about how she and Roxas were doing. He'd said that he did better when he knew where they were. She didn't mind checking in with Lea more often if it helped him.
As she finished up the message, Xion heard the scratching sound drawing close again. The Heartless were getting bold with the pause in the violence. She put away her Gummiphone and summoned her Keyblade to her hand again. Time to work on the spell some more.
Riku clenched his fist at his side before relaxing it. Another new and strange world. One that was filled with equally new and strange people that he'd glimpsed at a distance. But like the others that he'd searched, he didn't find what he was looking for. His best friend wasn't there.
He was losing track of how many worlds that he'd been exploring on the desperate mission. And that didn't include the worlds being searched by King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. No matter who far they looked how hard they searched, there was no sign of him.
It was getting harder to keep hoping.
Before, when Sora was gone for a year, Riku at least knew that he was safe. He was safe, sleeping, and having his memories repaired link by link. This time, he didn't even have that much reassurance. No one knew where he was or how to bring him back.
If they could bring him back.
Riku shook his head. He couldn't think like that. This was Sora. He would never let his friends down.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, staring out at the village. Sora would have loved visiting this world. He would have enjoyed meeting the family who lived in the magical house and making friends with people who were super strong or could control the weather. Maybe when he found Sora, they could come to visit sometime. Him, Sora, and Kairi could come there and maybe visit all the other worlds that Sora been to. Riku held firm to that dream.
His hope might be frayed, but he refused to let it die.
He would keep searching for Sora, no matter how long it took. But for now, Riku needed to return to Destiny Island. He didn't always see the point of trying to maintain his old life. School seemed so frivolous. Especially with more important duties as a Keyblade Master. But he'd promised to try. For his parents and for Kairi's sake.
And Riku knew better than to risk disappointing Kairi.
"Yes," said Gina, nodding decisively, "that is certainly a beautiful shade for your hair and complexion."
Smiling and giving a short twirl, Olette asked, "Really?"
Xion nodded in agreement. The long dress was different than what Olette normally wore, but it was a beautiful blue-violet color and went past her knees. Not very practical for running around or fighting. But it was pretty. Like a flower. And sometimes it might be all right to set aside practicality in favor of appearances. At least, that's what some of the other girls at school seemed to think.
"I hope so. My aunt's wedding is next month and she has high standards," she continued. "I wouldn't want to embarrass her."
"Thankfully, I have just as high standards when it comes to my dresses," said Gina, tugging at the fabric carefully. "A few minor alterations and it'll be a perfect fit. Everyone will be staring because of how lovely you look. Just let me pin the hem and take in the seams a bit." As Olette straightened up and Gina picked up a few straight pins, she said, "And what about you, Xion? See anything that you would like to try on?"
Xion blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected the question.
"Yeah, you should find something that you like and try it on for fun," said Olette.
"Like what?" she asked.
"Something that you think is pretty, but you would never wear normally. Maybe something colorful."
She frowned, but gave a short nod. Then she turned her attention back to the rows of dresses that she'd been looking through earlier. But that was when they were trying to find something for Olette. Now she was searching for herself.
It was easier now. Thinking about what she actually liked. That didn't mean it was a fast process. Especially when she tried to introduce color into the ensemble. She still tended to lean towards black.
She let her fingers run along the fabric. Silk, satin, velvet, cotton… Feeling the soft textures. Nothing durable and nothing with protective spells. But they were pretty and some felt nice to the touch. She wasn't the best when it came to colors, but maybe she could find a material that she liked.
"How about that one?" suggested Olette, trying to point without moving as Gina worked.
Xion paused to look at the dress a little closer. A satin dress that went past her knees, gathered at the waist as if tied at the hip, and with sleeves that reached to her elbows. The collar looked like it belonged on a blouse. And the smooth fabric was a deep maroon shade that seemed to shimmer in the light.
"Since I'm wearing blue, I thought you could try red," said Olette. "They sometimes have school dances. You could wear a dress for that if you want to go to one someday. It might be fun. Especially if we can get all of our friends involved."
"What's a school dance?"
Smiling, she said, "I'll explain later. Or you can ask Lea when you get home. But for now, go try it on. I want to see it."
"You know you don't have to babysit me," said Lea dryly. "You could have gone out with your friends."
"I wanted to hang out, Axel. Besides, they've all got plans. Hayner needed to work on his extra credit project because of his grades on the last test, Olette took Xion shopping, and Pence wanted to bug Isa."
Lea smiled and dropped the issue. It wasn't as if he really wanted Roxas to go anyway. The two of them were sprawled lazily on the sofa as cartoons played on the television. He'd barely been alone a moment since that evening, but at least the feeling of being watched in case of a repeat issue had faded. That tension and unspoken fear was gone. Now it felt more like they were keeping him company. And it did make him feel better to have them around.
He was actually able to sleep.
They weren't all piling into the same bed anymore. The half-pints had clearly discussed it at some point out of his earshot. Roxas and Xion were alternating evenings, trading out who stayed in his room and who stayed in their own. And even one of them within arm's reach helped. It kept the nightmares at bay. And it was probably safe to say that Isa had officially moved in because he'd stayed in the apartment every night since.
"I'm thinking that we should get pizza this evening," said Lea. "We'll have to figure out when Isa and Xion will make it back though. We wouldn't want their food to be cold."
"How about some ice cream too?" he asked.
"I mean, Isa would probably recommend adding a vegetable to the menu instead."
"We'll order him one with onions, mushrooms, olives, and red peppers. Those are vegetables, right?"
Chuckling, Lea said, "Close enough."
His Gummiphone chirped brightly, causing Lea to dig it out. On the screen was a picture of Olette and Xion. Both girls were wearing smiles and formal dresses. The maroon dress and the ribbon pulling her short hair back made her look so different than normal. And very different from Kairi and Naminé. Soft, delicate, feminine, and maybe a little older. Maybe he was catching a glimpse of what she would have been like if she had never been part of Organization XIII or a Keybearer. If she truly had been just a normal girl.
On the other hand, if none of that had happened, she wouldn't be his half-pint.
Turning the screen to show Roxas, he said, "Looks like the girls are having fun."
"Huh…" Roxas frowned thoughtfully. "Xion and Olette… They look really different like that."
"Yep. It's like their swimsuits. Different clothes for different purposes. Dresses like that are made to look extra pretty on people."
"It reminds me a little bit of what Belle wore at the castle, but not exactly. It's longer than the skirts that they usually wear. And they're tighter than the black coats. I guess they aren't fighting clothes."
"Afraid not. But not everyone fights and not every moment of your lives is about fighting." He smiled faintly. "But it is a nice color, right?"
Giving his own smile, Roxas said, "You just like the color red."
"Yeah," he admitted with a laugh. After a moment, Lea said, "Hey, Roxas, do you know why the sun sets red?"
The question earned him a groan as Roxas tried to smack him with a cushion. Lea couldn't help laughing as he tried fending it off.
"I've got that one memorized, Axel."
"I figured that you did."
Lots of little moments with this one. But it is nice to see Lea doing better. Hopefully everyone is continuing to enjoy this fic. I'm still having a pretty good time writing it.