The holiday season really threw things off a bit when it comes to my creative energy. It might take me a bit to get back into the swing of things. Please bear with me though. The updates will come as long as you are patient.

And so they get to go to school. With no major calamities or bloodshed. That's a good thing, right? Everything is going smoothly. Which means it is time to have at least a little chaos tossed in.

The bell that rang at the end of the school day was louder and more shrill than the ones that chimed over the train station. But after a long day of class, it was always the most beautiful sound to Hayner. As soon as it announced the end of the day, the hall filled with excited students. Running and shoving their way past each other for the exit. Everyone eager to go do something fun instead.

He didn't rush this time. Hayner, Pence, and Olette took their time, keeping an eye on Roxas and Xion since the pair seemed a little overwhelmed by the rushing crowds. The trio had been doing that all day. With the exception of when the two of them were ushered out for a separate class with Caran for history, the trio had done their best to watch out for their new friends. It wasn't just because they were new in town. There was something about the questions that the pair would ask or the way that they would exchange looks that made it clear that Roxas and Xion were in over their heads. Hayner knew it was their responsibility to help.

There was a simple logic to his thought process. Roxas had been their friend in the other Twilight Town. And since any version of Hayner would be a good judge of character, he'd decided to be friends in this one too. And since Xion was obviously Roxas's friend or possibly sister, the exact relation wasn't very clear yet, then it made sense to be friends with her as well. As Hayner's friends, that meant they were under his protection. He stuck up for Pence and Olette for years, ever since all three of them were small children who got into trouble if they snuck off without supervision. That wouldn't change with his new friends.

He didn't make friends easily. But when he did, Hayner took it seriously. And when he decided that he and the others would take the newcomers under their wing, they didn't do it halfway.

"How did you like your first day at our school?" asked Olette as they finally stepped out the front door.

Xion tilted her head thoughtfully and said, "It was… different than anything else. But it was nice. I liked knowing the answers to the teacher's questions."

"It is a good feeling," she agreed.

Smirking, Hayner said, "Is that why you always work so hard on your homework?"

Olette shoved him playfully, making him laugh. Pence wrapped an arm around Roxas's shoulders, encouraging him to join in on the fun. It took him and Xion a moment to start smiling along with them. Not yet certain how they fit in yet, but trying. That would take time. But at least they were enjoying themselves.

"Have you two seen the new outdoor theater yet?" asked Hayner. "It shows silent movies. Well, not completely silent. There's music, but no talking. Older movies. But they're good. And if you ever want to earn a little extra munny, they always need someone to hang some posters for the different movies."

"Or we could head to the Sandlot." Pence grinned at them. "I don't know if they had Struggle matches where you came from, but Hayner is great at it. He can help teach you if you want."

While Hayner smiled proudly, Roxas said, "I… I've tried it before. It was fun." He glanced at Xion. "You'll like it. We use soft bats against each other and basically spar. Sometimes there are competitions and you can win a trophy."

"That does sound fun," said Xion with a shy grin. "Maybe we can try it out another day. Roxas and I have to meet someone soon."

"Right," he said, craning his neck to look around. "Where is he?"

A hand landed lightly on Roxas's shoulder while another ruffled Xion's hair, startling all five teenagers into yelping and jumping away. The tall figure nearly fell over laughing as they scrambled apart. After a moment, Roxas and Xion grinned and threw their backpacks in his direction. He twisted away, dodging the attack as he smacked the backpacks out of the air. The two seemed more amused than upset when their belongings tumbled to the ground.

But all Hayner could focus on was the stranger. A tall red-haired young man that they'd seen before. Last time, he was dressed in the same black coat that a lot of weird or creepy people wore and he appeared through a dark swirling portal to snatch up Kairi. The dangerous kidnapper.

And now he was back. He was back and after Roxas and Xion.

Not on Hayner's watch.

It was almost like they planned it out. Pence and Olette yanked the startled pair behind them while Hayner charged forward. He didn't have room to attempt a flying kick this time, so Hayner took a swing. The man dodged back a step. Almost blinking in surprise, as if the act was automatic rather than intentional. Hayner immediately attempted a second haymaker. And failed.

"Well, that's not very friendly," muttered the stranger.

"Back off," shouted Hayner, his third swing also failing to connect. "You can't kidnap anyone this time."

"Axel?"

Hayner glanced back to see Roxas and Xion trying to edge their way around Pence and Olette's protective stances. Confused and uncertain expressions crept across their faces. But not fear or worry. Meanwhile, the man mostly seemed bemused. Bemused and maybe a little embarrassed.

If Hayner had a Struggle bat, the kidnapper would be a lot more than just embarrassed. He would be sporting a broken nose.

"Why does Hayner think you want to kidnap someone?" continued Xion.

Scratching the back of his head even as he twisted out of the way again, he said, "Yeah, funny story… Remember when Roxas disappeared and I mentioned how I didn't handle it well?"

"Axel, what did you do?" asked Roxas.

Growing frustrated, Hayner decided to abandon his attempts to punch the redhead. Instead, he went for something more direct. Hayner charged forward to tackle him with his full weight. The man slid to the side, shoving the teenager to the ground as he charged past. Hayner rolled back to his feet like he was in a Struggle match. He wasn't giving up that easily.

"He kidnapped Kairi," said Olette.

"Axel," said Xion, her tone making it sound like she was scolding him. "Why?"

Grinning awkwardly, he said, "Not my finest hour. I'll admit it. I got a little desperate." He scratched the back of his head again. "Would it make a difference if I mentioned that me and Kairi are friends now?"

"Seriously? You kidnapped Kairi?" Roxas shook his head as he crossed his arms, no longer trying to get around Pence and Olette. "No wonder they are suspicious of you. And come on. You're smarter than that. Why would you do it?"

The man shifted uncomfortably, not meeting anyone's gaze. His grin looked more like a grimace now. Hayner silently debated if it was worth trying to land a hit while the redhead was distracted.

"Told you. I was desperate. It was a dumb plan to get you back that probably wouldn't have worked anyway," he mumbled. "She forgave me. And it worked out in the end."

"You honestly expect us to believe that you and Kairi are friends now?" asked Hayner sharply. "We saw you drag her out of our usual spot. She was trying to get away from you."

Glancing at Hayner, he said, "I can prove it."

It felt strange to be back on the island again. After everything that had happened recently, it didn't seem quite real. Like she was in the middle of a dream. Or perhaps everything that happened before was instead the dream and she'd finally woke up to her normal life.

Kairi didn't have as much experience going on dangerous adventures and then needing to return to her everyday life afterwards. The first time that she left, tucked away in Sora's heart, the Destiny Islands were gone. Swallowed up by the darkness. No one noticed her absence because everyone was lost during that time. It was like she never left. The second time was when Axel tried to kidnap her and she dove into the dark corridor to escape. Her return after that short absence was overshadowed by Sora and Riku's return, their absences for much longer.

Purposefully leaving for Keyblade training and then participating in the Keyblade War was somehow different. With her training outside of normal time, she felt like she was away for much longer. And coming home afterwards was even harder. Those experiences weighed on her in a way that she couldn't quite explain.

Nothing was the same anymore.

Telling people that Sora was gone was painful. She and Riku had to decide how much to share with different people. How much to reveal or explain and how much to hide or remain vague about. Their childhood friends didn't get anything close to the full story, but they were the easiest. Telling Sora's mother was heartbreaking.

She knew how much it hurt Riku to confess that they didn't know if or when they would bring him back. It tore away at him and he'd been avoiding everyone ever since. Kairi had ended up crying into her pillow after it was over.

His painful absence wasn't the only change. They brought someone else home with them. Someone who remembered the islands so well, but had never truly been there himself.

Kiru was still trying to find his place. Trying to find a space where he could belong. And somewhere that would someday be a home for Naminé as well. He kept switching between the three houses. Kairi's adopted parents were always willing to open up their home to someone in need, Sora's family were trying to fill the empty void with distractions of caring for another, and Riku's parents wanted to make up for missing out on several years of their son's life by being supportive of the replica.

Not that anyone really understood who Kiru was in relation to Riku. Some of the people on the island suspected that he was a distant cousin, but were too polite to ask. She didn't know where to even begin when it came to explaining about replicas. But everyone seemed determined to be supportive of him and to welcome him into the community. They were confused, but friendly. Just like they were when Kairi washed up on the beach as a child.

That didn't prevent him from seeming tense and uncertain every time that Kairi saw him. She suspected that Kiru would eventually break down and accept the offer to stay at the Land of Departure within a few months. It would give him a fresh start somewhere new. Somewhere that he didn't have Riku's memories trying to confuse him.

She'd left him currently sprawled on the couch downstairs while she was in her room. He'd dozed off early, the rhythmic pattern of the evening shower tapping on the roof serving as a soothing and hypnotic lullaby. Kairi had ended up curled at her windowsill, staring out at the gray skies.

The weather suited her mood. The quiet of the house, the overcast skies, and the general emptiness of the place made it hard to silence her thoughts. And they'd turned towards darker directions. She felt weighed down by the guilt, grief, and heartache. Her mind kept going back to that moment where Sora disappeared with a smile. It wasn't as raw, overwhelming, and painful as everything felt that first night. But she couldn't ignore the dull ache or the lonely feeling during the quieter moments.

They would see Sora again. She believed that with all her heart. At least, she did in her better moments. That didn't stop Kairi from missing him any more than it stopped Riku from blaming himself.

Her heavy thoughts on that dreary day were abruptly interrupted by a cheerful tune ringing out, pulling her gaze away from the rain outside. Her Gummiphone's screen lit up, eagerly awaiting her response.

Not knowing who could be calling or why, Kairi hesitated a moment. Then, remembering that only a handful of people could even call her and that none of them were people that should be ignored, she answered. Lea's face immediately filled the screen. He looked slightly uncomfortable, but mostly in a good mood.

"Hey, Kairi," he greeted. "You doing all right?"

She smiled at him. An imperfect smile that felt a little unsteady, but it wasn't completely fake. It was an actual smile.

"I'm fine."

"Do you really mean that?"

Her smile shrinking slightly, Kairi admitted, "Not completely. But I'm a little better."

"Considering everything that's happened, that's not bad." Scratching the back of his head, Lea continued, "Listen I don't want to bother you if you're busy, but I need a small favor."

Straightening up, she said, "Of course. What do you need?"

"Could you tell these three that we're friends now and that you aren't mad at me about kidnapping you anymore?"

The screen suddenly spun around to show her three new faces crowded together. Three faces that she knew from her brief visit to Twilight Town. Hayner, Pence, and Olette. The last time that she saw them was when they tried and failed to stop Axel from dragging her into a corridor of darkness. Now they were staring at her, as if they didn't actually expect Lea to contact her.

"Hey," she said.

"Kairi?"

All three of them shouted her name in unison. All three of them sounding completely stunned. The entire situation managed to startle a laugh out of her as she waved at them through the screen.

"Hayner keeps trying to punch Axel because he thinks Axel wants to kidnap us," called Roxas from somewhere out of view.

And that turned her brief and startled laugh into something longer. Kairi nearly fell from her perch on the windowsill as she laughed loudly at the idea. She half-expected to wake up Kiru downstairs. Hayner scowled slightly at her reaction, which only made her laugh harder. And after a few moments, even Olette giggled.

When she managed to calm down, Kairi reassured them, "It's fine. Axel and I sorted everything out. And he's definitely not kidnapping anyone again."

"And you two are friends now?" asked Hayner, not sounding completely convinced.

"Good enough friends that he still lets me call him 'Axel,'" she said.

"Wait, that's not his actual name?" asked Pence.

"Not for you three, it isn't. The name's Lea," he said. "Got it memorized?"

Smiling, Kairi said, "It's complicated. But I promise that you can trust him. He's… had a bit of a change of heart since the last time you saw him."

Then Lea turned the Gummiphone back around and Kairi could see him grin at her again. He seemed calmer than when he first called. He should be fairly healed by now, but it was probably better that he didn't need to dodge Hayner's attempts to attack him anymore. Just in case.

"Thanks, Kairi. I think that they might actually believe me now."

"You're welcome," she said. "I'm always happy to help."

Giving her a serious look, Lea said, "And you know that if you need anything, the same holds true. All you have to do is ask. That's what the Gummiphone is for. I'm just a call away and we both know that I have access to plenty of shortcuts."

Meaning that if she needed him, he would take a corridor of darkness to come and help her. Kairi smiled at the sentiment. The world always seemed brighter with the reminder that she wasn't alone and that her friends would always be there for her. Just like all of Sora's friends wouldn't give up on him.

When the rain passed, she would need to remind Riku of that fact. That they wouldn't be facing any of this alone. And that with everyone working together, they would find a way to bring Sora home. Riku needed to be dragged out of his darker thoughts and given that hopeful reminder just as much as she needed it.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said. "Try to stay out of trouble."

Chuckling, Lea said, "Why does everyone think that I always end up in trouble?"

"Because we know you, Axel," called Xion from off-screen, earning a good-natured eyeroll from the redhead.

"Take care of yourself, Kairi," he said.

The call ended, leaving her alone with only the rain for companionship. She smiled at the Gummiphone before tucking it away. Then she stood up to dig out her collection of crafting supplies from the box on the shelf.

Moping and dwelling on things that she couldn't yet fix wouldn't do any good. There wasn't much that they could do until they were ready to give Naminé a body of her own. Kairi could only feel her heart sleeping deep inside if she concentrated hard and her Nobody was stirring. She couldn't use that connection to find Sora.

Until then, Kairi needed to be more positive. She needed to get her mind on more useful topics. And being productive had always cheered her up in the past. Perhaps she could work on some good luck charms for her other friends or something to give Sora when they got him back. Or maybe she could make something for Kiru or Naminé to make them both feel welcome. Kairi could find a project to occupy her time.

And when the rain stopped, she could grab Riku and try to pull him out of his own guilt-ridden thoughts. Possibly with some sparring. Something active to keep them from dwelling. Distractions helped. Even a short distraction like a call from a friend.

Tucking his Gummiphone away, Lea said, "See? We're friends. No more kidnapping." He gave Hayner a firm look. "And if you try to hit me again, I'll actually do something about it."

He was mostly healed by now, thanks to some powerful healing spells and potions. But there was still the occasional twinge if he twisted the wrong way. He'd figured that out in Wonderland. Hayner's clumsy assault hadn't caused any issue, but Lea's patience with it was limited.

"If Kairi says that you're all right," said Olette slowly, "then I guess you two really did get over everything."

"And if Roxas and Xion don't seem scared of you, then I guess it's fine," added Pence.

Nodding, Roxas said, "Axel is our best friend. You can trust him."

That statement shouldn't hit him as hard as it did. But after the various lies in the past and when he pushed things so far that Roxas flat out admitted that he couldn't trust Axel any longer, it felt nice to know that they apparently forgave him for his mistakes. At least enough that they trusted him again.

And Pence and Olette seemed willing to go along with everyone who was vouching for him, though Lea could tell that Hayner still had his suspicions. He wasn't as quick to trust as some people. But he wasn't trying vainly to attack Lea any longer either. Which meant that he didn't need to scorch Hayner's hair. That would be good enough for now. Lea could work with a tense truce.

"Well, as fun as this has been, we've got things to do and places to go," said Lea.

Tilting her head, Xion asked, "Oh?"

Lea grinned at the pair as they moved away from their protective new friends. He reached over and pulled them close, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders.

"You both completed your first day of school. That's quite the accomplishment. You deserve to celebrate a little."

Slowly smiling with realization, Roxas asked, "The icing on the cake?"

Climbing back up to the clocktower without the benefit of dark corridors should have been trickier. But the door to the stairway was tucked out of sight and they didn't even bother to lock it. Not that a locked door would have stopped them. All three of them had Keyblades. It was easy to sneak up.

It seemed a little strange to be up there again. The last time that Xion was up on the clocktower, she wasn't really herself. It was when she was forcing Roxas to fight her. When she was forcing him to destroy her. And then she disappeared from existence, gone and forgotten. Dissolving away right in front of the train station. And those memories hurt.

But there were so many other memories of the three of them perched on the clocktower. Happy, warm, and bright memories. Memories that she deeply treasured. Those sunsets together were the ones that she chose to remember.

And now they were back.

Part of her couldn't believe it was real. They were scattered apart and lost. Separated with no hope of ever seeing each other again. And yet they were once more finding comfortable spots to sit on the sun-warmed ledge, legs dangling over the edge as they stared out at the orange and red skyline. As if no time had passed.

Lea carefully handed out the blue ice cream, smiling at them in a familiar way. She'd seen the same scene more times that she could easily count. All that was missing were the heavy thick coats.

"You know," he said slowly, "if we try hard enough, we might be able to spot our house from here."

Frowning with concentration as she looked out across Twilight Town, Xion said, "Maybe. Everything looks different from up here."

"Maybe over there?" suggested Roxas, pointing out towards a distant corner.

"Nah. That's too close to the restaurant," said Lea. "It has to be a little further to the left."

It felt right to be there. All three of them together again. Sitting on the clocktower, watching the sunset. It was a feeling of home and belonging. It was everything that they'd ever wanted.

It was what she always wanted. Just getting to exist. To be with her best friends without having to be afraid of disappearing or hurting them with her presence. Xion never expected to have a happy ending and yet everything seemed perfect.

She took a small bite of her sea-salt ice cream. The cold sent a brief shiver down her spine. The salty and sweet flavor, the perfect balance between the two, seemed as perfect as it did the first time that Roxas brought her up there and the first time that the three of them all managed to share ice cream together.

It was their routine. Their special moment together. Eating sea-salt ice cream together was her first experience with friendship and it was the foundation for so many precious pieces of their lives.

She smiled as she took another bite. Xion couldn't imagine anything better than that moment.

And so ends another big day for the Sea-Salt Trio. Don't worry. I haven't forgotten Isa. Nor has Lea. He'll show up again soon. The half-pints just needed to get some things settled first. But I'm glad to see that people are enjoying this fic so far. Thanks for all the comments. I appreciate them.