Okay, this chapter gets a bit of an extra warning for those of you who are of a sensitive nature. We have two teenage toddlers as main characters. Which means that 1) they don't have a lot of life experience despite their physical ages, 2) they missed out on a lot of important basic information about being people, and 3) they are at the point where puberty is a thing.

And it is the messy and unpleasant parts of puberty that will be touched on today. Nothing too graphic, but the fic is rated "T" for a reason. If that's a problem and you don't want to continue, that's understandable. But poor Xion is no longer a replica whose appearance changes depending on the viewer. Her new body is the same as that of Kairi's and there are certain things that happen to girls like that.

Warm, drowsy, and cozy, Lea lingered on the delicate edge. Balanced between consciousness and slumber. He knew that he would have to get up soon. He'd vaguely noticed when Roxas had climbed out of the king-sized bed. That meant that he would need to get up soon and figure out some breakfast. But Lea found it hard to convince himself to wake up fully and start moving.

He was tired still, but he tended to remain that way. But at least there were no nightmares for himself last night. He always slept better with at least one of the half-pints within arm's reach. Last night had been one of Roxas's rough ones. One of the nightmares that hit early and left Roxas ready for a fight when he woke up. He did better once Lea calmed him down. And after the boy settled in, Lea slept like the dead.

And now he didn't want to get up. He just wanted to bury his head under a pillow to block out the early reddish-orange light.

Just a few more minutes.

A few more minutes and he would get up. He would get up and toss some cereal and toast onto the table for everyone. Lea would get breakfast for them before they headed off to school. He just wanted to stay warm in his oversized bed for a little longer.

"Axel, help!"

The terrified, desperate, and frantic shout from Roxas had Lea dashing out of his bedroom and scrambling down the hall before ration thought had a chance to form or for him to even comprehend the words. Panic gripped him hard, pulse racing and horrible scenarios flashing through his head. He nearly crashed to the ground as he flung himself into Xion's room, the source of the cry for help.

Both Roxas and Xion were present, which should have been reassuring. Except the twisted and rumpled bedding was stained with blood smeared on it and Xion pressed her back against the headboard, half-curled and pale. Pale and absolutely petrified. She almost seemed to be hyperventilating. Roxas held Oathkeeper tightly, his hands shaking. Both of them looked frightened, eyes wide and staring at the blood as the faint green glow of a Cure spell faded.

They looked frightened and incredibly young.

"It isn't working," said Roxas, looking up with wild eyes. "I keep trying, but it isn't working. What's wrong with her? Why won't it work?"

Fears screamed in Lea's head. He could barely think through his own terror. Fears about something being wrong and the Keyblade wielders being seriously hurt. Fears that there was something horribly wrong with their new replica bodies and they would fall apart. Fears of them being wounded, bleeding, dying.

There was blood smeared on Xion's sheets, on her curled legs, on her black shorts…

A memory from before he lost his heart, from health class back in school, hit hard through the panic. A lesson that had half the students snickering or squirming with discomfort. A lesson that he didn't remember many details from, but Lea remembered enough to put the current horror scene into context.

It made sense, now that he thought about it. Xion was originally one of the earliest versions of a replica. And during their Organization days, Xion's physical appearance depended on who was viewing her. She wouldn't have really been any specific sex at that point. She had been even less like a human than the rest of the Nobodies, at least physically. And despite having to teach them about almost everything, there had been no point where Axel felt compelled to explain puberty to Roxas or Xion. But now, about three and a half weeks after claiming a more human-like replica body, they were being confronted by certain biological facts of life.

Facts that Lea was in no way equipped to help them handle.

But there were two terrified half-pints who didn't know what was wrong and who needed him. Which meant that ready or not, it was time for him to step up.

Though he really regretted not paying closer attention in class that day.

Swallowing back the remnants of his earlier panic and his new overwhelming uncertainty, Lea tried to figure out a quick plan. He needed to get things under control. And that meant prioritizing. Xion was terrified into a silent, wide-eyed, and shaking ball, staring at the mess without apparently seeing anything and her arms curled around her middle. She seemed completely traumatized by her body betraying her. After everything that had happened to her over her short existence, he knew it had to be a horrible feeling. But pulling her out of the blind terror would take time. Lea knew it would.

It would be simpler to handle Roxas first. The boy looked like he was experiencing every traumatic memory of loss. He'd already seen Xion disappear once and he'd seen Axel fade away through Sora's eyes. And now he was confronted with Xion, bleeding and hurting in a way that he couldn't heal. Roxas was just as scared of losing her as she was of what was happening.

But Roxas hadn't sunk to that same level of unresponsiveness. Calming Roxas would be faster. And once Lea helped him, he could focus on Xion.

"Roxas," he said firmly, making the frantic boy's head snap around. Lea took his arm and pulled Roxas away from the bed. "Listen carefully. I know what's happening. It's going to be all right."

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm down, he banished his Keyblade. Roxas stared at him. Silently begging for answers and wanting to trust him. Lea pulled him gently towards the hall. Xion would be able to see them if she looked through the doorway, but it would give them some space to talk.

Gripping Roxas's shoulders while crouching down to his level, Lea said evenly, "She's going to be fine."

"She's not broken? She's not dying?" he whispered.

"No, she's not. There's no danger. But I need you to go ahead and get ready for school."

"I can't leave her."

"But you also don't want to stress her out more than what she is right now, right? Because she needs us to be calm. Roxas, I need you to go and get Xion's homework. And tell the teachers that she's sick today. I need you to go to school like normal and not worry the entire day. If you can do that, I can focus on helping Xion. Can I depend on you to do that while I fix this?"

"I thought you said she wasn't broken," he whispered frantically.

Wincing, Lea admitted, "Okay, bad choice of words. Not fix then. I need to sort it out."

"But you aren't explaining anything," he said desperately. "We agreed no more secrets. Why won't you just tell me what's wrong with Xion?"

"Because it is complicated and will take a while to explain properly. And the longer that I spend explaining what's going on with her, the longer Xion will have to wait before I can help her. Right now, Xion needs to take priority. So can you trust me when I promise to explain everything after you get back?" Knowing how hard the request was considering their history, Lea said, "Please trust me for now. Go to school, tell anyone who asks that Xion isn't feeling well, and try to keep your friends from coming to visit. Xion probably isn't going to feel like company."

Roxas stared at him silently for a moment, a hundred different emotions and thoughts flashing across his face. Then he glanced towards the bedroom and the terrified girl. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, but he nodded.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Lea said, "Good. Now… Change clothes, get a bowl of cereal, grab your backpack, and get to school. You handle that and I'll take care of Xion. Okay?"

He hesitated a moment longer, clearly reluctant to leave. He'd never been happy to go when something was wrong with his friend. Even if he couldn't do anything, he just wanted to be there for them. But somehow Lea must have earned back enough trust with the boy that he finally headed back to his room to hurry through the normal morning routine.

Lea closed his eyes for a brief second. That was one half-pint dealt with for the moment. Now he needed to work on the bigger issue.

He moved back towards the bed, trying to figure out how to approach things. Xion was still curled in a shaking ball with blood smeared on her. And as he edged closer, Lea could tell that she was trying to say something. Barely breathing out the words. Only occasionally audible sounds. Some form of denial. Too upset and scared by what was happening to properly scream or cry.

No wonder he didn't realize anything was wrong until Roxas shouted.

"Xion," he said gently. Lea reached out to cup her face. "Look at me."

Blinking her bright blue eyes, and those were definitely tears running down her face, Xion finally seemed to see him. Something in Lea squirmed uncomfortably at the sight of her tears and how unprepared he was for this conversation. But he couldn't give up now. She needed him.

"I'm broken," she whispered, still shaking. "It's broken. My new body's broken too. I don't want to disappear again."

Brushing back her black hair, Lea said, "You're not broken. You won't disappear. We won't let that happen. And I know what's happening and we'll sort it out." She took a shuddering breath at his words, almost like a relieved sob. "How about we start by cleaning up a bit? You'll feel better with a warm bath."

Xion managed an unsteady nod. But she made no further movements. She couldn't even bring herself to uncurl from her tight ball.

She wasn't a coward by any definition. He knew that Xion would face down any Heartless without hesitation. But having her body turn against her was something completely different.

Lea moved carefully, slowly scooping her up in his arms and lifting her off the bed. Then he carried her to the bathroom and set her on her feet. He waited until she seemed to shrug off the worst of her state of shock before he moved his arms away.

"Leave your clothes outside the door and run yourself a warm bath," he said gently. "I'll get some laundry started."

Still too pale and shivery, Xion gave another nod before closing the door. Lea headed back towards her room. He stripped the stained sheets from the bed, carried them to the main room and the washing machine, nodded towards Roxas as the boy hurried out the door, and measured out the heavy-duty detergent that he'd picked out from the store specifically to remove tough stains considering the types of adventures that they get dragged into. He moved with purpose, giving every outer appearance of being calm and in control.

But on the inside, Lea was mentally screaming.

The last time that he thought about the topic was when he was twelve and health class went over puberty. He wasn't even certain what his grade on the test afterwards ended up being. He might have flunked it for all that he knew.

He certainly didn't think about it at all during his Nobody days. He didn't worry or consider it when he first got to know Xion; he assumed that she either already knew or that it wasn't an issue for a Nobody. It wasn't like he'd asked Larxene if she had problems once a month.

Lea didn't know what he was doing. His memory was pretty good, but not on this particular subject. Some barely remembered facts from a textbook that he read over a decade ago was not enough to qualify him to explain what was happening.

Hands braced on the edges of the washing machine and taking deep breaths, Lea tried to settle his frantic thoughts. They kept spiraling in a faster and faster circle.

He needed to help Xion. He didn't know how. He needed to help Xion. He didn't know how. He needed to help Xion, he didn't know how, he needed to help Xion—

Lea shook his head sharply before ducking back into the hallway to retrieve the stained clothes. He tossed them into the washing machine with the rest of the laundry, starting up a longer cycle. Then he washed his hands before heading back. He could hear the water running, gradually filling up the tub.

He couldn't help her. He didn't know what to do to make everything all right. But Lea had one desperate idea on how to get Xion the help that she needed.

Knocking quietly on the door, Lea asked, "Xion? Can you hear me?"

"Yes," she said, her voice muffled by the wood.

"Everything is going to be fine. Just take a nice warm bath and relax until I get back."

"You're leaving?" she asked, a hint of panic slipping out as the pitch of her voice rose.

Leaning his forehead against the door, Lea said, "I have to go. I'm getting someone to help. I promise that it won't take long and then I'll be back." An idea sparked suddenly. "Can you hear the washing machine on the other side of the door?"

"Yes?"

"Just stay in the tub and listen to it. I'll be back before it stops running. Okay?"

Hesitating a moment, Xion quietly answered, "Okay."

Lea moved quickly, heading back towards his room. He couldn't waste any time. He yanked on his old black coat from the wardrobe and threw it over his shorts and t-shirt. Then, creating a dark corridor at the end of the hallway, he raced out.

Xion turned off the water when the bathtub was full and slowly climbed in. She hissed as she sank into the almost scalding temperature of the water, but only took a couple of moments to adjust. And the heat sank into her body. Calming her despite her fears and soothing the sharp ache in her lower stomach.

The pain hurt, though not as much as being hit by a Heartless. But it scared her. The deep pain combined with the blood that seemed to come from nowhere, not a single visible wound on her while it dripped from between her legs. Something in her must be broken. Her new body was broken. Just like when she absorbed too many memories that didn't belong to her and ended up transformed to look like Sora. Something was wrong and Xion didn't want to fade away again.

She drew her legs up and hugged them close to her chest. She didn't want to disappear again. Xion didn't know what would happen to her if she did. Would she return to Sora? They didn't even know where he was. Would her heart join with Kingdom Hearts instead? Or would she simply cease to exist without a trace?

She didn't want to go away. She just wanted stay. To be with her friends. To have a life. It wasn't fair.

Xion took a shaking breath, wiped at the tears on her face, and listened to the quiet rumbling of the washing machine. Lea said that she wasn't broken. That he was going to get someone to help.

Probably someone who knew about replica bodies like Vexen— Even.

It would be all right. Lea would fix everything. She had to trust that. He wouldn't let Xion fade away again. Neither he nor Roxas would let her go. And if he couldn't prevent it, he would find a way to bring her back.

So she sat in the lightly-steaming water and listened to the washing machine on the other side of the wall, trying to remain calm. He would be back soon. And when he got back, everything would be all right.

The walk to school in the morning should have been a quiet experience, giving Kairi far too much time with only her thoughts. It would be easy to dwell and let herself sink into that guilt, grief, and loss. But while her path to school didn't take her by Riku's home, she didn't walk alone.

Selphie was a little younger than Kairi, but a very friendly and sweet girl. And she was perfectly happy to fill the silence with her chatter as they followed the path towards school, enjoying the early morning sun and the occasional calls of seagulls. She would talk about different things that she, Tidus, and Wakka would do. Or recently, Selphie would discuss her theories concerning Kiru. She seemed curious about him. About where he came from, how he was related to Riku, and if she should invite him to visit the play island sometime. Kairi suspected that Selphie might have a crush on him.

And the more that she thought about it, the more that Kairi thought it would end badly if her friend did have a crush. Kairi didn't know what exactly the relationship between Kiru and Naminé might be beyond the drowsy, warm, and bright feeling from the heart resting inside her. But she suspected that Selphie wouldn't have much luck if she tried to pursue Kiru.

Perhaps it was time to warn her. Before Selphie got her feelings hurt.

"—And I know that he looks exactly like Riku did at that age," continued Selphie, swinging her white bag back and forth in her arms as she walked, "but he really is kind of cute in a quiet and withdrawn sort of way. He has that mysterious loner thing going on and you just want to… find that sweet side that you know is inside."

Trying to keep her tone casual, Kairi said, "I'm sure he'll open up more once his friend comes back."

"His friend?"

Nodding, she said, "He's waiting for her. Naminé. Kiru would do anything for her. I know that he misses her deeply, but he looks forward to when they are reunited and he won't have to worry anymore."

Rather than look disappointed by the revelation, Selphie seemed delighted. Her eyes lit up, her face erupted into a bright smile, and she practically squealed in excitement.

"That sounds so romantic," she said. "Is it true love? Did he promise to wait for her forever?"

Laughing slightly, Kairi said, "I don't even know if it's like that. They could just be really good friends."

"Should I ask him about Naminé? Do you think that Kiru would tell me about their love story?"

"Don't do that, Selphie. It would be like asking Riku something like that. You'll just end up with someone bright red and unable to answer any questions for the rest of the afternoon."

She chuckled at the idea. But Kairi's attention was immediately yanked away by the feeling of darkness and a familiar sound. Both she and Selphie spun around to see a swirling corridor of darkness behind them. And a tall figure in a black coat with the hood pulled up stepped through.

Kairi's hand shot out and she gathered power, ready to summon Destiny's Embrace and cast a strong fire spell. She refused to be kidnapped that morning.

Then he shoved back his hood to reveal a rather frantic-looking Lea, who immediately dove to grab her extended hand.

"I need you to come with me," he said quickly.

Kairi opened her mouth, intending to ask what happened and what was wrong. But there was a sudden shout and a jump rope snapped against his forearm. Lea yelped in surprise, letting go.

"Run, Kairi!"

Her head snapped around to see Selphie bouncing around in her school uniform, her bag on the ground and the girl holding her jump rope like a weapon. Which raised the question of why she was bringing a jump rope to school, but apparently that was something that she decided to do. And now she was trying to drive off a stranger in black using a toy.

"Why is everyone trying to attack me?" complained Lea, shaking his arm briefly.

"Because you came out of a corridor of darkness to grab me, Axel. Again," said Kairi before turning towards the other girl. "It's fine, Selphie. He's a friend."

Still balanced on the balls of her feet and holding her jump rope aggressively, she asked, "Really? 'Cause he looks really creepy and dangerous."

"He is sometimes, but he won't hurt us." Kairi turned her attention back towards him. "What happened, Axel? Why didn't you call me?"

Wincing, he said, "Calling. Right. Wasn't thinking. But I need help, Kairi, and you're the only person that I can ask." Running an anxious hand through his hair before scratching the back of his head, Lea admitted, "Well, I could try Aqua, but I don't know her that well, Xion doesn't know her that well either, and the whole thing is awkward enough to ask about without trying it with someone who is still that new to us."

He was rambling. Lea was rambling. He didn't ramble like that. Whatever was wrong really had him frazzled.

Kairi turned and said, "Selphie, can you cover for me at school? Sounds like we've got a bit of an emergency. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You got it," she said, her stance relaxing as she started winding up her jump rope. "Tell everyone you're home sick?"

Nodding, Kairi said, "Everyone except Riku. You can tell him that I went to help Axel."

"Sorry to interrupt, but we need to hurry back. I told Xion that I wouldn't be gone long," he said, taking a step closer to the corridor of darkness. "I promise I'll explain on the way, but we need to go."

Kairi wasn't wearing her bespelled clothes that the three fairies gave her. She was dressed only in her ordinary school uniform, practically identical to what Selphie was wearing. And there was nothing unusual in her durable brown bag. She was not equipped for a proper adventure. But she didn't need the protection from the darkness and she could summon her Keyblade if she needed it. She would be fine. Kairi didn't need to pause or grab anything before following Lea into the dark corridor.

Stepping into the apartment, he could tell that Kairi clearly wished that she could look around properly. She craned her neck briefly, trying to take in every inch of their new surroundings. She was a curious girl and he knew that she wanted to explore beyond the light tan hallway that they emerged in. But after Lea explained what happened, she seemed to understand the urgency. She'd pulled out some paper and a pencil from her bag at some point and started scribbling as they hurried through the dark corridor. Kairi seemed to be putting together her plan of attack.

At least one of them knew what they were doing.

The washing machine buzzed briefly, signaling the end of the cycle. He managed to keep his promise to Xion. Which was good since he definitely didn't want to risk upsetting her worse. Lea knocked gently on the bathroom door.

"Axel?" she called a little desperately.

"Yeah, I'm here." Lea smiled weakly. "I brought someone to talk to you. You remember Kairi?"

Stepping over to the bathroom door, Kairi said, "Hey, Xion. Can I come in and talk?"

There was a brief hesitation before an uncertain "okay" came through the door. Then Kairi shoved the piece of paper into his hand.

"I'll handle Xion," she said quietly. "Can you go pick up everything on that list?"

He didn't want to leave again. Not until he was certain that she would be all right. But Kairi would be able to help her more than he could. He could trust her. The best thing that he could do was exactly what Kairi asked. He could make certain that Xion would have everything that she needed.

He had a plan now. Change out of his black coat, move the laundry to the dryer, and then shopping for emergency supplies. Lea could handle that much.

Kairi slipped inside before closing the bathroom door behind her. It was a long and relatively narrow space, painted the same light tan color as the hallway and simple white tiles on the floor. There was a sink on the left side and a toilet on the right, both of them made of white porcelain. And the far end was dominated by a tub half hidden by a white shower curtain. Kairi carefully edged closer before sitting on the tan rug beside the bathtub, settling her bag beside her.

The shower curtain might have hidden part of the tub, but not everything. Xion sat curled up in the water, chin resting on her knees and watching with uncertain eyes. The lost expression broke Kairi's heart. At least she'd known what was happening back when she first experienced the same thing. Some science classes at school and her adopted mother explained everything ahead of time. Xion didn't have that advantage. Her body just started doing new things for no apparent reason.

"Axel told me what happened this morning," said Kairi gently. "I guess that scared you a bit. I know how you feel."

Raising head, she asked slowly, "You do?"

"The sudden bleeding? Maybe some aching down here?" she asked, touching her lower stomach to demonstrate.

"Yes?" said Xion, uncurling slightly.

Kairi started digging through her bag and said, "You're based a little on me. Or at least, Sora's memories of me. But the important thing is that you're like me. And that's what happens with girls like me."

She frowned briefly in frustration. Why did this always happen? Whenever she needed something from her schoolbag, it always ended up at the very bottom? No matter what she wanted to grab, it always migrated to the hardest spot to reach.

"I don't know what happens with people from other worlds. Like the mermaids that Sora met in Atlantica, Mrs. Potts from the Beast's Castle, or Queen Minnie and Daisy at Disney Castle," she continued, mentally going through the various worlds that she'd never had a chance to truly visit with Sora like they'd talked about. Kairi shook off the sad stray thought and focused more on the present. "But for girls like you and me, this happens when we're old enough. Boys like Sora, Roxas, and probably Axel go through different things as they age, but it's part of this process called puberty. It just means we're not quite little kids anymore and are slowly getting closer to being adults. It isn't fun for us, but it is a normal part of growing up."

"This is normal? I'm not broken?"

"No. You're perfectly normal," said Kairi, yanking out her textbooks, notebooks, and pencils from the bag to make it easier to find what she was looking for. "The bleeding, achiness, and stuff? When your body gets used to it, it'll happen in a regular cycle. The bleeding will stop in about a week and then it'll be gone until next month."

Victory. Kairi's hand finally wrapped around the spare emergency pad that she kept in her schoolbag. She pulled it out and held it up to show Xion.

"Until this cycle is over, you'll need to use one of these. I'll show you how to put them on and we can talk some more if you want. But first, how about you drain out that water and take a warm shower? The water in the tub probably getting cold by now."

Lea stared at the shelves of the local grocery store silently for several minutes. He glanced back down at the list before looking back up towards the shelves of products. Apparently, the brands on the Destiny Islands didn't match the ones for Twilight Town. Which made Kairi's list a lot less useful.

Some of the items were easy enough to figure out, even if they weren't exactly the same as what she requested. He'd already added some bars of chocolate to the basket. Chocolate was chocolate, regardless of the name on the wrapper. But for the more important items, there seemed to be dozens of different products in different sizes and styles. And Lea didn't know enough about feminine supplies to even fake it.

Should he just grab a box of each one? He could get a little of everything and let Kairi figure out which one was the closest to the ones that she bought on her home world. That could get expensive. But it would be better than not finding what Xion needed.

Lea reached out and grabbed the arm of a passing stock boy. Someone a few years older than Sora and the others, but far too spindly and gangly to swing a Keyblade properly.

"I need some recommendations," said Lea, gesturing at the numerous products.

The poor employee immediately blanched when he realized what Lea was asking about. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It wasn't like Lea was forcing him to come back to the apartment to explain how to use them to Xion, step-by-step.

Though if he hadn't found Kairi, that might have ended up as a possible backup plan.

"Lea?"

He turned at the sound of his name. Gina walked over to him with a concerned frown. The older woman was carrying her own basket with more normal groceries like bread and rice. She glanced between him and the poor stock boy that he was currently holding hostage. Then she looked towards the shelves. Finally, an expression of realization and comprehension blossomed across her face.

"Oh, dear," she said. "Your girl? Xion?" Gina studied his expression a moment longer. "And I'm guessing that this is the first time that this has happened. Most girls that I grew up with started younger, but there's nothing wrong with being a late bloomer."

Grimacing, he admitted, "Yeah. Bit of a new experience for both of us. Caught us by surprise."

"Would you like some assistance? I don't have to deal with that issue myself anymore, but I have a few decades of experience with the matter. I might be able to offer some help," suggested Gina carefully.

Lea hesitated a moment. Then he released his grip on the stock boy and let the young man flee for the safety of the registers. Gina took the gesture as acceptance and took a step closer.

"First, ignore all of these," she said, gesturing towards a row of teal boxes. "Those usually work better when girls are closer to grown. Unless she wants to go swimming, I would suggest staying with pads for the first few years. Her body is still growing and adapting, after all. Her cycle probably won't even be regular the first few times anyway."

Gina picked up a pink box and a purple one, considering them carefully. Then she set down the pin box before grabbing a green one. Lea couldn't really tell much difference, but apparently the mysterious and cryptic descriptions meant something to her. The older woman nodded thoughtfully before handing the green box to Lea.

"They came out with a new material for them a few years ago," she continued. "Much nicer than what they used in my day. Now the pads can be thinner and lighter while being just as effective. Which will feel much more comfortable and less bulky, especially for someone who is still getting used to pads in general. And always make sure to buy the ones with wings to help keep them in place. I'm sure that Xion will appreciate that." She picked up a different green box. "The smaller size will work for lighter days, but these longer ones are better for wearing at night while she sleeps or if she plans to be particularly active. Less chance of leaks."

Lea dutifully placed the second box in his basket. He hoped there were instructions in the box just in case Kairi didn't explain everything. Because he certainly couldn't help Xion with that part. Though now that he thought about it, asking Gina would have been simpler and faster than snatching Kairi from another world.

Of course, he trusted Kairi and she knew more about Xion's background than Gina. She knew how young Xion truly was. Less chance of misunderstandings or missing important information because she assumed that everyone already knew about something basic.

"Do you have a teapot?" she asked suddenly.

Blinking in surprise, Lea said, "No?"

Gina started walking and, after a moment of hesitation, Lea followed. She led him towards a different corner of the small store. And once there, she started hunting among the small containers.

"I believe that I have an entire tea set that I never use. You would be doing me a favor by taking it off my hands. I have too much clutter at the moment." Gina smiled and said, "Normal potions only help somewhat with the cramps. They can dull pain to an extent, but there is nothing there to really heal. And while they make medicine specifically to help, I always preferred tea. Ginger tea always seemed to work best for me, though it tends to have some bite to it. If the ginger is too spicy, raspberry tea can also help. Xion might prefer the more fruity and tart flavor instead. Even peppermint does a decent job, though I wouldn't rely on that one as much when it comes to cramps."

"Ginger or raspberry tea," repeatedly Lea dutifully.

Should he be taking notes? He didn't have anything to write with. Maybe he could get Gina to write down everything later.

"At night, don't use the other teas. They'll just keep her awake. A cup of chamomile tea before bed. You might like it as well," she said. "It'll help Xion, but chamomile tea is also good when it comes to calming down, relaxing, and sleeping."

"Anything else?"

"You're already doing well with the dark chocolate. Salty foods tend to make the symptoms worse, but chocolate helps for some reason. And on the worst days, it might be worth investing in a heating pad or a hot water bottle." She reached out and took his arm, leading him away casually as if they often went on shopping trips together. "Let me show you which stain remover works best on blood."

Notes. He definitely should be taking notes. Or maybe he could pick up a book afterwards. He remembered seeing a bookstore at one point over the years. He'd done enough reconnaissance in Twilight Town over the years that he should be able to find it again.

When Lea made it back to the apartment, his arms loaded down with bags of supplies, he found two teenage girls curled up on the couch. Xion seemed calmer than earlier. Wrapped in Lea's oversized black bathrobe, Xion was leaned in close to Kairi, both of them messing with a Gummiphone. Judging by the sounds, they were playing a game.

"Everything all right here?" he asked as he closed the door.

Glancing up, Kairi said, "I think so. I stole a bathrobe for Xion to wear since she said her pajamas were still in the dryer. Also, your bed is impractically big and amazing. I'm extremely jealous."

Lea grinned as he set his load on the table. In addition to everything that he found at the grocery store, he did swing by the bookstore to find a backup resource. Then there was the box that Gina thrusted at him when she ran into him again before Lea could make it back upstairs. He was very much aware that the green teapot and four matching teacups were clearly brand new and she probably bought them while he was in the bookstore. But Lea wasn't going to complain about it.

"Did you explain what's going on?" he asked.

Grimacing, Kairi said, "I talked about the basics of what's happening and what she'll need to do about it. Anything more detailed or anything to do with the actual…" She gestured vaguely as her face reddened. "Sorry, but I left the rest vague."

"Once a month," said Xion, looking up from the Gummiphone, "for a week. And it goes on forever."

"Well, not forever," she muttered.

Pulling the oversized and plush fabric tighter around herself, Lea's large bathrobe nearly swallowing her up, Xion said, "It's not fair. Can we go talk to Even and ask him to take out the stuff that makes it happen?"

"First, I'm impressed that you remembered his name is Even now," he said before flopping on the couch next to them, dragging a hand down his face. "And second, can we wait until you've known about everything for more than a few hours before you decide to ask a mad scientist to rip out your organs? That's not too much to ask, is it? Just give yourself some time to consider it before making any rash decision, please. If you still feel like it later, we'll go talk to him about it. Deal?"

Xion gave a slow nod before turning her attention back towards the Gummiphone. She seemed to be enjoying the game. Lea had poked at them before and found it amusing that each Gummiphone seemed to use a tiny, pixilated version of the owner for the games. Which mean a tiny version of Xion was moving across the screen.

"There some pads in the bag and some chocolate," he said. Lea reached around to squeeze her with a one-armed hug. "Give me a moment or two and I'll fix up some tea I want you to try. Gina told me it should help."

Lea didn't stand back up immediately. He just wanted to relax after the stressful morning. Just a chance to sit, do nothing, and not have to worry about his half-pints. They should have a few calm hours before Roxas made it home. Lea didn't feel comfortable leaving Xion alone while he took Kairi back, so he needed to wait until Roxas could stay with her.

Of course, when Roxas made it back, Lea would owe him a few explanations. He did promise. And he would have to explain more than just what happened with Xion. He would have to explain to them about everything. The book that he picked up, "My Changing Body," might give them plenty of general information. But they would have questions. They always had questions and he would need to answer them. The book would only delay the inevitable.

Suddenly, he was dreading Roxas's return.

Isa closed the door behind him, rubbing the back of his neck. Ansem the Wise provided him with a room in the castle for as long as he wanted to stay, along with a surprisingly generous stipend for his use to furnish it however he might want and a high wage for his help that practically reeked of guilt. It wasn't much of a room, but it was a small space to call his own. A bed, a desk, a chair, a dresser for his meager collection of clothes, and a small green rug so that he didn't have to immediately step on the cold stone floor in the morning. Plain and practical, just like him. But the important thing was that it gave him a place to rest at the end of the day when he needed to get away from everyone else.

Though it might not be his room for much longer. There had been discussions about setting up a secondary location. With most of their current resources in the lab being gradually dedicated towards the work on Naminé's future body, a project that would take months to complete, Ienzo suggested making use of the computer systems and pods that they left in the Old Mansion in Twilight Town. They could borrow one of the pods to house the replica during the construction process and have the computer work on unscrambling some of the corrupted files, freeing Tron up to focus on system security again. And it never hurt to have a backup.

But before they could properly utilize the secondary site, someone would have to work on restoring the old building. It wasn't decrepit or on the verge of collapse, but most of it could use some work if they wanted to consider it truly habitable. Hard work and patience. The project would keep them busy for a while.

And while Isa did intend to keep searching for clues about the long-missing girl, he did see the appeal of working on a physical project. There was something reassuring about having a goal where he could make tangible and noticeable progress. Fixing the mansion was one such goal. And he could stay there during the restoration process. Living in Twilight Town would make it easier to see Lea more often than his calls on the Gummiphone or a visit once a week.

He missed his friend.

Of course, as soon as he decided to move to Twilight Town, he wouldn't be able to avoid Roxas and Xion any longer. Isa would have to face them and all of his past crimes against the children. He didn't look forward to that confrontation. Not even slightly. But it had to be done.

Isa couldn't put it off forever.

He wandered over to his bed, sitting on the edge. Isa reached up to tug at the zipper. But before he could shuck off his jacket, an insistent jingle interrupted.

Isa expected to see Lea when he answered his Gummiphone. What he didn't expect to see was his friend holding it up while burying his face into a pillow.

"Rough day," asked Isa, raising an eyebrow.

Lea groaned into the pillow. Add a yellow checkered bandana around his neck and it would be exactly the same as his teenage years, with Lea complaining dramatically about their homework assignment or Aeleus catching them yet again trying to sneak into the castle or even the time that they were out of sea-salt ice cream for a week and he refused to try any other flavor on principle. Isa waited patiently until Lea slowly raised his head.

"Xion's started puberty."

Frowning, Isa said, "Since her appearance is based on Kairi and she had already started to develop physically, I am fairly certain Xion is already in the middle of puberty."

Groaning dramatically again, this time without the pillow to muffle the sound, Lea said, "No, I mean the rest of it. Even's new replicas are much more human than her old body. She's a normal human girl and that includes all the complicated parts of puberty."

Isa almost asked for a better explanation of what he meant, but he could connect the dots. And he could mentally work out a general idea of what happened with Xion. It must have been a very awkward day for everyone involved.

"How did that conversation go?" he asked.

"Kairi gave her some basic information, but mostly just on what's happening to her at the moment," said Lea. "Not the rest. Not why those changes happen or what they mean or…"

He groaned as he dropped his head back down on the pillow again. Isa waited patiently until Lea eventually gathered up the willpower to look at the Gummiphone again.

"I gave Xion and Roxas a book to read," he continued. "It seemed to explain all the body part names, even for the inner organs. And it talks about the different changes. Deepening voices, body hair, and so on. But that will only delay things for a little while. They'll ask questions. Lots of questions."

"Someone will have to give them the Talk," said Isa. "And that is typically the job of a child's parents or guardian."

The next groan was the longest, loudest, and overly melodramatic one yet. It took a lot for Isa not to grin at his behavior or at least roll his eyes. Over a decade later and not even slightly more mature.

"I don't want to give them the Talk," he complained tiredly. "Can you do it? You're older than me."

"By one year."

"That still counts."

Keeping his expression completely stoic, Isa said calmly, "I'm sorry. I can't hear you. Something must be wrong with the Gummiphone."

Lea narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. Isa refused to let his expression change. He refused to react. But Lea knew him better than that.

"You big liar. There's nothing wrong with the Gummiphone," he said, glaring through the screen.

"Still can't hear you. I think I'm losing the signal."

"Isa," he said, sounding like he was trying to be annoyed while also fighting back laughter, "don't do it. Don't you dare."

"Such a shame about the Gummiphones. So unreliable."

"Isa, I swear I'll—"

A quick press of the button and Isa ended the call. Then he started laughing. A full-body laugh that shook his shoulders and left him falling back on the bed, his face hurting from the size of his smile. He hadn't laughed like that in a very long time.

Isa knew that he would pay for that the next time that he saw Lea, but it was worth it. He had faith that Lea could handle the situation. It wasn't as bad as he was making it out to be. He wasn't panicking when he called Isa. Merely complaining and groaning about it. Isa knew Lea. That meant that everything was fine. And it also meant that Isa could laugh about his dramatics without guilt.

Sorry, Lea. These half-pints are yours and that comes with certain responsibilities. And those include explaining to them about the Facts of Life. But at least you're past the more traumatic part of it now.

Also, yes, I did the research on which teas work well for helping with those issues. Ginger tea is described as a slightly spicy tea that boasts a tingling flavor and works best for cramps. Raspberry leaf tea has robust flavor similar to that of a fruity and tart black tea. It's a full-bodied tea and features a delightfully sweet aroma. Peppermint tea is an invigorating tea and chamomile tea is famous for its natural calming and sedative effects. But all are supposed to be at least semi-helpful in their own way.