Home Visit

Xion was starting to have doubts about herself.

Instilling those same doubts in her friends, Roxas and Axel.

To the point that in Wonderland, at the Mad Hatter's garden where his tea parties are, there's a confrontation between her, Braig and Axel. Stalking to protect her was her job, and Riku's job was to convince her to do what's right.

She had been hiding in Xion's shadow when she got the chance. And observed, and sending reports to Namine and DiZ. This was proof that Xion is gaining her own Heart, that she was willing to sacrifice herself for Sora, and Roxas. Even if this strained her friendship with Axel and Roxas who were growing their own Hearts as well, which was astonishing. However, this is a baffling case.

Roxas came from Ventus more than Sora. Ventus was a Keyblader of ten years ago, whose heart was damaged by Xehanort in a bid to experiment with darkness to fulfill his own ambitions. And Ventus is awake and under rehabilitation with Aqua with Leon's gang. His circumstances was that Sora had his heart. Ventus hid in Sora to protect himself from Xehanort when his body suffered too much.

As a result of creating Vanitas, Ventus was like Kairi when his heart was gone. In comatose for ten years, kept alive by his magic, but a Nobody was not born...until Sora used the Keyblade of Hearts on himself that his Nobody was born. One can say that Roxas was truly Ventus' Nobody even if he was born after Sora's reckless stunt. And it was why Namine also looked different. Ventus who was stronger than Sora in regards to powers of Light and combining this with Kairi's light as a Princess of Heart, influenced Roxas and Namine in terms of looks and power.

These misunderstandings are so confusing indeed. Its because of Ventus that Sora never truly had a Nobody. Even the enemy made this mistake. Had Sora had a Nobody, it should look like him.

And now, here she is, with them.

Not that she knew that she is in her shadow to protect her.

'Riku!' Xion greeted Riku.

'So, did you find your answer?' Riku asked her kindly.

'Yes, I certainly did.' said Xion with wholehearted acceptance. 'I'm on the verge of losing everything I care about. So please...please Riku.' she pleaded. 'Tell me what I should do now.'

'Go to Twilight Town. Beiyue will guide you to Namine.' Riku instructed.

'Beiyue...Kairi's sister...' Xion mused. 'The girl they call Goddess of Darkness.' Riku snorted at that.

'Such a nickname won't make her happy.' Riku chuckled. 'She once said, only arrogant idiots with god-complexes will make such delusional claims. And Beiyue has no such delusions.' he told her. 'Beiyue has been watching over you, to protect you until the time is right...and the time has come.' he said. 'Go. You need not worry any more. Axel...and Roxas, will protect you as well, while you do the right thing.'

'Right.' and Xion left, saying her thanks.

And at the same time, Roxas also made his decision upon learning what the Replica Program is.

The Organizations' callousness disgusted him.

'Have you made your decision, Roxas?' Beiyue appeared beside him.

'You?' Roxas gasped, seeing a high-profile person suddenly paying him a visit.

'You and Xion are in danger.' Beiyue told him. 'You moreso than she.'

'Why?' Roxas demanded.

'Xemnas seeks to covet your powers for himself by using the Replica Program, and created Xion.' said Beiyue. 'Xion's creation was made possible, when they made a successful replica of Riku. With a little mental adjustment to make him a tool as well. But idiots underestimated the nature of a Heart. Riku Replica and Xion came from people who are good people. So did you and Axel.'

'Who are we, really?' Roxas asked her gloomily.

'You are Nobodies as you know. But Xemnas lied to you all.' said Beiyue, taking away the X from his body and destroyed it. 'He lied to you for his own benefit. Made possible because when Nobodies are born, they lacked knowledge. Prone to manipulation and later...betrayal.' Roxas grimaced at that. 'The only way to truly regain your heart stolen by Heartless is to indeed kill Heartless. Killing them frees the hearts they stole. And then the disappearance of a Nobody. Heart, Body and Soul must reunite to be truly whole. And that is what Xion intends to do to save you.' she said, horrifying Roxas. 'She chose the right thing. Axel also knows as much as it pains him to be put in a hard place. Better lose one, than lose everything he cares for.'

'Before learning Xion is a puppet, he truly cares for her as he did you. You got close, like siblings. That every day, was special. However, unlike Riku Replica, Xion was not perfect...that slowly but surely, she is suffering from her own degenerating existence, and realized the truth about herself. She, like her original identity, chose the right thing...and that's what the Organization won't allow.' Roxas listened to Beiyue's grim words. 'Either take her back to reformat her or kill her to create a new puppet using her material that they took from you which is why you have no memory about yourself...or she saves you by choosing to disappear, so you'll get your strength and identity back.'

'And...what happens if she does?' Roxas croaked out.

'Xion will cease to exist.' Roxas gasped. 'All of us will forget she was ever here. Forgetting the times you and Axel spent with her...all gone. Because she was a memory. She'll become a bunch of memories to fill in the missing blanks of a jigsaw puzzle picture, to save you.'

That was incomprehensible to Roxas.

'Is there any other way?!' Roxas begged her desperately. 'She can't go!' Beiyue sadly shook her head.

'None. She is suffering Roxas.' said Beiyue. 'From her condition, and the strong need to 'go back home'. Go back home to your memories...and your heart. She also knows what the Organization will do to her if they get her. Both of you will suffer more for Xemnas' schemes. Leave the Organization...for your own good, as well as for the sake of Kingdom Hearts.' she said. 'Xemnas wants its power for his own ends, not for the lie he told you that you'll get your hearts back.' and she vanished in a swirl of darkness.

'No way...' Roxas moaned, burying his face in his hands, before his mind was made up.

He wanted to meet Xion, one last time.

And screw the organization!

However, he wasn't alone in that regard...

xxx

Twilight Town, the Mansion...

Zhanye was back, and he was sticking around.

He wasn't happy Beiyue wasn't around due to her jobs to restore her friend back. But at least, he wouldn't be kicked back so soon.

So he talks with Namine about many things. About Beiyue's situation in this mind-boggling job.

He was glad his heart is strong he bypassed her censoring that he knows what's going on and what she's dealing with.

So while his cousin is out with Riku, he assists Namine in the mansion and getting to learn some new tricks.

xxx

In the empty city of the World that Never Was...

Beiyue watched as Roxas and Axel had their final conversation, as Roxas officially left.

'...you would miss Roxas?' she spoke, appearing behind Axel.

'Yeah...' Axel said sadly. 'He...is my best friend. And now that he left, they'll hunt him down to kill him...'

'Then choose who you wanna be with.' said Beiyue. 'Choose. Always choose things you love and hold dear. And you hold Roxas and Xion dear...even if we'll forget Xion one day when she chooses to go home.'

'Where is she?'

'I know where she will go...for the last time.' Beiyue offered Axel a hand. 'Go see her for the last time...before you forget she was ever here, and memories of her gone.' she said. 'You and Roxas will wonder what were you doing there...and why you feel you lost something big you don't understand...but always remember that what was lost, has simply gone to where it should be. And for his sake, let Roxas go...the Organization may have lost Xion, they will still use Roxas for wrong ways.'

'But Kingdom Hearts...we'll get our Hearts back.' Axel pointed out.

'Would a Nobody feel upset and anger at how everyone treats Xion? Would a Nobody feel angry at being lied to? And would a Nobody feel heartbreak at what his fellow just said?' Beiyue gave him a sad smile. 'Axel, you were lied to as well. You have a heart. Otherwise you wouldn't feel genuine anger and sorrow for what's happening lately.' she told him. 'The reason Nobodies don't have emotions at first is because you were just born with nothing. That made you ripe for exploitation and deception.' Beiyue told him. 'But as years go by, you gain what you lost when a Keyblader kills your Heartless. You become a new self like you and Roxas are now. You gained a heart when you became best friends together.'

'I...I did?' Axel blinked. 'But how?'

'Humans possess light and darkness in their hearts...and Roxas was from a person whose heart was pure light. Ventus, a Keyblade Warrior.' Beiyue told him. 'Ventus' light that Roxas possesses, and your constant exposure to him just sped up the process really...and you were protected by his light and his feelings for you as his best friend. That unlike the others who are influenced by Xemnas' manipulations, you are able to think for yourself. You have your own will and your own feelings thanks to this light and you gained your own heart. I would know...because I am a being of darkness.' she said. 'If you truly have no heart, I would know it. For people always possess light and dark in their hearts. I would sense both.'

Axel couldn't believe it.

He really has a heart all this time?

'Oh...so all this time...' he croaked out, placing his left hand on his chest.

'At first you having no heart is true. Because as a newborn Nobody, you have no heart. But over time...you gain it back. It depends on how long have you been a Nobody, and the experiences you gain that will trigger restoration.' Beiyue informed him. 'The trigger being if your Heartless out there is killed, it will return through the Nobody by 'having someone or something to cherish'.' she said. 'However, you are half-way done. Both a person's Heartless and Nobody must die in order to reform, and revive as themselves again.'

'But what about the others?' Axel asked her hopefully.

'That depends on them.' Beiyue said coolly. 'They are all too reliant on Xemnas, except for Marluxia, Vexen and Larxene who were regaining their heart, buuut they were sentenced to die to conceal what will expose Xemnas for the liar that he is. Zexion and Lexaeus were collateral damage because they were experimenting and defending Castle Oblivion despite believing Xemnas' lies.' Axel did a stunned double-take. 'To conceal his farce to keep exploiting clueless fools.' Axel choked at that. 'Go to that clock tower, where you always watch the sun set. Xion will say her farewell there.'

Axel nodded.

'Right!' and he quickly left through a corridor.

'And that makes two.' Beiyue smirked before disappearing.

The Clock Tower...

She watched the tragedy as Roxas and Axel were forced to fight Xion who took on a monstrous form and pulled a ruse to force them to fight her.

They worked together to defeat her and suddenly...who's that girl again? Who was she to these two guys?

However, she knows something...but she held a scroll in her pocket she didn't remember about.

'...what's this?'

xxx

'I found this in my pocket after I watched those two guys fight a monster that suddenly became a girl with a cloak like theirs...but what's in it is a little weird.'

'A little weird?' Riku blinked.

'Yes...its apparently a mission we're supposed to do but I got no memory about, but I wrote in it since I know my handwriting.' said Beiyue, perplexed. 'But has Sora's memory restoration proceeded as end result at the cost of lost memories? That we will forget everything about a certain person...?'

'Yes...from 50 it rose to 75 thought I have to fix it.' said Namine happily. 'We need Roxas, the last 25% of Sora's memories.'

'I'd like to see that scroll.' DiZ requested and Beiyue gave him the scroll.

'It's a little weird, but at least Sora's condition improved. That's what matters.' said Beiyue. 'I'll visit Kairi and check on her. Been weeks.'

'Erm, before that...' said Namine nervously. 'Can you go check the library for me? I forgot my spare crayons and I ran out of Black.' she said. 'I have to continue drawing now to rearrange the memories in place after organizing them all. Riku went out to put Roxas in our program.'

'With Axel out there with him? That's gonna be a bit...tough.' Beiyue left the lab. "Whoopsie...sorry, Riku." she sweatdropped as she was responsible for the pair being together and abandon the organization together...hopefully?

She had also removed the darkness in their bodies that weren't theirs.

'Did he master it in time DiZ?' Namine asked DiZ.

'He's hardworking, for the sake of reaching her.' said DiZ. 'Their world is a cruel place to be. I can agree with Zhanye regarding Beiyue's maid's thoughts. That place will be a horrifying source of Heartless. That it's rare there to be loved as a friend or family. A cruel use and be used world...but alas, some weirdoes are born...but even rarer that those with caring hearts are in one place. In the royal family no less where any royal palace in any world, is treacherous grounds.'

xxx

When she got up the library, arms from behind wrapped around her instantly and held her tight in their arms. Tenderly.

Whoever this was, their heart radiated emotions.

Very sincere and genuine guilt, remorse, regret...and love? The kind from family, not the romantic one.

Why can she feel his emotions?

And she can see images. Memories. Memories of the royal family's feelings regarding her and she could feel it all. At first, they believed that she was Emperor's daughter, and their youngest sister through Grandqueen given what happened to the royal siblings in war through an unforgivable crime by Wei Wuchen and her mother started feeling pregnancy symptoms weeks after. Royal Uncle's grief and sorrow was palpable as was horror that she lived a life where she believed she was hated and unwanted by everyone but her mother, and lived in a world where her fears always come true while they lived a good life, wanting for nothing and happy.

However, because of Zhanye's strong heart, he bypassed her censoring in Dongling's memories and learned the truth Yan knows. But for four years, they all genuinely believed she was their sister and were deeply regretful and sorry.

'Can you feel it, Beiyue?' Zhanye asked from behind. How he worked to learn to make her feel what everyone at home feels. He learned this ability from DiZ in hopes to reach her. Beiyue froze. She had thought this was Riku due to similar muscularity but its freaking Zhanye?! 'Please believe in me. Believe in us.' he pleaded softly. 'And we're really sorry!'

'You came years too late.' Beiyue shook, her feelings welling up. Her past haunting her. Two years of alienation, ostracism, bullying, disregard. Everything, before her power took her away. 'Where were you when I needed you in those two years?' she asked in a broken voice.

She felt warm drops on her shoulders.

He was crying.

She could feel grief. His grief.

'No words can wash away what we haven't done.' Zhanye shook. 'All we could do is make up for it. Please give us a chance. Please go see father and grandmother...for their sake I'll bury the truth. Its best this way. But no matter the fact, home is with us. Come back to see grandmother and father...please. Even if you consider the islands a happy home where you can smile and laugh...at least we want you to know that you still have family you can turn to. Go see Yingye too. She's been really jealous of Kairi...that the times you had together, she should have been there in Kairi's place.'

'...fine. I'll go see...'father' and grandmother.' said Beiyue softly. 'And then what...I don't know what to do from there...'

'Well...father's very eager.' Zhanye chuckled. 'Like Yingye...he's jealous of the man you now call father.' he said, thinking of the old, pot-bellied man wearing a sleeveless shirt and shortened trousers that only covered up to the knees, slippers and a straw hat. 'He who did what father should have done for you.'

'Oh, boy...'

xxx

Sunset, the Cultivator World...

Dongling's House, the grounds...

'Whoa?!' Beiyue saw so many children running around in a large residence. 'She lives in a Siheyuan that can accommodate all these kids?'

'Yeah, she had it built, to raise a generation of light in this world of ours.' said Zhanye. 'Champions of Lights. Believe it or not, thanks to magic, she's able to make little kids into Silver Class C in cultivation, so she's focusing on mostly their physical skills after lessons. Yingye also got help from her.'

'Wow, she sure is doing well as a Pharmacist.' Beiyue definitely approves. 'This world is too dark. Its not balanced, in regards to the Heart. Everything must be equal, yet this world isn't.' she said as her hair turned silver and her eyes amber. 'See? This never happened before last year.' Zhanye looked at her hair...and frowned.

'A bad sign for this world...is coming.' said Zhanye, frowning deeply. 'After ten years of Political Hostage Terms, Prince Feng Lianyi returned to Beiyao and we got Prince Weiyi back. You haven't met the fourth brother yet, right?'

'Yes. Never got the chance.' said Beiyue. 'After ten years in Beiyao...'

'Father definitely did all he could. He didn't want to fail another of his children.' said Zhanye softly. 'One is too many. And he came back cold-hearted and bitter...like yourself. Maybe you should see him as well...as kindred spirits.' he suggested. 'He only saw you as a baby after all...and he knows your tale.'

'...'

xxx

'Princess!' Dongling lit up while carrying a baby...causing Beiyue's eyes to comically pop out.

'Who-hu-hu-hu-who's the father?!' Beiyue squawked in a high-pitched voice, causing Zhanye and Dongling to sweatdrop.

'Princess, our bodies are too young to sustain pregnancy.' she deadpanned before giving the baby a soft, gentle gaze. 'This little one is here for safety, just like everyone else.'

'He is my nephew Zhenji.' said Zhanye. 'How Zhenji came to be here is complicated.' he said in a pained voice. 'But here, he will grow up happy with a childhood. He's not safe in the palace.' this rather surprised Beiyue.

'And how?!'

'It's Prince Jing.' said Dongling. 'You see...' she told Beiyue how the Princeling came to be by her Orphanage.

'...wow...' Beiyue croaked out. 'So the whole Jing Faction is wiped off the Planet and ironically, Jing didn't even wanna be King. He was fine with being just a Prince. Its the in-laws who are the problem as well as certain politicos.'

'Yeah. He took to being a drunk.' said Zhanye. 'He trusted and this was how his trust was repaid. He can't stand women for now.'

'Poor kid...monster for a mother.' Beiyue shook her head. 'I'll give little Zhenji a blessing.' she said, turning her right hand into its monster form as her makeshift wand. 'You will grow up to be a wise, virtuous and righteous prince with a kind and gentle, but strong heart dedicated to what he wishes to cherish and protect. You will have great luck in meeting, and having true friends you can trust with your whole heart...and you and these friends will never encounter misfortune as long as you stay true and good to each other. But should one stray and betray, they will become a beacon of misfortune and attract misfortune unto themselves to protect the ones they betrayed. Such is the blessing of darkness, that I will keep away evil and darkness from you.' and a small bolt of darkness went into the baby's body.

'...Prince Jing will be happy to know his little highness is blessed.' said Dongling softly, delighted that the baby in her care won't have a bad future.

'This child is innocent. And only infants can gain magical blessings because their hearts stay pure, until they learn about their world where they will slowly, but surely lose their innocence. Thus only infants are lucky and privileged with being granted Blessing Magic. And babies granted Blessing Magic will never fall to evil or become evil.' said Beiyue. 'That's what the fairies taught me when they blessed Princess Aurora.'

'Heee...I hope when I have my own kids when I'm Emperor one day, my kids will be just as lucky.' said Zhanye softly, eyeing his nephew. 'Considering what's incoming for this country because upon arrival here, Beiyue partially transformed. Our world is gaining darkness in the people's hearts. Is the barrier still active?' he asked Beiyue.

'Yes.' said Beiyue. 'If the barrier's gone, you'd know in the worst way possible...like we did.' said Beiyue, recalling how Destiny Islands was destroyed.

'Well Dongling, I wanna check on your progress before I get you your Spirit Beast.' said Beiyue. 'Show me your full strength.' she instructed as Dongling nodded, before handing Zhanye his nephew.

Dongling then meditated to allow Beiyue to feel her full strength.

'Pretty impressive in just a short time.' said Zhanye. Then again, Dongling has all pills at her disposal while others would take long having them due to how much they cost! 'She's a Mystic Rank 2 Pharmacist and Arcane Sorcerer Rank 9. And she got stronger again. She's powerful enough to be the equivalent of a 6-star Summoner.'

'That means if I get her a beast now, she'll skyrocket to Arcane Summoner status.' Beiyue grinned as Dongling went slack-jawed. 'We'll go through with this, after I visit the royal family.'

'Y-Yes!' the royals vanished after returning the baby to her. 'I'll be a Summoner soon...this way, I can truly survive since there's no way a weak person with a lofty goal can make it.' Dongling mused. 'I need to be strong to keep raising kids with good hearts.'

And soon, she'll be truly strong, as Summoners are cream of the crop. Ones with the strongest cultivation.

She'll be among them soon and she has to work fast, if their world is so dark it caused her partial transformation!

xxx

Xia Guang Hall, residence of the Empress and Grandqueen...

Well, it's solely the Grandqueen's residence now.

Sure, Emperor spared Empress, but she was rendered powerless through the purge of the Mu Clan. Her personal maids were also dealt with and she has new maids with strict orders. She wasn't even allowed to see Zhanye or Yingye and she was relocated to a place only Emperor and Censorate knows.

Xia Guang Hall is managed by ten maids at most serving the Grandqueen.

And now, the strongest concubines are now fighting over the Empress post in the Imperial Harem.

'The Palace somehow lost that heavy feel to it.' Beiyue noted. 'Before...this palace always has a heavy aura.'

'I thought that was normal too...until I found out why.' said Zhanye. 'It was father's hatred.' that got Beiyue startled.

'Eh? That jolly jovial Emperor? Hatred?' Beiyue failed to make connection between that jolly happy Emperor she usually sees to the picture Zhanye paints.

'Yeah. When everything was over, he called me and Yingye over.' said Zhanye. 'He honestly felt relieved he got rid of mother. Because it was a Blackmail Match grandmother got bullied into and she had no choice because it was war and grandfather has a massive force he deliberately held back. Everything was because of Blackmail for his thirst for power.' he said. 'Marrying mother. Causing Princess Royal's death and nearly got you...then there's me, the Crown Prince descendant from the Mu Clan through mother.' he sighed. 'We were tools he exploited through bullying grandmother and things she forced on father against their wills.'

'Thus this hall has his aura of hatred that lasted for 18 years of their marriage. He resented both mother and grandmother so.' he continued. 'For the poor maids, this place has the greatest servant turnover. No maid lasted long due to the 'presence'...grandmother went to her County Residence to retreat. Yingye and I were spared as we were innocent of the Mu Clan's scheming so father cares for us.'

'I see...'

'She fell ill out of guilt because she was forced to kill her own daughter to save the city...and then you vanished to who-knows-where she fell ill a week later.' said Zhanye. 'Sure she recovered, but when she watched your new life through Dongling, she was so deeply ashamed that strangers gave you what she and father should have given you. That your and Royal Aunt's suffering was because she was weak. And family failed where strangers succeeded. That was the last straw.'

'...how long?'

'Since last winter...she fell ill after a day's worth of watching everything from start to finish.' said Zhanye. 'Since then she couldn't eat or drink anything. She's alive solely because of her cultivation...but once her ki runs out which is in the next few months...what grandmother needs is your forgiveness and absolution...and those Elixir Potions.' he croaked out. 'Not only that, Prince Xiaoyao wants to see you.'

'...who's that?'

'The Chief Pharmacist of our country and a close friend of royal aunt's...he was duped into making the poison that killed her because he was told its for a troublesome person...when he found out who died, he was so angry...it affected everyone's cultivation for the next four years who didn't get a chance to purchase goods from him because he left Nanyi in anger and recently returned.' Zhanye explained. 'He wishes to see you too.'

That made Beiyue frown deeply with a scowl.

Its not THAT easy to meet with a VIP. Even an Emperor has to go with what a Pharmacist wants! It was because their existence was that valuable!

'I find it weird that now that I have power I'm super-popular.' Beiyue grumbled. 'One doesn't see any head of whatever so easily yet its this easy now?'

'Well, he hasn't forgiven himself for not looking into who was to die that day...had he known, he wouldn't have made it.'

'...'

Upon arrival at the Grandqueen's Chambers...

Lying on the bed, was a skinny old woman with her hair down and it had gone gray. She has greatly...wilted in her own way.

"Never knew bad feelings cause illness." Beiyue thought with a frown. She'll ask DiZ later.

'Leave us.' Zhanye ordered the maids who bowed and left the room. He then glanced sideways at his cousin. 'Beiyue, your hair and eyes uh...?'

'...I can't change it. Looks like if things went downhill, only you and Dongling can fight what's cooking here.' said Beiyue with a dark look on her face. Zhanye made a face at her words as they approached the bed. He has an incoming problem soon, if Beiyue sensed enough darkness energy to cause her partial change. Transformation = gaining power to accommodate the power gained.

Beiyue took out an Elixir bottle and with Zhanye's assistance, helped her drink the potion to restore her to full energy and heal all damages she caused with her self-imposed hunger strike caused by her grief, guilt and depression. But not even Elixir can heal everything such as damages from malnutrition such as muscular atrophy and other not-so-fun stuff caused by lack of sustenance. It can only heal injury to top condition and restore energy. Thus the Grandqueen remained skinny and physically disabled.

'Grandmother...Beiyue is here. Wake up.' Zhanye softly urged the Grandqueen to wake.

The grandqueen weakly opened her eyes.

Her eyes searched around to see her grandson...and the granddaughter she failed by her bedside.