The Reslove of All

Chapter 22: Epilogue

Play your favorite version of KH Dearly Beloved (Mine is Birth by Sleep)

It had been about three months since the end of the war... and all they could do was move on...

Roxas sighed in the new average-looking apartment he and his three friends had just bought in Radiant Garden. They had rid themselves of their Keyblade armor and their Organization coats for good this time and resumed wearing their normal street clothes.

"Hey guys, Mickey sent us another message." Lea notified them all as they were all just casually sitting in the living room.

"What does he want now?" Drex grumbled.

"He wants us to meet him at Destiny Islands." Lea answered. "Hmm, I wonder why..."

"We should go and check on Riku and Kairi anyway." Xion advised them. "Let's do it for them."

"Alright." Drex and Roxas finally agreed.

"I'll summon the corridor." Lea piped up as they filed out of the apartment and soon the four of them stepped onto a tropical paradise that was Destiny Islands.

While the four of them were walking along the shore towards the dock, they all noticed a crowd of very familiar people. Riku, Namine, Ventus, Aqua, Terra, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were crowded around a heartwarming and miraculous sight...

There in the sand... Kairi was lying on top of someone... someone who was red as a ripe tomato...

"K-Kairi! What are you doing?!" Sora exclaimed in embarrassment.

"Sora... Sora... you're back!" Kairi sobbed.

"What happened here?! I thought you were gone Sora!" Roxas was elated as he and his friends joined the group.

"I thought I was too." Sora smiled as he and Kairi got back on their feet.

"You better explain yourself." Riku smirked.

"Why does it matter?" Namine questioned. "Sora's back, everyone's together again."

"If Sora is back... Xehanort could still be out there." Terra realized.

"Oh! Xehanort's not coming back." Sora surprisingly assured them.

"Huh? How do you know that?" Ven inquired.

"Well... you guys said I was gone for three months, but the whole thing felt like yesterday." Sora informed them as he scratched his head. "I don't know what exactly happened, but I do Xehanort and I went to this place."

"Go on, what place?." Aqua motioned for him to continue.

"There was this voice that called out to both of us, and it said I could leave." Sora stated.

"And Xehanort? Did he leave too?" Lea asked.

"No... The voice said he had to stay... I really don't think he's coming back." Sora answered. "When I woke up, I was just here. Kinda strange I guess, I don't remember much other than that though."

"Gosh, maybe you both were in some sort of purgatory or something..." Mickey guessed. "Master Xehanort may be powerful, but even he has his limits."

"You're right. That guy was real old." Drex responded.

"And I doubt he's ever going to show his face again." Xion added.

"And even if he does... we'll be ready for him... all of us." Riku declared.

"Yeah! I mean we can keep things going with the Land of Departure back up and running." Ven chuckled.

"You four are all still not Masters right? Well, I can train you." Aqua offered to Roxas, Xion, Lea, and Drex.

"Leave Radiant Garden?" Lea raised an eyebrow then broke into a smile. "Why not? The apartment isn't doing us any favors. We could use a fresh start!"

"We'll go too!" Roxas spoke for himself and Xion.

"No thanks." Drex declined.

Everyone in the group took notice of Drex turning down an official apprenticeship and decided to turn their attention towards him.

"But Drex... don't you want to be a Keyblade Master too?" Xion inquired.

"Yeah, stick with us." Roxas added.

"You know... after everything we've gone through... after everything I've done... I realize what I want. And I'm sorry but that's not becoming a Master of the Keyblade..."

"Then what do you want, Drex?" Lea asked.

"I want to go home. My real home." Drex confessed. "I miss my family, my simple life, and... my friends..."

"Your friends tried to destroy us." Riku retorted.

"It wasn't their fault." Drex defended. "Xehanort made puppets of them all! And some of them tried to help me!"

"Well, we want to help ya Drex, but there's nothing left of them." Mickey said plainly. "Some things are just lost to the darkness forever."

"But how do we know that?" Drex stated in a hopeful tone. "Maybe everything was restored... maybe I can go back."

"But Drex... if you leave... we'll miss you." Xion admitted sadly.

"We've always been there for you. And now you're just going to leave us?" Lea questioned feeling slightly betrayed.

"...No. It's just that," Drex proclaimed. "...I want to see them."

Suddenly, a white portal opened up on the water's edge in front of all of them! The portal itself was dim enough to stare directly at it, but where could it possibly lead?

"A portal..." Kairi confirmed.

"A portal to where though?" Riku inquired.

"Wait a second!" Drex amazingly stated. "I can sense them! Everyone on the others side of this portal is..."

"Your old home." Sora finished.

"Brendan."

"Huh?"

They all thought they were seeing things when they all saw the normal forms of Mona, Skyler, Mark, Alliana, and Fate take shape side-by-side in front of the white portal...

"Guys... you're alive." Drex relieved as he quickly embraced Mona. "But... how is this possible?!"

"We were wondering the same thing to be honest." Fate smiled.

"It looks like we all got a second chance, or in some other cases, a third or fourth." Mark grinned.

"Hey, you're not helping." Skyler chuckled.

"It looks like someone up there was looking out for all of us." Alliana stated as she pointed to the sky.

"Now... we can be together again." Mona lovingly smiled as she released Drex and held his hand. "We can go back home..."

"Home?" Drex wanted to clarify as he looked back at a worried Roxas, Xion, and Lea for support. "Can I come back?"

"Uh... that's the thing. This is a one-way trip and it'll reset everything that happened before the darkness took out world." Skyler stated as he sheepishly scratched his head.

"You need to make a choice now before the portal closes." Mona gripped Drex's hand firmly now. "Here or there!"

"But I have a Keyblade! I can just-!" But Drex was interrupted.

"No." Mark cut him off. "I'm sorry, but the way it works, you won't be able to use your Keyblade if you go home."

"...I... How am I supposed to choose?!" Drex questioned in a panic tone.

"Listen to your heart... what does it want?" Mona advised.

"...I... I don't know... I... I can't decide!" Drex responded. "I want to stay with everyone!"

"You have to choose, and we have to know now! The portal is closing!" Fate warned.

"What's it going to be Drex?" Alliana asked.

"Drex... go."

Drex's ears perked up at the sound of Xion's cracked voice which was followed by a sob and a sniffle.

"Go home Drex. It's where you belong." She continued.

"Xion..." Drex sadly said. "Roxas? Lea? I... don't want to leave you guys."

"Drex... it's been a blast, really it has, but I have to go with Xion on this one. We'll remember ya, always. Got it memorized?"

"And Drex," Roxas added. "You have sacrificed more than you should have for us, you gotta go back. You know it's the best choice..."

"...Guys, I... I have absolutely no regrets with having you as my friends." Drex smiled as his eyes began to water. "...And I'll never forget you. All of you."

"Then take this as a keepsake." Xion shaped up so that she could give Drex an ice cream stick that had WINNER inscribed in the wood. "You'll always remain in our hearts... goodbye and thank you."

Drex almost lost himself in the sadness and the grief as he gently took possession of the ice cream stick and held it close to his chest. But before he could say anything else, someone shouted that the portal was closing! So, some of the other Keyblade wielders took it upon themselves to blow the six friends back to their home using powerful Aero magic.

They were blown into the portal together... they were going home...

"They're gone." Lea stated as they all stared at the empty beach where the portal use to be.

"Good thing we got them all through." Riku responded.

"Got who through?"

"Yeah, who are we talking about again?"

"I can't seem to remember."

"...Yeah me neither."

"Wait... why are we here?"

"Oh yeah... Sora's back!"

Their chattering resumed, none of them knowing what had previously transpired, their memories tragically sealed and lost for some sick reason of fate. Most likely because these people were sent so far away that even in the memories of others they cannot linger... maybe it really was for the best...

But nevertheless... they were all happy; they were all untied where they belonged, their friendships keeping them strong...

"Come on guys, let's celebrate!" They all cheered as they traveled to their next destination.

"...Ugh... what happened?" Brendan rubbed his head gingerly when he woke up in that same strange cave where it all began for him. "Wait a minute! Xion! Roxas! Lea..."

Now he remembered... they all pushed him into the portal because he wasn't quick enough. He wished he could have said a few more words but... he guessed it was too late now.

"I can remember everything too." Brendan talked to himself as he tried to summon his Keyblade but he was unsuccessful. "No luck, huh? I wonder if the others are around."

Brendan then made his way out of the cave and soon found himself back at his old house. He could see through the nearby window and witness his little sister and parents getting prepared for dinner. All he had to do was turn the doorknob and...

"Hey you!"

Brendan turned around to the voice who called him, and there were his five friends, staring at him with varying expressions.

"You calling it a day already?" Skyler smirked.

"Mona told us everything Brendan. We know it wasn't your fault." Mark stated.

"What are you guys talking about?" Brendan questioned.

"The flying machine, silly." Mona pouted. "After everything that's happened, I think we can all look past it."

"So... you guys still remember too?" Brendan questioned.

"Of course." Fate nodded. "Hard to forget something like that."

"We've decided to keep it a secret though. Who would believe us anyway, right?" Skyler did have a point.

"Right." Brendan nodded as he reached inside his pocket and pulled out the ice cream stick. "...I guess somehow... we're all winners this way."

"That's so corny, Brendan." Mona giggled.

"So, what do you want to do then... Drex?" Alliana grinned.

Brendan answered with a confident smile as he placed the stick back in his pocket. "Let's get to work."

A/N- I thought about the ending A LOT and how I wanted to close out Drexbann... This ending may not be my best, but I'm content with it. ...Well, real sad this story is over. If you guys have read this series up to this point, then I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sometimes my writing depends on what mood I'm in, and yeah... I have those crazy days :) My updating speed has slowed down, I've noticed, but I'll still keep at it... eventually.

I'd like to thank the other people who owned the other OC's: Antex, Squirmyorchid, ShadowWarrior, Riilustra, and DecidedFate13. I hope I did your characters justice. Thank You! :)

And finally, my next story project: Kingdom Hearts Reborn! A complete OC story of my own, so check it out if you're not busy, if not, that's fine too.

Live Long and Healthy Lives!