A Meeting of Preparation

Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Nexumair escorted Tine to the Guild Hall. As Tine was presented, a grim faced Merlin stepped forward.

"So you are the creature that destroyed my wards" said Merlin. "I can't believe it. I'd assumed you would be…well…"

"A monster?" Tine asked. "People keep asking like I'm some kind of inhuman creature. Do I look that bad?" she asked.

"You cost a lot lives, you big meanie!" said Rikku. The pixies, Rikku, Yuna, and Paine were hovering about the table. They acted as the messengers of the government, posting notices and carry info. Rikku floated up to Tine's face and stuck out her tongue.

"You have five seconds to get out of my face, before I squash you between my fingers" said Tine. "I hope you hurry, because I don't want to get pixie guts on my hands."

There was a shocked silence. "Well" said Aerith, trying to draw away the tension. "I hope we all haven't forgotten why Tine is here! She is here to learn to put her darkness powers to good use."

"Who said that?" Tine asked, and Sora glared at her. They Keyblade Master stepped forward, presenting an idea he had been thinking of. "Maybe Tine can learn to use her darkness powers to help people. I mean, Riku has darkness powers and he's not bad. We all know that!"

"Yeah, but Riku's human" muttered Cid. He chewed his toothpick thoughtfully.

"Yeah, but Riku's human" said Tine in an exact replica of Cid's voice. She played around with the Heartless insignia that was hanging around her neck. "What do you mean 'use my powers for good'? I can use them however I want." She suddenly sounded tired. "I'm so tired of people trying to dictate how I live."

"Well for one, you could use your powers to clean up around here" said Leon. "The damage your summoned Heartless caused is still a large problem."

Tine sighed. "Fine, I'll help. I guess I owe it to you all." She sat on the table. "But I can't be a servant to everyone."

"No one's asking you to" said Sora. "All we want is for you to fix what you broke."

"Now for more important issues" said Merlin. "Sora, I understand that you---ahem!---lost your Keyblade overseas."

Sora clenched his fists. "Yeah, Jack took it. Any idea of how I can get it back?"

"You must face Jack Sparrow again" said the wizard. "And this time you must prevail against him, or your Keyblade will be lost to you forever."

Sora swallowed nervously. "So what will I use as a weapon?" he asked.

Merlin put a sword on the table. It had a golden blade and the hilt was a shining white. It seemed to glow with holy light. "This is Excalibur. I…borrowed it from my former student King Arthur."

"Can I have it?" Sora asked.

"I wouldn't have given it to you if you couldn't!" Merlin said. "This will be a temporary weapon until you acquire your Keyblade back."

Sora picked up Excalibur. It felt heavy and while he could hold it, he couldn't swing it very easily. "I hope I get it back soon" he said nervously.

In the Hopeless Library in the Castle That Never Was, Axel found Zexion. He wanted to talk to him. "Hi there Zexy" he said.

"Don't call me that" the Cloaked Schemer said, not even looking up at him. He was intent on reading something. On closer inspection, one could see it was an interior decorating book. Axel didn't even bother to ask why.

"I have to ask you something" Axel said, plopping into the chair next to the other Nobody. "Actually two somethings. The first is, why me?"

"Why you?" Zexion asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Why was I chosen for that mission of delivering the message?"

"Oh that" Zexion said, finally understanding. "Well, to simply put it, you are the one whose weapon of choice is the most precise. Actually, there was some thought about sending Larxene, due to her use of knives but…well, we all know that she can get a bit carried away. Superior Xemnas wanted a scarred messenger…not a pile of bloody meat that is good for nothing."

"You really don't have any emotions, do you?" Axel asked.

"Neither do you" Zexion reminded. "That is what we are, remember."

"Okay" said Axel. "Second thing. I'm having these…dreams. About some girl named Lea. At first it was annoying and strange. But now it's all I can think about. It's like she's infesting my consciousness with hers. When I attacked Kairi…I had a moment where it felt like she was talking out of my mouth." He thought, wondering if he should tell Zexion about his other theory. He decided to. "I wonder…you know how our Others became Heartless and we became Nobodies, right?"

Zexion nodded yes.

"Well…what if my Other…this Lea….what if she's still alive in human form? What if she's like Kairi and just a vegetable? Or like Sora, who didn't know…" he had to stop for a minute, even after all this time, talking about Roxas was painful. "Or like Sora, who didn't know that Roxas even existed? What if somehow, she's trying to contact me? After all, the body and the heart are drawn to each other."

Zexion considered this. "Well, if that is true, then all you would logically have to do is find Lea and merge with her to become a Whole once again."

"I know that" Axel said. "What I want is advice, how to go along with it?"

"You should speak with the Superior" said Zexion. "I have nothing else to say one the matter, besides a question of my own."

"Go ahead" Axel said. "Ask away."

"What of Kairi. Did you ensure that she was going to carry the message to Sora? It has to come from her to make this truly effective. That is why, when I came up with this plan, Superior Xemnas agreed so readily."

Axel grimaced.

"By the way, when you see the Superior to report, tell him that Sora is headed to Port Royal, land of pirates. Nexumair reports that after he stopped Xaldin from disobeying, he heard Sora and that doddering old wizard Merlin discuss returning there."

Axel smiled. "You don't like Merlin?"

"He never did like Ienzo" said Zexion. "He even once called him a snake that whispered lies into people's ears" said Zexion. "Ienzo didn't like Merlin. I merely reflect that emotion of hate because it is something to cling to as a memory."

"Where's Xaldin?" Axel asked, heading for the Library door.

Zexion offered one of his rare smiles. "He has taken to his bed. He says he is trying to heal a grievous injury inflicted on him by Tine, but I suspect it is to piece together his shattered dignity."