Loved everyone's reactions to the "Sora is still missing" subplot being touched on again. You're all very eager to get him and Vanitas involved in things again. And I'm glad that people seemed to like the idea of Isa with some scrying abilities, even if it has a lot of limitations on it. Enough that Lea would fight with all his heart to keep him from using them unless absolutely necessary.

But yeah, I did enjoy everyone's reactions to the last chapter. Hopefully you'll enjoy this one just as much.

There were only a handful of Gummi Ships available for them to use. King Mickey had collected enough Gummi Blocks with his travels to put together a few of them. Even the one that Sora normally piloted originally came from the king; it was currently being used by him, Donald, and Goofy for their search. Lea and the others kept one around for trips that they didn't want to use dark corridors for. Then there was the one that Riku used for his own searching.

They didn't need too many Gummi Ships. Not when so many of them had alternate ways to travel. Dark corridors and transformed Keyblades could let many of them travel between the worlds quite effectively.

But Naminé, Kiru, and Ventus couldn't use those options. While Naminé technically knew how to create a dark corridor, even if she rarely used that ability, Ventus didn't trust them. And Kiru hadn't learned how to transform his Keyblade yet and she didn't have one of her own. Traveling by Gummi Ship was the best way for them to travel together.

Ventus could have gone ahead without them on his own while Kiru wrapped himself in his old black coat to travel with Naminé. But it didn't feel right. Especially since they knew that Ventus might be leaving soon; him, Terra, and Aqua warned that they were might search the Realm of Darkness for Sora in the coming weeks.

Instead, the three of them asked Roxas to pick them up in the Gummi Ship and bring them back to Twilight Town. They learned that Ventus's style of piloting left a lot to be desired when Roxas offered them each a chance to try steering. But they made it to the world in one piece. And she was sure that the trip would be worth it.

Naminé smiled to herself as they walked the familiar stone-paved paths that she was only now getting to explore properly. She'd mostly stayed in the Old Mansion during her time on that world, but she did have access to the data version for a little while. The warm golden skies and the sleepy feeling of the town left her feeling nostalgic. It may not have been the best time for anyone, trying to help fix what she'd done to Sora and destroying more fragile lives in the process, but Twilight Town was the first place that she'd ever went outside of the endless white rooms of the empty Castle Oblivion. She liked seeing it again.

"Having fun?" asked Roxas.

Nodding, Naminé said, "It's a beautiful world. I can see why you and Xion wanted to move here when offered the choice."

"And it's really twilight here all the time?" asked Ventus, trying to look at everything at once.

"It is," she said. "And the sunsets are amazing."

Roxas smiled proudly as he led them towards the Sandlot. A small group was already there, composed of both familiar faces and new ones. Naminé paused briefly, gripping the strap of her tan bag tightly. It was a little overwhelming still. Meeting new people, especially several of them, was still a new experience. But Kiru appeared by her side as support almost immediately. Silently letting her know that she wasn't along. Ventus appeared on the other side of her, giving her a bright grin.

A boy in a short red plaid vest noticed them approaching. His arm shot up and waved at them. Roxas chuckled at the enthusiastic welcome.

"Hey," called the boy.

"That would be Hayner," said Roxas. "Come one."

Naminé abruptly remembered seeing the boy before. He had been in the data version of Twilight Town. Him and the other two were friends with Roxas there. And clearly that remained true in reality.

In addition to the three new people, she also saw Xion, Lea, and Isa. She didn't know Isa as well as she did the others, but she'd liked him when they saw each other at the Land of Departure.

And seeing all these people and the ones that were accompanying her? People that she didn't need to manipulate their memories and who didn't want to use her?

She'd come a long way from those empty and lonely days trapped in Castle Oblivion.

"Nice to finally meet both of you," said the brown-haired girl. "My name's Olette."

"I'm Pence," said the black-haired boy. "And that's Hayner."

Smiling shyly, Naminé said, "Hello."

Hayner crossed the distance. He eyed Ventus, studying him up and down carefully. Then he glanced over at Roxas for a moment before looking back towards the other boy again. Finally, he turned back towards Lea.

"You're right," he said. "He does look a bit like Roxas."

Grinning, Ventus held out a hand and said, "Call me 'Ven'."

Hayner reached out to grasp it, the two of them shaking hands. Then he nodded in greetings towards Kiru. The replica returned the gesture. Naminé was so distracted with watching the interactions that she didn't notice Lea approach until his long arm snaked over to ruffle her hair slightly.

"Good to see you both," he said. "Someone will have to give you the grand tour."

"I thought you invited us to see a movie at that outdoor theater you were talking about," said Ventus.

Xion took a step closer and said, "Yes, but we have time before it starts. Do you want to explore a little first? There are shops, places to skateboard, and the small corner where they sell ice cream. Or we could have a Struggle match."

"Roxas told us that you like to draw, Naminé?" said Olette. "If you want, there's a store over at Sunset Terrace that has art supplies. There should be time to head over there and make it back in time for the movie."

Naminé smiled shyly. That actually sounded like a nice idea. She could use some new colored pencils, paints, brushes, and a few canvases now that she was trying out different things. She went through a lot of them when she was in a creative mood. And it might be fun to see what materials and new projects that they might inspire.

But that did remind her of something.

Digging into her bag, she said, "I have a present for you, Axel."

"Oh?" he asked.

Being careful not to mess it up, Naminé eased the picture out of her bag. She'd been experimenting with watercolors. She liked the almost dreamlike quality that they gave her artwork. And she'd been improving since she first picked up her colored pencils and notebook back in Castle Oblivion.

Lea had asked for something to hang in his room. A picture with him, Isa, Roxas, and Xion in it. And she'd decided to portray them on top of the clocktower at sunset. It felt the most natural way to show them and it gave the painting a warm and bright appearance that she was rather proud of. Both Kiru and Aqua had complimented it when they saw the finished piece and Ventus made a joke about stealing it. But even their praise didn't prepare her for the way that she blushed a little when everyone immediately crowded in to admire the picture.

"You've outdone yourself," said Lea. "Looks like I owe you that ice cream and the munny for those art supplies. Good thing Olette already offered to take you to the shop."

"That's not everything that she's made lately," said Kiru, pulling something out of his pocket.

He held up the small star-shaped charm, like a paopu fruit. Or the false lucky charm that she implanted into the mind of Sora and Kiru years ago. A bright yellow creation of silver wires and stained glass. A wayfinder similar to those that Aqua made for her friends. Naminé made one for Kiru, a real one instead of a fake charm, before she created a white one for herself. She rather enjoyed how they turned out. Making wayfinders was extremely different than drawing, but satisfying in its own way. And a bit addicting.

"I haven't finished them for everyone yet," she said slowly, "but I do have a few more done."

Naminé pulled them out of her bag and handed them out. A reddish-orange one like a sunset for Roxas. A dark purple that was nearly black towards the center for Xion. And the deep red one that she'd barely finished in time for Lea.

"They're beautiful," said Xion softly, holding her wayfinder up to the light.

Smiling faintly, she said, "I can work on the rest and bring them next time we visit. If you would like one."

"Absolutely," said Pence. "Can I request a green one?"

Pulling out his own wayfinder, Ventus said, "We'd match."

"Or I can use another shade of green," said Naminé. "If you want."

Pence grinned and said, "I'll let you decide then. I'm sure you'll pick out a great color."

Now she had to make them. Naminé already planned to make one for Isa to match the others, but she would need to make three more. They seemed to excited about the idea that she couldn't imagine not giving them wayfinders as well. She would also need some for Riku and Kairi.

And Sora. He would need one when they brought him home. Naminé would make him a nice wayfinder to welcome him back.

"How does this sound?" said Hayner abruptly. "Olette and Naminé can go pick up some paint and stuff at the store, me and Kiru can have a rematch now that I've learned a few new tricks and he knows how to Struggle, and everyone else can decide which they would rather do? Then we all meet back up to watch the movie."

She saw a flash of uncertainty from Kiru at the idea of separating. Even after everything that happened and how far that they'd come from their days at Castle Oblivion, he still took his promise to protect her seriously. A promise that started as a lie before becoming real. Naminé did occasionally worry if it was because of her manipulation of his memories. But they'd grown since then. He'd made his own memories that she'd never touched. His decisions were his own. And his worry over her was born of friendship and real feelings rather than any false memories.

"I think," she said slowly, "that would be a good idea. Kiru would have more fun sparring and I do need more wire for all those wayfinders."

Hesitating, Kiru asked, "Are you sure?"

"It'll be fine. Promise."

"She'll be in good hands," said Olette.

Holding up a hand to volunteer, Pence said, "I'll go with you guys. Naminé probably has never heard about the Seven Wonders of Twilight Town."

"Ven, you'll love Struggle," said Lea. "More entertaining than me and you going after each other with a toy Keyblade and a couple of frisbees."

"If you're supervising the matches here," said Isa carefully, "then I suppose I could accompany the others on their shopping trip and ensure that we return in time to watch the film."

"Sounds like a plan to me," he said, grinning brightly.

Grabbing the blue-haired man's arm, Pence shouted, "Yes! We've got Isa."

Naminé giggled as Isa sighed and turned his eyes skyward. But he accepted the boy's enthusiasm with good humor. Not exactly the person that she'd pictured going with them for art supplies, but his company would be interesting.

"Do not forget the munny that you promised for Naminé's art supplies," said Isa. "The ice cream can come later. If you went to the trouble of commissioning a project from her, you must live up to your promised payment."

After a few rounds and switching between different opponents, Roxas was sitting on the ground next to Xion, Hayner, and Ventus. The three of them watching as Kiru and Lea worked on their own duel. The sound of Struggle bats striking each other as they sparred in a rather relaxed and casual manner. Any competitive edge had died down after the match between Lea and Ventus, who absolutely loved the game. Now everything was calmer and more playful. At the moment, Lea and Kiru were trying to land the most unusual, ridiculous, and over-the-top strikes against each other, regardless of how impractical that they would be in actual combat.

"So," said Hayner, leaning back slightly, "Sora has a Keyblade. Roxas and Xion have Keyblades Lea's got one. Riku, Kiru, and Kairi have them. You," he said, gesturing at Ventus, "Aqua, and someone named Terra all have Keyblades."

"And King Mickey," added Roxas.

Shaking his head, she said, "That's a lot of them. And when you guys were explaining everything to us, I don't think you told us how people even get Keyblades in the first place."

"Well, traditionally, a Keyblade master or someone with similar amounts of power chooses someone to inherit the ability to gain a Keyblade," said Ventus. "There's a whole ceremony where the wielder does it called a Bequeathing. It's usually done by a master choosing a successor or at least a student. It doesn't immediately give them a Keyblade of their own. Just the ability to have one someday. They test the strength of their heart by letting the potential future wielder hold a Keyblade and there's a speech about what it means to accept the responsibility. 'In your hand, take this key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking… its wielder you shall one day be.'" Ventus smiled fondly to himself. "Apparently Terra met Riku when he was very small and performed the Bequeathing ceremony for him."

"Not us," said Roxas. "I've always been able to use a Keyblade and Xion picked it up from me. There wasn't any ceremony."

Nodding, she said, "I started by borrowing it from Roxas, but now its mine even if it looks like Kingdom Key."

"I didn't get a ceremony either," said Kiru, letting himself be distracted from the match by the conversation. "Riku's broken Keyblade turned into Dawn's Reflection when I was fighting Larxene."

Shrugging vaguely, Lea said, "I bullied my way into getting a Keyblade and was too stubborn to take 'no' for an answer."

Because even without knowing if it was possible to retrieve Roxa and not remembering Xion yet, Lea didn't give up. He fought for any chance to save and protect his friends. He never gave up on them.

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised that most of you didn't get your Keyblades the standard way," said Hayner, chuckling slightly. "My friends are too awesome for that."

"Not to mention," said Lea, spinning the bat in his hands, "most of the current Keyblade wielders running around didn't get all the traditions and training that they had in the old days. I think everyone is just making it up as they go along by this point."

"Things are different from what they were like training under Master Eraqus," admitted Ventus. "But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The worlds are changing and maybe we need to change with them. We have to adapt what he taught us and maybe make some new traditions."

"Like trying to fight Heartless with a stick because someone borrowed your Keyblade," said Xion mischievously.

Reaching out to shove her," Roxas complained, "Xion. Knock it off. I was trying to help you. And at least I wasn't unarmed."

"Roxas," she said dryly, "it was a stick."

Leaning forward with an eager grin, Ventus said, "I want to hear that story."

Between Naminé's careful and timid selections, the more enthusiastic efforts by Pence grabbing anything that he thought might be useful or that simply caught his eye, and Olette's more sensible suggestions that were made after studying and comparing the options, Isa found himself carrying a rather large bag of supplies for the blonde girl. He even had an easel balanced on his shoulder. It made Isa question how much munny Lea gave Naminé before sending them off, but Isa knew how much the stipend from Master Ansem was and didn't worry too much about it.

In fact, he was mildly surprised to realize that he wasn't worried at all. About anything. With Pence chatting about his investigations into the secret Eighth Wonder that he'd never uncovered a natural cause before the shaking tree vanished and Olette showing Naminé the new drawstring purse that she made two months ago, Isa couldn't help feeling calm and content. He chuckled fondly as Pence demonstrated how the shaking tree would supposedly make the entire forest shake, the impression making Naminé laugh and Olette shake her head with a smile. It was nice.

It was nice in a way that would have felt impossible less than a year ago.

As they turned a corner and spotted the rest of their waiting friends, Isa smiled faintly as Lea and Xion waved towards them. Urging them to hurry up before they missed the movie.

Honestly, if Lea had his preference, he wouldn't return to Radiant Garden nearly as much as they did. It wasn't his home anymore. And it hadn't been for a long time. Home was his friends, being surrounded by the people that he cared about and fought to get back. Radiant Garden held nothing except bad memories. Memories that only got worse the closer that he got to the no-longer-secret underground lab that unfortunately seemed to be their usual destination whenever they came to that world. He could handle it if necessary, but it was never fun. He never liked going there.

But Even wanted them to come in. Something about checking on the state of Roxas and Xion's replica bodies after several months to ensure that no unexpected complications were developing, though Even included some haughty comments about how unlikely it was that any of his creations would have issues. Lea also suspected that he would love to get some scans of his and Isa's hearts for his data points to compare to whenever he last scanned them, though Lea had no intentions of being one of his experiments unless he was actively dying. But making certain that the half-pints were fine? That made the trip acceptable.

That wasn't their first stop though. They weren't supposed to meet Even until that afternoon. But as Isa pointed out, Roxas and Xion had never seen anything of Radiant Garden except for the castle. They deserved to see more of the world. And Isa didn't share that same discomfort with Radiant Garden. They piled into the Gummi Ship early so that they could spend the morning showing Roxas and Xion everything from their childhood.

Lea couldn't help smiling at them when Xion's eyes lit up when she saw the colorful flowers in all the carefully tended beds or when Roxas laughed before running to climb the elaborate fountains that stretched up the wall. Both of them absolutely delighted by the same familiar sights that he and Isa grew up with. He showed them where he met Ventus the first time and where they used to buy sea-salt ice cream. It was easy to ignore the bad memories when he was busy showing them all the good ones. And maybe creating some new ones.

"And what's over that way?" asked Roxas, point towards another street.

"If you follow it far enough," said Isa, "you would be able to climb the wall. It can provide a picturesque view of the sunrise, though Lea rarely wanted to wake up early enough to see it."

"It's not my fault that dawn comes way too early in the morning," he grumbled, earning some chuckles from his friends.

Walking a little further ahead of them, Xion asked, "And what's that, Axel?"

That made him frown slightly as his eyes followed where she was pointing. The large bulletin board on the wall was new. Or at least, it wasn't there during his childhood. So relatively new. Lea hadn't been back to that particular corner of town since Radiant Garden fell. It could have been in place for months. The weathering on some of the posts and photos suggested that they'd been there for a while.

That's what the board was covered in. Posts and photographs from different people, covered in scribbled pleas. All begging the same thing.

Have you seen my husband? Have you seen my daughter? Have you seen my brother? My sister, my children, my aunt and uncle, my grandfather, my parents, my best friend? Dozens of people begging to know where their loved ones might be.

"Most of the people who were lost and scattered when this world fell to darkness returned when Sora sealed the Door to Darkness."

Lea turned his head and spotted a vaguely familiar young man. Straight brown hair not quite to his shoulders, a faint scar that started on his forehead on the right before ending below his left eye, and a serious expression that rivaled Isa's. A light-colored shift under a black short-sleeved jacket with a white-furred collar. On that jacket was a red lion symbol on the sleeve matching the silver necklace around his neck. He wore black gloves, black leather pants, and black sturdy boots. Brown belts wrapped around his left forearm, several brown and black belts rested loosely around his hips, and a few buckles ran along the sides of pants as if the already-present zippers there wouldn't be enough.

He vaguely recognized him from when Organization XIII were still provoking and manipulating Sora, even if Axel never got too close to him. When the reconstruction still in the progress and the world still called Hollow Bastion. The man running around with a gunblade to take out the Heartless. But it was more than that. Lea recognized him from over twelve years ago. He'd seen him before. They weren't in the same class, but he faintly remembered seeing him from school.

Frowning with thought, trying to drag up those old memories, Lea said, "Squall?"

"It's Leon," he corrected.

Lea shrugged in apology. If the guy wanted to go by a different name now, who was he to judge?

Gesturing towards the bulletin board again, Leon said, "Most of them were restored or came trickling back from where they ended up. But not everyone. If their Heartless has not been destroyed by a Keyblade and their hearts released, then they cannot be restored. They remain lost." He shook his head slowly. "There used to be far more posts like these when we were still rebuilding and no one knew who might have survived. Back when dozens of people were returning every week. It's slowed down now. Almost everyone that come back after all of this time has returned already. But some people still hold onto the hope that their loved ones survived and that they might see them again. They hold onto that hope and keep their loved ones close in their hearts."

Hoping for a reunion despite all the evidence that it was impossible. Lea understood that all too well. His own efforts to get his friends back was simply a more violent version of pinning something to the bulletin board, desperately trying to find them.

But all those messages and photos also reminded him of all the harm that was done. All the lives lost. Not merely from the world falling into darkness, but also those other people who were experimented on in the depths of the secret lab in the castle. Both before and after Lea and Isa were added to that count. And that was only considering the people of Radiant Garden. There had been countless other worlds. People swallowed by the darkness, their hearts stolen away. And Organization XIII encouraged it to happen.

He'd encouraged it to happen.

But before the thought could drag up the guilt trying to resurface, Lea spotted something among the scraps of paper. A bit of red and blue. An old photo with a pair of teenage boys. A redhead with a yellow plaid bandana and a boy with blue hair with his turtleneck jacket with the crescent moon. One grinning proudly and the other with a more subtle smile, the pair standing in the middle of the square. He even remembered when the photo was taken. And at the bottom of the picture, in neat and careful handwriting, was the simple plea so similar to all of the others on the board.

Have you seen them?

Reaching out and taking it down, Lea said, "I can't believe that your hair used to be that tall, Isa."

"You're one to talk," he said, looking away from the picture.

"That was you?" asked Xion, trying to get a look.

"A long time ago." Isa still refused to look at it. "A lifetime ago."

Before they found the girl in the cell. Before they both lost their hearts. Before they spent all those years in the Organization. Before all the cruelties, destroyed and stolen lives, and betrayals that they'd left in their wake. Before they clawed their way back towards the light.

"They still want you back," said Lea, gentle and yet firm.

"You don't know that," he said softly.

Holding up the photo, he said, "I have some fairly compelling evidence that they do. We both know that it wasn't my parents who put this here."

"They want him. The boy in the picture. And I'm not him anymore. They wouldn't want the person that I've become."

"Should they be the ones to decide that?" asked Leon before turning to leave. "They live a few houses down from Merlin if you decide to see them. They might surprise you."

Because of course the guy knew exactly who put the picture up. He probably knew everyone that was still missing family members. It seemed like the sort of thing that he would know and possibly blame himself for.

But it was the same place. The exact same place that they used to live before Radiant Garden fell. Maybe the house would be different after being rebuilt, but it was still the same place. They might even still have crocuses planted in front of it like they used to.

"Isa, you don't have to see them. I won't make you," said Lea. "But they deserve to know that you're alive. Send them a not or something if you have to, but at least let them know."

Finally letting himself meet Lea's eyes again, Isa said quietly, "They'll hate me. If I tell them what I've done… If I tell them who I've become… they'll hate me."

"Look," interrupted Roxas bluntly, "I don't know who you're talking about, but I know you're wrong."

"What?"

"Xion and I had plenty of reason to hate Saïx," he said, "but that's who you were. And Isa's actually all right. Maybe they'd hate Saïx, but they wouldn't hate who you are now. And if we could forgive you, anyone could."

Isa didn't seem to know how to respond to that. He stared at them silently for a moment. Then he closed his eyes and slowly nodded.

"I am many things that I am not proud of," he said slowly and deliberately, "but I have never been a coward. You're right. They deserve the truth." Isa opened his eyes and looked towards one of the other streets. "I need to face them."

Patting his friend's shoulder, Lea said, "You don't have to face any of it alone if you don't want to. Whatever happens, we're with you."

Isa took a deep breath and started walking. Back straight, head held high, and fists firmly at his sides. Moving like a man marching towards his scheduled execution. But he was moving forward. Heading down the familiar paths that they traveled along their entire childhood.

"Axel," said Xion quietly, moving to walk beside him as they followed, "who are we going to see?"

Staring at his friend's back, Lea said, "Isa's parents."

Looks like it is time for a family reunion in the next chapter. Hopefully that goes smoothly for everyone. And we even got a quick cameo from Leon. Can't forget our "Final Fantasy" characters.