Go check Deviantart and Tumblr for Destiny Islands lore drops!

Also, this is TECHNICALLY a Halloween chapter, but I don't care that it's March.

Enjoy!

Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy © to Disney and Square Enix!

All OCs © to their respective creators!


Chapter 24: Masks


"Do you think Jack Skellington actually goes around from world-to-world? Or just his energy does?"

"Not sure."

Roxas took a bite of his sandwich as Hayner, Pence, and Olette sat beside him. Pence glanced at him. "You two have any costume ideas for tomorrow night?"

"Yeah." Xion sighed.

Halloween.

They'd been to Halloween Town, and they heard some history about it at school, but here it was.

Apparently, children dressed up in costumes during the day and went around asking for candy.

After dark, adults and teenagers dressed up in nicer outfits that were still costumes and went to a large masked party called a masquerade. The signs advertising the event hung all around town.

Axel suggested they dress up as Nobodies, just for a silly idea.

While Xion and Roxas didn't understand what was so funny, he just said: "Here's the thing. We can let those memories be a stain on our past, or we can make fun of the things that happened. Time heals all wounds after all, and sometimes it heals stupid. So, I say we make a mockery of those crappy days to bring some levity."

In the end, that made a little sense.

So, they were all planning to wear silver clothes and wear masks based on some of the Nobodies.

Roxas would wear a Samurai mask.

Isa, a Berserker mask.

Axel, a Dusk mask.

And Xion made the choice to wear a mask similar to her own helmet that she once took on.

Remember the past, but don't let it define you.

But it still felt a little weird to both of them.

Axel and Isa were willing to let them change their minds, but the teens agreed to go along with it.

The conversation turned to costumes and party ideas.

Roxas listened, curiously. He wanted to know what costumes everyone else was wearing.

Olette decided to wear a costume based on a wolf. Pence and Hayner both were going in moon-themed costumes, even though the moon didn't appear much around here.

Even as lunch ended, Roxas walked to his next class, wondering what the party would look like.

Everyone in masks, pretending to be something they weren't.

Even for fun, it felt weird.

He'd spoken to Xion and she felt the same way. Maybe that was why those Nobody masks felt ok to use. The Samurai were the ones that served him, and Xion's was her own mask.

That way they wouldn't be pretending.

Xion voiced that it felt so different from being on stage. Visiting Jiminy every week, she'd had time to learn how to separate herself from her character on stage.

But not in general situations like this.

"Roxas." A hand touched his shoulder.

The boy turned around, looking into the face of Auston. "Hey. Need something?"

"Can we talk in private?"

"Uh… sure."

The two stepped off to the side, standing in a hallway that led to a set of closets.

"Roxas, are you and Xion dating?"

"Dating!? What makes you ask that?"

"You two are always together. And I know you live together, but you seem way closer than that."

"Why are you asking me this?"

"It's just... I've been planning to ask Xion to the masquerade tomorrow. But, I wanted to be respectful of your relationship. I know you're new and didn't know about the dance until recently, so I didn't say anything. So… are you going with her? Or are you planning to ask her? If you are, I'll back off."

What…?

"I-I'm not sure yet."

"That's fine." Auston bit his lip. "But hey, if you're not planning to ask her and don't mind, please tell me so I can ask her."

"Um… ok."

"Thanks." Awkwardly, Auston rushed off to class.

Auston wanted to go to the dance with Xion?

No way.

Nope.

Wait…

Xion could go with whoever she wanted.

But why… why did Auston's words bother Roxas so much?

His breath caught in his throat and he felt himself getting tense at the idea of her going with him.

Shaking his head, he blinked.

Why was he so upset!?

Xion could make that decision herself.

But… what if Roxas asked her to the dance?

What would that mean?

What did you do with one other person at the dance? Did you just dance?

If you went with someone, does that mean you're dating them?

Isn't dating what led to marriage and all that stuff Axel talked with him about?

WHAT WAS GOING ON!?

Roxas could barely focus the rest of the day.

He couldn't get that conversation out of his mind.

Not one bit.

And after school let out-

For the first time, he didn't hang around to wait for Xion.

He left.

This was just so confusing.

He walked to the bistro and sat down, ordering a milkshake. Drowning his confusion in ice cream.

"Roxas!" Hayner slipped into the chair next to him, and Pence slipped in next to him. "Hey, what's up? You're usually waiting for Xion. Why'd you leave?"

"I'm confused."

"About?"

"How… how do you know if you have feelings for someone? I mean… Axel explained some of it, but the feelings here." He touched his chest.

Pence blinked. "You mean Xion?"

"How did you know!?"

"It's kinda obvious, to be fair."

What? "But I don't even know. How do you?"

"We can see it."

Hayner leaned back in his chair. "Well, how do you feel about her?"

Roxas stared into his milkshake. "I mean… I want to keep her safe. I always have. I want to spend time with her. Seeing her smile makes me smile, and when she's sad I want to fix it."

"You care about her." Pence nodded. "That's obvious to literally everyone."

"What else?"

"Well… she's always tried to help me, at risk for herself. And I'd risk myself to help her too. I don't want to lose her again."

Hayner smiled warmly. "Oh, you've got it bad." He clapped Roxas on the back. "Yeah, you like her."

"What if someone else likes her though."

"Who does?"

"Auston. He asked me if I was taking her to the dance tomorrow, and if I wasn't, he was going to ask her."

Pence and Hayner glanced at one another. "Hey, at least he checked first. Lots of people wouldn't."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Upset. I mean, it's Xion's choice in the end, but I don't… I don't want him liking her like that."

Hayner nodded slowly. "I mean, makes sense. If you like her, it's pretty obvious that you'd be jealous."

Jealous?

That's what Isa said… he said that he had been jealous of Xion and Roxas. He wanted the friendship they had.

Was that it?

Did he want… did he want to go with Xion and was just jealous that someone else did too?

"What would I even do at the dance if I did ask her?"

"Dance."

"Hangout."

"Just do normal party stuff, together. That's all."

Pence leaned on the table. "And, if it makes you feel any better, I do get it. There's a girl I've been meaning to ask, but I'm nervous."

"Same." Hayner groaned. "Why can we talk to girls normally, but when it comes to stuff like this we get cold feet!?"

"Who knows."

Roxas let out a long sigh before standing up. "I'm going to talk to her."

"Roxas, hold on."

Too late.

The boy took off running for the school.

By the clocktower, she should be getting out of drama by this time.

As he got there, he saw her standing with Cherri, Olette, Joy, and Akira.

"Xion!"

"Oh," she turned with a smile, "there you are. I was worried. You're always here when I get out."

"Sorry…"

"So," Cherri tapped Xion on the shoulder, "that sound like a plan for tomorrow?"

"Yeah! Sounds great!"

"What plan?"

Olette smiled. "The five of us are going to the masquerade as a group. Since none of us have a date, we're just going to hang out together."

Xion giggled. "Yeah, they said it will be a lot of fun."

His heart sank.

"Y-yeah. I'm sure it will be." He glanced past them and saw Auston who shrugged.

He heard the girls too.

"We better get home then and start getting ready!"

"Yeah!"

Xion grabbed Roxas's hand. "Let's go!"

"Ok…"


"Dude! That mask is SICK!" TJ stared at Roxas from behind his bright yellow mask.

Roxas adjusted the mask on his face. "Thanks."

"You guys were all matching too. All in silver. It was kinda awesome. You all walked in like superstars!"

"No kidding!"

Around him, the other boys all chattered on about what they were going to do during the party.

Most of which seemed to be eating as much as possible, taking over the dance floor at least once, and trying to scare people in the Halloween spirit.

But Roxas didn't hear them.

He looked across the party, seeing Xion talking to the other girls…

She looked happy.

He smiled.

As long as she was happy…

That's all that mattered.