I got some lore dropped at the beginning of this chapter. Enjoy!

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

Star Ocean © to Square Enix!

Final Fantasy © to Square Enix!

All OCs © to their respective creators!


Chapter 26: Night Falls


"Roxas, can you tell me what is happening next week?"

The boy looked up at his name. "Um, it's the Harvest Nights festival. Right?"

"Correct." Mr. Wright nodded before drawing a circle on the board. "Our world is much bigger than it seems(1). However, only part of it is habitable. Our world has, what is known as, a tidal lock. We rotate at a speed that matches the speed our world goes around the sun. Due to this, the same side of the planet is facing the sun at all times, hence why the sun never goes down(2)." He glanced around the class. "Joy, what does that do to part of our world that faces the sun?"

The girl put down her pencil. Roxas could see the various sketches of things in the room covering the paper on her desk. "It cooks it. Most of the land on the other side of the mountains is too hot and dry for things to live."

"Correct. And what about the other side, Nico?"

"It's frozen. The ground and water are so cold and frozen that nothing can survive."

Their teacher nodded. "That's right. We live in a perpetual sunset here in the Southern Hemisphere. Our location, close to the top of the world keeps us at a decent temperature for life to thrive. However, it can still get too hot. What prevents this, Cherri?"

"The weather." The girl sighed. "Storms come in from across the ocean."

"The ocean that leads into the frozen side of the world. Those heavy storms we get every other week are what keep this land cool enough to survive." He drew a sun on the board and three other circles. "Now, Harvest Nights is the one week where the sun goes down, or we say it does. In reality, the planet of Notche, eclipses the sun. Starting on Sunday, the sunlight will begin to lessen. On Wednesday, we will have a day of total darkness. Then it will become light again." He smiled. "So, we don't have school next week, and every day has a celebration." His eyes looked at Roxas. "Since we have someone here who is new, who can tell me what we do on the first night? … Cherri."

"A dance and talent night."

Dance? Roxas smiled.

Another chance to ask Xion!

Cherri looked back at him. "This dance is the opposite of the Halloween one. This time, the girls ask the boys to the dance."

Seriously?

But… maybe she would ask him.

"Good. What about the second night… Joy?"

"It's the wine festival. Everyone goes to the vineyards and adults do wine-tasting while those underage do a juice tasting."

"And the third night… TJ?"

"It's a bake sale. Everyone bakes stuff and sells it. Most of the baking stuff has fall flavors in it."

"Iunia, the fourth night?"

The girl smiled. "That's the all-night. The day is totally dark, so there are bonfires and fireworks all day. Most people do cookouts over the fire."

"Auston, the fifth?"

"That's greenery day. After the big feasting on the fourth day, people take a day to eat only fruits and vegetables. It's a very relaxing day."

"Nico, what is the sixth night?"

The boy's head shot up from his clothing sketches. "Um, Death's Day. We celebrate the people who have passed away."

Sora…

Roxas knew who to celebrate that day.

"And the last night, Finlay?"

"Huh?" The boy looked over from the window, slowly blinking. He'd probably been asleep.

"What's the last night of Harvest Nights?"

"We all know. Why do I have to say it?"

"Roxas doesn't." Mr. Wright sighed. "So, just so he can be aware, what's the last day?"

"Endings Day." The boy huffed. "We just get ready for winter and stuff."

"Check your attitude Mr. Corvi." Their teacher warned. "Now, let's move on. Does anyone know the composition of the sun…?"


"So, are you going to the dance with anyone, Xion?"

Xion glanced up at Joelle who sat on Fuu's bed. She, Joelle, Cherri, Olette, Iunia, Joy, and Akira all went to Fuu's house to have a 'girl's night'.

"I thought we were all going together again, like the last dance."

"Oh heck no."

"No way."

"Nope."

Olette picked up a slice of pizza from the box on the floor. "So, who is everyone else asking?"

"Oh, are we doing this?"

"This IS a girl's night. We all knew this was going to happen."

Joy giggled. "True. And I guess I'll start us off. I'm planning to ask…" her face turned a shade of red as she covered it a little, "I'm going to ask Pence!"

"No way!"

"I knew it!" Iunia pointed. "You always talk to him after class!"

"Shut it!"

Iunia laughed. "Well, I'm going with Nico, of course."

"Real surprise there."

"What about you Olette?" Asked Cherri. "I know you've got a crush."

"Yeah, Lettie. Spill it!" Joy pointed, happy to have the attention elsewhere.

Olette shoved the slice of pizza in her mouth. "Seriously?"

"You started this." Fuu smirked.

"I know! I didn't think it would get back to me so fast!"

"Spill it, Lettie."

The girl flopped backwards. "Fine! I'm asking Hayner."

"Hayner!?"

"I thought that you thought he was annoying, friend or not."

Olette giggled. "He grows on you. And he has a good heart, even if he's not the sharpest tool in the shed. But enough about me. Xion, who are you going to ask?"

The girl bit her lip. "I'm not sure."

"Oh, come on." Cherri sighed. "We all know who you have a crush on. It's obvious."

Xion blushed.

Oh…

She'd learned a little more about romance from the play she was in. She'd even asked Auston about it once or twice, since he was playing her partner.

Love.

She still didn't understand how it worked.

"I don't know…"

"What do you mean? You're obviously crazy for Roxas. As are most of the girls in school."

Cherri nodded. "I know at least ten girls who want to ask Roxas to the dance.

"Who!?"

"Oh, so you do care about that?" Akira giggled. "I must confess, I did think about it. As did most of the journalism club."

"Same here." Cherri admitted.

Xion's eyes widened as her heart thudded in her chest. "Wh-why?"

"He's a nice guy. Like a genuinely nice guy." Joelle grinned. "If I was single, I'd totally ask him too."

Cherri leaned against the wall. "He's kind. He's a genuine person. And he's hot too. And if you don't ask him to the dance, I will."

"Hold on." Fuu held up a hand.

"Agreed," Olette nodded. "Xion, why do you not know what you want?"

The raven-haired girl looked down. "I just don't understand love."

"Who does, to be honest?"

"I think I know what love is… but I'm not sure. How do you know if you truly love someone, or if they love you?"

"Love is more than just a feeling." Iunia slid over beside Xion. "You do get those butterflies in your stomach. That warm feeling in your heart when you see someone you care about. You want to be with them all the time. But more than that, it's a choice. That's what my dad told me at least. You choose to love someone every day. To be patient, kind, and self-sacrificing. Nico and I try to be that way every day."

Xion remembered.

She felt that she loved Roxas and Axel during their time in the Organization.

They were everything to her.

And she loved them now…

How did she understand love better than Roxas?

Maybe, it was the memories of Sora she had. She could see and feel the love he had for Kairi.

When she was in the Organization, she always wondered if any time she felt those feelings, she just passed them off of her feeling Sora's feelings.

But she recognized those same feelings now.

And it was just like Iunia described. And Iunia would probably be the one to understand best… considering she was in a long-term relationship.

"Do what you want." Fuu ruffled Xion's hair.

"Yeah. As much as we're pushing, we want you to do what you want. Do what makes you happy."

"Yeah."

"Absolutely."

Cherri smiled. "And don't worry, none of us will swoop in and steal him away without your permission."

"Thanks."


Xion walked home later, thinking.

As she reached the house, Kosho ran to the door to meet her. She could hear Isa and Axel talking in the library.

Roxas's door stood open, and she could see a light on inside.

Taking a deep breath, she went to his room. "Roxas?"

"Yes?"

"May I come in?"

"Sure."

Going into the room, she saw him sitting on his bed, editing something. Probably the article for the paper.

"How was the girl's time out?"

"It was fun." She bit her lip, clasping her hands behind her back. "Um, Roxas… next week is the Harvest Nights festival."

His head shot up. "Yeah…?"

"Do you… want to… The first night there is a dance. Do you… want to go with me?"

His eyes lit up. "Really!?"

"Oh. You're excited."

The boy smiled, setting aside his paper. "I was actually hoping you'd ask me. I wanted to ask you to the Halloween dance, but I didn't."

"You… you did?"

"Yeah."

The two giggled.

"Xion, I'd love to go!"

"Great!"

Xion felt her heart warm.

This… this was that feeling she felt that Sora had for Kairi.

But this was hers.

Her feelings toward Roxas.


For the first time all year, the sky seemed darker, and part of the sun darkened.

As the evening hours came, the streets were filled with lights and people. A talent competition filled the sandlot.

But the area around the bistro became a dance floor.

Axel and Isa stood on the sides, watching.

Roxas, dressed in a black dress shirt with a white tie and red vest, smiled. Xion, hand-in-hand with him, laughed; she wore a turtleneck sleeveless dress that was a glittering black that faded into a deep red.

"I'm so happy for them." Isa's eyes followed the dancing teenagers.

"They're free. That's all those two ever wanted." Axel sighed, his eyes following them as well. "Free to live and to love."

"Agreed." Isa held over the cup in his hand, and the two clinked glasses before taking a drink. "By the way, did you tell those two about our guests arriving tonight?"

"Sure did, but I think they were too distracted by the dance to really hear me."

"Not surprising."

Down on the dance floor, Roxas laughed as he pulled Xion close. The girl smiled and blushed.

People around them smiled at the two. Happy to see the two teenagers who brought so many changes to town with them, happy together.

And they didn't see the two new figures enter the area.

Both smiling as they saw Roxas and Xion.

Smiling.

Happy.

Free.

"You know, I felt so scared to see them again after what I did in the past, even after the party at the beach."

"Me too." The tall young man with silver hair sighed. "Looks like we worried for nothing."

The girl with blonde hair, standing beside him smiled. "It seems so."


We have GUESTS!


Footnotes:

(1) I am changing the size of the world from what we see from the gummi ship.

(2) Thank you for the Keyblade Master discord and my two science teacher coworkers for helping me figure out how Twilight Town would work in a scientifically accurate way.