I know we've been doing a lot of stuff with Shibuya with these first few chapters. For obvious reasons. But we'll be seeing some more characters… after we have another scene with Sora and Vanitas. We're not going to get super in-depth with all of their missions (because there would be a lot of Noise being Erased along the way), but we'll still be seeing the important character-related parts.

Suddenly passing out without warning and then waking up in an entirely new location seemed to be a reoccurring event in the Reapers' Game. They didn't return to the crosswalks or near the statue. Sora opened his eyes to another part of the city, a wall covered in bright artwork so similar to what he saw in the slumbering version of Twilight Town. He didn't know where they might be compared to where they were the day before. But he wasn't worried. He always found his way eventually.

Sora also learned that Vanitas waking up in a combative mood, leaping to his feet and Keyblade swinging, was also going to likely repeat itself for the entire week. At least he calmed down quickly after he snarled something unflattering that seemed to be directed towards the absent Joshua.

"And what stupid tasks do they want from us today?" growled Vanitas, the worst of his aggression cooled as he glanced towards Sora.

Almost as if answering the question, the Gummiphone chirped. Sora hurried to dig it out and read the message already on the screen.

Solve the riddle of the 104 in five hours or face Erasure.

-The Reapers

Sora was more prepared for the sudden pain in his hand as the glowing timer appeared. Vanitas didn't even flinch. Once again, they were being generous with the amount of time. Which was probably a good thing because—

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Vanitas.

"The 104? No idea." Sora grinned brightly as he walked towards a set of stairs. "But we're going to find out."

Despite his memory being full of holes, despite being separated from his absent and forgotten friends, and despite being essentially lost in a strange city with very little idea of where to go, Sora was actually rather excited. He'd always loved exploring the various hidden corners of new worlds. He loved poking around and finding all the world's secrets. Not just the various treasures and valuable objects, but also interesting sights like the bright and colorful wall that they'd woken up next to.

And the excitement of exploration was easier than the uncomfortable gnawing sense of loneliness, loss, and disconnection. It wasn't quite as bad now as before. Despite not remembering them, Sora knew that Joshua, Neku, Shiki, Beath, and Rhyme were his friends. He had learned the names of a couple of other friends, even if he still didn't remember who they were: Riku and Ventus. And while Kariya might not be allowed to be his friend because of his job as a Reaper, he was at least relatively friendly. Then there was Vanitas…

Sora looked over his shoulder at this partner, Vanitas watching the oblivious pedestrians and the Noise sigils with equal suspicion. He clearly wasn't an enemy any longer, but Sora was certain that he would break out the Keyblade if someone suggested that they were friends at this point. He was too aloof for such a quick reversal. But with how much things had already changed, Sora wouldn't discount the possibility of a friendship developing over the course of the week. It wouldn't even be the first time that he became friends with a former enemy; he was fairly certain that one of the guardians of light might have been a previous member of Organization XIII.

But if Sora wanted Vanitas to warm up to the idea, he knew that there was a stronger chance of it if he kept quiet for now. Like coaxing a stray cat close to scratch behind his ears. It took patience and not pushing too much until something resembling trust was built up.

Sora learned that lesson the hard way when he was six and ended up covered in scratches because the local tabby did not appreciate being picked up unexpectedly.

For now, he wasn't actually alone. He might feel like it with all of those connections to his heart severed, but he wasn't alone. Sorah had a new world to explore filled with all sorts of people. He might have lost his old connections for now, but Sora could reforge them or make new friends until he could win those memories back. There was no reason not to feel optimistic.

Until Sora crashed right into an invisible barrier and stumbled backwards. And landed awkwardly on the ground.

"Ow?" he said, more surprised than actually hurt by the impact.

Standing over him, arms crossed and eyebrow raised, Vanitas muttered, "I can't believe that you're the one that took out Master Xehanort."

Sora gave him a small glare as he climbed back to his feet, brushing off his clothes. The barrier wasn't completely invisible. Not when he was paying close enough attention. He could make out faint lines, forming a series of hexagons that he could only spot when he was close or the light hit it at the right angle. But it seemed to block the entire street. They couldn't go any further.

"How good is your clothing at blocking darkness?" asked Vanitas, eyeing the barrier with contemplation. "I think I can travel at least a short distance through the shadows with you. I could use the practice again."

Tucking his hands behind his head, he said, "Joshua said that he fixed the protective spells on my clothes after he fixed me. So I guess I should be fine. How dangerous is it?"

"What? Scared of the dark?"

"Just being careful. Have you ever done this with someone else?"

"Look, I'm not suggesting that we go between different worlds or even try going back to the Realm of Darkness. This is just to the other side of this thing. Barely a heartbeat through the shadows. I can manage that much without wrecking your heart."

"Or you could talk to me about lowering the wall."

Both Sora and Vanitas turned towards the sound of the voice, though Vanitas's movements were sharper as he fell into a combative stance. A short distance to the right of the transparent barrier was someone that wasn't faded out like all of the other pedestrians. He looked like an older teenager or a young man in his twenties. Dressed in baggy jeans, a gray t-shirt, a dark ballcap, and an unzipped red hoodie worn over everything else. With the hood pulled up and the cap pulled low, most of his face remained in shadows. Sora didn't see any wings on display like Kariya, but he could still figure out what they were dealing with.

"You're a Reaper?" asked Sora.

"What do we need to do to get this wall down?" asked Vanitas, not hesitating to get to the point.

Shrugging, the Reaper said, "Don't worry. I've got an easy one for you." He gestured behind them. Go find something to wear or an accessory from Wild Boar and come back with it. And if you don't have the munny to buy anything, there's plenty of Noise around to earn some."

"We can do that." Sora grinned brightly as he summoned his Keyblade. "Come on, Vanitas."

Vanitas eyed the merchandise as Sora chatted cheerfully with the shop keeper, trading the collected pins for munny. The fighting against a variety of Noise hadn't been that unpleasant. He almost enjoyed it, the opportunity allowing him and Sora to work out any rustiness that might have lingered from everything. But this part… Dealing with people? Picking out objects that he liked? That was less familiar. Hence why he was allowing Sora to handle it.

But he couldn't help looking at the colorful caps and strange chain necklaces and wondering… Did he like them? It was one of those things that people did. They have preferences. Vantias's time within Sora's heart meant that he'd glimpsed the boy and his friends having favorite things. Toys, hobbies, games, colors, food, and places. If Vanitas wanted to build a life of his own with all of the things that he'd been denied, he needed to figure out what exactly he wanted in that life.

He didn't think that he was fond of the bright and bold colors that the shop specialized in. He was darkness. Not necessarily the type of destructive darkness that Master Xehanort intended, but darkness nonetheless. Being able to fade into the shadows seemed more important than having a golden dice dangling around his neck.

Though the pair of pants that the label called "Darkness" was promising, even if he quickly decided that he preferred the longer pair that Shiki and Neku brought him.

Or maybe just preferred the simplicity of someone else choosing for him.

Vanitas scowled to himself. It shouldn't be that difficult to figure out what he might want. Everyone else in the scattered worlds could manage it. It shouldn't be that difficult to make his own choices. He might not have his complete freedom until after the Game was over, but he had more freedom than before. He should be embracing it as much as he could. Why was it so hard? Why did he hesitate to even try that small step?

"Hey, Vanitas," called Sora excitedly, holding up something large and flat. "Look what I found."

He took a few steps closer to see the long board in the boy's hands. It was mostly black with the image of blue tendrils weaving up the length and a white skull design in the center. Vanitas could also spot some small wheels on it. Sora grinned brightly before tucking it under his arm.

"It's a skateboard," he continued. "This design's called the Skull Deck board. It should fulfill the requirements and they're a cool way to get around. Do you want one too? I can teach you how to ride."

Rolling his eyes, Vanitas said, "I'll pass. But if you're done, let's get moving."

"Is there anything else that you want while we're here?" Sora gestured toward the blue denim coveralls. "We have a little extra munny left over."

"What I want is to get through this as quickly as possible," he muttered, walking towards the exit and away from all the impossible choices.

Invi wandered silently through the streets of their current home. Or at least the place that Luxu brought them to after their arrival in the current era. She had spent a lot of time moving quietly and observing her fellow apprentices in the past since that had been part of her original role. Continuing it now gave her a sense of familiarity. Nothing else was familiar.

They no longer dwelled in a vast clocktower overlooking a lively town filled with young Keyblade wielders, gathering and guarding the light for a single intact World. Luxu had explained that the Keyblade War shattered everything into numerous disconnected worlds and only a handful of Keyblades remained. The wielders did nothing to follow the original way. No Unions or collecting Lux. No Chirithys. And Luxu made certain to warn them that they could no trust those Keyblade wielders because they were selfish, unworthy, and ignorant of how things used to be. They would rather leave everything broken rather than obey the Master of Masters's guidance to fix what happened.

Invi couldn't imagine how misguided the current Keybearers must be that they would fight someone trying to banish all darkness. They were meant to destroy the thirteen Darknesses, just as the Master described long ago. Those Keyblade wielders must realize that a World of pure and perfect Light was the way it should be. Everything would be better without the corruption of darkness. That goal was the entire purpose of the Keyblade wielders: to safeguard the Light and destroy the Darkness. It was their entire purpose.

But then again, the Keyblade War had proven that anyone could lose their way. All the Foretellers fought each and their Unions destroyed themselves. And Invi couldn't be certain if Ava's absence wasn't connected somehow to the younger apprentice completely straying from the path when her role; she hadn't joined them to take on the new responsibilities that Luxu was explaining.

Despite the anger, distrust, and fury that all of them directed towards each other towards the end, Invi still cared about all of them. Enough that they were willing to work together in the new time period of shattered and scattered worlds. And enough that she missed the younger Ava.

Ira, Aced, Gula, Luxu, Ava, and the Master of Masters were the only family that she'd ever known. She had been old enough to have some memories of Before, but they'd grown fuzzy and indistinct as she'd grown older. She barely recalled what her name used to be and the memory of a face that might have been her mother could have easily been a dream instead. Invi knew who she considered her family.

Part of her wanted all of them and for everything to return to how it used to be. It had been heartbreaking enough when their Master vanished, but that also felt like the start of everything else beginning to unravel. She hadn't liked having all of them at each other's throats. And yet that had seemed to be all that they did in those last several months. It made her miss the way that it used to be. But while Luxu had come back to them, albeit with an unfamiliar face and voice, they had apparently lost Ava instead.

How strange it was to have Luxu— Xigbar around so much. He'd retreated from all of them before the Master disappeared, withdrawing in order to observe as he was commanded. And while Ira was still their leader, Xigbar was the one who seemed to hold the answers and know what they should do. He was the one who was truly guiding and advising them as they faced a strange future of fragmented worlds and untrustworthy Keybearers.

Invi closed her eyes briefly and pulled her veil better around her mouth, listening to the silence. It was such a quiet and empty city. Not a single soul other than them. She'd already looked. A beautiful place, but without life beyond their small group. It felt lonely and tragic to see what was left.

An empty and abandoned city, cold white stone beside an endless sea filled with similar pyramid-shaped cities. None of them inhabited. Built on the ruins of their Daybreak Town. Layer upon layer of destruction, loss, and forgotten children. Was Invi and the others the same? Remnants of a lost era with no place in the present?

The salty breeze tugged at her clothes as she stared out at the sun reflecting off the water. They wouldn't be staying much longer. Luxu explained that they needed a world with specific qualities for the plan to work when the time came. Invi would go back to assisting in investigating potential locations soon. Among other tasks. Perhaps seeing more lively and inhabited worlds would help her feel less disconnected.

Until then, Invi should return to the others. She needed to continue her original role.

Watching over the others with a fair eye.

When everything was over and the Darkness was finally destroyed permanently, Invi wanted their Master to be proud of her. Wherever he might be.

"How many of these idiotic walls do we need to deal with?" growled Vanitas.

Grinning encouragingly, Sora said, "At least we made it back to the crosswalk that we were at yesterday. And look at that building over there. It says '104' on it. We're almost there."

"And yet," he said, "we still have another barrier between it and us."

Vanitas had very quickly grown tired of the walls. The different areas of Shibuya were all blocked off and they were forced to perform various tasks to get them taken down. Carrying or wearing a specific brand, Erasing a certain number of Noise, Erasing a specific kind of Noise, buying a Reaper something to eat… The errands quickly grew tedious.

Not to mention that he still didn't like the crowds. Even if the people were faded out and could walk right through the two of them like they didn't exist, they left him feeling agitated. This world was practically the opposite of the empty wasteland that he'd spent most of his previous existence in and, while Sora's heart certainly was more crowded than most people's hearts, it hadn't prepared him to deal with a heavily populated city. Despite knowing that the pedestrians had no clue about his presence, Vanitas kept feeling like there were too many potential threats that he couldn't keep an eye on.

Master Xehanort always preferred to announce his presence with a sneak attack during those early days of "training." He needed his weapon to be sharp and prepared. He needed his pure darkness to never trust any hint of peace or safety.

At least they learned the names of some of the areas that they passed through. The Udagawa Back Streets. Shibu-Q Heads. Tipsy Tose Hall. Center Street. And now they were back at Scramble Crossing. Vanitas did admit that the forced explorations were at least productive. Knowing the terrain of Shibuya could be useful.

His eyes scanned the faded crowds for the distinctive red hoodies. Other than Kariya, most the Reapers that they'd dealt with seemed to wear the same clothing. Perhaps it was a uniform to mark the lower ranks or maybe Kariya just didn't care about what he should wear. Regardless, hunting down that specific shade of red was the fastest way to move everything along. Especially since they generally lurked near the translucent walls. And as soon as he spotted the Reaper, Vanitas stomped over to him.

He had long since exhausted his patience. In his earliest days, Vanitas would already be shedding Floods, Archravens, and other Unversed. He had better control of letting them manifest now. But that didn't mean that the day was testing him.

"You," he said sharply. "Tell us how to get past the wall."

Even with his face mostly in shadow, the grin on the Reaper was obvious. Not a smirk or a malicious grin. There was nothing cruel or dangerous in the expression. He almost seemed excited about the entire situation.

"Like a bolt from the blue," he announced, "it's time for the Reaper Review!"

"Oh, no," said Vanitas quietly, recognizing the phrase from the day before.

Nodding his head briefly, the Reaper said, "You've had a couple of days to explore Shibuya. Let's find out how much you've observed so far. If you get all three questions correct, I will lower the wall for you." Hands still in his pockets, he glanced towards Sora for a moment before turning back towards Vanitas. "First question. What does Ken Doi serve at his restaurant in Dogenzaka?"

"I don't think we've been over there yet," said Sora.

Shrugging, he said, "You could guess. Or you could head over and visit his restaurant before coming back."

"Are you freaking kidding me?" snapped Vanitas. "You want us to go through a bunch of other barriers to find some guy's restaurant before you'll let us through?"

"You could always have lunch while you're there. That way you don't waste the trip. It has very good food."

Hands curling into fists at his side, Vanitas decided that he was going to kill the Reaper. He was done playing their games. He had hit his limit on this nonsense. Besides, destroying larger Unversed, Heartless, and Nobodies would usually remove barriers. Murdering the Reaper would be so much easier than running all over the city in order to answer his stupid questions. And they clearly had plenty of spare Reapers. No one would miss this one.

Vanitas saw the nervous step back from the Reaper, the young man clearly recognizing the more violent mood moving in. But there was nowhere to escape. And there was no time to try.

But as his Keyblade materialized in his hand, Vanitas found himself abruptly blocked by Sora's arm. No hesitation. Sora met his furious glare with a calm and fearless look. One that promised that if Vanitas followed through with his frustrated impulse, the friendly and cheerful boy would leave him sprawled at the bottom of a crater.

Despite his innocent appearance, he knew that Sora was deadly when he chose to be. Even half-asleep buried in his heart, Vanitas had glimpsed enough that he would never underestimate him. He gave the silent warning the respect that it deserved.

"Calm down, Vanitas," said Sora firmly. "I'll handle it."

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Vanitas tried to release all of his frustration and anger without the emotions escaping as Unversed. Or at least most of that frustration and anger. At a minimum, he needed to let some of those feelings melt away. It just wasn't easy.

Turning his attention back to the Reaper, Sora continued, "I'm sorry. Next time, I promise we'll do your questions. But it's been a long trip across the city and I think we should skip it for now.

"But… But you need to answer the questions before I lower the wall," he said slowly. "There's no other way to open the path."

While Vanitas would never call the expression on Sora's face "a proper smirk," there was a hint of mischief in his smile now. A flash of light and the Keyblade materialized in the boy's hand. A quick spin of the weapon, the action smooth and practiced as metal caught the sunlight. Sora pointed his Keyblade towards the wall, sending a thin beam of light towards it, and the sound of something unlocking echoed around them as the barrier vanished.

Staring in silence for moment, Vanitas said, "You only decided to do that now?"

"If I'm lucky enough to get another chance at life, I can at least play their Reapers' Game fairly," he said before smiling apologetically at the Reaper. "Vanitas isn't as bad as he seems, but I didn't want to risk pushing him too hard."

"What? You think I was going to kill him?" asked Vanitas, giving his own toothy grin.

"You were probably considering it."

Barking out a short laugh, he said, "Yeah, you're right. But it didn't come to that. Now let's move. We still have that riddle to find."

"All right, what's up with you two?" asked Hayner the moment that all five of them made it to their Usual Spot.

Rubbing his arm and looking away, Roxas asked, "What do you mean?"

Olette leaned forward from her place on the couch, exchanging a quick look with Pence. Hayner could see the expressions on their faces and he knew that they knew what he was talking about. They'd noticed the same things that he had all week. There had been various amounts of tension, stress, and nervousness hanging over Roxas and Xion like a storm cloud. The two of them had been distracted by something important. And Hayner wanted answers.

"We don't know what it is," he said, "but something is wrong. What is it? Did Vincent or Seifer try anything again?"

"No, nothing like that," said Xion quietly.

"Are there more Heartless running around in the forest? Is that what's got you worried?" asked Pence.

"Not that we've noticed. They seem to be about the same."

"Fine. Then tell us who or what we need to go after because something is wrong."

Crossing his arms, Roxas muttered, "Riku. That's the problem. And Axel too, but even that's Riku's fault."

The fact that Roxas was upset with Riku didn't surprise Hayner overly much. Even when they seemed to come to terms with their past history, settling into a truce, there was still some tension. Their Struggle matches were always the most intense. The muttered complaint blaming Riku wasn't the surprising part. What Hayner wanted to know was what Lea did to put them in their current mood.

Her hands clutched in front of her and staring down at the ground, Xion explained carefully, "We're just worried. Riku has been looking for Sora. But this time, he didn't come back home. Kairi was worried about him and decided to go after him. And Axel went with her so she wouldn't be alone."

"And he left a message behind saying that he'd call us, but he hasn't yet," grumbled Roxas, almost glaring at his shoes. "Axel told us to finish school this week before we can chase after him. Do you know how frustrating its been? What if something happened to them?"

Looking away, Hayner said, "Yeah, I get that. Not always easy being left behind.

He didn't like thinking about it. How Roxas and Xion could travel to all those different worlds, possessing the power to face the strongest and most terrifying monsters like heroes from a comic book or a cartoon. None of them could ever match them. Hayner didn't want to be jealous of his friends. Though there were times that he wished that he could do what they did.

But he also knew that the Keyblades and their adventures came at a cost. Hayner had seen it from the moment that he first glimpsed things beyond their peaceful Twilight Town. He knew that everyone who carried a Keyblade, fought back against the monsters, and saved countless worlds again and again had also suffered.

Roxas and Xion lost their existences for a while, gone and at least one of them forgotten. Kairi had been kidnapped. Sora was still missing. And while Roxas and Xion might know how to fight, Hayner also knew how much that they had missed out on when it came to normal life. They were still learning everything that didn't have to do with fighting, hearts, and Keyblades. Common everyday things that they'd never had the chance to experience before moving to Twilight Town. Like slumber parties and science fairs and movie marathons and even going to school. Even being slightly jealous of them when he knew how much they'd missed out on and how much they'd suffered made Hayner feel guilty.

Maybe he would like to be more like them. Maybe it would be nice to be able to do what they could do and not feel like he could never measure up.

But they were his friends. They'd never tried to make Hayner, Pence, or Olette feel left out despite everything; taking them to different worlds, finding ways to get them training, and telling them everything. And Hayner had seen enough to know that he should appreciate the happy and peaceful childhood that he'd experienced because they'd never had any of that.

If anything, Roxas and Xion were probably jealous of him sometimes.

"At least tomorrow is the last day before the start of summer vacation," said Olette, earning a slight smile from Roxas.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, Hayner asked, "Is there anything that we can do to help?"

"Thanks, but I think we can handle it." Roxas kicked his foot absently, his brow still slightly furrowed. "Isa says that if Axel doesn't call us by tomorrow, we're going after them anyway. We've waited long enough."

"I think Isa plans to hit him with his claymore for leaving like that," said Xion. "He wasn't happy."

"None of us were."

"So you're leaving Twilight Town tomorrow after school?" said Pence, frowning slowly. "And Lea, Kairi, and Riku are already gone. Sora too." Counting them out on his fingers, he continued, "Then there's Aqua, Ven, and that Terra person. Didn't you say they were going somewhere recently too? Everyone with a Keyblade is just disappearing. So what happens if there's an emergency while you're gone? Like the giant tower of Heartless several months back that Sora had to get rid of?"

Hayner took a few steps forward. Just enough to reach out and nudge Pence's shoulder from where he was sitting.

"Look, don't worry about it. If anything happens while Roxas and Xion are gone, we can handle it." Grinning confidently, Hayner pointed to his chest and said, "We'll keep Twilight Town safe."

Giving him a skeptical look, Pence asked, "How? Our Struggle bats can knock the small ones around a little, but it won't stop them. And it definitely won't take out the bigger ones."

"Doesn't matter. We'll figure it out."

"He's right," said Olette, straightening up. "We helped rescue that guy at the Old Mansion that one time. And we helped Sora find a way into that second Twilight Town. Maybe it won't be easy, but if we're smart and careful about it, I'm sure that we can at least slow down any Heartless problems and keep them away from people if there's an emergency."

After a moment, Pence's expression shifted towards a more confident smile. He gave a short nod. He didn't even need to say a word to make it clear that he would grab his Struggle bat and join them if it came down to it. Or more likely, he would dig through every file in that weird computer in the Old Mansion for ideas. Twilight Town was their home and they wouldn't let anything happen to it while their friends were gone.

Roxas turned towards Xion. The pair exchanged complicated looks that seemed to carry a great deal of information between them. The way that they could do that always made Hayner wonder if their whole "Nobody and Replica" origins made them essentially twins; he'd never been certain how the exact relationship between them worked, but the silent discussions definitely felt like a twin thing. But those moments were definitely interesting to watch. Though this one seemed to be lasting longer than normal.

But he could be patient. Hayner resisted the urge to ask what they were considering. He kept quiet as a train rumbled along the tracks overhead for a few minutes before continuing away from the station.

Finally, Roxas and Xion turned back towards them. Whatever their silent conversation was about, a decision had been made. Their solemn and serious expressions were unexpected though. Hayner couldn't help wondering if he should be worried about what they were planning.

"Hayner, Pence, Olette?" said Roxas. "Stand up."

The three of them exchanged their own glances. But none of them seemed to have any clue what their friends might have in mind. That didn't mean that they hesitated for more than a moment before obeying. They lined up across the center of their hideout. Hayner stood in the middle with Olette on his right and Pence on his left.

"Ven told us about this," said Xion with a small and apologetic smile. "But it doesn't work immediately, so it might not help you too much while we're gone. And he didn't tell us all the details on how to do it…"

She trailed off as she and Roxas moved in front of the others. Still looking rather serious and focused. They held their hands out and a trio of bright lights flashed.

Hayner was always amazed by the variety of shapes that Keyblades seemed to come in. Xion's weapon looked the most like a normal key, even if it was oversized. Identical to the gold and silver one that Sora wielded when they first met. Roxas carried two drastically different ones. A black one with sharp edges, chains as part of the length, and a purple gem in the hilt. And a bright and colorful Keyblade with dual shafts and the yellow and blue tip shaped vaguely like a snowflake.

He knew their names. The weapons that came from Roxas and Xion's hearts and represented them. The three of them had asked because they'd wanted to know everything when their friends finally shared their secrets.

Xion's Replica Kingdom Key.

Roxas's Oblivion and Oathkeeper.

While the faintest suspicion about what might be happening gnawed at the back of his mind, Hayner didn't know for certain until the Keyblades were thrusted towards them.

"In your hand," said Roxas, firmly and deliberately," take this key."

The three of them exchanged surprised looks. Olette and Pence might not have been there for the conversation with Ven and the others, but Hayner had relayed the story well enough for them to recognize the phrasing too. They remembered the discussion about Bequeathing ceremonies.

They knew what their friends were offering them. Both the good and the bad. The power and the responsibility that came with it. The responsibilities and obligations were heavy enough that they should consider it carefully before accepting. It wasn't something that they could take back later. It was a commitment that would change their lives.

The offer was also an act of trust from Roxas and Xion. They believed in their friends.

Roxas and Xion shared their secrets, took them to new worlds, and now offered them a choice to change everything.

Hayner reached out and wrapped his hand around the handle of the Keyblade directly in front of him, the colorful Oathkeeper. It felt warm and friendly in his grip. Like the weapon knew that Hayner was one of its owner's friends. Somehow, it felt like Roxas.

Olette mirrored his action by reaching for the dark Oblivion. A second later, Pence grabbed for Xion's Keyblade.

When Roxas and Xion let go, Hayner held his breath. Half-expecting the Keyblade to vanish. He knew that not everyone could wield a Keyblade and they never stayed in the hands of those that did not earn that right. But his friends thought that he could do this and he refused to let them down. He waited and silently begged it to stay, to give him this chance to stand by them as an equal and to be able to help them.

And somehow, it stayed. All of the Keyblades stayed.

"So long as you have the makings," continued Xion, unable to hide her proud grin, "then through this simple act of taking… its wielder you shall one day be."

Then, they hesitated. Glancing at each other in a way that it was obvious that neither Roxas nor Xion knew what else they were supposed to say. Because they never experienced the Bequeathing ceremony themselves. Most of the current Keyblade wielders had not gone through the tradition. They only knew what Ventus had shared with them. There was supposed to be a speech about accepting the responsibility, but only a few sentences were shared.

That didn't mean that they couldn't make their own traditions and their own speech. Hayner gave them an encouraging nod and Pence smiled at Xion. He knew that they could figure out something else to say.

And he could tell when a little inspiration struck.

"You will not need to fear the darkness, light, or the nothingness in between," said Xion. "As long as your heart remains strong, you can face whatever challenges that might try to tear everything apart. Hold on tight to the connections to your friends. The people and places that you love most will give you the strength to protect what truly matters and the courage to sacrifice for them."

Nodding, Roxas said, "Your friends, your home, your world. That is why you fight. To protect the balance, guard the hearts of the people and the worlds, and to keep them safe. A Keyblade is both a weapon and a tool, but it is nothing without you. You're the one who has that power inside you already. You may have to risk your heart, your body, your soul, and even the very memory of your existence to keep everything that you care about safe. Because protecting what matters is never easy, but it is better than losing it all instead."

"And remember that you are never alone. Even when you don't see your friends, their hearts stay with you."

"And your heart is more powerful than any Keyblade," said Roxas solemnly. "A Keyblade is just a way to wield that power."

Hayner swallowed and nodded sharply. The seriousness of it was starting to really sink in. He could hear hints of how much pain and suffering that they'd faced. It was a lot to take in.

But he didn't regret reaching out to take the Keyblade. And Roxas and Xion had faith in them. They believed in all three of them. Maybe it would take years to be ready and worthy of his own Keyblade or maybe one would materialize before sunset. Either way, Hayner wouldn't let them down.

"Thanks, guys," said Olette, looking overwhelmed.

Smiling more honestly than he had all week and letting some of his more serious demeanor fade away, Roxas said, "You're our friends. And we know you'll make sure that Twilight Town stays safe, with or without Keyblades."

"Of course." Hayner grinned, trying to lighten the mood a bit more. "You can count on us. Just hit Lea in the back of the head when you find him. I thought he was done kidnapping Kairi."

"I'm pretty sure that she kidnapped him this time," said Xion with a small giggle.

I originally intended to have a few more scenes for this chapter, but I was afraid that it would get too long. But on the bright side, I did get to do something that I've been planning for a while. Most of you probably expected this since I did foreshadow it in the previous story. Hopefully you liked Hayner, Pence, and Olette getting the potential for future stuff.

As Lea pointed out, Keyblade wielders tend to come in trios.

And next chapter, we'll finally find out where Lea and Kairi ended up. Now is your final chance to make some guesses.