Author's Note: OMG LOOK A CHRISTMAS CHAPTER! xD Weird. 333 Also I did decide to split the finale chapters a bit, at least once lol, so you get this which is actually like half of a much huger chapter. :D :D :D ENJOY! AND MERRY XMAS lol!

End of AN!

Kairi looked all around her, watching over the many minutes of timelessness, as person after person emerged out of the Spirits.

Light after light - accompanied by a growing gaggle of little Chirithies, as well!

She was seriously wondering how she was going to even begin handling the situation on her own at this point, with no Luxu in sight yet. What if they started to wake up? What if they were upset, or angry, or just plain too confused to want to listen to her...?

"You sure work fast..." a voice called out across the Second District plaza, filled with amazement and wonder.

Kairi whirled, wary and alert - and then she relaxed as she saw the person approaching her from out of the alley.

A "boy" of silver, scraggly hair and blue eyes, wearing a red scarf.

"What the- were you here this whole time?!" Kairi exclaimed.

"No - but I've been here for a little while now," Ephemer replied, shrugging and grinning. He hurried across the square, maneuvering between the sleeping forms of children laid out on the ground (and their Chirithies). "After we got separated, I figured I'd come back here to wait for you. When you're lost, go back to where you started and stay put, and you might get found again, right? I thought you might come back here at some point - either to look for me, or because you'd given up on the search."

"I never gave up," Kairi said firmly. "In fact, I made it out of here, back to my friends, but I chose to come back again to finish what I started. Luxu and I, both."

Ephemer startled, blinking at her with wide eyes. "Master Luxu's here, too?"

"Yeah - he's cool!" Kairi said quickly. "He helped you guys out before, back in that...Data world. He's the reason your plans succeeded at all. He helped Brain, and he's been looking out for all of you since then. Especially Skuld."

"Really?" Ephemer frowned, thoughtful. He crossed his arms, then gave a nod. "I guess Master Ava wasn't the only one trying to go against what was fated, then, huh?"

"I think it's sort of more complicated than that," Kairi said quietly, shaking her head. "For a long time, he was just going along with things, for the most part...until recently. In fact, he kind of just got into a big fight with his old Master, and now I seriously think he's dying on me and he just doesn't want to worry me... Anyway, he was the one to come up with the idea here - to save the Dandelions, like you wanted. And he even thinks he has a way to...save the ones who actually fought in the Keyblade War itself. Though, I don't want to get anyone's hopes up! He hasn't shared the details with me yet!" she finished quickly.

Ephemer gazed at her for the longest time, looking shocked, disbelieving, then so, so hopeful... But ultimately, he grew serious, giving her another nod. "Fair enough - for now," he said. He let his arms fall away, looking around himself now. At all the other kids, still in slumber. He looked to the nearest group of Chirithies, going over to them and bending down before them. He smiled at them. "Hey there. Is it too presumptuous to ask if you recognize me?"

The Chirithies looked at him. Then at each other. Then - back at him.

"Union Leader Ephemer," one spoke cautiously.

"Well, I haven't been that in a long time," Ephemer said lightly. He reached out a hand, touching the Chirithy on the head. "I just wanted to thank you guys...for looking after your partners so well, for all this time. Without you protecting them, we wouldn't be able to rescue them here now at all."

"We were only doing our jobs," one Chirithy said quietly.

"Well, you did a great job," Ephemer replied earnestly. He straightened up again, turning and coming over closer to Kairi. "I assume Master Luxu's doing all of this, then?" he said to her, with a vague gesture toward the nearest, pink flash of light, that resolved itself into another kid.

There weren't that many left now, Kairi realized. And not a lot of space left in Second District, either. They really should have gone to Fourth for this...there was that huge actual fountain square, and the massive open space in front of the mail building...it would have been so much less cramped!

"Huh? Oh - yes!" Kairi said quickly, flushing as she pulled herself out of her thoughts. "He's using the Power of Waking to - well - wake them all up...I think. Something like that?"

Ephemer laughed. "Yeah - that'd do it."

"So, are you ready to see your friends again?" Kairi said softly, smiling at him. "It's not just Skuld and Amaya, you know - really long story - but it's Ven, and Lauriam, too! And Elrena. They're all here. They all made it out, that day. It's- like I said - a long...really convoluted story, but in the end, they found each other, and...they're all okay now. Not perfect, maybe, but - doing okay. And getting better all the time, I think. Ven's a really good friend of mine, actually!"

Ephemer stared at her in awe, his eyes sparkling now. A smile growing on his face. "Everyone really made it out, then?" He paused, his smile falling away. "Hang on, though, you didn't mention Brain in all this. Just...the end of the Data World..."

Kairi looked away, putting her arms behind her back. "He did make it into the future, from what I know...just...not here, with everyone else. He lived...in the past - um, my past, I guess - but from what I do know he had a good life? He had a family, a place to call home..."

"Yeah...I knew he'd reappear at some point - I knew exactly when - but I guess I was just hoping he might have skipped forward again...to get to be here with everyone else," Ephemer murmured out. "I guess I can't blame him for not, though, can I? If he found a place for himself, and a family...I'm happy he got to live a life of peace, on his own terms - not the Master of Master's, or anyone else's."

Kairi drew a breath, raising her head and giving a slow nod. She really couldn't even imagine what that would be like - something like what Aqua had gone through, but...so much worse. Over such a longer timespan. To survive a terrible fate, to find a place of peace, and even to find love like that. To maybe have to make a choice between staying there, in that life, or...journeying on still, to find your friends you hoped to see - the ones you'd lost. But without even a guarantee of when they'd pop up again, or on which world, or if you could even find them again before you passed on anyways...

What would she do, if she were in that situation - faced with such an incredibly massive choice like that? A decision so...final? To settle and accept, or...to not? She thought she knew the answer, for herself. For her...waiting wouldn't have been good enough. To just stay put, wait, and hope for her friends to reappear, and come back to her someday? No. It would have eaten at her, after a while...and she would have made the choice to go out and look for them, ultimately. And keep searching until she found them again. No matter where, or how long it took, or what the dangers were. She wouldn't have stopped until she reunited with them - with Sora, and Riku, or Xion!

"Yeah," Kairi whispered, shaking her head to clear it. "His life was his, and he lived it."

Another light flashed to Kairi's right; she turned - and saw Luxu reappearing out of it on unsteady feet, with an actual breath of exertion. A quick glance around revealed to Kairi that every Dandelion kid was back to normal now!

"Hey - Luxu!" Kairi said loudly, catching the man's attention. "Look who I found - well, he found us..."

Luxu turned - then he froze. His gaze found Ephemer. Ephemer looked back at him, frowning.

"Are you really Master Luxu?" Ephemer spoke.

"Depends if you're really Ephemer..." Luxu replied.

Ephemer strode forward, up to Luxu. He gazed up at him, putting his hands on his hips. He glanced down at Luxu's Keyblade before returning his gaze to the man's face again. "If you are Master Luxu...then, according to Kairi here, I should really say thank you."

"Thank you? For - what?" Luxu looked just - totally thrown. Floored, even.

"Helping us all escape Daybreak Town into this future - going against your Master, your role, to save us. Helping Brain. And...looking after Skuld, and the others, too, in the here and now."

"You shouldn't thank me for that..." Luxu murmured, turning away. "I could have done a hell of a lot more, kid. I should have done a hell of a lot more. For all of you."

"Like you're doing now? Kairi also tells me you've got a plan to save not just the Dandelions here, but...the ones who actually fought?"

"Not my plan - it's an idea. It's...from my Master," Luxu said quietly, hesitant. "I think I actually get what he wants me to do here, for once. Not that that makes any of what he did before alright or anything - it's still totally screwed up, and-" He cut himself off, gritting his teeth. He let a breath go, and looked back to Ephemer. "But at least I can give them another chance here. The same chance we've all been given. Me, my friends...yours."

"And you think I should regret thanking you?" Ephemer said, with a small grin. "You're already doing more than any of the other Masters - except Lady Ava, of course."

"Right... The other Foretellers are here, but not- not Ava," Luxu sighed. "I know she went off to try to thwart the Master's plans, long before anyone else did, but...I haven't seen a hint of her across all these centuries. I even tried to summon her across time with the rest of my friends, but she didn't come. I couldn't find her Heart anywhere. Not where she should have been...where I last knew she was. It's almost like she's just...disappeared off the face of the whole World itself..."

"If nothing else, I hope she found a place for herself, somewhere out there," Ephemer said solemnly. "I hope she lived a life that was hers, no matter what happened to her."

"Yeah..." Luxu murmured, glancing away again, his face etched with guilt and doubts. He gave a sudden, hacking cough, holding an arm over his stomach and doubling over.

"Okay, you seriously don't seem okay right now!" Kairi exclaimed, rushing to the man's side and grabbing his arm. "We need to get you to Land of Departure - get you some potions- no, Elixers! You need to rest and-"

"No rest for the wicked, kid," Luxu said, with a pained laugh, straightening up and pushing her hand away. "Anyways, Ephemer, look - what was your whole plan for your Dandelions, after saving them? Throw them back into the fight? Or give them a chance at normal, peaceful lives? It might've been some grand design, but they did succeed in their role: they kept the light alive, all that Lux was released back into the darkness to start rebuilding and restoring the worlds, after the big Break. And now they're here...in the world they saved. They deserve some permanent R&R in it, don't you think?"

"My hope's always been for the second option," Ephemer replied, quiet and earnest. "but I know I'm not going to be able to stop anybody who wants to keep fighting - especially when it's all they know."

"We could take all their Keyblades away - bind their Hearts, or destroy the weapons outright," Luxu said, hard. "If that's what it takes to get these kids to realize they-"

"...E-Ephemer - is that you...?"

Kairi startled, looking around her. She saw one of the Dandelion kids was waking - sitting up, with help from a Chirithy in a little purple dress (a dress that matched their partner's).

"Cotyle," Ephemer said, starting toward the kid with a smile. "Good to see you back! You always were an early riser, weren't you?" He got down on a knee and put a hand on the other boy's shoulder.

Cotyle blinked at Ephemer, slow and uncertain, with eyes of purple eyeshadow. Purple matching lips formed a small frown. "What happened to everyone...? Where are we? How did we-"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Ephemer cut across, quiet.

"Daybreak Town...falling apart?" the other boy whispered. He dropped his head, shaking it. His hands tugged at long, sparkling bell-bottom sleeves of purple and black. "I know Master Ava was always sure a war was going to happen, but nothing ever did. Remember the day that bell rang? Everyone was so tense, things were so...I thought for sure that was the day - but after that...nothing. Until...everything just went dark, and the sky- and- the whole town was tearing itself apart."

Ephemer gazed at the boy for a long time, guilt and regrets on his face. He gave a small nod. "That war did come to pass, Cotyle. The day that bell rang, that was the day of the war. We Dandelions survived it, just like Ava planned for - but not in a way we could have thought we would."

"Huh? What are you...saying?"

"It's a long story, and it's complicated - I think we should wait for everyone else to wake up before we tell it," Ephemer said. "Alright?"

Cotyle stared at him. Then the boy nodded. "Alright..." His eyes roamed the district for the first time, taking in the sight of all the rest (and the Chirithies). Then his gaze found Kairi, and then Luxu. "Who's-"

"Well, that girl's name is Kairi, and that guy is...it's Master Luxu," Ephemer said slowly.

"The Foreteller that disappeared?"

"That's right," Ephemer said. "He wasn't involved with any of the Unions - like Ava. In fact, he's the reason you're all here now. He saved your lives - from the day that Daybreak Town fell apart. Okay?"

Cotyle eyed Luxu with doubt still. But then he sighed, nodding. "Okay. If you say he's fine, I trust you, Ephemer."

Ephemer stood quickly, turning away, a pained look on his face.

Xion didn't notice it until she passed by the outer windows again, on a nervous walk.

The cloudy sky was even darker than usual, and there were flashes of purple light inside them.

She felt cold again.

A hazy memory rose in her mind; this was familiar. And her Heart didn't like it.

She raced through the castle, down to the front entrance.

Xion stopped quickly as she saw King Ansem with Ienzo, Dilan and Aeleus.

"What's happening?" she said.

"That is what we are trying to determine," Ansem told her.

"Can I help?" Xion asked quickly.

"I think not," Dilan said firmly, shaking his head at her, his long black hair swaying. "You no longer have a weapon; you should remain inside the castle, girl, where it's safe."

Xion looked at him. She looked to Ienzo.

He shook his head at her, too. He raised a hand and conjured a large, thick black book, holding it close to himself. "Please, stay here," he told her. "If you were to get hurt...it wouldn't do my Heart any good. Or-"

A sparkling white light flashed in the entrance hall, and Xion turned to see two people appear: the blue robed wizard, Merlin, and Even.

"Finally, back home..." Even started to say, then falling silent as he looked around himself. He took in everyone's faces, and their weapons. He tensed. "Has something happened again?"

"Kairi- that girl- I mean, the young one from that machine - she disappeared and I'm sorry-!" Xion started.

"Never mind that for now," Ansem interrupted her, raising a hand to her. "There appears to be a larger problem at hand, for all of us - a storm of darkness hangs over our city once again. Though who is responsible..."

Even gazed at Ansem for a moment, his lips twisting. Then he nodded and turned sharply to Xion. "Stay put: without your Keyblade, you'll only be a distraction."

Xion frowned, dropping her head. But she nodded at her feet, anyways. "Ok..."

Even called his big blue shield to his hand. "Ienzo: remain here with Xion as well. Someone needs to be here to protect her - and to guard the castle, of course."

Ienzo opened his mouth to argue with Even - then he closed it, nodding too. "O-of course."

"I'll stay and guard them," said Aeleus, looking to Ansem. Ansem nodded to the man with approval.

"Let's go, then," Even spoke to Ansem and Dilan, hurrying for the front doors already.

"Well now, I suppose someone better inform the Restoration Committee about this!" Merlin said, drawing himself up. "I'll meet you all in the town square, once everyone's been brought up to speed!"

With that, the old wizard vanished in another flash of light.

Ienzo turned to Xion, looking down at her. He smiled at her, and offered his empty hand to her. "Well...this way, Xion."

Xion looked up at him. She looked at Aeleus. She nodded and took Ienzo's hand with a sigh.

If only that man in the black coat hadn't taken away her Keyblade!

She was useless now! Helpless!

Worse: Even had said she'd just get in the way!

Isa sat on the wall of the city, overlooking the blue canyons and flat grounds that used to be beautiful, clear waters of a great lake.

Beautiful...he hadn't appreciated it before. Now, all he had were memories.

All they had, he amended, with a sidelong look at Lea, were memories.

Memories of better days. Days he was partially responsible for ruining - destroying. All for the misguided pursuit of power. Losing his sense of purpose, his true and original goal...

To save someone. To protect them.

A woman whom now needed no protection at all - who was more capable of defending herself than Isa or Lea were.

They hadn't even been the ones to rescue her, even: that credit belonged to the ancient Keyblade Master, Luxu - formerly known as Braig, and countless other names...

Isa sighed, shaking his head and biting into his ice cream stick.

He was grateful to have a home again - that this home and its people had even accepted him back at all - grateful to have Lea back, grateful to have these new memories together. And yet...

It could never measure up to the old memories, could it?

The scenery, the warmth, the...childish, foolish innocence and merriment.

Of course, Lea still brought much of that last part, even now - something else Isa was grateful for - however-

A light suddenly flashed above, as the sky began to change. The overcast clouds were growing, spreading, and...growing darker. Purple light flashed within them, along with the rumble of thunder.

Isa dropped his ice cream, turning to look at Lea in the same moment his best friend did the same.

They both knew very well what this meant - what it was a sign of.

And it could never be anything good.

They leapt to their feet together, hopping off the wall and racing down the walkway to street level. They moved swiftly through the winding roads, between houses and shops and other buildings, until they'd come to city's square. Crumbling, dead, cracked...but still there. Still...hanging on.

And very much crowded by others.

"What is going on?" Isa asked, looking at those gathered: it was the bar owner, Tifa Lockhart, Cloud Strife, Aerith Gainsborough, Yuffie Kisaragi, Leon, Cid Highwind, the familiar faces of Dilan and Even, as well as King Ansem himself, surprisingly. The blue robed wizard, Merlin, was also present.

"What's it look like?" Cid responded, twirling a toothpick in his mouth and pointing upward. "Town's got a bad case of the darkness again - looks about as bad as it was nine years back, too, don't it? The day...well, everyone here knows what I'm talkin' about!"

Isa inwardly cringed, feeling the guilt and regrets in his Heart again. Indeed I do know...

"Okay, so we've got darkness - but what about Heartless?" Lea spoke quickly, gesturing vaguely. "I don't see any around, oddly enough."

"Oh, they'll be comin'," Cid said darkly. "Trust me, kid, they're a-coming..."

"Lord Ansem, we should get you back inside the castle," Dilan spoke, with insistence as he looked to his king. "If the Heartless are going to return to this world, you can't be simply left out in the-"

"No, Dilan," Ansem refuted, raising a hand, his face hardening. "If the darkness is to come to our world again, then this time I shall meet it head on - and defend my citizens and my home!" The man extended his arm out, curving his hand, and a weapon appeared in his grasp. A large, round-barreled, pulsing blue firearm. A rifle or a cannon, perhaps.

"W-what the- what in the worlds is that?!" Even exclaimed, gaping.

Ansem gave a small chuckle, hefting the large weapon in both hands and holding it in front of his chest. "A weapon I have had in development for some weeks now, courtesy of the denizens of The Grid, expressly for a situation like this one. I will not be idle as my world falls to darkness again; I will fight alongside each and every one of you. And if we are to fail, and perish, then we shall do that together as well, my esteemed apprentice."

Even sputtered, then closed his mouth. He eyed the weapon with intrigue, yet remained silent. He gave Ansem The Wise a nod of affirmation, of acceptance. "A gallant sentiment, Master Ansem - but let us all hope that last part does not in fact come to pass, yes?"

Isa looked to Lea, nodding to his friend and conjuring his weapon behind his back. Lea summoned his twin chakrams in bursts of flames, holding them loose at his sides. "We will see to it that it doesn't," Isa spoke, awkward, yet trying to express the truth of his Heart in that moment.

"Well, not on your own," Lea told him, with a small grin. "Don't go doing anything too crazy here, or you'll really start to make me worry about you, buddy."

"Nothing done on this day will be done on our own," Ansem spoke again, firm and loud, his gaze sweeping out over them all. "If we are to defend our city and our loved ones, we will do it together. Matters of trust, old grudges, lingering feelings, must all be set aside for the common good of Radiant Garden. Understood?"

Leon uncrossed his arms, stepping forward and giving a nod. He looked to Dilan, to Isa and Lea. He raised a hand and slashed his arm across himself, summoning his own gunblade weapon. "That's right. If we're going to do this, we can't be getting in each other's way - or trying to settle old scores. I've trusted you people enough up to this point; I'll trust you in the field of battle."

"Just don't let us down!" Yuffie said, conjuring a large throwing star and twirling it around her. She rested it over a shoulder, giving a wide smile and pointing a finger at Isa and Lea. Then she dragged her arm over to point at Dilan and Even. "Or Yuffie Kisaragi will hunt you douchebags down! We ninjas don't usuallyyyyy do assassinations - but if you let the town go poof a second time, I'll be making an exception for you!"

"How frightening," Isa said dryly, unable to help himself.

"Oho, you're going to find out, sucker, if you go and blow it!" Yuffie retorted, stalking forward and reaching up her hand to-

Poke her finger to his forehead.

Isa stepped back, raising a hand on reflex, glaring down at the girl. Then he heard Lea's laughter - glanced over at his expression - and he forced himself to sigh and relax again. He lowered his hand to his side, and gave Yuffie a thin smile, the best he could do. "I expect no less...great ninja Kisaragi."

The girl blinked up at him in disbelief. Then she beamed and spun away, hopping off across the square, back to Leon's side. "Hehe! Hah, hah, hiya!" she exclaimed, doing rapid air punches of excitement.

"So, how do we do this?" Cloud spoke up, looking to Ansem and giving a nod of deference. "You got some kind of plan of attack? We each take a section of the town, or what?"

"Look at you, being a team player!" Aerith remarked, flashing the man a smile of pride and pleasure.

"Didn't get very far with the solo act, the last nine years, did I?" Cloud responded honestly, spreading his arms at her. He cocked his head, giving a small smirk. "Figured I'd switch it up a little today."

"Hmmm..." Ansem hummed in deep thought, surveying them all once more. Inspecting the square, and the surrounding buildings and the streets leading off in both directions. He looked to the main entrance of the city, that led to the outer gardens. "As we do not understand the full scope of the looming threat, I would suggest we do indeed begin to-"

An incredibly loud roar of thunder echoed through the world, accompanied by a bright, concentrated flash of purple light.

Isa looked up - as they all did - to see the clouds swirling around a central, purple light, like a vortex. The light flared again, and from down out of it came a sudden streak of green fires; the green flames shot down toward the ground - striking the town square, not thirty feet from them all.

The flames rippled, turning from green to crimson...and then a figure, tall and black, rose up into view.

A familiar witch, with green skin, yellow eyes, and black horns - Maleficent?

The evil witch raised an arm, holding...not her typical, magical staff weapon, but a sparkling, intricate sword that looked shockingly like a...a Keyblade?

"Boy, they just let anyone have those things these days, huh?" Lea said - saying what Isa was thinking, yet wouldn't have said himself. "But where in the World did you get it?!" he added in alarmed exclamation.

Maleficent gave a raise an eyebrow - a smirk of her lips. Her yellow eyes roamed over them all, unconcerned. Amused, even. "Ah, you are...Axel, isn't it? Former minion of our mutual associate, Xehanort- err, Xemnas, yes?"

"The name's Lea - get it memorized, lady!" Lea twirled his weapons, giving a little grin that did remind Isa of Axel indeed. A grin holding a hint of malevolence. "Not that you'll live long enough for that!"

Lea spun his weapons in flames, holding them telekinetically at his sides, and then sent them hurtling toward Maleficent!

Maleficent stood motionless, blinking disinterestedly as the danger approached her. The flaming chakrams were stopped several feet in front of her by a dark crystal barrier, invisible until the moment of contact; Lea's weapons exploded in sparks and fire, vanishing into thin air.

Lea stared in shock, then shook his head and raised his hands to call his weapons back again.

"Have you come for our world yet again, vile witch?" Ansem spoke, loud and hard, as he stepped forward. He aimed his large weapon out at Maleficent, its barrel humming as the blue neon lights flashed brighter.

Maleficent turned her head, giving him a wide smile. "Why yes, as a matter of fact I have," she said, with relish. "I will make my demands very simple for you - wise king Ansem: vacate this city and surrender my castle to me once more, and this need not get any more terrible for you all. I care not where you rats scurry off to, or what holes you hide yourselves away in...so long as you don't poke your noses out around me again. However...if you attempt to put up some pitiful, futile resistance, as you did before, know this: you will be obliterated! I will show no mercy, no quarter, and I will destroy you all, and the denizens of this city...as well as burn the city itself to mere ash! I will be a generous woman and give you...five minutes to carefully consider your response."

Ansem looked at them all - gauging their faces, their stances. Then, he looked squarely at Maleficent. "Your so-called generosity is unneeded, witch. Our answer is clear: we will fight for our people and our home, to the last breath!"

Maleficent's eyes burned - as did the Keyblade in her hand, crimson shimmering flames erupting to shroud it in a mystical aura. "Oh...we were so very much hoping you would say that, my dear king. Very well, then: you will drown in our supreme darkness!"

The woman erupted into flames, shooting up into the sky like a comet; she disappeared into the clouds, which rapidly expanded out in all directions, and began casting down purple bolts of lightning!

A fierce wind grew to billow at them all, and, in the flashes of purple lightning, Isa saw uncountable numbers of Heartless emerging from the clouds...

Descending upon the city of Radiant Garden once more.

With help from Luxu, Ephemer addressed the crowded Second District.

He spoke to the Dandelions - all awake now - and told them about the Master of Masters, and the Book of Prophecies, and the war that came to pass...and then, how the Dandelions survived it. He told them about the Data version of Daybreak Town, and...about their memories being erased, of the day the war began.

"In taking away your memories of the day of the war, and in letting the Data copies of your friends and family persist in that place, we thought we were committing a lesser evil. That we were sparing you pain - grief, loss. The burden of the unimaginable tragedy that befell the entire World - and your loved ones," Ephemer spoke, clearly and loudly, his voice carrying across the crowd. "But all we did was take away your right to know the truth...and to accept and handle that truth on your own terms. As well, as new Union Leaders, the decisions we made about the situation at the time, and about all of you, should have been made with everyone's knowledge and consent." Ephemer fell silent, gazing at them all, his expression anguished. "It was wrong, and for that - for all of this - I'm sorry."

"How did you even do that - erase our memories? How do we know you're not lying to us all now?!" a girl's voice called out, from somewhere in the crowded plaza.

"It was-" Ephemer looked down. Then up again, at the Dandelions. "We asked your Chirithies to help us do this - through the connection they share with you, and the power over dreams that they have as Spirits."

Gathering up a bunch of aggrieved, angry, sad, confused kids with magical swords and powers like this...it was inevitable, Kairi thought, what happened next.

Voices cried out in shock and fear, the crowd shifted, as flames burst somewhere inside it - sending people scattering. Keyblades were flashing to life in the district, barriers were shimmering into existence as the kids swiftly began to pick themselves up and react to the magical explosion.

"HEY!" Luxu yelled out, raising a hand instantly.

A wave of yellow energy flew out across the plaza, like fluttering pollen. Magic circles burst to life beneath the Dandelions and flashed with light; those behind or within barrier domes gasped as their magic walls vanished instantly, allowing the swirling yellow magic particles to reach them still. Immediately on contact with Luxu's magic, the kids all froze up. But it wasn't time magic: it was paralysis.

Kairi looked out across the square, to see a lone figure in the middle of the parted crowd - the source of the explosion?

It was a girl. A girl who stood there now, paralyzed. She was bent over awkwardly, breath ragged, her face and hair a twisted mess. Her eyes were glinting. Her Keyblade was buried inches deep in the concrete, in the aftermath of a swing - an attack. Buried in front of a glowing, fading little Chirithy.

"E-Eva..." Chirithy gasped, falling to the ground and reaching a stubby arm out to the girl. "W-why-"

"WHY DID YOU HELP THEM DO THIS TO ME?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY...MY BEST FRIEND!" the girl exploded - raved. Screamed down at the being (apparently, Luxu had left the Dandelions with the power to still move their eyes and mouths). "How could you trick me like that, lie to my face, for so long?! About-"

The Chirithy's body burst with pink light...and broke apart into crystal fragments on the air, just like the Nightmares Kairi had defeated here before, so often in her journey through these worlds.

Eva gazed down at the empty spot where her Chirithy had once been. For a moment, her face changed. Her lips parted, and her eyes softened - fluttering with shock and confusion. Like she couldn't even believe herself. Then she was turning her gaze to Ephemer and Luxu as best she could, her jaw setting, her teeth grinding and shaking. "EPHEMER! Where are they - where are my brothers?! Did they disappear in the war - was I just talking to virtual copies of them for the last two years, without even knowing they were dead?! TELL ME!"

"Eva, calm down!" came a voice from one of the other Dandelions - another girl, frozen nearby to Eva. "Ephemer and the others - they were kids like us. And he's telling us the truth now. He was just doing what he thought was best for us all! He-"

"Is he?" the girl snapped at her friend. "How do we know that? He still hasn't answered me!"

Luxu sighed, then raised a hand again. His palm flashed with light, a golden magic circle swirling in front of it. Suddenly, chains shot out across the plaza, disappearing into the girl's chest! Briefly, they reappeared, swirling around her body - and then, with a distinct click of a lock...locking, her Keyblade vanished from her hand.

"Y-you- what did you do to me?! WHAT DID YOU PEOPLE DO THIS TIME?!" the girl raged.

"Look, I understand that this is all terrible, and traumatizing, and fucked up beyond belief - and you've all got every right to be angry and bitter about it!" Luxu spoke out, loudly. "But anyone who wants to get all violent and murdery about it is going to have their weapon and magic sealed away. So why don't we all just take some deep breaths, and channel our feelings a little more productively here! Alright?"

"You bastard!" Eva yelled. "Why don't you cancel your spell and I'll show you a more productive way of channeling my feelings!"

"If I wasn't already half dead as it is, I'd be willing to do that," Luxu replied. "I deserve a hell of a lot from you kids, and I wouldn't hold it against you. But-"

"DO IT, THEN! COME ON, GET OVER HERE, COWARD!"

"Sorry - not today," Luxu said simply.

The girl raged at him, cursed him, straining to break her paralysis - to no avail!

"Okay, can someone please get her to chill out here!" Luxu called out. "I don't want to have to cast any more magic on you kids! But my next spell is going to be Sleep, if I have to!"

"I'm not stopping until you tell me what happened to my brothers!" Eva roared.

"I don't know - I'm sorry," Ephemer said, stepping forward and raising his hands. "We weren't...keeping a headcount. And we weren't there, at the Badlands, to know who every-"

"LIAR! YOU DAMN LIAR, EPHEMER! EVERYONE ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU WERE SO COOL, WE ALWAYS LOOKED UP TO YOU - YOU CAME AND WENT FROM SO MANY PARTIES, ALWAYS HELPING PEOPLE...BUT IT WAS ALL BULLSHIT, WASN'T IT?! YOU'RE A LYING, MANIPULATIVE-"

Luxu gestured vaguely; a blue bolt of shimmering magic flew out and slammed into the girl's chest. Eva gasped, fearful and shocked - then her eyes closed, and she fell backwards on the spot with a thump.

"Alright, look," Luxu began to speak, stepping forward and sweeping his gaze over the crowd. "Feel however you want about all of this - hate me to the ends of the earth - but the fact is, I'm the one that brought you all back from eternal sleep here today, and I'm also the only one who's capable of bringing back everyone who fought and died in the actual war! Your friends, your loved ones...your families. You can want me and the other Foretellers dead as much as you like...just hold off on it for a little while, would you? Because if you did actually manage to kill me right now, you'd lose any chance you ever had of seeing those you lost again!

"I won't make excuses for myself or my friends - I'll just say this: we were lied to, and manipulated, and used by our Master, just as much as any of you were. We were all tricked into fighting each other, starting some pointless war, falling into death and chaos and darkness...and all for what? So, hey, here's an idea: instead of continuing to fight each other, why don't we choose a different path for once? A different fate? Because continuing that war...that's just what the Master of Masters wants from us. It's what he always wanted. Are you going to play into his hands, even now? Hate each other, distrust one another? Hurt and kill one another, friends and family, all for no goddamn reason?

"Forget the hate, the blind rage and conflict. Remember the bonds you share, the connections forged between your Hearts. The times you all spent together - those years you had with one another. The time before the war. And now think about this: here, in the time after it...what do you really want to do? Who do you want to be? Do you want to be all about just hate, revenge, spite and fury? Or do you want peace, and happiness, and love...and- and healing? With your friends and your family right by your side again? That's what I'm offering you all - all of you kids. The chance to just be kids, not warriors, not tools or pawns! I'm giving you all the chance to live again!"

Luxu took a breath, closing his eyes a moment. "You were chosen by Ava to be the light of the future - so be the light, not the darkness. Shine your Hearts with joy, and hope, and love, and kindness...as you live your lives. Trust me when I say I know all about wasted time - and I don't want to see you kids waste yours now. You're all still so damn young, you've got no clue...and I don't want you to royally blow it." He paused, then continued on. "So now, can I undo my Bind spell on you all, or is someone going to want to go and commit another murder? Whether against a Chirithy, or me, or Ephemer - that's not going to fly! Am I clear?"

Kairi heard a lot of quiet, desperate voices of reassurance. Acceptance.

"Okay..." Luxu waved a hand, and, with a flash of light, the Dandelions all began to move again.

Still, Kairi saw many Chirithies vanish in puffs of smoke, with cries of wariness and fear toward their human friends...partners. She heard others trying to apologize tearfully. And she saw many of the Dandelions trying to comfort and reassure their Chirithy friends in turn - patting at them, hugging them and picking them up.

And she heard several voices call out to Ephemer, and even Luxu, expressing that they weren't going to blame them - and apologizing on behalf of the girl, Eva, even.

It was such a tension-filled situation, so charged and raw still...but Kairi thought...maybe there was a chance of getting past it without any more terrible incidents...

Destroy them...destroy them...Devour them...Give them to us...Destroy them ALL-!

"SILENCE!" Maleficent shouted, curling her fist of her free hand and shaking her head fiercely. She raised the "Ultima" Keyblade before her, glowering at it with narrowed yellow eyes. Her mouth twisted. "Darkness, what in the world is happening with this weapon?" she demanded, her voice echoing out through the blue canyons of this ruined world of Radiant Garden. The city itself's crumbling walls visible in the far distance...

The shadow's voice responded to her - in the irritatingly familiar tones of the Princess of Heart, Kairi, still: The Ultima Weapon possesses a mind of its own - you knew this. Now you deal with the consequences. If you didn't want to, perhaps you should have chosen another plan to acquire a Keyblade: for example, taking a hostage and forcing the gullible young man, Terra, to perform the Bequeathing with you. You could have had a Keyblade all your own, with no mind to talk back to you.

And yet I have YOU, Maleficent thought wryly.

Darkness's voice came in soft laughter, echoing around Maleficent. We could just give in to its demands and wipe them all away. Why do you not?

"I aim to conquer all worlds!" Maleficent declared firmly. "There is no joy nor point in ruling over a dead world...and no triumph to be had in simply wiping away my enemies with a swing of a blade. I want them to suffer, I want them to struggle and fight before they drown at my feet! I want to savor this day, Darkness, my old friend! For I have waited so very long for it, have I not?"

You have, yes. But in letting them live, you give them the chance to defeat you. Don't let your overconfidence blind you again. An individual human is no threat...but when banded together, they become something more. That IS how they destroyed you last time, isn't it?

"...Yes...yes, it is," Maleficent agreed, disdainful. "Rest assured, when I've finished having my fun with them, I will destroy them all at last. And they will be helpless to stop it. No matter how many of them are together this time, my power now vastly eclipses their own. Your strength and mine combined! And now, this weapon of legends! And we can grow stronger still, you and I, can't we?"

Potentially, yes, Darkness spoke, musing. The absorption of darkness into a vessel can increase its power to great heights - but as I have told you, from personal experience, too MUCH power in one body can lead to degradation, and, ultimately, destruction of said vessel. If we take in too much, hold it in ourselves for too long - your body will fall apart, and you will die again, Maleficent. And I will go with you.

"Yes, as you told me," Maleficent said vaguely. "but if it comes to a point when it does seem, against all odds, as if these humans will defeat me again...you will give me all the power I need to obliterate them! In the short term, the risk can be taken, I think."

Indeed it can. But we must be careful with it. That is all.

"Hm," Maleficent laughed. "You know, for a being of Pure Darkness, you're far too cautious. Overly so."

Caution has seen us survive this long. You should learn from it.

"Perhaps..."