Letter 6

Isaac was apprehensive about visiting any ordinary doctor. He and Serena both knew that the absence of a heartbeat would expose the true nature of his existence, rendering their original purpose null.

A few days later, Isaac waited for his train home after work. The rhythmic hum of the station was suddenly shattered by a piercing scream from the far end of the platform. Chaos erupted as a woman fled from something unseen. Her terror rippled through the crowd, sending bystanders scattering in all directions.

Black, twitching figures rose from the ground. Heartless!

Before Isaac could move, two figures sprinted toward the commotion, weaving through the panicked crowd. They were unmistakably familiar. A tall man with pink hair and a young blonde woman moved with purpose, both wielding Keyblades.

"I'll handle these. Make sure they don't go after the fleeing crowd. Got that, Lauriam?" said the blonde, her voice sharp with focus.

"Read you loud and clear, Elrena," the man with pink hair responded.

Isaac froze in disbelief.

Lauriam ushered the frightened crowd out of the station, his back turned as Elrena fought off the Heartless. Each strike from her Keyblade eradicated the twitching shadows before her. But the enemy's numbers continued to grow, swarming relentlessly. As Elrena began to falter, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Heartless, a sudden wall of red ether blades materialized in front of her, halting the advancing swarm.

The air rang with an all-too-familiar voice.

"BE GONE."

The ether blades obliterated the Heartless in an instant. Elrena slowly turned to find a tall figure standing right behind her. Her expression shifted from confusion to outright disbelief.

"Xem—Xem—Xe—" she stammered before being cut off.

"It's Isaac. Please, don't call me that other name," Isaac said, his voice quiet but firm.

Elrena's jaw dropped as she stared at him, completely at a loss for words.

Moments later, Lauriam returned to aid his companion. But as his eyes landed on Isaac, all color drained from his face. "Is… that… Xemnas? No! How? You—" Lauriam's whispered disbelief hung in the air.

Elrena backed toward Lauriam cautiously, her mind struggling to process the sight before her. Isaac, now calm and collected, explained his new identity. "I go by Isaac now," he said simply, huffing before walking past them to usher the fleeing crowd back into the station.

To add insult to injury, Isaac turned back to the stunned pair, a sly smirk playing on his lips.

"It was nice to see you both. Marluxia, Larxene," he teased before stepping onto the train.

Lauriam and Elrena remained frozen, wide-eyed and speechless, as they watched their former leader disappear into the train.

That evening, Isaac recounted the encounter to Serena. Her reaction was a mix of confusion and jealousy.

"I wanna meet them! Since they were a part of your old life," she exclaimed. She paused for a moment before quickly adding, "Maybe they'd even know a doctor who could help us!"

Isaac winced at her sudden epiphany. Her excitement turned to frustration as she scolded him for letting his pride interfere with such a valuable opportunity. For the first time, Isaac understood what it felt like to be in the proverbial doghouse.

He couldn't help but wonder if Lauriam and Elrena might return. Perhaps another Heartless attack would draw them out again, giving him a chance to redeem himself.

Weeks passed, but not even a shadow appeared in the underground pathways.

Then one day, while the bistro was bustling with customers and the staff was overwhelmed, it happened. A swarm of Heartless flooded down the street, sending outdoor patrons scattering like startled rabbits.

Without hesitation, Isaac leapt into action, attacking the Heartless with all the strength he could muster. But the sheer numbers overwhelmed him. Months of peace had dulled his combat skills—he was more accustomed to domestic life than battle.

As his strength waned, a familiar voice called out behind him.

"Getting soft in your new life, Xem-Xem?"

Isaac turned toward the mocking voice to see Elrena and Lauriam standing a few yards away, ready to join the fray. Weak and panting, Isaac managed a faint smile before collapsing to his knees. His barrier fell, leaving the pair to deal with the advancing mob.

The two Keyblade wielders made short work of the Heartless swarm. As the last shadow dissolved into darkness, Isaac staggered to his feet, regaining his composure. Approaching the pair, he offered them an invitation.

"Won't you two come and have a seat? Please, have a meal on me," he said, gesturing toward the bistro.

Seeing no reason to refuse, they followed him to an outdoor table that had been cleaned and prepared for a reservation—one that would now need to be refunded or rescheduled.

After a hearty meal, Isaac closed the bistro and asked the pair to accompany him back to his place.

On the train ride home, the three shared stories. Lauriam and Elrena revealed that they were in a serious relationship and searching for Lauriam's sister, Strelitzia. Isaac recounted his life since the final confrontation, leaving the couple astonished.

"Elrena's right. Reggie really does sound like a cross between Demyx and Axel," Lauriam quipped.

The group exchanged laughs and reminisced about their time in the Organization, sharing memories until they reached Isaac's house.

"Nice get-up, Xem—I mean, Isaac," Lauriam teased with a smirk.

Isaac held his head high, opening the door and inviting them in.

Serena emerged from the living room to see Isaac stepping inside, laughing with another woman. She didn't notice Lauriam just yet—her focus locked solely on Isaac and Elrena.

"WHAT IS THIS?" Serena demanded, her voice sharp with disbelief.

Before Isaac could offer a word of explanation, Serena stormed toward Elrena, her fiery determination written all over her face. However, she froze mid-step when Lauriam stepped out from behind his girlfriend.

"Sorry, is this a bad time?" Lauriam asked politely, extending a hand toward Serena. "Isaac invited me and my girlfriend, Elrena, over. I'm Lauriam, by the way. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Shepard."

Serena's face flushed bright red as the realization of her misunderstanding hit her like a tidal wave. Doing her best to swallow her embarrassment, she shook Lauriam's hand and composed herself.

Isaac chuckled lightly. "You always did know how to sweet-talk your way out of a situation," he said, scratching the back of his head.

Serena and Isaac ushered their guests into the living room, where they all sat down to talk.

"So, did Isaac tell you about our problem?" Serena asked, her tone now more collected.

Elrena shook her head and exchanged a glance with Lauriam, who looked equally puzzled. "Problem?" Elrena asked.

Serena turned to her husband, who was subtly trying to slink away from the conversation. Catching him before he could make his escape, she grabbed his arm and dragged him back to his seat. Isaac sat stiffly, his shoulders hunched, a sheepish grin spreading across his face as he avoided his wife's unimpressed gaze.

"You see," Serena began, turning back to Elrena and Lauriam, "I asked Isaac to bring you both here to see if you know of any good doctors."

"Doctors? Aren't there any around here?" Elrena asked, confused.

Serena began explaining everything, and as she spoke, the pieces started falling into place for Elrena and Lauriam. The two finally understood Isaac's odd behavior.

"You know," Lauriam said thoughtfully, "if you still have your abilities, you could travel to Radiant Garden. There, you might remember them as Zexion and Vexen, but I believe Zexion or better known as Ienzo now opened his own private doctor's office near the garden's center."

Serena glanced at Isaac, intrigued but also confused. "Ienzo?" she asked.

Isaac nodded, taking a moment to explain Zexion and Vexen's history and their research on the human heart. The idea of Ienzo's private office sparked curiosity in him, and he thanked Lauriam and Elrena for sharing the information.

As their visit came to a close, Serena piped up with an unexpected offer. "Why don't you two stay with us for a few days?"

Isaac whipped his head around, his eyes wide with surprise and mild annoyance.

"Oh, come on, why not? They deserve some hospitality after helping us!" Serena insisted, her tone carrying a hint of a whine.

"We appreciate the offer," Lauriam replied politely, "but I think we should get going. Elrena and I need to stay focused on our search for my sister."

Serena sighed, disappointed but understanding. Isaac gave Lauriam a thankful look, and the pair departed with smiles, ready to continue their journey.

After they had left, Serena turned to Isaac, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. "What did they mean by if you still had your abilities?"

Isaac paused, realizing what Lauriam and Elrena had implied. Without a word, he led Serena to the backyard, a sense of determination building within him.

Closing his eyes, Isaac held his hand out, concentrating deeply. A faint strain crossed his features, but soon, a dark portal materialized before him, swirling ominously in the cool night air.

Serena's jaw dropped in awe. "How… how did you do that? What is that?" she asked, her voice a mix of wonder and disbelief.

Isaac opened his eyes, glancing at the corridor before turning to his wife. "This is a Dark Corridor, a portal, if you will," he explained.

He seemed ready to elaborate further, but a wave of weakness swept over him. The corridor dissolved as Isaac fell to his knees, struggling to maintain his balance.

"ISAAC!" Serena yelled, rushing to his side. She caught him just as he steadied himself in a kneeling position.

"I think I need to get a bit stronger before I can do something like that again," Isaac huffed, his voice strained as he tried to stand.