Light From the Past

Keyblade Regained

The Next Day

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Xion, informed by Saix that she and Roxas would no longer go on missions together, worried over still being unable to use her Keyblade.

Roxas in turn lent Xion his Keyblade.

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That evening, Axel and Lelie were waiting for Roxas and Xion.

"They sure are taking a while..." Lelie muttered.

Axel just huffed and laid down, staring up at the dusk-covered sky. Lelie laid down beside him.

"Axel?" she asked. "What do remember about the old me?"

"Huh?" Axel said. 

"Well, you said that you found me in Castle Oblivion. Did I ever... talk to you? Or did you just find me unconscious?"

Axel thought about what to say. "You did talk...Not very much. But you did." 

"Oh. What did I say?"

"Nothin' important." 

"Was Riku there?"

This caught Axel off-guard. "What?"

"All I remember about my past life was the name Riku. I wanted to know if whoever Riku is was there with me. And if you or I knew them."

Axel sighed. "He was there."

Lelie sat up. "Really? What was he like?"

"I knew you liked him," Axel responded.

"Did I like like him?"

Axel shrugged. "I dunno. I know you worried over him quite a bit. But I'm not sure why." He looked at Lelie, who bit her lip. "Why are wondering all this? From what I know, Lord Xemnas told you to forget about Riku."

Lelie laid back down. "I was just wondering..."

Axel huffed. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Axel was staring at the sky when Roxas's face suddenly entered his vision. 

"Axel!" Roxas said loudly.

Axel gasped and sat up quickly. "Whoa! Where'd you come from?" Xion and Roxas laughed. Lelie sat up.

"There you are! We've been waiting forever!" Lelie said. Roxas smiled.

"How was your mission, Axel?" he asked.

"You know, I sure with the Heartless would hold still once in a while. I fell right on my butt chasing them around," Axel complained.

Lelie giggled. "I remember seeing that."

"Because you snuck off!" Axel scolded. 

"I was bored!" Lelie countered, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance.

"I thought you said you were tough, Axel," Roxas teased.

"Yeah, whatever, that's got nothing to do with it," Axel said, giving Lelie a light glare. Lelie stuck out her tongue. He looked back at Xion and Roxas. "So, how did your caper go?"

Xion held up her hand. Her Keyblade appeared in it.

"Ta-daaah!" Roxas said proudly.

Axel and Lelie gasped. Xion lowered her hand and her Keyblade disappeared.

"Roxas, Axel, Lelie, thank you," Xion said thankfully.

Axel smiled. "I didn't do anything."

"Me neither," Lelie grinned.

"You two made it possible for the two of us to go on a mission together," Xion said. 

"If it weren't for you guys, Xion might never have remembered how to use the Keyblade," Roxas added.

Xion nodded. "So thanks, Axel, Lelie."

Lelie stood and and gently hugged Xion. "I'm glad you remembered how to use the Keyblade." Xion looked confused for a second but then hugged Lelie back. 

"How 'bout a sea salt ice cream, then?" Axel suggested. Xion pulled away from Lelie.

"Huh?" she said.

"Buy us one, and we'll call it even," Axel said.

Xion smiled widely. "You got it. I'll be right back!" She turned and ran away to get the ice cream. Roxas and Lelie laughed lightly as they watched her go.

====Time Skip====

After Xion made it back with the ice cream, they all sat down and started eating.

"I hope we can always be just like this forever," Roxas said, smiling.

Xion nodded. "Me too."

Axel looked at them. "What's that all about?"

"I just... want these days to last forever. Hanging out, the ice cream, the sunsets..." Roxas explained happily.

"Nothing lasts forever, Roxas," Lelie warned.

Axel nodded. "Least of all for a bunch of Nobodies like us." Lelie elbowed his side. "Ow! Well, most of us."

Lelie smiled gently. "But don't worry. It's okay if things change and we can't meet up here."

"Huh?" Roxas asked.

Axel looked at the sunset. "As long as we keep each other in out thoughts, none of us will ever have to be apart. Got it memorized?"

Lelie and Roxas laughed. "Wow, that was so not you," Lelie teased. 

"Hey!" Axel playfully pushed her and Roxas, who kept laughing. Xion joined them. They only stopped when they couldn't breathe.