Light From the Past

Vacation

Later That Day

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Xion and Axel sat atop the clock tower, waiting for Roxas. Xion looked at the entrance.

"Roxas is late today," she said quietly.

"Hope Xigbar isn't giving him too hard of a time," Axel replied. 

"How is Lelie doing?" Xion asked.

"Fine. I hope she'll wake up soon..."

Xion looked at her ice cream. "You know what, Axel? When I sit here and talk with you guys, I get the strangest feeling... that a long time ago, I used to watch the sunset with somebody else. It's the same when I watch the sea." Xion dug into her back pocket and pulled out a small seashell. "Someplace by the sea...where I hear the sound of the waves... I get the feeling that I was talking with someone."

"So you mean that... you have memories of your past?" Axel asked.

Xion shook her head. "No... It's not quite like that." She thought for a moment. "Well, I dunno. What do you think? Are these memories?"

"Huh... I wouldn't know, either," Axel replied.

"You have memories, don't you?"

"Yeah, sorta. Though it's not like they've ever really done me any good."

Xion looked at the sunset. "Roxas is like me. So is Lelie. None of us remembers much. I wonder if Roxas and I... had this much in common before we were Nobodies. And Lelie, before she lost her memory."

Axel didn't say anything, and they were quiet for the rest of the evening.

====Time Skip====

The Next Day

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Roxas's first day off.

Accustomed to always having a mission to execute, Roxas aimlessly wandered the castle, unsure of what else to do. 

Even asking Axel and Xion how they spent their time proved unhelpful, so he eventually went to his usual spot.

~~~~~~

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Roxas sat on the clock tower, eating his ice cream and watching the kids from the town playing in the courtyard below. After a few minutes, Axel showed up with his own bar of ice cream. 

"I knew you'd be here," he said smugly, stretching. 

"Axel." Roxas greeted.

"Slept like a log," Axel said casually, sitting down next to Roxas. "Are the kids here on summer vacation already? Nah, can't be. It's much too early."

Roxas looked at Axel, confused. "Summer vacation? What's that?"

"It's a dream come true, that's what, where they get a whole month off," Axel explained.

Roxas's eyes widened. "A month off!? I wouldn't know what to do with that much time. I can't even figure out how to fill a day."

"You'd be surprised," Axel said. "They give you plenty of homework, and of course, you have to play with your friends everyday. Trust me, it's over before you can blink."

Roxas thought. "Hmm... I could deal with seven days, maybe."

"Most kids spend the time just goofing off with their friends. They save the homework till the end and then help each other finish it."