Chapter 12: Revival
ONE YEAR LATER
Lea awoke in the secret room of the castle in Radiant Garden. He saw the Door to Darkness on the far wall across from him, and on the floor before it lay the prone bodies of Aeleus, Dilan, Even, and Ienzo. They were still wearing their apprentice uniforms, and slowly they began to regain consciousness. Lea found a reflective surface and saw himself - still in the black coat of Organization XIII but missing the tattoos beneath his eyes. He was fully human again. He remembered his friendship with Roxas and Xion, but they were gone - alive within Sora, whom as a Nobody he'd died trying to save. Neither Isa, Xehanort, nor Braig were in the room with them, so he began to wander the halls in search of them.
Aeleus was the first of the remaining four to get up, stumbling around a bit before regaining his balance. To his right, Ienzo stirred, lifting his head and trying to prop himself up on his elbows. Instinctively, Aeleus knelt down to get himself more grounded as he tried to help Ienzo up. "Aeleus-nii..." Ienzo muttered as he became oriented to his surroundings.
"I've got you." Aeleus gripped him in a tight bear-hug, and Ienzo squeezed him back. It was as much of an embrace as it was the two trying to steady themselves. The other two remained asleep, so they went upstairs to look around. They found Ansem's office in disarray and began to clean up. Ienzo sorted papers and Aeleus put books back on shelves.
Kagemiya woke up out in the street where she had fallen amidst other citizens of Radiant Garden. As soon as she was able to steady herself, she made a mad dash for the castle. Finding no one on the outside guarding it, she went inside and wandered around until she heard noises coming from the office. When she peeked in, she was overjoyed to see the two of them. "Thank goodness!" she cried, hugging first Ienzo then Aeleus.
"Where's my hug?" Lea asked, appearing in the doorway.
Kagemiya just glared at him, resisting the urge to punch him. "Where are the others?" she asked instead.
"Dilan and Even are still downstairs resting," Aeleus informed her. "We don't know where anyone else is."
"I haven't been able to find them either," Lea added, concerned. He decided to continue the search.
Kagemiya turned to leave as well. "Where are you going?" Ienzo asked.
"Don't worry, I'll help you clean up. I just want to check on Even and Dilan for a minute." She located the linen closet and took out a couple of sheets and pillows. Not wanting them to be cold or uncomfortable, she brought them to the two downstairs. Then she went back upstairs to the supply closet to help Aeleus and Ienzo clean.
Chapter 13: Consequences
Days later, they waited for Ansem to return but were afraid of facing the consequences. "It takes courage to own up to your mistakes," Kagemiya said, as if speaking from experience. She'd never done anything this bad to disobey anyone though.
"What is courage, really?" Ienzo muttered. They'd said to have courage after my parents died, but instead I just went numb. It wasn't bravery that let me stare down those Unversed before. I felt nothing. But what I still fear the most is being alone, losing the connections I have with everyone. They're not related to me by blood; they didn't have to love me. Why they still choose to is somewhat of a mystery to me. But I'm grateful for it. I deserve whatever punishment Ansem decides to give...but if he were to stop loving me...even though I have my heart back, that emptiness would return. I don't want it to.
"It isn't the absence of fear, rather the perseverance despite it," Dilan replied.
"I am prepared to accept the consequences of my actions," Aeleus sighed.
"As am I," Even agreed sadly.
When Ansem arrived, the five of them knelt down. "Miss Kagemiya, please leave," he said.
"Yes, sir," she said, getting up and hurrying from the room. She waited out in the hallway as Ansem spoke sternly to his apprentices, and then it got quiet.
When he opened the door again, he was surprised to see her standing there. "You're still here?"
"Oh. You meant leave the castle. I thought you meant...never mind. Goodbye."
"Wait," he said, stopping her from leaving. "I have something to say to you too."
"Yes?"
"You had nothing to do with any of this, and yet you continued to stay by their side even after I'd warned you not to get involved. Might I ask why?"
"They've become my friends. I couldn't abandon them to their fate, though it was inevitable. I knew I didn't belong with them, but a part of me still I felt like I did. Was that wrong?"
"I do not know. What made you think you could trust them?"
"Aeleus is exceptionally good-natured. Dilan is forthright. Even may be overzealous, but he is always helping others. Despite everything, Ienzo really is a sweet boy. Braig...isn't here, but I know he wants to be. He cares about all of you."
"That will do."
"They were lost without you, though. It was like the light went out."
"I would like you to continue help us. We could use a friend like you in the troubled times ahead."
"Thank you, sir."
The apprentices had been listening and had heard what she'd said about them. It made them wonder how she could think so highly of them, knowing what they'd done. Even felt even worse; the only reason he ever helped anyone was to make himself feel important and better than everyone, and here she was helping them simply because they needed someone to be there. She wasn't blind to their faults, but she'd decided to look past them.
"Run along home now." Ansem turned back to his apprentices as Kagemiya bowed and left. "Well?"
"She complimented us. Why do I still feel terrible?" Ienzo asked.
"Perhaps because we don't deserve it," Even replied morosely.
***
Braig had come back into the fold after returning to normal. He went into the washroom, untied his hair (which had turned completely black again since he was no longer possessed by Xehanort) and took a shower. He got redressed and looked at himself in the mirror with his hair still down and decided he needed to cut it. However, he wasn't sure if he could do it properly by himself, and he didn't want to ask one of the guys to do it, so he asked Kagemiya. "Hey Kage-chan, come here a sec," he beckoned from the doorway.
"Sure. What's up?" She put away the medical kit from assisting in treating Dilan and Aeleus' injuries.
"Can you cut my hair for me? Just to the length it was before all this happened."
"Okay." She brushed it out for him first before cutting it, and he felt a lot better afterward.
"Thank you. I feel so much lighter."
"No problem. I'm glad you're all right."
"You and me both."
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