Heart to Heart Chapter 12 - one to go!

[eiahmon]

Title: Heart to Heart
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Disney and Square own it all; I only wish I did. Why in the hell cant I come up with these wickedly cool characters and twisted plots? Why?
Summary: Sequel to Burning Heart and Earth's Rebirth. A special assignment from Ansem sets Dilan's conscience on edge, and he reaches out to the only person that he knows can help, the one person that he though he would never speak to again; Xehanort.

12.

Xavier held his hand out and frowned as Dark Gaze appeared in his hand. He dismissed it and tried again, and again, it was Dark Gaze that appeared.

"Hmmm," He stared at his keyblade in irritation. "Why did you look different there? Was it because of Xehanort? Did his time traveling – I'm still having a hard time with that one. - have anything to do with it? Why are you normal now?"

"Xavier?" came a small voice from behind him, and he dismissed Dark Gaze and looked over his shoulder to see Xehanort standing behind him.

"What is it, child?"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to figure out why my keyblade decided to change it's shape the other day." He turned back around just as Dark Gaze appeared in his hand. "As you can see, I've not gotten far."

Quiet footsteps sounded on the wood floor behind him. "I think I know why."

Xavier looked at him as he dismissed the keyblade. "Oh?" Xehanort held his hands out to him, and Xavier sat up in the chair and looked at them, or more specifically, what the child was holding in them.

It was a small hourglass, carved by inexperienced hands and filled with sand that Xavier recognized as coming from the lake beach that they had visited a while back. The glass was hand blown and must have come from a shop in town. Xavier carefully picked it up and flipped it over. The sand began to pour through the narrow funnel into the lower half, and he smiled as he watched.

"I had it in my coat pocket when they took me." Xehanort whispered. "I recognized it when you summoned the keyblade."

"And you made it?"

Xehanort nodded and looked down at the floor. "For you." he said so quietly that Xavier barely heard him."I don't know why I wanted to make an hourglass, but I guess it makes sense now. Maybe I knew... how I had gotten here."

"Maybe you did on some level know, but this is very good for a first attempt. I'm impressed." Xavier set it aside and held his arms out. "Come here."

Xehanort looked up at him, and after a moment's hesitation, he walked into the offered embrace. Xavier pulled him up onto his lap and held him tight, which prompted the child to nestle close.

"Do you really think I'm from the past?" he asked hesitantly.

"I believe so," Xavier replied. "There is no other explanation that I can come up with. Later, I plan to speak to Master Yen Sid and get his opinion."

"Who is that?"

"Master Yen Sid is a retired keyblade master that is about ten or so years older than me. He watches over the worlds at large and gathers information before passing it on to those who could most use it. He is also one of the ones responsible for the failed spell that Even and I believe brought you here."

"So he might know a way to send me home."

"Yes,"

"May I go with you?"

"You may. I'll need you there to help convince him that I'm telling the truth anyway."

"When will we go?"

"Not for a few days. I want to make sure that Even and Vexen are settled in okay and find out where the others are going before I do anything else."

Xehanort laid his head down. "Alright."

"Now let's test your idea, shall we?" Xavier said as he picked up the hourglass in his right hand. He then summoned Dark Gaze, willing the hourglass to join with the weapon as it appeared. "Ah, it worked!"

Instead of Dark Gaze, he was once again holding the keyblade that he had summoned in the prison, and without the threat of attack, he was able to take a closer look at it. Right away he noticed that it had some elements of Dark Gaze in it; the bat's wings and the goat's head for example, but overall it seems as though someone had taken the parts of a clock and used them to create a keyblade. Half gears surrounded the handgrip, while smaller gears and decorative filigree surrounded a small clock just above it. Above that the blade extended up, surrounded by the bat's wings at the base, and to Xavier's surprise it glowed a pale blue. He had never heard of a keyblade producing its own light in such a way. At the top of the shaft was a larger shaft, with a large clock. The hands and center of the clock face were the same dark blue as the gears around the handgrip, while the goat's head was the same coloring as it was on Dark Gaze. Around the larger clock were gears, though they were misshapen in such away that parts of them jutted out to form sharp points. They too were dark blue.

Xehanort stared at it wide eyed. "Wow," he said quietly.

"I agree." Xavier said softly.

"What are you going to call it?"

"I don't know. Traditionally, keyblades are named by an apprentice's master when they are first summoned, as Master Limahl did for me, and as I did for Lea, but..."

"You're not an apprentice anymore, so you can name your own."

"I can, but it's weird, and I honestly have no ideas on what to call it."

"How about No Name then?" Xehanort suggested with a giggle.

Xavier laughed. "The No Name keyblade." He laughed again. "It fits. No Name it is." He dismissed it; leaving only the hourglass in his hand, which he then set aside. Later, he would be able to figure out the weapon's strengths and weaknesses, but for now he had other things to see to.

"I'm going to walk over and check on how things are going with Even and Vexen's house. Would you like to come with me?"

Xehanort nodded eagerly and hopped down, so Xavier stood up and led him out of the house and down the road. It was a leisurely walk in the bright sunshine and fresh spring air, but Xehanort still held on tightly to Xavier's hand as they went. There were no words spoken as they went, and Xavier used the silence to think about things that still had to be done before Xehanort could be sent home. There was still scarring across his back and legs that would have to be removed, since Xavier knew that his body had been free from any major scarring until he was well into his forties. Other than that, there really wasn't much to do but speak to Master Yen Sid about the spell.

"Xehanort!" Vexen's happy shout broke Xavier from his thoughts, and he looked up in time for Xehanort to let go of his hand and go running over to where Vexen was standing, waving to him. The two began chatting away to each other while Vexen pointed out various features of the house that, by then, was mostly done. There was still work on the interior to be done, but the exterior and roof were complete.

Xavier walked up to Even and Ienzo, who were standing on the porch. From inside the house came the sounds of hammering and sawing.

"How is it going?" he asked. "Are they about done in there?"

Even nodded. "They expect to be done in a few more days." He sighed. "I still can't believe everything that happened."

"I still would like to know how you were caught down there." Ienzo said as he folded his arms over his chest. "No one should have known that you were there, yet Ansem found you."

"I doubt we'll ever know how he found out." Even said heavily. "It's not as though we can ask him."

Xavier paused as a thought occurred to him, but then he shook his head.

"What is it?" Ienzo asked.

"Nothing," Xavier replied. "Just a thought. So, what you are, Dilan, and Aeleus planning to do, Ienzo?"

"We plan to find another world to live on. All of us staying on one world would be too dangerous for everyone involved."

"Any ideas where?"

"Not yet. We'll let you know where when we find some place. It may take us a while, since we want a world that's not well known to everyone."

"Of course."

There were all silent for a moment, and then Even spoke up. "When are you going to speak with Master Yen Sid?"

"I was thinking in a few more days. I wanted to make sure that you were all taken care of before doing anything else."

Ienzo shook his head. "I would do it sooner rather than later. You need to get Xehanort sent home as soon as possible."

"He can't leave right now as it is anyway, so I'm not in too much of a hurry."

"Why not?" It was Dilan who asked the question as he walked out of the house to join them on the porch. He was covered in sawdust, and he was wearing simple work clothes instead of his normal guard's uniform.

Xavier turned his head to look at the child, who was still standing and chatting with Vexen. "Because his body is still riddled with scar tissue. I had only a few tiny scars from childhood bumps and scraps as a young man, and it wasn't until I was well into my forties that I received anything else. Taylor and I will have to remove the scarring before we can send him back."

"That should be easy enough," Even commented. "With your healing magic."

Xavier nodded in agreement. "Yes, but it will still take time."

"Well, while you're doing that, Master Yen Sid can look into reversing that spell." Ienzo added.

"Daddy! Daddy!" came Vexen's excited calls as he ran up to join them, with Xehanort right behind him. "Can Xehanort stay over with us?"

The adults on the porch shared a look before Even answered Vexen's question. "We'll see, Vexen. We don't even have a house to stay at right now."

"I know, but when it's finished?"

The adults shared another look. "We'll see."

Xavier and Xehanort left for home a few minutes later, and as they were walking, Xehanort had a question.

"Will I still be here once their house is finished?"

"Probably. It will take time for Master Yen Sid to figure out what went wrong with the spell and figure out how to reverse it. On top of that, we have to do something about the scarring across your back and legs first."

"I guess it would be hard to explain where those had come from, wouldn't it?"

"Indeed, especially since I didn't have any such scarring that I can remember."

"Will it be the same as before?"

"You mean anesthetizing you and removing it surgically?" Xehanort nodded. "Yes, that's what we'll do. It'll be easier on you that way, and we'll be able to get most, if not all, of it at once."

"When will you do that?"

"Probably after we speak to Master Yen Sid. Ienzo pointed out to me that we're better served to do that sooner rather than later, so we'll probably go tomorrow. Hopefully Sora and friends won't be there..."

"Are they dangerous?"

"For me, they are. They'll attack me on sight, but they won't harm you, I'm sure."

"Is it a long trip?"

"Somewhat. It's further away than Radiant Garden, but it's not that long for the Corridors of Darkness. We'll just have to make multiple quick jumps as we normally do, which will lengthen our travel time."

"So, tomorrow then?"

Xavier nodded. "Bright and early."

"Do you really think he'll be able to send me home?"

"As sure as I'm here beside you. Now let's go home and see what's for lunch."

"Can we go for a ride afterwards?"

"If your chores are done."

Xehanort paused for a second, and then he took off running towards home. Xavier laughed quietly to himself and followed at a more sedate pace.

******

In the morning, Xehanort and Xavier took the Corridors first to Disney Town, then to Agrabah, Traverse Town, Twilight Town, The Land of Departure, before they stopped at The Mysterious Tower.

As soon as they stepped out of the portal, Xavier felt the magic of the place sweeping over them, crawling over their skin, tasting them and their intentions. Up at the top of the tower, no doubt Master Yen Sid knew that they were there and knew exactly who they were.

Though he knew that he was more powerful that Master Yen Sid, there was no telling what kind of wards the old man had erected. He didn't sense any wards to prevent Heartless from getting in, but he did sense something surrounding the tower, so it was best to play it safe. He didn't know if Xehanort could feel the magic around them, but the boy was clinging to his hand in wide eyed fright as they walked across the lawn to to the front doors. Those doors opened for them as they approached.

"He's inviting us in." Xavier said quietly as they walked up the front steps. Xehanort said nothing, and they ascended the spiral stairs to the top of the tower in silence. Once they were at the top, the door to the study opened for them on creaking hinges. Xavier pushed Xehanort behind him and readied himself to open a portal at a second's notice as they walked through into the study.

"Master Xehanort," greeted a voice that he had not heard in many years. "Why have you come here?"

The elderly keyblade master was seated behind his desk in the center of the room as normal, with his hands resting on his lap. Around the walls of the circular room were books of every conceivable size, including a few that were so large that magic was required to lift them. Starlight, which was always visible in the perpetual night that surrounded the tower, shone through windows of various shapes and sizes.

Xavier inclined his head for a moment in greeting. "Master Yen Sid, I come seeking your advice. I have a difficult problem, and I am unsure how to solve it."

"Why would you seek me out, knowing that you oppose everything I stand for?"

"This is why." Xavier replied, and he pulled Xehanort out from behind him so Master Yen Sid could see him.

To his credit, the old man showed no reaction other than a slight raising of his eyebrows. "I have been trying to understand what the worlds have been saying," he said after a moment. "This explains much. How did he get here?"

Xehanort stepped closer to Xavier and grasped onto his coat with both hands, which prompted Xavier to put an arm around his shoulders. "I think you know the answer to that."

"The spell."

"Yes, as near as we can figure, the spell summoned me as intended, but not the version of me you were seeking."

Yen Sid bowed his head and closed his eyes for a moment. "Hmmm. If that is true, then the timeline is at great risk."

"I do not think so. I remember living on the Destiny Islands until I left with Master Limahl and Eraqus, so I obviously went home somehow."

"He has been in the present only a few short months, yet already there is Darkness growing in his heart."

"Yes," Xavier hissed with narrowed eyes, angered by the implication. "Darkness is an unfortunate side effect of an innocent child being dragged away from their home and family, locked in a darkened prison cell, and then tortured and abused daily."

Yen Sid's eyes widened slightly. "I did not know."

"No, I didn't think so. I couldn't imagine you allowing a child to suffer such cruelty, even if it is a younger version of me."

"He also shows potential for the keyblade already."

"He has handled mine," Xavier dismissed that with a casual wave of his hand. "but that is not important."

"No, what is important is preserving the timeline. I will discuss things with Merlin and find a way to send the boy home. How can I contact you?"

"I will come by. I'd rather keep my location and contacts secret, if you please." He stepped back away from the desk and tightened his grip on Xehanort. He then opened a portal behind them and stepped back into it. "I'll be in touch."

They stepped out of the portal by the barn back home, and Xehanort looked up at Xavier.

"He doesn't like you very much, does he?"

"No, he doesn't. Most people don't actually."

"Because of what you did?"

"Yes,"

"Does that mean... that they're going to hate me too?"

Xavier sighed heavily. "Yes, little one." he replied. "They will."

"I don't want anyone to hate me."

"By the time that happens, you will no longer care. By the time you do care again, many will not hate you anymore."

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"It's all I have to offer, Xehanort."

"Maybe I can change things." Xehanort said softly as they walked back to the house.

I doubt it. Xavier thought, but he kept that to himself and followed the child into the house without a word.

******

Many things happened over the next several days: Even and Vexen's house was finished, and the two moved into it, Xavier and Taylor took Even around the various towns and villages to acquaint him with the people, Xavier began to plan out the few surgeries needed to remove the scar tissue on Xehanort's back and legs, and Ienzo, Dilan, and Aeleus found another world to live on.

"It's a smallish world quite a ways from here." Ienzo explained the night before they left. They were all gathered in Even and Vexen's living room, sharing a drink and a chat, while Vexen and Xehanort assembled a large puzzle on the floor.

"During ten years of exploring the worlds around Never Was, we never found this one before." Dilan added. "So hopefully, no one else will either."

"Never Was?" Vexen piped up. "That's a funny name for a world."

"No stranger than some of the names for areas in the castle." Aeleus replied.

"Nothings' Call." Lea said.

"Hall of Empty Melodies." Isa remarked.

"Proof of Existence." Roxas said.

"Where Nothing Gathers." was Ienzo's contribution.

"Naught's Approach." Dilan added.

"Addled Impasse." Even said with a smirk.

"Havoc's Divide." said Aeleus.

"Altar of Naught." Xavier said, and then he looked at the others. "Who named all of those places anyway?"

"You did!" the others said in unison.

Xavier scratched his head. "Oh, right." Everyone had a good laugh for a minute, and then they continued talking about Ienzo, Dilan, and Aeleus' new home.

"So what's the climate like?" Lea asked.

"From what we've seen," Dilan replied. "A little harsher than Radiant Garden's; colder in the winter, warmer in the summer, but not too much more."

"We're on the wrong world." Lea muttered to Isa.

"No, we're not moving." Isa said in response.

"We were welcomed with open arms when we inquired about staying there." Aeleus added. "So we believe it will work out fine."

"What are you going to do there?" Even asked, brows furrowed in concern.

"I'm sure that we'll find something." Dilan replied with a faint smile. "You worry too much, Even."

"After what happened to Xavier, who can blame me? You know that Ansem and the other world leaders are going to be tearing the universe apart looking for us."

Xavier frowned. "It might not be a bad idea to warn the other former members of the Organization. There is no telling what will happen if one of them is discovered during the search for us."

"If you can find them." Even said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Xavier smirked. "Xemnas knew where every single member was from, so I could do that easily if I wished."

"Is Emyd still living on the Destiny Islands?" Lea asked.

"Emyd?" Dilan asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Demyx." Roxas answered.

"You know, I don't know." Xavier said thoughtfully. "I can check his homeworld to see if he's about. If he's not, it's safe to assume that he's still on the Destiny Islands and under Sora's protection."

"So is he from Atlantica like the rumors said?" Aeleus asked with a grin.

Xavier returned it. "No, he's from a rather unusual world that's basically one giant lake, rather like a freshwater version of the Destiny Islands. Music is a large part of their culture there."

"That explains much about Demyx." Ienzo remarked.

"Let me guess," Roxas asked. "They're also a bunch of pacifists."

"How ever did you come to that conclusion?"

More laughter rang about the room, and Ienzo turned to Roxas. "What are you planning to do, Roxas?"

"I really don't know yet." Roxas said with a shrug. "I could go back to Radiant Garden, I guess. Sora would flip if Ansem tried to do anything to me, so I'm probably safe there."

"Aren't you going to take your Mark of Mastery soon?" Xavier asked.

"Yeah, so?"

"Then why settle for one place? Once you're a Keyblade Master, you can become a Seeker, like I was once was, and travel the worlds freely."

"Hmmm, that's an idea. I might look into that. I'll have to go speak with Master Yen Sid soon; I'll ask him about it. I wonder what we'll be doing for the Mark of Master now that he's seen you?"

"I have no idea. I really don't know who Master Yen Sid prefers to test his students. By the time he started to take on his own students, I was out traveling the universe and didn't see him until the other day."

"Is he looking into the spell?" Even asked as Vexen climbed up onto his lap, having abandoned the puzzle.

"He is." Xavier replied as Xehanort joined him on the couch he was sitting on. "He said he'll consult with Merlin on it, and I'll check on their progress in a few more days."

"You know you could be walking into a trap?" Lea said with concern.

"I know, but I don't think it's too great of a risk. Master Yen Sid is very worried about the timeline, so he'll probably leave me alone at least until Xehanort is safely home. I'll worry about the rest later."

Isa stood up. "Well, I hope you're able to get him home and get back here safely." He pulled Lea to his feet, and Xavier thought about how meek and quiet Lea had become since his illness. As annoying as Lea's boisterousness could be, he hoped it wasn't a permanent change. "It's getting late, so I think that Lea and I are going to head home."

Goodbyes and good nights came from the others in the room, and Isa and Lea walked out of the house towards their own home. Xavier then stood up, which prompted Xehanort to do the same.

"I think that Xehanort and I will do the same." he said as he put his arm around the boy's shoulders. "We have things to do tomorrow."

Vexen wiggled down off of Even's lap and ran over to Xehanort for a hug. "Goodnight!" he said cheerily as he threw his arms around Xehanort and squeezed. One side of Xavier's mouth curled up at the sight. Xehanort was actually a little shorter than Vexen, which caused him to have to bend over backwards slightly due to the exuberance of the hug.

"Let go of him, Vexen." Even said from his chair. "Before you hurt him."

Vexen hastily let go. "Oops, sorry." he said sheepishly. Xehanort smiled a small smile at him and leaned against Xavier's side, while Vexen skipped back over to Even.

"Goodnight, everyone." Xavier said as he ushered the boy towards the door. The others called out their good nights as they walked out of the house and into the cool night air. The ten minute walk passed in comfortable silence, and once they were home, Xehanort went straight to bed without having to be told. Xavier tucked him in, and then went and climbed into his own bed.

******

The following day, Xavier and Taylor removed most of the scar tissue from Xehanort's back and legs. A quick Curaga later left the skin looking as though no injury had ever happened, which is what they had been hoping for. Since Xehanort was healthy, he didn't need much time to recover, and they were able to take him in the day after that to get the rest of it. Xavier took him home and allowed him to relax the rest of the day as he shook off the remnants of the anesthesia.

In the morning, he went to see Master Yen Sid. Well aware that a trap could be waiting for him, he went alone before Xehanort woke up. He walked right into the old man's tower without any difficulties and found him in his study, along with the wizard Merlin.

"Master Xehanort." Yen Sid said evenly. He did not offer Xavier a chair, though he wouldn't have taken one if it had been.

"Master Yen Sid." Xavier said calmly as he stood in front of the desk. "What have you found?"

"We believe we discovered why the spell went awry." the old man said evenly. "We are currently figuring how to reverse it."

"I say we should have something within another week or so." Merlin said from where he was standing by one of the bookshelves.

"I will return then." Xavier said as he opened a portal behind him and stepped back into it. He saw Master Yen Sid give a small nod as the portal closed behind him.

Instead of returning home, he stepped out of the portal on Emyd's homeworld. Warm sunshine shone down on him through gaps in the trees, while a constant breeze ruffled his hair slightly. In front of him spread a massive freshwater sea that made up most of the world. He smiled slightly at the sight and, then he turned away and walked off of the beach towards the center of the island. Unlike the Destiny Islands, which had multiple islands scattered over a massive ocean, this world had only one large land mass surrounded by water.

As he walked inland, the sounds of hammering and sawing fell on his ears, and over that, he fainly heard a sound that he hadn't heard since he had met Emyd on the Destiny Islands. He smiled faintly and walked towards it. A few minutes later, he crested a small hill to find a single solitary tree, and a familiar blond figure sitting beneath it, sitar in hand. He waited until their was a pause in the music and then:

"Hello, Emyd."

The music stopped with a discordant twang! from the strings, and Emyd looked up at him. He blinked in incomprehension for a moment, and then his face lit up with a bright smile.

"Xehanort! How are you? What brings you here?"

Xavier ignored the use of his other name and instead walked leisurely up to the tree. "I'm fine, been busy. I see that you made it home, finally."

Emyd smiled again. "Yup! I just made it back a few months ago. Everyone was happy to see me too!"

Xavier returned the smile; it was nice to see him so happy. "Unfortunately, I didn't come here just to chat. I come with a warning."

Emyd dismissed his sitar and stood up. "Oh? About what?"

"I was spotted by Ansem of Radiant Garden several days ago, so the search for me is bound to intensify, if it hasn't already. The world leaders may come after the other Organization XIII members to try and get to me, so please be careful."

"I will. Thanks for telling me." He gestured towards the nearby village, where the sounds of construction were coming from. "Would you like to stay for a bit?"

Xavier shook his head. "Thanks, but no. I have to find and warn the others before the world leaders find them first."

"Okay then." Emyd said with a nod. "Be careful, and if I see any of them, I'll let them know."

"Take care of yourself, Emyd."

"I will, and you do the same, Xehanort."

"I will. Is it safe for me to portal out here?"

"Yeah, you're fine."

Xavier waved as he vanished into a portal, and just before it closed, he saw Emyd sit back down under the tree and summon his sitar.

Xavier spent most of the day portaling to various worlds and speaking with the Organization members. All of them took his warning seriously (Even Luxord/ Rould, who kept his eyes on the Roulette wheel during the entire conversation.), but he wasn't worried about most of them. Many of them, like Raliaum, lived in worlds so far off the beaten path that it was doubtful that it would ever be discovered by those who might recognize him.

Once he had spoken with them all, he portaled to Ienzo, Aeleus, and Dilan's new home. Winter was giving way to spring in the small world, and Xavier was grateful for his coat as he slogged through the melting snow towards the warm lights of a house that sat a short distance away.

Ienzo opened the door before he could knock and invited him in. The house was warmed by electric heat and lit by electric lights, as the world had technology only slightly below Radiant Garden's. He stomped the snow from his boots and walked into the brightly lit living room, which was already full with wall to wall bookshelves.

"Did you find everyone?" Dilan asked.

Xavier nodded. "I did. Everyone is going to be on the lookout, though I think Rould is more concerned with his game than anything."

"Let me guess," Ienzo said dryly. "Luxord?"

"How did you figure that one?"

Aeleus huffed. "He's the reason we had to stop the Friday night poker games."

"Why?" Xavier replied. "Because he would fleece the rest of you for everything you had, and then you would come crawling to Xemnas for raises?"

"Well..."

Xavier grinned. "That's what I thought."

Aeleus changed the subject. "Has Yen Sid many any progress with the spell?" he asked.

Xavier took a chair next to Dilan and accepted a cup of coffee from Ienzo. "Some. He knows where it went wrong, and now he's working on how to reverse it. Merlin thinks they may have something in about a week."

There were understanding nods, and then Dilan asked: "Where did Roxas go? Did he go back to Radiant Garden?"

"He's staying with Lea and Isa for now, and he plans to take my advice about being a Seeker after his Mark of Mastery."

"I'm sure he'll enjoy it." Aeleus asked. "It will give him something to do."

Xavier took a drink from his mug. "My thoughts exactly. He admitted to me that he hasn't really felt like he belonged anywhere since Master Yen Sid separated him from Sora, so maybe this will give him some much needed direction." He finished his coffee and stood up. "I hate to run so soon after getting here, but I really need to be heading home. It's late."

"Could you let Even know that we're doing fine here?" Ienzo asked. "I know he's worrying, because he wanted us to stay by him, but it was just too dangerous for so many of us to live on the same world."

"You know he's just being clingy after what happened, but yes, I will tell him."

"Thank you."

"I will see you later then." Xavier said with a wave as he vanished into the darkness of a portal.

******

Over the next week, Xavier did his rounds, went for long rides on horseback with Xehanort, showed Even the ropes of being a country doctor, and made sure that he and Taylor had covered everything in regards to Xehanort's health. They had removed all of the scarring, and while the healed bones would show the old breaks on x-rays, Xavier knew that he had never had one of those up until his arrival in the castle infirmary in Radiant Garden. And of course by then, he was no longer in his original body, so it didn't matter anyway.

Finally one week after he spoke to Master Yen Sid and Merlin, he returned to the Mysterious Tower, hoping for good news.

"Master Xehanort." Master Yen Sid said by way of a greeting. "We may have found a way to reverse the spell."

"Do tell. Xehanort is quite eager to go home."

"It is quite simple." Merlin explained. "We were simply rearrange some of the words, and the spell will correct the time stream by sending Xehanort back to his era."

"That's it? Will it send me back with him, or just him?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Do you honestly expect me to just hand him over to you and walk away? I will be making sure that he makes it back safely."

"Hmmm," Master Yen Sid stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I believe it will send you both back, but once you are there, the time stream will be incorrect again, which will cause it force you back to the present."

"That works for me. As long as I can see that he's safely home. Where will it put us?"

Merlin answered. "We believe it will put him back where he was to begin with."

"What is more," Master Yen Sid added. "As part of the correction of the time stream, we believe that all memories of his time here will be lost, and that you, once you return here, will not be able to recall the time you spent in the past."

"That explains why I can't remember any of this?" Xavier said with a nod. "Anything else?"

"We would like to perform the spell as soon as possible."

"Tomorrow works for me then."

"Very well, Master Xehanort."

"I will see you then, and let me warn you," He fixed a glare on Master Yen Sid. "No tricks or traps, or you will be in a world of pain. You couldn't take me when we were apprentices, and you couldn't hope to touch me now. Am I clear?"

Master Yen Sid nodded without saying anything, and Xavier portaled out without another word.

He stepped out of the portal aside the barn like normal and walked towards the house. He could hear music and laughter drifting through the open windows, and he thought he could hear Xehanort's voice above the others, laughing about something that the boy found amusing. He smiled sadly and walked across the yard and into the house. Inside he found Xehanort in the family room with the rest of the family, laughing hysterically at Akim's attempt to remember the lyrics of the song that he was trying to sing. Xavier stood in the doorway and watched with a small smile, and he waited until Xehanort glanced over at him to motion him out of the room.

"What's wrong, Xavier?" the boy asked as they walked into the parlor and shut the door behind them. "Did you speak to Master Yen Sid again?"

Xavier sat down on the couch in front of the cold fireplace and waited for Xehanort to join him. "I did." he said once he had done so. "He's figured out how to send you home."

"He has? Really?" Xehanort's face lit up. "When can I go home? Will it be soon? How's it going to work?"

Xavier held up his hands. "Slow down, slow down. Yes, he has, and he's going to cast it tomorrow, because we want to get things back where they should as soon as possible. The spell will work by forcing the time stream to correct itself, which will drag you back to where you came from. That is all I know."

Xehanort's eyes dimmed a little. "Tomorrow? So soon?"

"Yes, we need to get you home quickly, because we don't know what kind of consequences you being here for too long will have."

"But I..." Xehanort looked down at his feet. "I..."

"Hmmm? Don't you want to go home?"

"I do, but..."

"But?"

The boy's voice was so soft that Xavier could barely hear his answer. "I don't want to leave everyone here. I don't want to leave you." He leaned against Xavier and closed his eyes. "I want to go home. I really do, but I'll miss everyone here."

Xavier put his arm around the child's shoulders. "I understand. It's probably not much of a help to know this, but Master Yen Sid believes that you'll forget everything that happened here once you're back in your own era. Since I can't remember anything you experienced, I believe that he's right."

"I suppose it's something." Xehanort whispered. "I guess you can't miss what you can't remember."

Xavier refrained from commenting on that, even though he knew all too well otherwise. "Would you like to say goodbye to everyone?" he asked instead.

Xehanort shook his head. "No, but I wouldn't mind... visiting with Vexen before I go." He looked up at Xavier. "Would that be all right?"

Xavier brushed a few strands of hair out of his face. "That's fine. We'll go tomorrow, before we leave for the Mysterious Tower."

"Okay," Xehanort nodded and laid his head against Xavier's side.

"Anything else you'd like to do before you go?"

"No, I just want to stay here with you."

Xavier felt tears well up in his own eyes at the emotions coming from the child next to him. He blinked them away and scooped him up into his arms. Xehanort curled close to him, and that stayed there, silently taking comfort from the other's presence, until dinner time.

Chapter 11 -- Chapter 13.0
Back to the Burning Heart Archive
Back to the Main Archive