The Return (Sora, Lea)

[Squall Leonhart]

As the warp drive of gummi space began to slow, and the craft Leon had been piloting from Disney Castle had started to ease into a steady creep through the abyss of space, thoughts began to wander through the mind of the Proud Lion as he thought back on the past few days. Many things had transpired, which had the leader of the Restoration Committee's mind racing, and it did nothing to bring any amount of calmness to his nerves. There was something unusual about the way these events were playing themselves out, as if they possessed an other worldly order that they were to follow, as though something was pulling Leon through it all, toward a destination unknown. A stern focus was evident in his blue eyes as he surveyed the digital console of the gummi ship, as Leon attempted to concentrate on the path through the stars he was following. Somewhere out there, among all the glistening balls of fire in the night sky, was a friend in need. Leonhart had gone out to search for Cloud Strife, his intent to unravel the mystery that surrounded the enigmatic blond’s disappearance from Radiant Garden. Usually in the past, these types of disappearances had become common, as most of the Committee had come to expect that type of behavior from Cloud, yet always held the expectation and certainty that he would eventually return. The last patrol through the Garden had been different though, and much to everyone’s surprise, days passed on without a single word or sight from that of Strife. It was troubling in the mind of Leonhart, because while he usually had his own priorities to worry about, there was still the concern for his friend that continued to prick at the back of his mind. Leon was not one to turn his back on his friends, especially one as stubborn as Cloud, and it was this very concern that seemed to drive the Proud Lion toward reuniting his friends.

Though despite what he felt for the other members of the Restoration Committee, there was another obligation driving the brunette, and it had been in effect long before he had taken up the reigns as Radiant Garden’s impromptu leader. It was a promise to a girl in blue, which had been made with the ties of love, many years ago. While it still felt like yesterday to Leonhart, the memories of the darkness sweeping over the world, it hit him like a ton of bricks, and it burned more fiercely than any weapon to have struck his body. The mental images of seeing Heartless roaming with little resistance in the halls of Balamb Garden brought about a furrow in the man’s brow as he recalled the past. His friends had fought so hard to protect their home world, and yet, Leon himself had done nothing, for it was all he could have done. While he was taken by the Darkness, turning up unconscious in Radiant Garden days later, Leonhart learned from his rival Seifer that he and the others had defended the home of the Lion, even after he had gone missing. After what Almasy had told him that day in the Burrow, that the world was still out there amongst the stars, Leon refused to believe it at first, simply because of whose mouth it had been coming from. Though over time, the Proud Lion continued to ponder the words of the Sorceress Knight, and eventually began to think that maybe, his home could be returned from the darkness, just like Radiant Garden.

It was then that a distant sphere appeared in the glass of Leon’s visor, which he squinted at the sight of at first, only to look down to the console again to press a few key buttons. After a few blips on the computer, the gummi ship began to speed toward the unknown world, until it neared its orbit did the craft actually begin to slow its pace once more. Leon’s expression remained stern for the time being, as he tried not to think about the news that King Mickey had bestowed upon him. He also didn’t want to think of the possible danger that Kairi could be in, but after leaving the Princess with the safety of Disney Castle, Leon was certain that she would be safe. That was also another thing to be relieved about, for if he ever saw Sora again, the young Keybearer would be relieved to know that he had managed to keep her out of Kadaj’s hands. Once he was close enough, Leon’s vision squinted once more to glimpse further out the glass, and laid eyes upon the reconstruction of a space station. His eyes widened a fraction, as he thought he was looking into the past, but as he began to doubt the possibility of it further, Leon decided this was just another world he had never been to before. While he sped past the construction site, Leon muted his comlink system on the dash, and made a steady descent to the world’s surface.

As the gummi ship tore through the clouds, whirring with its jet engines as it glided down to skim the surface of a blue ocean, Leon took the time to perform a barrel roll before righting his altitude. The mist from the humidity had managed to dot the glass of the visor with many droplets of water, yet it did not prevent the Lion from keeping an eye of his surroundings. Soon in a matter of moments, the sight of waves breaking upon the shore could be seen, and as Leonhart sped over the cliffs, he came to see a familiar structure. Blue eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of the aged stone, and as he made motion to circle around the perimeter, his focus laid rest upon a vast field filled with yellow and white flowers. The growing sound of the engine’s pitch filled the air upon landing, and soon they died with a distinct fading whir in decibel. The visor propped itself up, opening the cockpit of the gummi ship, and allowed Leon to hop out from the two seated craft to hit the grass with his boots; a resounding, yet soft crunch could be heard distinctly following the dead silence of the ship. With a slow pace, Leon walked the stone pathway toward the front door of Edea’s Orphanage, keeping his eyes focused upon the entryway. It was in this place that so much happened, for Leon felt his very life tied to this humble, run down abode. He had lived here under the care of Matron, along with the rest of his friends made in his time at Balamb, as they had all come from this very place in the world. Zell. Selphie. Irvine. Quistis. Seifer. They had all been a part of the history here, and had all become an essential part in Leon’s life.

The Proud Lion came to a stop, and looked before the steps of the Orphanage to a clearing of grass. It had been that spot that he saw the demise of his greatest foe, where he had seen Ultimecia pass on her powers to Edea, and thus setting the course for the future of all the orphans that once lived here. In a time long before this one, it had been this spot that a proud SeeD had once passed on the ideas of the very organization that would shape him into the man he would become, the man he was now. Lost within the memories that transpired at this very spot, Leonhart made a slow glance to his left, and laid eyes upon that same peaceful field. It was a field of beauty, significance, and the place where a promise, no, an oath had been made. Right before his very eyes, Leon could see himself and the girl standing there with each other, as though his very memories were providing an ethereal film to watch. The visions of himself and Rinoa were not entirely physical, as there was a translucence to their forms, and Leon could tell this much about them, even before he approached the illusion of Rinoa to rub a hand through the locks of her hair, only to have it pass through as though they were literally nothing.

Leon remained focused upon the memories of the pair, of this very meeting he himself recalled once enduring. As the two exchanged words, they discussed the fate of Rinoa becoming a Sorceress, and how she would eventually become hated by everyone. The younger version of Leonhart retorted, unsure of his words at first, but as he spoke them, Leon himself recited them to the empty area he now found himself in. “Even if you end up as the world's enemy, I'll... I'll be your knight..." At the conclusion of the sentence, the two illusions faded from sight, leaving Leon alone before the vast empty field of flowers. For a moment blue eyes watched the expanse of peaceful nature before him in silence, until at last, Leon worked up the courage to take a slow pace forward. Each step then began to take the same soft crunch as the grass before it, yet each was heavier than the last, as though the very weight of the world was dropping down upon him. Leon kept walking, until he came to a stop in a moderate distance from the Orphanage, and then held out his hand. A bright flash of light overcame his right hand, soon dissipating to reveal the Revolver gunblade clenched firmly within its grasp. The Proud Lion of Radiant Garden raised the silver weapon high, so that it gave off a glint of light as the sun reflected off its surface. For a moment in thought, Leon stared at the engraving of Griever upon the side of the blade, his expression remaining stern, yet soon it dissolved into a state of somber. Soon the weapon was lowered from his face, and pierced into the soft dirt beside him with a forceful thrust. As Leon looked once more to the field of flowers, a swift breeze overtook his features, causing all hair and clothing to billow about within its influence.

“You promised you’d be waiting. Well, here I am…so, where does that leave you?”

[lea]

As he stepped into the Betwixt and Between, the realms that existed when one walked through a Corridor of Darkness, Lea couldn't help but notice that there were pathways to worlds he had never seen before. "Well well well...that's kinda new.. he said lazily, despite his interest being peaked. Of course he knew travelling to unknown worlds was dangerous but a quick look never hurt anyone right? Besides that, a certain one seemed to call out to him. Something deep in his gut told him to go forth.

Taking a step forth, then another, the former Organization member paused and shrugged. "To hell with it..may as well go. Besides, what's the worst that can happen? I run into some Nobodies or Heartless..or those weird things that Masked Weirdo summoned? So, deciding to go with the flow and do what his gut says he took the path towards the new world that had opened, not knowing what he would find.

Within minutes the swirling sound of darkness echoed throughout the old run down orphanage, a Corridor of Darkness manifesting itself right in the room where Squall and Co. used to play. Booted steps echoed lightly as they touched the old floor, blue eyes looking about curiously as he fully emerged from the Dark Corridor, arm extending outward to close the portal. "Well, this place looks like a dump. I'm kinda disappointed..." Despite all that he continued to look, gaze shifting up to the crumbling walls. Sunlight peeked through cracks and holes in both wall and roof, causing him to squint slightly as he searched.

The relaxing sound of water reached his ears next, head turning ever so slightly to see a doorway. But before that however, he remembered an important rule, one that was very important when venturing to new worlds. Expect the unexpected. Be prepared for anything. "May as well arm up..." Stretching his arms out on both sides, black and white energy swirled down towards his palms before vanishing. Flames then erupted to life in his hands, swirling in a brilliant display before his chakrams appeared next. Twirling both once he made his way out the doorway.

As the soft sand crunched beneath his booted feet, he couldn't help but close his eyes and just, relax for a moment. The sun's race on his face was more than welcome, especially after that battle with Vanitas he had just had. It just...took away all his stress, even for just a moment. However, he had to figure out why he felt like this world called to him. So he turned his head then, catching the gleam of the sun caused by Squall's Gunblade being raised in the air. "Well well, looks like I'm not alone after all.."

Dismissing his chakrams for now, he made his way towards where he saw the gleam, taking in Squall's appearance for just a moment. Geez, this guy looks like he could stand to lighten up a little...[/color] he thought silently to himself before finally speaking. "Hey uh Scarface...." he started, taking notice of the long scar that ran down the mans face. "Mind tellin' me what world this is?" He'd save introductions for later, after he learned who this guy was.

[Sora]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] Finally breaking, so where are you now? It's been such a long time; I'm trying to live without I'm suffocating, I need you to breathe, so reach out and pull me out, pull me out, before I get buried beneath The cold of space seemed to creep into his gummi ship as he left Traverse Town, frost as if ice freezing into the corners of the windows. Sora looked out into the depths of the Sea of Stars, piloting the controls into the lanes between. headed for the next world. This time he would try to go to a world that wasn't considered a hub world, like Traverse Town and Disney Castle, as he was more concerned that his friends needed his help in other worlds that he had not visited for some time. And more importantly, his Mark of Mastery continued, looking for what he needed to help find the people that were waiting for him. The letter from King Mickey still tucked into his pocket still rang fresh in his mind, his mind on the carefully folded letter as he took the gummi ship in the other direction from the route he uses to travel to and from Traverse Town, following one of the gates he had opened that he had not visited in the longest time. He felt fortunately glad that the Lanes In Between offered trails of light between the worlds, like the invisible connections of the heart between worlds so he would not become lost in the chilling reaches of space. And just like those connections, his connections with his friends were still there too; in reminder they were always there with him, and he in turn for them. Even friends or new friends he had let to make were still there, all he had to do was follow the trail to find them; lost, but never forgotten. It mortified him there were people out there who were still waiting, still hurting from their sadness that only he could heal, and he could still not find them. He had found one of them, but still several others were let to be found; and perhaps several more still had let to be identified and found at the ends of the connections his heart had yet to uncover. It started as a dot on the other side of the glass at first, but slowly a small blue world that stood out against the shining nebula of space dimmed from the bright light it once was. Sora pulled back on the controls to slow the gummi ship, feeling the velocity of the ship slow to a crow, as he observed the majesty and the might of the massive world spinning gradually below. His ship rattled slightly in turbulence as he made descent into the atmosphere, Sora sometimes concerned the old ship could bust apart into gummi blocks at any moment, but the ship soon settled down as Sora followed the ship's path on the computer to avoid burning up on entry. At least now the coldness of space defrosted, the frost in the corner of his windowpanes evaporating, leaving Sora relaxed as the cockpit warmed up slightly to the greenhouse gases of the planet. As he broke through the cloud cover, he saw below him the majesty of animals migrating far below above a wide an uninhabited coastline, along with grace of sloping mountains and cliffs before breaking off smoothly into the paler sands of shorelines and sea. Then there was an unusual sight after he passed over a landmark below; at first Sora thought it was a lighthouse, but upon closer inspection it seemed to be a small series of white houses gathered at the top of a large, leveled-off cliff. What interested Sora more however, was he saw there was another gummi ship parked down below. As the keybarer figured out where he was going to park the ship himself to investigate, he noticed where it had was probably the best place, as the shoreline looked too narrow to land such a bulky vessel. The gummi ship circled over the beach, too far up to see the black dot down below and the relfection of light, landing off to the side in a clearing that could presumably be either a old basketball court or a carpark. The gummi ship came to a jolt as it landed upon terra firma from it's acceleration from deep space, systems shutting down as the on-board navigational computer and gummis had done their job, and it was now that he didn't have his life in his own hands upon reaching land safely below his feet did Sora's mind begin to wander as he looked out upon his new surroundings. It was ruined and a practical ghost town, what he had walked into. The Key that Connected Everyone observed the other gummi ship for a moment, the only other new thing here in the are besides his own gummi ship, not recognizing it at first before he turned to the buildings. As he began to explore, one thing became apparent; this place had clearly been abandoned. Some buildings looked like they had caved in from decades of no maintenance with plants growing in unkempt places; the keybarer took caution as he explored a house, noticing the mold on the ceilings and dust on the floor, along with what looked like broken toys and shoes caked in mud on the floor. From the grains he had to wipe off a photo frame, it looked like this place had once been home to a large family that was perhaps large enough to be a foster home like Kairi's, but wherever the smiling kids in the photo were now they were clearly long gone. And then, sounds and movement. Or... had they? He put the photo frame down, moving towards the sound as he stepped out of the house, thinking it could be the native wildlife or even... Heartless. The sound had come from the direction of building near a path leading out of the plot of buildings, something that sounded like energy or being conjured, and a flash of... fire? Suddenly he braced himself as more movement came and a black shadow crossed underneath the front door just before him, summoning his keyblade some distance away as he braced himself to discover... a spiky red-headed man in black cloak as he walked out and not noticing him standing some distance away. For a moment Sora stood in utter shock that he had just seen what he though was Axel, but the bigger surprise came when he looked down at the keyblade that seemed to have reflected what was in his heart. The Sleeping Lion, and Sora knew what this had to mean as he quickly followed Number VIII towards the open expanse of vivid yellow and green, finding him and of course Leon there with his own silver blade buried deep into the ground. "Leon... Axel?" he questioned in a tone to make it obvious enough he was questioning why the both of them where here, Leon so far away from Radiant Garden and the HBRC, and Axel... existing when the last he had saw of him in Betwixt and Between was reminding how the boy in red made him feel before fading away to darkness. TAG Squall, Axel SONG Buried Beneath by Red NOTES Thanks for inviting me to the thread, Squall, after all the strife Tidus has put Seymour through both now and in the future. Also... am I the only one who finds the irony that the eighth Organization member is now on the world of Final Fantasy VIII? xD

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!

[Squall Leonhart]

For a moment longer the soft, cool air provided comfort with the moderate temperature of the sun, as the sound of the passing breeze passed through Leon’s ears. It was serene, and seemed to bring about a feeling of pure peace within the Proud Lion, despite how he felt about everything in the worlds going on at that precise moment in time. It was funny to think that given how peaceful things appeared on this part of the world, and how the entire planet seemed to be unaffected by the war, cradled in the influence of the light. Outside within the vast Sea of Stars chaos continued to ensue, and yet Archipelago continued its days here in a state of nirvana, as though the threat of the Heartless had never come to pass. It was as though he was standing in his home world like in the eye of a great storm, and like in the time following Ultimecia’s defeat, nothing was to be expected but blissful days ahead. He knew that wasn’t true though, and that the inevitable beast of war would swoop in to snag him in its jaws once more. A lion’s strength would not let such a monster swallow him without a fight though, nor his heart, and so his duty to his friends and peace of the worlds he cared for would drive him on. It was only a matter of time before it happened.

Though Leon’s moment of calm, uninterrupted solitude was ended, by a voice he did not recognize. For a moment his expression became contorted; half his brow furrowing as the other rose, provoked by curiosity regarding the identity of the wise guy. “That’s L-“ started the brunette, intending to correct his new guest on the name. Though much to his surprise, the gunblade wielder heard that name out loud from another, familiar voice. For a moment Leon didn’t think the coincidence to be possible, yet that second voice, he was certain he recognized it. As Leon turned to look at the two individuals who had unexpectedly graced him with their presences, his sights came to rest upon Sora, and an unknown man in a black cloak that he recognized too. The Keybearer had spoken the other man’s name as well, yet in a tone that suggested the youth was just as surprised to see him, as Leon was to see Sora. It was Axel, a name that seemed to match the hair, which was more alive with color and height than that of Zell Dincht’s. The cloak of Organization XIII was unsettling though, which put Leon at odds with what to think about the Nobody, if he was even a Nobody. Leon knew for certain, having seen them firsthand with Sora before, that the Nobodies of the infamous Order of Thirteen wore those unmistakable guises. Though something seemed different about this guy, and in an odd way, he seemed to feel more human to Leon’s sense than the others had. Maybe he wasn’t a threat to this world then.

Turning his attention to The Key to Everything, the Lion of Radiant Garden took a firm reverse grip on the hilt of the Revolver gunblade, and pulled it firmly from the dirt. As bits of grass and soil fell from the blade, Leonhart began to walk closer to the pair, letting the weapon dismiss in a bright flash of light as he did so. While the nature surrounding each of the individual’s reasons for being here remained unknown, Leon felt that this world had been a chance encounter of Sora’s, as could have possibly been a new step on his journey; a new world he had yet to explore. Leonhart sometimes forgot that the Keybearer was not familiar with all the worlds, and he had to admit, that even he knew that there possibly had to be many more out there, waiting to be explored. It had been a while since he had last seen the Key of Destiny Islands, and though it was surely a welcomed sight indeed, strangely enough he seemed to be traveling alone for once. “Good to see you Sora,” began Leon, addressing his friend that would doubtlessly turn the attention to him, avoiding the question that this Axel had asked for the moment. His eyes wandered down to the Keyblade held in his hand, and saw that it retained the form of the charm he had given to the youth, which brought a small smirk on his face.

‘I guess that’s how he found out I was here,’ thought Leon to himself in amusement.

“Traveling alone these days? Usually Donald and Goofy would be here by now, wouldn’t they?” joked the Proud Lion, yet kept a reasonably expressionless demeanor about his face. It was true, anytime that Leon had been fortunate enough to have Sora around, his other musketeers were usually always around too. The Disney King’s Court Magician and Captain of the Knights were good friends of Leon’s too, and he felt a bit concerned about the absence of the pair. Though there was something in his heart that told Leon nothing horrible had happened to either of them, as he was certain Sora had a good explanation for it. Crossing his arms and turning his sights onto the face of Lea, the Proud Lion regarded what he had said prior. “This is my world, its called Archipelago,” began the SeeD to the former Organization XIII member. His tone was filled with a sense of caution and guarded awareness, as he still didn’t know the facts regarding this guy’s allegiance, intentions or motives. While he wasn’t as standoffish as he used to be, or like some other fighters for the light he knew, Leonhart was focused on the safety of himself and Sora should this guy try anything. No weapons had been drawn, and he didn’t seem to rile up the Keybearer, so perhaps this wouldn’t lead to a fight.

Organization XIII and the Nobodies had been a great threat to the worlds, solely due to the ambitions of their leader, the Nobody of Xehanort as King Mickey had put it. While Leon didn’t know or recall having ever met with Xehanort, the King of Disney castle had made it clear to Sora, Donald, Goofy and himself that it had been Ansem the Wise’s Apprentice who opened the Door to Darkness. He was the catalyst and the source of all the Heartless, and the cause of the disappearance of Radiant Garden’s ruler. The group of beings without hearts had committed terrible crimes upon the worlds, and cost thousands if not more their hearts. Leon had done everything he could to make sure they stayed out of Radiant Garden, yet the Battle of 1000 Heartless had proven too much to keep them at bay, forcing everyone in the Restoration Committee into action. Sora’s efforts that day were monumental in the history of the Garden, and had proven to everyone just how mighty the Keyblade was. It had taken time for the youth to realize this over the course of his journeys, but Leon had known all along, and had been reminded time and time again. Sora truly did connect everything, as those who wielded the Keyblades upheld and guarded the very hearts of all worlds, and was a sworn protector of the heart of everything, Kingdom Hearts. “You’re with Organization XIII right? What are you doing here?” asked Leonhart to the man whom had been regarded as Axel.

[lea]

Axel?![/color]

Hearing that name sent a chill down the former Organization member's spine. Yet, he couldn't help but manage a small grin at the surprise in Sora's voice. The memory of the last time they saw each other played in his head like a movie he had just watched not five minutes ago. "Surprised to see me kid?" A light chuckle escaped before his right arm raised slightly, index finger tapping his temple lightly.

"The name isn't Axel anymore either. It's Lea. L-E-A. Got it memorized?" As he continued to talk to Sora he felt Leon's gaze upon him, knowing full well what the issue was. It was that damn Organization cloak he was wearing. But it was a necessary evil. Wearing that cloak kept him undetectable from the forces of Darkness, as well as any other Organization members that may be watching him. "Don't ask me how I'm back..because I ain't exactly sure myself. All I know is one minute I'm wandering the Dark Meridian then the next poof here I am..back." Not that he was complaining really. Anything was better than the Dark Meridian.

The Flurry of Dancing Flames grew silent as Leon took his turn to speak to Sora, ears listening intently for anything new he could learn. Possibly even some current events that could prove interesting. But naturally of course it was the typical how you been, good to see you spill. Folding his arms across his chest as Leon finally addressed him the former Nobody listened, nodding as he learned this world's name. "Archipelago huh. You from around here?" Sensing the other's hesitation made him smirk before continuing. "Relax...I ain't with the Organization anymore. This Cloak just has its uses. Now that I have my Heart back I'm going to be making up for everything I did while my Nobody served the Organization. I'm on your side for now. Got it memorized?" That should hopefully answer both Leon's questions.

Remembering his battle with Vanitas in Radiant Garden, his head turned sharply to Sora again, that blue green gaze fixating upon the spikey headed one. "Hey uh Sora...you encountered any new creatures apart from the Heartless and the Nobodies? This weird guy dressed in red and black armor I met back in Radiant Garden used them. That armor looked a lot like Riku's Dark Form did..just different. He also had a rather nasty lookin' Keyblade. Now...the weird creatures he used had a weird emblem on them. Was hopin' maybe you could give me some insight into this guy."

[Sora]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] My eyes have adjusted to the dark; and so is my heart The weight of the world has covered me The shade of the abandoned houses offered some relief, before Sora stepped back into the warm sun, and the sweet yet earthy scent of the ocean breeze drifting across the amazing field of flowers that stretched on before him to the horizon. The particles of pollen were whiffed up his nostrils, almost making him sneeze, but a quick exhale of his nose soon prevented this. Not that it would have mattered, for he already made his presence known to the two here, despite not having any intention on spying on them as his friends. It wasn't a surprise to see Squall here, even if he had seen him on more than a few separate worlds before; he supposed it had been so long since he had bumped into the Prideful Lion on his own travels that it just wasn't alarming to see him off his home world. And Axel... he heard stories of the Organization coming back, maybe in part to something sinister going on at the World That Never Was, but... Axel wasn't like any of them because Sora didn't only consider him as a friend, but Axel in the end had showed after all the snide remarks and devious kidnappings of his most important someone that he cared by saving them all. Leon turned his attention to him and spoke first; first picking up his silver gunblade that matched in the same shine of his keyblade, and greeted him. "Leon, why are you here?" It wasn't a question of exasperation; more of pure curiosity since he was aware Leon had more than just Radiant Garden and the Restoration Committee to look after. Just the same as himself; what Leon probably wasn't aware of was the fact Sora had already traveled to this world before with his friends, and sealed the keyhole to prevent the Heartless from ever destroying it again. However the location of the keyhole was lost even to him, what with so many worlds he had sealed it on, and perhaps that was the best so that it's location would never fall into the wrong hands. The gunblade wielder asked him about Donald and Goofy; it was pretty much true, he and his friends were pretty much inseparable at the hip. But not this time, and he began to explain to Squall, "Yeah, I have to do this on my own. The King sent me a letter, and now Yen Sid has sent me on a Mark of Mastery to make me a real Keyblade Master." Even though the Lion had been joking, Sora had chucked, but only for a short moment before he had spoken to show his seriousness. "And that's the reason I'm wearing this new outfit. Now I'm on a new journey on my own, twice as ready to face anything!" he grinned proudly, if not spreading out his arms to show his audience his new attire as the boy in black and red. "So this world is called Archipelago, huh? How do you know that, Leon?" he wondered, staring out at a flock of white birds that crested over the flower field in the distance. While the motion of feathers had been a distraction, some that were left behind in the wind, it wasn't enough to draw Sora's attention away from the leader of the HBRC questioning why Axel was here. Looking at the two together was quite a rare sight, and it made Sora consider of the Battle of a Thousand Heartless all those years ago when the two were on the same world. Sora had defeated Demyx that day and defeated all those Heartless in the gorge, but he wouldn't have done it without the SeeD currently standing there, and all his friends including Axel who apologized and admitted he was the one who kidnapped Kairi. He was quite lucky to have those friends, even if their noble intentions gradually came when push came to shove, and looked to his long-lost friend he had felt sad to have seen fade to the darkness. Just as he wasn't surprised to see the Relentless Revolver, he scolded himself with not being perplexed at Axel's trademark conceitedness, particularly his gesture accompanied by his catchphrase. If anything, he was baffled by the new name he had given himself. "Lea? You...!" he caught himself, before slowly realizing what this meant. The theme of the Organization seemed to be that their names were anagrams of their Somebodies with an X added; as was his Nobody Roxas to him that Axel missed so dearly, Xemnas to the name Ansem Xehanort had stolen, and thus Axel was the Nobody of a man named... "Lea? That name suits you... so when you faded to darkness, your heart was waiting for you... wasn't it?" he asked rhetorically, even though Lea recalled the events leading from his last moments as his Nobody self. And suddenly he had a bright grin spreading across his face, stepping over to Axel, firmly grasping him warmly him on the shoulder as if in congratulations. "Ax... I mean, Lea... you did, didn't you? You got your heart back! You're not a Nobody anymore. I... I'm really glad that wasn't the last I ever saw of you. Does... does Roxas know? You should find him." he expressed sincerely, as if greeting an old friend he hadn't seen in years. That much was almost true; Roxas had been a part of him, and in eventual rage at Axel's death without being able to say goodbye, his Nobody had challenged him to a one-on-one duel within the depths of his heart for control. Sora had been a friend to Axel in a way; just as much as Leon had, and the Key That Connected to Everyone felt another invisible thread connecting to the man in a way he could not begin to describe or even fathom. Axel... no, Lea... he had to be one of the people who's sadness needed healing that he was searching for, he knew it in his heart. Axel's sadness that he expressed to Sora in his dying moments... that Sora made him feel like he had a heart, which he had now... it was towards the Nobody inside him that could not reach him. Coming back to his senses, he had to chuckle to break any awkward tension between the two, a sign that Axel's sacrifice and opening the way to save Kairi in The World That Never Was never even had to be made for Sora to forgive a trusted and loyal friend like him. "That phrase is getting old, y'know... you should use it when it has the most effect." he smiled, in a tone that suggested the old friend he had not seen in a while he was grateful for being here to stay, as he had said to fight on their side. Cutting their reunion short, perhaps for the best before Sora started to shed a tear for no reason again but out of joy to see a friend he thought he had lost forever, Lea asked if Leon was familiar to the world before turning his attention on Sora. Of course, it might make sense if Leon did, if only the reason his keyblade was the overpowering connection in his heart to the scar-faced mercenary in contrast to the Bond of Flames keyblade he still kept on him since Axel's departure. Still feeling it's presence, his blue eyes glanced back from the Lion to Lea, who asked him about a different matter entirely involving a new species of enemy. "Hmmm... yeah, actually, I have. Did the symbol look like when you cross two fishing hooks over each other, that they look like a heart? I saw that on these creatures, ever since I last fought them with Roxas, and ever since I heard about the χ-blade. They're called the 'Unversed', and... they feed on negative energy, but that's all I know about what they are. Wait, are you sure the person wearing Riku's dark form wasn't Riku? Who was he?" his voice expressed hints of alarm, concerned his close friend might have steeped into darkness again, and not realizing who the vital character truly was without any other information. He had to think back a bit to what Aqua had told him when he rescued her from the Realm of Darkness, but he did recall her relaying that to him, as her revealing explanation how she got there in the first place. But his worry was more focused on if it was Riku that had confronted him... and what it could mean, if it wasn't. There was something more he had about the Unversed... but he would wait to hear the information from Axel first, and not forgetting the hero of the Archipelago, what he may ask about what his connection was to the eighth member to join the Organization. TAG Squall, Axel SONG Buried Beneath by Red NOTES Got it memorized... never gets old.

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!

[Squall Leonhart]

Leon kept his arms crossed, and his defenses up as the man in black gave his explanation. While he came to learn that this individual, no longer Axel, but rather Lea instead, was not serving the Organization any more, the expression of the Lion's face began to ease in tension. What he said next, followed by what Sora answered in turn, gave the Proud Lion much to think about given the circumstances of where he stood in the worlds, as well as that of the war. Firstly it seemed that Sora was on another journey, as he had anticipated when first seeing the youth, but this one was to prove a Mark of Mastery, or something like that. If the youth was successful in this endeavor, then the likes of Yen Sid and King Mickey would have the right to bestow upon him the title of Keyblade Master. Despite this authenticity of a title, Leonhart had always considered the young boy from Destiny Islands to be a master of his weapon. Sora was a very strong and very dedicated individual, and was always willing to lend a hand to his friends, just like a true hero. It was more than he could say for himself at times, for Leon had moments where he was reluctant to take action when it was needed, but Sora never did this. He was known for his unwavering kindness, as well as the brightness of the light in his heart. Speaking of which, the second matter that had caught Leon's attention, was the fact that Lea claimed to have a heart now.

'Well that's certainly interesting...' thought Leonhart to himself, watching Sora go about his display of congradulating the restored man.

The next thought that crossed his mind, was an interesting one, that had managed to distract the Lion entirely from the pair's questions regarding his knowledge about the world. His blue eyes wandered down to the grass and flowers as the Unversed came to subject, which he kept an open ear to, yet continued to ponder the idea that this former Nobody now had a heart. There had been thirteen members of the group Organization XIII, and if Sora had eliminated the remainder of their numbers, what fate did that hold for them? The Nobody Axel had given his shell of an existence to Sora's purpose, and through fading into darkness he had gained a heart. Leon couldn't help but have a funny, and eerily foreboding feeling of dread concerning what this could possibly mean. When Sora had finished his last question to Lea, Leon's focus was brought back to the conversation at hand, taking notice that Sora was looking to both himself and Lea regarding the Unversed, as well as Archipelago. For a moment Leon watched the curiosity in Sora's eyes, mounting with anticipation to the answers he knew the Lion held, but the older warrior simply raised a hand to brush a few locks of hair out of his face.

"So if you were defeated and had your heart returned to you, what's there to say about the others from the group? Would they return with hearts as well?" asked Leon to Lea, with a tone of sincerity and concern eveident in his voice. The worlds already had enough problems without Organization XIII adding fuel to the fire, and Leon wanted to know how severe the situation could possibly turn out to be, should Lea's former comrades of the cloak return in the same manner. Blue eyes wandered to Sora once more, and recalled the feelings of dread and worry that the youth had once endured at the hands of the Nobodies, and also recalled all the troubles they had brought to himself and the rest of the Comittee. They weren't much different from the Heartless, Nobodies, yet much like their darker bretheren, they had a talent for creating havoc in the worlds. Leonhart knew not what the true nature of these Unversed were, but after Sora's descrption of them, they didn't seem to be any more helpful to their cause than the Heartless were.

Too bad.

After waiting long enough to hear Lea's theory about his own additional questions, Leon turned his sights to Sora, and nodded to him. "I know the name of this place because this is where I came from. This was my world to protect before I found Radiant Garden." The words he spoke we undying truth, yet they held a bit of somberness about them, given that they only reminded Leon more of how the darkness had taken this world before. He had done everything that he needed, and could have, yet in the end the dark had consumed him, and taken him to an entirely new world. He had his entire livelyhood stripped away from him, for everyone he had known in this world was gone, unable to reach Leon from where he was wisked away to. It was hard not to remain feeling as hopeless and directionless as he had all those years ago, even as he stood here now with undeniable proof that Seifer's assessment of the world's condidtion had been wrong. The world he longed for basked here in the light, and yet darkness still seemed to cloud his heart, preventing him from relishing this moment. There was but one person he had expected to see, to purge this darkness and doubt from the ever proud heart of his, and she was nowhere in sight. Rinoa's trail seemed to go cold for the time being, yet Leon knew that deep down he couldn't give up, not now. Perhaps Sora and Lea could light the dark path he now found himself treading, and provide some insight as to where she could possibly be. It was his burden to bear alone, and he would go this path alone, but Leon always reminded himself that his friends would be there to help him, any time he ever needed them.

"As for why I'm here..." began Leon, turning to look once more into the peaceful expanse of flowers surrounding the trio. Once more he felt that warm breeze permeate through the area, and once more he felt as though he was standing here at the age of seventeen, on the verge of travelling into the depths of the Lunatic Pandora. It was an unusual feeling, for Leon felt as though he had Rinoa and his friends from the Orphanage beside him at this very moment, though he knew they could be anywhere by now. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel that these few hours of peace would be followed by the inevitable storm, the chaos that would swallow the three in this field once more. It was just like the impending final minutes before journeying into the future, the moments leading up to the final fight against Ultimecia. Leon's heart was beating faster than normal at the thought of the evil sorceress, and yet when his mind once more regarded Rinoa, it did not slow or hasten. A gloved hand reached over a pocket in the jacket the Proud Lion wore, and soon he reached inside its contents. A silver chain was soon revealed, dangling from Leon's fingers as he pulled it from the pocket; the silver of both rings attached glinting in the sunlight. Upon the first few shimmers of light off the jewelry, Sora would be able to distinctly tell from his stand point that one of the rings held black engravings upon its surface, while the other was a plain silver ring. Leon looked at the accessory for a moment longer, allowing both Lea and Sora to get a good look of it as he dangled it before them, just before he returned it to the pocket it had resided in.

"I have an oath to fulfill. I'm searching for someone."

[lea]

Lea couldn't help but grin a little at how freaked out Sora appeared to be over whether or not that guy in Radiant Garden was Riku or not. But even better yet was how Sora knew about the Unversed. But even that wasn't preparation enough for the next thing that Sora mentioned. A brow quirked as he grunted his surprise a few times at the name.

"Did..did you just say Roxas?! he asked in disbelief. "How is that even possible? Roxas vanished when you woke up! DiZ made sure of that! Do you know where he his now? Can you get hold of him?! It hit him then that he was being selfish, and far from his calm, laid back self. After taking a moment to regain composure he brought up the next subject.

"You can relax kid. The guy I fought who used the...Unversed as you call 'em had a different suit than Riku's and wore a mask that confirmed his entire shape. Maybe a description of his Keyblade might help..." Sighing he went into a nearly perfect description of the Void Gear Keyblade, hoping it might give the spikey haired Keyblader an idea as to who it might belong to, as well as reassure him it wasn't Riku.

Leon's questions reached his ears next, causing his attention to divert to the Prideful Lion. "Ya know..my memory is a bit fuzzy, so I don't remember who all may have been revived with their Hearts like me. I mean for all I know I could be the only one. It's hard to say really. Same time if Roxas is back....it could mean just their Nobodies were revived. That means there's the chance Xemnas is back too..."

Leon's story continued, catching his interest about how he was from here. "Funny, I woulda thought you from Radiant Garden. From what I remember as Axel you were on the verge of restoring it yeah?" A small breeze passed through the area again, causing his hair to ruffle slightly as the salty ocean smell invaded his nose. It was relaxing really, even if this orphanage and a Lighthouse were all you could see for miles on end.

[Sora]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] In over my head, am I living or dead; Is there anyone calling out; calling out There was definitely an air of tension from the look on Leon's face; more than likely over the black-hooded Organization coat and what it represented that Lea wore, and Sora's on expression reflected this concern in a slight furrow of his brow. "It's alright Leon, I believe him when he says he's on our side; think of him like those three treasure-hunter girls Donald sent your way." he assured him, giving him a example he could relate to. While YRP hadn't been the best intending of the foes they met in Radiant Garden, while misguided under Malificent they meant well, because of what Leon had told them about Sora's journey they expressed their consideration towards. This was one of the examples that people rarely often got to see of the lion, underneath the rough and brazen exterior was a heart of solid gold, and he was empathetic of his friends. Even though Axel had gone on his last burners to get Roxas back by kidnapping Kairi to lure and turn him into a Heartless, Leon didn't know in the end he had more than made up for it by saving him from the Nobodies and opening a path to the Organization and Kairi before his untimely demise; he was sure Lea now was more than grateful for it now he had been rewarded with his own heart back. Perhaps that was the key if he was the only one, that by some miracle Kingdom Hearts had seen his selflessness and granted him his hearts back, but if the other Organization members had been resurrected only time would tell. Still, even if Leon were to come to learn of the meaning behind their little reunion, he was a good enough man to respect and honor the two swapping pleasantries after such a long time. Perhaps Sora's emotion over congratulating a mutual friend getting his heart back was more than enough for both men to withstand; but he wouldn't have it any other way as getting one's heart back had been unheard of and considered almost impossible until now. Himself being the only known exception when Kairi restored his, of course. As Leon looked away, so did he; out towards the immense field of flowers as a gentle cool breeze brushed the spiky locks of his brown hair. In contemplation of the previous though of hearts being restored, the thought occurred to him perhaps at the same time as the leader of the HBRC, at what this could mean. If Lea had gotten his heart back... what of the rest of the Organization? Especially, since he had known he had defeated his Heartless... Xehanort, and a foreboding dread wiped the smile off his face as he considered he and Riku had vanquished his Nobody. What if fate was cruel, and Xehanort was to return, heart intact? Perhaps Yen Sid was correct his Mark of Mastery would be a journey even more tougher and harder than his two previous ones, what would become of them if Xehanort returned along with the rest of the Organization at his side? Leon voiced his own concerns before he could say anything, and this time he and the gunblader looked to Lea for answers. If the worst was to be expected, it would take all of them to face-off against Xehanort's destruction, especially if he remembered becoming a Heartless or a Nobody like Sora gradually did. He, Leon, Lea, Riku, Kairi... everyone would have to be on their guard, but more so himself if Ansem the Wise's former top apprentice looked for Sora to gather more hearts for him. Having been glad he had already trained his most important person to be able to indefinitely defend herself as well as he could, should yet another black-hooded coat like the one before him would come for her again, all that remained was to confirm if their suspicions were true and they were soon to be under attack. Sora still had fresh in his mind the assault of the higher Nobodies messing up the worlds, and towards himself regarding Riku, Roxas and Kairi, and more importantly people bringing the peace like Leon and his enduring Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee. Lea broke him out of his perplexed train of thought, who was grinning from ear-to-ear as if in pure amusement of his reaction towards his return, but the smile was wiped from his face to one of surprise as he mentioned his best friend. "DiZ and Riku made sure to have Roxas merge back together to me to restore my memories... but I'm not sure how or why when he left me, or where he is now." he admitted to Axel, turning to the Relentless Revolver in afterthought. It was likely Leon would wonder what or who he was talking about, so he thought he would spare him the effort of having to ask, having known that he may well ask after knowing him for so long. "Roxas is... my Nobody. When I restored Kairi's heart by expelling my own, it created two Nobodies... one of Kairis, and one of mine... Roxas. That's why you guys thought I went away for that year when I left Traverse Town to go follow Ans... Xehanort's Heartless, and why the Organization was calling me 'Roxas'. Apparently I lost my memory along the way, and with part of it in Roxas, he had to merge with me in order for everyone's memory of me to come back... and for me to wake up." He hadn't been given all the details told to him, just that much... as if his friends had been hiding something from him. Regardless of if Leon understood or not, he quickly turned back to Axel to finish speaking to him. "Anyway, all I know is that Roxas is separate from me, like when before I first met you back at Castle Oblivion. But, about the guy in the Riku's dark suit, who was he?" he reiterated, before listening to discover the boy had a mask and a odd gear-shaped looking keyblade. Even with the description Axel gave him, he shook his head. "Sorry, I don't know who that could be; I've never heard of a bad guy who was a keyblader, besides when Xehanort possessed Riku." he confessed, shrugging. It sounded a bit like this 'Masked Man' people had been talking about, and it was possible he was controlling these eerie Unversed too, but he needed to focus on looking for these Ventus and Vanitas people as well as the people who were waiting for him still. Lea answered Squall's question, only further adding to the speculation it was possible; he hadn't been defeated as his own Heartless though, only restored for his Nobody to return to him. Xehanort and his loyal Organization cronies were obviously a different story, with Lea being a better example of what happened to them if they returned from fading into darkness. Just wondering about them wasn't going to solve anything however, so as Lea directed his query back to the Prideful Lion, he listened once more as Leon actually explained that this world was his home even before Hallow Bastion. A quizzical look overcome Sora's features, going over in his head a certain memory he had of the first time he saw Leon in Hallow Bastion, that Sora couldn't help but imitate of his friend's seriousness with his palm facing his hand vertically that 'We may never meet again, but we’ll never forget each other.' "This is your true home world? I thought you said that Radiant Garden was your childhood home?" he questioned his serious friend, and smiled a little. If not amused at the memory of those words, then in a intent to cheer up the somber mood of the Lion, and lighten things up. It sounded like there were some painful memories from the emphasis of his words, and he wondered for a moment what exactly had happened to him to express such emotion. While he had mimicked him to the other members just for a laugh, he was there as a friend to support and inspire the man with the facial scar, even if Squall was difficult to deal with in the face of such positivity. There was a pause after the SeeD began to explain why he was here... the breeze had blown through again, kicking up fragile flower petals into the wind, and also tugging at Sora's new clothing. With blue eyes, he watched the former as he reached into his pocket, and produced forth with such grace a pendant with two rings on it, one of them being clearly distinct as being identical to the silver lion-head keychains that hung from both the Gunblade and his own current Sleeping Lion keyblade. But the way the taciturn man went about handling it, with such care and reverence to the trinket; it was the same way Sora treasured his lucky charm he kept with him in his pocket. Because of this, he began to realize now as his brown-haired friend spoke that whoever he was searching for was somehow linked just as tightly as the links on the silver chain, and just as important to him to keep his oath to as Sora had made to Kairi. "Leon... who are you looking for? What is this place... is that why you're here?" TAG Squall, Axel SONG Buried Beneath by Red NOTES So many words to match up to, I feel compelled to meet them Leon!

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!

[Squall Leonhart]

Leon remained attentive to the conversation that continued, yet seemed to relax around Lea's presence when Sora mentioned that it was ok to trust him, much like it had been to trust the useful treasure hunters when they came to claim they were friend's of Donald, Sora and Goofy. Leon remembered the fairy trio of YRP all too well, having run into them not long ago, or at least two of the three that he remembered had been present. What Lea said next though only confirmed the thoughts that both Leon and ironically, Sora, were thinking regarding the pyro's former comrades. The thought of having the group out around the worlds again was a grim idea, and one that Leon would rather spare Radiant Garden from having to endure. The effects of the battle of 1000 Heartless had taken a toll on the amount of restoration his friends and himself had accomplished, and now with the current war that was plaguing the worlds in Organization XIII's place, the Restoration Committee had its time and efforts spread too thin. There wouldn't be enough time to focus on fixing everything that had been scarred by the Darkness, not with the many threats that continued to draw every force of Light in every possible direction. The allies of Harmony needed a plan to tackle all of these issues, yet something told Leon that Sora was already taking a counter initiative with this Mark of Mastery he currently was undertaking.

The man in black's question regarding his origin in Radiant Garden was met with a courteous, yet abruptly short nod of the head. "It wasn't the way we found it, but we're doing what we can to restore Radiant Garden," began Leonhart, before he began to slowly walk past Lea and Sora towards the worn stone pathway once more. His blue eyes looked to his left, toward where Ultimecia had been defeated again. His gaze wandered up from the grass to the worn, and sun dried brick. "That's more than I can say for this place. Edea abandoned it some time ago now." He then realized that both of these friends of his knew little next to nothing about what transpired here, and so Leon had to pull himself out of more memories to recall where he was in the present time. The Proud Lion looked back to Sora and Lea, only to acknowledge them with a stern expression, as though what he was about to tell them was to be taken with a prime sense of sincerity. It was his past, and Leon was protective of it, highly protective, and it wasn't often that anybody got an inside look of just what that history had been like. Though he supposed Sora would eventually learn about this place, he felt it was his obligation to inform him of what kind of world he was standing on now.

"It's like I said, this world was mine to protect," he began, locking his steel blue gaze with that of Sora's deep oceanic ones. "This is my Destiny Islands, or you could think of it like that if you want." The Proud Lion crossed his arms as he turned in full back to his allies. "Before this place was overrun by the Heartless, and taken into darkness, I fought and protected this world as a SeeD from Balamb Garden. The reason why no one is around here, is because this is the Centra continent. Its been abandoned for quite some time, now that the Orphanage is closed." Leon then thought about the amount of years that had gone by, and thought to the days of when he was six, the days when he lived here in these stone houses. Those were the days that he spent happily, at least until Sis had gone away. Leon smiled on the inside as Ellone came to mind, and wondered where she could be right now. If she was still in Esthar with Laguna, at least she'd be safe and happy. The same could be said if she was in Winhill, but given the priority of his current search, he doubted if he would be able to spare time for this visit to look for her as well.

"As for who I'm looking for, you can say she's important to me like Kairi is to you, who is safe by the way, Sora. I managed to get her out of Radiant Garden before the last raid had swept the whole town." Leon then turned his attention to Lea. "I'm looking for a girl with raven colored hair, who wears a blue duster and arm warmers. She has a thing for defying authority, a carefree personality, and a talent with magic." The concern and detail that Leonhart put into the description of his quarry was evident, for as Leon continued to describe the love of his life to both youths, he went on to explain certain memories he had of her. Her optimism during the Galbadia Missile Crisis; the way she pointed to the shooting star the night they met; the way she moved when she danced; the way her embrace felt when he held her. Though when Leon realized he was smiling while thinking about Rinoa, he caught himself briefly, then resumed his composure before he got carried away. The Proud Lion then looked back to Sora, then to Lea, and then Sora once more before he walked past them again to a nearby stone pillar, and leaned up against it to cross his arms.

"Her name's Rinoa Heartilly."

[Rinoa Heartilly]

[My first canon post. I hope I did okay.]

Balamb Garden, as it did often, was making it’s way around the world still doing what it always did. Deploying SeeD members to aid who ever needed them. The garden was passing by the Centra continent and would remain docked in a bay on the opposite side of the continent from the Orphanage for the weekend to allow the students and staff a chance to stretch their legs on real land for a bit. For Rinoa, this stop always gave her a sense of excitement, but also a sense of uncertainty and worry. This was because whenever Garden would make this particular stop Rinoa always took a jeep and journeyed out to the old Orphanage where her Squall and the others grew up. Squall was why she always took this trip. Ever sense he went missing she came out here with some supplies and spend the duration of the stop alone in that run down place. She did so because she was waiting. Just as she promised him she would all that time ago.

No one talked to Rinoa as she and Angelo made their way to the garage. Most everyone knew where she was going and why and so she was left in peace. The sorceress placed her supply packs in the front seat of the jeep then walked around the vehicle and got in the driver’s seat while Angelo jumped in the back seat and lied down. With a soft smile to her dog RInoa started the jeep, and left Garden. The drive to the Orphanage was a good distance and Rinoa spent much of that time thinking. What if he wasn’t there? What if he was? These questions entered her mind every time she made this trip. The former filled her with worry about his well being and the latter filled her with the excitement of the possibility of her Lion finally returning to her. These two emotions played a kind of tug-of-war for her attention for most of the drive.

Finally she reached the Orphanage and that’s when she saw something she had never seen before during her many trips here. It was some kind of vehicle. Maybe a ship of some kind but it was very unlike any she had seen before. She parked her jeep next to the strange vehicle and stepped out of it with her two bags of supplies. Angelo followed her quietly as even she took a curious glance towards the strange contraption. She never looked away from the ship as she walked past it until she got to the door. She opened the door and as Angelo went through. She took a final look at ship before she closed the door. Her guard was up however. If there was a strange ship her then that means that someone else was her besides herself. She set her bags down on the bed and began looking around the place as she made her way towards the flower field. Seeing the ship did give her a flicker of hope. Maybe her knight was here. But it could just as well be someone else. Who it could be though she had no idea so she was prepared for anything. She opened the door that lead to the flower field and what, or rather who she saw caused her to stop in her tracks.

She barely even noticed the other two people that occupied the field but the third one she instantly recognized but could hardly believe what she was seeing. Their converstion didn’t even register in Rinoa’s ears as Angelo rushed towards the third man and jumped up on him and then started prancing around him barking with excitement. Rinoa found herself rushing up to him as well. She wrapped her arm around Squall’s neck and buried her face in the crook of his neck and hugged him tighter than she ever hugged him before and started crying. Angelo pranced around and barked happily at the sight of her master reunited with her love.

[green]”Squall... you’re here. You’re really here.”[/green] She hope her eyes just weren’t playing tricks on her or her mind playing tricks on her but she knew that wasn’t the case. Her knight had returned to her and was waiting for her here. Just like he promised he would.

[lea]

Lea had been just about to speak when a rather large...building of some sort appeared on the water. "Uhhh guys..we might have some company.." Chakrams appeared in a fiery blaze as a precaution. As far as he was concerned, Balamb Garden could be a Heartless ship or something. He wasn't from this world after all, so how could he know?

Green eyes remained focused upon the Garden as the doors opened, keeping both friends words in mind so as not to be rude or anything. The anticipation was killing him, his grip tightening upon the grips of the Eternal Flames as he awaited. His serious face became one of surprise as the very girl Leon had described stepped out, and further confirmed she was who she was by walking up to them and addressing Leon, however she had called him by a much different name.

The twin chakrams vanished quickly as that laid back demeanor returned, a slight smirk forming upon the corners of his lips as he learned the Prideful Lion's real name. A slight chuckle slipped past for just a moment as he leaned up against the old cottage, arms folded across his chest. "Dude, you're real name is Squall? That's...kinda funny man."

That gaze moved over to Rinoa then, giving her a quick once over before moving to introduce himself. "So Squall, this the Rinoa chick you were talking about? She kinda looks like her." Nodding once before introducing himself to the lady he smirked. "Nice to meet you Rinoa, the names Lea. Got it memorized?" True to form, that finger tapped the side of his temple upon use of his ever famous catchphrase.

[Sora]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] Finally breaking, so where are you now? It's been such a long time, and I try to live without His friend sure had some reverance and respect for this place, and Sora watched as Leon went back the way they came, glancing at the worn and faded brick underfoot as if someone of great importance was sitting there. But of course, no-one was sitting there, and Sora had little idea what was holding over the Prideful Lion until he looked up at himself and the newly reformed Lea. He felt Leon's stern eyes fixated on his, and he began to understand soon enough as Leon refered to the analogy that this world was like Destiny Islands was to the Keythat Connected to Everyone. SeeD.... Balamb Garden... he hadn't heard Leon speak these words before, but the leader of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Commitee always seemed to keep things close to his chest. Sora turned to look back at the building when Leon mentioned it was an orphanage, and his imagination couldn't help but envision the only orphan he knew of, and saw a projection from his memories of Kairi as a little girl. There were other nameless faces of children in the background, but as he remembered the echo of Kairi as herself when she was only a child, the projection in his mind shifted to that of the modern-day Kairi and her beaming smile. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to her last since he had offered to train her on Destiny Islands; would she put into practice everything he taught her in her battles, and if some bad guy found her would she be able to fight back as he did? No; as she did. Of course she would; Sora had no choice but to trust her just as much as ever that she would use her knowledge when she needed it in a pinch and become just as strong as his equal, but it still didn't sway the fact that he missed and was worried about her. The memory evaporated in his mind as he felt Leon read it, as he suddenly mentioned Kairi's name as another comparison to the person he was looking for, and smiled slightly as the Relentless Revolver referred to someone who must have been his own special sweetheart. He was even more happy to hear the news the Lion passed on that he got her out of Radiant Garden before some raid on the world, and he felt a immense wave of relief wash over his senses in conformation of her safety, and in equal measures a wave of gratitude to his fellow brunette. "Kairi's okay? Thank you so much, Squall." he sighed contently, before his friend turned his attention to Axel. So it turned out Leon was looking for his most important person, and he couldn't help but smirk and chuckle more in observational amusement as the Prideful Lion went on to describe his dream girl, a girl with black hair and wearing a duster with arm warmers. Defying authority, carefree personality, talent with magic? He could only picture Tifa in his mind, except she was less serious and was casting magic spells, and the thought amused him how Leon's girl was so alike in his mind to the young woman that had been looking for Cloud he had first met all those years ago. "Rinoa Heartilly, huh? Don't worry Leon, we'll let you know if we find her." he offered, thinking that she might have been somewhere on this world. Why else would Leon be here, of all places, in a flower field? Then where came movement, sound, and shadows of someone else approaching, Sora turned and heard the light footsteps and feminine breathing accompanied by a dog. He almost betrayed his senses and thought it might have been Kairi and Pluto; but their images melded as a different dog jumped onto Leon, and a woman exactly matching the man's description also replaced the characters his heart had been hoping for. He stood next to Axel for a moment, the smirk replaced as it shifted into a warm and proud smile as he watched the lovers reunite, sharing a observational moment with Axel as a third party to the love between the man and woman. He side-glanced at Axel, seeing him smirk, and wondered how it was for him to feel emotions for the first time in a long time... as well as if he had some special girl he also had now in his returned heart. Something also struck him as odd by the name she called him, and then Lea commented on it as well... Leon had a different name? "Squall...? Then, why did you tell me your name was Leon?" he asked, a bit confused as the euphoria from the moment turned into perplexity. He had heard the woman crying in joy; she mustn't have seen Leon in a long time from the sound of the sobs in between, and he waited a moment until she had stopped settling down into the nape of his neck. Kairi never greeted me like that, but... I guess ours is something that is different, something that's yet to be explored, he couldn't help but think, and added, Think positive... I'll always get the chance to meet her again. "Want us to give you two a moment?" he laughed sheepishly, if not to cover up the slight blush that was creeping up his expression at the thought of the girl he had made an oath to so long ago, and if Donald and Goofy were here they would have pointed it out and embarrassed him. When Leon and Rinoa had a moment to recover and notice they were still in the immediate area, he added chidingly, "Well, Squall. Looks like that didn't take very long to find the girl you were looking for... that was pretty good timing." He then looked to Rinoa, and smiled sincerely as well as brightly. "Hi! I'm a friend of Le... Squall. I'm Sora." TAG Squall, Axel SONG Buried Beneath by Red NOTES Great first canon post Claire! And welcome!

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!

[Squall Leonhart]

For a moment in silence Leon continued to regard the memories of the oath he had once made here, with a person so significant to him that probably no longer called this world home. It was true the Heartless had done quite a number on this peaceful planet, and no one had ever thought that darkness would return with Ultimecia gone, yet somehow it had. Black tides of creatures with an insatiable thirst for hearts had swept over this world, and in the end it had been dragged into the darkness, and cast into a long sleep. Leon continued to remind himself just how horrible the experience had been, and how he had been helpless to save it as he had done before. If things weren't bad enough, history had to repeat itself in Radiant Garden, and Maleficent's sweep over the world had been a proverbial and significant blow to the pride of Leonhart, for it felt like he had lost Rinoa all over again; he had failed his commitment to his duty. His desire to regain his pride would be the driving force toward the reconstruction of Radiant Garden, and though it stood valiantly through every storm of darkness that seemed to sweep through it, there was little anyone could do to crumble it now. The Restoration Committee had worked hard, and their efforts had paid off in a very durable and significant stronghold for the forces of harmony.

Sora's assurance that they would tell Leon if they found the sorceress was comforting, yet while the Lion remained convinced that the youth understood what this individual meant to him, something dark in his heart was telling the gunblade wielder that that time would be far off given the rate things were going. Though something Lea said made the Lion of Radiant Garden open his eyes, and look up from his crossed arms to the red head as he summoned a pair of chakrams from pure fire. It was certainly a neat trick, but nothing that struck him as unusual, given the amount of odd things that Leonhart had witnessed in his battle hardened past. What Lea had his focus on though, did catch Leon by surprise, for as he looked off into the distance, the familiar sight of another Garden he knew all too well. Blue eyes widened with surprise at the thought of what it could mean, and as the brunette uncrossed his arms, letting his right hand rest on his hip as he watched it for a while, his mind began to race with a thousand possibilities.

'Balamb...you've never looked better. Did she bring you here? Are the others there as well?'

Turning away from the sight of the Garden for a few minutes, Leon began to think about the odds that she could have been here, and then he began to wonder about Seifer once more. His rival had been so adamant to convince Leon that this world had been toast, and that the chances that it had been released from the grasp of the darkness were very slim. Leon's eyes narrowed upon the sight of flowers beneath his boots, thinking about the series of punches that Almasy had laid upon him that day in Radiant Garden; the latter blaming him for everything that had happened to his home world, as though the Lion's disappearance had been the very core source of the Heartless invasion. The Relentless Revolver knew that the Sorceress Knight was wrong though, for everything that had transpired since he awoke hours earlier had been proof enough. Sora's gasp of surprise and the hurried footsteps of something else caught the attention of Leon once more, and as he turned to look at the identity of the new arrival, he was met by a pair of paws upon his abdomen.

'Angelo? How did he...'

The Lion of Radiant Garden's internal thoughts were answered almost immediately by the sound of another set of footsteps, one that struck a deep feeling of a thousand emotions in one single euphoria into Leon's heart. Without warning a pair of arms were wrapped around him in a tight embrace, and the warmth of Rinoa's body soon took over Leon's form as he slowly wrapped his arms around her, holding her in a tight, loving hug as she buried her face into his neck. A flash of light overtook Leon's thoughts, and his very being as he was instantly reminded of when he rescued her from the Sorceress Memorial, and had caught his true love before she collapsed to the floor. Within an instant he was back in the field, holding Rinoa as he bent his neck to rest his face within her raven locks of hair, slightly soaking a few strands as a few tears escaped his eyes, hidden from Sora and Lea's view until they subsided.

{Musical Shift}

For what seemed like forever, Leon stood there holding Rinoa as Angelo pranced around in excitement over the reunion, almost forgetting entirely that Sora and Lea were there watching. It was as though every strife and conflict of the war had been washed away, as though all darkness had been put back into check, and that peace would finally return to his heart forever. As Rinoa spoke to Leonhart, a smile crept onto his face as he whispered into her ear softly, "Yes, I'm here my angel." Taking another moment to take in everything, to make sure this was actually real, Leon pulled back from Rinoa to gaze into her eyes, and smiled softly before inching closer to place a soft, yet passionate kiss upon her warm lips. For a moment more he would express his love the to girl that had saved his heart, then once more look at her while slowly caressing her cheek with the palm of his gloved hand.

"Want us to give you two a moment?"

Sora's question brought Leon back to the realization that the pair weren't alone, but so as not to be rude to his friends, he respectfully shook his head to decline. It was then that Lea's question caught Leonhart's ears, which caused the Proud Lion to glance at the red head with an unamused expression, solely for the comment about his real name. "That's Leon." he retorted out of habit. However when Sora questioned it, the Lion diverted his steel blue gaze to the Key That Connected Everything once more. "It is, but I changed my name when the Heartless took over...to distance myself from the man who was helpless to save the people he cared about," Leon paused, then looked back to Rinoa. "My real name is Squall Leonhart, Sora. Though I've vowed not to use that name, until I could live up to my oath." Leon then acknowledged Rinoa once more with a warm smile, but it faded momentarily as concern began to grow within the Proud Lion's mind. Where were the others? Could they possibly be waiting for Rinoa to bring Squall back to Balamb, to bring him back home?

Home...it was strange to think about it, but finally, Leon felt he was there.

[Rinoa Heartilly]

Rinoa had always dreamed of this day ever since Squall had disappeared. After months of making this trip she was finally reunited with her knight. She started crying a few tears of elated joy as she continued hugging Squall tightly, not ever wanting to let him go ever again. She still couldn’t believe that he had actually returned to her. That was until he said the first words she heard come from him in a very long time.

“Yes, I’m here my angel.”

The sorceress’s heart melted at those words and she hugged him even tighter. She never wanted this moment to end but she knew that at one point it would have to. She just hoped that point was a long ways off. She felt Squall pull away from her a bit and she almost pulled him right back but instead she looked up at him as he smiled at her. That smile… Rinoa had dreamed about that smile during every sleeping moment and thought about it during every waking moment since he had disappeared. Then he kissed her. If there was something she thought about more than his smile, it was his kiss. It was a good thing that Squall was holding her because once she felt his lips upon hers it felt like her knees had turned to jelly and she returned the kiss with as much love and passion that he had given it. Their lips parted after an all too short kiss and Squall brought his hand up to her cheek. Rinoa closed her eyes and leaned in to his caress and was slightly startled when she registered another voice nearby.

The voice asked if they needed a moment alone. Rinoa, with her arms still wrapped around her knight’s neck, turned slightly to see two other people watching them. One was a shorter brown-haired kid with spikey hair who, with a bright, white smile introduced himself as Sora and the other was a taller man with flame red hair that was also quite spikey who introduced himself as Lea. Rinoa smiled at the two other men. [green]”It’s very nice to meet you two. I’m Rinoa Heartilly."[/green] It was certain that Squall was talking about her at some point and had already told them her name because Lea had addressed her by her name but she felt it was common curtosy to announce her name with she was introducing herself to someone new.

Rinoa heard the man’s question about his real name being Squall and before she could ask what he meant Squall had responded with what sounded like a correction to his name. Rinoa became confused. [green]”Leon? Why would he go by that name?”[/green] Her answer soon came though as Squall continued. He explained that he changed his name when the Heartless took over and that he did it to distance himself from his original identity because he felt he was helpless to protect those he cared for. But he didn’t fail. If he had Rinoa’s body would be floating in space right now. If he had failed, Balamb Garden would be nothing more than a giant hole in the ground. If he had failed… this world would not be here, or at least it would not be the same world that it is now.

Squall paused a moment and looked back down at his sorceress who returned his look with a loving smile. He said he wouldn’t go back to “Squall” until he fulfilled his oath. But he had returned to her. His promise to her that he would be waiting her for her had been kept so she hoped he would drop “Leon”. She didn’t think It suited him anyway. Rinoa noticed his smile fade and concern take over his features. She hated seeing worry take a hold in his mind so soon after they were reunited and she wondered what had cleared that beautiful smile off of her knight’s face. She loosened her hold around his neck and put her hands on his cheeks in a loving caress. [green]”Squall? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”[/green] No matter what troubled him, even if it was something trivial, she would remain by her knight’s side and gladly share any burdens that came upon them.