Patience.

That seemed to be the preferred mantra of his existence over the course of the last few weeks that Roxas had spent at the Mysterious Tower.  The days since he had arrived had practically melded into one as far as he was concerned; hours upon hours had been spent during his trek up and down the winding staircase which made up most of the tower’s infrastructure or the narrow corridors which led into rooms that were potentially more peculiar than any of Twilight Town’s Seven Wonders - all of  this with room for little to no deviation. His frustration with the blandness of each day’s regimen wasn’t exactly hidden beneath a false face; Master Yen Sid - a powerful sorcerer and keyblade user in his own right - had been able to deduce that much to his credit and as a precaution to avoid the boy storming off allowed him the remainder of his night to himself rather than enforcing the circuits of cutting through the usual spew of conjured enemies or a set of monotonous breathing exercises meant to bestow an understanding of control.  “What a bother.” Turning down the idea of spending what precious time he had to himself in his dormitory, Roxas allowed aching muscles to seep into the ground beneath him outside the tower’s foyer. With one leg propped above the other, hands cradled the rear of his cranium while hues were cast off upon the starry sky above; shooting stars were in no short supply as they showcased their lavish nature across the canvas that was the night sky.

The only sound that he could latch onto was that of the wind brushing back and forth through the surrounding foliage; there was an absence of crickets chirping or even rustling; it would’ve been unnerving but - much to his luck - a serene calm managed to sink its talons into him for the time being.  Would he get to go back soon - to his friends, to his real home?  Nose wrinkled almost as if on cue at the very moment that notion registered; Twilight Town and the warmth of the sun felt like a distant memory.  No matter how far his digits stretched outwards, no matter how tight his grasp - for the time being Roxas would have to exist without the familiar and welcoming warmth of the sun beating down upon his flesh.  Summer vacation’s over…. but… Hayner, Pence and Olette - we’ve still gotta make it to the beach.  And just like that his mind was off to a much more welcoming place; surrounded by his closest friends, the chatter of townspeople, even the soft scent of sea-salt ice cream on a blazing afternoon - but as expected even this was cut short.

“Young man - return to my study at once.”

The voice was low but sharp enough to startle him from the beginning of what he had hoped would be a peaceful slumber.  What a bother, Roxas managed to muse to himself while trudging up the stairs back to Yen Sid’s study once more.  By the time he arrived, a look of concern was evident upon the much older male’s features - something Roxas hadn’t been used to or even sure the Sorcerer was capable of given his usual demeanor was as dispassionate and aloof as they came.  “Is it something I did?”

“Your presence is required for a most urgent situation, young man.”

“What’s it this time - another squire needs saving from the impending darkness?”

“Not quite - you are to return to Twilight Town right away and search for Aerith and Leon; they are sympathizers for our battle against the Heartless and Xehanort.”

The normally thin line that was his right eyebrow practically shot off from his features the moment Twilight Town was mentioned, a very apparent sense of urgency enveloping him.  “Wait - is it spreading there now? I thought… I thought the gateway there was sealed!”

“There hasn’t been a breach in the town as of yet, Roxas - but there is an urgent matter that you must attend to there.”

Knowing that pressing the matter would only end up with another enigmatic answer and a remarkable amount of frustration, Roxas offered a simple nod before turning on heel and back through the tower.  By the time he had set foot back upon the ground level of the tower he had donned a refurbished set of keyblade armor - the very same Yen Sid had insisted he utilized during his travels to that distant world only known as Ivalice.  A glider materialized instantaneously, carrying him into a brief hover inches above the ground, halting when the palm of his hand pressed against his armored chest plate; it was as if he could feel, for the first time in a long time, that familiar warmth practically pouring out from deep within.

“Guys… I’m coming home.”