Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Chapter 24

Isa and Lea exchanged a skeptical glance, their suspicion evident. Isa's voice remained cautious as he spoke. "So you don't remember anything about your past, but you're staying with that old man Merlin? That's quite a convenient arrangement. I don't know anybody who would just allow a stranger to live in their house especially when they have no idea who the stranger is."

Helios understood their hesitation and knew he needed to provide some reassurance. He met their gaze with sincerity. "Yes I understand your concerns in fact I thought so too. In the end, all I can say is that I'm grateful to him for choosing to help me."

Lea's skeptical expression softened slightly as he uncrossed his arms. "Hmm, so you really don't remember anything huh? Well, my name's Lea got it memorized. That's Isa no need to memorize his name he's pretty forgettable."

Isa then light punched Lea's shoulder and said, "Between me and you who's more forgettable? No need to answer it's you."

Helios nodded, "Nice to meet you, Lea and Isa. My name as I said is Helios."

Isa and Lea shared a brief chuckle at their friendly banter, their skepticism easing slightly. Isa spoke up again, his tone less cautious. "Alright, Helios. If you're looking for Yuffie then we last saw her grabbing a bite to eat at a restaurant about 30 minutes ago. Since you're not familiar with the area we'll guide you there."

Lea grinned mischievously. "Yeah, so don't go causing any trouble, Helios by getting lost. We've got enough on our plate already."

Helios returned their smiles, grateful that his plan to get close to the boys seemed to be working. "I appreciate your help. And I'll do my best not to get lost and cause you all any trouble. I suppose this makes us friends."

Isa and Lea nodded in agreement, accepting Helios as their newfound friend. "Yeah, friends it is," Lea said with a playful smirk.

As the trio set off together, guided by Isa and Lea, they made their way towards the restaurant where Yuffie was last seen. Helios felt that for the first time, things seemed to be going all according to plan without any mishaps. As they walked, Isa and Lea pointed out various landmarks and shared stories about their experiences in Radiant Garden. Helios listened attentively, absorbing every detail and committing them to memory. He knew that understanding the city's layout and history would be crucial in navigating its complexities and uncovering the information he required.

During their conversation, Lea's mischievous nature shone through as he regaled them with humorous anecdotes, lightening the mood and easing the tension. Isa, on the other hand, provided a more grounded perspective, offering insights into the city's inner workings and the challenges they had faced due to Lea.

As they reached the restaurant, Helios noticed Yuffie sitting at a table near the window, her black hair and headband unmistakable. He signaled to Isa and Lea, and they approached her together. Yuffie looked up, surprise evident on her face as she recognized her friends.

"Isa! Lea! What are you guys doing here?" Yuffie exclaimed, a mixture of joy and confusion in her voice.

Lea grinned and playfully nudged Isa. "Well, we heard someone was looking for you, and we couldn't resist tagging along."

Isa nodded, his voice sincere. "We've got a new friend who was looking for you. This is Helios."

Helios stepped forward, offering a warm smile. "Nice to meet you, Miss Yuffie. I hope you don't mind us intruding. A Miss Aerith was worried looking for you frantically and so I asked them to help me find you to inform you."

Yuffie's surprise turned into a grateful smile as she extended her hand to shake Helios'. "Thanks for looking out for me, Helios. It's great to meet you too. And please, just call me Yuffie. Oh, Aerith too if you call Misss it makes us sound old."

Helios returned the handshake, relieved to have successfully delivered the message. "Of course, Yuffie. I'm glad we could find you. Aerith was really worried about you."

Lea chimed in, his mischievous grin widening. "Yeah, you know how Aerith is. She's got a heart as big as the sky, always looking out for everyone."

Isa nodded in agreement. "She's a good friend. We couldn't leave you hanging when we heard she was worried. Plus, it's always nice to have an excuse for an adventure. With an adventure every now and then this idiot here gets restless."

Yuffie chuckled, her playful spirit shining through. "Well, I can't argue with that. It's never a dull moment when you two are around. Well anyway, thanks for letting me know. I better head out or I'll end up getting an earful from both Aerith and Squall."

Helios smiled, understanding Yuffie's need to avoid a scolding. "I won't keep you then, Yuffie. Take care, and I'm sure Aerith will be relieved to know you're safe."

Lea gave Yuffie a mock salute. "Tell Squall we said hi and that we're still up for that rematch in the training room!"

Yuffie laughed, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Oh, you're on! He won't know what hit him. See you guys later!"

With a wave, Yuffie made her way out of the restaurant, leaving Helios, Isa, and Lea behind. Helios turned to his newfound friends, "Thank you both for helping me. I appreciate it. It's starting to get dark out so I should also get back before I worry Merlin."

Isa shrugged nonchalantly. "No problem. We're always up for an adventure, and it was good to meet you, Helios. Seems like we might be crossing paths more often."

Lea nodded, his grin never fading. "Yeah, we make a good team. Don't be a stranger, Helios no in fact we'll pick you up tomorrow to hang out so you can't be a stranger. There's so much to do around here and it'll be fun hanging out."

Helios chuckled, at the sense of camaraderie he hadn't felt in a while. "I'll keep that in mind. It was great meeting you both. I'll see you both tomorrow then."

After bidding farewell, Helios walked back to Merlin's house. As he tried to open the door it flew open and a man he recognized walked out. Cid's short hair is blond, albeit styled a bit differently and much brighter than his original incarnation's platinum blond hair. His eyes are blue and he has some stubble on his chin. Cid retained his iconic goggles and chewed on a toothpick.