Not gonna do lyrics this time.

[attheclocktower]

Characters:  A bunch of the keyderps and Nobodies and some.
Setting: Spring Floor!
Format: Go wild. |D
Summary: The temperature keeps dropping, and with the power going on and off it's getting pretty cold. After a couple of good suggestions on her network post, Xion decides to try a group bonfire. More people come than she expects.
Warnings: It's a bunch of cold people huddling around a campfire. Probably not going to be much more than PG

[The fire is set a little ways away from the stairs, on a patch of clearer ground. There's a pile of wood nearby, riskily portaled up from the forest floor. But there's enough there to keep the fire going for a few hours at least.

It's not a roaring bonfire or anything, but it should be enough to keep anyone there warmer, at least.]

[[ooc; have at you guys! Tag, tag each other, threadjack, etc. In other words, GO FORTH AND MINGLE.]]

Comments

[derping]

[Until a few weeks ago, Sora had never been anywhere that wasn't a peaceful tropical island, with all of the nice weather that would be expected of such a place. Even cold nights on Destiny Islands were rare, and those weren't what most people on other worlds would consider cold, anyway. To go from that to the freezing weather the tower had been having was...well, a little more tough than Sora wanted to admit. Not that he could really hide it, considering how much of his days he was spending curled up in a blanket. For better or for worse (maybe for the better, considering where they are), the terrible weather has kept Sora from exploring the tower nearly as thoroughly and meeting nearly as many people as he would have otherwise.

So, naturally, he was very excited about the idea of a bonfire. He'd planned to come as soon as he heard about it. Now, here he was.

...of course, he had brought a blanket along. And may or may not have walked to the floor with it wrapped around him. It was really, really, REALLY cold, okay? He (reluctantly) takes it off when he finally reaches the right floor, though, carrying it instead.

He smiles when he spots the gathering, though, glad both for the company - both of those he knew, and those he didn't know - and for the extra warmth that the fire would give them.]

[keybearer]

[Naturally, Riku couldn't resist the idea of a bonfire. After all, he wasn't exactly used to the cold even after visiting the worlds. As a result, he made sure to drop by as soon as possible, carrying a blanket of his own for good measure. However, as he moseys on over, the sight of Sora immediately catches his eye.

He'd heard that there was another one around. So maybe...

Riku takes a deep breath and rushes on over.]

Sora!

[derping]

[That voice caught Sora's attention right away, and he turned to face it's source as fast as he could. He's already smiling by the time he's facing Riku, forgetting about the cold for a minute.]

Riku!

...huh?

[Only for him to be instantly surprised by what he sees. This isn't the Riku he's become used to seeing in the Tower - the one who's a full year older and a little (well, more than a little) bit different. The Riku from his future. This is...well, it's Riku, just like he remembers him from before leaving the islands.

But...how?

He can't really do anything but stare at this point, not entirely sure that he can believe what he sees.]

[keybearer]

It's you, right?

[And not... well, the other one from some parallel dimension.]

This isn't some kind of trick, is it?

[derping]

A trick?

[Finally, it's starting to sink in that he's definitely not just seeing things. It's...another Riku, somehow.

He just needs another second or two; he has to let this sink in, somehow, even if it doesn't really make sense. But, finally, that smile comes back.]

Of course it's me! Who else could it be?

But...when did you get here, Riku?

[keybearer]

[Super friendly? Check. Treating him like a pal? Also check.

... Either he's dreaming or it's really Sora. Give him a second, he's kinda overwhelmed.

Right. Okay. He'll manage a smile.]

Few weeks ago, maybe. I kind of lost track of time, to tell you the truth.

[derping]

[Overwhelmed? That makes both of them.]

Yeah, I guess time's been running away from me, too. If I had known you were here, I would've come looking a lot sooner!

[Even if, maybe, this wasn't the same Riku - or was it? Was that possible? - he was still happy to see his best friend like this again. So much so that, for now, he's not in any real hurry to question that first thought...even if he can't avoid the question forever.]

[keybearer]

You and me both.

[Whew, okay. He'll run one hand through his hair. This is... actually going pretty smoothly so far!]

In a place this crazy, it's probably better if we stick together, anyway. Especially since Kairi's not here.

[lethechained]

[There's a mess of cloth in that group that might have a familiar face, somewhere in there. Naminé is well enough aware of what Sora looks like for the colors to make him up to catch her eye immediately, and she turns her head, blinking. -- Yes, that's him, no mistake. She half-starts to stand up, realizes why that's probably a bad idea, and stays put. Instead,]

Sora...! [That pile of material might be waving at him.]

[derping]

[He does hear that and turns around, and...hey, lookie there, it's a pile of blankets! With a hand! And possibly a whole Namine.

He smiles, waving back before running over to her - keeping a tight grip on his own blanket, of course.]

Hey, Namine!

[And he's just gonna happily plop right down next to her.]

Looks like you had the right idea, bringing all of those blankets along.

[lethechained]

[It is, indeed! The hand retracts back under the blankets pretty quickly, though, because brr, it's cold out there, especially after she's gotten used to the warmth. She sends him a smile back, if he can find it. -- Oh, hey, he's going to sit next to her. That's a pleasant realization.]

-- Hee...! I'm glad you agree. You can use one, if you need it. [Even if he already has one.]

[derping]

[Of course he is! You're his friend. Friends sit next to each other. It's a thing.

He's not slow about wrapping himself back up in his blanket either, hoping to get as warm as he possibly can.]

Nah, I'm okay. [Well...alright, he was freezing, but he would be okay. Namine looked comfortable, and one blanket was plenty for him!] Besides, the fire helps a lot.

[lethechained]

[O-oh. A thing, huh? Well, she can't argue with that.

She definitely doesn't blame him. No more freezy deaths allowed.]

Alright. [Nod. She won't press, then.] If you're sure. ... Mm, it does. It was a good idea.

[derping]

[No, a freezy death definitely does NOT sound fun.]

Yeah. Having so many friends all in one place for something like this...it feels a little bit like home.

[There was no beach, no ocean, no bright sunny day...but there was at least a little taste of that warmth that had been absent from the rest of his stay so far in the Tower. More than enough to make him happy. But also enough to make him a bit more homesick.

Still, he tries not to think about that last part, keeping a smile on his face.]

But I'm from an island, so I guess this actually pretty different. [To say the least.]

OKAY LET'S DO THIS THING 1/idek

[attheclocktower]

[Overall beginning to settle and calm down from earlier. Probably had nice conversation or two. Just... overall enjoying the warmth and - shy as she is - the company.]

COMMENTING HERE TO SAVE YOUR INBOX 2/I'll tell you

[attheclocktower]

[Glancing over in the direction of the stairs- oh hey, there's someone else coming this way. Someone with-]

I AM STILL SO SORRY 3/?

[attheclocktower]

[... very spiky hair... and red clothes...]

EVEN IF I TOLD YOU THIS WOULD HAPPEN 4/?

[attheclocktower]

[Oh god]

Yeah I'm running out of things to say here 5/?

[attheclocktower]

[Oh god oh man oh god oh man

It's him it's actually him. She'd gotten some warning sure but he was right there and oh man.

Ducking under her blankets and pulling up her hood now.]

I think I am almost done though 6/7?

[attheclocktower]

[What does she say what does she do what if he talks to her and-

She has no idea how to handle this and part of her wants to bolt but everyone is there and they'll ask questions especially the ones who know and...]

OKAY DONE I THINK 7/7

[attheclocktower]

[hjjsdsjdgklshdkld ;A;

In the end she doesn't say anything, though she's not good at hiding herself watching him.]

[derping]

[Sora, all in all, is feeling pretty comfortable right now. Here, he's surrounded by friends, and...well, doubles of friends. Even though some things are kind of weird, he's not complaining. Not at all - in fact, he's smiling just like usual, in spite of the cold.

But he does, eventually, start to notice something. He feels a little bit like he's being watched. He scans the people in the area, checking to see if he was right, and...well, she wasn't that hard to spot. Someone who was wearing the exact same coat that Riku was the first time Sora had met up with him here. But this person was too small to be Riku. So who was it, he wondered? Why would they be staring at him?

The best way to find out, he figures, was to walk over and ask - which is exactly what he does. He smiles when he gets there, still as perfectly relaxed as he usually is.]

Hi there! I'm Sora.

[Nice and simple. Introductions are usually the best place to start, right?]

[attheclocktower]

[And then he'd noticed her. And now he's walking towards her. Oh man what does she even do-

Oh. He's... introducing himself. She... she'd honestly never thought what to expect. She'd never thought she might actually get to meet him, let alone how it might go if they did.

Well the most logical thing to do in situations like these is answer, isn't it?

Breathe, girl. You... you can do this.]

Hey. I'm Xion.

[derping]

[He'd know that voice anywhere.

In fact, he knew it so well that the sound registered long before the words themselves did. The shock he felt showed clearly on his face, and it took all of his self control just to keep his mouth shut. It wasn't Kairi - of course it wasn't, she had just said her name, and he could have sworn he saw black hair somewhere under that hood - but it still took a minute for that to sink in. Once that initial reaction finally fades, he relaxes again.

Geez, Sora, pull yourself together!]

Xion, huh? Nice to meet you!

So, um...are you a friend of Riku's?

[It may seem odd, but it's an obvious question to Sora. Riku is the only other person he's ever seen wearing that coat...so it would make sense that they know each other from somewhere, right?]

[attheclocktower]

[She sees the shock in his face and... doesn't quite get it. She's seen plenty of images of Kairi through Sora's memories. Words were a bit more scattered, though still there. She... she looked like Kairi, she probably sounded like her too, didn't she? It would make sense... But then Sora doesn't say anything.

And then it's her turn to be surprised. How did he know...? But like Sora, she lets it pass.]

Yeah, I am. He's helped me out a lot.

[And there's a bit of a smile in her voice.]