(no subject)

[derping]

Characters: Sora (OU), OPEN
Setting: Covers the entire week after the event ends. Starts in his dorm, can move anywhere in the Tower.
Format: I'll follow your lead!
Summary: Sora awakens after the end of the event, determined to find his friends, the people who helped him, and...anyone, really.
Warnings: Some (likely vague) allusions to Sora's punishment, probably bucketloads of sad, Kingdom Hearts is suffering, ect ect.
Notes: Sora is going to be looking for people to talk to in general, but he's also going to ESPECIALLY be searching for people who sponsored him...even the ones he doesn't know personally yet. He needs to say thank you, after all!



[Dorms, Room 1-06, Immediately after the event ends.]

[Sora couldn't remember falling asleep. That's his first thought, when he opens his eyes, finding himself back in his room. This was where he had woken up before. Days ago? Awhile ago, anyway.

He sits up and looks around, but no one is there. Again. He does see something different, though. One of the wooden swords that he and Riku used to play with, sitting on top of his trunk, and a note.

Thank you for participating in our experiment. Detailed results will be forthcoming.

What was that supposed to mean? Hadn't it already...?

That thought gives him pause. He slowly puts the sword and the note back onto the trunk, letting himself consider just what it might mean, if the experiment hadn't been over the last time he woke up in the tower.

What if it really hadn't been? Maybe that meant everything he had seen was a trick, maybe everyone was-!

Sora left the sword where it was and ran for the door, straight to the hallway, and looked all around...and he spotted someone. He wasn't even sure who it was, but it was definitely someone, and Sora had never been so happy to see another person in his life.]

[Anywhere in the Tower, anytime during the week.]

[It wasn't long before Sora figured out what had happened, of course. That being trapped in the tower while everyone else was...gone...was just an illusion. A consequence for not making it to the end of that experiment or something. He went through the ones that had been posted on the network, and was relieved when his own wasn't among them. His friends didn't need to see that, and...why should it be a big deal, anyway, if everything was okay now? Everyone was alive and safe. Right?

Maybe it wasn't that simple, but he had plenty of ways to distract himself. Starting with finding all of his friends, and all of the people who had sponsored him. He needed to thank the latter, and talk to the former, and...really, he just wanted to make sure that people were okay, regardless of whether or not he knew them.

Besides, the last thing he wanted to do right now was spend time alone.]

Comments

May 9th

[attheclocktower]

[Xion can be found on Floor 38, holding in her hands a needle and thread and the beginnings of some sort of... well, it was supposed to be a blanket, but she had a feeling she was doing it wrong. In addition to her sewing project, there's also a book, resting in her lap, which she keeps looking at and sighing in frustration. It shouldn't be this hard...

Still, last night's sleep... hadn't been great, but after the past several days, it had been better, to the point where she even felt like she'd gotten some rest.

It's enough that her attempts at distraction are actually halfway working working, and she's able to make progress half the time instead of just mindlessly poking herself with the needle like she has been the past few days. Not to say she didn't think sometimes on the nightmares she'd had, but...

Regardless, she may not notice right away when Sora arrives on the floor she's on, though she's not too far from the stairs, and certainly visible.]

[derping]

[It was awhile before Sora found his way to the 38th floor, since it was the highest up. But it was one of the ones he wanted to check most - it was a lounge area, so there were probably going to be some people there. Hopefully some people he was looking for.

(At least he could be sure that he wouldn't find any of the things he had seen a few days ago.)

So, of course, he spots Xion right away, and his face just lights up when he does. It's all he can do, when he notices that she's sewing, to stop himself from shouting and running over to her and maybe even giving her a big hug. He really missed all of his friends, okay? But she has a needle in her hand, so surprising her is probably a bad idea.

Still, he wanted to talk to her. Thank her for helping him out when he was in that labyrinth. Apologize, since she probably had to see him...]

Xion?

1/this is probably going to be commentspammish

[attheclocktower]

[Her head jerks up at the sound of her name, and she turns her head around to look-]

2/Except this isn't the first commentspam I've hit you with

[attheclocktower]

[It's Sora. He's back.]

3/I would reply to myself to save your inbox but it's your post so you'll get it anyway

[attheclocktower]

[He's back, he's here, he's okay- Something uncomfortable, almost painful both constricts and eases in her chest, the feeling working it's way out of her in a cry]

Sora-!

4/Why do I have to keep making comments here? IDEK

[attheclocktower]

[She'd seen him die, she'd seen him die. The day after she'd had that horrible nightmare where she'd killed Roxas even while trying to stop herself. She'd felt so helpless watching. It shouldn't have been him. Why did it have to be him, why did Sora have to die-]

5/5 But I am done now so I guess you don't have to watch me being silly anymore (for now)

[attheclocktower]

[But he was here. He was okay.

Her project is abandoned, half thrown aside as she bolts from her seat and is across the room as fast as her legs can carry her.

You'll find yourself beaten to the punch, Sora. She's hugging you, and judging by how tight she's clinging, she doesn't want to let go anytime soon.]

[lethechained]

[Naminé's spent quite some time hesitant to use her powers after some of the recent - though quickly becoming less recent - events and complications. It's always been... unsettling, having that kind of power, and even more so having to use it. She was used to it, before, used to it being a necessity, but after so long not using it, well....]

[This time, however, there's a purpose. It's not even very much; it's just paying attention, just reaching out from time to time and feeling what there is for those with the right powers to feel, awaiting the return of one very special heart.]

[It's one of those times that she finally finds what she's looking for. The sketchbook in her hands promptly drops out of them, and she doesn't even take the time to snatch it up again, instead leaving it where it fell when she gets to her feet and hurries from the room.]

[Sora's back--!!]

[derping]

[Sora was checking around the dorm floors first, of course, even though it was during the day. There were always some people here, no matter when it was, so there was a pretty good chance that he was gonna spot someone that he knew. After all, his first priority was finding his friends. Best place to start, he figured, was checking their rooms.

He had knocked on a few doors already, and no luck so far, but he still had a ways to go. In fact, he was on his way to Naminé's room already...so it's very likely that she'll have no trouble finding him.]

[lethechained]

[No trouble indeed, because it's right at that moment that she opens the door, stopping short at the sight of him in the hallway. Her expression is both joyful and distressed, the happiness at his return slightly tempered by her knowledge of the reason for his absence. She's not quite sure what to with herself, or even what she wants to do at all, which is why she lingers in the doorway, eyes wide. There is one thing that she does automatically, and that's,]

Sora!

May 11

[pauldrons]

[Zack is a new arrival, having just woken up in the tower the morning before. He has no idea about the experiment, or the Labyrinth, and he's been too busy looking into this place in general to keep an eye on the network for very long. Hence why he's in the library on Floor 19, trying to learn everything he can. Not that he's having much luck, with so many books just not there anymore.

He looks like he could use a break, though; feel like making conversation with a stranger, Sora?]

[derping]

[The library wasn't one of Sora's usual hangouts, but it was one of the places he had been gravitating to for the last few days. Mostly because, weird as it was to think about a library, it was a place that tended to have quite a few people.

He didn't really get why, though. There weren't really a lot of books - most of them were missing - and what was there didn't really seem all that interesting. Still, there was always someone there, poking around the shelves...and even though a lot of them were more interested in reading than talking, sometimes Sora got lucky and made a new friend.

Maybe he would have some luck today, too, he thought, when he noticed someone there that he didn't recognize.]

Looking for something?

[If he was, maybe he would be able to help! He sorta...kinda...maybe knew where a couple things were around here (but there was a reason he wasn't a librarian).

...okay, so mostly he just wanted to start a conversation.]

[pauldrons]

[Zack is hardly interested in the books. If anything, he'd love a chat and a new friend; Sora's luck was more than likely swinging in his favor that day, even if his speaking up caught Zack off guard and made him jump, a book falling from his hands with a heavy thud before he looked to Sora.]

Uh, actually, yeah. A map. Know where I can find one of those? I keep getting all turned around in here.

[Zack sheepishly rubs the back of his neck as he says that, as if embarrassed that he doesn't know up from down in this tower like others do.]

[justabignobody]

[He'd probably have to search quite a bit to find Riku, because he has become true to his earlier words and really does not want to be found. By anyone.

Except...

Between avoiding everyone and still keeping an eye on the important people while hiding away in the shadows at day, and being just plain reckless in his attempts at anger management at night, even Riku needs some down time. Which in his case means sneaking into his room once everyone is up for the day and sleeping until noon.

Or attempting to sleep at least. Because despite his best attempts to drive the nightmares away by utterly exhausting himself, they still return whenever he closes his eyes for longer than a minute and he still can see the scene play out in front of them; Sora being cut down by that gigantic sword, to save the other him no less and him, him only able to watch, doomed to press his hands against the screen and try to deny reality, but even with his powers gone at the time, he'd still known.

That hadn't been an illusion.

With four nights of tower-born-nightmares on the top of that, his imagination really has had all the material it's needed to come up with plenty nightmares of its own; like the one right now, where he is the one holding sword, Ansem's laughter ringing in his ears and no matter how he struggles, he can't move, can't speak, can't do anything but scream soundlessly as he is forced to cut down his two very best friends.

Or maybe not so soundless, when he awakens with a shout and a start. He is shivering violently for just that moment, stomach turning as the nightmare plays out once more in front of his mind's eye and after a moment he just pushes himself up until he's leaning against the headboard and draws one knee to his chest, touching his forehead to it.

It was just a dream. Just a nightmare.

He's had them before, he's dealt with them before, so why is he letting them get to him so much now?

...Except that that's not really even a question, because before Sora had been alive. And now...

He'll just keep sitting there on his bed, eyes free of his blindfold for once, trying to talk himself into just getting up and starting over with his daily schedule even though it likely hasn't even been much more than an hour since he's fallen into bed.

But... right now he can't bring himself to do that quite yet. It ought to be okay to just linger for a few more minutes and just be miserable. Right?]

[derping]

[And if he has to search quite a bit, he will - and, in fact, he is. He had been looking everywhere for Riku, ever since he got back...but so far, no luck. Where was he?

He wanted to find him. He needed to see his best friend again.

The last time something like this had happened, when he had been the one seeing Riku die...there had been no way to describe how Sora had felt, once he hadn't been able to run around blindly searching for him anymore and he was forced to let it sink in. If there was a word, Sora wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was. He didn't regret what he had done in the labyrinth, not for a second, but the idea that he might have put Riku through the same thing made him feel awful. Sora needed to apologize, and tell Riku that everything was fine now.

And Sora had more reasons of his own for needing to find Riku. Even though what he had seen after dying had only been an illusion or a nightmare, it felt like the last time he had seen Riku and Kairi, they...they weren't...

He didn't want to think about it. He just wanted to get that image out of his head.

The only other place he could think to try, now, was Riku's room, even though he had checked there before. But it was worth trying, and if he wasn't there, he could just look around again. He had to be somewhere, right?

He knocked three times, then stopped. For a minute, he wasn't sure if he should wait for a response, or if he should say something. He was almost afraid to, just because he dreaded the idea of not hearing an answer in return, but it wasn't like just walking off would do him any good.

Deep breath, and then-]

Riku? Are you in there?

[Now all he can do is wait.]

May 12th

[pitiedthefool]

[It's been a few days since the events of the labyrinth, of falling into what he swears was an illusion of the small town he had grown to love as his home ('It can't be real, they're all still here; everyone is safe'). All that time he's merely wandered nearly aimlessly, just relieved that the nightmare was over for now and that he could be seen; could be heard. The relief had been so overwhelming at first that, had he not been sitting down when someone had first approached him, he would have fallen to his knees. It all seemed like so long ago...

Today was no different, as he sat there in the media room and was just... incredibly grateful that he could actually spend time with others again. Currently he's just watching, listening to music playing from the game consoles and ignoring the creepy faces that sometimes appear on the blank screens. At least, until he decides to leave to find one of his friends...

Bother keyboarding tutor?

>Yes
>No]

[derping]

[ >Yes

The media room was another place that Sora was spending a lot of time in now, for a similar reason to all the others he was frequenting - there were always people there. Apparently, today was no exception. This time, there was even someone he knew!]

Hey, Yu!

[He was happy to see him there. It had been awhile since the last time they talked, and...well, Sora wasn't sure if he had been in the labyrinth or not, but he's glad to see that he's okay, anyway. He sits down in a chair near his friend, smiling just like usual.]

What're you up to?

hall

[keybearer]

[Someone else is on the move. A very exhausted, stressed out looking Riku who's got dark circles under his eyes and is currently stumbling around in a daze. In his hand he's got Kairi's lucky charm, which he clutches tightly, holding close to his chest.]

...It's just a dream. Can't let that--

[But when he hears the sound of footsteps, he stops in his tracks. Then he looks up...

And then he sees Sora.

He doesn't even say anything before he runs straight for him. He's alive. He's okay.]

[derping]

[Sora's thoughts are pretty scattered right now; he's still trying to process everything, sort out what did and didn't happen. But one thought kept coming back to him - that things were okay. That he could go and find his friends, and everything would just be normal again...or, as close to normal as they can get in a place like this.

That's when he hears footsteps, and looks up, spotting Riku right away. That catches his attention right away. He's just happy, after everything, to see that he's okay.

Sora would have run to see him, too, but Riku's already almost there by the time his feet would have gotten the message. Instead, his face just lights up, and it's plain to see how happy Sora is to see him.]

Riku! I was looking for you.

sometme in the week

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku had been mostly trying to put the events of the last week out of his mind. It was hard, he felt angry that in the end he had resorted to killing. Though he would never regret protecting others. But it felt like he was playing into their captors hands. And in the end it hadn't been enough

He saw Sora and made his way towards him, someone he had failed to protect. He felt guilty about that, and his face was serious as he approached the boy. "Sora."

[derping]

[The boy stopped when he heard footsteps, looking up and smiling when he realized that it was a familiar face. He was glad to see Suzaku, especially now that they were outside of that labyrinth. As much as he liked meeting people, that was probably a bad place for making friends.

Still, whatever Suzaku thought about him being a person that he had "failed to protect", the thought had never even occurred to the boy. He was just happy that Suzaku had been there to help him and Riku, and he was glad to be able to talk to him again now.]

Hey, Suzaku. It's good to see you again.

Whatever day; meadow

[reversedestiny]

[The other Sora, meanwhile, had remained in the calm of the meadow, trying to shake the jittery feelings brought on by his own nightmares. He has his face buried in his arms as he lies there, face-down and trying to ignore all the bad things. If he stays here, he can.]

[derping]

[Sora had been checking the meadow every now and then for a few days now, for the usual reason - he was hoping to run into people. But so far, he hadn't had much luck...

Until now, at least.

It's pretty easy for him to notice the other Sora, since (as he had learned a couple times over in this tower) it's hard to miss seeing yourself. No black coat, so this wasn't the other Xion, which mean that this had to be the other him. The one that he hadn't met yet. He was one of the people that Sora had been looking for, since he had sponsored him. But now that he was here...

Well, it was kind of hard to figure out how to approach yourself. Especially when the other you isn't looking so good right now.

He approaches slowly, quietly sitting down next to him. He's not really sure what to expect, but...well, here goes nothing.]

Um...hey there.

[luckycharmed]

[Kairi had been holed up in her room for some time now. Over the past week she had seen more awful things than she even thought possible. Watching Sora... Riku... everyone get hurt. It was almost too much to bear.

People had told her that this place was dangerous when she arrived. She'd believed them, of course, but this really hit the idea home. Comfort from people had been appreciated but.... not very helpful. She wanted to talk to the people she knew, but she still felt oddly out of place here.

So for now she was just curled up on her bed, thinking hard about what to do next. Normally this wouldn't do for her, but in this situation it was all she could think of.]

[[ooc: I assumed Sora would know where her room was and try to find her? If this isn't okay let me know.]]

[derping]

((Yup, he would! You're absolutely fine ♥. Also, placing this before Sora finds Riku up there, just as a reference.))

[There were a lot of people that Sora needed to see right now, for a lot of reasons. Because he knew that he needed to talk to the people that he cared about, and apologize for making them worry, for one thing. Because he had missed them a lot while he was stuck in the labyrinth and that illusion. But also for another reason.

He's trying his very hardest not to think about it, but four days was a long time when you were alone. Longer still when you started thinking that it might last for a very, very long time. And the images that were stuck in his head now, of how his friends had looked when he had finally found...not them, but...

He had to get that picture out of his mind, once and for all. He needed to see that Kairi and Riku were really okay. Then he could put all this behind him and relax. Simple as that, right?

Which is why it isn't all that long after he and Naminé talk and find some food that he heads to Kairi's room. Halfway there, he can't stop himself from running at full speed. He stops for barely half a second to catch his breath before he knocks on the door, only so that he can actually speak.]

Hey, Kairi! Are you in there?

[There's the usual upbeat note in his tone, but also a bit of urgency that he can't really cover up - like he was a little worried that there wouldn't be an answer.]