wake up, sleepyhead

[forceless]

Characters: [OU] Ventus and you!
Setting: Room 2-06, Floor 101 (Hanging Gardens), Floor 87 (Poppy Field), Floor 79 (Underwater), Floor 75 (Tower-ception) and Floor 35(Floating Lake).
Format: Starting prose, will match
Summary: Ven's finally back, and trying to piece together just what happened after all this time.
Warnings: Standard Animus fare, will update accordingly.

Room 2-06
It almost seemed like time happened in an instant; like when you went to sleep, and if you're not dreaming, you're vaguely aware that the hours are passing, but when you wake up, it's as if nothing happened except the sun coming up. It wasn't the first time he'd slept for so long, (and, sad to say, it probably wasn't going to be the last), and by now the novelty of Ven's extended sleep habits had worn off. He'd barely registered that he had been sleeping, but when he finally sat up, and registered he was awake, then yeah, he must have been sleeping in order to be awake in the first place. He was certainly groggy enough.

He wouldn't have even thought it was anything other than a dream that had lasted a really long time, but when he yawned, and glanced around the room, it was... different. Roxas definitely wasn't around, for one-- and if that assumption was wrong, then he definitely at least wasn't on some barren wasteland world.

No, something was definitely different. But instead of really registering that fact, he just yawned some more, and tugged at the ever familiar collar around his neck like he was pulling at his pajamas like a sleepy teenager.

"Mmph...what time is it....?"

He'll, figure out the rest later.


Floor 101
OK, so as it turned out a lot of stuff was different.

A lot more than he realized. Like, a lot, a lot. How much more, he had yet to figure out, and he wasn't even sure how much time had gone by, but he knew everything was generally A Lot. He realized that a long time ago (or maybe not that long) this would've been something that startled him, but it was getting disquietingly normal for him to be missing large chunks of his life. Though he still hadn't aged much more than he had after his last fight with Vanitas back home, so maybe he wasn't missing too much?

Whatever that was getting too complicated.

The point being, instead of moping around about it, Ven decided to find out just how much he'd missed. Which started with some exploring, which this time around was completely justified and not simply out of boredom or rebellion. He'd changed out of the spandex as per usual, slid on his armor with the rest of his clothes, and his first real stop brought him to a mysteriously transporting arrow that he stepped on with reckless abandon, and brought him to something.... something like the meadow, but completely different.

More plants-- a lot of plants actually. He wasn't sure if he had seen this many in the same place before, or if maybe he was just impressed 'cause it was the first new place he'd seen in a while. He stumbled around with a look of awe-- until he settled on a comparatively unimpressive little sapling among all the rather more impressive garden plants. It wasn't particularly dazzling, he thought, but it still brought a little bit of a smile to his face, and he knelt down to admire it with interest. "Hey there, little guy."


Floor 87
So maybe Ven's exploration wasn't exactly... methodically thorough, despite him moving with purpose. Actually he was just kind of skipping around to whatever seemed interesting, and a lot of times he opted to just stay on the staircase and continue on, or come back to places later-- he'd already learned his lesson plenty about how dangerous this place could be. But that didn't mean curiosity didn't get the best of him.

Stepping off on this floor was was a bit of a whim-- it was certainly nice. Not as nice as the hanging gardens, he idly decided, but the floors that looked like they were outside were always Ven's favorites over the others. Maybe he was still a bit drowsy from his... ridiculously long, sleep from when he'd been sent away from the Tower, (That kind of sounded a bit backwards to him, shouldn't he be even more awake than he usually was if he'd been sleeping for who-knows-how-long?) because a loud, groggy yawn came out of his mouth as he stretched his arms out while admiring the scenery.

"Hmm.. maybe I should go back to bed..."


Floor 79
Ah yes, this place seemed pretty par the course for this ridiculous deathtrap of a Tower-- he beheld the new floor with a bit of fascination, like he actually was underwater yet still perfectly dry and still able to breathe.

"Kind of like the aquarium," he mused to himself with a grin, kneeling down on one of the steps and reaching a hand out to try and brush the water that filled the rest of the room. "I wonder if that place is still here? Or maybe this is the aquarium and they just changed it around..."

Maybe he should be taking notes.


Floor 75
A tower. Within a tower. That was a new one. Then again, maybe it wasn't. It would also be more startling how used to he was about this place being ridiculous, if he wasn't already used to it. He kind of wished Roxas was around right now, or maybe Terra. They would totally get how ridiculous a tower within a tower sounded.

But on the outside, Ven's incredulity at the Tower's laws of physics didn't last. He beheld the largeness of the floor, once again, with awe (boy, his face sure was gonna get tired if he kept his jaw hanging open at every turn of the staircase), and he immediately summoned his Keyblade Glider up, hopping on and cruising out towards the Tower-within-the-Tower, and whatever might lie inside. Whatever it was, at least it'd be interesting.

So far, however, it was just dark, and pretty empty inside.

"Hellooooo?" He called, cupping his hands around his mouth as his glider hovered forward at an even pace. "Anyone here? Spooky boogeymen? Forces of darkness?"


Floor 35
This one wasn't new; after all his skipping around and selective exploration over quite a few days, he'd retreaded some old ground (which was necessary anyway, because visits to the cafeteria and the infirmary weren't really optional in certain terms of speaking), and at the end of the day had ended up at the lake. It wasn't particularly a notable lake in and of itself, other than having more of the Tower's special brand of physics.

But it did bring to mind his old friend and roommate (old? wasn't it just yesterday?), freaking out as per usual in one memorable even where he'd stormed off to the lake. He'd been glad Sayaka had been there to help him stop him, but he'd figured out that neither of them were even here anymore. At least not thus far as he had seen, and not where he figured they should have been. The revelation almost made him petulantly indignant, even if he still had friends that were still around.

Being a mope didn't really make him feel... up to par. At least not what he wanted to be, optimism was much more becoming of him and he knew it. So when he'd stopped himself at the lake and took a seat before, his legs crossed and his chin propped up by his hands, and his angry pout focused on the water before him.

He'd take some time to... marinate. Morosely. He'd get back to something more important later.

Comments

Floor 101 :U

[attheclocktower]

[If Ven is paying close attention, he might hear someone arriving right after him on the hanging garden floor, en route to the secret floor to check in with her charge before taking care of some everyday duties. Even as preoccupied as she was, she still did a quick glance around the floor to make sure it was safe.

Thus she immediately started when her eyes fell on the sapling, and who was standing right next to it. A few steps closer, confirmed what she thought: she knew that head of spiky hair.]

R- [No. The outfit wasn't right. Even from behind she could tell that much. She tries again.]

Ven?

[Ready to meet a Xion who's a good year and a half older than the last time you saw her, Ven?]

[forceless]

[As long as he's still the oldest for once!!!!

He was paying a little attention, at least: he noted the sound of someone coming up behind him-- and he did look up curiously from the plant, resettling to sit back on his feet and start craning his neck over his shoulder to see who it was, though by the time he'd noticed who it was, she'd already said his name.

He was also plenty happy to see that it was someone he recognized, and his smile remained bright.]

Xion--! Right? You're not gonna mix me up with my dorky twin again, are you?

[He idly remembered that it was totally possible that this Xion didn't know him at all. Oops.]

[attheclocktower]

[It's not hard to be older than a three year old so mission accomplished?

She can't help it. She laughs, putting her hands on her hips]

No way. [Her smile softens though] I just haven't seen you - either of you - in a while. It's good to see you back.

[Considering the alternative. Potential fuel for Ruana. And also the fact that he does remember. Clever of Zo, to bring people in, but mostly people who'd already been here before. So new worlds weren't destroyed.]

[forceless]

[LEVEL UP!!

Phew. OK, she totally remembered. Hopefully the right him. He'll assume it's the right him for the time being.

With that confirmation, Ven turned back front-ways to stand back up, brushing off a bit of dirt from the bottom of his pants and turning around to face her in full.]

Right... Uh, how long is 'a while,' would you say, exactly...? [He tried not to let the slight awkwardness seep into his tone or expression. Play it cool man. You've totally got this.]

i'm going to hell for this

[hoboherooo]

But then everything changed WHEN A DINOSAUR ATTACKED

IT'S ICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN VEN

as if you weren't there already

[forceless]

HEY

C'MON MAN

C'MON

BE COOL

[hoboherooo]

THE ONLY ONE WHO WILL BE COOL HERE IS YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU

god why don't I have any PuToTyra icons anymore

Room 02-06

[neverbeamemory]

There wasn't any point to what Sephiroth was doing, sat cross-legged on his bed in the Dormitory with Masamune laid across his knees. But he needed something to keep his mind occupied. Where he would usually read something such activity only blurred words together on a page without registering, so he'd found a new use for his grey gym-vest and was using it to idly polish at the keen edge of his sword; never mind that whenever he manifested it from nothing, it would always retain both it's edge and sheen.

He looked up as he heard movement finally coming from the new arrival to his Dormitory, and very nearly slipped his finger against his own sword. Sephiroth hissed at the near-slice and drew his hand away.

"Not possible to tell." He examined Ventus with thickly-lashed eyes that had seen better days. Dark circles were starting to form in the corners of Sephiroth's eyes from the lack of sleep he was getting, and even sat topless as he was his lethargy hung over what would-be usually an impressive physique like a dark cloud. "Though I think you'd still be able to catch Breakfast, if you were quick about it."

[forceless]

Ven met the suggested with a half-asleep groan in refusal, smacking his tongue against the inside of his mouth and rubbing the rest of the sleep away from his eyes.

"Maybe I'll just catch lunch later... Not really in the mood for cardboard oatmeal, that's for sure.."

Augh. Almost like it was back to the grind. At least the really nasty food usually waited until Dinnertime to come out, if he could recall correctly.

He finally blinked his eyes wide open again once he lowered his hands again, getting his first real good look at his new roommate. Besides the fact that he had absolutely no idea who this guy was, the second thing that he noticed was damn, this guy looked like he fell off the edge of a cliff, and his concern his immediately evident.

"Uh-- hey, are you OK? You're not looking too hot... Do you need something to eat?"

[neverbeamemory]

Good luck keeping anything else down. He thought but did not reply to Ventus. Sephiroth had seen many a person be violently sick in his time here from not eating the oatmeal first; as long as Ventus didn't do that in the Dormitory Sephiroth would keep himself out of it.

In the meantime the long silver haired man had gone back to polishing the edge of his blade. The words from across the room washed over him as if he didn't hear them at first but then, somewhat delayed, Sephiroth paused once more and heavily drew his eyes and head back up over to the newcomer.

"I'm not sleeping well. Call it an overextended stay in this wretched place."

That was all Sephiroth was prepared to say on the matter, letting a total stranger in on the details was not only pointless at this point but it would likely drag his consciousness down the same old, painful path of too-recent memories. The way he had died, having everything ripped apart like it had been, made it easier for even what-had-been well buried traumas to come rearing their heads at the smallest thought in their direction.

[forceless]

"I don't blame you," He responded idly, slowly swinging his legs around and onto the ground to climb out of bed. It was mostly just verbal filler, because Ven certainly didn't look like he had let the concern go with how creased his face still was. Well, the creases were gone for maybe a moment, to be replaced with a touch of surprise when he tried to re-orient himself to a vertical position and try not to immediately fall over flat on his face. But once he had gotten over that it was totally back to looking good and worried.

"Anything I can do to help?"

101

[keybearer]

Do you usually talk to plants?

[It would seem that Ven's got company in the form of this silver-haired dork. While the exotic plantlife has grabbed his attention on more than one occasion, he had actually planned to swing by the Secret Floor.

Granted, those plans changed the moment he spotted Ven. After all, it's been ages since he last appeared in the tower. This merits investigation, especially to see if he remembers the place or not.

So, with a smirk on his face, Riku struts over, watching Ven closely. Don't worry; he won't bite.]

[forceless]

Whoah--!

[You know he wasn't really surprised that someone else was lurking around, but he could at least wish one day that he would stop being so surprised about it.

At the sound of the voice, he stood back up and spun around on his heel to see who had spoken, but if he had any defenses up, they leavened a bit when he saw... maybe a familiar face? A familiar face he couldn't really remember which. Maybe he should stop giving people so much crap for mixing him up with Roxas.]

Personally, I'm waiting for the day they start talking back. You never know!

[keybearer]

Maybe you should swing by Wonderland sometime. They don't just have talking plants. They've got talking Doorknobs.

[And despite the absurdity, he says this with a perfectly straight face... well, minus the smirk, which remains firmly in place. True, Wonderland is technically as dead as any other world right now, but he'd rather not dwell on that for Ven's sake and for his own. After all, Riku's still holding out hope that they can fix everything.]

Poppy field because you can't leave a protag alone for three seconds--

[sageprincess]

[With little warning, a gloved hand catches one of those stretching arms and starts to pull it and the boy it's attached to back towards the staircase. The young woman doing the pulling covers her nose and mouth with her free hand, doing her best to resist the effects of this floor with single-minded determination.

Her voice is a little muffled as a result, though. Sorry about that.]

You will die if you stay here. Come on.

[Said with no small amount of urgency. Honestly, it hasn't even registered to her that it's Ven she's pulling - just that someone is making the foolish mistake of lingering on this floor and she intends to stop it.]

HEY AT LEAST HE'S NOT TERRA

[forceless]

Uh-- ?!

[Well if he was starting to nod off, he was certainly jolted back awake when someone suddenly started yanking his arm (wow, he hadn't even noticed anyone coming behind him, he must be seriously out of it--). Thankfully, he was also both too startled and a bit too sleepy to actually register that he maybe should be putting up some kind of resistance, and instead just sort of stumbled along with his would-be rescuer.

Thankfully, once they'd returned to the staircase and he'd stumbled around a few more steps, then his head finally started to clear. Give or take a moment or two of rubbing his eyes with his other hand.]

Augh... can't a guy even sleep right anymore...?

THIS IS TRUE but also not a very high bar to set

[sageprincess]

[Zelda continues dragging her hapless victim charge down a few stairs towards the fairy meadow just to be safe. Well, the fairy meadow isn't exactly safe either, but she knows how to navigate it thanks to going there with Arthur from time to time. Only when she's sure she can't feel the sleep-inducing effects of the poppies any more does she let go, thankfully more gently than how she grabbed him.]

Not unless you are in your dormitory.

[She answers the rhetorical question idly, trying not to think about how, even there, the beds are truly just pods of liquid. Thankfully, the belated realization that she knows that voice helps in that regard. She whirls around, surprise evident in her expression, and Ven will likely note this princess looks a bit older than when he saw her last.]

... Ven?

[thepowerful]

[From behind Ven, there is a powerful gust of wind, followed by a large hand grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him back toward the staircase. Subtlety was never Phaeris' strong suit, and this instance is no different.]

Phaeris does not advise going out there, young one. It will not end well.

[forceless]

Ack--!!

[Ven was certainly no strangers to strong winds and flying around and lack of subtlety, but it was incredibly hard to keep your composure when a giant hand was yanking you across the floor. For lack of a better reaction time, he just went along with it.]

Uh....

[And... took a few minutes to try and regain his bearings and what the heck was this guy that grabbed him?!]

Th-- Thanks...? Uh, for your help....

[What the hell]

floor 35

[prayerless]

[It had been...a long time. Not nearly as long as she had spent in the realm of darkness the first time — and that's surely the main reason she had survived so well upon being returned to it. It was almost easier this time. There were no Heartless left, nothing trying to prey on her in the midst of slumber.

It was...somehow lonelier that way. But that was fine. She still had her Wayfinder. She knew as long as she had it, she'd never really be alone.

She started exploration from the bottom, after a rather long elevator ride. While Aqua didn't know exactly how long she'd been gone, she knew it was over a year and a half. Given the Tower's propensity for expansion, she didn't doubt that it had changed in her absence, and she wanted to know how much of it she recognized.

It's in this way that she comes upon Ven at the lake, and she almost can't believe her eyes. It's definitely him; she'd know him anywhere, as well as she knows her own hand.

It takes willpower not to just run to him. Instead, she takes great pains to approach cautiously. This is definitely an image of Ven, but he looks so sullen, and the Tower has used illusions of loved ones to hurt people before. Her hand distractedly finds her Wayfinder as she approaches with quiet steps. They are still a few feet apart when she speaks with trepidation heavy in her voice.] ...Ven?

[forceless]

[In a move that would probably get him a good scolding from both, Ven didn't notice his company approaching him. He was half lost in his own self-pitying an negativity, and half was just kind of not paying attention period, maybe even nodding off or daydreaming (though it's not much of a dream if he doesn't have many solid happy thoughts in his head, he thinks). But at least he did perk to attention when he heard someone call his name, and rather than be totally shocked or wary at first, he recognizes the voice's speaker almost instantly.]

Aqua--!

[Like a speeding bullet, he shot up into the air and whirled around, with exuberance, almost forgetting himself and his own worries as a big grin split his face.

However, watching and processing Aqua's initial demeanor... brings him back down to reality, and he has to consider the fact that maybe things are a bit-- different, than each of them remember.

But at the least he's certain-- thinks he's certain, anyway-- that's it's not one of the worse tricks of the Tower, and after considering himself and patting around his clothes a moment, he digs into his pocket and pulls out his own green Wayfinder, pulling it out and letting it dangle in front of him by the string.]

Uh-- it's me, really! Or, some version, I guess...!

[prayerless]

[The simple sight of the Wayfinder shouldn't comfort her so easily, but it does, and the sudden rush of relief brings a smile to her face. However, Ven's response raises another concern that Aqua hadn't even been considering. "Some version"...

It's entirely possible that this isn't the same Ven she knew the first time she came to the Tower.

The smile falls from her face at that thought, though she can't really place why. She raises the hand that holds her Wayfinder like a lifeline, holding it flat in the palm of her hand so that she can study it, examining the glassy blue surfaces of the little charm that helped her hold on to hope all those years.

She then slips a finger through the loop of the chain and lets it hang, in much the same manner that Ven is presenting his. Her smile has returned, but there's an undoubtedly sad edge to it.] Long time no see.

Floor 75

[fragileprophet]

"I didn't know one could summon the forces of darkness through such a polite greeting."

Ion smiles from where he stands close to the entrance of the floor. He hadn't been able to stop himself from being curious when he noticed the unfamiliar boy drifting toward the Tower. Having made his presence known, Ion ventures a bit closer, staff in hand.

"I'd be careful; one may actually answer." His smile becomes a bit softer, however, and he laughs lightly. "Forgive me, I hope I don't seem rude--I'm sure you can handle yourself. I was just a bit struck by your bold curiosity."

remember how i whined at you to tag me and then took forever to tag back sobs

[forceless]

"Huh--?!"

Despite his apparent attempts at trying to lure out ghosts, actually receiving an answer in intelligible human language catches him off guard, and he quickly swerves around in a circle on his glider and kneels down close to the board, his hand extended out behind him in a defensive position-- but when he lays his eyes on Ion, and asses that he is indeed, not a threat, he quickly lets his guard back down and offers an awkward grin in repentance for his reaction.

"Eheh-- Nah, don't worry about it," He said with a sheepish chuckle and a small hand up in apology. "Honestly, I'm not sure if someone answering would be scarier or not at this point. I guess I'm sort of used to the spooky stuff by now."

I remember quite clearly uvu

[fragileprophet]

“Are you?” Ion smiles brightly, though there’s a slight tint of sadness to it that he can’t seem to quite erase. “You must be very brave, then. I’ve been here for a decent while now and I still manage to lose my nerve at most everything I come across.” Of course, that could also be more telling of Ion’s lack of bravery as opposed to anything else. But then, to be fair, most of his unnatural encounters in the Tower hadn’t been particularly run-of-the-mill.

“Then again,” Ion adds, “I can see the merit in that. We’re so used to such things happening, it would certainly be ominous to find the Tower suddenly devoid of all obvious threats.” Shifting his staff from one hand to the other, the boy shakes his head abashedly. “But forgive me, where are my manners? My name is Ion.” He holds out his hand for a handshake, bringing his smile back. “It’s very nice to meet you.”