Awakening

[derping]

Characters: Sora and YOU.
Setting: His dorm room (1-06), the dorm floors, and then wandering. Feel free to choose whatever floor you want to run into him on!
Format: Starting with action, but I'm fine with either that or prose.
Summary: Sora wakes up in a world that isn't his own, and decides to so search for his friends. Maybe he'll find some answers, too.
Warnings: None initially. Will be updated as needed!



[This was all a dream, wasn't it?

That's what Sora had wondered when he first woke up. His head had been foggy, and for a moment he couldn't figure out where he was, or why he was so tired. But it wasn't long at all before everything came rushing back to him. Everything that had happened the night before...no, that definitely hadn't been a dream.

So where was he now, he wondered? And where were Kairi and Riku? He almost panicked when he realized that he couldn't move, but thankfully it was only about fifteen more seconds before he had been on his feet, looking around the room. He notices the collar on his neck, but hasn't quite decided what to make of it by the time he spots the letter.

"Your world has been destroyed."

So...the islands really were gone. He could have stood there staring at the letter in disbelief for a good long while, but that wouldn't have helped him answer the main question...]

So...what is this place, anyway?

[Well, there was only one way to find out, and it wasn't by sitting around all day. If he was here, his friends had to be close by, too, and he would never find them if he didn't get moving. Sora got on his feet and decided to head for the door, not taking the time to read the second letter through carefully. He could do that later - right now, he couldn't focus on anything but the idea that, first and foremost, he needed to find his friends.]

Comments

[lethechained]

[Naminé steps through the door of her own room and out into the hallway without any expectation that it will be different from the previous time. She's never quite gotten over the feeling that someone's going to stop her when she tries to leave, and it's that sensation that distracts her enough that she doesn't immediately notice that she's not alone in the hallway. It doesn't take long, though, for a very familiar shape to catch her eye. Assuming automatically that it's the other Sora, she turns to say hello, but after taking one good look she stops short, sucking in a gasp.]

[derping]

[As far as Sora could tell, there wasn't much in this place. Not on this floor, anyway (but there had to be others, right?). He would have checked all the rooms, but they were probably rooms like the one he woke up in. What if people actually lived here? Still he checked the hallway, alert for anything...so it wasn't hard to notice the girl that walked out.

He didn't notice the gasp, or her sudden change in expression. His thoughts were elsewhere. Which is exactly why he doesn't hesitate to walk closer and talk to her.

After all, it'll be easier to get around here if he asks other people for help.]

Hey, can you help me? I'm looking for some people. My friends, Riku and Kairi. Have you seen them?

[He's in such a hurry to ask, in fact, that he doesn't even think about describing what his friends look like.]

[lethechained]

[Naminé moves to face him fully as he heads toward her, watching him approach with a slightly apprehensive but mostly searching expression. Is she right? She's so used to telling apart people with the same face, to looking at them and seeing immediately the subtle differences (especially in the faces she knows best) that it's not hard at all for her to recognize that this is not the Sora who's been in the tower for some time now, but it is hard to convince herself that she's correct. The question, however, proves her right without her even having to search his heart for the truth.]

[He's still so young. That's... not a good sign, at least in relation to his place on the timeline and therefore what he remembers and what hasn't happened to him yet. Her mouth settles into a line for a brief moment as she processes that thought, and then... quite suddenly, she smiles. She is happy to see him, even if she wishes it was under better circumstances, but her smile is just a touch perfunctory, urged larger by her intentions of making him more comfortable.] Hello. [Now, then, how is she to explain this to him? Judging by the way he's acting, he doesn't know who she is. (She understands too well to allow herself to focus on the fact that that stings.) Perhaps answering his question as honestly as possible is the right way to go.] Yes, and no. Riku's here. [But he's probably not how Sora remembers him.]

[derping]

[It's true - there's not even so much as a hint of recognition in they boy's face. He's never seen her before.

...but hearing that Riku's here is enough to make him light up, smiling more then he has since before the previous night; Riku's here! Even if this girl hasn't seen Kairi, Riku being here means that she can't be too far off, right?

Everything was going to be okay. He'd find them, and they'd all figure out what happened together. Sora was sure of it.]

Really? He is? Where is he?

[lethechained]

[She's not sure if it might be better for Riku to explain things himself, but she doesn't want to give him the duty of explaining everything to Sora - not if she can do it herself. It might be easier to grasp and accept, coming from Riku, but surely it wouldn't do any harm to give it a shot herself?]

Yes. He stays in Room 2-14. But-- there are some things you should know, first.

[derping]

[He's about to immediately respond with "Okay, where is that?" when Sora finally processes the last thing she said. His smile fades into a look of confusion, and he even tilts his head a bit

Things that he should know? Like what?]

Huh? What do you mean?

[lethechained]

[There are a lot of things he should know, really, but the most pressing is what he needs to know before he goes running off looking for someone he expects to look the way he remembers them.]

Well.... [The tips of her fingers come together.] First, how much do you know about this tower? [If he's already had the chance to talk to somebody, this might be easier.]

[derping]

Um, well...

[He reaches into one of his pockets, pulling both of the (now crumpled) letters out. He's still glad he didn't stop to read the second one first; if he had, he might not have run into this girl, and it would've taken him ages to find Riku. Once he shuffles the letters so that the second one is on top, he looks back up.]

I found these letters when I woke up. I didn't really read this one, though.

[In other words, he still doesn't know very much at all.]

[lethechained]

[Crumpled already, Sora? She can't say she's surprised, and for a moment the smile she's put in place for his sake becomes just a little more genuine. Her eyes follow the letters, then move back to his when he looks at her again.]

Do you want to read it now? It might help. [And give her some more time to work out how to explain this in the least unpleasant way possible.]

[justabignobody]

[It's hard not to recognize that smell, that scent that was so familiar like his own and only one other besides it - that at this moment tastes so much like light and seasalt and clouds in the sky. It almost makes him trip with longing, because he's sure there can't be any mistake and he's been waiting to see, really see Sora again for now eleven months and counting (see him and not just his sleeping form beneath shimmering white glass). ...Except that there is also the guilt and how can he face Sora when he's still half tangled in Darkness, when he was so close the giving himself to it for good before arriving in the tower?

How can he consider himself to have the right to see him?

It is the guilt that makes him pull up the hood as he follows the faint but so familiar scent, that makes him hide - at least for now - while he walks down the hallway in search for the best friend he longs and dreads alike to see.]

[derping]

[Sora hadn't gone very far at all since his conversation with Naminé - just to the next floor in the dorms, where she said that Riku was staying. Everything she had told him about this place was still running through his mind...especially the stuff about Riku. He understood the idea that Riku was a year ahead of him, but it was the how that didn't really make sense to him.

It was a lot to take in. So much was going on, and there was still so much that he didn't understand.

One thing at a time, though. He keeps an eye out for the room number Naminé gave him. That was the best place to start.

Besides, even if Riku wasn't there...well, he couldn't be too hard to find, right? So he just continues walking, so distracted that he's completely unaware (for now) that he's being followed.]

[justabignobody]

[Riku is careful to leave some distance between them as he trails after him and Sora would probably be surprised about just how hard it can be to find him, especially when he doesn't want to be found.

The way Sora seems to be looking at the room numbers makes him wonder, though... what or who was he looking for?]

[derping]

[That question is probably easily answered when Sora finally does find the room that he's looking for - 2-14. That's where Riku was staying. So...if he was there, that meant he'd probably be inside. He should probably knock first, he thinks, just in case he remembered the number wrong or something.

And that's exactly what Sora does, hoping for a response.]

Riku? Are you in there?

[justabignobody]

[He freezes when he realizes just what room he has stopped before, just which door he is knocking on, when he hears his name being called. Something twists in his gut as he wonders just how Sora knew where to find him here - it wasn't like many people knew his room number.

He mostly kept to himself after all, rarely introducing himself unless asked to, distant to his room mates and the only people aside of them that came to mind were the other Sora and... Naminé.

Who would tell Sora.

He knows she would. He had never asked her to keep that to herself after all, and even if he had, she probably would have told Sora regardless of that.

Because she knows him too well, knows that he wouldn't reveal himself unless forced to.

He can't quite bring himself to be angry with her about that.

...Still, he wonders, what to do now?

He could just ignore him and this whole situation. Could disappear into the shadows right now and avoid Sora for the times being. He knows he could. It wouldn't all too hard, not when he can sense Sora's light even from afar and slip from one shadow to the other unseen like he is one himself.

The real question wasn't whether he was able to, but rather was he willing?

That is in fact his real dilemma here, being torn between his longing to see his best friend and the dread to be seen like this, so wrapped up in shadows and Darkness and while he isn't ashamed of who he is right now, of who he has become out of necessity, he isn't sure Sora would understand, especially when he looks so young; younger than he should look like, even after sleeping ten months through.

Time doesn't mean anything in this place, he knows, and the way Sora looks right now he could be from any time between his fourteenth birthday and Castle Oblivion and while his light shines strong like it always had and probably always will, there is something in that scent that makes Riku think that he just might be a little closer to former than latter.

What a mess. Especially since he is still just standing there like an idiot and absolutely undecided what to even do with all of this.]

[derping]

[He waits a few seconds before knocking again, waiting for some sign of a response.

Nothing. If Riku was in there, he would've come out by now. He sighed, letting his eyes drift to the ceiling as he tried to figure out what to do. If he stayed here, then Riku would have to show up eventually. But that could take forever. Maybe it would be better to keep looking around...

But he couldn't decide. It was probably better to just be patient and wait. But, mostly, he just didn't like the thought of having to sit and do nothing for who knows how long. He wanted to know what was going on. He...well, he really just wanted to see Riku. Then maybe he could know more about what was going on. And...maybe things could feel a little more normal than they did right now.

He couldn't just wait around here. It was when he decided this, and started walking back in the direction that he came from, that he finally noticed the cloaked figure in the hallway with him.]

Huh?

[He jumps a little at first, startled - he had thought that he was alone. He still sounds surprised when he speaks again, not really thinking before the words come out.]

Where'd you come from?

[justabignobody]

[Or maybe he wouldn't have. Even Riku himself can really say.

He is just staring blankly for a moment, before shifting into a casual shrug, crooking his head and waving his hand in a manner that somewhat spells "Around."

Yeaaaahhh, he's not the most talkative right now.]

[derping]

[Sora just stares at him for a minute, wondering if he's ever going to say anything...and eventually figuring out that he isn't. He rubs the back of his head while he thinks for a second, hoping that he got the gist of those gestures right.

Not that it tells him much anyway.]

Er...right.

[Still, maybe this guy could help? It couldn't hurt to ask, anyway.]

Hey, have you seen the person who's staying in this room? [He points, indicating the door to Riku's room.] His name is Riku. He's my friend, and I really need to find him.

[Dorm floors]

[prayerless]

[She had only just made the move to leave 1-07 and go to the infirmary to assist with healing anyone who may still be injured; she didn't really expect to see Sora outside of 1-06 in a similar way.

She's cautious around him, as always -- she doesn't want to upset him further, after all -- but something strikes her as strange. He's wearing different clothes...and he's carrying himself differently.

She squints a little bit in his direction, and then cautiously tries:] ...Sora?

[Dorm floors]

[derping]

[Sora's more than a little distracted by now - his talk with Riku game him a lot to think about. Enough that he's decided to head back to his room and sit down, just to give himself some time to digest all of it.

Still, hearing his name is enough to catch his attention. He turns around, expecting to see someone he knows...and instead spotting someone that he doesn't recognize at all.]

Yeah, that's me.

[How does she know his name? He's sure that he's never seen her before...has he?]

Do I know you from somewhere?

[prayerless]

[He doesn't recognize her? Maybe...maybe this is a different Sora. It's definitely Sora -- he responded to the name, after all -- but, the Tower has turned up duplicates before.

And Riku was talking about how he knew a different Sora...

She just gives him a warm smile, despite the gears turning in her head trying to figure this out.]

We met a very long time ago. You probably don't remember.

[Hopefully this Sora might remember the enigmatic blue-haired woman from his childhood. It would be a little awkward if he'd never met her at all.]

[derping]

A long time ago? Um...

[He crosses his arms, turning his head to the side while he tries to think. Did he know this woman from somewhere? Nothing came to him right away. He knew that she wasn't from the islands, but...

Sora looked at her again, thinking it over. She did look familiar, but he wasn't sure why. A woman with blue hair...the memory was fuzzy, but it did ring a bell. Something that had happened when he was really little...]

You know, now that you mention it, I feel like I've seen you somewhere before. I can't remember for sure, though, sorry.

[He gives her a friendly smile in return, though.]

What's your name? Maybe that'll help me remember.

[prayerless]

[...come to think:] I don't think I ever told you my name. [Despite that, she laughs, a bit bashfully.] I guess I forgot my manners that day.

My name is Aqua. I met you and Riku on a beach -- I think it was your world. It was a beautiful place.

[She doesn't want to mention what Sora promised her he would do. Experience has taught her to be careful with what she brings up, especially not knowing how certain timelines have progressed. She doesn't want to make this Sora upset.]

[derping]

On a beach? Yeah, that sounds like my island!

[He still can't remember clearly, because he was so little back then. But the more he thinks about it, the more certain Sora is that he's not imagining things; a woman like this came to the islands when he was a kid.]

I must have been really little when you came. I can't remember much about it at all...

[Maybe he should just think about it a little more. They talked about something, right...?]

But it's nice to meet you again, Aqua.

[prayerless]

You were very young. [She gives a small chuckle, adding:] You probably came up to my knees.

It's nice to meet you again, too. It's been a while. [She can't help but wonder how this Sora turned out. If maybe his life was better than the life of the first Sora she met.]

How have you been? Ten years is a long time-- have you gone on any adventures? [She asks in good humor, but she has a feeling his answer might be a little long, depending on what his adventure was and if he feels like telling her about it.]

[derping]

I think I'm on one right now, actually.

[He tries to keep up a smile and a light tone with the comment, but it doesn't hold perfectly. It's a harder question to answer than it normally should be. Less than half a day ago, his answer would have been an easy "no". But now, everything was...

Well, when he had imagined going on adventures, he never in his life pictured things turning out like this.]

But I guess, until a few hours ago, everything on the islands was pretty much the same as it always was.