towerofanimus | Awakening

Entry tags:

Awakening

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.]

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[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.]

[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.]

[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?

[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.

[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?

[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.]

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.]

[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.]

Yeah, okay.

[It felt a little weird to just stop and read while they were standing around in the hallway like this, but there was no one else around for him to be in the way of. Couldn't hurt to give it a look, right?

So Sora tries to read over the letter carefully, his face occasionally revealing confusion at what it said. Not that it was that complicated - all it talked about where there was food in the tower, where people slept, and some things about a network that he really quite get. Nothing at all like what the first letter said. But that wasn't the strange part. There was something weird about the way it was written.

Maybe he was just imagining it, but...]

You know, this letter makes it sound like we're stuck here or something.

[Weird or not, it's probably for the best that he get that out of the way. She finds it best to direct newcomers (special newcomers or not) to find out as much as they can from the letters; that way, at least they have a grasp of the general idea and can tailor their questions appropriately. Naminé stands patiently as he reads, silent but watching his face carefully. It's because of that attention that she knows before he even says anything that there's something he's not getting. Her expression grows slightly more serious, but she manages to maintain the smile, apologetic though it becomes. She'd been hoping he'd already come to that realization before they found each other, but no such luck. Well, maybe it's better that someone be there to assist him with the fallout from the discovery of such a jarring reality.]

[Deciding it's best to say it plainly,]

That's because we are.

What? How come?

[He sounds more curious then anything, as if the idea that he could really be stuck somewhere hasn't quite sunk in yet. Truth be told, though he doesn't think about it, part of him probably doesn't want it too just yet. He already feels out of place and a little lost, after everything that's happened. Being trapped in a place he's never seen before on top of all that...well, it's a lot to take in.

Still, Sora doesn't let himself go over all of that in his head; he just waits for an answer. Whatever is going on - well, he'll figure all of it out as he goes. That's all he can do, right?]

No one's been able to find a way out, yet.

[It's a simple enough answer, but perhaps not such an easy one to accept.] Whoever's controlling the tower... won't let us leave. [Her mouth slips into a frown without her notice, but she's quick to discover it and urge the edges of her mouth to at least maintain a neutral position instead.]

But...there's gotta be some way out.

[This was the last thing Sora had expected out of going to another world. But...then again, the going to another world part didn't really happen the way he expected it to, either.

And how are they going to figure out how to fix whatever happened and get home if they're stuck in one place?]

What a mess, huh?

--... Right. [But not any way available to them at the moment. Not when the tower won't let them leave, not even via portal.]

[She offers a faint smile and a nod in response to his comment. It really is a mess - and it's about to become more of one. She knows she needs to explain this to him, but she's not looking forward to it.]

... There are... some other things you should know.

Other things? Like what?

[Sora listens, patiently waiting to hear the rest - what else can he do? As much as he wants to run off and find Riku, he needs to hear more first. Besides, this girl really was trying to help...and the least he could do was listen.

Besides, it can't be any worse then finding out he's stuck here. Right?]

[Oh, you'd think so. She appreciates his patience, especially since she knows how much he probably wants to find Riku. Detaining him is not something she's happy to have to do, but she still finds herself hesitating. It's not easy to tell anyone this kind of thing, and it's even more difficult to tell someone like him.]

The tower... can take people from different points in time. People you know from home might not be-- the way you remember them. [And maybe it's wrong to be so vague, to not tell him outright that she knows him, but that's too dangerous a move to make; if he goes running off now, who knows if she'll be able to help him?]

Different points in time? You mean like...from the past and future?

[The way he says that, it's as if he isn't quite sure he gets it. Surely, Sora thinks, he's just misunderstanding. It doesn't make any sense.

...then again, not much does right now.]

Yes. [Her response is firm, and she nods to emphasize the point. He has it exactly right. She fully understands his doubt, since, really, it's a perfectly normal reaction to that kind of information, but it does make her wonder to herself just how early a point in the timeline he's from.] That's right.

So the Riku that you'll meet here... probably isn't the way you remember him. [If Sora's apparent age is any indication. She says it carefully, making sure to keep it as gentle as possible in the hopes of easing the discomfort it's likely to cause.]

Seriously? I didn't even know something like that was possible.

[It is a little alarming - Sora thought that he and Riku would be on the same page when they met up, and now Riku's probably going to be two or three or ten steps ahead of him. Not that that's anything new, but...

Well, that didn't matter. At least he was there.]

...aw, but I'm sure Riku can't be that different. [He smiles, as if the idea of meeting a Riku from the future isn't a big deal at all - as if he couldn't have possibly changed as much as this girl was worried he had - and that alone probably says a lot about how much he doesn't know.] Bet I'll never hear the end of it if he's gotten even taller, though.

Seriously. [And then she shuts her mouth and watches his face carefully. He seems to be taking it well, at least, which is definitely a relief. That comment about Riku not being much different, though, quickly makes her expression into a slightly guilty one. Her hesitation is obvious; she doesn't want to disagree with him, but wouldn't it be cruel to let him keep thinking that? Won't he be disappointed?]

He... has. [Gotten taller, she means, since that's a much easier topic to address, and it also makes a nice segue.] A lot can change in that much time.

A lot, huh? [He thinks about it for a second, but he still doesn't understand what she might be talking about. No matter how long it might have been for him, Riku is still Riku, right?]

Well, how long has it been for him? Did he say whether or not he knew what happened to our islands?

[That's a big question, and Sora wouldn't be surprised if she didn't even know what he was talking about. But it can't hurt to ask.]

[She's well aware how vain a hope it would be to pretend he'd be able to guess at how big a change it really was, so she doesn't even try to fool herself. Keeping a smile on her face is done for his sake, but that smile grows sad and even a little surprised as he asks that particular question. That's a pretty good indication of how early a time he comes from. Perhaps the hope that he might be a little further along was a silly one, too.]

... He does. [It can't hurt to ask, indeed. Fortunately(?) for him, she knows a lot more than anyone would expect. It's a hard thing to say, but she knows it needs to be said.] Because... for him, it's probably been... a little more than a year.

A whole year?

[THAT is enough to catch Sora by surprise, and it shows very clearly on his face. That's...a lot of difference.]

Well, maybe that's a good thing. At least it won't be all that hard to find some answers.

[He pauses, realizing that he's forgotten something - something important.]

...you know, we've been talking all this time, and I haven't even told you my name. [He smiles, relaxing a little.] I'm Sora!

[After all, she's really helping him a lot! The least he can do is introduce himself...though, since she knows so much, he wouldn't be surprised if Riku had mentioned him to her or something.]

[Surprise is better than distress, anyway. She nods firmly, expression serious for an instant until she remember to smile. It gets easier after that comment.]

That's-- a good way to think of it.

[The pause causes her to tilt her head slightly, obviously curious, but she doesn't speak up. Oh-- introductions? She straightens again, mouth threatening to form an 'o' for a moment before easing back into a smile. ~~It's easier to re-introduce herself when she knows that at this point, Sora's neither met nor forgotten her.~~]

My name is Naminé. [There's a pause, but her expression changes only slightly as she considers the next part; at least in this case, it's likely true that they've never met before, so,] ... It's nice to meet you, Sora. [It's not quite an easy thing to say, but it would likely be a much harder one in a lot of other situations.]

Naminé, thanks for all the help.

[Sora's still smiling, completely oblivious to everything going through Naminé's mind. He's just happy that he had been able to make a new friend, even in a weird place like this.]

I'll be able to find you again, right?

[Even though he needs to find Riku right now, he really hopes that he'll have another chance to talk to Naminé sometime.]

Awakening

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