☼ 001 [video]

[travelsthefarthest]

[The feed flickers on and Lea fiddles with it a moment, turning the screen sideways briefly before making a face and righting it. Crazy newfangled technology. He's not wearing the watch, rather has it set on the table in his apartment like it's a tiny tiny computer. After making sure the little screen will stay upright by itself, Lea frowns at it a moment before scratching his head.]

So they tell me this watch thingy posts live to a network everybody in the city can see. Wow, that's pretty impressive--not just in technology but in trust! [He leans forward a bit, folding his arms on the back of the chair he's sitting backwards in and plunking his chin down on them.] I mean, I could say anything, and I wouldn't even be censored? [A low, appraising whistle.]

I mean, not that I'd ever do anything like that. [Grin~]

So where can a guy find the best ice cream in town? I've had a long day you guys wouldn't believe.

[Nothing like being dead and then waking up and finding out you got your heart back and wrangling with the idea of having real emotions again and debating whether or not you should track down your old friends who think you're dead and then getting pelted by children falling out of trees to wear you out. Yup. But he's not gonna go into details.




[A beat of silence and then he glances around as if making sure no one's watching before he cups a hand beside his mouth and says in a stage whisper,] Xemnas is an insufferable ass. And his briefings were boring as hell. [Just checking on that censorship thing. Yup. Nothing to see here.]

Comments

[video] I miiiight have to slip onto the OU account for this a bit (1/2)

[whereibelong]

[It's been a couple days since Roxas arrived and Xion is finally getting to a point where she's comfortable letting him out of her sight, generally speaking. He was... so different, younger and inexperienced and a lot of things that could prove dangerous in a new world like this one. Not to mention she'd really, really missed him.

He isn't in the immediate vacinity though when Xion checks the network and...

There's a flurry of emotions in her chest. That voice she knew that voice and could they both really have turned up in the same week-? But what if he remembered differently or didn't even remember at all like Riku, and...]

Axel-?

Yuuup

[attheclocktower]

[... and then he says that. And for a moment she just... sits there, and then she giggles and starts to laugh. And in that same moment she forgets a fair bit of her hesitancy]

Axel, what- what are you talking about?

[Well, no she knows what he's talking about but why on earth is he saying it? Especially when arriving in a world like this of all places?]

[travelsthefarthest]

[Oh, someone replied? Oh, interesting, it works like a walkie but with pictures, okay, he can handle th--

[Wait. Is that--? That voice... he would know it anywhere, but... It can't possibly be--]

Wh-- Xion!? [What in the heck is she doing here? He had supposed it was believable he could get a bit turned around trying to get anywhere from that little island he'd never been to, but what's Xion doing in this place? The odds of them both winding up here because of a corridor glitch are infinitesimal!

[Moreover, she doesn't seem traumatized by his presence, which is a bit surprising, given that he was sort of hideously dying the last time he'd seen her. Something is suspect here.]

Are... you okay?

[He'll get to the subject of That's Not My Name Anymore later.]

[attheclocktower]

Y-yeah. I'm great.

[There's a tight, almost constricting feeling in her chest. He remembers her. Just like Roxas. He's here and he remembers her and now they're both here and it's just... it feels like everything's going to work out. They can figure out what's going on in this world together. Somehow.

Her smile is a little tremulous.]

You just got here, right?

[travelsthefarthest]

[She's great? Well... that's great, sure, but this is still very odd. He stares for a moment, his eyes narrow with something like suspicion. No, seriously, Xion, why aren't you alarmed? You should be thinking he's a zombie or something. He's not, for the record, but the fact that you are completely unperturbed by the fact that he's alive is a little unsettling.

[Maybe he's dreaming. He reaches up and pulls at one cheek, just to check.]

Ow!

[Nope, not dreaming. Rubbing his face with a grimace, he nods.]

Yeah, ah, about two hours ago. Figured I might as well get in a nap before I headed back home, but... I wasn't expecting you to be here. [He squints again and shakes his head.] What're you doing here, anyway? I thought I borked a corridor or made a wrong turn someplace.

video;

[destinedwaters]

[...Well. This was a face she hadn't seen in a long time. Not like he probably remembered, but all the same...she can't help the faint ghost of a grin at the memories. Though, wasn't he missing a few tattoos?]

There are a few places in the Virgo district, I think...

[Ice cream is A Big Deal to even Keyblade Masters, okay.]

[video forever]

[travelsthefarthest]

[Headtilt. Again with the familiar faces who should be really confused as to the fact that he's, you know, breathing. Lea glances over one shoulder--Am I being punked?--and then back to the screen, narrowing one eye.]

Virgo. Got it. Much obliged.

[A second's hesitation, then he inhales to speak, opens his mouth, then hesitates again. He scratches his cheek absently, then folds his arms, giving Aqua a VRY SRS look.]

So did you take good care of the kids while I was away?

[destinedwaters]

[Comes with being in two places before and remembering people who you likely shouldn't and having to deal with the consequences of knowing things that you probably should not know until a few more years. ...so yes, you are getting punked. In a way.]

No problem... Axel, right?

[Oh look, she does show a little surprise and confusion. Oops, there went the neutral fa-

She knows that look. It's the look of any mama bear that is going SUPER SRS mode y so srs? and one she gave Terra and even a few other people she could mention.]

...Yeah.

[She nods, but she has to wonder... was it from her future he was talking about? ...Thank Light she learned the PRIVATE SETTINGS rather quickly.]

Xion and I ran into each other shortly after she arrived. Though, I think you may be ahead of me a few years.

[More like six or seven, give or take.]

[travelsthefarthest]

[He snorts a laugh.] What, can't even be sure you memorized my name? Tsk--I know we only met that one time, and it was only for like twenty minutes, but... I mean I thought it was pretty memorable.

[Ohay, look, hopefully Aqua making it PRIVATE carries over cuz he has no idea how to do that.]
Huh? You and Xion didn't get here together? And whaddaya mean 'ahead of you'? [see: iconface.] If you're trying to make an old person joke at me, you kinda need to work on that sense of humor.

[destinedwaters]

Well, you do look a little different from the last time I saw you. [She laughs under her breath. Yep, same guy... but twenty minutes? You're making her curious.] And I can't say you didn't leave an impression.

[Let's be very grateful that the PRIVATE does carry over because she should probably teach you how later.]
I'd say a few days' difference. Though time doesn't work the same way it does back home. [Like every other world she's been to since she "took the plunge", so to speak.] I mean I was still in the Dark Realm when I was brought here, though Xion remembers something else.

[video]

[dreamprotector]

[Attracting all the Keykids today, isn't he? Riku looks certainly kind of amused in any case.]

Hm. Figures somehow.

[Both, that Axel would ask for ice cream since everybody aside of him seems to have some kind of strange obsession with it. and that Xemnas holds boring briefings. All incarnations of Xehanort that Riku has come across so far are insufferable, so that really isn't anything all too new.

There is still the question of timeline and universal shenanigans to be solved though... Hmm. First at least should be easily answered.]

[Private Filter]

So... is it Lea or Axel?

[Since... as far as Riku is concerned there really isn't much of a difference, physically at least.]

[video -> handy carryover private filter]

[travelsthefarthest]

[Lea stares for a moment, one eyebrow inching toward his hairline. Man, he wasn't expecting to find anybody he knew here, and the first three people he's talked to after the little welcoming committee have been familiar faces.

[Well. At least mostly familiar. It looks like Riku, and sounds like Riku, but...]

Finally got that haircut I've been telling you to get forever, huh? 'Bout time, sheesh.

[And then he gives a start.]

Wait, how did you--? [Suspicious squinting goes here. There does seem to be some kind of temporal discrepancy going on, so far as he's garnered, but so far everyone's been behind him. So far as he knew, he hadn't even made it home yet--how does Riku know about the name change? Srs face.] Are you from the future?

[video | handy carryover private filter]

[dreamprotector]

[Yeah... places like Promenade and Hinoto-Ri are funny like that.

Riku makes a bit of a face at that comment - half annoyed, half confused (the hair cut had been totally his idea, thank you. Okay, Kairi had maybe prodded just a little about it, so what.), but then just shakes his head once.

Well, that reaction at least answers it.]

Lea, then.

[He frowns a little, because while he wishes he could just say yes... the possibility that it isn't quite that simple still remains.]

...Maybe. It might be something entirely else though.

[video | handy carryover private filter forever]

[travelsthefarthest]

[He just nods slowly, a little unsettled. He supposes that, all things considered, Riku knowing the truth unexpectedly early is certainly not the worst possible thing that could have happened, but it's still unnerving. Curious, he rests his chin on threaded fingers, his elbows propped on the table.]

Something entirely else? You don't say~ [There's a beat of silence and he lifts his eyebrows inquiringly.] Do I get multiple choice options, at least?

[video | handy carryover private filter forever]

[dreamprotector]

[He shrugs lightly, lips pressing together after a moment. He isn't all that sure about it himself just yet either.]

At very least, given that time isn't the only factor around here.

[And if choice really plays into things, then it might be an infinite amount of options even. So yeah. Take your pick, Lea?]

The order of events I remember, seems to be rather different from the one Xion does, for example.

video

[fools_journey]

Depends. What type of ice cream do you like?


...... and no, things don't seem to be censored. [ He has no idea who Xemnas is, but he supposes it's good that it wasn't censored? ]

video

[travelsthefarthest]

Sea salt is my favorite, but I get the feeling that's a... regional specialty. I've done my share of traveling, you could say, and it's not something you find everywhere. In a pinch, vanilla with a caramel swirl's pretty nice. I suppose I'd be willing to just peruse the menu, though.

[And then he laughs a bit.] Oh, good--people need to know these things, after all. Don't hire anybody named Xemnas to give company briefings: he'll put everyone to sleep, got it memorized?

[He realizes half a second too late that if Xion and Roxas and Aqua and Riku are all here, Xemnas could be, too... but... well, he defected from the Organization a long time ago, so it's not like the announcement that Xemnas is boring will cost him his job or anything. Honestly if Xemnas thinks that anybody thinks he's interesting he's rather in for a bit of a shock, but that is neither here nor there.]

video

[fools_journey]

[ He smiles faintly. ]

Sure, I'll remember.

Ah -- welcome to Hinoto-Ri, by the way. [ It seems pretty obvious that Lea is new. ]

As for ice cream... we don't really have sea salt here. But there's a good place in the Virgo distract called The Whole Scoop. There's also a cafe in the Sagittarius that serves ice cream sundaes.

video

[travelsthefarthest]

Er... thanks, I think. I'm still not really sure how the heck I got here, but it saves me the rest of a trip, anyway: the people I was looking for are here already, so I guess if it ain't broke...

[Lea counts on his fingers a moment, then gives the boy on the screen a curious look.] Pisces, Virgo, Sagittarius... those're all a set of something, aren't they? When the welcoming committee asked me when my birthday was, they said it meant I was a "Leo", and I thought they were just pronouncing my name wrong at first, but those things are like names of stars or something, aren't they?

[The stars in Never Was didn't have names, but he'd heard these words before, around other worlds.]

video

[fools_journey]

[ Minato nods and then explains as succinctly as he can. ]

They're names of constellations you can see from Earth's sky. When they say you're a 'Leo' that means that the Leo constellation was dominant in the sky when you were born. In that context, we call it your zodiac sign. Some people ascribe symbolism to them, associate certain personality traits and use them for fortune telling.

video; 1/3 Lea, you just brought out some of his snark, this hardly ever happens

[quakega]

[... well, this is a familiar face for him. Aqua already answered the question, but...] I haven't checked it out yet, but there was a rumor about a place in the Virgo district that had a decent selection.

2/3

[quakega]

[Wait, what--

You did not just say that.]

3/3 private

[quakega]

[Thank goodness for private filters. He's going to be crossing his arms and-- yes, that's a smirk and a raised eyebrow.] I don't know whether I should be insulted or say that it was the Xehanort part of him.

[Only half-joking. If he didn't, he'd probably have winced; sometimes, learning what the future has in store for you sucks.]

[private]

[travelsthefarthest]

[He's about to say thanks and note that this is a seconding of the place in Virgo, but then makes a bit of a face. What a peculiar thing to say.]

Insulted? [He scratches his head, a little perplexed. Why would a crack aimed at Xemnas insult anybody else? He quirks his mouth a little and eyes this new person a moment, then gives him a curious look, something teetering on abashed in his expression.]

So, this might be an odd question, but have we met? You just... look really familiar somehow. Usually I'm real good with names and faces, but I just can't quite place yours.

[private]

[quakega]

[Well, that confusion is just going to make him laugh a little and sheepishly scratch the back of his neck.] It's a long story.

[... well, not the Axel that was in Promenade. That's fine; Xion hadn't remembered, either.] It's Axel, right? I'm Terra.