[closed] No, I don't think life is quite that simple

[pullsheavendown]

WHO: Terra (earthy), Kairi (heartslight), Riku (dreamprotector), Roxas (pullsheavendown) and Sora (happylocksmith)
WHERE: Maurtia Falls and possibly elsewhere
WHEN: Early January
WHAT: Keykids Catch-All II: The Arrival of Large Pants
WARNINGS: Hopefully no violence, let's all think positive

Comments

Terra and 'Ventus'

[pullsheavendown]

[Roxas is really, really tired. Not physically; to his own surprise, he's managed to get plenty of sleep over the few nights he's been in this world. His bed is even as comfortable as the one he can remember from...somewhere else. But he's still tired in a way that makes it hard to want to go out and explore or talk to people or even try to do something fun. It doesn't help that he has to worry about walking out the front door and bumping into someone he doesn't want to see, not that there's anyone around he would want to see.

He misses Axel. He misses Hayner, Pence and Olette and he knows that's stupid. He wishes he hadn't reacted so badly to the other day's conversation with Sora, and he really wishes he understood why he still feels caught in that moment when he realized there was no going back, that he would not be exiting the old mansion as himself. He's got his body back, he's got a life again, so what's the problem? Isn't this what he wanted?

I don't know what I want.

While he figures that out, he might as well figure out the extra ability he's apparently gained in this world. 'Ice cream summoning,' the paper had said, which made no sense. But to his surprise, when he'd held out a hand and focused, an ice cream bar had slowly appeared in it. It looked good, too, frosty and brown; it was toffee when he bit into it. He'd tried another; still no sea salt. He's been sitting here for about half an hour now, summoning bar after bar, and the freezer's getting full. Maybe now...?

Strawberry.

He sighs and gets up to put it away with the rest.]

[earthy]

[Everything happened so fast.

The world around him had been empty, all lifeless earth and rusted keys. Then he'd been running, then fighting, then glaring down at the old man, who'd fallen before him. And then there'd been a blinding flash of light and the ground had shaken beneath his feet (and not at his bidding). A faint, high-pitched ringing had filled his ears. He'd turned to see more light, a tremendous beam of energy flowing forth from some point below the rock pillar he'd been fighting on. His friends had been down there.

Behind him, the old man had called out in triumph. 'The χ-blade has been forged!' His heart had lurched at the words. He'd turned back to find the old man on his feet again. The old man with his gnarled Keyblade pressed to his own chest, pressed into his own chest. He'd watched in mounting horror as Xehanort had loosed his heart.

He remembers staring up at the glowing heart floating there in the sky. Just staring, trying to think, finding he couldn't, at least not fast enough. Then the old man's heart had been shooting forward, straight for him, for his chest, and he'd reached for his pauldron, more on instinct than anything else, and then...

And then nothing.

And then out of nothing some unfamiliar room. Some woman talking to him. Then light again, blue this time, giving way to some outside space. Another stranger approaching him, ushering him into a large kart, explaining what's happened and what's going on, handing him a file folder, a folded piece of paper, munny (this world's form of it, anyway).

One moment he'd been in the Graveyard and everything had been going wrong, the next... he thinks that second stranger called this world 'America'? And while he can't say anything seems to really be going wrong here, at least not right now, things definitely aren't right, either.

Yet another stranger had dropped him off at Maurtia Falls #6 a couple hours ago. He'd just stood there in front of the house for a minute, again trying to think, again finding he couldn't (at least not fast enough). Eventually, he'd reached his free hand down to his side, summoned his Keyblade, quick-transformed it into his Glider, and taken off. The first quiet, relatively secluded place he'd found, he'd landed the Glider, transformed it right back to its proper form with the Ends of the Earth keychain attached, and pointed that large key at the sky to open a portal back to the Lanes Between.

This America and this Porter pulling people out of other worlds would definitely be something he'd need to investigate someday, but first, he needed to get back to the Graveyard and save his friends.

Except then he hadn't been able to access the Lanes at all. No matter how hard he'd focused, no matter how much energy he'd poured into channeling the magic through his Keyblade, a portal leading to those spaces between worlds just wouldn't open for him.

Several hours later, feeling very numb, he trudges back to Maurtia Falls #6.

He's been pulled to a different world by some machine or force called a Porter, there's a word on his wrist, he has 'assigned housing', he has a (new, different, entirely unrelated to the Keyblade) job. He's stuck here. Or maybe he's not stuck here. Maybe his heart is just too tired to open that portal to the Lanes right now. A night's rest might fix the problem. Even if what he read on the folded paper is true and people are eventually sent back to the exact moment they were taken from, he can't just... give up and sit back and wait. Wait to save Ven and Aqua.

Wait to know just what was happening with Xehanort's heart...

Terra stops short of the front door, dismisses his Keyblade, and double-checks his folder to make sure he's got the right place. Yeah, this... should be it. He lets himself in slowly, keeping an eye out for the 'roommates' the last stranger mentioned. Other people from other worlds brought here in the same manner he was. He has to wonder if they feel anything like he does right now. Or if they did before, whenever they got here. Apparently, this Porter thing happens with some regularity and has been happening for years. (Did the Master know about this place...? No, he almost certainly would've said something about it, assigned him and Aqua some mission... Or gone off to handle it himself.)

This house doesn't seem so bad, though. At least, it should be a safe enough place to sleep in for a single night.

A quiet noise coming from the next room over catches his attention, and he cautiously heads over to see who or what it is. He doesn't want to startle a roommate, if he can help it. He probably should've knocked on the front door or called out when he entered or something, come to think of it... Stepping into what looks to be a kitchen and spotting a smaller figure by the freezer, Terra starts to clear his throat to get his new roommate's attention.

His new roommate, a younger boy with short, blond hair growing in a whirlwind of spikes all over his head.

A younger boy with an ice cream bar in his hand.

Terra just stares for a moment, not trusting what he's seeing. Is this his heart's doing? Conjuring up some image, some glimpse of his friend, because he's exhausted? Or maybe it's the darkness in his heart, making him see things? All the shadows in his heart turning against him?

... No, Terra decides a second later, and his file folder flutters to the ground. No, it's him!]

Ven!

[Terra lurches forward only to slide a little on the floor when he tries to come to a quick stop by his best friend's side. He almost body checks the refrigerator in the process.]

Ven! [He pulls Ven right into a tight hug. He might be ruining his friend's snack here, but he can always get him another ice cream bar later!] You're here! You're okay!

[After seeing that light, after what Xehanort said... That must have just been another of Xehanort's lies. Maybe the light was Aqua and Ven putting an end to Vanitas.

But was Ven really here earlier? Did he really walk (fly) away from his best friend a few hours ago? Good thing that portal wouldn't open! He might've left Ven behind in some strange, unknown world. And if both of them are in this world, then surely-]

Where's Aqua?

[She's got to be here and okay, too, right?]

[pullsheavendown]

[Roxas likes to think that it's hard to get the drop on him. He did spend almost a year fighting Heartless just about every day, and even if the small fry weren't that intimidating, he'd needed to keep his guard up in case the latest mission sent him up against some of the tougher, sneaker ones—and even Shadows could be dangerous if they gathered in enough numbers to overwhelm. Aside from that, he's learned to be careful around more than the Heartless—comrades can become enemies and strangers can call power from the darkness. He's sharper, readier, and he's got the Samurai to watch his back and let him sleep easy at night.

But he hasn't been keeping mentally battle-ready the entire time he's been in his own house, even with Riku and Sora next door. The sound of someone entering the room doesn't go unnoticed, but he ready the pamphlet and he knows he's going to be living with other people, even if he hasn't really had to deal with that yet. It doesn't set off any alarms, and he doesn't see the attack coming.

Except...it's not an attack? There's brief shouting, syllables that mean nothing to him, and the sheer force of a much bigger, stronger person yanking him forward is powerful enough that it should hurt, but there's no pain. There's not much of anything but absolute surprise—and then a chill from the ice cream bar smashed against his chest. The stick is still in his hand, somehow, but even if he let go, it would still be stuck there—he's being held that tight.

It's tight enough that breathing is difficult, actually, with half the wind already knocked out of him. This is...a hug? Roxas opens his mouth to ask who are you and why are you hugging me and can you let go, I'm getting really cold but all that comes out is wheezing.]

[earthy]

[Ven isn't answering him. He must be feeling a little choked up, huh...? Well, that's understandable, after everything that's happened... All that χ-blade business and light knows Vanitas couldn't have been an easy fight for him, even with Aqua's help. Ven might have been thinking the worst, too, if he also arrived in America alone and had no idea his friends had been brought here with him.

Really, you'd think those strangers could have spared them all some stress and reunited them earlier. Or at least told them their friends are here.]

It's okay. [He's pretty much just repeating himself, but he doesn't care. It's such a warm thought in his heart: Ven's okay and Aqua must be okay and he's okay. They're okay, they got through everything Xehanort threw at them.]

I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere this time.

[Terra's right hand curls into a tight fist behind Ven's back. Right, no more running off to fight on his own. No more leaving Ven behind to fend for himself. (No more brushing off Aqua's concerns...) The three of them will stick together and figure out what to do from here on out as a team.

... But Ven still isn't saying anything?

And what's that wheezing noise? ... Wait, is that Ven?

Terra leans back out of the hug just a fraction, fixing his friend with a half-confused, half-concerned look. Ven? Oh.]

Oh! [He promptly releases Ven from the hug and takes a step back. Whoops, might have overdone it there. Ven's looking a bit... squished, and his poor ice cream bar got smashed right into his chest. Wow, he really did ruin it. Terra glances down and finds an ice cream bar-shaped print on his shirt, too. Funny, he didn't even feel the cold.]

Sorry. [He smiles a tired and sheepish smile.] Uh, you've got... [He points at the ice cream only to realize that's a useless gesture. No way Ven doesn't know he's wearing his ice cream right now. On new clothes, even.]

Let me get something to clean that up... [A quick look around the kitchen and Terra heads over to search the drawers. There's gotta be a rag around here somewhere.]

[pullsheavendown]

[Roxas has lived an unusual life. He knows this is true, no matter how much shorter it's been compared to a lot of people his age, no matter how young his age actually is. In three hundred and fifty-eight days of existence, not one of them had been 'normal'; the fake six days that had followed only made that more clear.

But this is still the weirdest thing that's ever happened to him. Of that, Roxas is absolutely certain, even if it's maybe the only thing he can be certain about.

He lets out his breath in a rush when the stranger lets go of him, a mainly involuntary action. From there, his mind is mostly occupied with the thought: what the heck?

The rest, like it or not, is already falling into habits instilled by the Organization a long time ago. This is a person, not a world, but he can be observed all the same. He's big; a lot bigger than Roxas, not that that's so unusual, and really strong. His hair is kind of odd; what makes it point up in the middle like that.

And he's smiling like he likes Roxas. He's talking like he knows him. But they've never even met before...have they?

No. They can't have, not ever. For a moment, it feels like there's something vaguely familiar about this man, but then it's gone, and Roxas is certain. That doesn't mean he knows what to say; he's never been hugged before, not once in three hundred and sixty-four days. When it comes to physical affection, he's been clapped on the back and elbowed in the ribs, but he and Axel were never hugging people. And no one else would have wanted to.

There's a small lump in his throat, and it takes a few moments to find his voice. The ice cream smeared on his shirt is more or less forgotten, even though it's still cold and gross like this. He has a more important question on his mind.]

Who are you?

[earthy]

[Terra's just located a dishrag when the question comes, cutting through the kitchen and through his chest, through his (happy, relieved) heart.

He stands there for a moment, his back to Ven, the rag in one hand, his other hand lingering on the edge of the drawer.

Maybe he misheard.

Absently, he pushes the drawer shut, and then turns half-way back to his friend.

He must have misheard.

(Even though there's barely half a room between them and Ven wasn't mumbling.)]

What did you say...?

[pullsheavendown]

[How could he have misheard? Roxas is standing right here. He's standing right there. It was a simple question.

But nothing about this is a simple. A stranger (maybe a new roommate?) just came into the house and hugged him and talked like he knows him and none of this makes sense, none of it. He feels like he's back in those early days with the Organization, when he was completely clueless and had a thousand questions and the only difference is that he knows enough now to be certain that this is weird.

Forget the ice cream on his shirt. He can change it in a little bit. Roxas takes a step forward.]

I said, who are you? [Somewhat baffled] Why did you hug me?

[Okay, more than somewhat.]

Kairi and Terra

[earthy]

[This new 'America' world is very strange but not entirely unpleasant. Several days into his stay in Maurtia Falls, Terra discovers the wonder that is the supermarket.

He ends up spending the better part of three hours wandering around one, looking at all the different kinds of food, carefully checking out the prices (all listed in this world's currency, Dollars and Cents), and finally, painstakingly, making his selections. Sure, there's plenty of food (and ice cream) at Maurtia Falls #6, but he figures maybe trying to recreate some of the Master's warm meals might help jog Ven's memory... or at least help cheer him up a little? Terra hasn't seen his friend so out of sorts in a long time. Something must have happened to his heart during that final battle, something that caused him to lose all of his memories all over again, but hopefully the memory loss isn't so permanent this time. He has to remember. (He has to smile again, too. It's just... wrong, all that unhappiness on his face.)

Flying back on his Glider proves to be tricky with three bags full of groceries, but Terra manages to pull it off by flying at a slower speed and keeping one arm looped around the bags carefully arranged between his bent upper body and the seat of his Glider. He gets all the way back to the house and off the Glider, dismissing the vehicle behind him as he goes, before trouble strikes. One distracted moment looking off down the street and a bag tips, dropping small jars and other containers of foodstuff onto the front lawn.

Terra glances down a second later and sighs.

And then when he reaches down to start picking up his runaway groceries, another bag slips completely out of his arms and falls with a quiet thump into the winter-withered grass, spilling its contents out, too.

Terra's hand stills over a bag of spring onions. He stares down at the small mess he's made, feeling something twist uncomfortably in his chest. What is he doing? The Master was struck down because of him and he has no idea what all might have gone into the Master's dishes and he can't even cook very well and it's his fault Ven can't remember anything, his fault Ven's looking so hopeless and defeated now, because he was stupid, stupid from start to finish. And why isn't Aqua here with them? Did she fall, too? She couldn't have. She couldn't have, she's way too strong to be defeated like that! And why can't he stop seeing that one moment every time he lies down to sleep at night, why is it always behind his closed eyelids, the old man waiting for him, Keyblade thrust into his chest, heart glowing too bright in the dark and rushing toward him, over and over and over again. What was Xehanort doing? He couldn't have really meant to... There's just no way...

(Xehanort... He's not inside him now, is he? No, he can't be... Terra's sure he'd know if there were another heart inside his. He'd be able to feel it... or... something...! Wouldn't he...?)

Choking back a quiet sob, Terra carefully sets the third bag down and lowers himself to the ground to sit cross-legged beside it and all the food scattered about. After a moment, he sticks his elbow out and knocks the third bag over, too.

Go, be free, strawberries. He's never liked the taste of you, anyway.

Sitting on the lawn, feeling super sorry for yourself is totally the best first impression one could make with a neighbor walking out their front door, right? ... Uh, yeah, sure, right.]

[heartslight]

[ Terra, you'd be surprised how many hearts can reside in you without you knowing.

But Kairi is going out to do some more exploring and probably food buying of her own, when she notices a ... new neighbor? There are bags of foodstuffs all around him, and he's sitting on their lawn, so she can't imagine he was going anywhere besides their next door. Which immediately makes her curious how Roxas is doing, considering he doesn't seem to be receptive to other people right now. She had no idea another had arrived there.

But that needs to take a backseat, because her new neighbor(?) is apparently not doing so good.

She rushes over to him once she spots him, kneeling down next to him as she looks on in concern. She's not even worried about first meetings or anything — she's not judging him as a person at all. Just wanting to help, pure and simple. ]

Hey, are you okay? Do you need any help?

[ Is he ... upset because he dropped everything? Or did he drop everything because he's upset? Questions. ]

[earthy]

[Terra's already starting to wrestle his emotions back under control when his new neighbor notices him.

He can't be doing this. Giving in to fear and despair, letting the darkness wash over his heart in cold, stinging waves. Even worse, he's right in front of the house right now. Ven's just inside, what if he looks out a window and sees him, just sitting here like this? What if he comes out and asks what happened? What would Terra even say to him, then?

He has to be strong. For Ven. For Ven and for Aqua, even if she is... No, he just can't let himself think about it. Any of it. He has to push all those thoughts and feelings down, bury them deep in his heart where they'll be out of the way.

Breathing out shakily, Terra swipes the back of his hand across his jaw to catch the couple tears that slipped out.

And then a voice speaks up right next to him and he startles a little.

Terra turns his head and blinks at the source of the voice. A girl? About Ven's age, he thinks? Where did she come from? One of the other houses? Or was she just passing by? How did he not notice her kneeling down beside him?]

Uh... [What did she ask him again? Oh, right.] Yes. I mean... No, I... I'm fine. Just...

[He looks away from her, back to his scattered groceries, and motions to them half-heartedly. There's a short, awkward pause as he tries to piece together some kind of... excuse, for the situation, but every possible explanation or half-truth he can think to give her just sounds weak to him.

His hand falls back to rest on one bent leg as he gives up trying to explain himself.]

Just need to pick these up.

[After another short pause, he pushes himself up to kneel, too, and reaches out to right the three grocery bags and set about gathering the food.]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you, miss.

[Alarm? Concern? Disturb? Bother? Something like that, he's sure...]

[heartslight]

[ He definitely doesn't look fine, especially since he seems to have been crying a little. But she's not going to push it — all she can do is help somehow.

Shaking her head. ] It's okay. You don't have to apologize.

[ Really! He's not ruining her day or anything like that. ]

Here, let me help.

[ And she'll set about reaching to gather the food around her as well. She's not just going to sit here and watch him — that feels kind of wrong. She's fully capable of helping clean up, so she's going to do it. Maybe it'll even make him feel a little better?

And because she's curious and can't help it, she has to ask: ]

Are you ... living here now?

[earthy]

[Terra hesitates for a second when the girl starts to help him, guilt flickering through his expression, but then he just nods slightly and gets back to work on the task at hand. The sooner he can get all this food in the house and put this moment of weakness behind him, the better, and... well, her help does help with that. Look, one bag full already.]

Yeah. [He's grateful for the subject change, too.]

I'm staying in six here. [Another nod, this one to the townhouse in question.] With my friend, Ven. We're both new to the area.

[The 'area' that is this whole world.]

What about you? Do you live around here?

[heartslight]

[ With — who? Ven? Wow, so Roxas has two new roommates. She especially hopes he's doing okay then.

She gives him a smile now, while she keeps helping. Much lighter conversation time! ]

I'm right next door! In number seven. [ Her smile widens a bit. ] I'm here with my friends, too.

[ She's pretty happy to hear his friend is here with him, at least. She's met others who are friendless here and that must ... hurt. And be difficult. She knows she hates being without her friends and being able to do nothing about it. So it's nice hearing others are safe from that. ]

Riku and 'Xehanort'

[dreamprotector]

[It's a little strange… for the last couple of days there's been the smell of Darkness in the neighborhood.

That by itself isn't really unusual – there is a little Darkness everywhere, in every world and in every Heart (safe for a certain few)… and Riku wouldn't even think twice about it… if it wasn't so familiar.

It's not exactly the same as the smell he knows intimately as Xehanort's… or Xehanort's Heartless at least, but it's so close that it gives Riku more than a pause.

It worries him – especially since Roxas must be somewhere close by as well – Riku hasn't seen him since their encounter or gone looking, but he can sense the Nothingness that indicate the presence of Nobodies around… so, unless Roxas has sent some of his Samurai to spy on them, he has to be in the neighborhood somewhere. "A worthy candidate" that's what the Young Xehanort had called Roxas… so unless the Organization has totally fixated on Sora for their thirteenth Darkness, Roxas may be an easy target… or at least the least informed one as far as Xehanort's plans go.

Riku is stumped on how to go about informing him though; there is no way that Roxas will talk with him, especially if Sora is right about what Roxas does – or rather doesn't – remember…

Tackling the root of the problem seems like the option to go, either way.

Though, Riku really doesn't want to do that anywhere near their house – anywhere near Sora and Kairi (and Roxas) – so, he tries his best to track the smell… and really the only reason why Riku gets anywhere at all with that is because he knows Xehanort's Darkness just that well.

He frowns when the trail leads him to… a Youth Center? In a somewhat rundown neighborhood too…

If nothing else, the location puts Riku on his guard as he enters the building, careful to keep his hair concealed by the hood of his jacket while he makes his way to the center's secretary.]

Sorry to be a bother, but I'm looking for a friend of mine… I think he might work here. His name is Xehanort… though he might go by Ansem.

[That should be subtle enough… and even if it turns out that Xehanort goes by another alias… well, then at least Riku should have his attention now.]

[earthy]

[The kind secretary of the Dusk to Dawn Center for Troubled Youth answers Riku's inquiry with a puzzled look. An employee named Xehanort or Ansem? She's sure she's never heard either of those names before, but they do have a couple new hires, let her check real quick if one of them might be the friend he's looking for!

Alas, it turns out there isn't a single 'Xehanort' or 'Ansem' employed at the Dusk to Dawn Center, he must be mistaken. The secretary offers Riku her apologies and best wishes, and would he like a pamphlet that describes some of the services the Dusk to Dawn Center offers? They've helped so many struggling young people... You know, it really can be quite difficult to find your way at times and there's no shame at all in needing a helping hand...

(Riku probably could've avoided some of this if he'd just taken his hood down before he walked in.)

Little does the secretary know someone's eavesdropping on their short conversation.

Terra had just been on his way down the building's long side hallway when he'd heard talking in the lobby. Someone asking for some friend of theirs?

... Someone asking for Xehanort. Did he hear that right or is he imagining things?

Stopping at the end of the hall, Terra presses his back to the near wall and listens in. He sneaks a quick peek at the stranger, but they've got the hood of their jacket up and he really can't make out their features very well. It sounds like a younger guy? Maybe around his age.]

A friend of Xehanort's...? [He keeps his voice down. The hallway's not too close to the front desk, but he still needs to be careful.] Looking for him here?

[Is Xehanort in this world, then? Hiding away somewhere?

Why would anyone be looking for Xehanort at the youth center, though? At the youth center he works at...

Right, he needs to confront this guy and find out what's going on. No way he's talking to some friend of Xehanort around his new coworkers and the kids, though. He'll have to follow this guy and wait for an opportunity to question him.

Now where's the back door to this building again? Terra hurries off, figuring he only has a small window of time to get out of the Center and into a good position to tail Xehanort's friend.]

[dreamprotector]

[Riku leans against the counter as he waits, careful to keep himself from tapping with his fingers in impatience as she checks her records. He isn't really surprised when she comes up empty – Xehanort must be using a different name… well given that he has at least ten others to choose from that's not entirely surprising.

He doesn't try any of the others that he knows for sure… that might call more attention down on him that he wants.

Dropping Xehanort's name once should be enough, especially since he can smell that brand of Darkness in the building right now.

Riku blinks when the secretary offers him one of their pamphlets – does he look that troubled? She should have seen him about a year ago, really. – but takes it anyway… if nothing else, maybe it'll offer a clue on what Xehanort is up to.

He pockets it, waves his goodbye to the secretary and exits the building through the front, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket as he walks away. He's poked the beehive… now it's time to see what he'll get out of it.]

[earthy]

[This isn't going to be easy, Terra realizes as he peers around the edge of the building at Xehanort's friend's back. He can't just follow him out in the open, he'll be spotted in no time. The Glider's out as an option, too: that'd definitely draw attention, even if he kept high up in the sky. He's going to have to just try and slide between hiding places around different buildings. Some of the larger karts people drive on the roads here might afford him cover, too. And he'll only move when Xehanort's friend is far enough away or has turned a corner or is otherwise distracted.

With any luck, this guy happens to be headed for a more secluded area.

Well, here goes nothing...!]

[dreamprotector]

[Honestly, Riku doesn't really expect a reaction, at least not right away.

If Xehanort is there, he'll take his time regardless of how Riku tries to bait him out – he'll wait until Riku has let his guard down and then confront him at the most inconvenient time possible, likely when he's with Kairi or Sora.

Or at least, that's what Riku sort of expects out of what he knows of any Xehanort's modus operandi.

Imagine his surprise when the scent of Darkness keeps a steady presence somewhere around him. Huh… who'd have thought that his half-baked plan would lead to any result right away. Well. All the better for him, really.

Riku never wanted to do this in front of either of his friends anyway – and if Xehanort is letting him choose the avenue of their confrontation, then that's just all the better.

(In hindsight, Riku will probably note that this is what really should have tipped him off about the not!identity of his tail.)

He doesn't speed up… be rather than to go back towards the district where the townhouse is, he makes a turn towards the more run-down neighborhood, until he finds an abandoned warehouse.

Enough walls and pipes for him to take advantage of Flowmotion. Perfect.

Once inside, he walks until he has reached about the middle of the room, then turns… and waits. Come out, come out… Xehanort.]

[earthy]

[The stealthy approach goes better than Terra expects it to. Not once does Xehanort's friend stop and turn to look behind him. He just keeps walking, and at the same steady pace, making it easier for Terra to decide on the fly when to move and where to go to stay hidden.

Terra follows him out of the immediate area and into another rough neighborhood nearby, right up until the guy disappears into a large, seemingly abandoned building.

This could be my chance, Terra recognizes the opportunity he's been waiting for right away and dashes to catch up. Rather than rush in after the stranger, though, he ducks behind a tall pile of debris nearby. Something about this doesn't feel right all of a sudden.

Why would Xehanort's friend go into an empty building?

Through the dingy warehouse windows, Terra can just barely make out Xehanort's friend's form inside. It looks like he's just standing there?

... Maybe he's waiting to meet up with other friends of Xehanort? That might explain how this guy ended up at the Center: maybe there's a group of Xehanort's friends or allies or followers or whatever going around to different businesses, trying to locate the old man.

And maybe they're all supposed to rendezvous here when they're done.

For all Terra knows, there could be a bunch of them on their way to this very location now.

Resisting the sudden urge to summon his Keyblade, Terra scans the streets around him quickly. Okay, no other shady, hooded people in sight yet. He's got to figure out what he's doing here and fast, though. Confronting this one friend of Xehanort's is bound to be difficult enough. If any others show up and he gets outnumbered...

Shooting an uneasy glance at the warehouse windows, Terra briefly considers walking away. He has to take care of Ven now and help his friend get all of his memories back, he can't just be putting himself into potentially very dangerous situations all willy-nilly. But at the same time, can he really afford to let Xehanort's friends gather and conspire freely? That could lead to some serious trouble for everyone, if this stranger and any colleagues he has are interested in carrying out Xehanort's plans.

No, he has to act. First find out exactly what's going on, like he originally planned, and then deal with whatever it is as best he can. For Ven, for the younger Keyblade wielders who are now his neighbors (he still hasn't met two of them, but if they're friends with Kairi, he's sure they must be good and kind Keybearers), and for everyone else in this strange world, too!


Light bursts bright and golden outside the warehouse just moments before the building's front door is thrown back on its hinges by a fully armored man riding some kind of aircraft tilted up on its side. Terra rights his Glider as he clears the doorway and then leans forward, charging straight for Xehanort's friend with every intention of ramming right into him.]

Destiny Trio!

[dreamprotector]

[Riku isn't quite sure how long it takes him to get from the warehouse at the edge of town back to the townhouse. He doesn't care for the glances and whispers that the tears and singe marks on his jacket, doesn't even notice them, because his thoughts are years away, turning over the last hour… and the old, old memory of a stranger visiting the Islands and a secret that Riku has kept to this day.

He doesn't know what to make of the conclusion of their fight, not really.

("Protect the things that matter and stay away." the stranger had said, but how can he? How can he stay away when he has so many questions?)

Riku only startles out of his thoughts when he suddenly finds himself standing in front of their current home. The stranger's Darkness remains in the air, mingled with the constant scent of Roxas' Nobodies, but still so thick that Riku has no doubt that the other has to be in one of the houses closest to theirs…

If he goes knocking from door to door, will he find the other?

He turns around to look at the doors, wondering if there's even a point in trying.

("Stay away.")

He hovers before the stairs of their house, not sure what to do. Maybe someone should coax him inside?]

gets in here first

[heartslight]

[ Kairi has her own things she needs to talk to the boys about in regards to Terra, but she needs to wait until both of them are home, and only Sora's around right now. (And sorry, Sora, but Riku is also the most likely one to be able to help—) So she's sitting by the window when she notices him outside, looking strangely hesitant.

And she decides to go meet him, opening up the door and taking a step out. ]

Hey, Riku! You're home!

[ Welcome home?? ]

[happylocksmith]

Is that Riku? Can we order pizza now? I’m starving!

[Always a big fan of hyperbole- and not actually starving- Sora comes thundering down the stairs and practically bouncing with excitement.]

Oh and we could get some dough balls too and-

[He pauses before he gets to the bottom of the stairs as he takes in Riku’s uncharacteristically dishevelled appearance and is immediately concerned.]

What happened to you?!

[dreamprotector]

[Riku turns when he gets greeted by both of his best friends, still half caught in his stupor – he doesn't really react to Kairi's greeting and it takes a second before he acknowledges Sora's question, if only by looking down at himself and finally making a proper assessment of all the damage that his cloths took.]

I, uh…

[He what? Now that they've both seen him like this, there's no point in lying… even though Riku isn't sure if he wants to discuss what happened, not yet. Not until he found that guy again and managed to actually talk to him. But well.]

…got into a fight.

[A beat, before he tries to make sure that they don't worry too much about him. It's not like he's like. Actually hurt or anything.]

Don't worry, the other guy looks just as bad as me.

[It's a lame thing to say, and maybe not even entirely true – Riku isn't sure how much he damaged that guy anyway, but…]

Pizza sounds nice.

[heartslight]

[ Okay, her expression drops once she notices how he looks. And she's quick to move in close to him, looking him over a little with concern written all over her face. ]

Got into a fight? With who?

[ And then she gingerly takes his wrist in her hands, and tugs him a little. ]

Come on, you need to lay down.

[ Even if he's plenty strong enough to deal with this, Kairi is worried and she just wants him to rest himself a little. But because she knows he's not going to listen to that easily, she turns to look at Sora. ]

Sora, tell him!

[ Maybe if they both tell him to do it ... Ugh, she's so worried. ]

[happylocksmith]

[Is it a bad thing that Sora's first thought is that it could have been Roxas? Because that's Sora's first thought.

Although he doesn't want to fuss over Riku or draw attention to the fact that he's looking battered and bruised, he can't deny Kairi anything when she's looking at him like that.

Besides, she's right. Riku should sit down, he looks a mess.

He locks eyes with Kairi and nods as he continues down the stairs; he comes over to the other side of Riku to grab his elbow.]

Pizza can wait. You look kinda rough, bud.

[He tugs as well, trying to encourage Riku towards the living room.]