vatheon | Completing a Trio

[He wasn't on duty this time, only on his way back home from getting a few things from the supermarket. It was odd, really, walking around when he suddenly felt one- incredibly familiar presence. Couldn't quite place it, but... he feels like he knows this scent somehow. Powerful, a strange mixture of darkness and light that he had, and...

It reminded him of Xehanort, if only slightly.

Frowning, he decides to check it out. There's no way of knowing whether it's a threat or otherwise, but right now he's much more concerned with who this was. Though it... didn't feel as threatening? It was confusing to say the least as he walked, groceries and a towel in his left, right ready to summon the Keyblade if needed.

When he arrives at the plaza, however, he realizes just how unnecessary that was. His eyes widen, and he nearly drops everything he's carrying when he sees the brown hair, the silly pants he almost mistook for a skirt a long, long time ago...

'Is there some reason you want to visit the outside world?'

It... it can't be, can it-? But then, isn't that woman- Aqua here, too? Aren't his friends both from their future? He blinks for a second, trying to gather the thoughts that suddenly stopped midway as he tried to shake it off. The person who'd promised him he'd one day wield the Keyblade is here... who'd given him this power to protect the people who mattered. It is him, right?

He almost wants to keep moving toward the Ordo neighborhood, to get back to the others and just... sit down at his desk in shock. His feet, however, leads him to the fountain itself.]

...Here. [Probably not the most eloquent for a first meeting in years, but... probably would help with both the shock and is he seeing things right- is this not some belated prank by the city itself?]

[Though Terra had sensed the Heart of the person approaching him, it hadn't felt like the person had intended him or anyone any kind of harm, so he had ignored it, waiting for the person to get closer as he continued in vain to try and dry himself out.

Then the voice of the approaching person--a boy about his age, by the sound of it--caught his attention, and he looked up at the face of the speaker, hoping to ask where he was--

Only for his eyes to widen with shock. A sharp intake of breathe, a look of disbelief--Terra closed his eyes and shook his head before looking back up at the all too familiar face. The silver hair, that distinct eye color, and now that he took a closer look, a familiar warm Light. The Darkness was new, and somewhat alarming, but the light was the same. This was--] Riku?

[The boy from the island. But it hadn't even been a few minutes since he had met the boy. But unlike last time, when he'd only briefly seen the Master this boy would become, the image of the stunned teenager in front of him wasn't wavering.

'This isn't another vision?' It certainly didn't feel like it. The question that was on the tip of his tongue was all too apparent in his expression. How is this possible?]

[He gets wanting to dry yourself out- he'd arrived in a black leather coat the first couple times, after all. Though he's still... rather surprised by who he sees just sitting there, staring back up at him. Now that he's closer, looking right into those eyes. He--

It. It is him. The one who'd secretly promised with him something incredibly important, something that he almost forgot about all the details even after making sure he'd never forget. The feeling of shame is creeping up again, but he stamps it out. The other 'stranger' had been right, but... but he knows this Light. Knows this Darkness and this powerful presence. The face, too--

The shock soon wears off, as does the other feelings he'd been holding back. Everything except the happiness of finally, finally seeing the person he'd been searching for for so long, but the confusion of why it had to be because of this city. 'Why now, when I've had to learn to stand on my own?']

Yeah. [There's a faint nod, an offer of the towel. You're soaked to the bone, master. Have something to dry off with.] I guess it hasn't been as long for you as it has for me.

[After handing him the towel, he'll just... sit next to him- united in brain break. Why didn't he wear the Coat today, so his Heart couldn't be read? It would make things so, so very much easier. Though it wouldn't hide the truth of which path he'd tread for long.]

[Terra just shakes his head briefly.] Barely a few minutes.

[His gaze goes to the offered towel, and he takes it, the disbelief still on his face. But the shock of seeing his now teenage apprentice wasn't enough to distract him from the rather more pressing matter of trying to dry himself off.

'How is this possible?' Quickly running the towel through his hair to soak up what water he could, the expression his face shifts from shock to a thoughtful frown as several other questions starting to form. What had intercepted the portal into the Lanes Between? How powerful was the culprit, to be able to do that?

Where had the Darkness in his apprentice's Heart come from? How long has it been there? What had planed the seed there?

'I guess... we must be too much alike.' There wasn't much he could do about it now, but...

The only way he'd get any answers would be if he started asking, right?

'Start with the obvious, work your way out.' Light, this was going to be awkward.] What can you tell me about this world?

[That short amount of time? ...Damn. No wonder Terra looked like he was having such a severe case of time whiplash.

He sits there, trying to get his own thoughts in order to the point where he can even begin to speak. There were so many questions he could ask, so many things he wanted to know. But, if Terra hadn't left the islands that long ago, some of them wouldn't be having answers any time soon. Running a hand through his hair, he sighs. No, his own questions can wait. As a member of the defense force, and more importantly as the should-have-been student of the new arrival, his supposed-to-have-been master's questions came first.]

Plenty. [There's so much he could say right off the bat, but for now... the biggest, most obvious one first.] I guess you've figured out some of the first thing: this world is called Vatheon. It's a sort of nexus that pulls others from different worlds, occasionally even different times. The reasoning that's more widely accepted is that it's because of our energy is what powers the barrier surrounding the city, though I'm not so sure about that, now.

[He remembers, even if some of those who were didn't, about the papers lying in the village on the island above. The hints of the curses being experiments.]

The side effect is that foreigners like us are subjected to "curses" about once a month. You can tell local from foreigner by this- [He pulls his wristband away a bit, showing the tattoo to Terra.] -marking. We used to have fairies too, but they didn't last very long.

[Waking up with fairy guts on face. Ew...]

[The thoughtful look remains on his face as he stops drying his hair and lets the towel rest on his shoulders, hanging around his neck. The answers to that one question only raise more.

'A nexus world that can pull people off their worlds, and through time...' If it weren't for the very fact that he was speaking with a teenager that for him had been a little kid not even ten minutes ago, he would've found that hard to believe.

His eyes narrow slightly in suspicion as his gaze turns to the boy in question. The 'more widely accepted reasoning'? Curses? Why didn't he like the sound of that?] What did you find out?

['A marking? I'll have to look for one on myself later.' He ran over the explanation again in his head, trying to commit it to memory. But something nagged at him--'outsiders' were taken, supposedly to power the barrier. Pulled from their worlds, from different times as people from the same world...

He had to ask. Better to have this feeling either confirmed or denied than to just let it sit there and have him find out later at a bad time.] Are we able to go back, or are we trapped here?

[His expression remains guardedly neutral, images from before he'd lost himself to that stupid "curse," or speaking with Zexion and grudgingly coming to the same conclusion as the one who tried to erase his existence in the short time they'd known each other. Yet he shoves those thoughts aside for now, deciding to focus on what it was that Terra wished to know.

Maybe their current situation would make it more understandable.] The explanation I gave is the one many of us have known since arriving here, but... [a frown.] When the island above us first became available, there were papers scattered on the ground in the village. Most of them were fragmented documents, but it's hard to tell what they all mean.

['Aside from "experiments".' He sighs, meeting Terra's gaze - which is rather hard to do still, by the way.] To quote an old friend, "The exit eludes us much like a shadow that turned the corner on the other end of an alley way."

[In other words: yes.] People have vanished, returned home, but it's never of their own will.

Damn... [He figured that was the case, but... people just vanishing with no warning, just like how they were brought here?

'Who or what could have that much power?' He'd have to be careful, no matter what it was.

It wasn't likely that the question of what had brought him here would be answered in any way that he'd be satisfied with, so he figured it would be better to just move on to the next one.] You mentioned 'curses'. What kind of things can I expect to happen?

[He wishes he knew the answer to that, though with what he knew all points led to whomever wrote those findings. With a sigh, Riku continues after only briefly averting his gaze as he pieced together a few examples.]

Sometimes they're innocent, like power swaps, thought bubbles or suddenly living a fairy tale. Other times... we're not as lucky. ['I used to like Halloween.'] The harsher curses are less frequent, but they can leave their mark.

I see... [He's trying to think of various possibilities that the curses could inflict on them, but surprisingly he's coming up blank.

'Some could be innocent, others not so much...' It was something he was going to have to deal with when it happened. It wasn't like there was anything he could do about it right just yet.] Anything else I should know?

You'll probably find others you know here, too. A lot of people from our worlds have been arriving recently. [A pause.] ...There's this guy named Ven here. He kind of mistook me for you for a moment when he was first waking up.

[Also pranked him since it was April Fools, but shh... no one needs to know that. Also, yes. That most certainly is a sheepish look on his face for a brief moment.]

[Okay, wait. What's this now?] Ven's here, too?

[... laughing at that. Ven, buddy, you are not living this down.] I'll have to call him on that when I see him.

[Though, why would Ven... unless...] Our hearts probably feel similar; if Ven was just waking up, I could see that happening.

[And... that's something else to wonder about. What had happened to send his apprentice down a path that led to them both holding an active, powerful Darkness in their hearts where their friends had little to none?

'Is he too much like me? ... I'll have to find out later.' It was bound to be highly personal, if the journey down that path was for Riku even remotely similar to how it had been for himself. Which means he'll have to ask that later.]

[He nods, trying not to chuckle, himself.]

Guess I can't be too surprised, then. [Because he can tell, now that he's actually paying attention again. Their scent is... pretty similar. He's also silently grateful that Terra hasn't called him out on it directly, because the reactions from others he's met from their worlds that didn't know him as that one sincere little kid have been...

Well, he doesn't like talking about it very often.]

[Some time after Terra's already been welcomed and had his head done in by timeline shenanigans, Serph's passing through the Plaza, carrying a... television? It's a little too big for him to handle comfortably on his own, though.

He really should've asked one of the others to help.]

[After being shown where to get dry, clean clothes and being given the complete new-comers guide to Vatheon, Terra's wandering around, trying to get a feel for the place that he could very well be trapped in for some time.

He didn't know why his feet had carried him back to the Plaza, but it was a central point to work out from.

But the person having a bit of a hard time carrying... a television? catches his attention, and he finds himself walking over.] Would you like some help with that?

[No harm in asking, right?]

[When Serph hears the offer for help, Serph turns his head in the direction of the voice. Hm? Someone he hasn't seen before. A newcomer? But not entirely new; he's not dripping wet, for one.

Serph sets the television down on the ground; it'll be easier for both to distribute the television's bulk between them when they pick up the television from the ground. He gives a nod to the stranger.]

If you do not mind the distance. This is going to the Forest Quadrant.

[He just shakes his head and heads to the other side of the television.] I don't mind. I was probably going to wind up down there at some point, anyway.

[At least the TV doesn't look all that heavy to him. Should be pretty easy, with the two of them carrying it.]

[No, the TV isn't particularly heavy; it's a nice flatscreen. It's mainly the size that's the problem. Serph waits until the stranger looks ready before he gives a nod and picks up his end.

He'll lead the way, checking over his shoulder to see where they're going.]

You've arrived recently, am I correct?

[Good; even better, because he'd hate to get lost just trying to help someone.

He nods, and says a little sheepishly:] Just today, actually. I'm Terra.

[Might as well introduce himself to the person he was helping, right?]

[Tera? Like the spell? Does that mean he is earth aligned? A question for later.]

Serph. [A pause.] Has someone already informed you of Vatheon's nature?

[He glances back at Terra, before going back to looking over his shoulder. Alright. Stairs to the lower district. A warning is in order.]

Be careful. There are stairs.

[Serph will be carefully navigating these stairs, keeping his end of the TV steady.]

[A quick nod.] Yeah. Someone showed up shortly after I arrived and explained everything.

[No need to explain that the 'someone' was a teenager that he remembers being a five year old not even a few minutes before his arrival.

A blink, and another nod.] Thanks for the warning.

[Definitely a good thing that the TV is light; very easy to keep steady on his end, even with the stairs.]

[And the staircase has been successfully navigated! It's all flat ground from here.

It's good to hear someone's already explained things to Terra; the foreigners here are quite welcoming that way.]

Are any of your friends here?

[That had been one of Serph's concerns when he arrived... and many other newcomers' concerns.]

[He nods again.] Yeah. My two best friends are here, and--

[A pause, before he adds on to that.] And my apprentice is here. But... they're all from my future.

[Which is making things a little awkward, but... it's something to work around.]

[So Vatheon can pull people from different points in time? Interesting. But Cielo and Gale are from the same time as he... does this mean they don't have a future after the world exploded? A troubling thought, and one he's entertained before.

Serph's noted the "but".]

Has something happened in your future?

[Terra frowns at that, trying to figure out how to word what little he knows, or if he should even say anything at all. Eventually, he sighs and answers.] I don't know yet; Ven implied that there's a large fight that he, Aqua and I aren't prepared for.

[Against Vanitas, a 'creep with a scar', and Master Xehanort. He pauses again briefly, before he adds on quietly:] I haven't asked them yet. I'm not sure if I even want to know.

[Serph makes notes of those names. Maybe he'll meet them at some point in the future.]

You have time to consider. You've only just arrived.

[After all, it's best to become more familiar with Vatheon before worrying about a less pressing matter, in Serph's opinion.

While they're carrying the TV, the number of buildings around has gradually dwindled as they near the outskirts of the Lower Distruct. There's a single 3 storey building that looks like it's in semi-disrepair, typical of an abandoned building, in the near distance. There's rows and rows of mugs outside, and a grey flag with the same orange stripe that's across Serph's chest. Behind, a forest.]

[ He'd been in the midst of a conversation with Roxas on this very subject when he'd felt that presence arrive in town. In no time flat, Ven's shutting off his SFC with a quickly muttered apology to his... er doppelgänger? And running at breakneck speed for the fountain, where he finds Riku and Terra already seated together.

His eyes widen, and he pants for breath, sagging visibly as he leans his hands on his knees in relief. We've made it. We're all okay! Aqua's going to be happy. And as for himself....

When he looks up, he's beaming like the sun over at the two older boys. ]

Terra! I'm glad you're okay.

[ And then his smile fades a bit as he glances from Riku to Terra. ]

C'mon, let's go see Aqua. She'll wanna see you, too.

Edited 2012-04-04 06:09 (UTC)

[It's hard to miss a light as bright as Ven's when it's heading right for you, even when the owner of said light wasn't even in viewing range. Terra looks away from Riku and in the direction he senses that bright Light from] Ven?

[Yep. Sure enough, a familiar blond came into view, and he couldn't help the small grin that makes its way onto his face, or the quiet laugh of amusement.] Nice to see you too, Ven.

['So... he's trapped here, too?' While he wasn't too happy that they were both trapped, at least it meant he wouldn't be entirely alone.

But the good mood is killed somewhat the second Aqua is brought up. There's a flicker of wariness, and the smile disappears from his face, leaving only the uncertainty.] Aqua's here, too?

[He... wasn't sure if that was good or not. It still hurt, thinking about what happened in Radiant Garden.]

[ At least his hair hasn't been messed up yet. This is progress! Ven locks his arms behind his head and grins up at the older boy. ]

Yeah! She found me when I got here. I was kinda... sleeping.

[ He still needs to find that punk who drew on his face with marker. |B A-- hey. Why's Terra looking all wary? ]

Terra? We're all together now. It's a good thing. Don't you think so?

After everything...

[He's still dealing with time whiplash and soaked pants, Ven. You'll get your hair ruffle eventually.

The sleeping comment gets him to raise an eyebrow, though. And the amused glint in his eye is back.] You really can fall asleep anywhere, Ven.

[Confusion, mixing in with the wariness. He can't keep his next comment from sounding harsh and accusatory, even if tried.] I don't know; has Aqua decided she trusts me again?

[He winces; that sounded bad, even to his own ears. But the hurt, while not nearly as raw as it had been when he had left Radiant Garden, was back on the surface.] I'm sorry, but... the last time we were all together didn't end very well.

[He was still puzzled, though. 'He's acting like I should be over it... like something moved me past it, and brought us together again. But... why?' A possible answer enters his mind as he remembers Riku's explanation.

'Is this... the time thing again? Is Ven from further ahead? Is Aqua?' Looking his best friend right in the eye, his expression is serious, but the confusion is still apparent. Only one way to find out for sure, right?] What do you mean, 'after everything'?

[ Aw bro don't be like that. He's got an image to keep with the ladies here--owait. he's not met any yet. Derp. WELL. ALL THE SAME. Not a kid anymore! >(

Instead of grinning in response, Ven's look is a grave one. He'd never thought to wake from that nap. ]

Yeah, guess so. But it kept you safe, so I'm not sorry this time.

[ A-- what?! He sounds like he had just after... just after-- oh Light, no. Ven's frown deepens. ]

She never stopped! I thought you two were okay again. Terra, she knows what she did wasn't right. And she's been worried sick about you.

[ And so has he. The way Xehanort had looked at him in the end... ]

Yeah, I know. I know. We weren't ready for that fight. But we're okay and that's what's important right now. You guys were always tellin' me to go home and now I just want to do that. Let's all go home.

I wanna see Master Eraqus again. [ And be a family.

Ven looks away, fisting his hands so tightly that his knuckles turn white. ]

After that fight at the end, with Xehanort and Vanitas and that creep with the scar.

Ventus! Ven? Where did he run off to ...

[ she wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but Ventus had just ... taken off all of a sudden. she'd had a feeling that it was something important. she could feel a familiar presence, herself, and Ven's reaction had only added to her suspicions.

it didn't take her too long to find Ven, and when she found Ven ...

... oh.

Aqua stopped in her tracks, her eyes moving toward the brunette who was talking with little bro figure. they widened. suddenly, she felt as though she couldn't speak.

This is really happening. Isn't it? Yes, it ... this can't be a dream. It just can't be.

all of them were together, once again. and Terra ... Terra looked as he always had. gone was the silver hair she had seen on him when she had last encountered him. gone was any trace of Xehanort from him.

had Terra overcome the darkness? overcome Xehanort? or perhaps he hadn't yet encountered the latter ...

regardless, it didn't change the fact that she was happy to see him. ]

Terra ...

[ she found her voice. now she just had to find her ability to move. ]

Terra!

[ and there it was. she rushed toward both of her boys, slowing and stopping only when she neared them. ]

I'll bet she has... [Yeah, worried about him falling. About him failing.

But something about that phrase makes Terra pause, and frown in a decidedly puzzled manner.] What are you talking about? That Unversed didn't last very long against the three of us; if we hadn't been ready for that--

[He becomes even more puzzled at the rest of that. Fighting Vanitas, he could understand. He thought that was their mission, after all. But... fighting him and Master Xehanort? And who could this 'creep with the scar' be?] But... Master Xehanort told me to defeat Vanitas; why would he fight with--

[His question is cut off when he feels that second familiar Light approaching, and then sees it's owner coming into view.

Aqua.

The wariness from earlier returns and mixes with the confusion as his oldest friend stops in front of Ven and himself, and he can't help but note the look on her face and the emotion that's in her voice when she lays eyes on him, and speaks his name. He can barely bring himself to speak to her past the confusion he's feeling.] Hey, Aqua.

['She's... happy to see me? No... not just happy. It was almost as if she was...

'Relieved. It's like... she never thought she'd see me again?' His eyes narrow slightly, not in anger, but in concentration, as he focuses on that deep, flickering Light that is Aqua's Heart.

It only confirmed what her voice and expression already gave away. For Ven and Aqua to be acting like this...

'It's the timeline thing. Something happens to them that... I haven't lived through yet.' But did he want to know?

He had a feeling he was going to find out anyway.]

Edited 2012-04-09 04:02 (UTC)

Yeah, she has. [ But Ven stiffens at that. ]

Terra... what's the last thing you remember? 'Cause that fight you and she had in Radiant Garden was a long while ago for me. A long, long while ago. For her, too.

[ Basically, he's just confirmed Terra's suspicions in three sentences. He rubs the back of his head, and sighs-- before relaxing visibly once Aqua's on the scene. ]

Hey, Aqua. Look who I've found!

[ He suddenly feels very, very awkward. He wants to be here, but with Terra's memories the way they are... the two ought to talk it out. Right? Well, his desire to be with his family wins out over common sense and he stays put. ]

[ No worries, Ven, Aqua's about to have the same confusion you do at the moment. but for now, she's just happy to have both of her boys back. She had to resist the urge to hug Terra; hugging Ven and hugging Terra were two different things, really. Ven took it well. Terra, however ...

Still, the urge to give him a hug was strong, and it was pretty difficult to resist it. It wasn't just her knowledge of how Terra worked that kept her from doing it, though. She'd caught the awkwardness that had been with Ven before she made her way over here. She didn't show it, but she had a feeling that something wasn't quite right.

But. Terra. Ven. They were all here. They would be under the same stars once more. There was no way she could be unhappy about this, even despite that detail. ]

I see that!

[ Right now, the smile on her face couldn't be erased. Not at this moment. After responding to Ven, she looks to Terra again, a fondness in her eyes that she reserved just for her boys. ]

I'm so glad to see you again, Terra ...

[ Her voice was a little softer toward Terra than it had been toward Ven. She'd known where Ven was, and what was going on with him before she went into the realms of darkness. Again, Terra was a different story. After pushing him back to their own world, she had no idea what had happened afterward ... ]

Yeah... I can tell. [Terra's gaze goes from Aqua to Ven, and back again, not sure what to make of Ven's revelation.

'A very long time ago?' Whatever 'a very long time' really was didn't mean much, beyond confirming beyond a shadow of a doubt that his friends were from some point further down the time line.

Sparing one last glance at Aqua, he returns his gaze to Ven, the hesitation and confusion still on his face as he answers the question.] I was just leaving the world that Aqua told us about; the one that has the star-shaped fruit. Somehow, the portal to the Lanes Between dumped me out here instead.

['What happens to us? To me?' He doesn't dare ask it, not here, and not now. Not when he's just arrived, and still wearing soaked clothing, and not when both of them were just glad to see him.]

The island with the... oh! Destiny Island? I never knew you got to see it.

[ The place holds a lot of memories for him. Some good, some bad. Some Sora's. ]

I was sleeping for a long time. And I guess I ended up here somehow in the park where someone drew with marker all over my face.

[ He looks sheepish because he doesn't have a towel or blanket for him to dry off with. And the urge to hug is pretty strong as his wayfinder burns in his pocket. Finally! We're all together again. ]

We should get back to where we're staying, right, Aqua? Terra's gonna freeze if he stays out here like this much longer.

Completing a Trio

/completes welcoming the predecessor trio

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so I am the queen of lateness. :|

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is it okay for me to threadjack? if not, let me know and i'll delete this! :D;

no worries; you're fine. :3 1/2

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