Open KH Mingle

[keybearer]

[You are here. You probably made a wrong turn down that dark corridor. Maybe your Gummi Ship got knocked off course. Maybe you just felt like a change of scenery, or maybe you already lived here.

Regardless, you've stumbled upon Radiant Garden in all its glory. The flowers are in bloom, the fountains flowing. Or perhaps you're less fortunate and ended up here or even here. Time's in a bit of a flux. Open corridors link from one version to the other.

And for those uninterested in sight seeing, there are other activities to enjoy. Several moogles seem to have set up booths with snacks, items, and a synthesis shop. There's a sale on sea salt ice cream, and for thrill seekers, plenty of Heartless lurking in the shadows.]

[ooc: Just a general post for KH mingling. Other Disney and Square Enix characters are welcome, too. Doubles and AUs are all welcome.]

Comments

[eternalsession]

That's what this world is called.

[LoD doesn't sound familiar, but namedropping the islands out of nowhere definitely gets his attention. He looks suspicious bordering on very interested.]

...Who are you?

[Besides a name, anyway.]

[bladecharge]

Its name is Radiant Garden.

[Or it was, anyway.

That's... a fair question. In response, she extends one arm to summon her Keyblade. It seems a little too long for her, maybe, but there's no mistaking what it is, at least.]

[eternalsession]

[He's a bit taken aback by that. All of a sudden you're an expert on world names, are you. What kind of name is that there aren't even any gardens here. God.

His eyes go wide at the sight of Master's Defender which, incidentally, is a dumb name appearing in a flash. She's a keyblade wielder. One that's been to the islands, knows who he is-

A hazy memory comes to the front of his mind, and he reaches for the words.]

You're... [A pause.] Where have you been?

[bladecharge]

[Look, she didn't name it!!

... she's really glad that triggered his memory, though, honestly. Master's Defender vanishes again, nothing but a few quickly-fading petals remaining, and she brings that hand up to curl it over her heart, reflexively.]

I was... trapped. I didn't mean to be away so long... How long has it been? Do you remember?

[She's not sure exactly how old he was then, but he must have been pretty young.]

[eternalsession]

[He's lost in thought again. It's hard to even recall that far back.]

Ten... maybe eleven years?

[The idea that the strange woman who showed up, imparted some advice, and vanished again without a trace has a keyblade is only slightly baffling. Out of all the mysterious strangers with keyblades, Terra comes to mind quicker- wait.]

There was someone else- someone else who came to the islands back then, with a keyblade. Do you know him?

[bladecharge]

[Aqua slumps just a little bit at that, and lets out a sigh. Eleven years? So much could have happened - where does she even begin?]

...I do. Tall, with brown hair?

[It's a guess, but for some reason she doesn't think Ven would have been as interested in passing the Keyblade down as Terra.]

He passed you the power, didn't he?

[eternalsession]

[He nods slowly. Terra has bad taste in successors, what else is new.]

He never came back, though.

[Maybe he didn't mean to, maybe keyblade masters are supposed to pass it along and vanish like ripples in a tide pool. Or maybe he was trapped too.]

You said you were trapped. Where?

[bladecharge]

[Haha man, is it technically Terra's fault Riku has all this darkness? That would sure suck.]

He would have if he could.

[She's sure of that, at least. She'd hoped that sending him back to the Realm of Light would have let him gain the upper hand against Xehanort but... if it's been this long, maybe not. But where is he, if not here? Her gaze falls, studying the ground like it's hiding the answers she's missing.]

The Realm of Darkness.

i'm sorry this took ten years

[eternalsession]

[He's just staring again, but in a seeking-answers way. They just came from the Dark Meridian, back to the Realm of Light they- Riku- never thought they'd see again. Yet here are two people fresh out of the Realm of Darkness, and Sora isn't present.]

...We were just there. I- I'm not sure why it let out here, but...

You've been there for ten years?

[God knows the days-weeks-months he was there before Oblivion were hell enough. And to not give in to the darkness after all that time?]

said aqua

[bladecharge]

[Look, the Realm of Darkness just decided it was bored and dumped them both here, obviously.]

... We?

[She shakes her head.]

I knew I'd been down there a long time, but... [Aqua pauses for a second to clear her throat, hoping it'll help with the scratchy note in her voice. It's been a while since she's talked even this much.]

I never thought...

[A year, maybe, she could understand. Two, even. But ten? She hasn't seen herself, exactly - not like there are many mirrors around outside - but her reflection, when she'd caught it in some of the construction equipment, had looked normal. Like she hadn't aged a day.]

[eternalsession]

Sora and I. [He pauses.] Do you... remember him?

[You know, the tiny adorable Ven clone. The one you chose not to pass the keyblade down to. (He got it anyway.)]

I thought we would be there for a lot longer, but Kairi's letter showed up, and... [He shakes his head. The next part is a quiet aside, accompanied by a sigh.] She's probably worried sick.

[bladecharge]

[She nods.] I remember Sora.

[This is??? A lot??? She recognizes Kairi's name, too, but something had obviously happened here. A bright, sleepy little world with a Keybearer-to-be would have certainly qualified as a safe place, if Kairi had needed it.

On the one hand, Kairi and Sora are safe, and it sounds like Sora succeeded in his job of watching over Riku. dream on, Aqua On the other... for a boy whose heart had felt so light when she'd first met him, Riku has a fuckton of powerful Darkness. I forget where I was going with this? Conflicted feelings.]

... Maybe that's what led you out of the dark realm.

[eternalsession]

[Please bring up his Darkness Problem. This is a thing he absolutely wants to discuss with someone who saw such promise in him. Please do this.]

Kairi? But she's- [Worlds away, and still opening doors for them. He smiles just a little.] Maybe you're right. ...She's gonna be mad we made her miss the action again.

[It doesn't occur to him that Aqua would know Kairi too- after all, what are the odds?]

[bladecharge]

[I mean. Since you're so excited to talk about it, and all. She'd be happy to. ... as soon as there's a place we can conveniently segue into that.]

All it takes is a light from someone who cares about you to guide the way. One as bright as hers must have been easy to follow.

[... if that's all it takes, why was Aqua there for ten years]

[eternalsession]

[Your friends are dead and/or don't love you enough to lead you home. Condolences.]

Yeah. ...Wait, have you... met Kairi? She wasn't on Destiny Islands when you came.

[Okay, so maybe Aqua just knows of the seventh Princess of Heart? It's. It's possible.]

[bladecharge]

[ :( ]

I met her here, actually. [And Aqua's not really one for bragging, so she's probably not going to mention saving her.] When did she come to the Islands?

[eternalsession]

Here?

[He frowns. Of all the worlds, this is Kairi's home?]

Maybe a year after you. There was a meteor shower- she washed up on the beach that night.

[bladecharge]

[Aqua nods again! It's almost like there are only five plot-relevant worlds, Riku. Isn't that weird? ... the mention of a meteor shower means it's her turn to frown, though.]

So whatever happened to this world was that long ago... [Or whoever. Maybe her hope for Terra hadn't panned out after all.]