First Flare

[eternalfrolicbond]

[A lanky redheaded man in a long black coat waves at the screen, apparently already comfortable with how it works. A komory bat is fluttering around above his head.]

Didn’t think I’d see this place again. Hey, everyone, my name is Lea. [He grins.] Don’t forget it, now.

I don’t know how I ended up here again, but does anyone know what’s going on? The moogle said you guys had been trying to work out what was up but that it didn’t seem like anyone had figured out how to get home. Since this isn’t the exam, I don’t think anyone’s going to try to wake me up any time soon.

Comments

[colorbymemory]

Riku explained some of it when he was here for a little while.

[Not all the details, but enough for her to know a few things.]

[eternalfrolicbond]

I kind of died. It was worth it, though, don't worry.

[eternalfrolicbond]

We've gotta make that sooner rather than later.

[seasaltkeys]

[Roxas shrugs. What to do now?]

[frostyfuntimes]

Okay because for a second there I was starting to worry that a stray snowball or an ice cube down your shirt might be the death of you or something.

[And Jack doesn't always aim when it comes to a free-for-all snowball fight.

Although, he's still thinking you sound like a bit of a wimp when it comes to the cold.]

[eternalfrolicbond]

[Hey, fire magic affinity has its downsides. And okay, maybe he's sensitive to cold, but EVERYONE is sensitive to fire.]

Proooobably not.

[eternalfrolicbond]

So where are you staying? I guess I'll need a place to crash.

[seasaltkeys]

The Usual Spot.

[He shrugs]

I...didn't really want to go anywhere else.

[eternalfrolicbond]

Hey, anywhere decent to rest your head, right?

[seasaltkeys]

I got blankets and stuff from the moogles. It works for me.

[colorbymemory]

He said you were helping Sora when it happened.

[And she hadn't been there, apparently.]

[skysmirror]

Yeah. We have a lot to catch up on.

[Like all the missing memories. But that's best saved for later.]

[eternalfrolicbond]

Yeah. You and Riku were going to get Kairi; I went to make sure that Sora could make it through.

I guess he did.

[eternalfrolicbond]

So...I'm guessing that I owe you an apology?

[He's not sure, but what he remembers with Roxas kind of indicates that he probably does. Or maybe not? How different are his memories, since she's not in them?]

[eternalfrolicbond]

Are you good there on your own, or would company be okay?

[seasaltkeys]

I dunno. I guess I'm alright.

If you don't mind sleeping on an air mattress.

[eternalfrolicbond]

I'd like a place to stay, and it would be nice to stay with you.

[seasaltkeys]

The Usual Spot's not much of a place to stay.

[He'd chosen it because it was familiar, because it was really all he had, because it was a good place to avoid people. He'd been scared to find out if his room still existed.]

[skysmirror]

[Not very, but he doesn't know that, yet. Xion shakes her head in response to his question. Why would he need to apologize?]

No, not that I can think of.

[colorbymemory]

[Oh. Well, she had wanted to meet her other, and they'd known Kairi needed help.]

I think so, too.

[At least he probably hadn't been alone when he died. Sora would never leave someone to that fate.]

[eternalfrolicbond]

I can scout out somewhere to kick back, then, if you want.

[He'd never really lived on his own and he's not ready to start now.]

[eternalfrolicbond]

I don't mean to get all doom and gloom at you. Uh...do you know when Ienzo and company are from?

[eternalfrolicbond]

[Lea looks a bit surprised at that. He'd thought he'd messed everything up, hurt them both. Maybe it hadn't been so bad with her around?]

Oh. Uh.

[salvagedlight]

[Welp, that's... not a face he expected to see. Especially not like that. Ienzo and Even and Aeleus to the contrary, sometimes it was still really hard for Ven to remember the time skip, and with the exception of Even they all looked the same. But still... there was his friend. Really the first friend he'd made after he lost Terra and Aqua... this couldn't be real, could it?]

[The basic outline just flies out of his head when he sees that face, definitely much older, but still recognizable. He's heard about everything that's happened in a general way, but at the moment it's not registering.]

...Lea?

[eternalfrolicbond]

[For a second he thinks it's Roxas, but he's already talking to Roxas, and this definitely isn't him. He has to think back; he knows he's seen this guy before somewhere...or maybe it's just that he looks so much like Roxas. No, they must have met, but it would've been ten years ago.]

[He starts as it clicks in his head. He'd just wanted to cheer the guy up, even though he and Isa were on their way somewhere, and he'd seemed cool.]

You're...Ven?