[A shattered mind is different than a shattered heart; either way, something is still broken. Wash muses over that until Ienzo finishes.]
Can you survive without a heart?
[That doesn't seem physically possible.]
And who can manipulate memories? [Because he made it pretty clear it's not this Xehanort character.]
Can you survive without a heart?
[That doesn't seem physically possible.]
And who can manipulate memories? [Because he made it pretty clear it's not this Xehanort character.]
Technically. Nature abhors a vacuum, however; a heart begins to reform once you've lost it, but it has to be nurtured. It's not the same as one's physical heart. And it's worth mentioning that being without a heart essentially makes you an abomination unto nature.
[Ienzo hesitates for a long moment.]
Namine can manipulate memories of those related in some way to Sora, but it isn't something that gives her any pleasure.
[Ienzo hesitates for a long moment.]
Namine can manipulate memories of those related in some way to Sora, but it isn't something that gives her any pleasure.
[Well, if memories make up the heart and memories are still intact, then it kind of makes sense...insomuch as anything here makes sense. Not that Wash will admit it. It all pretty well matches up with what Lea told him earlier, up to and including everything coming back to Xehanort.]
If it was the physical heart, I wouldn't have asked if you could live without it. But why would Xehanort be removing people's hearts?
[To get Kingdom Hearts, to create Nobodies...he's gotten a few answers from Lea already; he wants to see what Ienzo says. He might have more information.]
[The information about Namine gives him pause. Everyone here seems to have secrets, but he still wasn't expecting that.]
She doesn't seem the type.
If it was the physical heart, I wouldn't have asked if you could live without it. But why would Xehanort be removing people's hearts?
[To get Kingdom Hearts, to create Nobodies...he's gotten a few answers from Lea already; he wants to see what Ienzo says. He might have more information.]
[The information about Namine gives him pause. Everyone here seems to have secrets, but he still wasn't expecting that.]
She doesn't seem the type.
Completely aside from the fact that he thinks that destroying people's lives is funny, he wants to obtain Kingdom Hearts. [Ienzo sighed.] He's set several plans in motion to gain it, it seems, but...you must understand, other than "to gain Kingdom Hearts" his motivations are impossible to discern.
Has anyone told you the legend of how this universe came to be?
[Ienzo shakes his head.]
She isn't, but it isn't my place to give you details. One can't help what power they're gifted with.
Has anyone told you the legend of how this universe came to be?
[Ienzo shakes his head.]
She isn't, but it isn't my place to give you details. One can't help what power they're gifted with.
And here I thought the villain was supposed to monologue when he set his evil plans in motion. [Because seriously, that's what this sounds like. North's comic books may or may not have been a bad influence.]
No.
[He snorts again. He'd thought his eidetic memory could be tough to deal with sometimes; what sort of hell had Namine suffered through to be saddled with that sort of power?]
Some gift.
No.
[He snorts again. He'd thought his eidetic memory could be tough to deal with sometimes; what sort of hell had Namine suffered through to be saddled with that sort of power?]
Some gift.
[Ienzo snorts.]
He does, but he also lies regularly, so it's difficult to tell what's a real reason and what's hiding a sinister truth.
[He takes a deep breath.]
Long ago people lived in peace, and bathed in the warmth of light. Everyone loved the light. Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people’s hearts. It covered everything and the world disappeared. But small fragments of light survived in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It’s the world we live now. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness. That’s why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a door to innermost darkness will open. And true light will return.
Obviously it's probably not literally true - though recent events make me wonder - but it's illustrative of the belief system here.
[And really, where can North be? He must be close; the tunnels aren't that wide-ranging, unless they took a wrong turn somewhere.]
He does, but he also lies regularly, so it's difficult to tell what's a real reason and what's hiding a sinister truth.
[He takes a deep breath.]
Long ago people lived in peace, and bathed in the warmth of light. Everyone loved the light. Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people’s hearts. It covered everything and the world disappeared. But small fragments of light survived in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It’s the world we live now. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness. That’s why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a door to innermost darkness will open. And true light will return.
Obviously it's probably not literally true - though recent events make me wonder - but it's illustrative of the belief system here.
[And really, where can North be? He must be close; the tunnels aren't that wide-ranging, unless they took a wrong turn somewhere.]
[It sounds like a fairy tale or a creation myth - not quite like one he's heard before content-wise, but the format's familiar.]
And you think Xehanort's trying to set off that chain of events - the door to darkness.
[It makes as much sense as anything else he's said.]
[And North wasn't kidding about being lost, jeez.]
And you think Xehanort's trying to set off that chain of events - the door to darkness.
[It makes as much sense as anything else he's said.]
[And North wasn't kidding about being lost, jeez.]
[Xion summons her keyblade before following Wash.]
Form teams when we get downstairs?
Form teams when we get downstairs?
I hope we aren't interrupting.
[Ienzo's smile at North and Theta is considerably nicer than the ones he gives Wash, but that's probably because he likes them. He's not sure how they could get so amazingly lost in the tunnels, however; it doesn't seem very likely.]
[He pulls out a potion, stopping short of the shield.]
You said you needed this?
[Ienzo's smile at North and Theta is considerably nicer than the ones he gives Wash, but that's probably because he likes them. He's not sure how they could get so amazingly lost in the tunnels, however; it doesn't seem very likely.]
[He pulls out a potion, stopping short of the shield.]
You said you needed this?
No, you don't get to say that when you got lost in the first place and then told me to wait an hour.
[Sarcasm aside, he's still glad that North is okay, and he waits until the shield goes down before offering North a hand up.]
[Sarcasm aside, he's still glad that North is okay, and he waits until the shield goes down before offering North a hand up.]
[Ienzo smiles at Theta]
What game were you playing? [To North, he adds] And I believe York and Delta will have mapped out this place to their satisfaction soon. We should contact the others and notify them that we've found you, assuming that they aren't also horribly lost.
What game were you playing? [To North, he adds] And I believe York and Delta will have mapped out this place to their satisfaction soon. We should contact the others and notify them that we've found you, assuming that they aren't also horribly lost.
Not really. [Eidetic memory, remember?]
[He lets go of North as soon as he's standing and opens his communicator, typing a message while Ienzo speaks.] Already done. We should head back.
[He lets go of North as soon as he's standing and opens his communicator, typing a message while Ienzo speaks.] Already done. We should head back.
I used to play a game like that when I was young. I'm glad you found a way to pass the time; Washington and I were stuck with storytelling for entertainment.
[Ienzo turns to head back the way they came.]
[Ienzo turns to head back the way they came.]
[Eventually he's going to learn to tell when Ienzo is insulting him. Eventually. Today is likely not that day. Wash just rolls his eyes and continues out.]
How badly were you beating him, Theta?
How badly were you beating him, Theta?
[Surprisingly that wasn't a knock at Wash; he'd already told North the same story.]
It would likely be more difficult to play with people from different worlds; if we included heartless or dream eaters, I think people would be accused of making up names.
It would likely be more difficult to play with people from different worlds; if we included heartless or dream eaters, I think people would be accused of making up names.
Pretty sure those don't count as animals.
[Wash takes the next turn without hesitation. He's got their route in memorized; reversing it is easy.]
[Wash takes the next turn without hesitation. He's got their route in memorized; reversing it is easy.]
I would think that they'd qualify for the purposes of the game. Though obviously everyone is allowed house rules.
[Sure, he'll side with Theta for the purpose of needling Wash. And because Theta isn't wrong.]
[Sure, he'll side with Theta for the purpose of needling Wash. And because Theta isn't wrong.]
Because I'm pretty sure you don't make animals out of rainbow colored pieces.
[He shrugs and takes another turn, not really caring enough about this particular conversation to be needled by it. Suck it, Ienzo.]
[He shrugs and takes another turn, not really caring enough about this particular conversation to be needled by it. Suck it, Ienzo.]
I'd be loath to call them something other than animals, though obviously they're of a particular type, and rather intelligent.
[If only Even were here. Then it would be a fun discussion.]
[If only Even were here. Then it would be a fun discussion.]
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