Second Breeze

[salvagedlight]

[The video feed turns on to Ven, who's sitting on the low wall around the big plaza in the Second District, a Komory Bat in his lap as he extends the creature's wings, looking at them close like he thinks the Spirit might be hurt. Wheeler is perched next to him on the wall, head leaning over Ven's arm as he makes low chitters at the bat and pokes at it with his nose.]

...Okay, I think you're all right. Just try to watch out for the lampposts next time, got it?

[The bat squeaks happily and Ven gives it a small toss in the air to get it airborn. It climbs up a couple of feet, circles above his head twice - and then drops right back down into his lap, completely ungracefully and making Ven laugh.]

All right, I get it - you wanna stay here. Just for a little longer, okay? Just watch the wings. [The bat gives another squeak and settles down with a batty smile. Ven, meanwhile, gets to start asking the question he turned on the communicator to ask.] I've been trying to decide what to name this guy, but I'm not really all that good with names. I asked the moogles what they thought when they helped me make him, and one of them suggested "Wingman." And then he started... laughing. [He's looking a bit confused at the idea.] Why would he be laughing about that?

[Meanwhile, somewhere close by to you, the rustle of popcorn bags starts approaching...]

Comments

[defrostedpride]

The minds of moogles are incomprehensible. Don't worry yourself about it unless they start trying to charge you munny.

By the way, who...are you, precisely?

[salvagedlight]

They seem all right to me, they're just trying to make a living, after all.

[And then the face registers, and Ven brightens.] Oh hey, I remember you! You were looking for, uh, Ienzo, I think, in Radiant Garden when all the Unversed were out. I'm Ventus, but people just call me Ven.

[defrostedpride]

There's a fine line between making a living and taking flagrant advantage of their de facto monopoly, and the moogles crossed it at approximately half the speed of light.

[He looks around hastily.] Not that that's necessarily a bad thing! [Ahem.]

...Oh. Oh. That was you! You - haven't changed in the least. I presume not a great deal of time has passed, as far as you're concerned?

[salvagedlight]

[You get a bit of a headtilt at that one, Even - he hasn't noticed them being anywhere near that bad, even when compared to the ones he met on his first journey around the worlds.] They are? But the prices all seem pretty normal to me.

[They're taking pity on Ven. Maybe not on Even.]

Ummm... not really? Counting the time we've been here, less than a month. Why, what about you?

[defrostedpride]

...Longer. Much, much longer.

[He doesn't even care about the Moogles and their prices. But wow, offering price breaks to innocent teenage boys. Do they also have dream pieces in their van?]

It's been...more than ten years. I can't say precisely how much more. [He doesn't know how long he was dead for, for one thing. It's a very reliable way of losing time.]

[salvagedlight]

[Yep, not having a way to consciously be aware of how much time you're missing is a good way to lose track of time. He can certainly understand that one.]

Really? ...Well, I guess that kind of happened to a friend of mine, too. But you seem to be doing pretty good. [Ouch, Ven, way to unconsciously twist the knife.]

[defrostedpride]

[Even's face is a study, in some not particularly pleasant subject. "Doing pretty good" is the opposite of how he would describe the past decade, but does he really want to air all that dirty laundry in public?

[He decides that he does not, and pretends Ven never said that. Poorly.]

Yes, well. I certainly would rather be awake just now.

Happened to someone else, you say? Whom?

[allfunandgamesuntil]

[York is fighting back laughter, just so you know. He's not trying to be mean to the kid.]

I think Wingman is fine as a name if that's what you want to do.

[salvagedlight]

[he can tell, okay? Well, yeah, it's harder with a helmet, but there's a certain inflection to the voice that just marks it as near-laughter. He's looking a tad skeptical now - he sucks at hiding his emotions.]

You're not telling me something, aren't you?

[allfunandgamesuntil]

How old are you, kid?

[He looks like he's in his teens, so it's kind of weird that he hasn't heard the term. But hey, there are people from all over, so maybe they just don't use it here.]

[unrecovered]

York, he's like twelve. He doesn't need a wingman.

[salvagedlight]

[Have a frown at that one, Wash.] I'm fifteen. Or maybe sixteen, we're not completely sure.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

See, Wash? He's old enough to need one.

[unrecovered]

Fifteen is not old enough for a wingman. Fifteen isn't even old enough to know what a wingman is.

[Case in point.]

[dork_of_keys]

The Moogles are easily amused sometimes.

I don't have any ideas for you on a name though. I'd suggest Fluffy, but I think someone else already went with that one. [Says the guy with the Meow Wow named Jelly Bean and the Komory Bat named Bruce. And he decided on Bruce after the bat bit him for suggesting Batman. It should also be noted that Bruce is sitting his shoulder and cuddling the side of his head as he looks into the communicator.]

[salvagedlight]

Yeah, I don't... want them to sound like others, I guess? I just want to be able to tell them apart from all the others.

[And he smiles at the bat on Sora's shoulder.] Looks like a lot of us are getting bats now - they seem pretty cool.

[dork_of_keys]

I guess that makes sense. I could be kind of confusing if too many spirits had the same names.

[Says the guy that inadvertently named two Dream Eaters the same before: a Skelterwild and a Fishboné both named Bones. Derp.

Bruce chatters happily at Ven's comment about the bats being cool.]

They are. And having a flying ally is pretty helpful.

[salvagedlight]

[He might end up doing that himself at some point. He won't tease.]

That's 'cause flying is fun. But I think my bat's going to need a couple lessons in that.

[dork_of_keys]

Flying is fun. Hmm...

[Bruce squeaks at the communicator. He seems concerned about the other bat.]

Huh, I think Bruce wants to help him with that.

[hiptobe_eraqus]

[Eraqus gives an interesting expression...something between amused and embarrassed. It's likely something Ven's never seen from him before. He does his best to hide it, but may or may not be successful.]

Seeing as it's your Spirit, you should name it whatever you like.

[salvagedlight]

[Yeah, he sees that, Master. And ngl, he's a touch wary. It's... not something he's ever seen on Eraqus before, and adding that together with their recent history, it's pretty odd to see.]

...What do you think, Master?

[hiptobe_eraqus]

I...think that it is fine.

[Yeah, obviously he actually still finds it amusing, but does not want to say so.]

[salvagedlight]

[Yeah well he's through with you "sparing" him from stuff, so he's going to come straight out and ask.]

What aren't you telling me?

[hiptobe_eraqus]

[Crap. He should have seen this coming, after everything...]

In all honesty, it's nothing important. You don't need to worry about it.

[raisethemoon]

...we suppose that must mean the same as a wingmare.

[salvagedlight]

But what does that mean? Umm, Princess. [Mustn't forget the royal address!]

[raisethemoon]

In flight, thy wingmare is the one who watches thy back, to ensure thou art not caught by surprise. Though...we suppose we are not certain of the meaning among humans. Most of thy kind cannot fly?

[salvagedlight]

That... makes sense, actually. [Hmmm, he can maybe think of an explanation...] On a couple of worlds I went to, people could use machines to make themselves fly, like planes and spaceships. So maybe that's where it comes from?

[raisethemoon]

'Twould make sense. We should like to see one of these flying machines someday.

[colorbymemory]

I don't know why Moogle laughed, but...is he okay?

[Yes, she's talking about the bat. While she's been wondering how Ven is, he seems to be fine right now.]

[salvagedlight]

[At the moment, yeah, he's okay. The past few weeks have been a bit trying, though.]

I think so. [Certainly he doesn't mind the bat cuddling up to him, but he's also a touch worried about it.] He just... kind of doesn't seem to have a good sense of direction, I guess.

[AKA, he runs into stuff a lot.]

[colorbymemory]

['Trying' seems to be an understatement.]

I guess that happens sometimes.

[Batty peers over her shoulder, chittering worriedly. He'll help teach it flying!]

You're Ventus, right? My name is Namine.

[salvagedlight]

[It'd be a futile effort. He gives a smile at that, and a nod.]

Yeah, that's me - but call me Ven, that's what I go by most of the time.

[colorbymemory]

[Batty still wants to try. Namine returns the smile.]

Okay, Ven. Nice to meet you.

[And it's so strange to be saying that to someone who looks so much like Roxas, but she tries to keep that from showing in her face.]

[skysmirror]

[Xion's not sure why the name is funny, either.]

I don't know. It doesn't sound like a bad name.

[salvagedlight]

[Exactly.]

It sounds kind of basic though, doesn't it?

[skysmirror]

I guess so--it's because of the wings, right?

[Xion's not that great at naming Spirits herself.]

[salvagedlight]

That's what I'm guessing, but I can't be sure. I just get the feeling they're not telling me something.

[And Ven's not a fan of not being told things.]

[skysmirror]

[Xion would agree with that sentiment. Though sometimes good surprises happen, they're rare.]

Maybe one of the others will know.

[wavesinherheart]

I suppose it makes sense, at least.

[salvagedlight]

Yeah, but... he's not really a man. And is he really a 'he'? How can you tell?

[wavesinherheart]

You could ask him? ...Or her, I suppose, if that's more appropriate.

[salvagedlight]

I don't thi- wait, you mean ask it about the name?

[wavesinherheart]

No, I mean ask it if it's a he or a she.