[open] i don't know about fate

[lighthearted]

WHO: Sora and OPEN
WHERE: The train to New Tokyo and the Preserve dorms
WHEN: October 8th - 10th
WHAT: Checking in on people after waking up, and looking for things to do while cooped up in the dorms.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: N/A! Will edit if needed.



THE TRAIN TO NEW TOKYO

[ Sora comes to with a sudden gasp, almost sliding off of his seat on the train (though Riku's there to grab his shoulder and help him keep his balance, at least). It's disorienting to finally be awake after so much time spent in that Sleeping World, but Sora also recovers quicker than some of the other displaced might. Been there, done that, after all.

It doesn't take long for messages to start firing across the network, and soon enough Sora gathers that almost the entire group of displaced is now on this train. More than that, they've still got a good six or so hours before they reach New Tokyo, and he's got a large number of people he wants to check in on. After he's talked things over with Riku (there's no telling what woke them up, which is strange), he decides to stretch his legs.

He moves through the train cars, on the lookout for anyone who he recognizes. As soon as he spots them, he'll run over, either standing near them or taking a seat if there's one available. ]

Hey! You okay after all that?


THE PRESERVE DORMS

[ While Sora couldn't explain why everyone had suddenly been on the train with them, what he learns when they reach New Tokyo makes a little more sense. They're not here to help with a monster attack, but with a snowstorm. That must mean that what they did in the Sleeping version of this world actually had an effect on the real version. Fighting all of those monsters means that they'd reversed some of the damage!

It doesn't explain where the snowstorm came from, and he's not that thrilled to be facing freezing cold temperatures again after his time spent in Arendelle. Having to be cooped up until there's proper supplies provided to them isn't much better, though.

While he'd been able to explore to some extent in the dreams, it hadn't been real. To go from being stuck in the safehouse to being stuck in these dorms is rough for a restless young man used to running around all the time.

So he'll end up wandering the common areas, whether it's to scrounge up a snack or look for something else to keep his attention. If he comes across someone, he'll wave at them and move over. ]

Hey. Maybe we should play a game or something? [ Or, if they don't look like the game-playing type, it might be: ] So have you ever been stuck in weather like this before?


WILDCARD

[ I'd be happy to wildcard anything in these two settings, prior to the arrival log! Feel free to PM me or hit me up at demonology if you want to discuss, but you're more than welcome to just toss something at me too. ]

Comments

the implied riku prompt

[inherited]

[In a way, it's not unlike coming out of the dream where he spoke to Ansem the Wise. He feels disoriented and not at all rested, opening his eyes as he listens to the quiet, almost imperceptible rumble of the train outside. The only difference is that he's reaching over to steady and help Sora. Everything that happened in there was—wasn't what he'd expected. What he would have ever expected.

And yet, now that he's awake, Riku feels more sure that it was a Sleeping World. It wasn't shaped like anything he knew, but as he looks around him, he can sense the connection. Sure, he can use the neural implant again—and it interfaces with his surroundings—but there's more to it. He just wonders if it's a hunch or some ... power. Something linked to what he can't reach. Then again, he's not in pain, so it's probably not that.

Once he lets go of Sora, his hand comes to his heart. Should he test it? No, not without telling Sora why. Not without the two of them making sure they're ready.]

Right where we were before. Do you feel anything?

[lighthearted]

[ It's strange to be right back where they started when Sora feels as if he experienced so much. Those dreams hadn't been like normal dreams, that are so distant, with the details fading away the more that you thought about them. They had felt real in a way that the other Sleeping Worlds had. That place they'd visited, it was a world that was stuck in time, and Sora wasn't quite sure what that meant when New Amsterdam still existed in the waking world too.

Riku's question is a confusing one, though. Did Sora feel anything? Well, he felt plenty of things (the train softly vibrating under his feet, the slight uptick in his heart rate from waking so suddenly), but he gets the feeling that Riku's referring to something specific.

Well, Sora isn't one to shy away from admitting he doesn't know something. ]

What do you mean?

[inherited]

I'm not sure. [That's the issue: Riku doesn't feel anything in particular. Being a keyblade master—and a Dream Eater—means that he's more attuned to his surroundings. They're not in a dream. He can't feel the stench of ... darkness mingling with light. It's all slipped away. After a moment, he tries to draw upon some healing magic, well aware of how it might look to anyone else if he tried a more aggressive spell.

His chest glows, his hand clenched into a fist, and he grunts out as his eyes close shut. He's in pain.

Riku breathes out, dropping his hand to his thigh. No good.]

Back to the way it was before. Guess that spell to link up our power didn't work the way we may have hoped.

[lighthearted]

[ They're in the middle of a crowded train, and even Sora realizes that it's not the best time for their chests to start glowing. He shifts to put his hand on Riku's opposite shoulder as soon as the glow blooms under his shirt, showing concern while also hopefully shielding his chest from the view of any prying eyes for that brief moment.

It had been so freeing to have the use of the Keyblade and their magic back in the Sleeping World, and the proof that it's all gone again is frustrating, to say the least. Sora heaves out a sigh and nods. ]

Guess it was a long shot, huh.

[ It had been worth trying, though. If they can tap into their powers while dreaming, that means that they're within reach somehow instead of gone completely. ]

But... hey, we're both here. [ Sora claps Riku on the shoulder and shoots him a warm smile. ] Even though we used the Power of Waking, it was okay. [ That's the silver lining here. ]

[inherited]

I was worried. [Riku never put it to words, so Fitz's pointed remark about Sora being "safer" with someone else could sting more. It still does. He's not about to let anyone know what happened to Sora, but there lies a risk in it. Riku nearly died several times in the Land of Darkness. Just because he didn't doesn't mean he wasn't risking his life.

That last go around—it really was Sora showing up that kept him alive. Kept him safe. They could combine their powers and do what was needed.]

But I knew if we did things the right way, we'd get out fine. [A beat, where he looks closely at Sora.]

That you'd be fine. Now that we're out here, I'm worried about what it means for them. We're fine. But them? [Did they lose their powers and strength like Sora did that time? How does someone ask that?]

wildcard

[blyat]

[Continued from here.

Once he has the number of Sora's train car, it's only a matter of finding it. Figuring out which direction is numerically ascending and skip five cars down. They all appear to be spread out, and he recognizes too many faces on his walk over, but Cain makes a point to keep his chin down. No reason to speak to anyone he doesn't have to. Sora is an exception made out of willingness, if only to confirm the series of events that appear to have happened in his head while he slept.

There was a jacket in his bag - not up to a snowstorm, Cain would know - but enough on this trip in the regulated environment of the train. He's got hands shoved into the pockets when he approaches Sora. He doesn't immediately say anything, uncharacteristic hesitance taking root. Finally:]

So you really signed up for this shit?

[lighthearted]

[ Sora definitely hasn't packed for cold weather, given how warm it had been back in New Amsterdam. The hotter temperatures would have suited him well, as someone who comes from a chain of islands, but the storm they're about to travel into is another story. Sora will put up with it, like he did the other times he's visited the snow, but he'd really like to get a coat this time.

As soon as he spots Cain, Sora waves to him and gestures for him to take a seat next to him. There's other people in the car, so they'll need to keep their voices down, but it helps just to see Cain with his own eyes. To know that he's okay -- physically, at least.

The question makes him pull a face, though. ]

Yeah, I did. What's wrong with that? The people in New Tokyo need our help!

[blyat]

[One of the main reasons he wanted to meet Sora, rather than have Sora come to him, is to take a break from the unexpected surprise of waking up beside Hideki Maeda. If he has to hear one more word about social media and booze and ideal press poses, he's going to lose his mind. So maybe he's crankier than Sora deserves -- in addition to the raw nerves over everything that had happened in his sleep -- but it's hard to control.

Cain drops down onto the other seat, propping his boot up on the chair across from him (vacant, fortunately).]

Not from monsters anymore, just a snowstorm. Did they need all of us for that?

[He's agitated, because he doesn't want to be here. He would never have left New Amsterdam willingly.]

What happens when no one's back in the city for the next batch of us that rolls in?

[lighthearted]

[ It's not like Sora has an issue with crankiness, given that he usually spends his time traveling around with Donald, who may as well have invented the word. So long as Cain is here and talking to him, he doesn't mind too much what kind of mood he's in. They went through a lot in those dreams, so it's understandable. ]

I'm not sure.

[ That's in answer to both of Cain's questions. He has no idea how bad the snowstorm is, or what exactly they'll need to help with, but he'll figure it out when they arrive. Surely the relief group they're going to meet up with will have tasks they can take on. ]

It's a good question, though. Maybe once we get to New Tokyo, you can see about hopping the train back.

[ It's a long ride to endure only to turn right back around, but if Cain really doesn't want to be there, then it's probably the only option. ]

Was there something you had to take care of in New Amsterdam?

[blyat]

That's the plan.

[Turning around, at least. He doesn't care how long the trip takes, he can go to sleep to pass the time, even as squeamish as it makes him feel. The risk of plunging back into that strange world will take time to fade; until then, slumber isn't an appealing prospect.

Sora's question draws deliberate pause.]

I just want to be there. If this takes days, or weeks, we're gonna miss the new people. What's the point of signing up if this shit isn't even optional? [Not that it was Peggy's fault - she only requested volunteers. Something else whisked them away.] Have you noticed the date?

Dorms

[saviorexe]

[Markus lifts his head from where he sits, focus temporarily severed from its scrolling crawl along the virtual newsfeeds, courtesy of his implant. He’s had time to recover since waking, the pain and tiredness from his unfortunate excursion in the facility starting to finally recede — not that this would’ve halted the immediacy of his reply, anyway, when he spots Sora coming over.

Though seen only briefly in person — once in that dream world when they had returned briefly to the facility, waking up soon after, and another time in New Amsterdam to make arrangements to leave the city — he owes the young man a debt. And more importantly, a thank you. The flickering headlines in his vision are quickly blinked away, and he replies with raising brows and a small smile.]

It snows a lot where I’m from; being stuck indoors because of the weather isn’t anything new, even if this case is an extreme one. [A beat, though.] We can kill time with a game, if you’re bored. I’ve been wanting to speak with you anyway.

[lighthearted]

[ Sora had been able to check in with Riku, Cain, and Fitz while on the train, and he's just recently sent a message to Peggy, so Markus is the last one on his list of people he needed to make sure had made it back. At this point it seems clear that no one had been stuck in the Sleeping World, but there's nothing wrong with checking in all the same. Whatever had happened to Markus and the others, it hadn't been good. Seeing him sitting here sets Sora heart at ease.

Since Markus doesn't seem to have anything against his company, Sora takes a seat next to him, smiling briefly. It seems that they're on the same page, then; that's good. It's a little easier than some of the other interactions, where he had to press for a conversation. ]

What kind of place are you from, Markus? [ Sora doesn't mind starting on a different topic, if it makes it easier on them. ] My home was a chain of islands, so I didn't see snow until I was fifteen. I've been in it a few times since then, though.

[ The Land of Dragons, Christmastown, and then Arendelle. Yeah, he's had his fair share of snow "adventures" at this point. ]

[saviorexe]

[Markus leans forward a little, too used to showing that he's being attentive, focused, even if the situation is something of a casual one.]

I'm from a city called Detroit. It's... odd, actually, I don't know if you've heard it from others before; but I'm from Earth. This world. But I come a different version of it, from the year 2038.

[So perhaps not this world exactly, but closer to familiar than what some might have the advantage of.]

My city was a large one, but nothing like New Amsterdam. It was called 'Motor City' by some, once home of the automotive industry. [Now it manufactures androids more than cars, but Markus... well, he thinks that isn't the tone he wants to set for the conversation. Not quite yet.] But your perspective of the city could change depending on the kind of life you led. I always found the art the most interesting, or the music.

[lighthearted]

[ At this point Sora's heard people refer to this world as Earth, with New Amsterdam and New Tokyo simply as cities within it. A world this large is something he can barely wrap his head around.

Detroit isn't a place he's heard of before. A snowy city that manufactured a lot of cars. It's a little easier for him to picture now that he's seen glimpses of New Tokyo on their way here. Either way, Sora's always curious to learn about new places, especially if it's the home of a friend. ]

Oh... so you were an artist? [ The kind of life you led, Markus had said. Sora jumps to a conclusion. ] It sounds like an interesting place, and I hope we can get you back there, Markus.

[saviorexe]

[Though it’s an assumption, and one that does accurately pin down Markus’ personal interests (art, music, literature, nerd!!), it wasn’t exactly what he was back in Detroit. The irony is that he had never really had a chance to practice art in a fuller capacity in those days after his life changed — only here in New Amsterdam has he managed to delve into them as hobbies, unfettered by a revolution weighing on his shoulders.

A brief pause, but it’s nothing worth hiding.]

I was a caretaker, actually. I lived with an artist for a long time, and he helped cultivate that interest for me.

[But Carl, he did so much more than that. Aided him in becoming a person, helped him find his spirit and slow-growing autonomy in a body made of biocomponents, chemical blood, and hard plastic.]

But thank you, Sora. I want us all to find our way home eventually. Can I ask what was you did back on your island?

[He’s just a young man, but a young man with a strange power manifested in those dreams. Markus can’t help but be curious.]

( dorms )

[whitehair]

[ how the hell did they expect them to help out with something like a snowstorm? heine didn't know a thing about snow or how to deal with them, and helping out people who had nothing to do with him was definitely not part of his usual modus operandi ... he kept to his side of the line and the other people could stay on the other side, that's how it usually worked, and it was doing a pretty good job at keeping unwanted conversations at bay so far. of course, what he failed to put into calculations was precisely someone like sora. ]

How about a game where we see how long you can go without talking?

[ assuming that they've been given adequate clothing / heating by now... Heine is probably bundled up as much as he could, and probably hogging the heater. ]

[lighthearted]

[ As much as Sora's also not comfortable in weather like this, he didn't come over here because Heine's near the heating vent. He'd genuinely done it out of the need to be nice and also get to know someone he hasn't spoken to before. Their group is pretty small, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to meet everyone, is there?

Except apparently there is, with the kind of response that he gets from this guy. Sora frowns and gives Heine a what's-your-problem kind of look. While Sora might be friendly to a fault, he doesn't put up with bullies. ]

Hey! There's no reason to be rude about it.

[whitehair]

[ okay, so at least this guy had spine enough to get annoyed about it instead of apologising and walking away.... that was a good start. ]

No, I'm genuinely super interested in how long anyone can go without speaking. I'm doing a research about it.

[ his voice dry, heine gives sora a sidelong glance, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. ]

If you don't wanna help me out then that's cool.

[lighthearted]

[ At one point, a few years back, Sora might have actually taken that explanation at face value. Now he's less willing to believe it, and he crosses his arms over his chest as he raises an eyebrow, skeptical. ]

What would be the point of researching something like that?

[ If this guy just wants to be difficult for no reason, then Sora isn't going to bother sticking around. But he hasn't decided to move on just yet. ]

[whitehair]

[ poor sora......... ]

Well, people do all sorts of research, don't they? Are you gonna go around asking everyone reasons? Don't be such a hater.

[ as aggravating heine is, it's really only because he's bored out of his mind. ]

You seem way too chirpy for this weather.

dorms

[mercurio]

[prompto's trying to escape the overly-friendly menace that is hideki maeda. for his own sake, he wants to be able to have a breather, especially since he wants to be able to make some sense of the dreams that he dreamt while they were all passed out. so, while he's hiding by a shelf and checking social media for clues and insight, he gets spooked by the sudden appearance of a young teenager asking him questions.]

Uh!

[high pitched and all]

Sure? I've been somewhere cold like this before?

[who this cheerful gremlin...]

[lighthearted]

[ It's not that Sora had meant to startle the stranger, but he's still new to the whole glued-to-your-device lifestyle (even when that "device" is in your head). He should have figured that the guy staring off into space meant he was making use of his implant. ]

Whoa, didn't meant to scare you! Are you in the middle of something?

[ While Sora's looking for a way to help with the stir craziness, he isn't going to stick around and bug someone who's got other things to do. ]

[mercurio]

I was looking through some sites, nothing important.

[it's not technically important because he doesn't know what exactly he was looking for--thus, he isn't sure whether it really falls under the scale of importance.]

Yet, anyway. [with a shrug, he allows himself to try and find a chill mode, his stance now more open, facing sora properly.] Are you new?

[he isn't sure he's seen this kid before.]

[lighthearted]

[ Sora chooses to take the stranger's word for it, not seeing any reason why he'd lie about something like that. If it was something he didn't want to be disturbed from, he could have just said that, but now he's giving Sora more of his attention.

At the question, he shrugs. ] Not new new. I got here before the dream stuff. My name's Sora! It's nice to meet you.

[ They've already met before, but this is what happens when so much interaction can be done over a network. ]

[mercurio]

[where has he heard the name sora before—? oh, the—!]

You're the world hopping island kid!

[that's a mouthful of a title]

It's me, Prompto! We talked about going to the arcade before.