Seventeenth Key

[optimistickey]

[Cambot is doing his usual patrols of the halls when he spots a figure lying on the ground of the third deck. Hey, Cambot would know that spiky hair anywhere...it's Sora! Cambot seems pretty excited that his usual subject has come back, and flies up to gently give him a prod. Sora groans and slowly gets to his knees, shaking out his head.]

Wh... [He notices the little camera lens staring at him. That's got to be an unflattering view.] ...Cambot?

[And then he shoots back up quickly, surprised.]

Wha...seriously? I'm back here again?!

[Sora looks around the Satellite, scratching at the back of his head. It looks like he's thinking over a lot of things.]

This...isn't a dream again, is it? I thought I was going back to Traverse Town... Riku? Are you here? What about everyone else?

Comments

[beforethemoon]

[Isa in the cafeteria, eating what appears to be a bowl of potato salad]

You were gone for only about two days, Sora.

[optimistickey]

[And Isa still looks normal here!]

What? No way! It's been way longer than a few days.

Still dunno for sure if this is a dream or not......

[beforethemoon]

Maybe for you, it was.

Where were you?

[optimistickey]

I was...back home with everyone, at least for a little while.

Then Riku and I went to Yen Sid's tower, and the Realm of Sleep. And...a whole bunch of stuff happened.

[video]

[sailorlaughter]

Ohmygosh! Sora's back too! [From offscreen, there's a small chorus of Sora's back! Sora's back!]

[optimistickey]

It looks like I am!

Uhh...is there more of you back there, Pinkie?

[sailorlaughter]

Yep! There's five of me...no, four...where'd she go?

[A Pinkie trots up to Sora, balancing a cupcake on her head.] Here I am~! Welcome back, Sora!

[optimistickey]

[Even knowing that this is just what Pinkie does, Sora still jumps quite a bit when the other Pinkie shows up. He takes the cupcake.] Um...thanks!

So how'd this happen?

[verygassy]

SORA!!

[And then Minako was standing next to Sora. She's...glowing bright yellow.]

Ri~i~i~i~ku~u~u!! I found him!!

Looooool

[halfdarkened]

[He just stands there a second.]

Never sing my name again.

Re: Looooool

[verygassy]

I wasn't singing! I was just...speaking all...sing-song like.

[optimistickey]

WOAH! [Sora jumps back in surprise. Just what happened while he was gone?]

Minako, what happened to you?

[verygassy]

Oh, this? I woke up and I found out I can draw light into me! Its pretty cool~

[She can use the light to attack bad guys too, if bad guys come. Not that she'll say that out loud.]

[halfdarkened]

[There's a look of relief and he smiles. For Sora's sake, he didn't want him back, but there's no denying he's glad to see him.] Yeah, I'm still here. How was your long weekend?

[optimistickey]

Long weekend? More like months!

Wait...you don't remember anything that happened, Riku?

[halfdarkened]

...

I guess the time axis back home acts a lot differently than the one here. It's been two days here, Sora. Congratulations, you're from the future.

[colorbymemory]

[Well, yes, it was an unflattering view, but Namine's ignoring that.]

Welcome back.

[optimistickey]

Namine! [He pauses for a moment, as if thinking over something. Then he just gives her a smile.]

...Thanks.

[colorbymemory]

[She gives him a slight headtilt at that pause.}

Is everything okay?

[skysmirror]

[Xion's off to find Sora to give him a hand up.]

We're all still here...Except for Roxas.

[optimistickey]

[Sora's glad to see Xion again, but then looks worried.]

Wait...Roxas is gone, too?

[skysmirror]

[The feeling is mutual.]

Yeah, he disappeared around the same time you did a few days ago.

[ttlynotanagent]

[Perry gives a wave. Welcome back? It seems weird because he's pretty sure you didn't leave or if you did it wasn't for quite as long as you seem to be implying.]

[optimistickey]

[Sora gives a wave, and smiles back. He's glad to see that Perry is still all right, even if it feels like much longer to him than the platypus.]

It's really good to see you again, Perry!

[ttlynotanagent]

[Perry nods. It's always good to see old friends.

Still, he hadn't realized you were gone. He gives Sora a look that he hopes conveys that question.]