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

[optimistickey]

...Maybe not!

[Sora knows he's being trolled back...mostly.] I guess I just wanted to see how you'd react! I don't think it'd change that much, even if it did.

Come on! Why would any of our parents just up and give us a last name?

Riku and I should be shot for this.

[halfdarkened]

[He smiles and shakes his head.]

[Shrugs] The fact is we've probably changed a lot of futures just by showing some of these people that there are other worlds.

Who knows? Maybe my family has had a last name all this time. Maybe yours too. You could be Sora Twaintinfor. Maybe even Sora Abowthat.

[optimistickey]

[Sora shrugs at that.] Yeah, maybe so. But it seems like the worlds have been okay for it so far.

Oh, come on! Those aren't even names, let alone last ones!

[beforethemoon]

You... don't have last names?

[optimistickey]

...No. Why?

[beforethemoon]

That's kind of weird, how does your school know it's your test and not some other Sora's?

[optimistickey]

Because I'm the only Sora on the Islands, of course!

[beforethemoon]

Whatever you say...

[halfdarkened]

You do?

[beforethemoon]

...Yes?

[halfdarkened]

What is it?

[He may drop.]

[halfdarkened]

We've only seen the short-term results of it all. And honestly, we don't know where their worlds even are. We can't actually say either way.

[Does that mean he got them?] Maybe not in our world.

[He grows very serious.] I do need to know one thing. [He looks Sora straight in the face (or rather, straight into the Cambot lens), expression grave... And suddenly looking rather tired.]

[optimistickey]

I'm sure if something really bad happened with them, we'd find a way to fix it!

Not any that I've heard at all!

What is it? [He doesn't like that look...especially not that he knows what the cause is!]

[halfdarkened]

Would we even know it happened?

[He shrugs.] Me neither. But your reaction was amusing enough.

I can't control when I fall asleep. I've been having... These strange dreams lately. I don't remember them for the most part, but since you vanished, I'm starting to remember them. [A pause.] Sora. YOu're okay now. But please tell me the Organization didn't kidnap you in the future.

[optimistickey]

If it's an entirely different time thing...maybe not.

That's the weirdest thing...

[His face drops. That's not something he wants to bring up, especially since he was unconscious for the majority of it.] Well, uhhh...it was kinda complicated...

(This expression, not this haircut)

[halfdarkened]

I guess we'll find out if we find out.



[Riku's expression hardens further. That response is a very definite yes.] Then I'm dreaming about the future. I'm dreaming about what happens to you.

[optimistickey]

Well...not like I can see your dreams exactly! They may be really different! [No Sora, this doesn't help.]

[halfdarkened]

[As serious as he looks, Riku's propping himself up on the wall. He looks exhausted. He begins rattling some things off.]

You. On one of the Organization chairs. Ansem was pinning me down.

Traverse Town and a guy with... feathered wings.

...Brightly... ...brightly colored animals. ....Fighting those.

[optimistickey]

Yeah, I thought I was going to find the Spirits again...

[Before he goes on, however, he gets more worried about what Riku's doing.] Riku, maybe you should sit down!

[halfdarkened]

So that's what... ...what they're called? ...Spirits? ...Sounds about... ...right.

[He stumbles, but at least he takes Sora's advice. Riku's headed for his desk chair, but he's eyeing his bed just a couple feet further. He kept his desk close so he could pull the blankets off to use while he drew, but now it was just convenient. He grabs hold of his chair to steady himself. Riku manages to topple it as he reaches his bed, taking a seat. He's fading fast.]

[optimistickey]

Well, the good ones are called that...

No really, maybe you should just lay down!

[halfdarkened]

[Riku wobbles a moment before he falls backwards, bouncing slightly on the mattress from the impact. Cambot zooms up. He looks so tired.]

...Yeah... [It's all he gets out before his eyes close. He's out.]

[optimistickey]

[Sora just facepalms a bit.]

At least it was on the bed this time...