001

[seasidememories]

So...I can talk to other people this way, right?

[The video feed shakes up and down as Cambot nods.]

Really? Great!

...Wait, there are other people around, aren't there? Because crash landing in a space station ghost town wouldn't surprise me one bit.

Comments

[seasidememories]

...You...

You look just like me.

[colorbymemory]

[Well, aside from differences in hair color and length.

Though if Kairi's going to be bringing up things like this, they might want to take things off the network quickly.]

I'm sorry, this must be confusing for you, but it's kind of a long story, and everyone else can watch whatever Cambot records...

[seasidememories]

Hm. I see.

It's okay. Don't apologize. Would you mind if I come look for you? I could use the exercise, anyway.

[colorbymemory]

[She smiles, mostly from relief that Kairi's taking this in stride.]

That would be fine. I'm on the theatrical deck.

[Being a helpful 'bot, Cambot flashes the deck number on the screen.]

[seasidememories]

Great! I'll be there in a flash!

[colorbymemory]

[Namine waits, using the time to clean up her supplies a bit.}

[seasidememories]

[Kairi comes bustling onto Deck #6 some time later, her Cambot nowhere in sight.]

Whoa...

[For a second, the costume props distract her! Okay, no, focus.]

Hello? Not-Sis? [Kairi looks around. This deck looks very straightforward. It shouldn't take long to find Namine.]

[colorbymemory]

[Namine pokes her head out from behind a cabinet door that had hidden her as she put things away.]

Hello again.

[seasidememories]

[She giggles at the blonde's unexpected appearance; it almost feels like playing hide-and-seek.]

Hey.

[And she draws closer.]

So...definitely not long-lost relatives, huh?

[colorbymemory]

[Namine smiles, though her expression turns a little more serious after Kairi's question.]

No. Well, not in the way most would think.

[She gestures for Kairi to sit down.]

Do you know anything about Nobodies?

[seasidememories]

I do.

[Kairi takes a seat.]

Roxas... He told me he's Sora's Nobody. Born when Sora became a Heartless.

But...we were never a Heartless, were we? You and I. [She can't bring herself to exclude Namine from the equation; she already feels the connection somehow, she can't explain how.]

[colorbymemory]

[Namine shakes her head]

No, we weren't. Since you're a Princess of Heart, you can't create a Heartless.

Only, when your heart was in Sora's for a while, it came in contact with the Darkness there, and when he became a Heartless, that created both me and Roxas. A Nobody for each of you.

[seasidememories]

...Wow.

Hey...do you resent us? Roxas told me--about Nobodies not having hearts. And I can't imagine what that feels like...

[colorbymemory]

[She shakes her head.]

I can't speak for Roxas, but I know I never did.

[She looks a little sad.]

I don't know what having a heart is like, so I don't know if I can describe it well. The others...I heard them saying that it's like knowing you're supposed to feel a certain way, so you act like you do, but really you don't feel anything.

[seasidememories]

I really can't imagine... Especially because you seem so human. So alive.

[Pausing, thoughtfully.]

You were born from my heart... So it's not just my heart anymore. It's ours.

We could share it.

Don't you think? Nobody ever told me there's a "One heart, one soul" rule. Maybe it can be one heart, two souls.

Maybe we can both use this heart.

I want you to feel--everything a human gets to feel. I don't want you not to have a heart. It just...makes me sad.

Sorry, accidentally hit Enter too early

[colorbymemory]

[Namine's eyes widen in surprise, then she smiles.]

If you're okay with that.