Misrecalled TDM 5

[missrecalled_mods]

Auradon

Take It or Leaf It

Autumn had begun to set in in Auradon. Normally, for the residents of Auradon Prep it would be a time for bonfire parties, drinking mulled cider, certain dances, festivals, and other seasonal events; as well as chatting about the latest fashion trends in jackets and scarves. But with the current situation and the lack of groundskeepers, Autumn meant that it was time for something else: raking leaves. There were quite a few trees on the grounds and most of them had been turning a variety of bright, fiery colors over the past two weeks. And as was usual for the season, those leaves were rapidly beginning to cover the ground. Which for better or worse meant that it was time for the Misrecalled to grab some rakes and get to work. At least there'd be one - or more - awesome leaf piles for anyone inclined to jump into one at the end of it.

Going Nuts

It wasn't all bad news though. Because while none of the trees on the grounds bore any seasonal fruit, a few of them did bear nuts.  And with the coming of cooler weather, those nuts were ripe for the harvesting, many of them beginning to drop off the trees. So those not up to raking could grab a basket and go out to do their best impression of a squirrel, gathering nuts to store away for later. The results would both be tasty and a welcome addition to the school's food supply.

Isle

Holding On the Line

Most of the Isle's food supply these days came from the sea. Which, for many of its residents, meant that their days were often spent staring at a line in the water, waiting and hoping for a nibble. This was dull enough at the best of times assuming one wasn't an avid fisherman, but even more so when the fish were being uncooperative. And the latter was definitely the case today, with most of those fishing having not had a bite in hours. Did that prompt complaints? The desire to give up and go take a nap? Pointed critiques of each other's fishing technique? Or were you one of the lucky buggers who actually caught something and you're in the mood to gloat about it to the others to annoy them?

Heck for Leather

If there was one staple of Isle fashion aside form its general raggedness, it was the inclusion of leather. And why not? After all, leather was sturdy, hard wearing, and a must for pirates and punks alike. It made one look cool and tough and totally not like they had escaped from the set of a made for TV movie aimed at teens and tweens. But with access only to what was left in the lockers, it was in somewhat limited supply. There was, however, a solution to this; making their own. The recent killing of party-crashing alligator had provided not only meat but a tough, scaly hide ripe for leather making. With a bit of help from Yen Sid's chemistry supplies and some good old fashioned elbow grease of course. 

Or if leather wasn't one's style, there was also the bones and teeth. After all, nothing said 'heck yeah, I'm a villain' quite like a few skeletal accessories. And they would also make for some very handy tools if one knew how to shape them. So many possibilities, so few alligator bits...

Comments

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

"I suspect I have some ideas, yes. Come on. Let's go find your friends," she said, carefully putting an arm around his shoulders.

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

"Okay." He would never have admitted it, he barely even noticed himself doing it, but he definitely leaned a little bit into Aqua's arm. "Where do we look first?"

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

"If it were just Xion, I'd say their room or up on a rooftop. But with Lea? After morning workouts he could be either of those places or taking a nap on the campus green, or taking a walk..." she smiled. "Lea gets around. But we can start with their room."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

Roxas smiled. "That does sound like Axel, he was always slacking off, he'd spend all our free time napping back in the Organization." His smile dimmed slightly. He still didn't know what he was going to say to Axel. He missed his best friend, even if their last few conversations... Hadn't exactly gone well. All he could really do was hope the ice cream would be a good enough peace offering. He could barely even remember what they'd been fighting about... What he needed to do was think about somethin else. He shook his head and looked up at Aqua. "Uh, Aqua. Who did you say this Xion was again?"

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

She had been about to reply about Lea's supposed laziness, but at that other question stopped her. Pain showed in her eyes for just a moment, before she mastered it. "When the Organization was trying to pick up the pace, knowing that there were those of us that could stop them, those of us that they could not find... They created a Replica. They reached into Sora's memories to create Xion. Like you, part of her heart has parts of both Sora and Ven. It's how I can always find you two when you were near. But to wake up Sora, Xion had to go back to sleep within him. We've found ways to avoid this for at least one version of the two of you, to keep you both out and separate, and we're working on it for the rest of you. But part of returning her to Sora was making everyone forget her until she returned." She kissed his head through his hair, gently. "But Xion is your and Lea's best friend."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

He hadn't followed a lot of Aqua's explanation; replicas, Ven, 'versions' of them. He probably could keep Aqua occupied with questions for quite a while, but one part stuck on to his thoughts. "My and Axel's... Best friend." It felt RIGHT somehow. "Is Sora gonna be alright if we're both here? How are we here? I thought-" He knew. He'd just gone back to Sora. He'd... Disappeared. He'd assumed gone forever. But somehow he was here, on a new world, with friends he didn't know. It was all a bit hard to wrap his head around.

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

"We're working on that, don't worry," she said. "There is at least one reality where we all have data forms. I've been working with Naminé to figure out how to copy the data from there, and adjust the copy to include the unique aspects to each version, then use the data copy to awaken Sora and Ven without harm to either of you."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

"That... Sounds complicated. I don't really get it. It'll let Sora wake up without me having to disappear though?" He'd finally made piece with the fact that Sora was more important than himself, but a chance to stay with his friends wasn't something he was going to turn down. He still wanted his own life, his own heart, if it was possible...

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

"That is what we're trying for, yes." She gave him a smile. "Sora, and Ven. I can't wait for you to get to meet Ven."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

He smiled tentatively back. He was still mostly lost about everything, but Aqua seemed confident it was going to work out, so that was enough for him for now. "Ven..." The name didn't sound as strange to him as he thought it maybe should, though he was even more certain this time that he had never met anyone by that name. "You talk about him a lot. Who is he?"

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

"One of my little brothers," she said with a warm smile. "And like you, he rests in Sora's heart when he isn't in his own body. It's my job to find and wake him up. But one thing I've learned is that jobs like that are always best tackled together." She smiled. "You look just like Ven. Even more than you do like Sora. Though every version of you I have ever met is very much your own person," she added with a small laugh. "A terrifying, heart attack inducing wonderful own person."

She was NEVER ever going to let Roxas drive a car if she could avoid it. Never again. And no gummi ships. And she didn't care what Axel thought, she was putting her foot down on his more reckless ideas of fun.

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

He wasn't sure how to feel about her... Compliment? (He wasn't sure how to feel about most things most of the time to be fair.) He settled eventually on thankful, even if the 'terrifying' bit was a touch concerning. "Thanks..?"

He frowned a bit. "But, why does Sora's heart have so many people sleeping in it? Shouldn't he have a lock on that thing or something?"

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

She chuckled a bit at his thanks, and her smile gentled further at his questions. "Sora would never lock someone out who needed it. Not out of his home, not out of his heart. He's a very nice person with a kind and warm heart. And I know for a fact he'd rather you and Xion survive than be destroyed to wake him up. We're trying to find a way that helps all of you."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

Maybe Sora's friends should have considered that opinion before they stuffed Roxas in a digital lie. He shook that thought away. He'd seen a lot of Sora's memories, and he knew they'd just been worried about their friend. Sora really was the better between the two of them, and he'd needed to wake up. "He'd be a better help than me. I don't even know if I have a heart, and his is so..." He trailed off with a bitter smile.

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

"First of all, there is no better or worse. You are both wonderful people in your own right. And I can tell you for certain that you do have a Heart. Because it is connected to mine," she said, touching his chest gently. "We are connected, Roxas. Through our Hearts."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

He was sure that first part wasn't true. There was always someone better or worse. Someone stronger. Someone more useful. Even if Aqua didn't want to say that. He appreciated she seemed to truly be his friend despite that. It was... An uncomfortable sort of happiness that he felt. One he once again didn't have the words to explain. "Having a heart isn't always as nice as I thought it would be then..."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

"Nothing, even a Heart, is always a pleasure to have, my friend. But the depth of pain you can feel is the proof of love you felt. The more you miss someone when they are gone, is the more you love them. And the happier you will be when you find them again. But hearts can hurt, they can be betrayed, they can be broken and feel like they'll never mend. But they will. With love and kindness, they will. Love is the source of a Heart's power, after all. And in time even the worst hurts cannot survive the warmth of love."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

He wasn't sure he wanted that. His... Heart, since Aqua seemed quite sure he had one, seemed to hurt more often than not. But, maybe reuniting with Axel and- Xion, that was her name. Maybe that would help. He had missed the redhead terribly, even before he'd left the Organization for good, when they still saw each other, but had been fighting. He hoped they could be friends again, when they saw each other. He was sure that would make his heart hurt at least a little less.

He sighed. "It seems a bit unfair... That being happy means you also have to hurt. Why do hearts work like that?" He was staring at the ice cream in his hands as he spoke, thinking of sunsets on the clock tower with his friends, of ones where he was alone, and wished his friends were there. The treats were starting to melt just a little, a drop or two falling through his fingers to the grass below.

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

"Pain is a way we learn and grow. Trying to hurt less often can lead people to hurt others less as well. Pain is not fun, and avoiding it is a natural desire. And too much pain can shatter. But even pain has its place in helping us to grow into our best possible selves. And think of it this way, for as much as you hurt missing them... it will feel so much better to be reunited because of it. And sharing your pain... and helping them through theirs as they help you through yours will only strengthen your friendship and the bonds between your hearts."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

He spoke quietly, still addressing the ice cream in his hands. "How do you know if it's too much pain..?" He didn't think he was shattered or anything, as Aqua had said, but he didn't think he felt... whole, maybe, either. It was hard, trying to look inside.

He did usually feel better after talking to Axel though, and this chat with Aqua was helping too, even if something in his chest still hurt.

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

"That's hard to say. Sometimes it feels like it already was too much, sometimes we feel shattered... but then friends can help put us back together. Sometimes though... sometimes all that can help is rest and time. Or even a project to throw yourself into. One good side effect of pain being a universal, however, is that there are a lot of ways people have come up with to deal with the pain, and we have learned that friendship and love are the fastest ways to heal it."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

"Okay." He nodded slowly. He didn't feel better, necessarily, but he was pretty sure it was at least a reassuring feeling filling his chest. Hopefully he would be able to feel better someday soon.

He frowned though as another drop of ice cream rolled slowly towards the ground. At least it wasn't a hot day, but it wasn't quite chilly enough to hold the ice cream together. "We should hurry. The ice cream is melting."

Re: he's touch starved okay

[aquawayfinder]

"Good idea," she said. "Though I will be both happy for you and just a little sad for myself when we find the others," she said, picking up the pace a bit.

Re: he's touch starved okay

[rexien]

He looked up at her in surprise. "Sad? Why? Isn't it a good thing to see friends?"

Replying from phone, please excuse typos and other errors

[aquawayfinder]

"It is wonderful to see friends, Roxas. But once e we find Xion and Lea, you'll be with them instead of me, and while I will mostly be happy for the three of you, I will also be a little bit lonely, walking away on my own."