✩★ [01: audio]

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[The CAT clicks on--for a moment, there is the sound of rustling, and then a distinct click of something being set down.]

So this thing is used to broadcast to other people? ...huh. Could be useful.

[The voice is young, but when Riku addresses the CAT properly, there's no shortage of self-assuredness there.]

So this place is called Luministi, right? What sort of a place is it? And why am I here, anyways? If this is Maleficent's idea of a joke...

Anybody out there?

...Better yet, has anybody out there heard of a girl named Kairi? I've been looking for her.

Comments

VIDEO.

[faithga.livejournal.com]

[!!!!!!! is it really him? he looks so much younger. well, no matter.

naminé is happy. and when her face appears on the screen of riku's CAT, it's written all over her face.]

Riku! Did you just get here? [so much relief. he's okay! she smiles as reassuringly as possible.]

Maleficent's not here. You don't need to worry.

VIDEO.

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[There's a girl on the CAT! She looks familiar, in a way, but it's only the facial resemblance to Kairi that Riku's seeing. He frowns at the her, resting one hand on his hip.]

Why would I worry about Maleficent? She's the one that's been helping me.

[How does this girl know who he is? He's confident he's never seen her before...]

Who are you?

VIDEO.

[faithga.livejournal.com]

[oh no. this isn't good. somehow, time's become messed up. she's sure of that now. xion's alive, and riku... thinks maleficent is going to help him save kairi.

that time's events are still vivid for her, since she'd spent a full year looking at them and reorganizing them back into proper order. maleficent's no friend. and the sooner he finds that out, the better. naminé's smile dims, and she shakes her head.]

No... no, Riku. She's doing the opposite.

[this part, at least she's expecting. he hasn't met her yet, right? again, she tries to smile a little.]

My name is Naminé. It's um... it's nice to meet you. [again.]

VIDEO.

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[Riku gives a wide shrug--he's wholly uninterested in what she thinks of Maleficent.]

So long as I can find Kairi again, I couldn't care less what she's doing.

[Speaking of which...]

Naminé, huh...?

Why do you look like Kairi?

VIDEO.

[faithga.livejournal.com]

[kairi...

-- naminé closes her eyes. now that she, too is human... the girl could very well be considered her sister. her welfare is important to her, too.]

She'll be okay. Just have some faith.

[what would those boys do without he-- uh oh. naminé isn't a good liar. and she's not going to bother. but before she can explain anything, she freezes, and glances away quickly.

how in the worlds is she going to explain this?]

I... I um. It's hard to explain.

[...] I guess you can say we're sort of like sisters.

[truth? well, it's close enough without breaking his brain.]

VIDEO.

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[Faith? Riku doesn't like wagering Kairi's safety on faith alone. But he accepts the answer with a frown, instead folding his arms as he looks at Naminé.]

Sort of like sisters? What's that supposed to mean?

[Right now his thoughts are running along the lines that she may be from the same place Kairi was--but he's not voicing it. He wants her to say it.]

[desertdaggers]

[more people?]

That's right. It's… [there's a distinct pause] strange. A bit of a mystery, really.

I think I've heard the name, but I don't believe she's here.

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[He frowns.]

Then I'll just have to keep looking for her.

[desertdaggers]

Mm, it's not impossible. I'd be happy to help, if you liked. What does she look like?

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[No help ever comes without a price. Riku gives another slight frown, wondering what this guy wants, but decides to take a chance and throw caution to the wind.]

About this tall [with a gesture to illustrate what he means], red hair, and blue eyes.

[Pause. He doesn't really want to go into too much detail, but...]

The last time I saw her, she was asleep.

She'd been that way for a while.

[desertdaggers]

[Hawk nods.] All right, I'll let you know if I see her!

You think she might still be asleep here, then? [frooowns. That doesn't sound like a good thing, in terms of doing things about the town and taking care of her…] She's not waking on her own, I take it?

[video]

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

[!!!

That's --

Is it really him? Is he staying this time? Xion has seen glimpses of him in Luministi in the past, but then he would just... disappear. This... isn't going to be like those times, is it?]

Ri-Riku? You're here?

[Unfortunately for her... she isn't thinking, just like when Naminé arrived. She looks like Sora; she sounds like Sora... and what she said is Sora-like, too.]

[video] 1/2

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[The world's just turned upside down, Riku thinks. Sora's reaction is a far cry from how he was acting the -last- time they saw one another. So for a split-second, the surprise registers on his face.]

[video] 2/2

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[But then it's gone again, replaced by a scowl. Sorry, Xion, he has absolutely no idea that you even exist--you can't really blame him that much for his reaction!]

What's wrong, Sora? Afraid this world isn't big enough for the both of us?

What happened to your other friends?

[video]

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

[....?!]

What...? What are you -- [Why is he acting like this?] What are you talking about?

[video]

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[What's Sora playing at? They just -saw- each other, not even an hour ago!]

Why don't you tell me?

[But Naminé's words are in his head now, telling him that this place can pull people from different places in time. Not that he necessarily believes it, but it would make sense...]

What are you doing here?

[video]

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

I'm... [Xion hesitates, brow furrowed deeply. Why is she so nervous all of a sudden? Riku... He looks so young. How far before their meeting is he? She knows this is possible, because she's from before Naminé's time, too.]

Riku, I'm -- I'm not Sora.

[Please believe her. Please.]

[video]

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[It's kind of nice to hear this person's confidence.]

Hello! I'm out here! Fuu Hououji; nice to meet you. I'm very sorry to say that I haven't heard of Kairi. And as for what kind of place this is, it will take some time to explain it, I'm afraid.

[video]

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[Riku is -made- of confidence!]

I'll just have to keep looking. It can't be that hard.

[After all, he'd just found her before he turned up here. He'd been hoping that she'd been transported here with him--it would only make -sense-, after all!--but all he has to do is figure out what he's been sent here to do, and then he can return to the ship. Right?

And Fuu's right there, -offering- to explain everything he needs to know about the world. It'll save him time, if nothing else.]

I've got time.

[video]

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[We'll need all the confidence we can get!]

Granted, there aren't a lot of places to look, here.

Great! Let's see... How about we meet at the tea house that is across from the theatre. Even though the townspeople are ignoring us right now, we can still acquisition a cup of tea.
There is a map in the gift basket you got, as well as on the device you're using to talk with me.

[video --> commentlog?]

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[Well, doesn't she sound settled in? Riku doesn't say anything to the effect, but he almost considers meeting at a tea house a waste of time. Why waste time sitting down when he could be out there exploring the town?

But, he reminds himself, if this town is as strange as the other guy had said, then there's a lot more to it than he'll be able to find on his own right away.]

All right, I'll meet you there.


[And that's all there is to that! Riku's not put off in the least by having turned up on a new world, so he doesn't waste any time staring at what he sees on the way there. In fact, with the map on the CAT, it's downright -easy- for him to find and stride right on up to the tea house!]

[Action! +commentlog :3]

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Well, if he was walking, Fuu will beat him there. Her bike is out front, a table is set with two cups and a plate of squares, and she's looking over the boxed teas behind the counter.

At the sound of the door opening she glances up with a welcoming smile.]

Hello! A pleasure to meet you in person. What kind of tea do you like? Oh- or perhaps you like coffee better?

[Video]

[fortune_sought]

[...oh goodness, why is it always children!? Sophie is definitely not in the mood]

[sourly] It's a town that traps people in it and causes all manner of strange things to happen while they're here.

[but she pauses at the mention of Kairi, thinking] I...I'm not sure if I've heard that name before. [it's vaguely familiar, at the least] But I do know she's not here, so there's no need to worry for the moment. [she just hopes Riku isn't going to be another Flynn and insist on running about searching for someone who's not here]

My name is Sophie. And you?

[Video]

[raftbuilder.livejournal.com]

[Oh, Sophie. Just the fact that she sounded so sour at the start of her message means that Riku's full of confidence when he responds, looking a touch smug as he speaks.]

That doesn't sound too unusual to me. Odds are you just haven't found the right way out yet.

[The bit about Kairi is a little disappointing. He'd -just found her-! And now she was lost again? But a moment later that's gone too, replaced by that same self-assured smirk.] I've heard that Kairi's not here. But that just means I'll have to keep looking for her. After all, I've already found her once.

I'm Riku.

[fortune_sought]

[yeah, she doesn't really have the patience for that. her tone is sharp] Or we did, but they brought us back somehow and blocked us from the way out.

Well, then you'd better help us find a way to leave since she's not here. [she's still really hoping he's not going to be like Flynn...]

[in a stiff, polite tone] It's nice to meet you, Riku.