Welcome, One and All

[revenancemods]

Characters: Everyone!
Content: Welcome to Traverse Town.
Location (including world): Traverse Town, 1st District
Time of Day: Any - subthreads may take place at different times
Warnings: None so far
Notes: This is an open thread: anyone may tag with anyone else. Tag around and have fun!

Well. This certainly wasn’t what you were expecting.

This part of the town is lit with street lamps and shop signs, illuminating the wooden structures and cobblestone streets. If it weren’t for the neon signs, you’d swear you’d landed in a small European town several centuries back.

The Moogle floating near the staircase leading up to the town’s item shop doesn’t help that illusion either. You may have already spoken with it; it’ll tell you where you are and that you’re in the realm of dreams, give you your starter package, and help you make your first Dream Eater. It will not, however, tell you how to get home. Sorry, but that’s not information it has, kupo.

Now that you’ve taken care of that, what will you do next? That is up to you.

Comments

[colorbymemory]

She hadn't escaped on her own, and the situation that had followed hadn't been much better, but at least she'd been gone of her own free will. It was good to see him well, too.

"You...got your heart back?" Her eyes widened at this news. Did that mean the Organization had won? But then, wouldn't he still be wearing the coat if they had?

[shadearchivist]

"Yes, as it happens. What happened to you?" Ienzo supposed that he'd have to tell her what happened eventually, but he was more interested in getting Namine's point of view on things, particularly since she'd survived Zexion at least. "You seem relatively well."

Considering you know most of my headcanon events, avoiding infodump.^^;;

[colorbymemory]

"Well, you know I told Sora the truth, right?" Namine outlined the basics of what had happened to her since then. It was a longer story than she had thought, starting with Sora's defeat of Marluxia and ending with Axel and Riku leaving to help Sora. "It was getting late, so I must have fallen asleep while drawing and..." She gestured to their surroundings.

"How about you?"

[shadearchivist]

"Well, after my...death, which I suppose you're aware of, I came to in Radiant Garden, along with Aeleus, Even, Dilan, and Lea. If it gives you any comfort, it does not seem that Xemnas gained control of Kingdom Hearts; I sincerely doubt that he would have spared a thought for our welfare if that was the case. It seems as if what was required to recover our hearts was our deaths." Ienzo waved a hand. "I'll let Even work that out whenever I do get home; it will make him happy to be busy, I suspect. I fell asleep shortly after Lea left to go look for Isa and Braig, and found myself here."

[colorbymemory]

Namine offered a sympathetic look at the mention of his death--she hadn't been aware of the details surrounding it, but she'd known Zexion had faded. Asking for them now didn't seem like a good idea, though, so focused on taking in everything else that he said. "So everyone got their hearts back after fading? But if that was all that was needed, then why..."

Why had Xemnas wanted Kingdom Hearts in the first place? If it hadn't been for Nobodies to regain their hearts, then what had his plans been? It's a relief to know that, in Ienzo's time, Sora had managed to stop Xemnas, but that still left a lot of things unknown.

They'd find out in time. Until they did, she would try to content herself with knowing that Xemnas had been stopped for now, and the others had regained their hearts.

[shadearchivist]

"Why attempt to take control of Kingdom Hearts? Perhaps Xemnas was unaware that the plan wouldn't work. Or perhaps it would have worked, but death was another method of becoming whole. Or, perhaps, Xemnas wanted the power that would naturally come from controlling the heart of all worlds. That's what Marluxia wanted, clearly." Ienzo sighed. "I don't know what Xemnas' goals were, but he increasingly seemed to be turning his back on the needs of the rest of the Organization." It didn't hurt to talk with Namine about this; she was a very understanding young woman, and moreover it was something that directly impacted her life. Though Ienzo hoped that she wouldn't take this as an instruction to suicide. Unlikely, given how she'd fought to have her own identity recognized.

[colorbymemory]

Namine nodded in agreement with each of the possibilities he listed. They were all logical possibilities, though the idea that Xemnas had been unaware that creating Kingdom Hearts wouldn't bring the Nobodies back their hearts seemed the least likely. The mention of Marluxia made her frown, but she supposed it was unavoidable. "I don't think anybody knew what he really wanted...but it's good you found your hearts again."

Namine had wanted to see Kairi, and accepted her return to her other as inevitable. That said, she was far from willing to suicide just so that could happen sooner rather than later.

[shadearchivist]

Ienzo smiled, and the expression seemed to make him look much younger, more his actual age than someone grumpier and older. "Thank you. I'm quite glad about it myself. Ah, do know that if you need someone to look to for assistance, I will be happy to pool my resources with yours. I know you can look after yourself, of course, but it's good to have an ally."

[colorbymemory]

Namine returned the smile, and for a moment there seemed to be no difference between her and any normal girl with a heart. "You're welcome."

Her expression turned thoughtful as she considered his offer. That she couldn't stay on her own here was obvious; not with the Nightmares prowling. Better to ally with someone she knew, rather than a stranger. "That sounds like a good idea. Having some help would be nice."

[shadearchivist]

"I spoke with a young woman here; that conversation and thinking about the nature of Traverse Town made me consider that people might want a sort of home base to return to. I've been thinking of setting up some sort of shop or lodgings here, if we will inevitably gain more companions." It would have the side benefit, of course, of putting him in contact with people as they arrived. It was good to know who would be coming and going, and would allow one to be prepared for unpleasant surprises. Ienzo shoved away an additional thought that it would make him easier to find should Aeleus arrive. That wasn't something to be desired. And it was selfish.

[colorbymemory]

"You mean a place other than the hotel? That would be good." Hotels were for travelers, and none of them were going anywhere else soon, were they? Eventually they'd need somewhere else in town to stay. If she'd known what Ienzo was thinking, she would have agreed with the advantages of knowing who was where. She also wouldn't have blamed him for thinking that having Aeleus here might be nice. Wanting to see your friends was a perfectly normal and understandable kind of selfishness.

[shadearchivist]

"Yes. I'll probably have to negotiate with the moogles for a space, but I can contact you once I've obtained it." And if he absolutely had to, he supposed he could hunt dream eaters for enough munny to get started.

[colorbymemory]

Namine nodded. "Let me know if I can help with anything."

Helping to make a home for herself, or others, was a new idea, but she kind of liked it. So far she'd had so little choice in where she stayed or what she did...While she might not be able to hunt Nightmares, there had to be something else she could do.

[shadearchivist]

"Of course. It may take some time, but I'm sure we'll manage something." It would take some doing, but he was quite definitely capable of putting together something.

[colorbymemory]

Taking time was fine. Namine could be patient, and she knew that most things couldn't be done in the blink of an eye. "Thank you. We will."