We Remember Our Bedrooms

[seasaltkeys]

Who: Roxas and whoever
What: Looking at Rooms
Where: Twilight Town
When:  Sometime, afternoonish
Warnings: None I don't think.


Of all the worlds available, and despite the memories it held, Roxas still found Twilight Town to be his favorite.

It was familiar, and well, the closest thing he had to a home. While he didn't mind the Dalmatian's mansion, it was in Traverse Town, and that held other memories. Memories that Roxas couldn't lay claim to. At least with Twilight Town, the memories were his, real or not.

Which brought him to today's mission, one that he had somewhat been avoiding. He had to know, did his room still exist? Was it still there, as he remembered it? Was it just an empty space? Or had it never really existed in Twilight Town at all. As much as it scared him, he had to know.

Comments

[seasaltkeys]

Roxas had to think about that. He knew now that he only had a portion of Sora's memories.

"...I don't know, about either of those things. I guess they just transported me in somehow. I was knocked out and when I woke up, it was like I'd been in Twilight Town all along."

Roxas couldn't say he was good with computers either. His last experience with one, he'd smashed up pretty good.

[juniorganymedian]

It was a frustratingly vague explanation, but perhaps there were others who might be able to provide more detailed ones. Naoto seemed to understand technology, and Sora, himself, could likely offer insight into the digital world that he'd encountered.

They were nearing the Sandlot as Jeeves continued, "I'm sorry you experienced such unpleasantness, particularly as regards a place you felt you knew. I hope that we might be able to locate your previous residence. What was your life like here, as you remember it?" No family, but perhaps there were fabricated friends?

[seasaltkeys]

If Roxas was forced to admit it, he didn't really like thinking about how the digital world worked. The more he did, the more he was worried that he'd starting messing with what good memories he had there.

He didn't like thinking of them as fabricated, because they were still technically real people.

"There were, yeah. Hayner, Pence, and Olette. We'd hang out together, and play struggle and eat ice cream. Things like that," Roxas replied, his expression losing some of it's bitterness.

Once they reached the sandlot, Roxas went to go down a side street. "It was over here."

He hoped.

[juniorganymedian]

Jeeves followed along, motioning for Kant to keep close. He'd come to distrust small alleyways in the Realm of Dream. So often they held unpleasant things - real and imagined. I had heard it mentioned by Ms. Xion in the archives that the sea salt flavor of ice cream here is particularly pleasing to the palate. Is it being sold by the Moogles stationed here?"

He glanced at the buildings as they walked, trying to gauge if any of them looked like acceptable living spaces from the outside. If he was to live in Twilight Town and Roxas' home was still here, Jeeves would prefer to have someone with magical and fighting abilities within easy reach for emergencies.

[seasaltkeys]

The mention of ice cream seems to perk Roxas up a little.

"Yeah, they do," he says with a small nod. "It is really good."

He'd say more, but they've reached Roxas's house, or at least the spot where it should be. Roxas isn't surprised to see the blank wall, without even a door suggesting that a room might be there. Not surprised, but it still hurts. The digital Twilight Town was real to him, so why couldn't that extend to the rest of the world?

"We can go get some now, if you want," he mumbles.

[juniorganymedian]

Jeeves stared at the blank wall for half a moment before turning his attention to Roxas. This was undoubtedly meant to be where his 'home' was. That it wasn't here at least gave some indication that they weren't in the digital world. Or at least not the one Roxas had been in. Cold comfort.

There were more questions Jeeves wanted to ask about the mansion now that they'd finished with dashing Roxas' hopes, but something to cheer the boy was required and the topic would likely need to be put off to another encounter in favor of lighter matters. "I would enjoy that, Roxas. If it's not taking too much advantage of your time, I'd also still very much appreciate any guidance you have about town after. There are several interesting landmarks I'd like to find the best routes to." Clearly one of those landmarks was missing, but that didn't mean all of them were. He could situate his preferred residence based on safe and quick routes.

[seasaltkeys]

There's a part of Roxas that wants to run away and mope, probably at the clocktower or the usual spot, but that's his default reaction. But that's not going to change anything, and it's also probably not going to help. Instead he takes a breath and tries to unclench his fist.

"I can do that," he replies, finally. "There's still a lot more of the town to see, and I can probably find another place to stay as well." Maybe in Sunset Terrace or something.

This seems like a good place to fade to black or happy to continue with a proper tour!

[juniorganymedian]

Jeeves took note of the boy's forced relaxation. It was a little hard not to, though the valet made an effort not to be too overt in keeping an eye on Roxas. "Thank you. I'm certain there are many places to offer a safe and comfortable retreat. Which way shall we go?" He motioned down either direction of the alleyway before adding with a brief, but bracing smile, "And please allow me to pay when we arrive. As thanks." And as consolation.

There was something about the boy that reminded Jeeves vaguely of one of his younger cousins or the nephews of friends he has assisted. Buying him ice cream would help to gain his confidence, but the valet found himself genuinely feeling for the boy and his troubles. He had no way to bring back something that was gone, but there had to be other ways to cheer him. Another look through the archives might help to figure out what that might be if this encounter failed to provide further insight.

Personally, Jeeves also thought that an overhaul of Roxas' wardrobe and a haircut would help ease the boy's mind, as well. He'd wait on those suggestions, though. Some young gentlemen were ever so attached to unfortunate articles of clothing or abhorrent styles.

Fade to black works for me...

[seasaltkeys]

Roxas began walking in the direction opposite to the one they'd come from.

"This way leads to the sandlot, and from there you can get to Tram common," he said, figuring it was best to direct his energy in to the promised tour, and to get away from that alley as fast as he could. "That's sort of the main area of town. Where all the shops are, and stuff like that."