001 | voice

[hearthotel]

[it does take a little while and the receiving of a shiny new rune from a pompous snowman before he figures out how his bracelet functions, and even that is kind of stretching it. still, he has an important question to ask, and as far as he knows, he's somehow managed to pop into a world he's already familiar with. this can't be a new world; he

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[betweenpaths]

[Do you hear that sound Sora?

It is the sound of Riku's palm meeting his forehead.]

...Seriously, Sora? Santa?

[hearthotel]

[well, yes, of course Santa! his logic is not unfounded if he were back home; there are no new pathways that he knows of that he's personally unlocked. can't get to new worlds without the aforementioned, so this must be a world he's been to already! right? right!]

[but that's entirely unimportant. there's a brief silence before Sora tentatively speaks-- it's a desperately hopeful tone, one that's been clinging on the edge of optimism for a while now.]

Riku?

[betweenpaths]

[That wasn't quite the reaction he was looking for. Sure he had been looking for Sora, missing him and worrying about his well being. But there was something in that tone that just caught him.

Was this... maybe it was something like what he was experiencing with Aqua and Terra? The gods seemed able to bring people from different times. Maybe he knew more than Sora did right now.

His tone is less jovial this time, and a little more somber.]

You sound like you've just heard a ghost. [Le sigh.] Yeah, it's me.

1/3

[hearthotel]

[Riku... Sora can't believe it. after all this time-- he'd been right here all along--]

[hearthotel]

[there is a long silence. if it weren't for the sound of the breeze, one might argue that Sora had disconnected the feed.]

[hearthotel]

[but just when it seems the silence is drawing toward unbearable, he finally speaks again. he sounds relieved-- exhausted all of the sudden, but relieved.]

You're really here... Riku, where-- where are you right now?

1/2

[betweenpaths]

[And he did think that the connection was dropped for a moment. Maybe he made a mistake again, or it was that kid with Sora's voice playing him for a fool again.

His heart did fall in the silence. Riku shouldn't have said anything at all.]

[betweenpaths]

[But when Sora speaks again, there's a distinct breath of relief. Although the other boy's tone does trouble him a little bit.]

Freyr district. Near a large theatre.

[hearthotel]

All right, where is that? Can we meet up somewhere?