016; [video/action for goldenrod-- backdated to early morning]

[newhero]

[around 4 or so this morning, Sora had been lying in his bed in the pokécenter, awake, not very comfortable, and bored out of his mind. not a whole lot was going on over the network, and Sora didn't want to wake Hope or Rise or Puddles or anybody else nearby. there were, however, two people he had no problem bothering: Riku got a smattering of text

Comments

[Action]

[seasalttwilight]

[Who knows why Roxas is up so early. He just is. Maybe he sensed something was up with Sora. Maybe he just woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. Maybe he just likes the quiet of the city in the morning. Maybe he had to take his little growlithe for a walk. Either way, he's sort of watching Sora, Sparky the Pikachu asleep on his head, and Axel the Growlithe sniffing at a lamppost]

[Action]

[newhero]

[it's the Dratini who notices Roxas first, and the one who nudges Sora's shoulder slightly-- he'd been watching the ocean, trying to pick out the bottle to see if it was drifting in the right way. he turns, and smiles slightly.]

Hey, Roxas! Usually up this early?

[Action]

[seasalttwilight]

[Roxas shakes his head]

Not really. But, he [indicating the Growlithe] had to go out.

[Action]

[newhero]

He's cute! What's his name?

[there's a Togepi with a pokégear waddling over to inspect Axel curiously-- bonk Axel with the 'gear curiously-- hey there, puppy!]

[Action]

[seasalttwilight]

Axel. Growlithes are fire types, and Axel could use fire. It just...made sense.

[Roxas is not good at names. Axel sort of whimpers/growls at the bonk]

[Action]

[newhero]

Ohh... Friend of yours, right?

[it was a friendly bonk, though! see, Bell will do it again to prove her point. bonk..]

[Action]

[seasalttwilight]

Yeah.

[Okay, Bell, stop it. Axel will bat at the pokegear now]

[Action]

[newhero]

You guys went on missions and stuff together, right? I remember!

[Organization Heartless Slayers! Sora definitely remembers-- and Bell prii's at Axel, then accidentally bonks herself with the pokégear. oh. no wonder Axel was annoyed.]

[Action]

[seasalttwilight]

[nod] Yeah, that what was what we did.

[Trying to decide if he should set the record straight now. Axel just kind of blinks at Bell. Why did you do that?]

[Action]

[newhero]

[it might be for the best; Sora very vaguely remembers some weird guy with a surfer dude accent taunting him, but not much else.]

Doing all right then, Roxas?

[Bell didn't mean to? oh, oh, Axel, wanna see a trick?]

[Action]

[seasalttwilight]

Yeah. I'm fine.

Look, Sora. About the Organization...

[Grow? What kind of trick?]

[Action]

[newhero]

Yeah? What about it?

[Togepriii! look, I wave my hand, and then something really cool happens! I don't know what'll happen 'till I do it though-- wanna see?]

[Action]

[seasalttwilight]

Well, what I told you before, wasn't exactly accurate. I mean, we did go around beating heartless and stuff like that, but, it wasn't for a good cause. They wanted Kingdom Hearts, so they, we, could get our hearts back. Nothing else really mattered.

[And we'll just dump all that on Sora as well. Meanwhile, Curious Axel barks an okay. This will not end well.]

[Action]

[newhero]

... Wait, so you guys weren't... helping?

[Action]

[seasalttwilight]

[Roxas just shakes his head.]

I suppose it looks that way, and by getting rid of heartless, we sort of were, but that wasn't the goal. The goal was always Kingdom Hearts.

I should have explained things better.

[Action]

[newhero]

[for a few minutes, there's only a very awkward silence, as Sora comprehends this information. they were trying to reach Kingdom Hearts? just like Ansem? but...]

[... and suddenly he's walking toward Roxas. he raises his hands; plants them on Roxas' shoulders; stares hard up into his eyes. his expression isn't an angry one; it's determined.]