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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 24, 2020 11:04:15 GMT -5
Meanwhile, on Tori's end...
She left the second hut she'd entered without much in her hands. The huts were all the same, aside some pictures the second had. She knew who that person was, though -another Spirit she'd barely seen before.
"So... Sharih used to live here?" she pondered, "Who else, then? Is... Chise also from this world? Maybe Dantès, too..."
A loud thump caught her off-guard, having been outside of the hut for a while now. Noticing where it came from, she rushed there, only to find Henoke looking thoughtful in silence. The sight caught her off-guard, but she noticed a faint trace of tears on his cheeks.
Had he been crying?
"Hey, you okay?" she asked, concerned, "I heard something falling over... I thought you got hurt or caused a mess, but..." Tori stopped her voice from going further, tilting her head in concern as she approached him, "Did... Something happen?"
She noticed the diary on the desk, curious as for what was written on it. Still, she decided against it, mostly due to how Henoke was reacting, and given the fact that he'd been inside that hut far longer than her, so maybe what he found in there wouldn't be worth analyzing. Sighing, she turned towards the exit, not before glancing at Henoke over her shoulder.
"In any case... I'm still missing one of the huts on my end... What about you? You haven't investigated the rest?"
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 24, 2020 11:24:36 GMT -5
”Hey, you okay?” Henoke jolted out of his thoughts as he heard Tori’s voice—taking a step back in surprise. ”I heard something falling over…” Finding an excuse to turn away from her for a moment, Henoke focused on putting the chair he had knocked over back in place. ”Did…something happen?” Still facing the other way, Henoke shook his head, laughing aloud as he rubbed the back of it. ”Ha ha! Nah—I just tripped…y’know?” Turning around, the smile remained on his face, the traces of his tears gone.
”In any case…I’m still missing one of the huts on my end…” As Tori moved to leave, Henoke remembered his suspicion, wanting to address it. ”Wait, Tori!” Taking a step forward, Henoke paused before looking around the room, forgetting about the picture he had placed in his pocket due to the emotional chaos from earlier. ”Aha!” Bounding towards one of the walls, Henoke grabbed one of the many pictures, though this time only with Kosuke in it.
”Look! I found something!” Henoke rushed back to where Tori stood at the entrance of the hut. Holding the picture up to her, the teen seemed eager as his brow raised. ”See?! This is my friend, Kosuke! The one I mentioned back at Belle’s castle! I think this used to be where he lived!” Hoping that maybe seeing a visual would help her affirm or deny his suspicion, he stared at her with wide and expectant eyes. ”You're sure you’ve never met him?” Before he let her answer, Henoke pointed out to the book on the desk. "He's been lookin' for someone with the same name as you, this whole time!"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 24, 2020 11:33:20 GMT -5
Tori flinched, caught off-guard by Henoke's sudden impulse. She tilted her head with curiosity and confusion as he showed her the picture, and hearing him mention the name "Kosuke" yet again, to then sigh and look away, pouting.
"That name, again...?"
Henoke's enthusiasm brought her to doubt about the casualty of it all, but as he mentioned that this "Kosuke" was searching for someone who bore the same name as her... And then, taking a look one more time at the picture, grabbing it with her hands, Tori frowned.
Her vision suddenly went blurry, and Tori flinched. She brought one of her hands to her cheek, noticing it wet, to quickly rub it all away with her forearm.
"What the...?!" she mumbled as she rubbed her eyes dry. Calming herself back a bit, she looked at Henoke, shaking her head, "I've already told you -I don't know anyone by the name of 'Kosuke'" after a moment of silence, she looked away, thoughtful, "Although... Something about that picture..." she glanced over at it once more, "It does have some familiarity... I wonder why..."
"I-In any case...!" she shook her head, flustered, not really used to being seen like that, "I still wanna check the one I'm missing. And if you're going to check the ones you're missing... Lemme know, okay? Same if you remember something that doesn't make sense to you, first-hand" she pouted a bit.
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 24, 2020 11:57:42 GMT -5
”That name, again…?” He knew he was probably sounding like a broken record to her—but he couldn’t help it. Henoke didn’t take his promises lightly, either, and even though he rarely promised things, he had promised Kosuke that he’d help him find Tori if he could. Noticing the sudden tear fall from her face, the teens suspicions only grew more. That’s like—! What had happened to him! Could someone who was ‘whole’ have broken memories? ”I’ve already told you—I don’t know anyone by the name of ‘Kosuke’.” Henoke frowned a bit, though he wasn’t going to quit yet—not after seeing her initial reaction.
Seemingly flustered, Tori aimed to leave once more, wanting to finish exploring the huts. For a moment, Henoke paused—glancing between the girl and the diary. That’s right! There was another name...on the tip of his tongue, one that hadn't been familiar to him. What was it?! One of the entries, they had mentioned someone other than Tori! ”Wait! Damn it—gimme a sec!” Rushing back towards the desk, trying to be quick so Tori wouldn't leave before hearing him out, Henoke scrambled to pick up the book and rifle through its yellowed pages—though the sight would surely seem abhorrent to her, who hated invading others privacy. ”Aha!” Spinning around, still holding the book, Henoke had finally found the entry that had mentioned another person:
”What about someone named Sharih!?” What had originally appeared like a lighthearted moment in the diary had turned into a connecting piece. If Tori’s memory was whole, and she didn’t remember Kosuke, hearing the name of Kosuke and ‘his’ Tori’s friend wouldn’t do anything. But…if by chance she knew that name... Maybe?! It was a shot in the dark, but one that he had to take: for Kosuke.
He couldn’t give up easily.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 24, 2020 12:20:43 GMT -5
Glancing over by her shoulder, Tori's frown was one of confusion. As Henoke looked through the pages of the diary, much for her dismay, his quick turn-around and follow-up question caused her to stop in her tracks. As he mentioned "Sharih", Tori perked up, wondering just whose diary that was...
"Sharih? ...What about her?" Tori crossed her arms, unsure, "I mean... I know Sharih just a little bit... I haven't really been able to talk with her much, since most of the time she just teases me... Why do you ask? You know her or something?"
Tori frowned, thoughtful. If Henoke was trying to piece something together... She wasn't following. It just simply didn't make sense to her, since it was something she couldn't remember. At the mention of Sharih, someone Tori had met albeit shortly, she wondered if she ever mentioned this "Kosuke", but couldn't recall much, other than her teasing...
"So... You know me?"
Tori wasn't at the Shore with Henoke anymore, instead drifting away in one of her memories. While still in the same world as the one she was currently in, she was alone. A pheasant-esque bird was flying besides her, chuckling ever so often at Tori's confused questioning.
"He~h... So what Chise said was true..." the pheasant said with an uneasy smile, "You really did forget about us!" "..." Tori looked with her mouth agap, shocked by what the Spirit in front of her said, "Chise?!" "Well, of course you know her already -she and Silver've been keeping watch over you ever since you appeared there! Why am I not surprised...?" "Hold on, hold on!" Tori shook her head, eager, "You know Chise?! And... How do you know me?!" "Well, because we lived together here. You really don't remember?!" the pheasant replied with exasperation, "Sheesh, you're hopeless!"
The pheasant agitated its wings. In a quick and sudden movement, it soared high up in the sky as a blinding light covered it for a second, before a tall woman with brown skin and blonde hair jumped back to the ground. Her hair, tied in a bun by a pair of sticks, allowed one to see the expression in her vivid blue eyes as she pouted. She wore an arabian-like outfit, with a simple orange strapless top that ended just below her chest, and baggy orange pants that ended at the middle of her lower thighs. On top of it, she wore a red, sleeveless coat and a magenta scarf around her neck. The many golden bracelets she wore clinged in unison as she placed both hands on her hips, pouting.
"Come on, now! Surely you remember me this way, then!" she said, frustrated, "I understand if you never saw Kiara... But you most surely remember me like this!" "..." Tori blinked a few times, dumbstruck. "Tori!" "Ah..." Tori shook her head, and looked away, "Well..." she smiled with unease, "You're not... Wrong... I do recall you from somewhere..." "Oh, thank goodness. For a second, I really thought you forgot about us..."
Tori shook her head, snaping back to reality. First looking down in thought, then looking back at Henoke, she tried to make sense on what was going on.
"I have met her, but what does that have to do with this... Kosuke?"
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 24, 2020 13:13:35 GMT -5
”Shariah? …What about her?” Henoke shouted out triumphantly, swinging a fist in the air as Tori seemed to know this person. ”Why do you ask? You know her or something?” It wasn’t enough evidence to solidify his theory, but it did nudge him in the right direction. Hm…so if she is Kosuke’s friend, maybe her memory’s like mine… It was a little confusing and over his head, but Henoke was headstrong if nothing else, refusing to allow the complexities of this mystery to stop him. For a moment, Tori seemed to be deep in thought, making Henoke hopeful that maybe she remembered something. ”I have met her, but what does that have to do with this…Kosuke?”
Sighing a bit, Henoke was visibly let down, though not from any real fault of Tori’s. He had just really gotten his hopes up that she might remember something. ”Hm…well…” Looking down at the book in his hands, Henoke hoped he would explain what he was thinking well enough for Tori to follow. After all, it was hard enough for him to follow, and it was his thoughts! ”This book…it's Kosuke’s…” For a moment, Henoke’s face drew a sad expression, thinking of his friend, who he was sure was still wandering different worlds, searching.
”In it, he mentions someone who hung out with him and Tori, named Sharih.” Wanting to clear up her first question, Henoke scratched at the back of his head. ”I don’t know this ‘Sharih’ person, but it definitely sounds like you do.” Resting a hand on his hips, Henoke sighed, trying to piece together the confusing puzzle in his head. ”What’re the chances she has two friends named Tori?” Henoke was finally coming to the point of this theory—remembering what Tori had done for him, even though it had been hard. ”Don’t you think it’s weird?”
For a moment, he looked down, his face somber and contemplative. Finding Tori’s eyes with his own once more, the teen had a mixture of worry and determination in his eyes. ”What if…even if you’re not like me…your memory’s bein’ funny?”
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 24, 2020 13:33:51 GMT -5
Tori's expression shook, following along what Henoke thought on the matter. Her whole body was shaking, mostly our of nerves. Instinctively, she looked down, tightening the grip on her hands and the photo she still held.
Henoke's words were making too much sense. There was no way it was pure casualty. Although Tori had already come to that conclusion a while ago.
She looked away, a sadened expression written on her face. Even though she knew he was right, she couldn't say it. She couldn't admit it. Thinking on how he reacted when he learnt about his own truth, however, made her notice how hypocritical she was being.
"..." Tori looked away from him, too embarassed to look at him in the eyes, "You're not wrong..." she mumbled, "I've known about it way too long ago, though... You coming to that conclusion isn't what surprises me..." she sighed, turning away and leaving back to the shoreline.
Still holding onto the picture Henoke had handed over to her, Tori walked towards the sea, standing just a few steps away from it. Looking at the horizon, she noticed a few wisps floating by, that quickly floated towards her. Holding both hands towards them, Tori cupped them in her hand as she sat down with a heavy sigh.
What were the odds to find the same answer there, an answer she'd known about ever since arriving in Sakura Island? The thought caused her to sob a bit, holding the wisps closely towards her.
Don't... Cry... A voice echoed inside her head, but Tori didn't really listen to them at all. The wisps wavered in her hand, as if they wanted to leave, but at the same time, they did nothing to escape her.
"Why does it hurt like this...?" she thought, her eyes shut close, "Why can't I remember?!"
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 24, 2020 13:53:17 GMT -5
Tori was silent for a moment, leaving Henoke holding his breathe in anticipation. ”You’re not wrong…” He was surprised to hear about the fact she knew—just like he had. As she headed out of the hut, Henoke frowned, lowering the book as he ran out to follow her. Stopping short in the hut’s doorway, Henoke watched as Tori walked towards the water, staring out across the grey sea to the bleak horizon. It’s hard…knowin' you’re missing something. He had been living with that feeling for a long time, too. Slowly, Henoke began to walk across the grey beach towards where Tori stood, hearing a sob escape her as he cleared the distance.
”…” He felt like he should say something—as someone who had kinda dealt with a similar thing—but it was because he had dealt with something similar that he didn’t know what to say. What helped those kinds of feelings? It was beyond him. Surprisingly quiet for his usual attitude, Henoke gave her the space and silence to feel how she needed for a bit as he stood parallel to her. Looking out at the moving water, Henoke stayed silent for some time before finally deciding to talk. ”I know it’s frustrating—but we’ll find a way for you to get your memory back.” He didn’t know enough about the Shore, nor did he want to provide any fruitless suggestions—instead, Henoke decided to focus on what he did know.
If there was a way for me to get mine back…even through an odd method… Why wouldn’t there be one for her, too? Feeling a new confidence, Henoke smiled lightly, still gazing out at the horizon. ”Even if it’s hard—you won’t have to go through it alone.” He knew in his heart it was what Kosuke would want him to do, if he knew Henoke had finally found who he was looking for. I’ll help her, Kosuke. You’ll definitely find each other again! He knew wherever Kosuke was, he’d feel something of what Henoke was feeling—their hearts were connected now, after all.
”I got your back!” Finally turning to look at Tori, Henoke gave her a confident grin, holding out a hand. ”It’s a promise!” She probably wouldn't understand the weight behind those words, but Tori was only the second in a long time to receive them. Sure, he didn’t know of an immediate solution, but he finally had a lead for them to go on! Sharih…huh? They’d have to find this person, to ask them about Kosuke and Tori. Hm…but where could they be? No one else besides them was on this world, right?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 24, 2020 14:31:17 GMT -5
The noise around her seemed to fade, as Tori kept her eyes shut close. She kept gripping her hands towards her chest, crying silently like how she would before, every time she tried to recall her past before arriving at Sakura Island, when she was found out by a couple who would later become her family. The wisps cupped inside her hands hadn’t bothered to move, allowing her to find some comfort while she cried.
”I know it’s frustrating—but we’ll find a way for you to get your memory back.”
Henoke’s voice managed to reach her as her view was pitch black. Slowly opening her eyes, still holding onto some tears, Tori raised her view to meet him. He held his hand forward towards her, with an eager smile.
”It’s a promise!”
A promise… Tori looked at him, still not reaching for his hand. Her hands instead grasped onto the wisps, and then she lowered her view back down.
“A promise, huh…?” she repeated, trying to grasp the word as she said it. She then smiled faintly, “You really make the stupidest things to help others, huh, Henoke?”
She shook her head, a faint smile remaining in her lips. Relaxing a bit, she let go of the wisps that had reached her, letting them float by.
“Sorry I held you for so long…” she apologized to them, “I hope I didn’t…” It’s… Okay… a voice echoed in her head.
Tori flinched faintly, but smiled back as she left herself at ease. The wisps remained near her, a few steps away from her. She’s already known they weren’t hers, though, and as such, she didn’t really reach onto them again. She instead looked at the picture she’d been grasping on for a while, taking a look at who Kosuke was -how he looked like.
Something definitely felt familiar about it…
Still not standing back up, Tori sighed, and looked at the horizon. For the time being, what she wanted to do was to calm down and recover her lost enthusiasm. Knowing herself, remaining quiet for a bit would help, but she didn’t want to leave Henoke on his own.
“…Why don’t you sit down?” she asked, smiling as she glanced towards him, “I won’t be moving for a while…” she chuckled.
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 24, 2020 14:51:20 GMT -5
He was startled to see wisps floating so closely to Tori—though only enough to pause for a moment. Are they…? No—they weren’t hers. That wouldn’t make sense, would it? They didn’t seem to be his either, though. ”A promise, huh..?” At her comment, Henoke visibly staggered, his face immediately growing indignant before he sighed with a faint smirk, resting his hands on his hips. It was good to see her smile, even a little, after that. ”Heh…yeah. I guess I do.” For some reason, it didn’t really sting like an insult—there was even a faint hint of pride in his heart as he thought on it.
As the wisps floated from Tori, Henoke found his gaze following them—wondering about who’s they were. They feel…friendly? Maybe he was imagining it. ”Why don’t you sit down?” Tori’s voice made him return to himself, nodding as he took a spot in the grey sand next to her. Sitting cross-legged, Henoke gripped his ankles as he stared up at the odd-colored sky. ”Yeah…it’s been a heavy day, huh?” He had his own memories he was processing still, though he had been momentarily swept up in the moment—in his promise to help Kosuke. I guess we’re both shoulderin’ a lot… He found himself thinking the words absentmindedly, watching far away wisps float along the breeze.
”I know one thing, though—“ Henoke let himself lean back into the sand, looking up at the sky with his hands behind his head. ”—we’re not gonna fail.” Closing his eyes, Henoke thought of the woman in his memory—his mother. ”Ha ha! You know you can’t beat me!” Her voice rang in his head. So that’s where he had gotten his confidence from, huh? The thought made him smile a bit, wondering what other memories he had left to discover.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 24, 2020 15:19:00 GMT -5
Tori looked at Henoke as he sat down besides her, finally calm after all that happened. The wisps soon left the two alone, seemingly unwilling to cause trouble. Or maybe they appeared there because they wanted to comfort Tori for a bit? It was a question without answer as they left to wherever they came from.
As Henoke leaned back against the sand, confidently cheering both of them up, Tori couldn't hep but smile, noticing a faint glimpse of the memory he'd recently recovered. Closing her eyes as she looked away, she decided to avoid the topic, instead listening to the sound of the waves crashing softly against the sand.
"You don't let anything get you..." she mentioned, still looking at the horizon, "I wish I had your resolve... I would've been able to avoid a few things... Maybe..." she smiled with a bittersweet thought that she quickly dismissed afterwards, shaking her head. Silence followed -something Tori was graceful for, "It's so peaceful here... Even though I'm not fond of this place..." she admitted, "I'm always surprised at how quiet it is... It's one thing I apreciate..."
"Even though I still hate this place from the bottom of my heart... And yet, I can't really say why..."
Tori leaned a bit forward, wrapping her arms around her knees to somewhat curl up. Mezmerized by the horizon in ways she couldn't describe, she allowed herself to be lulled by the sound of the sea -a melody she'd heard countless times before. Resting her head on top of her knees, she turned towards Henoke.
"Anything yet?" she asked, "Regarding your memory... Have you recalled anything you wanted to recall?"
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 24, 2020 16:30:07 GMT -5
”You don’t let anything get to you…” Tori’s comment made Henoke open his eyes, grinning sheepishly. ”I wish I had your resolve…” His grin faded a bit as he looked away, feeling slightly embarrassed. My resolve…huh? He hadn't really given the idea much thought. He just did what felt right. ”It’s so peaceful here…even though I’m not fond of this place” Henoke turned his head, looking over at her with a perplexed look. I wonder why she hates it here so much… For once, Henoke decided it wasn’t the right time to voice his thought. Today was a humbling moment for him, that was for sure. ”Anything yet? Regarding your memory…”
Her sudden question made him look away. Grinning for a moment to himself, he nodded before looking back at her with a bright smile. ”Yeah! So far it’s all been pretty good!” He found himself growing faintly red, though he wasn’t entirely sure why, turning his head away once more. Though I’m sure there’s more to come… A somber expression flashed across his face for a moment. Not all of it was going to be pleasant, he knew that much. After all…I died. The thought spiked his heart with a mild anger, though he didn’t display it. Shaking the thought off, Henoke decided to focus back on the present moment.
”Hey, Tori—“ Wanting to change the subject (mostly due to his embarrassment about his latest regained memory), Henoke turned his head, giving Tori a curious look. ”You’ve been travelin’ for a while. What kinda worlds’ve you been to?” He figured it was a risky move—as some adventures were sure to not all be good memories—but Henoke figured that the chances were maybe Tori would think of something that would lighten her heart more.
Besides, weren't they just killing time, anyway?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 24, 2020 16:47:52 GMT -5
Henoke's cheerfulness only helped Tori calm down, drawing a faint smile at his enthusiasm. She noticed his blushing, although she could only chuckle at it without a single word, already knowing the reason behind it all too well. In the end, seeing his memories return to him the way they did assured a proper job, one she was happy with.
She noticed his curiosity behind his eyes, perking up as he asked what other worlds she'd been to. The question brought her to thought, trying to recall what worlds she had visited.
"Well... The first world I ended up at was a jungle..." she recalled, "After that... A Spirit brought me here because I was wounded... Something about me using my power too much..." she frowned, tilting her head as she recalled, "Once I healed back properly... A few other worlds... Mostly, I was just taking care of whatever Spirits wanted to jump out and cause trouble... Mostly small fry, though" she reassured, "Then... I returned here one last time -that's when I met Sharih and Dantès... To then end up at the Beast's Castle and meeting you and Tamara, while also meeting Jen for a second time..." Tori smiled with unease as she recalled -Tori and Tamara didn't really get along after all that happened, and Jen's overall attitude never really appealed to her, either.
"Although... I never found my friends while I was at it..." she frowned, to then shake her head and looking at him, "I was thrown out, alongside a friend of mine -Neku. Before that, about a week before... Another friend of mine -Mei- dissapeared. Neku and I looked for her on our world, but we never found her... And then the week after, during a stormy night... The island happened to be teeming with Spirits. We fought our way through until we encountered a large one. I can't recall whether we won or lost, but... Neku and I got split up and then thrown out. I know my world hasn't dissapeared, though -I closed the Keyhole there. So I know it's still safe from the Heartless... It's the Spirits that worry me most."
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 25, 2020 11:06:40 GMT -5
”Well…the first world I ended up at was a jungle…” Henoke sat up as Tori, began, immediately interested as he crossed his legs and leaned forward. Woah…a jungle?! He wondered what that would be like. He only ever got sent to castles, lately. Listening to Tori’s explanation of traversing different worlds to battle ‘spirits’, Henoke recalled his journey with Kosuke. Not all memories of that world had been pleasant. Once again thankful for Adrien’s absence, Henoke noticed how Tori had returned to this shore a few times during her travels. Huh…is she connected to this place? It was where Kosuke had lived…so maybe it had something to do with Tori, too. Especially if that was her in the photo… Wait! Where had he put that?
”Although…I never found my friends while I was at it…” Forgetting his momentary thought, Henoke’s own gaze fell at this, knowing that feeling all too well, too. ”I was thrown out, alongside a friend of mine.” The two wore a similar expression as Henoke thought of his Master and Chirithy. ”I can’t recall whether we won or lost, but…Neku and I got split up and then thrown out.” It was a rough story—already searching for a missing friend only to get separated from the one you hadn’t lost. ”I know my world hasn’t disappeared, though—I closed the keyhole there.” Hearing how the Spirits still lurked however, Tori seemed troubled at the thought.
He could get that—he had fought spirits with Kosuke, too. They’re definitely not pushovers… Leaning back on his hands, Henoke gazed back up at the sky. ”Sounds like you’ve been through a lot…” Raising a closed fist, the teen grinned as he gave Tori a light nudge on the shoulder. ”Sounds like you’ve got some resolve too, huh?” Chuckling a bit, Henoke’s grin only broadened. ”Spirits are tough—but I know you and your friends can do it!” If this Neku and Mei were anything like Kosuke, Henoke immediately felt a confidence that they were okay.
”If anything—I’m sure they’re searching for you just as hard.”
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 25, 2020 11:34:23 GMT -5
Henoke's nudge caused Tori to flinch if ever so slightly, caught off-guard by his reaction. She couldn't help but smile at the mention of Neku and Mei being capable of fighting back, knowing that it was true. Otherwise, the many trials they'd gone through together would all be for nothing.
Looking at the horizon, Tori knew that, somewhere, somehow, her friends were fighting just to see the others again. That thought alone quelled an unease that had been rising in her heart, replaced by hope.
"I know" she nodded, glancing over at Henoke with a smile, "We're all tough in our own way, so I know they'll be fine. I just hope I can find them more sooner than later... Guess it's the same for you, though, right?" she chuckled a bit.
Still somewhat curled up, Tori looked at Henoke laying on the sand, wondering a bit about how far he'd come himself. Personally speaking, she didn't know him too well, anyways, although she didn't expect much from someone whose memory wasn't completely within him. Choosing to ask later, she turned back to the horizon, still holding onto the picture.
"...Y'know?" she began talking, "All that's happened... I can't really just leave it as a casualty... It's true that I don't remember much, ever since arriving at Sakura..." she frowned, and then glanced back, "Although I do remember some things much more clearer than before... They're all somewhat blurry... And I doubt that remaining here will help recover those memories... Unlike you" she pointed out.
Sensing something approaching, Tori turned around to find a wisp floating their way. Reaching her hand towards it, the wisp floated above the palm of her hand, harmless. She looked at it calmly, trying to see if it was one of Henoke's memories, to later see it wasn't. Still, why was it there.
Want... to help... A voice echoed inside her head, causing her to look shocked for a second before smiling. "That so...?" she asked, as she turned back to face the sea, letting the wisp play with her fingers, "With what?" His... memory... "...I'd appreciate it" Tori nodded, "If you know where it is... Then luring it here should be easy for you, right?"
A chuckle echoed inside her head, causing her to smile a bit brighter. The wisp then quickly left, floating on its own without a breeze's help. Tori rested her head over her knees, watching it leave with a caring expression.
All of it did feel familiar... In a good way, too.
After a while, a few more wisps passed by, one of them being the one Tori had seen before. The other two seemed to freeze a bit after noticing Henoke, wavering a bit before approaching him soflty.
More memories that wanted to return to who they used to be.
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 25, 2020 12:53:54 GMT -5
”We’re all tough in our own way, so I know they’ll be fine.” Henoke smiled at Tori’s confidence in her friends—it meant she really trusted them. ”I just hope I can find them more sooner than later…Guess it’s the same for you, though, right?” The comment caused the teen to nod, albeit there were a lot of confusing thoughts running through his head. When did I die? How long has it been? Were Chirithy and his Master searching for him? His parents? Did they all know he was dead? What if no one’s searching? If he died, and others knew about it…why would anyone go searching? Tch—whatever! I’ll just have to find them, then!
He was quick to bounce back. ”All that’s happened…I can’t really just leave it as causality…” Sitting up to look at Tori more directly, Henoke’s brows perked up, curious. ”Although I do remember some things much more clearer than before…They’re all somewhat blurry…” Nodding, Henoke listened to Tori explain her fractured memories. It certainly seemed similar to what he experienced, though unlike him it seemed this area wouldn’t help Tori collect her memories. We shouldn’t stay here too long, then. Henoke wanted his memories complete—but he had already learned so much, he didn’t want to take up too much time with his own baggage that it would deter from aiding Tori.
Kosuke wouldn’t forgive him for that. Just as he was about to mention as much, a wisp came to float towards Tori, causing Henoke to tilt his head as he leaned forward to try to get a look at it. They were always so…blurry. ”That so…?” Confused, Henoke watched Tori seemingly talk to herself for a moment. ”If you know where it is…then luring it here should be easy for you, right?” Suddenly, the wisp seemed to fly off with a new fervor, causing Tori to smile as she watched it go. Henoke watched it as well, resting his arms on his raised knees as he leaned forward on the sand.
”Woah!” Jolting to his feet, Henoke was surprised to see more wisps return after only a little while, though Henoke couldn’t really tell the difference visually. It was more of a ‘sensation’. Is this what Tori was talking about? All felt friendly, but the two dragging behind seemed to stick out more for him. ”These’re…mine?” Looking between Tori and the wisps before smiling, glancing at the third wisp he assumed was the original. ”Thanks!” Walking over to the two wisps he felt a familiarity with, Henoke seemed to grin a bit as he rested his hands on his hips, pointing a thumb at his chest as he talked to them.
”Alright! What’dya got!” One of the wisps hesitated, hovering back a bit, as the other one leapt forward, hovering near his face. ”Okay, you’re first.” More used to the process by now, Henoke allowed the wisp to float close against his face before it seemed to wrap around his vision, making everything meld into a foggy white…
”Oi, this isn’t funny!” Chirithy’s face was close to his own as he grasped the small guardian by its cloak clasp, shaking them in the air. ”My ma’s gonna kill me if I’m late again! Send me back, NOW!” Standing in a wide open plaza, with a large fountain splashing in the center, many homes and shops forming a circle around it. Tossing the small cat-like being to the cobblestone floor, Henoke crossed his arms, fuming. ”Urgh…dizzy…” Dazed as it sat on the ground, Chirithy rocked back and forth as it saw stars. Shaking its head, Chirithy stood back up, crossing its own tiny arms and giving the youthful teen an angry look.
”How did you get chosen to wield the Keyblade?” Taking a step back as he staggered at the insult, Henoke’s face twisted into one of indignation as he raised a shaking fist. ”Why—! You little! I didn’t even ask for this stupid thing!” Summoning his large steel-grey Keyblade (even bigger in this memory than usual, as he was younger and smaller), the teen hoisted it into the air as he pointed at it. ”Why am I here?! Why do I have this?!” Chirithy hopped up onto the fountain that stood in the middle of the plaza, sighing.
”I already told you! You’ve been chosen by the Keyblade, to defend the world from creatures that steal peoples hearts, called Heartless.” Henoke’s large Keyblade disappeared as the 14 year old crossed his arms. ”And I already told you, none of what you’re sayin’ makes sense! I’ve never heard of any ‘Heartless’ before!” Chirithy sighed, putting its small hand on its face as it realized the futility of this argument. ”Alright, that does it! I’ll just have to show you!” Jumping down from the fountain, Chirithy walked up to Henoke, looking up at the teenager with contempt. Walking past him, the small cat-like guardian pointed down a spiraling staircase that led out of the plaza, down towards what looked like a marketplace from a distance.
”There’s new reports of a powerful enemy right here in Daybreak Town. I was gonna have you small start…but I think this is the only way you’ll believe me.” With that, Chirithy began to walk down the stairs as Henoke chased after him, shouting out the entire time. Everything began to fade to mist as he neared the stairs, running and wondering how he was going to get home…
Blinking a few times, Henoke returned to the shore he stood on, hearing the waves crashing against the grey sand. ”Daybreak Town…” It was a faint mumble, though the name brought a faint grin to his lips. Though he had memories of training with his Master and Chirithy, he could never remember the name of his home world, or when he had gotten there. That must’ve been the first time we met… He couldn’t help but chuckle a bit as he scratched the back of his head, fixing a sad yet happy gaze towards the water for a moment. ”I was a real jerk, huh, Chirithy?” His heart felt full, yet broken all at once.
It was a sensation he wasn’t used to. Taking a breath, Henoke noticed the other wisp, which had floated patiently as it waited to be seen. ”Gimme a second…” The wisp hovered near his shoulder, though didn’t seem nearly as impatient as its source. It did feel hesitant, though Henoke was a little too wrapped up in his new memory to notice. Gazing out at the horizon, the teen wondered when he would see that plaza and his Chirithy again.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 25, 2020 13:23:41 GMT -5
Tori smiled as Henoke ushered his thanks, still sitting down while he was pulled up to his feet. Choosing between the two wisps, Henoke seemed keen on watching the one that acted more eager. Tori simply looking away, back to the shoreline as Henoke returned to his senses. The other wisp had already made his spot by Henoke's shoulder as it waited for him to reach out for it.
While hesitant at first, it didn't really push itself forward, giving him the space he needed. As for Tori, she simply glanced his way, chuckling.
"A Chirithy, huh?" she asked, laughing softly, "Doesn't surprise me, really -your reaction, that is. Dream Eaters are a rare sight outside the Realm of Dreams..." she placed both arms below her head and over her knees, thoughtful, "Wonder why that was the case..."
Pondering a bit while humming, Tori closed her eyes. The waves seemed to echo more and more familiar, making her wonder just what sort of place they were in.
"I still hate it, though..." she thought, opening her eyes a bit.
Conjuring a bit of mist around her fingertips, Tori began to play about, tracing the mist back to herself as it seemed to crystalize and disperse, all given its time.
"I know this isn't what you usually do, but take your time" she said, calmly, while not looking at him, "Time doesn't flow normally here... It goes acording to one's perspective... If we so chose it, then time will freeze for us" she said, nodding a bit as she looked at the mist in her hand, "I've already done that, but if you're not okay with it... I could change it back. Your call."
"Although it'd be best for your memory to complete itself before we leave... I'm not really sure just how tight the conection is between them the way they are now, so I can't say whether they'll remain as is if we end up leaving, or you'll end up the same way as before we arrived..." she added with worry, to then shake her head, "Honestly, I'd rather not risk it."
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 25, 2020 14:42:15 GMT -5
”A Chirithy, huh?” Tori’s laugh caused Henoke to glance at her over his shoulder with a brief look of confusion. Oh—right. For a moment, he had forgotten that Tori could see others memories. It was still something he was getting used to, though it wasn’t bothering him—not since she was the reason he was getting them back to begin with. ”Doesn’t surprise me, really—your reaction, that is. Dream Eaters are a rare sigh outside the Realm of Dreams…” The words Tori was saying only confused Henoke, though the 'Realm of Dreams’ sounded vaguely familiar. Realm of Dreams, huh? It sounded interesting.
”I know this isn’t what you usually do, but take your time.” Tori’s comment caused the teen to stagger a bit, thinking back to how his Master and Chirithy would always mention his impatience. Apparently it was a really obvious trait of his. ”Time doesn’t flow normally here…it goes according to one’s perspective…” Hearing about how the world they were in seemed to work particularly with time, Henoke was mostly confused but relieved. It seemed even if he took a little while to regain his memories, they had as much time as they needed. That doesn’t change the fact I want her to remember him, though… Not just Kosuke, but anything else Tori might be forgetting.
”Nah, don’t change anythin’—“ Henoke waved a hand, resting the other on his hip as he gave Tori a smirk. ”All that time stuff is above my head anyways. I’ll trust you with the details.” He never sweated the stuff he didn’t get. Why bother wasting energy on it, right? There was energy he needed to channel into the stuff he did get. Turning to the wisp at his shoulder with a new and fiery determination, Henoke seemed revved up. ”Let’s do this!” Allowing the wisp to hover on his hand, Henoke slowly pushed his face closer until the world around him seemed to melt away—
”OI, LISTEN TO ME!” Henoke’s words were lost to the clasp of thunder that erupted above, the rain pelting down to drench him through his jacket, though that was the least of his worries. The Keyblade clashed against his own, though the power wasn’t one he couldn’t fight against. That wasn’t the problem, though. It was who was wielding it. ”Aren’t we friends?!” All around them, wielders from all unions battled against one another, Keyblades destroying one another as chaos erupted around them. Behind the enemy Keyblade pointed at him, the boy in the Moogle mask shook his head.
”That doesn’t matter anymore, kupo! Not while you serve Gula and steal our Lux!” The world around them was broken and dying, the once beautiful land a cragged and rocky battlefield, sundered into sections from the endless fighting. Rushing forward, the Moogle Masked wielder slashed out, forcing Henoke to block again as he took a step back, only to bump into someone else stuck in their own fight. Spinning around, the teen found the person he had bumped into was another friend of his, the girl wearing a red bandanna. ”Get up!” Offering out a hand to help her up, Henoke was attacked by the boy in the Moogle Mask, who caught him off guard.
”Argh! ASSHOLE!” Feeling a rage come over him, Henoke recovered his battle stance after the attack, feeling blood drip down from his shoulder. He was losing his temper—feeling his face grow hot. No! Don't fight! Master’s tryin' to stop this war! Trying to remember why he was on the battlefield, Henoke attempted to fight the anger boiling inside, though the boy in the Moogle mask only continued to press forward. CLASH! BANG! CLING! Their Keyblades clashed against one another, Henoke’s rage finally surmounting.
”THAT’S—IT!” Losing himself, Henoke felt his vision blur as an orange energy began to crackle around him as though lightning, sparking against the pounding rain. ”If you won’t listen—“ From his minds eye, the present Henoke watched the next events unfold, powerless to stop the Henoke charging forward with their Keyblade. ”—I’m DONE TALKING!” Lost to his rage, Henoke slashed through the Moogle mask wielder’s defense, disarming them momentarily before delivering a powerful horizontal slash. SKOOO! The wielder was sent flying across the battlefield, crashing into others fighting amongst themselves with a loud CRASH!
”Henoke! What did you do?!” Lost in his anger, Henoke turned to the speaker—though they could only make out pink in their blurred vision. ”Wasn’t he our friend?!” The raw energy around him continued to crackle like lightning as he readied his weapon. ”What?! No—He—Henoke!” Unable to make out the speaker’s face, Henoke barely listened to their words as they rushed forward, readying another powerful attack—
The world around seemed to dissolve into a white fog as Henoke was yanked from the memory.
”AH!” Falling backwards and into the grey sand, Henoke’s face was pale as his heart heaved in his chest, forcing his breathing ragged. ”W-what w—“ The image flashed in his mind, fighting his friends. ”Why were we—?” He had memories of his Master leaving, preparing to set out to stop a coming war…but that was when he was sent on his journey, where he forgot more things until waking up in that odd castle. Was that—?! But the war hadn’t happened yet, right?! Henoke had gaps in his memory between him leaving for his journey and him waking up in that odd castle. The teen swore he was going to regain memories of different worlds, with different adventures, not what looked like something yet to come.
”This doesn’t make sense!” Grabbing at his hair, Henoke sat with his knees up, a look of frustration and pain on his face. ”Why were we fighting?!” Did his Master fail?! Did I forget—?! Tori had mentioned how his memory had been ‘selective’ upon his creation. ”Did…the war…happen!?” He felt his throat clench as his voice choked up, confusion and nausea making his vision blurry. Did I—? With a red face, Henoke brought a hand to his mouth, feeling the sickness rising. Did I—?! The image of the boy in the Moogle mask flashed across his mind once more—flying across a rocky battlefield, falling into a mob of swinging Keyblades and angry wielders.
With a scream, Henoke grabbed at his head, shaking it. ”This doesn’t make sense!” There had to be something to make it all make sense—why did the war happen?! Where had his Master gone?! Are they all—! Were they all dead?! Did he do it?! Too much gripped the teen’s heart at once, who felt like he was about to burst. ”Memories…” Jolting to his feet, Henoke whipped his head around, looking in every direction across the shore. ”I need more memories!” His body was moving before he realized it, his chaotic heart urging him across the grey sand at a run.
He needed to find a memory—any memory. Something to make sense of all this.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Jul 25, 2020 15:21:00 GMT -5
Nodding along with Henoke’s words, Tori leaned back a bit as he reached out for the other memory that arrived to him. Not having seen it before, Tori was curious as for why that particular memory seemed… Hesitant. Was it something unpleasant? Something Henoke would try to suppress inside his heart? She couldn’t tell, at first glance.
However, as she noticed his face being drained of color, Tori perked up. It wasn’t something pleasant. In fact, it was something close to a nightmare. With that, she stood up, trying to reach him as he fell back to the sand.
”Did…the war…happen!?”
Hearing Henoke’s words, Tori flinched. War… He couldn’t be talking about that war, could he? If that were the case, then Henoke had been dead for… a very, very long time. Concerned covered her expression, as she saw Henoke frantically looking for more wisps that belonged to him.
In a quick move, she stood up, and grabbed him by the shoulders.
“Calm down” she said hastily, looking at him directly in the eyes, “Rushing things that way won’t help you, Henoke. Just breathe, alright? Calm down.”
Tori’s eyes shone with concern, far more than before. Faintly shifting purple before returning to their deep blue, Tori tried to help Henoke relax. First trying to reassure him, to see if his breathing would calm back down.
After a while, she brought him towards her, embracing him tightly. Tori’s expression darkened, having the memory flash across her head, only causing her grip to tighten if only so slightly.
“I’m here” she said, trying to reassure him, “I’m here…” she kept repeating, her voice softer every time she said it.
Why did it suddenly hurt so much, seeing what happened to him? She couldn’t pinpoint it, but something in her chest stung. Still not letting go of Henoke, Tori kept talking, but her eyes showed that it wasn’t really her talking.
“You’re not at fault” she said, not looking at him, “All of what happened… None of it is your fault… You never asked for that to happen, nor did your friends… None of you wanted that war, but were lured into it regardless…” she scowled, “Even now… Even after all that’s happened… None of you blame each other for what happened… Already knowing the truth, your souls can finally rest… And while you still tread the worlds outside, you’re allowing their memory to live on. Be proud of that, not of the trap you were forced to be a part of. Please… Don’t forget that -none of it. So that you can allow them to live on.”
“Tori!”
The sound of steel against steel screeched behind her, causing Tori to snap her view at her back. A swordsman, holding onto a fine blade, had deflected another’s Keyblade to defend her. His hair was dark-brown, and he wore a blue, yukata-like vest. Still, with his back turned, she couldn’t see his expression, but something told her she didn’t need to.
She knew what was going on.
“Guh… Why are they doing this…?!” the swordsman scowled, “No matter what, they’re focused on killing each other…!” “…” Tori snapped back to her front, “We still need to open a way out of here. At the rate this is going, we won’t get anything done…” “Tch… We couldn’t avoid it, after all…” the swordsman sighed, “I’ll cover your back! You got mine?!” “Right!”
Tori noticed a few tears falling down, as she still held Henoke close to her. How long had she spaced out? The sudden memory caused her to flinch, but she didn’t want Henoke to witness, so she remained as she was. She allowed them instead to fall silently, but someone’s name echoed inside her head.
“Kosuke…”
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Post by hoodwink on Jul 25, 2020 16:17:33 GMT -5
”Wasn’t he our friend?!” The voice from his memory rang through his head as Henoke moved to run—fighting back the tears burning his eyes. Damn it! Though Henoke hadn’t been able to make out the face of the speaker in the memory, that shade of pink was too familiar from the girl's outfit in his beach memory. ”Calm down” Tori’s words pulled him from his insides—just realizing that she was in front of him. His body had simply stopped once she had grabbed him, his mind hardly connected to it anymore. ”Rushing things that way won’t help you, Henoke. Just breathe, alright?” Looking into her eyes, the teen saw his own face reflected—the fractured chaos happening beneath the surface.
”But—!” The memory flashed before his eyes, the Moogle masked wielder’s keyblade being sent to the ground as the rain poured. The spinning stopped as Tori pulled him into an embrace, his body feeling dizzy. ”I’m here.” Henoke wanted to protest, to shout out how he didn’t deserve her being there—how he didn't deserve anyone to be there—but his throat was hoarse and clamped shut. Damn it! Scrunching his eyes shut, Henoke focused what little energy he had in not letting the tears come, his face red and teeth grit. ”You’re not at fault. All of what happened…none of it is your fault…” Henoke found it hard to listen to. How can she think that?! Hadn’t she seen what he had?! From his own past eyes?
”None of you wanted that war, but were lured into it regardless…” The memory and guilt felt like waves crashing against him, Tori’s words the only rock keeping him from succumbing to the tide, falling deep into the ocean. ”While you still tread the worlds outside, you’re allowing their memory to live on. Be proud of that,” He still felt the vibrations in his arms of their Keyblades clashing, slowly returning Tori’s embrace to stop the shaking as he took a deep breath. But I— Had he done it? Fought in the war against his own friends? How can I help them live on when I’m the reason their gone? The weight was crushing him slowly, cementing something within his heart that had never existed before.
Opening his eyes, Henoke was surprised to see wet marks forming in the sand. His eyes weren’t running—he had surprised it despite himself. It’s—! Tori flinched in his arms for a moment, tears falling into the sand. The moment Henoke realized it was her crying, the chaos and thunder in his mind seemed to quiet—his focus shifting completely. ”I’m—“ His voice surprised him, quieter than he expected it to be—his throat still tight. ”I’m here, too.” Whatever Tori was experiencing, a mystery to Henoke, he knew he needed to not get too absorbed in his own feelings, otherwise he’d let his friend down. I can’t make that a trend… Part of what Tori said, he couldn’t agree with, deep in his heart.
He knew he was guilty—the last memory and her words forming an idea in his mind. What he truly needed to do was surpass his old self. The ‘real’ Henoke had hurt his own friends, fighting against them and letting his Master down. Not again. He’d calmed down a bit, a serious determination forming in his turmoiled heart. What Tori was right about was that he was here now. Given a second chance, so to speak, Henoke needed to use it to make sure he didn’t repeat the same mistakes as his original self. The horror of it all was still present and very much aching his already breaking heart—but he needed to focus through that, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to help the person who had been helping him through the hardest time he’d had so far.
”I’m here.” His voice had found itself, though it’s tone was still quiet as he wanted to soothe Tori like she had done for him. Thanks, Tori… Henoke would let her break the embrace, the din in his heart quieted for now, supporting her like how she had supported him as they stood in the empty world, with nothing but memories and each other for company.
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