〈oo5〉⁂〈accidental video ⇢ foward dated to 7/1〉

[rainprism]

[Dust. Lots and lots of dust. Several minutes of silence fill the feed. There has been an accidental activation of the video function, and for those first crucial moments, all that can be seen is billowing curtains of dust falling and settling around the NV, which is stationary on the ground.

Gradually, a close silhouette appears -- a long, shapeless lump on the ground to begin with ... until the last bits of dust clear away. The details come into focus. It's probably a white sleeve, but it's ripped, snagged, and slightly stained by the dark orange dust. And there's more -- a hand at the end of that sleeve, partially covered by fingerless gloves, palm down in that dust.

Labored breathing crescendos into range of the NV's microphone soon thereafter, and it isn't long before movement rocks the arm in an unstable to-and-fro motion. The person this arm belongs to ... is coming around.]

Nnnh ... !

[... Albeit painfully. When Aqua plowed into the baseball diamond the first time, there'd been the buffer of her armor to soften the blow. This time, she's taken the full brunt of the impact. But not unlike her first collision into Siren's Port, her recovery curve is rising sharply -- not long after the groan, a green light sets the recording NV out of focus for a moment and a musical trill sounds the casting of a Curaga spell. That arm is bathed in curative magic, and her hand closes around a fistful of dirt before the process of pushing herself into an upright position begins. The move is riddled with pauses and small gasps as sore spots are identified, but she somehow manages to maneuver herself into side-sitting, knees together and bent at an angle, the metallic accents of her boots clicking together as her ankles cross.

At first, the lens of the NV only captures this much; Her neatly folded legs. But her elbows soon find her knees and her face is promptly buried in her hands. The high noon sun has effectively stunned her, and she remains steadfastly in this position ... presumably, to get her bearings.]

Home ...

[The feed continues in this manner. A blue-haired young woman none the wiser to her in-progress broadcast, hiding her eyes like a child, coping with lingering aches, and whispering something with each carefully measured exhalation ... over and over, rhythmically.]

... Home ...

[The light of day is dizzying after a decade of nothing but darkness.]

Home.

Comments

video;

[motioned]

U-Um, miss, are you alright?

video;

[rainprism]

[The muttering to herself stops suddenly.

... Did she just hear something? Or is that just her ears ringing?]

video;

[motioned]

[A little more insistently:]

Do you need some help? Are you hurt?

video;

[feverpitching]

[Laying on your bed and browsing the NV is the best way to spend a Sunday, no lies. Especially when basically wasting time leads to a particular bitty seeing this video.

It takes him a minute to register who it is, and he stares in disbelief for a long time before he bolts upright, switching on his own video function and clutching the NV close to his face.]

Aqua! [ARE YOU OKAY!? WORRIED BITTY IS WORRIED!!!]

video;

[rainprism]

[No, she's definitely hearing something. Something ... that sounds a lot like Ven.]

Hello?

[Spurred into action, she cups a hand over her eyes for artificial shade while the other hand dirties itself by feeling around on the ground. It's the communication device, isn't it? What was it called ...]

... Ven??

video;

[feverpitching]

Yeah, it's me! [Grabbing his wallet and his keys now, already heading to leave his room.]

Are you okay? [He wants to ask eight hundred other questions, but she sounds dazed and he doesn't want to bombard her yet.]

[Video]

[needtobecleaned]

Miss, are you alright? Will you need anyone to come to you?

[Video]

[rainprism]

[A blindly searching hand feeling around in the dust follows the sound of the voice -- familiar, although only in the vaguest sense -- and closes around her filthy NV.

Shakily, she picks it up, absently dusts off the lens, and squints to make out what's on the screen.]

Hello? ... I ...

[... She trails off for a second, momentarily astounded to see another face on the NV. It's been so long since she's even seen her own reflection, and she only recently spoke to another person for the first time in ... Aqua doesn't want to think about how long it's been.]

I'm fine.

[Video]

[needtobecleaned]

You seem slightly more disoriented than most arrivals or returns. Are you certain? I would be glad to come and meet you.

[And KOS-MOS looks genuinely concerned, for an android that shouldn't feel anything, though Aqua doesn't know that.]

voice;

[todomarishi]

[And she returns, just like that. He's not surprised. He's not going to allow himself to feel any other emotion, either.]

Welcome back.

[Might as well get down to business then. If she's looking any worse than wear, it's probably from the Pull, right? That always leaves new arrivals a little shaken and out of it...]

This isn't home, it's a place called Siren's Port in a world called Earth.

voice;

[rainprism]

[By now, she's managed to get her hands on her NV and can just about make out the faces of the people on it, but she's still just sitting in the middle of the baseball field. Not quite ready to get up and move.

Hearing from her friend, though, causes her to stir, shifting from one sitting position to another and laughing in unabashed delight.

That's ... Terra's voice!

It's a short, quiet peal of laughter, but another laugh is following closely behind. She shouldn't be so surprised to hear from him ... not logically. He's been here the entire time, after all. Safe and sound. Not ...

Unexpected raise in her voice? Unexpected raise in her voice.]

Thank you!

[And she startles herself with her own enthusiasm. Oops.]

It's ... I know. I remember.

[Settling down somewhat.]

I was just ... [Even more quietly --] ... a little confused.

voice;

[todomarishi]

[... Uh? Terra sits up some, an eyebrow raised at his NV when she laughs. Is something funny? What's she so excited about?

But all that goes out the window when she speaks those two words. She remembers?]

You remember?

voice;

[pullsheavendown]

Aqua? Are you okay?

[Time to start over again? Or...he can't tell, from her words. It's like she didn't expect to transmit at all.]

Uh...hi.

voice;

[rainprism]

[She's a little bit more together now, just waiting for Ven to come by. But she is thankful, though, that he's chosen the voice option. Aqua's not really ... herself quite yet.

But, hey. It's one more voice she's beside herself with excitement to hear.]

Roxas?

voice;

[pullsheavendown]

[Wow, Aqua. Didn't know you liked him that much.]

Yeah! Hey, you remember me!

[CONGRATULATIONS, AQUA. YOU DIDN'T FUCK UP. Yet.]

video

[mirroredmemory]

Aqua! Aqua, you're back!

[She really should learn to not react that way, especially seeing as how people don't know that they've ever been here. She's just so pleased to see her.]

Are you okay? Are you hurt?

video

[rainprism]

Xion!

[It's practically a squeal of delight. By now, she's found her voice, the NV, and a general sense of where she is, but very little can suppress the sheer joy of being able to talk to the people she cares about again.

To think of being able to see them soon? Nearly sets her to trembling.]

It's okay! I've just taken a spill, you know? From the sky ...

[Nervous laughter.]

Ven's coming to walk me home. [Look at this face. Do you see the hopefulness in this face?] Will you ... be stopping by later?

Re: video

[mirroredmemory]

[Oh. Oh! She remembers!

Xion's whole face lights up with relief and delight; Ven and Terra, they'll be so happy and she's so happy too, she hasn't lost a dear friend.]

Of course! I mean, if you want me to, I can bring you guys something for dinner too, you probably won't want to waste catching up time with cooking!

I'm so glad you're back and you're safe, I missed you.

video;

[rewritethesky]

[Funny. She remembers Aqua asking about memories not long ago, and, after skimming through the responses that she can see, it seems like she has remembered. Strange, and definitely curious.

But Home just makes her a little bit tense. What did she leave for? And what was it about her home that was so important?

...Did she finally know about Castle Oblivion?]

Are you alright? Is someone there to get you?

video;

[rainprism]

Naminé!

[Now that she's had a moment to collect herself, Naminé's call can be answered properly. Aqua's really in no shape to be presenting herself to a student, but ... she's not quite together enough to switch the function to voice.]

I'm glad to see you're still here. ... Well ...

[Sort of. She shrugs helplessly at the implication.]

... I mean ... I'm happy to see you.

video;

[rewritethesky]

[It takes her a good bit of self control not to flinch at the thought and the words of still being here. It doesn't seem like Aqua knew of her death.

And maybe its better that way. She chances a smile, but its a little nervous.]

I'm glad to see you too. And that you came back.

[Video] Sorry so late 8x

[lockandkeyblade]

Aqua!

[The landing back into Siren's Port is always something of a nightmare, and the days immediately following are an ordeal in themselves. But all Sora can really see is dust. Everywhere.

On the bright side, she seems well enough to sit up and take in where she is, though he's afraid she's mistaken in where she's ended up.]

You're not hurt are you?

[Video] 1/2 late is my middle name :X

[rainprism]

[She's had some time now to put herself back together, though by no means is she steady or on her feet just yet. Holding her head, sending small bursts of healing magic -- a bit like micro-Cures -- to the sore spots.

A flash of recognition in her eyes when she sees Sora's image on the NV. Something ... beyond the bare connection to the memory of a face.

Sora. ]

[Video]

[rainprism]

No, Sora ...

[Sheepish smile, adjusting a falling sleeve on her arm. But ... There's no salvaging a graceful, ladylike image at this point, so she gives that up.]

Nothing serious. Just ... you know, the fall. It threw me for a loop this time.

[ This time. It's kind of hard to believe she's plowed into this baseball diamond twice now. Will there be a third time ... ?]

You look well. Would you mind if I asked what I missed?

[video] sorry, late again 8x! Back from vacation.

[lockandkeyblade]

[No worries! A lady covered in dust is still a lady to Sora. And it's a rare case that anyone can be dignified after being flung back into the port. Sora knows first hand as a Greeter.]

Yeah. I can catch you up.

[It'd be good to check and see how her memories are in general. Sora's apparently has a habit of getting fudged every time he comes or goes in the port.]

What's the last thing you remember from here?