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

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

[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.

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[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??

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.]

[She has the NV in her hand just in time to practically shout into it.]

Ven!

[He's still here ... after all of this time. She shakes her head, laughing at the absurdity of the entire thing, and fidgets with readjusting a ripped sleeve.]

I'm okay. Everything's alright. I can't believe I made it back ...

[Cradling the NV a bit more closely, her still-adjusting gaze settles on his image affectionately.]

I guess ... I guess the Pull really can reach anywhere.

[It feels ridiculously strange to speak those words. That's where she is, right? ... There's no other place that could have possibly yanked her out from where she's been.]

[Thankfully he doesn't have the device close to his ear, so he just breaks into a grin when she says his name. And from the way she's talking....]

So you remember Siren's Port? You know where you are? [He sounds almost gleeful.]

I'm going to come and get you, okay?

I do!

[She rubs her head, which has been bumped, but she's no worse for wear. Aqua's already bouncing back from the fall injuries.]

I think I remember how to get back home. You don't have to come by and get me.

[... But she secretly wishes that he would. Truth is, she can't see so well.]

[There is so much relief on this kid's face right now, you have no idea.] You have no idea how glad I am to hear that.

[The camera bumps as Ven jumps down the porch stairs.]

Nuh uh, I'm already on my way. I want to see you! [Calling his glider now.]

[Her face falls when she hears the sound of a Glider being called ... followed shortly by a slow, embarrassed, uncertain smile.]

Hey... Ven.

Yeah? [He hops onto his transport, but waits to take off so he can hear her.]

It's okay if you're in a rush to make it here, but ...

[Suddenly a little uncomfortable, but it's nothing that the excitement of seeing Ven again can't completely engulf and snuff out.]

Do you mind if we walk home?

[He can see that discomfort and looks a little confused in return. But he nods at her request.]

Of course not. I don't mind walking at all! It'll give us a chance to talk and everything.

Oh ... good!

[Exhales in relief.]

I'm with you on that one, I think. There's so much I have to tell you.

[Purses her lips nervously.]

I'll be waiting in the diamond, okay?

All right. [He's really curious as to what she's seen in her time away.] I'll be there soon, just sit tight.

[He smiles at the NV screen before clicking it off. He then pockets the phone and rises into the air, taking off into the sky. It takes him a little while, but eventually the diamond comes into view. A ways away form it he has to disembark from his glider and dismiss it, so he runs the rest of the way. After what feels like forever, he sees her and picks up the pace.]

Aqua!

Will do, Ven.

[She watches the screen for a full second or two after it goes black ... and then hides her eyes in her hand again with a preparatory sigh.

And then the waiting.

Aqua actually makes an attempt to stand up and pace around in practice for the walk that is to come, but that light ... it's almost suffocating, beating down on her like a barrage of fists.

It hardly felt so long, but ... feeling like this with daylight on her back, it's easy for her to see that it's been a decade since she's seen the sun.

Her pacing is brought to another abrupt stop when she hears a glider in the distance ... and by the time she's able to scan, rescan, and squint her way into honing in on a blurry, Ventus-shaped object in the distance, he's already dismissed his mode of transportation.

... Call her crazy, but it looks like he's picking up speed, too.

Breath catching in her throat, she starts in his direction, footsteps uneven.]

Ven?!

[Ven reaches her in moments, but now that he is closer he notices how shaky her steps are. He stops a few inches in front of her, rethinking his plan to throw himself on her in a hug.]

Are you all right? [He reaches for her hands, taking them both in his and holding them tightly.]

Did you get hurt?

Ven!

[She might not be in ship shape and Ven might have been able to show a little bit of restraint, but by the time they reach each other, she's so eager to throw her arms around him that they're shaking.]

I just took a tumble! I'm fine ...

[Nope, can't stand it any longer. Though he has her hands in his, she gently pulls herself free to wrap her arms around him. He's too tall for her to rest her chin atop his head, but she kisses him on the temple again and again and again, gives his shoulders an excited squeeze. Aqua's laughing all the while, not at all ready to let him go, but beside herself enough to burst into tears at any given moment.]

Everything's fine.

[Heartbeat quickening, she smooths out a lock of his hair before settling back into holding him tight.]

Look at you ... you haven't changed a bit! ... No, you wouldn't have, would you? I can hardly believe it ...

[He's more than happy to reciprocate the hug once it's given. He holds her tightly, feeling those sisterly kisses on his temples and laughing softly. It hadn't been so long since he'd seen her, in the grand scheme of things, but he had missed her so much that he couldn't help getting teary eyed.]

I'm glad you're okay then. [His voice breaks a little as he says that, and he swallows to keep himself from crying.]

You have to tell me what happened, where you went!

[Ven will always be her number one little bro. ♥

She clicks her tongue unhappily when she hears his voice break and ruffles the lock of hair she just smoothed down.]

Shhh ... it's alright ...

[It's going to be ... a little harder than she anticipated. The prospect of Ven crying isn't a factor that she'd considered at all, but probably should have ...]

I'll tell you everything on the way home, okay? [Taking on that patient, motherly tone.] It's a really long story. [Teasingly --] Are you sure you won't get bored?

[Or maybe she's just stalling because she doesn't want to let go yet.]

[What's he doing... crying like a little boy in front of her. He was 17 now, he had to act like a man. He blinks a few time to clear his vision and smiles at her.]

Okay. [He sets his jaw and give s quick nod.] Hey, I won't get bored. I'll listen to it all!

I'm going to hold you to that!

[Reluctantly, she gives this hug one last squeeze before letting her arms fall back to her sides. But she does offer an elbow in case he wants to link arms for the trek home.]

Ven ... I should start by asking what you remember doing before you first came to the Port. To make sure we start the story on the same page, right?

[He just grins wider in response, quickly linking his arm with hers.]

Sure. [He thinks back. It's been so long now, he has to pause for a moment.]

The last thing I remember doing was fighting Vanitas and beating him. After that, it all went black... I went to sleep, right? But I remember waking up here instead.

Right.

[Once their arms are linked, she's able to start the long walk home, letting him set the pace. Surprisingly, she's holding up pretty well. Not even a limp.]

But you don't know what happened in between, right? I mean ... what happened after you went to sleep.

[Ven will go slow for the most part, basically a toned down version of his usual stride. ]

No... [He shakes his head, looking a little sad.] Sorry.

I see ... [Matching his slow stride, she places her free hand over his linked arm comfortingly.]

... Ven, after you went to sleep, I was took you in. [Hesitation.] I was told ... that there was nothing I could do to wake you up. So I promised to take care of you while you slept.

[... More hesitation.]

I had to find ... a safe place to put you until I could find Terra. Not just any safe place, the safest place. Where no darkness would ever find you.

[He listens quietly, making sure he takes in everything she's saying. Even though it's terrifying to hear that there was nothing she could do to wake him up.... what was the reason... he can't help but feel better at how hard Aqua worked to take care of him.

He looks up at her quizzically.]

So where....?

[She looks over at him, smiling softly. Where else?]

Home, Ven. Your Keyblade guided me back home. But ...

[The smile fades a little, and she adjusts the arm that is looped around his nervously.]

... The way home was ... it wasn't safe enough. I have something to show you.

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