Tenth Journey // Video - Backdated to earlier today

[lockandkeyblade]

[You're very tall today, Siren's Port. Or rather, Sora's in a place high enough that we should all watch our step or risk a very, very long fall. Sora's rather at home at the edge of the rooftop though, and the NV's steady where it's been set. Sora's busy chewing on his pencil's eraser, pondering what to write.]

I've been thinking. We've all got things we regret. We beat ourselves up, even if there's nothing we can do about it.

[Sora's pencil takes to the paper, scrawling out his thoughts.]

'If I could just go back in time, maybe I could fix it. If I could do it all over again, I'd really change things! Make it all better.'

Right?

[He finishes decisively. Then... turns it over, folding it lengthwise. Corners down, foldback the edges and... there. One completed paper airplane, wings branded with Sora's distinctive handwriting.]

The other day, a really brave friend taught me something important. Me and my friends, we've been in some pretty scary places. When you're lost in the darkness, it can get really hard to find the light.

[He pushes up off the ground with a small bounce an stands upright on his own two feet.]

But it's always there-- you just gotta look for it. I mean, if things never happened the way they did, who knows where or even who we'd be. I'm me because of the good and the bad. Mistakes and all. I'm me because of my memories, and the people I've met along the way. Including everybody here in the Port.

It's not easy letting go. Sometimes it takes forever. But one thing I know that really helps... [One flick of his hand sends the paper airplane flying off the edge. Sora shields his eyes from the sun and stands right at the edge, watching  as the wind sweeps it up and takes it on a spiralling path out of sight. 

Feels good.]  

... is having a somebody who'll hear you out.

So how about it?

Ever look back? Or wish you could do something all over again?

Comments

[voice]

[madeinoblivion]

You really want to hear about everyone else's problems, Sora?

Total strangers, even?

Heh. Somehow I'm not at all surprised.

[voice]

[lockandkeyblade]

If it'll make them feel better, then sure!

Besides, strangers are just friends you haven't gotten to know yet.

video;

[pullsheavendown]

[Roxas has a pretty good idea what prompted this. Which is why he doesn't ask.]

You're pretty high up. Did you decide to make friends with some pigeons?

[Like he's one to talk.]

video;

[lockandkeyblade]

You should know.

Who do you think I got the idea for the paper airplanes from, huh?

[video]

[mirroredmemory]

[Xion's a little thoughtful for a while, because it's nice to hear him talking about his memories. They're good memories, and she would know.]

I think... if I could do it all again, I'd want the good things from my old life to have lasted longer. But no, I don't look back.

[video]

[lockandkeyblade]

I know you don't Xion.

[In fact, you helped teach him this lesson too.]

You're one of the reasons I look forward and not back.

We're gonna make lots of new memories here, right?

video;

[proxysproxy]

[Wow, this kid...] I don't think I could have said it better myself.

There's a lot I'd change if I could. Big things, and small things. I look back and even though there was nothing I could do, I think, "If only..."

But the thing about life is, as terrible as it is, as many mistakes as I've made, it goes on. I owe it to those who helped me to carry on, and I owe it to myself, for getting this far. And sometimes good things happen.

... Would it matter if some of your memories were false?

video;

[lockandkeyblade]

[Sora nods. This guy sounds like... he's been through a lot.]

Hmmm. With memories that aren't real, it's a little tougher. [He crosses his arms thoughtfully. Sora's had more experience with that than most would think.]

I think memories do matter, but they're not the only things that make you who you are.

Your heart's also filled with friends and the people you meet. The ones who helped you 'carry on'. What you feel and what you choose to do is real, even if the memories aren't.

You know what I mean?

[voice]

[towerlocked]

There are things I wish I could change, but... I would not take back the experiences I shared with my companions.

[permavidya for Sora]

[lockandkeyblade]

[Sora couldn't agree more.]

I think the same. The good memories and the bad.

What were the things you wanted to change?

voice;

[todomarishi]

Sounds like you're like learning some important lessons during your stay here, Sora.

permavideo for sora;

[lockandkeyblade]

There's so many things I learned here that I never did back home.

About my friends too. Roxas . Ventus. Xion and Namine. [He rests a hand on his bracer when a thought occurs to him. He still wears it every chance he gets.] And you too, Terra.

text; private

[akirameru]

[that's actually a good question. for him...]

I would only do it over again if I had absolute control over the outcome.

[but more importantly:]

Thought about what you said a while back, and I think I've come up with a compromise. You really want that diary back?

text; private

[lockandkeyblade]

[Sora has a pretty good idea what he's talking about. It doesn't surprise him. The second part of the message stops him cold.]

You know I do.

What's it gonna take?

[video]

[gavesugar]

[She cringes.]

Oh aye. The way I met the man who first courted me. There wert many misunderstandings betwixt us.

[video] i do that all the time

[lockandkeyblade]

Courted... Oh you mean like a date. [S-sort of, Sora.]

What kind of misunderstandings?

[ Reaction ]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Ow. Stab him in the heart, why don't you, Sora? ]

(ooc: and we'll say this is backdated to before Reim Lunettes' arrival, for Reasons.)

[ Video ]

[maddeninghatter]

My, myyyyyyyy~!

You seem awfully optimistic. ♥

voice;

[rewritethesky]

[How is it that Sora manages to hit the whole island in the heart like this?

He's right. He's so right of course. Your past and your mistakes are what you who you are. She knows that first hand, remembering how different he was back in Oblivion.

The problem is, well, just plain talking about the past like that. Sora knows what happened and that helps. But even then, it's hard to forget and talk about the pain she caused.

So just, very quietly...]

...I do.

[Video]

[lockandkeyblade]

[Namine's voice is unmistakable. It's small, and thoughtful... and so very sad. She's a kind soul burdened by so many regrets.

Sora thinks to himself for a moment. Gently:]

Namine... are you busy right now?

video;

[comradely]

[ That kinda hits close to home. A lot. ]

I do, but it's not like I regret what I did either, you know? I'd do it all over again, but... [ He glances away, slightly embarrassed. ] There's just one thing.

video;

[lockandkeyblade]

[A curious tilt of the head.]

What is it?

[Text] [Anon..?] Grats, Sora, first text goes to you!

[hikari_no_kundou]

[Such wise words, from someone so young. The first video he has managed to load while investigating this strange communication device, and it's one that leaves Eraqus thoughtful. And more than a little remorseful.]

It takes great strength of heart to learn and grow from such experiences, and great kindness to offer to share such with others.

[Text] \o/ eee

[lockandkeyblade]

[A high complement, though Sora isn't quite sure where, or rather 'who', it is coming from.]

Thanks, but my friends were the ones who who taught me.

When lots of bad things happen, it's easy to look back and wish you did something different. Especially when the ones hurting are people really important to you.

voice;

[motioned]

Not really. I can't think of anything I would change.

video on Sora's side

[lockandkeyblade]

So there's nothing you would change?

That's good, isn't it?

[video]

[ibreakrules]

[God this kid. Some of his words seem to pierce right through Frau. They apply only too clearly, yet the kid probably has no idea how true they really are. Of course Frau highly doubts Sora's world is anywhere near as dark as the path Frau is walking, but then again, he hopes nobody's is anywhere near that bad.

There's no way he's revealing any of this though. Most of it he wouldn't even reveal to those closest to him.]

Seems like you have a good friend, and you're a pretty smart kid to get all of that.

[He smiles softly, most of the sadness easily hidden.]

That's where I go when I need some time to myself too.

[video]

[lockandkeyblade]

Thanks. My friend's been through a lot-- way more than me. He teaches me stuff all the time, even if he doesn't know it. [About himself, about the heart. Lots of things.]

You like to come up here too? [He steps up to the edge and looks out over the cityscape.] Everything looks so tiny from here. It's like you're on top of the world...

[voice]

[antedupmyheart]

Oh, I'd imagine I do well enough on my own, though I won't deny a certain amount of looking back.

[video] Would you like sora to recognize his voice or no?

[lockandkeyblade]

We all do sometimes, I think. Just comes with having memories, you know?

[And a heart, right Lux?]

What sorta stuff do you look back on?

[text; private]

[got_it_memorized]

Would I do it differently? You bet. But would I still do what I did anyway if it came to it? Absolutely. [You know what he's talking about.] Some things I think happen for a reason, and we wouldn't learn anything if they didn't.

[text; private]

[lockandkeyblade]

That's what Xion said too...

[He nods.]

Actually, you and Xion and Roxas are one of people I learned from the most. I'm just glad you guys got a chance to see each other again.

voice;

[dawnward]

What brought all of this on?

voice;private

[lockandkeyblade]

Well, I was talking with Roxas and got to thinking.

About what happened to him and Xion and Axel.

About you too.

voice;

[safeguarded]

Sounds like you've got a few of your own there.

voice;

[lockandkeyblade]

I've got one or two, but I think everybody does.

It's funny-- I was always too busy back home trying to find somebody or save something to think about this stuff. Here in the port, it sorta feels like you've got all the time in the world.

[ Video ]

[integra_hellsing]

[ Integra arches a brow, but looks amused. There is a lot, she's realizing, that people can learn from this young man. ]

...There are many things I wish I could do again, but that isn't possible. One must always continue pushing forward.

[ Video ]

[lockandkeyblade]

I feel the same way too. There's lots of people to protect and bad guys to fight. It's hard to focus on what's important when you're always looking back.

But... I've got a feeling you know what I mean.

[text]

[theshortestbird]

[Not going with encryption this time, but still text.]

There's a lot I wish I could take back, or do over. But you're right. You wouldn't be you without the good and the bad.

[text]

[lockandkeyblade]

And sometimes the mistakes we made, and the bad things that happened in the past make us better for the future.

[video]

[surgicalshot]

[He looks troubled.] Ah... well, I. Um. I do have some things I regret. I think everything would have been better, if I had not... done what I did.

[video]

[lockandkeyblade]

[It must be serious.] You don't have to say anything if it's too personal, but what was it? The thing you did?

video

[blackmoonrising]

Tch, all the time.

video

[lockandkeyblade]

What was it you wish you could do over again?

Video

[axetrid]

I think we all do. You'd have to be abnormal to not have a thought like that at least once.

Video

[lockandkeyblade]

[Oh hey there, Astrid! How's the cooking thing going?

A nod. He couldn't agree more.] It's not a bad thing to want to do things over again, but sometimes it stops us from moving forward.

Did you have anything you wanted to do over again, Astrid?