Video | A day late and a dollar short (Lockets + Compassnet)

[needmetoo]

[She's still disoriented. Disoriented and tired and feeling like a well-wrung sponge. She probably looks the part too, face having the ruddy, blotchy look of someone who's gone through a lot of upheaval in a very short space of time.

She barely understands what's going on, beyond the barest jist of things. For her, it was only a few hours at most since she was in the heart of the great gem before she was flung into this world, owing to ending up on a place in her world that was... temporally flexible... for those two while the gem did its work. And once she's taken some time to just sleep and gather herself... she can get started.

She still has Feathers. And Pathfinder. And even her locket. Which is as good a place as any to start.]

H-hey. I don't... really recognize where I am. He... that man said we were in the past I think?

[But this area honestly doesn't even look like part of the future world either. An entirely new location. She could try her corridors sure, but those only worked to places she's been before, and it seems risky if she isn't even sure whether those places exist in the past.

All of these time thoughts are giving her a headache. She reaches a hand up to rub her forehead. Behind her, a chocobo briefly butts into view to nudge the side of her head. She reaches the same free hand back to pat its beak absently.]

I'm sorry. [This must look so dumb.] I'm still really confused. But... we're all here, right?

[They're not all strangers again, starting from scratch?]

Locked to Compassnet

[With a more general address out of the way she goes for something a bit more targeted. He'd said the Seelie and Unseelie didn't exist yet, but after a few months of being wary of the lockets, she's still careful.

She pulls up Pathfinder's charm, the wayfinder that Riku had given her, and speaks slowly.]

Terra? Riku? Elizabeth? Sora? Merida? Um... I'm not sure who else is here.

[Who else of the people she cares about has access to the separate network. There's a nervous, almost pleading edge to her voice. Well if they were still here or not... this would make it obvious either way.]

Comments

video »

[unsolitary]

You're right; we're all in the past now.

( Clarke's expression is bright, happy; she's relieved to see another familiar face. )

Glad to see you made it back, too.

video »

[needmetoo]

Clarke!

[Oh man the relief is strong in this one. Especially since Clarke is one of the ones she hasn't seen in... goodness knew how long. Before she deserted.]

Where- [Actually no wait.] ... do you know where you are?

[Because... that would make one of them.]

video »

[unsolitary]

Right now? Diasbaile. I was able to shadow travel here from... wherever I was before, and it's still near the La Llorona forest.

The University is still around, too, and had a map; it looks a lot different from how things were before, so it's not surprising that not much looks familiar right now.

video »

[survivra]

I doubt it's all. But maybe most of the people you mean.

You look confused. You could probably use a bath.

video »

[needmetoo]

[... maybe not the best thing to have said at this exact moment. Xion's lip quivers the tiniest bit and she looks away and it takes a deep breath or two before she trusts her voice to respond.]

Yeah... I guess I c-couldn't be that lucky.

[Ugh her voice is still shaking. She really doesn't know how to wrestle emotions down but she does her best. Tries for a smile instead. Because it's Katsa, who she also hasn't seen in so long, and there is still relief there under... everything else. ]

I guess... maybe I am. And I do? I don't... really think I'm going to find one out here though.

video »

[survivra]

[ Katsa's shocked for a moment at this reaction, as in her response she'd spoken without thinking, meaning only that "all" could mean any number of things. Xion's distress is, in any case, not what Katsa intended, and she's quiet for a moment as her expression instantly softens. ]

Oh, Xion.

[ She can't touch or comfort her through a locket. But Xion is taking a breath, and at least that's something. Has she lost someone, then, or is she just afraid that she has? ]

If it helps, I've probably less of an idea about any of this than you do. [ no katsa that doesn't help ] Where are you? You could find a stream or a pond. But I imagine what you're looking for is a hot one. If you soak yourself, you ought to feel better.

Video

[chaoticwhimsy]

[Hey Xion, remember Lightning? Well someone who could clearly be her little sister just popped into view.]

Weeeeell, nobody's gone around doing a headcount, but it sure seems like we all took this weird ride backwards, yup.

Video

[needmetoo]

[She more than remembers. In fact when Lumina first appears on the screen, Xion's face drains of color, because thanks to timey wimey bullshit, the pain of accepting that Lightning was gone was still pretty fresh. To the point that she speaks without thinking]

Ligh-

[One of her hands flies up to cover her mouth, and it's only once she feels she's got her head on straight does she lower it again.]

S-sorry. You...

[Okay no let's just... gloss over this for now.]

Nevermind. How far back are we? What... what else is- hey!

[Because at that moment a certain chocobo friend will be pushing his beak into view to peer at the locket. He recognizes that voice!]

Video

[chaoticwhimsy]

[Lumina's eyes narrow at that, just for a second, catching her sister's name there before the other girl cut herself off. Hmm.]

Nope. I'm Lumina. [She giggles as she corrects her, then shrugs.]

No clue how far back we are, though. Considering how different everything is, I'd bet it's basically forever. I mean, can't imagine these courts all collapsed a couple weeks before we showed up, huh?

[She brightens at the sight of the bird, and gives the creature a little finger wave.]

Hey you. I was wondering where that one got off to...

video »

[skjalf]

Look and listen, there are bound to be folk about who will gossip. What they say could indeed be valuable to know.

Not all of us are here, nay. Sir Riku, I am told, elected to remain at home.

( She pauses a moment, and adds: ) Is there a river nearby? You could use a bath, little one.

Re: video »

[needmetoo]

Elizabeth...

[Oh light there's so much relief flooding her right now she could cry all over again.]

I haven't seen anybody nearby... I'm not sure about a river either. But I could look.

[And then what she said about Riku sinks in.]

Wait... home?

video »

[skjalf]

How do you fare, little one?

( The look upon her face turns gentle. )

The sea works just as well, though you must promise me not to venture far from the shore or riverbank, either way. You shall truly need to learn to swim in earnest.

( Ah, yes. )

A boy called Sora informed me of it, yes. That his friend, Sir Riku returned to his own realm and decided to remain there. He is happy, I am assured.

So we both know that he is alive and well. It is all I might ask for.

video;

[keybearing]

Something like that; the past. I guess this means we have a chance to change things. Maybe it won't get to that point before, with the void and the Seelie and Unseelie.

[Yes, that is important. But not the most pressing right now. Because he's been hoping to confirm on if Xion is still here, and if so, just where. He knows on Terra at least, but she's been an unknown for a bit. He can't help the smile as he shakes his head a little.]

But it's good to hear from you, Xion. I was a little worried. I guess a lot of us lost track of each other before. You okay? I know Terra's here, he mentioned the idea of staying at Leathann. Riku though.....with all that traveling between worlds? He stayed back home. I wanted to but....I figured one of us should stick around here to help out.

[He doesn't want to upset her about Riku, but it's better to tell her. It's not something he could keep from her for long even if he tried or wanted to.]

video;

[needmetoo]

[She'd already heard from Elizabeth that Riku might be gone, and here was Sora to confirm it. It's a chaotic mix of feelings - were emotions really always this overwhelming once you acknowledged them?

She's glad to see him though. Even if she's still confused.]

Travelling between worlds?

[The downside of landing in part of your own set of worlds that you've never seen before]

video;

[keybearing]

Yeah. With the Gem just before. I went home, to Halloween Town, Christmas Town. And to Hogwarts! Hermione's school where they learn magic. It was pretty awesome!

[Just. Trying to focus on the positives, the exciting parts. Rather than that farewell. Of which is seems Riku's was hardly the only one in all of this.]

video;

[undeterrable]

[There's no denying the relief on his face when he sees her. Xion has been unaccounted for for a while and knowing that she's okay takes a load of weight off of Terra's shoulders after he found out about everything. He - that is to say, the person he would be in the future - treated her...well, not horribly, but not nice at all. He'd make sure to make up for that in any way that he could. Terra sighs and switches his feed on, managing a smile.]

Good. You're safe. That makes all three of us.

video;

[needmetoo]

[Oh light, it's Terra and Xion could nearly cry in relief. And might be, just a little bit. They'd gotten separated in the gem but he's there he's here...]

Wh-where are you? Is there...

[Ugh she doesn't know if her corridors still work. But she'll try for this.]

video;

[undeterrable]

[He sees those tears, Xion, and his brow furrows a little before he responds, voice gentle.]

Leathann came back with us. If you can get there, I'll meet you where we met the first time. Can you do that?

video

[benumbing]

I doubt all of us made it back, but enough.

[Enough for what, Jack isn't sure.]

video

[needmetoo]

[... well unfortunately that very question is the obvious one.]

Enough for what?

video

[benumbing]

[Jack sighs, brows jumping.]

Enough. That we're not alone. Enough to make a difference in this world's future.

[Maybe they won't wreck it. Maybe.]

[Video]

[oathshackledbird]

My brother, Kaldur, decided to remain behind on one of the worlds and I am sure he was not the only one. However, I am here for what it is worth.

[The grin on Diarmuid's face makes it clear that he is not belittling himself. Instead, he is making a joke in an effort to bring a smile to her tired face. What might have a better chance of making her smile, though, sticks his head over Diarmuid's shoulder and warks into his locket. Diarmuid laughs and tries to push the chocobo's head back.]

Aengus. Stop. I know you see another chocobo, but you can't climb through the locket to her!

[Video]

[needmetoo]

[Diarmuid's still here. Truthfully, Xion... doesn't know what to feel about seeing him again. How do you really just talk to the person who watched you have an emotional breakdown? Even though the quiet logical part suspected he wouldn't hold it against her, the rest of her...

She is glad he's still there, she thinks. But she still doesn't really know what to say.

She tries for an awkward smile, but she doesn't really relax until all of a sudden there's a screen full of beak. Then she can't really help it, she giggles, a hand coming up to cover her mouth.]

Hello there.

[She's not sure she's actually met his chocobo before.]

text;

[zerotohiro]

Welcome to the wonderful world of timetraveling. Not exactly what I thought it'd be, but at least people made it back here in one piece from what I can tell.

video;

[needmetoo]

[Another tally on the faces she's glad to see. ... or not because text but the general sentiment is the same.]

Yeah, and... it sounds like everybody else who didn't got to go home, at least.

[Which to Xion? Means a whole lot right now.]