keychained | [018; video/action for goldenrod]

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[018; video/action for goldenrod]

[hey there, Johto! it's New Year's Eve, and as such the network is receiving a video feed from Father Time himself-- who knows where the hobbling little bearded old man came from, but he's currently curled up warm and toasty leaning up against the inn at Goldenrod, with his hat and his windbreaker and his scarf and his Girafarig blanket and-- wait. it's just Sora.]

[it appears he's wearing as many Christmas presents as he could pile on today (yes, the beard was a Christmas present. it's long and gray and glorious and one of these days he'll notice the stuffed pidgey in there, too). and when he starts speaking, it sounds like Father Time is having a really difficult... time... keeping a straight face.]

... My egg exploded into a dinosaur! See? [the feed turns to reveal a very tiny Tropius-- even though she's just a baby, it's pretty obvious that she's on the small side... probably around knee height to Trainer. the Tropius squeaks in greeting and flaps a leaf like she's trying to wave.]

The pokédex said that these guys start to grow their favorite fruit around their necks because it's the only thing they eat. Sooo, I was wondering... Has anybody seen a star-shaped fruit around? I already checked the stores here, but no luck.

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Yeah... but I got a few reminders for Christmas, and maybe when the weather's better, we can try again!

[ ... hopefully without the beard. ]

[what, does Sora not wear facial hair well or something? :| but he smiles at that, a little embarrassed.]

Maybe! They're definitely not even in season yet, anyway.

[ No. No, he doesn't. ]

If I'd known you were here this long, I would have brought some with me.

Don't worry about it, Kairi. One day soon, right?

... Right.

[ there's a smile there, albeit a distant one. It's odd now, to think that she so happily talked to Vanitas about them, and that whole conversation's been hovering over her head lately. ]

[don't think he doesn't notice the distance in your eyes, biffle.]

... What is it?

[ Sora's the last person she wants worrying, especially when she heard from Naminé about what he's been through here. So Kairi shakes her head. He knows her too well for her to fake a smile, so she glances away instead. ]

Nothing big, really. I think I'm just tired.

Kairi... You'd tell me if there was something wrong, right?

[this is... a very awkward conversation when he's currently sporting a Merlin beard. so Sora pries it off, revealing that he's frowning.]

... [ at that, Kairi tenses-- just by the slightest amount, but it's pretty obvious guilt is radiating off of her in HUGE WAVES. Because the answer's normally yes, but she's pretty sure going HEY SO HELMET HEAD KIND OF BOTHERED ME isn't a very festive talk to be having. ]

... Please? C'mon, we'll work it out together.

[ silence for a few minutes. And then Kairi sighs and lifts her eyes up. Just a little. ]

Sora... I met him.

You...

You mean-- Vanitas!? He didn't threaten you or anything, right? What'd he say?

N-no, he didn't threaten me-- I didn't know it was him at first, so we just had a normal talk. [ did she Light Vanitas into civility? WHO KNOWS. ]

But when I found out, he said... you stole his place.

I what now?

[give him a minute to think about that. he knows the story behind Ven and Vanitas, and why... well. but none of that registers to Sora as "stealing his place."

[ Kairi doesn't get it at all, but she isn't very happy either way. All that darkness looking and talking like and HURTING her best friend just makes her feel sick. Cue silence on her end while he ponders. ]

... Hey, Kairi?

-- Yeah?

I don't... I'm not really sure if I know what he was getting at, but I do know there's a good reason things are... the way they are.

[he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pokéball-- there's a biohazard sticker stuck to the side.]

So don't worry, okay? Just worry about staying as far away from Vanitas as possible.

[ WHY is there a biohazard sticker stuck to the side? Kairi stares at it for a minute, then looks back up at him, and she's really not too satisfied with that reassurance. Because she was never scared for herself. ]

Sora--

Promise me you will, Kairi? Ven knows how to handle him.

[and he can't bear the thought of anybody-- especially a doppelganger-- hurting her.]

... [ Kairi still doesn't look too happy, but she nods. ] Okay. I promise.

... I know how you feel, though. He's-- not easy to look at.

[ she hasn't SEEN him yet, quite thankfully, but Kairi frowns anyway and leans in a little closer. ]

Hey, Sora?

... Yeah?

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