EVENT LOG: THE NIGHT WE MET

[inthenightmods]

EVENT LOG:
THE NIGHT WE MET

characters: everyone.
location: the path from downtown beacon to the harbor; all over town.
date/time: february 16-21.
content: the forest spirits send off their friends to join the aurora. memory opals drop from the eerie green lights above.
warnings: n/a.

i had all and then most of you, some and now none of you.

For most of the day on February 16, all of the town's forest spirits can be found along the stretch of road between downtown and the harbor, clearly setting up for, uh, something. They're piling snow onto the pathway, creating a miles long sled trail that starts outside the Landmark Inn and ends at the very end of the harbor's dock. Not only that, but the forest spirits are also not super willing to explain what they're up to! They're busy, you lantern-havers.

By the time evening rolls around, the spirits have set up wooden railings alongside the snowy path, as well as a warming tent, hot chocolate booth, and announcer stand outside of the Landmark. Oh, and a starting banner for the race! It's dogsled time!

Throughout the event, Beacon's downtown and harbor areas will be completely overrun with forest spirits, all there to bear witness to this holiday celebration—this holiday is for them, though, not you weirdos with your naked faces. Point is, none of the spirits will be hostile at this time! They're more interested in interacting with each other than with Beacon's residents, though if pressed, a kind spirit might be willing to explain what's going on:

The aurora arrives in Beacon for about a week each year, and the forest spirits believe it to be "friends in the sky". The lights are old friends of theirs, it seems! And each night while the aurora shines above the town, the forest spirits send off a handful of friends to join the aurora! The spirits ready to join the aurora build sleds of their own and assemble mighty sled teams, sometimes comprised of dog spirits and sometimes... other stuff. Then, when the aurora is at its peak in the wee hours of the night, the sled teams will ride off one by one, racing down the snow-covered path all the way down to the harbor, where they'll finally rocket off the dock and out over the lake, picking up more and more speed as each team gallops wildly over the water before arcing up into the sky. Once the spirits are barely a speck, they'll hit the aurora and burst into a shower of light. Beautiful stuff!

See, since the aurora is made of light, forest spirits launched into it are killed on impact! Isn't that wonderful! The forest spirits seem to think so! What is death to a dead thing!

All of this information can be learned through handwaved/played-led interactions with the forest spirits during the event. They'll all be focused on saying goodbye to their friends and cheering them on as they stream through the sky, but they're happy to welcome lantern-havers to join in the celebrations. The hot chocolate is free and only tastes a little bit like mud, so. Enjoy!

•••
For the entire duration of the event, the aurora will dance in beautiful silence overhead, lighting up the whole town with its eerie green glow. Every so often, handfuls of opals will rain down like meteorites from the lights above, and these opals each contain the memory of someone currently in Beacon! They can be found all over town, landing on paths and atop buildings and maybe even rocketing straight through your ceiling to crash into your living room. Perhaps a forest spirit decided to hide some shiny rocks in your cereal box or under your pillow... Better hope the Postmaster General doesn't find your opals before you do, though. That spirits sure does love their rocks. Point is, who knows where the opals might turn up?

On that note, if you signed up for a random event, we'll be RNGing characters to receive these random events throughout the event! The event may happen in response to a toplevel on this event log, or we might turn up in your IC inbox... 👀 These events will be entirely random, meaning we could dole out any number of them at any time, so it'll be a fun surprise for all of us.

If you missed signups and would still like to toss your name in the ring, go right ahead! Signups will remain open throughout the event, though we can't promise everyone who signs up will get something.

And finally... Each day, we'll post a list of the forest spirits joining the aurora! What, did you want to know in advance? The forest spirits have never been a particularly organized bunch, so they're winging this—which means more surprises for you. :)

Enjoy the races and the lights and the opals, residents of Beacon, and remember: WHAT IS DEATH TO A DEAD THING!

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Naminé 💙 Ota

[really_sketchy]

AURORA ARRIVES IN BEACON - OTA
[ooc: This is a general catch all for the event. Feel free to run into Naminé drawing anywhere and drawing of anything. This is also how anyone might catch her if they pick up one of her memories unless they come visit her in her room at the Landmark Inn.]

Naminé was easy to find amidst the spirit's celebrations. Her head of bright gold was covered by a thin black knit hat. It looked worn and a little too big for her but she'd sewn two white x's into it that looked like two eyes so that she could be spotted more easily. She still wore her white dress but over top of that was a faded bright orange sweater that she'd found at the general store. It looked worn like her hat and a little too big with a faded light pink imagine on the front. The sleeves nearly covered her fingers and she kept having to push up the sleeves to keep her hands free. The white hem of her usual dress peaked out from below the orange sweater. Beneath that she wore gray leggings and long socks on top of that with a pair of dark boots. They layers looked a little awkward but it was warm and her toes were protected from the cold.

Her fingers were cold but she wanted them free so she could sketch the various sights of the spirits party. Her sketches varied from images of spirits, dogs, aurora's and people. All were bursting with various colors and details before she turned the page and started again. Naminé remained sitting while she drew, her lantern next to her to help illuminate the paper.

As the week went on, her drawings were less of the world around her and more of the memories she's seen. Some were of people she didn't know, as if to commit their face to memory or present it as a gift to those who might have people they missed. Other images were of people from her world, people she never wanted to forget. It was easy to slip into the depths of her drawings and most of the time she didn't even notice if someone approached her. She was lost to her memories and to those she missed, trying to make sure that they will never be forgotten.

Some residence might recognize those in her pictures but it was up to them if they said anything to her about it.

MEMORIES - Open To All

Matrix Opal - SORA/LINGERING WILL

The memory begins with a single familiar voice.

"Sora?"

...

Girasol Opal - ROXAS

"Naminé?" A boyish voice calls as the opal's memory begins to play.

...

Indonesian Opal - IXON

This was a short memory, a brief meeting but someone who has been on Naminés mind for the last week.

...

Yowah Opal - AXEL

Naminé didn't know how many days had passed. She had been locked away after speaking out against Diz and warning Roxas but that was okay. Roxas had needed to know. He wasn't gone and one day they'd be able to meet again.

The room was dark with a single beam of light filtering through the window. Drawings scattered the floor as Naminé used the time to immortalize whatever memories she could. Roxas was gone but he'd never be forgotten. No one should be forgotten. There was a creaking noise as a familiar red haired organization member appeared in front of her.

He reached for her and together they escaped through a corridor of darkness.

A harsh landscape stretched out in front of Naminé as she spoke. "Thank you. That's twice now you came to my rescue."

Axel turned to look at her and looked both unimpressed and confused. "But you know how to use these corridors, don't you?" Naminé turned to look back at him as she remembered that dark space again.

...

WILDCARD

[ooc: Feel free to poke my plotting comment if you have any questions or comments. I am open to whatever. Naminé needs to meet more people. I totally linked the ones that have video's for ease but I am going to write some things out too.]

Closed for Vanitas

[really_sketchy]

Vanitas found a gleaming Black Opal with the memory of a familiar group inside of it.

Sora ran down a long white ornate hallway that Vanitas might recognize had he seen Castle Oblivion from the inside. The young keyblade wielder stopped at the exit of the Twelfth Floor hall where he found Naminé waiting for him.

"Naminé! It isn't you." He paused and placed his hand over his heart. "The person most special to me--- It's not you..." He hesitated. "Right?"

Naminés mouth tugged into a frown. "No. The girl you really care about... The one who was always with you... It's not me. It's her."

Sora shook his head before she was even finished explaining. "But then who...who is she? Cuz I can't...think of her name. If she's so special to me, then why can't I remember?" His voice was growing more frustrated as confusion encased his thoughts.

"Because I went into your memories and..."

Her head bowed as another voice and a familiar tuft of silver hair appeared in front of Naminé. "Let ME explain this." Riku stopped in front of Sora. "Plain and simple. Your memory is a train wreck. You're not the one who's meant to protect Naminé. It's supposed to be me! But you and your messed-up memories are always in the way, Sora!"

Riku called the dark blade to his hand and attacked. The battle was not long and in the end, Sora was triumphant. Riku laid across the ground and Sora, being Sora, came to his side to help. Sora didn't understand why they had to fight and he didn't want to fight. This was his best friend. "Riku!"

Riku groaned and attacked again, blasting Sora to the ground. "Want some more?"

"Sora!" Naminé cried out and finally stepped forward again.

Riku stood above Sora now, a smile on his face as he stepped closer. "Looks like I win."

Naminé cried out but Riku ignored her. "Riku, stop!"

"You are through!" Riku prepared to strike Sora while he laid on the ground and Naminé panicked. "I said STOP!" Her eyes closed and her fists tightened as a bright flash sparked at the center of Riku's head. He fell to the ground limp, his heart shattered.

Sora dashed forward, ignoring the fact that he had been the target of Rikus attack. "Riku...? Riku! RIKU!" He turned to Naminé. "What did you do? What did you do to him?"

That was where the memory ended, Sora's face staring at Naminé while her own guilt and fear began to gather in her chest.

[ooc: The video for this is . Time is between 9:38 - 11:20]

[evulsed]

This fascinates him for more reasons than he can articulate. The snapshot into Sora's life, the fury on Dawn's face— and Vanitas knows it must be Dawn— when he faces that boy down. The way he put himself there, like some kind of sentinel.

The boy he'd met here, the one who had stayed only briefly before going the way of Kairi, had been full of this Darkness— but much more stabilized. Resigned to his fate.

And more than that— Naminé had acted without even stopping to think of the consequences. What a power, to be able to think of a thing and make it happen. Memory witch was right. Did she break his mind? Or his heart? Or both?

It's enough to drive him to seek her out, and when he finds her, he smiles— mean, and holds the opal up for her to see between two fingers.

"I have something of yours."

[really_sketchy]

Naminé hasn't seen Vanitas since she'd first arrived in Beacon. Their meeting confused her and worried her but she had hope that maybe they could one day find common ground. It was more awkward thinking back on it now, how little she'd known about this world. He must have realized it.

She was surprised when she saw him again and even more surprised when he spoke to her.

"Of mine?" She stepped forward but hesitated when she saw the opal. It was a memory, she knew it, but she didn't know which one without looking. Would he let her look?

"Can I... have it back?"

[evulsed]

He doesn't need to keep it, not now that he's seen what's inside. He smirks, turning the opal so that it catches the light of the aurora up above. The eerie green glow makes everything shimmer, makes Vanitas' golden eyes look even stranger.

"Of course," He capitulates so easily, much easier than this ever should have been— but Naminé hasn't interacted with him enough to maybe fully understand that.

He tosses the jewel to her, underhand, making it easy for her to catch.

[really_sketchy]

She watched Vanitas as she took the opal, uncertain and unsure after their last interaction. The stone was cold against her palm and as she looked down at its shimmering surface her eyes widened in horror.

Naminé didn't look back up at him. She was staring at the stone in her palm.

"You saw?"

[evulsed]

"For someone that looks so innocent, you're sure cruel, aren't you?" He smirks, watching her expression closely. It's more than obvious that this isn't a memory she's proud of. The horror is writ all over her expression, in the stillness of her shoulders. Vanitas is probably the last person she might have wanted to see this particular memory.

"What a way to treat someone loyal to you."

Closed for Jason

[really_sketchy]

The Opal that Jason found was a boulder opal with hues of bright vibrant blue. It was absolutely lovely but the memory inside was bitter sweet.

Donald and Goofy close the large white doors just before Sora locked the doorway with his Keyblade. The light of the keyblade faded as the young Sora turned towards the pair standing behind them. "You okay, Riku?"

Riku Replica shook his head. "Not Riku. I'm a fake. I can't remember why I was created or where or when... All that's inside of me---is time with you and Naminé. But I know those memories are not real."

Naminé looked away as if ashamed of herself as Goofy proceeded to make the situation even more awkward. "Gee, Naminé, can't you use your magic to put Riku's memory back to normal?"

"Well, I..." Naminé didn't know how to tell Riku Replica that he had no memories for her to reconstruct. He only had the memories that she had planted and then his short time in the castle.

Before she could say more, Riku Replica lifted a hand to stop her and began to walk away. "It's all right. I'll deal." Naminé wanted to go after him but she couldn't. It was Sora who called out to him. "Wait! Who cares if someone created you? You are you and nobody else. You have your own heart inside you. Those feelings and memories are yours and yours alone. They're special!"

Riku Replica stopped and looked over at Sora. "Sora, you're a good guy. I don't have to be real to see how real your feelings are. That's good enough." With that, he left.

With Riku gone, Donald turned to Naminé and spoke in a quacking esque voice. "Can you put our memories back?"

Naminé nodded. "Yes. Not remembering something doesn't really mean that it's gone."

Goofy pipped in as Sora walked forward to listen as well. "What d'ya mean?"

"When you remember one thing, that leads to remembering another---and then another and then another. Our memories are connected. Many pieces are linked together like they're in a chain---that makes up each of us. I don't actually erase any memories---just take apart the links and rearrange them. You still have all your memories."

Jiminy popped out and Naminé blinked in surprise. Was he always there? "So you can put 'em back together?"

"Yes, but first, I have to undo the chains of the memories I made on my own. After I've done that, I have to gather up the memories scattered across each of your hearts and then reconnect them. It might take some time. But I think it might work. No---it will work. I'm sure. It's my turn to look after you." Naminé smiled at Sora, Donald and Goofy.

Sora nodded. "All right. We all really trust you."

Jiminy popped up again, jumping a little as he spoke to draw the attention back to him. "Oh... Wait a second! You said you had to undo the links of the memories you made. But that means..."

Naminé frowned. "Yes. You won't be able to remember anything about what happened here."

Sora didn't look happy. "Not even you?"

"I'm sorry. It's the only way, I'm afraid. Sora, you have a choice. You can lose your memories of this castle and reclaim your old ones...or keep your memories here and give up the memories that you've lost." She tried to remain strong but it was hard for her. Naminé didn't want Sora to forget her but that was a selfish wish.

Sora looked equally conflicted. "Do I have to...to choose?"

"Yes."

Sora thought for a moment or two as Donald and Goofy exchange worried looks. Finally, Sora spoke. "Make me like I was."

Naminé looked like she was trying not to cry. "Oh, okay. Nobody needs to keep a bunch of memories that aren't real, right? You want to remember all of the people who are really important to you. Anybody would choose that." She turned and led them all to a room containing a giant pod.

Donald made a very Donald squawk as he looked at the pods. "To remember again, we have to sleep in that?"

"Yes. It's going to take a little time, but I'll take care of you." Naminé's voice was gentle and warm.

Goofy touched his head. "Gawrsh, when we wake up, we won't remember who you are anymore..."

"But how are we gonna thank you?" Donald turned to Naminé but before she could answer Jiminy cut in again. "Don't worry about that! I'll just make a big note in my journal. And it will say, 'Thank Naminé'."

Sora smiled as Goofy and Donald bit their goodnights and went off to the pods flanking the large one at the center. Once they were gone she nodded to Sora. "You too, Sora."
Sora looked up at the pod and then began to start the climb inside. "Okay."

She watched him and her heart began to sink. "All of this may have started with a lie...but I really am glad that I can meet you, Sora." Naminé forced a smile across her mouth.

"Yeah, me too. When I finally found you, and even when I remembered your name, I was happy. The way I felt then--- That was no lie." Sora was heartfelt but that only made it hurt more.

"Goodbye." A tear rolled down her cheek, she didn't expect to ever see him again but he cut off her depressing thoughts with a very Sora protest.

"No, not goodbye! When I wake up, I'll find you. And then there will be no lies. We're gonna be friends for real. Promise me, Naminé." But she didn't believe him.

"You're going to forget making that promise."

Sora shook his head with a confidence that Naminé didn"t understand. "If the chain of memories comes apart, the links will still be there, right? So the memory of our promise will always be inside me somewhere. I'm sure of it."

Naminé tried to believe him but she couldn't stop her silent tears from falling. "Yeah, you're right. Okay, it's a promise."

Sora smiled down at her. "Good. Until later." He reached forward and they joined their pinky fingers together to signify their promise. With their promise sealed, Sora waves goodbye as he jumped completely into the pod.

"A promise... Huh... Sora, some of your memories' links are deep in the shadows of your heart and I won't be able to find them. But don't worry… You made another promise to someone who you could never replace. She is your light. The light within the darkness. Remember her, and all the memories lost in the shadows of your heart will come into the light."

The pod began to close around Sora as his voice drifted from within the pod. "Another promise..."

Naminé nodded her head. "Look at the good luck charm. I changed its shape when I changed your memory--- But when you thought of her just once, it went back to the way it was."

Sora took out Kairi's charm and looked at it. The pod closed, and Sora's
surrounded by darkness. He stared at the charm, trying to remember his friend. Naminé appeared beside him. Sora remembered slowly and then, finally, Kairi. "Kairi!"

The darkness around them both became light.

"My friends..." Sora's voice was distant and Naminé began to float away. "Naminé?"

"Don't worry." Her voice called back to him. "You might forget about me...but with our promise, I can come back."

Once again, Sora donned that unmistakable and unquestionable confidence. "A promise is a promise."

Naminé's voice lightened. "Yes. One day the light---it will be ours, and it will bring us together. Til then---I'll be in your heart."

Sora felt the weight of the pod lull him into sleep as his voice drifted through the memory. "Right. Forgotten---but not lost."

[ooc: The video for this is . Time is between 25:30 - 34:50]

[notthatjason]

[Jason should have known that with memories raining from the sky that there would be plenty of reminders of the time he had forgotten who he was and his past. He thought they would only come from his own opals. He wasn't prepared for the reminder to come from others: Soldat, Daylight, and now this opal.

Jason had collected so many of these things now, he never hesitated to pick them up. He knew how important memories were, but some still lingered in his mind longer than others. This one was one of them. He sat by the Bonfire, turning the opal over and over in his hand as he thought about it.

Sora...and Namine. What a terrible burden for them both. Jason knew something of what it was to lose all of your memories, to have them taken, and while this was similar to that there was also something different between what Namine had done to Sora (and then undone it seemed) and what Hera had done to him. He couldn't imagine having to chose, in fact he'd purposefully NOT chosen between his life at Camp Jupiter and his life at Camp Half-Blood. It had nearly ripped him apart...but he'd done it. He'd forged a place at both camps and, he hoped, maybe Sora had found a way to reconnect with both Namine and his "real" memories.

Jason stops, holding the opal up to the fire light and watches the colors dance across it. The way they shift makes him think of Piper. He wishes things could have ended differently, that she hadn't felt so strongly about their relationship being built on a lie because they began with false memories. He had hoped that maybe...

He sighs, lowering the opal again and watching the aurora's lights shimmer. He needed to find Namine and give this to her...it felt more like her memory than Sora's, but if it wasn't hers then he'd figure it out. He wanted to sit with it a little longer though, sit with his own memories and feelings about those memories for a bit.]

[really_sketchy]

[Naminé isn't hard to find. Not only does she live a few rooms down from Sora but she regularly wanders around the lit areas of the town, taking in the sights or sketching using the supplies she'd gotten at the general store. There is so much for her to experience first hand and while the darkness is daunting at times, the recent gray light of the island has made it a little easier to see the buildings and setting around her.

She's found a few opals herself, memories that belong to both her and others. Naminé isn't sure what to do with them but she knows that they need to be returned to their owners. Memories are precious things.

She is holding one such memory in her palm when she spots Jason by the fire. They've never met in person but they've spoken before and she's asked Sora a little bit about him.

Naminé slips the opal into her sweater pocket and steps over towards the boy.] Excuse me. Are you Jason? [She isn't actually sure but she hopes that she's right.] I am Naminé.

[notthatjason]

[Jason looks up. With all the activity and noise around Beacon, it's easy to sneak up on him. He recognizes her almost immediately. Less from her time here and more from the memory he'd just seen -- after all they hadn't really met in person yet -- so it's a little odd to have her suddenly appear. For a second he wonders if she stepped OUT of the stone, but stuff like that doesn't happen here.

He blinks out of his daze and nods.]

I am. [He offers her a smile and moves over a bit on the bench.] Naminé. It's nice to finally meet in person. Guess we get to sit by the fire together after all...if you want to join me anyway.

[really_sketchy]

[Her smile widens when she realizes that she'd guessed his name correctly. It'd be incredibly embarrassing if she'd messed it up.] It's nice to meet you too Jason.

Yeah. [She nods her head and steps around the small bench to sit at his side. She doesn't realize that he has the opal of her memory or that he knows any more about her than what they had discussed in their texting conversation.] Thank you. That is- for worrying about Sora and me. Sorry about back then. I didn't mean to. I was just worried.

[Naminé is not great at talking to people.]

It's nice to meet you in person. I was looking forward to being able to speak with you again.

Closed for Riku

[really_sketchy]

Riku found a glinting raw green opal with a familiar memory located inside but through a different perspective.

The group turns around and while there is an image of Naminé there, no one seems to see her. She extends a hand and opens a portal in order to lead the group to safety. Mickey and Donald run through Naminé to the portal while speaking.

"Who did this?" Donald asked looking between King Mickey and the portal. "Well, I'm not sure. But we'd better hurry and get through." Pluto barks, runs around Mickey and Donald to disappear into the portal. Goofy is at the dogs heels, running with his usual arm flails. "Wait for me!" Goofy disappears into the portal and is followed by Mickey. Donald waves at those who are left and waves a hand, "C'mon!"

The Disney crew disappears into the portal and Naminé appears in front of everyone though her form is transparent.

"Thank you, Naminé." Kairi smiles as she steps towards the transparent shadow.

"Sure." Naminé looks over at Sora and smiles. "See? We meet again, like we promised."

"Huh?" Sora blinks as another voice answers from his body. "You said we'd meet again, but when we did, we might not recognize each other." As Roxas spoke, he stepped out of Sora's body, his transparent form matching Naminés.

Naminé's smile grew. "I did, didn't I?"

"But I knew you." Roxas exclaimes.

"Mmm…it's strange." She doesn't think they would know each other like this.

Roxas looks thoughtful as his gaze shifts between him and Naminé. "I think I understand. I see myself the way you remember me. And you see yourself the way I remember you."

"I always thought Nobodies were doomed to fade back into darkness…" She shakes her head, placing her hand on her heart before letting her arms fall back down to her sides.

"Yeah, but you and I didn't. We got to meet our original selves." Roxas smiles as he looked over at Sora. Naminé nods and turns to look at Kairi. "So, we can be together again!" Roxas steps next to Naminé's side as the pair of Nobody's face their true selves.

"Right." Roxas nods his head. "Anytime Sora and Kairi are together."

"We'll be together every day. Right, Sora?" Kairi seems to understand what's going on while the conversation flies clear over Sora's head. "Uh…yeah!" Sora didn't remember either Roxas or Naminé but he trusted Kairi and was going with it.

Kairi takes Naminé's hand, and they both glow. Naminé is transferred into Kairi.

Roxas grinned at Sora. "Look sharp!" He then closes his eyes, and fades away. Sora glows as Roxas is absorbed back into him and not for the first time, Sora is really confused.

"Huh?" Sora checks himself as Riku steps forward. "Don't worry. You're all still you."

Kairi stands next to the portal with a smile, waving as if the tri are about to start a race. "Hey, let's go home!"

[ooc: The video for this is here.]

Closed for Sora

[really_sketchy]

Sora finds a Honduran Opal with a memory inside that has been forgotten by all but Naminé.

Sora is kneeling in front of Riku or at least someone who looks a lot like Riku. "Riku...? Riku! RIKU!" He turns to look up at Naminé. "What did you do? What did you do to him?"

Larxene steps through a corridor of darkness, appearing in a cloud of black energy at the forefront of the hall. "Broke his heart." She answered Sora's question though her tone was snide and pointed. "I'd say more like she smashed it, really." Naminé sits in front of Riku as if feeling the pain of what she has done reverberate through her slender frame.

Sora looks between Naminé and Larxene. "Smashed...his heart?! Then...what's gonna… What's gonna happen to Riku?"

Larxene laughs, her voice loud and shrill. "Oh, you're so much fun to watch. If it's Riku you're worried about, then don't. Because Riku was never really here."

Sora glared up at her, "What do you mean?"

Larxene looks like she's enjoying herself far too much. "Do you really think I'm just gonna say it? That's too easy! Oh, what to do?"

"Quit the games!" Sora attacked her but she kicked him away and sighs.

"All right, have it your way, then. I know it'll kill you to hear this, but I think I can live with that. That thing lying there is just a puppet that Vexen made as an experiment. No more than a toy. It's laughable, really. It called you a fake, but IT was a fabrication all along."

Sora's head rose to meet Larxene's crazy smile. "Not Riku? A fake?!"

"Fake in every possible way. It was only finished recently. How could it remember anything?" Larxene picks up the fake Rik. "You get it? Its memories with Naminé were just planted, not real." She throws the replica near the wall. "Yup. That means, all this time, it's been picking fights with you over memories---that were counterfeit, trumped up, and completely bogus. Isn't that the truth, Naminé?" She picks Naminé's head up and try as Larxene mights to meet her gaze, she continues to look down towards the floor. "Oh, so cute...but behind this little face, you do awful things."

Sora looks to the girl he had thought of as a friend. "Naminé..."

Larxene laughs. "You're so stupid. Don't you get it now? That's what Naminé's powers
are about! She can enter, rearrange, and even create new memories---of anything, even things that never happened. The girl you've been trying to protect all this time---is really a manipulative witch who shackles people's hearts!"

Naminé remains speechless as Sora begins to understand. "Then...my memories...are all..."

"Oh, you do get it! Lies, lies, all lies! Just Naminé's illusions, nothing more. Binding you in the chains of your own memory was central to our trap. It makes me tingle to think how easily you were duped. So close to it… we were almost there. This was our only chance to turn the Keyblade master into our puppet, but... That jerk Axel---he used Naminé to betray us!" Larxene summons her knives to her hand and Sora looks up towards her. "So now, I'm left with no choice but to eliminate you!"

Sora glares up at her. "You'll pay..."

Larxene steps forward to meet him but Naminé walks in between Sora and Larxene with her arms spread out to protect him. "Don't!" She doesn't care what she's done. She doesn't want to see Sora get hurt anymore.

"Huh?" Larxene snears down at her. "It's a little late for the witch to grow a conscience. Last time I checked---YOU'RE the one who fooled around with his memories creating this mess."

"I know, but---" Naminés voice is cut off by Larxene. "I should tell you that I'm in an EXTREMELY foul mood. Thanks to you,all our plans are ruined!" Naminé is knocked off her feet and crumbles to the wind marble floor.

Sora reaches out to Naminé. "Naminé!"

"What's this? Are you upset?" Larxene giggles. "And you don't even actually know her!"

"Maybe not." Sora glared at her. "But still...I made...a promise."

Larxene snarls, "What?"

He starts to stand up, "A promise I made to Naminé to keep her safe. Maybe my memories are fake. But the promise is real to me. (He falters slightly) That's why---I'll keep it."

"Hmph. You're such an idiot. There is no promise and there never was! You're just delusional. Must you insist on playing the hero? Whatever. If that's the way you want it... You're going down alone!" Larxene isn't able to say more as a shield appears and both Donald and Goofy show up to help Sora fight off this evil Organization… witch.

[ooc: The video for this is . Time is between 11:20 - 15:03-ish]

@langit; text

[arsarcanum]

[ Heeey, Naminé! Hi! Good news! (There is no good news, but this is the, uh, not bad news!) Unlike the other Castle Oblivion memories the universe gives him, he will indeed remember this one even when he leaves it! It won't cause him pain to remember it, and he won't even be mad that it happened. Honestly. He has... a lot to consider now, but Sora's Sora. He forgives as easily as he breathes.

Bad news! Letting this opal brush his hand signaled the universe to send a chain of related memories directly into his head. A chain of over fifty memories, to be precise! Some of them are just fine - after all, he did meet both Naminé and Larxene in his waking memories. Others, especially the ones related to Replica Riku... Well. The universe does not want him to have those memories back. Those are the ones that cause migraines! Intense migraines! Migraines that last after the echo ends!

It's a little late in the first day of the aurora when Sora is finally able to text Naminé. ]

hey naminé? are you in your room? can i visit?

text

[really_sketchy]

hi sora.
I am.
you can visit.

text >>> action

[arsarcanum]

okay! be there soon.

[ And ten minutes later, there's a knock at her door. ]

Hey, Naminé. It's me.

[ And honestly, when she opens the door, he'll look none worse for the wear. Maybe a little shaky, with his eyes a little red like he'd had allergies, or he'd been crying, but he's pretty okay. Definitely smiling in the good way. ]

action

[really_sketchy]

[There is a soft distant rustling of paper and then the familiar creak of the door as Naminé pushes it open.] Sora? [She meets his gaze and blinks.] Your eyes are red, are you okay?

[There is a brief hesitation before she opens the door wider and steps away to let him inside.]

Come in. It's just me right now. I was drawing so... it's a bit messy. I'm sorry.

[It's only been a few weeks but there are already piles of drawings on the small table in the room with her and Hana's favorites taped or nailed or balanced on the walls.]

Naminé encounters the Baubledook!

[inthenightmods]

At some point during the races, Naminé finds herself near a small spirit handing out hot chocolate. How nice! It's always nice to have something warm to huddle around when watching these sorts of things.

There's a whooshing noise near her ear. Behind her, a tall, shadowy shadowy spirit with an enormous grin full of jagged teeth stares down at her for a moment. They breathe heavily and expectantly. But when it becomes clear she isn't moving, they impatiently huff and move past her, reaching to get a mug. Sipping their hot chocolate, thy hoot just once at Naminé before disappearing, off to find somewhere better to watch the races.

Reaction

[really_sketchy]

Naminé wasn't sure what to do when a Baubledook suddenly appeared near her side. She tried to stay out of its way but her uncertainty and questions froze her in place. She knew immediately that she had chosen poorly when she'd suddenly stopped but she hadn't met too many of the odd and interesting spirits that lived in Beacon. The one she had the most interaction with was at the Landmark Inn.

It was already gone before she thought to utter a soft 'I'm sorry' and by that point it didn't matter.

Next time she'd try and move faster but for now, she was going to find a place out of the way to draw the spirit.

[catholicisms]

Matt has been keeping a pretty stern vigil at the side of the track, but on occasion he has to take a walk. The tree spirit he looks after doesn't need food or warmth like he does, and the little mandrake is utterly lost in the races. Truthfully, just based on the fact it hurts to think too long about what might happen if the spirit decides it is ready for a final race is occasionally enough for him to take a walk, just to try and take his mind off it.

In this instance, he doesn't intend to be gone long. He's wandered in the Invincible to warm up a little. He's armed with a cup of cocoa, probably more to warm his hands than anything else. His walking cane is tucked in his elbow, and without it plotting the path in front of him he might seem a little less obviously blind than usual, though he definitely still has his sunglasses on.

It surely doesn't help that he asks a question that plenty might assume a blind person couldn't notice on their own. "Drawing something?" He's guessing she is. It doesn't sound like writing, at any rate.

[really_sketchy]

"I am." Naminé finished scribbling the last few lines of the spirit she was trying to commit to memory before looking up to see who had approached her. She didn't recognize him but she greeted him with a warm smile nonetheless. It was hard to see or meet everyone here but Naminé hoped that one day she'd be able to make friends with everyone.

"I saw this spirit earlier. I don't really know what will happen to them but I wanted to remember them." Things that were drawn couldn't die or be forgotten.

She paused and not knowing that he was blind made it seem like he was staring at her. "Am I in the way? I was trying to make sure I wasn't." It's hard to find a place where she can zone out and sketch without being in the way of something.

[catholicisms]

His smile stays on, still friendly, but there's something that saddens in it at the mention of a spirit joining the race. Drawing it to commemorate it, no matter what happens. When he's so worried about the mandrake spirit, that hits a little close to home.

"That's very thoughtful of you. To make a memory of them, no matter how the races goes." It's not a memory that can do anything for him, sadly, but... he likes the idea.

She doesn't have to worry about being in his way. He shakes his head, lifting his hand armed with cocoa. "I'm just trying to warm up. I've been over by the races." And it's a bit colder over there, away from town and the bonfire. That phrasing is far less depressing than the actuality of what he's been doing, though the whole truth seems a bit heavy for a total stranger. "I'm Matt. I'm sorry, I hope I didn't interrupt you." He's never going to admit it, but, after the emotional soul sucking of listening spirits run to their eventual doom... he was kind of fishing for some company.

[really_sketchy]

She shook her head. "You aren't interrupting me at all. My name is Naminé, it's nice to meet you Matt. I only just arrived to Beacon. So there is a lot that I do not know but I have been told that there are places to get warmer clothes if you are still very cold."

Naminé looked down at her sketchbook and frowned. "And thank you. I don't think anyone should be forgotten." It didn't matter if they weren't a particularly nice spirit. Memories were important.

"If we aren't forgotten then we're never really gone... are we? That's what I think anyway."

[catholicisms]

He smiles, shaking his head. "I'm all right." He's wearing a coat, Elektra left him with her scarf, he's dressed as warm as he possibly can be. It's just a matter of being outside far too long, it puts a chill in every inch of him that isn't likely to be shaken unless he actually goes inside to warm up. He's not willing to be away from Ivy that long, though.

Matt has a lot of experience with losing people and does like to hold onto figments of them. He held onto his father's boxing gloves for a good few decades. In fact, he misses not having them here. So it's safe to say that he absolutely agrees. "I think so. It's a way to hold onto those who are gone. It's harder to forget when you have something to remind you."