asgardchrysalis | Bound by chains of memory

Entry tags:

kingdom hearts - sora

Bound by chains of memory

Who: Sora & open
What: Memory plot/event.
When: late in the month of February
Where: around Asgard
Warnings: cute bitties Sora and Riku, sparring and hurting each other I guess. Sora stabbing himself at Hollow Bastion and becoming a Heartless are I guess the biggest ones here at the moment.

a: Destiny Islands; BBS Era

[Sora is about four, Riku a year older at five and as always, thus taller, bigger, stronger and faster. Not that this stops Sora from trying, as they play together on their play Island back at Destiny Islands. They're on the beach, going at each other with wooden swords. Sora does his best in attacking, though Riku blocks, and then it's Sora's turn on the defense. He's not as strong, but he definitely seems to be coming into his own the more they practice over the years. As he gets more experience, gets to know how Riku fights. And his own style starts to form.

He gets knocked back though, this time, whimpering and clumsily wiping at his bleeding nose. Of course playing like this it is inevitable one of them get hurt. The memory fades then, being short as it is.]

b: Destiny Islands; Older.

[Riku and Sora are older this time, a year or so younger than currently at Asgard. They're now joined by a girl with red hair at the Paopu Island, usually Riku's spot, as they all sit or stand against the tree, talking about their desire to leave, see what else is out there and what they might find when they finish their raft.]

c: Destruction of Destiny Islands

[Sora finds Riku, in the midst of the Heartless taking over their home. Riku talks about how this is their chance to leave, how they might never see their parents again but this was a chance they had to take. He says how Kairi is coming with them, something about a door being opened. Sora seems less sure, but does try to reach for Riku when Darkness starts to consume them.]

Riku....?!

d: Hollow Bastion; Freeing Kairi's Heart

[Sora defeats the possessed Riku, still unable to unlock the Keyhole there in Hollow Bastion. He needs to free Kairi's heart from his own, hers having taken refuge there in the middle of the destruction of their home, Destiny Islands. He uses the Keyblade Riku had that he'd claimed unlocked hearts, stabbing himself in the chest in order to free her heart and return her to herself again. The last thing he hears is Donald and Goofy calling his name, before he seems to disappear. He feels himself falling into Darkness.

At the cost of Sora himself becoming a Shadow Heartless, wandering the castle until he finds her again and she returns him to normal.]

e: Traverse Town; Reuniting with Riku for the first time since leaving home

[Sora's kind of ecstatic to have Riku back, all but pouncing and putting his fingers in Riku's mouth as if to reassure himself the other is really there. They talk about how they need to find Kairi still and how Sora has a new weapon - the Keyblade. Sora invites Riku to come with him, Donald and Goofy with the Gummi Ship but Riku wanders off on him.]

f: Sora meets Donald and Goofy

[Sora is running around minding his own business when the duck and dog just. Literally fall on top of him. And then they have to fight a huge armored Heartless. Because nothing forges a friendship like that, right? Even if Donald and Goofy are initially more in it for the Keyblade, since King Mickey told them to find the one wielding it.]

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Yours is-- fine.

[ Perhaps she'd give more thought to which is closer or which is safer if she weren't so preoccupied - not to mention take more care to actually deal with that first question of his. No sooner has she stood up than she begins collecting her supplies and the small number of books, then goes to place them where they ought to be with a soft, ]

I don't need to take these.

[ to excuse her movements. Her hands don't feel as steady as they ought to, her nerves thrumming with anticipation and worry even once she completes her task and returns to where he's waiting, finally giving him a nod back to signal that they can leave. ]

Alright then. Let's go to Heimdall.

[He agrees, giving a nod and gesturing for her to follow when she's ready. She seems to want to wait till they have more privacy, so he doesn't ask about the memory on the way there, simply leading the way and letting her choose if she wants to wait to talk about it. For now, on the way there, he decides to try keep things lighter.]

So, were you working on another drawing there?

[ The girl walks along at his side with her head slightly bowed, a troubled frown on her face as she tries to make sense of all of this in her own mind. The pathway before them provides her with no assistance, but it doesn't quite occur to her to lift her eyes from it, preoccupied as she is.

It's only when he speaks that she finally glances up, blinking at him owlishly. ]

Huh? [ It's not hard to tell from her blank expression that she doesn't even register the question at first. ] A drawing?

[ But it clicks soon enough, and she tucks her chin with a soft, ]

Oh. You mean that drawing. [ She swallows, making a conscious effort to relax her features. It's largely unsuccessful. ] Yes, I... I've started a few today.

[ Back before she realized it was going to be one of those strange occasions. ]

Yeah. What were you working on?

[May as well chat a little in asking about it on the way. When they get inside to his room then they could talk about the strange memory he had. So Sora tries at least. Tries in helping distract her for a little bit as they walk. In seeing how distracted and worried she seems to be about this memory for some reason.]

Nothing important.

[ Her tone isn't meant to shut the question down; if anything, she sounds just a little helpless, like she can't quite pull herself out of her own mind. But presently she seems to relent, to recognize her mistake; it probably is better if they chat about something else. Still frowning slightly, she finally lifts her head just a bit higher, refocusing on him as they walk. ]

I just... thought it might be nice to remember the castle. The one we all stayed in for a while, while the snow was falling.

[ Since it probably wouldn't hurt to specify which castle, considering how many of there are in worlds they both know about. ]

It's a really interesting place. A little strange, maybe, but...

[ Beautiful in its own way. ]

Hm? Oh, that place! Yeah, that sure was something.....

[Sora himself had gone out in that blizzard so he wasn't quite himself the whole time they were staying there, but still. It had been interesting to get to stay there for a bit. And given she had spent time with the Organization and all, she was probably interested and more used to the larger living spaces in comparison to what he was used to on the Islands with smaller housing with fewer people in each. Or so he assumes.

At least, the walk back to the housing isn't too long and they are quick to make it to his room and he sits on the bed, gesturing for her to either join him or sit on a chair.]

Mm.

[ Her noise of agreement is firm yet noncommittal. By the time they reach his House, she's grown quiet again. Heartbeat picking up anew as they step into his room, she pauses a moment before electing to take the chair. As she sits down, though, and glances up at him across from her, she's reminded rather unpleasantly of previous experiences she never enjoys reliving. She instinctively put distance between them, didn't she? She feels an odd rush of shame, yet she still folds her hands on top of her lap to restrain herself from going back on her decision. ]

Sora...

[ There's less of a rift between explaining and doing damage control than it seems like there should be. She can hardly know what she ought to tell him without understanding his condition, and so when she lifts her eyes to regard him, she inspects him carefully as she asks, ]

Is there anything else that you've remembered? Anything that you didn't recall before?

Anything else? Aside from being with you with the meteor shower? Not yet. You think I'll remember more? I didn't remember you being on the Islands before.....

[He sits, gesturing for her to join him in taking a seat wherever she wants. He himself is evidently unsure on this, as he rubs a hand at the back of his neck, giving a shrug. His gaze is lowered a bit before he glances back to her where she sits on the chair. He's still trying to make sense of this. He has no other memories of her being on the Islands. So why is he suddenly remembering this single moment?]

I-- I don't know.

[ It frightens her to have to say that, especially because it's the truth. Without her powers, she's nearly as lost as he is. This is the first time in a long time that she's felt the loss of her natural abilities so keenly, and it unnerves her. Letting out a breath to try to steady herself, she turns her frown toward the ground, hands tightening around each other. ]

It's strange enough that you have a new memory so suddenly. You shouldn't...

[ Oh, there's no way to say it that sounds right, is there? Her frown grows ever more pronounced as she struggles with herself, with her worry, her uncertainty, with the words themselves. Then, a bit more of the truth; ]

You shouldn't be able to remember that at all.

Huh? How do you mean I shouldn't remember it?

[Because he was too young? He was four. Just barely old enough to remember, at that age. Or there abouts. In terms of first memories anyone older might actually properly be able to recall. He tilts his head in confusion when she says he shouldn't be able to remember it. So what did she mean by that? As if something or someone had stopped him remembering? Or she assumed he didn't remember because of how young he was back then?]

[ His age at the supposed time of the memory would make for a reasonable enough excuse. Still, Naminé doesn't think to seize the opportunity, doesn't have it in her to lie to him even in a small way. Frowning, she displays on her face without meaning to a certain amount of her internal struggle. ]

I mean... that it never really happened.

[ That's the short version, anyway. There's more to it, it seems, judging by the way she studies him as she says it. Oh, it hurts not to tell him the whole story - but not as much as she's afraid it might hurt if she did tell. The shake of head is small, firm through her overall hesitance. ]

I've never even been to the Islands. Not as a child, or-- any other time.

Huh? Then....then why do I remember you being there with me watching the meteor shower at the shore?

[It had seemed as real as any of his other memories. The only reason he questioned it was because aside from that moment, he didn't recall her being at the Islands at all. So that made the memory stick out. Otherwise he wouldn't have thought anything of it. Sora frowns and pouts in confusion, tilting his head as he glances to her for answers. As if this would be easy to explain.]

Because...

[ There are too many ways to answer that question - too many truths and too many lies, any part of which she could justify telling if she really tried. Her brows draw closer together, expression troubled. If she hadn't the benefit of past experience, she might have been a girl tempted by the opportunity to imprint herself in his memory again, even in this one small way. But this older, wiser Naminé is too honest, too skilled at tempering her own wishes. ]

Because you're confused, Sora. [ Again she shakes her head, more broadly than before. ] But it isn't your fault.

[ This time when she falters, it's briefer than she would have expected; she knows she has to give him something, some way to help him understand the why that's more satisfying than telling him he's wrong. ]

You... have forgotten some things. That might be why this is happening - why you have a memory that doesn't make sense to you now.

How could I forget? If you were never at the Islands, why would I remember you being there then?

[He doesn't have the same context that she does around the implications of this. To know that he is picking up on her memories. Her fake memories she messed with in replacing herself with Kairi in his. Sora's definitely confused, but that was why he had come to ask her about it. For her to explain to him. He's not sure if this is more or less confusing than when he brought her in here yet. He has no idea about how easily she could lie. How easily she could and had won over his affections back then.

Which is why he tilts his head, frowning in confusion.]

[ It feels a little as though she's watching him pull at a string that could unravel the entirety of her work, and it's all the more frightening because of what the outcome could be. She can't fix anything, not here, and short of asking the gods, hasn't any idea what she might be able to do to make sure his mind doesn't fall into disarray. In truth, it's uncharted territory - what might happen if she says too much - but caution demands she take things slowly, that she be careful, that she hold her tongue.

Which makes it terribly hard to look at him now as she tries to figure out a way around her self-imposed limitations. Her expression is a difficult one to read, but there's still more than a small amount of conflict in it as she hesitates. ]

That's...

[ Her lips pull down, her eyes following suit. ]

… A very long story, Sora. But I can tell you that - that memory that you have is false.

[ That doesn't help to explain much, though, does it? Exhaling a preoccupied breath, she allows herself one more moment of reluctance before she finally admits, ]

There's much that you don't remember about-- about the year that you were asleep.

[ About what caused him to be asleep for so long. ]

Edited 2020-03-30 04:17 (UTC)

A false memory? How would that happen?

[He doesn't get how terrifying this might be for her. How guilty she feels for everything now. He doesn't know her role in it all. Maybe more just confused, perhaps wondering if the gods had done something perhaps. Not so much thinking she had anything to do with this herself.]

The time I was asleep? You mean when I woke up and we found that note to thank you in Jiminy's journal?

[ The girl wilts visibly at his initial question, hesitating before murmuring a soft, 'Well...' that she never actually follows up with anything. In her demeanor there are other signs of how unnerved she is, even if the reasons why are hard to assess; she hands are curled into anxious fists, for one thing. There might even be some relief for her in being asked a question she can answer, because she's quick to confirm, ]

Yes, that's when I mean.

[ Maybe that puts her at more risk of him putting two and two together, but she's already skirting the edge of this as it is. ]

A lot happened during that year. [ Even now, when she has other worries, her voice is a little sad. ] And just before it. Like I said, it's... hard for me to explain everything.

[ Actually, strictly speaking she called it a long story, but-- the sentiment is the same. Her fists curl just a bit tighter as she confesses, ]

I'm sorry, Sora. I wish I could tell you more, but...

[ For his sake, she doesn't dare. ]

It's okay. I just thought, since I was confused, I should check with you because you'd know about the memory or something.

[Sora's just confused. Still. False memories? But he at least did get an answer from her that she never was really on the Island, like he had originally figured since he didn't remember her being there before now.]

You can't tell me because you're not sure where to start or.....? It's okay. You don't have to get all tense and worked up. It's just me.

[Sora tries to reassure her, reaching a gloved hand on top of her clenched fists, to try help her relax.]

[ Naminé gives her head a small shake, lips parting in subtle, self-conscious surprise. ]

No - you were right to come to me. I'd want to know about anything like this that happens to you.

[ Whether she can provide him as much comfort as she wants to or not. As he speaks again she repeats her earlier gesture, headshake growing firmer. ]

It's not that...! [ Her eyes follow his hand, and once it settles on hers, her fingers curl a little tighter, then relax as she concentrates on forcing them to. ] I know you wouldn't be angry with me.

[ Although that has everything to do with him, with his nature, and nothing to do with whether or not she feels she deserves for him to be angry with her. Exhaling a quiet breath, she makes the same effort to relax her shoulders. ]

The truth is... [ She knows she'll tell him this much, at least, and yet still she hesitates, lips poised for a moment before she finally allows the words to pass through them. ] ... That you forgot the things that you did because you were supposed to forget them.

[ Frown prominent on her features, she carefully removes one of her hands from under his and places it gently against the top of his knuckles, her palm down. ]

And it's very - very important, [ she continues, expression grim as she meets his eyes, ] ... for those memories to stay buried.

I was...supposed to?

[Sora's not sure what to make of that. It's....unnerving, to say the least. That he can't remember. That there was the ability to mess with memories like this, here and back home. But whatever her reasons, whatever the reasons were for him forgetting, it obviously happened for a reason. So even as he frowns in confusion and tilts his head, he then gives an eventual nod.]

If you can't tell me, you can't.

[ She confirms it with a nod and a soft, 'yes,' though her eyes never stray from his face. Closely she watches him, studying him for any sign that he might disagree. He'd be well within his rights, she thinks, to be bothered by the idea of so much time being lost from his mind.

But there's an obvious relief on her features when he accepts it, and she doesn't quite manage to hold in the small exhale of her held breath. ]

Thank you, [ she tells him with subtle emphasis, earnest. ] I hoped you'd understand.

[ Her momentary gladness, however, ebbs again quickly as her brow begins to knit anew. While they're discussing this as close to openly as possible, she admits with some reluctance, ]

But... that's what has me worried. It's just so strange - for one of those memories to appear again so suddenly. I don't know what it means, or what could have caused it...! So for now-- please, try not to think about it.

[ For the sake of not pulling up any other memories intended to be lost. Her hand tightens just a little around his, beseechingly. ]

Can you do that?

You think I might remember more? If I do, should I just come see you again about it?

[If he already remembered one thing he wasn't supposed to somehow? He doesn't mean to cause her to be so worried and all about him, and isn't sure what might happen if he keeps remembering more of these false memories. But he purses his lips, giving a nod of agreement anyway that he would try not to dwell on it too much. At the least, if not because it was confusing then for her sake.]

[ Naminé begins to shake her head, but it's not to negate the idea of him having further memories; rather, she's left a bit at a loss by this whole situation. ]

It's hard for me to say. Until I know why it's happening, and whether this has to do with Asgard, or whether it has to do with you, I can't be sure what to expect.

[ It looks as though saying as much troubles her, yet she musters a serious expression through her worry. ]

Still, there... is a chance that you might. And if you do, then-- yes, tell me as soon as you can. Whatever's going on, I want to do my best to help, even if it might be hard here.

Hm....I'm not sure either. What to make of this. If it's a problem, maybe if you're not sure, the gods might be able to help?

[They were pretty powerful after all? He's not sure if they might be powerful enough to mess with memories like this though. If it is something that they did to him or something wrong with him in him somehow now accessing these false memories somehow for some reason even if he shouldn't be able to. He doesn't want to worry her like this.....]

But....even if it wasn't real, if it was false....that wasn't a bad memory.

Maybe... [ she agrees slowly, and yet she doesn't look as though she's eager to take up that plan. Her mouth tightens into a line, a subtle shake of her head supporting the insinuation of her expression. ]

But this is something I'd rather keep between us. [ Although saying as much makes her feel as though she's admitting to having done something wrong. Trying not to shift in place too guiltily, ] I'm not sure what their reaction would be, or what they might do.

[ It could do more harm than good, is what she's saying, since there's no telling what the gods can and can't actually manage. As preoccupied as she is by all of that, however, she's not so much so that his comment doesn't make her stop. Blinking, she glances back up at him with an almost startled expression. ]

It wasn't?

[ Oh, she'd made it not to be, made it to be a meaningful recollection from childhood with good connotations, and yet to hear him say that unsolicited makes her feel... strange, in a pleasant kind of way. ]

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