re_alignment | voice | trion's temple

Entry tags:

brave police: j-decker | kagerou

voice | trion's temple

[This isn't where he was supposed to be. He was on the roof just a second ago. Why... why is he in the temple now? It doesn't make any sense.]

[And then the feeling of loss sets in. Considering he can no longer recall the events leading up to, and including the fight with Overlord, he can only assume this loss is of memory itself. The most important thing he has...]

[... needless to say, when it finally occurs to him to grab the Link and make a call, he sounds utterly frantic.]

Someone -- please. I don't know what happened. I...

[He actually needs a moment to calm down enough to speak.]

... My memory is... there is something missing. I can feel -- I can feel it!

Please. Help.

[This is the most distressing thing in the world... at least until someone tells him he was dead a minute ago.]

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After someone...?

Why?

[He swallows. It's really not an easy thing to say at all.]

You...

...someone told me you died.

[His head snaps back as if struck. If he were human, he'd have gone pale.]

[How could -- Why would McCrane have told Ventus what happened --]

I... No, I told him not to talk about it! Why did he tell you!

[Because, yes, he assumes the boy means what happens in his future. In his world.]

[Whoa, hang on, now you're confusing him! The reaction surprises him, but he still flinches from the tone.]

Wh... Huh? So you did know?

[He visibly shudders, curling in on himself.]

[After a moment of just that, he manages to lock down the feed.]

McCrane... told me. I didn't know until he did... Back home, back where I came from, I tried to --

[He ends up covering his face with his hands.]

-- tried to live. To get away when I was meant to be erased. I tried to escape and ...

[Nope, he can't finish.]

He said he would never speak of it again. Why did he tell you?

[The last thing Ventus wants is to make Kagerou more uncomfortable, but he stays silent, waiting patiently as the robot speaks.

....he frowns. No, this isn't what he'd been talking about at all, but does that mean that back where Kagerou's from, he...

When Kagerou trails off, the boy doesn't push him to finish. But he does slowly shake his head.]

He...didn't. I don't think I've even talked to McCrane before- wait. [He realizes he has heard the name before, though.]

This... what I mentioned earlier, it happened here, and...maybe about a week or so ago. ...I was told that several had died- McCrane was one of the names...mentioned along with yours.

Here...?

[No, he's hearing this wrong. This is all wrong. Why is it missing? Why is Ventus saying these things? Why can't he remember?]

[Very slowly, he starts to curl in more. And more. His hands press to the sides of his helmet, like he's trying to hold something in. Trying to hold onto something he can't.]

I don't... I don't know what you're talking about.

I don't know how else to say it...or the details- I don't want to know the details...

-but. You're here. And I'm talking to you. I don't know what's going on any more than you do...

[It's hurting him, Ventus can see that. Can't he do anything for him...?]

Kagerou, where are you? Can... Can I come see you?

I don't understand. I don't understand...

[He's repeating himself, seemingly without realizing it. Over and over again, as if the words will suddenly start making sense, and it'll all come back.]

[Of course, that doesn't happen.]

Temple. The... by the lake.

[Kagerou's behavior is rather worrying. Ventus is already moving to leave Prima's temple once he gets the location.]

Be right there.

[It won't take him that long if he uses his glider. Cutting down to the lakeside temple will be no problem.]

[He just nods. What else is there to say? No one is helping clear up the confusion. If anything, they're just making things harder to figure out.]

[But he won't be going anywhere.]

[The boy speeds on down. He's never been in Alpha Trion's temple, but he knows the area a little better than the others at least.

Once he's down at the temple, he hops off the glider, dismissing the keyblade without a second thought as he runs inside, calling out.]

Kagerou-? Where are you?

[He's sitting pretty much in the same place the video showed him. Hunched in on himself beside the altar, leaning against it.]

[He only looks up when he hears Ventus' voice.]

... here.

[Ventus runs along at that, finally finding the large room and the lone robot within. Even though he's a little short of breath, he doesn't stop until he's gotten within a few feet of Kagerou.]

Hey...

[As Ventus approaches, he pries a hand out of his ball of misery, lowering it to the ground. He's not sure if the boy is going to take the offer, but right now, he just wants something -- something to hold. Weight, tactile sensation, those are things that still make sense.]

[It's grounding.]

[It's a gesture none of the other robots he's spoken to in person have done, but he's not afraid.

The boy steps forward, and then carefully up onto the hand extended.]

[He lifts his hand very slowly, curling his other around the boy. Before he ends up just... holding him near his chest panel.]

[He's not sure what else to do, but this helps. Somewhat.]

[Ventus isn't sure how you make a robot feel better, but he knows what always makes him feel better.

Once he's held up close enough, he turns, leaning against Kagerou, patting him in what he hoped would be consoling. It's kind of hard offering hugs to someone so much bigger than you, but he's sure going to try.]

[He's not entirely sure what's happening here. But, it's as he thought. Weight, tactile sensation.]

[A comfort, even if he doesn't understand what Ventus is trying to do.]

[His fingers curl. He can't do much else, what with the size difference. This is as good as he can give.]

[So long as Kagerou's comforted somehow, then that's all that matters to Ventus. It's strange, and obviously quite the contrast from the warm hugs he's ever received from Aqua.

He feels those metal fingers shift slightly, closer. It's little enough an attempt of reciprocation, and the boy feels better knowing he's able to do something. He'll stay there as long as he feels needed.]

[He's willing to sit there and try to reboot his memories until his fuel supply runs out. Which is probably not the best thing for Ventus.]

[... so it's up to the boy, really, how long they're going to be here. But the trembling has started to ease, now that he has something else to focus on, other than the terrifying feeling of loss.]

[Not really good for Kagerou either, isn't it?

But Ventus feels that tension start to bleed away, and he lifts his head up, eventually easing away from the bot's chestplate after one more reassuring pat.]

[He feels the boy pull back, looking down at him, somewhat confused. Though, really, this confusion is better than what he was feeling before.]

... are you all right?

Mm. I'm okay.

[He looks up at him.]

Are...you going to be okay, Kagerou?

[He doesn't answer right away. Because he's honestly not sure how to answer.]

[Maybe just be truthful.]

... I don't know.

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