songerein | [open!] you're only everything I ever dreamed

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[open!] you're only everything I ever dreamed

Who: The Kingdom Hearts cast + You!
Which: Open Log!
Where: The collection of treehouses that the cast has made! And other areas!
What: An open log for residents and adjacent CR to come and go. Top levels inside!
Warnings: tba!

[Now that the residents of Songerein are settling in it seems that a group of uncanny key kids (and a few others) have come together to make a nice little collection of connecting treehouses. The houses are dreamed up and put together with a patchwork of wooden bridges and boards and spruced up with fairy lights that glow and hang from the rafters. The treehouses are high in the canopies of thick trees and the balcony sections are open and breezy for any visitors to come to walk up the steps and see.

Down below the treehouses on the ground seems to be a rather flourishing garden of sunflowers. Where they come from or how they sprouted is still unclear. But it is joined with a rather chubby-looking chicken that pecks at the ground occasionally. Along with the grazing chicken, there seems to be a whoosh of dragonfly wings as a large dragonfly has taken to the treehouse as a home too. And what is this? It seems they might have a small collection of blue birds that won't leave the house alone. What other creatures are out and about?

Dreammotion energy seems to be strong around the treehouses. As the trees house a collection of boys with vivid and wild imaginations. Sometimes lights will flicker brighter or plants will bloom with various strange flowers. And the smell of baking chocolate and cookies is always in the air.]

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[Given everything going on, some wiggly pointy creature that likes to swipe his things is the least of his worries. All he knows is that it's connected to Vanitas somehow, and that's all he cares about.]

It's not "time"?

[It's said with the same tone as he might say come on, man.]

What, are you looking over your shoulder every waking moment? Paranoia won't help.

[Ask him how he knows!]

[ Don't give him that tone. Vanitas pauses mid bite and puts his food down. Glaring. ]

Shouldn't you be a little more cautious then? At least if I am looking over my shoulder, the things that will be taking people by surprise won't hit me as hard.

[ He also has experience! ]

There's a difference between not being paranoid and blind optimism.

[He shrugs, nonchalant; he doesn't have the energy to care about future problems at this point. He has so many already that it hardly feels like it would make a difference.]

I'm not exactly expecting sunshine and rainbows, you know. I'm just taking advantage of the downtime between the tragic nightmares and monster attacks, or whatever this place decides to throw at us.

I prefer not to be optimistic at all. Again, if I expect the worst then there won't be a surprise.

[ Though it speaks to a lot of other things that this is his mindset. Honestly, it's because if he anticipates the worst at all times and doesn't have any expectations for a positive outcome, then his already fractured and shattered heart won't have to deal with that pain.

Yet it's also because, in the end, he's simply been conditioned that way. It is going to take more time to break him of these habits and thoughts completely. ]

Time between to do what though? Exactly how do you think I should be filling the space then?

[He folds his arms.]

I guessed that one already, as it turns out.

[He's not asking Vanitas to be hopeful. He's asking him to have fun, which is entirely different.]

A hobby, at least. Doing something just for the sake of enjoying it. Gardening. Woodcarving. Hockey. There's something out there you like.

[ And "having fun" is something that he wholly struggles with. It doesn't matter that he's had time with Sora and other people. The notion that one can be unproductive is still hard for him to grasp. ]

Fighting?

[ Look, he hasn't really been giving opportunities to find things that he likes to do? Or that he could be good at? ]

[Meanwhile, Ferran, who does not find fighting any fun at all, lets out a sigh through his nose.]

I was thinking hopefully an activity that doesn't involve hurting someone.

[Hm. Though if physical activity and an opponent are what's appealing there...]

But I guess there are sports like that—boxing, fencing, wrestling, that kind of thing...

[ Time for Vanitas to pause again. He frowns, not knowing what really any of those words are. ]

What are you talking about?

[ Boxing? Fencing? ...Wrestling is a word that Vanitas knows, but not really in this context? ]

They're sports that are kind of like fighting. Just with special equipment and rules to make sure nobody gets more than a few bruises.

[Before it was gifts and cards, and now he has to explain boxing. Well, today's your lucky day, Vanitas. It's time to learn about more nice things.]

Like for fencing, none of the swords are sharp, and you wear a helmet and a padded uniform. And instead of actually stabbing someone, you get points when you hit them.

So what's the point if you can't go all out? How do you really test your skills and know what limits you still need to break?

[ Seems like... He still doesn't really ge the point. ]

None of that teaches you anything really useful. The whole point of bruises or stab wounds is to force you to learn from your mistakes.

[ And he's talking about this like it's a perfectly natural thing. Like an every day part of life. ]

[... he's starting to get an idea here of the sort of situation Vanitas must have come from. More than just the being of darkness thing.]

Vanitas, [he says with the air of a sigh,] the point is not to be useful. Not even a little bit. It's not about getting stronger, or improving your reflexes, or honing yourself into the perfect weapon.

[Is he getting warm?]

It's about being able to relax because you don't have to worry about getting hurt, and having fun with it instead. Just one of the little things in life you can look forward to.

[ Good on Ferran. It's not an aspect that all are really privy to. Vani doesn't often like his ignorance showing, after all.

And the other has the right of it, of course. The whole "weapon" thing. Because yes, that's what he has been doing. To grow stronger. More powerful so that nothing can be taken away. So that he can keep what he gains. So that he is valuable enough to not be thrown away. ]

I still don't really get it, Ferran. To do all that in a place where you can't get hurt just seems like fear or cowardice.

[Ferran simply chuckles, apparently not bothered by Vanitas's one-track mind. These things take time.]

That's just your lack of experience talking. You'll understand when you start having fun.

[As far as how, though... that might be a pickle. Maybe they could start slow, try some a kind simple game, or—]

Hey, let's spar sometime. That might be a good way to get the idea.

[oh okay you're just going to go the more violent route huh ferran]

[ Oh he would make such the snappy comment about "experience." Really, he would. That is, if Vanitas had thought for one minute that Ferran had been looking down on him or mocking him. Which he isn't. That's the only thing that is really saying the other guy from a snippy comment. Vanitas is still scowling though.

Because he hates not understanding things. Hates not really getting it. He's better than that. Right? He's not worthless and stupid like Ventus. ]

Sparring. As in fighting with no intent to really do anyone any harm.

[ Look, he and Sora still do that. Kind of. Only neither one of them really hold back so does that count? ]

[Ferran would be glad to know his intent was seen clearly enough, despite the clear disconnect. It's true that he doesn't look down on Vanitas for not knowing; it's just a result of the situation he came from. One step at a time—and he has full confidence they'll get there eventually.]

Right. [Holding back or not, it's a starting point.] But we won't do it for the sake of improving weaknesses or pushing past limits, alright?

So what you're telling me is that I need to figure out how to hold back...

[ Do you have any idea what you're asking him to do? Or what it means to have Vanitas actually consider it.

He doesn't like holding back. ]

[He tilts his head, considering.]

Mmm, not exactly.

[If Vanitas enjoys going all out, Ferran's not going to criticize him for that preference.]

It's more about... not being pressured into feeling like doing less than your absolute best is failing.

[ What a thing to struggle to understand, right? ]

I don't really get it. But whatever. It's not like I'm about to refuse.

[They all have their struggles, some more depressing than others... Still, Ferran can always acknowledge the effort that's being made, and especially not being brushed off.]

I appreciate it.

[It turned out that thing swiping his journal had a pretty decent outcome, in his view. Where is it, anyway? He'll have to give it another pat before he leaves...]

[ The journal is still there on the countertop. Nothing's run off with it this time at least. ]

Yeah yeah.

[ His fingers tap on the table for a minute. ]

You know... For a guy that doesn't remember much about me, if at all, you're really starting to fixate.

[He's "starting to fixate," is he? Hm. Perhaps it seems that way. Without letting his demeanor drop into anything too somber, he simply remarks:]

Most people I knew had already left by the time it was all over, back in that other world. I didn't have much to look forward to.

[So maybe, now that he's had the chance to come here and meet with a friend again, he is fixating on one of the bright points in his life. The few possibilities he has. He can't take that for granted.]

Just because the details are hazy doesn't mean I can't remember how I felt, you know. I'm done wasting time worrying about it.

[ Vanitas doesn't really mean anything by it, oddly enough. He's just... Vanitas. This is just how he behaves. A little defensive, but mostly just trying to needle just a little. ]

That sounds like something Sora says. "Even if I forget, my heart won't." That sort of thing.

[ He uh. Might be smiling. Just a little. ]

[Ferran makes a noise in the back of his throat, leaning his head back to look at the ceiling almost as if recoiling from the idea. Only in jest of course, but still.]

Don't compare me to him. He's so... embarrassing.

[Apparently he hasn't completely let go of his pride...]

[ That entire display makes Vanitas burst into laughter. Yeah, it's in jest. It's over the top, but that's fine. ]

He really is, huh? I tell him that all the time and he just doesn't care.

[There's a slight upturn at the corner of his mouth at Vanitas's response.]

Yeah, well. He's got more feelings than sense, that's for sure.

[After a moment, though, Ferran gets to his feet, stepping over to pick up his journal.]

I've probably bugged you enough for now.

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