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[starshower]

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[starshower]

Something about...

[Her brow furrows a bit as she chews slowly on a chocolate.]

Nobodies? I don't think you ever really managed to explain that.

[seasaltkeys]

Oh, yeah. Right.

[He lets out a half sigh, half laugh.]

It's a little bit complicated. If you've got the time.

[starshower]

I've got time, yeah.

[The bar is relatively quiet at this time of day, with only a few customers already with their food and drinks.]

I'm listening, if you wanna talk about it.

[He'd given the impression that things were complicated between him and his friend, so maybe talking it out with someone else will help?]

[seasaltkeys]

[If only it were that easy, but he's figuring it out. Slowly.]

Well, I guess the easiest way to start is that Sora's here. And he's my Other.

[Sounding like it's pronounced with a capital O]

You ever hear of monsters called Heartless?

[starshower]

Ah, right. That was the other word that you used...

[And she'd felt a little pang in her chest about it, though she can't say whether she was right or wrong to—she had no idea what it meant.]

But no, can't say that I have.

[seasaltkeys]

Good. It's good that you haven't.

[The less people have heard of Heartless, the better in Roxas's opinion. It means they haven't spread to all the Worlds.]

But, they're monsters, and they can steal a person's Heart.

[starshower]

[Her hand immediately and instinctively goes to her chest.]

You mean... like really steal it? Tear it out of their chest kind of steal it?

[seasaltkeys]

Yeah. Basically that.

But it's like, not like the organ. More like...who you are.

[There's no blood, it's only got an E rating.]

[starshower]

[She had a feeling that was the sort of thing that he might have meant, and she's not sure which is worse.]

... So the person that they take it from loses who they are? What happens to them after that?

[seasaltkeys]

They become a Heartless to. And whatever's left becomes a Nobody.

[He plays with his ice cream a little bit, before taking a bite to fortify himself.]

I was a Nobody.

[starshower]

[She's still not quite sure that she understands completely, but there is a heavy silence that follows those words. She watches his spoon dip into the ice cream, and her hand closes around the few chocolate chips that are left there. Her lips curl into a frown, and she moves to come around to the other side of the bar so that she can sit on the stool next to his.]

So, what exactly does that mean? Being a Nobody? Was it... scary?

[seasaltkeys]

Kinda yeah...

It basically means that you're the shell of whoever you were before. A lot of human Nobodies, they can remember their former lives, even if they can't feel anything about them. I, didn't have that. I didn't remember being Sora, so I was just. Me.

[starshower]

Wait...

[Tifa has to stop him there, confusion only deepening the frown between her brows.]

Does that mean that you're not... or that you weren't human?

[She's so confused—Kingdom Hearts why are you like this...]

[seasaltkeys]

[The true eternal question of the franchise.]

Honestly...I don't really know? I think I have a Heart now. And maybe I always did, but it didn't really feel like it?

I know I was Sora, or a part of Sora, once, but now.

I'm just. Me. I guess.

[starshower]

[Well, at least she knows one thing for certain...]

In the end, it doesn't really matter who you were then. I think, at least.

[And she isn't saying this to lessen his feelings on the matter, which is why her voice is as soft as it is.]

What matters is who you are now, and the person you choose to be. The kind of person you choose to be. And to me, you're Roxas.

[seasaltkeys]

[It does make him smile, to hear her say that. He's worked hard to be recognized as himself. Which is a weird way to phrase it.]

That's all I've really tried to be.

[starshower]

[She smiles warmly at him, hearing that. She didn't want him going around thinking that he was or had to be anyone but himself. She's sure that this Sora kid is a great person, if Roxas is anything to go by, but he is a good person in his own right.

There is, however, the slightest twitch of her brow.]

... Is it something that's been worrying you?

[seasaltkeys]

Kinda yeah.

[He shrugs, shoulders coming up around his years. One of those signs that he's still a kid in many ways.]

It's just. As much as I'm me, there's always going to be a connection with Sora. And well, I never really know how to address that. Because Sora's way more...friendly and everything. Than me.

[starshower]

Really?

[She rests her chin on her hand and looks at him.]

I think you're pretty friendly yourself. But... this connection between you and him. It's not... bad or anything, is it?

[What is it like anyway? Being that connected with someone? Is it almost like having a soulmate, except with a few differences? Her curiosities are endless.]

[seasaltkeys]

Oh! No, not really...it just sort of. Is.

[He doesn't think there's anything bad. He and Sora get along pretty well, and, well, Roxas is Roxas now. It's probably a little more dangerous with Xion, but Xion's not here.]

At least, it hasn't caused any problems lately.

[starshower]

That's good. I'm glad to hear it.

[Truly. She offers him a genuine smile.]

Does it feel a little strange? The connection, I mean. Can you like... feel the things he's feeling, or know what he's thinking? Or sense him, or something? I can imagine it would be a little... odd.

[seasaltkeys]

It was weirder when I didn't know about him. Like, I'd have dreams, memories of him, stuff where it was me but not me.

We're more or less our own people know. But I can usually figure out what he's thinking, or if he's going to do something dumb. Someone's gotta keep an eye on him.

[He unfortunately has to be the Responsible One.]

[starshower]

He's lucky to have you, then.

[There's always gotta be the responsible one in the party. Tifa is, unfortunately, that person as well.]

You should introduce me sometime. I wouldn't mind meeting this "other half".

[seasaltkeys]

Yeah. I think he knows that.

I'm kinda surprised you haven't met him already, but yeah. I'll try to bring him sometime.

[starshower]

I might've and just don't know it. A lot of people come and go from here. But just let me know and I'll make sure to have that ice cream flavour you wanted.

[She motions to his bowl.]

How is it, by the way?