the cracks in our memories can't change the bonds in our hearts
Welcome
to Simple and Clean, an au post-3D Kingdom Hearts roleplay.
After Xehanort removed the chains of memories linked not to people, but to objects and events - the keyblade, the Princesses of Heart, and Kingdom Hearts itself - the heroes found themselves living in a world where they are... ordinary. Where they are highschool and college students, parents or siblings, and living in a world not too far removed from our own.
Casting his spell cost Xehanort strength and time, but he's begun to move - and not everyone had their memories pulled. How will the worlds react to the return of the darkness when the light doesn't know to stand against it?
Events
Xehanort's awakening is at hand, and with it has come the beginning of the destruction of his spell.
Updates
10/08/17 First major site event has begun! Xehanort has awoken and he's hellbent on ensuring his plans will not be interfered with. A halloween writing contest has started as well, so be sure to check them both out.
Post by Lea Valentine on Sept 19, 2017 4:02:07 GMT
"FINDING FRIENDS WITH THE SAME MENTAL DISORDER"
Surprisingly, the tunnels seemed to be the place Lea felt the safest. Must have something to do with it being the once place in twilight where only Lea and Roxas seemed to go, except when Riku would let Xion to the town.
Lea sat in the tunnel leaning against the wall, waiting patiently for his blond-headed friend to meet with him. “I could live off these,” he said to himself before taking another lick of his sea salt ice-cream. He held another in his opposite hand, still in its wrapper waiting for Roxas.
Lea still had no clue why he was so drawn to becoming friends with the young lad, all he knew is that he felt like he trusted him, which for him was something he held dearly.
“C’mon Roxas,” Lea said quietly before looking back at his watch.
WORDS: COMMENTS: Feel free to take this wherever you would like. ^.^ @gingerfrost
He came running feet stomping on the ground, shoes slightly moist from the rain outside and the slight bit of rain inside the tunnels. He was so oh very late! Leon had him working over time helping out with the Diner's paperwork! He clung to the packaged sea-salt, managed to snag 2 of them at the end of the day, clueless Lea already had one. His feet slightly slid on the smooth concrete, making loud balancing catching noises before slightly scrapping a wall. Super happy the wall was there, he instantly pushed himself away toward the hide out.
The first thing he saw was the redhead, Oh good! He was still here! The guy hadn't left! His speed picked up slightly, before slowing down in a sloppy jog-stop. Where he bent over breathing heavily holding up the ice cream. "So..orry..late.boss... worked.. overtime... Paperwork.. Had-to... help." He coughed a bit breathing too heavy before looking up with round blue eyes and a grin. "I made it!" He held up the two ice creams still in package, a wooden bag sort small tie. His face slightly lose happiness when he saw that Lea already have. He gave an awkward grin slightly losing posture, "I guess would make sense you grabbed your own. Haha. Well two for me?" He waved them stepping closer before taking a seat next to the guy, still breathing heavy.
His body slightly ached from the new Diner work, however overall it felt great. The guy was really really cool, about as cool as Lea. He didn't think such an older man would be so exciting. He sat one of the package ice-creams on his lap, unwrapping the second. Smile crossing his face as he stared at its blue glory, then with the right courage brought it to his mouth. That sweet sweet work victory!
Post by Lea Valentine on Sept 25, 2017 6:45:58 GMT
"FINDING FRIENDS WITH THE SAME MENTAL DISORDER"
The blond haired boy made his way through the tunnel in quite a rush. Lea could hear him from quite far away, he knew it would be the small blond and didn’t threat. He could hear the slight panting as Roxas got closer and he chuckled to himself.
His chuckle became even more noticeable when he noticed that Roxas had got the ice creams on his way here. Lea wouldn’t usually bring them, but this time he came down early so he decided to anyway.
"I guess would make sense you grabbed your own. Haha. Well two for me?"
“And me, “Lea said holding up the other ice cream he had brought for Roxas. “Of course, you made it, I would leave without you.” Lea held up a thumb and gave a wink to the young lad. There was a small moment of silence as the two enjoyed the amazing taste of their ice creams. It always brought a smile to Lea’s face.
“So, apart from the overtime, how was work,” Lea wasn’t expecting much of an answer, as even he knew, work was work. But none the less, it was something to get some sort of conversation going between the two as Lea laid into his second ice cream.
He gave a laugh as the red-head showed that he too brought Roxas one, that was quite unusual for the eldest of the two, but what Roxas got for not checking his phone before running out of the store trying to be late. He gave a small nervous laugh, "You would leave? if I was too late?" He took another bite slightly flinching from the cool icy flavor burning his pallet causing a brain freeze. "ouch..." he said softly before sticking a finger into his mouth trying to make the stinging go away.
Lea proceed to continue the conversation asking about Roxas work, it was really a great way to avoid talking about Xion and how there was absolutely no news or update about her. That all in the end.. It was like she completely had vanished from the face of the earth. "Overtime? It was great, Leon is great."
He gave a small excited noise kicking his legs like a child in highschool, all to drown out the noise the reminders. "So he completely taught me how to clean out the oiler, dumping it, filtering it. He cleans it out every single night, extremely had work to run a diner so well." He gave a small sigh smile holding on his face the icecream getting on his fingers.
He looked up slight unease in his eyes scanning the grey tunnel walls, shadows felt like they were closing in, eating him alive. All reminders of Xion.... Gone. He buried his misery in more ice cream. Pausing for a long time before releasing a small fake laugh clearly forced, "So! Leon! He completely told this customer off! Who was complaining about me screwing up his order, the guy so cool! You have to meet him one day!" Pain began to burn, tears started boiling on the very tip, his body giving slight shiver. Don't think about it, don't let Lea or the ice cream be reminders... The tunnels.. No reminders. Was she safe?
Post by Lea Valentine on Sept 25, 2017 7:24:11 GMT
"FINDING FRIENDS WITH THE SAME MENTAL DISORDER"
Lea sat and listened to the blond give his chat about work. He enjoyed hearing about his day, knowing that he wasn’t dwelling over the disappearance of Xion. It had been hard on the two, Roxas more than most. Lea knew that the boy had been having a hard time and knew that this was good for him.
He really did praise this Lean, someone who Lea would probably be happy to meet if he wasn’t so busy searching for Xion. He had searched almost everywhere but her hometown at this point. He was too worried to make an appearance over in that town, not with what was waiting for him. He had mentioned to Roxas bits and pieces about his past, but not a whole lot.
Lea decided to shake these thoughts out of his head and continue his conversation with Roxas.
“You’re learning a lot by the sound of things, make sure you keep it all memorized.” There it was again, he had been saying it a lot lately. Not to the point where many would notice, but to the point where he was starting to notice. The phrase just seemed to fit him and he could never put his finger on why.
After a soft chuckle, Lea continued, “It’s also good to know you have someone just as cool as me with you when I’m not around.”
He looked at the blonde trying to read his body language and make sure he was feeling ok. WORDS: 249 COMMENTS: Xx >.< xX
He pushed the thoughts out taking large bite purposefully causing pain to the brain to drown out the noise around. Though what he didn't drown out was his friend speaking, all about him learning things. That word, he heard it before though swears he felt it more and more. Pulled the ice cream away cleaning up his little mess with a simple swipe of his wrist, "Too much, say hey, what's with that new word? Some sort of cool super hero catch phrase? Memorized this? handcuff." He gave a small genuine laugh this time thinking of dark large exotic Lea arresting criminals shouting "Memorized This! SherLEA is here!"
His laugh died down eyes once more casting around the room, why did it feel so off? Soo trapped? Just like those times when he was helpless against stopping his family from splitting apart.. Why did this feeling come and go? He almost swore he was afraid of closing spaces, knowing full well he didn't. He wasn't claustrophobic, they wouldn't even make it down the tunnels! This was just some illusion in his head of overthinking things. May should just shut them out? "Jealous?" He asked his voice playful trying to pick under Lea's skin, though more friendly manner.
He thought for a moment before asking, "So why did you move to Twilight town? The town that never changes from night or daylight. Almost stuck in time?" He tilted his head looking up at Lea eyes full of curiosity, the noise lurking reminding him. Xion left because of Riku, Xion vanished because of Riku, now she won't appear... Now she won't text, call, message. Gone. Gone. Gone. Not a trace.
Post by Lea Valentine on Sept 25, 2017 9:11:30 GMT
"FINDING FRIENDS WITH THE SAME MENTAL DISORDER"
Roxas had begun to notice the catchphrase that Lea had now developed for some unknown reason. “I don’t know, it just seems to fit, don’t you think?” the redhead said with a small chuckle.
“and I’m not jealous… Just… Glad I guess.”
Lea didn’t want it to sound too cheesy, he wasn’t one to be known to show very much emotion other than laughter. But, he felt safe doing so around Roxas, so the emotions did overcome him from time to time when the two were together.
He didn’t really enjoy talking about his time in his home town. It was hard on him, not that he was really leaving anything behind. The memories of his parents were the only things that seemed to draw his mind back to the town.
Lea was silent for a bit while he shuffled through his thoughts in his head trying to figure out what he was going to say to Roxas. Normally, if it was anyone else asking, he would say nothing but an all-out lie, but he couldn’t to Roxas. The kid told him everything, and it wasn’t right to hide things from him…
Lea went to open his mouth before pulling away. He knew that Roxas noticed, and he continued to look out of the corner of his eye for movement. He just didn’t know what to say, would it make Lea look like a bad person? Would it change the way Roxas would see him? Lea hated these thoughts and snapped himself back into the conversation.
He turned himself back to Roxas, much more confident this time, “There was nothing left there for me, there was just bad memories left...” Lea wasn’t going to tell the whole truth here, he didn’t want to worry Roxas with the idea of losing him as well at this point. With that said, Lea was never going to let those men take him, not while he is still alive anyway.
Lea turned back and looked at his stick that was left in his hand, with many thoughts coming back to him. But he knew this was not the time for him to fall down a hole. He looked up at Roxas and gave a small chuckle.
“This place isn’t too bad, has good food. “ Lea said with a smile. WORDS: 387 COMMENTS: Xx >.< xX
He gave a small nod, "Something tells me its perfect for you." He gave a gleeful smile showing his teeth before slowly lowering the smile to a look of uncertainty from the glad coming from lea. He was glad? That Roxas was hanging out with leon more? Did he not wish to hang out with him? Did he wanted to get rid of him? No. no, stop walking that path of mentality. He squeezed his eyes shut quenching his face up pretending the brain freeze was still hurting before relaxing once more. There all petty self obsessed thoughts all gone, vanish, his friend cared about him after all.
He asked the personal question about Lea's past, Roxas actually believed the guy was going to talk to him about it. Opening mouth, his heart pounded waiting for simple response of "oh traveling" or "psh wouldn't you like to know, kid", what he got instead was pulling away. He felt a sudden large wall was created right beside him, his eyes slowly looked away from his friend's side toward the extra ice cream that was beginning to lose shape growing more moist on his clothes. He felt his heart pounding, red-head didn't want to tell him? Didn't trust him? Why did people shut him out? Again and again? He felt a small rise of frustration, why did nobody trust him? What did he do that was so wrong?!
There was a shift of movement, the guy spoke up about there only being bad memories left. The blonde turned his body better facing the red-head his right leg crossing over his lap. He stared eyes wide fighting the boiling disgust growing in the pit of his heart, Why? Why? Why did everyone shut him out, or just refuse to give information? What was so hard about talking? Slowly his elder friend looked at the stick with no ice cream before looking up at him with a chuckle. Its not funny! Then spoke quietly about the place having good food, completely slamming the door shut on the conversation.
The door slammed hard and Roxas couldn't meet his eyes any longer sharply looking away at his own ice cream half there. "Yeah, it is great isn't it? Great place to make new great memories!"just to have them torn away. again. again. and again. Did anyone ever end up staying? He looked up eyes shining brightly mimicking the happiest looks he had seen on Ventus face, heart completely bleeding in pain. Fake. "Have you tried climbing the clock tower? Heard you can see the wishing star from up there." A small chuckle left his left his lips, not his lips. Not his. Never his. "We should both stand there on top screaming out our final wishes!"probably final goodbyes. Heh got it memorized? Hilarious catchphrase, mocking this life.
Post by Lea Valentine on Sept 26, 2017 3:14:57 GMT
"FINDING FRIENDS WITH THE SAME MENTAL DISORDER"
The idea was strange, and Lea wasn’t really sure where it came from. Roxas was never one to come out with crazy and spontaneous things like this, but with all that was going on, was it really that strange? He had been put through hell and back and Lea couldn’t even tell his friend about his life, he wasn’t happy about withholding information from his friend, it just wasn’t time yet.
Lea wasn’t sure why, but he thought that this could help him a little bit. Getting away from society for a little bit, on top of the world with his best friend, being able to vent to the world without any judgements from anyone. Lea knew he wasn’t the only one who needed this, Roxas needed it way more than Lea ever could at this point in time.
Giving a chuckle, Lea stood up and stretched his legs. He felt his back crack as he stretched up, reaching for the sky he joked to himself. He turned to Roxas with a smile on his face, “Let’s do it,” he put his hand out to the young boy, offering to help him off the ground.
He did so to try and show his young friend that he was always going to be there to pick him up when he was down, even if Roxas never even noticed, he knew the message would get across one way or another.
Well there he said it, something out of character, something like his happy brother, just more to hide the truth. He took the last bite of his ice cream the same time his friend stood up stretching, he watched slightly baffled by the movement, till he realized. Lea didn't... Wouldn't. Would he? Something as odd and nutty as.
“Let’s do it,”
Roxas stared as a hand was placed in front of him, let's do it, let's reach outward, go high. He was only kidding, wasn't he? He placed the ice-cream stick on the side, picking up the other probably half melted on with the newly freed hand. Still he stared at the offering hand, right there in front of his face, friendship that may never leave. He reached forward taking it allowing Lea to help him down.
The feet touch solid ground, solid ground, something that never went away. Something that didn't feel like it was watching him from afar. He smiled making an excited "mhmm" type noise. They were going to do it.. Truly going to do it? His mind quickly reeled up excuses NOT to do it. Just walk there, make up an excuse to turn right back around. That was it. Maybe just climb talk about the view.. and leave.. His heart pounded, xion would have loved this. Ventus might have too... Did Mom do this? he felt the weight of all the people in his life that were further away than ever hang heavy. Hanging on to Lea's hand he let himself be led away from their spot... The spot where Xion should have been hiding from Riku.
Leaving the tunnels wasn’t going to be as easy as the two might hope, unfortunately. The sound of their footsteps hitting the floor seemed to be a signal that awakened strange, sleeping shadows, and in the dark gleaming yellow lights could be seen. Eyes. A countless number of eyes, each watching the pair with laser focus.
They were hungry. They were starving, and the hearts of light that both had were too irresistible to pass up.
One lone shadow was what greeted them at the mouth of the tunnels. The creature was small and ant like, the size of a small dog as it was hunched over with its head jerking back and force. It stared up at the both of them with unblinking yellow eyes, making no attempt to move out of the way.
Post by Lea Valentine on Sept 27, 2017 3:25:11 GMT
"FINDING FRIENDS WITH THE SAME MENTAL DISORDER"
The two were making their way out of the tunnel, ready for something different, something that they needed. Lea was kind of upset that he wasn’t the one to come up with the idea, him usually being the more outgoing of the two. It was strange, but Lea knew that Roxas’s head already wasn’t in the right place, so anything was bound to happen.
Lea picked up the pace a little bit as they continued down the long-rounded hallway. He didn’t want to seem too excited to do the task, but he believed it would help himself just as much as Roxas.
When the light of the tunnel was finally visible, and the two were almost out into the town… Lea noticed out of the corner of his eye, yellow, well... What looked like eyes, staring at them. Lea came to a complete stop with a lot of curiosity going through his head. He stood and stared at the yellow eyes, ignoring Roxas for the time being. The eyes were bright and looked almost like flashlights more than eyes. But, Lea knew, somehow, these were eyes. He couldn’t put a finger on why he knew this, he just did.
More and more of these yellow eyes seemed to focus down on the two. Lea wasn’t sure what was going on, but his bodies immediate reaction was to try and make his way to the light at the end of the tunnel.
Before bolting off towards the entrance, Lea turned to Roxas… “run…”. He grabbed the younger boys hand to make sure that he could follow, trying to stay in pace with the younger of the two. But, to their own stupid luck, something much worse than just eyes were waiting for them at the mouth of the tunnel. There stood a small black creature. It was small, but it just wasn’t normal. It had those beating yellow eyes, and it was bouncing where it stood… Almost like it was ready to pounce.
“The fuck is that? It’s like an overgrown ant!” Lea managed to say, still trying to work out exactly what was going on.
Reaching deeper down the tunnels his body shivered feeling a mixture of emotions despair, the fake acting he had just placed in front of Lea of all people, and the honest small twinge of hope.. Maybe.. Maybe climbing up there so high, making a wish on a stupid star, will make everything better.
Then something just felt completely off, he didn't know how to explain it, the shadows creeping further but faster? Like it wanted to consume him, suffocate him, all alone. die all alone. he knew it was his mind playing tricks, that it was the insecurities about Xion eating at him again. He gave Lea's hand a tighter squeeze, please don't leave him too, he bit his lip slightly staring at the ground counting nearing entrance.
His gaze flickered from the ground toward the light of the entrance, that's when he saw bright flashlights pointing at him, Xion's search party? Wait those were flashlights? Why did he even think that, they were too small and around... Were they some sort of light strings? He let go of the hand slowly stepping forward curious at these strange new lights, when a small shiver shot through him. These weren't lights.. They were eyes His instincts kicked in stepping back, right when lea grabbed his hand quickly ran toward the entrance. He at first struggled to keep up and gain balance running with Lea holding his hand, but when he gained his footing heart pounding adrenaline began pushing him to try and outrace even the elder. Light. Outside. Outside the tunnels. Be safe.
However a thing waited at the entrance large round eyes some sort of inky black gooey body... Were those ears? It seemed to make a rather mesmerizing movement, he was at first distracted trying to place exactly why it looked familiar. Blinking several times refocusing, attacking it was planning to attack! As Lea screamed what the creature was, all Roxas could think was 'Looks poisonous don't touch it.. try to scare it off... or worst piss it off in the end..' He threw the ice cream from earlier that was still in his free hand. The blue packaged goo flying through the air, his hand slipping from Lea's pulling themselves into his jacket. Firecrackers? Smoke bombs? no.. He needed to scare it off... Firecrackers might scare those things.. Bats? Ant like Lea said? His head spinned trying to react with the next best action scared to touch the goo... Living Toxic waste? Like those movies? Just what was it? He slowly whispered, "I-I don't know. Ho-how good are you at using a lighter? and throwing?" His voice cracking with fear. Slowly he pulled out the firecrackers eyes crossing with uncertainty if this would actually scare the animal away.
Post by Lea Valentine on Sept 29, 2017 3:19:56 GMT
"FINDING FRIENDS WITH THE SAME MENTAL DISORDER"
It took a little while for Lea to realise what Roxas had meant by what he had said. Lea looked down and saw Roxas pulling the firecrackers out of his pocket, not sure if this was going to work or not. The creature must be able to sink in to the shadows, or at least, that’s what Lea thought they did. He tried to make excuses in his head as to why he knew this, but other than the fact that the yellow eyes looked like they were in the ground he had no idea. In the end, Lea had no clue if this was going to work or not. All he knew is that something had to be done, the thing was slowly coming closer to the two, Lea clenching his fist in fear with each move towards them.
Lea grabbed the firecrackers out of Roxas’s hand and put his hand out as if to ask for lighter. Lea had no clue what he was going to do with them, but he figured he could just throw them on the floor in front of it. It would hopefully by them enough time to make their way to the exit that was so close. It would only be a short sprint to finally make it out of the tunnel.
“Alright, we will use this to distract it, then run to the exit.” Lea said, looking Roxas in the eye. He gave gun a wink and a smirk, with his hand still out waiting for the lighter. He was trying to look confident for Roxas’s sake, he didn’t seem like he was exactly taking this greatly. He could tell that Roxas was still trying to figure out what the creature was, but so was Lea, and none of it made sense.
Their hemming and hawing and hesitating only allowed for the shadow to feel the air about them, sensing the strength of their hearts. Xehanort's spell had both of them bound tightly, wrapping the light in chains of magic, but hints and whiffs of the delicious feast of light that would be found inside peaked through. The creature trembled as it spoke wordlessly to its breathren and, behind the two, more of the dark creatures behind the rise from the ground.
The red-haired male was preparing to through a firecracker at the first. Before he could, two other shadows latched onto him, one on the back of his leg and the other jumping to sink its claws into his back. They would drag him to the ground to make it easier to carve his heart out and feast on it.
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