moonstrualcycle | no running in the halls!

[ That is like being dunked in ice water. ]

The second time? But we--

[ No, she gets it. It's a shock, but she gets it. ]

Always thought I was the impulsive one. Do you... Feel good about it, feel like its over? Anything?

[she shakes her head, looking almost sad.]

It is over, at least. All I accomplished in those years was to die multiple times, assist a madwoman with her plans, and drive my best friend away. Since I came back this time I'm just tired, usually, and sort of wrung out. Ienzo said that should pass in another week or two.

[honestly being around Lea and the kids helps immensely, everyone's just so happy about being together again. but she can't say that, and it's irrelevant here anyway, without them also here.]

[ Hey, wait, no, we were enemies until a few minutes ago for me, and I'm the emo one. Man. She can't even scrunch up her face in distaste for Ienzo like she might normally. ]

It wasn't for nothing. You're here now. And hey, you ended up on the beach with that best friend in the end, right?

[ Another pause before she jerks her thumb to point at herself. ]

I uh, I am that best friend, right?

[the deadest of deadpans:]

No, I meant Demyx.

[she leans down, gets an arm around Lea's neck, and gives her a solid but brief noogie.]

Of course you're that best friend, you dork.

[ Hurk—!! She doesn't tense up this time at the touch, but it catches her off guard in a different way, and she pushes feebly at Isa's arm. ]

Stop it, you're gonna—

[ Make her cry, but saying that feels ridiculous and is going to make Isa laugh at her. Ugh. ]

[nah, she wouldn't laugh. much. and only out of affection, honest! she gets it; it's rough having a heart again, especially with this shock on top of things. but she will take pity on Lea and kindly move on from that topic.]

Pop your head off like an action figure, I know. We could go bowling with it, unless there's something more interesting to do around here.

[ Lea huffs, because, speaking of the DR, this is not the cool badass image she has been projecting. She has a reputation to uphold, thank you very much. ]

Oh, there's plenty to do around here. This place is basically infinite? I don't think anyone knows the details, but I'm pretty sure it exists outside of time and space. You think of it, it's here.

[then why hasn't Lea imagined up some friends? no, that's mean. also no one on my end perceives Lea as a cool badass, so it sounds like she's only deluding herself about that.]

Hmm. I suppose that's why it looks like you spend ninety percent of your time in this apartment.

[teasing~. honestly that could be interpreted a couple of ways, and Isa poking Lea in the hip with the toe of her shoe probably doesn't help.]

[ Wh... No one? ]

Look. It's a little weird, walking around out there. You'll see what I mean, since now you're stuck here until further notice. The doubles get pretty trippy.

[ She's going to laugh at her confusion, there's no getting around that. ]

Besides, I have the most comfortable place here. Did you register the couch? Luxury.

...do you mean doubles like the kind I was hanging out with or something else?

[is this five versions of Xehanort doubles or is this replica doubles, essentially. but the couch is pretty comfy, she has to admit. the first time Lea falls asleep Isa's absolutely cleaning the kitchen though, because how on earth do you live like this.]

[ These are the consequences of your actions. ]

Funny you ask! It's both.

[ She crawls backwards onto the couch, and holds her arms up to form a rectangle with her fingers, like a camera. ]

Picture this? Five Rikus, all in one location. Four of them are guys. One of those guys is like, six. Oh, and none of them are replicas.

[excuse me? hewwo? ????]

Guys? I don't-- where did they all come from? It can't just be different points on the same timeline, what would be the point?

[ugh, playing middle management to a bunch of scientists rubbed off on her, she's analyzing when she really should just be freaking out a little.]

Girls and guys. Kids. Different timelines, different stories. There's an adult version of ours, but she's... from the future here? I don't know, she has a kid.

[ Lea didn't have enough time or energy to unpack all of that. ]

Guy yous, too. Well, Saïx.

[Lea, you can't just drop shit like that without warning, oh my god. guy versions of herself aren't even worth responding to, with everything else coming to mind.]

A kid? That's... weird. What about other people, are there versions of you here? Or of any Axel, I guess, or anyone else we know.

[ Her first day here she saw a lot of weird shit on her own and found out there's a weird dude version of herself married to Kai, okay. Share the pain, bff. ]

So many Axels no one has a chance of forgetting me.

[ Hah. ]

There are doubles and copies of everyone. Sora, Kai, Xemnas, me, you— people from other worlds. Heartless that wanna be pets. Sleeping realm nonsense. Almost everything.

[ She leans back into the couch, tilting her head all the way back to rest her neck across the back cushions. ]

Just... most of them aren't ours. You're the first you I've seen here.

Well. I won't lack for excitement, it sounds like.

[she crosses her legs again and unconsciously mimics Lea, sliding down a bit and tipping her head back.]

Tell me it's not all just confusion and weirdness, there has to be something good about this place.

Well... There's always something to do. No one can die here, and people who die can just... come back. You don't have to pay for anything, so I eat a lot.

[ A pause, then, and casually, because she's a big goober: ]

You're here.

[snrk. Isa shifts sideways to bump shoulders with Lea, feeling like anything more might be unwelcome, since this one isn't caught up on things.]

I missed you too, idiot. I'm amazed you're still such a beanpole, with free food available all the time.

[to clarify, she specifically missed having Lea all to herself. the kids are great and all, but their social circle is so big now that it's hard to just be best buds like they used to, between that and everything that's happened.]

[ It's all A Lot, for her, but she's adapting to it very quickly. She's got friends here, sure, but this is someone who really knows her. Isa knows her even better than Roxas did, so she responds to the bump by just leaning the majority of her weight sideways. On Isa.

She did just say she missed her. No take backs. ]

I know, right? You'd think something would take after this long. My best guess is because I keep going back and forth between here and our world. Universe, whatever...

[ If it sounds like she's hesitating to say something else, it's because she is. ]

[she's surprised to hear that Lea's come and gone from here, but that's less important than the hesitation, which she homes in on both as a friend and as someone who exploited the emotional weakness of others for several years. Lea's getting an elbow to the ribs, though it's fairly gentle, as those things go.]

Spit it out, whatever it is.

[ Ugh. She tried to give up all of that zeroing in emotionless crap after Roxas. Why are you still using it? Ugh. ]

Well, I said it was months. Technically that's not wrong?

[because someone has to, and she's always been like that.]

...so how long has it actually been?

[and thank god, she was almost worried a declaration of love was coming. at least get her some food before you do that, Lea.]

[ No way, she's not nearly tired enough. ]

...two years.

[ She frowns, then shrugs. ]

Something like since the first time I showed up here, according to Riku. Every time I left and came back more time had passed by. I started tracking it to check, so time actually spent here is closer to two. It's crazy.

[it's like pulling teeth sometimes with this one, honestly. it sounds like Lea's full of shit and it's been more than two years, even, but she's not gonna push. yet.]

Okay... does everyone here come and go like that? That seems like it would get annoying after a while.

[ No no, it's legitimate, she wouldn't lie about it twice. Time is hazy and fucking with her here. Who knows why? ]

Sometimes people go back. Riku said she showed up here not long after I died and it took her back later to 'finish things'. Some people never go back.

[ This place is stupid, but she's accepted it. She stretches her arms up above her head, then becomes dead weight on both the couch and Isa. She might be testing her. ]

My bets are on some kind of trickster god.

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