thefarshore | (no subject)

Maybe just a little!

[He teases. He'll take them at a decently fast pace at first. His legs are still aching but they're not nearly as bad as they'd been since waking up. But he'll slow when they get about half way.]

Even if they don't let us feed them, I hope they have a ton of dolphins.

[Yep, they're his favorite.]

[He's just trying to make sure you don't wear yourself out. It's not a small aquarium. There's benches in there if Sora does need to rest. Sitting in front of one of the tanks, watching the fish swim by... that actually sounds like a good idea. Hopefully Roxas an convince Sora to take a break when they get there.

... That's actually kind of cute. Aren't girls supposed to like dolphins and boys like sharks?]

I wanna see if they have sea turtles.

[He'll appreciate that later, just no amount of injury is going to slow his energy down when a day out at the aquarium is on the line.

That might be true but there's a big reason why Sora's Atlantica form is a dolphin tail. If he were a fish, he'd be a dolphin. Boundless energy and always playful.

When they get there he's beaming with excitement.]

Are sea turtles your favorite?

[... Now Roxas has the memories of those songs Sora sang with Ariel and the others. He tries not to shudder. He does not think he could have gotten himself to do something like that...

He frowns softly, shaking his head.]

No... I don't think so.

[There is one thing that might become a favorite! Thinking about them makes him smile again.]

I like jellyfish. They look like floating nightlights!

[One day someone will break it to him that the tanks lighting makes them glow...]

[WOW his musical numbers with Ariel were awesome and amazing???

Roxas' interest in jellyfish is super cute. He'd never guess that Roxas would like jellyfish out of all the other creatures to pick from.]

I like how they look like you could just reach out and bop them on the top like bongos.

[Not that you can actually do that though... But he laughs, and heads for the entrance of the aquarium.]

[They're embarrassing. Who sings with a bunch of fish about love and stuff?

Sora. No.]

Only if you wanna get stung. I don't know what they're supposed to do, but they're pretty.

[He likes other things like sharks and all the colorful fish. There was way too many to name!]

I'll go get the tickets, okay? Just wait right here.

[Sora and Ariel do, that's who. And he loves it like the giant dork he is. ~~Please be an Atlantica level in KH3.~~]

They just float around and look pretty and sting stuff, that's about it!

[He nods at Roxas and glances about. It's actually not very busy at the aquarium. Not that many people would notice them though. He was expecting it to be packed full of people and really loud.]

[Roxas still likes them.

It's a weekday and there's no vacation for anyone. Of course it would be quieter. It doesn't take long for him to come back, handing a ticket to Sora.]

Here. [He motions for Sora to follow him.] I got a brochure. They've got a dolphin show this afternoon if you wanna stick around for that.

We're definitely sticking around for that! Yes!

[That'll probably be his most favorite thing here.

He takes the ticket and excitedly follows Roxas. Already feeling his mood improving even more. It's nice to just be out, not thinking about anything aside from the tanks and displays around them.]

How long does it usually take to see this entire place?

[It's exciting to be here again. Though it feels different this time? With Yuma it was like spending time with family again. With Sora? Who knows.]

A few hours unless we take our time at the displays.

[Which, once they step inside, he leads Sora right over to one. It's a darker area and the jellyfish look like they're suspended in the water, a ghostly glow eminating from them.]

See? Like nightlights!

Whoa!

[Roxas is right, the jellyfish are glowing like little nightlights suspended in the tanks and Sora's face lights up in awe. He wanders up to the glass and touches it, looking all around.]

Look at all the colors! It's like they're magic fairies!

[It really is amazing, not even in his time in Atlantica had he seen jellyfish like this.]

[Roxas is right beside him, nodding.]

And there's so many different ones! These ones are called moon jellies. They look like tiny full moons!

[They're pretty no matter what they are called. He just loves looking at them.]

Moon jellies! I wonder what all of them are called?

[Sora muses, looking amused. It's so peaceful watching the jellyfish bloop bloop around.]

It really looks like you can just reach out and put your hand under to get tickled by them.

[He knows that'll just result in a whole lot of stinging, but it's still interesting to look at it that way!]

Edited 2016-10-11 19:56 (UTC)

Look them up? I put in what they looked like I Google and got that name.

[Roxas snorts softly. He shares the sentiment.]

If only they didn't sting, right?

[Sora has now decided that jellyfish are magic water fairies and that tonight he'll probably curl up in bed and google all the jellyfish names on his phone until he falls asleep.]

If they didn't I think I'd want to get a whole tank of them for home. All the bloops in one place.

[He smiles, looking thoughtful.

His excitement takes over and Sora bounces on his heels, tugging gently on Roxas' wrist.]

Let's go see the giant tanks of tropical fish next?

Bloops? [What's a bloop? Roxas is confused...

Which is replaced by soft laughter.]

Okay, okay. There's a really neat display that makes them look like a rainbow. But we gotta go through the tunnel first.

[And it's an amazing one. Like you were underwater. So he leads Sora through it and looks at all the fish swimming around them.]

It's so cool in here...

You know, bloops, the jellyfish! [Yes, he's renamed them all bloops. Because they bloop around.

But his train of thought is quickly derailed with the tunnel and Sora lets out an impressed whoooaaaaa!! when they enter.

For a brief moment he's reminded of home. The fish swimming all around him, the colors, and even the faint smell of ocean water. His heart aches but he grins happily.]

Roxas, this is amazing!!

... Bloops... [Sorry, no, that's cute.

Roxas knows how Sora feels, even if it's not his own homesickness. He's only ever seen the islands from Sora's point of view. Koriko's beach was never that beautiful.]

This is where I saw sharks swim by!

[He points over to a couple swimming by.]

There!

[Given the chance Sora might just rename everything if he's feeling creative enough.

But Sora literally beams in excitement when the sharks swim by and he bounds over to that side and presses his forehead against the glass. Too cool!]

They're so cool! Look how mean they look! I wonder how much they gotta feed these guys that they get that big!

[Yep. Roxas is watching Sora and just wondering why his brain is telling him this is cute and his heart is just feeling warm. Seeing Sora this happy is nice.

He looks up to see the fish floating over them.]

I dunno.

[This is such a peaceful place...]

[Sora doesn't notice Roxas watching, too distracted with all the fish. Just then a brightly colored school of fish swim by quickly and Sora watches them swim around. It feels like they've stepped right out of the world and into this underwater one.

One particularly fat fish comes up to the glass and bonks its nose against it as if saying hello. Sora laughs.]

This is really awesome, Roxas. We should do stuff like this more often!

[Roxas takes his time before answering. Coming to a place like this again and still without Shiro is strange. He'd love to show her all this, but she is from Japan. There's a place like this for her back home. He closes his eyes before chiding himself over those thoughts. She's not here. He doesn't want her here even if it's preferable to Koriko. She deserves to go back home more than anyone he knows.

He sighs softly and looks at Sora with a sad smile. It's not that he's not happy here. Things are just getting confusing when it comes to those kinds of feelings, and he misses her right now because of it. At least with Shiro it was easy to tell how she actually felt about him. At least with her he always knew what she wanted.]

Sure. You pick the next place?

[There's a hesitation in Roxas that he picks up and he watches him smile sadly. Puzzled, Sora turns to him. Roxas was in such a good mood a minute ago. He's not sure what changed.]

Something wrong?

[Of course it could be anything, so many things have happened in the last few days. If Roxas wants to talk, Sora is all ears.]

[Looking up again, Roxas shrugs.]

I was just thinking about the friends I'd wanna bring here. From Koriko. I know a lot of them would love it here. [It takes a lot to not start crying right now. So he takes a deep breath before forcing a smile for Sora as Roxas turns his attention back to him.] I'll be okay. I don't want any of them here.

[He motions for Sora to follow him.] The tropical fish are this way.

[The idea that Sora gets to pick the next place they go see is momentarily forgotten. The tropical fish too.

Instead Sora reaches out to take Roxas' hand to stop him from wandering off too far.]

It's okay to miss your friends, Roxas! I miss mine too. Missing someone means they're important to you and in your heart. That's a good thing, and they'll feel it from Koriko too.

[That's how he feels when he thinks about Kairi and Riku, Donald and Goofy. He misses them terribly and would give anything to see them. But knowing that he does miss them that much, makes him happy in a sense. They'll know it, wherever they are.]