caughtinanetwork | Day 312 - [Video

[At first, Roxas's dreamworld doesn't seem all that terrible. He walks the streets of Twilight Town, with the warm glow of sunset catching the tops of the buildings, the space between in comfortable shadow.

Except that everything is much too still and quiet. Not a soul stirs all along Market Street, and the tram common is utterly deserted, the tram frozen at some point along its track. Only the sun seems to be moving, sinking farther behind the buildings, the shadows deepening. Roxas picks up his pace.]

Hayner! Pence! Olette?

[Each shout is softer and less certain. His voice echoes strangely in the silence, and somehow he knows, this time it's not going to work. It's not supposed to work.

Movement catches his eye and he turns-- A trio of Dusks ripple up out of nowhere and slither towards him. He takes a step back.]

No. I told you I wasn't going back.

[They don't acknowledge his words, but keep coming. Roxas calls Oathkeeper, reluctantly sinking into a fighting stance...]

[It takes a while for Roxas to waken. There's nothing startling in the dream: a world empty except for Nobodies. It leaves him feeling empty, like hasn't in a while, and he just lies staring up at the ceiling.]

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[Up the stairs and through the door is the library, and in the dream the secret passage is already open, leading back down into the facility beneath the mansion. Roxas freezes for a moment and then picks up his pace to go inside.

There it is, the computer that brought him here and traps him here. His fist clenches around his keyblade, but he dismisses it and approaches the machine. The sense of familiarity is growing stronger, almost a tangible memory.]

This is it. This is where it has to change.

[Dream or not, the area feels unsettling to Rin. Even with the noises of the computer, there's a silence about the whole area that's tense. His fingers twitch, and he silently takes his sword back out. He doesn't like this...]

... can you change it?

If I don't...

[Then it's the end, isn't it? That's what he's headed toward. Roxas swallows and takes a seat at the computer, but he can only look over the displays helplessly.]

Do you know how to use this?

[Rin does want to try and help, but the further they go the more hopeless it starts to feel.

But the question gets his attention on the monitors, and he moves closer, bending down to look at the displays.]

I ain't that good with computers but... it looks like there's uhm... files and stuff in here.

Files?

[Everything on the screens right now seems to have to do with Sora. Restoration at 100%. Roxas tries pushing some of the keys, but only manages to call up some sort of warning dialog box.]

I don't care about Sora. This thing has to open the way out of here.

"Res... tor... ation... one-hundred percent..."

[Rin sounds it out very slowly, and heavily accented because how does I English, but after reading that he looks... more worried than confused.]

Wait, wait, why is all of this about Sora?

I don't know.

[That's said more out of frustration, because after seeing Sora's memories he thinks he does know.]

He's the special one. The hero.

Hey.

[A firm hand lands on Roxas' shoulder.]

Just because he's special doesn't make you any less of a hero. I know you, okay? You're like me. You're the kinda guy who would put yourself on the line to protect innocent people and not even think twice about it.

You are a hero, and some... stupid text on a screen ain't gonna change that.

No, I'm not. I'm the kind of guy who'd hurt his own best friend to stay alive.

[He glances at the door to the next room, where he's sure Axel's waiting for him.]

I've never saved anybody.

You will. Whatever happens here, it doesn't matter!

[He looks back at the computer screen, glaring.]

We gotta find a way outta here...

I don't really care about being a hero...

[Roxas looks back at the computer, shoulders slumping.]

I wish Pence were here.

I care. About bein' your friend, and showin' you you're better than you think you are.

I'm sorry I ain't one of your friends from here, but you're stuck with me until we figure this out.

[Just. staring at Rin for a second. Better than he thinks he is? People don't talk that way about Nobodies.]

... I didn't mean it like that. He's- good with computers, is all.

[Rin lets out a huff, and drags a hand through his hair.]

Right, sorry...

Can't say I'm any good with 'em... 'course I'm pretty dumb 'bout most things. All I know is that computers hold files and programs and you can make programs do things and open files...

So- maybe there's a program to get out?

[He tries pushing some more keys, but aside from another alert box and opening something about trains, nothing much seems to happen. He bashes the keyboard with a fist, and the door he doesn't want to go through opens up.]