memorychains | ► fourteenth sketch [Video]

► fourteenth sketch [Video]

[It's been a while since Namine has drawn on the network. And her pokemon feels the need to correct this. So the gear perches itself mysteriously held by one of her pokemon as she sketches out something from something she's been recently told.]

... the tale of Snow White. I wonder if there are any other... tales out there like this.

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Thanks, Xion. Do you want me to draw you something?

Huh? O-Oh, I... I'd like that, but I wouldn't want to take up your time...

It's fine. You can watch if you want, too.

[ ... w-well, she can't be rude and say "no" if she's insisting on it. ]

Hmmm... [ Give her a moment to think on what to ask for. She'd ask for something simple, and looking at Namine's skill with art... maybe it isn't too much to ask for this one? ]

Could you draw the Clock Tower in Twilight Town? [ Asked timidly. ]

[Ah, she figured. She nods, pulling up a new piece of paper. Her shiny Petilil comes over to watch, peering into the feed.]

How have you been?

[ Xion tilts her head at that Petilil. She hasn't seen this one before. ]

I've been fine, really. How are you and Roxas? Doing okay?

Yeah, we're managing somehow.

[Namine notes the Petilil and scoops her up, and it protests with a tiny "Lil!"]

... the clocktower. It's been a while since I last saw it...

Same. The sunsets, the ice cream...

At the very least, the memories are clear in our heads.

We still got the ice cream here. I have the recipe written down in my first sketchbook, if you want?

[She starts outlining things. The towers, the horizon...

... she takes it one step further, outlining three rough small figures sitting on the edge.]

Really? It isn't... hard, is it? I wouldn't want to make a mess of things.

[ Then she notices those particular details on the drawing, and her chest tightens at the image. ]

... I miss it all.

Mm... are you good at cooking?

[... she pauses at that, dropping the pencil and making a motion to grab the eraser.]

... do you want me to remove it?

Uhh... I can cook eggs! And pancakes!

[ Ack! She quickly shakes her head. ]

No, no! It's fine, I was just thinking about it all. Sorry. [ fff, she's interrupting an artist at work! ]

This won't be so hard the if you know how to make pancakes. It's almost the same, you just have to mix things in together.

[Oh, Xi.]

... are you sure?

Okay. Then I'd be happy to have the recipe, Namine.

[ Errday I'm wafflin'. ]

Yeah, I am. I mean... it's more proof, isn't it? Those times were real. At least to me.

[Her hand moves to solidify the rough lines into lineart, adding some rough shadows.]

... they were real. It's... just a matter of not being remembered. Forgotten but not lost.

[ She watches Namine's movements with rapt attention, but also manages to reply back. ]

Right. I... before all this, I would have gone back to Sora. I'm supposed to be there, inside him.

And I'm supposed to be in Kairi. But we're both here. We can live as ourselves.

[A pause, her hand slowly putting the finer details of the clockface.]

I... didn't use to think like this. It took me almost two years to believe it, even if people kept telling me before. I know that one day, I'm going to return, be a part of her one more.

... Would you-- Do you still want to go back to that?

[A pause, her fingers hovering over darkening the clock hands.]

To be honest, I want to remain here as well. But it's not my choice what happens to me or not. If I ever get sent home, I'll forget my time here, and I'll end up merged with Kairi once more.

I've been sent home twice before, people say. Each time back home, I have no recollection of this place, as well as once I came back.

... worrying about what happens back home... if there's a way to control how or when it happens, I suppose it's something to think about. But... if it's something I won't be aware of in the first place, perhaps I shouldn't. And the best I can do is make most of the time I have here.

[ You get a long pause as Xion think on that. It's perfectly within reason, but still... She lets out a sigh. ]

Isn't that all we can do here, at least? Besides... [ She puts on a small smile now. ] It's fun, right?

Mm.

If you ever leave, what matters is what you leave behind. Memories in your friends.

... remember when people disappear? When their pokemon goes to people they were close to?

Yeah! Like how Bell went to Sora... I think. He was taking care of her in my stead, at least.

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