Found: One Lost Boy

[sleeping_heart]

There's a new person in the Complex today, although you might not realize it at first. He's already made himself at home here, or at least he appears to have. He's laid out on the stairs, blocking them as he sleeps there. He's not homeless, he doesn't have that hobo look to him. He appears well fed and he smells sweet, like fresh flowers and newly cut grass. His blond hair is a messy bedhead style and wrapped around one wrist is a strange, green star-like charm. One shoulder bears an armor plating and the rest of his clothes appear normal, if a little big for him. Next to him is a note from the Complex.

Found: One Missing Boy
Please turn in to your local office

Care: Provide with food and shelter
Do not return to sender; do not kick out.

What a strange note. And what a strange boy.


{ooc; the newest resident of the Complex. He can't return "home" as it no longer exists. He also has no clue where he is, so have fun explaining it to him}

Comments

[chronicbackstabdisorder]

Well, he didn't expect to see this person here. He's convinced it's Roxas. And why would he think otherwise?

He gives the boy a nudge with his toe, leaning over.

"Hey, rise and shine sleeping beauty. You're gonna get stepped on sleeping there."

[sleeping_heart]

Ven mumbles something in his sleep and tries to roll over at the nudge--only to roll down the stairs with a yelp. He lands at the bottom and sits up, blinking and rubbing his head. He looks around, confused.

"Huh? What happened to the room?" Everything different.

[chronicbackstabdisorder]

That causes Axel to laugh, standing at the top of the stairs and watching the boy as he tries to figure out his surroundings.

"That should be a lesson about sleeping in weird places. What are you doing here anyway?"

[sleeping_heart]

Oww. That wasn't funny! And why is this guy laughing at him? Does he know him?

"I don't know. I don't know where I am." Ventus replies honestly, standing up. He really hit his head. He looks up at Axel, trying to place him but quickly gives up. "Who're you?"

[chronicbackstabdisorder]

He moves down a few stairs, plopping down to sit, grinning at him.

"You really that mad that your pretending not to know me? Wow. I'm hurt, Roxas."

He doesn't look hurt at all.

[sleeping_heart]

"Who's Roxas?" He's never heard that name before. And he's certainly never been confused with someone else before. Oh well, there's a first time for everything.

"I'm sorry but I really don't know you. I think you have me confused with someone else. My name's Ventus." He's not hurt but he could have been.

[chronicbackstabdisorder]

At first he just keeps grinning. He thinks it's a joke. But when he hears that name, his grin falters and he looks surprised.

"....Wait. What? Ventus? Are you serious?"

Can't be. Ventus should be close to his age, if he's even still around. He never saw him again. Figured he'd been killed by the Heartless.

[sleeping_heart]

"Why would I joke about who I am?" He's eying Axel oddly, wondering what's his problem. He glances around. This isn't Radiant Garden. Or Destiny Island. Or the Land of Departure. This isn't any world he knows.

"Where are we? And who are you again?" You still haven't introduced yourself, Axel. And btw, he can still take you. Just saying. That outfit, that look on his face, it should all be familiar, if a bit faded in his memory.

[chronicbackstabdisorder]

Oh he knows. He definatly knows it's Ventus. But it seems... off. Because why would Ventus still look like that?

"Name's Axel. And if you're really Ven, then tell me why you haven't aged a day in ten years."

He just wants to figure things out. This doesn't make any sense...

[sleeping_heart]

Ven gives him a curious look. How would he know that? Did he somehow know this man?

He shrugs, not wanting to elaborate. "I've been sleeping. How would you know if I aged or not, though?"

[chronicbackstabdisorder]

"Sleeping, huh? What kind of sleep?"

Oh right. Ven may look the same. But Axel... he's grown up. He let his hair grow out, started styling it. Got his rad tatoos under his eyes. But he won't outright say who he is. Instead he grins.

"Not everyone has Peter Pan syndrome, kid. The rest of us have grown up in the past ten years. Don't tell me you forgot me?"

[sleeping_heart]

"The kind I never want to experience again." He replies honestly.

Ven tries to get a better look at him but he shakes his head. "I only remember one person with red hair but you're not him. He has short hair and no markings. And he followed his friend around like a puppy."

[chronicbackstabdisorder]

"I did not!"

He looks offended. Even though he maybe did kind of do exactly that.

"You're memory is messed up, kid. You need to get it checked. And fixed."

[cute_and_schemy]

The boy looks like Roxas. For just a moment that's who he thinks it is as he kneels down to read the note. But the scent Roxas. There's something vaguely familiar about the scent, but his memories of his childhood are fairly faded and far away so he can't place it.

Still, this is no place to be sleeping. Crouching beside him, he puts a hand lightly on the boy's shouldor, shaking him.

[sleeping_heart]

No, it isn't Roxas's scent. And it is a scent from his childhood, so long ago that it's probably mixed between the labs and the tragic events that had happened afterward.

He shifts slightly, groans and stretches. Someone's trying to wake him. "Five more minutes…" He mumbles even as his brain fights for consciousness.

[cute_and_schemy]

He's sure he know this person. Just as when he first met Roxas he was certain he'd seen his face somewhere before. This must be the person whom Roxas made him think of. But there's certainly something off about that, given how much time has passed since then.

"You are not sleeping in a very good place. At the very least come inside."

He's curious, wanting to recall who this boy is and how he knows him.

[sleeping_heart]

Ven struggles with sleep for a few seconds longer before he finally wins and manages to open his eyes. He blinks and looks up at Zexion. That hair… He recognizes it. Recognition and confusion color his expression as he looks up into the older, but still somewhat familiar face. He's only ever known one person with that face.

"Ienzo?" He asks, sitting up a bit.

[cute_and_schemy]

Well. That's proof enough that he's not imagining things at least. But the name takes him by surprise nontheless.

"It's been a long time since anyone has called me that, but... yes. It once was the name I went by."

He still can't place you though. Such a brief meeting, so many years ago...

"Who are you?"

[sleeping_heart]

"Oh. Right. You probably don't remember me, huh? It was so long ago." Ven sits up and grins, holding out a hand for Zexion to shake.

"I'm Ventus, Ven for short. You said you changed your name?"

[cute_and_schemy]

Ventus. He can remember now, though maybe not all that clearly. It wasn't that long after his father died. Shortly after he came to stay in the castle. Ventus was the one who saved him when he'd wandered off and been attacked by the Unversed.

He regards the hand for a moment before accepting the handshake. He doesn't think he ever properly thanked Ven that day. Talking hadn't been easy for him back then.

"I go by Zexion now. I have for nearly ten years. Which I believe is how long it's been since I last saw you."

[sleeping_heart]

"Yes. That sounds about right." His smile slips a bit and fades. Ten years. It's been ten years since he last woke up.

He changes the subject, shaking Zexion's hand. "So you do remember me? I didn't think anyone would anymore."

[cute_and_schemy]

"Not terribly clearly, I'm afraid, but yes. I remember you."

Ventus doesn't seem surprised to learn how long it's been. He wonders then just what became of him for him to still look the same as the day they first met.

"I can't say I expected to see you again. At least... I had not thought you would still look as you do in my memory. Where have you been all this time?"

[sleeping_heart]

"A lot of things happened." He replies vaguely, giving him a look that he clearly doesn't want to talk about this.

"As long as someone remembers me, that's enough. I thought everyone had forgotten about me."

[cute_and_schemy]

He's not going to push. He doesn't particularly want to talk about what he's been up to all this time either. So it's fine with him to let it drop.

Instead he changes the topic.

"How long have you been here?"

[sleeping_heart]

"I just got here, as far as I know. I don't think I've ever been to this world before…" He looks around in confusion. It's all so new and a bit strange.