oo24 [ voice // action for housemates ]

[fourteen]

[ Xion sits down to make this post in her room, quietly unhappy about it, but knowing she has to persevere. He wouldn't want her to be sad, she knows it.

She'll have to find a new teacher.

But Xion finds she just can't sit still, and rises, speaking as she moves down the hall. ]

For anyone who knew him... Longshot has...

[ then she notices something. Sora's door is slightly ajar, and the inside of the room...

as if entranced, Xion slows, then moves towards it, giving a gentle push. ]

Gone ...

[ it's empty. the room is empty, completely bare of any sign that Sora was ever there. ]

... home.

[ and that's it. Xion has lowered her journal, giving an upside-down view of the wall through the journal's camera as she stares at this empty room.

it takes a moment -- a long, numb, endlessly empty moment that may go on for two or even three minutes -- for Xion to sink to her knees. only then does she finally, slightly, come back to her senses. she adds her final statement in a voice that, while even, is just barely above a whisper. ]

And ... and Sora ... Sora has also ... gone home.

[ if heartbreak had a sound, it would sound like her voice. for anyone who replies to her over the journals, it will be some time before she responds. housemates will likely get to her first. ]

Comments

[fourteen]

You've had friends leave too, huh... [ Allen, Colette, Longshot, now Sora... and Hugo and Guybrush, months and months ago. She knows the feeling. ] I -- I know what you mean. [ shoot. her voice gets a little tight and she struggles to keep it level. ] We're hoping he'll come back...

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

Yeah... [A pause. But then she's probably got it a lot worse than him, huh? Especially when there's two of them and...] ... Are you gonna be all right there?

[fourteen]

... I don't know.

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

[Oh boy. He scratches the back of his neck, unsure of what to say.] I'm... sure he'll be fine. He's Sora, after all.

[fourteen]

... even you say that ... [ well, she doesn't know how well Ted knew Sora. for her, it's like hearing it from a total stranger, but it still rings with truth. ] He always comes through... it's just going to be hard, waking up the next few days and remembering he isn't here anymore.

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

... That's going to feel strange, I imagine. [A pause.] I just... Don't take it too hard, all right? I mean... [Geez, this isn't easy, especially with a stranger.]

[fourteen]

... I'll try.

What's your name?

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

It's Ted. And you?

[fourteen]

... Xion.

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

[Oh, so she's Xion. Idle chatter would be normally what comes next but...] I... Thanks for telling us about Sora, okay? And I hope things turn out better for you soon.