[open]

[earthshaken]

Who: Terra, and anyone who wants to check up on this dumb loser
When: Backdated to 3/04?? A few days after the ill-fated raid
Where: CERES hospital
What: Terra's recovering from being shot. Good times.
Rating/Warning: Mentions of violence/injury, character death

[Terra didn't have much memory of how he'd reached the hospital. The doctors had described how they'd found him unconscious on the roof drenched in blood, Keyblade lying beside him and Baymax with him. The last thing he remembered was Soramaru and Masamune's deaths, something that had stood out starkly in his memories for more. After that, there was little but the feeling of warm light and his Keyblade in hand.

Thanks to Korra's quick action the bullet wound in his chest had more or less been taken care of, and the rest was just a patch job, along with treatment for the blood loss. His arm was another matter, and since he refused to have its coding fixed instantly by one of the medical robots, he settled for having it in a sling.

He didn't trust medical robots here for a second, when it was CERES' security robots that had shot him in the first place. If anything, they'd make it worse, wouldn't they?

After a few days of bed rest and some minor surgery on his wounded arm, he was finally feeling well enough to get up and move around. The first day or so of recovery was hazy, but now he's beginning to feel restless -- sitting around in a bed is giving too much time to dwell on his failures in the raid. Were Hiro and Korra even alive? And what about the other groups they were separated from? He sends them -- everyone who participated in the raid -- the following message:]

are you okay?

[And then to Roxas, who is probably wondering where Terra disappeared to, the following message:]

I ran into some trouble a few days ago
at the hospital now
don't worry abou t me. i'll see you soon

[Good job on the least reassuring message ever, Terra.]

Comments

[coexistent]

He-hey...!

[he kind of ducks his head a little, but though he protests, roxas doesn't seem that bothered by it. normally, it would, but right now, there's something distantly familiar about it that doesn't ring with the same way axel or one of the other organization members may have mockingly done it to him sometimes.

still, he instinctively ruffles his hand through his hair once terra's sat back, as if that's somehow going to put the mess of spikes back to it's proper position. he may just be scrunching his nose and pouting a bit, too.]

I'm a lot stronger than I look, you know. [just because he is smol does not mean he can't lift things!! so yes, he is getting riled up and a little grumpy. he just wants to help, what did he do to deserve this!!]

[undauntingdawn]

[riku shakes his head. if nothing else, that theory doesn't hold up. none of the people he'd run into gave off a darkness vibe. ...well, almost none.]

No, whatever CERES did doesn't involve darkness. So far, the only ones giving off any real darkness here are you and me.

[a short pause comes before he looks terra in the eye. it's not a judgmental expression, but more of that usual curiosity. there hadn't been a chance to bring it up earlier so now seems as a good a time as any to tackle that topic.]

Unless that wasn't the case before?

[maybe ceres DID do something, maybe not. either way, riku definitely wants to know more about not only terra's darkness but terra himself. it still holds a surreal feel to it, seeing the same stranger from so long ago right in front of him. maybe chatting some more can help them both figure out why it ended up being so long.]

[earthshaken]

[That old feeling of shame, one he's becoming far too familiar with, comes creepimg back. He looks down at his hands.]

All of my darkness is mine. CERES has nothing to do with it. [Except push him to use it when he was shot, and had to turn to the darkness to keep himself going. At least he didn't hurt anyone, small comfort though it is.]

But darkness or not... I've seen CERES do some evil things. So, whatever they meant, there's truth in what the spirits said.

[earthshaken]

I don't know if where I am is any more secure than the CereVices...

[He looks around and off-camera, as if expecting eavesdroppers. Seeing none, he continues.]

But I'm staying away from the robots here. So as long as no CERES employees are hanging around, it should be safe for you to come talk.

video --> action

[braavado]

[Another glance between Hiro and Terra, then Korra's nodding decisively.]

It's better than talking on these phones. We'll be there soon.

[And now she's reaching over to end the call. Just like she said, though, she and Hiro turn up at Terra's hospital room not too long after that, Korra immediately dropping into a chair beside the bed.]

[earthshaken]

What bad news? Do you think I'm wrong?

[souling]

I don't have any, really. I was just seeing if you'd worry a bit.

[earthshaken]

[He deflates a little, looking stung by that answer.]

You shouldn't say things you don't mean.

[earthshaken]

[Yup, that got exactly the reaction he expected. What a smol grump.]

Well, once I'm back at my best, you can show me how strong you are.

[It's a challenge to spar; more than that, he's genuinely curious to see more of Roxas' fighting style, and he's sure Roxas would like to see more of his, too. Besides, maybe it will give Roxas a goal, something to keep him occupied aside from fretting over him.]

[coexistent]

[there is a 100% chance that roxas brightens up after hearing that. fighting may not really be his favorite thing to do, but it's mostly what he knows—and he really wants to see how terra fights, too.

there's so much he still doesn't know about the keyblade, and seeing techniques from someone who actually had a master... that could be something important.]

Yeah, definitely. [it's also relieving to hear that, honestly, because it's a solid reminder that yes, terra will definitely be okay soon enough.] I guess it's probably different than what you know, since you learned the... right way.

[he's not sure that's really the right word for it, but whatever.]

[undauntingdawn]

[that's... sort of a familiar response when asked about the darkness. the shame, well, riku notices it. he won't try to bother terra too much on the matter, not when in this state, but a note gets made to bring it up as soon as possible.]

Yeah, I've heard stories. Not nearly as nice a bunch as they claim.

[few shady organizations are. the last one he dealt with was even worse. hmm... riku purses his lips momentarily. terra might not know anything about this, but it's a question needing to be asked.]

Has CERES, or the spirits, ever mentioned anything about gathering lights or something involving hearts?

[earthshaken]

The right way? I'm not sure I did.

[He shakes his head, his teasing expression only moments before becoming more solemn.] I had a good Master. The best I could have asked for. But...

[The word catches in his throat, and he looks away from Roxas, stopping himself before he says anything more. What was he doing, talking about this with him? Not even Ven knew what happened to the Master. It's not something he should trouble Roxas with, so he quickly changes tack.]

Sorry. What I'm trying to say is that there's more to learn than knowing how to fight like I can.

[earthshaken]

No. Nothing that specific.

[Terra stares at Riku shrewdly. That sounded familiar for different reasons, something he doesn't like the sound of at all.]

Where did you hear a plan like that?

[There's only two people he knows of that have talked about such a plan, of all the worlds he's visited. And it gives him that sinking feeling again -- the feeling that in the future, something has gone unbearably wrong.]

[souling]

Ah, sorry, sorry. It was just a joke but....yeah. Sorry.

[earthshaken]

What's funny about making someone worry?

[souling]

It can be kind of silly when you think about it. Especially when it's not serious.

[earthshaken]

But it is serious! People always think they can treat my feelings like something to be toyed around with. I'm sick of it.

[And now he's mad. Oops.]

[souling]

Ergh...I'm, I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you mad.

[earthshaken]

[Getting riled up is making his chest wound hurt, so he sits back and takes a deep breath, gritting his teeth.]

... Just don't do it again.

action

[earthshaken]

[Terra would much rather talk once he's out of hospital; he hates few things more than others seeing him as weak or vulnerable. But he knows this is something that can't wait, so he won't protest.

When they arrive, he sits up, greeting them both with a brief nod.]

Thanks for coming... and for before. I really appreciate everything you both did for me.

[coexistent]

Maybe...

[he can't really argue it much, not when he's sure that terra has a better understanding of something like that than he ever could. he's not really sure what it is that terra's holding back, but the way he stops himself doesn't go unnoticed.

it causes roxas to avert his own gaze for a moment. maybe terra doesn't want to trouble him, but it doesn't stop this distant nagging feeling that something important isn't being brough to light here. he's sure it's not nearly as egregious as some of the other things people keep secret from him (considering those things always had to do with roxas directly), but still, roxas notices. even when he doesn't understand, he notices.

he won't let it get him down for long, though. his gaze shifts back to terra, and there's a little more conviction in it now.] But still, you know a lot of things I don't. About the Keyblade, and how to use it. Everything I know, I had to figure out myself. And.. it's not much. I don't really get it at all, it's just something I have.

action

[zerotohiro]

[The logic behind this for both Hiro and Korra is that it might be too late by the time Terra's out. There's too much going on right now, and Hiro, personally, is a little curious what exactly the Bridge is going to do now that she's free and with her friends. He takes a seat next to Korra and near the bed, leaning his elbows on his knees and looking at Terra thoughtfully.]

Don't even mention it. We weren't going to leave you behind. [That's not how they do things.] We also don't want to leave you out...so Korra and I wanted to update you on what happened in the tower after you and Baymax disappeared. We went in even further and found some things.

[undauntingdawn]

[riku purses his lips at the question. to tell terra or not? honestly, getting his opinion on things might not be a bad idea. the only real issue is terra's present condition. an explanation will take a while and discussion even more so. after a moment of mulling it over, a decision gets made: tell him. later.]

It's... a long story. [SO long.] As soon as you look less ready to keel over, I'll fill you in.

[his tone of voice implies meaning this promise. the whole story, well, it really is a hell of a lot to take in. no reason exists to put the guy through dealing with something that heavy on top of the injuries and what happened. riku's not going anywhere and hopefully terra will stick around this time, too, so chatting later shouldn't be an issue.]

[earthshaken]

...Right. [Terra had always been so single-mindedly obsessed with becoming a Master, it's easy to forget Roxas' standards aren't nearly so high. That Terra isn't a Master wouldn't even occur to Roxas to be an issue, when he hasn't even trained under one.

It does put a little perspective on his own problems, at least. How hard would it be, to struggle alone with a responsibility like the Keyblade? Maybe as hard as fighting the darkness, in its own way. Maybe worse.]

I guess that means neither of us can afford to slack off while we're here. We both have things we need to work on.

[coexistent]

[it would probably be worse—though maybe only so if they were able to make the final discovery that everything that happened, including roxas being lead to wield his keyblade and collect hearts, was all to further xehanort's plan. and that the result was also supposed to end in roxas becoming another vessel.

they're both victims because of what they wield, though it's something hard to even be able to say for sure.]

Yeah. [he nods, thoughtful. at the very least, his curiosity and desire to try and unravel all of the mysteries about his existence keeps him from being belligerent with terra on nearly every occasion.] To work on, and to learn, too. I know there's a lot we have to figure out, even without things that have to do with CERES.