Or maybe it has already begun. (Raine, invite)

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[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] I had a way then, losing it all on my own I had a heart then, but the queen has been overthrown (OOC: I'm a man of my word, so here's the thread you requested of me Raine, I hope you like the lyrics~ ) Swiftly, the last Dusk was evaporated by the stroke of the Kingdom Key. Surely, the last Gambler Nobody attempted Stop Dice on the spikey-haired boy, with the young man turning the tables on the lesser Nobody, choosing the right result and felling the empty husk of a shell as it faded into the darkness. And then, checking around the immediate area after the waves of Nobodies that had attacked him, the boy from this island felt the presence of the lesser Nobodies were finally gone and sighed in the relief. Now his island could be enjoyed in peace by everyone once more. He had been fighting the storm of Nobodies for some time, so anyone could have noticed or even jumped into the fight out of sight from him, but for the moment he enjoyed the sound of the gentle waves lapping on the crisp white sand. By himself or not, he immediately stepped out into the water the moment he realized he was no long in any immediate danger, wadding as deep as letting the ocean waves brush against the soles of his shoes. It was a odd motion perhaps, risking getting his feet wet, but it was calming to feel the rhythm of the ocean waves of his home push against him. He looked out towards the ocean, the usual bright azure sky meeting the pure aquamarine ocean, and yet not for a minute did the snapshot of a memory that he took in his mind or the reminiscing in his dreams match the vividness of the beauty that lay out before him. To absorb to moment, to hear the heartbeat of creation of his island was one experience he could never truly substitute. It almost brought a tear to his eye, to think now that this might be the last time he would see the beauty of this place before setting out on his next adventure. Dangers would come and darkness would coat this place as many times as the tide went in and out, but this place would always be home to that of himself and his friends, and he would always fight to preserve that purity and innocence. Not everything would be able to last forever, maybe not even this place and it's sanctity, but still at the same time it was always an exciting experience to set out from it for a new adventure to always know he could return to it. He had been almost everywhere and done almost everything he could think of, but had it really been enough to achieve what he set out for? He had saved the worlds from sinking into darkness which was always important, and saved people from plunging into despair to find their friends or keep going; but for everyone who was safe now and was happy there was those people out there who were still waiting for him. The King's letter still weighed on his conscience, not that he could not do anything about it or hadn't because he would continue to strive to, but the fact he hadn't completed what task he had set for himself meant those people were still waiting for him to heal their sadness. Of course he was going to find them and do just that, it was just a matter of time and place, but he hated to think of them having been sad all this time. Tomorrow would be the start of that new journey to set out into the new worlds and accomplish to resolve just that; in the meantime it made sense for him to stay here and prepare for it, and to enjoy the serenity of his island one last time. TAG Raine, open SONG LYRICS Lights by Ellie Goulding NOTES A promise is a promise, it may be late but here's your thread, Raine~

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!

[raine]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,395,bTable]

[atrb=style, background-color: #FBF1F6; border-top-left-radius: 60px; border-left: 3px solid #AA4B62; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;][STYLE=border-right: 4px solid #AA4B62; border-bottom: 4px solid #AA4B62; height: 100px; width: 100px; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px; border-radius: 100px; background-image: url(http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n519/kamurocho/Luka/luka7.png);] [/style] [STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 31px; margin-left: 95px; color: #F2B9C8; text-transform: lowercase; margin-top: -110px; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px; text-align: center;]HERE'S TO EVERYTHING[/style][STYLE=margin-top: -5px; margin-left: 120; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 5px; color: #663D47; text-align: left; margin-bottom: -14px;]COMING DOWN TO[/style] [STYLE=color: #F2B9C8; font-family: georgia; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: right; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: -12px; text-transform: lowercase; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px;]- - - - - - - NOTHING.[/style] [STYLE=height: 40px; overflow: auto; margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 113px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 15px; border-right: 1px dotted #AA4B62; border-left: 1px dotted #AA4B62; padding-left: 15px; color: #260C13; margin-bottom: -15px; border-top-right-radius: 20px; border-top-left-radius: 20px;]tags. Sora~ notes. I think you read my mind, because I honestly consider this Raine's theme. xD[/style] [STYLE=margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 10px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding: 17px; color: #260C13; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;]The waves were pulling forward and back in a timeless dance. It was easy to lose yourself in the hypnotic rhythm, which was what Raine was doing at this moment. This island was rather peaceful, and she was enjoying the brief reprieve from her budding travels. Worlds, Heartless, and countless other entities that she could now ponder since she had stopped running herself ragged for the time being. When had her life become so complicated? She wanted to direct her anger at what she had for the past three years of her life, but the Empire was not at fault this time. Raine had lost everything again since gaining the ability to summon this keyblade of hers. Her memories of her childhood were slightly hazy, yet she could recall seeing the weapon before. Someone had requested her to hold one before. What did it all mean? Frustration welled within her at all the questions that still plagued her. All she wanted to do was be able to return home, but her home was naught but ash and rubble. Ivalice seemed like a far-off dream now. How was her sister even faring now? Raine had been comatose for months, so she had little doubt that Laine believed her to be dead. Was she still even in Rabanastre, or had she moved on? Raine would not blame her twin if she had given up hope and had left. It was no less than she deserved for running off and leaving her all alone. Her need for revenge had been masked by lies of wanting to protect her sister from the Empire. It had been partially true, perhaps. That desire had been overshadowed by her vengeance, though. Nabudis had been utterly destroyed by their greed, and her parents killed in the ensuing blast. She had no home to return to now. Her lips curled into a mirthless smile, wondering if she had done something to deserve all of this. She absently tucked a stray, pink strand behind her ear. Sitting here and sinking into her sorrows was not going to change anything, was it? Raine had wanted the time to simply sit and be. Her thoughts would simply not leave her alone to do so. She was currently resting on the deeply curved branch of the palm tree, wondering how many before her had done the same thing. It was so quiet, too quiet. Homesickness had struck her as soon as she had stepped foot on this world. It was odd, because she had not been to the coast in quite some time. She wanted to go back to Ivalice and travel the vast lands again. There was so much her world had to offer and see. If she found her sister, then where would the two go first? Raine was finally old enough to try Bhujerban Madhu. The Skycity was such a beautiful city to behold, offering views that not other city in Ivalice could boast to. It was easier to think of more happy times, or to try and believe in a better future. Raine knew that it would not be happening for her anytime soon. Her smile disappeared as reality began to settle in around her. This was her present now. At least she was no longer asleep, right? She felt both old and young at once. Older than most for all she had witnessed over the past few years, and young from the daunting possibilities that lay before her. What path was she to tread? The future was dark and uncertain. Raine did not enjoy being blind. For a moment, she buried her face into the palms of her hands, feeling so very tired. What was she supposed to do now? [/style][STYLE=font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: center; color: #663D47;]made by kiwii at btn and ote![/style]

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[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] And I'm not sleeping now, the dark is too hard to beat And I'm not keeping up, the strength I need to push me (OOC: Wow, really? I guess I made the right the right choice, then. -smiles- Fine, make Sora have to come to Raine, but this is the last time I'm going out of my way for you~) And then, off to his left, it was then the spiky-haired young man noticed out the corner of his azure eye the young woman sitting on their usual spot of the crooked paopu tree. Sora had been standing on the main part of the beach, and if had not been for her slight movement he may not have noticed her at all. It wasn't Kairi, or Selphie; her hair was too long, in fact he wasn't sure he had seen this particular girl on the island before. So, in a unexpected maneuver perhaps for her, he did the usual islander greeting of yelling "HEY!" jubilantly, as he cupped the side of his mouth with one hand to amplify it and waved frantically over his head with the other. Then he was off, running off down the beach, the crunching of soft white sand underfoot. This would be a while before he was back on this island again; as he pushed through the small wooden hut and up the spiral staircase, he preserved the memory of opening the door leading up to the paopu island to the vivid view of the horizon from this viewpoint. He slowed his sprint as he approached the strange girl, but acted towards her as if she was anything but estranged, swinging his legs over the bent paopu tree and sitting some distance parallel to her. "Hi." he re-iterated again, feeling impetuous and silly, laughing suddenly at the rash course of action. "I'm Sora." he introduced himself to her, forming that friendly smile naturally on his features. Looking over at the girl, he could tell she was transfixed on the horizon before his sudden entrance, and followed her sight casually to help relax her should she be abrasive. "It is a nice view, huh?" he commented off-handedly, taking in the splashes of turquoise and aqua-marine dappling over the water in the sunlight. Before he knew it, he had already launched himself into calming small talk, as if he had known the young woman forever. "So, I haven't seen you around before. How do you like my island?" he would ask inquisitively, but it was a excited and prideful tone as if she were a relative coming to visit from afar. It was good to have company now, and even better to make a new friend. He hadn't made one in a while, and making a new friend always left him feeling better and more confident about himself. He had come to terms with leaving his home now; all he could think about at the moment was the journey ahead of him. A whole new adventure, new friends to meet, and of course lots of fun and exciting memories along the way~ It was kind of like being back at the beginning, back when he was attending school, and he laughed a little sheepishly at how long ago that was now that destiny seemed to have other plans for him and his friends. Back when he, Kairi and Riku would make plans to leave the island and explore the worlds beyond, not realizing just how difficult and complicated it was going to be beyond his wildest dreams. But he had no regrets at all for what he had experienced, and even if things were to go bad, his heart would be connected to his friends that would now never be broken by the kindness and patience he had shown them. "I'm going away for a while, from my island." he voiced out loud to Raine, as if in thought, in quiet contemplation. "And I know I'll miss this place, as I always have when I've left, but I know that getting out there and making that journey makes all of that go away because I'll be back again. How about you? What's on your mind?" TAG Raine, open SONG LYRICS Lights by Ellie Goulding NOTES God, I posted over my original post when I first made this post, but thankfully restored it. xD;;

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!

[raine]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,395,bTable]

[atrb=style, background-color: #FBF1F6; border-top-left-radius: 60px; border-left: 3px solid #AA4B62; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;][STYLE=border-right: 4px solid #AA4B62; border-bottom: 4px solid #AA4B62; height: 100px; width: 100px; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px; border-radius: 100px; background-image: url(http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n519/kamurocho/Luka/luka7.png);] [/style] [STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 31px; margin-left: 95px; color: #F2B9C8; text-transform: lowercase; margin-top: -110px; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px; text-align: center;]HERE'S TO EVERYTHING[/style][STYLE=margin-top: -5px; margin-left: 120; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 5px; color: #663D47; text-align: left; margin-bottom: -14px;]COMING DOWN TO[/style] [STYLE=color: #F2B9C8; font-family: georgia; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: right; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: -12px; text-transform: lowercase; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px;]- - - - - - - NOTHING.[/style] [STYLE=height: 40px; overflow: auto; margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 113px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 15px; border-right: 1px dotted #AA4B62; border-left: 1px dotted #AA4B62; padding-left: 15px; color: #260C13; margin-bottom: -15px; border-top-right-radius: 20px; border-top-left-radius: 20px;]tags. Sora~ notes.Oh, the horror of walking to see her! -giggles- See? She's not so abrasive this time~[/style] [STYLE=margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 10px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding: 17px; color: #260C13; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;]Raine was startled out of her reverie at the sudden shout aimed at her. Her hands dropped to her lap, and she glanced in the direction of the voice with widened eyes. How had she not sensed anyone else here? Had she been that engrossed in her own worries? Her expression shifted into a somber one, but she viewed the figure of the male with slight curiosity. She had not expected anyone to notice her up here. It was amusing to watch the brunette wave at her like they were old friends, and soon he was taking off toward the path that lead up here. Raine was slightly confused at his overly enthused reaction to noticing her presence. Some people were just like that, she supposed. So enthusiastic and outgoing with life and the people that they met along the way. She did not think she had been like that for years now. It was simply easier to keep her distance and focus on what she had to get done. Life was difficult enough without forming attachments and opening herself to fall again. All she wanted was her sister. Her gaze focused on the horizon before her, resigned to the fact that she would soon have company. He had every right to be here as she did, and this was most likely his home world. She was the stranger here, not him. Ivalice had never felt farther from her grasp. Raine could most likely find her way back, but what was left for her there? She feared what she would learn when she searched Rabanastre and could not find her sister there. Her icy eyes glanced over as the brunette soon jumped onto the perch beside her with a casual air she almost envied. She could tell he had an innocent air to him, as if all the darkness of the world could enshroud him and he would find a way out whole and happy. Clasping her hands together, she viewed his easygoing grin with a slightly impassive stare. He introduced himself as Sora, acting as for all the world she was an old friend to greet after a long parting. “Raine Arethousa,” she replied after a moment. Her usual eloquence evaded her, and so she turned her gaze back to the horizon. Endless and fathomless. It scared and enraptured her all at once. She had been plucked from her world and thrown into this horizon that lead to places she had only dreamed about as a little girl. Seeing the reality for herself was more terrifying than the wonder of youthful dreams. “It is intimidating,” she admitted with a weak smile. Sora acted with a nonchalance she appreciated, keeping some distance to at least give her the illusion of space. Perhaps it was a good thing, because now her thoughts would not consume her as they had been. He gave her an excuse not to wallow. She would take that and pretend that everything was right in the world for a little while. Small talk. Raine found her social skills lacking as of late, but she would force herself to be. Her eyes wavered from the horizon to land on Sora. There was a glowing pride at his question, which spoke of how much he adored his home and the beauty of it. A slice of paradise tucked away from the rest of the worlds. It was so small compared to her own home, but lovely all the same. “I hail from Ivalice. Your island is quaint and peaceful,” she answered. A brief reprieve from the overwhelming knowledge that had been shoved upon her the moment she woke up. Her keyblade had provided her with a new chance. She was grateful, but her feelings of bitterness still remained. Change had never settled well with her. Raine did not believe it ever would. Was he always so open with complete strangers? It was a little bewildering to see him open up to someone he did not know. She could be an enemy for all he knew. Biting back a sigh, she settled for shaking her head to herself. Misery does love her company. She listened as he spoke of leaving his home soon enough. Raine settled her gaze back upon the endless sky, wondering what it was like to know you had a home to go back to. She had not held that luxury since the Empire had brought Nabudis into naught but rubble and Mist. Rabanastre was not her home. Her sister had tried to make it home, but it could never replace what had been lost. Maybe Raine was just trying too hard? Maybe it was her own weariness that loosened her tongue, or the openness that Sora exuded, but she was soon letting her secrets flow, “I have been thrown into these vast worlds for whatever reason this keyblade persists in doing. My own home was destroyed years ago, and the idea of falling into that endless sky terrifies me in a way the war on my world never did.” Her lips curled into a somber smile, wondering when she had become so weak and hesitant. [/style][STYLE=font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: center; color: #663D47;]made by kiwii at btn and ote![/style]

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[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] You show the lights that stop me turn to stone, you shine them when I'm alone And so I tell myself that I'll be strong, and dreaming when they're gone (OOC: Yes, exactly, the horror of walking to see him which you didn't do in the first place, so I had to~ Yes, it's nice to see how far Raine has come from her DD:FF days.) "Raine... Arethousa." Sora said slowly, spacing out the sylables, as if to help him rememeber the name. He smiled, and then chuckled a little at her. "That sure is a mouthful." he humored, not having remembered such a long name before. The girl was very quiet in her movements and words, and there was a sense of sadness about her. He wondered what could plague the mind of someone who could look out on a sparkling ocean on such a beautiful sunny day like this. Intimidating wasn't a word he thought of to describe it; it could mean good as well as bad though, so he didn't comment on it. He had come across a lot of things he would describe as intimidating, but he never really thought of them to describe a vibrant setting such as his island. He wondered if she found it that way because where she came from was vastly different in comparison? He dismissed looking too much into the choice of words, just listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the sheer cliff face below, and the rustling trees above. The beauty of the island was intimidating in its own way, now that he had come back to it after a long time, he could at least admit that. He listened closely to her next words, and in addition to complementing his home world further to elaborate on what she meant, he picked up her own origins. "Ivalice? I... don't think I've ever heard of that world before. Maybe I visited it once, but I never got the name." he admitted, after she in turn had subtlety admitted she was not from this world. He thought that giving his gratitude for her positive words on behalf of everyone on the island might be a good idea at first, but then caught himself, as the island was for everyone and it wasn't his place to admit vainly he had some credit in preserving it when it had fallen into ruin on occasion in his absence. Instead, he smiled and nodded, not really turning to her yet as he looked out over the ocean. Flattery should be encouraged, but some moments didn't call for it to spoil it further to hinder on their origin, just giving Raine her space and time to mull over her own thoughts in her sensitive state of mind. She hadn't finished speaking yet and it would be rude to interupt, so he let her finish before adding to more that she told him about herself. "You have a keyblade, too?" he asked, just leaving it on that question. He didn't need to brag or show off his own, as from his words, she should have already deduced he had one as well. Another keyblade had chosen this thoughtful young woman, but whether is was light, dawn or even darkness as the path she took, it did not matter to him as he had already decided she would be his friend in his mind. He could not tell if she was an experienced Keyblade Master like Aqua was, or someone brand new to it like Night, but if she had more questions than he did then it was up to him to help her more than to sate his own curiosity. "So your home world was destroyed..." he paused, dwelling on that fact. Years ago in fact, and while he did not know how long she wielded the keyblade, he had his experience of being a nomad. "You might not believe me, but... this island was destroyed a long time ago, too. I got my keyblade and was thrown into the worlds, not knowing if I would ever see it or my friends again, but through it all I restored this island back the way it was again. And you know what? Don't be afraid. I know it might be scary... having been out here a long time, not knowing where your home is. But if you have the keyblade, then how about you stay here as long as you like, and I'll help you find your home? If you have a goal at the end of your journey, and a friend by your side to keep you from floating away, then suddenly the sky doesn't seem like it will swallow you up anymore." he offered, smiling. There was mention of a war, but he didn't think there was any significance to it now, if it had been a long time ago and there was nothing he could do about it now. Sora wasn't sure how he would have made it to Xehanort's Heartless to defeat him and restore the islands, if it had not been for the effort of his friends to find the ones who lived here on this island with him, and it was through their support and his friendship he extended out that he felt he could do anything. Maybe Raine just needed that same confidence within herself, so she could do the same, and finally return to the home that she so longingly sought. The thought of that happening, and her happiness made him smile at the very thought. He hoped that his offer of friendship would empower her, to keep her feet on the ground firmly so she had strength to face her fears and doubts, that had kept her drifting in these worlds for so very long. TAG Raine, open SONG LYRICS Lights by Ellie Goulding

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!

[raine]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,395,bTable]

[atrb=style, background-color: #FBF1F6; border-top-left-radius: 60px; border-left: 3px solid #AA4B62; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;][STYLE=border-right: 4px solid #AA4B62; border-bottom: 4px solid #AA4B62; height: 100px; width: 100px; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px; border-radius: 100px; background-image: url(http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n519/kamurocho/Luka/luka7.png);] [/style] [STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 31px; margin-left: 95px; color: #F2B9C8; text-transform: lowercase; margin-top: -110px; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px; text-align: center;]HERE'S TO EVERYTHING[/style][STYLE=margin-top: -5px; margin-left: 120; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 5px; color: #663D47; text-align: left; margin-bottom: -14px;]COMING DOWN TO[/style] [STYLE=color: #F2B9C8; font-family: georgia; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: right; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: -12px; text-transform: lowercase; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px;]- - - - - - - NOTHING.[/style] [STYLE=height: 40px; overflow: auto; margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 113px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 15px; border-right: 1px dotted #AA4B62; border-left: 1px dotted #AA4B62; padding-left: 15px; color: #260C13; margin-bottom: -15px; border-top-right-radius: 20px; border-top-left-radius: 20px;]tags. Sora~ notes.But a gentleman takes the time to walk over to a lady. D8 I think she has, at least. xD [/style] [STYLE=margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 10px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding: 17px; color: #260C13; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;]Her mouth twisted into a half-smile as he tested out her name. Perhaps it would have been more prudent to only offer her first name. It was simply a habit to give her entire name, since her surname had once carried some measure of power. That had been years ago, though. Honestly, it felt more like a lifetime. Raine was not that person anymore, and she did not believe she ever could be again. Thinking of her home only made her grow more morose the longer it lingered within her mind. She wondered what the ruins of Nabudis resembled now. A once prosperous nation brought to utter destruction in only a night. She shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of the memories. The past would never go away, but constantly thinking on it would only keep her in chains. “I shall simplify it next time,” she replied a little dryly. At least Sora held humor, because it was too much for her to force at the moment. Her surroundings certainly were not what scared her. It was the endless sky that stretched far beyond what the mind could comprehend. She should focus on the beauty of her current surroundings rather than on possibilities that may or may not happen. The sun reflecting upon the relatively calm waters was a breathtaking sight. It nearly compared to the beauty the Phon Coast held when the sun shined at it’s brightest. Happier memories were related to the sandy, white beaches her family had used to vacation to. Frustration welled in her at her constant nostalgia, wishing she could think on the present. Her expression remained impassive as always. Raine had conditioned herself to never outwardly show the maelstrom that her emotions could be. Doing so only meant showing weakness to others that did not need to know. Raine could say so many wonderful things about Ivalice. The cities, the grandeur of the varying lands, or the varying races that occupied her world. No other world could compare to her own biased views of her home. She could tell that Sora held the same pride and love for this island of his. She glanced at him, watching as he seemed to refrain himself on saying anything more about his home. A small crossed her lips, not minding if he did. There was certainly no shame in having pride in where you grew up. “Ivalice offers much for first time beholders to witness. The Phon Coast is quite reminiscent of your home. Along with the challenge the hunters’ camp provides for those looking to challenge themselves with the rarest of marks,” she offered with another small smile. Raine would like to visit the sandy beaches at least once more. Icy eyes widened slightly at the implication of Sora’s question. So, there were others that wielded this keyblade. Her views of the weapon were rather muddled. She held gratitude, because she knew it was the reason she was awake now, but it was the reason those creatures had stolen her away from her home. Raine was unsure whether she would have remained asleep and ignorant to everything that now laid before her. All she could do was tread that path that had been set before her. She raised her hand upward, summoning the blade to her hand in a burst of dusky light. It rested comfortably in her grip, but she still viewed it as an oddity. The physical evidence would serve her better than an affirmative answer to his question. Raine tensed slightly at his speculation, because she refused to believe Ivalice had been swallowed into darkness along with her. She realized that he must have misconstrued her meaning when she had said ‘home.’ Sora would not know that she had meant Nabudis, not Ivalice as a whole. Her mouth closed as he began to speak more in an attempt to reassure her of her current situation. So these islands had been swallowed by the darkness, too. That statement lightened her fear that Ivalice was fine and well. Perhaps it had only been her the creatures had sought. “Forgive me, Sora. I did not mean Ivalice in it’s entirety had been destroyed years ago. My…hometown was brought to ruin years ago. The war with Archadia claimed my country in their conquest for power,” she elaborated softly. His offer to help her was appreciated, but she was unsure if she should take it. She simply stared as Ascention with a small frown, unsure of anything anymore. “I was…asleep for a long time before I acquired this keyblade. I have only recently mastered summoning it,” she elaborated further. She turned to face him, forcing herself to smile in an attempt to appear lightly. “If you could explain to me what the keyblade it, perhaps I can figure out the rest by myself.” [/style][STYLE=font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: center; color: #663D47;]made by kiwii at btn and ote![/style]

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] Cuz they're calling, calling, calling me home, calling, calling, calling home You show the lights that stop me turn to stone, you shine them when I'm alone (OOC: Thank you very much for considering me to be a gentleman, my lady~ Yes, I think I can agree Raine has had a change of character and is a lot more serene and thoughtful~) He didn't mean for his opinion that the name sounded long to be anything but a humorous observation, but as he did not know anyone else by that name, he would just call his new friend Raine. Although, he would try to remember the name Arethousa and use it as well in full, so he would not insult her in any way. That was the name she had given him after all, and he would not discredit that. If she wished for him to call her by any other name, then he was sure she was the friendly type to at the least correct him. "It's okay, I've got it, Raine Arethousa." he smiled. Raine Arethousa had a rather stoic and impassive expression at the moment, and it was hard to gauge her thoughts, so he looked away from her to the ocean as he remained silent. A smile remained on his face as he sat next to her, though, waiting patiently to try to understand her problem. It would be insensitive of him to try and cheer her up without knowing in full what tormented her mind so, and it was most likely the destruction of her home, and Sora wondered how he could go about making such a promise to help his new friend. Would it be as easy as defeating Xehanort's Heartless, as it was for his island, or hard since the Heartless had perished long ago? He guessed he would have to figure out that problem somehow when he found whoever or whatever was responsible, so he could help restore her world anew, and give her a cherished home to go to. Ivalice sounded like a amazing place to go to, as Raine spoke up, and made a comparison of a coastline to his island. The remark about there being a hunter's camp proved espeically exciting for him, as he could imagine the rare marks and intense battles he could make while working for the camp, and it seemed a shame if Ivalice really had been destroyed. "Rare mark and challenges sounds like a lot of fun! I can't wait to go there." he couldn't help but exude before he contained his excitement in his voice, letting his imagination run wild for a moment. When he caught himself, he just laughed softly. "And the beach sounds really nice as this place, too. This island never had anything like the hunters camp, but my dad used to bring us out here when we were kids to run around and have wooden sword fights. We would always dream of fighting monsters, going on great adventures and scribbling them on the cave walls." If Sora had anything more to tell about his island, it was what mattered to him most, the people and the memories he shared with them there. As he asked her his question about her being a keyblade wielder as well, she answered in a way that surprised him, and a dusky rose-colored keyblade appeared in her hand. "Woah! That's awesome!" he exclaimed with a wide, spreading grin, and held up his own hand. If she were so willing to show hers, he would show his, wouldn't that be the polite thing to do as if swapping a name? In a brilliant, warm flash of light, the gold and silver Kingdom Key appeared in his hand as he held it out in his right hand before him horizontally. It was a marvel and a wonder to have another barer of the key around, and Sora examined Raine's keyblade with azure eyes for a moment, before looking at her with a warm smile. He held his out so she could examine it if she wished, before he lowered the silver tip to rest on the ground, and the golden hilt residing on the firm wood of the crooked paopu tree they were sitting on. The mutual appreciation ended when she spoke again, correcting him about her explanation earlier, that it was only her town that had been demolished, and it had by some group called 'Archadia' that had taken over the land it was now on. "Oh... I see." he confirmed, as the smile from his face faded away, showing he didn't think that her home gone for good was not amusing in the slightest. So her home was gone... and if she had wanted a new place to live, she would not be wondering the worlds as she said she had, so why was she? Sora had spent his time looking for the two most important people in his life that had been effected at the time when his island sunk into the darkness, so if they were what made his island a home, was she looking for someone? "You've been wandering all this time... so are you trying to find someone you lost?" he asked inquisitively, eyes full of concern, feeling he could relate to the sadness in her words. "I'll help you. I know what it's like, to lose a home... it must have meant a lot to your heart, to see everyone that made your home disappear." Her next question surprised him, and he wasn't sure what to say at first, because exactly of what kind of answer she was looking for. "Your heart was sleeping?" he wondered upon her words, and tried to think of an answer. He closed his eyes for a moment, those brilliant blue orbs of his disappearing under closed lids, and thought as he listened to his own heart. He opened his eyes as he sensed her movement from the sounds she made, and as he saw her bringing a smile to her lips, he knew his answer. He did not know the origins of the keyblade, or exactly why the keyblade chose him after it had passed on from Riku, but he knew of all the good he had done with it. "The keyblade... is a guardian of the worlds, that are wielded by the people strong enough, to stay true to their hearts. It is a keeper that helps locks away the hearts that need to be kept safe... and a path through the darkness, to unlock the gateway to a new journey. It's the guiding light that gives the heart hope to dream. A chance to heal the heal the sadness of everyone!" he answered, smiling back at her. "To help people be happy... like you." TAG Raine, open SONG LYRICS Lights by Ellie Goulding

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!

[raine]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,395,bTable]

[atrb=style, background-color: #FBF1F6; border-top-left-radius: 60px; border-left: 3px solid #AA4B62; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;][STYLE=border-right: 4px solid #AA4B62; border-bottom: 4px solid #AA4B62; height: 100px; width: 100px; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px; border-radius: 100px; background-image: url(http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n519/kamurocho/Luka/luka7.png);] [/style] [STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 31px; margin-left: 95px; color: #F2B9C8; text-transform: lowercase; margin-top: -110px; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px; text-align: center;]HERE'S TO EVERYTHING[/style][STYLE=margin-top: -5px; margin-left: 120; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 5px; color: #663D47; text-align: left; margin-bottom: -14px;]COMING DOWN TO[/style] [STYLE=color: #F2B9C8; font-family: georgia; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: right; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: -12px; text-transform: lowercase; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px;]- - - - - - - NOTHING.[/style] [STYLE=height: 40px; overflow: auto; margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 113px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 15px; border-right: 1px dotted #AA4B62; border-left: 1px dotted #AA4B62; padding-left: 15px; color: #260C13; margin-bottom: -15px; border-top-right-radius: 20px; border-top-left-radius: 20px;]tags. Sora~ notes. Yup~ I like making her not so abrasive. [/style] [STYLE=margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 10px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding: 17px; color: #260C13; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;]Raine would definitely remember to omit her last name from now on. Perhaps it was better to leave that part of her life behind, since she doubted she could ever regain what had been lost. Her status as nobility did not mean anything to her now, but she would like to have her family back. It was a desire in her heart that had kept her company throughout that seemingly never ending sleep of hers. Why was she thinking so much on it? Arethousa was nothing more than a surname to denote a station that no longer existed. She knew Sora had meant nothing by his humorous comment, but she always tended to over think the most simple of things. She glanced back over to the younger male, smiling slightly more for his benefit than for her own. “Just Raine shall suffice,” she corrected gently. Saying her entire name would simply be a mouthful as he had remarked. The young woman knew that her home could never hoped to be restored. The Mist that surrounded the entirety of Nabudis prevented that, along with all the fiends that now roamed the abandoned palace. She had returned to see the remains once after she had joined the Resistance. It was a memory that she would never forget, and it had reduced her to tears even when her parents’ death had not. Seeing it for herself had made it real, and she had grieved by herself for the first time since she and her sister had received the news. How was Laine doing? Was she still in Dalmasca? Raine worried that perhaps those creatures had sought out more than just her. The idea of her twin being lost in the sea of these worlds was almost unbearable to think of. Laine was not a fighter, and she would be terrified without anyone there to comfort her. She never should have joined the Resistance and left Laine to fend for herself! Raine’s eyes widened somewhat at Sora’s exuberance over her comment about the Phon Coast. Her expression melted into one of mild amusement as he tried to contain himself. That seems to be what boys enjoyed doing most: proving themselves to be strong. There were marksman guilds all over Ivalice to join, but the absolute best was to join Clan Centurio. Raine had been interested in joining the clan at one point. Perhaps if she managed to stumble across Ivalice, then she would show Sora the wonders of Rabanastre. Hopefully it had not changed too much since the battle. It would give her the chance to pick up on any news surrounding her sister. Even former nobles were somewhat known, so it should not be too hard. Oh, Gods, she hoped so. “That sounds rather quaint. If only our dreams as children could equate to reality,” she replied with a somber smile. She remembered dreaming of such things herself, but she knew better now. Was it truly a good thing? Raine was still unsure. Her keyblade had certainly helped her, but it was bringing her trouble as well. She had enough trouble to last her a lifetime. She watched with slight awe as Sora proceeded to summon his own keyblade, which appeared much more simplistic than her own. It had a regal bearing, though. She did take the time to study the clean, defined line of her keyblade, wondering when Sora had gained his. He had the air of someone that was experienced and comfortable with his weapon. It was a part of him just as much as the hand that held it toward her to see. Raine had yet to feel that way about Ascention. Honestly, she did not know what to do with her keyblade. She mimicked Sora’s movement of resting the top of her keyblade into the white sands below her. She had not meant to dampen Sora’s ever cheerful spirits with her correction, but she did not want him to have the wrong assumption. She did not believe Ivalice had been taken over by any darkness. It had only been after her from what she could recall. Much of it had been a blur when she had awakened in Radiant Garden to find those Heartless almost storming down on her. Honestly, she had not meant to be wandering the worlds like she had. Would it be too embarrassing to admit that she was unsure of how to pinpoint the location of her world? “I am looking for my sister,” she conceded, wishing to save what was left of her pride with the little white lie. It was a half truth, because she was looking for Laine by looking for Ivalice. Raine remained silent, wondering if Sora had lost someone that could never come back. He knew of loss, but was it the permanent, heart wrenching kind that she refused to grieve over? It would be cruel of her to ask. Her heart was sleeping? Raine supposed it could be thought of like that. Her keyblade had awakened her from whatever slumber she had been in, and it was tied to the heart, right? She could faintly remember the hooded man that had tested her with his own keyblade, and she almost wished he had never done so. So, it was a protector to the pathways of the worlds and worlds themselves, and only wielded by those with a strong enough heart that inherited it. She lifted Ascention with a bewildered expression upon her face, wondering how it could even begin to heal the horrors that still lingered within her heart. It all sounded like a fairytale too good to be true. Nothing in life was ever that simple. “I do not believe it is that simple, Sora. At times there is just too much sadness in someone that can never be truly erased,” she admitted, angry with herself for ruining the natural optimism he held. It was a trait she found enviable. [/style][STYLE=font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: center; color: #663D47;]made by kiwii at btn and ote![/style]

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[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] Noises, I play within my head Touch my own skin, and hope they'll still be there (OOC: -laughs- I think Sora needs to tell Raine something someone told him a long time ago... dilly-dally, shilly-shally. xD Because somehow I think Sora pulling a funny face for her isn't going to help her smile here so easily.) "Alright then, nice to meet you, Raine." Sora said, and he smiled. This was nice, talking to someone on the beach, making a new friend while the sun dipped lower through that sappire sky towards the horizon. His mind paid no more heed to the topic of Raine's full name, and wondered what their journeys had in store for them. Would Raine find where her home was, and what of his own journey? It was hard to try to imagine what lay ahead, but it made Sora eager all the more to set out. He would endeavor his best to assist Raine in any way possible, since she must have been drawn to the warmth of the light of this world for some reason, perhaps it reminded her of the Phon Coast of her home she had talked so fondly about. That, or she just needed a place to relax and get away from the reality that was her life now. If she found this deserted island that served as a playground for him and his friends during his childhood, scattered with the wooden treehouses they had built in their time here, perhaps she had also been subconsciously looking for the help of innocent youths of her own age? Perhaps not, but he liked to think that somehow, she was looking for the happiness that came with comfort in some way, and she had sought for it here. His own journey would take him far beyond these shores, but he would do his best to assist Raine first before setting out, even if it just meant at the very least someone who she could talk to about the keyblade to better understand her own path towards happiness. Just like his friends Riku, and Kairi would do in turn. Raine spoke again, and it only made him think about them moreso while he was remembering innocent childhood memories. "Maybe." he answered her consideration, and then, "But if you try hard enough instead of simply wishing, sometimes those dreams can come true. I mean, I didn't wish for monsters or any situation where I'd have to go save my friends. But what it did bring was the chance to make new friends and see new worlds, as well as save them all and the people I care about, so that's what I would take from it if I had to bring a positive from that experience." he smiled. Conflict and drama was unavoidable at the best of times, but would Raine understand that she had grown and made herself a better person, even if her journey had been hard and full of sorrow? He hoped she would, and that looking on the bright side of things did not have to sound so simple when tragedy and the unbearable pulled her down, but encouraged her to give herself the permission to find her own strengths and smiles. She had only just given him a somber smile just now, right? Somber as it may be, it was a start, and if Miss Arethousa was now drowning in a darkness of her own terror then Sora was there to talk her out of it with comforting words and a lending hand. Maybe a silly face at the right moment, but Sora didn't feel that was appropriate for a first impression, when her sadness seemed so deep that cheer in itself would not allow herself to let it be a cure-all that easily. These things would take time, but now she had a friend in Sora and she was in his heart, she had his support in the darkest of these times to empower her with the action she needed to take to find her own happy ending. He dismissed his keyblade in that brilliant flash of light, the glow fading as his smile did, and his expression remained as Raine told him the half-truth. Far be it known from Sora that it was in fact a little white lie, but he would not look down upon Raine at all as he was not that kind of person, even if her pride had to be lowered to admit the hard truth she needed help that Sora loved to provide to those he had just made friends with. "Your sister? She must miss you a lot. Let's go to your home world right now, and I'll help you find her." he kindly offered, of course because of the lie naively had no idea Raine did not know how to locate her own world. Even if her walls came crumbling down and she had to admit the truth, Sora would not hold it against her and overlook it to help her find Ivalice without question, that was just the kind of goodness and love Sora had in his heart. What Raine was soon to find out however, was that Sora would lower his own guard even for a stranger such as herself, and she would find out just how much she wondered if Sora had experienced the painful sadness of losing someone in his heart that would not otherwise be there. He looked to her Ascension as she raised it to the sunny sky, it's shiny surface reflecting and glimmering with darkened hues in the daylight, before looking out towards the vast blue of where the ocean met the sky. "I know." he said with a tone that conveyed a deeper wisdom and clarity that his exuberance first suggested, not turning to look at Raine, even if he may have surprised her with his answer. "You see.... on my first journey when my islands fell to darkness, I saved one of my... friends, but the other I lost somewhere out there. When I set out to find him along the way, something happened... my heart also fell asleep, I think, and because of my keyblade, people got hurt and even had their own lives taken because of me. They laughed, got angry and most of all got hurt. Even before I got the keyblade, there were people that got lost, seperated and alone because of something one man did. The same guy that destroyed nearly all the worlds and did the same to my friends, too." He stood up, as if invigorated and inspired by the motivation in his heart, and there was a glistening of a tear in his eye. "That's why I'm setting out on my journey. Because even though my friends are safe, the people who fought so hard to keep me safe and make me who I am... they and their friends are lost, scattered, and sad they've been apart for so long. They're waiting for me, to heal their sadness, and I'm the only one who can bring them back together again. So I know that there are deep sadnesses that a keyblade can't simply just fix. But... like you, and your sister... I won't stop until everyone is safe and sound. I'll keep fighting, and keep trying with all my heart, to make everyone happy. Even if I can only hope to see just a smile." he spoke selflessly, and finished, looking thoughtfully over his shoulder back at Raine. If she had any questions about anything he had just said she wanted to know more about, as he avoided getting too much into detail about things like the Heartless, Nobodies and of course Xehanort, all she need do was ask and he was happy to answer her with any desire she wished to know. "Raine... what is your dream? One thing that you wish for, more than anything in your heart?" he asked her with complete admiration and curiousity towards her, having revealed his own, and hoped she would be able to comply. TAG Raine, open SONG LYRICS Lights by Ellie Goulding

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!

[raine]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,395,bTable]

[atrb=style, background-color: #FBF1F6; border-top-left-radius: 60px; border-left: 3px solid #AA4B62; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;][STYLE=border-right: 4px solid #AA4B62; border-bottom: 4px solid #AA4B62; height: 100px; width: 100px; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px; border-radius: 100px; background-image: url(http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n519/kamurocho/Luka/luka7.png);] [/style] [STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 31px; margin-left: 95px; color: #F2B9C8; text-transform: lowercase; margin-top: -110px; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px; text-align: center;]HERE'S TO EVERYTHING[/style][STYLE=margin-top: -5px; margin-left: 120; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 5px; color: #663D47; text-align: left; margin-bottom: -14px;]COMING DOWN TO[/style] [STYLE=color: #F2B9C8; font-family: georgia; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: right; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: -12px; text-transform: lowercase; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px;]- - - - - - - NOTHING.[/style] [STYLE=height: 40px; overflow: auto; margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 113px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 15px; border-right: 1px dotted #AA4B62; border-left: 1px dotted #AA4B62; padding-left: 15px; color: #260C13; margin-bottom: -15px; border-top-right-radius: 20px; border-top-left-radius: 20px;]tags. Sora~ notes. No, but she is definitely softening to his openness. ^3^ [/style] [STYLE=margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 10px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding: 17px; color: #260C13; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;]Raine was unsure what had made her seek out this island. Well, the more logical answer was that she had stumbled upon it, since traveling across these worlds was so new to her. It was almost unfathomable that there were so many places beyond Ivalice. Her world was so vast and intricate, and yet not compared to the vastness of this universe. Her world was a mere playground in the grand scheme of things. She wished to believe that she made her own choices, but she was doubting that as of late. The strings of fate were continuing to lead her along like a hapless puppet for amusement. Her lips curled into a mild frown, finding much distaste at such an idea. She was very tired of those with power playing with lives for their own amusement, nor with any concern to those involved. A tired sigh escaped her lips as she ran a hand through her strawberry hued locks. This was not what she had come here for. Whatever reason she had come here. Solace, peace, quiet; she did not know anymore. Would she be a child to admit all she wanted was to go home? It was an impossible ideal, because her home was long gone. She knew that. Raine was so very tired of chasing the shadows of her past, along with phantom enemies that could no longer harm her. Icy eyes flickered over to Sora, listening quietly as he spoke of his own experiences. He had such optimism and light even with the darkness of his own memories. He had done what he had to in order to save his home and friends. Her motives were tinged with her need to gain revenge. Raine wanted to see those that had hurt her bleed like she had. “You have your friends as your guiding light. Mine was to gain vengeance on those that brought such sorrow to myself and my sister. All I have done is wrought more pain on her,” she replied quietly. Raine appreciated his attempt to spin a positive side upon their hardships, but she knew she was not a good person. Her own darkness was easier to hide in than the light. Happiness was a relative term at best. Elusive and forever out of grasp for those that strived so much for it. Raine was not seeking it out. What she wanted was so jumbled within the tangled need for her revenge versus her simple want to just see her sister. Perhaps this was a chance for her to start everything anew. A chance to make amends for her own mistakes, but where did she even start? Her eyes burned for a moment with unshed tears. She resolutely held them back, refusing to show such weakness to anyone. Even to someone as understanding as Sora. Raine had never cried in front of her own sister, so she would not do so now. Breaking down was the one thing she ever refused to do. It was idiotic concept of strength, but old habits were hard to be rid of. Keeping her walls up was far easier than allowing them to come down all the way. She watched with interest as Sora dismissed his own keyblade in that brilliant light. She wondered who had given him his own keyblade. Had he ever disliked the weapon at all like she did hers? Why was she still viewing it with distaste? It had given her another chance, no? Raine just did not like the idea of falling prey to another outside influence. That was simply how life was, so she had to accept it. She could fight and scream against this path all she wished, or she could go forward with her head held high. Her thoughts scattered at Sora’s sudden offer. Her expression softened at his selfless offer, smiling a little more genuinely at the younger male. “If she still remains there. I…would be very grateful for your help, Sora,” she stated, unsure of how to express her gratitude. His help was not something she deserved, but she was selfish enough to accept it. Raine had to know if her twin still remained in Dalmasca. Even if the truth proved to be more than she was willing to bear. Her gaze slid over to Sora, surprised that he had agreed with her statement. There appeared to be a deeper wisdom to him than his cheerful demeanor showed. Was it really so odd? Sora had certainly suffered his own hardships, so it was no unreasonable to surmise some of those lessons had stuck with him. He just had the rare of ability to make the best of all that came his way. His own gaze was resolutely set upon the horizon, and Raine felt compelled to listen to his story. There was a weight that lingered on Sora’s shoulders, and there were those that had been indirectly affected by his actions. Her own eyes flickered back onto the horizon before her, appreciating that there certainly was more to him than he first allowed to show. A depth to his character that had experienced guilt, anger, but still hoped that mistakes could be corrected. She believed he could fix whatever wrongs had been made. “And does that make you happy, Sora? What if that meant sacrificing your life to naught but constant battle?” she asked, genuinely curious. Raine knew she would do so if it meant keeping her sister safe, but for those she had not even met? She already had the feeling he would say yes. He was the type of person that found happiness in the simple act of seeing those close to him happy. Raine smiled a little sadly at him, wondering if this battle would ever end for him. There was so much she was curious about, but she had the information she needed about the keyblade for now. Ascention was dismissed from her loose grasp in that flash of dark light. She wondered if that showed how easily her own heart fell prey to her own demons. She would like to find that comforting light for herself one day. His inquiry to her own dreams rendered her silent for a few moments. Raine really was unsure of what she wanted. She looked down at her hands, wishing she never had to raise another weapon again. Her eyes misted over with those troublesome tears, and she blinked them away before they fell. “I want peace, Sora. I desire to find my sister and go home, but that is no longer a possibility,” she answered quietly. Perhaps it could be. Nabudis was gone and no amount of wishing could change that. She could find her sister and find somewhere else to call home. Far away from the memories of battle and tragedy. “I believe Laine would find enjoyment in traveling to all of these differing worlds. You would like her, Sora. You remind me of her, always seeking for the happiness of everyone and enjoying the simple beauty of life.” [/style][STYLE=font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: center; color: #663D47;]made by kiwii at btn and ote![/style]

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[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] And I think back to when My brother and my sister slept, in another place, the only time I feel safe (OOC: Sorry about this being late, I've been busy and having WAY too much fun with FFXIII-2, so much that I heard this melody playing in my mind when Sora reached out to comfort Raine. But that's good to hear she's warming to his openness. ^__^) She made a tiring sigh, threading fingers through her strawberry hair, and Sora wandered for a moment if his optimism was doing more harm than good. Like coaxing a turtle to come out of it's shell, or adding more water to a dam that was about to burst, if his attempts to spread a smile were unwanted feelings people didn't feel like having to match at that moment. He could understand why people wanted to feel depressed or sad, as it was in their every right to do so, but shouldn't they let it all out? His own smile had shyly shrunken away from his expression at the moment, intense azure eyes looking out towards the ocean, watching as the early afternoon sun dipped towards the horizon. Like darkness, negative emotions were not bad in someone wanting to revel in them, but would it be okay if like a light Sora only wanted to be on the outside to bring them out of something that felt unhappy? And then came the reason behind that long, wistful sigh. Sora listened in turn, as she made the comparison to while she was correct that his friends was his guiding light, hers was vengence on those who had wronged her. She had somehow hurt her sister too, and Sora closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, shaking his head from side to side before answering. "I can't help you with revenge, Raine. I'm not sure if that's what your sister would want, if causing her more pain meant her sister was putting herself in more danger, just to settle the score with someone. But, I will help you find her and your home, so that she's happy you're safe." He had never gone after someone in revenge, only stopped the bad guys when the worlds were in danger, and even his friendly rivalry there was no hard feelings between himself and Riku when the latter had beaten him. "Rai...?" he softly spoke, after he watched a slight twinge in the expression on her face change from somber to... looking like she was on the verge of crying. She didn't have to well up tears, for Sora to see the areas of the skin that blushed around her nose and eyes which usually were tell-tale signs of those salty water droplets coming from the eyeducts. Not to mention the crinkling of her nose was a bit of a tell-tale sign, and if he was not being so bold, he couldn't help but reach a hand out to her to offer a gesture of comfort by placing it lightly on her upper arm. "Hey, are you alright? Everything will be okay." he soothed reassuringly, not promising that but in a hopeful way, pulling a smile out for her to brighten her up. Maybe that selfless gesture of willingly reaching out and touching her seemed to get through to the tough exterior she was giving Sora; next thing he knew, she was smiling and accepting his offer, and he felt an enormous sense of overwhelming relief. "Really? Great! Thank you." he told her gratefully, and then added in case she wondered why he had thanked her, "For letting me help you. It mustn't be easy to ask for help when you're out here on your own, I know, but I want to see you and your sister smiling." He removed his hand from her arm, now that it wasn't needed anymore, and laughed a little as he flashed a grin at her in his own happiness that he could genuinely help someone reunite with a loved family member. There was a lot of sadness and anger in Raine's heart he could feel, because of her questioning happiness and wanting vengence, but seeing her smile now he could see that sincere joyful and grateful light in her heart. And at times when she had wanted to be wistful and stoic, he could be her happiness for her until she could find that light in her heart again and make peace with it. Because it was okay to be happy, even if the situation did not call for it. That was the key difference he saw between himself and Raine; he chose to look at the good in things before the bad, and to accept others in his heart with a open love for what was unique and diverse about their heart. Raine could have these quantities, but her past of her sister getting hurt and enacting revenge for a sense of justice seemed to weigh down upon her like a lingering darkness. Maybe Sora had a sheltered life on the island, where nothing extremely wrong had happened where he felt that he could not accept it to grow up the way he had, but comparing what it was to be happy and what it was to be unhappy was not as grey as it seemed. Happiness to him wasn't a choice as much as it was a reflex to what made him smile, but why choose to deny what was diverse to him that made the world and it's hearts special, why let other people's misery bring him down and allow it to hurt him? Raine was not bad because she wanted to embrace emotions other than glee because her actions in the past could have lead to more of it, and neither was Sora wrong as he did get sad and angry from time to time, and the way he saw things only allowed him to want to seek the roads to euphoria and jubilance by unconditionally welcoming and keeping that feeling from being lost to those he loved. "Naught but constant battle...?" he pondereded over the words, translating and considering them over in his mind, before he gave his answer. "The way I see it, if I want to keep everyone happy, then I have no choice but to fight. Including me. Because if I refused, it just means the bad guys have no-one to stop them, and more of my friends get hurt. More sadness gets spread around, and it never stops hurting. So I'll keep fighting, for what I and what my friends want to be happy, a future where everyone is safe and smiling. Even if it's only short, and another battle is to come, at least we'll know that we tried instead of doing nothing." he told her, looking over at the horizon at first. Then he turned to look at her, his smile still there at the thought of a memory. "It's like someone being sad. Maybe people have picked on her a lot, maybe she hurt someone close to her, and she can't stop being sad. And she's that way for so long that she starts to wish someone would come save her from that feeling, that someone would be willing to make an effort for her because they care about her, right?" he asked theoretically, using a female as someone Raine could relate to. "I know that if I needed someone, and they have, that my friends wouldn't think twice of coming to save me even if it wasn't the darkness trying to pull me down. So even if it's hard for her, I'd like to think there's someone there for her to bring her out of her woes and heal the pain that's been caused in the past, because it's better than leaving her on her own to drown in despair, and not even realizing for herself that she doesn't need that sorrow anymore. Even if they don't know each other well, and that pain doesn't stop coming, at least they can be there for one another to help ease it." he tried to explain how he felt, and believed he was successful in accomplishing that, naive in a way that he could not even see his own selflessness and empathy in what he had just said. "But what if it was a possibility? Even if your home is gone, your happiness is living in peace with your sister, so your home will be wherever the two of you are." he countered her dashed beliefs, trying to inspire hope in her. Why ask him to help her find her sister and her world, if part of her did not believe that it was still there? He was glad to hear that he reminded Raine of her sister's optimism, his smile growing just that little bit wider. "I can't wait to meet her, then. So let's find her so that she can enjoy seeing my island and all the worlds out there, too. Let's go find your sister, and take you home, Raine." he smiled, sliding off the paopu tree to stand up, and extended a gloved hand out for her to grasp. TAG Raine SONG LYRICS Lights by Ellie Goulding

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!

[raine]

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[atrb=style, background-color: #FBF1F6; border-top-left-radius: 60px; border-left: 3px solid #AA4B62; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;][STYLE=border-right: 4px solid #AA4B62; border-bottom: 4px solid #AA4B62; height: 100px; width: 100px; margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px; border-radius: 100px; background-image: url(http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n519/kamurocho/Luka/luka7.png);] [/style] [STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 31px; margin-left: 95px; color: #F2B9C8; text-transform: lowercase; margin-top: -110px; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px; text-align: center;]HERE'S TO EVERYTHING[/style][STYLE=margin-top: -5px; margin-left: 120; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 5px; color: #663D47; text-align: left; margin-bottom: -14px;]COMING DOWN TO[/style] [STYLE=color: #F2B9C8; font-family: georgia; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: right; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: -12px; text-transform: lowercase; text-shadow: #663D47 1px 1px 1px;]- - - - - - - NOTHING.[/style] [STYLE=height: 40px; overflow: auto; margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 113px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 15px; border-right: 1px dotted #AA4B62; border-left: 1px dotted #AA4B62; padding-left: 15px; color: #260C13; margin-bottom: -15px; border-top-right-radius: 20px; border-top-left-radius: 20px;]tags. Sora~ notes. No need to apologize. It is a very fun game~ That song definitely helped with my mood for this post, so thank you! [/style] [STYLE=margin-right: 10px; margin-left: 10px; font-size: 10px; font-family: arial; text-align: justify; background-color: #FEF9FC; padding: 17px; color: #260C13; border-top: 3px solid #AA4B62;]It was far easier to dwell in the darkness than in the light. Raine had grown used to the bitterness and sadness that colored most of her recollections now. She lingered within the somber memories of her past more than looking toward a future she could change for herself. Did she want to change? She bit her bottom lip unsurely, wondering if she even had the propensity for change. The past few years had left their mark on her mind and heart; forever creating a reminder that did not wish to leave her. Raine had no wish to dampen Sora’s sunny disposition with her morose attitude. Her views were not apt to change from one conversation with him. A part of her wished to be left to her own devices, but a larger piece of her heart craved the kind company he offered her. Perhaps the light he offered was not one she wished to tread beside, but it was a warming one she appreciated. For now, Raine was at peace with holding the darkness she was familiar with to her. Some things needed time to change. She had no wish to involve anyone with her personal vendetta. Revenge would not sate her desire for things to go back to how they were, nor would it ease her pained heart. All it had left thus far was the taste of ashes in her mouth. Raine had blinded herself with the lie of joining the Resistance to protect her sister, but she had done so for the chance to make the Empire crumble as they had to countless other towns and kingdoms. Absolute power corrupted absolutely. Her lips twisted into a frown, feeling the familiar fury begin to rise in her. Anger was easy to embrace and cling to much more than forgiveness and mercy. “I would never ask for your aid in my vendetta. I know the mistakes I have made, and I shall bear the consequences of them. Your aid in finding her would be all I ask of you,” she replied quietly. She admired Sora for never succumbing to the lure of revenge like she had. She despised the idea of crying at all. Her eyes were still burning, and she could feel the heat of her cheeks rising as she resolutely held her tears back. What in the world was she becoming upset about? The urge to simply unleash the torrent of her emotions into pointless tears was maddening to her. Raine could not remember the last time she had cried. Perhaps as a little girl when she had scraped her knee, or something equally pointless. She nearly jumped at the light placement of Sora’s hand upon her upper arm. Icy eyes widened, glancing at the younger boy with surprise. It was a thoughtful gesture, and one she smiled slightly back at him for. No one had attempted to comfort in a long time. Not even her sister had noticed beyond her own grief, but Raine never blamed her twin for that. “I shall be fine, thank you,” she reassured. Her expression turned amused at his returned exuberance. Why was Sora grateful? She was the one that owed him for his selfless offer. It was a rare person that felt thankful for being able to help someone else. She had to wonder if her own luck was turning around to be able to stumble across this world by accident. “You certainly do not need to give me your gratitude. There are others that deserve it far more than myself, I am sure. You are far more giving than you need to be,” she complimented with a small smile. His grin was infectious, and she was glad that he felt so happy over helping someone like her. She did not believe she deserved such kindness, since she had certainly not proven herself to be a charitable and forgiving person the last few years. Being able to look forward to an uncertain future left her with hope instead of fear for once. Lingering within the shadows of the past was a habit she wished to rid herself of desperately. Raine was unsure if she could ever be the young girl she had once been, but anything was better than who she was now. In her mind, happiness was a choice to either be sought or ignored. She often ignored the choice to attempt to be happy in favor of following the anger that had lead her path for so long. What was she to aim that on now? There was no Empire to blame for her situation now, and did she wish to run the same path until it hollowed her both heart and soul? If she wished to change, then she had to allow herself to feel happiness instead of pushing it away. “I had the inclination you would say that. I wish I had such selflessness. I would toss my keyblade into this ocean if it meant the possibility of never seeing another battlefield,” she admitted with a somber smile. Of course, such a choice was beyond her grasp, since she was stuck with this blade for the rest of her existence. Raine wondered if he was hypothetically speaking of someone he knew from his past, or was referring to her situation in the third person. Either way, his words held a wisdom far beyond most adults she had known. Certainly far beyond her own experiences. Despite her protests on asking anyone for aid, she knew that she would want someone to take the effort to come and find her. Raine had been lingering within her own bittersweet oblivion for so long. The idea of walking this path alone frightened her, but she was too prideful to admit that. Once again those burning tears filled her eyes, and she hastily raised her hands to wipe them away. It was maddening she was being reduced to an emotional mess by someone she had only just met. Her lips were quirked into an amused smirk, wondering if they were happy tears instead of ones of sorrow. “I..am unsure of what to say. I have never relied on anyone to protect myself and my sister, so the idea of having someone begin to care about my wellbeing is new. The darkness I have allowed myself to sink into is familiar, but the idea of having a light at the end waiting for me is comforting,” she replied. The idea of considering Sora a friend was an appealing one; she could only hope she proved to be a decent one in return. It certainly was a possibility that she could find another home. Would Laine be happy to see her, though? She was ashamed that she had left her twin behind to pursue her own personal vendetta. The idea of finding somewhere else to go and settle was appealing. Her gaze swept over her current surroundings, believing Laine would enjoy this world. It was small, but it held such beauty and happiness that was hard to resist. Ivalice was grand, but her world just held too many memories she would rather leave behind. Raine could not deny the blossoming hope within her heart at his words, wishing so desperately it could be as easy as Sora said. Why could it not be? “And then you can meet her, and the three of us can see Ivalice together,” she agreed with a brighter smile. Raine slipped from her perch upon the bent palm tree, and placed her hand within Sora’s without hesitation. [/style][STYLE=font-family: arial; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: center; color: #663D47;]made by kiwii at btn and ote![/style]

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[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,480px,true][atrb=cellpadding,3px,true][atrb=cellspacing,3px,true][bg=939d8f] You show the lights that stop me turn to stone You shine them when I'm alone (OOC: I made a mistake, that last melody was close to, but not the song I had stuck in my mind that was bugging me after I made that post. It was this one and I couldn't find it amongst the FFXIII-2 soundtrack, because it was originally from FFXIII. It was stuck in my head, because I had to play over again when Serah met Vanille and Fang her dream. Anyway, it doesn't matter, even if not fitting of a KH moment it's still just as if not as more nice. I picture this as Sora and Raine leave Destiny's Island, to start Raine's journey, in hopes of a brighter future. ^w^ Thanks for the thread, I always enjoy writing with you, and no worries~) Change. It was the one of the few things in life that was constant, along with time itself. Unlike time, it could be substituted, even if some things were hard to change. It also seemed to go hand in hand, or perhaps was even the catalyst of; desire. Desire to make new friends, desire to find loved ones who were lost, but above all else a desire to what made one happy. Whatever made one person happy motivated their desire to seek change, change from what they already had, a unfavorable situation even if sinking in one's own dispair was far less painful than getting hurt again. In this consideration, Sora didn't expect anything about Raine being entirely suggestible that she would be brought to her senses in one chance meeting, but did she want to lament in the stagnation of her own dark feelings... or could Sora eventually change her outlook to one of change, and hope? "You don't have to have that burden alone, too." he said simply. He thought perhaps Raine was being too hard on herself, that her hard life was coming to bear even if he did not know the specifics, and although she felt it was her responsibility it didn't mean she did not have to face that hardship alone if it was too much to bare. It didn't mean he had to be a shoulder to cry on, or someone to fight her battles, but maybe that warm light and exuberence about him that he was extremely naive of not noticing. To be a voice in the dark that told her that there was still hope, even if he could not be there for her until she as a strong keyblade warrioress had fallen in battle after a valiant struggle against her mortal adversaries, and he could be a comforting light to her in either her salvation or her requiem. Sora knew that when he felt all had been lost as he fell through the darkness, Kairi and Riku had been voices to him calling his name back to them, and wished to never hope to stop listening to such mercy. He hoped Raine never had to find herself in a sitation where her heart had been lost and she fell to the darkness forever, and as long as Sora now held the memory of her in his heart, he would always be a light for her to follow and find her way back to somewhere safe and to re-cooperate herself. His hand upon her arm was merely an extension of his own thoughtfulness, putting his own thoughts of wanting to show he was there for her, by reminding her of his physical presence by his touch. But he did not know if he had upset her further, as she widened her eyes at him, and for a moment in time he though he may have upset her further with his intrusion. Maybe she did not feel comfortable with a man touching her, or did not like anyone to invade her personal space, or even the comfort the sensitivity of touch could bring to one's skin. But in the moment after she offered a smile at him, affirming she was alright, but still not putting into words what might have triggered such an expression to contort across her face. "Okay then." he confirmed, his smile shortening to a thin one, not going to push any further today the emotional turmoil that must have been in her heart but glad at the very least her smile meant she was somewhat grateful he showed empathy and kindness towards her. He didn't need to show gratitude? Well, no, he guessed it wasn't necessary. "But you see, I want to be grateful. I want to want to be be grateful. I like helping people. It makes me happy. I guess that's kind of selfish in a way... but if it is, I'm willing to deal with the consequences too, even if it means my own life." he had decided, looking out towards the shoreline. But he hoped it would never come to that, and they all could enjoy a time together later on where everyone was laughing and smiling. "Because then other people will be happy, and that makes me happy, too. If you hadn't decided to let me help you, and if that meant you could never find your sister and your home again... well, I don't want to even think about how sad that would make me. Let's just be glad we're taking a new step forward." he ended on a upbeat and indifferent note. No, perhaps showing appreciation wasn't needed, but then again it did make people all the happier to know that someone genuinely was grateful they were not being entirely selfish with their reasons in making someone else's wishes come true. Sora had not always been the optimistic and somewhat simple-yet-wise person Raine saw before herself. There were times he had his own doubts, too, that had troubled him so. In trying to find his lost friends, in attempting to recover the memories he was loosing, and most of all if even his own keyblade in saving others was evenually causing another group to initiate doom and distortion. And in all cases, the right answer wasn't as clear as the light Sora believed was always in the depths of darkness, and it meant just putting his head down and keep going until the answer presented itself. As Raine indicated the notion of tossing her keyblade into the ocean, it made Sora think of her lust for revenge, and wondered it there was a way he could help her see she could be self-aware that it would not make her as content as she thought it would. At least without enduring it upon herself the hard way, and it meant other people might get caught up and hurt in the process, even if it was not himself. "I don't know about selflessness," he added sheepishly, realizing he was looking at the ground to avoid modest eye contact with Raine, "... but the keyblade is more than just a blade for fighting. If there wasn't any more darkness in people's hearts, it would still be a key to unlock new doors for people, or seal away something to keep it safe from being misused. And if something bad happened to someone that caused them to lose their heart, it can even awaken a sleeping heart, like yours was." he considered, thinking about the Dark Keyblade and how he used it upon himself to save Kairi's heart. If it weren't for it and his own keyblade, countless lives would have been lost forever, and it pained him to think such diversity and harmony would be lost forever. "So don't think for real you should throw your keyblade into the sea... at least your keyblade chose you. It saw the strength of the light in your heart, how strong your will is, and it believes in you and what you want for the future. So much that it wants to make those dreams and hopes come true, by giving itself to you as a partner and friend, so it can make those things become real." he offered as another way of looking at the keyblade, and smiled. He had to look back at her as she raised hands towards her face, and as he turned he realized she was on the verge of tears again. Had nothing he said been able to comfort her from whatever sadness she clung into within her heart? He felt motivated to comfort her in some way once again, but he restrained himself, pausing a moment longer to realized from her facial movement that it might not have been tears of sorrow, but of joy. "You've had a difficult past, haven't you, Raine? I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to be there for you and your sister, I know you mean well in the end for you both, and you have someone there for you. Besides, we're friends, right?" he smiled, and he didn't realize he had felt himself well up with tears of closeness in his eyes, because of how moved he felt from Raine's predicament as well. If she had no-one but herself and her sister, it meant without her saying something had happened with her parents, and he empathized how harrowing life would have been having to look out and be in charge of such a small family. "Light, or darkness, don't think about it too much. In either one, you'll always have your sister, and your friends." In his heart, he knew Raine would be a great friend to have, he wouldn't have decided to share his heart with her if he hadn't. She was also very emotional underneath it all, and having brought out tears of his own, he felt he could connect with her on a emotional level very easily. "I'd like that." he agreed, and while he had offered her his hand to help her down from her perch as he would for a lady, she had already helped herself before accepting his hand around hers. So instead, he shook it in a firm but gentle handshake, before releasing it. "I've got a gummi ship that will take us through special gates to the worlds out there; it's not too far away. Let's go!" he laughed, and jumped down from the bridge into the beach, before he ran with making sure Raine was not too far behind. Hopefully, his island would be kept safe while he was gone, and he would be back... soon. Sora has left the thread. TAG Raine SONG LYRICS Lights by Ellie Goulding

THIS TEMPLATE WAS MADE BY COMATOSE OF ON THE EDGE!