Crowds (Open)

[s]

Sora had never seen so many people in his life. They were moving like water, brushing past, around, and over the lower ones like rocks in the stream. There was no way he could ever keep track of them all--if he thought learning everyone's name was hard before... At least then I always knew who everyone was because of the world, but here...

He got around a chatterbox of a woman with a huge plumed hat, nearly backed into a small child running past, and stepped on the tail of a rat-like person in blue. "Sorry about that!" he called over his shoulder, dashing to the safety of an outcrop. Sora wasn't used to seeking shelter in the shade, but at least now he wasn't in anyone's way and probably wouldn't be noticed. Where am I? he wondered, as he had been since the Gummi's landing pad jolted and sent him here. He still didn't trust Thunder or whatever her name had been back on the islands, but maybe there was something a little screwy with the worlds.

But, oh well. He was here now and that just meant dealing with the situation. That said, there was a castle in the distance, and Sora knew from past experience that castles meant information. So, once there was a break in traffic, he dove back in and headed for the castle gates.

[Rinoa Heartilly]

Rinoa wandered down the streets searing for help. Where was she? This wasn’t her home world did she somehow travel to another without knowing… How could she go back? Now she was lost as she walked through the crowd searing for someone she knew or someone who might be able to help her.

Normally her pet dog Angelo would accompany her but this time Rinoa was alone in a new world. “How did I end up here?” she muttered that question to herself glancing around. One thing she was glad of though, she was able to lose those Heartless that were after her.

Now her only concern was how to get back. “Maybe someone can help” she thought glancing around the world and made her way down to a castle where she thought was the best place to go for information.

[s]

Things didn't improve as he got closer to the castle. It got even more crowded, and he had to compensate as three giggling kids mistook his legs for empty running space and nearly tripped him up. They were all wrapped up in clothing and tall pointed hats, and when one looked back at him Sora could've sworn he saw a Heartless under the brim. What's going on?! No, it wasn't the case--he must've hallucinated.

Even so, even if he knew where he was...was that any indication of what to do? Most of the worlds were isolated from one another, or at least didn't know anything about one another...except for Lightning's world, apparently. Sora wondered why of all places that was the exception, but didn't pursue it. At least there were worlds like Disney Castle that were more concerned with the world order than training people to interfere.

He backed straight into a black-haired woman and started. "Oh, crap, I didn't mean t..." He blinked. "...Tifa?" Wait, no--this person didn't have quite the right face. They did look somewhat similar, though. "Uhhh, sorry, I thought you were someone else. I'm Sora," he introduced himself, figuring it was as good a place to start as any.

[Rinoa Heartilly]

"Oh, crap, I didn't mean t..."

Rinoa was almost there as she made her way out of the crowd of people to the castle. She almost reached the gates when someone bumped into her. She stumbled as she turned around to look at the boy.

"...Tifa?"

"Huh…" She shook her head with a confused expression.

"Uhhh, sorry, I thought you were someone else. I'm Sora,"

"It’s alright, it’s nice to meet you I am Rinoa… wait did you say your Sora" Her eyes widened as she looked at him. She heard that name before but she now had to make sure this was the same boy. "Are you… are you the keyblade master…? He told me about you in his letters" She asked in almost a whisper so no one would hear.

[s]

"Yeah, it's me! Rinoa?" Blue eyes rolled upward like Sora was looking for the memories just under his eyelids. He hadn't thought he'd forgotten anyone lately, but there had been Castle Oblivion and he was still recovering in small ways from that. Rinoa wasn't ringing a bell, but--wait, "he?"

"Letters...? Oh, you mean the King? Gee, I hadn't...really thought he'd be talking about me all that much." He colored a little, scratching just under his ear in embarrassment. Oh, well wait...she mentioned the Keyblade master, so his Majesty's probably only mentioned me like that.

Figuring it was unimportant now that they'd met, Sora extended a hand. "Well, nice to meet you! I'm actually kinda lost out here, do you know this place?"

[Rinoa Heartilly]

"Yeah, it's me! Rinoa?"

Rinoa smiled at Sora glad that it was him. She needed help and who better to ask other than the Kyeblade Master.

"Letters...? Oh, you mean the King? Gee, I hadn't...really thought he'd be talking about me all that much."

"The King... no someone else Squall do you know him?" She paused remembering that he said he would change his name "Does Leon ring a bell?" She asked stepping a few feet away from the crowd so they can talk without anyone listening in.

"Well, nice to meet you! I'm actually kinda lost out here, do you know this place?"

"No" She shook her head as she glanced around. "This isn’t my home world actually I just came her by..." She paused again remembering the portal she ran in now she only wondered who opened it. "I was trying to escape from a group of Heartless when a portal appeared in front of me and the next thing I knew I was here..."

[Balthier]

He had ended up here as he had done in one or two worlds now - it seemed the fabric between them all had weakened so much that worlds were almost spilling over into each other. Balthier had every intention of returning, though, not without a little examination of everything first - also he ended up outside the main entrance of a very interesting looking city, with a castle. Castles meant treasure. Treasure meant loot. Loot meant danger and adventure. Which lead to fun times.

Of course, one had to examine just what one was up against before one decided to leap into the fight to a treasure room of a palace. Apparently that meant spending a while in one of the local public houses. It wasn't as bright and entertaining as the Sandsea. But what could be? It seemed like a cheery enough place, with enough entertainment to keep one occupied for a while. He did notice that the people had the strangest of clothes, and it seemed like there were descendants of Bangaa or Viera wandering about as well as Humans left right and center. He was sure he could have seen Moogles, though the only way he was able to recognise one was from the little pom-pom on the top of their head, other than that they looked largely different.

However, his attention had been piqued when a kid who's clothes and appearance certainly did not fit the theme of this city - it didn't aid the boy that his countenance seemed to be incredibly lost as well. Thinking that perhaps he should pursue this, Balthier finished up his drink, paid his way (it seemed his money would still be accepted here thank-goodness - he was not in the mood for a bar brawl at this time of day) and slipped out of the pub, pausing now to notice that someone else who seemed rather out of place had too joined the boy and were both discussing matters together.

"....isn’t my home world actually I just came here by...I was trying to escape from a group of Heartless when a portal appeared in front of me and the next thing I knew I was here..."

"Well what a funny coincidence" came the charming voice from a certain Sky Pirate who had not all-too politely been listening in on the kid and the girl's conversation for a little while. He was leaning against the side of the building with his arms folded, smiling across at them both. "Oh don't mind me" he said, holding up a hand and pulling away from the wall as he stepped over to them both, "It seems like we're all in the same Skycraft. Lost, fell through a portal... possibly heading towards a castle?" he asked, glancing between the spiky-haired kid and the pretty dark-haired girl with a raised eyebrow, (he had missed the part where they had mentioned their names) "I'm sure I heard someone mention a King?"

[s]

The name Squall made Sora's mouth drop open--he was certain he'd heard it somewhere but couldn't put his finger on--and then Rinoa said Leon and it clicked. "Leon?! Really, you know him? Wow, he's never mentioned you!" Sora didn't even think about how she might take that until it was too late, and quickly stammered out an apologetic amendment. "That--I mean, you've...probably just never come up, I'm sure h--"

"Well what a funny coincidence."

The stranger's abrupt arrival didn't startle Sora into attacking, in part because that wasn't quite in Sora's instincts unless it was a dire situation but also because the hustle and bustle of the crowd slowed his reaction time. It did put him slightly on his guard, but the stranger didn't take an exclusive interest in the one or the other or show any other signs of ill will right off the bat, so Sora relied on his habit of trust. "Hi," he said when the stranger was done, waving. "I guess so, if we're all here without really knowing why. Oh--I was just talking about King Mickey, he's...kind of short. With big ears. You'd know him if you saw him," Sora added simply. "Anyway, I'm Sora, and I just kind of met Rinoa here. We've got a mutual friend. What's your name?" he asked frankly.

[Balthier]

Balthier raised an eyebrow, surprised by the kid's - Sora - bluntness. What was it with kids now days, talking to their elders like that? Not that Balthier liked to consider himself much of an elder, he had plenty of years ahead of him, and was proud of it. But it made him smile at just how very open the kid was with just blurting his name, Rinoa's name, the fact they met each other through a mutual friend and the exact (although bizarre) description of this so-called 'King Mickey' - not a stately name at all, Balthier mused faintly to himself, but he decided not to comment on it.

He then gave a charming smile and tipped his head in greeting to both the young woman and the boy, "Well then it is a pleasure to meet you both, Sora, Rinoa. My name is Balthier, Sky Pirate extraordinarre" he added a slight wink, "I would like to think my notoriety would be able to surpass through worlds, but I have a feeling that it is one thing that hasn't managed to get through the portals yet. No matter. That'll change soon enough" he smiled, folding his arms across his chest.

"So," he said, glancing briefly to the rather curious looking castle with a perked eyebrow, "Seeing as we all seem to be as lost as each other, I propose we stick together for the time being. In fact, I'm glad I came across this place, the Strahl and I have been flying about this world for a good long while. This seemed to be the only continent with anyone obviously inhabiting it!"

[Rinoa Heartilly]

"Leon?! Really, you know him? Wow, he's never mentioned you!"

Now why wasn’t Rinoa surprised Squall never really talked about anyone or anything in his life. It was hard to get him to open up to her and actually talk but with time he did.

"That--I mean, you've...probably just never come up, I'm sure h--"

She chuckled shaking her head. "It’s alright that’s just like him. Squall just isn’t the type of person to talk..."

"Well what a funny coincidence."

Rinoa was cut off and turned to look at the man approaching them. She stopped to look at him unsure of what to do.

"Oh don't mind me"

"It seems like we're all in the same Skycraft. Lost, fell through a portal... possibly heading towards a castle?"

"You came here by a portal too?" She asked and wondered who could have opened those portals. Well whoever it was, she was grateful. Rinoa was able to escape from the Heartless but now she had to get back home.

"I'm sure I heard someone mention a King?"

"Hi,"

"I guess so, if we're all here without really knowing why. Oh--I was just talking about King Mickey, he's...kind of short. With big ears. You'd know him if you saw him,"

Riona smiled she has never met the King but she knew a lot about him and that was exactly how she would describe him if someone asked.

"Anyway, I'm Sora, and I just kind of met Rinoa here. We've got a mutual friend. What's your name?"

Rinoa turned to look at the stranger once Sora introduced himself and her. She wore that cheerful look on her face as she waited for him to introduce himself.

"Well then it is a pleasure to meet you both, Sora, Rinoa. My name is Balthier, Sky Pirate extraordinarre"

"Balthier... it’s nice to meet you. So you’re a sky pirate..."

"I would like to think my notoriety would be able to surpass through worlds, but I have a feeling that it is one thing that hasn't managed to get through the portals yet. No matter. That'll change soon enough"

"So," "Seeing as we all seem to be as lost as each other, I propose we stick together for the time being. In fact, I'm glad I came across this place, the Strahl and I have been flying about this world for a good long while. This seemed to be the only continent with anyone obviously inhabiting it!"

Rinoa smiled with a nod agreeing with Balthier the best thing to do now was stick together and try and figure out where they were and how to return home. "I agree that seems like a good plan. We all don’t know where we are though so I suggest we start asking around see if anyone can tell us anything about this world."

[Balthier]

"From what I've gathered" Balthier already started, "Is that this continent so far appears to have no problem in terms of portals transporting people anywhere, they do however have skyships. Alas, not as well-versed as ours, but at least they still seem to stay afloat-" it was at this point he glanced over both Rinoa and Sora, wondering if perhaps the worlds they had come from whether or not skyships were common or not. Balthier had admittedly only flown to one other world - did not manage to scout out anything worthy of note - and left pretty sharpish, managing to find another portal without much trouble. Unfortunately, he didn't have quite the same luck here.

"I would think the best port of call would be that castle" he gestured to the castle that seemed to be at the center of the city. "For a start we don't want to appear as a threat - should anyone suspect us being such, seeing as we're from somewhere else. As small as we are, we may be considered an 'invading force'" he chuckled at the very thought. "Also they may have had reports in about portals, if we ask about them we can certainly follow them through and see if we can find ourselves going to-...wherever it is we will be going to"

[s]

[Bal you skipped me! D:]

Balthier was...strange. Not in a bad way, he just talked kind of fast with all those unfamiliar words and seemed to be referring to a lot of things Sora couldn't recognize. But he didn't seem to actually be a part of the world, so for once Sora didn't have to worry about pretending to know what he was talking about. All the same, if Donald or Goofy ever caught him talking to someone from off-world like it was no big deal, there'd be an argument. Rinoa was a slightly different deal just because she knew Leon, but if Balthier was already well aware of the other worlds, Sora didn't see much point trying to pretend they weren't there.

Not only that, but Balthier seemed used to leaping in and taking control of a situation--a quality Sora generally had, too, but he relied more than he realized on his network. Without Donald and Goofy or Riku and Kairi around, he was never as sure of himself.

"Skyships...?" He blinked. "You mean Gummi ships?" That would certainly explain a lot.