[when she woke it was like being washed up on shore after a shipwreck. Cold, and lonely. She knew, instinctively, that so much time had gone by, slipped past her, but she didn't know how. Not even a memory of darkness, just emptiness. It was different.]

[of course, there was nothing to go back to. But somehow, this place had rescued her once again.]

[with that knowledge came relief--as terrifying as the experience was, it meant that there was hope. She could always come back here. She pulled her cloak on over the white dress, pulling her knees to her chest to think.]

[there were people she needed to see. To reassure them. But she didn't quite feel well enough to walk. Thankfully, a tendril from the Vine crept up and curled gently against her wrist, nudging her. She patted it, then called up a mirror.]

[of course, faced with it, she freezes for a moment, not sure what to say.]

H--hello...I--I'm back. I think. [she tugs her hood down further over her face, embarrassed.]


(ooc: hi guys I missed you)

[Wow. She just noticed the date. Which is... Pretty impressive. Two years...]

...It's kind of neat, what all can happen in two years. Find your first love, experience your first heartbreak, find a home and mature in ways you didn't think you would...

[There's a sigh from Sora.]

...I've been here two years now, except for a small absence. A lot has changed, and yet a lot hasn't. It's... Weird.

[It's surreal, really. She's been here for two years exactly. She met Xion on this day two years ago. It's... Huh.]

[A few deep breaths before she actually speaks. She sounds kind of off, like she's not as energetic.]

...For those who don't know... It would appear Xion's gone home.

[It takes all of Sora's strength to not let her voice crack. She'll be fine. She has to be.]

I'm... Sure she'll be happy, wherever she is. With memories of here.

[And that's all Sora can bring herself to say before leaving the vine and going to the kitchen to clean and maybe make lunch. The treehouse feels empty without Xion, and she's not sure what she wants to do in that respect. Maybe she'll go stay somewhere else for a little while.]

[Sora is... tired. Nightmares, lately. But she won't let that get her down, not when it's close to one of her two favorite times of the year. So here she is, Vine, tired smile and all.]

It's almost Halloween. I think I'm going to make a few pumpkin things and maybe, if there are people who want it, have a costume party. Something simple and fun on the thirty-first.

[Sora's not been looking like herself lately. So she hid away. But she's finally showing her face now--or, rather, Riven's face. Sora's peeking out from under blankets, wearing another person's body.]

Hey... Does anyone know what's going on? There hasn't been anything from the Queen... So I don't know what's happened to me.

[Filtered from Xion]

[When Sora comes on the video today, she's sitting in a tree, relaxing. She seems to be contemplating something, too. Finally, though, she decides on her words.]

Hey... So, me and Xion are together, right? Well... I don't have any ideas for, well... Dates. I've never really been on one. And I want to do something special with her. So... Anyone have advice...?

[Sora has a question to contemplate over, and she can't figure it out. So she'll turn to the network, now that things have calmed down.]

So... Say I've been here, but left for a bit, only to come back. It wasn't very long, really. But... Since my birthday was the nineteenth... does that make me fifteen again, or am I sixteen now?

[This is important, okay?]

[Sora is excited. Not as excited as she was, but. Still pretty excited.]

Pirates! Did everyone see the letter? A real Pirate Queen is going to be visiting us! I wonder what she's like? Aw, man, I can't wait!

[Sora is looking for someone to geek out with, since she grew up on the romanticized tales of pirates. Oops.]

[When the feed comes up this time, Sora seems to be... Well, a bit different. A lot calmer, maybe a bit sadder, and her eyes show signs of being a bit older than when last anyone saw her. Oh, and she seems to be a tiny bit injured.]

...I guess I'm back. I can't tell you guys how happy I am to be here.

[She twists the ring on her finger, then finally smiles, like it's finally okay to breathe a little easier.]

I'm sorry if I worried anyone. I think I'm here to stay now.

[Filtered to Xion]

Xion? I want to spend time with you as soon as it's possible. I really... Really missed you.

[Oh, that's an understatement.]

[Filtered to Grell]

...Grell. Can I... Can we have a sleepover soon? I need someone to talk to about what's happened while I was gone.

[Sora's going to pop up really quickly, grinning.]

I promised cooking classes, right? Well, anyone who wants to learn, meet me at the spaceship tomorrow morning! There's enough room there for quite a few people to learn. And when we're done, we can all share!

[Sora is willing to provide directions, too!]

Also, um... Does anyone here want to go exploring? I know I've been here a year, and that I've had time to do a lot of exploring, but... It's always more fun when you do it with other people.

[There's the face of a very excited and very happy-looking troll girl appearing via the Vine today. Feferi doesn't really look like she knows how she activated it. But she's happy and it seems to be telling her she can speak into it.]

Oh my cod, this place is beautiful! I can't get over how lovely the forests are, and the flowers...and the purrbeasts and the slitherbeasts and the hopbeasts! They're so cute, I want to hug them all. Even the slitherbeasts. But especially the hopbeasts! They are just adorable.

...wait, I didn't introduce myshellf! How silly of me, I shrimply forgot my manners. I'm Feferi Peixes! It's nice to meet you. I am so excited!

[She sure has dragged that vine with her as she's dipping her feet into a nearby pond, letting the fish in it nibble at her toes.]

I think I like it here already.

[ Caprica is in her kitchen, having just finished doing a round of dishes — her attempts at cooking have been more successful lately, with some of the cookbooks she's found in the library. The sleeves of her dress are rolled up, and she dries her hands on the towel nearby before smoothing them down over her arms. It takes a moment for her to notice the Vine, but she's so accustomed to its presence by now that she barely reacts save for a brief, acknowledging glance. At least, not at first.

Presently, she speaks — addressing the mirror idly, unrelated to anything she'd just been doing. But it's something she's been thinking about, of late. ]

There was a place where I used to live—

[ She steps around the counter island that separates the kitchen from the dining area, passing by the dining table, fingertips grazing its cool glass surface. ]

A city that bordered on the sea. Even over the traffic and the pollution and the bustle of so many millions of people, you could still smell the sea salt, sometimes. Hear the calling of the gulls. See the sunlight on the water, if you had a tall enough building with enough of a view.

[ She's smiling faintly, only a small amount of barely perceptible tension about it. The memories are pleasant, if a little bittersweet. Her forward movement stops near the windows that face out onto the rear balcony, hands resting on the glass, only touching lightly. ]

There are lakes here, rivers, streams, but no oceans. I wonder why.

[ Somewhere from where her belongings sit, there's a view of a girl in a clinic bed.

She attempts to sit up and shrug the blankets off of her-- her chest is bandaged entirely; she gives up the effort when she realizes it's still too soon to be moving around. She's been spending most of her time asleep or talking to her visitors or the people in charge of her. She leans back on the bed, a slight wheeze to her breathing because of the constricting bandaging. She hasn't made any effort to contact people until now. She was busy sorting out her mind along with healing. ]

Kris, Gal... I'm sorry, the mansion will be in your charge for a while.

[ That's all she's sat up to say. If Akiha didn't wish to speak for Kohaku's privacy, they at least deserved to know she would be gone for a while. ]

[Sora's airing the laundry when the mirror pops up! She might as well multi-task, she has nothing better to do right now.]

So, I've been thinking... I really like to cook, right? And I'm at least decent at it. So, um... Would anyone be interested if I offered cooking lessons every other week or something?

[All there really is to it. She's already trying to figure out where to do this. Needs plenty of space, and a big kitchen...]

[Mirrors around the Garden come to life all at once, featuring a little girl with a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face. She giggles mischeviously.] Yay, I escaped my bed time!

[As she takes a better look around, her face falls deathly serious in that way only small children can achieve. After a moment, she whines.] You guys! This place is boring! You've had sooo much time to make it fun! Look, just get some dirt from the wild places and make a wish. [Huffing.] Grownups have no imagination.

It's a good thing you have me around. I made all those boring stupid houses are much better! Try making stuff like that from now on, okay?

[Beaming.] Have fun!

[OOC: The Necessities have settled down! Characters will now find nine fixed places for their needs. ...Only they've all turned into giant playhouses, big LEGO houses, and vast bouncy castles.]

[A cheerful woman, dressed in lavish royal blue robes, is grinning on camera]

Why, hello everyone. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Iono Mito Archeline. My interests include various maidenly amusments, tea time, flirtatious chit chat, and you. <3 Yes. you, whoever you may be. You see, I know without a doubt each and every one of you is special and beautiful, and I want to know you better.

So, please, won't you be my sobame?