returningtobonds

[returningtobonds]

ohmygoshhh.  I've been really neglecting my pd accounts.  I'm sorry everyone!  I've been really busy and I recently landed myself a job (finally)!  But I've also been particularly distracted with other activities in my free time and I think that's the bigger contributing factor, haha;;;

I'll be around mostly as Ven again, though!  I don't know if I'll let Ace go or not, it just seems like there's not much to do with him now?  I really enjoy rping him, but not too many people outside of the type-0 group seemed interested in keeping up a thread.  D: I guess we'll see.

Either way, I missed being around!  I do hope things pick up a little more and if anyone's interested in starting a thread with Ven (or Ace!), feel free to let me know!  No need to be shy.  :3

Ven

[returningtobonds]

Gathering up his munny pouch and closing it, Ven quickly stuffed it into his new pants pocket with a grin.  "You bet!" he said to Maria, turning now to face her.  He held his old clothes to his side under one arm.  "Shouldn't be too bad at all now!"  That said, he then made his way to the door, waving back to the cashier with his free hand.  "Thanks again, ma'am!" he called out to her.

The cashier giggled at Ven’s expression, a hand waving dismissively at the thought. “Oh, it is no trouble at all. You two have been more than enough help today and it should be rewarded.” She took the amount of money given and placed it in the register. “It is I that should be thanking you.”

“Your kindness is greatly appreciated.” Maria grinned before looking back at Ven. “Now that we have everything squared away, are you ready to brave the cold with your new clothes?”

[returningtobonds]

Attempting to race through his food while not eating entirely too fast in his excitement, Ven grinned and straightened, perking at the question.  Quickly, he swallowed before replying.  "Well, from what I read, they're initially pulled up a steep incline by a remote mechanism, but once it reaches the top and starts descending, that mechanism shuts off and the rollercoaster is run purely by the momentum gained from that initial drop!" he said.  "In a way, they're kinda built like trains with tracks that keep the cars running along smoothly and secure.  And the cars are hooked together, pulled along by the front car."  Finished, he nodded and took a big bite of his hot dog.  He really couldn't wait, antsy to get up and wait in line.

Xion nodded and ate her hotdog in hurry. She wanted to ride the rollercoasters so bad! Considering that it might be her first ride, she realized that she didn’t know anything about rollercoasters. Axel used to describe it as a fast paced train thing but she never really got around to asking how it works.

“Hey, Ven, how do rollercoasters work? Ax— A friend of mine told me that it’s super fast but I’m not sure how fast it could be.” She chewed her hot dog slowly, and sipped a little of her lemon tea.

[returningtobonds]

Letting his hands fall back to his sides, Ven turned toward the path and chose a direction to take her.  It was the usual path he took new arrivals, always willing to help show others around.  He might as well, right?  If he was staying for awhile, anyway, and it seemed he was.  "Not a problem!  Always happy to help however I can," he replied with a friendly nod.  "As for how big..."  The young keyblader cant his head slightly, lifting a hand to tap his chin.  "Well... there's the market street, which spans about two or three blocks, and the residential area-- which is roughly the same size, maybe a little bigger... and then a decent-sized park.  'Bout it, I think?  Unless I'm forgetting something!"

To this, Ven chuckled softly and nodded in confirmation.  ”It is fairly big, but it’s not huge!  He might have gotten lost, but I doubt he would have made himself impossible to find,” he said with a grin.  ”I could help you look for him!”  To this, the boy straightened, hands placed determinedly at his hips.  After all, he knew his way around well enough by now!

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"Yeah!  I honestly never got a chance to ride on any rollercoasters... but I've been to Disney Town!" he said with excitement.  "I still haven't seen King Mickey's castle, though..."  He frowned slightly in his disappointment, leaning back in his seat as he took another bite of his onion rings.  "But, maybe sometime we can go!"  His smile returned full swing, excited again for the prospect of visiting the King's castle somewhere in the future.  "In the meantime, we can ride a rollercoaster here!  I've always wanted to ride one."

Xion took an onion ring and cut it half. “These are good onion rings…” she said slowly through her mouth. The onion rings had a light salty taste but it was undeniably onion… unlike the cheap ones she had elsewhere.

Hearing the word rollercoasters, her ears perked up. “I’ve heard of those! But I’ve never really been on one. Someone said something about King Mickey’s castle having one. I’m sure it’s really fun!”

She took a bite of her hotdog as she tasted the wonders of eating with a friend and on a side road.

[returningtobonds]

To this, Ven chuckled softly and nodded in confirmation.  "It is fairly big, but it's not huge!  He might have gotten lost, but I doubt he would have made himself impossible to find," he said with a grin.  "I could help you look for him!"  To this, the boy straightened, hands placed determinedly at his hips.  After all, he knew his way around well enough by now!

“Beat?”  At the familiar name, the keyblade wielder smiled and clasped his hands behind his neck.  ”Yeah!  Actually, I ran into him a… hm.”  He paused, trying to remember the last time he saw the odd guy.  ”I think it was a few days ago.  Maybe longer?  He’s probably wandering around trying to get used to Moogletown.”

[returningtobonds]

Ven laughed a bit and nodded.  "Yeah!  Well, we can eat what we have till it's not too much to carry through the crowd," he said.  "Then we can take a look at our options?  I think I'd like to ride on one of the roller coasters!"  Truthfully, he never actually had an opportunity to ride on any rides before, so he was pretty excited.  He'd read about theme parks like this before, but the closest he'd ever been to one was... well, Disney Town. Plucking at his onion rings, he took a bite and offered Xion one.

Xion nodded at the mention of having to hang on extra tight. The food would be the biggest hassle since it’s quite hard to balance each other and a tray of food. Xion’s eyes sparkled at the mention of another bench. Looks like this means they didn’t have to go all the way to the other side to get another bench. She grinned widely at Ven, telling him that this was great news before he led them to the bench.

The bench wasn’t as long as the one they sat before so they had to squeeze a little, finally deciding to put their food on their lap. “Well, this is a nice fit but at least we get to sit right?” Xion smiled at Ven. “We still need to plan what rides to take so we don’t waste time!”

[returningtobonds]

"Beat?"  At the familiar name, the keyblade wielder smiled and clasped his hands behind his neck.  "Yeah!  Actually, I ran into him a... hm."  He paused, trying to remember the last time he saw the odd guy.  "I think it was a few days ago.  Maybe longer?  He's probably wandering around trying to get used to Moogletown."

Rhyme waved back at the approaching boy and nodded. “Hello, Ven. Yeah, I just got here and am looking for my partner Beat. Have you seen around him? He’s quite the scatter brain and could cause trouble… He’s nice though…” Rhyme giggled. Something ached inside her and she realized how much she missed her partner.

[returningtobonds]

Ven smiled and straightened upon hearing the cashier was finished, an arm loosening around his clothes to reach for his munny pouch.  "You don't have to do that!" he said, a little flustered.  He laughed a bit, sheepish, and pulled out a handful of coin, counting out how much he owed her with efficient ease.  "Thank you so much!"

“You’ll get used to them, don’t worry.” Maria assured him with a nod, smiling all the while. “All that matters is that you are prepared for the winter.” 

She turned her gaze back to the cashier, who seemed to be on a roll with figuring out the cost of everything. She too was thankful for the cashier’s help and both she and Ven were in her debt. After a few moments, the cashier looked up from her work and smiled. 

“Finally done.” She said as she finished the calculating everything on the cash register. “The cost of everything is about 3000 gil. After converting from gil to munny, the cost is about 2,900 munny give or take. But since the two of you have been of great help in this endeavor, I’ll half the cost. Does that sound okay with you two?”

[returningtobonds]

Ven laughed at her question, gently squeezing her hand as he leaned in to reply over the noise of the crowd, "We'll just have to hang on extra tight, then!  To each other and our food!"  There was no denying it'd be difficult, but he had to believe it would all work out in the end.  As they stepped up to the front of the line, he let Xion order first before piping up with his order of a hot dog, some onion rings, and strawberry lemonade. Once it all rang up, Ven lifted the Gil amount from his munny bag and paid for it.

"Hey! Kid!"  Just as Ven had turned his head to speak to Xion again, the cashier's shout called his attention and he diverted his gaze back to him, leaning in to hear better.  "Looks like there'll be a wait on the onion rings-- maybe about five minutes, that okay?  I can get ya the drinks right now and the hot dogs're just about done."

Ven blinked and traded a glance with Xion before he nodded.  "Okay!  There a place we can sit to wait?"

"Yeah!  Just 'round the corner, there's a bench!" he replied, pointing to their left.  "I'll bring the drinks and such out to ya!"

Grinning, Ven turned his head to look at Xion and gently tugged on her hand in that direction.  "Okay, thanks mister!"

Xion smiled back at Ventus, trusting him completely. “Well, we better start ordering then…” she trailed off when she realized that her voice wasn’t loud enough and motioned for Ven to lean closer. “It’s really crowded here, isn’t it? How are we supposed to find our way through? Let’s hope none of us gets lost!” She stepped back and grinned happily at Ventus.

“Right, orders,” Xion said and ordered a hot dog and a lemon tea. While she wait for Ventus to finish, she looked around the festival to get a good look. Everything was lively and the crowd was getting thicker by the minute. Her gaze wondered over to the free bench just down the road and hoped silently they would be able to make it.

[returningtobonds]

Ven chuckled, pleased with her words and came up to the counter.  "Good, then!  They're pretty comfortable," he said.  "But it'll take a little getting used to."  Grinning a bit sheepishly at that, the blond turned his gaze from Maria to look up at the cashier.  He hadn't taken long, so he wondered if it had been long enough for her to figure in the cost exchange.  He didn't want to rush her, though, as she was already doing a lot for him-- and, sure, it was a part of the customer and employee relationship, but she could have easily said no and sent him out the door with nothing.  And... this was obviously work she had little experience doing.

"How is it?" he asked with a smile, arms still wrapped around his old clothes.

“Sure you can.” The archer chuckled as she gently patted the pouch resting on the counter. “It will be right here waiting for you when you come out.” 

With that, she gave the young man a wave as he went over to the changing rooms. She waited patiently as the cashier worked on the cost, and it was not long before Ven walked out wearing his new gear. At the sight, her smile grew as seeing him in his winter clothes reminded her of memories of herself and her brothers bundling up for a day out in the snow back home. Memories as simple as those seemed so long ago now.

She was soon pulled out of her thoughts when Ven spoke up. She gave a thumbs up in approval, as he really did pick the right choice in clothes. “They look great! Now you’re more than ready to take on the cold weather.”

[returningtobonds]

"Hello!" Ven spoke up with a smile, lifting a hand to wave back.  "You can call me Ven."  He nodded, his hand lowering to gesture to his chest in greeting.  It was always nice to meet new people, though his travels were less these days.  "You new around here, huh?"

Rhyme smiled at the crowd of people and waved her hand, her bell necklace jingling a little as she does. “Hi, everyone. My name’s Rhyme, short of Raimu Bito. It’s nice to meet all of you.”

[returningtobonds]

"Mm..."  Ven frowned, considering Xion's words.  It would be rather difficult and he wasn't sure they'd be able to make it through the crowd all the way to one of the rides... not if they got a drink.  "I dunno if I'm that much taller than you," he said, a smile touching his lips as he glanced at his friend before glancing back around, rising up onto the balls of his feet again.  "But I can't argue, a couple inches does make a difference, right?"  He was simply trying to make light of the situation, though he was a bit concerned as to how they'd manage to pull this off.

"Umm..."  Then, between the brief windows of moving people, Ventus managed to catch a glance at an empty bench not far from them.  "Wait!  I think that bench over there's empty!" he said, pointing with his freehand.  "If we're quick, maybe we can manage?"  He turned his head back to look at the other with a hopeful smile.

Xion looked at her partner and back at the crowd. Eyebrows knitted firmly together in her forehead, she slowly shook her head. No, she didn’t think it would be possible. Worth a try, but certainly hard.

“I guess if we be careful and try not to bump into anyone…” Xion scanned the street for somewhere to sit, a wood or an empty table so they wouldn’t have to cross the crowd again. “Do you think you can spot a chair around? You’re much taller than I am, maybe you can find a spot? I don’t really like the thought of going through that endless throng of people…”

[returningtobonds]

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[returningtobonds]

Ven cant his head to the side, curious about this mysterious keyblade wielder.  Listening, he nodded and allowed his keyblade to fade into a burst of light, other hand rising to clutch his chin.  As Beat approached him with an introduction, Ventus smiled, amused, and reached out to take the other's hand in a friendly shake.

"Nice to meet you, Beat.  You can call me Ven," he replied.  "As for the keyblade... well...  It's actually really not all that easy to get.  It... chooses you."  Letting his hand fall back to his side, he grinned a little sheepishly at the explanation, knowing it wasn't the best.  "The how and why is rather complicated."

Beat nodded.

  “Yeah. Met one a while back, yo.” Beat started, then continued, a little more embarrassed, “Saved my ass from some tow up monsta. I didn’t know them things was easy ta’ get though. Gotta admit, they look pretty badass.”

Beat had to admit, it was better than him. All he could do it ride a skateboard, and sometimes he even screwed that up. 

Beat walked up to the other and took a look at the keyblade then held out his hand. He wasn’t much for formal introductions but the kid in front of him didn’t seem to be the least timid out there so he didn’t want to end up knocking him over or something equally as bad. 

“Name’s uh…ya know what, jus’ call me Beat.”

[returningtobonds]

"Alright!"  Ven smiled brightly, gathering the clothes into his arms.  "Thank you!  I'll be right back," he said with a confident nod.  "I can trust you with my munny pouch, right?"  He looked up at Maria with a smile, taking a few steps back before waving a bit and turning to head in the direction of the back of the store.  Looking up, the young teen caught sight of a large sign leading to the changing rooms and slipped into the little cubbyhole designated for male use, hanging the clothes up as he swung the door shut behind him.

It didn't take him too long to change into his new pants, shirt, coat, and boots, zipping the coat to make sure it fit.  With a satisfied smile, he unzipped it and gathered his old shoes and clothes, making his way back to the register.

"Well?" he asked, looking up at Maria.

“You’re welcome.” The cashier smiled in return as she rung up the purchases. “This is new to many of us in town, so it is a good experience for both of us. The sooner we learn about the different currencies, the easier it will be for us to accommodate new shoppers.” She finished ringing up the purchases and handed them back to the young man. “Here you go.”

At his next mention, the cashier nodded. “Of course. You are free to try on the outfits while I continue figuring out the calculations between currencies. The changing rooms are in the back of the store..”

“Sounds good.” Maria spoke up as she glanced back at Ven with a smile. “Besides, I can’t wait to see what you look like in your winter clothes. Once we figure this out, we can begin arranging a place to stay for you.”

[returningtobonds]

Ven smiled and shook his head, attempting not to laugh as he could understand she was probably embarrassed... but he really wasn't upset at all.  It wasn't like this was the first time someone mistook him for this Roxas person.

"No!  No, no-- it's fine, really!" he said with a nod, as if to affirm his words.  "You... wouldn't be the first to mistake me for this guy, anyway... I can't really tell you who he is, but I guess we look a lot alike."  He laughed a little sheepishly at this, a hand rising to rub the back of his neck.  "So, really, it's no big deal.  These things happen.  Try not to beat yourself up over it, okay?"  Gently, his fingers encircled around one of the hands that held his and squeezed with a reassuring smile, straightening to his full height.  "And... I'm sure things'll work out, you'll see!  I'll even help you look for him, how's that?"

Letters to a Moogle