kingdomdressing | (no subject)

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xion

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[There's a new face among the Dressing Room. On the floor in the room that simulates Never Was, mind you, and unconscious. Which is probably a good thing considering fragments, blue in color, are still collecting, creating her form. Most of herself has been retained by then though. All that's left are her legs and they'll probably recollect before anyone draws near. Her hood is up, but the small frame makes it pretty obvious who it could be for anyone who would know her.]

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A promise...

[She barely whispered it. As if she knew something. But that was all that she allowed out in the open field of things. Xion had to wonder though. He had seen the Castle that Never Was damaged? How... Just how long had it been? She was sneaking glances at him every so often. As in the answers would be written all over his face. They weren't, of course, but well. What else could she do aside from ask outright? That was too obvious... and unfortunately, at the moment? Xion was at a loss of what to say that wouldn't give away who she was.

So, for now, she would focus on the task at hand.]

That... sounds like a good idea.

[She didn't catch the lie. Because the Roxas she knew? Never lied. Not that she knew of anyway. So, for the moment, she would follow through with his idea. Unconsciously though, it would seem that while her focus was attached to him, her footwork would betray her feigned obliviousness. She was already heading for the same way that that he himself knew. They had taken it together quite a few times, after all. And she wasn't exactly up to using a dark corridor at the moment.]

[In retrospect, it wasn't an entire lie. He'd never said he had no idea where the exit was or anything to that effect. Just it could be considered that way because he'd implied that he didn't know where the exit was.

In any case, he'd been was so caught up in his train of thoughts that he missed Xion's barely audible repetition of the word. There was a great deal that was troubling to him about their situation and his personal growing worries were doing much to preoccupy his mind. Frankly the possibility of running into anyone other than Axel within these halls was one of those things he really wanted to avoid. The two of them were just managing to walk and while he'd been able to get off a good Aero spell, he doubted he was anywhere near his better form.

All the more reason he felt at least a little more relieved when she seemed to agree with his suggestion.]

Alright, if you feel wobbly or anything like that, just tell me and you can lean on me.

[He'd offered the suggestion with a reassuring smile before starting down the hallway, his hand -almost acting on forgotten habit, reaching back to take hers as they began their trek. As they went however, he shamefully was proving to be an inordinate derp and completely missed how she seemed to know where to go just as much as he did.]

[Well, if it was any... compensation? She had become just as lost in thought as he was. The only difference being that, well... Xion had always been a little more subtle about it. Of course, it was easy to hide it anyway when he was pretty distracted as well. Still, her eyes didn't seem to focus until she registered his response.]

...Alright.

[Not necessarily reluctant, but... It felt like the longer to stayed by his side, the more she wouldn't want to leave it. And she was still fighting over whether that was a bad thing or not. Was this even real? Sure, she still ached, but...

She almost froze when she felt him catch her hand. Not because it bothered her. But she certainly hadn't expected it. He had forgotten her but yet... She felt herself squeeze his hand in turn before she realized it. Her eyes darted to the ground as soon as she noticed what she had done, almost as if feeling ashamed. T-Trying to think of some way to distract from that sudden mistake.]

Such an eerie place...

[He nodded a little to the comment, his hand seeming to act on its own as it squeezed back without his notice. While he honestly couldn't remember her at this point, save for that sense of familiarity, it seemed that the connection between his body and those faded links of memory were still good.

As they progressed, their footsteps echoing through the deserted hallway, he opted to try and keep up the conversation -at least as some kind of distraction from that voice in the back of his head from getting too vocal.]

Yeah. They guys that used to run this place were doing something that could've ended really badly for everyone. Did you ever hear about them?

[As he finished that sentence, they came to a pair of double doors. The boy pausing hesitantly at their entry.]

[She glimpsed at him out of the corner of her eye as she felt that squeeze in turn, feeling twice as self-conscious as she had before. But the moment passed without him seeming to notice and so with it did that window of time where her thoughts could just focus on that little action instead of everything else that was plaguing her mind. She was buried under a repetition of unanswered questions and it was really killing her, honestly.

What surfaced as a distraction for him though... made it ever more difficult for Xion herself. For a moment, she just stared at the door ahead of them as if inspecting them. While she tried to pick the right thing to say. She wouldn't lie. She couldn't. ...And part of her. The more they talked. Wanted to just tell the truth. In the end though...]

...I did. They... ['We.' And she couldn't hide her ashamed expression as she spoke her next words.] ...were collecting hearts, weren't they?

[She had his full attention as she replied, his expression shifting only a little -as if subconsciously, he'd been waiting for some kind of confirmation to his suspicions the whole time. Between the shame in her expression and the robes she was wearing, it would have been hard to deny that she'd been a part of the Organization at this point. And while admittedly, it only narrowed down the possibilities he was considering by a little bit, but it was better than nothing.

There were a handful of ideas he was starting to entertain now. The first of them was that she'd been brought in after Riku got him, but then she somehow left before Sora threw down with the Organization. The second was that someone was trying to restart the group and she was a part of this newer Organization -but that seemed a little far-fetched to him. There was a chance she was some secret member kept hidden from everyone by one of the others... Xigbar or Xemnas would have been his top suspects for pulling something like that. And then the last and quite possibly most likely was that something happened and his memory had been altered somewhere along the lines -someone or something wanted her erased to him.

He had a hunch that at this rate, he'd probably get a chance to hear Xion's end of the story before much longer. Whenever he looked into her eyes, he'd be hard-pressed to deny that there was something she felt inside that was just tearing her apart.

In either case after a somewhat long pause, he spoke up again, his tone even and calm -though there were discernible traces of fear in it.]

Yeah. I don't know what they were going to do with the Kingdom Hearts they were trying to make -but I'm glad they failed.

[For a moment he hesitated; he was originally thinking that they'd just continue and talk more as they went, but the more he though about the possibilities, the more he decided that he needed to know what was going on.

Swallowing hard, he summoned up all the courage he could muster. His blue eyes had a determined glint to them as they met hers.]

Xion... I know something's bothering you and I've got this feeling that you know more about this than I've asked about.

[Abruptly, he broke eye contact as he leaned his back against the wall off to the side, slumping to the floor and taking a seat before patting the space next to him; an offer for her to do the same. Despite the tension in the air, he was smiling -granted, it looked like the smile of a dying man that'd just accepted his fate, but he was at least trying to put her at ease.]

I know I said we needed to leave, but before we go much further, could we talk about it?

[It was funny. Uttering those words hit a chord somewhere deep inside him, a forgotten part of him looking away from the him that was now seeking answers as if to say "If only you'd said that before".]

[So, Kingdom Hearts was destroyed. She knew enough that it wasn't by Roxas. Riku had stopped him-- that had been her last request. At the foot of Memory Skyscraper. So, who had taken out Kingdom Hearts? She felt like she knew but the answer wouldn't come to her despite herself. Xion might have considered it more if her train of thought hadn't been wrecked by his next statement.

It... wasn't accusing exactly. Far from it even. But it alone was enough to make her tense up. And the eye contact didn't help. That same determination. She had seen it before. Almost as if--

'I'll be there.'

She broke the contact just as he did while she reached to hold a curled hand over her chest. Her eyes were dim with an overflow of feelings-- at least what looked like feelings. Were they? She wasn't sure. If she was a replica, did that give her the ability to feel? Not that it mattered either way at that point.

Glancing back at him as he found a seat, she winced at his expression. Taking a step back... but then a step forward so that her back was facing him. The closer she got to him... she felt the quicker she would just snap and tell him everything. It was easier for her when she couldn't look at him. When he couldn't read into her eyes. Still, it was a foolish thing to hope that she could hide anything. Her coat gave it all away that there was something suspicious about her. And she doubted she could have ever hid the familiarity she carried every time their eyes met, every smile he had shared with her causing something within to leap with ache.

But above all... The greatest weight was the fact that she had played him the fool before. It hurt like hell the first time. She barely masked it their entire fight. To do that again, even poised now as a simple question instead of something that was existence... or non-existence. She tilted her head. Minutes passing like hours after his last question. Before she finally sought out a way to explain. Because he deserved something of the truth.]

...I was part of the Organization. At the time... I didn't know their motives. But when I did find out.... I betrayed them. When I did... [Sounding a little more than strained.] they pitted me against my best friend.

[She found herself clutching her other hand into a tight fist. Her voice growing bolder.]

They would have destroyed him if he didn't destroy me. So, in the end... [Softly.] I chose to disappear.

[He listened to her words with rapt attention, his breathing involuntarily slowing to a near crawl as he imagined how the whole ploy would have turned out. A great deal of it sounded familiar, except that in his case, he never really did figure out on his own what Xemnas had intended to do with Kingdom Hearts -it was more something he extrapolated as his Somebody had been tossed little clues through his exploits against the Organization and even then, there were some parts that he would have considered sketchy at best.

As he initially contended that his similarity was in the Organization sending Axel to either capture or terminate him while in the digital Twilight Town, that last part somehow brought a wave of long-forgotten feelings to wash over him; fear, regret, sorrow, anger, uncertainty and anxiety.

He'd been troubled that she hadn't accepted his invitation to sit, but when her next words were uttered, especially that last part at the end, he was glad that she had her back to him. The look on his face would have been identical to what would be seen if he'd suddenly been impaled and left hanging to die.

Why? Why?! WHY WOULD YOU CHOOSE THAT?!

Words wouldn't take form and his voice wouldn't make a sound -he simply could not respond. The thinking part of him wanted to remind him that this was all well within the range of things they'd done before, they'd sent his best friend to kill him. But there was something about the uncertain familiarity with this girl that just seemed to somehow make this all the worse. Maybe it was the tone in her voice, perhaps it was the look he'd seen in her eyes since they'd met or it could just be that feeling he was getting; just something about her story stirred something deep inside.

So for a solid minute, perhaps longer -he'd never really been able to gauge time in this place and all of this wasn't helping it at all. And then there was that faint ringing in the back of his head, a strange sound he'd begun to hear almost as soon as she'd finished her sentence and it was steadily getting louder.

Finally, he managed to get his body to do something and clamored to his feet, the expression on his face looking pained and a little on the pale side.]

That... that's terrible.

[He wasn't able to juggle his thoughts into anything more cohesive than that as he stumbled, his hand catching himself against the wall for support. From the clear look of things, he wasn't feeling well.]

Xion... let's keep going.

[He groped about for a moment, trying to find her hand again before he turned to face the door again. His hand finding the knob, he leaned against it, pushing it open and allowing them to pass into the next room.]

[The silence was unnerving. But expected. After all, she had just told him that she had basically died. Not that she knew that concept exactly. But disappearing, fading. It brought out the same despair none-the-less. But she couldn't get herself to look at him. She was barely holding herself together as it was. Being so distant. Alienating for a moment the most important person to her. It was tearing at her, festering within. Xion had never liked to wear this mask. Why was she picking it up again? Holding it feebly to her face. Struggling to keep its grip. So heavy was it. So delicate.

It look a moment for his voice to finally register. And then the words. Terrible? That word alone couldn't begin to describe the thousand of words that she was coming up with in her head. As she looked back though, as she saw him stumble though. She saw all those words etched in the pain of his expression. Her mask fell a moment again as her eyes snapped wide open-- and then creased into concern as this time she was the one that sought his hand without question. Holding it firmly as she helped him from his stumbling wreck and allowing him to lean against her should he need to. Her eyes strayed as they made for the door though. Ashamed. Ashamed because of his pity.

The thoughts washed out a moment though when he opened the door, feeling tense. As if expecting something to jump out at them. But when nothing did, they were on their way once more. She was quiet for a long time. Just... sneaking glances at him every so often like before. But she couldn't find anymore words to give him. What she had to say before was heavy. It wasn't something that could just be brushed away. She was so caught up in thought that she didn't notice where they were until she felt him stop. And that's when she looked up.

Speaking of the...

Memory Skyscraper. It towered right over them. For a moment, she just stared. Were they really at Never Was? She still couldn't believe it. But the paths were all the same. The castle looked the same, too. And now this... Xion was so concentrated on looking at it though, she failed to see the puddles of black stirring and surrounding them.]

[It was hard to say how he felt about the general silence between the two of them as they traveled through the rest of the castle. He wanted to say something -to talk or something to try and learn more, but that ringing in the back of his head was just getting to the point where he was getting a headache. It wasn't deafening, but he couldn't do anything to shut it off. Granted, he hadn't tried anything as drastic as covering his ears and yelling or something like that. But at this point, he doubted that would help much and he felt things were uneasy enough between him and Xion right now, he really didn't want them to get any worse.

At a loss to do or think of anything more as they walked, he tried listening to that ringing sound. As he did, every so often, he'd swear he'd hear someone yell something, as if off in the distance; it was like someone -a girl, calling his name.

And then he started thinking about her. Just the way she acted, what she knew, what she wore. How could he have not known about her, he wondered. Part of him wanted to stop them for a moment and ask what her number had been... but he had a sinking feeling that at the same time, it would be an equally fruitless endeavor, serving only to put her on guard even more.

What's with her anyway? She's acting really strange. Xion was acting just like she did back then...

He mentally stumbled, mulling that thought over for a moment. "Back then?" Roxas wasn't entirely sure how, but part of him was really starting to wonder if somehow, he really had known her from before. But then he wondered why he couldn't remember her and then what happened to her when she left the Organization. Part of him was sure that either Saix or Xigbar probably chose to terminate her... but then that didn't make that statement about being forced to fight her friend.

Does she mean, me?

Literally lost in his own thoughts, his attention was yanked back to reality when a low rumble of thunder rolled through the clouds overhead. He blinked and looked up, finding himself assaulted by yet more deja vu. From under the shadow of the Memory Skyscraper, his discomfort was confirmed: they really were in The World That Never Was.]

Huh?

[Roxas looked up just in time for a droplet of rain to splatter on his face. He was feeling a mix of emotions now; discomfort from his realization proving true, sorrowful nostalgia from just where he stood... and then fear.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow out of place. To his horror, he quickly realized that there was a venerable horde closing around them.]

Xion! We're not alone!

[His movements were a little unsteady at first, but as he released her hand, his body shifted into automatic. He drew one Keyblade out with his right and a second with his left. In a dazzling flurry, he whirls them into a crossed-blade position, brilliant light and dark fire engulfing each weapon and leaving Oathkeeper and Oblivion in his hands again.

But this wasn't going to work out as well as last time. As the sky opened up in a torrent on them, he could feel the headache taking its toll on him and that ringing was getting louder. And on top of it, he was starting to see things again.]

[He didn't have to say it twice. Xion's automatic reaction as she realized the horde surrounding them was to reach off to the side and will her keyblade to appear.

--Only for nothing to happen.

For seconds, she stood stock still. Confused. Panic heightening. Why wasn't it materializing? But then her answer blinked into existence right in front of her. That was right. This was right. He had her keyblade now. And so with that in mind, she took up a position close to him, back to back. Something was off about his movements... and it was making her nervous. The sudden downpour didn't help things. She could feel her coat clinging to her already. Her hair felt bulked with water. She winced and closed one of her eyes as a droplet landed in it. She never liked the rain. There was always something foreboding with it. Now would be no different. But she couldn't let that get to her.

She snapped a hand forward, releasing a blizzara into the midst of the horde in front of her. It wasn't half as powerful as she hoped it would be though and her side screamed from the bruises when she did. But hopefully, with so many of the shadows being in such proximity of each other, it would still deal some worthy damage. Enough to maybe give them a chance to duck out of the ring that was enclosing them because that was the first thing on her agenda.

It didn't really do as much as she was hoping. Some she missed due to them still being in the shadows. And the rest seemed nothing more than disoriented for mere moments. She clutched her hands tight into fists and backed closer to him.]

My magic's useless--!!

[And just as she finished explaining those words, the horde of neoshadows suddenly tore themselves from the ground below, raining down upon the duo in an eerily familiar fashion.]

Roxas, look out!

[His hands seized tightly on the weapons as he froze in fear, it felt like it'd been so long since he fought and he could feel that he wasn't anywhere close to the form he felt he'd been in back during his last visit. It wasn't even close to the strength of resolve he felt when he forced his own materialization, subjugated a pair of Samurai to hold Sora's friends while he dragged the boy into his world to determine who truly deserved the right to live.

This was different. At first there was confusion -it seemed like she was drawing for a weapon that wasn't coming to her and in less than a second, she changed tactics. There was momentary relief when he saw her spell impact amidst the shadows... and then dread as he saw just how little effect it had.

As the swarm encircled them and fear held him paralyzed, his reflexively closed his eyes. And then he heard a voice amidst the ringing, this one was his own.

I won't lose you again!

Like blinds tugged down lightly, his eyes snapped open as his expression turned defiant. Roxas would not accept this as his fate or hers. His stance shifted, weapons were ready as he let them get closer and before long, the mindless shadows charged right within striking range. He flung a Keyblade out to each side, the weapons whirling about like flying saw blades. Without even grazing the girl at his side, the weapons either knocked back or bisected their assailants before returning to his hands.

His eyes not losing track of his enemies, he swallowed before speaking again.]

Let's fight them together.

[It seemed that statement wasn't quite literal as he practically jumped in counter assault when the next wave closed on them. In mid-air, Oblivion came down, turning the head of one shadow into a swirling mess of darkness before the rest of it's body followed in suit and vanished. The momentum from the downward blow vaulted him further upward as he lunged forward, impaling another; scissoring it between both Keyblades and with surprisingly aerial grace, flipped neatly and slammed it into the ground with his landing.

He looked up and found Xion among the mess, watching as they shifted toward her. Somehow, something told him that this would work.]

Xion!

[He just called her name as he sent Oathkeeper whirling through the air toward her. Danger senses kicked in again as he whirled about, hooking another shadow with the weapon in the crook of it's neck. With a quick pull, he drew it off balance, planting his foot neatly in its chest and sending it sailing back.

Though he was occupied, he could tell when the Keyblade he threw neared its hopeful recipient. Because at that moment, the world seemed to freeze, his vision abruptly washed out into digital static as a countless array of images played out before him. He heard voices this time, but he could very distinctly pick one out from among all of them: Xion's.]

[Everything was a rush. But in a familiar way. Unlike Roxas, Xion's last memories were of constantly fighting to take out heartless. With her freshest fight since last she was in one piece, well... fighting he, himself. But that didn't stop her from watching him out of the corner of her eye as he made quick work of the neoshadows that had taken to the air. And shortly afterward, he was battling out a second wave. Xion was quick to throw a spell to assist if not to destroy the heartless then to at least deter them from injuring him. As he scissored one in particular, she nailed the neoshadow behind him with an aeroga, sending it hurtling away.

She was already breathing unsteadily from her efforts. Her body weak from the lack of power she had at her command. Maybe she would have just given up if Roxas hadn't been there. But his willingness to face this, the defiance he held. That spirit pushed her forward. And then she heard him call her name suddenly and she acted on instinct, looking to face him, catching a glimpse of something coming her way--

Her world was frozen. The feeling of its grip in her hand was like an old friend. It hadn't been forever, really. But it felt like it. For the seconds that she had fought in that battle just then. Seconds too much. Seconds that felt almost like a wasted effort compared to what she could do with this. It was a weapon of callous intent yet a weapon of mercy and good purpose. And right now, it would be used for the latter.

She saw him freeze. And while he did, she saw the neoshadows that swarmed behind him. Poised to strike. And that was all the reason she needed.]

Roxas!

[Despite her side aching, she threw a blizzaga in their direction. This time, it seemed to have a bigger punch to it. The group of neoshadows were flung in all directions. Some perished. The ones that didn't were sent sprawling across the ground. She might have followed up more. But she quickly realized she had her own problems to deal with as a heartless slammed against her from behind.

She yelped and toppled forward onto her knees. Not glancing behind her though, she swung Oathkeeper around behind her, taking out that intrusive heartless. And then another that had leaped at her from the one side. With her field of vision restricted though, while she was finishing that one, another had approached from her open side. She was sent skidding across the ground before she even realized it, landing roughly with a soft groan. Her vision hazy and head spinning at all the movement at once.]

(ooc: Okay, seriously! This is the last time I'm editing! Stupid coding. >>;; )

[His head felt like it was going to split open. So many images, voices and feelings -it was completely overwhelming.

He'd been in his seat where the Organization assembled for important things; Where Nothing Gathers. It hadn't been too long after he'd joined -though in retrospect, conscripted was a more accurate term. That day when the Xemnas had said it was a commemoration and introduced the hooded figure below as number fourteen. And then there was that feeling back then -he could've swore that new new member almost immediately turned their head to look at him. It was almost unsettling.

Roxas was straining and pushing back against the flow, managing to refocus on the world in punctuated spurts; it was like watching something on a ruined reel of film where the scene was lost in sporadic intervals.

Her voice called, it wasn't in his head and it drew his attention as the prickling sensation of cold penetrated the layers of clothing on his back. It didn't touch him, but his unforgotten fighting instincts told him that the feel was so close because his assailants had nearly overtaken him.

This was taking a turn for the worse. Despite his new-found determination, just remembering so much all at once and in such a bizarre fashion was almost as crippling as the fear he felt at first.

Her yelp pushed the world into slow motion again. The world fuzzed to a haze of static briefly and another memory played. This time he remembered after laying waste to that group of Heartless with number fourteen. He'd just told them to go on ahead while he'd been planning to go to the Clock Tower again.

R-Roxas... That's your name, isn't it?

The memory became awash with static as a new scene played out. This time he'd just emerged from a Dark Corridor into Twilight Town and number fourteen stopped him. Drawing back the hood of their robe, he saw their face for the first time.

Good luck today Roxas.

You too, Xion.

It was all coming back. Memories of the times he'd sat up on that Clock Tower with Axel -there was a third person there!

Roxas blinked, his heart racing as he found himself in reality again. Hardly a split second had passed as the gravity of the situation weighed upon him. A shadow loomed just to his prone friend's form as she tried to recover -she'd be easy prey for it.

Not if he had anything to saw about it.]

Get down!

[He called out a warning as his body remembered how to Air Slide. In a flash he rushed her would-be assailant, his right hand igniting and sizzling the rain falling upon them. Roxas swung his fist, connecting with a fearsome straight-punch to the taller Heartless' torso where upon Firaga he'd prepared exploded into a brilliant conflagration, erasing the NeoShadow like a sketch being cleared from the world's page.

More came and he swung Oblivion around in a wide arc, cutting at least two down and forcing another back. His stance wide and eyes locked on his foes, the boy's freehand reached down to Xion without him looking at her.]

Are you alight?

[If she listened, there was more than the simple concern he'd demonstrated in his voice. It was faint, but there was undoubtedly recognition in there now.]

[Xion didn't even get a chance to react, although that shout certainly snapped her attention back full tilt from the suffocating distortion that almost felt like she had been sinking under water. She floated back to the surface of her thoughts just as the seething flames of that firaga ripped and barreled through the NeoShadow right behind her. She could feel the heat of the spell almost singing her coat.

For a moment, she just laid there as she tried to catch up to what was going on. She could see the flash of Oblivion flickering through two-- pressing the crowd away from them. He wasn't as strong as what he once was and she could tell, but that didn't stop him from cutting down their numbers. It made her feel almost useless for a moment. Like extra weight that was just a nuisance to him. But when he reached back, she dismissed the guilt and took his hand, springing herself from the tide of obscurity and uncertainty. There was no time to be thinking those thoughts.]

--I'm fine!

[Despite almost losing her footing right after she said that, Xion forced herself to hold her position as she used Oathkeeper briefly for the extra leverage she needed. She didn't miss that wisp of difference though. Not by any measure. And that had been the other half of the reason it had taken her a beat longer to respond than she would have. Xion swiped a quick glance at him, but she had no more than that, a glimpse, before the NeoShadows were at them again.

Xion snapped forward with Oathkeeper, slashing through the NeoShadow that had darted out at her. Catching another by the pummel with a flick as it hopped in to seemingly avenge its fallen comrade. Then, noting a grouping of them out of the corner of her eye, she let go of his hand and snapped hers forth once more. Thundaga hailed from above, ensnaring two of NeoShadows with an electric coffin, sending them back to the darkness from whence they came. Three others doubled back, needing a moment to recover. Seemed she had this side covered for the moment although her breathing was becoming steadily uneven and shaky. Her movements following suit. If this went on any longer... well.

Hopefully it wouldn't. For the moment, she seemed like she could hold on this end. Now if he could do likewise on the other... Maybe they had a chance. Maybe.]

[Though he could tell she wasn't faring well -being thrust into a fight like this so soon after having a very forceful and very accidental introduction to a wall wasn't something just anyone would be able to handle with the tenacity that Xion had been displaying. In truth, he was only doing slightly better, though whatever edge he might have over her was being more than negated because of the torrent of memories threatening to drown him.

Not willing to slack on his end while she was putting so much effort into things, he focused on defending his side of their formation. A NeoShadow did that particularly annoying trick it had of literally flying right at them. It didn't work before and Roxas wasn't planning on letting it work again.

His stance shifted a little and moments before it would have slammed into him, he vaulted upward, leading with the business edge of Oblivion. The move swept the heartless into the air with him, its form swirling off to each side in a mess of shadow stuffs. A second immediately followed -his reaction with the Keyblade would've been too slow and instinct already had him swinging his fist. The punch took it under the chin, stunning it for a moment before he whirled about in mid-air, bringing his weapon down and hurling it back to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, the scene before him changed again and he was sitting on the Clock Tower with Axel and Xion.

Does that mean you're my friend too, Axel?

Yeah. Any friend of Roxas' is a friend of mine.

Thank you both.

Reality flashed back -he was still airborne and his little bit of acrobatics had left his friend's flank unguarded where a shadowy pool slide into place and the heartless' head began to emerge. Angling his Keyblade downward, he used another Air Slide to change his vector.

With a crash, he slammed into the pavement, sending chunks of it along with black streaming bits of what used to be a NeoShadow clattering off to the sides.

More images flashed through his mind. Feelings, places and sounds briefly lining up to give him a glimpse of things that were slowly starting to make more and more sense. He remembered this moment: Luxord had just told him that Xion had gone into a deep sleep and Saix was trying to stop him from going to see her.

I'll call that thing whatever I want. How we deal with Xion is no concern of yours.

I didn't ask you if it was!

Again, reality snapped back into place as inertia caught up with him in his not-quite impact crater as the last of the NeoShadow he'd crashed into faded into the ether. Struggling to stand, he collapsed to his knee, supporting himself on his weapon.]

Xion, can you see a way for us to back out of here?

I... I don't think I'm going to hold together much longer... my head...

[He trailed off a little as he winced, his breathes coming in ragged pants; at least managing to keep his facing against their enemies.]

[While Roxas was laying to waste the heartless behind her, Xion wasted no time in parrying another NeoShadow as it came at her, knocking it hard in the head with the pummel which sent it splintering into a black veil of mist. She had no time to gape though-- as soon enough another one was vaulting at her. Oathkeeper sang through air with a sharp swish and another heartless found itself biting the dust from the blade. Her breathing ever hurried, her eyes straining to focus on every little detail or so help them. One wrong move and that would be it.

The fear that had been crawling in him. It wasn't something he was alone with. She was terrified. Absolutely without doubt. For as much as she thought she could be. Or maybe she really was. Did replicas possess hearts? That was an answer she had never gotten. And not something on her list of priorities at the moment, frankly. Whether she really felt it or not, the thoughts existed. They were real. And that reality caused her to fight that desperate fight. Not necessarily fear for the sake of her existence. But fear for losing his existence. She wouldn't allow that.

That thought was ironic considering the sudden rush of air blowing past as he suddenly came crashing against the pavement behind her to rid of an intrusive heartless intent on backstabbing her. She had been in the middle of swinging another wide arc to knock back a few more NeoShadows, a couple having perished due to also being hit by that spell from before. She winced as some of the rubble from that impact hit her as it went flying. But that only phased her for a second.

Roxas suddenly collapsing to a knelt position made her worries soar. What's wrong!? She wanted to ask. But now wasn't the time to panic anymore than she already was. She backed up closer to him. Her eyes darting every which way while the Neoshadows filed in closer. There weren't half as many as there had been, but with him in the condition he was in and her not far behind, it was almost impossible for her to keep her frantic feelings under lock and key. Her automatic thought was the corridors, but her energy was already vastly depleted. If she tried and failed then they would be done for. And Xion wasn't about to risk that.

The other option, well... They might be slightly less done for. Maybe. It was a hard call. It felt like it took hours for her to come to decision even if it was only mere seconds. But at the sudden jump of a NeoShadow, she was ducking to link arms with roxas' keyblade-free one as she swung Oathkeeper forward in a short, clip that had enough to knock it back. And then she was swinging the keyblade back-- and suddenly let it fly. While Oathkeeper cut down some of the heartless in the way, Xion pulled Roxas to his feet, following in its wake as she supported him as best as she could. He would have to do some of the work though without doubt. But she tried her best to ensure it wouldn't be much more than half limping, half running. Pitting one thunder spell and then another against the heartless that stood in their way. Letting the rain amplify it but being careful not to cast it too close and let them get caught in it themselves. Barely, she called out.]

We're getting out of this-- no matter what!

[In his current state, he was in no position to protest and frankly felt at least a small pang of relief knowing that she was still together enough to make such an effort. The memories were coming back at a pace where he wasn't so much seeing them as scenes any more -things that he just remembered; details and conversations that he was just suddenly able to recall as if they'd always been at his fingertips. Every so often, something would slow down and he'd see it playing out like a scene in a film, but from his own perspective, but most of them had been brief so far.

Roxas had been willing his legs to move, to keep some semblance of pace as his friend guided him. He was feeling tired, just like he wanted to let go and doze off -maybe this was a dream after all and he'd awaken back just as a part of Sora's consciousness. But as painful as all this was, he was grateful. He now was able to remember someone that had been so dear to him, someone that had played such an important part in his life.

Someone that was about to be struck down because he was slowing her down.

The last three NeoShadows lunged toward the duo with frightening speed and ferocity at an angle they had no hope to avoid. And then memory chose to show him something again. A flash-flood of images; from atop the Clock Tower.

Xion was there, but she looked like Sora. The way her eyes met his that time filled him with such fear -of losing her and of being destroyed by whatever it was that she was becoming.

This puppet will play her part.

And then she actually attacked him. He evaded the attack, dodged the follow-ups and pleaded for her to stop. And in the end, after a grueling battle, he struck her down. He couldn't bear to watch, but as his memory, he couldn't look away or close his eyes. The scene paced sporadically -he could only actually 'hear' bits of the dialog, but that entire scene was burned into his memory enough that he remembered what had been said.

You'll be... better off... Roxas.

Am I... the one that did this to you?

I'm glad... I got to meet you.

Xion! Who else will I have ice cream with?

The moment froze there. He knew what happened afterward. Whether in this memory or the reality outside of it, he felt... a tear? He couldn't be sure. Part of him wanted to laugh -he's chosen such a stupid last thing to say back then. He came to again in time to see those dark shapes coming toward them. What he'd just seen was something he refused to let happen again -what he'd let happen, he wouldn't give the chance to repeat. Even if it meant him giving her the same pain he felt.

Roxas slipped his arm loose from Xion's, planting the point of Oblivion into the ground as the lead heartless bore upon him. A look of grim determination in his eyes, he took an uneasy lunge. The edge of the Keyblade went forward as his target tried to evade. In the blink of an eye, the weapon had cleaved deep through the shoulder of the NeoShadow as he flipped neatly over the creature as it convulsed in the jaws of annihilation. His leg came down in a clumsy, but powerful axe-kick, stopping the second in its tracks while haphazardly swinging his weapon down off to the side. Sparks flew as the tip scraped across the ground, only the upper torso of his mark tumbling forward as it began to dissipate. The one he'd struck down mid-flight, rose up and tossed him aside. It turned and dove at him in hopes of clawing his heart free, but rather the creature fell upon Oblivion's tip as its form dispersed like a cloud of black smoke.

With a clatter, his Keyblade fell to his side as his arms refused to keep the weapon bared. He coughed, trying to say something but the words didn't come. And as he laid there in the rain, one last memory began to correct itself as the light seemed to fade from his eyes.]

[When that trio of heartless had rained down upon them, Xion's initial reaction had been to try to cast a spell their way. But when it didn't come, her eyes widened in a split second of horror-- but it lasted only a glimpse of time.

Because suddenly, Roxas was uncoiled from her arm and taking to the heartless with Oblivion bared and flashing. Her hand that had been extended for a spell was now reaching, her mind falling to a frenzy, as she tried to call Oathkeeper back as she watched him. But, try as she would, it wasn't coming to her, she tried to cast again. And again. Why couldn't she-- He was-- Her vision suddenly went hazy and she almost collapsed there and then-- No, had to focus. Had to concentrate. If she fell then, what would happen to them? She couldn't be dead weight. Couldn't--]

Roxas!

[She called-- and then finally, with a flash of light, Oathkeeper had returned to her grip. But by then, the last NeoShadow had been thwarted. And then, with the sound of his keyblade dropping resonating suddenly through the suddenly docile pitter patter of rain, roxas seemed to crumble away. Falling still after giving a soft sputter, a mere shadow of his lost voice. Her eyes sharpened in fear.]

R-Roxas!

[Xion, albeit limping the way, was at immediately at his side. She practically slumped into a seated position, having to use Oathkeeper for only a moment as support so that she wouldn't fall on top of him. Her head was spinning and she had to shake it. Focus. And then, finally, she regained enough courage to balance herself out and Oathkeeper diminished in a wisp of light. While her eyes sought-- Her breath came short.

His eyes. His eyes.

There was nothing to them. It was like the very spark that made roxas had been torn out by the wretched heartless that had just tried to claim him. The very sight of them sent a chill down her spine. That warmth she always saw-- It was gone. And it was making her feel lethargic. But she couldn't look away. She wouldn't look away. But--

No... Just...]

N-No... No-no! No, no, no...!

[She was touching his face before she even realized what she was doing. Her hand shaking... and not just from her failing strength. She feathered her fingers across his cheek as if were she to apply anymore pressure, he would just shatter into shards of crystal fragments like she had. Her other hand coming up to brush his bangs out of his face.]

Please, no...

[And then she shook his arm. Weakly. So weakly because she could hardly move herself. But she was trying so damned hard. Please, no. Please, no. Please, no--]

Roxas, open your eyes!

[For what little it meant to her, his chest still continued to steadily rise and fall, the occasional puff of warm air condensing amidst the cold evening air near his mouth. He wasn't quite lifeless, just not awake or really responsive to anything -almost a Nobody of a Nobody: a physical form that just persisted in existing for no other sake then that.

Above them, lightning flashed a mere split second before a roar of thunder echoed across the sky as the screen atop the skyscraper flickered to life. On the screen, the unmistakable image of Roxas with his hood up acted like it just noticed a blind-folded Riku standing less than a foot away. The sound is garbled as they seem to converse, the dialog coming out as incomprehensible gibberish, save for a few salvageable lines.

"Her? You mean Xion? It's a struggle just to remember her name now, isn't it?"

"I want Xion back! I want my life back!"

"The Organization will destroy you."

The images abruptly ceased as he coughed, his eye snapping open as he clamored to his feet with a groan. Oblivion had vanished and in its place, he had Oathkeeper gripped tightly in his hand. His eyes were still lifeless, but their shape easily expressed his mix of fear and anger as they scanned about. In an instant, he recognized Sora's friend ...and from where he felt right now, his enemy.

He lunged at the shape, his wild swings betraying both a mix of his body's fatigue and the sheer animosity that this memory conjured back into him. Whatever stopper he might have had in his feelings back then was apparently absent as he relived this encounter now.]

You! YOU! YOU! It's all because of you! Xion didn't start having problems until you showed up! And it only got worse when she ran off with you!

Her, me and Axel could've figured out our mistakes without you! And we'd all still be together!

YOU TOOK BOTH OF THEM FROM ME!

[Shouting at whatever phantasm was haunting him, he stopped momentarily when his Keyblade vanished on him. Seeming confused for all but a fraction of a moment. In the end, he seemed to regard being disarmed as a matter of little consequence before he charged once more, intent to seize the specter of Riku and shove him against the wall of a nearby building.]

{OOC Notes: I'll let you decide if he's hallucinating and mistaking Xion for Riku or if he's just chasing shadows. This is always why my pup would need someone to mediate if he was ever to make peace with Riku.}

[Considering his reactions during the fight and the fear, Xion had yet process that. Her head only snapped to attention from what she was doing when she heard the voices above her. Only then did she look skyward-- and feel the instant rush of guilt as she caught some of the exchange.

'I want Xion back!

'I want my life back!'

And then, if breathing wasn't enough of a sign, that sudden convulsing was enough to make her jump and stumble back. And then she was watching him rise to his feet. Xion herself slowly followed in his wake, albeit struggling more than a few times in the process to actually get there. And even when she did find her footing, her eyes were cast to the ground a moment. Guilty and pained. As if she could have forgotten that. Even while her consciousness had weakened back then to almost nothing, the words were unforgettable. How could she cat them away? And if they had pierced her then, they were making her own body ache now.

He never deserved that.

But soon enough they were upon Roxas. And when they were, she felt a sinking feeling catch in her as she noted how hollow his eyes still appeared-- empty yet-- No, there was more to them that time. She didn't even register him recalling Oathkeeper-- until it was suddenly singing right past her head. She had just managed to dodge it. She honestly didn't know how she had, but the next thing she knew, Xion was fighting just to get out of harm's way as he swung Oathkeeper haphazardly at her in blinding anger and loss. At first, she thought she had been the cause of it-- that he was mad at her for what she had done, but his yelling proved things otherwise. He was--]

...Roxas... Rox--

[She found herself getting clipped across the shoulder and her attempts to grab at any wisp of consciousness he still had residing within him were temporarily thwarted as she stumbled back, clutching her arm. Leaving her open to another hit that grazed the side of her head. She heaved a painful breath as her body spazzed from the pain. Her coat was torn from the earlier hit, plumes of black mist swirling from the injury. With half-lidded eyes and shaky, fizzling vision, she frantically returned her attention back to him to see that Oathkeeper was gone now-- and searched his for the split second it took him to decide that it didn't matter that it was.

A sharp cry echoing in the city signaled he had caught his unintended target. She hit the wall so hard, for a moment, she couldn't breathe. Her hands clutched weakly to his own hands that were gripping her roughly by the coat, her lungs finally choking on air, causing her to wheeze. For a moment, Xion couldn't look at him. Didn't want to see that pain that she had seen only in flickers on that day. Didn't want to face it. Such a selfish thought--]

I'm sorry...

[She didn't realize she said it until it left her lips. And when it did, a string of them seemed to follow. One that might not stop if he didn't come to. Sorry for what had been done to him, sorry for what he was going through at the moment, sorry she made that choice knowing full well what it would do to him, sorry she betrayed their friendship and Axel's, too, sorry for hiding things, sorry for...

Everything.

She felt something warm trail down her face then, but she didn't make any move to rid of it. When did that hot water in her eyes start to overflow she hadn't a clue. Not that it mattered to her. Nothing else mattered. All that mattered was him right now. And he... Roxas, he...]

[Anger and pain could only sustain a soul so long -even if that soul didn't really exist. For a moment he stood there, frozen with an expression that betrayed his feelings. It was hard to say if it just might have been the rain or perhaps tears. His breathing was shaky as his gaze seemed to bore straight through his friend. Slowly, he blinked, that particular glint to his eyes returning as he collapsed again, burying his face in her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her waist.

He was clinging to consciousness now, his recent actions after dealing with the NeoShadows not registering to him -from his perspective, he'd relived a nightmare.

Like a film starting to play back up to speed, he heard her apologies in his head. He felt at a loss. He wanted to know why things had to come to this; why she made those choices and more importantly, why she was sorry for everything. It'd been painful, but there was that part of him that was overjoyed: she was back -he was back and this wasn't any mere dream. At least he certainly hoped it wasn't.]

Don't be.

[His voice was hoarse from his outbursts and exhaustion in general, but it had the same tone he'd always used when they talked. There was a pause as he drew a few more breaths, seemingly content to rest the way he was, hoping he wasn't causing her too much discomfort -he just didn't have strength to move for the time being.]

Just don't... don't ever do that again.

[There was an audible trembling in his voice, as if he was afraid all of this was going to suddenly vanish on him. As if to reassure himself of reality, his arms squeezed a little, giving a somewhat awkward hug as he felt something different from the rain on the side of his face.

Curious, he turned his head to see Xion's face, almost scoffing as he smiled weakly while looking at her.]

A puppet...

[Roxas muttered the term as he finally mustered the strength to pry himself off his friend and slumped against the wall. The way he said it, it was more that he spat on the term, the implication being that he rejected the label altogether.]

That's something else I don't want to hear out of you again... you're the same as me. Puppets don't cry and yet, you're crying now.

[She froze when she suddenly felt his arms come around her, his head tucked into her shoulder. At first she was stiff. Her arms stuck between them for the moment, eyes like open windows to her own mixed feelings. So many things fluttered through them in a mere second. How everything had come back to him hadn't even hit her yet-- Maybe because with how it had, everything seemed to have almost a natural flow. Maybe it was because the time they had shared in which she hadn't been even a wisp of his memory was so short lived. Her focus instead spiraled to their days together, to everything she had cherished and every moment when the back of her mind had screamed that it was wrong.

And then she tentatively embraced him in turn, her hands gripping at the back of his shirt feebly. Even as her shoulder screamed in protest and her head throbbed like mad. Because right now-- and always --Roxas, how he was feeling... or "feeling". Whichever didn't matter, but-- she had always found him more important. Always wanted what was best for him, honestly. And now, with him suddenly reliving this all again-- She knew that he needed this. And, maybe... deep down.

'Don't be.'

'Just don't... don't ever do that again.'

She held on tighter, her eyes nearly closed. She didn't want to. She never wanted to. The words were there, but when she opened her mouth, they didn't come, but the way she curled closer to him probably gave him the answer he was looking for. His voice-- He was so scared. She hated hearing that in his tone. Wanted to never hear that tone because of her ever again if it were possible. And just moments before, she had been intent on distancing herself. Now, it felt nearly impossible. She just--

And then his eyes were on her... and that smiled that she missed was there, too. 'Puppet'. It was a term she was just about as akin to as he was and she wasn't really surprised by how laced with venom the word seemed to be when he spoke it. What really shocked her as she found herself following suit, leaning against the wall now with bated breath, was...

...She was what?

And then her hand reached up to her face... and she felt those tears. For a long moment, she stared at the ground... and then looked up at him, perplexed and lost and-- and then suddenly cracking a quiet little smile at him as fresh ones welled up. Same as him, huh...]

...I guess. I can't... really argue that... when you are, too.

[Why did it seem amusing? Or maybe it was just a sense of relief? Maybe... it was just a realization that she could still be who she was... his friend... even after what she had done to him. Even. After she had let what she was made for become almost reality...

As that relief washed over her though, she found her heels sliding until she was lowered into a seated position against the wall. Her head ducking forward with dim eyes. So exhausted. So much so that she couldn't hide it even if she chose to. The black mist was still hailing from her injury, but she didn't seem to notice. All this all of a sudden... was a lot to take in. So many different thoughts. She closed her eyes a moment... and just breathed.]

[He managed a weak chuckle in response. It wasn't ideal; both of them were injured -aside from her shoulder wound, almost identically from different causes. The sight of that little bit of black mist swirling from her injury was easily reason enough for concern on his part. He could barely keep his eyes open, but he didn't want to leave that. Not so far below the surface, he was afraid that if he left it that way, she might disappear on him again.

His body was protesting, but he leaned over and twisted a little, reaching for her shoulder with his right hand. Stopping just a little short of the injury, he coughed a little as he willed the spell to work for him.]

Cure!

[His hand glowed faintly as he gave the spell as much power as he could muster without blacking out. While he doubted he had the power to completely restore the injury, he at least wanted to staunch the flow of mist. The other times he'd seen a Nobody 'bleeding' the substance it was a significantly worse picture and always resulted in a termination. However, he didn't feel like leaving anything to chance. After the past hour or so's ordeal, he wanted them to stay together this time.

When the spell finally completed, he let himself flop into Xion's lap. Though too tired to sit himself upright again, he was still at least conscious. He wanted to speak, to say so much now that he remembered, but the simple act of breathing was a difficult ordeal. What Roxas could do at this point was to at least offer a relaxed, grateful smile... even if his current position was just a little compromising.

He didn't care at this point. For the moment, everything was fine -they were together. And when they were rested enough, he even had a few ideas on how they'd get out of there. From there, he even reasoned that if the two of them were walking around again, then somewhere, Axel must be alive somewhere too. Then he could just enjoy life with his friends again. Those two would need a change of clothes too, he mused to himself. The Organization was a bad memory to him -albiet with the sole silver lining that it was through being part of it that he made his best friends.

It hopefully wouldn't take too long to rest up... he hated this world.]

[She didn't seem to catch onto what he was doing, really, until he called out the spell's name. Which was to his advantage. There was a good chance she would have protested otherwise. Instead, her eyes shot open and she watched him with a partially surprised yet mostly concerned expression. She had almost completely forgot about her injury. But now, slowly but surely, the mist thinned out to nothing.

And then shortly after he collapsed on top of her. Worry shook her briefly and she might have panicked again there and then. But his eyes were still open and that smile of his, ever present. Even despite the living hell that they had just been through. She didn't realize how cold she was feeling from the soaking wet rain until he was resting on her lap. So, it wasn't exactly unwelcoming to be borrowing her friend as a comforter. Just... really different. And a little awkward. The only time they had been this close before was when she had... well.

She brushed that thought away and smiled feebly. It hadn't been very long since she had seen him in her conscious mind's eye... but she had a feeling that it was quite the opposite story for him. She wanted to hear that story... and hoped it wouldn't be a sad one. If he didn't go back to Sora... what happened? And what about Axel? What happened to him? And she wondered if maybe... just maybe. She might be able to... have a little of time like old times again. Of no worries and sunsets and ice cream. It was a selfish thought-- What if-- But... she couldn't do that to him again... Not after she witnessed that outburst.

She reached out weakly and touched his shoulder. Her smile was fading though. Her eyes closing. Her hand barely made to rest there. And stilled as it did, her body relaxing. Her breathing was shallow but steady as she was whisked into unconsciousness.]

(ooc: Time skip~?)

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I'm starting to see why you format your posts like this...

I just do it because it seems like the preferred style. XD;

I'll let you decide what/where ends up on the otherside of the door

=D

I see what you did there XD

Oh-hohoho~ Yes, I'm a jerk. |D;

It's called an epic reunion for a reason

Oh, hells yeah~! Edit: XD; Ah-hahaha~ I couldn't decide if I liked the original write up, so~

It's cool. I did say that you were welcome to re-write if you wanted

True that~! XD; /feels like a perfectionist though FFF~

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Of course this isn't the end, but poor Xion's gonna get some extra mental trauma here

Oh gods. Just what she needs. XD;;; Edit: ofusdhfsdf Better~!

I think this looks okay now.

Looks fine to me. XD;; I always worry about my own though, so~!

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