kingdomdressing | (no subject)

[He's cautious about pushing things too much in one motion, immediately releasing her when he feels her efforts to push him away. He leaps back, landing in a neat crouch with his Keyblade pointed off to the side. Roxas' eyes remain locked with hers, unwilling to let himself get too excited because her eyes flickered.]

The only thing you're proving to them is that they're right!

[He lunges in to strike again, the arc of his weapon coming wide from her flank. More than anything, he's trying to keep her off-balance so the darker personality has to struggle against her true personality. Of course in keeping this pressure up, if he's not interrupted with a counter-attack, he'll make another swing before withdrawing and holding his ground.]

Darkness and power were the only things he thought held any sway in the world!

Don't you think that finding another way would be better, Xion?

[Repetitive as it may sound, he's trying to use her name more and even harder, he's trying not to yell or shout when he uses it. It's a difficult act he's trying to employ, being strong enough to keep his opponent from overtaking him and yet trying to be open enough that she might realize that he's trying to help her.]

[At that strike, she was again pulling up her own keyblade to block. Skidding back slightly before coming to a halt a few feet off from him. Glaring hard at him.]

But there isn't any other, Roxas! Don't you see? From the moment I was created, this was my role! My purpose! So, now I'll bury it with everyone! And then- then everything will be set right! Then I'll finally be free!

[She wasn't making any sense. Contradicting. Lost in a wave of different emotions- whether artificial or real. In a myriad of thoughts, of clashing whims and painful dedication. This was it. This was the role she had been pulled to play. And she would play it by her mind. Pull her own strings.

So then, with being so steadfast in that. Why then? Why could she feel hot water pouring from her eyes slightly? Eyes rippling with another hint of blue. She brushed it away as if annoyed and pushed forward to entangle their keyblades once more.]

[He meets her glare with a patient expression. Part of him isn't sure where this sense of calm is coming from, by now he should have been worked up into a panicked frenzy. But strangely, he only feels that drive to get through to his friend and save her. It's even more clear than when he'd just been struggling with the belief of his friends in him.

Roxas lets her advance, meeting her strikes with skillful parries, giving up ground as he allows her offensive. He wasn't sure why, but every feeling inside him was screaming that he needed them to keep talking. Beating her senseless first would only enrage her more and make her less likely to listen when he tried to make his point. Better to work now when she was just annoyed with him resisting.]

You'll be free to do what? To vanish? To disappear?

[The Nobody meets his friend's assault by bringing his High Jump into play and vaulting neatly over her head. His landing puts him just outside of striking range of her Keyblade as he immediately gets to his feet and whirls about.]

You're saying there's no other way, but there's only no way out if you stop looking! It's only over if you give up!

[It's probably stupid, but he lowers his weapon. His voice now, if anything sounds more like that melancholy tone she might be used to hearing from him.]

You and Axel gave me a reason to want to live. To be more than just a piece of Sora. Because of that, I'm not giving up on you. And if he's in a bind when we find him, I won't give up on him either.

So Xion, please... don't give up on me like this.

[To vanish.

To disappear.

Like Xemnas had intended. One or the other. She knew that. But that was why... That was why she had gone the lengths she had gone. That had been her logic. A logic that was slowly becoming tangled and distorted. Her strikes were becoming more manic now. Her breath starting to sob slightly. Her eyes whirling between hues as her hair lightened slightly.

She slashed and tore at his defense a little longer- then watched him vault over her and followed through, sliding towards him with a wild swing in his direction. One that stopped right as she was about to hit him. -But why? Why did she stop? This was it. This was right. He was nothing but-

...What was he? Who was he? She knew him so well- too well. Everything about him. Inside and out almost. Everything but yet his meaning was lost- at least until she saw those eyes. Heard that tone. Gave him reason... She? A mere puppet? She stood there, panting. Tears beading up in the corners of her eyes although she still held such a mad expression.]

If there's another way, then enlighten me! Because I've yet to find one!

[This was a setback. She'd asked for an answer that he wasn't ready to deliver, an answer that still escaped him. In truth, he was still as much bound to his original fate as he ever had been -all it would take would be something strong enough to subdue him and he was just as easy to return to his place as he was in any case.

As she'd demonstrated.

And yet, even if that happened, he refused to just go quietly. He refused to accept that as the only path he had before him. It was that stubborn resistance and even his persistence in an aggravated limbo that assured him that another way must exist.

Just like with his battle against this side of Xion, Roxas began to think that maybe he'd just been going about it the wrong way at first. Unfortunately though, the reality still was that all his efforts had yet to even yield a lead. So it was time to just do what he'd promised to do and be honest.]

I don't know.

[There was a hint, a reflection of mild defeat in his tone as he answered. But before she could speak up again to curse him or insult him, he chose to explain himself better.]

I don't know because I've been looking at it as just me searching for an answer. I've looked for that way alone. And all that I've learned has told me that you just can't exist entirely on your own.

[A pause.]

So let's do it together, Xion. Let's look together.

It always turns out better when we're both working on things, right?

[His statement finishes with that smile of his. It's encouraging, almost naive... yet the look in his eyes tries to convey that he's trying to do more than just throw hope into the air and see what it yields. Perhaps in the hours of his revival, he's grown up a little.]

Like when you lost your Keyblade... and we found it together.

[She stood there, unblinking. Watching him. Hearing him. Hearing those words. Those words that at first lead to nowhere. Lead to exactly what she felt he knew- Nothing. Nothing at all. So- there really was no other way. She was right. It was pointless for her to listen. A waste of time- but just as she was about to retort, just as she collected a firmer grip on Void Gear, he was speaking up again and...

And why? Why did he sound so convinced in his own words? And why- why, in that moment, did she want to believe him? Despite how broken up her memories were- there was definitely something between them that they had had once, wasn't there? Something- Something forgotten. But not lost. And it fought to surface at that smile. Roxas, you always were so naive. But that was something she always- always...

And then she was fisting her free hand in her hair suddenly, grunting as memories disentangled, retangled, scattering and recombining in a frenzy as if she was working out a giant puzzle in her mind. Her eyes constantly shifting between gold and blue, gold and blue. A shift that was hidden when she hung her head slightly. Panting hard.]

Why...? Why should I trust you?

[As he watched Xion struggle, it really started tearing at whatever he had resembling a heart to see her in such a state. One part of her lay completely unable to do anything while the other suffered as it conflicted against her inner darkness -a darkness that moments ago in their duel, he'd almost given into as well. A darkness that just seemed like a faded light that he almost relinquished himself into when she'd absorbed him. It was something that he knew that when the time came for it, he'd need her to save him from his own too.

Just because that's the way things were with them -constants in the other's turbulent lives. Their darkest hours were almost always when they were in absence of each other... much like Sora and his friends.

He wanted to comfort her and he found it ironic. Maybe ten or so minutes ago, he just wanted power to beat her back. But between what he was seeing and what his doppelganger had told him, power wasn't the answer here. Which was why he was going to take another potentially stupid risk; he'd release his grip on Lost Memory, letting it vanish into the ether as he draws closer.

There's no self-destructive urge in Roxas' mind, just the realization that if she was going to trust him, he'd have to be the one to be vulnerable to her so she might understand his faith in Xion.

The Nobody kneels before his friend, propping his right arm up over his knee while he offers his left hand for his friend to take.]

Because that's what friends do.

[She didn't budge for a moment. Save to slowly glimpse up slightly through that mixture of black and brown spikes. Her eyes a swirl of gold and blue. Eyes that widened as he allowed his weapon to disperse. What... What was he...? She could have torn him in two right then. So easily. And yet then he was kneeling in front of her, extending a hand. So naive. So trusting of her. Trusting of a puppet. A mere puppet that wanted nothing more than to exist. To be and yet... A puppet that had...

Because that's what friends do.

Her footing that was becoming slowly more fragile by the minute as she began to shake, taking ragged breaths. As moment by moment, the pieces seemed to want to realign, want to join together once more and make sense of the puzzle she had once held complete in her mind. One of laughter and ice cream- ice cream on the clock tower. Together. Toge-

She stumbled then, legs giving out. And then she was reaching frantically. Panicking- No, this left her just as vulnerable as him- No, she didn't want this- No. Her hand scrambling to find a way, groping out until- until she had his. And then her vision went white. Finding herself collapsing the rest of the way as Void Gear vanished.]

[He waited and watched her reaction. Though he was opening himself up and offering to be completely vulnerable, the scars of betrayal were still healing and their mark would never completely leave him. Even unarmed, he'd still remained at least mentally prepared to make a hasty retreat if she'd decided to take advantage of his opening.

As he saw her continue to struggle, it became more and more apparent that he'd have to even allow her past the point where he could safely evade if things went sour. Especially after all that had happened here, he was afraid of what happened if things took another unpleasant turn. But it seemed that now, for once, everything was leading up to him needing to put all of his faith in her.

His posture shifted when her legs gave out, his own pushing out behind him as he went from a crouch into a lunge with his arms outstretched. With everything unfolding as it was, there shouldn't be any reason why he wouldn't be able to catch her before she hit the floor.]

It's okay. I'm here for you.

[A subconscious part of her had been expecting to hit the hard, cold stained glass platform underneath their feet. Yet, instead, she felt her body buckling against something warm and alive. No- Someone. Groggily, she could feel that rise and fall of his chest against her head. Or rather, as she was laying her head against his chest. She left her arms hang limply at her sides for the moment. Her own breath slowly starting to come down in volume, evening out. Eyes half-lidded. So exhausted. Her head hurting so... so much.

She didn't say anything for a while, even as her hair returned to Sora's familiar brunette. Feeling the weight of this reality. The feel of his arms wrapped securely around her. It was... This was... -She felt something running down her face but she didn't really register it otherwise. Just stayed there as she was, the final pieces clicking together.]

...Roxas... ...How are you... [Here?]

...How did I...? [Forgot you?

Edited 2011-01-18 19:18 (UTC)

[He wanted to believe that the ordeal was going to be over now, that things were going to be smooth sailing. But he wasn't going to relax just yet, this whole 'inner world' business seemed to take a great deal of amusement in constantly pushing him off-guard and honestly, he wasn't going to last through another prolonged engagement -at least not one that started by taking him by surprise.

So he's quiet at first, just tending to her, keeping her close. Even though she bears the face of their Other, he still can't deny that she's still who she is: his friend. He gives something of a half-laugh as he finally notices her tears. It was difficult to see when she was spazzing out, but it was perfectly clear now.]

Hmm? I'm doing -

[Roxas cuts off abruptly as he realizes that's not what she was asking. Another half-chuckle as he puts two and two together to realize what she meant to say.]

Oh, it's a long story. I can tell you about it once we're safe.

[When she speaks up again, he just shakes his head a little.]

Don't push yourself. You've been through a lot.

[Despite his words, his calm, she shook her head against him just slightly, peeking up at him with those familiar blue eyes. What was he talking about? A long story? It had to be, considering... Considering she was pretty certain she had absorbed him. That he should be gone but he was there. Someone that seconds ago she had no connection to and now he was one of the most important people to her all over again and it just... Everything about everything she did.

Something in her ached to think about it. He had been the price of existence. She had taken away his own. Had destroyed him to tear out her own path and make her own life of sorts. Give or take, Saix had something to do with the way things had turned out with this particular Xion- but it didn't make her feel any less guilty. She breathed out a shaky sigh, closing her eyes.]

Why are you- Don't you hate me...? For what I did to you...?

[He was really learning to grow a distaste for this whole reality business. To him, it wasn't entirely fair that he couldn't just handle things like his Other -believe in one thing and then just by trying really hard, have everything work out. But then, Sora's personal relationships were infinitely less complicated. At least that's the way it looked to him.

Which still left him uncertain of what to say as Xion sighed. At least actions were easy; Roxas just stayed there for the moment, cradling her in his arms and giving her a reassuring hug.]

I... I was angry at first. I thought you were something else, something that just wanted to use Xion's body to have its way; trying to say whatever it could to hurt me by using her memories.

And then when I found out it was you, I just -it hurt. I said a lot of things I shouldn't have.

[He takes a moment to sigh, the last confession there leaving an almost defeated look to his face. But then, he manages a weak smile as he speaks up again.]

But... I learned that under all that, you were still there. You just lost yourself in your pain.

I can't hate you, you're my friend.

[There was a mix of emotion running through her expressions as she listened to his careful explanation. Had it hurt to be called the things he had called her? Quietly, perhaps it had. But considering her actions, it wasn't much of a stretch of the truth. What she had done... and what she had almost done there. They were things that she couldn't see so easily forgiven.

And yet...

And yet, despite that... She felt him holding her all the more firmly. And still. Still, he gave her that smile. Weak as it was, it was a smile and... then he said those words. And her eyes went wide for a moment, just watching him. Trying to collect if this was real. But his arms felt so warm. And she was so close, she felt the breath of his words against her. She bowed her head then, a tiny, quiet smile finally befitting her despite whatever disgust for herself.]

Thank you...

[And just as she murmured those words, her body decomposed into crystal fragments of memory, flickering around his grasp where her form had been seconds ago. If he looked out of the corner of his eye, he would see the same thing happening to the other Xion who had been laying on the floor nearly unconscious. For a moment, they simply floated there, stagnant. But then they were flowing out through his fingertips, flowing to the center of the platform. And just as the last bit of them collected, there was a flash of light- and in its place stood small ivory, double doors.]

[For a moment when she was quiet, he wasn't entirely sure what to make of things. All things considered, he was worried that just maybe he'd picked the wrong words and she was getting upset. Roxas briefly considered speaking up, but then she did first.

He felt relieved when he heard her choice of words.

And then he felt horror seize whatever he had for a heart when she decomposed. Eyes wide with terror, he felt as if he was reliving another nightmare. In a panic he reached out, trying to snatch up the fragments drifting in the air and finding to his shock that the other Xion was vanishing in a similar fashion.

He had no words, only that frightened look in his eyes as he walked through the cloud of memories. It didn't take long before Roxas realized that now, like then, those fragments weren't things he could grasp or touch. He felt defeated as he slumped to his knees, wondering if he ended up blowing things after all.

And then that door formed.

There was nothing else left for him and he'd seen doors like those before in that strange dream he had what seemed like years ago now. But the thing that stood out in memory about these doors was that they were always a one-way trip.

His hand found the knob before he gave the area one last glance. If nothing else was to be seen or noted, he'd turn his attention to where he was going and open the door.]

[The stain glass platform lay bare of anything else remotely eye catching. In fact, the glow from it was fading now. As if it had gone with those memories. It was almost completely dark by the time he touched the doors, it faded so quickly. But it wouldn't matter soon enough. Because as soon as he opened the door, a bright light washed over him. Whether he had really wanted to go through it or not for certain, he would no longer have a choice in the matter. Whether or not that really mattered was trivial.

But either way, he would find himself soon standing in a white room. One he would quickly recognize as the same one in which he had discovered Sora in Twilight Town. The same accursed place where he had had to return. The pod, even, was there as well. Closed... And from the looks of it, there was someone inside it. The form was... smaller though. More lithe. Although it was hard to entirely distinguish it.]

Edited 2011-01-20 03:12 (UTC)

[Curiously, he glanced about his new surroundings, wondering with some amount of confusion how she would have known about this place. With the understanding that all of this was still his friend's inner world, there were a great many questions he still had about what just transpired.

It was difficult for him to say if having both Xions back there fade away like that was a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, it could have meant that they were at peace now and didn't need to interact with him anymore. The alternative that worried him was just that too much damage had been done and he'd eventually get out to find that she would just never wake.

Pushing that train of thought aside with the shake of his head, he moved closer to the pod, trying to distinguish the figure held within. At this point, Roxas wasn't willing to discount anything being inside, but the smaller frame did at strike him as passingly familiar. But for the moment, all he could do was watch and see -he didn't remember even really doing anything other than approaching the last one of these he'd seen. And with luck, if this was going to be his end again, he figured he would think of something better to say than last time.]

[As Roxas drew closer to the pod, at first nothing but the pitter patter of his own footfalls followed him. The room was so quiet... Ironic, really. Considering right around that time last time, DiZ had shown up to taunt him one last time before he merged with his other. But what didn't change was how the pod seemed to react to him the moment he drew close enough. It slowly peeled away as it had once before. Gingerly...

But it wasn't Sora that came into view. Not Sora... but the small frame of someone in an Organization coat. Their hood was obscuring their face. Their mouth a relaxed line as if they were sleeping. But without a doubt...]

See?

[Off to the side from him, standing clad in his armor again, stood the boy from before. Unlike last time, he was transparent. But he still bore the same quietly determined glint to his eyes... although this time that was paired with a reassuring smile.]

Forgotten, but not lost. Wasn't it?

[At first, Roxas didn't even turn to acknowledge the mysterious stranger again, his eyes remaining fixed on that familiar form in the pod. Some part of him was feeling nostalgic, musing that he hadn't seen her with her hood up in such a manner since their introduction and first few missions together. Simultaneously worse and better times, he figured; better because everything was so simple from their standpoints and yet worse in just about every other way.

When the other boy finished speaking, the Nobody just gave a nod.]

Yeah. I completely misunderstood everything.

[After just staring for a little, he turns to the translucent figure. Somehow, his state isn't surprising. His next few steps echoing through the room, he approaches, calling Lost Memory to his hand before offering it.]

This is yours.

It was strange... you gave me that power, but when I got out and saw that you were right -I realized that all I needed was right in front of me. Just seeing that under all that pain was my friend. She just needed someone to listen.

Thank you.

[The expression on his face shifts to one of mild embarrassment as his free hand goes to scratch the side of his head and his gaze averts to the side.]

If you hadn't told me, I probably wouldn't have been much better off then in the long run.

[He carefully retrieved Lost Memory from Roxas' grasp, the keyblade becoming just as transparent as he, himself, the moment it left Roxas' hold. Keeping to that same smile. One that turned a bit humored by the way the other reacted in such an abashed manner.]

It's not an easy thing to do. To figure things out like that. [It had taken him experience. Experience of seeing through the eyes of others. And learning from his own follies. Always chasing but never getting that chance to... He shook his head mildly.]

And sometimes not even the closest of friends listen. [A faint chuckle and he was rubbing his nose just a little.] But what matters is you found a way- So, go on. Go wake her up already. You don't want to keep her waiting, do you? [Because a certain someone had once told him it was rude to keep a lady waiting.]

[He wanted to ask the stranger questions, to talk and learn about what he was certain was some kind of link between the two of them. Despite appearances, his instincts were telling him now that this was not alternate version of himself, but somehow a different person entirely that looked like him... or perhaps Roxas looked like him. It was difficult to say.

But he knew that he wasn't going to get answers. Not now anyway.

So he nods and offers a resigned smile as he turns to face the pod once more.]

Yeah, I shouldn't.

[He walks over and eyes the setup curiously, examining it from several angles before turning to his translucent friend somehow looking more embarrassed than he looked a few moments ago.]

Uhm... I can't figure out how to open it.

[And he could feel those burning questions. Without a doubt, he could. And... couldn't really blame him. but they were really... questions that even if they had been answered... they wouldn't really change the present. So, to that.. He just watched Roxas, giving an encouraging nod before the other boy was following his feet back to the pod. Studying it... before looking back at him. A little more than obviously perplexed about its arrangement. A goofy smile of his own came about.]

Uh... Don't look at me.

[Of course, it would be in that very moment that the pod seemed to release its hold of her. Her small form slowly descended to the bottom of the pod... before falling forward. He pointed towards her with a shout.]

Hey, look sharp!

[He didn't need to be told twice. And while it sadly meant that he might be prone to falling for certain tricks, as soon as he followed the mystery doppelganger's direction, he found his body reacting well in advance of his thoughts.

The Nobody's feet carried him swiftly, bounding toward the pod as he saw that familiar form descend. His somewhat paranoid sense of logic was telling him to be weary, but his feelings opted to disregard that. An Air Slide carried him just to where he needed to be when she came tumbling forward.

Arms outstretched, Roxas skid to a halt as he saw her fall out. But with his luck, while he's practically assured that he'll catch her, because she's falling forward, the two just might end up in a somewhat compromising position. But then, with any due fortune, he'll be able to right things before she comes to.]

[With any luck, mm? Well, he did catch her. That was for certain. But compromising or not... That consideration was left unanswered. At least- not answered right away. For the moment he came into contact with her, there was another bright flicker of light. And then another jolt of memories rushing through him. So fast, it was unlikely that he would discern anything from them. Just quick snapshots of fragments. And all the while, his mind's eye's vision was slowly going white...]

It's done.

[The voice came through, clearer than ever... Familiar yet not. All the same, Naminé sat there- nearby once more. Already distant from the two. But then it wasn't without reason. As Roxas' vision would clear, he would find Xion lulled up against him, fallen with her body halfway off the bench... and very uncomfortably off the bench. Their hands still linked and her head resting almost on his stomach rather than his chest. Breathing softly... Her form yet to shift as it had before.

Naminé studied him with a neutral expression all the same.]

It was only a 12 - 6:30 shift today.

Ah... Okay, makes sense. I thought you were gonna get off pretty late.

Well, nothin' to worry about in any case, right?

True that. Except now I have to go or I'll never get up for work. =\

It's cool. I'm expecting company today, so tagging may be sporadic.

It's all good. I ended up with a bit of tag burnout earlier today. @@;

Seems all the better then that I didn't actually get a chance to sit down until now.

no subject

no subject

Fff.... And that was hella long. /quits editting finally

Yeah... who'da thought a random DR thread would go this long?

We're just insane as fuck. 'Nuff said.

Insane? Or awesome? Yeah, that's right, I said you're awesome too.

Or have way too much time on our hands.

Could be the latter, but at the same time, we get our responsible shit done too.

True enough.

So then there just doesn't seem like much of a problem.

Heh... So perhaps there isn't, really.

Ya never know.

Ffff... Someone's talking in circles now. |D

It seemed slightly more amusing to say in my head. Anyway, last tag before work.

Fail~ Ffff.... It's all good though. And lame tag, but. Fff. HE'S A DURP LIKE YOU, ROXAS. WONDER WHY

Durps of a feather; durp together?

1/2 Mm... Pretty much. And oh ghey. I have the closing shift again tonight. 8|

2/2 And fff....