FRIENDS WANTED;

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

[From door to door, Ventus travels the Dressing Room, planting posters along the walls.

These posters include a rather rough drawing, mostly scribbles, but it at least slightly resembles a Kairi...with yellow eyes. The poster reads:

FRIENDS WANTED:
This is Kairi. She doesn't have many friends here, and that's really gotta change. She's a great person who's a lot of fun, and I'm sure she'd love to meet new people!

Sometimes she wears Vanitas armor, but don't worry; she's not dangerous at all!

And yes, he will be putting these everywhere. When he can't reach places on foot, he'll simply use his Glider!]

Comments

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

Is that all you think about?

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

There are other things I think about, but my friends mean a lot to me.

[A beat.]

What about you, though? All I ever hear you talk about is the χ-blade.

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

I focus on my destiny. You are distracted from yours by your friends. There is a difference.

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

That's because I don't think someone's life should be ruled by their 'destiny'. Not when there's so much more to live for.

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

All routes will have the same end. Everyone must face their destiny.

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not gonna let that happen here. This place doesn't need a Keyblade War.

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

Perhaps the Keyblade War is this world's destiny.

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

But there's no way to know. Besides, what good is a war?

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

Once the χ-blade is forged, Master will be able to control Kingdom Hearts. The Keyblade War will then begin again, and Master will uncover the mysteries of the first.

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

But do you really care about that, Vanitas? What good will those mysteries do for anyone else?

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

[he laughs, but it's still weak from the fight.]

Master created me for that purpose.

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

[He looks down.]

But just because you're created for something doesn't mean you have to go through with it. You should make your own decisions instead of letting him decide what's 'fate' and what's not.

[A beat.]

But I guess there's no reasoning with you, huh?

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

[the parasite must like ventus. vanitas isn't familiar with whatever feeling he's experiencing now.]

You can't escape yourself, Ventus.

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised you haven't tried fighting me already. It already sounds like your mind's made up.

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

[he did try, and he failed. vanitas will prepare before trying anything again.]

I'd be a fool to be so rash.

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

Then I guess I'm gonna have to be careful, since I've got a hunch that that new part of you isn't gonna hold you back.

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

[pause.]

I'll have to destroy it before picking up where we left off.

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

But what if you can't? Then what're you gonna do?

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

Then I'll have you or one of the other Ventuses here finish the job. I won't let the parasite control me.

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

... Are you afraid of it?

[It's an honest question!]

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

[another pause.]

Of course not.

[sometimes silence speaks volumes, ventus. in this case, the silence is more telling than the words are.]

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

[Nope, sorry. He sees right through that lie.]

It's okay. I'd be afraid, too. Losing control... it's a scary thought.

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

[hmph. vanitas is walking around ventus now, stopping only when he is facing away from him. he stiffens like he's been stricken by a sudden thought.]

Ventus.

[but no, he doesn't continue. it's the parasite that's kept him from leaving the room when he first got the chance. it's the parasite that's keeping him here now.]

[erasemefriend.livejournal.com]

Huh?

[That's... odd. Then again, it's a wonder that Vanitas has stayed here this long, anyway.]

[nihiloexnihilo.livejournal.com]

[vanitas grinds his teeth. his mind is racing with stupid, trivial things. friends, sunsets, ice cream, memories. he doesn't understand why the parasite would care for any of these things. vanitas doesn't have friends, has never seen a sunset, has never tasted ice cream, and doesn't have memories from before his extraction. vanitas shakes his head without turning around and a portal opens in front of him.]

Don't fall for Kairi's tricks.

[and into the portal he goes to discover somewhere new in the dressing room... maybe the kitchen.]