towerofanimus | And so the walls come crashing down

Entry tags:

And so the walls come crashing down

Characters: [1] Xion and Namine and [2] Pending
Setting: Dorm floors, and then... pending.
Format: Whatever you like
Summary: [1] Xion and Namine have a convo in which Xion's fears are confirmed, and [2] Pending a certain conversation over the network. (I will add Part 2 when I know what'll be happening in it, sorry to split it up like this I just didn't want to spam the comm)
Warnings: Unsure at this point, depends what happens for part 2. Self-sacrificial tendencies though. Also memory nomming. Kingdom Hearts is suffering. The usual deal.

[Part 1]

[Something was wrong with Sora's memories. That was all she'd really been able to think about since talking with him earlier. She didn't know for sure how or why - things in the Tower made one often unsure about so many things.

But if it was what Xion thought it was - if it was her fault Sora's memories were vanishing... what should she do? But what if it wasn't her, and she did something that hurt her friends?

There were too many questions, and Xion found herself wandering the hallways of the dorms, trying to figure them out.]

[Part 2]

[HELD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE]

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[Naminé's found herself on edge lately. She's not completely certain why, hesitant as she is these days to use her powers. Something to do with the tower, perhaps?]

[She doesn't intend to run into anyone as she makes her way through the halls, on her way to another floor. But then she catches sight of Xion, and, well--]

-- Oh! Hello...!

[No excuse or reason not to at least say hello.]

[Xion jumps a little, eyes darting up to see who'd spoken. Oh... It was Naminé. Under normal circumstances, Xion would've been happy to see her but... right now she's just too preoccupied. And worried.

Still. No reason not to reply, at least. She nods her head, a little jerkily]

Hey.

[And instantly, Naminé knows the difference. She blinks, then pauses, regarding the other girl a moment.]

... Is something wrong?

[She's pretty sure she already knows the answer to that, but she tries to smile her way through it all the same, for Xion's sake.]

[For a moment, Xion wonders if she should say, if it'd do anything, or help at all... Except Namine was from their worlds, she knew why Xion looked like Ven and...

She needed to tell somebody what was going on. Maybe... maybe it'd help her figure it out, somehow.]

I think... I think there's something wrong with Sora's memories.

[... maybe this is a bad place to talk about it, she's realizing in retrospect]

--!

[-- She knew it. Or at least, it seems that way in retrospect, and she berates herself for not having done something sooner.]

What? He--

[She seems to think of that, too, stopping to glance around.]

....

We should probably go somewhere else.

R-right. We... can go to my room.

[She turns, leading the way back to Room 1-01. It'll probably be empty, since two of her roommates disappeared, and somehow, the idea of her being found there by Vanitas or Ganondorf just seems like such a trivial thing.]

[Naminé's nod is a serious one, and without hesitation, she follows the other girl. Once they're in the room, Naminé lingers near the door, looking a little stiff.]

... So... why is it that you think something is wrong with Sora's memories?

I was just talking to him. Earlier today. He's... he's having trouble remembering things. Not just from home, from here. [Here in the Tower] He... he didn't know who Jason was until I told him.

[Xion swallows, trying to keep herself calm]

He can't remember all these things but... But I can.

[She'd poked through the memories, the dreams she'd been having, and found that they seemed to line up with the gaps in Sora's memories perfectly. As much as they could tell, at least. It's hard to tell when you can't remember something.]

[Her hand moves up to cover her mouth, and a bit sharply, she turns away; she'd rather Xion not have to see the look on her face.]

[Why? Why now, and not before? Is it the Tower's doing, or was it only a matter of time? The added variable makes this all the more frustrating, but they have no choice save to deal with it regardless. She forces her hand to lower, and folds it together with its twin. First thing's first;]

What do you think that means?

[Xion can't look at Naminé. As much as Naminé doesn't want to show the expression on her face, Xion doesn't want to see it.]

It's because of me. I'm absorbing his memories... like... like I did back home.

[Not quite the whole truth but... she doesn't fully know the circumstances involving Roxas yet. And in the end, the results were the same. She doesn't know what to do here though. So far as she knows... it's unfixable back home. Except by her own disappearance.

Maybe it's selfish but... she doesn't want to disappear.]

[For a moment, there is silence. Naminé's been able to gather the memories of what happened before, yes, and as far as her not untrained inspection can confirm those memories are real. But... she always wonders if there's something she's missing, and honestly, she half hopes there is; a better ending would be very welcome, but she knows all too well that it's unlikely.]

... It may not be that bad yet.

[(And thus, she is outed.) She'll have to check, she knows, but she can at least offer that. Even if it is that bad-- mightn't the Tower be able to do what Naminé could not, save Xion?]

[Xion looks up, a little startled. That... was not the reaction she'd been expecting.]

What do you mean?

[Did... she maybe know something more about what was going on than Xion had realized? It... wouldn't entirely surprise her, if Naminé did. She'd.. she knew about the memories in Sora's heart, after all. She'd known about Ven.]

[She takes a deep breath and lets it out, all very quietly.]

I mean, I remember you, Xion.

[She turns.]

From our worlds.

[For a moment, she doesn't really understand, especially since... she'd thought Riku was the only one who'd remembered her. But now... Naminé had too? How?

That wasn't an important question right now though.]

So... you mean... you remember what happened? [And how it happened?]

[It might be a bit awkward when they get to that part, since she remembered about the same time Riku did. She just... never saw fit to mention it until now. (It wasn't something she wanted to remind Xion of.]

Yes. I believe so-- at least, unless I'm still missing a few memories. ... But I don't think I am. [She looks pretty sure about that. Guess that means the 'how' too.]

Edited 2012-10-05 19:59 (UTC)

[Xion bows her head. Normally, such a revelation, that there was another person who remembered her, that she hadn't been entirely forgotten... Normally it might've been big, even huge.

Right now, she isn't sure what to feel. Or if she really feels anything at all.]

I don't... there isn't any way to fix it, is there. Riku... he said I chose to go back.

[Back to Sora, and all that entailed.]

....

You did. I'm sorry. [And she really is; that was a horrible thing to see and a horrible one to be involved in.]

[She shakes her head, but,]

But... I don't know if things will turn out the same way here. It depends... on how far the process has progressed, and what the Tower's involvement might mean for you.

I don't know... how far it is. I've been dreaming for a while but... most of it seemed like dreams I'd had before... Things Sora hasn't seen yet.

[Because - though Xion doesn't know it - she'd been absorbing from Fey. Fey, who was now gone from the Tower.]

I only started dreaming about the Tower a little while ago.

[She bites her lip]

What do you mean by the Tower's involvement?

[Naminé had been there longer than Xion - did she know if the Tower had done something to all of them that might affect this...? Or was it something the Tower could do?]

[Naminé blinks at that first part, but it's a consideration for later, really. Better to listen to what Xion has to say for now. (She's just not sure whether that's a good sign or a bad one.)]

Well... the Tower has done a lot of strange things. Things that I didn't think were possible. It brought you here, and Roxas and me, too. [The implication there is that those both were things worth considering, even if she doesn't say why it's strange to include herself, there.] ... And it keeps bringing us back, after we-- pass away. What happened to you isn't quite the same thing, it's just-- if they can do all of that.... [She pauses, then shakes her head.] And why now? Why not before? You and Sora have both been in the Tower for a while. It makes me wonder if something about this place or the people who control it kept this from happening sooner.

[Xion frowns at that. She doesn't catch the full implications behind the inclusion of Roxas and herself. Instead, she focuses on the rest of what Naminé is saying.]

I'm not sure... why it didn't happen before. I never really understood it. [Now even less] But...

[She hesitates. This is a bad idea. She knows it's a bad idea. Knows that people like Jason would probably do something horrible in exchange for what she wants them to do.

But. There's still that sliver of hope, that maybe this will work.]

Do you think they could fix it? If... if we asked?

[Probably for the best; that's a whole other conversation, and one they may have to have eventually, but for now--]

[The suggestion makes Naminé straighten slightly, even though she was contemplating it, herself.]

... Maybe. I'm not sure. But even if they could-- I don't know that they would. At least, not without a price. [She hesitates, considering that a moment longer, then,] It's... an option, I suppose. But it may not come to that.

[Xion's mouth tightens, a little painfully. Those were her exact thoughts, her exact worries about this very option.]

But... what other options do we have? I can't... I can't let anything happen to Sora. Not because of me.

[Especially now that she's met him. Now that he knows who and what she is and doesn't care.]

....

[Naminé has spent a long time keeping certain things to herself, never speaking of them except to those who already knew them. Her powers have been a carefully kept secret, for her. Her hand reaches up unconsciously to press, lightly, against the collar around her neck.]

[... They already know, she thinks. And Xion-- Xion should know, too.]

... We should at least wait until I see what I can do.

[Xion openly stares at Naminé, shocked.]

You... you think you can do something to stop it?

[But... if it was possible, why hadn't it worked at home...? Xion doesn't mind the idea of having an alternative to the admins but... she's confused.

Besides, how would Naminé be able to fix this? She doesn't understand...]

[That stare doesn't seem to effect her too badly; she'd expected it.]

I don't know yet. But I may be able to at least find out what's going on.

[And she has to explain the 'how', doesn't she? Xion deserves that much.]

Xion, I'm... a witch, with power over Sora's memories and those around him. And-- that means you, too.

Me?

[Xion puts a hand up over her heart, considering this. Really, the full implications will have to wait till another time. For now, she thinks about it in the context of this situation, and it looked like... maybe Naminé could do something.

She bites her lip.]

How long would it take to find out?

[That was another thing to keep in mind - things in the Tower being what they were. Things could change so quickly. Axel left while he was trying to keep her safe from Vanitas. The bodyswap had messed up everyone's memories.

If this took a long time, couldn't that maybe become a problem too? Or something could happen that could make it a problem...]

Yes. You.

[She says it gently, at least, patiently. The girl waits for Xion to speak again; she knows it must be an strange thing to have to consider.]

I won't know for certain until I try, but... it shouldn't be too long.

[She has no desire to force Xion into anything, just like she had no desire for that before, and so she lets Xion take this at her own pace.]

[There is a minute or so of awkward silence as Xion considers this, thinks about it. At last, she turns, heading over and sitting on her bed. She scoots over a bit, so there's room for Naminé to sit too if she wants.]

All right. Is... there anything you need?

[She... she wants to figure this out sooner rather than later.]

[The unspoken offer gives her pause, but, attempting a smile, she moves to take it, sitting down next to Xion. Naminé leaves as much space as she can without making doing so noticable.]

No, that's all right. I don't need anything for this. Just... try to relax, okay?

[And hopefully that encouraging smile will help.]

[It does help, a little. Xion nods]

Okay.

[It feels odd to just... look around while this is happening, so she leans her head forward and closes her eyes. She tries her best to relax, feeling an odd sort of half-shiver in her anticipation.

When Naminé does examine the memories that comprise Xion at the moment, she'll find there's a lot more than there should be. There are fragments here and there from random occupants throughout the Tower, the results of the time her powers had spun in and out of control in June.

But what's probably most noticable is the huge bulk of memories from Sora - there are some from the Tower, just as Xion described. There were the ones she'd been made up of when she'd arrived at the Tower itself. But then there were others, even duplicates of the ones she already has, as well as ones from Roxas... and more duplicates... of her own. Overall, it's probably quite the mess, and it's been there and growing for a while.]

[The discovery comes quickly enough, and is accompanied by a sharp intake of breath from Naminé. Her eyes dart briefly toward the other girl - they were staring ahead of her before - and she offers a reassuring smile, just in case, even if Xion might not be looking.]

[The blonde presses her lips together, hoping to present any further outburst as she works through the memories. It becomes clear soon enough and ever more so as she delves deeper the facts of this matter. Still, she has some hope - as long as the memories haven't gotten too embedded, this might still be salvagable. The hard part is, however, going through all of them to make certain of that.]

....

[With her eyes close, Xion is in a sort of state of hyperawareness, and the slight gasp does not go unnoticed. She grimaces, remaining silent for a while, trying not to interrupt Naminé as she works but... eventually she does speak, quietly.]

It's not good, is it...?

[As for the memories... Sora's Tower memories - the one from the Sora here - are newest, and near the top, perhaps, but they're still pretty entangled with everything else. Some of Fey's meanwhile - or at least ones she got from Fey - are rather deeply entrenched, especially the first ones she got.

While it's possible many, maybe even most of them (and all of the Sora's in the Tower) could be untangled, it would probably take a while, and even after that, there's nothing clear that would stop her from absorbing them again.]

[The deep breath that she takes and lets out and the resulting pause are not meant to cause Xion any further discomfort, but Naminé needs that last moment to check some final things. At least,]

... It could be a lot worse. [And she offers another smile, this one tinged with relief.]

I'm not sure if I can stop it from happening again, but I think... that I may be able to sort some things out for you, and the people whose memories you've absorbed. It'll just-- take some time.

[She opens her eyes, turning to look at Namine with a look of disbelief and - though she tries to stifle it - hope. It... it could maybe be fixed? Not... not totally but... enough?]

And Sora?

[That... that was the most important part, after all.]

... I can try to give the memories back to him.

[She offers an attempt at a smile. She wishes she could say for certain, but she can't, thanks to the tower's interference. (It's bittersweet, coming back to this again. It's something she might be able to help with, at least, but... it's all too reminiscent of the past.)]

[The slightly less confident wording makes Xion hesitate.]

If you think you can... please.

[She's not... going to assume that Namine will just do it. But she hopes she will, because... she can't be the cause of anything bad happening to Sora again. She just can't.]

Of course.

[It's very gentle, but firmer than before.]

I'll always do my best to help him, and to help you. I owe... both of you that much.

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And so the walls come crashing down

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HTML WHY just noticed that

ghjaslkdf it's okay it happens to the best of us

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I'm so sorry this is so late orz

dfjgbfkd NO PROBLEM

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