Not gonna do lyrics this time.

[attheclocktower]

Characters:  A bunch of the keyderps and Nobodies and some.
Setting: Spring Floor!
Format: Go wild. |D
Summary: The temperature keeps dropping, and with the power going on and off it's getting pretty cold. After a couple of good suggestions on her network post, Xion decides to try a group bonfire. More people come than she expects.
Warnings: It's a bunch of cold people huddling around a campfire. Probably not going to be much more than PG

[The fire is set a little ways away from the stairs, on a patch of clearer ground. There's a pile of wood nearby, riskily portaled up from the forest floor. But there's enough there to keep the fire going for a few hours at least.

It's not a roaring bonfire or anything, but it should be enough to keep anyone there warmer, at least.]

[[ooc; have at you guys! Tag, tag each other, threadjack, etc. In other words, GO FORTH AND MINGLE.]]

Comments

[lethechained]

[Naminé's been quite cold; what extra blankets she's acquired through certain means have been very helpful, of course, but they can only do so much, and she's still not dressed for the weather. Upon becoming aware that something like this was going to happen, she realized it was probably for the best to participate. She'll be bringing the bedcoverings/blankets she has in her posession for this purpose, looking a bit awkward trying to carry them all without dropping them.]

[attheclocktower]

[She's glad to be done with getting the firewood up here. Somewhere along the way she'd found out that the darkness corridors did still work, but only if she wasn't leaving the Tower. It sped things up, though it was still dangerous. She'd taken a few hits when a bird had attacked her for going too far, before she'd realized she couldn't summon her Keyblade.

By a sheer amount of luck she'd made it back to the staircase and up to the next floor. She'd cast a few healing spells on the back of her head and shoulder, and after that had avoided and hidden from all the animals on principle - whether she was close to the stairs or not.

Regardless, it's over now, and after grabbing her own blankets from her room, she's settled in front of the fire, trying to settle her nerves too. Her right shoulder was still a little sore though.

As more people arrive, especially people she doesn't know (and even some she does), she might quietly pull her hood up. Blame it on the cold, but she isn't sure how to handle certain people right now.]

[attheclocktower]

[Upon catching sight of Naminé struggling with her blanket pile, she sheds her own blankets and hurries over.]

Hey, thanks for coming. I can help if you want.

[requital]

[It's been a while.

Maintained distance can be advantageous, but he's not about to let Xion be and roam around too freely on her own for long. There's monitoring to be done, whether she's aware of this or not. Preferably the latter, if he plays the cards right.

He appears when there's next to no one on the floor yet, because spectators are unwanted and he has no plans to stay. The cold doesn't bother him, so he doesn't mind the fire. From a respectable distance:]

Hello, Xion.

[attheclocktower]

[That was not a voice she'd been expecting to hear. Xion jumps and winces slightly, one hand reaching up beneath her blankets to hold her twinging shoulder. She turns around, already aware who it must be. Not the younger one she'd talked to on the network, but the older one - the Organization member.

She shifts uneasily, unsure of what to do.]

Zexion?

[Confirming the name she'd finally gotten for him was a good place to start... what with how hazy her memory had been last time they'd spoken.]

[lethechained]

[She's not quite expecting the help, distracted by the load as she is. The sound of the other girl's voice makes Naminé look up, blinking in surprise until she catches sight of the source and smiles. It's somewhat of a conscious effort, but not too difficult an effort to make.]

Oh! Xion. -- No, that's alright. I think I've got it. [And she wouldn't want to put Xion out. She's got enough things to worry about. The blonde's hold on those blankets is truthfully a bit precarious, but it's not much farther, right?]

[requital]

Very good.

[A quasi-praise, if one were to look at it that way. Recognition is a good thing.

Although he doesn't necessarily like beating around the bushes, he has to ease especially Xion into any conversation this early. She's a jittery one in her own right.

The wince from earlier does not go unnoticed. He won't comment on it just yet.]

Does the cold affect you so severely?

[attheclocktower]

[Xion pauses, about to reach out and help, but when Naminé insists she's fine, she backs off. And truthfully, it isn't that far. Just a few more steps, actually. She does wait until Naminé is there though, before returning to her own pile of blankets.]

We should be able to stay a while. Hopefully this works. I've... never done anything like it before.

[To be fair, it's never been this cold either.]

[lethechained]

[The blonde offers her reassurance by way of a small, encouraging smile; Xion really needn't worry about it. Naminé doesn't have time or reason to change her mind, because soon enough she's carefully setting the blankets down.]

Mm. Me neither. But it's a good idea, I think.

[Now that she's managed to work a few more things out about her memories of Xion, she finds herself wanting to offer the other girl some amount of comfort and/or encouragement. Naminé situates herself gingerly amongst the blankets she brought in the hopes of warding off the chill she'd acquired on the way up. She has every intention of sharing them with anyone who needs them, but for the time being, she's got them to herself.]

[attheclocktower]

[Xion seems to feel more of the quasi- part than the praise, given her own reservations last time when she couldn't remember.

She grimaces a little at his comment. It definitely puts her on the defensive, and makes her feel... like she shouldn't be. Never mind that it's in the negative temperatures, never mind that she's never really experienced anything this cold until now.

She looks down.]

It's not as bad now.

[See, she may have been cold, but she took measures to overcome it! So stop making her feel inadequate...]

[attheclocktower]

[Xion sits down and pulls her blankets around herself again, trying to be subtle about how she eases them up over her right shoulder. Truth be told, after who she saw a little while ago, before others started arriving... she's glad she's not alone now. She still doesn't know what to make of that particular conversation.

She won't mention it though, instead staring down at the flames.]

None of the worlds I've been to have ever been this cold. I think it's gotten worse since when we went to look for blankets.

[lethechained]

[Subtle though she may be, Naminé's watching, surreptitiously but attentively, and she wonders a little bit, but doesn't think much of it. It seems like there might be something on Xion's mind, but... Naminé won't press it.]

[A quiet, contemplative sigh.] I don't think I've been to one this cold, either. It's usually not this cold here. -- You're right, it does seem that way.

[requital]

[At the very least, she's a resourceful one, even if the method is a rather crude one. Those who make the effort receive accordingly . . .

And her reply is a perfect lead-in for his next subject of curiosity. The wince.]

And your wound?

[Mind, he isn't concerned, but it still is a matter worth addressing, because it meant she did something. Which is hardly a surprise.]

[attheclocktower]

[Xion's used to keeping her problems to herself, especially when she herself is the only one involved. And so far as she knows, she is.]

What's it like here usually?

[Small talk. Safer topics of conversation, for now. She shuffles a little bit closer to the fire.]

[attheclocktower]

[She shifts uncomfortably, stiffly. The hand holding her shoulder tightens slightly, causing another faint twang. She shakes her head, looking down.]

I just ran into some monsters.

[No need to go into the specifics. She'd run into them, got out relatively unharmed. The animals were twisted and warped enough to be called monsters anyway.]

[lethechained]

[It's not at all surprising that she'd be troubled. There were plenty of things going on to make her life difficult before she even ended up in the tower.]

Well....

[Naminé pauses to think of how to phrase it, and the pause runs just a little longer due to Xion's shift and the subsequent momentary diversion of Naminé's attention.]

... Much easier to handle. I couldn't give you a number, but I know I didn't usually have trouble going out in only what I normally wear.

[derping]

[Until a few weeks ago, Sora had never been anywhere that wasn't a peaceful tropical island, with all of the nice weather that would be expected of such a place. Even cold nights on Destiny Islands were rare, and those weren't what most people on other worlds would consider cold, anyway. To go from that to the freezing weather the tower had been having was...well, a little more tough than Sora wanted to admit. Not that he could really hide it, considering how much of his days he was spending curled up in a blanket. For better or for worse (maybe for the better, considering where they are), the terrible weather has kept Sora from exploring the tower nearly as thoroughly and meeting nearly as many people as he would have otherwise.

So, naturally, he was very excited about the idea of a bonfire. He'd planned to come as soon as he heard about it. Now, here he was.

...of course, he had brought a blanket along. And may or may not have walked to the floor with it wrapped around him. It was really, really, REALLY cold, okay? He (reluctantly) takes it off when he finally reaches the right floor, though, carrying it instead.

He smiles when he spots the gathering, though, glad both for the company - both of those he knew, and those he didn't know - and for the extra warmth that the fire would give them.]

[keybearer]

[Naturally, Riku couldn't resist the idea of a bonfire. After all, he wasn't exactly used to the cold even after visiting the worlds. As a result, he made sure to drop by as soon as possible, carrying a blanket of his own for good measure. However, as he moseys on over, the sight of Sora immediately catches his eye.

He'd heard that there was another one around. So maybe...

Riku takes a deep breath and rushes on over.]

Sora!

[reversedestiny]

[Sora is used to the cold. He'd lived in Hollow Bastion, been exposed to the scathing cold of Darkness from a young age, been to snow-covered worlds. But he knows enough to not freeze. So the fire is tempting, and there are a few people there he's met before. Some he hasn't. So he'll just sit to the side, curled up and trying to remain quiet and get warm.]

[lethechained]

[There's a mess of cloth in that group that might have a familiar face, somewhere in there. Naminé is well enough aware of what Sora looks like for the colors to make him up to catch her eye immediately, and she turns her head, blinking. -- Yes, that's him, no mistake. She half-starts to stand up, realizes why that's probably a bad idea, and stays put. Instead,]

Sora...! [That pile of material might be waving at him.]

[lethechained]

[Hey, hey, no sitting over there all by his lonesome. She understands that sometimes people need to be alone, but... well, she also knows that sometimes, silence doesn't mean one doesn't want to speak. So here, Sora, have a Naminé looking over at you.]

[keybearer]

[Riku's still not sure what to make of this place or all the people from parallel universes, but... well, the cold sucks, and having a bonfire is definitely a good way to cope with it. So, here he is, wrapped up in a blanket and gazing forlornly at Kairi's charm.]

[attheclocktower]

[Xion nods. She... really doesn't know the normal cycle of seasons. The World that Never Was had no variation... it was just a dark world, full of black and white and shades of gray. Dark skies, with the slowly-forming Kingdom Hearts staring down at them, and sometimes rain.]

I hope it gets warmer soon.

[She's not an optimist like the Roxas she knows is, but she does hope. For both their sakes.]

[lethechained]

[Another nod seems an appropriate response.]

I do, too.

[A pause.] It might. [Because surely they could both use some optimism, and,] This might not be something the tower would keep.

[attheclocktower]

[She notices when he arrives - no blindfold, and no black coat, so it's... the one with the Keyblade. The one she doesn't know. And yet, it's still Riku. It's hard to just... dismiss all the implicit trust she has for him, just because he's a little different.

She ends up standing up and moving around the fire, wrapped in her own blankets, until she can sit down closer to him.]

Hey.