Fear and hatred by association [Backdated to the 19th]

[attheclocktower]

Characters: Xion and anyone she stumbles upon
Setting: Floor 2 briefly, then floor 3, Floor 25, & Floor 1
Format: Action to start but I'll follow you
Summary: Given what happened the last time she got a collar checkup, Xion is not thrilled about her next one. This leaves her in an irritable and jumpy mood for the rest of the day. Also she may be keeping an eye out for certain people, given what happened. Castmates I'm looking at you
Warnings: Angst/self-blame, potential mentions of kidnapping and trauma, etc.

[ Floor 2 & 3 ]

[Xion doesn't hang out for long after her collar checkup is over, merely bidding farewell to Axel and heading upstairs to the library, where she finds a random book on some topic she's vaguely interested in, walks over to a chair and jams herself down in it, visibly tense and unhappy and frustrated.

It should be pretty clear that reading isn't helping whatever is bothering her, judging by the fact that here eyes aren't really moving around the page a lot. She also has a tendency to - every once in a while - shut the book, put it down, stand up, and walk back over to the shelves, where she pulls down another book seemingly at random.

It's pretty clear that - as much as she's trying - her mind is elsewhere, and not in a very happy location.]

[ Floor 25 ]

[She's horribly out of practice and she knows it. Between her arm being hurt, being asleep for so long, and all the other things the Tower's thrown her way, her movements feel so rusty... A part of her wonders if it wouldn't be better to do this on actual monsters, the way she used to fight Dusks back in the Hall of Empty Melodies in The World that Never Was. At the same time, it seems foolish to invite trouble in the Tower, and Floor 25 is one of the clearer, more open spaces that she knew about. Maybe there was somewhere on one of the new floors she could train better later.

But for now, she's on floor 25, Keyblade in hand, practicing a series of blocks and basic strikes. The movement helps burn off some of her frustration and unhappiness, and just overall there's a certain... feeling like she's missed this, strange as it may seem to her later. Plus if she ever runs into Vanitas again, she wants to be ready. She doesn't want to be taken by surprise, left for her friends to save and get in trouble for her sake. Maybe she should talk to Aqua about starting those lessons soon...]

[ Floor 1/Dining Area ]

[Grilled fish for dinner. She isn't quite as tired of it as she was getting of soup last month, but she still wishes there was more varieiy to the foods the kitchen provided sometimes. She picks at her plate halfheartedly, sitting in a corner of the dining area, occasionally glancing up and around to see if anybody else is nearby.]

Comments

[pitiedthefool]

[The pile of books was disconcerting as well, though he doesn't say it just yet as he places his own book, notebook and pen down on the table as well with a nod of thanks. However, he doesn't seem as interested in what looks like he'd been compiling as he should be when he sits down.

No, he's merely tapping the pen lightly on the desk surface. Something is wrong, and Izanagi is confirming his instincts. After a few moments' silence, you begin to feel as though now is to say something, but...]

[> Create small talk.]
[> Ask her straight out.]
[> Say it's because you haven't seen her lately.]

I haven't seen you for a while... Is everything alright? [Concern echoes in his eyes. What happened, girl. :c]

[attheclocktower]

[Well... that sort of dove to the heart of the matter anyway, as innocent as that question was.

She hesitates before she answers, which... is probably a big indicator that no, everything isn't all right. But... she isn't ready to just... spit out what happened. Yu was nice, but she still doesn't know him that well yet. How was she supposed to explain sleeping for two weeks straight - especially since she had no clue herself? And she didn't even want to think about the kidnapping.]

It's... a long story.

[pitiedthefool]

[It wasn't like he knew what the answer would entail, though he had hoped it was nothing too serious. That reaction, the silence... it was telling enough to know he needed to back off in that regard, though he couldn't leave when someone he knew was so obviously hurting because of something he couldn't see.

So Yu nods; he'll slow down and go at her pace, instead ripping out a blank page of his notebook and folding it repeatedly into different shapes.]

I won't pry. [fold, fold.] I see you as a friend, so when you are ready, I won't mind listening.

[...aw, he made a paper crane for you.]

sob so late

[attheclocktower]

[Xion looks up, startled, an odd emotion pricking at her. Friendship is something that was a big deal to her. She'd only talked to Yu a few times, but... he... really thought she was a friend? She smiles a little, despite herself.]

Thank you.

[And then there was the paper crane. She stared at it, in slight wonder. There was something about the shape that was half-familiar, though she'd never seen anything like it before.]

... what is it?

already ruined the joke on AIM, so... not late <3

[pitiedthefool]

[It was a big deal for him too, though for a much different reason. He's always found it odd that he's pulled toward the hurting and the lost, people who were just like him in some respects- regardless of situations. Despite the heavy atmosphere and the whispers of heartache and sadness, there's a hint of a smile on his own lips. Especially at the question.]

It's an origami crane.

In my world, there's this ancient legend that promises a wish will be granted to anyone who folds one thousand of them. [Uh oh, he's folding another...] People from my country usually give them as gifts for good luck, or to wish someone well if they're sick.

Any way you want to look at it, they always represent well-wishes for happiness.

[attheclocktower]

[She watches in continued wonderment as he begins working on another, eyes widening further at the mention of a thousand. But... that was so many! How did anybody have the patience to make that many!

As he continues though, the odd prickling feeling comes back. Her eyes are stinging a little. She ducks her head, and her voice shakes, even as she tries to keep it steady.]

A-A wish for happiness, huh?

[There's so many conflicts here - things she wants and what she feels like she deserves, and yet the gift and the meaning behind it...]

[pitiedthefool]

[It takes a lot of Diligence and Understanding stubbornness, he'll admit, but at this point the motions have become almost as second-nature as his swordsmanship. He's not even looking at the paper half the time, instead occasionally glancing up at the girl's face. Is it sadness, or just being overwhelmed by kindness?]

Mm. [Normally, he's quiet after that, always focusing on the task at hand. This time, he thinks he'll make an exception. Because sometimes all that's needed is to know you aren't alone, no matter what pain comes your way. Gods know that he didn't deserve such good friends that would stick by him, yet he had them anyway. He was blessed, so he always felt like he should pass that blessing along. Especially in a place like this...]

Back in Inaba, I joined a volunteer group that would make these for others. It's become a habit, now.

[...Pity his roommates. There's probably hundreds in their room, now.]

[attheclocktower]

[Even with her own feelings to make things complicated, watching him work is fascinating, his hands turning a seemingly ordinary sheet of paper into something different entirely. She'd never... seen anything like it before.

She looks up.]

Inaba... that's... the world you're from... right?

[Just one small part of it, Xion. Just a very small part.]

[pitiedthefool]

[He continues to fold paper, not really minding the audience of one at all. After all, it could be considered a nice distraction from the hell around them at times. Not to mention it always had a calming effect back home.

The question earns a faint chuckle from him. What was with the kids he's met recently, thinking Inaba was a world all on it's own?]

No. It's only a small part of a much bigger world. [He begins explaining, falling short when he realizes it's no longer a crane he's working on, but something more humanoid...] But I'll admit it's where I found mine.

['My friends are my power,' indeed~]