002 ✘ and i rationed my breaths ✘ backdated to 4/22

[worldsapart]

Characters: AU4 Xion and YOU
Setting: [01] Dorm halls ; [02] cafeteria ; [03] floor eleven
Format: I'll match you!
Summary: Xion/Soraface/Fey kept herself locked away in her room for a week (except for the collar check-up) after her death. Finally, she's dragging herself out
Warnings: ANGST ANGST ANGST


[ 00 ; room 2-01 ]
[Falling... falling... into darkness...]


[ 01 + 02; dorm halls and cafeteria ]
[If you happen to be in the dormitory hallways, there's someone you're likely to see. There's a black-coated small figure with a full head of brown spiky hair making his(?) way towards the stairs. If you get a good look at their face, it's pretty clear they're out of it. And, somehow, the hair is more messy than it should be. Whoo, bedhead.

In the cafeteria, Xion can be found sitting by herself, picking at the food on her plate. Despite the almost overwhelming force of her hunger, she doesn't... really want to eat. She knows she needs to, because it would maybe give her the energy to combat how absolutely tired she feels, but... bleh.]


[ 03 ; floor eleven ]
[She died.

That's what happened, right? They had found her otherself, Axel had grabbed her, and then they turned to fight all the way back down... It wasn't that she was tired, or hurt too bad, or anything. She was doing fine. With Oathkeeper and Oblivion drawn and Riku and Sora at her side, she had felt like maybe... she could take on the world, you know? She thought that they were gonna be okay. And then, and then -- She doesn't know how it happened, where it came from, but that not-Heartless bird came in and knocked her feet out from under her, carried her off the ramp, and then she was falling. She tried to Aerial Recover, but she was too far away, she couldn't grab the ledge, and Oblivion couldn't break through the stone enough to hook on, and she...

And then she died. Because that's what happens when you fall from a who-knows-how-tall tower, right?

But she's here. She's still here, somehow. She's even managed to find ice cream. It's not sea-salt -- it doesn't really taste like much of anything, really -- but it's ice cream in bar-on-a-stick form, and the familiarity is all she can ask for right now. That's why she decided to seek out this floor after she found the ice cream. It isn't, and won't ever be, the Twilight Town clock tower. But, then... She doesn't want it to be. That would bring back too many bad memories right now.

Your... friend? Roxas, do you think I could be a friend?

When Axel gets back, let's ask him. Then all three of us can have ice cream together!

It hurts. She manages to fight back a sob by distracting herself with ice cream.]

It's not salty... and it's barely even sweet. [She tries to smile a little, for herself. For him. She whispers,] Eating ice cream by yourself... really isn't the same, is it, Roxas?

Comments

03; Floor Eleven

[sageprincess]

[Zelda's rather fond of this floor, actually. The peace it brings (during the day, at least) may be artificial, but it is still a welcome reprieve from the hectic bustle of the rest of the Tower.

Hylian hearing being what it is, however, she can't help perking up a bit at the sound of what seems to be someone talking to themselves. They sound sad - they sound familiar, and so she decides to investigate.

When she comes across Xion, she speaks gently, concerned.]

Xion...?

[worldsapart]

[-- Ah...

Initially, Xion raises her head at the sound of Zelda's voice, but then she lowers it again. Her gaze falls on her ice cream.]

Hi, Princess.

[sageprincess]

...

[Zelda may not be able to deal with her own feelings all that well, but she can see plain as day that something is eating away at the younger one. So she kneels nearby, her voice still soft and unassuming.]

Would... you like to talk?

[worldsapart]

... I... don't know, really. It's...

... it's been... rough, recently.

3

[attheclocktower]

[She doesn't quite know what to make of Floor 20 anymore. First Vanitas had attacked her there, then... she'd been trapped there, even if she'd been asleep for most of it. It reminded her of the clock tower, but now there's bad memories there too.

She knows there's another open-air floor, one that she hasn't visited as much. She could probably go there and think, or just go to the library and read again. ... no, that wouldn't work. Everything's been so frustratingly jumbled-up lately, and reading hasn't been helping that. She really just... needs time to sort out her thoughts some. And generally she preferred high places to think...

Floor 11 it was.

It was only when she stepped off the stairs and looked up that she realized she wasn't the only one who had that idea.

She froze. The spiky hair, with the Organization Coat she knew so well, that she was wearing herself... The guesses she'd had last time she'd met her were all but confirmed by her conversation with the other Riku. But... Axel had said she'd fallen, hadn't he...?

She swallows, before taking a few steps closer to the other figure.] H-hello?

[worldsapart]

[... oh.

Xion resists the instinct that is welling up inside her, the one that is whispering urgently to run away, go back to her room, hide, but... no. Not after what happened. She wonders if the other knows (about her fall, about her name, about her face). If she does, then... She really shouldn't run. That wouldn't be fair. Xion's sure that if she knows, she'll... have questions.

And there are too many reasons why she can't turn away when someone will have questions like that. (Best friends are honest with each other! Who am I, Axel?)]

... hi.

[attheclocktower]

[It is her. Xion hesitates. How was it you were supposed to feel when meeting yourself? Threatened? Scared? She only remembers talking to Riku briefly about his other self, and the conversation had been a little awkward. The other Riku's discussion about his own replica had involved a great deal of distaste.

But... she doesn't feel any of those things. Instead... part of her wants to do something, to... to hug her or give some long sign of relief that the other her is... is okay and that she's... happy to see that.

She glances over and to the side.] Is... it okay if I sit here?

2

[derping]

[Even though the food here isn't all that amazing, everyone has to eat sometime. Which is, of course, why Sora is in the cafeteria - he's hungry, and it's a good excuse to get out of his room and talk to people. He's actually trying to find someone to sit by when he spots a very familiar head of brown, spiky hair.

Was that...?

They were wearing that black coat, so it had to be. He heads in that direction quietly, hoping not to startle...her? Him? Riku said "Xion" when they were saving...well, the other Xion...but then why would another Xion look like...]

Um, hey.

[Cautiously, he sits down across from Xion(?) and smiles, hoping that he doesn't scare her off this time.]

Look, can I talk to you for a second? Please?

[worldsapart]

[S-S-Sora. Shock is still her kneejerk reaction, as is the urge to run and hide somewhere. But... no. She isn't going to do that to him again, not after what happened. He was there, after all, and he looks... worried.

For an absurd moment, all she can think is that Sora's face should always be smiling.

She nods wordlessly.]

[derping]

[There are plenty of things that Sora wants to ask, of course. "Who are you?", "Why do you look like me?", and "Why did you run away before?" all come to mind fairly quickly.

But he doesn't ask any of those, because he has to think about something more important first.]

I wanted to see if you were okay, after what happened.

[Then he smiles, keeping his tone lighter.]

I was just afraid that I was gonna scare you off again.

2

[midgarhorizon]

[Sitting down next to her/him, Reno just gave Xion a look. As if he was wondering why she'd gotten food if she wasn't going to eat it.

Attempt at cheer up, go.]

Food say something mean to ya? I hear talking food is a bad sign of loneliness.

[Folding his arms, he tries to look stern.]

You've been scarce. [He notices that sort of thing, especially when it's people he's already met.]

[worldsapart]

[She's searching her mind for a way to react to his joke when he moves on and gets to the point. She partly wilts under the expression he's giving her.]

Yeah. Some things happened. Sorry.

[midgarhorizon]

Now, why is it that all the kiddos named Xion around here are getting depressed and lockin' themselves up lately?

[He gives her a more scrutinizing face, but it's completely exaggerated and silly, one eye wide and the other scrunched up a bit too much.]

2

[capax_infiniti]

[Occasionally he gives in to his body's endless demands and goes to the cafeteria to see what they have by way of food. Usually he's disappointed and picks at it until finally his body says it's had enough and he can go back to doing more enjoyable, meaningful things.

This time he sees someone who looks familiar... Sora. The young boy seems to be exhausted, barely picking at the food in front of him. He's not entirely sure which one this is, but both of them were somewhat wary of him as it was. He mulls over in his mind if he should approach or not before deciding simply to greet and pass on his way if the response was infavorable.

He approached the table slowly, non-threateningly, his usual gait and hunched over with his hands behind his back.]

Good day, my boy.

[worldsapart]

[Xion looks up at the sound of the unfamiliar voice... and she stares blankly. Who... is this?]

Um... Hello.

[There is no recognition in her eyes, and her heart, while full of light, also is... very strange. It's almost made of patchwork, and there might be strange echoes inside it, as if there may be more than one, somehow.]

[capax_infiniti]

[He stops for a moment at the blank look. If this isn't a Sora he knows, then perhaps there's yet another, from some other version of reality where something else happened differently compared to the other two here...

Sometimes he detests this place, but other times he enjoys the curve balls it throws at him. It's encouraged him to think about things he never would have imagined. So many things to learn about, so many things to do...

So much curiosity about the young man sitting before him. His heart is so strange... for a lightbearer, it's rather chaotic. He would love to get to understand why...]

Ah, my apologies. In a place such as this, seeing those with the face of one you know is becoming rather common, I fear. I hope I did not offend...

2

[lethechained]

[Naminé is not usually one to interrupt passersby. At least, not without reason. It's still strange to her, sometimes, to live somewhere so... populated. Or-- well, it's not so much that as she's not used to actually being around said population, able to walk by them and greet them or not greet them as she chooses, to look upon them and be looked upon without (too much) fear of the consequences.]

[... But in this case, when she turns the corner into the dormitory hallway and saw a very familiar spiky mass of hair, she can't help immediately coming to a stop, staring openly. Sora...?]

[worldsapart]

[A familiar head of blonde hair shakes Xion from her zombie state.

Wh...] Naminé?

[She's here, too?]

[lethechained]

[... No.]

[Something's off. Even before he(?) opens his mouth, she knows something isn't right. At first, she wonders if yet another Sora's been brought to the tower, because not only is he in the wrong clothing, even without trying she can sense that something is different about this one. She's hesitant to try, in fact, a tendency that's grown quickly recently, but no effort is required to sense enough to put her on her guard. The tension in her frame isn't totally obvious, but when she turns to face Xion fully, her movement is a bit stiff.]

... Hello.

[She's not smiling. Cautiously, she starts to focus on that feeling, on that wrongness, still reserved about using her powers but attempting to start to get a feel for things.]

Do I know you...? [It's not harsh or offensive, but it might be subtly strained.]

1 - Oh hi, look who's the late of the latest ever. orz

[justabignobody]

[Well, Riku is rather relieved to see her up and about again, even if she doesn't seem to be quite there yet.]

Xion...?

<3 'sall cool

[worldsapart]

Ri --

[There's surprise on her face, but only for a moment. It doesn't so much fall from her face as it does withdraw as she remembers what happened, remembers he was there, and she looks away.]

... Riku...

[She feels too tired to cry any more.]

[justabignobody]

[Sadness flickers over her face as he sees her look away.]

Hey... [He walks up to her.] How are you feeling?

MII I MADE US A NEW THREAD because the other one is a monster

[worldsapart]

[Ahhhhh. Victory. Sweet, sweet victory.

It took a few more fights, but they managed to find that stupid flower and turn it in for ice cream.

Judging by the look on Xion's face, everything is finally right in the world.]

So worth it.

oh god I don't even want to look

[capax_infiniti]

[The ice cream is pleasant enough, satisfying to his itinerant sweet tooth. It's a nice cap on a rather successful endeavour... although the success is definitely not what she most likely thinks it is.]

Oh, I quite agree. It's rare that something tasks me in such a manner. It seems that we work rather well together...

[worldsapart]

It was nice to have someone to fight with again. I've only had that one other time ever since I came here.

[omnomicecream>3<yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay]