towerofanimus | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters: Reno
Setting: The days following the evil league meeting
Format: either
Summary: Dealing with the aftermath and general "wtf reno" catch all.
Warnings: It's Reno

All around the Tower: Various places

Reno was going about his business, almost a bit too normal, though he did look confused once in a while, pausing and looking around. Of course, he was keeping his eye out for Xion to talk with her about what happened, but so far, he hadn't seen her... he wanted her to know he was all right, that nothing bad had happened, just some torture and a death. It seemed like the best thing to do, considering the circumstances.

And the fact he couldn't find her, or Elena for that matter (hadn't Ganondorf said something about a blond friend?) that had him just a bit worried. Nothing was wrong, right? They'd both escaped, so she... should have been somewhere he could find her, at least. Right?

.

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I'm fine.

[She rubs her side a little, untangling her feet and pushing herself back up into the chair. Once there, she stares down at her hands, occasionally glancing over at him, wondering. She... hasn't seen him since the meeting, since...

At last, she mumbles]

Sorry.

Don't be sorry.

[Shifting in his seat.]

Hey... uh... so where have ya been? What happened after you escaped?

[Xion shifts a little.]

He didn't want us to leave. We had to fight our way out. After that... Riku took me to the room of someone from our worlds... I don't think you know him but... he's... a friend.

[A little bit awkward of a way to refer to him, because of who that particular Terra... reminded her of a great deal, but... he'd proven that he cared, enough that Xion trusted him too.]

So it was Riku I saw... but you got out without being hurt, right? That's good.

[This felt so awkward.]

[There is quite the elephant in the room indeed.]

Not... not too bad.

[Which makes up for. All the hurting Ganon did before.]

Were... were you okay?

Yeah... I'm fine.

[He's hesitating here, unsure if he wanted to do this or not, try to act like it had never happened.]

Look, Xion, about what I said back there...

[She looks down, biting her lip.]

There was a reason, right?

[There's... an odd mix of feelings in her chest. She trusts him. Trusts him and yet there's this awkward feeling everywhere and she doesn't know how to make it go away. She wants to forget it - forget what happened and let things go back to the way they were.]

Of course there was. Ya got to realize... part of being a Turk can mean you have to play a part.

[Sigh.]

I was on a mission to keep an eye on Ganondorf. I had to pander up to him. It was so I could warn Zelda if he was planning to make a move. Having you show up... I'm sorry.

[She listens... and things finally fall into place. Why Ganon had mentioned the Fellowship so much. What Reno could've been a traitor about...

She closes her eyes.]

No, I shouldn't have gotten caught.

[Shouldn't have been so stupid so as to walk into a room like that - a room she had known looked suspicious. If Vanitas hadn't caught her then Ganondorf might never have gotten her and used her like that. And then... none of this would've happened.]

What happened? How did you wind up there?

[She hates this. She hates this so much. She was such an idiot]

Vanitas... he broke into my room again, took my shells. Not... not these... [She reaches a hand up to hold the bag with the shells Roxas gave her]

I went looking for them and he trapped me in one of those rooms on the top floor - the one right below everyone's rooms. One someone locks you in there... all your powers are gone. I couldn't use my Keyblade, or darkness corridors, or anything.

Then he gave me to Ganondorf. I didn't even know why. He said I was going to help him catch a traitor but...

[She'd had no idea who]

Awww Xion... didn't this happen before? Why didn't ya stash them in someone else's room after the first time?

[Reno shook his head.]

You know what, I'm gonna take care of this asshole. You wait here. [And he stood up, like he was doing to run off and do just that.]

I keep the most important ones with me all the time, but-

[At that point though, she seems to realize what he's about to try and go do. Her heart does a sort of sick leap]

No, don't! [She reaches forward and grabs ahold of his wrist.]

[Giving her a glance, he looks surprised.] Why not? See something wrong, go off to deal with it. Isn't that what ya did when you saw your shells were gone?

[Xion tenses, hurt and defensive and upset]

I was looking for people, too! As soon as I saw someone I knew I would've told them what happened!

[She's learned that much from the last time. She just hadn't thought enough about the possibility that there'd be a trap before she could find someone. And now she's learned from that too.]

Weren't you in the dorms? C'mon kiddo... your safety's more important than a bunch of shells. Next time you find yourself in a situation like that, you got to think. If me and Shion wasn't around, you should have gone to one of your friends. Or the network. Something. It isn't as easy here... back on Gaia we had cell phones and kept in contact all the time, but there's other ways.

[He doesn't seem angry, or resentful. More like he's honestly trying to teach her.]

I guess I've been really lax on you two...

[It's not that she's never been scolded before. Just... most of the time, with Axel and Roxas, it would be more teasing, lighthearted, a "you've learned and you'll do better next time, right?"

The last time she can remember being scolded like this, the last time it felt like she had really screwed up and was called out on it like this was by Saix. She knows, she knows there's a difference - she knows that Reno cares while Saix didn't, that he wanted to help while Saix hadn't really given a damn either way. But regardless of circumstances...

It's not a comfortable reminder.

She doesn't say anything. She can't even look up at him. What exactly was there to say, anyway?]

Edited 2012-10-11 01:48 (UTC)

[A hand rested on her shoulder, much like he had done with Shion earlier.]

Xion, it's all right. Everyone makes mistakes.

[She doesn't react. Doesn't look up. If she hadn't been thinking of Saix her head wouldn't have gone in this direction but now that the thought is there it just won't go away.]

Like me?

[Oh shit. That wasn't what he meant. Nothing at all like he had meant, but when she said that he remembered their discussion before.]

C'mon, kiddo, you know that isn't what I meant... I heard it said back home 'Life is never a mistake.'

[Sitting back down now, he sighed.]

Wanna know somethin' about me?

[She doesn't say anything. When she's trapped in a cycle of self-loathing like this, it's difficult to break out of, no matter who for. At last, she manages to lift her head and look up at him. She still isn't speaking, but there's a clear question in her gaze, or at least enough interest that he could probably continue.

She's listening. Or trying at least.]

I used to think I was a mistake, too. That my parents hadn't meant to have kids, especially ones like me.

[There's no sign he's joking here. His face is almost, blank.]

[That gets her to look up. Startled, eyes wide, her face shocked, even disbelieving. How could... how could he even believe something like that!?

It's enough to jerk her out of her downward spiral, at least a bit.]

[He smiles a bit now, but it's humorless, more bitter.]

There wasn't a lot to make me think otherwise, until later. It took someone to kick my ass real bad and point a gun to my head. Changed everything.

[He pointed to her, close to her nose almost to poking it.]

That someone told me everyone's got a place, and there are no mistakes.

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