towerofanimus | There are no strings on me

Entry tags:

There are no strings on me

Characters: Xion and anybody and errybody
Setting: October 10th-13th
Format: I'll match whatever you decide XD
Summary: Xion on the first few days of the event.
Warnings: Existential angsting, also Zalgo text. I'll let you know if anything else pops up.

[10th - Cafeteria]

[She's trying not to look at what she's wearing, as she takes a bite of... something (it doesn't matter, it all tastes like pumpkin anyway). It doesn't take much to recognize the outfit. She'd never met or even seen him. But memories were rising unbidden - Sora's memories. Probably ones she'd had when arriving at the Tower, so Namine wouldn't be able to put them back. Not here.

A̛ͭ́ͨ͋̅ͮͦ ̢̯̱͈͍͎p̢͛ͩ͊ͨ͌̎̚up̧̞̮̞͌́p̝̲̩̹̖ͦͪ̔̾ͫ͒̍e͖͕̬͂̚t͖̲̹͚̻̽̊ ͓͙̀t̥̘͎̏ͭͬ͊̒h̠̠͈̜͉̑ä̛͙̳̲́̾̓̍ͅt'͇͚̥̗̼̼̌̓͑͒͗ͅs̼͓͎̕ ̛̹͚̭̈̋l͙͉͇ͭ̀o͍͎̱s̩̙̻͚̞͙ͬͪ̄͛̏̅̔́ͅt̢̓ͣͫͧͪ̚ ̮̬̲̫̩͖ͩ̏̑͢i͓̜̬̗̝̦ͭ̓͗̋̆t͓̙͖͈͇͎ͨș̬̹͍̳̜͋̓͂͆ͧ͠ ̘͙ͨ͆̎͐h̞e̿҉̱̜̯̗̘̤a̪͕̥̦̅̄̎r̡͙͔̱̍̈̑̚t̺̜̗̬̼͔ ͙͇̾̽̃ͣ̎ͅẗ̵̪̥͚̱́o͍͖͒̃ ̑͆́ͥ̇t̖̱̜̺ͩ̋ͤ̔̃hê̳̪̮ͧ ͔͈̹̬͓̆̂̿͋̓̿̀Ḫ̻͎͖ͬͪ̂ͣȅ̸̥̬̠̩̽̈̉̐̓͋ͅa͞ͅṛ̵̠̬͚̖̆̓t̙̳͓̘̹̼̐ͧ̓l̫͉͈ě̳̠̦̦̼ͣͩ̓ͫ̐̿s̘̐ś͙̤̦̋ͮ̅ͭ͊͊.̟̰͛ͩ̂͆͒͊́ ̪̬̙ͭM̨̯̬͎̖̽ͤͯ̎͆ä̟͕̜́ͅyb̘͉̩̣͌͌̈́ͤ̔ͤ͛ͅe ̱͎̙́̇ͤ̓̀i̩̹̪͕͒̍͛͠t͕͈̱̭̔̿͑͑̽ ̛̟̙̯̝̭̚h̳̻̲̳̩̟̯̋ͧ̕ol͎͇̻̈́̈ͨd̏̒ͥ҉͙̙̣̥͔̗s̘̝͓̠̤̫ͮͬ t̟̰͈̱̗̘̠͆͞h̵͂̌ẽ͍͕͔͂ͯ̽̄͒ ̺̻̯̣̗͇́̓̉̂̒̚keyͯ͛́̀͂҉͓̻̜͙͚ ̶̖̭̹̗̱ͭ̏̂ͩt̺̲̞̙̝͓͍ͥ͐ͩo ͈͛̉̅͊h̺͖̥̹̣̫̙̒̒͛e͍̞͎̘̙̤̞̔ͯ̑lp̃ͪ̃͏ī͉͚͉̥͗̽̓ͭ̇͘n͓̜̺͔͕̬͕̂̓̈́ͪ̀ḡ̸̾͆̌͆ ̱̯͎͇̊ͭ̄̈́̕Kai͔͓͖̲̓́͂̅ͫ́ȑ̤̔͂̈́ͭ͊͘ͅi͉͙̔͡.ͫ ̼̬̳̠͖͕̎̈́̊
̭ͬͬ͂͐̑̉ͮ

Y̦̊͟o̦̦ͥ́u̪͖̰̘͊̏ͤ̌͗̈͛'̷d̵͌ͣ͑͋ ̧̘̼̓̈̏̃ḟ̦̜̝͖̑̌̇̀̀ͅi̴̝͛ͣ̄ͥͧͥgh͗̿͆̌ͬ́ẗ̛̙͍̤̦̙́ͣͣͅ ̵͔̝͎̃m̧͙̭̃ͨͮ̆ͩ̄e̡͔̟̲̤̫̿̽ͪ?̥͔̙ͥ̈́ͪ̑ͣͧ̉̕ Ŏ̩͖̹̾ͪ͒ͫvȇ͎̦̘̲̯̮̿ͦͭͭ͌ͅr͎͇̠̮̖̓͑ͪ ̇͐̏͂ͯ̒͜a̭̭̝̝͆͞ ̠͎̗ͭ̌̾͑̈́́ͥ̀p̛̺̬̌̑̃̒ͯ͂upp̥̣̻̮̲͉ͥ͒̄̇̊͑ͯe̴ͧ̃ͣ̐͒t̟̮̪͕͓̻ͣͤ̑́͊̋ͫ w̢̰̩͎͚̞̬̭͋̌͗̅ͫi̢͙̩̲̐̃̋̈́ͣt͖̥͍̊̊̏̓ͥ͡ͅh ̢̣͇̘̯͔̇̐͒no͓̟̖̜̞ͩ ̡̹̬͉͉͉͚ͤ̉̇̈̈ͥ̚ḧ̜̞̝̖́̇ͨͅea̸̝ͧͨͦ̅r̢̝͖̻͈̫̿t̟ͥ?

Today was going to be a long day.]

((ooc; I put hover text in case anybody has trouble with the Zalgo text))

[10th - Floor 39]

[At first she was wary of the instructions to collect candy. By midafternoon, however, the pressure in her chest was almost painful, certainly too much to keep practicing hand-to-hand. She finally makes a quick corridor up to her room, grabs her pumpkin and corridors back, and from there it's thankfully a short while before she's able to find her allotted quota, and the pressure eases.

Those who come to Floor 39 can see her at any point during this process - her practicing hand-to-hand, finally bringing herself to a halt, holding her sides and trying to breathe, later hunting around for candies hidden among the weights, and finally just sitting, her quota fulfilled, taking deep, grateful breaths.]

[10th-13th - Anywhere, take your pick]

[Xion can be found throughout several places around the Tower - particularly the dorm hallways, Floor 39 practicing her fighting, Floor 3 doing research, Floor 1 eating and occasionally on Floor 19 or one of the Lounge floors working on her third shirt - this one long sleeved to ward against how cold it's getting at night. And of course hunting candy, particularly earlier on in the morning.

She's got her pumpkin nearby at all times, no matter what the case is. No chance letting it get stolen by anyone. ~~Especially you, Vanitas.~~]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He was watching quietly as she struggled, waiting for a moment while she didn't have her pumpkin. Yu had gathered far more than his quota because he feared others wouldn't be able to, so he was in no immediate danger. To see her struggling like that, just to breathe...

The hospital t̵̷̝̺̣̣͉̿ͫ͌̓̈́̇̇̄h̷̜̗͉̭̞̻̅̅ͬ̋̉ͧ̕ͅē̡̡͓̪̫͍͓̠̗͚͒̆̓͆̕ ̒̾̆͑ͣ́̕͡ͅf̩͈̩̎͝ỉ͖̖̳͙̗̊͐͑̏ͭr̛͍̫͎̲̟̫̺̼̜̉̈ͬͥ̋ͪë̸͚̭̱͉̞̙̻͍͂̇͛̚ and his cousin h̵̫̥͉̹̺̠͆̐̔͗͒̓ͬ͘i̜͓̙̬͕̯̲͆ͯ͛̚s̬̜̦̠͔̑͛̽ͨͅ ̡͉̤͎̖͉͙͍̖ͨͪ̊̕͢s͍͔̆̌ͥ͛̂ͧͭͭ̕͝ͅi̬̣̩̭ͫͦs̴̭͕̩̥̈̈ͮͭͭ̽̅̀̎͞t̴̺̭̱͋͒͗͝ͅe̖̭͔̳͖͔̹̞̿̒̕͞r̳̭̼͎̣̙͛͑̌̌͗ͣ͆͜͠ unable to breathe easily--

Izanagi, stop that.

When she disappears for a moment into the darkness, he blinks twice... before she appears again with her pumpkin and begins searching around.

It had been hard, learning to walk like this, but he reaches into his pumpkin with the strange, metal-clawed gloves, and pulls out two candies. One he unceremoniously places in hers, and the other... he offers to her.]

Here. Eating one helps with the pain.

[For the time being, at least. Kind of found that out the hard way.

...

Please don't be freaked out by his eyes glowing due to the mask.]

[At first she starts in surprise, then pauses, recognizing voice and vaguely the costume - it looked familiar at least.]

Yu?

[After a moment she takes the candy, pulls the wrapping off and bites into it. The taste is interesting - she's never really eaten much in the way of candy before - but that thought is dwarfed almost immediately the pressure on her ribs easing. She took a deep breath, feeling her lungs expand and contract.

She looks up. The glowing eyes are a little unnerving, especially sicne they're yellow like a Heartless's, but given what she's seen so far today, with the people in costumes... it was probably that?]

Thanks.

[He nods faintly. Yep, it's him. He even removes the mask slightly to wink at her. Not turned just yet and still normal without it; we cool?]

No problem.

[The Fierce Deity has seen the girl around. She is friends with two of his roommates, and he has watched her lounge about on Shion's bed as the pair of them talked of everything and nothing. She has power, but nothing especially notable.

To be frank, the only thing extraordinary about her he can sense is her aura. It is almost inconsistent; "normal" auras flowed smoothly, gave the impression of wholeness. Hers, however, is irregular, like clouds of different colors in a twilight sky. It is light, but it is muted and sown together. There is something glowing beneath the patches, but it is difficult to catch.

That is part of why the Fierce Deity stops to watch her practice combat techniques. The other part, well. It is only natural for a God of War to be drawn to such a thing. He stands some distance away and simply... watches. Even with his arms folded across his chest, his posture and expression are decidedly neutral.]

[It's harder to practice without an opponent. It's harder still to practice when you're getting winded within a few minutes because your lungs can't expand to their fullest extent. Still, she dutifully moves through her sets, repeating the kicks and punches Reno taught her.

Eventually however, she has to stop, leaning forward a little to catch her breath. That's when she finally looks up and sees that she's not alone.

She stares at her audience, vaguely recognizing them as one of Reno and Shion's roommates. She isn't sure what to say though, so she just stands there, catching her breath.]

[Riku may or may not look slightly annoyed when he arrives to grab some breakfast - he's going to need it considering whatever the admins are up to now again (though given that he is stuck in a bright red uniform jacket, black trousers, boots and a rather tall hat, the next few days will rather likely be horrifyingly ridiculous. Or ridiculously horrifying. Either/Or/Both probably).

At least they still have their powers.

He is just on his way to pick up something... whatever pumpkin-flavored , almost entirely lost in thought when he notices Xion.

...And after a moment recognizes what she is wearing.

...

Well, it's not like he hasn't had this particular memory flash once already in this place. Not that that makes it really any better. ~~He sees what you did there, Ruana. >.>~~

After a moment, he sighs and makes his way over to her - he might as well do the polite thing and greet her instead of starring.]

...Hey.

[...Sorry, but feeling rather ridiculous because of his own get-up and just a little bit awkward due to hers, he can't find himself capable of more of a greeting.]

[Xion looks up from where she was poking around at her plate of breakfast. She's glad of something else to think about. The food was not a great distraction. She was beginning to get thoroughly sick of pumpkin.

Unfortunately the new topic isn't that different from the old. Her eyes widen a little in surprise, though she doesn't laugh.]

Hey... You too?

[So is Riku... and the month has barely started.

He wouldn't have blamed her for laughing - as said, he looks ridiculous.]

Yep. Looks like one of the admins is up for games again, huh?

[He grimaces slightly.]

[Xion looks down and away with a grimace of her own.]

Looks like it.

[She reaches a hand up and tugs at a sleeve half-heartedly, but she already knows it's no use. She's already tried to take the costume off, and knows it probably is stuck on until this "game," whatever it is, is over.

She already knows that Riku knows what her outfit is - he's in the memories after all, but she doesn't recognize Riku's costume herself.]

Um... what's your...?

[She gestures sheepishly at his outfit]

[He presses his lips together as he glances down at his own costume... jaw clenching because yeah... he has no idea what kind of ridiculous character he is supposed to represent.]

That's a good question.

[He tugs lightly at one of the sleeves of his jacket.]

Maybe I'll ask them, if I ever get the chance.

[Because honestly...]

[Shion, due to his complete lack of cultural references and the fact he had never found or read Pinnochio in Nezumi's book packed room, didn't recognise Xion's costume at all. He was wearing a costume of his own and isn't happy with it. He has pinned his Turk badge to it, unable to not wear it for any amount of time.

On the floor they usually trained on he found her, searching under the weights; he hadn't seen her in a few days and was getting worried. He knew she still wasn't okay after what had happened.]

Hey Xion [He dropped a couple of spare candies into her bucket.]

Edited (herp derp action) 2012-10-13 11:45 (UTC)

[Xion recognizes her friends voice, turning around and trying not to wince at how tight her outfit is in areas. She smiles a little shakily. It was good to see him again - it'd been a little longer than she was comfortable with]

Hey.

[Taking note of the costume...]

It seems to be happening to a lot of people...

Yes... it seems to be a new game... [Said with an air of forboding. Games never went well, in many ways Shion found them harder to endure than so called experiments. Experiments at least had a purpose, even if they were horrible purposes that were hard to figure out. Games were just that... Senseless...] Are you feeling alright?

That's what Riku said...

[Her own voice is equally forboding. The things the admins did, especially these sorts of games and experiments, rarely seemed to ever bode well for the residents. Except for the nightmares in May, this is the first time Xion's actually been a participant, however.]

I'm okay... I think. I just have to find one more piece for the quota today.

[It's been quite a while since she's needed to fill up any kind of quota...]

[Shion had noticed that, that Xion often wasn't involved in these things and he had been glad. But now she was and he didn't want any harm coming to her; too much harm had already happened.

He took a candy from his bucket and dropped it into hers.] You're safe.

((Also its your turn on the Rat thread. I can't remember if I'd told you!))

[Colette is busy exploring the gymnasium when she finds a girl in some funny outfit, frantically looking for something and seemingly having trouble breathing]

Um, hey - are you all right? [Looking incredibly worried for you, Xion]

[Xion looks up from her searching, a little startled, and also panting a little. Doing exercise and training had been a very poor idea.]

I'm fine.

[Just as soon as she can fill this quota. She's found a couple candies by now at least. They weren't that hard to find so far.]

A-are you sure? You look like you have trouble breathing!

It's... the costume.

[Might as well be straight about it.]

I just have to find enough candy though.

[And she only has a couple left, thus why she thinks she'll be okay]

[ Luckily enough, Gandalf didn't wake up in his costume just yet. But the white wizard had meant to see Xion ever since Riku told him about all that happened during the Evil Meeting. Probably worried about her, and in part feeling guilty. While Ganondorf had not used her due to her status as a founded of the Fellowship... It may not be entirely unrelated.

Gandalf has no idea who or what Pinocchio is so he does not recognize the costume, but he can say right ahead this is not something she would wear on her own.

So of course he looks pretty worried when he approaches her. ]

... Xion?

[Upon hearing her name, Xion glances up and around, and then tries to straighten up a tiny bit when she sees who it is, even if it's a little awkward in her current outfit. Gandalf had rarely ever approached her for anything resembling casual conversation, or even just to check up on her, so... it wasn't something she was expecting. She's expecting something regarding the Fellowship, actually]

What is it? Did something happen?

No. At least nothing happened to me, neither to our movement.

[ He sits down in a chair opposite to hers and pauses before continuing. He still looks pretty worried and concerned. Obviously, not only about the costume, but also because of what happened between her, Reno, Riku and Ganondorf, as by now he had gotten word of it all. ]

But to you? I see you are victim of one of the tower's game-- But this is not the only thing that has happened these last weeks, is it?

[As Xion tracks down her candy quota, she may find herself joined by one of the two Rikus, clad in ridiculous spandex and flowing cape, also stopping and cringing at the pain in his chest.

Once he spots Xion, however, he does stop and do a double take. She's dressed as...

Blinking, he inches closer to her, trying not to stare.]

Need a hand?

[Xion does her own double-take, though more for the ridiculousness of the outfit than because it looks familiar at all.]

I think... I'll be okay... Do you need to too, though?

[She only needs to find like... two more and you're looking not that comfortable in your outfit either. Thankfully the quota was so low the first day, and the candy so abundant...]

Hmm.

[If he were particularly stubborn right now, he'd probably shrug it off. Act like he's doing fine, but... heh. They're both in the same general predicament.]

Well, there's definitely strength in numbers.

[A moogle wearing a really bad costume came into the gym. The mask was a cheap plastic imitation of a moogle face, but it went right over and sat down next to her. Maybe that splash of red hair underneath the costume gave him away.

Guess who!]

[She'll never guess. Never ever.

The moogle mask and red hair indeed give it away, once she opens her eyes again and realizes someone's there.

She leans forward, a little bemused.]

Reno?

Kupo.

[Said as sarcastically as a two syllable word can be.]

[She can't help it, she giggles. He sounds so irritable though!]

Well... You [pfft] sound like a real Moogle, but... [giggle] you don't have anything to sell me do you?

[Since all the Moogles she knows (all of one, to be fair) are shopkeepers]

[Now he's just giving her this half glare, half curious look.]

What?

[Moogles in his world are legends thanks. The only 'real' one he knows of is that damn robot Reeve made.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There are no strings on me

10th, 39th floor, don't mind the journal. :U

But what if I do mind Twi. What then. :U

Then I don't tag for weeks because hiatus and you're left going TAG ME BACK ALREADY ;A;

[10th - Floor 39]

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10th, Cafeteria

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Floor 39

/matches icon

yes good

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10th - Cafeteria

I think you mean Floor 39 XD

/craws back in late. ;_;

It's fine I was burned out most of October kalfdsj

[10th | Cafeteria]

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39

Wow this is the latest thing.

I am equally late. It's all good!

39

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