Axel's got a new pet! (backdated)

[flared]

Characters: Axel (flared) and everyone ever
Setting: Dormitory floor 1 and some of the lower floors (1, 3, and 4) during the 25th or any day of the week following
Format: I'll follow whichever you respond with~
Summary: Axel's got himself his first regain... and ends up lighting up like a kid at Christmas.
Warnings: Nothing at the moment!


So it's still cold and this hasn't made things any better for his powers, which is why Axel has resorted to staying bundled up and stationary in his room for as long as he can. Well, unless he has to eat or something. And he can't expect himself to not pay Xion some attention, either, especially after such a nasty sickness spell.

Thankfully during his alone time he isn't really alone at all. Instead, courtesy of the tower, Axel's regained a little buddy from home to keep him company. It's a little smaller than the Assassins back home, at least coming up to the bottom of his knees when it stands now, and despite its rather alarming appearance the way it floats and swirls alongside Axel with its wing-like arms fluttering at its sides may be... charming for some.

If you'd like to say hello, you can find the two of them in any of the mentioned locations. The Assassin will probably be reaching the higher bookshelves for Axel to pick out books in the library he can't reach. On the fourth floor it will be staring curiously out at the fog and trying to even go outside only to bump into the glass. And finally on the first floor, well, that's where you might catch Axel tossing bits of cereal or something at the Assassin for it to swoop up and nom with interesting aerial displays.

Ok, so it's not a puppy, but it's damn well awesome.

Comments

Third Floor

[tohko_amano]

Tohko was happy to have gotten over her illness. She could finally train properly with Saber now, read, and perform her library duties. However, while turning the corner and holding a small stack of books, she spotted Axel with a small creature. It was helping him pick out a book that he just couldn't reach, and, out of curiosity, Tohko walked up to the two.

"Good morning, Axel! It's nice to see you again. Pardon me for asking..but what is that creature?"

[flared]

Axel watched as his Assassin swooped along the upper shelves and when it would snatch some of the books up in its arms to carefully carry and balance along with some others it thought Axel might be interested in. He became distracted, however, when he heard a familiar voice and glanced over to see Tohko walking up beside him.

"Oh, hey," he replied with a nod just as the Assassin paused to float back down and curiously inspect the girl by floating around her in a circle.

"It's an Assassin. One of the creatures from my home World."

[tohko_amano]

Tohko nodded back and smiled at the creature as it flew around her. She tried to pat it on it's head..but who knows if the creature would go for that.

However, when Axel mentioned it was an Assassin, she looked a bit puzzled. "An Assassin..doesn't that mean it's a bit dangerous then?"

[flared]

The Assassin inched away when she tried to pet it but once it learned she was not a threat, at least not yet, it moved back in and allowed her to touch for now. Axel let out a soft laugh.

"If I want it to be, sure."

[tohko_amano]

Tohko couldn't help but chuckle at it's behavior and was happy that it let her pet it after awhile. She nodded at Axel.

"Ah, I see..I guess he'll be a nice companion to have around then."

third floor

[grimgrimoire]

Okay, so maybe it is a little bit awesome. But you'll have to forgive Ienzo if he acts... less than enthusiastic about a little flying Assassin jumping over the tops of the library shelves.

It was jumping up a little bit and flitting around every time it found a book for Axel, which was of course the only part that Ienzo could see from a different shelf. Still, as soon as he noticed it, he was on high alert. Was it another monster that the Tower had made? Or was it a sign that the Assassin's creator was here as well? Neither one really boded well for Ienzo's prospects, even though he now had the Book of Retribution to fight back with. (Axel wasn't the only one who was very pleased with their Christmas present.)

Quietly, he summoned said book and set the others i his arms down on one of the shelves; he would find them again later, and for now it would not do to have too many things in his arms at one time. Thus armed, he started looking. Ienzo had promised himself that he would not hold Lea accountable for the things he had done in a past life, and he had every intention of honoring that promise... but by the looks of that Assassin, this was not Lea.

Once he found the two of them, Ienzo stood at the end of the row silently, contemplating for a moment what to do. Then he spoke, with only a small hint of a negative tone.

"Good morning."

[flared]

After bringing down a couple more books it thought Axel might like, the Assassin glided down to the ground where it floated beside Axel's shoulder to peer at the novels it had picked out. However, as Axel browsed through one of the books the Assassin perked up after a beat upon catching a familiar scent nearby and with a low hiss alerted Axel of their company.

Brow raised, he looked up from his page to gaze down the row and spot a familiar face standing across from them. His Assassin floated in the air, a bit higher than Axel's head so it could have a better look at what Ienzo was doing.

... Eventually, he managed a small grin. "Well, well. Didn't think I'd be seeing you again any time soon." Ienzo. This really was something, wasn't it?

[grimgrimoire]

The Assassin would most likely find Ienzo terribly boring, since he wasn't actually doing anything. Sure, the Book of Retribution was in his hands. However, he made no move to haul that massive tome to a more convenient location for spellcasting, and so it just sat there, as much a defense mechanism as it was a threat. Could anyone blame him, when this wasn't even the Somebody he was dealing with? Ienzo didn't think so. He brushed some stray hairs out of his single uncovered eye before speaking. It seemed that he didn't have plans to say very much.

"Nor I you." Ienzo's idea was just to carry on the conversation as he normally would; no haughtiness, no smiles (not even of the sinister kind -- don't think he didn't see that, Axel). No nothing. If Axel still carried the plans that he had the last time they'd met, then perhaps he would be a bit more driven to emotion, and also a bit more driven to the Book of Retribution. But for now, he would just stand still and see how the Flurry would react.

[flared]

Ienzo's behavior wasn't necessarily odd, though Axel had to admit this wasn't exactly how he expected them to react to one another. With Zexion, certainly, but with his Other? Well, he supposed he'd just have to carry the conversation out a little longer to really reach any sort of conclusion.

Shutting his book for a moment, he placed a hand at his hip so he could turn a little more and face the other. "Just showed up?" Casual, small talk.

[grimgrimoire]

So he was a bit on edge. Sue him. Axel seemed to be talking in a civilized manner, which was a good sign, but of course didn't mean that he was out of the water just yet. Far from it. Still, if Axel wanted to chat, he would chat. "A month ago, perhaps. What about you?"

Fourth Floor

[acceptedoblivion]

[Axel hadn't been the only one trying to stay bundled up in his room for as long as possible, but eventually he got sick of staying in one place and began wandering. Aimlessly, as usual. There wasn't really anywhere for him to go. Not that he cared, anymore. He hadn't after the truth was revealed.

He stopped on the fourth floor, just to rest and not care about the coat still there in his chest upstairs, frowning. Even more when he realized just who was also on this floor.]

...tch.

[It really figures that he couldn't escape even one reminder. Of course, he'd been avoiding Ienzo ever since he first smelled him, and he couldn't avoid the real Riku because roommates, but damn...

...At least watching the lesser Nobody be stupid in trying to break through the glass and to the outside was a little amusing. Oh well, trying to leave now--]

[flared]

[That scent...

The moment Axel catches it he goes on high alert and his Assassin catches on to that, pausing from its curious floating and fluttering to turn around and stare at the replica. Once Axel's heard and felt nothing he chances looking over his shoulder only to see him trying to walk away.

For a moment he considers allowing it, but then after signaling for his Nobody to follow Axel turns to walk after the replica, keeping several paces behind.]

[acceptedoblivion]

[Welcome to the club. Though this one has a chance of certain other members catching on dark fire. That's never any fun.

Who knows how long it is before the replica realizes he's being followed, or if he didn't at all. He's on the stairs and going up and trying not to even think about the last time they were in close proximity to one another. It's far too familiar to just run.

Yet he can't run forever, and he knows it, so shoulders set and fist clenched, he finally does at least pause long enough to half-turn on a landing and give him a glare over his shoulder.]

What do you want?

[Well, at least he still has some bite... for a dead guy.]

[flared]

[As he follows Axel goes over his options. The replica is unstable and must hold a grudge against him provided he's from that particular timeline. And if the latter is true, then Axel also needs to consider the level of violence he could be getting himself into.

Once the replica turns around he pauses as well and his Assassin floats to his side, eying the other warily.

He grins.]

Can't a guy say hello?

[acceptedoblivion]

Normally when you say hello, something else happens, too.

[Can't blame him for being a little bit wary, right? Especially because it's only his run ins with monsters on his first few days in the tower that made him have to calm down so that he wasn't dying every single day and making a certain friend of his sad every single time.

The grudge is still a thing, though, if the way he's glaring at the Nobody is telling.]

Floor 03

[earthshards]

[Meanwhile, someone else was decidedly not happy with his new 'pet'. He hasn't quite resigned himself to the fact that the smaller example of a Sorcerer was going to be following him, but he was doing his best to ignore it.

It's still difficult to ignore the strange feeling Nobodies give out, but he's learning.

He catches sight of red spikes of hair and freezes in place, and then sees the Assassin gliding around the higher bookshelves and has to resist the urge to turn right back around and hope that the Sorcerer tailing him like a dog that's finally found it's owner won't be seen.

But he knows how his luck runs. And he was here for reading material. He hadn't read a good story in a while.

Might as well come into view. And hope the Sorcerer stays behind him and out of sight.] I didn't think I'd see you here. You never struck me as the reading type.

[Unbeknownst to him, the Sorcerer has floated up towards some of the higher shelves as well, looking for anything noteworthy in the fiction section.]

[flared]

[Axel perks up a bit when he hears Terra's voice from nearby and after glancing away from his Nobody, which is still floating about to look for some interesting books-- and, yeah, organizing a few of them left out of place --he scoffs softly, amused.

There's a lot people don't know about him.]

Well, that's awfully kind of you to say.

I took you for the jock type myself.

[Looks back over at his Assassin which has curiously paused in its little search to glance over at the other bookshelves where it saw something move. ... Hmmm. Now what could that be?]

[earthshards]

[Okay, that gets a quiet laugh out of him.] Ten years ago, you would've been right. I hated libraries. They've kind of grown on me since then.

[Really good places to hide/think, libraries.

Curiously following Axel's gaze, and then looking puzzled at the Assassin for a few seconds, before following it's line of sight--

To the sight of the Sorcerer going just out of view. Yep. Freezing right there.

Not. Good. He should have just told it to stay put.]

[flared]

Hated 'em? What, did you make a bookshelf drop on you or what?

[Axel liked them because, well, they were quiet. And they helped pass the time, too, at least if there were any good things to read.

He's still glancing up at his Assassin when he speaks and from down here he can't quite make out what it is that's captured its attention. It floats, wing-like arms flapping occasionally to keep itself up, before it decides to hover over and investigate the other Nobody.]

Hm?

[earthshards]

Ah... yeah, actually. [His own gaze is still in the direction he last spotted the Sorcerer. Might as well keep talking.]

I was ten, I think; I climbed a little too high, slipped, and made at least two shelves of books follow me to the floor. Master was nearby, so the only thing hurt was my pride. My friend, Aqua, didn't let me live it down for a few days afterwards. [The memory is foggy around the edges, but the incident is clear enough that the memory of it came without a fight.

He spots the fluttering of white again near the top of another shelf, and sees the Assassin gliding over to investigate. Definitely trying not to panic now.]

Floor 1

[alephbet]

[Aleph seems amused as he watches the Assassin perform for its food. It doesn't seem actively harmful, and he's had much scarier looking demons himself.]

Is it yours?

[flared]

[The Assassin has just finished spinning backwards, arms gripping its ankles as it stretches and floats about with ease, and after Axel's tossed another cornflake for it to munch he looks over at the stranger addressing him.]

Sure is. A friend from back home, if you wanna call it that.

[alephbet]

What's he called?

[Aleph doesn't recognize it as a demon, so he really doesn't have a clue.]

[flared]

It's an Assassin.

[The floating Nobody swerves through the air and back over to Axel to circle him before moving over towards the stranger to do the same. Hmm. Curious.]

[alephbet]

He's kind of cute.

[Prettier than a lot of Aleph's entourage. He gives a friendly wave to the Assassin.]