and I need someone to talk to apart from you

[animusnpcs]

Characters: Zo, open
Setting: floor 001
Format: brackets, party-style
Summary: Zo visits the residential levels of the Tower.
Warnings: none so far

[The elevator dings as its doors slide open--that's not an unusual occurrence, really, for a floor that not only houses one of the elevator stopping points but also the most reliable food sources. What's unusual, though, is the boy who steps out of it.

Zo enters the cafeteria, looking around as if he hasn't seen it in some time, which is true. He's followed by one retrieval unit. While she looks as blank as any retrieval unit, her collar is chipped and she wears glasses. In fact, she might be a bit familiar to some, though she will not respond (but there's something... Unusually alive about her, even so).

Though he's careful not to stray far from his bodyguard, he smiles at the floor in general.]

Um... Hi! Wow, it's been a while since I've been up here!

Comments

[attheclocktower]

That makes sense... I can see who leaves, because of my job here.

[It does seem kind of random to her, overall]

It's good to see you again. Did you come up to see everyone?

[animusnpcs]

[Zo nods.] I never get to visit. But now it's not never!

[attheclocktower]

[At his words, Xion smiles a bit in spite of herself.]

Well, I bet a lot of people will be happy to see you. Be careful though. Some people might try to do something, like last time.

[Like Ganon]

[animusnpcs]

I've got my bodyguard. [Zo gestures to his retrieval unit.] And I can defend myself, too, if I have to, but I don't want to hurt anybody.

[attheclocktower]

[And that's the difference between you and the others, Zo, she can't help but think.]

Well, I just wanted to warn you, because sometimes if you know something bad's coming, you can get out of it without hurting anybody at all. Like if I knew a monster was coming so I hid from it, so I wouldn't have to fight it.

[She fidgets sheepishly, her smile turning more awkward]

But you probably already knew about some of the others anyway.

[animusnpcs]

I think that's why everybody wants me to stay downstairs usually. But I can't talk to people if I hide downstairs all the time, so I came up here anyway.

[attheclocktower]

I guess it must get pretty boring down there.

[Being the only kid surrounded by adults... Xion was lucky that she had friends like Roxas - who was her age - and Axel, who didn't seem very adult-ish the way the other Organization members did to keep her company and have fun with. Here it was different, but she can still understand the idea of feeling alone or isolated. Or what she guesses is feeling alone or isolated.]

[animusnpcs]

Sometimes it can. Dax used to talk to me sometimes, but Riki and Jason are too busy and Ruana's usually asleep.

[attheclocktower]

[Call her curiosity piqued again, considering this is the second time he's mentioned it.]

Um... I guess you might not be able to tell me, but... why does Ruana sleep a lot?

[animusnpcs]

I don't really know. I guess she used to sleep less but that was before I was born.

[attheclocktower]

Huh. [She's not really sure what to make of it.] Maybe something changed since then... How long ago was that?

[animusnpcs]

I was born two years ago! A little more than that.

[attheclocktower]

[Well. That was derailing.]

You're only two? But that's...

[She trails off, suddenly ducking her head a little sheepishly]

I mean... I am too, I think.

[Over half a year at home, plus a year and a half here almost... Normally she wouldn't admit it but... this is Zo. And he's an admin so he probably already knows more about her than she thinks...]

[animusnpcs]

I like two so far. [He smiles.] What do you think?

[attheclocktower]

[Her expression falters. This year so far has not been a good one. She's had friends leaving and been turned into a brainwashed drone and fought monsters and things... but she's met new people too, like Sheba and Amelia and got a kitten from Data and is almost done making her first sundress...]

It's... been okay. But I'm hoping it'll get better soon.

[She glances around nervously, as if checking to make sure no one is too close, then looks down at the floor her voice a little lower.]

Can I tell you a secret?