towerofanimus | two for one

Entry tags:

two for one

Characters: Axel, Reno, Roxas, and Xion
Setting: Dormitory, floor one
Format: action / brackets
Summary: Arrival, interrogation, maybe snacks. Snacks are nice.
Warnings: ~~SNACKS?~~ None!

[When Axel walks out of his room, appearing perfectly composed and entirely unruffled by his current situation, it is, in short, a big fat lie.

[It isn't waking up in a strange place that throws him. It's not the letter (which he doesn't believe), or the collar (which is weird, he'll give it that), or even the apparent paralysis he'd experienced when first opening his eyes — even though that was decidedly unsettling. It is, of all things, the clothes. Or, rather, the lack of a certain coat.

[No way is he gonna waltz into a Brand New World without his coat. Come on. That's just begging for trouble.

[It's a situation quickly remedied, when he rummages through the trunk at the end of his bed — ignoring, for now, the stranger items inside it. By the time the redhead emerges from his room, dressed as a member of the Organization and ready for recon, there's no evidence of any internal unrest.

[Gotta love being a great actor.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[As casually as he could, Reno slips an arm around Xion, taking a short side step in front of her.]

Xion, I think we'd better leave 'em be. They'll figure it out eventually.

[His reasons were twofold; his protectiveness of the younger ones was kicking in, and he knew it took a lot of first hand experience to really start to understand the situation at the Tower.]

We're just complicating it for 'em.

[Roxas looks up at Axel with wide, pleading eyes.]

I don't remember Xion.

[With Axel confirming their story, of course it must be true. He leans forward a bit, looking at her.]

I'm sorry Xion. Maybe I'll remember again. I'll try really hard.

[It's only right to apologize, if he's hurt her feelings. If people forgot about him...it would hurt.]

[There's a sharp, sharp pang, somewhere beneath her breastbone.

"I'm sorry I don't remember. I really am. I'm going to try. Please be patient with me, okay?"

It hurts to see him like this. Saying the same sort of things he had last time. She glances over at Reno briefly before gently drawing herself out of his grip. It's not a snub, and she hopes he won't take it that way. There's just something she needs to do first.

She steps forward and kneels down in front of Roxas, her face gentle even as her eyes sparkle with unshed tears. She reaches out to grab one of his hands and squeeze it, gently.]

Don't. Don't worry about it, okay? It's [her voice nearly breaks] It's all right that you can't.

I'm still your best friend, and I always will be. Don't forget, that's the truth.

[After that, she lets go, standing up and turning to Axel, taking a step backwards towards Reno.]

I can go, if you want.

[Reno's probably right to some extent, her presence here is confusing them, not helping them.]

Edited 2013-11-14 03:20 (UTC)

[Roxas really doesn't remember. Axel doesn't know how it happened — Naminé? — but there's the truth, staring him in the face.

["I couldn't bear to lose my memories of you or Xion."

[He turns to Xion, then his eyes flick to the other redhead hovering protectively over her. Someone he doesn't know. Someone that Xion should have no way of knowing. Casual as the protectiveness may attempt to be, the connection there is ... genuine.

[What did Reno say before, aside from that ... "daughter" comment? Other Axels. Leaving. Xion getting hurt.

[Xion mentioned different times. And Roxas.... Roxas asked about Sora.

[His eyes lock on Xion's.]

I don't want you to go anywhere. [Then, quieter:] I told you to go home.

[It was one of the last things he said to her, before she gave up on asking for his help and ran off into Castle Oblivion.

[If he really is from "before" — if they really are from different times — maybe that'll tell her when.]

[Reno had been reaching to take Xion's hand when Axel spoke again, making him freeze in the process. Maybe it won't be so bad this time, and Xion will come out of this all right, if he was any judge of Axels. Roxas is the one he isn't sure about.

Glancing at the two in turn, he gives them an raised eyebrow as if asking if it really is all right, then leans down close to Xion's ear.]

If you want to stay, we can do that thing later, kiddo.

You're my best friend. [Roxas parroted back at Xion and he nodded.] I'll memorize it, okay?

[He does feel bad that he can't remember Xion, but Axel does and that's kind of weird isn't it? Then again, Axel has always been way smarter than him. Axel always knows everything. He turns to look at him, worried.]

You're not hurt right? I mean, I didn't hurt you too much?

Go home...

[Xion hears those words, thinks... they sound familiar, but where- And then she blanches]

Castle Oblivion?

[That's when he was from? Oh boy, this was... this wasn't as bad as the Axel who had come from right before she went back, but still, this wouldn't be without its share of awkwardness. She knew what he meant though, and got the message loud and clear.

Thankfully, Roxas comes in with the a convenient distraction. She frowns a little at his words. Then, opting to go a more teasing route, or trying to, she reaches forward to give him a gentle shove on the shoulder]

Hey, remember what I said. We're all from different times. What you remember, Axel hasn't experienced yet.

[Who knew, he may never experience it at all, but she wasn't going to dump all the confusing bits of Animus all at once.

She hadn't forgotten Reno's words, been thinking about them a great deal, actually. At last she turns up to look at him, face caught in a helpless, sad smile.]

I think I should stay. [No, that wasn't right] I want to stay.

[They were her best friends. She couldn't just leave them here, not knowing what the Tower could do.

If they wanted her to stay, she wanted to stay with them.]

[Taking Xion's lead, Axel adopts a lighter, teasing tone once again. It's not quite genuine, but it's familiar enough.]

Besides, how would you've hurt me? Your elbows may be pointy, but it's nothing I can't handle.

[He's referring to Roxas elbowing him for too much teasing — or, more specifically, for being too much of a "know-it-all" just a few hours before.

[But he knows that's not what Roxas is talking about. There's too much worry on his friend's face for that.

[Something happened. Something major. Maybe that's why Roxas looked so happy to see him....

[Man. He figured things were gonna get complicated, with Xion taking off and all, but this? This is a little more than he wants to deal with right now. Better to get Roxas situated and go from there.]

[Slowly, Reno nods at her, understanding the desire to be with them, even if things were a bit painful right now.]

You guys take care of her.

[Half of him wants to stay and make sure things came out all right, but the other half sort of felt they needed some time and space for just the friends.]

I'll leave ya alone for now, and y'know where to find me. Don't overwhelm 'em too much, kiddo.

[Roxas is momentarily distracted by Reno and he nods a bit.]

She said she's my best friend, of course I'll look after her.

[A distraction is really good at this point, because inside his mind is full of upheaval. Xion mentioned different times, but he isn't sure what that means exactly. He scratches his head.]

What do you mean about different times, Xion?

[It probably won't hurt to ask.]

[Xion stands up and tries to hug Reno, if he'll let her.]

See you soon, okay? I'll do my best.

[Once that's done, she turns back to her friends, looking from one to the other, then offering Roxas a hand to help him up.]

It's... a little complicated, but... all of us are from different universes. Even the three of us. You see, this place pulls only one person. So there's... differences for each of us. Sometimes they're small, like maybe I went on a mission to Agrabah one day instead of Beast's Castle. Sometimes they're... bigger.

But because we're from different universes, one of us might get further along before that world gets destroyed. Which is why some of us remember more than others.

[She hopes that wasn't too confusing. Xion knows it can be a lot to take in at once. Hopefully they won't ask about the bigger differences yet.]

[The only thing he does is make a slightly awkward face, but lets her hug, wrapping his own arms around her briefly.]

Don't forget to get them oatmeal, sweets.

[Then he's off with a wave at the other two, heading for the stairs on whatever errand he has in mind now that Xion is busy.]

[The hug, however brief, is enough to crack Axel's casual demeanor. He stares at Reno with a look torn between intense confusion and suspicion, like Reno just up and turned into one of those weird mushroom-looking heartless whose color Axel can't quite make out. Is he gonna bob around harmlessly making weird gestures, or is he gonna start spewing poisonous gas?

[Reno retreats, and Axel watches closely, his expression still fluctuating between suspicion and complete bewilderment. It's ... probably pretty funny looking, actually. At the moment, Axel's less concerned with his expression and more concerned with why this guy is hugging one of his best friends. Or ... why Xion's hugging him. For all that Axel tends to ignore personal space in favor of invading it, he doesn't hug. At all. And, last he checked, neither did Xion.

[And why the hell did that guy call Xion his daughter?

[He pulls his focus back to the present once Xion starts talking, having missed only the first few words. Somehow, what she's saying makes a lot more sense than the "daughter" comment, or the unexplainable (but undeniable) connection there. Worlds being destroyed, he can more than wrap his head around. Emotions that shouldn't be there, he ... still can't even figure out in himself, let alone work out what's going on with Xion.]

So.... [He pauses and shakes his head slightly, the thought of this whole "different universes" thing absurd even as he considers it.] So, that Reno guy is from your ... universe?

[It's said like he doesn't quite believe it. Which, surprise surprise, he doesn't. But hey, he's working on it.]

[Roxas isn't much less confused, although he watches the hug with interest. Why is Xion doing that? It's different, or maybe it isn't. Did Xion hug him? He doesn't remember. When she explains the differences to him he just blinks a few times and points.]

So...so he's not Axel?

[He does take her hand though and slowly get to his feet. Roxas doesn't like feeling unbalanced and overwhelmed. His head hurts, he almost wishes he didn't have any thoughts at all for a little while, just for a moment.]

[Roxas then realizes that this would be much worse, he will just have to find a way to untangle the mess that is his memories.]

[Xion shakes her head, in answer to both questions really]

We met here in the Tower. I don't... know why you two look and sound so much alike, Axel. His universe is really different from ours.

[She watches both of them, suddenly a lot more nervous now that Reno is gone. Where did she begin?]

I've... been here for about two years now. So I... I know probably a lot more than a lot of people.

[Somewhere between that and a year and a half. It's hard to believe she's been here so long sometimes. But hopefully that might answer some questions as to the visual differences, at least on Axel's part]

[If Axel's eyebrows could rise any higher, they'd meet his hairline.]

Oh.

[Forever with the eloquent responses. But really, what else can he say to that? Two years....]

Last I checked, Roxas here had been around for 255 days.

[A number he knows only because Roxas just told him. Or ... from what Xion's just said ... his Roxas had just told him?

[No. Roxas is Roxas, and Xion is Xion. If Xion being a Replica didn't change that, no weird universe or time differences would.

[That thought is enough to anchor him, in all his confusion. Enough that, when he reaches over to give Roxas a playful slap on the shoulder, it's not with forced cheer.]

And what're you talking about? Of course I'm Axel. Come on, you've gotta have that memorized.

Yeah! I've got it memorized! [He gives Axel a little grin.]

Is two years that long a time?

[Roxas can't imagine that amount of time passing, because he's never experienced it. He blinks at Axel though.]

Oh that was awhile ago! It was...um...three hundred and fifty...something.

[It's going to take a minute to process.]

Or maybe it isn't. I don't know how long I was with my friends. A week of summer I think but I'm not sure.

[Xion frowns, trying to remember back to a conversation from a long time ago. Nearly two years.]

Hayner and Pence and Olette, right?

[Wait, she's getting sidetracked. She shakes her head.]

Let's worry about that in a bit. We need to do some things first. First we should go down to the cafeteria and get you both some oatmeal. I can explain things on the way.

[The elevator would be slower than the corridors, but it would give them time to collect their thoughts and for Xion to explain things on the way down]

[Hayner, Pence, and Olette again. Is he the only one who doesn't know who those names belong to? Seems that way. But he follows Xion's lead again, putting the question of who they are on the back burner.

[If he keeps this up, he's gonna have a whole pile to deal with later.]

Lead the way.

[That said, he's curious:]

But I gotta ask: why oatmeal?

Yeah, that's them.

[Roxas nods and follows after her since she starts moving.]

What if I want something else?

You can get something else after, but if you don't eat the oatmeal first, you'll get sick. Don't as me why, it's probably something we'll find out eventually.

[She leads them over to the elevator, calling and entering the elevator once it opens. Once they're all inside and the doors are shut, she goes to lean against a wall, sliding down into a sitting position.]

We're going to be here a while. It's a long way down to the first floor.

[She sighs. Time to get started.]

Besides all the different people from different times and things, the first thing that you should know about this place is that it's dangerous. Really, really dangerous.

[For now, Axel chooses to lean against a wall rather than sit. He watches Xion closely, noting how very serious her expression becomes when she begins to speak.

[This definitely isn't a joking matter, for her. And if she's saying it's dangerous after all the heartless she's faced....]

In what way?

[So far, all he's seen are weird bedrooms and a doppelgänger.]

I don't want to be sick.

[Roxas frowns a little as he looks at Xion, thinking. Dangerous, huh?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

two for one

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Guh sorry for the delay

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject