Endgame: This Broken Jaw of Our Lost Kingdoms; Part One

[animusmods]

Characters: open to those trapped in cells
Setting: the cells
Format: any
Summary: Those left abandoned in the Tower have some time to speak to each other. In the middle of the room, a clock counts down...
Warnings: general animus endgame warnings

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[attheclocktower]

She nodded herself, lowering her leg and pushing herself up, so she was able to work on the lower part of her shirt. It took a while, but soon enough there was the sound of ripping fabric in the air. And within ten minutes, she'd managed it.

With that done, she lay back down.

"I wish you were here, to check for me," she admitted quietly, though loud enough for her to hear him. Check and make sure she'd done it right. "Anything else?"

[savedbyasong]

He watched from where he stood, trying to guess from her movements if she had done it right. It would have to do. He couldn't see anything wrong with it and he nodded as she lay back down.

"I wish I was too." He said softly and shook his head, "No, nothing that can be done here anyways." There was plenty more that was needed, ice for a start. But stuck in a cell with only what they had on them...

"Just rest it, keep it up like that and tell me if it changes, if the pain gets worse."

[attheclocktower]

If she had her powers, she could have made her own ice at least. Sadly she was not so lucky. "I will," she replied, smiling as best she was able.

For a little while she lapsed into silence, a mixture of relief and fear crawling around in her mind, making tears leak out of her eyes slowly.

She was here. He was here. They were both alive, though for how much longer... No. She couldn't think like that. Had to keep hope. Had to have faith in herself and her friends. There were others she hadn't heard from yet. Their dad, at the very least.

In the end she slowly lifted a hand up and pressed it to the wall closest to him, hand splayed flat against it.

[savedbyasong]

He sat watching her, childish promises in his head. As long as he kept her in sight and didn't look away she would be okay. They would be alright. He smiled at the gesture, softly, sadly. Then returned it, his fingers stretched wide apart to echo hers.

"I'm sorry." He said eventually. "It seems whenever you go off to do great things I die before I can help you."

MOOD WHIPLASH TIME

[attheclocktower]

THUD.

That was the sound of that leg Xion had propped up hitting the floor, earning a wince. However she ignored it, pushing herself upright into a sitting position, staring over at him.

"You died?" she stammered, fear in her voice and on her face. Again?

They were running out of chances. With things how they were, he might not've come back. Not to mention the guilt on her own part. She hadn't seen him. He was her brother and she hadn't seen him.

[savedbyasong]

Shion winced at the thud and Xion's words. He had assumed she had known, and now he felt bad for telling her. "I'm sorry..." His voice was quiet, "When Reno was being attacked... one of Riki's spikes..."

His voice cracked a little at that but he forced a smile. "I saw you though, you were amazing... like something from a storybook."

[attheclocktower]

Xion shook her head. With everything that had been going on, the blackness of the atmosphere and the low lighting... she must have just missed him in all of the commotion. That didn't make her feel any better though.

His compliments of her didn't comfort her any, though. If anything, they ended up upsetting her even more.

"Shion, we don't know how many more chances we have left. She might not bring you back next time. She might not be able to bring anybody back next time," she cried, "You can't die anymore, please. I can't lose you."

Pot, meet kettle, after what nearly happened on the ground floor. But Xion didn't care. That had been different.

[savedbyasong]

"I'm sorry!" His voice was choked as he continued to hate himself for upsetting her. "I'm trying, I didn't mean to. I'm just... I'm not as strong as you or Reno and I can't..."

He took a deep breath, darkness threatening again, "I can't lose you either, I won't let anything bad happen to you."

[attheclocktower]

She was upsetting him too. She knew it and just... she couldn't. She couldn't lose him. Not the person who'd stood by her all this time.

Carefully she lifted her hand up and placed it back on the wall of her cell.

"Let's make a promise then," she said, her voice much gentler now, "Let's make a promise that, no matter what happens, we won't die from now on. Okay?"

She doesn't even mention the possibility of dying if they lose entirely. Because that's not an option she'll consider.

[savedbyasong]

Shion blinked and put his hand back on the glass. "Okay... a promise." Was making a promise when you weren't sure you were even capable of keeping it a lie?

He didn't want to die, but if it came to it... if he could save her and Reno...

"No more dying, either of us."

He smiled at her, "Now will you lie back down, you need to rest your leg."