OPEN ● there's a darkness upon me that's flooded in light

[hightiderising]

WHO: Xion and YOU!
WHERE: All over Heropa
WHEN: The first few weeks of October
WHAT: Xion tries to adjust to this new world and needs lots of help along the way
WARNINGS: None anticipated; will update if this changes

1.
[It's been a few days since Xion's arrival and she's had some time to adjust. Granted, it hasn't been easy - mostly because of all the free time she has. Now, this obviously teenage girl should be in school, but she's very much not. It's not on purpose, mind you - she just doesn't know how school works. What days does she even go in? Who knows.

So, in this "free" time, Xion has decided to try to go to the beach. The beach is one of her favorite places in the world to be, and nothing would make her feel closer to home than a day spent picking sea shells before the weather gets too cold to allow that.

There's one problem, however. Xion doesn't know how to get to the beach. She has her portals, sure, but they only work when she knows where she's going. Saix would typically open a portal for her when she was going to a new world or location. She's going to have to do this the normal way - the human way. She uses her phone to find the closest bus station and works from there.

It's an easy walk... and then a choice between six buses. The route maps on each bus's sign mean almost nothing to her, filled with unfamiliar names of landmarks and streets. When she tries to check her phone for help, the battery is dead. Was she supposed to charge this or something? No one told her that!

Well, she can figure it out on her own. Who needs GPS? She gets right on the first bus without hesitation.

--And ends up dropped off somewhere in the suburbs at the end of the line. That's not right at all. She hadn't even seen any beaches along that route! Defeated, she opens a portal in plain sight and steps back out at the bus station.

Bus #2 takes her past museums of taxidermy, yarn, and historic planes and leaves her at The Alligator Hut, an alligator-shaped two story building dedicated to teaching the public all about the wonders of alligators. Rare fossils and a gift shop were advertised on the sign outside. Interesting, buuuut not what she had in mind. Xion summons a portal and steps back out once again at the bus station.

The next two buses do her even less good and when she portals back to the station the last time, she's exhausted, slumped over, sweating in her heavy leather coat, and looking somewhere inbetween depressed and frustrated and about to scream. She slumps down in a huff on the ground. She just... needs a moment, that's all. She can still do this.]

2.
[Something Xion has learned recently is that humans love coffee. She likes trying new things (cautiously), and if it's this popular, it has to be really good, right? Besides, a hot drink sounds nice on these chilly fall mornings. So one Saturday morning, Xion walks down to the coffee shop closest to Heropa's government housing and waits in line along with a ton of other totally normal people that totally know what they're doing here.

Finally, her turn comes, and she steps up to the counter, looks up into the vast menu and-- blanks.

What is this stuff? There's a coffee, sure, but with a ton of other options. And what's with all the flavorings being offered? What's pumpkin spice? She doesn't think vegetables belong in coffee, right? That doesn't sound good at all. What's an espresso? What's a latte? A macchiato? Mocha?

Someone behind her yells for her to hurry up.]

S-sorry! Just one coffee, please.

[But that doesn't satisfy the barista. "What size? Do you want creamer or milk? Hot or iced?" It's endless.]

U-um--

[Help.]


OOC: Character specific starters in tags. For your own, more specific starter, hit me up on plurk at MahouShoujo!

Comments

locked to the KH cast

[hightiderising]

[It's scary. For a moment, she's glad Axel's not here to scoff at her for feeling scared. But finally meeting Sora face to face, after everything she learned, after dreaming about him for months... She thinks she's right to be a little scared. She's partially convinced he'll hate her for everything she did to him, no matter how unwillingly. Or maybe he just won't like her because she looks like Kairi. There's a lot of factors here and she's catastrophizing before even seeing Sora in person.

Still, Xion lets Naminé guide her through a portal back to the house everyone she knows shares. She can tough it out. Probably.]

[darkimitation]

[Kagami for the most part has finished his studying in his room after a wild goose chase with Sora and Riku to find Xion. As he slowly makes his way out of his room and down the stairs, he can smell both Naminé and Xion. Instead of saying anything, he stays at the top of the stairs watching them both. Though if Xion sees Kagami, she'll see that he looks something like this only in more punkish/gothic looking clothing.]

[redigere]

[The house is quiet when they return, but the others seem to be close by, Kagami right at the top of the stairs. Naminé blinks up at him, wondering why he's not coming down-- but she supposes he'll do that in his own time. She turns back to Xion and smiles reassuringly.]

Come on, let's sit down and wait for everyone.

[darkimitation]

[He starts making his way down the stairs, still watching the two girls quietly before finally saying something to them.]

... If both of you are hungry, there's food in the fridge.

[hightiderising]

[Xion hadn't quite had the chance to sit down before spotting Kagami at the top of the stairs. She's stuck frozen there for a moment. It really is uncanny. He looks just like Riku, just a bit younger. She's never met another replica before, though, of course, she'd read about Riku's, and numerous other failures. Vexen and Xemnas hadn't been kind about Kagami. She'd always felt so sorry for him.]

It must be weird.

[Finally, she speaks!]

Meeting your sister in person for the first time.

[darkimitation]

[He has something in his hand when he finally gets to the bottom of the stairs. What is it exactly? Music sheets. Of course Xion can't read them, but perhaps she'll be curious about them. He also speaks to her as he makes his way to the downstairs closet.]

A bit yeah, but I know something that might cheer you up. [From said closet, he pulls out what looks like a guitar case. Opening it, there's a very nice acoustic guitar in it. He gestures for her to follow him to the couch, if she does, she'll see him sitting there with the guitar in a position to play it. He even does so by playing Xion a special song for a few minutes silently. Once he's done however, he'll look at her for her reaction.]

[hightiderising]

[By the time Xion examines the music sheets and begins to ask just what he's doing with those, he's pulling a guitar out the closet. She keeps her mouth shut as she follows him to the couch, and respectfully staying quiet as he plays for her.

It's nice... It's relaxing. In fact, she didn't realize how tired she was before this. Somewhat against her will, her eyes close and she listens to the rest of the song like that, smiling through it.

When it's done, she opens her eyes and applauds softly.]

That was really amazing. Where did you learn to play like that? Vexen wouldn't have given you that talent.

[darkimitation]

[He sets the guitar at his side and stares back at Xion. He gestures for her to on the side of him that's not where the guitar is. That way they can have an easier time talking to one another.]

I learned over the summer here. Though to be honest, I've actually learned a lot here. I'm sure you'll be able to do the same.

[hightiderising]

[After some hesitation, Xion goes to sit next to him, but still gives herself some space between herself and Kagami. It's nothing personal. She's just still nervous.]

I hope so. It's funny. For people like us, this place is a second chance. Here, we can be more than we were meant to be. More than Riku, or more than Sora... more than puppets.

[redigere]

[Naminé has nothing if not an infinite amount of patience. She's curled up on the couch now, eyes tracing the patterns of the throw blanket under her fingers, her thoughts wandering here and there. She might be dozing off for a nap, though, if the boys are going to take this long to come back.]

[heartisabattleground]

[ BANG!

That's the noise the door makes when Sora throws it open to the house. He had been searching everywhere for this girl and now finally he can meet her. He's huffing and puffing, clearly out of breath as he looks around. ]

I didn't miss her did I? She's on her way?

[redigere]

[Holy Light. Naminé jumps a good foot in the air, eyes wide and wildly looking around, expecting someone to be coming at her with a weapon. But it's just the force of nature called Sora. She lets out a relieved sigh and sags against the couch.]

No, you didn't miss her. She's right here, Sora.

[hightiderising]

[Between Sora stomping around and Naminé's jumping, Xion ends up backed into the couch with her Keyblade in her hand. She quickly dismisses it though as soon as she realizes there's not an actual threat - just Sora.

Oh. Sora.

Well, it had to happen sooner or later. Naminé's presence here makes it easier - if she notices Xion doing anything, they'll know right away. So it's fine. It's totally fine.

Xion stands up and walks over to him. Should she shake his hand? Hug him? What's normal here?]

It's... nice to finally meet you.

[heartisabattleground]

[ Sora would've apologized to Naminé for the scare if not for the fact that she pointed Xion out. He turns to the other girl and his eyes widen in recognition. It was the girl, the one he had saw briefly in the dream world. He had reached out and took her hand, mistaking her for Naminé before seeing her true face.

Again it comes back like a surge of emotion and he feels that tightness in his chest, the same pain that wasn't his but still heart wrenching all the same. He feels the tear run down his cheek even before he realizes he's crying all the same.

Still, he reaches out and takes her hand like he had done before to make sure she wouldn't run on him.

Her words almost miss his ear but he catches it and offers a smile, if not riddled with a twinge of sadness in it. ]

It's good to meet you too.

[hightiderising]

Sora...? Are you crying?

[She lets him take her hand and this time, she doesn't pull away. Although... she feels bad. She didn't mean to make him cry. After everything they all told her, Xion thought he'd be happy to meet her. He's trying to smile, but that's just it, isn't it? Trying?]

... Is it because I look like Kairi?

[Like Axel and Roxas, she's not here either. Xion gets that he'd probably be upset about that. He'd probably rather have her, here, afterall.]

[heartisabattleground]

Wha-? Oh. [ He's quick to rub the tears from his face, again unsure as to why it happened once more. Still, he doubt that helped as she looked even more upset. The question however catches him completely off guard.

He won't lie to himself that this girl does bear a remarkable resemblance to Kairi, but he knew that wasn't why.

Sora quickly shakes his head at her question his smile still soft but still carrying that sadness. ]

That's not it at all. It's just-I met you back home for a moment. You ran and...well, I met Roxas there too and I felt- [ and at this point he has placed a hand over his heart ]
what he felt and saw everything he went through.

And...I felt what happened to you and I was sad. I can't imagine what you went through or what the Organization did to you but I wanted to tell you it isn't your fault. That you deserve to be your own person.

[hightiderising]

[Take a guess how much of that sounds good to Xion. Was it zero percent? You'd be right.

He saw everything that happened to her? To Roxas? That's terrible. She wouldn't want to relive it, and she can't imagine what it was like for him to experience something as hard as Roxas's life firsthand.

But there's a question there. Can she be her own person? She always wanted to be. For so long, she didn't even know there was any other way to be. Xion just developed her own personality and self through her friendships and experiences... and then gave it all up.]

I'd... I'd like that. I'm not sure if I deserve it, though.

[However, this is Sora. He'll just insist anyway.]

If I am... and I can be... Do you think that we can be friends?

Re: locked to the KH cast

[resipiscent]

[Riku arrives shortly after Sora -- he stopped to get ice cream, actually, heading to the convenience store before he gets back. He knows how to lure a Xion, okay. So when he finally gets to Heropa 33 again, he heads first to the fridge, to leave the bag from the store in the freezer. They were unsuccessful finding Xion, but apparently Namine wasn't, so he peeks into the living room from there, eyebrows raised.]

... Hi.

[hightiderising]

[The ice cream totally would have worked if he didn't have Sora and Kagami tailing along with him. She trusts Riku quite a bit and so she feels bad for running away from him the way she did.]

I'm sorry.

[It's even the first thing out of her mouth when she spots him. Then:]

Hi.

[And after one last awkward pause:]

I was just scared.

[resipiscent]

I know.

[He approaches slowly, hands loose at his sides. Riku can be threatening if he wants to, but at this moment he's trying to be the opposite.]

You'll be all right.

[hightiderising]

I want things to be different here. Maybe even the way they were before, even if I don't remember that. I hope we can be friends again. And... I'm sorry again that I don't remember that time.

[She looks down.]

I know what that's like.

[resipiscent]

It's okay. That's... just one of the hazards of living here, unfortunately.

[He moves a little closer, then settles on the couch, next to the arm-rest, so as to give her space if she wants it.]

I can answer any questions you have, too, if you like.

[hightiderising]

Everyone keeps saying that...

[Not that it's a bad thing. Just that she has too many questions to narrow it down to an acceptable and reasonable amount.]

Why are we here? Why can't I get back home through my corridors?

[resipiscent]

There are... multiple answers to your first question, but the second one is easy, in that I don't know. I've wondered that, too. I tested this out with someone once, but there's a -- barrier. So opening a Corridor doesn't work except for moving around on this world.

[Riku shifts in his seat a little, leaned forward as to not squash his wings. He's sitting on one foot, and the other reaches out as his dog passes. When his toe comes into contact with Shiro's side, he instantly flops next to his master, tail wagging as Riku rubs his belly.]

As for the first one... there are a lot of different reasons. The official one, as told by the government, is what they told you when you arrived, about the war, and about being heroes, and all that. But they -- the way we arrive is uncontrolled. If it were, they'd be able to weed out problems before they arrived. So something else is going on, beyond that. I haven't really... figured it all out, yet. You'd think I would have, considering how long I've been around.

[hightiderising]

Oh, I see... Then we can't go home.

[It's not a huge problem for her. There's not a lot left back on their worlds for her, anyway, except Roxas and Axel and she knows they're both gone, anyway. Besides, home, she wouldn't--

Dog.

There's a dog.

It's a big dog.

Her entire train of thought is lost as she reaches out to pet this big fluff dog.]