oo44 [ action ]

[fourteen]

[ There is a girl in the village plaza who looks rather out of sorts as she sits on the ground, legs out to her sides, in a random sort of spot. She is kind of blank-faced as she stares at the other passers-by, with only a hint of confusion in her brow to betray how she's feeling.

Though it might be hard to see her face clearly under that short cape she's got on. It's black, with silver tassels. And though she's trying to watch what's going on around her, at the same time, it's like she wants to hide. But then, why isn't she moving away?

Maybe it has something to do with the carton of eggs on the ground next to her.

Though it probably has something to do with the fact that she now has white wings for arms. Can't really pick up a carton of eggs when you don't have hands, can you?

So the strange hooded girl with the feathered arms, at a loss, will just sit there for a while trying to figure out what to do.

God help you if you step on her eggs, though.

"'Poor little ugly duckling!" she would say. 'Why are you so different from the others?' And the ugly duckling felt worse than ever. He secretly wept at night. He felt nobody wanted him.

'Nobody loves me, they all tease me! Why am I different from my brothers?'" ]

(ooc; The Ugly Duckling, everybody. And yes, the pic is just a reference -- her feathers are actually white, not brown, and she's not wearing any other pieces of that costume. Cape, bird arms, and then her normal clothing beneath.)

Comments

[fabrecation]

Huh... If you want to, I can help you with them.

[But also... He finally reaches his arm around to touch her hood.]

Can I see your face?

[fourteen]

[ She flinches away from him, doubling over. ]

Don't. Don't look at me. [ She is so ugly. Why would anyone want to look at her? ]

[fabrecation]

Why, Xion? [He's seen her while she was sporting other people's faces, even a giant mouse. He saw her without a face at all. And he's always found her beautiful... never ugly.]

[fourteen]

I'm the ugly duckling... I'm so ugly even my own mother didn't want me. My brothers and sisters always made fun of me... so I left.

[ She stays doubled over, her wing arms folded protectively over her head. ]

Please don't look at me.

[fabrecation]

... I'm ugly too, you know. I'm so ugly no one wanted me for a while.

[He shifts his arm so that he can wrap it around her shoulders.]

But you're with me... right? You don't think I'm ugly. [He smiles a little.] I don't think you are, either. I think you're the most beautiful person I've met.

[fourteen]

[ She bursts into tears. Not really from what he said, or even because she feels she's so ugly. What he said was so sweet, and being told something like that...

Why? Why is she suddenly reminded of Sanji? He had no place in this conversation until her brain suddenly brought him up and made him part of it and she misses her dad so much--

Dammit. She doesn't even know why she's crying. Still ... she leans against Luke, just a little. ]

[fabrecation]

[It isn't really a surprise. Not lately, anyway... Luke pulls her close with that arm around her shoulder, and with his free hand, he carefully reaches beneath the hood, to touch her face, to brush his fingers against her wet cheeks.

If she ever needs him... to cry against, to be reminded that they have the right despite being replicas, being ugly... then he's always there. He promised her.]

[fourteen]

[ She just cries and cries. They aren't hard tears, and she's relatively quiet, she just ... wish she knew why she was doing this. Ever since she heard the news, she's been prone to just ... bursting into tears for no reason she can discern. Even if she's thinking about something else, or her attention is somewhere else completely, she just starts crying.... ]

Sorry...

[fabrecation]

[Luke can understand. After Guy left, the closest person he has to a father, there were times when Luke would feel deeply depressed. Not cry, Luke doesn't do that easily. But he'd stop what he's doing and just... stare down at the floor.

But he knew that Guy would hate to see him moping just because he's gone. He'd want to see Luke buck up and cheer up, because it's just stupid to be sad all the time when there's other things to enjoy.

Luke leans his head down to press his lips against the top of her hood before he leans back a bit.]

It's okay. I kept wanting to cry too, you know...

[fourteen]

[ She wraps her arms around him. They are stupid, ugly bird arms, and she's a stupid, ugly girl, but he loves her. And she knows that like she knows the sky is blue. ]

[fabrecation]

[... And he just smiles, and quiets down, and wraps both arms around her this time, pulling her against his chest. With the hand closest to her face, he slowly eases the hood back, with enough time for her to pull it back on if she wants to.

He wants to see her. He doesn't care if she thinks she's ugly; she never will be to him.]

[fourteen]

[ She lets him. It's much easier to remember, all wrapped up in his arms, that this isn't real -- that she isn't a duckling, or ugly. She's beautiful when she's with him. No ... she's Xion. She's Xion all the time, and she isn't ugly or awful or unloved...

It's just, around Luke ... she always feels especially beautiful.

Once he's pulled her hood back, she nuzzles his face, briefly, then ducks her head and tucks it under his chin. ]

[fabrecation]

[Briefly, he shuts her eyes and strokes her hair, content with the moment. Sure, she's got wing arms, but he can help her through that. And she shouldn't ever feel ugly.

He still strokes his hair, but he opens his eyes and glances down at her hair - what he can see, at least.]

You know you're not a duckling, right?

[fourteen]

I know. I remember now. ... thank you, Luke.