fourteen | oo30 [ voice // action ]

( Sokka | Locked 100% )

... I need your help. And you can't tell anyone, okay?

( Aqua | Locked 100% )

Aqua... I know we haven't spoken that much, but I need to ask you a really, really big favor.

( Sanji | Locked 100% )

[ a long silence goes here. ] ... could I stay at your house tonight?

( Luke | Locked 100% )

I'd -- [ ... ] Can I see you?

[ Xion is out of the house today. Mostly because it's become almost impossible to stay there. She hasn't slept for more than a handful of hours since Vanitas attacked -- three days ago. She's so exhausted she can barely stay on her feet, but better awake and moving than a sitting target.

Who could sleep, knowing that at any minute someone stronger than you and your friends could break into your home and kill you whenever he wanted?

It's this question that drives her to address Luceti at large, once she's got herself settled on the railing of That One Bridge. Hey, it's like right next to her house and she wanted to sit on a bridge, so sue her. ]

( filtered AWAY from Vanitas and Saix | Locked 100% )

What would you do if you didn't feel safe in your own home anymore?

[ and this is to say nothing -- not a damn thing -- of how she feels about Roxas right now. He had no excuse -- what defense could you give? -- and Axel almost died -- for what? Why? Why had any of this happened? Does she blame Roxas, for extending the invitation, or Vanitas, for taking it? Even if she had something to say to him, she couldn't -- he hasn't been home in days.

It's a very numb Poppet that's sitting on that there railing, swinging her legs and staring at the water below. Please interrupt her thoughts -- for they are very grim ones. ]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[Xion's not the only one who's been irritated by recent events. For most of the day, Riku's been pacing back and forth around the house, occasionally stopping to practice some of the magic Aqua taught him. He's on-edge because he's seen first hand what Vanitas can do, and it's not pretty.

But for now, he'll take a break and see what she's up to. It's obvious that she's not in the best of moods.]

We'll figure something out.

[Ven's a bit hesitant about responding, especially after their last conversation, but...]

You could always stay close to your friends. It's always safer when you're in a group.

Edited 2011-01-08 03:56 (UTC)

[Remember this girl? She's an awful lot quieter these days. And she's walking along the bridge, nose in a book. She looks up enough to chart her path around Xion instead of running into the other girl, and when she's close enough, she gives a polite nod.]

Edited 2011-01-08 04:03 (UTC)

What you need, lass, is a security system what would keep the unsafe things away.

[ she doesn't really react to his approach, and for a long, quiet moment, she doesn't even respond, still staring down at the water. then, finally: ]

I hope so. I don't know if I'm ever gonna sleep again like this.

If you don't feel safe where you're living, I don't think there's anything wrong with asking for help or finding a new place to go.

Nailing the windows shut seemed to work for a while.

[ Ven. Xion still isn't sure how to feel about him -- but she does feel bad about being so angry at him last time they spoke. It wasn't really his fault. ]

... I know, but ... what if that's not enough? Plus, we can't stay together all the time...

[ of course she does. how could she forget? even after so long...

she blinks when Ami passes by -- blinks again -- and then recognition dawns, and she can't help a: ]

Hey!

[That's fine. He'll go ahead and lean on the other side of the bridge, shaking his head.]

The way I see it, we have a few options. We could find somewhere else to stay, take turns guarding the house, or see if there's some way we can protect it.

[Sigh.]

I just wish there was some way we could stop him.

... something like that. But what?

[Huhwha? Ami stops in her tracks and turns back to Xion with a somewhat questioning look.]

... I don't think finding a new place would help... [ he'd find them again. she knows it. ]

I guess that's why I'm asking. I'll take anything right now.

... it wouldn't be enough. Not for him.

You know finding someplace else to stay won't help. He found us once, he can just do it again. And even if we guard the house... it seems like he could probably overpower us. [ shakes her head. ] It's got to be the last one... I just don't know how.

[ a beat, and then she actually looks at him. ]

... me too. But I haven't been able to think of anything.

[ uh--

pauses. she ... does know this girl, right? ]

I'm -- I'm sorry, it's just ... you seem really familiar, somehow.

I guess you're right.

[A beat. If he sounds a little more somber than usual, that's because he is.]

I fought him, y'know.

[Ami nods, and finds a slight smile. Apparently they do know each other.]

I know. It all sounds great in theory, but we have to be realistic.

[He frowns.]

Guess all we can do is ask around and hope for the best. I'd go after him myself, but I know better.

[ ... horrified!face. ]

You -- you did? Are you okay? I mean... I guess you must be, but -- what happened?

... I did ask. [ she holds up the journal with a tiny, rueful little smile ] So I'm-- [ a beat, and a frown. ] ... good. He's too strong for most of us.

[ ... looks away again. it's a tough thing to admit -- especially when she'd like nothing better than to go after him herself. ]

I beat him. It was tough, but I made it out okay.

[But that's not all. He's just hesitant to touch upon the information he picked up.]

Why not a slightly mad swordsman?

[ ... that gets Xion to smile in return, her troubles momentarily forgotten. ]

I do know you, don't I? [ ... but she isn't replying. Repliku comes to mind, and she tilts her head. ] Can you speak?

Slightly ... mad?

[ ... that does not fill a girl with confidence, Jack. ]

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