Day 7 | ~ Moshimoshi ~ | Video

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

[Xion turns the video feed on. It's midday and her hood is back up, but she's sitting outside on a bench across the street from the phone booth.]

Thank you... whoever found the antidote. That was... close. At least, it felt like it.

[She lets out a slow exhale.]

Anyway... I think I found the source of the ringing. [She turns her CAT so it catches sight of the phone booth.] There's a phone in there that's going off all the time. But when I picked it up, all I heard was beeping. When I hung up, it started ringing again.

[She turns the CAT around again.] Did... Anyone else get that message? [She fiddles with her CAT to find the text, and then she reads it aloud.] "No time to talk. Find the booth, don't get caught. Come between midnight and one. More to come later."

... pretty straight-forward. But with that curfew... [Xion frowns.]

But I think it's important. This is like the music inside the greenhouse. It's not going to just go away. [She pauses, then mutters bitterly:] Not yet, anyway.

[She shakes her head.] The regular people can't hear the phone or see the booth. Whatever is going on... It's up to us to figure it out.

Comments

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

[=x] Thank you. [She takes one, but hesitates before eating it. Can't really blame her for being wary.]

I don't know. It might... not be from someone in charge of the town. Or someone who used to. I don't get that feeling. Maybe they're someone who escaped. Or... something.

[bit_impossible]

Don't worry, I examined them thoroughly. No sign of nanotechnology in these or anything harmful.

Escaped? Hmm. Hadn't really given that one much thought, to be honest. After all, if you'd escaped, why hang around?

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

[Nano... technology?]

Maybe... to help the next people.

[bit_impossible]

That's not terribly optimistic of them, is it? Thinking they can escape only to doom another batch of people to the same fate.

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

... hmmmm. [Xion brings her hand up to her cheek, thinking.]

[bit_impossible]

[swivels in his seat to face Xion a bit better] What would you?

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

... [Xion slowly lowers her hand back into her lap.] I... [She clasps her hands together.] There's someone... who's depending on me, back home. A lot of people. They'd be... sad. If I don't go back. And there's... something... important that I have to do. Someone important... [Her voice tapers off.]

[But after a moment, she looks up.] But if it wasn't for that -- If I knew someone was going to get stuck here... I couldn't just leave. No... Even with that, I couldn't just abandon them.

[bit_impossible]

[he smiles, impressed with the maturity Xion displays.] Then let's see if we can do both, eh? Save everyone here, escape, and then get everyone home. And if need be...perhaps I could give you a lift. But only the ride home and nothing more.

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

... Where else would you be able to take me, anyway?

[bit_impossible]

Anywhere in the universe. I'm a traveller, you see.

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

A traveller? Why?

[bit_impossible]

[sounds surprised] Why? Why not? Haven't you ever wanted to see what's out there? There is so much to see and do!

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

... so it's... just to explore? [The idea sounds almost foreign to her.]

[bit_impossible]

Why else? See the sights, taste the food, experience the local culture... [he smiles broadly] I mean, sure, you might run into danger every now and then, but travelling always has its risks!

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

... I've... travelled, but I was never... I had to -- I was supposed to stay out of the way. Just watch and observe and fight Heartless. See the sights, I guess, but...

[bit_impossible]

All work and no play, huh? Not exactly your typical business trip. Then again, battling something called the Heartless, I wouldn't imagine it'd be. Do you still travel though? It isn't too late to add things to your itinerary.

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

I... it's... it's a long story.

[bit_impossible]

Well... We have plenty of time before the curfew goes into effect and my schedule is pretty much open. That is, if you want to talk about your travels with me.

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

[The pause is heavy. Could she tell him about her travels, about the Organization, without telling him about... herself? About what she did? He's so kind, but -- What if... After all, she's just a puppet. What if he decides she's not worth his time after he finds out what she is? What if he hates her after finding out what she did? She ki --

She takes a deep breath suddenly, and another. She can leave that out. She can, can't she? He's so kind... She wants to trust him. She wants...

I just hope that those times we spent watching the sun set were real.

He's so kind. Maybe... ]

... okay. [Such a small word has so much weight.] But can we... go somewhere -- else? There's someone who I... don't want to find me.

[bit_impossible]

[he smiles and stands up, tucking a now closed box of chocolate-covered cherries back into his pocket] Sure. Lead the way! [he'll save his question about this mysterious person who's after Xion for later]

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

[Um...

... all she can think of is her house.]

Do you mind... If we use a dark corridor?

[bit_impossible]

Mind? [his face splits into a grin] Not at all! I'd love to see it. Well, I've already seen it, but using it is a different matter entirely!

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

[Xion hesitates, all the same.] But... it's...

... Just this once, okay? It's not safe for -- for people with... Just this once. [Once can't hurt, right? (And what about her? Does she have a heart? Wouldn't that make dark corridors dangerous for her, too? ...

She turns and holds out her hand, opening the dark corridor as she did before.] You'll have to go in first; it'll close if I do. I'll be right behind you, and I can lead the way.

[bit_impossible]

Oh, once is just fine enough for me. [moves to stand before the dark corridor, reaching back to pull the collar of his long coat over his head. he figures there must be some reason for Xion to wear a hood, and perhaps this is it]

Well, here I go. Catch me up! [steps into the corridor and keeps on going until he reaches the end]

[irreversibly.livejournal.com]

[The entrance to the corridor looks almost like a whirlpool, tall and almost egg-shaped and churning black and purple, and the inside of it doesn't look much different, with the swirling darkness forming the solid ground and the walls of the tunnel. The corridor seems to stretch on forever.

Xion enters in close behind him.] This way. And stay close.

[She seems to have no trouble navigating it, seeming to instinctively know where to go. After a surprisingly short moment, she holds out her arm and an exit forms -- the same height and shape as the entrance, but it opens out to her room.]