006 // I'll Come Back To Life When The Sun Kicks In, And I'll Wipe My Eyes Where The Dark Has Been

[twilightskey]

Characters: Roxas [The Little Mermaid] and YOU!
Campaign: Break
Format: Either or, I will match!
Open
Summary: A catch-all for Roxas for after Frankenhyde

A - Journal Entry
[After they all return to the Index from their time in Frankenhyde, Roxas spends a couple of days relatively quiet. And who could really blame him? Going berserk, attacking people who were friends, and ultimately dying by the hands of Hyde was a very harrowing experience. While he knows it wasn't ultimately his fault for falling under the influence, he still feels like he has to say something to those he might have hurt... and to those he definitely did hurt.]

Sender: The Little Mermaid || Roxas
Recipient: Everyone

I know that a lot of us were pretty badly affected by the past story, and a lot of us have done some things that we weren't proud of. But even if we were all under influences that were out of our control, I still wanted to reach out to anyone who I might have hurt when I wasn't myself.

I'm sorry if I hurt anyone. I'm normally not like that.

B - Around the Index
[Roxas can be found around the Index later on, doing various tasks to keep his mind busy. One such task involves his usual side-job of making deliveries aboard his skateboard. He's not afraid to venture out into the wilds to deliver some mail to Aspects, but he could also be seen (or run into) while he's in the Index properly, packages in hand. While the job lets him keep his mind occupied, he's not against stopping to say hello from time to time.]

[He can also be found in the forest, getting some practice with his Essence powers. Given his latest upgrades, he can be found near the river, a water elemental near him that, using the magic of his voice, he's trying to shape into a specific form. It looks a little funny, but he's still practicing. And still feeling distracted.]

[During the evenings around sunset, Roxas can be found atop the Library's roof, an ice cream in hand as he looks out over the Index. He eats his frozen treat quietly as he observes the view, doing his best to keep the melancholic thoughts away. He's a little hard to spot, but if you do, you could to come up and say hello and pull him from his thoughts.]

Comments

[twilightskey]

I have to go into the water to transform, yeah. And a lot of my powers are stronger when they're in the water. But if I stay out of the water too long, my legs and feet start burning and I lose my voice.

[The Dusk stops its little wiggle once Roxas stops humming, going back to looking over Fuuka curiously.]

Shadows? You mean like Shadow Heartless?

[cookingmechanic]

"Oh...that's quite the addendum to your Essence. It makes sense...but I hope you haven't had to experience that too much."

[Fuuka hoped he'd never be without water during one of the Stories. That would be awful. Her attention was drawn back to the Dusk as it stopped wiggling and then back to Roxas.]

"Um...well, Shadows where I'm from are creatures that...well, they are born of human emotion. Negative emotion, and attack any human they come across. Is that similar to your Heartless?"

[twilightskey]

Not recently, no. There was one time in my first story, but I've learned to be careful.

[Or at least learn the limits of how far he can go without water.]

It sounds like Heartless, yeah. They're born from the darkness in people's hearts, and seek out more hearts to consume.

[cookingmechanic]

"W-wow, the heartless and Shadows do sound really similar...are the Dusk like the Heartless?"

[She now eyed the creature cautiously, then looked back at Roxas.]

"You don't mind having your elemental look like something you fought?"

[twilightskey]

Sort of. If a strong-willed person became a Heartless, the body left behind might start to act with a will of its own. Those are called Nobodies, and that's what this Dusk is.

[The little elemental doesn't seem perturbed by this. It just wiggles in place.]

Not as much as the Heartless would. The Dusks used to be allies.

[cookingmechanic]

[Fuuka listened intently, her attention slowly turning back to the wiggling elemental. It was fascinating to learn about a different world that was so different from hers. Yet, perhaps it wasn't wholly foreign.]

"Hm...sometimes the Shadows in my world could become Personas. Helpful creatures that gave their users powers. So...I think I can understand what you're saying."

[She paused a moment, her mind now drifting back to her world. It had been dangerous there, for sure. But it had been home.]

"...do you miss your home world?"

[twilightskey]

Yeah. Nobodies like these were still enemies in the end, but... they're familiar to me.

[Should he admit that he, too, is a Nobody? He's not sure. But for now, he decides to follow the flow of the conversation.]

Yeah, I do. I feel like I've been away from Twilight Town for a long time, and I really do miss it and my friends who live there. But I know that I can go back if I need to. And my fighting here helps keep them safe.

[cookingmechanic]

"Yeah...it seems there's a lot of us that fought to keep our loved ones safe back home too...I wonder if we'll ever be finished fighting."

[Sighing, she glanced down and scooped up some water in her hand. It formed into a smaller version of the wiggling elemental, just big enough to fit in her hand. Mimicking the originals movements, it bounced in her hand.]

"Maybe it's better not to dwell on that. I think I'll just make myself sad..."

[The illusionary elemental twisted out of Fuuka's hands and splashed back into the river, becoming water once more. Putting on a small smile, she looked at Roxas.]

"What is Twilight Town like? The name sounds whimsical."

[twilightskey]

Yeah, there is. It's kind of funny; sometimes, it feels like fighting is all I know.

[He watches her play with the water elemental for a moment.]

But... I think it's worth it. Because by being here, we can protect our friends... right?

[He wonders what kind of world she comes from, to make her understand the struggles to fight and protect your friends. Though, he perks up when she asks about Twilight Town.]

It's a great world. It's known for its sunsets, and has the best ice cream I've ever had. It's a little on the quiet side, but I like it; it's a good break from fighting Heartless and other monsters. I would sometimes climb up the Clock Tower and just watch the sunset while eating ice cream... and there's a beach as well, that you can go to if you take the train. It's not very exciting, but... it's home.

[cookingmechanic]

[Fuuka smiled at Roxas' encouragement. Having someone else who could remind her of why she was here warmed her heart and made the weight lighter. As he began to speak on Twilight Town she could tell how much the place meant to him.]

"When you fight scary creatures, a peaceful place is precious. Especially if there's good ice cream! I don't remember the last time I had any, good or bad. It's a shame you can't have it here..."

[twilightskey]

Yeah, that's right. My best friend says it's the icing on the cake.

[He's still a little confused on the precise meaning of that phrase, but he understands it well enough to know that it's a great thing. Ice cream solves everything.]

Oh, actually, you can! There's a little ice cream shop in the Index, and I have a bamboo grove that grows sea salt ice cream. I could let you have some if you want sometime.

[cookingmechanic]

[Fuuka's face lit up and she clasped her hands together in excitement.]

"Really? I would love that! It would be so nice to have something like that. Something sweet...and normal. I think I've missed that a lot too. Normalcy. Hard to get that when I can turn into a frog at will."

[Her momentary deflation of mood passed and she smiled brightly at Roxas.]

"What could I get you in return? Hmmm, maybe I could make you something...maybe special ice cream toppings..."

[Fuuka mumbled to herself a bit, staring at the river, wondering how she could make something delicious and cute to put on top of ice cream. She'd never tried, but...it couldn't be THAT hard.]

[twilightskey]

[Roxas perks up at that, and he shakes his head, holding up his hands.]

That's okay, you don't have to feel obligated to do anything for me! I don't mind giving gifts to friends.

[cookingmechanic]

[Looking at him she returned his smile]

"So do I! Especially if it's something I can make. So just think of it as a gift exchange~!"

[twilightskey]

Alright, sounds like a plan then. I can't wait!