[OPEN]

[showmeanguish]

Who: Vanitas and YOU!
What: A late onset (or singling out) of a de-aging curse. Vanitas will be his newly created self for the next few, in-game days, and will have no memory of his previous life.
When: Day 128.
Where: Hel and later Gefion Park.
Rating: G or PG, probably no more than that.



[Scenario One: Morning in Hel. There's a kid decked out in the weirdest spiderman costume ever, complete with helmet, prowling around the lower hallways. He looks like he could be lost, and when he spots the nearest inhabitant (lucky you if you happen to be just stumbling out of your room from sleep), expect to be accosted with questions.

"Who are you, and where am I?"]

[Scenario Two: Sometime after lunch, the masked boy has managed to wander out to Gefion Park. His attention's been caught by some geese... or actually, accosted, after he'd accidentally walked over their nesting site by the pond. And they seem to be intent on driving him as far away as possible by flapping their wings and nipping at his back as he tries to escape. Little help?]

Comments

it's okay o/

[showmeanguish]

How d'you know that, for sure?

[Her next question is slightly more well received, as he nods again.] Hel, I guess. It's where I woke up this morning.

[lethechained]

Mm... experience, I suppose. You're not the first person to have that kind of problem, here. Everybody I know who did seemed to sort it out, after a while.

[She nods in return, approving.] Good. That way you have somewhere to go. [Come to think of it, though,] Have the others there been treating you well, so far?

[showmeanguish]

[Her last question gets a small snort.] Only ran into one of them. And let's just say he was more interested in humiliating me than helping.

[Stupid Kaz.]

[lethechained]

[A tiny frown tugs at her lips.]

I see. I'm sorry, you... didn't get the friendliest House. ... What was his name? The person who bothered you, I mean.

[showmeanguish]

Kaz, or something like that.

[He waves it off a little.] The guy's a creep, you can bet I'll be avoiding him from now on.

[lethechained]

[Expression darkening instantly at that name, she lets out a short, tellingly flat,]

Oh.

[She nods slowly at that last comment, then adds,]

That's... probably for the best. He's not exactly--.... [She falters, then shakes her head.] ... He didn't hurt you, did he?

[showmeanguish]

[He gives a sharp shake of his head. The only thing he hurt was his pride, but the guy was obviously insane. So maybe that's to be expected.]

Why do you care?

[lethechained]

[For a short time, the first part of that response seems to relieve her, but then he says that and she straightens slightly, regarding him. Eventually the tiniest hint of a head tilt appears.]

Why shouldn't I?

[showmeanguish]

It doesn't affect you if I get hurt or not. Besides, you don't even know what kind of person I am.

[lethechained]

... You might be surprised. [But which part of that assertion she's talking about is unclear. Then,]

And none of those things mean it can't matter to me what happens to you. I'd... prefer you didn't have to be hurt. [Though the alternate meanings of that might not be clear to someone else.]

[showmeanguish]

[He catches the 'have' on that, and takes a step back. All of a sudden, his form is tense and straight, gaze staring at her directly through his helmet.]

That's not up to you.

[lethechained]

[Unable to help instantly noticing the change, she feels a frown tug at her lips, but her own posture remains relatively unchanged save for a slight stillness. It takes her a moment to respond, but her tone is still patient, still level.]

Of course not. After all, I can't follow you around and protect you all of the time.

[And she offers a small smile that could almost be described as apologetic, but which part is she apologizing for?]

[showmeanguish]

So why bother?

[His mood is clearly taking a downturn, now, his voice frustrated.] I don't understand why everyone's being nice. It's like you all wanna give me false hope.

[lethechained]

[There's an uncomfortable feeling in her chest, heavy and unwelcome, that awakens at that tone. She breathes out a nearly silent sigh, trying not to frown. Her eyes search the ground for a moment, then raises her eyes again, trying to offer a smile and marginally succeeding.]

You're a person, aren't you? You have feelings, and thoughts, and... goals. Isn't that reason enough? [Pity, really, is more than enough reason all on its own, too.] And-- who says that it has to be false hope?

How much do you really know about this place, or the people you've met? You might find out that your life can be... different, here, from how it was before.

[showmeanguish]

Can be.

[But he shakes his head, finally turning away. After he's been here for more than a couple days, only then will he really start to relax. He's too afraid of the idea that Xehanort could find him, to really take comfort in that.]

And I've heard some. I know people supposedly can't leave. [But no one ever said anything about coming in, which is the point he's most fixated on.]

[lethechained]

[Her eyes follow him, though she doesn't move from her spot.]

... It may not mean much to hear it from another person you don't remember, but... it's true. We can't leave unless we're sent away.

[She pauses, regarding him quietly for a moment. She's been trying to gauge exactly how much he remembers - or, perhaps it would be better to consider it a matter of things he has yet to see rather than a matter of things forgotten, if his apparent shift in age is any indication - but it's difficult, at least without asking him directly how old he is. The way he acts, though... she can't help thinking he's probably still very, very young. (It's strange, seeing him so small, so-- well, comparatively at least, vulnerable. That's not to say that she didn't know of a time that he was; it's just been a long time since she got to see even a fragment of that in memories.)]

[Thinking back to her own early days is... unpleasant. She does so nevertheless, remembers the time when the universe was small and cold and dark and lonely and every look or touch or word was a threat and a threat that could easily be made good on, and she remembers when it felt almost like she was held captive by watchful and vindictive gods, always there and always in control and always always always watching. Something in her chest feels cold with remembered fear all twisted together with pity.]

You know... there are a lot of things to do here. Lots of things to see, and people to meet, and... places to go. ['Places to hide.' (And maybe what else she's not saying is, 'You're free.' Or more free, at least.)] It might not be so bad.

[showmeanguish]

['It's overwhelming', is what he's thinking, but there's a part of him that's also a little excited and exploding with curiosity. He does want to explore and do everything she'd described, but that hesitation's still there. His strength (or some might call it something else) that his older self had developed isn't there yet--he doesn't hate the world, only those he has reason to. He's only days old, and the notion of disobedience equals punishment has been branded deep into his psyche.

But he still wants to disobey. He wants to break all the rules and do something selfish. Wants to shirk his training and find something he can enjoy.

Freedom is a scary thing.]

It won't last.

[Ah, but there's that pessimism again. Already, he's more of a realist than anyone his age ought to be.]

But... I can make the most of it, I guess.

[lethechained]

[It was overwhelming for her, too, once upon a time. It still is, really, it's just that she's managed to sort of come to terms with that. Perhaps this curse is part blessing, at least in that he has the chance, now, to experience a better life than he really had at that time in his life, even if it's only for a little while. Whether or not it makes any kind of lasting difference remains to be seen, but if he can have even a moment of comfort--]

Not many things last forever. Not the good, and not the bad.

[And she remains on the practical side, no stranger to ugly truths. At least in that statement there is also hope. A tiny smile blooms on her face.]

Mm. You can. So... good luck. ... I hope that you find peace.

[showmeanguish]

[He's silent for a good stretch, before his head cocks a little at her. Though the visor doesn't give much away as far as his expression goes, one can almost imagine a curious look on his face.]

Who are you?

[lethechained]

[The girl stares back at him, uncertain what's going on behind that mask but content to wait for further evidence. The question makes her mouth sneak toward an 'o' for just a second before easing into a tiny smile. That's a loaded question, isn't it? There are a lot of ways to answer, most of which are inadvisable in this situation. So, opting for a more superficial and therefore safer route,]

My name is Naminé.