ordalias | [Video | Action for Saffron City]

[ When the feed clicks on, it's the sky. Then Bahamut the Gabite looms his head over the Gear before picking it up and Gaaaaaaabiiiites at the feed in greeting. He's never really played with his trainer's Gear before, but now he can since he now has arms! ]

Ah, I think that's enough for now, dearie. Thank you so much for your help!

It was my pleasure, ma'am.

[ Bahamut turns the feed and shifts onto Xion and a young woman. Despite having her right arm in a sling, it looks like Xion's carrying a bunch of bags and a box on her left arm. Her back's turned, unaware that her Pokemon's messing with the Gear. Xion's giving the items back to the woman, probably things from a shopping spree. ]

You're working hard, aren't you? Preparing early for Christmas?

Yes.

How wonderful! Oh, your friends must be so lucky. Well, I'll send in a good word at the Market. But I think you deserve something a little extra...

Extra? No, that's fine, I-

[ And then the woman leans forward and... something happens. Kissing?! Bahamut makes a sound. It's unsure where the woman kissed Xion; maybe the forehead? The nose? The cheek? Lips?! But it's brief, and the woman waves heartily with a "Tootaloo!" while Xion just stands there, dumbfounded. ]

Uhh... [ She raises a hand to the spot. What was that? What did she do? Then she remembers Bahamut's behind her, and turns. ] Did you see that? Did you see what she did to m-

[ He's recording. Recording. Other people have seen. She... isn't sure if this is a good thing. ] Bahamut... turn that off.

[ Bahamut the Gabite just jumps up and down in glee for his trainer, shaking the feed. Mates! Mates! And then he does what he's told. ]

[ ooc: Rest? REST?! REST IS FOR THE WEAK. As for the reason why she's working... Christmas Gift List! ]

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[And Ven smiles in return, glad she seems to have liked that story]

Yeah, me too. They went through an awful lot, but that's kind of what I meant with princes and princesses. I know Thumbelina didn't start off as one, but still.

So you don't have to be actual royalty to become a prince or princess.

Love's a powerful emotion, isn't it? Despite what Mrs. Toad was trying to do... They did all of that for each other.

Right, sometimes you're completely ordinary, or different in some other way. I think you can be somebody's princess without ever being royalty, too.

One thing I learned while traveling the worlds was that the connections between people are really powerful. The ones that matter to you, you can do almost anything for - loving somebody makes you stronger.

[ She's quiet after he says that last bit, looking back on why she did the things she did back at home... It was for Roxas and Axel, because she loved her two best friends so much, she didn't want to hurt them anymore. Even though they'll forget, she won't. ]

... Yeah, I agree with that.

[ Although the type of "love" she's thinking about in the case of Roxas and Axel? Totally different from the one between Thumbelina and Cornelius. ]

[Ven understands friend-love best, even if he knows fairytale romance when he sees it]

Although I don't know about it from experience, not the romantic kind and stuff. But my friends are really important to me, and I was able to do what I needed to because of them.

... What you needed to do?

[ Hoo boy. ]

[Are they seriously having the discussion I think they've having-]

...Yeah. You see, I had to stop Vanitas, but he's a part of me.

He... But isn't he... He said he was your heart's Darkness?

[ /gets the popcorn ]

[Ven nods, seeming somewhat distant as he replies. Perhaps it's jsut the somber nature of what transpired]

My first Master, Xehanort, wanted me to use the power of darkness. But I wouldn't, and it almost got me killed. Since I wouldn't use it, I guess he decided he would, and he separated it from me.

That's Vanitas.

Xehanort? [ ... Nope, never heard the name before. It takes her a longer to respond. ]

But, wait, he looks so much like Sora under the mask... Why is that?

Vanitas took a lot out of me, when we were separated. Too much, I guess, according to something Xehanort had written. He thought I was a goner, so he left me on this island...

I didn't know it at the time, but Sora helped fill in the void in my heart. And I think because Vanitas and I were connected, even though we were apart, Sora's influence showed.

...Physically, anyway. Their attitudes aren't at all alike.

Yeah, they can't be similar in personality. They couldn't. [ She might sound a bit bitter at this, but that's towards Vanitas.

Then she thinks a bit further... ] He, Vanitas... He's a part of your heart, right? And even if Sora helped to fill in that gap... What happened when you defeated him? Did that do anything to you?

[Ven nods, quiet at first, gaze turned toward his bottle of ramune. It's not really the best news, but he's told enough of his friends about it. Lying wouldn't be right]

Far as I can tell, my heart and body have been separate for at least ten years. And ever since that happened, I've been asleep.

He wondered what happened to him, and I couldn't tell him.

[By which he means Vanitas]

He doesn't know you defeated him?

No, he knows that part. I mean, he's been wondering what comes after that.

Do you really know?

[Video | Action for Saffron City]

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