White Knight: Fifty One :Thump Thump
"Get up, mouse."
She groaned, and looked up at him. What a bastard.
The dark haired boy threw a crumpled piece of paper into the garbage, and gave her a look. "Heal yourself and get out. I have shit to do."
"Wha…" she murmured, her head feeling incredibly heavy. Then she realized it. "You knocked me out again?" Aqua asked, trying to pull herself up. Honestly, the floor was pretty comfortable considering her head felt like it was cracked in the back. Which, knowing Vanitas, it was.
He yanked her to her feet, and she rocked, looking rather disgruntled. "I didn't give you a concussion or anything, mouse."
Aqua rubbed the back of her head, and felt around for the source of the pain. She winced when her fingers ran over a rather big bump, and sent some healing magic into this area. The pain faded quickly.
Her vision became a little clearer, and things stopped spinning. She blinked slowly, and glanced at Vanitas.
"Hey…" she said slowly.
He rolled his eyes. "I don't want to talk about it. At all." He shot a very heated glare at her, making her shift uncomfortably. "Back off."
"Vanitas, I…" Aqua started. She stopped. She didn't know what to say. She had no clue how to even start. "I… I'm sorry… I…"
"I told you to leave," he said, pushing her toward the door. "Didn't you hear me?"
"I know." Aqua looked at her wrist, which was tightly enclosed in Vanitas's hand. "But I just…"
"Stop," Vanitas demanded, giving her a steady, almost commanding look. "Seriously. Talk to me later when I feel up to it."
Her eyes widened a little. "Are you alright?" she asked, something knotting in her stomach, telling her it was probably her fault.
"No." Vanitas shoved her at the door. "Leave."
Aqua stumbled back into the door, feeling almost sad at his attitude toward her. She looked at him. "Fine," she murmured. "Fine. I'll leave." She tore her wrist from his grasp, and gave him a long look. Her eyes narrowed. "But you really have to learn to trust me."
"I don't have to trust anyone," Vanitas snarled. "Least of all you!"
Aqua's eyes hardened. With every word the duo spoke, the air seemed to get heavier. They're attitudes were oppressive, and she was beginning to notice. With words, and anger, they were changing the way the world worked. Because Aqua was not an angry person, and Vanitas was never nice. These things were turning them inside out. The air was thick with their worries and secrets.
"If you don't learn to trust people," Aqua said, turning her back to the boy. "Then you might as well be damned."
"Thank you for the insight," Vanitas spat dryly. "But in case it's slipped that magnificent mind of yours, I am already damned."
"If you think so," Aqua muttered through gritted teeth. "So be it."
She left the room, feeling heavier. Darker, and more tired than before. Every step was a struggle. She felt herself spiraling into darkness, reaching desperately for something to cling to, but nothing… nothing was there.
Maybe she was being over dramatic, but she could feel it. The darkness around her. For the first time in her life, she could feel the Dark Region's pulse. The floor beneath her thumped like a heart, twiddling with her senses. The beat pounded in her ears. It made her feel like she had a weight strapped to her shoulders and legs.
But the ground kept pulsing. Beating like a drum in her ears, in her mind, in her heart. Stepping forward was a hassle. She could hear it clearly now. In the darkness, whispers attached themselves to her, warning, waning her world. The whispers had no form. They had no texture, no voice, no life. Empty words were empty words, spat at her in the darkness. They were warning. But of what? She had no clue.
Her breaths became shorter. She couldn't remember how to breathe. The whispers, and the pulsing floor, and the darkness that was smothering her just added up. She couldn't think clearly. She wondered if this was real… or if it was just in her head. Maybe Vanitas was doing something?
No.
This was real.
Thump-thump-thump.
Was it her heart making the audible pounding, or was it the pulsing darkness around her?
Naminé fell back as they entered the large ballroom. It was huge, of course. Large enough for most of the citizens of the Dark Region to fit in it. And sure enough, people were flooding into the room, chatting idly, and smiling to one another. The girl felt a little lost.
Roxas hung at her side, a little frightened as people began to notice the twin. Ven had completely given up the art of stealth, running up to random strangers who Naminé was sure didn't know him at all, and asking their names.
Naminé smiled at his quirkiness, but she wasn't liking the attention. Like Roxas, she was beginning to feel uncomfortable.
She liked that Roxas and Ven were with her though. Ventus, the boy that cleared her head enough to let her see the light, and Roxas, who was not anything quite that special, but still. She felt close enough to him. And they both looked so cute, with their dress clothes…
She knew she didn't look all that great. She had picked out the simplest dress she could find, one that looked much like her usual white dress, with subtle changes in the straps and the way it flowed at her knees. She knew the differences quite well. It was strange to walk around like everything was… alright.
And she was still nagging herself about Vanitas.
She wasn't even sure why or what she had done to him. And it was furiously gnawing at her brain to know that she was killing him. That she was going to be responsible for his death.
But then again, he could easily prevent it… right? Saving her would set things right. She could keep his emotions in check. She could probably live normally with Ven and Aqua, and Roxas and… well, Xion, if she ever got over her fears.
Speak of the devil, Xion was walking carefully toward her. Roxas, who was still standing rather close to her side, scooted even closer. Naminé looked up at him. His eyes had gone wide at the sight of the dark haired girl. Recognition shone a little too brightly.
Naminé looked back to Xion, a frown gracing her lips. The 'twin' looked sullen, and tired.
"Naminé…" Xion murmured.
Naminé said nothing. She only stared at her blankly, not sure whether or not to respond. Roxas opened his mouth, but Naminé tugged on his sleeve before he could get any words out.
"Hello, Xion," she said cautiously. Roxas looked down at her, looking utterly lost.
"Roxas, this is my…" Naminé fell short. She was introducing Xion, but…
She didn't really know who Xion was. And saying the girl was her twin was not going to fly well. She didn't want to lie anymore.
"My… friend, Xion."
Xion stiffened. Her sharp blue eyes flickered to Naminé's face, begging for something like hate. But she got nothing.
Naminé knew Xion better than Xion knew her. Xion was quiet, and submissive. Like Naminé had been when she was first created. But Naminé learned. Xion just sat, and succumbed to her fears.
Naminé had hated her. Loathed her very existence. Xion kept stuffed animals to keep herself from feeling alone, so Naminé took them and ripped them to shreds. She thought she was alone. At least she wasn't trapped inside her own head! How Xion had the audacity to think she suffered compared to her, Naminé never knew. But now she saw that Xion really wasn't evil.
No. She was just pitiful.
What a worthless existence, she thought, looking upon the black haired girl. Why doesn't she stand up for herself, and get herself something to live for?
Because if she only wanted to protect her life, then what was it? At all? Pathetic, and useless. Naminé saw that Riku cared about the girl, but the girl had no clue what it meant to care for anything.
And so…
This was the reason why Naminé really got better. She realized she needed more to live for, and she got it. She had Ven, and Aqua, and Terra (though her never talked to her, she hoped he at least cared a little for her), and Roxas, and Vanitas.
What helped was the clearness of Ven. He just cut through all the bad, and illuminated all the good. Grogginess, and faded memories taunted her before. But now she could barely remember the fact that she had been created. Vanitas really knew how to heal. Or maybe it was just the darkness in his power. It cut off her memories. Made recent things sharp, and old things foggy.
Naminé stepped around Xion, feeling rather annoyed with her. She really needed to get on her feet. Before she get completely loses her sense of life.
Roxas ran quickly after her, throwing Xion a long look of confusion, before the words he had been searching for came tumbling from his mouth.
"She looks exactly like Kairi, save the hair."
"Kairi…" Naminé murmured, the name ringing a bell in the back of her mind. "Right. Don't mind that. She looks like a lot of people. Easy to get confused."
"But—" Roxas started. Naminé looked at him, and shook her head.
"Don't." She looked around with a tiny bit of worry showing in her doll-like features. "Xion's different. Get involved with her at your own risk. She has moral issues."
"Doesn't everyone here?" Roxas muttered, looking around the room. Dozens of party goers passed, and Naminé could tell he saw through them just as well as she could.
"Some," Naminé murmured. "Some, but not all."
"Ven doesn't, I guess…" Roxas said, looking to his twin, who was chatting idly with Hope, who had just walked in with a very pretty looking Lightning.
"No." Naminé smiled, stepping toward them. "Ven's moral compass points directly north."
"It's odd," Roxas said, smiling as well. "I mean, Ven is so… happy. Despite everything that's happened to him. I mean, I know it's taken a toll on me. But he…"
"He doesn't remember most of it," Naminé said quietly, looking up at Roxas. "You have to remember that."
"Yeah, yeah, I know…" Roxas muttered, scratching the back of his head. Naminé giggled. He shot her a look. "What?" he asked, his eyes widening.
She shook her head, a sad smile appearing on her lips. "You just act a lot like him. That's all."
And with that, she made her way toward her friends.
Hope noticed her right away, and he smiled, waving her over. Ven turned immediately, and grinned broadly. "Naminé!" he cried, jumping to her side. "What took you so long?"
She turned to point toward Xion, and Roxas (who was walking slowly toward them)."I was over there and…" She squeaked rather audibly as Ven through his arms around her, squeezing her as tight as possible.
"You're feeling better, Nami, right, right?" Ven asked excitedly. Naminé half expected him to woof.
"I feel fine," Naminé gasped, the air completely leaving her lungs. "Can I breathe now?"
Ven let go of her, and laughed a little sheepishly. "Uh…" He glanced up at the ceiling. "Yeah. Sorry. You've just been worrying me."
"I'm fine," Naminé said, her shoulders slumping. "Really." She looked to Lightning, and smiled a little. "You look very pretty, Miss Lightning."
The woman was obviously taken aback. But it was true. Her light pink hair was groomed into sleekness, rather than careless scraggles. The soft looking strands were pulled over her shoulder, like usual, but pinned with a beaded clip. Her dress was a very light pink, almost white, a little milky against the woman's rough looking skin.
"See, Light, people notice." Hope beamed, looking pleased.
Lightning rolled her eyes, and gave Naminé a little reluctant pat on the head. "You look very nice yourself, Naminé."
The blonde looked at her, and then looked down, sighing a small bit. She didn't really believe that.
Hope peered over Ven's shoulder, and smiled slightly. "You did make it," he said, folding his arms across his chest. "I'm glad."
Ven and Naminé turned, and saw that Roxas was only a foot or so behind them. Ven's eyes widened a bit, while Naminé pieced together everything quickly.
"You know each other?" Ven gaped, looking between Lightning and Hope and Roxas.
Roxas blinked, and gave Ven a quizzical look. "Yeah," he said slowly. "They were the ones who told me where to find you."
"We thought he was you," Hope smiled a little, and brushed some of his silver hair from his eyes. "I mean, it's kind of hard to miss that hair."
"Ha ha…" Ven muttered, ruffling his blond spikes. "I am a gifted individual to have hair that defies gravity like this."
"Of course," Naminé giggled, clasping her hands together. Ven looked down, and beamed at her.
Roxas turned, and began to wander off. Ven was the first to notice, tilting his head back to get a better look.
"Oh!" he cried. "Terra!"
"Terra?" Naminé murmured, looking over as well. Terra was indeed walking toward them, his hands tucked in his pockets.
"Terra, Terra, Terra, Terra, Terra, Terra, TERRAAAAAA!" Ven shouted, causing many people to throw glances their way. Naminé's eyes widened a bit, as well as Roxas's, as they watched Ven jump onto the older boy's back.
"Holy shit," Roxas muttered. Naminé nodded in agreement.
Well, it was a bit obvious that Ven, like his young friend, was a tad insane.
Only a tad.
Don't have time to edit it. Sorry. I was going to add something else at the end to lead into the next chapter, but I can't. Maybe I will later.
The next chapter makes up for this one. I had loads of fun writing it. The second half got my mind off things, so I'm glad. Um, so like I said last chapter, this one was hard for me to write. I dunno why. It just was.
Next chapter is way better. Promise.
Next Chapter: Meltdown
