50
By: Aviantei
Act II: School Life/Loneliness
Scene I: "It's not just me, and it's not just you."
"You should know by now not to bother me while I'm working."
"Yeah, well this is the last time I'm going to bother you for a while, so I figured you could make an exception."
That was enough to make Zexion pause, and Rhea shoved her hands into the front pocket of her hoodie as she watched him think. She could practically hear the gears racing in his mind as he turned to face her, his visible aqua eye flashing for a moment in recognition of what she was saying.
"You're going back to your world," he said, surprisingly closing his tome shut without so much as marking his spot, letting it rest on the library table. "Does that mean you found the answer you came here to look for?"
Rhea thought over the question, pursing her lips together. Considering that she hadn't really planned on coming to the Fifty Minute Room in the first place, she couldn't say she'd been looking for anything in particular when she'd arrived. But, though she hadn't come with a purpose of her own, she'd found something to help her move forward, so that was close enough.
"I know what I'm going to do when I get back," she said. Or least what the goal was: get Roxas back. The exact steps to get that far were kind of fuzzy, but she was going to trust that Axel had at least a vague idea of what to do next. "So I figured that I'd do better back in Temperies than just sitting around here." She made herself smile and rapped Zexion's arm. "I thought you'd be grateful. I won't be there to interrupt your research anymore."
Zexion's faint smirk was a welcome response. "It'll be a welcome change, I suppose." He brushed his bangs aside, though they fell right back into place. "Though if I wanted to avoid you, there would be easier ways to do it."
He wasn't wrong; Rhea found that the Fifty Minute Room was rather kind when it came to letting you not encounter those you weren't in the mood to put up with. Too bad the real world wasn't that easy. "Is that your way of saying you'll miss me when I'm gone?"
"I'd much rather you have a good time where you're supposed to be than holing up in here all the time," Zexion said, his voice sounding sober. Rhea remembered once again that Zexion's home world was gone; she'd just never considered that maybe he came to the Fifty Minute Room for more than just research. "But I have a strong feeling this won't be the last that we see of each other."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Because you don't know how to stay out of trouble, for starters."
Rhea raised an eyebrow. "And the reasons that come after that?"
Zexion chuckled. "Nothing of importance." Rhea couldn't think of what he meant, but a clever retort wasn't coming to mind, either. Plus she didn't have the time to argue; Axel was expecting her to meet up with him soon. She'd taken the detour to say goodbye to Zexion on impulse. "But regardless of what the future holds, you'll be leaving for the present. In that case, I'll bid you farewell with good wishes for your future."
"Is there a spell for that sort of thing?"
"For good luck?" Rhea hummed as she nodded. Good luck sounded like something she might need a lot of in the near future. "There are, but they tend to be short term enchantments. Spur of the moment spells. However… Hold out your hands." Taken by surprise, Rhea had put out her palms before she could even think about it. Zexion reached into his pocket and pulled out something that he passed on to Rhea before she could get a look at it. "Sometimes you can enchant an item for an effect."
With Zexion's hands pulled back, Rhea held up the plain golden medallion she now held, squinting at it, even though she had no idea how to appraise if the metal was real or not. "I never took you for one to try and cheat fate."
"It was an experiment," Zexion said by way of explanation (or defense, perhaps). "Every now and then, I try out a small side project to give myself space to think over my larger goals. That was an amusing distraction, but I don't have much more need for it." Yeah, but that doesn't explain why you have it on you now, Rhea thought with a faint smile. She didn't retort, letting him pretend he was getting rid of his junk rather than imparting a gift. "Besides, some would say that luck is more about the perceived view of an object rather than any real sort of magic."
"Does that really mean it's not magic, though?" Rhea looked over the medallion one more time, giving it a faint squeeze before pocketing it into her jeans.
Zexion hummed. "An interesting hypothesis, I suppose." Rhea shrugged in response, not caring whether or not he was taking the idea seriously or not. It was nice to get a gift from someone else, anyways—the mark of a new friendship. "But regardless, you shouldn't linger here too long. The more you wait, the harder it'll be to go back to where you've come from."
Rhea paused for a moment. "I thought that was the whole point of the Fifty Minute Room. That it doesn't matter how long you're here, because the same amount of time will have passed outside regardless."
"Yes, but that's part of what makes it such a challenge to return." Zexion turned back to his book, then waved his hand. "Off with you, now. You have someone waiting to go back with you. Don't hold him up, too." Before he completely engrossed himself back in his reading, Zexion's smile almost looked sad. That was enough to distract Rhea as she gave him a quick farewell and headed out of the library and towards the entrance.
By the time she caught the meaning in his words, it was too late for her to ask how Zexion knew she and Axel were leaving together—let alone that they were heading to the same place.
"Do you have everything you need to go back home, dear?" Madam asked, patting Rhea on the shoulders like a doting parent worrying about her first grader forgetting their lunch when going on a field trip. "Naturally, we'll keep anything you leave behind safe, but I just want to make sure you're good to go."
"I'm fine," Rhea said for what felt like the twentieth time. She didn't mind, though. With everything she'd been working on processing, it was nice to have someone so care so much about her wellbeing. Zexion was probably right in that, once you got so accustomed to a space that tended to your every need without even needing to ask, it would be much harder to adjust back to reality, no matter what the world you lived on was like. "I didn't come here with much, so it's not like there was a lot for me to forget."
True enough, she'd hardly been carrying any personal affects when she came in. Rhea had been wearing her hoodie for almost the entire time after it had gone through the laundry, and she'd found the rest of the outfit she'd been wearing on arrival waiting for her, nearly folded up on the dresser in her temporary room. Other than that, her phone was tucked in her pocket, right next to Zexion's good luck medallion. If it weren't for the fact that she'd left her daggers in Roxas's car, Rhea could easily head back into the Castle as she was.
"Just checking, dear." Madam gave Rhea one more pat on the shoulders before stepping back. "Of course, you're more than welcome to come back whenever you like, but I'm sure you don't want to spend a whole trip on something silly."
Rhea smiled, hoping it was reassuring. "Well I'll be sure to come back if I need it." Yes, she felt better, and she hoped she wouldn't encounter another emotional blow, but she wouldn't mind visiting once more if it meant that she could maybe chat with Zexion again. Besides, Madam's indistinguishable face brightened up at the mention. "Thank you for all your help while I was here."
"No need to thank us. I'm just glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay." Madam swept her hand through the air, gesturing towards the door. "Shall we go, then?"
The Fifty Minute Room had shifted so much since Rhea had arrived that she almost didn't recognize the entryway when she walked into it. Gone were the pure white fixings, instead replaced with the tender tan and brown colors of the school. Though it had changed because of the presumed comfort algorithms of the place, it also served as a reminder that she'd be returning back to her regular life, the regular routine. Not wanting to worry Madam, she repressed her grimace as she stepped through the door.
It helped that Axel was coming back with her. He was waiting in the entryway, also adorned in his black and silver hoodie. Though she didn't clearly remember what else he'd been wearing when they'd first met, he looked just the right amount of messy to be considered cool. Sir was there with him, presumably giving a similar set of farewells that Madam had.
"Well look who's decided to join us," Axel said once he noticed Rhea. She raised her hand in a wave and crossed over to him, hands shoved in her pockets. "What, did you sleep in on me? I would've thought you'd gotten enough rest with how long you've been in there."
Recognizing that he was just giving her shit for the hell of it, Rhea only stuck her tongue out at him. "I didn't recall you setting a time for this meeting. Or did you forget to memorize that?"
Axel chuckled and gently whacked Rhea's shoulder a few times. "Just making sure you're ready to go. It can be a little weird to head back from your first trip through, especially since you've been here for quite a bit of time."
Rhea shrugged. "It all adds up to fifty minutes in the end, right?" She'd actually been trying not to think about it, since it just seemed like another unnecessary problem on top of everything else she was dealing with, but it was about to be a very real situation, though she hadn't fully ruled out the possibility that the whole thing had been a strange dream.
Well, we'll just have to adapt. It doesn't really add up to the weirdest thing I've experienced. I think.
Axel gave her a quick glance. "If you insist. Not like you gotta put up with it by yourself." That was a benefit. Seemingly satisfied, Axel stepped forward. "Alright, Sir, Madam, it looks like we're ready to head out."
The couple smiled, with Sir opening the next door for them as Madam waved Rhea and Axel through. "Thank you for your patronage."
Rhea dipped her head in a quick bow of thanks before following after Axel. The same car from the day Rhea had first dialed the number was waiting for them, though, no matter how she tried, she couldn't see beyond the vehicle, as if the space didn't exist. She was grateful for the opportunity to focus on the front seat window rolling down, since that didn't give her as much of a headache.
Dew was sitting in the driver's seat once again, looking as well put together as always. "We will be departing the Fifty Minute Room shortly." At her words, the passenger door opened on its own. "Please make yourselves comfortable. I'll set out for your points of origin once you're ready."
The delayed thought of how fucking weird the whole place was sprang back into Rhea's mind, but she didn't have time to voice any concerns as Axel pulled open the door and hopped in without a second thought. Remembering Dew's frustration over Rhea's indecision the first time, Rhea slipped inside, too. Axel had already spread himself out on one of the wide seats, and Rhea plopped herself down across from him. The door shut on its own the second she did, followed by the sound of the window to the front sliding open.
"We'll now be departing. I'll let you know when we arrive at your respective destinations."
The window clicked shut again, separating them from Dew, but Rhea still looked towards the front of the car regardless. "Does she always say the same things over and over again?" she asked.
Axel let out a faint snort. "She's just trying to impress you because you're new. You'll see her lighten up a bit when you come back. Well, if you decide to come back."
Rhea tried to imagine a less mechanical sounding Dew, but she didn't get very far. "Do people who come here come a lot?" Axel opened his mouth, though it took words didn't come out right away. He looked faintly uncomfortable at the question. Rhea raised an eyebrow. "Do you come here a lot?"
"Sometimes. To collect my thoughts." Rhea got the impression that Axel wasn't being entirely truthful, but decided it wasn't worth the pestering. It wasn't really her business if he spent a ton of time lingering in some weird world removed from the usual space-time continuum. But what if I end up like that, too? What if I'm not really as okay as I think I feel? "But it doesn't do you any good to think about that place when you're out. We've got bigger fish to fry, don't we?"
"Right. Roxas." They hadn't done much planning before heading off to get some rest before leaving, but they had at least agreed on handling things back in Temperies. "It probably isn't going to be me any good to try and talk to him when we get back, is it? He's still going to be pissed after we fought."
"Yeah, probably. He hasn't had as much time to process as you did." Axel tried to sound casual, but there was still a flash of pity in his eyes. Rhea couldn't even get upset, seeing as he knew exactly what she was going through. "But that's why it's better to head back. No matter how much we plan in there, it's still only gonna be fifty minutes back in Temperies."
Rhea nodded, even though the whole idea still sounded ridiculous. "So I'll just go through life like I usually do. For the most part, anyways." She'd have to cut out all the parts that she'd usually spend with Roxas. Though it would be the same as back in the town with no name, and she should have been used to it, Rhea still didn't like the idea. "And what are you gonna do? Float around on the sidelines? Camp out at the Castle?"
"I don't know if you guessed already, but I'm not exactly patient." Axel tapped at his temple. "I'd rather stay close enough to help out if there's trouble. And if I'm out in the open, it'll make it easier to memorize what's going on."
Yeah, and it'll make it easier for you to make Roxas throw another fit when he sees you. But Rhea knew if their roles were reversed and Axel tried to tell her to sit back and wait for him to take care of things, she definitely wouldn't have agreed. "What, you gonna sneak into classes with me? No offense, but you don't quite look the age."
Axel slapped a hand to his chest in mock hurt. "Are you calling me old?" With one more huff, he settled back down. "I dunno what age you think I am, but I'm closer to you guys than you think. Besides, it's not like I haven't done this before."
That got Rhea's eyebrows to pop up. "I have a feeling I would have noticed if you were slinking around the school. You would've stood out with those looks of yours." His towering height combined with the spikes of his bright red hair was enough to draw attention anywhere, let alone in sleepy Temperies.
"You mean because I'm so fabulous?" Practically preening, Axel ran a hand through his hair, and Rhea simply shook her head. "Look, you don't need to worry about me. Just worry about you. We can fuss over each other when shit really starts to hit the fan."
"Your use of when over if is super motivating, thanks," Rhea drawled before leaning her head back on the comfortable seat behind her. Whenever she tried to glance out the window, the glass was too tinted for her to see anything beyond it. It was probably more void, anyways. "Do you really think we can fix this mess, though? I thought this was just my mistake, but after hearing you talk about your time with Roxas…it just feels like way more than something I can handle."
She expected another smart remark from Axel, but it never came. Instead, his face settled on a genuinely serious expression. "Look, I won't say that this is something more than you can handle. Hell, it's probably something more than I can handle. But," he said, holding up a finger to stop Rhea's retort, "it's not just me, and it's not just you. It's both of us. So if nothing else, we're gonna struggle together, and, if we're lucky, by the end of the day we'll make a difference."
Paying no heed to the atmosphere, the window to the front seat clicked open. "We've arrived at our first point of origin. Ms. Rhea, please exit with care."
"Well look at that, looks like you technically got picked up first," Axel said with a chuckle. When Rhea looked at him wide-eyed, he waved her towards the door. "Go ahead, it'll just be like getting out of a normal car, I promise."
"I—What—" Rhea swallowed her stammering. "We're not going together?"
"Technically we can't. We'd mess up time that way." Rhea still stared, unmoving towards the door. "Look, it's complicated. But once you go, I'll be next, and we'll pop out at roughly the same time, anyways. I'll be there before you know it."
Knowing that arguing would be no use against Axel or Dew, Rhea swallowed her complaints and stood up, working her way towards the door. She tried not to, but she ended up casting a questioning glance behind her. Axel was smiling, as if he knew she'd need the reassurance. Not liking the feeling of being pitied, Rhea harrumphed to herself, faced the door, and reached for the handle.
Closing her eyes, she opened the door.
[Author's Notes]
Welcome to Act II, where we finally put the Fifty Minute Room behind us and move on into the next phase!
Honestly, sickness has been clinging to be the past week and completely disrupting my life cycle. Someone, please spare me, I beg of you.
Either way, though, Act II will continue in Scene II, title yet to be determined. Please look forward to it!
-Avi
[01.13.2020]