[week two - sunday, post-execution]

[ceded]

[ Why is this bothering her?

Xion has watched so many things disappear. All kinds of monsters, fading into the darkness beneath her swings. Capturing hearts, jumping from world to world, performing reconnaissance and fighting, always fighting... she'd thought there wasn't anything that could really shock her. Not after everything she and her best friends went through.

But this ... it's so much. Watching a real human being get shot in the head is so, so different from watching a Heartless fade away.

She could never ... have prepared herself for it. How real and violent it feels.

Xion is trying her absolute hardest to keep the horror of it all beneath her skin as she goes ... searching. Once Natalie has helped her calm down a little, there's someone she knows she should see, someone she made a point of running away from last night. And, like proof of her impulse and her shame, she's still in the same clothes she wore during the trial, and in fact, they're now dusty and dirty, like she's been out all night. (Which she was.)

But she has to do this first. She has to find Seizaburo.

It takes her some time to track down her friend, but the moment that she spots him, Xion will draw up short, clasping her hands over her chest. ]

... Seizaburo? I ... [ She ducks her chin. ] Could we talk?

Comments

[ceded]

[ Her throat feels all choked up with feeling, making it hard to even swallow properly. Seizaburo is her friend, and she cares about him, and...

What he said during the trial was born from a desire to protect as many people here as possible, including you. You can judge him if you want, and you don't ever have to agree with him, but...

In the end, you both want the same thing.

A deep breath. ]

I ... I wanted to apologize. [ She ducks her head, frowning a little, pink in the face from embarrassment and shame. ]

For pushing you like that. I shouldn't've. I wasn't thinking, but that's no excuse. I may not agree with what you said, but ... I think I understand now why you said it.

[feminitis]

[It's a better response than Sei had been expecting.

She blinks at Xion for a few moments, stunned, and then manages a small smile. This girl... she really is a lot more mature than she thought. Sei knows that if their situations had been reversed, if she'd been the one to react like that, it would have taken her much longer to come to this conclusion.]

I can't blame you for reacting that way. And, I mean, it didn't cause a terrible injury, so no harm, no foul, right...?

[Her expression becomes a little more somber.]

...I'm sorry too. For saying that as bluntly as I did. I can imagine it must have been difficult to hear.

[ceded]

[ Sei's joke wins a flicker of a smile, at least, and some lessening of the tension threading her shoulders tight. At least Seizaburo's not mad at her for doing it... she wasn't really sure how Seizaburo would feel about what happened during the trial, but this is ... okay, at least. She can work with this.

She looks at him straight on with an expression at once thoughtful and sad. ]

It was. [ There's no point in being coy about that. Any other response would be a lie, or softening the blow. ] And ... I can't promise you that I won't try to stop you from doing it, if it comes to that. But...

[ Xion glances away, staring into the distance and seeing something that is not there. ]

Sometimes, you have to make choices that you don't want to, right? Choices that are hard, or even scary. And even if you don't want to, you have to. No matter what.

[ Looking forward again, Xion simply looks at her friend for a moment before ... doing another impulsive thing, as is kind of her wont. She reaches forward to curl one of her hands through Seizaburo's, holding on loosely. ]

But I want to work together. If we're together, then we can try to protect everyone as much as possible. ... right?

[ Somewhat uncertain, but also painfully hopeful. ]

[feminitis]

[She can't really fault Xion for not being able to promise she won't stop her, either; she definitely understands where they're coming from. They both seem to want the same result, though. It's just the methods that they'll have to agree to disagree on.]

...that's true.

[She smiles a little, and when Xion takes her hand, she doesn't pull it away.]

I'd like to see as many people get home safely as possible. I know that... what I suggested at the trial may seem counterintuitive to that, but...

[How to phrase this?]

We may not be able to stop people from killing, once they've resolved to do so. But I think there are enough of us here who truly don't want to kill that if we can manage it, we may be able to... I don't know. All agree not to kill regardless of what the Sheriff says.

[She sighs.]

But that will only work if everyone remaining is truly unwilling to kill. If even one person decides to play the game, then we're right back where we're started, with another corpse and another trial and only one possible end.

[Another sigh, and she looks down at their joined hands.]

I'd prefer it if you and the others were spared from having to even make those votes. But until there's a group of people remaining that we can trust not to play the game, I don't see any way of escaping it.

And... I don't like the idea of so much blood being on everyone's hands. There's already blood on my hands from my work at home, but you and so many of the others - you should never have had to experience all of this.

[ceded]

[ Xion curls her fingers slightly around Seizaburo's hand as the other talks in a silent show of support. Just because they don't agree is no reason they can't keep being friends, or be there for each other.

Her expression turns sympathetic and sad, though it may be for different reasons than Sei thinks. If Sei is taking a hard line on taking out anyone willing to kill, then Xion probably has similar feelings about the whole approach to the game.

Can someone be willing to play, but not be willing to kill?

Maybe... she ought to tell Sei what she knows. ]

I'll be okay. [ This she says firmly. ] I know I keep getting upset when it's time to vote, but... I'll make it. I won't drag everyone else down. But, Seizaburo...

[ Her mouth works a little, pressing into a line. ]

Don't you remember? The Sheriff said there would be consequences if we tried to just not kill. You've seen what he's willing to do. Even if we create a group of us that we can all trust 100% not to kill, something awful might happen because of that decision.

[ Xion bows her head, looking at their linked hands. ]

Has anyone told you what happens if you win?