vatheon | 1 --> Arrival

Entry tags:

1 --> Arrival

Who: Saix and anyone
Where: The Plaza
When: The middle of the night
Status: Open
Style: I'll match

He'd been in the process of dying. Saix knows that much.

His mind doesn't usually fool him, not in that sort of way at the very least. Everything had been too vivid to be some sort of- dream. He had been fighting the Keyblade Wielder. He had failed. He'd been on his knees, wondering how everything had gone so wrong... And now he's here. His brain just can't understand it.

Then again, that might be because of the blood loss.

Anyone passing through at this bizarre time of night who catches sight of him should be able see the signs. Even seated on the edge of the fountain like he is, shoulders hunched, it's clear he's trembling just slightly. His skin is far too pale, and his breathing is just a bit too quick. Even if he wasn't covered in salt water, his skin would be clammy. There's also the fact that strange shadowy wisps seem to be slipping from his body. They're very faint, however, nowhere as severe as they had been before he had been brought here. A slight relief. He doesn't even seem aware of the black little SFC or the shirt it's settled on besides him.

He'd seem a lot more vulnerable if not for the enormous claymore balanced between his legs, handle leaning against his thigh and the blade against the pavement. It takes a lot of strength to wield something like that...

Approach and hope for the best, or steer clear?

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He looks like a mess. Aside from the sea water, there's blood and Darkness all over his body, telling Axel he's probably been in some kind of fight before arriving. Initially he thinks of Sora and what part he'd played in making sure that kid made it all the way to The World That Never Was to save Kairi. Maybe that's it. Is he from then? There's really only so many people in all the Worlds which can do this to Saix, after all; he's... too powerful.

Though he's staying put, there's a part of him which wants to do anything but. It's not the restlessness, but something else, someone else, wanting to push him forward so he can make the sight go away. Whether that means helping him or not, Axel can't decide. He shouldn't. He has... no reason to. And yet seeing him nearly blacking out, just barely conscious, reminds him too much of then. It's hard to disregard that side of him.

Axel snaps out of his train of thought when he hears his name and it's then he realizes he really can't be dreaming. That voice is too real.

It takes him a while, but with a shake of his head he responds, his voice low. "No. You're not." Is that really the right thing to say? "... Not yet." Saix still has Lunatic out, so Axel keeps a safe distance away regardless. He won't come closer. He has no reason to, he has no reason to.

That's almost a shame. Saix nearly doesn't want to keep going. Kingdom Hearts failed him. All his plans amounted to nothing. What is he supposed to do now?

Keep going, he supposes.

"In the next five minutes, then." It isn't even snarky banter. That's not him. (Anymore.) It's just a simple statement of fact. Saix isn't even sure how he's alive right now, his wounds seemed so much worse not too long ago... Well, he knows where he's obviously not getting help. Axel already made his allegiances clear when he left the Organization. When he sacrificed his own existence for a child that could barely be called that 'friend' he so valued.

Saix won't expect such a traitor to help him, and he ignores the miniscule part of him which protests and says that should hurt him more.

So he forces himself up onto unsteady and tired feet, demands that his legs move for him. It's a pathetic sight, driven by stubbornness, as he starts to practically limp and drag himself in the opposite direction from Axel. Despite how much lighter he could be without it, Saix keeps Lunatic out, dragging along the ground.

In the next– What is he talking about? Axel frowns at that and while it would be customary for them to engage in a little banter, he doesn't. Instead he watches, silent, and waits a little while longer to see what Saix might do. Their lives are different now, after all. There's no room for that. No time or reason for it to exist. Or so he's been led to believe.

He's not too lost in thought this time to not notice when Saïx suddenly moves and with his claymore dragging along on the ground he doesn't look any better than before. If anything, he looks worse, because now Axel can actually see the burden on his body, especially with the weight of Lunatic tugging him down. Axel glances off to the side. He should really just let him go. He'll pass out eventually, then maybe the coral will be nice enough to patch up his wounds. ... But can he trust it? Shocked by his own question, Axel shakes his head. No. No, he won't let himself get tangled up in this. They're done. They've changed.

They aren't who they used to be.

... So why does he still speak? "You forgot this," he calls out as he motions over to the SFC left on the fountain's edge. "... You're gonna need it while you're here."

There's a pause as he debates on turning around; Axel is very good at trickery after all. Saix never thought it would be used against him, but he also never thought Axel would betray him. There's a first for everything. This might just be a way to make the gap between them larger.

But, a part of his mind not preoccupied with paranoia and blood loss pointed out, if he wanted to kill him then he could just do so. Axel's quick and fond of solving certain problems with fire. There's no need to mess around with he's already ringing death's doorbell.

So he finally turns around, eyes landing on the SFC and the little sweater it's on. "Why."

Axel's not expecting Saïx to listen to him, let alone turn around and stop like he does, so when I happens he finds himself once again shocked, unable to say or do anything for a couple of beats. Honestly, while he could have attacked all this time, Axel hasn't just as much as Saïx hasn't. He sees no need to. Not yet. ... But with a little time–

He takes a step toward the fountain as he speaks. "Like I said. You're not dead. ... All this is stuff you get when you first arrive." As to where he is, Axel doesn't expect Saïx to understand that just yet. "This is Vatheon." It's not a World from where they're from, if that's what he's thinking, though Axel would understand if he thinks that. After all, sometime ago Axel was in this same position, moments from death, cold, wet, and thinking he'd been taken somewhere beyond the Darkness. And, really, if it hadn't been for a couple of people, Axel might have died on the spot. ... Whether that same thing will happen here remains to be seen.

"...Why?" It's hard to tell what exactly he's referring to. Why is he still alive when he should have stopped existing? Why is he getting a comfy sweater and a weird starfish? Maybe it's both. Who knows.

Axel can guess what he's referring to, but he wants to make sure he'll be answering the right thing. Or maybe it would just be better to answer everything at once. As he said, he was once in this position too; he knows what questions someone is going to have. He sighs then runs a hand through his hair. Of all the times to be restless, it had to be tonight.

"... There's a coral that brings people here so it can use their energy to keep this place intact." It sounds ludicrous, but that's how it is. "That star shaped thing is a communicator used to keep in contact with everyone. The vest helps you breathe underwater." It would have been easy to not say any of this. Thanks to the curse, however, Axel feels inclined to spill everything anyway. But is it really the curse or is it something else entirely? ... He doesn't want to think about it.

To be honest, a coral that transports people across Worlds and uses their energy in the process is no stranger than a heart shaped moon composed of the hearts of vicious shadow creatures destroyed by a giant key. Saix learned a long time ago to keep an open mind to the strangeness that could be found outside of Radiant Garden.

Saix sways in place for a moment, eyes still narrowed as he looks at Axel and the things left there on the fountain. It sounds as though he will need those items after all. But taking them might mean putting away Lunatic, making himself vulnerable around a betrayer. The thoughts chase themselves about in his mind, unable to find a stable conclusion with himself so beaten and tired. Finally, he manages to come to some sort of conclusion.

"...Give them." Not a very good or well thought out conclusion, but one nonetheless.

He sees him sway but stays where he is all the while, watching and anticipating. He could pass out, he could even die at any second, but is it weird for Axel to want to be around if either happens? It's difficult to tell for certain why that is, but he's inclined to believe it's because, well, he's curious. What would it look like, watching Saix in his most vulnerable state? Or, even curiouser... what would it be like to see him fading away?

There's a pause as he considers those next words and then glances between Saix and the items left on the fountain. He understands, yes, but-- Axel frowns and furrows his brows. This is a strange situation and he's not entirely sure what to do with it.

Finally, he too comes to his own conclusion. "Get them yourself." Is there are part of him which wants to see Saix struggle? ... Perhaps.

Figures. Perhaps sending him to Oblivion gave him a taste for betrayal, maybe it's that little worthless brat, maybe in death he cares even less than he did as a Nobody if such a thing is even remotely possible.

Vatheon's revival of him has made it so that Saix is no longer completely in the midst of fading. Close, but not now. That means he has just enough energy to give a low growl at Axel's defiance before calling up a Corridor of Darkness. One would presume that, as he limps through it, he would be calling the exit to some place far away to recuperate as much as he could.

Someone presuming that would be surprised when the corridor opens right behind Axel and Saix comes out swinging.

It's been a long long while since he's had to call on the power of a moon so far away. Maybe he's gotten too complacent on Kingdom Hearts, always so close that he could nearly touch it. (Never close enough.) But he can still sense this World's moon, even deep down in the depths of the ocean, pulling at its waves. He's still weak, still hurting, but- he can still feel the moon. He can still call upon its power to some degree, lighting up his eyes and mingling with the adrenaline in his veins. It helps him swing Lunatic straight for this traitor's skull.

It's more than just moonlight and adrenaline making him surge forward, however. There's- He can't explain it. It's nothing Isa ever felt, nothing his memories can relate to. But he suddenly, so suddenly and so badly wants to see this man dead. Because he's sick of him, sick of how easily he tossed aside their friendship and all their hard work, how easily he could spit in the face of everything Saix ever did for him. How he won't do one damned little thing.

Maybe if he manages to do the deed himself, bury Lunatic into his chest, then he'll be able to forget this traitor once and for all. And if nothing else...

It's not like he has anything left to lose.

The sound of the Corridor opening up startles Axel for the briefest of moments and he finds himself tensing again. Where is he going? Should he follow? Axel decides to wait just as he had been before... just watch and wait like a cat stalking its prey. If Saix does leave, it wouldn't be difficult to find him again, but Axel would rather avoid wasting his energy. He'll just turn around and leave himself just as he should have done in the first place.

Well, that would be the plan, if things hadn't suddenly taken such a dramatic turn.

Eyes widened, Axel turns in an instant just as flames erupt in his palms and with chakrams raised he deflects the initial attack as best he can, though it does send him skidding across the dirt a foot or two. He knew it. Even as weak as he is, he's still harnessing power. Saix is in his element, after all, and so long as they're out here, he'll stay this way. For how long, he doesn't know, but he does know that he has to evade. And fast. He can see the glowing in those eyes... and it makes him sick.

Axel leaps back to avoid another attack and once he's a safe enough distance away he even releases a short, amused scoff. "Wow. This is the epitome of laziness." Said as he glanced over at the communicator and vest still left over on the fountain. Should have just gave it to him, he thinks, but that's quickly pushed to the back of his mind.

"You're not really gonna do this right now, are you?"

Yes, he really is going to do this right now.

Saix, of course, doesn't say as much and especially when Axel manages to dodge his next swing. At full strength, maybe he would have managed to hit him, but that's not possible right now. Maybe he won't hit him for this entire battle, however short or long it lasts, but Saix doesn't care.

Berserker State doesn't do much for conversational skills; Saix charges again, teeth bared as he goes for another slash with both his hands gripping Lunatic. Even if he could think to answer, he wouldn't. Axel doesn't deserve anything from him now. The best he can ask for is a quick death.

Ridiculous.

With a click of his tongue Axel ducks, dodging the next attack, and then he's quick to dash to put some now distance between them. He needs to makes sure not to get to close, otherwise Saïx could land a pretty nasty blow, even at minimum power, if that. Axel's not much of an up-close fighter anyway, so from here he can take quick aim and hurl both chakrams forward in hopes that they'll keep Saïx back. His intention isn't so much to kill as it is to stun and delay, but if the former ends up being the case, then so be it. Saïx would have brought that upon himself. Ultimately, Axel would rather snap the other Nobody out of this. Only then can he hope to get out of here alive and keep the rest of the dome from getting hurt.

Come on. He doesn't want to do this. You shouldn't even be doing this. Just stop.

Bracing himself, Saix hefts up his claymore to block but he's still too slow. One chakram crashes into his blade and bounces off somewhere out of reach, he doesn't much care where because it's the second one that hits. It digs into his shoulder, tearing apart his coat and flesh for more darkness to slip out from. Much more use of that arm, and he'll probably ruin it. Regardless, he still tries to take a few more steps forward and give a one-handed swing of Lunatic down in Axel's general direction. But that's it. That's all his body can do right now.

He doesn't move from where he has Lunatic smashed into the pavement; the glow is starting to fade from his eyes. It was too soon to get so aggressive, and he can hardly get his body to move now. He nearly collapses before slamming one boot onto the ground to force himself to stay upright.

"Just die... You're already dead, traitor." A gulp of air. "Go back to it."

He's glad that at least one of his weapons managed to connect and from the looks of things snap Saix out of that stupid state for a little while. He's lucky Saix was already weak or else he might as well be digging his grave. Holding an arm out, Axel summons one of his chakrams to him then catches the other as it boomerangs back from striking Saix in the shoulder. He then has just enough to to leap once more to avoid being struck.

Axel scoffs sharply. "Spare me the dramatics." With a twirl of his chakrams, Axel starts to think of the best way to end this. Then the idea hits him and he's back to moving, this time opening up a Corridor of his own to step through just so he can quickly reappear behind Saix and to his side.

With that his arm comes down at an arc, rapidly and hard, with hopes that he'll get Saix between his neck and shoulder. If successful, he could hopefully pass out. If not, well. He could lose an arm.

As if Axel can scoff at him for use of dramatics. Saix just growls at the words before he stiffens a second too late at the summon of a Corridor. His brain barely has a moment to wonder what he's planning, and then he realizes just where Axel has appeared at.

But his leg won't move. It's not getting the signals, it's not moving so that he can dodge or twist or anything, and then there's that sharp pain at his shoulder which makes him crumple. Saix fights against it, of course. Even if his entire existence has ended up for naught, he still fights against the darkness taking over his vision with the knowledge that he might not wake up again.

He fails. Saix hits the ground, and loses consciousness as Lunatic loses form to nothing but moonlight.

He's never seen him this out of it before and honestly the sight makes Axel want to laugh. This will never happen again, that's for sure, so maybe he should have dragged it out to enjoy it a little more. But out of the goodness of his heart and all, or just refusal to waste perfectly good MP on this idiot, Axel holds back and sticks with a single strike which thankfully takes Saix down without fail.

Axel doesn't realize it, but his adrenaline is running through the roof, so much so he can't find it in him to move out of pure shock. Finally he gathers up his composure which prompts the Corridor behind him to quickly shut, leaving behind nothing more than the lingering, bitter scent of Darkness.

Once again everything is quiet and still... peaceful. Everything except for Axel himself, who, standing over Saix's body, can't stop his mind from running nor the fluttering in his hollow chest. What does he do now? Should he just leave him here and let the coral take care of the rest? Sighing, Axel slowly and carefully kneels down so he can grab Saix by the hood and roll him over onto his back. He looks beat up. Sora must have done well.

... He could leave him. He should. But in the end Axel hoists Saix up, one arm draped over his shoulders so he can lean against him, then slowly drags him through another opened Corridor. Whenever Saix comes to, he'll find himself in an unoccupied apartment with the star shaped communicator and vest left on a chair opposite the bed. Axel, however, is nowhere to be seen.

Saix wakes up slow and hazily, and makes no rush to full consciousness. There's no immediate danger, after all, not that he can see, so he takes his time. The minutes pass with him slowly coming to terms with his location, his condition, flexing his fingers and joints to make sure everything is in proper condition. It takes him half an hour to be confident that he's not dead and that no one else is coming.

The wound in his shoulder gives a pulse of pain, and acts a reminder that Axel wasn't just a near-death hallucination.

It also serves as a reminder that he's obviously not going anywhere anytime soon, and that letting these wounds leak out more of his being is not a wise idea. Saix drags himself up and tries to ignore the pain. The first thing he does is search for the bathroom. There's no Potions or even first aid supplies, which is annoying, but the sink is functioning and that's all he needs. He sheds his cloak first and then the rest of his clothing. His reflection doesn't paint a pretty picture. All of the cuts and bruises and effects from magic pointed his way leave ugly markings... To think they came from a child. It's shameful.

He cleans himself up and tears apart the bedsheets in another room to use as makeshift colorfully aquatic themed bandages. It's really the best he can do for now, until he explores more of the city and finds better methods. Until then... he limps back into the bedroom and stares at the vest and the SFC. His lips thin and, almost reluctantly, he tucks the SFC into his coat and places the vest under one arm. He looks throughout the apartment- uninhabited. There's only one person who could have placed him here.

It doesn't take Saix very long to decide not to return to it again.

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