And the heart is hard to translate, it has a language of its own [W1, Friday]

[hydrokinetics]

[So like. Everyone's Upset. Everyone's upset and confused and too many things have happened today. In a way it's alarming how much has happened and how few answers they have.

It's why Percy goes back to the graveyard later that day. He's not sure he'll find anything they hadn't already discovered, but with Mrs. O'Leary at his feet he figures it won't hurt to let her sniff around. Hellhounds are used to death. Maybe she'll find something.

On the other hand, part of him is looking for someone specific, too. He hadn't meant to find Xion here the first time, but for some reason he feels it might be worth it to check the graveyard one more time for her here, too.]

C'mon, Mrs. O'Leary. Let's see what we can find.

Comments

[hydrokinetics]

I think so, too. It's why it's kind of nice to be making friends here, don't you think?

[She doesn't realize, he won't say it. He watches her with the same kind expression as he allows her to speak.]

I'm sure they're fine. We seem to be the only ones from our worlds that were bothered and pulled out here. I don't even know if time's moving in our world or if our friends are looking for us or what. The Sheriff doesn't seem open to those kind of questions. Have you known them for long?

[ceded]

... mhm. It's ... it's strange, a little, but ... it's been nice, too.

[ Xion tilts her head, listening to him talk with a little smile. ]

Yeah! I've known them my whole life. They're ... the best friends I could ever ask for. We did everything together. They taught me... what it was to be a friend. I believe... they'll be just fine. I know they will.

[hydrokinetics]

[Strange is a good word for it.]

I think all friendships are a little strange when they start out, but that's what makes them stronger. [He ducks his head with a small smile.] I haven't known my best friends for that long, but it's been a really long time. We've been through a lot together and sometimes I don't know what I'd do without them.

One of them even came here with me. The best friend I could ask for, even. But I think my other friends will be okay. [There's a soft sigh.] All the more reason we have to work hard to get home, huh?

[ceded]

You've got a friend here with you? [ Blink, blink. ] I -- I do too! ... sort of.

[ Percy admitted it first, so she feels okay admitting that she knows Riku from home, even if it makes her feel a little shivery inside to divulge something like that. ]

... if your friend's as nice as you are, I'd really like to meet them. [ With a tiny smile. ]

[hydrokinetics]

[Oh really. One thing at a time. He has to do his best to keep her attention and keep her talking since this is probably the most open he's seen Xion.]

She's...[Annabeth is prickly, and he chuckles a little.] She's very smart and logical, and it takes some time to get to know her but she's the most loyal friend I've ever had. Her name's Annabeth. I think she'd like to meet you, too.

[And he'll probably mention this to her anyway.] You sort of have a friend here? You mean besides Pluto?

[ceded]

[ That makes her laugh. ] She sounds really great! Um, what does she ... look like? [ She's spent a lot of time looking at the wanted posters. She'd probably recognize a description. ]

And yeah, I do. Um... his name is Riku. I ... think we're friends. [ She looks thoughtful. ] I've known him for a long time.

[hydrokinetics]

She's beautiful. [He doesn't even notice he's said it, face completely lit up as he describes her.] She's a little shorter than me, blonde curly hair, gray eyes...she doesn't always smile but when she does it's the most awesome thing ever. [But he brushes that off, realizing this probably isn't helping.] The easiest way to recognize her is by her necklace. [He's reaching into the collar of his shirt, pulling out his Camp necklace with its clay beads to show her.] It looks like mine, but it has more beads and a piece of coral attached to it.

[He tries to rack his brain for a name and a face to match.] Riku. I think we might have already spoken once. Tall guy with long gray hair? [More importantly:] What makes you unsure if you're friends?

1/2

[ceded]

[ ... ]

[ceded]

... woooow. [ kind of ... blown away right now. ] You ... you really, really care about Annabeth, huh? That's ... that's amazing.

[ Xion has never seen what this kind of love looks like before, and it kind of enchants her. The glow on his face, the way he describes her... it makes it sound like Annabeth is the best person who ever lived. And maybe... that's what she is, to Percy? Xion... has no frame of reference for feelings this powerful. They are a little hard for her to grasp. But his passion and his love is enough for her, at the very least, to believe in his sincerity and his heart.

She is quite thoroughly charmed. ]

Mm! I'll make sure to look for that necklace, then! I can't wait to meet her.

[ .... and, well ]

As for Riku, I guess... it's a little hard to describe. For most of the time I knew him, we were comrades. We had ... a mission that we needed to finish together. He helped me when things were really, really hard... there's no way I could have done it without him. But... I don't know if I deserve to call him a friend, I guess. [ Her smile turns sad. ] ... I didn't mean to, but I did something that ... really hurt him. He never blamed me for it, but I know he was sad.

[hydrokinetics]

[There's a few moments of silence.]

Well...yeah. She's everything to me. [The whole world could be falling apart, but he'd be all right as long as she was there with him. That's how it's always been even before he understood what he felt for her or what love was. If he's at all embarrassed about his feelings he doesn't let it show, but that's most likely because he isn't. There's never a shame in showing people you care about them, and though he had been wary about revealing this information to some people, Xion's young and innocent. She can't use this against him at all.]

I'm sure she'll like to meet you. She likes people who ask questions and want to learn new things. [He hasn't explicitly heard this from Xion herself, but after their few talks he's managed to get that impression.

He hears her explanation and at first it makes sense. It's the tail-end he doesn't like and he looks briefly affronted before his expression smooths out again.]

Annabeth and I started out as quest partners before we became best friend and then became...us. [Please don't date Riku, Xion.] Sometimes friends hurt each other. That's going to happen, sometimes it's unpreventable especially if there's something you need to do instead that they may not agree with. But friendship...it's not something you should think about if you deserve it or not. I think everybody can have a fair shot at it if they're doing what's right.

[So with that protag speech out of the way...] Whatever it was...did you apologize for it?

[ceded]

[ As if it would ever occur to her, in a million years, to use this against him.

(Though, someday Annabeth might hear, in a starry-eyed tale, that Percy described her this way. Sorry, Percy.)

Instead she just nods excitedly. Being everything to someone...

What is... that like?

Oh, but ... what was that look on his face? Xion's expression morphs into curiosity. Was he ... bothered by something she said? The rest of it surprises her, too. He says it like all of this, hurting your friends, is so ... like it just happens. And she really ... wouldn't know. Not really. ]

... I ... did everything I could to make it right. And in the end, I ... I think it was okay. [ She tries a smile. ] I ... you know, a long time ago, I used to wonder if someone like me could be a friend. [ She huffs a laugh. ] That's pretty silly, isn't it? After a while, it just became second nature, and I didn't think about it at all anymore. But meeting everyone here... I just hope that I can support everyone as much as they're supporting me. [ Now her smile is real as she looks up at him with conviction. ] That goes for you, too.

[hydrokinetics]

["If someone like me."

He doesn't know what to make of that, simply watching her curiously as he tucks that information into the back of his mind, too. "Were", "someone like me", "in the end." Those are some key words he doesn't quite know what to make of.]

It's a little silly. [He can gently tease her about that. It's hard to imagine Xion without friends. She's been nothing but nice and friendly since they've met, but...Luke was like that, too, before he went bad-end.] I like to think that most people will eventually start working together and supporting each other, especially in times of crisis. I don't know about you, but I'd call this game one of those.

[He also doesn't know what to make of that, so he ducks his head.] Keep your head up and you'll be as supportive as everybody else. We're going to have to stick together until we find a way out and that means facing this one step at a time no matter what happens.

[ceded]

[ Xion nods furiously, starting to smile in earnest. His advice... even somewhat despite herself, is really cheering her up. It's easy to forget why believing in their success was so hard when someone as encouraging as him is with her. ]

Even if this situation is really awful and scary, we have each other! There's no way we won't fight back. I think we'll make a good team, Percy!

[hydrokinetics]

[And this is how a small Disney child slowly destroyed Percy Jackson. It was his job to make her feel better and not give up, but sometimes even sheer optimism is too much for Percy. But on the other hand, they need it. They need everybody to stay on the up and up and focus.]

I think so, too. Are you used to working with a team back where you're from? [And as a show of good faith:] Annabeth and I are, but I know some other people aren't.

[ceded]

Um, well ... I'm used to having partners! Usually just one, but sometimes, when I was lucky, I'd have two! Axel, and Roxas. The friends I told you about! [ she beams. ] So ... I know a little about what it's like.

[hydrokinetics]

Axel, Roxas and Xion. [Cute. That's a lot of Xs. Oh well, that probably doesn't mean anything.] That's good. We're going to have to really work with partners and groups to figure things out here. It won't do any good for any of us to work alone, you know?

[But with that, he tilts his head.] So no more running off to hide by yourself, okay? Friends are supposed to be able to work together and support each other no matter what. [May as well kind of turn the sentiment back around on her.]

[ceded]

[ Oh.

Xion blinks, her expression blanking out into surprise. Color creeps up her neck as sheepishness comes over her. ]

... you noticed that, huh?

[ That's ... that's embarrassing. She rubs the back of her neck with a little embarrassed laugh. ]

I'll try.

[hydrokinetics]

[Just a Look.]

Maybe a little. Trying's the important part. [But he grins, finally moving to stand up.] What do you think? Ready to head back out there?

[ceded]

Yeah. [ despite everything, her smile is bright. ] Thanks, Percy. You're the best.