stubborn vs stubborn

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

Who: Xion & Fang (Leon and Lightning can join, too!)
Where: Saffron City
When: December 23rd; several hours after this
Summary: It takes a lot of planning to keep a stubborn person down... or to just have another stubborn person step up to the plate. Fang seems to be that person.
Rating: PG? There might be some action, but nothing too bad.
Log:

Phew...

[ It's still mid-afternoon, and the sun's still sorta up. Good thing she woke up extra early today... or not. After that brief incident of blood and Riku's insistence (as well as others') for her to stay in bed a little longer, Xion did obey and has gotten a few more hours of rest.

A few.

Now Xion's slipped out of bed and moving around, gathering things and putting on clothes. Axel the Typhlosion and Bahamut the Gabite stand off to the side while Xion rummages amongst her things for her wooden Keyblade. Once she does, she turns to them, knowing the stern looks on their faces. ]

It's only a walk out, and others are coming... I should at least greet them and show them around, right?

[ Axel puffs out a cloud of smoke in his version of a sigh and Bahamut yelps but doesn't do anything further when Xion moves to walk out of the Center. They follow, trying to be quiet themselves since it seems the staff are busy to look out for her at the moment. Riku also seemed to be out doing his own thing once Xion began to rest. Xion's done this kind of sneaking thing before.

Hopefully it works! ]

Comments

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ Fang, for her own part, is walking through the city, her pace relaxed like this was any other stroll. But her eyes are alert - despite quickly memorizing the simple map of the city, the place still feels too unfamiliar for total comfort. The last thing she wants to do is get lost.

At least the city had straight, perpendicular streets - it made it easy to navigate even for a newcomer. So with Bahamut at her side (Taejin unusually in his ball because Fang didn't trust him to behave on the train), she arrived at the Pokecenter with no incident.

Unless one counted seeing a familiar face leaving the building. A stubborn kid indeed, and Fang hides her amusement by looking down at Bahamut. ] Want to go meet your friend?

[ Bahamut B takes off for the group with no other response, and Fang shakes her head as she walks after him. Seeing Xion in person... she looks worse than she did on the gear. No wonder Lightning was so frustrated. ] You're busted, Sunshine.

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ Axel's the first to notice a small Bagon heading their way and immediately puffs up in challenge. An attack on his Trainer? Not while he's out! But, oh, Bahamut G recognizes the guy and lets out a small roar in greeting.

Xion notices this first and fully turns her head to try and see what's coming... a Bagon? Then a voice. She jumps, and turns her head more to face- ]

Ah! Fang!

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ Bahamut gives Axel a look. Really, he's glad to be seen as a potential threat rather than harmless, but c'mon man. Does he look like the type to randomly attack someone? Does his trainer? After that he turns his attention more to his counterpart, rumbling out his own greeting.

It's Fang who has less manners this time - once she sees how far Xion has to turn to see them, she notices the eye problem. Hey, she was distracted by the coughing up blood issue before. Still, she has to smile a bit at that reaction. ] Surprise.

Seems like you're doing better. C'mere. Let me take a look at ya.

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ Axel gives a wary look back. Between his Trainer being all hurt and finally being out of his ball for some time, he has a right to be cautious! Bahamut G, on the other hand, is all excited, waving his arms here and there. Lookit, I'm bigger than you! And these arms! Jolly dragon, this one.

Xion momentarily shuffles awkwardly on her spot before doing as told. The doctors said they couldn't find out why her eye turned out this way, and though she can feel both eyes blinking, there's a huge blind spot on her right field of vision. What's once a vivid blue is dulled out, unusable.

And let's not get onto the issue of the scar on her left temple. ]

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ Bahamut B has a slight silly streak of his own, and he's currently doing his best to do a sort of Bagon version of standing on his tip toes, not that it gets him anywhere near Bahamut G's current height. He drops back with a soft sigh, but he is happy for Bahamut G. You do have arms! That's great!

Between their own height difference and Xion still being a bit reluctant, Fang can't quite see. She puts her first two fingers lightly underneath Xion's chin, tilting her head first up and then from side to side, fully taking in those marks and the eye before letting her hand fall away. ] No wonder I snuck up on ya.

[ She props that hand on her hip, her smile back and growing. ] Poor kid. Probably thought you'd finally escaped, huh?

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ Axel merely watches as Bahamut G bends low and tries to actually pick up Bahamut B under his arms.

Xion brushes some hair from her eyes once Fang is done with her check up. Have another nervous laugh, Fang. ]

I just thought I'd meet you halfway... Considering this is your first time being here, Fang.

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ Bahamut won't fight him - he likes being higher up, even if it's only by a foot.

The nervous laughter is being to bother Fang; what is Xion worrying about? Maybe what she needs isn't to rest as much as it is to relax. ...Or Fang could take it a bit easier on her. ]

Well, since ya made it out... Want to walk for a bit? I came straight here, so you can show me what I missed.

[ And Fang can carry you back, if need be. But hell, she'd hate being cooped up in bed too. ]

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ And he's up! And Bahamut G is amused and laughs in his own way. He's actually bigger than most Gabites, close to his Trainer's height, actually, which is around the 5' range. Don't worry, you'll get bigger, too, Bahamut B!

Xion nods in agreement and starts to walk down the street with Fang, the Pokemon following. A little down the way, though, Xion remembers and holds out her wooden Keyblade to Fang. ]

Oh, this is what I was talking about earlier. The Keyblade.

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ He knows, he just wants to be bigger now!

Fang takes the practice Keyblade, looking it over. ...Yeah, she's not sure she gets it, but it's not her type of weapon in the first place. For all that her lances are bigger, they're at least balanced, unlike this. ] Can see why it's called that now.

[ Still, it does help. Based off of the weapon, Xion's another close-range fighter, but that eye of hers is a major hindrance, and (at least to Fang's mind) something likely to get her killed.

...Not that Xion doesn't try hard enough at that in the first place. Fang offers the weapon back. ]

Weapon or not, you're not gonna get very far with your eye like that.

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ Maybe he can sit on his shoulders. Now Axel intervenes and says to them both to focus. Bahamut G huffs, but puts Bahamut B down so they can all catch up to their Trainers.

Xion takes it back and manages to sling it around at her waist with a cord she set up earlier. Oh, if only Xion knew that a lot of people are starting to get wise to her act. Well, what she doesn't know won't hurt her... much. ]

So what should I do, then? Lightning would probably say the same thing.

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ Bahamut B, unlike the others, doesn't have to worry about his trainer doing something dumb and getting herself injured. But he's hurrying along anyway.

Fang looks at Xion with an amused grin at her question. ]

Y'know, most people would say that not fighting's the best option.

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ Xion blinks. What's Fang getting at. ]

And you're saying the opposite?

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ No, I'm saying you're crazy for asking is probably what she should say. But there's something about Xion's attitude that reminds Fang of herself, or at least herself when she was younger. Which begs one question. ]

I'm wonderin' if you could stop.

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ Xion doesn't think twice before she quickly shakes her head in response. She remembers her encounter with Vanitas, her humiliating defeat from him, and the words he said to her. It's been nearly a month since, but the event is still fresh in her mind, and it sets a crease to her brow when she stares back up at Fang. ]

I want to protect my friends, my Pokemon. And I want to help, just in case.

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ Fang likewise has a quick reaction. ]

Then it'd be stupid to try and get ya to stop. Meanin' you're gonna fight with that handicap, so we'll have to make ya good enough that it doesn't matter.

[ Fang, her expression totally serious, stops to turn completely towards Xion. She doesn't care if Xion fights or not. She cares that Xion survives the fight as unscathed as possible. ]

So yeah, guess I'm sayin' the opposite. I'm sayin' you're gonna need to work harder 'cause right now you can't do any of those things - you'd be more hindrance than help. No depth perception, no clue if someone's comin' at ya from the side... It ain't gonna be easy, but I've got the feeling you don't care about that.

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

It's not that I don't care! It's just, like I told Lightning, I'm not backing down. I'm not going to stay like this.

[ Defiance! She's not intimidated if that's Fang's tactic by now. If anything, maybe the fact that she shows she's not one to bend so easily to something like this will make Fang trust in her more on this. ]

[titanite.livejournal.com]

Easy, Xion. Meant that you didn't care if it was hard or easy.

[ Normally she'd let the misunderstanding slide, but, as Fang's use of her name might tell Xion, she's taking this seriously. It is going to be difficult, and involve a lot of work, but if Xion's willing to commit to it, then so is Fang. She doesn't have the patience to deal with people who give up when faced with a little hardship. So she's laying it out like she would for Vanille or any of the others, and letting Xion decide. ]

But if ya know what you're getting into and still want to do it, then I'll help. Simple as that. It's your life on the line, after all. Yours and those of your friends.

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ Her last line hits home as to what Xion is asking of Fang for. She looks down for only a moment before quietly and steadily answering: ]

I'll protect them. They deserve to be happy.

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ Given what Lightning's told her, that answer gives Fang some concern, even if she can't exactly argue with it. She reaches out to gently tousle Xion's hair. ]

So do you. So don't try goin' it alone on me, you hear?

'sides, now you're stuck - I'll make sure you have fun.

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

[ Ack! The hair tousling surprises her further. Hardly anyone's done that to her other than Axel... and the thought of her other best friend makes something bubble in her chest, but she keeps her composure.

She doesn't even try to move Fang's hand off her hair when she tries to look up and ask: ] Fun?

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ The perils of physically affectionate people! Fang removes her own hand then, mostly so she can put her hands on her hips as she grins at Xion. ]

Fun. Havin' a good time. Something you seem to be lacking at times, and I bet Light never worries about it. If I'm gonna be teaching you how to fight, then I'm damn well gonna make sure you have fun too.

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

Is she supposed to worry about? I have fun just training with her...

[ If there's a joke, where is it. orz ]

[titanite.livejournal.com]

[ Fang laughs and shakes her head in mock chagrin. ] Maker, it's both of ya. Good thing I'm here to lend a hand.

[ And then, more for Xion's benefit: ]

Training and fun ain't mutually exclusive. There's just more to life than trainin' all the time. Can't be so serious - 'specially not a kid like you. It ain't healthy.

[ordalias.livejournal.com]

It's not that I don't try to have fun. I do try to balance things out.

[ Though Xion's quick to realize that the scales were obviously being tipped to one side as of late. Maybe it is a good thing Fang's here. ]

I just feel like I'm more of a use to people when I'm training - Pokemon or by myself - and when I'm working.

[ Usually the line of "working" involves helping lots of people. There's a pattern. ]

[titanite.livejournal.com]

You don't have to be "of use" to people all the time, y'know. People aren't gonna like you only cause you do stuff for 'em. Not the good ones, at least.

[ Maker, this kid. Fang's not entirely sure if she wants to shake Xion or hug her. But, speaking of fun: ]

Alright then, what do ya do for fun?