|
|
Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 18, 2006 23:33:20 GMT
Reno's jaw dropped. "The b*****d." He shook his head. What next? He tried to look back at Kamen and once again was at a loss.
Fruxas nodded in the appropriate direction. Reno getured his thanks with a wave and a nod. "OK... so he's pulling a Trojan horse. I get that... so how do we stop this loser?"
He felt Kamen's pain... "And how do we keep you from fading out?" Reno knew one way, but he was REALLY hoping it wouldn't come to that...
Fruxas was impulsively inclined to make himself useful... but these people were supposed to be his enemies. Even his uncle... I don't know who's on my side anymore. I thought I could trust my mother... but she lied to me... and then she left me. And my father... he left without me to save himself.
Kadaj felt the boy's pain closing in on him again and tried putting a hand on his shoulder a second time, and a second time he was shrugged off as the child stared resolutely ahead, his eyes cold... but shimmering with suppressed tears. He sighed. I don't know what I'm doing.
|
|
|
|
Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 18, 2006 23:39:14 GMT
kamen sighed heavily, his form as a little weaker. well... its hard to say. he is hard to fight off so i can't do it.... but physical force will only hurt me... not him.'' he glanced almost worriedly at fruxas, his pain drawing him. he looked back to reno. to keep me hear.... i wouldn't know unless i was attatched to another or my own body. i need a link or i'll fade....
|
|
|
|
Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 18, 2006 23:49:32 GMT
Reno sighed and facepalmed himself, running his hand over his face. "Oh, G**... I'm going to regret this." He sighed again and shrugged. "Kid, it looks like we're gonna have to get to know each other a lot better."
He stared heavenward. "Why me?"
He closed his eyes with exasperation. "OK, Kamen... ever heard of a thing called posession? Besides the thing that is nine tenths of the law."
Rude blinked. Oh, boy... this ought to be interesting.
Kadaj stepped forward again. "I have, and I don't recommend it. It can have unexpected results."
Reno glared. "On the other hand, if I don't give it a shot, the kid dies. What have we got to lose?"
Kadaj stared him down. "Your soul, maybe? Not as if Kamen is that type, but sometimes things just happen."
Fruxas stared into space. "Let him do it."
"But--"
"Just let him try." Fruxas was beyond feeling any more. He had lapsed into shock, the loss of his entire family too big to comprehend. All he could do was sit there and let things happen around him... he never wanted to get up or move or do anything ever again. And if Kamen died, or if Reno lost his soul... what did it matter to him, anyway? He just wanted quiet... he just wanted nothingness... he wanted to go someplace where nothing had happened or would ever happen, a forgetting place...
Kadaj felt the vacancy deep inside the boy. Loss leaves a hole in your soul... be careful what fills it.
Just leave me alone. The boy turned away and closed his eyes, retreating into his shell again.
|
|
|
|
Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 18, 2006 23:56:16 GMT
nikky wanted to reach out and hug the boy but didn't. she knew that he could and probably would kill her.
kamen blinked and then stared at him. what??.... oh no. reno... he seemed all of a sudden reluctent and fearful. i couldn't.... he was cut off by a weird feeling that made his essence flicker. he chewed his lip before looking back. if it hurts.... or if something goes wrong.... i'm sorry. he bowed his head slightly and reluctently stepped into reno... but, to save reno from being pushed out he went far back and stayed dormant. i have learned how to do this from the best.... i will lay dormant until i am needed... just think of me as the little voice in the back of your head. he made a little laugh.
nikky looked over and grew worried.
|
|
|
|
Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 19, 2006 0:07:56 GMT
Reno closed his eyes and groaned unhappily. "Great. Just what I needed... another conscience. I don't know what to do with the one I've got."
The boy suddenly bolted from the room and locked himself into one of the inn's rooms. Kadaj followed him but wasn't in time to stop him. "Fruxas..."
He got no reply, except quiet crying.
He leaned back against the door. Just when I thought things couldn't get worse... He sat down to wait it out. Where are Ami and Yazoo when you need them?
Rude looked up the stairs and saw them. "Nikky, why don't you talk to the boy?" She's the only female among us... hopefully, some kind of maternal instincts will kick in... all right, I'm just grasping at straws. But it's worth a shot.
Reno stretched his arms to test his mobility... playing host to Kamen didn't seem to affect that. "OK... so about taking out your boss. If we knocked you out, could we get you back into your body, force him out?"
|
|
|
|
Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 19, 2006 0:19:03 GMT
kamen replied with a sort of odd laugh. its a fifty-fifty chance... really. we might be able to force him out... but it might be best, and safer if we bait him out. he would leave my body in an instant if he had a better offer... or some other motive. he pondered the thought...
nikky stared at rude like he was crazy. ''me??'' she sighed and nodded. ''alright... i'll give it a shot.'' she started disarming herself. dropping her knives and setting aside her short sword. to her it was better to be unarmed, it made it less scary... she sent rude a glare before walking up the stairs. she looked at kadaj before knocking on the door. she had heard his name was fruxas so she decided to use it. in a soft and almost motherly voice she spoke through the door. ''fruxas? can i come in...??'' she waited patiently.
|
|
|
|
Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 19, 2006 0:30:49 GMT
He gulped at the sound of a female voice calling him... it sounded too much like his mother. My mother is dead... my mother is dead... For some reason, he couldn't make those words seem real. "Go away," he sobbed weakly.
Kadaj looked up at her and shook his head. "Don't go away. You have a gift for drawing people out. If we can't pull him out of his shell soon, he'll stay in there forever." A haunted look came over him as he resumed staring at the opposite wall. "I would know." He got away from the door to let Nikky go inside without accidentally toppling him.
****
Reno gave that a think. "A better offer... who can we use as bait?" Somebody who's strong enough to hold him back... but weak enough to be expendable... He ran through the list of the regular party members in his head. Ami, Squall, me, Rude, Nikky... who else? We lost Dimitri, Lutz, Kidd, and Kamryn back at the Crater.
|
|
|
|
Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 19, 2006 0:38:04 GMT
kamen would have shrugged. you know them better than i...
nikky sighed but then looked to kadaj. she stared for a minute, slightly confused, before nodding. ''okay... i'll take your word for it.'' she seemed reluctent to believe him but then leaned her head against the door. ''fruxas... you can't stay in there forever.... please. just open the door.'' she thought a moment. ''if you open the door... i promise that it will just be me, no one else....'' she maintained the softer, kinder tone. ''we don't have to talk about anything... i just came up to give you company. we could play a card game?'' she asked in the most baiting way possible....
|
|
|
|
Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 19, 2006 0:48:53 GMT
Fruxas gave the door a wary stare. Card games... Despite himself, his curiosity was piqued. Card games... the only games I ever knew were made to increase my power... I've never seen a card deck in person.
He really wanted to be alone... but he felt himself getting up and opening the door... he turned around before he could look at Nikky and climbed back onto the bed, dropping himself on it despondently.
Kadaj hung back and waited. He wanted to listen in on Nikky and the child... but first he had to convince the boy he and Nikky were alone... he started heading for the stairs.
He overheard Reno musing to himself. "I have the perfect candidate."
Reno jumped. "Anybody ever tell you it's not nice to eavesdrop on people?" Reno yelled.
Kadaj ignored his outburst. "Loz. He can lure Kamen's master out. He's not very bright, but he has strength in spades... including in his mind." He waited for feedback. "How about it?"
Reno wasn't too sure about this... but he had to admit it sounded good...
|
|
|
|
Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 19, 2006 0:54:14 GMT
nikky was shocked, she had to admit that was cool... she recovered and noticed the boys actions. she sighed slightly and walked in slowly. she shut the door but left it unlocked. she looked back at him sadly and warmly before smiling softly and walking over. she sat down slowly on the bed next to him. she looked over and watched him, still a smile on her face. ''hey...'' she said softly. ''my name is nikky... just in case you didn't know.'' her voice was soft and comforting. she held herself back from embracing the child.
kamen thought about it. it might work... i don't know him very well but if kadaj is right my master will fall for it....
|
|
|
|
Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 19, 2006 1:06:28 GMT
The boy sighed. "I knew." He could practically feel her pity... he couldn't stand it. He stayed face down on the bed, waiting for the world to disappear.
His voice was muffled by the mattress. "I'm Fruxas." He stay still, just lying there.
****
Reno grinned. "So it's settled. The meathead lures out the loser, Kamen gets his body back, we all go for a drink and call it an early day, mission accomplished."
He headed upstairs to get the others... Kadaj was already up there, listening in on Nikky and the kid.
Fruxas could feel him waiting there. The boy pushed himself up and kicked the door, splintering the place his foot hit. "Go AWAY!" Fruxas screamed.
Kadaj backed off. "OK, OK..." He turned around and headed back to the lobby, pushing past Reno. "Come on... the kid needs some alone time."
Reno looked up the stairs warily. "Nikky, you better know what you're doing..."
|
|
|
|
Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 19, 2006 1:35:48 GMT
nikky nodded. ''okay... thats good.'' she was still smiling. she was tempted to lay a hand on his shoulder to cofmort him but didn't.
kamen laughed slightly. alright... lets just hope it works.
nikky watched fruxas kick and scream. she noted that he prolly was extremely lost. ''fruxas....'' she said softly, patting a spot on the bed. ''come sit back down... and i'll set up a game of go fish.'' she smiled warmly at him, hoping that she can gain his trust. she always had a soft spot for kids... sometimes too soft.
kamen sighed. come on reno.... lets go. nikky will be fine. she has always had a soft spot for kids... when i found her she was taking care of one.... he trailed off, not wanting to say that the boy died.
|
|
|
|
Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 19, 2006 3:12:01 GMT
Reno sighed. "All right... let's just get back to the others before your master decides to go ape-s**t on us." He headed down the stairs. "Come on, Rude... let's go." He found it somewhat ironic that he had been to hotels with Nikky twice and had never so much as taken her socks off...
Rude got on the cycle and re-extended the sidecar. "I don't care to have people riding behind me, just for the record," he said, sounding slightly cranky. Being perpetually on the move did that to him.
Reno stopped and adressed Kadaj, who had followed him out. "You keep an eye on those two, awright? If I come back and find out a five year old has offed my fiancee... I'm gonna be p***ed, yo."
Kadaj shrugged and headed back inside. He hadn't been planning on leaving the boy alone, anyway.
Reno got on board and they took off, headed back to the group at the Mansion.
((To Shinra Mansion... but not until MVM signs on, OK?))
****
Fruxas eyed Nikky suspiciously. She hadn't even jumped when he cracked the door... What does she want? People who pretend they aren't afraid of me always want something...
He got onto the bed. I don't know what your game is, but this is the only way to find out. Maybe the sooner I do what you want, the sooner you'll leave me alone. His eyes never left her once. He remembered he'd left his gun behind... Whatever. If someone attacks me... maybe I'll die and go be with my mother, wherever she is.
|
|
|
|
Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 19, 2006 3:16:05 GMT
kamen stiffled a laugh. alright... lets go then. my master has no patience. he said with hidden dread.
((okay. that works.))
nikky smiled wider as he sat down before pulling out a worn deck of cards. she grinned at them. ''i've had these a long time... its always a good thing to pass the time with.'' she looked up from her cards. ''do you no how to play?'' she asked softly as she dealed out seven cards for each of them. go fish was a good game to start with...
|
|
|
|
Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 19, 2006 3:20:10 GMT
The boy's voice was low and almost devoid of emotion, except for small traces of hostility. "I've never played cards before."
He looked at the cards, almost curious. Little slips of paper... He didn't even know what they were for. He picked one up, examined it, turned it over, and it abjectly failed to make any sense. He put it down. "I don't get it," he said flatly.
|
|
