gone shopping [that AU]

[haveacuraga]

Who: Roxas and Aerith
What: A quick pit stop for supplies and first aid winds up leading Roxas to help Aerith out on fetching said supplies. Possible suspicion of his origins ensues!
Where: Hollow Bastion – Merlin's house and around town.
When: Sometime after visiting Beast's Castle, sometime before visiting the next world.

[starting some two years ago, Aerith had been named the official healer for the Keyblade Wielder and his friends– whenever there happened to be an injury on the battlefield too grievous for a curative spell, she would be the one to take over.]

[though, to be honest, she wasn't exactly expecting for Sora to show up again with another wielder she'd never met tagging along. regardless, upon their arrival Sora and the others dispersed to various areas and patrols, leaving the... oddly familiar boy by himself in the middle of Merlin's house.]

[which is why she'd chosen to invite him to come along with her to the market. it's not every day she gets to meet a new friend of Sora's, not after they'd all returned home.]

Comments

[binarysky]

[Roxas finds himself relaxing as he accompanies Sora's friend to the market. He lets her lead the way—he's been here before, but it's not like he knows his way around really well.

He finds himself relaxing a little; she's got a nice smile and a calm presence that has that effect one people. Still, he makes sure to stay a little on guard, just in case.]

So what exactly do we need to get?

[haveacuraga]

Potions and more food, mostly. But I'd be happy to get you anything else you might need for your own journey, Roxas.

[just don't stock up on 20 loaves of bread, all right? she's unfortunately been witness to the aftermath of one of those Donald-buys-too-much-bread incidents before.]

[binarysky]

[At least they'll have all the fiber they need? Euugh.]

Sandwich toppings, I guess. Other than that you'd have to ask Sora and the others. I'm not sure what they stock up on. I don't need anything special for me.

[haveacuraga]

If you're absolutely sure.

[gotta keep junior heroes well stocked, after all. if they're doomed to an awkward silence with occasional questions on their trek to the market, save for an occasional Heartless, Aerith won't pay it much mind. she might not even acknowledge that it's awkward.]

Have you and Sora known each other long?

[binarysky]

[Well, that's kind of an awkward question, even if Aerith doesn't know it. But at least it's one Roxas can answer honestly.]

Not too long. I knew of him a little while before we met, and we've been traveling together for a little while now.

[haveacuraga]

He seems fond of you.

[a pause, as she turns her head slightly to watch him.]

Sorry if I'm asking too many questions; I don't get to meet new Keybearers very often. Have you been fighting Organization 13 for very long?

[binarysky]

It's okay.

[He shrugs, glancing sidelong at her.]

Sometimes it feels like I've been fighting them my whole life. But it hasn't really been that long. Just a few months now. But I know how awful they are.

[haveacuraga]

Is that how long you've had your Keyblade, too?

[binarysky]

I've had it longer than that.

[but quickly] Not as long as Sora, though.

[haveacuraga]

I see... I guess that's why we never ran into you when we were first fighting the Heartless, then.

[except for the part where they did, because he was Sora at the time.]

[binarysky]

Sounds like that was a tough time.

[SOB.]

[haveacuraga]

You're right. It was a long time before we had a real fighting chance to restore our world – and the worlds that had been lost in the meantime.

But you know, I think dedicating our time to helping those around us made the wait a little more bearable... That's how I feel, anyway.

[binarysky]

[Roxas can't help but smile.]

I'm glad things weren't wrecked for good.

[haveacuraga]

I am, too.

What about your world, Roxas?

[binarysky]

My world?

It's still around. There have been Heartless, but it never...it's been mostly okay.

[Even if it wasn't really his.]

[haveacuraga]

Sounds more or less like this world now.

[with the addition of Nobodies, but really, anything is better compared to what Hollow Bastion was when they first escaped it up to about a year ago.]

[binarysky]

Kind of.

[He shrugs again, a little uncomfortable now. It doesn't feel good to think about Twilight Town. He's not sure if it ever will again.]

[haveacuraga]

Mm... I'll bet you miss it while you're out traveling.

[binarysky]

Not really.

[Unconsciously, he walks a little faster.]

There's not a lot left for me there.

[haveacuraga]

[... what are you doing, boy.]

You don't consider it your home, then?

[binarysky]

I used to. [shrug] Turns out I don't really belong anywhere. So traveling around with Sora's just as good.

[...why is he telling her this?]

[haveacuraga]

[she doesn't mind. Aerith actually looks a little sad at that – she hasn't really matched his pace yet, she's just watching him lengthen the gap between them slightly.]

I want to tell you that you not belonging anywhere isn't true – you know yourself better than anyone else, Roxas. There's a place, even if it isn't what you expect.

[binarysky]

I dunno.

[He'd like to believe he still belongs on Twilight Town. But no matter what the memories he can still recall tell him...he never really did.]

For now, I'm where I should be. That's good enough.

[haveacuraga]

[Aerith sort of gets the sense that maybe Roxas might have shared more than he meant to on how he thinks about his home world, but... he seems to be a private boy. she has no reason to pry further.]

[nor would she have the chance, even if she did – shortly after a brief lapse into silence, a small band of Heartless spring from the ground, surrounding the both of them.]

[binarysky]

Look out!

[Oblivion appears in his hand in less than a heartbeat, and Roxas charges forward. The lone soldier is the most obvious danger, but the way shadows slide across the ground in groups makes them far less than safe too, and he doesn't know if Aerith can fight at all. But still, they're pretty lowly Heartless—he's more concerned about property damage.]