pullsheavendown | ♚ IC Contact for Sirens' Pull ♚

[There's a long, long silence before Aqua receives any reply at all. He could ignore the question, sure. He could hang up and turn his NV off and avoid the issue entirely.

But he can't. Even if he can't be the one to share all that's happened with her, he can't turn away a friend who's confused and worried and needs to know the truth—who used to know it herself. Roxas wishes he could bring those memories because, because it would be so much easier that way.]

Not exactly.

[Well ... that doesn't sound very definitive. Not that Roxas can see, but she shrinks where she sits, a few ridiculous hopes dissipating as her doubts solidify.

She did say that she had one question and he gave her one answer. And ... to be honest ... it's more of an answer than she expected.]

I see.

[Even though there's not much to see.
Another time, perhaps.]

[He isn't so sure that she does.]

You should know...nothing Xemnas has done is Terra's fault. None of it.

[Terra would not create people only to destroy them for his own use. Terra would not gather hearts for pure power. He would have stopped it all, if he could have.]

It wasn't Terra's heart that was lost.

I don't understand.

[... ... There's just no way that she can suppress the follow up questions. They build in the pit of her throat momentarily, and she makes not one but two attempts to swallow it down into suppression.

But, again ... there's just no way.]

Why does he ... look like Terra? If Terra's heart wasn't lost, then whose Nobody is he?

[More than ever, Roxas wishes Terra had explained at least some of what had happened to Aqua. He'd do anything to help his friends, but anything shouldn't include making this kind of decision about how much to tell her now.]

He used to call himself Ansem. I wasn't around back then, but when he lost his heart, he changed it. That's kind of how it goes for people like us. Ansem to Xemnas...Sora to Roxas.

But he wasn't even the real Ansem. I never met the real one, but they said he was betrayed by the original members of the Organization. And their leader stole his name so no one would find out. I guess he makes a habit of taking things that are important.

[Ansem to Xemnas ... Sora to Roxas.
It's not his Nobody. Even Roxas has said so -- it's not his Nobody. Not ... exactly.

Not exactly.

It's that part of his response that stays with her, keeps her from excusing herself from the conversation.]

... I don't suppose he would tell me if I asked, would he?

[Ironically, she's talking about Xemnas. Not Terra.]

Wh—you mean Xemnas? No!

[He sounds distressed now, half-panicked, and deeply worried.]

I told you, he's a liar. You can't trust anything he says. And he's still our enemy, no matter what—the only reason we haven't taken him out for good is because in a world like this, that might not even be possible. He's not still walking around because I've forgiven him.

[Bitterrrrrr.]

Besides...I don't even know how much he remembers.

You shouldn't have to go to him for information.

[No ... she shouldn't have to.

The truth of the matter is that she knows just how easily that man slides lies into a conversation -- taking into consideration how their very first conversation went. The memory stirs a frown to her features, but ... a thoughtful one.

It's easily decided that soliciting Xemnas for information ought to be a last resort. But is asking Terra directly really the ... stable thing to do? If she thought so, she might not be so quick to see what Roxas knows. It just made so much sense to come to someone who's been in the Port for a long time ... and who knows much more than she knows.

Then again, he's never been this evasive before.]

I didn't mean to upset you. [Here she goes ... apologizing again.] It's better than it was, but ... still. I just feel like I'm ... not seeing the big picture just yet. Like there's something missing.

[Something missing that no one wants to tell her. A sigh of frustration comes and goes.

There's no other option, realistically. She has to ask Terra.

Even if it means another blow-up, another outburst, a brand new fight. Putting his friend on the spot should not have been -- should not have to have been -- the first thing she did.]

... I'll get this sorted out some other way.

I'm sorry.

[His voice is quiet, small. And full of regret.]

I would tell you everything I know if I could, but it isn't my story to tell.

[And he'd promised Terra he wouldn't--promised not to tell part of it, at least. Ten years, he'd said. Ten years without control of his own body and heart, thinking all that time that his friends were lost to him. Roxas can't even imagine what that's like, but he does know something about loss.]

Something really bad happened. Terra didn't do anything wrong, but everything got complicated. Especially after last spring. It's just hard for him.

[There's a long pause on her end of the NV following Roxas's response ... almost too long. It's likely she's turning his phrases over and over in her mind, weighing her options ... making a decision.

It's enough. She shouldn't ask any more questions. Not about Terra or anyone else.

Finally -- ]

No ... don't apologize. Thank you for your help. This ... means a lot to me.

[Her voice has taken on a defeated tone ... hollow, perhaps. But if it isn't exactly emotive, it is polite.]

We'll talk more some other time. [An opening for him to end the conversation. A signal that she's ready for it to be over herself.] Please take care ... okay?

♚ IC Contact for Sirens' Pull ♚

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