[ GRAVEYARD ]

[sheriffexe]

GRAVEYARD

So, you're dead. Shame, that. But on the other hand, it's actually kind of nice. When you "wake" in some odd version of it, you'll find yourself lying on a rather plush bed. It's cozy and warm and just soft enough to tempt anyone back into sleep. The room is equally nice, if small, and when you turn and open the curtains to look out the window, you will see... wait, is that the town? It is, actually. The town is laid out quite simply across the window and no matter how many times you may bang or wave through the window, no one seems to notice you. If you're smart enough to give up the venture and leave the small bedroom, you will notice that, of course, you are on the train. The train that, is actually pretty fancy. Moving through it, past the sleeping cabins and through to the main carts, you will find a dining car with fine dishware and meals of all kinds made at a push of a button or a request given to the air. They'll appear, freshly made and ready to eat at the table of your choice with any drink you could want. There truly doesn't seem to be any limits when it comes to the luxury of the meal. There is also a bathhouse car with private bathrooms and saunas to fit up to four. Even one rather large room containing a small pool/hot tub of sorts is available for just about anyone to take a dip. It's kind of outlandish, honestly. Then the lounge car, with its library and plush armchairs and couches. A pool table, a darts board, even a small area dedicated to painting. There's a bar too, fully stocked and ready for anyone who needs a drink. All it would require is a request from the bartender who... looks surprisingly familiar? The Sheriff is there, much cleaner cut than his counterpart outside of the train. He looks up mildly at any arrivals, giving them a nod of greeting before going back to organizing bottles or setting cigars out for a smoke. He doesn't seem to be surprised at all by anyone who appears. Just... ready to serve them, whatever they may wish. It all sort of seems okay for a moment, until you realize you're just here to wait for the game to end. Awkward.

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[ceded]

[ The first thing Xion does when she wakes up is start to cry.

This is mostly lingering fear and panic from right before she was killed. It doesn't take too long to dissipate, leaving her free to investigate this place, for the first time from the inside. The train.

It's nice, and she kind of hates it.

She'll stay in her room for a while, getting used to walking on two legs again and not needing any kind of support. Her bed, the window, and the town without all get an angry, unhappy frown, and before too long she has to leave. She is somewhat more subdued than you might expect for someone who has been ... allowed, finally, to rest.

(She did not want to rest.)

However... there is one benefit to being in this place that she intends to capitalize on fully. Xion will end up in the lounge and kind of wait there nervously, hoping that the people that she's missed will turn up there, too. Anyone she doesn't find there, she'll try to track down in the bar.

There are many people here now that she wants to be able to see again, and wrap her arms around. ]

[tightly]

[ This is not... how things should have been.

Even after all Chane had done - (killing Nui, killing Lust, lying, lying with a bland little frown) - it chafes at her somewhat muddled sensibilities to see Xion after having been so struck down. There are some things that ought not to be touched, people who she wanted to be safe.

Xion should have lived. Xion should have never known the worst of this community, the weight of visceral fear in a person's last moments, violence and what it does to a heart --

Well, there's nothing Chane can do for the Xion of two days ago.

For the girl who's here now, however, she'll open her arms, if and when it's necessary. Chane does start off smaller, of course: a small, somewhat awkward wave. ]

[ceded]

Chane...

[ Someone she'd truly missed, even after discovering the other woman had been a Bandit. Somehow, she can't bring herself to be bothered by the knowledge.

Chane gets a long look, like she doesn't know what to say, and then kind of -- all at once, as if she intends to leap at her in a hug, Xion will go up to her. She stops short of doing that, though, somewhat obviously holding herself back. There's a shy smile on her face, and her voice is soft from holding back tears. ]

... it's good to see you.

[tightly]

[ It's an easy thing to recognise, when someone's muscles want to move but don't, for whatever reason. Even with Xion's customary cloak covering up most of her fractious mass, Chane can still make out those little details.

It seems, for once, she can't count on Xion's eagerness to override her own personal reservations.

Taking initiative for once, slow but certain, she holds out a hand, letting the young woman know it's okay to bridge that gap. Chane's not going anywhere, at this point. ]

[dubiousalignment]

[Sup]

You lasted quite some time, Xion. Well done.

[ceded]

Tarvek!

[ hope you're ready to catch a 15 year old girl because

she is throwing herself at him in a very tight hug. ]

I'm sorry! I couldn't keep your watch safe...

[ this is what she cares about, yes. she's also crying, sorry. ]

[dubiousalignment]

[Tarvek didn't expect Xion to throw herself at him for a hug, but he manages to catch her. He's not someone who has received hugs often, and the only person he's very fond of hugging is Agatha, so all Tarvek does is hold Xion and pat her back in what he hopes is a comforting gesture]

It's just a watch, it's nothing to worry about. I'm sure I can get a new one once I'm home.

[Feel free to let him go anytime. He's willing to sit nearby and talk, but sitting is awkward when one has someone clinging to him, hahaha]

I hope whoever took your life had the decency to not make you suffer.

[He sounds rather serious about it]

[guiltlevel]

[ Russell's walking around the train with quite a few things in his arms, as if he's on an errand..! Nah, he's just bringing back more colouring supplies to The Pillow Fort because crayons are therapeutic, okay.

But he also has something else in his hands, something small in a cute, colourful wrapping -- and he sees Xion in the lounge..!

He stops for a moment, feeling awfully awkward. Hm... Does he approach or not... Does he..? Can he? Is he allowed to???

. . . She definitely doesn't look the happiest, so he'll attempt to approach her. ]

Uhm...... Xion...? You don't look so good.

[ In the tiniest, most timid voice ever. He hesitates before holding out the tiny thing in the colourful wrapping. This is one way to break the ice after awhile, right. ]

Someone once told me... If you don't eat. . . Your thoughts get pessimistic... You should, uhm.. Have this.

[ Inside the wrapping is a thing of manjuu. Very delicious. It has red bean paste in it! ]

[ceded]

.... Russell?

[ ... he killed Annabeth, is the first thing she thinks.

She'll stare at the thing he's offering her - what even is that? it looks cute, though - before looking back up at his face.

And then, without much preamble, she'll just kind of ignore it and opt to hug him instead. ]

[guiltlevel]

[ He sure did kill her. Which is why he's kind of afraid to approach people! You know. Guilt and stuff. Kind of hard to ignore Xion looking all sad and nervous though, she must be stressed upon arriving on this train.

Though... He didn't expect the hug, which makes him drop his crayons, but the manjuu is safe -- he tenses up a bit though. Everyone really likes hugs in the graveyard..!! He's not fully use to it yet. ]

...... Why?

[alcobrawlic]

[ Damn... two kids this week, huh? Sara can't say she's too happy about it, but knowing what she does... maybe it's for the best this way.

But she'll walk into the lounge at some point and smile crookedly. ]

Ah, and there's the classy lady.

[ceded]

Sara...

[ Xion starts to go over to her, and then ... stops, both hands clasped over her chest. ]

... Mr. Barnham. He killed me.

[ She doesn't know what else to say. ]

[alcobrawlic]

...

[ Ah. Sara doesn't look all that surprised to hear this, although something... melancholy darkens her eyes before she holds out an arm to her. ]

Did he tell you why?

[heroinwait]

Xion!

[Almost everyone who's interacted with Riku up til now has probably only heard his voice at an even level--stating the facts as he sees them, for better or for worse. But the moment he sees the familiar black hair, the familiar form and posture, Riku's calling out to her, his voice filled with surprise and urgency and relief, because she's here and while there are still so many people left in the town, he doesn't have to worry about her.

But he is still worried about her, because dying wasn't exactly a pleasant experience for him and he doubts it was for her either. He swallows, feeling the thick scar tissue over his Adam's apple riding up and down with the movement, then heads in her direction.]

Xion, you're here. Are you... how are you feeling?

[Obviously she won't be okay. What kind of a question was that to even almost ask...?]

[ceded]

Riku...? Riku!

[ As soon as she hears his voice she's moving. Heedless. Whoever or whatever else is in her way seems to fade into nothing.

Riku.

Before she even knows it she's got her arms thrown around him in the tightest hug she's ever given anyone, her face buried in his shoulder. And, of course, she starts to cry. It's a mix of relief and ... something else. ]

I ... I'm okay. I wanted to-- I wanted to stay! I can't believe... [ A beat and she gives up on that line of thought, shaking her head against him. ] That's not important right now. Riku, I ...

[ She looks up at him again, smiling a little. ]

I'm so glad to see you.

[heroinwait]

[For a split second (okay, so a bit more than a split second), Riku's expression changes to one of bewilderment as Xion is suddenly attached to him. At first it's like he's not exactly sure how to reciprocate, but after a moment his hands slowly lower to wrap around her form. He can't think of himself as deserving of such a motion of acceptance, not after everything that's happened both here and back in their own worlds, but... but Xion is crying. And all he wants to do right now is support her in the way he hasn't been able to while they've been stuck just watching everything.

So when she pulls away enough to look up at him, he's summoning an attempt at a wry smile.]

Hey, I couldn't let you have all the fun, could I? I told you we'd both go home together.

[And now that she's here, they can.]

[feminitis]

[And Xion, too.

What the hell.

Sei stares with wide eyes when she catches sight of her in the lounge. Part of her is relieved that Xion will no longer have to be out there in the town, suffering - but part of her is also in despair. Hannibal, Xion, and Shinnosuke. She had hopes that all three of them would be able to do something on the living's side, and now they're all dead.]

...Miss Xion...

[Much like before, she has no idea what to say. At least when she'd been writing her letter she could have time to think it over, but there's little time to think when the person you want to speak with is right there in front of you.]

[ceded]

Seizaburo.

[ For this friend, she doesn't cry. She cried enough that day in the road, with Seizaburo's blood on her hands and her face and a few other places besides.

For this, she simply closes the distance between them until she can tug Seizaburo into her arms and hang on wordlessly. It seems Seizaburo isn't the only one not to know what to say. ]

[feminitis]

[That's fine. Sei will shed enough tears for the both of them.

She's quick to put her arms around Xion and hold on tight once she's tugged forward. Crying on her friend's clothing is probably in bad form, but she can't help it - she hasn't yet outgrown being a crybaby, even after all this time.]

I'm- [She takes a breath.] ...I'm sorry...

[cherrypuncher]

Xiiiioooon!

[listen

i'm not even gonna get all instrospectivey right off the bat here

it is only going to detract from the intensity with which Yuna is launching herself down the corridor and throwing herself at Xion for a hug the second she sees her tbh]

[ceded]

Eep!

[ Xion hardly has time to react before Yuna's crashing into her. She almost lets the two of them topple to the floor, before she remembers she can use both her legs and manages to brace herself properly.

There's a grin on her face, and she's laughing, though she's somewhat winded. And of course, she's hugging Yuna back. ]

It's good to see you, too.

[sunnashi]

[ He hopes he isn't missed, because that's... sad? Going out without too lasting of bonds that are so easily broken, he almost got off lucky. That said, when Higekiri finds Xion in the lounge, he runs off.

Soon enough though, he comes back though like nothing was wrong in the first place. He has something for her, even. ]

Your eyes are a little red.

[ It's a cold, damp towel in his hands. He probably asked the bartender for that and some cold water. This Hal is... nicer. ]

[ceded]

... Higekiri.

[ She actually lights up the moment he approaches her. When he'd ducked out, she'd just kind of been left ... blinking, wondering if she did something wrong. When he returns, with something for her...

It's kind of a relief.

Xion will actually laugh, soft and sheepish, and reach out for the towel. ]

Thank you. I'm okay, I promise. I was just... [ A sigh. ] I was scared before I died, so ... I guess I just needed some time to get past it.

a bit late...!

[generously]

[ This... isn't how he wanted to see Xion, but knowing what he does about what needs to happen in order for everyone to go home, maybe it's better for her to be on this side of the game right now. ]

Well, so much for writing. I didn't expect to see you again so soon.

I'D WAIT FOREVER, ADI, MY LOVE

[ceded]

[ ... !

Stares at him, for a long moment.

And then just. Goes over and attaches herself to him in a tight, tight hug. ]

I pet Pluto for you, [ she'll mumble into his shirt, sad and fond at once. ]