You'll always be what you Always were (out tonight part 2) - Hollow Bastion [Open; Incomplete]

[madkefka]

( what came before )

'shit...a healer?' the mere thought of someone scanning him sent him into a near panic mode. If anyone who was even slightly competant with magic were too look at his heart, they would have to see the anomoly around his heart. "Lady Kairi!" He called. Panicked, he ignored Alladin's hand and went to go after Kairi...

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[fake_prince]

Things were getting worse and worse. Aladdin focused his attention on the crowd. Some of these people recognized him and could identify him, seeing that he was one of the only princes that made the effort to form an actual connection with the commonfolk. While Kairi was dealing with Kefka, he made his best effort to calm everyone down and assure them that nothing was wrong and they weren't in danger.

And if they actually were, he added mentally to himself, he'd make sure to remedy that. His hand was lingering at the sword hanging at his waist, that he had made sure to keep with him at all times ever since the Heartless had made such a presence.

With people generally calmed down and going back to their own business, he head over to the princess and the mage. From what he could tell, things didn't go well if Kairi got too close to him, so Aladdin made short work of helping Kefka up and slinging the magician's arm around his shoulder to ensure support.

"If not a healer, at least get you in bed," he muttered, motioning with his head that Kairi should follow him as he paced back to the castle.

[madkefka]

Aladdin definatly had the right intuition there, because the moment Kairi started reflexivly moving towards Kefka, a sort of searing pain emenated from his heart, spreading through his entire chest, causing him only to clutch harder. Of his own volition, luckily, he moved back several steps, so the pain became bearable, while he held up a hand to fend off her advances.

He gave Aladdin a thankful look, which for once was an honest emotion, but at this distance he was able to stand on his own.

"No, i think...i think I know what ails me." He gave Kairi a significant look. He'd have to dance carefully here. For some reason it seemed important that he keep Riku's identity from the Prince that was standing next to him.

He caught Kairi's eyes and held them with a piercing gaze. "I know exactly who did this to me." 'though perhaps not how...' "And only he can cure this." For further emphasis of this, Kefka pretended another shot of pain, contorting his face.

With pretended effort, he righted himself, a look of determination mixing with the pain. "I simply don't know how to contact him. Lady Kairi..." he hesitated again. "Perhaps you do?" There. That was round-a-bout enough. If she had heard him say the Shell's name, she should be able to put it together. At least, Kefka hoped so. If she couldn't, perhaps he had overestimated her.

After a moment, he continued. "Perhaps bed is not such a bad idea afterall..." he murmmered.

[seventhcrown]

"Ahh..." He wanted her to contact Riku? Last she knew, he was mad at her, enough to haven't have contacted her since then.

But, but wait. Riku did this? How could he have possibly done something to Kefka, a powerful, skilled mage? Granted, Riku was a good fighter, really good to have survived so long in this war, but just... how?

She nodded, returning his gaze. She didn't know what was going on, but Riku and her tutor had something to do with it. Best she could do was to heed Kefka's wishes, maybe talk to Riku in the interim.

"I'll try."

[fake_prince]

To be quite honest, all of the cryptic statements these two were shooting at each other went completely over his head. He found it a bit demeaning, since Aladdin wasn't one that liked to be left in the dark. He was used to people treating him in a condescending manner, though that hardly meant that he enjoyed it.

He tried to convince himself that it was something that didn't concern him, and that maybe it wasn't his place to know or even care, but he wasn't one to let things slide by without doing something about it.

Nevertheless, it wasn't something he could bring up at the moment. He knew he wouldn't get any clear answers. For now, all he could do was get Kefka to a bed and make sure Kairi didn't cause him to collapse or anything equally severe. He gave her a look that communicated that she should keep some distance as he continued to heft the man towards the castle.

Before long, they were at the gates. Ignoring any stares they got for the few people still milling about the castle halls at such a time of night, he turned his attention to Kefka. "Do you have a room you want me to take you to, or is the infirmary okay?"

[madkefka]

Kefka allowed Aladdin to help him to the castle. Perhaps a meal from Marie was exactly what he needed; for a woman who had a heart of light, she was one of the few whom Kefka didn't consider killing.

At Aladdin's inquiery, he responded, "The infirmary should be fine. As long as I am not near the Lady Kairi, i should be fine..."

He shut his mouth, stopping himself from saying too much.

As for Kairi, he simply gave her a greatful eye. 'good, good. She can understand half-words. Though the peasant...prince, whatever the hell he is, probably is annoyed with me.' He had to repress a silly giggle.

Aloud, he addressed the girl. "Thank you, Lady Kairi." he made his tone sincear, with a tad of regret. "Turns out he's stronger than i thought he was." He made a face, trying to ignore the pain that even this mear distance caused him.

[seventhcrown]

She backed away as Aladdin began carrying Kefka the long distance back to the castle, falling in behind a ways behind them.

She considered the looks and glances, what Kefka could mean by "he's stronger than I thought he was". Falling into lockstep behind the two, she dazed out as she turned possibilities in her head. Her teeth caught her lip and she chewed on it in worry.

How am I going to get in touch with him anyway? she wondered. Through his journal was the most logical place, she supposed. But that was if he was even checking it. It wasnt like she could just walk down the street and find him like back home.

"I'll just have to give it a shot," she muttered.

[fake_prince]

Aladdin breathed a sigh of relief to see that Kairi had some common sense and took Kefka and himself seriously when they warned her to stay away. He felt bad, since she probably felt isolated and perhaps even thought she was the direct cause of the mage's pain (of which Aladdin wasn't sure either way), but she was a Princess of Heart-- she could handle herself.

Infirmary, then. He gave Kefka a small nod to show he understood and then turned his gaze back to Kairi. "I'll take care of him, all right? You should probably just head to bed. It's getting late. Or, if you want, you could go pick up some soup for him from the kitchens. I could just as easily do that, though." He gave a small shrug of his shoulders. It was up to her.

With that settled, he started down the hallway towards the infirmary-- a place he'd spent a few days himself in the past four years...

[madkefka]

Kefka went with the Prince along the hallway leading to the infirmary in silence, though he was gradually able to stand up more and more on his own. Soon enough, they had arrived at the doors of the infirmary when Kefka stopped, regarding the Prince.

As much as he hated to, he knew he had to keep the prince on somewhat of his good side. Not that he had a good side, but still...Kefka supposed most people would find the man's diseffecting nature charming, but Kefka couldn't bring himself to feel anything more han distaste. The mans eyes were too big...

Still, he would do what had to be done, no matter the cost to his pride. He would give everything for the chance to serve his Lord again.

"My apologies for, perhaps, ruining your night out. But more so for talking over your head back there. The one who did this..." he paused, clearly hesitating. "I still feel the need to protect him, and i do not believe he wishes himself known."

"Still, thank you for your assistance. I believe i can make it through the doors on my own. Please give my warmest wishes to your Lady Princesses." He tried to pull off one of his extravigent bows, but only managed a small twirl when pure exhaustion caused him to fall against the wall. He righted himself, shaking his head clear.

Whatever the Shell had done to him, it had drained Kefka of a lot of energy. His limbs felt like stone with several people hanging on them.

'i will get you for this little stunt, you bastard. I will pull the veil from your eyes and cause you pain. I'm quite sure my lord would indulge me in that much...' Kefka couldn't help but smile. The ringing tone of his thoughts assured him that he was, still, quite mad.

[seventhcrown]

Feeling that things were out of her hands right now, Kairi turned the other way as they came in the castle gates. "I'll go get him some soup..." she muttered to Aladdin's back.

The kitchen was cleaning up after dinner when she arrived, Marie wiping her hands on her apron as she came in.

"Lady Kairi, you didn't receive your dinner!" The head cook looked dissapointed. "Were you sick? I have some wonderful soup left over from dinner, still warm." She walked over to a stove and lifted a lid. "Cream based, sausage, kale, onions...a bit of a kick!" She stirred the soup around a bit.

"Umm, no, I just went out with a friend," she explained. "But, Kefka isn't feeling too well, so some soup for him would be nice."

"Oh, the poor dear! I always said he was too pale..." She walked over to a cabinet, pulling out a sealed bowl that was used to deliver soup to rooms and ladeled it full. Then, as a second thought, she filled another one. "Here, dear, take him two just in case."

Nodding, Kairi picked up the two bowls and with a bow and a word of thanks, backed out of the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, she wrangled with the door to the infirmary, peeking in.

"I brought soup..?"