☼ four; video.

[recalls]

[At first, there is only a tranquil, quiet scene being broadcast. Flowers bobbing gently in the wind, a butterfly floating on the breeze, nothing out of the ordinary. Then a voice is heard, high and sudden. It will be familiar to some, vaguely Australian and somewhere between excited and confused.] Ah, oh! It was real?

[A face comes into view, all

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[video]

[mnementomori]

[Xion's in her room, but she rushes to the window when she hears that familiar voice on the Vine outside.]

Vanille! You're back! And you remember?

video;

[recalls]

[Vanille brightens and waves hello.] Xion! I'm glad to see you!

[She pauses for a moment, thinking.] When I got home, it was like this place was a dream that I couldn't really remember, but when I woke up here again, it was like I never forgot at all.

video;

[mnementomori]

I'm glad...that you didn't forget again.

[she pauses, sobering.]

But--I'm sorry...you probably wanted to stay at home.

video;

[recalls]

Me, too! It would be sad to forget your friends, don't you think?

[She turns away from the Vine, links her fingers together behind her back.]

There are things I'm supposed to do, back home. Things I promised I'd do. But it's nice being here, where I don't have to worry so much. If all my friends came, I think... maybe it would be good if we could always stay here. Is that selfish? There's... [She pauses.] A lot of people are depending on us. I used to think it would be better if I just ran away, but that only made things worse in the end.

[She turns back around, appearing to have come to some sort of conclusion.] I do need to go back home, but I'm happy I get to see you again.

video;

[mnementomori]

[she looks down for a moment, her smile small and awkward. Boy, does she know. All of it.]

Maybe, once...you finish everything, you could all be here. If you wanted.

I'm glad to see you, too. I...I think I'd feel the same way, if the Queen took me earlier than she did. But now, I don't really have anything to go back to, so...

video;

[recalls]

[Squeenix y u do dis to cute little girls? ;;;;

Vanille smiles softly.] I never thought about that, but I'm sure everyone would like it here!

[B-baww. She knows what it's like, not to have a place to go.] Is... did something happen, to your home?

video;

[mnementomori]

[bastards, all of them.]

[she shakes her head.]

I...didn't exactly have a home. And it's more like...something happened to me.

video;

[recalls]

[/PUNCHES THEM!!!

And, oh, that's a very sad thing for Vanille to hear. She doesn't want to pry, exactly, but she is very curious, and wants to help if she can.] That's terrible. Everyone should have a home! What happened to you?

video;

[mnementomori]

[the fact that she really missed Vanille tells her how much she values her, so maybe she can say a few things...]

It's hard to explain. But if I weren't here, I'd be...gone. Forever.

video;

[recalls]

[DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD: Omg that is terrible. You can tell by this hideous face she's making how awful she thinks that is.

She wants to ask approximately - and this is just a rough estimate - 38497529374695783 questions, but she settles for some sort of ridiculous gasp and:] Oh, no! Is there anything you can do?

video;

[mnementomori]

[the concern is enough for her--it's more than most people ever showed. She shakes her head.]

No...but...it had to happen. I'm grateful to get a second chance here without hurting anyone, though.

video;

[recalls]

[Now that... that's something Vanille can really empathize with, and the sorrow that flashes across her face is unmistakable. She's always been overly expressive, and so the sudden welling of emotion can't be held out of her expression by the small, sad smile she offers before she looks away.

After a moment she turns back, smiling properly again, but perhaps notably falsely as well.] As long as you're here, everything's okay, right? So we'll just have to make sure you stay!

video;

[mnementomori]

[she notes all those reactions, but she's still a little awkward at reading them, so she takes them at face value. Vanille understands her situation, she realizes that much. It helps her relaz a little.]

Yeah, you're right. I've been here a long time now, so I think I'll be okay...

[she doesn't really want to think about what would happen if she "went home" like the others did. Would there be any chance of returning?]

video;

[recalls]

[And enthusiastic declarations of okayness are go! Complete with hand clapping and slight bouncing.] You will be! We'll make sure of it! If the Queen tries to send you home, well... I'll stop her!

video;

[mnementomori]

[that enthusiasm is infectious.]

I'll be okay. The Queen doesn't want to send anyone home. She said she's lonely. But she makes mistakes sometimes.

video;

[recalls]

[Vanille is sort of like a disease.]

Ohh... [:C] No one deserves to be lonely, but no one should have to be here if they don't want to, either. [Thinkyface.] Maybe... if she gave people a choice, she could bring people who'd rather be here, and everyone else could go home!