☼ 002 [audio]

[got_it_memorized]

[Axel doesn't usually feel the need to hide his face--he's gotten good at concealing his thoughts and making sure he doesn't give himself away... but everyone has a breaking point. Waking up to find Roxas' room as empty as Xion's suddenly was a less than a month ago is apparently his. He has to keep reminding himself that he doesn't have a heart, this can't actually hurt, it's only residual phantom pains, leftovers of memories... So why can't he just make it stop?

[There's a beat of silence, and then his voice sort of tumbles into the recording, like he tripped over his own tongue. His tone is a little strained, as if his throat hurts or he swallowed something terribly bitter.]

How often do people come and go from this place? I've noticed there seems to be a lot of turnover. A good number of people leave, a bunch of new faces show up, but sometimes old faces show up too. Is there any sort of pattern anyone's found?

Comments

[got_it_memorized]

[So many unexpectedly helpful strangers today, this is weird. He waits until this particularly talkative one finishes, then makes a 'hmm' sort of noise. Something in him wants to be indignant about the 'don't get too upset' remark (how dare you decide what I deem important enough to get upset about!?), but he reminds himself that without a heart he can't actually be upset or offended anyway.]

I'm not upset, I was just asking a question. No sense worrying about things you can't change anyway, right?

[antitactical]

No sense, but people still do it. Maybe not focusing on the stuff you can't change is the better way of looking at it!

[got_it_memorized]

[He makes a sort of grunting noise, a little indignant. Who does this guy think he is?] I wasn't really asking for life advice; I'm not focusing on anything but looking for a pattern. Life's full of those, you know? Patterns. Find them and it's a lot easier to predict where you're headed and how long it'll take you to get there and who you'll find there. I just like to know when to brace for impact.

[antitactical]

You're the real analytical type, huh?

[got_it_memorized]

What can I say? You can take me out of the reconnaissance missions but you can't take the reconnaissance missions out of me.

[antitactical]

( Grinning again, she shrugs. )

I think the patterns here are the hardest thing to get a-hold of. With how people come in, or how they get zapped back, things like that. There's no clear pattern! You get an idea of when they come in because the Initiative has to try, but there's all this unclear stuff about the rest.

Can't really see why some people keep getting pulled back here, or why of those people, some remember, and some don't.

[got_it_memorized]

Yeah, it's frustrating. I mean, I enjoy a good challenge as much as the next investigative fellow, but I'd prefer if said challenges didn't involve the small circle of people I actually gave a damn about.

[antitactical]

Especially when the biggest challenge is "why now," and the answer is, "we don't know." Look on the bright side! Unlike other times and places, at least people aren't chosing to abandon you when they go.

sorry for the wait! back from con now!

[got_it_memorized]

I--

[He stops short because he can't deny that this person makes a good point. He's pretty sure that if Roxas and Xion had left of their own volition they would have at least said goodbye, after all.]

I know. I don't think they'd have left without me if they'd had the choice. [What would they do? The two of them hardly know how the world works, and he hates to think what would happen if someone else gets put in charge of showing them the ropes.] Heh... [A sigh.] Guess I'm gonna have a lot more free time on my hands now.

i hope it was a kick ass time!

[whatsupcroc]

It's a good opportunity! I mean, your friends won't want you to be bummed out forever.

( Not if they were halfway decent friends. )

How about you hit me up and I take you out to a feel good lunch sometime when the being sad part isn't taking up most of your free time?

it was! :D

[got_it_memorized]

[He sighs briefly, knowing this person is right. Roxas and Xion wouldn't want him to mope, but he can't help feeling (feeling?) kind of blindsided by the whole thing. He's quiet a moment, then tilts his head to one side, though the audio feed of course doesn't show this.]

Far be it from me to turn down a free lunch, but shouldn't we at least exchange names first? [A short, helpless sort of laugh.] Blind dates definitely aren't my forté.