memoryborn | "sorry, I cannot answer"

[It's probably still strange, to see something like a smile on Xemnas' face. It's never quite certain whether or not the expression is genuine, but he seems pleased as she works through it. She didn't know the story, and thus didn't know the moral of it, but she was doing her best.

When she reaches her conclusion, the smile is still there, but he shakes his head slightly.]

An admirable try, and well-thought out! The scorpion speaks the moral of the story as it dies. 'It's my nature. I can't help it'. Nobody can change their nature. A scorpion will always be a scorpion, and a frog will always be a frog. Demyx will always be as he truly is, and I as I am meant to be. Likewise yourself. The fundamental nature of a being. He claimed to know who and what I was.

He was wrong.

[It comes with a gesture, light and spidering.]

One can extend it further, to say that to touch a scorpion is begging to be stung, as you say, but consider this, if one wishes to believe that route.

[He folds his hands, his smile a little fainter, a little more secretive.]

A scorpion's poison isn't strong enough to kill a frog, certainly not a large one. A scorpion can survive only minutes beneath the water. A frog can survive a very long time indeed, and may well shake the venom off before it needs to breathe again. Would knowing this, make the moral of the story different?

[ Was that a trick question? She hadn't even considered that. Heck, she didn't know that much about frogs and scorpions to know that one had a better chance than the other to survive.

More thinking this time. And then: ]

I don't think it does. Even if they both could survive- [ If the scorpion somehow managed to get back on land in the minutes it had before it drowned, that is. ] -it's still inconvenient for them both, right?

Oh yes, I imagine so. The scorpion will be dead, and whether or not the frog survives, it would be in terrible pain for a while at least. There's no trick to the last. A thought experiment now and again does no harm. It keeps one reasoning out new solutions to old problems.

[Xemnas leans back a little, sobering. It was interesting to see her work her way through things, but in the end it wasn't particularly relevant.]

Long ago I selected Demyx to be among our number. Not for his cleverness, I'll tell you that. Still waters run deep, and all things fall before the sea eventually. But that current could never be brought to the surface. He was too lazy, too cowardly, too unwilling to work for anything at all. Such was his nature. Such will always be his nature, even with a heart. A heart will only feed that flaw.

[ She'd always found it curious how and why Xemnas employed Demyx into the Organization... He did his job, but from the sound of Saix's constant exasperation on his reports, wasn't doing them well. Well, that solves one answer.

She looks back on his parable and his explanation of it, then to what he tells of Demyx. ]

Like what he's doing now? [ Or lack thereof. ]

Demyx will never fight his own battles if there is an easier way, Xion. It might be bad, it might be good, but for him it simply is. What counts as 'easier' to him, however, may differ from what we consider easier. When he finally chose to fight, on the day he disappeared, he could have run again. But perhaps to him, there was no easier way.

[It seems a little strange, to even try to explain the man framing him for god knows what, in a way that might make him not as disgusting as Xemnas saw him. But he was, if nothing else, honest. More or less.]

In this situation, I imagine he seeks to put as many people between himself and myself as he can. Fighters, or just the wary, anyone who will watch out and protect him. I don't believe he's considered that if I wished to, I would go through every barrier he placed in my way, and their blood would be on his hands, for he knows what I will do when I must.

[Xemnas sighs, the last vestiges of fury draining out. It would take a while to work up a good mad again.]

Doing so would destroy any peace I could enjoy in this land, likely permanently. But I too must follow my nature.

[A smile then, faint and brief, there and gone in the span of a heartbeat.]

Thankfully that nature is not blind, reckless fury.

[ Xion frowns. She certainly hopes it isn't, but at the same time... Reckless fury is loud and predictable. She isn't sure if she'd rather prefer that than the possibility Xemnas would be a lot sneakier and cruel as he tries to get back at Demyx.

As if sensing her inner turmoil, Axel crouches low to have his head rub under her hand and bring her back to focus. Bahamut also gently bumps his snout at her cheek. She gives them each a pat for their attempt before staring back at Xemnas. ]

Don't. Let me handle this. If I can find something more concrete, I'll tell you. Then we can work... something out. Peacefully.

[It's certain Xemnas would seek to make a ... lasting ... impression, which wouldn't really be good for anyone involved at all. As Xion struggles, possibly torn on whether or not this is even a good idea, the silver-haired man simply waits, seemingly endlessly patient.]

Peacefully may not be a possible resolution. You understand that, don't you?

[There's no sense that it's a threat or even an implication. Sometimes violence couldn't be avoided.]

Find out what you can, then. I would prefer far more concrete information before passing judgment.

[ She gives a slow nod. A part of her is wondering why she's going through all of this trouble. The other half, much more prominent, reasons that it's for the sake of other people. Demyx was adding to the people in an unnecessary way. If people started following up on that just because of his say so...

She turns towards her Garchomp for a moment glancing back at Xemnas. ]

That's all, then?

For now.

[There's a frown, and he shakes his head.]

There are still many things I wish to speak to you about. So many questions I would like to ask. But it is easier to become angry than to let it go, and I fear any such conversation is best held when I am not thus preoccupied.

[Preoccupied with the desire to do considerable and grievous harm. Xemnas favored control, and emotions were not as easy to keep in heel as he remembered.

For anyone else, he has the iron self-control of a saint. But to his standards, it's abominable.]

Perhaps another time. Thank you for your ... promptness.

[It's Xemnas; whether that thanks is genuine or not is dubious. But it's there.]

[ She nods again, slower this time. She's doing him too many favors, she thinks. She's acting as if he's still her boss. The thought irritates her, but for the sake of others, it's probably easier to keep up that pretense with him - even if he is smart enough to doubt otherwise.

So long as they're just watching each other for now. ]

If there's anything else... [ Well, he obviously knows how to get her attention now. She slides onto Bahamut's back for a bit, who gives a contented rumble and makes sure she's secure. ]

I'll contact you once I confirm things.

[Xion is watched as she moves to leave, measuringly. His pokemon are still painfully alert, but obedient to Xemnas' orders to not do anything recklessly stupid.]

Try not to take too long, if you insist on peaceful measures. The sooner this is handled the sooner I can return to other matters.

[The zebstrika is given a push with one hand, a silent insistence that the striped pokemon actually rest like she's supposed to be. Nothing is stopping Xion from leaving, but predictably there's nothing like a 'goodbye' from the silver-haired man.]

"sorry, I cannot answer"

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