Having Tea( Antique, Pm to Join)

[Rex]

Caxnon suddenly felt a huge jolt of pain go through his head. A headache? That wasn't usual, no matter he would just have to live with it. He suddenly realized that he was feeling quite tired, after all he hadn't slept for almost 2 weeks now.

After rubbing his head for quite some time he decided to speak.

'' Why don't we go have some tea?'' he said to both of them.

[antique]

"Yes," Antique said softly. The girl didn't appear necessarily strong or anything special, for that matter. But the moment she pulled Clarent off of her back, it became the rather large claymore was not just for show. She wielded it expertly, as if it were an extension of her arm.

"Clarent and I..." she said, lightly bringing her lips to the blade. "Have seen our fair share of horrors." It wasn't something she proudly shared. Never. "Sometimes I feel like a wolf in sheep's clothing," she said, gazing at the blade. She swiftly returned it to her back.

Reiho went to hug her--and Antique tensed immediately up. Her arms tentatively went around Reiho, though, as she returned it. Hugging was a very awkward thing for her, still. But she enjoyed the physical contact. She pulled away awkwardly, only because she wasn't exactly sure how long hugs and such were supposed to last.

She smiled sheepishly as she looked up to Caxnon, her eyes narrowing in concern.

Then he offered tea.

"Yes. Let us...go find that tea. Then we shall...retire. At least I will. I do need to rest."

[raiho]

Antique finally broke the hug stance and mentioned her intentions to drink some tea. However, she also mentioned wanting to be alone, probably she needed some time alone to rethink about her situation.

"Tea? Maybe we could go to that café of the previous day. Despite all that happened there previously, I still like that place"

She was about to lead the group towards the café when she felt a terrible pain in her chest. It wasn't like the other times when she felt pain in her head, this time it was in the chest and the pain was intense.

She gasped a bit as she massaged a bit her own chest with her right hand in an attempt to ease the main. It faded away as suddenly as it appeared and Reiho felt good again.

"I .. I think i should go back to my home later too."

Almost as if she feared it would be the last time they could be together like that, she insisted in holding hands with both Caxnon and Antique as they walked towards their destination. She didn't know what was happening to her. Was she going insane, or maybe she was cursed, or both? Only time would tell ...

[Rex]

Caxnon wasn't into the whole holding hands part, but he didn't have much of a choice. As they walked towards the cafe he suddenly felt himself start to grow weak. There was something wrong with him, but what? The weakness soon started turning to pain as the walked, and this worried him.

He gave a quick glance at Reiho, then at his hand. Then he remembered there battle in the third district where Reiho nearly lost her heart. This was followed up by something Jadis said to him.

'' Light rejects nothingness, and Darkness absorbs it''

Which would explain the sudden pain around his arm. Could it be possible that Reiho was somehow able to use darkness energy now?

Caxnon quickly let go of Reiho's hand.

'' Ouch!!' was all he managed to say. He looked then quickly hid it behind his back to hid what he saw.

'' Sorry'' he added

[antique]

Antique held onto Reiho's hand, if only because there wasn't much of a choice. She didn't really mind, even though it was probably something she wouldn't have done in her own world. It was perhaps, a very nice change.

Happy. She felt a bit more at ease as they all walked toward the cafe. A soft smile spread across her face as they all walked. A little bit hesitant to visit that cafe from the other day, she was pretty sure she didn't want to run into some particular people. Like Mikael. She wasn't ready to face him yet. If she met Kousei though--well, let's just say her mood wasn't going to be pleasant.

She looked over to notice Reiho's expression of pain. She quirked an eyebrow, and was about to say something when Caxnon seemed to be in pain too?

What in the world..?

Then Reiho seemed fine.

Still grasping onto Reiho's hand, she manuevuered, and grabbed Caxnon's hand from behind his back, smiling. They formed a circle.

"You guys..." she said in a soft tone, and smiled.

[raiho]

Antique was finally smiling for real instead of faking it. Alas, now it was Reiho the one trying to force a normal face. The pain faded away but nothing could make her get rid of that ominous feeling she had about their group.

Caxnon, Antique and Reiho arrived at the café with no more incidents during the path and Reiho took a seat between her two companions. That feeling of losing them forever was still eating away what little remained of her calm self, so she asked for a cup of chocolate milk and asked both of them a question they may have never suspected Reiho would ask

"I can't shake off this feeling ... do you think this will be the last time we see each other?"

Sh looked at the eyes of her companions seeking in them something that could shake off her doubts with a warm display of friendship. However, deep down she knew the answer: they were never going to be together again like this.

[Rex]

Caxnon's hand seemed to be fine. Whatever happened to it before, he would have to figure out later. Maybe Antique, thought that they were shy, or at least he hoped she did. When they arrived at the cafe, Caxnon was shocked at Reiho's question. He thought about it for a long time, before he finally answered.

'' Don't say that. Where always going to see each other, I don't see why we wouldn't.'' Caxnon said.

The nobody held both Reiho's and Antique's hands.

'' Listen to me both of you. I don't know how long this will last, but I know that...you guys mean a lot to me. The only good memories I have, are of you two. Please, I need you guys to be strong, and stay together. Promise me that you will be there for each other alright? Please, as long as you have each other nothing can go wrong.'' Caxnon said to them.

[antique]

Though nothing happened as they sat down, Antique glanced in between Reiho and Caxnon. There was something else going on here--unfortunately, Antique wasn't a seer nor mind reader. Ordering a cup of rose-hip tea, she watched the other two. Surely another cup of caffeine would keep her awake for a couple more hours.


"I can't shake off this feeling ... do you think this will be the last time we see each other?"

Antique stared into her cup of tea, seeing the petals near the bottom. She never knew what the future would bring, ever. "I don't think...it'll be the last time we'll see each other," she said quietly. She beamed. "After all, Traverse Town is a pretty small world!"

The waiter brought out a cake. She smiled. She wasn't exactly sure how true those words were, though.

Then Caxnon started saying things that started shaking her beliefs that something like this would never happen again. She panicked for a moment, then saw the ribbon she had given him on his wrist.

She pulled away for a few moments, searching through her bag, pulling out another string. Looking at Reiho, she tied the ribbon around the younger girls wrist a couple of times, before knotting it.

"No matter what, we'll always have our memories of each other," she said quietly, tying ribbon around her own wrist and knotting it so that it would be more trouble than it was worth to attempt taking it off.

She held up her wrist to emphasize the point. "We'll keep these on, so that no matter where we are, and whoever we become in the future, we'll always remember that."

[raiho]

Caxnon's words were reassuring. As long they stayed together nothing could go wrong, and Antique further added that she was sure they would see each other again and pulled a ribbon from her bag, which she tied around Reiho's wrist.

A ribbon? It's nice

She could feel Antique's feelings inside that ribbon. Even if she were to forget them, that ribbon would always remain as the link between them, a powerful item representing powerful memories.

Antique picked yet another ribbon and tied around her own wrist. Now they had twin ribbons, and a further inspection showed that Caxnon had one as well. A trio of ribbons for a trio of friends.

"No matter what, we'll always have our memories of each other". Antique's words were words Reiho would've said full of confidence in the past, but now she was confused and wasn't really sure if they could apply to the current situation

She tried to believe in their bonds represented by their ribbons, but the last words Antique said once more crumbled her beliefs.

"No matter whoever we become in the future? But what if ... I stop being myself and become something different, something that's not me? I ... I'm afraid ... I'm afraid I will forget everything i know about you and become somebody else. Every time I lose my consciousness it's like somebody else controlled my body, I .. I .."

And so, Reiho cried per first time since she arrived to Traverse Town 4 years ago. Back then she never dropped a single tear but this time nothing could stop the tears from flowing. The fear for the unknown and uncertain future was too much for the usually mature girl and she broke under the pressure.

[Rex]

Caxnon liked Antique's speech. He looked at the ribbon on his hand, it gave him hope. He didn't like the fact that Reiho was crying, but he understood her fear. He carefully wiped her eyes with a tissue that was next to him.

She was afraid of becoming someone else? That shouldn't be worried about that.

'' Reiho, you'll always be yourself. As long as you keep your heart strong, and never forget who your friends are...then you'll always be you.' Caxnon said.

[antique]

Antique wrapped an arm around Reiho's shoulders, bringing the shorter girl closer to her. Anything was possible, really. Anything could happen. The lady knight wasn't exactly sure how to deal with tears in the best way, so she did what she could.

"We all change from time to time, Reiho! But that's what growing up and stuff is all about, I guess!" she said. "Even though years from now, we'll look different, and might act different, at the core, we're still the same person, somewhere deep."

She pulled away from Reiho, and tilted her head. Like someone else inhibited her body? She'd heard that before!

"Reiho, remember these names--Naoya and Lyon. If it's something that's really bothering you, we can seek them out. If I remember correctly, those two had...something in them...or something! Oh! Someone by the name of Dark--"

She quieted herself. She wasn't sure referring to someone who had tried to kill her was a good idea. "Never mind! ANYWAY!"

"Okay, missy, you need to cheer up before I deliver some medicine!"

She grinned mischievously.

[raiho]

It was a bit ironic, Reiho was the one that all the time tried to keep the sanity and confidence of her friends but now she was the one needing of their emotional support .

A strong heart ... she wasn't sure if her heart was still strong enough to resist the intensity of those incidents and changes around and in herself. Lately she was suffering of heartaches and headaches, and her messed up memories were constantly re-arranging, she didn't know what to believe in anymore.

Antique was right about growing up and the changes that it implies, but Reiho wasn't having a natural change, what she felt was like something else were trying to overwrite her identity and personality and control her body, a really scary feeling.

Antique insisted in cheering up Reiho, and she was successful at that. Antique's happiness was infectious and soon Reiho started feeling better as she looked at her wrist ribbon, a medicine better than any other in the world.

"Caxnon ... Antique ... thanks for everything"

She cheered up and cried a bit more,this time being tears of joy for having restored her faith in her friends. It was the calm before the storm, for the randomly mentioned Lyon and a heartless of name Kuja would in the future drive her to the biggest depression crisis she would have in her lifetime.

[Rex]

Caxnon listened to the people Antique was talking about. Some of them he knew, others not so much..one of them did catch his attention though. '' You mean Darkun'' he said finishing the persons name.

"Caxnon ... Antique ... thanks for everything"

The nobody turned his attention to Reiho once more.

'' Don't worry Reiho, everything will be fine. We'll always remember each other.. and we won't ever forget....now cheer up..being sad won't help'' Caxnon said.

[antique]

Everyone needed a little bit of help from their friends. Antique was extremely lucky she had these two. She didn't mind helping Reiho out, though she had no idea what the full extent of everything was.

She grasped both their hands, the ones tied with the ribbon, and shut her eyes. "Those ribbons are part of my Heart," she said, peeking an eye open. "So you'll never lose them. That means, you'll never forget me," she said, grinned, and winked. Of course she was speaking in metaphorical terms, wasn't she?

Caxnon mentioned Darkun. She remembered his face, flashes of memory, images that she wasn't exactly sure were hers. "Yes...him..." she said quietly. There were memories that were hidden deep within her that she needed to dig up, but was having a hard time accessing. But she knew him. She -knew- she knew him.

She quickly changed the subject.

"Okay, Reiho! Since you're not fully cheered up, I'll be forced to use my ultimate attack on you!"

She said, and stood up, making everything rather dramatic. "My own super special royal tickle attack!"

Antique hugged the girl tightly and proceeded to tickle Reiho down along her sides.

[raiho]

"Noo, that's my weak spot!"

Reiho couldn't stop laughing. Antique's mastery on the ancient art of tickling was astonishing and her skillful fingers easily found Reiho's most sensitive parts. The tears didn't stop flowing, but this time was because she was laughing so hard that she was crying.

"M-mi ...Antique you're killing me!"

Even after Antique stopped, she continued laughing so hard that that she fell out of her seat. She never expressed so much emotion before, and somehow she felt more alive thanks to her friends.

A minute later she finally stopped laughing and stand up. Antique really found her weakness and that weakness was that Reiho had no immunity against tickles, the most minimum tickle attack would make her cry of laugher.

"I feel better now. Thanks for being my friends and be with me in the good and the bad times"

She smiled and surprise attacked Antique and Caxnon from behind with a big hug, almost throwing them out of balance.