[PP-F4] Where it all began... (Axel and Nikki)

[Axel 0]

A young man in a white cloak walked through the snowy streets of the town on the fourth floor, the sun having set about an hour ago. He came across an area where there was a vendor in the middle of an area, all too recognizable to Axel. He walked to the NPC vendor and ordered a hot chocolate, paying for it and walked off to a bench. He sat down, sipping his drink, sighing. He leaned back, looking up at the pixelated stars above. Part of him was trying to remember how close those stars looked compared to actual ones...and he realized he couldn't tell. He smiled, setting his cup to the side, rested his arms on his knees and put his head down, a single tear falling. He was trapped in a death game, with no one to help him through it...and the one person he did have, he lost track of a while ago. He had tried messaging her before but...he never got an answer. Before he knew it, more tears were falling. He inhaled deeply, shutting his eyes tight as if that would make them stop. He needed to stop. This was no time to be weak...he needed to be strong. For himself and for his family...he was so busy worried about thinking, that he didn't even hear someone coming close.

[Nikki Styx 0]

Nikki had been out for an evening stroll on this quiet evening. She had been doing some thinking, planning, and preparing herself for the coming few days, and needed to relax a bit. That's why she was here, there was a vendor who sold hot chocolate that was better than real life. she let out a sigh as she rounded a corner into the open plaza of the town. She smiled seeing the vendor and made to get her Col ready when she saw someone who she hadn't expected to see sitting on one of the benches.

It was Axel, he was alive, he was here, right now. Suddenly she was overcome with emotions as she dropped all sense of restraint and ran for him. "Yer alive... Yer alive..." Was all she could say as she closed the gap, until she was hugging him on the bench. Several tears rolled down her face as she held onto him beginning to shake and sob. "They told me you died... They told me Id never see you again." She held on tightly to him. It had been months now since she had seen him, and now he was here alive, and ok. It was almost too much for her to handle.

[Axel 0]

Axel looked up when he heard someone talking, rubbing the tears away from his eyes. Right as he realized who it was, she had already wrapped her arms around him. His eyes were wide with shock, his mouth open slightly but no words came out. He just put his arms around her, eventually managing to say, "Nikki? I...I can't believe it...I didn't know where you were..." He could feel her shaking and could slightly tell that she was crying. She mentioned someone telling her that he had died and he smiled, a few more tears rolling down his cheeks. "Well, I'm not dead...I ain't going down that quick..."

[Nikki Styx 0]

For a few moments Nikki wasn't sure if this was even real anymore. She had spent so many nights wishing, and even praying and now out of thin air here he was. It was amazing that he had survived so long, that they both had. And now suddenly, as happy as she was her heart was overcome with such guilt that she had to pull away. Her eyes began to water more as she began to realize how terrible she was. She couldn't face him now, not like this. She gave a few small whimpers as more tears broke free of her eyes, and rolled down her cheeks only to pixelate as they fell. "Im so sorry.. Im... I... Im a terrible person." She began to sob harder now as she tried to apologize. Nikki was of course referring to the recent developments in her life. She felt herself to be terrible now for them happening. Especially now. It wasn't fair.

[Axel 0]

Before long, he felt Nikki pull away and he leaned back on the bench for a second. He had a confused look as he stood up, putting his hands on her sides gently. "How...how are you a terrible person?" He was a little worried about what was wrong now, trying to look into her eyes. He didn't want her to be sad now, he wanted her to be happy...he wanted her. More than anything in the world...