high_seas | fiery violent pirate babies

No, I don't. I have to be more like Marco, because I have to become a phoenix. If I'm just Ikki I won't be able to do that, because Ikki isn't a phoenix.

[At least that's how he sees it. After all, if he was a phoenix... He would know it, right? And he wouldn't have to earn the Cloth, he would have it already.]

Besides, Ikki's weak and useless. I have to be strong to save Shun and protect her properly.

[The words came with anger and self-hate, but in an abysmally lesser way than they would if he was his adult self.]

... I will eat when Marco eats and what he eats.

Hmm... I have a sneaky feeling you'll manage being a phoenix just fine, all by yourself. Maybe you have try to have a little bit more confidence first.

*She smiles kindly at Ikki, adding another piece onto the track. But then Selphie's happy expression fades, and she frowns, looking at Ikki carefully, a firm but caring look in her eyes*

Ikki, you're not weak and useless. And I can just tell that when you grow up, you'll be one of the strongest people I know, and you'll protect all of your friends.

*She blinks back at the train track then*

Hmm...so if Marco came to eat with us in the galley at lunchtime you'd come along too?

I have confidence, I will do it because I have to do it. But I want to do it as soon as possible, because then I'll be able to return to Japan with the stupid Cloth and go rescue Shun!

[Stupid Cloth which is currently in his bedroom, but since he has never seen how those look like he can't know. Besides, in his memories the box was there always even before he took the room.

He frowns at her next words though. He knows she's trying to cheer him up but...]

You don't have to lie to cheer me up, you know. It's okay, I know I suck. I wasn't able to protect Shun and myself from being taken by Kido. And I wasn't able to protect Shun from going to a hellish place, even if I took his place he ended going to an even worse place. I wasn't able to save mom either...

And you don't have to tell me what I will me. I know I will be strong, because I have to. There's no way around it. I'll get strong and get the Cloth and I'll return to Japan with it and then go save Shun. And then we will return to Japan and I'll punch Tatsumi and that Saori brat and we will go away to live free! ... Maybe I will go and help Seiya and the others too, even if some of them were idiots, but at the end everyone will be free again.

[There's fiery determination in his words when he says the last part and he even closes tightly one of his fist while his other hand holds another piece of the set.]

When I'm older, this hand will be able to hold everything that I love and punch anything that tries to hurt those things I protect. I won't hurt anyone else and no one else will ever cry because of the mistakes I made because I'll be strong enough to not make them!

[He gives her a confused look at her question, though. Didn't she hear him?]

Yeah, that's what I said. I'll only eat what he eats, though.

[You can save your kiddie menu for the others unless Marco eats it as well.]

I'm not lying to cheer you up. I think it's really true. Besides, you seem sure that you'll grow into a strong phoenix who will protect his friends. And I think you're right.

*She listens to little Ikki carefully, nodding to show that she's listening. It occurs to Selphie just how desperately ingrained Ikki's adult thoughts and feelings are. Wanting all of this so badly for such a long time. Selphie places her hands on her knees, tempted as she is to just hug him, but not sure how much he'd like that. Still, thinking of their most recent conversations brings a small knot in her throat that she struggles to swallow*

That's good. It's good to want to do things right for your friends. I think... I think they'll really feel safe, knowing how much you care.

*Though she felt far from safe being around Ikki lately, but she was sitting with little Ikki, and had to consider his young, little heart*

Alright, I'll go speak to Marco and see if we can all get together for dinner some time.

If you really think that I'm not weak and useless I don't think you know much of me.

[He says it as a matter of facts, it's not an accusation or anything. It's just the way it is, he knows himself better than anyone after all. And he knows where all his mistakes lay. Fortunately, he also knows how to fix them all.]

Mmmhmm... I'll make sure everyone feels that way. Except the bad guys, of course, I won't forgive anyone who hurts me or my brother and whoever I care for.

[It doesn't occur to him what would happen when the person who hurts him is also someone he cares for. Because for this kid such a thing just isn't possible. People just don't hurt those who love them.]

Good luck with that.

[He's still not going to go to eat until Marco does so saying that she will do that means little to him.]

Hmm... Maybe.

*She'd be inclined to agree with adult Ikki, but with this little cutie in front of her she can only smile softly and nod her head*

No. I can see that. You won't forgive anyone who hurts you.

*Selphie drifts off at that, knowing for herself just how true that is. She takes a breath, managing not to sigh, and she smiles at him, patting a hand at his shoulder*

Don't worry! I think it'll be fun, to all have dinner or breakfast together. Or maybe even a night time snack before bed, hmm? We could build a den, like being in a volcano.

[Ikki smiles a bit at the reassurance, even if he doesn't need it. It's good to hear it anyway, because he really intends to never forgive those who hurt them. Of course, that mostly refers to just Kido, his men and his granddaughter, but once that's over he will keep that attitude with anyone else.

No one who cares for him would hurt him, just as he wouldn't hurt someone he cares for. Life is good in the simple universe of children.]

A volcano?

[Right now volcanoes aren't his thing, and his face shows it clearly by the unsure frown he has.]

Do you think it would make me closer to a phoenix? Though it would hurt me if it was a real volcano.

*Selphie's only sorry that she's in part responsible for ruining these childish ideals. And seeung little Ikki all cute and determined makes her feel worse*

Well, volcano's can be kind of hot, but they're really very beautiful inside. All this cool rock and lava and stuff!

*She giggles though, amused to realise that at least the volcano thing must come with Cloth, so that's something that doesn't excite little Ikki like it does the adult one*

When you're a phoenix, I bet you'll wanna hang out in volcanos all the time. I don't think they'll bother you when you're older, and a phoenix. For now, we can stick with train sets, or other kinds of dens.

Have you been inside a volcano? Didn't it hurt you?

[Wary look, are you pulling his leg? Because that's what adults like to do, lie and joke about important things because they aren't that important to them.]

If phoenixes are okay with volcanoes I want to go to a volcano too!

Yes, I have. I -

*Selphie pauses, not entirely sure what to say. She doesn't want to lie to little Ikki, because she knows how much he wouldn't appreciate that*

A phoenix once took me, and he protected me from the heat, which was very nice of him to do for me. He really liked it in there. A lot. So yeah, I bet when you're a phoenix you'll have lots of fun there.

A phoenix... You mean Marco? Or was it a phoenix from your world?

[He's still not very convinced, but his curiosity wins over.]

No... It was someone from another, different world. Maybe a world kind of similar to yours, actually.

*She smiles and nods encouragingly, passing him a yellow train she's picked up*

And how was he? My teacher told me that a phoenix is a being full of rage and hate, that it hates everything and everyone. But Marco says that being a phoenix means protecting others and take all the pain for oneself, and that it hurts a lot because it's impossible to protect them from everything and the things that manage to get them will be very strong.

[He takes the train and puts it in place before reaching for another one.]

Which type was your phoenix?

He was... he was angry sometimes... but I think because he was so dedicated to protecting people. And if.. if maybe sometimes those stonger things got to the people he..cared about, that would make him angry. Maybe he thought it was easier to be angry than sad. But he was a very strong and very brave phoenix who I could... I could trust him with my life.

*She pushes the train up and down the track with a finger, thinking of just how opposite that had become*

He didn't hate everything, though. That part isn't true.

Hmm, I think that being brave is easier than being angry or sad. Just punch whatever is making you sad or angry, or do whatever it takes to fix it. I don't want to hate everything or be angry all the time, that would scare Shun.

[And Shun is his life and he doesn't want him to be even a bit upset due Ikki.]

That's a good idea, looking after your family like that.

*She's pretty good at smiling brightly, like there's nothing going on inside her mind, not how much she wished they really had been at a place where he was willing to do whatever it took to fix it*

Trying to fix things is better, I think. Otherwise, you might just keep punching forever and maybe the thing that is bothering you won't ever stop...

*But she's not sure he'll really get what she's talking about*

Yeah. But not everything can be fixed, so punching it is better and faster.

[So the violent tendencies weren't just a phoenix thing.]

But not everything can be punched until it's better either. Like, for example, if... Marco made you sad. Would you just keep punching him, or would you want to fix things so that you could stay friends?

*She tilts her head, curious for his answer, concerned about what he'd said before. Yeah, rhere was the violence thing that all young boys had. But, given this was little Ikki, she couldn't help but be concerned*

Marco can't make me sad.

[The answer comes in bird language unconsciously due to all the trust and admiration that the kid has for the older phoenix which is hard to express in human language. He doesn't realize it and keeps placing the pieces as if he hadn't just basically chirped a little song like a literal bird at her.]

*Selphie doesn't really have the heart to tell Ikki that she didn't understand that, because that would require him to explain how he felt, and maybe that wasn't fair to little Ikki. So instead she just sits for a moment or two, watching him continue to build up the train tracks. Picking up a piece that looks like one half of a tunnel, she does finally allow herself to become a little excited by all of this, and leans over the train set*

So where do you think this one goes?

Hmm...

[Ikki looks at the piece Selphie has and looks at the tracks, then at the instructions and finally at the box where the picture of the finished train set is. There are several pictures though and the tunnel doesn't seem to be always in the same place. Maybe it can go wherever they want?

Finally, he points to a part of the tracks they have already completed.]

How about here? Would you like a tunnel here?

*Selphie looks at the box too, then smiles as she watches Ikki try to figure things out. She nods at his suggestion, unclipping the tracks so that she could fit the tunnel where he points*

Like this? Yeah, I think that looks good! What do you think?

I like it, especially if you like it.

[Since all of this was for her after all.]

It would be stupid if I liked it and you didn't. What kind of gift would that be?

Oh! Then in that case we both really like it!

*She breaks into a huge smile, just happy to be with the train set, and to see how pleased Ikki seems*

I think it would still be a very kind gift, even if I didn't like it. But I do - I really, really love it! Trains are one of my most favourite things ever!

I know, you were upset when I gave Roxas that train set. So I decided to get you an even better and bigger one. It was supposed to help make up to you for me always being bad with you?

[Though he only is bad because he rebels against caretaker rules and such.]

Though I wouldn't be bad and disobey you if you let me be. I can take care of myself, I'm eight years old already!

[POUT AND FROWN ATTACK.]

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