realityshifted | 07 ↔ duality

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kingdom hearts (d2) riku

07 ↔ duality

// scenario 01 - the angel //

[Riku found his first lookalike very quickly - and it was so intent on taking him out that he almost didn't have time to react. Almost.

No sooner had Riku declared the thing a fake than it came rushing at him, expertly swinging a mechanical sword comparable to Riku's own. Riku can easily guard, but every retaliation he makes has been met with the same effortless defense. When he attacks with light, the other cancels with darkness. It doesn't matter if he tries to play unpredictable. It isn't working.

They've been at this for a while now - back and forth, blow for blow, equally matched and equally as stubborn. Neither one is backing down, but neither can seem to get the upper hand, either. It's like they can predict each other perfectly - and that's exactly the problem.

This doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon, especially if there's nothing to break this seemingly perfect balance of powers.]

// scenario 02 - the shadow //

[It isn't until much later that he finds another source of trouble that looks just like him. ... At least this one has clothes. In fact, he's dressed just like him, cloak and everything. He is missing one thing, though - the ~~aviators~~ blindfold. It makes it all the easier to notice those golden eyes that all but glow with some sort of malice behind them.

Riku isn't impressed. He just wants this over with.]

I didn't think I was that popular.

[He stands straighter, looks ~~himself~~ the double over like he's sizing him up, seeing if he's even worth any effort.]

Let me guess, you want to beat me and take over my life, too?

[The other Riku smiles - a twisted, insincere thing - and laughs at the notion. He takes a single step closer. It would be more menacing, maybe, if Riku really understood the situation.]

Yeah, right. Like I'm some fake trying to be the real me.

[He cocks his head to the side, yellow eyes watching carefully.... and infuriatingly knowingly.]

No. I am you. There's a difference.

[And the only answer Riku cares to give is to go ahead and draw his blade, metal and gears clicking into place as he readies himself for what he's already assuming will be just another hell of a fight.]

(( OoC: Pick your poison and have at it. ♥ ))

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[So... things are bad. Roxas can gather that much; he was there when the lights went out. And he's been seeing a lot of people on the Plane lately, except they have wings. It's a bit alarming. He goes to find Riku, and find him he does-- but it's too late. He's locked in combat with some creature that looks just like him.]

Riku!

[They aren't best friends or anything, but Roxas travels with him now-- or at least he intended to-- and that means they have to help each other. He summons his own clockwork Keyblade, then dives right into the center, trying to kick away the angel. He can tell this isn't Riku. Riku's never had wings, not like that, and he's never looked so-- so weird. It's just not him.]

Leave him alone!

[Menzies spots Riku from a distance and makes for him, glad for the presence of a friend. but it's only when she gets closer that she sees what he's already up against] Damnit...

[she stops where she is for a moment, close but not too close, listening to the exchange between them. but when she sees Riku preparing for a fight, she immediately hurries forward, the pistol she borrowed from North now in her hand] Riku! Be careful.

Roxas!

[Riku's attention snaps to the blond as he jumps between them, and he's just stunned enough by the display that he has to step back and take a second - just a second! - to regroup. The angel is caught just as far off of his guard, and though the kick does send it stumbling backward a few paces, it ultimately just gets pissed off and starts running forward, driven by that intent to kill. And anything or anyone that gets in its way, well... they're all fair game, as far as it's concerned.]

Get out of my way!

[The angel swings at Roxas, hoping to knock him aside with a single blow so it can be rid of him and return its attention to destroying the real Riku.

Good thing Riku's not having that. Whether or not Roxas dodges, Riku has a mass of dark energy - mist magic - forming in his hand, an he's going to send it flying at the damn thing the second it's distracted enough.]

[He hears Menzies approach, nods when she calls out to him, but he refuses to take his eyes off of his shadow. Even as he speaks to her, he won't look away.]

Yeah. I know. Just stay back.

[And apparently, that's enough to set his shadow sneering - smirking, almost mockingly.]

That's right. Don't let the detective interfere. The more she finds out about you, the nosier she'll get and the more she'll keep treating you like just another little kid.

[Riku's eyes narrow, but he refuses to flinch.]

What good is a gun, anyway? I'm better than her. She has no idea what I can do.

For someone trying to be me, you talk too much.

[That shadow's glare hardens. Keep denying, Riku. It's just gonna get worse.]

[Menzies can't say she's terribly fond of the shadow's declarations either, but she keeps her distance as Riku instructs and holds her own emotions in check. after all, she knows there's no point in her starting an argument about her opinion of Riku. but if it starts to say more about him, well, she's there at the ready like others were for her]

[the shadow's fighting taunts catch her attention, though--and she doesn't like the sound of them one bit. she keeps the gun at the ready, watching the shadow carefully, and says simply:] Riku, tell me what I need to know.

[He shakes his head.]

You know everything you need to know. Just stay back.

You're not even sure you can protect her. After all, history shows--

When I said that you talk too much, I meant "shut up."

[The shadow isn't backing down. Isn't shutting up. In fact, it takes a few steps closer.]

You only tell her about things that go in your favor so she won't worry about you. So she won't think less of you. But it's not just her - it's everyone. Everyone has to think you're on top. That you have it all under control. Otherwise, how is anyone supposed to trust you?

[That hits even harder.] Tch...!

And you know all about being untrustworthy, don't you?

I said shut up.

[And Riku's already rushing to take a swing at his shadow, who isn't even making any move to dodge.]

Edited 2014-10-20 00:42 (UTC)

[Roxas has recovered enough that he can take on this fake Riku, at least for a little while. He sees that swing coming from a mile away and dodges perfectly, just in time for the real Riku to send that ball of darkness flying at his twin.]

If you want to kill him, you'll have to go through me! [He follows the spell's wake, diving into a heavy combo of slashes and stabs, trying to keep the other Riku from regaining his feet.

Here's the thing-- Roxas has nothing to live for. He has no purpose outside of journeying with Riku and hoping he finds a place. He's not necessary. But Riku has never told him that. Riku has always tried to guide him, even if it wasn't in the most painless way. Whatever, Roxas has forgiven him.

He'll get to Sora, he'll get both of them to Sora. Alive.]

[Menzies is starting to worry that she really might not be able to contribute much to the physical fight besides a second target. because the shadow is right--she knows almost nothing about Riku's actual powers. she's seen his weapon, sure, and she's seen him use darkness to block bullets (hence the jab against the gun, she imagines), but she doesn't know any details, and Riku brushing her off doesn't help. still, she understands that his attention is very much somewhere else at the moment, so she doesn't press. she just hopes that she can at least attack to distract the double, if not to actually wound it]

[and that's not the only reason she's here, after all. because although she knows it didn't work for Sam, she does know what stopped her own double, and if she can help Riku face it with words rather than physical force, then that's exactly what she means to do. she just wishes she were better at encouragement. still, failing any better ideas, she decides to break in with honesty at least]

Yeah, well, he's not the only one 'ere who craves control 'round 'ere. And considering he's saved my life three times already, I think you're accusing 'im of being untrustworthy to the wrong person. He might feel that way, but it doesn't make it--

[but at that point, Riku lunges at the shadow, and Menzies tenses, sidestepping to try to keep a view of the double that doesn't place Riku directly between them. it seems the fight has begun, and she means to be as ready to help as she can be]

( he's already dealt with the other … him. if by 'dealt with' we mean 'nearly been bested by' – because when jacqli had found him, just as he'd accepted the shadow as being the parts of himself, bits and pieces that come together to make a whole other whole that he's been trying to ignore for way too long, he'd been on the cusp of losing consciousness.

and if he had, who knows what would have happened? ( passing out in a puddle of your own blood isn't exactly what we would call heroic, and that just wouldn't do. so, he'd been more than grateful for her appearance, her help, and once he finds her again, he intends to thank her properly. even if he hasn't gone so far as to figure that bit out just yet. )

he hasn't seen any other duplicates, but when he happens across riku, it's his shadow that he gets a glimpse of first. the absence of the blindfold is a tell-tale enough sign, and once he sees the real riku reaching for his blade, he's quick to move in and try to keep him from it, calling out to him in a bit of a frenzy – ) Riku, wait –!

( gaia please pay attention!

he gets in a bit closer, closing a hand on the other's shoulder, panicked and wide-eyed but still somehow managing to keep it ( mostly ) together. ) You can't fight him. It's not gonna do any good.

Edited (spelling ...) 2014-10-22 01:12 (UTC)

[There's no way Riku could take this thing alone. It moves like him, thinks like him, behaves like him... Anything he's tried up until now has been absolutely useless. But with Roxas here, he finally stands a chance. Two heads really are better than one...

He follows up his own blast, pairing his strikes with Roxas's onslaught to drive the angel back even harder, and it's helping - so far. It can barely keep up. It leaps back, puts distance between them and readies itself again.]

Fine with me.

[But before it can even charge, Riku's one step ahead, using its focus on Roxas to his own advantage and closing the distance with another quick set of blows.]

Not with me!

[He refuses to lose. Refuses to let it hurt Roxas. And most of all, he refuses to let anything stand in their way anymore.]

[The fight... would begin, sure, if the shadow wasn't capable of perfectly parrying the blow at the last possible second, and with an infuriating little smirk to top it all off. They're face to face now, swords locked, and those yellow eyes hold no humanity.]

You know, if you don't slow down, you'll end up messing up again.

Nobody asked you.

[He breaks the hold, swings again - and is just as frustrated when the shadow blocks that one, too. He glares as it laughs in his face.]

You can't win like this. I am you - I know everything you're going to try!

No!

[He strikes again - just as futile. No, Menzies, he isn't listening.]

[He does hear Zack calling out to him, but pretends he doesn't. In his mind, he has just another double to deal with right now - as if that creepy... whatever hadn't been enough, now he has this? tch - and he's not about to let himself be distracted before he beats this thing into the ground.

Except that comes to his shoulder, and he stops, glances back at Zack with a baffled frown.]

What...?

[For a moment, he looks back to his shadow... Then returns his attention to Zack, his expression settling back into one of determination.]

What do you mean, I can't fight him? Isn't that what he's here for?

( well, get out of your mind! this is a lot more serious than you're giving consideration to, so listen to the guy that has already had to deal with his own doppelganger!

… who would have thought that zack fair would be the one to tell someone else that they can't just beat something into the ground and be done with it? talk about character development.

but at least riku is paying attention to him when he gets close enough, finally turning his gaze on him, and zack breathes a tiny sigh of relief. well. that was half the battle, wasn't it?

he shakes his head. ) It's not … it's not that easy. ( ohhh boy. how … um. okay how can he go about this delicately? ) He's … uh. ( damn it. )

He's you. Or rather … ( asdlkhgsd ) All the stuff you've got in you that you don't want anyone else to know about. That make any sense? ( please say it makes sense because it's totally true and he doesn't know how else to say it. )

[it's easy to tell from their insistent focus on each other that words are having no effect. undeterred, she decides that's just a sign that she needs to change tactics, and since they are so distracted, she seizes the opportunity to move--quietly and calmly--around the side of the two. she's still keeping her distance, but she'll be damned if she's going to risk shooting Riku in her attempt to distract the double. even though North's given her some lessons, she knows she's nothing even resembling a marksman, and those two are very close, so she means to flank the double before she tries]

[and so, when she judges that she has a clear enough view of the shadow at an angle where a bullet wouldn't travel into Riku if by some miracle it isn't blocked before impact, she raises her gun--and she fires a shot]

[Looks like they're making a pretty good team. While Riku is in close and hogging the angel's focus, Roxas has time to cast-- so he does. He summons a field of ice around the angel's feet, then closes his fist. The mine detonates, sending jagged spines of ice upward... and hopefully through the angel. Curiously, none of these icicles are turned toward Riku himself.

There's no friendly fire in Roxas' spellbook.]

Freeze!

[... Okay so maybe he and Sora have more in common than he'd like to admit.]

[It'd be easy to tell Riku not to fight the thing. The problem - the really hard part - is getting the message to stick.

Case in point, Riku is not at all convinced that beating this thing down isn't going to solve all of his problems, so he's not lowering his blade. Not even a little bit. And it honestly looks like if Zack's hand weren't resting on his shoulder, he would have already charged by now.]

So what, that thing is my subconscious? [He scowls at it.] Sure. But I'm not hiding anything.

[And his shadow is so amused by that, he laughs - full and cruel.] Who do you think you're kidding? You're hiding more than anyone you know.

[... You really do have a lot in common, don't you?

The ice does trap the angel, and those spikes lock him in place long enough that Riku can get another good swing in. The ice shatters under the force, and the angel is sent toppling to the floor in a heap. But it doesn't stay down. In one fluid motion, it rolls over, kicks off of the ground and charges, using its raggedy wings to boost its speed.

It darts right past Riku. Right now, it wants Roxas. And its blade is coming at the blond, angled to pierce through him, crackling with bolts of dark energy all the while.]

[That gun is loud, and the shadow had been expecting something like this. It raises a shield of darkness between him and the bullet, leaves it there just to keep her view obstructed.]

She keeps trying to help you. But it doesn't matter that she can't, does it? Because you don't even deserve it in the first place.

That's--

[But it's not finished. Clearly.] You don't deserve help, you don't deserve any second chances. You don't even deserve to be here! You're so convinced, with everything you've done, that there's no hope. So why do you keep doing anything at all? Because there might be a way for you to make amends? [It scoffs at the very notion, especially as Riku begins all but shaking with anger.] Don't act like that's really what you're doing. You just feel like drowning in your own guilt. Forever. And the best way to do that is to suffer alone.

[Riku is dead silent now. He wants to look away, but he knows that if he does, this shadow could try anything at all against him or Menzies. He's completely stuck now.]

... You don't know what you're saying. [His grip on the hilt of his sword tightens.]

Oh, I know exactly what I'm saying. I'm you, remember?

No. You're not. You're not me.

[And the shadow smiles - wide and sharp, like a blade - self-satisfied and still so sickeningly knowing as a tangible darkness begins to pool around its feet.]

You really are stupid enough to keep deluding yourself, aren't you?

[Looks like he's caught the guy's attention. He's not expecting the sudden burst of speed, however. It's all he can do to raise his keyblade and parry. For a second it looks like he might be okay, but then his back foot gives and he's sent flying, his guard shattered.

He lands on his back, keyblade clanging far away from him. He'll get it in a moment, once he figures out which end is up.

Might be too long, though.]

Edited 2014-10-25 21:34 (UTC)

[Just a bit too long. The angel doesn't care that Roxas is down, it just wants him dead. It jumps, sword over its head, ready to swing it down like a guillotine--]

Roxas!

[A Dark Firaga blast burns into the angel's side, knocks it away from Roxas and disarms it completely. The sword slides across the Plane floor, well out of reach - not that it would matter, because the next second, Riku's beside his twisted double, and wastes no time in driving his own blade into its shoulder.

It bleeds - just like anyone else would. Riku tries not to think too much about that. Not right now. He has to do this - they have to make it out of this alive. Nothing ends right here.]

[Roxas gasps, but the angel is gone before he can do anything. He doesn't thank Riku. There's no time. His best way of showing he's grateful is to get up and keep fighting. He flips back onto his feet and summons his Keyblade back to his hand. Still using that forward motion, he glides to the angel's other side and plunges his keyblade through its middle.

It hurts, distantly, to do this to Riku. His own chest feels tight, a testament to how much of that 'Soulless can't feel' thing was a lie. But this, too, is a lie: this isn't Riku. This is a monster bearing his face, something that wants the real Riku to die. And that isn't allowed.

There's blood everywhere-- his, or the angel's, he doesn't know. He gives the monster an icy blue stare, raising one hand to the angel's face.]

You're finished.

[He lets loose a blast of holy energy then, wild and almost uncontrollable. He doesn't shoot balls of light-- he summons pillars to incinerate his enemies, when he's mad enough. And he is mad.]

[The keyblade sinks into the angel, and any cries of pain die in the back of its throat. There's certainly blood everywhere, pouring from gaping wounds and now trickling in a thin line from the corner of its mouth. It looks up at Roxas, and the last thing it sees is that cold stare, and then the brilliant light that swallows it whole.

Riku pulls back, carefully away from the line of fire, and watches. He's surprised by the display, and impressed, but also struck by the intensity of the quiet anger he can feel radiating from Roxas, like a tangible thing. And when the light fades, and the angel falls, he finally looks away from the blond as he collapses his blade and puts it away. He's silent for a moment, until the rush of the fight begins to fade and the pain from his own injuries catches up to him.

One hand goes to his other arm, and he rolls his shoulder - winces a little at the sting it brings. But still, he manages the faintest of smiles as he looks up at Roxas again.]

I don't think it can get up again after that.

[When his anger fades along with his Keyblade, he feels every inch of him still shaking, still rattled by the fight. There is a body in front of him... none of the fading that a mist creature does, and he feels sick to his stomach. Roxas is a killer now. For all that beast was, he was still... somewhat human-looking.

But he can't think about that. Riku is injured. Roxas shuffles over to him.]

You're hurt.

[A very Roxas observation. His Keyblade gone, he raises both hands and summons the familiar tint of green Cura magic. It wreathes Riku with the sound of tiny bells, and leaves him a little more whole.

He's expended a lot of energy, though. Feeling exhausted, relieved, and scared all at once, he gives into childish urges and simply leans his forehead against Riku's shoulder. It's not quite a hug, but his fingers find bits of Riku's coat and cling for dear life.]

[Riku doesn't like it, either. Never has, never will. He's sure he will always be unsettled by the death of anything not born from the mist, especially by his own hands. But he's come so far now, he can't let himself dwell on it for any longer than necessary.

Roxas, though... He knows he won't be taking it well. And Riku's just opened his mouth to ask after him when Roxas abruptly declares that and Curas him. He's even more surprised when the other closes what distance is between them, rests against him and clings to his coat like a lost child.

Riku doesn't even think about his reaction. He just closes his eyes, lets his arms find their way around slender shoulders. It's his way of letting him know that it's okay - that everything is - or will be - okay.]

So are you. [His voice is quiet, now.] But we're stil standing. ... Thank you, Roxas.

[It's nice, familiar in a way he can't place. Maybe it's the lingering of Sora's memories-- but he's pretty sure Sora and Riku were never close like this. Maybe Roxas and Sora are different, after all...

Despite being a ball of shaking rage, Riku's gentleness is able to quell it somewhat. The trembling stops, but Roxas remains where he is, hands white-fisted in Riku's coat.]

I-I'm okay. I was just... [He bites his lip, still sort of muffled in Riku's shoulder.] We have to find Sora and help him-- together.

Nothing can happen to you. Or me. I won't lose anyone else.

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07 ↔ duality

1 please!

Scenario 2

scree ♥

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you called for a seeing-eye soldier, he is here.

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dfsjakl honestly he prob needs a second pair of eyes rn sob

hey these are soldier eyes, they're top-notch, he's in luck!

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soldier eyes... sounds like a 3 doors down cover band /shot

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sorry these are long. there's a lot going on.

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