Choose Your Adventure...
Today is the day.
You may have come to the Land of Departure seeking strength, skills or chasing a dream. Or maybe you came because you're trying to escape something: a desolate world, crippling self doubt, or had nowhere else to go. Either way, it's been a long journey with Sora, training and learning and fighting to earn the right to earn the ( Read more... )
['Why me? Why here? Inheritence cermony?' Those were just a few.]
[But more powerful than the others, more pronounced and far more frightening, more frightening than the darkness at their doorstep, of the red on Sora's hands, the same stain covering his own- 'what happened to you?']
[What happened to them, to their adventures? When did the end come, when did everything become a huge blank of non-existence only punctuated when Sora was at his wits end, when things had changed and there was a sadness there, an older light in his eyes that Roxas couldn't quite like.]
[When did they go from partners to master and pupil?]
[His hand hovers over Sora's uncertainly, only like grasping and more than ready to bolt, given note too. Things are different- Roxas is far more whole, but not-- he's missing his keyblade, he's missing his skills, things are too new and they shouldn't be.]
This will fix things, right?
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[Roxas ... doesn't look a day older than fifteen. Like someone's just ripped him from his memories, and set him down in front of him. He's the same; Like the day he woke up and found Roxas. Everything hurts; nothing's felt this bad before. But he can't stop smiling. He's tried to see Roxas again for so long, tried so many things.]
[There are scratching noises, inhuman footsteps in the distance, flashes of yellow outside all the windows. But he's smiling so much. Feels like it'll never go away.]
You know what's kinda funny?
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[Doesn't seem that way when Sora's still bleeding out on the floor. But maybe, just maybe the keyblade can help. Because he's always been able to do more with it- always been taken as that kid with the key, when people actually looked away from Sora for a moment.]
[Kind of fun to have something else to worry about, aside from not existing. His only reall attribute to like is to wield a metal object that looks really stupid.]
[Roxas eyes never stop darting about; he might just be an apprentice, might not have the skills he once had, but he knows how to count and that's a lot of enemies. But Aqua's been in touch; Ventus too. They're all on their way and he's just go to make sure Sora makes it long enough for the others to get here...]
[He wishes Sora would stop-- smiling. At him. It hurts.]
[It...it really hurts.]
What's that?
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[Everything except use the keyblade on himself. Perpetually caught between missing Roxas but having him at least in his heart... and risking trying to separate them with the keyblade and lose his heart. Because Ven isn't there anymore to keep his heart safe enough for Roxas to find him again, and where would his heart go, and would they never see each other again, and what if Roxas was the only one left, all alone? He'd never do that to Roxas. Not on purpose.]
Sorry. Guess I should've tried a little sooner, huh?
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[A pause, prolonged and unceasing. He doesn't know what Sora's expecting him to say. He didn't miss him; he didn't know he was missing anything until he opened his eyes and everything was suddenly wrong. It would be childish to accuse him of not trying enough; because Sora wouldn't lie about that. Sora would've tried every stupid thing under the sun to get them back together, and yet it's still not okay.]
[It's not okay; things are different and Roxas doesn't know what to say to him anymore. They're not on the same level this time. He can't just sit here and act like he's been wronged.]
[Things have changed too much for Roxas to explain it.]
We need to hurry. That door isn't going to last forever.
[Nothing does.]
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[The more time he spends with Roxas, the less time he has to get out safe.]
[And so Sora pauses. Takes a breath with eyes shut for just a moment. And then when he opens them, the words are an easy murmur on his lips.]
In your hand, take this Key.
So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be.
And you will find me, friend-no ocean will contain you then.
No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love.
[And though there isn't any visible change, Sora can feel the magic at work. He feels more at ease, a little less pressed for time or need or desperation. Now everything's going to be fine because now Roxas has a fighting chance to get out okay.]
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[Magic. This feels different; a deeper connection that he's never known and never had. The strongest magic of all; trust, and a desire to protect and champion. In his own way, Sora's championing him as he always has; giving, standing alongside him, trusting Roxas to do what's right.]
[There's Heartless ramming at the door. More, scratching at the windows, attempting to pluck the stained glass apart. Roxas summons his own blade for the very first time; and there's not time to admire the difference, the unique coloring all of it's own-- hey Roxas, do you know why the sunset sets red?-- because he needs to get into action- guard this hall like so many Keyblade wielders have before him, masters and apprentices alike-]
Heal.
[A low tone; he doesn't look at Sora as he does so. He just knows it feels weak, a far cry from the potential at his fingertips when Aqua began to spend time with them both, correcting their magic and Sora's probably learnt more tricks now than Roxas would even imagine in his wildest dreams-]
Heal.
[But the green light keeps flashing over Sora, again and again. Always as weak as the first time, slow going and so frustrating. But Roxas says the words again and again, voice growing sharper with each statement.]
Heal!
[Just who is he kidding himself, thinking that a chunk of metal will give him some sort of use? That time is over; he can't even manage an effective healing spell, can't speak to Sora without looking up at him and he's really kidding himself if he thinks he can be of any use-]
Heal!
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Roxas.
[And then softer.] Roxas.
[His hand reaches out for his other, comes to rest atop Roxas' wrist, as if to coax him to lower the keyblade. The keyblade can fix things. But Sora isn't one of them. Not with what little time they have left. Not with the magical restraints that will take too much time to wear off.]
[It's been... really nice seeing Roxas again. There hasn't been anything he's really this much wanted in a long time, so...]
You have to go...
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[Roxas is shaking his head before Sora even finishes speaking; continues to murmur feverishly in an attempt to cause his magic to somehow just- work, like it always has. Sora's hands have gotten larger, and his grasp makes a neat little bracelet before Roxas pulls his arm away, not wanting to feel the obvious difference between them. Doesn't it hurt enough, to feel how torn their connection is?]
I'm not moving. You can put me right back where I was; you can try. [He looks up at Sora, glaring.] But unless you strike me down I'm not going anywhere.
[The shattering of glass. Pane by pane, they're starting to break through. It wouldn't be long before this place turned into a battlefield. But Roxas isn't finished. Isn't done here; isn't leaving no matter what Sora says, no matter how hard the other pushes him away.]
Don't you remember? I'd...
[Roxas falters, letting his gaze fall away once more, lowering his keyblade to the ground as his body slumps.]
I'd rather be in just as much trouble as you.
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[But not this time. Please, not this time. Any time but this time. This time their journey into the dark will only end one way.]
[Roxas has chance right now, doesn't he understand? Sora won't give up. He won't die lying down and helpless, he'll let it end with a weapon in his hands and facing the darkness head on. And maybe, if his luck is on his side, he'll find a way out and follow Roxas' footsteps out of here, find a way to walk after him for as long as his body lets him. But he won't ask Roxas to stay here. Not now.]
[Everything falls away- that sense of relief, that reassurance and peace. Now in its place is just an overbearing fear that Roxas is actually going to give him what his heart really wants: for him to stay.]
You can't stay here, there's...
There's no point if it all ends here!
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If I leave, I'll lose you.
And it's all over anyway.
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Then... then you won't lose me! I'll come after you. Wherever you go, I'll find you. Like how you found me.
[And now it's a promise, one he has the burden of keeping, but so long as Roxas gets out, its okay. He'll find a way. It's starting to filter into his voice now, that fear. And he can feel the dark creeping in at the edges, smoke and whisps of insidious black slipping in through the cracks. Creeping up the stairs. Swallowing light wherever it moves.]
[Just... one last effort to convince his other.]
If you just... you just have to go now and I know you can make it.
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[Roxas smiles. Leans in and cups Sora's cheek, simply looking at him.]
You grew up without me.
[There's a sadness there, and it's heavy. He's missed out on so much already; missed being there for things he'll never hear about and adventures he never got to go on. He missed being Sora's partner, missed the chance to watch him grow, to grow up with him, to spend their days excelling together and finding all sorts of new ways to get in trouble.]
You can make it out of this one, Sora.
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[It looks like...Sora's about to get what he wants.]
You just need a little more strength.
[Roxas closes his eyes, thoughtfully. The very last time he felt like this, he was in a bailey, watching the very last of the sunset, waiting for his moment to arrive.]
[This is a much, much better ending.]
Remember me, okay?
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[But he won't. Because he absolutely refuses to. He didn't make it this far, didn't get to see Roxas after so long just to see him disappear again. Roxas thinks he needs a little strength. He thinks that Sora needs him to get up, to get out, and make it out alive.]
[But he doesn't.]
[And so Sora uses that fire in the pit of his stomach, uses that bond with Roxas to draw from a reserve he didn't know he had. And he gets to his feet, teetering, and awkward, and unsteady when his body protests fiercely. He's really a mess, and none of this is ever going to wash out of his clothes. He's tired, and he's spent and it hurts. But he does it. And there's a flash and a second keyblade is tightly gripped in his fingers.]
You're wrong. [He doesn't need any more strength.]
The way you are now. It's enough.
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[This isn't time for an argument. There's barely any time at all, better to run and live then go out as two blazing heroes for a helpless cause. But Roxas takes that moment to look up at Sora, meeting his eyes and saying it unflinchingly.]
You're still stupid. You think other people don't need you more?
[Roxas states the question like he's actually thinking about others-- except he's not. There's not a lot Sora can hide from him, be it his state of mind to the smallest of fevers; there's more to it than just knowing Sora. He lowers his tone, eyes flickering down to his blade, and back up again. Still the same Sora; but Roxas is never going to catch up with everything. He's missed too much.]
[Even so, the thin, splinter of a chance for the future is there, if they're both careful. The state that Sora's in-]
If I have to...[I'll do it. You can count on it.] Which way?
[There's a thing about students listening to their teachers, in the back of his mind, but hell. Maybe Hayner had been a really bad influence.]
[Or perhaps Roxas never did well with a authority to begin with.]
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