But see how deep the bullet lies [Open]
Characters: boundbynaught/Caden, wayward_faith, and kingofsweets; also testosteroned and argent_crinis
Time: Monday May 23rd (forward-dated ever so slightly)
Style: Action, to keep the pace up
Status: Open
Sub-Threads
[ Morning: Camp Out At The Coral] for Ventus, Tsuzuki, etc. - starting just seconds before Rep returns
[ Afternoon: Gym Workout?] (Kanji?)
[ Evening: Street Wandering] for Zexion, etc.
Time: Monday May 23rd (forward-dated ever so slightly)
Style: Action, to keep the pace up
Status: Open
Sub-Threads
[ Morning: Camp Out At The Coral] for Ventus, Tsuzuki, etc. - starting just seconds before Rep returns
[ Afternoon: Gym Workout?] (Kanji?)
[ Evening: Street Wandering] for Zexion, etc.
[ Kanji sighs and turns away from him. This kid thought he had such a huge problem, but at the same time, the answer was right there in front of him too. He needed to realize that. ]
You want your own life, but you're not gonna get that by pickin' fights and tryin' to die. Like I said, when you die, you die. You don't get a goddamn second chance. You don't lose who you are, you just - you lose everythin' else.
[ He looks at his hands and smirks. ]
You're a strong kid, you know that? But if you don't use that power to change what you can, and get it together, then you'll never get what you want. If you're so stuck on bein' a Shadow and somebody else's copy, then fuck. That's all you'll ever be. Unless you do somethin' about it and work with what you got. Y'know, like...like clay. Clay's just mud and water when you think 'bout it, but if you're really good and you really wanna make somethin' out of it, clay can become reaaal pretty. It can be a vase, or or a doll. Somethin' worth lookin' at. [ Kanji glances back at him, but this time he's smiling. ]
Well, whatever. I ain't gonna call you a clone, or a replica or a Shadow or some stupid name like that. You're Caden to me.
Reply
[Kanji is hardly the first person to call him by the name, but it's never the first or second or tenth time that matters with this replica. It's the time he actually listens that matters most. The fact that Kanji believes he can change is what does it for him. He still can't completely own the name, but for now at least it's dawned on him he might some day be able to. And on that day he'd have a rematch with Riku.]
So I... shouldn't fight anymore? Ever? [He looks a little lost.] Then what else could I do? What would Caden do differently from the me right now, if not fight and get stronger?
Reply
No, idiot! I'm sayin' don't pick fights when you don't have to. If you're bein' attacked, then duh you gotta fight back. Just use that power you got to protect yourself, and to protect other people.
[ He makes a sound and shrugs. ] Not like I can tell you what to do. That's somethin' you gotta answer yourself. How many times do I gotta tell you? Caden's got his own mind now, his own gut feeling. He can do whatever the hell he wants.
Reply
[He sits up on one knee first.]
I need to think about this some more, rested.
[Fights don't exhaust this kid - trying to sort out his emotions does, though. He sits up on his other knee, then stands.]
I know one person I need to protect... and one other I think I should. [Naminé and Ventus, respectively, were who he was thinking about.]
[He leaves in a bit of a dazed stupor - surprisingly similar to how he came in, but Kanji can tell the difference, plus internally how much changed. The boy's feet don't drag as much, his shoulders aren't quite as stooped, and he even stops at the door. He turns over his shoulder, and raises his hand just high enough for Kanji and Souji to see.]
See you later? [He almost sounds hopeful.]
Reply
Yeah, yeah. See ya. Go take a nap or somethin'.
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