You don't need to bother [Open]

[boundbynaught]

Characters: Riku Replica and anyone he bumps into
Location: Around; starting near the fountain
Time: April 18th, morning
Style: Prose or Action; my main entry is in prose
Status: OPEN

Comments

[colorme_in]

[After seeing Zexion, Namine was curious as to who else would show up. And here he was- the Replica. The one who had protected her, believing in his false memories. Her eyes went towards the ground, and she approached him slowly.]

R-Riku?

[boundbynaught]

[His gut response is on the tip of his tongue, to correct whoever had called him that.] N-

[As he pauses mid-stride, he realizes who the voice belongs to.] Naminé? [He replies quietly; he can't turn to face her, not yet.]

[colorme_in]

It's me, Riku. It's me.

[It's been so long since those events in Castle Oblivion- but the memories are painfully rising to teh surface. She had broken his heart. It was her fault. She looked away, trying not to look at him.]

[boundbynaught]

[A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, then fades. Last he remembers, Naminé was sorting out Sora's memories for him. So why was she here? Unless she's not real - a hallucination after he's 'disappeared' to somewhere else sounds plausible to him.]

I honestly can't tell... if it's really you or not. You can't be in the same place I am... [He clenches his fist.] You shouldn't be in the same place I am.

[fourdigit]

[Well, Ritsuka isn't the type to jump all over being sociable, but he finds it a little difficult to just walk away from someone who looks so...unhappy, for lack of a better word.

He walks up, sitting next to him. Not too close, though... some of the people here are pretty weird. It's a precaution.]

Are you okay?

[boundbynaught]

[After wandering around for awhile even Rep got tired, and especially today. He hadn't slept yet since his battle, so when the boy approached, he didn't bother to stop him.

Does it matter?

[fourdigit]

[...What. He is kind of taken back.

That's okay. That's okay, Ritsuka tells himself, he's probably just...been through a lot. I bet that's understatement of the year.]

You don't need to be so rude. I was just asking; you look upset.

[boundbynaught]

Maybe I am. [He's kind of getting Sora vibes from this guy.] What's it to you? I don't even know you.

[prominence_glow]

So. Life officially sucked.

For one thing, Xemnas had appeared, which thoroughly pissed off and freaked out Lea. The bubble was enough trouble without someone like that around. And he can't even stay with Stein right now. It's complicated and annoying and Lea knows he can't really do anything. He's a lotta talk... and that's it. Talk won't help in this place.

So. He just needs some time to himself, away from everything. It's why he's gathering up some supplies- camping'll be easy, right? When he spots a head of familiar silver hair, however, Lea diverts his course.

"Uh, what's with the get-up?" He quirks his head to the side. "I don't think a skirt is your style."

[boundbynaught]

At first, Rep doesn't even stop walking at the voice; it's just another person in the crowd, and probably not talking to him. He certainly doesn't recognize the voice, not like with Naminé.

Then comes the skirt comment. The guy could insult the outfit all day and Rep really wouldn't care that much, but that kind of familiarity in his speech - that's what catches Rep's interest.

Rep stops, then calls over his shoulder. "You act like you know me, saying stuff like that."

[prominence_glow]

...Okay, that's it, he's killing himself from sheer frustration. What the hell. Didn't they just go through this? Lea could have sworn they just went over this when Xehanort's Heartless showed up. And now Xemnas just showed up, and he's clearly forgetting again.

...Is this going to be a pattern or something?

Scratching his tattoo- the big thing that helps make him look so different from his Nobody, Lea goes to sling his arm over Riku's shoulder. Personal space between friends? Never.

"It's a long story. Wanna sit down with some sea-salt ice cream while I run it by you again?"

[boundbynaught]

When Lea gets that close, even with the tattoo, Rep starts to see the resemblance with Axel. The eyes and the hairstyle are a bit uncommon, and that mannerism with the shoulder sling, but this guy's much younger... it's not enough for Rep to call him out on it, though. He knows that he looks exactly like the Real Thing, and since this guy doesn't, he chalks it up to coincidence for now, especially after he's gone and 'disappeared' into this strange place.

He tries to unlatch the kid's arm from his shoulder. "You probably think I'm Riku." Eyes narrowed a little, he speaks a bit more emphatically. "Too bad - 'cuz I'm not."

[kingofsweets]

[It was Riku. Again.

And again he had shrunk. The blind fold was gone, and his attire was odd. But it was still Riku.

Personal boundaries were always crossed out from his dictionary when it came to friends! The only warning the smaller Riku was going to get, if he could hear over the fountain, was the sound of quick steps before the young man tackled the boy who seemed out of it.]

RIKU! You shrunk again! I wonder if this place is just picking on you. [Riku replica likes hugs? He was going to get them if he didn't escape.]

[boundbynaught]

[Rep struggles furiously to get out of the man's grip!] GET OFF! I'M NOT RIKU! I DON'T KNOW YOU! [He's suddenly reminded of that Goofy guy Sora hangs around with.]

[kingofsweets]

[Wait. What? Not Riku? He let for and looked at the skirted Riku again. He gave a sheepish smile and scratched the back of his head.] Really? You look just like him.

[boundbynaught]

I know. [Too bad for Tsuzuki that Rep isn't more forthcoming with information. He takes a step back.] You must be another friend of his.

[wayward_faith]

Ven was just passing by, looking to head to a nearby store so he could get a few things to decorate his new apartment. After all, he didn't want to intrude on his friends while he was still getting used to... well, getting used to being able to exist again. After all, he... kind of disappeared, himself. But unlike the replication sitting against the fountain he was just about to pass by, he was trying to take it in stride.

It was only a look that someone who'd been erased from existence could understand that caught his eye, but the similarities of that outfit to the one who'd taken over his body before he destroyed them both in a last ditch effort sent a shock of fear. It isn't Vanitas, he had to repeat in his head, and he knew that look; better than most ever could

[boundbynaught]

Everyone else who'd passed by Rep that morning were all various shades of grey - common enough that they all blurred together in a muddy haze around him, not helped at all by his exhausted stupor.

Before Ventus even got close to the boy, Rep was looking straight at him. Sora, Naminé, even those other three Sora hung around with - they all shone with light in their hearts, but they did have some darkness there. Faint, yet still present; that much Rep knew through firsthand experience. All of the Princesses of Heart, on the other hand, were filled with pure light - Rep knew that through his planted memories.

So it was almost like a train approaching through that dense fog, lights on full blast and cutting through it all. When he could finally see the blond boy, the ice-cream and towel in his hands were the last thing on Rep's mind.

What's with this guy? No darkness in him at all? Rep suspected that he was probably a lot like Sora, or maybe Kairi if she'd been born male, and that made Rep initially want the other boy to just go away

[wayward_faith]

Oh, he saw the scowl and could almost feel that darkness after one of it in its purest form had once been so close to him not even forty-eight hours ago, but like that was much to deter him right now from someone who looked like he could use a friend who understood well enough. This ball of sunshine was still radiating the warmth, but it was much more subdued and humbled than it would have been if he were pulled here a few days before he had been.

Though, he probably should have expected that with all his light, the other would be stunned at least momentarily. "Ven; guessing you haven't been here long, either."

He didn't have to mention being here before though, did he? Ventus would wait a bit longer for the other to dry off a bit more before offering the other ice cream. For some reason the frozen treat always seemed to be a bit of an ice breaker of sorts between those from their worlds, so might as well try it. He was going to be so fat after all this if he doesn't Fever Pitch all the calories ooooff--

"Who're you?"

[boundbynaught]

Ven. The name and face don't ring any bells for Rep, so he just files it away.

Rep doesn't really respond to the first comment, looking down at his clothing as he dried himself off. The question, however, causes Rep to tense up and stop his effort entirely.

"I don't know anymore." It's half sullen complaint, half wry statement. He thought he knew up until a week or so ago, and now everything's a wreck in his head. The fact that he's even talking to Ven right now baffles him.