I'll be ignited / When I get to watch you burn [Semi-Open]

[boundbynaught]

Characters: boundbynaught and superior_mansex in a main thread, but open to any onlookers / interlopers
Time: Sunday May 15th
Style: Log
Status: Semi-Open; In-Progress; see this OOC entry for details!

Sub-threads:
- Main Combat
- Sit in the peanut gallery
- Request OOCly to intervene in the fight

Comments

Main Combat

[boundbynaught]

[limitless_land]

Ventus' explanation wasn't the only thing that the fake should have paid more attention to. Then again, someone had remained hidden nearby as well, sensing the energy clash from a distance. Hood up, it would have been difficult to decipher who it was that just warped between the attacks and the replication. Difficult, until he stood with his arms outstretched to his sides and shouted, "Guard!"

A shield of hexagonal dark magic pulsed into existence as the real thing held out his hands in front of him, palms out. His expression beneath the hood said it all; he greatly disapproved of this, though he truly had no say in Rep's actions. "You know, I never took you to be such an idiot, Caden." ...Lies; he kind of had.

[boundbynaught]

Rep's head snapped up and he turned over his shoulder. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" He stood immediately. "This is my fight! I get to decide what-"

It started to dawn on him that the noticeable 'swish' of his psuedo-skirt had been replaced with the heavier sound of a thicker material slapping his legs.

"What happens..." He held out both hands, trying to figure out why he was suddenly wearing a wide-sleeved leather cloak like Riku's and Xemnas's and the rest of the organization members'.

[limitless_land]

"You're out of your mind." That was literally all he had to say on that. And... not like he could see what Rep was turning into, but he could hear the heavier sound of a leather coat - he knew it well, and that made him slightly concerned. ...Was he using the power he 'borrowed' too greatly? Then that would mean-

Riku took a peek after the ethereal blades struck his temporary shield one by one, eyes widening at the sight. Zexion... Of course. And should he choose to use another's power too much, would he end up the same way? Yes. ['Guess "the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree" is an accurate statement...] Still, he had no interest in attacking Xemnas - he knew full well what that could mean. Instead he focused on defending. After all, he was the less aggressive of the two. "Then decide it: live for your friends or die here."

His gaze fell on Xemnas as Soul Eater appeared in his hand. ...He was in for it too now, wasn't he.

[superior_mansex]

He needed only that second. Speed itself was not his strong suit, but the fact that he could was what was truly important. The fact that he could and did was all that mattered. He was finished with this battle. He was ending it. Nothing else would done after this next attack of his and he was going to make sure of it. Time was given to both the replica and Riku to stop this pointless fight and now it was his turn, and he was choosing to end it with violence

[boundbynaught]

Rep was the one facing Xemnas at this point, bangs and different body be damned. He could've simply Corridor Stepped out of the way, or jumped, or counterattacked - but he didn't. "You're in the way," he hissed, and prepped a Dark Firaga in his left hand. He held it up as the lasers approached, and then

[limitless_land]

So much for preventing another suicide-by-proxy attempt

[superior_mansex]

Xemnas could feel that darkness within Riku swelling, but he chose not to comment on it. Instead, he placed a hand to his chest, checking his own well being. It was a mistake to be so anxious. So many blades at ones was not smart, but it did it's job and didn't place him in any danger. No, it would be better to say he was not put in danger, but it was not something to mimic again so soon. How odd to feel that there truly is a limit to the power of nothing.

Yet he did not leave. It was a thought that crossed his mind, but he did not flee. He just looked upon the scene and then looked away. He knew that Riku wouldn't fight him like the replication did. The least he could do was credit that Riku was far smarter than the other. However, he was not going to tempt it.

Post-Combat

[boundbynaught]

At the edge of consciousness, Rep barely heard Riku calling him an idiot and someone - likely him - picking him up.

[ 'This is different from last time... why?' ]

It felt more intense the second time around, thus his body being completely limp and without even enough motivation to speak. On top of that, Riku hadn't gone anywhere near him before - like he was afraid to catch a disease. Unsurprising, since they'd been opponents in that fight, unlike this time.

His head lolled as Riku took him where it was he planned for them to go. Rep was beyond caring now - he knew his time was limited, and as long as that wasn't the case for Riku, then it had mostly gone how he'd expected. How he'd hoped.

Even before the fight, he'd been tired - tired of thinking, of puzzling, of searching his heart for what other people wanted him to believe in. Blurry images of Ventus, Kanji, Kairi, Lea, Naminé, N, and lastly Ryoji flickered in his thought bubble, bordered by dark purple and blue haze. Their words came and went in white, too fast to be read.

Re: Post-Combat

[limitless_land]

Like it truly mattered to him where they went, so long as it was away from Xemnas or anyone that would try to do them harm. His first thought had been the forest in the park, but the thought of running into Slendy flashed into his bubble briefly before going back to 'Did they drop you on the head when you were created?' before drastically changing into several curses in bold red font as it got harder to maintain one single appearance. Then his own thought bubble answered Rep's question before he could even stop the thought as golden eyes narrowed.

[ 'Because this time people actually care for you.' ]

He couldn't pat attention to the words, but the images that accompanied them - Rep hadn't been ready for this; any of it. Yet while Riku placed him down on the ground, he couldn't help but notice something else.

"...Why is it that every time we meet in combat you're suicidal?"

[ 'Why did you push me help aside?' ]

Post-Combat

[boundbynaught]

Not that Rep would ever admit it, but it had definitely been harder to shut down his Fight Or Flight inclinations at the last second. Last time, he'd been able to put on a brave face for Sora, then wandered off, lost his last hope, and then lost it completely. He hadn't even once contemplated if Naminé would miss him, let alone anyone else. This time - well, he didn't think any of those people were his friends, or that they cared about him, not more than they cared about people in general in cases like Kairi and Ventus. Last time had been a complete breakdown, where he'd stupidly thought he could actually defeat Riku. This time had been cold calculation and inner defeat before the fight even began - he'd wanted Xemnas to kill him, make it easier on him and everyone else, or so he'd selfishly believed.

He blinked up at Riku - it was Riku wasn't it? - completely missing the first comment due to his eyes being closed. When Riku spoke, though, he tried to open them and just caught the bubble's words

[limitless_land]

It was Riku, no matter what shifts in his power said or what form he took. He lowered his hood, gaze softening just slightly as he shook his head. People like that would prove Rep wrong in the end - it wasn't just what the idiot thought of them. In fact, they'd probably consider it an insult if they saw those words pop up in the thought bubble.

[ 'Caden, you are so in for it in seven days or less.' ]

Why he thought that, he wouldn't say, but in the end it wouldn't matter. Fake would learn eventually, even if he had to wait a week before the next lesson began. Riku listened carefully, using a weak chuckle to disguise his true feelings.

"...No one has it easy." The real thing rested a hand on a fading shoulder, almost regretting it. Almost. He should have jumped in sooner, before Xemnas had begun to fight back. Maybe then this wouldn't have- "You know that."

[boundbynaught]

He was nearly gone now, his body suddenly feeling lighter rather than heavier. Wisps of himself fluttered upward so much that he could barely see through it all, but that didn't matter anymore. His other senses were numb now, and all he wanted was respite from feeling again. Not believing himself capable of accomplishing his true wish, that would be enough.

But in every dark heart, it is said, even a glimmer of light can survive. Maybe everything else had to be stripped away before that tiny bit could shine - the part that truly wanted to be 'Caden.'

He managed to reach his hand up and hold the other boy's arm in a weak grip.

"Sorry..." He closed his eyes. "Riku."

Then he dissipated completely.

[limitless_land]

Riku merely looked upon the fading form, not really noticing the darkness as it coolly brushed against his face while floating up to the barrier-sky. It was something he'd rather not have witnessed again, feeling the bit of remorse again after who knows how long of steeling away all those thoughts and emotions just to fight and get through the day. He almost longed for that feeling again, but all that could be was right now, watching his identical fade.

Asking Xion to do this for Sora... No, he wouldn't think about that. His eyes narrowed slightly in what could be read as sadness when fake's hand grasps his arm. It had been one thing to see the kid fade in Castle Oblivion at a distance, the same-but-not scent dying. It was another thing entirely for it to be in his arms and more than just two meetings.

His hands grasped the ground for just a moment as he shook his head. Though there was no one around that he could sense, his bubble read it clearly:

[ 'You have nothing to be sorry for-'

'-I'm the one who failed.Riku allowed the