With me disaster finds a playfield [Open]

[cadenbychoice]

Who: Riku Replica and anyone
Where: Plaza
What: Returning from Death #3
When: Friday June 8th (9 days after his death)

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His head was pounding as he blinked his eyes open. Oh no, he groaned inwardly, feeling completely drenched. At first he had to wonder if Demyx hit him with some powerful attack that had knocked him out. It was a possibility, given the the fact that much time had clearly passed in the day, all the way to another morning.

However, as he lay on his back, he started to mutter. "Can't believe I..." 'Fell for it' would have been next out of his mouth, but that was how he learned whose voice was coming out. His eyes darted all around, starting to panic.

"... Not again."

Comments

[cadenbychoice]

"Wh-?" He was floored. "What? Hold back? Why would you ever hold back when attacking someone you thought was going to scramble you back to square one? Make you forget who you are - all over again? I'm not sorry for what I did. I don't remember it, but at some point Riku and I met, and I knew I was his replica. I don't remember it, but I wish I had stayed that way. It's better than this - of reminding myself every day that the memories I have aren't mine, that my name isn't Riku even though that's what rolls off my tongue the easiest, that..."

He realized then he'd started hunching forward in anger, fists balled at his waist. So, he relaxed and stood up straight again. "That everything I work towards, every... single... day... is for earning my own identity."

[coolerthansora]

"Yeah, I'd fight that." He had, hadn't he? Was part of the reason for his anger now the thought that maybe, he hadn't fought hard enough? "But you didn't even know who it was. You didn't know what they were doing."

Roxas's own fists were clenched, but he didn't relax. "And you're not the only one who has to deal with stuff like that."

[cadenbychoice]

He crossed his arms. "If your way's so much better, why are you still dealing with it?"

Caden knew why HE was still dealing with. He didn't know how long he'd been around at Castle Oblivion, but he'd been around this was place was at least ten times longer by his own estimation. That meant he'd screwed up so much back then that it was taking this long to sort himself out.

"Go on. Tell me what you would've done. Defended until that thing wore you down and took you out, so you'd have died anyway?"

[coolerthansora]

"I..."

If he'd fought like Caden was suggesting, like it was kill or be killed... would he be better off? If he'd fought like that, maybe he'd still be around back home. Maybe he could have been able to consider going back.

But, it would mean that certain other people might not be there. As much as he hated what Riku had done to him, he didn't want him dead. The part of him that was Sora wouldn't have been able to forgive that. And what if he'd fought like that with Axel?

"I'd have tried to knock them out first. It would've worked on Zexion. What you're talking about, that's a last resort."