The shadows of the trees appear / Amidst the lantern light

[cadenbychoice]

Who: Riku Replica and Sora
Where: Plaza
What: The fountain
When: Friday July 20th
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Kouki's tail slowly swept across the ground as his head sat in Caden's lap. The boy himself was sitting on the side of the fountain, in the exact same spot he remembered meeting Ventus for the first time. Every time that Kouki bayed recently, Caden had to take him to the fountain; it was the only way to get him to stop. Not unlike his default owner, Kouki missed Ventus dearly. The coming-and-going seemed to affect the dog even worse than it did Caden.

So he let his newly-darkened hair fall over his face and not look up at the people around him. The only thing he cared about was if that one particular aura-scent caught his notice, which he knew he didn't need to see. The funny thing was that the entire reason he noticed Ventus at all was due to his similarity to Sora. That was funny because of who was doing the noticing this time around...

Comments

[runbysmiles]

Sora was walking back towards his house, hands behind his head, not paying attention to anything in particular. His gaze was up to the bubble and what light was shining through the ocean ceiling. It was still strange to think they were all underwater like this. He wondered what would happen if the bubble ever did break, and then promptly decided he didn't want to think about that. Donald wasn't here and he had no idea how to turn himself in a merman!

Odd thoughts aside as he walked past Caden and Kouki, Sora looked over. A shine of light off Kouki's fur had caught his attention and when he saw it was a dog a smile burst on Sora's face. His hands lowered and he went over to the dog and this person he didn't think he'd met beforre.

With Caden's new face it would have been hard for Sora to realize the boy behind the mask, at least without a little assistance.

"Hey! Is he yours?" Sora looked curiously at the retriever.

[cadenbychoice]

Sora caught Caden off-guard, honestly, his head jerking up bewildered when that bright light came rushing up to the both of them. He almost didn't want to speak - like it would shatter this illusion that he wasn't the person who hurt Sora so much and all of it things Sora didn't remember.

Finally, he cleared his throat and pushed his bangs back like it would do any good. "Yeah, he... he is now." Kouki of course loved any attention he could get. Caden decided to keep petting the nape of his neck absently, to give himself something to focus on.

[runbysmiles]

"He's cute." Sora rubbed at Kouki's silken ears. He didn't think he'd seen this person around before, and he hadn't realized yet that it was actually Caden he was speaking with. There was something familiar about him though and after short while Sora looked up at the taller boy.

"Hey...do...do I know you?" Sora felt bad asking, especially because something in him told him he did know who this was and they had met before. Why couldn't he remember?

[cadenbychoice]

"I'm honestly not sure," he answered, groaning a little as that slipped out, but it was true. He knew Sora for sure. Whether or not Sora still knew him was a different question, considering he was gone for awhile. "Maybe."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's been awhile, I know that much." He finally looked up and at Sora's face. "And you wouldn't know this face even if you did remember me."

Biting his lip, he wondered if that would give it away or not.

[runbysmiles]

Sora frowned. How could this guy not be sure? He was about to open his mouth and ask for his name when the next comment stopped him. Wouldn't know this face...

Why did that sound so strange? It wasn't a normal sort of response was it? He continued to stare at Caden as if he was trying to see past something.

Frowning in annoyance Sora did two things then. He reached out first for Caden's hand. Taking it in his he closed his eyes hoping he'd get enough of a chance to try and feel this guy out before the hand got yanked back. He just felt so familiar!

[cadenbychoice]

Caden did clench his fist when Sora touched him, his whole body tensing. Caden didn't know about how Sora could perceive people like that; it just felt like a condescending gesture.

He waited while the overlaying layers of faces unmasked Caden - first that of Tobias on top, then the layer of Riku, and finally the true face of Cadence. All the replica could tell was a penetrating warmth; something assuring him that Sora wouldn't push him away, wouldn't chastise him, wouldn't hurt him - just as he had before.

That he didn't have to pretend anymore. That Sora could help him somehow.

"It's me. The one who was once Riku's replica... Cadence."

[runbysmiles]

Sora's heart reached out to Caden. He blocked out everything else just feeling who was behind the mask. It confused him at first, since all he saw was Tobias followed by Riku. He almost stopped there, but this wasn't his best friend and he knew that much. The pieces didn't fall fully into place until He was able to see Caden standing behind everything.

His eyes flew open and for a moment it was the blond haired boy who was looking back at him before it settled back into the image that was truly in front of him.

"Caden! Caden what happened!" Sora could only stare. He knew something horrible had happened to Caden, and that he'd been powerless to stop it. Had this been a result of that? Sora didn't know but the concern on his face was obvious as she stared up at the taller boy.

[cadenbychoice]

"I tried to use Zexion's powers again. It worked last time, so I thought... When I came back..." He sighed in defeat. "I don't know exactly how I got my real form last time, so I don't know how to get it back either!"

He did pull away a little, mostly angry at himself. "I think it's punishment for what I did. Maybe Roxas was right about that. It still doesn't help me now, though."

However, as he registered just how Sora was looking at him, Caden had to ask, disbelief evident in his voice. "Do you... see the real me?" How?

[runbysmiles]

Sora let the hand fall from his grip. He wasn't going to force Caden to keep in contact with him, and with his eyes open it was harder for Sora to see past the illusion. He knew who was really behind the face though so it didn't matter as much anymore.

"Well, yeah kind of." He reached up and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Your heart feels the same." Which as far as Sora knew meant that that face he'd seen on Caden that wasn't Riku was who he really was. He may have been born from Riku's memories and the Organizations ingenuity, but he was his own person and Sora knew that. Even if he'd once shared Riku's face.