When boredom strikes...

[limitless_land]

Characters: limitless_land & vatheon
Location: The forest rut strikes again!
Time: Early afternoon
Style: Any!
Status: Open like the Door to the Light

[It had been a while since Riku had gone alone to gather his thoughts. With all the arrivals from "back home" he hadn't had much time to reflect, or in many cases... vent. Which is what he was doing now, in the forest. For

Comments

Thursday

[boundbynaught]

[This is the second day in a row that Rep has sensed Riku out in the forest. That by itself isn't unusual, since it's Riku's routine. Rep stopped fixating on Riku's energy signal once he figured that out, but today he feels a surge out there - almost like Riku's power had doubled.

His curiosity is too great. He pockets his SFC, changes into Dark Mode and summons his Soul Eater at the same time, then teleports to the general area where he thinks Riku is. He winds up a few yard away, and that's when the scent gets more distinct. It's not Riku with twofold power; it's Riku and someone else with a nearly identical scent to his and Rep's own. Only at close range can Rep discern the difference.

He takes a few steps toward the not-Riku scent, eventually coming upon another young man.]

Hey, you there! Who are you?

2/2

[limitless_land]

[--Of course. He had a feeling that he'd be asked this at some point or another, but didn't really expect it to be so soon. Then again, everything had been happening so fast he should have thought it would be sooner than he first imagined.

His gaze falls for a moment as he thought of how to word this without an argument arising.]

...Calling you a fake, about running from who I am myself-

[He looks back up, trying to meet that level gaze with his own. He'd almost forgotten how much of a brat he was at that age.]

There are other things, but that's for me to admit to Sora; no one else.

[boundbynaught]

[Without speaking or moving at all, the dark tendrils emerge from the ground that are so familiar to both of them. When they fade away, Rep's dark energy has lessened considerably and Soul Eater is gone. He's now wearing a more casual outfit, appropriately in shades of grey.]

I get that. [A little too well, of course, but they both knew it; it didn't need said. He didn't sound bitter or angry - it just sounded like he got a little of his own 'spine' back.]

And that other thing - about using my time wisely? Did you... mean that too?

[Even with a name for himself, even with Riku's apology, and with Kairi's and Kanji's and N's assertions... even with Ventus's empathy... he was still at a loss for what to do with himself outside of confronting Xemnas.]

[limitless_land]

[Oh, you better not let Joshua see you in those. He'd attack your wardrobe so fast you wouldn't even know what hit it. Regardless of those thoughts, he nods faintly. Well... at least he seems a bit more calm. In fact, this was a bit odd--relief? That was something he never expected to feel for Rep.

Thank the Light for regaining some of that self-confidence.]

I did. [He chuckles a bit, resting his thumb in his pocket.] Guess you have her to thank for that, though.

[That was something he'd have to figure out for himself--no one would be able to tell Caden what to do with his time.]

[boundbynaught]

[His focus went right over Riku's reassurance for the moment. Her?]

You mean Naminé - or maybe Kairi.

[limitless_land]

[He smirks, just faintly as he shakes his head.]

No... Xion. She's a replica, too.

[boundbynaught]

The other replica is... a girl?

But Axel said- so...

Why do I have to thank her? I've never even met her - we... we never crossed paths.

[limitless_land]

[He nods. Yes... It gets complicated.] Based off Sora's memories of Kairi, I believe.

Because spending time with her changed my mind. She's here, in the fishbowl. [...Somewhat.]

[boundbynaught]

So that's who he meant... about someone else who 'did just that.'

[In any other context, he would've made some snide remark about if Riku expected Rep to suddenly run off and say hi to her this very instant. The fact was that she must have said and done something to change his mind so drastically. For Rep, it'd been a sudden change that he'd been try to cope with for 2 weeks.]

Sounds like you know her pretty well.

[limitless_land]

[Nah, he didn't expect anything from Mini Me--just the usual barrage of questions. There were a lot of things that happened that you never got to see, Rep. Looks like... you'll get to see the results, though. Oh, and he isn't sorry for the brain break.]

We were traveling together for a while.

[boundbynaught]

[He looks so confused as he furrows hi brow] So why tell me about her- [He looks up] Let alone her name?

Even Axel didn't tell me any of that.

[He's getting back to that reassurance, slowly.]

[limitless_land]

[Riku's job description: Emo mode, being a jerk to some, protect friends, and confuse Replicas for all time.

He just shrugs.] Guess I just felt like it.

[boundbynaught]

[No kidding.]

Alright then.

[He turns to the side, mentally ready to leave.] Guess we'll see if I... feel like doing anything about that- [Looks back over his shoulder.] And my time here.

[limitless_land]

[He tilts his head to the side, almost as if studying that energy.] ...One more thing, Caden.

[boundbynaught]

[The name again, so that puts him in a better disposition. Eyebrows go up]

Hm?

[limitless_land]

If you ever want to see if you can wipe the floor with me, I wouldn't be opposed to a rematch.

[It's teasing, but there's no malice behind it. ...At least not yet.]