ｒｅｕｎｉｏｎ．

[otherness]

It feels like I'm falling.

It's so familiar.

I feel like I'm forgetting something... something important.

[Roxas awakens with a gasp. He doesn't remember when he dozed off and he doesn't know how long he's been here. But every time he wakes up, he leaves a little mark on the wall, and there are... quite a few of those. His collection has a couple of strikes through it already. It'll probably earn a few more before he stops existing.

Wouldn't that be a blessing?

Even though Riku had hauled him in to wake Sora up and supposedly DiZ was satisfied with this... Roxas had been tossed into the cell where he is now. Soulless were just leftover garbage to DiZ, remnants of failed experiments-- the offal of his research, he'd said, and then refused to elaborate. And that was the last time Roxas had seen anyone.

Deprived of way out and still nursing his injuries from the duel, he can't say he's in any shape to break out. At first he'd spent all his energy whacking the Keyblade against the bars of the cell, but it was the magical barrier that threw him back, bodily, every time. And every time he'd gotten right back up again. He fought until his gloves split and the skin beneath began to blister; he fought until his wounds reopened and he had to stem the bleeding with what was left of his shirt. He fought until he was exhausted and crying and spent, prostrated on the floor. Still, no one came.

He's sure that no one will come tonight, either. Or the next night, or the night after that. Roxas has been forgotten. He's an inferior clone of Sora-- and that's all he'll ever be.

Roxas closes his eyes. His fingertips ghost over the still-healing wounds along his stomach and side. After a moment, they move upward to his chest. To his heart. For some reason, he can still feel it thump-thump-thumping in his chest.]

Stupid Heart, [he mutters in a raspy voice unaccustomed to speech after so long.] You should've gone to be with him, too.

[He idly wonders what would happen if a Soulless with a heart drove a Keyblade through it. Maybe he'd make Sora a third problem. Maybe it'd bring Xion back... Maybe it would end this, once and for all. He's just so tired. What's he even good for? He can't keep his promise to Xion. He can't do anything right. He can't even stop existing properly-- who knows if he won't make problems for Sora down the road?

Roxas tilts his head back and closes his eyes again. Maybe next time he'll wake up as someone else.]

Comments

[darkercalling]

[ Riku has put up with DiZ's schemes, done all that he's been asked to do - anything to wake Sora up. To bring his best friend back. To try and atone in the only way he thinks is possible. He brought Naminé here. Brought Roxas here. He did what he really thought he had to do. And now that it's done, now that Sora's awake, Riku's no closer to laying his sins to rest. But worse than that...

Destroy her, DiZ had said. And for Roxas? Just let him wither away. There was no need for them anymore. ... Like hell would Riku let any of that happen.

Riku is absolutely aware that he has no room to call anyone out of any state of moral compass or lack thereof. But this is far past the point of too much.

He's returned from seeing Naminé to safety, guilt still weighing heavily in his heart even though he knows she'll be safe, at least for now. He doesn't have much time, there are only so many opportunities for him to move about so freely without inviting any suspicion or undue attention. He heads straight for the dungeon, down the rows, only slowing his pace as he approaches the very cell that holds the Soulless boy he dragged here in the first place.

And Roxas looks... terrible. Riku expected he might, but not nearly like this. He's sure the only thing keeping the boy from being entirely broken is his ridiculous determination and stubborn will - something he shares with his other. But that only makes Riku's heart hurt even more. This is his fault, after all. He shoves all of that down, buries it under a cool mask, a sense of duty. There will be time to talk later. Maybe.

He finds the lock - punch-card activated - and inserts the card key he swiped from the upper levels. Gears turn, clicking into place, pistons pulling the lock free so that Riku can begin prying open the door. If Roxas is sleeping, he won't be for long, the mechanical whirrs and pops are loud enough on their own, but their echo through the stone dungeon is even more distracting.

He says nothing. He figures what he's doing is obvious, after all. ]

[otherness]

[Roxas doesn't hear him come in. He's dead or asleep or both... right up until the heavy clunking and grinding of machinery hits his ears, and then he's scrambling for his balance, for consciousness, for his Keyblade. Seeing Riku doesn't assuage his fears any. He staggers backwards to get away from him even if it won't help him much in the end.

Maybe Riku changed his mind. Maybe he's here to finish the job. He'd done DiZ's bidding before-- why should that change?

Roxas eyes him from the back of his cell, his grip on the cogwheeled Keyblade trembling too much to be of use; he has the look of a wild animal once bitten and twice shy.]

W-what do you want?

[Goodness, is that his voice? It sounds like he hasn't spoken for a long time. Longer than he's been alive, probably.]

[darkercalling]

[ Yeah, Riku expected Roxas would be hostile. He has very good reason to be, of course. But it doesn't stop him or slow him down, and once the last of the lock components slides free with an audible scrape of metal, Riku swings the cell door open, and leans against the opening, arms crossed. ]

Letting you out of here. I thought that was obvious.

[ For once, he's actually kind of glad he's got the blindfold on. It means Roxas can't see the guilt in eyes. At least he's managing to keep it out of his tone - for now. ]

There isn't much time, and you don't want to get caught. So, go.

[otherness]

[Roxas is having trouble believing it. It's not that Riku sounds like he's lying. He's matter-of-fact, not angry or conflicted. Something whispers in the back of his mind that Riku usually tells the truth.

Roxas is stubborn, though, and he's not going to accept Riku as a friend just because he opened a door. There's always the possibility of finding a Keyblade in his back later. But... but he'd be a fool if he didn't walk out of here right now.

If he's free, then he can at least fight for his life.

Reluctantly and still glaring like hell, he lets the Keyblade dissipate from his hand and takes a shuddering step toward the door. Another, and another, the promise of freedom giving him strength when otherwise he would have none.]

I'm not gonna thank you, [Roxas hisses under his breath.] Not yet. [Not when Riku put him there. He's going to be stubborn until he can taste daylight. Then he might give Riku the time of day.

But until then, it's time to flee. He thinks he remembers the way out of this forsaken lab and the dark mansion built on top of it. He eschews the elevator and flees up the steps instead, covered in stale blood and self-made bandages like a madman let out of hell. He's going slow enough due to his wounds that Riku can catch up easily. Roxas isn't going to wait for him, that's for sure.]

[darkercalling]

I didn't ask you to, [ Riku shoots back, aloof, as Roxas walks right by him and out of the cell.

Roxas can be as stubborn as he wants. Honestly, Riku deserves the suspicion, after everything he's done. He won't say a word about it, won't even try to defend himself. There's no real defense, after all.

He stays leaning against the bars, watches Roxas flee - well, more like drag himself out of here. He's probably just going to hurt himself even more, pushing himself when he's already in such a terrible state... Riku will of course catch up with him, eventually - probably shove a potion at him just to keep him from keeling over before he even manages to get out of here at all. Might as well give him the illusion of a head start first.

Besides, Riku has something else he wants to break before he takes his own leave. So, he'll see him somewhere up top. He can keep himself out of sight and out of trouble for a little bit, right? ]

[otherness]

[Roxas doesn't care if Riku catches up with him or not. Bereft of any kind of purpose, a taste of freedom still reignites his heart. He won't take this for granted. He can figure this out-- figure himself out-- after he's free.

Roxas clears the stairs and the first floor, knocking over some dusty furniture in his hurry. He gets held up at the courtyard however, as creatures from the mist coalesce out of the shadows.

He summons his keyblade and redoubles his grip.]

You're just small fry. Get out of the way!

[He's sorely outnumbered and in danger but he's still standing. When they leap onto him and try to knock him down, he flings them away but doesn't give chase. He's not in the mood for standing up, let alone running around.]

Get lost!

[A burst of light ripples outward from Roxas in an angry wave and incinerates about half of the Soulless, who are starting to reconsider pouncing on the weakened Keyblader but not enough to retreat.]