kingdomdressing | (no subject)

[Sure, Sora hadn't really known either. Riku might have given him that. But between him and Sora, it was pretty easy to pick out who Riku could trust more. And who was the less reckless of the two. Although admittedly? Sora had really gotten himself into one hell of a mess in Castle Oblivion. Still, the outside forces at work... Now knowing about them? Riku was certain Sora could overcome them. And that was why... among many other reasons...

Of course, it was also times like this when he was comparing Sora and Roxas, when he would look at Sora more favorably especially since the experience factor... that he would look sight in the reminiscing and that had cost him. He was floored before he even realized that had happened. Way to the Dawn spiraling across the floor before simply vanishing. But if Riku seemed caught off guard by that, he didn't show it. Just as Roxas hurried to his feet, so did he. His eyes still that familiar blue hue but sharpened in a way only Riku could do as he took up a stance in brief.

But soon after, he was taking a few jabs at Roxas. Testing the waters. As below, the glass continued to crumble...]

[Good old fists were weapons that Roxas had only some very limited experience with. Ironically, most of what he remembered aside from watching how the Olympian fought alongside Sora, was from the fabricated memories of a couple rather badly-chanced run-ins with Seifer. It seemed not every dispute between the two small gangs of children were settled with Struggle bats.

Thankfully, counter-balancing that was the fact that Roxas was both a fast-learner and just happened to have a significantly meaner streak than his Somebody. Riku's first jab easily broke past his guard and took him in the chest, not enough for noteworthy injury, but more than enough to wake him up. He brought his guard up when the second came, deflecting it properly this time and the third, he parried.

Yes, it wasn't so hard when he thought of the same movements he used when wielding a Keyblade. His range was shorter, but with these being his arms -something that he very literally was connected to, he could react faster and make them work in different ways because he had his hands to work with too.

A glance to his peripheral forced him to realize that the ground was giving. The Nobody minded his footing as he began his counter-offensive. He drove forward, using his elbow to both guard and effectively as a battering ram as he tried to force his way through Riku's defenses. If he could get past that, his other fist would immediately go rocketing at point-blank for his foe's gut.]

[Unlike Roxas, Riku had had more experience fighting bear-handed. Wrestling, rather. Considering the antics back on the island, as much as it was child's play back then, it gave him an advantage on the field. He saw that elbow coming, and with a grunt, brought up his forearm to block it in turn. Sliding back along the glass as Roxas pressed forward but otherwise remaining grounded and more than ready.

As soon as he stopped skidding, Riku let himself readjust for a split second before he was suddenly shoving forward with his other palm, following with his weight to try and upset Roxas balance, most likely a move that would send them both to the floor. But then, that was the idea. Even as the cracks in the glass finally made it to the edges... and then the glass itself started to give there, falling away.]

[ The difference in hand-to-hand skill was showing as Roxas quickly found himself mentally scrambling for balance as his body instinctively tried its best to stay grounded properly. He braced against the push, but the foot on his back leg slipped. To his surprise, his front leg had been set well enough that rather than directly stumble, he pivoted around on it and in that split-second, he found a peculiar inspiration in this mishap.

He twisted his body to the side, Riku's momentum now pushing past him and deflecting the Nobody aside from his line of force. At this range, if the silver-haired boy was paying attention, he might see the blond grin his most wicked grin ever.

Roxas followed the twisting motion, adding his weight to it so that it was sped up significantly. If his balance had been in jeopardy before, this was certainly going to be an all-or-nothing gambit to either keep or lose it. As he whirled about, he swung his leg up in a vicious roundhouse kick angled high and hopefully aimed for the back of Riku's head now.

If fortune was on his side, he had his hunches that he'd need to end this fight before their ground shattered. Of course, no telling how he'd get out of things period even if he won. But there'd be time to figure that out later, he mentally assured himself. ]

[Riku had been expecting Roxas to fight his way through. That much was for certain. No matter what, it just seemed like their fate to disagree. To be on opposite sides of the field. Which in a way... it was really too ironic considering who Roxas came from. But then perhaps not.

But what he didn't expect was that suddenly move he moved. Was it sheer luck or had he underestimated the nobody? Whatever the case, it didn't change the impact that while it didn't hit his head as intended, Roxas certainly nailed him right in the back and sent him grounded momentarily. Riku heaved a few painful breaths from the floor. But him submitting from that one blow? Was a little more than unlikely. Soon enough, he was twisting around to find his feet again, turning so that he could throw out a kick in the direction Roxas was. It wasn't really aimed and wasn't really meant to harm him. More to draw him away so he could gather himself more properly.

All the while, the platform... which had originally started giving away at a slow pace. Suddenly seemed to have a sudden increase in speed.]

[He hadn't been expecting the retaliatory kick, but his reflexes were good enough that he hopped back, moving just barely out of range. A cursory glance around their arena of sorts revealed that their time was very quickly running out and he was running out of space to move. Considering his usual preference for hit-and-run tactics, this situation was growing worse with each passing second.

And yet with all that was on the line, he refused to yield.

No sooner had Roxas' feet touched the ground from his hop back than did he charge at full speed and hurl a dashing punch at his recovering foe's jaw. With their ground rapidly vanishing, he didn't even need a knock-out at this point, he just needed to off-balance him and send him off into the murky depths below.

Of course, odds were, both of them were going down that way at this point. It was just a matter of who was going first.]

[Unfortunately for Roxas? Riku was more than ready for something like that. He could blame Sora later for the way his hand reached out and latched at Roxas' wrist. And then Riku was using the momentum that the nobody had built to try and throw him off balance again. Right towards the edge of the scattering platform. His breathing was becoming a little ragged now. The adrenaline rushing through him. But there was a smirk to mirror the one that Roxas had given previously. Oh yeah, he had seen it. And now he was returning it.]

[Mentally, Roxas cursed to himself as he'd found that he'd woefully underestimated how quickly his opponent could react. Immediately he set to work on a counter-measure. Whatever awaited down below, he was angry enough that he was going to make sure that Riku's body would break his fall and somehow, he would wipe that unrepentant expression from his face.

As he was drawn toward the edge, his leg snaps out to strike the back of the silver-haired boy's knee. With good fortune and maybe even a little luck, he'd be able to take his legs out and off-balance him enough that a good left-cross to the face would send him over the edge first. At worst if his accuracy didn't fail him, it would at least provide a hiccup in the throw and buy enough time for him to try something new to escape the bind.]

[With the way things were moving, Riku couldn't have even seen that kick coming. His knees were jerking into a kneel before he even realized what had happened. He grunted, his recovery a bit on the slow side. But he saw the intended hit and raised his arm just before it came. His balance failed him at that point and he was sitting on the ground again, but he was far from finished if that floor sweeping kick was any good indication.

If Roxas was intent on getting to see him go first, he would have to try harder. Stubborn as Roxas himself could be, it was hard to match Riku. And he might not have the chance soon anyway as glass continued to fall away. Closing in on them.

[Ever quick on both his thoughts and feet, Roxas did the best he could to recover from the bind that his recklessness had once more gotten himself into. When he found his own legs being swept out from beneath him, he just didn't try to stop. Instead he just let himself go, knees first and he hoped if there was any fairness in the universe that he'd connect at least one of them with Riku's face on his way over the silver-haired boy.

Hit or miss, the Nobody's acrobatics would be pushed to the test as he brought himself down on some of the remaining glass behind his foe; tucking into a neat roll before immediately whirling about in his crouched stance to face him.]

[That knee to the face was pretty much unavoidable given the circumstances he was in and Riku quickly found himself clasping a bleeding nose while his head slammed back against the ground. He gagged out a cry- and was his form flickering? Hair turning darker for a second before lightening again, blue eyes winced and frustrated. And looking up only a few feet from Roxas himself.

Not wanting to give then, he rolled, collecting himself to his knees. Then jerking up to his feet- but that impact from earlier clutched him and he stumbled back, holding his head. One, two, and then the third step hit nothing as the glass shattered underneath it and he started to fall. His hands reaching up, managing to catch the end of the platform momentarily. Hands that turned lithe if Roxas paid mind as the rest of Riku fell out of sight.]

[He was conflicted watching it play out. It was with an almost sick sense of gratification as he watched Riku suffer with his injuries, Roxas' expression turning momentarily curious when his foe's appearance shifted.

This was what he'd wanted from the outset of their duel, wasn't it? He wanted that jerk to tumble off into the hear after, after which the Nobody would just figure out how to save him later. But the longer he watched him stumble back, that part that he'd just figured was irrevocably Sora protested and almost begged for him to render aid.

As Riku neared the edge of the remaining glass, Roxas grit his teeth as his legs moved before he could consciously say that he'd reached a decision. He flopped on his stomach and slid, stopping mere inches from the edge as the silver-haired boy fell. He willed his arm to move faster than he'd ever wanted it to before, reaching and hopefully seizing the other boy's hand with his.]

[One moment, it seemed that his grip would give- The next, a hand was clutched to his. And with that, another flicker rippled through his body.]

[And then his hand was softer. Smaller. And almost limp. With familiar those same familiar blue eyes. Hazy, blurring eyes now, hidden under short black hair. She looked to him, her face pale, white-washed. Murmuring faintly.]

Roxas...?

[And then her hand slipped from his and she was falling away into the dark.]

[Part of him thought that he should have been shocked when he saw Riku's form distort and shift as it had. Part of him said that he wouldn't have expected any of this. And yet, as he'd been fighting that boy, pieces had begun to line up and he'd been forming a guess about all of this.

He'd gone into Xion's mind -or heart or whatever it was that they had. And in the depths of all these thoughts and memories had been Riku. His own recent tangle of memories that had lined up, the things he'd remembered and her own hinting through gesture and even the way she looked at him. He couldn't be certain and odds are, he'd never know. But when he thought things through carefully and then thinking about how much else in both Sora and his own travels that had turned out to be metaphor for something else, Roxas was willing to bet that what he'd been fighting was the guilt she carried as her own personal burden. Or something like that. It was just a guess.

The point was, whatever he'd fought was at least part of Xion.

All of which made it all the easier when he saw her grip slip away from his. Without build-up or any delay, he gripped the edge of the ground cracking and crumbling beneath him and pulled himself over the edge enough to plummet after her.

Falling into the dark, his eyes searched for her, his hand outstretched in case he would touch her before seeing her. And strangely, he didn't feel afraid at all.]

[All his hand would find would be nothing for the longest time. Xion had long since vanished into the dark, not a trace of her to be seen. And meanwhile, Roxas himself would feel as if he were falling for forever. Time almost feeling like it was halted. But just when he might think that he had returned to a nothingness, to not even an outside observer, he was hitting the ground.

It was dimmer than the last and less complex if he were to give it even a glance of attention. Setting a scene he had been refamiliarized with only hours ago. Their last time on the clock tower together hung up in the corner. So small was that panel, perhaps a reflection of thought- and then the crowning piece. An image of he, himself, standing before the gigantic form of Xion's reprogrammed self.

But perhaps what would catch his eye most would be the small framed form of someone familiar laying on the ground nearby in an Organization coat.]

[The impact was both welcome and not. That long free fall eventually eased his concern about falling forever into just wishing he'd find something solid beneath his feet again. With a feeling that was part appreciative, partly nostalgic of his recent revival, he clamored to his feet again.

He checked himself and found to his shock that he wasn't suffering from anything worse than mere broken bones. There was a great deal of bruising, but he could still move like that and so it was then that he immediately set to assessing his new surroundings.

It didn't take him long to notice the image beneath his feet, his expression turning displeased and remorseful as he walked over it, taking in all the little details. While the amount of detail was quite amazing, he couldn't help but feel at least mildly revolted by the subject matter. As he studied it, he almost missed the image in the corner. Upon its notice, he shook his head and sighed, getting that sense of longing for at least those times spent with his friends.

Looking away from the image and trying to figure out what to do next, he gave the 'room' a look over once more, finally noticing the familiar small frame.

As much as he wanted to rush over, he was getting to the point where he was weary of trusting anything too easily here. He approached slowly and cautiously, feeling a little more vulnerable than usual without his Keyblade in his hand. By the time he closes within an arm's length, he reaches out to shake the girl's shoulder.]

Xion. Xion, are you okay?

[At first, she remained still as she was, breath shallow. Whether she was conscious in the first place or if he had shaken her awake was pretty hard to tell when her hood was drawn up as it was. Either or, she slowly stirred with a soft groan. Her voice broke through, careful and wary as ever.]

Roxas...? [Slowly, she was trying to pull herself at least into a seated position on the floor, but she just looked so worn. So tired from the way her body moved so sluggishly. One hand coming to slip into her hood and touch her face.] What are you doing here...?

[As soon as he noticed her trying to right herself, Roxas immediately threw caution to the wind as he did his best to support her and ease Xion upright. When she poses her question to him, he can't help to laugh a little before he replies.]

Saving you.

[He gives a moment's pause to let her recover a little more, taking that time to have a seat next to her.]

How're you feeling?

[With Roxas' help, she at least found herself sitting properly. Quiet as he laughed. Her expression well hidden. As he took a seat, she leaned up against him, looking as if she were trying to recollect what had even happened. Her breaths coming softly, almost as if she would pass out right there.]

I'll... be alright. [She didn't sound so sure. But then it was Xion, after all. She spent a few seconds just holding to that. To the sensation of him being there. And then almost wistfully.]

How did you get here...?

[Something didn't seem right here and he knew it. But after all the trials he'd faced to get to wherever she was, Roxas didn't feel too inclined to back away now. When she leans against him, his arm instinctively curls around her and reassuringly rubs her back.

While he's frankly a little less sure of her self-analysis, he figures that at least for now, he'll have to trust in Xion. And then he'd still need to figure out how to get them both out of here at this point.

When she poses her question, he begins explaining without hesitation.]

After you collapsed -it's weird to explain, but a Naminé found us. I don't know how, but we're somehow inside of you.

[His expression reflects how odd he thinks this must all sound to her. Considering their backgrounds, nothing unbelievable, but odd? Probably.]

She said something about relinking your memories and I needed to help if you were ever going to wake up.

[Finally he offers a somewhat sheepish grin.]

And if you needed help, I wasn't just going to sit by and do nothing.

[Xion seemed to tense just a little when he mentioned being inside of her. And then her body was slowly relaxing again. Admittedly, partly due to the attention he was giving her, feeling his hand on her back. It was a really strange concept without doubt, all of this. But considering what they had been through before and what they had seen, it wasn't as surprising as it might have been to any other person involved in such a situation. She nodded vaguely, her head turning to watch him from under her hood. Only her mouth could be seen, curled into a meek, sad smile.

All this for a puppet. He didn't have to. Why did he put himself up to such things for her when- But she already knew the answer. Or perhaps she simply didn't want to have him fussing all over again about it, so she instead chose to murmur softly:]

I guess... [A careful pause and then.] I've been searching for a way, but... the only one I've found... I was stopped.

[As much as he tried not to pay mind to it, the way she kept her hood up was bothering him. Personally, he liked seeing her face -even if most of the time, her expression just seemed so regretful. But he'd easily admit that all those times sitting up on the clock tower with Axel; the three of them talking and laughing together. He liked seeing that smile.

Still, he listened when she spoke up. As happy as he was to have just found her again, there was still a great deal that needed to be done. First came waking her. Then he needed to figure out what was going on with Sora -assuming that somehow, the Riku/Xion he fought wasn't just some lingering sense of guilt or obligation, he'd have some words of his that he'd need to back up.]

Huh? Well, what'd you find? If you couldn't do it alone.

[Roxas makes sure his smile is about as confident and self-assured as it can make it seem, even if it ends up looking like Sora.]

Maybe we can do it together.

[Maybe they could do it together... Such optimism. But then it wasn't unwelcomed. Perhaps heavily because it was Roxas. And because there was something older and wiser about him. He wasn't so easily lost in the details like he once was. And always was he dependable, always cared. But even so.

Xion went quit for a while. Her expression thinning out as she seemed to lose herself to thoughts, trying to build up an answer perhaps. An unease settling in the air. A minute or so passed before she even moved her mouth, trying to conjure the right words.]

It was me... but not me.

[His expression reflects how generally baffling and vague the statement she just gave him was. Granted, when he considered that he had just fought something that was either some part of Xion or one of her personal demons, the concept made some limited sense. But the idea of seeing Xion have to fight herself was just a strange mental image no matter how he tried to analyze it.

Well, there wasn't any sense in trying to think too deeply on a matter like that -at least not right now. There just wasn't enough context to look at each detail with.

So Roxas pats her back reassuringly while he gives her a little longer to recover. Whatever the ordeal she'd been through, he was determined to see the repeat encounter through with her.]

I guess I'll see what you mean when we see it then. As soon as you're ready, we can move.

[Of course he might be pushing himself a little much. His duel with Riku hadn't left him unscathed and he had bruises to show for it.]

/o/ HAPPY FUCKING NEW YEARS.

May this year be less sucky than the last!

We shall see~

That we shall, but I'll figure out how to manage making things better yet.

Oh, will you now~?

You know me, ever the optimist.

You mean ever so troublesome~ /balances out with skepticism

Troublesome? Or AWESOME? /balances with a hint of insanity

Troublesome. Definitely. Troublesome.

Yeah, but you've gotta admit that you probably wouldn't like me as much if I were different.

Dunno. A parallel self of yourself might have been a lot cooler. FFFF~

Oh you... ffff~

1/ You saw that coming. You know it~

2/2

Oh very much so.

So, is it really all that surprising~?

Which part?

I dunno. But then my brain turned off from this conversation a moment back.

No worries. But I'm gonna guess there's an extra twist here.

Of course~ Would just be a rehash otherwise.

Seems I'm being called into work today, hopefully see you later tonight.

/o/ And seems you're off now.

Yup. Paycheck today was nice though.

I suppose it would be.

And tomorrow, I see how much of it I get to play with.