oo1｡ watching, waiting for something

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

[ A city seemingly consumed by shadows, sparse light only provided from empty buildings and the occasional street lamp, unless one counts the neon lights that line some of the edges of said empty buildings. There are some piles of rubble, blocking a number of the streets and the only way around them is through the alleyways that contain even darker shadows that than the whole city itself. The sole reason for the shadows overtaking the city- a bright moon in the shape of a heart lighting the sky, partially blocked by a towering skyscraper that seems to be in the center of the city, shining like some sort of beacon for all to head towards.

And at the base of it stands a lone person dressed in a black coat with their hood drawn, not moving for the moment.

Perhaps the reason for said coat is the block out the rain that's falling, a harsh wind blowing once in awhile in tandem with the thoughts going through said person's mind. Or perhaps it holds another purpose. Whatever the reason, he doesn't seem to be moving from his spot anytime soon, gaze turned upward to the sky and possibly looking at the heart shaped moon. Or maybe the castle that can be barely seen at this vantage point.

But if one could see into his thoughts, questions whirl in almost chaos, unrest there as he tries to piece a puzzle together despite all the pieces not being there. Fragments are missing and he can only do so much before needing to go off and find the rest of them. But will this place offer said answers?

Why?

What's going on?

How did it get to be like this?

Where's Sora?

He doesn't know but he's hoping that it will.

Because he's tired of not knowing, of being left in the dark. He wants to know and he won't stop until he figures everything out.

First step is always the hardest though. ]

Comments

[vacationisalie.livejournal.com]

[His dreams have faced him with many situations he hasn't liked.]

[More than a few of them have been surprising, shocking, even. Facing him with reactions and emotions that he never knew before, teaching him of what life could be with the emotions of Sora's heart easily reflected upon him, building him into the person he is now. It's been half a year, and Roxas can say quite confidently that he's come into his own person far more then he'd once been, simply an angry shell full of questions with no answers, a fact he hadn't even been capable of comprehending at the time.]

[He knows better now. Watching himself stand in the rain, blond hair darkening and dripping with moisture as he simply stands and thinks, the one question that's on his mind now is-- what is he up against this time?]

It's not going to stop if you wait for it.

The rain.

1/2

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

[ So lost in this thoughts that he doesn't even realize that there's someone here with him, coming from seemingly no where. He's been told that he's a space case at the best of times and this time doesn't seem to be any different. But at least this time he has a reason to space out, to question his very existence and wonder why he even exists at all if he isn't meant to.

He doesn't think much of it, when he hears the voice speaking to him, not at first, thinking it some figment of his imagination. A voice speaking through his inner turmoil, as it sounds so much like his own. Whatever it is, it pierces through the chaos of his mind, the rains calming slightly because of it. ]

That's not what I'm-

[ As he talks, he turns his head to look over his should, words cutting off at what he sees... ]

because I can never NOT tl;dr at you

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

[ He whirls around to face the other person, body tensing at the sight so familiar and yet not at the same time.

Because right there, is him. Or at least someone that looks like him. Exactly like him.

Blue eyes widen under the hood, the shadows hiding any features that could have potentially been seen, the only thing decipherable may be the blond hair poking out from the hood. His expression, one of confusion and shock, easily hidden away for no one to see or even know about but him. He's been surprised and shocked too many times to count on one hand within the last few days, this shouldn't have been anything particularly large. But it is, it tops just about everything else he's experienced, learned or remembered.

Hands clench, thoughts whirling even more and the rain reflecting that, becoming harsher as more confusing questions form in his mind. Most prominent being what could possibly be going on now, what did that old man do after he so reluctantly decided to abide by what he wanted.

Just what is going on?!

He refrains from doing anything too rash too soon, voice harder now that he's not sure just what it is he's dealing with. There are already so many questions he hasn't managed to get answered, he doesn't need any more to add on to them. Not right now. ]

Who are you?

ohohoho-- it's a shared sentiment

[vacationisalie.livejournal.com]

[With any old stranger, that hood would hide so many things. With himself, not so much. Roxas is aware, from the set of his shoulders to his stance, that he's shocked. Alarmed and steadily more cautious, possibly bordering on aggressive. He knows, because he's stood like that before, in that very cloak.]

[In contrast, Roxas keeps his frame loose, casual. The cloak is a part of his past now, his reliance and dependence on it for movement halted with the introduction of the gummi ship, and Sora.]

[Which side of him...is he facing now?]

If it helps, you're not going crazy. [A pitiful offering, but he has to say something.] You're dreaming. So am I.

[The subconscious around him is similar, but foreign.]

We're not exactly the same person.

[He supposed this was bound to happen eventually. He's met Sora and Sora, after all. Ventus after Ventus; Riku after Riku. He wasn't exempt from different universes and timelines, either.]

[But it still feels so odd, to stand here and look at himself. Is he really that thin? That gaunt faced? Has he ever really looked that desperate?]

[Apparently so. The rain is just so heavy--]

You're upset.

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

I'm dreaming.

[ Words said in such a deadpan voice, it borders on non-believing, which in his circumstance would be understandable. Considering that he'd been told that everything he knows is a lie and told the truth of, he's just not sure what to believe because what he knows is the truth for him despite everything. Despite facing his truth before suddenly appearing here.

That feeling of being lost, standing alone in the darkness, he always didn't like it.

But standing here in front of someone who looks like him, sounds like him, and yet so different than him certainly seems like a dream. Because he doesn't know if he's ever looked like this person does, brighter and light, as if he didn't have the weight that he carries on his own shoulders. The weight of being the one to cease to exist for someone else. It's not exactly a sacrifice if it's done with reluctance, is it.

His stance remains tense as he gauges what the other has said, rain still coming down harshly with the occasional howl of wind to accompany it. He can't just trust what someone else says now, especially not someone who looks like him, could possibly be him in some kind of form. But what else is there to believe now? ]

Then tell me, how can I just take what you say to be true?

[ Just give him one reason, one solid reason that will tell him that this isn't some crazy plot to get him ready for what should have already happened. ]

[vacationisalie.livejournal.com]

After all the dreams we've had, this one's unbelievable?

[He quirks a brow at himself, wondering. They must've been exactly the same at some point-- but which point? Or was this like Riku, where they were the same but entirely not the same, completely different in everything but face?]

[Talking to himself was going to turn into one huge headache; shouldn't he be used to this by now? He talks to Sora everyday. But then, Sora isn't him. Sora doesn't ask a multitude of questions, doesn't feel the need to know everything on the table, and more. Doesn't get frustrated by the questions that go unanswered, or gain an unsatisfactory result. He knows himself, and he knows the answer he wants to give, right now.]

I'm not going to say anything to convince you. After everything we've been through, I think you deserve the choice.

[It's only fair.]

But maybe we could get out of the rain.

[curepotion.livejournal.com]

[ rain is not something he's used to. sleet, perhaps, and hail, yes. rain, not as much. he's certainly not used to such darkness, much sooner comfortable in a blanket of white and cold snow, but the dream he's stepped into doesn't seem to hold many comforts for him. then again, it's only obvious that it wouldn't. it's not his dream, after all, so why should it hold any comfort for him?

even then, this is strange, this is unsettling. the whole city rings badly in his heart and in his mind and he can't help but feel a certain

w̸̨͕̌̿ͭ͆ͨͮ̉͂r̄̔̄́̚҉̥̱͚̩͈͚̰ͅọ̲̻̲̦̜̺̃͢͠n̺̻̻̥̊̔ͣ͋̈́̀͞g͉̪͂ͭ̒ͥ̍ͤͮͤ͢

he shakes his head as he comes to the skyscraper. unlike Roxas, his coat has no hood, and is navy blue, cinched at the waist. he has similar boots and--Riku realizes a minute after--a strip of cloth in hand, though he has no clue as to why.

hm. his eyes raise back to the back of the blond.

this is his dream. he'll wait. ]

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

[ The rain is almost comforting, a small distraction compared to the whirlwind of thoughts that keeps building within his mind. And even with the coat covering him so completely, small droplets occasionally hit his face whenever he tips his head to the side or back. It's almost.. nice.

Standing here in the darkness, there's a feeling of familiarity for him, a sense of reason and purpose for being here in this very spot as opposed to the clock tower where he longs to go. To eat ice cream at the top with his friends and watch the eternal sunset of Twilight Town as it washes its orange and red colors across the quiet town. But here, there's a reason he's here despite not knowing what that reason is just yet. Perhaps to find his answers?

Maybe.

He doesn't notice the other person right away, the hood obscuring much of his sight unless he moves. And after getting a feeling of not being alone, he does so to see someone relatively familiar. Silver hair and a black blindfold...?

▒Giving up already?▒

His hand goes to his head, memories that aren't his mix with the ones that he knows are.

▒So it's true. You really are his-▒

NO.

Pushing the memories back, he remembers who this person is and what role the other person plays in said memories, both his and Sora's. Best friend and kidnapper. And something else that he can't even begin to figure out. ]

What do you want.

[curepotion.livejournal.com]

[ he's trying to let go of the dream, but it keeps pulling him back in. it's frustrating, and everything is garbled in this boy's mind.

flashes of other memories, flashes of his own, and Riku can't make sense of it. he's seen this boy's face before, but he's different from the other one. Roxas, the other Roxas--he knows him, has met him. he has never met this one. damn it, his head is already started to ache and he hasn't even talk--

ah.

oh, okay, so that's how it's supposed to be. ]

Why are you standing out here?

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

That's none of your business.

[ Watching and waiting for something, something, to happen but what he doesn't know yet.

It's probably the need to figure out the answers, hoping to find it in the heart shaped moon or somewhere within this city that's familiar to him. Vague flashes of memories of the time he actually had been here come and go within his mind, none he can particularly make out but recognizing certain things. Axel waiting for him as he leaves, the clash of Keyblades after defeating shadow figures, some kind of confrontation.

Everything blurs together, an odd mist coming from nowhere starting to fill the area, as the haze of memories attempting to distinct themselves but not succeeding at all. This isn't the best time, nor the best place to do this. Nothing is making sense..

He shakes his head, trying to clear his thoughts and somewhat successful. ]

[curepotion.livejournal.com]

Touchy.

[ he murmurs, and out of sheer curiosity, he wraps the blindfold around his eyes, masking his view. he can see timelines easier, yes.

but that doesn't mean anything if he can't actually see. ]

You want answers, don't you?

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[This girl doesn't belong here at all. Blue hair, blue uniform, a young face that's perhaps in her late teens. It won't ever grow much older than that. She takes her bearings, letting the building block as much of the moon as it possibly can from her sight; she needs none of the reminders it brings. She's chosen the memories she accepts as true.

Roxas, she knows in other forms, but with the hood up, she doesn't greet him by name. Perhaps she doesn't recognize him. She starts with the simplest question of her own.]

Who's there?

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

[ He immediately turns to whoever it is that called out, not expecting someone to be around, especially in this rain. Thoughts come to a halt, a small lull in the falling rain as he tries to take in whoever this person is. It's a little difficult to tell because it's so dark, the small light not giving much and the largest light source blocked away by the skyscraper.

Roxas doesn't move from his position though, head just turning to look at the figure, eyes narrowing though that can't be seen. ]

I should be asking that question.

[ His body tenses a little, watching and waiting to see what she will do. ]

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Oh, the rain doesn't bother her in the least. In fact, she doesn't even seem to be damp or soaked from it, as if it all rolls right off her - or perhaps doesn't even hit her.]

The soldier of Water and Knowledge [She introduces herself.] Mercury.

[She doesn't expect someone outside her world to understand, or be awed by, that title; but she holds to the formality nonetheless.]

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

[ The fact that the rain seems to not even be touching her doesn't catch his interest, mind focused on the fact that she's just here and he doesn't even recognize her. Where did she come from? What does she even want?

More questions and as always, little answers. ]

Soldier? [ Yeah, he surely doesn't know anything about that title, doesn't know what it means. But if it's anything like his own title when he'd been a part of the Organization, it must mean something, right? Seems like something important since she's introducing herself as such.

But unfortunately for her, he doesn't return the favor. ]

What do you want, then.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[What does she want? She was drawn by the rain, the moon - as always, despite her efforts - the tall buildings and the unfamiliarity of the place.]

I want to know about that building. [she nods towards it.]

And about you. Your name in return for mine, to start.

So laaate, I hope you don't mind. orz

[justabignobody.livejournal.com]

[There is someone standing on the very top of that skyscraper - he has been waiting for this confrontation, for this very moment.

He has anticipating it for days now.

This is where he cannot fail, because his best friend is waiting, and this Nobody that might be his (might be; Riku isn't sure yet) is the Key to awaken him.

...Or so DiZ said.

He will confirm it first. This is why he is here. This is why he is waiting.

Because this is where their all fate - Sora's, Roxas' and his own - would be decided.]

not at all! \o\ <3

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

[ Standing here in the rain and at the base of the skyscraper, he's not sure what to expect to happen, not exactly sure what it is he's looking for. But he's here for a reason, isn't he? Why else would he return to this very spot.

But the wait makes him impatient, the questions still whirling in his head and being reflected by the rain, making it feel as if a typhoon is going through the Dark City. He'd been impatient before though, and look where that landed him- stuck in a simulated world with his memories of the past blocked off. So maybe that's why he's just standing here, watching and waiting.

Suddenly though, he feels like he's not alone anymore, that someone's here with him.

Following his instinct, Roxas looks up, eyes squinting to see what it is that's making him feel this way. A sense of deja vu washes over him when he sees a dark figure at the top, just like before, but the main difference is that he doesn't have his Keyblades out and there are no Heartless surrounding him. Otherwise it feels exactly the same as that time.

His fist clenches at the remembrance of his defeat and capture. If they are to fight again right here, he won't be the one knocked down and laying on his back. He'd be sure to be the one still standing.

In a flash of light, Oathkeeper appears in his hand and he raises it, pointing towards the figure at the top. ]

~<3

[justabignobody.livejournal.com]

[Riku stares down at the figure below; he can hear his heart beating faster in grim anticipation - he has known that this confrontation would come for a while now.

He has been considering the possible outcomes for just as long, and the only thing he knows for sure is that he cannot allow the other to pass this point.

Riku lifts his right hand, black mist gathering and crackling under his fingertips as Soul Eater reforms, meeting the issued challenge.

He is not going to back down.]

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

[ The urge to call out Oblivion gets stronger when he sees the other summon his weapon, but he resists this time, preparing himself for a possible fight.

He doesn't know what the other's intention is this time, having already gone through this process and captured him for their means. For the time when Sora is ready to be brought back. For him to fade away from existence.

Either way, he won't lose and as he jumps up, running along the side of the skyscraper just like from a time before, there's only one thought echoing in his mind.

I won't lose. Not this time. ]

[justabignobody.livejournal.com]

[It doesn't take much thought to step forward and let himself fall over the edge, blade held in front of him, ready to block and defend.

He won't lose. He can't effort to.]

s-so late....

[burnamotherdown.livejournal.com]

[It doesn't take long for Axel to figure out exactly where he is. He pulls up his hood, but it's a bit late. The rain has already plastered strands of his hair onto his face, found it's way onto his cheeks in the form of droplets.

He knows who it is ahead of him before he can even see their face.]

Roxas.

[It's too quiet to be heard over the rain, so Axel says it again, louder this time, one hand cupped around his mouth, and takes a few steps forward.]

Roxas!

oh you <3

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

[ He almost doesn't hear the call, almost being the keyword. But he does and his body tenses up at the familiar voice, not even turning around to face the person approaching him like he should, like he wants to. So why doesn't he?

Something's rooting him to his spot despite the urging to greet his (former?) best friend, to turn around and see for his own eyes a familiar face that doesn't make him want to keep guard. But he knows he should, remembers what the other had tried to do before their last fight, before he resolved to find the answers himself just like the time before. He knows he should but he's resisting it until the very last second when he has no choice but to look at the redhead who did more for him than anybody else, not that he remembers all the details but the sentiment is there.

Ironic that they would meet up here of all places, even if it's a dream like others have said it to be.

This very place where he denies Axel's attempts at keeping him back, from defecting not only the Organization but from their friendship as well. And in this way, he has no right to greet the other like a familiar friend despite their so-called promise to meet in the next life. Would this be considered the next life then? He doesn't think so.

Still. ]

... Axel.

[burnamotherdown.livejournal.com]

[Axel's almost entirely oblivious of the other's conflict. To him, it's just another dream. It's the same Roxas it always is here.

He does note, however, the somewhat lengthy pause before Roxas turns to face him- so it's with curiously narrowed eyes that Axel takes a small step towards the boy. He feels the need to be cautious and he's not entirely sure why. Is he welcome in this dream?

He asks it with a smile and a wave, two fingers pointed so that it's almost an odd salute.]

[dualstance.livejournal.com]

[ At that greeting, Roxas pulls his hood back, not caring about the rain that's still pouring down on them, not even noticing the ease of the raindrops once he sees that casual (yet somewhat uncertain) hello.

For a moment, his face remains neutral, not showing anything on his face before the corner of his lips twitch upward. ]

I'm surprised. Usually you'd say more than that.

[ There's a bit of teasing there, a sense of familiarity there despite the lack of memories he still has of the other Nobody. He has a few, mostly of his last day or so with the Organization but hardly anything more beyond that, just knowing that Axel had been his best friend, his first friend. Something like that, he doesn't think he could ever forget.

But whether the other would still accept him is another story.

From that greeting though, there might be some hope. ]