001 ◘ Void

[forgingoblivion]

[There's nothing here.

Nothing. No sound, no shapes, no movement. A void. Were it not for how frighteningly aware you are of a lack of substance is in this place, it would be easy to believe that you weren't dreaming at all.

Until enough time passes, and the darkness begins to close in.

It's not the sort of darkness associated with emptiness - it's a real thing, where before there had been nothing at all. The kind of darkness that grows and expands, covering, choking all that stands in it's way. Except nothing is there. Nothing but you, of course. No matter how much you run, or try to push it aside, there is no end to it. No light.

But the darkness does recede, eventually. There is no more feeling of being covered, or surrounded, though there is still nothing to illuminate the world around you. Instead the darkness is a force that lingers, surrounds this place, but those who are wise will realize that it's far from benign. It holds back power that can only spell destruction.

It, or him.

Because there is a boy there, among other things. A boy with glowing yellow eyes, who seems to belong in this darkness. Who may even be part of it, or at least know what it hides.

The are sounds, now, too, to fill the void, somewhere off in the distance. The sound of blades, clashing during a fight. The sound of the wind blowing over a vast wasteland.

The even fainter sound of waves.

And the sound of a voice as the boy finally speaks, because he knows that he isn't alone.]

You should leave.

[It's a threat, one that he sounds all too happy to back up.]

Comments

[reversedestiny]

[A void. Darkness. They're all oddly comforting for someone who was raised in the darkness. So instead, he'll quietly regard the other--the one whose voice is so similar to his own.]

...What if I don't want to?

[forgingoblivion]

[This particular Sora may be the only one to ever associate "comfort" with a place like this. Not even Vanitas would say so. For him, it was a question of possession. This darkness was his.

And Sora, especially, was not welcome in it.

No matter how different this one's heart seemed to be. It wasn't the boy Vanitas knew, but he hadn't decided which was stronger; his desire to destroy him here and now, or his curiosity about how that could be possible.]

You won't last.

[He doesn't summon Void Gear just yet, but the look on his face, and a small stirring in the darkness around them, promises nothing good.]

[reversedestiny]

[He doesn't seem to care. The hostility doesn't matter to him. Instead, he stands his ground and shrugs. Oblivion, darkness... It's all comforting to him. So he shrugs.]

How do you know? I grew up in the darkness.

[forgingoblivion]

Then it's not the darkness that you should worry about.

["Grew up in the darkness", hmm? Well, that really is different.

Maybe his curiosity is starting to win.

But it hadn't won yet. Certainly, it wasn't enough to stop him from summoning his Keyblade and, in one fluid motion, unleashing a crescent of dark energy in Sora's direction - no warning, no taunting, just rage and-...well, maybe a little bit of curiosity, still.

Does this Sora fight with any of that darkness he claims to have been raised in? Or will he put up any sort of a fight worth the name at all?]

[reversedestiny]

[His reaction is one of instinct. Darkness flares, and his darksuit is there as he erects a quick shield to protect him. Soul Eater is in hand now, and he's prepared to fight if he needs to.]

What was that for?

[endtome]

[You know, nothing good has ever come from doing what Vanitas wants him to do. Besides, there's a difference to this visitor. A difference in how he reacts to the darkness, a difference in his confusion. Because he certainly recognizes some things. He recognizes the abyss, he recognizes the sounds. He stands out like a blazing fragment, a light within the deepest darkness.]

[His skin is glowing, and that's sort of weird. But no matter.]

Probably. [He sounds agreeable; but Ventus isn't going anywhere. Not just yet. Instead, he peers into the darkness, eyes training onto Vanitas not out of skill, but because they're connected. Because he knows him too well to lose sight of him that quickly.]

What is this place?

[forgingoblivion]

[Light.

Light didn't belong in a place like this. It should be overpowered, consumed by the weight of this one child's darkness.

But this light was different. In a sense, it did belong. That was Ventus could shine here, when nothing else would stand a chance. Vanitas knew that. He also knew that Ventus should have listened to his warning.

"Probably", indeed.]

You're slow.

[As far as Vanitas is concerned, Ventus should know exactly what this place is.

"It's your heart too, idiot."]

[endtome]

[Sigh. Really, you'd think they could at least have one talk that doesn't involve insults or throwing keyblades at each other's heads--]

[Ventus pouts, a petulant glare on his face as his feet, previously hovering almost precariously, touch the floor. And that's all it takes for the darkness to shift beneath their feet, light bursting from previously unseen cracks, for the world around them to form.]

Okay, then why are we here?

[Because...there's no X-blade. And as frightened as Ventus is just thinking of it, that thing isn't here. Which means something's wrong, or different, or--]

[Or they're just not connected enough.]

[forgingoblivion]

[A conversation without any of those things? Really, Ventus, you of all people should know better.

But it's good, for Ven, that his light is special. That it's strong enough to force this world to change, to accommodate for both of them. If it hadn't been...

Either way, there was still something Vanitas wanted.]

Because it's my turn to ask the questions.

[And after their last conversation, that was only fair.]

[endtome]

[Oh, he'll keep hoping for change until the very end, but for now, he's got other things to think about. Like the fact that the expression on Vanitas' face makes him distinctly uneasy.]

Fire away.

[except not literally. The fingers on his right hand twitch; he's itching to summon his keyblade; things aren't on his terms or playing field, he's way too tense. But seeing as that sort of reaction would probably just start exactly what Ventus doesn't want, he keeps that urge as carefully stifled as possible.]

[sealedtruth]

[The man has no fear of the darkness surrounding him, and at the command and its unspoken threat, he merely allows a curious look to settle over his features, golden eyes studying the boy before him silently.]

Perhaps, but not yet.

[forgingoblivion]

Now, or you won't be leaving at all.

[The darkness begins to shift, and stir, and a Key appears in the boy's hand - a key that looks much more like a weapon. There's hostility in the air. Vanitas doesn't like anything about this situation; this is a dream. He knows that much. But the person with him now is very real...and very unwelcome.

Not to mention that it should have been impossible for him to be here at all.

But that didn't matter, because Vanitas would get rid of this man - one way, or another.]

[sealedtruth]

[He still didn't look worried at all at the now spoken threat. Fuuma eyed the key now within the boy's hand. He had his own weapon, but he doesn't call on it. He has no intention of using the Holy sword on this boy, if he was forced to defend himself he'd use the other abilities he held.]

I'll be leaving whenever I desire to leave.

[forgingoblivion]

[So he's made his choice. That didn't matter one way or another to Vanitas - if he had a death wish, fine.

But rather than attacking right away, he has to ask...]

And what could you possibly want in a place like this?

[Why would anyone want to hang around here, if they had the choice of leaving? Stubbornness? Sheer stupidity?]

[sealedtruth]

[Oh, he does have a death wish of sorts, but the boy before him isn't the one capable of granting that wish. That honor belongs to another.]

I might ask you the same.

[simulatedsummer]

[ Darkness feels surprisingly like it's no stranger to Roxas. Despite living in a world with an endless sunset, the concept isn't a stretch to him for whatever the reason. However, this isn't the kind of darkness that night casts, that natural darkness that curtains a world, beckoning sleep. Or the type of darkness that is just natural to the world itself.

It's thick, eerie. And choking. Like a thousand invisible hands chasing after him, grabbing at him. And so he ran. Running and running. Yet every step felt like it carried him no where. Every turn turning to nothing but more turns and turns backs and narrow escapes. Until finally, he's at the presence of a boy, one that feels familiar and yet not at all.

For a moment, he just stares, a flicker of intangible garble for thoughts tumbling in his head. But when the boy standing before him finally speaks, Roxas can't help but laugh. But it's a touch shaky and all too humorless. ]

Believe me. If I could, I already would have.

[forgingoblivion]

...You again.

[It's not Ventus - in this place especially, Vanitas can figure that out easily enough. So it's the mysterious lookalike. It was about time they had another talk, anyway.

Still, something was...different. Different enough that Vanitas chose to think before speaking.]

Maybe you should try harder.

[Don't worry; if you stop holding his interest, Roxas, he'll help you get out of here. Just not necessarily in one piece.]

[simulatedsummer]

[ Maybe he should. Maybe he has. He doesn't know. All he knows is that he's still catching his breath. And now he's standing before someone that, well. If looks could kill, he'd probably be dead by. It's funny how calm he has remained at face value. At least at first.

But- again? Roxas frowns at that. He takes one step forward as he raises a hand, palm up. ]

What do you mean "again"? I've never even seen you before. [ Part of him whispers that's a lie. Something about a dream. But the wisp of thought dies young. ]

[forgingoblivion]

Really?

[A hint of skepticism colors his tone, yet it's a lie. After all of his other visitors tonight, Vanitas is inclined to believe that this is a different Roxas from the one he knows in Promenade.

But he was still absolutely certain that it was Roxas...and that meant he still may have something to gain from this encounter.]

You don't recognize anything?

Think about it.

[histrionic]

[Nothingness and darkness don't give Kuja pause. He doesn't struggle or push. He remains where he is, hanging in mid-void, held aloft by his magic. Neither force nor sound of fighting or waves seem to draw his attention, though he is aware of them.

He holds back his own power, smiling at the boy who speaks.]

Should I? I wonder.

[There's no expression on his face as he watches the boy and begins to recite a poem.]

Once in the trees of Terra black birds sang
Of sorrow and the hidden scarlet moon,
Til through the empty cities dread bells rang
To herald fire's purifying tune.

[forgingoblivion]

[Vanitas wasn't threatened by his lack of fear in the least, though he did vaguely wonder who the man was - some kind of mage, maybe? But ultimately, it didn't matter.

And, somewhere in the middle of the poem, the boy summons his Keyblade, pointing it at the man. Obviously, he isn't interested in listening.]

I'm not a fan of poetry.

[Though he does suspect that you're asking for a fight.]

[histrionic]

I know not everyone has the wit to appreciate it.

[Kuja looks at the Keyblade, still smiling, unimpressed. Yet he makes no offensive move of his own. In life, nothing had harmed him but what he carried within him, but he's not interested in fighting anymore.

He does take on a faint, pale glow, however.]

What are you, child?

[forgingoblivion]

Some of us have better ways to spend our time.

[Poetry, books, stories - none of them ever helped Vanitas. They weren't the key to getting what he wanted. They wouldn't make him stronger, they wouldn't bring him closer to his goal...

They were nothing but a waste of time.

As for the question-]

What am I?

I'm the only one who belongs here.

[It was the best answer he was going to give. It was even mostly true.]

[lottato_prima]

[Darkness cannot exist without light. And light without darkness. So if Vanitas approaches, so will he, encompassed in his own shroud of the Lifestream. It swirls over his form, melds, merges with it, as the two are one and he wouldn't have it any other way. His eyes are open, yet dulled over with death.

He's not quite human anymore, either.]

I̺ͦ͗̄̀ ̷́͆̿̔ͣ̀ͦ̆̋͏͏̫̰͚̯͚̲h̸̢̛̠̯̒̃̾ͭ̒̃̈̄̓o̷̭̥ͥ̓̐ͅp̢̧̗̜̤͓̠̙̊̐̔̀ͣ̿̒e͊̚҉̸̙͔̤̜ ͕̣͇͔̟̟̉͒̓ͅy̶͇̼͓͔̮̻̠̗ͨ̎͡õ͚͋ͬ͛̕͟ͅu̪̖̫͍̖̭̩̤͑̄́ͪ͂̃͗̉̀͜͟͠ ͕̰̪̌̃̅̋ͭ͋p̺͖̓̈́̋̈́͢l̷̩̯̒͋ͫ̈́̀̓a͖̳̯͍̝͗ͣ͛̊ͦ͛͛̎́͘͟n̮͇̜̻̖̊͛̽ͫ̇̃̀ ̘̻̩̱̲̲̐̽̄ͪ̎́ͅọ̴͈̤͚͛̃̔̔ͨ̇̒͝n̬̥͙̗̗̹͓̰͔̓̎ͫ̊̄ͥ̕͜ ͮ̿͠͏̩c̀̾͐̏͋ͬͥ͟͏̱͕̺̯l̶̪͙̬̟͍̤̄́̈̌̕͡ͅe̵̛̼͗̀ͩ̒̔͐ͩ̍̀ạ̧̛͍ͫ̈́̐͛ͥ̅͐ͨn̼͉ͤ̇̇̏͝͠į̳̫̭́̃͋ǹ̶̹͔͆ͣ̋̽̄͆͠g̡̣̻̭̳͓͖͍̰̻ͫ͊̽͑̐̉́̒͞ ̢̧̧̱̱͖̦̦̃͐ͥ̇̊̊̓t̷̡̤̺̀͐ͦ̏̊͊͢h̷̪̦̙̦͎̰̣̠̅̔ͧă̇ͨ̉̃͏̣͓̞̗t̸̬̠̩̜ͯ̓̋ͬ͘ ͎͖̫͙͚̹̩̲͊̿͐̅̾͒͗͘͢u͒̌̃̏҉̧̳͠p̔͐ͨ̿̊͋͐͏҉̻̞̟̲̹̮̤.̵̧͍̦͍͓͍̯̎ͬ̐̈̓̔ͣͮ̍

[ooc: 'I hope you plan on cleaning that up.']

[forgingoblivion]

[On a wider scale (at least, as far as this boy would ever bring himself to admit), that was true enough. But he'd had a lifetime of experience in existing without...and besides, the only light he could ever claim was absent for the time being. Certainly, it had nothing to do with whoever was walking in on his dreams now.

So he watches this...thing, which he suspects stopped being a person a good long while ago, stand there, and is amused. Angered.

Ready to follow up on that warning, if the Keyblade that appears in his hand is any indication..]

Yeah.

[He raises the Keyblade, pointing it towards the intruder.]

I should really take care of the mess.