melodiesoflife | Shadows Growing In My Mind

Characters: Riku Replica (Ira) and anyone who is willing to help him out
Where: Aqures Ixen, eventually Palitutu's Lab
When: November 10th
Summary: (1) A very distressed moogle looks for Ira's closest friends. (2) Some things were better left unsaid, but Calamity Self gives less of a [KUPO!] than he himself does.
Warnings: Self-harm; mentions of physical and psychological horror/torture, death, murder, assisted suicide, and general Cloning Blues.

1. Ones I Just Can't Leave Behind...
Lin is very much in the midst of a panic this morning, having promised Ira she would meet him later after he finished his shift at the store. To be honest, she wasn't sure what to do. On one hand, she knows how much he prefers his privacy. On the other, she knew just how dangerous what he was going to do was to face alone.

"Oh, what to do, what to do, kupo?!" She paced back and forth in the living room, before a few more worried kupos escaped her. No, she- she couldn't keep her promise not to tell the others. Not when there was a chance he couldn't do it! So, she sped off as fast her tiny wings would carry could to find someone--anyone she knew he could trust. Upon finding someone, she'd likely barrel right into them sobbing. "Y-you gotta help, kupo! He- Ira's going to-!"

Breathe, Lin. Breathe.

2. I'm One of the Forgotten

"You're sure about this, kupo...?" Lin asked, holding onto Ira's crystal so delicately that she was afraid it would break if she so much as breathed on it. Yet when Ira nodded, her tiny heart seemed to stop for a food ten seconds as she fluttered in place, looking down at the crystal before nodding back. "Right..."

And before either of them could hold it off any longer, she did as bade, handing it to the other Moogles who worked at the lab. Ira himself couldn't see what they were doing to it, but his soon blood ran cold as his Dark Mode went inactive, Red Mage being the only remaining Job active as the shadows seemed to come alive in front of him, only to deposit someone who looked exactly like- Well, any Riku really.

"Surprised?" the Calamity Ira asked, a cruel but emotionless smirk crossing his lips. "I guess you wouldn't be. After all, it was you who thought it was a smart idea to face me alone." Purple eyes gleam in the light of the lab, a humorless chuckle escaping him. "Except you didn't. You knew all along that little Lin here would seek help from your 'friends'. The goody two shoes were always so easy to manipulate, even for a broken toy like us. Isn't that right, me?"

"You're-"

"So you're going to deny that, even after all the studying Cid had you do?" It's voice remained as calm and menacing as ever, as it took a few steps closer. "If I had a heart that wasn't shattered into bits, this would be where I died of laughter, Fake Me."

Ira glared, already lowering into a defensive stance as his fists clenched. "Last time I checked, you were the Shadow, not-"

"'So long as you exist, I'll be nothing more then a shadow.' Those were the words you spoke to the real deal, wasn't it?" It laughed at him, at the moogle who fluttered in front of him, defensively now. "No, if anything, you are the one, who is naught but a twisted shade of what you were supposed to be. A puppet who tried to cut his own strings, be his own person, but just couldn't shake off the shackles at your feet. The chains binding that empty heart of yours. And what's this? Now your own little puppet wants to defend you? How can you ever do that, Lin? Or rather, would you want to, knowing what he's done? The blood on our hands?"

The moogle puffs her chest, arms held out wide as a shield. S-she had to buy time, for others to get there and reassure her Hero!

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Akane smiled, relieved. "Thank goodness," she murmured, clasping her hands joyfully in front of her. That must have been a tough fight! She didn't know him half as well as any of these other people, so it probably didn't matter much that she'd come. But still...it was heartwarming to see just how many friends he had that really cared. Feeling a little shy and out of place, she decided now was a good time to leave him to his GIRLFRIEND and quietly withdrew from the room.

Saori let go of Ira and let out a sigh. "Oh thank gods that's over but..." She reached up to pinch his cheeks.

"Don't you ever pull off something like this by yourself! Lin, myself, and even Mary were worried about you!" She is merciful enough to let go after a few seconds. "Like I said earlier, you're family now."

Saori laughed sheepishly when she remembered Lydia was still there as well. "Sorry, that got a little cheesy there, huh?"

"Whatever it means, you've done what you needed to here. You've got this win under your belt and it looks like you got it clean and without a fight." Looking at Lydia, Lin and Saori he smiled. It was good that he had people like them watching out for him. He only hoped he was nearly as good a friend.

'No, stop that.'

Pushing that thought aside he stepped forward, ready to at least put a hand on Ira's shoulder, only to flinch and take a step back as Saori began to scold him. He was silent for a second, a confused look on his face, and then he bent over laughing. After all that just happened he felt the tension he'd been feeling watching this pop like a bath bubble.

"I think if your Shadow shows up again you should just have Saori talk to it instead."

"Nah, for some reason... I don't think that's it. Not completely, anyway." Luckily the three were likely making such a scene that any who wanted to leave likely would have no problems doing so unnoticed. Or at least, any those who would know would find rude.

"O-ow, hey, cut it out!" He called out, trying to bat the hands away. Gently, of course, as he knows his Jobs are both back now. "I didn't mean to worry anyone. Like he said, I hoped Lin would tell someone. Though, maybe not so many..."

He had enough skeletons that he didn't want some people to know about. Not until he trusted them enough to share that with them himself.

"A 'little'? Pretty sure any cool points I had went out the window today." For... multiple reasons, he would admit as he rubbed his now sore cheek. He also makes a face at what Cloud said last. Aw come on, not him too...!

There's some sort of indescribable feeling in her chest, seeing Ira surrounded by all these people who clearly care for him. She'd gotten a sense of it earlier, watching them appear one after the other to encourage him, but now that the danger has passed, and she has more time to think, she suspects that...it must be some kind of longing, a strange bittersweet ache in her heart.

Not for him. It was never like that. And the image of that girl rushing in to embrace him without hesitation will forever be burned into her memory now, besides. No, it's her earlier revelation, the breathless amazement and joy that so many people accept him and love him as he is-- that, combined with the wistful knowledge that he's changed so much from the replica she used to know, that it's like their connection has been gently unraveled. Their days from Castle Oblivion are long behind him, and while it's obvious he still has many of the same pains of the past, he's become mentally and emotionally stronger, and more confident than before.

All in what seemed like a blink of an eye for her.

It's a silly thing to sad about. It's a good thing, that his life has been touched by so much positivity. And besides, their connection before was hardly the healthiest relationship anyways. She decides to blame the conflicting feelings on her new heart, and lets it keep that secret, instead offering her friend a gentle smile. Regardless of her thoughts, it doesn't change the fact that she's so, so proud of him.

"You didn't lose any points at all. Congratulations, Ira."

When others stepped up, Lydia stepped back to give Ira some space again. He wasn't much of a hugger--she knew. But it had been her first impulse and instinct, and she was grateful for his friendship. He needed to know that, and a hug had been the best way for her to show it.

"Cool is in the eye of the beholder, Ira." She added on the tail end of the blonde girl's comment, shy smile on her face. Hands moving behind her back, and honestly happy for him.

There's a hand in his and is squeezed - which Sora squeezed back. The whole situation is nerve-wracking for him, knowing that he'll have to face his own one day but not just his own but the ones of his friends too because Sora always wanted to stand with them. Maybe 'needed to' stand with them was more accurate. He may not be able to fight their fears back with a Keyblade but Sora has plenty to say to encourage them. Even if he wanted to, he can't move away from Naminé to join in with the hugging.

Though he'll leave the hugging to the girls. Now that it's over, he merely gave Ira a nod of his head and a grin.

"To lose cool points, you have to have some to start with." Sora teased.

He nodded once, but stopped as both Sora spoke and as he let go of Lydia.

"Gee, thanks Sora," he said with all the sarcasm he could muster, grinning back. At least before it faded, looking between Lydia and Naminé. He... really needed to talk to the latter once they got back to their house. If he doesn't pass out from exhaustion first, anyway.

A quiet (almost inaudible, in fact) snort slipped out at the last thing out of Sora's mouth, though Vanitas was keeping his head turned, not wanting to draw attention to that sound of amusement. Not that he'd... almost laughed, of course.

In any case, he was eventually looking Ira's way again, one hand vaguely gesturing to the side as he finally spoke up again, "Guess that's over with, now... Man, and here I was thinking we'd actually get to see what happens when those things decide they want a good fight."

The sarcasm in his tone was easy to detect. With that, however, he was turning to leave, hands sliding into the pockets of his pants.

Cloud smiled as he watched the whole crowd around Ira. There was a small pang of sadness in his own heart at all this. He wished he had as many people from his own world here. Tifa and Zack flashed before his mind, wondering and hoping they were okay. Would his Shadow have something to say about them?

Vanitas' words pulled him back, the frown at the hope for a fight masking the frown that was starting to form on its own. "When it comes to the Calamity, the fewer fights we can get in, the better. Especially now. We don't need to be losing any more friends than we already have."

Looking back to Ira he pushed backed to a smile, "We should probably take the celebration somewhere else. This is no place for it."

"Sorry to disappoint," he snarkily retorted to Vanitas' sarcasm, rolling his eyes at the other as his senses fully come back to him. He almost reached out too, before stopping him. Right... he couldn't quite create shortcuts like he wanted to just yet. Cloud had a point, though. They should get out of here. Especially since there were likely others who wanted to go at it today. After making sure Lin had his crystal, he held out a hand to Sora and Naminé.

"This time... Let's go together."

[ooc: Feel free to also tag here for the aftermath.]

Shadows Growing In My Mind

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