PHASE I [ 6 00 ] You wake up, and you're in a camp ground. The graphics aren't bad here, not really, but they're definitely last gen -- not the type of quality expected out of ViViD. On top of that, every once in awhile, the scenery sort of... glitches before going right back to normal as if nothing ever happened. If you're particularly unlucky, your own body parts might glitch out for a moment too, appearing as nothing more than broken code and then back to normal. Pretty weird, right? Oh well, don't worry about it. Totally harmless.
Glitches or not, you're still in a camp ground along with everyone else. There's a fire, there's some tents, some trees. Maybe some s'mores? You got it all. You're also not wearing what you were before. No, now you're wearing some sexy shorts, or maybe you've got a whip at your side, or maybe you've got a really classy fedora. And if you're one of those lucky few who have all three at once? Good for you! Try not to blind everyone with all that sexy.
Or, you know, the game will glitch out again and you'll be stuck wearing something else. That's definitely not as sexy.
PHASE II [ 730 ] If you decide to finally go exploring that crazy jungle, you'll find that you have a wide range of exploring options. Seems ViViD's taking a crack at their very own open world game -- this one modeled after your run of the mill adventure game. There are rivers to swim through (complete with alligators)! There are cliffs to scale (complete with angry birds ready to peck at your face)! There are even ravines to swing across on vines (just like Tarzan)!
Actually, the game is made to allow you to do just that -- those vines are all conveniently lined up for everyone to use them to swing across. Go on, it'll be fun. If you miss, you'll just lose a life, right?
Of course, if you overshoot your goal, you might run into one of the other glitches; the white space that you'll stumble into implies that you flew right off the world map and are now in unprogrammed space. Don't worry, you'll dissolve eventually, slowly but surely, and will reappear on the cliff so you can try again. There's no other way around that ravine either. Still, it's only a little frightening watching your body disappear piece by piece, right?
PHASE III [ 900 ] If you manage to scale one of those cliffs or swing across that ravine or cross that river, you may find yourself a chest. It's a treasure chest, and you don't even need a key to open it! Open it right up, a cute little jingle will play, and… nothing will be there.
Or the item will be there, hovering in the air, something amazing, fantastic, incredible that you've always dreamed of having and wanting, and -- you can't touch it. No matter what you try, it hovers right out of reach, and you can't interact with it at all.
Oh, and the cute little jingle is going to follow you around now, on constant loop.
PHASE IV [ xxxx ] So you died.
No big deal. Perhaps you got eaten by a crocodile. Perhaps you fell off a cliff. Perhaps another player stabbed you (that's rude). Either way, you've only lost one life and you have two more so it's nothing. After all, this is just a video game, right? It's fine.
Except it's really not fine.
You'll find yourself in a graveyard, tombstones all around you (maybe one of them has your name on it -- hope the epitaph doesn't suck). It's nighttime, it's foggy, and you're with the other players who have also lost a life. For a while, nothing will happen. The cold and quiet of the night will start to seep into your bones -- and then a figure appears. It can't be killed, it is silent and grim, and it does not speak.
Instead, it approaches each person there, reaches out and touches them on the forehead. Even you. All you can see for a long moment is corpses around you, the dead faces of everyone who had been with you in the ViViD level, flesh rotting away and faces caught in expressions of horror --
And then you're all dropped back into the camp ground together again. It's sunny and cheery and everything is fine, and you're down to two lives. Just, you know... don't lose the rest, okay?
BONUS [ xxxx ] You have a butler now, congratulations! He's following you around everywhere. He's an NPC, and not a very well-made one; sometimes his face glitches out, and he doesn't so much walk behind you as just… appears right next to you. He's handy though because if you ask him to, he'll pull up the start menu. You can sort out your inventory there and exit the game if you wish (except no matter how many times you press the "quit" button, you... can't).
Sometimes, though, that doesn't work out so well. Not the start menu but the butler himself. He might appear next to you on a narrow cliff face, knocking you right off the edge, or appear right on top of a hornet's nest, making them angry enough to go after, well, you. Maybe he accidentally summons a bear when all you were trying to do was ask him where the next dungeon is. That's unfortunate.
You can't seem to get rid of him either, no matter what you do. How annoying. Hopefully he doesn't cause you too much trouble because that bear... well, that bear's pretty angry.
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
phase i;
riku's question rings in his ears though, the voice familiar and fresh in his mind enough to know exactly who it is. the boy who he'd fought at memory's skyscraper, the one named riku—a name that only popped in his head after that encounter as some fleeting memory derived from sora. it wasn't the first time he'd had that name come from his mouth, though roxas barely had any recollection of the time he shouted it after passing out in castle oblivion.
regardless, roxas finds himself bristling at it. he'd already told terra that he wouldn't worry about it if riku showed up again, but now... he's here, and he's not sure what to think. his shoulders are tense, and he can't help but find himself ready to summon his keyblades—he doesn't yet, but he's not exactly going to be willing to casually answer questions when he turns around.]
Why, so you can— ["try to beat me again," is what he starts to say, but actually looking at riku, he totally loses his train of thought. gone is the imposter black coat, and what he's faced with now... well, it kind of makes him want to laugh. sorry riku, you kind of look like an idiot dressed like that. he doesn't actually laugh though, but roxas is left in a state of stunned silence for a moment.]
no subject
but that's not possible now, right? this definitely isn't sora's heart. whoever this person is, they can't be...
riku doesn't bother masking the surprise on his face when roxas finally turns around. a myriad of emotions flood him, ranging from pure confusion at the nobody being here to concern about the state of his best friend precisely because roxas is here. did... did something happen to sora? even if riku showing some leg didn't render the kid speechless, that unpleasant retort still would've been met with the same reaction.]
Roxas? Why are you here? [the surprise in his voice gains a definite tone of concern to it.] How are you here?
no subject
why is he here? how? what kind of questions are those to even ask? sure, when it coems to this place, there are a hell of a lot of inquiries to raise; he knows that from experience. but questions like that feel almost accusatory to roxas, like he's being questioned for existing in riku's space. and maybe that's not too far off, given that the last encounter roxas can remember, he seemed pretty set on making sure roxas ceased to exist. bringing up sora and getting back his memories, likening roxas to being nothing more than sora's nobody—something that as true as it may be, he's not willing to accept yet. he bristles again, and it's probably clear that he's not going to make this easy for riku.]
What's it matter to you? I'm here the same way you are. [he clenches his jaw.] Or are you going to try and beat me again? Last time wasn't good enough?
no subject
what matters is the potential harm that befell his best friend. getting dragged against his own free will into a different world (ignoring the details) and then roxas magically being here? you bet your ass that riku's on high guard for xehanort involvement. the concern on his face grows but the surprise shifts into seriousness. it'll probably piss roxas off even more, but riku doesn't presently care and completely ignores that last part.]
No, you can't be here the same way I am. [roxas was PART of sora, within his heart. they should be together. why aren't they?] Did something happen to Sora?
[please PLEASE tell him that isn't the case. what if... what if sora was somehow taken by xehanort after leaving the tower? a knot twists in riku's stomach at the thought that he managed to acquire vessel number 13. no no no. stop. driving himself crazy with worrying won't solve anything. if anything happened, if sora does need help, roxas should know and keeping a calm mind will make rescuing him have a higher chance of success.]
no subject
It's always Sora with you! How many times do I have to tell you that I have nothing to do with him!? [even though roxas has that underlying sense of knowing it's not true, he hasn't accepted it yet. even if riku's said that sora is his other, even if he has sora's memories, even if xion too managed to allude to that connection—he can't and won't accept it. he has a life here, and he's determined to use that to get back the rest of his life, his friends, and do the things they want to do.
go to the beach. share sunsets. eat ice cream together. laugh. he doesn't have time to worry about sora, outside of him being some kind of key. outside of the fact that he still needs to free kingdom hearts, and outside of the fact that he needs to meet sora for himself to understand what the big deal is.
one thing is for sure though, and that's that roxas is damn tired of being compared to sora, regardless of what kind of connection they might have. he's not here, so why does it even matter? it's not like it'll suddenly make sora appear with them anyway, as far as he knows.
every last thing roxas has been holding back, all the underlying fury that he's kept to himself for the last couple of weeks is spilling over because of riku's unknowing instigation, and it's about to explode in a bad way.]
no subject
something had to have happened. something bad. his surprise vanishes quickly enough, replaced by a seriousness far more intense than before. answers are needed and needed now.]
You have everything to do with him; you're his nobody.
[the bluntness in that is sharp and to the point. riku's not mincing words, not when sora's life is potentially at risk. with how strange roxas is acting, it's making him fear the worst. okay, let's try this one more time. he takes a breath before speaking once more.]
Roxas, what happened?
[a pleading tone comes across in that question. tell him. please. whatever happened, let him know. roxas has full rights to loathe riku (honestly, it's more than deserved) and those feelings are fine but only after sora's safe.]
no subject
[he lets out an angry grumble, one that's almost a hiss. riku's pleading tone is lost on roxas right now, because he heard those words again that he didn't want to hear—the ones he's not ready to accept. you're his nobody.]
I'm me! Am I going to have beat that point into your head for you to understand it?
[even if roxas knows deep down that riku is probably right, even if he knows he's connected to sora because people have always said that—xemnas said it to him on his sixth day, and repeated it later. his true name. but sora can't accept it. he can't remember it himself, he can't remember the life he had when he was whole like the other nobodies could and because of that, he's not willing to give up his "personhood." not yet, not until he can understand it, and what it means to be whole. the way he sees it now, there's not even a reason to change things. he's fine with existing this way, without a heart, without an "existence." he has his own life despite those things, and he won't just give it up because he's supposed to be part of something or someone else.
and that's why the keyblades are coming out. that's why roxas is going to be a hell of a lot more combative than he probably should be. oblivion spawns from the darkness in his right hand; oblivion from light in the right. it's probably like a confusing blast from the past for riku, but for roxas, this all only happened a few weeks ago. it's still like a fresh wound reopening and being exposed. it's not like he could answer questions about sora if he wanted to anyway—he doesn't have those answers.]
no subject
that darkness now is accompanied by light. both of these are riku's strength, a strength which he no longer fears and which will be used to protect what matters, namely sora. a sardonic snort leaves him, his lips twitching up into a smile that holds little in the way of warmth. fine, if roxas wants to do this the hard way then hard way it is. let's see just how much has changed since then.]
You really are just like Sora, getting things backwards. [riku's stance becomes more battle ready, way to the dawn appearing within the hand raised over his head. the cold smile snaps into a serious expression.] The one needing a point beat into their head here isn't me.
[the plan isn't to actually harm the nobody, but rather to exhaust him. kids throwing a temper tantrum will wear themselves out after a while. time might not be on riku's side, but actually beating up roxas to make things quick might have some ill effect on sora. that's not a risk worth taking. plus... annoying as this behavior is, it's justified. riku can't deny that the only one to blame for this delay is himself. no reason to beat up someone for mistakes he'd made.
that said, he's not going easy. it wouldn't be any fun that way. maybe riku also wants to prove something to himself, too. what difference will light and darkness joined together have in the outcome of this fight?]
no subject
[it's the last thing roxas wants to hear right now—being compared so directly with sora again, and by riku at that.
but it's quick to see something has changed; before, riku used oblivion. this time, he has a keyblade of his own. just what is going on? it's plain to see from appearances alone that riku is different, but this—roxas doesn't know exactly what to make of it. though really, it matters very little. that snort, the smirk... all if it just serves to agitate roxas in a way that leaves him unable to control his anger.
whatever promises he made to terra have long since left his mind, because he can't hold back now. even though this has been a concern of his from the moment he realized he and riku could somehow meet again here, it's proving to be true. he has to fight riku again, and he can't hold back anything. attacks and movesets that have been on his mind and practiced since that day are ready to be tested. things he'll one day use against sora, but if it's what it takes now to win, he'll do it.
and that's why he wastes no time using a whirlwind swing to start the fight. there's little doubt though that while a lot of his power and technique was born from sora, his style of fighting is certainly his own. it's fast and aggressive, almost to the point of reckless and unforgiving.]
no subject
a joke that turned out to be the truth. so many things made that encounter bad, but denial of the truth for so long was one of the worst. add in denial of his own darkness and no surprise who the initial victor of their fight was. had it not been for said darkness, roxas would've probably gone off to try to free kingdom hearts. award for dumbest idea ever, truly. his stomach twists a little at the realization that had that come to pass, roxas might still be number 13 in the organization, number 13 in xehanort's organization. giving in to the darkness that time might've saved more than just sora.
dwelling on those details will have to wait. he can't distracted, not during this sort of battle. the counter to the attack is a quick dodge off to the side before unleashing a strike raid. he's holding back, making sure attacks hit hard, but not hard enough to really do much in the way of damage.]
no subject
roxas is fast and relentless, and he doesn't waste a lot of time with things like magic and cures. not when it's a fight that's desperate, like this one, at least. so even as the strike raid hits him and forces him to stagger a bit, losing his balance. he doesn't fall, though, but slams the ends of both keyblades into the ground to steady himself—and once he's able to do that, roxas will press forward again. he's quick to glide towards riku, a trail of light following him before his thrusts himself into the air to launch and aerial spin swing directly at his opponent.
he doesn't care what riku's reasons are, and it'll probably be a long time before he can see that ultimately, both in the last encounter and now, that riku is trying to do what's best for him—and that what's best for him is what's best for sora and everyone else that needs sora, too. right now though, roxas can't and won't see it that way.]
no subject
the keyblade returns within moments, right when that aerial spin begins. if it were anyone slower, that attack would've connected directly. riku, however, isn't anyone. riku also has the darkness at his disposal, darkness he no longer fears and can be used to speed up the exhaustion process. rather than dodge one way or another, he stands his ground and waits. the timing needs to be precise.
right at the moment the attack is about to collide is when he vanishes. shadow sliding results in reappearing directly behind the nobody and no time gets wasted in following up the movement with a dark break. three attacks in rapid succession get unleashed at roxas. even if one, two or three get blocked, the shockwave after has a high chance of landing and causing some damage.]
no subject
he can tell, both in the way riku manages to evade him and how quickly and hard he retaliates that this is not going to go the way their first fight did. he doesn't know what happened or how—but riku's a lot stronger now; he was fast then, but this is totally different. and as fast as roxas is, he can't block the entirety of that combo. dark break is a tough attack, after all.
this time, roxas is definitely staggered by it, letting out a groan that is equal parts pained and frustrated. its not enough to keep him down, but he does slam the ends of his keyblades into the ground again for support while he regains his bearings. and it doesn't last long, either. even if he still feels a bit winded by that attack, roxas can't and won't let up. it's not enough to push him into some stated of a forced attack or a move of desperation, but there's no time at all to idle. roxas knows that much.
so as soon as he can, he's on the move. he dashes towards riku, keyblades swinging continuously. the motions are quick and purposeful, and there's a lot of relentless strength that goes into them. he will wear down eventually, if he keeps moving with this sort of fervor, that's for sure.]
no subject
riku's definitely pleased by the fact the attack hits. a teeny bit of pride flares up at the fact that maybe that attack landed easier now than it would've during their last encounter. that's how it should be. to not have grown at all between now and then would've been really disappointing. maybe he'd have to go train alongside lea.
thankfully, no dealing with memorization guy will have to happen thanks to it landing. one successful strike doesn't mean victory, however. letting up at all with an opponent like roxas means possible defeat. losing won't happen, not today. with that in mind, riku readies himself to counter the incoming attack. the keyblades get blocked then parried off to one side. as soon as the contact ends, a thundaga gets fired off at close range.]
no subject
there was no way that riku was this adept before, not when he'd gone down so much easier the last time they fought. this is bad, and roxas knows it, because if riku's hits keep connecting like this, he's going to run out of energy. he hasn't made any attempt to heal himself yet—he briefly considers it, but decides he'd rather keep the pressure on riku. he doesn't want to lose.
he can't lose.
so once the stagger wears, and roxas is starting to slow down, he starts to pull new moves out of his arsenal. this time, it's a set of arranged beams—he calls the beams of light down quickly, sending the pillars in riku's direction before immediately sending a spot beam his way.]
no subject
the course of action isn't hard to figure out. first, dodge as many of the pillars as possible and then guard the spot beam. that's exactly what he does, managing to avoid the onslaught of pillars. one thing he failed to factor in, however, was the ground itself. when he lands after the dodge, the ground gives a teeny fraction. it's only a small hole, but enough to throw riku's game off and make the spot beam land full force.
ouch. roxas definitely hits harder than sora, that's for sure. better than sora doesn't mean better than riku, however, and riku plans on proving just that. the only other option is losing and that won't be happening today. if one of them's bringing out the big guns then the other's gonna return that favor. what's the attack of choice? dark splicer. fast, powerful and relentless, riku wastes no time in unleashing that attack.]