Mirrored Memory (PG-13 / Slightly backdated to beginning of week)

[halfdarkened]

Characters: Riku, Namine, and later Xion
Content: Namine tries to figure out what's going on with Riku.
Location: Hallway likely leading to Library
Time of Day: Morning
Warnings: Mild language. Also threats, violence and creeper.


Riku flipped his hair as he walked down the hall to the library. It wouldn't be long before Sora was yelling at him to do something, so if he could get a jump start on the day, he figured the yelling would be kept to a minimum.

Still, there was one thing on his mind. Many of the people here on Deep 13 were acting strangely. The question, however, was why? Strange things DID happen from time to time, but this was disconcerting. Riku wouldn't put it past Sora to experiment on the others (Riku had inadvertently once been a test subject himself) but the selection seemed odd. And if Sora was choosing test subjects, why not subject him? Not that Riku minded not being chosen, but it did seem logically odd. Whatever it was, it probably wasn't airborne or else both he and Sora would have been infected.

There had to be a pattern, but the question was where?

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[halfdarkened]

Any hint of bravery or confidence slowly ebbed from his face as anger flowed into hers. His attempt at intimidation melted away, his circling ceasing as she began to stalk him. Riku began to back up from her, arms slightly raised in case he needed to defend himself.

Again, she didn't tell him who she was. But she smelled like Sora. And why was she defending Namine? Yet they'd both made the same threat...

Several scenarios began to dawn on Riku. Namine held sway over Sora. This girl was obviously connected to him... ...A Replica? Like Xion? Some mishmash of Sora and Kairi or Sora and Namine? What was Sora doing?! Whatever she was, she reeked of him. Could Sora and Namine be working together, or rather, could Namine be manipulating Sora? Regardless, if Sora had managed to figure out how to make Replicas, Namine could have an army on her hands. That would explain the secrecy and why she wouldn't tell him what she was.

Riku glanced around quickly. Namine had vanished. Much as he hated Sora, he didn't want Namine being able to push him around, either. This was bad. And he wasn't going to be able to get any answers from her regarding what she was. Not in his current state.

But something perplexed him. Namine was to Sora what Sora was to Riku, and what Riku was to Namine. It was human Rock-Paper-Scissors. But why did the paper care if the rock took out the scissors? "W-why would Sora be upset if I was potentially getting rid of his problem?"

And it dawned on him that if she were directly working for Sora... Then she was above him.

[OOC: A "Wouldn't you like to know?" answer will suffice.]

[skysmirror]

Well, Xion had managed to turn the tables on Riku and get the upper hand. The problem was, the upper hand wasn't something she was used to having. More often than not, she'd been the one left guessing while others planned circles around her. So she was at something of a loss as to how to proceed, but she couldn't let that show. Time to think quickly, though she didn't have much to go on...

It doesn't matter what cards you're dealt, just how you play them.

Okay, so what did she know? First, Riku obviously could tell her connection to Sora--not this Sora here, but a Sora, and that was enough. Second, even then he still didn't fully recognize her--an advantage she might need. Third, while she wasn't used to having the upper hand, she did have experience not only dealing with people who did, but imitating them as well, thanks to the occasional contest among best friends.

She could do something with that.

Slowly, she let her expression shift from anger to her best impression of one of Xigbar's "I know something you don't" smirks. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Really, if she were back on the clock tower with her friends, it would have won her the extra ice cream that day.

[halfdarkened]

Riku's current life situation was rather undesirable. This made things much more complicated. Suddenly it seemed whatever power he once held was slipping away. People were acting oddly. And now it seemed Sora had a new flunky, what may have been a pseudo-replica.

Whatever she was, there were no answers. And like Sora, she was small and powerful for her size. How strong he couldn't tell, but if she was like Sora or Xion he was in trouble.

...Where WAS Xion these days anyway?

As Riku backed away from her approach, he stumbled, falling backward. He skidded backwards a bit, trying to stay away even while on the floor before scrambling to his feet.

This was too much. Too much risk, too much danger. Too many questions left unanswered with too much chance of getting hurt in asking more. It was too risky staying longer.

Riku bolted with surprising speed and rather quietly at that. While his other self was just as fast, his legs were better built to carry his increased weight. This Riku was just a feather blowing in the wind. He ran as such.

There had to be answers. He'd just have to look for them.

[skysmirror]

Even mirrored, Xion probably wouldn't be anyone's flunky. More like a partner in crime with the mirrored Sora. This Xion was about as far from mirrored as could be, and was definitely not going to play the part of the puppet anymore.

This Riku probably wouldn't be any happier knowing the answers he was looking for. Once it was clear he was going to run, Xion halted her advance, and when he was gone, she let her facade fade, slumping into a more relaxed stance while leaning against the wall.

Namine faded into view a little further down the hall, still looking a little shaky and wary as she approached. Xion offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "It's me. You okay?"

That got a nod, but Namine still seemed hesitant. Sighing, Xion moved away from the wall and, when the other girl didn't back away, gave her an awkward hug. It seemed like the right thing to do. After a brief moment, Namine relaxed slightly and, though she didn't hug bag, leaned on Xion until she stopped shaking.