Oh this hurt! This really, really hurt! White hot veins of fire were shooting down his arms. Time didn't like being pulled apart and was fighting to stay shut. Keeping the window open was like pushing against a spring. Everything was strained. Riku's arms shook. His shoulders ached. Everything from T8 on up felt like he had a million flaming hot needles sticking in him.
The replica had to decide immediately whether to trust him or not. Even if the answer was no he still needed an answer. It looked torn. Take the leap of faith that he wasn't just another trick or lie sent by the Organization to torture him with false hope and go with him? Or take his chances in its present?
"Riku!"
He heard Rachel shout.
If he had been able to turn around, Riku would have seen the flower bundles of the lilac bush burst into full blossom, shrivel into dry brown shadows of their glorious selves and fall of the bush in droves. All in less than a minute. Time was running dangerously short.
Then, the Replica cast an ugly look at his younger self and, without warning, dove under his arm and through the window. No explanation, no questions.
Surprising way to get the mission accomplished but at this point, Riku really couldn't care. If reasons were really that important he'd bring it up later. Now he could close the door. But before he did, Riku looked to his younger self. He was staring back at him, very bewildered and at a loss for what his next move should be.
Naturally Riku was tempted to say something, anything to his younger self. But he couldn't. Riku chose this time and place because he knew the outcome of the fight. His younger self would have beaten him and that would have been the end of it. It didn't have a future at that point. Whether defeated or moved to another timeline, it wouldn't exist anymore so couldn't mess up his or anyone elses timeline.
But Riku couldn't say anything to his younger self. That did risk changing things. The more he said the worse it could get. He couldn't say what to expect at the mansion; that Sora was alright. He especially couldn't instruct or suggest finding the Mysterious Tower after helping Sora, perhaps having the chance to meet Rachel sooner. Doing so risked potentially dramatic changes to the future if his younger self was encouraged to walk a different path from the one that led to where he was now. It might be better, but maybe not. Who knew how the future was already re-aligning itself because of the spell. But the door had to close now. They couldn't have much time left and neither did Riku have the strength.
His younger self didn't look sure of what he should do. Riku smiled the best he could through the pain of keeping the window open a few seconds longer. Despite the risk, he couldn't just not say something.
"Everything's going to turn out just fine." Riku promised. "You're going to be okay."
