Replica's Revenge

Slowly the Riku Replica began to awaken.

The second he opened his eyes, he felt nothing but pain. Memories flashed in his mind, memories that were all but fake. He knew that now. He realized his path, that he was a fake a lie, nothing more, nothing less.

Anger seethed within him as he realized this.

A lie.

Everything he had known was a lie.

Then, sadness took him...If everything he knew was a lie, then that means everything he felt for Namine was a lie. The one person he thought he loved and who loved him back, that was all a lie.

Getting up, he found himself in the middle of the hallway in Castle Oblivion. The place was completely empty. Not a single person to be seen. Standing now, he decided that the best thing to do at the moment was to leave. Leave, and not come back. Perhaps find his own way in life. Yet even now there was dissatisfaction, a yearning for something. Anything. Anything to be free of the pain in his head and heart at the moment.

Making his way through the castle, the memories he had of Namine ran through his head. When they first met, the times he and Sora played with her, and of course when she gave him the lucky charm. Now though, now he knew it was a lie. An empty hearted lie, made by empty hearted people. He didn't know who to be mad at anymore.

"Namine-Why?" He muttered as he kept walking, "I thought you cared"

Maybe it wasn't entirely her fault, though he could just be making excuses so he didn't want to be mad at her. Despite what she did, he still had some affinity to her, fake or not, it was hard to tell. Feeling a chill, he found himself outside the castle looking at a long winding road, unsure where to go now.

"Now what?" He asked, looking at his sword feeling the sharp edges against his fingers, "What to do?"

He had a few options, run away and make his own life. Yet I always know he's nothing more than just a replica of someone else.

"Wakey wakey sleepy head"

Turning around, he saw one of the Castle inhabitants approach him. He recognized that long spiky red hair and black coat anywhere. It was Axel, one of the Organization members who had been the reason he was here in the first place. His anger increased ten fold just seeing him.

"You!" The Replica got his sword at the ready.

"Woah, hold it" Axel stepped back, "I come in peace, and actually I think the triangle has a bit of a point, just not using him"

Riku sneered at them both, "You've all just been using me, and manipulating me, I just want it all to end"

"And it can, it can...Unlike him, I can just give it to you without any possession or cards...Come with me….I got something to show you"

Axel walked off as The Replica just stood there, something told him following this nobody would be a bad idea. Though at this point, desperate times called for desperate measures and at least he didn't try to possess him.

Last thing he heard when he walked off was a high pitched frustrated growl. At least knowing Bill was upset by this gave the Replica some pleasure.

The Replica followed Axel back into the Castle, and felt like he just wasted his time . It took a while as the two of them began to go further into the basement area. The white colors started to dim, and the lighting darkened. As for the smell he could sniff the aroma of darkness everywhere, and it was tantalizing.

Still, curiosity wrestled through his mind, what did he have to offer to him. Not like the triangle was offering much either. If anything this was all a big waste of time. Though why was he still following him, even letting the triangle tag along, although mostly in his own head. Some might think it was crazy, but honestly he felt that way right now.

Finally Axel lead them to a small room at the very end of a dark hallway. The place looked familiar, he had once been here before. With Vexen, if his memory was true. Yes, this where Vexen showed him off to the other Organization Members at the time. How proud the scientist was for his creation.

Creation, the Replica couldn't help but smirk, what a thought, him being nothing more than a scientist playing toy. He would or should have been so much more than that.

That word sent shivers up the Replica's spine, as if he was some sort of pet to be produced around. He was his own person, better than others perhaps.

Inside he could see someone arriving, upon closer glance he realized it was another one of the other Organization Members. Zexion as he recalled, blue spike hair, and eyes. He seemed weak at the moment, as if he had just come from battle. Replica Riku could hear his sharp breathing as he entered the room.

"I've never…" Zexion gasped, "Seen darkness used that way before"

"Zexion, how did it go!" Axel said entering the room.

"Axel?" Zexion looked up to see him and the Replica together. "O-Oh...The replica of course, excellent work! We can use this Riku to defeat the real one"

"So what Vexen originally wanted me to do in the first place"

He could already tell that everyone here was a traitor. Still he wasn't sure exactly what he was here to do. All he knew was that the desperation was enough that he was open to hear anything. So long as it was on his own terms. No working for demons who clearly just wanted his body and mind. Axel at least felt like someone who was willing to let him be himself.

"Using him like a puppet I see" Axel snickered, "See kid, unlike the demon, I can make you real right now ...All you need is a certain power, that is right here, right now, and that YOU can take, not be used by someone else"

The Replica saw Zexion and he could smell the darkness coming from.

Pure.

Powerful.

Darkness.

Quickly The Replica grabbed Zexion by the coat and began to drain him of his power.

It felt good.

Such power, this was the rush he was needing now, a chance to prove that he was the stronger once again. Everything that he had once lost came rushing back to him. The ambition, the strength, the realization that he was better than the original.

"Feels good doesn't it" Axel asked.

"Yes"

"Great…" Axel said cracking his nuckles, "How about we use that power on someone worthy of it then"

-000-

Things calmed down in the shack, Stan went to go take Gideon back to the jail. This allowed everyone else to take a breather and just relax. Mable was glad to have Max and Riku safe, although she noticed that Dipper seemed the most isolated from the bunch, mostly just sitting with Wendy in the corner, the two of them talking about something. Despite wanting to make sure Riku was okay her brother came first. So she decided to lean in and see what her brother and friend were talking about.

"Aren't you taking it a bit harsh" Wendy suggested sounding concerned, "Mable doesn't not, not have faith in you, but you know…

"I just wanted to...I don't know...Be older ...Stronger…"

Wendy rolled her eyes, "Dipper, you know what I've said before"

"I know-I know!" Dipper said sounding frustrated, "But if I was older, you wouldn't-"

"I mean, Dipper this is silly, ask me again in a few years okay"

Wendy got up and left, Mable quickly adjusted herself as she passed before rejoining her brother.

"Really Bro-Bro?" She frowned, "All of this just because of Wendy"

"Mable!" Dipper flinched as he adjusted himself in his chair, "I-I ...Ugh, I hate when you eavesdrop on me, it's none of your business"

"When you endanger everyone, yeah, it's my business. You did just because you are still in love with Wendy and you want to be older, I mean how selfish can you get!"

Dipper seemed taken aback, "Selfish! It wasn't just Wendy, it was about finding Grunkle Ford, protecting this family from clearly more evil dark forces out there...Like Bill Cipher if I remind you, I mean were has he been this whole time. Isn't it odd that he's been quite with all of this going on. Like not once has he come after us. Huh! Not once during all our time in Traverse Town and now has Bill Cipher come after us! Gideon has, but not Bill".

"Well...I don't know!" Mable looked dumbfounded, "The guy is wacky doodle as it is, maybe-Maybe he doesn't care"

"Doesn't care, for all we know he could have been responsible for Riku coming here! Hmm...Maybe this was all a trap. One big trap against us and this family! Bill could have been the real power behind everything with the Heartless for all we know...Oh my gosh, maybe he was...I need a board!"

"Dipper no!"

To late Dipper ran off probably off to go and create some sort of conspiracy on how this all tied to Bill Cipher now. Another thing she would have to wean her brother off of now. First the obsession with the Keyblade and now this. Sometimes she worried for her brothers own mental health due to his extreme paranoia about everything.

Mable just sighed and leaned up against the wall, rubbing his eyes, "Oh Dipper"

"Oh, sorry" Riku walked into the room noticing Mable, "Am I um-You okay?"

Mable smiled at him, "Just sibling stuff"

Riku sat down next to her now and leaned, "Stand by him" he said.

"Huh?"

"Stand by him" Riku replied, "Even if you go down different paths"

"That seem a little ...unhealthy" Mable said sounding unsure on what Riku was getting at

Riku shook his head, "I'm not saying support him, I'm not even saying help him if he does something you aren't comfortable with but I guess what I mean is ...Never hold out hope that one can go astray and then come back. Sora might have lost hope in me and I don't blame him, but he forgave me...Maybe that's just his choice though, I honestly don't even think I deserve it"

"I think you do-" Mable took his hand and smiled at him, "You saved us, more than once"

Riku smiled back at her, "Well, you are my friend, so, you know"

Mable eyes widened as she beamed, "So we are friends"

"Yeah-We are"

"Hey dudes!" Soos called out coming to Riku and Mable, "Um...You guys should see outside, there's like a strange vortek of darkness out there"

"Say what now?"

Soos was right, outside the Mystery Shack there was a big old vortek of darkness just standing there. Stan's truck parked in as everyone looked at it and the old crodger seemed very confused. Mable just ran up to him happy to see he was safe after the battles against Jafar. It seemed like she couldn't catch a break with anything right about now.

"Um, is that supposed to be like that" Stan muttered letting Mable go, "I mean did we lose or something"

"No Grunkle Stan, Jafar was defeated but…" Mable seemed nervous, "This isn't good"

All of them just stared at the black vortex just outside the shack now. Mable felt her own mind racing trying to figure out what had just happened. They had won right, they had their big victory over evil. They should be celebrating, throwing a party,something. That's how most of these adventures went down right? Not having to deal with another thing so soon.

"Guys look," Wendy pointed to the ground, a piece of paper just laying there.

It was Dipper's hat just laying there, Mable quickly went to it and picked up inside a note. She read it, eyes widening in fear as she turned to the others. Her eyes immediately darted towards Riku who understood that this had something to do with him.

"It just says bring your friends, Wendy and the lamp" Mable replied, "The King stays"

"Oddly specific" Soos replies.

Riku looked at everyone and the king, he clearly didn't want to leave him out like this.

"Who took my brother?" Mable asked, wondering, "It was Jafar or Gideon, we defeated then…."

"I bet it was those hooded guys" Riku sneered.

"Hooded guys?" Mickey asked, looking nervous.

"Yeah, they've popped up a few times when I was here, one of them was helping Jafar, well more like using him, or whatever, either way something is up. I bet it's them probably finish up whatever plan they had in mind.

"Well," Max went up to Riku and nodded, "One more adventure"

Mable walked by his side, "Hero's our middle name right?"

"Right!"

Wendy just looked nervous as she took Dipper's hand and held it tight, Mable could tell she was worried. They both were, faith or no faith, Dipper was still her brother, so she had to have faith that at least he'd be okay.

So they would go, find her brother and get him back no matter what.

As they walked through the portal they arrived in what appeared to be a white hallway. There was no

extra color, Only thing there was a card on the ground. Riku picked it up and saw the image of a tiny town, one he didn't recognize. Something felt extremely off about this place. The place was white, empty, baron, extremely hollow as if there was no soul or heart to this place. Just empty walls of stone.

Everywhere he could smell the darkness. This was not a good place to be. Already Riku felt guilty just bringing the others along. They were in danger perhaps. He had just defeated one evil, he didn't want to risk them to another so soon. However they were asked to come, so it made the entire point feel mute.

Carefully they entered, Mable held her grappling hook at the ready, while Riku kept the Soul Eater nearby. Wendy seemed the most uneasy, she had a bit of anger in her eyes. She must have been worried about Dipper. Stan for his part had a bat at the ready for a fight. Everyone was definitely on edge, expecting an attack any minute.

"Strange" Riku said as looked at the door, "What is this place"

"I don't know but someone needs to get an interior decorator" Mable muttered

"Yeah, this place is weird" Max added.

Wendy held her axe tight, "Well, whoever lives hear...I'm gonna give them a good swing of this!"

"Eh I don't know I've seen worse" Stan muttered, "Mostly involving being in solitary confinement in Colombia back in the day but you know what can you do"

"If Dipper's here they are hiding him real good" Mable groaned as she looked for her brother.

Riku walked around the area for a little bit hoping to find a clue or something. Some sort of sign of the assailant. He didn't want to be here but deep down his heart said that he needed to be here right now. Not just for Dipper though, although that was the priority, but something else was happening here too. Perhaps this is where the strange people in the coats came from. Why would they lead him to their base though. Seemed strange.

"So who do you think took Dipper?" Mable asked, sounding nervous.

"Well, I don't know" Riku flipped the card, and read Point at Door

Riku looked up at the white door in front of him. He walked up to it and pointed the card up at the door. Soon the card began to glow bright as it floated into the air. The door was then removed and replaced with a sort of portal.

"So, do we go through?" Mable asked, seeming a little hesitant to press forward.

"No we stay here" Max grumbled, "Yeah, we should go through"

"What if it's a trap"

Riku sighed, "Of course it's a trap...That's why spring it" he turned back to them with a confident smirk.

Mable smiled taking out her grappling hook and Max the shield he took from Pacifica's mansion. Wendy had her Axe on hand as well, this team was going to save Dipper.

Team, funny to think that when this all started Riku never envisioned being part of any team. Even when he was thinking leading Sora and Kairi to new worlds he would have done all the hard work. Now though, now he was finally starting to understand the importance of teamwork, and the importance of having friends by his side. It felt good, it really did feel good. Now he really was starting to understand what Sora said and felt when he talked about the strength of the heart.

"Alright, let's go"

Riku steps into the light as it begins to blind him, this time though, he lets him, knowing that he has others by his side who were following him into the dawn.

Into the unknown.

-000-

As soon as the light faded Riku found himself in unfamiliar territory.

A town, a quaint small town. Several shops and apartment buildings filled the squares. A little trolley road through the tracks. However there wasn't anyone around for miles. It was completely abounded. Just him, Max and Mable. He never had been to this place in his life before. So he wondered why the assailant wanted him to come here of all places.

It reminded him a bit of Destiny Island though, just like Gravity Falls, however unlike Gravity Falls, it didn't have that same strange charm to it. This place seemed very plain, although the one thing he did notice the sky had a deep twilight to it, but it didn't look like it was darkening at all, just permanently stuck like this. Perhaps it was a unique charm of whatever world now found themselves in.

"Where are we ? What is this place?" Riku muttered aloud.

"Oh seems nice" Mable said, sounding pleased, "Much better than that white hallway, look at the candy shop!"

Mable ran over to see if anyone was there but didn't see anyone, nor did she see any candy. Frowning she returned back to the group with a look of defeat on her face.

"Why is this place abandoned?" Max asked holding his shield tight, "It's giving me the creeps"

"I second that," Wendy muttered examining the empty stores, "Did the apocalypse happen or what?"

"I don't think so," Riku said, "Though, something is happening"

"Something bad probably" Wendy grunted.

That something soon appeared as a black vortek emerged and through the familiar sight of Xehanort appeared. Riku stepped back and clenched his soul eater. Of course it would be the evil Heartless who would be behind this, who else could it be.

Though the more Riku thought the more part of it never made sense. Xehanort throughout his time in Gravity Falls had never interacted with the other pines family. In fact he wasn't sure if anyone could see him but Riku.

"Hey guys" Riku turned to the others, "Can you, can you see him"

Mable had her grappling hook at the ready, "Yeah...And I'm ready to take him down"

"Same!" Max held the shield close.

Riku turned to Xehanort and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Xehanort snickered, "Aren't you happy to see me again, and submit"

"No…" Riku sniffed into the air, "But you aren't Xehanort"

Xehanort just raised an eyebrow but shrugged.

Soon he was engulfed with a shroud and darkness and then was soon replaced by a new figure. Someone draped in the colors of red, like blood, his face covered even, bandages wrapped around him, only revealing a mouth a cold yellow eye. This figure did not have the same scent that Xehanort did, and because of this Riku was more intrigued then angry about who he was. Yet the fact that he was here at all, couldn't be a good thing.

"Yeesh," Stan grunted seeing the new figure, "Clearly someone had a bad face job"

"Sssh," Mable shushed him, "I feel some exposition is going to happen"

Riku slowly walked up toward him keeping his sword at the ready, "Who are you? Not Xehanort clearly" He said, his voice deep, booming, commanding almost.

"Yeah, I get that but who-are-you"

The bandaged man nodded, "Diz...That is all you need to know on that matter young man"

"Diz? Well what do you want with us?"

Diz just smirked, "Not all of you...Just you Riku, and the answer to that is simple, I want you to choose".

"Choose?"

"Yes, you are a specific entity" Diz explained, "Able to somehow traverse both the light and the dark in ways...In ways that I have never seen, and that is something that is worth studying up close, if I do say so myself"

"This is all very weird" Riku heard Max muttered to Mable, "He's talking like Riku isn't a normal person"

"Yeah," Mable frowned a march up to Riku person, "Riku's a person buddy not some ...experiment to be tested on"

Riku held her back, "It's okay Mable, so I'm special huh, funny, I don't think I am"

"Hardly" Diz held a hand looking incensed, "You exist between the light and the darkness. You stand in the twilight, ironic, given the representation of this town and what it is. You are to meet Namine then choose"

"Namine?" Riku blinked, "Whose that?'

"You will know soon"

Stan then interjected now, "Now hold up, I do know no Naminane or whatever and don't understand any of that light and dark stuff, but you better not be taking this kid for any weird science stuff. He's been helping us so far and we ain't letting you get to him"

Max stood in front of Riku.

Then Mable.

Then Stan.

Only Wendy stood in the back, but that didn't matter, Riku had never felt his heart feel closing to burst. People actually sticking up and defending him. He didn't think this would ever happen, not after all he did to Sora. This must be what his friend had felt like the whole time, to love and to be loved in return.

Diz just laughed at them, "Oh you poor poor, small minded individuals, I admire the devotion to your friend I do ...In fact, if you wish, I can help make you get it. Mr. Pines...Come with me, I think Riku will need the others, but you, you can understand"

"Me!" Stan looked shocked, "Look, I got an F in science class and flunked out a highschool, so I don't think I'm gonna understand any of ...whatever this is"

"Then let me show you"

The figure began to be engulfed in energy, which also began to engul Stan.

"Woah, hey...What the"

Before Riku could do anything both were gone, vanished from the town completely.

"Grunkle Stan!" Mable yelled.

Riku brandished his blade, "Come back with him!" He shouted

A boomin laugh echoed.

"HE IS FINE! A BIT SHAKEN! BUT FINE"

Then a familiar gruff voice began to echo too, "WOAH! I SOUND HUGE! ECHO! HA! Man...This place is white...I'm fine kids ...Just in a weird white place….

"Avoid the light Grunkle Stan!" Mable said.

"Nah, I ain't dead...Believe me, no place I end up will be this white, just go save your brother pumpkin! I'll be fine with mummy face over here...Hopefully ...Got any bear?"

"We should probably get going" Wendy interjected, "Dipper could be anywhere in this town!"

Riku could smell something, it was the darkness, the scent was strong. Although he felt a bit humiliated doing this, he started to sniff it like a dog, tracking it's scent. He could feel a track going through the town and into the forest.

"I know where he is"

Riku led the company into the woods, the scent was getting closer and with it so was his paranoia. He knew that any minute he could be attacked or his friends get attacked by him. He clenched his soul eater, ready for a battle, yet the closer they got into the woods he still didn't see him.

The only thing there was a mansion, an old gothic looking mansion in the woods. It reminded Riku a bit of his old home, however it did lack the cleanliness of his old house, the sterlil nature. Gothic was far too creative for his parents for them to embrace something creative. However that didn't matter right now, memories of the past, what mattered was finding his friend, here and now, and getting back to Gravity Falls as well as finding out what this new DIZ character was all about.

"He's close," Riku sniffed.

"Wait have you been sniffing him the whole time?" Wendy asked, looking confused.

Riku sighed, "Yeah, I know, but this is the best way okay"

"What are you sniffing?"

"Darkness"

"Darkness?" Mable asked as he started sniffing as well, "What does darkness smell like"

"Cold and smelly" Riku muttered

Max just looked confused, "How does something smell cold, cold is a feeling not a small"

"No idea…"

"That- that doesn't make much sense"

Suddenly the bushes began to russell as the smell of darkness increased tenfold. Behind him, Riku saw the image of his own silhouette approach him, the Replica in all his smugness arrive. Around his arm Dipper struggled to get out of his grip but he was struggling. His tiny arms trying to beat his chest but unable to break free.

"Bro-Bro!" Mable cried.

"Dipper!" Wendy took her axe and tried to charge at the Replica but was pushed back by a dark power falling back against one of the walls.

Riku sneered and was ready for a battle.

"Did you bring the lamp?" The Replica smirked at him,

Riku just held it out.

The Replica laughed. "You've changed, you're own darkness -it doesn't frighten you anymore"

Riku looked at the replica, and could tell that. Perhaps it was because he was his Replica did they share some sort of bond, whether through some sort of magic or perhaps a science that he didn't understand yet.

"Let me go!" Dipper shouted, trying to free himself, "Crazy clone!"

The Replica tightened his grip on him, "Quite! Your lucky he wants you alive"

"He?" Riku said, "He who?"

The Replica summoned his own soul eater and pointed it able now, "I have a message for you Shooting Star"

"Shooting Star?" Mable eyes narrowed, "I know, that name...Only….

"Bill!" Dipper eyes widened, "Bill calls you that"

"Good job Pine Tree" The Replica chuckled, "He sends his regards"

"Bill?" Dipper voice shook, "What does Bill want"

"Who knows, I met him though," The Replica said, "Apparently he and Sora had a bit of a run here at the Castle"

"Sora" The Real Riku tightened the grip on his sword, "What happened to Sora"

The Replica shrugged, "Don't know, got knocked out by the time everything went down, though. Not that I care...The only thing I care about is getting rid of you...Proving that I am the stronger of the two of us. Who knows, maybe when I'm done Sora will wanna be my best friend. Not like I would let him"

"ENOUGH!"

The time for talk was over...The Replica and Riku finally went at it

Riku could tell just how unstable the Replica was. He had definitely been through much, his assaults were tilted, he was quite manic. This poor replica was getting hurt, but he was attacking his friends and had to be stopped.

"You don't have to do this" Riku insisted avoiding a strike from his blade, "Look, I know your a replica, I know your mind is probably not in a good place, let us help you"

"My mind is more clear than ever...Cipher helped clear it for me!"

Riku and the Replica's blade clashed, "I know what it feels like...To think everything is clear, but trust me, people like Cipher, Xehanort, they don't clear your head, they just fill it with lies. Make you do things you never thought you're capable off"

The Replica just screamed and kept on the assault.

"Hey!" Max held his shield and tried to throw it at the Replica's head, knocking him back against the mansion's wall.

The Replica glared at Max and blasted dark energy at him.

"Grappling hook!" Mable pulled Max back.

Riku now was angry, he was attacking his friends. He wanted to help, and he did feel bad, but these were his newfound friends. He would protect them, for they are what mattered.

The Replica had Riku in thralls, his own darkness was just so raw, untamed, almost unstable. Now he aimed for Wendy and Mable. He pointed his Soul Eater right at them, a manic expression on his face. The Replica grabbed the sword though and jabbed it right in.

Everyone gasped at the sound of metal hitting flesh.

Slowly darkness began to engulf it and with that the Replica was gone. Riku just stands there unsure as to what just happened. He had just taken a life. An unstable life, a clone life, but a life nonetheless.

"Huh…" The Replica snickered, "Guess even in death, I still don't know what I am"

Any sort of healing that he was making felt undone, until he felt a hand touch his own and looked down to see Mabel.

"I'm sorry" she whispered.

Riku took her hand and held it a bit tighter, "Thanks"

Dipper groaned, "You did what you had to Riku...You did what you had too"

"Um guys" Max called them out and pointed behind him to a black portal, "I think, I think we should go through it"

Riku sighed and nodded, "Come on, lets go"