"You can't have my heart!" Riku backed up, half in anger, half in fear.
"And why is that?" The figure crossed his arms, and evil smirk playing on his face.
"Because it's not mine to give." He said almost quietly. Through all his strength, he could feel tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "It's his, dammit! And he'd never let you take it." Riku gritted his teeth, scowling at his mirror image.
"His, hm? You mean, the other Keyblade Master? Ha, I never thought you were into that sort of thing, but, then again, you two were destined from the start." Riku stopped. "Two to become one. But you will never be one. Never. Because half of your heart is shrouded in darkness. Half of your heart belongs to ME!" The twisted Mirror reached out his hand, enveloping Riku in green fog. The boy fell to his knees, clutching his chest.
"No, no. This can't be true! I can't... He can't..." Riku panted, his body heaving with each labored breath. The thought of Ansem owning half his heart was too much. "No... NO! I WON'T BELIEVE IT!" He gathered all of his strength to stand, lunging at his twin with Keyblades at the ready.
Mirror Riku gracefully sidestepped the attack, causing Riku to overcompensate and fall face-first onto the pavement. He growled and pulled himself up again, attempting to strike his counterpart in the back. His stroke, however, was caught by a powerful hand. "You will STOP THIS! NOW!" The man scowled. "There is no way you could defeat me. My death would kill us both. Yours, however..." His lips curled into an evil smile; "Your death will make me whole."
"W-what? Why?" The boy stopped his attacks to listen again in fear.
The Mirror laughed loudly at the boy's foolishness. "Didn't you wonder why I didn't die before? I /own/ you. I /am/ you. You're still nothing but a puppet. You always will be. I am your twin, your other half, though I am the more powerful half. My death would drain you of your strength, your power. It would kill the more powerful half of your heart. /Your/ death would complete me. I lived through you for a while, until I was finally strong enough to regain a physical presence. I think your body suits me, does it not?" His grin widened while Riku's hold on his Keyblades tightened. "If you were to die, the weaker half of our heart would be free to return to its mate. I would be whole again, and thus unstoppable."
"So... You can't die as long as I'm alive?" A chill went down his spine.
"No. As long as we both live, I can never die."
"But... If you were completed..." Realization and sadness crept into his mind. If he were completed... But then I would have to... "If you were 'killed' again, how long would you be gone? Another year?"
"Would it matter? You would die. The thing that was 'killed' the first time was /my/ heart. Killing the heart I have now would be killing yours. It would be... Suicide." The Mirror smirked, his words laced with poison.
"So be it." Riku whispered, lunging at the man again.
This time he caught him unexpectedly, knocking him hard in the chest. While the man took a moment to catch his breath, Riku fought him unmercifully. Smacking him in the arms and torso, causing gashes and cuts along his mirror's body as he fought, Riku executed his revenge. After what seemed like an eternity of lashing out at his Mirror, Riku's hand was stopped.
"You forget..." The man smirked, the yellow orbs glowing in his head; "My death means the end of us both." With that, The Mirror ripped Oathkeeper from Riku's shocked hands, plunging it into his stomach.
Riku fell to his knees, sputtering and coughing up blood.
+
I searched for such a long time, I didn't know if I'd ever find him. It was scary, to think that our last encounter would be shrouded in darkness, filled with shouts for help.
Though in reality it wouldn't be much different.
At first, wave after wave of giant Shadows attacked me. Riku hadn't lied when he said they were attracted to negative emotions. I had been feeling fear and sadness, and even anger at myself for not being able to save him. Why couldn't I grab his hand? Perhaps I wasn't meant to? I wish it didn't have to be this way.
I calmed down after a while and filled my head with thoughts of determination. The amount of Shadows diminished until they were eventually gone. I thanked God for that; all the fighting had been draining me. Luckily, a few Shadows left behind potions and I used one on myself, letting the green mist heal all of my physical wounds, but none of the mental. Even though I was slightly afraid, I pressed ever onward. I /had/ to find him.
Divine Rose led me there. The city seemed like a vast, endless maze, but whenever I felt lost, the Keyblade seemed to pull me in the right direction. I was grateful for its help. Without it I probably would have been lost for days. Then I might not have seen him alive again.
After about an hour, or maybe longer, I couldn't tell, I arrived at a plaza. The rain seemed to fall harder here; the neon light cast a disorienting glow about the street. I squinted my eyes against the mixture of dark and bright, trying to figure out what this place was, when I saw two silhouetted figures before me, surrounded by a wall of blue flame. "Riku?" I whispered.
I ran up to them, the flames disappearing upon my arrival. I was greeted by a most horrific sight. Riku was standing, holding Oathkeeper in his gloved hand. The blade was tipped with blood being slowly washed off by the rain. He didn't even turn to regard me. "It is over, Sora." He said in a cold, monotone voice.
"What?" I looked at him. He was no longer wearing his blindfold, but his eyes were hidden beneath his hood. A smirk crossed his face as I felt something reach out and grab my leg.
I looked down to see another Riku, kneeling at my side. He was still wearing the black blindfold, but his face showed fear and sadness. "Sora..." He said painfully, and I noticed the gash in his stomach. Something was very, very wrong here.
I backed away in fear. "What the hell is going on?" I questioned, looking back and forth between them. "One of you can't be real." The standing Riku smirked while the kneeling Riku clutched his stomach, his mouth working but no words coming out. I looked to the blade the standing one was holding. Oathkeeper. Hadn't I given Riku Oblivion? But that meant... "Oh, no."
At that moment, the Riku whom had been kneeling fell backward to the pavement. I ran and caught him seconds before his head hit the ground. The slickness of his coat made it difficult for me to pull him into my lap, and I had to hold his head with one hand while the other reached over his body to clutch his waist. Again, his mouth moved but no sound came out. "Riku..." I began, fingers tightening their hold on the wet material.
"S-Sora..." He wheezed out, his face turning to mine. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and I was reminded briefly of three days ago when I had been in a similar situation. In four blissful days this had started and was over. I felt tears forming in my eyes as I looked down at his pale face. The hand that had been cradling his head reached under the hood of his coat to remove the obstructing blindfold. It fell unceremoniously to the floor, revealing his closed eyes. Rain and tears mingled on his cheeks, willing him to keep his eyes closed, but my penetrating gaze forced them open. The normally tranquil ocean-colored eyes showed an internal storm brewing. It almost looked like it hurt him to see me. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to hurt, love... I pulled a potion out of my pocket, but as I uncorked it, his hand met mine. "Don't, Sora... Please don't."
"I said that I'd protect you, Riku. At least let me try...!" I was becoming frantic. Why wouldn't he want me to save him? Why would he want to die...? My tears became sobs as I held him desperately to me. My eyes traveled down his body to the deadly wound; its true depth was now revealed as the rain washed the blood away. I closed my eyes, unable to accept this reality. I couldn't lose him. I shuddered as I felt his cold hand touch my cheek, turning my face back to his.
"I'm sorry, Sora. It's the only way..." But it /can't/ be the only way! It fucking /CAN'T/ BE! My eyes begged him for an explanation. How could he expect me to just let him die? "If I die, then Ansem... He can be stopped. If I'm alive... He-he'll kill us all. Sora..." He closed his eyes and turned away from me. "Let me go. It has to be this way. I'm so sorry. Just let me go."
"No... No, no, no." I choked out tearfully as I pulled his face level with mine. "I can't let you go. I love you, Riku. I love you! How could I ever...?" He stopped me with a kiss. I moaned into his lips, still tightening my grip on him. I kissed him frantically, wishing it never had to end. But he pulled away.
"I'm sorry, Sora. I love you, I really do. Please, let me go." His eyes softened. "You have so much living left to do. I-It's too late for me." I felt his hand stroke my hair as he gave me one last, sad smile. His fingers moved down my neck and shoulder, eventually resting on his stomach. His eyes slid closed and the smile left his lips. And his body went limp.
"Riku...?"
I shook him lightly. The rain bounced off his pale face, weighing down his soaking hair. An ephemeral halo shone around his head. A trick of the light. I knew his heart had now been claimed by darkness. "Riku, no. Oh, please, no. God, Riku... I love you. I love you...!" I buried my face in his hair, sobbing quietly. I couldn't lose him so soon. How could this be real?
A sharp laugh pulled me from my reverie; a cold, mirthless laugh. It was Riku's, but a sick, twisted version of it. This wasn't the warm, gentle laugh I'd grown up with. No, this was pure evil. I lowered Riku's lifeless body gently to the ground, then stood and faced to soulless Mirror of my Love.
"You..." The sadness in my heart was quickly replaced by anger and hatred. "You did this, didn't you?" The sneer on his lips caused rage to burn in my heart. He would pay. He would pay with his life.
+++
^^;; Eh heh, sorry this took so long to get out! Lack of... Time/interest and such. Yep. I was going to make this the last chapter, but there's still so much left to do! Damn, I never really intended for this fic to be so long... Well, shit happens. I still quite like it, though. Poor Riku. All dead an' stuff. Took a while for me to figure out a scenario in which he /had/ to die. I could figure out plenty in which Ansem just kills him, but then I'd come to Sora finding him and "Oh, potions! Duh! Sora could just save him!" But he HAS to die! It's the way I planned! Urgh. So, if it makes no sense as to why he has to die, tough cookies. I really racked my brain for that.
In other news, I got one of my still-lifes into an art show. Didn't place, but I got free tickets to the fair. XD I ate a deep-fried Snickers bar with powdered sugar on top. I'm such a fucking pig. That has to be the most fattening thing ever invented.
"And why is that?" The figure crossed his arms, and evil smirk playing on his face.
"Because it's not mine to give." He said almost quietly. Through all his strength, he could feel tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "It's his, dammit! And he'd never let you take it." Riku gritted his teeth, scowling at his mirror image.
"His, hm? You mean, the other Keyblade Master? Ha, I never thought you were into that sort of thing, but, then again, you two were destined from the start." Riku stopped. "Two to become one. But you will never be one. Never. Because half of your heart is shrouded in darkness. Half of your heart belongs to ME!" The twisted Mirror reached out his hand, enveloping Riku in green fog. The boy fell to his knees, clutching his chest.
"No, no. This can't be true! I can't... He can't..." Riku panted, his body heaving with each labored breath. The thought of Ansem owning half his heart was too much. "No... NO! I WON'T BELIEVE IT!" He gathered all of his strength to stand, lunging at his twin with Keyblades at the ready.
Mirror Riku gracefully sidestepped the attack, causing Riku to overcompensate and fall face-first onto the pavement. He growled and pulled himself up again, attempting to strike his counterpart in the back. His stroke, however, was caught by a powerful hand. "You will STOP THIS! NOW!" The man scowled. "There is no way you could defeat me. My death would kill us both. Yours, however..." His lips curled into an evil smile; "Your death will make me whole."
"W-what? Why?" The boy stopped his attacks to listen again in fear.
The Mirror laughed loudly at the boy's foolishness. "Didn't you wonder why I didn't die before? I /own/ you. I /am/ you. You're still nothing but a puppet. You always will be. I am your twin, your other half, though I am the more powerful half. My death would drain you of your strength, your power. It would kill the more powerful half of your heart. /Your/ death would complete me. I lived through you for a while, until I was finally strong enough to regain a physical presence. I think your body suits me, does it not?" His grin widened while Riku's hold on his Keyblades tightened. "If you were to die, the weaker half of our heart would be free to return to its mate. I would be whole again, and thus unstoppable."
"So... You can't die as long as I'm alive?" A chill went down his spine.
"No. As long as we both live, I can never die."
"But... If you were completed..." Realization and sadness crept into his mind. If he were completed... But then I would have to... "If you were 'killed' again, how long would you be gone? Another year?"
"Would it matter? You would die. The thing that was 'killed' the first time was /my/ heart. Killing the heart I have now would be killing yours. It would be... Suicide." The Mirror smirked, his words laced with poison.
"So be it." Riku whispered, lunging at the man again.
This time he caught him unexpectedly, knocking him hard in the chest. While the man took a moment to catch his breath, Riku fought him unmercifully. Smacking him in the arms and torso, causing gashes and cuts along his mirror's body as he fought, Riku executed his revenge. After what seemed like an eternity of lashing out at his Mirror, Riku's hand was stopped.
"You forget..." The man smirked, the yellow orbs glowing in his head; "My death means the end of us both." With that, The Mirror ripped Oathkeeper from Riku's shocked hands, plunging it into his stomach.
Riku fell to his knees, sputtering and coughing up blood.
+
I searched for such a long time, I didn't know if I'd ever find him. It was scary, to think that our last encounter would be shrouded in darkness, filled with shouts for help.
Though in reality it wouldn't be much different.
At first, wave after wave of giant Shadows attacked me. Riku hadn't lied when he said they were attracted to negative emotions. I had been feeling fear and sadness, and even anger at myself for not being able to save him. Why couldn't I grab his hand? Perhaps I wasn't meant to? I wish it didn't have to be this way.
I calmed down after a while and filled my head with thoughts of determination. The amount of Shadows diminished until they were eventually gone. I thanked God for that; all the fighting had been draining me. Luckily, a few Shadows left behind potions and I used one on myself, letting the green mist heal all of my physical wounds, but none of the mental. Even though I was slightly afraid, I pressed ever onward. I /had/ to find him.
Divine Rose led me there. The city seemed like a vast, endless maze, but whenever I felt lost, the Keyblade seemed to pull me in the right direction. I was grateful for its help. Without it I probably would have been lost for days. Then I might not have seen him alive again.
After about an hour, or maybe longer, I couldn't tell, I arrived at a plaza. The rain seemed to fall harder here; the neon light cast a disorienting glow about the street. I squinted my eyes against the mixture of dark and bright, trying to figure out what this place was, when I saw two silhouetted figures before me, surrounded by a wall of blue flame. "Riku?" I whispered.
I ran up to them, the flames disappearing upon my arrival. I was greeted by a most horrific sight. Riku was standing, holding Oathkeeper in his gloved hand. The blade was tipped with blood being slowly washed off by the rain. He didn't even turn to regard me. "It is over, Sora." He said in a cold, monotone voice.
"What?" I looked at him. He was no longer wearing his blindfold, but his eyes were hidden beneath his hood. A smirk crossed his face as I felt something reach out and grab my leg.
I looked down to see another Riku, kneeling at my side. He was still wearing the black blindfold, but his face showed fear and sadness. "Sora..." He said painfully, and I noticed the gash in his stomach. Something was very, very wrong here.
I backed away in fear. "What the hell is going on?" I questioned, looking back and forth between them. "One of you can't be real." The standing Riku smirked while the kneeling Riku clutched his stomach, his mouth working but no words coming out. I looked to the blade the standing one was holding. Oathkeeper. Hadn't I given Riku Oblivion? But that meant... "Oh, no."
At that moment, the Riku whom had been kneeling fell backward to the pavement. I ran and caught him seconds before his head hit the ground. The slickness of his coat made it difficult for me to pull him into my lap, and I had to hold his head with one hand while the other reached over his body to clutch his waist. Again, his mouth moved but no sound came out. "Riku..." I began, fingers tightening their hold on the wet material.
"S-Sora..." He wheezed out, his face turning to mine. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and I was reminded briefly of three days ago when I had been in a similar situation. In four blissful days this had started and was over. I felt tears forming in my eyes as I looked down at his pale face. The hand that had been cradling his head reached under the hood of his coat to remove the obstructing blindfold. It fell unceremoniously to the floor, revealing his closed eyes. Rain and tears mingled on his cheeks, willing him to keep his eyes closed, but my penetrating gaze forced them open. The normally tranquil ocean-colored eyes showed an internal storm brewing. It almost looked like it hurt him to see me. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to hurt, love... I pulled a potion out of my pocket, but as I uncorked it, his hand met mine. "Don't, Sora... Please don't."
"I said that I'd protect you, Riku. At least let me try...!" I was becoming frantic. Why wouldn't he want me to save him? Why would he want to die...? My tears became sobs as I held him desperately to me. My eyes traveled down his body to the deadly wound; its true depth was now revealed as the rain washed the blood away. I closed my eyes, unable to accept this reality. I couldn't lose him. I shuddered as I felt his cold hand touch my cheek, turning my face back to his.
"I'm sorry, Sora. It's the only way..." But it /can't/ be the only way! It fucking /CAN'T/ BE! My eyes begged him for an explanation. How could he expect me to just let him die? "If I die, then Ansem... He can be stopped. If I'm alive... He-he'll kill us all. Sora..." He closed his eyes and turned away from me. "Let me go. It has to be this way. I'm so sorry. Just let me go."
"No... No, no, no." I choked out tearfully as I pulled his face level with mine. "I can't let you go. I love you, Riku. I love you! How could I ever...?" He stopped me with a kiss. I moaned into his lips, still tightening my grip on him. I kissed him frantically, wishing it never had to end. But he pulled away.
"I'm sorry, Sora. I love you, I really do. Please, let me go." His eyes softened. "You have so much living left to do. I-It's too late for me." I felt his hand stroke my hair as he gave me one last, sad smile. His fingers moved down my neck and shoulder, eventually resting on his stomach. His eyes slid closed and the smile left his lips. And his body went limp.
"Riku...?"
I shook him lightly. The rain bounced off his pale face, weighing down his soaking hair. An ephemeral halo shone around his head. A trick of the light. I knew his heart had now been claimed by darkness. "Riku, no. Oh, please, no. God, Riku... I love you. I love you...!" I buried my face in his hair, sobbing quietly. I couldn't lose him so soon. How could this be real?
A sharp laugh pulled me from my reverie; a cold, mirthless laugh. It was Riku's, but a sick, twisted version of it. This wasn't the warm, gentle laugh I'd grown up with. No, this was pure evil. I lowered Riku's lifeless body gently to the ground, then stood and faced to soulless Mirror of my Love.
"You..." The sadness in my heart was quickly replaced by anger and hatred. "You did this, didn't you?" The sneer on his lips caused rage to burn in my heart. He would pay. He would pay with his life.
+++
^^;; Eh heh, sorry this took so long to get out! Lack of... Time/interest and such. Yep. I was going to make this the last chapter, but there's still so much left to do! Damn, I never really intended for this fic to be so long... Well, shit happens. I still quite like it, though. Poor Riku. All dead an' stuff. Took a while for me to figure out a scenario in which he /had/ to die. I could figure out plenty in which Ansem just kills him, but then I'd come to Sora finding him and "Oh, potions! Duh! Sora could just save him!" But he HAS to die! It's the way I planned! Urgh. So, if it makes no sense as to why he has to die, tough cookies. I really racked my brain for that.
In other news, I got one of my still-lifes into an art show. Didn't place, but I got free tickets to the fair. XD I ate a deep-fried Snickers bar with powdered sugar on top. I'm such a fucking pig. That has to be the most fattening thing ever invented.
