Bait, Chapter 9

The replica rushed between rooms in the organizations stronghold, intent on finding an Elixir among one of the other members' possessions He had none of them in possession himself, and they were only given out at the beginning of a particularly long or dangerous missions. But some of the more scheming members could be counted on to hoard the more valuable items. He wouldn't normally even think of stealing from those particular members- if he was caught he was almost guaranteed to become someones knife sharpener- but the need was just too great this time.

Riku's condition was deteriorating fast, his fever had gotten higher during the night. Nothing could bring him out of the delirium fueled dreams now save the occasional choking fit. He wished there was something stronger on hand, but those sort of medicines were kept under lock and key. Elixir was all he could use- it wouldn't cure him, but it would at least give him enough strength to fight the sickness a little longer.

He had taken extra care to insure nobody was following him as he entered the next room. Decoration was forbidden, but Xigbar had still somehow managed to leave evidence of his personality. The bed was unmade, the table beside it stacked with books about gun maintenance and- unsurprisingly- bondage hentai.

He managed to find what he was looking for on one of the shelves in the wardrobe-a wooden box filled with vials of glowing green liquid. He pilfered one of the vials and made absolutely sure there was no evidence of the theft.

"What are you doing in here!" The replica froze as he realized who the owner of the voice was.

"Xigbar!"

"Are you deaf, fake? WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM?" The man practically screamed those last words as he approached the replica and seized him roughly by the wrist, slapping his hand until he released the vial in his closed fist. There was a shrill crashing sound as the vial broke at his feet, splashing its contents on both of them.

"Were you trying to steal from me, you vile little replica?"

"No, i wasn't! I was going to replace it...I swear."

"LIAR! What business did you have using an Elixir anyway? Going to use it on the little bastard in the dungeon?" The replica couldn't meet his gaze, knowing the man had figured out everything. "TALK, you FAKE!" Xigbar slapped the replica across the face, sending him spinning into the wardrobe.

The replica struck it hard enough to burst it open and scatter its contents. He lifted himself from the wreckage of the furniture and glared at Xigbar, blinking as blood flowed in his eye from a gash above his eyebrow. Even in his state there was no mistaking the defiance in the replica's face.

"That's not my name..."

"What did you just say?"

"I said that's not my name..." The replica stood up straighter, he lifted and pressed one hand to his cheek, a bruise beginning to form where Xigbar had struck him. "I may be a replica, but I most certainly am not fake. I am real, I have a name, and I have an identity."

Xigbar backed against the wall, seizing a dagger off the table that sat against it.

"You don't even know it!"

"I do in fact..." The replica held his hand out before him, as though trying to ward off an invisible blow.

"My name is Riku!"

Suddenly a weapon materialized in his hand, one he had never wielded but had seen once before- during that encounter in the belly of the whale. He stared at it in disbelief.

"A... Keyblade?"

He never got a chance to use it.

Xigbar had used the replica's moment of stunned shock to make his move. Rushing forward, he shoved the keyblade aside and plunged the dagger deep into the replica's stomach. The replica choked, bringing up a mouthful of blood and stared at Xigbar in wide-eyed disbelief. He felt a strange sensation besides the pain of the wound, as though the blade itself was eating away at his energy.

"What, this feeling...why?"

"You have been a constant thorn in my side ever since Xemnas ordered your creation. Why he allowed your worthless hide to be left alive after your...failure as a dark vessel still confuses the hell out of me. You've been nothing but dead space ever since."

The replica felt himself getting weaker. He let out a shaky gasp and fell to his knees.

"Oh, I see the effects are starting to sink in. You're feeling a bit weak right now, aren't you? This is no ordinary dagger. It is made of metal that has had a special kind of dark magic folded into it. As long as even a fragment of the metal stays in your body, it will slowly eat away at your energy, and ultimately your life force. I'd say you have about a week at most, but since i'm in a rather generous mood..." He seized the replica by the hair, pulling his head back and exposing his neck. "...I think I'll cut your suffering short" He yanked the dagger from the replica's body and slit his throat with it.

The replica let out a gurgling cry. Xigbar released him, allowing him to fall face-down into a puddle of his own blood. He lowered his mouth to the dying boy's ear. Even in his dying state, the Replica couldn't help but become enraged at his words.

"Take comfort in knowing you at least died doing something useful. I'd been anxious to find a guinea pig to try out that dagger on, you just happened to be there at the right time. Have a nice afterlife, fake." He stayed there, gloating, reveling in the boy's death throes until the Replica let out one last shaky breath, his body going still in the dark puddle of blood. Then he stood up, flashed the Replica's body a filthy smirk, and left the room.

End of Chapter 9.