Author's Note: Rarmaster here! I wrote this chapter, might I add, i had a TON of fun writing it. Poor Joseph, keeps getting interrupted... erm... I'd say more, but I'll just let the chapter speak for itself.
Note from forevermagik13: Just so you know, rarmaster is still away, but she left this for me beforehand and I am posting it now :) Last I heard, she was going to TRY and get something up tomorrow evening when she gets back. But, if not, something should be up by Saturday, for all of you who are just DYING to know what happens next in Dead Inside.
"You see, I'm not a true Replica," Joseph was explaining, much to Vexen's interest. He was frantically taking notes on everything Joseph was saying. "I was an experiment. Master Vexen wanted to see what would happen if he combined data. I was the result," Joseph shrugged.
This is simply fascinating, Vexen thought to himself. I can't believe how well the Replica Program has gotten along over here.
"That, and Saix doesn't like me for some reason," Joseph continued with a shrug. "Everyone else does. I don't see what Saix's problem is. Though, Saix does have a lot of problems. Oh wait, I probably shouldn't have said that."
Someone laughed, Joseph turned to them and grinned, before turning back to Vexen. He was still taking notes. Joseph paused, trying to think of something else to say. He had been told to keep Vexen occupied (only because no one else wanted to talk to him) and had, surprisingly, run out of things to talk about.
"Joseph!" someone called. Joseph cringed. If he didn't stop this now, he would have just run into the problem he had been told to avoid. He had been told to keep Vexen busy while someone else warned Riku. However, it seemed that didn't work too well.
"I've been looking for you!" Riku continued, walking over.
"Sir, please," Joseph said, trying to get Riku out of here before Vexen noticed. (Vexen was still taking notes, so he figured he had a fair chance.) "You really should-"
"Riku!" Vexen exclaimed.
Joseph cringed again. Of course Vexen had to look up now.
Vexen was currently analyzing the situation, just to see how high the possibility was that this was his Riku. The possibility was high, but he wanted to be positive before he said anything.
Riku frowned, raising his eyebrows at Vexen, not quite understanding. Slowly, he asked: "What number are you?"
"Sir," Joseph said quickly, trying to explain. "He's not-"
"It is!" Vexen exclaimed, interrupting Joseph again. Joseph groaned. "My Riku. Here!"
"What?" Riku asked, taking a step back and instinctively flashing into Dark Mode. "What are you talking about!"
Vexen grinned. "You haven't changed a bit!" he exclaimed in excitment. Riku continued to stare in shock. "Though… you have gotten taller," Vexen said slowly.
Riku continued to stare, utterly bewildered, and totally at a loss as to what was going on.
"Stop gaping!" Vexen snapped.
"What?" Riku asked again, still confused.
"I tried to warn you, sir," Joseph muttered.
"You don't recognize me?" Vexen asked.
Riku slowly shook his head. "I see a hundred Vexens a day," he replied. "You don't look any different from the rest of them."
"So you don't recognize me."
"That's what I said," Riku muttered, rolling his eyes.
"Don't roll your eyes at me!" Vexen snapped.
Riku turned away. "Sorry, sir," he muttered, and then gasped. "Wait! What did I just-"
Vexen burst out laughing. "So I did program you as well as I thought I did! I couldn't remember…"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Riku insisted, taking another step back. "Whoare you?"
"Vexen!"
"That doesn't mean anything!" Riku exclaimed, getting rather frustrated. After a moment, he paused, the realization slowly hitting him. "Hang on, you're… Vexen. As in… the real Vexen?"
Vexen simply nodded, obviously pleased that Riku finally understood.
"He's also from a parallel universe," Joseph muttered. "The same one you're from, I think."
Riku twitched slightly. "But you're DEAD!" he exclaimed after a moment.