First ★ [Voice/Action]

[limitless_land]

[What am I supposed to do now?

He doesn't know when his perpetual black faded into sleep, nor when he fell back on his bed--or when he got soaked for that matter. What he did know was that when he awakened... he was soaked, and could smell saltwater. Not to mention he was on the ground somewhere.] What...?

[Riku opens his eyes beneath the blindfold, regretting it a moment when the salt water began to make them sting. What he can subtly make out behind the cloth was that he was in a city of sorts, a few Hearts and shadow figures-meaning whole individuals-passing by... and was that a coral split into two? He shook his head, getting to his feet. Maybe it was time to get some answers, as well as dry off.

His hand immediately finds the SFC and after studying it along with drying off/out his blindfold and himself to the best of his ability if the towel over his head is anything to go by... he decides to make his presence known. The feed clicks.]

...Vatheon, huh. I don't suppose anyone would have any ideas as to why we are in the first place?

[Of course, the local who gave him a towel and a hair dryer for his blindfold had said nothing about why he was here. Rather, they changed the subject rather quickly. It irritated him, yes, but maybe someone else had the answers he desired.

Anyone wandering the plaza could quite well find him donning the black coat synonymous with the Organization and eyes hidden by a black blindfold to match, leaning against the wall of one of the many stores, examining the SFC and its functions as he gained his bearings.]

Comments

omg there's going to be so much epic because of this, I can feel it. XD

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

[There's always a price to be paid, as they say.

He smirked, altogether too amused, despite the rather sobering fact that his original thought was confirmed with those two questions. Joshua flipped his hair, a force of habit when in his RG identity.]

Well, it's quite the conundrum, wouldn't you say? We ended up here by some inexplicable force, and now we can't escape. The exit eludes us much like a shadow that turned the corner on the other end of an alley way. So, we're stuck here.

[Joshua giggles, ignoring the other question.]

Do I need to spell it out more for you?

There is ;w; Only reason I didn't change it back to his old canon point was because of dis epic.

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

[As if "Ansem's" shadow wasn't enough.

Glad one of them is amused. As for Riku, he's frowning with his arms crossed as he watched and listened to the other speak. Something about him was slightly off-putting and garnered a faint dislike, though the similarity between himself and this guy seemed to lower the bar to annoyance.

But for ignoring the question... he scowled.]

Could have done without the analogy. [Eye twitch. The shadows seem to like him.]

Hee hee, I feel so awesome, to quote Neku. :D

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

[There are arguably worse than Anasem's shadow.

He was aware of Riku's annoyance, and it only bolstered his amusement. He knew of his effect on people with his personality, knew and liked the freedom of it. It helped to balance out his more serious nature when using his Composer persona.

Joshua smirked in the face of that scowl.]

Really? I find it quite clever myself. [A giggle.] Besides, isn't that, too, what you are? Dressed all in black, and wearing a blindfold besides...I'd say you would be a shadow in that alley.

stfu XD

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

[I see what you did there, bro. The real thing, you mean?

Whatever; so long as he could sense something other than an incredibly dark tint to this one's soul... he wouldn't lunge at his throat or anything like he used to back a couple months ago (to him, that is).

...Cute.]

Or on the wall, like I am currently.

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

[The real thing, the Nobody, hell, all of their incarnations in one place sounds positively terrifying.

If Riku had done that, then he would've been in for one hell of a surprise. Joshua lazily shrugged at him, not at all caring.]

I suppose I should introduce myself. Yoshiya Kiryu, parents call me Joshua. I guess you can call me that, too, if you want.

[He leaned against the wall, positively uncaring and potentially opening himself up for an attack. Though, Joshua had the feeling that Riku wouldn't, unless pushed to that point. He was morbidly curious at how much it would take for it, but decided to not experiment at the moment.]

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

[Aren't you glad by his time he's metaphysically crushed the Heartless' head under his foot?

Self-restraint. He learned it the hard way what with possession and almost getting killed for not giving into the dark power within him. He watches from the corner of his eye, distrustful and yet... curious.]

I would introduce myself, but you already seem to know my true name.

[Quite a bit, actually. He's much more mellow than the one you remember in the fact that he's humbled and worried about Sora on the outside. That, and he is still without one crucial weapon...]

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

[I'm very proud of him, yes.

A-ha. The curiosity he could see mingled with the distrust told him more than enough. Joshua could only imagine what it might have been like if the two had been forced into a pact in the Game. Granted, it would've been an illegal Game, but the details would've been sorted out.]

True name, you say? My, my, I didn't think 'Riku' should've been such a secret!

[While he had a good reason to think that future-Riku will punch him for it, he was going to test just how patient the teen really was. They had no need for another unexpected crater in Vatheon.]

Any questions you want to ask?

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

[Good, because it looks like he might be having fun in a few days. -- And... what. :| Do we really want a repeat of what happened during Neku's second week? Do we?]

I'm known as an 'impostor' to most who know I'm still alive back home.

[After all: dressed like an Organization member while being a Somebody, escaping the realm of darkness. Just for a start. ...Be careful; present-Riku could very well do the same.

He contemplated what to ask for a moment; after all, he still cared for the world order. Might as well get the general new person questions out of the way.]

The local at this store mentioned the name of this city was Vatheon... but neglected to say why we were brought here in the first place. Would you happen to know why?

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

[Joshua's always having fun. Hm...yes, no, maybe so?]

'Impostor.' My, you really are a shadow, aren't you?

[It'd be such a shame for present-Riku to find that he can't quite hurt him with fists alone.

Purple eyes lazily, yet calmly, regarded him. It was rather like a mathematician giving an easy equation a mildly interested glance before solving it with practiced ease. He shrugged.]

Frankly, it's an experiment. We know very little of Vatheon. Most fingers point to the coral, called the Lamufao, and a few point to other prominent figures here.

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

Or just lurk within them more than society deems acceptable.

[Maybe. That's why he has Impulse and dark magic, but hey; he wasn't looking to harm him just yet. The feeling of being studied, though... he despised it.]

Hm... [He takes in that information, mulling it over. An experiment of sorts... more than likely pulling in many people from different worlds. But what was the purpose of the experiment, and was it limited to just worlds? He'd obviously been dealing with Nobodies far too much recently.]

I've noticed we're from different worlds... but are those pulled here limited to just places?

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

Depends on which society you look at, doesn't it?

[Josh hums at that.]

Different worlds and different times. It doesn't seem to discriminate on who comes here.

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

Any with a moral spine, then.

[Storing that information away, then. Hm...]

... Great. [He can already think of one person who he doesn't want to come here. Ever.]

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

Even morals can be questionable, despite whatever good intentions they may have.

[So can Joshua.]

So far, it's mostly "hero-types" around here. Not much in the way of riffraff, though I suppose you could say that we do have some "sophisticated" villains.

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

[A humorless chuckle.] Isn't that the truth...

[So much prejudice and death wishes; you don't even know.]

Oh really. And now that you've said that, it's only a matter of time before a psychotic one shows up.

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

[It's okay, Joshua's amused enough for two people.] One could argue that it's the gospel truth.

[Psychotic math fetishist that tried to kill him, but at least he made the Game more interesting. The teen giggles.]

He's come and gone already. Oh, but you wouldn't remember that.

[Kinda a low blow, but damn it, Riku, you left suddenly and had left him a note with an apology on it. Yes, he's a little miffed by that, as grateful and happy-ish as he was about the teen being back.]

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

[Good for him, then. Though, that just earned an eye roll. Ugh, that was horrible. -- At least it was only one person and not a group of thirteen emotionless husks.]

... [He kicks himself off the wall he was leaning against, narrowing his eyes at the kid. Remember...? Yet another hint that someone at least like him, if not him, had been here before. To be honest, he was getting sick of this game.]

What do you mean by that.

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

[He didn't regret it, at all.

Joshua stretched his arms, quite obviously not caring about Riku's reaction. He never cared if people liked playing his games, considering he would just go on playing them anyway.]

What, didn't I mention you were here before?

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

...

You neglected to mention that.

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

But how else would I have known you if you hadn't been here before? Unless you're more infamous than I gathered.

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying it doesn't make sense. [Urge to strangle... repressed. He's still a bit disoriented thanks to all of this.]

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

[It really is like Week 2 all over again!]

Though, perhaps, in a way it's a good thing you don't remember. [One word: Enjin.] The blindfold's a new addition, I must admit.

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

[I FUCKING TOLD YOU.]

It's still going to end up driving me nuts. [Looking at Zira's last entry, he's still going to be the therapist, isn't he. :|a He hesitates a moment before pulling it up slightly to get a better look at Joshua. After giving him a once over, he nods faintly before letting the cloth slip back down over his eye. After all, a few dark whisps were already rolling off his shoulders.]

I don't know how I was then, but... there's a reason I wear it.

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

[NOT LIKE IT'S A BAD THING, HE'S JUST GETTING SOME MAJOR DEJA VU.]

I'll just leave the clean-up to Kairi, then. [Riku is everyone's family therapist, so long as he's post-Kingdom Hearts I. :D Joshua spies those whisps of shadow, and files it away in his mind.]

And that reason likely involves the darkness. [He tilts his head minutely.] You seem to be walking a finer line than when I last saw you.

[limitless-land.livejournal.com]

[WELL THEN ENJOY THE MAJOR DEJA VU. THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF IT.]

... If I can face her like this. [Yeaaah, that fine line? It makes it incredibly hard for him to face his friends since it's still there. And... nailed it, Joshua. Right on the head. If he trusted you, he would have already said 'because it's not mine.']

More or less.

[oh-neku-dear.livejournal.com]

[I WILL MAJORLY ENJOY IT. BUT IF RIKU EVER SAYS, "I feel so epic," TO ANYONE, JOSHUA WILL BE THERE TO LAUGH AT HIM FOREVER.]

She's rather missed you and Sora. Regardless, I'm sure she'll understand. [Just playing messenger. A shame, but it'll get back to that point, eventually. So, have a knowing look, Riku.]

You've chosen a hard path. I wonder, will you turn out to be a dark grey? Light? Or perhaps you'll go between them.