[ AUDIENCE: BRADLEY BAIN ]

[dormheads]

Comments

[battling]

[ ... ?! ]

Riku...?

[darksubverted]

[He starts to speed up, but then stumbles? No, it isn't stumbling. He drops down onto the floor.]

[battling]

[ He hurries over to make sure he's not injured. Hand on his shoulder. ]

[darksubverted]

[help he's dead

No. He's just letting out a small groan as he lifts his shoulders and head up.]

[battling]

[ So help me I will find you and fight you.

Bradley's right there, crouched beside him. ]

Are ya okay...?

[darksubverted]

[He squints and frowns at Bradley, and then looks down. His fist bangs the ground a little in frustration.]

Not again.

[battling]

You're back?

[It's Riku this time, right?

He squeezes Riku's shoulder.]

[darksubverted]

Yeah... It's me.

[After a moment, he pushes himself up to his knees and feet.]

[battling]

[A deep sigh of relief as he gets back up. There's a moment of hesitation and then he offers his hand to Riku.

Glad you're back.]

Any idea what could've triggered it?

[darksubverted]

...No.

[He glances at the hand, and then clasps it to use it to pull himself back up to his feet.]

[battling]

[He squeezes Riku's hand gently, before letting go.]

Accordin' to Bird, it happened to Winter too. It didn't last fer long but...

[Now he's worried about the fake personalities coming back.]

[darksubverted]

[It's just a squeeze, but it's reassuring. Something like the PG equivalent of "GOD DAMMIT" comes out of his thoughts.]

Yeah, it's... happened already to us at least once.

[battling]

When we first got here...

[He nods.]

I seriously hate this place. Have ya seen this already?

[The photo]

[darksubverted]

No. Well, yeah, but I mean... again. Yesterday.

[He peers at the photo Bradley hands him, and then looks both horrified and angry at the same time.]

Did you find that there...?

[battling]

[FROWNS. Ain't good.]

Found it on our way back.

Think it's the story tryin' to get the endin' it wants?

[darksubverted]

[Agreed.]

Probably, but that just means...

[Well. If they're the ones who keep getting overwritten...]

[battling]

Wants ya to be the villain.

[I don't want you to be.]

[darksubverted]

[He frowns heavily.]

I don't know. We might not be. It might just be using us to scare all of you.

[battling]

Jumpin' to conclusions... we're runnin' outta time, but if we ain't gettin' to the right answer we need to take it one bit at a time.

[Stop fucking with them. I'd make the better villain.]

[darksubverted]

Stop. Don't-- [He starts to say "say," but Bradley isn't really speaking.] Stop thinking that.

It's better if it's us, not any of you.

[battling]

[I'm a bandit. It's just true.]

Why's it better if it's you?

[darksubverted]

[No.]

Because--because. There are only four of us, but there's more of you. Because... it's better to save all of you than only four of us. If it comes down to it.

[battling]

[ Soft. I don't-]

There's no reason to make everyone a villain. No plural here.

[darksubverted]

Then just one of us then. If it comes to that. I'm not letting any of you just decide to let this place turn you into its plaything.

[battling]

You have people to get back to, Riku. Don't you fuckin' dare throw yerself into the villain.