All hearts begin in darkness, and all so end... [BACKDATED to the event]

[keybearer]

Characters: Riku [AU3] and OPEN
Setting: All around the tower.
Format: Action preferred.
Summary: Riku's collar has shifted to orange, leaving him extremely lightheaded and his darkness out of control. What he once had in check is now raging inside him. Somewhere around the 13th - 15th, I guess! I'm not too picky.
Warnings: May get kinda violent? We shall see!

[The moment his collar changed colors, he knew something was wrong. All of the sudden, he could barely keep his head on straight. It was like he was in a constant daze. To make matters worse, he felt like something was squeezing his heart. Crushing it, even. To make matters worse, he kept thinking about his guilt, loneliness, jealousy, fear... and rage. Rage because of his own selfish actions, rage because of that Replica who'd stolen his best friend, and rage because of the Organization that rewrote his memories.

Since then, he's tried to keep his mind off of these harsh feelings. To find something to distract himself despite his dizziness.

It's just not working.

Those wandering the tower may find Riku stumbling around with his Keyblade in hand, complete with a darker appearance than usual. As he moves, he often stops to clutch onto the front of his shirt, breathing heavily.

His eyes are, oddly, gold in color. He probably hasn't noticed this yet. However, he does frequently stop to launch dark fireballs at any approaching monsters or, heck, anything that gets too close. He's not thinking straight. He just can't control this power. After all, it's a power he refused to use before. Now that same darkness is eating away at him.]

Comments

Early 13th before Days!ku's memories get messed with?

[justabignobody]

[He is not the only one having problems with his Darkness... though admittedly this Riku's troubles aren't quite as big as his double's. Keeping the Soul Eater out helps, he's discovered - not that it's much of a surprise considering what the blade is thriving on - at least with keeping his Darkness somewhat in check, even if it doesn't quite help with the lightheaded-ness.

Still, it's easy to see just what is going on with the other, when one has as much own experience with the Darkness... and what would happen to him, if it kept up. So... how to avoid that... it doesn't look like he's entirely conscious of what he's doing.

...Likely, considering that he's just had to dodge a Dark Firaga.

It might be worth a try anyways. If only to say that he had tried before he resorted to knocking him out instead.]

Hey! Snap out of it.

Works for me! :D

[keybearer]

[It takes a moment for his double's presence to register. Riku's just too caught up in a dizzy spell, and the throbbing in his chest isn't helping. Letting out a pained groan, he leans against one of the walls, clutching tightly onto Oblivion.

"...Snap out of it!"

Shaking his head, he stands up straight and rubs his eyes. Luckily, he hasn't sent more darkness flying through the air.]

...That's. Easier said than done.

\o/

[justabignobody]

[Looks like he isn't too far gone yet after all. Good. He can work with that.

He uses the opportunity to take a step closer and reach out to place a hand on his doubles shoulder.]

You are dealing with your Darkness. It's not supposed to be easy.

[Read: Suck it up. >.>;

So much for the unhelpful. He'll try to do better now.]

Breath. Try thinking about Kairi. You wouldn't want her to see you like this, right?

[keybearer]

[Kairi.

Kairi... she wouldn't--

I believe in you!

Those words ring in the back of his mind, and he shuts his eyes tightly. He does just what his double instructed him to and tries to breath slowly. Carefully.

His head's still spinning, his heart's still throbbing. Any minute now, he could send more darkness flying through the air-- there's definitely some forming around his hand, even if he's trying to hold it back.]

[justabignobody]

[He tightens the hand on his double's shoulder a little, just to make sure the other doesn't forget he's here - he's not alone. A frown flickers over his face as he tries to put in words what he had just figured out for himself since Castle Oblivion - the secrets to controlling one's Darkness.

Just knowing something is maybe not quite enough to instruct others with any semblance of sense though - even though he's been trying to instruct the other Sora, it's hard to find the words for something he just realized... with maybe a little help of Naminé.

...Especially when he has some control issues himself.

Speaking of which, his Darkness just started to act up as well - maybe as reaction to his double - his shadow darkening, then slowly crawling up his feet... He takes a breath of his own, eyes closing, grip tightening even more, as he wills the Darkness away again.

He takes another breath, blinking to get some of that damn lightheaded feeling to pass, as he well tries to explain what is maybe kind of hard to put in words.]

You can't fight it directly. The Darkness... it fights back, grows stronger the more you deny that it's there... and that's not a battle that can be won on the long run, especially not with the tower interfering.

[forceless]

--Whoah!

[Ven was no stranger to Golden Eyes and well, when you almost get a Dark Firaga in your face. That's definitely a bad sign.]

Riku...?!

[Danger be damned though! Ven was ready to bust out his own keyblade and dodge around some more dark fireballs, but he was still going to run over to Riku and to check up on him.] What's wrong?!

[keybearer]

Sor--

[No. It's not. It's... Ventus, isn't it? Riku groans, shaking his head and clutching onto his chest even tighter than before.]

Darkness. That's what's wrong, Ven.

[forceless]

What....?

[OK it's not like he was a stranger to darkness problems but....Why Riku? This guy at least never seemed to have much trouble with it before.]

Are you OK? Can you still control it at all?

[keybearer]

I--

[He slams his fist into a wall, dark flames spreading all around his fist.]

... no.

[forceless]

[The fist slamming, and flames were. A bit off-putting, to say the least. He jumped slightly.]

Um...[And bit his lip. He had no idea how to deal with this!]

Is, is there anything you can do to use up your magic something? Make yourself run out of steam?