36 [Voice]

[flameandpassion]

Riku's PCD is offline.

[She sounds oddly... calm about the news, but those that know her well know that it's getting to her. First Makoto vanishes, then Rhode vanishes, making Tyki unstable, and now Riku.

Especially Riku. Because Rei knows what's lying in store for him when he returns home.

There's a quiet pause, as if she's about to continue with what she's going to say, before she shuts off her PCD.]

Comments

[Voice]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

[It's you and Zack he's worried about.]

You'll see her again too.

[Voice]

[flameandpassion]

I know I will.

[She has full faith that she'll see Makoto again. That's not what bothers her.]

[Voice]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Mm.

[Well, this was awkward.]

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

... Riku goes home to a war that he gets stuck in the middle of.

He changes. A lot. And he spends a long, long time trying to find peace.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Most of us are going back to a war we won't be able to find peace in.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

I know.

[Herself included.]

But not everyone loses who they are in the process.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

It's hard not to, Rei.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

But it's possible to keep going, without losing yourself, to keep fighting even if you're going to lose.

[She knows this, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Icon is totally relevant.]

And to not let the darkness win.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Mm.

But it's up to him to come to that conclusion himself.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

... I know.

It's just painful to know what he's going back to. What anyone goes back to.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Then stop looking.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

... he asked me to see where his friends were. I couldn't say no.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

You never can.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

If people need my help, I'm going to give it to them.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

I know.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

I don't think that's a bad thing.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Never said it was.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

But you don't think I should look ahead.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

That would make me a hypocrite wouldn't it?

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

[She shrugs. Plenty of people are hypocrites. It doesn't really surprise her anymore. Besides, looking ahead for many people is different than looking ahead for one or two.]

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

[He can't hear you shrug, Rei, and he sighs at the silence.]

Do things happen for a reason, or because we make them happen?

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

Both.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

I should have known you'd say that.

[He's silent for a moment, before sighing heavily.]

He'll be okay. He's a strong kid.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

I believe in fate and destiny. Our own choices are stepping stones on that path.

[The next part... she purses her lips to avoid answering.]

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

[He didn't think she would. But it's the best he can come up with. He's not exactly in the most comforting of moods.]

So which one are we?