animus_network | video; filtered from AU Replica Riku

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video; filtered from AU Replica Riku

[See: One Riku seated at a terminal, his head propped up by one hand while the fingers of his other hand tap against the edge of the keyboard.]

Just want to give everyone a quick heads-up. If you see somebody who looks like me, just a bit younger and with a black coat, he's my Replica.

Problem is, he thinks he is me, thanks to his memories. Can't say I know all the details, but what I do know is that he thinks I'm the copy and that I somehow managed to ruin his life.

[He sighs, leaning back in his seat.]

So, I guess what I want to know is, what should I even do about that? His memories must feel real if he believes in them so strongly. I can't just push him until he accepts the truth. That'd be too coldhearted for my liking.

But at the same time, I can't just keep him in the dark. If I do, he'll probably keep trying to take me out. He's... pretty stubborn, after all.

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[WHAT THE... This sounds so... familiar. But just different enough to make his own copy situation even more confusing.]

This Replica shares your memories... but he believes he is you, and not that you simply shared a past together. Is that right?

Sort of. It's more like he has altered versions of my memories. Ones that make him believe I ruined his life, stole his identity, and ripped out the heart of his best friend.

But those memories are false...

Have you met this Replica before coming here?

How else would I know so much about him?

We've met more times than I can count.

[Shoot. If this was a Tower thing, that would at least explain the other him that's running around, but now he's back to square one. Oh well...]

I see.

...How do you normally handle the situation?

Well, for a while, I just stood my ground. He's the one who played aggressor. Picking fights left and right, throwing around taunts...

But before I came here, I decided to just... try to treat him well, even if he's a pain sometimes. I figure that if I humor him a little, he'll at least calm down. That's better than having him at my throat all the time.

I see.

...Is that really the most that can be done in this kind of situation?

I just don't want to be too forceful. Memories are powerful, even fake ones.

That makes sense...

[He frowns a little, clearly not satisfied. But he'll take what he can get.]

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Edited 2013-02-19 00:43 (UTC)

For a start, you could point out to him that the other replicas have purple collars and you don't.

[He's not sure why he feels obligated to reply. Hence the anon.]

Then again, they're stubborn as hell when it comes to their identities. Even if it means they're being willfully blind.

[No one knows that better than him, nope.]

I can't just say, "by the way, you're a replica."

For one, he wouldn't believe it. He has fifteen years worth of memories under his belt. Memories that define him.

He'd probably call it a coincidence at best.

Trust me, I know. Mine lived as me for seven years. That he didn't have any memories from before his birth was one of the few things that got him to believe me.

Unless there's something else that distinguishes replicas in your world, there's not an easy answer.

There's nothing to distinguish us besides his memories. His powers, his looks... Well, okay, he does look a bit younger, but if it weren't for the fact that I'm around, it'd probably be impossible to tell he is a clone.

...He isn't the only one with those coats now, 'Riku.'

[Man, it's weird saying that. ~~Also screw you, Jason.~~]

...True.

But he is the only one who'd go on and on about a "Fake," trying to paint the rest of us as enemies or, worse... Creations DiZ threw together.

...DiZ? [A beat.] I don't know... Probably would have been close to the same if it hadn't been for being forced to face reality, myself.

Maybe.

[He shrugs.]

But he's... got reason to feel this way, I guess. His memories tell him that I'm the replica and that I tore out his best friend's heart and stole his identity. Probably even his friends.

Guess I'd feel the same way in his position.

...Man. And I thought they messed my memories up.

[Even he knew that wasn't the case.]

If it's like that, it'll be harder to get through to him. Not even Sora or Naminé could get through to me until I collapsed.

Collapsed?

[...Well, that sounds unpleasant.]

Just wish there was some way to at least cool him off. Form a truce if I have to.

... It's a long story.

[One he like won't be telling, least of all on the network.]

From what I saw, the admins may just give you a reason.

[Sigh. He does have a point there.]

True. If anyone would try to shake things up, it'd be them.

[Sadly. Still, watching a "him" go through this is just painful, so maybe just this once, he'll offer to be nice. (gasp!)]

... Look, if you ever need help with damage control... let me know. I'd rather not watch another "me" go through what happened back in Castle Oblivion, and there are others here who would just let slip what we are. Not as bad as who let the cat out of the bag for me, but...

[y e a h. It got ugly enough that he isn't simply looking the other way.]

As long as you're up to it, I definitely can't complain. You'd probably understand his situation better than anybody.

[Since it does sound like he went through something similar and all.]

[He gives a wry hint of a smile at that.] Who better to understand then yourself?

[He did, it sucked, and Axel was/is a jerk. May be different circumstances, but... it's still a version of himself.]

Fair point. The circumstances might be different, but you're still parallel versions of each other with your experiences being what sets you apart.

[At the core, they're still very much alike, which is what counts above all.]

Exactly.

[He just... hopes this Riku's Replica doesn't... take it as badly as he did.]

Okay how many damn replicas, copies, whatever do we have around here?

[You're making him feel like less of a special snowflake.]

Hey, beats me. The only ones I know about are the few people who've mentioned it over the network and the two versions of my Replica.

And that's not counting doubles of non-replicas from other universes.

It hurts knowing your existence is a lie. It hurts more after you realize the truth.

Of course he's not going to believe you because hose memories made him who is he. In a sense, the host is what made us...them. After he accepts the face, he's free to choose where to walk from there.

Of course. I can't even begin to imagine how much it'd hurt, either.

And that's why I'm stuck. I can't just pretend to be the Fake in his memories. Those memories tell him that I'm some sick, twisted monster.

It's why he acted so stubborn when I helped him-- heck, he nearly threw a fit when I saved his life.

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