[open] All I Fear Means Nothing

[dreamprotector]

WHO: Riku and (mostly) open!
WHERE: Maurtia Falls – House #7, the parks around the city, Flying Friends Bat Sanctuary!
WHEN: Early February!
WHAT: Sora and Kairi both need a teacher, so Riku takes up the responsibility… but not before testing out his methods a little first! And retreating into the bat sanctuary later, because even new Masters need an actual break every now and then.
WARNINGS: Nothing big, maybe potential for minor injuries during training. Or something, I guess.

[ A – Maurtia Falls #7 – closed to Sora ]

[A few days after that blabbermouth mess, as he likes to dub it, Riku finds that is time to have that talk that he promised Sora. They can finally control what they are saying again, so they can actually talk about Sora's power loss like adults… or somewhat mature people anyway, all things considered – even Riku doesn't think of himself as adult yet, even though he knows that it's technically only a few months until he is of age… or what Destiny Islands considers to be "of age" anyway.

He plants himself in the den of their house, arms loose as he reads himself through the newest network posts, but relaxed as he might seem, he is definitely waiting for something.

Or rather someone.

Sora better not think that he's actually forgotten about this, because Riku definitely wants to have words about the loss of his powers and more importantly the fact that Sora kept that secret from him.]


[ B – various parks in Maurtia Falls – open ]

[Over the next week, Riku can be found jogging a few laps around different parks in Maurtia Falls during the early morning – he is diligent to keep moderate and steady speed as he tests out the areas… how steep are the ups and downs, if there are any in the first place, how long is the route he's chosen in first place, that sort of thing.

Sora and he can take on a lot stamina wise, and even though Kairi had never been far during their years growing up, she had sat out most of their games, preferring to cheer them on instead. Who'd have thought that this would come back to bite them. Can she catch up to them, in that? Probably not… but it won't hurt to make sure she's a bit closer anyway, even knowing that it will likely be frustrating for them all for the first few weeks.

That's going to be the biggest hurdle, Riku thinks as he takes a break by a tree, drawing in the cold February morning air before he sighs.

It'll be worth it though, because Kairi wants this now, and it will only benefit them all if she can defend herself better than she can now.

He is about to move on again, when his eyes fall onto a broken off branch… a stick really. He picks it up after a second of thought, a small smile tugging at his lips as he falls into a sword stance.

It's not his usual overhead stance, but an older one… the one he, they'd been taught by Old Pele, the once dance and sword master of Destiny Islands. She'd turn in her grave, if she could see them now… if she knew that he and Sora hadn't practiced anything she had taught them in ages, or at least not the way she had taught them.

He makes it through the first few movements that she taught him and Sora way back when – they are very stiff; it's been a long time since he practiced them – before the stick breaks in his hand… and Riku is left looking down at it laughing to himself.]

Well, it is just a stick. But I guess, I should look into getting wood swords somewhere.

[And well… get Kairi used to those first before they move on to practicing with Keyblades. Small steps and all that.]


[ C – Flying Friends Bat Sanctuary & Exotic Animal Care – open ]

[The bat sanctuary is a good place to retreat to, Riku has found. His superior is just as annoyed with her new part-timers tabloid fame as Riku himself is, and has put her foot down on letting any kind of press visitors into the building.

Not all publicity is good publicity, after all.

The other upside of this job are the bats themselves. Sure, cleaning after them isn't the most exciting job there's ever been, but what job ever has only upsides? Still, sitting down in the middle of the now cleaned bat pen during break time does have something very calming to him.

He leans back and smiles up towards the ceiling, where most of the bats have taken refuge to nap away the day time.]

…I kind of wish I could introduce Highwind to you guys.

[The Dream Eater would probably get a blast out of meeting his… not-quite-congener. …Though maybe it's for the best that he isn't here to agitate the other bats, for all that he would only want to make friends with them.

Have you come to visit the sanctuary for donations or in hope of finding a job here yourself? Or maybe just to visit the bats? Either way, now is the time to see a teenager carefully petting and feeding small winged animals.

It seems, Riku is doing just fine here.]


[ D – Hold Up Your Wild Card ]

[ooc: Got another idea or need another prompt? Hit me via PM or on plurk (iceyly) for plotting!]

Comments

B!!

[heartslight]

[ Kairi's come with him this time, wanting to get started as soon as she can. She has to choose between this and school, considering she can't handle the stamina necessary to train in the morning, go to school for 8 hours, and possibly even go to her part-time job, too, if it's a day where she has that. And while she'd like to attend school, for the bit of normalcy it gives (and she does genuinely like learning — history class in this world is especially neat), it's far more important to her to begin her training.

Regardless of whether Riku's considering this the official beginning of her training, or if he's still considering it a trial run of this park's path, she's giving it her all. She runs more slowly than the other two boys would — doesn't really have a "runner's posture", or however you might refer to the experienced way a runner holds themself as they run — and for much less time, too, but she's not giving up. She's tired, but she won't stop or walk.

At least until she finishes the first lap — which is admittedly not super long, only about a half mile, and she comes to a slow and tired stop once she reaches Riku, who she'd been considering the "finish line" for this lap.

She sounds like she just ran a marathon, but she very obviously didn't ... she's just not yet ready for long distances. She does her best to at least not sit down — she keeps herself on her feet, but just leans over, placing her hands on her knees and panting. This will definitely be a journey for her. ]

I-I made it ...

[ Only once around, but it's a start? ]

[dreamprotector]

[Well, Riku isn't quite sure if this is the best route for them to take just yet, but it's a start that Kairi is coming with him on the run. A pretty good start all things considered, even if Kairi probably feels totally out of breath right now… maybe he should take that as a sign that he'll need to find an a little easier route for her to start with.

He can chase Sora five times around this one though, as a warm up, that's for sure, because Riku only feels pleasantly warm and not even the least bit winded. Even without his powers, Sora should be more than able to keep up with him stamina wise, right? Right.

He smiles at Kairi as he approaches, nodding at her.]

You did… but I think I'll look for a different route for you to start with. Building stamina has to happen gradually. If I keep forcing you to run like this right now, we aren't going to get anywhere soon.

[And he wants to do this right by Kairi. Slow and steady is the way right now, especially while they have the time for it.]

[heartslight]

[ Even if he hasn't decided on a place yet, the sooner she starts the better. Especially if stamina is going to take a while to build. She doesn't want to waste any time in her goal — anyone should know her well enough by now to know that she's too determined sometimes.

She's amazed at how Riku can feel totally fine after running so much, but that really is the gap between them, huh. Not that it deters her at all. Really all it does is spur her on.

She uses all her strength to stand straight up again, still panting like crazy. ]

Okay ... It's really gonna take that long?

[ She's only a little impatient. But only because this is important to her. ]

[dreamprotector]

[Indeed it is, he isn't about to argue against it.

He tries his best to suppress the grin he can feel tugging further at his lips – her impatience and determination is kind of adorable and amusing. Not that he means to laugh at her, but still… who would have thought two years ago that the girl that then used to sit out their games and play judge for them would throw herself into the fray like this.]

Well, it will be a couple of weeks until you are able to keep up better in the very least. But we'll start actual Keyblade training before that already. This is just something we can't ignore either.

[Because technique won't help her much if she doesn't have the endurance to match.]

[heartslight]

[ She looks a little sad when he says it'll take a couple weeks for her to be able to keep up, but then her eyes light up a little at the talk of Keyblade training. Suddenly she feels like she has all the energy in the world! ]

Great! I can't wait! When are we starting?

[ And she goes to take a step toward him out of ... well, just plain excitement, when her knee definitely buckles because oh boy is her body tired from all that running, and she just falls forward.

Oops. ]

[dreamprotector]

[This time Riku really can't help but laugh a little, even as he takes a step towards her and reaches to catch her before she can actually fall on her nose. He's never seen her excited like this about exercise… and it kind of makes him happy that he'll be able to get her where she wants to go, even if he's still a little nervous about teaching her.]

When you can run at least three rounds like this one without falling over afterwards.

[Though, maybe he'll start her on a few basic stances before that… but he doesn't have to tell her that just yet, right? For now getting her stamina up is the most important thing.]

[heartslight]

[ Ah ... Thank you, Riku. She appreciates being caught. She's so tired, oh gosh.

And she takes a moment to straighten herself back up, but she places a hand on his arm to keep herself steady. She won't let herself sit but she'll at least let herself hold onto her friend.

That's a tall order from him, but ... ]

Okay! I'll do it within a week!

[ Kairi no ]

[namesaquestion]

[Nikolai's only here because he wants to learn more about this world's bats. They're not as big as his own (who's happily tucked away in the greatball on Niko's belt), but they are bats.

He doubts he'll learn anything new, but if he really wants to be the best... Tch. No harm in trying, right?]

Who's that? Your pet?

[Sup, Riku. Enjoy figuring Niko out, because his Darkness is trying it's best to hide that growing Light in him.]

[dreamprotector]

[Riku looks up from where he sits on the floor, head tilting a little. Huh, well that's some Darkness… though nothing that's ultimately alarming. There is Darkness everywhere after all, sometimes more and sometimes less.]

…Who, Highwind? Well, I guess… though he was really more of a partner to me.

[A faint smile tugs at his lips at that, because well… sometimes he misses the Dream Eaters. They are pretty handy in a fight… and very good company too.]

[namesaquestion]

[There's a bit of a squint before-]

Hmph. So your boyfriend then.

[.... look. there's robots and weird humaniod aliens running around, not to mention what's implied in the pokeworld. So...]

[dreamprotector]

[…Riku needs a moment to process that comment before.]

…What? No! It's not like that; he's a bat that was my partner in battle.

[Just, eww. Thanks for mental images that he never, ever ever wanted to have.]

A!

[happylocksmith]

[Sora’s not exactly been avoiding the conversation he needs to have with Riku. It’s just… he would prefer not to have to have it. That’s it. He’s outgrown the need to constantly compete with Riku at every turn, and up until he took his exam he was confident enough in his own abilities that it didn’t matter anymore.

And then he’d failed and nearly lost himself. If it hadn’t been for Riku…

It’s not that he’s not happy for his best friend to have succeeded where he failed – he’ll tell anyone who’ll listen how proud of Riku he is, but in the pit of his gut there’s a dull ache that he doesn’t like to prod. They should have both become Masters, he shouldn’t have fallen for such an obvious trap, he shouldn’t have charged in head first without thinking about the consequences and ended up in trouble. Now he’s paying for it. His powers have taken a hit, he doesn’t know when he’ll get them back or how and he has no idea where to start.
To be honest, the only reason he hasn’t brought it up to his friends is because he’s embarrassed and ashamed of himself.

He’s on his way home from his shift at work carrying a big bag of snacks (and something else, tucked away and hidden beneath a bumper bag of chips), and as he walks in through the door and sees Riku on the couch, his face brightens.]

Hey! Good day? Is Kairi home?

[dreamprotector]

[They should both have become Masters – Riku more than agrees on that. Still, he had assumed that in spite of not getting the title, Sora went still out strengthened out of the whole affair… and finding out that it had been the exact opposite… it's very sobering, to Riku at least.

Looking back, they are lucky in a sense that nothing beyond that blabbermouth mess happened since their arrival, that there hadn't been any attack during the swear in, like it's apparently happened before.

Riku doesn't smile when Sora comes home when he looks up – has no trouble keeping serious as he shakes his head at that question.]

No, not yet. [Which may or may not be just a little by design because…] I didn't think you wanted to talk about your loss of powers in front of her.

[Though, Riku thinks Sora should tell her too, later. After this talk.]

[happylocksmith]

[Sora's feet pause on their way to the kitchen for a split second as Riku mentions... that. He feels a jolt of surprise that Riku's bringing it up at all, he'd hoped it would get pushed to the back of his mind after the mess that was the blabbermouth incident and that would be the end of it, he could carry on pretending that everything was fine and nothing had changed.

Apparently not.

He's cringes slightly before he carries on to put his bag down in the kitchen, but when he returns to the living room he's plastered a smile on his face.]

Aw c'mon Riku, you don't really wanna talk about that now do you? Hey, I got chips and dip, you want some? Or ice cream! We sure do have a lot of ice cream...

[Maybe he can throw Riku off the scent with the promise of snacks?]

[dreamprotector]

[Considering that Riku had explicitly stated that he wants to talk about this when he has control over his mouth-filters again, he really doesn't know what Sora is acting so surprised for. He really couldn't have thought that Riku would just drop that kind of news.

The look that Sora receives upon trying to distract Riku with snacks is utterly unimpressed – the smile he is offering is the most fake that Riku has ever seen on Sora's face, and he has seen a lot of expressions there. It might have worked on someone that doesn't know Sora at all… but Riku certainly doesn't fall into that category.]

Yes, I do. But if you don't want to talk now, I can go and talk to Kairi instead… and then you can talk to both of us at once about it.

[Yes, Riku is not above threatening to team up with Kairi on this – who will likely share his opinion that keeping that power loss secret was about the most stupid thing Sora has done in a long while.]

That's your choice.

[He doesn't like this role he is taking right now. The role model. The Keyblade Master. The responsible one. The bad guy as far as Sora is concerned, probably. But if that's what it takes to keep both of his best friends safe. Well… Riku has done a lot more questionable things than this.]

[happylocksmith]

[Sora stops like a deer in the headlights, aware that he can't bluff his way out of this one, so it's probably best if he faces up to it.

Kinda.

Sorta.

Maybe.]

It's not a big deal, really! You know how crazy it was the other day, and I was just saying stuff all over the place, a whole bunch of stuff didn't even make all that much sense so if you think about it, it makes sense just to forget it happened.

[- oh shoot, but they said some really important stuff about how much they all meant to each other and he doesn't want to make that sound unimportant.]

Except all that good stuff, that happened of course and it made total sense- hey are you sure you don't want chips?

[dreamprotector]

[If Sora has ever seen Riku look unimpressed, he probably looks even more unimpressed now, because no. Nope, Sora is absolutely not getting out of this one.]

Doesn't it? Because thinking about it, that nearly falling to Darkness cost you your powers makes a frightening amount of sense.

[He puts his emphasis there because the idea really, really puts fear in Riku's heart. Not because Sora is weaker, but because Sora omitted this truth and left Riku in the believe that they are still on equal levels of strength. Knowing that they are not, that he does have to worry about Sora… honestly Riku just wants to know why Sora didn't tell him.

Why he keeps ignoring the problem, when they could have spent weeks already on fixing it?]

How about you let these chips be chips and talk to me already.

[happylocksmith]

Look, it's fine, okay? It's no big deal, they'll come back. Maybe they're still asleep and just taking some time to wake up again, you know. Lazy bum powers, just like Sora, ha ha!

[Sora really wishes Riku would stop looking at him like that. There isn't anywhere he can hide when his friend is fixing all of his considerable focus on him and it makes him wish the ground would just open up and swallow him. Riku shouldn't be worrying about him. There's other things to worry about. More important things.

He keeps on smiling, papering over the cracks in his shell with a grin and hoping that the fissures won't show through if he keeps it together.

But the lump in his throat won't go away and the gnawing feeling in the put of his stomach just makes it feel hollower.

Falling to Darkness cost you your powers

He's only got himself to blame. He doesn't need to burden Riku or Kairi with it.]

I just gotta- y'know... work on it? Or something. It'll work out.

c

[adamantlyardent]

[she's here to...kind of return the favor, she figures: Riku went out of his way to find her place of work and visit, so she ought to do the same, right? that's...what friends do.

of course, she spent the whole bus ride fretting about how she may wind up being a bother, or accidentally break something or set something on fire despite having gotten over her spontaneous combustion phase years ago and--

okay. breath, girl. it's fine. this is fine! bats are...gross and ugly, but it's fine!!

also, they're nocturnal? it's daytime? they're probably all asleep, so, it's not like they're gonna all wake up and divebomb her head and get stuck in her hair and bite her ears or anything!! gods.

a walkway of high-ceiling aviary cages and glass aren't really what she expects as she enters and cautiously walks the path, but then...she's not sure what she did expect. caves? gods, how would she know? she's not a Drow.

thankfully, she doesn't have to wander very far for very long to find the boy daydreaming it up there in one of the pens, somehow sticking out and fitting right in there. something about his demeanor, she figures; he looks pretty content where he is, even if he has the look of someone who fits much more in a vibrant forest or glittering castle.

she watches for a bit longer with those thoughts in mind until her faded reflection in the glass catches her eye and snaps her back into the present. hastily fidgeting with her hair, she takes a breath, squares her shoulders, then lightly taps on the glass, offering a two-fingered wave and weak half-smile when spotted.]

[dreamprotector]

[Yes, that's what friends do, they visit each other and hang out. Or at least that's what Riku has heard anyway; he hasn't really made new friends in a while.

His head snaps over to her, a faint frown on his face – he's on break, so he has no idea why anyone would knock for him – until he sees Cecelia, and the frown turns into a smile. If she ever thought that he'd be unhappy to see her, well… here is her proof to the contrary!

He releases the bat he's been petting – he's named her Carbuncle, for the reddish spot on her head that remind him on the fantastic animals he had read about in his childhood books – before carefully making his way back to the entrance into the pen. He doesn't want to release any of the bats accidentally, after all.

Once he's out he walks up to Cecelia, one hand up to wave at her as greeting.]

Hey, Cecelia! Are you here for a tour?

[Clearly she must be, what other reason could there be for her visit, right?]

[adamantlyardent]

[aw, the care Riku has for it almost makes the little vermin seem...cute? well, maybe it is cute. from behind glass and fencing. yes. far and removed from her.

she rocks back and forth on her heels with her little spring of nervous energy while waiting for him to emerge, perking back up when he reappears and folding her hands in front of her.]

Hi! I--what now? [blink.] Oh. Is that a thing? I had no idea. I was just...visiting! You know, how like when you...? [she makes a vague gesture.] At the store?

[but then, she realizes, she wasn't really doing much while on the clock when he came by. it might be a bad time? oh, dear. she starts to frown.]

Is...that okay? Or are you busy?

[dreamprotector]

[It's cute up close too, he'll prove it to her sooner or later!]

Yea, well. We have to show potential donors what we are doing here. School classes come here too, sometimes, to see what the Sanctuary does for the animals.

[He hasn't led any of those tours – he's only the part timer after all – but he knows they are a thing.]

It's fine! I'm on break anyway, so I'd love some company.

[Especially that of a friend.]

[adamantlyardent]

Oh.

[she's not sure she can really see herself enjoying a tour of bats; she's not sure what a tour of bats consists of, but she can imagine getting attacked by a swarm of them pretty easily!]

Well--well, I'm glad. I mean, that...it seems I have decent timing, right? [a shrug, looking toward the enclosure.] I couldn't tell if it was work or not, I don't really know what goes into all of this but...you looked content. That's good.

[dreamprotector]

[Oh wow, no, Riku would never let her be attacked by a swarm of anything. Not that the bats would attack her, ever.]

You sure do! [He grins easily, truly happy about having her here. Then he shrugs lightly, because well…] I guess, it's the work and this place as a whole… it keeps the chaos of the outside at bay for a little. So, I guess, you are right. I'm definitely content here.

[adamantlyardent]

[the chaos of the outside...she makes a soft scoffing sound at that. yeah, chaos is a word for it. sometimes. though...she can't actually imagine him struggling nearly half as hard as she does? he just seems so...kind and level and chill?

but he did say it, so there must be some bit of strife for him?]

I'm glad, then. Everyone needs a refuge. Even a...bat refuge? [?? ? ha ha?] Is...that why it's so calming? The creatures? Or, or just the lack of people about?