7th dawn → video

[resipiscent]

[Riku's face, when he appears on the network today, is a little exasperated, and a little apologetic. Behind him, something tiny and black moves, and he picks his hair up and away from it, pulling it over his shoulder for lack of anything else to do with it. A sharp-eyed observer will note that the black thing is a wing. It's small, but it's clearly a pointy, leathery bat wing. Presumably, there's a matching one.]

So... I guess I was ported out.

[His very first port-out after a year and a half. What a strange experience. Riku pauses. He's pretty sure he... owes some people an apology.]

Uh -- sorry. From what I can tell it hasn't been very long, though...? A day or so tops, I think. I saw Kagami made a post, so I thought I should clear things up.

[He's surprised you all panicked, honestly...]

I guess I should thank you all for worrying, though.

Comments

[resoundingpledge]

[ That's just mean, really, making her divide attention between his wings and his words.

She goes a little still, though, when he mentions the prophesy. That's . . . familiar, really familiar. Her world's 'Sora' . . . maybe it just came with the name. Prophesies. Destiny. ]

Are you worried because of what happened last time? With Kairi, I mean. You were really worried about her when you were younger.

[resipiscent]

... Yes, sort of.

[He doesn't really remember what he talked about, when he met Kururu that time. Frankly, Riku barely remembers what went on during that week at all. But it makes sense that he would have talked about Kairi. Kururu is someone he trusts implicitly -- so it makes sense that even with his mind altered, he still would. He looks thoughtful, trying to find a way to explain properly.]

See, that all happened, but also... the problem is that she's decided she's tired of having to wait for us. Which I get -- if it were me I'd be as frustrated as she is. But she didn't even have to leave home and she got kidnapped, and then now she's being dragged into this? I'm scared she'll do something rash, I guess. We don't even have a choice between fighting and not. If we refused, Xehanort would just -- Kururu, when we met when I was younger, did I tell you about the princesses?

[Whether they include Kairi as a combatant or not, because of her status as a Princess of Heart, she's involved either way.]

[resoundingpledge]

[ There's an odd kind of echo to it. He says Kairi, but the person she sees is Yayoi; frustrated, rushing toward everything to try and prove herself, to escape the feelings of helplessness she'd had when all she could do is watch.

She can understand Kairi's feelings. But as a King, watching her friend . . . she could understand Riku's, too. ]

No. You were just worried, and we talked a little about Sora . . . and I tried to cheer you up with maps of the world. Of Earth, I mean. All of it.

You thought it was really big.

[resipiscent]

[Riku can't help but laugh. Maps of the world...]

That's because it is big. It's massive. I got Sora an atlas last Christmas just because of that.

[This world is the biggest he's ever seen. Most worlds are bigger than they appear at first -- but this must be what the worlds must have been like when they were one.]

Anyway... there are these seven princesses with no darkness in their hearts at all. [Seven princesses, a handful of whom whose lives Riku ruined all on his own. Not his finest moment. But he has a chance to make that up to them now.] If we didn't step up and fight, he'd just take them instead.

[Riku sighs gently, shifting a little in his spot.]

By the way, would it... be easier if I laid flat?

[For her to check his wings out, that is.]

[resoundingpledge]

[ She hums a soft negative, still smiling at the feel of the laugh that reverberated through his chest. ]

I was trained in a lot of positions. So however Riku is comfortable . . . that's fine.

[ She fans her hands back across his shoulder blades, listening, waiting for the tiny shifts in balance that will whisper his next moves. It's been a long day for him, hasn't it? Long days, long . . . however time passes in dreams. ]

Why would he take them? If he's full of darkness, and they don't have any . . . it doesn't sound like they'd get along really well.

Is he trying to find a wife?

[resipiscent]

Hm... you know, I think I will anyway.

[If she's all right with it, that is. He's just lazy, and a little tired. So he stretches out next to her, head pillowed in his arms, tilted so he can still see her.]

They're the seven lights he needs to fulfill the prophecy. But -- [Riku laughs again, just a puff of breath --] I hope not. I'm not sure anyone would want to marry him even if he was looking.