What Doesn't Kill You

[dreamprotector]

Who: Riku (dreamprotector) and YOU!
Where: Capricorn & Sagittarius Districts
Summary: Riku reflects on the past and the present. Also, Muggers vs Master Riku Round 1!
Warnings: Spoiler for KH3D, some violence

[Capricorn District]

[It's been a week since his arrival, a week and somehow Riku feels still almost as lost as on Day 1. He's spent his time withdrawn, sorting out old memories and new - he has no idea how he could have forgotten about Promenade, about the people he met there, the things he had been told.

Considering that and the things he had found out since... it all made a lot more sense now.

He sighs frustrated as he continues to walk around rather aimlessly in the park district of this world... city... Hinoto-Ri. Might as well start using the terms, right?

If this place is anything like Promenade had been, then getting back to the worlds, to helping Kairi with her training (and maybe Lea once he got finally back from his Radiant Garden business), would just be a matter of time, a matter of waiting...

Sitting around and doing just that isn't exactly his style though.

Neither is ignoring a worlds problems... of which there had to be some at least, considering this 'Dark Hour' business. He's avoided it so far, has spent time sneaking around and getting to know the turf, has spent time sorting out his memories.

Maybe it is time to start getting a little more proactive from now on.]


[Sagittarius District]

[Eventually his aimless wandering leads him out of the park and into an industrial area and not for the first time Riku can't help but note that it's kind of impressive just how many different facets this city has, how much they contrast to each other. He's seen similar in Promenade, but... given that that world had been built out of dreams that was kind of to be expected.

He keeps out of the way of the workers as best as he can as he explores one of the factories - the pipes look sturdy and though he could probably speed this up using Flow Motion, but somehow he has a feeling that wouldn't be appreciated. No need to make himself unpopular as long as it didn't need to be.

...Though given the tails he had picked up some ten minutes ago or so, he probably will be making himself unpopular with some people in a moment or two - even if he couldn't sense the sharp scent of dark intent, it's not exactly hard to figure out what they are up to.

And surely, he finds himself 'cornered' by half a dozen guys with sleazy gins.]

Move on; I don't have anything you want.

Try makin' us, Pretty Boy.

[He is torn between sighing, scowling and calling for Way to the Dawn to show them their limits, or scare them off by calling Keeba Tiger. Except... he is a Keyblade Master now. He is supposed to resolve this peacefully. Probably. Or at very least without having to lean on his Keyblade or magic. Right?

(Or at least so he figures... Master Yen Sid hadn't exactly felt like sharing what exactly a Master's duty included... beyond teaching others that is.)

And so he just slides his foot back a little to widen his stance, frown-scowling.]

Last chance. Move along and nobody will get hurt.

[...It's not really like he's expected them to listen. It would have been nice though, he thinks as the first fist comes flying at him and he dodges to the side, automatically moving to counter, moving forward and beneath that guy's swing, one leg swiping out to bring him to fall.

One down (for now), five to go.

Well... at least they would make for a good warm up for checking out the Dark Hour, if nothing else.]


[Edit/ooc: Please, please, please guys, go and take two minutes to fill out Riku's permissions post!]

Comments

[greyerrant]

[ The Sagittarius district. That is Garviel's private protectorate, more or less. And he sees the gangers, reflections of his old Cthonian self. Without the honor. He sweeps into them, a combat blade flashing a mono-edge in the darkness, swiftly bifurcating one of the gangers. The Space marine is a merciless foe, if a silent one, moving on to sidekick another into a wall with thunderous force. He seems to have stopped time, and almost edited himself into the frame as though it were a picter showing a movie. At some 8 feet tall, and cased in warplate, the sheer, terrifying speed of the posthuman warrior is amply demonstrated. He looks at the last three, and then squares off with them, drawing out a long, toothed sword that growls like a saw, the teeth on it spinning. ]

[dreamprotector]

[Speed, Riku knows. His fighting style revolves around hit-and-run-tactics, depends on him being faster than his opponent, but... he hasn't seen anything like that before.

He pales when he sees half of the would-like-to-be-muggers go down, eyes narrowing at the sight of that sword, and now it doesn't take more than a thought to call for Way To The Dawn and use it to cast a Sleepga spell that, while unlikely to do anything to this giant, knocks out the rest of the gangster.

Letting his blade fall to his side, he shifts, ready to bring up a barrier or to attack... whatever ends up being necessary.]

Care to share what warranted that?

[greyerrant]

Their manifest lack of honor. I watch over those that come into this place, and if the dregs here move against them, and in significant numbers, I even the odds.

[ He wipes the combat knife, and resheathes it, deactivating the chainsword a moment later. ]

[dreamprotector]

[He snorts at that, tightening his grip around Way To The Dawn. There is no way he'll dismiss it now.]

And I suppose that makes you the 'honorable' one?

[greyerrant]

Honor can only be defined by others. I can only remain true to my code, it is others who will judge what I do.

[ He notices the tightened grip, but says nothing, pointedly sheathing his chainsword as well a moment later. ]

[dreamprotector]

[Excuse him for being wary... he just saw this guy's enthusiastic use of overkill - against would-be-muggers, true, but unarmed would-be-muggers (so far at least). There are several better ways to set those straight.

Still... given that display of violence, he is sensing a surprising amount of light from this man. More than he would have suspected... though he of all people knows better than to assume an alignment from that. Still, combined with the sheathed weapon it's enough to make him lower the Keyblade just a little. For now.]

For what it's worth then, I doubt that many people appreciate your way of 'evening the odds' - at least not here, or in many other worlds.

It's about as far from honorable as it gets.

[quakega]

[The things that happen when you're just going about minding your own business...

Terra had caught the group of idiots as they had started to tail someone with a shock of silver hair and felt the darkness that could only come from greed or ill intent, and decided to follow from a distance.

He matches the pace of a small group moving in the same direction, keeping his eyes trained on the thugs tailing--

He feels a very familiar warmth from the silver-haired 'victim', and has to fight hard to keep his shock in check. Riku.

He breaks away from the group once both Riku and the scumbags following him turn into an alleyway and ducks around the corner and out of sight, just within hearing range.

He still has a hard time keeping the shock from making him do something stupid, like just stand there and gawk instead of hiding around the corner. The boy he remembers from Promenade is taller now, his hair cut shorter. There's a sureness about him that hadn't been there before--it's odd, that he can't quite figure out what that is.

... it was worth a shot. Terra's impressed that his student/not!student even offered them a chance to leave on their own; it was something that Aqua would do, or Master. In better times, he usually tried to do this himself.

Of course, his own temper gets in the way of that.

When the fight breaks out, he can't help but smirk. Good move, Riku...

Time to observe. If it looks like the idiots might be too much for the now older Keybearer to handle, he'll step in.

He almost feels sorry for those guys. Almost.]

Lemme know if this isn't okay I can fix it

[whereibelong]

[Someone else, meanwhile, has been scouring the city as a sort of self-assigned recon mission. She can't... do things like she normally does them anymore, but she can at least try to learn as much about the city as she can.

The figures look suspicious enough tailing one lone person, enough to pique her curiosity. When she actually realizes who it is, however, she abandons all pretenses at secrecy and charges forward, completely missing that Terra had been nearby, observing as well. A friend is in trouble, she's not going to just sit by.]

Riku!

[She charges a Fira spell in one hand, firing it in between a few of the muggers, a sort of warning shot that was more shot than warning. Unfortunately (or fortunately, considering she was trying to get them to leave Riku alone) this nets her the attention of a couple of them and they turn towards her instead.

She was going to need some quick casting to take care of this one...]

[dreamprotector]

[Riku is a little bit too occupied to notice the other tail he has picked up... or well, that his tails picked up. Or to realize who exactly the voice calling his name really belongs to; all he really can think as he ducks away from one punch and blocks the other with his left arm while readying himself to counter, is that it's familiar, that it's a girl's, that it's very similar to Kairi's and so he doesn't think twice about summoning his Dream Eaters with one short order (/plea) in mind: "Help her."

The next second Komory Bat and Majik Lapin appear from a swirl of clouds, immediately heading to help out Xion, while Riku knocks out thug #02 and turns his attention towards #03.]

[quakega]

[The second Xion runs in and nearly blows his own cover, Terra finds himself sighing. Might as well end this quickly.

He pears around the corner, taking a quick count of those still standing and to see how Riku and Xion are fairing. The presence of those... very colorful creatures is a surprise, but they didn't look or even act like Unversed to his eyes, so he figured he should ignore them.

Idiots #4, #5, and #6 look like they're recovering from the shock of having a fireball tossed at them. But no sooner than they have gotten their bearings back and are about to try and flank Xion than a black circle appears under them and an anti-gravity field suspends them in mid-air.

So much for staying out of the fight. He steps around the corner and into plain view, essentially blocking the exist to the alley.] These guys aren't very bright, are they?

[At least the odds are a bit more even now.]

[poweryetunknown]

[He's been wandering around, just checking out what was going on, when he hears fighting. He heads over to check it out, and when he sees it he rolls his eyes a little.]

[Neku isn't afraid of these punks - he'd seen way worse in terms of Noise during the Reaper's Game. Still, he can't use his pins here... but he does have another advantage. The remaining thieves are suddenly greeted by a large, lion-like Persona standing behind them, and the distinct pain of having large shards of ice crash into their heads. Neku stands behind Narasimha, arms crossed.]

Get the hell out of here, you assholes.

[dreamprotector]

[Well... large lion-like monsters tend to scare people. Or at least make them think twice about messing with the one controlling it. Hence, it doesn't take long until the thugs clear out, leaving Riku blinking and raising an eyebrow.

Though... he supposes that is also a way of dealing with them.]

...Thanks, I guess.

[Not that he would have needed the help, but well. Gift horses and all.

Though... now that he takes a closer look... he's seen this kid before, hasn't he? In Traverse Town.]

You are... Shiki's partner. [Give him a moment... he knows Shiki mentioned his name.] ...Neku, right?

[poweryetunknown]

No problem.

[Yeah, well. ... He's totally not a hero nope. Shush.]

... Huh? Yeah, I am. ... Was, at least. Were you... in the Reaper's Game too?

[He didn't look familiar, but that didn't mean anything. There were probably a bunch of players he didn't meet. But... if he was in the Game too, then he was probably erased...]

[... This was weird.]

[dreamprotector]

[No hero, huh? Well, that makes two of them.

He frowns lightly... he remembers some mentions about Reapers, but...]

The Reaper's- No, I met her in Traverse Town.

[poweryetunknown]

[... He frowns. What the hell?]

I've never heard of Traverse Town. And if you met her when she knew me, she was in Shibuya.

... Where's Traverse Town, anyway?

[dreamprotector]

[Riku's face becomes kind of blank for a moment, before he looks a little more thoughtful... Traverse Town had been a dream, like all the sleeping worlds. It would kind of make sense if Neku didn't remember ever having been there... or given that this world was similar to Promenade... maybe he hadn't been yet.]

It's a different world.

[He shakes his head.]

...I suppose it doesn't matter.

[poweryetunknown]

... Yeah, I guess.

[He goes silent for a few moments, before speaking up again.]

So uh. You know who I am. But who are you?

[dreamprotector]

[Oh uhm, right. He kind of should introduce himself, shouldn't he?]

Name's Riku. ...It's nice to meet you.

[You know. Actually meet. Not just watch some strange kind of hologram(?).]

[poweryetunknown]

Nice to meet you too.

[Even though this is really weird and... yeah.]

So uh... you should probably be more careful. Though from what I saw you handled that first guy pretty well... just might not want to hang around these kinds of places at night.

[dreamprotector]

[Not weirder than usual in any squeenix verse probably though.

There is a bit of amusement mixing into Riku's smile, because yeah... he would probably a insult for his new title if it took just some kids with maybe a knife or two between them to take him down. There is no reason to advertise that fact just yet though.]

Thanks. I'll take that into consideration.