This Ship Runs On...

This Ship Runs On...
Date of Scene:	10 November 2012
Location:	Traverse Town
Synopsis:	Riku appears on the Traverse Town beach in dire straits. Mercade and Will learn something horrible and try to convince him that he still has the help of his friends.
Cast of Characters:	Will Sherman, Riku, Mercade Alexander

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Riku has posed:
Splash. Riku does a very dignified faceplant into the ocean. Ah-- the wonders of portal magic when you are not paying attention. The joys of it.

The teenager fights to the surface, coughing out the half lungful or so of water he accidently breathed in on impact.

He struggles a few steps until he is able to stand from the cool waters, shoulders shaking as he starts to laugh softly to himself. He struggles about half a step before sinkinging down onto his knees very slowly, sodden hair shrouding his face as he continues that soft, hysterical laughter.

To those with the sensors to pick it up, Riku's control has shattered. Darkness bakes off the youth in waves of pain and denial.

Riku looks around, shoulders heaving as he brushes the hair out of his face. He doesn't see anybody nearby so he coughs, struggling towards the beach again to throw himself down on the silvery sand not too far from the water.

"alright." he keeps saying to himself softly. "..Alright." he takes in a steadying breath, and then breaks into another bout of quiet laughter as he rubs his face hard, pulling up one leg and resting one arm on his knee.

Will Sherman has posed:
Traverse Town...the city of ever night.

Because...man why is this town always dark? Not that Will cares, I mean, it's actually cleaner and less crime riddled than Manhattan.

Somehow. So it makes finding places to sleep easier, as well as not having to get robbed. However, with the recent victory over the bean snatcher...well, actually, Will was kind of confused by all of that too.

The beach was a good place to walk, seems like it is due to all of the water...

Will realized this is a DUMB place to walk, because he really hates the ocean. Really really hates the ocean. Like...so much dislike of the ocean it's not funny. He's pretty sure there is a reason for it, besides just washing up so many years ago.

Rubbing the back of his head, he starts to wal-

A Splash, causes him to pause, looking around. Before he can find the source, it is already on the beach, crouched down and laughing.

Will, without even thinking starts moving towards Riku, but then the waves of Darkness are unmissable. He doesn't even need his special talent to see them, they are nearly choking...but Will advances anyway. "Riku?" he asks, "Are you alright?" he moves, trying to get closer if the boy allows him.

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade is there, looking out over the water as he pitches small rocks across the ocean. Maybe he's just killing time. Maybe he's testing something. Either way, he's been stationary while Will's been walking around.

The portal's opening comes as a surprise to the detective, and he turns to hurry to the fallen Riku's side. "Oh crap, Riku!" He says, the fact that he just popped out of a hole in blackness ignored for the moment as he kneels down beside the boy, reaching for his shoulder to steady him. "Holy cow, what happened to you?" Will already asked the other question.

Riku has posed:
Awww.. but the beach is such a nice place to have a breakdown.

Riku answers his question with more laughter. The tone has changed to disbelief and frustration. He chokes out the noises, turning to give Will an incredulous look of 'Do i LOOK alright?' and hanging his head in defeat.

He doesn't even bother saying anything to Will, he just buries his face in his hands. The darkness levels abruptly jerk as Riku tries to get control of himself but it slips out of his hands as he starts laughing again. Mercade chips in at that point and Riku surges to his feet, backing away from the both of them. "Gods. I just can't escape, can I?"

he looks between Will and Mercade, shaking his head.

Alright. He could handle this. He could handle this. He just needed to take a breath, and.. what. What lie was it going to be this time. Darkness levels began to drop as he forced himself back under control. He shrugs his shoulders, looking inbetween Mercade and Will. "Hi." he begins with a faint laugh. "What are you guys doing out here?" he raises a hand. "Never mind. It doesn't matter, does it." he rubs his face, letting out another sigh. "yeah. I'm alright, Mercade." and that one seems to be the one he's going to lead off the evening with.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will makes a face at Riku, who is...having a break down.

"What we're doin' out here is unimportant...Riku, whatever is going on you can't keep that shit inside." Will observes. "I mean..." he pauses, trying to find the right words... "Riku, really, what's the matter? Come on, you can tell us." he says, trying to be comforting...Will looks worried. Despite what he might act like, he really DOES care for people...infact, under everything he's probably a bit too caring.

He looks over at Mercade...he's not very good at talking to people, that's Mercade's thing.

Mercade Alexander has posed:
"It's not so bad, running into each other all the time. Friends are like that." Mercade replies. He watches Riku, concern on his face as the silver-haired boy pulls back in a panic. "Don't worry about it, man. Come on. Sit down and you can relax." Maybe he didn't see the portal?

He looks up at the darkness above as he plops onto the sand. "It's a nice night for it." He looks over to Riku. "Look, if you're having any troubles, Riku, tell us and we'll help. That's what friends are for, right?"

Riku has posed:
Riku shakes his head in negation. He has to keep moving or he'll-- keel over, or come apart. He chuckles quietly to himself, shoulders sagging. "I realized something, Mercade." That chuckling. The noise really isn't all that much like humor. "It's not really a lie, is it. Oh. It's only been me. It's only ever been me." he laughs harder, wiping at his eyes. "God, that's funny. " he grins at them, eyes too bright and expression ever so slightly eerie.

"So hey. Have I ever told either of you the story about how I got my magic? You know it's not really magic, but don't let on to that. It'll spoil the ending." he nods to himself and launches into the telling without asking for consent. "Once upon a time, because that's really how all of these stories start, there was a far away kingdom. Everyone who lived there was happy, except one."

Riku gestures as he talks, starting to pace in a slow circle as he describes a magnificant island kingdom whose people never had worries, and the weather was always peaceful. Until one day, when a terrible storm came and swept everything away. "And the boy who wasn't happy and who wanted to go out an adventure got his adventure. Because when the storm took everything away, he was left alone in the darkness with nobody and with nothing he knew."

Will Sherman has posed:
Will frowns...but he listens...he kinda knows this part of the story...sort of. Riku didn't say much, and he didn't super press him for information. He knows about the connection with the darkness even before this moment...and now given everything they've learn lately...he's really concerned for his friend.

"Riku.." he says, concerned as the story takes a sort of...bad turn.

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade listens intently. He would not dare to interrupt Riku's story. Something horrible has happened to him. Something that was enough to break even his stolid self-control. He nods as Riku describes the destruction of his home and how he was cast into the darkness.

Riku has posed:
"And the boy who now has no home wandered in that place that was nowhere. He wandered for days and days but there was no sun or stars so who can say how long it was." Riku begins to relax slightly, falling into an almost ritualistic cadence as he gets caught up in his own story. It appears to be one he's been wanting to tell someone for a long time.

"And the boy wandered along the road that went nowhere until he met the monster with the yellow eyes. It said to him. "Hello boy. Give me your heart, and I'll let you pass." and the boy was frightened, and he ran away from the monster but no matter what road he took. It always led him back the same way. To the monster with the yellow eyes and his offer. Finally, the boy asked. "Where does the road go?" and the monster replied. "Out of the dark. This is my place. This is my home. If you do not give me your heart, I will eat you and have it just the same."

And the boy asked if he must give up all of his heart. "Hmm."

Riku laughs quietly to himself, seeing nothing in particular in front of him but what he was describing. "Maybe not. Give me your heart, and I will break it into pieces and you can keep the least of the shards that form." The boy did not want to be eaten and he did so much want to go home. even if there was no home left, so he gave up his heart. Of course-- the monster with the yellow eyes is a liar, as all who hunger for hearts are liars and thieves and took the boy's heart and gave him nothing back.

"Oho. Now I have your heart, and you cannot leave-- for those without hearts cannot leave this place. And the monster left him alone. The road too, had been a lie." Riku takes a moment to pause and get his thoughts together, looking to Mercade as if only now recognizing him or registering the presence of him or Will Sherman. Still, he doesn't seem to be finished quite yet.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will looks worried...shooting Mercade a look. He kinda feels guilty he didn't talk to Mercade about what he saw...but he did give Riku his word. He sucks in a breath about the monster and the heart, biting his lip some and continuing to listen.

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade watches with eyes wide as Riku tells his story. The story of betrayal and a fall to Darkness. He listens, and looks back to Will, shaking his head slightly, before he looks back to Riku. There is more for Riku to tell. Mercade won't interfere in this. It's something he has to get out.

Riku has posed:
Riku continues his story.

Oh man, did that make the boy angry. He'd been tricked, and very cruelly so, but what is anger and sadness in a place where there is no sun or stars?" he looks out at the ocean, snorting softly. "Just words. Just words shouted into an emptiness that reaches to everywhere. So instead of being angry that he was scared and alone, he tracked down the monster with yellow eyes to the place where it slept, for even monsters must sleep sometime.

" Riku turns away from the ocean, continuing to pace slowly across the sand. "It was smugly content in it's lair, for it had tricked many hearts from many people that wandered through the darkness looking for a way out. The boy found the lair and discovered, much to his horror, that the monster had already begun to eat his heart.

It had taken a bite out of it before falling asleep and would surely eat the rest when it woke up again. The boy explored the home of the monster, but did not expect much to find and was falling into despair when he heard the noise. It was not the noise of the sleeping monster. He followed it and it lead him to a secret cave, in a forgotten place where he found that the monster had a heart as well."

Riku snorts again softly, stopping for a moment to stare into the distance. "It's funny." his voice has dropped to a whisper. "You would never expect it to be pretty. It should be a withered thing. A husk in a jar. But-- for all of it's evil, the monster had a heart of glossy and beautiful obsidian. It was shattered, held together by magical threads."

Riku shakes his head and continues to pace. "If he stole the whole thing, surely the monster would wake up and eat him. Instead.." he pauses, then continues. "It was a simple decision. The boy stole only a shard. He stole back his heart, and the shard was enough to make up for the bite. The boy..was able to escape the darkness-- for the monster was correct. It's heart made it master here. The boy could have never escaped alone.."

Will Sherman has posed:
Riku's story causes a...odd feeling in Will.

It's a similar story, something he's heard before, but at the same time different. It's odd, a memory of a dream? Or a dream of a memory...whatever it is, the feeling passes as the story continues, and...he looks away after a moment. It was unpleasant to hear that someone's heart had been hurt, and then stitched together like Riku is trying to describe...he didn't think it was possible for something liket his to happen...

Will doesn't interupt, waiting for Riku to continue.

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade shakes his head. He's heard enough. "Okay, Riku. That's really terrible, and I'm really sorry to hear that you've gone through that. But you don't have to settle for being like that. You always have a choice, Riku." He stands, and walks towards the storytelling boy. "Stick with us, man." Mercade smiles, again. "We believe in you, all right? We can get you through this, we'll find a way somehow."

Riku has posed:
"The boy escaped, but he took the monster with him." Riku chuckles very quietly to himself, seeming to completely ignore Mercade for now. "And there was no home for him to return to. And his parents were gone. They had been tricked before him. And his friends were gone.. their hearts eaten, and the ones who survived, had they made the same deal?"

Riku clenches his fists and lets them go very slowly. "and all too soon, the boy discovered there was a price for stealing. For escaping the way that he did. The shard had changed him into a monster, and monsters have to eat. So he buried it all. He buried it so deep he wouldn't find it. He'd never find it if he didn't go looking. And it stopped-- and the shard lay quiet. As long as he didn't ask questions. It lay quiet. But everyone becomes curious eventually. Maybe it even rubs off. Maybe-- curiosity is contagious. Maybe that's why it killed the cat. People want to know. They need answers."

Riku's voice starts to rise in intensity. "What exactly do you think you /believe/ Mercade? -- What exactly, am I not settling for?" he starts to walk towards Mercade and the expression in distinctly murderous.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will interposes himself between Will and Riku. He looks right at Riku, right at him...

Words aren't enough right now...he looks at the boy, trying to think of the right thing to say...but it fails. Will doesn't speak with his mouth, he speaks with his heart. Actions have always been how Will makes his will known.

He walks towards Riku...and...

Gives the kid a hug.

Riku has posed:
Riku snarls like a wounded animal at the interposing hug. "I shouldn't have come back." he shudders on the edge of collapse. For a moment, his eyes cloud with tears. That is before his anger wins over his grief. He /slams/ his hands into Will's chest, knocking himself backwards several steps. He trips, thumping onto the sand. "I should have stayed lost.." this time, he doesn't get up from the ground.

Mercade Alexander has posed:
Mercade looks like he's going to give a speech, but he stops. He just watches as Will is knocked over. "Riku..." Mercade says, exhaling. "No." He drops to Riku's side, kneeling over him. "There's a lot of people who would miss you if you left. Me, Will. I'm sure Kairi is out there, somewhere, wondering how you are. Even Sora. He's got to care about you in his own way. Look..." He pauses. "You don't have to do all of this alone. Is there anything I can do for you to help? Anything."

Will Sherman has posed:
Will takes the hit...

Will isn't exactly a sturdy thing, and Riku is stronger than he looks. Will goes stumbling back before tripping and falling backwards into the sand and crashing into a heap. He doesn't complain or say anything...instead he sucks in a breath on the ground, and takes a few seconds to rise back to his feet. He speaks horsely for a second, because GODDAMN did he just get the wind knocked out of him.

"So...you got it inside you...but that doesn't change who YOU are..." Will sits back up, rubbing his chest, "God knows who heart this really is...but in the end, I'm still me. I'm a person, a human, just like you. You don't need my eyes to see that, Riku."

Riku has posed:
Riku pauses for a long time. He thinks about Diablo.. and the nightmares.. He thinks about everything that has happened in two months. As the flashback o meter is ticking away steadily in the back ground. (Which makes an interesting drink game when put in a certain light) Riku looks at Will, then at Mercade. Balamb garden. Princess Jasmine. Belle. The voice.

Especially the voice.

Kairi.

No.

They couldn't help him.
Nobody could help him.

Riku chuckles faintly, looking weary and exhausted. "You know ..I could murder a cheeseburger right now, I think. Several, in fact." He looks over at Will and the darkness dims, fading to the 'behind thick glass' muffling of Riku tightly controlling it. Riku very slowly starts to pick himself up from the beach, brushing himself off. He looks numbed and shell shocked. "Let's. Let's go do that, shall we?" he pauses. "As long as you don't start narrating again."

Will Sherman has posed:
"And then our intrepid heros go to devour several hundred dollars of Mercade's hard earned money." Will says, making a weak smile...

Mercade Alexander has posed:
"The kid said he needed some food. It sounded like a good idea to me. We all loved a good burger out on the Bay." Mercade grins. He stands, nods. and claps Riku on the shoulder. "Sure. Let's go get some burgers and relax, okay?" He leads the way back into Traverse Town, so they can do just that.

And it's not /Mercade's/ money getting eaten tonight. He's writing this one off as a business expense on Xanatoscard.