Cafe Conversations and Dumplings Denied

Cafe Conversations and Dumplings Denied
Date of Scene:	02 February 2013
Location:	WildKat Cafe
Synopsis:	Will stops eating before all food is exhausted. The world is about to end, folks.
Cast of Characters:	Will Sherman, Riku

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Riku has posed:
Riku sets himself down in a booth somewhere in the WildKat Cafe, drawing in some good food as well as the atmosphere. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, fingers drumming on the tabletop idly as he looks down at the bowl of noodles.

As much as the Old Kingdom had its.. charm.. he felt like he had to scrub for hours to get it off him when he leaves. There are still a few brambles here and there in his clothing as he leans back to appreciate the thrum of the music pulsing faintly through the Cafe interior.

The place reminded him of Shiki and that reminded him of the Shard Seekers and-- maybe he was looking for a little lost familiarity.

Riku gets up to change the music, walking slowly and raking a hand lightly through his hair. He was not really paying attention, his thoughts turned inwards.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will wasn't aware that Riku was here today, despite it being a place they always hung out at. Will was hungry, and wanted some dumplings. He had approprated money from Mercade, and walks up to the counter. God, Dumplings...he wants some RIGHT NOW.

Will pauses, looking at his Player. His player shrugs, Hey man it's your favorite food, I'm just helping out here. "Seriously, no need to lay it on so thick." Will says to the guy behind the screen. Okay, the player emits, because I don't have to actually speak, and would break emmersion if I did.

Will blinks, looking at the confused counter person, "Not you, lots of dumplings." he says, putting the money on the counter.

Moments later, with a large bowl of hot dumplings, Will goes back to finding a spot to sit, too engrossed with dumplings to look around for anything else. Riku's included.

Riku has posed:
Riku's player looks at the exchange and then looks for Will player's neck bolts in case they are missing one or two of them at the time of this reality fracture. They then get out the 4th wall spackle and Riku gets back to doing what he does best.

Thoughtfulness verging on perma-brood as the music player changes tracks. Perhaps because of the reality fracture, the BGM changes accordingly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br4IJiy9_VE

and Riku turns from the music player to spot Will at the counter. He dips his head, smirking ever so slightly to himself and shaking his head.

The teenager rocks back on his heels, looking at the music player and then out at the entrance before sliding back towards the counter and his seat in the back. He wanders to where Will has chosen to sit. "Eating your friend out of a second house and home, Will?"

Will Sherman has posed:
Will's player immeidately does the Zoidburg. WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP!

Will stares in bizzare won-NO. He is not going to do this. NO!

Will, however, is jolted from his attention by Riku, his eyes turning to look at the young boy who tried to kill him, burn his home down, kick them both into the post apoloclyptic version of them him that turned into a spirit quest for the both of them.

Of course, Will is cool with that, except that LEXUS touched on some very raw nerves, and things that Will was sure that LEXUS should not know. Things that only Riku knew, which causes him to pause and say nothing at Riku for a moment. The strong desire to punch the kid out rises, overwhelming urges to unleash his justified anger on him continue...

Will bites his lip, and forces the negitive emotions down, down so deep he doesn't have to deal with them...he feels he's been dealing with them too much lately, but he does not smile or speak normally. Instead he puts his food on a table and turns to Riku.

"Talked to your friends lately?" he says, almost accusingly.

Riku has posed:
This lashback, which he actually expected from Mercade-- instead comes from Will.

Riku finds this so jarring that he doesn't go to angry, which is the first stop on the train but rather straight to the last stop which is crippling guilt. He's spent quite a long time at this station so he knows the landmarks. The teenager opens his mouth slightly and then closes it several times as he attempts to draw his wits together enough to formulate a response-- even if the response is only to ask 'What?' because the question didn't make any sense. In one sense, Riku wasn't really aware that he had any friends. In another---..

Riku turns away from Will and goes to fetch his noodles. He doesn't feel like eating but he feels like he needs to do something to distract him from the beautiful vistas of crumbling buildings and memories like sharp shards of glass that suddenly shift and tear at the inside of his head when they had finally lay quiet for awhile.

Riku returns to standing in front of Will, perhaps because he can't think of anything else to do except walking straight out the door again. "Okay." he forces his voice to return, although it is completely monotone if slightly shaky. "I deserved that, whatever it was. For whatever reason. Is this sort of a delayed reaction hate, or is this something else?"

Will Sherman has posed:
Will, despite himself, waves to the seat infront of him.

Why, he doesn't even know, but he's sure that Riku isn't going to go away easily, and Will's not going to shout or scream at him without some major trauama (RE: Leida). He takes a moment to eat some of his Dumplings and takes a breatht o calm himself. It is a long moment...

"LEXUS." Will says, "LEXUS knew and accused me of being afraid of the power." he says after a moment, "He said things that nobody else knows..." Will comments, rather this is true or not it is in the perception of the hobo with lots of trauma.

"I am already having to deal with the fae messing with me, Riku. Am I going to have to watch my back now too?"

Riku has posed:
Riku frowns, then shudders. "Oh." he says with something that could almost be sadness. "Him again." The teenager sits down and attacks the noodles for a moment. "I had almost figured him to be the most.." he pauses.

"Nevermind. Will, I haven't seen you since.." he blinks, and then shakes his head again. "..for awhile. My timeframe is still a little off. So I'll give you the same courtesy I gave Mercade. I have no idea what you are even talking about. The last time I saw LEXUS was because I watched a little of the games, but most of the time I haven't been in places where there is even the concept of television."

Riku pauses for a long time, the confusion settling over him like a cloak. "He took his face off and start ranting like a cheesy cartoon. I'd never seen that side of him before." he pauses, muttering. "And I have no idea which side of that is real. If any of it is. " Riku shrugs, then digs into his noodles again.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will pauses, frowning and putting down his fork. This is how Will eats dumplings, screw you japan.

He pauses for a long time, trying to find the best way to...approach this situation. It's easier for Mercade, for Avira...for everyone else to bring their emotions forward, Will...despite how easy going he is...

Finally he looks up, still unsmiling...not pained expression, but it's...almost neutral? "Yeah. I was there for that.." he says, frowning. "He fought at the world heart, I remember...he stole a building from Manhattan..." he speaks.

Will pauses for a long time, just staring at his bowl. Bringing this up broke the lie he was trying to tell himself, that everything was alright...that it was going to BE alright. "Sorry...he just..." Will shrugs. "I'm sorry.."

Riku has posed:
And again the conversation has inverted itself so quickly and so neatly that Riku is left holding the emotional baggage tags and staring at the smeared scribbles with brain-bending confusion.

The teenager balances a hand on the table, claws very gently scratching the bridge of his nose and then he knuckles across one eye and his forehead, balling up one hand and thunking it gently into his forehead. "Will.. I am guessing your whole search hasn't really turned up the way you wanted."

he pauses to eat noodles, finding the glossy black threads of shadow noodles oddly even more ironic than when he ordered them. "So..What's going on?"

Will Sherman has posed:
Will grabs the fork again and shoves a dumpling into his mouth. They are delicious, damn it...

"It's not turned up anything...useful. I mean...I'm on a path, but the path seems...like walking down a funhouse mirror somedays, and other days trying to smell the color orange."

"I got a book that belonged to a witch called Mim...which turned into Mim deciding that it was fun to <GOOSEHONK> with me. Apparently Puck told her about the form of my Wife...I have no idea HOW he would know..." it still looks like it's left his mark on him. Years have done nothing to diminish that bond. He takes another bite, trying to tell himself it's just fine.

"It ended with some guy who became a Coyote giving me some weird coordinates and to meet him there soonish...So I guess it's something...I just.." Will shrugs, "They keep telling me that...I have the answers I need, but...I don't have anything!" he says slightly frustraited.

Riku has posed:
Riku raises his eyebrows and whistles softly. "Believe me.. I have an idea of what is like. It looks like you are at least getting a workout from the runaround those people are giving you."

Riku sits back in the chair looking off a little to the side then back at Will. "I'm sorry you've had to slog through that. Sometimes no answer is better than ones that don't make any sense."

Will Sherman has posed:
Will shakes his head...he's wanting to burst, but he can't. He can't burst to Riku, or...to anyone. He's gota keep it inside...he's gota remain on top of things so that people feel good. Things went to hell once because he couldn't do that...he can't do it again.

"Yeah...little bit. I'll figure it out, I guess...or not. Probably have to so.." Will shrugs, "What about you? Have you figured out what you're going to do or anything?" Will eats more of his dumplings, god why did he get them...too many memories, and he's already having a hard time...ugh.

"I mean...with the thing?" he says, not wanting to say things so openly. "Or just in general? You've been...scarce lately. Even with...the mask."

Riku has posed:
Riku looks at Will for a long time, considering. "Ah Will. I never pegged you as a master of tact. Something must really be wrong." but instead of inquire further, he simply falls quiet for awhile as he brings his thoughts together. "I've just been.. wandering I guess. I heard there was a shard in the old kingdom but--" he shakes his head.

"For one reason or another that didn't pan out. Yes I am looking for them. Mercade asked if I would help. I've-- hashed this out with him too, to a limited extent. I don't.." he laughs softly. "I don't know where I belong. LEXUS has just shown me-- by his actions-- that whatever I might think, I'm probably wrong. Other people have offered me a place. Have offered me.." he makes a gesture, one that he did endlessly, in the memory soaked times in the realms the boat traveled through, of conjuring a flame and then extuinguishing it-- although this time there is an absence of actual flame.

"..guidance. I've been offered this before, as you might imagine, but they don't come off as laugh happy so I -- so I am considering it." he smirks.

"It would be nice to belong somewhere even if I have to become someone else to do it." And he actually says that without it ripping up the inside of his head. Riku is quietly amazed at the lack of bitterness as he talks, and chuckles very faintly as he eats.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will laughs a little, "Hey...I can be when I need to be. I mean...ruining everything forever isn't always the best idea, and sometimes when I get the feeling you REALLY want something...it'd just be horrible to ruin it."

Will pushes the bowl to the side, probably the first time Riku's ever seen Will just...stop eating food when he has the option to. "Guidance huh? Well...where is only so far you can walk alone...but you have to remember something too. Those who seek power, rarely understand the responsibilities and consequences of their power." Will states, "Something I learned once...from the Boss. It's what convinced me to join the TDA back in the day." Will folds his hands over each other and pauses, "You also can't live a lie Riku. You are only you, it's a...hard long rode we gota walk to fix things, but hiding from it isn't going to heal. I want...I want to heal this, Riku. I want to fix what I did and never let it happen again. Not just Manhattan, but me."

"I don't want to be...that thing, but I don't have a choice. I can't just sit here feeling sorry for myself, you know?"

"I'm not going to make you give me answers...because I have no idea who knows darkness. I don't, I just know fate and stuff. But...I don't want you to become that...thing I fought again. The thing that seemed to enjoy what he was doing Riku. I want the guy infront of me now, the tough on the outside but kind on the inside boy who's too in over his head. I have faith that you'll...overcome."

"I hope I wasn't standing on a soap box. I really wasn't wanting to. I got no room to really."

Riku has posed:
Riku raises his eyebrows into his hairline at Will pushing food away. He then continues to be expressionless for the entire time that Will is talking. He looks between the dumplings again, then up at Will. "That was what I was missing." Riku pronounces softly.

"..Thank you Will. I will /try/ to keep some of that in mind, although I will probably forget more than half of that just out of self-preservation of my reputation. Also, if you tell Sora that, should he ever.." he pauses, and this does look slightly painful but he forces himself to finish.

"when he eventually shows up again. I will flatly deny that I have anything but a hard exterior. I will tell him that you are a living soap box and that paradox between how you look and who you are keeps you going."

Will Sherman has posed:
Will nods...funny, he was the one feeling down, and he's the one giving advice...such a great friend.

A part of him feels completely bitter about this, but he squashes it...

"Oh whatever, people aren't going to care if you're a big softy on the inside, if you can turn around and stab them so hard that they'll fly into next week." Will says with a small measure of a smile, "Anyway...it's probaby a good idea you weren't in the Hades Cup anyway, I mean...while the rules are against killing, and all...I think Faruja would take the chance too." Will frowns, "Rat's got problems. Big problems."

"And he will show back up...you gota believe in that. You're his friend right? You gota believe in him, no matter what...no matter how hard things get." Will says after a moment, "And also: HEY! I just don't run off that...I run off of lots of food."

Riku has posed:
Riku takes another mouthful of noodles. "You did that thing you do again." he pauses to finish and then says bluntly. "The one where you turn everyone elses problem back at them so you don't have to look at your own." he makes a small waiving away gesture.

"I'm not going to poke at it, because I don't have a right to-- but I'm going to point it out because I'm a self-serving jerk like that. Also. Because I'm trying very hard not to take a straight line when you feed me one." he smiles a tight lipped but genuinely amused line tinged around the edges with the same amused frustration he usually gets around Will Sherman.

"And thank you-- but I've already deal with Faruja. If he comes at me again, I will give him the same."

Will Sherman has posed:
Will pauses...

He looks away for a moment, and shrugs. "I got problems, yeah, I'll deal with them. Don't worry about me, you got your own okay?" Will comments. He's fine, just fine, he'll deal like he always does, and that is what he tells himself. He hasn't gone for the dumplings again either, which might be telling.

"Alright...well, if you got it then, I won't worry," yes he will.

Riku has posed:
Silence.

Riku finishes his noodles without further comment. He looks down at the bowl, then at Will, glances over to the dumplings, then back at Will.

Eventually he sighs and shakes his head a little. "Maybe they're right, Will. --After so long, and having so many other people fade out of your hands.. which"

Riku shakes his head. "I can't even wrap my mind around but.. maybe the only one who can fix your problems is you. Has always been you since" he shrugs and bounces the hobo king's words back at him. "You'll figure it out, right?" he shrugs and fidgets with his jacket.

He looks to the music player, frowning in annoyance as his player putting on a sadly inappropriate piece of Kirby music into the mix as he walks towards the entrance.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will pauses...

He waits for Riku to leave...and then just lets his forehead smack into the table.

Bonk, bonk bonk.