Moment In Time

Moment In Time
Date of Scene:	26 February 2013
Location:	Archades - Upper
Synopsis:	Gabranth decides to show Riku around Archades Upper City. To not only come to know the-maybe-to-be-Judge, but perhaps to remind himself of something long forgotten.
Cast of Characters:	Riku, Gabranth

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Gabranth has posed:

It is actually rather early morning for some, for someone like Gabranth he has been up before the sun working on paper-work, delegating over what tasks need to be handled, and silently glad the crisis in Fluorgis was handled. Though he wish he could have been there to see it to the end, but it is just /now/ that his shoulder had healed enough that the doctors have gotten off his back!

Bloody hell, they even gave him a strong talking too when he decided to go play his job while off duty to stop a thief that nearly roasted him!

Yet, far as the Judge Magister is concerned, he would not be where he is, if he didn't actually do his job. Off or on the clock.

Though in a more reasonable hour, Gabranth did send a letter to Riku's room, the letter was nicely written and rather simple, though perhaps the meaning behind it would be unsure.

"Riku,
Meet me at the Sky Terminal outside at noon. Wear something comfortable and don't worry about lunch.
- Judge Magister Gabranth"

So at the Sky Terminal, watching the skyships move to and fro, including the ones picking up people or dropping people off. The Judge Magister sits there at one of the benches with his arms spread out along the backside of the bench and one leg over the other.

Gabranth was not actually in his armor. Instead he was in normal attired, though dark colored still. More common leather pants, a dark gray shirt with a few strings loose at the collar, and a pair of nice, black leather boots with the tops folded over slightly at the calf.

Yet those two swords were still at his hip. It would seem the Judge Magister is never, truly without his swords.

Riku has posed:
Riku pulled a shirt on as he looked out from his window at the city. His foot thumped against a pile of books and the teenager swore quietly as he hobbled around looking for his other boot.

His apartment was a disarranged tangle of half open books and a mess of paper. He picked up a few things, throwing them into somwhat more orderly piles as he threw a coat over his shoulders from a hanging peg.

Riku opens the door and jogs down the steps. A few minutes later he has to retrace his steps more carefully because this part of the city didn't look right. It doesn't take him more than that one try (especially since he has a map in one pocket that he takes the time to read)

The teenager finds his way to the Sky Terminal, whistling softly at the flying cars as he watches them slide into and away from the station. He got a moment of disorientation as he tried to take in too much at once, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He peers around and has to scan twice to locate Gabranth. He's just not used to seeing them out of their armor and so it doesn't immediately click.

Riku approaches idly, looking around the city and still unable to get enough. As if he were trying to cope with something or engrave something into his mind that he isn't quite able to grasp. ".. Good morning, your honor."

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth sits there waiting patiently, until Riku approaches him, which those blue eyes address the youth for a moment, before he goes to stand up. "Riku. Good afternoon to you." The Judge of Ambition glances around the area before he inhales the air, then looks off to the distance for a moment, before his eyes return to Riku.

At first it was that Awkward look. Not sure what to say, or how to say it. When he was this age, what would he want to do? What-- would he really wanted to do? Not be stuck reading books like he did, or listening to lectures.

"Thank you for coming on my summons." Gabranth says trying to smile. It was hard, he gave up somewhere in the attempt. "I figured you like to eat some lunch out and perhaps do a little exploring around the city." The Judge Magister stated looking over at one of the cabs, "I know of a few places that have a rather good choices of foods and we will go where you like."

The Judge then crossed his arms over his chest, "..and I think for today.." He couldn't believe he was about to say this, but he needed to relax the air if he was ever going to learn anything about Riku. If he was ever going to help train the youth. "..I think for today you may just call me.." there was an odd pause, before he continued, "Gabranth. No your honor, for today, just my name."

"So then, what would you like to do first?"

Riku has posed:
Riku looks at the Judge Magister, his former expression set onto his features like a mask as he withdraws momentarily to turn this over in his mind. He stares at Gabranth and the city absently, but the expression is more calculated than not.

The teenager narrows his eyes slightly as he looks around at the city and then back to Gabranth. Again that moment of hesitation, searching the judge magister's face now that he can see it and deciding exactly how much to say. How to react.

All of this happens in about the space of five seconds. By the sixth, Riku thumps one hand against the other and rocks back on his heels. He dips his head down in respect and his shoulders minutely relax.

"Sure. As long as what you are softening me up for doesn't involve a double bladed sword. That thing's vicious." the smirk on his face is genuine and even slightly teasing as he sighs, digging out the map from his pocket.

"Since I skipped breakfast, I.. think food would be a good choice right now. Lets.. catch a ride over there."

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth actually chuckles a little. "You can thank Judge Magister Zargabaath for that. He was my weapons trainer back when I was learning as a Judge. A stave is a good place to start if you ever want to learn how to handle such a weapon like that."

The Judge of Ambition then follows where Riku wants to go. He gives a nod and motions for him to come along, almost thinking of swiping at the map as he walks by. "I doubt you will need the map. After all, is not adventure finding yourself into places with no direction then trying to find your way out of it again?"

Yep with no armor and not many really knowing Gabranth's real face it was very easy for the Judge Magister just to be a normal citizen. Yet the only give aways was the way he carried himself, his voice, and just those two swords.

He places up his hand to motion for the cab to come over, and once it does he hops in and just lets Riku do the explaining of where he wants to go. Whatever distract they end up in, Gabranth knows were to get food. If nothing else, they could snag food from the outside markets as well. Tons of those to boot and some were not to shabby from what he has heard.

Once within and directions given, the Judge Magister leans back, watching the city for a moment before he speaks up. "How are you handling the big city? Since if I recall right, you come from a much smaller place."

Riku has posed:
Riku raises his eyebrows, glancing at Gabranth in a faintly amused 'did you /really/ just say that' expression. He chuckles very softly to himself, murmuring something like. "..adventure, huh?" that is almost inaudible as he tucks the map back into a pocket. A flicker of something crosses his eyes, there and gone as he then has to focus on exactly where to go and how to get there.

This tangles his mind up into a sufficient knot that he becomes slightly flustered. Riku closes his eyes for a moment and trails a thread of memory through a jumble of facts. Riku explains slowly at first, wincing slightly at having to be corrected. He nods and settles back once he's finally hashed out where they are to go.

The teenager looks out the window, letting the scenery pass them by for a minute or two before replying. "I manage to get along well enough, I guess. It's just something that, for good or..ill.. I've never gotten used to." he pauses, then glances away from the scenery. "Did you grow up here?"

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth listens to Riku, there is almost small flicker of a smile on that almost always serious face, until the question comes. The Judge Magister then looks way and out the other window. His eyes staring yet at nothing, beyond his own reflection in the glass and in turn; Riku.

There was a second perhaps of silence before Gabranth speaks up, "Nay. I am a stray amongst the other Judge Magisters." He falls in silence again before looking away from the reflection and then at Riku. "I come from a small town. Only by.." he pauses yet again. Those blue eyes for once looking extremely distant, pain maybe even hiding behind it, along with even a greater depth of anger sealed behind that. "..only by one of my parents am I related to this city, but even then, many do not see it even as such." His voice was even quieter then normal, though he tries to bring it back to normal octave. Shoving away whatever pain and anger was trying to surface from some a simple, curious question. "That is why I do understand that Archades can seem intimidating at first, yet you come to love the city. You come to love her strength when you see her at her worse of times.. and admire her gentleness at the best."

Once the cab comes to a stop, the Judge Magister exits out and walks over to Riku. He examines around the area full of open walkways, some sky bridges that cross over-head leading to upper stores, and several different places that sell this and that about the area.

Even children that were playing with wood swords on some of the open grass.

The Judge Magister examines all this, before he motions in a direction to Riku. "Over that way is an outside grill. They make different types of hot sandwiches including a variety of snacks." He then motions the other way, to one of the sky bridges. "..and up there is an indoor restaurant that serves more.. common fair items. Like cold cut sandwiches, soups, salads.."

Gabranth silently wonders what will the youth go for. "Whatever you feel you would really enjoy. Both are great places. Just one can be a bit more sloppy then the other."

Riku has posed:
'And now I know the reason you wear that armor all the time.' Riku thinks this to himself as he listens to Gabranth. Everything he files away, listening but trying to reach ahead and draw this own conclusions. He snorts very softly when he comes around to one that he had made on near first impression with the Judge Magister.

Riku is vaguely unnerved by the Judge of Ambition for more reasons than sharp objects. There had been visions of the future before. Some that had been shown to him by dreams. Others that had been.. interested, if not completely honest parties. Gabranth.. was eerily similar to some of those recountings. So he knows better than to push because he wouldn't like it himself. Riku loses trail of this thought as a couple of boys run by them in a practice sword fight.

He smiles faintly, watching them pass with a distant expression that stays on his face long after the three boys have passed long out of sight into the bustling crowd.

The teenager takes in a steadying breath, clearing his throat slightly as he looks around and attempts to catch up with the conversation. "Uh.." Riku clears his throat again and rubs one shoulder gingerly as his eyes trail upwards and then across. "I've been cooped up for too long. Let's go over to the grill."

He jogs over towards that direction, weaving through the crowd back and forth. When he reaches it, he asks quietly. "How's your shoulder?" because just because he knows what not to say doesn't mean he won't needle on something of less consequence. Just a little.

Gabranth has posed:

The Judge Magister is caught off guard as Riku suddenly 'jogs off' in a direction, which forces Gabranth to actually ran for a moment to catch up with the youth. Whatever conversation that need to be shoved out of Gabranth's mind was quickly done so by the moment of having to play catch up.

Part of Gabranth, that Judge Magister side wanted to tell Riku to slow down. Behave. Yet, he told Riku to call him 'Gabranth'. To call him by a name he created when arriving here to Archades. To hide his true name, to hide away from his past; his anger. He told Riku, to not call him 'your honor'. No, today, today you will try to remember what it was like.

It was the only way you will honestly learn anything.

So this thirty six year old man, was chasing after a young adult man, probably at least maybe seventeen? He never bothered to even look at the paper work filed out! Age meant little honestly, it was experience that mattered.

So eventually the Judge of Ambition was right behind Riku, with only muffled excuse mes if they were needed. Thankfully people were not to bothered, well, maybe a few who were suddenly caught off guard by these two jogging across.

The only ones who had to do a double take were a few Imperial soldiers who were standing about to make sure things never got out of hand on their shift in the area. That would be a conversation to have off duty later at the bar.

Riku has posed:
Riku comes to a stop eventually and only after a somewhat protracted run. He turns to Gabranth and shrugs, completely unrepentant as he draws back just enough not to be within melee range. Riku smirks to himself as he looks over the food. He spends a minute or two looking, surrounded by the smell of grilling food and the heat baking.

Riku closes his eyes again taking in a deep breath before picking several sandwiches from a slightly sweet and pungent meat on coarse black bread. Almost immediately after the paying he is already into the sandwich, knowing full well the value of stalling and or diverting a conversation by the use of something to eat.

As he did not have breakfast he seats several of them on the table where he takes a seat, the one not in his hands wrapped up by a waxy paper.

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth catches up and watches as Riku goes to town on the sandwiches. He was a little amused at the youth and soon goes to order himself two of the sandwiches, along with some baked sliced potatoes, there were just crisped on the edges just right with them still being soft in the center. Once he has that he sits down to join Riku at the table, placing those potatoes between the two of them. There was a ton there, so they probably be quickly eaten up by one of the other.

Gabranth figures Riku would blow into them eventually.

"So, what was the food like where you come from?" Gabranth decides to ask before he bites into his own sandwich. Riku said he came from an island home right? So most likely fish was a typical food source.

Riku has posed:
Riku is surprised a little, but not by Gabranth's words. He slows down enough to linger over the sandwich already in hand, peeling between the layers momentarily and blinking several times.

It didn't hurt as much anymore. Riku frowns at himself as if this betrayal was something more cruel than anything Maleficent could put together. He takes another bite of the sandwich to forstall having to answer until he could trust himself not to leak anger from the edges of his voice.

"What you'd.. typically expect from a small island. My world.." he even manages to say that without choking on the sandwich. "was a warm one so food grew pretty well there. Pretty much what you could catch or gather. There were some farms on the larger island but nothing like the rolling expanses out here. It was.." Riku shakes his head. "It's gone now. I don't have a home anymore. Maybe someday I'll make somewhere my home like you have." he finishes the sandwich, grimacing at the table.

"It's just not going to be today."

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth frowns just a smidgen. It would seem both Riku and he have a similar issue. Neither like to speak on their past. Neither want to it to be drawn on, because perhaps for both all that was left behind was anger.

Yet when such things are brought up and Riku seem to be willing to share, perhaps, it was time the Judge of Ambition do the equal same. Give, take, return. There had to be team work somewhere, as even the lone wolf Judge Magister like himself required aid from time to time.

"I see. Sounds like a very nice place to be." The Judge Magister sighs placing down his own sandwich, to run his clean hand through that short blond hair of his with the side burns that almost went down to his chin. Those blue eyes glancing off to the side, before he spoke up. "My own was a farming town, nothing of military might. No soldiers really, though a few served in wars past." The Judge's brows furrowed. "We had chocobo stables, all types of farming goods, the land was fertile. Good land. The town itself did have its structure, mostly on the mountain side, but.." He picks up the potato wedge, giving it a good, stern look. "..the Republic of Landis, my once home, is also gone." He then ate that potato wedge, before picking up the sandwich once more.

He went back to eating once more, most just staring at the table. Bad subject was a bad choice of topic. He wondered if Riku would ask anything further on Landis, many never did though. It really didn't matter to anyone outside either. The lone republic swallowed up whole. So, minor subject break required, "You can have some of the chips if you like." Just you know, encase he didn't realize those were also available choice.

Riku has posed:
Riku takes another sandwich and examines it again as he takes a handful of chips from the middle of the pile. He doesn't smile though because a very grim thought has occured to him.

He pushes it away with a small shake of his head. He takes a bite of the sandwich, looking at Gabranth occasionally and wanting to ask but not really wanting to know where that conversation may lead him. It's the equivalent of throwing a rock down what he thinks may be a very.. very deep well.

The teenager tilts his head just slightly as he looks around the city and then back to his sandwich. Instead of the forbidding question, he asks something else trying to deflect his own attention. "..why are you telling me all this?" with a implication that he gestures with a hand around at the city that includes 'why are you doing this?' as bundled with the question.

Gabranth has posed:

The Judge Magister gives a shrug as he eats his sandwich. The answer didn't come right away either. He was kind of enjoying this sandwich and he was actually a bit hungry himself. So once he finished his one more bit, of now what was half a sandwich left, he spoke up.

"Because," He lingers on that word, his eyes staring at that sandwich before him. Staring at it, as he whispers to the word again. His brows furrow, not in anger but perhaps a hint of sadness, even the eyes almost match that same look.

He lets out a long breath of air before he continues. ".. Because I am trying to remember what it was like. When events conspired I swore my life to duty and to promises. I never had anyone beyond the few I knew and those few are gone. My only structure in life became the very structure of Archades." He looks then directly at Riku. "You have much promise in you to be better then I, yet.." He stops himself. He stops himself cold.

"...yet silently for a day.." as he tries to continue, continue on what he is really thinking, "..I want to remember and actually.. take the time to know someone, not from files, records, or from the eyes of a Judge Magister, but-- as a person to a person."

Riku has posed:

Riku furrows his brow in confusion and disbelief. He blinks slowly, the question on his face more than obvious. Why was he being trusted with this? There is a flicker of suspicion and were Gabranth anyone else, that suspicion would quickly blossom into a cheerful flame of doubt and mistrust. The teenager knew very well what Gabranth's position in the Empire was by this point. He knew a little bit about the 9th Bureau and it's dealings.

They dealt with information, and sometimes a considerable amount of setup would be required in the course of events. This entire situation could have been manufactured if Riku wasn't sure he was sitting across the table from a distorted mirror image of himself. The older man continues to be extremely disquieting in that respect. They could either be lying to him, which was possible.. or this could be the opposite. This could be Gabranth trying to be honest with him, as you would be honest to a mirror, in which case... Riku rubbed the side of one temple. The implications were giving him a headache.

"That's not going to work with most people." Riku takes another handful of chips. "-- one thing I've learned is that people are rarely whom they appear to be, or what they say they are." he chews on a potato wedge and picks several of them from the basket before continuing the thought. "Except a few." he begins to smile wryly. "Some people are /exactly/ what it says on the side. Bottled Moron. Do not shake or puncture." he chuckles softly to himself as he goes back to his sandwich.

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth grunts and chuckles softly. "Aye, that is true. A person is intelligent, people are stupid." He then takes a bite of his sandwich. Chewing on it thoughtfully. "And also correct, none of us, typically, are who we say we are. We hide behind doors within doors, and sometimes even then in boxes. Yet, conversation shows up glimpses of information that could be slated as the true attention of an individual."

The Judge Magister then takes another bite of the sandwich in further contemplation of this mild topic. "For myself, I hide behind barrier which is a Judge Magister of House Solidor... and beyond that.. a facade of myself that was built up into that barrier since I was.." He actually glances up in thought. "..Nineteen? Aye. Nineteen." He then looks back at the sandwich, before going to finish It off. Mm. Sandvich.

Riku has posed:

Riku has to think 'why are you telling me these things?' but comes around to the same reason as before. He thinks about the 9th Bureau again. What are the secrets of those who keep secrets? Because a secret is not a secret until it is told to someone. Otherwise it is just a bit of story that has been forgotten and is possibly lost forever.

It's also very unpleasant to have someone say these things because the light it shines into dark corners are also the same corners you are trying to hide behind. He grimaces at Gabranth and eats his sandwich. "For example, what you are saying now. Which could still be a spectacular lie, or you could be honest with me because your home isn't a very honest place and you are woefully out of practice."

He had already tried to piece out who he was in the clutter of boxes and doors he had thrown in the path of the TDA, of the Shadow Lords, of himself. It hadn't really worked very well. Or maybe it had worked well enough to get him here. To give him a reason for one more day. "I'm still not sure what you want me to tell you, and I'm not sure which story to give. There are several things that I was." he looks at one hand and drums his fingers on the table. "..What I am now is a longer and slightly stranger list."

Gabranth has posed:

"Tell me whatever you feel comfortable telling me." Gabranth said with a mild smile and a shrug of his shoulders. "Just as I have told you what I feel comfortable telling you." The Judge Magister then narrows his eyes, before he closes them, crunching up the paper that held the sandwich in one hand almost into a tight ball. "And if you believe I lie to you, then that is your own belief to hold. No city is without its dark corners or without its dirty secrets. Just as no person."

The Judge Magister then releases his hand slightly before moving to stand up, stealing a few of those potato wedges, yet he rests one hand on the table before pointing one of the wedges at Riku. "After all, I am of the Ninth Bureau. Dark places that people want me out of is my common playground." There was a minor smirk on his face. "Just right now, I think I can safely say for once," He then stands up tall. "I don't give a bloody damn about my job right now." Then takes a bite of that potato wedge. He may regret those words later. He may even ask himself why he let his guard down like this.

"Now then, are you going to finish those sandwiches or are you going to let them get cold. This city is large and the day is.." Whatever frozen exterior that was broken down for the moment, suddenly fills back up in his eyes and stance as he hears a gentle ring. Like gentle shards clicking against one another in the wind.

His hand goes to rest down on his pocket where the pearl was. He eyes then close as he lets out a gentle breath of air in a sigh.

'I don't give a bloody damn about my job right now..' those were just your words moments ago.

The Judge Magister then slowly moves his hand away, yet the frozen look in his eyes remain for a moment, before they slightly warm up only a smidge "..and I would tell you to remember that fate is cruel mistress, but.. something tells me you already know this, hm?"

Riku has posed:

Riku watches this play out with a very calculated inattention. "I don't think any of this entire morning has been comfortable." he murmurs this as he rubs the bridge of his nose. "..because I am trying not to look stupid and you are chasing shadows that have very little to do with me." he does not say this accusingly, or with any inflection at all. He simply says them in the same casual voice one would use for passing salt around on a table.

"I will however, take one of these sandwiches. And I am going to walk.." he puts a hand behind his head and idly looks around as he stands up, picking a random direction. "..that way." he pauses for a moment and then inclines his head slightly. "Thank you." he smiles in a acidly self-depreciating way. "..you've gone out of your way to be my friend. it's strange to have at least one I haven't bent into a pretzel."

He doesn't say anything about the brazen statement because he knows the universe usually tries to strike you upside the head when you say things like that. So he pretends not to have heard it, and insteads leaves it up to Gabranth what path to follow. It's ironically what he would offer himself. No words exchanged about either choice. He passes no judgement, which he finds somewhat ironic as he gathers up the sandwich and another handful of wedges before heading out towards the city to seek adventure.

Gabranth has posed:

The Judge Magister can't help but smirk. It was an almost sad smirk before he just lightly shrugs to what the youth says. The chime goes ignored it would seem. "That way huh?" Gabranth states looking in that direction. "Should be entertaining."

Gabranth glanced off to the side for a moment before he shook his head and followed along behind Riku, letting the youth friend, "..and the day you can beat me into a pretzel, Riku, is the day when you learn to not fear the double bladed weapon I hold." He tabs the Highway Star with his hand. "The best defense against a weapon like that is to be quick on your feet and look for the opening between the swings. Just like someone dual wielding."

He takes a moment to reflect on that fight. "..and you do fight well. Maybe in another year or two.." Gabranth for once actually laughs. "I may be the one running from you!"

Riku has posed:

Riku chuckles sourly, weaving through the crowd as he idles across the street. "Wouldn't that be fun." he sighs slightly, keeping that so low that he hopes that his voice is swallowed up by the crowd noise as he throws off an internal thought to one side.

He laughs softly, the bitterness fading as he steps up onto a ledge and walks along it, hands half in the pockets of his coat as he looks this way and that. He looks down at the street below and the skybridges above. "Yeah yeah. That I should be so lucky. The first thing that got pummeled into my head was pretty much everyone I met was better than me." Riku smirks. "A guy could get a complex going like that." he snorts softly. "There's always a bigger pool, and bigger fish."

He takes a bite from the sandwich as he steps down from the ledge when he reaches the end of it, wandering down two flights of stairs into a less populated area. A long narrow street curved to the left, paved by stone and flanked by trees. Alleyways branched off from this narrow street between the looming buildings which crisscrossed overhead. Eventually the curving road spilled out into a viewing area that overlooked a small park that was stretched out below, nestled in Upper Archades and decorated with benches and dormant lamp posts.

Riku took another bite of the sandwich, looking down at the story or so drop from this vantage point to the streets below and then across at the open terrain. He looks distantly into the horizon, eyes still trying to trace flying cars and the movement of people down below. "..you know. I am certain that I am on those files of yours one way or another." he leans a little farther out onto the ledge, curiously intent as he looks down at the street. "..I still actually wonder how you can trust me." he chuckles faintly. "I often don't."

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth continues to follow along, he actually doesn't stop Riku from his dangerous acts. Far as Gabranth was concern, if someone was to stop him from such things, he may be a little annoyed. Yet he did keep an eye on the youth, just encase.

The Judge Magister didn't speak much now, one hand just resting on the hilt of his sword, the other lazily moving along as he walked. His own eyes looking about the area, till the comment of trust came up, which only caused Gabranth to 'mm' softly.

"You learn to trust, because in order to get anything done really in this world, you must have some faith in one another." The Judge of Ambition explains. "But complete trust is something else entirely. Nay, I learned long time ago, that not even blood can be trusted." There was almost a low venom sound in his voice. "Blood, perhaps over anyone else out there, can be far more dangerous of a serpent then any senator."

Riku has posed:

"Faith." Riku snorts the word very quietly but doesn't say anything else. He turns an eye back towards Gabranth, considering him for a moment before going back to looking at the view. Another pebble, and another plinking descent into a deep well. He vaults the viewing ledge that surrounds the edge of this street and sits with his hands bracing him from behind.

He eats the rest of the sandwich he has on hand, letting silence creep back into the area. The shush of crowd noise was more subdued here, letting the natural sounds of trees and wind and water creep around the edges. Riku looks towards a series of waterfalls against one 'wall' of the parkland, cutting a sheep and treacherous cliffside into a number of sharp terraces and glittering pools before finally running down into a small lakeside.

Riku turns in his seat, eyes scanning the upper cliffsides of the rusty red and orange buildings. The glitter of glass and crystal and gleaming metal. He looks at several towers, scanning for the tallest point in the city and peering there as if considering. Whatever he is looking at, it is quite a distance away. Riku rubs his chest gingerly, a momentary flicker of pain lancing across his face as he focuses on the titanic spires. "Well. Let's say I don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to large cities." he snorts faintly. "To say the least."

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth raises an eye brow, pondering if he should question why this would be the case for Riku. What was this track record? Running away perhaps? Causing trouble? There was a large amount of different answers that could come from that question. Yet, probably all very personal.

The Judge Magister then crosses his arms over his chest, staring off in some distance for a moment, before looking back to Riku. It was a statement begging to be asked though of simply 'why'. The words were forming on his lips, but all Gabranth simply said was, mm.

The one boot moved across the ground in pondering, deeper contemplation really, before he spoke up from his own silence. "Did you do something wrong?"

Riku has posed:

"I didn't think so at the time." Riku murmurs quietly in response and chuckles, shaking his head softly. They really didn't know, or .. perhaps were pretending not to. It might even be true. The universe was a big place. That was almost comforting because it meant all of this may go away at any time. Everything made sense now. The teenager smirks, relaxing his tensed shoulders and letting out a small breath of relief.

"You know, I'm going to go over there." he points to the tall building he had been considering for quite some time now. "And I don't feel like walking this time. Let me show you a trick that's got me in trouble before." he snorts quietly as he gets up and jumps down from the viewing ledge back the way they had come. "And.. out of trouble. Although a lot more of one than the other." Riku murmurs to himself as he looks up and down the street 'Why not. I'm here pretty much on borrowed time anyways..'

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth tilts his head to the side as he regards what Riku has to say and then gives a soft nod. "Very well." He watches the youth closely. "What is it you plan to do in order to get from here," The Judge Magister points, "To there." He points way off to the distance.

"To do something like that would take one great feat, such as sprouting wings from aether." Gabranth states with a minor, unsure smirk if those were wise words to use. He didn't mean any harm by them, but for Riku to get from one location to another seemed like it would be hard to do without some kinda trick.

So this is where Gabranth stands and just watches. Arms still crossed over his shoulders and seeming a little amused.

Riku has posed:

"Not as neat of a trick as being a dragon, but I'm not enough of a jerk to keep that up." Riku says that cryptic aside and scuffs at the ground. He hesitates for a moment, resting a hand on the wall. He checks for a final time for onlookers before making a negligant wave in the direction of the ground.

There is small, sharp snap of dark magic as a hole opens up in the dusty paved stones near Riku's feet. The light simply falls away into it, a black and inky nothingness throwing back distorted reflections like a dark mirror. Riku looks up at the distant expanse a final time before turning to face Gabranth. He is already taking a step backwards into the inky pool. "Coming?" he asks almost cheerfully as he drops quickly out of sight.

Gabranth has posed:

The Judge Magister stands there in disbelief as he suddenly watches dark magic come to life in the form of a dark hole of some kind. He knows dark magic when he sees it; after all he uses it himself. Yet he had never seen something this until now. Not like /this/. He has seen portal magic, but this-- this was something different.

It was different that he could feel the dark magic from it. The last time he felt something like this was.. no. No that was a different set of circumstances.

In standing there in some disbelief, Riku's words almost didn't register before his eyes blink a few times and he quickly decides to take that leap of 'faith'. Going right for the portal and into it if it doesn't close shut on him. No hesitation either; just a quick leap right in.

Riku has posed:

The portal closes behind Gabranth and for a moment, or several moments, the time is completely indefinite.. there is nothing. No sound. Nothing to see. No smells of the city. There is not even any ground to walk on. It is simply an empty void. A place inbetween places where an endless darkness exists.

Upper Archades returns with an explosive rush. The world is turned back on as if flicking a switch and the portal spits out about five feet above the ground. It's almost treacherously near a sloping edge that would have spilled them out into empty space. Riku is pulling himself up from laying flat against the roof, chuckling weakly as he pulls himself onto a more comfortable and safer ledge.

The view is quite commanding, the wind whistling hollowly in the silence of these high places as almost the entire city can be seen stretching out into the distance. "Watch that first step." Riku says with a chuckle, waving at the portal which closes behind Gabranth again with a soft displacement of air.

Gabranth has posed:

The darkness was all consuming. The void of nothing was even more concerning. Gabranth almost, for that short moment thought he fell for a trick, a trap. That Riku 'tricked' him and he was now trapped forever in some place void of anything a normal man could ever handle before going mad.

Yet just as quick as the thought crossed his mind, he suddenly was rushed out like an explosion. The sight, sounds around him, overloading his sense for just a moment as he tried to figure out /what/ just happened, which is when all his brain registered was 'ledge'.

The Judge Magister foot impacted the ledge, but his body wanted to topple right over from the force of being thrown out. He waved his arms and then his eyes quickly went from blue to amber as he forced his balance by using dark magic to actually 'aid' in regaining balance.

He peered over to Riku as the youth stated that 'watch your step'. There was a roll of his eyes before he retorted back just as quickly, "You perhaps could have /said/ that sooner." he didn't actually sound upset at all. He was pretty calm. The quip was indeed playful sarcasm. After all, maybe he shouldn't have rushed in some quickly behind like that!

Gabranth then takes a moment to realize where they are. His feet carefully moving along the surface, those his eyes remain amber just encase he needs to use his own magic to protect him encase something happens here. He looks around, listening to the wind. Then taking a step to peer over the edge.

Then he looks to where they once were, before his attention at last full goes to Riku. "..You know a form of teleportation magic?" He sounded actually highly surprised. Dumb founded really. "..how.." He then stares at Riku now with truly some disbelief, even though he just saw it and experienced it. It was still hard to believe. "..How did you learn such a thing?"

Riku has posed:
Riku smiles briefly, rubbing the back of his head. He gives Gabranth one of those looks that means he is calculating again how much to say. He looks over at the wraparound vista of the city instead of answering. He laughs quietly at Gabranth's surprise, taking a small amount of smug amusement that makes his shoulders shake.

"That's kind of a long story.. and I'm not sure if it has a happy ending yet." he grins with mischeivous glee up at the Judge of Ambition. "It's really only recently that it's stopped dumping me out into trees, into the ocean.. on a different world.. or miles away." he laughs again and then sighs, rubbing one hand up against the armored plates of the glove.

"As long as I've been there before or I can see it relatively well.. I can choose to go there. It used to be I didn't choose. I just went where it took me."

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth gave a gentle nod as Riku explained. He was very curious though, that was obvious in his eyes, yet he was restraining himself from prying to much. Prodding for the details, the information he wanted to grasp at.

"I-- see." Gabranth then gives another nod. "So it has taken you some time to master proper control of such an ability." The Judge Magister then looks out over the city vista. "Then I am glad you have learned to control it, or that could have gone extremely poorly for us both." He says with an amused look on his face.

Gabranth at last sits down resting his arms over his knees as he just stares out over the world. "Though for now, I would suggest you.. keep such a power to yourself. There are those who may mistaken your knowledge for other things and perhaps request to.. see how far this specialization can go."

The Judge Magister frowned. "..at least wait until your a Judge if nothing else. That way perhaps it looks like you gained such from training and they have less room to.. pry." Though he did wonder when they didn't have room to pry into anything.

"So.." The Judge Magister then glances over at his shoulder to Riku. "..when you did mess up, what was the most interesting one?"

Riku has posed:
"Trees. It's /always/ trees." Riku chuckles faintly to himself, his eyes turning yellow so that it spreads all the way across. He doesn't seem to notice this as his smile tics only slightly, a flash of bitter anger running an undercurrent through his thoughts.

Riku closes his eyes for a moment, a slight heat mirage abating as he rubs his eyes with two knuckles. "Well, not always but I always seem to be falling out of them. And I'm trusting you only because you will probably be the one chasing me when the time comes for chasing. " he chuckles sadly.

" It seemed so simple. It opens where I am, and then it goes where I tell it. Never change your mind while doing so. I ended up hanging off a cornerstone of a grand cathedral in the city of Mullonde. Which was the wrong world, let alone the wrong city. Needless to say I have very little future as a building ornament."

Gabranth has posed:

"No. You would not make a very good building ornament at all. You are to ugly." Gabranth states quickly, almost like someone snapped their finger. Though he had a very snarky grin on his face for the playful nature of the remark.

Though he shakes his head. "Nay, I doubt I will have reason to chase you, Riku. Whatever you did in your past, is what you have done. Once you joined with us, your record started clean far as the House is concerned. What you do now is what is truly important."

Gabranth tilts his head, "..and even if you were to break the law as a Judge, you would then be held to the Magister's own choice of punishment, or that of the Emperor Solidor himself... but I doubt such a thing will happen, and even if so, it probably be unintentional-- I would hope."

The Judge Magister then actually lays back, resting his arms under his head closing his eyes. He could actually snooze up here to be honest. It was a tempting, a very tempting thought.

"So, just do a me a favor, young sir. Do not stain your record and you will have no reason to concern yourself of being unwelcomed here. Once you are of Arcades, you shall always be of Arcades... unless the House says otherwise."

Riku has posed:
"Hah!" Riku lets out a short, amused bark of surprised laughter at the cutting snark. He draws up one leg to look out over the city, the wind howling in a low constant murmuring echo while the sun baked stone radiated warm waves of heat.

"What is what I am worried about." he says quietly with a chuckle. "But.. we'll see. I can't promise anything. I know better than that. But..we'll see what comes of this after all." he sighs quietly as he lays back on the stone, folding his hands behind his head as he closes his eyes.