kingdomdressing | (no subject)

[ there's something akin to a ripple of Light and Darkness, of heat and cold, of dusk and shadows on the shores of the sandy beach, and the splash of boots in the very edge of the wet waves of the surf next to Aqua as Riku curiously tilts his head slightly to the side at the "sight" of the silent, morose azure-haired women tossing peddles into the ocean and listening to the splashes.

(since the encounter with another Aqua, faint memories surface in his mind, but his meeting with her had been short and other then the fact it was strange the lady had assumed Sora would have to protect Riku, not the other way around, and her manner of dress, had been uninteresting. Riku had been a intelligent boy, mature for his age, but the young man's visit had been far more important then this lady's.)

the ribbons of the black blindfold wrapped across his sharp eyes flap behind him. he doesn't say a word, just stares curiously. ]

[She's seen Rikus before. Hard for her not to have, really. But this one feels a little different to most. Just a bit.

Idly, she remembers the one she used to 'see' looking out for Terra (always Terra, to her) back home, the would-have-been-apprentice and would-have-been-master. But that was back there. Just a passing thought.

She glances over, and gives a nod.]

Hello.

[ a blink as the splashes as water met rock creased and Aqua's greeting rang out on the bright, sunny beach. white sand shifted under his boots, the clear blue waves edged with white hugged the curve of the shore. and the sun smiled overhead. an endless source of natural ~~blinding~~ light.

(the unknown lady hadn't interested him because she hadn't promised, promised to come back one day and break the too-bright-sunshine-on-water prison bars locking him in his tiny world. hadn't given him hope, had not laughed at his dreams of something bigger, something greater then a confined world of islands, seagull cries, tides and sea-foam, had truly listened to him and understood. even Sora who had been the only one to even try and understand the questions that buzzed around his head without end, had never connected to him like that.

dreams are seldom what they seem. and they're never easy.)

A flat, polite nod in return. there's something that pings him about this strange women-- he had met up with other Aquas before, but this version seemed a little... different. ]

Hey... Aqua, right?

[She gives a gentle smile. No, nothing wrong here. Just someone taking time out to greet a - well, not new face, but new person behind the face.]

That's it. You'd be Riku, am I right?

[ Riku stood in the very edge of the rolling waves of the surf, allowing thin ripples of water to slide across his boots before retreating back to the depths of the ocean and the salty-seawater.

he kicks idly one foot against the waves and watches as the water sprays up into the air in million droplets of seawater, sunlight reflecting though them and making the water shine and glow and sparkle for a short moment before the liquid streams plummeted down again. ]

Yep. What are you out here for?

[Glittering waves and spray - lovely sight. A little bit of a shame he's denying himself a look at it, she thinks, but it's not her call to make.]

I was just taking in the view. [She looks at the ground for a moment, gives a little bit of a chuckle.] I hadn't been down this way before.

[ after all he had done, he doesn't need his eyes to see anymore then a snake needed legs to move. the beach is quiet today. not many people lingering around, just the two of them and the shrill seagull cries. ]

You've been in the dressing room a while then? [ blindly his head turns from the rolling of the tide, and back to Aqua. ] It's a nice view.

[ not that he can actually see it. ]

[She'll just trust he knows what he's talking about there: it certainly seems like he does, as she'd gladly agree.]

It is. And I have... I was here before it was a town, even.

[Back when it felt like she'd changed one kind of imprisonment for another, even if this was less harsh.]

[ it's cool today; despite the sun being out, it's tepid, sunny, and cool, bordering on warm but not hot. cloud drift over the blue drawing clothe of the sky and the great white blot of the sun hanging high overhead. ]

Quite a long time then.

[ a quiet laugh though the chuckle is not directed at her. ]

[It doesn't matter if it's cool. It's open, it's pleasant - what else does she need, after everything? She picks up the laugh on Riku's end and returns it.]

You could say that. [Compared to some things, though, it's hardly been any time at all.] How about you?

[ a shrug; one gloved hand goes on his hip, the other gloved hand swings out in a wide gesture as if to indicate the whole place, the whole sandy white-washed beach, the whole sparkling blue ocean, the wide beaming sky, the whole world-- or maybe just to make a point. ]

Fine. Hnh, babysitting idiot Hero is a good way to pass the time at least. [ the outstretched hand drops and he folds both arms across his chest. ] Since the only way to leave is when this place deems fit, it's mainly a problem of filling the wait.

I try not to think of it that way.

[She gives a soft sigh, but then turns to look more directly at him, for what it's worth.]

But babysitting a hero? Are there any of them that need it around here? I've seen plenty, and they seemed to - have things under control.

Why not?

Huh? I'm not talking about some random guy. Hero's my nickname for the idiot. [ a inhale of clean, salty air. a quiet huff as he blows it out of his lungs. ]

No, I doubt Xeha needs me to keep an eye on him. But I tend to think of it as babysitting.

[She tries not to let her surprise show.]

I've heard the name.
[Still wrong from her perspective, but it's not like Riku'd know, she thinks.]
Your age? Silver hair? Are we thinking of the same person?

[Are we thinking of Terra?]

[ a blink. then he turns fully to face Aqua. what? the only ones who ever were aware of and called Xehanort by that name, were from his universe. confusion flared to life, jump-starting some version of relief, and his paranoia. if she had been alive in his world, why hadn't she appeared? ]

... What?

[ no, Riku doesn't know. he has guesses, inklings, the events from Castle Oblivion, memories, and simple common sense but nothing truly solid. a wary nod at her descriptions. ]

That's right.

[ but he's unsure. he does have a tenacity to protect and try his best to aide the silver-haired boy since he had betrayed all of his loyalties to Sora and Kairi. would this women be an hindrance to Xeha?

playing it safe had save his hide more times then he could count. ]

[She smiles more widely, now. Friendly. This is interesting, she's thinking. Very interesting indeed. So this is the same one... he hadn't recognised her for who she was, though.

Fairly sure she can use that to her advantage.]

I didn't know there was anyone else from our world here. It's wonderful to finally meet someone else...

[ Riku is wary, but he always was if it's someone from his universe he doesn't know. here, it's nothing to offend someone-- you might never met up again. but the guests from his world are something he needs to keep an eye on.

the other alternates versions are fairly safe-- after all, what happens in the dressing room will stay in the dressing room. the people know millions upon millions of the same face, with similar histories, the same stories, the same pains. it would be a snap to pretend to be someone else.

but he doesn't suspect Aqua.

after all, he met up with a couple of her alternates and they were pleasant and nice enough. ]

There are actually quite a few of us.

[Pleasant? Nice? She's fine with all these. It's the 'plans leading to universal devastation' part that tends to clash with the other local Aquas.

She just shakes her head, still smiling.]

I suppose I was just unlucky, then. Who's made it here?

[Got to see what she's up against, after all.]

[ a sidelong glance before Riku returns his blindfolded gaze to the ocean waves and the inching in and out of the tide. ]

Xeha and some of his buddies. Don't remember which.

[ lies. he exactly who was here and who was not. but as Xeha and later Braig had learned, Riku never gave up information without a price or unless he expected to get something out of it in the long run. he aided Xeha, he expected him to return the favor. he gave a Memory Card to Braig, he expected Braig to be good and prove some theories of his.

give and take, price and profit. ]

['His buddies' is good enough for her: while that might only narrow it down to twelve people, it's a start at the very least, and she'll believe him when he says he doesn't know. She nods thoughtfully.]

That's good to know. It's been a long time since I've seen any of them, after all.

[Even if the context's not the norm.]

I'll keep my eyes open.

[ his gaze was cool as the air around them as he stared out across the water. if he ignored the heat of the sun beating down on his back and the blue-haired women next to him, he could almost pretend it was evening dusk, the sun was raisingsetting and the waves were bleeding red as freshly spilled blood where the curve of sky and the ocean met. ]

Know any of them?

[ always read the subtext. always read between the lines. ]

Like I care.

[She gives a wry laugh.]

Not very well. I knew Xeha [and the name tastes ugly in her mouth] when he was younger, but I don't think he'd remember me. And I've just seen the others around.

[ he raises a single eyebrow in a mild expression of disbelief. ]

Really? I didn't know. Guess he really doesn't remember you since Xeha never mentioned you. [ a pause. then a sign, a release of air. well, if she knew Xeha at some point and the Keyblade wielder never thought to warn anyone about her, she's probably a little trustworthy. ] He's a good kid, though a tad too trusting at times. Better person then me at least.

Oh, I'm sure you're not that bad.

[All friendly, but she looks down for a moment.] And I'm not surprised he doesn't. [Headshaking-] I can't say I'm not disappointed, but I'm not surprised.

[Terra'd never given any sign of remembering the past, she thought. Even in her castle, all memory brought to life, he'd seemed no different - just the boy Riku was describing.
Perhaps it would've been easier if she could believe it.]

Betraying one's friends is usually a point against them in that department, right?

[ his voice was idle and uncaring. he just keeps looking out over the horizon line, like he's trying to see past the ocean. ]

Hero has quite the memory problems. Did you know that sometimes, when a person suffers a severe trauma or blow to their reality they can't cope with, their brain locks down and blocks out the memories to keep functional? The memories are still there.

It's just that the person doesn't want to remember them.

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had to go to sleep, sorry.

It's cool.

^_^

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