#VERSE

[hyaciiintho]

🌸｡*ﾟ+. @gravitasfatum

There were plenty of strange things that had happened in Riku's life, experiences that none back home would even dare to believe. Still, he had to admit, time travel was bar far the most out there thing he'll ever have to explain to his friends when he got back home.

IF... he got back home.

'No, don't think like that. You're gonna get home. You just have to train a bit more, that's all. It's nothing you can't handle, mister Keyblade Master.' The silveret chastised himself mentally, and instead, chose to FOCUS on the present(past?).

"So..." He began, addressing the company in his midst who may, or may NOT, be accompanying him on his walk willingly. Something told Riku Luxu wasn't just there for company, and instead, for monitoring, but that was his skeptical side talking. "... I guess I'm stuck here for a while." Rather than think too hard on being watched, Riku instead did his best to put on a friendly smile-- 'What would Sora do, if he were in my place?' Makes friends. "Anything interesting to do around here?"

[hyaciiintho]

The girl couldn't help but stare at the other. For some reason, she just couldn't grasp the fact that he, of all people, was here in Shibuya. Now. And that wasn't even the icing on the cake, although--

One wouldn't really call it icing.. Sora had gone missing, and Riku was trying to find him. Runa had to bite back a thought, sipping on her coffee instead as she kept it to herself. The last thing that she wanted to do was be more of a downer on the already dire situation.

"So..." Runa managed to say, her voice coming out more shaky than she intended. She took another sip and cleared her throat before continuing. "How.. How did you end up here anyway? Getting here isn't exactly the easiest thing to do, even on purpose."

(( hewo ansfkjabf ))

It wasn't as though he hadn't noticed her stare. On the contrary, it was rather DIFFICULT to ignore the way her gaze bore into him. It was just hard to focus on the smaller details when you found yourself in yet another distant world that you knew NOTHING about, streets just a window away being packed with others moving to and fro-- a sea of bodies that never stopped moving. It was... a little overwhelming, if he were to be honest.

For all the places they had seen during their adventures, nothing compared to... Shibuya, was it? It was truly the most unique and POPULATED world he's seen yet.

"Well, you're right about that: It wasn't easy." Riku confirmed her statement, gaze being slow to pull away from the window, even as he made an effort to shift his head to better face her. "There were a few... let's just say keys, to gather, first. Once we did, there was a clear path through the power of waking. Although, Shibuya wasn't exactly my original destination... Even if it does look exactly like my dream... Maybe we just got the name wrong..." He trailed off then, eyes lowering to settle on the table's surface.

It was hard to deny the uncanny similarities between where he found himself now, and the place from his dreams-- Even down to that distant tower.

"... Well, one thing's for sure..." His attention was now successfully won over by her, taking his turn now to STARE openly and take in her appearance. It was a strange feeling, looking into the face of someone you once knew, feeling both FAMILIAR and entirely foreign all at the same time. Still, deep in his heart, familiarity won over the battle, and a smile tugged at his lips. "... It's good to see you again, Runa. Of all the people I could have run into, this was the nicest surprise."

[hyaciiintho]

Kairi glanced out towards the setting sun, holding a papou fruit in her hand. It had only been a moments ago, she felt Sora fade away. The price for overusing the power of awakening. It hurt a lot, and none of the others dared to approach the red head quite yet. All expect for one.

The princess could sense Riku presence as he approached the tree. Tears continuing to fall, as she felt responsible for Sora’s fate. He had given so much to save everyone and going back in time to rescue her was the final straw. A part of her wondered if Riku blamed her. That was his best friend, someone he’d grown up with.

“Riku…I’m sorry I can’t stop crying. It hurts..I have no idea where he is..”

There was no hint as to where Sora ended up, all she knew was the three of them were separated once again. After the final fight with Xehanort, Kairi thought they could all be together again. To try and live normal lives finally but fate had other plans.

“Do you blame me..it’s okay if you do because I feel like it is my fault.”

Kairi didn’t want him to hold back how he felt, after everything they had been through all she wanted was him to speak his feelings. To finally have that talk they both been meaning to have since they reunited again. There was so much unsaid between the two of them and Kairi wanted nothing more than to allow Riku to feel like he could lean on her too.

(For Riku from my Kairi. It’s been a while so I am rusty but sliding her your way)

At first, Riku didn't know what to think.

It was as if he slowly fell into a DREAM, unable to believe what his eyes were seeing from afar as he watched Sora simply cease to be. He had stood there numbly, staring long and hard, as if in doing so would somehow bring the familiar brunet back into view. Sora, however, never manifested again.

He didn't know how or when he managed to approach Kairi, his feet carrying him to where Sora once sat, having now left the girl alone in place. Again, he remained STARING, a hand gently lifting and touching the spot their friend once occupied.

It was still warm.

A breath-- chest stuttering as it HITCHED somewhere deep within him. He felt the beginning of tears sting at his eyes, but willed the emotion away. Riku REFUSED to cry. Kairi was already doing enough of that for the both of them. Crushed as he was over their dearest friend's disappearance, it would do no good to crumble.

No, right now, Riku needed to be strong, a pillar of stability and strength-- for her, and everyone else who still stood on the beach, watching in muted horror as they waited for ANSWERS neither of them could give.

"Kairi..." Finally, he allowed himself to speak, confident in his ability to voice his words without the threat of EMOTIONS ruining him. "Hey... Listen to me..." Riku approached, a hand landing on her arm, silently seeking permission to come closer. After a moment's further pause, he enveloped her in a hug, holding tightly all the while. "It's... It's not your fault... okay...? Wherever he went... we'll find him. Together."

Together... it should have been the three of them. They should have FINALLY been together, all of them. They had won. They deserved that much, didn't they?

His heart hammered something awful within his chest, and he knew from how he held her, Kairi could feel every ACHE and suppressed cry with every beat.

[hyaciiintho]

Gives Riku a paopu fruit. Who does he share it with?

The first thoughts are Sora and then Kairi-- they're his two most PRECIOUS friends, after all. Thankfully, however, their fates have been (and always will be) intertwined. Through thick and thin, they always find a way back to each other.

So another comes to mind, one who's been left forgotten for far too long, and deserves some extra "magic" to further SOLIDIFY such a promise.

"Naminé."

[hyaciiintho]

🌸｡*ﾟ+. Gonna share "P"s bio here below the cut since I don't really have his google doc put together yet (I don't feel like editing colors and graphics and all that right now, but I literally have all this typed up already dfgshjk). I wanted to share though and add to my "Muse List" tag because technically he's pretty much ready to go ✨

I was vague in this, however, there are still heavy spoilers for the game in terms of who P is!!! If you're not wanting to be spoiled, don't read, not even the basic bio on top because? Spoilers????? xD but yeah, here's my new golden child, he's joined the ranks of Link & Riku, and that's saying A LOT right there. The 3rd golden child 💙 I'm excited to write him with others!

Name: Goes by “Carlo Geppetto” Nicknames/Titles: Geppetto’s Puppet, Puppet, Clever One, Doll Face (Only one person is allowed to call him that) Age: ??? (Physically appears somewhere between 18-23) D.O.B: September 19th (Virgo ♍) Pronouns: He/Him Sexuality/Romanticism: Asexual; Demiromantic

PHYSICAL Height: 5’3” Weight: 310 lbs Hair: Grey Eyes: Gunmetal blue Skin: Fair, smattered in freckles

ASSOCIATED FLOWER(S) White Stargazer Lilies

MAIN TAG VERSE | MAIN 🌸 P

FAVORITES COLOR(S): Light blue & Gold SOUND(S): Music & a cat’s meow ANIMAL(S): Cats

By morning, he was born, awoken within the confines of a solitary train in the midst of a city overrun by puppets. With only a voice as compass, and a puppet guide dressed as lamplight for company, the dark-haired puppet boy followed directions without complaint. There was no greater purpose than to prove as useful to the one who had awoken him, and to his creator– his Father, Geppetto. 

There was kindness in the old man’s eyes and something else entirely he couldn’t quite pinpoint. It was nice though, being spoken to with such warmth and gentility. Something within him stirred, if only for but a moment.

His Springs were reacting.

By afternoon, he found himself changing, memories of a life someone used to lead beginning to weigh on his mind more heavily than any physical object he was made to carry. The name Carlo whispered to him in his mind by a voice that belonged to someone who was dear to him– or were they dear to “Carlo”? The distinction was hard to make, and only grew harder as the hours ticked by. The change wouldn’t only alter his form of thought, but physically alter him as well, what was once short and unruly hair now having grown to his shoulders in silken tresses.

His father seemed upset– The puppet couldn’t understand at all as to why.

His Ergo was whispering.

By evening he had felt many new emotions– or were they just being relearned? The feelings coursing through his body, pain that made his mechanical heart ache, lifelike eyes sting with the need to shed something from them– but what? Happiness that rumbled sound from a place within him he never knew existed prior, and anger that caused his body to grow hot from rage. With every new ? bond he formed, he felt himself change; With every loss he endured, he felt himself grow. With every memory he could recall, the puppet boy felt Carlo stir deep within his heart.

His hands were covered with blood, oil, and grime– he wasn’t ignorant to what that meant.

Not anymore.

He felt warmth.

By the next morning, he had been reborn, no longer the naïve puppet boy from yesterday’s rainy morning, and not quite Carlo from those days when he had been alive. By next morning, he was changed– both and yet neither. He would keep the name, though. Carlo was who he was at the core of everything, even if he was hardly anything like the Carlo who used to be, but neither was he the newborn tool having stumbled out of that train anymore, either. 

He was something new, a collection of memories and experiences meshed into one, giving way to someone else entirely. His hair had greyed through the power of ergo coursing through his body, its length being allowed to grow even longer. Though his face still remained youthful, his eyes told the stories of, not just one, but two lifetimes-- and they were tired, if not relieved; There was pain but there was also hope.

'--an Ergo puppet can have a second life and become another kind of human--' He just needed now to decide just what that second life meant for him, now.

His heart was pounding.