towerofanimus

Characters: OU!Riku and OPEN~
Setting: Floor 3 and Floor 19 (Daytime, around Noon), Floor 29 (Daytime, until Nightfall), All around the tower (Nighttime)
Format: Action, but I'll match
Summary: Daytime: Riku has decided to get on with his quest to learn light magic. He is not very successful yet. Nighttime: Time to hunt down monsters!
Warnings: some violence maybe? Will add as needed.

[A - Floor 1, Floor 3, Floor 19]

[The days between Sora's death in the labyrinth and his revival are still a blur of numbness to Riku. It's better now that the presence of his scent has re-set itself in his heart, now that the blend of shock, despair and cold furry has kept him moving in those days has faded away.

What remains is some anger (at the tower and its games, at himself and his own helplessness) and an iron knot of determination to finally put all those gathered thoughts on Darkness, Light, the Dawn and their relation to himself into practice. So, right now after he got up sometimes around noon, he sets out to pick up some nutrition bars from the cafeteria, then to the libraries - first the one on the Third Floor, then the one on the Nineteenth - ready to raid whatever books he can find on light magic.]

[B - Floor 29]

[Once he's got what he needs (and potentially dealt with all distractions), Riku settles in the far corner of the garden behind the labyrinth, a place that he thinks should be a.) private and b.) peaceful enough for what he is attempting.

He is frowning down at his books, his legs crossed, blindfold removed and re-purposed to a bookmark - he knows he can probably forget learning how to access his light by book, but maybe they can at least give him a pointer.

About an hour into this he first leans back, eyes slipping close as he tries to reach for the light.

He knows he can do this.

He doesn't even think about the how every time the light wraps around his blade when he invokes his final limit.

Even so, drawing on raw light is different, more difficult, than drawing on darkness - at least to him - and so it's no wonder that he's frustration starts to show itself about half an hour later, the shadows around him darkening and tightening until he releases his breath.

He slowly opens his eyes and frowns down at his hands, then sighs.

Well... he's already known that this wouldn't be so easy. No choice but the try again.]

[C - all around the tower]

[Later that day, after nightfall, Riku is wandering around the tower, his hand closed tightly around the Soul Eater's grip as he follows the darkness-scent trail of roaming monsters. He may still have troubles with using the light, but darkness?

Darkness is his element.

Now that it has settled across the tower, he might as well take advantage of that, right?]

[ooc: Laaaate edit, but if you haven't please take a look at Riku's permission post!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He shakes his head.]

You don't need to apologize; I was just curious.

Oh... what... If I may ask... what were you doing? [He fights back the urge to appologise and tries to act normally despite the fact he is scared.]

[He nods back at his books.]

I was reading up on a few things.

Oh... [He smiled nervously] Can I... sorry can I look at them?

[He glances between Taiki and the books for a moment, then shrugs.]

...Sure. Knock yourself out.

[Taiki gave a nervous smile and then moved towards the books, he liked books.

His smile grew when he saw what they were about.] You know magic?

[A nod. It's far from his strong point, but...]

Some at least.

[Taiki smiled] I only know a little bit too... I'm still learning...

[He chuckles lightly, a small, almost sheepish smile flickering over his face.]

So am I. Magic isn't exactly my strong suit.

It's not mine either... though it's supposed to be... [He gives a small smile back] Sorry.... I'm Taiki.

Name's Riku.

[He tilts his head curiously.]

Why is it 'supposed to be'?

It's nice to meet you Riku... Oh sorry... [He gave another small smile] I've been learning for more than a year... and magic is supposed to come instinctively to Kirin... but... [He sounded sad] It doesn't for me...

You too.

[He frowns very slightly for a moment, contemplating just what to reply. He has never heard of a 'kirin' before but...]

A year isn't that much... especially on learning something as complicated as magic. Maybe you just need yourself more time.

Yes... probably... It was all supposed to be instinctive but I was... sorry... I was lost for a long time and so I have to learn it instead but you... sorry you are right...

[Blinking slightly stunned behind his blindfold, because whelp... what had brought that on?!]

...It's okay... and nothing you need to apologize for. Certainly not to me.

Sorry... [Taiki shuffled his feet] Do you have a teacher here?

Really, you don't have to- [He just shakes his head, sighing. Then he shakes it again as answer to Taiki's question.] All I know is what I taught myself.

[Taiki shuffled his feet even more nervously but bit back another apology.] Oh... Do you want a teacher?

[That's... a bit of a loaded question, Taiki.]

...It would make things easier. [He can admit that much at least.] It's not about what I want though.

[And it will never be. ~~Never again.~~ There are only few willing to teach in this place and there are other people who are in far more need for those teachings than himself. He's learned to get around that handicap, to figure things out by himself. It's not easy, but if it were it probably wouldn't be worth the effort, right?]

[Taiki nodded understanding that sentiment] But... sorry... if you don't learn then you can't use your power to help people... and people might need to protect you...

I... sorry... if you wanted I could ask Aqua... she teaches lots of people...

[Riku blinks at him for a moment, then shakes his head in a soundless chuckle, lips twitching up in a rueful smile.]

It might take me a while to acquire new skills, but defending myself has never been a problem.

[Almost never, anyways. He turns his left hand so that his palm faces upwards, shortly letting a small dark flame flare between his fingers, before closing them into a fist to starve them off again.

He hesitates a moment... he should probably make clear that he's not insulted. And he can explain himself some more to the kid.]

It's not that I don't appreciate your offer... I know Aqua. She teaches a few friends of mine... who don't have as much battle skills or experience as me. If I ask her to teach me as well, that's time that she could spend making sure that they learn how to keep themselves safe.

[Which is at least one of the reasons why he won't ever ask her to teach him anything.]

Edited 2012-07-29 08:52 (UTC)

Oh... [Taiki thought about that... he had a point and it made Taiki feel bad. After all he couldn't fight even if he knew how to, he wasn't allowed to and wouldn't want to even though he would do so if his king ordered him. And he had Sanshi and Gohran to protect him...]

You're right...

[Riku just shrugs... whether right or wrong, that's not something he plans to change his stance about anyways. He tilts his head slightly, looking curious.]

What about you? Are you one of Aqua's students?

I am... She teaches me healing...

[A nod. And a small smile.]

How are you doing with that?

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