[RL] Locked to Riku

[shroudedinchaos]

Riku knelt on the beach, a storm of emotion flooding through him. He had just witnessed Axel, Sora, and Kairi vanish through a dark portal, and Riku didn't have even a clue as to why it all happened.

'They're gone. I'm alone...'

'Why was Axel here?'

'Sora didn't have to go after him. He didn't look like he was chasing him to fight him, either. So, why...?'

'Kairi went after Sora...why didn't she stay with me...?'

'I can't fight anymore; I would've just gotten in Sora's way. That's why I didn't go after him. And- and someone had to stay with Kairi. The Organization...'

'But then she went too.'

'I tried to go with her...I tried...'

'I'm alone again.'

Riku stood up, walking back up the beach toward the area where he always used to play with his friends when he was younger. He didn't know where he was going, or why he was going there. As he walked, some of the shock wore off, and his thoughts became more coherent.

'...I couldn't protect my friends. If I still had the Keyblade, this wouldn't be happening - I could've gone after Sora, and even brought Kairi with me. The three of us could've gone together.'

The silver-haired boy walked over to a palm tree.

'Whatever Axel wanted, he probably didn't get it. As soon as I showed up, he took off - '

Realization collided into Riku's mind with as much force as Twilight Town's train.

'As soon as I got there, he left. It's my fault.'

'It happened again. I was trying to help...and I only made things worse. If I wasn't there, Axel would've kept talking, and then maybe Sora wouldn't have gone after him. He chased him because I interrupted whatever they were doing.'

Riku clenched his fists and blinked back tears.

'Why am I like this? Why am I so weak? Why are all of my efforts for nothing?'

A fist slammed against the trunk of the tree.

'I'm sick of my friends being in danger!

Another fist.

'I couldn't even do anything against Axel! Now Kairi and Sora are gone,

The tree trunk was now vibrating steadily with each blow.

'And I...'

"I made everything worse, AGAIN!" Riku suddenly shouted. Anger at himself, at Axel, and at the Organization who was causing all of this filled his being. Unbeknownst to Riku, his fists had wisps of Darkness curling around them, and the bark of the tree was beginning to splinter from his assaults.

"I HATE THIS!!! I'M POWERLESS! WHY CAN'T I DO SOMET--

And instead of making contact with the solid surface of the tree as it had so many times in the last minute, Riku's fist flew through the air. He nearly fell over; not only from losing his balance, but also because of the unbelievable sight that had taken the tree's place.

Comments

[shroudedinchaos.livejournal.com]

*A dark portal churns in front of Riku, the blackness staring him in the face, purple and blue tendrils constantly moving. He ignores the impulse to step away from it and stares at it for a few moments, imagining and expecting a black-cloaked and hooded Nobody to emerge from it, reach into his chest, and...

But no one appears.*

Did I...do this?

*Riku steps closer to the portal, and a chill goes through him as he remembers all the times he used this method of transportation...and what he looked like when he did.*

This could lead to my friends.

*And now the darkness is coiling around Riku, and just as it was three years ago, he is not afraid. He embraces it, envisioning himself being taken from his home.*

Besides...right now, anywhere is better than here.

*And the boy disappears into the Darkness. Some birds cry in the sky, the waves splash softly against the shore, and soon the only evidence of a disturbance on the tropical land is a single tree with a badly damaged trunk.*