A friend and I have been doing a RP for a while now, and it has been scattered across several threads on two different sites. It started as a group story (about fast food of all things ) but then it transformed into something else entirely.

 

We request that nobody join in this RP or post anything on this thread; if you wanna say how awesome we are, message us some other way.

 

Um...You're free to read this for fun if you want to, but this thread has major Birth By Sleep spoilers. And since we've been doing this for a while, we will probably refer to things we've done in the past and you will have no idea what we're talking about. So if you want to save yourself from confusion, then you probably wanna stay away. If not, hey, whatever.

 

The plot was discussed and posted on another website, but here's a quick summary of the whole thing: It's the return of Xehanort.

 

Characters:

Peanut: Sora, Namine, Leon, Aerith, King Mickey, Terra, Ventus, Xehanort, etc.

Forever Love: Riku, Kairi, Roxas, Yuffie, Aqua, Vanitus, Tron, etc.

 

I believe I've said everything that needs to be said...Forever Love, let's get this show on the road, eh?

"Remember your deal," Kain hissed. Serah wasn't going to leave with him unless he stayed and listened to the whole conversation. And Kain was here to hold Riku to that. Yes, the conversation was personal and about the family, but Serah wanted them to hear it, so here they were. He figured the point of this was to expose why Lightning ran away from home, and this was her reason.

"I'll stay here for days before I have to listen to this," Riku replied lowly, glaring at Kain as he pointed toward the door. He felt bad enough for hurting Lightning by leaving. Only worse feelings were going to surface because of her bad past and the sympathy he felt toward her. It would make this separation more difficult for the both of them.

Inside the room, the two finished reminiscing. The dad that they shared was the same to both of them: kind, loving, but also strong. He was the one who encouraged Lightning's strong behavior as she grew up. The thought of him coming back and the two of them having the life they should have was enough to make Lightning both excited and sad. Excited because she thought that it was going to happen, but sad once she realized that her father was simply buried in another cemetery. "Serah..." Lightning lifted a hand to her forehead, covering her eyes in agony. "I was most excited for him to walk me down the aisle." To Riku, obviously.

Riku stilled at the newest confession, something about it freezing him in place. Walk down the aisle...? he thought. He knew she was talking about her father, but just the subject change surprised him. For a reason he knew but didn't want to ponder, it affected his heart.

Lightning's voice was choked. "I started imagining how life would be if he was here in regards to Riku. I knew that Riku would have gotten his blessing. He was exactly the type of man Dad would have wanted me with. The two of them would have joked around all the time. Dad would have teased him and Riku would have teased right back. He would have been the son Dad always wanted. And I...I would have proven to him, that I turned out okay too. We all could have shared in that happiness but now I can't even have the joy of marrying Riku because of this stupid grief!"

Riku's hand had fallen back down to his side, and he turned his head to stare at the door in shock. He knew Lightning wanted to marry him; she said as much a week ago, when she was begging him not to go. She would never joke about something like that, or use it against him. They even hinted at it toward each other in the past. And Lightning...still wanted that? After Riku left her here?

"Once I realized Dad wouldn't be around for any of that, I was devastated," Lightning said as she gazed down at the bed-sheets. "I felt the grief overwhelm me again. I didn't want to be the person I was in Valhalla, or for Riku to see me become that person again. But instead of just covering my grief, I decided I'd face it head on, in a place where Riku wouldn't have to worry about me. I came here and spent two weeks coping with everything when Riku came and said how stupid an idea it was for me to run away to this place. And maybe it was stupid, but it wasn't completely idiotic. Not to me. I thought I made some progress until he proved me wrong on that too. As soon as he confronted me, I crumpled and lost hope that I could ever be anything more than my grief. Deep down inside...I hoped he would say what he said before: that he would save me from myself. But he didn't save me this time."

Edited October 21, 201312 yr by Peanut

Riku's eyes closed as he fought the urge to run in the room to tell Lightning that he would take everything back to say those things, but it wouldn't be right. Serah already thought Riku was playing a game, but he wasn't. Riku wouldn't willingly put himself--or Lightning, for that matter--through this kind of torment for some stupid game. Riku's hands balled into tight fists, his heart aching. He couldn't stand hearing this... Lightning should have known that she couldn't have that. Riku wasn't healthy for her...

"I pushed him too far away," Lightning said, still refusing to look at Serah. "He was angry and I was grieving and it just...collapsed. He thought I wanted to break up and I didn't. Then he left me here. I still don't understand why he would do that to me." She sighed, placing her head in her hands. "And now there's Kain, whose been everything I needed him to be except for one thing. He's not Riku, not to me."

Riku looked over at Kain at the words, wanting to see his reaction. Riku wasn't even sure how to take it, so how would Kain feel? Besides that question, Riku wanted to answer Lightning's: he left her here because she said she didn't want to try anymore, that she wasn't worth his efforts (when she most definitely was), and that he was a poison. He didn't want to do this! Never! But...it had to be done, for her sake.

Serah wasn't sure what Lightning would say about Kain, and if Riku was listening in, she hoped any talk of Kain wasn't going to discourage him. Or maybe it should have. She didn't know what was right and what was wrong anymore. "You have no idea why Riku left you?" she asked quietly. "Think about it. You said Kain is everything you needed..maybe Riku knew that too."

 

"Kain is what I needed," Lightning agreed. "He gave me space but still let me know he was here. He made me feel safe emotionally and physically. He made me feel...like I wasn't the only person who committed sins, and even if I need to spend a lifetime repenting for my sins, I can do it. But I don't know if all that adds up to the value of Riku just being Riku." She was so confused anymore, because she cared deeply about both men. She, like Serah, was desperately confused.

Edited October 21, 201312 yr by Peanut

Riku was hurt. How couldn't he be, with what he was hearing? But he wasn't only hurt because of all Lightning wanted and confessed; he was in pain due to the fact that she didn't consider him someone who committed sins. Did she not remember his year in Darkness? Ansem? Riku fought his own demons; he still struggled with them. And Riku tried to help, but he wasn't good enough...

"And I know this sounds stupid," Lightning said, her gaze turning into a glare at the idiocy of all this. "I basically just described how Riku's always treated me too. That just wasn't how he was in the situation. And lately...I've been the only person committing the sins. I know he had his fair share in the past, but now he seems so...perfect. And I know I'm not worthy of perfection."

Edited October 21, 201312 yr by Peanut

"I'm far from perfect," Riku mumbled without thought. It flattered him that Lightning thought of him that way, but she was worthy of perfection. That was why she was here. Kain was perfect, at least from what Riku could see. Riku didn't leave Light here for no reason.

Edited October 22, 201312 yr by Forever Love

"It's getting late," Lightning said randomly, looking towards the window and the world that turned dark for the night. "I bet Riku's still outside in the dark. Maybe you should go."

 

Serah sadly gazed at her sister. A part of her hoped that Riku would have barged in and proclaimed how much he loved her before the conversation ended. Then Serah wouldn't have had to keep her deal about leaving as soon as the conversation ended. She just hoped that Riku had more sympathy than anger for Lightning after all this. "Okay, Lightning, if that's what you want," she said quietly, starting to stand up.

Riku looked away from the door and to the wall, not knowing what to do or if he should even say anything. How could he leave now? After hearing all of that? Maybe it's better to act like I didn't hear anything, he figured in silence. That way it's not harder for her. He couldn't put Lightning through more pain.

Lightning noticed Serah hesitating in saying goodbyes, especially when Lightning said that she'd stay in this room instead of going out to see Riku. That was the plan, but of course he plans didn't ever work out. She heard a loud crashing noise and turned her head, eyes widening when a huge black figure broke through the glass door between them and the balcony. Serah screamed in surprise, but Lightning quickly jumped off the bed and stood between the monster and her sister. That was one of the biggest Heartless she ever saw. 

Riku only briefly glanced at Kain at the crashing noise and scream, and without another second's thought, they barged into the room. The door swung and hit the wall from Kain's forceful shove, and Riku stopped just inside, his eyes widening at the sight of the Heartless. It seemed to be a new breed, but it was huge. It had to be at least seven feet tall. His Keyblade appeared immediately. "Serah," he called, holding out his free hand. Lightning could protect herself for right now; Riku's main concern was getting Serah away from the Heartless. Her heart held enough Light to attract them.

Edited October 22, 201312 yr by Forever Love

Lightning glanced over her shoulder at the sudden crash of the door being kicked in. At first, she thought it was another Heartless. But seeing that it was Riku and Kain... "What...?" she tried, hopelessly confused. How did those two  get to the room so quickly? Kain's quarters were far away, and Riku should have still been sulking on the steps to the castle. But they weren't, they were...right here...for how long...?

Riku felt a hard gaze on him, and he briefly met Lightning's eyes before he hurried forward and grabbed Serah's hand. His movement triggered the Heartless's ugly screech, but all Riku did was pull Serah with him and out of the room. He had to get her somewhere safe; the Heartless would have to wait.

Lightning didn't have time to meet Kain's gaze and see what was going on before Riku was out of the room with Serah. Despite her sadness concerning him, she trusted him to protect Serah. It looked like it was good they left the room, because two more Heartless appeared enxt to the other one, and they were just as large. 

 

"Riku, wait!" Serah cried, running with him as he held onto her hand. "We can't leave Lightning!" 

Riku stopped running and looked back down the hall. She had her gunblade, right? Just then, another few Heartless started spawning from the ground. "She can do this," he said on Lightning's behalf. "She's strong enough. Kain's with her too." Right now, Serah was the main priority, even if Riku did want to protect Lightning.

"No, you don't understand," Serah said frantically. "Lightning swore to me that she would never wield a weapon again after Valhalla!" She had a lot of reasons, but those were all moot at this point. Lightning wasn't going to be able to fight without a weapon, and she wasn't going to be able to fight when she was tied down by grief like this.

Riku fought the urge to curse. The Heartless were coming, and Lightning was defenseless?! He looked around, but he knew that there wasn't a place where he could put Serah that was safe enough; Heartless would find her anyway. He turned his head when his gut wrenched, and it was then that he forced Serah behind his back before bringing up his Keyblade to deflect a Heartless attack. Where were they even coming from?

Edited October 22, 201312 yr by Forever Love

Lightning left Kain to battle the three in the bedroom after he told her to run, because he knew what Serah knew: she wasn't going to wield a sword unless she had to. But when she entered the hall and saw Riku fighting for all he was worth, her heart stopped. And then a Heartless lunged at Serah--"Stop!" Lightning screamed. The Heartless stopped lunging. Riku stopped fighting. Serah stopped backing up. Literally everything around her was frozen. She gasped, quickly figuring that she implemented time magic without even meaning to. She looked back to the bedroom and saw ten more Heartless had appeared in her two second absence, and down the other side of the hall, there were even more. I have to fight. But this time, I'm not fighting to be somebody else's soldier, she thought, summoning a gunblade to her hand. I'm fighting to protect what I love. 

 

So she fought. Lightning defeated every Heartless in that hallway while time was frozen. She went back in the bedroom and defeated all of those attacking Kain. She went into every room of the castle and defeated every Heartless that was there. Over two-hundred, by her estimation, all frozen in time until the moment she touched them with her weapon or magic. But there was somebody who hadn't been influenced by her touch, and that was Riku. When time was frozen in that hallway, she retrieved her signature necklace from a pocket and wrapped it around Riku's wrist before leaving him. Time wouldn't unfreeze no matter what she wanted. This magic was foreign to her and summoned on by total desperation. Finally, when she was out behind the castle fighting a Heartless three times as big as the others, time resumed and her magic energy was expired.