As some of you may know, Peanut and I are crazy about Roleplaying, and it's clear, since this is the second one on this site that belongs to us. And we aren't even done with the first one! Regardless, that won't stop us from starting this new roleplay, Rude Awakening!

 

Kinda dark and mysterious title, eh?

 

As stated in the title, this RP is one on one, no exceptions. Please refrain from posting in the RP. Instead, follow us on this new journey!

 

Peanut, my amazing friend, let's begin!

Lightning's eyes screamed defiance, her hand in Riku's grasp curling. If she didn't let him pull out the shards, he'd get even more ticked off. She was seething herself, and that was dangerous enough on its own. Her and Riku both being angry would be absolutely terrible.

Riku's eyes softened at a realization, but then they hardened all the same. "...I won't be able to help you on the battlefield. You hear me?" he said then. "I won't be able to help you." He looked her in the eye, having pulled her to her feet when he spoke. "When we get out there, you're on your own. I'll be too busy trying not to die. I won't be able to save you if you need me." She would need to toughen up a lot, and he would have to let her do it. He couldn't take care of her anymore.

Lightning took back her hand, moving it towards her arm again. If he couldn't take care of her then, then he shouldn't have been taking care of her now. She'd take care of her arm, piece together her sword, and take care of herself from now on. She wouldn't depend on Riku again at all if he was that worried about it.

"Damn it, Lightning, stop it!" Riku roared, taking her by the shoulders and shaking her slightly. She needed to stop being so stubborn! This wasn't about pride or winning an argument. This was life or death he was talking about! She needed to stop acting like she didn't care.

Light's eyes widened only briefly before they narrowed again on Riku. She couldn't get the metal out of her arm if she kept on getting moved around like this. And he was severely ticking her off now, though she was doing the same to him. Her silence was encouraging him to get more angry, but she knew words would make it worse.

"You are going to die if you don't start listening to me," Riku told Lightning loudly, practically spitting the words because he was so disgusted by them. "I understand that you're mad, but this isn't about pride anymore. This is about surviving. If you don't stop being so damn stubborn, you're not going to listen. If you don't listen, you're going to die. Get it?" He kept his tight grip on her shoulders, leaning forward so his face was a little closer to hers. "I already told you. I don't want to lose you again..."

Edited October 8, 201213 yr by Forever Love

Lightning felt herself snap, all because of Riku's words, tones, and actions. "I'm going to die no matter what!" she heard herself holler. She blinked in surprise to her own words, though she realized then that the shout wasn't just directed at Riku. This was the first time she was confessing it even to herself. She had hoped she could somehow survive this fight, but...she couldn't. Today's training proved that.

Riku's eyes widened slightly in surprise, his grasp on Lightning's shoulders loosening. "...What?" he asked, voice softer in disbelief. She couldn't be serious... She wasn't going to die. That was why they were working at this!

Lightning stepped back out from underneath Riku's hands, her glare intense. "I'm going to die!" she yelled again. "You know how many times I would have been killed in training today if we were serious?" Multiple times, as he always pointed out whenever she was caught off guard. "I don't stand a chance against anyone out there! I'll be dead within the first hour. You can bet on that." She wouldn't survive this fight...she'd just complete the seven.

Riku shook his head, eyes hardening at the words. "Stop it!" he said harshly. "That's why we're working at this!" They were doing this so she didn't have to die. So what now? She was just going to give up? If she did that, she was stupid. Riku wouldn't let her.

"Fine--I'll last two hours now," Lightning said dryly. "You know that I can't become what you need me to become that quickly. You want a warrior and I can't become that so quickly. I'm still a pathetic little girl who can't kill her backstabbing father!" She was an orphan from Destiny Islands, the provider of her small family. During the Fall, she watched even that fall apart. She wasn't nearly strong enough for this, and she wouldn't be even if she did get training.

Riku had no words. He simply stared at Lightning, his eyes hard in anger and his hands curled into tight fists for the same reason. No! This wasn't going to end this way! Lightning wasn't going to die. He wouldn't let it happen. There had to be some way to get this right.

Lightning glared at Riku, realizing then that her chest was heaving in emotion. She was so furious! She fought her whole life to try and stand back up after all the tragedies that got in her path, yet she couldn't avoid her fate here. Either she would join her father or she would die fighting against him. It was really that simple. "Damn it!" she swore, lowering her hand to pick at another piece of metal jabbed into her arm as the pain acted as an agitator. This was all so stupid!

Riku shook his head, lowering his gaze to the ground as he fought to accept this. He couldn't, not when Lightning still had a life back home. She needed to stay alive for Serah. Serah may have had Riku's parents as guardians, but they weren't Lightning. They weren't family like Lightning was.

Lightning yanked out a piece of metal too roughly, causing more bleeding. She didn't bother making a big deal of it, letting the metal drop to the ground along with some blood. They were talking about death; she wasn't going to freak out over these wounds while that topic was around. She didn't stand a chance in this battle. They were going to kill her no matter how hard she trained. Like Riku said, he wouldn't be there to help her in this final fight.

Riku lifted his eyes to Lightning, hurt present on his expression. It wasn't often that he dealt with emotional pain, not like this. Hearing that somebody he cared about so deeply was giving up was heartbreaking. "So that's it then?" he asked. "You're giving up?"

"Does it matter?" Lightning spat without looking up, grasping the last piece of metal and yanking it out. She started bleeding more, but she didn't care as she glared down at her arm. "I'm dead either way." Whether she gave up or not, they were going to kill her. But Riku should have known she didn't give up completely. If she had done that, she would have been on the enemy side.

Riku shook his head again, a look of disgust on his face. "Shut up," he hissed quietly. He couldn't hear her say that anymore. Lightning should have known better than to say that in front of him. She knew that Riku didn't want her to die, and yet she kept saying it like he would accept it eventually. She was way off.

Lightning looked down at the fragments of the gunblade on the ground, some covered with blood and others not. There wasn't much point in reassembling it now, was there? No matter how she fought, it would have the same result. "Let me know when you stop being stubborn and accept the truth," she said more quietly, stepping over so that she could pass Riku and leave before she began forward.

Riku glared at Lightning as she passed him, but once she passed him by, he stared down at the ground. His eyes burned from a rush of emotion--of sadness and anger. He wouldn't accept this... He couldn't. "...If you really think that death is the only way, then you belong with the Organization," he said lowly, voice trembling a little. If Lightning lost all faith, then she wasn't one of the Light.

Lightning stopped and turned around to face him. She was still infuriated, and that comment didn't help her. It sounded like Riku gave up on her too. "Fine," she said lowly. "I'll go join them now. I'll be one target you can take down easily." It would be six versus thirteen at first, but once Lightning was out of the picture, it'd be six against twelve. It'd be easier for them to win that way.

Riku looked over his shoulder at Lightning, his vision blurry as he glared at her. "I'll spare Serah the details," he growled. He would be sure to tell Serah that her sister said goodbye, even if she didn't. If this was the way Lightning wanted it...fine.

Lightning glared at Riku wordlessly. He should have known better than to bring Serah into this. If she had something in her hands to throw at him, she would have done it. Instead, she stood still where she was and stared at him furiously. His eyes were moist and so were hers, though she doubted it was purely anger that caused it on either side.

Riku turned, starting toward Lightning. "I'll go tell the King we'll need another Light," he said. "If the Organization's listening, they're probably waiting for you. So get going." He stepped past Lightning and approached the door, leaving the training room without another word. He was done with this. If Lightning was ready to give up and Riku couldn't sway her, no matter how hard he tried, then there was nothing left to do. He accepted the truth, and that was that Lightning planned to die.

Lightning felt like she was stabbed in the heart when Riku stormed out of the room. But it wasn't just because of his words. It was the whole notion that he gave up on her. She stomped out into the hallway as well, hollering after him. "You're just like my father!" she cried. "As soon as I'm unfit for your purposes, you leave me out in the cold. Thanks for proving that I'm just a pawn to either side." Thanks for proving that I'm worthless as an individual. I've learned my lesson. I'm only worth something if I can fight.