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!

Riku felt his heartbeat pick up at the sight of Master Yen Sid, and he bowed his head in respect as well. He already knew by the look on the Master's face that he was expecting Riku to have told Lightning the news by now, but he hadn't gotten to that bit yet. He had put off training for a couple hours to sort through his thoughts. Hopefully that wouldn't come back to hit him in the face. That was the last thing he needed.

"Lightning," Master Yen Sid greeted in return. He briefly glanced at Riku before he looked back to the girl, who often seemed to be his focus. "Has Riku made you a part of the seven?" He assumed it would be Riku who would give her the Keyblade--he was obviously the closest to her.

 

Lightning shot Riku a confused look before looking back to the Master. Why did he bring up Riku specifically? And he phrased the question weirdly. "I...guess," she said, though Master Yen Sid's eyebrows furrowed more deeply at that. What had she said wrong?

Riku ground his teeth together, his hands out of his pockets. He curled them into tight fists, really wishing Master Yen Sid hadn't said anything. Lightning was a part of the Seven, but not completely. "...Not just yet, Master," Riku said a bit tightly, looking from the ground to Master Yen Sid. He then diverted his gaze again, not liking this idea. But...Master Yen Sid insisted it was the true way to grant Lightning the power she needed in order to survive. What other choice did Riku have?

Master Yen Sid looked from Riku to Lightning and then back again. By now, he was used to Riku not being happy with him. The old Master was drawing in Lightning deeper, and Riku didn't like it. He clearly loved the girl, but love wouldn't stop Master Yen Sid. "I'll tell her, then," he declared. Unless Riku did it, he would instead. Lightning, however clueless she was, looked uneasy at that.

"No," Riku snapped, and a little too harshly. His hand moved at that instant to grab Lightning's, holding her wrist tightly. "...No," he said in a slightly calmer tone, though he was still uptight. "I'll do it." He was just about to get to it anyway; Lightning already knew something was up.

Master Yen Sid noticed Lightning appeared more startled by Riku's response. Clearly the matter was a serious one for Riku to act so protective. However... "You cannot protect her forever," he said quietly to the young Master. Riku was babying her in what information he chose to give her. That couldn't occur anymore.

Riku gazed at Master Yen Sid for a moment, eyes hardening at the man's words. They were what Riku never wanted to hear; it had been his goal from the start to protect and defend Lightning whenever she needed him. It was what he wanted, and what she deserved. But now... "I know," he replied with a nod, voice low. He knew he couldn't protect her now. At least, not physically. But passing on the power... That would hopefully be enough.

"Then tell her the whole truth," Master Yen Sid suggested before he started past both teens. He eyed Riku as he went by, silently telling him the same thing he told him earlier. She needs to be a warrior. Maybe the Master didn't care about her as a person, but that was how it was. They needed seven warriors.

Riku's grip remained secure around Lightning's wrist, the young man meeting Master Yen Sid's eyes and understanding the message behind them. Lightning wasn't strong enough right now, no matter how much she was trained lately. His jaw flexed in aggravation before he started forward, keeping his hold on Lightning's wrist. They needed to go somewhere more private, and he knew just the place.

Lightning silently looked up at Riku as they walked down the hall, though she did glance over her shoulder briefly and see Master Yen Sid look at her. She didn't like the way he gazed at her; she never had. She looked from him to the ground, not tearing her wrist out of Riku's hold. Why was he clinging to her...? She had a feeling if he saw how Master Yen Sid looked at her just now, he'd be clinging to her even more protectively.

Riku led Lightning out the back entrance of the castle, walking through the patio area and toward the pond they were near a few days ago. He released her hand once he was there, running his fingers through his hair as he approached the edge of the water. He stood there in silence, trying to find the words he knew he needed to say. Lightning would take this either really well or really badly, and he wasn't sure which one he preferred.

Lightning sat down after a few moments of silence, having a feeling that sitting would be best. Whatever she had been thinking during training was gone now. She had figured Master Yen Sid expected more of Riku and that Light was out of his sight by now. But she wasn't. What did he want now...?

Riku kept his back to Lightning, staring at his reflection in the water. He didn't look happy, and he wasn't surprised. In fact, Riku looked ill. He frowned in disgust and kicked a small pebble into the water, rippling his reflection. It was then that he looked out of the corner of his eye at Lightning, hardly able to see her. "There's something you need to know," he said softly. "It's...a choice for you to make."

Lightning looked at Riku after the statement, but then she looked to the water. Looking at him when he dropped this bomb probably wasn't a good idea either. So she would sit here in silence until he told her what was going on. Obviously it concerned the Seven. Why did Master Yen Sid imply she wasn't a part of the group yet?

Riku knew there was no beating around the bush anymore. They didn't have time for that, especially since Master Yen Sid was getting impatient. "...You need a Keyblade, Light," he revealed, eyes closing. If Lightning didn't have a Keyblade, they had a bigger shot at losing, and she was more likely to die. Riku didn't want to lose her...

Light's eyes widened briefly as they stayed on the water. Okay, now she could see why Riku was so uptight. A lot of responsibility came from having a Keyblade. And it held promises to a dangerous life. She should have assumed that's what this was about. At the very beginning she asked if she would need a Keyblade and Riku didn't think so. But he had been wrong...

Riku didn't like the silence; it was unnerving. Was Lightning...okay with that, or no? "It's completely your choice," he said, eyes opening to glare across the pond. "All you have to do is decide." Master Yen Sid couldn't force her to have a Keyblade; that wasn't how it worked. A wielder could pass on the ability, but the Keyblade chose a person. It was unique in that way.

Lightning shook her head solemnly. "No, it's not completely my choice," she said quietly. "It's either I get one or you find a new seventh person..." They didn't have time for that. And Riku's training would have been for naught. It was only logical that she would accept the Keyblade; she had already accepted to being one of the Seven. This new burden was one she could bear. Had to bear.

Riku didn't say anything, not wanting it to be considered that. It was a choice, and Lightning could say yes or no. "You're one of the Seven with or without the Keyblade," he said. "Master Yen Sid just likes to push what he thinks is right. But he can be wrong sometimes, like he was with us and our Mastery Exam." They had been tricked in the very beginning, but Master Yen Sid thought everything was alright. This could be the same kind of thing.

Lightning found herself shaking her head softly again. "I don't think he's wrong about this," she said quietly. She didn't look at Riku and he didn't look at her, which pretty much proved the point. The seven were meant to be Keyblade wielders. Master Yen Sid knew from the start and didn't tell her, knowing that Riku would whisk her away at that point and keep her away from the whole affair. He manipulated them, and her specifically.

"This isn't about what you think," Riku said, coming to a realization. "It's what your heart believes in." He finally turned his head, stepping over a little so he could look back at Lightning. "What do you feel? That's what's important." Was her heart ready for this?

Lightning briefly glanced up at Riku before her eyes went back to the water again. "...Come here," she said softly, patting the ground beside her for him to sit down. She would answer his question, but she needed a moment to formulate her answer. She wanted it to be a clear response that he would accept.

Riku's eyebrows furrowed slightly at the request, but he walked over to where Lightning rested and sat beside her. He rested his arms on his knees, holding his hands as he gazed at her. He knew this decision wasn't easy; this was her life she was changing. The Keyblade asked for a lot, and it could be a good thing and a bad thing. Riku wasn't sure sometimes, but the feeling he got while holding his Keyblade always encouraged him to keep going. Hopefully Lightning would feel the same.

Light stared at the ground a few moments before she looked over at Riku, her eyes calm and resolute. "I want this," she said quietly. She wanted to have a Keyblade so that she could fight beside Riku and her other friends in this war. The Keyblade would come with a price, but to her, she had already decided on paying a high price when becoming one of the Seven. Adding the Keyblade in when she was so deep wasn't that big of a deal. Besides...she had another reason for wanting this.

Riku gazed at Lightning, silently studying her. She seemed so...certain with this. "...Why?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. Why was she so dead-set on getting a Keyblade? She could be taken away from Serah for months at a time, maybe even years. She would be lucky to hold a job with the possibility of leaving, and school would be hard to complete. That was why Riku wasn't enrolled. On top of everything else, it was a humongous responsbility. It was life or death with it, a lot of times.