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!

Jihl casually shrugged, using the staff in her hand to sweep her hair off her neck for a moment. "Not home," she said shortly, with some bitterness in her voice. Serah wasn't home for more reasons than one though. Jihl was pleased that she would be able to tell Riku that it wasn't for the reasons he thought. 

Riku ground his teeth together. "Where is she?" he repeated, voice low. He wasn't in the mood for games, even if Jihl would use that to her advantage. Regardless, he wanted to know where Serah was. But he knew Jihl wouldn't hand her over so easily.

Edited February 15, 201411 yr by Forever Love

Jihl lowered her staff back down to her side, frowning at Riku as he stood at the edge of the path. "On a trip," she responded lowly. Yes, she was purposely being cryptic. She wanted to give Cedric as much time with his daughter as she could. Unlike Cedric, she knew that Riku would find Lightning eventually, and that she would be alive. In a twisted way, Jihl wanted Riku to see her alive. She wanted him to see her suffer at the hands of her father. 

"A trip," Riku said, taking a step forward. "You mean the one you had in mind? What world did you leave her on? Tell me!" He wasn't going to waste time playing Jihl's mind games. He wanted the truth, or he would beat it out of her. As dark as that was for him, this was Serah. She was innocent and defenseless. She didn't deserve cruel treatment.

Edited February 15, 201411 yr by Forever Love

Jihl sighed, disappointed. "A school trip." That was what kind of trip Serah was on. She went away with her school on some kind of field trip several days ago. Unfortunately, neither Jihl nor Cedric kept track of her well enough to know where she was. So when they couldn't get their hands on her, they made up a story saying that she was gone because she was kidnapped. 

Riku's eyebrows furrowed as he gazed at Jihl, not knowing how else to respond. A school trip? He tried to sense any fault in Jihl's statement, but she had to be telling the truth. The disappointment on her face gave her away. Jihl never had Serah, did she? No, this had to be a set up. Serah was used as leverage to get Lightning alone. Cedric knew that Lightning would have Riku save Serah.

"The stupid brat was gone before we could ever get to her," Jihl frowned. She kicked over a nearby potted plant in frustration, glaring at it as she revealed the truth. "Then we realized it didn't matter. If we just said Serah was in danger, Lightning would do whatever we wanted." She didn't even ask for proof--that idiot. It was too easy to get her into their grasp. 

"What do you want with her?" Riku asked, speaking of Lightning. What did Cedric want so badly with Lightning? "She's not capable of being a Darkness. We already made her a Light. You'll have to find someone else." She couldn't be part of the Thirteen, so what did Cedric want with her?

"Seven Lights and Thirteen Darknesses...It doesn't matter anymore." Jihl had no reason to hide that truth from Riku; he'd figure it out soon enough on his own. "Xehanort's gone. He could only be here for a set time. With him gone, we've disbanded to accomplish our own goals." Didn't he get it? There was no final war anymore--no reason to pull punches in fights. Everyone was acting on their own now that their leaders disappeared from this time period. 

Riku blinked at that news. So the war wasn't happening, at least not until Xehanort regrouped his followers. But by the sounds of things, he didn't have any; Jihl and Cedric had their own plans. "...What does he want with Lightning?" he asked lowly. If Cedric knew the truth, what purpose did he have in getting Lightning alone?

"A father can't want to spend time with his daughter?" Jihl asked right back, speaking as if it were an innocent inquiry. Of course, Cedric didn't have such kind intentions. His main purpose was that he wanted revenge on his daughter, but he also wanted to make her strong. For what purpose, Jihl didn't know. It could have been as simple as not tarnishing the family name by being weak. 

"Not one that's used torture as a bonding experience," Riku growled. That was still an awful memory; he hated thinking about it and accepting it as reality. Lightning deserved a father who cherished her, not one who used her for his own gain. 

"Well I suppose his plans for today are rubbish then," Jihl said in mock disappointment. She just dropped a major clue to Riku: her father was torturing her once more today. Jihl wished that she could see it, since she despised Lightning for having Cedric's affection when she didn't deserve it. Cedric did feel towards her, to a degree. He actually loved her when she was strong like she was supposed to be. But Jihl, who was strong all the time, would never be his daughter. 

Riku's eyes hardened, and without thinking he teleported to be in front of Jihl. As soon as he was there, he grasped her by her coat collar and pushed her against the nearest wall, rough and uncaring. "Where is she?" he spat. He needed to know. Lightning couldn't suffer because Riku neglected to protect her. Not again.

Jihl chuckled darkly. "Not your brightest move, Keyblade Master. What will you do? Kill me? If you do, you'll lose the only person that can tell you where she is." She was doubting the judgment of Master Yen Sid now; Riku was hardly acting like a Master with how he was so driven by emotion and whims. 

"Shut up!" Riku hollered, eyes blazing. "I can tell by your bitterness that you're jealous of her, so why don't you hit two birds with one stone and tell me where she is? I take her from Cedric and you can have him all to yourself." Jihl wanted Cedric's approval, as odd as that was. But Riku would use it as leverage. Anything to save Lightning.

Jihl's eyes hardened. "The only way I'd ever have him for myself is if she's dead." She hated to admit that, but she knew it was the truth. Even then, Cedric wouldn't love her like he loved Lightning. That was why she did plan on telling Riku where she was...eventually. She would give Cedric more time with his daughter before that point though. 

"If he kills her, I'll kill him," Riku said lowly, eyes hard. "You won't have him unless I have Lightning." He would be a murderer, but he'd killed people in the past. Someone who tortured and killed a girl he was falling in love with deserved to die by his hand. Riku would avenge and then mourn, if that was the case, but he preferred Lightning alive. If Jihl listened, she would too.

Jihl simply chuckled. "You're no Master," she declared lowly. "Masters are not driven by emotions or desires for vengeance. I'll have to be sure to report this to your friends..." If they heard what Riku was like now, they'd be appalled by him. Those in the Light weren't supposed to speak this way.

"I'm driven by my heart," Riku said in his own defense. "Something you lack. Mine holds all kinds of feelings, and those emotions motivate me to keep going and do what's right. Saving Lightning is what's right, whether you agree or not." He didn't appreciate her saying he wasn't fit to be a Master, but this was Jihl; she would say whatever she could to get under his skin.

"Yes, your home world has seen your heart numerous times. Starting with when you sank it into Darkness for your own sake. Your heart will lead you astray, Keyblader..." Even so, Jihl was getting tired of this game herself. She wanted to send Riku on his way, so that he could see his loved one suffer. "In that way, you and Lightning are a good match. This world shall see her heart today too." Lightning is on this world. 

Riku froze at the words. Lightning's here? he thought in shock. She was here this whole time and Jihl stalled. But where was she on the Islands? Which Island was she even on? It could take hours, days even, to search them all. Lightning didn't have that kind of time.

"Your actions took place on that little island--a place that you called home." Jihl flicked her free hand, feeling Darkness lend her power. "We shall all witness Lightning's heart in a place that she once called home." And for the sake of buying Cedric perhaps another hour with his daughter, Jihl cast aside her own selfish feelings. Despite the close proximity between her and Riku, she swung her staff to impact one of his pressure points to temporarily paralyze him.

Riku grunted roughly, falling to the ground in a heap. He squeezed his eyes shut when he knocked his head against the porch floor, but otherwise couldn't move. His thoughts, however, were running. Lightning was here. She was on the Islands, but in a place she used to call home. It wasn't her apartment, it couldn't be that easy. It had to be someplace else.

"I'll leave you to ponder that riddle," Jihl said. She used the power of Darkness to open a portal, which opened up on the wall behind her. "But know that every minute you lay here is another minute Cedric has with her..." She disappeared then, knowing that Riku would find Lightning within a day because of her obvious hints.