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 grunted at the sight of the recording, his eyes darting from it to Jihl. "...What good would that do?" he finally said, voice low. "I've seen enough to get the picture." He didn't need to see the actual footage. Finding Lightning stabbing Cedric was bad enough.

"Obviously you haven't," Jihl disagreed. "But allow me to give you another reason: You saw what composes the last few minutes of this recording. A girl stabbing a man to death...How would that look to the police, hm? It would look like murder." Though Riku was blinded by his emotions much of the time, he had to understand what she was getting at here. 

Riku blinked, but then his eyes narrowed as he took a step forward. "...You wouldn't dare," he snarled. Jihl was going to turn this into the authorities! She was going to have Lightning put in jail when it was an act of self defense! Riku couldn't let that happen. Lightning suffered enough.

"Oh, I would," Jihl corrected. "But I'll give you a way out: Watch it. All of it." If he did, she'd consider giving him the disk so he could destroy it. But if he didn't, she'd send an altered version to the police to have Lightning sent to jail. Both of them were going to suffer for their parts in Cedric's death. 

"If I do," Riku said, fists tightening, "you'll give me the video and let this go?" That would be their agreement. If he had to suffer a few hours to make this go away, he would. Lightning suffered because of him on multiple accounts. He could do this.

Lightning squirmed behind Riku as Jihl gave a silent and firm nod. As if Riku could even believe her promises in the first place. It was like Serah all over again... "Come with me and your sister will be safe. Watch this video and Lightning will be safe." But didn't Riku understand that he wouldn't be the only one watching this? She'd live through it all over again...

Edited February 22, 201411 yr by Peanut

Riku turned his head and looked over his shoulder at Lightning. He wasn't stupid; he wouldn't be the only one to suffer through this. He could defeat Jihl, if Lightning preferred that. All he had to do was use his Dark powers and he would be behind her in a second, and with his Keyblade, it would be quick. They didn't have to do this.

"I wouldn't think of killing me just yet," Jihl said upon seeing Riku look to Lightning. "Copies have been made of this footage. If I'm to die here, they'll be released." There was no way out of this. Either they cooperated and sat through the hours of video or Lightning would be arrested for murder. Or both. At the end of the day, power rested in her hands.

So she has a partner in crime, Riku thought with distaste, closing his eyes. Jihl had someone else who would release the video, that had to be it. After a moment he sighed and faced forward again, nodding as he glared at the woman before him. Fine, they would do it. What other choice was there?

Jihl smirked slightly, though she was still angry. "Have a seat," she prompted. "Your movie will start momentarily." The system's controls were in Riku's office, so she headed back there to set everything up. Within a few hours, the damage would be done twice over: she would double the pain of Lightning and also increase Riku's pain. When he saw what happened and saw how Lightning reacted to it...She wondered if she'd get tears out of the Keyblader. 

Riku didn't make Lightning move, and once Jihl was out of the room, he lowered himself to sit next to her. He didn't say anything, instead staring at his arms that were propped up on his knees. What kind of person was he? He was making Lightning suffer through this again. No wonder she wasn't speaking to him. He was the worst friend, and boyfriend, ever.

Lightning briefly glanced over at Riku, seeing his face. He looked like he felt so guilty, which he shouldn't have. It wasn't his fault Jihl was so conniving. She tentatively lifted a hand, setting it on Riku's arm on his knee without a word. This was going to be painful. Incredibly painful.

Riku closed his eyes at the touch and wordlessly lifted a hand to cover Lightning's. His thumb rubbed her skin, but he didn't say anything. At that moment, the televisions in the gym came to life, one on the wall nearby. He looked up when he heard Cedric's voice, and his body froze. It was starting....

Lightning froze, her eyes briefly locking onto the screen. Jihl said that Riku had to watch it; she hadn't said that Lightning needed to as well. She looked away after her chair fell to the ground and her father forced her to take the poison, though she hadn't known what it was at that time. Surely Riku connected the dots already: That was the fear poison.

Riku's grip on Lightning's hand tightened when he heard Cedric tell Lightning to drink the tea. He knew what it was immediately: the fear poison. But he made her think it was the poison used to kill her mother. Riku's jaw clenched as he continued to watch, hearing Lightning's protests and Cedric's promises. Dark promises that made Riku's heart drop.

Only another few minutes passed before Lightning's father stole her gunblade. He made a stupid comment and then shot her in the legs. The scream that came through the speakers of the room seemed even louder than her initial scream had been. She gripped Riku's hand and tugged at it, bringing it towards her face as she lowered her head. It was going to be a long day. Two torture sessions in two days. 

Riku closed his eyes, grinding his teeth together as his grip on Lightning's hand remained. Jihl was probably enjoying this, but Riku was finding it hard to keep it together. The gunshots, and then the screams... Breathe, Riku, he told himself. Breathe. But this was hours long! This was...awful.

Within the first hour, the brutality had already begun. Light's father shot her legs multiple times and forced her to do ridiculous tasks like running around, fighting him, or other exercises. All at the threat of exterminating Serah immediately. Lightning refused to look at the screen for a long time, her hands both gripping Riku's in front of her face as she fought the urge to shake like a leaf. 

"You are so pathetic, Claire! To think that that stupid Keyblade Master actually bothered training you," Cedric spat on the video, holding the recorder in one hand while the other held his weapon. The camera zoomed in on Lightning's face; she was covered in bruises, blood, and sweat. "But he didn't strengthen you, he softened you up. You are weak because of him and your care towards him. You've gotten soft, Claire, and that is going to be the death of you."

 

Riku couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't continue to watch this. He was already feeling guilty about a lot of things, and now Cedric was outright blaming him for Lightning's weaknesses. It was like a stab to the heart. Riku had trouble holding back his fury, and his sorrow. His eyes were moist with unshed tears, but he wouldn't cry. He was stronger than that. He had to be, for Lightning. But what good had that done lately?

 

"Your mother was stronger than you, and I killed her in minutes. You've suffered for an hour and you're weaker than she was. This is ridiculous!" Cedric approached Lightning and kicked her in the stomach, which had Riku clenching his jaw. "You are worthless and a waste of space. I can't believe I helped bring someone as pathetic as you into this world! You are a disgrace!"

Edited February 22, 201411 yr by Forever Love

Lightning exhaled a quiet breath, loosening her grasp on Riku's hand at the mention of her mother. Cedric was right about one thing: her mother had been strong. Lightning had been too stupid to realize it because of her "suicide". She lived the past few years in bitterness towards her mother and affection towards her father. She wanted to vomit because of the sickening truth she now knew. 

Riku heard another gunshot and that was like a trigger. He tore his hand from Lightning's tight grasp and rose to his feet. "We're done," he spat. He wasn't doing this anymore. He wouldn't watch another second of this horrible tape. He couldn't.

"What?" Lightning gasped, looking up at Riku when he bolted to his feet. This was terrible, but it couldn't be over. Unless they (or he, specifically) watched all of this, Jihl was going to give a shortened tape to the police so Lightning would be convicted a murderer. They had no choice but to suffer...

 

Jihl saw what Lightning was unwilling to see from her spot behind the couple. Riku lost it. He wasn't just upset at this one scene enough to stand up and rant about it; he wasn't going to watch it any more. What a shame. She summoned a special weapon out of Darkness: Lightning's gunblade. She shot it at the back of Riku's shin, much like Lightning's father had done the previous day to his daughter. 

Riku cried out loudly at the burning sensation in his leg, falling to his hands and knees as he squeezed his eyes shut. He had just been about to turn to Jihl and tell her to do her worst, that he would fight it until the end, but he didn't get that chance. Blood instantly began to soak into his jeans as he fought to catch his breath.

"What's wrong, Riku?" Jihl taunted. "Lightning was able to stand with both her legs shot. You can't do anything with only one bullet?" Though she hated Lightning, she had to give her credit: she tolerated the pain of her torture well. Better than Riku was doing now. She looked over at Lightning, seeing her startled and fearful eyes. What was that girl going to do against her with two faulty legs? 

Riku grunted and carefully rose to his feet, Jihl's antagonistic words encouraging him. Once he was standing, he turned to her, fighting the burning sensation in his leg. "I've suffered worse..." he spat, "...than bullet wounds." He could handle it, though it was painful.