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!

"Clearly," Riku said, crossing his arms as he watched Kairi sit back in the couch, having set the laptop on the coffee table. "Remind me to never read any of that again." It was just...weird. Who would write stories about him, or his friends?

"Hate to break it to you, but that was only the tip of the iceberg," Sora said with a small smirk. "Especially with you. A bunch of girls write stories where they're your girlfriends." He didn't notice when Lightning looked away, hiding the bit of jealousy that rose up in her heart. They all knew Riku had a lot of girls with crushes on him around here.

Riku lifted an eyebrow. "Really," he said, though he didn't really mean it as a question. He smirked, though it was in amusement. He then turned, starting for the kitchen. Well, that was interesting, though he was still not going to read it. He didn't want to know what his fans wanted with him, relationship or not.

"How'd you guys find out about this, anyway?" Roxas asked, looking from Sora to Kairi. Earlier, Sora had said that he found out from Kairi, so she heard of it from somebody else. Strange how he had never heard of this before and there was stuff about him. Creepy too. Ugh. I'll never be able to think of Axel the same.

Kairi turned around on the couch a little, looking at her friends. "I was curious as to what people were saying about Sora and Riku in the news, so I typed their names in," she said. "That site was one of the results." It was an accident, really, but it made for a good story, she supposed.

Lightning glanced at the clock by the television, hearing Kairi's words. Now it was the news that brought Lightning and Riku to the site. She shook her head faintly, glancing towards the door. She wanted to get out for a little while and try to see Serah. She'd have to be careful not to let the press follow her somehow.

Riku walked back into the living room, lowering his water bottle from his lips. His eyes darted around his friends, but lingered (of course) on Lightning. "You look like you wanna split," he said, screwing the cap back on. Where did she plan on going? She wouldn't be able to go anywhere without the press on her tail.

Lightning nodded, still looking at the door. "I want to find a way to Serah." She spoke to her sister over the phone yesterday and warned her about what was going on and told her to stay away from it. She also promised that she'd find a way to come to Serah without the press on her tail. She would fulfill that promise today, somehow.

Kairi heard what Lightning had to say, and she came up with an idea. "Why don't we help you?" she asked. She pushed herself from her seat, pulling at her skirt slightly. "We'll walk out, with Riku. You can sneak out the back while the press gets at Riku about you not being with him." She looked to her friends. It was the most likely case, wasn't it?

 

Riku shrugged. "I don't see why it wouldn't work." He moved to the counter and grabbed his keys, tossing them in Lightning's direction. "You can take my bike for a speedy getaway," he told her. It would be her best bet.

Lightning caught the keys, her surprise not affecting her reflexes in this case. "O-Okay," she said with hesitance that was unlike her. She glanced down at the keys in her palm, thinking what she didn't say aloud. But I've never driven a motorcycle before. Isn't this a little dangerous? Everyone else seemed to think it was a good idea though, and they were older, so...maybe she should just trust them.

"Don't forget the helmet," Namine reminded Lightning, walking past her as she smiled lightly. She could tell Lightning was a bit nervous with Riku's precious vehicle, but Namine was sure she would be fine. If she couldn't handle it, she would have said something.

"Stick to the main roads and you should be fine," Sora added as he walked by. "Most of the reporters are outside, so once you're out of the area, you should be good." He noticed Lightning nod faintly, but she still didn't seem certain. "Relax," he advised as he stopped by her. He put a hand on her shoulder and glanced over at Riku. "Riku wouldn't let you do this if he thought you would get hurt." Those lines weren't antagonistic or implying they had a relationship; it was just the truth. Riku wouldn't have given her the keys if he thought she couldn't handle it. He took his hand off her shoulder and headed towards the door again.

Riku heard his name as he slipped on his jacket, and he looked over at Lightning just as Sora walked away. He gave her a mock salute to confirm what Sora said; she would be fine, and he trusted her. If she didn't feel up to it, all she had to do was say so. They could come up with something else.

Lightning walked over to the window after she acknowledged Riku's salute with a nod. She could see the reporters outside, in a flock. "Tsk," she grunted, furrowing her eyebrows in anger. Fine. If it was to avoid those stupid people, then she'd give this a shot. At this point, there weren't too many other options for avoiding the press.

Riku followed everyone else's lead, approaching the door. He stopped at it, holding it open as he looked back. "Light," he called. They couldn't exactly do this without her, so she needed to get a move on. He would tell her the basics of using the motorcycle on the way down.

Light turned around and started towards the door, grabbing her jacket off the hanger and shrugging it on once the keys were in her pants pocket. She was ready...she guessed. Like she told herself a few moments ago, there weren't too many options left to them. If she was going to make her escape, the time was now.

On the elevator ride down, Riku made sure to explain how to use the motorcycle to Lightning. One, he didn't want his bike getting totaled. And two, he didn't want her to get hurt. That would be a headline he definitely didn't want to read about. They stood near the back exit to the building, his friends waiting out front. He gazed down at Lightning, nodding to her with an encouraging smile. "You know the basics, so that should get you running," he told her softly. "Good luck."

"Okay," Lightning said with a small nod. She glanced up into Riku's eyes, being brave. Other girls would have been terrified to ride a motorcycle, let alone drive one. But she knew it wasn't a matter of letting fear control her; some things were more important than fear. She gripped the keys and headed out back, hoping she remembered everything Riku told her.

Riku watched Lightning go, and once the door shut behind her, he turned to face the lobby. He sighed. Here goes nothing, he thought, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he started forward. He was going to be bombarded with questions, he was sure of it. And his friends would be in the middle of it. He saw Namine turn around to look at him from up front, and he looked past her to the press just outside. "Get ready, guys," he warned them. It was going to be a mad house.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Sora said as he stared at the press. He and Riku dealt with them before, after their adventures. It had been absolutely ridiculous. He shuddered. "Think I'd rather face Heartless." At least they didn't ask him a million questions about his life and all that jazz.

"One and the same," Riku muttered, passing his friends as he pushed the door open. Someone turned around, yelled his name, and then everyone was on him and his friends like hawks. He held the door open for Kairi and Namine, waiting to be the last one out. The flashing cameras made him have to look toward the ground, but it was no big deal. He didn't exactly want to look into any lenses.

"Riku Cole!" one reporter said, ignoring Riku's friends as he tried to get the Keyblader's attention. "Why are you harboring Miss Farron?"

 

"Are you in a serious relationship with Miss Farron?"

 

"Do you take pity on her because of her family situation?"

 

Out behind the building, Lightning saw Riku's bike parked. Okay. She could do this. She approached it and took the helmet off the back of the seat. She was prepared to put it on, but then she thought she saw a shadow at the end of the alleyway. She squinted, trying to see if there was somebody there or if she was extremely paranoid.

Riku kept his head down, putting a hand on Namine's back when she was startled by the paparazzi. Just keep walking, he silently told her. But then again, there wasn't really anywhere to go. The press were blocking their path.

 

A photographer lingered around the corner, having recognized that Riku Cole parked his bike back here earlier. What if he made a break for it? He had to be here to get the picture before it was too late, and as he heard the door shut, he peeked around the corner. But it wasn't Riku he saw. The Farron girl.

"If you're not in a relationship with Miss Farron," said one reporter as the rest got eerily quiet. "Then you should make it public knowledge. There are plenty of boys who want her heart." His son, specifically. He had been unable to stop talking at Lightning since this whole thing began. Little did he know that his son, along with a lot of other boys, were only looking for their fifteen minutes of fame. "So let's set the record straight: are you in a relationship with Lightning?"

 

It's your imagination. Quit being paranoid. Lightning threw a leg over the bike and looked at the device, seeing everything that Riku told her about. It didn't look too complicated, but she was still hesitant. This really seemed like a bad idea.

Riku tried to push past the press, but they just wouldn't budge. Above the voices, however, he didn't hear an engine. Had Lightning forgotten what he told her? "Sora," he said, putting his hand on his friend's shoulder and leaning over to talk in his ear. "Go check on Lightning," he asked of him. "She's taking too long." If Riku went, the press would follow him, and that was something they were trying to ignore.