Title: Five Things That Never Happened to Riku
Author: Sketchy Sunshine of OSTOCOM
Website/Email: See our profile
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts; it belongs to Disney and Square, respectively. Please don't sue!
Notes: OSTOCOM was kinda-sorta doing a five-things-that-never-happened-to fanfic challenge. I decided to do one for Riku! Posted this to my LJ, but eh, figured it'd be fine to post here, too. (And unlike the sexfics, it can actually go here...) Just a one-shot of five drabbles. Reviews appreciated!
So who's excited for KH2? I know I am! XD
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--Riding Lessons--
"No way am I getting on that thing," Riku said with resolution. He decided not to add that "the thing" looked less like a proper mount, and more like something he'd eat. Preferably with barbecue sauce.
"Aww shucks, he's not gonna hurt ya," the King assured him with a smile, giving the enormous ostrich-like bird a pat on its feathery neck. The bird cooed cheerily in response, and ducked down to preen some of the feathers stuck under its saddle. "See? Nothing to worry about."
Riku begged to differ, not that he would ever mention to the King that something like a giant yellow riding bird would make him uneasy. His eyes strayed to their small packs, each with only a day's provisions left. It would take at least three days to get to the nearest town on foot. And we can finally get a Gummi Ship there, and be done with all this walking.
"Fine. But let me try and get the hang of it before we both get on." Riku shook the anxiety out of his shoulders, approached the bird carefully, and hoisted himself up onto the saddle. It gave a sharp KWEH at his mounting, and Riku could've sworn it had a malicious tone. He glanced back down at the King, who suddenly seemed very small and far away. With another shoulder-shake, he gripped the reins and gently tapped his foot into the bird's ribs. "Giddyup, chocobo."
The chocobo took off at a fantastic speed across the dirt road, leaving a thick trail of dust in its wake. Riku clenched the reins for dear life, bouncing up and down in the saddle with a smack-smack-smack and a continuous cry:
"GET ME OFFA THIS THIIIIIING!"
--The 13th Floor--
The numbness started in his toes, slowly working its way up his legs and spreading to every inch of his body. His strangely acute sense of smell diminished, followed by all sounds, and finally his sight blurred into an endless darkness. Riku felt his breathing slow, and was struck with a moment of panic as his heartbeat was reduced to nothing more than a few sluggish flutters within his chest.
He thought perhaps this was a bad idea after all; that he still had the chance to continue through the last door. The steady cessation of his senses felt too much like dying. Then he felt a sense of calming euphoria wash over him, filling his lungs as he drew in a long breath. His normal senses were replaced by the feeling of being wrapped in a warm, soft obscurity.
Riku curled up within himself, no longer missing his former senses. Here in this strange shell he was safe, protected from the outside world and the dark figures that stalked it. He was so tired...tired of tired of fighting his way through eerily empty floors, tired of everyone fighting for possession of his soul, and especially tired of the darkness gnawing away at the back of his mind. It was exhausting, and all he wanted now was to sleep.
He knew that when he woke up, the darkness would be gone. Kairi wouldn't shrink away in fear; Sora wouldn't draw the Keyblade at his approach. That alone was worth the long months of hibernation that lay ahead.
The great glass petals of the cocoon closed and locked with a pressurized hiss. Namine gazed at the silver-haired boy inside, opened her sketchbook and set to work.
--World's Greatest Criminal Mind--
"Silly boy. You're like a son to me...I only want you to be happy."
Riku brushed off the long, cold nails that crept towards his face. While there was something engaging about Maleficent's low, persuasive voice, he didn't want to be touched by her. "I seriously doubt that," he said uneasily.
Maleficent's smile remained. "Believe what you wish. But lest we forget, I kept my end of the bargain."
Riku glowered back, and turned to walk back down the chapel. He could hear the others starting up another bickerfest with her, and knew she would win again. There was no use arguing with her; Maleficent was always right. Then why do I feel like there's something important I don't know...
"Hello, you!"
Riku started out of his thoughts at a nearby voice. It sounded surly and confident, yet...small. He glanced around the poorly-lit chapel, but saw no one. What the?
"Down here, I say!"
This time, Riku heard the voice below him, and he glanced to the floor.
It was a rat.
A huge rat to be precise: nearly nine inches tall, and dressed in a rat-sized suit, cape and top hat. The rat offered him a charming yet blatantly fake smile. When Riku didn't return the gesture, the smile dropped down to a sneer.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ratigan, the World's Greatest Criminal Mind." Ratigan tipped his hat and gave a sweeping, self-appreciative bow. "Now, you seem like a smart young lad to me. Perhaps you could be of assistance."
Riku instantly decided he didn't like this Ratigan. He already suffered enough patronizing from Hades. "You're the 'World's Greatest Criminal Mind'?" he scoffed.
"Good to know your ears work, boy," Ratigan tapped his cane against Riku's foot, and Riku had to resist the urge to give him a swift kick. "It seems that the fine woman in black over there is not so fortunate." He turned the cane back towards where Maleficent was still arguing. "You see, being the entrepreneur that I am, I wish to have a say in your truly intriguing scheme. Which is where, I believe, you can put in a good word for me."
Riku stared back down at Ratigan, then broke into a round of half-concealed chuckles. "What, late to the party? And what makes you think Maleficent cares about what a rat thinks?"
Ratigan's eyes suddenly went wide, his fur bristling. "I am NOT A RAT!" he seethed, waving his cane wildly and causing Riku to take a step back.
But he was not intimidated. "What makes you think Maleficent cares about what a delusional rat thinks?"
Ratigan looked about to go berserk again, then suddenly and forcibly calmed himself. He removed his top hat and slicked his claws through his oily toupee. "I see that you may need a tad more convincing of my genius. Fine. Name whatever it is you want most in the world, and I shall get it for you. I can steal anything, after all."
Riku was suddenly struck by the request. What I want most in the world? He wanted to get Kairi back, of course. But Maleficent's already promised that for me. So he would get her back. But why was he still so unhappy? Because Sora has the Keyblade. He wanted Kairi back so that he could show Sora who was the hero. Kairi would admire him and Sora would admire him, because at the end of the day the anger and jealousy were forgotten. And the next day they'd go back to the island and start all over again, with the sun shining and him winning their daring imaginary battles. Except they aren't imaginary anymore.
"I want to go home," Riku said quietly.
Ratigan's face dropped. "Are you sure you don't want priceless jewels or gold or untold power?"
"Look, just leave me alone," Riku said. Ratigan raised a claw to ask him more, but Riku turned and headed for the chapel exit. The rodent criminal mastermind was left standing, unaware that he had just given Riku a shadow of a doubt.
--Forze Del Male--
He raised the Dark Keyblade over his head, his eyes burning with a hunger for knowledge. It was all there, locking in a heart within a heart, and now it was his.
No no please no please no I'll do anything just please no no no no no—
The Keyblade struck home on the little Keyblade master's neck. He expected there to be blood, and at first that's what it seemed to be, but then the red floated upwards as red and pink and purple lights. The cries of the King's men never reached his ears; all that mattered was the heart-shaped light that drifted away from the dead boy. It flashed like electricity from the broken pipes before returning to its true owner: the Princess.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she remained still for a moment before she turned and saw them. Those same eyes widened with horror; the horror of newfound knowledge. The knowledge of new truth, the open door to Darkness...he'd seen that look many times before on frightened subjects in this castle's dungeon, and it was the most beautiful and complete horror in existence.
And now it was all his.
On a chalk-gray path in the world of darkness, Riku fell to his knees and screamed and screamed.
--All For One--
"So are you sure you haven't seen any Key?" Donald quacked again, tapping his foot with impatience.
"I told you everything I know. I haven't seen it; I haven't even heard of it." Riku furrowed his brow and crossed his arms over his chest. "All I remember is that huge storm, and this island breaking into pieces...then I woke up here."
Well, that wasn't entirely true. The mention of a Key sparked some kind of slumbering memory in him, as if he'd heard stories of it as a kid. But perhaps it was even less distant than that...
"Oh, this is useless," Donald threw his hands up in the air in defeat. "We're never gonna find the King this way."
"But y'know, Donald, maybe this Riku fella here could help us look for him," Goofy nodded in Riku's direction. Riku was taken aback. He hadn't expected to meet any people like this in other worlds, and certainly hadn't expected them to ask for his help. And yet... They remind me of Sora...
"Riku, you should go with them," Riku turned around as Leon, Aerith and Yuffie approached them. Leon gazed intently at the silver-haired boy. "You've got some fighting skills; skills that they'll be needing on their journey. And they can help you find your friends."
Riku felt a small lump form in his stomach. In the excitement of fighting that huge armored Heartless, he had almost forgotten about Sora and Kairi.
Donald grumbled at Leon's suggestion, and Riku sensed that the duck wanted to agree with Leon without actually admitting it was a good idea. "Fine, you can come. But only until we find the Key."
Riku shrugged. "That's fine with me."
"Ahyuk, that's great!" Goofy looked like he couldn't be happier. "I'm sure we'll find the King and your friends, if we work together." Goofy held out one of his large gloved hands.
Donald still looked a little hesitant, but he shook off the feeling, and put his hand on top of Goofy's. "If we work together."
For a moment, Riku was surprised at the realization that they were waiting for his hand. Something about this whole ritual felt a little juvenile to him, and yet a part of him really wanted it. He hesitated, then put his gloved hand on top of theirs. Riku felt a surge of strength and confidence at the simple gesture, and couldn't hide a smile.
"All right. Let's do it."
And on the other side of the universe, a brown-haired boy woke to the sound of surging waterfalls.