Simple Movements

Chapter 2

-Neck-

"...please, can you hear me?"

The silver haired teen looked up from his seat, his mind elsewhere. His father patted him gently on the back.

"Alright, Riku, you can put your shirt back on. Everything's in order, healthy as can be."

He slipped his button up shirt back on, allowing his hair to fall back over his neck. Riku finished dressing and got up.

"Thanks Dad, I'm going to finish getting ready for school."

A slender woman in a white coat stepped into the room. "They've been given breath. Your wishes are in perfect condition, congratulations honey."

Riku offered her a small smile. "Thanks mom."

"You've been rather quiet since last night, are you sure everything is okay?"

He reassured his father with a wave of his hand. "I'll be fine I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"We understand Riku; you've been blessed with a huge gift. We don't need to tell you just how rare you are. Jeez, imagine our surprise when you were born. I almost dropped you when the nurse handed you to me."

Riku let out a laugh. His mother walked over to the tall teen and pressed her forehead to his arm, letting out a collected sigh.

"You don't have to be afraid. Your wishes are yours and yours alone. It's nobody else's business how many you have or how you use them."

He bent down far enough to plant a kiss on her cheek before excusing himself from the room. "I'm going to be late if I don't finish up."

"Don't forget we have to meet up at the nearest council's branch office after school. Your wishes need to be registered now that you're 18."

Riku nodded as he disappeared into the hallway and up the stairs a few at a time. He barged through his bedroom door and collected whatever books and materials he'd need for classes that day. He slipped his black cell phone into his pocket, grabbed his bag and placed it over his shoulder. Just as he was about to leave, he rolled his eyes and lifted a white jacket hanging over his desk chair.

"Not forgetting this again," he muttered to himself.

Pocahontas stood at their usual spot, hands placed delicately in front of her as she waited for Riku to finish walking up the street to join her. As soon as she saw him, Pocahontas threw an arm around his waist and pulled him close, nudging her cheek against his freshly pressed maroon colored school shirt.

"Happy Birthday, Riku!"

"Thanks;" he replied leaning over to nuzzle the top of her head with his chin, "you were up early this morning."

"Ugh, Meeko and Flit were at each other's throats again. They woke me up by breaking another dish in the kitchen chasing each other around. And guess who had to clean it up?"

"Hmm," Riku said rubbing his chin, "haven't the slightest clue."

Pocahontas stayed close to Riku as they traveled towards their school. During their walk she continued to notice his sudden quiet demeanor, but figured it was the same stuff that was occupying his mind. After all, she was in the same boat. A pair of indecisive friends made a perfect match.

"Hey, Pocahontas," came Riku's voice rather quietly, "can I ask you something?"

She raised a brow. "Um, sure, where's this coming from? You've never hesitated before, is something wrong?"

He shook his head. "No, it might just sound weird. Do you know much about Blank Points?"

They turned into a busier section of the city, with cars and people zooming around in a multitude of directions. She and Riku stopped before a walkway, the illuminated box on the opposite side blinking red. Pocahontas looked up at the taller teen.

"Blank Points? Well, I've read about them in text books. There's not a lot of information about them. They're people born without wishes. Not much else I can say."

The blinking red light turned green, informing the gathered group on the street corner they were now allowed to walk.

"What brought this up?" she asked with her interest now piqued.

"I just heard my parents talking about it last night, that's all."

"Hmm," she said biting her lip, "they're really rare. I don't know of anybody that has met one. I'm sure they're not any different than the rest of us."

Sora's thin frame came to Riku's mind. "He wasn't like anyone I've seen before..."

"What was that?"

"It's nothing, just muttering to myself."

Riku spent his entire life hiding his neck. Asides from his parents for the obvious reason, Riku could count on one hand the people that knew about his existence as a Third Point. Not even Pocahontas knew, and she was his closest friend since as far back as elementary school. Riku never thought of his gift of three wishes to be a bad thing, but he was always cautious and aware of his surroundings. He knew of just how cold and materialistic the world was. Riku didn't need the attention of his wealthy and greedy classmates, nor the jealousy that was sure to follow if they ever came to know. He often found himself in bits of inward laughter at the thought of those already possessing so much being jealous of him. What more could they possibly want? But then, something happened that turned Riku's view upside down.

He was thin, lanky, and held a pair of eyes so amazingly blue it was difficult to look away. Yet something as beautiful as that striking blue held such a dark aura. Those eyes looked at him with a spiteful gaze, bore through his porcelain white skin and peered into his insides. Riku felt a huge weight pushing against him, his breathing feeling labored and his face flushed by the raw emotion. It was unlike anything he had ever felt.

When he looked at Sora, Riku almost felt a sense of guilt. Riku harbored a dislike for those that lived beyond the walls, those holed up in their little perfect world. He always held himself in a higher standard for thinking differently. He wasn't selfish; he didn't care for the ritzy, golden light that wealth offered. It wasn't until he met Sora that he looked at himself over, realizing just how selfish and blessed he truly was. While Riku had everything, Sora had absolutely nothing.

"Well, don't fret over it. Be happy, it's your birthday and it's all about you."

Students began filing into the school building with a few minutes to spare by the time Riku and Pocahontas arrived. The hallways were filled with a sea of maroon and hunter green uniforms, giddy girls gossiping and hanging all over their boyfriends and vice versa. Pocahontas gripped Riku's hand and smiled before she left in a different direction towards her class. They only shared the last period of the day, so it would be up until lunch time that they would see one another. Riku dabbled with his locker and put his things away. He veered his eyes to the side when he felt the presence behind him.

"It's the birthday boy," came a cheery voice, yet laced with a taunting tone.

He shut the locker door and stepped around. His eyes landed on a trio of girls, identical in every aspect. The same golden hair, large eyes, and plump red lips. Riku grinned, closing his eyes for a moment.

"The Bimbettes," he said walking past the three sisters, "morning."

Gossip queens by nature, Claudia, Laura, and Paula were a beautiful set of triplets and Riku's classmates. Much like the rest of the student body, they came from a wealthy family and were more about what was the hot topic than studies. And while many didn't pay attention to Riku, the self-titled Bimbettes were a different story. They enjoyed teasing him, nudged up against him any chance they could. Riku wasn't wrong in saying that they had a crush on him. But Riku really didn't care. If anything, the trio was annoying.

"Happy Birthday, Riku!" the all chorused in, their voices ringing loudly. At least they could carry a tune.

"Thanks," he waved as he continued down the hallway, the Bimbettes still in tow.

"Riku, why don't you have lunch with us today?" said Claudia, a red bow adorning her hair. "We can have our Replica drive us around."

"Oh yes, please have lunch with us!" came Laura with a pair of doe eyes and a golden bow. "It'll be our treat."

The last sister, Paula with a green bow, grabbed Riku by the arm and looked up at him with an expression that could make sugar taste bitter.

"Please?"

Riku carefully untangled himself from Paula's hold and gave them a small smile. "Sorry girls, I've already made plans."

They shared a pout, "With that Pocahontas girl? Honestly, what do you see in her? She's not even that pretty."

He narrowed his sea-foam colored eyes, the ashen-like ashes cradling his perturbed gaze. "You don't have go there."

The sisters rolled their eyes and turned away. Claudia waved at him. "If you change your mind, you know where to find us."

They disappeared into another hallway with the bell finally ringing for classes to start. Riku placed a hand over his eyes, letting out a sigh.

"I'm already over this day," he muttered. Riku glanced out the school windows, watching the clear skies and allowing his thoughts to drift. All he could see was that piercing blue.

Morning came quickly and with a cold surprise. Gasping, Sora threw himself into a sitting position. His hair was dripping, water coursing down his chest and rendering his clothes a soaked mess. Sora strained to see through the cracks in the wooden door, the sun's rays eagerly dancing through the gaps. He could hear the footsteps, the voices coming in his direction.

"Alright, it's going to be a long day. We've got good weather so let's make the best of it."

Sora got up and used whatever part of his hooded shirt that wasn't wet to dry himself, although it didn't do much for him. The voices outside became louder, the dinging of a bell sounding loudly.

"If you're still in there Sora, better get up and off the boat."

With an angry slew of curse words under his breath, Sora opened the door and was met with the salty breeze of the sea. All around him were clear, blue waters. Several burly men and Replicas built like massive linebackers were on deck, ready to head out for the day's fishing. Sora searched for the owner's voice and found the boat's captain signaling with his thumb, to get off.

"We'll be back late, don't get into any trouble."

Sora clicked his tongue and jumped from the boat onto the dock bellow. His limbs were cold, what with the splash of ocean water waking him up from a somewhat comfortable sleep.

"Damn geezer…"

He stood at the edges of the city, the marina where all manner of boats and ships lined the coast. The massive island consisted of the coast, the inner sections, and the walls. It was one giant metropolis amongst the seas. The further away from the walls, the more dangerous the areas became. Despite the nature of humanity and their wishes, there was still a darkness and danger that lurked throughout the city. People weren't equal, not by any means. Poverty and sickness was relevant, yet to those that lived further into the center, it was something that didn't exist in their mindset. Sora called these outskirts his home. He was alone, living day by day. With no money or a home, Sora was used to the streets and grew familiar with where to go if he wanted a bite to eat and didn't require much effort in stealing it or conning it from a negligent person. It wasn't to say getting by was always easy. The thick scar over his left eye was proof of that.

"You'll catch a cold like that."

He saw the elderly woman standing outside her door, a lit cigarette dangling from her lip. Sora huffed, wringing the ends of his shirt and watching as the droplets fell towards the ground.

"I've had it worse."

"Now don't make such a sour face, come on in and dry yourself by the stove."

She flicked her cigarette and beckoned for him. Sora didn't argue and walked inside the small house. He sighed with the warmth radiating off the stove penetrating his skin. The thin brunette stood there with his hands extended, warming his fingers and his clothes slowly drying. The elderly woman brought him a chipped cup full of some hot liquid.

"Honestly Sora, why do you insist on sleeping in that broken down boat? With how little meat you have on your bones, I'm afraid you'll freeze to death."

Sora sipped from the cup, his insides thankful for the warmth. "Cause the captain lets me? As long as I'm off before he leaves for the day I can sleep there."

She took a long draw from her cigarette and was polite enough to exhale away from Sora. "Bunch of bullshit if you ask me. You always have a place here. I don't know why you're so damn stubborn."

Sora chuckled, always amused with her foul language despite the sweetness found in her face. He raised the cup towards her.

"Thanks for the tea, Godmother."

Simply known as Godmother, the elderly woman was once part of the elite behind the walls. But unlike those that simply wished for wealth, she worked for it. She built a company from the ground up, expanded into various other territories and became a successful business woman. Godmother was at the very top and had everything by her own will. But that same ferocity for hard work and sincerity wasn't passed along to her one and only daughter. Upon reaching her 18th birthday, Godmother's daughter wished for her mother's empire. In a flash, everything that Godmother had built with her own hands was robbed from her. A wasteful use for a wish when her daughter would have naturally inherited everything she had once Godmother retired.

"Good, ain't it? I managed to get a good batch of tea leaves from a little hole in the wall place."

With everything taken from her, Godmother was forced into the outskirts of the city. She never held any resentment towards what happened to her. Sora didn't understand how she couldn't considering the fact that Godmother still held onto her wish. She could have easily taken it back, her company, her life's work. But she never used it in that manner. Godmother spent her days watching others from her doorstep, simply observing.

With his clothes dry and tea gone, Sora bid his goodbyes and headed for the door. Godmother threw a bundled paper bag at him, the brunette catching it with ease.

"You'll get hungry later, make sure to eat it."

He couldn't help but smile. "Thanks Godmother."

Sora could never take her up on the offer of staying at her place. It wasn't because he didn't want to, but because he was thinking of her safety. His actions had brought him unwelcome attention throughout the outskirts. Thugs and other shady figures didn't take kindly to a cocky teenager causing them trouble. He couldn't involve Godmother in that, not to the one person that had shown him kindness and understanding. If Sora held a soft spot anywhere in his being, it was for her.

"What do you feel?"

He stopped mid-step, his muscles tensing up at the thought. Those sea-foam eyes, the way they looked at him. The warm touch of his skin, the lightest traces of his silver hair caressing his face, Sora violently shook his head at the images.

"What the hell…"

Sora didn't know what to think. His mind raced with the previous night, the encounter with the privileged silver haired boy that had treated him to a meal. He sat there eating like a rabid dog while he simply watched, his hand resting underneath his chin. Was he watching in sick fascination? Was watching someone suffering from hunger entertaining? Part of him was telling him that was exactly it. But the other was in conflict. Riku was watching him not with abhorrent pleasure, but kind curiosity. There weren't looks of disgust, even after all the nasty things he had said to him. Riku didn't fall back to petty insults. What was he?

"You're a Third Point."

He was quick to blurt out how Riku was the worst of anybody else. Riku did not only live within the inner sections, but was gifted as a Third Point, one born with three wishes. His stomach churned with animosity, a dark feeling coursing through him. It wasn't until his mind was clearer, as he ran away in the cold night that Sora realized what it was he felt: Jealousy.

"Whatever," he muttered holding the paper bag tightly in his hand.

Sora didn't want to admit he could feel jealousy for the wealthy, for those that had everything. It was like a smack in the face, having someone showing him kindness without appearing to want something in return and then forcing such a revelation unto him. He looked at those lifeless orbs, wishes that had yet to reach maturity. The silver haired boy that stood in front of him was blessed with more than Sora could ever comprehend. Sora just couldn't admit that he was jealous. Not when all that he could see as he ran from that darkened street was a world blurred by his own tears. All he could think of was that soft, sea-foam green.

His parents were doctors, yet the white sterile office of the council made Riku feel uneasy. There were comfortable chairs, television screens playing all manner of shows, and a considerable amount of people walking around. His attention momentarily centered on a boy that sprouted white wings from his back, his actions surprising two adults Riku assumed were his parents.

"That's what you wasted your wish on? Bird wings?"

They carried on belittling the teenager, his gaze catching Riku's. There wasn't the slightest inkling that the boy was upset by his ranting parents. He felt his father leaning in, his voice a whisper.

"I always wondered what it'd be like to fly."

Riku smiled, their footsteps bringing them to the desk counter. A Replica wearing black robes over a fitted white shirt and ascot around its neck looked to them.

"Welcome to The Council's 2nd Inner Section Office, how may I assist you?

Riku's mother placed a hand on his back and replied. "Our son's birthday is today and we've come to register his wishes with The Council."

The Replica fluidly keyed in a few strokes on its computer, a tablet appearing through a gap in the counter and stopping before Riku.

"Please place your dominant hand on the tablet's screen and recite your name."

He breathed in deeply, his chest expanding. "Riku Crescent-Gainsborough."

The tablet scanned his hand, a series of electronic sounds emanating through the process. It only took a few seconds before the screen turned black. Riku retracted his hand, examined it and was pleased to see that it was the same. The Replica scanned the readings on its computer.

"Riku Crescent-Gainsborough, son of Sephiroth Crescent and Aerith Gainsborough. Born February 2nd, 2XXXX, 5:14 A.M. Wish Status: Third Point." The Replica offered Riku an automated smile, one that only made that uneasy feeling more intense.

"Your wishes have been registered. Congratulations to you sir, is there anything else I can assist you with today?"

He touched the back of his neck, the glowing orbs warm to the touch. Riku could still feel Sora's lingering fingertips.

"I could go for some birthday cake right about now."

-0-