Simple Movements

Chapter 4

-Yearning-

"...I can smell your scent"

It was through heavy coaxing that Riku gave into the Bimbettes' offer to go to a birthday party for a friend of theirs from a neighboring high school. However, his one and only condition was for them to extend the invitation to Pocahontas as well. The triplets begrudgingly agreed, and so Riku and Pocahontas had made their way into a section of the city where the night life never ended. Club upon club was lit up in bright, colorful lights and garish neon signs flashing for people's attention. Riku rarely ventured to this section of the city, and walked around cautiously with Pocahontas.

"Do you have any idea whose party this is?"

Riku shook his head at the question. "Nope, the Bimbettes didn't tell me his name. But considering where his party is at, I'm not surprised by what he wished for."

"I'm not either, Club Gambler is pricy," Pocahontas added adjusting the blue shell necklace adoring her frame. "Tell me, how pissed off were they when you asked them about me coming?"

"You kind of like the negative attention, don't you?"

Pocahontas giggled. "I wouldn't say that so much as I like the thought of getting under their skin. The Bimbettes have never liked me, and you know that. So, whatever we can do to annoy them works with me."

Riku shrugged with a grin. "Well, let's just take it easy at this party. I say we give it a half hour at most and we leave."

They arrived in front of Club Gambler, a line of people going back several hundred feet and even coiling around the side of the building. Riku groaned inwardly at the sight, but Pocahontas quickly reminded him they were on the VIP list and could go up to the guard at the front door. He could feel all the creeping eyes on him, shooting him angry glares as he and Pocahontas flashed the man at the door a red card. The large, burly man nodded at the pair and opened the door for them to enter. Even from where they stood they could hear the loud music booming and overpowering everything around them. Riku took a breath and walked in.

"Want to get a drink?"

"What?"

Pocahontas got closer to him. "I said, did you want to grab a drink?"

Riku looked over to one of several counters on the first floor of the club and took a step in its direction. "Mineral water, I don't feel like dragging myself across the city buzzed."

A Replica in a sleeveless shirt and baring a chiseled chest looked to them. "What'll it be?"

"Mineral water and a vodka cranberry," Pocahontas replied as Riku arched a brow at her. "What? Just because you don't want to drink doesn't mean I can't"

"Alright, but I don't plan on carrying you home, so don't get too crazy."

The Replica placed their drinks on the counter. "Are you here for the birthday party on the third floor?"

Pocahontas showed him their card. The Replica nodded. "Very good, your drinks are covered. The birthday boy is footing the bill, so drink whatever you want."

There was a glint in the raven haired woman's eye, one that told Riku they were in for trouble. "Great, just what I needed to hear."

They sipped at their drinks while wandering aimlessly around the first and second floor, but took caution not to head up to the third floor just yet. Riku wanted to spend as little time as possible there, knowing that the Bimbettes and the host of the party would be there. The two friends watched others dancing, made small talk and poked fun at the less than attractive moves some people were employing. Pocahontas excused herself from Riku to get a refill on her drink and disappeared into a different section of the club. Riku stood with his arms resting on the railing of the second floor, his eyes watching the DJ as he spun his records.

"Riku!"

He didn't need to turn around to know exactly who the voice belonged to. A group of groping arms pulled at him, spinning him around and his gaze falling on the Bimbettes. Their attire left little to the imagination, super short skirts and tops barely holding in their large breasts all in their respective colors. Riku slid away from their claws and stood with his back against the railing.

"I'm so glad you're here!"

Paula placed an arm beneath her large bosom and swirled her tongue around the straw of her drink. "Did you just get here?"

He wasn't about to tell them the truth and nodded a limp yes. "Yeah, we got here a few minutes ago."

"So Pocahontas did come?" Claudia asked with a sour look on her face.

Riku disregarded her tone. "Yeah, she's getting a drink."

Laura took a hold of his arm. "Let's go up to the third floor, we'll introduce you to our friend."

"I'll be up there in a second. I'm going to wait for Pocahontas to come back."

"Forget her, come on," Paula added pulling on the silver haired teen, "she can do whatever."

"He's going to be making his wish soon anyways, we can't miss it."

Riku looked to the bottom floor and let out a defeated sigh. "Alright."

The third floor was packed except for a small round stage set in the middle of the floor. Lights were concentrating on it, a blonde standing with an arm extended outwards. The Bimbettes eased their way through, never letting go of Riku as they approached the stage. It was somewhat dark, but he could tell a few familiar faces from school, but for the most part everyone else he didn't know. He heard the speakers crackle for a split second before the blonde teen's voice boomed over them.

"Welcome everyone! Thank you for coming to my 18th birthday party. Is everyone having a good time?"

A loud, deafening response echoed around them. Riku simply remained silent. A table rose from underneath the stage, a birthday cake sitting on the surface.

"That's what I wanted to hear! Alright, let's get to the main attraction!"

Birthday cakes carried the long standing tradition of having lit candles. Waxy, decorative sticks illuminating a darkened room and placed before the respective recipient. Kids were eager to lean in on their hands, collecting a breath in their cheeks, and letting it out. The pointed flames would flicker violently, and plumes of smoke would coil in the aftermath. Rounds of applause were the recipient's reward for the act, followed by an all too familiar question.

"What did you wish for?"

Needless to say, those in attendance weren't kids anymore nor did they encircle a dinner table and waited with drooling mouths for a piece of cake. But it was a typical scene for already rich kids to make their wish for wealth in front of a mass of people. They needed to have that sense of satisfaction, to have endless eyes watching as their lives became that much easier. Riku saw it as nothing more than a circle jerk of rich brats. Everything around him suddenly went quiet. The blonde teen closed his eyes, a collected breath expanding his cheeks and immediately flowing out violently. The flames flickered and died out. Applause soon followed after.

Riku walked away from the crowded scene and found Pocahontas at the entrance to the third floor, her second vodka cranberry in hand. "Did I miss anything?"

"He made his wish."

She didn't need to hear anything further. "You want to get out of here then?"

"Yeah, I just need to use the bathroom before we go."

"Okay, I'll meet you outside."

Riku descended to the first floor and down a hallway in search of the bathroom. He found it, did his business, and walked back out after washing his hands. The music was loud, but was muffled enough for him to hear the distinct sound of screaming. He looked around, but didn't find anybody else in the hallway. Riku opted for a side exit instead of trekking through the crowded dance floors and walked out into the alleyway next to the club. He could see the green hue of another exit sign further down into the alley, a form bathed in its light. Riku peered through the darkness, but failed to make out what he was seeing. When he saw it move, he realized it was a person. Riku curiously took a few steps further in, only to stop when he saw Sora leaning against the wall. His lungs felt tight, his hands beginning to sweat. He didn't know what to say, not when their first meeting turned out the way it did. Riku swallowed hard, walked up to him and plastered a calming look on his face as best he could.

"Hey."

He sat outside the door, his knees up against his chest and eyes cast against the floor. Opposite of him with her arms crossed stood Pocahontas, the raven haired woman wearing a worried expression on her face. She didn't dare question Riku, not after finding him in the alley way of the club district with a strange boy in his arms and tears streaming from his eyes. Pocahontas did the first thing she could think of and called for Riku's parents. Within minutes the pair of doctors had the brunette in their car and zooming back to the clinic in the back of their house. It was here, after several hours that she and Riku sat in absolute silence. The only thing they could hear was the beeping of a heart monitor through the walls of the home clinic. To Riku, it was the best sound he could hope for. It meant Sora was still alive.

"You're not going to ask?"

The silence broke with Riku's words. Pocahontas looked to him, but pursed her lips. "I don't think right now is the best time."

She had never seen him in the state he was in. Riku, despite feeling a disconnect with so many, was a warm and upbeat person. But to see him balled up into himself, an expression of confusion and pain touching his usual smiling face was so alien to her. Who was the brunette in his arms? What was his relation to her best friend? If anything, Pocahontas knew he meant something to Riku. The gentle way he held him said it all.

"I'm going to make us some tea, you okay with that?"

Riku didn't respond. Pocahontas bent down, placed both hands on his shoulders and forced Riku to look at her. His eyes seemed almost lifeless.

"It'll be okay," she whispered, "you'll be okay."

She kissed his forehead, her lips soft and warm against his skin. Pocahontas disappeared into the hallway, leaving Riku to his thoughts. He replayed the images over and over, the sight of Sora walking past him, his falling form, the light weight that he cradled in his arms as he hysterically called for Sora to wake up. Riku didn't know what to do, everything stopped being rational the moment it happened. If it hadn't been for Pocahontas and her quick thinking, Riku would still be in that dark alley beneath the green hue of the exit sign. She didn't deserve his silence, nor the coldness he was emanating. When she returned and handed him a cup of hot tea, Riku did his best to smile at his best friend. Her warm features immediately lifted his spirits.

"Thank you. If it hadn't been for you…"

"That's what friends are for. We're there for each other."

He sipped from the hot liquid and played with the hem of his pant leg. "I just didn't know what to do. It all happened so fast, I couldn't think."

"He was hurt when you ran into him, right?"

Riku nodded. "His hands were all torn up, like he'd been in a fight or something. But for him to pass out, I think it was something else."

Pocahontas slid a hand behind her hair, touching the glowing orb at the base of her neck. When she helped Riku and his parents lift Sora into their car, she felt it. There was nothing there. As they drove, she began to piece things together. Riku's demeanor, the strange questions as they walked to school, it was making sense. The brunette was a Blank Point.

"Your parents are doing all they can right now. All we can do is wait."

The minutes continued to tick well into hours, and soon morning light was streaming in through the windows at the end of the hall. Riku and Pocahontas fell asleep despite their attempts to stay up, their bodies huddled next to one another and a blanket encasing them both. Riku felt the sunlight against his face and rousing him from his slumber. He slipped from beneath the blanket and got to his feet. Riku stood before the room Sora rested in, a multitude of bleeping sounds coming from inside. He felt his hand reaching for the door handle, his mind racing with what he could possibly see on the other side. With a shake of his head, Riku pushed the door open. Darkness lapped at his feet as he entered, the entire room bathed in it. He could see the shape of the bed and a series of monitors on each side. There were wires and tubes, bags of fluids suspended on metallic hooks. He stood at the front of the bed, his gaze on Sora's unconscious body. Riku watched him, the rising and falling of his chest as Sora breathed. He looked peaceful, without the slightest traces of pain anywhere in his face. It was as if he was simply sleeping and with morning, he'd be waking up from a pleasant dream.

"Maleficent's Needle."

He felt the presence behind him, but didn't turn towards it. Riku touched the bedspread, his fingers running along the impression of Sora's feet.

"His system tested positive for it. It was a pharmaceutical meant for those suffering from severe sleep deprivation. But like any drug, it was abused and had horrible side effects. Certain people reacted to it negatively and fell into comas, with some never waking up again. Those lucky enough to not fall into comas suffered memory loss. And at times, those that did wake up lost all their memories."

Dr. Gainsborough stepped up to Riku and placed her head against his shoulder. "He's suffered from malnourishment and shows signs of prolonged physical abuse. With the state he was in, and the fact he reacted to Maleficent's Needle as quickly as he did, your dad and I think his chances are slim. I'm sorry honey, but he will more than likely not wake up."

Riku pulled away from her, his eyes glossed over. "How can you be so sure?"

The green eyed doctor squeezed Riku's shoulder. "There was no reaction to any of the stimulation tests we did. We gave him certain medications to try and counteract the drug, but there was no effect."

She reached for Riku's face and cupped a hand against his cheek. "I'm sorry, Riku."

Pocahontas watched from the doorway, she could see Riku's shoulders hunched forward as Dr. Gainsborough tried to offer him her sympathies. She turned around and walked up to the raven haired teen and nodded softly at her before excusing herself.

"It's not fair."

His words were quiet, yet hinted with anger. Pocahontas stepped inside, but didn't speak. Riku was gripping the coiling metal of the bed frame, his fingers turning white. "I don't know anything about him, I never got a chance. He's a complete stranger to me, yet I don't know why I'm feeling like this."

"Something about him drew you to him."

Pocahontas came up from behind and wrapped both arms around Riku's waist. She placed her cheek against the middle of his back and let out a warm breath. "He's a Blank Point, isn't he?"

"One born without wishes," Riku added. "Someone that was given nothing."

"What's his name?"

"Sora."

She smiled into his back. "Sky: a perfect match for someone that means 'Land'."

It was at that moment that Riku felt the wetness coursing from his eyes. They fell freely onto the floor in haphazard patterns. Pocahontas could feel the sobs resonating through his body and into hers. It had been years since Pocahontas had seen Riku cry.

"It's okay…it's okay," she whispered knowing very well her words meant nothing.

They remained there for a long while, with Riku's sobs eventually dying away. Pocahontas never let go of him, remaining with her arms around him in a constant protective ring.

Riku skipped school the following day and remained at Sora's side. Pocahontas stopped by to see how he was doing for a few minutes before heading off to school and promising to return right after the day let out. He sat near him, wiping away at his forehead with a wet towel and changing the bandages around his hands. The cuts had stopped bleeding and were healing, but a tinge of purple bruising had made its presence. He knew Sora couldn't feel anything, but he carefully and delicately cared for his injuries as if he could.

"We tried searching throughout our doctoral network for any medical records, but we couldn't find anything. The government had nothing on him either. Did he ever mention anything about his family?"

Riku shook his head. "No, he didn't tell me anything."

Dr. Sephiroth adjusted the glasses on the brim of his nose. "If we can't find a next of kin, we'll have to turn him over to the care of the government."

"And what happens to him then?"

The tall, silver haired man couldn't lie to his son. "They won't spend the resources on someone that won't wake up. He'll be euthanized."

Riku's hand clenched the towel he had been using on Sora viciously. "He's not a frickin' dog."

"I understand, Riku, but there's nothing else we can do. We don't have the resources ourselves to care for someone in his state for a long period of time."

He didn't want to hear anymore. "Please leave, dad."

Dr. Sephiroth didn't argue. "I'll be in my office if you need anything."

Why did he care so much? He knew nothing about Sora, yet there he was sitting at his bedside caring for him as if it was someone he'd known all his life. There was a desire, a yearning to learn more, Riku wanted to understand the spiky haired teen. What was behind that tough exterior, those scars both physical and emotional, Riku wanted to understand. Riku wanted to understand just what made Sora the person he was. Why did Sora make his chest swell and constrict all at the same time?

Riku felt the towel falling from his hand, the slightest hint of a glimmer sparkling in his eyes. He looked over to Sora's sleeping figure, his lips still touched with traces of pink. Riku held a hand to his heart, the drumming pounding away at his chest. He lifted himself from his seat and hovered with his hair cascading over Sora. Riku touched the back of his neck, the orb at the base growing warmer. He swirled a finger around the circumference of the green orb, his free hand resting against Sora's abdomen. Riku sucked in a much needed breath and exhaled with the contents of his first wish.

"I wish for Sora to awaken."

The orb glowed radiant green before growing dark. Riku felt his insides churning, a wave of euphoria coursing throughout his entire body. He looked upwards, his hair billowing in an imaginary breeze. Sora's eyelids twitched a few times before a flicker of blue peered through. Slowly, his eyes opened, welcoming in an unfamiliar sight. Sora found himself reaching for Riku as he shed a few tears, his fingers caressing the salty droplets. The silver haired teen smiled at him, a shaky laugh escaping him.

"It worked…"

Sora returned the smile. "Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing, I'm just glad you're awake, Sora."

The brunette touched his chest and looked to Riku. "Sora…is that my name?"

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