Simple Movements
Chapter 5
-Bouquet-
"...it's quiet..."
They were the same eyes matching the skies, yet there was a completely different life within them. The way Sora looked at Riku was different, night and day, a complete revolution. Gone was that pained expression, the jagged gaze of disgust and confusion. In its place was clarity, softness, and curiosity. Sora blinked a few times, his head turning to the side when Riku made no further effort to talk.
"Is everything okay?"
Riku didn't know where to start. "Do you remember what happened to you?"
Sora appeared to finally take notice of himself and looked at his surroundings. Dressed in a white gown, a plethora of tubes connected to his arm and wires to his chest should have been enough to cause him alarm, yet Sora didn't seem fazed. He touched his forehead, feeling slightly warm.
"I…don't remember anything."
"Not the alley or being in the club district?"
He shook his head. "You called me 'Sora'. I don't even remember that. There's nothing, my head is blank."
Riku was happy to see Sora wake up. His first wish was granted with ease and brought Sora back from an endless dream. But it would be bittersweet in realizing Sora's memories, everything that made him who he was, were gone. He kept his composure and settled himself on a nearby chair, bringing it up to Sora's bed.
"That's okay, what's important is you're awake."
Sora offered Riku a smile, the act causing Riku's chest to constrict. "What's your name?"
"Riku," the teen replied, "it means 'Land', from an eastern language."
"And mine means 'Sky'"
Sora's eyes went wide. He swerved his gaze to Riku, finding the same surprise within his seafoam orbs. "How did I know that?"
"I told you when we first met," Riku replied with an elated breath, "I told you its meaning the night we met."
It was a pin prick of light that descended from beyond the clouds, a sign that told Riku that not all was lost. If Sora could remember such a detail, then there was hope Sora could potentially remember more. The young brunette looked at his hands, turning them over a few times. Seeing them bandaged up and not being able to recall why seemed to cause him his first wave of uneasiness. He found his attention zeroing on Riku once more, his face asking for answers that Riku knew he wouldn't be able to fully answer.
"What happened to me?"
"I found you in an alley in the club district," Riku began grabbing a new towel from a cabinet and dabbing it in a bowl of water near Sora's bed. "I was leaving a club and found you against the alley wall with your hands all torn up."
He carefully undid Sora's bandages, cautiously removing the gauze that had blended in with the healing wounds. "You passed out when you tried to walk past me, and with my parents' help brought you to their home clinic."
Sora winced slightly when Riku ran the wet towel over his ripped knuckles. "But why was I there to begin with? Why did I pass out?"
Riku knew there wasn't any point in hiding Sora's reason for passing out. Perhaps telling him would trigger something in his weakened mind. "I don't know why you were there, I'm sorry. But as to why you passed out, it was because of a drug you took."
Sora retracted a hand rather abruptly. "A drug…I took a drug that would do that to me?"
The silver haired teen couldn't begin to wonder as to why Sora would take Maleficent's Needle. With the drug having such notorious side effects, in what way would Sora benefit from it? The truth of the matter was he knew nothing about Sora. Was the spiky haired teen involved in something shady? Was he some common street kid from the outskirts with an addiction? Riku contemplated his thoughts as he cleaned Sora's hands and applied fresh gauze to bandage over. With Sora's memory apparently gone, Riku had nothing to work with. But again, the important thing was Sora was awake. The rest could be filled in later.
"How long have we known each other?" Sora asked once Riku finished.
He swerved a strand of silver hair behind his ear, "Not very long, maybe a bit over a week."
"Then why are you doing all this?"
Riku looked upwards. "I couldn't have left you alone like that. It doesn't matter if I've known you for one week or one year, it wouldn't have made a difference."
Sora clenched both hands, the white bandages crinkling. "Anybody else would have walked away…I don't know why, but something inside me is telling me that."
"Perhaps it's your body trying to remember," Riku said with a small smile, "your mind may not remember, but your body holds memories too."
"Maybe," Sora added touching his bony chest, the tubes and wires becoming a hindrance. "I just get this sense like…I shouldn't trust someone."
Sora's self was in there somewhere, Riku knew it without a doubt. But even though the Sora he looked at now was quieter, mellower, it wasn't the Sora he had first met. The teenager with the scar over his left eye, the Blank Point bearing no wishes and holding a spiteful gaze was the person Riku was ultimately seeking. Riku gripped a hand to his chest, feeling the resonating of his heart.
"For now," Riku said reaching for Sora and placing a hand against his back, "at least trust me."
He could feel Sora's heart through his back, beating wildly at first before returning to a rhythmic pace. Sora leaned back slightly, allowing his back to be cupped by Riku's hand. It was such a warm feeling that soothed him.
"Thank you…"
Pocahontas kept to her word and returned following the last class of the day, and imagine her surprise when she saw Sora sitting up in his bed talking with Riku as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world. She walked into the room, introducing herself to the brunette with a friendly smile and joining Riku's side as they conversed. She could see the life returning to his eyes, the manner in which he talked and moved his body made it apparent. Pocahontas was relieved to know Riku was back from that momentary dark place.
"Your vitals appear normal," Dr. Gainsborough informed the party as she and Dr. Sephiroth looked over a clipboard in her hands. "It's quite miraculous, even after 20 years of practice this is the first time we've seen anyone recover in this manner."
Sora cowered slightly at her words, "I really do appreciate everything you've done for me, a perfect stranger."
She slipped a hand into her white coat pocket. "There are no strangers when it comes to doctors. A patient is a patient and it's our duty to help when an emergency arises."
"Her words are correct," Dr. Sephiroth added, "so there is nothing for you to feel ashamed of."
Sora nodded sheepishly and thanked them again. Dr. Sephiroth caught Riku's attention and motioned for him to follow the pair of doctors as they excused themselves from the room.
"You're in good hands with Pocahontas, I'll be right back."
"Okay," he replied.
The Crescent-Gainsborough family walked a bit further down the hall before they stopped their stride. Riku's mother crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.
"Riku, you remember what we told you about Sora's condition, right?"
He swallowed. "Yeah…that he would more than likely not wake up from his sleep."
"And you don't see anything wrong with the situation?" Dr. Sephiroth asked taking a similar stance to his wife.
Riku wasn't liking the direction the conversation was going. It felt pointed, almost accusatory. He shrugged, sending silver wafting in the air.
"There was still a chance that he would wake up, and it happened. He may have lost his memories, but he woke up."
"But how is what we're curious about," his mother continued, "his chances were almost non-existent, yet he woke up. Riku, is there something you'd like to tell us?"
"What's with all the questions? It almost sounds like you think I did something wrong."
Riku realized he had already given them an answer with the last words coming out of his mouth. The pair of doctors nodded.
"You used a wish," Dr. Gainsborough confirmed. "Why didn't you tell us?"
The teen felt his temperature rising. "Why does it matter? You told me on my birthday my wishes were mine and mine alone."
"Please, Riku, we're not upset with you. You're right, your wishes belong to only you and how they're used is your decision."
"Then why are you making me feel like this was something wrong of me to do?"
Dr. Sephiroth let out a sigh and pushed back on the glasses on the brim of his nose. "We're sorry Riku, it wasn't our intention. What you did was a very selfless act. You used a wish for the sake of someone else, something that is rare in our world."
"I couldn't leave him like that," Riku quipped in, "especially when you told me what would happen to him."
"It's an unfortunate reality," the tall man replied, "but you save him from that, and honestly, we're proud of you."
Riku could feel his insides calming down. His parents could never be angry with him, their questioning was purely out of concern for him. He was their only son, and all they wanted was to be sure he was okay.
"If you don't mind, I'm going back to his room. I'll help him take a shower in a bit and then we'll do something about dinner. I'm sure he's hungry."
"Go on ahead we'll get started on dinner shortly."
They watched as Riku disappeared down the hall. Dr. Sephiroth leaned back with his eyes scanning the ceiling.
"We've raised a good kid," he said.
"Too good of a kid," the brunette woman added. "You know as well as I do, despite Riku's selfless gift to that poor boy, this matter could potentially get complicated."
The silver haired man nodded. "The world's wishes are all governed and regulated by The Council. When someone reaches 18, they are required to register their wishes at the nearest council office. This allows them to monitor the wish and when it is used."
"With the way our world is the general population all wish for wealth," Dr. Gainsborough continued, "And with the limitations put in place, there is little for them to be alarmed of."
"But if a wish is made that lies outside the norm, something that is unusual, The Council immediately takes notice."
The doctors looked out of a nearby window, watching the warm colors of the afternoon pouring through and bathing the hallway a rich bouquet of oranges and reds. Dr. Gainsborough played with the pink bow adorning her hair, her other hand held against her chest.
"Riku used a wish to bring back someone meant for death. He saved someone, Sephiroth. Our son saved that boy."
"And now The Council is aware. I don't believe there is anything to be too alarmed of, but there's the chance they could send an agent to investigate. His wish, by the standards of the world, is very unusual."
"But what can we do?" Aerith asked with a hand running through her hair. "What's done is done. Riku hasn't done anything wrong."
"No, he hasn't, but to The Council they'll find this situation strange. I just won't want them prodding into something that isn't breaking any regulations or causing harm."
The silver haired man took a hold of his wife by the shoulders and gave them a soft squeeze. She looked up at him with deep green eyes, smiling at the spectacled man.
"I'm still proud of him," she said placing her head against his chest.
"Me too, he's a good kid."
She removed herself after a few moments. "Now, let's see about dinner."
Riku's clothes were too big for Sora, although that in itself wasn't a surprise. It took a little digging through his closet to find some clothes from when he first started high school, but he managed to procure a clean pair of jeans and a long sleeve dark green shirt with the words "You Can Hear the Cry of the Planet" in silver text along the hem. Sora happily accepted the garments. Riku had offered a hand in helping him shower, but Sora could feel his face growing red at the thought. With a vigorous shake of his head, the brunette shut the door and emerged 15 minutes later donning Riku's old clothes. Even then, his frame still swam in the fabric.
"They're a little big, but it's the best I could do," Riku said as Sora walked into his bedroom
"Thank you, I like them."
He stood there, admiring Riku's room. The walls were painted a deep blue with white accents near the ceiling. There were a few pictures hanging, a casual poster of a faraway destination Sora couldn't pinpoint. He looked at the framed photographs, a smiling Riku with his parents and some with the raven haired girl Pocahontas he had met in the back clinic. It brought a pleasant charm to the space, a room that didn't bare any pretentious sense.
"Your friend is very nice," Sora chimed in as he continued looking at the pictures. "She never looked at me with anything but a kind face. I can understand why you're so close."
He smiled. "Pocahontas and I have been friends since we were little kids. We've grown up together and she's become more like family to me."
Sora touched the slick surface of Riku's desk sitting across the room. "A family…"
"What about your own?"
The spiky haired teen let out a sigh. "I can't remember. If I had one, I'd imagine they'd be searching for me."
Riku quickly remembered his parents mentioning they hadn't been able to find any medical records belonging to Sora or of any family. "My parents couldn't find anything about you before you woke up."
Sora shrugged. "Maybe I don't have one then."
His frame was so thin and body was full of scars. Riku didn't have to ask to know that Sora had gone through a lot. If he was from the outskirts, there was the high chance that what Sora said was true: he didn't have one. What kind of family would allow their son to suffer?
"Do the outskirts sound familiar to you?"
"I can't remember. What kind of place is it?"
"It's the lowest district of the city. There's a lot of poverty and crime there. I've never been there myself, but I have a feeling that's where you lived."
Sora chuckled. "One look at me tells you that, huh?"
"I'm not trying to sound insincere."
"No, I know you're not. You're probably right, but I don't know anything right now."
Riku settled down on the edge of his bed, the fabric rustling under his weight. "I want to help you remember. I have no idea what you're feeling, what kind of emotions you're experiencing not knowing who you are."
The brunette hid behind his spikes. "Do you think that's a good idea?"
His seafoam-green gaze reached Sora. "Don't you want to remember?"
It was night out, and the stars were clearly visible through the second story windows. Sora fiddled with the cuffs of his green shirt.
"What happened to me…I did it to myself. The drug you said I took, I took because I wanted to. Why would I put myself into that kind of situation unless I wanted it to happen? Was I in such a bad state that hurting myself was the only way out?"
Riku stood up from his seat and took a step towards Sora. "Are you afraid to remember why you did it?"
"Completely," Sora whispered.
His voice was tiny, yet the emotion laced in it sent a chill up Riku's spine. Sora was standing huddled overlooking his desk, his back to him. Riku inched closer, his hands reaching outwards and pulling back slightly. He was so close, he could feel Sora shaking. Riku closed his eyes and wrapped both arms around Sora's tiny frame. He rested his fingers underneath his chest, his warmth penetrating through the brunette's boney ribcage. Part of him wanted Sora to throw his protective embrace away, for it meant that the true Sora was there. But the other wanted nothing more than to stand there holding Sora close, without the slightest traces of malice.
"Did you mean what you said earlier?" Sora asked finding his own hands reaching upwards to clasp over Riku's. "I can trust you?"
Riku held him that much closer. "Of course."
"Hmm…what do you make of this?"
"Eh, it's probably nothing."
"I'm not so sure, the system flagged it and sent it in our direction."
"Well, what does it say?"
The dark haired man sat before a massive monitor, his eyes scanning through line upon line of text taking up the entirety of the computer.
"The Council detected an anomaly in the wishing flow of district two, Destiny Island no. 1. It's the capital island."
A second man stood behind him, placing a gloved hand on the dark leather of his seat. "Odd, we haven't had any problems stemming from that country in quite a long time."
The first man ran a finger along his bottom lip. "It's flagged with an "S" priority."
"Seriously?" the second man said with a bit of surprise in his voice, "are you sure you're not reading it wrong?"
The dark haired man glanced out of the corner of his eye. "Phillip, I never make a mistake in reading The Council's scriptures."
The brunette man scoffed. "Of course not Eric, of course not."
"Well, looks like we're going to be paying Destiny Islands a visit. It's supposed to be a warm country, so let's make sure we dress the part."
"Someone thinks this is a vacation," Phillip added with a smirk.
"Please," Eric retaliated, "It's official business. For reasons only known to The Council, something shook them up enough to send us on a visit."
"Must have been one hell of a wish," Phillip said.
Eric nodded, reading over the screen before him. "Yeah, seems like it."
-0-