Simple Movements

Chapter 7

-Iridescent-

"...I feel cold..."

They sat huddled on Riku's bed, the lights dimmed and the shadows playing at their feet. Sora watched as Riku ran his fingers over his knuckles, now healed thanks to his daily care. Riku made it his goal that no further scars would blemish Sora's already tarnished skin.

"Do they hurt anymore?"

"No," Sora replied with Riku's continued touch, "they feel fine now."

Riku nodded. "Good, I'm glad they healed well."

"It's thanks to you."

It was after dinner, dishes were done, and what little homework he had left for the week was done. His parents were still working and the pair had the house to themselves. It was these quiet moments between them that Riku enjoyed the most. He would talk about random things, share his aimless days at school, answer whatever question Sora had about the world. It was only a short time they had together in this manner, but Riku knew that it wasn't something he could hold onto forever.

"Pocahontas and I are going into the outskirts tomorrow."

Sora's hands tensed ever so slightly in Riku's. "Really?"

"Yeah, we're leaving first thing in the morning."

He leaned back, resting against the bedframe. "It's not a safe place, is it?"

"No," Riku replied with a slight shake of his head, "it's a dangerous place. I don't know the first thing about it. But I need to do it."

"Maybe I should go with you guys," Sora said looking up into Riku's eyes, his proposal suddenly changing Riku's demeanor.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Riku replied holding onto Sora's hands, "you can help us greatly by staying here and continuing to rest."

It wasn't what Sora wanted to hear, but he knew Riku meant well. He couldn't argue, not when Riku was going out of his way and risking his safety for his sake. The spiky haired teen gripped Riku's hands and gave them a warm, gentle squeeze. "Alright."

"I'll leave you my cell phone in case of anything. I'll use Pocahontas' if I need to get a hold of you. But promise me, you can't tell my parents about this. They'll freak out."

Sora nodded. "I promise."

Riku smiled at him, leaned in and allowed their foreheads to touch. Whatever anxiety Riku was feeling, and it was bubbling through him like crazy, seemed to ease with Sora's touch. He could feel Sora's breath on his face, the scent of mint toothpaste prickling his skin. Riku closed his eyes momentarily, letting out a sigh.

"Let's go to bed, it's getting late."

Everyone was still sleeping, the house quiet, and the murmuring of crickets faint in the air. Riku stood at Sora's bedroom door, slightly parted and enough for him to look inside. It was dark, yet he could make out Sora's frame, his chest rising with each breath. He remained there for a few long moments, simply admiring the sleeping teen.

"I'll see you later Sora," he whispered, "sleep well."

He closed the door silently and swiftly descended down the stairs. Riku was met with Pocahontas in the living room, clad in blue jeans and a thick hooded jacket. Despite Destiny Islands and its year round summer weather, the early mornings were frosty cold.

"How's he doing?"

"Sleeping," he responded in a low tone.

"Did you talk to him at all? About us going into the outskirts?"

Riku replied with a nod of his head. "I did and he wanted to come along, but I told him it'd be better if he stayed and rested. He needs to get stronger."

Pocahontas was sitting on a couch, a leg crossed over the other. "I know I said I'd go with you, but are you completely sure you want to do this?"

"I'm sure," he was quick to respond, "we should get going before my parents wake up."

With her weak attempt to dissuade him the pair left the house and walked into the city streets. They carried on past Riku's neighborhood and headed south. The further they went, the more the inner walls become apparent from where they stood.

"I never realized just how large they were."

Pocahontas looked over her shoulder. "They are…the birds don't even fly near them. Have you noticed that?"

"Smart birds I guess. Even they know well to stay away from them."

When the familiarity around them began to wane, a sense of discomfort began to creep into their guts. They were going further and further into a section of the city they knew nothing about. They pair of friends lived in the 2nd district, with only the inner walls beyond them. But now they were facing unfamiliar territory and districts showing distinct differences in appearances. The buildings were smaller, the houses older and green yards showing tinges of brown. Overhead lights that dotted the streets grew dimmer, some broken in places, and questionable people hanging around. They had walked until morning light began to peer over the horizon, bathing everything in a warm glow. It was with the coming light that everything became clear. His fingers laced through the gaps in the black metal chain link fence. It rose several dozens of feet high, traveled east to west for as far as one could see. It was this simple barrier of rusted black metal that separated the inner districts from the less than ideal outskirts. With the coming of morning light, it bathed over the broken scenery before him. Riku stood at this fence, Pocahontas at his side, and both in awe of just how desolate the view was. The silver haired man gripped the chain link fence tightly, his teeth grinding together.

"This is horrible…"

Pocahontas took the words right out of his mouth. It was a sea of broken rooftops, shattered lampposts, and filthy streets lined haphazardly until they met the ocean waters. From where the pair stood they could see the sad reality. These outskirts were Sora's home.

"I can't believe this is on our island," the raven haired woman spoke with her arms crossed.

"We've always heard of them, but seeing it is a different story."

She looked to her friend, her lips pulled into a small frown. "It really puts things into perspective, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," he replied removing his hand away from the fence, "it shows how lucky we are."

There was no sign of an official entrance into the outskirts, then again it didn't surprise Riku. They walked around for a bit until they came upon a broken piece of the fence and opted to go through it. Riku helped Pocahontas, took her by the hand and lifted her up once they made it on the other side.

"Where do we go from here?" she asked dusting her jeans. "It's not like we can go asking around."

"Let's just check things out for a bit first," he said, "we'll figure it out."

The streets didn't get any better from when they first saw them. They walked aimlessly, finding boarded up houses, getting the occasional glance from a passerby that would let their stare follow too long. Pocahontas stayed very close to Riku and looked over her shoulder every other second. They followed coiling roads, descended down staircases with missing railings, and through countless empty lots. They passed through narrow alleys between buildings and eventually came out into a bustling street. There were makeshift tents and stands lining every available space with vendors shouting for people to stop and take a look at their products. Riku and Pocahontas steered through the many bodies roaming the street carefully and speeding up anytime they accidentally bumped into someone. They carried along, paying little attention to the heckling merchants and their almost lecherous gaze.

"Riku, we should take a break, I'm getting tired."

He led them past the busier section of the street and found a small bench, allowing them to take a seat. Pocahontas leaned back, unzipping her jacket and running a hand through her hair.

"It's getting warm."

"Maybe we can find someplace to get something to drink," he said following her example and unzipping his jacket. He slid it off, revealing a turquoise t-shirt that stuck to every muscle.

"That sounds good, let me catch my breath and we can go."

Riku and Pocahontas had been sitting there for a few minutes when a little girl walked up to them, her dark colored eyes watching them intently. They exchanged glances, with Pocahontas offering her a smile.

"Hi there."

She didn't respond, but stuck a finger in her mouth. The little girl held an odd looking toy in her other arm, a green rag doll with button eyes and a pink bow adorning straw-like blonde hair. It was dirty in some spots, but the way the little girl held it told Pocahontas she cared for it.

"What's your friend's name?" Pocahontas continued, arching forward in an attempt to take a better look. "She's awfully pretty."

The little girl pursed her lips and lifted her doll in front of her. "Scrump…her name is Scrump."

Pocahontas reached for the doll, her necklace falling out from underneath her jacket. That's when Riku noticed the grin on the little girl's face.

"Gotcha!"

She took a hold of Pocahontas' necklace and yanked it right off her neck. Not able to react fast enough, the raven haired woman blinked a few times before getting to her feet and eyes watching as the girl sped off.

"My mother's necklace!"

Pocahontas quickly recovered and took off running, leaving Riku to scramble in gathering his jacket before following after. He caught up to her, his long silver hair wafting behind him erratically. The little girl took advantage of her home surroundings and wove through alleys and openings very quickly, leaving the two always several feet behind. But the one thing they held over her was their stature, and it allowed them to cover distance faster. Riku could feel the sweat dribbling down his face, his lungs burning for air. Before long, Pocahontas began to stall behind him, leaving Riku to continue.

"Catch her Riku! My mother's necklace is all I have left of her!"

Riku threw his jacket aside and tapped into the adrenaline that had been building up. He skittered past a row of trashcans, kicking one in the process and nearly tripping. The little girl peered over her shoulder and took a sharp turn up a ladder winding its way upwards on a building. Riku stood at the base watching as she ascended and took a hold of the railing as he continued. He breathed heavily with each step, his legs feeling heavy. With the sun now hanging overhead, the air was growing hotter and his lungs stinging with each breath. Riku crawled himself over the edge of the building and found the little girl on the opposite side, her back to him.

"Give that necklace back!" he shouted through his heaving. "It's very important to my friend, please give it back."

She turned around, brought a finger underneath her eye and stuck her tongue out. "Fat chance!"

In one swift movement, she jumped off the building, much to Riku's horror. He ran over and looked at the street below, the little thief somehow unharmed and disappearing into yet another alley. There was no way for him to catch her now.

"Riku! Did you get her?"

Pocahontas made it to the rooftop and found her way to Riku. She had her hands on her knees, long thick hair dangling over her head. "Please tell me you got it back."

He balled up his hands as the sweat collected on his face. "I'm sorry Pocahontas, I lost her."

Further into the outskirts, once she realized they were no longer after her, the little girl slowed her stride. She came to a small house with a glassless window and peered inside, the room filled with colorful smoke.

"Lilo, is that you?"

The voice called for her, the woman inside the house huddled over a stove and the teapot whistling. "Where have you been running off to?

Lilo walked inside and extended her hand, the turquoise shell necklace shimmering. "Look what Scrump and I found!"

The elderly woman turned her attention to the little girl, a cigarette dangling from her lip. Godmother drew a breath from the lit stick and let out a plume of smoke. "Well, isn't that a pretty necklace? Now, get your little rump over here before breakfast gets cold."

Lilo clasped the necklace around her neck, the article of jewelry swimming on her small frame. "Can you make a peanut butter sandwich for Pudge? He controls the weather you know."

Godmother chuckled as she handed Lilo a plate. "I'm sure he does sweetie, I'm sure he does."

Sora woke up with a splitting headache. Every nerve in his body felt like it was burning, sending wave upon wave of blisteringly hot pain. He reached for the glass of water he had by his bedside and sat up, downing the contents and letting it fall onto the bed. Sora held his palms up against his temples, running them in circular movements as he tried to ease the pounding in his head.

"Oh god…why does it hurt so much?"

He gripped the bed sheets, tossed them aside as he brought his feet onto the cold floor. Sora walked out into the hallway and to the bathroom with a few fumbling steps. He threw the light switch and bathed the room in a bright glow. His eyes stung momentarily as he adjusted to the light and peered into the mirror.

"What's happening?"

Sora reached behind him, felt the pain concentrating on the base of his neck. His fingers touched a lump, a protrusion that stuck out along his neck. His heart quickened at the discovery and turned sideways in an attempt to see what it was that he had felt. Glowing a deep green there was an orb. He touched it, felt warmth penetrating his fingertips and suddenly, the pain subsided. Sora stood there dumbfounded.

"A wish?"

The words only confused him further. "A wish…everyone is born with a wish to be granted upon reaching their 18th birthday…"

Sora was spouting things he could not recall knowing. Had he always had that orb? Did he simply never notice? It wasn't making any sense to him, but he couldn't argue when he didn't even know what it was he was saying.

"They'll know, if I ask them, they can tell me."

Their bedroom door stood ajar, but they weren't inside. Sora went back to his own room and threw on some clothes before venturing down the stairs. The house was empty, the doctors already at work in their clinic.

"No…you mustn't"

Sora swiveled around, found nothing to attach the voice to. Had the pain gotten to him? Was he now imagining things?

"Is someone there?"

"You must leave. You can't let them find you."

He continued looking around, hoping to find the owner of the voice, but there was simply nothing there. "What are you talking about?"

"They're coming, you have to run."

"Who's coming?"

Everything was silent, the voice gone. Sora licked at his drying lips, the hairs on his arms sticking straight up. He heard the turning of the front doorknob, the air in his throat hitching. The door opened to reveal the doctors and a pair of men in green suits standing at the entrance. They took a step inside, studied the living room and hallways. Sora stood with his back to the wall, away from them. He could hear Dr. Sephiroth speaking, his tone unhappy.

"I can assure you officers of The Council, my son has not acted in any manner that should concern you. This visit is unwelcome and frankly, we don't have the time to discuss this any further."

"Please, doctor, there is no need for such rash words. We are acting on The Council's behalf. If you would allow us just a few minutes with your patient we can wrap this up and we'll be on our way."

There was a long sigh. "I will see if he is awake. Aerith, please wait with them here."

The footsteps carried up the stairs, above Sora and down the second story hallway. Sora stood there, unsure of what was to follow. Dr. Sephiroth came back down and looked at the two men.

"He's still sleeping."

"I see…well then, it would appear there is nothing left for us to talk about. We apologize for the intrusion."

With the door shutting after them, the doctors conversed among themselves.

"Sephiroth, this is what we feared. The Council is sticking their nose in Riku's business."

"I know Aerith, I didn't think this would happen so soon. Have you been able to get a hold of him?"

She shook her head. "He won't pick up, I've tried all morning, but it keeps going to voicemail. Where do you think he went?"

The silver haired man adjusted his glasses. "I don't know…but maybe it's a good thing he isn't here. They won't give up this easily."

Sora slid down the wall, his legs coiling back against his chest as he rested his chin on them. He was trembling, an unknown fear creeping throughout his body.

"Riku…please come back…"

The orb that shimmered green at the base of his neck turned a deep blue.

Godmother watched the teapot sitting on top of the stove and the ribbons of steam rising from it. An ever lit cigarette sat between her lips, the occasional puff of smoke escaping and creating a billowing fog around her. The creases around her eyes twitched with every blink, her attention zeroed in on an image before her. Within the strands of steam, a moving picture showed her a silver haired man accompanied by a beautiful brunette woman. Behind them, two men in green suits traced their steps. Godmother leaned back on her feet, blew a breath of smoke above her. It sparkled, glittered an iridescent color as her lips moved.

"No…you mustn't"

"You must leave. You can't let them find you."

"They're coming, you have to run."

Godmother's lips stopped moving when she felt the sweet presence at her doorstep.

"Lilo, is that you?"

The image vanished, the teapot whistling loudly.

-0-