Finding Nemo... I mean Sora!

[key_to_darkness]

Who:  Riku and anyone     (maybe Sora?  =D)
What:  Riku decided to go looking for his friend and ended up collapsing <3
When:  He falls  about or around midnight still during the heat wave
Where:  He winds up infront of the churches gate
Rating:  probably PG  depends on who shows up
OPEN~~

He knew there was almost no chance of him succeeding.  But he had

Comments

[13th_unseated]

Well, she'd taken the time to explore most of the strange city. At least... she assumed it was what qualified as "most". With the dinginess and darkness that clung and permeated every bit of this place, it was hard to know where it stopped and the beyond began.

Running one pale hand through dark hair, Rukia cast violet eyes around her, trying to get her bearings. This place was like a maze at times, and it seemed easier every moment to lose her way. At least the church -- it was a church, right? It looked like one at least -- stayed in the same place all the time.

Making her way back towards the edifice, she caught sight of a figure crumpled a few feet in front of the gates. A newcomer, perhaps? She herself had appeared in this place by the gates to the forboding building, so it wasn't that hard to assume someone else might have. Stopping beside him, she sank down to her knees, looking the boy over.

"Hey. You alright?"

[key_to_darkness]

Riku's eyes wouldn't open just yet. He tried to speak back to the muffled voice. Was it in his head?

Sora? He tried to say this but his lips could barely even mouth the name. The voice sounded young, was it him? But the longer he was there, he could feel the heat from the ground, the rough earth pressing against his back. He was coming to his senses but it wasn't pleasant. His mouth was dry and his head throbbed. The heat wave that had been hovering over the town had obviously not let up.

Finally, through his silver eyelashes, he could see a figure hovering over him. His blue-green eyes still couldn't penetrate the night air but the person over him seemed to have lighter skin, though the hair blended in to the background.

[13th_unseated]

The boy whispered something -- or at least he tried, mouth moving so faintly she could barely make out the syllables -- Sora. A name, perhaps? A friend, nakama... even family, maybe.

Either way, he was just a boy, probably not much younger than Ichigo, though this youth didn't seem to have had the same sort of training her orange-haired shinigami companion had gone through. Silver hair, worn longish, and clothing that seemed rather strange to her. Not that much of the clothing she saw in the Living World wasn't strange, but this young man's clothes seemed a bit more "out there", as Inoue might have said.

Carefully pulling his head into her lap, she brushed silver bangs out of his face. The boy seemed alright overall, with no obvious injuries, so she could assume he was just exhausted. Sharp eyes caught the flutter of silvery eyelashes and she leaned closer, trying again to get his attention.

"Hey...Wake up."

[key_to_darkness]

He felt gentle hands around his head, but he could tell they were moving him.

Wake up? I wasn't alseep... Riku's thoughts meandered and had trouble focusing on the words. I wasn't alseep... But my eyes are closed. When did I get on the ground?

His eyes now focused on the girl above him. It was becomming easier to see, especially with his bangs parted. The girl had a young face but extremely exotic colored eyes. His throat was still dry and his lips chapped but he found it a little easier to speak after he was moved from his previous crumpled position. He wasn't sure what to ask first and but he felt he wouldn't have long to ask her much. He said in a very faint voice, "Where am I?"

[13th_unseated]

The boy had pretty eyes, a nice shade of greenish blue, that went well with his unusual coloured hair -- though if she were to get technical, it wasn't that unusual of a colour.

Answering his faint question, she smiled slightly and glanced upwards and around. Where were they... that was a good question, honestly. Obviously a city, but which city was a further mystery that she had been unable to permeate.

"Spiral City."

It was a non-answer, really. The sort that one gave when they didn't know what else to say. It wasn't a lie, as it was a city and it did have the large spiral staircase -- she thought that's what the towering edifice hanging just past the fringes of vision above the buildings was -- looming over the entirety of the place. The name had seemed fitting, whether correct or not.

"At least... that's what I've been calling it."

[key_to_darkness]

That wasn't exactly the answer he was looking for. The warm, murky air reminded him of that. It was one of the few senses that was working properly. He tipped his head slightly and could make out something that looked like a gate. His dry throat closed on him and he was forced to again rest in her lap. But that small glimpse told him he was in front of the church.

He looked into the girl's eyes and could see their color against the darkness around them. There were a number of things he could have asked, like for the water he needed, or who she was. Instead he said in a defensive voice, "Why are you helping me?" It wasn't the nicest way to greet someone that was helping him but if he had learned anything, it was that you couldn't trust many especially since he was the vulnerable one in this situation. Though he could barely move, his eyes promised that he was strong.

[13th_unseated]

Well, that was at least something Rukia could say she had experience with. Defensiveness from a male who god-forbid might actually need a little assistance. Frowning with a roll of violet eyes, she raised one arched black eyebrow at him rather sardonically.

"What, would you rather I'd left you with your head in the dirt? Or is it just something genetic encoded into the male gender that makes them all thick-headed idiots when it comes to accepting help? Besides, if I'd meant you any harm, I could have done it a hundred times over by now."

Well... that probably wasn't the nicest thing she could have said. Ok, it was definitely not the nicest thing she could have said, but it wasn't like she'd done anything to warrant the attitude he was directing at her. Sure, Rukia could understand being a little wary of some stranger you hadn't met, but she didn't think it took that much common sense to determine that she really wasn't that much of a threat. Hell, if she'd wanted to harm him, she could have done it numerous times over

[key_to_darkness]

[[ooc: XD You're awesome]]

Rukia's words seemed to hit him even through his dazed confusion. No one, ever spoke to him quite like that. Well, Axel could be an axe-hole at times...

He couldn't deny her logic. Though she appeared upside down to him, he could tell she had a rather small demeanor and she didn't exactly give off any dangerous vibes.

He saw her reaching into her clothing to pull out... something. It was shaped like a bottle. Was it... WATER? Or even a potion?
Even though he didn't entirely know the contents of the bottle his dry mouth gagged him painfully.

He looked at her with wide eyes, "Excuse me," he said trying to be polite despite his need, "but is that...?"

[13th_unseated]

[ooc: lol, thank you. ^__^]

That seemed to have at least made some sort of dent in what she was beginning to think was a typical testosterone-fogged brain. Watching the way his throat constricted slightly as eyes gazed at the bottle with naked want, she simply nodded.

"Water."

Leaning over, she cradled his head, lifting it up slightly and pressing the lip of the bottle to his chapped lips and tilting it ever so gently. Drowning him really wasn't something she wanted to do, after all.

[key_to_darkness]

At the mention of the word he willingly allowed her to move him. He tried to move by himself but at the time, letting her do it seemed much easier. The water came to his lips and it was so good it almost hurt. His mouth had been so dry from the heat and running that it hardly knew what to do with the water at first. But after swallowing some, his body welcomed the liquid.

Now that his mouth and throat were replenished, he found it much easier to talk. "Thank you," he said as he pushed himself up. It hurt but he couldn't lay there forever. How long had he been there? It was still very dark so it hadn't become morning yet. He could feel from the shift in postion that his head was light.

His palms pressed into the ground a little harder so that the ground would hopefully start spinning. [[ooc: Wow, I feel dizzy writting this. >.> ]]He didn't want to come off as rude again to the girl helping him but he didn't think he could turn enough to look at her. So he spoke with his eyes to the ground. "Why are you out this late?"

[13th_unseated]

Watching as he greedily consumed the water, she only wished she had more. He looked like he needed it, honestly. She nodded at his mention of thanks, sliding back slightly as he sat up, one hand ready to catch him should he fall.

Why was she out so late? Well.... that was a good question. Honestly, she didn't really know. Rukia liked to wander, it was a habit she'd picked up from years of patrolling for Hollows, and even now, in a situation where there didn't seem to actually be any, it was hard to break the old habit.

"I'm just used to it. Where I come from... I spend most nights wandering. It's a hard habit to break, I guess. What about you?"

[key_to_darkness]

It ceratainly was an odd answer coming from a girl like her. But it did seem like she wasn't as fragile as she was small. But those robes looked familiar... Riku was now able to face her, though it was still dark, to examine the person helping him

[13th_unseated]

Rukia's expression softened slightly at his mention of his friend, something about the tone in his voice making her pause. She knew how that was, to be alone, searching for a precious someone.

That being the case, she was sorry that she wouldn't be able to give him the answer he wanted. "No...I'm sorry. But I'll definitely keep an eye out for him if I see him."

Not that something like that would likely be much of a comfort. Not in a place like this, where the darkness curled and permeated everything, bringing a taint of ... something with it, a taint that didn't belong on someone who -- given what this boy was saying -- seemed to be very much an innocent. Like Inoue, in a way, kind and gentle and unassuming. The sort of person who couldnt and wouldn't hurt a fly.

Someone like that.... didn't deserve to be in this place.

[key_to_darkness]

Riku cursed himself for even having a flicker of hope. How could he just run through the town in the dead of night hoping to run into Sora. He used to be able to have a sense of where he was but ever since Sora started acting odd he had completely lost touch. And how could he have hoped that she would have any knowlege of the boy. Why did he even bother with hope amymore? That stupid feeling that could rip you in half.

He bit he lip and pushed himself up. It took much more effort than he wanted to admit or show but he was able to stand. The heat didn't seem to matter anymore. His senses were numbed. Through gritted teeth he said, "Thanks for your help but I'll be off now." He wanted to say more. Something to make up for his abrupt desire to leave. He would have said I hope we'll meet again at a better time or maybe drop a sarcastic line like he usually did, but he said no more fearing that his emotions would surface

[13th_unseated]

The petite shinigami watched as he shakily pushed himself to his feet, finding it hard not to compare his current movements to that of someone else she knew who was as hard to deter from his plans as this boy seemed to be.

Another stubborn one, huh?

Getting to her feet herself, hand automatically dropping to Sode no Shirayuki's hilt, more as a comfort to herself than anything else, she stepped forward and slipped an arm around his waist, helping to support him. It wasn't that hard, as she was still a good few inches shorter than he was.

"You should rest. You can barely stand. I doubt it will do your friend any good if you're too exhausted to move."

[key_to_darkness]

He paused when he felt her hand slip around his waist. It seemed so strange to have any human contact after so long. And of all things, to it not be Sora. It resembled the time Sora and he were on the beach and he was not able to stand. It was Sora that supported him.

Now it was a stranger who he had just met.

I guess there are some people still out there who have a good heart.

Her words her logical. He just wished they weren't so true. If he did find Sora, what good would he be to him like this. All he could ever do was fight for him.

Riku sighed, letting out some of the negative feelings he held. He put his arm around her shoulders to hold on, showing he accepted her help.

"I don't need so much help. But I think I'll go back to the tenements now." He paused before adding, "And thank you. I'll pay you back somehow." He said these last words in earnest. He would help her along the way somehow.