This Ain't Hide & Go Seek [Open]

[inthecenterfold]

WHO: Sha Gojyo (inthecenterfold) and anyone who finds him
WHAT: A search for an injured girlfriend, Rikku (hyperthief)
WHERE: All around the city
WHEN: Day 186 (Sep 29)

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[whatisyourwish]

Yuuko left a note to her roommates saying that she would be gone for a while and left the house. She held her journal in one hand, her shikomizue in the other. She was glad that she had chosen an easily concealed weapon. She would most likely need it.

She headed not towards the beach, but to the darker, dirtier parts of the town, where none but the vagrants lived. If Rikku was ashamed and wanted to hide even from her friends, it was likely she had chosen some place dark, away from the harsh light of day. She hoped that Rikku hadn't strayed beyond the border of the city, but it was quite likely that she had.

Gojyo would be out looking for Rikku, as well as her other friends. However, Rikku didn't want to see them, so it would be best to try to avoid meeting up with any of them. It was Yuuko's job to grant wishes. Even though she lacked most of her powers, if Rikku wished for her friends to not see her in this state, that was still within her power. And therefore, she would grant it. First, though, she had to find Rikku.

[ttlynotaspy]

It would be pretty easy for a girl who knew the ways of a city to just go and find the missing thief, but it wasn't as easy to do so and have a good excuse that wouldn't fall flat. As it was, she knew a general direction, or something close, that she could check out. Since Gojyo, was, well, Rikku's... boyfriend. It was a good thing for Aly to get on his good side.

She didn't know if he had any special powers. No point in taking such a risk as getting on his bad side by finding Rikku and obeying her plea to not tell where she was located.

Stupid hard-headed girl.

Aly stopped, faking heavy breath at the beach. It seemed the token spot for people to meet up, frankly. She'd be able to track the red-head if he wasn't anyways...

Luck was on her side. "Gojyo!" She called, "I'm here. Sorry I'm late."

[inthecenterfold]

At the party Rikku had thrown, there were more than a few people in one room who all felt very much magical to Gojyo's general aura senses, attuned from over a year of traveling and fighting for his life back home and finally started coming back recently. He'd spent most of the night of that party, while playing cards, just trying to isolate everyone's auras, but with little success.

Here, alone with Aly, he managed to get a very faint ping off her, which made him feel better that she had some sort of powers and that he could actually sense them.

"Late? Late for what?" Gojyo responded automatically before blinking and catching himself. "Oh, are you out looking too? Didn't exactly say where I was going..."

[ttlynotaspy]

Aly kicked herself. She should've taken longer. Habitually, her Sight flipped to detect lies. She didn't trust people, and it was a relief it could at least See lies, even if magic, codes, enhanced vision, and other utilities didn't seem to work properly. Especially magic. Maybe it was being around the journals, or all the people, but it went haywire.

She blinked a few times, pretending to register what he said. "Well, Rikku seems the type to like the beach." Glancing down the length, "And it's a good place to think. I've..." I could care less about her stupid self, but I have to pretend to be worried. "Been worried about her, since that post. It's not healthy for her to be alone..."

Every inch of her screamed the worried friend. "We should go, right? Two people might be able to figure out where she went."

[inthecenterfold]

"She and I met on this beach. Then I found her here again once before, not long before we started dating. I figured it was a good enough place to start." He pointed further down, to where the cave was. "I wanna check that thing out first, since it's where she went looking for sea monsters one time."

He started heading that way, not running but moving at a light jog since it looked like the girl was tired. "Keep a look out for the asshole-- guy that she was talking to in the journals, if you know him: Shira, I think he's called? Maybe he's still stalking around where he found her."

[whatisyourwish]

Yuuko paused to re-examine the journal entries. Shira. She'd heard that name before, always said in the same way. She shook her head. Rikku was too young and inexperienced to take him on. No wonder Gojyo was freaking out. Rikku didn't want gojyo to see her like this. Yuuko would grant that wish if she found her, but she would not allow her to remain alone and vulnerable on this dangerous island.

She quickened her pace. Without knowing what state Rikku was in, every second counted. The local people of Rivelata were, for the most part, not the sort to lend a hand to an injured girl. She tightened her grip on her cane sword and began flipping through the journal again, searching for more clues.

"Where are you, Rikku-chan?"

[hyper_thief]

Just like how Gojyo hated people hiding, she hated people seeing her in her worst. Especially her friends, and her boyfriend. She had always tried to be the epitome of happiness. Not showing how weak and emotion-controlled she really was. It made her feel insignificant, and she was afraid Gojyo would break up with her when he had the chance.

"Where are you, Rikku-chan?" Was heard nearby and it took her a few moments to put the face and name to the voice. Yuuko. She bit her bottom lip, and looked around. She couldn't see her, as of yet, and she wanted to keep it that way. She took a deep breath, and using the tree to help her up, she forced herself up, unable to prevent the slight whimper that came from her. Her eye's widened at the noise her own mouth made, and she took a soft breath and latched her teeth down on her bottom lip, preventing any other sound to come out, hopefully

[whatisyourwish]

Yuuko was searching through the run-down section of the housing district, next to the border wall of the city, when she heard the sound. It was a whimper, a sound like a baby animal. Or like an injured girl. It sounded like it had come from outside the city wall. She froze, completely alert, listening for any noise, from any side.

Another noise. This time, the snapping of a twig. Definitely from outside the walls. It wasn't necessarily Rikku, but there was only one way to be sure of that. Yuuko glanced around, trying to get her bearings. She looked at the map in her journal, then sprinted in the direction of the jungle gate. She held her sword at the ready, even though it was still sheathed. This would be her first time straying beyond the boundaries of the city.

[hyper_thief]

[[ooc; Uhm, yeah. GO ahead and jump Gojyo and Aly.]]

Rikku sighed softly, banging her head against the tree lightly. What would a terrible headache really do? She was already hurting everywhere so who cared if her head pounding was added to the wounds. She just knew she was tired of hiding; she had been hiding for what already seemed like days, though it wasn't in reality. She pushed her braids from her face, using her only usable hand to wipe her face, adding a little dirt to her already messy face. She really didn't want Gojyo to see her, though she just wanted to go home

[whatisyourwish]

Yuuko ran forward at the sound of the scream. Rikku was sitting, leaning against a tree. She was covered in blood and dirt, and her arm appeared to be broken. Yuuko pulled the ribbons out of her hair and began to clean and wrap some of Rikku's wounds.

"I'm very glad that you are safe, Rikku," she said softly, taking of her scarf and tying into a sling for Rikku's broken arm. She looked Rikku in the eye. "If it is still your wish, I can help you move before Gojyo gets here. I will tell him nothing beyond that you are safe, and I will give you somewhere to stay until you are healed. What is it that you want?"

[ttlynotaspy]

Aly ran, following the redhead. She came into view, Yuuko helping Rikku, and leaned up against a tree, breath ragged. "We're not angry, Rikku. Just worried!" She managed, wiping a little of the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

Under the loose fabric of her dress, Aly felt the daggers, a reassuring weight. "Oh, yes, please!" She exclaimed. "I've heard awful rumors about this place..."

Her eyes reflected concern. "Come on, we'll help."