stilldontgotit | 51 - voice/action;

[After two years, Riku thought that maybe things would turn out all right. Most people who disappear leave in a flash. A month, maybe three. When he woke up in the morning, he expected everything to fall back into its usual routine.

There's just one problem: his apartment's half-empty. At first he thought the absence of Ino was because she'd woken up earlier, maybe decided to do some training. She had a test coming up, after all, but as Riku zips through the apartment, he finds all her belongings have gone amiss.

Stunned silence overtakes him. It's about a half hour later that he addresses the journals.]

Ino's gone. I know she had a lot of friends from back home, so... just thought I'd let you know.

[His voice is strangely subdued, soft and weak. For a moment, he thinks about ending it there, but another thought creeps into his mind.]

How do you guys even handle it? I know some of you have gotten married here or plan to, but don't you realize it could end in a heartbeat? Luceti's just so unpredictable. When you're with someone it's bad enough, but to take the next big step in a place this unstable... I swear I'm not trying to bring anyone down. I just don't understand.

[...]

I'll be out by the lake if anyone needs me.

[With that, he snaps his journal shut, venturing out into the woods with his Komory Bat fluttering close behind. His destination is simple: the larger of Luceti's two lakes. Why there? Well, it has everything to do with a raft he's been keeping for the past five years. One of his first accomplishments.

He's had to replace pieces of it more times than he can count, and the sail's a bit tattered now, but anyone in the area may spot him leaning back against the mast and flicking stones into the water.

His bat perches on his shoulder, and he lets out an airy chuckle.]

Hey, relax. I'll sort this out. Just need a little time...

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... But that's also good, in a way. That ya didn't get used to it.

No one should ever just 'accept' those kinda things. As long as you feel that kinda pain, it's guarantee yer gunna heal. It shows how much ya still care about folks, and how much they can mean ta you. And bonds that strong... they always come through. They always come back.

[His throw is light, and so his pebble skips a few times.]

It's funny, though. I keep thinking that I am used to it, but every time someone leaves, it still takes me by surprise.

[He slumps slightly, rubbing the back of his neck.]

I always thought maybe it'd be better to just accept it, but you know what? I think you're right. Growing apathetic here won't make things feel better. And I feel like if I avoided friendships just because they might disappear, I'd just end up feeling lonely.

[With another flick of the wrist, he sends a third stone across the water-- this one actually skips, too!]

The hardest part's dealing with all the uncertainty this place brings. When people leave, they usually forget all about this place, and I don't want to feel like our time here means nothing.

[And he knows that some people have developed that mindset, too. For some people, the constant roulette's just too much to bear, so, all things considered, he could be a whole lot worse.

Having Mickey's company certainly helps.]

[He shakes his head, scooping up another pebble into his giant gloved hand.]

Time spent with someone ya care about always has meanin'. And memories... they're funny things. The head might forget, but somehow, the heart hangs on.

['Thank Namine'... A smile tugs at the end of his mouth for a moment.]

It's okay ta feel sad, and worried. And those feelin's gotta take their course, so don't try ta rush yerself into happiness. Sounds like this gal was worth every ounce of sadness.

Heh, yeah...

[He shuts his eyes, exhaling softly. Those memories will always stay in the heart, won't they? The chains may get disconnected, but if they're still there, even down in the heart's darkest depths, then maybe there's still hope.

Of course, sentiments alone won't ease his sadness. It's easy to convince himself that it'll be okay, but the heart's tricky. Sometimes it acts in ways that confound the mind. ]

I'd hit a rough spot for months before Ino popped up. She wasn't the first person I'd gotten feelings for here, but the first time around, it blew up in my face. I was at a point where I didn't want anything to do with love...

She helped push me through that, and that's one thing I'll always be grateful for. Getting bitter and pushing people away never solves anything. I mean, it sure didn't help when I was struggling with the darkness.

[He'd have to thank this Ino, if and when he got the chance to meet her. Anyone who helped Riku, especially so deeply, deserved to be treated like royalty.]

Then a gal like that... No way is she out of yer life forever. The bonds you made will drag the two of you back together again. Until then... She wouldn't want ya ta bottle anythin' up. And I bet she's missin' ya just as much. Who wouldn't?

[He knows his wife must be lonely, even with all of her company. He misses her in every hour of every day. He's tempted to bring this up for comparison, but he also doesn't want to 'take over' the conversation. This should be about Riku.]

Ha, I'd like to think so. We spent two years together. That's a pretty big feat in a world like this.

[As for Minnie, that's one heck of a coincidence because that's just where Riku's thoughts were drifting.]

But I guess it's nothing compared to you and Minnie. If the Sleeping Worlds were any indication, you guys must have one heck of a history together.

[he'd been about to toss the pebble when that stopped him. Wow, no wonder they were such good pals, they nearly had some mind-melding stuff going on here.]

... Everyone's got a different kinda love. Ain't really fair ta go comparin' it. Sure, I miss her... Miss her all the time. Gosh, sometimes I wish i could just... turn right back around and go home.

[Then he chuckles.]

But she'd probably bop me on the nose and tell me ta go back out there and beat the bad guys. No way she'd let me slack on the job!

Yeah... Truth is, we should both probably be out there. Xehanort's not gonna rest for a minute, but thanks to this place, there's no telling how long it'll take us.

[Shrugging, he flicks one more rock into the water before letting his hands drop to his lap.]

But this world's got its share of problems, too, so I guess it's not too bad to stick around. Even a small difference has to count for something.

[And... toss! skip skip skip skip...]

We've got our hands full, no matter where we are. But just remember ta take care of yerself too. And if you won't, then I'll just do it for ya.

Hey, you've already done a lot for me, Mickey. Last thing I want's to force you to be my babysitter.

[He snickers at the thought. Not that he'd object to more time with him, but it shouldn't be a chore.]

I usually get by all right. Toughest part's shaking up my routine, honestly. Been here so long I usually get caught up in a cycle.

No force about it. Friends are always there for each other. And now that ya got me, it's gunna be all that harder ta get rid of me.

Get rid of you? Ha, if anything, maybe having you around will keep me from getting stuck in a loop. Heck, I'm already feeling ten times better than I did this morning.

[He smiles, instead of doing another rock toss, he comes up to Riku and gives him a hug. It's a small hug, because he's a small guy, but it's still heartfelt dangit.]

[Aw, shucks. How could Riku say no to a hug like that? Chuckling, he returns the favor for a few moments before leaning back and putting his hands on his hips. Probably looks a bit silly, since he's still sitting.]

You know, sometimes I wonder if I've gone soft after all the time I've spent hanging around you and Sora.

Is that such a bad thing?

[he says with a wink.]

If I was still fifteen and fresh off the islands? I'd probably complain that it'd ruin my reputation. Now?

[He sweeps his fingers through his hair.]

I'm not so prideful to try and hide that sort of thing. Just don't expect me to start acting like Sora.

[That makes him laugh a little.]

No one's askin' for a miracle!