Meanwhile on the less violent fish ship....

[save_the_souls]

Who: The Blue Fish Crew & Any Visitors
Broadcast: MAYBE
Action: SS Blue Fish
When: Beginning of July

[So in the past month, Aang & Katara may or may not have become an item, Sokka finished off all of puberty in under a week, Allen remained stuck in the puberty still, Toph won strangest pilot award briefly before she had to give it up to a pony, Hawke sassed everything and finally itemized with Anders, Beverly acquired a Starfleet issued puppy, and it turned out the cook is a flipping disney princess. Quite a time for the Blue Fish crew!]

[Well, it's time to check in with them again: AKA IT'S A MINGLE EVERYONE]

Comments

[save_the_souls]

[he shrugs] I'm the first mate, actually.

But sorry. I haven't seen her since this morning.

[limitstorm]

Oh--sorry. She hasn't said much about you guys.

[ frrrown. with all these messy auras and energies, it's hard to pinpoint pure light amongst them. ]

Thanks, anyway. I'll... find her.

[save_the_souls]

It's fine. [He smiles] Not like I say much worth telling.

[But nice to know Kairi doesn't gripe a lot about how much her first mate eats. Always pleasant.]

Alright, but- oh. [As if remembering something.] Before you do, there's something I'd like to ask you about. About Kairi.

Ah- if you don't mind, of course.

[limitstorm]

[ he starts to walk away, but his words bring him back, and he raises an eyebrow at him. ]

Uh... sure. A friend of Kairi is... [ ... ...

he pushes his hair back. ] a friend of mine. [ he. guesses. ]

1/2

[save_the_souls]

Ah...

[That had to be the most awkward warm friendly gesture he's ever seen. Did people teach him he needs to say that?]

Right.

[save_the_souls]

[He clears his throat, as if to clear that awkwardness that Riku laid on the table there.]

Anyway, this morning Kairi told the crew that she was one of the "Princesses of Heart"? She said you knew about it as well.

[limitstorm]

[ you don't know how much sora had to nag him for him to be able to actually say that aloud.

when allen mentions that, though, his eyes go wide before they narrow and he looks away. ]

Well--yeah, I do. [ he sighs. jeez, kairi... ] What made her tell you guys? Did something happen? Did she use a Ke-- [ errrrr. ] a--a special sword?

[save_the_souls]

[What? She trusts her crewmates!]

Keyblade? [He shakes his head] No, as far as I know- she still can't use that.

I'm not sure what made her decide now to tell us. Nothing's happened- but I think she's worried about it attracting...trouble? That's what it sounded like.

[limitstorm]

[ shoulders stiffen.

then, a huff. ] Why'm I not surprised...

She hasn't been--but I get why she thinks that. In our world, she's been in a lot of trouble before, and it was because she was a Princess of Heart and a Keybearer. Who knows--the next planet might affect her, or something.

[ frrrown. ]

But that shouldn't happen.

[save_the_souls]

[ He watches that response, frowning a little. It's not hard for him to tell Riku is unhappy Kairi had been honest. ]

...She told me about the Keyblade after I revealed some information about my abilities that could affect the rest of the crew. And I appreciated her being forthcoming about this. I can't say I know what it's like to be a Keybearer, but I can say in my years of experiences in places like these...keeping those sorts of secrets has a way of only backfiring on you in terrible ways.

[So you know, don't you go lecturing her about being quiet B| But, moving on now]

And shouldn't doesn't mean it won't happen. I'm sorry, but I've seen too many people die in my world over the idea of some fabled Heart of Light.

So I'd like to know, if you can tell me, how to keep my crew- including Kairi- safe.

[limitstorm]

[ allen's attitude makes his shoulders tick.

it's not that kairi did wrong--he can't be happy when he doesn't know any of them. kairi doesn't talk about them much, either, so how is he to know if they're trusworthy? of course kairi thinks they're trustworthy, but what does that mean in the grand scope of things? even sora fell to darkness--they've all got to be careful.

'keeping those sorts of secrets has a way of only backfiring on you'... ugh.

what's most exasperating and shameful, however, is that allen asks him how to keep his crew safe, and his shoulders just wither.

how should he know? he doesn't know how to keep anyone safe! ]

I don't know. [ it's hard to say, and he doesn't look at allen in the eye. ] That's why I've been checking up on her--to make sure she's okay.

[save_the_souls]

You don't know?

[Allen doesn't feel bad about the attitude. Not in a situation that he's seen go wrong too many times. His eyes don't leave Riku, though his tone is calm]

It's good that you're checking on your friend- but why is it that you don't know?

[limitstorm]

[ ugh. ugh!

why does he have to talk about this? ]

Because we only know the end goal of his plan--we don't know anything else. Or what he can do. I don't even know what he can't do, he's too powerful for us.

[save_the_souls]

[ There's a pause as Allen looks at him. First there's a look of realization on his face, followed by eyes that seem to be full of...sympathy, of sadness.]

[Allen doesn't know much about keybearers at all, beyond the war that Kairi's told him. He knows next to nothing about Riku's tale, beyond that he was a friend of Kairi and another Keybearer. But he's heard talk like that, he's seen postures like that. They were all too common in the war back home, as well as Paradisa.]

[This Xehanort...he's done more than just be an enemy to Riku. He's hurt him. Scarred him. That much...he could tell.]

...I'm sorry, Riku. I hadn't realised this would be a difficult topic for you to talk about.

I simply...I promised to keep my crew safe, Kairi included. And I want to do everything I can to keep that promise. No matter the odds.

[limitstorm]

[ breathe, take deep breaths. you're a master now--you can't let this overtake you.

he straightens, or tries to--he shifts, looks at allen, and just shakes his head lightly. ]

It's... fine.

I wish I could tell you, but I didn't get to talk to my Master before we got here. He's the one who knows about all this.

[save_the_souls]

Mmmm, I know that feeling.

[He says it about the Master bit a little dryly. Important information that could protect everyone that his Master hadn't gotten around to telling him. Oh yes. Allen knows that feeling quite well.]

But I see. Thank you for being honest, Riku. I'll just have to figure something out. [It would've been much easier to get information, but...oh well. What can you do.]

"where are all my tags" you archived them like a fucking genius

[limitstorm]

[ he's not sure about that 'thanks'--his face twists up in confusion. he just failed to give him information and he's... okay with it?

... um. ]

If I find anything out, I'll... try to tell you. O--or Kairi could. [ kairi'd probably be better anyway. he's already shoving his foot in his mouth. ]

Sorry about this.

WHOOPS- it's all good <3

[save_the_souls]

[ He's a main protagonist in a on-going shonen manga. Not getting important information on things is like a Tuesday for him. At least Riku lack of info seems sincere and not just because he's a jerk ]

[In fact, he'll give him a smile and shake his head when he apologize]

You don't have to apologise. It was a lot to ask. If our positions were switched and this was about things from my world...I'm not sure I'd be able to answer either.

[limitstorm]

[ what?

he just blinks at allen for a good moment. ]

Really? So this... [ isn't weird?

not everyone has answers? ]

[save_the_souls]

[ His smile turns a little sad. How he wish he had the answers. If the Noah showed up, if the Earl- God how he wished he'd have a guaranteed way to protect everyone. But...he didn't. Hell, he barely had a grasp on how to protect people from himself, much to his chagrin. ]

Yes, really, I'm afraid.

[But he notices the oddity of Riku's response]

Did you...think everyone has the answers?

[limitstorm]

[ riku's face immediately colors, and his shoulders hunch. ]

I just--I guessed--

[ he looks away and then down, rubbing the back of his neck. ]

That's how it's... always been. Everyone knew what was going on but... [ us.

or so, that's how it always seemed. ]

[save_the_souls]

Hm?

[ He leans forward a little bit, looking up- as if he's trying to keep eye contact with the guy. For someone whose so dark and imposing, he sure was bashful.... ]

...It's alright. You don't have to be so hard on yourself. It always seems like everyone knows more, but that's not always true.

Though...I get the feeling you have a lot more to offer than you think you do.

[limitstorm]

[ allen keeps saying things that riku doesn't understand, and riku just stares at him confusedly.

don't have to be hard on himself? if he isn't, no one else will be! riku, have more to offer? all he's done is mess up, he's got nothing to contribute except 'don't do this'. he idly shakes his head, before he does it more firmly. ]

I barely know anything. Anyway--this isn't about me.

I need to talk to Kairi. [ he rubs his other arm, before turning. ] Sorry. I didn't mean to waste your time. Like I said--I'll tell you if I find anything out.

[save_the_souls]

[ He tilts his head before pulling away. This guy seems to beat himself up almost as much as Miranda, that's rather depressing to see. ]

[But it's not like he knows Riku all that well, so he'll oblige and pull away, shaking his head one more time]

It's not your fault. If anything, I'm the one who wasted your time. So, sorry about that, but thank you for taking the time anyway.

[limitstorm]

You didn't waste my time, I was just...

[ his voice fails him, and he scratches his cheek. ]

Nevermind. Thanks. [ he just gives him a quick bow of his head, before he trails off. gotta go get the bff ]