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Who: Riku (

guidetoblivion) and YOU!
What: Catch-all for the month including but not limited to house #70 shenanigans and event things
When: See prompts
Where: Olympia, specified in prompts
Warning(s): possibly violence, maybe backfired magic, will update as needed

[ A – House #70 | Some night, backdated to end of September | Closed to Housemates ]

[Sleep doesn't come easy to Riku – it hasn't in the past year, and it's failing to find him now after…

He doesn't really know what the presence of that person means for him, if he can just abandon the responsibility he feels for the Worlds into the hands of someone that might actually be capable of carrying that weight...

Someone who didn't abandon his promises the way Riku did.

In the end, he finds himself opening the window of the living room to climb out on the roof and enjoy some of the cool night air – if his ever turning thoughts don't allow for sleep, he might as well take them outside. He leaves the window slightly ajar, more in order to get back in… but maybe someone would like to follow him?]

[ B – Residential Area | Daytime of September 30th | Open ]

[If anything came out of that fight though, it's the certain knowledge for Riku that he needs to grow stronger outside of Ansem's power, that he needs to have different fallbacks than just that and his Limit. He needs to find a way to speed up his attacks, to defend himself without being frozen in place and he definitely needs to brush up his magic… healing and otherwise.

There are no jobs from Aranea coming on this day, and with little for him to do otherwise, he invests a few silver into tin can targets, and finds himself a high, flat roof for himself that – at least to him – seems out of the way enough to get some training in.

With the tin cans put down, and some distance gained, Riku takes a deep breath and focuses – it's been a while since he's had any use for these spells. Then he stretches out his arm focusing on the easiest of the elements to summon, whispering:]

Fire!

[Red flames spark at his palm and he holds them there for a few seconds before he pulls back and releases them, aiming at one of the tin cans. The flames reach their target, but don't leave much of a mark… it might not seem like a particular satisfying result, but considering that he hasn't used the spell in months and managed to call on it without it backfiring, Riku figures it successful enough for now.

In the following hours he continues his practice, switching between fire, ice, lightning and air spells as he goes… Perhaps you are a passerby wondering about the lightning strings raining down one roof up on such a beautiful day… or perhaps it's even your roof that's been chosen as trainings ground?]

[ C – Around Olympia | Throughout October | Open ]

[With the gas attack happening, all thoughts that Riku might have had about his own worth or training are forgotten – finding the culprits behind the attack and making sure that there won't be another certainly takes priority now.

The last year has taught him a lot about blending in with the darkness, about staying quiet and listening for clues… he uses all of that now, when he slips into the shadows of the Red Light district and watches out for any person with the letter M tattooed into their wrist.

And if he happens to run into one of the fugitives… well, it probably is in their all best interest if they turn themselves in. Isn't it?]

[ D – Wildcard ]

[ Want to thread, but don't find a hook in any of the prompts? No problem, just shoot me a note though PM or plurk (

iceyly) and I'll come up with a custom prompt! :3 ]

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[First things: Best to take a look at the scene of the crime.

So, Riku finds himself walking towards the market place, hood drawn into his face; he doesn't really want to draw attention to himself ~~and nothing says inconspicuous more than a hooded guy in the vicinity of terror attack, gj Riku~~.

There is little hope of it, but he figures that if he gets close enough, he might be able to pick up a scent of Darkness… possibly of someone involved with the girl they caught and interrogated.

He thinks nothing of the blond guy he brushes past, bumping into him lightly.]

Sorry.

[Now… let's see if there's any Darkness to be found.]

[ Yeah, that hood sure isn't inconspicuous or suspicious-looking at all. Then again, it kind of makes him look like an assassin - which, if video games have taught him anything, assassins are always the good guys and they get things done.

- But, given their current conditions, he can't just assume as much, especially being a member of the royal guard. In retrospect, any guilty party involved with the attack prooooobably wouldn't have apologized as brushed by him, but you know what they say! Hindsight is 20/20. ]

Hey! [ He trots after Mr. Spooky Hood there, but his tone is nothing but friendly. ]

You...didn't happen to be around when the bomb went off, were you? - Sorry. We're just trying to ask everyone.

[ Or he is, at least. ]

[…Considering that the only assassins Riku knows of was alternately the big bad of the last magic castle he visited or monsters he occasionally took down through the worlds, he's not so sure about that Assassins Are The Good Guys-theory, but alright.

He turns back towards the blond guard, head shaking.]

I only just got here; I wasn't even anywhere near the district when things happened.

[He gets why they are asking around though. In a way they are trying to achieve the very same thing after all, even if through different means.]

[ Well...so much for a lead here, then. But that just means there's one less person to ask. He can't let himself get bogged down by everything they don't know. He just - can't. ]

Nah, it's all good. [ A beat. Maybe he should leave it, but instead, he chases that with: ] Are you...here to investigate too, then?

[Sorry, about that Prompto.]

Yea. I figured this is the likeliest place to pick up on the scent of someone connected to the culprit. If I'm lucky at least.

[It's a slim chance with all the people have been around here, and there's no telling if this potential Darkness is even connected to the attack, but well. He's got to start somewhere, right?]

[ He's quick to nod. Anyone here to investigate is already an ally, so he'll share what he's learned. ]

Then you're gonna want to look for people with the letter "M" tattooed on their wrists. That's, like, their secret sign, or whatever.

[Huh… well, that's definitely a helpful hint! And checking out wrists is probably a more likely way to find those people than some vague potential Darkness trail that might not even lead him to the right target.]

I see… thanks!

[Though, seeing the other's uniform, he can't help but wonder:]

Does the Guard have any plans yet regarding on how to flush them out?

[He wouldn't want to mess up anything in the works after all!]

[ He's full of helpful hints! Just don't...ask him for anymore. That's...definitely the most useful one he's got. ]

Uh - actually? It's, uh...been a little disorganized since the attack. To be honest, I've been waiting for direct orders from Ashti, but...radio silence.

[ He wouldn't normally spring this on a total stranger, but it's been on his mind ever since the attack, and now he's feeling more and more lost on what to do about it. ]

[Well, it's plenty useful… more than Riku would have expected before finding on of the accomplices themselves. He frowns at that admission, head tilting faintly. To think that the Guard would be so… well... headless... in response to such an attack...]

Maybe she trusts you guys to know what to do.

[Whatever that may be, Riku doesn't know either... well, aside of finding those associates and capturing them, anyway. That seems like the obvious thing to do. But hey, he's really just trying to cheer this guy up somehow.]

...Yeah. That's probably it.

[ Or, at least, that's what he wants to believe. There's not quite conviction behind it, though. It's been a hell of a long week. ]

A-anyway, it's pretty clear what we're supposed to do either way. Hunt those guys down until we can bring them to justice.

[ Even if that is, evidently, much easier said than done. ]

[It's probably the best to cling to that kind of thought until he hears from Ashti, Riku figures, even if it seems unlikely.

He nods at Prompto's words, agreeing. The current objective – for the guard, and for the rest of them – is pretty clear, as the other had put it himself.]

I'm sure you won't be alone on this hunt.

[Riku for one, is definitely going to take part in it.]

[ A sort of breathless laugh. He can say that again... ]

Yeah, no kidding. It seems like everyone's gunning for those guys now. Still...

[ He glances back at the ruined marketplace. ]

There's...a lot of other stuff going down, too. Lots of people in need.

Well… they did paint a pretty big target on their backs.

[Or wrists. Depending on how you want to look at it.]

Looks like…

[He glances back over the market place, frowning to himself. He's seen what happens to worlds when they are overrun by Darkness, but this? This is an entirely different type of tragedy.]

Anything I can help with right now?

[ He hums a moment, considering. ]

There's a lot of clean-up that they need extra hands for, I think? So...depending on how crazy you wanna get, picking up a trash bag and throwing things away might be the next best thing.

[ Sure, it's not so glamorous as chasing down criminals, but it's important, too. These people had lost their livelihood. Someone's got to help them get back on their feet. ]

[Trying to find the associates of that Shady Man leads into some pretty shady corners… not that Riku minds much. So far it hasn't gotten him much intel though… possibly because most people here seem mind when it's a teenager asking the questions, no matter how mature he might seem.

He's about to call it a day when he spots a familiar face on the streets... maybe with similar intentions as his?]

You seem pretty out of place in these parts.

[Pretty straight forward, isn't he?]

[It was true that Miles stood out in the back corners of the redlight district like a sore thumb. His red frockcoat would stand out of place in most settings. He was currently conducting an investigation of his own and some of the shadier bars were probably one of the better places to hunt down any fugitives.

When he heard the boy call out, he turned his head. The furrow in his brow deepening into a glare. What was a teenager doing in an unsavory place such as this?]

I should say the same about you. Shouldn't you be in school or something?

[Uh-oh Dad mode activated.]

[Well, this teenager is trying to find either the fugitives or the associates of the Shady Man that hired former in first place, though so far he hasn't been all too successful with either. But well… the night is young and Riku hasn't been sleeping much anyway, so he figures he might as well make good use of that time.

He raises an eyebrow at the attempted parenting – it's been a long while since anyone asked whether– actually nobody ever asked whether he shouldn't be in school since he left the Islands behind, so this really is new to him.]

Maybe. Though I'm pretty sure school's closed down anyway, after what happened.

[With terrorists running around, and more and more people getting infected with that mystery illness, who can fault the locals for keeping their kids safe home? Riku certainly doesn't.]

[He eased slightly, still scowling. He couldn't refute that logic and didn't blame the kid for wanting to help. They all did want to help after all in a state of emergency after all.]

Well, I suppose you are correct about that. I can't imagine they would keep it open at a time like this.

Fine then, I would insist on joining you on your ventures, however.

[After all, it would be unsightly of him to leave a young man alone in this sort of neighborhood.]

Have you found anything out as of yet?

[Well, it would really rude of Riku to leave someone who looks so much like a non-fighter to fend for himself in an unsafe area like this, so he doesn't mind this arrangement. He frowns for a second, then shrugs. There is no downside to sharing information right now.]

The people behind the attack all have a tattoo of the letter "M" on their wrist. That's all I have to go on so far.

[Which. Now that he's saying it out loud, really isn't much, he'll admit.]

I figured, if I was in trouble like that though, this was the most likely area I'd go to hide at.

[Lots of shadows, lots of people trying to keep a low profile… likely a few more now after the attack.]

[Probably a good plan, considering that Miles was fairly prone to getting himself into trouble in general.]

That makes sense.

I had overheard that someone who has information about the terrorists regularly hangs around one of the bars around here. Do you wish to investigate that first? We keep an eye out for anyone with an "M" on their wrist.

[They should make a great team then. He nods at that suggestion.]

Sounds like a good lead.

[Especially since he doesn't have anything on any specific "M" person anyway. He turns around, head tilting up to look along the walls for a bar sign. There should be one just down the street…]

Alright, then.

[He followed along behind Riku, keeping an eye out for the bar that he had heard about. The red-light district was less bustling than usual. People mostly kept indoors due to the attacks. It was strange for the streets to see the alleys so empty.]

I think its a right in the next alley. The bar should be on the lower level.

[Riku has never been in this particular part of town before now, but he can still feel the current mood… the fact that the streets are empty is only a small part of it; the collective fear lingers in the air. He nods again, and takes the next set of stairs down to one level lower.

When they reach the bar, he reaches up to pull the hood of his coat over his head, if he keeps concealed it should keep questions about his age at a minimum, he figures. Then he takes a step to the side, allowing Miles to enter first.]

After you.

[It's the other's lead after all that has led them here.]

[Miles wasn't necessarily used to going to places like this on a regular basis, even less so nowadays where he primarily did deskwork. However back in his investigation days, he went into all kinds of places. He nodded at Riku and moved in first, with an air of confidence about him. The bar itself was small and dilapidated but fuller than the streets had been. A few people looked up suspiciously at the newcomers.]

We should move to the back of the bar and see if we can listen in for a bit. I'll get a beer so that we look less obvious.

[This was spoken in a hushed whisper.]

[He's no fugitive, after all really, would he go chasing after some mysterious stranger? He does however spend a good deal of time lurking around the entertainment district.

That, or he's just watching the entertainment, which is closer to the truth, but one can't deny he's a suspicious sort.

He can be found many days just leaning against a wall, watching the entertainment. Honestly, he's just minding his own business, but Riku couldn't be faulted for thinking otherwise.]

[Riku has been having a bit of a bad feeling about just leaving a member of the Organization to roam around in El Nysa… but since so far, he hasn't seen any Heartless or lesser Nobodies, he is almost certain that things are fine as they are right now. Mostly.

When he spots him lingering around in the Entertainment district, he can't help but stop to question the other for a little.]

What are you doing here? Still bored?

[Yep, he's seen that network post, even if he didn't take the time out of his day to reply to it. Really, what the Nobody does with his time isn't really his business… unless it's connected to the balance of the Worlds. Or this world in particular for that matter. So yea, maybe it is his business after all. Especially when the other admits to being bored out of his mind and just might get very stupid ideas out of that.]

[He'd been watching the performance and applauds with the crowd as per the conventions, and what he appreciates himself when he's playing his sitar. He turns his attention to Riku.]

This is my favourite place to be. I like watching the performers. [He shakes his head a little bit.] It's not exactly that I was bored, but my composition also wasn't working and that was driving me nuts.

[It's almost like Riku expects the worst out of him for some reason.]

Have you seen the talent around here?

[Riku turns his head to take note of the performer, but doesn't clap, listening to the Nobody talk.

Given that his previous experiences with Nobodies usually involved fighting them to the death for one reason or another, he feels rather justified in expecting the worst – to think that the other may be working on some conspiracy might be giving him a little too much credit, but it usually pays to be careful.

He shakes his head at the question, shrugging.]

I don't spend much time here.

[The jobs he does for Aranea don't usually take him here, and he has no interest in entertainment in first place. His time is better spent on other things ~~like brooding. Face it, kid, you've done a lot of that recently.~~]

[Well. That is indeed her roof that's getting lit up by various attempts at magic. Rose had been walking for once, but the light show going on on her roof as she approached home prompts brows knitting in confusion, and she flies gently up to see what's going on.]

Do you mind?

[Sorry for the surprise, bro, but there's a blond teenage girl in a bright orange tunic floating just over the edge of the roof giving you a very flat and unimpressed look.]

My roommates might like keeping the place excessively warm, but I'm sure even they might take issue with you burning the whole house down.

[He snaps around when she speaks up, a spark of Blizzard magic at his finger tips before he closes his fist to extinguish the magic and lets his arm drop.]

I doubt you really got to worry about that.

[He is really bad at elemental magic after all – he doubts his fire or thunder spells could start anything that could actually bring down the house they are standing on. But point taken, he doesn't mind taking his business elsewhere, so he starts forward to pick up his tin cans.]

[Tarrlok is busy searching for information. So far, only one thing of potential significance has turned up - he did briefly encounter two people with Ms on their wrists talking frantically. Once they noticed him and he attempted to catch them, they'd simply vanished into thin air.

He's trying to find more information, but little else has come up thus far. Riku is sneaking around quite well, and he only notices him by accident when he happens to spot movement in an otherwise unoccupied area.

He's wondering if there's an M tattoo to be found, and begins trying to follow.

[Riku hasn't had much luck as far as M-tattooed cronies go – though he thinks he might have caught the trail of one; he's seen a smudge at their wrist at least that might have been part of the M; so he starts to follow that woman from a distance, trailing her as she goes on with her business – which currently seems to be to meet with another especially shady looking person.

Hmm.

He pauses a street corner away from them, head tilting lightly forward as he watches them… best not to get too close and spook them just yet, he figures.

He hasn't noticed his own shadow just yet.]

[Tarrlok continues following the hooded person, and in the process, notices the woman and who she's meeting with that he's watching. Perhaps he may have misjudged the situation. If they work together, their odds of success are a little higher. However, he wants to be certain they do have similar goals before speaking up. So he watches and follows discreetly for several more minutes until he finally announces himself.

He speaks very quietly so as not to give himself away to anyone else but the hooded figure just ahead of him.]

Is it safe to assume that you're seeking answers from those two as well?

[Riku is so focused on the two furiously whispering figures, hyper-focused on trying to pick up something… so when the other speaks up, he tenses for only a second, then turns the next with Darkness sparking at his fingertips. Of all the times… just when he really doesn't want to cause a sce–

Then the actual words register with him, the dark flame at his palm puffing out again, and he releases the breath he hadn't even noticed he's been holding. Then he frowns at the newcomer from under his hood, voice low as he answers.]

That much is safe. Sneaking up on me may not be, next time.

[Though honestly, he knows he only has himself to blame. He really should have been paying attention to his surroundings too.]

Duly noted. My apologies if I caused any alarm.

[He smiles as he replies, not especially intimidated, but reminded all the same that there are a wide array of abilities that he's never seen before. It would be preferable to see them rather than have a first hand experience with them.]

Perhaps we might work together in the short term? Without knowing what either of them can do, it seems prudent to have backup.

[Riku studies the older man for a second, then nods. He has no idea if or what abilities the other might have – but it's not like he knows that about his targets either. Having backup might be a good idea indeed.]

All right then.

[He turns back to watch their two targets talking, they don't seem to have come to an agreement yet, which gives him and his new partner a little more time to decide on a course of action.]

If we attack them now, we'd have the advantage of surprise…

[But who knows what might be yielded by taking the risk of holding back just a little while longer. Decisions, decision…]

But if we can get closer without them noticing us, we can eavesdrop and perhaps overhear some things that might help us with questioning them later.

[Waterbending is useful enough for immobilizing people that he's not overly concerned about the possibility that they'll get away. There's a chance that they might, but not if they're watchful.]

[ Lately, Waver can't sleep well either. He doesn't know what it is exactly that's haunting his thoughts, but there's something. And it's keeping him awake. So he mostly lies in his bed staring at the ceiling while trying to will away bad thoughts. It's not working tonight, and he hears a sound not far away.

Deciding to investigate, he gets up out of bed and tiptoes to the door, peeking into the living room. He spots a pair of feet going out the window and frowns a bit. Which of his housemates is trying to escape onto the roof?

For no other reason other than he's awake and invested now, he follows, poking his head out the window to find the blindfolded one. Well thank goodness he can see out of that thing or he'd be falling off the roof. ] Oi. What are you doing?

[Riku would say, it's questionable if he'd fall even if he were really blind, but well. He's only just made himself comfortable on the roof when Waver calls out to him and for a moment he considers going with the sarcastic answer – what does it look like he's doing, really – but then decides against that.

He doesn't feel like fighting with Waver, and that's all he'll probably get out of that.]

Thinking mostly.

[Though, he hasn't gotten to do much of that yet... at least not on the roof.]

[ For all Waver knows, this guy really is trying to escape on the roof to somewhere. Where is worth going, he has no idea, but maybe Riku has more information about places than he does. When he hears he's just thinking, however, Waver relaxes a little. So it's not quite the sense of adventure he was thinking it would be, following the other out here. But it's nice to know that he's not the only one consumed by his thoughts.

He sticks out of the window a little more, not quite inviting himself out just yet, but obviously not leaving either. ]

About all of this...? Or... something else?

[Honestly, if Riku were trying to escape to anywhere, he wouldn't be trying the window.

He keeps his eyes on Waver – they aren't up all too high, so there isn't much danger if the other falls out the window… but a fall would definitely hurt someone who seems to do as little physical activity as Waver – nodding at his question.]

All of this… and some other stuff too, I guess.

[There are so many things to think about, so many thoughts in his head – and too much time to waste turning them over and over again, because the Worlds are gone and there is nothing they can do to help stop the Storm, not that Riku knows. He lets silence last between them for a moment, before he makes up his mind to ask his room mate about what's been bothering most since the week of their arrival.]

…Have you ever done something you regret? Like… failed a promise, or something like that?

[ Waver seems to be fine for the moment. Although when Riku asks him a question, he starts to come out the window. He wobbles a little, but manages. Yes, he really is incompetent when it comes to most physical things. But he manages to get out onto the roof without killing himself, so that's a plus?? He sits down a short distance away, not wanting to get too close but also not sure he won't slip and fall if he tries. ]

Failed a promise? No... I haven't really made a lot of promises.

[ He can't help much there. And yet, there's something about that question that he relates to. It causes a pang in his chest, and furrows his brows in thought. ]

But there's something I'm actively trying not to fail. I don't regret the promise I made but I can't help but feel I'll mess it up no matter what.

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