[That much he can understand completely. Minato is reminded of his own fears, the ones that had led him to be reluctant to eliminate the Dark Hour. Without Shadows, would the only friends he'd ever known leave him behind?
But Jaime-kun was right: friendship doesn't go away just because the reason it began does.]
I'm sorry, too, [he apologizes again.] Maybe I should explain... but... [Minato looks for words while his gaze drifts out across the sea. It's easier when he's not looking directly at him to admit something like this.] It's new for me, to have people to care about. Even a few months ago, I wouldn't have understood it.
She's never had... the opportunity, I guess. [Riku considers, trying to weigh what he knows about Xion with what she'd be comfortable with a total stranger knowing.]
It's not my place to share the details with you, but she was a creation. She was alive for maybe a year back home, and in that time she had friends, but it wasn't... a regular setting at all. Here, she's got a better chance.
It reminds me of Aigis. A... very good friend of mine. She's a robot, and was created to fight Shadows.
But over time, she became human. She learned how to empathize with others. [A breath of silence before he confesses softly,] Sometimes I used to think she was better at it than I was.
[Minato is the antithesis of shy, so he meets his eyes readily, unwavering.
He raises his eyebrows a little.] So Riku [barely perceptible hesitation where he remembers to drop the -san] is impatient when he's frustrated? I've never seen that from you.
[The way Minato references him in the third person that way is cute, and he gives him a peck on the cheek just for that, looking pleased. After a moment, though, he sobers.]
Well... I don't think I've ever told you about the me of a year or so ago. Almost two years now, I guess. But I... messed up a lot of stuff because of my own impatience. Jealousy, too. I've been working on stifling those flaws, but... I don't know how well I'm doing.
[He's too lazy to force himself to speak in English all the time, so right now he's letting the translator take care of it. Said translator can be a bit literal with his wording sometimes... and in Japanese, third person is polite.
He blinks at the kiss on his cheek, but it's not like he minds it. He focuses on listening closely.]
I'd guess very well, with how things went today. [He tilts his head.] Do you want to tell me?
It's fine if it's not pleasant, or seems inconsistent. It's where you came from, so it's part of you. People are too complicated to have a smooth path.
[Riku considers, trailing his fingers through the sand quietly.]
So... when I was about five, a guy arrived on the islands where I lived. I was the only person to meet him. His name was Terra, and he was from another world. He left after only a few hours, and for the longest time I thought it was just my imagination, or a dream. But then a few months later, a girl named Kairi fell from the sky, and even though she had no memory of her home, the only place she could have come from was from another world. So I got kinda... obsessed, with the idea of leaving.
[Minato listens with the kind of patient receptiveness that doesn't impose anything upon the speaker. He hasn't formed any opinions, doesn't really feel anything about what he's hearing. He's just listening.
It's this sort of attitude that's gotten everyone from little girls to cranky old monks to open up to him.]
Why did you want to leave? [he prompts.] Curiosity? [He supposes most people would be interested if they knew other worlds existed. Minato probably wouldn't care unless it became relevant to him, but he understands it.]
I felt... trapped. You're from a bigger place than I am, so it might be hard to understand, but... Destiny Islands is tiny. It might be... maybe the size of Heropa? And that's just if you drew a circle around all the islands, so that includes a lot of water. Most people were fine with it, but as soon as I figured out that there really was somewhere out there, I was determined to go.
Reaching for something bigger... [The Star. Minato's suddenly certain where this story is going, simply through his experience with tarot and Social Links. It gives him insight he's relied upon heavily in the past, if not so much since coming here.]
Okay. You wanted to find something more, but you got lost.
[Riku nods, curling his fingers into Minato's quietly.]
So... we had this place, Sora and Kairi and I, and it was the Secret Place. It was a little cave behind a big tree on the island we used to play on. And we'd scratch pictures into the walls and play cards and whatever else, you know? And there was this door there. It didn't even have a handle, but it had hinges, so I knew it could open.
So, one night, there was a storm, and I... somehow, I knew the door could be opened. So I went to the Secret Place, and I opened it. And our world... monsters poured in from outside, and swallowed it.
[Definitely the Star, Minato affirms to himself, and feels Helel (Lucifer before the Fall) shift inside him, coming to the forefront. Saturnus is there, too, but this story... it's why Helel is the Ultimate Persona of the Star.
Free will leading to downfall. That comes first.]
Did you leave the world to the monsters? [He twines his fingers with his in return.]
It... couldn't be saved. Everyone was thrown into the darkness, even us. The three of us made it out, but I don't know whether anyone else made it.
When I woke up, I was in a place called Hollow Bastion. [He looks thoughtful then, eyes closing for a moment.]
I was alone, so I explored, and I discovered a castle. There, a witch named Maleficent lived, and she brought me to Traverse Town, where Sora had arrived. He had made two new friends there, Donald Duck and Goofy, and they wanted him to help find their king, since he had the Keyblade. And Maleficent said to me... that he'd clearly forgotten about Kairi and I already.
Yeah, I was. I didn't know where Kairi was, and Sora had left with Donald and Goofy, so... all I had was Maleficent. I didn't trust her, but she took me in when I was alone.
[He shrugs, quiet.]
Maleficent had... discovered Kairi before I had. And she was comatose. Just a doll -- her heart had fled her body. I didn't know what had happened, but Maleficent said the key to finding it was Kingdom Hearts -- another door. It would let me help Kairi. But to do it, we had to bring together seven Princesses of Heart -- girls with no darkness inside them. She already had a few, so she had me collect the others.
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I guess you were. I'm sorry I confused you. [He frowns. How to put this?] It just... I felt like I was... being left behind.
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But Jaime-kun was right: friendship doesn't go away just because the reason it began does.]
I'm sorry, too, [he apologizes again.] Maybe I should explain... but... [Minato looks for words while his gaze drifts out across the sea. It's easier when he's not looking directly at him to admit something like this.] It's new for me, to have people to care about. Even a few months ago, I wouldn't have understood it.
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Okay. I can understand that. There's a girl I know from my world who... doesn't always get it, either.
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It's not my place to share the details with you, but she was a creation. She was alive for maybe a year back home, and in that time she had friends, but it wasn't... a regular setting at all. Here, she's got a better chance.
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But over time, she became human. She learned how to empathize with others. [A breath of silence before he confesses softly,] Sometimes I used to think she was better at it than I was.
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[Riku shakes his head, then leans it quietly on Minato's shoulder.]
You do fine. At least, I think so.
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... Or you're just patient.
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I'm the opposite of patient, generally.
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Really? So I'm the exception?
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[He shrugs, sitting back up to make proper eye contact.]
You aren't... frustrating or anything.
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He raises his eyebrows a little.] So Riku [barely perceptible hesitation where he remembers to drop the -san] is impatient when he's frustrated? I've never seen that from you.
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Well... I don't think I've ever told you about the me of a year or so ago. Almost two years now, I guess. But I... messed up a lot of stuff because of my own impatience. Jealousy, too. I've been working on stifling those flaws, but... I don't know how well I'm doing.
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He blinks at the kiss on his cheek, but it's not like he minds it. He focuses on listening closely.]
I'd guess very well, with how things went today. [He tilts his head.] Do you want to tell me?
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[He considers, looking thoughtful.]
If you'll hear it. It's not all that pleasant. And some of the things I'll tell you might seem out of character for the me of the present.
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It's fine if it's not pleasant, or seems inconsistent. It's where you came from, so it's part of you. People are too complicated to have a smooth path.
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[Riku considers, trailing his fingers through the sand quietly.]
So... when I was about five, a guy arrived on the islands where I lived. I was the only person to meet him. His name was Terra, and he was from another world. He left after only a few hours, and for the longest time I thought it was just my imagination, or a dream. But then a few months later, a girl named Kairi fell from the sky, and even though she had no memory of her home, the only place she could have come from was from another world. So I got kinda... obsessed, with the idea of leaving.
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It's this sort of attitude that's gotten everyone from little girls to cranky old monks to open up to him.]
Why did you want to leave? [he prompts.] Curiosity? [He supposes most people would be interested if they knew other worlds existed. Minato probably wouldn't care unless it became relevant to him, but he understands it.]
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Okay. You wanted to find something more, but you got lost.
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[Riku nods, curling his fingers into Minato's quietly.]
So... we had this place, Sora and Kairi and I, and it was the Secret Place. It was a little cave behind a big tree on the island we used to play on. And we'd scratch pictures into the walls and play cards and whatever else, you know? And there was this door there. It didn't even have a handle, but it had hinges, so I knew it could open.
So, one night, there was a storm, and I... somehow, I knew the door could be opened. So I went to the Secret Place, and I opened it. And our world... monsters poured in from outside, and swallowed it.
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Free will leading to downfall. That comes first.]
Did you leave the world to the monsters? [He twines his fingers with his in return.]
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When I woke up, I was in a place called Hollow Bastion. [He looks thoughtful then, eyes closing for a moment.]
I was alone, so I explored, and I discovered a castle. There, a witch named Maleficent lived, and she brought me to Traverse Town, where Sora had arrived. He had made two new friends there, Donald Duck and Goofy, and they wanted him to help find their king, since he had the Keyblade. And Maleficent said to me... that he'd clearly forgotten about Kairi and I already.
[He opens his eyes again, looks back at Minato.]
I believed her.
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You were scared.
[He vaguely remembers Riku saying something to that effect before, in an isolated, contextless comment. But he also just thinks it might be true.]
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[He shrugs, quiet.]
Maleficent had... discovered Kairi before I had. And she was comatose. Just a doll -- her heart had fled her body. I didn't know what had happened, but Maleficent said the key to finding it was Kingdom Hearts -- another door. It would let me help Kairi. But to do it, we had to bring together seven Princesses of Heart -- girls with no darkness inside them. She already had a few, so she had me collect the others.
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