[ AUDIENCE: NIER ]

[dormheads]

Comments

[amain]

“Luke” never told me about the time you met other kids on the beach.

[ Very funny Nier knows nothing about “Luke.” ]

In the memory, you—Riku—said that these hurting people must be waiting for him to help them and he told you that you say weird things—and you do. You say weird things sometimes.

I don’t think Sora can help you right now… It’s your turn to help him again, Riku. You said you won’t abandon him in the Realm of Darkness. Please try to remember… For him, for Kairi.

[darksubverted]

[The expression on his face breaks, and then pinches, almost like he's getting ready to sneeze, or he's bracing for a sharp pain in the head that doesn't come yet. A grimace.

It goes away slowly, and then comes back. The hand on his leg is fisted tightly.]

None of that... [Sora.] makes any... sense. [Kairi.] Is this some kind of... prank?

[amain]

... It isn't, Riku. This is real. What I'm saying is real. You did so much to get Sora back when he lost his heart and memories? [ what the fuck does that mean nier doesn't know ] You had to give up your body to be strong enough to capture his Nobody, to save him. You didn't know if it'd work... But it did. He's waiting there for you.

[ Does he also need to mention the furry. ]

I might not be King Mickey, Sora, or Kairi, but I'll be here because they can't be. Don't let this darkness change you.

[darksubverted]

[His head snaps around to stare at Nier, expression shocked. No, this is crazy! as a fuzzy haze is pierce through with, The King!}

Shut up!

[Both hands rise to clutch the sides of his head as he bends over in the chair.] Shut up! You...! [A strained groan comes out of him, and without warning he he bolts out of the chair. Where is he going? Who knows.

He only makes it a foot or two before collapsing onto one knee.

I deeply hate I'm going to give this to you because no one else has tried to mention the furry.]

[amain]

[ ... It is something to see a boy startle onto his feet, then dart off, only to make it 1-2 feet away, then finally collapse. ]

Riku?

[ Nier is quick to come to his side, abandoning the couch entirely. He places a hand on his shoulder as concern paints his features. ]

Are you okay?

[darksubverted]

[For a long moment or two, he doesn't move or say anything, just clutches at his heart with one hand, breath labored.

Then finally, he slowly sits back on his heels. When he glances up at Nier, there's a certain kind of clarity in his eyes.]

Nier...

[He pulls his hand away and glances down at it.]

[amain]

[ Why do people talk about Annie and Kovu when it's really about Riku and Mickey. Anyway, Nier gives Riku's shoulder a firm squeeze... That's a good look, despite the pain and confusion. ]

... Are you back?

[darksubverted]

...Yeah. Riku.

[He reaches up to rub a hand over one side of his face like he's exhausted.]

It's... happening more often.

[amain]

[ First and foremost, Nier brings Riku into a tight hug, relieved that he has returned... That he remembers who he is and his loved ones. ]

Welcome back. [ To the happening more often part, though. ] I thought you had people on watch all the time?

[darksubverted]

[He has a second of surprise jolt, and then he curls his fingers into the back of one of Nier's shoulders. You think you're real strong until someone hugs you, and then the flood gates of realizing you're Not Fine are opened.]

Yeah, but... they still have things they need to do, too.

[amain]

[ Hugs really do have that power, don't they? He pulls back. ]

Mm. You left them with enough to help you get out of that trance, right? You might need to tell me more, too... In case this happens when I visit again.

[darksubverted]

I guess...?

[He gives Nier a skeptical look even if it can't be seen.]

Is this your way of trying to weasel more of myself out of me?

[amain]

… Riku.

[ For once in this entire game he wants to smack him. ]

[darksubverted]

[Ha ha ha, how the turn tables.]

Sorry.

[It was half a joke!]

I don't know what else I could tell you that you don't already know... that would help.

[amain]

[ Nier sulks a bit… Bad joke. Bad joke when you were just “Luke” like five minutes ago. ]

You can tell me anything. Maybe your favorite memories… Or what future you three want.

[ He ruffles his hair. ]

I don’t know much about Kairi or King Mickey, too.

[darksubverted]

[DON'T SULK. His jokes! Disgruntled, he pushes at Nier's hand with one of his, and then uses the other to try to fix his hair.]

Kairi is... [The girl I liked] ...or friend. She moved to the island when we were little, and we played together all the time. I'm starting to think she's the one who keeps Sora and me in line.

The King...

[Saved me when I needed it most.]

[amain]

[ HIS JOKES? WHEN HE FORGOT HIMSELF? ]

So you used to like Kairi. [ That's sweet. ] How did you meet the King?

[ He helps Riku up, then leads him to sit back on his chair? Like a grandpa. ]

[darksubverted]

N... No!

[STOP, he isn't an old man! He can get back to the chair himself! Whatever. He accepts the help because he's a recovering No Help Accepter.]

I-- [...] In Castle Oblivion. I was going up from the bottom. Ansem kept trying to get me to give him my body again, so he could use it. But the King found me, and helped me. He protected my heart.

[amain]

You don't like her like that anymore. I got it.

[ You don't need to explain to big brother! It's fine. He gets it.

Nier returns to the couch like before. This time, they can talk as who they really are. ]

... You talk about hearts, nobodies, and stuff like that, but I don't know exactly what that means. Do you die?

[darksubverted]

No--wait, yes! Stop that! I didn't liker her like that. Her and Sora... Nevermind!

[He's fucking embarrassed, MOVING ON.]

No, it's... complicated. Everyone is made up of three things: your body, your soul, and your heart. If you lose your heart to darkness, you turn into a Heartless. If you have a strong heart when that happens, your body is... sort of... left behind. As a Nobody. A being without a heart, but with a body and a soul.

[amain]

[ Bisexuality.

This is interesting talk. He never considered a person being divided by three things, but this is how Riku's world works. It gets him thinking, having had enough time to settle on this memory, these thoughts, for days after memshare. ]

... What would I be, Riku? I don't have a soul.

[darksubverted]

[Don't just say bisexuality!!!]

I... don't know. If you're alive, you have a soul... since your soul is what gives you life. If you don't have one...

[Nah, fam, he doesn't want to say anything about the possibility of Nier being dead even though Nier has already insisted on this.]

I don't know... I've never met anyone without a soul. How do you know you don't have one?

[amain]

[ Just bisexuality, a single word, being pushed into Riku's head. ]

I don't, but it was what I was told. Told I was just an empty vessel, a body for someone else.

[ Have you ever considered your big brother is kind of like a Nobody. ]

[darksubverted]

[NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. He looks... well, not really happy to be thinking about that.]

...That sounds like a Nobody. They were... There was an organization of them, the one Xemnas was leading. They were trying to collect hearts because they thought they were empty, just... bodies. Bodies with souls. Like a shell of their former selves. They thought Nobodies couldn't feel emotions.

But Roxas and Naminé... [He glances away.] I don't think that was true. DiZ wanted me to get rid of Naminé after we had helped Sora because he didn't think Nobodies should exist.

...I couldn't. Naminé wouldn't have helped me or Sora... if that were true...

[amain]

[ Nier frowns as he listens to this, though it's... Nice to know there are others like me, even if it isn't the same. It's that small peace that has the edges of his lips quirk upward slightly. ]

To me, it sounds like they had emotions. Naminé sounds kind.