Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Jenova's Children ❯ Tourniquet ( Chapter 3 )

Jenova's Children

By Kawaii and Junsui

 

Chapter 3

Tourniquet

 

Pain.

What a craving in the depth of the heart… what an unholy thing to wish upon oneself… but in a way… a greater pain can cancel out the smaller ones… yet what is greater pain that betrayal… than to find you were living a lie?

The crimson blade tipped with indigo materialized in his grasp.

An angel's wing curled off of the end of the Keyblade, mocking him, taunting him, tempting him. Riku rolled around running his hand along the length of the flat side of The Way To The Dawn. His fingers traced the azure lines until he found the ivory wing, sharpened and cruel in a way that mocked its purity and innocence.

Purity and innocence a child had once shown when he called a complete stranger “Mother”…

It was a double-edged sword.

Riku braced himself against the wall of the cave, the pictures around him depicted happy memories of blissful childhood… a childhood that was a lie… even the pictures behind him seemed to taunt him about the unknown.

Riku raised the Keyblade and pressed the unholy cold against his wrist, the ivory blade punctured his skin, drawing forth the scarlet liquid of existence. Riku hissed cold air through his teeth, drawing the angel's wing back sharply as his body wept out its crimson tears. Life spilled from his veins as he cut again and again, until his arms were littered with cuts above and around the pale scars of hurt when he'd attempted to cut himself before…

But this was different.

Who was he? Where did he come from? Why did all those strange things happen to him as a child? Were these things part of the reason he loathed doctors? Part of the reason he was horrified of the light in the everlasting darkness? How was it that getting a single shot terrified him so, when he could sit there and pull his own life away? Was any of this connected to his attraction to the darkness, his lust for power?

So many questions pulsed in the mind of the silver-tressed teen. He couldn't do anything accept sit here and let himself bleed. It was pitiful. Tear began to form in orbs of icy azure as they slowly rolled down Riku's cheeks.

 

 

Kairi brushed red tresses out of her violet orbs as a sheet of sea spray hit her face. Above her in the pale azure sky, ivory seagulls squawked handsomely, soaring around in loops and coming the rest on the wooden railing of a nearby walkway. Sora reached over and laced fingers with Kairi as they swung their hands, traipsing along the pale white sands of the beach; the crashing of crystal clear waves serenading their ears.

“Nnn, this is why I love the beach.” Kairi cooed softly as Sora grinned and pecked her quickly on the cheek.

“Well, I love it even more when you're here with me.” He smiled softly as Kairi turned towards him, their noses brushing lightly. Sora blinked and stared at his ruby-tressed love as their eyes misted, he began to go in for a kiss, but hesitated and pulled back a bit, yet went in again so that their lips met. Kairi eagerly kissed back as Sora captured her lips in-between his, forcing his strong tongue into her mouth as she met the dull taste of his saliva, not liking it when he `frenched' her, but enjoying the sensation at the same time nevertheless.

“Let's go get something to drink, okay?” Kairi inquired as Sora lightly kissed her cheek several times; she giggled pleasantly, feeling his soft barely grown in facial hair brush up against her cheek.

“Okay.” Sora breathed into her ear as he intertwined arms around the girl, kissing her neck before they broke away, joining hands once more and beginning their trek to the marketplace, “What do you want?”

“Umm… how about a Strawberry Snow with boba?” Kairi mused lightly as they approached the small drink stand.

“Sure thing.” Sora ordered Kairi's drink (large-sized, or course) as well as his (chocolate snow with boba). As the cashier asked for nine hundred munny, Kairi reached for the violet pouch she kept her munny in on her hip, but Sora put a light hand on hers, shaking his head, “I'll pay.”

“Oh! Sora you don't have to-!” Too late. Sora placed the colorful coins on the stand as the vendor collected them and thanked him softly, beginning to prepare their drinks. Kairi glared at her brunette-tressed boyfriend, “Sora! You didn't have to do that!”

“Oh, but I did.” Sora smirked, sneaking a quick kiss from her before Kairi blushed and whispered thanks into his ear. The boba-drinks were served up several minutes later and the plastic tops were then impaled with sharp, large straws capable of slurping up the large tapioca balls.

“Where to now?” Sora inquired as they swung their hands.

“Um… how ab- oh! Look its Riku's Okaa-san!” Kairi pointed with a finger raised off of her drink towards a fruit vendor.

“Please! Tilmitt-san, I'm begging you, have you seen my son?” Riku's mother inquired to the man bagging paopu fruit.

“Sorry, Tsubasa-Sensei.” Selphie's father replied, genuinely concerned, using a polite term for a doctor or nurse for Riku's mother, “I haven't seen Riku-kun around lately, but I'll let you know if I do see him.”

“Thank you, Tilmitt-san.” Mrs. Tsubasa bowed appropriately to the man. As she turned around, her blue eyes widened, “Oh! Hikari-kun! Yotsuyu-chan! Have you seen Riku-chan around?”

Sora looked to his girlfriend, whom frowned and shrugged, he looked back to Mrs. Tsubasa, “Gomen nasai, Tsubasa-san. We haven't seen him lately… why? Did something happen?”

“Riku… last night… he ran away.” Mrs. Tsubasa bit her lower lip in nervousness, “I've been looking around for him ever since.”

“Why… why did Riku run away?” Kairi inquired, her brow knitted in worry. Mrs. Tsubasa glanced away in nervousness.

“I-“ She began in a feather-soft voice, “I… told him that… he's adopted.”

Kairi gasped, her violet orbs widening in shock. Sora's unreal blue eyes did the same as he gaped at the woman. “What?!”

“Yes.” Mrs. Tsubasa stared at the ground, feathery tresses of flaxen hair falling over her light sapphire eyes, “He… he ran off right after that and…” She looked up at them, frowning as warm years rolled down her cheeks, “He… disappeared through this black… portal.”

Kairi gasped once more. Mrs. Tsubasa started, “Do- do you know what that was?!”

Sora looked down at the ground, “Yes.” He muttered softly.

“Do… do you know where he is?” Mrs. Tsubasa reached out and took Sora firmly by the shoulders, her eyes wide and serious.

Sora closed his own blue eyes and shook his head, “No.”

Mrs. Tsubasa sighed dejectedly, her tense body falling limp, “Please… help me find my son.”

“Gomen nasai, Tsubasa-san, demo…” Sora trailed off. “Riku-kun… he could be anywhere by now.” He gave her a pleading look.

“Noni? Anywhere? But how…?” Kairi could feel hot tears tingle the back of her eyes as she watched the heart broken woman.

“That dark portal.” Kairi began. “Riku… he was able to summon it. He was submerged in darkness so long that he grew to control it. The paths of darkness connect places that have no bonds otherwise. He could go anywhere through there, and only another darkness user would be able to pursue him.”

“Then how am I…?” Riku's “mother” sighed dejectedly. “I just want to tell him that I'm sorry. That's all. He can go anywhere he wants, I just want him to know that I always loved him, as if he were my own son. And he was too, just not through birth. He's the only son I could ever have had…” she trailed off, tears streaking down her pale cheeks.

Kairi stifled a sob and sung her arms around the woman, drawing her into a hug. “Oh, Tsubasa-san!” she cried. Sora stood dumbstruck watching the women. Riku… adopted? It just didn't seem to compute. I guess I would run away too, if I knew that but - he looked out into the horizon. - I could never leave the ones I love. Riku's not like me, he can leave and never come back. He can shut it all out, go through pain, and… enjoy it. Sora felt his stomach churn sickeningly. If they didn't find Riku soon enough… he shuddered.

“It's alright, Tsubasa-san.” He quipped. “We'll find Riku. I think I know where he may be.” The woman looked up hopefully.

“Bless you Sora.” She whispered soulfully. “I hoped that you two might know something, being so close to Riku and all.”

“Sora…?” Kairi asked slowly, fear dawning on her face. “You're not suggesting that…?” Sora nodded reluctantly, and Kairi blanched.

“Tsubasa-san.” Sora addressed the woman he had seen as his best-friend's mother. “Do you remember last time Riku had gone missing?”

“His feet?” She replied worriedly.

“Hmn.” Sora nodded. Last time Riku had disappeared, he had taken refuge on the small island outside the main village. Riku had the tendency to bottle up all of his emotions and hide away from everyone else, and it certainly didn't go without a toll. Last time, he was so ashamed of succumbing to darkness that he had slit open the soles of his feet so that when he walked, he could feel as though he was earning the right too walk in the light. Even though Sora and Kairi had assured him that he was wanted and that doing such was foolish, Sora still had his doubts that Riku was back to normal.

He was probably one of the few that had noticed the dried rust colored blood that was barely visible on the hems of a few of Riku's shirts, or the pale blemishes on his skin. Sora knew that Riku had continued to cut himself, if not as frequently as he had once done, but the notion was still disturbing. If this much pain was pressed upon him… Sora readied himself for what he might find. Sora had never liked blood much, but to see the blood of his friend, and so much of it… it was impressionable at the very least.

Suddenly, he felt Kairi's hand slip into his and they were saying good-bye to Mrs. Tsubasa. “The island?” Kairi inquired, knowing the answer before she asked. Sora nodded absent-mindedly.

“Yeah.” The two picked out Kairi's lightwood boat and climbed in.

“Oh!” Kairi cried. “Should I go back and -“

“No, I don't think we have that much time, Kairi.” Sora said grimly.

“Oh, Sora… I thought that maybe it would just be like last time but… please don't tell me…” Sora turned and held her arms, staring deep into her cerulean eyes.

“I don't know Kairi, I just don't know. But it's our duty as his closest friends to see him through to whatever end.” Kairi nodded as her tears fell silently against the oar in her lap.

“I understand.”

“Let's go.” Sora whispered; voice lost in the wind. The ride to the island was eerily quiet. The waters seemed still as a thin layer of mist blanketed the life below. Even the gulls seemed solemn; piercing cries pealing through the gray skies. The two disembarked at the dock, tying the bow to a post peering through the water. They stood upon the sandy beach, frozen in time.

“Sora.” Kairi breathed. “I'm frightened, Sora.”

“Me too Kairi.” Sora nodded, squeezing her hand lightly. The two walked along the oddly cool sands and up a small gangway constructed of disemboweled crates and barrels. Sora stepped forward and scraped away the moss choking the entrance to their secret place. He turned to his redheaded girlfriend suddenly. “I'll go first Kairi, stay behind me. If… if… I'll tell you if you should look.”

Kairi gulped and nodded, walking lightly behind him, her heart racing. Sora appeared in the mouth of the cave and gasped. Kairi's heart jumped into her throat, and she squeezed her eyes closed, afraid of seeing something that she knew she'd never be able to erase. “RIKU!” Sora cried, dropping Kairi's hand, and falling to his friend's side. “Kairi! Kairi!”

“Is he… please Sora…” Kairi whimpered, eyes still closed.

“No, it's alright. He… he's just unconscious is all.” Sora breathed in relief. Kairi's eyes fluttered open hesitantly, and she immediately gasped.

“Oh my God… Riku!” she fell next to Sora, placing a hand over Riku's chest. Rivers of blood leaked down the numerous cuts along Riku's arms like veins. His face was contorted in pain and soaked in a cold sweat. He moaned and twitched, the motion pulling out more blood. His skin was deathly pale.

“He did it.” Kairi blinked blankly. “Again. This is going to be the dea- oh! Sora, do you think he was trying to…?”

“Maybe. He's sure doing a great job with it though.” Sora said bitterly. “Riku you idiot. You're not alone! Why do you have to- ARGH!” Sora looked away sharply, hiding the tears threatening to fall from Kairi. Riku moaned again, louder this time. His eyelids flicked open to reveal dazed blue eyes misted with pain from the great loss of blood.

“Kairi? Sora?” he whispered.

“Riku!” Sora and Kairi chorused.

“Riku! Riku why?!” Sora bent down over his friend.

“It's okay, Riku. We're here.” Kairi murmured soothingly, stroking stray bangs away from his eyes.

“You idiot.” Sora said softly. “When are you ever going to learn? You don't have to suffer alone, you know that.”

“We're going to bring you back to the village and get you fixed up, okay Riku?” Kairi added. Riku's eyes flashed angrily, and he struggled up.

“No!” Riku spat, bracing his wait against a wall. “I'm not going back to live a lie. I won't stand for it!” He winced as a tremor of pain lanced through his mutilated arms, more sweat covering his brow.

“Riku! Stop! You'll just hurt yourself even more! Let us help you.” Kairi pleaded.

“I don't need your help.” Riku snarled back. “I don't need anyone's god damn help! There's nothing wrong with me!”

Sora stared at Riku's strange reply, placing a comforting hand on the shocked Kairi's shoulder. “We never said there's anything wrong with you, Riku.” He said slowly. “We just need to close your wounds before they kill you.”

“Bullshit.” Riku shook his head. “Sometimes, there are wounds that never heal.”

“RIKU! What the hell has gotten into you?!” Sora demanded angrily. “Why are you so damn afraid of letting anyone help you? Why do you shut us out, and then cut yourself because nobody is near to you anymore? You're causing your own problems! Can't you see we're just trying to help you?”

“See!” Riku laughed. “You're no different than them.”

“What-?” Sora recoiled. A black portal burst open, enveloping Riku in a familiar embrace. Riku stepped backwards into it, shaking his head remorsefully as he disappeared into the darkness. “RIKU! MATTE!” Sora cried, racing forward, but the portal snapped shut in his face. All that was left of Riku was the blood spattering the ground in unhealthy clumps.

“We never got to tell him that she loved him.” Kairi whispered, sitting blankly in the dirt. Sora stood still, feeling utterly numb.

“Come on Kairi.” He spoke, still staring at the empty space where Riku had vanished. “We're not letting him get away so easily. After all, we did make a promise.”

 

 

This is it.

The hackles on Riku's neck seemed to rise as he surveyed the nearly restored castle before him with obvious distain. Though it wasn't the castle- the one where he'd been completely absorbed by darkness, it was a near-replica and sent shivers of anger through his spine.

“God, kid! What the hell happened to you?” Riku spun around to see a young man hovering over him. He was roughly thirty with brown tresses falling over dark orbs. Across the length of his face was a diagonal scar of pale pink. He was clothed in a short-sleeved black coat with feathery fur lining his neck.

“Um…” Riku looked down at his blood-streaked arms, sighing and shrugging. The older man rolled his eyes and grabbed the teen firmly by the shoulder.

“I swear to God, some of these kids…” Grumbled the brunette irritably as he dragged Riku along to a small shop where he quickly bought a potion and some bandages from the shopkeeper as well as a bottle of water. Grumbling to himself as he did, the older man dumped the cold water over Riku's arms, washing away the blood and curtly bandaged them before uncorking the potion. A small orb of light floated over Riku's head as lucid curaga petals floated down upon him to dull the sharp pain.

“Thanks I-“ Began the lustrous-tressed teen.

“Forget it.” Sniffed the elder guy before stalking off, “Just be more careful next time, kid.”

“Yeah… okay…” Riku muttered softly as he watched the brunette disappear into a thin crowd of people. The teen then sighed dejectedly, putting his arms around his body and squeezing his upper arms before grunting with discomfort. Just as he had every time he had sliced his arms, Riku was beginning to regret his self-mutilation. He glanced around with a stale frown before heaving a dejected sigh. Why had he come here in the first place? This place where such tormenting memories existed…?

A dream.

Ebony tipped with soft gold stood beside him, speaking in soft murmurs, which were obviously words, but didn't quite seem to be.

Whatever that… person?… was, he needed to find them. Riku closed his icy azure eyes and began his trek to nowhere.

 

 

“CLOUD!”

“NNMPH!” Cloud staggered from the weight of Yuffie as she threw herself at him in a flying hug. He picked up the girl and spun her around from the force of her tackle-glomp and set her down, “Hey Yu-“

“How's Vincent?!” The dark-tressed ninja half-screamed, “Where is he? What's going on? Does he miss me? Why hasn't he called me? Does he not love me anymore? Did he get a new girlfriend? W-?”

Cid clapped a hand over the younger girl's face as Yuffie struggled and squeaked; Cloud raised an eyebrow to which Cid shrugged, scratching his head sheepishly, “Only way to shut `er up.”

Yuffie finally struggled free from Cid's grasp and latched onto Cloud's arm, smothering her face in his semi-overcoat. Cloud cleared his throat, “Um… Yuffie… what're you doing?”
“I'm trying to see if you smell anything like Vincent.” She explained as Cloud quickly shook her off. Yuffie huffed irritably.

“So, what brings you here, Cloud-dono?” A small voice inquired as a tiny pixie floated up to Cloud's nose. She was roughly a foot high and dressed in a white top with a matching blue skirt, pale blue ruffles falling over one leg.

Yet another pixie landed on Cloud's head, shrieking loudly, “Ohhhh! Cloud-dono looks like a Chocobo, desu!”

“Rikku, get off of him.” Yet another pixie appeared, this one silver-tressed and dressed in black.

“Nice to see you, too.” Said the blonde-tressed man, removing a squirming pixie from his head, “And to answer your question, things have been getting… strange.”

“Like how so?” Yuffie put her hands on her hips, stomping her foot, “It must've had to be pretty bad for Vincent to send me to stay out here with this old geezer.” Yuffie hitched her thumb back at Cid, who growled irritably.

“Gee, thanks.” Cid grumbled before sitting down at his computer.

“Well, for starters… we think that Sephiroth may have returned.” Cloud began. Both Yuffie and Cid gasped. The pixies shared nervous glances.

“And WHY did he want me here when I COULD be out kicking Sephi's butt?” Yuffie cracked her knuckles as her brown eyes narrowed in anger.

Cloud shrugged nonchalantly, then his expression became grave, “Vincent told me to tell you to stay here until its safe to come home. Yuffie stood up, knocking her chair over as she did, Yuna squeaked and flew away from Yuffie, hiding behind Cloud as she did. "Don't blame me, I'm just the messenger.”

“To hell with that!” She yelled at Cloud, and the poor spiky-tressed man was sure he was going to at least get hit by her, weather he was the messenger or not, “I'm coming home! I want to see my man and I'm going to!”

“Okay.” Cloud sighed again, “Whatever. But Vincent said that if you came home no more sex.”

Yuffie's eyes became the size of saucers- flying saucers, “He… he did NOT say that!”

“He did.” Cloud smirked. Yuffie swore quietly to herself before storming off. Cid turned to Cloud.

“He didn't really say that, did he?” Inquired the blonde. Cloud smirked to himself slightly.

“No, not really.” He then stopped and sheepishly scratched his head, “But it always works when Tifa tells me that.” Cid chuckled and went back to his work, muttering something about “Kids these days”.

“I'm going out.” Cloud explained, stretching his arms out.

“To where, Cloud-dono?” Rikku inquired softly, perched on Cloud's shoulder.

“Who knows?” he shrugged, pushing back the front-most locks of his spiky tresses.

“Happy traveling!” Yuna cried out, waving him goodbye. Cloud nodded with a small grunt of acknowledgement.

“Hey, Spiky!” Cid called in his gravelly voice. “Take care o' yerself, ya hear? I don' want Tifa on my ass cuz you had ter go an' get yerself blown up!” he rubbed his nose with his thumb. Cloud emitted a low chuckle and nodded.

“Got it.” He said in an amused tone as he walked out the door.

 

 

Riku stalked along the cobblestone streets, hugging his bandaged arms to his chest. Every now and then a civilian would stop and stare at him, and he would glare back, but for the most part people had more important matters to attend to. And Riku liked it that way. For as long as he could remember, he had disliked people making a fuss over him, he hated pity… now more then ever. Sighing, he lifted up the hem of his undershirt and examined the item pouch attached to his thick stud belt. Great! Just… beautiful. He growled to himself. He had 300 munny, two worthless ethers (he didn't use normal magic to require them), and a lucid shard for synthesis. Wow. That was helpful.

A sudden blur at the edge of his vision caught his attention. Was that…? Riku pondered, feeling the power build up in his limbs as he tensed for a fight. He looked around quickly. I guess not. Maybe I'm just getting delirious… I haven't had anything to eat for almost two days. But still… He looked apprehensively at his small pouch. He shook his head wearily. A good meal could cost up to 150 munny, and then he'd be left with half. He had to conserve munny if he was to make it out on his own. But if he ate, maybe he'd be strong enough to keep going and gain some munny from Heartless or Nobodies…

“Hey! You, kid! Get out of the road, ya nimrod!” Riku looked up, startled, and sidestepped a man driving a large cart. The man shot him a dirty look and kept driving, splashing up water from underneath the thick wheels. Riku stared after him coldly, and then shrugged it off. He hadn't realized that he was in the middle of the street. Maybe he did need the food, irregardless of what it would cost him. He walked along the street aways until he came to a small ramen shop, purchasing a small cup. It wasn't much, only 60 munny, but it still was more then what he had wanted to spend. The sky was darkening overhead and the last rays of sunlight were painted across the horizon in hues of pink, orange, and lavender. Throwing his empty cup into a wastebasket under a streetlight, Riku surveyed the area. He had a couple of choices now. First, he could spend more of his precious munny on a room for the night at a local inn, but get a full night's rest. Two, he could try to find some suitable place to take refuge for the night. Or three, he could try to go as far as possible that night, avoiding detection, but at the same time risk passing out in the middle of nowhere from exhaustion.

Riku sighed and glared in frustration at the neon lights that were flickering into existence. He had a major headache by now; today was just not his day. He immediately nixed the first idea; he needed that munny for more important things. The ground might suffice for now, but… he had wanted to get as far away as possible and he still hadn't found whatever it was he was searching for. Ebony tipped with soft gold… could it be something found amidst the dark of night? He blinked hard to clear his vision and continued to walk down a flight of concrete stairs. He entered an area that was poorly lit, and in the darkness, he made out the buildings around him to be houses. Well, he couldn't stay there in the eye of the public, so he slunk along the alley until he came to an opening in the wall. He went halfway up the set of stairs behind it and clung to the edge of the ledge and flipped himself over. There was a short wall here, forming a low balcony.

Riku approached the edge and gazed out across the wide expanse of shimmering stone. Far beyond it was an ominous shape that reared out of the night, darker then the rest. His gut twisted and he knew instantaneously that this was the castle he had inhabited for a short while. Growling with disgust, he entered the bailey. Here he found small insets in the wall with similar balconies. Weary with exhaustion, he curled up inside one, head resting on his knees as he drifted off into a fitful sleep.

 

 

“Hey!” Riku jolted awake, staring wide-eyed at the one who had spoken. “It's not safe for a kid to be out here this last at night, especially on your own.” The man offered a hand to Riku, who, after a moment's hesitation, took it and allowed the man to help pull him up. Riku looked at him a moment, agape. He wasn't all that tall; in fact, he stood only a few inches taller then Riku. His hair was long and spiky, the color of wheat in the summer. He wore thick dark clothing; a wool turtleneck tank, thick leather belt, baggy pants, short leather boots, and a sort of half-cloak that was strapped into place by several small belts and a heavy looking sort of pauldron with the figurehead of a wolf holding a smooth ring in it's jowls. “Come on.” The man spoke again. Riku looked into the man's icy blue eyes wordlessly. “Let's get out of here.” He walked off without waiting to see if Riku was following him. Riku gasped inwardly. This was what he was looking for!

“Hey! He-e-y! Wait!” Riku cried, running after him. As he caught up he asked, “So, uh… you plan on telling me who you are?”

“Name's Cloud.” The man answered, not looking at him.

“Hmn. I'm Riku.” The silver tressed teen announced. Unexpectantly, the man stopped short.

“Riku?” he repeated. Riku frowned and walked around to look him in the eye.

“What? What is it?”

“Don't you have a friend that's looking for you?” Cloud asked.

“Huh?” Riku looked around nervously. Had he not gone far enough?

“Sora… I think that's what his name was. He came by a while ago… seemed real worried about you.” Cloud looked at him critically.

“How long is a while ago?” Riku demanded.

“Months…” Cloud furrowed his eyebrows. “Why?”

“It's just…” Riku looked at him skeptically. He had foreseen meeting Cloud, did that mean that he had to tell him everything in order to move on? “It's a long story.” Riku sighed, feeling all his muscles relax. Cloud led him over to the stairway and sat him down beside him. Cloud looked over at him.

“Wanna talk?” he murmured. Riku braced his head in his hands and sighed thankfully.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Yeah… let's talk.”