Riku (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
islandshore) wrote2013-10-11 08:06 pm
islandshore) wrote2013-10-11 08:06 pm
Entry tags:
54 - video/backdated to the 9th;
Nightmare;
[It happens late at night, while Riku's locked into deep slumber. Rather than peaceful dreams about exploring other worlds, he finds himself dropped in the middle of Route 29, knee-deep in tall grass. But something's off. Brow furrowing, he turns around, half expecting to spot blocks of distorted pixels.
Instead, he sees himself, three years younger with a Pidgey perched on his shoulder while a tiny Nidoran whimpers and cries. His past self points a finger at the tall grass and glares.]
Can it, Slacker! If you're gonna be my Pokémon, then fight. Otherwise, you're just a waste of space. Isn't that right, Highwind?
Screeeeeech!
[The Pidgey ruffles up his feather and dives at Slacker, scratching at his eyes. The Nidoran, too petrified to move, takes the hit and tumbles back into the grass. The past Riku merely rolls his eyes as he watches, while Riku cringes and dashes towards his dream self.]
Shut up!
[He passes straight through him, and his surroundings ripple, melting. Riku plummets into blackness. As soon as he hits the ground, a chill washes down him from head to toe. Low moans and growls echo before the ground rumbles. A Nidorino rushes at him, growing larger, swelling to a mountainous size. Riku's heart stops. He hears his own voice echo in the black space.]
Slacker, that's enough! STOP!
[The Nidorino persists, drawing closer and closer until his surroundings flash red. Once again Riku plummets, this time through further darkness.
No image accompanies him: only growls, whines, and voiceless whispers.]
You replaced me...
[There's a brief flash of his Charizard, Flare. Said image melts just like everything else.]
You abandoned me... You forget I exist!
No! It's not--
[His words are drowned out by one more growl. A giant Nidoking appears, giving a bellowing roar. Purple spikes shoot up at its feet. Rows upon rows of Toxic Spikes. Riku's falling accelerates. He draws closer, closer, and closer until--]
No!
[He wakes up on the floor, sweat racing down his skin. Heart pounding, threatening to burst from his chest. The sound of heavy footsteps draws his attention across the room. Flare, having seen the whole thing, plops down right next to him, giving a low grunt.
Riku can't meet his eyes.]
...Don't worry about it, Flare. I'll deal.
Video;
[It's late at night when Riku addresses the network. His hair's kind of a mess, and he looks like he hasn't slept at all. Still, he forces a faint smirk on his face and runs a hand over his head, trying to look a bit more presentable.]
So, about that fighting tournament... Anyone think we should have those more often? It's kind of a bummer I didn't get to fight most of you guys. Can't really get stronger unless I--
[He stops, sighing. His words came out halfhearted, anyway. Even a complete stranger could probably tell something's amiss. For the next few seconds, he stands there in silence, glancing off screen. A Charizard briefly passes by in the background, folding his arms and snorting. He gives a look that screams, "Stop being dumb". He and Riku exchange stares, complete with utterings of, "It's nothing". However, once Flare spreads out his wings and gives a low growl, Riku reluctantly turns back to the camera.]
...Never mind. That's not really what I wanted to talk about anyway.
[Granted, he didn't want to talk about this either, but with a persistent dragon peering over his shoulder, he's kind of been boxed into a corner. Sigh...]
I guess what I want to know is how you're supposed to deal with regret. I'm not good at talking about this sort of thing, but... let's say you get a reminder of some stupid mistake you made a while back. What are you supposed to do about that? Especially if it happened so long ago that it really shouldn't matter in the first place...
[It's dumb. He knows it's dumb and he shouldn't put so much stock into a nightmare, but given how little time he's spent with Slacker, who knows?
Either way, he'll just have to hang tight. Now that he's made his case, Riku clicks the video feed off.]
[It happens late at night, while Riku's locked into deep slumber. Rather than peaceful dreams about exploring other worlds, he finds himself dropped in the middle of Route 29, knee-deep in tall grass. But something's off. Brow furrowing, he turns around, half expecting to spot blocks of distorted pixels.
Instead, he sees himself, three years younger with a Pidgey perched on his shoulder while a tiny Nidoran whimpers and cries. His past self points a finger at the tall grass and glares.]
Can it, Slacker! If you're gonna be my Pokémon, then fight. Otherwise, you're just a waste of space. Isn't that right, Highwind?
Screeeeeech!
[The Pidgey ruffles up his feather and dives at Slacker, scratching at his eyes. The Nidoran, too petrified to move, takes the hit and tumbles back into the grass. The past Riku merely rolls his eyes as he watches, while Riku cringes and dashes towards his dream self.]
Shut up!
[He passes straight through him, and his surroundings ripple, melting. Riku plummets into blackness. As soon as he hits the ground, a chill washes down him from head to toe. Low moans and growls echo before the ground rumbles. A Nidorino rushes at him, growing larger, swelling to a mountainous size. Riku's heart stops. He hears his own voice echo in the black space.]
Slacker, that's enough! STOP!
[The Nidorino persists, drawing closer and closer until his surroundings flash red. Once again Riku plummets, this time through further darkness.
No image accompanies him: only growls, whines, and voiceless whispers.]
You replaced me...
[There's a brief flash of his Charizard, Flare. Said image melts just like everything else.]
You abandoned me... You forget I exist!
No! It's not--
[His words are drowned out by one more growl. A giant Nidoking appears, giving a bellowing roar. Purple spikes shoot up at its feet. Rows upon rows of Toxic Spikes. Riku's falling accelerates. He draws closer, closer, and closer until--]
No!
[He wakes up on the floor, sweat racing down his skin. Heart pounding, threatening to burst from his chest. The sound of heavy footsteps draws his attention across the room. Flare, having seen the whole thing, plops down right next to him, giving a low grunt.
Riku can't meet his eyes.]
...Don't worry about it, Flare. I'll deal.
Video;
[It's late at night when Riku addresses the network. His hair's kind of a mess, and he looks like he hasn't slept at all. Still, he forces a faint smirk on his face and runs a hand over his head, trying to look a bit more presentable.]
So, about that fighting tournament... Anyone think we should have those more often? It's kind of a bummer I didn't get to fight most of you guys. Can't really get stronger unless I--
[He stops, sighing. His words came out halfhearted, anyway. Even a complete stranger could probably tell something's amiss. For the next few seconds, he stands there in silence, glancing off screen. A Charizard briefly passes by in the background, folding his arms and snorting. He gives a look that screams, "Stop being dumb". He and Riku exchange stares, complete with utterings of, "It's nothing". However, once Flare spreads out his wings and gives a low growl, Riku reluctantly turns back to the camera.]
...Never mind. That's not really what I wanted to talk about anyway.
[Granted, he didn't want to talk about this either, but with a persistent dragon peering over his shoulder, he's kind of been boxed into a corner. Sigh...]
I guess what I want to know is how you're supposed to deal with regret. I'm not good at talking about this sort of thing, but... let's say you get a reminder of some stupid mistake you made a while back. What are you supposed to do about that? Especially if it happened so long ago that it really shouldn't matter in the first place...
[It's dumb. He knows it's dumb and he shouldn't put so much stock into a nightmare, but given how little time he's spent with Slacker, who knows?
Either way, he'll just have to hang tight. Now that he's made his case, Riku clicks the video feed off.]
[Video]
[And his loss was kinda embarrassing to top it all off. If AJ hadn't flung him out at the last second, he coulda moved forward.
But it could be worse.]
Anyway, you think I should hunt down some distractions? There's gotta be something I can do at this hour.
[Video]
And yeah. Anything'll do as long as you're keeping your mind busy.
[Video]
[Hi, this is a Charizard looking over Riku's shoulder with a very deadpan expression. Riku points to him with his thumb.]
Somebody's decided I need a long, dull vacation from fights.
[And not just him. Sora's probably partially in on it, too.]
So, whatever distraction I shoot for, it'll have to be something low key.
[Not necessarily impossible, but darn it. He wanted to shape up after that tourny loss.]
[Video]
[Video]
[He blinks. There's an idea he hadn't really considered...]
Well, I've never tried, but I guess it'd keep me busy for a while. There any tricks to it?
[Video]
[Video]
[...Heh.]
You know, maybe they've got something on Pokémon origami. I really wouldn't put it past them.
[Video]