Cross Worlds

Chapter 42: "A Moonlit Conversation"

Riku sits on the floor in his room, trying and failing once more to contact Riku Fantasy. "I'm starting to think he's just ignoring me..." He closes his eyes, recalling how their last encounter went. "I know we argued with each other, but you can't avoid me forever, asshole... There's no way you're still recovering."

He watches his call fail to go through and he sighs in annoyance. "Fine, I have another Teikoki spot to shoot for anywho. That is unless someone challenges me for my spot. Again." Riku sighs and walks to the door, heading out to find Sumira, but is pleasantly surprised when she's standing right at his door.

"Ah, I was just about to ring your bell." She smiles softly at him.

"Uh...hey. What's up?" Riku is a little nervous to say the least. He was preparing to find her to challenge her, but he wasn't exactly mentally prepared for it right this second.

"Would it be alright if the two of us talked?" She asks softly. There isn't any sort of malice in her voice or demanding. It's clear Riku can say no if he wants to and Sumira won't get upset.

"Yeah, that's fine with me." Riku steps out of the way, trying to think of what it is that she might want to discuss.

"Ah, would it be alright if we go outside? I'd like to go on a walk if that's alright." Sumira asks politely.

Riku's confusion only grows, and he slowly hopes she isn't going to attack him when he least expects it. He doesn't feel any sort of bad vibes from her, but he's been wrong about people before. "Alright, let's go then." Riku steps out of his room. "What is it you wanna talk about?"

"I'll start when we get outside, follow me." Sumira leads him outside of the base, Riku walking at her side. Of course they make some regular small talk on the way, but it is a little awkward. After all, the two have never spoken outside of Riku's first meeting with the Teikoki.

Riku wonders the whole way what's changed her demeanor from before. She seemed so cold and distant when she introduced herself to him before. Perhaps she's gained respect for Riku since he's gotten to the eighth ranked spot in less than ten days since his fight with Kei.

Soon enough, the two make it outside, walking across a bridge that looks over the city the resistance plans to attack all too soon. Riku leans on the railing, eyeing the castle with a light glare. Sumira glances at him, but pays no mind to his expression, leaning against the railing.

"The two younglings you brought to the resistance, Gina and Haruto, were they?" Sumira asks as she too stares at the castle.

"Yeah..." Riku lets his arms hang off the railing, bringing his hands together in a tight grasp.

"I understand how you feel. Before I joined the resistance, my own family was also killed by the nobility of the kingdom we served. I used to be a knight, you see. Just like with you, they may not have been blood, but they were the best thing that ever happened to me." Sumira says, her expression blank as she recounts her tale.

Riku is a little surprised, glancing at her for a moment, and then looking back at the ground. "I see... There doesn't need to be blood for someone to be your family, I agree wholeheartedly. Those two were like the mom and dad I...never had." Riku's eyes grow dark as he recalls his many years in the orphanage as a child. "Is that why you joined the resistance? Revenge for your family?"

"I didn't have to join the resistance to want my revenge." Though Sumira's face is blank, her eyes are dark. "The resistance was just convenient timing is all. They ordered us to take on what was practically a suicide quest, and when I returned as the only one alive...they were disappointed. They had wanted every last one of us to die. In their eyes, we were peasants that didn't deserve to serve them. It was because of my magic awakening that I survived..."

Riku glances at her again, listening as she tells her story. He has questions of course, but he doesn't want to interrupt until she's finished.

"I was prepared to die that day I attacked the castle, and that's when the resistance broke in and saved me. It was thanks to my ruckus that they were able to take them down so easily. It was a much smaller group back then...no more than about 150 at the time. I thought my life was over at that point, I wanted to end it all. Then he stopped me." Sumira reminisces.

Riku doesn't have to ask to know who she's speaking of; Riku Fantasy.

"He told me that the power I awakened was special. To call upon the might of the dead, he wanted me to join the resistance. I simply scoffed at him of course, told him I was done with this life... It's there that he challenged me to a duel. He said I should go down like a warrior at the very least, lest I shed dishonor on my fallen comrades." Sumira closes her eyes and chuckles softly.

"More than a little harsh. Also, selfish much, Fantasy..? I know it's for a good cause, but who walks up to a stranger who's just lost everything and says, 'Hey! Your power would be useful. Join my cause'?! What was he thinking..?!" Riku Reality thinks to himself, shaking his head in mild annoyance.

Sumira smiles at his reaction, but continues her story without commenting. "He really was fighting me to kill. I was giving it my all, and he managed to defeat me. I didn't make it easy but...I hate to admit it, but I was scared when he brought his blade down to end my life. Just when I thought he might kill me, he spoke up. 'If you really want to die, then why are you fighting so hard to survive? Why do you face your death bated breath and your eyes shut so tight?' It was then that I realized he had truly challenged me to a fight not to kill me or insult me, but to see if I was truly ready for death. I was only 17 then, being lectured by a 14 year old boy."

Sumira can't help but laugh at the memory, shaking her head. "But he was right. I wasn't ready to die. It was then that I felt them all watching me...all my comrades souls that I had summoned to help me fight, watching me. Even though they were supposed to be dead, mindless warriors..."

"Proof that the soul never truly loses its true self, even if it may lose its body, huh..?" Riku comments.

"Indeed." Sumira smiles at him. "What Riku said next was, well, 'It looks like they don't want you to die. You were spared, and you're the only one who can give them a chance to make sure what happened to them never happens to anyone else'. He gave me the option to die, or fight by their side, make new comrades, and make sure their light never fades away."

Riku watches her silently for a few seconds before speaking his mind. "Why are you telling me all this, Sumira?"

"Because, Riku, I want you to know that I trust you. I know very well you're going to be challenging me next, and I want you to believe me when I say I don't plan on testing you. I will fight you with my full strength, and I want you to do the same. I want you to trust me as well. I'm well aware that would be rather selfish of me to ask if I didn't prove myself first." Sumira turns to Riku and smiles, her features highlighted in the moonlight, accentuating her natural beauty.

Riku's taken aback by her words, but they warm his heart a little. Though he's hesitant, what reason does he have not to trust her words? She's a comrade, a friend who just shared her most sensitive moment without Riku asking a thing of her. "Of course I'll trust you. And you don't have to worry about that second thing, I wouldn't hold back even if you asked me too." He grins confidently.

Sumira closes her eyes and chuckles softly, nodding her head. "When you arrived at the resistance, your eyes were no different than mine. It almost felt like I was looking at a reflection of the past. You're going to do good things for us, and I want to be a part of that. I want to help you. So, I suppose I'll be doing that by doing my best to defend my name as the seventh Teikoki."

"And I'm going to do everything in my power to take it. Respectfully, of course." Riku snickers. "We should uh...probably save it for the morning though. It's late."

"You don't want another night time battle like you had with Chiyako?" She cocks an eyebrow, lightly teasing.

"You know I had no power over any of that..." Riku mumbles, making Sumira giggle.

She reaches out her hand and locks eyes with Riku. "It's a deal then. Tomorrow we face each other holding nothing back. No secrets, no pulling punches, no tests...just a normal fight for my position."

Riku smiles once more and takes her hand firmly. "You're on, Sumira."