:Alive: [The Southern Sufferring]

Chapter 4: Riku Satsura, Coming to America

The world began to spin within Riku's head. Everything had been coming down around him in his life and now he found out that everything in the world was destroyed by some horrific race of monsters. He wasn't selfish enough to think that this had anything to do with him initially; in fact, he knew that his own personal crap mattered very little in the grand scheme of things, but it still felt as if he were being further crushed by these events. In the past few weeks Riku had lost his father, his girlfriend, his best friend, and now everyone and everything Riku had left was gone. A small tear began to form on the edge of his eye, but he managed to blink it away before the others saw it. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to see him burst into tears.

Looking around at the others, and forming a few first thoughts on them, Riku decided it would be best to help in looking for supplies. It had appeared as if the Superdome had been in the process of being turned into an emergency outpost for survivors before it was overrun by the Majin, as there were a few cots set out as well as what looked like what was going to be a medical tent. Food appeared to be scarce, but there was a chance some of the medicine was still good. It was better than just ignoring something that could possibly save their lives. However, just wandering off would have been a poor idea, so before leaving, he gestured to the nearest person, who happened to be the busty Goth chick, then said:

"I'm... gonna check that tent for any supplies okay?"

As he approached the medical tent another thought occurred to him. Hadn't they been chased into the dome by some of those Majin? And didn't the other thing, Yuel or whatever, say that the barrier around the Superdome was coming down? If that were true, then soon the Super Dome could turn into a battlefield. Riku wasn't sure that they were ready or equipped for a real fight just yet, and he wasn't sure that he'd even be able to stand his own if it came to that. He was, as Riku usually put it, just average. Not particularly smart or athletic, he had no unique properties or capabilities. Completely average.

In any case, it was best if they moved quickly. A least that was what Riku thought as he rummaged through the tent, picking up as much medicine as he could find that hadn't expired or in some cases, been soaked in blood. That was one thing that he'd noticed. The field was splattered with blood all about, but there were no bodies in sight. Not even bones. Did these Majin eat the bones as well or were they just brought back to some nest for some reason? What exactly were these things anyway? Riku supposed that was part of what he had to find out.

Taking all that he found useful--a few old bandages, a half-empty bottle of pain meds, a few antibiotics, and ointment-- and crammed it into a small backpack near him, then walked out of the tent somewhat hastily, then rushed back to the group with the pack over his shoulder. As he did, the voice from his phone chirped up again.

"There's really no need to be in such a rush yet Riku. Those Majin gave up after you got here," Yuel said, prompting Riku to pull his phone from his pocket.

"You can tell where they are?" he asked.

"From a certain distance yes. I do specialize in mapping and tracking as well as several other skills I think you'll find quite helpful here." The small digital girl straightened herself out as she spoke, clearly proud of herself, then smiled at Riku. "Anyway, the others are introducing themselves. So far we know that Jared likes to breathe smoke in the screens of cute young ladies like me... that jerk..."

This actually managed to make Riku laugh a little as he rejoined the others just as the introductions began.

Jared Strider. He was the first to talk. A real bad boy from the look of it. Riku had seen people like him at the school he used to go to all the time. Adults saw them as troublemakers, but they were usually the ones that Riku found it easy to get along with. In fact, Jared actually reminded Riku a little of Yusuke when he first met him, but without--at least he hoped without--the backstabbing betrayal features.

"Oh! Um, I-I'm Riku. Riku Satsura. I'm eighteen and just entered college. I grew up in Tokyo, specifically the Minato ward." Riku looked nervously around at the others who were now looking at him, blushing a little bit before continuing. "Umm, I found a little bit of medicine. I hoped for more, but it looked like this was all I could find really.  Anyway, Yuel says those... things... left earlier, but they might still know we're here. So I think... maybe we should follow Jared's plan and look for somewhere safer."