in my head, i wished you knew what you had.

               “I remember that I’ve met two boys on an island                 long ago. I do recognize you. You sure have grown.” 

“I guess drinking all my milk as a kid paid off? I can’t say the same for my friend Sora, though, he’s a bit vertically challenged.” He laughs a little bit, smiling back at her. “You never did let us know your name back then, would it be too late to ask now? I’m Riku, if you don’t quite remember.” Now that he’s focused on her, he notices she’s wearing clothes sorta similar to that man who came before her. Was she a keybearer as well?

“Hey, I’ll have you know my fashion choices aren’t always vests and pants!” Sora leaned forward a little, “But yeah, it is kinda weird when you say it out loud. But don’t sweat it so much! You’ll probably get used t’ it ‘n time!”

“I didn’t exactly have time to go shopping for a new wardrobe while the worlds were going to hell, y’know. That and I just plain don’t have the time to go get something new, or have magical fairies to gimme new clothes magical girl style whenever I need.” Master Yen Sid mentioned something about a princess dress, didn’t he? Shame he missed it.  “I hope I don’t need to. There’s no need for anyone to call me it, really.”

It would probably have been wise to warn him of her fatigue, but she was lucky to say as much as she had. She was a lot more worn out than she had realized – but, she couldn’t stop fighting now, especially since someone had stepped in to help.

He’s not too sure about her strength, and definitely doesn’t want the girl to overexert herself anymore than she already has while fighting the monsters on her own, so he stands in front of her before he strikes; he wants to keep close to her until he’s absolutely sure she’s okay enough for him not to be too concerned by a stray heartless, so he just attacks whatever’s close enough for his keyblade to reach and uses magic for anything else that isn’t nearby, for now. 

“Fine, don’t believe me, but when you need help don’t come cryin’ to me.”

“As if I’d cry over somethin’ like that, tch.”

“Huh? Are you gettin’ upset over that?” Why would Riku find that to be such a problem? I mean, true, he did do exactly that, but it was under excusable circumstances! “You’re my friend, Riku! Why wouldn’t I be?”

”I almost got you and Kairi and just about everyone else in existence killed because I decided to be even more of a jerk than usual...you can’t stomach the idea of forgiving any form of Xehanort so why...” He couldn’t finish his words, because now they sounded just plain stupid; it all just wouldn’t process properly for him, it didn’t matter that they were best friends since childhood...he messed up real bad, and yet everyone was acting like it was nothing...he’d rather be punished than feel like this, honestly. At least then he’d be getting what he deserved. 

“Hey, it’s a pretty fancy title! Might as well get some use outta it! I could’ve called you worse things.”

“Not really my kinda thing, y’know that...” He sighs. “It’s just...weird. I don’t feel like a master. I just feel like same ol’ Riku, fashion choices nearly as bad as yours.”

“I’ve been alive much longer than Sora has, why do you insist on saying I stole his face?” The boy dashes in for another swing of Void Gear. “And don’t make promises you can’t keep, kid. You’ll just end up hurting yourself.”

“You underestimate me. If I get hurt, it’s irrelevant so long as you get the hell out of my best friend’s heart...and I refuse to give up until you take you very last breath, whatever you are.” Big talk or not, he’s not gonna let the other boy take him down without a real fight; he was strong and fast like Riku, sure, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle for just a little while. Riku puts all the force he has into pushing back against the blow, before letting go at the last moment to try and get a low kick in before the other can attack again. He was pretty much physically the same as Sora, give or take some muscle, how the hell was he barely able to keep up more than a couple defensive moves here and there...? He’d just have to write it off as a result of all the darkness...evil as it was, it was still pure power at its core.