spellbinders | (no subject)

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Who: Nike Lemercier and Riku
Where: Somewhere semi-quiet with an open view of the sky.
When: Day 63 (backdated)
Open/Closed: Closed!

[The view of the sky above her was unlike anything that she has never seen before. It was literally filled with water and all kinds of sea life. There were all kinds of fishes, of all colors and sizes, along with sharks, jelly fish, sting rays, and much more. Even the coral and floral aspects of the ocean can be found above her head instead of below. She couldn't get enough of the view and fascination with the new world surrounding her.

Just like she couldn't get enough with the item being held gingerly in her posession, keeping it close to her body without blocking the view above them.]

You're so lucky to be from here! This world's sky is so beautiful. It is filled with so much life in every possible way imaginable while keeping its natural beauty in place. It's really clear like the sky and dazzling as the ocean floor of my world.

[A light rub will be given over the outer shell as a means for motivation for the unborn child to get excited of the world outside its egg. It's been a few days after the reconstruction that she was handed the item from the Palai. The reason behind always ached her heart, realizing her failure in properly protecting them.]

You know, I wonder if that guy got an egg too...?

[The one she refers to as "Hero". That boy with the rare hair color and beautiful eyes. She couldn't help allow his image to cross her mind for a single moment, knowing full-well that referring to his name may cause her to give him an accidental telepathic call. It was hard not to wonder about him after the speed dating shenanigans along with the battles they had to go through too. There was definitely underlying concern the longer she reflected and wondered about it. It was all the more reason that she asked him to meet her once he was done with any business he had with the Palai or anyone, for that matter. After all, she had an excuse to see him now that was beyond checking up on him -- she wanted to show him the egg.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Between the final battle with the Uvi, attempting to help break the shield above them, and assisting with the rebuild of the city, Riku has had his hands full for the last week or so. And recovering from some minor injuries on top that hasn't been doing him any favors. He might have just kept working on the city without rest or time to himself if Nike hadn't reached out to him.

He's not quite sure what their meeting is about, as she had been pretty brief with her invitation, but even if it's just to check up on him or to hang out for a couple of hours, he's more then willing. Riku doesn't know what it is about her, but he's only grown more interested and curious about her since the moment they met. She's kind and funny, but she also has a will of steel and a temper she's not afraid to let loose (if the speed dating fiasco is anything to judge by).

He approaches their meeting spot wearing a clean set of clothes, dark pants and a t-shirt, perfect for doing odd-jobs in, and has his sword strapped to his waist. Spotting her almost immediately, he quickens his pace, only realizing what's in her folded arms once he's a couple feet away.]

Is that...what I think it is? [He's heard about the egg distribution. He even knows a couple of other coven members with eggs in their possession. But this is his first time seeing one up close.]

[The moment he inquire over the item in her posession was more than enough to gain a genuine smile out of her. She couldn't keep her gaze from wanting to observe him from head to toe, hoping to find anything out of the ordinary. All she'll note was the change in wardrobe. It was lighter pieces of clothing. He had a new accessory in form of a weapon which catches her attention, but doesn't surprise her. After all, he was known as "Hero" for a reason. All in all, he didn't look too bad. Somehow she had expected him to look worse, but he seemed to be okay as far as the cloak of the evening's darkness will allow her to see -- she felt relieved.

When she looks up to him, her sweet smile will turn to a more playful one as she ponders.]

Hmm. That depends, on what you intepret it to be.

[She couldn't help offer her egg another affectionate stroke with mild expectation for it to begin showing signs of movement soon. As a way to prove there was life inside of it. It'd be great if it did around Riku's presence. His reaction to the Palai egg was more than enough for her to hope, wish, for it because she can just imagine his reaction will be as cute as it was now.]

If your initial guess was an unborn Palai child, then you should come on over and take a closer look. I.. [Shaking her head a bit.] We could use the company! It'd be nice for them to overhear a new voice, you know.

[She had every intention to examine him further once he was closer. There were a lot of questions she wanted to ask him. Some she hopes will be subtle than outright. She didn't want him to feel like she was going to interrogate him. All she wanted was to spend more time with him and catch up on everything that has happened before anything else happens to disturb the fragile peace that was currently present at the moment.]

[Riku doesn't even wait for her invitation before he's stepping closer, head inclined downwards to get a good look at the egg in her arms. If one didn't know what it held inside, it would look like any other, quite large, egg. But its contents make it extremely precious and his expression softens as he looks down at it. Hard to believe that there's a living baby in there who is going to hatch any day now.]

You mean they can hear us? [He glances up at her face in surprise.] I know that pregnant ladies like to talk to their bellies because they say their baby can hear them, but I thought that was just superstition. [He knows nothing about babies. Nothing.]

What are you going to do after it hatches? Are you thinking about bringing it with us? [He knows the eggs were given to the coven members in the hopes of giving the babies family, but he doesn't see how that would fair well when they're constantly visiting new worlds, ones that could be dangerous. He thinks they would do better among their own people. But...it's not really his place to decide that for others.]

I like to think that it does! With how close and loud I can be, I like to think it'll recognize the vibrations of my voice at the very least.

[She has heard the same rumors concerning pregnant women with their unborn children. In her culture, it existed and was accepted as a well-known fact, considering the royal family has the ability to connect with the voices of nature, their surroundings, and the spirit world upon their very birth. It is one of the key components in learning to summon the weather and control the wind flow by understanding those voices because without it the planet would not allow anyone to unlock its true power.]

The senses of a lizard are different from that of human's, but I believe the principal idea is still the same. Lizards usually rely on their tongues for sense of smell and taste, rely on the vibrations of their surroundings to recognize potential incoming danger and their enviroment's temperature, and use their sight to detect movement whenever they aren't on the ground. [With a smile.] And the Palai are an evolved version of those lizards, then it may be logical to believe we can fuse that ideology with our own.

[Which goes without saying, Nike was going to care for the egg as though it were her own. She was optimistic at the thought of her new lizard friend will recognize her voice and warmth once it hatches. She wasn't certain over the biology of a newly hatched Palai will be like nor of it's appearance as she hasn't seen a toddler version of it before.

It won't be long for her smile to weaken at his next question. The latter more so than the former has been weighing greatly on her mind. After all, the reason she was given an egg to look after was due to the low number of surviving couples being unable to care for another orphan egg.]

I'm going to look after it once it hatches... [A beat.] But I haven't decided if I'm going to keep it or not. I'm not very keen on the idea of taking it with me while...I don't know. I feel I'll be breaking my promise by pushing my responsibility onto someone else. [She'll turn her attention to the egg with a sad smile on her lips.] If there was a family that could look after the egg, then there wouldn't be a reason behind me having it, would there? What if there isn't a family willing to look after it once I leave? What will happen to this child? I believe it should remain with its own kind while at the same time, with the way things currently are, would it be safe for it to remain here?

[The very same thing can be said about their unstable situation in world-hopping. She has no idea if the next world will be safe or not. It's difficult to determine by the lack of experience and information on the subject. All she can do was think about it and...]

What do you think I should do, Hero? If you were in my postion, what would you do?

[...ask for other people's opinions on the subject.]

You sure know a lot about lizards.

[That moment in a conversation where you are so far out of your realm of comfort but still want to contribute to the conversation in some way. That is Riku right now. Sure they had a few lizards hanging out in the more forest-y parts of the island, but he had never bothered to study up on them before. Which just makes the Palai and their ways an even bigger mystery to him.]

If it hears through vibrations...that means if it learns the vibrations of our voices, it'll recognize us by that?

[He leans even closer towards the egg, until the tip of his nose is only about an inch away from the shell.] Uh...hello in there. I'm Riku. You can come out whenever you feel like it, okay?

[Riku had sort of been hoping she wouldn't ask him that, simply because he doesn't want to upset her with his opinion. It's really easy for him to say what he thinks is the right thing to do when he's not in her position. Standing up straight, he runs a hand through his hair, pushing it back off his forehead.]

Well, I know what you mean. I understand that the Palai have lost a lot of their own, but I think that's why it's even more important for them to stay together. You don't wipe out half a population and then get rid of another portion before rebuilding. That's not going to help them survive.

But as for who would look after them, I can't really answer that. The Palai would have to figure out a way among themselves. Whether it means putting together an orphanage or caring for the babies as a community. I think they were too hasty to give them up, even though I understand that rebuilding the city is taking up a lot of people's time.

[He sighs.] But if it were me, I don't think I would bring it with us. There's no telling what kind of world we'll end up in next. What if it's something worse then what we faced here? I'd rather rely on the resourcefulness of the Palai then take that chance.

[There may be a bit of sheepish smile as he points out about her knowing about lizards.]

There's a saying in my world that goes: "To hunt successfully, you must know your ground, your pack, and your quarry."

[Her country was poor due to its decision to close their borders from everyone outside of their part of the world. Food was scarce. It was a well-known fact that everyone was expected to learn to hunt. Nike had learned to catch lizards, frogs, and snakes as a small child along with knowing how to forage for fruit and herbs. It wouldn't be a lie to admit in feeling some sense of guilt in having eaten the Palai's non-evolved brethren. But fortunately, Riku found a way to distract her from that guilt as she can't help giggle as she watches him talk to the unborn Palai in her arms. It was enough to get a smile out of her, finding his actions to be pretty endearing. He really was a good guy.]

Exactly! You really did figure out a perfect way to describe the information I just gave you in a single sentence. I'd give you high marks if I were your tutor!

[It was just a shame their conversation had to become heavy once more. The topic of their conversation was pretty important. She had decided to ask for advice over the matter because she trusted his opinion over the matter. It'll be unbiased unlike her own. Boys had a way to look at any situation from different angles -- ones that weren't linked to emotion. It was all the more reason to listen.

Her attention was solely on him as he explains himself to her -- while trying to avoid the fact that he was further away from her distract her -- which will leave a lot to think about. After all, he wasn't wrong over the survival of the species was very important. It wouldn't make sense to take their young away when all they've been doing is helping them survive.]

When you put it like that, I'll have to agree. It wouldn't make any sense to take their children away if it's for the sake of their survival. How can a civilization repopulate itself when we're depleting their numbers by doing that?

[Along with the fact that their instability didn't help matters neither. Although she knew those details, she still didn't have the heart to leave the egg behind. Why? Her attention will return to the egg once more as she begins to grow pensive over the matter. Why didn't she realize such an important detail? It was a little embarrassing that she couldn't see the big picture. When it comes to nature, she usually was good at it, but...]

I guess I shouldn't compare this child's situation with my own so much. It isn't the exactly the same. Just because this civilization has a lot similarities with those in my country shouldn't mean much. [Her habit of attaching herself to those who are abandon was beginning to show itself again. Just after thinking she wouldn't attach herself so much to the Palai, the first thing she does -- is attach herself to them. It was enough to embarrass her.]

So you know how to hunt? My island trades in fish mainly, for obvious reasons. We do have some domesticated animals for meat, but mostly it's fish and whatever type of fruits and vegetables we grow. No one really hunts.

[He grew up learning to fish and how to tell which plant life were good for eating, which were poisonous, and which could be used for medicinal purposes if he and his friends ever got hurt and stranded somewhere on the island away from the village. It had all come in handy at one point or another as he and his friend have always been a rambunctious and adventurous group.]

Don't sound so surprised. I'll have you know I was one of the best students back home.

[But...with only Sora here to compare to, that's maybe not really saying much?]

That's why I think the Palai are being too rash. I don't think they've even stopped to consider what having so many babies taken away could do to their numbers. I'm sure if they understood that, then they would reconsider.

[He sees the gentle way that she holds the egg to her, and the soft look she gets in her eyes as she gazes at it. It makes him feel a bit guilty for saying all of this, but at the same time it wouldn't do her any good to make this decision without seeing all of the options.]

To your own? Nike...were you orphaned too? [He tries to say it as gently as he can, not wanting to upset her. But at the same time it does explain why she's so concerned about leaving it behind without knowing for sure it will be looked after.]

Huh? An island? Are you saying that you're an islander too? [That was a detail that will catch her attention all too quickly. His explanation about his country's main trade being fish gave her a sense of nostalgia. It was enough motivation for her gaze to brighten up as she observes him with great detail.] No wonder I felt such a familiarity with you, Hero! You're a country bumpkin just like I am. No wonder I couldn't imagine you being just any old city kid.

[He was sharper than most of the guys she had met. It reminded her a bit of her cousin, Kitora, while all at once he had an air of maturity about him. Even if he can be a tiny bit over-confident at times -- no wonder she felt so comfortable.]

Oh? Is that your way of asking your tutor to put you to the test? Because I have no issue with it, I'd like to see what you're made of.

[Although she says this, it may just be another way of her to ask him to become her hunting and foraging partner if they ever ended up in a world more intuned with nature. She was just as intrigue to learn the amount of knowledge he had about fruits and plant-life. He may know more about it than she did.]

Do you think it would be in their best interest in trying to explain it to them? Somehow, I feel it may be a good idea to, just in case something like this doesn't repeat itself again with someone else...

[If they are able to travel to other worlds, then it could be possible for someone else to do it too. Roxas had once told her that he had the ability to world-hop. It may be possible there are more people like him and Qri. She didn't want the Palai to have the habit of blindly trusting everyone that stumble upon their planet, even if she found that quality to believe in the best of others to be beautiful.

Just like she found his concern for her feelings and comfort zone to be...]

You know, you don't need to be...so cautious about asking me questions about myself. [If she mentioned it, then he was allowed to pry about it. After all...] Orphan may be a good word to use, but it isn't the right one. My parents...they didn't exactly died. Not really, [How to explain it to him without it sounding horrible?] My mom was too sickly to look after me and my sisters while my dad...he was too busy to do it neither. My grandmother raised me. She took me in when no one else wanted to. [She was the horid black sheep of her family alongside her cousin, Kitora.] ...sorry I gave you the wrong idea. It's just...this whole egg business reminded me of the way my relatives chose which of us to raise is all...

Yeah. I'm from Destiny Island. It's a small island in the middle of nowhere. There's only one village so everyone knows everything about everyone else. But it's peaceful and beautiful. [He huffs.] I spent so much of my time trying to get away from the island and yet once I couldn't go back I missed it like crazy. I'd only been back for a little while before Qri got a hold of me.

[And maybe that's another reason why he's not too keen on trusting Qri, aside from the kidnapping and the stealing of his Keyblade, he had finally gotten back home just to have is slip through his fingers again.

He can feel his mood growing morose so he does his best to shake it off, instead focusing on their conversation.]

Um, no. That's okay. It's been so long since I last attended a class that I would probably fail whatever kind of test you give me.

[He honestly thinks she means academic testing. Test him on survival skills and he'd pass with flying colors.]

I mean, it wouldn't hurt to help inform them. But they're not the most...receptive. At least, not in my experience. I've tried to explain a half a dozen different things to them and nothing seems to stick. Maybe if you gave it a try something would stick, miss tutor.

[He listens to her explanation in silence, his eyes glued to her face as she speaks. She doesn't appear (to him anyways) particularly sad as she explains her upbringing, but he can't help but feel that it must be hard on her to say.]

How could they do that? [The words come out before he can bite them down.] I'm sorry, I know it's not my place to pass judgement, but I don't understand how they could choose one child over the other. I can maybe understand choosing to raise your own child over someone else's, but to abandon your own child. [He snaps his mouth closed so hard his teeth make an audible 'clack' as they come together. He shouldn't be unleashing his frustration at her. It's not as if they're anything that can be done now.]

Why did you wanted to get away when it sounds like you love your home very much?

[His home sounded very small. A place where everyone knew each other so well. That can only be found in place with a handful of residents unlike in her island. Even though, she found his country to be small, she can't help feel a sense of envy in being part of a tight knit community. Everyone must live in unity. She couldn't blame him feeling the way he did. It was even more evident in his body language over not feeling thrill at the thought of having been taken away from his home after returning. The way his gaze looked so distant and peeved made her want to reach out to tug at the strand of his shirt to regain his attention, but it seemed he was able to take care of it after a while on his own.

It was a good thing he was able to change his moods. At least, she wanted to think so after listening to his response, which will leave her slightly confused.]

Huh? Where did all of that earlier bravado gone of to? You really...shouldn't sell yourself short! [Her attention will be squarely on him as she continues to point out.] Just because we're in a different world, it doesn't mean everything you learned from your own will go to waste. You should definitely believe in yourself a little more! Don't let your experiences go to waste!

[She didn't want him to look down on himself. It was clear as day that he had it -- the talent to do anything he set his mind to. As much as she likes to blame her bias in favoring him, it's difficult to gloss over his abilities to adapt, reason, and observe. There aren't many people who could read between the lines or notice important details as he has. People rarely listen.]

Ah, I may have found your problem! Tell me, when you were trying to explain to them those "a dozen different things", it didn't sound lectures, did they?

[The thought of Riku lecturing the Palai would have been an interesting sight to behod. She would've greatly enjoyed witnessing it. Just to watch the facial expressions he would've given them. After all, the Palai seem to be the type to enjoy any type of conversation with those from the coven. Why weren't they receptive with him when some of the Palai seem to adopt some of her ideas? Like using rock-paper-scissors as another way to barter, for example.]

...n-no, it's fine, you don't have to apologize over expressing your opinion.

[His apology and opinion will catch her slightly off guard. Why did he feel so passionately about it? Nike couldn't help feel very curious about it considering that, no matter how much she'll defend her family from many of the issues she had to endure from them throughout her childhood, there were times she wanted someone else to stand up for her. Just once. It would've been more than enough to appease her loneliness back then...]

It...was such a long time ago. I had forgotten all about it. [All said under the guise of a forced smile.] There was a reason behind it. For choosing between us back then. [There will be a pause as she decides to be as honest as she could with him. It was the first time she has ever told anyone about it. Very few outside of her family knew about it.] ...for one thing, it was my fault. My mother got badly hurt after giving birth to me. She used to be the best singer in my country. Being able to manipulate the weather perfectly. Just like the rest of my sisters could. Their songs were the best you'd ever hear. They had my mother's natural talent and grace. Which was something I didn't have back then. I wasn't born with the talent to do what they could. It was a very scary thing to happen when you're a direct descendant with the power to summon the rain. It's a family legacy. [Maybe she should explain her royal lineage, but decided against it as she didn't find it to be an important detail. Not yet, anyway.] ...I think everyone was afraid of my inabiity in learning to summon the rain naturally. It was something everyone naturally knew to do. Well, everyone except me and Kitora. I had to learn everything from scratch before I was able to do it on my own... [It took years of harsh training and discipline, but in the end she was able to overcome her inability to do it. The thought was enough to gain a proud smile as she happily points out.] I promise the story has a really good ending! It just took a lot of time and sacrifice to get there, but it was definitely worth it.

I wanted adventure. [His gaze becomes unfocused as he thinks back, remembering the times before the Darkness and the Keyblade, when he had such a strong feeling like he was meant for so much more then living on the island his whole life. It had needed seemed like enough.] I wanted to see what the rest of the world looked like. Meet new people. Experience something different. Island life just felt so boring and predictable, the same people doing the same thing every day, over and over. I wanted...more.

[He'd wanted it so badly he had been willing to trade his island away for it. But he doesn't say it. He doesn't think he will ever stop feeling guilty for the things he did in the past, but he knows that he's not that person anymore. And he doesn't want to tell Nike anything that would make her think badly of him.

Not yet.]

Being in a different world isn't the problem. All I've done for the past couple years is jump between worlds. I know how to adapt to that. So I have plenty of experiences but none of them involve things like math or science or whatever else you learn in a classroom.

[Riku doesn't respond to her question immediately, mainly because he's playing back in his head all the fruitless conversations he's had with the Palai where he's tried to explain something. And...okay so maybe he did get a little 'lecture-y' but the Palai can make even Sora look like he's got a good attention span.]

Um...well...maybe?

[He listens intently to her explanation, but he can't say that it makes him view her parents in an improved light.] I still don't think that's right. So you were born differently from the rest of your family, that's not necessarily a bad thing. And you were able to learn to do the same things as them anyways, which shows that they didn't even want to give you a chance before casting you off. [And...okay maybe he should stop rubbing it in. He doesn't mean to, but if he ever gets the chance to meet her parents he's going to have some words for them.] But...I'm glad things worked out for you. Sacrifice isn't always a bad thing, it can help people become who they are. It can make them better.

[It was interesting to listen to him talk about his desire for adventure. The way he talks about wanting to leave his island on his own free will instead of being forced to felt like a foreign concept to her. She has never thought about ever wanting to leave her island nor had any plans to. Not even when the wind and sky would tell her all types of interesting stories, it never motivated her in wanting to visit them. Could it be her and her family's connection to their world was the reason none of them ever had the desire to do anything other than remain in their home? Those simple desires of his intrigued her. Was it truly adventure or...?]

It sounds to me that you wanted freedom more than you wanted that sense of adventure. [All was said without a second thought. It's until she realizes she had spoken those thoughts out loud when she decides to bashfully add:] I-It's a really cool dream though. You're brave. In wanting to do that and even accomplishing it too. I don't think I would've ever been able to do that. Wanting to leave and all. I kinda envy it.

[To have him leave his island on his own, being his own decision, and desire was enviable. After all, it meant he had freedom and his own free-will. Something she lost three months ago after she was forced out of her country. One she never once had any desire to part away from. Once more her attention will be on the unborn child in her arms, realizing she had found one other reason against taking it with her.]

H-Huh!? [Okay, what was that about traveling to other worlds!? Did she hear him correctly? She really did, didn't she?] You're a world traveler too!? So then, when you said you were able to find a way out of your home, you didn't go to another country or something like that? [She had a lot of questions pertaining to that, but it was clear her mind was too blown away to ask. Instead she'll point out, while shaking her free hand.] ...I don't think any of those things are very important. I think you have a pass to forget all of that jargon.

[Just like he was given a free pass to continue speaking his mind. Somehow, she was beginning to notice an interesting trait he had, it was enough to get a genuine laugh out of her. Why was he reminding her so much of her grandmother? She couldn't help the urge to tease him.]

You really are an interesting guy! I never would've guessed that Hero had a nagging side to him. I'll have to be careful for now on. Although I wouldn't mind being at the receiving end of it... [No, seriously, she had clear interest in getting to see that side of his more often. It made her wonder if his fairness in treating others was the reason for it. She really wanted to get to know him better just for the chance on figuring him out. Her cheeks will begin to burn slightly as she decides to, well, open her heart a little to him for a quick moment.] Thank you for sticking up for me until the very end. It's...definitely a first for me. In having anyone do that. I only had Kitora and my grandmother on my side while everyone else had all lost hope in me. [There will be a pause as she considers her next words. How would he react to them? The true reason she had trained so hard.] The sky has always been my greatest supporter though. It never once abandoned me unlike everyone else. It was the only reason I decided to become a summoner. None of it was for my family or myself. It was to prove the deep love and gratitude I had for our connection. I became the best singer in my island once I defeated every single member of my family for the title. Even my sisters. I defeated all three at the same time.

[Although she admits it with a genuinely soft smile, it was clear none of that mattered to her, when the smile was filled with gratitude and affection, as it all meant for her precious sky back home. The one she was born and raised under. It was clear she cared about it more than anything else. Even if there was a different type of sky above her, one filled with water and all types of life, all she can see was the one from her home.]

[Freedom. The suggestion takes him a bit by surprise, which his expression doesn't hide, but it soon wears off as he gives her words some thought. Maybe she's right. It's one thing to want to travel the world seeking adventure, and quite another to feel so trapped by your surroundings that anywhere seemed better. And that's how he had felt growing up on Destiny Island, trapped. Suffocated. Stranded. He had poured so much of his time and energy into building a boat because he just knew there had to be something more out there for him. Maybe what he had really wanted was assurance that the stretch of his island wouldn't become his whole life.]

Hmm. Maybe you're right. I ended up getting plenty of both; freedom and adventure. But it wasn't an easy journey. I probably wouldn't have made it through if it weren't for my friends. I don't think either one of them had felt the same desire to get away quite like I did, and then they both got dragged along for the ride. [He chuckles, the sound a mixture of fondness and bittersweet. A reminder that they've been separated from Kairi again as well. And she had been the one to see him through the Darkness.]

It...wasn't bravery. [While he may not be ready to tell her everything, he doesn't want her getting the wrong impression of him either. She might call him 'Hero', but he hasn't always been worthy of the title.] I was just so afraid of being stuck there, never living up to the potential I saw in myself. I wanted to be more. It was selfishness.

Ah. The world hopping hadn't been intended...the first time. My friends and I had just planned to sail until we found land. But some stuff happened and Sora and I found out that we're Keyblade successors. [He helpfully adds.] People who are charged with protecting all the worlds from harm. Qri...um...took my Keyblade though. [A fact that he is most salty about.]

[He makes a face at the suggestion that he's naggy. He is no-well, okay. You don't grow up being Sora's best friend without having to give a couple...dozen lectures. The guy really needs things to be spelled out sometimes.] I can't help it if they don't seem to get it the first couple times I explain things. Not everything is interesting to listen to, but that doesn't make it less important.

[When he hears about her beating her entire family he can't help but grin.] You sure showed them. I'm glad. That'll teach them to not look down on you for being different. And maybe if there are any other children born into your family that way, they'll be given equal treatment too.

[It was difficult to interrupt him throughout his explanation just to add her own two cents about it. The way he spoke was honest while she felt there were details missing as well. Something she wasn't going to fault him for nor overly pry because it felt like he wasn't overly keen on telling her. Nike was content with the simple opportunity in getting to know him better. Learning more about the one she refers to as "Hero". There was a lot to fully take in, but she didn't miss a single detail.]

You have really good friends! For them to want to go on a journey alongside you, it isn't that you dragged them, it's because they wanted to be with you and share the same experiences you were going to go through. They wanted you to enjoy the journey you wanted to go on. I mean, you would've gone, even if they decided to not go along, right?

[No matter the struggles he must have gone through, after accidentally finding a way to world-hope, Nike wanted to believe in him. He wasn't a bad person. She didn't sense any malice from him. All she has notice about him was: he was carrying something heavy. Something about the way he was laughing, having put himself down several times, and looked so distant gave her that thought. What was he feeling now? She wanted to understand without him having to admit anything to her.]

Isn't that what people usually call ambition? There's nothing wrong in wanting more for your life than wanting to live a quiet one. It's okay to be afraid of the normalcy as much as the unknown too. No matter what choices you make, even the ones that are expected of you to follow because they're considered safer, can have an uncertain future. I still think it takes a lot of guts in trying to change your situation by taking a leap of faith without knowing the way everything will turn out! You could've always lied to yourself and given up, couldn't you?

[Although she says those things, Nike could tell her bias was bleeding through once more as she was now speaking from personal experience. Who was she to make those decisions for him? Somehow, she couldn't help want to defend him from himself. Something about the way he found to world-hop may be the source behind his feelings; otherwise he wouldn't keep that detail vague. If there was a reason for it, she wasn't going to pry, but instead she was going to point out.]

As you said, sacrifice isn't always a bad thing, it can help people become who they are. It can make them better.

[With a weak smile forming, Nike will get up from her seat, using her arm to cradle the egg while using her free hand to shake a finger a bit.]

Now you see what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a lecture? No one usually likes it, even if it is done for their own good. If you want people to listen and understand, you have to find a work around it.

[Holding onto the egg with both arms now, Nike will be reminded of her responsibilities when Riku mentions other children. The very thought of it will leave her thoughtful for reasons she doesn't wish to share. A piece of her wanted to pretend he never mentioned it. That's why she'll decide to.]

Well, if you really wanna congratulate me, why don't you help me look after this baby for just today? I may just treat you to hot chocolate if you do.

[Was she bribing him? Yes, yes, she was.]

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