(no subject)

[unicorn]

Challenge: [82] Crossroads
Title: Fair Trade
Word Count: 655
Notes: My dialogue is terrible, but I love the concept, so here! KHII spoilers.



"Riku!" The King's cheerful voice echoed oddly in the empty square. Traverse Town had never looked so bleak. "Gosh, it's too bad you couldn't meet me at a more cheerful place than..."

"It's not Riku." the figure interrupted. He had a low voice, harsh; Mickey's smile receded a bit, but lingered in his eyes.

"But I know it's you, Riku. We're connected, remember? Your heart hasn't changed." The figure paced without answering, and Mickey repeated with a touch of exasperation, "Riku!"

The hooded head jerked around with a hiss, and the unknown grabbed Mickey by the collar and yanked him up to eye level. His free hand pulled the hood back. "It's Ansem."

The King gazed into the golden eyes compassionately. Past them. "Welp, looks like Riku to me."

Riku closed his eyes for a long moment, fingers clenched, then put his friend down with a sigh and pulled the hood back up. Mickey tugged at his arm, insistent, until he sat down to let the shakiness pass.

"What happened?"

Riku leaned his head back. "I made a bad choice." He recieved a Royal Glare and winced. "Okay, a lot of bad choices. I'll see it through to the end, though." The hood would not cover enough of his face..."Don't tell Sora."

"I won't." Mickey blinked. "So he'll wake up soon?"

"He's probably up already." Riku hesitated, then lurched to his feet. "Dammit, I've stayed too long already, I should go."

"Wait! Isn't there anything I can do?"

A headshake. "It's my burden. But..." Mickey could hear a smile, tired as it was, "If you ever stop seeing Riku in here, feel free to come rescue me. I guess."

"Darn right," said Mickey warmly. Riku laughed a little at him, a strained sound in Ansem's voice. Mikey twitched at it. "Let me come with you."

"Mickey...Your Majesty...you can't. This is where our paths really divide." Riku gulped inadequately, struggling to live through the moment; the square was very still. "I'm sorry."

He braced for a reaction, but Mickey just looked at him with a strange sad grin, and grabbed his hand for a vigorous shake. "As long as the roads all meet up again in the end," he said softly. "I should go. They've been tracking me, and you don't want to get caught."

"Wait!" RIku fumbled something out of his pocket and slipped it into Mickey's hand. A heavy pouch, handmade. "Give this to Sora, all right? Don't tell him anything. And," the light tone covering agony, "if he wants to go to the beach with it, let him go. Okay?"

"I promise." Mickey looked grave, then gave a decisive nod and produced a whistle on a short silver chain. "And you take this, all right? You can call for help with it, if you need an extra paw." He smiled up at Riku, hoping to catch an answer in the darkness of his hood - yes, there.

"Sure." Riku paused for a moment, then broke their handclasp. "So. I guess this is...goodbye. Goodbye, Mickey." He wrenched himself around, took a step.

"See ya later!" the King corrected firmly. Riku coughed to cover his snort. It was an inevitable answer.

"Later, then." A beat. "And thanks." He took a few more steps away and raised his hand, the one Mickey hadn't touched; the mouse averted his eyes queasily as darkness swallowed him.

Mickey looked a long time at the place where he'd been before finally moving away. The square felt so much emptier without him. He'd been doomed to conflict when he'd started this journey a year ago, Mickey knew that, and yet...

"I shouldn't worry so much," he whispered. "There's always a door to the light."

He turned and walked off in the opposite direction, the divided road stretching out before his feet. He felt very small against the lengthening shadows, but that was all right, wasn't it? He remembered when they were bright.

Comments

[arclights.livejournal.com]

No, no, you're dialogue is wonderful!

Riku-Mickey interaction is so interesting to see, and I think you nailed it v. well. At the end of KHII, the extent of their cameraderie is so, so obvious, but it's something that was never really shown that often in-game (discounting CoM, though I wouldn't know because I'm lame and have yet to beat it).

Thtere's something about those last two lines that makes me break into a goofy grin. I'm kind of fascinated by this itty bitty mouse-king taking on Darkness itself, and I've certainly come to respect The Mouse in ways that I'd never imagined I would. It's nice to see his strength away from his keyblade, how sometimes he's just another (well, not human, er) being fighting off that feeling with hope.

Lovely job. <3

[unicorn]

I always feel like my prose is stronger, so that's great to hear! ^^

And everyone knows Mickey Mouse pwns everything. Psh. ♥

[arclights.livejournal.com]

Your prose wins, hon. Liek whoa.

Can you believe that I was initially never interested in KH because of the Disney involvement? Square isn't a company afraid to break your heart by putting a heaping buttload of angst into their storyline, but my biggest bitch with Disney since I was a kid was the fact that they felt the need to sterilize everything and make it kid-friendly. And I figured they would block the Square-ness of it so that they could market it to all the little kiddies. And while I enjoyed a lot of the Disney gang cartoons as a small one, I wasn't that attatched.

Man, I'm glad I got over myself. :D The Mouse is my hero.

[lazzchan.livejournal.com]

Very nice here-- just the interaction between them and Mickey being well....Mickey and not giving up on Riku. :)

...and ouch with the thing about the beach. You can just see how Riku felt so bad about that; about not letting Roxas go to the beach and so telling Mickey it's okay that Sora go instead....

[unicorn]

I always wondered exactly how bad Riku felt about that! I imagined it was pretty bad, because I give Riku credit for being a pretty good person, deep down.

[i-got-spunk.livejournal.com]

Mickey's char is spot on. I doubt Riku would ever grab him like that, but their interaction was otherwise great. Feel so bad for stupid Riku/Ansem/Xehanort's heartless/whatever.

[unicorn]

Mm, I see what you mean about Riku not grabbing him, but I sort of justified it in my head with the fact that Riku is really on edge in this. I mean, Mickey is one of his best friends, and more or less totally immersed in light...forcing himself to meet Mickey and let himself be judged has got to be almost as bad as meeing Sora. :P

[lynxgriffin.livejournal.com]

I absolutely love Riku and Mickey's friendship, this was a joy to read! And the way you threw in several other instances, such as Olette's pouch and Pluto following around Riku just added to it. :D

[unicorn]

I wanted to explain that whole "I promised Riku!" thing of Mickey's, since it never really got much screentime. Glad you liked it~ ♥

[schizo-niko.livejournal.com]

Lovely! That's the first fic I've read that explains the time when Riku gives the pouch to Mickey and they have that seriousface conversation. You pulled it off really well! :DD

Mickey doesn't get enough love!

[unicorn]

Really? It's the first time I have, either, but I thought maybe I've just been a lazy ficstalker lately. Mickey definitely needs more love. XD

Glad you enjoyed!

[tabitha-dornoc.livejournal.com]

"If you ever stop seeing Riku in here, feel free to come rescue me. I guess." You won me over right there. It's so bittersweet, hesitant and Riku. Both the characterizations are very strong here, and there's so many little nods towards gameplay. Like "if he wants to go to the beach with it, let him go" and the whistle!

This is playful, clever and serious all at once, which is rather impressive I think. Very nicely done!

[unicorn]

Eeee, I'm so flattered~ ♥ I always feel like I have trouble developing character through dialogue, so I'm so glad you liked it!

[kastia.livejournal.com]

Awww,
That was so sweet...
And the dialogue was beautiful, and very believable
Well done :)