Utopia

[Reno]

"Please... go back home." Came the whimper from Sora, the brunette looking back in despair, hardly able to see Riku from the way his vision was blurring. This was only his first night and he was already suffering so! What would happen in a few days, when he realized there was nothing to eat?


Terra was bending over one of the tunnels, tediously stabbing the shedding claw of a dragon into the mound of dirt and shoveling it away. For now, until they had a new plan, his father had ordered the most important thing was to get their tunnels back into order if they wanted to be able to hunt efficiently again. But without Hayner the process was sure to be long and hard. And with Ienzo also gone, there was no one left to make anything clever to make the job easier.

He rubbed away the sweat from his work, remembering something ironic.
"The fuck is this?" Terra said, looking at the odd... contraption that had been made from bones and guts.
"He used it to climb I believe." The murderous retorted, holding the tip in his claw so it stood up like it had over his body.
"He made this?" He whispered more to himself as he gripped the edge and climbed it up to his dragon's claw, finding it to be sturdy. How useful would this be to use in the tunnels?! "Ingenious..."
He sighed, realizing of all the people he took from the Flyer's it was the same type as what Ienzo was to his people. The creator.

His head rose however when he heard a yell from his Uncle, rolling his eyes as he thought he probably was whining over a stubbed toe.

And then he heard gibberish and his heart jumped into his throat. He jumped to his feet and ran from the tunnel he had been working on, hurrying down it and seeing Ven pinned up against the wall, frightened and his uncle looking ready to stab his throat and yelled. "WAIT UNCLE, DON'T HURT HIM!"
How did he get here? Where was Atteris?!
Hunting, his mind automatically provided.

His uncle shot him an incredulous look and he was glad he was a quick thinker. "He's supposed to be here." He stressed, and while the man yelled his eyes darted to meet Ven's just silently asking him to play along. "I'm not mad! Just listen to me for a moment. He's the Fliers' inventor. And since we've lost our digger and inventor... well I took him. So he could rebuild our tunnels."


"Xiu...?" Roxas asked, seeing the dragon shift it's head at his voice. He stood up then hissed, stumbling back into bed when his legs refused to cooperate. Well, it appeared he probably wasn't going to be going very far today. He mentally cursed his weakness, then glanced back at the dragon, "Axel told you to stay here and watch for Van, huh?"

[Rikugurl]

Riku's brows pinched and he suddenly stood, his feet already dirty from the floor. He grabbed Sora and pulled him close, feeling how his body shook. "No Sora, I won't leave. I want to be here, with you, by your side. I'll die if I have to but I can't... I won't go home." He buried his face into the dusty hair, holding him even tighter.


Ven's eyes widened when he heard what the brunette said. How did he know he was...
"---well I took him. So he could rebuild our tunnels."
"HATW!? OS OUY REA SINGU EM!? ASTARDB!" The Flyer yelled, trying to break free of the one eyed man before him, holding him down with just one hand. How weak was he!?
"Are you SHITTING me, Terra!? I was worried when you swallowed that..." The golden eye glanced back at the flyer before looking back at the younger man, "when you got Atteris but NOW you have gone completely insane. It is orders, by your FATHER that all Flyers should be killed on sight! He'll fucking try and kill us in our sleep!"

The man paused before growling. "Wait, does Hatori even know about this?" He nodded his head over to Ven.


The red dragon nodded slightly then looked back at the door. He wasn't too thrilled about it either. He was a fighter, not a baby sitter. Luckily, he didn't have to wait too long before the rags pulled away and the tall, lanky man came into the room. The green met the blue and the hunter gave his pupil a small smile. "Ah, you're awake." The redhead stepped over his dragon's tall, walking closer to the bed. "I was speaking to your father about the raid. He would like to do it in a few more moons." He informed, placing his hands on his thin hips. "Unfortunately, with your brother... gone, I will be up in front... and... the one to distract the Murderous."

[Reno]

"B-But..." Sora stuttered, having to sniff back some of his tears, trying to keep his voice under control. "Riku this is just the start. The lack of food, water... and the spell."
"The spell?" Riku repeated, confused.
"The big storm that determined our age. The one that lasts for half a moon cycle." Sora sniffed, pulling away, "I'm sure you've seen it. When the winds are whipping so hard all the animals are hidden and dragon's can't even fly. Where you can't see anything outside because of all the dust and dirt. No one can hunt and often no one can even gather water... I've gone through sixteen spells you know. They're... the absolute worst."


Terra's eye narrowed, frowning at the other's chastising tone. Well, well, what a surprise, he was back to being a jackass. "Well, no - BUT give me the benefit of the doubt here! Some of my crazier ideas work out in the end! And Atteris has been watching him every second!" He tried not to fidget as Xigbar glared at him. "Well uh, heh almost every second."


"What?! NO!" Roxas practically screamed and pain or not, he stood, stumbling again. At least Axel was there to catch him. "There is NO WAY you are going against the Murderous! I won't allow it!"
"It's your dad's order-"
"Fuck his orders!!!!" The blonde screamed, his body shaking. "I'M NOT LOSING YOU!"

[Rikugurl]

Riku shook his head, his eyes lidding open to look out over the brown spikes. "I won't leave, Sora. Either you come with me or I stay here and mother will kill you if you come so there is no other choice. I will deal with the suffering... for you. You said I was all you needed and you're all I need."


The elder man narrowed his eye at Terra, the blonde still wiggling in his hand. "I'm bringing him to Hatori." He finally said, suddenly dragging the blonde off down the tunnel, his gibberish following the whole way.


"Roxas, get a hold of yourself!" The warrior snapped, grabbing onto Roxas tightly before helping him sit back on the ground. "If I don't, how else will? I am the only one fit enough to do it, and you know it." The man sighed and looked away. "I'm our people's hunter, Roxas. This is my role... this is what I do. Xiu and I am the only one who can face the Murderous. We're running out of people..."

[Reno]

"What?!" Terra cried, but hurried after, "Xigbar!" But there was no stopping this. He had to hope he had learned a thing or two about persuasion from his late lover. They weren't even inside the large den before he could hear growls of his father's Skullion, no doubt smelling the 'threat' of Ven. His uncle gave a yell, telling Hatori 'to keep that damn thing back!' before they entered.

Terra's eyes swept the den. His mother, sitting up against her dragon and looking wary, dragon hide in her lap she had no doubt been sewing together. His father, one hand on his dragon to keep him from charging forward, a limp weapon in his hand that fingers tightened around at the sight of the blonde. Silence, for three seconds.

Then, "What the fuck is going on here?"
"Ask your son!" Xigbar snapped back and then all eyes were on him.
Terra took a deep breath and said, "This is Ven. He's going to be our new inventor."


The brunette tried to shake his head, then finally sighed, realizing the inevitable. "I'd rather be the one to die than you..." He whispered. It made Riku jolt, but he clarified, "My death would be swift, over in seconds... Riku yours will take a long, agonizing time..." He swallowed harder when Riku refuted that by saying that at least they would be together longer.
He sat there, staring at the floor for a time, before finally saying, "I... think it's time... you met my family."


"NO ONE can go up against the murderous, you idiot!" Roxas snapped, "You can outrun it and if you can't... it's a death sentence!"
Axel was a little red in the face and it looked like they were on the verge of an argument when the dinner bell rang. It made them both freeze and look at each other in confusion - neither of them had hunted. How could it be food was found?

Roxas, having to have Axel's help down the hall even if he was still pissed, didn't have time to really dwell on anything at all though. It wasn't the dinner bell for once - it was just the only thing one could probably think of to get his people to gather quickly.

And the reason they had to gather quickly... made Roxas' breath catch in his throat. He even hardly noticed Van against such a person, so beautiful and tall and he seemed to glow a little bit among them.
In the silence, where everyone just stood and stared, and no one could find words for what was happening, Sora looked around quite nervous. And, vaguely, Roxas noted that he was holding the horn. Then he turned to the one beside him and how dare he smile at a Divine!! before looking at them all again and announcing in a voice that somehow was so casual and not even in the right tongue, "Everyone, this is Riku. He has come beyond the Crater... because he wishes to join us."

[Rikugurl]

"He's what?" A soft voice came from the back of the room, though it had no tenderness to it. The woman stood, carefully placing down what she was working on to walk up to her husband, not worried about his dragon. He was nothing more that a large feline once you got to know it. "Terra, what is all this. This man is certainly a SkyFlyer. What is he doing in our clothing? Ienzo's at that and how do you know he's an inventor?" When Terra was about to speak she rose her hand and shook her head. "He is our enemy, Terra. You are a smart boy but this is just a little over the top, don't you think? If we use Skyflyers as our slaves, we will never be granted into the Promised Land. And worse, if the Skyflyers find out we have one of them prisoner here, they will certainly call up a raid and we cannot afford another one right now."

She looked away from her son towards the blonde who was still struggling the best he could. "And besides, he doesn't even know our language. It's impossible."


Everyone in the dining tower had large eyes and made sure the circle around the Divine and their foolish member, Sora, was far enough not to dishonor any of them from the grace before them. When Sora spoke, some of the people cowered back, some gasps echoing across the walls. The glowing aquamarine eyes look out at the dirty, thin, rugged people, seeing their faces in shock, awe and especially fear. A man and woman who stood close to each other, he could tell they were the leaders due to the man's hair color and their blue colored eyes. As he looked around, when his eyes caught one of another, they would move away as if he would harm them in a blink of an eye.

Riku knew he had to speak.
"Hello everyone." Instantly, everyone gasped, hearing the old tongue come from such a Divine creature. Did he know all the languages? Was it a power of his?
"My name is Riku and it is true. I have come to join you for I have seen your suffering. I have... I have come here to help you all find passage to the Promise Land." He paused, the words stuck in his throat because he knew he could not lie but he could not tell them the complete truth that he had no idea how to do this. His eyes closed and he smiled, knowing that there was one thing he could say. "I know you are good people."

[Reno]

Be the wolf.
"He knows it." Terra said, not missing the scandalized, horrified look Ven shot him. "I've been teaching him." He quickly added.
"You've been what?!" Hatori growled but Terra didn't shake under his father's furious voice. But even the Flyer could see this was a man you should never, ever infuriate. "Have you gone fucking mad?!"
"No." Terra said calmly, though his insides felt like the sun was boiling them. He stood up tall, looking between his mother and father. "I don't propose to enslave him - I propose we make him one of ours! It's not as if the Flyer's will ever know he's here - they'll just think we ate him!"
"And that will start another raid!"
"So?!" Terra growled right back, "I thought we were Chasers, I thought we were brave. I'll face them all alone if I have to! It's not like Atteris can die!!"
"No, but you can!" His mother protested.
"Like he'd let that happen. And Ven..." Terra said, glancing at Ven, trying to wordlessly plead for some help. "He wants to help us. He has more food here and water. He's safer." He stressed the last word, meeting the blonde's eyes and he wasn't sure if he was trying to trick Ven or was honestly asking him when he said, "You don't want to go back home, do you?"


In the wake of his words, there was only more silence, more surprise, more staring. Sora squared his shoulders and spoke up as well, his voice confidant and hopeful and despite everything believed every single thing he was saying, "Riku is the answer to our prayers." Eyes, most of them accusing, bared down at him and he didn't cower at the looks, "Don't look at me like I've done something wrong! Riku came to me - and is now coming to all of us to help! Are you all so frightened and arrogant you won't accept it?!"
He waited for something, anything to happen, and jsut when his throat was getting tight with frustration when no one spoke, finally a voice came.
"Hyw...." His mother hesitated, but even as Jet grabbed onto her shoulders as if to prevent her, she didn't stop. She had always been outspoken and, often to many, foolish. Sora loved her and her bravery more than ever right that moment. She even corrected her language! "Why now?" She met Riku's gaze though it was a struggle for her to do so. "Why are we being graced now, when for years we haven't had any answer at all?"

[Rikugurl]

Ventus stared at the brunette, who his elder brother told to stay away from, to run from. He knew his brother wouldn't say it in those words but he always listened to Sora when it came to something with emotions. He was like the leader of them for Divine sake! His eyes were weary and terrorized, full of distrust panic. He knew though that if he didn't play along, either Terra or this man named Hartori would kill him. He swallowed hard, nearly choking on his tongue before looking away and down at the floor. He did want to go home, he di---
"You're mine brother... you'll always be mine."
"N-n-no..." He stuttered, shaking his head.

"This is madness! A Skyflyer can't become a Chaser!"
"Why not?" Ida challenged, making her lover's brother frown, taking in a deep breath.
"He was obviously captured, making him no better than an Unbroken. We need more people any way, especially now with our top members gone. We can't afford any more loses, you're right but we can stand to gain more and if this Flyer gives us his word that he will do as he's told and proves himself trustworthy and helpful, then he shall be one of us." Her blue eyes rolled towards her son again. "Terra, it is up to you to keep moon and sun watch on him. He is not to be alone. Ever. Not until we can completely trust him."

She glanced at her lover then back at the blonde. "I don't want you to teach him elaborate tongue though. Keep it simple for now so he knows all the key words. If he is here, sent by his own people, we don't want him to learn too much about us." The woman, so delicate and frail, suddenly gave a grin as wicked as the Murderous itself. "Not like he would get away to tell."


Riku turned to the voice, seeing the woman step up some, her lover trying to hold her back. Riku rose an arm and instantly, the man allowed her to go, stepping back some.
He thought for a moment, thinking of the right thing to say before a smile graced his lips. "Because, all good things come to those who wait. I was young but for many years I would look out towards your home and I would watch your dragons fly out and return. I wished on many stars that I could meet you people and I too had to wait for the day that I would fly from my home into your land. That is when I met this single Skyflyer." He said, slowly looking at Sora. "I could see the purity in him, the innocence and the joy that I knew still lived here."

[Reno]

"I understand." Terra said.
"You make sure you do!" Hatori said, his red eyes narrowing on the Flyer with malice laced in every bit of iris. "If he steps out of line even once, if there is even just the littlest suspicion he is shaping into a full-blooded Chaser, that will be that."
As if I'd let that happen. Terra hissed in his own mind, a brief deviance in his mind of fighting off his own family to keep his bunny safe. He shook it off just as quickly - why was he so possessive, and nodded, "I know."
And finally, "....Let him go Xigbar."
Terra could have sighed in relief as he hurried over to Ven. "Come on," He said, pointing as well towards the door and it took a little nudging to get Ven to walk in front of him.
"Terra."
They paused and the threshold and the son looked back at his father. "Yes?"
"You better prey to Divine nothing goes wrong, or it will be on your head."
He couldn't find a response, just nodded slowly and continued on. Once they were a good distant away he finally relaxed. "Well, that could of gone worse I suppose..."


Runa's eyes darted to her eldest son, who was blushing. My little Sora...? She glanced back at Jet, wondering if everything was such a true blessing, before she nodded to Riku then, "I see... Then what do you wish from us to be done?"

[Rikugurl]

"It IS going to be worse!" The blonde suddenly snapped, pushing the taller, stronger man away with some kind of strength that he gained out of nowhere. "Because YOU'RE going to get me out of here." Dark, fierce blue eyes looked up at the other, a twitch in his growling mouth. "I haven't forgotten about what you've done to me! My brother came to me in a dream last nigh to remind me just what you did! You made me eat my.... my best friend! MY BEST FRIEND!" He shouted, almost loud enough to carry up into the den. "I loved Verrill and you killed him, right in front of my eyes!" He didn't flinch when he was slammed into the wall, the brunette reminding him that he saw the same thing by Ven's hand. They were merely even. "But I didn't make you eat him. I didn't whip you or chased you down or had some violent, man eating dragon watch your every move. I didn't make you lose any pride you had left by making you soak your only clothes in your waste. WE ARE NOT. FUCKING. EVEN!"


Riku gave her another smile and bowed his head slightly. "You do not need to do anything at this time except for wait just a little it longer. It is my turn to aid you, you have done more than enough. If I need your assistance for anything, I will let you all know. Until then, please, do not fear me. I wish you no harm."

[Reno]

"You're such a fucking idiot!" Terra snapped right back, having no trouble keeping the boy against the wall even as he yelled and growled at him like some slithering snake dragon. "Will you stop it?! What do you know about anything?! About the way I feel?! You took away the man I loved from me. I'm never getting him back!"
"I'm never getting Verrill back either! Oh wait, yeah I will! When I shit him out because HE'S IN MY STOMACH!"
"Will you -ugh, you're so vile! I never made you eat him, stupid!" He covered Ven's mouth as he practically screamed at him, "Shut up and listen, why don't you! It wasn't dragon meat! It was rat meat. I knew if I told you it was your dragon, you'd have no choice but to react and I'd know if you understood me or not." He pulled away his hand and backed away, "I'm heartbroken - not twisted, alright?" The blonde looked at him warily, before snapping why should he believe him. It was enough to make Terra's blood boil. "Look, I just busted my ass saving your life back there. I've been feeding and clothing you. I lied to my family for you. You better damn well give me the benefit of the doubt, because last time I checked I didn't owe you a damn thing!"


Runa nodded slowly, before glancing back at her husband who had yet to say anything. Maybe he was still wrapping his mind around all this. she sighed, patiently, then looked all around, "Everyone, you are to treat Riku here with the utmost respect and will attend to any need he has immediately, understood?" There were slow, tentative nods. Some of them were even becoming less frightened and more awed.

It made Sora smile, before he added with his ever cheerful tone, because things were working out great so far! "And don't forget to say hello! He doesn't bite you know!"

[Rikugurl]

The blonde blinked, then his whole expression changed, looking marveled. "Oh.... oh wow. I-I didn't... I didn't realize..."
There was a pause.
"Realized what?"
"THAT YOU WERE A FUCKING DIVINE! Oh... I mean.... giving me the necessities of life? T-that is so kind of you. And... yea, these clothes are great." The blonde tugged on them with a smile. "Gee, you are the kindest person I ever did meet. You sacrificed so much for me. I am so sorry that I was so upset about you turning my life into a living hell for who knows how many moons, not sparing me death or any other sort of relief whatsoever. No, now that you explained it all to me, I guess I am pretty stupid." He chuckled, seeing how Terra's face was twisting in pure rage. "You're completely right, I should totally give you the benefit of the doubt."

The blonde sucked in a breath, giving the brunette a cute look. "And I know this is really going to sound a little selfish, I know, but as a Divine, please hear me out. You have just done so much for me so I really shouldn't be asking buuuuuut if you could answer my wishes that I kept asking me while you were, you know, torturing/helping me and just kill me, that would be great because I'd rather die than become a LandChaser. That way, with me gone, you no longer have to do such nice things for me."


As the group slowly backed away, their eyes fixed on the glowing being before them, it was Roxas who gasped next when the redhead left his side to walk up towards the man. "Divine... Riku? If you shall be staying with us, I believe it would be proper for your to have your own quarters. I am... Axel, hunter of the Skyflyers and I would be more than honored if you take my tower. It is the highest in the ruins so you will be able to overlook the... Promised Lands. I will move my things to Roxas's room as he is my pupil and has one of the larger towers due to his mount."

[Reno]

He was actually trembling he was that angry. What an insensitive, no-good, non-appreciative SON OF A BITCH! His fingers were clenched into hard fists and, knowing this conversation was going to be a lot longer, reaching out and grabbed Ven, twisted one arm behind him and gripping the back of his neck, guiding him not too kindly down the tunnels back to his room. Atteris, already knew to be there, was picking his teeth with a fresh bone.
Terra threw Ven in his den, not caring as he stumbled and finally snapped. "What the fuck do you want from me? I'm sorry? Because you started this shit! You're not sorry, so why the fuck should I be?!"
Ven turned to look at him, snapping back that he didn't want anything but to be dead.
"Why are you so desperate to die?!" Terra threw out his hands, before running them through his hair animatedly. "What would be so wrong with being a Chaser! It's not like being a fucking Flyer was rewarding you. You were being hurt and no one was there to help you - or stop it! And now you just want to die?! To let him win?! Fuck, you Flyer's ARE cowards!"


And that was what happened. Sora was surprised his brother had nothing to say about it - perhaps it was Riku's presence, but in a weird way he could almost imagine his face... was one of relief? He didn't get it, but that was fine. "Just give them some time. They'll relax around you eventually." He told Riku as he pushed aside the rags so Yue could enter the now barren tower room. He turned towards the silverette, "There's uh... something else Ri... There are plenty of bugs for Yue but you know we don't have fruit or anything. You're um... you're gonna have to eat meat."

[Rikugurl]

"OH FUCK YOU! I DIDN'T START SHIT!" The blonde screamed, getting back to his feet, dusting himself off. "IF HE DIDN'T DIE, I WOULD HAVE AND THERE IS THIS THING WE ALL HAVE CALLED REFLEXES THAT GO OFF WITHOUT YOUR MIND TELLING YOU TO DO IT!" His face a beat red, his eyes dark and actually watering. "DO YOU THINK HE WOULD BE SORRY IF HE KILLED ME LIKE HE WAS PLANNING ON DOING!? NOOOOOO!!! I was TRYING to kill my fucking brother but your lover got in the way. NOT MY FUCKING FAULT! AND DO YOU NEED YOUR FUCKING HEAD EXAMINED!?" His voice was now stressed, his throat hurting and he was sure Terra's ears were too but he obviously didn't care. "We are living in a fucking waste land! WHO THE FUCK DOESN'T WANT TO DIE!? DON'T YOU TALK TO ME LIKE YOU HAVE ALL THE FUCKING ANSWERS!"

He was panting now and finally he turned away, walking towards one of the walls. "My brother may have raped my body... but you raped my mind and since that is all I really have left..." He swallowed and tried not to blink as the warm liquid ran down his cheeks, his nostrils flaring to try and keep his crying back in his throat.


Riku looked around the room, seeing that there wasn't much left but a bed and some wood in the fire pit. He and Sora arrived just when Yue fluttered in, finding this room a good size but it wasn't home. With a little love, this place could be... manageable.
The silverette turned to face Sora, giving him a smile and a nod. "I understand." He looked away, glancing around the room again. "It was kind of your hunter to lend me his tower but..." His eyes laid on Sora's then. "I wanted to share a bed will you again." Gracefully, the brightly hued man walked closer to the Flyer, leaning down and cupping the chubby cheeks, pressing a loving smile on his lips.

[Reno]

"Pfff please." Terra said rolling his eyes, rubbing one of his ears that were ringing. "If you ask me there wasn't much in there anyways." He looked away however, wondering about that. Was he really telling the truth? Could he really believe that it was all a mistake - that he was trying to get rid of his sibling who was hurting him?
Yes... Yes he could.
"Then why were you so desperate to go home to him before? Just because he asked?" The blonde shook his head and, for some reason, actually told him it was another brother - his eldest. The one he could always trust. And hearing that... Terra started to laugh.
"THE FUCK IS SO FUNNY?!"

Still chortling, Terra shook his head, "Well let's see if your brain can comprehend this. I find it very ironic that, when I read you a story just the night before about a wolf who takes the appearance of another to trick his prey, that your mind is probably doing the same thing." He looked about, waving a hand, "It's in here somewhere. Subjective learning or something of the sort. Your mind subconsciously is telling you to go home because I'm sure your brother - the one who hurts you - has always told you some shit like that." He shook his head turning around. "Nevermind that. Listen I'm not killing you. That's my decision. You can find a way to kill yourself if you'd like just make sure not to dirty the books. But you know what - you're wrong. I want to live. Trying to get to the crater is worth living for."
The blonde snorted, mentioning how Divine has forsaken them. Terra looked back, a little surprised. "Well no shit. You Flyer's are finally figuring that out? But so what? So she's fucking saying no to us getting in. That doesn't mean we can't try to take it anyways." He walked over, Atteris shifting out of the way and as he walked out he looked back, smirking, "Heh, for all the shit you say about us, you sure do think like a Landchaser." And then he was gone.


"Well, no one ever said I couldn't visit." Sora giggled as they pulled away, his blue eyes bright as he lent up for another kiss.