What: A little glimpse into what happened afterward.
Where: Organization space. Home.
When: A few months later.
Why: Just because you forget something doesn't mean it's gone.

( He'd been climbing most of the day. )

[Riku's all packed. he gathered the important things up in a small duffel bag earlier before vacating his suite. it was hardly fair of him to occupy the space when a family of extraterrestrials that looked startlingly like squirrels arrived, much to their mutual surprise.

he's been...avoiding everyone a little since Orion's announcement. using up his day wandering the ship. compared to many of the passengers, he's normal, even plain.

it's the first time in a long time that he's gone through a crowd unnoticed. it leaves him to his thoughts, so lost in his recollections and wonderings that he's a little startled to find himself at his favorite tea shop on the shopping level. the simple, elegant decor and tiny space are shockingly different when occupied by real people.

he hesitates, uncertain, then gathers his composure and takes a seat at one of the empty tables. he orders his usual brew, smiling at the human employee.

when his steaming cup arrives he takes a slow sip, eyes closed as he savors the flavor. he knows he won't have this kind of peace again, not for a long time. if at all.

he sets his cup back down, fingers wrapped around the smooth, warm surface. he watches the liquid ripple between the sloped rims, his reflection just barely visible on the murky surface.]

I guess it's time to go.

[Riku's looking much better than he did the last time we saw him. having a job to do helps a lot with that.

he's in his kitchen, putting together yet another meal for the people currently inhabiting his suite, Orion included. he's obviously got something on his mind, though, from the look on his face. he's mumbling to himself while he carefully nudges several slices of bacon back and forth on the skillet]

There had to have been something. He's perfectly stable right now. Exhausted and stressed, but nothing's wrong with him mentally that I can see. So there had to be some kind of event that triggered a change.

If we can just prevent that--omph![he's interrupted mid-sentence by a loud, panicked squeal and a very terrified and slightly singed pig leaps off the stove and knocks a very surprised Riku off his feet before scampering into the suite at large.

Riku sits up on the floor a few seconds later, looking dazed] ...was that a pig?

[Riku is...having some trouble. he's very, very hungry, and he's at least made it to the shopping level. it was where he was at the time of the change, much to his good fortune. he doesn't quite fit in the transporter pads and stairs...let's not talk about his attempts to get through the stairs.

oh, and by the way? he's a horse. a nice pretty white one, but a horse just the same.

his Sphere catches him in the middle of yanking bags off shelves with his teeth, awkwardly trying to tear them open. he's not having much success]

...this would be much easier if I had thumbs.

[gives up eventually, hanging his head and mumbling, quite unaware that his Sphere is on] This would be much easier if I were a chocobo.

[it's kind of obvious in the way Riku addresses the Sphere that he she doesn't fancy talking to the ship at large when they're having such...problems, but she feels that it's become necessary]

I think before we get ahead of ourselves about this...problem...there's something that strikes me as odd.

This happened very suddenly, didn't it? To everyone? Usually that's always preceded by the captain saying something, or something happening. Other than another level opening up, nothing happened.

I'm not sure what this means, but it may be important.

[she's pacing back and forth in her suite as she talks, in pants and a top that are much too big for her, long hair loose all the way down her back.

Riku doesn't exactly know how to braid hair very well]

So that jerk Orion doesn't remember a thing. I should have known! Once I get my hands on him I'll-!

[...Riku stops right there, looking confused. he got on the network to discuses Orion, yes, but that...wasn't exactly how he was going to go about it.

he shakes his head, frowning and continuing with deliberate slowness] ...what I meant to say was that I'm not surprised the commander doesn't remember what happened. Right before we entered the black hole his behavior suggested that he expected he was going to forget.

We might be able to help him remember if we can talk to him and he doesn't act like we're stupid or something. We remembered this time! Him and his old man don't know who they're dealing with!

... [stops again, looking spooked]


((OOC: Riku just so happens to be channeling Naruto!))

It appears these voices are another widespread event, initiated by the captain's whims. I doubt this is a surprise to anyone.

[Riku's trying to work, in spite of the voices whispering in the background. it sounds a little bit like him, only younger. not quite a child anymore...maybe early teens] I stopped because I would've hurt him if we kept going! This wasn't a fair match!

Although something we need to think about is why this didn't happen to the captain, and why hasn't anything happened to him. Is it just because he didn't want it to? That seems strange, considering he was the one who started reminiscing in the first place.

I...I know it's supposed to be like a real battle, but-!

[Riku rubs his eyes beneath his glasses, looking very tired indeed] If we follow that vein of thought, we could possibly assume that the captain, or the area around the captain, is for some reason not affected by whatever holds sway over the ship. In which case if we can get to him, he won't be able to use these phenomena to stop us.

...that's not fair. Just because he's not as good as everyone else...it's not...I won't do it! I won't!

[Riku's jaw tightens up, eyes dark, and he gets up, starting to pace. he makes a point to avoid going into his bedroom or washroom, where the mirrors are. there is silence for a moment or two, and Riku waits, as if expecting something]

I...no, sir. No. I remember. I understand.

Yes, sir.

[he sighs very deeply, taking off his glasses and tiredly rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand]

I think...ah, I need some help.

[the visual feed is completely dark. all any passenger can really hear is Riku's voice, a constant humming sound, and fabric rustling against metal] I was trying to put one of my smaller shirts on and something came at me from behind. I think it was one of the laundry robots.

It's too dark to see and I can't find an exit. I'm assuming I'm inside the laundry compartment in the robot. I don't want to risk trying spells in an enclosed space, so--[there's a loud bump, then a bang, followed quickly by low curses from Riku] I need someone to help me get out of here.

I'm not sure where I am right now but I've got a pretty good idea where we're going.

[for someone that is about to potentially be dumped in literally hot water - or who knows what else; just how DOES the ship do laundry? - he sounds surprisingly calm]

[Riku looks a little tired. it seems he's spent the last several days getting his room back in order, and pouring over his notes. it was only by pure happenstance that he had his notebook on him when the reset occurred.

he's at his desk, surrounded by scattered papers, with neat piles of reference manuals and books on either side of him.

after a while he finally puts his pen down, taking a deep breath before getting to his feet to address his Sphere]

Well, everyone...I think the facts are pretty clear. For whatever reason, we didn't forget that it was a black hole that causes this time loop. I'm not entirely sure why; the only theory I have at this time concerns Commander Orion.

[he begins to pace, hands behind his back] I know we were...occupied when most of his transmissions occurred, but I did have my Sphere constantly recording, so I was able to review them. We have proof the Orion is the captain's son. I'm not sure what that says about his actions against him. I don't know what would drive someone to kill their own father. But on the other hand, I think we should put that information aside for the time being.

What's important is that apparently up until just before the loop started over, Orion believed that we were hallucinations, which explains his erratic actions, first helping us, then seemingly oblivious to us. It is my belief that his realization is what has allowed us to retain our memories. I don't have an explanation for how, except that his mental processes are as tied to these anomalies as the captain's are.

[he stops at his desk, rubbing the back of his neck, looking tired, brows furrowed] It's also clear that he knows, or thinks he knows, the cause for all of this and that somehow makes it necessary for us to remember everything that happened.

I think from this point on, we need to keep all of this and mind and act as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

[he takes another deep breath, then shuts the notebook on his desk]

But before all that...I wanted to ask if anyone would like to attend a ship-wide picnic in the dome.

[Riku has setup base camp in...looks like he's in the library, actually. he must have pilfered a tent from the shopping level at some point, as he's got it set up between the shelves near the back, supplies on a table next to it.

he's not looking that great, though, big dark circles under his eyes. he's trying to write in his notebook, but keeps having to stop to yawn and rubs his face. eventually, he looks at his Sphere, a deep frown tugging at his lips]

Is anyone else having trouble sleeping? Since this started, I mean.

[it's only by chance that Riku sees the anomaly. he was up in his room, putting some things away, before he remembers that he left a med kit back on level twenty-four.

he steps off the transporter and stops short, taking in the vista of destruction in front of him, which is still slowly advancing forward]

What...is this?

[he doesn't stay frozen for long, spinning around and sprinting back to the transporter]

Something's coming!

A black hole. Again. I'm so close to figuring out each time, but why can't I--[Riku cuts off, frustration clear in his expression, but there are a few more immediate things to worry about]

For anyone who lost their barcode, the kitchen in my suite will be open all day if you need anything to eat. I've got plenty and I don't have a problem with making meals for anyone who asks. It's on level twenty, Elara Suite. The door will be open.

[Riku's already busy whipping up things to eat, in fact, simple sandwiches and bowls of sliced fruit alongside bottles of water and juices.

the watermelon apron kind of stands out, but it was all he had on hand]

I'm willing to try to heal any of the burns, or at least try to treat them.

Please stop following me.

[clank clank clank]

I have no idea how to take care of a horse.

[clank clank clank. Riku clanks into view; the source of all the noise has to be the armor he's wearing that's causing all the noise. he's got a rather nice sword strapped to his back, but he's not using it at the moment.

he's trying to walk away from something very quickly]

I'm very busy. I don't have any, uh, horse food. So just...stay. Stay.

[the horse doesn't listen, walking up to him and nudging his shoulder.

Riku sighs. a lot]

[Riku, for his part, has headed for the forest as well. he's staying clear of the path for a moment, lingering around a pond instead. he has his notebook out, quickly jotting down information even as he addresses the Sphere]

I think for sure we're dealing with another reality this time. I don't know how that elevator can connect to this place, but at this point I doubt we're going to get any kind of explanation for it.

[he frowns - an expression he's had pretty frequently lately - looking out at the water]

I wish we had been able to follow Orion instead.

[his frowning is interrupted by a his own encounter with a squirrel. the things certainly do seem to be friendly. it's only a few feet away, watching him, tail twitching]

... [he ignores it and goes back to his notes] But there's no use worrying over something we couldn't do. I'm more concerned with actually finding the captain this time. There's a lot of ground to cover, a lot more than we ca--[Riku is not expecting the attack when it comes. a blur of red shoots up his pant leg, clamors over his shirt, snatches his glasses, and launches itself off his shoulder and onto the nearby tree] H-HEY! My glasses! You-!

[but of course, Mr. Blind as a Bat can't even see where the thing went]

[Riku, having gotten off his "job" as a cook at Axel's restaurant, is now wandering around downtown, wearing an overcoat to protect against the nip in the wind. he's got a tourist's map in his hand, looking down at the landmarks, brow furrowed as he thinks]

Cultural centers, theaters, schools, hospitals, museums...mmm.

[expertly walks around people, despite looking down at the paper. something's definitely bothering him, and it shows in his focused expression]

Maybe we're going about this all wrong.