video; un: h1ghw1nd

[fightbydawn]

WHO: Riku && You!
WHERE: Libra
WHEN: Like an hour after the Heartless start to invade
WHAT: Riku would really very much NOT like to give you all a crash course in Heartless.
WARNINGS: Language in the comments, most likely. And the general headache that is Kingdom Hearts

[It's with a lot of reluctance that Riku is starting this video broadcast. He'd been hoping against all hope that literally anyone else with memories like his would pop up and give a debriefing, but...

In the end, he doesn't really have a choice. So the video clicks on to reveal a very stressed young man who looks like he already needs about seventeen cups of coffee sitting at a desk in a room full of cardboard boxes labeled things like OFFICE, BEDROOM, and MISC JUNK.]

Okay. So. Hi. This is... really not a good time for a broadcast, and I know that, but--

[A pause. A sigh. He REALLY didn't want to say anything about this, but responsibility and all that.]

The Heartless, the creatures invading, I know them. And anyone fighting them has to make sure not to do a few things.

First. [He lifts a hand, counting on his fingers.] Don't try to fight them bare-handed. It won't accomplish anything. Second, if you see anyone go down to them, don't try to help them. Just... trust me, they'll be fine. Probably. Third, don't panic. If you go near them with a weak heart or will, you'll just be making everything worse.

And lastly-- [A pause--] ... this is going to sound really weird, but if there's anyone here who could even possibly be considered a princess, please tell me.

And. I guess... If anyone has any questions, I'll try to answer them.

[Even though he REALLY doesn't want to.]

Comments

Video

[thewarriorqueen]

"I'm sure I'll regret asking this, but... if someone's past life was apparently a queen, that wouldn't be considered a princess as far as you're concerned, would it?"

Please tell her it wouldn't. She absolutely did not want her life here to get any more weird.

[fightbydawn]

Oh... oh man. One question in and already Riku is lapsing into silence for a good, solid forty-five seconds as he thinks this over, wracking every single one of his past life memories for an answer.

".... you were a princess at some point, right? So... maybe?" he shrugs, gesturing a little helplessly. "Right now, I'm just going to assume yes to be safe."

video; un: silverrose

[fionnuisce]

[Completely deadpan:]

Is this gender-specific or is anyone married to what might be considered a form of royalty under consideration?

And yes, I hate asking that as much as you probably hate hearing it.

[fightbydawn]

[Riku looks SO TIRED, MAN.]

I-- I don't know.

It's-- okay, would you consider the royalty in question someone who is absolutely one-hundred-percent pure of heart? Let's... start there.

Voice, un: eve

[playtag]

...Little Princess was a nickname some people used back home. Does that count?

These Heartless, do they have any weakness?

[fightbydawn]

Just to be safe... yeah, let's count that.

[But now this is a question he can actually definitively answer.]

Light. Magic in general will hurt them, but any shadow is going to be hit hardest by Light.

UN: hikari-vi | Video

[whiteshroud]

[Jun really is listening and taking what Riku is saying to heart (ha), but it's jun so....

He raises his hand on the video feed]

My ex-boyfriend would call me "Princess" as a pet name. Does that count?

[fightbydawn]

[He's

He's just gonna

Just gonna

Stare

And

He's just gonna stare and

And just

Just--]

No. No, it doesn't.

[You know, maybe his past life self should have just sunk into Darkness when he had the chance to.]

video | UN: Thorn

[poisontippedcure]

Well, I've accepted that I'll be in the thick of it.

[Protags gonna protag, whoops.]

That being said, if we find ourselves fighting together, I do have the ability to imbue weapons with light and holy magic. If these creatures are truly that weak to light, this might be something to consider.

[fightbydawn]

That'll help a lot. I'm fine on my end-- I have a weapon to fight them with, but if you see anyone struggling...

[He'll just let that thought trail off. Honestly, he's just happy to have someone saying reasonable, helpful things.

And not.

Well. And not Jun.]

video; un: midnightfishing

[illucesco]

I was a prince in a past life, how closely does that count?

[fightbydawn]

[RIKU IS

SO

TIRED.]

Are you pure of heart?

[He's not even trying to not sound like he's losing his mind, at this point.]

video : un: hotgoss

[bebest]

[He's going to strike a pose. There are rainbows, there are sparkles, there is a duck pout.]

Okay, but what if you're a ☆☆~Queen?~☆☆

[fightbydawn]

[His head is just IN HIS HANDS]

Yes. Sure. If you're a Queen, it counts. Sure.

Video | UN: makeitaventi

[venti_late]

[Unfortunately for Riku, he's now on Venti's radar. It's tragic.]

Weeeeelllll, I'm not so much a princess. I mean, sometimes I am! Most of the time I feel more princely. But I used to be more in the kingmaker business back in the day!

Hang on a second....

[He turns around to shout at someone off camera.]

Hey, Zhong! Are you a princess today?

[There's a pause as Venti watches Zhongli look down at his own chest before replying back:]

I don't believe so?

Thanks, Zhong!

[He turns back to face the camera.]

And Zhongli's not feeling princessy today, either, so I think the two of us are cleared!

[fightbydawn]

[Forget in his hands, his head is on the desk as Riku just. Groans.]

I'm going to just mark you both as fine and move on.

[Because there is no way you, Venti, are Pure Of Heart™ ]

un: yiling

[conseqweinces]

[Hey Riku look, it's Researcher Lotus here to make your day even worse. For all that he's been scrambling to set the Tower up it is simply in his blood to meme.]

Hi Aralia. Have you found enough technical princesses yet?

[fightbydawn]

[Oh my god, someone he recognizes. Even if it's Lotus' chaos-gremlin face, Riku can't help the immediate crushing relief he feels seeing him.]

I'm not looking for Princesses, I just-- if there are any, I have to make sure they stay safe.

[It's not like he's collecting them. He's just!! Trying to help!!!!]

voice | un: silhouetto

[threebetrayals]

[lol. lmao, even.]

You're new here, aren't you?

[fightbydawn]

[His voice is muffled, seeing as he's still mostly facedown on his desk.]

I literally just moved here. Most of my stuff is in boxes, still.

voice | un: lastlullaby

[end_singer]

...How does one qualify purity of heart? [A brief pause.] ...This is a genuine question. I am aware that humans have a general understanding of the concept, but I am very much not one.

[fightbydawn]

Oh. [After the Chaos™ above, Riku hadn't expected an honest question.] .... it's hard to describe.

People who are pure of heart are those who always strive to do the right thing. That, even when they falter or make mistakes, do their best to make up for them. They're the kinds of people that are friends with everyone and believe in even those who might not deserve it.

un: silentflame; voice

[reignitions]

[Meanwhile, someone with an actually relevant question.]

How do these things hold up to magic weapons? Or just elemental-aspected ones in general.

[fightbydawn]

[Oh thank GOD another actual question.]

Badly. Magic and magic weapons are the only things that do damage. If you try to hit them with a normal sword it'll do either next to nothing or literally nothing.

[Riku is just LETTING OUT A BREATH, GODDAMN.]

I'm... actually not sure about just hitting them with a pure element that isn't magic. I've never tried to just set a Heartless on fire.

text; un: sk8rboi

[thirteenth]

im keeping every thread on this post forever

[he's not here to help he's just here to laugh at your misfortune]

[fightbydawn]

shut up and stay here i need to talk to you

[JUST. GIVE HIM A MINUTE. TO RESPOND TO THE REST OF THESE IDIOTS-- uh. The rest of these... Curious Commenters.]

Video | UN: flowercrowned

[ruoyel]

Hmm.... I used to be a prince in a past life. I'm not certain if that counts. But you say that purity of heart is also a factor?

[Xie Lian considers that and then says with his full chest:]

I don't believe myself to have a pure heart, so I don't meet those requirements.

un: yiling

[conseqweinces]

@ ghost

video | UN: Songbird

[welcometomyworld]

Hmm, I did play a princess in a movie once.

Surely that wouldn't count, right?

[fightbydawn]

[Riku was about to respond with some very stressed-out sass, but something... makes him pause.

And think.

And think.]

... actually, it might.

un: anarchy | video

[nefilim]

Okay so I know everyone is in a rush to make a "haha my fuckbuddy or whatever calls me Princess" joke but...

Why, exactly, is the princess thing important? Do Heartless like to eat royals?

[ Ana is neither a princess or even remotely pure of heart so none of this will apply to her, but she's still curious. ]

[fightbydawn]

[Riku is just. Sitting there. Rubbing his temples.]

No. Yes? It's-- if there are Princesses who are pure of heart here there is a chance-- a chance that things might get complicated. I don't-- [He is letting out SUCH a tense sigh] I don't remember everything about it, that's the problem. I just want to make sure anyone like that is protected.

VIDEO - UN: Jojo

[standless]

[The polite bat in the back is raising his wing-]

While indeed I am equipped with a weapon of which I can avoid hand based combat, would being covered with that of the shadow's natural enemy prove an exception? I fear I am more capable of utilizing the light of Hamon in such a manner.

As well, if I may- oh, though I don't believe there to be any royalty present at least- what makes it such a great risk for those that are 'princesses'?

[He said, fulfilling the basic requirements outside of gender,]

[fightbydawn]

[Wild, how the talking bat doesn't have Riku batting an eye.

When Michael Theodore Mouse is your surrogate father in a past life--]

I-- probably? So long as you're fighting with light, I don't think it matters. [A pause, and: ] You're not the son of a God, are you?

[Because that would also help, as seen with Hercules.]

It's-- [Sighs] In my past life, we were supposed to protect seven princesses of light from the reach of the Darkness. I don't really remember much more than that, but the Heartless might target them in order to try to drag the entire world into Darkness.

video; un: captainkenway

[jackdawvision]

[With the biggest, most shit-eating grin:]

Does a ship captain count as a prince among men?

[You are the least pure-hearted person in this entire fucking harbor.]

Only a joke, I know I don’t count. I did want to ask—would shadow work against these creatures? And would they be able to break through a force field made of shadow, should I throw one up to protect myself?

[fightbydawn]

[He's just gonna ignore that question for the sake of his own sanity, but oh man did he just visibly take about 5 points of psychic damage.]

I don't know about a force field, but I haven't had much luck with my own shadow abilities. [He's just going to hold up his hand and look very annoyed down at the claws of shadow forming around it.] If you want to test it, go ahead. But I wouldn't bet on the force field holding.

Video

[prunedworlds]

"Um. Sorry to bother since you've already got a lot of questions, but... What if you have family that's kind of royalty, but you're not actually related?"

Because Diarmuid sure was one of her dads here, and after Waver's question some conversations were had.

"Because people are telling me that I fit your pure of heart thing so."

She sounded so incredibly embarrassed to actually be saying that. And like she was pretty reluctant to believe it herself.

[fightbydawn]

"Oh." Weird, how Riku can just tell when someone pure of heart is coming in here being genuine. But hey, there's a difference between people asking things just to drive him insane versus people like Ritsuka, Xie Lian, and Nito.

"Honestly... I'm not sure. The more people are asking me, the more I'm realizing my past life had exceptions to these rules. I think one of the Princesses that I remember wasn't royalty at all. And another was just... a mayor's daughter, I think?"

Riku sighs, rubbing at the back of his neck. The stress of all of this is the worst.

"I... don't really have an answer, I just wanted to ask to make sure that anyone who could possibly fit into that description can keep themselves safe."

text; un: fourseasons

[consonanter]

I'm mostly curious- how do Heartless move? Is it easy for them to get in and out of places, or would certain things keep them out or away?

[fightbydawn]

I don't know how they're moving in the city, but the ones my past life ran into could get anywhere. think... moving puddles, big guys busting down walls, or just appearing out of thin air.