"Apollo is an organization for smart young men...ones who want to enhance their talents and move further in their careers. It's essentially a University...but you enhance your abilities yourself. You aren't helped by teachers or anything like that, just given the means to improve your abilities, whatever they may be, and once your shown to be capable of the job you're setting out to accomplish, you're given a diploma of sorts for that specific class of jobs... It's not anything like Artemis...not what I had in mind."
Nishida spoke softly as she continued to hug Riku, leaning on him for comfort. "I wanted to make an organization for women in need...women of any age, culture, race, and everything else... I wanted to make a place to not only enhance their skills, but become stronger emotionally and mentally as well... A place for those without a place to go to call home... A place where people can easily make friends with people of the same interests... A place where people without jobs can have jobs and make money... And so much more..." She closed her eyes as she remembered all the good times, smiling softly. "I wanted this place to be a magical place for all, even for people like us with magic..."
Riku smiled. "I don't think I have to say that you've definitely already achieved that..."
Nishida looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "You think so..?" Riku knew that look on her face. It was the face of someone who was worried they weren't doing enough when they were already doing so much, a face he had made many times in his previous world when he was the leader of the resistance; it was the face of someone who was destroying themselves for the greater good.
"I know so..." Those three short words were all he needed to hear whenever he felt like this. "Even if there are a few hiccups here and there, and even though it's not perfect, you're still doing a great job..."
Nishida smiled softly, wiping her tears. "Thank goodness..."
Riku smiled softly, but paused for a moment. "If I may be so rude as to ask...what is your actual name..?"
Nishida looked up at him, smiling warmly for once. "It's Emica..."
"Charming, blessed, and beautiful huh..?" Riku chuckled at the thought. "It's not wrong..."
Emica blushed slightly, averting her eyes. "Aren't you tired of standing up for so long..? Sit down..." She muttered. Riku complied, letting go of her. However, she suddenly pulled him down to her seat, sitting in his lap and hugging him just as tight as before. "I didn't say you could pull away yet...dummy..." She whispered into his ear.
Riku's entire face turned red, but he hesitantly hugged her back, used to Jira and Remi teasing him like this. "Never had a boyfriend...what are these lies?!"
Nishida buried her face in his shoulder, closing her eyes, arms around his neck. He was embarrassed to say the least, feeling her pressed against him so closely, but he rubbed her back and ran his fingers through her hair again. It didn't take much longer until Nishida had ended up falling asleep. Riku, hearing her soft breathing and not making any sudden movements, gently lifted her up as he stood up, and she unconsciously wrapped her legs around his waist as he did so. He imagined it was because she didn't want to lose the feeling of comfort, but he still blushed just as heavily as before.
With his arms around her waist, he carried her to the small couch in the room, folding it into its bed form, then gently laying her on it. She let go of him without much trouble thankfully, to which he then walked to the small closet in the office, finding a variety of things inside, but among them were a couple blankets and pillows. "I knew it..." Riku had figured she slept in here sometimes when she had a lot of work.
He grabbed the blanket, gently laying it over her. He then leaned over, brushing a bit of hair out of her face. "...I promise I won't let him hurt you." He turned, beginning to walk out, but she grabbed the sleeve of his blazer unconsciously. He stopped, frowning a bit and looking back at her. "Sorry..." He took off his blazer, watching as she pulled it to her and hugged it in her sleep, making him blush yet again. "Maybe when I'm a little older..." He shook his head, smacking his cheeks a couple times before walking out and leaving her to sleep.
He walked to the library, finding Eli in her usual place. "Eli."
She looked over at him. "You're going, aren't you?" She had read his memories. Riku didn't say anything, and she sighed in response to his silence. "You're really stupid, you know that?"
He shrugged. "We're all a little bit stupid sometimes."
She rolled her eyes. "Apollo is in this city, on the opposite side as you can guess."
Riku nodded. "Thank you..." He turned to walk out.
"...Riku..!" Riku stopped, glancing back at Eli. "Please be careful..." She muttered.
Riku smiled. "I'll try." He turned his back to her as he walked out. However, he suddenly felt a heavy amount of force on his back and almost fell over due to it. "Ack..!" He looked back to see Eli hugging him from behind. He sighed, but smiled warmly, turning and hugging her. "I'll be okay, I promise."
She nodded before pulling away. "You smell like the president." He blushed faintly and turned away, quickly exiting. Eli giggled, already having read that bit of his memory as well.
His gaze became serious and full of rage when he stepped out of Artemis. He turned into a shadow when no one was looking, using the shadows to get to Apollo in no time. Once again, when no one was around, he turned to normal, walking right into Apollo.
The instant he stepped inside, Riku heard a chuckle. He looked to where he heard the sound from, and low and behold, Hiroshi was standing atop a few sets of stairs. "Come to discuss the terms of your fight? Or would you rather have it right now at this very moment?" He still had the same vile smirk on his face as before.
Riku glared at him. "I'll be fighting right here and now... Not to mention I won't be fighting one of your magics..."
Hiroshi raised an eyebrow, confused. "Who will you be fighting then?"
Riku clenched his fists. "Do you really have to ask smartass..? It won't even be a real fight..." His body sparked and he was in front of Hiroshi in the blink of an eye. "I'll kick your ass without any problem!"
Hiroshi smirked, muttering under his breath. "I wouldn't be so sure about that boy..." He then held up his hand.
Riku's arm became encased in rocks and iron. He pulled said fist back, body sparking still as he was trying to act before Hiroshi had a chance to activate his magic. "I'm gonna make you pay you son of a bitch!" He thrusted his arm forward, aiming to punch Hiroshi in the face.
Hiroshi fired something from his palm, something that couldn't be seen, at Riku, and every element he was using suddenly vanished, nullified by Hiroshi's anti magic. "I'm sure my sister told you didn't she? I have nullification abilities, so you can't possibly hope to-" Hiroshi's eyes widened as he saw Riku, unphased by the blast and still charging forward.
"You think I didn't know that?! Being cocky will get you killed!" And with that, he punched Hiroshi in the face.