[h3]Skipping RISA to [b]evening [/b]since that's when the next meaningful event happens for Risa. Do not jump ahead to interact with her please as I prefer it not interrupted :) Everyone else should stay at same time with their group.[/h3]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/gD9rVru.png[/img][/center]
[color=AC5FFB]Time:[/color]Evening -> 8pm
[color=AC5FFB]Location:[/color]River Kingdom
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/1Z62x3Z.png[/img][/center]

The gravestone still sat in the small opening in the forest where Risa had first sat with Cloud. The tall trees’ canopies hung over the area. Flowers of all varying colors had overgrown the patch of soil where he was buried. She had planted one every time she had visited. The moonlight illuminated the stone grave through the breaks in the branches of the trees above and the chirping of crickets filled the night air. 

She had asked that Artemis meet her here tonight, but Risa had come earlier in the night, hoping to take some needed time to process everything before Artemis arrived. After leaving Vereon to cover his nightly shift at the bar, she had flown straight to this spot. 

Risa’s wings fluttered as she hovered over the grass and delicately set herself on her knees near the grave.  Her fingertips traced the name engraved as she stared at it longingly. Reading Cloud's name in the stone still made her heart sink. Even after all this time, she couldn't believe he was really gone. She had come here time after time to talk to his grave with the hopes he was there listening.

[color=AC5FFB]"Hi there Cloud. I hope you've been having a nice day in the afterlife. I hope it's okay if I talk to you..."[/color] Risa said softly and ran her hand over the top of the grave as if she was caressing a cat.

The night was still. There was no breeze at all yet Risa felt cold. Feelings buried deep began to resurface, toppling over the mountain of emotions Risa had already been struggling to carry on her back. Though she had been the one to suggest meeting Artemis here, she was starting to regret the idea. She would have to compose herself, but she wasn't so sure she could. 

[color=AC5FFB]“I got myself in a lot of trouble. Accidentally gotten myself into a revolution. I know you'd be proud of me, but I don’t know what I’m doing." [/color]She whispered softly to the grave as if it were bending an ear to her woes. [color=AC5FFB]"I had to give a speech and I'm not sure if it was any good. This was all supposed to be Helio. He was...” [/color]

Risa drew off thoughtfully before finishing her sentence,[color=AC5FFB]“He was the soldier. The one everyone believed in. I don’t know if I can be that for them… Maybe I got in over my head and this is-…”[/color] She burst into desolate sobs as her words finished, unable to continue speaking.  The dam had finally broken and there was no holding it back. As heavy as the words had become, her body did too as it slowly descended her into the flowers.

Little did she know she wasn’t alone. 

[color=92278f][i]“Supposed to be Helio, huh?”[/i] [/color]

Risa stiffened her crying, her eyes widening at the sudden intrusion. She slowly sat up on her elbows to face the newcomer. The voice was coming from the deep blackness of the woods. A silhouette began to form once it got close enough to for the moonlight to gently caress. The figure moved closer toward her without a sound. Risa saw a flash of red hair gleam in the moonlight as he revealed himself slowly from the shadows and it felt as if time itself had stopped. The forest had gone mute and the surroundings irrelevant. She scrambled to her feet, and then threw herself towards the male and practically fell into his body, wrapping her arms around him tightly.  

A hand moved to the top of her head and carefully stroked her hair. [color=92278f]“I told you I’m always going to find you, Risa.”[/color] 

She clutched at the fabric of his black shirt. The hand kept stroking her hair for a few minutes as she continued to cry. The gentleness was nostalgic and for the first time in a long time, Risa felt safe.