Oof, that last line felt like a sucker punch to the gut. Riku couldn't deny that he'd felt a bit helpless fighting here without his Keyblade. The lack of a proper weapon really made a lot of the difference when he fought. And yet, here he was, still fighting on. She could at least have given him points for trying...
...Yeah, like trying alone's really gonna matter at this point.
"Hey, don't make the assumption I don't know how to handle myself." He'd retort, taking a few swings, knocking several Pariahs backward. Though, one would notice the response was hollow. Sure, he was holding out for now, but Riku himself would notice he was starting to lose ground. Sure, Sakuya could hold out as long as possible here. When she scored a hit on one of these, they stayed down. In Riku's case?
Well, one could just say blunt force trauma doesn't seem to do much to mutated monsters.
"Tch...!" He'd attempt to block a sudden strike from one of them, only for it to grab the metal rod he'd been holding. Before he could even react to knock it back, it'd thrash its arm backward, Riku losing his grip on the tool, then forward, knocking the young lad for quite a loop. And taking his only useful weapon from him.
He'd cringe upon landing, getting a look at Sakuya's end before he sprang back up. She seemed to be holding her own, but it seemed that they'd be overwhelmed soon. There were simply too many--and if Riku were to go down, that'd leave Sakuya with the rest.
One of them would have to act; one of them would need to pull out a trump card. He didn't know what Sakuya was capable of, nor would he ask her to do more than she was already.
No, he'd need to pull through on this one. How funny that this should be the first time he'd use his ability in Hive City.
A glance to the side would reveal a building next to them, a door and a perfect escape route wrapped into one little bundle. Concentrating, he'd clench his right fist as several Pariah prepared to strike at him. The lack of a conductor or a tool to channel the magic through made this more cumbersome than need be. As he'd focus, he'd feel a faint dizzying which would almost throw him off.
"C'mon, Riku..." He'd close his eyes, putting his entire mind onto the spell. "Time...think on how time flows, and..." A sudden raising of his right hand into the air as he opened it.
The sound of what could best be described as a clock clicking to a stop would resound. Sakuya would notice the Pariah she'd be fending off would suddenly freeze, almost in a familiar fashion akin to how she stopped time. A small, peculiar-looking clock would be present over each of their heads, frozen in place. ...In fact, it'd be that way with every one of them.
All, trapped in the embrace of time itself.
Then, a hand grabbing at her arm as Riku would begin to move towards their escape route.
Then a sudden lurch as Riku would feel the dizzying sensation grow stronger, almost as though the entire world was turning upside down.
"Can't stick around here...!" He'd try to shake it off, but the sensation was much too intense for him to just brush it off. "Crud, why can't I--?!"
