towerofanimus | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters: Ventus [AU], Roomies and later anyone around.
Setting: Room 2-18 and then everywhere!
Format: I'll match you.
Summary: Ventus wakes up, wonders where he is, meets roomies(?) and later goes exploring.
Warnings: I'll add warnings as they come up.

Waking up was something of a shock for Ventus - more so once the paralysis passed and he realised that the blindfold was still on. This was not normal, more so given that this was not his bed - his was a lumpy mattress. He knew full well that his back had been pressed against a bookshelf of some sort wherever he had been last - and he knew that he'd been about to face Vanitas' wrath. "Where...?"

Where was he? He didn't voice the thought. With no idea who was here and who wasn't, it would be stupid to assume that he was alone. Instead, he tilted his head to the side, then froze. A hand reached up, brushing against metal.

Metal? But his was.... Another head tilt and he relaxed. Of course it was still there, just hidden under the metal one that he wore now. He felt stupid for his panic now as he knew that Vanitas would never take away such an effective means of silencing him. Why there was another collar didn't matter, just like it didn't matter that he wasn't in the clothes he remembered - that was a question for later. Ventus shook his head and started to slowly feel his way around the bed, stopping only when he come to the edge. Carefully, his feet touched the ground, but he didn't make any move to stand up.

Instead, he was listening to the sounds around him, trying to gauge where he was now. Who was here and how many.

---

Two hours later would find Ventus carefully exploring the place that he was in, hand against some thing to help guide him, be it a wall, railing or book case. Whatever was around, really. Not that he knew much, given that the blindfold was firmly in place, and Ventus didn't even think to take it off. Why would he, when sight meant pain blindness from far too bright light. So, he did what he always did - use the nearest support as a guide.

He was curious about the place though also listening out in case he heard any footsteps that he knew, along with voices.

{{If you haven't, please fill out this important permissions post. Also, despite icons, he is 23/24 |D. Also, if you could please specify where you meet him outside the room, that would wonderful, thanks. ))

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Taiki had been even quieter than usual since his crying fit in the meadow, the teddy bear had been shoved at the bottom of his trunk and he had mainly stuck to his room, or Eridan's side. Not wanting to be alone.

When he woke up to see someone strange in their room his eyes widened and he scrambled up into a sitting position. Ever since Eridan had arrived here the other two beds had been empty and before that Taiki had been alone.

"Hello..." He said softly, wanting to call Sanshi but determined to be brave.

"Who--" It was not a question and Ventus whipped around to 'face' the direction of the voice, hand fisting around the sheets in reaction to the unknown.

Not anyone that he knew because none of them sounded like that. That could be bad, though Ventus did not make any other movements. Even if it was bad, there was little that he would be able to do.

Taiki's eyes widened as he turned to him and he saw the blindfold. Was it something the man always wore, or another trick of the tower. "I... I'm Taiki... erm... are you okay?"

His head tilted to the side again, this time mulling on what he heard. Soft, quiet voice.. a kid? Another head tilt. What was a kid doing here? He bit his lip as he shifted around, 'looking' at the room before he gave a sigh. ".... Yea. I'm ok."

Not that he sounded it with how passive and accepting he was. And of course, still no questions.

Taiki nodded, glad he was okay. It was better than him being angry. Lots of people got angry when they woke up here.

Taiki fell silent and studied the bed sheet. "Do... sorry... do you know where you are?" Because if he couldn't see he wouldn't be able to read the note...

The sounds of quiet talk made Eridan stir and he opened his eyes to see a kid he didn't know sitting on another of the beds. He sat up, startled, but a quick look at Taiki told him that they couldnt' be in any danger - Taiki would be freaking out if they were.

"Wwhy are you wwearin' that blindfold?" he blurted out. Yeah, he had all the right priorities.

Ventus shook his head at the question. He hadn't know where he was for over ten years, and every time he had, it'd changed.

"Uh?" He tensed at the sudden - to him - voice, whirling around with a start to 'face' it. More like stare, because the voice was... odd. Was it human? Or was it something else? He couldn't tell at all.

".... Light hurts my eyes."

Taiki glanced over at Eridan with a smile, happy that he was awake. He blinked at the man's words though. "We can turn off the light... if you like..."

The dark scared him a little bit, mainly because he was still having nightmares about being trapped in the cupboard. But if light hurt the man's eyes he didn't mind turning them off! If it would help him.

"It hurts mine, too," Eridan replied, shrugging. He glanced at Taiki. He was familiar enough with him to know he was nervous, and got to his feet, scooting over to Taiki's bed and sitting down. "And right, wwe could turn off the lights if you wwant. Wwhat's your name? Mine's Eridan and this is Taiki. Wwe're both prisoners here in this towwer, too."

"...Ventus." Ventus shifted as he tracked the sound of one of the two moving, desperate to work out where they where going. More so when the sound stopped. For all the worry showed on his face, he tried to remain as passive as possible. He gave nodded at the names, filing each away with the voice it belonged to.

The offer startled him and it showed. Why would they even....? It didn't matter and he shook his head. "I can't remove it...."

And to prove his point, he reached up on it, trying - and failing, to force the 'cloth' up several times before giving up. A slight head tilt - then a shrug. He is curious - terribly so, but questions are a No-No as far as he knows. "I understand."

When Eridan came to sit next to him Taiki drew closer. He was nervous, though he had been trying not to show it, the new person frightened him though he didn't seem like someone who would hurt them.

"You can't?" He glanced at Eridan before turning back to their roommate. A blindfold that he couldn't remove?

"It.. it's nice to meet you Ventus..."

Wow, that was pretty crappy. Eridan groaned and rolled his eyes. "Wwhy do I havve to end up wwith all a the helpless fuckin' roommates?" He reached out and ruffled Taiki's hair, though, to soften the sting of his words. Taiki, at least, had earned his affection over time.

"Wwelcome to the towwer a nightmares, Vventus," he said with a sigh.

A nod. More passive acceptance of this situation - and the sting of the words. The head tilt after though, betrayed just how infinitely curious he was about this whole situation, but he really was not expecting answers. Why should he?

He never got them at home, so why would hear be any different? More so given that both were unknowns. As far as he knew, they would be less tolerating of questions than he was used to, and the last thing that he wanted was to bring down anyone's ire. "Understood."

Someone please ~~order~~ tell him to ask questions.

Taiki flinched as well at the words, but the hair ruffle reassured him and he watched the man some more. He seemed very calm even though waking up here was scary and he imagined it must be more frightening to not be able to see at all.

"Do... erm... sorry..." He pressed closer to Eridan before speaking again, the man scared him a little but he was trying to be brave. "Do... do you want to know anything... we've been here a while... an erm... sorry... it can be a bit frightening to not know where you are..."

Ever since the event, Xion had been quiet, and careful. She could still use magic, but as things were, but her arm hurt if she moved it around a lot, so she'd chosen to keep it in the sling she'd been given when she'd first had her shoulder reduced - re-locaded back into its socket.

She was sitting on a couch on the fourth floor, reading a book she'd picked up from the library a floor below. When she looked up though, and saw someone wandering, she paused. Because... well, the blindfold reminded her of Riku, but the face and the hair - from what she can see - reminded her of... well, of Roxas and Ven, even if he is clearly much older. Could this be like the two Rikus...? It's enough that she got to her feet and stepped closer.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Uh.." Ventus paused at the voice, head turning to 'face' it.... her. While he didn't ask, he did head tilt a little, curious, but unwilling to leave his current guide in case he ran into anything.

Feeling a little more comfortable than he might have in the presence of a stranger, Eridan put a hand on Taiki's shoulder, cuddling a bit.

"Right, yeah. Like Taiki said, if you wwant to knoww anythin' wwe're the ones to ask before you go stumblin' off and get yourself killed."

Honestly, Ventus was the least scary person around. He wouldn't hurt a fly. Unless it attacked him, but then that is a whole different ball game all together.

Another head tilt, then a thoughtful sound. Yes, he did want to know something but-- To ask a question?

That only drew panic up out of him, hand fisting in the sheets while his throat felt like it was seizing - it wasn't, but after being choked so many times - the association is there. "I...I can't. I can't ask. N-Not Uh...V...Verbally. I'm sorry. I... I'm used to such situations. I... "

Swallow, Ventus, swallow. "I'm ok. Uh... "

Head tilt to the left then a a poke at the collar and clothes he's wearing, as if to ask why he was in them. While he can't ask verbally, he can ask with gestures and body language.

Taiki blinked as he seemed to panic, and the words. He glanced at Eridan again, not really knowing what to do in this situation. He couldn't ask questions? Why not?

He sort of understood the gestures though, "Erm... I'm not sure... everyone wakes up in that suit and a collar... they... they are all different colours... we don't know why."

He looked down again before adding, "Sorry... erm yours is Blue, like mind. Eridan's is Orange."

"Wwhy can't you just ask wwhat you wwant?" Eridan demanded, his eyes narrowing a little. This boy seems weirder all the time. Maybe he is some kind of slave, though Eridan's never really talked to slaves very much, so he's not sure if that kind of thing would be normal.

A nod at the information. Blue? He wondered if it meant anything. More than likely, though he figured that he would find out sometime. "...Questions bring pain i-If I...."

Another swallow and a deliberate slowing of his breath to trey and calm down. Panic wasn't going to help and Eridan's demands made him think of one of Vanita's allies - or Vanitas himself when the other was annoyed over something. Which only lent to Ventus folding and answering as best he could. "I-I need permission th-th U-Unversed King. To ask questions."

Not so much slave as something critical in the formation of the X-Blade back home. Not that Ventus knows this. Though, in a way, it's something of slavery, given that he's not had true freedom in about ten years.

Well, that left her a little unsure what to do. She... didn't think she'd ever seen this person before, though she couldn't be sure. He seemed to have noticed her, though he wasn't saying anything in reply.

She took a few steps closer, then stopped a few feet away. She peered at what she could see of his face, then looked away. "Sorry, you... you look like somebody I know."

I do? While his thoughts might be questioning, the only outward sign of this is a confused face (and a blink under that blindfold). Though, it was wiped off his face when stepped closer, Ventus swallowing twice. She didn't... seem like she was a threat, though... "Oh.."

There's a small, sheepish look that resembles Ventus, only more subdued, but - it's there. While he wanted to know who, it was not his place to ask. "I'm sorry. I didn't....Mean to disturb you."

Better to lay the blame on himself for this.

Taiki's eyes flickered nervously to Eridan and back to Ventus. Ventus seemed scared and he knew Eridan could be scary sometimes. But questions brought pain?

At Ventus' explanation Taiki's eyes widened in horror. "Your king?" His king hurt him for asking questions? That was horrible, why would he do that? Taiki was shaking now, though only half of it was out of fear, half was quiet kiriny anger.

Eridan bared his teeth faintly in irritation. He could feel Taiki shaking, and papped him lightly to try to calm him. "Kings aren't the same evverywwhere, Tai," he said softly, for the Kirin's ears only. "You knoww that."

Then he lifted his head. "Vventus, can't anyone else givve you permission for things? Your King isn't here, nor is he anywwhere around. Not evven in the same wworld, I'd say. But if you need help, an someone to givve you wwhat you need...I could givve you wwhat orders wwill make things wwork."

She tilted her head a little to the side, frowning. "It's fine," she said, a little confusedly, "Don't worry about it. I was just reading."

In the end there really only was a limited amount of things to do in the Tower, without going into certain dangerous areas. She hadn't quite known Ven - the one who was Roxas's roommate - to recognize the sheepish look, though he still does look very familiar...

If anything he seemed... afraid of her. He'd reacted when she'd stepped closer. But... why would that be?

Not in the same world? Ventus went white. Then whiter than a ghost.

"He'll kill me." More like beat the living daylights out of him for this 'escape' attempt. Not that he'd tried but that didn't change anything. And more so given that Riku had been talking about getting him away from Vanitas not long ago. Vanitas might not be the most merciful being ever, but Ventus would not - could not leave him.

Though he was going to be blamed for this. He always, always was. Ventus half choked on his own panic and terror as visible tremors wracked him, forgetting the question for now. "He's going to kill me."

His mind was not helping - bringing up past rebellion attempts and making them that much worse.

Taiki nodded numbly at Eridan's words, Kings weren't the same everywhere and even inside the 12 Kingdoms some kings were not as kind as others. It was just that the way the 12 Kingdoms worked the cruel kings would not be in power long. He nodded though and leaned further into Eridan.

He didn't think Eridan's offer would help. Since when Ventus had explained he assumed it was magical, like the fact Taiki couldn't fight unless ordered by his king (not that he wanted to fight...) but no amount of orders from others would allow him to fight. He would be physically incapable of it.

He wasn't expecting Ventus' reaction though. He went pale, feeling sick at the very thought. His shaking intensified and tears filled his eyes. "Ventus..." His voice was a whisper, he didn't even know what to say.

"Wwell, he can't kill you, not here, anywway," Eridan said irritably. He was totally surrounded by useless people, wasn't he?

Ugh.

Gently, he disentangled himself from Taiki and got up, stalking across the room to Ventus. "Snap out a it, all right? You can't be fuckin' blamed for bein' kidnapped an brought here, can you? It's not your fault, and there's nothin' you can do to get out a here, anywway, wwhich your king is just gonna havve to figure out if he evver gets here."

It wasn't so much magical as it was conditioning over ten years. The same conditioning that now had him nodding at Eridan's words even as he sunk down, the stalking steps not really helping the situation. He was doing his best to keep it from showing though.

As far as he knew, he'd annoyed the other. Best to play it on the safe side.

"Yea, I guess... Sorry I disturbed either of you."

Put it down to people stepping close to him didn't always been the best things. On top of that, Xion was an unknown right now.

"Oh." Have a head tilt. What where you reading? is what he wants to know. Who are you is another question.

He looks like an older Ventus... or Roxas if they'd had the chance to grow up that is.

"Eridan!" Taiki gasped the words, scared for a moment thinking Eridan would hurt Ventus. He followed him over eyes wide, scared and not wanting to annoy Eridan any more but not wanting Ventus to be scared.

"You didn't... sorry..." He reached out for Eridan's hand, half because he was scared and half because he wanted Eridan not to be annoyed anymore. "Don't... you don't have to be scared... if your king comes here... he will have been kidnapped as well... and sorry... he... I guess he will know you had no choice..."

"You didn't disturb me," Eridan grumped. Taiki was holding his hand, and he wasn't sure why, but he could see the way Ventus was squirming, and that was bad. "I'm tryin' to reassure you. This place isn't wwhere you wwere from, Vventus. An Taiki's a good kid, so he'll help you wwith wwhatevver you need to feel comfortable."

He blinked and glanced down at Taiki. "You wwill, wwon't you?"

"I --" Ventus frooze. He hadn't?

Relief swept through him as he processed that, and slowly, he started to relax. He wanted so badly to ask if they meant it, but he could not - would not even dare dreaming of asking such a thing.

"... T-Thank you." His smile might be broken, but it was real - and there was relife there. He'd honestly been expecting rebukes and to be hit or worse, that just knowing that he'd not disturbed / annoyed anyone?

Was the best thing in the world right now - and it showed.

Taiki gave a small smile, glad that they had reassured him. He knew what it felt like to feel you were annoying others and in their way. But he was glad that they could help Ventus.

He nodded at Eridan. "I will... I can help you! With anything you need." It was nice to be able to do something, he was so used to being helpless here.

"Right, then," Eridan relaxed as well, seeing the smile on the blinded boy's face. "So all's wwell, an you and Taiki can be friends. If you need anythin' from me, you can ask, too. I wwant to be real clear about that. I wwant you to ask questions, and you can consider it an order if that'll make it easier on you."

"Understood." Ventus nodded. While it wouldn't be an easy thing, he would keep it in mind. Keep it in mind for both of them and while it would not be easy - Eridan had either knowingly or unknowingly laid out a foundation through which Ventus could eventually ask either of them a question through. No-one else though.

Because Eridan wanted him to ask him and Taiki questions and what others wanted, Ventus did.

Taiki smiled, glad that he had agreed and that Eridan had relaxed. "Do... erm... do you have any questions at the moment?"

Eridan nodded and returned to his seat, plunking down. "Right, if you'vve got any, then speak up."

His breath hitched a little at the thought of even asking what he wanted to know. but, Eridan had said that he wanted questions. Maybe -

No. He can't and Ventus swears that the hidden second collar under the tower-collar is tightening. It's not of course, the one who controls it is not here. Ventus just grips the sheets as he slows his breathing a bit, fighting down the rising panic. Years of being choked (amongst other things) for asking verbal questions are still fresh in his mind. He dry swallows, almost gagging a bit.

It hardly helps fight the rising panic and Ventus ends up shaking his head after a good minute. "..No. I'm fine."

Taiki watched as Ventus to stood silently he seemed to be worried and when he shook his head Taiki realised that he still wasn't able to ask a question. The

He glanced at Eridan worriedly, but his voice was calm and friendly and he smiled at Ventus even though the man couldn't see him.

"That's okay Ventus, but whenever you do have questions you can ask us."

"Yeah," Eridan said, seeing Taiki's worried look and shrugging. "Wwhenevver you wwant."

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._. I feel bad that he's not asking questions ._.

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4th Floor

Re: 4th Floor

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4th Floor

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/gives TLDR orz orz

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