[Open] If There's No One Else To Replace Me

[miseris_socios]

Characters: Ken and anyone who runs into him.
Setting: Dormitories
Format: Action
Summary: Ken wakes up in a strange place. Obviously, he needs to explore as well as hide.
Warnings: Some mild language, possibly some violence if you catch him in the wrong way.


[The experience of waking up here was terrifying. He noticed the notes, read them, took in their information, and promptly tossed them into the trunk that was at the foot of his bed. He noticed his spear - it was broken and would have to be fixed, but he didn't have time for that now - but grabbed his Evoker and holster instead. He changed quickly, and heading outside the room, he looked around, trying to figure out if he could see an exit.]

[Nothing seemed too obvious, so Ken headed down the hall, pulling his shirt to hide his Evoker as best he could. Hopefully he could find some kind of clue of what to do next soon...]

Comments

[myblueskies]

[Strange things were happening in the tower again, Romeo saw the man in the hallway and smiled at him. He hadn't seen him before, new people arrived all the time. He didn't look too frightened though. There were lots of people Romeo hadn't met yet.] Hello sir.

[miseris_socios]

[He looks up, confused. He's in no way a 'sir'. The other boy seems really young, though.]

... Hello.

[myblueskies]

[Anyone over twelve is a sir to Romeo until proven otherwise.] Are you new sir?

[miseris_socios]

[Good news, he's 11.]

New... I guess so. Are you from here?

[myblueskies]

[Oh oops, he looks older.

Romeo shook his head] I'm from Milano, but I've been here for a long time now.

[miseris_socios]

[It's okay, he'd be happy to hear that.]

... I don't know where that is. How long have you been here, though?

[myblueskies]

It's in Italy but that might not exist in your world. I've been here for... [He counts on his fingers for a moment] I don't think it's been a year yet... but it's been a long time.

[miseris_socios]

There's an Italy in my world, yeah.

[School is not his strongest point, okay? 8( ]

... Great. There has to be a way out, though. Somewhere...

[myblueskies]

[Don't worry, Romeo has never ever been to school.] Well we have to beat the Bad people, and then we can go home! [He makes it sound so simple...]

[miseris_socios]

Maybe. Or maybe there'll be more bad people to take their place.

[myblueskies]

Then we will beat them as well! And keep on beating them!

[keybearer]

[Well, he might not find any clues right away, but he might encounter a teenage boy wielding what looks like... a giant key. When he spots Ken, though, he'll stop in his tracks for a moment and watch.]

Looking for something?

[miseris_socios]

[... What the hell is that -]

... Mm.

[He looks down for a moment, trying to look innocent.]

A way out.

[keybearer]

Join the club.

[He shrugs, bringing one hand to his hip.]

I've been searching for the past few weeks with no luck.

[miseris_socios]

There's got to be one somewhere. It's not like what they wrote on those notes is real. The world can't be gone.

[It just can't. It's not fair.]

[keybearer]

[He nods, averting his gaze for a moment.]

I wouldn't put too much stock into that note. I mean, I've seen worlds disappear, but that usually doesn't involve creepy towers and parallel dimensions.

[Both of which he has now experienced, giving him doubts of the letter's authenticity.]

[miseris_socios]

[He's not going to even say anything about disappearing worlds.]

It's not like we have any reason to trust them.

[keybearer]

After what I've heard? Yeah, not going to trust them at all. Apparently it gets pretty miserable.

[It's not pleasant news, but it's the truth. This kid has a right to know.]

[miseris_socios]

Miserable in what way?

[He's used to a certain degree of miserable, so...]

[keybearer]

Death comes to mind.

[He winces.]

Not too long ago, people started dropping like flies. It was all over the network.

[miseris_socios]

[... He nods. Death's natural, but not in large numbers like that.]

Do you know why?

[keybearer]

Had to do with some kind of game. I don't know all the details, but the whole thing lasted for hours.

[And it involved very gruesome deaths that got recorded and just... augh. It's terrible, and he looks visibly distressed at the thought of it.]

[miseris_socios]

Sounds like a pretty sick game.

[But he doesn't look all that disturbed. Definitely not as much as Riku probably looks.]

[keybearer]

Yeah, but I can't speak from personal experience. I didn't actually participate.

[However, it still leaves him feeling a bit uneasy. Maybe because the worst he's dealt with outside the tower was usually very tame by comparison.]

[miseris_socios]

I wonder if the people who got involved knew they were going to die.

[keybearer]

In a place like this? That wouldn't surprise me.

[He sighs.]

But death doesn't last here. Somebody who died during the game came back later. Saw him myself.

[miseris_socios]

... That's...

[There's no words for that.]

That's just not right...

[keybearer]

Yeah, it's not natural, but... hey, I'd rather come back than just die in a place like this.

[He's got friends who need him. Worlds to save... By all means, he shouldn't even be in the tower, even if he's got no choice.]

[miseris_socios]

Most people would, probably.

[fractus_animus]

[ ... Minato is just floored. Ken, you will see your leader utterly losing his shit and running over to you and WORRYING.

Honest to god.

... Well, in the most composed way he can manage, at least. ]

... Ken.

[ Oh god. He's OKAY. ]

Are you all right? Did you just get here?

[miseris_socios]

[Ken looks up at Minato, trying to not let the relief show on his face.]

I... I'm fine. I just got here, yes. Where are we?

[fractus_animus]

... Some sort of experimental facility in another world. They're claiming they saved us, that they have proof they did, but I think that's just meant to keep us complacent. What they're really doing is kidnapping people from different realities and worlds and experimenting on them, though.

[ He won't buy it--he can't. He hates this place and he would sooner die (again) than believe it. ]

Chidori and Jin are also here. This place is extremely dangerous on several floors, and a lot of the monsters here are going to be able to disable your Persona if you get too close.

There are some other things, but that's the basics.

[miseris_socios]

It's not the Kirijo group, is it?

[He knew they were kept in one of their facilities, but - for some reason this didn't seem like it would be their work.]

... At least we're all together. But what do you mean they can disable my Persona? And what other things?

[fractus_animus]

[ He shakes his head. ]

... No. Truthfully, we don't know enough about our captors to say who it is. This is way out of their scope, as much as I wish I could blame it on them. And... they just can. Nothing will happen if you try to summon.

The red-collared people here can also do that.

Don't be surprised if you see doubles of people from different realities here, either.

[miseris_socios]

... Doubles? What do you mean?

[So. Unsure.]

[fractus_animus]

[ ... Sigh. Okay, okay, let him explain. ]

... Ken-kun, you're pretty smart. Have you ever read anything about those theories with alternate universes?

I'm pretty sure this place is some sort of... I don't know, a hub? The Tower's administrators seem to be able to take all sorts of people and creatures from different worlds and times. Things like that. It's kind of like a mirror.

Now that I think of it, I'm glad you're the Ken that I know. Because it might be possible that they could have brought in you, but a different you. One who didn't know me at all, for example.

[miseris_socios]

[But that's just science fiction - but he keeps quiet and lets Minato explain.]

... Maybe we should make some kind of code phrase, so you and me and Jin and Chidori know who each other are, in case there's another one of us that shows up.

[fractus_animus]

[ He pauses, looking dead serious. ]

You might think I'm joking, I know you are, but I'm not. There's another version of myself here that... leads SEES.

[ Dead. Serious. ]

Though that isn't a bad idea... are you all right? This place is dangerous. Worse than anything I've experienced.

[miseris_socios]

But - with what they did... how could he ever...

[This is a lot to take in.]

I'm... fine. My spear is broken, but otherwise I'm okay.

[fractus_animus]

[ Let's move on. This is a confusing topic. ]

... We might be able to make you a new one. I'll ask Jin about it later; he's better at that sort of thing, anyway, and there's tools here we can use.