☆ World of Illusions

[viditlibertas]

Characters: The Anguished One and open!
Setting: Floor Twelve- the space floor.
Format: Will match you~
Summary: AO hasn't explored the tower very far, and is suddenly regretting doing it alone.
Warnings: A star being very, very horrified and depressed and confused.

Alcor had adjusted to the tower relatively quickly, in truth. He had quickly begun to balance his budding emotions with his own curiosity, so as not to overwhelm himself- a tactic he had only learned through the Shining One's entrance in to his being. He was not perfect, however, and did not completely understand the depths of his own feelings. He had decided to explore the floors of the tower one at a time, and thus far had met little that could sway his feelings to any sort of horrible depths. Until, of course, he hovered in to floor 12. For the smallest moment, he had thought that somehow he was back where he belonged, amongst his fellow stars.

And then that flash of light came, and he watched with mounting horror and fear as life was wiped out.

Alcor hadn't realized he had moved at all until he felt the floor- there was one, after all -under his knees. He'd collapsed completely, it seemed, even if he seemed to realize deep in the back of his head that such was bizarre. That detached part of him was confused by the sudden irritation in his eyes, even if nothing came out. It was like his body was seeking to emulate humanity's behavior when in despair. In a way, that made him feel twice as distressed, and he managed to push himself shakily to standing. But even with his feet on the ground, arms hugging his elbows and knees pressed together...he didn't feel right.

Why was he behaving like this? Was it the influence of those he'd watched so closely...? Had the Shining One affected him so deeply? Or...had this all been within him all along, and he'd only just realized?

It didn't matter. What did was the sickening display taking place all around him, watching as life ended on repeat all across the universe. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to leave, or even move from his spot. He simply remained in the center of the room, quivering like a leaf in the breeze and watching.

Comments

[ocariness]

[ It's probably a good thing Link ends up patrolling a lot.

Otherwise, the Hylian may have missed this. As it is, they don't, and frown with concern, moving over to this... being. Whatever they might be; Link can sense something... different, but not evil, so they feel as though they ought to help.

Moving to the other's side, the try to address them, concerned. ]

... This is not a very nice floor. I would not linger here...

[viditlibertas]

[Alcor didn't move, aside from the shudder running through him.]

I fear I cannot.

[His face turned impossibly more troubled, and he tilted his head to the side as if trying to understand some complicated problem.]

I fell. I've never...fallen like that, before. It...

[He trailed off in to mumbling, as if he were still trying to process his environment and hadn't even realized he was speaking.]

[ocariness]

[ ... Hm.

Link is not sure how to help someone who seems so thoroughly lost. ]

... But everyone is capable of falling. Even the Gods can make mistakes. If that is the case... then you must pick yourself back up, eventually. Even if it is difficult.

what's sticking to a hiatus.... D:

[pitiedthefool]

[He'd been passing by, planning on going to the library again when he heard it- someone falling to the ground. He didn't even stop to question it, when he saw the other person hugging himself. Well, so long plans. This harbinger of life can't well leave someone when they're hurting, no matter who it is; if he knows them or not.]

...Hey. [What is being of many words. He doesn't know.]

a hard thing that nobody understands :C

[viditlibertas]

[Few words? He could handle few words. Frankly, if he spoke too deeply he was afraid all of his thoughts would spill forth from him like a tipped-over glass.]

Hello...

[He kept his head bowed, closing his eyes and trying to latch on to the something he felt from this one. It wasn't...could it be?]

...Izanagi.

this is very true. :C

[pitiedthefool]

[Oh, but it most certainly is. For a brief moment, he simply blinks. How is it that everyone he's met recently been able to sense his other self--his Persona?]

... It isn't often I hear that name from someone I don't know.

[Liar. The World falls before him, and he crushes the card without second guessing it. Izanagi was being called for, after all. Did they know one another?]

It is unwise to linger here in this hall of illusion long. [It still surprises Yu to hear his other self speak at times, but to hear the concern and sincerity under the usual tones...] Is thou well enough to move?

[thanabro]

[Ryoji is passing by, and hears the thump - so he heads inside. Ah. This floor. He doesn't like it much, but he watches as the person stands, shaking. He walks towards him, trying to make his footsteps loud enough to be heard so he doesn't startle him.]

... Hey. Do you need help?

[viditlibertas]

[Death. The room reeked of it, so acutely familiar from the times he'd encountered it- he managed to push away his feelings just enough to prepare himself, should this be the genuine article. Gradually, he began to faintly glow blue, but...stopped, when he managed to turn to see just who it was that had entered.]

...Thanatos...?

[Hold on, he's...confused. Very, very confused.]

[thanabro]

[The blue glowing was a little weird, but Ryoji just tilts his head a little.]

I guess I should be used to people being able to sense him by now. But not exactly. He's my Persona.

[worldrestored]

[Space! He was in space! Well what looked like space. At first it was almost joyful and he walked in, amazed at the area and wondering why he had not come earlier, only to slowly witness the planets to start to disappear.

Oh. ...oh. It reminded him of Conception now and...he didn't quite like this room anymore.

It was only then that he noticed the other presence in the room.]

[viditlibertas]

[Alcor recognized the sudden sting in the back of his mind that usually was attributed to a demon nearby. He'd slowly began to adjust this sense so it wouldn't do horrible things like go YOU ARE DANGEROUS at Moros, this was almost so acutely positive that he believed it. Upon turning around, he stared with some degree of awe at the figure that had entered, shaking slowly ebbing away.]

You...

[What was this feeling...? Humanity's hope, that twinge of demon, the willpower...even the lines and glow were familiar feeling.]

...you are the Demi-Fiend. Hito-Shura.

[worldrestored]

[There is power radiating from him, not quite like he's used too. Naoki had felt something similar when he encountered the demonic sponsors, but this is even still different from that as well...there's almost a strange resonance. There is a lot of power too. It's only made to confirm when he says his names.

Yet he doesn't back down, he just nods, acknowledging he is right.]

[miseris_socios]

[Ken finds the twelfth floor oddly soothing. Yes, everything is dead... but it's quiet, and there aren't that many people there, and it's a good place to think.]

[... But then he sees someone already there, looking terrified, and he sticks near the wall, hoping that whoever this guy is he doesn't see him. Ken needs some time for himself.]

[viditlibertas]

[To be frank, Alcor would have left the other be- he was small, and that itself was enough reason to give him space. He'd yet to really understand talking to teenagers, so anyone under the age of 15 was completely baffling.

But the twang in his mind was decidedly Nemesis- something that gave him more than just pause. Within space, he had heard rumor of the heavenly body sharing the goddess's name. Mankind was not convinced of it's existence, but...maybe Alcor was wishfully hoping, even if only for the chance to know others had survived.]

...excuse me.

[Time to put on his polite face, ignoring that looks the same as almost every other face he makes. He's ceased his shudders for the most part, but is still unsteady and clinging to any concepts he can grasp that are not Space Is Dead.] You- ah, you have a persona. Yes?

[He was kiiiiiiiind of getting better at this. Sorta.]

[miseris_socios]

[Well crap. Ken looks back at Alcor, and nods.]

Yeah. I do. Nemesis. Do you have one too or something?

[He's really tired of all of these people that can sense her and he can't sense other people. It's pretty annoying, too.]

wow this grew into a text wall

[syncingdoll]

Kohaku's been to this floor a few times prior. The first, she didn't even leave the staircase, believing the spectacle might be a genuine opening to the abyss of dying planets. On the second, she remembered her and Urotsuki's little bet, and actually stepped out and found the floor. Each time Kohaku had stayed longer. Today, she wanted to watch to see if it was just a cycling recording, the same pre-made images of destruction being shuffled up so that a casual observer wouldn't notice. She thought it might be some kind of cosmic screensaver.

It was a very empty place. She could quietly stride through, comfortably to herself, geta making odd sounds on the hidden flooring - what kind of material would make that noise? Today was different, though. Someone was standing amidst all this, held like they were trying to make themselves smaller. It's another moment, of which the tower has given her a discomforting handful, where she's not sure how to react.

Kohaku settles on walking up next to Alcor, with an appreciable amount of space. She takes an audible breath, thinking of something to say - but loses it in the next second. She resorts to a simple "Hello."

its to make up for all the time spent not getting CR before this moment

[viditlibertas]

He doesn't even move or attempt to speak for quite some time, standing and listening intently to the sounds of another human being close by. If he focuses, he can hear breathing...nearly a heart beat, maybe, if he truly focused. Comparatively, the destruction is without pulse, and without fanfare- the way he knew all life would go.

One has always been more of a draw than the other, and he eventually turns his head to look at Kohaku, eyes unfocused and seeing through her.

"...hello."

He can't ask her to stay- that would be strange, he's pretty sure -but at this point, all he wants is someone to be nearby. Alive, and real.

[syncingdoll]

As the silence that hangs after her hello drags on, Kohaku allows her attention to fall from Alcor back to the, uh, interesting vista surrounding them.

By comparison to Alcor's tremulous state, Kohaku seems incredibly calm. Her breathing is regular. Heartbeat, the same. She doesn't do much interesting, until the projection switches to a new universe and she cuts her eyes away from it - that initial burst of light is bright.

The returned hello has her immediately perking up and noticing his loose stare, though. Kohaku beams. "Oh, you did hear me! I thought you," might have been absent, she wants to say, "might not have."

ready for another million comment thread

[nemophila]

Seeing someone like Alcor (or, Al Suha? Anguished One?), not only someone pretty composed, but a star erring on the side of god-like, collapsed in the middle of the floor and seeming like he was on the edge of tears-- was more than a bit jarring. Jun watched in surprise for a moment, before stepping down off the staircase and rushing over to him.

"Al... Al Suha? Are you alright?"

even if I wasn't alcor would still make it happen

[viditlibertas]

"I'm worried."

It came out naturally, and he hadn't even had to think- the second he felt who was beside him, he didn't bother trying to mask or alter his behavior or emotions.

"For my brothers. For all of the stars."

He'd been so concerned for humanity and their will...that he hadn't even considered the implications this place held for the entire universe. Polaris no doubt was gone as well, taken under without even having a chance to forsee the event on the record...

"I...hadn't considered that everything was gone."

It was probably ridiculous to fret over those he had helped mankind destroy in the first place, but...his feelings were his own, and he finally knew that. He wouldn't reject them, even if they made it harder.

stars talk a surprising amount

[nemophila]

The concerns were-- startling, to say the least. Alcor had said he hadn't been able to sense the other stars, but perhaps the universal scale was difficult to wrap one's head around. Jun looked up from the star and looked at the floor around them.

"I..." He frowned, fidgeting with the flower from his breast pocket. It's not like he could really say everything was going to be OK; he knew better than that. "I'm sorry... I don't...."

[deathboss]

Eikichi liked space. Enough to look into the room once in a while when he passed by. He just hadn't expected to see...Starbro (yes that was his name now) collapse into a puddle in the middle of it.

"Dude...uh. You okay?"

[viditlibertas]

"..."

Much of the horror in the tower was suited to a human's fears- blood, death, dismemberment, the like. Horrors that they could not, or did not want to comprehend. With good reason, of course, but they didn't have the same impact on a god.

"You are a being of willpower...one who fights to protect what you love."

He took a deep breath, before gesturing out to the resetting universe.

"I cannot protect all of space, I could not even protect humanity. Seeing...other stars die..."

His arm dropped awkwardly, and he shook his head. This wasn't the time to be self-depreciating, but...his faith had been kindled by the Shining One. Losing that connection made it even harder, for reasons he couldn't comprehend.

mmn, late yes

[vvvroom]

[He wasn't on this floor very often, and he was only passing by since he was heading back from the workshop, but...

Alcor was apparently freaking out and we know how well things turned out the last time something like that happened!]

Hey! [He jogs over to help Alcor stand up, but he doesn't ask what happened. At least not yet.]

delicious late, mmm mmm good

[viditlibertas]

[Surprisingly, the star wasn't 1. killing anyone, 2. going out of control, or 3. failing at jumping, so you'd be surprised at how well he'd adjusted, thank you very much!!!!!!

But jokes aside, the star didn't even move or turn when he was called out to; he simply remained still, legs pulled up to his chest and eyes resting on his kneecaps. He might have been faintly glowing as well, but...that's surely no cause for alarm, right?]