towerofanimus | Infighting Week One

[Tara...

Right, there may be many others that are not familiar with the Tower's "games," and... she needs to be a pillar of strength if she is to be a leader. Zelda's reply is with a practiced sort of calmness, taking up a mantle of stoicism despite concern plaguing her mind as well.]

Another one of their games, I am afraid. I have only ever met one of those men before, but I believe them to be the administrators of this place.

[A quiet, tired sigh.]

They seem to be in conflict, to say the least.

[Before she replies, Tara stares around the walls, up at the ceiling. She's checking for security cameras, or any kind of microphones, but such things - if they're here - have defeated her efforts at magical detection before.]

"Another" one? So, this...does happen a lot? Not with the competing, I, I get that's new. Just the, the getting dragged down here and, and the power going off, and...badness?

[She knows that "badness" is the name of the game, here, but thus far - beyond the giant spider that she'd fortunately never been eaten by - Tara hadn't been expecting any of this.]

Unfortunately, yes.

[Zelda's a bit of an old hat at the whole "carted off to some unknown place against one's will" thing by now, and despite that this place seems innocent enough thus far, she's not naive enough to hope that it will remain that way.

Taking a seat near the other girl, she folds her hands in her lap and tries to recount her story as neutrally as possible.]

Several months ago, I was taken to participate in something called "The Midnight Game." During that time, those 'selected' to participate were taken to what seemed to be a replica of the Tower and were told to keep a candle lit throughout the night, lest they be caught by "the Midnight Man."

A few weeks later, we were taken again to play a morbid game of hide and seek. Strange toys came to life, and if you were found by one, you were immediately killed.

And then, about a month ago, many were taken to a labyrinth and told to fight to the death. Those that remained in the Tower had the ability to "sponsor" those in the labyrinth, but doing so would give one horrid nightmares and diminish one's powers.

[She bites her lip for a moment, almost apologetic. Being the bearer of bad news is never fun.]

... My apologies, I cannot say I know how this game will end, but... I would suggest we brace ourselves for the worst.

[...really, in the face of all of that, this doesn't seem so bad. Tara has seen a great many horrible things in her life, even done a great many horrible things, but she was still basically a soft hearted sort of person and even Zelda's descriptions were, quite simply, frightening.]

Y-You, um...you should probably, um, eat something.

[Brace for the worst. Tara dreads to think how it can get any worse than it normally is, but, after hearing all of that, she doesn't doubt that it will.]

[She can't help a small, tired smile at the simplicity of Tara's assessment, but she nods. For now, she supposes, it could be worse.]

Yes, you are likely right. Game or no, the opportunity for a decent meal is not one to be missed.

[They'll all need their strength, most likely.]

[Tara nods towards the small doorway leading to the blessedly well stocked little kitchentte and the helpful, clear colored humanoid who'd provided her with a baloney sandwich.] It's, it's right through there.

[Because she wants to keep picking Zelda's brain, and because she knows she can't sit down forever, Tara makes her way carefully to her feet. She's still a bit wobbly, but she thinks - or hopes - that she can make it to a seat in the little dining area.]

Maybe...m-maybe, um, they f-finally got enough food to, to give everyone else, too.

[She might have been dead for two days, but the food shortage certainly hadn't escaped her notice.]

[Zelda follows her with her eyes a bit before standing as well, carefully watching the other girl as they make their way to the kitchen. She saw that wobble, and she doesn't like the look of it, but she won't comment upon it unless it becomes relevant.]

Perhaps. Though given the competition, I would not be surprised if our assigned administrator is simply trying to curry favor with us.

[It's a pessimistic thought, but also one that could be very possible. Still, she keeps moving towards the kitchenette, only the smallest of frowns crossing her lips.]

I can only hope the others have also been provided with such seemingly comfortable arrangements.

Is, um, are they r-really trying to look good to us? I, I thought they were just, um, f-fighting. Between themselves.

...at least they have a, a referee.

[And Zelda's descriptions of previous disasters only reinforce Tara's idea that they've suddenly found themselves the first line of chess pieces on an impossibly large board.]

Y-You mean the ones here, or the ones...back there?

[Wherever the rest of the tower with the rest of the people who hadn't been taken were.]

Not to us, but our so-called "happiness" may be something of value to them in this game.

But... yes, though something about that woman seemed... unsettling to me. I cannot quite articulate why, but I do not know if we can trust her any more than the competitors of this tournament.

[It's something to think over, to say the least. Still somewhat deep in thought, she orders her meal without much ceremony. After such a limited diet over the past, month, she doesn't want to risk getting herself sick with something rich, despite the temptation. A salad will do for now.

She hesitates a bit at Tara's question, however.]

... Is it too much to hope that it might be as such for both?

[Those left behind aren't a part of this stupid game, so they should at least be treated with some normalcy, and the others... well, being treated poorly would be counterproductive, right?]

...maybe.

[After all, one alternative explanation for the food is that they took it from the rest of the tower to provide for the competitors.

Suddenly, Tara is reluctant to eat anything else. The sandwich and the salad she'd had earlier...those will be enough, for now. No need to make herself sick on gorging, especially if...well, especially if others are going without. Instead, she takes a seat again.]

Didn't she say something about...deciding whose best? At, um...at "controlling" this place? Can they do that? And...and who is she? Y-You don't know, either?

['Maybe' isn't a 'yes', so she'll hold on to hope as long as she can. Zelda follows her in sitting a few moments later after picking up her meal, beginning to stir at it a bit with her fork.]

Yes, she did. From what I have gathered, they have apparently been taking monthly turns at being in control of the Tower. Obviously, their methods differ widely, which I suppose is why we are here today.

As for the woman herself... no, I do not know who she is or what her purpose is. The only ones I know by name are Jason, who conducted the labyrinth "experiment," and Zo, who...

[She trails off then, realization dawning. Zo... was described as a young boy, wasn't he? But there were no children among the administrators when they gathered their participants--]

Zo is a child that was not there when we were brought in for this game. I wonder where he is...

Well...if, if he's just a kid, m-maybe he's not...old enough, o-or trained enough, to do what they're trying to do here. Maybe he's, um, just watching. Learning.

[It's a weight off Tara's mind, if nothing else. She'd rather not be in the hands of a child with the power to warp reality. She's still healing.]

...is, is this Jason's area? [It seems remarkably normal, if it is, for a man that had once made them fight to the death. But Tara doesn't know if fighting to the death is still an item on the schedule, once they're rested and fed.]

Perhaps... That would make sense.

[Though she still wonders. After all, if Jason and the others are preoccupied with this game, then who's actually running the Tower right now?

But she'll think about that later. At Tara's question, she shakes her head.]

No, I do not believe so. I have met Jason in person before, and if I am remembering correctly, he led the group whose bracelets were red.

[That said, she doesn't know the name of their own group leader, whoops.]

[Tara examines her own black bracelet to examine pensively. So they're in unknown, but possibly less psychotic hands. They're being provided for, which is possibly more than the rest of the tower can say. She knows to be suspicious, she really does, but...]

I...I hope whoever we're w-working for wins.

[And despite her own anxieties about the whole thing, Zelda nods.]

I hardly enjoy the idea of being a pawn in a game, but... this time it may very well be in everyone's best interest if we go everything we can to win.

[Who knows if the administrators will actually hold up their end of the deal when this is all over, but they have to take the risk.]

...wish I had more to go.

[As it is, she's already considering taking her painkillers.

Speaking of which...Tara hates to burden Zelda still further, but the woman has given her good information in the past.]

So, um...the, the tower hasn't really been working right, has it? All the, um, all the power, a-and the food, and...

...how do they bring us back from the dead, if, um, if even that's not working properly?

[That... is a good question, actually, but unfortunately it is one Zelda cannot answer. Her hand stills, and she frowns pensively.]

I do not know. Supposedly, we never actually die in the fullest sense of the word, but... how they bring us back is one of the things they have kept secret from us.

I am afraid I cannot say how the process works when things are operational, much less when they are not. My apologies.

I died.

[Tara claps her hand over her mouth as the words fly out of her own accord, but...after a second, she lowers it again. If she has experiences to share, why hide them? Knowledge seems to be a precious commodity, here, and she can respect that.

Even so...]

W-What, um, what I felt? That was dying. That was...th-that was, um, all my organs ripped out, after, a-after it skinned me.

...it, i-it isn't impossible, to bring someone back, from something like that. But it's, it's still death.

... I know.

[The looks she gives Tara is one of complete sympathy and understanding, and, after a moment's hesitation, she reaches out, gently placing her hand on the other girl's arm. A gesture of solidarity.]

You are not alone in your experience, trust me. And in all honesty, my instinct is to believe you - to believe what we have felt and experienced first hand.

But... I am still in a position where I must take any and all information into account, and in Jason's question and answer session, he said that no one here truly dies.

[And it still sickens her, to think of how he regarded them as nothing more than test subjects because death supposedly does not exist here.]

At the moment, I do not know what to believe, but I understand entirely why you feel the way you do.

[It's clear that Tara doesn't like Tara's line of thinking. But she can understand it. The right answers weren't always the kindest ones.

Even so, she can't resist voicing the issue that's been on her mind more or less since her very first day.]

They...whoever, um, writes those notes, they lied. S-Saying that, that they want us to be "happy" here.

Th-They do lie.

[...even so, she knows she's being unreasonable, letting her own death put her so far down when, from the sounds of it, everyone in the tower dies at least once.

Hers' was probably kind, compared to theirs', even if she is still in pain.]

...it's, it's good, though. Th-That you think that way. You're...y-you're a good leader, Zelda.

... Yes, I am aware.

[And that's all she really has to say on that subject. They lie, and they will continue to lie until their hand is forced.

She supposes that's what her and Gandalf's little group is for.

Speaking of, Tara's compliment... throws her for a bit of a loop, to be honest. She blinks, surprised]

I, ah... thank you. Though with information so precious here, I merely hope to keep track of anything that might prove to be valuable.

[How does she accept praise.]

[Tara is the wrong person to ask that question, Zelda.]

But I, I-I think that's...that's what makes you a good leader. Lots of people, um, wouldn't pay attention like that, or, or they'd assume stuff and they shouldn't.

...l-like me.

But you don't. I, I really think you can, um...figure this place out, or understand it, or...help us.

I... I do not know what to say.

[Really. This is the first time someone she barely knows has shown such explicit faith in her without their reasoning being her heritage or her blessings.

It's almost validating.]

I am honored, that you think so highly of me. Truly. I can only hope that I will be able to help however I can.

[Neither does Tara, certainly now that she's said it. Buffy was her leader, back home but, when all is said and done, these are words she might have said to Giles, if they'd been closer, or Willow, if they'd had the time.

...but Zelda deserves them. Tara can be sincere, for people who are willing to listen to her. It's one thing she can still do, one aspect of herself she hasn't lost.]

"Thank you"...that's, um, kind of a good start. [She offers this comment with a small smile.]

S-So, um...do you know, um, anyone here? Got any friends?

Thank you, then.

[The smile is returned with one of her own, small and almost shy, but grateful.

She only hopes she doesn't let Tara down.]

I have seen a few familiar faces in passing, yes, though I think everyone is still settling in, for the lack of a better phrase. Still, our administrator seems to have selected a number of fairly calm people for his group, so I suppose I should be thankful for that.

Infighting Week One

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