towerofanimus | No real escape

Entry tags:

No real escape

Characters: Elian Zigmarl and Ryuho Ryu
Setting: Room 1-12
Format: Prose
Summary: Elian has to help out a friend from his world. It's not going to be easy.
Warnings: Death talk, emotional breakdowns, and seismic upthrusts and a lot of other things that might not make a lot of sense.

With the arrival of Ryuho came the complicated matter of taking care of his leader. He had to choose his words carefully considering now that he had no memories. Elian made his way through the halls from his current location at the infirmary, to his friend's room. There really wasn't much that he could do other than to help Ryuho understand what was going on.

The navigation came easy to him, since he worked on these floors. It was a menial job but it had its benefits. The trek through the halls allowed him time to think. It was important to make sure that Ryuho knew precisely what was happening and he left very little to chance. It was a gamble he chose not to take by leaving his friend to face his issues alone.

The otherwise stoic boy didn't show any happiness on his face through his walk. It was as if it was business as usual with the same impassive expression. All those years of discipline and training made him socially invisible and rarely has he gone out of his way to explain anything other than to those that needed to know.

This was one such incident. His small hand reached up to knock on the door upon his approach to room 1-12.

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[Elian nodded against Ryuho's shoulder. Ever since his arrival, he's been trying to sort it all out. Some of it was easy, others weren't. There were several paths he could have taken, true. He wiped his eyes and pulled back.]

I am happy to see you. Even if you don't remember me, it's okay.

Hopefully I will regain my memory at some point. If it is as dangerous as everyone says, I should try to use my alter again.

Without your memory, it might not help you. I can try to help you regain your memories, but I don't want to cause you significant damage. I have never tried to hack into a living mind before.

[He steps back to sit on the footlocker. There are lots of advantages to being small.]

Perhaps that can be saved as a last resort then. You could try telling me what you know about me.

[He had a sudden unsettling feeling that Elian knew the people that he should be mourning now, and knowing would likely hurt.]

[Elian agreed to tell with a reluctant nod. He's been trying to avoid the painful parts but he was really only stalling for time. Now, he had to oblige since he was asked to do so and he gave his word that he would try.]

[He gulps and begins.]

You joined HOLY in the pursuit to find and destroy the Alter user that killed your mother. Your father allowed you to join because he believed that your pursuit in your ideals was the most important step in your development.

You quickly rose in the ranks as one of the best, if not THE best Alter user known in the Lost Ground. You control the power of Zetsui, and the only one that has single handedly beaten many Native Alters that obstructed your ideals of justice and social order.

You worked closely with Scheris Adjani and you were childhood friends with Mimiori Kiryu, the daughter of the chief financial backer to the Lost Ground. You were friends with a little girl named Kanami Yuta, who was later kidnapped by Kyoji Mujo, a Mainland Alter user that tried to gain complete control over the Lost Ground.

In the effort to help Miss Yuta and to save the Lost Ground from complete domination, you teamed up with Kazuma and infiltrated his fortress. It was there you faced the Alter user that killed your mother and you were killed in the process.

Scheris...[pause] died to save your life so you could finish what you started. Cougar died protecting Mimiori and my father, Commander Zigmarl, he died while he awakened your true power.

[His fists tightened on his lap.]

You managed to destroy Mujo in a joint effort with Kazuma and saved Kanami, which is why I'm here. With Mujo gone, the entire building collapsed in on itself.

[Ryuho listens to all of this, feeling guilty and confused. He knows it is hurting Elian to tell him all of this. And he didn't even remember his mother. How could he not have any image at all? The only things that really struck a cord with him were the names 'Kazuma' and 'Zetsuei'. For Kazuma, he felt that momentary surge of anger again, and for Zetsuei, he remembered a dog.]

Did I have a dog? A doberman?

[That was getting beside the point, but it was at least something he could wrap his mind around.]

No.

[Elian shook his head.]

Zetsuei is the name of your Alter. I can't explain it to you. It is something that you'll have to rediscover yourself. I can't awaken it for you...

[He lifted his hand and gave a small push with enough air pressure to push the average person back.]

...unless I use force.

[Ryuho stumbles a little, catching himself instinctively with the skills his body remembered, even if he didn't. He glows breifly, instinctively seeking an alter that didn't come.]

[There was something deeply rooted inside Elian's psyche that he had to release. It wasn't against Ryuho. He felt anger that he never had the chance to tell his father just how proud he was to be his son before he died. There was a lot of pain held back that he never talked about to anyone. His life in the Mainland lab, his lack of living like a normal child, his inability to voice his opinions all crashed around him upon his arrival.

His father's last words weren't even to him or how proud he was of Elian. He was jealous. His brow showed no signs of emotional change but the seething cauldron boiled just under the surface that threatened to run over the sides.

His hand raises again with an even harder push of air pressure. His body glowed brighter in the prismatic light. The unformed Alter was his father's incomplete Alter before refinement. Elian gave it a name of Jetstream for a reason.]

You took him from me.

[Ryuho crossed his arms in front of his face, blow back as far as the wall, and only barely keeping to his feet. Again, there was a moment when his alter tried to form from reflex, but without the force of personality behind it, it could not.]

I don't know who you mean!

[It may be too soon but there was no other way. Talking only gave his side to the story. He had to awaken Ryuho's power before this tower would consume him. He wanted to be the one to do it.

His chin lowered slightly. His eyes fixed hard on Ryuho.]

You took my father away from me!

[Another push, greater than the last two, ripped the tiles up from the floor this time. It was near hurricane force in a flash.]

He called you his hope! That was meant for me!

[This time he did fall, catching himself and darting forward to try to catch the boy when there was a lull. With no alter of his own to call, it was hard at a distance.]

Doesn't that mean that he was treating me like a soldier or a tool? You're his son!

[His head hurt trying to remember. He got feelings, but no images, no concrete memories to describe what he was feeling or tell him how right Elian was.]

He wouldn't want his son to be a weapon.

[But somehow, that felt untrue when it left his lips, and he felt a deep pain that he couldn't focus on.]

[The sudden dart forward did catch Elian quickly. He wasn't able to defend against Ryuho's speed. The sudden snap of his head forward forced him to bite on his tongue and his mouth bled from the force.]

We were all weapons.

[Elian managed to squeak out. Tears streaked his face but he wasn't backing down.]

He used all of us!

You don't have to be. He let you decide that at the end, didn't he?

[Ryuho didn't want to hurt him, he just wanted to keep him from continuing the attack. He wanted to keep him restrained.

He hoped the last part was true. It was something that should be.]

[Pinned by the taller Ryuho, Elian didn't have any option, but to relent for now. He had to let it be known that he was jealous. He let that fester for a long time and it had to be purged. Even though it didn't last long, he eventually stopped his struggle and nodded his head.]

I'm sorry. I don't remember what happened, and I don't know what I can say, but I want to be able to help you.

[It was frustrating to say that least. That there should be something he knew, and he didn't. It was like the feeling of his alter touching his subconcious that would come into form, like having food in his mouth that he couldn't swallow.]

[Elian wanted to awaken Zetsuei but his efforts weren't enough. He wasn't his father by a long shot. He was too meek to be that strong. Still, he had to try. He grabbed that jealousy that he was willing to let go one more time. His father never pushed Elian as much as he pushed Ryuho and he felt neglected because of that fact.

He looked back at Ryuho, his teal eyes fixed on red and focused once again.]

That's not good enough!

[He made a final push using air pressure to make an attempt to shove Ryuho off and away from him.

Elian, deep down cared for Ryuho like a brother and doing this did hurt him but it had to be done. There was no one else that could withstand Zetsuei, and there was no one else here that wasn't afraid to die.]

[Ryuho helped on, determined not to be pushed back this time. His soft eyes hardened.]

That's enough. Stop it!

[Elian also had a harder task than his father had. His father had to fight past Ryuho's reluctance, Elian was dealing with his full amnesia.]

[Ryuho's forceful voice broke Elian's concentration just enough to shock him. His head lowered as if he was a punished child by his older brother. Despite being upset, he was still in control enough to not let it control him.

Tears fell down his cheeks again in soft sobs. It was hard seeing Ryuho like this and even harder was he was doing it by himself with no support.]

You don't have to take this all on by yourself.

[Ryuho's voice was soft again and he placed his hands on Elian's shoulders.]

I think it will take time for me to get my memories back.

[Exhausted, Elian couldn't perform another attack even if he wanted to. It was mentally and physically draining. The last time he tried, he bled from his ears from the push and that was only to survive and protect others from the attacking monsters.

He fell to his knees, not out of submission, but out of this exhaustion.]

Will you be okay?

[Ryuho move to sit next to him, concerned by how much energy he had expended all at once.]

I will be okay, are you? You wore yourself out, didn't you?

[He nodded his head.]]

Yes.

[His shoulders shook on the inhale from the remnants of his pent up jealousy. He used his sleeves to wipe his eyes.]

I'm so sorry you've been alone here. Let me do whatever I can.

[He was still so lost and confused, but try as he might, he couldn't make the memories come, no matter how many times he repeated the names in his mind.]

[He inhaled deeply and nodded his head. Elian has been fighting ominous feeling of loneliness for a long time. He was practically raised alone even though he was close to the commander. It didn't matter now. He wasn't alone anymore.]

It's okay. I'm sorry that I attacked you. I thought...I thought I was helping, but I was wrong.

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