♟ 001 ♟ In the Tower With Kariya

[vermicompost]

Characters: Kariya and OPEN
Setting: various
Format: either
Summary: Kariya's arrival in the Tower
Warnings: blood, possible body horror


Dormitories:
It's confusing, arriving here. This place, the letters, they're alarming. How could the world be destroyed? Where's Sakura? Where's Aoi? Kariya's heartbeat is accelerated, his breathing harsh and quick. His own agitation agitates the worms within him. In this state, it's difficult for him to walk, let alone make his way through an entirely new, strange environment, but he does his best. At times, he staggers and coughs, or stumbles to one side, disoriented. He has to pause to rest, more than once. Blood flecks his lips, gathering at the corners of his mouth and sliding down over his chin.

"Berserker, Berserker..." He calls out now and then as he goes, but no one comes to his call.


Cafeteria:
He managed to make his way down to the cafeteria. Sitting at the table, he gazes down at his oatmeal he was given, mournfully. He's not very hungry. He tries to eat it, but even just the plain oatmeal is difficult for him to choke down. It takes him a few tries, but he takes his time. When he pauses to cough, he wipes up the scattered bits of oatmeal flecking the table, a little embarrassed.


Infirmary:
The medical facility looks promising, but Kariya isn't sure if they have anything there he can use. He doesn't know if there's any medicine in existence that can help him. He'd like to try, but he doesn't want to risk disturbing the worms further. It's hard to say how they'll react to any stimulus. Much of his life has become a matter of worm management. He walks in slowly, quietly. "Hello, is anyone here?"


Meadow:
After wandering restlessly, at last Kariya settles himself, all but spent, exhausted from his wandering. He sinks down among the flowers with a sigh. When he focuses his gaze on the blooms, he feels more content, calmer than he was before. The flowers are lovely and fragrant, the petals soft and colorful. He just wants to rest a little while...

Comments

meadow

[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer looks down at the horribly scarred man lying down in the flowers.]

[He frowns. The man smells of decomposing materials. Not in the same way as the Grail, but still an unpleasant smell.]

[He doesn't say anything, but just stares, wondering if the man is dead or alive.]

[vermicompost]

[He's resting, nearly dozing, but it's difficult for him to truly sleep. He hardly ever falls into a deep sleep. He hasn't since long before the war began. As much as he wants to sleep, he's jumpy, and in a few minutes, he starts awake, his eyelids snapping open as he senses someone watching him.]

What--

[He turns his head to focus his good eye on Lancer. He doesn't recognize him, but something about this man alarms him--there's a presence to him, a sense of power, that he can't explain. His chest seizes up. This whole place is alarming, and he wouldn't be surprised to meet someone--something--dangerous, even in this seemingly peaceful meadow.]

Who are you?

[puppy_lancer]

[Well, that answers the question of this guy being alive or dead.]

Call me Lancer.

meadow; I am the latest niece...

[angramaintsu]

"Do you mind?"

There's a girl sitting just a little under a yard away from him with her back to him. It seems she's unaware of just who he is or else she might have been a bit softer in her tone.

But then again, since when was Rin ever kind? The twin ribbons of pink atop her head are reminiscent of the little girl Aoi used to hold, but the hair was mostly white, with a twinge of purple starting to peek it's way through the tips of her hair.

"I was enjoying a nap until you rudely intruded on it. Now be gone or else I'll dispose of you myself."

No, just in time!

[vermicompost]

There's a certain familiarity to the voice--maybe in tone or rhythm. He can't place it, because it's the voice of an older girl than the one he remembers. Yet he turns toward the sound at once, curious.

His good eye focuses on Rin, and he takes in her hairstyle, her hair, everything he can see from this vantage point. This is one more confusing thing in a sea of them, yet the first thing he's found that reminds him of home. How can she be so familiar yet so strange?

"I'm sorry." His voice is soft, but hoarse, in his ruined throat. "I didn't see you there." Even though she'd been so close, he hadn't been thinking clearly. "I didn't mean to disturb you." He keeps his gaze on her. Instead of asking who she is, he says, "I'm Kariya."

[angramaintsu]

"Kariya?" She had an uncle by that name so long ago, didn't she?

Rin often doesn't think back on those times. No, it's too painful. In a single year she lost the only family she knew for years and went through a series of changes physically that no child should endure. Kariya, her uncle at the time, was the only one who could understand it. While there's a fair amount of bitterness that dwells within her heart for him (not due to his failure, but because he didn't trust her enough to leave her to handle it), it wasn't worth mentioning to this stranger.

So when she looks over her shoulder towards him, piercing red eyes that aren't like the purple or blue that they should have been, she finds herself staring at him.

"Kariya... Matou?" Reluctant to ask, but she manages it nonetheless.

Dormitories

[scorchedchivalry]

Someone does come to call, but not the one Kariya wanted.

"You will not find him here," Saber said from behind, standing as she was at the end of the hall. "Most unfortunate for you."

[vermicompost]

He freezes at the sound of that voice, then turns. He knows who she is. He wouldn't have forgotten one of the Servants. It hasn't been so long since he saw Saber in battle. Although--she looks different, and he can't say why. It's not a comforting difference.

Of course, he's afraid. Another Master's Servant would naturally want to kill him. He may have accepted the inevitability of his death and its purpose, but he doesn't want to die. He takes a step back.

"Go away." It's a meaningless, almost childish thing to say, and he knows it. But he doesn't have any defense against her, because Berserker won't come. "I don't want to fight you."

[scorchedchivalry]

Saber's eyes do not move from him as he pleads for her to leave him alone. There was a burning rage in her chest that begged to be unleashed upon him. This man was the reason she had lost the chance to say goodbye to one dear to her. He in his desperation had prematurely snuffed out what Saber had come to see as the only light in the Fourth War.

She advanced on him with purpose.

"It would not be a fight. I need not even draw my blade to snap your neck."

[faithstaynight]

[No one? No, someone does come. Noticing the man in such pain, a fair-haired girl in men's clothing approaches, a worried frown on her face. She reaches a hand out, and speaks in a soft, worried tone.]

Monsieur, would you like some assistance? I can guide you to the infirmary, if you wish.

[Despite her gentle appearance, there is undoubtedly an aura of power around her - the familiar magical signature of a Servant. She doesn't bother to hide it, since she heard him calling out for Berserker, but... she can ask him about that later. The important thing is getting him help.

[vermicompost]

[Kariya's not so disoriented that he misses the air she has, one that's familiar to him now, even if she isn't. He pauses, frozen, slowly registering what she's said.]

I--there's an infirmary?

[He takes a moment to take in the fact that there's someplace like that in an awful place like this. He hadn't expected to find any comfort or kindness here, and why should he have? Kindness had been in short supply even back home. Maybe he should be more wary, but it's hard for him to say no to the offer. If a Servant wants to hurt him, what can he do to stop them on his own? Shortly, he nods.]

Yes. I don't know if it will help, but yes. Is it far?

[faithstaynight]

[She nods.] Yes, there is. It's down on the second floor of the tower, but we can take an elevator to the first floor and move one level up. That would be the fastest way, I think.

[The desire to help certainly seems genuine. It's hard not to seem threatening when you have the aura of a Heroic Spirit, but whoever this girl is, she certainly seems to be making an effort to avoid any sort of hints of hostility.]

Cafeteria

[fusedstars]

Hei had been busy in the kitchen, preparing not pumpkin related meals. People wandered in and out, and that tended to earn some attention. A man coughing as he tries to eat the oatmeal? That was not a good sign. And so he walked over to the man, staring down at him.

"Do you require assistance?"

[vermicompost]

Kariya looked up, caught in the midst of mopping up oatmeal, trying not to look as awkward as he suddenly felt.

"Oh, hello. Thank you. I'm fine," he said quickly, though his expression made it clear that he wasn't, actually. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He didn't feel like eating, but he'd weaken so much more quickly without food.

"I heard I had to eat this."

[fusedstars]

"It's obvious you aren't," he spoke. "While it is required to eat the oatmeal, there are ways to at least try and make it easier to eat."

If he could barely eat that, he was going to have a lot of problems in the future.

cafeteria

[forfeiture]

[ Eva just came here to get something to eat too, really.. but when she hears the coughing she can't help but look - partially out of curiosity, but probably already out of some sort of worry too. Her look turns to a slight worried frown as she slowly approaches, looking down at him as she's standing there. ]

.. Are you alright? [ Maybe she hasn't fully noticed the scars yet, but as a peace offering of sorts the woman offers a small smile. ] It can be rather difficult to chow down at times, hm?

[vermicompost]

[He turns at the sound of another voice. He's not surprised to see someone else here, in this large place, but he's still a little startled at being addressed, because he's jumpy.

He nods.] I'm fine. But yes, it's hard sometimes.

[He pauses, wiping up some more oatmeal and offering a smile. She seems friendly.]

I'm Kariya. I'm new.

[forfeiture]

Ah.. a new person, is it. [ She isn't a veteran or anything here herself, but.. this still isn't too good of a place to be in, right? She can't help but pity him a little for being dragged in here as well, but at least he's smiling, so.. ] My name is Eva. It's a pleasure to meet you.

.. Would you mind if I sit down? It's a little nicer with some company, don't you think?

Dormitories

[eighteen_winters]

Normally Illya would have avoided a man such as Kariya, being he wreacked of rot and ill magic. But the words he cried were simply to much for the young homunculas to ignore.

As she hesitently inches her way towards the errent magus, she speaks aloud; making sure to keep some distance between the two of them.

"Are you looking for your servant, Mister?"

[vermicompost]

Kariya starts at the sound of the youthful voice, then turns toward Illya, eyes widening. A little girl? There shouldn't be any children here, he feels, not in this awful place, whatever it is.

"Hello," he says, uncertainly. Who is she? How does she know about Servants? He takes a minute to study her, taking in her hair and eye color. They're unusual, distinctive. "Yes, I am," he admits.

"What's your name?"

[eighteen_winters]

Illya wondered the same of the vein-ridden man. If he was truly a master it was not during any Grail War she had personally experienced. On tap of that he was calling the name of her servant, or at least that of his class. None of this added up.

"I am Illyasivel Von Einzbern." She said in a matter of fact manner.

meadow

[fuhgeddaboudit]

He wasn't the only one admiring the flowers. A girl made of metal came wandering by, quietly admiring the scenery for a minute or two. Upon realizing she wasn't alone, she blinked bright red eyes and spoke in a heavily accented voice.

"Hey, you feelin' alright? Y' ain't lookin' so good."

Then again, a robot in a school uniform with an axe fixed to her back wasn't one to talk about looks.

[vermicompost]

He turned toward her, his eyes widening slightly. He had no real experience with robots, not the sentient kind. "Hello," he said softly.

"I'm all right--well, no, I'm not." It's hard to lie, considering the way he looks: the scars, the prominent veins, the ruin of the left side of his face. Yet he smiles. "But I have to try. I thought I'd rest here, it's so peaceful.."

Dorms

[wouldulikesomemakingfuck]

Slow down, old man. [An easy mistake for Lancer to make upon seeing his gray hair.] If you keep pushing yourself you're gonna have a heart attack.

[vermicompost]

[Kariya does slow down then, and turns. Then he stops altogether. His eyes widen, and he feels alarmed as he senses power. Who is this?]

I'm fine. [He feels he should offer some explanation.] I'll be fine. I'm looking for someone.

[It's true. He wants to find Berserker. Or Sakura. Or anyone familiar in this strange place.