towerofanimus | ♟ 001 ♟ In the Tower With Kariya

Entry tags:

♟ 001 ♟ In the Tower With Kariya

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...

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Once he confirms her own suspicions, she feels a twinge of guilt in her heart. It's too easy to entertain the thought of telling him no, to walk away from this scene and to scratch out her name on that plate outside her room.

He would never have to know this, any of this. Who she's become. What she's done. Innocence lost and tainted by a source of evil that would make even the administrators of this place recoil in fear.

"So you are that man." Hopefully he can draw an answer from that. "I didn't think this place could revive the dead, but it seems there's a lot left here to learn about it."

"Rin, it's you--" And he smiles at her, glad to see her. But then-- "Dead?"

He takes a moment to think, his brain moving slower than it used to. If Rin is older, than of course he'd be dead. He only has a few more weeks to live, at most. But it's sad, to think of himself as dead, as gone from her life, when all he wanted was to help her and her sister.

"I must be, to you, but I'm still alive. I'm fighting in the War. I saw you, not long ago. You were with your mother."

What could have happened to her? He doesn't understand why she looks like that. "But I'm here now. I can help you, if you need me."

"I shouldn't have brought it up then." No apology, no sympathy to be found from her words.

Almost as though there was no real point to contesting the words. He spoke of helping her, that he saw her with her mother? Turning her head to the side, she thinks on that statement alone.

"Impossible." After a lengthy and very uncomfortable pause, she finally speaks. "I don't have a mother."

"It's fine," he says. "I know I'm going to..." To die, he doesn't quite say. "I know what's going to happen to me. You can say what you want."

But when she goes on, saying what she wants, when she says she has no mother, Kariya feels cold. Aoi. How can she say that? Of course she has a mother. Something's very, very wrong.

"Yes, you do. I know her. Your mother cares for you, very much." She'd taken Rin in her arms, after Kariya had saved her.

"If she cared for me, then why didn't she stop father from separating our family?" Rin's tone suddenly turns harsh.

Although she does remain elevated when she speaks of her father. Even now she's still fond of him in this place, her hand going to rest against her chest.

"It had to be done, but she could have at least spoken up. Instead, she just sat there in a passive manner, allowing him to do as he pleases. Only someone who was weak can ever behave that way."

"She cared for you very much, but she had no choice in the matter! She loved you. She didn't want it to happen. I know. I spoke to her. That's why I entered the War. I could see how much she was suffering when Sakura was sent away. She wasn't weak. She was trying to be strong, for you." It had been a horrible thing to ask any mother to do. His feelings about it are strong, his tone impassioned.

What he feels for Tokiomi is anger, and hatred. "It was all your father's doing," he says, then thinks he may have gone too far and adds, "I just wanted you all to be happy again."

"Sakura wasn't sent..." Rin pauses in her words to consider everything she's been able to discover.

So far Lancer spoke of another Master she was like, that Rin was the corrupted one in comparison to this one who summoned him. Saber spoke of Sakura like a loyal vassal would and that Rin was different even in her own world.

"Ah, so it is like that." There's bitterness forming inside of her, but it can't be helped. Once again she's been left with someone who doesn't understand her truly (a bit is nothing compared to what she's become) and who has a fascination with the same girl as herself.

"Father was wise, but compassionate. Even when I asked something so selfishly of him, he gave in with little resistance. That's how you know someone loves you."

"Like what? What do you mean?" Kariya senses that not everything is right, here. It's not only Rin's appearance, it's something else, too. He can't quite name the feeling. "That's what happened, yes."

He's still studying her, and he wants to protest that Tokiomi isn't compassionate at all, that he's selfish and cruel and a poor father, but something in Rin's manner gives him the ability to hold back. Part of him doesn't want her to see the hatred he holds inside him for her father.

"What did you ask him?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Bringing a hand to her hair, she lets it fall through her finger tips as though that was the answer.

"I asked him if I could go in Sakura's place. It was a gamble, one he didn't have to make, but he found himself unable to say no. I guess I was persistent as a child, wasn't I?"

There's no regret in her tone even when she says that much. Showing bitterness towards Tokiomi isn't an option. In fact, Kariya seems to be the source of her frustration for now.

"You did...?" Of course. That sounds like something Rin would do. She's always been so strong-willed, so independent.

"You are. You were always persistent. That was very brave of you." He stares at her, sadly. It isn't fair. He only wants Rin and Sakura to be together, to be happy.

"How could he do that? No one should have had to go. He shouldn't have sent either of you. A family should be together." He's rambling, a little. "No one should have to live with the Matou family. Rin, I'm sorry. I must have tried to help you, didn't I? I know I would."

"You lived with the Matou family."

A counter to his reply. One that he couldn't really deny. Even with the way he looks now, she knows he returned. He had to have returned to look this broken. Asking if he came back to help her though?

"I doubt it." A honest answer. "You wanted to win the Holy Grail for your own reasons just as every magus in the war did. That's the only proper explanation, isn't it?"

"Yes. I did." He looks down for a moment. In many ways, that had been the last thing he'd wanted to do. "But that was different. I left my family as soon as I was old enough to," he says, "but yes, I came back."

He shakes his head. "No, I know I must have come back for you. I never wanted the Grail. I don't care about the Grail. I never even wanted to be a magus. I'm going to give the Grail to Zouken. That's the only way he'll let Sakura go. That's all I care about."

"Are you naive enough to believe that old wicked man?"

Another honest, but harsh "answer" because she didn't feel it to be a question. Believe that Zouken would honestly give up either of them for the Holy Grail... only a child would believe such rubbish.

Or a man with no other hope to look forward to. Her gaze softens as she looked upon him, feeling that strange sense of pity. If there was anyone in this place that could know what she went through, that could sympathize with her, it was the one sitting in the meadow nearby. Opening herself up to trust someone however?

"Impossible." It had been meant to answer herself, but it worked well for the conversation at hand.

"I know it's hard to believe. I know Zouken isn't trustworthy. I didn't have any choice. It was the only thing I could do." The only way he could even try to help. He had to help, to atone for the mistakes he'd made. How could he live, knowing that he hadn't done everything he could?

"It's only the truth," he says. "I couldn't leave you there alone. Even if I failed, you wouldn't be alone." There's a note of resolution in his tone. It's true where Sakura is concerned, and he's sure the same must be true for Rin. "But I won't fail. I can't."

The way he speaks tears at her heart. To actually be able to have hope for things even when someone speaks of your failures. She's not sure how she feels when it comes to this moment, but she's not heartless enough to strike him down.

"Uncle Kariya..." To use that name once more. It feels nice? She's uncertain. "Did you not read the letter when you arrived? That world is long gone."

Rin pauses, wanting to find a way to give him some hope. There has to be something because now when she thinks about it, a world without Sakura is one she wants to destroy.

"You're the first person I've seen from my past, but I've heard of Holy Grail Wars that take place in other timelines. To say that it's impossible she'll reunite with us here. [ A noticeable pause. ] That phrase alone would be a lie. So if you want to have hope in something, place it in her arriving to this place.

Kariya smiles, suddenly, when she calls him uncle. That heartens him like nothing else has since he's arrived. "Rin..." He's happy that she still thinks of him as an uncle.

"I read the letter, but it's impossible." He shakes his head. He can't believe that the world is gone. Maybe his hope and determination blind him to reality at times, but how can he accept that the people he loves were destroyed along with the world, with only a letter to go by? "I don't believe them. It's only a letter. It's no proof of anything."

But he is given more hope by her words. "You think Sakura might come here? Yes, if we both did... Why not? Then we could be together." He thinks it would be best if Aoi came as well, so it could be the three of them again, but he doesn't say that. "So I'll hope for that, for both of us. I'd like to see her again." Kariya's smile returns. "I'm glad I found you here, Rin. I didn't think I'd find anyone I knew. Except Saber, but--" He breaks off. That hadn't gone well, to say the least. "That's different."

The mention of Saber wouldn't go unnoticed, but Rin chose to focus more on the rest of the conversation. Sakura did come before that Servant in her mind and besides, it'd be easier to find out what might have happened between the two from Saber. She had a certain honesty around her that her uncle lacked. Not from neglect of care, but Rin suspected love kept a person from telling the full truth.

"She has to come here. We didn't sacrifice so much only to be forgotten by her, now did we?" Rin's sure that sounded better in her head than it did once it was out in the open. "Er, you know what I mean."

Kariya has no idea why Saber was so upset with him, and so couldn't have explained it, even if he'd wanted to. He's still confused and a little alarmed about her desire to kill him, though fortunately, he'd managed to ask Ruler for her protection.

"I understand. No one wants to be forgotten. I wouldn't want to be. But--even if she did forget, I'd forgive her." He pauses, considering. "Is this really a good place for Sakura to come? It doesn't seem safe. I've only just arrived, but--" A thought comes to him. "How long have you been here, Rin?"

Once again she doesn't like being asked that question as she considers lying. If she focuses on some other topic, then maybe they might enjoy the company they gave each other. Right?

"Ugh..." A groan leaves her as she leans back a bit. If anything, she hates telling an untruth. "I've been here since early August. I arrived during a troubling time, so I'm still getting everything sorted out."

"Since August? How long has that been? I'm not sure when it is, here. Time seems so--strange." He can't help going into worried uncle mode at her answer, the concern evident in his voice. "What happened? Have you been all right?"

As with Sakura, he just wants things to be better for her, for her to be happy. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"A little after the beginning of October." A calm reply, almost as though it wasn't out of the ordinary. Seems she's used to the loss of eight months out of nowhere. "When I arrived, the tower was under attack and ah, I lost access to my circuits."

In short, the worms almost destroyed her that week. Without a source of prana to feed on, she had been in a lot of pain. Not that she lets that show as she looks off to the side.

"I've been alright. The monsters don't stand a chance against me and my Servant is here now."

He knows what lost access means, perhaps better than anyone else would. "Rin." Of course, she doesn't show that she's upset. She's so strong. "I'm glad. That you're all right."

A pause. "You have a Servant, too? You're fighting in the War? But that's-- How is that possible?" There shouldn't be another Grail War so soon, not with Rin the age she is. She's still young. What could have happened?

"There was a problem with the last war." She explains as though she has no trouble doing so, although her manner of speech is more blunt than she'd like.

"Something happened and as a result, the next Holy Grail War happens a lot sooner than expected. Instead of having as much time as others before me, the war began prematurely. I'm afraid I don't know of the circumstances, only that it happened that way and there was nothing that could be done about it."

Yes Kariya, that meant children were fighting in this war.

Kariya pauses, letting this information sink in. It's--it's awful. Young people, fighting in the War. He hadn't wanted Sakura--or Rin--to have anything to do with the War and all it stood for. That was part of the reason he'd entered the War, so that Sakura could be free of such things.

"A problem... but what happened? So soon? That can't be. I hadn't thought--anything like that could happen." It makes him feel as cold as he had when Saber had spoken about his "fate".

He coughs, but tries to keep his emotions under control, though the expression on his face is plain enough. "Are you all right?" No, of course she isn't. "Is there anything I can do?" Even as he says it, he knows there probably isn't, not with the two of them here, not if he isn't there for her in her time. He wishes he could be...

"I'm afraid I don't know of the details." Had she lived with someone who probably cared to tell her the full truth, she might have found out. Instead, Zouken only gave her knowledge that brought her pain such as Kariya's death.

"As for all of that." Rin pauses to consider if there was anything at all she can get him to do that was within reason. Her silence is probably a good enough indication that there was nothing she can ask of him.

♟ 001 ♟ In the Tower With Kariya

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