♟ 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

[puppy_lancer]

[He raises an eyebrow.]

Sister?

[vermicompost]

Rin, her sister. I have two nieces.

[puppy_lancer]

Ah.

[Rin and Sakura. Both names were common enough. Nothing as exotic as Misaya's name had been.]

Can I ask you a favor? Can you help me keep an eye out for Misaya as well?

[vermicompost]

I'd be happy to do that for you. What does Misaya look like?

Here comes another "you tried"

[puppy_lancer]

Hold on.

[He fumbles a bit with his clothes, until he pulls out a scrap of paper with a picture on it.]

Like this. She looks like this.

Nicely done

[vermicompost]

Oh. [Kariya isn't quite sure what to say.]

I--I'll try to look for her. This drawing is--really what she looks like?

He is the most ridiculously parental Servant ever

[puppy_lancer]

[Meanwhile, Lancer has the most ridiculously proud grin on his face.]

It's exactly what she looks like. See, it's her self-portrait. There's her eyes...

[He points to what seems to be bloody holes.]

And the hair. She has this nice, long, black hair.

[He points to the lines that seem to be radiating from the demonic face.]

And here's her big Misaya smile.

[He points at the gaping maw.]

Pretty lass, isn't she?

awww he is

[vermicompost]

[Kariya is the last person who'd ever insult a young girl's self portrait. He looks as Lancer indicates, nodding, smiling, quite sincerely appreciating it.

He's even a little charmed by all this.]

Yes, I see. It's a nice drawing. She must be very pretty.

I'll be sure to look out for her.

someday, there must be a "My Master can't be this cute" squee-off

[puppy_lancer]

Thanks! And if you find her, try not to talk too much to her. She's standoffish around strangers.

[It was a very. very nice way of putting it.]

I don't think Kariya and Berserker will win that contest

[vermicompost]

You're welcome. I'll remember that. [Kariya is very forgiving when it comes to young people and their foibles.]

That reminds me. I have a picture, too.

[He'd almost forgotten he could show something too, not that he'd forgotten the thing itself, as it's precious to him. One of the few things he has in the tower is a picture of himself with Aoi, Rin, and Sakura, back when things were better. He pulls it out of his pocket.]

It's a photo of Rin and Sakura, look.

Re: I don't think Kariya and Berserker will win that contest

[puppy_lancer]

Woah!

[He leans in to get a good look at Aoi.]

Your best friend is one pretty lady!

[vermicompost]

Yes, she's very pretty, isn't she?

[Kariya looks both pleased and a little nervous. He hopes Lancer doesn't say anything embarrassing.]

[puppy_lancer]

And...she's married, right?

[His tone, noticeably, doesn't carry any disappointment.]

[vermicompost]

Yes, she's married.

[Kariya isn't exactly happy about that, considering that he's planning to kill her husband. He doesn't sound happy, either.]

[puppy_lancer]

Is her husband always with her? Or does he leave the house on business or something?

[If Kariya could see what Lancer was hinting at...]

[vermicompost]

He's a magus.

[Kariya still doesn't look particularly happy, but when does he, when thinking of Tokiomi?]

His work is important to him. So yes. He must leave.

[More important than his family.]

[puppy_lancer]

And she's not?

[Didn't magus families usually marry whoever gave them the strongest children?]

You must have visited her a lot when he was out then.

[vermicompost]

No, she's not.

[He doesn't see the need to explain the Zenjou family. Family pedigrees are not something he cares about.]

I did, when I was in town. I've always liked spending time with her.

wow, Lancer is RUDE

[puppy_lancer]

...How are you sure you don't have any kids of your own then?

LANCER

[vermicompost]

[Kariya stares for a moment, startled by the remark. It takes a few seconds before he can speak again.]

I--I didn't--

I didn't do anything like that.

he needs a leash

[puppy_lancer]

But you said she was your best friend and she didn't have her husband around?

[As long as the husband didn't know, it was fine in Lancer's book.]

[vermicompost]

We're just friends! I play with the children. I didn't--

[Not that he wouldn't have liked things to be different.]

She was happy...

[puppy_lancer]

[He stares at Kariya for a few second before shrugging.]

Man, you modern people.

[Just because there was physical intimacy didn't mean there was emotional intimacy as well.]

But, if that's what made all of you happy.

[vermicompost]

I don't think it's modern, it's just what happened.

[He'd rather have the emotional intimacy.]

It didn't make me happy.

[He murmurs this.]

[puppy_lancer]

[He's barely able to hear that final murmuring.]

Why didn't you ever tell her?