towerofanimus | I Don't Think That's How...

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I Don't Think That's How...

Characters: Zero Lancer and whoever would like to join!
Setting: Starting in room 4-16, then heading to the cafeteria, and from there floor six.
Format: Whatever you would like!
Summary: Zero Lancer wakes up in a strange place and tries to figure out what's going on.
Warnings: Spoilers for Lancer's end in the series.

Room 4-16

[The moment he is able to move from the strange paralysis that has gripped him upon waking, Lancer's hand sweeps out to grab one of the two letters his eyes spot on the table near his bed. While the time he's been unable to move has been brief, for a trained warrior in a unfamiliar place, that time has still seemed like an eternity.

An eternity trapped in mystery. An eternity not knowing if his master...]

Right, my master...

[The word drips with an anger unusual to him as his empty hand rises to rest over his heart--over the place where there should have been a gaping hole from the spear he had been forced to drive through his own chest.

The wound is no longer there.]

What is going on? How can this be?

[Lancer's eyes focus back on the letter in his hand and he quickly opens it. After only a few moments, the letter floats onto his bed. Dropped in surprise? Shock? He's not really sure what to call the feeling that tears through his heart. Shock he had felt when he had been betrayed by the master he'd given everything to. Surprise he had felt when he realized, in those final moments, how angry it had made him.

The emotion he feels now that he has been told that his world is dead and he is still alive instead of it being the other way around is something he can't put a name to. And while he doesn't know what to call that emotion, he does know he can't just keep sitting on the bed in this strange place wondering what's going on.

Lancer quickly rises to his feet and summons his armor and spear to his side. The summoning is as natural to him as breathing and he never once doubts that they will come when called. He does, however, notice that while the white outfit had woke up in is now gone, the collar is still there. It's an annoyance, but something he can deal with later once he's gotten some answers.

He's about to leave his room when the trunk at the end of his bed catches his eye. He's not quite sure why, but he gets the feeling he should really look into it before leaving. If the letters had held information, then why not the trunk as well?

Anyone who happens by 4-16 and looks or stops in may find him still kneeling in front of the now opened trunk. Asking about what looks to be the tears in the corners of his eyes may or may not be a good idea.]

The Cafeteria

[While servants technically don't have to eat, since Lancer has no idea how things work in this strange place, he is currently eating a bowl of very tasteless oatmeal. Not that it really bothers him considering some of the things he had eaten while in the Fianna and on the run from Fionn. Tasteless actually is an improvement from what some of those things had tasted like.

To be honest, he's not here for the food anyway. Since the cafeteria was mentioned in the letter, it only stands to reason that a good number of people would be there--new and old alike. And that does seem to be the case, so the servant in green sits at one of the cafeteria tables slowly making his way through his own bowl, his head bowed over it almost as if he's shy. While he's not really shy, he is somewhat worried about his curse and how it will affect the people here. So far, though, no one seems to be having troubles with it leading him to hope that it's not active. Those who take the time to look into his eyes will find that, far from looking shy, they are observing the room and its occupants with an intensity that only those who have fought many many a battle can achieve.]

Floor Six

[After learning all he can in the cafeteria, Lancer decides to slowly start making his way back up the tower so that he can find out what secrets each floor holds. Already he's heard tell that many of the floors are dangerous and even deadly to those who make a misstep on them, but this floor seems far too peaceful for that. He takes a few steps away from the stairway, but doesn't go too far, keeping in mind the things he had overheard from others. How some floors look completely safe, only to become deathtraps in the blink of an eye.

Movement to his left draws Lancer's attention, but he smiles when he notices it's just a deer. A...mutated deer, but a deer just the same. In all honesty, it's not the strangest thing he's seen. He grew up in a world of oddities after all.

The deer watches him for a few moments longer before disappearing back into the forest. As it disappears, Lancer closes his eyes and draws in a deep breath. Maybe it is just because of what he found in his trunk, but this forest with all its oddities makes him feel strangely at home.

Unconsciously, his hand raises to touch the torc that sits tightly around his neck slightly above the collar. He could have worn it lower as he had when it had first been given to him, but no. Lancer can't stand the idea of the gift Oscar had spent so much time finding for him being hidden by that thing...that annoyance he still hasn't found a way to be rid of.

And so he stands there, lost in thought. Thoughts of the old days, of his old friends, things supposedly on a world that might or might not have been destroyed. He still isn't sure what he believes. He just knows that at least here he has these small things, these memories.

He didn't have any of that in the war...]

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[ There's a soft smile on her face at his words. ]

To be honest, I've only taught once, and that was recently. Though, it was more of me looking after them. [ She laughs softly. ] Maybe I grew up too fast, maybe I didn't.

Well, there is no doubt that you have grown up well so the how doesn't really matter.

I was a teacher once as well. It was a long time ago, though, and I suspect my students were a lot different from the one you taught.

[Lancer closes his eyes a moment, memories of his time in the Fianna crossing his mind. They had been his friends--his family--for so long and then...

His face saddens and he opens his eyes.]

It must be hard for you to be here. So far away from your friends and family.

It depends. The ones I looked after were a bit younger than me. Not too young, though. I bet you were a great teacher, Lancer-san.

[ His next words, however, hit her right in the heart. The smile on her face withers to a more mellow and sadder one. So far, she had Kyoko here, someone she never thought she would run into ever again and Homura was here as well. She had yet to see if Sayaka and Madoka were in the tower.

Family. That was a word she hadn't heard in a long time when she was the topic. Mami closes her eyes gently, quiet for a brief moment before opening them. ]

I've learned to adapt. My parents... Aren't alive anymore anyway. It's hard to miss what's not there. [ A hand goes to her curls and she runs her fingers through them. ] But... It is hard not knowing if your friends are safe.

Ah...

[Lancer's eyes widen and he pales when he realizes how much he's upset her.]

I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. Please forgive me my rudeness. I wasn't thinking. I--

[He could continue, but he's afraid that he's going to say something else wrong, so he stops and just bows to her in apology holding the bow for much longer than is probably necessary.]

[ All Mami does is simply hold a hand up. ] Please, you don't need to apologize. I wanted to save them, but I couldn't. I could only save myself. I've had my time to mourn over them. It's been a few years anyway.

[ It's been a while since she thought about her parents. The sudden word of "family" must have caught her off-guard. Even if she was done mourning, she had those days were she thought about them and mourned a bit more. Having a family was... Something she would never have again. ]

Besides, it's not so bad anymore. All I can do now is live in the present. [ Because she had no future. ]

Edited 2013-01-07 01:02 (UTC)

Such a horrible thing to have to deal with at such a young age. No wonder you are so grown up.

[Lancer shakes his head as he stands from his bow. He can tell there are some things she's not telling him, and really it's not his place to pry because they've just met, yet he can't help but want to comfort her somehow. His careless statement had been what caused her upset after all.]

I'm sure you did everything you could to save them. You don't seem to be the kind of person to do things by half measures, yet no matter how hard one tries sometimes there is just no way to win.

[He frowns for a moment as he thinks of his own death in the war.]

Fate can be a cruel mistress.

....

[ While she didn't regret her wish, it was hard to explain. In fact, some people would call her wish to live as something close to selfish. But what could she do? She would have rathered live the life of a Puella Magi than die knowing that she could have saved herself. ]

Fate is cruel. But sometimes, it can lead us in a nice direction. [ Her smile grew as she thought about the people she met. For the first time, she wasn't alone. ] And sometimes we can even change it if we want. I'm happy to be alive. I'm not alone anymore.

I'm glad to hear that. And along that line, perhaps this tower isn't all as bad as some think.

[Lancer pauses, he eyes growing distant for a moment.]

I-I shouldn't even be alive right now, yet here I am. And in addition to that, I've been given back some things that I should never have seen again. I don't know how it's been done or why, but I can't help but be grateful. It gives me a chance to actually make my second life worth something.

Ah.

[ Maybe these two were more similar than she thought. Someone else that was suppose to be dead. Someone else who was grateful for having a second chance (though for Mami, it was a third chance). She was quiet for a minute, lost in thought. ]

A lot of people here... Have similar situations to you. Myself included.

[He looks over at her, surprise evident in his eyes.]

I was under the impression that most everyone hated this place. Are there really so many who feel the same way? Wait...does that mean you are dead in your world? Mami, I'm so sorry...

I'm not too sure if there's a lot of people who want to stay here, but I'm sure there are a lot people who are dead in their worlds. Most people here would like to go home.

[ A slight nod. ]

People that I know have told me of my fate. It's something I can't escape, so please don't apologize.

Still it seems wrong. You're so young.

[Lancer shakes his head. Sure, people died young quite often during his time, but they were usually those who were going into battle and knew what risks waited for them.

Surely, this kind girl wasn't a solider of some type was she? It would explain her mature attitude but...

...but to a man who had a daughter of his own the idea left a very bad taste in his mouth.]

You say the others from your world told you of your fate. What happened? Were you in a war?

I'm not in a war.

[ She glanced around. She wasn't the type to lie, and the topic was brought up. Was it dangerous to tell him what her life was like back at home? It's not like they loved in the same universe. ]

There was an accident that my parents and I were involved in. Something by the name of Kyuubey offered to save me if I made a wish. I wished to live. However, now I have to fight beings called witches in exchange for my wish.

A witch killed me because I was reckless. I was decapitated.

[ She was quiet, a faraway look on her face. ]

[Lancer looks up at her, but for a few long moments he is silent, too shocked to say anything. He is horrified both by her terrible fate, but also by how calmly she speaks of it. Granted, he's talked about his own death in such an off hand manner before, but he's a knight. Death is something they were used to.

She...she is just a girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.]

I-I...

[Yeah, the words still aren't ready to come. What exactly can he say to that?]

.... I...

[ She realized how calmly she spoke about it. It's not that it didn't faze her, because it did, it's just she never really regretted her wish. She had her time to mourn and she was over it.

So why was she so bothered about this. ]

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have sprung that up so nonchalantly. [ Her words trail off and she looks down at her feet, unsure of what to say next. ]

No, no it's all right.

[Lancer finally shakes off his shock and places a comforting hand on her shoulder.]

It's just that I have a daughter of my own and to hear one such as yourself speak of death like that... It makes me think of my daughter and how I would feel if she'd had to face what you did.

[He pauses, looking away from her for a moment.]

I left her far too soon, you see. I have no idea what happened to her or her brothers after that.

... I bet your daughter grew up to be a wonderful woman. And your sons probably grew up to be like you.

[ She smiled sadly. ]

I'm grateful for having another chance at life. So please, don't feel sad for me.

[Lancer nods, though it's easy to see he's still having a hard time wrapping his head around it all.]

I will try. It just doesn't seem right somehow. Did you know that you would be fighting in exchange for your wish? Or was that something you learned later? Does this...Kyuubey go around to young girls in situations such are yours a lot and offer these kinds of things? What does he get from it?

At first, I didn't know entirely. After I was saved, Kyuubey told me everything. [ Except he didn't. There are still some things Mami doesn't know. ]

As for your other question, I believe the wishes help Kyuubey in some way. He seems to go after girls my age. Not everyone can see him, however. In order to see him, a girl must have the potential to become a magical girl.

[Lancer's eyes narrow suspiciously.]

That is not right. I realize that many would give anything to have a wish granted to them, but they should know the full details of the deal before accepting it. Does no one attempt to control or stop this creature? Even if he is giving wishes to those who might not have them otherwise, he's doing so in a deceptive and dishonorable manner. It shouldn't be allowed to continue.

[ This was starting to sound like someone she knew. Homura didn't like Kyuubey, but Mami just thought it was because she was trying to prevent Madoka from becoming a magical girl.

A part of her wanted to agree with Lancer. Yes, Kyuubey should tell them full details before contracting and making promises, but she couldn't help but defend Kyuubey a bit. After all, if it wasn't for him she would have died, right? ]

As far as I know, Kyuubey has told me everything, and he has passed on some knowledge to the two girls I'm teaching. [ Kind of. Mami's certain that if she wasn't there, Kyuubey would have told them everything if they asked. After all, Madoka and Sayaka were pretty smart.

Oh Mami. If only she knew. ]

It's hard to stop something you can't see. And a creature with that much power can't be hard to kill, even if I wanted to kill him.

I'm not saying Kyuubey's right. But if it wasn't for him... [ She wouldn't even be alive. She was dying and only entering middle school when she made her wish, how could she know what she was getting herself into? Death never scared her after she made her wish. Yet, she was growing paler as the conversation extended. ]

[Lancer signs and runs a hand through his hair.]

I want to argue with you on that--it still doesn't seem right--but I guess I really don't have the right to judge your world when I have so little knowledge of how things work. Maybe this Kyuubey does have only good intentions and I am just being overly suspicious.

[No, Lancer doesn't really believe that, but he can see how pale Mami is getting and has decided to let things go for now. He really doesn't want to upset her farther.]

Besides, I bet if I went into all the details of how things worked on my world, you might react the same way. Neither of our worlds seem all that kind to their chosen ones.

[ This conversation with Lancer is stating to make her rethink about Kyuubey's intentions, whether they're truly good or not. After all, defeating witches means less trouble for people. Plus, the reward of a grief seed was always a good thing. ]

... You're probably right, I would react negatively to how things work in your world. Fate truly is cruel. No one should go through anything awful. [ Even if they're dead. ]

Yes, especially those who have suffered already.

[He means her, of course, though he's not going to say that out loud and risk upsetting her anymore than she already is. Lancer shakes his head and sighs.]

I suppose Fate feels those are the people who have already proven that they can handle what is thrown at them and become stronger for it. Why take the risk with someone unproven especially if the world is in danger?

We should be honored to be chosen.

[The bitterness in his voice suggests otherwise though.]

... I don't think I was chosen. I was just simply someone who wanted to live.

[ But she did get stronger! She was happy about that. She softly smiled, closing her eyes gently. ]

As cruel as it is, I'm happy for my second chance. I wish I didn't use my wish for something so selfish, though...

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oathshackledbird - 2013-01-11 21:48 (UTC) - Expand

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