Exploration (Open)

[true_noir]

Characters: Chloe and You
Setting: Exploring
Format: Action or Prose
Summary: Chloe's first days in the Tower are spent quietly, observing from the wings, looking at the floors near to the dormitories... 'catching up' with old friends.
Warnings: PG, but Chloe's always a creeper. Possibly some threats of violence when she meets Kirika, but not necessarily worse than that. I'll update if needed.


Dormitories/Hallways
Having re-acquired her cloak and body-suit from the trunk, Chloe had slipped her blades into the bandoliers on her back and begun the process of exploring. Early meals of oatmeal, unappetizing, bland and boring oatmeal had been washed down, and she had little interest in remaining in the cafeteria for long. She spent only a minimal amount of time in the room that was supposed to be her own and instead began to wander amongst the various floors, looking about with curiosity and remaining at a distance to most of those that she saw.

For now, it was a new world she had been trapped in. Until she properly understood it, understood what this collar meant compared to the one she had known before, she did not want to tip her hand prematurely.

Aquarium
Well, this at least was interesting. The forest had been skipped on almost immediately. Chloe had bad experiences with woods that thick, and she didn't expect this one was any different. One look at one of those deer was an aid in suggesting she try something more quiet, something with glass between she and the animals.

For now, standing and staring at the fish was at least soothing, if surreal. This tower's construction was hard to really understand.

Cathedral (Closed)
The familiarity of this building was haunting. The chapel that Altena had used had been non-descript as well, any signs of a use for Christianity long lost and forgotten, just as much as the old pagan artifacts lying about the vineyard of home. The faint feeling that she was interrupting, that she did not belong. She stalked amidst the wings, at the edges of the pews and pillars. She wanted to see who else came to places like this.

She suspected she knew one who might, but that would be a sole matter of chance.

Comments

Random halls

[idkworldruler]

Mitch, for the most part, was rather bored. Having spent some time gathering information himself, as well as forming a few theories of his own, his mind began to wander. Sure he smelled some form of a major conspiracy in the air, but beyond that he really couldn't care at the moment. After exploring almost every nook and cranny of the tower, he felt himself becoming bored.

Bored of the restrictions that were placed on him. Bored of feeling frustration over the fact that they were attempting to control him. Though that would most likely backfire on his captors once he found out what he wanted to know.

Now as for that cure for his boredom? he felt that he finally found it in the form of a purple-haired, young woman. Giving her a calculating gaze from behind the lenses of his gasmask before giving her a small wave. "'Sup girl?"

[true_noir]

The informality of the address, combined with the oddity of the gas mask, caused an eyebrow to be raised. Chloe had met a few strange individuals in her time, but there was a bit of paranoia in that arrangement that surprised her somewhat. She did not, however, show much difference other than the eyebrow at first.

"One might think the roof over our heads, but I do not trust my senses today," she said softly.

[idkworldruler]

"Oh I wouldn't have taken you for a comedian." He probably appeared to be a rather strange person to most of the residents of the tower. Not that he cared much, so long as it didn't lead to trouble in the future.

Though knowing his luck it probably would.

[true_noir]

"Life is comedy and tragedy all at once. One need only search for which mask is worn at the moment," she said, shrugging. "I find that seeing the comedy in the tragedy tends to make it much more ... interesting from time to time."

[idkworldruler]

"...Well in this case it's a gas mask." What's with this sudden seriousness? He just asked her what was happening. Still if she was that open then might as well use the opportunity to learn anything she might know. Or he could just mess around with her.

"So what comedy do you see here?"

[true_noir]

With her, humor was snark or cryptic and enigmatic, sometimes both. She tended to be a touch dour at times, and could be very forward about her thoughts, at least if she didn't care about someone knowing them. There were simply many things she did not care about sharing. Certainly, others had called her humorless in the past.

She snorted a thin laugh and smirked at him. "Literal, I see," she murmured. "I do not know yet. Ask me again when we have reached the first punchline. However, I would certainly say that irony laces everything I see here. It is just a question of which audiences know what."

[idkworldruler]

So she's a downer then, that's nice. He really couldn't care less either. Just so long as she has the possibility of ridding him of his perpetual state of boredom then he's fine. Granted that she really hasn't done anything to do so.

"One already knows everything. The other has an idea."

[true_noir]

"And in time, even the one with an idea will learn, usually the hard way," she said, smirking darkly and leaning against the wall. "But for now, I am simply getting a feel for what is happening. Being too hasty is how you become a punchline."

[idkworldruler]

"Not being hasty enough is how you fail to get anything done." Not that he disagreed with looking before you jump. Just that if you look for too long you'll never jump. Leaving you open to become a stepping stool.

Cathedral

[carrythesin]

If Chloe continued to stalk, she would find that chance she waited for. Because in one of the pews, Kirika sat silently as her body leaned forward to the next pew. From the memories she carried, she remembered a place similar to this but more ancient. It was both a burdened and a relief to find anything similar from the place she could called 'home'. How she wanted to visit that place and many more. Perhaps this Cathedral was more of a reminder than something to cope.

She had explored the Cathedral on her first arrival. Unless she wanted to look at the different structures and glass, sitting and gazing to the stage was enough.

Cathedral

[true_noir]

Chloe saw her from behind the pillar. She remained there, breath held for a moment to be certain that Kirika was not aware of her presence at first. When she kept her eyes on the chapel's altar, the woman began to calm considerably. Her eyes closed and she breathed a nearly silent sigh of relief. She did not want to be noticed until she chose to be.

Sneaking forward along the side aisle, she made her way towards the pew that was two rows behind Kirika. They did not have much space classically, but if she could keep very quiet and crouched low when needed, she might be able to get almost up behind the clone of her former friend before she was noticed. If she was lucky, she might end up in the seat right behind her first.

...Kirika could sometimes seem rather lost to the world after all.

[carrythesin]

Chloe's strong point was stealth while Kirika had creative kills. Kirika's ears were expert in picking up different sounds. Long as Chloe haven't disrupted the sounds in the Cathedral, it wouldn't be a surprise if she ended up next to Kirika. No hostile or threat was sensed.

For now, her mind was in space.

[true_noir]

Chloe was more than willing to take her time until she was behind Kirika. The first real sounds that would change the world around the girl would be the shift of fabric as someone drew a knife from leather. It was a familiar sound in its own way, and quite obvious that the person who did it was making just enough noise to be heard.

When Kirka turned, she would find her leaning over the pew, smiling. The blade wasn't doing much, just idly resting in her hand, back a foot or two. "A fitting place for reunions, wouldn't you say?"

[carrythesin]

When air was disrupted, Kirika's upper body turned quickly towards Chloe with her Beretta handgun. The gun was turned half way until she saw Chloe's face before her arm froze in the air. It was a common reflex for her especially for one who would sneak up behind her. She set the handgun on her lap with her hand on top. Even though she made herself open, she wasn't wearing a sweater for nothing.

Kirika glanced at Chloe for the very first time. She looked the same and yet quite different from what Kirika remembered. A reunion, somehow it didn't quite fit in Kirika's thought. "I suppose so..." Kirika responded but it doesn't sound convinced.

[true_noir]

She looked a little older than Kirika would have 'remembered,' a shade taller and a touch more filled out. There weren't many other changes than that. However, there was a difference in the way that she smiled at points, as if she 'knew' things that she shouldn't have. It was as if she had grown just a bit more impish since even before the real Kirika had met her.

The knife didn't rest in her lap, one hand putting it point down on the edge of the pew and twirling it while they spoke. "I owe you... one of you a fork, I believe. I am afraid, however, that I do not have it anymore."

[carrythesin]

When Chloe mentioned the fork, Kirika's stomach turned. The image of that day was clear in her memories. The last split image of Chloe when she was alive, and the face betrayal haunted her. The sin committed on that day couldn't be atoned, Kirika knew that well.

With that thought in mind, a couple tears trailed down her cheeks as she clutch the gun as hard as she could on her lap. "It can't be atone," Kirika whispered. She shut her eyes for a brief moment before she looked in Chloe's eyes. "Did you think I-she wanted it? To carry your body where it could finally rest?"

[true_noir]

She leaned forward when the tear slipped out of one of Kirika's eyes and her tongue snaked out to try to catch it if she didn't dart away quickly. A strange reaction, but then again Atia had given her strange tastes at times... and experiencing the discomfort that this girl felt over what was partially her responsibility and partially not was ... intriguing.

"You were always a curious one," she said, refusing to dignify the 'she' use just yet. "There were two sides of you... the one stolen from me by that woman, and the one I knew for so long. The other side of you probably would have."

Outside their shared room

[hegantha]

[ Amberley's headed towards their room when she sees Chloe leaving. She waves the other girl down with a smile. ]

Hello there, roommate!

Outside their shared room

[true_noir]

...

[The look on Chloe's face was almost painfully bland at the chipper sort of address. They had assigned her a bubbly little blonde, had they? This would be painful, she foresaw it.]

So it would seem. I take it you are the 'make the best of a difficult situation' sort of person?

[hegantha]

[ Ooh, a snarky one. How fun. ]

I guess if you consider this a difficult situation, then yep, that's me. Though, to be honest with you, I've been in worse.

[true_noir]

[That comment, honestly, drew a thin laugh from Chloe. Her lips quivered at the edge of a smirk and she shrugged.]

I do not expect it to improve, but the accomodations are not as bad as they could be.

[hegantha]

We do seem to have access to anything we need, from what I can tell. I certainly think some people could even consider us fortunate.

[true_noir]

[She paused to think about that and then shrugged.]

I do not know if fortunate or unfortunate suits this. That I am alive still is a curious thing in itself. I know only that I do not trust this place to be anymore safe than the last.

[hegantha]

You're smart. I've heard that monsters only roam the halls at night, though. Still, I'd be careful about the different rooms if I were you.

[true_noir]

Monsters...

What is a monster? Sometimes they wear the faces of men, you know. Can you even trust your roommates in a place like this, simply because you have been pitted against whatever hell has sent to claim you?