towerofanimus | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters: Waver Velvet and open
Setting: Floors 14, 45, 19 and 43 or anywhere else
Format: Starting with action but I can match
Summary: Waver's been in the tower for twenty years and become a grumpy bum. Replies will come from

achillean
Warnings: Nothing really, I don't think.

Floor 14
[Is there really someone sitting in front of a tv with a Playstation controller in hand...in boxers and an undershirt? Yup, there sure is. And that person is Waver. Poor posture and everything. Although it might be hard to some to recognise him as Waver Velvet at first, as he's aged twenty years. His hair grown out past his waist, and being nearly a foot taller are the major points. Care to join? Sure you do.]

Floor 45
[Waver stands at the windows, looking out to the clouds as he thinks. The faceless creatures occasionally watch him, but he pays it no mind, and even chuckles to himself in thinking of his first day in the tower and how afraid he had been. Looking down at what little of the world below he can see through the clouds is a good way to problem-solve, or work out a plan for his next lesson, letting his mind wander. Today, though, he's thinking about what his life could have been outside the tower. Remaining with Rider and those he had met in the Tower of Animus certainly did him good, but if it all had never happened, where would he be? There's no use in wishing for that, or to go home, he's seen the ruins of his world firsthand now. But the thought is an interesting one nonetheless, and something difficult to turn away from. Especially when he's now spent longer in the tower than he'd spent at home.]

Floor 19
[An average day for Waver has always involved plenty of reading. Finding very few other spots in which he can concentrate without being bothered by the tower, or people in the tower, he sits in the library with a magic text of his own. He jots down notes in a notebook as he goes. There are enough magi in the tower to bounce his ideas off of from time to time, as he still strongly believes study can create a great magus. These days it's all a matter of getting any new books from home. Luckily he's received a few at Christmas from the administrators, and has several others piled up on the table. Although a nearly tattered copy of The Iliad sits among them. He's also lighted a cigar and sits with it in his mouth almost the entire time, with no regard for the fact that a library probably isn't the best place to be smoking.]

Floor 43
[In the evening, Waver takes a plate of food up to the cells, as he thinks Ryuunosuke has been locked in one for some time, and can't allow him to starve in there and end up free again. He carries it nonchalantly through the tower, taking the elevator to floor 41 and walking the rest of the way. But when he gets there, and sees the cells all empty, the doors simply hanging open, he drops the plate, sending it crashing to the ground.]

Shit--

[Had someone let Ryuunosuke out? He has to find him right away, before he can hurt anyone, any of the children he tutors.

He can be found all around the tower, desperately looking for the one he should be watching, and cursing under his breath the whole time.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He takes a draw on his cigar, considering the possibilities. He remembers so much from the past twenty years, so he certainly can't be the one affected.]

It looks like it. But it seems to me you're the one who's being messed with.

[Tohko just looks a bit more puzzled at that.]

How so? Only a month has passed since the Christmas party, Waver. A few weeks ago, you were teaching me about video games. I would remember if time marched on, and I would age as well..at least, that's what I think.

Even I could make you think that, much less the administrators of the tower. Erasing memories should be much easier than fabricating twenty years of false ones.

However, you would also have to alter my appearance to match, and everyone else's appearance to make sure I didn't catch on..and yet, here you are, aged and remembering things that I don't.

It wouldn't only be you, the subjects of their experiments seem to be chosen at random, but it's never one or two people only. If you've seen others around who are as you remember them, it only means they've been affected themselves.

Or it means that you're one of the few who have been affected and everyone else like me is normal.

[Tohko sighed and scratched her head.]

..That's the problem with memory experiments. We can't tell who truly is being experimented on and who isn't.

It doesn't do much good to argue about it. But as I said, from a magecraft standpoint, the removal of memories is not so difficult as creating so many false ones.

That's true..and in stories, things like this aren't difficult with magic either.

[Tohko sighed again..but managed a small smile.]

However, it is interesting to see what you'll like like a few years down the road.

[He averts his eyes, that old tsundere teenage Waver coming through.]

Is it? It looks like thirty-nine is a long way away for you, it's more than a few years, anyway.

[Just going to keep smoking, play it cool, who's embarrassed? Certainly not him, haha...ha...]

[At that, Tohko couldn't help but laugh.]

Well, there's nothing wrong with that! I'll be thirty-nine soon enough..at least, that's what I think. But tell me, do I still keep my braids when I'm that old? Don't tell me that a monster or something manages to chop them off.

[Those braids were pretty important to Tohko. Not because of their appearance, but because they held a precious memory of her Mother.]

Even if they're ever cut, you can grow them back, right? Don't worry, I remember them always being right where they should be. On you and not the floor.

[Tohko breathed a sigh of relief at that.]

Thanks..that's good to hear. I could grow them back again if they were cut, but it would take a long time, and I have a precious memory attached to them. I would hate to forget it while they were growing back again. I know I probably wouldn't..but I'd still like to hang onto them, just in case.

If you're worried about forgetting, make sure to write it down. I'll remind you either way, of course.

I suppose writing it down could help..but it's not quite the same thing as having the object behind you.

[At that last line though, Tohko couldn't help but give a genuine, warm smile.]

..But thank you. That really does mean a lot to me. Thanks.

...Don't mention it.

[He adjusts his coat to distract himself from being embarrassed, and hopefully to distract Tohko from noticing. Even after all this time, anything even remotely similar to 'touchy-feely' is tough for him. Even just a friend thanking him for saying something nice.]

[Tohko stopped herself from chuckling at the reaction. Too many characters in books acted the same way, so it was impossible for her not to pick up on it somewhat. However, while she doesn't laugh, that smile grows a little.]

..Alright then. Ah, by the way..it probably isn't a good idea to smoke cigars in here.

Oh, you've forgotten then, we had an agreement. That is, older-you and I had an agreement.

It's not that I've forgotten..it's just that I'm the older version of me that you remember. But what was our agreement?

I'm allowed to smoke in the library if I teach you video games.

[He says it with a completely straight face.]

[Okay, Tohko couldn't help but chuckle at that. While the deal itself sounds foolish, Tohko knew that it would be something she'd take up.]

Ah, alright then. That does sound like something I'd agree to. So, in accordance with our agreement, I'll be meeting you in the media room for a lesson!

Oh, good, I thought I would have to offer some proof. Then you don't mind?

[He waves the cigar a bit to indicate he means 'you don't mind if I smoke'.]

I have a lesson to teach later, but how does around seven sound?

Well, I trust you enough to think that you wouldn't lie to me about this. And no, I don't mind. I warn you though-one burnt book, and the deals off.

[That was meant more as a joke than anything to be taken seriously. At the mention of a class, Tohko nodded.]

Oh, sure! That's fine with me. What will you be teaching?

A fellow magus has been my pupil for a while, today we're working on alchemy.

[He's going to leave it at that, but, no, he can't, he didn't expect her to believe it at all, so he shakes his head and laughs.]

You shouldn't believe anything you're told, though. It was a joke.

Ah, alright then. Good luck! I'm sure you'll be a great teacher!

[At the laughter and the words, Tohko sighs and her smile diminishes..but it doesn't vanish completely.]

..I don't believe just everything I'm told! I know it would be a little strange of me to accept an agreement like that..but I'm curious about video games, so I can see myself accepting that sort of agreement. I believed it because I trusted you.

[And Tohko just thought of something and sighed again.]

However..I'll let the 'agreement' still stand if you answer a question for me. As you grow, will you understand how Oba Yozo felt?

The main character of No Longer Human? ...Are you asking that because I smoke?