towerofanimus | (no subject)

Characters: Margulis and OPEN
Setting: The graveyard floor during the day and various floors at night.
Format: Either or.
Summary: Jin Uzuki has disappeared from the tower, leaving his sword behind on top of Margulis' trunk. Margulis is not as okay with this as their fight on Christmas might lead people to expect...
Warnings: Angst, violence, death imagery, things being set on fire.

[Graveyard floor]

Margulis wasn't usually one to give in to sentimental feelings, but Jin's disappearance, and especially leaving his katana behind as a memento, got to him in ways he didn't want to even try to put into words. His feelings for the man he'd always called his best friend had been complicated since their clash fifteen years ago, and coming here to find a version who had died as a result of that fight hadn't simplified matters. But finding his fellow swordsman's weapon on top of his trunk had cleared some things up.

Now he could be found in the tower's graveyard, standing in front of the headstone marked 'Jin Uzuki,' holding his newly obtained blade in one hand with a downcast expression.

"You always did know how to get under my skin, Jin Uzuki...even in a gesture of peace, you find a way to get on my nerves."

[Nighttime]

It had taken a not insignificant amount of self control, not to mention avoidance, for Margulis to remain mostly civil throughout the day. But now, as the tower darkened and the dangerous creatures that called it home began to emerge, he had an acceptable target for all the rage that had built up since he woke and saw evidence of Jin's disappearance. With the katana sheathed at his right side, he used his own blade to carve through the more common of the tower's monsters, his every movement wreathed in an aura of flame. Occasionally he would, instead, send a ball of flame hurdling straight toward a foe, or conjure a web of lightning to electrocute a group. But no matter what the method, the attack was still harsh and forceful, fuelled by a severe and dangerous temper.

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She scoffed at that as she twirled her weapon to where it was upright once more, and rested the end on the floor. She rested her weight on it just a little.

"Is that any way to greet someone who has gone out of their way to see you? I simply ran into an unexpected situation along the way."

He pretended he didn't notice her using her glaive as a crutch, at least sparing her dignity that much.

"It seems an appropriate way to address someone so blatantly ignoring their wounds, particularly given your tendency to chide me for the same in our youths."

"In this case, healing is not readily available, so it is not the same."

Nice try though, Margulis. She wouldn't refuse a medkit if they had them. She almost opened her mouth to tell him so when she noticed his other weapon. Her brow furrowed immediately, since there was only one way he would have obtained it.

"That sword is..."

All signs of taunting or arrogance faded from Margulis' face as Pellegri brought up the sheathed blade.

"It's his, yes. There's a stone bearing his name in the graveyard now as well."

"How is that possible? I thought that death was not permanent in this place?"

chaos sighed at that.

"..Perhaps. But some consolation, I find, is better than none.."

"Given his nature, I find it difficult to believe that he would have died here to begin with. To all appearances, it's as if he simply vanished from the tower."

"I see..."

She didn't look at all surprised by that. Somewhere, underneath a lot of other emotions, she might have been a little disappointed, but that didn't show in any way. Instead, she gave Margulis a knowing look.

"And now you are here, at this time of night..."

"Hmph...this sentimentality doesn't suit me."

"I was having difficulty sleeping, so I decided to spend my energy on something productive."

Technically, he was telling the truth. He hadn't been able to sleep. And he was sure Pellegri knew why, but admitting it aloud was still difficult for him.

"..All emotions suit people at one time or another. However..wallowing in them, I admit, is usually not the best idea. Reflect a little here, take care when emotions and memories pop up..but do not allow yourself to wallow."

"Is that so...?"

Well, she wouldn't press it any further than that. She was in the same situation, in a sense. She wasn't exactly jumping to share any of her feelings toward Jin.

"You needn't worry about that, I'm not the sort to wallow uselessly."

He finally strapped the sword around his waist, opposite his usual blade. It was tilted slightly back, however, out of the way rather than within easy reach. The weapon didn't really belong to him, after all, so it wouldn't be right to use it lightly.

Despite the situation, chaos lightly smiled at that.

"I did not think you were. I suppose it it just my old habit of handing out advice."

chaos watched as Margulis strapped in the sword, but didn't comment on it.

"Would you expect anything else?"

He waited, expecting her to steer clear of bringing up emotional topics. If she did, then he might be able to steer this conversation to something more comfortable.

"No."

She smiled just slightly. Some would probably be annoyed by his unwillingness to discuss his feelings, but she found it nostalgic. In a good way.

"I should go to the dormitory." ~~before I die or anything~~

"I can see how it wouldn't have withered in a place like this."

He tapped his fingers against the flat of his blade thoughtfully as he glanced at the staircase.

"I may as well accompany you, since there's no particular floor I was particularly interested in visiting."

And so that she wouldn't be travelling alone with only one good arm. Sometimes he did wonder if he should learn healing Ethers, just for how reckless his friends tended to be.

"I doubt it would ever wither, no matter where I was put."

"It's not an entirely bad habit...just keep in mind that this isn't the first time I've dealt with losing him."

True, it had felt less final back home, but the fact that Uzuki had willingly walked away from him and that he had lost Pellegri at the same time made it hurt just as much.

"..That does not mean that the loss is any less painful."

chaos had dealt with many, many personalities and body that housed Shining Wills and old souls that he knew over the years. That did not help his sorrow when he lost them.

"If you are sure. I do not wish to interrupt your... Activities."

Because really, she could make it past one floor.

"But I handled it then and I'll handle it now as well."

"I am glad to hear it..however, if you need others to help you handle it, do not hesitate to rely on us."

"It's hardly an interruption. I was considering taking the elevator down past those Ether locking floors regardless."

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RUDE

He is, yes.

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