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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He glanced down at chaos when he felt the hand on his shoulder, making a hasty attempt to hide his bothered expression behind a scowl. But the hurt, loss and anger still showed clearly in his eyes, and he was quick to look back at the gravestone.

"He always was lacking in manners."

chaos caught the emotions hidden in Margulis's eyes and sighed again, looking back towards the gravestone.

"..I do not remember him having such a fault. However..leaving with only this to show that he was here is rather cruel. But that may not be his fault."

"If it were just his disappearance with only scant indications of his presence before, I wouldn't be nearly as irritated."

He shifted the blade so that he was holding it with both hands, one near the tsuba and the other further down the sheath.

"Were you aware that on my arrival here, he was actively attempting to avoid my presence?"

chaos sighed again. Oh dear..it was a bit too late to keep this bit of information in his mouth and head. chaos nodded.

"Yes..I was. He did not want to draw up old memories of the past, for they were painful to him. He was also trying to avoid Shion at first."

"The story he gave me was a belief that he lost his right to interact with those of us from his past when he died fifteen years ago...and that he had difficulty separating me from the version of myself responsible for his death."

His hands clenched around the sword in them as his remaining feelings of anger and betrayal from that conversation briefly overtook the ones of pain and loss.

As Margulis clenched the sword, chaos lightly squeezed his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"However..it seems that belief either died or changed altogether. It is a tragedy that he was taken away soon after his beliefs were changed."

"But that's the sort of behavior I would expect out of someone as stubborn as him."

Not that it made it hurt any less.

"I suppose..however, Margulis, are you aware that we do not choose when we leave this Tower or when other people vanish? The Administrators decide that, just like with how we arrive."

..Even though he knew that people could vanish at any time, chaos was still a little saddened by this development.

"That's of little consolation when our discussion on the matter is already several weeks in the past."

chaos sighed at that.

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

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

"..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."

"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.

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

"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.

"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."

He just shook his head. He'd never liked to let his emotions rule him, always tried to keep them under tight control. And he absolutely hated talking about them with other people. On some level, he knew it was an irrational aversion. Kukai, chaos and, before his death back home, the Little Master would have been willing to lend a sympathetic, non-judgemental ear to any of their friends. But, as with many things, his pride got in the way, prevented him from admitting to those feelings that could be considered weakness unless they were so close to the surface he couldn't hide them anyway. So no, he wouldn't be taking up chaos' offer.

"I can manage well enough on my own."

In his head, chaos sighed, and he nodded. He knew how stubborn Margulis was.

"I imagine you can, for most things. At other times, if you find yourself eating your words, I shall be more than happy to help."

"I already told you, you needn't worry about me."

Despite the circumstances, chaos lightly smiled.

"I shall not..for the moment."

chaos would pat Margulis's shoulder one last time before letting his arm fall to his side.

"At any rate, I've spent enough of my day in the past already."

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lightofhumanity - 2013-01-17 06:08 (UTC) - Expand