towerofanimus

Entry tags:

1

Characters: Shinji Matou & OPEN
Setting: Dormitory Floor 2; Cafeteria; Library
Format: Action preferred, but I'll try to match.
Summary: Shinji tries to puzzle out his situation.
Warnings: Man idk, I'll update this as things come up.

dormitory
[There is a small, (probably) unfamiliar child in the dormitory today. He doesn't seem as frightened or upset as a child perhaps should be after waking up in a strange place and being informed that his world has been destroyed. Instead, he's seated in front of one of the network terminals, his heels resting on the stool's legs.]

[It's hard to say what he's doing. He isn't touching the device at all, only staring at it really, really intently. Then, abruptly, he makes a noise of frustration and kicks it.]

—Ouch!

[Oops. He must have kicked it too hard, or hit his leg on it as he did so, as he immediately reaches down to cradle his knee.]

[This isn't the first terminal he has tried to do...whatever it is he's trying to, and it probably won't be the last. He might even venture to the first and third floor dormitories to see if he has better luck there.]

cafeteria
[So, after completely failing at what he wanted to do, Shinji has gone to the cafeteria. Maybe things will go better if he has a little food in his stomach? Maybe. Being in a less irritable mood should definitely help, at least.]

[Except the only thing he's given to eat is plain oatmeal. Obviously, this offends his eight-year-old culinary sensibilities. He hasn't touched it yet, and is instead just glaring at it like it's the source of all his problems where he sits at one of the tables.]

library
[...Yep, he's right back to his fruitless efforts with the terminals. This kid is tenacious, even if only in the way a small, loud terrier might be.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That isn't my father's name.

[He says so a little pointedly, but he's already gone back to glaring at the bowl of oatmeal in front of him. The way he sees it, there are two possible explanations:

1.) This guy is an NPC for the prelims that was created but later deemed superfluous, and therefore deleted without being implemented. If this place is what he thinks it is, that would make perfect sense.
2.) He's a delusional schizophrenic.

Regardless of which of these options is correct, Shinji feels fine not acknowledging Kariya's existence.]

[Not his father's name...? The Tower must be affecting his memories, then. He's sure this boy is Shinji. He wouldn't forget his own nephew.] But your name is Shinji Matou, isn't it?

You must have forgotten. I don't mean to upset you, but this place changes people's memories sometimes. So what you remember might not be true.

[He tries to deliver this news to his nephew (obviously his nephew) as gently as possible. He doesn't want to upset him further. The Tower is a frightening enough place on his own.]

I made it through the prelims, so my memories are just fine.

[He says this as though it's something that should go without saying, and he doesn't bother to confirm that his name is correct. Instead, he settles on a question of his own—something that, at least in his mind, should prove the truth of the situation.]

Do you know some girl named Sakura?

[From his tone, he doesn't sound like he's speaking about a sibling. He asks grudgingly, like he doesn't want to speak about her at all.]

The Tower can change everything. It made me believe I'd been here for years.

[Of course, there's always the possibility that Shinji comes from a different universe, like Rin. But even if Rin's life had been different from the Rin of his world, she'd still known him.

When Shinji mentions Sakura, Kariya reacts with immediate enthusiasm, nodding. He doesn't expect Shinji would be close to Sakura, not with the way things have been. He knows what growing up in the Matou Mansion is like.]

Of course I know Sakura. She's my niece.

"The Tower"? Is that what this place is called?

[At least that's some useful information, maybe. He filters out most of the rest of what Kariya says, only paying enough attention to feel vindicated when Sakura's name gets an enthusiastic response.]

Right, of course you'd think that. You must be another NPC just like her.

[He isn't sure why he's actually saying this out loud, in all honesty. Maybe it's because the NPCs never really denied what they were, after the Grail War had actually begun.]

That's what I've always heard it called. I've been here for months, and no one's called it anything else.

An NPC? What's that? [Kariya isn't the most computer literate person. Well, he knows how to use a computer, but he's not much for video games or related acronyms.] I don't think I'm one. [Whatever it is.] I'm your uncle.

I suppose you could come from another reality. [He's willing to admit to this possibility, but he's still your uncle even then.]

Don't play dumb. You know that, don't you? [Well, maybe he's still acting on his prelim protocols, seeing as he was scrapped.] It's "Non-Player Character." That Sakura was one, too.

[Unfortunately, Shinji is just as stubborn as he is.]

You're not my uncle, and she's not my sister. The only reality we're related in is the one inside your head.

[Don't talk to your uncle like that, mister. ~~Oh, who am I kidding, everyone in the Matou family talks to him that way.~~]

No, I didn't know that. I'm not a character. I'm a person. So is Sakura. I know she's not your blood relative...

[He trails off. If Shinji doesn't believe he's even a person, then explaining the family situation might not serve any purpose.]

But she's still your sister. [Although what Kariya wants to do would mean that they aren't brother and sister anymore. Still, he should respect Sakura.] Or in my world, she is, now. And I am your uncle.

[It could be said that stubbornness ran in the Matou family.]

You shouldn't be alone here. It's dangerous.

[Sorry what did you say okay he'll be even ruder.]

No, she isn't. Her coding broke down at the end of the prelims. I saw it.

[And it was really, really freaky. In all honesty, he would rather not recall it.]

You're not my uncle, because I don't have an uncle. She's not my sister, because I don't have a sister, blood-related or otherwise.

[He should know. He's always wanted one, which he guesses is why the Moon Cell decided to give him one in its own way.]

What, am I supposed to feel better with a delusional cripple looking after me?

[Wow rude.]

[Shinji's just lucky Kariya is used to everyone treating him like crap. Or he might find himself on the business end of some worms. ~~Not really, but Kariya almost has the thought.~~ He doesn't remember Shinji being this intractable, but again, he hadn't interacted with him a great deal, being too busy avoiding his family like the plague.]

I don't know what happened in your reality, or if your memories have been altered, but Sakura isn't coding. She's a real girl. And she's in trouble, which is why I have to get back to her.

[That statement wasn't entirely on point, but it's a subject dear to Kariya's heart and one he just can't help but mention sometimes.]

I'm not delusional. [He'll give him the other one, although he's more than a little piqued that Shinji chose to mention it in that fashion. His voice firms.]

Eat your oatmeal.

[Well, if stating facts isn't going to work...]

If you don't know, how can you say for sure that she isn't?

[Shinji doesn't seem especially chastened by Kariya's tone. When he replies, his own doesn't change at all.]

Why should I? [You're not his real ~~dad~~ uncle, you can't tell him what to do!] Go lie down and take your meds, pops. You'll feel better afterwards.

[For an eight-year-old, he is impressively condescending.]

What I mean is, I know Sakura is real in my world. She does exist. I saw her when she was just a baby, and I've watched her grow.

[You'll eat your oatmeal and you'll like it, young man.]

You have to eat it when you first get here. Otherwise, you won't be able to eat anything else. It'll make you sick.

[Wow, he's only 26, you know.]

I'm fine. There's no need to speak to me like that.

[He's used to dealing with more well-behaved children, but his tone remains calmly firm.]

Oh, yeah? Well, I know that where I come from, she doesn't even exist in real life.

[The so there at the end of that statement is left implied.]

I'm not going to eat something just because some schizo tells me to. [In fact, he is going to spitefully not eat his oatmeal until Kariya leaves, because he is the most mature.] You're just some nobody, so I'll speak to you however I want.

[Shinji's, of course, remains the rudest.]

Even if she's just– a code– [Is that how you put it? What's with all this newfangled computer talk, he's from the early 90s.] How do you know she isn't based on a real person? It can't be a coincidence.

[Of course Sakura's real. And because she's real in Kariya's universe, that counts in ALL the universes, as far as he's concerned. So there.]

I'm not–

[Shinji's rudeness actually shocks him speechless for a moment, but he manages to collect himself enough to respond.]

You shouldn't speak to anyone that way, no matter who they are. [Where are your manners, young man??]

It's for your own good. And I might not be your uncle in your world, but I care about what happens to you.

[So there, Shinji. Beat caring. ~~Of course, it is sadly easy to beat.~~]

...Yeah, maybe you're right. The Moon Cell likes to base its NPCs off of people that actually existed at some point. [Wow, wait, what? Is he actually conceding something?] But if that's the case, "Sakura Matou" is probably dead by now. [Oh.]

[Honestly, he doesn't want to dwell on this subject much more. Having been made to think he had a sister was freaky enough without this being added in as well.]

Why shouldn't I? It's natural for someone like me to talk down to the proletariat. [The sentiment is sincere, but he's also saying it just to throw as much in Kariya's face. Also—] You're an idiot. I know how to take care of myself.

Dead–?

[Quickly, Kariya's mind works to avoid the pain and unpleasantness of a scenario involving Sakura's death, or anything other than her living a long, happy life.]

Then maybe you're from my future. If you're a Matou, too. Maybe you were named after the Shinji I know. People come here from different times as well as places.

[Yes, that makes perfect sense and means that things could still go wonderfully for Sakura. And maybe he's Shinji's great-great-great-great uncle or something like that. Yes. Perfect sense.]

The proletariat? [What an odd thing for a child to say. That sounds too much like magus talk. They always think they're better than everyone else. Kariya frowns.] Everyone's deserving of respect. There aren't groups of people who are better than others.

This place is very dangerous. I don't think anyone can take care of themselves here. We need to rely on each other. [Especially you, since you are just a child and obviously need looking after no matter what you say.]

If that'll get you to believe me when I say I don't have an uncle or sister, sure, we can go with that.

[Shinji says a lot of things that sound odd coming from a child's mouth, really. It's a combination of being precocious and raising himself on the internet.]

The only people who think that are the ones there's nothing special about. [Blunt, arrogant, and with a child's blind certainty.] I've taken care of myself just fine up until now, so I don't need an invalid like you to look after me.

I don't know what the reason is that you don't know me. [It could be his memories were altered, it could be he's from another world, or it could be he's from another time. All of those are possibilities.]

Maybe you're a different Shinji, but that doesn't mean you're not still Shinji. [Hush, what he just said made perfect sense. He's your uncle and you're his responsibility.]

That's not true. I don't know who told you that, but it isn't right. You can't treat people that way, as if you're better than them. [You don't want to grow up to be like Zouken, do you?]

I'm not an invalid. [He's just very badly injured, that's all.] You can't be on your own here. You've only just arrived. You don't know what it's like.

That's stupid. [Sorry, Kariya.] If I come from a different time, that means we're completely different Shinjis. [He isn't going to begin to approach the "different world" argument, though, even if he thinks the same of that.]

You must be a real no-talent nobody, huh? [Okay, now he's just being a jerk on purpose.] I'm smarter and more talented than they could ever hope to be, so I am better than them. It's just an undeniable fact, so you should hurry up and accept it.

[What a pain, though. This guy is really stubborn. He might have to pull out his trump card to get rid of him.]

I already have someone who's far more useful than you could dream of being, so scram already.

[...He probably hasn't even found out Rider is here yet. So, bluffing.]

You look the just same, and you act similar... [He doesn't remember Shinji being quite this difficult, but again, he hasn't spent that much time with him. He's not sure about Byakuya's fathering skills.] And you're both Shinji Matous. You have things in common. Or you might be from an alternate reality, like other people I've met here.

I'm not, but I don't think that kind of talk warrants a reply. [He's good at some things, but he doesn't have to defend himself to you, mister. He is a responsible (sort of) adult.] Someday you'll realize that that way of thinking doesn't lead anywhere good. [He's being overly optimistic, as most of the people who think that way who he knows just keep thinking it.]

Who is it, then? Where are they? [Because there doesn't seem to be anyone here associated with Shinji...] I can wait until they get here.

Fine. [He picks up his spoon like maybe he's about to actually eat his oatmeal, but no, he just stirs it.] What year is it where you come from, then? [This conversation is ridiculous, but he'll play along if it gets this guy to buzz off already.]

[He rolls his eyes at Kariya's reply to his needling, but he doesn't reply otherwise. Likewise, he isn't going to justify his beliefs, because they are so obviously right anyway.]

Her name is Rider. [He says so lightly, finally spooning a mouthful of oatmeal into his mouth. He makes a face at its taste and texture, of course.]

Edited 2013-02-06 04:11 (UTC)

[That's right, your uncle isn't going anywhere, Shinji.]

It's 1994.

Rider? [Kariya looks and sounds visibly upset for a moment as he hears this name. Is this boy a Master? But he's so young, even younger than Rin. Children shouldn't be involved in something like the Grail war.

But he's temporarily distracted from his worries by the fact that Shinji is eating his oatmeal. He's a good ~~parent uncle, after all!~~]

[Despite the fact that he was arguing only moment before that he is obviously a different Shinji, that reply catches him by surprise. With the way he looks up, wide-eyed, that much is clear.]

...That's almost four decades ago. [But, of course, this means he was right, so obviously it's time to gloat. It only takes him a second to recover.] See? It's just like I said. I can't be the same Shinji, so just give it a rest already.

[Then he squints at Kariya, a little.] I have Rider, so I don't need you.

That long? [Well, it might put a damper on his theory somewhat, however...]

It could be an alternate reality with a different timeline. [He's read science fiction stories. He knows these things.]

I know you're not the exact same Shinji, but you're a Shinji, and that's enough for me. [Uncle is a simple, stubborn man.]

Rider. That's her only name? [It can't be a coincidence, not after everything else that's happened in the Tower, all the people he's met.] Is she a Servant?

Are you being serious with this? Talk about not being able to read the writing right in front of your face. [How does a person this pig-headed even exist? ~~The pot asked the kettle.~~]

Yeah, she's my Servant. What about it?

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