towerofanimus | Ad Visitatores

Ad Visitatores

Characters: anyone participating in the event
Setting: floor 56 and eventually other areas of the Tower
Format: either
Summary: Welcome to the Tower.
Warnings: horror/creepiness/potential danger/generally unfortunate things all possible
Notes: PLEASE GO HERE TO MAKE NEW POSTS.

A few minutes before anything happens, Ruana's voice rings out over the Tower's intercom--it manages to be louder than anything the residents happen to be doing. "Hey, everyone, there's something exciting going on at floor fifty-six! Go make sure they don't get themselves killed!"

You arrive, stepping or tumbling, in a surgical suite. It looks abandoned, with dust collecting on the table and floors. The lights flicker, and for a moment blood dripping off the table, puddling on the floor--but no, the lights are back, and surely that was your imagination. It's quiet, eerily so, but nothing hinders you, and you're free to spread out and explore. There are multiple rooms here, like in any hospital, and it's all a bit confusing. Occasionally the lights flicker, and it's a bit frightening as Things appear that shouldn't exist. Shadowy creatures stitched together and reaching for you, doctors brandishing phantom surgical tools, blood splattering the walls or floor or ceiling, how did it get there--but none are real, and all of them vanish when the lights return. Eventually you find the staircase, spiraling up and down into darkness. Approach it, though, and the thing glitters with a barrier that will push back any attempts at climbing the thing.

A girl, a teenager dressed in red and black, appears. And she does simply appear, inserting herself into the space, nearly pushing it aside to make room in it for where she is now. Her face beams with unconcealed excitement, and her words tumble out on top of themselves. "You can't go there! Yet, I mean. You'd all die!"

The girl steps onto the staircase, passing through the barrier as if it weren't there, and sits on the steps to address everyone. "Hi! I'm Ruana. You didn't show up the normal way, so the Tower can't support you yet. We got this one floor ready when I saw you were coming but, well, the Tower's kind've big, so getting all of them set up is taking a little longer than I thought." She smiles, sheepishly apologetic in a carefree sort of way. "I've got everyone coming here to visit you--or at least they know they can visit you--and I'll have someone bring food up for you. It'll be oatmeal, and oatmeal is super boring, but you have to eat it, okay? Then you can have whatever you want! The cafeteria's down on the first floor if you get hungry. We should have everything ready in a few hours. I've gotta go help with that, so you guys wait here.

"Don't worry, the monsters can't get to this floor as long as that barrier is up."

And then she's gone, blinking out of existence. The barrier will remain for three hours.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She gained a little information by the time she had the strangest feeling she was being watched. Ofcourse, she didn't quite act on it right away. She couldn't really sense anyone there and what happened after the lights flickered off a few times she was slow to do so and not allow paranoia sink in.

But when it didn't pass in a few seconds, she looked around, trying to find out why she sensed it. At least, before she saw that coat. And that armor and-

...Have a younger Keyblade master, tilting her head at you. What. Even.]

[Deer in headlights, that's what Terra's doing a pretty good imitation of. It takes him roughly a minute before he actually speaks up, and he's... barely audible, if only because he's trying to keep his emotions in check again.] ... you're back.

[But how long was she going to be here this time? He doesn't see a collar on her either, which would mean she's part of the group that was sent here.

... Why did she have to be sent here this month?]

[...She knows that voice. She knows that voice far too well to ever mistake it for someone else's.]

...Terra? [Then it clicks, what he's trying to say. Back?] What do you mean, "back"?

[She'd only just arrived for the first time. ...Also the answer to that is incredibly complicated and involves mysterious voices in their heads. Also H.P. Lovecraft and Jungian shenanigans.

Going to take a few steps closer, now.]

[Nodding briefly, and... doing some quick mental calculating.] ... the last time I saw you was four months ago.

[Well. Sort of saw. It was the last time he knew you were present in the tower. He hangs his head slightly and is... very clearly trying to keep himself together, even with that hood hiding his face.] It... had been a while before that.

[A very, very long while. Long story, sis.]

[Four months-? But she'd been...

Right. Different world, and perhaps different laws? But then, she knew at least two or three Soras now, two Vens, and three Rikus... Could it be that? Had he seen another her? It would make sense, considering the place she was and now is.]

...A me, at least. [It was barely a whisper, before she nods faintly.] It's been a long time for me too, at least until I arrived at the city we all came from.

[Well, she was going to be here a while. The only question is... who goes first, and if he notices the wrappings under her sleeves.]

[Another nod. 'A' her. Just like there were two of him, two of Riku, two of Sora, and briefly two of Xion. That made more sense than constantly leaving and returning with no memory of the previous visit.

... a long time? He actually looks up, and his body language has gone a little rigid with surprise and... something else.] How long?

[Need to get their timelines straight. But there's something... apprehensive in that body language now. Like... depending on the length of time, he's not sure what to tell her.]

[Far too much sense, more than likely. Aqua paused at the question, almost as though she were unsure of when it had actually been. Still, she at least says this much.]

... The last I had any sense of time, it was over five or six years.

[The look on her face asks the same of him, but still... she decides to say one more thing.]

Don't hide too much from me, Terra. I can handle it.

[Anything was better than knowing her sacrifice was for nothing. and yes, she knows your body language too well even with that hood up.]

[... that's. ... Less he has to hide from her. A fair bit less. There's a slow easing of his posture as the relief sinks in.] ... It's been twice that length for me. A lot's happened, even before I showed up here.

[Twice that length, but they're essentially on the same page. He doesn't have much to catch her up on. He just wishes he didn't have to... explain Xemnas.

There's a very small, nostalgic smile forming.] You always could read me like a book... how could I have forgotten about that?

[Well. Finally lowering the hood hiding his face. He doesn't look like he's aged beyond maybe a year or so, and he's in need of a haircut. But while his appearance hasn't changed much, his heart... has.

It feels like at one point, it was shattered, and it's only now nearly recovered the strength it had that day they took their Mark of Mastery exam. There's more Darkness, but it isn't buried under his Light, or even fighting to get out. It's more controlled, more... settled. Stiller.

But the most notable thing about that Darkness, is that it's all his. Not a trace of Xehanort remains.

That small smile that formed hasn't left his face, at least. If anything, he looks... almost amused. His expression is a little harder to read.] I don't think I could explain it all at once, even if I wanted to.

[Aqua smiled faintly. Somehow, she wasn't surprised by that information. Maybe because she's so used to things being different or due to her being farther along than her friends no matter the timeline. Finally meeting a Terra from their future... she's almost amused.

She knew of Xemnas before, thanks to Axel, and maybe if his name is mentioned he'd notice the flicker of recognition, but until then, she's going to be distracted for a moment when that hood falls.

Because it doesn't look like he changed at all on the surface, but she can see his aura--his light and darkness--the moment he reveals his face. She doesn't even realize her mouth fell open slightly, seeing the difference; the scars on his Heart from where it was shattered. How his Darkness seems calmed, his Light so much stronger...

Just as she once thought it could be, even though he'd been broken before.

... Aqua smiles faintly, a bit of pride and concern shining in her eyes.]

We'll be here for a while, Terra. [And while it's obvious she wants to know what happened, she keeps herself from voicing it just now. There's, unfortunately, business that needs to be discussed first; for all their sakes.] We can share stories soon enough. Did any of the others mention why we're here?

[He waits for her reaction to what he knows she can now detect, and makes note of the little changes in her expression. The surprise, followed by the look in her eyes...

The concern is easily noted. The pride... what had she seen, to cause that?

When she finishes talking, he nods. However long that 'while' might be, it should be long enough for them both to swap stories.] All right; we should have plenty of time for that.

[Ah... well. There went his smile.] I ran into Naminé and Kairi earlier; they mentioned you had been 'sent' here for something. It's why none of the people from that Hinoto-Ri place have collars like the Tower residents.

[His gaze finally flickers down to the bandages just visible under her sleeves, and he frowns, mild concern entering his eyes. That... must be new.]

[A light she hasn't seen in a long time; that's what. Though, she will eventually say that later. Right now, she's closing the distance as she nods.]

Mm... Another being who came here before us, more than likely. [It's funny how her smile doesn't waver, because she knows if she survived the blast not even a month ago, then she could survive this place. Though, she caught that glance.] ...I'm fine, Terra. The doctors back in Hinoto-Ri are bigger worrywarts than I am.

[Hm... a hunt, then.] I'll try to keep my senses open for anything out of the ordinary.

[That doesn't guarantee anything, considering the nature of the tower, but it was better than sitting around waiting for something to happen.

... he's raising an eyebrow, crossing his arms, and looking skeptical.] If you say so.

[He won't ask. He knows how you are about trying to keep people from worrying. But he knows that any injury in the tower is a bad thing, no matter how minor. A very subtle gesture--a simple flick of his fingers--is the only thing that betrays his casting of Curaga.]

Thank you. [Definitely a hunt. Right up their alley, isn't it.

...Still, she sees that quirked eyebrow and the arm crossing. Terra. Terra plz. You know she can read you like an open book and knows you don't believe her. That Curaga, too? she knows your magic.

If there was any face he likely wasn't sure he'd see again, it's her lineface.]

...I keep forgetting you worry even more than me.

[It brings back all sorts of memories, pleasant and otherwise. Mostly otherwise.

He's just going to shrug slightly, and... that's a sad smile.] Of course I do. You're family.

[Pause. ... when he talks again, his speech pattern has... changed. Slower, more formal.] As the only resident Master in the Tower, it is my duty to worry about those from our collective set of worlds--visiting or otherwise.

[Did you just hear him right?]

[At least it wasn't the first accidental Transcendence Incident...]

Yeah, s-

[...?!]

[HOLD UP.]

[waaaaaait a minute!]

[~~put a little love in it OK NO~~ Did he just-?]

[snnrrrrrrrrrrrk-!]

[And once she calms down, it's almost like she flipped of the switch from "amused little sister" to "srs master mode."]

Then I am sure that Master Riku will be able to hold down the fort back in the world we have ventured from in the meantime.

[Wait, did you hear her right?]

[Well. That was an interesting (and highly amusing) chain of expressions. The almost laughter from Aqua brings a look of amusement to Terra's own face, and then some laughter of his own.

'Good to know I can still make her laugh.' He kind of hoped he'd be able to keep it up as the month continued--]

[Wait.

She just said--

He stops laughing and blinks, surprise replacing amusement as her statement sinks in. 'Master' Riku? There was a Riku in this Hinoto-Ri place, and he was a Master?

... ... there is no faking the pride in his eyes.

'I knew he would do it.'] I'm sure he will; despite what he thinks, he has a good head on his shoulders.

[Faith in his apprentice, he has it.]

Ad Visitatores

deploying all the feels

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