It's great to meet you! ... maybe.

[plumesofdusk]

Characters: Ryoji Mochizuki and you!
Setting: Various Floors, starting in his room and winding up on floor 90 starting Wednesday
Format: Any - will be starting with prose.
Summary: Getting used to the tower and people, and then becoming a terrible mermaid! Open all week!
Warnings: Typical tower stuff; also warning for turning into a mermaid and dying later...

Dormitory Floor 3, Room 10

The last thing he remembers is closing his eyes and turning away from a freshly made grave. To call the sensation of waking up - especially when he hasn't slept in a very, very long time - combined with the inability to move disorienting and disconcerting is certainly an understatement. But he doesn't have any other words for it, and when he finds he can move again, he sits up abruptly, wide-eyed in surprise and uncertainty. What… is going on?

It doesn't take much searching to find the letters and from there, the chest. Opening it, he is amused (and … maybe a little relieved) to find his scarf and a couple changes of clothes (this white jumpsuit is… not what he'd choose to wear). But pulling these out, he finds something else he's a lot more mixed to see. Aigis' papillon heart… Two of Nyx's Plumes crossed together. He pulls it out and holds it, watching the soft, shifting blue glow for several moments before pressing it to his own chest. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before carefully placing it back inside the chest, wrapping it carefully in his spare clothing.

"I'm sorry…," he whispers, and then all that's left is to change and go exploring.

He's not sure what to make of this place, of how it feels, of what the letter tells him. That his world is destroyed is no news to him, but to be taken here, to another world…? And to once again be among other living beings…? He… isn't sure how to take it, but he is filled with curiosity about this strange, new tower…

So out the door he goes, to explore the dormitory and beyond!


First Floor, Cafeteria

At the prompting of the explanatory letter, he has come to the cafeteria for his oatmeal! But… it's the middle of lunch, and there are more people than he expected. Almost shyly, he lingers on the edge, staring in amazement and wondering if he can remember how to properly interact.

Well, he can't linger forever, so forward he goes, lips twitching into a smile that isn't entirely fake - after all, he has very much missed living people, and to be among them again, even in a place like this, is an unlooked-for blessing, whether he was ready to rest or not. But this oatmeal… Once he has a bowl, he finds himself playing with it more than eating it. He's never had oatmeal before, but even so he's pretty sure it's not supposed to be this… sculptable?


Thirteenth Floor, Cathedral

As nice as living people are, it's a little overwhelming at first, and Ryoji is grateful to find a quiet, peaceful place like this. He's been in many cathedrals like this, as they are some of the few buildings to truly stand the test of time well, and this one is just as peaceful as the others. He spends a bit of time the first few days he is here just sitting, enjoying the peace. Sometimes he's like some dark angel himself, when he decides to stretch out his wings, draping them across one of the pews in a comfortable sprawl. But alone or not, he probably wouldn't mind a bit of company…


Twenty-Fifth Floor, Meadow

This is a lovely, peaceful floor, too, and Ryoji also spends quite a bit of time here, among the flowers. You might catch him making a daisy chain or maybe just relaxing.


Floor Ninety, Mermaids - Forward dated to Wednesday through Friday.

Ryoji has a thing for peaceful floors, it seems. Unfortunately this one is… deceptive, and he has not yet learned to be wary of everything and anything in this tower! The mermaids he sees swimming below make him curious, and he tries to talk to them, and well…

He can't drown. He doesn't really need oxygen to live, after all, but caught off guard like this, he is unable to escape, and before he knows it, he's changing. His legs are becoming a tail, and he's getting covered in scales, and it hurts and all he wants to do is drag other people down with him into these painful, dark depths.

Do you see that flash of yellow in the water? Isn't it pretty and bright? Beware, though - if you draw near to it, a half-transformed, half dark shadow, hald mer-creature will drag you down to join it!

But this will only last for so long before on Friday he crawls onto the sand and, spasming with the last vestiges of the transformation, he dies.

Comments

cafeteria

[terreifying]

Hey, Ryoji!

[Rei waves to her "friend" as she skips into the cafeteria.]

[plumesofdusk]

[ The sound of his name from an unfamiliar voice is a little startling, but mostly he just winds up looking up and around in some confusion until he sees this blue haired girl skipping over. He blinks a few times and uncertainly lifts one hand in something like a wave. ]

Um... hello?

[terreifying]

[She giggles.]

Let's sit at the same table, alright?

[plumesofdusk]

[ Another blink, but then he smiles. She seems nice enough! ]

Sure. Um... but I don't think I'm the Ryoji you know. I'm new here.

Floor 3

[notsogrimreaper]

[He shouldn't have been snooping around. It was rude of him, and he'd already caused enough trouble for everyone with the infiltration. Wandering around the dorms was probably just going to upset some people, if they knew about his connection with the recent events and if they caught him exploring again like nothing had happened.

But Ryoji couldn't just stay holed up in his own room forever. He needed somewhere to go, and it'd be a good idea to check the different rooms, look for his friend's names under the different room numbers. He hadn't expected to find his own name written underneath a number that definitely wasn't the number of his room.

Quietly, Ryoji takes a look inside. That's... that's him, alright. He's pulling out a scarf similar to the one already wrapped around his own neck, and Ryoji smiles a bit before noticing something else get taken out of the chest. What's that glowing? What is the other him apologizing for?

He doesn't have much time to think, however, before the other starts walking towards the door. He automatically pulls back, embarrassed, before glancing around the hallway. He feels like he should hide... Seeing how he had been reading the letter, Ryoji guessed he was new, and it wouldn't be good if the first person he met here was another version of him.]

[plumesofdusk]

[ Ryoji sees a bit of movement at his door, so when he pokes his head out, it's with confused curiosity. Too bad there's not that many places to hide in the hallway, bro, because he sees the rather surprising sight of -- himself! Well, more or less. Something seems different, so he's pretty sure he's not looking at some weird clone or doppleganger like out of some old science fiction show.

So, bemused, he calls out. ] Uh... hello...?

[notsogrimreaper]

[Ryoji just kind of gapes, mouth opening and closing like he really wants to say something helpful or informative, or at least make a joke about this, but he is honestly as a loss. Eventually, though, he does at least manage to stammer out a greeting.]

Um, hi! S-Sorry to bother you! I just noticed the name on the door and...

[plumesofdusk]

Oh.

[ Ryoji looks over his shoulder at the door, and sure enough there's a sign with names on it, and his is one of them. He looks back at the other Ryoji and smiles tentatively. This... this is incredibly bizarre. And he really doesn't know what to think now, but there's no sense in not being polite. ]

Well... um... I guess 'Ryoji Mochizuki' is your name, too?

floor 13

[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer himself has no opinion of the church floor. Nor does he know any prayers that he can offer there. But Ruler's memories, shoved somewhere in the back of his mind, tells him that this a place of solace, even better than the nature that he loves so much.]

[After finding yet another of his friends gone, he definitely needed some solace. He could cling to Diarmuid for comfort and security, but this desire to do something for his departed friends drives him into the cathedral, where he plops into a pew.]

[And that's when he sees the winged Ryoji.]

What the--

[plumesofdusk]

[ Ryoji looks over at the speaker and immediately sits up more straight, folding his wings back in a bit, self-consciously. ]

Ah... sorry - am I not supposed to be here...?

[puppy_lancer]

[He quickly shakes his head.]

Those wings. Nyx? How did you get out?

[He glares at the boy(?), wondering if there would be a need for violence.]

[plumesofdusk]

Get out...? Of what?

[ Now he's just confused. ]

I am a part of Nyx, but... I just arrived here not long ago...

First Floor, Cafeteria

[oathshackledbird]

[It's the beginning of a new month and as has become usual for Diarmuid, he is hanging out in the cafeteria looking for new faces to share with them some of the more important things to know about the tower that aren't in the letters. He hasn't had the time yet to make copies of his list of floors like he has been talking to Sephiroth about, but hopefully, by next month he will be able to have them to pass out.

He is confused, though, when he sees Ryoji eating the oatmeal. He's seen the boy eating normal food so this can't be his first bowl, but why would someone want to eat that bland tasteless stuff more than once?

And why would he look so confused while doing it?

Diarmuid crosses the room to where the boy is sitting, and sits down across from him at the table with a gentle smile.]

Hey, why are you subjecting yourself to that stuff again? Surely, you don't actually like it, do you?

[plumesofdusk]

I don't know. I've never actually had it before...

[ He rests the spoon on the edge of the bowl again and looks up, a little sheepish, since he's pretty sure this is yet another person who's mixed him up with the other Ryoji. To be honest, it's totally expected, when you get right down to it. They look the same and are mostly the same, anyway. It's still a little weird to experience, though. ]

[oathshackledbird]

You've never had it? But I've seen you eat normal foods...

[Diarmuid pauses in confusion and then nods, though he doesn't speak right away. This boy, like the Waver Velvet who has just arrived, must be an alternate version of the Ryoji he knows, but considering how much Ryoji means to him, Diarmuid isn't quite sure how to feel about meeting a different version of him.

Finally, he puts a hand to his chest and bows his head slightly.]

I'm sorry. You've just arrived, haven't you? There is another version of you here who I know well. I'm training him right now, and I thought you were him.

[plumesofdusk]

[ Ryoji smiles and nods. ]

Yes, I have. And as for the other me, actually, I met him shortly after I got here.

[ His smile fades as he watches Diarmuid, however. ]

I'm sorry if... I'll cause you trouble by being here.

Thirteenth Floor

[akito_sohma]

[Akito finds the Cathedral comforting. She is curled up on one of the pews, a book in her lap.

At least it's quiet in here, right? After flipping a page, she glances at him questioningly.

Another seeking sanctuary? Perhaps. She won't initiate contact. Rather, she goes back to her book, the dark strands of her hair obscuring her face.]

[plumesofdusk]

[ Ryoji is content to sit in silence with her for a while, though eventually the curiosity gets the better of him, and he moves a little closer. ]

What are you reading?

[ Wait, it's probably rude to just interrupt like this -- ]

Ah, sorry - I don't mean to disturb you. I was just curious.

[akito_sohma]

[She quietly marks her place with a bookmark before gazing at him. The book is a special one and she won't crease any of the pages if she can help it.]

It was written by one of my family members. [And boyfriend and lover. Shigure has many titles.]

There's nothing wrong with curiosity.

Meadow

[chronomancer]

[Please excuse the troll just sauntering over from the staircase, looking somewhat harried. He's a thin, lanky brat, with a scarf around his neck and a weird looking rifle thrown over his shoulder. He's just gonna walk in further into the meadow, a little distance away from where Ryoji is, and then just flop down face first into the ground with a loud, dramatic sigh.

BLUH, TOWER.

Eridan is just gonna try and indulge in his favorite pastime of sunbathing and see if maybe he learns how to photosynthesis one day.]

[plumesofdusk]

[ Sitting cross-legged amid the flowers, Ryoji has a great view of Eridan just strolling on in and flopping down. Learning how to photosynthesize is a worthy goal but it's not going to stop Ryoji from being curious and a little concerned. ]

Are you okay...?

[chronomancer]

[It takes Eridan a moment to reply, before he rolls onto his back, rubs his hands over his face and sighs dramatically. Finally, he sits up, slouching forward, arms folded in his lap.]

...yeah. It's just. Been one 'a those days, y'know?

Cafeteria

[evokingfool]

Hello, Ryoji.

[Minato greets, as he approach his friend with a tray of food. But Minato pauses when he see the oatmeal.

He really doubts Ryoji would subject himself to the oatmeal without a good reason. So that would mean...this is another Ryoji?]

[plumesofdusk]

[ Ryoji pauses, glancing up. He blinks at Minato, for there's something... familiar about him, but he's pretty sure he's never met this guy before. Just... he reminds him of... someone else.

But Ryoji quickly shakes himself out of such thoughts to give the young man a sheepish smile. ]

Hello. I'm probably not the Ryoji you know. I just arrived here earlier today.

[evokingfool]

[Ah, that explains it. By logical deductions, this Ryoji is probably from a world where Minako exists.

It doesn't stop the mild disappointment inside him, but Minato doesn't show it.]

Ah. In that case, I'm sorry for confusing you. [He give a small smile.] I'm Minato Arisato and I guess I should say welcome to this tower.