towerofanimus | arrival

Entry tags:

arrival | open

Characters: Sakura Matou and YOU
Setting: Dorm Floors, Library, and Cafeteria though meeting her in between floors works as well.
Format: Action, while I can do prose it takes me longer
Summary: Sakura arrives, becomes confused, and then becomes even MORE confused after meeting the people she meets. And then she solves her problems with cooking. That's legit, right?
Warnings: None for the actual post but I know the thread between her and Rin is probably going to get violent. I'll add more if needed.

[Dormitory Floors]

[ After arriving and eating her god awful oatmeal, Sakura enters room 1-01 to find her things and take stock of everything that she's arrived with in her trunk. Not a lot, but it's still comforting to find that she has some things from home. After perhaps talking with a few roommates, she exits her room and wanders on the other dorm floors, mostly to try to find anyone she knows. Particularly Senpai, Nee-san, or Rider, but for some reason she has a feeling that they aren't here. ]

[Library]

[ While she's not a book worm by any means, she knows that being here without any knowledge is a bad idea. Sakura's a smart girl so she hits the books, trying to flip through and find any information about where she's stuck at.

Of course, she's not having much of any luck. ]

[Cafeteria]

[ After all of that, she decides to relax a bit by cooking a meal later in the day. Fried rice is on the menu, served over the best cuts of fish she could find in the Tower's stock with tons of veggies and other goodies stuffed into the rice. She's even cooked a sauce with a bit of spice to it to serve over it. She made enough for multiple people, and she doesn't particularly care who comes to eat, so feel free to serve yourself and join her for a meal. ]

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[ Sakura makes him a large plate of food and sets it down in front of him. He probably doesn't eat very well, so he's getting a large portion today. She grabs her own food and sits across from him. ]

This is my first day.

That's good. I wouldn't have wanted you to be here on your own. I can help you. [He lets out a deep breath.] I can't tell you how glad I am to see you. [While it's true he doesn't want Sakura to have anything bad happen to her, any of the awful things that might happen to people here, that doesn't change the fact that he's glad.]

I've been here for a while now, so if you have any questions, you can ask me. First of all, you can't believe our worlds are destroyed. That isn't true. There's no proof of it, and there never will be.

[He looks down at the large portion she's given him, and he feels slightly guilty. He can't eat that much at once without getting sick, but he doesn't want to go into that, so he obediently takes a bite, with a smile. The taste is excellent, but his stomach isn't what it once was.]

It's very good, but I don't really need to eat a lot.

I spoke to someone else who was able to answer most of my questions. But I'm glad to be here. Now we can look after each other.

[ She's still all smiles, regardless of the fact that she's really worried about a lot of things. The current status of his health being at the top of her long list of things to fuss over. ]

It's alright if you can't finish all of it. Do your best to focus on the vegetables and the fish. [ That's where most of the nutrients were anyway. ]

That's good. There are many kind people here. There are-- bad things that happen here. I'm sure you've been told about that, but you'll find most of the people are good and well intentioned. I've been very lucky to meet some of them.

Oh no, I don't need any looking after, that's all right.

[So he says, as usual.

He nods, doing as she suggests, taking a careful bite of fish, then one of vegetables. It does taste very good. He only wishes he were able to eat more of it.]

I almost can't believe you're here. I've thought of you often since I came here. Every day. You were just a little girl the last time I saw you... Have you been well? [There's a slight note of desperation in his voice. He wants everything to be good for her, to be perfect, or as close to perfect as is possible.]

[ He says that, but she's still going to worry. Kariya doesn't look like he's in good health to her, and she knows that if he's like her, he'll deny he needs help until he's red in the face. ]

Everything is fine now. I've suffered, just as you have, but I've found some peace. And a change of scenery won't change that now.

[ Maybe hearing the truth will help alleviate some of his pain. Some of the pain that she believes herself to be responsible for. ]

[He's quiet for a moment or two, taking this in.]

I heard from one of your friends, Illya, that things were bad... She said she thought they'd get better. I don't know what happened. I'm just glad you're all right. That's what matters to me most.

[He looks down at his meal, sadly. He doesn't take another bite yet. He's not sure how much he'll be able to eat.]

I'm sorry you had to suffer at all. That was the last thing I wanted. [It was his fault that anything like that had happened. There were so many things he hadn't done right, so many mistakes.]

[ Sakura's look becomes a bit more stern at that remark. Kind, but strong. ]

Nothing that happened was your fault, so you have no reason to apologize.

No, that isn't true.

[He shakes his head. It's hard for him to believe that.]

I made a lot of mistakes. And if I couldn't protect you...

[He pauses, then continues, resolute.]

I'm going to win the war, when I go back.

[ Sakura frowns, not bothering to mask her inner feelings about the situation. Really, why couldn't he be smart and just run away? Maybe then he'd be able to live. ]

Then I hope to have you here for as long as possible.

[He doesn't like to see her frown. He tries to smile, instead.]

I've already been here for a while. Almost six months, I think. I might be here a while longer. It's awful here, but I have friends, and I'd like to spend more time with you.

[Even though this place is terrible, part of him had always hoped to see Sakura here. But he's not ready to give up the subject of the war.]

If I win the war in my reality, everything will be better. You'll be safe.

[ Wow, that is quite awhile. But the more time he spends here, the more time he gets to spend alive. Sakura's dreading the day he's sent home, knowing what'll happen to him is like a rock in the bottom of her gut. ]

I'm safe right now, Uncle.

No. No one's safe here...

[Kariya becomes visibly anxious. He doesn't want Sakura to have go through any of the experiments, and he hates to think of something like that happening to her. His hands move, agitated.]

I'd rather nothing happened to you. It's not so bad if it happens to me. I'd volunteer for things to happen to me instead, but people have said that doesn't work. It'll only make things worse.

Volunteer?

[ Sakura gives a stern look. ]

What do you mean?

I said I'd volunteer for the experiments, so they'd leave the children alone and experiment on me instead.

But I don't know if they'll listen to me. Apparently, someone's done that before, and it doesn't work. [He doesn't care so much, what happens to him, compared to the children, or Sakura, or Rin.] But I would, if I could.

What kind of experiments are they?

[ Come on, Uncle. She's gotta know what she's up against. Give it to her straight. ]

All kinds...

[Kariya glances away. He doesn't want to discuss it, especially not at a time when he should be happy, getting to see Sakura again. But he doesn't want to lie to her, especially not when that might be harmful.]

The administrators... they change our minds and bodies. They make us believe things that aren't true. Make us do things we don't want. Or they operate on us... things like that.

It isn't all the time. You just have to be careful. There are monsters here, too. Don't go to certain floors, and try to stay out of the way, if you can.

But don't worry. I'll protect you. My Servant can help.

It's alright, Uncle. While I appreciate the help, you should worry about yourself instead.

[ She looks right at Kariya, seeming determined and nothing like the little girl he once knew. ]

I've been through a lot, these experiments don't scare me.

I'm not worried about myself.

[And he isn't. His lack of self-care is severe, even if he does seek out the healers to help him. He has the same reckless disregard for himself that was part of the reason for the current state of his health.]

You've been through a lot, and you shouldn't have to go through anything else.

[It's not that he doesn't see how determined she is, but he's determined, himself.]

You don't know what they're like. They can make us think or do anything.

You're right, I don't know.

But I believe in myself because that's all I can do. I ask that you do the same.

Of course--of course I believe in you, Sakura. [He says this earnestly, almost passionately.]

I just don't want to see you hurt. I care about you too much. Sometimes it's worse, seeing someone you care about hurt than being hurt yourself.

[ Sakura takes one of Kariya's hands in her own. ]

I understand how you feel. But this doesn't sound like anything that we can change, and I don't want you to get hurt just for me.

[ Not any further, anyway, but she leaves that part out. ]

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