A lost knight [open]

[swordofzero]

Characters: Suzaku and you
Setting: Dorm halls, floor 46 (monster room), outside floor 96 (forgetting floor) and then staircases between floors 92 and 96
Format: either
Summary: Lelouch disappears, cue Suzaku breaking
Warnings: so much self destructiveness, self hating, I'll add if anything else happens

[Discovering] No. He couldn't be gone, Suzaku has seen him yesterday. From a distance, they had still been at odds since the fog incident but Suzaku was his knight so he still watched over him. It couldn't have been more than six hours ago, and now he was gone. Suzaku stared at the nameplate, as if staring at it would bring the name back.

He didn't even bother going to the graveyard, this was proof enough, his things were gone the name was gone. Lelouch was gone.

He couldn't do this anymore, everyone disappeared. He had to find Rolo, he probably already knew, he stalked Lelouch as much as he did Suzaku. But Suzaku had no words with what to comfort him, wouldn't be able to help him at all.

He thought very briefly about going to find Diarmuid, the man had told him he could. But Suzaku remembered his reaction when Suzaku told him about Lelouch, and didn't want to upset him again, didn't want to stir up memories.

[Floor 46] Suzaku jumped off the stair case, his gun out. Monsters attacked him instantly, but that had been the point. It was the quickest way to attract a lot of them that Suzaku knew. He needed to fight, he needed to forget and with this many monsters the Geass took care of that. His eyes flashed red as he dove out of the way, kicking monsters, shooting monsters. Continuing until his body was too exhausted and his Geass forced him back to the staircase.

[Outside Floor 96] He hadn't been to this floor since Diarmuid had told him not to. But he was tempted, he stood on the staircase staring at the white room. Thinking about how easy it would be to forget.

But did he want to forget? Lelouch was gone, gone from the tower, his soul lost. Even if they found some way to free them all Lelouch would be gone, he was dead. Dead with the whole world thinking him an evil tyrant, it may not have happened in Suzaku's world but he knew it would have, if the world hadn't ended.

Suzaku was the only one who knew the truth, except Nunnally who was also gone, and Rolo who was also dead. The only one to know that Lelouch wasn't the monster the world saw him as. He had a duty to remember.

[Staircases] His mood had gotten bleaker and bleaker, hatred turning inwards, anger that he hadn't been able to save Lelouch. He walked up the staircase towards the next floor, and blinked as he found himself back on floor ninety six.

He tried going down, past the ball pool, the darkroom, the hallway, the pyramid and... He was back on the staircase at the pyramid floor and finally understood what was going on. It had happened a couple of times in the past, his Geass keeping him on powered floors.

He sat down on the staircase defeated.

Comments

[Dorm floors]

[tempus_scorpius]

[Suzaku will find Rolo just sitting on the stairs near the dorms, staring blankly into space.]

[swordofzero]

[Well that answered that. And now he had seen him he couldn't just walk off. He sat down next to the boy in silence.]

[tempus_scorpius]

[Rolo looks over at him then away.]

... he's... really gone... then...?

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku just nods numbly]

[tempus_scorpius]

I see...

What happens now then?

staircase

[looselips]

[The toe of a small shoe nudges Suzaku. It's not with as much force as it might normally be, given that, between his run in with those "Deadmen" and the erratic weather, Shinji is worse for wear.]

If you have to mope, go do it back in our room. You're blocking the stairs.

[swordofzero]

[He looks up and blinks when he sees who it is. He's been worried about his roommate, but the kid wasn't exactly open to being helped.] Sorry. I'll get out of your way.

[looselips]

That's it? You're just going to say sorry and move?

[He sounds vaguely affronted.]

[swordofzero]

What did you want me to do?

[looselips]

I don't know, something other than cave in like a wet piece of paper.

[What is with you people and not getting mad at him when he's rude? It's weirding him out.]

outside floor 96

[marriedthebloke]

Sola-ui stops on the staircase. This boy is blocking the door to the floor.

"Is there something interesting there?"

[swordofzero]

Suzaku shook his head, "No, it's not a good floor. It's dangerous."

[marriedthebloke]

"Then why do you stare at it?"

She tries to peer over his shoulder.

[swordofzero]

"It's dangerous because it is tempting." He looked at her seriously.

[marriedthebloke]

She frowns a little.

"What sort of fool's paradise could be within that would tempt one so?'

[Outside Floor 96]: Have a placeholder until after Diarmuid's player plot ends. :-)

[oathshackledbird]

What has happened?

[A gentle hand closes over Suzaku's shoulder. They had talked about this and Diarmuid had thought they had come to an agreement that Suzaku wouldn't use this place. If he is here, looking at it so intently, something is very definitely wrong.]

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku turned and instantly felt ashamed] I didn't go in...

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid smiles at him gently.]

I can see that. You would not look so troubled if you had, but something is sorely tempting you, isn't it? What's wrong?

[swordofzero]

[Well he's not going to lie to Diarmuid...] Lelouch is gone... [It feels almost a betrayal to say it, as if with the words said aloud it is made real.]

[oathshackledbird]

Gone?

[For a moment, Diarmuid is not sure what else to say. It had only been a short time ago the he had learned of Suzaku's friend and the terrible power that he carries. Frankly, the thought of it still brings shivers to him and he has to fight hard to hold them back.

The very last thing he wants is for Suzaku to think he finds jot in this news. Not when it is obviously causing him so much pain.]

Suzaku....I am so sorry.

Floor 46

[rememberscarlet]

[It isn't until Suzaku is just about to make his way back to the stairs that Jellal discovers the battle, a worried frown crossing his face at the sight. A moment later, he has dropped down himself, hands moving to evoke his magic and another moment later, the monsters closest to Suzaku will find themselves fighting off arrow-shaped light beams.]

Come quick!

[swordofzero]

[Light arrows? Where had they come from? Suzaku glanced from side to side until he pinpointed the man. He didn't go nearer though, just kicked another monster] I'm fine.

[rememberscarlet]

[Well, that doesn't cut it for Jellal. He is down here to help and doesn't give up quite that easily, and so he makes his way up to the other, concern on his face, even as he moves to use his magic to attack yet another monster.]

You look hardly 'fine'.

[swordofzero]

[Suzaku kicked another monster] You can help if you wish, but I'm not leaving.

[rememberscarlet]

[Jellal shoots him a rather dismayed expression - he is worried, for both of them now... there is a reason why he avoids confronting larger groups of monsters. Still, he lightly bows his head and then moves to cover the other's back.]

Very well.

[Hopefully, given time he will be able to convince Suzaku to leave, he thinks. Otherwise this might end badly for one or both of them.]