don't leave me here like this, can't hear me scream from the abyss;

[crouching_sin]

Characters: Naoya and whomever stumbles across him. (Aside from floor 13 which is closed to close CR only.)
Setting: Floor 101 (the hanging gardens), floor 64 (the desert), floor 13 (the cathedral). Backdated slightly to before the event.
Format: Either.
Summary: Naoya is... upset, over various things. He's trying to calm himself down, but it doesn't go that well.
Warnings: Severe rage. If you catch him badly he might attack you or simply go silent. Also, only close CR should tag him on floor 13. If you don't know if your character counts, please ask me first or just PM me.


[Floor 101]

[This floor. He hates this floor. It just reminds him of what he lost, what was stripped away, what he can never, ever have anymore. It's almost as if the plants here are taunting him for what he did. It hurts.]

[Naoya doesn't spend too long on this floor, just enough to check to see that the plants are still flourishing. He turns to leave.]



[Floor 64]

[This floor is much more agreeable for him. It reminds him of home - his first home - and while it hurts, it's comforting. He doesn't venture too far from the staircase - he knows better than to step into the desert without better tools - and sits in the sand, closing his eyes briefly and trying to remember how things were at first, before everything.]

[Then other memories cut in, of violence and blood and pain. He opens his eyes, and stands, brushing sand off of his clothes. It's time to keep moving, or he'll just remember more.]



[Floor 13 - CLOSED TO CLOSE CR]

[He hates this floor most of all. He heads to the front, shutting up the mumbling, and stares at the stained glass. This thing... all of this. Everything.]

[He punches the podium, but doesn't succeed in doing anything but hurting his hand. Still, he pounds at it, trying to get someone, anyone to listen. Even if it's not Him... some kind of higher power. Something.]

[Why does it not matter to anyone that while yes, he was the murderer, he was also a victim? Why does he have to be the example? Why did Abel have to be thrown into the demon world and then shattered? Even the Abels he's met haven't ever been the complete Abel. He misses him. He misses his brother, he misses being able to think and not be overwhelmed by this damn curse. He misses being able to just live. And He wants him to repent? It's all His fault! He was the one who stoked the desire to kill in him to have his precious example!]

[He cries out, making another attempt to shove over the podium, but it's useless. He falls to the ground, on his knees and elbows, hair draping down around his face. He can feel himself crying and he doesn't even bother to stop it.]

[No. It doesn't matter anymore. He wants to hold out hope, but it's so difficult when everything keeps going wrong. He was betrayed by his own brother, and yet he still loves him... but he can't think of any other way.]

Comments

13

[sawthelockdown]

[She should be more surprised to find him here, but given that he'd tracked her down there, she isn't. What is a surprise, however, is that he's obviously having a breakdown. It strikes fear into her heart, and without so much as thinking, she rushes over and pulls Naoya into a loose hug.

She's not going to ask what's wrong. Not until he's not so obviously broken, not unless it's obvious he wants to talk - but she will stay there until she gets chased off.

That's what you do, after all.]

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya stiffens, trying to still his crying, but it's no use. It hurts, and he needs to just let some of the pain out. He can barely breathe from the tears and the pressure and the pain, but he rocks back and forth in Asako's arms.]

... hurts...

[Days of being nearly crippled in bed due to headaches, nights of terror and pain... he just wants it to stop. He just wants to be able to die and not wake up again.]

[sawthelockdown]

[This is familiar. This is what must be done, what needs to be done. She may have been hospitalized more often, but her mind was more sound. Her torment was less, and so this was how things were.]

Shh. I'm here.

[It's all she can say, all that can be done, some hint of you're not alone. Even if it is only for now.]

[crouching_sin]

[He reaches up and curls a hand in her shirt, trying to breathe. He knows she's here, but it's not the same. She's Abel, part of him, but she's not him.]

... shouldn't see me like this. Supposed to be the one who takes care of you.

[sawthelockdown]

It's okay. It's okay.

[She knows that, and it burns to know that. She is a person too - but she is a fragment, too. It's why she's been so unstable lately.

How can a fragment be stable on its own?

-- but now isn't the time for such thoughts. Now, she just needs to be there for her cousin.]

64

[lightofhumanity]

[Most of the time, chaos tried to avoid the desert floor. It brought back too many bittersweet and painful memories..but he couldn't pass by Naoya when he saw the person getting up. While the Cain in chaos's universe and this one had been through terrible fates, that didn't mean their relationship had to be strained.

At least, anymore than it already was.]

Brings back memories, doesn't it?

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya raised an eyebrow, putting on a mask of vague indifference again.]

... It does. It's been a while since I lived anywhere near a desert, really.

[lightofhumanity]

[Not that chaos really minded that mask. He was used to it, and even put up fronts himself sometimes.]

..It has been awhile for me as well. However, I've never been able to figure out whether I like them or not.

[crouching_sin]

There's certain precautions you have to take, but I like them. I've never done particularly well with the cold.

[He was often born small, and he was often thin as well. Even when he wasn't, his immune system frequently wasn't particularly good.]

64

[destructiveprinciple]

[For both Heroes or anti-heroes alike, being a Servant allowed number of disadvantages and advantages, among the most obvious of them being inhuman speed and endurance. But a Servant could also dematerialize to go unseen and that's how Angra generally choose to travel in the tower.

It lessened the level of risk and reduced prana consumption. The desert floor was no different. But when he steps off the staircase and into the dry heat, he spotted the man crouched on the sand first, immersed in his own thoughts. Silently he watched as the man stood up, curious.

This man carried the burden of misery heavier than most of his fellow humans, didn't he?]

[crouching_sin]

[He could vaguely sense something, which made him look around. He couldn't tell where it was coming from or what it was... irritating. Still, he remained alert, even as he stood.]

Show yourself.

[destructiveprinciple]

[Silence for a long couple minutes. Then:]

... Hey. You can sense me? That's unusual, except on second thought, maybe it's not in a weird place like this, right?

[He slips out of spirit form and materializes in a cloud of reddish-black motes that condensed into his body a few feet directly behind the man, bandaged feet sinking a little into the warm sands. His greeting was unthreatening.] Yo.

[crouching_sin]

I could sense something. It's a matter of experience, though I don't think you're something from my world.

[He turns around and takes note of the boy's appearance. The clothing isn't unusual for a desert traveler, but those tattoos... or are they seals? Curse markings? Something for a spell? It's a little difficult to tell without close examination.]

And who are you?

101

[yourhandplease]

[Theodore has come to this floor out of curiosity. It surprised him to see a place with such a calming atmosphere in this dangerous Tower. He can't recall seeing most of the plants and flowers in his home world nor in Ruby City.

A part of him wonders what she would say if she were to see this variety of plants and flowers.

He spots Naoya when he was about to leave this floor.]

[crouching_sin]

[Hm? There's something about this man... he stops, and looks at him.]

... Hello there.

[A new face? One he hasn't seen before, at least.]

[yourhandplease]

[Theodore has taken his time to get to know the Tower and the dangers inside of it.

He smiles at him, holding the compendium in one of his hands.]

Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you.

[crouching_sin]

[... Hm.]

I'm Naoya, and you are... ?

13

[technologic]

[April tended to not stay on this floor much, if it all, due to her own developing distaste of what it stands for, so she usually walks right past it. But it's a surprise to see Naoya on this floor, and even more so when she sees him on the floor.

She's quick to go crouch down by him, putting a hesitant hand on his shoulder as she becomes more and more worried. It's pretty damn obvious that he is really not okay, but she's still so unsure and hesitant about what the do in these situations. But since words are never her forte, she decides that maybe switching the hand on his shoulder to a gentle hug would be a better idea.]

[crouching_sin]

[He shakes, before collapsing into April's arms. It hurts, and he knows that she knows it hurts. He's careful to not put pressure on her leg, and rests his head on her shoulder.]

Why? ... I know why. But why?

[Why him, why this, why everything]

[technologic]

[Her arms tighten around him, and she shifts a hand to rub his back gentle. She still remembers the pain she had experienced before, and it makes her heart twist painfully.]

Because... B-because things can really, really suck...

[Pause. And then she laughs bitterly, shaking her had.]

S-sorry...

[crouching_sin]

[He huffs a little, faintly amused at her answer, but closes his eyes.]

It's fine. I just... I'm so tired.

Floor 64 | but I'm probably not going to help his issues much :')

[semantating]

[ He was on his way. This floor held little interest to him--he was compartmentalizing what floors he could feel the Hatter and what floors he could not after all, this was important. But it's the Mad Hatter that tells him of something most curious off the stairs indeed.

My, such a feeling.

... Kind of like those from the Abyss who are from the wrong time, isn't it? Only so much worse. So much older... well, now. Break cannot simply pass this up, and so he taps the stair's railing with his cane a bit before pushing slightly into the desert to where Naoya is, where the Hatter led him in curious, somewhat mad whispers, as it usually does. Someone brushing theirself off, about to move on, he expects. Hmmm. ]

It would be inadvisable to go sitting in sand if you wish to remain somewhat clean, you realize.

[ A simple thing to say for a very peculiar introduction, indeed. ]

lmao it's okay

[crouching_sin]

[He turns, and faces a man that... well. On first glance they could almost be related. He hadn't worn clothes like that in a very long time, however.]

I can clean myself later. It's not as if I don't know how to deal with sand.

[semantating]

[ He makes a mock-gasp. ]

I had no idea dealing with sand was something one could specialize in! It is rather most reserved for children, after all. Shall I call you the Sandman, in that case?

[ He could be his twin if Naoya wasn't a bit taller and less RIDICULOUS. Also, Naoya's eyes are visible. Only one of this man's is. But there is a similar sort of feeling about him in its own way all the same. A kind of "older than he looks" in an entirely different way.

He does not age.

At all. ]

[crouching_sin]

Not really. I mean only that I've lived in the desert before. I know how to get sand out of clothes. But my name is Naoya, not 'the Sandman'.