fragileprophet: (I am the sad it is me)
Fon Master Ion ([personal profile] fragileprophet) wrote in [community profile] towerofanimus2013-04-28 11:36 am

the third - forgive me for these cliché words

Characters: Ion and you!
Setting: Dorm 1-16, a Washroom on Dorm Floor 1, Floor 100, and the Cafeteria.
Format: Started with prose, but I will follow your lead!
Summary: Backdated to shortly after the event close. Ion wakes up to an intense amount of guilt and regret concerning what happened during the brainwashing, and tries to deal with this.
Warnings: Mostly just a lot of angst and general panic. Some self-hate.

[Dorm 1-16]

Ion would have loved to have been relieved when he opened his eyes from the simple comfort of his bed and found himself in control of his own body. In fact, he was. But only so long as it took him to sit up and wonder if it any of it had really been real—and then find the confirmation staring him in the face from its position on his nightstand. The bloody tuning fork, the symbol of his order and everything he had been raised to support, sat at him with condescending finality.

You did this, it spat silently. You soiled me.

And Ion knew—Lorelei, did he knew. His hands shook from where he clutched the sheet to his chest, his eyes wide and panicked. He was so sorry. He was so sorry. It hadn’t been him; he wouldn’t have done it. He wouldn’t ever have harmed someone the way he had done under the influence of the Administrators.

And yet…a small part of him…somewhere deep inside…didn’t it just feel so wonderful? So free of worry? So wonderfully calm? To see the flame of life blown out like a flickering candle.

That wasn’t him. Ion felt his throat constrict, and he fell back on his bed, curling into himself and trying to hide as best as he could underneath the sheet. To block out the tuning fork and its tarnished gold. It couldn’t have been him. That couldn’t have been how he had really felt. It had been incepted inside of him as some cruel game or…or…

It wasn’t really me, right?

What scared him the most was that Ion wasn’t actually sure.

[Dorm Floor 1 – Washroom]

After a while, Ion finally summoned the courage to crawl out of bed. Or, rather, forced himself to get up. It didn’t feel right to lie around moping, even if he was feeling the way he was. The fork was still waiting for him, blood dried and tacky and turning a dark, ruddy red against the gold. He shuddered at the sight of it—then acted.

It wasn’t going to change. Not on its own. That was where the responsibility turned to him. As the Fon Master, he had to wipe it away. He had to redeem himself.

Moments later, he can be found in the washroom, furiously scrubbing it in the sink. Come on, he begs it in desperate silence. His hands start shaking, heart begins thumping. He can’t get the stains off—they won’t come off! Or have they already been washed away down the drain, and Ion’s too distraught to see anything other than what his guilt will allow him?


[Floor 100]

It was the first time Ion had stopped to look at this floor, and it almost made him feel worse once he had. The Daathic Cathedral was so peaceful and bright and full of hope as the Fon Master walked toward the front of it, not at all like the one that made up the thirteenth floor.

There were no whispers here. No distortion of sound. No overwhelming sense of danger or foreboding. He assumed, as he attempted to run his hand along one of the pews and found it intangible, that this was due to the fact that none of it was really real. Still, it was the closest thing to home he had left, wasn’t it? Even though it pained his heart in bursts to be reminded that it was likely gone for good, he continued on, until he reached the alter.

Ion closed his eyes, and folded his hands in front of his chest in prayer. Even if this wasn’t really Daath, even if his spirits couldn’t hear him, he was determined to make due. Or at least to hope that this would be enough to soothe the dull ache inside of him and chase away the images of the soiled tuning fork he had woken up to. “Yulia, forgive me,” he whispered softly. “For I cannot forgive myself.”

[Cafeteria]

Although sitting alone at one of the tables in the dining hall, Ion isn’t actually eating anything. He’s not hungry, and honestly isn’t all too sure he’d be able to stomach anything if he tried to eat. But even sitting alone, doing so in a wide place full of people makes him feel a bit less alone. If approached, he naturally won’t mind sharing his table, and he’ll engage in polite conversation as best he can. It’s easy to notice, however, with every word he speaks, that his thoughts are heavier than he’s trying to let on.

Talking about it, of course, would be troublesome. He’d rather not bother anyone with his personal problems. Though anyone is welcome to a little harmless prying.
unkindnessof: don't do it on sullen joaquin either. (spiritualized fury)

Hallway near 1-16 -> Washroom

[personal profile] unkindnessof 2013-04-29 01:39 am (UTC)(link)
With the chaos of recent events, Raven's rarely returned to his assigned room in the past week, if he even did so at all. Whatever the case, he's definitely been pushing it, and it shows in his entire being despite attempts to mask it as he cautiously makes his way back toward the dormitory. This would be the first night of restful sleep he's had for a while- if he can manage it. (He's honestly not sure if he can, nerves still wound like a too-tight spring. Even if everything seems to be back to a measure of normal for the Tower now, he still expects to wake up to someone standing over their beds.)

And then, when he's not too far from 1-16, he sees Ion rushing out of it, something bloodied clutched in his hands.

... They'd met only briefly, that first time, and after that was when people had been starting to disappear, but still, the impression he'd received of this particular roommate didn't lend itself toward violence...

Raven lingers in the hallway for a moment, debating whether or not to follow, before letting out a long breath and heading in the same direction Ion did.

When he reaches the entrance of the washroom, the man has to pause to take in the scene. For a while longer he only watches silently from the doorway before finally he decides that enough's enough and makes his presence known, deep voice easily carrying across the distance between them despite how softly he speaks.

"You can stop. It's not going to get much cleaner than that."
invisible_friendship: (Annoyed (Say That Again))

Cafeteria

[personal profile] invisible_friendship 2013-04-29 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
Jonouchi, despite his preference for better food, still didn't mind it all that much. Sure it wasn't as good as home's but he wasn't going to let himself starve either. The blonde had a reasonable portion on his tray that he had every intention of eating, now all that's left was to find a place to sit.

While scouting for a spot, he caught sight of a familiar face, although said face seemed to convey more emotion than last time. He froze mid step at the sudden pang in his chest. Jonouchi wasn't able to recall anything after what happened. He had apparently came back the next day, albeit immobile for much too long. However, no matter how bad he felt, he couldn't imagine how bad the other must have suffering. It wasn't his fault right? He just looked like one of those possessed zombies.

In spite of better judgement the blonde took a spot next to Ion, setting his food beside the other. "How do you expect to stay strong if you don't eat?" He asked, as if nothing had happened.He was willing to forgive the other without so much as hesitating. The delinquent took his seat and made himself at home. It was one of the many things Yuugi could appreciate about him, handling things head on.
gloomyapoplectic: (Default)

cafeteria

[personal profile] gloomyapoplectic 2013-04-29 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
It had been a few days since Kanaya had come down for food. She'd taken to just stockpiling a few nutrition bars at a time up in her room so she didn't have to make the long trip every time the ache in her stomach became too much to ignore. But she'd run out of bars since being holed up after everything had returned to some semblance of normal.

She spotted the lone occupant of the table out of the corner of her eye. He didn't appear to be eating, and watching for a little while showed that he apparently wasn't here with company. Kanaya frowned, tucking a handful of the unappetizing bars into the pocket of her coat before approaching the boy.

"Are you waiting for someone?"
invisible_friendship: (Solemn (Side View))

[personal profile] invisible_friendship 2013-04-29 08:11 am (UTC)(link)
If anything, this was the confirmation Jonouchi needed to know that Ion truly had no control over what he did. How could he be mad, or hold a grudge toward someone who never meant to hurt him? The blonde stared at his food momentarily, he tried his best to keep his feelings in tact, he had to be strong about this. Especially for the other, Jonouchi didn't want him to worry about something he had no control over.

"Stop beating yourself over it." It hurts to watch and he wishes he never put Ion in that state to begin with. Not that he would have known how not to, but he still feels like he could have done something.

"I forgive you."
notagiraffe: (pic#2467987)

Floor 100

[personal profile] notagiraffe 2013-04-30 09:16 am (UTC)(link)
Taiki usually walked right past this floor, because he didn't like it. The images of the land he would probably never see again, the land he had failed, too painful for him.

But when he saw Ion he entered it, trying to ignore the beautiful garden and the gem springs all around him. Ion seemed to be praying so Taiki stood to the side, not wanting to disturb him, but wanting to check if he was alright after all that had happened.
gloomyapoplectic: (32. if you could only see)

[personal profile] gloomyapoplectic 2013-04-30 10:10 am (UTC)(link)
Kanaya eyed the offered seat. She had been planning to just return to her room once she'd replenished her food supply. She kind of still wanted to. It was easier than facing the Tower at large after everything she'd done under the influence of the administrators.

But, this boy was sitting alone in the cafeteria. He wasn't talking to anyone and he wasn't even eating anything. The thought suddenly occurred to her that maybe he, too, had suffered some altercation as a result of what had been done to some of the Tower populace.

She managed to pull up a smile, returning, "I was admittedly under the impression that you need the company more than I need the seat. I apologize if that is presumptuous of me."
unkindnessof: love cannot protect you (valkyrie's javelin)

[personal profile] unkindnessof 2013-05-02 08:12 am (UTC)(link)
"I figured you hadn't." The words are curt, but there's no reproach in his tone.

Raven hesitates a moment, eyes flickering from side to side briefly, before tiredly stepping past the threshold and into the room proper. He doesn't move any further into the room, though. Pieces slowly are fitting themselves together despite his muddled thoughts, aligning themselves into a picture he doesn't at all enjoy the thought of.

Ion had been missing, as had a good number of the other Tower residents. Raven had personally known one of them, came face to face with what had befallen her.

And if all of the others who'd vanished that week met with a similar fate...

The only outward sign of his thoughts manifests in how he shuts his eyes for one long moment, before opening them again with a heavy exhalation.

The visage that stares down at Ion afterwards is carefully blanked of any emotion, but there's something sympathetic in those golden eyes all the same. A sad, knowing understanding of some sort, perhaps, if the Fon Master is able to recognize it.

One hand comes up to rest against the doorway; the left hangs as dead weight at his side. He takes another moment to try to organize his thoughts, find words to say, but ultimately Ion is a stranger, and he never all that skilled at giving his thoughts voice. His next statement comes out slightly falteringly, but maybe that can just be chalked up to the fatigue he's still doing his best to veil.

"If you're done... it probably isn't wise to linger too long."
notagiraffe: (pic#2467987)

[personal profile] notagiraffe 2013-05-02 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sorry... I didn't meant to intrude." Taiki shuffled his feet as well, feeling bad he had obviously brought up bad memories, when he had just wanted to check that Ion was alright.

He got a little closer and blinked at him, "I'm sorry you're sad..."
gloomyapoplectic: (22. straight from inside)

[personal profile] gloomyapoplectic 2013-05-03 01:24 am (UTC)(link)
"I have faced similar challenges of emotional expression," Kanaya assured with a sheepish shrug. She wasn't great at hiding how she was feeling in the first place, and then she managed to end up with an empath for a moirail. None of her emotions were secret. "Sometimes it cannot be helped."

Kanaya seated herself next to the boy, her motions awkward but her decision resolute in her declaration: "It is not an inconvenience at all." This was much more productive than sitting in her room feeling sorry for herself. At least now the misery would have company, and maybe her new acquaintance could feel a little better.

"My name is Kanaya Maryam. It's nice to meet you."
invisible_friendship: (Positive (Calm))

[personal profile] invisible_friendship 2013-05-05 11:14 am (UTC)(link)
Jonouchi wasn't sure if kind was the right word. He use to be a be pretty rotten person before someone reached out to him. That wasn't what was important right now, though. The blonde will try to go about it nonchalantly. The pressed his fork into his food, intending to eat it shortly.

"You said you didn't mean to, so it's not your fault." If only things were really that simple, but Jonouchi was treating it that simply. Really they shouldn't even be dragging it out this long. It was all said and done and there was nothing they could do about it now. It was the past for a reason. Jonouchi shifted in his seat, converting moods entirely. They'll just have to move forward, and treat it like a growing experience.

"I'm Jonouchi Katsuya!" A friendly introduction was a good place to start. The blonde certainly had positivity to spare, and it wasn't faked. He wasn't going to let any of that keep him down. He couldn't. Jonouchi had to be stronger than that!
invisible_friendship: (Positive (Doing Well))

[personal profile] invisible_friendship 2013-05-07 08:09 am (UTC)(link)
Jonouchi didn't think it being much that there was no last name, he didn't really care if there was or not. The blonde slid his tray over a bit so it was settled evenly before them. The young teen was more than happy to share (namely because he could also always get more.) Ion shouldn't go without eating, he wont be able to keep up his strength and he'll need it for this hell hole.

"You hungry? Cafeteria food sucks, but it sucks more to go hungry." He'll share!
seekinganswers: (concerned)

Floor 100 (..ig..nore how ridiculously late I am)

[personal profile] seekinganswers 2013-05-08 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
It had never been the cathedral Sheba saw she stopped on the hundredth floor of the Tower - it's always been something entirely different, an all-too-familiar landscape of dusty roads and ancient buildings, of crumbling outer walls and a towering obelisk on a small, man-made island at the center.

What was unfamiliar and not unfamiliar at the same time was the green-haired boy. To her eyes, he was in front of that obelisk, his arms folded in a gesture that Sheba recognized as prayer. She'd seen it so many times in her childhood, at the Sanctum. She'd seen it less often in Tolbi.

She knew that this wasn't really Lalivero and that Ion wasn't really seeing her hometown, but she couldn't help but step onto the floor anyway. She approached him slowly, giving him the chance to finish his prayer, and then cleared her throat.

"Do you mind if I ask what you see here?"
notagiraffe: (shy smiles)

No worries <3

[personal profile] notagiraffe 2013-05-10 07:57 am (UTC)(link)
"It's okay... I understood..." Taiki shuffled his feet again, he hadn't thought Ion impolite at all, understanding that it was all part of what the administrators had done.

"I'm glad... it's easy to be sad here... sorry... but we need to try to not be..." And that was hard, very hard indeed. Taiki thought that Ion was really brave to be trying so hard after what had happened to him.

He shuffled his feet again, "I'm... better than I was... there's not so much blood..."

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