⌐ First Hymn: Waking Up in Strange Beds ¬

[mysterical]

Characters: Tear and You!
Setting: Dormitory levels, and then the first floor, third floor and the 101st floor.
Format: Preference for action spam.
Summary: Tear’s arrival to Animus!
Warnings: Um, an unhappy soldier?

Room 1-07 (Closed to Roommates)
[Hello, roommates, have a newbie! Tear’s just waking up… And she’s got some issues. First of all, she's not back in Yulia City. Second of all, WHO CHANGED HER CLOTHES! And third, she's got this collar on. She's not into this kinky stuff. So...

She's going to scramble around until she sees the note. She carefully reads it over a few times.]

Impossible! Auldrant's gone? Who is playing this cruel joke? Where are Anise and Natalia, because if they've put me in this ridiculous outfit for Peony's entertainment, when we've got our trip to Eldrant to take care of...Yulia help me I will smack them both.

First floor cafeteria
[Tear is looking over the menu for this strange place now that she's dressed in her OWN clothes again. On one hand, it reminds her a little of the Oracle Headquarters at the cathedral in Daath, but there is something innately sinister in the entire place's atmosphere.]

Hm, while none of these sound particularly bad, the flower theme's a little daunting [She's not talking to anyone in general. Just out loud.]

Third Floor Library
[Now that Tear has some down time, she's going to curl up with a good book and try to relax. She's currently browsing the historical novels to see what is there. The titles are interesting to her, but it takes a second of staring for the words to translate into the Fonic Alphabet she's been used to.

This entire place is going to take some getting used to for her. No Auldrant. Ripped away from her friends and her grandfather. No idea when or if she can even get out of this place. In reality, if she wasn't trying to still process everything, she might cry.]

What is this Pride and Prejudice? Is it any good?

Floor 101
[Unlike the beautiful meadow on the 25th floor, Tear feels completely alone as she stands in the midst of the hanging gardens. If you come upon her, you will only find her staring out in the vast open sky, not moving, not talking, not singing. Just staring with a blank expression on her face.]

Comments

You're Redhead Zero. The others are just....there.

[mysterical]

[It was all too much to deal with. Auldrant gone. Everyone she knew missing and/or dead, if they weren't here being tortured. No clue as to where her brother and his subordinates were. No way to contact her grandfather.

As she gazed out into the vast, empty openness of this artificial sky, she contemplated what was the real purpose of her being in this tower. Asch had to be right. These so-called "saviors" had to be keeping their captives here for their own sick reasons. It was enough to make her want to give up. Just when she was alone, like now.

But that voice that called out her name made her heart thrum in her chest, even though she knew that that was not the boy-man she'd left back home. Knowing that, she still couldn't stop herself from turning to face him with a soft smile.]

Hello, Luke. I didn't imagine that you'd come up here of all places. Although, I didn't think you were the type that spent a lot of time in the library either.

...I can accept this. 8D

[sacred_flamer]

[Luke let out a confused noise, before he reached back to rub the back of his neck.]

Oh... you must have seen the other me already. There's two mes here.

[He paused, before stepping closer.]

I... don't come up here much, no.

So glad that Tear can accommodate you, Luke. <3

[mysterical]

[When did that gesture of his become so endearing? She couldn't remember when the moment was, and she placed a hand against her chest where her mother's pendant rested underneath the top of her uniform. The pendant that he'd spent so much time working to get back and spent a small fortune so that she could have the only memento of her mother back in her hands.

There was so much between them that he didn't know, if what Asch had said was right.]

Asch explained that to me, a little. He said the other you—the one in the library, I suppose—comes from an Auldrant where he and Asch are brothers? Considering the way that you came into being, it's not too far off, I suppose.

[No, her heart was not pounding faster as he got closer. No, she wasn't blushing at his nearness.]

What brought you up here today then?

Tear~ <3

[sacred_flamer]

Oh... yeah, if, uh... If that's what Asch says, sure.

[He had never really asked; he was more worried about the idiot him getting himself killed while in the Tower. It was a miracle he himself hadn't died more often...]

[He paused a moment, frowning; Tear hadn't been around in a long time... how to even explain what had just happened?]

A lot happened recently, so... I have a lot on my mind. And it's quiet up here.

Luke, way to minimize stuff! She *can* read, you know. Once she figures out how to use the network..

[mysterical]

[She really didn't know how to read the different emotions flittering across the redhead's face. He was annoyed and upset about something, but it was difficult for her to recognize them now.]

It is quiet up here, but you never really wanted things to be quiet when we traveled. I think it gave you too much time to think.

[She gave him a tired smile and waved a hand at the lone bench in this particular part of the hanging gardens.]

Maybe talking about it will help?

pfffft

[sacred_flamer]

Yeah, well... I've had plenty of time to think around here...

[He fell quiet; he... didn't even know where to begin. So much had happened since he had seen her last. He just... he couldn't even mention last month... What was he going to do?]

...there's a lot to talk about... [But he sat down next to her anyway.]

Trust me. She will *make* Guy show her. =P

[mysterical]

[She turned to face him carefully, keeping her face neutral.]

Someone once told me that it's easiest to begin at the beginning, Luke. And I guess that would be the best, especially since Guy's not here to explain everything for us, right?

Poor Guy. Always explaining.

[sacred_flamer]

[Luke let out a faint laugh, rubbing the back of his neck again.]

...he still ends up explaining a lot, doesn't he? Poor Guy.

[He let out a breath.]

Well, I guess... what... do you remember from the last time you were here?

That's what he does, right?

[mysterical]

[She shook her head at his laugh and the familiar gesture. It took so much to ignore the way she felt about him. Especially when they were so close.]

At least the Colonel's not here right now to force him to explain everything in one sitting.

[Tear gave him a weak smile.]

I wasn't here before. Asch is pretty sure that it was another me. [A barely nonhysterical chuckle leaves her for a minute before she can clamp down on things. Breaking down now would do no good.] That's so strange to say. It's almost like I'm talking about a replica of myself in a way.

Although, I suppose I am, if what Asch said is true.

Of course. :3

[sacred_flamer]

So he already told you all about that, hunh?

[Luke let out a sigh.]

Well, we're not sure yet... how that really works? I mean, if we're alive when we're taken from our worlds or... not. But I guess if our worlds are gone...

[Ugh... he hated this crap.]

...I still don't know how to feel about it. I mean, it's great to know that I'm not the only replica, but... it's depressing at the same time. And...

[He paused again, his hands tightening into fists.]

...it's still nothing compared to what the admins make you do sometimes though.

He's used to it. Don't worry.

[mysterical]

[She huffed out a breath through her nose trying to gather her thoughts.]

You know how Asch is. He doesn't know what tact is or how to ease anyone into a subject. He just sort of...dumps it all on at once. He's a lot like waking up here, actually. Very abrupt.

[She could feel the way he was practically thrumming with rage at her side and it scared her a little. Never had she seen Luke with actual hatred. Anger, yes, despair, of course, but never hatred.

She reached out and grabbed his hands to hold them with her own.]

Start small. How long have you been here?

[sacred_flamer]

Yeah, that's... how I found out about Akzeriuth. Second hand.

[Luke frowned; he still wanted to strangle Asch for that. That, and so many other things... no wonder he flipped his lid and liquified his brain.]

[He stared down at her hand, a bit of pink coming to his face, before he squeezed gently.]

Uh... over a year, according to their calendar. It's shorter than ours, though.

[mysterical]

Akzeriuth.... [She sighed heavily. It was such a sore spot for the redhead that she didn't know how to bring it up. But the fact that she was at a loss for words meant she wasn't looking at his face, but at their joined hands.]

For so long? Are you...Do you...if you haven't been to Akzeriuth yet, what do you remember last?

[sacred_flamer]

Deo Pass... so just before it happened...

[He paused a moment, having trouble looking at her.]

...I'm sorry. For being such an idiot back then.

[mysterical]

[She took a deep breath as she remembered what he'd done in Deo Pass.]

You were a child. Barely seven years old and so enamoured with the idea of being a hero because that's what my brother led you to believe. In the end, I think the blame lies with Van, not you, Luke.

[sacred_flamer]

[Luke shook his head.]

No, I need to take my own part of the blame. I may only be seven, or... eight now, I guess, but it doesn't excuse how I acted. I should have looked outside myself a lot sooner than I did.

[mysterical]

well, I can't argue against that. Things might have turned out differently if you had been able to recognize how to interact with others, but looking at Asch I wonder.

You both grew up in that house, and you're both so similar when it comes down to the basics that I think that with the environment and people staying the same, nothing from the outside would have changed things. Only Van's kidnapping of Asch and the 'birth' of you made any huge difference.

[She stared back down at their still joined hands and idly begun to pick at his long fingers as she gathered her thoughts.]

I'm sorry that my brother used you, or would have used you, so horribly. It was cruel of him.

[sacred_flamer]

It's not like it's your fault, you know. Don't apologize for what Master Van does. Besides... a lot's happened. I'm not the same person I was on Auldrant.

[mysterical]

[She gives him a slight smile at that speech. It was so much closer to what she was used to from Luke that she wasn't even surprised.]

You're right. So, tell me what's been happening since you got here?

[sacred_flamer]

[Wow, where to begin...]

Well, there's a lot... not all of it is good, you know.

[mysterical]

[At the beginning, naturally, Luke.]

After waking up here, I don't think there's much good news you could give me at this moment.

[sacred_flamer]

[Luke let out a breath.]

All right... well...

[He went on to explain everything, from when he first arrived and how confused he had been, to the Infighting event, where Jason had removed his ears and replaced them with headphones that kept playing a warped version of the fonic hymn. He told her about how Yu helped him stay sane, how he had been training him, and how much he had helped him in other ways. The Shadows were next, and how he found out what he really was, and Asch and Jade and Guy arriving.]

[It was a lot to go over, and it felt like he had been talking forever by the time he finally stopped. Luke still hadn't told her about last month... that was something for another time.]

[mysterical]

[She listened carefully as he spoke, grower grimmer with every word. This tower...Asch's explanation had been so tame in comparison to Luke's story.

However, just like the other redhead, she could tell that there was something missing, something important, but she didn't know how to make him tell her what it was. It was weighing on him, of that she was certain. Was it something so bad that he felt he couldn't tell her?]

Luke, Asch said that you've been here for a year, and you've confirmed that you were here first. I...I wish that I had been here sooner.

[sacred_flamer]

No you don't.

[Luke shot her a horrified look, shaking his head.]

I wouldn't wish this place on anyone. No on deserves to be stuck in this horrible place.

[mysterical]

[She squeezed his hand with a conflicted smile.]

No, I suppose that I don't really want to be here, but I wish that I had come here sooner if only to give you support.

Asch told me that the admins can use your attachments against you. And I'd be lying if that thought didn't scare me just a little. But no one deserves to face what you've just told me alone.