towerofanimus | 001. overture

Characters: Nils & Open
Setting: Room 2-04, Cafeteria
Format: Any, though beginning in brackets
Summary: Newcomer Nils is trying to wrap his head around everything that's been happening. It's a lot to take in for the thirteen-year-old. He misses his older sister already.
Warnings: Aside from a sobbing Nils, none really. Memories of a character death as well.

Room 2-04

[He isn't numb when he comes to in his room. His eyes glance over the puzzling message as he sits on the edge of his bed. His world, destroyed? Nils is hit by a second wave of grief, the first one swamping him after seeing his sister dead on the floor. Perhaps, in the past, he would have been secretly pleased that the world was purged from existence. The number of people who had been unkind to him far exceeded the number of souls who were willing to take the siblings under their wings. On the other hand, after becoming familiar with the Lycian League's kindness, he finds that tears swim in his eyes at the thought of their elimination.

He begins to weep uncontrollably with the letter in his lap.]

Cafeteria

[After swallowing his tears, Nils slips down to the cafeteria. There are a few people, creatures, what-have-yous milling about. Some of them are sitting with bowls of oatmeal. He retrieves his own bowl and stares at it quietly. He's... never seen anything like it before. On the other hand, it somewhat resembled the gruel that Lyndis would cook up with Rebecca when there was nothing else to eat. Another part of him is also busy wondering if his stomach is even capable of digesting the brown mixture. Nils prods the food with a spoon and his stomach sinks when the oatmeal wobbles a bit.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yes, I think so too! [Nils is happy to see Aleph smiling. Ninian isn't here, but he's grown quickly attached to Aleph.] Do you know who else sleeps here?

There's someone named Sam here, and there's a new resident of the tower I haven't gotten the name of yet. [He means Zeref, who's hardly spent time in the room so far.]

[He hopes that Sam is as kind to him as Aleph had been.] Sam? [He commits the name to memory.] I... wonder who the fourth person is. [Nils also wonders if Aleph had been in the room while he was asleep.]

I wonder too. But even if he's a rude person you don't have to spend all your time here. You just have to come back to sleep.

[Aleph's words are reassuring. Still, having to sleep in a room with a person he wasn't comfortable around wasn't going to be very fun.] Yeah, you're right. [He nods a bit, hands unconsciously wandering to the pouch on his belt that held his flute.]

The tower's pretty big. A hundred floors. It'll be easy to avoid anybody you don't like.

[Nils nods again.] Um, Aleph? What was your world like?

Hm... It was a very difficult world to live in. If you didn't follow all the rules, or the leaders just didn't like you, you could be killed. And there weren't a lot of livable places. That's why I was fixing things.

[It sounds like a difficult place to live in.] I... I see. It sounds dangerous. It's good that you were helping though, right?

Right. I was able to make it a lot better.

[By killing God but you know, you do what you have to do.]

That's good. [Making the world a better place for others. It sounded rather noble, something that Nils had always admired in a person. Maybe that was why he'd stuck around Lord Eliwood, Lord Hector, and Lady Lyndis.]

Um, I was a bard in Elibe. I don't know if I was able to help people, but I liked making others happy with my music. Does that count...?

[Aleph's eyes light up a little.] I've always liked music. I'm not much of a singer myself, but I can dance.

[Nils pulled the flute from his pouch.] I can play for you if you'd like. [Actually, that would make him really happy.] My... sister was a dancer.

I'm not sure if I can be as good as her, but I'll try.

[His style of music isn't usually played on the flute, but he can pick up quickly...]

O-oh, I can play for you to listen if you'd like.

[The flute isn't anything special. It's slender and carved from wood. He recalls they way that his sister had slipped away at dawn to perform odd jobs in order to earn enough money for it. He falls silent, deep I'm thought.]

I... wish Ninian was here too.

...I'm sure all of us miss someone...

[For him, he thinks of Hiroko first. A good friend, an ally, his genetic mother... Hiroko's been through enough to deserve to be safe and alive.]

[Nils isn't sure if it's polite to pry, but he must ask.]

Do you... miss anyone, Aleph?

[...he's not sure where to start with that.]

Hiroko... my mother isn't here. My best friend used to be here, but he's gone now, somewhere on our ruined worlds.

[Nils falls quiet as he listens carefully to what Aleph has to say.] My sister isn't here. There were some people who have been very kind to me, but I don't know where they are.

[He speaks in an even quieter tone.] I... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked.

It's all right. It doesn't make anyone weak to have pain and to miss the people they care for. There's no reason to deny it.

[Aleph doesn't seem to be able to not astound Nils with his wisdom. He gives Aleph a small nod.]

Yes, you're... you're right, Aleph. My sister used to tell me that people can become stronger through trials. That's true, isn't it?

It's true. The people here can testify to that.

[They've gone through a lot of trials in the time Aleph's been here.]

[Nils nods at Aleph's statement.]

... I want to grow stronger too. [Then he can show Ninian how much he's grown. At least, if he ever gets to have that opportunity.]

If you're dedicated to that, you will.

[Aleph knows anyone can do it.]

[Granted, Nils doesn't exactly know how, but he's aware that after trying times, one can grow significantly.] Then... you believe in me?

[That actually means more to him than Aleph probably realizes.]

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