...don't mind him while he mopes...

[woodpeckermaruta]

Characters: Ganta Igarashi and whoever is available to join
Setting: Dorm room #2-10, then immediately to the first floor's cafeteria
Format: Whatever, is fine with me.
Summary: He's having trouble accepting that crap. Slap him around, a bit? He'll come around.
Warnings: He can control his blood and use it as a weapon, for those... characters with violent tendencies. ♥

The black-haired teenager had read the two letters at least ten times, a piece (after freaking out just a bit at the thirty seconds of paralysis, of course). No matter how many times he reads the one explaining his situation, though, he still cannot seem to bring himself to believe any of it. Despite the truth becoming more and more obvious. Despite the fact that there are other people here, some obviously... against their will.

He finds himself standing it what appears to be a cafeteria. How he got there, he is completely unsure of. He goes through the motions of getting his food, almost in the way a robot would-no sign of emotion, no sign of even being in touch with reality. Ganta stares down at the bowl of oatmeal, after sitting down at the first empty table he reaches, realizing that he has absolutely no desire to even touch it. What is the point? If Earth was destroyed, then what does he have left? There is no way this is what surviving would feel like, though. No way, in hell, is this just... it for everyone he ever knew.

An image of Shiro plays into his mind and he suddenly feels the urge to throw up. If not for the fact that his stomach is completely empty, he likely would have. Nagi, Karako, Senji, Yoh, Minatsuki... everyone... Everyone cannot possibly be dead, right? This is all a game, ...right? A trick? Even if it is not, they are all here, as well, ...right? He squeezes his hand into a fist, a hint of a reminder of the open cut on his thumb. The pain in his thumb, from when he tested his “it's a dream” theory, is nowhere near what it was.

If this truly is real, then why him?! What the hell did he do to deserve to be the last one? To suffer through a reality without anyone he ever cared about? First, his friends from school, now this?! Wait... is it possible that the "Red Man" could have done this? No, that is a stupid thought. Why would that kind of monster save him?

The longer he stares at the oatmeal, the more he has the desire to throw it at the wall. If it were not for the increasing feeling of numbness he suddenly finds himself with, he probably would.

Comments

Cafeteria!

[taintedwhite]

Shiro is walking in between the tables of the cafeteria, holding a tray full of food. Or rather too full of food. And of course, since this is Shiro, 99% of it is sugar. People could get cavities just from looking at that tray's content.

She's humming the woodpecker's lullaby under her breath as she goes.

But suddenly something catches the albino girl's attention. A boy sitting alone at the table if front of the bowl of oatmeal newcomers always get upon arriving in the Tower.

The food tray clatters on the floor as Shiro lets go of it and jumps onto the nearby table. She leaps from table to table until she lands gracefully next to Ganta's chair.

"Ganta! ...Ganta's found his way to Shiro."

Finally.

[woodpeckermaruta]

His brow furrows just slightly at the sound of the clatter, behind him. He then hears the sound of stomping and it is... getting closer? He does not have time to look behind him. Heck, he does not even have time to look up, before that voice. The voice of someone he was so worried that he would never see again. A voice he heard repeating itself over, and over again. Reminding him that he is not strong enough.

His head slowly lifts, then turns. His gray eyes widen as they land on the smiling face. The face that makes it know just how happy she is. Happy to see him. Happy that he is here. Happy... but why? He was sure that she would hate him. Surely, after what he did. After how he acted, she should not be smiling that way. Yet, she is. Because...

His thoughts are stopped when he realizes that a couple of tears have made their way out. His expression softens, as he speaks.

"Shiro... you're here? I thought..." He stops himself, not even really sure how to verbalize what it is that he thought.

[taintedwhite]

Shiro blinks as she sees the tears. She instantly kneels down in front of him pressing her palm against the center of his chest.

"Shiro's here, Ganta. ...Why is Ganta crying? Was Ganta worried?"

Worried that she would be gone by the time he got there. After all, he almost looks 'relieved' to see her.

[woodpeckermaruta]

The black-haired teenager slightly furrows his brow, before quickly wiping the tears away. How do you tell someone that you were worried that they were destroyed? So, if Shiro is here, then... does that mean that...?

"Yeah, I was worried." He looks downward, "Who else is here, Shiro?"

So, is she really not angry, at him? At all? Should he just ask her? Was she just as worried about him, as he was about her? This whole thing is seriously crazy.

[taintedwhite]

Shiro smiles as Ganta admits to having been worried and feeling relieved.

"Shiro has been waiting for Ganta in the Tower for months. But even when everyone was saying Deadman Wonderland had been destroyed, Shiro knew Ganta wasn't dead. That Ganta would find his way back to Shiro."

And see? She's been right about that. Now Toto owes him an apology. Speaking of which...

"From Deadman Wonderland? Toto is here too."

[hemoeroticism]

Hagire had a very... specific taste in food. And energy bars were not it. Perhaps some of his tastes came from Toto Sakigami, perhaps he always was messed up and preferred his meat... erm... rare, but regardless, he still needed food just as badly as anyone else.

It was just about that time of the month, when new arrivals to the Tower began showing up. And sure enough...

Ganta. Sorae's son. Woodpecker. The person whose body he had tried to steal shortly before arriving here, and the one Shiro and the Wretched Egg had wanted to come to Deadman Wonderland for a long time. The one who, here, was totally useless to him; he didn't need his Branch of Sin. Not anymore. Not unless this new Mother Goose System also needed it...

Well. Time to see just how much he knew.

"Well, well. Look who finally decided to come looking for his forgotten friend again! ✩" Hagire chirps, hopping down at the seat across from Ganta. What was on his plate looked... odd. It was cooked, and but it looked like a limb ripped off of a monster, and then roasted over fire. Using 'Condor Candle' for cooking. Novel idea, no?

"I was wondering if you'd show up here... Woodpecker." Hagire grinned ear to ear, as he took a long, vulgar bite of the meat. "Don't look so sad. You'll love it here. ✩"

[woodpeckermaruta]

Ganta can feel his brow furrow at the sudden voice. Wait, is the strange-sounding person talking to him? Looking up, his eyes land on a face... as unfamiliar as the voice. What does he mean by “forgotten friend”? Was this odd person talking about Shiro (how would they even know about him forgetting about her, since the only person who should know... is Yoh)? He studies the face, a moment, before his eyes drift downward.

Ganta's eyes linger on the plate a little longer than he intends. It is likely because the-- um...food...is it?--on the person's place indeed looks odd (to say the least). He looks back to the face across from him. As the unfamiliar takes a bite of the meat, Ganta tenses his face. Why does he get such a creepy vibe from this person? Kind of like this guy wants to see him fall to his death from a fifty-story window, or something?

Actually, never mind the creepy vibe, because something is seriously off with that smile. Oh. He knows his stage name, too? A small part of Ganta attempts, once again, to place this face; however, it is to no avail. This guy? He is definitely someone this Deadman has never seen, before. And, really, it is only giving the teenager a headache to even try placing it. So, he gives up on that hopeless endeavor, just before he realizes something.

He was staring pretty hard. Was, because he quickly blinked and averted his eyes to the cold (and, suddenly, even more disgusting-looking) oatmeal, the second he realized he was doing it.

“Um... Sorry, but I have no idea who you are. What do you mean by 'forgotten friend', though?” There is hope in that boy's voice, because, well...

If this person really is talking about Shiro, that means she may be here. If she is here, then maybe things could be...okay? Maybe being stuck here could become bearable. Yes, he would still be sad about everyone else not being here. Of course, if Shiro really is here, who's to say that some-or all-of his friends are not here, as well?

While he waits for the response, he tasks himself with idly pulling the spoon out of the chunky substance, then sticking it back in. Nope, definitely not going to be able to eat it, at this point. Sliding the bowl aside, his gray eyes move back to the face in front of him.

1/2

[hemoeroticism]

The look on Ganta's face wasn't what he expected. He was expecting rage, anger, hatred, the side of Ganta that only comes out upon being confronted with the truth he has tried so long and so hard to ignore, if not entirely avoid. In fact, he was quite taken aback. Did this mean... did this mean?

Oh. Oh. Well, this was interesting... the Administrators really did love him, didn't they?

[hemoeroticism]

"Aha, I guess you haven't met me yet, then, did you Woodpecker?" He laughs, clapping his hands. "I'd have thought maybe my outfit and the scars would give it away, but I guess not. My name is Sakigami Toto. Most people at Deadman Wonderland called me 'Mockingbird.' ✩"

He takes another bite of the meat. Despite the fact that it was cooked, it was clear that it was a very recent kill, and a very clean cut from something. Crow Claw, most likely, but surely Mockingbird doesn't have someone else's powers, right?

He frowns at Ganta's question, though. "You don't remember? Huh. That's too bad, Wre-- Shiro-chan talked about you all the time. She still does. She's probably looking for candy... Jason doesn't give out candy during his months."

[woodpeckermaruta]

So, Shiro is here! That appears to be the only part he hears, and his face says it all. He is beyond relieved to hear this. Surprised, as well, but mostly just... glad to know that she is alright. A hint of tears appears on his lower lids, and he is staring at Hagire with what looks to be gratitude. Well, he is grateful for the news.

"Shiro's here?! Where is she?!"

Obviously, that is all he cares about.

[hemoeroticism]

Of course he wouldn't care about him. Hagire sighs, and shrugs. "Like I said, she's probably going to go dig in her candy stockpile. It was hard to convince her to save some of it. But it was this or energy bars, or monster meat."

He yawns, and stretches. "She'll be around eventually. I think you know by now she can handle herself... besides, if she can't..."

He grins again, and claps his hands. "'Aceman' will save her. Like always. ✩"

Just a subtle attempt to see just how much she knows.

[nobarnacles]

While most things in the tower are pretty cruel, it seems especially cruel that this month there isn't even coffee available at the cafeteria. So, Zelgadis is sitting at the table with a cup of water and one crumbly nutrition bar, dipping said bar into the tepid water to soften it a little.

He looks over at the table next to him where the newcomer is staring blankly at a bowl of oatmeal and gives him a weary sigh.

"Just eat it. It's by far not going to be the worst thing to happen to you."

[woodpeckermaruta]

The voice breaks him from his thoughts, and he is slowly looking up to see an unfamiliar voice. His expression barely falters at the words. He picks the spoon up, then drops it back down in the mush.

"How long have you been here?"

He is unsure of why he is curious to know this. What good would it do, other than torture him with the realization that this could very well be home.

[nobarnacles]

"About a month, not that it's any of your business."

He's not intentionally being mean, but he was cold and bitter even before he got pulled to the tower. This is just a kid, though, and Zelgadis could probably do with toning it down a notch.

"If you're just going to stare at it, why did you even bother taking a bowl? It would be curious to see if you can starve to death here."

....okay, that's not really toning it down.

[woodpeckermaruta]

He can handle it, considering some of the people he has had to live with. Instead of looking hurt, he simply gives a look of 'ok, whatever'. He also seems to not even hear the last sentence spoken by the stranger. Looking back at the bowl of food, he sighs. Really, it was more out of a habitual manner that he took the food.

"I thought I would be able to eat it. Guess not, though."

[nobarnacles]

"Well, you're not going to eat anything else until you do, so you might as well choke it down now."

Zelgadis takes a bite of his soggy, bland bar. Now there are crumbs in his water. Things could be worse.

"Unless you really do want to starve."

[immortalia]

The neat thing about being an android is that one never needed to eat. Or, rather, didn't have the capabilities for such. So, that's why it may seem a little odd for Sertoria to be in the cafeteria today when she could be working on other tasks in the tower.

It's when she notices a black haired boy looking in to his oatmeal forlornly that it catches her attention. How upsetting could the tower's oatmeal be when the nutrition bars weren't delectable at all? A puzzled look crosses Sertoria's face before she walks over and sits down across from Ganta, propping her head up on her chin slightly.

"At least it is not the nutrition bars the residents have to eat for this month, sir. It has some flavor to it, as well."

[woodpeckermaruta]

He frowns when the person sits next to him. He looks up, sporting a confused expression. Did this woman just say "residents"? That would imply that... she is not one.

Aren't you... stuck here, too?"

Despite the overall confusion of his tone, there is a hint of bitterness. After all, if she is not a victim here...

Well, what else could she possibly be, other than part of the reason everyone is trapped in this strange tower?

[immortalia]

Sertoria found his question odd and quirked an eyebrow up while tilting her head. Did the fact that she had an orange collar on not mean--

Wait, he had to have been new. That was the only explanation for it.

"I am, yes. I am one of the residents. However, I do not have any need to eat the oatmeal or any of the food myself." After all, the last time she tried, the tower survived a nuclear explosion because of her selfishness.

"Are you new?"

[woodpeckermaruta]

"Oh... I see." It is written on his face that his question is somewhat answered, his expression relaxing a great deal.

Then there is something else written there. He gives her another confused expression.

"Y-yeah, I'm new. But, did you just say...? Why would you not... need to eat?"

He furrows his brow much more firmly, an innocently curious expression planted all over his face.

[blackwitch]

[ The look on his face as he's staring at the oatmeal is one she recognizes very well. After all, Evatrice has been in the tower for quite some time now and it's always easy to spot the new people in the cafeteria since most of them just feel despair - and for good reasons.

But then again, those people are also usually the most amusing around, so she can't bring herself to ignore them. If anything, she's drawn to them, tempted to make her own situation better by watching others being miserable. Passing her pain on to someone else. ]

Huh, having a problem? [ She smiles. It's not exactly super friendly, but it's not really cruel either. ] You look so gloomy..!

[woodpeckermaruta]

[When he looks up at sees the smile, he has to frown just slightly. Of course he's unhappy to be here. Who wouldn't be? Narrowing his eyes ever so slightly, he gives her a confused frown as he speaks.] Aren't you?

[blackwitch]

Of course not! Do I look like I'm having a problem?

[ Not with that grin, at least, but she keeps her own problems buried deep down. Nobody's just allowed to see them or even know of them. ]

I'm ju-st fine here!

[woodpeckermaruta]

[He slightly frowns] No, not at all.

[Well, she really seems to be nothing more than a strange person... than someone responsible for his being here.]

How is that possible? Didn't you have friends or... even family back home?

[blackwitch]

[ Evatrice and friends... unfortunately she's the biggest friendless loser. Although that's sort of her own fault too. Killing doesn't exactly make you get a lot of friends. ]

Wow, you really care that much for your family? [ She grins as if it's funny. Or a joke. ] No way I do, they're just a bunch of chauvenistic pigs and dumb idiots! Why would I want to be with people like that? [ Not that they're entirely her family, but.. sort of. It's complicated. ]