towerofanimus | mass destruction;

Characters: Ken and open!
Setting: The mailroom (Monday), the graveyard (Monday), the hologram floor (Tuesday), the stairs (please indicate which day)!
Format: Doesn't matter.
Summary: Ken finds his present and buries it, and then mopes around for a bit.
Warnings: Blood, gore, a severed head.

[Mailroom - Monday]

[Ken stares at his mailbox as he opens it, not quite believing what he's seeing. He carefully reaches in, almost fascinated by the terrible sight in front of him.]

[When his fingers brush soft hair, he collapses. His knees slam the floor, and the head bounces down almost comically in front of him. He lets out a choked sob as he picks up Nanako's head and curls around it, sobbing brokenly.]

[Graveyard - Monday]

[Once Ken's managed to get himself together a little, he heads into the graveyard. He's wrapped the head in a towel taken from the bathrooms, and has a marker and a piece of cardboard.]

[He finds a spot, mostly out of the way, and starts digging a hole big enough to hold the head. Once that's done, he puts it in and carefully covers it up.]

[He carefully marks "Nanako Dojima" on the cardboard and stakes it into the ground, bowing his head and trying not to cry.]

[Hologram floor - Tuesday]

[Ken stands in the middle of the hologram - he knows it's not real, but it's still comforting, even when it still hurts. He walks through it, shaking his head a bit.]

[He misses his old house - even though he knows that he can't go back, that he can't turn back the clock, even if he wanted to. The memories still cling, though.]

[… Not to mention the few shadows following him, whispering to him.]

[Stairs - Throughout the week]

[Ken heads up and down the tower pretty frequently, so it'll be easy to find him on the stairs. He might not notice anyone else though, depending when in the week it is - he doesn't have a lot of shadow children following him, but he does have a few. And they like to talk.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No. But a lot of people seem stronger than me. And I want to be strong, too.

They're liars. Everyone around here cracks up and breaks down eventually. You can judge 'em for what they do after they get there.

I guess. I just don't have any idea what I'm supposed to be doing anymore.

Whatever it takes to keep yourself going.

[For him, that meant picking a fight at almost every turn, but Ken should probably pick something a bit more constructive than that.]

Training, but that's not what I really want to do. I want to learn more things so that I have a leg up when we go home, but I'm not sure that a lot of what I'm reading is going to work at home.

[He crossed his arms and... sort of had a look that was a mix between contemplative, but also staring dumbly into space.]

I can't really be very helpful if you're gonna start asking for career and life advice.

[He'd already come to terms with a long, long time ago that Ken was gonna outlast the rest of them. It was just a statement of fact.]

Yeah, I know. I want to help out with getting us money, but... I know killing people pulls in a lot but I'm not really comfortable with it. It's not like we can get legitimate jobs, though.

We've been here how long and you still think it's that big a deal?

[Not that he really ever understood the problem with murder-for-hire in the first place anyway.]

It's not like anyone's gonna believe a kid like you was a veritable assassin. You could probably get something yourself, assuming there's even a world to go back to.

People don't come back at home. And yeah, there's a lot of jackasses in the world, but people can change. Not everyone does, but they can. I just don't think outright killing them is going to help anything in the end.

And I would, but I don't think anyone will hire me at my age. And there will be one. I'm going to make sure of it.

You're awfully optimistic. [Not that he's entirely surprised, but.]

If you do get the chance, you'll probably be old enough. [He says in a very matter-of-fact tone. It was better than discussing the matter of life, death and murder at least.] You worry too much.

One of us has to be.

[Just because you never got to have childish idealism doesn't mean you have to crush everyone else's, big bro. :V]

Yeah... I guess now that I've spent so much time here people might actually consider hiring me...

[Not a lot, but some smaller places might hire a thirteen year old...]

Whatever makes you feel better.

[Idealism was for chumps.]

If not, you'll get there soon enough. That's sure something you don't have to sweat.

You know I'm not going to leave you guys, right? Even if I can find something. You guys are part of my family now.

[Not shaking this social link okay.]

[And that, he's not so sure about.]

Depending on how life plays out, you might not have a choice.

Nope. You're stuck with me.

Did you forget the part where you go back to a world with a me that's going to die within the decade?

I know. And that's why I'm sticking with you. You guys took care of me, so I'll take care of you when you need it.

I ain't gonna stick around for some kid to take care of me.

[Maybe he sounds a bit harsh, but he has to take his pride where he can find it.] 'Sides, much longer and there ain't gonna be any of me left to take care of.

I'm not as much of a kid anymore.

I'm gonna make sure you're around for a while.

[ >| ]

All the faith in the world can't make someone just "stick around" just because you'll miss them.

[He'd already spent most of his life preparing for the end, after all.]

Yeah, I know. But I can try.

Part of growing up is learning to pick your battles.

mass destruction;

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