A whole new world o/`

[firstnothing]

Name: Xemnas and ANYONE
Format: Prose, Actions. Whatever people are most comfortable with; beginning prose.
Setting:Room 2-10, then Travel Time to Floor 61.
Summary: Dude, Where's My Castle? Or, Xemnas Arrival.
Warnings: Possibly violence. Possibly not. Very brief nudity. Will update as things happen.
Notes: Limited number of locations to start with, because hugegame is huge.



Sleep paralysis is a new experience, and is waited out with measured patience. Not being able to move isn't particularly alarming, as it doesn't come with pain or disorientation. The room is unfamiliar. That.. is more troubling. Unusual outfit: check. Collar: check. The white didn't bother him overmuch, even though it wasn't as comfortable as the uniforms he'd painstakingly made. A search of the collar finds no fasteners, and pulling on it did no good so he doesn't waste his time trying to tear it free. Both notes are skimmed then set on the bed; the chances of a world that didn't exist being destroyed were slim. It was of no concern. What was ... was being somewhere he shouldn't be, and attempting to form a corridor of darkness to the castle failing outright.

Xemnas, being a fairly practical creature, comes to the conclusion that finding out where he is, is a reasonable good step.

If any of his new roommates are there, he politely disregards the presence of others in favor of standing, investigating the chest at the foot of the narrow bed and almost immediately stripping out of the white skin-tight outfit that had been provided him and replacing it with the black uniform of the Organization.

Sometimes free shows can't be helped.

--



It doesn't take long before he's satisfied with what he knows of the dormitory floors. People aren't his concern, and he doesn't bother to greet anyone he comes across. He'll query individuals later, once he has a solid map in his mind of where he is. He couldn't use a corridor to get somewhere he hadn't been before, after all. If he's stopped, well, that's different.

Then peaceful, patient elevator travel. There were only a certain number of floors it would stop at but he'd investigate each one eventually.

--



The elevator opening to a grassy plain is unexpected, as are the distant mountains. Did the elevator connect to entirely different worlds, a peculiar technological version of world-hopping? This is worth investigating a little more thoroughly, and in short order there is a dark shape moving through the waist-deep grass, almost but not quite curious. It seems like a peaceful place, and aside from plants, Xemnas could detect no other obvious signs of life in his immediate vicinity.

He doesn't notice the clouds at first. Or the mountains.

Because honestly, the holes in the ground are much more attention-grabbing, and difficult to spot.

He finds one the hard way. There's a yelp as the ground he expected to be underfoot in his next step simply isn't there, sending him tumbling into some til-now hidden pit. Falling to one's demise probably normally elicits more of a reaction than vague irritation that that was incredibly undignified, but killing a Nobody by dropping them from great heights doesn't usually work.

Especially when they can teleport. Xemnas relied on line of sight, but his reactions were quick enough that he's not falling for more than a moment before he flickers into being above the hole and just to one side, dropping a few feet back onto the grass with a thump. Frowning, the edges of the pit are carefully explored. He's.. going to be here a while.

Comments

[Floor 61]

[scentofmakai]

Zett hadn't been more than passing this floor, but seeing someone almost fall gets his attention. Good that the man righted himself: even if he had been so inclined, Zett wouldn't have reached him in time.

"There's more where that came from," he called out to him.

Re: [Floor 61]

[firstnothing]

"Is that so."

The amount of sheer unmitigated thrilled in Xemnas' voice is ... actually absent. He sounds faintly annoyed but little more than that. His dignity was intact, he was intact, that would do. Once he's certain there isn't going to be another hole right away, he turns his regard to Zett instead. "More holes or more unwelcome surprises?"

There's a slow, thoughtful pause, followed by a quietly added, "I suppose 'both' could be an acceptable answer."

[scentofmakai]

"Both is the answer. The holes especially on this floor, unwelcome surprises in the rest of the tower."

Zett cocks his head to one side. "Are you new?"

[firstnothing]

The smile the black clad man offers is entirely false, but if Zett isn't paying attention he might not notice. "As new as the morning. I shall have to watch my footing then, thank you for the warning."

Because he's going to start poking around again, and far more cautiously than before. Knowing where the holes are helps, but leaving them alone seems to be too difficult for Xemnas to actually pull off. He had to investigate.

[ Floor 61 ]

[earthshards]

[Another month, another new menu, and more new arrivals that haven't the slightest idea of what they've been pulled into. Terra only pays the barest minimum amount of attention to it, if only to keep an eye out for anyone recognizable from his universe.

It's not like they're hard to spot, after all.

As he passes by floor 61 on the elevator, the unmistakable aura of a powerful Nobody hits him. But as fast as that feeling hits him, it's gone once he's out of range.

That... hadn't come with the additional flavor of an element. But it had been so fast, there was no way of telling who this could be unless he just left the elevator and investigated. With a sigh, he flips up the hood of his coat and Corridors back to that floor he'd felt the aura originate from.

Once out, he finds himself... almost freezing in place when the aura hits him again. Damn, that's oppressive - whoever this was, they were powerful. And there were only a few members of Organization XIII that were this strong.

Seeing them fall into a hole, only to teleport back up was almost amusing - until he got a look at the face of the originator of that aura.

... w e l p. This... ... is an interesting development.

Don't mind this hooded guy as he tries to collect himself. He's used to doubles and timeline shenanigans, but seeing Xemnas again outside of his memories is something he never given much thought to.

He's actually shocked. And not a good kind of shock. What can be made out of his body language spells that out plainly.]

Re: [ Floor 61 ]

[firstnothing]

[Xemnas is currently occupied with wrestling a rather large rock towards the hole he'd fallen into right now. This seems to be amazingly attention-holding, partly because he's not normally towing rocks around and partly because if he mis-steps he's going to fall in again. Once is enough; he didn't need that lesson repeated.

Patience is a virtue, isn't it?

It really is hard to mistake the Darkness that clung to him like a second skin, making him very easy to find, if being a tall guy in black in a sea of green wasn't doing that already. When the stranger is noted, it's only with a brief glance at first as most of his attention and effort is focused on the rock.

Which is then carefully set at the very edge of the hole.

The hood up really disguses exactly who's there but there simply aren't a lot of people in Xemnas' worldview who would dare wear the Organization's uniform without being a member of it. He studies the shape - adult, masculine, sturdy frame. Could be any number - before raising one hand silently. A flare of brilliant yellow provides a weapon where there hadn't been, one of the few with a sharp cutting edge.

And then he begins removing some of the grass at the edge of the hole.]

"Come here."

[It's not a request. He has a rock to throw into a hole, and that theoretical Nobody over there could just make himself useful.]

[ Floor 61 ]

[earthshards]

[Watching Xemnas trying to step around holes and work with rocks is... surreal. But then, the whole tower is surreal. He shouldn't be surprised by anything he sees.

He slowly lets out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He... hadn't been recognized based on silhouette alone. That was a bit of a blessing. But being given an order, with the expectation to follow it - and Xemnas clearing a path for him is strange in of itself - he... hesitates, for a moment.

Just a moment. Then he nods, and carefully makes his way over.

If he's assumed to just be a subordinate, he... should probably play along. It might make things easier in the short-term. He just has to remember not to talk.

He makes sure to very visibly look between the rock, the hole, and Xemnas, and tilt his head slightly to one side, to phrase a question without saying anything.

'You want to throw that in there?']

Re: [ Floor 61 ]

[firstnothing]

[It wouldn't do to lose a subordinate to a hole before they can make themselves useful. Who knows how many might be lurking in the grass, waiting to claim the unwary.

Every reaction the theoretical-Nobody makes is measured and observed without being obvious about it. Hesitation, the slow hiss of breath.

Apprehension?

A mystery to be picked at, when he had a moment. Right now Xemnas didn't have a moment, he had a rock. There were many mysteries to work out in ths place, and he would handle them one at a time as he chose to. Right now that involved a stone, a pit of an unknown depth, and a little assistance in resolving the unknown part of the former thought.

His stranger didn't speak. That itself was another peculiarity. A nobody didn't necessarily need words, none of the dusks spoke aloud. But the lack is noteworthy.]

"... Yes. Why else would I find a rock, and put it at the edge of a hole of unknown dimensions, then begin clearing a path around it?"

[In anyone else that might be incredibly ascerbic but from Xemnas it's just mild neutrality, the reproof barely actually there. No, he's more occupied with picking his way fastidiously to the other side of the hole, then making a brief beckoning gesture with one hand, watching not the stranger or the rock, but the stone. Give it a push.]

"Try to hit the sides if you can."

floor 61

[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer hasn't been on this floor much before, since the mountains and clouds full of eyes creep him out. However, today, his attention is arrested by the sight of a man more or less sinking into the ground...and then re-appearing right next to where he first sank.]

Woah. Was that teleportation?

Re: floor 61

[firstnothing]

[Holes in the ground hidden by hip deep grass are dangerous things! When spoken to, Xemnas glances up, regarding Lancer for several looong moments before giving a slow, fairly graceful nod.]

It was. It seemed to be preferable to falling to an unknown fate.

Re: floor 61

[puppy_lancer]

Fall? You mean into a hole or something?

[He looks down at the grassy ground, which looks rather smooth.]

What, are there lots of pitfalls in this place?

Re: floor 61

[firstnothing]

[Xemnas pauses, glancing first from the hole he'd found, then to Lancer, and back. Then he raises one hand and beckons.]

Come to me. Straight-line, do not step off that straight line path. When you reach my location, feel ahead of you with your feet but do not put your weight on that foot.

[Best way to prove there's a hole: discover it yourself. Xemnas will be right there in case Lancer goes a little far or steps off in either direction, but following his directions should be safe.]

Floor 61

[acceptedoblivion]

[He wasn't normally the kind to linger on one floor in particular, and the mountains on this one always weirded him enough to make most of his trips here short. However, the yelp he heard as he very carefully made his way down the stairs (he learned the hard way not to run) gave him pause.

Well, might as well see which newbie got themselves in more trouble than he normally does on any given Tues...day...

...

Well, that certainly was the coat he despises (and is stuck wearing unless he wants hand-me-downs from his face-siblings). That alone was warning enough to make him want to turn back. Yet he always was the stubborn and most likely to ignore logic at random intervals.

Couldn't be worse than the Pig, right-?]

...

[...Yeah he's just going to take a few steps back and try to deal with his mortal enemy of stairs unless he's spotted.]

Don't fall too far.

Re: Floor 61

[firstnothing]

[Thankfully Xemnas is both fairly easy to distract when he's ... interested in being distracted, at least, and he's reasonably good at feigning being a decent sort of being. Which means once he recovers his dignity after having nearly fallen an unknowable depth into a hidden hole, it's pretty unlikely he's going to whip around and suddenly attack the replica hiding over there.

Or lurking as the case might be.

Really, he's not inattentive to his surroundings, he's simply quick to calculate whether or not something is actually a danger and then go about his business accordingly. A black-clad shape by stairs? It's simply not that big of a threat on his mental radar to really bother with, unlike treacherous footing that could drop him once more down a pit. Perhaps the second time he wouldn't be so quick about teleporting back out. Line of sight was a difficult thing sometimes.

And thus it probably would have stayed, the boy by the steps disregarded - except he recognizes that voice, and pauses his sudden hunt for things to begin throwing in the pit to test for a bottom. Slowly Xemnas swivels around, bemused.]

Oh, I wouldn't fall that far, worry not.

[It takes a moment for him to recognize exactly what his observer is wearing, and frowns faintly. He'd heard rumors there were people running about the worlds in his uniform. He should find it flattering. He doesn't.]

I'm going to start charging royalties if outsiders keep wearing my coats. Who gave you that one, I wonder?

[He COULD sound annoyed. He doesn't. Xemnas' tone remains a steady pleasant utter lack of anything at all.]

[acceptedoblivion]

[It wasn't hard to recognize, he'll give him that - the real thing's a living spanner in the works just like his friend is. He'd be more surprised if someone from that group didn't recognize it. Not that he'd know if they did or not, but details.

That response makes him freeze. Well, he guesses the Nobodies had good hearing, after all. He should have known better than to say anything, but he did anyway. Sigh.]

I don't know... A lot of new arrivals tend to fall to their deaths.

[He turns back around, not trusting to show his back to this figure.]

As for who, ask the ones who "saved" us.

[Bitter to both groups? Nah, whatever gave you that idea?]

[firstnothing]

[A little less so, where Xemnas is from. Riku was still trouble, but not the same level of lethal trouble that cost the lives of more than a few Nobodies. Probably for the best, given how protective Xemnas was of things he considered his - including his own minions.

That didn't mean he wasn't being careful. It's not easy to tell a replica from the original just by looking at them. And one did not take chances with keyblades.]

Not a concern. It's difficult to kill that which doesn't exist. I have a great many things to ask them, but I'm afraid coats are very low on the priority list.

[Any signs of bitterness are noted and simply filed away as interesting but ultimately irrelevant. There were more important things.]

And of this entire tower, you have found nothing else that you prefer better? Interesting.

2-10

[woodpeckermaruta]

The black-haired teenager had been sitting on his bed, reading over the letter for likely what was the twentieth time. Ganta had been curious about the newest addition to the room, giving him a silent glance every now and then.

Oh, he's up now. The Deadman blinks and watches the stranger. Until said stranger is stripping down, that is. Widening his gray eyes, Ganta immediately places the letter between his eyes and the man's naked body. Out of sheer embarrassment at the spontaneous nudity, the fourteen-year-old's face is completely red. What the hell, does he not even see him?!

"S-Seriously?!"

His voice is fairly high-pitched and filled with utter disbelief. After the strange man is finished with changing, Ganta lowers the letter and is giving an expression that clearly reads "Yeah, you! I'm sitting RIGHT HERE!"

Seriously, mister, you could have given him time to leave.

Re: 2-10

[firstnothing]

[Zip.

The look turned on Ganta is one of very faint amusement and little more, as he's suddenly shouted at. At least he has pants on now! But it really doesn't seem as if this new guy is even remotely concerned, or ashamed, or really even putting a lot of thought into it at all. A body was a body, after all, and while it needed appropriate clothing bothering finding a closet to hide in would just be a waste of time, surely!

Maybe there should be a little more consideration. ..Nah.]

..Yes. You are right there.

[There's really no trace of anything like shame. Or showing off, which might be a little better. Ganta's studied for several moments before he continues, hunting through the chest for the vest that goes with the pants. No socks? Where are his socks?]

Unless you see anything unusually different every time you dress and undress, then you have seen nothing today that you haven't seen countless times before. The details may differ but the design is approximately the same for every male you will ever encounter. Calm yourself.

[Not a trace of sarcasm, malice or even humor. There were probably other ways to introduce oneself to a new person, but that would take more time than necessary.]

[woodpeckermaruta]

[He frowned with slight annoyance.

Though this guy had a relatively good point, the Deadman couldn't help but be annoyed by how little the stranger cared. What the hell was his problem? He seemed almost like...

Sertoria, actually. Oh.

Tilting his head slightly, Ganta's frown was soon replaced by mere curiosity. With that, he was moving from his bed to stand next to it. Scratching the side of his face with a single finger, gray eyes studied the floor a moment. The curious expression increased, until he was looking back up at his new roommate.]

Are you an android?

Elevator

[falseidentity]

He isn't the only one on the elevator. A woman with blue hair gets on just after him and stands in the far corner from him. She looks like she's out of the distant past, or from a vaguely medieval or Victorian world, the way she dresses. She doesn't seem to care much about him. But she will pause and consider...

"Which floor are you heading to?"

Re: Elevator

[firstnothing]

He could have taken the stairs, but really if it's one's first time in a new place using the local conveniences is just a better idea. Xemnas is perfectly content to wait for the minutes to tick past between each floor. Up until he's spoken to anyway, and turns.

If he had other people in with the elevator with him it hadn't been terribly relevant until now. It was simply a means of transport as far as he was concerned, but being addressed meant he was obliged to respond. She didn't seem familiar to him, and looked as if she perhaps belonged in the Beast's realm..

"Whichever seems interesting as the doors open." The response is pleasant but neutral. "I was not terribly impressed with the previous."

He really has no idea where the heck he's going at all.

[falseidentity]

"Ah. You're new, then?"

Otherwise, he likely would have seen the floors from the elevators before. She'll smile a bit apologetically. She pities him--and anyone else who's found themselves here, because it's not a pleasant place. And that's only after being here for a single month.

"...You should be careful. This place is... It will kill you if you're not careful. Probably even if you are."

elevator

[keybearer]

[Riku initially wasn't sure which floor he wanted to head to, but after a particularly rough night of monster brawling, taking the elevator's sure to make his life at least a little easier. He could always figure out a direction once it stops, after all...

But when the door opens and Xemnas wanders in, he's immediately yanked out of his quiet daze. His eyes narrow at the sight of that coat, and he looks Xemnas up and down. It's not Terra, is it? No, something seems... off compared to the Terra he met in the tower. The build looks much closer to that one Organization member he fought in Hollow Bastion...

He hasn't said anything yet, but he's still staring. The fingers of his right hand flex, though no Keyblade appears just yet. He can't jump to any conclusions.]

elelelator.

[firstnothing]

[After Adventures In The Floor With A Plain In It, Xemnas is quite content to investigate new floors, and he is not taking the stairs. Which means elevator part two.

And that rude boy from earlier is already in it. Xemnas' encounters with Riku before the tower were few and far between and he'd gotten the impression the boy was headstrong and reckless, with little to temper his fire or his darkness.

No wonder his Heartless was drawn to the kid like a moth to flame.

Xemnas simply takes a spot in the elevator, that puts Riku and the door in his line of sight.]

A word of advice, child, since you seem to need it yet again. It's inappropriate to stare.

[Had Riku met Xemnas before? That voice is pretty distinctive. As is the way he wears the darkness like a shroud. Riku is briefly scrutinized in return, before he gives a short, humorless chuckle.]

Well. My comment on staring remains, but 'yet again' seems misplaced. I hope you are not as rude and disrespectful as your brother. If you draw a weapon on me I will throw you through the walls of this elevator. As that would be unpleasant for both of us, perhaps it would be best if we at least pretend civility until I find a floor I like, or you leave.

[To Xemnas, it doesn't matter if a replica was an actual relative of the original or not. There's no sense that his threat will be anything but a reaction to something Riku himself does, if anything the tall man seems entirely lacking in malice. Or interest in being malicious.]

[keybearer]

My brother?

[Hah. So did he meet one of his doubles already? The Replicas? The other Riku? Regardless of who it was, a wry smile creeps across Riku's face at the thought. Oh, he could be rude and disrespectful all right, but for now, he'll play nice.

Now that he's heard the guy speak, he can at least confirm that this is the same Nobody he met in Hollow Bastion-- or a version of him, anyway. Nonetheless, Riku's eyes scan him one more time. His face certainly resembles Terra. A connection, maybe?

Well, he can figure that out in time. For now, he'll lean back against the elevator wall, fold his arms, and shrug.]

At any rate, I see no reason to whip out my Keyblade. Why fight in such a cramped space?