towerofanimus | A whole new world o/`

Entry tags:

A whole new world o/`

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.

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A relation by any other name would still be kin. How that kinship happened is not a concern of mine.

[Brothers. Twins. Replicas. AU versions of each other. It really didn't matter, what did was that eventually at some point there WAS some kind of relationship between the Riku's. And there's at least two.

This matter of fighting in a cramped space draws a snort, and Xemnas clasps his hands behind his back.]

Advantages, boy. Being rather small yourself and favoring a weapon with a short reach, fighting in a cramped space such as this would favor you initially. It wouldn't save you from being put through a wall but if one is going to fight, one should take every advantage they can get.

[Not that he's advocating fighting here.]

Though if you really do wish to fight I know a floor with mountains that watch you that has plenty of open space in all directions.

True, but that's assuming I've got a reason to fight.

[He shakes his head and shrugs.]

So far, you haven't given me much of a reason to. It's not like stepping into an elevator's a crime.

[He can be reckless, sure, but starting a fight over appearances is pushing it a little too far. He hasn't seen enough of Xemnas to draw a proper conclusion. For now, all he can really do is watch.]

This is so. An unusually enlightened perspective, and not what I've come to expect. Well done.

[It's .. not mockery. There's a thread of bemusement to his tone, but no derision alongside it. Fighting for no reason made little sense, and Xemnas prized common sense more than he did most things.

That so far this boy seemed to have some edged his estimation up a little.]

You may rest easy, if you prefer to avoid reasons. Do no harm, and none shall be done in retaliation. A simple enough rule to live by.

[Xemnas did wish the elevator was a little faster but only because there was so much more tower to get through. Wasn't this supposed to be faster? Still, he SEEMS outwardly patient.]

You are ... Riku, if memory serves. [It usually did, these days.] I have heard there are many realities one might belong to. I wonder if you might be from my own, or another.

Hah. Never thought I'd hear a compliment from somebody like you.

[Then again, his last experience with Xemnas was brief, almost fleeting. He dropped some cryptic words, challenged Riku to a fight, and then vanished in the blink of an eye. At the very least, he seems more tolerant than Ansem and Maleficent's flunkies.

That this guy knows him suggests that they could be from the same world... or it's equally possible that he's bumped into another Riku altogether. There's only one way to know for sure.]

I'd say it depends on what your universe is like. From what I've seen, I'm kind of an oddball.

[And why? He extends one arm, letting the Kingdom Key flash into his grip. He lowers it, however. It's not like he plans to fight, after all.]

Then perhaps you know very little about 'somebody like me'. We may be opposed to each other, if old patterns hold true, but that's no reason to be rude about it. Speaking well of an enemy does no harm or dishonor.

[It's an admonishment, that much is clear. Not particularly harsh, but still clearly just that. Xemnas might be fairly polite, all things told, but he could be perfectly polite while trying to murder someone as well. And even now there's no doubt in his mind that Riku - this or another - would stand opposed to what he's chosen to do. Enemies they might be, though no-one said they'd have to seek conflict constantly.

That would waste time.]

Perhaps the young see it differently.

[The keyblade, as it's drawn, is studied for a moment. Then too is Riku. It doesn't seem to be a particularly hostile move, even with a weapon in hand. Xemnas was certain it's Sora who had a keyblade, but perhaps both did? He would have to query the Oblivion team when he returned home.]

Does a keyblade make you odd? Once there were many, many chosen bearers of such weapons. Would that there were more than the painful few that remain. If it makes you ... feel ... any better, there are more who carry such weapons than you may know.

[The elevator doors were firmly closed and between floors; nobody else was likely to get in, which might be the only thing that makes what he chooses to do next acceptable. Much like Riku did, he simply raises one hand. The weapon that snaps into existence arrives not with a flash of light but a ripple of digitized blue. The keyblade in Xemnas' hand isn't the simple straightforward design of the Kingdom Key, but a jagged and sharp-edged thing of obsidian and silver, inset with a single blue cats-eye.

Said eye even looks around a little. It's a tiny bit creepy actually; the blade might be rather elegant without it.

Riku won't know that the blade in question and Xemnas only barely tolerated each-other, and that he couldn't use it the way someone with a heart could. It was, for him, nothing more than an exceptionally sturdy weapon.]

[Riku flinches the moment that Keyblade appears. The back of his head hits the elevator wall, and he spends several seconds staring wide-eyed with a strange mix of awe, confusion, and intrigue. This guy has a Keyblade? Then that confirmed their different realities... unless the Xemnas he knows happened to hide the ability to wield a Keyblade during their last encounter. But wouldn't that be impractical, given the Organization's goals?

Shaking himself out of his daze, Riku dismisses the Kingdom Key. His posture relaxes again. The shock and awe on his face shifts to a more neutral expression.]

Well, to answer your question, most universes seem to have Sora wielding that key. It's kind of funny, since... well, he didn't even come close where I'm from.

[It's said with a somber tone. What happened to his Sora hits him even harder in hindsight even the recent shadow children.]

Still, if you've got that Keyblade, does that mean you don't wield those red, laser swords?

Try to avoid giving yourself a concussion.

[The keyblade is a familiar weight in his grip but ... not one he intends to keep in view long. It too is sent back to wherever they reside between being called on. If he was able to use its full power.. no, he'd have never needed to make use of outsiders. A high price to pay for the lack of a heart.

But worth it perhaps to see that shock on his young foe's face. Would anyone ever truly believe him, if Riku informed anyone else? That would be interesting to see as well.]

Ah, your brown-haired friend. He seemed capable enough when we crossed paths. A different sort of strength than a keyblade ordinarily favors, the strength of the pack instead of the strength of the solitary hunter. In what way lay his failure?

[Though if it's another reality it won't be of practical use, but he has time to kill, and it seemed a sensitive subject. Not so much where it hadn't gotten mentioned in the first place..

At the mention of the crimson blades, one flickers briefly to life, its strange distorted energy-hum faint.]

Mm. They are called 'ethereal blades', and I prefer them as weapons. A keyblade is not as versatile, I've found. Such a weapon as yours have their purpose, but my control over my favored weaponry is far more fine-tuned and flexible. You may find in time a tool that suits you better than the one you currently carry. It's good to keep openminded about it.

Edited 2013-09-14 06:47 (UTC)

I don't think it's a matter of failure. He just... wasn't chosen. The only other Keybearer I know's my Replica, and of course he'd have one.

[He's based on Riku, so it only makes sense. Isn't that why the Organizaton created him in the first place? Regardless, Riku doesn't feel like divulging Sora's mistakes to this guy. What kind of friend would he be if he passed those details around to potential threats?

Thankfully, Xemnas' blades provide the perfect opportunity for segue. When he speaks of the blades' versatility, Riku can't help but laugh. Did he seriously just say they're more flexibile than Keyblades?]

I don't know. The Keyblade's got a lot going for it. Opening locks, appearing and disappearing at will, keychains, magic... How's that for versatility?

'Of course'? Not necessarily. A replica may or may not have the heart of their progenitor, and keyblades are very selective. Do you and he call on the same weapon, I wonder?

[Not in his reality. One blade, one bearer. Though there were countless weapons which sought bearers, so finding a replacement might not be terribly difficult if they had access to the graveyard.

As Riku laughs at the idea of an ethereal blade being more useful, the Superior merely gives a bemused smile.]

Ah, well. When your keyblade allows you to throw a building at someone, then we'll talk.

Not the same Keyblade, or we'd never be able to wield ours at the same time, but his heart's based on mine. I'd say his Keyblade's probably based on mine, too.

[And, at the very least, it performs the same functions. Even if it's just a copy, it's convincing enough in Riku's mind.

The mention of throwing buildings pulls Riku's attention away from Keyblades for a time, and he slowly raises an eyebrow.]

So... you're telling me that those blades somehow let you throw buildings around. Sure they do.

They do. It's not something I ordinarily tell people, but it's quite true. Without them, I wouldn't be able to do most of the things I do.

[Although it's said with the barest edges of something like mischief, which surely must be a hallucination, it also is said as if it were the absolute truth.

And it is. If one took the truth and tied it into a decorative knot. Since if he couldn't use his blades, he wouldn't be able to use the power of Nothing either, and without that he couldn't pull off just about all the things he did in a fight.

But suggesting it's just the weapons, well. Xemnas is honest, just in a very liarly fashion.]

Hm. I will nevertheless have to see about locating your replica and putting that to the test. One should never allow curiosity to go unsated. How very interesting.

[There's a pause.]

And if he knows to keep his weaponry to himself, I won't cripple him in the doing. Not all demonstrations need be violent, after all.

[Wait, did he just give Xemnas ideas? Riku tenses for a moment, wondering just what would happen. Would his Replica be ready to handle what Xemnas threw at him? What would he even do? After all, he's technically part of the Organization.

Ah well. Showing concern will probably only tempt the guy further, so Riku opts to shrug and shake his head.]

Then you just want to see what he can do? I hope you don't plan on trying that in an elevator.

[He figures Xemnas has more sense than that, but all the same...]

[Xemnas didn't kill people he was testing at least, that would defeat the purpose of it being a test.]

I suppose a better place and time will be found than an elevator, it's true. Preferably either somewhere very open or somewhere with many hiding places and things to climb on. Perhaps both. It depends on where one's strengths lay, and where would push them to their limits best.

[He shifts amber gaze to Riku for several long moments, measuring.]

You have no reason for concern.

[He saw that tensing. Were they friends, this boy and his replica?]

I don't kill what I put to the test, even if this place is impermanent in death. One does not learn the proper lessons when death is involved.

Huh, so rough terrain... I think there's a few floors that fit the bill.

[Whether he wants to list them all out is another question entirely. Just how much should he tell this guy? So far, he hasn't done anything too bad at least.

Riku brings a hand to his chin, mulling it over.]

But I guess that explains why you-- or the you from my world, anyway-- didn't go out of his way to kill me. I got pushed to the limit, just to get a cryptic message and a note. Funny how that works out.

Are you trying to help your friend, or make it harder on him?

[Xemnas' question is musing, and he doesn't spend much time on it. A few floors DID fit the bill. They could always take a walk to the mountains with eyes. Then they could be watched while they fight, if the replica didn't find the eyes terribly distracting.

Mention of the 'him' from Riku's world draws a thoughtful sound low in the back of his throat.]

Perhaps seeing if you are worthy of the blade you wield. Or capable of it. You are very young, for a bearer to be wandering about on his own. The traditional age is ... quite a bit older, after significant instruction by one's master. Have you been tested for your mastery? Beyond my other-self pushing you around a little.

Yeah, well, it's not like there were any Masters around to teach me.

[It's not a complete lie. Terra may have promised to meet him in the outside world, but Riku never once encountered him during his journey. Never even heard from him. And, given the attitudes of others, it seemed as if Keyblade wielders had grown scarce.

It's a troubling thought. Could something have happened to them? And if so, what? Whatever the case...]

Wouldn't surprise me if it was some big test, though. It almost felt like he went easy on me, and when he left, he dropped one of the Ansem reports and told me to fetch him more hearts. Can't exactly do that if I'm dead.

Is that so? Then Yen-Sid is dead, or merely pretending he has little to do with the worlds?

[Xemnas was no teacher. He couldn't instruct a young keyblade wielder in the things they would need to know, he remembered only fragments of it himself. It might not be a good idea to suggest Yen-Sid given he knew the old magician lied through his beard to accomplish whatever goal got under his pointed hat, but it would.. be better than nothing.]

... Well. There is something good to be said about getting rid of more Heartless. Troublesome things. And only a keyblade can get rid of them for good. Perhaps he wants them all gone as much as I do.

[Well that much is a certainty.]

I assume you've been managing well enough as you are, however. Taken advantage of this place, in learning more?

[This elevator. Was going to take forever. By the time he got to breakfast, breakfast would be over!]

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A whole new world o/`

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