towerofanimus | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters: Terra-Xehanort and anyone who wants to find him
Setting: Dorm Room 1-08, Floor 99, Floor 83, Floor 47, Floor 77, and the Elevator and Cafeteria.
Format: Will match whatever you reply with.
Summary: Terra-Xehanort wakes up and has no clue what's going on so it's clearly time to explore.
Warnings: None currently. ~~feels weird not to use the xehanort warning~~

Room 1-08

[When the sleep paralysis finally wears off he curls, clutching his head briefly as though fighting off a rather nasty headache. A few minutes later he uncurls, sitting up and looking around in confusion.

Nothing looks familiar, but that isn't saying much. Words come to mind to describe the surroundings... but his mind is blank. Completely. No memories spring forth to tell him what is going on. The pages left to him give no solace, merely stating that whatever he didn't remember has been destroyed.

Slowly he gets up, a bit unsteadily at first as he attempts to find his footing. There has to be people around. Perhaps they knew what was going on]

Floor 99

[It's exciting at first, as there's so much to look at, and he eagerly wanders over to the prominent formations to take a look. Examining the crystals here proves to be a bit painful, try as he might. There's something about the infinite depths, however, that sticks in his mind even as it hurts his eyes. However, there are plenty of spots to sit, or even curl up if one doesn't mind the dampness. He finds one such spot and claims it for his own, resting his arms on his knees and his chin on his forearms as he tries to think more about what's going on.

Of course, nothing comes of it. What does one expect from the void?]

Floor 83

[Oh... something that isn't a white skin-tight jumpsuit that leaves little to the imagination. This seems like a good idea, though he's not picky. He begins to stort through the piles of clothes, looking for something roughly his size. Whatever that his. He holds up random shirts against his chest, checking to see how big they are, before continuing on his search through the massive piles.]

Floor 77

[This looks vaguely relaxing. He's not sure if he was ever interested in this sort of thing, but for the moment it seems like a nice idea. There doesn't seem to be anyone around, so he pushes into the mixed area. The locker there surprises him, as if they were expecting him... ah, but then again, they clearly must have been, if he was here instead of whatever passed for the ruin of where he came from. Tying a towel around his waist he pushes into the sauna proper, flopping onto one of the ledges to soak up the heat.]

Floor 47

[There's nothing there at first, just the curtains, and he wanders through aimlessly. A flicker out of the corner of his eye... did he see something move? The rustle of fabric... the pitter of footsteps. Is something else there? He begins to move in a calculated fashion, as though tracking from the sounds... until at last he stands before one of the curtains, an almost pleased expression on his face.]

You thought you could hide... well, I've found you.

[And he reaches out to pull open the curtain and reveal his quarry.]

Elevator, and Obligatory Cafeteria

[After everything his stomach announces that it's hungry, and he decides to indulge it if only to get it to be silent. It's a long way to the cafeteria... longer than expected, and dull. There isn't much to look at in there, and he's not really sure he wants to go scouring the darkness inside his head again.

When the doors finally open he shuffles into the cafeteria, glancing at the menu briefly. Before he can even order anything, though, he's presented with the classic starting dish. No amount of attempted arguing or cajoling or anything seems to make a difference. It's thrust at him until he finally relents and takes it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

One must ask themselves, how do you crash a simulation? What defines its parameters?

Then when one has a hypothesis, one tests it in the appropriate fashion.

[And there's a grin.]

How do you crash a simulation, from within? It is a significant thing to keep in mind.

[Xemnas doesn't mention that crashing the program while inside it could cause significant personal harm, but Xehanort's a clever sort and would likely figure that out on his own.]

I'll leave you to finding such a method, it will be good to give you a focus while we work on other matters, such as your current relative helplessness. Thankfully though this is an illusion, there has been significant evidence that mental exercises do aid in physical accomplishment, should we ever reclaim our real bodies.

[He makes a small gesture, brow furrowing. It might seem like skipping around a lot, but it really isn't - and his younger self could surely keep up.]

In which I will teach you how to avoid the pitfall that nearly got me killed some ten years ago. Darkness is easiest called to hand by negative emotions. Hate, fear, fury, others. But these also make you easy for it to manipulate, and leaves your heart vulnerable. So you will have to learn to rule yourself, before you learn to rule the Darkness. Control ... you will find. Is the key to mastering many things beyond the Darkness.

Pulling it down from within could be easier than breaking it down from without. It depends how logically the designers were thinking when they set up everything. Can every posibility truly be covered?

[Like a kid in a candy store, really. He's more interested in the results than any sort of personal harm.]

Helplessness... [he scowls a little, but it is true. If he had any abilities at all before he certainly has no knowledge of them anymore.] Training of the mind, but what of the body? Clearly I was up to something before. This isn't the form of a layperson by any stretch of means, regardless of whether it's real or not.

[Another question comes to mind but he squashes it down for the time being. It will have its place.

He listens to Xemnas' explanation of emotion and weakness, thinking quietly to himself. While he feels certain of himself as a whole, it's far too easy for a person's mood to shift and things to go out of control. He's sure he's no exception in that regard, as he has no past history with which to compare himself to.]

I suppose this is a good place for such a thing. If I can be inured to what transpires in this place, then perhaps I can maintain the proper control.

[He's not sure how else to develop that particular skill.]

Perhaps, perhaps not. Certainly one ordinary person wouldn't be able to think of every variable one might test to try to shatter the illusion, but there seems to be several in control of this place. Better progress may be had once the system 'glitches'.

[He's looking forward to that sort of system failure, as much as Xemnas could look forward to anything. It seemed likely to be interesting and diverting and perhaps unusually colorful. Maybe by then he'll have a better idea of how this place functions. And who might be best to gain the cooperation of, in bringing it down.]

...Mm? Ah, yes. The difference between training one's mind and training one's body is muscle memory. What you don't remember, your body will recall doing by instict. You don't have to be trained to fight, merely reminded of what you already know. It will proceed much, much swifter, I imagine. We'll just need to find a weapon that feels right in your hands and proceed from there.

[This, Xemnas is absolutely certain of. It would take years for Terra's natural skill to erode away and Xehanort surely hasn't existed that long. Weeks instead of months, a far shorter timetable.

At least afterwards his younger self would not be a waiting victim.]

Indeed. The key will be to monitoring your own emotions. As you travel through your day, make note of what annoys you. What makes you unsettled. If anything makes you furious, or elicits hatred. It may take some time, but the search itself may be a valuable lesson in patience.

[Ah, patience. Not something one of their progenitors was very good at, if memory served. It took Xemnas a long time to learn to not give into impulsive action when his plans began to fail. Would it be changing too much, to try to teach those lessons to his younger self before their natural time?

The thought is put aside. He'll consider it later, if he ever had reasonable proof this Xehanort was, specifically, from his own timeline.]

It may be frustrating. To have so little, and then be told to wait. But it will be worth the price eventually. I shall see about acquiring you various weapons to test yourself with. Once we find something you feel comfortable with we'll simply go monster hunting and see what happens.

[It almost has the tone of one who suspects he'll be doing a whole lot of fighting and defending while the other sorts himself out.]

The mastering of the self... a suitable enough challenge. [He nods, resolute, before musing a bit, more to himself.] I wonder what manner of weapon it was.

[Xemnas' tone is well-warranted. Even with whatever muscle memory remains, he's not certain of his own ability in that regard. He's more than aware that he will be more of a hindrance in such a situation than any sort of help.]

And as you say, in time what you invest in me will grow and return two-fold. When I am more capable, I will be far more useful. A matter of patience for us both, perhaps...

If it was anything like mine, you'll favor something more heavily weighted on the end than at the grip. Like a mace. We'll find out, I suppose. I prefer other weapons now.

[He knows damned well what will feel most appropriate, but he's not handing over Invictus. It's likely this younger self wouldn't meet its painfully exacting standards, and being rejected might not go so well.

Xemnas scans the area; there's nothing to be done for this place, it's just a clothing heap.]

Oh, it's not a matter of usefulness. But it should be convenient for the both of us regardless.

[It's a matter of continuity.]

There is.. some floors below, I believe, a ... gymnasium of sorts. There may be methods there by which to test your current limitations in a semi-safe environment, by way of strength or endurance. It may be a good idea to make use of it.

I'll look into it. [The gymnasium, he means. If this body is the byproduct of training, he'd best keep it up in some fashion. Especially if he's going to attempt to reclaim that training.]

Improvisation may be necessary here. I'm certain something can be arranged if necessary.

I know another more likely to have access to this variety of weaponry. I will look into it.

[And not take Xehanort with him, as that other person is Terra.]

Until then, I suggest.. mm. Caution. I'm told everything in this place can kill you, but I've also found reining in curiosity and liberally applying common sense does wonders for avoiding most of it. I suggest not leaving your quarters after dark until you're better able to defend yourself.

I'll take it under advisement.

[Though he fully intends to learn as much as he can on his own. Common sense is well and good, but he intends to learn as much as he can on his own too.]

Thank you for your assistance so far. It's... pleasing to know that I have relations here.

[This younger self was going to get himself horribly killed. Which would satisfy a bit of curiosity of Xemnas' own, namely whether or not people really do return from the dead here.

If he didn't, Xemnas might well cease existing suddenly and that would answer that pretty definitively too.]

I am ... happy to be of service.

[No he isn't. He can't be.]

..Ah. You have another, around here somewhere. Take his words with a grain of salt, so to speak, but I doubt he'll be terribly harmful.

You mentioned that before. I'll keep an eye out for him.

Do you have a time and a place in which we should begin? I don't know how such things work here. [More things to try to learn. He's going to be busy the next while.]

It bears repeating.

[There's something in the tone of how he says it that suggests it is very worth repeating. And would likely be repeated again later.]

Mmm. I suggest two or three days, or whenever you feel you are prepared. I would not suggest jumping in if you do not ... feel ready.

Why don't you trust him?

[Curiosity bursts forth. If this is someone to avoid, he would like to know why. Otherwise he'll have to find out himself. He's fine either way.]

That would be fine. I have no idea how to 'feel' ready, outside of wishing to proceed. Unless there's a quality I should be going for...

I'm not sure I can explain it in a way that would actually explain anything as opposed to leading to more questions and even fewer answers.

[Xemnas is honest about that much. Trying to explain where he comes from and why Terra is thus an active danger would definitely cause more problems than it fixed.]

... The simplest way to put it is I suspect he will attempt to kill you, in a fashion that this tower will not allow you to return from. He will likely deny it if asked, but I would not say it if I did not feel the risk was genuine. I will keep him from doing so, but it is best to also be on your guard.

[Like hell Xemnas is allowing anyone to turn Xehanort back towards that easily-deceived wreck of a person only good for being a vessel for greater things.]

Mm. No, not particularly. I am not good at 'feeling' anything at all so on that I can't advise. We'll just have to proceed and see what happens, I suppose.

[This does raise more questions, but for the moment Xehanort doesn't voice them. He wants to contemplate their meaning further before he asks anything.]

I will do my best as far as physical training goes. And the rest will be in your capable teaching hands. I'll look forward to beginning, then.

[It will have to do. Xemnas nods, willing to let the matter go for now - on both angles. He would not push the amnesiac more than is healthy, another round of the Seeker of Darkness trying to kill off entire worlds would put a serious crimp in his own plans.]

Very well. I will leave you to it. If you require my presence, and cannot find me, my .. current room is floor two, room ten. You may leave a message there; my roommates seem.. more or less trustworthy.

[He commits the information to memory.]

Thank you... brother.

['Brother'. It should mean something, should have some sort of emotional connection.

There isn't one. Just the certainty that this younger self, like so much else, was his responsibility. If the illusion of family made it easier.. so be it. Xemnas inclines his head slightly in acknowledgment before turning and leaving the floor. On foot - the corridors might be too tempting for Xehanort.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only