towerofanimus

1369

Characters: Anyone coming to Zo's carnival
Setting: Cafeteria; please specify the date and location in the carnival in your subject header!
Format: Anything
Summary: Zo has set up a carnival for the residents, but it's not meant to last. Anyone wandering after the bombs go off might see things they never wanted to see...
Warnings: Psychological and body horror
Note: Characters entering the carnival from the 27th to the 30th will experience visions! Please refer to the info post for details and reply to this thread if your character enters the carnival during these days.

[The carnival has taken up the entirety of the cafeteria. A large roller coaster and ferris wheel tower over the residents, while a child-sized roller coaster, a merry-go-round, and spinning teacups project much less daunting silhouettes. Stands are set up with standard carnival foods available, from ice cream to cotton candy. These stands do not ask for anything as payment.

On the twenty-seventh, the carnival appearance changes. The machinery all appears rusted and broken down, as if weathered with decades of rain and snow. Plants grow up and around the rides, ruining them, and all the food is rotten.]

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[Here's a person that Sephiroth probably recognizes. A girl, dresses from head to toe in black, with a large cloak on. She was browsing the carnival like him, also having doubts about the whole carnival as a true gift or a mear distraction. Unfortunately, that doubt was fighting for control, and losing, to a young mind that had never really been to a carnival before.

So there she was, standing in front of the roller coaster, watching it as the cars flew by, and wondering if she should go on herself.

She hasn't noticed Sephiroth yet.]

[He'd not seen very much of her at all during the big fight with Diarmuid, before he'd flung her away, though the black cloak certainly triggers Sephiroth's recognition. Anyone could be wearing a similar black cloak though, so he's not to quick to pass judgment.

She is stood not very far away at all, watching the roller coaster like he is in that moment. Except he's certainly not thinking about giving it a go, he wonders idly if she will.

He doesn't move any closer, but if Veronica turns her attention his way, he has been waiting for her to look at him in order to verify her identity.]

[She is thinking about going on the roller coaster. But, at the last second she thinks against it. There were other things to check right now. Slowly, Veronica turns and is about to walk off.

And then she sees Sephiroth. Honestly, he's not that had to notice, but he stands out even more after the fight they went through.

Forgetting how to walk for the moment, Veronica just stands there, looking at Sephiroth looking at her.]

[If there is one thing Sephiroth takes great pride in recalling, it's the look on the faces of those that he kills and for all he knows, he did kill Veronica. He offers an acknowledging nod once the details of Veronica's very distinctive face are recognized.

He's no reason whatsoever to drag out revenge against each and every one who had been inspired to get involved with the Fight up on Floor 62 - in fact such a chore would be as laborious as it was pointless. Sephiroth has much more important things to spend his time doing. He wouldn't have said so on the network either, and he wasn't about to explain that very simple fact on a floor that has been recently 'messed with' by an Administrator either.]

Enjoying the fun fair?

[To break the ice, if nothing more.]

[Veronica nearly does run, but then something holds her back. She knows pretty quickly that running away would be a victory for this jerk, and a warrior must always stand her ground.

As the question sinks in, the girls look of surprised slowly morphs into a glare.]

It's okay, a-at least it w-was a moment ago.

[By contrast Sephiroth's expression remains passive, though the corner of his mouth twitches slightly at the surprise that drops itself into a glare. At least she didn't turn and escape the second she spotted him there, though whether that would be a smart move or not remains to be seen.

He takes a single step closer to Veronica.]

It's really all a distraction, I think.

[And she takes a single step back.]

It probably is. N-not like t-this sort of thing w-wouldn't be out of the question for them. T-that Zo kid probably isn't as nice as h-he seems.

My thoughts exactly.

[His tone is, purposefully monotone and he doesn't press another step as Veronica took one back. What use is scaremongering.]

Distracting minds. Entertaining children. [He mused, turning his gaze back up and over the roller coaster.]

I wonder why.

Who knows really. [She shrugged. While Sephiroth was quite scary, she was used to his brand of it. So she was quickly calming down.]

Maybe it's an h-honest t-to god gift for us. Or m-maybe it's another t-trap.

[Calm will make this much easier. He might have been the enemy for the purpose of that fight but it is over now. Sephiroth will remain to be pointedly tolerable of most others in the Tower, but it might take him a little while to iron out some enmity towards some. Veronica did attack him.]

There is bound to be a twist.

There's bound to be a twist. We don't know what they'll d-do t-this time.

Honestly, I'm n-new here. W-who is t-this Zo kid anyway? D-doesn't he seem t-too y-young to be an admin?

Hm.

[He agrees with a nod, still keeping distance from Veronica.]

I'm not really sure how age is projected through the use of the Glamour system. Whether it might be an illusion or not. It's likely they want us to think he's really a minor.

[He's sure he overheard recently, that even the Admins didn't know they were subject to the Glamour system. It wasn't proof though.]

Hmm, w-well, at least he was nice enough to g-give us an amusement park.

[At his more than likely unimpressed look, Veronica gave a shrug.]

A-at least it's b-better than being mauled b-by shadows?

[In all honesty, it was a cheap, one floored version of the Gold Saucer. As he remembered it at least. Not to be relied upon.

Not to mention his idea of fun is generally more lethal than most. Sephiroth tilts his head in Veronica's direction at her second comment.]

I didn't find them all as terrible as I had previously.

[Individuation vs Trick or Treat, he'd gotten off almost completely scot-free last month.]

Coming from someone t-that's p-probably been here longer than me, I'll t-take your word for it.

[Though, since it's Sephiroth, that's with a grain of salt.]

Though, I'm a-already preparing for the inevitable, when t-things turn bad.

Yes well-

[He takes a steadying breath. Any inkling at his extended stay in the Tower dances on his sensitive patience. He turns his head once more in Veronica's direction and nods - understanding, appreciating.]

That's a smart thing to do, however far it is possible to prepare for the worst when there is no clear indication what that worst could be.

[Though she could mean-]

Unless you refer to the next cycle in particular?

I...[She paused, realizing at this moment that she was carrying a conversation with the guy that killed Rick. She hated this guy.

But unfortunately he thought similarly to her, so they could carry a conversation.]

B-both, actually. Y-you never know what's g-going to happen, so you should be ready f-for a-anything, now or later. I've been through enough t-to think like that.

[Rick had charged for him, foolishly. It would always be Rick's own fault. The cat would have bitten off his nose if it'd been given the chance.]

If I recall correctly...I imagine it will be much colder.

[Casting his mind back- losing his gaze in the roller coaster as it goes around again.]

[Only because he had killed someone else.]

...W-well, it will be winter soon. December f-from the feel of it.

Or so we are made to believe.

[It's much colder, he knows, though temperature isn't something that really affects Sephiroth. He won't be needing to wrap up like anyone else, unless Jason pulls a similar stunt on him as last year.]

Still, it s-shows us w-what season it... p-probably is.

[Yeah, it was kind of worthless, but it did give Veronica some concept of how long she'd been here.]

If the World on which this Tower stands even has seasons.

[Though, without something to mark the passage of time there wouldn't be anyway to keep track of how long any one soul had been contained here. Sure there was the timer now but was that even a real representation of time?]

But for some reason we are made to think so- [He nods more to the roller coaster than to Veronica. His theory with regards to Glamour and the wider illusion of the Tower gets stronger every day.]

-How important to us is that, do you think?

...A bit?

[She really wasn't the best person to ask about Human nature, but what can you do?]

It's one of t-those things that's just natural to you. S-something that y-you experience every d-day. T-to h-have that gone.. would b-be a big shock.

[Neither is he, he's theoretically speaking only. Where he was before coming to the Tower - there was no measurable time within the life of his own Planet.]

It really is all about keeping it as real for the majority as possible...

[He's musing out-loud again, just watching the roller coaster go around.]

...I guess it is.

[And she watches it as well.]

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neverbeamemory - 2013-11-28 22:35 (UTC) - Expand

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