sarcasmancer: (Contemplatively Uncheerful)
Jade Curtiss ([personal profile] sarcasmancer) wrote in [community profile] towerofanimus2013-12-06 10:48 pm

1. Wisdom

[Characters]: Jade Curtiss, OPEN
[Setting]: Room 1-06, Floor 5, 19, 45, Cafeteria.
[Format]: Prose to begin, but I'll follow your lead if there's something else you prefer.
[Summary]: Jade's arrival in the Tower and what he finds there.
[Warnings]: Mild creepiness on Floor 45 but nothing more than that. Yet.
[Edit]: I had Jade looking up information on the Tower on Floor 19. Someone gave me a head's up that there aren't any texts about the Tower itself in the libraries, which is mentioned in the desc for Floor 3 but not 19, which is what I focused on. That's my bad, and it's been fixed. Sorry!


- Room 1-06 -

When he had gone to bed, the night over Grand Chokmah had been still and warm and calm. Could the world really have ended on so peaceful a night?

The note that greets Jade Curtiss when he awakens in a room with an unfamiliar ceiling says so, at least. He pulls himself upright, frowning at any of his new roommates should any of them be present--and if not, simply frowning at the clearly lived-in room simply for being--and then reads the note carefully.

His expression does not change for a moment. Then the fingertips of his left hand rest on the bridge of his spectacles while he sighs.

He is out of bed, ignoring for the moment the suitcase that is set up at the foot of it, and examining himself and the blue-liquid collar around the top of his neck, just above the collar of his usual military uniform, in the first mirror he's able to locate.

Then he is out, only briefly in the corridor outside his dorm room before he heads to the most logical first destination.

-------

- Floor 5 -

Jade silently observes the state of the world on the other side of the viewing station screen: everything dead and dust, from the humans to the planet to the stars. He rests a hand on his chin as he watches, a troubled look on his face. He spends a long time in front of the viewscreen, changing angles and locations and so forth. The vision of destruction never changes despite his efforts. In time, Jade turns his back on it, one hand in his pocket, one holding his spectacles in place as the glare from the overhead lights obscures his eyes, and walks away.

-------

- Floor 19 -

It had started in the more general library, which Jade had lingered in for no more than a minute until he was informed of where the actual research texts could be found. Then he brought himself here, and considers the many, many blank spots on the shelves, including and especially the entirely empty history section.

He sighs for the second time that day. "One would think that these 'benefactors' would go to more effort to hide the fact that they're hiding something," he laments out loud, despite being in a library.

Nonetheless, he flips through a few of the remaining astral projection books, then returns them to their correct spots and finds himself a relatively comprehensive text on magical theory; something on the Tower itself would have been ideal, but he hasn't been able to find anything on the topic. At least he can compare and contrast "magic" with the fonic artes he knows. He removes the text and takes it with him to a suitably squishy chair, where he begins to peruse it. However intense his concentration, though, he's not so absorbed that he'd be unable to notice anyone approaching.

That would just be foolish.

-------

- Floor 45 -

After familiarizing himself with the nature of his new "home," the man known as the Necromancer brings himself to one of the observatory levels. He strolls up to the glass walls, peering through the cracks in the clouds at the empty sky. He's about to turn to leave when motion in his peripheral vision catches his attention, and he turns his head to regard something that might be human if if it weren't clinging upside-down to the outside of a glass wall on cloud level.

And, of course, it didn't have waxy corpse-gray skin stretched all over where its face should be.

Like a lizard, it creeps slowly down, then across, before coming to a halt in front of the long-haired man. Jade watches it without moving. It watches--for a relative value of "watches" given that it has no eyes--him back. When he steps to one side, it follows; when he steps back, it skitters around on himself and winds that way too. As the skies gradually begin to redden, a couple more of the faceless things crawl in, and he amuses himself for a time by walking slowly back and forth across the room and watching as he gradually leads a chain around the circumference of the floor like the Pied Piper of faceless horrors.

-------

- Cafeteria -

Jade is tempted, once night falls, to go hunting for monsters. For the nonce, he opts instead to get his first meal, having not bothered to eat all day. He heeds the warning and takes a bowl of hot, plain oatmeal as his first meal, then carries it to the first empty seat he finds and eats with all the resigned resolution of a soldier. His expression is somewhat distant as he eats, but the moment anyone speaks to him, it transforms into a pleasant smile.

This may be a trap.
ninjainviolet: ([Sad Understanding])

Cafeteria (Although they are neighbors!)

[personal profile] ninjainviolet 2013-12-07 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
Ever since that day at the carnival, Sheena had been trying to piece together what exactly it was she had seen in her vision. The meeting she had attended hadn't really helped--only served to confuse her.

Had she been the one in charge of what happened to the children?

For someone who liked kids, that was a disturbing thought, and one that made her stomach churn. She knew, however, that she had to eat, and after a long day of not doing so, finally made her way to the cafeteria. The smells were somewhat overwhelming to her empty stomach, but she opted for the lightest thing she could find and headed for a table, stopping when the aroma of oatmeal hit her.

Turning toward the source, and seeing the man's expression, she gave him an understanding look.

"You just arrived, didn't you?"
rebelprince: (that's pain attention)

Floor 45

[personal profile] rebelprince 2013-12-07 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
The peace, if it can be called that, is easily broken by frantic, scrambling footsteps coming up from below. Zuko explodes up the stairs into the observatory, literally throwing a couple fireballs back behind him for good measure and slumping down on the floor once everything appears to make sense again, trying to catch his breath. Well, makes as much sense as it can.
bloodyashes: ([F] I just got up :l)

hits cafeteria before it gets crowded

[personal profile] bloodyashes 2013-12-07 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
That smile isn't going to work on this one, he already knows better. The long red hair is probably hard to miss, even across the cafeteria, the rest of him swathed in a cloak that's seen better days and a bit of blood.

Asch, for his part, is doing the best he can with almost-too-salted meat and nutrition bars, and spots the familiar shape from a ways away. The sigh can be seen across the distance even if not heard, in the way his shoulders slump just a bit, his posture going loosely "god, why me."

And so in surprisingly few steps, there's a plate full of nutrition bars and a few scraps of meat dropped across from Jade's oatmeal, followed by Asch himself. His hair is loose and a little longer than Jade might remember; he looks tired.

"Jade." That's it for greetings, evidently. "You're late as usual."
rebelprince: (new meaning to pay it forward)

[personal profile] rebelprince 2013-12-07 04:49 am (UTC)(link)
Given his entrance it's not unreasonable to guess that it might be somehow self-inflicted. Almost pointedly, nothing comes up the stairs behind him, and the stairs themselves are as white and spotless as ever. It's a touch aggravating.

Zuko slumps back against the glass, looking from Jade, to the expressionless monsters, then back to Jade again. "Don't go downstairs. It doesn't make sense."
bloodyashes: (Red disdain)

[personal profile] bloodyashes 2013-12-07 04:59 am (UTC)(link)
It's always that way with Jade, though, so at least Asch is prepared for it. In spite of bringing over a plate of food, he ignores it for now; examining Jade is at least worthy of his full attention for the moment, given how little the man usually gives away.

That hasn't changed - of course it wouldn't. This Jade is pulled from an Auldrant dead by only hours.

"I was more referring to the fact that I've been in this place a year, by their calendar, as of yesterday," Asch comments instead. "You missed the party." There wasn't actually a party, and he probably wouldn't have invited the man in front of him if there was. Maybe he's starting to understand that twisted sense of humour.
bloodyashes: (Bedroom eyes dot png)

the glamour should totally flicker at some point during this conversation

[personal profile] bloodyashes 2013-12-07 05:21 am (UTC)(link)
The answer isn't immediately verbal - Asch tips his head back slightly, his expression containing something that might almost be a bitter laugh, but only a chuckle escapes before he slumps his head forward again, resting his forehead in one hand.

"If I start at the beginning, we'll be here all night. The highlights are that we're technically from different destroyed Auldrants, the Tower is more torturous experimental facility than safe haven, and the only thing taken from Auldrant was your soul, which, if nothing else, is at least independent confirmation that you have one."

Also, apparently, Asch has learned how to joke.
rebelprince: (pic#6812933)

[personal profile] rebelprince 2013-12-07 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
As far as things in the Tower go, faceless creatures rank pretty low on the scale of weird things that exist. Condescension is much faster to get under his skin, and it unfortunately shows. "It doesn't. It looks fine at first but everything connects wrong. The angles don't make sense and things still slide on a floor that looks flat and even." Zuko rubs his hand over the back of his head. "...It gets to you after a while. Doesn't sound as bad when I explain it."
seventhsong: (keywords aagghh)

5

[personal profile] seventhsong 2013-12-07 05:51 am (UTC)(link)
Of all the times Jade Curtiss might want company, 'now' is probably not one of those times. Contemplating the destruction of all one has ever known really isn't condusive to pleasant social interactions. Lorelei considers saying nothing because of it, and doing nothing. He passes by this floor often and deliberately avoids it; thinking about some things got even him depressed.

But he doesn't interrupt. He just observes. What was the difference to a human, seeing such loss? To someone like this man, who had trouble understanding death nearly as much as Lorelei himself did?

It's only readily apparent that Jade does have company when the Necromancer turns and walks away. Lorelei still lingers in the doorway, expression a little troubled. He could be any of the redheads Jade knew - or none of them at all. Different clothing, that's for sure. "It's best to not spend a lot of time in this location." An odd piece of advice for certain! He doesn't... sound exactly right either, but it's close enough.
monstrueux: (catster vii)

45 (I hope this is okay, I know it is ridiculous)

[personal profile] monstrueux 2013-12-07 05:59 am (UTC)(link)
[Having been temporarily bewitched and turned into a cat, the usually oversized Gilles is rather tiny at the moment. He sits quietly in the shadows, watching the walls intently, his stump of a tail twitching. He's quite aware of Jade's presence, but those skittering creatures outside are intriguing. So intriguing that Gilles eventually loses control, launching himself at one of the faceless things with a superfeline leap at top speed and striking the glass with a hefty thud several paces away from Jade.

Dazed by the collision, Gilles shudders and blinks. He could have thought that through better. It was not the wisest use of his enhanced speed and strength, as he hit the wall with much more force than an ordinary cat could have. Having a cat brain has not been kind to him. Reeling from the blow, he stumbles into Jade. At least he did land on his feet.
]
bloodyashes: ([F] That's because...)

three or four tags then

[personal profile] bloodyashes 2013-12-07 06:11 am (UTC)(link)
He's been rolling on empty for a while, Jade. Possibly, he's fueled by nightmares at this point.

"The kid who saves people does genuinely want to help," Asch replies, a little less counter-intuitively cheerful. "It's the other three administrators you should be concerned for more. The scientist of them, Jason, is the one in charge now." He gesture at the plate of nutrition bars. "You'll be missing the oatmeal by the end of the month just for variety."

The comment about souls, at least, gets a weak smirk. "If you didn't have one, you wouldn't be here. You're not running around a Tower drone, either, so it's good enough for me."
seventhsong: (lack of keyword going on)

[personal profile] seventhsong 2013-12-07 06:15 am (UTC)(link)
The redhead who is definitely not Luke smiles at Jade's surprise and even the narrowed eyes. "I'm afraid not. He's ...mmm." There's a gesture, upwards. "That way, somewhere." He could get a closer pin on his isofon's location, but ... why? It didn't seem necessary right now. Besides which, there were more pressing matters, like not really actually wanting to answer the question he's asked. There's problems with it. Jade's too sharp. He'd realize what the problems were with an Aggregate before he thought of Lorelei as simply another being.

He wasn't too keen on dealing with that right away. Ion was safer, the boy was more likely to react to friendliness the way people should but Jade was not exactly a normal person. "Can we maybe skip all that for now?"
monstrueux: (catster i)

(good, good, I do what I can)

[personal profile] monstrueux 2013-12-07 06:37 am (UTC)(link)
[Swaying shakily, Gilles surveys the fleeing of his prey with a faint satisfaction in the midst of his stunned confusion and the ringing of his head. If not for that glass wall in the way, imagine what he could have done! Great things, surely.

Still blinking, Gilles looks up when Jade kneels beside him. He allows the petting, and he starts to purr, faintly. Few people seem willing to pet him in his actual form (for some reason), and he's getting to like the attention. Look, he's being smiled at. He's doing such a good job of getting along with people these days...! Could it be his hard work is being rewarded?

When Jade examines his collar, he nods. That's right, he is also a resident!
]
rebelprince: (new meaning to pay it forward)

[personal profile] rebelprince 2013-12-07 06:38 am (UTC)(link)
Jade is not the only one capable of a long-suffering sigh. Zuko pulls his swords out, then holds one vertically against the glass wall of the observatory, sliding it down until it hits the floor with a -tink.- "Right angles work like that. They don't let things continue to keep sliding like they're curved. But whatever, go see for yourself if you don't believe me. And I told you, it gets to you."
Edited 2013-12-07 06:48 (UTC)
fionnuisce: (it was your heart on the line)

floor 45

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2013-12-07 06:44 am (UTC)(link)


Waver watched the display with mild interest; usually people reacted with a little more horror than that. And most that he knew of didn't default to a one-sided game of keep-away with unearthly horrors. Either this person had been here for a while, or they were just mildly crazy.

"You'd be in quite a lot of trouble if they could get through, you realize." the lecturer finally remarked. Out of habit he raised a hand to adjust sunglasses that usually rested on his head, only to very quickly lower it when he remembered they weren't there today.
Edited 2013-12-07 06:45 (UTC)

Page 1 of 10