towerofanimus | 010; to the morning we're cast out

Entry tags:

010; to the morning we're cast out

Characters: [AU1] Kanaya Maryam (

gloomyapoplectic) and you!
Setting: Room 1-13, cafeteria, floor 3, floor 69
Format: Starting action, will match!
Summary: Kanaya used to think there was nothing worse than waiting alone for the end. Turns out that being alone after it puts it all into perspective.
Warnings: Sad, moodswingy trolls.

room 1-13♍ closed to 1-13 residents

[She went to sleep expecting to wake, as always, to the dilapidated lab on the meteor. The metal she finds in her line of vision instead is cleaner, sleeker, and undeniably familiar, especially when she accounts for the momentary paralysis in her limbs.

When she can finally move, Kanaya sits bolt upright, already trembling with an awful mix of anguish and relief. She tosses her head this way and that, confirming with her eyes that she is, indeed, once again in a Tower respiteblock.

Red fills her vision as tears prick at her eyes, but at the same time, she can't help but laugh, a hysterical sound still halfway to a sob.

She's back. She's not alone anymore.]

floor 1 - cafeteria♍ open

[Kanaya eats the shitty oat-based breakfast slop greedily, even though it has about as much taste as the sheets on the Tower sleepsquares. She changed out of her white jumpsuit and into the outfit with her favourite coat as soon as she had the presence of mind to, even though she knows that the ensemble is just glamour. Her chainsaw rests on the floor behind the seat she occupies.

She might be the only one so excited to eat such flavorless crap. Made even stranger by the fact that after she's done, she goes to get another bowl and eats that just as enthusiastically.

Trolls are weird.]

floor 3 - library♍ open

[As teenagers tend to do, Kanaya gravitates towards the terminals in the library once she's finished with her meal. She was ejected from the Tower shortly after the glamour failed and Ruana informed everyone that they would die within a year (which she now knows to be about half a sweep), but...well, she didn't exactly keep close track of time while she was gone.

When she catches sight of the countdown, she starts visibly, a hand flying up to cover her mouth. The number was so much higher when she left! It definitely felt like she was gone for a long time...but is this really all the time they have left now?

Kanaya flags down a passerby in the library and asks:] I do not intend to interrupt any task you may be attending to, but I would like confirmation on the accuracy of this countdown. [She indicates it on the terminal screen with a point of her finger as she speaks.]

floor 69 - clouds♍ open

[So she had missed quite a bit in her absence, it seems. She's...happy to be back, because it means she's no longer alone, even if it means she'll have to endure the whims of the administrators. But it's not going to last, and Kanaya doesn't know the first thing she can do to help.

She comes upon the cloudy floor on the way up to floor 73. Perhaps it's curiosity or perhaps she missed the sight of clouds, one of the warmest and most familiar things she recalls from dreaming on Prospit's moon, but after tentatively making sure she wouldn't immediately fall through, Kanaya steps onto the floor proper.

It's...soothing here. A good balm for her agitated mind.

Kanaya gives herself a bit more space from the stairwell and sets her chainsaw down so that she can seat herself atop the soft clouds. Maybe she'll stay here for a while. Just until she's less stressed.]

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Nesir had been laying low since Sephiroth's failed escape attempt and the fallout from it. By laying low we mean sulking in her room and trying to think of ways to beat some sense into Sephiroth.

She had noticed however that there were people arriving, she would have thought Zo wouldn't have brought any others after his panic. But perhaps Ruana had made him.

So a new roommate was not so much of a surprise, but she raised an eyebrow when she saw who it was. "Kanaya? You do be being back?" If this was indeed the Kanaya she had known.

Kanaya was, admittedly, not in the best of states to be greeting people. She had been trapped in that wasteland with no company but the corpses of her friends for so long, and to be back here was completely overwhelming. Even someone with good emotional coping skills would have been shaken.

So, Nesir's voice surprised Kanaya, who hadn't yet even thought of the fact that she had blockmates again. She didn't always completely understand Nesir, but it was such a relief to see someone living again– and not just living, but familiar.

Another peal of unsteady laughter left Kanaya as the implications of Nesir's presence fully sunk in. She lifted a hand to rub her face on her white jumpsuit as she burbled her response, trying her best to enunciate despite the tear-ridden waver in her voice. "It seems so. It's– it is good to see you again."

Edited (typos!!!) 2014-04-11 07:16 (UTC)

"It do be being good to be seeing you as well." She guessed, at least it was a person who knew what here was and what they were fighting for. Another person to help them get out.

"This do no be being our old room." She told her, "We did be getting moved." It was strange that she had still ended up roommates with Kanaya.

Nesir's response brought a second small wave of joy, likely because Nesir was not someone Kanaya would have really considered herself to be friends with. She choked out another little laugh in reply. Unfortunately, what Nesir gave her next had to be processed with some actual degree of intelligent thought.

The next time Kanaya cleaned her face on her jumpsuit, she tried to keep more tears from immediately falling and ruining her hard work. Her expression was curious. "Really? So, we have new blockmates?"

[There's at least one other lurking in the cafeteria amidst Kanaya's nasty breakfast binge. Karkat hadn't bothered to attend to the oatmeal -- not yet. It would probably take a round of vomitting or two before he finally gave in. It was a matter of pride as much as it was a matter of having so few fucks left to give.

Despite realizing his mortality many months ago, going home and coming back had been confirmed for stroking extreme apathy in the normally vibrant, foul-mouthed troll. Several activities had crossed his mind while he spent a few hours laying on the resting slab, but the only one that had any appeal to him was the one he was engaging in now.

He sees that it really had nothing to do with a desire to eat oatmeal at all. Seeing Kanaya by herself at a table sobers his mood a bit, and he finds himself gliding over to hover and peer over her shoulder. He's still in his jumpsuit, giving him a somewhat disheveled and unrecognizable look -- were it not for his faceted eye and dour demeanor, it might have been hard to pinpoint exactly who he was.]

I'm overjoyed to discover that after several months of falling down the stairs in the tower of terror, you still know how to embarrass the fuck out of yourself.

[He still hasn't figured out if he's happy to be back here and alive or not.]

[Kanaya just about jumps out of her skin when Karkat speaks, her reflexes not having yet readjusted to the presence of other people. Her sudden jolt causes a bit of an oatmeal mess, stray globs flying off the spoon onto the table.

She wipes her mouth on the back of her hand as she turns in her seat. True to form, it does take her a moment to recognize him, but that's mostly because she's been staring at his well-dressed corpse back on the meteor for months. The white jumpsuit and lack of exposed organs is a surprise.

She can't help it; the tears make another appearance for round two of waterworks as she stands and fumbles her way out of her seat to throw her arms around Karkat and bury her face against his shoulder (at least she won't be crying on his nice clothes this time.) Kanaya never expected to even return to the Tower; that Karkat might be there too was just too much to hope for, something she had to learn to stop wishing for over the perigees after she'd been sent back.

The retort comes easily even through her ugly crying and the muffling effect of Karkat's dumb jumpsuit, carried on a kind of disbelieving laugh.] I'm also glad to know that you're still a raging, inconsiderate nooksmear.

[Karkat is still a bit weary from waking up from paralysis, so when Kanaya assaults him with a hug, he has to take a moment to catch his balance. Afterwards, he'll just spend his time gently petting his moirail while she cries gross red tears on him.

He doesnt sigh in exasperation for once. Its kind of nice to join the waking world again, with people actually milling about. Once he's sure nobody is watching, Karkat sets his chin between her horns.]

Dirty job but someone's gotta do it.

[He is somewhat thankful he didn't slip into a suit before coming here -- but then, being in such sterile attire made him equally uncomfortable.]

You simply insist on finding dirty jobs to take up. [She firmly believes that he's stupid like that and probably always will be, but she's happy to see him anyway, overwhelmingly so.

She clenches her fists against his back, gathering the stretchy jumpsuit material between her fingers as she does so; it doesn't yet cross her mind what Karkat wearing this hideous thing implies for what happened to him in her absence.]

[Vietnam, it still trying to relax (or perhaps she's thinking?) after having made it back to the Tower. This is one of the days she decided not to stay in the dorm just a little longer, when she noticed the newcomer suddenly sit up.

After watching for a while (what is she doing?), Vietnam decides to speak up.]

Hello?

[Kanaya starts a little (well, all right, maybe a lot) at being addressed, turning her head with a quick movement to examine who's speaking. It's a difficult task, with her vision blurred by the tears that won't stop gathering in her eyes, but as she manages to mostly clear one eye on her sleeve, she can at least tell that this is someone she doesn't recognize.

A trickle of embarrassment creeps into her chest at her outburst of emotion around a stranger who is no doubt very confused, but she's not articulate enough to even hope to explain right now. So she settles for a tentative:] Hello. Um- I'm sorry.

[Goodness, was she crying?! She seems to be trying to calm herself, or at least tend to herself, but Vietnam had already noticed. However, she was unsure why this one was crying. Did she know already, or...?

Vietnam immediately walks over to her, trying to see what was wrong.]

No, it is fine. Well, I am fine. Mostly. More importantly, are you alright?

[Kanaya certainly didn't mean to worry anyone with her reaction, and she feels bad that her new blockmates had to be present to witness her revelation of return.

It still takes her a few minutes to reign herself in and pick up her scattered thoughts enough to explain herself.] I am– yes, I'm all right. [For a certain definition of it, anyway; the Tower is so horrid, but right now she's just happy to be surrounded by living people instead of corpses.]

I can't believe I'm back.

[Not everyone tended to look at the terminals much. Some preferred to never look at them, as seeing the numbers tick closer and closer to the end could be quite unsettling.

Veronica was one of those people. But she looked up from her book at the... troll? That was what Feferi called herself. She looked from the troll to the terminal and nodded slowly.]

Umm... it's accurate, I think. Nothing's ever effected the countdown, as far as I know.

[Kanaya isn't sure what's more unsettling, the fact that the count is accurate or the info that apparently nothing the Tower residents – or the administrators? – have done has been able to slow its gradual descent.

She looks considerably troubled by the revelation, brow furrowing and mouth curving in both thought and disapproval as she momentarily looks away from the stitched-up young human to regard the steadily-changing numbers.] ...we do not appear to have much time remaining, if that is the case.

[She's not the only one that's troubled by it. Most of the people here had just begrudgingly come to accept it. Not like there was anything they could do about it.

Still, she had to try and be considerate.]

We don't. We're working on a plan though.

[Kanaya isn't the sharpest culling instrument in the drone's arsenal, but even she's not dumb enough to ask about a plan out in the open at this point in the game.

However, she is relieved to hear that there is a plan, especially since plans are something slightly beyond her own personal range of experience, so she wouldn't be much help in coming up with one.] It is comforting to hear that. [And then, an addendum to explain her odd inquiry:] I am sorry, I've only just returned after a considerable period of absence. I'm...surprised at how low the number has gotten.

[They never did seem to talk about plans much in view of the cameras. Veronica and the rest had learned to go to hidden places to work plans out and that'd gotten them pretty far. She was relieved too. Veronica was mostly muscle and effort, not a large scale planner.]

[She shook her head at Kanaya's apology, finally getting an answer to the question at the back of her mind.] It's okay. You're not the only one who's said that. Lots of people are turning up now from a long time ago for some reason.

Is that so? [Kanaya had been so thankful to be brought back after being alone for so long that she didn't think much about the reasons why. She's not sure how to feel about the fact that she's not the only one who's recently been saved again.]

How odd. Has anyone speculated on why this is?

I don't think so. [Veronica shrugged.] I know Zo said that it'd be the last time he brought anyone in.

...well.

[Chidori blinks at the sudden upright movement in what was previously an unoccupied bed, pausing in her embroidering as she looks up at the new arrival. The horns catch her attention, and she considers for a moment before setting her project aside to stand and move closer.]

Are you alright?

[Kanaya sniffles as she reclines her head to look up at her approaching roommate. Her eyes search the woman for any mote of familiarity, but what Kanaya finds is not substantial. This is someone she thinks she probably saw during her previous stay in the Tower, but they have never spoken.

Kanaya is flushed, partly from crying and partly from embarrassment as she uses both wrists of her jumpsuit to try and stay the tears. It is very kind of this woman to inquire as to her well-being even though they are strangers; in the engulfing whirl of the emotional revelation that has come with returning to the Tower, Kanaya is thankful to have this kindness to latch onto.

Still, it takes her a moment to respond. She has to search her clouded head for the words to this answer.] Yes. I'm sorry. I'm just– very surprised.

Understandable. The tower has that effect on many.

[Rummaging in one of her sleeves, Chidori offers up a handkerchief after a moment, before looking her over critically.]

I do beg your pardon- but would you object to a... scan, of sorts? You... do not look well.

[And frankly, Chidori is more than a little invested, currently, in making sure as many people in the tower stay healthy as possible.]

...thank you. [After a brief moment of hesitation, Kanaya gratefully takes the handkerchief and presses it against her teary eyes. The square of cloth is much more porous than her jumpsuit and thus much more effective at cleaning her face, thankfully.

She raises her eyes from the handkerchief after a second, once it's done its job in drying her eyes.] Um– no, I don't mind... [There's a slight upwards inflection as she answers, a clear, implied question about how exactly that's going to work.

But then, Kanaya has seen plenty of odd things in the Tower. Skepticism isn't something that's heavy in her repertoire.]

[Well this was fun! Running around familiar spots, seeing all the horrific floors again. Disciple knows she's suppose to be scared and weirded out, but coming back after such a long time has left her feeling pretty nostalgic. She will still admit though that that is weird behavior of her.

While passing by the entrance of Floor 69, Di suddenly stopped and looked on. She doesn't think she ran into THIS floor before. It looked...nice. She relaxes and walks right onto the clouds, never minding her fear of falling (she's too mesmerized). It felt comforting to walk on, and she would have continued on if...if she hadn't spotted a cute troll laying down. Now she definitely thinks she's dreaming, if she spots someone familiar to her within a puff of clouds.]

H-hello?

[Kanaya has almost relaxed completely by the time someone else comes along, which should probably strike her as odd, given how emotional she'd been only moments ago, but she can't find it in herself to worry about it now.

When she turns and sees an adult troll, it is enough to put her more on guard, as she suddenly remembers she still has her blood color on display. The only other troll she's seen since returning is Karkat, and she knows Karkat wouldn't hurt her. But being around all those troll corpses for so long has made her a little gunshy, she guesses.

Regardless, she tries to be polite, if only so she runs less risk of making the oliveblood angry.] Hello. Did you want to sit down?

[She was so cute, Di couldn't help but smile. Not to mention the fact that she seemed very polite and real, setting her at ease some.]

Yes please! [She then hopped right over to her and sat.]

Thank you so much for offering. I never seen this room before, not to mention seeing other trolls. It is a delight to meet you!

[Ion wasn't doing much besides looking for a book to occupy his time while he sat and rested for awhile, so when a voice and a waving arm caught his attention, he wasn't the least bit bothered. A sad smile tugs up his lips as he goes to answer the question--only to stop, expression surprised.]

Yes, I'm afraid it's--ah!

[It had been...a year? It feels like a lifetime. But he recognizes that face. The name comes shortly thereafter.]

Kanaya?

[When the boy turns around, Kanaya's face lights with recognition. They had only spoken a couple of times, but knowing that many of the faces Kanaya once knew were now gone from the Tower made the familiarity much more significant to her.]

Yes. What a fortunate encounter. [The news about the countdown temporarily forgotten, Kanaya offers a smile.] It has been a while.

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010; to the morning we're cast out

hey roomie hey

hey guuuurl good to be back

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hope you're ready because im fucking not

im ready i am so ready

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roomie time!

ROOMIE TIME YEAH

/HIGHFIVES!!!!

PARTY HARD

Library

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hey roomie

yoooo

yoooooo

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Cloud Floor! Why don't I remember this floor?

oh boy oh boy fun times

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ion with a book in the library

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