Endgame: This Broken Jaw of Our Lost Kingdoms; Part One

[animusmods]

Characters: open to those trapped in cells
Setting: the cells
Format: any
Summary: Those left abandoned in the Tower have some time to speak to each other. In the middle of the room, a clock counts down...
Warnings: general animus endgame warnings

Comments

[slightlyoblivious]

[This was not what Yukiko had been expecting to wake up to after passing out the way she had. The best-case scenario had been 'waking up at home with everyone with me', and the worst-case that she'd been able to think of in the moment she lost consciousness had been never waking up at all.

Somehow it's worse, being caged up like this, than it had ever been before.]

- can anyone hear me?

[fionnuisce]

I can hear you, Yukiko. [This was no time to sound so calm and be smoking like a chimney, but Waver really never changed.]

We shouldn't start panicking--not yet, at least.

[slightlyoblivious]

- Waver-san?

[She turns and breathes a sigh of relief at being able to actually see him. She hadn't been entirely sure she'd be able to see or hear anyone.]

Mm. It's kind of hard not to panic, considering the timer and the fact we all passed out and wound up here, but I'll try.

[fionnuisce]

I know--frankly, we might just be screwed. But we don't know for certain that we are just yet. If we jump to assuming the worst, we do likely just what that psychopath wants.

[slightlyoblivious]

I wasn't going to put it quite like that, but it's true. We might very well be entirely screwed, but we don't know.

I still don't like the looks of it, though. Whatever broke in Ruana must have really broken.

[fionnuisce]

She was always a goddamned lunatic, but recent events do seem to have made that worse.

I hate to say it, but we could have nothing to do but wait.

[slightlyoblivious]

I hope not. Sitting here for five hours staring at a timer is going to be enough to send any one of us off the deep end.

[fionnuisce]

...It might end up okay. Maybe. Fuck, I don't know.

[slightlyoblivious]

Let's hope so.

[because she sure as hell doesn't know.]

What even happened down there?

[fionnuisce]

I think you're asking the wrong person. In all that mess, I'm afraid I failed to keep a closer watch on what was going on.

[slightlyoblivious]

It's understandable. I didn't see any of it, but I can imagine the kind of mess it was, given the last time we fought Riki.

[warriorscribe]

I can hear you. It's fortunate we can speak through these barriers.

*As far as he knew, Yukiko had only been involved in the topside fight (or was that a different fire user? Everything was a blur, honestly). So Ruana had captured...everyone? He didn't think he saw everyone here, but then, he couldn't see all the cells.*

[slightlyoblivious]

I'm glad that we can at least talk to each other.

[The opposite would be far worse.]

- then, she got everyone? I can't tell...

[warriorscribe]

I can't tell if it's everyone, either. I hope it isn't...I'd hope at least some are left so we still have a chance.

[pitiedthefool]

I can. [It's a short response, because for a brief moment... he'd nearly thought the worst. That they all seem to be alright is a relief after their inexplicable loss of consciousness. However, where they were...]

Are you alright, Yukiko-san?

[slightlyoblivious]

Yu-kun!

[She'd thought that she had breathed a sigh of relief when Waver had answered her, but that's nothing compared to this one.]

I'm not hurt, no. Are you okay? That was frightening...

[pitiedthefool]

I'm fine. Stayed on the hidden floor to guard the others.

[Though it may not have done much to help in the long run... There was an attempt.]

[slightlyoblivious]

I'm glad to hear it. Things got crazy out there, and I got worried after a while.

[And attempting is half the battle.]

I wonder where in the Tower we are.

[keybearer]

Loud and clear...

[But after a short pause, he adds:]

Pretty sure this is our fault. After we beat Riki, some of us said some... pretty harsh things to Ruana, and now she's blown a fuse.

[But still, Riku doesn't regret what he said. She deserved to hear it.]

[slightlyoblivious]

Are you okay, Riku?

[For values of it.]

...she probably needed to hear it. I don't think you would have said anything that wasn't true. If she's throwing a tantrum now, that's on her.

[keybearer]

Sort of.

[Physically, yes, but emotionally... not so much, but he'd rather not burden Yukiko with his problems.]

And you're right. I think Ruana's past the point of redemption; she only sees what she wants to see, and I bet you anything she thinks we're ungrateful for the way she "saved" us.

[slightlyoblivious]

At least we all seem to be in one piece physically. That's something.

[Wireframes, yes, but it's something.]

I'd believe that. You didn't tell her what she wanted to hear, so she threw a tantrum. It makes a weird kind of sense.

[keybearer]

Ha. You should've seen what Kyoko had to say...

[There's some dry laughter on Riku's end.]

She chewed her out. Said she deserves to be alone and everything.