#v. mainverse

[hopevering]

Aragorn wouldn't say that he's quick to become overpowered by fear. He is perhaps more vigilant than the average person - a trait that has saved many a life, including his own, and one that's very much necessary for the life he lives.

Even now, what he feels isn't exactly fear. Fear, true fear, is something he's only felt a handful of times in his life, each having left a lasting impression he'll never be able to forget. But... there's something about this place that's putting him on edge. Maybe it's best to say it's awakened a sense of paranoia in him... one that he's inclined to listen to, lest he and his companion be caught unawares.

"You look troubled." he directs his comment at Faramir, keeping his voice low, though not so much that he can't be heard at all. "And I must say, you're not the only one. How far are we from home, by now?"

@saltuary ( starter! )

[wisheswagered]

Frederick has always been someone easily swayed by paranoia and distrust. Sometimes, his suspicions fall into the realm of the irrational - which he can usually recognize using reason and common sense, but those things are never enough to fully convince him that he's wrong for keeping his distance or putting up his guard.

Today is no different. Though in this case, it's difficult to tell if he's truly being unreasonable or not... Usually, Frederick tries to at least keep up a polite enough demeanor to prevent unpleasant rumors from spreading, and to keep up his reputation, however fragile it may be, in the eyes of the public. But in a place like this, it doesn't feel like that particularly matters anymore. Perhaps his companion feels the same way.

"If you've got something to say, then please, go ahead." Frederick's voice somehow manages to be both soft and sharp at once, creating a distinctly disdainful tone that could just barely be denied if it were to be challenged.

"...Well? I'm listening."

@lumoire ( starter for richard or matthias! )

[revengesworn]

Mikey is tired.

Tired of running, tired of hurting. Tired of keeping everything buried inside so deep that it feels like he's drowning. But Kazutora's words... they resonate so strongly that Mikey suddenly feels like maybe they really are the same. Is that even possible? That there's someone who experiences the same thing... and he hadn't realized it for so long?

( 'It feels a little better when you aren't on your own.' ) ...How stupid he's been. How stupid, and selfish, to hope.

"How do you resist it?" Mikey asks, and without even realizing it, he's finally lowered the gun. But that won't take away Kazutora's wound, or stop the blood that's still pooling on the floor. "I know... that you killed my brother. And Baji. But you haven't killed anyone else since, right? You're living a normal life, now."

Maybe he's wrong in that assumption. Certainly, Kazutora's life seems to be anything but normal, if he's come here after Mikey to begin with, and based on what he's said today. But at the very least, he isn't the leader of Tokyo's biggest crime syndicate, for god's sake. And... when Mikey speaks again, his whole body is statue-still. There's no trace of movement in him, or any emotion in his eyes, save for the slight trembling of his right hand.

"...You know Sanzu, Kazutora? I was the one who gave him those scars. He did nothing to deserve it. I just wanted to hurt him. We were kids, but... I ripped his mouth apart - even when he screamed and cried and begged me to stop. He could've died." At this point, he doesn't know if his words will scare Kazutora away. But the point he wants to make is...

"Nothing happened to make me like this. It's not grief or trauma that changed me. I've just... been twisted from the very start."

It's strange to be on the opposite side of that look. Because Kazutora understands what is happening, he's felt that onset of when everything seems so far away, when you're no longer in control of your body but a mere spectator to the actions that are carried out.

" That's where you're WRONG Mikey. " Kazutora says softly - not in a way to downplay or simplify the situation or offer false comfort, but soft in a rueful, experienced way as he wipes the sweat from his forehead and ignored the painful throb from the gunshot wound. " I do get it. You feel helpless, right? It takes over, your body just moves on your own and before you know it...you've done something you can't take back. " He knows that too well, just like he knows each of his demons in his head to have torn his life apart. " And no one else understands. How could they? If anything, it will just scare them away so you try to hide it so they never see it, so they never know. " He knew, he'd known that all his life.

The injured tiger listens intently to Mikey all the same, even as he feels the familiar hands of his own demons sinking their claws in his head. Mikey is physically strong - but he supposes they're both broken when it comes to their mentality. And you can't save someone else when you're drowning too. In the end, you both end up drowning.

" I don't know if I can, if I'm honest. I'm not that different. " Kazutora admits, his gaze falling for a moment. He's no hero. He's always the one clawing desperately for someone to save him. " I'm not very good at saving people...my claws always end up hurting those I don't want to. " He whispers, voice wavering before he clears his throat. " You might kill me. I might hurt you. But at least...at least neither of us would be alone. It feels a little better when you aren't on your own. " He offers a thin smile, exhausted but genuine in its rueful nature. " I'll take that risk. I don't have much going for me anyways. " Not anymore, not for many years.

[aletheialed]

The Chief Prosecutor from overseas, Miles Edgeworth... at first, Rayfa had come here to see him for a completely different reason to the one that's taking up all of her attention now.

Honestly, she doesn't remember the man particularly well. It's no surprise - she was in such an awful state during the time that she'd spent with him that she barely gave him a second thought with everything that had been on her mind. But he'd been kind to her - she remembers that, and she'd wanted to thank him for it. There may have been other reasons for her seeking him out, too, but right now... Rayfa has forgotten about all of them for one very specific reason: the mystery that she's determined to solve.

That is to say - the question of whatever it is she's been experiencing whenever Miles Edgeworth is nearby.

If you were to put her on the spot, she'd say it feels like spiritual power. But that makes no sense. For one thing, Rayfa has never heard of a man having spiritual power! ...Though until recently, she hadn't thought that anyone from outside of Khura'in could channel spirits... and so much of what she'd believed about the spiritual world had been wrong that it would hardly surprise her to learn if she was mistaken about more. Still - it's strange enough to have made her second guess herself. Then, there's her next source of doubt - the fact that Rayfa can't even channel spirits yet herself yet. So can she really trust herself to accurately discern what she's feeling to begin with...?

To be honest, she hates it - being so unsure of herself. It brings up bad memories in her... uncomfortable feelings that she'd hoped she had finally got rid of. But that's exactly why she's so determined to figure this mystery out right now - so much so that it takes her three times until she realized her name has been called by the man she's been staring at for the past half a minute.

"Oh! Ummm...." Suddenly, Rayfa feels awfully embarrassed. Not that she has anything to be embarrassed by, of course! Her curiosity is completely reasonable, and as the future Queen of Khura'in, she is obviously one hundred percent justified of wanting to get to the bottom of this matter!

"Mr. Chief Prosecutor! Did you- say something to me just now?"

@demon-prosecuted ( starter for edgeworth! )

[fogsnatched]

Yui still remembers when she was the new face around the campfire - when she didn't know what was going on; where she was, and how she'd been the most overwhelmed she'd ever felt in her life. She's sure everyone here does - to most, it's a memory that never fades away. So she's not the only one who tries to welcome newcomers into the Realm as kindly as possible - though maybe kindly isn't the right word.

There can't be any true kindness in the words that condemn you to your fate, after all. The words that make you realize, no matter how slowly, that there's nothing you can do - you're going to die, and it's going to hurt, and whatever ideas you can think of to get out of it have all been tried and failed before. Truth be told, Yui hates doing it. Having to break the news to a new survivor and seeing the truth slowly set in makes her sick. It might even be worse than watching their first breakdown, when they've been sacrificed so much that they're sure they can't take it anymore.

The woman that she faces now is another new face she doesn't recognize, but that doesn't tell her how long she's been here. She could've stumbled into the fog mere minutes ago, or maybe she's been here for a while, and someone else has already explained everything to her. It's impossible to be sure.

"Hey." Yui starts, keeping her voice level enough so as not to startle the other woman. "Do you know where you are? You're looking a little worse for wear, there."

@prvtocol ( starter ! )

[cyclend]

Once, Silco knew exactly who he was and what he was fighting for. Back then, it would've been near impossible to imagine where he's ended up now.

At least, he thinks so. It's hard to be sure of anything right now regarding the past. It lies out of his reach, a distant, nebulous thing that he can't rely on - but that in itself isn't so bad on it's own. It's everything else he's missing that he really hates. Motivation, purpose, meaning - they're all dependent on a stable sense of identity, and without that, there's nothing left to grasp onto... All that seems to remain in him are his emotions; always present, always acidic and unavoidable, even if there's nothing to anchor them to to explain what they mean.

Distrust clings to his bones like an old friend. And even deeper inside him is a pervasive, stubborn longing for something more than what he has... yet in spite of those emotions, right now, all he can seem to do is drift on aimlessly. The burning drive that once lit him ablaze has tempered out entirely, leaving him in a rather miserable state- that of a pathetic, broken man with very little left to give. He wants more - he knows he can't rely on anyone else for it - but he can't seem to bring himself to actually reach for it. Some piece of the puzzle is missing that might explain where all his motivation has gone... but as he is now, he has no way of knowing what that is.

Still. Before, Silco was someone who fought tooth and nail for everything he had. That part of him, he's sure - it hasn't gone away for good. But the exhaustion that seems to have buried his old self and the doubts he feels now... he wonders if he'll ever be able to overcome them?

"You've mentioned that before." he says, to the man who made him what he is now. Viktor is a mystery that Silco still hasn't quite figured out; but one who he has no choice but to rely on. It's been that way since he woke up.

"But I... don't think I really listened. What is it that you need from me, exactly?"

@holyf1esh ( starter! )

[guardiandamned]

"As if I'd want to see any of your faces around here."

After a moment, a familiar scowl crosses Ryouga's face as he forces himself to relax, not wanting to show any sign of weakness to his visitor. Out of all the Arclight brothers, Ryouga probably knows V the least... but that frustratingly stoic attitude of his and the calm calculation behind his gaze gives him the creeps, and more importantly, is more than enough to put him on guard.

...Reminds him of Kaito, a bit. Maybe Ryouga should be grateful that IV isn't the one here, but still...

"Cut the shit. You wouldn't be showing me your face if you didn't have some kind of reason." It's difficult to tell how much he knows, but at the very least, it's clear Ryouga is suspicious of V's intentions. That isn't enough for him to hold his tongue, though.

"So what do you want?"

    v isn't quite sure if he was expecting this response, while yes he really shouldn't - he still needs to answer shark. though there was no way to tell if he knew, or the fact if the eldest arclight brother could give into details. as such, he is aware that any of the slightest altercation can change the future in any sort of way.

his hands by his side, blue orbs stare down at him "would you rather i leave?" his tone unamused, almost wanting to fold his arms over his chest; but does not.

his throat clears "or were you perhaps preferring one of my other brothers?" and by that, he probably was referring more to iv. however, he wouldn't let him know what happened with his brothers, v needed to speak carefully without giving anything away.

[utopideal]

This new world that More has found himself in... is wonderful.

At first, he'd believed it to be the very utopia he'd wrote about in his novel. The similarities were so startling that they couldn't be coincidence, and they filled him with a great fear - because More knows that ending up in such a place is something he could never deserve.

So something had to be wrong. Even so, though... he couldn't help the sense of wonder that swelled up inside him whenever he let himself observe the world around him. Perhaps it isn't quite a utopia, a perfect world like the one he'd once believed in, but there's still much for him to learn - so that's where More starts; with a hesitant hope and the decision to learn what it means that he's ended up here, in this strange, long-lost world.

He's aware that he doesn't fit in, and he's already received quite a few strange looks from the people around him - but it's not been enough to cause him any actual trouble so far. He hasn't found a way to cover his horns yet, but most seem to think they're just a fashion statement or part of a costume... regardless, he's not surprised at all when he's approached by another stranger, offering them a polite smile and a nod of his head in acknowledgement before he speaks.

"I hope I'm not bothering you. Did the man from earlier tell you to speak with me?"

@chibitantei ( starter! )

[sorrowveined]

"There's no need for you to remember."

On Arikado's lips, the words he speaks taste like ash. He couldn't say why, exactly, they feel so hollow - after all, he doesn't want Soma to remember, and he really does believe that that's what's for the best. Not just for the world, but for Soma himself, too...

After all, if Soma starts remembering the past, no-one can say what will happen or who he might become. But more so than that, Arikado doesn't wish for Soma to bear that burden. The rage and grief felt by his father, so strong that they drove him to madness and devoured the man Arikado used to know, leaving nothing left... he has no doubt that Soma deserves better than to experience them again. ...Soma is different to Dracula - so it's only natural that Arikado would come to care for him, isn't it? After watching over him for such a long time... that's all it is. He's sure of it. So...

"You should just live your own life, Soma." Arikado insists, as he always has done, in response to Soma's latest question. It's not the first time they've had this conversation.

"Aren't you satisfied with what you have now?"

@reincarnight ( starter! )

[schoolspectres]

"Ehhh? Is that true, Mitsuba-kun?"

Nene's stunned face makes her look a bit like a goldfish - or at least like she's about to swallow one - as she reacts to Mitsuba's statement in her usual animated manner. She stays that way for a moment longer, but then she seems to slowly curl in on herself a little, expression falling as she finds herself unable to meet his eyes.

"What'll we do... there's no way they'll believe us..."

@phasmascript ( starter for mitsuba! )

[revengesworn]

Mikey's eyes narrow, and while he doesn't flinch, it's a near thing. Liar. She calls him out so easily, like it's as plain as the blue of the sky, and isn't that scary? Or... maybe it just feels unfair. If it's so obvious to her, a complete stranger, then-

Why did they never notice?

He has to bury those traitorous thoughts away. He's the one who betrayed them, not the other way around... they did nothing wrong by abandoning him, because that's what he wanted them to do - even if it hurts. Even if it kills him. He has no right to be angry, he knows that!

...He knows his thoughts aren't showing on his face, but somehow, it feels like Sekhmet knows exactly what he's thinking. When she forms the figures of sand, slowly crushing them one by one... Mikey's heart beats faster, and only for an instant, he almost takes a step back - but somehow, deep down, it feels like he already knew she was telling the truth about. A goddess...

"Even if that was true, what of it?" Mikey asks, still staring at her with a sharp gaze that brims with repressed emotion. How dare she talk like that? What right does she have? He knows he shouldn't admit that she's right, but it feels pointless to try and lie to her.

"I'm the one who left them. That was my choice, you know." Don't take that away from me, he thinks - and what a strange thought.

"Don't I deserve to be alone? Why should they care about someone who's so willing to hurt them?"

" That's right, cub. From a land far way, of sand and blazing suns. "

She watches him the same way a sunbathing cat might watch a mouse ; not quite predatory but not dismissive either. Humans could be such fun creatures when it came to their reactions, full of endless conflict and swells of emotion.

" Liar. " Sekhmet laughs, straightening as she observes him for a moment. Well, he was still extremely young. They always were more prone to extremes, their claws and ambitions not yet dulled by life experiences.

The warehouse they'd been lurking in was cool, but the moment she snaps her fingers, a gust of scorching hot wind slams the warehouse door open and invades the space. Sand sweeps in, carried by the wind, and swirls around the goddess until it forms a small pile beside her. She lifts a hand and the sand forms a mirror image of mikey, and then the rest of the main members of Toman.

" You're lying to yourself ~ I told you. I know emotions like these better than anyone. " They were the seeds of chaos, naturally she would know them. " You try to lie to yourself so you might actually believe yourself. After all, you keep losing them. " Sekhmet remarks, her hand crushes the sand figure of Takemichi.

" So you say you don't need them. " After each sentence, she slowly starts crushing the sand figures. " That you're not lonely, even though it's devouring you inside, and the darkness creeps closer and closer every day. Telling yourself you're protecting them rather than being left behind, all while you drown in silence. " She stops when only the lone figure of Mikey is left standing. It hardens into firm sand, strong enough to hold it without worry, though easily crushable by one's hand. Sekhmet plucks it from the air, tossing it towards him.

" It's obvious. You're like a beacon even in this city where thousands are in misery. "

[guardiandamned]

Anna doesn't recognize the boy with the long hair, and she's sure she'd know if she'd seen him before - he stands out a lot, after all. An appearance that distinctive isn't so easily forgotten. But even so... even if she doesn't know his name, there's no denying one thing - everything about him is suspicious!

She's sure that he has some connection with Yuma, having overheard a conversation between him and another kid where his name was brought up. And to be honest, that's more than enough reason to investigate - especially considering the chill she gets whenever she looks at him for too long. Anna's never ignored her gut before, and she's not about to start now.

"Hey, you!" As always, her yell is loud and unapologetic as she calls out to him, hands on hips. Her trusty cannon is slung over her shoulder.

"What do you want with Yuma!?"

@wriitethestory ( starter for mizar/mizael! )

[hopevering]

As he struggles to resist the urge to swear, Boromir instead grinds his teeth together and steadies himself against the wall with a fisted hand. There's no shaking of the earth or any reason for him to feel so uneasy on his feet, yet the feeling remains - frustrating him endlessly, though he pushes past that feeling to focus on what actually matters.

And that's what's at stake. Boromir trusts his instincts. To be sent on this mission, to retrieve the Ring for Gondor and protect it's people from the evil forces growing stronger by the day - it should be an opportunity that he'd never dream of turning away from. Not out of any desire for fame or glory, but duty. And yet this- conviction is haunting him, twisting his mind and telling him that to go- or at the very least, to go alone, would end in disaster.

He doesn't notice his brother, so caught up in thought, until he notices he's been called upon.

"What ails you, Faramir?" he asks, for he remembers that Faramir had a long day ahead of him as well. To push his own troubles onto him now would be selfish, yet... "I've seen that look on your face before."

@saltuary ( starter! )

[wisheswagered]

Some fires burn obviously. Bright, loud infernos speak of danger and destruction, and quiet blue flames whisper a deadly tune to all who comes near. Either way, the scorching heat is enough of a warning to anyone who comes face-to-face with the dancing embers.

Right now, though, the thing swirling in Frederick's eyes doesn't quite look like a fire at all. It's more of a whirlpool - yet it's hard to make out what it's made up of, as if it's hidden behind a murky fog... something is wrong, yet it's difficult to figure out exactly what that is.

To Frederick, the sound in his head has become unbearable. The malicious whispers and wicked laughter are mere background noise, though they pierce and prod at him nonetheless - but it's the pressure that's really impossible to take. On the outside, it's manifested only subtly. His lips press together tightly, his hands are slightly whitened from tension... but if one were to look closely at his eyes, that's where they might see it. Beyond that clouded fog lies something close to madness.

"And why should I trust anything you have to say?" he utters. His voice is a stretched out note, low and vibrating with barely-held back emotion. "No, I should've known this was wrong from the start... What was I thinking, exactly? The answer should've been clear to me from the beginning..."

As if the person he's speaking too isn't even there, he talks to himself. But then, he looks them in the eye again, his gaze fervent - and waiting expectantly for an answer.

@crownshattered ( starter for any idv muse / your choice! )

[aletheialed]

Right now, wine glass in hand and staring vacantly into the dark corners of the room in which he dwells - Barok can't help but think about his brother. To think about Klint during hard times, the man who he's always admired so much, has always come naturally to him - but it can't bring him any comfort now.

The truth is, Barok doesn't know what he should feel more betrayed about. The fact that the brother he'd wanted to emulate all his life was nothing but a killer, who's actions resulted in the ending and ruining of so many lives, including Barok's own? Or... is it that, until the very end, Klint was too afraid to share that horrible truth with him, even when that fear allowed him to be controlled into committing the most heinous acts imaginable?

It makes him want to laugh with a bitterness he hasn't felt in years. It makes him feel ill; desperate and angry and like a fraying rope about to snap. Perhaps it's sinful, and a sign of Barok's own weak character, that Klint's lack of trust in him might be what hurts the most. Had he thought Barok would break under the weight of the truth, and sought to protect him from that fate? What's worse is that Barok doesn't know how he would've reacted deep down. What's the scarier thought - that Barok would've turned away in despair and been unable to carry on just as his brother feared, or that he would stand with Klint, perhaps even turning a blind eye to his crimes...?

...There's no point in thinking about it now. But if he doesn't think about Klint, then there's no shortage of other things to take his place at the forefront of his mind. Such as the true identity of the Reaper, and how Barok had been complicit in his crimes for the longest time - allowing himself to be used and manipulated like a puppet on a string, even when he didn't see the full extent of it all.

His whole life, these past ten years in which he thought he'd endured so much, all for the sake of the people of London... what were they all for?

When he hears the knock on the door, it's tempting to ignore it entirely - he barely has the energy to stand, anyway. He doesn't know who it could possibly be, considering everything, but... in the end, he rises like a man possessed, and finds himself walking to open the door as if in a trance. What he sees when the door opens is the last thing he expects.

"Mr... Naruhodo...? You... pray tell, what are you doing here at this hour?"

@tenacquity ( starter! )

[shadowedresolve]

"You've gotta be kidding me..."

To Kira, fear is generally a very unfamiliar emotion. There's always some level of anxiety present in his work, especially during a surgery - the feeling of a patient's life being in your hands creates a sense of pressure like you'd never believe. But that's something he signed up for. And he's as used to it as he can be, having put in a lot of work to get the skills needed to be confident in his profession.

This type of fear is something very different. And to be clear, it's not like he's terrified. It's more like a sense of dread in the back of his throat that just won't go away, one that's only gotten stronger throughout the day... because he could swear that something's been calling him. Hearing voices is never a good sign, but not necessarily reason to panic immediately - and yet Kira can't shake the idea that this might the beginning of him losing his mind. A quick descent into a place where he can't even trust his own perception or reality.

He can admit to himself that the thought does scare him. But like he said - it's no reason to panic yet. But when he realizes someone's entered the room, he does his best at shaking off his disheveled state and pulling himself together - before raising an eyebrow at the girl he sees before him.

"You again? Didn't you say you'd be more careful last time?"

@s0ulphr4se ( starter! )