(no subject)

[akito]

Characters: Wanijima Akito & OPEN
Date: April 1st - 14th
Location: Wood Sector, mostly.
Situation: Akito is exploring his new - and hopefully temporary - 'prison'.
Warnings/Rating: n/a

-

He misses Tokyo.

It's the first thing Akito thinks once he can concentrate on something other than how quiet it is in his mind. No Agito there to keep him company, or Lind lurking in the background. It's quiet and empty, save for the chains and cages. The black water of the ground feels foreboding. It could swallow him up at a moment's notice. He could drown in his mind with only a pinprick of light as company.

A shiver runs down his spine. Even in his earliest memories - before he knew Lind had always been there, lurking - Akito had never felt so alone as he does now.

He does his best to focus on his current task: exploring.

Admittedly he finds himself impressed by the size of the trees in the sector he'd been assigned to live in. He had never seen a tree so large before. At first it was a bit disconcerting, but now he finds it comforting. The imposing form of the woods is cozy in a way that the skyscrapers in Tokyo weren't (though the skyscrapers were fun to play on). It makes him think of the fairy tales he enjoyed as a child; the stories that kept him company when he was locked up and left alone.

He makes sure to check out all of Iroh's recommendations on where he can get food, then looks at all the other shops at both clothes and weapons (best to see what kind of weapons he might have to defend against). He picks up a pair of plain flats for shoes until he can find sneakers; a pair of loose pants and a long shirt as well. Once finished with the necessities, Akito meanders around, though always keeps a sharp ear out for any danger.

It's tempting to just keep pretending this is all a dream, but he knows that it isn't.

Comments

[akito]

He shrugs, scuffing a foot on the ground. "If I get home sooner rather than later, everything will be good. My presence here won't be missed."

[backwordscompatible]

"Really? No friends yet?"

True, he said he hadn't been here that long...but Zatanna had managed to collect a few on her first full day. Granted, she had the advantage of knowing a few faces from before, but even the ones she'd never met hadn't taken long to make the list.

"I'm not exactly sure how to break it to you, but...the whole sooner rather than later thing doesn't really happen too often around here. People go home, but we can't predict who or when."

[akito]

Another shrug, and he seems to shrink in on himself just a little bit more. "I've been kidnapped. It's... Not the best time to make friends right away, ne?" He wants to believe everyone is nice, but experience tells him to be wary. "And even if it doesn't happen very often, it could still happen."

[backwordscompatible]

"Mmm...yes, and no. You were kidnapped, but not by the people living here. It's not there fault. And don't you think making a few allies in a new world might be the smart idea?"

[akito]

"Allies are always a smart idea, but making them with just anyone is not. When you're still adjusting to a new dimension and have nothing familiar for guidance, the last thing you want to do is make friends with someone who just wants to kill you later on."

[backwordscompatible]

"Point taken."

Thanks, Hannibal.

"But you also can't hide yourself away and wait for all the untrustworthy people to announce that they're untrustworthy. You need to go and find out for yourself."

[akito]

"Maybe..." He can't say that the thought isn't entirely unappealing. He's lonely, and misses being in fun company. But he's also scared. If he messes up, Agito isn't there to help him.

[backwordscompatible]

"Tell you what. You're off to a pretty good start right now." Friends might be pushing it a bit for such a first meeting, but Zatanna would admit the conversation hadn't been entirely unpleasant. She stuck out her hand. "I'm Zatanna, by the way."

[akito]

Akito eyes her hand warily for a moment, but she's given him no reason to distrust her, and there's only so cautious he can be without it being draining, so he gives her proffered hand an awkward little shake.

"I'm Gazelle," he says quietly. Lying isn't something he likes to do, though he supposes if one were to get technical about it it isn't entirely a lie. Once he's gotten used to his surroundings he'll drop the alias and go by his real name, but for now he'll continue using it as his metaphorical safety blanket.

With his hand returned back to his side, Akito gives a small, informal bow. "It's good to meet Zatanna-san."

He's pleasantly surprised when he realizes that it isn't a lie.

[backwordscompatible]

She raised a slight eyebrow at the honorific.

"Just...Zatanna is fine. My name's enough of a tongue twister as it is."

[akito]

"I'm from Japan. Your name isn't that difficult," he jokes.

[backwordscompatible]

She grinned, joking back.

"You'd be the first person to tell me that."

[akito]

"That I'm from Japan, or that your name isn't difficult?"

[backwordscompatible]

"The second one, mostly. People here come from all different parts of various universes. Japan isn't really any stranger than under the sea or Mars."

[akito]

Akito is once again reminded of just how strange his current situation is. Pressing a free hand to his brow, he takes a breath before forcing a smile onto his face. It could be worse. He should just be grateful that it isn't any worse.

"Or a giant city on a turtle either, ne?"

[backwordscompatible]

The best part was that she wasn't even referring to Keelai, specifically; those were two of her friends from back home. One of whom was here, yes. Somewhere. Probably in the Water Sector.

"There is that. Although, most of us don't originate here. We're just visiting. Long-term."

[akito]

"There needs to be a way to make it short-term." Iroh had mentioned that there was a library. Akito hopes he can get permission to use it - maybe learn enough to either find a way home, or find a way to end the stupid war that caused him to be dragged here in the first place.

"If there's a way in, there's a way back out," he says, starting to feel a bit hopeful for the first time since his arrival.

[backwordscompatible]

"Of course that is. And if you manage to find it, I guarantee you'll be the second most popular person on the Turtle."

[akito]

"Who is the most popular person?"

[backwordscompatible]

"Can't say."

[akito]

"You don't know, or you won't say?" He doesn't sound judgmental - just curious.

[backwordscompatible]

"No, I mean I literally can't say. I'm not sure how much you believe in magic, but there's this really old belief that names have power. If I say this guy's name, he'll show up. And we kind of don't want that."

[akito]

"Oh. You mean the M-guy?"

[backwordscompatible]

"See what I mean? Everybody knows that guy."

[akito]

"That doesn't make him popular. It just means that those people who watched you in the bath told you not to say his name, whatever it is." He pauses, scuffing his foot on the ground again. He's not used to staying so still for so long. Usually when he's talking it's with his friends, and they're always moving around; fidgeting, wrestling, eating. "I would say it is infamy rather than popularity."