ONE----
The planet wasn't his business to monitor. The planet was his to rule. So far, taking Midgar under control wasn't very hard at all. However, as a pale, thin finger clicked the button on the mouse, the phone on his desk began to ring. He allowed it to ring a few times through before the blond man finally directed his gaze to it. As if completely uninterested by whatever the employee had to say, Rufus ShinRA returned his gaze to the computer screen, hovering the mouse cursor over the name of one of the most useless scientists in the entire department. " Seven-hundred gil a month? No, no, he's gone. " Rufus rolled his eyes, clicking over the highlighted button of " unemployed. " Yes, Doctor Yvonne was now fired. " No replacement. " He mumbled, reaching over to his miniature intercom, pressing one button that would direct him instantly to his secretary. " If you would so kindly deliver a 'pink slip' to the employees I have sent to you - " Rufus' sentence was ended prematurely as his phone began to ring again. This time, slightly intrigued, Rufus released the button and waited - once two rings had passed, he reached over and gently answered the phone. Putting the receiver to his ear, Rufus spoke quietly. " What is it? "
He sat in silence while Reeve Tuesti explained everything to him. Mako Reactors were reportedly becoming active again, but not permanently. Something through the planet was happening, and the WRO wasn't exactly up to par with dealing with it. He needed orders to tell the World-Regenesis Organization before something terrible happened - Rufus smirked silently to himself, picking up a little stress-ball off his desk and staring at it. He squeezed it gently between his thin fingers and quietly chuckled to himself. " Sephiroth. " He mused, before looking upwards toward his computer screen.
" Sir? " Reeve asked in question from the other line, receiving another light chuckle from the President.
" Send someone to check out those reactors. If they're still active, they must be shut down immediately. " With that, Rufus hung up the phone, rising slowly from his seat. Oh, yes. Sephiroth was back - wasn't he? With no hesitation, Rufus slipped his cell phone into his pocket and reached into a drawer of his desk, removing his sawed off shotgun, holstering it within his first layer of jacket.
" Very well. " Reeve laughed, once the phone was hung up and Rufus was no longer on the other line. He was standing in Sector 7 of Midgar, before he began to send out a couple text messages, informing some of his 'soldiers' to check out the reactors they were closest to. Finishing rather quickly, Reeve smiled to himself, sliding the phone back into his pocket. He wasn't exactly surprised that Rufus had come to the conclusion of Sephiroth returning - it was only a matter of time before the man returned from the Life stream, yet again. But this seemed a bit too much to be Sephiroth. the reports of higher levels of Mako to him was ... almost disconcerting. Sephiroth had never used quite that much mako in his return previously ... so Reeve began to forward his suspicions to the department of Public Health and Safety - also known as, the Turks. From the President, to the WRO, Reeve had connections with them all. Being generally friendly with all the branches, Reeve was one of the more-liked employees. Everyone seemed to have liked him.
Tseng had been signing papers when the report of suspicious activity came from Reeve Tuesti in the form of a text message. Without thinking, Tseng dialed a number on his phone, summoning one of his subordinates. They needed a helicopter, and quickly. Tseng would take Reno with him, and the two most advanced Turks would scout the area for any abnormalities in mako pressure. " Reno, get the chopper ready for fifteen minutes. " He flipped the cell phone shut, leaving his office, and heading for the elevator. The President was going out - so he had reported - and Tseng had a mission. He would meet Reno on the roof within fifteen minutes and be off to scout the areas with the Mako reactors, and reported amounts of mako activity. Whatever had given the planet its latest tremor was most definitely powerful.
--
The Forgotten City - a dark place in which hardly anything would be spotted by the dim light offered by the glowing trees. A dark cloaked man, platinum hair lightly damped by the water from the lake, sat back-against a tree, smirking slightly up at the darkened 'top' of the forest. " Well, well. " He mused, his green eyes almost piercing through the sky. " Seems as if Mother is in my favor. " He chuckled lightly to himself, pushing himself upwards and tightly grasping his long sword. He had returned to the filthy planet earlier than he had presumed, but why wouldn't he take advantage of what his mother gave him? Generous JENOVA - how kind she was. Rescuing him from the depths of the Lifestream, his life renewed on the surface once again. This time, he wouldn't be leaving, either. The planet would fall to him - and he would be the ruler of Gaia. Everything - everyone would bow to him, beg for mercy. As little droplets of water slowly slipped off his trench-coat, Sephiroth's lips formed a thin smirk - spreading his single, black wing and flying upwards through the sky. Before he could truly exact his revenge on Midgar - he was going to take a trip that dismantled Mideel. He needed a place to 'stay' in order to regain all his powers and make sure he was still in perfect functioning order.
But not everyone was on the outside. A white haired male, whose hair seemed to stick out on every end, while running down his back, had awoken in the darkened basement of some house on some continent. " Hngh ... " he groaned to himself, bringing his hand to his forehead. What the hell - where was he and why was he there? He got up, off the cold stone ground, brushing his pants down. His head was killing him and he didn't really want to move, but he needed to get out and figure out where everyone was. After shaking his head, Weiss searched around the near-black basement to find his twin gunblades. Once they were spotted, he attached them aptly to his pants and quickly exited the basement, taking the most direct route out. He kicked out a door opening up to the run-down city, emerging from the basement on his own. His teal eyes searched about the empty area. If he could put a name on it, he would say this pathetic excuse for a town as Gongaga. While he looked from the center of a dirt path, he saw no signs of life. Seemed as though everyone who lived there had died - or something. So, he took the opportunity to slip into a house that appeared to be abandoned. Everything was going to take some time to figure out. Why the hell was he HERE?
While the planet continued to surge with power, erupting mako in random craters that been silenced for quite some time, another man was brought to the surface. A dark haired man, covered with restraints and a muzzle on his face. He chewed the muzzle, looking around the rocky area and shaking his head as if terrified by the idea he was alone. " Brother ... ? " He quietly muttered, anxiously looking around, seeing nothing but rock ... after rock ... after rock. The mountainous paths around him lead into four different directions. The man, still unsure of what he was doing or where he was, began to become enshrouded with darkness. Little wisps of shadows and dark forms began to encircle him as he cried out loudly for assistance. When no response came, but his own echo, Nero sunk himself into the ground to disappear from all sight. His mind-set was scared. He had never been separated from his brother! And the last he recalled, both were on the verge of death! How was he on Gaia ... and alive? And ... where was Weiss?! Nn ... none of this was good. It was all bad. All of it. When he re-emerged onto the surface again, Nero was in a dark alley. And he hardly had any energy left to bring himself somewhere else. Shaking his head, he looked toward some person sitting in the alley. Covered by a dark cloak, Nero kicked at him, tilting his head to the side. When the person didn't respond, he bent down, pulling off the cloak on the man with his mechanic hands on his metallic wings. He removed the cloak entirely, fitting it around himself and retracting the metallic wings far enough that he looked like a normal civilian. For a man with the mind-set of a child ... Nero had become aware of his surroundings and how he should look rather quickly. The body he had pulled the cloak off of twitched slightly as it slept, and Nero quickly escaped the alleyway, walking quickly beyond any people in the city of Midgar who might find him as strange - all he had to do was find a place to stay, temporarily, until he could find his brother ... he needed Weiss - otherwise, he would never know what to do ... !
----------------------------------------------------
TWO
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Nero's level of paranoia increased as he felt as though he were being followed. He moved his shoulders upwards in order to try and pull the hood of the cloak over his head further. He chewed anxiously on his muzzle .. he needed somewhere to hide. Somewhere he could regain his power and not be noticed ... or found by ShinRA. His crimson eyes stared at the ground as he continued walking, but his thoughts ended instantly, the moment some young girl appeared in front of him, greeting him openly. He stopped moving, stared at her. His eyes were wide and he chewed uncomfortably on his muzzle. He listened to her talk ... and he slowly side-stepped around the girl, his crimson eyes staying focused on her. He still chewed on the muzzle, beginning to back away from the girl. She was strange ... was she an enemy? Was she tainted? Was she pure? Without Weiss, Nero had no idea what to do ... not to mention, he was socially inept as it was.
" ... I ... " he began, slowly nodding before he turned his back on her and stared, wide-eyed, at the ground. Who was she!? He attempted to walk faster, trying not to get caught on the straps on the back of his pants. So far, he hadn't failed. But he had shouldered a couple people to shove past them in his search for a temporary place to stay. He tried to zone out whatever she was saying - if anything - and refused to try and turn his head over his shoulder to see if she was following him. He was scared ... who was she? What was she trying to do? He kept thinking over the same questions - and almost as if by instinct, he ducked into a quiet alleyway, leading to a rather shady-looking door, and shouldering it open without revealing what was under his cloak.
Upon entering the run-down place, he came to the conclusion it was an unused bar. The way he continued to walk through the bar, it was as if he had been there before ... as if he lived there and he knew exactly where he was going. He continued forward, across the creaking wooden floor. Through an archway, Nero ascended a set of stairs, and once he made it to the second floor landing, he shouldered the door to a bedroom open, looking about the room with his bright, terrified eyes, Nero shook his head to attempt to bring the hood further. He stared at a blank wall for a moment, blinking a couple times before he turned around again, unsure of whether or not the girl had actually followed him. He hadn't any idea where they were - but she seemed to think he did, claiming to be 'lost' as well. Maybe she knew where Weiss was ... maybe she was supposed to point him in the right direction ... ! Maybe, she wasn't so scary, after all. ” … Yu … me… ?” He croaked, almost shyly, as if wondering if he had heard her name correctly – but also as if checking to make sure she had still followed him and was willing to answer his question – even if he didn’t say anything more.
--
" This place looks pretty empty ... " One of the WRO soldiers mumbled, walking around the inside of the Mako reactor. His heavy footsteps echoed alone, for a moment, before he was joined by another set. " Think Sephiroth could really do this? " He asked, hitting a couple buttons on one of the nearest pipes, in order to shut down any activity within the main center of it completely. How did everything turn on so ... simultaneously? It had to be some sort of other-worldly power. Nothing like this happened except ... well, when Sephiroth came back ... that was the only time anything in comparison had happened.
" Who knows. " his partner commented, taking a few steps further into the reactor. " As far as I know, some kid was just ******** around here " He muttered irritably.
" Guess we'll all find out sooner or later -- " The first mumbled, turning his head in the direction of what sounded like 'dewwy dewwy.' At the sight of a little white ... fluffy creature, the man blinked, staring at it for a moment. When he had come to the conclusion that it was what had created the noise, he shivered slightly and rose his gun to aim it at the little creature. " W-what are you?! What are you doing here?! " He asked loudly, looking to the man behind him. " T-tell Tseng we got something here! " He ordered, directing his attention back to the white ... thing.
He kept his gun trained while the other soldier retrieved his cell phone, dialing Tseng's number instantly, awaiting the calm and collected voice to answer on the other side. When his call was answered, the soldier began to rattle off what was happening. " And sir! There's a strange creature here ... definitely not from Gaia. Shall we exterminate it? " He asked, directing his gaze toward his partner and the little creature again. When issued the order to hold their position, the soldier hung up and awaited the arrival of the Turks.
In the helicopter, Tseng instructed Reno to land outside the Nibelheim reactor. When they had landed, Tseng instructed Reno to stay put ( who nodded in response ) before entering the reactor and spotting the two WRO soldiers. His eyes instantly directed over to the white, fluffy creature. It hadn't been too long since he had received the call - maybe two minutes or so. " ... This is the creature? "
One of the soldiers nodded, saluting Tseng instantly.
" ... Lower your weapon. " Tseng muttered, subtly rolling his eyes before looking at the white creature again. " ... You said it can speak? " He asked, walking beyond the two soldiers and toward the little fluffy thing, getting on one knee to get a better look at the rabbit-like creature. " Can you tell me who you are? " He asked, narrowing his eyes with nothing but determination behind his eyes.
--
While the reactors were being inspected, Rufus ShinRA, himself, had opted to take his leave, toward Junon. If they were to be prepared for Sephiroth's arrival again ... things would need to be started up. The canon would need to be charged, and areas would need surveillance. He had neglected to tell the Turks where he was going, but he didn't need permission any more - he was the President. If he wanted to take proper precautions without the Turks around, he could. All he needed was one of the technologically savvy people around. And Reeve Tuesti was but a phone call away. Therefore, Rufus was completely, and utterly, fine. He had a junior Turk fly him to Junon, landing on the outskirts so the young man would be able to return to Midgar without much of a hassle.
Hn. Sephiroth wouldn't expect them to be so ready so soon - they were going to be prepared this time around. Not even the great Nightmare would take them all by surprise.
As he arrived at Junon's outskirts, the President made sure to blend with the small crowds of people. Most people knew not to speak directly to him. Rufus was very careful about who he spoke to. Most of the time, he didn't speak to the commoners, merely the people who were important to him; people of power, people from 'out of town,' and people who could affect his ruling over Gaia. Yes, he liked to make good impressions, so he would flash a quick smile to those who seemed to watch him before he continued to walk on. If he had trusted the young Turk enough to allow him on to the Junon Heli-pad, he wouldn't have to walk through these civilians, but - Junon was his hometown. These buildings were familiar to him, he didn't mind walking through it to get where he needed.
Making sure to keep an average pace, the blond flipped his hair every so often, and attempted not to set any one off with any suspicious behavior. Though, as he walked, he heard a couple of people - perhaps two or three - inquiring about ShinRA to some random passerby's. Who didn't know where ShinRA was located? It almost disappointed him to know that someone needed to ask. No one seemed to respond to their inquiries, but Rufus didn't exactly stop to point them in the correct direction. So instead of completely ignoring the group, he slowly walked beyond them, watching them through his peripheral vision, as if attempting to figure out who they were ... perhaps another rebellion group. Hn. How annoying - but it didn't strike him as an immediate concern. Right now, he had the return of Sephiroth to worry over.
--
Sephiroth, whose eyes were focused amongst a large mansion-like home, landed in the decrepit city of Mideel. His wing was folded back, out of sight as he gently pushed the door open. Scanning the inner living area, Sephiroth's cat-like eyes picked up on every detail, every bit of dust, and every part of broken wood. Yes, no one would find him in such a miserable place. And that was all he needed. Unlike the temporarily content Sephiroth, Weiss the Immaculate, was tossing things into disarray in Gongaga. He wasn't sure WHAT he was supposed to do. Should he leave? Should he stay there, wait for something to happen? What if someone saw him? Would he be safe if he just went out and tried to figure out how to get everything back the way it was?
Weiss' mind swarmed with thoughts before he irritably kicked an old, antique table over onto its side, inevitably snapping two of the legs of it in the process. " Where do I go? " He muttered to himself, glowering at the dismantled table on the floor. He needed get somewhere. Maybe Costa de Sol. Maybe even Cosmo Canyon - anywhere. He needed to figure out how he was going to go about destroying the tainted with just himself. Tch. Sephiroth could do it - and what sort of person would he, Weiss, be if he couldn't match up to the "Nightmare" and his killing streak? Tch. Weiss could do it all himself. He just .. needed to make the time to do it.
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THREE
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Nero shuddered slightly when she responded, acknowledging the door was now occupied by the girl. Swallowing hard, Nero shouldered the cloak so the hood was no longer covering much of his face. When his crimson eyes were completely revealed, he watched her, blinking a couple times before nodding at her presence. Yes – she couldn’t have been bad … she was being nice. ” I … Nero. “ He blinked, croaking out his name. There, that was his introduction. And that was the best he was going to give, at least for his name. Rolling his shoulders a little, Nero got the cloak off entirely, waiting to see if the girl would run from his, what he considered, intimidating stature. His mechanic wings, with robotic hands atop them, extended before he chewed on his muzzle lightly, losing all sense of fear around the girl.
” Are you going to help me find my brother? “ He asked, looking at her almost expectantly.
If she chose to run from him, he wouldn't be going after her. He would stay put, pull the cloak on again, and try to find Weiss. Without him, Nero wouldn't be able to function correctly. At one point or another he would lose all control of his power and engulf the entire planet.
---
The two WRO soldiers stood back, watching as Tseng did his work – almost admiring his ability to approach this little creature without making sure it was indisposed … or not capable of harming them. Tseng, though, saw nothing impressive about his actions. In fact, he often frowned upon merely approaching a subject without first determining how dangerous it was. To his luck, he was able to find a creature that he could consider near-harmless without having to shoot at it, first.
” Dewwy … dewwy? “ Tseng asked, blinking his chocolate-colored eyes at the creature. ” You are in a mako reactor in Nibelhiem. A mako reactor that is supposed to be shut down and inoperable – how did you get in here? “ Tseng questioned, his lips forming a slight frown as his inability to determine an answer for himself. There was always the assumption that the little creature snuck in through the supposed-to-be-sealed door when the soldiers entered … but assumptions weren’t quite Tseng’s forte.
” Would you be willing to come back to ShinRA? “ He asked, his features still reading as stoic and unchanging.
.. What in ShinRA's name was a "Dewwy Dewwy?"
---
“ Rich man. ” Well, that certainly caught his attention. Rufus stopped in his steps, turning his head slightly to see the man referring to, presumably, himself as “ Stanz. ” Sushi? As in fish? As in ... food? Rufus’ brow quirked before he turned his entire body around to see who he was talking to. With his arms crossed inconspicuously over his chest, Rufus’ expression remained the same – almost interested in what this little creature had to say. ” As far as I am concerned, Gaia does not muddle in the works of ‘sushi.’ “ He responded first, before bringing a semi-gloved hand to his bangs in order to “flip” them out of his eyes.
Directing his gaze to a store almost directly in front of him, Rufus recognized it as bar – normally popular at night. Some place his Turks found to be amusing, or something. So, he made a gesture with his head towards a building behind him. Yes, a weapons shop with a broken, barely determinable sign above it. ” If I am not mistaken, there is an offering of a free meal – your choosing – for any party of three. “ He lied. Yes, he blatantly lied. If these people were of Gaia they would be wise enough to second guess the President, but they wouldn’t actually question him.
So maybe he was lying, maybe he was putting a creative plan into play – who knew? Rufus certainly wouldn’t tell.
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FOUR
-------------------
Nero stared for a moment, watching as the girl unveiled her own secret appearance. He merely watched, not saying much, a little interested in where she was from … but he didn’t quite understand what was going on with this girl. He took a slowly took a step toward her, blinking his crimson eyes as he seemed preoccupied by her ears. Reaching a mechanical hand out, he lightly poked one of her ears before returning his pseudo-hand to its original position. Listening to ask for a description of Weiss, he shivered slightly … what if he had changed his appearance?
” I .. I … His name is Weiss … his hair is white … and he’s older … but I don’t .. “ Behind his muzzle, he frowned, but didn’t show it very much. He didn’t like being away from Weiss. It made him feel … useless … and powerless. What was he supposed to do?!
Where were they supposed to look?! Where could he possibly be?!
But the remarks the girl made rose his optimism a little. She was going to help him find Weiss … And that was a good thing – right? ” I can get us somewhere … once I’ve regained a bit of energy. “ He nodded, chewing his muzzle, almost excitedly. All he needed was a bit of rest …
--
Tseng’s eyes watched over the little creature. He watched as the little thing ran up his arm. He slowly stood up, making sure the thing didn’t fall off. ” Well then, Dewwy. I’m certain we can find somewhere to keep you until everything here is under control. “ He nodded, having almost no problem speaking to an odd creature. By now, with things that had happened in the past, Tseng found no problem speaking to Dewwy and accepted her excuse. With the creature on her shoulder, she looked to the two WRO soldiers, nodding to them as if to instruct them to continue their search within the reactor.
” I hope you do not mind a short ride in a helicopter. “ Tseng muttered, nodding slightly before exiting the reactor, himself, and making his way to the helicopter. Outside the large machine, his red-headed subordinate stood, smoking a cigarette while leaning on the frame. Looking to the man, Tseng nodded once more. ” We’ll be going to the newly constructed ShinRA building. “ He nodded, looking to Reno.
The red head took his time to flick the cigarette butt out of his mouth and climb back into the pilot’s seat while his superior followed suit, also climbing up into the helicopter with the little creature still on his shoulder.
--
Well, clearly this little cretin was very protective over his food. Rufus’ brow rose again at his outburst. Interesting. So he understood the difference between a food shop and weapons store. ” Hn. “ He mused, watching as the second man approached the “Stanz” person. Raising a blond brow again, and placing a hand on his hip, Rufus flipped his bangs once more before looking at the secondary person. ” I suppose he is forgiven. “
Directing his blue eyes to the secondary, he began to question where this curious pair had come from. ” Now then, I presume his name is Stanz … and you would be … ? “ He inquired, refraining from tilting his head and flipping his hair once more. If he was correct, this was part of the group he had overheard questioning about the location of ShinRA.
It wasn’t very often for Rufus to stop and get to know some commoners. And he had things to tend to. ” Terribly sorry, this meeting must be made brief. I have some business to attend to. Threats to Gaia’s populous must be dealt with, you understand. “
--
Sephiroth hadn’t been expecting much. For his “first day back” he had intended to merely “regain” his power lost through the Lifesteam. However, while his thoughts seemed to distract him from reality while he stood in the doorway of the abandoned mansion, a little creature appeared in front of him. The sound of a … whatever sort of creature it was … instantly drew his distant eyes down to the black creature in front of him. Such big golden eyes … he was almost curious to investigate. Instead, he merely shook his head and directed his gaze forward again.
He attempted to do some calculating. How long would he need before he was certain he was powerful enough to return to his mission for JENOVA? And how long before ShinRA inevitably found him? So many questions, some without answers – some to be answered too late.
Gently, the ex-general nudged the little creature with his leather boot in order to try and get it out of the way. Gaia’s creatures certainly had changed while he was gone. He didn’t want some pest following him into the mansion – all he needed was himself. And some things … but no little creature like this would interrupt.
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Five
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Nero nodded a little, chewing his muzzle before sitting on the old, ragged bed against a rather decrepit looking wall. ” … I think an hour or so will do. “ He muttered, finally returning to a more composed manner, now that he was aware this person wasn’t out to kill him. Whenever he was threatened, Nero resorted to an almost-childlike state of mind. But once he was able to compose himself … he was able to make one, barely-passable, young-adult. To answer he next question, Nero had to direct his eyes to the ceiling, then back to the floor in thought.
The best he could give her for an age would be a guess … he wasn’t sure how long he had been “ dead “ for. And judging by the change of Midgar .. he wouldn’t even be able to tell what year it was without asking someone who seemed a little less loss than this Yume girl. So he shuddered slightly in thought, chewing his muzzle once more.
” … I … might be twenty-eight. “ He nodded slowly, trying to figure out how long he had been locked up in DeepGround and how long he had actually spent on the surface … how long it had been since he died … so many complicated questions he couldn’t answer. So, he merely gave her an estimation. If she was going to ask him about it, more he would merely state he was unsure. Closing his crimson eyes, Nero remained silent, as if attempting to re-absorb power he had lost during his minor inconvenience and original placement in the far mountains. His darkness had began getting out control there … but now he was calm, again.
--
Tseng, completely unaware of what was running through Dewwy Dewwy’s mind, proceeded to carry on his duties with the little creature still perched on his shoulder. At the smoking comment, Reno merely rolled his eyes with a quiet “tell me somethin’ I don’t know” comment shortly after.
While giving a quick summary, to Reno, about what to do with Dewwy Dewwy, the helicopter went directly to the recently recreated ShinRA building. It hadn’t taken more than thirty minutes before Tseng and Reno were both back at the ShinRA building, the heli-pad now occupied by the chopper. After placing a quick call to Rude and Elena – insisting they continued the work of their superiors in checking the reactors -, Tseng lead Reno and “carried” Dewwy Dewwy with him to the inside of the building. As if by instinct, the raven haired leader headed instantly for an empty room with only a table and few chairs within it.
Turning his head to look at Dewwy Dewwy, he subtly rose a brow and gestured slightly to the table. ” Dewwy, would you sit there? “ He inquired, making a motion to Reno with his hand to signify he should shut the door and take a seat.
With a loud yawn, Reno stretched his arms above his head and took a seat in one of the empty chairs next to the stable. Almost instantly, he leaned the chair backwards and propped his feet up on the table. ” Interrogation of a little rabbit. How the hell y’gonna file this one, chief? “ Reno laughed aloud, shaking his head while his boss merely ignored him, thinking of how he was going to interrogate “Dewwy” and get straight-enough answers from her.
--
Rufus’ attention was truly captured after Melanor had introduced himself. Once he had mentioned something about meeting in a less crowded area, Rufus crossed his arms over his chest and eyed the blond one. ” … Hn. Then you know about Sephiroth. “ He muttered, mostly to himself, before focusing his blue eyes on the blond man in front of him. ” Very well, come with me. “ He near-demanded while making a quick motion with his hand. After flipped his hair, Rufus walked quickly beyond the two and took only one turn before entering the bar he had recognized earlier. Narrowing his eyes at the bartender, the elder man nodding in response, Rufus turned his head over his shoulder to make sure the other group had been following him.
If this entire meeting turned out to be a waste of his time … someone was going to have to pay for it.
Descending a set of stairs almost-immediately adjacent to the entrance, Rufus walked. He knew full-well that the lower part of the bar would be empty – for it was mid-day and no one used the evening part of the bar unless it was evening. The moment he reached the lower level, Rufus pulled out his cell phone, dialing the number of a confidant he knew in Junon – the man he was going to meet before this little meeting seemed to pop up in his schedule. ” I’m going to be running a bit late – seems a lead of some sort has come up. Make sure everything is prepared by the time I get there, or you’ll be staring at a line in unemployment. “ With those few swift sentences, Rufus hung up his phone, looking to the people he had just instructed to follow him. Stanz, Melanor … and someone else.
Whomever he was, Rufus had no doubt he would find out sooner than not. ” Now then, what is it you want to talk about? “ His inquiry was quick, sharp, and fierce. Clearly, he was entirely focused on the matters at hand – Rufus didn’t play games when it came to keeping this – no, his planet safe.
--
If he hadn’t been expecting some kind of reaction from the creature, the sudden perching on his shoulder would have surprised him – but instead, all he did was turn his head to look at the bug-eyed mutant. The sentence that spewed from its mouth only got a slight quirk of his eyebrow in response. Taking the opposing gloved hand, Sephiroth grabbed the little thing and held it out in front of his face. He narrowed his cat-like eyes on it, as if expecting whatever the answers to the questions he was thinking would just roll right out of it. When nothing came, Sephiroth’s lips formed a slight frown.
” What do you want? “ Blunt. To the point. He always seemed to have such direct questions. Truth be told, he hated conversations about things that wouldn’t answer his questions. He hated avoiding the point. ” What are you? “ He inquired shortly after, eyeing the little thing a little more before he had decided on another question to ask. Whatever it was, it was rather ... ugly.
Watching the big, yellow-tinted eyes of the thing, Sephiroth awaited his answers. Only a couple of the many he had. But he could take his time with these questions – he was in rush. At least, not yet. ShinRA was probably preparing for an all-out defense against anything he could throw at them. Laying low would certainly take him off their radar, if they had even picked up on any of the strange things of the planet, particularly recently. He assumed they had, and therefore, was giving himself some time to fall off their radar as a suspect. Once their defenses were low … then that would be the time to strike.
But right now … he had a fluffy little creature to deal with.
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SIX
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Almost thirty … he didn’t feel that old. He felt … younger. Like a teenager. ” … My brother is over thirty … “ He muttered, looking to Yume the moment he opened his eyes again. ” He still acts the same … “ He mumbled, shaking his head. Nothing changed through age. Age was just a number, right? All that mattered was … what had Weiss said? All that mattered was … power … power and … something else. He couldn’t remember. He shuddered slightly at the idea he couldn’t recall that last part.
At her next question, Nero tilted his head to the right a little. ” I don’t sleep. I just need to stop using a lot of energy. “ He nodded, chewing the muzzle as the anxiousness sunk in again. He was going to search for Weiss with some girl’s help. Well – not just some girl, her name was Yume. And she had ears ... and bushy tail. His eyes focused on the tail, before he blinked a little to bring himself out of the semi-daze. ” … Can you fight? “ The thought finally struck him … searching for Weiss wasn’t going to be the same as taking a walk through the park. No, Gaia was infested with monsters and people who wanted strangers dead.
No one was safe on Gaia.
--
Tseng nodded toward Dewwy, slightly raising a brow at her. At least she was going to answer the questions. Crossing his arms, Tseng stared at her, contemplating what he was going to ask to get what he needed. Suddenly, with a harsh scraping of the chair against the floor, Reno spoke up. ” So, where are ya’ from? “ He questioned, tilting his head to the side and raising a red brow in question. He wasn’t trying to make conversation, just get the basics. Was the thing from Nibelheim or was it from some other town? ” Chief says your name is Dewwy – who named ya’? “ There he went, going off on a tangent of questions while Tseng narrowed his chocolate-colored eyes on Reno, who just continued to watch the little creature with no true interest at all.
” … Dewwy, this is Reno. “ He introduced after Reno’s questions, shaking his head at his subordinates inability to contain his boredom.
--
Rufus listened to Melanor, Stanz, and Durin. Folding his arms, his blue eyes scanned over them all. What sort of mockery of ShinRA was this? They expected him to believe what they spewed? Hn. As much as he didn’t want to believe what they were saying, something in him told him he had to. There was no way Sephiroth could have caused this much chaos amongst the reactors alone. The first time he returned, he had been crystallized in mako … the second time was because of the JENOVA cells. This time … there was extra power added to the planet as a whole? Rufus didn’t believe.
As for the IDs, he could care less. The only people with IDs who mattered were employees of ShinRA. Drawing out his phone, Rufus dialed another number. The moment the other man answered, Rufus closed his eyes inhaling slightly before calmly explaining to Reeve Tuesti he would not be arriving to the designated area on time. ” Reeve. You will be filling my spot in Junon’s Military Defense, for now. Have you any questions, contact me immediately. Anyone who objects to your placement is fired. “ Waiting for a two-word response, and the expected chuckle from the normally-jolly Reeve. Hanging up after the response, Rufus returned his attention to the Three Stooges again.
The descriptions of the three people brought to life stirred in Rufus’ mind. He knew the descriptions, as much as he could recall, anyway.
” And how am I supposed to rest assured that none of you have any vendetta against ShinRA? “ He narrowed his eyes. ” How can I be assured that everything wasn’t merely done by Sephiroth and you three are headed for ShinRA’s power? “ He paused, chuckling quietly to himself. No, no, they weren’t there to take ShinRA’s power. Otherwise, they would have avoided all conversation with the President, himself. ” You’ll have to pardon my behavior – the threat of Sephiroth arising again is … disconcerting. “ He smirked, flipping his bangs away, once more. ” You three aren’t from Gaia, at all, you say? Then where are you from and who are you looking for? What does she look like? Perhaps we can work something out. “
--
Sephiroth let go of the creature, watching it fall to the floor. He scowled slightly, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. He snorted quietly to himself, focusing his bright eyes on the black creature. Hearing its answer, he walked beyond the creature to explore the inside of the dismantled house. ” I don’t need a tag-along. “ He hissed irritably, finding his way to the kitchen-area of the home. He pulled open a few cabinets, slamming them shut almost instantly. He continued his actions for a few more moment before he found what he was looking for – coffee. Something he could drink that would “wake” him up. His mind was still … rather clouded from being in the LifeStream.
” What am I, you asked? I am the Nightmare. The legendary powerful being of Gaia. The chosen one of JENOVA to take the planet. That is all that I am. “ He mumbled, emptying a cup and beginning to make himself some of the coffee using the old-looking maker sitting on the table-top. Turning his back to the machine, he stared at the black creature. ” What on Gaia makes you believe I am entertaining, in the least? “ He shook his head, rubbing his temples in order to try and clear his mind..
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Yume's Journal of stuffs!!!
My journal is now officially my new collection of pictures. I used to print them out, but I no longer have access. So now I save them in my journal. One day, I will print them. One day, one day...
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SEVEN
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He watched her. His crimson eyes focused on her, watching as she stared at the wall. He chewed on the muzzle. She was strange … but not a bad person. She was just weird. At least she wasn’t trying to kill him … she was a good person. Not the kind of good person that wanted him and his brother dead … a generally good person. Someone who was going to be nice to him and had even offered to help him find Weiss. She was – what did they call people like her? – a friend? Yes – a friend.
Nero nodded slightly at the girl’s response. Well, if she couldn’t fight he would have to take care of her. He closed his eyes, devising a plot that would let him fight for himself, but also keep the girl safe. Maybe she could handle a gun … no, his guns were special. He could fight off some monsters. He wouldn’t use his “special powers” for some stupid monsters … most could sense his darkness and would keep away. But there was always that mass that would come after him for the mere reason he was wandering the lands. ” I can fend for the both of us. I’ve got good aim. “ He nodded, trying to be as assuring as he could be.
---
Reno’s questions were getting them nowhere. Tseng sent a warning glare to him before Reno could open his mouth and make another useless remark. ” Dewwy, do you know how you got here? Or how all the mako reactors are running? “ He questioned, looking at the creature and calling her name in order to gain her attention. The dark haired man, opened his mouth to ask a follow-up question, but he was cut off yet again.
” Wait, chief named you? Ha! Check it out, boss! You got yourself a pet! “
Tseng brought a palm to his face, frowning at Reno’s remark. ” Reno, just be quiet for a little while. “ He muttered quietly, not really taking the remark about naming the creature seriously. While he attempted to get his subordinate to be quiet, Reno merely laughed aloud, leaning back in his chair once again.
---
Rufus looked at Durin, raising a golden brow at the boy, he frowned slightly. ” I see. “ The only response he muttered to the loud claims he made. Perhaps he didn’t understand because he was of a “different” planet, but ShinRA had quite a few people against them. Recently crushing most of the rebellions, it could only be expected that some would stand as an alliance during a time of chaos.
Flipping his golden bangs, he sat down comfortably in a chair, watching Melanor; so many names for one girl. He leaned on his palm, taking in all the information they had offered. Well, that shouldn’t be too hard to find – assuming she stayed in one town and didn’t move around too much. Otherwise, it was going to be another search-and-capture mission. Without SOLDIERS, all that remained were the WRO and the Turks. The Turks had business they were doing … so the WRO was his best choice, for now.
” Assuming we can find this girl, will all return to how it was? The dead will be returned to their graves and the living will … remain so? Perhaps the once-dead beings will need to be destroyed once more? “ He asked, tapping his cheek with a finger. ” What is this ‘game’ you spoke of? Is our planet nothing but a board in which to play this game? Our people nothing but pawns? “ For a man insinuating he was insulted by being part of the ‘game,’ Rufus sounded rather calm and relaxed … like a professional business man of sorts.
---
Sephiroth’s cat-like gaze landed upon the creature again. He watched it, almost with a bored glaze on his eyes. He remained silent until his coffee had finished, and he poured the liquid into a cup. He inhaled the scent momentarily; he then drank the hot coffee slowly. Directing his bored gaze back to the creature, he frowned. ” I enjoy what I do, yes. I would enjoy it more if I didn’t have some little creature following me. “
With that remark, Sephiroth walked out of the old kitchen, making himself comfortable on the rather tattered couch. He decided not to watch the little cretin, whether or not it had followed him, before he stretched out on the couch. Yes, it was rather out of character for him, but Sephiroth couldn’t merely “come back to life” and go out. He needed to replenish all the energy he had lost from being ‘dead’ for so long. Power wasn’t simply given … it took time. " I'm not all that certain what you expect me to do. " He muttered, almost irritated that some creature was going to be following him around.
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EIGHT
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Nero watched her. When she asked to know about him, he was – to say the least – surprised. He had never actually explained anything about himself to anyone before. What was he going to say? What should he say? What would be best? What should be kept away from her? Well … guess he had to decide those things for himself. ” … My full title is Nero the Sable. “ He began , blinking and directing his gaze to the floor while he tried to figure out what to say. ” I was – no, I am a Tsviet and my brother leads us. I was born underground … and I was practically raised there, but because of my power, I was always restrained. “ He chewed his muzzle, hoping he hadn’t said too much before he looked to her. ” I have power of darkness, but my control is very little. I can’t seem to keep it concentrated enough to not destroy everything. “ He nodded slightly – that was enough, wasn’t it? If she had questions, she could ask.
That’s not to say he would answer her, though. He was content with how much he had told her. He was contented that he was able to tell someone about his past. His inability to control his violent power – and none of it seemed too bad, right? There were people with worse stories on Gaia – wasn’t there? He hadn’t even told her about his mother yet, and he still seemed like a pretty good person – didn’t he? He continued to second guess himself. Nero wasn’t sure right now – was what he said good enough that Weiss wouldn’t scold him for it later?
He watched the way she seemed to get herself comfortable on the floor. He almost envied the fact she could do that - but said nothing. He could hang from the ceiling, if he wanted to ... but that would just be - what Weiss called - "showing off."
---
Tseng listened to Dewwy – wait, why would she follow him? Because he found her? That didn’t make sense – but he didn’t quite have the time to press the matter. The teleportation answer didn’t quite give him what he was looking for, either. When she failed to answer his question about what was going on, she proved to be less than helpful. So, she didn’t know anything, at all? Then what was the point of continuing to talk to her? The moment she pounced on Reno, though, Tseng couldn’t help a small smirk before he covered his mouth. ” Are you alright, Reno? “ He asked, stopping himself from laughing at his subordinates misfortune.
With an irritated huff, Reno stayed on the floor, glaring at the ceiling. ” … just … fantastic, boss. “ He growled, muttering something about ‘stupid rabbit’ before he sat up on the floor. It took him a minute before he pulled up the chair again, sitting with his arms crossed and expression almost annoyed. ” Guess I deserved that one. “ He muttered, justifying himself for not smacking the little rabbit.
Tseng chuckled quietly into his fist, avoiding any eye contact before looking to Reno with a subtle sense of amusement. ” I told you, you shouldn’t be leaning in those chairs. “ Reno stuck out his tongue at his boss before Tseng regained himself and narrowed his eyes on Dewwy. ” So you haven’t any idea of what is happening here – on this planet – Gaia? “
---
Rufus remained silent while all three of the men threw in what they needed to say. He interlocked his fingers and leaned forward on the table in front of him, eyes on which ever was speaking, respectively. Interesting – this girl must have been what was the cause of all this dystopia. Rufus, though, continued to listen. So he wasn’t supposed to actually know this was a ‘game,’ and he wasn’t allowed to actually do much about it – Sephiroth would need to be re-defeated. One could only imagine what sort of hell that would bring. This was, perhaps, the fourth time he’d returned to the surface? Something told him that Sephiroth wouldn’t be going down very easy this time.
When the three had finally finished, he brought his hands to his chin, leaning his mouth on the pale extensions and eyeing all three men in the quiet. Well, what was he to do? Simply accept their explanations and form an alliance? He took a moment to think to himself, his blue eyes focused on the middle of the table. Yes, it seemed his best choice was to accept their help – but what could they do for him? All the stations were manned – what were their strengths?
” Tell me, if I accept your help, what is it you would all be doing? Searching out this girl, no doubt. Would you be requiring any particular services of mine or shall we just be ‘keeping in touch?’ “ Of course, there were other things he wanted to know, though he assumed everything else would be explained to him in due time. All he needed to do right now was establish ShinRA’s position and what he was expected to do – and vice versa.
---
Sephiroth stared as the creature jumped onto his chest. He frowned slightly as it suggested it would want to be pat. He frowned, lifting a gloved hand and patting it’s head once. ” I don’t need a pet. Particularly a little … rabbit that claims to be a dragon of sorts. “ He muttered, sipping down the rest of his coffee. Placing the empty cup on the floor, Sephiroth narrowed his eyes on the creature. What amusement could a man sitting and plotting serve? He shrugged it off, rolling his neck and grabbing the little thing’s collar again before standing up and placing it in the palm of his other hand.
” I shall warn you now, so you aren’t surprised – if you get in my way, at all, I will have no problem disposing of you. “ He warned, placing his free hand on his hip and keeping his eyes on the little thing. He recalled something, after a moment’s pause – the fluffy creature had said he wasn’t from this planet – and that caused Sephiroth to become more curious. ” What planet are you from, if you are not from Gaia? “ His interest suddenly piqued as he asked the question – if there was another planet so full of life … then JENOVA could have her way with one …
Oh, the very possibilities.
---
Weiss, who was becoming incredibly frustrated with the empty Gongaga shoved another table over in the empty house before kicking the front door open with rage in his eyes. Yes – he was irritated. Brought back to some place he couldn’t even get out of. How many times had been to the continent? Only a couple of times. It wasn’t as if he’d memorized the layout of the damn place – and even if he had, what use would it be? He had no means of transportation aside from walking. Damn it, whose bright idea was it to bring him back to Gongaga, anyway?
Slowly, Weiss began to calm himself, leaving the old house. He wandered around the open area for a minute or so before deciding he was going to try and find his way to Costa de Sol. From there, he could just find a way to cross the damn ocean without running across every continent to get there.
But which way was it? Great question.
His first instinct was to head south. So he started down the dirt path until he found the forest once again, opposing the fully visible landscape behind him that held all the homes. So focused within his own thought, Weiss missed the sudden surge of power the planet offered up in an area close to him. But he missed it – too involved in his own thoughts.
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NINE
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Racist? What did she mean by that? He shrugged it off though. His name symbolized his power – he instantly assumed she understood that, and felt no need to elaborate. His eyes focused on the ball, watching as she bounced it around. Nero was distracted by the ball as she spoke to him, but he did happen to catch what she said. He merely didn’t respond. He watched the ball, watched her keep bouncing it until the ball started to go out of control. He tried to keep up with it, but he lost sight of the bright ball at one point.
As the ball neared his head, the mechanical hand reached up and grabbed the ball. He blinked, directing his eyes to the now captured ball. Amusing himself for a moment, he tossed the ball to his other mechanical hand. He tossed the ball back and forth, almost amused. His distracted eyes followed the ball, finally deciding to catch it on the right one before he was finished playing around. Returning his eyes to Yume, he shrugged a little. ” My brother was always there … it wasn’t all bad. “ He explained, gently tossing the yellow ball back to her.
---
Tseng blinked, patting Dewwy lightly and looking toward Reno again. The man looked angry for a moment, but he brushed himself down and leaned back in his chair, hands above his head. Tseng’s attention was take from the red head to Dewwy once more. Catalyst? Now they were getting somewhere. He looked curiously at her. They needed answers … finally he was understanding – simple questions would mean simple, but informative, answers. Even Reno’s expression read a bit surprised at Dewwy’s answer. Nodding at his subordinate, Tseng was full composed and Reno took on a serious expression.
” Who is this Catalyst? “ He asked, watching Dewwy with his focused eyes, quirking a brow slightly.
” What do ya’ mean the world is adapting to her? “ Reno asked almost immediately after. He stared at the little creature, moving his chair so he was next to his boss and staring dead-on at the little rabbit-thing in front of him.
---
Inwardly, Rufus smirked. Very well – they were at his disposal. He nodded slightly, thinking over what he could offer to the three with him right now. He smirked, closing his eyes and standing up. ” Now then, I can offer you use of my army, the Turks, and as many weapons as you may require. In order for you three and I to be able to work in unison, you’ll be required to come with me to the base in this city. “ He said, nodding his head, directing his gaze toward Durin for a moment before looking at the other two, as well. ” I’m terribly sorry to inconvenience any of you in your search, but everything must go according to ShinRA rules, so none of you are marked as enemies. Should that happen, I wouldn’t be able to promise the safe return of any of you. “
He nodded once more, making a gesture with is hand for the three to follow him. ” I have no particular questions for you, at this time. However, I cannot speak for the others. I expect you will be as willing to explain to them as you are to me. I can take care of the basic explanation, but the specifics will be directed to you. “ He continued, walking back up the stairs of the bar and exiting the main building back onto the street. They weren’t too much further from the “base” in Junon, so he decided they would just walk. Being seen with the President instantly gained any individual immunity from society, particularly if they were seen with him in a casual fashion, and not that of an arrested fashion. " I assume the three of you have no problem taking a short walk, hm? "
---
Sephiroth watched the display of power, backing up slightly from the gashes and violence. He snickered, shaking his head. ” And here I thought I was mentally unstable from the return. “ He mused, accepting that … this little demon thing was giving off the immense amount of power he could feel. His lips formed a smirk as he looked at the “dragon” again. ” Perhaps I underestimated you. “ His green eyes directed back toward the mess in the house; he was quite impressed such a little creature could conjure up such power. His mind was stable – the first sign of a good restart.
” Tell me, what should I call you – name wise? “ He quirked a brow, crossing his arms over his chest and smirking ever so slightly. ” I assume you already know I am Sephiroth. “ He chuckled quietly. Perhaps having this little “tagalong” wouldn’t be nearly as bad as he had imagined, now that he was aware this thing held quite a bit of power for himself. A potential companion ... dragon of death. How very, very interesting.
---
Weiss was hardly paying attention when he heard a quiet “excuse me.” Manners? At a time like this? He didn’t see the occasion, but turned his head in interest at the first sign of human life. He rose his visible eyebrow while he looked at the source of the noise. Someone dressed as a SOLDIER? Hn. The guy was behind on the times. He turned around to face the man, crossing his arms and ceasing in all his steps. ” .. What? “ He asked, eyeing the man from afar.
He felt as if he should recognize the man, but nothing came to mind. No name … but the face seemed to ring a bell … but the name wouldn’t come to mind. So he merely stared at the man. Still trying to figure out a name. Instead of making a fool of himself, he snorted quietly and lifted his own chin to appear taller than he truly was. ” Who are you? “ He questioned almost immediately.