[THNMY, locked to jenova_nexus]

[irametdolorem]

((continued from hereThe thrum of the great engines, the smell of the mako - these things do not escape Sephiroth's notice. But they are, perhaps, of less importance now as he crosses the few remaining steps that separate him from the tube that holds Jenova

Comments

[jenova_nexus]

Jenova senses the change, the return to the dim and enclosed reactor, but she can do nothing.

She does ease up the pressure on Sephiroth's mind, but she still calls, pulls, siren-sings to her legacy. Closer, closer yet, Sephiroth....

Meanwhile, they're not alone - neither Cloud nor Terebas had bothered calling out, not when they'd seen what was happening, instead sprinting to close the distance. Cloud makes it first, naturally, Teré just making it through before the Nexus fades behind them.

[irametdolorem]

And closer he comes, indeed - freeing Masamune from its place on his back (and jostling a few jet-black feathers loose in the process) before using the hilt to smash the tube open.

And although he make no indication of it, Cloud's presence is noted and Jenova might note a wisp of concern for his sake threading into the anger.

[jenova_nexus]

And she CALLS -- but not to Sephiroth, though he likely hears it as well.

Cloud stiffens in shock, mako-brightened eyes widening as he pulls in a breath.

'Cloud?' Teré turns worried attention from Sephiroth to him, and tries to split it between them. 'What's she doing?'

Cloud has the heel of one hand pressed to his temple. '...So that's what it sounds like....' He shakes his head hard, like he's clearing water from his ears, and reaches for his sword. 'Sir?' He knows Sephiroth should be fine, but what should he be doing? And how does he make her stop that?

[irametdolorem]

"I'm fine," he answers without turning away from his attempt to shatter the glass of Jenova's tube. "But I doubt you should try coming closer." After all, it's only by sheer force of will that he's ignoring the siren-call that still pulls at his very being - a call that is, for a moment, amplified as she calls out to Cloud - and he doesn't want to find out to late that Cloud isn't quite so able to resist the call.

[jenova_nexus]

The glass is beginning to give out, cracks spiderwebbing; mako is starting to leak out.

She is pulling, hard, harder, sensing both danger and a chance; Cloud grimaces, rocking back on his heels, forcing his hand away from his sword. 'But sir....'

'You shouldn't be up there either!' Teré sounds exasperated. 'Why don't you let me do that? I can't even hear her.' She can feel - something - like a vibration in the air, outside of her range of hearing, but that's of no account, right? She starts forward, even, picking her way across cables.

[irametdolorem]

A slight frown as he guesses at what Jenova might be trying to do in regards to Cloud; the realization lending a new strength to the next blow of Masamune's hilt against the glass.

"I'm fine, Strife," he snaps, patience already worn thin by the constant assualt on his mind and the effort of resisting the call to the Reunion. "And ... I may be the only one who can do this," he answers Teré's comment.

[jenova_nexus]

And the glass gives; if Sephiroth isn't quick he's going to get glass and mako in his face - and against most of the rest of him. Jenova lists to the side as the fluid-level begins to drop, the tubes pulling with her.

Cloud shuts up. Teré doesn't, though her tone lowers, gentles to something near-normal. '...Go ahead, then,' she says, pressing a hand to Cloud's shoulder to gently pull him back a couple of paces.

She doesn't believe Sephiroth, but she guesses she knows what this is about.

[irametdolorem]

Luckily, Sephiroth had been expecting the glass to give soon and steps nimbly out of the way of the glass and mako. His boots probably still get a fair amount of mako on them as the mako flows out of the tube.

And as soon as he figures it's safe to step back in front of the tube, he'll set about getting rid of those tubes as well - he's not about to do this here, after all. It's far too likely that some stray piece will end up washing into the mako below and he wants to be sure she's dead for good.

[jenova_nexus]

She sags, then, as the pressure fractures more of the tube and it gives way with a rush of mako. She looks helpless, even.

Cloud looks like he's fiercely concentrating on something - not hearing her, likely - while Teré watches them both with a concerned expression.

[irametdolorem]

Helplessness, or the appearance thereof, is not going to be of any help to Jenova here. Especially not after threatening one of the people he considers 'his'.

As soon as his sure there's nothing else holding her in the tube, he returns Masamune to place across his back (dislodging a few more stray feathers in the process) before lifting Jenova out of the tube, without appearing to be too bothered by how much she may weigh.

[jenova_nexus]

What, threatening? She just wants all of herself back - everything that was stolen. And to go on with what she was born to do.

Cloud's looking a little pale, but steady enough, and Teré tightens her grip on him for a moment. Neither is surprised by his strength, exactly, though the demonstration of it is probably unusual enough for a moment of just watching. 'Let's get out,' she says to Cloud especially, wanting him to move back, and then looks back to the door. 'Wait ... can that be opened from in here?'

[irametdolorem]

And by doing so she was indirectly threatened not only Cloud and Zack but the rest of the SOLDIERs, and he simply would not allow her to keep doing so.

"Doubtful," Sephiroth answers, slowly heading down towards the door himself - being careful not to slip in the puddle of mako left on the floor by the destruction of the tube. "At least not by normal means. However, there should be another way." A pause as he turns his attention to Cloud. "Do you think you could manage it for us?"