011 Sister [video]

[no_hometown]

[The Vine opens on a setting that is uncharacteristic of the Gardens. It appears to be a dimly lit laboratory. The walls are pale gray, with dark screens that flicker with green, displaying data that may or may not be meaningless. There is a low humming, from the lights or machinery. In the background, there is another sound--faint, but sharper

Comments

[notvitiligo]

Wait, what?! Are you okay? What happened?

[Awkwardness and pain are trumped by worry and screaming person in the background.]

[no_hometown]

I'm unharmed.

Someone appeared here, who--I don't know her, but she knows me, and our connection is undeniable. However, she is unwell. I'm looking after her for the time being.

[notvitiligo]

Well... yeah, but... are you okay? Like, um, emotionally? um, unless you don't want to talk about it...

So, um, the screaming is...

[no_hometown]

[She pauses.] I admit, it is upsetting, and strange. I'm not sure what to think.

She is screaming now because she wants me to release her. [Sephiroth doesn't like to keep someone prisoner like this, and on some level, it disturbs her to keep Kadaj contained, although she doesn't know why.] I feel that would be unwise at this juncture.

[notvitiligo]

What was the Queen thinking?! ...assuming she has any control over who shows up here. Assuming she does think. Nevermind.

Did she attack you or something?

[no_hometown]

As you say, even if the Queen does have control, I doubt she has the sense to exercise it wisely.

She attacked me. I didn't wish to harm her, so I put her to sleep and brought her here. Fortunately, the containment unit seems strong enough to hold her.

[notvitiligo]

Didn't know you could do that.

What's the, um, connection?

[no_hometown]

I have Materia capable of rendering someone unconscious. I haven't had much occasion to use it thus far.

[Sephiroth pauses again.] She looks very like me. Not identical, but extremely similar. She claims we have the same mother.

[notvitiligo]

...I thought she died in childbirth. And you were the only, um, person of your type?

[no_hometown]

Both of those things are true, to my knowledge, in my time.

I am trying to understand. Either the worlds we are from are similar, yet different, or...

Perhaps someone used genetic material from my mother to create her? [Sephiroth probably could not think up a hypothesis as odd as the truth.]

[notvitiligo]

I guess there could be egg storage... It would be kind of weird to just have one subject like that, but I figured it was just because they couldn't use more than one mother.

Or maybe she didn't die. Maybe they were trying to keep you from meeting her or something? I mean, if there was some kind of sealed records thing...

[no_hometown]

Those things are both possible. [The possibilities are many, and none are reassuring.] Perhaps there was something unique about my mother that made her an ideal subject. I know nothing about her. But then, there is much I do not know. I do not have access to all my own information.

If Kadaj were calmer, I would try to discuss it with her, but it has been difficult to carry on a coherent conversation with her. [What with all the murderous threats.]

[notvitiligo]

Yeah, I know the feeling. Granted, not nearly as bad as you, but... [sigh]

Kadaj is her name, right? Well... she's gotta calm down eventually, right? At least once she gets the idea she can't bust out.

[no_hometown]

We do have that in common.

I am guessing she will calm down, in time, but she is very determined. I don't like to keep her confined, but I don't want her to injure anyone. However, I'm not sure if she's going to be forthcoming. She seems resentful of me.

[notvitiligo]

Maybe someone else could interrogate her or something. You could even have them wear a wire and feed them questions if you wanted.

If it makes you feel better... given the choice between what you're using and the Labyrinth, I'm pretty sure your confinement is a more appealing option.

[no_hometown]

I'm not sure how well that would work, or who I would ask to do that. I thought someone with experience dealing with unstable people might have a better idea of what to say to her.

I don't doubt that she would be aware that I was listening, in any case. [In spite of her childish tantrums, Sephiroth has the idea that Kadaj is quite intelligent and would not appreciate such deceit.]

That was my thought. I didn't want her to be punished for injuring someone. Especially as the Labyrinth would likely enrage her further.