(Untitled)
characters: Sephiroth, Kunsel, and Cloud.
location: City Square. ... By the hole.
time: Midday.
rating: G, prolly.
open/closed: Closed, unless Gino or Junior wanna jump in.
( Jade was a lazy fag this time and did not make it long at all. )
location: City Square. ... By the hole.
time: Midday.
rating: G, prolly.
open/closed: Closed, unless Gino or Junior wanna jump in.
( Jade was a lazy fag this time and did not make it long at all. )
Plan 1: Desert Shinra, possibly looking into joining a terrorist cell. Bring the company to its knees, sit back in satisfaction, pat self on back and be comforted in at least being able to face Zack once also dead.
What actually happened: Got two steps out of the Shinra building, wound up here, phone out of service, no idea what's going on. Picked up a mako-junkie SOLDIER impersonator. Found self surrounded by crazies. And Don Corneo. (Which, really. One and the same.)
Plan 2: Avoid the shit out of the square since guy who thinks he's Sephiroth is there, and if that wasn't Not Good enough it could also entirely be an ambush. And Kunsel admittedly isn't the sharpest tool in the shed but even Zack wouldn't be that foolish, right? Right?
What actually happened: Helped Cloud Tuna down down a random direction of the street they were on and lo and behold they were suddenly standing at the entrance to the city square. Good job, self. Good job. Now let's try to get ourselves killed for the next twenty four hours or so and maybe we'll live.
...wait a minute, Kunsel sees that rather unmistakable silhoue--
No way. ]
...well, Tuna. Either we're both dead, Sephiroth's not, or I got us stuck in one fucked up training simulation.
Which, the last two kind of lead back to the first one. Yeah, just stick with me. I can teach you to regret having been born in forty minutes or less.
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His lips move a fraction at the mention of the General's name, and his throat suddenly feels drier than ever.
'Sephiroth.'
'Dead.'
He's trying to remember but all he can hear is the steady hum of the Mako tanks.]
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SOLDIER Uniforms, definitely. A Second and a First, even if it looks like the Second is doing most of the work. He leaves his post to abruptly come upon the two and loop Cloud's free arm over his own neck around the wide pauldron and support him with his own weight, taking it off of Kunsel with a nod to the man. He guides the fallen boy to where the other inhabitants of Solace are taking refuge, even during the calm times, and turns his vision back. ]
Since you are capable and surely willing, I'll be putting you to good use. Junior and Gino are still on their posts, but you look uninjured, therefore ... Secure the Southern perimeter of the City Square. I'll be putting you in charge of that area while I complete a mission. I assume you've heard of the captured inhabitants?
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What?
Kunsel resist just a little as Cloud Tuna is taken from him but once he figures Seph's probably not going to be hurting the poor thing and is actually trying to help he lets Seph do his thing and steps back. Being addressed surprises him a great deal, though. It's entirely in-character for Sephiroth to be taking charge of a situation like this and issuing orders to people like Kunsel, and under any normal circumstances he'd march first and ask questions later since there appear to be civilian lives at stake, but.
Sephiroth is acting like Kunsel ought to know things and Kunsel's just. What? If Sephiroth was reported KIA, what's he doing on a mission? Is it an undercover mission? There are just too many questions, and Kunsel's done blindly following Shinra. ]
Sir? [ ...he's done, but he's not suicidal. Not quite yet. So. ] I, uh. Just got here. What's going on?
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Something beyond the fire. A phantom pain piercing his chest, but he doesn't know why it hurts.]
You...
[Posts. Inhabitants. Mission.]
Sephiroth.
[The sound comes out weak, but why does he feel hoarse, like he's screamed the name before? Perhaps in his dreams. But there had been so many, and he can no longer distinguish between memory and nightmare.
With whatever strength he can muster, he pushes the other man away, stumbling back gracelessly into a nearby wall.
Maybe... maybe he's still sleeping.]
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Ah. So you're Kunsel. [ There's a hum of recognition to himself as he sizes the man up. Funny, he had thought he was a Third. Why was that? Likely the memory of him seeing his file of being promoted into SOLDIER and not followed his progress thereafter. He makes another sound and folds his arms, turning to glance back at the citizens. ]
You've seen the airships, I think. This is a city by the name of Solace that brings us here, for whatever reason. I've yet to retrieve Masamune. In any case, it seems pirates attacked and raided the city, and when fought back, they retreated and sent in mechanical dogs, of which captured inhabitants that displayed a proficiency with magic. They're being held on one of the airships. A rescue team is underway.
So if I'm finished with debriefing you, I'd like you to--...
[ A pause, and he hears Cloud speak. Soft and low, until he's nudged away. He takes a step back from the man before he goes forward again, gloved fingers resting softly along his eyebrow for a moment. Assured he isn't going to move for a moment, he opens his eye just a little. Only a quick examination before he pulls back and looks pensively at Kunsel, as if he had an answer; ]
Mako Poisoning?
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Just as they're finishing up, however, he finds their attention drawn to Cloud and at Sephiroth's words, Kunsel nods grimly with a quiet sigh. ]
I think so. My father's a researcher with Shinra, so I've seen the signs now and again. There's no real treatment for this sort of thing, at least not this far from Headquarters.
...how're you holding up, Tuna? [ He casts Sephiroth an apologetic look as he moves over to rest his hand on Cloud's shoulder, wishing a bit that there was more he could do. ]
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Can't remember... won't remember...
Steel and flames...
That man...
Can't...
Momentary panic overtakes him, and his breaths become quick and shallow, lack of oxygen only aggravating his present state. Obscure forms shift around him, stretching and shaping themselves along the pavement and walls.
His vision is blurred, but he glances back up to the General with smoldering eyes...
And then loses consciousness.]
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[ He sighs, nodding to that look with a sympathetic one of his own. He watches intensely, and as it seems the boy nearly goes into cardiac arrest, Sephiroth approaches again. He's about ready to lay him down and aid his breathing when Cloud's entire visage shifts over.
Malice and hatred. He's stung, deep down in there somewhere, a SOLDIER he never met hating him so for a reason he has no knowledge of.
And then he passes out, and Sephiroth's quick reflexes catch him as his body slumps over. He tilts to lean him back against a form, double checking his breathing before looking questioningly at Kunsel. ]
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I don't know what happened to him. I found him like twenty yards that way, barely able to crawl. If you hadn't guessed or anything, 'Tuna's not really his name, but when I asked him he didn't answer. He might not even remember.
...anyway. [ Sighs, shaking his head grimly. Tuna's safer here with Sephiroth as anywhere else, he figures. (Oh the irony. It's thick and rich and would likely taste great on pancakes.) ]
You had orders for me, sir? [ Crisis first, figuring this shit out later. ]
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[ He listens, and almost smirks to himself, quiet ... almost sharp amusement. ] I believe he's an acquaintance of Zack's. If you're that curious, I'm sure you can ask.
[ ( ... Fuck, now I want pancakes. SUZAAAAKU. ) Cloud would have to wait. The many outweighed the one. ]
Yes. Guard the Southern Border and the Inhabitants seeking refuge. Contact Weinberg and Junior if you need further aid. Thank you, Kunsel.
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And for some reason, Sephiroth's casual quip about Zack doesn't quite process. He hears all the words, registers them even, but. He doesn't really fully understand, doesn't even let himself. All he really retains from that sentence is Zack's name, and then all he can hear is that Zack... Zack's gone. Cloud's voice, that broken whisper.
Zack's gone.
So he brushes right along, focusing instead on what he can deal with right now. On what's comfortable, on what he's done practically his whole life.
Orders. He can do orders.
So he pats Cloud on the shoulder and murmurs for him to hang in there, then straightens. Facing Sephiroth, he gives the well-renowned 1st a salute and a grim smile. ]
On my way, sir.
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