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It was hard to discern whether it was night or day in the dark, foul smelling city Nanaki learned was called Midgar. He looked upwards trying to catch a glimpse of sky, but only glass and steel filled his sepia optic regardless of where he looked. He followed his companions’ footfalls silently, halting occasionally at loud noises echoing from somewhere in the distance, or as small strays dashed across their path. He was thanking the old spirits that the city streets were so quiet, the last thing he wanted was attention, innocent or otherwise.
The feline wondered for a moment how on Gaia he had gotten here, and battled a powerful Fiend no less all in one day. What would you think of me Mother? He wondered with a slow smile, imagining her watching him from afar. Indeed, sometimes Musca felt as though she really was there, just behind him or at the corner of his vision and although he often told himself not to hold on to childish notions, it gave him great comfort to believe. He lifted his head up as the road opened up, revealing discarded pieces of machinery alongside humble buildings, some bearing harsh neon lit signs. For a moment he kept still as his eyesight reacted to this change in lighting, before following the guard’s lead towards the entrance. A crowd of curious on-lookers made approving comments about Nanaki being a ‘cool pet’, much to his annoyance although he fought not to show it.
As he crossed the threshold he took in the inviting surroundings of the bar, and felt relieved to be here as it exuded a sense of safety against the previous hard backdrop. He realised that he would be treated with caution and interest by any of the patrons and the owners of the bar itself, but he was willing to act the part if it afforded him peace. Nanaki padded over to the right-side of the room and settled himself next to a wooden stool lying down slowly, he curled his tail around his body in turn. He allowed the bright fruit machines to distract him for a few seconds as he waited for his companion to join him and breathed a deep sigh to himself.
The security guard almost doggedly dragged himself in the door, at that moment he grabbed the attention of mostly everyone in the bar. A man, apparantly one of the other patrons rushed over to him and helped him down on a barstool. " Ok Jackass just what have you done now?". The man looked awefully odd. Dressed in the way of the east, he was definatly not from around Midgar way. He was middle aged, and looked like one of the people from what was the place called....-Wutai.
" Helped my little furry friend here get out of the Shinra labs....'pparantly they were gonna cross breed him with something...I dunno...".
The man shook his head and then looked at the hole in his shoulder. " Idiot....don't go risking your life for some furb-". The mans eyes met yours and immedietly you saw something close to recognition in those eyes. " Interesting...". The guard looked up at the man from Wutai. " What?....". The wutain man bent down next to you and held out his hand. " They call me Vert, and this lug head is Nash". He whispered however to you. " Havn't seen one of your kind since I was in Cosmo Canyon all those years ago, just how did Shinra get you in the first place?". The guard, Nash, yelled out.
Nanaki pushed his ears back and growled in resignation as his companion broke the noisy chatter of the bar for a few seconds, internally shrugging as he thought, It’s going to be hard for us both to hide ourselves, it seems. He lay his head on one side of his outstretched forelegs so that he could rest whilst keeping his eye on the guard, he felt like he wanted to show his gratitude to the man for everything he had done so far to help him. He swivelled an ear forwards as he watched an older man in unusual attire help him onto a barstool and speak to him, the feline decided that the two must know each other as they began talking. His vision hovered on the man’s peculiar clothing again as he recognised them as being of Wutaian origin, from one of his Grandfather’s lessons.
He lifted his head at the mention of Shinra’s plan to breed him with something. The man must have been hanging around longer than I thought… I must have been asleep longer than I first realised… he mused, as the words of the scientist drifted into his mind, causing his skin to crawl as if it were infested by a swarm. If you weren’t such an endangered species I would recommend a complete dissection. He shook his head noisily, the charms he wore clang together as he fought off the words and images of the wicked face who they belonged to.
Nanaki became aware that he was being observed, and saw what could be described as recognition in the older male’s eyes despite the feline having no recollection himself. He stared curiously back, his ochre eye flicked between the speaker and the guard who asked him what he found interesting. He flexed his digits as the Wutaian man knelt beside him, and offered his hand in what the youngster thought was a peculiar human custom. The man introduced himself as Vert, and his companion as Nash. The feline sat up slowly and touched his paw to the man’s palm, “I am Nanaki, pleased to make your acquaintances.”
The young warrior tilted his head to one side as Vert whispered to him, a wide smile gracing his features at the mention of his homeland. A dark flame rose in his chest when he heard that the Wutaian hadn’t seen many of his kin in the wide world, something Nanaki was hoping to find. He shifted on the spot as he prepared his thoughts in answer to Vert’s question, having only a limited memory of his capture he looked into the man’s eyes and began, “To tell you the honest truth I have been struggling to remember myself. I don’t even know how long I was unconscious for, so I dread to think what was done to me in that time.” He looked downwards as he licked his lips and said quietly, ”I can remember some things. I was patrolling the Canyon as usual, it had been a quiet day so I decided to climb one of the high cliffs so I could overlook my surroundings when I heard this strange noise. It can only describe it as being the sound of many angry beasts shrieking, but it was coming from the sky and when I finally did see it, whatever it was looked like a huge metallic insect with rotating blades that kept it aloft. For a while I was unsure of what to do, I just watched from my position as it circled, getting lower to the ground with each cycle. I am not certain of the next step of events, but I must have either confronted them and been knocked unconscious or I was discovered as the next thing I knew I was in this city.”
The girl brought a whisky bottle over to the table and laid it down, rilling her eyes at your companion. It seemed for the most part that no one was that bothered around your presence, there had been a few looks at first but up till now nobody had asked any questions. Seemed that this was the kind of bar where the patrons kept mostly to themselves. As your saviour began to get himself lathered with high alcohol content spirits, the middle aged Wutaian man vert pulled up a seat near you.
" Nice to meet you Nanaki....I must admit...it is strange that Shinra would be patroling around Cosmo Canyon, however I suppose that after the Wutaian war they thought they could expand further into the world....."
He scratched his chin and then wrestled the bottle out of his comrades hands, pouring himself a small drink. Then drinking the shot. Wincing slightly as it passed down his throat. " Hmm....never get used to the drinks of this country.....burns the throat.....". He shook his head then returned his attention to you. " Well I assure you that you will be safe here...at least for awhile....Shinra have eyes and ears everywhere in Midgar....but in the slums its easy to hide.....as they say...the best place to hide the meat, is right under the dogs nose....". He nodded once more to himself.
" I and my....excentric friend here came here two years ago after the end of the Wutai war....I was exiled from Wutai along with the remainder of my unit...those who wished to continue the fight against the Shinra....along my travels I joined forces with Nash here......and together we travelled to Midgar to aid in the silent destruction of this evil company......however...it has not been easy.....I have been working in the shadows providing information to certain anti shinra groups...whilst Nash....he joined the Shinra as a freelance contracter....making my inflitrations easier....". Nash seemed to have gotten hold of the bottle again and was now drinking it straight from the bottle.
" Progress has been slow....and this war against Galbadia has...not made things any easier....at the moment the greater threat is the Galbadians and their sorceress.....".
Nanaki tensed at the barmaid’s prescence, but noted that she was more concerned about the humans, particularly the Wutaian, Vert. He glanced at the other patrons slowly, surprised and relieved that they were so accepting of him. Perhaps this city isn’t so bad after all, he thought as he swung his tail gently behind him. He watched as Nash enjoyed his whiskey, and plucked up the courage himself to order something. “Excuse me miss! I would be most grateful if you could bring me a bowl of water, please?”
Suddenly his features narrowed as he felt a sharp pinch along his right foreleg. He tried in vain to see what it was, but could not arch his neck low enough. It felt as though something sharp had marked his skin, but the ache was dull enough to suggest that whatever it was had occurred some time ago. Maybe it has something to do with the labs? He trembled slightly at the thought but thankfully Vert addressed him and acted as a distraction to the soreness. The feline listened with interest as the elder, a respectful term in his culture spoke of the Shinra’s activities, even mentioning the shadowy Wutaian wars against the company. The youngster was struck by the fact that he was talking to a former soldier who had fought to protect the homeland he was so proud of. The youngster smiled, I think we shall be good friends from now on Vert and I. “The more I learn about the Shinra, the less I want to know. I was once told a long time ago that the Shinra were trying to benefit the people, but judging what I have seen I am growing wary,” he spoke quietly as he did not wish to invite suspion upon himself and his allies.
Nanaki chuckled softly as he watched Vert’s antics, looking on curiously as he threw the glass back in one gulp and grimace a few seconds after. The feline gave an apologetic look at the man’s comments about the drink’s unsatisfactory quality and staved off a weary yawn as he listened to the elder’s accented voice. He felt like his worries had lightened now that he could regard this humble pub as a safe haven, even if just for a little while. At the mention of Shinra having “eyes and ears everywhere” however, he broke eye contact with Vert and searched the bar with a roving eye before turning back to the Wutaian who was nodding to himself. The warrior exhaled deeply, uncomfortably aware that he was still fearful and needed to relax. He re-arranged himself so that he lay on his stomach with his hind legs tucked underneath and his front half stretched out. He immediately felt better for it and concentrated on his breathing as well as Vert’s words for he was continuing his speech.
The warrior twitched an ear as he heard Vert speak of his days as a soldier in the war, and his meeting with Nash in this very city. Nanaki drew closer as he realised the old soldier spoke of sensitive subjects, so they are working to resist the Shinra, and to help out these very people, these oppressed people he mused with admiration. His vision trailed off to study the faces of the other patrons, he hadn’t realised before how their appearances clearly showed the hardships they faced and endured day-in, day-out. He felt a cool sadness, and a yearning within himself to do anything to help. He pondered over asking his companions if they would allow him to join their cause, but frowned as he thought about the impracticalities of a secret organisation hiring a flame-red feline for help. So that is why Nash’s uniform was different… and the reason why he released me from the labs is also clear now, he thought over Vert’s words as he watched his rescuer reclaim his prized alchohol and drink it recklessly.
Nanaki’s attention was seized at the mention of ‘Galbadia’ and its ‘Sorceress’. He listened keenly as the elder spoke of a war, and how their progress was being hampered because of it. Incredible! So there is a war on against this Galbadia. This event, however horrific for the civilians caught up in it could also provide us with valuable cover to slip around as we please, he mused as he swung his tail all the while. The teenager fixed his attentions on Vert as he said, “Everything you have said so far has been of great interest to me. I would love to learn more about you and your homeland, and perhaps if it is not too inappropriate of me to ask of you, the Wutai war.” He glanced quickly over his shoulder and dropped his voice to a low grumble, “I have been thinking just now, and I know I may not be the best candidate with my fierce exterior, but I would like to help you and Nash. I am willing to help out in even the most menial of tasks if it helps some of these wretched ones.” He crossed one slender fore-leg over the other as he spoke in his usual voice, “Now please, I would love to hear about Galbadia, and this Sorceress that you speak of. Both are unfamiliar to me and I have a belief that to know one’s enemy is always a benefit to oneself.”
( ooc: Sorry this took so long before you got your reply. I’ll be taking over this Topic from Malice, I hope you don’t mind. )
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As Nanaki asked for a bowl of water, the barmaid turned her head towards him with a puzzled look on her face. It made sense that the feline wouldn’t want a glass or anything, but it was just the first order she ever received for a ‘bowl of water’. Never the less, she gave him a smile and then nodded.
“Certainly, coming right up.”
She called politely. Meanwhile, during the time that the barmaid disappeared to find a bowl, Vert took a few large gulps of his drink until his face lit up as Nanaki offered his help. Anyone could see that he was pleasantly surprised by the idea, and very glad that Nanaki would aid himself and Nash.
”Of course! Your aid would be invaluable… We need all the help we can get…”
Vert began, before going silent all of a sudden. This was due to the barmaid’s re-approach. He obviously didn’t want anyone else hearing about their plans, though likely that she would be against Shin-Ra herself, it wouldn’t be worth the risk. She placed down the bowl three-quarters full of water just in front of Nanaki with a friendly smile before heading back to behind the bar. After taking a quick glance over his shoulder, Vert then continued in a whisper;
“To be honest… I don’t know the details of war between Galbadia and Midgar… Disputes started over some stolen science experiment or something… But since the Galbadians came to Midgar… things just worse… And the Sorceress … She’s a magic using evil witch… And a powerful one at that…”
Nanaki smiled warmly as the barmaid acknowledged him and went to fetch him some water. He cleared his aching throat experimentally, reminding himself that it was worth asking Nash how long he had been working in the labs. Hopefully, I could find out how long I’ve been out… everything is such a haze, he thought anxiously as he shook his great head to dispel these thoughts.
Nanaki’s attention turned to Vert who was enjoying his drink, until the youngster saw his face was suddenly lit up. He grinned as the man began speaking, and realised that it wasn’t such an impractical suggestion really. The feline’s ears folded back against his head as the elder fell silent. A look of uncertainty graced his features as he scanned the man’s face, he looked distant but then he pushed the thoughts aside when he considered that Vert had only stopped speaking because the barmaid had arrived. He returned the woman’s smile with one of his own as a bowl was placed before him. The feline dipped his head respectfully, his deep voice a murmur as he said, “Thank-you, Miss.”
He half-sat up as he reached his thick neck down toward the bowl so that he could lap at the water for a few minutes. When he was finished he licked his lips lightly and turned to Vert who had begun speaking in a whisper. He pricked up his ears as the Wutaian told him of a “stolen science experiment” and the power of the Sorceress. As the man finished, Nanaki sat quietly not knowing what to say.
The warrior felt the icy throbbing on his foreleg again, and looked at himself in the bowl of water before standing up and turning his body so that he could see himself properly. His eye caught sight of something new - a black mark, similar and yet different from his own brands, making up the symbol of XIII. He stared blankly at it, before lying down heavily and gazing at his paws. “It has come to my attention, that I have been given a mark that was previously not there… and now that you speak of science experiments and wars, I wonder if I was to be used, or perhaps my offspring…” he trailed off, tentatively as he curled his leonine tail around him in a comforting way. He paused for a while as he mulled things over before changing the subject, “We are in this together, so to speak. What is it that I can to do to help you?”
After finishing his brief explanation of the Midgar/Galbadia War, Vert returned to his drink, finishing the last few mouthfuls in large gulps. He then placed the empty bottle down on the table beside him without even looking, his attention was on Nanaki. He could tell that there was something wrong with him, and it soon came to light that it was the markings on his leg – Vert had noticed it earlier but assumed that it was one that Nanaki knew of, one of his own. Obviously not.
”Hm… Strange…”
Vert thought out loud as he observed the markings. He came to the conclusion that the symbol ‘XIII’ was the Roman Numeral for ‘13’, but even so, what did that mean? Nanaki couldn’t have been the thirteenth of his kind that Hojo or Shin-Ra had got their hands on, not only was his race rare, but the people of Cosmo Canyon would have known something about it if that were the case. So, what could he be the thirteenth test subject for?
“…and now that you speak of science experiments and wars, I wonder if I was to be used, or perhaps my offspring…”
Vert was suddenly pulled back into the room from his own world of thought with that statement;
”Perhaps… I can’t think what for...”
He replied, his comments on the matter being rather useless, to be honest. Vert was tempted to ask for another drink, but thought it best not to have too much to drink; after all, he had a mission to accomplish the next night, one that wouldn’t be great accompanied by a nasty hangover. And, also one that he planned to share with Nanaki…
”Tomorrow night… I’m planning on a mission to assist another anti-Shin-Ra group… They have an ambitious plan to blow up a Mako Reactor… But they’re missing one key thing… And that’s where we come in… We’re to steal one of Shin’Ra’s own bombs for them … Nothing better than the irony of their own technology to blow the Reactor to smithereens…”
Vert then paused to await Nanaki’s response. He wanted to see his new friend’s reaction to the plan before continuing on with the details…
Thoughts and ideas tumbled over each other in the young warrior’s mind, as a distant expression graced his feline features. He searched for the meaning behind the crude black symbol of ‘XIII’, the mark begging his memories and lessons spent with Bugenhagen to be identified by the anxious creature. His thoughts slowly trailed off as he felt Vert looking at him, and Nanaki lifted his head to stare politely at the elder. This matter can wait for another time, he asserted. He wondered for a moment if the Wutaian solider was thinking the same things, when Vert spoke suddenly. The ruby feline twitched his tail as he allowed the man to observe the markings, eager to hear his view on the subject.
The chill that had awoken on his foreleg had transformed itself into a dull throb, neither painful or pleasant. Either way, I want to stay away from the Shinra… especially the Science Department. Besides, I have other things to occupy myself with, he thought as his golden-brown eye took in the sights of the small pub before settling on Vert’s as he finished his reply.
Nanaki rose gracefully onto all fours so that he could drink from his bowl again. He relished how the water quenched his previously dry throat and settled his stomach. As a creature of Gaia, he was fortunate enough to have an appetite that could sustain hunger for at least three days, something that had served him well whilst he lived in the valley. He looked up from his bowl as Vert addressed him, as clear drops of water rolled down his chin and re-joined the water bowl.
Nanaki listened inquisitively as he tilted his head on one side, running the man’s plans through his mind all the while. The feline's jaw lowered slightly in alarm as he caught mention of an ambitious plan to blow up a Mako Reactor, despite his deep feelings of mistrust and outrage towards them. He put all thoughts of sympathy aside as Vert continued. This was an important mission, indeed. He cleared his throat as he searched for words to the Wutaian’s reply, twitching a tufted ear as he spoke in a cautious tone, “I see… I am sure I do not need to tell you this, but your plan is a risky one, fraught with danger and challengers. I do not agree with the Shinra’s goals and wish to be rid of them for what they have done to this planet, and to myself. I believe this is the way to tell them that we are not going to roll onto our backs for them and watch idly by as they ruin this beautiful world… I am with you,”
The youngster felt a slow smile creep across his features as he watched Vert with interest. He swished his fiery tail to and fro behind him as he analysed the details of Vert’s speech again, in an attempt to realise what he was inviting himself into.
-[OOC: Before I begin this post allow me to apologise profusely for the needlessly late post. I myself have only just found out that Kain seems to have vanished and will be taking over as your admin for the time being. Sorry for the extreme wait. I'm also going to apologise for the lacking post, it's not easy taking over from someone else.]- +200 EXP [For the inconvenience] -[Admin Post]- Vert smiled as you allowed yourself to become a part of the plan to teach Shin-Ra a lesson, he held a shot of whiskey in the air for a second as if toasting your acceptance and then downed it. Questions began to arise as to who exactly this other group was, but whoever they were, they were anti Shin-Ra, based on that the alliance would be an easy one to keep.
A somewhat loud snort from nearby briefly grabbed your attention, Vert shook his head as he cast a half a glance over to Nash, two empty Whiskey bottles sat on the table while a third, half drained of its contents was still clutched in his hand. He had clearly drunk himself into unconsciousness. Vert got to his feet and managed to hoist his incapacitated compatriot onto one of his shoulders, he cast you a look and then nodded toward the door.
"I'll get him to the inn, I'll be back in just a sec." He left carrying Nash with him.
"Not the first time that's happened." A man, dressed in a rather expensive looking set of clothes said, a thigh-length formal coat, formal trousers, formal shoes, neatly tied back hair, an eye-patch. There was something about him that was to be disliked, however, he merely sat at the table in silence, his feet resting on the top, while playing with a butterfly knife. Moments passed in an almost tense silence as the man refused to say any more, the door to the bar opened and Vert entered once more.
"Brad?" The man, now identified as Brad looked up and gave Vert a nod, uneasily he took a seat opposite the well-dressed man and simply said.
"Why so early?"
"It's what I'm paid for Vert. I need to remind you that STRIFE aren't anti-Shin-Ra, you should know, since you're an unofficial agent for us. We're helping you based on that, and the fact that you're willing to pay use more than those tight pocketed bastards at Shin-Ra Inc." The atmosphere became tense, but Vert managed to shrug and ask.
"How's Naz?" Brad laughed and almost at once the previous conversation was forgotten.
"Naturally, he's upset that one of his bombs aren't being used. But as we stated about five times before he went and made the bomb anyway, we need to keep exact details of people involved secret, since he marks all of his work it'd be like inviting Shin-Ra to accuse us of the 'terrorist attack'" Came the reply, Brad cast a half a glance down at you through his left eye (his good eye) and pointed at you for a second.
"I didn't think pets were allowed in here." Vert fell silent and looked at you briefly himself, as though waiting for you to say something to catch this man off guard, in fact the sides of his lips twitched in a barely noticeable smirk. besides you had been overlooked by this well-dressed man since he had walked into the bar, and by now, mission details were sure to be arising.
The ruby feline’s momentary rush of uncertainty lessened as he met Vert’s smiling face, observing the way the man celebrated his agreement with a gesture. Other thoughts tugged at his steadily sobering mind, such as who the others were and how he would be treated by the other members. Nanaki’s eye met the wooden floor as he pondered about being unfairly treated because of the way he looked… he was either treated or called a pet, a monster or an animal by most. Only recently he had received the honour of tacking ‘specimen’ to the list of names, he thought with a slow shaking of his head.
Nanaki’s ears twitched and swivelled forwards as a snorting noise broke his meditations. His vision followed Vert’s to settle upon Nash, whose silences could now be attributed to the vast quantities of alcohol he had consumed. The feline watched as the Wutaian helped his friend out of the door, and returned his nod when he caught Vert’s eye. He decided to shift his weight onto his other leg whilst he waited when a voice caught him off guard.
Turning his thick neck slowly so that he could lock his good eye on the speaker, he was taken aback to find it belonging to such a curiously dressed man. For a few moments, Nanaki just met his stare in silence, whilst he mentally examined the speaker’s words. It would seem as though this stranger has seen much of Nash’s antics, he observed. He let his yellow-brown eye scan the man, the way he was sprawled all over the chair and tables as though he didn’t care what any one thought, the foreign dagger he held in both hands, and then as his eye slowly trailed to the man’s face he noticed that his eye wasn’t deceiving him as he first thought; the stranger was wearing an eye patch. His vision trailed away slowly as he tried to digest new feelings caused by the stranger filled his mind, uncertainty and mistrust.
As Vert re-appeared alone, Nanaki exhaled deeply, strangely unaware that he had been so tense. He was thankful to have Vert to keep his eye on. There is just something about that man I can’t trust, he thought with a sigh. He listened as the men interacted, his eye narrowing as the warrior learnt the stranger’s name. Brad. The feline kept to himself as he listened and watched with interest as Vert seemed uncomfortable next to Brad, who seemed to have a knack for influencing the general mood, causing the youngster’s hackles to rise grudgingly.
When ‘Naz’ was suddenly brought in to the conversation to bridge the silence, Nanaki started at Brad’s laughter, a sheepish look crossing his features as he glanced quickly at Vert and then around himself. You’re no son of Musca or guardian of of your homeland reacting like this, he scolded himself as he frowned. He turned his attention to the conversation of Naz, a bomb maker, and by the sounds of it, a perfectionist. The feline froze as Brad glanced at him, his claws extending as he was pointed at and ridiculed.
How dare he! He growled to himself, whilst one part kept his emotions down. This is no way to act. And besides, you’ll most likely be working with Brad so try to keep the peace, a much older part of his mind replied. Nanaki’s eye flicked quickly to catch Vert’s muted expression before staring solidly at his antagonist, an annoying smirk twisting his face. So, is this how it is going to be then? He thought, working to order his thoughts before he risked speaking. At best, he would forgive Brad his ignorance and tolerate him. When he spoke, his low, calming voice had an evenness to it as he said simply, “Shall we continue?”
-Word Count: 657- -Bonus: 200 -Total: 3760-
(OOC: Thank-you for coming, its greatly appreciated! =))
-[Admin Post]- Brad was in the middle of performing a complex trick with the butterfly knife he was holding, as you spoke he lost his focus and failed to catch the part of the hilt he had been spinning around, they clipped together hitting his fingers and he dropped it, he simply stared in disbelief for a long while before finally managing to stammer.
"It.. Speaks." He said slowly, still somehow managing to stammer over each word as he spoke, Vert seemed amused by Brads reaction, however he had something more to say.
"He speaks" Vert corrected, Brad shook his head and picked up his knife, spinning it in one final complex movement before placing it inside that expensive looking coat he had on.
"My apologies." He sounded sincere "You said Nash helped him escape from Shin-Ra?" Vert merely nodded.
"The 'Good Doctor'?" Once more Vert nodded, and this time Brad smirked, he reached into his coat and took a cigarette case from an inside pocket. He offered one to Vert, whom declined. Once he was finished with the task of lighting his cigarette he took a drag and then began speaking once more.
"Well, then. Seems I'm not the only one with a 'dislike' for the Good Doctor." Brad stated, taking a drag on his cigarette and then seemed to change his mind about something and then cleared his throat loudly. He sat up on his chair and moved in close to the middle of the table, speaking in an undertone, you would have to edge closer to hear him clearly.
"As we know Codenamed: Ruin has had a difficult time getting his hands on that bomb, he spent three days hanging around their supply houses stationed out-of-sight, relatively close to the ruins of what used to be a warehouse of theirs. A fantastic spot isn't it? Who'd think to look there? Regardless, he managed to obtain the bomb, take care of the task force guarding the store house and get out. All without being seen. A lot of work has been put into this mission, so we're keeping with the trend here and have a large amount of it planned out." He stopped to take another drag on his cigarette, exhaling loudly he took a look around the small bar in silence for a while and then after he was sure he felt it was safe to continue he gave a small nod.
"As you may or may not know the interior of every reactor is near enough identical, so we had little-to-no trouble finding the core. This is how the plan is going to begin, Naz is going to set off a series of explosions at another reactor, drawing the stationed guards to that reactor. Codenamed: Ruin will have already infiltrated the reactor ahead of us and will have taken out the foot soldiers before you guys get there. I'll be there alongside him. However, I'll be dealing with the elite soldiers they have stationed there. If worst comes to worst they'll be dealt with as they are coming for you as opposed to beforehand. Vert and Nash will be escorting the bomb via train to the platform nearest our target." He took another long drag on his cigarette, cast a half a glance to you and then fell silent once more, however, Vert interjected.
"Nanaki" Vert helped, obviously wanting the somewhat uncomfortable briefing to be over. Brad nodded and looked at you once again.
"A pleasure." He said half heartedly giving what looked like some kind of salute before carrying on with his briefing.
"We were originally going to have Ignotus take care of the guards on the platform, but he insisted that his talents would be better used in the observation mission we have contracted right now. Obviously The Director listened to him and now we have no-one to do that, I would normally have replaced Ignotus with you Nanaki, but I have a feeling that The Director would kick me in the nuts for putting someone whom is not affiliated with us at such a crucial point." He flicked what was left of his cigarette onto the ground and crushed it underfoot before he carried on handing out the details.
"And I'm not going to have the time to explain the change to Nash, so Vert you'll be taking Ignotus' place on the platform, dispose of any guards that come your way, before the train gets to its crucial point. Once that is complete Vert you'll have to contact Naz, he's the only one on the team whom is actually able to handle a bomb of that power properly. Heh, leaps and bounds for Shin-Ra, a bomb with size of a brick with enough power to bring down the Shin-Ra Corp HQ. While Naz gets the bomb fitted with his special casing you three will be on the lookout, any guards come, take care of them, Naz has to finish that job or that bomb will be next to useless for us."
"You weren't kidding when you said a lot of effort went into this plan were you? No wonder you're hailed as one of the best of STRIFE. Detailed down to a fine point Brad." Brad smiled lightly at Verts comment but shook his head.
"Nah, compared to Ignotus and Codenamed: Ruin I'm nothing." Vert looked somewhat unimpressed with Brads modesty as the one-eyed man continued on wards.
"From there it should be smooth sailing provided that both myself and Codenamed: Ruin have done our part. All we'll have to wait for after getting the bomb in its case is for Naz to get it set up and then get the timer set before we run from there and depart in the same train that we used to transport the bomb here. Now listen carefully Nanaki, we hijacked a Shin-Ra cargo train for this, they're the only trains able to get into the reactor stations, while you're on there let Nash deal with any radio conversations with Shin-Ra themselves. Just be aware, Vert may still be fighting off guards as your train stops. If that is the case leave the train slowly to ambush anyone Vert has yet to take out." He got to his feet and exhaled sharply, dusting off his coat as he did so, he gave a small nod to both yourself and Vert, turned and left. Vert sighed and rubbed his eyes.
"So much planning, what happened to just running in face first and taking down anyone that got in your way? I swear, sometimes I can't stand that man. He talks too much, but then again he is a fantastic strategist, I gotta wonder what it is that he planned that went so wrong it caused the loss of an eye, Perhaps we'll never know." He yawned, getting back to his feet.
"Perhaps for the time being sleep may be the best option." he gestured toward the door.
Nanaki watched in disbelief at Brad’s reaction, as he silently fought off a triumphant smile. He held the man’s incredulous stare for a long moment before paying careful consideration to the floor when he feared his pride might be getting in his way. Regardless, his ears twitched when he clearly heard Brad’s stammering reply, something he had not thought the confident stranger to be capable of. The feline smiled to himself as Vert took his corner, and flashing him a look of thanks, he turned to meet the other two human’s eye-levels. He watched Brad’s movements with the knife curiously, flicking his attention away when the knife was tucked in to the fine jacket. Again the creature was taken off guard momentarily as Brad apologised for his error, and yet still treated him as though he wasn’t there.
A sharp pain in his chest made him shiver, as if in response to Brad’s questioning about Shinra. He couldn’t help snorting as the well-dressed man referred to his captor as the ‘Good Doctor’. Humph, really? He shook inwardly as he further observed the man’s reactions to this ‘juicy’ bit of information. The warrior closed his good eye and surrendered to the darkness behind his lids in an effort to calm himself, allowing the sounds of the little bar to manifest themselves in his mind’s eye. His delicate nose wrinkled distastefully at the harsh and overpowering scent of tobacco, his eye snapping open at Brad’s next words…
He couldn’t be… could he? He pondered as he carefully scanned the man’s face, trying to read his expression. He thought about perhaps asking if he had been marked, but decided against that particular plan at this early time in their… ‘relationship’. Who knows, perhaps we will be on good terms one day, his mind ached at the possibility. The ruby feline saw the man’s expression adjust, as though he were going to say something but changing his mind. Nanaki watched as the man sat up properly and lean-in closer on the table top, his voice dropping conspiratorially. Begrudgingly, the feline re-arranged himself closer, in a way that he was close enough to hear but kept a distance from Brad. He didn’t want to brush against Brad, and he was sure the feeling was mutual. He listened with interest, his slender flaming tail swishing gently side-to-side out of habit as the words flowed. There were things that Brad mentioned that were blanks in Nanaki’s mind, details that he hoped would be filled in. He found himself watching the male’s cautious behaviour, and felt his ears prick up further as he spoke again, wanting and trying to catch everything that was said.
The feline’s expression was distant as he caught Brad’s half glance, so caught up in his thoughts about the plan, and his new-found ally-or-rival that he had forgotten to introduce himself. He dropped his gaze quickly as Vert beat him to the post. “Sorry,” Nanaki mumbled quietly, raising a brow at Brad’s voice and salute, even if it lacked enthusiasm. Very surprising. The well-dressed man’s next words caused Nanaki to cock his head to one side, a curious look dressing his countenance whilst he tried to absorb all this information in a sponge-like fashion. The Director, by such an enigmatic and commanding title alone, piqued his interest. He watched on in silence as Vert praised Brad’s careful and very thorough plans, using this undisturbed moment to fix everything he’d heard into position in his mind. He concentrated on Brad’s speech as he continued, his focus becoming clearer as he heard his name.
Nanaki nodded slowly as the human outlined his part in the mission, and then watched with a raised brow as he promptly left with a nod to both of his listeners. He breathed a deep sigh as he evaluated that role; he was to have to have minimal partition, which made complete sense since he was an outsider to the group. He smiled as he met Vert’s face, and chuckled at his words. The feline was relieved to find that his dislike was not alone, but he also would not doubt that the human could plan. His tail slowed its pace as the Wutaian spoke of Brad’s missing eye, and despite wanting to say something in agreement he settled for following Vert’s lead. He stood slowly, shaking his thick ruby fur as he did so, a wide yawn escaping his jaws as he caught his friend doing the same. Nanaki nodded at Vert’s suggestion, and then took a sudden interest in his paws as he said in a low voice, “Thank-you, good friend, for taking care of things with Brad. The way I reacted was childish I know, and I should know better than to let him get the better of me.” He glanced upwards at Vert’s face to read his expression before continuing, “He certainly has a strong way about him.”
Finally, he positioned himself at Vert’s side as he said, “Yes, let’s retire.”
-[Admin Post]- The trip to the inn was short, that was followed by what was a short trip up a set of stairs and through a door which led into a small room with a single sofa sat in the center, Vert pointed to an open door in the left corner of the room.
"I dunno how you sleep, so I just left the door to that room open for you." He said, yawning to himself. He bade you farewell for the time being and then left through the door opposite the one he had pointed out to you, there was another door opposite the one you had entered this room through, that was more than likely going to be where Nash was.
"Nanaki." You could hear the faint whispers of your name, there was no-one else in this room with you. The disembodied voice whispered your name once again.
"Nanaki." The second time was noticeably more audible than the first, yet still relatively difficult to hear. For a long while there was nothing and then you heard it again, for the third time, the breeze whispered your name.
"Nanaki." There was a rush of wind, and window shattered and then, as if he had been stood there the entire time you would notice a man stood before you. A long ankle-length coat covered most of his body, and on his feet he wore a pair of boots, their length impossible to determine, looking up you would notice the collar of the coat ended just below his jawline, it was zipped right up to the collar, preventing you from telling anything further about his attire. Looking further up shock would strike. Brad?
No, this was not the man you had just been listening to, he. Felt different, it was almost as if he was everyone at once, multiple sounds began to echo throughout the room, you could literally feel the personalities of people you had already met, and the personalities of those you did not know, or had not even seen at all. It was other-worldly, what was this man?
"No fooling you is there?" At that moment Brads face seemed to just "melt" away, revealing in its place a white, featureless mask. It covered almost half of the mans head, leaving long hair flowing out of the back, the eye-holes were pitch black, leaving you no clue as to what his eyes were like. He took a step forward, those black holes in the mask glaring straight through you.
"What is it that she saw in you?" His voice was a whisper, matching the tone you had heard when your name had been whispered. His words would mean nothing, who was this "she" that he had mentioned? Questions began to form, but you would not get the chance to ask them as suddenly the scenery around you melted away and you once again found yourself back in the lab that Nash had helped you escape from and now stood before you.
"Was she deluded? Or did she actually think that you would be worth something?" The voice of the scientist that had previously captured you rang out in the empty lab. It was uncanny, you knew very well that this was not the man that had held you captive in that lab, but the man with that mask on, yet he both looked and sounded identical to the scientist, further questions began to arise, and then. Nash was stood before you.
"Her word is always worth heed. Perhaps I should keep an eye on you." Again the imitation was perfect, however, that soon ended as the man took his "true" form once again, those eyeless, black holes in the mask simply glaring at you as he raised his right hand into the air as an open palm. At once the lab shook alarmingly, the walls broke away loudly and the floor lurched forward sickeningly. You were still stood on the ground. Yet there were dark clouds swirling around the floor you were stood on, lightning flashed, its presence backed by the distant roar of thunder only seconds later. Rain lashed mercilessly against your form, soaking your fur in seconds. The ground lurched once more, if you were to look over the edge now all you would be able to see beneath the large chunk of floor you were still stood on would be more black clouds. This floor was suspended in the air, held in place by a furious wind, hovering in the air, high out of your reach was the man as he simply stared silently at you, his coat perfectly still despite the furious wind.
He slowly raised his right hand as an open palm once more, a bolt of lightning flashed as on the very ground on which you were stood a dark red light flared into existence, however, it was not just a random light, it would take a moment to click that the light on the floor was shaped as a "IV". Opposite you the air distorted with the outline of an invisible creature. Another flash of lightning and stood before you was a bestial creature, stood as you were, larger than you in size by perhaps twice your width and height, vaguely lion-esque in appearance it stood with two heads, four sets of flaming red eyes glaring at you.
"I shall pass judgment!" The twin heads of the creature roared in unison. It seemed that there was no way out of this, you would have to fight it!
-[Mini-Boss Encounter: Unknown Creature]-
(Image Borrowed from Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne) Info: A creature that seems to be like you in various ways, it has the ability to speak, though seems to do so sparingly. For some reason it fights heavily with magical based attacks, resorting to its fangs and claws when magic would otherwise be useless. -[850 Words to defeat]-
The ruby feline padded wearily at Vert’s side as he kept his sight straight ahead, barely taking in any of his surroundings until they reached a set of stairs, twisting his head to follow the direction that the Elder pointed to. He inclined his head in thanks to Vert’s comments, and then made a deep rumbling sound in his chest, almost like a purr as he wished his friend goodnight in his own way. Slowly, he took in his surroundings, they were bare and simple, and scanned the door to the left of the room that was to be his for the night. He twitched his head from side-to-side noticing that there were two other doors that made up the rest of this minute room.
He started for his room when something broke his movements. Something so soft that he wasn’t sure if he had heard it at all. Did someone just call my name? The feline could clearly sense he was alone. Perhaps a figment of my tired mind? He questioned with a shake of his large head. He waited for a few moments, his ears straining to pick up the voice again.
“Nanaki.” His good eye widened as he clearly heard the soft voice calling his name. It was . . . strange, sounding like the very winds themselves given voice. He could still debate on if it was real or imagined, as it still came to his ears as if from a distance. He shuddered involuntarily, his gaze flashing around the still empty, ordinary-looking room. A few minutes passed, and a faint hope that the incident was nothing more than mind over matter peaked into his chest before it fell downwards and terror its place.
There it is again! he nearly shouted internally. His jaw clamped down in reaction to the muscles of his neck and legs tightening, a heaviness settling into them as though he were immobilized. Before he could test his theory, a blast of wind ploughed into and shattered the only window in the room, causing a low whine to rise and fall in the uncertain warrior’s throat. Abruptly, his good eye settled on the figure of a male, the details of his figure and attire filtering quickly to his dazed mind as they acclimatised to the unnatural light. The feline warrior noticed that everything the stranger wore concealed his skin, from the unfathomably long boots he wore, or the flowing coat that touched his jaw line. As his gaze settled on the man’s features, his jaw audibly dropped.
“Brad…?” he asked, tentatively. This doesn’t feel . . . this person’s essence is not the same as Brad’s, he mused as he shook his head furiously. No. Suddenly, his senses were overwhelmed by layers of sound, discernable voices and unintelligible discussions. A rumble shook his chest as he moved a fore-leg to cover an ear defensively, shivering as an uncomfortable sensation brushed him; of something invisible touching his body. The warrior registered the very presence of others, some who were familiar whilst others that he did not know, all mingled together and seeming to fill the tiny room. His head spun wildly for a second as he felt a wave of claustrophobia hit him, his eye quickly searching for the one behind this madness. His question was cut off at the exact moment he locked an eye on the phantom, and it spoke -
“No fooling you is there?” Nanaki raised a brow at this surprising comment before his hackles raised, a cry divided in his throat as he watched the fake-Brad’s face ‘melt’ like the wax of a candle to reveal an ivory mask, devoid of any distinguishing features. Nanaki’s claws extended sharply, whilst he scanned the creature’s new face, his head turned on one side as he met what he thought might be the being’s eyes. He stared for a while longer, instinctively shrinking back as the sorcerer took a step forward, the midnight eyes seeming to sear through him painfully.
The stranger’s next words caught the youngster off guard momentarily before he felt the thick muscles on his neck and legs tighten once more, his flaming tail slicing the air in his confusion. He fought to keep his expression tight and under control as a flow of questions bombarded his mind, each one trickling away as shock took their place. Nanaki stood motionless as his surroundings morphed into the Shinra labs, his recent prison. Why am I here? His thoughts sounded helpless, frightening him with how weak he felt against this creature. His eye widened in horror once more as the voice of his previous captor rung in the air, he tried to quickly cover both ears with his fore-legs, his muzzle hitting the floor as he did so but the words still came, cutting through his defences easily. No! He allowed his legs to drop so that he half-lay on the floor, his head turned towards the shape-shifter who both sounded and looked like the scientist he had met today, although he knew this couldn’t be the truth. He was further confounded when Nash appeared in the place the scientist had stood in mere seconds before.
Nanaki twisted his head to one side as his comrade’s voice spoke to him, he twitched as the words sparked off terrible possibilities. I’m to be watched? Tested? His tangled thoughts ceased abruptly as the creature shifted to its earlier form, the feline watching cautiously as the being extended an open palm causing the scene to dissolve dramatically. He looked about him wildly, a gasp rattling with a hollow sound in his open jaws as he saw the walls crumbling and felt the ground beneath him give disturbingly. He raised to all fours swiftly, pacing and wobbling as the floor lurched forwards, he still stood although his claws dug into the hard floor regardless. Nanaki flinched as a strange sequence began; first clouds began to appear, followed by startling flashes of white light and deep rumbles of thunder and thick rain. The warrior shook his thick fur, surprised by how quickly he had been drenched to the skin, the fierce wind only doubling his discomfort as it blew his mane into his snarling face and whipped up the flame at the tip of his tail. He craned his neck upwards until his gaze locked on the shape-shifter’s figure. He is in a good position to be able to strike me down, he observed grimly, trying to re-arrange his form into a half-crouch.
The ruby lion was intrigued, although not surprised to see that his strange adversary was not affected by the winds in the same way as he was. He growled as the man raised his hand, he began to mentally prepare himself for another assault when a bolt of lightening hit the ground nearby and burst into existence. The warrior bared his fangs as a hard snarl escaped his jaws, he took a few steps back warily and in doing so noticed a strange symbol on the floor before his attention snapped on something materialising opposite him. Nanaki watched on as another volley of white light cut the air, revealing a strange two-headed creature in its wake. He breathed in deeply, adrenaline coursing through his system as he strengthened his posture and met the four sets of hellish eyes with his own, single eye. As the creature’s bellowing voice rumbled through the bizarre, nightmarish landscape he sighed to himself, seeing no other course of action.
Nanaki exhaled a deep breath then, and closed his eye momentarily as he drew his form upwards, his eye only snapping open as he took a firm step forward. His expressionless face and poised body betrayed none of the uncertainty or scrutiny towards his enemy or self that brewed under his fierce exterior as he trotted forwards, stopping to allow a distance so he could weigh up his options for offence or defence. The creature remained where it was, its extensive and deadly tail twitching as the eyes kept pace with apparent glee. It was enjoying watching its victim struggle, like this was a game it had played before. Nanaki had deduced that attacking it head-on was useless as the twin heads protected it, whilst also ruling its flanks out of the question as the creature’s tail would be able to lash against him. Its sides then, he thought, narrowing his eye as the creature broke the distance and lunged toward him before feigning back. Challenging him. In return, he had dodged backwards with a quick step and then resumed the dance. However, he saw how both of the creature’s heads bowed, a thin needle of ice pierced his right shoulder and disappeared moments after.
Nanaki’s lips curled back to reveal sharp fangs in reaction to the magical attack, a thin trickle of crimson surged from the wound and flickered on the ground as he swiftly moved to the side, avoiding the creature as it landed in the place he had been before. Effortlessly, it twisted gracefully on the spot to face the warrior standing with ease as though goading the youngster to attack it. Nanaki shifted to its side, leaping out of the reach of its tail as one of the heads bowed again. With a jolt, he shot at the lion-beast’s shoulder, ripping into the unguarded side with ferocity as he seized possibly the only opportunity he stood. He felt the head nearest to him snarl in pain and grind its teeth, before Nanaki shrieked in surprise as a burst of invisible energy knocked him upwards and sent him earth-bound. An Air Spell.
Reflexively, he landed on all fours and bounded into an empty space in the next movement, the sound of the creature’s rumbling laughter as its spread out its limbs then, preparing for another attack. A twin snarl ripped the air as it drew itself up significantly, both heads set against the sea-green wisp of its mane as it summoned up another assault. In mid-stride Nanaki searched for the wound he had inflicted on the other’s shoulder, and satisfied that it was bleeding he grunted and dived side-ways against its shoulder.
In that moment, a synchronicity occurred; Nanaki’s jaws clamped down on muscle and flesh, to such a degree that the creature’s concentration disintegrated and its spell faded, and a head curved sinuously searching for the source of its irritation, its own jaws securing a ruby hind-leg. The youngster let go first, his blood-stained teeth snapping the air before he was flung across the hard ground. He bounced once, a groan escaping his lips as his ruby form slid across the ground before halting in a panting heap. He could hear his challenger’s paws dragging at the ground in front of it as it waited out its turn, and Nanaki found himself wondering how much control the creature really possessed momentarily. He attempted to pick himself up with dignity, his bleeding limbs wounded, but otherwise proficient.
Nanaki resumed his battle position, an angry continuous snarl in his throat that climbed into a brutal war-cry. The adrenaline in his body steadily picked up heat, almost feeling like curling tongues of a slow-burning fire through his insides, a bloodlust taking over. He trembled against this heat, aware that the larger creature’s heads were drawn together, casting a spell. He trusted this new energy, realising what it was a heartbeat afterwards. “Sled Fang.” he murmured in a soft voice, suddenly breaking into a run, his wounds a dim ache as the fire pulsed his joints and urged him on. The gap was closing quickly as Nanaki drew closer with each rhythm of his run, shooting towards the creature’s torso. The being’s heads snapped together as it watched its opponent dismissively. The bemusement in its eyes was reflected into Nanaki’s mind as he soared through the air.
In the peak of Nanaki’s leap, he felt his fangs and claws slice into the flesh between both heads before arching over the creature’s body and landing stiffly behind it, breathing hard as the energy dimmed steadily within. His ears pricked up, struggling to hear above the sound of his panting breath to hear the breath of the other, an overwhelming desire to fix his gaze onto the floor in front of him instead. A rush of sensations flooded his mind, now strangely sluggish in a backlash to his obvious need for sleep. He shook his head as he fought to remain in the moment, his voice sounding distant and croaky as he whispered, “I have a very good reason for staying alive . . .”
Word Count: 2150 Total: 6786
(OOC:: I am really sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I wasn't sure how to finish this post as we still have our masked friend waiting in the wings. If you want me to alter anything in my post, let me know =))
-[Admin Post]- +200 EXP 1 Free level 1 Combat Ability for good post ---
There was a long silence as the creature hit the ground with a barely audible thud. Blood slowly began to make its way across the soaked ground, the creatures’ heavy breathing suddenly brining you back to your senses. The man whom had brought you here was still stood where he had been as your fight began, however, his gaze was not upon you, but on the creature you had just defeated. You would turn, only to see the creature in a broken state, crawling feebly across the ground, toward the man still stood on thin air.
"F-Father! Please. Help!" The creature continued to crawl toward the man, trying to get back to its feet, only to fail. Another long silence and then.
"DON'T DisGRACE ME! yoU FAILED!" The voice was completely different from when you had last heard him speak, it was strained, and sounded as though the man had to force himself to speak, his speaking almost irregular as he seemed to randomly emphasize syllables. The creatures’ eyes widened as it opened its mouths to scream out, yet no sound came as it was suddenly struck by several bolts of lightning. The creature convulsed violently and then fell still, killed by the hand of the man it had called Father.
"PITIful! NO SoN of MINE FaILs mE!" There was a rush of wind and the man was stood before you, those haunting eyes once again glaring right through you. Suddenly you would be overcome by fatigue, your limbs failing you as your vision began to blur rapidly between different levels of focus.
"WHAT dID tHAt BITCH sEE iN YoU? iT's aLMoSt sAD, it'S neVer bEEn THiS EaSY!" Suddenly your vision would sharpen up enough to see the man raise a hand up to that featureless mask and begin to remove it, however, everything went black before the mask was even lowered from his face. For a long time everything was dark and silent, then you awoke.
You were in the middle of the room you had been in before the man had come to you, a quick glance at a nearby clock revealed that only an hour had passed since you had entered this room. A door opened, and from the room Nash had been in came Vert, battered and cut up, but still able to keep himself standing, his face drained of color. His right eye bloodshot. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth.
In the long silence that stretched between the two combatants and the watcher, Nanaki had closed his eye and concentrated on the rhythm of his breathing. His thoughts were broken first by the soft thud of the two-headed beast’s fall, and its rugged breathing. Slowly, he opened his good eye and turned tautly to face the other. It was the most honourable thing to do. With the wind stirring behind him, his tangled mane flew in to his face, shading his features as he observed the defeated creature as it crawled weakly towards the shape-shifter. Its master? He glanced towards the masked man warily, noting that he still stood on thin air, his attention focused on the creature he had summoned.
Father? Nanaki’s brow raised as the creature addressed the enigmatic man as such. He watched with suppressed anxiety as the creature dragged itself forwards, stumbling back as it attempted to stand on all fours. In the silent moments that fell between the three, the ruby feline wondered if he should take away the other’s pain and suffering. Forgive me. If I had known you would have been in such pain… A low snarl escaped his lips as he heard the man’s voice, his fur rising as the other’s voice seemed to slice the air. He had distinctly heard some of the stranger’s words, whilst others were so quiet and brittle that they were difficult to hear clearly. He narrowed his eye as he focused on the horrifying expression of the creature, his hackles raising as he saw the flaming eyes widen, the jaws open in a still scream. In what felt like a lingering, liquid heartbeat, he smothered his own anguished roar as he saw his opponent felled by several white flashes of lightening, by its father‘s hand no less. How could you? The young feline nearly screamed those words aloud as he fought back the heavy waves of sadness that built up behind his eyes as he watched the other shudder and fall into stillness.
Nanaki turned his head fiercely towards the creature’s murderer, his growls accompanying the rushing winds as the man appeared before him. His words filled the gloom around them as he stared impassively into the otherworldly eyes of the sorcerer. His focus broke as his body crumpled and met the ground, fatigue taking its swift hold. The feline twisted his head from the soaked ground to stare up at the phantom, his vision blurring as it came in and out of focus. His entire vision took on a white-washed blur as he struggled to discern shapes, he blinked weakly a few times in a feeble attempt to clear his optic.
The sorcerer’s bleak tone filled the feline’s mind, he caught mention of the mysterious woman who seemed to be involved in some way to this bizarre episode, however his train of thought petered out as abruptly his mind sparked into consciousness. Nanaki took in the man who stood before him, an involuntary tremble racking his form as he took in a breath of anticipation for the being’s ‘true’ face… He felt his mind and body succumb to the silence of the dark, and lost all sense of time and direction before he felt his eye opening.
Nanaki quickly took in his surroundings, noting that he was lay on the floor between the door leading to his room and Vert’s and Nash’s. His gaze drifted groggily to the digital clock on a nearby table, half of his mind registering the neon-lit numbers whilst his features had a blank look to them. It actually did occur? He asked himself distractedly, wincing as he stretched out his hind-legs, causing the injured leg to twinge painfully. The feline’s soaked mane and coat had become matted and were dripping water onto the lone carpet as he gingerly rose to all fours.
He flicked his head towards the direction of a door opening to watch Vert’s approach from what he ascertained was Nash‘s room. As he took in the Wutaian’s shocked state, he heard his voice falter. Suddenly, telling his good friends about his strange encounter seemed unnecessary. With concern lacing his feline features, Nanaki carefully examined his friend, counting the blood-shot right eye, the bruises and cuts all over him, the pale look of his skin, the blood flowing steadily from the corners of his mouth. The young warrior’s face tightened in rage as he flicked his tail angrily to the side. Whoever has done this…!
The feline stood motionless, his features unreadable as he kept eye contact with his friend, Vert. His injured leg twitched uncomfortably as pressure built up in it, but he barely paid attention to it. The emotion that had lay behind his good eye from witnessing a wounded child killed by its own father and now the shock of losing his friend and rescuer caused a single tear to roll down his cheek. He was unaware of it, his mind sluggishly turning things over, he struggled to find the words that should have been easy to say. “What… How did this happen? Who is responsible for this?” he croaked, his deep voice sounding hoarse and lost.
-[Admin Post]- Vert fell silent once more, remaining that way for a long while, simply gazing at the wall.
"I don't know who it was. Some guy in a mask." He spoke in a monotone. The news would come as a shock, the man that had attacked you was wearing a mask, there was no way he could have been in two places at once.
"I was sure I had fallen asleep when I awoke to find myself stood next to Nash. We were.... Standing in the air. He attacked us suddenly, in the state he was in Nash fell quickly, and I only survived because someone else showed up forcing him to flee." He fell silent once more, staring at the wall again. There was no hiding it, he was torn apart about the death of Nash, and now it seemed as though he had even lost the will speak as the silence continued to stretch on.
"Shit. I have to report this to Brad." Came the sudden response to no-one, from his belt he produced a small handheld device and said out loud.
"I know I'm going to mourn him later. I can't lose sight. Not now. I'm putting him on the speaker; we both need to tell him what's happened here." There was a long pause and then, that familiar voice spoke, his tone irritable.
"Vert! You can't call me when I'm this deep under cover!" He said harshly, there was a banging sound on the other end of the line and brad swore.
"Hang on a sec." There was a strange sound on the other end and then a different voice completely spoke, the voice of a grizzled war vet.
"Enter!" The sound of a door opening, footsteps and then.
"Sir! President Shinra has requested you to meet with him. He said it was urgent."
"Very well, dismissed SOLDIER!"
There was a hasty "Sir!" and then the door closed. And once more brad, with his some how altered voice spoke.
"I'm leaving the two of you on speaker. DO NOT say anything; otherwise you'll jeopardize the mission." For a long while there was only silence and then there was a knocking sound. A mumbled "enter" and then.
"President Shinra Sir. You wanted to see me?"
"Ahh yes, please take a seat. Can I offer you a drink?"
"I must respectfully decline Sir."
"Of course."
"My apologies Sir, but I am currently very busy, I have a whole lot of new recruits to post by tomorrow and many others to reposition-"
"Captain. You're being promoted."
You heard Brad stammer as he was told this. The small smirk on Verts' face told you that it was a false stammer though.
"I-Thank you Sir!" Came the reply.
"Yes, you have proven yourself to be a near flawless SOLDIER unit, and your progress with the newer recruits tells me that you're far too good to be this low down. Starting tomorrow you lead the elite units, your first point of call is the 7th Mako reactor, now, go get some rest." There was one final "thank you Sir." And then another long silence, the same strange sound you had heard when Brad had first picked up the phone and then Brad spoke, his voice as it usually was once again.
"This had better be important Vert."
"Brad, Nash is dead."
"What? How?" From there Vert recounted the events he had told you, in much more detail, explaining that the man with a "Featureless Mask" had attacked him, how Nash had been struck by several bolts of lightning and died, and then how "someone" had saved his life.
"Silver hair and a Poncho? Was he using a pair of custom revolvers and magic you had never before seen?"
"H-how, did you know?"
"You owe Ignotus some thanks then. Though, if it is the same guy Ignotus described to me then we could be in for some difficult times in the future."
"What do you mean."
"Ignotus doesn't know who the guy is, but he hates him. That Bird-Like-Creature he always carries with him, has something to do with that and raising her.. I dunno, he didn't explain everything to me." There was a long pause and then Brad spoke again.
"Come to think of it, did he attack you himself? Or did he have something else do it for him?"
"He attacked me and Nash himself." There was a long pause and then, as if he knew you were listening in.
"Na... Nanaki. You were attacked by this man as well weren't you?"
Nanaki held Vert’s gaze for a few seconds before he stared impassively at the wall behind the man’s shoulder, allowing his numb thoughts to take over where the silence fell. He turned to look at the man again when he answered his question dully. The feline didn’t trust himself to speak yet, his energies being taken in holding his features and body still. I’m at a loss as well, friend, he replied internally instead. Suddenly, he absorbed Vert’s words fully and narrowed his good eye as he scanned the elder’s face. How can this be? Came his first thought, quickly followed by, what is that man? He listened keenly as Vert described the events from his perspective, he could feel a deep cut forming in his chest as he heard the man speak of their fallen friend. It was obvious that he was suffering. It felt painful to hear that in his voice, to think that Vert had known Nash for some time and now he was gone. Nanaki’s mind turned to the other man who had appeared and caused the murderer to flee. That is interesting, he thought, who could inspire such fear in one such as him?
The feline started as he heard his companion curse, breaking the constant silence he contributed to. With Vert’s words his senses abruptly galvanised by the purpose in the other’s voice. He felt awkward however, as he switched his gaze onto the floor to allow the elder some privacy whilst he spoke into a device he had seen other humans use. He listened in vaguely nevertheless. He twitched a long ear as he grasped that he was being included as well, he drew closer to the male’s side in a fluid movement as he waited patiently. He caught Brad’s irritation through the device clearly now, however, a look of confusion graced his features as a new voice replaced what had been Brad’s before. He wasn’t sure whether it belonged to Brad or someone else. He waited. In his mind’s eye he placed the sounds to solid doors opening and closing and footsteps and then he gasped in disbelief.
President? President Shinra?! he thought to himself, grateful that he had not spoken it aloud. He huddled a little closer to Vert’s side as the story unfolded. He wanted to ask questions, like who were SOLDIER? How much of the Shinra’s dirty affairs was he aware of? Nanaki shook his head slowly at himself. A few minutes later his suspicions were confirmed; the speaker was Brad, and he issued the feline and Vert with the command to remain silent. A moment of silence slipped by until he heard another sound down the device, and then voices. He followed Brad’s altered voice and then took notice of the new one, belonging to the President. As the President told Brad he was recruited, Nanaki exchanged a quizzical glance at Vert, in time to catch the amusement on his face before returning to look at the blue-lit screen held in the Wutaian’s hands. The feline relaxed his shoulders as he understood what was happening, his mind collecting the names and number of a Mako Reactor and where it could be located. Once the conversation had finished he settled into silence once more, his ears picking up the sounds of Brad’s journey, then of device and finally Brad’s usual voice cut through the silence that had begun to build up.
The sadness that he could only keep at bay returned in surges as Brad asked what had happened, and they both listened to the events as the old warrior recounted in more detail. Nanaki was intrigued to find that the Vert called the other-worldly being a ‘Featureless Mask’, although he shivered involuntarily as it gave him the impression there was more than one, or that Vert had encountered it before. The feline squeezed his good eye shut as he heard how his friend had died, images of Nash and the two-headed creature floated through his mind and melded together. His ochre eye had flicked open as Brad seemed to recognise whoever it was that had been capable of scaring the featureless creature away. The man Brad described, called Ignotus, sounded as alien as his adversary. According to Brad, he controlled unusual magic and weapons. Nanaki tilted his head to one side in interest.
In the long pause that followed Brad’s speech, the ruby feline’s head spun. Bird-like creature? Raising her? None of it made any sense. His gaze fixed on the device as though it were Brad when he asked a question about a battle. He hadn’t had time to tell Vert. He looked to Vert when he answered that they had been attacked by the being itself, which was still difficult to believe, and then his eye widened as Brad addressed him with indecision in his voice.
"Na... Nanaki. You were attacked by this man as well weren't you?"
[orange]“I-I was.”[/orange] The feline answered simply, his tail swishing agitatedly as he forced his exhausted mind to focus. [orange]“The… Featureless Mask as you call it transported me to another place. I’m not sure how he did that or a any of the other things - he could appear and sound like my allies and enemies alike, it was strange. He controlled the landscape, made it look like the Shinra labs at one point.”[/orange] He curled his flaming tail around his body to steady himself as he continued, [orange]“He spoke of a woman… he implied she was interested in me, possibly she is or has been watching me, wherever she is. He seemed to regard her as being someone of importance, I believe this to be true because he saw fit to pass judgement on me by summoning a creature… his s-son…” [/orange]
There was a long pause on the other end of the line; even Vert had cocked an eyebrow, a look of confusion becoming apparent. After a long while the slow response came.
"His... Son?" Even Brad sounded confused, by the sound of it such a thing was unheard of and then.
"Could it be? Could he really be a Tamer?" Came the response
"Hang on; I'm getting a second call." There was a beep at the other end of the line and then you heard some murmured words that ended with
"He's not a Tamer." From here the voice was too distorted to hear properly but then Brad spoke once more.
"How does he do that? Regardless, good initiative on your part Vert, I'll understand if you distance yourself from everyone for a while once the mission is over. But now that puts me in an awkward position. I could suppose we're lucky to have had Ignotus reverse his decision. He'll be replacing Vert on the Platform and Vert, you will be replacing Nash." Another long silence followed in which Vert looked uneasily around the room once again and then.
"Nanaki, Ignotus has said he wants to talk to you once we're done at the reactor. I should imagine thatit'll have something to do with your encounter against that man." There was yet another silence to follow and then Brad said he needed to go over his final prepirations before the mission and soon hung up. Vert put the device away and stood in silence again, his eyes simply looking around the room for something.
"I guess we should get some sleep, we have a mission tomorrow."
-[Thread Over]- [An event thread for blowing up the Mako reactor will appear shortly]