Sephiroth
- Ingenious Pilot -
What do you cherish most?
Posts: 147
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Post by Sephiroth on Feb 17, 2009 21:39:18 GMT -5
Where am I?
The last thing he could honestly recall was a blast of light and a flurry of sword blows before everything went black. There had been a warm sensation of something running down his face just as everything had gone dark... Now he found himself here. He had blindly climbed the steps, dragging his chipped and battle-worn blade behind him, making a dull scraping sound on concrete and marble.
Blood was drying on his skin, looking almost black against the pale, drained flesh. He wore no shirt under his heavy, tattered leather coat and rusting, dented pauldrons. He had no idea how he'd gotten there, why he was moving up those steps, but he had been drawn there under the same spell that an unknown number of others had managed to be drawn in by.
Vaguely taking in his surroundings through bloodshot eyes, Sephiroth could only be sure that he had never seen the lavish building before... was he not dead? If he were dead, was this what the humans called "Heaven?" What happened to the Lifestream? Perhaps this was a well decorated entrance to that place some called "Hell..."
His legs felt so heavy, and even though he was a man of great physical strength and endurance, the last few steps had taken his remaining stamina and caused him to collapse onto an ornate rug. The masamune he had been dragging clattered onto the floor beside him, fingers still gripping the frayed leather handle.
Making no move to call for help, Sephiroth closed his eyes, trying to will back the strength to his body.
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Post by Midna on Feb 17, 2009 22:06:19 GMT -5
With Richard doing his own thing for the moment, Midna had returned to Paris, to ponder and plot about to do. Whatever was coming next, it wouldn't be easy, and she could only frown to herself as she wandered, imp-form, through the almost-deserted halls of the opera. It was silent here, and dark, the way she liked it, pale light filtering through the windows from the early morning. Turning into a room, she glanced around--and immediately recoiled at the sight of a body sprawled out on the floor. That was an unpleasant surprise; did there really have to be a trail of corpses wherever she went? On closer examination, however, it was alive, and she frowned, floating closer to get a better look. What a strange-looking fellow; she had thought that Link looked rather effeminate, but this one had him topped. Somehow, though, it worked for him. He looked, honestly, kind of evil, too, but she was hardly one to talk in that respect. Sighing, she waved a hand in his face. "Hey. You with us? Come on, rise and shine."Not that she was the most welcoming sight.
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Sephiroth
- Ingenious Pilot -
What do you cherish most?
Posts: 147
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Post by Sephiroth on Feb 17, 2009 22:20:36 GMT -5
A voice...? Sephiroth grunted and opened his eyes, wondering who could dare intrude on him while he was down. Not that he was narcissistic, but unless the owner of the voice was going to help, he did not need anyone hanging around.
Opening his eyes, Sephiroth raised a brow at the sight of a little floating imp near him. He had seen much worse, much uglier things that he'd killed off before, but not... that.
"Go away," he grunted, finding enough in him to roll onto his side - still facing the... thing.
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Post by Midna on Feb 17, 2009 22:28:41 GMT -5
Midna had noticed the sword. It was impressive...in fact, it almost reminded her of the Master Sword. Hmm. I think that's the kind of power I want on my side, she reflected, thinking of the apparent inevitability of battle, and afterwards, another guard for her realm. Seeing him stir and look at her, Midna smirked, tilting her head to notice his apparent battle damage. It was a good thing that he didn't voice his thoughts aloud, too. Her? Ugly? ...Well, she'd gotten used to feeling better about this form thanks to Link. But still! Her ponytail came up to form a hand, waving a 'finger' disapprovingly. "Tsk, tsk. Is that how you talk to all people who try to help you?" Her voice, odd as it was, was only playful.
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Sephiroth
- Ingenious Pilot -
What do you cherish most?
Posts: 147
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Post by Sephiroth on Feb 17, 2009 22:43:39 GMT -5
"So far, you've only added to this horrible headache," mused the man, very quiet and even in his tone, despite several serious wounds that could be seen in his skin. The strange voice, nor the fact that her body was malleable bothered him. Then again, he had never been normal.
The small rest he had gotten before being stumbled upon gave Sephiroth back a little strength, and he slowly sat up, pulling the sword with him as he moved. Snow-white hair matted to his head where it was bloody, and despite the cold pallor of his skin, he did not look as near-death as he had earlier.
"If you are going to help, talking about it does not make it happen," he pointed out, his free arm draped over his lap.
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Post by Midna on Feb 17, 2009 23:00:16 GMT -5
"Oh, my deepest apologies." She rolled her eyes, the imp stretching a little from the early hour. She could clearly tell that he was...different as well, though just what he was, she couldn't tell.
Nonetheless, she was actually relieved to see that he'd survived. She didn't feel like watching the death of a stranger; that was a hell of a way to start one's morning. In response, she nodded, having to concede the point. "Well, then just drink this." After meeting Richard, she'd actually started carrying around medicine on the off chance that it could happen again; looks like her preparation had paid off.
She held out an open palm, concentrating the shadows to retrieve a stoppered glass bottle of liquid, which she offered to the man.
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Sephiroth
- Ingenious Pilot -
What do you cherish most?
Posts: 147
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Post by Sephiroth on Feb 17, 2009 23:14:31 GMT -5
A rare smirk twitched at the corner of Sephiroth's mouth, and he took the little vial from her. Though he should have been wary of being poisoned, he did not think he knew this little creature, nor should it have reason to kill him unless it was going to eat him. Either way...
"Bottoms up," he said quietly, flicking the cork out with his thumb and tipping it back. Potions were common where he was from, so having to drink one to revitalize himself was nothing new. "Thank you," he said, still a courteous villain when someone gave him help. Swallowing the aftertaste, Sephiroth waited a few moments before he felt like he could at least get back up again, using his sword as a bit of a crutch.
Rising to his full height, somewhere in the six-foot range, he still felt weak, he really needed a Hi-Potion but well enough to walk.
"What is this place?" he said, a note of disdain in his voice as he took in his surroundings now that he had the chance. "It holds... something..." Sephiroth could feel that a faint pulse surrounded the building, but it was nothing he'd experienced before. Wherever it was, it blocked the voice of Mother.
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Post by Midna on Feb 17, 2009 23:23:21 GMT -5
As disgusting an idea as that was, it was not Midna's intention. She was actually being genuinely helpful, albeit for reasons that could also benefit herself. Still, she thought it best to maybe keep it a bit ambiguous, not tipping her hand too early.
Fortunately, she also noticed that unlike Richard he wasn't skeptical about her techniques, nor had he called her something nasty, like a demon. "Not a problem. I thought that might come in handy." Potions were always good to have around, and besides, she didn't have milk handy.
Hmm, he was about her her height in her normal form, then. In response to his question, she sighed. "That's a pretty good question. Apparently, it's a city called 'Paris', but it seems very...off. Especially this building, which is apparently a theater."
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Sephiroth
- Ingenious Pilot -
What do you cherish most?
Posts: 147
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Post by Sephiroth on Feb 17, 2009 23:33:39 GMT -5
"A theater?" he echoed, running a leather-gloved hand over the arch of some sort of statue. The image was unimportant. "Hn, I had noticed that much," replied the soldier, still looking a bloody mess of himself. The little imp girl was not intriguing enough to yet warrant his full attention, but he also saw her as no threat to him. Lifting his left hand, the broken blade in his hand seemed to become consumed by shadowy tendrils before it dissolved into the ether linked to his arm. Though he'd never needed an introduction in the cities, apparently he was an unknown here, so he nodded his head a tad to the imp-child with a polite gesture of greeting. "I am Sephiroth. And you are?" ((Shadowy tendril move found HERE 'cept I made it black instead of green))
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Post by Midna on Feb 17, 2009 23:53:06 GMT -5
"Precisely. Though I can't imagine why it would be deserted, even at this hour. Never heard of security, I suppose." She sighed, slicking back her hair and watching him curiously. Experience told her that someone who looked like he did had to be important. The move of his...tendril especially confirmed that. It was almost like some of the powers she had, though she could tell at once it came from a different sort. It was understandable, though, that she'd never heard of him, being from an entirely different franchise world. Hmm. Polite, too. Feeling that she had to at least match his show, and wanting to make a good impression, Midna gave a nod of her head in return--before letting a cubic pattern of swirling twilight engulf her and assuming her true form. That, she thought, probably looked a bit more impressive. "I am Midna."
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Sephiroth
- Ingenious Pilot -
What do you cherish most?
Posts: 147
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Post by Sephiroth on Feb 18, 2009 0:02:44 GMT -5
Interesting... Sephiroth did not look entirely impressed, but neither did he look bored or surprised by her transformation. Nothing seemed to cause him to express, but that did not mean there was nothing going on beneath the surface.
"You seem to be my agent of fortune at the moment. Is there a place I can clean up?" As much as he preferred to be the cause of death, smelling his own blood congealing on him was not particularly pleasant. He would rely on Midna until she proved useless, in which he may only spare her life the once as she may have allowed his to carry on. But only the once.
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Post by Midna on Feb 18, 2009 0:08:19 GMT -5
Well, one took what cues one could get, and Midna was rather trying to sound out Sephiroth's character. He seemed quite polite, though there was something odd about him, something that almost reminded her of Zant. Unlike Zant, though, he managed to be polite without being either arrogantly rude, hysterical, or creepy. At least, not yet.
A small smile touched her face at that; it seemed she was, to several people, though again she had her own reasons as well. "There are washrooms over there; I saw them earlier." She gestured. It'd be nice of him to spare her, of course...though he would find her hard to kill if he did try.
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Sephiroth
- Ingenious Pilot -
What do you cherish most?
Posts: 147
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Post by Sephiroth on Feb 18, 2009 0:19:12 GMT -5
"Hn, good." Sephiroth despised arrogance, was too disciplined to be hysterical and... many people found him creepy when it came to his stints of silence. Politeness, however, seemed to come naturally to him, perhaps to balance out his enhanced physical state with a decent presentation of himself.
Turning toward the washroom, he entered, not expecting (or caring) if she followed him in. He had nothing to hide and no qualms about his body. And there were wounds to tend to. Taking care of himself by way of the mirror, he got the blood out of his hair and off his face, then slowly worked on getting it off his damaged skin.
Hanging up the heavy overcoat on a convenient brass hook, it took him a short while to have himself scrubbed clean without the use of a tub, but it was done. The coat was next, being hand-washed while it hung, then carefully dried. The bathroom was now a mess, but it wasn't his job to clean it, and he did not envy whoever had tended it.
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Post by Midna on Feb 18, 2009 0:26:03 GMT -5
Midna merely nodded, turning as he went in to look around the room again. At least it was a nice place; it looked almost like some of the grander halls she'd visited in the Twilight Realm, although rather too bright for her taste.
Obviously, basic decency decreed that she didn't follow him in; it was, after all, the men's room. As he washed up, she waited, plotting for herself how to keep her home safe, the coming battle, and about Tsume.
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Sephiroth
- Ingenious Pilot -
What do you cherish most?
Posts: 147
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Post by Sephiroth on Feb 18, 2009 0:36:15 GMT -5
When he was finished, he returned to the same hall, a little more fresh-faced with the blood gone.
Standing around, however, was awkward. While Genesis had made him wary of theater, in his past life, he might have considered lingering near, but he had a few important things to work out. One, he had to find out how he could return to the North Caverns. Two, he had to retrieve his connection with Mother - while she was little more than a disembodied guide, it had become something of a comfort to have one voice who...
"Hn..." Sephiroth closed his eyes and shook out his arranged plans. He could do nothing here if he did not feel Jenova's presence. Though he surmised he'd still be able to destroy the Planet, there was one small detail he needed to tend to...
"You would not have happened to run across a young man... early twenties, eyes like the ocean, blond hair like the back of a chicken, would you?" It was an amusing description, but delivered with such sincere forwardness that it... probably sounded even funnier.
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