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Post by Tseng on Oct 27, 2008 20:32:07 GMT -5
Tseng felt a wave of relief pass over his body; an accepted deal was the best he could have hoped for. With a nod, he began to lead her down the streets of the Sector Five slums and between the crack in the wall. Sector Six was no better than Sector Five with trash and ruined buildings filling the streets. The poor and destitute milled about as they passed through seeking the means of survival. Darkness filled the side streets and alleys as little light was emitted from the failing street lights. It was the worst Midgar had to offer and somehow AVALANCHE had seen it as the best; Tseng was still confused about that one.
"Wall Market is this way. We can find anything we're looking for there," It was indeed the best place to find anything they sought with minimal hastle and few questions asked. Money was more important than answers between the glittering lights and broken dreams. Tseng shifted his demeanor to be more relaxed as the playground next to the Sector Seven gate came into view. "So what is it you know about the world?"
He continued to walk as he let the question hang in the air. The world maybe crazy but at least he still knew his way around Midgar. Despite his relaxed demeanor however, Tseng's mind was ever alert his hand near his gun and his eyes kept a careful watch over the surrounding area.
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Fujin
Lvl 2
Even though I've lived clumsily until now, I'll still try to do what's right.
Posts: 207
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Post by Fujin on Nov 3, 2008 7:48:44 GMT -5
What I know about the world, huh? As she considered just where to start Fujin wondered if Tseng would think she had gone stark raving mad by the time she finished. Truth be told, she herself couldn't be entirely certain what was and wasn't real. It certainly would've been easy to assume that someone found in her condition was suffering from delusions. With that in mind, Fujin decided that the best course of action was to start with the basics.
"I'm not completely sure, but I think this might have been caused by a Sorceress. I was..." Fujin's voice drifted into silence as she began to admit her involvement. Best to keep that piece of information to herself, she thought. The pair of them passed through a small, ill-kept playground as she spoke up again, "I was investigating the woman I think is responsible. She had great power, and wanted to do something she called 'Time Compression.' I never got to hear exactly what that is, but I think it's exactly what it sounds like."
If such a thing were possible, the areas Tseng lead Fujin through seemed to go from bad to worse. Fortunately, Fujin could feel strength returning to her body - this wasn't the first time she'd driven herself to the breaking point, and with the help of a few bottles of liquid life she usually recovered quickly. "There was a girl whose help she needed to make Time Compression happen though. I had her released, but by the way things look, something must have happened."
After a bit more walking they came upon what must have been the place she was being taken to. Obnoxious, brightly-lit signs hung haphazardly on every building, and even a few simple tents. Fujin began to wonder if this place really had anything that would be of any use to her, or if these people made their living just by peddling pieces of scrap they hoped might mean something to someone. Still, Tseng seemed like someone who had been around the block, so if this was where he wanted to take her, that meant this was where she wanted to be.
"There was another group of people fighting the Sorceress, but, well... I can't really tell whether or not they succeeded. We can discuss the details later, but right now I need to know who can sell me a decent weapon," Fujin said decisively. Every business place in the area promised guns and ammo, even a ramshackle place that dared to call itself an inn. Fujin wasn't interested, however; circumstances allowing, she preferred to arm herself with something that didn't require reloading.
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Post by Tseng on Nov 3, 2008 16:26:43 GMT -5
Tseng remained neutral as Yuki explained what she knew of the world; the explanation had gone from ridiculous to plausible in a matter of minutes. A Sorceress, something about time compressing, and some girl needed to bring the entire process together. The entire situation reminded him heavily of the past few weeks wherein he had spent days chasing around a sword wielding maniac, a sword wielding crazy who was somehow connected with it all, and a girl who everyone needed for some project or the other. Yuki's story might have sounded strange, but it was no stranger than the life he had lived.
When Yuki asked about where they could find a decent weapon however, Tseng found himself almost at a loss. They had passed quite a few ammo and gun shops, and even a few men on the streets who probably would have been more than willing to part with their weapons at the 'request' of a Turk. The question became more reasonable when Tseng finally remembered their discussions from before. The girl came from a military academy not the slums and ghettos of Midgar.
"If you're looking for a weapon there are plenty of shops here willing to provide one if you have the gil. Otherwise, we probably should take a moment to visit the local clothing vendor here first," Tseng motioned towards the store on the left side of the street filled with racks of brightly colored clothes. "I hardly look presentable enough to walk into ShinRa and requisition new equipment for a Turk mission."
He took a moment to look Yuki once over as well to see if she was still holding up. Military graduate or not, she was still human and hopefully wasn't pushing herself. It occurred to him then to ask another question, one which could possibly connect her story with his nicely fitting all the pieces together into a complete picture. "The girl who was needed... was her name Aerith?"
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Post by Celes Chere on Nov 19, 2008 12:20:58 GMT -5
The little hairs on the back of Celes’ neck went up as the waitress disdainfully looked her up and down for the third time today. Her sword hand gave a little twitch as it lifted the perfect little sushi roll to her lips. The feeling of heat on her tongue from the wasabi-soaked rice did little to appease her desire to rip the woman’s head off her neck. It’s not as though Celes had been expecting anything resembling politeness in this bizarre city (and she still wasn’t sure it was even a city – it might as well have been a different planet), but she was fully aware that her appearance made her, well…stand out a little. At first her desire to eat a decent meal had overshadowed any shyness she may have felt in her admittedly skimpy uniform, but as her stomach filled with good food and drink and her hunger waned, she found herself wishing she’d thought twice about waltzing into what was clearly a skeazy part of town wearing an armored bikini top and white cape.
She looked down at her plate and sighed with regret. There was no more. Her stomach was contentedly and pleasantly full, but her hands and mouth, deprived for so long of the luxury of fine dining, screamed in rebellion. She scraped off the last of the shredded ginger and popped it into her mouth. After draining what was left of her cheap sake, she seriously considered her options for a moment.
Whatever the hell had happened here was still completely beyond her understanding, but she’d seen some really strange things in her life. Waking up to find that your home and all of your friends had vanished (or at least moved) was a terrible shock, and one which she still struggled with now. But her pesky sense of optimism had compelled her to move on, to travel until she found something – anything – resembling the civilization she once knew. Upon entering this horrid dwelling called “Midgar” by the locals, she began to lose hope. Even Zozo hadn’t smelled so bad. In fact, she kind of missed Zozo. At least gold pieces were good there.
The act of finding people willing to trade her already-small stash of gold pieces for this elusive “gil” currency was incredibly challenging. Some people were simply attracted to the gold piece’s shininess and its artful design. Some people probably just wanted her to go away. She was certain that one man thought she was begging for a handout. In any case, she had traded out about half of it for inconsistent amounts of gil, and she was not interested in overspending.
However, it had become rather clear that her unusual clothing was going to be a hindrance to her progress. ‘Psh. Progress towards what?’ she thought bitterly as she paid her tab and left. She glanced across the street. There were racks and racks of nice-looking clothing for sale. Fingering the pouch that hung around her waist, she dodged a drunk as she crossed the street. She ran her hands across a rack filled with what seemed to be women’s clothing and carefully pondered what would be most logical. A coat, definitely. A pair of pants, a shirt…
Her thoughts were interrupted by a low, tense voice nearby. She didn’t catch what the voice said, but it made her stop and look around. Standing about five paces away was a striking, serious man and an equally striking woman. The man’s presence was quiet but commanding, very different from the slovenly people this neighborhood was filled with. Even more surprising, however, was the woman. She had a look about her, something that seemed familiar, even though Celes was certain they’d never met before. Her clothing was very unusual, almost as out of place as Celes’ was. Her heart fluttered as she realized that here might be a woman who was also cast into this bizarre world. But from where? She could only guess.
She inched closer, pretending to be absorbed by color choices, trying to hear what was being said between the two strangers.
((My posts aren't usually so long. Sorry!))
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Post by Tseng on Nov 19, 2008 15:11:30 GMT -5
(It's all good, I'll probably end up making another post here in a day or two this round assuming Fujin doesn't make an appearance just to help get you into game) Edit: Post due this evening
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Fujin
Lvl 2
Even though I've lived clumsily until now, I'll still try to do what's right.
Posts: 207
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Post by Fujin on Nov 21, 2008 19:43:12 GMT -5
[OOC: I apologize for my extended absence, but I haven't had internet access recently, and may not for a couple more weeks to come. I'm sorry for holding everyone up, but I'll see if I can find a way to get a post up in the next couple of days.]
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Post by Tseng on Nov 22, 2008 3:04:44 GMT -5
(it's alright, I'll just make a short one to connect Celes with us kind of indirectly and allow you to have a lead in to engagement as well ) As Tseng finished his question, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. A short glance in the direction of the movement told him all he needed to know: they were being watched. It was easy enough to pick their observer out of the crowd as she pretended to be caught up in the selection of clothes on the street. The girl looked no older than Yuki and wore an outfit that reminded Tseng more of the costumes possessed by the workers of the Honey Bee Inn rather than someone who was on Hojo's payroll or in league with Avalanche. The result was that Tseng would have under normal circumstances filed the girl's curiosity and presence away and paid the situation no more mind. However, normal circumstances had been thrown out the window ever since he had first encountered Avalanche on the Sector Seven pillar. No, they ended the moment I met Aerith, Tseng reminded himself bitterly. When the girl began to inch closer, Tseng found his mind attempting to puzzle this one out. If the girl was unconnected to Tseng perhaps she was an associate or someone who was linked to Yuki in some fashion. They both were dressed strangely for Midgar citizens so it was possible though farfetched as Tseng found it rather unlikely that there was yet another piece of land on Planet ShinRa had failed to map. Instead, he thought back to his fight against Sephiroth when realization dawned on him. Perhaps, the girl was nothing more than what she appeared to be: overly curious. A smile crossed his face as he continued to remain non-chalant (as far as he was concerned) with his back now partly towards the slowly approaching girl. He flicked a gaze down at his hands which he motioned behind him to indicate the presence of the girl to Yuki. He hoped Yuki would understand the meaning and more importantly would continue their conversation like the girl wasn't there until she was close enough to corner and prevent from running. Tseng might have believed the girl wasn't dangerous, but it was important for him to be absolutely sure. If he had learned nothing else from his battles against Avalanche, it was appearances could be quite deceptive.
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Fujin
Lvl 2
Even though I've lived clumsily until now, I'll still try to do what's right.
Posts: 207
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Post by Fujin on Nov 24, 2008 15:00:07 GMT -5
Fujin had been paying less attention to Tseng for a moment, and more attention to what the store had to offer. She thought it might be best to choose something a bit more practical this time around, seeing as how there was a reasonable expectation to live beyond the next day or so. A dark-colored suit, not dissimilar to Tseng's, caught her eye - it wasn't tailored, but the fit would be almost perfect as it was, and she might be able to pass herself off as a legitimate associate of his if necessary. A moment later, a subtle change in Tseng's demeanor brought her mind back to the situation at hand. Unfortunately, her obscured left eye prevented her from seeing what seemed to have him spooked.
"No, it wasn't Aeris," Fujin said casually as she played things by ear, slipping up a bit on the name Tseng had mentioned, "just somebody who looked like her. It was kind of embarrassing, mistaking such a close friend for someone else." She then took the navy suit down from the rack and held it against herself, presenting it to Tseng while looking over his shoulder. Behind him was a young woman who arguably looked as out of place as Fujin ever had, a thought that put a small smile on her lips. All the same, there was something that seemed familiar about her.
Add instructor Trepe to the list! Fujin heard the voice as if the person to whom it belonged were standing right next to her. A wave of pain rang across her heart, though she tried not to let it show on her face.
"I'll go try this on, you keep looking," she said, her voice coming out flatter than she would have preferred. Then Fujin turned around without waiting for a reply and made a beeline for the fitting room. Once she was out of sight, with the door firmly locked behind her, Fujin fell to the floor with her head in her hands. Sounds and visions suddenly flooded her mind; memories of Seifer and Raijin. Part of her - in fact, most of her - wanted to cry as she was overcome with thoughts of the past. The rational part of her mind insisted that she not though, that of all times, now was the time to keep it together. So Fujin battled her demons silently, lest prying ears attempt to hear.
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Post by Tseng on Nov 24, 2008 17:50:01 GMT -5
The sight of Yuki's back as she hurried off into the store left Tseng puzzled; the girl's abrupt change in demeanor was matched with what almost had appeared to be a look of recognition. The possibility existed that the observerer and Yuki were connected in some fashion, but the chance had appeared, at best, remote. Training took over however and Tseng recovered from his surprise with little further thought, whether or not Yuki had recognized the girl, he was being watched. It wasn't something he could in good conscience let continue. Tseng had the reputation of the Turks to maintain.
Slowly, Tseng moved down the racks towards the young woman as she pretended to browse through clothing choices. The look on his face was less than amused as he now watched her with his penetrating, cold gaze and calculating demeanor. Tseng spoke with the precise, level tone ShinRa soldiers learned to fear as continued to move towards the girl. "My name is Tseng, Tseng of the Turks." A slight bit of emphasis was placed on the name Turks so as to convey the significance of the name without one necessarily having to know anything else about the organization. "Have I met you before?"
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Post by Celes Chere on Nov 25, 2008 10:00:49 GMT -5
((OOC: Here's a nice long reply for you! ^-^'))
Celes’ eyes flitted away from the brightly-colored but modestly-cut clothing right in time to meet the young woman’s gaze. As brief and fleeting as it was, the look that passed from the stranger’s eye to Celes’ own was piercing, probing, as though the girl had no choice but to look upon everything with the same begging, pleading cry for recognition that Celes had felt herself for what seemed such a long time. It was that look, that quiet, stifled desperation, that Celes recognized. In that one look, Celes came to fully realize and acknowledge that she was not, as she’d previously feared, the only person in the world to have experienced a sudden shift in logic, in geography, and in comfort.
Celes lowered her eyes again as quickly as she’d lifted them. She kept her gaze firmly latched onto a light brown jumpsuit. It was there for a full thirty seconds before she realized that the jumpsuit appeared to be her size and looked both comfortable and understated – two particularly desirable qualities right about now. Momentarily distracted by the search for a pricetag, she lost her focus on the world around her (a common affliction among the heartbroken), and so didn’t notice the stern-looking man approaching at a quiet, guarded pace.
"My name is Tseng, Tseng of the Turks. Have I met you before?"
The sudden sound of that deep voice, which minutes before she’d found almost soothing in its confidence, chilled her to the bone and she froze, hands on the garment, mind frantically searching for escape. Any illusion of warmth or courage the afternoon’s sake had allowed her was now shattered. A deep, menacing chill went down her spine, partly due to the utter terror she felt, and partly due to a stubborn, offended indignation that she hadn’t quite shaken in these last few months. How dare he use that tone with her? He didn’t know anything about her! Besides, who the hell are “the Turks”? She had been a general in the largest, most powerful army the world had ever seen. After that, she and only a handful of others took down the cruelest and maddest of villains! She breathed slowly. He probably didn’t know these things. Maybe, in his homeland, the Turks were the greatest of warriors, or the wisest of wise men, or the most powerful of mages. Besides, he was the first person in days to speak to her by choice. It was best, she reasoned, not to start any conversation on a foundation of miscommunication.
Taking a long, deep breath, she turned toward him and pulled herself up to her full height. She looked into his eyes searchingly, looking (perhaps even hoping) for any spark of recognition, any indication that she had met him, seen him once on a boat or in a tavern. No such luck. His eyes were deep and fluid, like a still pond at night. They were beautiful, really, and a little sad. She allowed her eyes to take in the rest of his appearance, which, she suddenly noticed, was more disheveled and confused than she’d originally thought. His hair was long and uncombed, though it bore a sheen of what must have once been natural health. His suit, which she could tell by looking was a fine cut and excellent fabric, was wrinkled, torn, and bloodied. These things would have told a passing observer that he was a beaten man, not quite out of place here in this peculiar slum. But his face bore a hard look of lingering dignity. Here was a man who wasn’t giving up…whatever his quest was.
“No,” she answered quietly. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
She noticed for the first time that the girl was nowhere to be seen. Celes blinked rapidly, wondering if she’d seen the girl at all, or if she had been another illusion.
“My name is Celes Chere, former general of the Imperial Army.” She paused, considering her next words carefully. “I think I’m lost.”
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Post by Tseng on Nov 25, 2008 13:32:21 GMT -5
(Ha, I can make long post too ) Tseng released a mental sigh as the woman's eyes lacked any recognition of the Turks or his name. Clearly, the surprise she had displayed at his approach was merely from being startled by his sudden presence rather than any fear of his knowledge of his organizations actions on the planet. It was an unfortunate turn of events and even less as his actions caused the woman's eyes to flash momentarily from a look of fear to indignation. A glimpse, only present for the barest of seconds, of anger flashed through her tired gaze as Tseng prepared himself for a response similar to the one he had received from Yuki upon their own tense introductions. "No, I don't believe we've met." The girl's response was quiet and much less venomous than expected. The voice instead carried more of a cautious underpinning mixed with a healthy dose of uncertainty. Tseng considered it an empty bit of knowledge at best as he was most assuredly caught on similar footing despite being in a familiar locale. The smell of greasy meals being prepared down the street and the soft neon light gave the street a surreal appearance. Yet again, Tseng found himself thinking back to how this had all began through a chance encounter in Sector Five. The memories however were shattered by the girl's timid voice once more. "My name is Celes Chere, former general of the Imperial Army, and I think I'm lost." Lost, the word was one Tseng had pondered over the last couple of hours now. It defined his state of mind, body, and soul. The word described the way he felt in regards to these strangers who now crossed his path. Another pang of guilt invisibly wracked his conscience as he attempted to piece together his next few words. Time repeated itself again for Tseng as he stood upon the threshold of choice once more. The mistake, which in the end almost cost him his life, played out in his mind like a silent performance against the back drop of infinity. He was the player and the director placed in from of him his cue. Tseng had made the mistake not helping another before; he had botched the chance to put an end to a travesty. Now, Tseng would have two people dependent upon his assistance and mutual cooperation. He owed neither of them, and Yuki alone seemed more than a handful to deal with. In the end, he knew though that he couldn't bring himself to reject what sounded like a request for aid. The expression on Tseng's face softened as he bowed slightly to the newcomer. "It is a pleasure to meet you Celes. Would you care to join me and my companion Yuki over a few drinks," Tseng paused to give Celes a moment to think it over. "She will only be a minute. In the meantime, I believe we both could do much to enlighten each other. For instance, I am under the impression you have never heard of a company known as ShinRa. Would this be correct?"
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Post by Celes Chere on Nov 25, 2008 17:07:21 GMT -5
Celes’ shoulders visibly slumped with relief for a second before straightening again. She would not allow her strength to crumble in the face of this man Tseng who, after further consideration, seemed to be more of an ally than she’d met in this strange new world. He seemed kind enough, and his offer of drinks and a conversation were more than welcome to her, even though she’d just emptied almost half a bottle of sake to herself. However, her recently acquired ability to hold her liquor reassured her that she wouldn’t spill too much in front of this stranger if she were to join him and his companion (whom she apparently hadn’t imagined). She reminded herself sternly how quickly loyalties could change in any situation. Her own history demonstrated that phenomenon. She nodded her acceptance slowly and cautiously before he continued on.
Celes had thought that nothing could surprise her, yet she found herself astounded by his next question. Even the mere word “ShinRa” sounded preposterous, like a child’s incoherent gibberish. His assumption that she hadn’t heard of it was clearly the result of other people’s ignorance of this company. He seemed a bit jaded by the question itself, as though he knew he needn’t even ask. She stifled a little smile as she thought again of how out-of-place she must have looked. Gripping the brown jumpsuit a little tighter, she pulled it somewhat possessively toward her, suddenly growing very aware of how much skin she was baring in front of this man for whom donning a suit was apparently a daily ritual. She was anxious to cover herself. She would never have admitted it aloud, strong as she considered herself to be, but in spite of her caution and her arrogance, she already craved Tseng’s approval. His kindness was enough to start with, however.
“Yes, that's right” she answered after a moment. “I’ve never heard of…ShinRa. Can I assume that you’re just as unfamiliar with the Reign of Kefka?”
If he was, that would mean that, in his remembrance, the world was never torn apart, which meant that somewhere – somehow – the Goddesses were still in alignment. She hoped. That hope burned gently and warmly in a tiny pocket of her heart. The thought alone had been enough to keep her back straight and her eyes forward ever since she’d come to this wicked place.
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Post by Tseng on Nov 26, 2008 2:42:59 GMT -5
Kefka, the name resounded with the weight of history, yet it remained unfamiliar. The girl stood straighter and hope filled her eyes with brightness. It was as if merely speaking the name gave her strength. Tseng would have liked to have had something like to hold onto at the moment. The analytical side of his mind could not wrap itself around the idea that he could be at such a disadvantage. Afterall, he normally accounted for all the variables and even allowed himself enough leeway to make a mistake or an error in judgement. Normally, he was the one exploiting other's confusion and lack of accurate data. Instead, he was found himself on the defensive and without his fellow Turks to command he felt fairly vulnerable. More to the point, Tseng knew he had to pull himself together mentally. He was a Turk, and Turks never lost faith in the mission. However, he still had no idea what his mission objectives were at this point.
Kefka, Esthar, Sephiroth working with the Turks... nothing made sense. The world was flipped on it's head and none of the facts added up to anything comprehensible. Even the concept of Time Compression didn't make the situation clearer. Instead of answering questions, each new bit of information only served to further obfuscate the predicament Tseng found himself in. Yuki firmly believed there was the possibility of lands beyond her own which failed to match up with Tseng's understanding that the entirety of the planet had already been charted if not explored. No city ever existed so close to Midgar or could have without extensive amounts of Mako technology. Not to mention, ShinRa was a name everyone knew about and had an opinion on but so far none of the strange and confused people Tseng had met knew anything about it. Accounting for the possibility that Tseng was running into every insane person in Midgar in consecutive order failed to resolve the problem any better as he still lacked an explanation for how he managed to survive whatever occured after passing out in the Temple of the Ancients.
Tseng noticed they had drawn a small crowd of onlookers attempting to watch without being seen. While ShinRa employees were quite common down here, it was less common to see one with bloodstained clothing alone and without support. A single cool gaze around the street sent the casual onlookers back to whatever business they could manufacture. Tseng hoped Yuki would be done changing soon so he could make his own purchase before heading to the bar with both Yuki and Celes. He really needed another stiff drink along with a quieter atmospher with which to speak in.
"No," he replied his tone even and relaxed. "Kefka is unfamiliar to me though he sounds important."
With a casual wave of his hand Tseng motioned upwards towards the plate above. "However, I can tell you where you are. We're located in the Sector Six Slums, known coloquially as Wall Market, in the city of Midgar. It is home to ShinRa the global company I work for."
A shadow of a smile almost crossed his lips and touched his dark, experienced eyes. The next part would tip his hand a little, but it would be better to explain his occupation a little now rather than deal with suspicion that would arise later if he remained quiet. Besides, it wasn't as if Celes couldn't have learned a little about the Turks on her own. They were quite the open secret. "Within ShinRa is the Department of Administration also known as the Turks and are in charge of recruitment for our SOLDIER program, basically the company's private army, along with other interesting tasks charged to us directly by the Board of Directors and President Rufus. The Turks operate under my direct authority and guidance."
Tseng left the implied nature of his duties just that: implied. If Celes was a former general then she would know exactly what he was capable of and what information he could provide in exchange over drinks. Tseng almost felt humored by the situation as well becasue before meeting Avalanche he never had to explain to anyone who he was or the fact that he was the leader of the Turks. Everyone had just known. "Now that I've told you a little about my organization, perhaps you could enlighten me as to the nature of the Imperial Army and Kefka."
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Post by Celes Chere on Nov 26, 2008 9:50:12 GMT -5
Celes listened intently as Tseng spoke in that same smooth, lilting tone. She stood erect, almost at attention, as though she were receiving orders. Silly as that analogy might seem, it felt quite accurate. Since Tseng seemed to be the first (and so far only) person in this city who was neither drunk nor crazy nor even particularly unfriendly, she was willing to swallow whatever pill he gave her. At least he was giving her something, and at least he seemed at least to know where they were.
She looked up, for what would be the second time since arriving here, when he gestured at the plates above their heads. The first time she looked she was struck by an intolerable sense of vertigo, instinctively staggering backward in a vain attempt to see the whole thing, to let the entirety of the structure fit within her scope of vision. But here, in this slum, the plate with its tunnels and lights and strange buzzing sound was the entire sky. The thought terrified her, even as it brought back memories of her own upbringing, living in the Magitek Facility at Vector. But this was different. In Vector, machines ran off steam, coals, and the hard work of men, be they good or evil. But here, something was at work that she’d never felt before. It was in the air, thick like the hazy illusions in the Figaro Desert. She furrowed her eyebrows for a moment as she allowed her thoughts to rest on Edgar for a moment, his noble face, his sparkling eye, his commanding presence. In an odd way, Tseng reminded her of him, but without the humor.
“Wall Market,” she repeated softly as she looked around, also noticing their increasing audience. Oddly, however, most of the people who gathered seemed to be staring more closely and with greater concern at Tseng than at her. He must be very important, she thought to herself.
And indeed that theory was confirmed when he described his position to her. Her eyes widened a little in surprise. He was a general too, then. Perhaps they might have enough in common to really understand each other. A new spark of hope flared up in her spirit as she considered that maybe, just maybe, the knowledge they might be able to share over the next few hours could lead them to some sort of conclusion, and might at least help them both attain peace with what had happened here. It was too much of a stretch that they might be able to solve the mystery entirely, but she had no idea what Tseng or Yuki might have to offer.
At his question, she took another deep breath and let it out slowly. Where to begin?
“The natures of the Imperial Army and Kefka are…irrelevant. I watched them both die, one after the other. Kefka was a part of the army, but then he became mad with power and dismantled it when he destroyed the world. For a while he reigned, supreme and tyrannical. He was ultimately killed by a small group of warriors.” She hesitated. Would she admit her part in it? She didn’t want to reveal too much to this strange man, but she also knew that the more information they all shared the closer they might come to answering the questions they all had. “We all had our reasons for joining the fight, but Kefka’s destruction was supposed to satisfy them all. And it did. But whatever happened to my world, only Kefka could have done. He’s the only person in history who could have had that kind of power.”
She picked up the pricetag on the jumpsuit and glanced at it. 350 gil. She had 425 left. It was going to be a long afternoon.
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Post by Tseng on Nov 26, 2008 14:21:16 GMT -5
Once again, Celes provided Tseng with another piece of the puzzle, this time it fitted perfectly with one Yuki had provided. All three of them knew someone from their respective nations that had the power to destroy the world in some fashion. Tseng knew of Sephiroth and Jenova, Yuki mentioned a sorceress and Time Compression, while Celes had witnessed the destruction of her world at the hands of a man named Kefka. It pieced together well enough: somehow all the calamaties had effected the others in a way. It sounded like a cascade effect though it would take a scientist to understand the mechanics behind the affair. Tseng lacked the inclination to pursue research into the area further; he knew now that his mission to stop Sephiroth was over. However, a nagging sensation tugged at the back of Tseng's mind. Something still remained unanswered though what eluded his grasp.
Tseng watched curiously as Celes continued to look over the brown jumpsuit in her hands. It wasn't exactly stylish nor professional but was at least more practical than what she currently wore. A small smile slipped past his guarded exterior as he allowed himself a moment to actually drink in Celes's appearance. She looked fairly young for a general and lacked the hardened eyes of a warrior who'd seen lifetimes of battle. The soft smooth skin and shapely body seemed out of place as well for a someone who had served with the armed forces though Tseng wasn't willing to doubt her story as few would have expected someone as young as himself to be the leader of ShinRa's most notorious operations. Besides, if one considered the general youth of his opposition in Avalanche, Celes service to an army as a general hardly seemed out of place.
"Another ragtag band brought together through mutual agendas. Avalanche suddenly has become less unique," Tseng mused as he took a moment to browse for another suit jacket and pants. "It's interesting how much the places Yuki and you have described have in common with my own."
He stopped a finger over a new blue suit jacket though this one had a set of buttons rather than a zipper. The design was fairly well tailored and though it would be a little different Tseng would finally look presentable again. It amazed him how much appearances mattered when one was in the company of strangers. "You looked surprised by something about Midgar. May I ask why?"
The bait of laid out and the pole readied in his hands. He might have gotten answers from Celes but there were some issues he would have to address. Especially if she was part of a group who operated much like Avalanche. Afterall, Rufus was a power mad dictator in his own right, and it wouldn't do well for him to be working with someone who he would eventually be ordered to turn against. Once more Tseng found himself faced with divided loyalties and turning again towards his devotion to ShinRa. Yuki was most assuredly just as loyal to his nation as well which meant if all three were loyal to different parties things would get interesting rather rapidly.
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