((????? I think I did something wrong. I wanted to send a join request, but LJ just let me join, first thing? I'm sorry! How do I send a request? Please don't ban me?))

The lab corridors, narrow, musty, and dank, twisted this way and that as Yazoo led the substantially smaller party on towards Jenova's ultimate hiding place. Sephiroth and the ShinRa troops had remained behind to secure the entrance that Loz had wrenched open singlehandedly, and so the rest of the party had trooped grimly onward into the labs.

As seemed to be usual for now, Yazoo was in the lead, with Loz not at all far behind; they knew these corridors all too well, after all.



((All right, folks, we're moving things along so that we can actually finish it; this is the boss fight, so please take a moment or so to determine your character's shape after working through the small fry and play accordingly. Please be realistic about it, that's all we want. If you need to withdraw your pup, feel free, but please give us a quick OOC note explaining how and why so we know who we have to work with. Thanks so much! :D))

It's just a mission.

Zax is finding it works best to think of it that way. It's not really under official orders, far more is at stake here than he's ever had to worry about before, and certainly he's never marched with quite this assortment of people, but those are mere details. This is a mission; he's doing his job. This is what he entered SOLDIER to do, and he has no intention of failing, or letting anyone here down.

So far it seems quiet. Zax knows better than to let down his guard for that, however - he's close to full alert, waiting for the first signal to take action.

Glancing around briefly at his comrades, he offers a small grin. "Let's hope the clones don't take all the fun for themselves, huh?"

((Just for the record, Zax has the following materia equipped in his armor: mastered Cure-All combo, mastered Time, and Luck Plus.))

It is time to leave.

Yazoo, Loz, and their respective groups head out first.

Fifteen minutes later, Sephiroth's group follows.

It is only a matter of time now.



((Floor is open now; please feel free to make threads or jump in on such at your leisure, and thank you for your patience. ^^;))

Finally, Yazoo stands, still with the bag of loaned materia in one hand. "This is the final grouping," he said, gesturing to the whiteboard. "Those going with Sephiroth are as follows: Cloud one, Cloud two, Zax, Aerith, and Zack, plus you five." He gestured to a small knot of the SOLDIERs. "Leela. You are with Loz. You" -by this he meant Vincent- "are with me. The remaining SOLDIERs are to split up evenly between myself and Loz."

He scoops a sword up from a table and fastens it behind himself for easy reach; those observant enough could easily tell that it was in fact Kadaj's souba. "Those of you wishing to take advantage of the Seal-All combination are to come up here and get this. I suggest one person per group at first. Over by Loz are some supplies; if you think there is anything you may need, take it with you. My group and Loz's shall be leaving for our exit gates in five minutes; Sephiroth's approximately fifteen minutes after that."

He whirls to face them all, hands folded behind his back. "Remember this: do not underestimate her or her pawns. It could possibly be the last mistake you ever make."

With that, Yazoo sets up camp by the whiteboard to wait.

((continued))

Finally, Yazoo stands up from the table, papers in hand. "It's time," he says simply, stalking over to a (borrowed) whiteboard and quickly drawing out a rough map.

"This is where she's holed up; a series of ruined laboratories just on the outskirts of Midgar. Surely she is bending those afflicted with Geostigma to her will, forcing them to serve as her bodyguards and human shields. I advise you to keep this in mind: you would be doing them a favor by by giving them merciful deaths.

"Now, then: there will be three groups; Sephiroth shall head one, Loz another, and I myself the third. We will split and approach from three directions to make sure she does not move without at least one of us spotting her; Loz and I will approach from the left and right, respectively, and Sephiroth will come straight at her. Those with the central group are advised to expect heavy resistance, as you are in fact part of a diversionary force.

"We will leave from these three gates here, here, and here; the gates on the left and right will leave first, and as silently and swiftly as possible, barring, of course, resistance; she will surely have her puppets stepping in to intercept us. From our scouting, it's very likely to be the ordinary citizens first, with those with actual skill kept closer to her." His face darkens a little bit. "And, of course, she is not without skills of her own; I do not see her dirtying her hands with physical force in the slightest, but her magical and mental skills are formidable and not to be underestimated.

"Now: if anyone has any preferences on where they are to be, speak now or forever hold your peace; we move as soon as the final grouping is assigned."

There is a train station down in the slums that's atracting a lot of attention - in part, because of Yazoo and Loz, but also due to the fact that people keep showing up to wait for some mysterious order that has yet to be issued. Yazoo, at present, is busy poring over charts and maps one last time, occasionally glancing up to take note of a newcomer or reach for another chart to skim.

It's almost time to move.

((And we're baaack~))

*There is a memo on Sephiroth's desk. It's taped shut and stamped CONFIDENTIAL. When Sephiroth opens it, it will read thus:*

Recipient: General Sephiroth
Sender: SOLDIER:1st Zax Gunnolf
Date: 6.20.2006
Subject: Family matters

Sir, we've gotten word from your brothers. It's time to move. She's changed position since we last heard; enclosed is a map of the new area.

I am equipping my best Materia and also carrying emergency tranquilizers. Awaiting further orders.

((Yep - this means the war's finally getting started. Sorry for the delay, everyone. ^_^))

Kadaj was wandering aimlessly around the stores in Midgar, looking into windows, watching the people inside with shining eyes. So much life and bustle. Yet he was bored. So, closing his eyes, he concentrated on sending a message to any with Jenova cells who could hear him.

Hello. I am rather bored. Perhaps someone would like to join me, I am in the city center.

When he was done, he sat on a bench watching the people pass, hoping some company would appear soon.

Hi, folks. All those of you with pups planning to participate in the upcoming war - y'all know who you are - could I get you to drop a line here so we have all the information in one place? Listing all your AP pups isn't necessary, but it's encouraged. Just let us know that you're willing to participate so we have an idea of how long this may take.

Also: the tentative structure of the war is something similar to the Patchwork Earth war - for those of you not familiar with it, the structure was simple enough: people posted at will about their role, and other people could come in and reply to that post, with occasional moderator-directed posts to move the plotline along. It seems by far the simplest way to handle things during the course of the war, and should keep the headaches down to a minimum.

Comments? Questions? Theories? Leave a comment and let us know.

It came from the Nexus, high on chocolate and breaking several laws of physics and biology just through its existence. And it had only one goal in mind as it ran squealing through the streets to where it sensed Zax was hanging out.

Glomping!

"Zaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax~! Where are you! I have candy!" Chibi-Cloud squealed as he toddled and skidded towards the sense he had of Zax's location, heedless of things like common sense, other people, or the mortification he would undoubtedly feel when the Nexus, LOL wore off. There were neat things to inform his friend of!

Merodi has wandered far, far, far way from Shinra. She's now enjoying the splendors of Wall Market, gaping at everything with child-like wonder and not really comprehending what she's seeing, with Lord Christian discreetly following her. He certainly deters any random monster battles and advances, once he makes his presence known. Merodi seems unaware of him, however, although she drops an occasional mushroom on the ground.

Juuuust a quick heads-up on two things:

1. the_brat_sister has been added to the mod council, since she was basically a de facto mod anyway. XD

2. There is now an OOC comm - alterplanet_ooc. (Yes, it's barebones and ugly right now. We'll work on it. XD) I strongly recommend that everyone go join, and keep an eye on it. Plots can be proposed and worked out there, and stuff. Don't be shy about posting. :3

That's all. I now return you to your regularly scheduled AP.

And thus, the respite in Nibelheim is over.

The trip was as tiresome as expected. Cramped quarters, Merodi inexplicably chewing on anyone's hair or clothes that she could get to, the tonberry giving everyone shifty looks, and a general sense of impending doom combined to that overall effect.

And half the expanded party is made up of people that don't really have a place to go in Midgar.

So it is that now Zax finds himself trudging towards his room in the SOLDIER dorms, with five people and two monsters trailing behind him, desperately hoping to get back and at least get a chance to settle before his and Cloud's inevitable Sephiroth-shaped doom.

The return trip to Midgar is looking to be a lot less enjoyable than the trip out to Nibelheim was. The truck, while it was roomy enough for just Cloud, User, and Zax, is rather more fully occupied this time.

Tea with the Strifes had been a somewhat bizarre affair, including, as it had, Vincent Valentine. Still, it had gone off as pleasantly as could be expected under the circumstances, with Mrs. Strife taking the ragged ex-Turk's presence in stride and doing her mother's best to embarrass Cloud as much as possible, and Zax wholeheartedly assisting her.

What came after the tea could be defined as mild karmic retribution against Zax on Cloud's behalf. Vincent, having no intention of going back to sleep, had quietly but very thoroughly interrogated Zax about Shin-Ra, Hojo, Sephiroth, Jenova, and all things related. Zax, resigned to the consequences of waking the ex-Turk up, provided the best answers he could. By the end of the night, there was no question about it. Vincent was coming back with them to Midgar for the upcoming battle.

Zax dares to hope this might offset some of Sephiroth's irritation with him.

The next morning, however, brought more personal worries than irate Generals, as Vash had arrived in Nibelheim with Merodi in tow. The girl was in a severe state of mental deterioration, barely able to remember anything, only barely holding on to her sense of self. Once surrounded by friends, she had seemed to stabilize, but remained in a pretty sorry state.

And, as ill luck would have it, the day after was when they were due to return. There had been no choice but to pile everybody that could fit into the truck. Even with one person riding Merodi's rental chocobo alongside the vehicle, that still leaves five people, a Malboro, and a Tonberry packed inside. The presence of the Tonberry puts nobody at ease, even as it seems perfectly content to sit near Merodi and eat mushrooms for the whole trip.

It's looking to be a long, trying ride back to Midgar.

((Permission was obtained in advance from involved muns to describe their pups' actions in this way. Just for the record. ♥))

Kadaj's bike roared as he rode through the streets of Midgar. The wind rushing past his ears, rain pelting his body. He skidded to a stop outside a long adandoned church, breaking in the door with a good kick, he stepped in, looking around the musty pews. Un-clipping his Souba, he laid it against a wall and walked through the building, running his fingers along the altar, the font. Finally, he reached the stairs. Jumping up them, he reached the top of the belltower in minutes, and crouched on it's ledge. Eyes roving over the city, lovingly.

"I have returned."

((Mun has returned. After much RL stuffs. Poke Kadaj?))

Cloud's heels clicked hollowly on the ancient shell paving running through Knowlespole, echoes of it reverberating through the twisted shapes of the abandoned dwellings standing out like glowing skeletons against the darkened sky. The old magic on the buildings and the fainter blue glow from Ultima Weapon, familiar and heavy on his back, were the only sources of light in the otherwise fog-like darkness as Cloud paced slowly towards the lake near the center of town and the tall, curling shell that almost rose above the spidery tops of the petrified trees. He could hear the gentle lapping of the water against the shore of the lake and the faint creaking of the branches in the breeze that stirred the treetops as his steps took him around the perimeter of the lake and into the shell house.

The interior was lit by a crystal, concealing the entrance to Cloud's true destination-- the city of glass, where once upon a time in the future the last of the Cetra would sacrifice herself.. You haven't got time to distract yourself with it. Not your fault, and you're just lucky she's not here to eavesdrop and hit you for being a moron.

Cloud reached out to run his fingers along the top of the gently glowing material, silently asking for entrance within the former heart of the Cetra capital. It was a place of power, a place where one could commune most closely with the Planet.. and a place where, gods willing, the Crisis could be tracked to her lair and destroyed.

"C'mon, ghosts.. I've reached the end of my mortal rope on this one," Cloud murmured to the crystal. "I could use some help."

Loz waits at the appointed place, a path by a church in the slums, with SIN at his side; he'd felt Yazoo moving closer some time ago, and had come here to wait for him. SIN, in human form, leant against a handy bit of brick wall and scanned the surroundings somewhat curiously while Loz waited off to one side of the church doors. A motorcycle rumbled in the distance, and Loz looked up to see who was coming...

Several months after her accident at Nibelheim, Merodi is once again sitting aside a chocobo on the edges of the small town. Vash is sitting aside on his own chocobo, not too far from Merodi, covered in peck marks. Both chocobos fidget about, having been recently caught and still not used to humans.

Merodi suddenly winces as an all-too familiar pain goes through her head. Her chocobo perks up, sensing her lapse of concentration, and uses this as a cue to forge on ahead.