Zax Gunnolf ([info]gongaga_boy) wrote in [info]alterplanet,
@ 2006-05-16 21:18:00
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Current mood: anxious

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.


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[info]shinrassoldier
2006-05-17 04:56 am UTC (link)
It's actually rather rare for Sephiroth to leak emotions that you can sense when you're not in the room for it. Once the J-Celled folks are near the building, they can sense impatience, dark amusement, and anxiousness. Everyone else will just have to go with the usual signs that Something is Wrong. Like the fact that the SOLDIERs are actually working.

Those poor bastards with JENOVA cells in them can probably feel Sephiroth's grin. He had a PA microphone hooked up to the office for this specific reason. He even managed to bully the engineers into amping up the noise of the speakers.

He peels off his gloves as he senses them come up, grabbing the blackboard he'd been keeping by his desk. Calmly, he flips the microphone on, and sets the blackboard down next to it. Slowly, elegantly, he reaches out with perfectly manicured fingernails, and puts them at one end of the long board. And then he scratches. Oh, does he scratch. The feedback squeal probably isn't helping things, either.

After several seconds of torture, he lets up and leans toward the microphone. "Zax? Cloud? I'd like to see the two of you in my office now."

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[info]gongaga_boy
2006-05-17 05:18 am UTC (link)
Thus drops the other shoe.

Zax uncurls slowly from his deep flinch, rubbing at one ear. He has a miserable look on his face as he turns to face the others.

"Time to face the music," he says weakly, forcing a smile. "Sis? Can you take everyone to my quarters and get them relatively settled? With any luck Cloud and I'll come back only slightly maimed."

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[info]the_brat_sister
2006-05-17 05:27 am UTC (link)
User pinches the bridge of her nose as she takes a moment to create a reply that's not snappish; the combination of little to no sleep, the stigma attack, and nightmares has left her temper very badly frayed, and the General's little stunt had just snapped the last few strands.

"...sure," she says finally, voice barely above a whisper. "...I have to take this to the President once I'm done, though," she adds, gesturing to the metal briefcase.

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[info]wantedtyphoon
2006-05-17 05:49 am UTC (link)
All of this is... one big shock for Vash, on so many levels. First of all, Midgar is never a city he's been to. Part of it is amazing, and the other part almost disgusts him on some level. It's almost like it smells... smells like death and decay.

The surroundings keep Vash distracted as he numblingly follows Zax, almost bumping into him as they stop and listen to the com.

"Uh-oh. Uh, you gonna be okay, Zax?"

The Stampede glances at User, still a little confused as he's generating everything mentally, but he smiles sheepishly to her. Why hello there~!

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[info]gongaga_boy
2006-05-17 05:55 am UTC (link)
Zax nods in User's direction. "Okay. Just as long as nobody destroys anything in there."

To Vash, he tries grinning. "I dunno. Cloud and I dyed Sephiroth's hair pink, and... you just heard how much he appreciated that. We'll probably be on latrine duty for a month, and that's being optimistic."

He glances around again, nods again at User, and then turns to Cloud.

"Well, guess we'd better go. Probably a bad idea to keep him waiting."

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[info]clod_strife
2006-05-17 06:20 am UTC (link)
Cloud nods. "I think we're all out of good ideas anyway."

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[info]gongaga_boy
2006-05-17 04:54 pm UTC (link)
Zax nods solemnly. Lots of nodding going on here. With a last, intimidated look at the office building, he squares his shoulders and starts forward.

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[info]the_brat_sister
2006-05-18 12:33 am UTC (link)
User's not terribly surprised Vash hasn't noticed her; he seemed to get the brunt of the chewing from Merodi, after all. "...Right," she says as Cloud and Zax are walking away. "Come on, this way, and let me handle the guards."

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[info]the_merodi
2006-05-21 03:18 am UTC (link)
Unfortunately, Merodi and Lord Christian are no longer around. It appears that Merodi has wandered off into Midgar.

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[info]the_brat_sister
2006-05-21 03:41 am UTC (link)
This provokes a virulent and foul torrent of language from User, not only verbally but mentally; it's a safe bet that she's probably not safe to approach right now, no matter who you are.

"...Right. You two come with me; I'll go find her once you're settled," she sighs finally. "...At least the frigging Tonberry is with her. If one more thing happens before I get some sleep, heads are going to roll," she mutters before turning and heading towards Zax's quarters, fully expecting the two men to follow her without arguing.

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[info]gongaga_boy
2006-05-18 01:57 am UTC (link)
Sephiroth's use of the PA system means that everyone knows who is about to get chewed out. Passing SOLDIERS shoot Zax and Cloud glances varying between irritation, awe, and pity. Zax rather suspects that Sephiroth is not the only one who's going to exchange words with them over this.

As they make it to Sephiroth's door, Zax takes in a deep, steadying breath before raising his fist to knock twice.

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[info]clod_strife
2006-05-18 09:24 am UTC (link)
"...Maybe he's in a good mood today?" Cloud murmurs.

Nothing like girding yourself with false optimism.

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[info]gongaga_boy
2006-05-19 02:06 am UTC (link)
"Could be that PA stunt got most of the pissiness out of his system," Zax murmurs back hopefully.

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[info]shinrassoldier
2006-05-19 05:34 pm UTC (link)
The door swings open when Zax knocks. If they look closely, they can see a string connected to the doorknob. Sephiroth slowly turns in his chair, fingers steepled. "Welcome back. You can close the door behind you."

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[info]clod_strife
2006-05-20 05:40 am UTC (link)
Cloud stiffens as the door seemingly opens on it's own, and takes a deep breath, steeling himself to go in.

After Zax, of course.

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[info]gongaga_boy
2006-05-20 05:51 am UTC (link)
Well, this cannot be a good omen of how the meeting will go. Zax does notice the string, but it fails to reduce the general feeling of doom.

He takes a moment to steel himself as Cloud does, and then steps in and snaps off the crispest salute he's probably ever done. Might as well face the consequences with some dignity.

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[info]shinrassoldier
2006-05-20 11:47 pm UTC (link)
Sephiroth smiles at them. "Not feeling so cocky after the return from Nibelheim, are we? I thought not." The smile widens and he leans onto his desk. Does he have fangs, or is that just the light? "Now, we're friends. I understand that. Friends play pranks on each other. Understandable. But everything has limits." He doesn't say what exactly these mystical things called 'limits' are. They're bright.

"It's taken me some time to calm down, I'll admit. It's not been easy to find a suitable punishment." He fiddles with his desk and opens a drawer, smiling at whatever's hidden in there. "I think I have just the thing, however."

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[info]clod_strife
2006-05-21 12:30 am UTC (link)
Standing at not anything less than full attention next to Zax, Cloud tries to radiate a general aura of agreement.

He really hopes that's just the light. The prospect of whatever he's taking out of that drawer take on a whole new level of horrid fascination.

Maybe it'll be quick and (relatively) painless...

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[info]gongaga_boy
2006-05-21 12:50 am UTC (link)
Zax is distracted for a moment wondering just how exactly Sephiroth knew where they went; hadn't they been discreet about that when they left? After a brief consideration, he chalks it up to 'Sephiroth is fucking scary'.

He can't imagine what Sephiroth might be pulling out of the drawer - or rather, he can imagine too many things to settle on one - but whatever it is, he tells himself, the pictures they've got on the digital camera have got to be worth it.

"Sir," he says, keeping his voice steady with some effort, "if I may ask - just what is it?"

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[info]shinrassoldier
2006-05-21 01:14 am UTC (link)
Some things are best left unanswered. For everything else? There's the Nexus.

"Now, this is very strange, but someone had the bright idea of giving the custodians paid vacations to Costa del Sol two days ago. I don't know who did it, but rest assured, they will be punished when I find them." He tosses each of them a sponge and a scrubber. "You'll have to pick up their slack. I expect the entire building to be clean in two days."

He stands and moves past them, grabbing two rolls of clothing from one of the shelves behind him. "And, of course, it wouldn't do for you two to ruin your uniforms." The General moves between them, placing his arms around their shoulders. He gives the rolls a flick of the wrist, rolling out the two french maid's outfits to cover their fronts. "I've taken the privilage of having these tailor made for the two of you."

There's that "I've burnt down your home town and now I'm in ur base, killing ur d00ds" smile...

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[info]clod_strife
2006-05-21 04:26 am UTC (link)
He catches the sponge and scrubber. Okay, cleaning detail, that's not too...

But then...

"..."

Cloud had walked in here expecting a fate beyond his worst imaginings.

Man, he hated being right.

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[info]gongaga_boy
2006-05-21 04:41 am UTC (link)
Zax stares blankly down at the dress being held in front of him. For the moment, he's too dumbstruck to even muster up proper horror. Almost certainly, this will change later.

Right now, all he can think of is that karma is getting him back for laughing at the Wall Market scene.

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[info]shinrassoldier
2006-05-21 01:42 pm UTC (link)
Speechless. That's how Sephiroth knew that he'd done well. Hopefully this will send a message to all of the troops. You Don't Fuck With The General's Hair. Yes, the capital letters are needed.

"You have ten minutes to get ready. You know where the janitorial closets are if you need a bucket for the windows. I've assigned Johnny to watch you in case you try to wriggle out of this somehow. Hop to it!"

Is everyone sure that a sane Sephiroth is any better than the insane kind?

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[info]clod_strife
2006-05-22 06:11 am UTC (link)
Cloud does not have to be told twice. All in all, he could have done without being told once.

If everyone consists of the people in this room right now, the answer is not favorably slanted towards Yes.

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[info]gongaga_boy
2006-05-22 07:24 am UTC (link)
Hometown burning vs. maid's dresses... it's a tough call indeed.

It's going to be a long two days.

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