I try to live on science alone

[denigrator]

Characters: Hojo and you
Setting: In his room and between the dormitories and the laboratory.
Format: Prose or action, whichever you prefer.
Summary: Hojo's arrival and subsequent explorations.
Warnings: Hojo being Hojo; also, blood and needles.


Room 2-08:

Strange, very strange. It's not that he isn't surprised by this change of scenery, but he must think this through with logic, not emotion.

His world has been destroyed? An interesting little pair of letters. Well, well, he can only hope he was responsible. That would be ideal, wouldn't it? Considering the timing, it's not so unthinkable… But then, it is an incredible claim, and he'd need proof to believe it. Scientists don't believe claims without evidence, though he's always willing to consider a theory that has merit. Yes, he'll consider it. He touches his fingers to the collar at his neck, a curious expression on his face. He's almost--amused.

After a long pause, Hojo rises and stretches, studying the room and, before long, opening his trunk. How thoughtful! A ShinRa armband, and his clothing. First, he studies the Materia in the armband with a faint smile. Now, that is useful. Ah, and there's his gun. He dresses and arms himself quickly. No sense in waiting. Once that's done, he's happy to find some of his samples at the bottom of the trunk, nice and neatly stowed away.

He drums the fingers of one hand upon the back of the other, looking down at his arm thoughtfully. "Hm, and I wonder, are you still in there? Or have you left me?" He asks--maybe himself, or maybe he believes he's actually talking to someone else. He chuckles, his lips twisting into a smile. "First things first, I should find out, shouldn't I? It would be rude of me to ignore you. Must check my results."

Later, throughout the Tower, anywhere between the Dormitories and Floor 27:

He hums to himself as he walks, not any particular tune, just a tuneless collection of notes sprinkled here and there. With his lab coat covering his gun and his Materia, he's not visibly armed unless one looks very closely. At first glance, he certainly doesn't look fit for combat. The truth is, fit or not, nothing could stop him from exploring. He has investigations to conduct!

It's a shame he failed, he thinks to himself--yes, even he failed in the end, but he knows why. Like any good researcher, he was able to pinpoint the exact moment and nature of his error, once he realized that there was a flaw in the research. Cloud. Yes, Cloud, the one he'd deemed to be a failure, who was in fact his greatest success, the perfect Sephiroth clone. If only he'd seen it sooner! The last thing he remembers before arriving here is Cloud. And dying… Not that dying matters. Not to him. Not anymore.

And, on Floor 27:

Excellent! Just what he's been looking for. A laboratory to work in. Much of the equipment is odd to him, but some is far more familiar. So much to explore, but for the moment, he only has one goal. He doesn't need much. Just a microscope to analyze a sample of his blood. Yes, that's what he's most interested in now. He's brought a syringe and needle with him, and he draws his own blood without blinking, still smiling and humming the same tuneless non-song to himself.

Comments

the hallways

[atouchofstrife]

It would be wrong to just rely on the two Renos for just about anything. Especially since Tifa had nagged at him for the last time he let the Turks gather information while he just sat around looking particularly sullen. to be honest, he had been going through his own issues at the time, but that wasn't an excuse. It should never be an excuse, especially when it's life or death.

So first, he had to get a lay of the land. Cloud was walking through all the halls he could, learning the paths and routes - which was easy enough. He wanted to find a place where he could get his swords together again - while the switchblades were decent, it didn't feel right to use such light blades. It also would give him access to his higher level attacks, especially given light that his place was dangerous.

This floor didn't seem to have much going for it. Cloud moved to the next stairs up and then stopped, eyes widening at the apparition walking towards him. He shook his head but the image remained as it was, coming closer and whistling.

[denigrator]

Sensing someone up ahead, Hojo, who was paying more attention to his surroundings than he appeared to be, looked up and stopped. He froze in place and ceased his whistling. The smile faded from his face as he regarded Cloud thoughtfully.

There was a familiar face. He knew Cloud's name as well, very well by now, following the full extent of their encounters. After a moment's time spent absorbing this new information, he spoke.

"Ah, look who it is. So you're here as well. I was just thinking of you. Now, isn't that funny." It wasn't a question. His smile returned. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You do seem to keep showing up, don't you? What an interesting place this is."

[atouchofstrife]

"I wouldn't consider it funny," Cloud replied, his face settling into a blank frown. He didn't want Hojo to realize exactly how much his appearance affected him. He was often glad that he couldn't remember the four years in Hojo's care, but being this close to him made him feel lost.

Lonely. Drowning in green and too much everything. Cloud clamped down on the sudden urge to split the man in half and focused on what was now. He tried remembering what materia he had on him, his finger itching for the hilt of his First Ken until he closed them into a fist.

"It's just another maze filled with monsters and lost people. I would think that you would find it like home."

[denigrator]

"No, I don't suppose you're known for your sense of humor," Hojo observed, still smiling to himself.

He watched Cloud with interest, noting his actions and reactions with a clinical eye. He didn't fail to miss the tension and potential for aggression in his bearing. Hojo did have some defenses, if attacked, but there was no need to use them prematurely. He had no desire to engage in conflict with Cloud, but he knew it was a distinct possibility. After all, from his perspective, he'd just been killed in such a conflict. He remembered green too, Mako-bright, the Lifestream surrounding him. But he hadn't joined it. No, that wasn't to be his fate.

"I assure you, whatever you may believe, my home was quite ordinary, if extraordinarily well-appointed. I wasn't in the habit of residing in labyrinths." A pause. "It's true that I don't mind monsters, but I've spent my life studying them."

[atouchofstrife]

"Not everyone has a funny bone."

Hojo probably could tell him different, but Cloud wouldn't believe him. He was at a point that if the scientist told him that the sky was blue, Cloud would do his best to prove him wrong. He glanced around, plotting out a way to get away from Hojo without actually having to get anywhere near him. It might have been years since seeing the scientist at the end of his sword, but the fear was still there. It was there enough that the ordeal with the collars had to be done through force - Cloud was not willing to step foot in a lab willingly.

"And I thought you stayed in your labs unless Shinra wanted to give you more money."

On his way to Floor 27

[deathboss]

"Not a bad start, but you definitely lack a harmonious structure." Behind him, Eikichi steps out from the twenty-eighth floor, giving Hojo a good view of the 6'1" teen's normal outfit bright blue hair and his visual kei makeup. Walking along with his usual guitar case, he looked like he'd been sending the last few days barely sleeping. The nightmares from sponsorships had been plaguing him greatly, and he was currently unsure if he wanted to risk taking a nap at this point.

"Don't recognize you. You new?" OH AND NO PERSONAS ON THIS PERSON TOO, THANK THE GODS. Something about him seemed off, however...

[denigrator]

At these words, he turns and stops to take in this young man's very interesting garb and instrument case. It's not that he hasn't seen interesting people before, but this young man does look a little different than what he's used to.

"Do you think so?" He laughs. "Structure is a great interest of mine, but I hadn't thought to go so far as to compose with notes. I am a man of science, I compose with compounds. Science and music are alike in having specific notations to define a series of actions and reactions, you might say." He seems pleased by this idea, and there is no more pleasing music to him than the silent music of his formulae.

"I have recently arrived, yes. Now, you are a musician, I take it." That would explain his appearance, as well as his case.

I am sorry about my character being a derp.

[deathboss]

Wow, it was like he was saying words, but Eikichi only understood half of them. He blinks his eyes for a few seconds both due to confusion and fatigue before answering.

"Uhh...I guess so." Well, at least until he mentions the word musician, and he grins, proudly pointing to himself, as he adjusts his guitar case behind him.

"Of course! Michel's the fabulous lead singer of Gas Chamber!" So much for making first impressions. "Let him tell you a tip. Go eat the oatmeal first when you feel hungry."

Haha, no need to apologize!

[denigrator]

"Ah yes, I thought so, you have the look of one," says Hojo, more than willing to be pleasant enough for the moment. It seems the wisest course of action to keep to before he learns his way around.

"Michel, is it? Hm, it sounds as if we have an illustrious personage in our midst."

Hojo had been more interested in his scientific needs than his physical ones at first, but he doesn't care a great deal about what he ingests at the moment, as long as it's adequate. Oatmeal, simple enough. "I see, I see. I'll be sure to do that. Do you have any other useful advice for a newcomer to the Tower?"

The boy seems a bit confused, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

[deathboss]

A man after Eikichi's own heart, at least in terms of smoothing down with words. His narcissism could be used against him, after all. He brought a finger to his lip tapping it idly, thinking, before groaning at certain bad memories.

"...if you ain't got anything to fight 'em off, the monsters of certain levels like to move around the place at night. Don't stay up to late, it ain't too safe anywhere during that time."

In the Tower

[notontheflowers]

Reno was doing turklike things, getting a lay for the land and trying to figure out who was who. Nothing much yet, but he'd been in ShinRa far too long to not recognize the back of Hojo's head. He'd certainly contemplating hitting it with a paintball at range enough times.

Of course, now he had far more reason to hit the man with much more painful than a paintball. Being friends with Vincent did that to people. He could, however, make the man as miserable as possible in his own special way.

"Professor." Reno's tone was cold, and the undercurrent of venom was more than enough to warn the madman of his distasted for him. "Somehow I figured you'd be here."

[denigrator]

"Hm?" Hojo turned toward the sound of his title, quickly. "Ah." Well, he knew a Turk when he saw one. Turks didn't particularly interest him, and neither did Reno's tone of voice, though he noted it. He was taking a number of mental notes, not all of them about Reno.

"Did you? That's surprisingly farsighted of you." Not that he thought this was evidence of actual foresight or of a Turk drawing a logical conclusion.

I'M SORRY. HE HATES HOJO SO MUCH. D:

[notontheflowers]

"Considering people from our world have a bad habit of not staying dead, and you're just about one of the sneakiest bastards outside of the Turks? You were bound to show up somewhere." It was a statement of facts, as far as Reno was concerned.

"I'm going to make one thing clear; you put one toe out of line, you do anything to anyone here they don't specifically request you do, you so much as bring a scalpel anywhere near someone who doesn't need medical attention, you'll be answering to me and that's something you'd probably like to avoid. I don't work for ShinRa anymore Hojo, and I'm pretty sure you know what that means."

Whatever protection the president had afforded Hojo was null and void in Reno's opinion, he wasn't on company payroll and in all technicalities his contract was void as well.

"Don't think I won't be watching either."

Never apologize! <3

[denigrator]

"Do you think I care for ShinRa, or you? Or that I work for them? Or anyone?" He shook his head. "I couldn't care less, so please spare me your ignorant nattering. If you think I paid some attention to your career, such as it was, you are mistaken." He shrugged.

The rambling of this limited fool continued not to interest him. Scientists didn't give in to threats. He was already dead, but his consciousness continued to exist another form. "I'm busy at the moment. Fine fine, watch whatever you like, though I doubt much of what you see will make sense or be of interest to you. Perhaps you might learn something, although it's best not to hope for too much." He nodded in the direction he was going, with a chuckle. "Perhaps you'd like to accompany me?"

OKAY THEN 8D

[notontheflowers]

"I've got two names for you; Lucetia Crescent and Vincent Valentine. I know what you did, and I'm giving you one chance to not fuck up here. After that? I'm going to make your life here a living hell."

He had a nailbat in his trunk that was swiftly getting Hojo's name put on it, and he was sure he could jerry rig all sorts of annoyances and interruptions to the man.

A hallway somewhere? I'm bad at this....

[ur_batteries_are_dying]

Fi didn't tend to focus too much on passing faces unless they spoke to her, or if they had some relation to her Master or Her Grace. The man she was about to pass was no different. She had promised Gandalf that she would help gather people but this man didn't appear combat efficient and, by the standards of Skyloft and the Surface, she couldn't tell that he was intelligent either.

He just seemed normal to her.

So Fi simply floated along, giving him an idle scan, as she would anyone else so she could easily help her master dowse for him, or anyone else, if he ever needed to.

A hallway sounds good!

[denigrator]

Now, here was a creature, or construct, who looked interesting. Different.

He nodded at her as she floated past, pressing his hands together. "Ah, hello. Fascinating. If you'll excuse me, I hope you don't mind if I ask what your basic composition is."

Great!

[ur_batteries_are_dying]

"My basic physical construct is a crystalline material that was created by Her Grace. I am wearing silken clothing, however, and the gem implanted in my chest is a sapphire." Which would be the equivalent of her heart, if she had one.

"When I am not holding my physical form, I can be found in the shape of a divine steel blade." Like it's the most natural thing in the world, really. And it is. For her.

[denigrator]

"Thank you for the information. A construct, of course. I had a feeling that might be the case. I've never encountered a crystalline entity, though I have theorized." He was more interested in this person than in any other he'd seen so far, and he smiled.

Your molecular structure shifts into steel? How are you powered? Is it by this 'divinity' you mention?" Not that he believed in any such thing.

[ur_batteries_are_dying]

"It is rare to encounter someone who has a solid theory on what I am." It's kind of nice. It gets old trying to explain that she's not a real being and people try to tell her she's alive and such.

"I inhabit the blade that my Master carries." Although he hadn't taken her Master Sword yet, since she got here. "In many ways, I am a spirit, I have no actual power source."

[the_white_rider]

Gandalf was returning to his dorm after yet another day spent to read the library's books- Nothing good out of it yet. But he heard the strange man speaking when he opened the door. He was speaking to his... What, items? ... That was peculiar. He couldn't say what it was, but it was certainly not normal.

Well, never judge a book by its cover. Even when the book is weird. Looks evil. And everything tells you it definitely is what it looks like. He looked down at the man and nodded.

"I assume you are new here. Welcome to the tower, as unwelcoming as this place is."

[denigrator]

Jenova didn't respond to him. Whether or not the entity was within him here, it--or she, it didn't matter to him--gave no sign. He felt the same. Perhaps this collar was stabilizing his genetic structure. Yes, that was a theory.

He was occupied by his thoughts, but he turned when the newcomer arrived, taking a moment to study him. "Your assumption is correct."

He nodded. He had no reason to disagree. "Entirely unwelcoming thus far, I must say. I've been taken away from my work. Again. Letters and collars, most unwelcome."

[the_white_rider]

His work? Well so far the man doesn't appear so bad- That or he hides well his game. Both options work.

"Are you a scientist? I advise you to be careful around these parts. Death is at every corner and those in charge enjoy greatly putting the residents in the worst situations."

[denigrator]

"Correct once again. I am a man of science." He considered the other. "And you?" He was curious. This was the first person he had spoken to in this altogether odd place. The more he knew about it, and any others who might be here, the better.

"Death, ah." He smiled to himself. It was almost enough to make him laugh. He was dead, had just died. Failed and died. But here he was, wasn't he? Still with his mind and his equipment and his samples, somehow. "Not even death can keep me from my work. But it does present some complications." The smile vanished in a frown. "What forms does it take, this death, and how can it be avoided? Who is in charge?"

[the_white_rider]

"I am a researcher of sorts as well, but science is not my domain, far from it." he said slowly "My homeworld is one ruled by Laws of Magic, and what little science we study is inextricably linked to magical arts. You could say I am a wizard." Magic was commonplace around this tower after all, nobody was surprised and he called himself a wizard.

He frowned ever so slightly though- Not even death could keep him from his work? Maybe he was just over-confident

"Death is present in every of its form. It can be the monsters roaming the corridors, floors cursed and bringing death upon those venturing too far, dangerous environment- But those in charges are well hiden from us, and through magic or technology I cannot explain yet, death is not permanent."

He paused.

"Whenver one die, they will wake up the next day as if nothing happened."