(no subject)

[midgarhorizon]

Characters: Reno, (see prompts) and OPEN
Setting: Floor 38, a lounge floor
Format: Either
Summary: He'd been complacent for far too long. It was time to act, to prepare and plan and scope out opportunities.
Warnings: Language, character instability, intolerable levels of cuteness, also Reno being somewhat crude and a jackass.



Standing in front of the large windows that made up the walls of Floor 38, Reno adjusted one of the gloves that came with the uniform he had found in his trunk. The fit was perfect. The uniform, immaculate, and every snap, button, and zipper was in perfect military order. The only additions he made was the shell tied to a bright green ribbon, underneath the shirt. The familiar red and black headpiece covered his now extremely short hair- something he had taken care of at his first convenience-, masking his face in a way the bandanas alone hadn't managed. The sun was out, chasing away the dark week they had spent trapped in 5-14. For the first time in a long time, he felt like a Turk.

Waking up this morning, he could barely wait before the sleep paralysis lifted- lasting longer than he had ever endured before. It seemed to stretch on for another week before he got the feeling back in his limbs and sit up. It was like a breath of fresh air, being clean and uninjured, but instinctively he had scrambled around for the EMR on his belt and held it tightly before he could relax. There was some disorientation during those first few minutes, as well. The last thing he remembered had been intense, horrible pain, far beyond his threshold, then nothing. Dying had seemed almost a relief in retrospect, but the claustrophobia he had started feeling in 5-14 started to surge again, and he reached for his trunk to change his clothes and go somewhere a little more open.

That was when he found the uniform, stashed neatly as you please inside.

He almost yelled when he saw it, feeling the hair on the back of his head stand up. It was the mask of a Raven, one of Fuhito's own elite soldiers. Memories of pitched battles and blood flashed across his vision. Swearing creatively, mostly involving the various body parts of summoned deities, he wanted to tear it, to rip it to shreds, to burn it into ashes until there was nothing left. The Tower was playing another game on him. Reaching inside to tear the uniform up, he stretched the fabric between his palms.

Then he paused.

Staring at the uniform, he lowered it again.

An AVALANCHE uniform, huh?

The idea slowly made its way through his head, and a soft chuckle escaped. It wouldn't be the first time he went undercover... but, ironic, he would wear the uniform of the organization that had been his sworn enemies for over six years, for a sense of anonymity. It was strangely fitting, in a way. Here he was, about to initiate a rebellion of his own against those who caused so much pain and suffering; might as well look the part. He wasn't stupid enough to think the world only worked in black and white; good guys and bad guys.

A small part of him wondered what his fellow Turks would think of him now, wearing this thing. Rude would probably say he was either crazy, or a genius. It was no wonder Reno felt those two things were more hand in hand than it seemed. The line itself was very thin, and Minerva knew how many people had been in Shinra that fit the description. Including him.

He was going to settle for crazy.

Shortly after donning the black uniform, he had left notes on various name plates, leaving different times to meet him in the 38 lounge. It was going to be a busy day, he could already tell. That was why he had brought up some food from the cafeteria. He wasn't expecting to get back to the dorm room any time soon. The fuck if he let the Tower get him down. This was better than being caged. He needed to set out feelers, get a good sense of the Tower.

Reno tapped at the glass of the window, watching the reflection, feeling... strangely calm for the horror he had just gone through. The feeling wasn't unfamiliar. He'd had it many times; an after effect of similar situations he had been in. The last time... when was the last time? Oh yeah. Sector 7. It was that same calm feeling he had in the aftermath, as Midgar's entire horizon was changed forever. That time, it had ended in the deaths of thousands of innocents. This time, he hoped to save them.


Elena


This note is left fairly early in the morning, as soon as he leaves his room
E - @ 3
8
Any H
-R




Shion

This is a note stuck on either Shion, his trunk, or his bed. There's no name, but it should be pretty obvious because only Reno would leave a note on Shion himself.
S - @ 3
8
1100h


Reno figured it'd be best to give Shion some time to breathe, but he didn't expect the kid to wait to find him.



Xion

This one is stuck to Xion's name on the nameplate.
X - @ 3

8
1200h
-R




justabignobody

This note is attached to Riku's door.
Riku
Floor 38. Today. Any time you can.




Prompt 5 - Open

The other times, where he wasn't meeting with someone, Reno walked around the lounge, sometimes going to the floor above or below depending on where his feet took him, holding what looked to be a notepad (swiped from Shion, in fact), jotting down things from time to time. The headgear effectively masked his face, preventing most people from recognizing him. Should anyone walk by, though, he's more than willing to say "Hey" or otherwise engage them in conversation. Intelligence wasn't going to just come to him, after all. Good luck trying to get that visor off to see his face.

Comments

Prompt #1 - When undercover gettups go WRONG

[provenworth]

Morning comes too quickly, body aching and sore and she remembers. Death. Painful, dragging death. The migraine that came after felt like she'd either spent the whole night boozing or she'd been hit by a pack of wild chocobos, a horrible throbbing in her head. Elena took her time getting up after the initial effects of paralysis wore off, groaning audibly as joints and muscles bellowed their protests. After being cooped up in a room with several other strangers, she had the deep desire and need to get clean.

The shower was quick, to the point, hair being towel dried when she saw the note. To some it might look like gibberish; to a Turk it told a story. She's quick to make sure everything is in proper order: her ShinRa Academy uniform on just right, green ribbon tied to her arm beneath the sleeve, and firearm tucked in the small of her back in the waistband. It wasn't much, but it was all she had. And the regain she'd received - a smaller, equally hideous version of the dao chao mountain - did nothing to provide her with better defensive or offensive opportunity. No, that little gem would stay buried in her trunk along with the horrible puppets Ganondorf sent her.

Elena is quick to get to the mentioned floor, skirting around the halls silently thanks to the less noisy loafers she wore, keeping an eye out for any certain unmentionable characters. She'd had enough of a scare in the elevator and in the halls with Sephiroth and Ganon respectively. Another altercation would be very much appreciatively delayed, thank you very much. What she found waiting in the identified floor, however, was not what she had expected. Before she could be noticed, Elena ducked and pressed up against one of the larger chairs in the room, scowling.

She knew that uniform. It'd been a while since she had seen it, but she knew it instantly. AVALANCHE. The Raven uniform, if memory served. But why was he there, standing at the window, looking so utterly indifferent. More importantly, where was Reno? His note said to come and see him at this very location at any hour. But, after a quick sweep of the area, there was neither hide nor hair of him. Which left her down to one very troublesome option: the Raven had accosted him - maybe even caught him off guard.

Which sounded like a very good idea at the moment. Elena is careful with her movements, breathing controlled and footsteps nearly soundless, moving from one large chair to the next, ducking behind couches to bring herself closer. By the time she was within 25 yards, she stopped, looking for something of weight to distract him. Finding nothing, she took off her shoe and threw it towards the door. Just as she had hoped, it landed with an audible thud, skittering across the floor before hitting the foot of a couch.

And now, she would wait. Wait for him to investigate, if he was curious, and catch him by surprise.

[midgarhorizon]

Did she really just try the old "throw a rock as a distraction" routine? Had to be Elena. The kids didn't know what the uniform meant, and Sephiroth wouldn't have bothered with a ploy like that. Another person in the Tower was more likely to approach him openly. That trick was centuries out of date. Man, he really had to give her some new tactics one of these days. A low chuckle issued as he adjusted his gloves again, turning around, but staying where he was in front of the window. His face bore a grin; too wide, too knowing. Now... where was she?

Though he moved only to turn around, there was something in his bearing, his movements, that didn't seem quite right for a Raven. His hand went to brush the handle of the broken EMR, tucked in one of the loops used to store grenades and explosives, but mostly out of habit. Reno wouldn't really attack her, not unless he needed to block her if she came at him, or they were sparring.

The AVALANCHE "Raven" seemed to be waiting. Would she recognize him under the disguise, prove her worth at knowing him the best out of all of the people in the Tower, or just disappoint him?

[provenworth]

Its not her fault that he picked up the tactic. If it really was a Raven, the idiot would have fallen for it. Those numbskulls were just hired hands who did what they were told. They were genetically-modified for strength, not for intelligence and for all intents and purposes, it could have worked. But this time it didn't and the man was even laughing, which earned a heavy frown.

The sound of leather gloves being pulled, tightened, earned an uncomfortable shudder, hands pressing against the chair she crouched behind. From her position she could see his reflect, see the grin on his face as he turned.

Wait a second...

Eyes narrow, watching every single movement the man made. The fluidity of the arm, the way weight shifted from one foot to another; it wasn't at all the stiff rigidity of a Raven soldier. Even the EMR was wrong - even if it was stolen from Reno, the way the hand moved to touch it, fingers brushing against the metal.

That son of a...

Okay. It was a good disguise. Very good, if it immediately fooled convinced her at first look. Granted, looking hard and knowing the man beneath it, she knew what signs to look for. But that still didn't mean that she wasn't rightly put off, her heart having stopped at the sight. One didn't forget the face of your kidnappers when you were in high school.

Why is why she's more than happy to take off her other shoe, inching back enough for the perfect shot without being seen, and launch it right at his head.

[midgarhorizon]

Well, the other shoe got dropped. Really, Elena? Really? Behind the chair? The shoe was coming at him in a well aimed arc, heading straight for his forehead. All he had to do was just step to the side, and the shoe hit the window harmlessly, dropping to the floor beside him before he bent over to pick it up.

Without a word, he tossed it back over to her hiding location, looking very pleased with himself. The shoe to the head made him proud. "Something get your panties in a twist?" Oh, that bastard was trolling the shit out of her. And he knew it. "You'll have to get the other one, unless ya like walking around barefoot."

It was good to know that, at least for a moment, it had convinced her he was someone else, for however briefly. That meant the ridiculous disguise was working. Lifting gloved hands to his head, he pulled on the straps that held the headgear on, and lifted it off, shaking out his short spiky hair. Since it was short again, he didn't need anything to help it stick up in its natural pattern. He looked like his old self again.

"Found it in my trunk this morning." Of course, already trying to steer the direction of the conversation. She wouldn't react well to the truth about 5-14, and he wanted to avoid upsetting more than he already had with the Raven uniform. "Was gonna burn it, then I realized it'd be more useful like this." Peering around the chair, he raised an eyebrow. "Elena?"

[justabignobody]

Well, if that isn't interesting. Or fishy more like it, because most people that Riku is close to either know exactly where and how to find him or would contact him by using the mailbox rather than by pinning a note to his door. This leaves only so many other people, most of which Riku either doesn't know well enough to prompt this kind of summon or... is on rather bad terms with - though he can't think of any of those that he would have pissed of most recently, too preoccupied with helping the efforts of the indigo team and his own training under Terra. ...And well, whatever challenges the administrators and/or the tower threw their way on the side. Not to mention that Ganondorf's faction has been keeping it rather quiet ever since the joined effort to infiltrate the admin floors.

He spends the morning in his room, leaning back against the wall beside his back as he reads again and again over the note - though the hand writing doesn't turn anymore familiar because of that - frowning down at it. As wary as it makes him, he seriously doubts that it's from Ganondorf or any of his cronies (if there were any official plans, then hopefully Ira would have warned him about that already, unless- No. Until he hears from Ira that his cover is in question, he is not going to doubt it. His replica can hold his own just fine), but even so he prefers being careful within reason.

Meaning that he's definitely bringing someone along, maybe not to the meeting itself, but it won't hurt to have a little backup nearby and he laughs softly when Highwind materializes above his head just at that moment, tilting his head upwards to glance at his pet-partner while he folds the note between his fingers.

"So, what do you say... Are you up for a little trip, Highwind?"

The Komory Bat tweets in agreement, while Riku reaches up to scratch the fur at it's belly, a little more relaxed now.

It's not until about noon though that he makes his way down to the thirty-eighth floor - and he can't help but wonder what kind of strange meeting place that is; it's certainly not exactly ideal for any kind of trap or ambush - sending Highwind of to hide by the stairs and watch out for approaching monsters or retrieval units - there are times when he doesn't particular care about being tailed, but right now... well. They'd see how it go.

Then he enters the floor, glancing around in search for whoever has sent this oh so mysterious invitation.

[midgarhorizon]

When Riku first steps in, the floor's deserted save for someone sitting on a couch nearby facing the staircase, reading and organizing what looked to be notes written in a strange form of short hand. Whatever it was, this person could read it as easily as reading the text off a terminal.

Looking up, the person smiled a bit grimly at him, but didn't bother to remove the headgear. He hadn't been sure at all if Riku would show, and in a small way, was relieved he had.

"'Bout time you showed up," Reno's voice was almost cheery, coming out from under the red visor. "I was startin' to think you tossed my note away." Truth be told, he was questioning if this was a bright idea at all. There had been bad blood between them in the past, but... maybe it was time to let things stay that way.

[justabignobody]

While Riku doesn't recoginize the gear at all, he does recognize the voice as well as the scent of the other's heart and he relaxes just a fraction at that: "Oh. It's just you."

It's sort of as relieving as it is worrying, considering that Riku would consider 'bad blood' just one way to describe their past relationship. He has far from forgotten their last conversation, and Reno's refusal to own up to how badly he had screwed up just days before that and just the thought of that leaves a bad taste in his mouth. He doesn't like Reno, no, and though he is mildly curious why the other has asked him to come here, there is really only one reason why he isn't turning on his heels and leaving and that's Xion.

"You did write any time." So really, Reno only has himself to blame there. If he had wanted Riku to come earlier, he should have specified. "What is this about?"

[midgarhorizon]

For a second, Reno really did regret asking the guy down here to talk, just from the sound Riku's tone alone. It pretty much told him all he needed to know... Still, he wasn't going to be dissuaded from his mission. He was a Turk, he was tougher than that. Unpleasantness was just a part of the job. Still, he resisted the urge to rub the bridge of his nose to ease the coming headache.

"Yeah, guess I did." There's no point in arguing about that, he had written any time. "Look, could we flush the crap for a moment? I got bigger things to worry about than our mutual dislike here. I wasn't entirely in control of myself back then, if ya know what I mean. Ganondorf's power's are way beyond most people's, and fightin' them is like tryin' to swim upstream of a tsunami. I'm not gonna give you some half-assed excuse. I fucked up. Fine. Whatever. What I asked ya here for is because I need people." Here, he cleared his throat a bit, almost seeming a touch uncertain. "I need capable people, not afraid to do dangerous work. You're it."

Let Riku take that how he pleased, he wasn't going to elaborate that under the hostility he'd given back in return for the accusations, he did respect the kid's prowess in getting Xion out of that... situation.

Prompt #3

[attheclocktower]

Getting down to Floor 38 was actually a fairly quick affair, once she felt up to it. She'd discovered a new Organization coat on her bed, and even if she wasn't a member anymore (would deny it vehemently, in fact), the benefits it gave of safe Dark Corridor use were too great to be denied.

Still, once she stepped out of the corridor into Floor 38 itself, she was a little skittish, nervous. An hour's sleep paralysis did that to you - the sounds and the feeling of someone being there and hallucinations and everything were difficult to shake. Thankfully though, the last place Xion wanted to be was the dormitory rooms. She'd spent far too long in one of them, enough to put her off the places forever to tell the truth.

But what could she do? She needed there to live, at the moment. So the only thing for it was to spend as little time in there as possible at the moment.

Still, once on Floor 38, she glanced around cautiously. Reno was here, right? She hadn't been able to run into him after she'd woken up, which concerned her, but the note had helped, in that regard. But still, where was he?

[midgarhorizon]

A hand reached out to touch her shoulder, just a light little poke to let her know someone was behind her. If she turned around, however, she'd see the figure dressed in a foreign uniform of some sort, face obscured.

He waited a moment or two to see if she recognized him under the new getup, testing her as much as he had Elena at first.

[attheclocktower]

The tap on her shoulder, without any kind of forewarning at all, made Xion whip around, dropping into a defensive stance and putting a good foot or two of distance between herself and the hand that had tapped her. Then she sees

"Who-" her voice was suspicious, but the longer she looked, the more she realized that there was something vaguely familiar about the person looking at her - something in their face (that she can see at least) or something. Maybe. But she can't quite put her finger on what. Not enough to be sure. Besides, she could be recognizing somebody she wasn't on friendly terms with anyway, though her gut feeling said this wasn't true.

"Who are you?" The suspicion was still strong in her voice, and she wouldn't be relaxing her stance one bit until she wass sure he wassn't a threat, but... there was something a little different in the way she regarded him now.

[midgarhorizon]

"Tch, not quite up to snuff yet, Sweetness." It was Reno's old drawl, but soft this time. Well, he'd hoped, but maybe she just needed some more time in the field to really get a handle on the intuition part.

"Glad you came. I'd been worried about you." There was no need for more words. What had gone down between them, what happened later that lead to all of their deaths... it didn't really need to be brought up again.

He made a face, mouth forming a thin hard line, and he lifted up the visor. Looking at her in the light made a funny clenching feeling in his chest. The one thing that was good about the Tower was that nothing lasted very long, otherwise he wasn't sure if he could've waited without losing it. "Figured you needed some time to yourself, first..."

[savedbyasong]

Shion being late was unusual but he had sat and stared at the note that had been left on his head (one day he would wake up when Reno tried that). After waking up from being knocked out, and having been freed from the room he had gone to shower, given up after almost passing out- at least he had gotten mostly clean, then despite everything he knew about headwounds had went into his room and slept for a long time.

He hadn't died of it so he figured it was fine. He felt sick, hungry, ashamed, angry, worried. He wanted to go and find Reno just because he had to make sure he was alright, had to make sure Xion was alright, he couldn't get their screams out of his head.

But if he had heard them, they had heard him, at least the first time and he felt awful about losing control. Again.

So he was late and he was stood at the door, not quite entering.

[midgarhorizon]

When he got there, he would just fine a uniformed man sitting in front of a coffee table with dishes and cups scattered all over it. What could be seen of his face was contemplative, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and rubbing his ungloved hands together. Reno's EMR also sat on the coffee table, but Reno himself was no where in sight.

Seeing Shion, the man smiled as if he was expecting Shion to be there.

"You're late."

It wasn't chiding or anything, just an observation. Shion had a lot of reasons to be late, after all, and Reno had no idea what the kid had gone through- yet. That's part of why he wanted to talk to him...

[savedbyasong]

Shion looked around the room, taking in the man, the table, the uniform. He drew back a little, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "I am." It wasn't apologetic in the slightest, just guarded and wary.

He didn't move any closer for now, just watching, observing the uniformed man, the way he moved and spoke. Suspicion of another type flickered in his eyes. "Did you get that uniform as a 'reward'?" Shion himself was wearing a metal band around his wrist, it didn't work but he had put it on anyways, to remind him, of what he had to fight not to be.

[midgarhorizon]

The smile grew wider when Shion recognized him, pretty damn proud it hadn't taken the kid all that long to recognize Reno underneath. "Yeah, I did."

That was all for the moment while he examined Shion for permanent damage, noting the metal band for later reference. Standing up, he walked over to him and placed his hands on Shion's shoulders.

There was a lot to talk about, but first things were first. He'd been thinking about this for a long time, and came to the conclusion that yelling and shouting wasn't going to do a damn thing for the boy, no matter how well intentioned it was. That wasn't what Shion needed, and he was starting to understand that.

"Shion, you have no idea how damn proud I am of you. You got guts, kid. Lots of 'em. You're smart, sharp, and you got a mean fist. You're ready to start on as a full Turk."

5

[notachickenhawk]

[... Tobias stares at the guy in a strange getup. He looks like he was some kind of spy.]

[... Figuring him out isn't going to just come out of the blue though. Tobias flutters in, perching on the back of a couch and looking in his direction to read the notepad.]

[Another use for hawk vision. It's good to be a bird.]

[midgarhorizon]

[Sorry, birdie, the notepad was in a strange shorthanded code only Reno and other Turks and certain Shinra employees could read.

The bird is enough to get Reno's attention, and have him wander over to the bird, frowning at it. Animals like this were rare in the Tower, and never off any floors that didn't have some sort of natural motif to it. Either the bird was a wayward pet, or it was one of those weird non-humans that came in every so often.

Yeah, he vaguely recalled seeing a dragon or something on one of the Dorm floors over a year ago.]

You lost?

[Of course he's not really expecting an answer.]

[notachickenhawk]

[The bird stares back at Reno intently, before reaching up a talon to scratch near his collar.]

[He laughs quietly in both of their heads.]

<No. Are you?>

[Yep. Telepathic bird.]

Prompt 5!

[gradosfinest]

The funny thing about the 38th Floor Lounge is that it's located directly beneath the Tower's gym, which happens to make it a great place to rest and unwind after a hard morning of training, Amelia's preferred method of distracting herself when her thoughts were getting to be too much to handle . And that's exactly why she came to this floor, descending the staircase and looking just a little bit worn out.

She used to train herself to exhaustion, but recent events have taught her trouble could come at any time without warning and she'd rather not be caught without any stamina left at all the next time part of the Tower explodes for no apparent reason.

She's far from the strangest sight in the Tower, but to call her entirely normal looking would be a bit of a lie given she's a teenaged girl walking around in a partial (Torso, gloves and boots only) suit of medieval-era armor, carrying not one but two weapons at the same time. A finely made, if clearly somewhat used by now sword at her belt and an axe made out of a strange black metal slung over her back, her free hand resting on the pommel of her sword as she descends the staircase, her armored footsteps almost certainly giving away that someone's coming before she actually reaches the floor.

And upon reaching the lounge itself she stops for a moment, tired as she might be she's not one to let her guard down and that is not a person she recognizes at all. A little on the cautious side initially she waits a second near the staircase, trying to size him up a while racking her brain in an attempt to figure out who's under that strange uniform...

... considering Amelia has never met Reno before, it's a futile effort from the beginning. But it doesn't stop her from trying, nor does it stop her from keeping her guard up when she finally decides to approach him. It's early in a new month which is when newcomers to the Tower tend to show up, so all signs point to him being another unfortunate soul sucked into this hellhole. And while she prefers to give potential newcomers the benefit of the doubt, that's no excuse to get careless. She has no way of knowing if this person is potentially a friend or a foe.

At least, not without talking to them.

"Excuse me, sir. That's a rather nice uniform, but not one I recognize... are you new to the Tower?"

[midgarhorizon]

Her armor did make a lot of noise, enough that Reno was aware of her movements around the floor. His arms folded, he turned away from the window and toward her when she addressed him.

This was interesting... it looked like she picked bits and pieces of a full set of armor to wear and just disgarded the rest. It was odd but considering how many people were in the Tower from different universes, he figured it might be some sort of uniform, or particular style for fighting. It was bad enough being in a Raven's uniform with it's minimalist plates in the arms and legs, that thing she wore just looked awkward. But nobody carried around weapons like that without being able to know how to use them.

"You could say that." Though not entirely true. "That's a nice getup you're wearing, yourself."

[gradosfinest]

"Thank you." The real reason for the incomplete suit of armor was a lot more straightforwards than that, and she managed a somewhat wry grin before motioning towards one of her unarmored arms. "Maybe one day they'll even decide they're actually looking out for our well being and give me the rest of it."

She never used to be sarcastic back home, but eight months in a place like this will change a person. On to the more pressing matter at hand though.

"I don't know how much of the Tower you've explored so far, so you might have already figured this out and I apologize if I'm telling you something you already know, but this is less of a safe haven and more of a prison. Run largely by crazy people and at least one complete monster, the latter of whom is in charge this month. Any questions, sir?" No point sugarcoating the situation, with a uniform like that he looked like he was probably military, and honestly she wasn't in a good enough mood to try and pretend this place was anything other than a hellhole.

A moot point considering he wasn't actually new, but it's the thought that counts, right?

Prompt 5

[great_king_of_evil]

Nobody walked by the lounge on this day. No, rather something flew from the staircase and landed quite brutally and loudly against the lounge's wall. If Reno or whoever was in the room saw that, they could see this actually was a Darknut that had apparently been attacked and slammed into the wall. Slammed with such violence that the Darknut's armor fell to pieces onto the ground.

It revealed just was kind of creature hiding under the armor was, something resembling an demoniac anthropomorphic dog, white and featureless. Before the monster had the time to react though, something else flew from the staircase-- An attack obviously magical in nature, dark and powerful. An attack that went straight for the monster and literally detonated upon hitting it, causing the Darknut itself to explode in pieces.

This was only after the monster fell dead on the ground that its killer stepped out of the staircase. Ganondorf was walking very slowly and looked sternly at the remains of the creature. He did not appear to be tired and was absolutely unharmed, though the sword he was wielding was stained with the blood of the creature. He shook his head and slowly walked toward what remained of the monster that had attacked him.

"Pathetic creature..."

Ganondorf made a move of his hand and both the armor and sword belonging to the Darknut vanished. This was when he turned to look at whoever was in this lounge, if someone was here. Would Reno greet him and engage conversation?

[midgarhorizon]

Ho shi----

The second that flying monster appeared, Reno dived behind the nearest sofa, which only proved to be the smart choice when the explosion rocked the room next.

At Ganondorf's words, though, that was when his blood ran cold and he cautiously, cautiously peeked his head over the edge of the cushions.

Yeah, no. No no no. Not happening. Not today of all days. Still...

It'd be foolish to act like anything was wrong with Ganondorf and what just happened. Slowly, Reno climbed to his feet, the metal plates in gloves and boots scraping slightly against the floor, and stood straight. Giving Ganondorf an tight lipped look through his visor, he carefully dusted himself off.

[great_king_of_evil]

"..."

Ganondorf had picked up on a presence, and looked as "Reno" climbed up to his feet and dusted himself off. A new face. Or so it would seem at the very least-- He'd had an encounter with a supposed new face recently after all, but thankfully this wasn't on his mind. Yet.

"A new soul?"

His tone was cordial enough and not threatening. He moved to another Sofa and cleaned his sword from the blood over it. More work for the retrieval units, but that was not his problem.