008 | Fallout

[neverbeamemory]

Characters: Sephiroth [Open]
Setting: December 8th: Dormitory 03-02, Floor 2 & Floor 5
Format: Prose but can switch to Action
Summary: After End of the Angry Mob Plot Sephiroth feels somewhat deflated but no less bitter afterwards.
Warnings: Sephiroth: always threat of violence.

0204hrs December 8th - Dormitory 03-02

It was like falling within a dream and then waking as you hit the floor.

Piercing green eyes shot open in time with a sharp intake of breath, wide and hyper-actively looking around in the darkness. A heartbeat later and Sephiroth was sat bolt upright in his bed making out the details that he could in the gloom. Silver pauldrons sat undisturbed on top of the chest at the bottom of the bed as they would usually, his long leather trench-coat draped across the end of the bed.

It could have all been a bad dream, but for his shaking as if from the cold. He never shook from the cold. Strong muscled arms he couldn't remember resting back on after first sitting up shook just enough for him to notice this oddity. Sephiroth shifted his weight forward again and crossed his arms across his chest - each hand rubbing the bicep of the other arm similar to the way a normal person might keep warm.

He'd stopped rubbing, suspiciously narrowing his eyes at his own thoughts and feelings; as he apparently just held himself in a hug. Silver hair fell down like a great curtain across one side of him as restlessly Sephiroth continued to peer around in the darkness. Going through the events of the last three days in his mind again and again; scraping with a wire toothbrush at the festering mess of fresh memories inside.

It hadn't been a dream.

Early Afternoon December 8th - Infirmary
Like a bad hangover, Sephiroth didn't feel much like having his bi-weekly face off with the red collars today. For once, just this once he constantly reminded himself, he would attend the collar checkup today. Just on this one occasion he would submit. He would sit and wait, ignore the burning of every fibre of his body reminding him that this was wrong - that this was unacceptable. He was stronger than this.

The administrator lift looked so desolate, so un-used. The Infirmary itself had been restored to it's former spotless condition, but knowing how he'd indulged here Sephiroth couldn't resist to smirk as he watched the drones go about their tasks while he waited for his turn.

"Damn you do clean up so well." He muttered to himself mostly, not caring really who else heard him though.

Later Afternoon December 8th - Floor 5
A leather gloved hand reached out as if to touch the dead world of Gaia but found only the screen depicting it. Through lowered eyelids Sephiroth gazed in the hope that some understanding would come. He had never visited this floor before and just looked, forcing back the stirring wetness which stung in the depths of the corners of his eyes; he rubbed at them now and again. After all, he hadn't slept well.

If he and Hojo had the right of it and this had been in some way or form his doing, then why was looking at this screen making him feel this way. Of all things he should be feeling it should be the usual outrage that he experienced when he considered that their keepers here had stolen him away from the victory that was rightly his. The power of the Lifestream that should be coursing through his veins even as he observed the dead world on the other side of the screen sure did seem to resonate, like it should, with what he was seeing.

Whatever that power was, Lifestream or Jenova; it only told him one thing. He could taste the dust, smell the death and know the screaming pain of the entire planet. He wasn't a Cetra at all, but he might have imagined that this was a similar connection. The amount of his darkness that he'd infected the Lifestream with, was it a surprise that it now produced this link?

What he didn't understand, was what had drawn him here to gaze so unrelenting into a screen. He had a good idea now, of the extent to which their owners could realistically bend and distort the reality here - he wasn't going to believe any of it. But every cell of his was tricked into accepting it.

The developing headache might well be permanent.

Comments

Floor 5

[tohko_amano]

[Tohko was freezing. Even though she was wearing her thick brown cloak, she was still rather chilly. While she walked up the stairs to go to the library, she spotted Sephiroth on the fifth floor, peering into one of the viewfinders. While she knew that the guy didn't see her as a friend, she wanted to ask how he was holding up. If he was chilly, she'd let him know about the snuggle meet-up V/V was holding tomorrow and offer to make him a cloak. So, carefully, she walked towards him.]

Good morning, Sephiroth. Sorry to bother you..but how are you holding up? Are you freezing?

Re: Floor 5

[neverbeamemory]

More like afternoon.

[He didn't move from the viewfinder or even look towards Tohko, his tone gave away his current mood but it was like a finely crafted mask - hiding something underneath. How could she just talk to me like that, as if nothing happened...

Sephiroth was well aware that it's cold and getting colder in the Tower, though it was just a slight discomfort really for him. It wasn't going to kill him no matter how cold it got, he didn't even have the physical responses to the cold or the need to wrap up.]

And yes, it's cold.

Floor 5

[tohko_amano]

[Tohko, having worn a mask quite a bit and having helped a person who almost died because of their mask, saw a bit through Sephiroth's. She wasn't exactly sure why, but he sounded a bit..sad. Maybe the viewfinder was bothering him or something. So, she sighed, and replied to Sephiroth, scratching her head.]

I see..if you're cold, then come to Floor Four tomorrow. V/V is organizing a huddling meet-up so that we can all get warm, and I'll be bringing some penguins to help. If you're freezing, that might help warm you up. And if you want, I'll make you a cloak. It might not look nice, but it should keep you warm..

[Tohko sighed again.]

And if the viewfinder is bothering you, don't worry about it. It's lying. Your world is not destroyed. There are people here who wouldn't even be able to exist if their world was destroyed, so your world is fine too. Don't worry about it.

Re: Floor 5

[neverbeamemory]

I'm cold, but it doesn't matter.

[There was no way he'd consider ever going to a group huddle event even if he was in a good mood. He wasn't a people person in the slightest and it'd only exaggerate his hatred of the human race in general.

With his current state of mind it'd be like inviting another massacre and he was very much still hungover from the last one.]

How can it be lying, why I can feel it?

[He already knew the answer; they could control each of them through the collars or at least he thought he'd figured that out now. Maybe he just needed to hear someone else verify it - and Tohko had been helpful before.]

Floor 5

[tohko_amano]

[Tohko sighed.]

It does matter. If you're freezing, then that's not good. You'll lose your fingers if the weather gets worse and you get frostbite. At least make a cloak, or let me make one for you. And..you can feel it because the viewfinders toy with your emotions. I don't know exactly how the machines work, but it's possible that they know about your connections to your universe and exploit those emotions and your empathy.

It's a horrible thing of them to do, but these things do it. However, just because you feel it doesn't mean that it's actually destroyed, so don't worry. Your universe is fine. My universe is fine. We'll be able to go home eventually someday.

Dormitory 03-02

[altitonant_emperor]

[ Hidetoshi had felt rather disdainfully that rounding up an angry mob and rampaging through the Tower would solve nothing and had not attended either of the meetings held by the person who had called them to action. But apparently one of his roommates had felt otherwise as his absence had been noted when he'd gone to bed the night before. It had been so cold recently; he couldn't sleep and even when he did, his dreams were fitful and shallow, granting him no sense of relaxation. It's dark in the dormitory tonight and no matter how he tosses and turns or arranges the blankets or pillow, rest does not come to him. Annoying.

He's sitting on his bed, hunched over and wrapped in blankets, his gray hair down and messy, when he glimpses movement through the dimness as a body on another bed stirs and jerks bolt upright with such abruptness Hidetoshi was startled; it seemed Sephiroth had finally reappeared from whatever punishment the admins had inflicted on those who had vanished from the mob... Was the soldier shaking? ]

[ Mildly; as if making an idle observation, his voice spoke quietly through the darkness. ]

... You've returned?

Re: Dormitory 03-02

[neverbeamemory]

[It took a few too many attempts for Sephiroth to focus on the source of the noise, recognized later as speech, with his eyes flitting around the room rabidly. He then realized one of his roomies was awake and then it all makes sense. Or at least, it seems to make sense - this could be another illusion, even if it had seemed clear at the time that Zo was releasing them.]

I'm not convinced yet...

Dormitory 03-02

[altitonant_emperor]

[ His roommate was acting disoriented and... wary. Well, that was no surprise if he'd gotten punished by the admins (Jason or Ruanan or urgh any of them, except maybe Dex) and suddenly returned from it with little warning; the admins made the reality of a person easy to distort and hard to tell it was actually real. He keeps his voice low, as to not disturb anybody else who is still sleeping. ]

Tch... Do you suspect me to be an illusion?

[ The admins pulled that nasty little trick on him back in the Halloween event. It was awful once someone else had told him what had been happening. ]

Re: Dormitory 03-02

[neverbeamemory]

[It wouldn't be able to be seen in the gloom but Sephiroth shakes his head strongly as if to clear out the remains of the cotton wool feeling he'd gone through as a side effect of having his powers turned off. At least it was over now.]

No...this is more real now.

[He stopped absentmindedly hugging himself forcefully and leaned back down on his elbows in an attempt to stop the shaking. He pulled some of the sheets back up over himself as well to alleviate some of the discomfort from the cold.]

infirmary

[ex_depaysement502]

"Who?"

She really didn't care whether his words were directed at her or not, it was a statement she needed elaboration on, and so she would ask. The blanket she had taken to wearing around hung from her shoulders, and she looked at the man with her usual smile.

It was boring waiting for your turn, but it was more than bearable-she liked to use the time to calm her mind, however someone else there gave the opportunity for conversation, which all told was much more amusing.

Re: infirmary

[neverbeamemory]

It hadn't been a comment for anyone really, perhaps to reassure his own sanity. Sephiroth hadn't expected anyone to respond at all. For a moment he looked up and down the fellow resident, noting the blanket around her shoulders - she must be feeling the cold. Or at least it must serve some purpose for her to appear that she was in need of the blanket.

"This place." Sephiroth cast a sweeping glance with glinting green eyes across the Infirmary allowing the smirk to develop into more of a grin before shrugging and continuing. "The drones. Jason. Whoever it was."

[ex_depaysement502]

"What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"

Just because you hovered in the back of the meeting didn't mean you got all the information you needed. "You say Jason...that's the one that tends to be harsher, isn't it?" Playing just a bit dumb never hurt.

[neverbeamemory]

"We were-" Sephiroth paused as he recalled too clearly the carnage that had gone on yesterday. Or was it the day before. His time in those cells has distorted all sense of what day it was. Sephiroth isn't too concerned, he's certain it'll catch up soon.

"- we were trying to get answers." Thinking back, all in all it had been utterly pointless. All those cowards that had scoffed in the meeting had been right...but at least he'd learned for himself. Had it been worth the headache? Too early to tell. Maybe when the dust in his mind had settled he could glean something useful before the memories inevitably faded away.

"Yes, I suppose it was enlightening to meet Jason." His tone dropped a little thinking about him. Still being relatively new to the Tower, Sephiroth hadn't heard much about Jason as an admin before, other than hints read on the network. Any new opinion, right now he doesn't want to discuss.

Dorm 3-02

[kingofthetoybox]

Cling. Clang. Tzzt.

Upon awakening, Sephiroth may hear the sound of machinery just close by. Against the wall is a large, mechanical bed with all manners of wires and lights attached to it. A small, fat, blonde-haired little boy is climbing the machine and using a screwdriver and other tools to adjust its settings. At the center inside a glass capsule is the form of an aging old man, with sickly skin, that looks strikingly familiar to the boy. Aside from the natural features of an old man, such as wrinkles and white hair, they look exactly alike.

The old man is strapped onto the bed. Wires from the machine have been hooked around his body, acting as part of the bed's life support system. This would make a strange, uncomfortable, and mildly awkward sight to many normal people.

Porky turns his head over to the direction of the other silver-haired man. Giving a few gasps and deep breaths, he tries to speak.

"... Rise and shine, neighbor. Welcome to the world of the living."

Re: Dorm 3-02

[neverbeamemory]

If anything was still an illusion, that contraption across the room would fall into that category. Sephiroth certainly didn't remember something like that taking up room before. If his mind hadn't been in a state of racing to determine reality as fast as possible he'd have logically figured out that this was a new resident that he'd just not even noticed before.

Sephiroth rubbed his eyes, trying to remember clearly if he'd seen this mechanized bed last time he'd been in the dormitory - or if this arrival had appeared whilst he'd been indisposed.

And as if it wasn't hard enough to sleep on a normal evening, Sephiroth hoped that the whirring, chirping, clanging sounds were not something they were all going to have to live with now. Enough things went bump in the night around here.

"Right." He near whispered, either being polite bearing in mind other sleeping dorm-mates or simply not finding his voice fully in this instant.

[kingofthetoybox]

The mechanical Porky finished up the last of maintenance and jumped off from top of the bed's frame. Walking over to the side and giving it a good kick. Small amounts of red sparks discharged from the machine, along with steam. Through good fortune, despite the ever-decreasing temperatures of the tower, Porky's life support system was still kept operational. Everything was repaired and up to speed except for the heater which remains broken. With the machine fixed, Porky's immune system has simultaneously been upgraded to superhuman levels. Not that this would help the decay he has been experiencing as a part of his advanced aging.

His doppelganger gives a salute by pumping his fist into the air. As the old man brushes it off, it leaves the room. Coughing out a lung once, Porky gasps for breath and pauses before continuing the conversation.

"Crazy things were happening outside. Not that I haven't seen crazier. On a scale of 1-10... I'd give put this somewhere at a 2 if I'm being generous."

[neverbeamemory]

Well this most definitely wasn't the usual standard of resident in the Tower. Another older man but apparently on permanent life-support, on a scale that Sephiroth had never seen before. Creasing his eyebrows together in the gloom Sephiroth watched as the apparent younger clone finished it's work and then was dismissed.

Great, not only was that machine going to make extra noise but the old man had a cough as well. Sephiroth had only just gotten used to sharing a sleeping space with other people, this was certainly set up to try his patience even further!

"I've been-" He paused, knowing that Porky has to be a new arrival to the Tower "pre-occupied for the last couple of days, but you'll find monsters tend to prowl all over during the night time."

[great_king_of_evil]

"But was it fun?"

Sephiroth could hear a familiar voice- That of Ganondorf as he was walking nearby, albeit he was going in the direction opposite for the moment. Sephiroth may have felt or not that Sephiroth had been present during the angry mob fiasco, only he had been observing it all from the shadows. This riot had been unnecessary and a waste of potential as far as he was concerned.

"Did you gain anything in it?"

He approached Sephiroth, with a calm voice, although legitimately curious.

[neverbeamemory]

"That depends very much on your definition of fun."

Sephiroth recognized Ganondorf's voice, he did after all have one of the more memorable ones out of all of their fellow residents. He watched Ganondorf approach, his expression a carefully held mask of blankness.

One always felt like one was being watched around the Tower, or at least Sephiroth felt that way. Another pair of eyes watching from the shadows on that day wouldn't have had any impact, or made any difference to his actions. He wouldn't be able to lie and flat out deny that he hadn't had any fun, however short lived that it was - at least the monsters he could take on tried to fight back.

"That remains to be seen." Sephiroth paused, curiously observing Ganondorf to try to ascertain his intentions in this exchange. He knew there were plenty of others who had differing opinions of Mondo's modus operandi, though if nothing else, for Sephiroth it was an opportunity to flex muscles and heck, it's not like he'd come up with any viable plot himself.

[great_king_of_evil]

"I shall be blunt, to see many of you there felt like a waste." he said abruptly, with true disappointment in the voice. "This operation attracted the attention of our administrators, it could have made quite a fine diversion-- And would we have known about it sooner maybe now it would have been fruitful..."

He was not only disappointed with Sephiroth's part in it though, he had seen others he thought should have known better- Richtofen, yet he could hardly be surprised at his foolishness any more. Nesir as well, but he would talk to her about this later... Well, he knew Sephiroth could do much better, and he hates wasted potential.

"However we both know you do not belong to the side of those who gives their life away as diversion while the others can attend to what truly matters." he said slowly "You are not like them... Am I wrong?"

[neverbeamemory]

An eyebrow twitched every so often at the hint of disappointment that was laced through Ganondorf's words. He detested being patronized, no-one dared to ever speak down to him before. But Sephiroth succeeded in curbing the spread of the distaste across the rest of his features except in that little twitch and a steeled jaw.

It hadn't exactly played out the way he had imagined it might after all, he'd have thought that after so much punishment even drones would give something away. They hadn't and all it had left him with was his burning anger to cool off with in those cells- Sephiroth turned away momentarily from Ganondorf at those thoughts, lest the troll see what went on behind green eyes that were too tired to hide behind.

After a short silence, Sephiroth again looked back to Ganondorf and after a steadying breath the silver-haired warrior answered him.

"You're not wrong. But you must understand also, I needed to know."

Infirmary

[warriorscribe]

It was another trip between cafeteria and library, which meant passing through the infirmary. Enoch slowed as he passed, his eyes lingering on the now spotless floor and walls, at the drones going about their business like nothing had ever happened. Life went on.

When the silver-haired man getting his collar checked spoke, happening to be near enough to the stairs and Enoch on a close enough curve to him for him to hear, he felt the need to respond. This had been one of those who had fought, right? Enoch had lost track of who had been carried away, knowing only that Asako and Mondo were among them for certain.*

They always do.

Re: Infirmary

[neverbeamemory]

I suppose it is necessary to turn around quickly, being an Infirmary after all.

[Sephiroth tried not to look in the direction of the room he'd be walking towards when it was his turn. His nerves were already tingling in his gut at the sheer prospect of undergoing this willingly - he didn't need to remember how liberating it felt kicking in that door.]

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch quietly slipped from the steps to converse. He couldn't imagine anyone involved in the attack wouldn't feel at least a little nervous returning to the infirmary. So staying to talk might be helpful, and besides, the man didn't seem uninterested in conversation.*

Indeed. This is one of the few levels that is helpful to us.

*Even if the most help it's been of to him has been supplying that roll of gauze that has proven to make for handy makeshift ropes all two times he's needed them. The drones here still treated minor injuries and illnesses. That was a service to them that Enoch suspected only existed because they had someone like Dax among their hosts.*

[neverbeamemory]

While in itself the single most significant place to remind us all that we're here at the pleasure of our captors.

[He referred to, of course the entire collar checkup routine. The several times he's woken up in here after another unsuccessful attempt to boycott it, the orderly way everyone waits their turn here to go and be at the mercy of the Tower for however long it takes. Sephiroth recalls with a sour taste in the back of his mouth that time that he hadn't even realized he'd attended - the line that had been crossed with regards to the control over himself that Sephiroth so tightly clung onto.]

Don't you find that ironic?