towerofanimus | 001 Reunions

Entry tags:

001 Reunions

Characters: Kadaj & OPEN TO ALL
Setting: Lower floors of the tower, dusk.
Format: Either
Summary: Kadaj Awakens. Oh, and kills an Orc.
Warnings: : A little bloody?

With a sickening squish the stolen kitchen knife was removed from the orc’s neck. It writhed on the ground, unable to scream or cry due to the blood that spurted out of the wound in its throat.

Kadaj walked in a wide circle around it. “Well, what do we have here?” He stopped at the head and crouched down next to its face, careful not to bloody himself. “You’re an ugly little monster aren’t you…” He stood and pressed his boot against its cheek, pushing its face away. The blood continued to squirt out evenly but in slow dying arcs from its neck.

Only moments earlier the young remnant had woken up in an unfamiliar territory. Before he could even consider where he was or how he got there this thing decided to attack him. It was the last action it would ever do.

The teen's brows furrowed as he took in the sight of the creature. “You’re not from Gaia.” That was… unsettling. But there was one thing that he was acutely aware of. A sensation. A pull, no—it was a compulsion to travel in a particular direction; and while he had never felt this urge before he knew exactly what it was.

The monster’s gasping breaths shook him from his thoughts. Kadaj looked down to note that its face was completely covered in thick dark blood. It grabbed at its throat and kicked its legs weakly. Its eyes, large and beady, stared at the remnant’s uncaring gaze, pleading.

He clicked his tongue in disgust. Though he would very much like to watch it die a slow and painful death as punishment for the audacity of attacking him, he decided to end it quickly. He wanted to find whatever was calling out to him.

“Don’t look at me that way.” Kadaj casually warned before abruptly jabbing the knife right into the monster’s trachea. It gurgled and sputtered for a final time. Did it die from choking on its own beastly fluids or blood loss? Whichever it was, it was irrelevant. The thing was dead and no longer held any interest. The orc’s body fell completely limp and its once animalistic frightened eyes rolled back into its head.

Kadaj smirked. “That’s better.”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Your work is a bit messy, if you ask me. Usually I just shoot them in the head and be done with it."

The voice came from a man leaning on the doorway. Orc-killer by trade, the Warmage couldn't just pass by while someone else murdered one. In cold-blood, too. Him? He didn't have the time to do so. Not when he was accustomed to a whole army of them.

"Still, nice enough work. Especially from a new guy, I'm guessing?" As if the white skintight suit wasn't a big enough indicator.

Of course it was nice work! Mother would expect no less. She did not raise weaklings.

“Nobody asked you,” Kadaj retorted. It may have been a messy process but it was accurate—and that’s all that really mattered. Besides, the beast suffered before it died and that was what the remnant had wanted all along.

He tossed the knife in the air and caught it by the hilt. The once-pristine white bodysuit now had splotchy bloodstains. This was not his normal attire but if he must wear it, he much preferred it this way.

And new? He wasn’t new! At least not anymore. He had been alive and active for at least two full weeks to the date. Wasn’t this man paying attention to the news? Hadn’t he seen the utter chaos and havoc Kadaj and his brothers had brought upon world?

“Don’t you recognize me?” Or at least, recognize Sephiroth. Everyone else did. “Or,” he warned, “do you need to be reminded?”

"Well, your loss, I've been killing these guys for ages."

He scanned the man, taking in his stance following the trajectory of his knife. He might still look relaxed with a silly grin on his face, but he casually moved one hand over his bladestaff, ready to draw it. Just in case.

"And nope, can't say I do. Nor do I need to be 'reminded', either."

Human arrogance did not deter Kadaj. He threw a brief glance toward the man. Unimpressed, his gaze fell to the room’s walls, searching for clues to his whereabouts.

A hint of jealously lingered in his tone as he spoke. “Sephiroth.” Everyone knew him. “You know, The Nightmare.” Strong emphasis was placed on that term—Nightmare. Sephiroth filled that role in more ways than one.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of him!” For the moment, Kadas kept control of his anger. But that could change on a dime. Mildly amused at the circumstances, he continued. “He was ShinRa’s finest.” Was. What a joke! Kadaj smeared a bloodied hand along the wall as he approached a window.

“Sephiroth failed to complete Mother’s work.” The teen stopped and smiled, though it was hardly a smile of innocence. “That’s why I’m here.”

"Nope, name doesn't ring a bell. Only 'Nightmare' I know are the ones I have. In my dreams. Don't even know what or who the heck 'Shin-Ra' is. Guess that answers your question."

Perhaps it's just that he's too accustomed to danger, but he just keeps grinning at the teenager even as he smiled his smile of malevolence, not affected by him in any way. For what kind of warrior would be if he got scared of a teenager? Even if said teenager seemed particularly good with a knife.

"Look, pal, it doesn't matter what this 'Steph-he-rof' guy did. Nor why you think you're here for. This ain't where you were before... uh, 'Gaia', was it? Nope, not there anymore.

See this place we're in? You're stuck in here. Along with everyone. Even me, so it just goes to show how bad things are."

He would happily be all theatrical and talk about how bad things were with over-the-top hand gestures, but that would mean taking his hand off his sword. Nope, not going to happen.

“Sephiroth,” Kadaj sharply corrected. Had this man been someone worth actually killing, then the remnant would have taken more of an offense to his words. Luckily for the human, he had more important matters to attend to.

Kadaj finally approached the only window within the room.

He wasn’t in tune with nature as others might have been. He hated the very idea of it. Nature itself was part of the Planet. He couldn’t find beauty in the way flowers came into bloom, the quiet whisper of leaves in an old tree, or the soft dirt under his boots. No, none of that mattered. It was garbage.

The only thing Kadaj could truly appreciate was the curtain of stars, miles of them, glowing across the dark night sky. That’s where Mother was from, and it was the only reason he could appreciate it. The stars beyond held the key to where he yearned most to be.

“Mother?” He whispered out almost expecting an answer. The stars here—they were different. Perhaps what the man said about them not being on Gaia was true. Then again, that was impossible. A scowl scorned his face.
Somehow, this tower was connected to ShinRa. There was no evidence or logical explanation. It was just a feeling.

“You’re just another experiment,” he told the man with utmost confidence. We’re just another experiment. It would definitely explain the collars, monsters, and lack of information the human pawn knew.

"Yeah, exactly what I said." His danger sense is tingling but he's ignoring it, still plowing on with unconsciously infuriating the teenager. Don't blame him, he's just too used to dying back home. And almost dying.

He continued studying the teenager even as he started stargazing of sorts and heard his whisper, though he passed no comment. It was a sentimental moment, or so he thought. Not something one should intrude on.

"Actually, you're correct. I'm just another experiment, at least according to horned head who I met when I first came here. Something something along the lines of... uh, let me think... 'the place where all hope and fucking dreams are crushed'. Exact words. Also dying. Lots of it. Though he does say we get reborn, so oh well." For someone talking about being trapped in a place of death, he still sounds very carefree as he shrugs. "You'll get used to it."

Edited (What is proofreading and correcting typos) 2013-02-09 12:53 (UTC)

The young remnant’s jaw visibly tightened, agitated. This was exactly the sort of thing that ShinRa would do. It was their agenda that jeopardized Mother’s desire. Kadaj refused to tolerate it. Hostages would be taken. Torture would be used. Deaths, some quick and some painful, were needed. All to get to the bottom of what why they had taken him here, and of why they had stolen Mother from him.

But first, this stranger seemed to know information he did not. That wouldn’t last long. For now, the man was tolerable. Assuming he did not cause any trouble, Kadaj was willing to make use of him.

“Show me where the scientists are.” It wasn’t a request. It was an order. “I want to know where they are hiding.”

Even though the mage was eager to give information, he only had rudimentary information at best.

"Uh, yeah, about that..." He's actually just scratching his head at this point. "I've never actually seen 'em. The scientists, I mean. Or administrators. That's what the guys here call them anyway. I think I heard about some trouble they stirred up recently, though, there was a wedding of sorts. Dunno much, though, I think I slept through the whole thing. Might wanna ask someone else."

Though it was at this exact moment when his hand hit his collar and reminded him of something.

"Ah, right! See this thing right here?" Of course, he's pointing at his collar. "This thing is supposed to be checked by some guys every other week. Cept those guys seem pretty soulless and stuff. Kinda unnerving. Anyway, you mighta want to pop down over there to check if ya want."

A gloved hand smoothed over the violet collar that encircled Kadaj’s neck. He already had his fair share of experiences with it. If he were one to bruise, then his throat would have been brightly adorned with black and blue marks from all the effort he had put into trying to remove it. For the moment, it was the only thing he was willing to accept: the collar was not coming off—at least not yet.

“Don’t worry,” Kadaj assured. “We’ll get them off just as soon as we find out who is responsible.” All it took was the right threat, the right hostage, or the right death to get his way.

Wait a second. We?

Kadaj furrowed his brows and turned away from Warmage. There was no we here. It was just him. No one else! It would be different if his brothers were here but they weren’t. So why had he said it at all?

"I'll hold ya on to that, though it's supposedly here to keep us alive. What I'm saying is don't get too excited, alright? These could save our lives. Or something.

Plenty of other people are looking for a way out of this mess too, so you'll probably find some people who wants the same as you. You might even find some friends or, uh, not-friends you know in here."

He chuckled as the man turned away from him. Not privy to Kadaj's less than charitable thoughts, he only said what he thought of him.

"You know, even though you act it, you don't seem like much of a bad guy. Knew a girl back home who acted all hostile-like before too, but she turned out alright."

For all intents and purposes, this stranger was a human. He looked human, he spoke like a human, he acted like a human, and he even smelled like a human. This rendered him not only worthless, but also the enemy.

Kadaj continued to walk further through the hall, expecting the stranger to follow as their conversation was not over yet. “Hn.” He smirked and glanced back at him briefly. “You think I’m the bad guy? Ha!”
He laughed and shook his head. “No. You’re wrong.” A finger pointed accusingly at the stranger. “You. It’s you and your ancestors that are the bad ones! Not me!”

But that was old news and Kadaj had more important matters to attend. First, find Mother. Then and only then will he plot revenge against humanity.

He sneered and pushed over the closest thing to him --an old bust of someone of no importance. It hit the floor with a loud clang and shattered—the pieces littering the cold tile floor. Hundreds of spiders, both big and small, scattered across the hallway, quickly trying to find a new refuge.

The mage was following him through the hall; it was impolite if he didn't, of course; before he stopped dead, being accused of something incredibly vague.

"Wha-? What did I do? Dunno about my ancestors, but all I did was- well I guess I did cut off magic at one point, but then I restored it. Honest!"

Okay, this guy was probably more deranged than he thought. Also spiders. Why must there be spiders.

Gingerly stepping over the destroyed bust, he continued following the teenager, though keeping his distance now. Didn't want to be hit with more masonry.

"Uh, hope ya don't mind me asking, but why are you angry again?"

Kadaj stopped short and turned to face the man, a scowl on his face. “Because your ancestors imprisoned Mother for 2,000 years!” The teen’s voice rose, practically shouting. How could someone not know this?! “All Mother needed was energy from the planet and because of people like you she can’t complete her journey! Now it’s MY job to make sure she gets what she wants, to make sure she is happy!” And he would do anything for her—absolutely anything.

The remnant seethed and imagined all the horrible ways he would torture the man in front of him. No one would care; even ShinRa had apparently disposed of him. This man would be nothing but a punching bag to help relieve Kadaj’s frustrations. Except…

“Tch. You’re lucky you remind me of one of my brothers.”

He flinched when the teenager suddenly started shouting at him- surprised at the rage in his voice; surprised at what he's saying.

He waited a few moments for the man to calm down- at least, to stop seething with rage- before offering his help.

"Well, what my ancestors did was- well, they weren't my fault. But if you need my help I could help ya...? After all, I wouldn't want my mother's wish to be unfulfilled."

And so this person has a brother. And said brother acts like him.

Warmage isn't really sure if that's a compliment or not. Maybe even a warning.

Ah! Perhaps there as a chance for this pathetic race to redeem itself after all! Kadaj shook his head. No, who was he trying to fool? Humanity’s actions against Mother were to devastating to ever forgive. Mercy was not an option for them and it never would be. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t take advantage of the poor soul who was misguided enough to want to help him. Kadaj was, if anything, an opportunist, and he wasn’t going to let this one slide away.

Just then the floor rumbled beneath their feet. An ungodly cry echoed throughout the halls. It was, indisputably, another ogre.

Kadaj was completely undeterred. He merely grinned and stepped aside. “So then,” he beamed, “you think you can redeem yourself?” He gestured a nod toward the oncoming ogre. “Let’s see how strong you really are.”

The man was sheepishly following the teenager still, wondering what he- or rather, what his ancestors- did wrong. Maybe he should have actually read up on ye olde history books so he could understand.

Upon hearing the familiar growl of an orge, he looked back up. The smell and the sounds- this reminded him of home. Funny how at this point only the stench of his foes are the only reminder of home.

He grinned as the teenager issued the challenge. This was his turf.

"Ya kidding me? I do this for a living. Well, did."

Dramatically drawing his swordstaff, he waited for the monster to commit.

And after a few more seconds of staring down each other, it did.

With reflexes born of decades of experience, Warmage blocked it's arm with the blade and sidestepped the brute's tackle. Now facing it's flank, it was only a matter of quickly enchanting the blade with arcane holy magic before chopping off it's head with one clean slice. It would have been hard to do it in one go, but he's intimately familiar with the anatomy of an orge. It was only a matter of hitting at the right angle with the right amount of force.

Looking down at the blade, slick with blood, he waited until the holy glow ebbed away before addressing the teenager.

"Well? How about that?"

“You’re not as good as me.” Kadaj grinned. Of course, the remnant would say that regardless of how the other had performed. “But good enough.” It was apparent that Warmage knew his was around a sword. Not to mention he had the strength to back it up. Yes, he would definitely be an assist to the remnant’s mission.

Kadaj casually jumped over the fallen ogre, like it was nothing but a speed bump in his way. “If you’re going to redeem yourself I need absolute obedience.” He held a single finger up for emphasis and he closed the gap between them. “No questions asked. Understood?”

He almost snorted. Kadaj, while intimidating, didn't really seem too physically strong compared to him. Even so, he held it in check. Just in case.

'Obedience', however, was something he had never been good with. Absolute or not, he always had been a loose cannon. So what exactly can someone of that disposition say to such an order?

"Yeah, sure."

A bit dismissive, but that's his style.

Kadaj wasn't the only one to feel a pull. Hojo was surprised to feel an awareness of something, or someone unfamiliar, yet familiar.

He let it carry him along and moved toward it, curious. He was always curious. It was a consequence of having a scientific mind. He wasn't particularly worried about the monsters. He had his gun and his Materia. He'd already died in the tower seven times, so death was losing its ability to deter him.

When he caught sight of the youth with such familiar coloration, he paused, and he watched. So this was what he'd sensed. Interesting. This person looked very much like Sephiroth, yet was clearly distinct. "There are many things here that aren't from Gaia, you'll find," he said, in his usual superior tone. "As this isn't Gaia."

Footsteps echoed in the hallway and stopped by the door. Kadaj stood upright and glanced over at his shoulder toward the newcomer.

Hojo.

The remnant did not know this man, but he knew of him. Nothing based on fact or what someone had told him, mind you. It was a gut feeling passed down from Sephiroth. He eyed the scientist with great distrust.

It’d be fine, he assured himself. If he came too close, Kadaj would kill him. This doctor wasn’t any different from any other human. But then, why did it feel like he was much more valuable?

“Hn.” A mischievous smile spread across thin lips. He took two confident steps forward and held on tightly to the bloodied knife. “Tell me where I am then.” It was an order, not a question.

Edited 2013-02-04 06:31 (UTC)

Hojo remained where he was. He saw no reason to draw nearer, or to back away when Kadaj advanced on him. He wasn't cowed.

He didn't need to be ordered. He was pleased enough to share the information. "This is another planet. Name unknown. We are held within a structure known referred to simply as the Tower. It is a structure with many floors, and from which there is no known means of escape. My theory is that it is an extensive laboratory, and we are its subjects.

"And as I've answered your question, I wonder if you'd answer one of mine. Who are you?" He didn't appear to be one of the clones, but he was undeniably related to Sephiroth. Therefore, he was of great interest to Hojo.

A thick medicinal stench wafted through the air. Ethanol, chloroform, antiseptics, and other potent chemicals attacked his sense of smell. Kadaj wrinkled his nose in revulsion. No doubt the professor radiated this awful stink.

“No,” the teen quickly countered. “I’m the one who asks questions. Got it?” Hojo might get a chance should the remnant feel he deserved it. For now, keeping the inquiries in his ball park was a way to keep control of the situation.

Encrusted bloody fingers curled tightly to the only weapon he had.

There were plenty of questions that plagued his mind. How did he get here? What happened to Gaia? What about Sephiroth? Cloud? Yazoo? Loz? Was Rufus Shinra still alive? He growled at the thoughts of a betrayal that had all transpired so quickly. They’d pay for it. All of them! One by one. He’d do it for revenge, for himself, for Mother! But first…

“I’m only going to ask you once. Lie to me and it will be the last thing you do.” Kadaj’s warning glare was eerily reminiscent of Sephiroth. “Where is she?”

Hojo wasn't at all bothered by Kadaj's threatening tone or weapon. He had his own weapons, but he made no move for his gun. He was aware of the physical danger he was in, but he laughed, softly. "If that is your preference, who am I to deny you? I'll gladly provide you with the data you require." He has no reason not to. Though he does wish he knew more about this particular specimen. It's not one of the clones he made. He would have remembered one like this. Intriguing.

She. It didn't take a great scientific mind such as his own to realize who, or what, this strange individual was talking about.

Hojo put a hand to his chest and laughed again. "I have no reason to lie to you. What you seek is present within at least three individuals here. The part contains the whole, though the whole does not necessarily contain the part."

Even in a creepy place like the tower, it was easy to lose track of time while watching TV. And that was exactly what had happened to Orihime. Though, the threat of running into monsters was probably worse than being tired for school the next day back home.

But, that was the reason she was racing down the stairs, hoping to get to the elevator before something got to her. She almost didn't see Kadaj and his dead and bloodied Orc. But as soon as she did, she skidded to a stop, just barely keeping from barreling into them.

"Ah..." Was all she could really manage to get out.

Witnesses to his violent behavior were not uncommon. In fact, an audience made it all the better! The best ones in the crowd were the ones that made the most noise. After all, they tended to draw even more people in! If she wanted to watch then he’d allow her to for now.

The corner of Kadaj’s lips curled upwards as he pretended not to notice her. Bare fingers pinched the fat end of the knife. They slid quickly across the sharp blade with a loud squeak, ridding it of the access blood.

Since his arrival the only logical conclusion he could come to was that he had been taken hostage by ShinRa. It explained the collar, the suit, the monsters—it explained everything!

How could this happen? What about his brothers, where were they? More importantly, where was Mother?

This meager girl was of no consequence he was sure of it. But she did serve a purpose and Kadaj planned to fully exploit it to get what he wanted.

“Well?” He impatiently pushed. “What are you waiting for?”

"Um..."

Orihime was no stranger to blood... Or violence, for that matter. But it still bothered her. Even though it was the death of a monster who probably would have ripped her apart if it got the chance, it was still a little difficult to see for some reason. And so was Kadaj's expression.

She may have seemed slow and weak to most, but she recognized that face. He seemed to be enjoying it. And maybe that was a little more worrying than the sight of the dead monster.

But, she tried not to let her apprehension show. Though she might have failed just slightly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, what?"

She gave a slightly nervous laugh, and stepped backward, going up a step.

Feigning innocence was never a wise move. There were few things Kadaj hated more than liars. Unfortunately, for this girl, humans were number two on the list.

“Don’t just stand there!” He waved a hand in no particular direction.
Why was she acting so clueless? Didn’t she know who she was dealing with? If ShinRa thought that this feeble female could do any damage then they were sorely mistaken! Kadaj was insulted, and it showed. A growl escaped cold lips. He approached her, coming uncomfortably close to her, the tip of his boots nearly touching hers.

“Go get him.” Kadaj ordered and leered over her. Feline pupils narrowed as he forced eye contact with her. Let her be afraid. Let her see how inhuman he was. She shouldn’t be playing around! One misstep on her part and he would end her right here—no matter how useful she might be.

“Go. Get. Him.” Kadaj repeated, his voice dangerously threatening. “Now.”

Orihime's first instinct was to shrink away, maybe even run. But somehow, she managed to stay. Though her eyes were wide. Not only was she frightened by him, but she also had no idea what he was talking about.

But she managed to speak evenly, after a brief pause. "Who?"

Okay, so it was only one word, but she had managed it.

“You know something,” Kadaj said darkly. “I know you do.”

There was a short pause, giving her a chance to change her mind, though Kadaj had already made up his. “Fine then!” He laughed, though it didn’t sound very happy. “If you want to play games, we’ll play games!”

The sharp blade of the knife swiftly moved to the girl’s throat—gentle enough not to draw blood but firm enough to make its presence known. “You can die now, right here, though I can’t promise it won’t be painless,” he maliciously teased. “Or you can give me what I want and you can wither away with the rest of humanity once Mother arrives.”

All she could do in reaction was to tense up and squeeze her eyes shut. When she realized she wasn't dead, or in pain, she opened one eye slowly. Then the other. She tried to look down at the knife, but her eyes moved slowly back to Kadaj's face.

"I-I really don't know! The administrators brought me here too, probably the same as you!" She stammered her sentence out quickly, while considering her options. He had moved quickly enough that she probably couldn't duck away to use one of her shields. And since her cutting attack wasn't an option either... All she could do was hope to redirect him away from his anger. ...Maybe.

"Mother?"

“You mean you don’t know?” How anyone did not know about Jenova by this point was beyond him. “Well,” Kadaj began, almost amused--almost. “It’s no surprise ShinRa kept you in the dark.” A pause. “It’s what they do best.” Secrets, hidden agendas, kidnappings, and those kinds of things were ShinRa’s specialty.

The remnant took a step back, and with it the imminent threat of slicing through the girl’s tender throat like butter. He wasn’t worried. She wasn’t going anywhere.

“You’d know her as Jenova,” Kadaj explained. Only a select few were lucky enough to call her Mother. “She came to The Planet 2,000 years ago.” It was a story he knew instinctively. “It belongs to her. But the Cetra, your ancestors, stole it away from her.”

Kadaj circled around the dead orc body. Its blood was still pouring out in copious amounts onto the floor. Silver brows furrowed as he wondered what ShinRa scientists had to do to produce such an ugly creature.

It didn’t matter. It was dead. The young teen gave the woman a hard long stare before re-approaching her. “That’s why I’m here.” The distance between them shriveled to mere inches again. “I’m the one who is going to take it back for her! I’m the one who has to make her happy! I’m the one that’s going to make sure the rest of the humanity and the planet gets what’s coming to them! And the only people standing in my way. . .” he broke off and dragged the side of the blade along her cheek, smearing it with blood, “are people like you.”

Orihime could tolerate a lot, and normally, she would have been happy that she had managed to figure out the cause of their miscommunication. But she was starting to think that even explaining things wouldn't change the way Kadaj was acting. Smearing her face with Orc blood was the tipping point though.

She stepped backward quickly, her back meeting the wall. With a flash of light, she brought her shield up between them, and the triangular wall of translucent yellow energy blocked him from touching her again... For the moment. She reached up and started to wipe the blood from her face, determinedly trying to keep herself from trembling.

"We're probably not from the same world. I don't know what Shinra is, or Cetra... So... So I'm not someone who is standing in your way."

Yet... Not that she could manage to say something like that. Since he seemed like wanted to destroy humans, or punish them somehow, it seemed likely that they would still be at odds once the situation was cleared up.

Poor, pathetic girl.

Kadaj stood tall and watched her with an unsettling smile. The shield did nothing to deter him.

“Different worlds?” He chuckled and shook his head. “Boy, those scientists really got to you!” How unfortunate. Luckily for the girl, this made her more worthless than worthwhile. The remnant twirled the knife around a finger in a quick display of mastery before stepping away.

She served the only purpose she could possibly fulfill. And what purpose was that, might one ask? She was aware of his presence and she feared him! No doubt she would alert others of his arrival. This was a good thing. It sped up the process of having to interrogate everyone here.

Now he was bored with her. He’d have to continue the hunt to find someone with more information.

He waved a dismissive hand at her and headed towards the other side of the hallway. “Hn. See you around.” Until next time, Orihime...

Siira walked quietly through the halls, boots making her footfalls heavy but she compensated. Years of experience in walking and working in boots made it easier to move as quietly as she needed to. Except she didn't need to move quietly, since she had avoided Sephiroth's scorn and she wasn't aware of the Remnants arrival.

The Turk wore her dark suit, gloves and a bangle of materia. Her hair was loose, as she always had it even when she had been with ShinRa. And she was at ease until the scent of foul blood assaulted her nose. Suddenly, the Ice materia at her wrist started crackling in preparation as she followed the hallway to spot the dead orc.

Not someone, or something rather, she needed to care about. It was who had done it that left her curious. Obviously people defended themselves against these brutes but it seemed like the wounds were very aggressive in style. Which left her on edge while she continued down the hall. A flash of silver caught her eye and she almost thought it was Sephiroth but there was less of it than the former General.

Drawing closer, the Turk gasped and then growled low in her throat. Her fists clenched and a small pillar of ice erupted from the ground in front of her.

"Remnant..!"

All too quickly, she remembered the reports she'd read about the three of them. How they had tortured Elena and Tseng, how they'd sought out Jenova's remains (her stomach did a flip at even the thought of that creatures name) and how Veld had looked in the hospital after fighting one of them.

“Hm?” Kadaj barely noticed the intruder who now witnessed the grisly mess he had made. Back on Gaia, people did not know what to call Kadaj and his brothers. Certainly, he had been called worse things. Much worse. He had grown accustomed to ignoring such worthless individuals. If they bothered him too much a bullet, a fist, or twin blade swiftly took care of that. If he was in a good mood, he might call the monstrous beasts known as Shadow Creepers to give the public a good scare before ultimately ending their pathetic lives.

He spared a glance to the girl that suggested she keep her distance, lest he redirect his interests to mutilating a human rather than an orc. But then he noticed something about her. Something very specific. She was a Turk, wasn't she? They all dressed and carried themselves a certain way.

A cruel smile crawled across his face. “You must be Elena and Tseng’s replacement.”

Upon seeing the massage, the king of evil stopped in his tracks as he passed by, looking at what was just happened. To be honest, residents killing monsters because they needed a good fight, this was pretty regular by now. No, the only reason that brought Ganondorf to stop by was the striking similarity this young man had with.

Most specifically, the hairs and the eyes as well as the overall aura... Probably someone from his family. Well, if Ganondorf was to take his cooperation with Sephiroth to the next level, he better got to know those related to him.

"That was hardly a challenge." he suddenly spoke in a neutral voice once Kadaj was done with the beast "Those monsters are not anywhere close to the might the most powerful ones in this tower hold..."

The sound of footsteps alerted the young remnant that he was no longer alone.

Then it spoke.

He kept the knife at the ready, but never turned to face the intruder. There was no need to feel danger, he rarely ever did. Anyone who approached Kadaj in a threatening manner would usually find twin blades firmly planted in their heart, or other painful but non-fatal areas should he decide to have a little fun.

Kadaj wasn’t particularly fond of strangers. He was only social when the time called for it. Even then it was just so he could accomplish his goal of finding Mother. In a world where he knew nothing, his violent tendencies were unlikely to work here. At least right away. He needed to gain a better understanding of the situation he was in before he could act. And act he would. Whoever was brave or stupid enough to approach him could be a useful tool.

Tools came in all shapes in shapes and sizes. Information, hostages, bargaining material, and play toys just to name a few.

Still, Kadaj wasn’t in the mood to deal with it right now and his tone of voice did not hide that fact.

“What do you want?”

Ganondorf chuckled lightly at his answer and tone. He was in an even a worse mood than Sephiroth, wasn't he now? Though, less good at containing his emotions and putting on a semblance of respectability it would seem. The King of Evil smiled and walked around the corridor.

"What do I want...?" he repeated slowly and shook his head "I want a lot of things. Many that you yourself want, some that you do not even know they exist. And some that you would never want..."

He paused and turned to face back Kadaj directly, still no weapon in hand but always the same smile on his face. Whoever that man was, obviously Kadaj didn't intimidate him and he seemed quite familiar with the tower.

"Most immediately however, your identity would be the object of my curiosity."

How vague, the remnant thought. Kadaj’s patience was a short fuse at best. Games were only fun when he was the one in control. Right now, he was anything but. However, he would not allude to this fact. For all the stranger knew, this was Kadaj’s tower.

He glanced over his shoulder. This stranger, whoever he was, held a great deal of confidence. More importantly, he did not fit the usual description of a ShinRa employee. Good! He was just another experiment wandering the halls. Even if the stranger’s body language was strong, he was in no better position than Kadaj was.

A short pause hung in the air as the teen mulled over his options. There was no fear in letting anyone know his name. If anything, it was about time others knew of his presence. “Kadaj,” he finally answered and turned to fully face the stranger. “And you are…?”

The only reason Enoch had to visit the cafeteria at dusk would be to catch the elevator up to the dorms again. What he didn't expect was to see a monster being brutally murdered, in a way that actually made him feel sorry for the monster.

For a moment, all he could do was stare at the scene. And then he found his voice. "The blood will attract more when night falls. You shouldn't draw it out."

“Good!” Kadaj smirked. The stranger was of no importance and the orc had been easy enough to kill. “I could use a challenge!” He beamed, proud of his work. Killing was in his nature—it was instinct. Mother’s gift to him was the power to fight! He’d be putting her gift to waste if he didn’t use it.

"Oh, you're...you're training?"

It seemed so sadistic. Enoch felt this stranger was the type he ought to stay away from. But he looks so much like someone else he's met, and he has to wonder...

Training. “You could say that.” And some certainly would call it that. “I’d like to think I am past that.” After all, killing the beast was hardly a challenge at all! Then again, few things rarely were difficult to kill for the remnant.

This room held no interest for him now. He walked toward the exit, the orc’s fingers crunching loudly underneath the weight of his boot. Kadaj did not pay much attention to the stranger as he pushed past him.

“Move.”

Enoch gave a slight, reflexive huff of protest as Kadaj pushed past him, but the way he'd been acting, maybe it was best to watch him move off out of sight and then continue on his way to the dorms, himself...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

001 Reunions

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Sorry for the delay!

As I said, it's fine~

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