[07] || [Setting the Stage] || [Closed]

[great_king_of_evil]

Characters: Ganondorf, Naoya, Nesir, Richtofen and Sephiroth.
Setting: Cathedral Floor, backdated to the 29th January.
Format: Action.
Summary: In exactly one month the "Dark World Plot" Ganon has been working on for awhile begins- It is time to settle the final details and speak of it to his " closest allies" (needless to say, in this room 'friendship' and 'allies' are very strange concepts whose meaning is uncertain, lost to the mists of legend).
Warning: The extreme concentration of evil and chaos in this room exceeds the the recommended health and safety levels.


[ Ganondorf did not do anything extravagant for this meeting. It was no a full fledged Evil Meeting as the ones he usually held, no there would be a time later for such a meeting. Only a small reunion for a few of those he knew and could potentially be of help for his next plan. He had sent notes to Richtofen, Naoya, Nesir and Sephiroth, directly in their dormitory- Using the network was somewhat risky considering the scale of the operation.

It was night time and the Cathedral did not seem much different; if anything those with such powers could feel there was a barrier around this floor preventing non-invited people from entering or eavesdropping. Two Darknuts were guarding the entrance and five chairs had been installed in circle around a table, with the same kind of food and drinks Ganondorf had managed to gather during the future self event. Plotting evil things didn't mean they couldn't be refined and hungry.

Obviously Ganondorf was the first one present, sitting in a chair and reading another large book from the library- Though it was only a way for him to pass time while waiting for the time to come. ]

Comments

[great_king_of_evil]

Then I advice you to work with the others- April Sinclair, Fujisaki Chihiro and Jin Shirato in particular had all sounded very competent. There were others but I do not think they are still in the tower.

[ He knew Naoya hated team work as much as he did, but if he didn't think he'd manage alone that may be a necessity. They could probably trick the elevator through manual means-- But hacking through it would be better. He then nodded. ]

But Nesir is right, we need a way to control the veracity of the memories. I will myself use a mean to objectively record the events- I do not know yet if I will have the time to go down myself while maintaining the diversion. Furthermore, there will not be one team but two to three. By confronting each team's version of the event we may be able to see what is true and what is not.

[ Before turning to the doctor- ]

Yes, the cursed floors I mentioned will have monsters, traps and mazes. A lot will be automatized, however I need a living presence to keep things in check and distract the others. I believe you would fit the role and you would be granted administrative powers within these cursed floors.

[culbutiri]

Will we still only be letting the team leaders be knowing the true objective? [People who could withstand torture, the less people who could betray them the better in Nesir's book.

She sat back and watched the others though she was interested in what Naoya was saying.] There do be being a code?

[doctor_dismemberment]

[Nesir had barely finished speaking when Richtofen let himself squeal. He sat up straight and practically bounced in his seat, holding balled-up fists to his mouth in an attempt to muffle himself. Screw all that talk of gathering information and getting killed. As much as Richtofen wanted to know how the Tower worked, his immediate entertainment took precedence, and five days ruling over a cursed land full of monsters definitely sounded like fun.

He completely ignored the other two in favor of trying to pry more information out of Ganon. There was a sparkle in his eye as he leaned forward, and his voice, predictably, reached a high pitch.]

Monsters und mazes und traps, oh my! [Pay no attention to the unintentional, anachronistic movie reference.] And I will be able to do whatever I want to the prisoners? I can keep them running around like scared little puppy dogs?

[great_king_of_evil]

Yes, unless we have other reliable people in these team that can be 'trusted'. You will coordinate the whole operation in the administrative floors and will directly lead the first team. [He then turned from Nesir to Naoya.] If you believe you have time once the hacking is done, you can lead the second team. [Then to Sephiroth.] And you the third if you want, albeit I may need you for something else altogether.

[ And he turned back to Richtofen. Was it that of a good idea? Well, at least he wouldn't be in the way of the teams and of the Triforce. ]

Yes, but whatever happen they must not die nor kill themselves before the operation is complete. As long as you follow these two rules, you are free to do whatever you want. [A pauses.] However you are only human, so your new powers may exhaust you at first. Do not overdo it. As I said a lot of it is automatized, intervene only when you feel it necessary.

[neverbeamemory]

"Such as what else, exactly?"

[Sephiroth almost scowls at the very notion of his heading a team. A team to do what exactly, appear to be on a take over attempt while he's taking notes? He's very much of the opinion that whatever a team could accomplish he could do to a far more superior standard, alone. Especially given some of the half-witted other residents he's came across so far. A good craftsman shouldn't blame his tools but surely this would be an exception to that rule!

Not that he couldn't do it mind, he can be a fine leader if so applied. If he didn't have a lot of an issue trusting anyone but himself.]

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya stays quiet while the others discuss, going over plans in his head. He's not sure he'll be able to pull this one off, privately. He's confident in his hacking abilities, but this programming language resists his every attempt. He should be able to gain limited control over it, but past that small step he's not sure what he can do.]

[Not for the first time he wishes he had Loki here for backup. ... And to watch the explosions.]

I likely won't have time to lead a team. I fully expect retribution once I begin hacking, even with some of them distracted. They know we can get into at least some of their systems as evidenced by what happened a few months ago - and that wasn't even anything vital. Poking at their main systems will likely set off some sort of alarm. I can cause a distraction, though I doubt it'll last very long. Some crude traps to slow them down might also be a possibility.

I can't guarantee a timeframe, however - so prioritize what you want to do while you're down there. You almost certainly will not get to do most of the things on your list.

[culbutiri]

[Nesir's eyes widened a little bit but she nodded nerves hitting her all of a sudden, making her grasp for the emptiness.

Once she was safe and emotionless she ran what Ganondorf had said past her again. She wasn't sure if she could coordinate an entire operation. She had been taught how to lead teams of warriors in the temple she hadn't ever done anything... well important. She was only an Acolyte after all.

And she had never led others in the service of the dark god. Not that this group were actually in the service of the dark god, as they came from different worlds. But...

She looked at Ganondorf, she remembered going through this plan before and not being surprised, but that was with the- now barely accessible, false memories of the ten years here.

It was very strange, but Nesir found herself enjoying it, being part of the planning and knowing she would have to coordinate an operation, even if it was a planned suicide mission. She concentrated on listening again, still in the emptiness; if they were playing attention they would notice she was very still, the usual natural movements of a body non existent.

[great_king_of_evil]

[ The Evil King noticed the change in Nesir. Unlike for many other people, Ganondorf had appreciated the last event. It had shown him who he could and could not trust, that was why he still picked Nesir in spite of the shortest time. Ganondorf then looked at Sephiroth. ]

There is no point telling you now. I need someone in this tower, and they disappeared. If they return, I'll tell you then...

[ Then turned to Naoya and nodded. ]

It's fine, I have other names in mind for team leaders. The teams will cover as much field as possible. As I said, it is our first attempt at gathering intel. If this onetime is successful, this will open the window for larger scale operations. I think we are all aware we won't leave this tower anytime soon, so long-term plans are our only option.

[ This was not too difficult for Ganondorf, he after all was the one who remained sealed for hundreds of years in the Dark World and Flooded Hyrule. He was very patient and a specialist at waiting, plotting over long time period. He wasn't so sure about the others though. ]

[doctor_dismemberment]

No killing or suicide? Oh...

[Richtofen looked almost disappointed for a moment. He sunk back into his chair and half-listened to the others as they discussed their infiltration plans, but his mind was elsewhere.

He remembered being back home, constantly on the run from zombies, leading his amnesiac teammates around through time and space as he secretly plotted to take control of his creations. As much as he hated her, he had to admit that that brat Samantha made things interesting with her little "games." Even though neither he nor his teammates died, he still remembered the joyous, breathless exhiliration he felt as he tried to survive while Sam toyed with him.

He nodded mutely to himself. He was sure he could make a fun game out of whatever Ganondorf set up for him, even if he had to hold himself back from actually killing their prisoners. Especially, he thought, if he was getting enough power to potentially exhaust him.

With his lips pursed and a somewhat calm look on his face, Richtofen raised his hand.]

I have a question... Exactly how much power am I going to have?

[Yeah, this entire time, he's basically been sitting here thinking about nothing but himself. Nobody at the table should really be surprised.]

[neverbeamemory]

[Arms still loosely folded, Sephiroth continued to watch and listen to the four of them discuss this plot without any further comment. Resisting eye-rolling at Richtofen as, quite typically he was only interested in his part of the plan. Not much different to each of them though no doubt, only less controlled about it perhaps.

Concerning that 'part' of his that was offered, Sephiroth wasn't sure really how Ganondorf had managed to pin him for this. He didn't know many people within the Tower yet so how he was to get any sort of coherent team together for ANY purpose (let alone one so sensitive and important as this one could be), let alone lead them... this was something that, sickeningly, Sephiroth didn't feel competent enough to accomplish. Yet. Sure they'd followed him into the Infirmary that one time but-

-yea.

It would be unforgivable for a failure to be down to the lack of excellence in his role. It was a difficult pill to swallow, given his own hunger for an opportunity to do something about his predicament in general - but the idea of having to rely on other random residents for, well, anything, leaves a sour taste in the back of Sephiroth's mouth. It's asking for problems.

He won't refuse to help, though what assistance he can offer will depend on the rest of the plan as it's unfolded.]

[great_king_of_evil]

They can die, but this must not happen before the fifth and final day.

[ Ganondorf sighed. At least Richtofen wouldn't be able to ruin the plan from there, this thought comforted him. ]

You will have entire control over the monsters contained within the cursed floors, on some environmental elements. You'll have powers to fight them off if the need to get involved yourself arises.

And that is already too much.

[ For the details of how these powers work, another day maybe. ]