❄ The new kid ❄ [open]

[pinnaculum]

Characters: [au2] Sephiroth and YOU
Setting: throughout the tower: dorms, cafeteria, library, floor 81, anywhere with monsters to fight.
Format: Starting in action, but will match prose
Summary: A new Sephiroth arrives in the Tower. He's a bit smaller than the other one, and looks a lot younger.
Warnings: Mentions of human experimentation.


The dormitories; room 1-18 and hallways:
[Waking up in a completely unfamiliar place isn't a novel experience for Sephiroth, but it isn't one he likes. He rises from the bed and quickly searches the room. He reads the letters he finds and changes out of the white jumpsuit as soon as possible, exchanging it for his own dark gray, utilitarian clothes. He has a pair of dark goggles that he rests on top of his head. He uses them at times to disguise his glowing eyes, but he doesn't pull them down now. The last time he woke in a strange place, it was cold and snowing. This is a warm room. It is preferable, but he still has much to learn about his current location. He ventures out into the hallway as soon as he's dressed.

He doesn't see Mr. Valentine. He's supposed to stay near him. Maybe he can find him somewhere nearby.]

Floor 1; the cafeteria:
[Who has absolutely no problem with eating his oatmeal? This kid. After all, soldiers in the field eat rations, and this is no different. He is eating the bland food at a steady pace with a remarkable lack of expression and quiet determination. Seldom has oatmeal been eaten more seriously.]

Floor 3; the library:
[Sephiroth doesn't see the need to ask for help, though he's frustrated that he still hasn't found Mr. Valentine. The network terminals aren't difficult to operate. With in no time, he's accessing them and looking through the old entries. He frowns slightly. A lot of these entries aren't very useful. He doesn't need to know about people feeling sick or playing pranks or insulting each other.

After spending some time at a terminal, Sephiroth makes his way through the shelves and locates a nice, extensive section of science books. In no time, he's amassing quite the collection of thick tomes on biology, genetics, and chemistry. He pulls down all the books that seem interesting. The ones on the upper shelves are harder for him to reach, so he leaps up several feet into the air and grabs those he's selected from the shelf. This acrobatic display seems effortless.]

Floor 81; the observatory lounge:
[Sephiroth has walked out onto the bulging glass windows, so that he almost seems to be suspended in midair. He isn't doing anything in particular. He stands silently looking upward, watching the stars.]

Any dangerous floor, near dusk:

[It's growing darker, and it's probably a good time for children to be heading back to safer floors, but Sephiroth, instead, is heading out. He has a sword with him, a rather long sword for someone of his height. Kids, swords, and monsters: always a good combination.]

Comments

[looselips]

Oh, so they're yours? I didn't expect these to belong to a kid.

[He closes the one he had been skimming through and sets it back on top of the others. He doesn't say anything about Sephiroth's method of collecting them, because he doesn't care.]

Maybe, if you have something more interesting than that one. [He indicates the book he just replaced. He thinks the subject is something he could find interesting, if the material wasn't written to be about as exciting to read as an assembly instruction manual.]

[pinnaculum]

They're mine.

[Maybe they belong to the library technically, but they're his for now. He's never had books of his own before, so it's tempting to take possession of them.]

Comparative biology is interesting. [What are you even talking about, strange other child? What about all the biodiversity charts? The graphs? Nonetheless, he gamely holds up his newest find: Genetic Engineering in the Coming Century. He offers it to Shinji.]

I do. This one is better. [It does have an enticing illustration of a strand of DNA on the cover.] It's more advanced than that one. They have books from many eras and worlds here.

[The science of other worlds, is that not exciting?]

[looselips]

Yeah, maybe when the book you're reading from isn't duller than dirt.

[But he takes the new book when it's offered, giving the cover an intent looking over. When he makes note of its title, he immediately flips it open to look for a copyright date.]

[Actually, the whole science-across-time-and-space thing is pretty cool, so you won't hear any argument from Shinji there.]

If you're going to be hogging all these, maybe I should check some out for myself.

[pinnaculum]

Is it?

[Sephiroth considers the book anew. He doesn't consider books in terms of "dullness". Dullness is when there's nothing to do, like when he was waiting for tests in the lab, but there's everything to do here.]

It looks informative.

[And isn't that what really matters?

But so far, this conversation is going very well, from his standpoint. He can't remember the last time he spoke to someone else his age. There were his friends... He doesn't remember them very well, but they weren't anything like this boy, he knows that.] You can have some. [He gestures at the still-full shelves.] There are many more.

[A pause.]

My name is Sephiroth.

[looselips]

Just because something is informative doesn't mean it's less interesting than a burlap sack full of bricks.

[This is delivered somewhat condescendingly, and he rolls his eyes as he says it. Even so, Shinji could agree that the conversation is going well. After all, Sephiroth hasn't given him any reason to say anything insulting. Maybe he's more worth talking to than the rest of the chumps here.]

[He nods when Sephiroth suggests he should get some books of his own.]

Maybe I will. [...] I'm Shinji.

[He isn't really used to introducing himself to other people, in person, as a peer, and it comes across in his mannerisms.]

[pinnaculum]

The information is the most important part. It doesn't matter if it is simplified for greater readability.

[That is, it doesn't matter to him. It's not his fault if other people can't follow it.]

There are books on every subject, and our access is not limited. [That's what he's most excited about. He can read everything! His irises glow brightly, his pupils slitted in the light between the shelves.] There is no supervision. [Because they don't need supervision, right?]

I am pleased to meet you, Shinji. [Sephiroth doesn't notice any awkwardness on Shinji's part, his empathy not well developed at all. Sephiroth's own stiff manners do manage to grease the wooden wheels of his social interaction somewhat.]

[looselips]

[Yeah, well, even if the reverse isn't true, Shinji notices Sephiroth's oddities. Between his choice in reading material, his mannerisms, and his glowing eyes, Shinji is beginning to have his suspicions.]

Are you a robot or something? [He sounds vaguely accusatory, flatly not addressing anything Sephiroth actually said.]

[pinnaculum]

[How rude. But Sephiroth doesn't seem to think so, answering the question promptly (and maybe a bit robotically).]

No, I am not a robot. I'm a human.

[A genetically engineered human-alien hybrid, but he doesn't know all of that. Just the genetically engineered part.]

[looselips]

[Good, because for once, Shinji's comment wasn't meant to rile anyone up. It's a legitimate question, okay?]

[The answer he receives doesn't do much to convince him, so he steps closer and...reaches out to poke Sephiroth's arm. Though, thinking about it, he doesn't know what an actual robot would feel like. The closest things he has encountered are the Moon Cell's NPCs, and those were all made to be very convincing.]

Really? What, were you raised by a computer or something?

[Shinji doesn't realize there could be anything ironic about this question at all.]

[pinnaculum]

[Sephiroth could easily avoid the poke, but he allows it, still being polite. Maybe this is normal behavior for other children? He'll have to study this situation! He could learn something.

When poked, he does, indeed, feel as real and convincing as any human.]

No, I was raised in a laboratory, under the care of Professor Hojo.

[Where he was designed to be the perfect killing machine! And even though Sephiroth isn't the best at emoting, his voice is especially wooden and stern when he mentions Hojo.]

[looselips]

[Shinji pokes him a couple of times, but after three jabs or so, he's satisfied that Sephiroth is indeed warm and fleshy and stops.]

Wait, never mind, that explains everything. [Not that Shinji knows who Professor Hojo is. He rolls his eyes like this situation is ridiculous, which it is, but only as much as talking to someone from another universe inside a horrortower after your death is to begin with.] You were seriously raised in a lab? What's your deal, then?

[He can say with some authority that normal humans aren't raised in laboratories, generally speaking.]

[pinnaculum]

[Sephiroth continues to endure the poking, in spite of the fact that he could break Shinji's arm with the least effort. He thinks he's doing quite well with this peer socialization!]

I was.

I am genetically engineered to have greater strength, speed, endurance, and intelligence than an average human.

[And also to have glowing kitty eyes. He says this without arrogance. It's simply a fact.

He's the only person who's been raised in a lab as far as he knows. Not that he knows a lot of people.]

[looselips]

[That response, delivered arrogantly or not, makes Shinji narrow his eyes. It's an easy statement to project his insecurities onto, after all! He takes half a step back, folding his scrawny and easily breakable arms over his chest.]

Oh, so do you think you're better than me or something?

[Never mind how hypocritical that is. He isn't used to other people being smarter than him, and especially not other children, so obviously this threatens him in some fashion.]

[pinnaculum]

[Sephiroth, being generally blind to emotions, doesn't quite catch on to Shinji's.]

I have been designed to be superior to average humans in many ways, so that I can protect them. My primary purpose is combat.

[Obviously, he is a super soldier, and what's threatening about that? Right?]

[looselips]

[That reply is almost enough to disarm him, with both its matter-of-factly delivery and its actual content, but no, Shinji's dedication to being offended wins out.]

Well, you aren't better than me, so you had better not act like you are!

[pinnaculum]

Am I acting as if I am better than you?

[Sephiroth's question is mild and sincere enough. He wasn't intending to act in any particular way.]

[looselips]

You're flaunting your supposed "superiority," aren't you?

[pinnaculum]

It is simply a fact that I am biologically enhanced. [How is that flaunting?]

I could prove it? [Sephiroth is a strong believer in proof.]

[looselips]

[At that question, Shinji automatically talks half a step aside, studying Sephiroth carefully.]

"Prove it"?

[pinnaculum]

I am capable of many things ordinary humans are not.

[For a start, he teleports, so that he's suddenly standing a few feet away.

He doesn't think to injure Shinji, although that could easily prove his point. He has been trained not to injure civilians.]

But I do not want to damage the library, so if you would like a demonstration, it cannot be here.

[He likes to give demonstrations. He used to give them for the executives.]

[looselips]

[Naturally, Shinji jumps and yelps at the teleporting, which is embarrassing and doesn't do anything to help his mood. So, of course his face reddens as he tries to settle himself again.]

Demonstration? [He definitely sounds suspicious when he speaks again.] You're not going to make me find you a monster to kill, are you?

[Thanks, Evatrice.]

[pinnaculum]

[Hm? Sephiroth blinks.]

I can find my own monsters to kill. Monsters are not necessary for a demonstration.

Unless you would like me to kill a monster?

[Because he would. Since it's fun.]

[looselips]

No, it's just— The last time someone gave me a demonstration, the nutjob took me up to some floor and made me find a monster for her, even though she was the one with the "amazing magical powers."

[Obviously, he's still kind of mad about this.]

[pinnaculum]

That's a poor demonstration, if she cannot find her own monster.

[Sephiroth does not approve.]

You will not have to do anything. We can go to the forest. It isn't far.

[looselips]

Right? I'm telling you, she was a total headcase. Fine, though. [He folds his arms, and he's still not exactly at ease, but at least he knows he isn't going to be put through that again.] Let's go to the forest.