unchanging, the earth will always keep on spinning

[notsogrimreaper]

Characters: Some death kid (Ryoji), a swishy-haired jerk (Sephiroth), and you!
Setting: Dorm 4-16, and Floor 14 to start, but the rest can happen anywhere else. Sephiroth will be training in the gymnasium as well, should anyone want lone encounters with him.
Format: Prose to start, but I'll match.
Summary: Ryoji has just woken up in his new dorm room, and is going about a 'normal' day in the Tower, though he does feel a little strange...
Warnings: Someone is messing with Ryoji slightly, so expect threadjacking that results in bizarre mood swings and paranoia. Ryoji's opinions of various CR may be slightly messed with. Other than that he should be fine this time around.


Dorm 4-16

Even though Ryoji had gotten that letter, it was still a bit of a shock to wake up in a new room. As soon as he was able to move, he sat up as quickly as possible and checked the trunk. Everything there was still the same. Nothing was damaged. It seemed so strange, to be magically transported a few rooms down in the middle of the night, but he supposes stranger things have happened.

He's a little embarrassed that his love-sick request actually got fulfilled, but he has to admit it isn't too bad. He's managed to at least partly forgive himself for brutally murdering Diarmuid, enough to be able to look him in the eyes and smile honestly again, and though he didn't know Lancer very well, he seemed nice enough. Strange, though. Diarmuid hadn't mentioned who his other roommate was...

He'll stay in the room for a while, just to get his thoughts in order, and maybe see if anyone shows up, but after a while, he's ready to go about his regular business. As he leaves his doorway, he pushes a bit of an uncomfortable feeling to the side. He felt strange, but he was certain he wasn't sick. It was simply an interesting start to the day that made him feel like this, nothing more.

Floor 14

A few hours later, Ryoji has already forgotten about that nagging paranoia, and is enjoying an animated film with some cartoon animals. He hasn't seen this one before, and is clearly invested in the story. His eyes light up as one of the characters bounces onscreen, and he's laughing at all the right times.

If anyone decides to enter the floor, he'll be a little too absorbed in the movie to notice them, but he still wouldn't mind a distraction.

Any other public area in the tower

Unfortunately, some of those distractions ended up going a tad awry, and now Ryoji's starting to suspect that he should have trusted his instinct this morning. He can be found on any other floor, but whether he's reading in the library or getting rid of some of the monsters on infested floors, he's keeping his distance unless spoken to. Then he'll shove his worries down and try to hold a regular conversation. He just hopes he's just having a bad day. His friends are still trustworthy, aren't they? He's just reading into things too much. Maybe he didn't completely get over how he acted during that experiment.

Comments

[evokingfool]

Minato listened to Sephiroth's words and do his best to hold his stance. He knew very well he can't overpower Sephiroth with just his own physical strength.

When their blades connected, he felt anticipation and adrenaline inside of him. One wrong move and Sephiroth's sword could very well give him something worse than scrapes and bruises.

He was attentive and focused, like a good student he was praised as by his teachers at school. Until Ryoji's voice snapped him out from his concentration, catching him off guard for a moment as his eyes reflexively give the other boy a brief glance.

Only certain things can grab Minato's attention very, very easily. Ryoji Mochizuki was one of them.

[notsogrimreaper]

With both of them paused, Ryoji hurries between them, putting his hands on the blunt edges of the blades to try to push them apart. He barely even looks at Sephiroth, but when he does, it's clear his expression is filled with anger.

Yes, there was always the chance that Sephiroth was going to hurt his friends. He'd understood that ever since the network catastrophe. He'd been careful not to do anything to invoke any other hostility.

But even Minato getting hurt by Sephiroth would have been preferable to seeing them like this. From what Sephiroth had been saying, they were having some sort of training session...

"Minato, what are you doing?"

He tries not to sound angry when he turns to Minato. He can't hide the confusion and worry along with that, though.

[neverbeamemory]

It could have been so easy, and it was so tempting to flick Masamune in the tiny movement that would be needed to give Ryoji his just desserts right then and there when he'd pushed against the great swords blunt edge. He'd certainly seen the anger there in Ryoji's face.

But no, there are other ways to destroy a person. Instead, Sephiroth stepped back a little further and swung Masamune around, holding it neatly by the handle with the blade resting against the back of his arm; the edge away from all of them.

He'd have to be so careful to keep up this facade otherwise all of his time and effort with Minato would be for nothing. He wouldn't interrupt and would wait for Minato to explain to Ryoji his purpose here. All the while, his ego curled around satisfied inside, bathing in how this will make Ryoji feel.

[evokingfool]

Minato saw the confusion and worry in Ryoji's expression, and it gave him a pang of guilt. For making him worry, even when it's just a training session. For a brief moment, he thought he should have told Ryoji about this earlier.

But what's done was done.

He lowered his sword after Sephiroth stepped back, the blade pointed down at the ground and gently shifted away from Ryoji's palms. Just to avoid cutting him by accident.

"I'm training with Sephiroth-san, Ryoji."

The honorific should be enough as a tip. Minato's unaware of what Sephiroth's presence meant to Ryoji, or else he wouldn't use it for the other swordsman.

[notsogrimreaper]

Honestly, Minato should have told Ryoji. He wouldn't have worried if he had known, and if fact, he'd be able to recommend teachers. He practices swordfighting himself with Diarmuid, and knows Cecil has talent in that area as well. Not to mention those two are both trustworthy, unlike Sephiroth.

Still, he's trying not to blame Minato. There's no way he could have known about Sephiroth's true nature. He just needs to get him out of here, so he can tell him the truth later.

He tries to hide his shock and nerves and smile slightly.

"I-I see. Sorry, I thought maybe you were in trouble... Actually, would you mind if I talked to you for a minute? I was looking for you anyways, there's something important I need to explain."

He glances at Sephiroth before looking back at Minato and nodding. Hopefully Minato gets what he's trying to add to the end of that sentence: in private.

[neverbeamemory]

Sephiroth would just observe the two of them, carefully. He looked completely the teacher who'd had his lesson rudely interrupted.

He's not scared at all about Ryoji's wanting to talk to Minato (in private or not), let Ryoji spill all of his concerns if he wanted to; Sephiroth has been honestly training Minato and already he was starting to show progress. Anyone would be able to tell that, and not very many people would be able to get such results in such a short space of time. He is an expert swordsman, and he's not a bad teacher.

"We've only just started, but sure why not take five." Sephiroth nods to Ryoji, so friendly that he might consider that he'd gotten it wrong. He even moved further away from the two of them, implying that they can have the privacy. He even went so far as to de-summon Masamune for the time being.

Never mind that not only can Sephiroth sharpen his own hearing at will, he could listen in through Ryoji if he was really curious what would be said. Though in all honesty, he doesn't care much what Ryoji would say - he could talk around every accusation that might be thrown at him.

He had to keep this facade up, it was crucial.

[evokingfool]

Minato caught the silent message, and glance over at Sephiroth to hear his teacher's words and nodded.

"Thank you. It won't be long."

Turning his attention back to Ryoji, Minato gave him a mildly curious look. After a moment, and presumably after Sephiroth was at a reasonable distance away from them, he asked Ryoji.

"What do you need to explain to me?"

Even though he said it won't take long, Minato will hear out Ryoji as long as he can. The apparent seriousness of whatever the subject was got his full attention. He would still pay attention whenever Ryoji talk to him, but this won't be an idle, casual topic.

Just what was it?

[notsogrimreaper]

Ryoji keeps glancing back at Sephiroth, trying to make sure they are far enough away from him before speaking. Even then, he keeps his voice low, never raising the volume above a whisper, and keeps his back to Sephiroth so that he can't read his lips.

Now that they're far enough away, Ryoji has allowed his true emotions to break through the calm, smiling mask, and he struggles to explain what was so worrying.

"I need to tell you that Sephiroth isn't who you think he is. I don't know how much you know about him, but he isn't a good person. He's working with Ganondorf. He's killed people before, and it wasn't because of an experiment. He's dangerous, Minato... I don't want you to get hurt."

Hopefully, Minato won't question Ryoji on how he knows so much about this... Even if it's been a long time since Tohko's death, the memories are still fresh.

[evokingfool]

Minato was visibly calm, but Ryoji would see the slight changes in his expression. Eyes widened a little, before he blinked and settled back into his usual, calm self. He don't know a lot about Sephiroth, beside what he observed and learned during these training sessions. But he do know Ganondorf.

That man has an unforgettable presence on the network.

"Thank you for telling me, Ryoji... But do you want him to know why I stop coming to him for lessons?"

Even if Sephiroth was dangerous, to avoid him and his lessons without telling him why would be suspicious enough.

[notsogrimreaper]

Ryoji can still see those slight cues that Minato's emotions have changed, and he is relieved that Minato understands how dangerous this was.

He tenses slightly when Minato asks him what to say. He doesn't want Minato to tell the truth, in case it gets around to Ganondorf, but he knows not telling Sephiroth would probably look just as bad as admitting to knowing those secrets.

"Just... tell him that I'm not comfortable with you two training."

That still sounds a tad suspicious, but at least the blame is shifted to Ryoji instead of his friend.

[evokingfool]

"That would bring his attention over towards you."

Oh, Minato noticed that and quietly pointed it out. The concern was evident in his calm voice.

Just as Ryoji doesn't want him to get hurt, Minato also doesn't want his friend to get hurt as well.

[notsogrimreaper]

"It would... Don't worry about me though, Minato. I've dealt with him for a while, so I'll be okay."

Better him than Minato, if his friend ever completely found out what happened to him when the feed was cut.

[evokingfool]

"...If anything happens, I'll be there."

Mainly to come to Ryoji's side. Minato won't confront Sephiroth until he can confirm his friend's mental state. Physical wounds can heal, and their bodies will get replaced if they die. So he's more worried for Ryoji himself.

[notsogrimreaper]

"I know you will. Don't worry.

...But you should get back to him, though. I don't want him to get suspicious. Just be careful, okay?"

He's certainly looking a little worse for wear, but maybe it was just because of the shock of seeing the two of them training. Hopefully nothing else serious was happening.