#13 | Esdham Times

[shinrasfinest]

Who: Sephiroth, OPEN; particularly military-comrades  
Where: Shuttle to/from and at the Republic of Esdham
When: Throughout November, (6th - 10th, 13th - 17th)
Summary: Between the duties he really should get back to in Esdham and those responsibilities he has back in Aqures Ixen, it does seem that the majority of this month will be spent trying to balance everything; it's a good job that military personnel can travel outside of Shoopuf but at the same time it wouldn't do to scramble a shuttle in every five minutes. I might add an additional prompt later, post-Expedition. Prompts in sub-comments for ease of posting. 
Warnings: N/A (Lets go in with none, see if I need to update later)

1) Esdham Shuttle
2) Military Headquarters / Training
3) Otherwise On duty - General OPEN Mingle
      (i)Around the City
      (ii)On Patrol toward the Oasis (aka quiet Heran Frontier)

Comments

Re: (i)Around the City [Sephiroth / Open]

[gomu_ningen]

[It had been an afterthought; a sudden remembrance that brought him to the site of his abduction. His time in the prison had been fruitful, at least in helping to further steel his resolve for finding the Queen. Yet, time and time again, the trail for the sought-after Queen became cold. Such had been his arrival in Esdham. After returning from his second voyage, he'd suddenly remembered his reason for first coming here to the Presidential Palace. Luffy had been looking for answers, and he had found nothing but trouble in his quest. At least, this time, he would find nothing but silence.

With a heavy breath, his chest expands as his nostrils flare to release all of the air from his lungs. He had been minding his own business, moving from bits of rubble to rubble, when he heard the shuffling of some one to his side. A yard or so away stood the man who'd also been there the day in which he'd been captured. Luffy's lips part slightly, his expression changing briefly before turning back to his focused, agitated look. There's a desire to call to the other man, but the sound doesn't come. Rather, Luffy keeps his eyes on him, knowing that the man would surely feel the intensity of his gaze and catch him out of the corner of his eye.

Even if Sephiroth did spot him, what would he have to say? Zelda had mentioned great details about him in the few times that they'd shared one another's company, but as someone who had caused such an uproar in the Observatory, would this Sephiroth be holding a grudge?]

(i)Around the City [Sephiroth / Open]

[shinrasfinest]

[Most of the time, the plaza remained silent but for the footfalls of many a solider being drilled.

At the head of his troop, clad in the uniformed navy-blue with silver-trim, Sephiroth finally reached the spot that completed their perimeter. If he spotted Luffy, he didn't make any gesture to indicate the same, at least to begin with. Yet, between the two it was made obvious that the pirate's presence there had been noted.

3. 2. 1. In unison they raised their right hands in a salute, facing the Palace. So practiced that each man could likely do it in their sleep. Held for a long moment before all five soldiers fell into an easy posture and those four with Sephiroth turned and began to file themselves neatly away as their Major dismissed them.

It's only then, that Sephiroth looked more directly at Luffy again. There was a face that he'd not seen in well over a year. The last Sephiroth remembered Luffy was-]

It's been a while.

[He's sure he's never been introduced, either.]

Re: (i)Around the City [Sephiroth / Open]

[gomu_ningen]

[The hat is tipped off of his head, held against his chest as he keeps his vision focused on the ruins ahead of him. There isn't so much as a nod from him, a long pause holding until he finally closes his eyes in thought.]

Sure has-..

[The small utterance of noise is all he says, moments moving along before he finally returns the hat to his head. He takes his time to turn around, crossing his arms over his chest as he plainly looks to the man in uniform. Long has gone the youthful look in Luffy's eyes. The last time they'd locked gazes with one another, the pirate had been able to see the sleeping beast hidden behind the azure lenses. While Luffy's eyes do not glow, there is something there that alludes to a wealth of pain and experience. There is grief in his gaze, loss, kept at bay as his vision turns to one of questioning.]

It isn't easy being a hero. You know that better than any one.

[He bends his knees, leaning forward ever so slightly to pick a small rock from the ground. He turns his back to Sephiroth, tossing the rock up a few times in his grasp before he rears his arm back to try and hit a crumbled fixture in the distance.]

But you keep on doing it. You keep doing what you can to help people. Even when knowing that every day people die, you do what you think is right.

[He had not forgotten what he'd been told. The information of those who had opposed the idea of sending in a team to save the few heroes who had been captured by the Empire still left a sour taste in his mouth. He had nothing but sharp words when he recalled the name, yet time had given him the lesson that such things were inevitable. It was not fair that his friends had to suffer, but there was no use in blaming those who did not wish to cause more pain to those undeserving of such a fate.]

How do you keep going? Money? Fame? Praise?

[His head turns over his shoulder, the piercing gaze of his eyes as his pupils narrow in on the taller man.]

What makes you continue to be a hero?

(i)Around the City [Sephiroth / Open]

[shinrasfinest]

[It doesn't take more than a few moments of locking eye contact with Luffy that Sephiroth realizes that the young man before him has certainly changed in the months that they've been here. Sephiroth's too, though there is forever the stern confidence that comes along with his strict discipline in himself, hide many insecurities. His eyes reflect hardly any trace of the glow that they once held and if it wasn't for his striking slitted pupils and thick black eyelashes it's likely they'd get lost in his face being as pale as he is.]

Hm.

[It's all he could do but to watch the pirate as he picked up a rock from the ground and eventually hurled it at a still-damaged part of the plaza. Carefully inspecting body language as if he might be able to read what Luffy were getting at before he said those words.

Sephiroth manages to catch himself, just about, from reacting with a recoil to the gaze that comes with that sharp question. Thin silver eyebrows furrow as the Major has to quickly gather his thoughts into a reply. It's a few short moments before he takes a deep inhale and speaks.]

This...you think that this is being a Hero?

[He shrugs, as if to indicate to himself; his position in uniform, his reputation throughout the wider world especially in the wake of the Battle, his knocked self-confidence that he probably noticed more than other people did.]

This isn't being a Hero, it's farthest from it.

[And how he hates it, the bitterness is clear but Sephiroth can't be anything but honest with Luffy. It wouldn't be in his nature to be anything else.]

This is doing what needs to be done.

Re: (i)Around the City [Sephiroth / Open]

[gomu_ningen]

[Luffy didn't both to turn around, slowly rolling his head to look back at the collection of rubble and grit that had once been the Presidential Palace. His fingers flex, open hands clenching and opening again as if to reassure himself that they were in fact his own.]

So, you're not a hero?

[A deep grunt of air leaves his chest, the heavy snort of his nostrils as his knees bend for a moment while he stretches out the ache in his legs.]

You're a leaf. A reed. You just do what the wind tells you. You let yourself sway and get knocked around without doing so much as lifting a finger to let yourself decide where to go or what to do.

[He finally turns, his eyes all the more wide and anger filled as he stares at the obvious difference in height between them.]

I hate guys like that. They won't take any risks, and because of that, they can't appreciate life or the future.

[He motions a thumb to the wreckage behind him, bowing his head for a moment as he closes his eyes in thought.]

People die every day. There's no changing that. Even Presidents die. You could have done something, but you didn't. If you did, it wasn't enough, or you thought something was more important and did that instead. Yourself, or maybe the other heroes did the same. You heroes.. You say you're brave, you say you're strong. I haven't seen either from you. Zelda, Ram-bro, Yuna, Rikku, Yuffie.. Even Pakku.

[There's a purposeful pause. A deep and reflective moment just before uttering the next person's name.]

Miss Bloom. They're all heroes.

[He begins to walk toward Sephiroth, keeping his eyes forward as he saddles up aside the well-dressed gentleman. He stops just shy of beside him, hands in his pockets as his head barely reaches the apex of the swordsman's shoulders.]

If you think putting on a uniform is what needs to be done, then I hope you know you aren't wearing something from the military. You're dressing yourself for your funeral.