#11 | Everything will be alright

[shinrasfinest]

Characters: Sephiroth (Open/Closed as sub-comments)
Where/When: 19th June; Aqures Ixen, 21st June; Esdham 
Summary: Having returned from Crystal Stasis, there is a lot to touch base with. As prompted in the sub-comments. 
Warnings: N/A (Yet? Will update as needed)

Prologue

Sephiroth had come home from the hospital only briefly the previous day. Without even much of a glance around for his housemates he'd crossed the familiar threshold feeling an odd sort of deja vu that could only be compared to when one went away for an extended vacation and then returned back to their more permanent abode. 

But really, he knew he hadn't been anywhere, even if his body were still adjusting as if he had been returned from Gaia once more. Exactly like when he had first arrived in Aqures; movement felt sluggish, awareness was blunted. It seemed even breathing seemed to take more effort. Having experienced a 'drop' from mako on previous occasions, though, as well as following some advise from the nurses at the hospital too Sephiroth knew that soon the haze which he currently perceived as a great weakness would lift as if it had never been there. Just as that tell-tale gleam would again fade form his eyes. 

He'd confiscated the bathroom and then, looping his long silver hair -restored in thickness and length- up and around in a loose knot he'd headed out again for the Military Airport where he knew there was work to be done; leaving his leather coat hung on the back of the wardrobe door, the pants neatly folded on the end of his bed and the SOLDIER motif of his belt set atop it as if it were some sort of ritual.

It had been into the early hours of the next morning before Sephiroth had retired home again. 

>Prompt #1: Back into the regime
>Prompt #2: Visiting someone 
>Prompt #3: Touching Base 

Comments

[shinrasfinest]

"That's correct."

That was all he would talk about the various details of that part of that month, thank you very much. That he had been one of those Heroes that had been brainwashed, transformed and turned on the others still remained one of many thorns on the inside of his pride. It had taken Sephiroth a very long time to come to terms with the reasons that Zelda still might want to even speak to him.

Thankfully the thought that had come to his mind was from before that particular night. Angeal breaking a table. Waking up with a particular rush which had him falling down the stairs and suffering no injury. The workout that he'd managed to pull off that day...

"I was one of those that ended up sick. But beforehand..." Sephiroth paused, blinking a few times while he tried to find words that Jade would be able to understand.

"...I wasn't the only one who'd had their real powers returned to them. Everyone that had, had ended up sick."

[jadethenecromancer]

Jade briefly considered pushing for more details about what happened. However, Sephiroth's actual point sparked his interest, enough so that he decided to let the matter go... for now. He could always ask Zelda later.

"I see... So our powers are still accessible, even if they came at a steep cost." He could see why Sephiroth had brought it up -- and now that his memory was being jogged, he had an inkling of what his comrade had in mind.

"That Moogle who attempted the summoning -- was he confirmed to be the cause of the illness?"

Jade had never gone looking for Mograma back then, during his first month in Crystallis. Chasing after a criminal hadn't been high on his list of priorities when he had had little to no understanding of the situation, and getting to know Aqures Ixen had taken enough of his time as it was. It had worked out without him, in any case, and so he hadn't given it much more thought.

[shinrasfinest]

On the other hand, Sephiroth had visited Mograma on a few occasions yet neither time had he managed to get very much out of the mog before he'd clammed up. He'd had some suspicions about that whole affair clarified though. It's after another moment, in which Sephiroth's gaze traces the wood grain of the desk while he cast his mind back, that once more thickly-lashed eyes raised to his comrade.

"As I'm to understand it, the entire thing was engineered as an experiment to test how far the Black Crystals might be able to have an effect on...and later control...us."

Moving swiftly on-

"As Mograma tells it, his loyalty to King Moggle Mog was used as leverage by Kalki, to get him to take part in testing a theory."

Eyes narrow as Sephiroth considers what he remembers and tries to work it in to what he thinks that Jade might be suggesting.

"I believe that the illness was a side-effect, brought about perhaps by this World not being able to support the prolonged use of powers outside of the parameters of its mechanics. But the fact remains, those powers remain locked somehow within our Crystals. Getting said moogle to fill in the gaps, though, might require something more than we're able to attain."

[jadethenecromancer]

Something about the way Sephiroth said "us" made Jade raise his eyebrows, though he said nothing. He could guess why Sephiroth might be reluctant to go into detail, but that was all it was -- a guess.

It was beside the point, in any case. Jade listened in silence to the explanation. Once Sephiroth had finished speaking, he hummed in thought, tapping his chin.

"It may be worth another attempt to speak with him. If Mograma's loyalty to his king is stronger than whatever allegiance he owes Kalki, I doubt he'd be very happy about the planet turning to crystal. He can't very well revive anybody if the world is destroyed." A pause, and he added: "Besides, if the Empire decides to make a move, Mograma will be right in the line of fire. No matter how you look at it, he's not in a good position."

Black Crystals, though... Yet another thing they knew too little about.

[shinrasfinest]

Just a beat later and Sephiroth acknowledged the plan with a grunt and a sharp nod. For sure he had spotted the slight shift in expression on Jade's face, but where his comrade hadn't explicitly asked Sephiroth was under no obligation at all to tell. Best outcome for all parties involved.

"We might be able to use that to our advantage, but I doubt languishing in a prison here in Esdham is going to have softened him up to our cause very much. That said, I'm sure I'm not the only one who it would benefit from having access to skills that we have otherwise, until now, had denied to us."

[jadethenecromancer]

"You would be right about that." What he wouldn't give to be able to use fonons again... If there was one thing he had actually liked about going through everyone's worst memories, it was having his abilities back.

For all he had defended the prospect of starting over, even Jade had to admit he missed being stronger.

"We can request a visit to Mograma once Biggs returns." He stood up, ready to head out again, and once again smiled as he always did. "Well then -- I'll let you get settled in properly. It has been a busy month."