Final Fantasy VII - Enigma

The unrest in the city of Midgar was easy to see, even for one who had not visited the City for some years. Ecthelion was on the verge of entering the city when he remembered the circumstance in which he was forced to leave.

A staggering pain in his chest was a constant rmeinder of the torture he endured while a captive of ShinRa Inc., the days after his Farthers death and the unjust way his family was treated by the company.

The Past, a distant echo in his mind suddenly came flooding to the foreground, not one prone to bursts of anger he quelled his emotions and entered Midgar via a secret way known only to those of his division.

So not anticipating any resistance he entered a long dark tunnel pulled his cloak over his head to avoid being dripped on from the corroded and rusting pipe work if the Midgar underground he went on his way.

From memory this tunnel would take him 100 meters south of the Sector OO Train Station, if followed for its entierety it would lead him directly to the old Shinra Building basement, but Ecthelion has no reason to go there..............not yet anyhow.

The smells of the undergroung were varied and more than a few offensive, but clandestine was the nature of Ecthelions bisit to the city so he had little choice. After roughly an hour of traversing the the underground, Ecthelion came upon the entry point he was looking for.

Slowly, using his Dagger he pryed open the latch a few inches to take a look around, noticing the no passers bye he left the dank underground pulled his satchel over his shoulder and proceeded down the platform.

Mumbling to himself "..........the filth of this city never surprises me"

As he makes his way down the wet steps of the station Ecthelion hears the sound of distant screams slowly becoming more apparent theat they were closer, he draws his sword and takes a vantage point behing some rubble to observe.

Reluctantly he may need to help........

(OOC Ima continue this scenario next time need to think on it some more, good to be hear :D)
 
"The town seems empty.... strange. What I heard of Midgar was that it was bustling and filled with life. Maybe the rumors were wrong?"

Orion, after much wandering around, had found himself in front of a tavern. Despite the many rumors he had heard that was contrary to what he sees before him, the town seemed to be hiding. There was an atmosphere of... oppression? fear? Orion shook his heads to clear the thoughts, before looking at the sign.

"Seventh Heaven... it would be a start, I suppose. I don't think I should go while I'm wet, though."

Orion looked over himself. Despite the time he had spent walking, he was still dripping. Nodding to himself, he went up the steps and stepped to the side, leaning against the railing looking through a window, watching as there seemed to be a tense air.

Wonder if he should interrupt...
 
OOC: nothing too brilliant, creativity is ftl atm :sad3:

Cloud
Outside Seventh Heaven

Dismounting his motorbike, Cloud was about to enter Seventh Heaven when the same strange creature appeared behind him. Pausing for a moment, thinking if he knew him he determined that he was simply a stranger and walked on inside, nodding in Tifa's direction he walked to a vacant barstool and seated himself in it. He didn't however order anything and simply sat there in thought.

------------------------------------------

Alaric
Wasteland

Walking through the mess around him, Alaric started heading in the direction of Junon. To get there he would have to pass the marshes, evade or kill the Midgar Zolom, pass through the Mythril Mines and then cover more terrain before he reached Junon. He didn't know why he knew this, but the information just came naturally to him.

For now however, he had a long walk ahead of him, being in harsh wasteland it came as no surprise when a pack of monster wolves pounced at him. Having no time to draw his sword he struck at them in it's sheathed state, throwing them into the walls.
 
Rufus stood at the doorway looking around the bar.

Cloud had simply passed him, apparently not recognising him, or his associates. He walked towards the bar himself shooting a glace over his shoulder towards the paur he had brought with him.

"Sit down, this could take a while, I'll have to explain the situation to them"

He continued walking through the bar, looking around. There were many faces he did not recognise in here, but more importantly, there were three that he did, and conveniently all of them were in the direction he was already walking.

He sat down on a bar stool between the strange dog/lion creature he knew they had called Nanaki the last time he had seen them, and a man who he did not know. Cloud had sat further away than he was first expecting, but that was ok, he knew the woman behind the bar was most likely to know how to get Cloud to buy into his plan, and since he was the one who had beaten him the first time around, he felt it would be a good idea to get him on side this time.

"Miss Lockheart, perhaps I could have a moment of your time..?"
 
Crimson Wolf
Midgar - Sector 7​

Crimson Wolf lowered his head and shook it slowly, side to side twice, as Cloud went off again. A wolf traditionally would fight in a group/pack...

"I need to find a way to appear before one or more of the group, so I can work with them towards overcoming enemies, aid them in battles... But, I'll have to be more tactful about it, intelligent in my means of approach..."

He spoke aloud in his thoughts, as he considered what he would do next. Then he noticed a stranger at the 7th Heaven building, just outside of it, and decided to move a little closer and then speak to him.

"Who are you? Were you even planning on entering the 7th Heaven...?" he asked curiously, unsure of the man's intentions, but he didn't look like an enemy to Crimson. "I may have my questions, but be at ease, I do not mean to oppose you, I am merely curious as to what business you have just outside of this place."

Tifa Lockhart
Midgar - 7th Heaven​

Even though both Nanaki and Cloud were there now, Rufus Shinra, along with the Turks Reno and Rude were also present, this suddenly got Tifa's attention.

The Turks had sat down closer to the entrance, while Rufus took a seat at the bar and asked for a moment of her time. "Rufus Shinra.. What business do you have here?" she replied, a now more serious expression on her face.

She wasn't sure what he or the others were doing their, or what they were up to, but she was at least to start, open to hearing what Rufus had to say, as it may provide insight on whatever he and the Turks may be planning on doing, information that she would rather know than be in the dark on, however she would decide to act on what he has to say.

( OoC: Sorry, another rather short Tifa post here, mostly extended by describing what goes on in her head at this given moment in time. ^^; )
 
"Who are you? Were you even planning on entering the 7th Heaven...? I may have my questions, but be at ease, I do not mean to oppose you, I am merely curious as to what business you have just outside of this place."

Orion's head turned towards the speaker. A wolf who could talk.... kinda unique. Orion decided that he may as well answer politeness, even if it is from such a strange being as a wolf.

"My name is Orion Smith, and I am merely a wanderer. And I do plan on entering, but I would think it discourteous to enter while I'm still dripping wet and leave the manager a mess to clean. And why wouldn't I be at ease?"

Orion was impossibly calm for a man standing around talking to a talking wolf. Then again... Orion blew up a motorcycle by kicking it. Weird sights are kinda normal for him, I suppose....
 
Robert Crescent
7th Heaven Bar
*************

Robert's eyes moved to the blonde, spiky-haired man that entered the bar. While they had never met face-to-face before, Robert remembered seeing a guy that looked almost exactly like him talking like buddies with SOLDIER 1st Class Zack Fair before the Neibelheim mission began. He himself had met and talked to Zack a few times before Genesis and Angeal defected. At the time, Robert had just made 2nd Class and was getting ready for his own mission.

It seemed things were about to get really interesting once the bar lady addressed the man before her as Rufus Shinra. He never expected the head cockroach to show himself publicly. He had never seen or met the guy before, so he had no idea what Rufus looked like. He knew Reno and Rude though, and they knew him as well. He did a few missions with them before the mass SOLDIER desertion of the top members. He'd always refer to them as R&R, both in the field and off-duty. He wouldn't say anything though. He wanted to hear what Rufus had to say and see if anything that the man said matched the intel he gathered on Shin-Ra activities.
 
Crimson Wolf
Midgar - Sector 7​

The stranger, who had addressed himself as Orion Smith, explained he did plan on entering, but he was indeed dripping wet from a downfall of rain, stating that he didn't want to leave the manager a mess to clean, then questioned why Crimson Wolf thinks he wouldn't be at ease.

"Hm, that is considerate of you... Well, a stranger such as myself coming along and questioning you suddenly, just thought it might have at first come across as trying to get you to move along if you had no business there, which would indeed be opposing you...

But moving on, good to see you are calm, more so than one as..different, as myself, might expect. I was planning on entering as well, but now I am not so sure... There are some very important people in there right now, but the one I have approached already pretty much put up a wall in front of me..."

From the short distance away from the building he was, he now looked up a bit, in the direction of a window, but what he was able to see from his position from the window was little, and didn't help him come to a decision.

"But I can understand it. Even though I knew quite a bit about him, from news spread of activities of he and his friends, and what little I had seen with my own eyes, whenever I was at the right place at the right time, but we had never met face to face before today...

Now, I am thinking of how to approach one of them, because I wish to protect the Planet, and they have time and time again, so I want to aid them, it can only be a matter of time before the real battles begin again, and when they do, I would like to be of assistance to them in those enemy encounters...I may just try to catch the attention of a different one of the group at an opportune moment that may arise, and until then, wait for that moment."

Even though the thought of this Orion individual helping set up this opportunity to have a word with one of them that may be more open to hear him out, but he didn't want to ask a favor of him, and he wouldn't know what to begin to say of a set up, so he just remained standing calmly in wait to see how he responds to everything he had just said, a mouthful to be sure.
 
"Rufus Shinra.. What business do you have here?"

Zach certainly recognised this name. Rufus Shinra. It was a name known worldwide due to it's link to the biggest corporation ever know. ShinRa.
ShinRa was a soul sucking company that came close to destroying the planet on a few serperate occasions. It was soul-less.

Zach was on his way out before he heard Tifa talking to Rufus, and decided to eavesdrop. Not easy in a small bar, but he loved a challenge.
Nonchalantly, Zach pulled out his phone and leaned against the the bar, purposely facing away from the conversation.

*I know this guy is trouble. I want to know what he's up to; it's gonna be bad...*

Not to give himself away, Zach let out a slight chuckle, as if he was reading a funny message; ever the master of deception. By chance he looked up from his phone and happened to catch sight of two characters outside the bar - both looking like they had travelled from far to be here.

*Seriously, what the hell is going on...*
 

"But I can understand it. Even though I knew quite a bit about him, from news spread of activities of he and his friends, and what little I had seen with my own eyes, whenever I was at the right place at the right time, but we had never met face to face before today...

Now, I am thinking of how to approach one of them, because I wish to protect the Planet, and they have time and time again, so I want to aid them, it can only be a matter of time before the real battles begin again, and when they do, I would like to be of assistance to them in those enemy encounters...I may just try to catch the attention of a different one of the group at an opportune moment that may arise, and until then, wait for that moment."

Orion shrugged.

"I would merely wait until they need help, then step in. Other then that, an observer can learn far more and do much more then one constrained to a group. I have found this by experience, and observing is far more profitable in terms of knowledge."

Orion then turned his head to look at where his companion stared.

"In any case, those who are outside the window can do far more then those inside, such as prepare for when they exit, or prepare for when the window is a door."

Orion then brushed a bit of dirt off of his pants.

"Well, I believe I am dry enough now, and I am thirsty. I shall see you later, I believe, if things go as I think they will."

Orion then entered the tavern and looked around. At the bar were a number of people, one of which who had looked at him briefly. Observant, or merely paranoid? In any case, Orion quite calmly walked up to the bar and took a seat next to the observant person, raising his voice.

"Excuse me. I do hope I'm not interrupting, but I am a bit thirsty, and I don't know what you have here. could you please recommend something? I can cover the cost."

INTERJECTION!
 
OoC: I don't know how much in Gil one would charge for an alcoholic beverage, or of the process of making one, so please get past the lack of said details...

Tifa Lockhart
Midgar - 7th Heaven​

In response to the latest customer's request, Tifa slightly more quickly prepared him a glass of Smirnoff then went over and placed it in front of him, and said "Enjoy your drink." as she did, before heading back to where she was to hear out what Rufus Shinra would have to say.

"Pardon the interruption, its business. Now, you were saying?" she spoke, seeming a bit impatient, not on good terms with Shinra, she couldn't be too fond of Rufus Shinra himself, and had been suspicious of him from the moment she saw his face and recognized that it was indeed him.

Crimson Wolf
Midgar - Sector 7​

Crimson Wolf, now pretty sure there was no one else left in the immediate area outside of the 7th Heaven, as he was looking through the window from a little distance, he eventually noticed Tifa and Rufus inside, then decided to get out of sight from the window, but closer, to attempt to overhear some of the conversation the two of them have.

Hm, what is Rufus Shinra doing here? He may be up to no good, maybe I can find out if I can hear what's going on if I can get close enough. But going inside is too obvious, I don't want to draw any unwanted attention... I need to know what business that man has here, I cannot recall the likes of him having ever been to the 7th Heaven before... he thought, then moved to the side of the building, out of sight of the window(s?) and in ear shot of those inside.

With the number of people that were inside besides just Tifa Lockhart and Rufus Shinra, hearing clearly through to specifically what they said wouldn't be too easy, but he had good ears on him, and could hear very well, in addition to being able to focus very hard on what he is currently doing, in this case to put it bluntly; eavesdropping.
 
Rufus stood silently as Tifa went to pour a new customer a drink.

He also noticed a man to his left lean on the bar rather closer to him than he was comfortable with in this situation.

He knew this had probably not been a good idea, after all is was far too easy to be overheard in a public place such as this, especially since it had not that long ago been considered enemy territory. As Tifa moved back towards him, he heard her say,

"Pardon the interruption, its business. Now, you were saying?"

"I am looking for something, something big, however if the reports I have been given recently are true I may be running out of time and need some help to acquire it before others do, and I can assure you it is nothing to be worried about, after all if I was going to cause trouble with it, I certainly wouldn't have come to the people who fought against me all those years ago now, would I..?"
 
Tifa Lockhart
Midgar - 7th Heaven​

So this was it, after all these years Rufus thought Tifa would just join forces with him to help him find 'something big' that his time for finding it is supposedly growing short.

"You think after all these years, that I would just turn to your side and help you achieve your goals, and carry out your plans? If it is like you say, then why would you need this 'something big'? I can't trust you, no amount of time will ever change that, if you think I would just forget about the past."

As she had expected, it already sounded like no good to her, now she knows there is something big that he is after, and that it may be trouble if he gets his hands on it.

Crimson Wolf
Midgar - Sector 7​

Something big? And Tifa doesn't sound too fond of his ideals... This could be problematic, but what could that 'something big' possibly be...doubt that Rufus is going to get into any specifics either, especially since Tifa made clear that she is strongly against, and rightfully so, assisting him... Crimson thought, as he heard the two of them begin conversing.
 
Robert Crescent
7th Heaven
*************

Robert couldn't help but chuckle when Rufus asked if it made sense for him to go to his enemies for help in obtaining something he wasn't willing to describe. Finally, he couldn't hold it in anymore. "Why not go to your enemies for help? After all, manipulation, lies and deceit are all company policy. Get your enemies to do your dirty work and hope something happens that puts them in a rather weak state. Fool your enemies, murder your allies to cover up secrets. Last I checked, that was Shin-Ra policy no# 1. I'm sure a few former friends would be able to testify to that, but they're all dead. Genesis, Angeal, Zack. Even Sephiroth. All manipulated, disposable toys for the genetics department. No wonder he went crazy." Robert commented before cocking his head to look over to Reno and Rude. "Wouldn't you agreee, R&R?"

It was a rather risky maneuver, but right now, Rufus was deep in the lion's den, so to speak. Here it mattered little if he began revealing at least parts of his past, at the very least his own ties to the former Shin-Ra company, before Rufus took over. Still, he at least had some dirt on where several groups of organized materia thieves got their initial 'stock' handed to them from.
 
ZACH REES
Seventh Heaven - Midgar​


"You think after all these years, that I would just turn to your side and help you achieve your goals, and carry out your plans? If it is like you say, then why would you need this 'something big'? I can't trust you, no amount of time will ever change that, if you think I would just forget about the past."

Zach couldn't help but stand on in amazement as Rufus pleaded for Tifa's help. This man was supposedly one of the most powerful men in the world and he was looking for help from a person he tried to erradicate on numerous occasions. It was very strange.

One guy had also overheard the conversation between Rufus and Tifa and couldn't help but find it funny. Who could blame him. Zach felt the time was right for him to join in:

"Dude, you're pathetic! Why would the lady want to help you?!"

Zach felt the need to side with Tifa even though they barely knew each other. The man unknown to Zach had also addressed Rufus' henchmen, clearly unimpressed with their presence. Zach chuckled somewhat uneasily and leant over to the mystery man,

"Psst, be careful buddy. You look like you can handle yourself, but these guys could have backup right outside for all you know."

He had a degree of respect for the man he had just spoken to. The man had guts to speak to these guys with such disregard for their reputation.

Zach turned to face the bar and placed his coat on the bartop. He looked up and noticed the man who had just been served the Smirnoff. He was a well built guy who looked like he could pack a punch; seemed that he could be handy in a fight should they need him.

The mood felt incredibly tense as Rufus sat quietly, digesting Tifa's answer. Zach, prepared for a bit of a fight, couldn't help but wonder what Rufus' answer would be.

 
Orion calmly sipped his drink, eyes closed as he listened. It seemed that the man was Rufus Shinra, and the lady Tifa Lockhart. Both were well known, even to someone as isolated as him. And Orion could immediately tell something was desperately wrong if Rufus Shinra needed Tifa's help. A. Rufus had tried to kill her numerous times, and B. Tifa was one of those who had saved the planet, so she was incredibly powerful. If she was needed...

Orion could literally feel the mood in the bar switch to one more tense and hostile. Removing the glass from his lips, which was only missing a sip despite how he had made it look like a long draught, he shifted his grip on it subtly, in case he needed a distraction. He stood and began to walk away from the bar to a table, so he could sit away from the conversation. As he sat, he quite calmly took another sip of his drink, waiting for who would make the next move.

And to see if he needed to test what he had learned.
 
Suddenly bery aware of the number of people who had been listening in, Rufus glanced over his shoulder to where Reno and Rude were, wondering why their presence hadn't been enoguh to steer people away, perhaps it was true and the Turks' legendary reputation no longer meant that much to people any more.

Either way, he had heard almost exactly what he had expected to hear from those around him, starting with the declination of his offer from Tifa, to a random selection of generically derogatory remarks about the company.

"Well then I see our presence is clearly unwelcome here, be sure to at least mention it to Cloud, perhaps being an ex-employee of Shinra he won't be quite as narrow minded as you, and if any of the other members of your little gang still hang around here, make sure to pass the message onto them as well."

Turning to leave the bar he nodded to Reno and Rude who stodd as he walked past them.

"Looks like we'll have to find ourselves some help elsewhere eh...?" he said to the pair of them as he strode out the door.
 
Crimson Wolf
Midgar - Sector 7​

"Looks like we'll have to find ourselves some help elsewhere eh...?"

As soon as Crimson heard Rufus say this, he made his way around to the back of the building, I certainly won't be the one helping them he thought as he moved to where he should not be detected by Rufus, Reno or Rude, a spot that was out of their sight.

It would seem that there are some pretty bold people in there. Hm... What happens now... How should one in my situation and state of mind do at this point...? he wondered, as he remained behind the building, until the trio would be safely out of sight at the very least.

Tifa Lockhart
Midgar - 7th Heaven​

Narrow minded? No, just sensible enough to know nothing good could come from helping you Tifa thought, when she heard Rufus call her narrow minded. She didn't speak another word further to him, and let him walk out of the building.

That's one guy I won't miss.

That encounter now dealt with, she went over to finally greet Cloud, whom Rufus had kept her from and had left sitting there to himself for some minutes.

"Hi Cloud, glad to see you here and safe. I noticed when you first came in, but there was something at the time that required my immediate attention, so I had to finish dealing with that. Sorry to have kept you waiting." she explained, and apologized for the delay in getting over to greet him.

Tifa then noticed that Cloud had appeared to be thinking about something, and it certainly wasn't that rare an occurrence for him to be in thought like so, but all the same, she had to ask him something, see if it brings out what is on his mind.

"Did you run into any trouble on the way here, Cloud?" she asked, and then noticed that of course there was no drink in front of him, as she had just came over to him, "Oh, and would you care for a drink, or not this time?" she added.
 
Cloud
Seventh Heaven

His head lost in thoughts, he didn't fully register the people around him talking. With Rufus appearing here, his doubts grew larger still, was a new terrifying force just on the horizon? As he was about to prod further into his mind, he was awoken from his trance.

"Did you run into any trouble on the way here, Cloud?"

Cloud, recognising Tifa in front of him shook himself from his daze and looked at her "... No, i'm just thinking" before lowering his head to the side. If something bad was going to happen he didn't want to involve his friends, especially Tifa. His mind then returned to thoughts, perhaps he should speak to Rufus, to see if what Rufus was planning would bring in a new evil or not.

Without listening to what Tifa had to say he stood up again and turned around again "Sorry Tifa, there's something I have to do... Don't follow me" with that said he left the Seventh Heaven and got on Fenrir before charging after Rufus.

----------------------------------------

Alaric
Mythril Mines

As Alaric reached the base of the Marshlands, home to the Midgar Zolom he slowly took his blade out of it's sheathe, his likelihood of escaping was very low so his best bet was to kill it. As he began to walk through it he felt his pace slow against the thick sludge of the marsh water, without letting it stop him he continued his constant pace as he neared the entrance to the Mythril Mines, it was at that point he heard a low rumble as the relatively calm surface of the water changed to a violent rumble, he then heard a splash behind him followed by a roar. Headying his sword he turned around, facing the serpentine creature, as memories began to flood his head he kept his guard up, as a serpent it would reward a frontal assault with a bite of it's venom, so he had to take a less direct approach.

He then got struck with the dark lifestream, changing him to a darker being "I get summoned for this? What a weakling! Chaos Firaga!" He then held out his left hand, outstretching the palm as a large fireball was released from it, engulfing the Midgar Zolom in a huge explosion followed by a towering inferno as it engulfed it leaving nothing but ash behind.

His mindset still in darkness, he continued inside the Mythril Mines.
 
"Looks like we'll have to find ourselves some help elsewhere eh...?"

Rufus and his henchmen turned and left the bar, much to Zach's surprise. Every bone in his body was convinced that a fight was about to commence. It was probably for the best that they left, but he couldn't help but feel that this wasn't the last he had seen of Rufus.

Zach turned to face Tifa,

"Hey, you made the right choice by not helping that guy; he's scum. Ha, look who I'm telling! You know better than anyone what he's like."

He rubbed his weary face with both hands, the day had been long and taken it's toll on Zach's body.

"It's been nice meeting you ma'am. Just in case you need it, here's my cellphone number."

With a cheeky wink, Zach turned and headed for the exit.
He pushed the doors open and stretched on his way out. It had been an interesting first night in Midgar; but Zach was glad it had ended.

The cold night air filled Zach's lungs as he surveyed the area for an inn of some sort.
His eye was caught by something in the distance. It looked like the spikey hair man that Tifa had referred to as 'Cloud'. He had mounted his motorcycle and sped off in the direction of Rufus and Co.

"Hmm, interesting. I'm sure Tifa would like to know."

Zach momentarily put his tiredness to the back of his mind and waltzed back into the bar.

"Miss Tifa, I thought you might want to know something. Your friend, Cloud I think, has just got on his bike and has headed straight for Rufus by the looks of it. I don't know the guy, but I'm pretty sure it's a bad idea for him to chase this guy across Midgar!"
 
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