[Flying, it'd be faster. Running, it would be faster. He's doing neither, and though inevitably he'll be intercepted by sled dogs, even reaching the station by foot is not generally recommended.
[ Or will he? As a reasonable deadline approaches and begins to pass, Vincent stirs from his watch roost. Waiting had been... difficult but reasonable. Finding Sephiroth with dubious directions such as 'heading north' would have been a needle in a haystack. Yet he should have arrived by now.
But the darkness brings colder temps and the rising threat of Unseelie Fae. The advantage of the sled dogs is that Vincent can find a group willing to lead him to where Sephiroth might be, within the bounds of Wintermute.
There will be a message; though it's short and to the point in case Sephiroth is caught up by trouble. He doesn't expect an answer. ]
[But there is a response, though it takes a few minutes! It's a picture in lieu of text, which mostly seems to be a whole lot of fur, a dog nose sticking up through the fluff, a canvas wall, and lighting that suggests a fire. And it's at an angle that suggests that's honestly the best he can manage right now, with the tip of one boot or sneaker barely visible beyond the fur.
Yeah he's not going anywhere for a while, buried in dogs.
Where the forest gives way to tundra and ice and snow reclaim the ground but allow the struggling efforts of pines and other tough evergreens to live, there is a tent. Small, comfortable, built up against a deliberately overturned sled for a convenient wall, a fire crackling in front of it in a ring of stones. The only sled dog that didn't fit inside the tent with the rest sits sentinel outside, relaxed but attentive.]
But before that, the dark and cold and what lurks within it. Fire might keep beasts away but that's not all that's out there. In Wintermute 'summer' might make the temps warmer, but that's still cold and there are winter storms. The Unseelie make it all the colder, with pools of inky black devoid of reflections.
Vincent's approach may be heralded with the sound of gunshots. The roar of a beast and the burst of flame-light.
In the end though, all that comes out of the night is a sled and team, packed with the necessary supplies for overnight. Food, too. And Vincent. Once it all comes to a stop, the first thing the man does is stride over to the tent. ]
[The watchdog barks once at the sound of gunshots, rising to its paws quickly to stare out into the darkness, and embroiled in the tent, Sephiroth and his fuzzy blankets listen and watch with alert silence.
Nowhere is really safe in Wintermute at any time of the year, but he's confident in his ability to get through the night with reasonable security, especially with the dogs along. A second set of dogs simply made it more comfortable, there wouldn't be room in the tent for every dog and two people, but .. they'd all make do.
He doesn't really have to guess who's out there anyway, Turks have a way of finding people, as do the sled dogs, and it's no surprise when Vincent speaks.]
Don't knock over the water bowl.
[He sounds.. not particularly suffering, but actually opening the tent and venturing inside proves he's rather thoroughly pinned down by at least four now awake, alert dogs that make rather effective blankets in a pinch. And the bowl off to one side, spoon still in it from various lore-crafts. The pair of swords he'd acquired here lay to one side, within reach if necessary, both the gleaming violet and blue of Northern Lights and the handcrafted weapon courtesy of Mizu. And aside from dirt smudges and his hair once more ridiculously long, he looks fine. But the dogs hide much.]
I'd intended to get further but the dogs felt otherwise.
[ If there had only been one tent, yes. But another had been packed to the newly arrived sled because of forethought and could be set up if it was necessary. Provided Vincent had any intention of going to bed that night. The dogs would be fine.
Once they have been unharnessed from the sled, the gunman eases into the tent, permitted to pass after the dogs confirmed with one another the intent of the visitor. The scent of recently discharged ammunition lingers about him and it doesn't seem as if he's got any injuries. At least none that reek of blood.
He is careful to avoid the bowl. ]
...Didn't expect the hair to grow back so fast.
[ That's his first remark. It's also probably meant to be part of his assessment of how Sephiroth ended up in confrontation in proximity to Garm. He should have still warned Cloud. Just in case. ]
Sorry. Want me to finish healing you?
[ He still has some energy to spare. Transformations did eat into his reserves, but not so much that he can't help out a little now. ]
I didn't either. Took a nap for a bit in the sun and when I woke up, it was back.
[Maybe it was the sun. He didn't know. It was an irritation he'd have to live with for now, whether he wanted to or not.
With slow, meticulous care he works on levering off a dog or two enough to sit up, and though he's being cautious there doesn't seem to be overt injury. Given the implication of crossing paths with the man who put him down at least twice, there surely must be, or at least must have been, but habitual black obscures all. As does the comfortable winter jacket rather recently made to help fight off the cold.
Maybe it's deliberate. Either way, he shakes his head slightly in negative.]
It's fine. I want to get it to cura but I don't think it's worth bothering with. Maybe if I get frostbite.
[Which isn't saying he's NOT hurt, just that it's not high on the list of things to be concerned about.]
I've got extra supplies on the sled. Figured you might need them. I'll bring them in.
[ Sephiroth. Not Vincent.
He turns to leave the tent again. He won't be gone long; just enough to fetch the packed items, Adjust the sled to make another windbreak and stow the extra wood he'd brought. ]
Feeling up to a meal?
[ It's almost habit when he shows up in Sephiroth's life by now. But he doesn't really know if the teen... adult? had the energy in him to make food, much less consume it. Not after fighting Cloud and then healing himself from the aftermath. ]
There's a sigh that sounds awfully resigned as Vincent leaves the tent, and when the Turk returns, another dog sneaks in with him. Some things are becoming nearly routine, and among them Vincent's insistence about hounding him on meals - which is checked off in his mind as soon as he reappears and actually asks - and this ongoing.. protectiveness.
Which makes zero sense, he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself! He's not dead or anything!]
Unless you've developed the power to make me do things while retaining the thought it was my idea and not yours, no it isn't.
[Which is a thing Sephiroth himself may be able to do, based on some discussions--]
I chose my path. I should have paid more attention to my surroundings while on the ground.
[Had he been in the air it wouldn't be an issue, Cloud simply wouldn't have caught up with him. Had he bothered to pay more attention instead of goofing off in unfamiliar territory, it wouldn't have been an issue either.]
Hm. I suppose there's something to that. I should have warned Cloud though.
[ Even with the haircut. Vincent can rightly say he's had a lot on his plate and it's not exactly unreasonable that with the speed and stress of all that has happened, he'd lapsed in judgement as to what should have been a priority. ]
Guess we've both got some blame to share.
[ Maybe Vincent's apologizing to the wrong person anyway. Cloud will probably be getting another call later.
There are a lot of dogs in the tent now. It causes Vincent to eye the canvas siding to determine whether it was made in such a way as to combine what he brought with him into a larger space. There would be pros and cons with that but at least someone wasn't going to wake up buried under a mountain of dogs.
Cocoa. The study of the tent's construction almost becomes a pretense as Vincent's mind is dragged back to Sephiroth's eating habits; rather lack thereof. The brush-off of injury, the earlier network request and everything else. The gunman's gaze turns upward for a moment, though his back is still turned. But then he sighs and pivots back around. Slowly. Carefully. Those dogs are everywhere. ]
So, you're looking for people to help train your mental abilities.
[ This is a statement. If Sephiroth had wanted to hide what he was doing, it was probably going to need more subtlety than an account name change. ]
[Not only are there dogs everywhere, they're going to take advantage of any spot they can get. Laps, unattended hands, anything. Their presence was a strange comfort, rather like the cat that kept turning up, and robot or no, he allowed it. A cinnamon and white one settles curled up across his legs, and he buries his hands in its faux fur. It feels real enough, the engine below the fur humming and warm.]
I'll be more careful next time.
[Gram could remain offlimits, but the lakes were beautiful and he'd like to visit them again. He'd just.. need to keep his head on a swivel, whether or not he was looking for a fight.
And it seems he's going to have to work on being less obvious on the network in the future. To his credit he doesn't flinch, but there's definitely something guilty or unhappy in how he suddenly finds the texture of the dog's fur absolutely fascinating instead of anything even remotely like looking in Vincent's direction.]
... I know I've been told not to. But I don't have a choice.
[ There are many expectant dogs crowding around Vincent's legs. He'll have to cave in sometime; the tent isn't built to stand up in when you're tall and really even if you're not; vaulted ceilings are a luxury camping in Wintermute can't afford and Vincent is already somewhat crouched from his inspection.
He offers a nod. Careful is fine. And Sephiroth shouldn't be denied access to the lakes just because Cloud or the others 'might' be in the vicinity. It was probably a foolish move in retrospect but Vincent also isn't going to suspect the adult-glamoured teen for doing it on purpose.
At least not consciously.
With a sigh he pivots carefully and sits down, letting the dogs pile up and with tails wagging, receive the waited for pets of his hand. Even the gauntlet-covered one; even though they're robots he's careful not to let the claw tips catch.
But if Sephiroth is thinking Vincent is going to chide him for pursuing those skills, he is wrong. The gunman's answer is immediate and honest. ]
I think it's a good idea. [ Even if Sephiroth keeps his focus on how interesting it is to pet the dogs, he'll probably feel Vincent's steady regard. ] I get why it's dangerous to do it. But... it's more dangerous if you can't control it.
[ Fear it. Though he doesn't use the word because he has seen the teen's reaction to the concept of him fearing anything. Fear and the unknown are a deadly mix. It lets things in that could be kept out with knowledge. It makes the loss of control worse. ]
Hmph. Though asking people at random for lessons... Not sure if that's a good idea. We'll see.
[There was one undeniable benefit to all that hair. The curtain of silver bangs nearly completely hides his face if he chooses, and obscures the flicker of unquiet emotion. Zack would probably be furious if he figured it out. Cloud had already threatened to kill him multiple times for it, and they wouldn't be wrong. It was playing with fire. But if he didn't..
Fear was the right word to use, even if he was sure he couldn't feel it. And he absolutely expects to be scolded at the very least by the twitch of surprise when it's called a good idea instead.]
The Institute will do what they can. But that might not be .. enough. And I don't know a better way to find someone who might be able to help. Anonymously will have to do. I know it frightens people.
[Frightens more than just others. In the tent, even with all the dogs, it's close enough where he doesn't have to raise his voice. Vincent hadn't condemned him for overstepping, even knowing it was the very power that terrorized his friend.]
I don't ... know how long I have, so whatever I can find will need to be enough.
[While he didn't think he'd be sent back to Midgar so quickly, it was always possible, and who knows how long this time til he returned here.]
[ Watching means Vincent catches the twitch. But he had not spoken with just the intent of convincing Sephiroth that he was on the teen's side. For a brief moment, Vincent lifts his right hand from the dogs and looks at it. It's clenched and opened again a few times. Well, he won't be allowed to stop for very long dog noses are pushing up against him to continue. ]
Who knows? Might have been a better idea not to at one time. But things have changed. You know what's waiting if you fail. And there's opportunities here you wouldn't have back home.
[ And those two pieces but especially the troubles that knowing his future can bring and the unknown time they might have to make use of Folkmore, are more than enough cause to reevaluate. ]
They're frightened for many reasons but it's not really the power itself.
[ It's memories of the trauma invoked. That's reasonable. It should be expected. Vincent doesn't fear it in the same way but he acknowledges it. His concern had always been Sephiroth trying to practice on his own without any guidance. Of course he's not sure about this complete other end of the spectrum either. ]
So learning about it... and learning how to protect yourself against it, I've thought those are a good idea for a while.
[ He's hinted as much. But Sephiroth wasn't exactly open to letting outsiders necessarily pry into... well. That too is understandable. ]
[The dogs are terribly persistent, but the ones clustered around Sephiroth seem content to prepare to sleep for the night. Or fake it, at least, do robot dogs need sleep?
All of this has been a calculated risk, but one he'd only considered seriously once he'd been stripped of Legend status. Being a foot and a half bigger didn't really change anything as near as he could tell, but the rest?
Maybe it was the clarity of not having to be a hero. Nobody needed to know why he wanted to learn. Nobody needed to know what happens when he fails.]
They have reason to be worried. You do too. I don't..
[It's the same uncertain fidget, just upscaled. He could mask most anxieties; if he spoke it aloud would it guarantee it happens? Would that be letting doubt win?
Was it right to breathe a word of any of it to a Turk, to one who will, and has, suffered at his hands even if by association of friends being ravaged and dying? The message on the network not terribly long after his own asked the same question that ran in circles in his mind.
Quiet stretches long enough that it might seem like he was going to leave the thought unfinished, and when he speaks again, the words don't match the voice.]
[ Maybe it is intended to help Sephiroth rather than settle in themselves. But they are robots intended to act as dogs, so maybe sleep is a form of cycling diagnostics or entering a power saving mode. Maybe it's all of those things. ]
Hm?
[ Sure it's true Vincent has reason to be worried about the future. It's the 'I don't...' that calls upon his attention. Though his hand stays on the dogs settling in around him, his attention is fully upon the youth trapped in adult form. And despite what must be a haunting visage to one that has memories of what Sephiroth can do, he seems to be waiting patiently for the man to find the words he wants to speak. Just as he has for the teenager.
I don't think I can do it. ]
...
[ There is silence that follows the confession. It is not despair or disappointment, but the respect that such words rightly deserves. For a moment, Vincent's expression seems unaffected by the statement or emotion but this soon changes.
The way his features subtly shift, particularly the creases around his eyes and thin line of his brow that remains visible. It's compassion. Even empathy of a sort. He will not give the teen such words of assurance like 'I know you can'. The former Turk knows all too well the burden Sephiroth must bear. ]
You've got a heavy burden on your shoulders. It's understandable you have doubts. [ Fears. ] Are you...
[ Vincent stops there for a moment, rethinks his words and speaks again, ruby eyes focused on the adult as if they can see the teen underneath the glamour. ]
It's okay to share your doubts with me. If you're ready.
[ His tone suggests that he's been waiting for this possible moment for a while. ]
[Even in a life unaltered by the Fox, Sephiroth lives under the weight of expectation, and knowledge of what happens if he fails. At fourteen, his greatest concerns should be the upcoming school year, or who he has a crush on, or where he might go on a friday night with his friends, not the seemingly endless chains of suffering and death that await. And now it's a fight against a lifetime of training to even admit that he could fail without being punished for saying so.
Emotion has no place on the battlefield, and he's been slipping. This can't be about feelings, just fact, a clinical analysis of his capabilities versus what he needed to do.
And he would put everything on the line, even if it would eventually fail. Even a few lives changed would be worth it.]
I'm not strong enough. I don't know that I ever will be. I can kill the Professor. But Deepground? Mother?
[Fact. It's war maps, not emotions, can't be emotions.]
I will wager that never once was any of the team you and your allies made, made to face even my alien mother on your own. She would have defeated any one of you, maybe including Cloud, and he could defeat me at the height of my power. It took all of you and the blessing of the Planet itself to stop us.
[The tiger's ears flatten slowly back, disappearing into his hair, but his voice remains ... mostly steady, expression mostly carefully neutral. The effort is failing. It's not despair, not quite; he intended to try no matter what, but he knew how it would end.]
How can I face her, alone? How do I accomplish on my own what it took nine of you to do, when you had Cloud and an Ancient on your side? Even with a teacher..
[Realistically, he can accomplish one of those goals; an old unenhanced human is easy prey, but the rest... He's the first. There are no others, it'll be years before any other can hope to keep up with him.
It's a doomed mission. Either he fails and dies, or he fails and he burns the world to satisfy Jenova. Training in using those strange alien powers was a feeble hope.]
[ As Deepground is mentioned, Vincent's gaze seems a little more intense but he's not surprised. This mysterious ability to have knowledge is a common occurrence, where the man seems one step ahead (except sometimes when it matters). But that's not what's important right now. ]
It's frightening, isn't it?
[ Vincent offers this quietly. Gently and with audible compassion that rarely makes it to his words no matter how deeply he feels it.
No facts, not a logical rational on seeing the strategy presented will never work. Just... it's frightening, isn't it. ]
What we faced wasn't just Jenova. It was Sephiroth, who had five years to learn knowledge from the Lifestream. And find a way to channel the energy needed to summon Meteor. Thirty years of Shinra Company's ability to grow unchecked.
[ That won't make it any better. The scale was immense and it's certainly sounding like Vincent is about to say something trite. Like Sephiroth being the lynchpin can stop all that just by being himself right now. But he isn't. ]
The scale we faced was just as frightening. Nevermind what our actions allowed or didn't allow. How... the control Sephiroth had over Cloud led to... near misses. Or one of ours was working for Shinra all that time. How because of all this, someone died.
[ Among their party was sickness, lies, secrets, and even betrayal. And Aerith did pay for the delays and decisions that had spawned from that. Would she have run ahead, alone if there had been less of it? Would they not have made it in time if they weren't distracted by Cloud nearly killing her himself?
Vincent finds a way to sit down, drawing up his legs and letting his arms rest over his knees. The dogs mostly settle around him, some flopping partially on him but they seem willing to take very small bits of petting now that the two have started talking seriously. ]
You don't have to face Jenova alone, Sephiroth. You can choose to. Sounds like you think you have to. But that's not the case. Everyone that's living on our planet has a stake in what happens to it. Even people who aren't as strong as you are or can become. You don't have to do everything at once to save the world from yourself. Or protect what's important to you.
[ He has more to say. Vincent wants to say them but hesitates to do so all at once. There is a pause here where he looks closely Sephiroth. His own expression seems to show hesitance. Uncertainty. Is he saying the right thing? The former Turk tries to school himself. ]
[There's something, perhaps, that he's not conveying right. Something that eludes making it clear what the concern is, and he's not so used to explaining himself that he can unravel what it is and make it right. But in the end..]
Do I ask the Turks to abandon the company and come with me? They won't. Do I demand the victims of Deepground, younger than I am, throw away any future they might have? Who do I insist risk everything on the hopes that I don't choose to stand at her side instead of resist her, years upon years before anyone has even a hope of stopping me?
[In the half-dark of the tent, the mako green of his eyes is sharp and steady. He can keep his voice level, the smooth pleasant baritone he'd be well known for eventually, but it doesn't stop the tremor in his hands, buried in the fur of the sled dog.]
The only people who might have been willing to try, I ... I can't. Ask that of them.
[ There really isn't a lot of room. But still in the shadows of the tent it's clear Vincent shifts closer. The dogs are moving in ripples to let him do so but also the ruby eyes, with a gleam of their own, are getting closer.
And then there is the gunman's right hand, seeking to clasp Sephiroth's despite it being hidden in the fur of the dog. Does he know about the tremble? Maybe. ]
People may die. You, those close to you. That's the cost of change. The Turks might bend the rules for you, but I doubt they'll rebel against the company. Not unless things get extremely bad.
[ Not without something bigger, nastier at issue. And frankly, not having Hojo around may allow them to be more flexible when it comes to Sephiroth. As for the Deepground victims... most are kids. There will no doubt be other horrors down there. Either way they're not really an option; worse because Shinra will want them back, if only to cover up everything that happened.
And Vincent knows too damned well who will be tasked for that job. ]
You can go to me. [ The 'me' of that timeline. ] My fate's already set. And... those people... You can ask them, Sephiroth. But if you choose not to, it's fine.
[ So, even Sephiroth had people, back then... Is this why? Why the boy's so adamant to defy Shinra despite the indoctrination? Something to save... not the world from himself but certain people... ]
[It's embarassing to have such weakness on display, especially given he didn't have his usual childish frame to hide behind. Shameful. He should be beyond such things. The dilemma of every leader, who to send to die. Who's lives were weighed against the end goal and found an acceptable loss.
Except the duty of a leader is to protect his people, and asking strangers to put their lives on the line for his goals is unacceptable. Worse yet if he knows who they are. He knew most of his era's Turks at least by name and appearance, and if they didn't stand in his way when he killed Hojo and purged the entire research department, he'd owe them. Repaying that by asking them to die fighting an alien monster..
There's just a silent denial in a brief shake of his head, unfamiliar touch not shaken off but does lead him to at least try to remain still and not humiliate himself further.]
There's no telling if they'll be able to convince you to go with them.
[The Turks, and their mission to find their lost member. The thing that would likely decide whether or not they would help him in turn, though given Verdot's connection to Vincent he'd have wanted them to know anyway. Everyone knew how close a pair of Turks were, and that seemed to extend throughout the entire organization.]
No.
[He can't ask them. Wouldn't; it's the same thing isn't it? But he won't even consider it. He can't watch them die. Even seeing them get hurt would be unacceptable, and if Jenova was cruel enough, aware enough, she might make him do it directly.]
They're ... they were my team in Rhadore. They won't work with me again.
[ Neither man are affected by the low light conditions. Maybe they can pretend the shadows hide something by simply not speaking about that. Ignoring the facts of it.
Vincent isn't resting his hand on Sephiroth's to find the tremors. It's a tentative effort to offer support. Maybe... ease them. For a moment, the hand rested over the teen's squeezes. It's alright. ]
I'm... pretty stubborn. [ About himself. Especially at that time. ] Verdot tried once. But that was another life. You being involved might change things.
[ There is a pause. ]
I'll give you something to pass on through them. It should help but I don't know how much. And there's things I can help you with here. Even if I can't go with you to your time.
[ He's been to Deepground. So he can teach Sephiroth the way. And all the other lessons he intends to offer in what time they've got. It won't just be about non-lethal tactics.
Rhadore. When Vincent went to sleep, they were still in an alliance with the Shinra Company. Of course things change. How much he learned about the changes of the thirty years he lost out on is unclear but he did spend a lot of time wandering around.
He probably has an idea of the island's fate. And if Sephiroth was involved at some point, it's pretty clear Shinra's greed was partly to blame. ]
...Tell me about them? About what happened when you went back.
[ It's not quite a demand. The words might suggest that, the tone is asking. Vincent has been waiting for the opportunity for this as well. ]
I'm hoping to stack the odds in my favor as much as I can. Anything that can help, I'll consider.
[It's almost mumbled. Advice about Deepground, nonlethal tactics incase he has to fight the Turks, methods to handle his alien Mother in case she's not as dead as everyone thinks. Things that might make the Turks more willing to cooperate even against orders. Or .. sideways to orders, maybe.
But it's not going to be enough. Waking up Vincent in another world might well just put another life on the line Sephiroth doesn't want to risk.
None of it is easy to think about, but at least it doesn't seem like it's going to send him into a spiral of despair like it would have earlier. Small mercies. It doesn't mean he's any happier though.]
..Glenn Lodbrok, Matt Winsord, and Lucia Lin. They're P0s, the passive-type SOLDIER that came before my own active-type. No mako, just ... a lot of training. They're good people. Kind. Adaptable. I don't know why they were sent on a mission like Rhadore. Our directives were simple. Eliminate all remaining Rhadorans and find a place for a mako reactor. Unfortunately the island was so riddled with caves and badly geologically unstable that the first set of blasts caused a cascade that collapsed the caverns.
[And the entire archipelago sank. It's happened before, and the accidents and loss of life led to rule changes about who could and couldn't be on the ground when it happened. Even in Vincent's time, the occasional collapse was known. Just.. another hazard.]
When the Fox first took me it was right after the blasting began. And returned me at the same point. Lucia ... saw my wings, when I tested them. She didn't tell the others. They insisted on rescuing Rosen .. a Rhadoran boy, the only survivor, even against orders. Commandeered a helicopter. With the archipelago collapsing I went with them to try to make sure they came back alive and.. completed the mission.
[Eliminate all remaining Rhadorans.
It's true, and yet not at all the full story. And if Sephiroth pulls in on himself a little, grown size or not, surely it has nothing to do with the immediate surge of guilt and unhappiness. He made his choice, and it wasn't the stranger.]
They were furious. [Glenn was furious.] But I got them off the island before it collapsed entirely. Afterward.. [No more hugs. No more friendly shoulder pats, no more hair ruffles.] They left. Didn't say much. I never understood the idea that you could feel someone's anger at you but ... I learned.
[ Vincent remembers the earlier SOLDIER program. Before Jenova and mako... before Sephiroth. He might even be familiar with names. If he is, he doesn't say, letting the teen continue his tale.
It is not hard to read between the lines. And it's more important than affirming some past connection from before Sephiroth was even born. ]
Why did you kill the last Rhadoran boy?
[ Not one bit of judgement for it. A Turk would be the last person to judge a murder in the name of the company. That is to say, it might leave a bad taste in their mouth depending on the circumstances but...
He can imagine the fury, though. And the schism that followed even though those operatives from SOLDIER probably knew just as well what they went in for and what might have... should have been done. What would have happened if they left the Rhadoran or brought him back.
But that's not what's on Vincent's mind. Sephiroth will see him watching and listening, ever patient. ]
It wasn't because of the mission, was it?
[ Keen in discernment. He notices even the smallest things and currently, Sephiroth's profile is quite large. It is unfair. Yes it is, for the teenager to have to be a leader, make those choices, everything. But what's been done can't be changed. And the world was never nice. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-07-30 12:17 am (UTC)I will meet you at the station.
[ At the very least he can make sure Sephiroth gets out to the cabin safely. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-30 12:23 am (UTC)[Flying, it'd be faster. Running, it would be faster. He's doing neither, and though inevitably he'll be intercepted by sled dogs, even reaching the station by foot is not generally recommended.
He'll get there though.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-30 12:42 am (UTC)But the darkness brings colder temps and the rising threat of Unseelie Fae. The advantage of the sled dogs is that Vincent can find a group willing to lead him to where Sephiroth might be, within the bounds of Wintermute.
There will be a message; though it's short and to the point in case Sephiroth is caught up by trouble. He doesn't expect an answer. ]
I'm coming.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-30 12:48 am (UTC)Yeah he's not going anywhere for a while, buried in dogs.
Where the forest gives way to tundra and ice and snow reclaim the ground but allow the struggling efforts of pines and other tough evergreens to live, there is a tent. Small, comfortable, built up against a deliberately overturned sled for a convenient wall, a fire crackling in front of it in a ring of stones. The only sled dog that didn't fit inside the tent with the rest sits sentinel outside, relaxed but attentive.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-30 01:02 am (UTC)But before that, the dark and cold and what lurks within it. Fire might keep beasts away but that's not all that's out there. In Wintermute 'summer' might make the temps warmer, but that's still cold and there are winter storms. The Unseelie make it all the colder, with pools of inky black devoid of reflections.
Vincent's approach may be heralded with the sound of gunshots. The roar of a beast and the burst of flame-light.
In the end though, all that comes out of the night is a sled and team, packed with the necessary supplies for overnight. Food, too. And Vincent. Once it all comes to a stop, the first thing the man does is stride over to the tent. ]
Sephiroth?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-30 01:12 am (UTC)Nowhere is really safe in Wintermute at any time of the year, but he's confident in his ability to get through the night with reasonable security, especially with the dogs along. A second set of dogs simply made it more comfortable, there wouldn't be room in the tent for every dog and two people, but .. they'd all make do.
He doesn't really have to guess who's out there anyway, Turks have a way of finding people, as do the sled dogs, and it's no surprise when Vincent speaks.]
Don't knock over the water bowl.
[He sounds.. not particularly suffering, but actually opening the tent and venturing inside proves he's rather thoroughly pinned down by at least four now awake, alert dogs that make rather effective blankets in a pinch. And the bowl off to one side, spoon still in it from various lore-crafts. The pair of swords he'd acquired here lay to one side, within reach if necessary, both the gleaming violet and blue of Northern Lights and the handcrafted weapon courtesy of Mizu. And aside from dirt smudges and his hair once more ridiculously long, he looks fine. But the dogs hide much.]
I'd intended to get further but the dogs felt otherwise.
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Date: 2024-07-30 01:29 am (UTC)Once they have been unharnessed from the sled, the gunman eases into the tent, permitted to pass after the dogs confirmed with one another the intent of the visitor. The scent of recently discharged ammunition lingers about him and it doesn't seem as if he's got any injuries. At least none that reek of blood.
He is careful to avoid the bowl. ]
...Didn't expect the hair to grow back so fast.
[ That's his first remark. It's also probably meant to be part of his assessment of how Sephiroth ended up in confrontation in proximity to Garm. He should have still warned Cloud. Just in case. ]
Sorry. Want me to finish healing you?
[ He still has some energy to spare. Transformations did eat into his reserves, but not so much that he can't help out a little now. ]
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Date: 2024-07-30 01:36 am (UTC)[Maybe it was the sun. He didn't know. It was an irritation he'd have to live with for now, whether he wanted to or not.
With slow, meticulous care he works on levering off a dog or two enough to sit up, and though he's being cautious there doesn't seem to be overt injury. Given the implication of crossing paths with the man who put him down at least twice, there surely must be, or at least must have been, but habitual black obscures all. As does the comfortable winter jacket rather recently made to help fight off the cold.
Maybe it's deliberate. Either way, he shakes his head slightly in negative.]
It's fine. I want to get it to cura but I don't think it's worth bothering with. Maybe if I get frostbite.
[Which isn't saying he's NOT hurt, just that it's not high on the list of things to be concerned about.]
...Sorry for the delay.
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Date: 2024-07-30 01:55 am (UTC)I've got extra supplies on the sled. Figured you might need them. I'll bring them in.
[ Sephiroth. Not Vincent.
He turns to leave the tent again. He won't be gone long; just enough to fetch the packed items, Adjust the sled to make another windbreak and stow the extra wood he'd brought. ]
Feeling up to a meal?
[ It's almost habit when he shows up in Sephiroth's life by now. But he doesn't really know if the teen... adult? had the energy in him to make food, much less consume it. Not after fighting Cloud and then healing himself from the aftermath. ]
...You don't need to be sorry. This is my fault.
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Date: 2024-07-30 02:02 am (UTC)There's a sigh that sounds awfully resigned as Vincent leaves the tent, and when the Turk returns, another dog sneaks in with him. Some things are becoming nearly routine, and among them Vincent's insistence about hounding him on meals - which is checked off in his mind as soon as he reappears and actually asks - and this ongoing.. protectiveness.
Which makes zero sense, he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself! He's not dead or anything!]
Unless you've developed the power to make me do things while retaining the thought it was my idea and not yours, no it isn't.
[Which is a thing Sephiroth himself may be able to do, based on some discussions--]
I chose my path. I should have paid more attention to my surroundings while on the ground.
[Had he been in the air it wouldn't be an issue, Cloud simply wouldn't have caught up with him. Had he bothered to pay more attention instead of goofing off in unfamiliar territory, it wouldn't have been an issue either.]
I had cocoa, it'll do for now.
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Date: 2024-07-30 05:10 am (UTC)[ Even with the haircut. Vincent can rightly say he's had a lot on his plate and it's not exactly unreasonable that with the speed and stress of all that has happened, he'd lapsed in judgement as to what should have been a priority. ]
Guess we've both got some blame to share.
[ Maybe Vincent's apologizing to the wrong person anyway. Cloud will probably be getting another call later.
There are a lot of dogs in the tent now. It causes Vincent to eye the canvas siding to determine whether it was made in such a way as to combine what he brought with him into a larger space. There would be pros and cons with that but at least someone wasn't going to wake up buried under a mountain of dogs.
Cocoa. The study of the tent's construction almost becomes a pretense as Vincent's mind is dragged back to Sephiroth's eating habits; rather lack thereof. The brush-off of injury, the earlier network request and everything else. The gunman's gaze turns upward for a moment, though his back is still turned. But then he sighs and pivots back around. Slowly. Carefully. Those dogs are everywhere. ]
So, you're looking for people to help train your mental abilities.
[ This is a statement. If Sephiroth had wanted to hide what he was doing, it was probably going to need more subtlety than an account name change. ]
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Date: 2024-07-31 05:17 pm (UTC)I'll be more careful next time.
[Gram could remain offlimits, but the lakes were beautiful and he'd like to visit them again. He'd just.. need to keep his head on a swivel, whether or not he was looking for a fight.
And it seems he's going to have to work on being less obvious on the network in the future. To his credit he doesn't flinch, but there's definitely something guilty or unhappy in how he suddenly finds the texture of the dog's fur absolutely fascinating instead of anything even remotely like looking in Vincent's direction.]
... I know I've been told not to. But I don't have a choice.
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Date: 2024-07-31 05:45 pm (UTC)He offers a nod. Careful is fine. And Sephiroth shouldn't be denied access to the lakes just because Cloud or the others 'might' be in the vicinity. It was probably a foolish move in retrospect but Vincent also isn't going to suspect the adult-glamoured teen for doing it on purpose.
At least not consciously.
With a sigh he pivots carefully and sits down, letting the dogs pile up and with tails wagging, receive the waited for pets of his hand. Even the gauntlet-covered one; even though they're robots he's careful not to let the claw tips catch.
But if Sephiroth is thinking Vincent is going to chide him for pursuing those skills, he is wrong. The gunman's answer is immediate and honest. ]
I think it's a good idea. [ Even if Sephiroth keeps his focus on how interesting it is to pet the dogs, he'll probably feel Vincent's steady regard. ] I get why it's dangerous to do it. But... it's more dangerous if you can't control it.
[ Fear it. Though he doesn't use the word because he has seen the teen's reaction to the concept of him fearing anything. Fear and the unknown are a deadly mix. It lets things in that could be kept out with knowledge. It makes the loss of control worse. ]
Hmph. Though asking people at random for lessons... Not sure if that's a good idea. We'll see.
[ Vampires, Sephiroth. Really? ]
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Date: 2024-07-31 06:02 pm (UTC)Fear was the right word to use, even if he was sure he couldn't feel it. And he absolutely expects to be scolded at the very least by the twitch of surprise when it's called a good idea instead.]
The Institute will do what they can. But that might not be .. enough. And I don't know a better way to find someone who might be able to help. Anonymously will have to do. I know it frightens people.
[Frightens more than just others. In the tent, even with all the dogs, it's close enough where he doesn't have to raise his voice. Vincent hadn't condemned him for overstepping, even knowing it was the very power that terrorized his friend.]
I don't ... know how long I have, so whatever I can find will need to be enough.
[While he didn't think he'd be sent back to Midgar so quickly, it was always possible, and who knows how long this time til he returned here.]
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Date: 2024-07-31 08:57 pm (UTC)Who knows? Might have been a better idea not to at one time. But things have changed. You know what's waiting if you fail. And there's opportunities here you wouldn't have back home.
[ And those two pieces but especially the troubles that knowing his future can bring and the unknown time they might have to make use of Folkmore, are more than enough cause to reevaluate. ]
They're frightened for many reasons but it's not really the power itself.
[ It's memories of the trauma invoked. That's reasonable. It should be expected. Vincent doesn't fear it in the same way but he acknowledges it. His concern had always been Sephiroth trying to practice on his own without any guidance. Of course he's not sure about this complete other end of the spectrum either. ]
So learning about it... and learning how to protect yourself against it, I've thought those are a good idea for a while.
[ He's hinted as much. But Sephiroth wasn't exactly open to letting outsiders necessarily pry into... well. That too is understandable. ]
Sorry... if it seemed otherwise.
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Date: 2024-07-31 09:10 pm (UTC)All of this has been a calculated risk, but one he'd only considered seriously once he'd been stripped of Legend status. Being a foot and a half bigger didn't really change anything as near as he could tell, but the rest?
Maybe it was the clarity of not having to be a hero. Nobody needed to know why he wanted to learn. Nobody needed to know what happens when he fails.]
They have reason to be worried. You do too. I don't..
[It's the same uncertain fidget, just upscaled. He could mask most anxieties; if he spoke it aloud would it guarantee it happens? Would that be letting doubt win?
Was it right to breathe a word of any of it to a Turk, to one who will, and has, suffered at his hands even if by association of friends being ravaged and dying? The message on the network not terribly long after his own asked the same question that ran in circles in his mind.
Quiet stretches long enough that it might seem like he was going to leave the thought unfinished, and when he speaks again, the words don't match the voice.]
I don't think I can do it.
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Date: 2024-08-01 12:52 am (UTC)Hm?
[ Sure it's true Vincent has reason to be worried about the future. It's the 'I don't...' that calls upon his attention. Though his hand stays on the dogs settling in around him, his attention is fully upon the youth trapped in adult form. And despite what must be a haunting visage to one that has memories of what Sephiroth can do, he seems to be waiting patiently for the man to find the words he wants to speak. Just as he has for the teenager.
I don't think I can do it. ]
...
[ There is silence that follows the confession. It is not despair or disappointment, but the respect that such words rightly deserves. For a moment, Vincent's expression seems unaffected by the statement or emotion but this soon changes.
The way his features subtly shift, particularly the creases around his eyes and thin line of his brow that remains visible. It's compassion. Even empathy of a sort. He will not give the teen such words of assurance like 'I know you can'. The former Turk knows all too well the burden Sephiroth must bear. ]
You've got a heavy burden on your shoulders. It's understandable you have doubts. [ Fears. ] Are you...
[ Vincent stops there for a moment, rethinks his words and speaks again, ruby eyes focused on the adult as if they can see the teen underneath the glamour. ]
It's okay to share your doubts with me. If you're ready.
[ His tone suggests that he's been waiting for this possible moment for a while. ]
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Date: 2024-08-01 01:20 am (UTC)[Even in a life unaltered by the Fox, Sephiroth lives under the weight of expectation, and knowledge of what happens if he fails.
At fourteen, his greatest concerns should be the upcoming school year, or who he has a crush on, or where he might go on a friday night with his friends, not the seemingly endless chains of suffering and death that await. And now it's a fight against a lifetime of training to even admit that he could fail without being punished for saying so.
Emotion has no place on the battlefield, and he's been slipping. This can't be about feelings, just fact, a clinical analysis of his capabilities versus what he needed to do.
And he would put everything on the line, even if it would eventually fail. Even a few lives changed would be worth it.]
I'm not strong enough. I don't know that I ever will be. I can kill the Professor. But Deepground? Mother?
[Fact. It's war maps, not emotions, can't be emotions.]
I will wager that never once was any of the team you and your allies made, made to face even my alien mother on your own. She would have defeated any one of you, maybe including Cloud, and he could defeat me at the height of my power. It took all of you and the blessing of the Planet itself to stop us.
[The tiger's ears flatten slowly back, disappearing into his hair, but his voice remains ... mostly steady, expression mostly carefully neutral. The effort is failing. It's not despair, not quite; he intended to try no matter what, but he knew how it would end.]
How can I face her, alone? How do I accomplish on my own what it took nine of you to do, when you had Cloud and an Ancient on your side? Even with a teacher..
[Realistically, he can accomplish one of those goals; an old unenhanced human is easy prey, but the rest... He's the first. There are no others, it'll be years before any other can hope to keep up with him.
It's a doomed mission. Either he fails and dies, or he fails and he burns the world to satisfy Jenova. Training in using those strange alien powers was a feeble hope.]
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Date: 2024-08-03 07:33 pm (UTC)It's frightening, isn't it?
[ Vincent offers this quietly. Gently and with audible compassion that rarely makes it to his words no matter how deeply he feels it.
No facts, not a logical rational on seeing the strategy presented will never work. Just... it's frightening, isn't it. ]
What we faced wasn't just Jenova. It was Sephiroth, who had five years to learn knowledge from the Lifestream. And find a way to channel the energy needed to summon Meteor. Thirty years of Shinra Company's ability to grow unchecked.
[ That won't make it any better. The scale was immense and it's certainly sounding like Vincent is about to say something trite. Like Sephiroth being the lynchpin can stop all that just by being himself right now. But he isn't. ]
The scale we faced was just as frightening. Nevermind what our actions allowed or didn't allow. How... the control Sephiroth had over Cloud led to... near misses. Or one of ours was working for Shinra all that time. How because of all this, someone died.
[ Among their party was sickness, lies, secrets, and even betrayal. And Aerith did pay for the delays and decisions that had spawned from that. Would she have run ahead, alone if there had been less of it? Would they not have made it in time if they weren't distracted by Cloud nearly killing her himself?
Vincent finds a way to sit down, drawing up his legs and letting his arms rest over his knees. The dogs mostly settle around him, some flopping partially on him but they seem willing to take very small bits of petting now that the two have started talking seriously. ]
You don't have to face Jenova alone, Sephiroth. You can choose to. Sounds like you think you have to. But that's not the case. Everyone that's living on our planet has a stake in what happens to it. Even people who aren't as strong as you are or can become. You don't have to do everything at once to save the world from yourself. Or protect what's important to you.
[ He has more to say. Vincent wants to say them but hesitates to do so all at once. There is a pause here where he looks closely Sephiroth. His own expression seems to show hesitance. Uncertainty. Is he saying the right thing? The former Turk tries to school himself. ]
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Date: 2024-08-03 07:52 pm (UTC)[There's something, perhaps, that he's not conveying right. Something that eludes making it clear what the concern is, and he's not so used to explaining himself that he can unravel what it is and make it right. But in the end..]
Do I ask the Turks to abandon the company and come with me? They won't. Do I demand the victims of Deepground, younger than I am, throw away any future they might have? Who do I insist risk everything on the hopes that I don't choose to stand at her side instead of resist her, years upon years before anyone has even a hope of stopping me?
[In the half-dark of the tent, the mako green of his eyes is sharp and steady. He can keep his voice level, the smooth pleasant baritone he'd be well known for eventually, but it doesn't stop the tremor in his hands, buried in the fur of the sled dog.]
The only people who might have been willing to try, I ... I can't. Ask that of them.
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Date: 2024-08-03 08:29 pm (UTC)And then there is the gunman's right hand, seeking to clasp Sephiroth's despite it being hidden in the fur of the dog. Does he know about the tremble? Maybe. ]
People may die. You, those close to you. That's the cost of change. The Turks might bend the rules for you, but I doubt they'll rebel against the company. Not unless things get extremely bad.
[ Not without something bigger, nastier at issue. And frankly, not having Hojo around may allow them to be more flexible when it comes to Sephiroth. As for the Deepground victims... most are kids. There will no doubt be other horrors down there. Either way they're not really an option; worse because Shinra will want them back, if only to cover up everything that happened.
And Vincent knows too damned well who will be tasked for that job. ]
You can go to me. [ The 'me' of that timeline. ] My fate's already set. And... those people... You can ask them, Sephiroth. But if you choose not to, it's fine.
[ So, even Sephiroth had people, back then... Is this why? Why the boy's so adamant to defy Shinra despite the indoctrination? Something to save... not the world from himself but certain people... ]
Who are they?
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Date: 2024-08-03 08:45 pm (UTC)Except the duty of a leader is to protect his people, and asking strangers to put their lives on the line for his goals is unacceptable. Worse yet if he knows who they are. He knew most of his era's Turks at least by name and appearance, and if they didn't stand in his way when he killed Hojo and purged the entire research department, he'd owe them. Repaying that by asking them to die fighting an alien monster..
There's just a silent denial in a brief shake of his head, unfamiliar touch not shaken off but does lead him to at least try to remain still and not humiliate himself further.]
There's no telling if they'll be able to convince you to go with them.
[The Turks, and their mission to find their lost member. The thing that would likely decide whether or not they would help him in turn, though given Verdot's connection to Vincent he'd have wanted them to know anyway. Everyone knew how close a pair of Turks were, and that seemed to extend throughout the entire organization.]
No.
[He can't ask them. Wouldn't; it's the same thing isn't it? But he won't even consider it. He can't watch them die. Even seeing them get hurt would be unacceptable, and if Jenova was cruel enough, aware enough, she might make him do it directly.]
They're ... they were my team in Rhadore. They won't work with me again.
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Date: 2024-08-03 11:07 pm (UTC)Vincent isn't resting his hand on Sephiroth's to find the tremors. It's a tentative effort to offer support. Maybe... ease them. For a moment, the hand rested over the teen's squeezes. It's alright. ]
I'm... pretty stubborn. [ About himself. Especially at that time. ] Verdot tried once. But that was another life. You being involved might change things.
[ There is a pause. ]
I'll give you something to pass on through them. It should help but I don't know how much. And there's things I can help you with here. Even if I can't go with you to your time.
[ He's been to Deepground. So he can teach Sephiroth the way. And all the other lessons he intends to offer in what time they've got. It won't just be about non-lethal tactics.
Rhadore. When Vincent went to sleep, they were still in an alliance with the Shinra Company. Of course things change. How much he learned about the changes of the thirty years he lost out on is unclear but he did spend a lot of time wandering around.
He probably has an idea of the island's fate. And if Sephiroth was involved at some point, it's pretty clear Shinra's greed was partly to blame. ]
...Tell me about them? About what happened when you went back.
[ It's not quite a demand. The words might suggest that, the tone is asking. Vincent has been waiting for the opportunity for this as well. ]
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Date: 2024-08-03 11:26 pm (UTC)[It's almost mumbled. Advice about Deepground, nonlethal tactics incase he has to fight the Turks, methods to handle his alien Mother in case she's not as dead as everyone thinks. Things that might make the Turks more willing to cooperate even against orders. Or .. sideways to orders, maybe.
But it's not going to be enough. Waking up Vincent in another world might well just put another life on the line Sephiroth doesn't want to risk.
None of it is easy to think about, but at least it doesn't seem like it's going to send him into a spiral of despair like it would have earlier. Small mercies. It doesn't mean he's any happier though.]
..Glenn Lodbrok, Matt Winsord, and Lucia Lin. They're P0s, the passive-type SOLDIER that came before my own active-type. No mako, just ... a lot of training. They're good people. Kind. Adaptable. I don't know why they were sent on a mission like Rhadore. Our directives were simple. Eliminate all remaining Rhadorans and find a place for a mako reactor. Unfortunately the island was so riddled with caves and badly geologically unstable that the first set of blasts caused a cascade that collapsed the caverns.
[And the entire archipelago sank. It's happened before, and the accidents and loss of life led to rule changes about who could and couldn't be on the ground when it happened. Even in Vincent's time, the occasional collapse was known. Just.. another hazard.]
When the Fox first took me it was right after the blasting began. And returned me at the same point. Lucia ... saw my wings, when I tested them. She didn't tell the others. They insisted on rescuing Rosen .. a Rhadoran boy, the only survivor, even against orders. Commandeered a helicopter. With the archipelago collapsing I went with them to try to make sure they came back alive and.. completed the mission.
[Eliminate all remaining Rhadorans.
It's true, and yet not at all the full story. And if Sephiroth pulls in on himself a little, grown size or not, surely it has nothing to do with the immediate surge of guilt and unhappiness. He made his choice, and it wasn't the stranger.]
They were furious. [Glenn was furious.] But I got them off the island before it collapsed entirely. Afterward.. [No more hugs. No more friendly shoulder pats, no more hair ruffles.] They left. Didn't say much. I never understood the idea that you could feel someone's anger at you but ... I learned.
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Date: 2024-08-04 12:07 pm (UTC)It is not hard to read between the lines. And it's more important than affirming some past connection from before Sephiroth was even born. ]
Why did you kill the last Rhadoran boy?
[ Not one bit of judgement for it. A Turk would be the last person to judge a murder in the name of the company. That is to say, it might leave a bad taste in their mouth depending on the circumstances but...
He can imagine the fury, though. And the schism that followed even though those operatives from SOLDIER probably knew just as well what they went in for and what might have... should have been done. What would have happened if they left the Rhadoran or brought him back.
But that's not what's on Vincent's mind. Sephiroth will see him watching and listening, ever patient. ]
It wasn't because of the mission, was it?
[ Keen in discernment. He notices even the smallest things and currently, Sephiroth's profile is quite large. It is unfair. Yes it is, for the teenager to have to be a leader, make those choices, everything. But what's been done can't be changed. And the world was never nice. ]
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