[ OW? he flexes his arm a little and hisses. owowowow motherfUCKER ]
... I'll be fine for now. [ he's just going to break off part of the arrow with a loud snap. so it is less sticking out of his shoulder! but he leaves some so they can still ... take it out later. ] So long as I don't remove it, it won't bleed much.
[ it'll just FUCKING HURT but he is stoically bearing that because he is embarrassed an old man and sebastian both dodged and he didn't. he missed his reaction command :( "that's the wrong square game" his reaction command ]
Let's just keep going. You said you needed stuff for paints, right?
I'm all right... Don't worry about an old man like me.
[Yikes over Cloud, though.
He points deeper into the cavern, although what lies further ahead is obscured by fog.]
Not much further, now—it's just a little past that fog. However, danger still lurks. Here, give me your hand.
[If Sebastian will let him, Zin will hold one of his hands.]
Hold your friend's hand, too. When we enter the fog, you may see things, but whatever you do, you mustn't let go. As long as we stick together, I can lead you through to the end.
The fog might be the fiends' doing, actually... After all, they have more at their disposal than simple brute force.
[But yay, everyone's holding hands now. Zin will lead them into the fog, until everything around them is obscured.
But as they continue in, memories of their real lives trickle in. Or are they their real lives? Maybe they're just a faraway dream.
Whatever the case, it won't be long before they can all see a woman in the near distance. She likely won't be familiar to any of them—except to Sebastian, who will recognize her as his mother.]
[ those memories mixing in with his... it's confusing, but maybe that's just what the fog does. the figure that shows up there, though, feels too real to be an illusion, and before he even realizes he's saying it— ]
I— Mom?
[ is this his mother? she's different from the one he was remembering when recounting his experience to ren — the one who had abandoned him.
but... this one had done the same, hadn't she? he hasn't seen her in years either. ]
[ he is going ... to tighten his hold on Sebastian, because he does not like this, actually. he remembers sebastian's parents abandoned him! that is definitely a real not-made up thing, just like the fact that they are good travel companions. ]
It has to be. Don't pay attention to her, Sebastian. We have to keep going.
"Is this just the fog?" Don't be foolish, Sebastian. Oh, what am I going to do with a son as useless as you...?
[Then, she turns to walk away. They'll be able to see where she's heading, though: a village, which Cloud may recognize as his hometown. Both Cloud and Sebastian, however, will clearly see that it's up in flames, with people screaming or running about, before collapsing from their injuries.]
Yeah... [ he takes a deep breath, and holds onto both of their hands a little tighter. ] Right.
[ he has to bite his lip and blink back tears when she turns away, and those words feel familiar for a whole other reason...
the sight of the burning village coming into view pulls him away from that, though. he... he doesn't think that's zin's village that they just came from, so does that mean this is coming from cloud's memory...? ]
[ his grip on sebastian loosens, as the double memories of village murder start to meld and he almost expects a fiend to show up holding a very long sword. ]
... It's not real. Right? It can't be.
[ he doesn't sound entirely convinced, and he's looking at the fire like he wants to rush in and do something. he doesn't yet but. but! but. ]
[Well. A field holding a very long sword doesn't show up, but a man sure does. Really almost went with the shirtless version instead but I was nice, thank me.
As Sebastian's mother walks into the village, Sephiroth approaches her, raising his sword.]
[ he's about to agree that it isn't, but then it looks like his mom's about to die, and even though he knows she probably isn't real, and he's not even sure who she is, and despite how cold her words were to him a minute ago... well. cloud's already loosened his grasp on his hand, so he's going to try to break free and run toward her. ]
[ i can't even say sebastian is the one who screwed things up here because from the way cloud tensed when he saw Him, he was seconds away from running too. he'd taken a step back, free hand reflexively going to his sword-- but then sebastian starts to run, and cloud's quick behind him. ]
Sebastian, don't! Get away from them!
[ cloud is always slashing at ghosts, and so this isn't new! because he's trying to attack sephiroth with his great big sword to attempt to help sebastian and his mom.
(how is sephiroth here? how did cloud ever forget him??? something in him is twitching with something beyond his usual horror and hate, which, hmmm, no time to unpack that! it's some canon bullshit.) ]
[Cloud can't get there fast enough to prevent Sephiroth from cutting down Sebastian's mother, as she falls to the ground, blood spilling from her. Still, weakly, she tries to hold her hand out for Sebastian, as she turns her head towards him.
However, Cloud is at least able to intervene when Sephiroth then tries to slash at Sebastian, sword clashing against sword.]
Brave, but foolhardy, little puppet. What do you think you can protect?
[ no no no, not when he's finally found her again— he reaches to try to take her hand, but he's pushed back when cloud comes in between him and sephiroth.
...right. cloud's saving him, again. he shouldn't keep causing trouble for him like this. he's stupid and useless and that's why she left the first time, isn't it?
but he still makes another desperate attempt to reach her. ]
[ is clouds very valid comeback as he pushes back against the sword. He might not have been in time for Sebastian's potentially deadbeat mother, but he can at least save Sebastian himself. ]
I won't let you touch him!
[ just-- for once. for once, can't he do this much? what's the point of beating sephiroth if he still wins every time?
there is no time to think about that as he pushes with all his might to push him back and tries to slash at him. their usual combat style is so much more anime than this but Im sparing Jan. and rolling a nine. gonna suck when his vision of Sephiroth mega stabs Sebastian ]
[Sebastian's mother smiles at him—whether it's a loving smile or a cynical one, it's hard to say. But it's the last thing Sebastian will see, before the light leaves her eyes. Yet again, Sebastian can't receive a goodbye.
The good news is that despite Cloud's measly 9, this version of Sephiroth apparently sucks, because he rolled only a 6. Cloud slashes him across the chest, as he stumbles back. Still, he'll attempt to stab Cloud back in the shoulder.
Whether or not Zia decides he succeeds, Sebastian and Cloud will both feel a hand tugging at theirs, pulling them away. Sephiroth will shoot off a parting remark—]
No matter the outcome, you know you will never be free of me.
[—before the scene disappears. Momentarily, they'll see a woman they recognize as Zin's wife, but with a distinctly inhuman air, her sclera black. She lunges as though to attack—
And then they're both being yanked, collapsing back into the cavern, just outside of the fog. Zin is on the ground with them, holding their hands.]
[ i think it's absolutely hilarious if sephiroth stabs cloud in the shoulder where he already has an arrow wound, so of course it succeeds. it doesn't go through the whole of it before he's tugged back, and he's still reeling from sephiroth's words when they see zin's wife.
and then they're on the ground and he stares, blankly, at the ceiling of the cave, heart racing. his mind is a million miles away.
but sebastian's sniffling makes him blink as he turns to him before he shakes his head, sitting back up ]
... Pretty sure Zin is the one who saved us, here. [ he doesn't tell sebastian he would've gone even if he hadn't, because it's too late now. it's happened. ] ... Sorry, Zin. We haven't been much use as protection so far, huh?
[ he's looking out at that fog. he still looks a little like he is not totally there, but i'm sure it's fine. ]
[ i think we stole actual bandages going by what sen had in her house
but yeah, cloud will blink back fully to the present before casually grabbing the bit of arrow sticking out of him and YANKING. with a pained groan, but like. he still does it.
[Sebastian may bandage Cloud up! Once Cloud is relatively fine or so much as he'll ever be, they can proceed.
Thankfully, that was the last obstacle, so the rest of the trip is uneventful. Zin gathers the supplies they need, and they all head back. Imagine if I was like "you have to pass through the fog again and get re-traumatized" but no apparently it's a one-way thing.
Once they're all back at Zin's house, safe and sound, Zin will give them a light bow.]
Thank you for accompanying me, despite the great pain it has brought you two. With this, I'll be able to finish the vase... and maybe one day, my wife will reawaken to be able to see it, even if it's only as a corrupted human-turned-fiend.
Now, as promised, your compensation...
[He looks as though he's thinking for a bit, before he lifts up a vase.]
You were asking about the calamity before, right? I can't imagine that you'll want to carry a vase around, but here, take a look. This vase has a depiction of what ████████ allegedly looked like, before they became unrecognizable as a fiend—at least, based off what my grandparents told me, when I was growing up.
[If they take a look, they'll see a young-looking figure dressed in blue on the vase, appearing as though they're crying into their hands by a set of graves. Zin then puts it down.]
Don't worry, now. That's not all I'm giving you, before you think I ripped you off!
[He rummages through some drawers, before he holds out what looks like a VHS tape with the Starlight Hotel logo on it.]
Not too sure what this is, but maybe it's valuable elsewhere? You could sell it for some money.
Next... I saw before that you had a compass on you? May I take a look?
[ cloud squints at the figure, pensive. someone dressed in blue... two graves... ]
And this happened around here, right?
[ but he'll take the vhs tape and put it in his jrpg inventory for now. straight into key items you go. he's letting sebastian deal with the compass like he is not also dying of curiosity at it. ]
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guestservices) wrote2022-07-10 05:39 pm
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... I'll be fine for now. [ he's just going to break off part of the arrow with a loud snap. so it is less sticking out of his shoulder! but he leaves some so they can still ... take it out later. ] So long as I don't remove it, it won't bleed much.
[ it'll just FUCKING HURT but he is stoically bearing that because he is embarrassed an old man and sebastian both dodged and he didn't. he missed his reaction command :( "that's the wrong square game" his reaction command ]
Let's just keep going. You said you needed stuff for paints, right?
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[Yikes over Cloud, though.
He points deeper into the cavern, although what lies further ahead is obscured by fog.]
Not much further, now—it's just a little past that fog. However, danger still lurks. Here, give me your hand.
[If Sebastian will let him, Zin will hold one of his hands.]
Hold your friend's hand, too. When we enter the fog, you may see things, but whatever you do, you mustn't let go. As long as we stick together, I can lead you through to the end.
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W-what? What kind of fog is this?
[ HE THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST GOING LIKE 20 FEET INTO THE CAVE TO SCRAPE SOME MINERALS OFF THE WALL
gives cloud a "what are we doing" look as he tries to reach for his hand... because he guesses this is what they're doing? ]
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Is the fog part of the traps set here? I didn't know fiends had feelings.
[ give them the lore while cloud gets ready to hallucinate... again... except he probably does not constantly hallucinate with this backstory ]
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[But yay, everyone's holding hands now. Zin will lead them into the fog, until everything around them is obscured.
But as they continue in, memories of their real lives trickle in. Or are they their real lives? Maybe they're just a faraway dream.
Whatever the case, it won't be long before they can all see a woman in the near distance. She likely won't be familiar to any of them—except to Sebastian, who will recognize her as his mother.]
Oh, Sebastian...
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I— Mom?
[ is this his mother? she's different from the one he was remembering when recounting his experience to ren — the one who had abandoned him.
but... this one had done the same, hadn't she? he hasn't seen her in years either. ]
Is this... just the fog?
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It has to be. Don't pay attention to her, Sebastian. We have to keep going.
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He's right. Stay strong...
[Meanwhile, Sebastian's mother continues speaking.]
"Is this just the fog?" Don't be foolish, Sebastian. Oh, what am I going to do with a son as useless as you...?
[Then, she turns to walk away. They'll be able to see where she's heading, though: a village, which Cloud may recognize as his hometown. Both Cloud and Sebastian, however, will clearly see that it's up in flames, with people screaming or running about, before collapsing from their injuries.]
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[ he has to bite his lip and blink back tears when she turns away, and those words feel familiar for a whole other reason...
the sight of the burning village coming into view pulls him away from that, though. he... he doesn't think that's zin's village that they just came from, so does that mean this is coming from cloud's memory...? ]
H-hey...
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[ his grip on sebastian loosens, as the double memories of village murder start to meld and he almost expects a fiend to show up holding a very long sword. ]
... It's not real. Right? It can't be.
[ he doesn't sound entirely convinced, and he's looking at the fire like he wants to rush in and do something. he doesn't yet but. but! but. ]
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As Sebastian's mother walks into the village, Sephiroth approaches her, raising his sword.]
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[ he's about to agree that it isn't, but then it looks like his mom's about to die, and even though he knows she probably isn't real, and he's not even sure who she is, and despite how cold her words were to him a minute ago... well. cloud's already loosened his grasp on his hand, so he's going to try to break free and run toward her. ]
Wait— Mom! Look out!!
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Sebastian, don't! Get away from them!
[ cloud is always slashing at ghosts, and so this isn't new! because he's trying to attack sephiroth with his great big sword to attempt to help sebastian and his mom.
(how is sephiroth here? how did cloud ever forget him??? something in him is twitching with something beyond his usual horror and hate, which, hmmm, no time to unpack that! it's some canon bullshit.) ]
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Come back!
[Cloud can't get there fast enough to prevent Sephiroth from cutting down Sebastian's mother, as she falls to the ground, blood spilling from her. Still, weakly, she tries to hold her hand out for Sebastian, as she turns her head towards him.
However, Cloud is at least able to intervene when Sephiroth then tries to slash at Sebastian, sword clashing against sword.]
Brave, but foolhardy, little puppet. What do you think you can protect?
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...right. cloud's saving him, again. he shouldn't keep causing trouble for him like this. he's stupid and useless and that's why she left the first time, isn't it?
but he still makes another desperate attempt to reach her. ]
Can't you at least say goodbye to me this time?!
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[ is clouds very valid comeback as he pushes back against the sword. He might not have been in time for Sebastian's potentially deadbeat mother, but he can at least save Sebastian himself. ]
I won't let you touch him!
[ just-- for once. for once, can't he do this much? what's the point of beating sephiroth if he still wins every time?
there is no time to think about that as he pushes with all his might to push him back and tries to slash at him. their usual combat style is so much more anime than this but Im sparing Jan. and rolling a nine. gonna suck when his vision of Sephiroth mega stabs Sebastian ]
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The good news is that despite Cloud's measly 9, this version of Sephiroth apparently sucks, because he rolled only a 6. Cloud slashes him across the chest, as he stumbles back. Still, he'll attempt to stab Cloud back in the shoulder.
Whether or not Zia decides he succeeds, Sebastian and Cloud will both feel a hand tugging at theirs, pulling them away. Sephiroth will shoot off a parting remark—]
No matter the outcome, you know you will never be free of me.
[—before the scene disappears. Momentarily, they'll see a woman they recognize as Zin's wife, but with a distinctly inhuman air, her sclera black. She lunges as though to attack—
And then they're both being yanked, collapsing back into the cavern, just outside of the fog. Zin is on the ground with them, holding their hands.]
... Well, I imagine that was a bad time.
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[ he sniffs and wipes his eyes with his free hand. ]
I know you warned us, and... I knew it probably wasn't real...
[ he turns his head slightly in cloud's direction, though he doesn't make any attempt to meet his eyes. ]
Sorry you were stuck saving me again.
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and then they're on the ground and he stares, blankly, at the ceiling of the cave, heart racing. his mind is a million miles away.
but sebastian's sniffling makes him blink as he turns to him before he shakes his head, sitting back up ]
... Pretty sure Zin is the one who saved us, here. [ he doesn't tell sebastian he would've gone even if he hadn't, because it's too late now. it's happened. ] ... Sorry, Zin. We haven't been much use as protection so far, huh?
[ he's looking out at that fog. he still looks a little like he is not totally there, but i'm sure it's fine. ]
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[He's looking out at the fog for a bit too, before he shakes his head.]
Well, we're almost at our destination—but perhaps we should take a moment to get you patched up.
[hello sir your shoulder? Presumably Sebastian still has his looted supplies.]
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[ rummaging around in their makeshift bag for whatever they brought that passes for bandages... ]
Here, just— uh, well, take out the arrow first... and then hold out your arm!
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[ i think we stole actual bandages going by what sen had in her house
but yeah, cloud will blink back fully to the present before casually grabbing the bit of arrow sticking out of him and YANKING. with a pained groan, but like. he still does it.
anyway have at the shoulder, it's fine ]
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Thankfully, that was the last obstacle, so the rest of the trip is uneventful. Zin gathers the supplies they need, and they all head back. Imagine if I was like "you have to pass through the fog again and get re-traumatized" but no apparently it's a one-way thing.
Once they're all back at Zin's house, safe and sound, Zin will give them a light bow.]
Thank you for accompanying me, despite the great pain it has brought you two. With this, I'll be able to finish the vase... and maybe one day, my wife will reawaken to be able to see it, even if it's only as a corrupted human-turned-fiend.
Now, as promised, your compensation...
[He looks as though he's thinking for a bit, before he lifts up a vase.]
You were asking about the calamity before, right? I can't imagine that you'll want to carry a vase around, but here, take a look. This vase has a depiction of what ████████ allegedly looked like, before they became unrecognizable as a fiend—at least, based off what my grandparents told me, when I was growing up.
[If they take a look, they'll see a young-looking figure dressed in blue on the vase, appearing as though they're crying into their hands by a set of graves. Zin then puts it down.]
Don't worry, now. That's not all I'm giving you, before you think I ripped you off!
[He rummages through some drawers, before he holds out what looks like a VHS tape with the Starlight Hotel logo on it.]
Not too sure what this is, but maybe it's valuable elsewhere? You could sell it for some money.
Next... I saw before that you had a compass on you? May I take a look?
no subject
looking at the image on the vase with interest... he kind of wonders if those graves are still around here somewhere. ]
Oh— no, this might be really helpful, thanks!
[ he blinks when the subject of the compass comes up, but he quickly gets it out and hands it over. ]
You're familiar with compasses like this?
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And this happened around here, right?
[ but he'll take the vhs tape and put it in his jrpg inventory for now. straight into key items you go. he's letting sebastian deal with the compass like he is not also dying of curiosity at it. ]
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