Mission 001: Explore the Ruins

[silversoldier]

♥ Who: Sephiroth and YOU
♥ Where: The Arena or The Factory
♥ When: September 10
♥ What: Help Sephiroth explore the arena or become his partner in crime in welding class.
♥ Rating: PG?

The Arena

Sephiroth learned much from reading Verstael’s collection and related information Sephiroth garnered from other sources regarding the expansion that occurred in the month of Lasai, but there was no substitute for investigating things first hand. SOLDIERS were made for fieldwork, and he especially so.

It did not take him long to find the line of demarcation. Although there had clearly been new growth, one could not so easily hide centuries of neglect.

Sephiroth spent the greater part of the morning exploring once abandoned buildings for any of the hostile fauna he had read about. Whether these creatures sensed the mako in his blood, as he’d found was sometimes the case, or there simply weren’t any around he could not say. Sephiroth did note several odd looking plants he thought to look up later, but other than that was beginning to feel it was a day better spent elsewhere.

That was until he came across a structure that had to be the arena he’d been told about. It was nothing like the ones found in Midgar or even elsewhere on the continent. And yet Sephiroth could feel it in the air. A certain vibration. Energy, perhaps, which never really left a place. Was it left behind by the crowds? Or those fighting for, most likely, sport?

Either way, Sephiroth had found a good potential training spot. But that would be for another time. Today, he was all about exploration.

Sephiroth stepped through an archway and surveyed the scene before him. He headed toward an archway filled with rubble and began to clear it, tossing large rocks aside with the ease of a SOLDIER.

Sephiroth only stopped when he sensed the presence approaching.

Bonus Alternate Edition: The Factory Tour

Find Sephiroth staring with interest at the equipment and become his partner? After his brief experience with welding and subsequent research, he’s decided to completely dominate this too this might a worthwhile thing to learn.

Special Effect: Feel free to apply the “just like glue” effect to either prompt it could be hilarious you never know.

[ Brackets are always fine too <3 ]

Comments

[silversoldier]

Compliments meant nothing to someone with such a strong internal locus of control. Sephiroth did not react, instead focusing on the other information. "Understood. However, I have not encountered anyone from Lucis yet." Sephiroth read everything and was therefore aware that the two nations existed in opposition, much like ShinRa and Wutai albeit the Kingdom of Lucis seemed to possess a superior strength and relied less on stealth. He was not opposed to interacting with them, but nor did he have reason to seek them out.

Magitek, indeed, sounded a lot like materia. Sephiroth very much understood Verstael's interest after hearing more about his world even if he still wasn't willing to part with company secrets so easily. "I see. Your society favors air travel." It seemed Gralea was akin to Midgar in several ways as well and given everything he knew about Verstael, he couldn't picture it being altogether different.

Although it was nowhere near unbearable, Sephiroth could feel the heat building in the machine in front of them both and presumed the process would yield results soon.

[original_is_best]

Verstael kept a close eye on it. While Sephiroth certainly showed some intelligence, one didn't simply 'guess' correct temperature and times on their first try. That took study.

So that was when he stepped in. As he saw the temperature reach over 1,000 degrees and waited the appropriate amount of time, he quickly made the necessary adjustments to end the process.

"You likely will at some point. The city practically has an infestation of Lucian royalty."

He picked up some nearby tongs but, after a brief hesitation, chose to offer them to Sephiroth. After all, it was his first time, so let him get hands-on experience.

"Our dropships are more sophisticated than any technology in the rest of the world. We are, by far, the most advanced. Perhaps out of necessity. Cars and trains are also common forms of travel. There is a train line that connects us to the neighboring Tenebrae and beyond."

He leaned in slightly, looking up at him, "And your world?"

[silversoldier]

Sephiroth observed Verstael with a keen eye as he completed the process, taking in everything that he could. It was all new to him but he felt he had learned much this first time and there was yet still more to be accomplished.

"Is that so?" Sephiroth took the tongs without hesitation and used them to grab the super-heated bits of metal Verstael had dropped into the machine earlier. It was interesting to see the glowing metal and to know that it had been rendered such not by any normal mechanical process but by instead by their physical proximity. Also interesting to note was the fact that the gods had chosen to abduct so many members of the Lucian royalty. He and Verstael both were also important figures. This seemed to establish something of a pattern. "Just the royalty? Or are there any regular citizens from either of your countries?"

"Very similar. We are also working toward space travel." Sephiroth didn't mind sharing that last bit. It wasn't as if it was a company secret. Rather, Palmer's entire department was something of a laughing stock rendering this essentially useless information.

Sephiroth deposited the metal on the appropriate hard surface and replaced the tongs. He then took up the hammer and with very little effort on his part began to beat it flat.

[original_is_best]

"Yes. There was a soldier who was quite familiar with King Regis. Also a retainer of the royal family. As well as a Lucian citizen who both knows the future king and is connected to myself. There have been no other citizens of Niflheim; a rather distressing predicament for me."

It meant constantly being surrounded by the enemy and working at a disadvantage. He'd managed well enough, but it didn't mean they had his full trust.

"If you were considering the importance of the figures brought to this land, it is something I, too, have considered. There is an abnormal amount of royalty in the city. Soldiers, scientists, heroes... Though I have met some that do not fit, there is certainly enough to consider it a pattern. Likewise, I have not seen many that would be considered unattractive or ill. Were they searching for a way to create new bodies, perhaps they are trying to find exceptional qualities."

This part wasn't so hard. Not that any of it was once one knew what they were doing. He watched, wondering what shape Sephiroth would choose to make. They had a mere scrap, so only so much could be done with it.

"I have begun considering space travel as well. But why stop there? Now that I know inter-dimensional travel is a reality, I fully intend to understand it. It is amazing how one's world view can change in a year. I had thought myself to have high goals when I was preparing to face gods and conquer Lucis. Now I feel myself short-sighted, merely concerning myself with the matters on my planet. I suppose when there is war, it can be a distraction."

[silversoldier]

Sephiroth continued to pound the scrap of metal flat. He accomplished it in one session with his capabilities and subsequently grabbed the tongs and placed it back into the fire to heat up once more. It did not come as a surprise to him that Verstael had already given the matter thought. It was always nice conversing with those who had valuable information to offer. In this case, Verstael provided confirmation and enough further supposition for Sephiroth to agree with his theory. "Then it would seem they have a number of ways to evaluate us and determine our 'eligibility' for this prospect."

That Sephiroth was chosen on the one hand was no surprise, but on the other: "however, they should further adjust these mechanisms to find those who are best suited for their purposes. It's inefficient to take those who would view this as a malicious act or who are opposed to physical contact."

Sephiroth glanced back at Verstael as he elaborated. "It would be strange if this experience didn't alter your perspective."

[original_is_best]

"Perhaps. How much choice they have in the selections I do not know. You've read of the experiments? If we know that one is continuing, there is no reason to assume the others are not. It is Experiment 1 that concerns me the most. I believe later experiments are related to it. If they are still attempting to recreate their original bodies, or perhaps are desperate enough to create any bodies, then there's no reason to assume we're here only to serve as batteries."

He hummed thoughtfully, watching. The work went smoothly, and there was only so much metal to practice one with no particular purpose in mind besides seeing that the factory was running. "Then again, why do we even generate energy? It does not work this way on my planet, and I suspect it doesn't on yours. That in itself is strange."

He tilted his head slightly, musing curiously to himself. "Perhaps there is something about each of us that causes us to stand out. Think of it as a nail standing higher than the others, making them easier to pluck. Whether they pull us based off energy or some trait... the otherworlders present here, I do not think I have seen many people who would be considered average."

[silversoldier]

It made too much sense and when viewed from that perspective, Sephiroth understood perfectly well why he had been chosen. Still, these beings were truly inept if they thought they could best him in combat. Kidnapping him was one thing but that would be another matter altogether.

"You may be right about that. Although," and he was referring mostly to himself but welcomed the extension to others, "that same selection tactic is what will ensure their downfall in the end."

As if to demonstrate this, Sephiroth grabbed the tongs and retrieved the heated scrap of metal from the forge once more. With his abilities, he made quick work of shaping it into a small blunt blade with the available tools. It would still need sharpening but--

"Does this suffice?" If so, he was prepared to dip it in the available water to cool it.