A Field Trip to the Research Towers

[original_is_best]

♥ Who: (Aerith - Receiving materials), Cloud, (Feanor), Gladio, Sephiroth, Tony, Verstael
♥ Where: The Research Towers
♥ When: M.E. 724-III-16th, 3-Dianir-20th (6-20-21)
♥ What: An bit of illegal research into the towers
♥ Rating: PG-13?

It started with what looked like the most bizarre field trip in history. A few boys who liked giant swords and open chests with an almost unassuming middle-aged man, and a fully geared Imperial scientist. They didn't blend in at all.

However, the lower parts of the tower were open to guests, and they always looked this crazy, and so they received no objections walking through the lower towers and took the elevators up to the student labs. They situated themselves near the separate elevators that went to the native research labs and, after some crazy-eyed ramblings about wanting to isolate the differences between the sources of life powering the men from different planets, the natives politely let them alone.

The eager departure of the native left them with silence. Only the humdrum of natives working in other rooms. Muffled and distant.

In that isolation Verstael regarded each man accompanying him - Cloud, Gladio, Sephiroth and Tony. Now it was time to get down to business.

"Show us your skill," he gestured toward Tony, facing the elevators. They had no keycards to proceed, so from here on out they were criminals. He would be there for backup, of course, but as with most expeditions he was following at the rear, mentally if not always physically. He placed himself by the elevator, hands and tools ready if needed.

To the others, "Perhaps it would be best to engage in some discussion so as not to draw attention to our quiet. We come from many worlds of many sources of life, so what say you of the man standing next to you: are they human or alien?"

This would, at least give Tony time to work with some sound covering it up.

Comments

[runs_on_batteries]

He'd told them to dress normally! He'd even gone over what normal was with pictures because he knew how dense Sephiroth could be. So why had everyone shown up wearing a damn dress? God help them, he had no idea!

Okay, maybe not everyone but still. Tony had, at least, dressed as inconspicuous as possible. Sadly, thanks to this crowd, he now stood out with his dark hoodie and casual, black sweats. The thick rimmed sunglasses weren't helping his look either.

"Gladly," Tony replied with a smirk. He kept his arm lower, partially concealed by the others as a metallic gauntlet quickly encased his hand. Subtly, he raised his hand and a very thin laser shot from his index finger, cutting through the outer panel of the elevator and making a small hole. Crouching down, he quietly asked, "Alright Friday, which wire is the lucky one?"

Lights reflected in the glasses he wore for a brief second before he flicked the laser to a particular wire. The elevator doors opened immediately afterward. "Someone hold that and the rest stay put!" He hissed the order.

Quickly, he used the same laser but on a weaker setting to weld the circle he'd cut out a few seconds ago back into place. "Okay now. Go!"

[callmegladio]

Gladio reached out a hand to hold the door open. He stood just to the side of Tony, out of the way but close enough to assist if needed. He was quiet, just watching what Tony was doing and waited patiently for the go ahead to move inside.

Even still, when Tony gave the order he remained where he was and gestured for the others to get in first. He'd keep a watch and follow at the rear. Watching everyone's backs was really all he could do. He wasn't able to hack computers or charm his way past security. Gladio's main priority was the safety of the group and those around them.

[silversoldier]

This was a long time coming and now that they were finally here, Sephiroth was quietly simmering. It wasn't quite tension but rather that coiled sense of readiness before a mission. He was prepared for whatever happened. Tony might have gotten him to wait and everyone around him might have filled his ears with their optimism about Havenwell but deep inside Sephiroth was still expecting the worst. These so-called gods and their followers were not benevolent. He wasn't sure what horrors awaited them but previous experience informed his perspective on the matter.

Sephiroth didn't bother with the small talk. It wasn't his forte nor was he usually counted upon for it on a mission like this. Instead he kept a covert eye on their surroundings for any threats before taking the lead by stepping into the elevator first. If there was anything unpleasant to be found, he would deal with it. Sephiroth gave the space a once over and finding nothing unusual turned and nodded once to his companions before stepping aside to let them enter. He intended to be first in front of the doors when they disembarked as well.

[original_is_best]

Though serious, Verstael didn't appear to be in any rush. He allowed others to take the lead, and went into the elevator just before Gladio did. For someone like him, it was best to allow someone to watch his front and his back, and there was no shame in taking sensible precautions.

"It may be redundant to say so, but from here we will be broaching uncharted territory. We've little information about what may come. I trust you will all be adaptable to whatever situation we may run into."

Perhaps a bit cocky for the least physically able to fight man on the team, but he was prepared for consequences and he didn't fear them anymore than he feared shoving a god of fire in his freezer. Sometimes danger went hand in hand with making progress.

Jailbirds [Header for any Jail Threads]

[runs_on_batteries]

[ooc: Please feel free to use this header to start your own jail threads or you are welcome to tag into mine.]

Re: Jailbirds [Header for any Jail Threads]

[runs_on_batteries]

Dear god he was bored. B.O.R.E.D. And angry.

He hadn't stopped complaining either since they got there either. Tony had bitched about guards, the laziness of everyone in the city, the jail cells, and whatever else he could think of. Oddly enough, he didn't say one negative thing about how their mission had gone down.

Tony stopped pacing and looked out the forcefield doors. He couldn't quite see the other cell but he'd tested the theory already and knew Cloud and Verstael could hear him alright. Still, it was annoying they were separated.

"Think these assholes will remember we eat something other than motor oil?" He asked loudly to no one in particular.

[original_is_best]

"Anything is possible," he answered, serious and having some levity at the same time. If the natives were going to starve them then, well, that would happen. He was a man of war, as were other people here. Starvation was nothing new. In particular, Niflheim had seen its fair share of famine.
It might have been the reason why he wasn't a particularly large man.

Verstael had some frustration that they hadn't gotten further, but they had retrieved and moved data to a safe location, and for the time being he was repeating what information he saw in his head in order to safely jot it down later. So he was calm. Very calm, unusually quiet, sitting, arms folded, not particularly focused on any object.

Information was key. He had to make sure he remembered all he could. Who knew how long it would be until they were released?

[runs_on_batteries]

"We don't eat motor oil!" Tony shouted and clenched his fists. He really wanted to hit something but he wasn't sure what would happen if he touched the forcefield and these metal walls would likely break his hand. The chances of him still doing that at some point this week were high, but he'd rather not do that the very first day.

Still, if they wanted to find a topic to make him start freaking out they'd found a good one. He started pacing again but this time with much more agitation than before. Squeezing his eyes shut, he took some deep breaths. Nope nope nope. He wasn't letting himself get pulled under. At least he wasn't bored anymore.

He needed to pick a new topic maybe. "Verstael! It's your job to annoy Cloud and Feanor over there for us. Think you can handle it?"

[silversoldier]

Sephiroth was used to people chattering at him nonstop thanks to his time with Zack. This and his unflappable nature allowed him the equanimity to deal with his constantly throbbing hand while Tony made his way down a laundry list of complaints.

The man had kept his word and that was what was important. So, Sephiroth listened without saying much of anything. He agreed with most of what Tony said anyway, but that didn't mean he was going to talk about it. Such wouldn't have been a productive use of his time.

No, Sephiroth was far more engaged in his internal world of rehashing the mission and planning next steps. This wasn't the place to talk about those either.

"They won't eliminate their energy source," he said, from his place leaning against the wall by the field trapping them inside. He would ordinarily have his arms folded across his chest but at present they were hanging by his sides.

[runs_on_batteries]

That was another reason for Tony's agitation. He wanted to talk about the mission and work out a plan. Unfortunately it wasn't possible given their surroundings which was downright annoying.

He knew they'd end up here though. He'd literally planned for it, particularly with keeping Katsuki out of their heist. The boy didn't need to end up back behind bars (or forcefields in this case) especially when Tony hadn't been sure the conditions they'd be in for the much more serious crimes. He was honestly pleasantly surprised, but he wasn't about to admit it.

No, the complaining and the agitation had a purpose and cause other than what it seemed. It wasn't exactly a conscious thing though. So mostly it was just coming off like he was being a royal dick.

"All they really would need to do is tie our hands to someone else's and they'd get their energy source," he pointed back. "That doesn't require giving us anything or much in a week's time. How's your hand?"

[silversoldier]

Sephiroth had never failed a mission nor left one as incomplete. At first he mistook the heaviness in his chest and limbs for the weight of that--he refused to say the word, even to himself. Then he recognized it for what it was. This was not the presence of something new but rather the opposite.

He was missing something.

Sephiroth punched the wall of the cell with enough force that it should have exploded outward and freed them. Instead, he heard the unmistakable crunch of bone and felt a surge of warmth and something else. Sephiroth removed his glove and stared down at his skinned knuckles and the fresh blood tracing the contours of his hand. He couldn't move his middle two fingers and after a moment he identified the curious sensation he was feeling as pain.

It had been so long...

[runs_on_batteries]

"Dammit Seph! What the actual fuck, you jackass?" Tony had been leaning against said wall, only a little closer to the forcefield and watched in horror as his dumbass of a friend turned his hand into an accordion.

As he came closer, he slapped the man in the back of his head. "How the hell am I supposed to explain that to Aerith?! I keep you safe during the whole mission and then let you do something this stupid as soon as we're in jail away from healers and potions?"

[original_is_best]

"I heard a thump. Did something happen?"

Verstael had been trying to concentrate and mostly ignoring Tony aggravating Cloud, but while he was sitting calmly with his eyes closed he had most definitely heard something in the other cell.

OTA for separate threads or one big thread or whatever floats your boat~

[connectsthedots]

Dot was no stranger to either side of the bars of a prison but this was (perhaps surprisingly) one of her first actual visits to the Havenwell facility. Having passed the security check and been briefed by the guards, she made a beeline towards a particular section. She was on A Mission.

"Good afternoon," she announces as she strides up to the cells, pacing by and glancing at each of them in turn. "I’m Dorothy Pratt, a reporter here in town. I see some familiar faces here as well as some new ones. It’s a pleasure to meet you all, despite the circumstances. You’re the ones responsible for that grave announcement over the network, correct?" There is an intensity and eagerness in her voice - maybe a touch of admiration, even. "Might I get a comment from you lot?"

She pulls a small notebook and pen from the breast of her jacket, prepared to take down information from any willing party.

(Edit, going to assume she was able to get in the next day)

[original_is_best]

Important information would not be given here, but Verstael was no stranger to things like news and politics. Both of which he wasn't necessarily a big fan of, save for a few highlights, but he wasn't shy about giving statements.

"You may. This is not my first day of wrongful imprisonment, but my seven hundredth and ninth day. Though you may plant a flower in a jail cell, it is a cell nonetheless. We are taken from our homes and held captive within alien walls to be used as an panacea. And for our efforts we are given the illusion of freedom. The freedom to peruse any building - of their choosing. To have as we desire - if we perform for them. To ask questions - to those who do not or can not give answers. To walk as we please - within boundaries.

"And to what end? What use have robots of flowers they cannot smell or beasts they need not eat? These are only of use to one who is organic, as they wish to be. But you cannot create something from nothing. If they wish to be organic, then there must be something organic to use as a starting point.

"And so I ask: where do they intend to get their samples from? And where are those who have disappeared?"

[connectsthedots]

Wow dang alright. Dot listens carefully, attentively writing down his every word (thank God for shorthand) with raised brows. His was a voice she recognized; they'd spoken before, though she'd never seen his face. Always an interesting phenomenon, that. He actually looked rather like she imagined. Once he finishes speaking, she flips back several pages in the book to consult previous notes. Let's see... Ah, there he was.

"You've quite a way with words... Research Chief Besithia, was it? Very compelling points." She smiles, genuinely impressed. "There was something you said that stood out to me, though." She shoots a sidelong glance towards the guards at the entry before leaning a little closer and continuing a little softer.

"Your theory, if you'll allow me to call it that, seems to hinge on the idea of the natives longing to return to their organic bodies. Is that actually the case? I've not heard of such a thing."

A little timey-wimey so they can do their own thread?

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony was lounging on a top bunk when she came by, one leg dangling off the side and his arms folded under his head. It was a rare moment when he at least appeared pseudo relaxed and not driving everyone in the entire building crazy. They'd just had lunch so he was in a good mood, what could he say?

Whatever the case, he looked over at her with curiosity. "A reporter, huh? I didn't realize there were any of our kind involved with the news besides gossiping and bitching."

Okay, not that good of a mood.

He hopped down and moved over to the forcefield wall. "Do you go by Dorothy or Dottie or what?" He asked. Had he answered her question? No, he most definitely had not.

works for meee~

[connectsthedots]

"Yes, though to the best of my knowledge, I'm the only one, I'm afraid." Dot didn't quite know what he meant by 'bitching' but she at least gathered he wasn't talking about making tea. "Preserving the truth falls squarely on my shoulders alone," she explained, a tiny grin tugging at the corner of her mouth as she watched this curious man make his way forward.

"Dorothy and Dot are both fine. And who might I have the pleasure of speaking with?"

[dontcallmebro]

"Nope."

That is all Dot gets, as she sees the mercenary leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and mako eyes frowning at her suspiciously. It's that journalist again. Is she really trying to get info from them? Here? Sure, she apologised for that article she wrote about him when the city's antics were affecting people again so there is a chance she might be acting in good faith. However, he doesn't know her well enough to be sure yet.

That and giving away what they found in the towers in this place would be an incredibly stupid idea.

[connectsthedots]

"Fair enough!" Dot chuckles faintly, having gotten about what she had expected from the rather brusque mercenary. It was only natural he'd be suspicious of her after what she'd done, not to mention the fact they were undoubtedly being spied on by the natives.

"I can't blame you for keeping quiet. I'd be much the same." Her eyes drift down the hallway to where the guards are stationed. Truly, this was troublesome. Their inorganic bodies eliminated human shortcomings like sleep deprivation and the need to use the toilet so chinks in the proverbial armor were few and far between. She sighs and flip forward a few pages of the notebook and begins to write, continuing to talk as she does so.

"I assure you, though, that my intentions are sound. I simply want to get as full a picture as I possibly can for everyone's sake." She turns the notepad around to face him. In small, neat letters the following message is written:

If you'd prefer to meet somewhere more discreet, once you're out, that can always be arranged. No one has to know.

Later in the week sometime

[runs_on_batteries]

"Hey Ver!" They were going on three days and seriously, it was getting really dull in here. That meant it was time to ask obnoxious questions, right? With no privacy, they were getting to know their cellmates on a level no one ever wanted so why not add to the horror? "Cloud! Which way do you boys swing over there?"

[original_is_best]

Verstael knew a lot of things, but being familiar with slang wasn't one of those.

"Swing...?"

He didn't often engage in combat, but if he was going to... "I suppose I would use my right hand if I needed to swing. However, I am usually not in combat, much less a melee combatant."

Visiting Sephiroth

[ancientflower]

Aerith stood in the centre of the room, arms folded across her chest and a look of mild irritation on her face. While she understood the need for it, being frisked three times for weapons and hidden items just bothered her. Especially when the robots hands were more grabby than they had any right to be. Aerith had left anything that might have been confiscated at home, including her Materia, just in case they decided to take it.

She was there to see Sephiroth. It was day three and she had finally been allowed inside, with a warning that they would be recorded and that their powers would be removed. Aerith didn't care. She just wanted to make sure Sephiroth was alright... And then she'd ask to see Cloud. But her thoughts right then were only on one man, and she wouldn't settle until she'd seen for herself that he was fine.

[silversoldier]

It was, perhaps, their third day there--time had ceased to matter to him the moment he lost his powers--when they came for him. Sephiroth shot a meaningful look to his cellmates before allowing the guards to handcuff him and take him away. The guards didn't know about his hand and he wasn't about to tell them. It was safely inside his glove and would remain there. Sephiroth had a high tolerance for pain and, depowered or not, he was still a SOLDIER par excellence. He would destroy his captors if they meant him harm.

Except they led Sephiroth not to his potential destruction but to a plain room where someone was waiting for him.

"Aerith?" There was nothing in his voice that gave away what she meant to him, but his pupils dilated at the mere sight of her and he couldn't control that. There was a table between them and he badly wanted to sweep it out of his way but he didn't. Instead he sat down and placed his hands on top of it. She was so close yet so far away...

To her he would appear like Sephiroth except tangibly less perfect than usual. For one thing, he was sweating. Sephiroth never sweat. For another, there were bags under his eyes and he never got those no matter how much he didn't sleep. All these subtle signs of humanity that he normally lacked were present as well as a certain tightening around his eyes. It would be all but invisible to anyone else except those who truly knew him.

[ancientflower]

Her impatient shifting stopped when the door open. Aerith froze, eyes trained on the door and the guard who stepped in... and behind him was the man she had been waiting for. She visibly relaxed when he appeared, a smile began to form, only for it to fade a moment later when he sat down after saying her name.

Sephiroth looked...

He didn't look well. Aerith shot the guard a glare, but he was already out of the door and the door had closed behind him. She almost yelled to call him back and explain, but realised how silly that would be. Instead she took up the seat opposite her boyfriend. For now she'd play their game.

"They wouldn't let me come sooner." Aerith apologised and stretched a hand across the table for one of his. "You..." She paused, rethought her words. Sephiroth wouldn't appreciate having his weakness pointed out. At all. So she changed track and smiled warmly for him. "I've missed you."