Welcome to Adventu, your final fantasy rp haven. adventu focuses on both canon and original characters from different worlds and timelines that have all been pulled to the world of zephon: a familiar final fantasy-styled land where all adventurers will fight, explore, and make new personal connections.
at adventu, we believe that colorful story and plots far outweigh the need for a battle system. rp should be about the writing, the fun, and the creativity. you will see that the only system on our site is the encouragement to create amazing adventures with other members. welcome to adventu... how will you arrive?
year 5, quarter 3
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[attr=class,bulk] Sephiroth stood at the edge of the trail, eyes closed, smelling the scents of late spring in the wilderness. This was a place close to nature, thriving in a way impossible on Gaia. He had been sent on missions across the continents, and always he was met with dry earth and withered life. Here, the air was clean. A wind came from the west, rustling through his hair with the scent of pine needles. There were flowers, too, late in bloom. Soon the seasons would change.
Sephiroth opened his eyes to watch over the trails. His presence was unnerving for the various civilians here, tourists mostly here camping and hiking. They avoided him, perhaps on instinct, perhaps only once they’d caught the blue-green glow of his eyes. And so he stood alone, watching the valleys beneath them, their verdant green carpet of leaves and foliage sullied only by the rushing tributaries of meltwater draining from the mountain into lakes and rivers and reservoirs. If it were not for the people and their eyes on his back, he could have considered this a peaceful place, much to his tastes. As it was, he knew he could only stay for a short time. This was Sonoran territory, and as he knew firsthand, that frozen city did not take kindly to disruption.
Yet here he was, back in the nation which had placed a bounty on his head. It was all because of Genesis and his whims. He’d insisted that they go together to the north to see the sights. He’d half expected it was a ruse so that Genesis could spend the days shopping in a true city not unlike Midgar where his cravings for culture could be indulged. They had yet to enter the city’s capital, however. Genesis, uncharacteristically, had been true to his word as of yet. They had visited the local hot springs and then they had traveled west to the camping grounds at what the locals called the Twin Loops Trail. They’d rented a cabin here because, as Genesis said, it was less expensive than a room elsewhere. Sephiroth didn’t ask about this nebulous “elsewhere” before Genesis had left him for something else which must have caught his eye.
Genesis had always been flighty. Even before he’d developed his wing.
Now Sephiroth was alone at this tourist trap, listening to the protests of children as they were sprayed down with bug repellant and the giggling of young couples out on a romantic getaway. There were picnics and wooden tables and campfires, all of it far too commercial and far too crowded besides. Instead, Sephiroth longed to release his grip on gravity and step weightlessly onto the surrounding treetops, stepping from perch to perch until he was well and truly alone, surrounded by nothing but nature and solitude.
Perhaps he would, under the cover of night and the dim quarter moon. Perhaps he would when there was no one to witness his differences to the average civilian and report them to waiting military forces within a city as hostile to those of power as Shinra had been to the Wutaian spies. Until then, he would wait. He would appreciate what he could, and he would fulfill his promise to Genesis that he would not attract attention even as he knew that his friend rarely fulfilled any promises in return.
It had been quite some time since Zack had woken up here, and his memory of his old life was slowly fading. He obviously remembered the big things, but the little things were getting harder and harder. He would never forget his parents, but he was getting used to his new life. There wasn't any fighting, not that he knew of anyways. No mad scientists, no Shinra, no war. It was peaceful now, and he had even had a good time with Genesis. He never thought that could ever happen.
Zack had hoped that he would have run into Cloud or Angeal by now, but to quote Loveless "the fates are cruel", or something like that. He had heard it a bunch, but it never really stuck into his head too well. Then again, he hadn't really gone looking for them either, so he really wasn't in a position to complain about not seeing them yet. Which is why he had finally gotten out of Sonora and started looking!
Okay, his search ended up on Genesis and now he was still somewhere on the mountain. He hadn't really gotten too far. He definitely planned on going further but some familiar silver hair caught his eye and he sprinted in that direction. He had just gotten there when Sephiroth...went up a tree. "Hey buddy. Whatcha doin' up there?" Zack was the only who had the guts to greet a war hero like that.
Not only was it Zack's personality to do that, but he was also trying to make sure the mood was light. Sephiroth was indeed a ticking time bomb, and he and the other First Class boys had no idea what was going to happen. Though in this world, there was no Jenova. Sephiroth could still get angry about how he came to be, so it was best to try not to talk about and keep the conversation as positive as possbile. Which was easy for Zack.
[attr=class,bulk] The day came and went. Evening took its place. Sephiroth spent that time uneventfully, seeking peace in this place of nature even if it did not provide him any solitude. Genesis did not return. Perhaps that was for the best. Without Angeal to mediate a truce between them, their interactions were always tense at best and violent at worst. Sephiroth preferred Genesis’ company in moderation. His friend was a firebrand, always following his passions wherever they might lead him which often clashed with Sephiroth’s cool and logical demeanor. He never knew when he might cross an invisible line and be met with Genesis’ wrath.
No, it was better that they part ways at a time like this. Genesis, following his whims. Sephiroth, seeking silence and peace of mind. As night fell and the tourists slowly made their way to their cabins, Sephiroth knew that it would not be long before he could secure his long-awaited isolation. He waited until the last campfire was extinguished and the campgrounds were shrouded in darkness before he made his move. Under the cover of night, he would not be noticed. With his eyes, more adjusted to the gloom than most, he had the tactical advantage.
Sephiroth gazed down upon the valley below him. The trees bristled in a smooth, shadowy carpet of deep green, sparkling with the last remnants of the winter snow. They called to him, and in that moment, Sephiroth could imagine himself nestled among their branches, surrounded by nature and life and the smell of pine needles. It would be a perfect place to clear his mind and so, with no eyes currently upon him, he hopped effortlessly over the safety rail, willed himself weightless, and stepped off the edge of the cliff.
Falling no longer held any meaning for him. It was a natural descent, as normal as walking. Unlike Genesis, he did not need to expand a wing to visualize the motion. Genesis thought of their shared power as flight. Sephiroth conceived it as a mastery over gravity. As he approached the treetops, he willed his momentum to slow until he landed safely and effortlessly atop their uppermost branches. He kept his concentration, willing himself light enough that the weaker branches would not buckle beneath his weight.
Sephiroth sighed, closing his eyes as he appreciated his new surroundings. This place smelled of earth and newly formed leaves. It enveloped him as deeply as the sound of crickets, the rustle of mice in the undergrowth, and the mournful calls of a distant owl. Yes, this was what he’d craved. It was a place for him and him alone, a place where no others had the power to reach. Here, beneath the dim light of the quarter moon, he would go unnoticed and unbothered by the civilian populations, always bustling, never stopping for a moment’s peace.
This was where he would find a peace of his own. And for a moment, Sephiroth was content.
That was, until he heard approaching footsteps through the woods. Heavy boots smashed the twigs and undergrowth that littered the forest floor. There must have been a hiking path nearby, and he could not help a twinge of annoyance at whatever intrepid hiker thought to disturb this place at such late an hour. Still, he knew that such distractions would pass. Sephiroth had the advantage of distance, standing at the full height of the treetops, and shrouded in the darkness of the quarter moon, he knew that no ordinary eyes would spot him. It would take someone with instincts and senses beyond that of an ordinary civilian to see through this gloom. Someone like…
”Hey buddy. Whatcha doin’ up there?”
Sephiroth’s lips pursed into a frown as he looked down at the path below him. A man stood there, unmistakably watching him. The man’s eyes glowed through the darkness. Mako eyes. At first glance, Sephiroth might have mistaken him for Angeal, but the voice was different. Familiar.
A SOLDIER. Sephiroth sighed. He didn’t know what twist of fate had brought them together here of all places, but he could not ignore someone who had once been under his command. Hesitantly, he stepped from the solitude of his treetop vantage point and landed effortlessly on the path below.
Here, he could see the SOLDIER better, and though his hair and uniform were different than he last remembered, he recognized the man all the same. ”Zack.”
Zack Fair. Sephiroth remembered him as young and excitable. His hair had been shorter then. His eyes had been bright with dreams he could not hope to accomplish. Still, he had shown promise. Angeal had taken the second-class SOLDIER under his wing like an apprentice. He’d shown potential for one day joining the ranks of first-class beside them. From the color of his sweater, it seemed that time had made truth of that potential.
Sephiroth wondered what holes his memory had left out. Zack had approached him far too…casually for the dynamic not to have changed between them. Perhaps they had worked together after Zack’s promotion. That seemed the most likely explanation.
”I could ask the same.” Sephiroth gestured to the abandoned hiking trail. From its unkempt state, it appeared to be less used than its cousins near the campground above. ”Were you...looking for me?”
Sephiroth had left the tree and was approaching Zack, and it was honestly pretty nerve wracking. Zack couldn't tell how his mood was, he never really could. Making sure to keep his breathing even, he hoped that the initial encounter would go smoothly and that Sephiroth would at least not hate him or anything. Though now that he remembered, this Sephiroth barely knew him. He hadn't made First Class yet, hadn't gone on any missions with Sephiroth, or anything like that. They were basically strangers.
His name was spoken, so Sephiroth at least knew who he was. Then again, he was friends with Angeal and Angeal was Zack's mentor so that did make sense. Also meant that he would know that Angeal called him puppy, so that was great. He really hoped Sephiroth would see him as more than that, that Angeal had at least mentioned that he was doing well in SOLDIER. The last thing he needed was Sephiroth treating him like a child.
"Uh, no I wasn't. I'm here traveling and decided to check out the area." It was definitely a little strange to be able to go out and about without the fear of monsters popping out of nowhere every five minutes. There was no war to be fought, no one needed to use them as weapons. It was an uneasy feeling, but it was relaxing as well. There was no reason to constantly be on edge, wondering what would come after him next or where he would be sent.
Now that he had run into Sephiroth, Zack had no idea what to say. "So, how long have you been here on Zephon?" There, that seemed like a good question to ask. In his mind, the longer Sephiroth had been here and stayed sane, the more hopeful it might be that he wouldn't go insane again. Not having Hojo's lab here and all the files on him would probably help as well, along with Genesis and Angeal. It was all going to be fine...right?
[attr=class,bulk] Zack seemed nervous. Uncomfortable though, as Sephiroth recalled, it had been Zack who had called to him. Interesting. Though Zack tried to hide his discomfort, Sephiroth caught his slightly uneven breaths and the way his eyes flickered as though trying not to stare. He was afraid. Of what, Sephiroth couldn’t say, though if he had to guess, he would place it as the same fear that all the others had shown.
Apparently, Sephiroth had snapped in a remote mountain village and burned it to the ground.
Apparently, Sephiroth had become a sort of monster threatening the planet itself through means he could not understand.
If that was so then why did Zack not attack him on sight? Why did he not flee? Instead, he seemed insistent on acting casual like a child caught disobeying an order.
Zack insisted that he had not been searching for him, but had merely come down this nearly abandoned path at night by coincidence. Sephiroth weighed the likelihood of Zack’s honesty. In all other cases, he would have placed it at nearly nothing, but he sensed no falsehood in his words, and Zack, as he recalled, had always been earnest above all else. In truth, he felt something tugging at the back of his mind. It was a feeling that he could not name and that was perhaps beyond description, but it was the same he felt when Angeal or Genesis were near.
They had found each other by mere coincidence as well. Could this seeming coincidence not be driven by the same nameless force?
There was a short pause before Zack added more. In that pause, Sephiroth scrutinized him more closely. He noted a scar on the man’s left cheek that he could not recall before. Along with his change of uniform, Zack had changed his weapon as well. Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed at the familiar form carried on Zack’s back. The Buster Sword.
But why…? And how…?
”So,” Zack asked as though searching for the words, ”How long have you been here on Zephon?”
It was as though Zack were asking him about the weather in the halls of Shinra Tower. Sephiroth had never been one for idle chatter in the best of times. These were not the best of times.
”Long enough,” he answered simply. His eyes flicked once again to the sword on his back. ”That’s Angeal’s,” he said, though that much, he assumed, was obvious. ”He would never give it away.”
Post by Zack Fair on Sept 16, 2023 14:03:29 GMT -6
WOULD YOU SAY I BECAME A HERO?
Sephiroth had never been one for words, and Zack, well he liked all the words. Silence made him uncomfortable, and sometimes made him think that the person didn't want to talk to him or that he was intruding. He didn't really think any of those things with Sephiroth, mainly due to the fact that he knew that was just how the First Class was. Zack liked to believe that Sephiroth enjoyed being around others, but since he really hadn't been growing up, he didn't know how to act. Zack was aware of that, so he didn't really push for excessive chatting.
As a First Class himself, Zack did notice that Sephiroth seemed to be looking at his face, mainly his left cheek. It had dawned on Zack just then that he did look different than Sephiroth last saw him. He hoped that he looked more muscular and defined so that Sephiroth could actually notice that he had come a long way since their last meeting in his memory. The last thing he needed was for Sephiroth to just wave him off because he was too inexperienced or anything like that.
Zack then noticed Sephiroth was looking at the Buster Sword. He figured that would come up quite a bit, given there was apparently now three of them on Zephon. Sephiroth gave a short answer, and before Zack could even respond, he followed up with a statement about the Buster Sword. That didn't surprise Zack, given Sephiroth was Angeal's friend. This Sephiroth in particular didn't know that Angeal had died, and that Zack was the one who had done it.
Well, this was awkward. Zack scratched the back of his head. "Yes, that is correct. It's, a little complicated." To be honest, Zack wasn't sure how much he should say about the whole thing. He really didn't want to be part of the reason Sephiroth started thinking about the past. Then again, he didn't just want to say nothing either. Zack wasn't the best with serious conversations, but this one was turning out to be the worst one to figure out.
"To keep it simple, in the other world, Angeal was killed. He told me to take it before he died. So, now I have it." Zack knew that Cloud had fought Sephiroth in this world already, so Sephiroth would also know that there was a third here as well. Unless everything happened so quickly that he didn't see it. Oh man, where were Genesis and Angeal when he needed them?
[attr=class,bulk] Fair looked uncomfortable as he searched for words, rubbing at the back of his neck in an obvious tell. Sephiroth remained impassive, watching him and the sword with the same cold scrutiny as before. Zack didn’t want to talk about the Buster Sword. That much was obvious as he bought for time, merely stating that it was complicated before pausing again.
Sephiroth watched him.
Zack wracked his brain for the right words.
And Sephiroth continued to watch.
Finally, the other Soldier spoke. ”To keep it simple, in the other world, Angeal was killed. He told me to take it before he died. So now I have it.”
Sephiroth’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t need prior knowledge of Angeal’s past to sense that Zack was hiding something. His own intuition told him that. Zack had used the passive tense, ’Angeal was killed,’ rather than expose the supposed killer. He brushed aside Angeal’s last words and seemed curt with the ending. Sephiroth was no interrogator. He left those matters to the Turks, but even he could sense a lie in the making.
And as it was, he did happen to have prior knowledge to dispute him.
”Genesis said that Angeal committed suicide,” he said coolly. Could it be that Zack was trying to shield Sephiroth from such a distasteful truth? Possibly. But this was not a point that Sephiroth wished to debate. Genesis had said, again and again, that Angeal had “left him.” Genesis was known for his theatrics, but on this, Sephiroth believed him whole-heartedly.
”Who was it that killed him? And why did you inherit his sword?”
Why was it not Genesis who had taken it, Angeal’s best friend, to properly lay it to rest in a manner as respectful as Angeal would have wished for the greatest symbol of his honor? Why had Shinra not collected it upon discovering his friend’s body? In short, why should Zack of all people be worthy of wielding such a precious blade?
Sephiroth’s fingers twitched with the desire to test Zack’s worth. To reclaim the blade that should not have been his by right. But he stayed his hand, his patience waning as he waited for a suitable response.
Nothing in their interaction had, so far, given him reason to trust the eager young Soldier.
To say Zack was nervous was the understatement of the year. To just be watched by Sephiroth while he was trying to come up with the right words only made it harder to come up with ANY words at this point. Sephiroth had been much easier to be around when they were trying to help out Angeal and Genesis, why was it so nerve wracking now? Maybe it was because they were after the same thing back then and were working together. Now this was Zack trying not make everything worse.
When Sephiroth narrowed his eyes, Zack wanted to turn and just run to be honest. This was a man that could kill him in one swing, and here he was stumbling over his words just to tell him about one of his good friends being killed. Zack was not good with being under pressure like this. To go through training for SOLDIER? Easy. This was something else entirely for Zack, as he wasn't the best at having serious conversations.
Sephiroth stated that Genesis had told him Angeal committed suicide and Zack gave a nod. "Yes, that is true, in a way. He knew he was dying, so he fused together with his copies and attacked me. I was the one that killed him." This was definitely one of the biggest pieces of information that Zack had ever given to someone, and of all people, it had to be said to Sephiroth. He might die again today.
Well, he had already come this far. "After the battle, he was lying there. He said 'You have my thanks. This is for you.', and handed me the Buster Sword. He said 'Protect your Honor, always.' I'm not sure why he picked me of all people, but that's what happened." Zack knew there was a chance that Sephiroth might not believe him, but he had told the truth.
Angeal had been the best mentor Zack could have ever hoped to have, and he even considered him to be a good friend. That still didn't explain why he was left with the Buster Sword. "I know we didn't know each other, but I learned a lot from Angeal and I would have never made it to First Class without him. I didn't want to do it, but I had no choice." Angeal had made the choice himself, and there was nothing else Zack could do to stop him.
[attr=class,bulk] ”Copies?” Sephiroth’s eyebrows raised – the only sign of his surprise. Had Genesis mentioned…copies? Zack had dropped the word so casually. As though it was something obvious and understood. Angeal had “fused with his copies.” Sephiroth’s mind raced to make sense of this information, and it did not have to travel far.
”Copying technology…It was developed in the Shinra science department…” He muttered it more to himself than Zack who, it seemed, was intimately familiar with the process already. Sephiroth had seen the hideous results of the experimentation during his time with Hojo. Had Angeal stolen the technology to create such a thing? No. That seemed least believable of all.
Angeal’s honor would never allow it. He would never steal such a cursed experimentation, let alone use it for himself…
But Zack told the truth of Angeal’s death. There was no reason for him to lie when Zack himself had delivered the killing blow. And Angeal’s last words…
Thanking him. Asking him to protect his honor. Those were…in character for Angeal.
Sephiroth’s stomach turned. He felt suddenly nauseous with both confusion and understanding. He could so easily imagine it – Angeal bleeding out on the ground, begging his protege to uphold his honor. Bestowing upon Zack the sword that meant everything to him. Was it in thanks for carrying out his last wishes? Had Angeal sought death in his shame? That his honor had broken so far as to…
Create copies. That part he still couldn’t imagine.
Zack was uncomfortable. Sephiroth felt somehow…accustomed to SOLDIER’s constant shifting and fidgeting. Somewhere within him, Sephiroth felt something like guilt for placing such pressure upon him. He had grown tired of feelings that he couldn’t understand.
”Keep it,” he said simply. His eyes flicked to the Buster Sword once more, a symbol of his friend and everything he had believed in, before they turned to the sky. ”It was his to give away.”
Sephiroth felt somehow empty as he watched the sky, vast and starry away from the lights of the city. Angeal had been left with no honor of his own. And so he had given it to Zack instead.
”Tell me something,” Sephiroth went on, pausing for only a moment as he formulated his words. ”Were we…friends?”
Zack gave a nod. "Yes, Angeal was able to make copies as well. Though, they weren't "people" like Genesis had. He basically just copied his face onto monsters." For now, Zack was going to avoid that Lazard had turned into an Angeal copy. That piece really didn't matter in thie situation. The conversation was already derailed, and Zack was sure he was probably saying too much, but he wasn't sure Sephiroth would let him walk away without the information, so it was now or never. He would take the lashing from Genesis and Angeal if needed later.
It was then that it dawned on him. This Sephiroth wasn't there for any of that. There was a chance he didn't even know that Genesis had made copies of himself too. Zack was digging himself a hole, and he was sure it was his grave at this point. He hated to relive all of it, but he didn't have too much of a choice. "Yes. Genesis teamed up with Hollander." Zack was starting to get uncomfortable, and he didn't want to tell too much and have Sephiroth think too much into it. "Though I'm sure he's told you that? If he hasn't, I think that's something he should tell you about."
How Sephiroth would take that statement was to be seen. Though Sephiroth seemed to be distracted by what Zack had told him about Angeal's death. Would he believe him? He barely knew Zack, there was definitely a good chance that he wouldn't. Zack was sure he might be sweating because he was very nervous right now. He was a trained fighter, yes. This was Sephiroth though, and that was someone he definitely couldn't win in a fight against.
Zack didn't say anything, but instead gave a nod when Sephiroth said to keep it, then let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. Sephiroth seemed to believe him, so far at least. Zack then realized that it would really suck to be here surrounded by your friends, but they all had lives after you were taken. They did things that you didn't remember, and you were involved. To hear of everything that happened by word of mouth. He felt bad for Sephiroth.
The next question took Zack by surprise. Sephiroth asked if they had been friends, and Zack had to think. "I like to think we were, or we were heading in that direction. We went on a mission together, and also tried to search for Angeal and Genesis together as well." If things hadn't of gone so horribly wrong, they could have gotten closer.
