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
Welcome one and all to our beautiful new skin! This marks the visual era of Adventu 4.0, our 4th and by far best design we've had. 3.0 suited our needs for a very long time, but as things are evolving around the site (and all for the better thanks to all of you), it was time for a new, sleek change. The Resource Site celebrity Pharaoh Leep was the amazing mastermind behind this with minor collaborations from your resident moogle. It's one-of-a-kind and suited specifically for Adventu. Click the image for a super easy new skin guide for a visual tour!
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[attr=class,lyric1]infinite in mystery is the gift of
[attr=class,lyric2]the goddess
[attr=class,bulk] Caius mentioned that he knew some good polishing techniques to reduce the wear and tear that weapons took. Genesis would need to direct Angeal his way just for that honestly. Even if his friend didn’t turn out to be interested in the job offer, Genesis would pay good money just to get him to worry less about that sword of his. Dreams and honor were supposed to be a metaphor, not something you assigned a physical representation to, ugh. Also it would be nice if Angeal felt like he could use his sword outside of emergencies. Even if everything seemed to be an emergency lately.
Caius also expressed that sprouting a wing sounded painful, to which Genesis just uttered a dry laugh. Getting his shoulder split open by Angeal’s broken sword had certainly hurt, but the wing that had grown through the wound had been nothing short of excruciating. He didn’t really desire to relive that night though. Particularly not once Hollander had found him. He’d barely even mentioned it to Angeal or Sephiroth, and certainly not with all the gory details.
The blond man seemed a bit baffled at his sudden outburst, muttering that his wing still looked cool. The compliment made Genesis work even faster on the buckle, and it was only once he was hovering in place over the ocean that he realized his mistake. Caius seemed pretty quick on the uptake at least, shooting some kind of signal flare high into the sky before he went rocketing towards the water. Genesis had no idea who he was trying to signal, considering that no one could possibly help if they were all the way on the island or the boat. Really, the only one close enough who could do anything was Genesis himself, but he was spared from having to act the hero.
An animal rushed by him at such high speed that he was briefly blown off course. A few stray black feathers floated down towards the ocean as he righted himself and glared up at the blue blur that had nearly crashed into him. Surprisingly, it was a dragon of all things, but before Genesis could wonder if he needed to go fetch his materia, Caius was clambering onto the thing’s back. He even praised it for saving him, and the signal flare that he had shot off before falling suddenly made a lot more sense.
“Excuse you!” Genesis yelled down at the pair. “Why do you have a giant lizard?” Perhaps he should have apologized first, but the red-head rarely admitted fault. He wasn’t about to start now.
[attr=class,lyric1]infinite in mystery is the gift of
[attr=class,lyric2]the goddess
[attr=class,bulk] Caius said it was refreshing to hear how the three of them had found each other here, before admitting that he hadn’t had anyone from his world here on Zephon for a while. That did sound rather lonely actually. Even outside of his two best friends, Genesis had run into Zack twice now. It turned out that his company wasn’t the worst in small doses. “I guess I’m lucky to have them here, but don’t repeat that. I have a reputation to uphold,” he said, being a little dramatic on purpose as he looked away and flipped his hair. He could already see Angeal’s knowing smile and Sephiroth’s faint little smirk if they knew. Infuriating.
Caius outlined exactly what kind of job he was offering Angeal. Apparently he ran a mercenary guild down in Torensten, and Genesis groaned at the description. “Oh, a do-good fighter for hire sounds right up his alley. Just don’t expect him to use his sword unless it’s serious. He has a thing about rust.” He really could be ridiculous about that sword, but Genesis knew why it was important to him, so he didn’t tease him about it too much. Usually. Sometimes his restraint snapped.
Genesis actually laughed when Caius said that he hoped to confine his moments of emotional outburst to stubbing his toe instead of mutilating someone in front of a young woman. “Same difference,” he said with a nonchalant shrug, though his lips twitched a bit to show he knew that was ridiculous. He immediately faltered though when Caius referred to his wing as an angel’s wing. That…wasn’t something that had been levied at him before. At Angeal certainly, but white wings tended to inspire awe in people, while something about the darker color of his own wing seemed to inspire mainly fear. He also said that he didn’t have to talk about it if he didn’t want to, which made the ex-SOLDIER purse his lips. “Shinra science at its finest,” he said a bit dryly. “It would have been nice to know before I sprouted it in the night.” Still, the blond man’s description of his wing as cool-looking unsettled Genesis, who wasn’t used to hearing it. As usual, his confusion reared its head in the form of rage. “Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost, wings stripped away, the end is nigh.”
His simmering continued as Caius explained the goddess Etro to him. How he wasn’t sure if this was where the souls of the dead came to rest or if he was meant to take some sort of test. He looked so down at the prospect of wondering what he was meant to be doing that Genesis finally reached his limit. “Ugh, shut up, you’re obviously worthy! And this isn’t an angel’s wing.” Reaching down he undid the buckles keeping him strapped to the harness, and the effect was fairly immediate. The wind caught in his outstretched wing and wrenched him backwards out of the harness until he was falling towards the ocean. He managed to catch himself and hover in place before impact, but judging from the commotion on the boat, he wasn’t supposed to have done that. Come to think of it, hopefully Caius was still strapped in. Those buckles had just been for his own harness, right?
[attr=class,lyric1]infinite in mystery is the gift of
[attr=class,lyric2]the goddess
[attr=class,bulk] Everything that Caius outlined from his meeting with Angeal certainly sounded like his best friend. “Ugh, that’s definitely him. He’s too much of a gentleman for his own good if you ask me. And of course he’s the one who ended up with the white wing.” Genesis shook his own black one for emphasis even though it really wasn’t needed. Caius had eyes.
The blond man had apparently also been considering offering Angeal a job, which made Genesis chuckle. Of course his best friend made a good impression with this world’s heroes too. “Well maybe you’re in luck if you’ve been looking for him. Seeing as I live with him and all.” A recent development, and Genesis had been avoiding their apartment like the plague, so that was more of a technicality than anything else at this point. “And I doubt he’d care if you have some kind of rivalry with Sephiroth’s employer. Just don’t tell them to fight each other. Sephiroth would win.” He was always begrudging to admit that Sephiroth was the strongest of the three of them, but it was a little easier when he didn’t have to put himself in the equation at all.
Caius shared a little more about why he was feeling guilty over killing the slaver, and Genesis tilted his head at the revelation that the beheading hadn’t quite been as clean as it had initially sounded. “Oh, that is extra. Good for you though. We’ve all been there,” he said, seemingly unaware that none of that would be as comforting as he meant it. “I’d say losing control of your emotions is human, wouldn’t you? Maybe the only human part left of me.” Shinra had certainly done their best to turn them into monsters. Maybe that had only failed with Angeal when it came down to it.
The blond man replied equally sarcastically that he hadn’t given him his life story—the full version would take all day. Genesis actually laughed at that, since it was the kind of dry joke that was right up his alley. “Well don’t try it, or I swear I’ll pop the sail,” he threatened lightly. It was mostly a joke, but that would be a little funny. Caius wouldn’t be hurt or anything, but he would get rather wet. Genesis himself could probably fly away before they crash landed in the ocean.
Caius confirmed that he had died before coming here, and to the SOLDIER’s delight, he seemed to actually be a little thoughtful about Genesis’ comment that the goddess had spared him. Apparently there was a goddess of death worshiped back in his own world. “Oh, now that’s interesting. Does she guide your souls to the beyond? If so, then maybe she really does have plans for you.” The goddess Minerva had prevented him from entering the lifestream after all and returned him to his body after Zack had struck him down. To be honest he wasn’t entirely sure why, given that he had just woken up on Zephon once Zack had left him behind, but perhaps she had something in mind for him here as well.
“When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, the goddess descends from the sky. Wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting.” He was more musing aloud than anything else, but he thought the prologue to Loveless was rather appropriate right now.
[attr=class,lyric1]infinite in mystery is the gift of
[attr=class,lyric2]the goddess
[attr=class,bulk] Caius said that he’d take the Angeal comparison as a compliment since he’d seemed nice, and Genesis responded without really thinking at first. “He is, but that’s hardly the point.” Then the man’s words actually sunk in, and the volatile red-head immediately rounded on him. “Excuse you? And how exactly do you know Angeal?” The dark-haired man had been on Zephon for quite a while before they’d found each other, so it wasn’t out of the question that he’d met Caius before. Genesis certainly wouldn’t know—things had been rather awkward between the two of them considering Angeal’s suicide via attacking Zack.
The blond man also seemed a little struck by his admission that he wasn’t very good at being good. Which may have been an understatement all things considered, but oh well. Genesis glanced over at Caius when he mused that it was hard to act on behaviors that weren’t often extended to you personally. The ex-SOLDIER had a hard time poking fun at that one, so he responded a little more seriously for a change. “Well, Angeal managed, so I’m afraid I have little excuse.” They’d had a similar upbringing after all, outside of the amount of money their families had.
His somber mood didn’t last for very long though, because he couldn’t sit there and listen to Caius worry about whether or not he should have killed someone any longer. “I’m sorry, you’re having second thoughts over decapitating a slaver? Please. Stop pretending you’re not a hero before I slap you.” He really had the gall to be out here acting like he’d done something wrong for killing one of the villains of his story. “Not everyone can be redeemed you know.” Even Zack had sent him to the lifestream. It was only by the grace of the goddess that he was sitting here now. Or floating here now, as it were. They were in fact still parasailing.
Caius also clarified his stance on Sonora a bit. Evidently his family had been imprisoned once, so while he wanted nothing more than to help everyone trapped in that same situation, he felt he needed to do it the right way. Genesis pursed his lips a bit and glanced to the side. “I didn’t ask for your life story,” he muttered, but it lacked his usual venom. It was more him being petty than anything. “But the thing about power is that everyone loses it eventually. Sonora’s fall is as inevitable as Shinra’s. We just may not be around to see it.” As irritating as it was that Shinra was forever out of reach to him now.
Caius briefly mentioned what had happened to him before coming here, which made Genesis quirk an eyebrow. “Ah, you’re one of the dead ones.” He wasn’t shocked or anything given that his two best friends had both seemingly risen from the dead as well. “There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the goddess. Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds.” A worthy Loveless quote for the occasion, if he did say so himself. “I suppose the goddess has plans for you yet.”
[attr=class,lyric1]infinite in mystery is the gift of
[attr=class,lyric2]the goddess
[attr=class,bulk] Caius actually laughed when Genesis complained about not getting a rise out of him, which made the red-haired SOLDIER scowl out at the ocean as if it had personally wronged him. The hero also seemed pretty amused when he was told to read the room, pointing out that Genesis was the one trying to rile him up. “To my utter failure apparently. By the goddess, you’re like Angeal,” he said with a groan. It may not have seemed like an insult considering that Angeal was one of his best friends, but said best friend was also patient and bone-headed to a fault. It was definitely meant as an insult.
Oh. Oh no, Caius was sympathizing with him. Why did heroes have to be so understanding? Here all Genesis was trying to do was poke holes in his armor, and Caius had the audacity to try to be a good person back at him? That was no fun at all. “I don’t need your pity,” he grumbled, coming off like a petulant teenager as he sank lower in his bindings. “And I know that! Zack and I already did this whole song and dance routine. I’m not even dying anymore. I’m just not very…good at being good.” That was more insightful than Genesis usually was about himself. Honestly though, what chance had he really had in life? There were the rich neglectful “parents” that Shinra had found for him, countless atrocities that Shinra had ordered SOLDIER to commit during the Wutai war, and then everything with Jenova. That really set the bar for goodness pretty low. At least he wasn’t out here being a serial killer! Er. People who may have died in the manor fire aside. Oh well.
Caius seemed to take the possibility of banding together a group of people who could take down Sonora seriously. At least for the long-term, since he expressed that he had too much on his plate right now to commit the resources that would be needed. Almost as an afterthought, he also added that he was used to making sacrifices, which made Genesis quirk an eyebrow. “Seen your share of war too, have we? Maybe you’re more of the tragic hero variety.” And then, because that practically demanded a Loveless quote, he added on a piece of poetry. “When the war of the beasts brings about the world’s end, the goddess descends from the sky.”
[attr=class,lyric1]infinite in mystery is the gift of
[attr=class,lyric2]the goddess
[attr=class,bulk] Caius agreed that human entrails didn’t smell particularly well, but he was so utterly calm about it that Genesis groaned and melted further into his seat. “Does anything rile you up? Or are you all monotone all the time? Because I’m starting to lean towards the second.” Genesis liked to think that he could carry a conversation by himself, but it was always nice to have some validation that his remarks were getting to people. Caius didn’t seem inclined to give that to him though.
Even worse, he asked for more details about why the word ‘degrade’ specifically had set him off. The ex-SOLDIER scowled over at him in answer. “Read the room, Caius,” he complained with a wave of his hand. Then again, not everyone was the best at that. Sephiroth was absolutely terrible at picking up subtext, and it wouldn’t really surprise him if the blond man was in the same boat. Pun intended of course. It fit their current situation a little too well.
“Shinra didn’t exactly create me to last,” he relented, brushing a stray feather off his shoulder as if he didn’t care at all about what he was saying. Funny how deep everything could still cut even when he was no longer degrading. The goddess had seen to that, but it didn’t change how disposable he’d been to them. “I suppose it takes a pile of failed experiments before you get a success. And they called us monsters.” Not a wrong assessment perhaps. Genesis was more than self-aware about his lack of humanity, but they needed to look in the mirror sometimes. Glass houses and all that.
Surprisingly, Caius admitted that he had thought about the possibility of overthrowing Sonora before. He didn’t think he could do it himself though, because the potential for civilian casualties was too high. Genesis could have taunted him for being too afraid of doing the hard stuff, but instead it prompted him to remember the final lines of Loveless that he’d penned himself. A fitting end to the epic poem, in his opinion. “To become the dew that quenches the land. To spare the sands, the seas, the skies. I offer thee this silent sacrifice.”
He shrugged afterwards, knowing that he himself hadn’t lived up to that very much. Not during his rebellion against Shinra at least. “Bystanders always die in wars. But I suppose if enough of you heroes got together, then you might be able to minimize it. Who can say?” It sounded like something Zack would want too, at least.
[attr=class,lyric1]infinite in mystery is the gift of
[attr=class,lyric2]the goddess
[attr=class,bulk] Caius did a good job of keeping his cool, despite Genesis’ efforts to poke at him. Ugh, that was no fun at all. Though in hindsight, maybe that was for the best when his sword and coat were back on the ship along with all his materia. He had his strength and his wing of course, but he didn’t particularly like his chances in a fight when he was currently without either weapon or magic. Oh well, Zack had improvised against his copies once with a beach umbrella. Genesis supposed that he could do the same even if it wasn’t particularly dignified.
Either way, Caius responded rather tersely that he only killed when he had to before asking why exactly Genesis had gotten so riled up. The ex-SOLDIER just rolled his eyes at the accusation that he had been about to try and gut him. “Please, I’d never kill you like that. Do you know how awful human entrails smell? That’s entirely too messy,” he complained as he leaned on one hand again to consider the horizon. Parasailing was much less work than flying, but the wind whipping through his hair really did feel similar.
Still, he pursed his lips as he debated whether or not to answer the blond man’s question. It wasn’t as if it really mattered anymore. Not after the goddess had cured him with a little help from Zack. “Degrade,” he finally muttered, his eyes still on the ocean. “I thought you’d been talking to someone.” Most likely Zack or Angeal. Sephiroth wasn’t likely to interact with strangers, and even less likely to spill someone else’s business. Their friendship had been strained over the years, but it was one of the best parts about the silver-haired man honestly.
Caius looked a little disgusted as Genesis listed off a bullet point version of what Shinra had been up to. That was one thing they could both agree on then at least. After a moment, Caius even made the comparison between Shinra and Sonora, which made Genesis scowl in a way that wasn’t directed at the blond man for once. “I don’t think the similarities are lost on anyone from Gaia,” he agreed with a toss of his short hair. “When the war of the beasts brings about the world’s end, the goddess descends from the sky.”
He was mostly just waxing poetic, but that was an interesting thought.
“Seeing as we can’t dismantle Shinra anymore, perhaps Sonora would be a cathartic replacement,” he said with a chuckle as he glanced over at his sailing companion. “I doubt that even you heroes could be too mad about that?”
[attr=class,lyric1]infinite in mystery is the gift of
[attr=class,lyric2]the goddess
[attr=class,bulk] When Genesis rounded on Caius, he was a little taken aback at how immediately the other man looked ready for a fight. Well now that was a fascinating subconscious reaction. He filed that away for later as the blond man seemed to come back to himself before blinking at Genesis in confusion. Caius was either back-tracking heavily or his words really had been innocent, and somehow Genesis doubted that he was a good enough actor to pull off the first.
With a sigh that was almost a huff, Genesis relented with a wave of his hand. “Be more careful with your word choice, or you’ll run into trouble. You’re lucky I’m in a good mood on vacation.” Even if it was accidental, he really didn’t appreciate being reminded of his degradation and how he’d had to rely on Zack at the end. It sounded like Caius aspired to do what Zack had done for him in regards to other people though. A very quiet part of Genesis was a little touched at the idea, but the much louder side of him wanted to ruin the blond man’s day now. Easy enough given what the man had just shown him.
“That was a good look for you though. Very brooding,” the red-haired man flaunted as he leaned back on one hand to consider him. “Killed more than a few people in our time, have we?” If he was anything like Zack then he likely wouldn’t want to be reminded much of that. “Don’t worry, I admire a hero who can live in the grey a little. We all know that some people just deserve to die.” Maybe he was laying it on a bit thick, but he was out to needle the man, damn it. And if it ended in some kind of parachute sword fight, then that was still less stupid than some of the missions Shinra had sent him on.
Caius also admitted that he was more than aware that not everyone would appreciate what he did for them, and Genesis squinted a little at the way he got quiet, like his kindness had been taken advantage of before or something. “Ugh, stop being likable. I hate it,” he complained, before scowling as the topic also turned to Shinra. “Oh really? I suppose you’ve gotten the usual spiel? Child soldiers, human experimentation, killing the planet, blah, blah, ex cetera, ex cetera?” Despite his bored tone, his wing swept outwards a bit in an agitated manner, and the force knocked them slightly off course as the parasail drifted a bit more towards the beach than the boat had likely intended. Oops.
“When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, the goddess descends from the sky.” Perhaps a bit literally.
[attr=class,lyric1]infinite in mystery is the gift of
[attr=class,lyric2]the goddess
[attr=class,bulk] Caius said that he’d rather be the hero of someone else’s story than his own, which made Genesis chuckle as he leaned over on one hand to consider the scenery. “Then you’re absolutely the hero variety.” It sounded like something Zack would say. The other first-class SOLDIER had frequently declared that his goal was to become a hero, but Caius didn’t seem quite that lame at least. Genesis had brought it up first in this case after all.
Still, the blond man did open up a bit about his reasoning for wanting to be a hero to other people, even if he kept the mentions of his past vague. It was still enough to piece together that his king had made quite the impact on his life, which had probably influenced that outlook of his. Genesis didn’t particularly enjoy helping people enough to agree, but it wasn’t the worst argument for wanting to be a hero that he’d ever heard. At least until the word ‘degrade’ made him whip his head around to give the man a furious look.
“Who put you up to this? Zack?” He either knew more about Genesis than he had been letting on, or the red-head was about to slap him upside the head and tell him to never use that word again. “Ugh I suppose it would be rich for me to disagree after how our story ended, but you won’t always find that path rewarding. Humans are notoriously ungrateful.” Scowling, he brushed a stray feather off of his shoulder before squinting up suspiciously at the parasail above them. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about relying on something else to keep him in the air.
Caius shared that he was from some place called Eos, which earned a blank look from Genesis. “Honestly? Never heard of it.” Apparently he’d managed to never run into a single person from that world yet, which was a little funny at this point. Ah well, maybe there weren’t many of them here on Zephon. Moving on to Gaia, the SOLDIER’s expression immediately turned back into a scowl when Caius said that he’d heard of it before, and mostly in regards to Shinra. “Then they’re absolutely not worth hearing about again. I’d hate to overstate their importance.”
Alright, perhaps they were rather important to the history of Gaia, but they also tended to ruin everything they touched, and they were certainly the villain to Genesis’ own story. He only regretted that his rebellion hadn’t done enough to ruin them before his degradation had worsened. And now they were a world away—completely untouchable. It was galling.
“My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment to find the end of the journey in my own salvation, and your eternal slumber,” Genesis quoted idly, since he’d often found comfort in that line in regards to him and Shinra.
[attr=class,lyric1]infinite in mystery is the gift of
[attr=class,lyric2]the goddess
[attr=class,bulk] Caius had a fairly simple answer for why he’d pledged his service, which was that his king had apparently saved his life. “Ah, the infuriatingly noble type. I bet you’re the hero of your story too,” Genesis said with a sigh as he peered down at the island below them. “There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the goddess. Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds.” He didn’t usually get along well with that type of person, but they had their uses. Every tale needed a hero after all, even if Zack had been the hero of Genesis’ own story.
The blond man seemed a bit taken aback at Genesis’ eagerness to talk about Loveless, but he at least nodded in acceptance when he was offered a copy. “Certainly. I only have one on me, but I have more on the boat,” he said off-handedly, not seeming to realize that anything could be strange about having multiple copies of a single book. Thankfully he’d been able to pen the entire thing from memory when he’d first come to Zephon, so from there it had just been a matter of transcribing the original. The play on the other hand was a much larger project. He still hoped to be able to do it justice someday.
Meanwhile, Genesis was enjoying being able to talk about Loveless with a captive audience. Caius seemed a bit distracted by the scenery initially, but he eventually squinted over at him like something was on his mind. Finally he asked a question about how the play handled the missing final act, to which Genesis realized that he hadn’t been clear about the number of acts involved. “Ah, the play itself ends before then. The original poem has five acts in total, with the fifth act missing. The play only covers acts II and III, and it makes a complete story out of them alone. It’s incomplete admittedly, but I do enjoy the deeper dive into that part of the tale.”
The boat turned slightly as it drove around the island, which shifted their parasailing further over the sea. Now that the sun wasn’t completely in his eyes, the ex-SOLDIER squinted down at the ocean, wondering if he was imagining the large shadow that appeared to be in the depths under the boat.
But more importantly, he could talk about Loveless. “I take it you aren’t from Gaia. Everyone there’s at least heard of it.”
