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.
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year 5, quarter 3
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Okay... So, she was still alive. Oren supposed that wasn't too surprising. Oren would take a step or two back after the woman drank from the flask and gave it back to him. Oren would then put it away.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Consider yourself lucky I suppose... Travelers through these parts are not always the most common... Should've came more prepared."
Oren observed her for a second as she sat up before he would look away to the distance. He squinted his eyes trying to make out even the most faint remnant of civilization or the oasis... He then glanced back at her when she spoke up again. His expression remained mostly blank.[break][break]
Well. That certainly answered Oren's musing over her motives... He knew Aljana built their entire civilization around this oasis, but was it truly worth braving such a journey to go to it? Even for a resort... At least once someone DID get there even a single time, going back and forth would become easier.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"I presume you refer to Aljana...? It is more than just an oasis, though..."
Oren wasn't even sure if there were Chocobo that could travel through the desert outside of Aljana... If there were, he hadn't been able to find any before he began to make the trek after he rode an airship as far as it'd take him. There was silence in the air as he tried to think. Oren rubbed the back of his neck.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"I was heading f... Uh?"
Oren was about to explain his very convenient presence in the desert, but she suddenly sprung back onto her feet, dusted herself off, and seemed ready to move again.[break][break]
Oren paused and slumped over, a truly befuddled look stretching across that blank face.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Huh? We?"
Oren didn't even get a chance to make it apparent that he had some idea of where he was going... How was she suddenly so energized after merely drinking a bit of water...? Damn. Had he actually been tricked after all? Merely in a different way... Mmm. No... It still wouldn't make sense even using that theory instead... Oren covered his face with his hand.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Ugh... Okay, fine. As I was saying, I was actually on my way to Aljana... If I am correct, we should actually be close to it here..."
Oren's hand flopped down to his side as he straightened his posture. Oren then started moving again, walking past Vanille.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Just follow my lead..."
There was still way too much sand... That oasis truly is the only source of water in this desert it seems... Oren looked around some more. In the distance ahead, he swore he could see some vague shadow of... Buildings? He hoped the heat wasn't playing tricks on him... Oren silently pointed ahead and continued walking.
Oren didn't like sand... It was coarse and rough and irritating and it got everywhere. He had been around the Corel area once upon a time during his days in SOLDIER and it wasn't pleasant to say the least. Of course, the climate wasn't exactly the only reason for that... And being constantly tempted by the presence of the Gold Saucer didn't help... He never actually got to go there now that he thought about it. Far as he was aware, there wasn't exactly a place like it in Zephon. Not like there'd be much fun to be had nowadays anyways... It might help him forget for a little while, but that was about it. Bah. Why was he even thinking about a damned amusement park of all things right now...? This always happens when he's stuck with his thoughts for too long... They just... Wander. No matter where they went, it just upset him more.[break][break]
Oren actually got hired for something in a place called Aljana. The people there were on edge and wanting a bit of extra security to make sure everything was in the clear after an incident happened somewhat recently. Oren didn't quite know the details beyond that apparently a certain big important merc leader showed up for a bit before leaving. Alas, the airships didn't exactly travel out this far so he had to make much of this trip the old fashioned way. Being stuck in Zephon certainly helped him get better at navigating since he couldn't rely on superior means of transportation as often. At least once he got there, he heard they had Chocobo that were bred to travel the desert and even domesticated Kujata so getting back to what was designated 'home' would be a lot easier... Of course those existed here too... Oren sighed as he ran an arm across his forehead. This heat was unbearable... He then brought out a map from his belongings and looked it over. Aljana was located along a fairly prominent oasis in the desert. He believed he should be getting close to it, but it was difficult to tell... The entire rest of the desert was uninhabited so there were few other notable landmarks to look for. At least the goodies he brought to keep himself going were still doing okay. Even if Oren ended up facing death itself again... He knew it didn't matter anymore.[break][break]
Oren rolled up the map and put it away. He started tapping his foot in the sand as he thought about the path he had been taking to get to Aljana. However, he finally noticed something that wasn't sand... Or rather someone. A cynical part of him would wonder if the person was faking it to try and ambush someone... But this was honestly the last place where something like that would be a good idea. Oren looked up at the vultures in the sky... Yep. That certainly confirmed that this was just some unfortunate shmuck. Oren sighed as he tapped one of the materia on his sword Lunaris.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Need some fire... Scram, you damn birds."
Oren would then fling his arm towards the sky as he cast a simple Fire spell through the materia's power, sending a modest sized fireball towards the sky to make the vultures go away and find an actual corpse to bother... At least he presumed whoever he found wasn't already one. Oren then approached and would get a view of whoever was laying in the sand... A woman. Some might call her pretty. Not particularly hardy looking. Why in the world she was all the way out here was a mystery unlike any other. She didn't seem to be dead, but probably was getting close. Oren leaned forward and would wave a hand in front of Vanille's face.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Hey, lady. Are you alive down there?"
Not exactly the friendliest way to phrase it, but it was some sort of vague concern for her well-being...?[break][break]
If Vanille's vision cleared up enough, she would be met by blue eyes that let off an eerie green glow looking at her beneath the slight shade of a hat. Oren would look through his belongings and pulled out a flask that still had some water in it.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Might want some of this if you're not dead yet."
His tone of voice remained almost indifferent sounding, but hey. Help has arrived!
Oren felt a bit of relief that the big famous merc seemed willing to play along with working together. Oren didn't really like to split rewards as he needed to continue building up his savings in this damned world, but they were all here already and trying to tell Caius to go away probably wouldn't work and come across as more rude than he would mean to... Not that he really cared much about how he came across to most others, but he had to keep up a little professionalism here and maintain a reliable reputation. The dragon seemed pretty apprehensive about him, but would ease up a little after they approached. Perhaps they could make an impromptu game out of this hunt... Oh, that might be fun.[break][break]
Oren just curtly nodded. Of course he should've expected he had to introduce himself.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Is that right...? I suppose you could call me a hunter, though I presume you refer to something more specific rather than generally... My name is Oren. Just another mercenary stolen from his home by the whims of something cruel... Now I'm just killing time."
It was perhaps obvious there was more to him than he would let on, but Oren didn't feel particularly compelled to say much more beyond that... And he was perhaps lucky Caius didn't actually say that his outfit resembled a more feminine one for these hunters. He wouldn't be sure how to react to a world where his outfit wasn't considered unisex at the very least.[break][break]
Oren would then raise an index finger when Caius offered his insight.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"So, you've dealt with one before then... Good. This should be pretty easy if we get it right where we want it. We should get a move on then, Mister Leader Man... Don't like this place very much."
It seemed Caius most definitely didn't either. However, when Oren went to look back towards where the Malboro had been hanging around in the distance... It was gone?
[attr="class","dialogue"]"... Huh? Where did it-"
Oren paused and suddenly a horrified look broke past the stoic exterior.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"SHIT! WE HAVE TO MOVE! NOW!"
Oren suddenly shouted. The swampy floor near where the group stood began to bubble and shake. Oren would start running and leap for a branch of one of the warped trees a short distance away and flip onto the top of the branch before. It was a rather baffling display of physical prowess despite the ground not exactly being fit for such actions. Caius would have a moment to move himself before the Malboro suddenly erupted from the marshes with a loud screech.[break][break]
It looks like this hunt would be starting a little more on the back end than Oren intended...
Oren slowly crossed his arms. He perhaps should have been prepared for the possibility of this happening... Or he could have just left. Of course, he could still leave regardless of how that obviously would be perceived by any person, normal or otherwise. Hefty boots grew closer and closer. Oren didn't move. It felt like the hustle and bustle of the tavern he sat in went completely silent as a shadow soon loomed over him. The voice that spoke up was familiar, though the tone of voice that came out of it was... Alien to Oren. Granted, Oren supposed anyone would be annoyed if they were being stared at...[break][break]
Why did he not just leave?[break][break]
What did he even say now?[break][break]
What should he do...?[break][break]
Cloud was initially met with silence. It took a moment before Oren slowly reached up and took his hat off, dropping it on the table before looking up at Cloud... His expression was almost completely blank, though one could glimpse some subtle horror on his face when he noticed it... The glow in Cloud's eyes... He didn't just have the uniform, he also had them now... But when? How did he...? Oren sighed. He couldn't keep it at bay anymore.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"It's been a long time, Cloud Strife..."
Oren paused, trying to gather the cluttered thoughts in his mind together. He knew it would likely be a poor idea to dump all of his questions on Cloud at once. For all Oren knew, Cloud wouldn't even have all the answers, but he needed to know. Even just a little.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Four years? Or has it been five now...? They... Uh. Shinra that is. They reported all of you dead after you went to Nibelheim with Zack and Sephiroth... I never believed their story. I knew those bastards had been hiding something, but I didn't think you were actually still... Alive. Let alone like this now. Like a... SOLDIER..."
Oren leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table. It had to have been Shinra. They must've did something to Cloud... Who else could've scooped him up from Nibelheim and have the resources to make him like a SOLDIER? Some broad strokes were starting to come together in his mind, though the exact details eluded him currently. It might've been obvious Oren was noticeably ignorant about a few things... Particularly involving the silver haired elephant in the room...[break][break]
Oren looked down before looking back up at Cloud again.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"You must've been through a lot of shit... Well. That's probably an understatement... How about we catch up a little? How long have you been stuck in old Limbo now?"
Oren bitterly chuckled. If nothing else, he could enlighten Cloud a little on Zephon or just hear what he's been up to if he has already acclimated to the place. He knew that the timelines of the 'Outlanders' seemed to get tangled up in Zephon, but it was apparent Cloud was either from a similar point in time or maybe even the future of their world relative to himself...?[break][break]
Oren didn't want to admit it, but it did actually feel kind of... Nice to see a familiar face. Even if it'll end up being all for nothing in the end... Just like it was in his old life.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"... Oh. Uh. Sorry about staring at you also..."
Oren's eyes widened. Something was coming... Or... Someone? Oren turned towards the source of the noise. Perhaps it would be some modicum of relief that it wasn't a monster trying to get the jump on him, but rather a man and a... What were they called again? Dragons? Drakes? He's heard varying terms like that used. Oren was pretty sure creatures akin to them existed back home, though they were just mindless monsters. Seeing one as a docile companion was... Intriguing. Why was that man even here, though? He didn't look like a...
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Who's th-"
Oren began to speak up before pausing. Wait... Gigantic blonde man accompanied by a dragon... Dragonblade. That big shot mercenary organization. If he remembered correctly, this was their co-founder... The one they literally built a statue of. Damn it all. Oren should've known SOMEONE else was going to take on the bounty. Especially the big hero type.[break][break]
Oren sighed and would lightly lower his hat for a moment before raising it back to normal. It would be futile to just go about his business and pretend he didn't notice the big shot approaching. Not like he didn't have experience working with a celebrity... Much as he would rather handle it on his own, it was going to be easier making sure they were on the same page since he was already here. Oren would raise a hand to signal towards Caius. When the duo approached Oren, he would then speak up again.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Caius Dragelion, I presume...? I'd wager a guess you're here for the same reason I am. Be careful with your movements from here on out. Our little issue is close by..."
Oren kept his voice a little lower. Oren made no immediate introduction of his own as it didn't really matter in his mind, but he would provide his name if requested. Upon getting a closer look at Oren, it would be hard to miss a distinct, eerie green glow that his eyes let off... Mako eyes.[break][break]
Oren would glance out from behind the tree he had been leaning against. Indeed, in the distance, the makeshift group could make out the sight of that sordid scent... The Malboro. Big, green, ugly, and smelly. Just wriggling about at the moment like the disgusting mass that it was.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Imagine you've at least heard of a Malboro, if not fought one before. Seem they exist in most worlds in this freaky web of realities we all got thrown into Zephon from..."
Oren paused and shook his head. Now was not the time for that.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Mmh. If you have dealt with one, it'd be good to know what worked for you. We can work on a strategy from there..."
Yep. He was all business. While he was keeping a professional front, there was that part of him that did feel some elation at an actual challenge.
... It was a bit strange to say that Oren at times missed how things used to be. His old life. It wasn't exactly a good life, but it was his 'real' life. The time he spent with that branch of Avalanche showing his disdain towards Shinra. His time in SOLDIER even had its good memories even in the midst of all those crises that eventually culminated in him defecting years down the line. Wondering how his life might've gone if things went even slightly differently that day. That was all in spite of the epiphany that hit him when he arrived in Zephon and thought about the situation he was now stuck in... He couldn't help himself.[break][break]
The day Oren seemed fated to die, he found himself in Zephon with no warning... With the way this world worked, he knew his previous life wasn't just some farce, but... What about now, though? A normal person would assume being summoned to some fantastical new location would be a result of some divine or magical intervention like out of a story. The classics one would hear in his situation like 'Oh. He and the other Outlanders were brought to this new world to help save it from some nefarious threat.' Some nonsense like that. Alas, that did not seem to be the reality. Oren was just... Here. No goal provided. All alone. Just... Surviving and dealing with fairly mundane threats (for his standards). Awaiting the day he possibly gets tossed away into some OTHER world without warning. At this point, running into familiar faces was a thought that he actually dreaded... He knew what was going to happen if he let anyone in again... He wasn't ready to feel that pain a second time. It all felt like some kind of twisted joke.[break][break]
...[break][break]
What was he even doing...? Oren always dwelled on these damned thoughts every time he was alone with them for too long.[break][break]
Oren shook his head as he looked down at a paper. Someone directly approached him for a job a bit ago. It didn't seem too unreasonable for his standards so he accepted it without much issue. He had to go make his preparations, not think pointless thoughts now... Luckily, he wouldn't need to travel as far as he did last time... However, when he looked away from the 'problem' he was going to deal with, he saw something... Or rather someone familiar. A bizarre head of spiky blonde hair and older than when Oren would've last seen him... Oren froze in his tracks as he stared at the blonde man going about his business presumably lugging around the familiar, giant slab of metal that they called a sword.[break][break]
In that moment, Oren was bearing witness to a ghost... He was one of the people Oren had been more familiar with during his days in SOLDIER despite him not actually being apart of it. He was also one of the ones declared dead by Shinra following the mysterious incident that occurred in Nibelheim.[break][break]
Cloud Strife.[break][break]
His outfit and the sword he was carrying raised several questions in Oren's mind. That sword had belonged to Angeal Hewley and came into Zack Fair's possession after Zack was forced to kill him... And why was he wearing a SOLDIER uniform? ... With bolts on a singular shoulder pad? Oren wanted to know. He felt like he HAD to know... If anyone had the answers to those questions that had bothered him for around five years from his perspective, Cloud was one of them. Yet... Oren couldn't deny that it might not even matter at this point. It wasn't as though that knowledge was going to matter in this world... Right?[break][break]
...[break][break]
Oren held his head as a sharp pain shot through it and his vision distorted. He grimaced before he turned and started walking away. Of course, he likely had been noticed by Cloud considering he froze in place and he wasn't exactly a sight that didn't stand out with his own distinct outfit and sword combo. He couldn't get complacent, though...
Oren didn't like the Metaia Marshlands. Not one bit. The stench of death in the air was almost suffocating and it proved difficult to navigate even for him... And that stench wasn't just left at that. This place apparently had genuine undead like out of some creepy movie shambling about and causing problems. It was hard to believe it was apparently part of the main trade routes used in Zephon... He admittedly could give some props to the natives here for the will it required to trudge through this again and again. Oren could grumble to himself all he wanted, but a job was a job and he wasn't exactly picky about the ones that required dealing with monsters. It was one of his main claims to fame since arriving in Zephon and even part of how he got accepted into SOLDIER back home. Killing things was one of the only things he was truly good at nowadays... He was very aware of how morbid that was.[break][break]
Oren winced a bit thinking about the past. His vision and thoughts seemed to blur and even appear a bit green(?), but he snapped back to reality after a moment and shook his head. His upbringing was a painful one and even thinking about the somewhat more positive memories from that time just... No. It was all behind him now. Zephon itself may well join his home there one day. It didn't matter... None of it did...[break][break]
Oren managed to find himself something good so that field trip to Provo to look for more work was getting postponed for now. Today's mission was a simple monster bounty. A big one too... A Malboro. Oren was actually surprised to see that name because those... THINGS existed in his world too. Now that he thought about it, a lot of the monsters here were ones he recognized from his home world... So, there were other rules that appeared to be consistent beyond just the name of the primary currency used. The more time passed, the more confusing EVERYTHING truly felt to Oren. Convenient as it all was. Alas, dwelling upon it further would be pointless...[break][break]
Oren trudged deeper through the swamps and he started closing in on where the Malboro was last reported to be hiding at. It was a bit off the beaten trail... Or the closest thing to one here. Presuming it was the exact same as the ones from his reality, these things can spew some pretty nasty filth from their mouths and weren't particularly weak to any form of elemental damage, but they weren't super resistant to his preferred fire and ice magic... Oren reached for his back and pulled out Lunaris from its sheath, its slotted materia glimmering against the fog. Oren would lean against a decrepit tree and hold Lunaris in front of him, gazing at the faint reflection of his face in the materia... He just needed to finalize his plan now. If he could sneak up on it, he could start with some fire or ice, then jump in for the actual assault. He was more than fast enough to avoid getting blasted by its breath even in this less than ideal environment... He could pull off some impressive jumps too if the terrain proved troublesome...[break][break]
Oren's thoughts just continued processing. He was still aware of his surroundings so he knew he was in safe spot for now. Alas, plans were going to need some changing as it would soon become apparent he wasn't the only living soul out here...
Well... Oren should have seen this coming. Those who stick out always seem to inevitably converge in this world. Much as Oren tried to avoid it, especially with those who hailed from his own world... Such was the fate of all 'Outlanders' as they all were, somewhat derogatorily, referred to as. G'raha was initially met with silence, but eventually Oren would ever so slightly glance at him... From beneath the shade of his nice little hat that he wore, a blue eye that let off a strange green glow met the peculiar cat-like man.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"... So, you really are new to this world. I had a feeling..."
[break][break]
Oren took a sip of his coffee again before sighing.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Well, get comfortable with the view. Wherever you called home, you're probably never going to see it again... For all we know, even this land may become a distant memory for all of us one day... Welcome to Torensten. We're in a land that they call Zephon. Just one city-state out of a few they have here."
The discomfort at the very idea him being world hopped with no warning was rather obvious even in Oren's borderline monotone delivery. He couldn't deny what seemed to be the new truth to his very existence... And the existence of so many others. Much as it unnerved him, he hadn't been able to gauge if he was alone in his thinking... Even then, did it really matter if he was or not?[break][break]
Oren was a man that not even death could touch now it seemed. Unless his theory found itself proven wrong one day...[break][break]
[attr="class","dialogue"]"... And no. You're likely not going to receive some sort of divine intervention enlightening you as to why you've been summoned to this world. No help. No anything. You're on your own now unless you want to try and track down anyone who might know you... Pointless as that'd probably be..."
There was almost a tinge of sadness and anger in Oren's voice. From his understanding, even people seemingly from the same world might not quite be from the SAME same world... It was hard to comprehend to Oren, but it seemed to be an actuality considering a certain title that multiple 'Outlanders' laid claim to in Zephon... One that G'raha definitely knew.[break][break]
Oren shook his head.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Ugh... What am I doing? Forget about that. I answered your question. Got anything else...?"
Oren would just immediately try to move on from that brief display of vulnerability. Perhaps one day he'd be forced to face what were actually his fears... But he was going to continue ignoring them for now. He'll just do the minimum here and move on with doing what he did best...
Oren just uttered before he sipped his coffee again. Someone else had stepped into the cafe. Normally, Oren would not really care, but he started to hear people muttering amongst themselves again over it... Whoever had stepped in was another unusual piece on the board it seemed. Oren glanced up from his coffee towards the new arrival and he quirked an eyebrow... Tea? He was personally never a big fan of... Wait, no, not that. Oren still couldn't deny that befuddlement he felt when he saw people like the red haired... Cat Man? Even with a few months to adjust. Back home, there were very few other sentient species outside of humans and the Cetra, who were also called the 'Ancients'... They didn't actually look any different from 'regular' humans, though. It was a different story for the representatives of the other worlds who have also been dragged into Zephon. There was a lot more variety in the people one could meet amongst them. He didn't quite remember all the details of the different species of people as he hadn't been given much incentive to bother researching any of it currently.[break][break]
It probably would end up being a waste of time anyways knowing his luck...[break][break]
Interestingly, the newcomer put down some coins that didn't look like the native currency of Zephon... Oren would not be surprised if that currency was ALSO called 'gil'. Of all the damned things to be a multiversal constant... It was actually accepted, though, and the cat man got his tea. Hm. Maybe they changed it recently...? Oren remembered having a lot of trouble getting people to accept the money he had on him when he was whisked away to this world with not even so much as some cryptic guidance for why he was even here... Ugh. Oren pinched the bridge of his nose remembering that special epiphany he had when he first arrived here... Whether or not it was actually valid was anyone's guess currently.[break][break]
Of course, while Oren was having a little moment there, he hadn't noticed that the cat man actually took a seat nearby where Oren himself was sitting near the back. Oren glanced around, though it seemed like there wasn't any intention to bother him... People watching then? If he was as new as Oren deduced he was, he especially had no reason to ask anything of Oren... Right?