ARRIVAL.

[insusurromods]

𝑰𝑵𝑺𝑼𝑺𝑼𝑹𝑹𝑶: 𝑨 𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑳𝑫 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑼𝑻 𝑫𝑬𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑵𝒀

𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 you moved under your own power. The shadows that dwelt in the corners of your vision vanished, the world is bright and the shackles of destiny fall from your liberated limbs.

You're free.

But before you can take that next step, before you can alter your fate, a terrible howling fills your ears. It's an ill wind full of malice, one that rips you off of your feet and back, back, back from this chance to seize your destiny. The shadows coalesce into a single entity, its hands locking around your throat. It cannot let this stand.

You think that maybe this is the end. The world goes dark as it rushes past you, this is the end.

Except you wake to the feeling of rain on your skin.

The cliffs around you bare the scars of a fierce battle. Before you, a massive city faces the sea. Behind you, greenery sprawls for miles. Midgar has never looked so beautiful, but it has also never looked so unlike itself. The Sister Ray points proudly towards the sea. A bustling city crawls out from its shadow, looking wealthier and more robust than the slums ever did. You don't have long to ponder this.

Because you aren't alone. Others are coming to, looking just as confused and uncertain as you do. Some are battleworn and bloody, as if they were pulled from a fierce battle. Others appear to be in perfect health, as if they were simply pulled from a long slumber, though no less confused and lost. The howling that filled your slowly begins to fade, and as it does, the rain begins to clear.

𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐀𝐑 is within a few hours walking distance. 𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐌 lies not much further in the opposite direction. There is no presence urging you to walk to one or the other, no voice from on high telling you what path your feet should walk. Underneath this infinite blue sky the choice to go - or to stay - is entirely yours.

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐃𝐎 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐓?

Comments

[backwater]

That's for damn sure.

[ Zack catches the materia automatically. Does he even need it, really? He's turning his hands over and over, openly disturbed by how much the damage has lessened over the course of his slumber. His skin feels hot, too hot. He can feel the things they injected him with working and it makes his stomach twist sickly.

What have I become?

Time to focus on something else. Weiss's hand draws his attention. His eyes take in that massively sculpted bare chest. Which is a totally normal thing he does that all dudes do. Sick gains, brah. ]

Are you... kidnapping me?

[ultimaniacal]

[ he's in great shape for someone who spent the last several years chained to a mockery of a throne. 'emperor' was Restrictor's way of mocking him, but strength held power in DeepGround. and he's the strongest.

so he just ignores the question.]

Tell me. Where were they holding you?

[ he's certain genesis gave the details, but he isn't the one that keeps track of that. ]

[backwater]

[ Zack hits himself with a shot of the materia, for good measure. Weiss doesn't seem to be taking questions. Might come in handy, y'know, just in case. His teeth grind as the green glow of spelllight washes over him. It's always left a funny taste in his mouth, this one. Maybe because he remembers what it feels like when it comes from Aerith, pure and sweet and crisply fresh like mountain spring water. This just does not compare.

He'd also maybe be a little relaxed despite his current situation, but—that question. He's obviously sensitive about it (imagine that) and you can hear it clear as a bell in his response: ]

What d'you know about that?

[ultimaniacal]

DeepGround is a facility beneath Midgar. Laboratories where amoral men make weapons out of the sick, the dying, or the new.

[ he raises one fine white eyebrow. ]

A regular SOLDIER would not have been capable defeating Genesis. They also would have been crushed by a single strike of my swords, especially with injuries like yours. The fact that you're still breathing is proof enough that you've been altered.

[ its genuine praise. ]

[backwater]

Tch.

[ Nevermind that whole 'relaxed' thing. Zack is seething now, head bowed, jaw locked and bulging. ]

You mean I'm a monster.

[ultimaniacal]

Are all SOLDIERs this needlessly dramatic?

[backwater]

Wh....

[ At least now Zack's forgotten himself. He's just gazing up at Weiss with the most absolutely lost look in his eyes. ]

... You— You kidnapped me!

[ultimaniacal]

Would you rather I have left you to the buzzards?

[backwater]

[ Zack's head tilts like a dog who's just been asked do you waaaannnaaaaaaaa.... ]

So... I'm free to go? You're not gonna try to stop me?

[ultimaniacal]

[ well he didn't say THAT. ]

That I haven't decided. I may need your strength.

[backwater]

[ JDKDKFKSKDK ]

That's—! No. Look.

[ Count to ten, Zack. Just like Angeal taught you. Not.... directly but by doing it a lot in your presence. ]

Nibelheim, okay? They... did what they did to me in Nibelheim. Which makes us the same, right? Maybe we could just... work together? I'm sick of fighting people I don't need to fight, man. Look—gimme your arm, I'll give you my number right now. I reckon that's the next best thing to holding me hostage in a cave.

[ultimaniacal]

[ oh, this boy is precious. he would have broken so beautifully in the underground. weiss gets to his feet. ]

Was I unclear? [ yes. ] We are working together.

[ because he says so. clearly. ]

My brother and subordinates are still trapped. You will show me the way to the Shinra building, and from there we will raze it to the ground and let them out.

[backwater]

[ None of that makes sense until it abruptly does. Zack's head bows again. He loops his arms around his knee, sighing. ]

Guessin' I don't have much choice in the matter.

[ultimaniacal]

Not unless you can kill me.

[ so pleasantly. so pleased. ]

You should be pleased. Shinra took your life from you as well. This guarantees your freedom.

[backwater]

[ Zack sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth. Kill Weiss, kill every last Shinra... This is what he fought so hard for? This blows on ice, dude. ]

You really think that? 'Cause I'm thinkin' this shit never ends. There's always gonna be another Shinra. Always gonna be another nutcase with silver hair. Freedom's less of a guarantee and more like somethin' you gotta fight for as long as you mean to keep it.

[ He pushes himself to his feet, fists clenched. ]

If you stand in my way...

[ultimaniacal]

"Death is always by your side in Deepground" is its motto.

[ he's on his feet in a flash, heaven and earth both drawn and trained upon him. ]

Life is a battle in which only the strong survive. The only guaranteed way to live is to become the strongest. The only good way to die is at the hands of someone stronger than you.

[backwater]

[ Zack doesn't flinch, just takes another slow step forward. He fixes his glare on Weiss until it's close enough to cast that blue mako glow on his face. ]

My strength isn't my own. Everyone I've ever cared for fights beside me. Nothin' in the whole world is stronger than that.

[ His fists remain at his sides—for now. ]

Nobody has to die here.

[ultimaniacal]

[ that's precious. sentimental nonsense, but precious none the less. ]

I'm not fool enough to think one escaped experiment wouldn't rat out another.

[backwater]

I'm not just an escaped experiment. All those men...

[ All that blood... Tighten up, Zack. This isn't the time to show weakness. ]

On the cliff. That was my doing. If I go to Shinra now, they're just gonna send more men after me. You know them. You know they wouldn't give a damn what I've got to say.

[ultimaniacal]

Do you really think they care about the lives of those men?

[ he cocks his head. curious. ]

[backwater]

No. They... care that I'm a liability. One that's gotta be put down.

[ It's really hard to stay not looking sad about this Weiss you just do not understand. ]

No matter what.

[ultimaniacal]

You're wrong.

[ he takes a step forward. ]

Every life you take? That's another point of value to your name. They will not allow you to run about unchained, but they will kennel you with the rest of us "monsters" they cannot control. They consider it a waste to kill a perfectly good weapon. I would have met my end a long time ago if they hadn't.

[ he shakes his head. ]

No, no. They will send my brother or myself to gather you up and bring you down.

[backwater]

You, the Turks, the entire goddamned military— I've been through it, man. I don't care.

[ Zack takes that final step forward that brings them—too close. But he's fierce and in Weiss's face when he lowly proclaims: ]

I just want to find my friends.

[ultimaniacal]

[ the dark hair and fierce eyes remind him of his little brother. he's about nero's age - maybe if they'd been given half a chance, nero would be this expressive and infuriatingly prone to ignoring his orders.

one big heavy hand is dropping on top of his head.

ruffling his hair. probably too strongly - he quite literally doesn't know his own strength. and he's laughing. the boy wants to fight him so badly and he'd love to indulge, but breaking such a new toy so quickly would be a waste. ]

I will help you find yours if you help me liberate mine.

[backwater]

Uh—

[ Weiss is laughing at him. Okay. That's fine. At least he's not threatening to kill him or worse. And it's kind of nice to be teasingly roughed up a little.

Or maybe it's just that Zack smiles too easily. Trusts too much, even now. ]

I gave you my word. I'm gonna help you fight for your freedom and everyone el— Hey, cut it out! I'm fresh outta hair gel and I can't go seein' my friends lookin' like a ragamuffin.

[ Hahahaha this is fun, trying to swat Weiss's hand away from his hair and get some play wrasslin' going with a playful lil shove. ]