insusurro | OPEN/MINGLE — SMASHING GARDENS

OPEN/MINGLE — SMASHING GARDENS

[ Meanwhile, in the middle of the desert......

What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immoveable object? Who knows. This is more like two old, rusted Chevys trading flirting touches at low speeds. Galbadia Garden and Balamb Garden are careening into one another in a way that some of you might find all too familiar.

Maybe this happened years ago for you, maybe it hasn't happened yet, maybe you had no business being in these crazy hoverships in the first place, but regardless. You're here now and it's time to brace for impact. This one will be an even bigger problem, because there's no one at the helm of these ships. It's as if they've developed a will of their own and driven themselves into one another, sending both vessels careening into the boiling sands below.

Luckily, these things are as hardy as they are ancient. They'll both need new paint jobs and extracurricular activities will be out of the question for some time, but when the dust clears, everything is mostly intact. The Gardens will fly again. Someday.

Anyway, this is your chance to mingle somewhere that isn't Midgar. Both Gardens are smushed together, accessible through Galbadia Garden's basketball court. Maybe you want to organize a search and rescue. Or start doing damage assessment and making repairs. Maybe you wanna do some figure skating on the definitely not demon-infested hockey rink. Whatever you want, congrats, you're not in Midgar anymore. ]

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Life is fuckin' grand.

[ Seifer whips a hand through the air as they cross the dunes and come upon the Garden. His entourage scatters, shouting over the radio, rushing toward the lowering gate. Beyond, steel gleams brightly in the desert sun.

Again, he shoves Rufus forward roughly, corralling him over the ramp and in through the checkpoint. No one at the gate bothers him for ID or even makes eye contact. Seifer flicks back his hair as he passes them by, smug and proud. ]

Just wait'll you see your room. All the amenities you could ever ask for: room service, continental breakfasts, private sessions with yours truly and my new favorite chocobo prod. You're gonna love it.

[Really? Was that really necessary? Rufus stumbles slightly as he's shoved forward but he manages to stay on his feet. He's quiet as he takes everything in, committing it all to memory.

It's not going to be easy for the Turks to get him here but he's glad that he has his phone still. Hopefully, either Rude or Roche would realize that he lied to them both soon. Or Reno and Tseng would return and realize he's escaped Rude's supervision. Either way, he was own his own for now.]

Personal sessions? I'm truly honored.

[He had survived Mutten and his fists. He could surely survive a chocobo prod without breaking. If Seifer thought that he was going to break so easily then he was in for a surprise.]

You should be. Now shut your stupid ass up.

[ Abruptly, Seifer grabs Rufus by the back of his hair, holding tight as he barks orders at a few soldiers patroling nearby. They detach from their unit and escort the pair of them down the hall, leading them from door to door until they finally reach the detention center.

Again, Seifer shoves him inside, but this time, there are guards pointing rifles, ready for a struggle. One of them approaches to slap a pair of cuffs across Rufus's wrists, while the other leads him toward a system of hooks and secures him to the wall by his chains. Seifer watches the process with a smirk, pulling up a chair so that he can sit the wrong way upon it with a front row view of the proceedings.

"What's he in for?" one of the guards has the gall to ask. The others go stiff with fear. ]

The hell's it matter!? Get this son of a bitch outta my face! All of you! Get the hell outta here!

[ He gives Hyperion a few good swipes through the air before he turns back to Rufus, beaming in his own twisted way. He takes a step closer, runs his thumb over Rufus's cheek, and taps him on the nose preciously. ]

Finally. Ain't it good to be alone?

[Rufus doesn't struggle, he knows he wouldn't get anywhere with these guards. At least this place seems more tastefully decorated compared to Mutten's dungeon but this was a situation that would take more than just his charming personality to escape from.]

You make this sound like a date and not an interrogation.

[He flinches slightly when Seifer runs his thumb over his cheek but doesn't look away from him.]

So what exactly are you hoping to get out of me?

Ain't about hope. It's about what I know.

[ Seifer taps his temple. So much knowledge is stored up here. All the best knowledge. You have no idea. ]

You're one of them, aincha? The White SeeDs.

[ He's still grinning, but his lips are pulled back too far, his teeth glinting. He looks feral. ]

Might as well come right out and say it now. The gig's up, loser.

[Rufus has a few options here. He could tell the truth and say that he has no idea what Seifer is talking about and clearly he's an idiot but it would just end up with them talking in circles which would get him nowhere.

No, he was going to see what information he could get from Seifer in return by playing along for a bit. Perhaps it would backfire terribly and Seifer would just kill him. Either way, it wasn't as if he had anything left to lose, really.

His expression is serious now as he makes eye contact with Seifer.]

I was hoping to keep a low profile here while I gathered information here. I wasn't counting on you being here, though.

Damn straight you weren't, you traitorous bitch.

[ Rufus is talking. That's good. But man, Seifer's so fuckin' fired up. What'll it hurt to put a little fear of god in him for his troubles.

He strikes Rufus across the face with the back of his hand. Hard enough to draw blood. His shoulders shake with manic, riotous laughter. ]

Who sent you!? Who's runnin' fuckin' operations, huh?

[Rufus couldn't help but compare Seifer's strike with Mütton's forceful blows. Seifer didn't seem to have the same precision or force but he still felt blood coming from where his teeth had cut into his lips.

At least this time he didn't have to contend with broken ribs and a broken foot at the same time. But he still had to play this right because his life depended on holding out long enough for his Turks to find him.]

We've been watching you for a while, Seifer. I'm not the only one who was sent.

[He gives Seifer a defiant look, spitting out blood.]

Lazard Deusericus sent me. He's the head of our cell.

[Getting punched hurt almost as much as referring to his stupid older brother.]

Lazard Do-what now?

[ Now we're getting somewhere. This is some real intel that he can take back to Edea. And oh, is she gonna cream her pretty purple panties when Seifer pulls this card out.

The door fwishes open again, permitting a red-uniformed lieutenant soldier inside. Seifer's grinning like a fool, waving his gunblade around, gesticulating while he talks. ]

This cell— You there! Take this down. On the double, asshole. Lazard, what? Repeat that name, bitch. 'Less you want me to hit you in your pretty little mouth again.

[ He meanders closer. Presses his elbow up against Rufus's throat. The soldier behind him advances too. Seifer is so caught up in pressing Rufus into the wall, he doesn't notice when the soldier meticulously uncaps a syringe, depresses the air within, and slams it into the side of his neck. Too late, Seifer starts flailing. The soldier knows enough of his physicality to get him down fast, away from the president, where his soaring fists can do no harm. They go down into a pile on the floor, struggling; Seifer is clearly stronger, brutish and forceful, but the soldier is agile and clever, uses all that against him to get him grinding his own jaw into the linoleum floor. ]

[Rufus only glances at the soldier but his attention is on Seifer as the other man presses his elbow against his throat. He could feel his airway constricting and he doesn't notice the syringe being jammed into Seifer's throat until the man is flailing around.

Is this some kind of coup? He's not going to let his guard down just yet since he's not sure how this will turn out for him. At least, that's his thought process when he notices something familiar about the soldier that he recognizes all too well. The fact that the soldier's first priority is to get Seifer away from him as soon as possible confirms his suspicions.

But he says nothing, keeping his expression neutral as he watches the struggle on the ground even though he could feel his heart beating hard in his throat.]

[ At some point, Seifer stops struggling so much. The drug takes command and his movements go sluggish, drifting. That doesn't seem to matter. The soldier winds back the first chance he gets for a clear shot and thunders a fist across his face with enough force to put a regular man out.

Seifer isn't regular, but he is drugged to boot. He groans as another hit comes, and then another, and another after that. By the time the soldier is done with him (presumably), his face is indiscernible from the smears of blood pooling on the ground.

The soldier stops. Takes a second to breathe. He lifts his helmet off his head and lets his dark hair fall down his back. His face is still half-obscured by the bandage covering his jaw. ]

Sir. My apologies.

[ He doesn't offer any excuses. He should have been here. Rufus should have never made it here alone, he should have never had to waste time tracking him down. But there's nothing to do now but surge forward and relieve Rufus of his bondage, holding out a hand to steady him. ]

[It's not until it's clear that Seifer is not getting up anytime soon that Rufus finally lets his expression break into a smirk, enjoying watching the pool of blood spread across the floor. He looks up at Tseng, remaining still so that the Turk could undo the chains.

His brows furrow as he takes in Tseng's appearance. He knows where Tseng got that injury from but now isn't the time to talk that over. Not when they're in the middle of what is enemy territory most likely. He takes Tseng's hand so that he could step away without tripping. His face aches, there is still blood in his mouth but it's not as severe as the injuries he had sustained at Mütton's fists.]

I knew you would find me. We should leave quickly though and return to Midgar.

[ For a moment, Tseng is quiet. He is contemplating the blood on Rufus's lips, gone still and dark with an icy anger. But this also is not the time. Whatever he needs to do for Rufus, he is going to get it done.

He nods. ]

As you wish.

[ There is a logistical issue. Rufus needs to be moved out. He also wants to move Seifer. Now that he's gotten a better look at their enemy, he almost wonders...

But regardless of who he is or who he might be, having someone to coerce into a little more information might be useful. He just needs a plan. ]

Sir.

[ Rufus, he notes, has clear skin, free of any sickness. No sores to be seen. Which means he's at least not going to collapse, probably. Which means that he might be instrumental in pulling this off. ]

How would you feel about going covert with me?

[Rufus wipes some of the blood away as it started to abate. It was going to hurt for a bit but it wasn't intolerable. He notices Tseng's dark look but there is nothing they could do about it right now.

He glances down at Seifer before nodding at Tseng's suggestion. It seems Tseng was here without any of the other Turks so even though he was currently unarmed, it didn't mean he was entirely helpless.]

I would be fine with it. What do you suggest?

[No one knew who he was- he had given Evan's name when questioned. No one would be looking for President Shinra here it seemed.]

Hang back, sir.

[ Tseng slots his helmet back on. He lets the automatic door open again and sticks his head out, whistling sharply. ]

Get in here!

[ The cadence of his voice is all wrong for him. He must have picked it up from observing operations here. Sure enough, two blue-suited soldiers come rushing into the room. They take one look at Seifer, one look at Rufus, and their heads tilt in unison. That is, until Tseng comes up from behind and knocks their heads together, disarming them of their rifles in one fluid, snapping motion. ]

Undress.

[ He says to them. To Rufus, he jerks his chin, beckoning him over. ]

[Rufus moves to stand behind Tseng to stay out of the way as the guards rush in. He's unarmed and so he waits for Tseng to take care of it before grabbing one of the fallen rifles. They are terrible quality, Rufus wonders if they were designed by someone with significant brain damage but he doesn't dwell on it as he checks to make sure the one he holds is still loaded.

He joins Tseng, rifles in hand in just case one of the guards decides to get a brilliantly stupid idea. He thinks he knows what Tseng has planned so he nods, turning to watch the guards.]

[ Tseng takes one glance at the discerning look on Rufus's face and cracks a small smile. It's like he can clearly hear what he's thinking, like a private, unspoken joke that only they're privy to. He doesn't really need to hear it out loud. ]

They'll do for now.

[ One of the soldiers offers him the discarded uniform. Tseng kicks him back down to the floor and offers it to Rufus in kind. ]

I'll help. They're a little tricky, sir.

[ The other solider lifts a hand. Tseng kicks it back down, crushes his palm into the linoleum floor with a muffled crunch, and strolls up behind Rufus to assist him. ]

Thank you.

[Rufus sets the rifle well out of range of any guard, smirking as Tseng just crushes the palm of one of the guards. He starts unbuttoning his coat- a pity to lose it but he has other, nicer ones and this one has blood on it from where it dripped down from his lips.

The jacket along with his shirt is placed aside as he takes the uniform. It's going to be a bit of a tight fit but should work enough for their purposes.]

I think you might have permanently crippled his hand.

[But he's amused- for all that he's trying to rebuild Shinra's image, it's important that there are consequences for anyone who takes action against them.]

[ Rufus and Reno can run their whole make Shinra great again schtick all they want; Tseng is here to make sure no one fucks with them. Especially not this one in particular. ]

He'll live.

[ Literally the flattest observation ever made. He has more important tasks at hand. Zipping, buckling, adjusting the president into this uniform. He lifts the helmet, but pauses.

Job or not, he's still Tseng. Before he covers Rufus's face, he wipes the blood from it with a gentle sweep of his thumb. It's not just a tender gesture; his thumb immediately goes into his own mouth, and his lips curl as he licks it down. ]

Sir.

[ The helmet comes down, snaps in the back. Now all that's left is to struggle lifting Seifer, who is the heaviest fucking person Tseng thinks he has ever met. ]

The door, please, if you will.

[Rufus lets Tseng practically dress him without protest, lifting an arm when Tseng moves him, standing still when Tseng zippers him up. He grins as Tseng wipes his lips and a shudder goes through him as Tseng tastes his blood.

Alright, focus.

He takes the helmet from Tseng and puts it on.]

Of course.

[He grabs the rifle before going to hold the door open for Tseng. He's sure that Tseng won't let Seifer off so easily but he hopes that he's able to at least enjoy the show while he can.]

[ For all his outward resolve, Tseng's heart is racing in his chest. He's planned for this extensively, of course. There are exist strategies and auxillary routes. But this is new terrain, a new people he's never seen before. Anything could happen, maybe even something he's never seen before.

Which is exactly what happens. He steps out into the hall cautiously, slinging Seifer over his shoulders like he's carting home a drunk buddy. The moment he does, casting his gaze down the hall to ascertain whether people are going to come running up to demand an explanation, he hears a piercing scream. Several soldiers pass them by without sparing a glance their way.

Tseng wastes no time pressing the advantage. He spares a glance at the place where they're all gathered, around a door. Riotous shrieks are emanating from behind it. He sees several of the soldiers exchanging high fives.

It's very difficult to keep his eyes from rolling. ]

This way, sir.

[ He grunts under Seifer's formidable weight and leads them to the entrance. Still no guards. Tseng isn't about to shed caution now, though. ]

[Rufus slips the safety off on the gun as suddenly hears the scream. But the soldiers don't seem to even notice him which is strange to him. If Seifer is such a big deal as he claimed to be, surely someone would be concerned that he's being carried unconscious like a sack of potatoes.

Guess this guy wasn't as a big deal as he bragged he was or no one really gave a shit about him enough to see what was wrong with him now that he was knocked out. But he's still ready even though a rifle wasn't the best weapon in an enclosed space like a hallway so the faster they were out of here the better.]

I'm right behind you.

[ Rufus can't see it (Tseng makes sure), but that little affirmation puts a grin on his face. Of all the scenarios he thought they'd find themselves in along the way... this one isn't so farfetched, actually. It's just kind of intriguing to hear.

They're not stopped at the gate, either. It's not until they get to the Galbadian armored truck that someone passes by and glances up at Tseng curiously. Without waiting to be asked, Tseng says: ]

Drunk.

[ "He even old enough to drink?" the soldier asks him. Tseng shrugs, he shrugs, and the soldier keeps walking. ]

As you can see, sir...

[ he says, opening up the door, first for Rufus, and then to stuff Seifer into the back. ]

... operations are very lax under this regime. They are guided not by a centralized power, but by their fear of that power.

He mentioned something about a sorceress, he was going to take me to her later. I don't know if she's actually here though.

[He pulls himself into the truck easily after Tseng opens the door for him, slipping the safety back on the gun before resting it on his lap. They aren't free yet, he's not going to relax just yet.

He glances to the back seat to see Seifer stuffed there like a large stuffed toy. He hoped that if Seifer wakes up that he'll be in a great deal of pain.]

I notice the guards were scared of him but once he's unconscious, they don't seem to show any real concern or regard for his fate. I think you could dump him in a ditch and no one would even want to come looking for him.

[ Tseng starts up the truck and glances over his shoulder too. Seifer is slumped into a lean. He considers him for a second as he pulls out of the spot and drives for the vast expanse of the desert.

What Rufus says is perfectly on point. Seifer's people fear him, but they don't care for him. He is as powerful as he is erratic. Likely difficult to control, but this sorceress has managed somehow. For any power to deploy him would be a great risk.

Tseng is very interested in great risks. ]

No reason for him to uphold previous loyalties then, is there?

[ He casts a quick glance at Rufus. This is something that he is quickly learning that he cannot live without. Their collaborative efforts before their abrupt arrival in this place, it'd always felt like they were running out of time, like each moment brought them closer and closer to their last. But here, with Rufus's skin clean and clear and under control? At last, they are free of that looming threat to the one thing that makes all of this worth it, the one thing left fighting for when all they've ever known has been reduced to ash and rubble. ]

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