NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Alright folks, first off, you all start in you're own respective universes. Then, I'll have the big baddie pull you in.

A man, covered in shadow sat talking to himself. "Hmm... These guys have to die, thats for sure. I guess I'll give them a little universe to play in. Hehe, this might be fun."

Sephiroth walked through the city of Midgar. He had recently been revived, after yet again being beaten by Cloud. He wasn't sure how, but he wasn't complaining. He watched the people walk through the streets. Unfeeling animals, all of them. Sometimes it made him regret killing that girl, together they might have re-made the Ancients, and take their place as the true rulers of the Planet.

Squall was thoroughly disoriented. One moment he'd been teaching tactics to his students, the next he was in an unfamiliar city, alone. His instincts kicked in and he tried to analyze the situation.

'Well, I'm armed, in unfamilar territory, and I've got no idea what's going on. Is Ellone doing this, again?'

He began walking down the street, trying to find a bar, a hotel, somewhere he could get his bearings. He saw a spike-haired blonde man, maybe a year or so older than him walk into a bar called the 'Final Heaven'. He decided to follow, since this particular man was carrying 6 swords, and seemed to know what was going on.

---

Cloud had just finished a delivery run across the city, Shinra needed a package dropped off, and they'd asked him to do it.

He walked into the 'Final Heaven', aside from being home, he needed a drink, the trip had been... eventful.

He sat down and ordered a drink. He saw a man with a bizzare sword, dressed in black enter the building. He looked confused, but he could be a threat. He waved the man over.

Squall took the offered seat. He ordered a drink and tried to get some point of reference.

"So, what's your name?"

""Squall. You?"

"Cloud. What are you looking for around here, carrying a sword like that."

"What, oh, its complicated. Where the hell am I?"

"Midgar, well, whats left of it anyway."

Squall processed what he was told as best he could. As far as he could tell, he wasn't on his world anymore.

"What do you do, Squall?"

"Mercenary, SeeD Class A."

"Never heard of 'em."

Squall now knew he was in a different world entirely.

"I do deliveries, before that, I was a mercenary."

Squall was really lost, this made no sense. Ellone couldn't transport people to different worlds, nor could any magic he'd heard of.

For his part, Cloud couldn't understand who this Squall was, or what he was after.

OOC: If I operated Squall in his universe, it'd be a very lonely operation, this way I can play off Squall's analytical nature and both's kurt manner.

Unseen, the man in shadows listened to their conversation. Hehe, already, things were starting to work. Get them together, all in one place, where their easy to find. Soon, they could go to his little playground.

Sephiroth walked through the streets, and happened to see Cloud talking to a man inside a bar. He crouched down, no need to reveal himself just yet. Best he think him still dead.
OOC: Alrighty.

Squall had accepted the fact that something beyond his understanding was going on. This man, Cloud seemed to know what was what in this world, so he'd see about sticking with him for now.

The two of them sat in silence for a while. Squall felt someone was watching. He looked around, and noticed a silver haired man across the street. He decided that the man was just fascinated with his gunblade, since it was evidently unique. He didn't bring it up.

"So, what's with the 6 swords? Seems a little, excessive."

"Assembles into any number of other swords. Very flexible, dishes pain like you can't imagine. What about that, thing?"

"That, is a gunblade. Pinnacle of sword technology, pull the trigger as you hit and it really causes some havoc. We'll see which is better soon enough."

"Is that a threat?"

Cloud stood up. Squall realized he'd made a mistake.
'This guy reminds me of me, this is going to be difficult.'

"No, its an observation, something seems, off about this whole situation."

"Keep your observations to yourself."

Both sat down again and finished their drinks. The tension was very slow in lifting.

Sephiroth laughed softly to himself. The other one had seen him, and the idiot didn't even mention him to Cloud. That blade was fascinating though, what in the world was the trigger for? He grinned, it may be flashy, but he bet that it wouldn't stand up to the masamune.

Squall tried to lift the air of doom, which was odd for him.

"So, when you were a mercenary, you do anything, out there?"

"I saved the planet from a psychotic super-soldier with a sword bigger than this... twice. Where the hell are you from that you haven't heard?"

"Well, this is going to sound crazy," Cloud rolled his eyes upon hearing this, "I think I was transported from another, well, universe."

"You're right, that does sound crazy. You think this is funny?"

"No, I'm serious. Listen, I saved my world from a Sorceress named Ultimecia, she was going to destroy time-space, or something. In my universe, this city, none of this exists."

"I thought I was crazy..."

"You don't believe me? Then look at this."

He took his gunblade and placed it on the bar. Cloud examined the weapon. He noticed that it bore markings from non-existant companies, that it had an undefinable design, and most of all, that it was of a quality only Shin-ra Soldiers could have afforded. This guy was no Soldier, and Shin-ra didn't label weapons with anything but their own insignias. He began to believe Squall's story. After all, he'd been sucked into the lifestream and transported literally through the planet, and emerged.

"Maybe you're telling the truth, Squall."

"I am."

Sephiroth listened closely. Hmm... Different universes? Interesting.

OOC: Off for night with this post.

Cloud didn't even try to figure out how this could be happening. The planet worked in mysterious and bizarre ways, and he wasn't exactly a sage in such matters. This 'Squall' seemed to be sincere, and definitely wasn't evil, or anything like Sephiroth for that matter.

"Squall, do you think sins can be forgiven?"

"What?"

"Sins, forgiven."

'Why's he asking me this? How should I know?'
"I guess, I haven't had much occasion to try. Why?"

"Its not your problem."

'Yeah, this Cloud is a lot like me. Its not all that pleasant. How does Rinoa put up with me?'

OOC: Alright. Damn, where is everyone else?
IC: Sephiroth snorted. Still trying to repent for his sins was he? He didn't think he would give him that pleasure. He grinned at the last words Cloud had said to him, "You just don't get it at all! Theres not a thing I don't cherish!" He grinned, and said to himself, "Well, then Cloud, I guess I'll just have to take everything away then won't I?"

another artillery barrage crashed into the defenses of the town of Gein. the Pax Imperium was being spread by fire and sword, as it had for the last several years.

time and again those states still free had attempted, singly or in alliances, to hold off the Imperial advance, and time and again they had lost.

and they were loosing again. Pi smiled as she watched the defenders begin to turn on each other. one of the advantages of being merely an invader, of representing little more than a change in ruler ship, rather than an evil threat to the defender's entire way of life, was that it was Very easy to subvert their citizens. even their soldiers. even their officers.

all the more so when they banded together like this.

as yet another barrage of shells struck the walls, and in may cases the buildings behind them, the gates opened. finally, the defenders were giving battle once more. a last, desperate stand, most like.

or... not....

a multi coloured stream came blasting from within the gateway, shattering those of her soldiers that had been directly in front of it, blasting them to vapor.

"Damnit! how in the hell did those fools acquire the Carnival of Destruction?"
the carnival was a group of lesser Dei. they were, individually, weak. but if enough of them were brought together, called upon all at once...

well, the effect was right there in front of her.

"Send in the hawks. bring me those Amps!"

the gates closed again even as she spoke, least the attackers enter the city before the Dei were ready to fire again.

behind her steam catapults and engines could be heard, then soldiers in skeletal, bird like harnesses launched through the air over her head. the artillery stopped to make way for something far worse, for every hawk had an Amp attuned to Avian Pandimonia. as they flew over the city, tey unleashed the full fury of their attack. shock wave after shock wave ripped through the buildings within, then the hawks showed why they were the emperor's shock troops, and dropped, landed, their wings reconfiguring into weapons and armor. none who resisted would last long now.

ooc: something interesting for the characters to encounter eventually, i suppose. presumably Midgar would end up planted on this world somewhere

OOC: Yes, actually, Midgar will appear in this world, or, more specifically, a mirage of Midgar.
IC: The man in shadow, watched as the petty fools battled. Insects. They didn't even realise that their entire existance was controlled by him. And soon, those others would come to, and it would get even more interesting.

"So, you believe me Cloud?"

"For the most part."

"Willing to help me find a way home?"

"Depends, you willing to help me with a few deliveries?"

"Umm... okay."

"You got a, no, of course you don't. Follow me."

Cloud got up and headed for the door, Squall followed, wondering what the hell he had to do this for. Cloud showed him around back, and pulled tarps off a pair of motorcycles. One was in pristine condition, the other showed some battle scars. Cloud tossed Squall a set of keys.

"You can drive on of these, right?"

He nodded toward the pristine one.

"I can, might be a little rusty."

"Just follow me, and don't hit anything. Press the arrow on the remote."

Cloud did it, and the fairings of the bike seemed to explode outward, revealing a pair of weapons racks. He loaded the swords into the bike, and then pressed the button again. The fairings closed with frightening speed. Squall followed suit.

"You're gonna want these."

Cloud tossed Squall a pair of goggles. He caught them, and looked at the bike, it had a rather substantial packet of mail.

"When we get there, you take that packet to the 6th floor, I'll be on the 3rd, don't get lost."

They got on the bikes and took off. Squall did his best to stay with Cloud, who for his part, wasn't making it easy. They arrived at a rather large building. Each took their packet and headed up. Cloud pushed the packet under the door and began running back down. Squall slipped his under, then, seeing that Cloud was almost out, decided he could make the jump. He hopped the rail and dropped the 6 floors. He hit and rolled, just as Cloud reached the bottom.

"You're insane you know that."

"What, it's not that far."

"Well, who ever trained you, knows their stuff."

They continued out the door, and back to the bikes.

The man watching them decided it was time. He waved his hand, and the world around them...Rippled. Thats really the best description, it rippled. Midgar, was no longer where it was supposed to be.

Sephiroth started at the ripple. "What was that? I've never seen such a thing."

James Ironhart walked up behind Sephiroth, his hand on the hilt of his weapon (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/DominionofRS/ACgun1.jpg). He was dressed in mostly black, with no identifying markings on his clothes.

"Nothing is as it seems, and the man talking to your old buddy is easily just as dangerous. In my opinion more so. I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but let's just say that it's important to know who's side you're on. Personally," he smiled, there was a chill in his dark blue eyes, "I'd hate to be them."

With that he turned and walked away. As he did, he pulled out a phone and dialed a number.

"Was that really necessary? I mean, HE saw it. Anyway, I accepted the job days ago. What do you want me to do?"

OOC: Directed at you, Mereshka

The man answered, "That man could be a powerful ally you know. And, now that the city is in my little playground, I want you to follow them. If you see one alon, injured, or simply not on the ball, kill him. I want all possbile threats removed."

Sephiroth watched as the odd man walked away. Side? What did he mean by sides?

OOC: Lol hadn't posted cause I expected link from the OC thread. My apologies :D

IC: A cloaked figure was rushing through the alleyways of Lesalia as rain fell heavily from the sky. About midway through, he turned into another path that led to a dead end. Turning round, he waited patiently as if expecting someone. A moment later, the loud clatter of metal boots echoed loudly off the wall.

"We've got you now, Raphael Ildonis," shouted a male voice.

Chuckling softly, the figure called Raphael pulled his hood down. Looking about him, he noticed at least two to three squads of knights. In addition, he saw a number of chemists behind them, aiming their rifles at him.

Stepping forward, a blonde knight who had spoken earlier said, "Raphael Ildonis, in the name of the king, give yourself up."

Frowning slightly, Raphael replied, "And why should I? Why should I lay my life at the feet of a murderer and cow-"

"Silence!" interrupted the knight, "You are charged with the assasination of Queen Ovelia and attempted assassination of His Majesty."

"I see," muttered the former Shrine Knight, "Delita, you never learn do you? What would Ramza say?"

Running out of patience, the knight signaled for his men to attack.

---

As the last of his holy attacks faded, Raphael turned to survey the scene. Nearly half of his attackers were dead or near death and the others had either been knocked out or had fled. Sighing to himself, the lancer/holy knight flicked the droplets of blood staining his knightsword, Ragnarok, before doing the same with his lance; both were given to him by Ramza during their journeys earlier. Thoroughly soaked, Raphael was about to set out for an inn when he suddenly halted in midstep. His surroundings had begun to swirl around him. Had he been poisoned? No, that wasn't possible. He wasn't even touched by any of his attackers. Leaning against the alley wall, Raphael struggled to maintain consciousness, but collapsed to the floor moments later.

---

His eyes took a moment to refocus when he came to later. Pushing himself to his feet, Raphael noted to himself that the rain had apparently stopped. Looking about him, he suddenly realized that he was no longer in Lesalia.

"Where the hell am I?" he murmured faintly.

Stepping onto the streets, he noticed people wearing unfamiliar clothing and signs with strange writing on them, often he could pick out several words that he recognized. Stumbling slightly, he quickly retreated back into the alley to change from his lancer gear to his holy knight uniform of gold and blue and hiding that beneath a dark brown hooded cloak. Satisfied that he at least looked less different than he had with lancer gear, he muttered the short spell needed to open a small pocket dimension for him to stow his excess gear. Thankful that the spell still worked, he hastily put anything he couldn't carry into it before sealing it. Walking back out, he wandered the streets, hoping to find something familiar. As he walked, Raphael began noticing that he could read more and more of the signs as well as recognize the words that people were using. Reaching inside a pocket, he withdrew the Libra zodiac stone, gazing at it. Had it given him the ability to understand?

Pondering this question, he didn't realize he had stopped outside a place with a sign reading "Final Heaven." Wondering if he could find someone who could help him inside, he took a step toward the building as the door opened revealing two people: one in black carrying a strange blade and the other a familiar blonde haired man. It had been quite some time, but Raphael still recognized the face and hair of the person named Cloud whom Ramza had said came from another world.

"Cloud?" ventured the confused holy knight, "Is that you?"

OOC: Incidentally, Cloud actually shows up as a playable character in Final Fantasy Tactics. Hence why my char can recognize him.

OOC: Did you ever make a claim?

"Heh, you got it chief," with that he closed the phone and turned down an alley. As the two hopped on their bikes, he mounted his. The motor started with an almost inaudible grumble. He checked his gear once more before slowly easing out and after them. He maintained careful distance to avoid detection, keeping the headlight off.

"Playground huh? Despite the pay, I think the sanity of my employer just might factor into this. The city his playground? A little full of himself..." he muttered.

OOC: What do you mean by claim? If you mean if I posted a char app in the ooc thread then yes. If you mean if my char claimed to know cloud in that app then no. I can correct this of course. Just wondering at the moment.

OOC: Ah, okay, thanks. I wanted to know if you had posted a profile.

Cloud turned to see Raphael. He looked puzzled for a moment, then recognized him. He'd forgotten about his little dimensional shift. Squall's story seemed to make sense now.

Squall had noticed the ripple.

"We've been moved, that happened right before I ended up here."

"I noticed, he's not from this universe. Raphael, Squall."

He gestured to each in turn. Cloud then noticed the bike following in the distance, its lights were off, and the rider was trying to avoid being noticed. If that wasn't shifty, he didn't know what was. Cloud pointed in his direction.

"Trouble, good thing someone here can fight."

He tripped the fairings, revealing the sword, and began loading them into his back rig. Squall followed suit with his Gunblade.

James noticed their change in behavior and the addition of a third person to the party. Not only was he noticed, but now there were three.

"This day just keeps getting better and better..."

He rolled to a stop not fifty feet away, calmly turning his bike off and lowering the kickstand. He removed his goggles and hung them from a handlebar. He stood tall, over six feet, with a muscular build. He had short black hair and piercing blue eyes. Despite his youthful look, his arms were dotted with scars. The weapon on his belt, what looked like a mixture of a gun and a blade, only seemed to punctuate Cloud's previous statment: he was trouble.

"Well well, didn't anyone ever tell you? Two's company, three's a crowd. As if you two," he gestures to Cloud and Squall, "weren't enough, now I've got to deal with yet another thorn in the boss's side. My orders were to keep tabs on you, but I don't see any reason against thinning the ranks a bit."

He unsheathed the sword/gun and fired off a shot at Cloud.

OOC: I know not the best post to leave off with, but I've got to go for a few days, be back on soon.

BUMP
and I'm back

Cloud shifted with unnatural speed. The bullet missed by only an inch, chopping away a tiny bit of hair. In an instant Cloud and Squall were armed. Cloud wielded the nearly complete sword, with the front blade as a second weapon. They launched at him, weapons ready to deliver fatal wounds.

James jumped back, Cloud's blade slicing into his jacket. Squall followed up, barely missing him. He could feel the energy from the gunblade on his face as it moved past. Landing lightly on his feet, Ironhart fired two more shots, then charged in, taking a swipe at Squall.

To say that Raphael was confused was putting it lightly. It would be like saying slicing off a person's head was a causing a mere flesh wound. Simply put, Raphael had no idea where he was or how he got there, and now some person had just tried to kill Cloud, who might have some answers. Needless to say, the holy knight was less than pleased.

"I have no idea who you are," he addressed the attacking man, "But I can't let you harm Cloud."

Releasing Ragnarok from its binds, he held blessed knightsword by his side for a moment before making a slashing motion with it while channeling his spiritual energy into it.

"Life is short," he murmured, "Bury. Steady sword."

Moments later, large translucent crystal-like shards seemed to rain from the sky, focused on James's position, each individual shard capable of freezing him in time for several minutes.

The two mercenaries jumped back from the falling crystals, Ironhart's shots had gone extremely wide, and his attack against Squall was met with a crushing shot for his sword/gun. The horizontal sweep, even if it missed the weapon would hit the man behind the gun. He tensed his finger on the gunblade's trigger, it was guaranteed that the gunblade would hit resonance against whatever target it enountered in this swing. Massive damage was assured.

Ironhart saved himself from the shards by parrying the gunblade, which still sent him flying into a wall with a sickening thud. Struggling to his feet and wobbling slightly, he leveled his weapon on the group and limped toward his bike.

"Damn, he wasn't kidding when he said it wouldn't be easy. You lucked out this time, next time one of you," his eyes narrowed as he scanned the group, "won't be walking away."

In one fluid motion, he sheathed his weapon, jumped on the bike, and started the engine.

"I'll be watching."

With that, he wiped a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth and sped off.

If it wasn't for that medieval guy I would've had 'em for sure. Two on one's no problem, but that third doesn't leave me many options. Next time I'll divide and conquer, get one of them alone. The moment I start thinking about revenge is the moment I screw myself over. Play it cool for now.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

Time to explain myself...

Squall only narrowly avoided the shards meant for Ironhart. He knew that he'd caused some serious damage to something. He looked at the gunblade, it was fine, slightly scratched, but otherwise fine. He resheathed the weapon and turned back to Cloud and the new-comer.

"So Cloud, you believe me now?"

Cloud nodded, then proceeded to dissassemble his sword and place it into the back rig.

"Atleast its wasn't Sephiroth... again."

"Who?"

"Nearly destroyed the world, twice. I killed him 3 times. Would have made that guy look like a saint."

"Still... I don't like any of this."

Both of the mercenaries nodded in agreement.

unnecessary BUMP