Temple of the Ancients (MC)

[Eskevar Fire Cross]

Ermak Lorde

Freyr froze mid-cheer as he watched Fenrir's pitiable downfall. Mildly surprised that the "fiance" had found Fenrir, rather than Freyr locating her instead the Felitaur was at a momentary loss as to how to salvage his intended practical joke. But this stutter of thought did not last long, and with a gleeful grin the Chimera loped forward to where the two figures were sprawled in the sand. With one hand he reached down and snagged the young Samurai girl by her belt and Hakama, well versed as he was in the outfits of Wutaian warriors, he easily hoisted her off his intended victim. "Pardon me young lady, but I believe I outrank you and that's my boyfreind you're assaulting!" Freyr hoped that this particular young Samurai was maybe less familiar with his own reputation... though the chances were slim as Freyr had trained with a good portion of the Wutaian forces himself.

Rufus almost sighed with relief when he heard someone pick up the phone, "Fenrir Van Aesir, This is Rufus Shinra, I know and can appreciate that you do not hold me or my company in high regard, but I would be in your debt if you could put Freyr Svaldifari on the phone... My sources tell me you and he are traveling together." The young president prayed the Ex-Turk would listen long enough to think about his request, hopefully he would get the chance to explain himself later.

Pure, unadulterated horror. There was no other words that could come close to describing the expression on Fenrir's face when Freyr made his grand statement. The samurai girl stopped struggling against her captor, she was very still for a long time looking back and forth between Fenrir and Freyr. Her blank expression slowly converted to one of hurt and confusion. Fenrir was in the very rare position of being completely speechless, agast, dumbstruck, and otherwise incapacitated by horror. And then the tears started and the trickle quickly worked up to torrents.

" Fenrir?...." her voice trembled, " Is it true?"

* * * *

Garm's eyebrows rose when he heard who it was that was speaking to him. He must decide in a split second whether to play it straight or wreak some mild mental havoc. It then occurred to him by playing it straight he might gain more.

" I'm sorry, sir, but putting Freyr on the line would be quite impossible, you see, because of the simple truth, I am not Fenrir. I am Garm and I am currently in Wutai, waiting for Fenrir and Freyr to arrive. I believe they were sighted off the coast not long ago and a party was sent to retrieve them. This party is in fact beginning to be overdue."  

[Janus HighPriestOfPlayer]

Slayer 1 wasted no time, setting off westward even before his communication with Rufus was completely closed. Dropping altitude as he approached the shore, one hand reaching behind his head to grab the plasma cannon attached to his back frame. It was a simple matter to line up several shots, incinerating a pair of monsters flying up the mountainous shores of eastern Wutai. His sensors were alert, feeding information as fast as he could process it. A few more shots mortally wounded a behemoth before his attention turned south. "There You Are." He said, though no one was around to hear. He quickly pivoted and arced along the mountain ridges towards a pass where a small group of Wutaians were gathered, having just won a victory holding off some of the monsters trying to get through.  

[KiyaraSabel]

"Actually, negative on the last report ground control, targets have successfully landed. Relay query to president 'Permission to land helicopter and make contact with Chimera and join forces in search of reported monsters?' " While talking Ruo had sharply pulled the helicopter up from its earlier dive and remained hovering some distance into the air.

Ermak Lorde

Vai wrinkled his nose in distaste at the foul odor secreted from the dead monster.
Man I love having JENOVA cells... Sephiroth muttered
WHAT?? Vai mentally yelled in shock, E-excuse Me?
That gas was extrordinarily toxic... can't you feel that strange tingling tightness in your chest? The general smirked,
Frowning Vai realized there was indeed a distinct amount of discomfort in his lungs, So?
On a normal person that would have burned your lungs out from the inside...
Vai mentally gaped, turning the horrible thought over in his mind, before whirling around. "Dawn! Don't breath any of this stuff okay?" He shouted back gesturing at the diminishing grey-black cloud. He turned and spent a moment using his great metal wings to try to fan the poison away. Only then noticing the discolored marr on several of the plates from the monster's acid... he winced as he looked at it. Apparently the stuff had been stronger than he'd thought, he had a feeling those particular metal peices would break off under pressure at this point. It was a disconcerting feeling since he'd counted on his metal appendages for so long.
Even as he considered this they started moving again, traveling further into the crater in search of the place Sephiroth had hidden his shard of the black materia. "Stay close to me Dawn..." he murmured under his breath as they walked.

"Will do..." Dawn muttered back, trying to figure out if she were carrying any items, equipment or materia that would be more useful in such a dangerous environment. Unfortunately, such were the strength of Durova's urgings that she'd left with nothing but her cloak and sword with equipped enemy skill. It began to occur to her that she really shouldn't be in this place. That she was far outclassed by the nature of these enemies, and the further taint was only going to make matters worse. She'd be fighting these battles from the back row and keep to the enemy skills. If she lasted.  

[Ermak Lorde]

Freyr, who was never one to miss his cue, whirled the young woman around until she was being carried "bridal style" in his arms. "Unfortunately Fenrir's heart has been claimed... but I hear he has a twin brother who's still single!!" He grinned broadly first at the young wutaian and then at Fenrir with a wink, "shall we locate his errant double?"

Rufus paused for a few seconds to assimilate his miscalculation, "My appologies for the mistake Garm, my information network in that area must be more flawed than I'd assumed." There was no need to pretend he DIDN'T have an information network in Wutai, Garm was an ex-turk, and as such had once been part of said network. "It is good to hear that Freyr managed to survive his earlier exploits in the ocean. I was hoping he could provide me with some information concerning the current attacks in Wutai, I know very little about the current state of affairs with this so-called "Father", and I cannot provide any efficient assistance without more information. Freyr always seems to know what's going on and where, but perhaps you'd be willing to offer something?" The president intentionally trailed off his sentence. It was a bit chancier asking the Van Aesir for help, knowing the Twins had very little love for anything Shinra, Freyr would have answered him regardless, even if it might have taken longer to make sense of the Chimera's words.

As Rufus was hesitating however, his phone beeped insistantly, informing him that another line was active. "Please think it over for a moment Van Aesir, I have to take another call, I will return momentarily." Deftly pressing hold on his cell-phone, he turned to the desk phone, pressing the speaker button. Listening to Ruo's report he sighed mentally, "Negative Ruo, do not pursue land-based targets. According to my reports the "monsters" are stemming from somewhere further in on the island! Your orders are to circle inward and keep a lookout for any suspicious activity or strange monsters, you are NOT to engage the enemy! if you percieve a threat you are to turn around immediately and report back for more orders." Rufus never did like to "put all his eggs in one basket" as the phrase went, or rather, he did not much care for relying completely on one source for information. Ruo was a very good spy, though not as competent as others where combat was concerned.  

[Eskevar Fire Cross]

Ermak Lorde

Freyr, who was never one to miss his cue, whirled the young woman around until she was being carried "bridal style" in his arms. "Unfortunately Fenrir's heart has been claimed... but I hear he has a twin brother who's still single!!" He grinned broadly first at the young wutaian and then at Fenrir with a wink, "shall we locate his errant double?"

Rufus paused for a few seconds to assimilate his miscalculation, "My appologies for the mistake Garm, my information network in that area must be more flawed than I'd assumed." There was no need to pretend he DIDN'T have an information network in Wutai, Garm was an ex-turk, and as such had once been part of said network. "It is good to hear that Freyr managed to survive his earlier exploits in the ocean. I was hoping he could provide me with some information concerning the current attacks in Wutai, I know very little about the current state of affairs with this so-called "Father", and I cannot provide any efficient assistance without more information. Freyr always seems to know what's going on and where, but perhaps you'd be willing to offer something?" The president intentionally trailed off his sentence. It was a bit chancier asking the Van Aesir for help, knowing the Twins had very little love for anything Shinra, Freyr would have answered him regardless, even if it might have taken longer to make sense of the Chimera's words.

As Rufus was hesitating however, his phone beeped insistantly, informing him that another line was active. "Please think it over for a moment Van Aesir, I have to take another call, I will return momentarily." Deftly pressing hold on his cell-phone, he turned to the desk phone, pressing the speaker button. Listening to Ruo's report he sighed mentally, "Negative Ruo, do not pursue land-based targets. According to my reports the "monsters" are stemming from somewhere further in on the island! Your orders are to circle inward and keep a lookout for any suspicious activity or strange monsters, you are NOT to engage the enemy! if you percieve a threat you are to turn around immediately and report back for more orders." Rufus never did like to "put all his eggs in one basket" as the phrase went, or rather, he did not much care for relying completely on one source for information. Ruo was a very good spy, though not as competent as others where combat was concerned.

Fenrir felt almost physical paint from the look of hurt and betrayal given to him by the girl. He started to wonder then if Freyr's cures weren't worse than the the problems. He had to say something. If he denied it though they'd be back where they started.... what if... Garm would hat hime for it.... but... he caught the wink, perhaps this had been what the Felitaur had been planning all along. " I'm sorry Sei... he's right, Fenrir will come soon." There was a hick-up int he tears and she looked at him very carefully, " Is it you Garm?" then suspicion darkened her face, " But you don't fight with knives! Fenrir Van Aesir! You're toying with me, and Lord Freyr is just as cruel....." the word cruel was drawn out into a sob. The other Wutains had by this time approached.

" Lord Freyer, you honor us with your presence," exclaimed the leader. "And thanks to you Van Aesir. But we should not linger here," he glanced with marked discomfort at the still sobbing Sei.

Fenrir got up from the sand, " Of course your right, Maki." He too glanced at Sei, he didn't want to hurt her.....


* * *

Garm listened patiently, and rejoiced within himself when Rufus clicked to the other line, giving him a chance to consider. He didn't want to do Shinra any favors, that was clear, but he was also a reasonable man. Rufus probably would be true to his word and help them, but in his experience the "help" Shinra had in mind was more often than not, not what the help-ee had in mind and looked a lot more like harm. Knowing Shinra, there were others here already, but Rufus tended to be more cautious than his father and would want as much information as possible. He stroked Freki, who had gotten up and nudged his elbow, absently.

" Hmmph," he growled to himself as he got up abruptly and tossed the appropriate amount of gil to the proprietor on his way out. The wolves trailed behind him happy to be going somewhere. Garm had decided the best way to not inordinately tick off a powerful man while still refusing him what he wanted was to give him exactly what he wanted. He headed for the beach path, he would give Rufus Freyr. Knowing the Chimera, his answers would be confusing, and by the time you figured out what he meant you get the information from another source.  

[The demon Angel]

Yuffie waited as they passed over the Corel Mountains, trying to control her upset stomach as they continued over the Nibel mountains, though she thought she detected movement down below. She thought it was near the reactor, but couldn't be sure.

Finally after several long hours of flight she heard Ruo talking about spotting the Wutaians below. "This is my stop." She thought to herself, crawling carefully out of her hiding place before snatching a parachute and forcing the door open. She knew her stealthy presence would go undetected no longer with this last movement, but it hardly matter now anyways. "Aaaiiiieeeeee!!" She screached as she leapt through the open doors, plunging down towards the mountains and forests below...  

[KiyaraSabel]

"Affirmative Sir." Ruo replied. "I will continue my aerial survey then." After cutting off the connection, Ruo sighed in disappointment and flew off into the sunset. Man, I never get to do anything fun anymore, we've conquered and infiltrated everyone's top secrets already.