The tenseness of the situation grew as the billowing plume of smoke became visible through the canopy. Following the others Cloud raised his pace, doing his best to move fast in the deep snow pack. As they cleared the forest edge they found themselves on a small ridge that overlooked Icicle Villag below. Cloud rushed to the edge, his head darting back and forth, fully expecting Sephiroth or worse. His shoulders sank as he looked down. ” Looks like we all might be on edge. ” Cloud mumbled as he looked around at the others, all of which had put forth a great effort to reach the village for fear of it's impending doom. ” Guess it's just a cold day. ” He finished as he looked at the collected smoke from several chimneys going all at once, thinking to himself that they all probably needed a good cleaning. Feeling his heart rate decline Cloud started down the small ridge, losing his footing and sliding part of the way. As he reached the bottom he looked behind, the realization that one among them was not exactly informed about their reasons for being in the village in the first place. He wondered how to dance around the information, knowing that they needed to locate a certain house maintained by Shinra in the past. ” Shinra use to have a station here. ” Cloud broke the silence, having reached a freshly shoveled cobble stone street. ” We need to find it, you wouldn't happen to know where that's at would you? ” He asked the young woman, hoping that his mako infused eyes would do the work for him.
Snow was not used to seeing quite so much smoke just from the domestic use of the civilians fire places. However, it was a relief to know that the town was not in any immediate danger. She had often visited this village as an escape from the busy city of her home life and to forget about her job as an assassin. The spiky, blonde haired man asked about a Shinra station. The name Shinra did not sit well with her. Many of her assignments had been Shinra operatives. Some Shinra soldiers had even used her services to elminate a variety of big cats, politicians and businessmen. She was not aware of any area where Shinra would operate up here in Icicile Village. “I'm sorry, handsome. I haven't a clue.” However, she knew that if they wanted to get any information the best place to head was the Icicle Inn. “The owner at that inn there will be able to help you out some more.” She pointed to a large wooden cabin just down the path through the village.
Once he cleared the edge of the forest he quickly began to search the area, only to find the source of the smoke wasn't at all what he had thought. “Fuck.” Raiden cursed under his breath at the sight that lay before him. As it turned out the village wasn't in any danger, the smoke coming from multiple chimneys all billowing smoke at once. While the others arrived behind him he simply stood there, blankly staring at the village below them as a jumble of thoughts raced through his mind. A part of him had hoped the village was under attack, that they could finally get the answers they were looking for. Raiden's stomach turned at the thought, disgusted with himself for putting their quest for answers above the lives of innocents. Raiden was starting to realize that, just the same as his friends, he had been damaged in some way by the events that had transpired at Shinra Tower. As they started down the ridge he followed quietly behind the group, treading carefully to avoid tumbling down the slope. All the while he was too focused on his own thoughts to pay much attention to the conversation at hand.
CM-3 looked out at the village with smoke billowing from the houses. It was a large amount for the size of the village, but may the people here were sensitive to the cold. He moved his way over to the new woman, “Is this amount of smoke usual?” CM-3 didn't like the woman based on their brief time together. Her battle skills seem well trained, but she failed to use them against a formidable opponent. A big negative to the former experiment, but hse had information he didn't so she was useful for now. He followed with the group to the inn. The inn keeper seemed like he could be a fountain of information for the village, but CM-3's brief time free hadn't confirmed it.
Cloud scanned the vista following the woman's hand as she pointed to a large structure in the distance. His eyes crossed those of Raiden as they moved, he seemed troubled, perhaps they all were. Cloud nodded, the inn did seem like a place to go, if not just for a warm bed. ” Yes the inn, maybe we can find the answers there. ” Cloud said as he started towards the structure. ” Plus, we'll need to check in to a room anyway, we can't stay in the elements any longer. ” He finished speaking, the cold chilling him to his core. Icicle Inn was a large building, snow covering the roof and nestled in all the cracks and on all the sills. Cloud wiped his feet as he entered, the warmth from the fires hitting him as he opened the door. A feeling of comfort overcame Cloud as he kicked the remaining snow from his boots and made his way across the wooden floor, passing a large staircase that led upstairs, to the counter. A woman waited, welcoming them as the entered. Cloud promptly rented a room but before leaving decided to inquire about Shinra in the village. ” By the way, we're here on Shrina business miss, you wouldn't happen to be able to point us in the right direction would you? ” Cloud asked, flashing his Mako eyes once again. ” Shinra business? There hasn't been Shrina business here for ages, though when I was young they did have a research lab on the outskirts of town. ”The woman replied, wondering what the group could be doing. ” We're just here to collect some old records, that must be the place could you point us in the right direction? ” He asked, feeling he has explained their presence away. The innkeeper nodded and moving from behind the counter she walked across the large lobby to a large window looking out on Icicle Village. Cloud followed, passing comfortable looking chairs and a table as he reached the window. ” It's just down at the end of the main road there, see it? ” She pointed as she spoke. Clouded nodded, making a mental note of the location of the building before thanking the woman. He crossed the lobby once more, heading towards the stairs that would lead up to their room. Motioning for the others to follow he ascended the stairs and entered the door on the right.
Snow shivered from the cold that enevloped her body. She had no time at all to prepare for the weather, bar the exception of the comfortable snow boots on her feet. “Yes, let's get inside.” She moved quickly to the front of the group, heading straight for the inn. There was no chance she would return to the cabin she had been staying at, not with that mammoth ice fiend walking around. If it did not come with a hefty payout, she was not interested. Killing was a job to her and she declined any deal less than 100,000 gil a head. Inside the inn it was warm and cosy, almost instantly heating her body. She allowed Cloud to take care of the receptionist whilst she went upstairs to find a bed. She had been awaken from her previous slumber and was now feeling completely drained of energy. “You boys find out what you need to. I'm going to bed.” She headed upstairs and found a single room with just one bed inside. Perfect. She slipped off her robe and placed it over the small, wooden chair in front of a blazing woodburner, kicked off her boots, and climbed into bed, falling instantly to sleep the second her head hit the pillow.
CM-3 followed the group into the inn. The warm air was refreshing. The cold was not big deal to CM-3, usually he didn't even feel a difference, but add that to little sleep and the effects were starting to set in. He continued with Cloud to talked to the inn keeper witout acknowledging the the female that had left, still angry about the missed collection. The talk of the research lab caused his lips to pull back and show his pointed teeth. Even though she said they hadn't been there for a while, he knew that place would burn tomorrow. Burn like Shinra Mansion.
“Let's get an early start tomorrow.” Said CM-3 as he followed Cloud up the stairs, in his angry not realizing that wasn't necessary to say. Memories of his expirements flashed in his mind, memories and images changes as each of his feet hit the ground until he was his room looking down at his bed. For a moment, the bed changed into the slab of metal ShinRa called his bed and then back. Though these haunted him, CM-3 gave no outward signs it bothered him, but rather of something that was part of him. CM-3 had laid down on the bed and went straight to sleep.
As Cloud entered the upstairs room of the Icicle Inn his mind was not on rest but instead on getting the information that he and the others were after. The room was well furnished, four comfortable looking twin beds arranged to allow the maximum amount of movement around the room. Against the far wall a small fireplace burned, warming the room. As he entered he felt the weight of the journey on his shoulders and suddenly the tiredness had set in. ” Yes, maybe we should wait for morning. ” Cloud spoke, replying to Tsuna who he noticed seemed bother, disengaged, something was amiss with him and had been since they left Midgar. ” At the very least we should get a few hours rest and maybe check out the building under the cover of night. ” Cloud said as he sat on his own bed, his body melting into it's softness, the fatigue of his body taking over and pulling him down.
— OOC Talk: Dunno when San will be back, it's gonna be hard to continue far without him as we are all important to the story bits coming…
Snow woke up with a startle, shooting up into an upright seated position. The room was dark and her eyes were unable to adjust to the pitch black around her. She rubbed her hair back out of her face, tied it into a rough ponytail, and then slid out of the bed, her feet finding solice in the winter boots on the floor before she headed over to the door. The warm light that broke through the crack hurt her eyes for a second. There was only one other room opposite, which had to be where Cloud and the others were sleeping. They didn't even know her name. She could walk away freely now and never see them again… but something piqued her curiosity. The fascination with Shinra seemed unsual to her and also incredibly intriguing. She headed over to the door, knocked once, and then opened it. “Anybody awake in here?”
Raiden hadn't slept easy, his dreams still haunted by terrors he couldn't even understand. When he woke it had been with a start, his body shaking in fear even as the images faded away. With a deep, weary sigh he sat upright and cupped his head in his hands. “I can't take much more of this.” he whimpered, the fear still heavy in his heart. 'I need answers.' he decided suddenly, throwing the blanket aside and retrieving his gear. Once he was properly geared up, his weapon tied to his belt, Raiden took care not to wake the others while he made his way to the door. Just before he could reach for it there was a knock upon the door. A few moments later it began to creak open, revealing the stranger from the cabin. “Oh, it's just you.” Raiden stated flatly, folding his arms and raising an eyebrow curiously. “I hope you ain't here to try and kill us in our sleep.”
Tsuna tossed back in forth as he slept. He usually sleep quiet and light, butsince seeing Hojo die he could no longer do that. His egos fought back and forth as he slept. Words of destruction then phrases with manners and honor could be heard going back and forth under his breath as he tossed and turned frantically.
At the noise from Raiden, CM-3 eyes bursted open, and he shot straight up, sword in hand. His expression was one of pure killing intent, but when he saw it was Raiden it softened with the smile, “You can't allow it get to you or it will never get better.” Tsuna spoke he was at a total serene state, as if his disturbed sleep had no occured. He raised from his bed, his right hand half way going to reach for his hat that was no longer there, but something stopped him and he moved on as if it didn't happen.
“It would be a dishonor to be killed by an assassin that asked if we were awake.” Tsuna smiled with his sharp teeth trying to seem pleasant. He looked over at Cloud, hoping he would wake with all the noises as he made his way to the door, “My lady, how did you sleep?” He bowed before speaking as a sign of greeting, again almost reaching for the hat that no longer was there. Part of his mind wanted to reach for it like he always had, but part was blocking him from relieving it was gone.
Cloud did not wake, his body was beaten and broken and sleep had a tight grasp upon him. His mind was afire, vivid images of his past cutting though the veil that had long blinded him. Tifa and Sephiroth, Zack and Sephiroth, everything seemed to come back to that one monster, a monster that against all odds seemed to be protecting them, pointing them to some untold secret that they must find on their own. ” You bastard, what does everyone want with us?! ” Cloud spoke out in his sleep, audible, the others would hear. The visions continued, A sprawling complex, metallic walls. Bright lights abound, he winced in pain. Cloud jolted awake, his eyes bursting open. He shot up in bed, momentarily unaware of his surroundings. Confusion set in, he was in an unfamiliar place. 'What is familiar?' he thought. His nerves settled and as he turned to the door he saw the others, everyone was awake. Cloud twisted his body, peering from the window to his left against the back wall which his headboard rested. It was dark outside, a fridgid stream of air moved about the window, locked in a brutal struggle with the warm air from inside. ” I guess we should get going? ” Cloud shrugged, unaware.
Snow acknowledge Raiden's discontent towards her but did not let it affect her. In the business she chose, she had very few people she trusted, or even liked, and that was how she preferred it. Many people hated her, few people liked her, nobody really knew her. “Sorry for waking you, I-” Just then, the gentleman awoke with a start, just as she had done before. He was suprisingly polite this evening, seeing as earlier he seemed to have something in for her but she could not quite put her finger on it. “I slept well, but a few hours is enough for me. I've always been used to just a short amount of rest.” She moved inside and closed the door behind her, the only light in the room being from the beaming silver moon that shone through the window. Then Cloud woke up, in a similar way to both herself and Tsuna. It seemed nobody was able to sleep tonight. The random sentence that he had called out in his sleep had startled her a little but she chose not to question it. “Take me with you. I need some answers from Shinra myself and I know that I will have trouble on my own.” She hoped that she would be allowed to follow along as their initial meeting was somewhat troublesome. “I promise I'm not out to kill any of you. You're names are not contracted.”
Post edited 12:25 pm – September 6, 2014 by sanarian
“You didn't wake me–” Raiden stated curtly, when suddenly his old friend began to speak without any prior warning. With a half-hearted smile he turned his head toward the gambler. “you might be right, Tsuna.” It was refreshing to see the noble side of his friend yet again, but even then it was only a fleeting feeling that was quickly lost to the darkness within him. It was difficult enough to try and shake off his nightmares, but the thought that he had even considered abandoning his friends to find answers only made things worse. 'I'm losing my mind, aren't I?' he thought miserably. Only a short while later Cloud started to cry out in his sleep, before jolting awake. Clearly he was confused about something, but it was quick to fade away. 'Seems that I'm not the only one whose having trouble sleeping lately.' At the suggestion they set out for their destination he folded his arms and turned about to stare directly at the blonde. “Oh sure, let's get going now that sleeping beauty is awake!” Raiden mockingly declared while tapping his left foot in frustration. When he heard the suggestion that they take her with them Raiden turned toward her, staring incredulously for a moment before his senses returned to him. “You're serious?” Raiden questioned flatly as she started to speak once more. “I ain't afraid you'd kill any of us, believe me when I say that.” Raiden said coldly, pausing for a moment before continuing. “If I were you I'd have a bit more concern for my personal safety though; we've got a damn near endless list of people out for our blood, and our only allies are all present in this room. Unless you count our psychotic baby-sitter.” Raiden paused to let out a deep sigh before finishing his declaration. “I don't care if you follow us, but it's your funeral.”
Glancing quickly at Cloud, Tsuna could see both of his allies were being tormented. One without sleep and one in his sleep. He had no advice to offer so turned back to the lady with a light laugh, “I doubt you'd find my name anywhere.” Tsuna was no his true name, that had been long erased. It was a name given to him by the scientist as it meant bond and they forced his body to merge with monsters. They used it to degrade him as they spoke of it mainly being female, but he wore it with pride and did not let him affect him.
Staring deep into the woman's eyes, Tsuna seemed to try to pierce what was behind them. His face stoic as he consider. Shaking his head, Tsuna wagged his finger, “Sorry, I will not take you anywhere.” Tsuna looked towards Raiden then back to her with a smile, “But you may accompany us, if you wish.” Tsuna extended his hand as a sign of friendship. He had no qualm with this woman, she even admitted to being an assassin. Useful skills when fighting Shinra. “Just one question.” Tsuna paused for a moment, “Would you please honor me with your name?”
The weight of tiredness was heavy on Cloud as he lifted himself from the physical comfort of the bed. It was clear that none of them would be sleeping with the answers possibly so close, and even though they were all fatigued from constant trials of will they would have to continue. Lifting his heavy legs Cloud pulled himself from the bed, his boots thwacking hard as they struck the wood floor. He realized he hadn't even removed them before collapsing into sleep. ” Coming with us is dangerous, you have to realize that we can't protect you.. we can't even protect ourselves— ” Cloud spoke, his mind firing with the visions of those who had died at their expense. Cloud clenched as the vision pasted, opening his eyes to meet the young woman. Something was different about her, in a familiar way, but he was too fatigued to put it together. ” —but if you must follow, we can't stop you. ” He finished, breaking the gaze. Cloud moved slowly, pulling the harness which held his blade from it's position leaning next to his bed, closing in on the door. He moved past the others, descending the stairs, lost in his thoughts.
Snow raised an eybrow towards Raiden as her lips broke a gentle smile. He greatly underestimated her capabilities. Perhaps because she was a woman and appeared to be more interested in the condition of her nails than that of the kill. She let him believe what he wanted and turned to Tsuna, who was being surprisingly gentlemanly. “My name is Snow.” It was an alias, of course, but that was the safest way to play the game she was in. Cloud's words did little to worry her. “I can handle myself. I'm sure I'll come to show you just how capable I am at taking care of this.” She trailed her hands down her body, the narcicistic side of her personality showing its self in all its ostentatiousness. “Lead the way.” Luckily, the inn was a secondary vacation place for her and she even had a suitcase kept down in the lobby in case she ever needed in. Such situations as this one often arose when people were being hunted. “I'll just slip into something a little more appropriate and meet you in the lobby.”
Post edited 3:08 pm – September 10, 2014 by sanarian
Raiden chuckled lightly as the gambler offered his assent. Now only Cloud’s opinion on the matter was left unspoken. Raiden folded his arms across one another and tilted his head slightly toward Cloud, curious as to what the blonde thought about this. When it was all said and done they had all agreed to allow her to accompany them, even if none of them were especially keen about it. “My name’s Raiden,” he said curtly while forcing a smile to the best of his ability. She was quick to insist that she could defend her person, albeit with a rather narcissistic display, but then Raiden already knew that—she had made that quite apparent upon their initial meeting at the cabin. Staying alive through the deadly trials they faced was another matter in and of itself though, but Snow would find that out for herself soon enough. “I hope you can, for your sake.” Raiden said as he passed by her, trailing a few steps behind Cloud.
Tsuna smiled when Snow gave her name. He glanced out the window briefly then back to her. Either her parents had no imagination, or that was an alias. He cared little and said nothing about it. Though he had wished to be honored with her real name, at least he had a way to refer to her. His small circle of friends was starting to grow larger. He didn't trust her as much as Cloud and Raiden, but it was a start and he felt something inside of him grow stronger. He was curious about it for a moment as the rest of the group began walking down stairs. Tsuna slept in what he wore and with his sword in hand was ready and began walking down to the lobby behind the rest, “Ready when you are, Snow.” Tsuna said her name with a little emphasis and knew that Cloud and Raiden were always ready to move out.
The rhythmic clatter of boots echoed through the vaulted chambers of the inn. Cloud had descended the stairs quickly, his mind troubled, stuck attempting to piece together the fragmented events of his past and how it was relevant to his present. Cloud seemed vacant, unaware of the world around him as he stood stoic in the lobby, his eyes mindlessly watching the snow fall out of the nearby window. Cloud's daze was broken as the others followed behind him, his two friends and their new found ally in Snow the only real things tethering him to reality. ” Let's get a move on. After all, we have had a string of poor luck so we should face this now and let the cards lie. ” Cloud spoke as he opened the door, the cold air bursting in and striking him like a truck. The cold was refreshing, it pushed Cloud thoughts away and gave him something to focus his mind on. ” How do people live in this place… ” he mumbled as he moved through the doorway, his arms reflexively rising to his midsection, wrapping in an attempt to retain heat. The night was dark, though the constant hue of the sun refracted through the northern sky. He knew night would only last a few hours but when it came it brought an unimaginable cold with it. Cloud trudged through the snow that lined the streets, walking briskly towards the edge of town. His eyes caught the silhouette of the Shinra building in the lamplight, there were no others on the street, it was quiet.
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