CM-3's hand tightened around his sword as he heard Raiden come up behind him. His impulse was the kill him for disobeying his simply request. They could never understand what a place like this meant to him, but he had his uses. Continuing towards the board with notes on them, CM-3 ignored the intruder into the lab and began looking over all the notes quickly, but memorizing all of them in an instant hoping something left behind would give a hint to what was happening here.
Cloud's eyes lit up as the page slowly loaded, he wouldn't remain eager long. Reading the page at first all he could make out were the bold letters 'classified' scattered through out mostly the entire page. Only recognizing the names of a few places and people; Nibelheim, Hojo, Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis. At the bottom of the page it simply stated that all important information on the topic could only be accessed via classified files. 'Files' Cloud thought as he he turned behind him realizing that the information they were after was surely located in this place somewhere. ” Downstairs, let's go to the lab. ” Cloud said as he placed his hand on Snows shoulder before stepping away from the dated computer. Cloud moved through the rooms of the building and down the creaky old stairs into the basement. The room was eerie, a creepiness that was inherent to places like mad science labs. Tsuna appeared tense, distant, he had vivid memories of places like these and knew what kind of horrors went on. Cloud suspected that he himself knew such horrors, though he had never seen more than abstract visions. Stepped to Raiden he looked over his shoulder, noticing the file in which rested in his hand. It read “JENOVA Project” and was dated nearly 20 years before. ” What's that you found? ” Cloud asked as he reached over and opened the file as it still rested in Raiden's hand. Cloud read for a moment, he's body language shifting, dropping, as he slowly came to know the truth of Sephiroth's birth. Cloud was silent as he read, and for several moments later, a sudden understanding of what drove the man to madness chilling him. He could not help to wonder now what role he, Tsuna, and Raiden played in this act. ” Find a newer file, something dated closer to three years ago. If there is anything that new here. ” Cloud spoke solemnly to Raiden, his heart rate growing.
Snow could tell thath the Jenova project was something important and potenitally dangerous by Cloud's response. As he headed downstairs, she continued to search through files on the computer about Sephiroth. She wanted to know as much about him as she could. Incidents that were coming up rang bells in her mind and she could remember certain events occurring in the past and reading about them in newspapers. When she had read enough, she switched the computer off and headed downstairs to meet with the others.
The sounds of footsteps upstairs coming closer to the lab caused CM-3 to grip his sword so tight he cut his palm with his only fingernails. They could never understand what a place like this meant to the former experiment. He had been in a ShinRa lab for the vast majority of his life, he wanted this place for himself, but that was not to happen today. He knew that killing them would set back his place considerably so continued searching on his own as Cloud seemed to find something of interest. They would tell him what he found when they did. In the mean time, he would try to find something in these notes.
The lights overhead flickered in spurts, it created an eerie ambiance. Cloud moved from file to file, his body language shifting lower and lower as he read. It was all becoming clear now. The weight of this knowledge, his responsibility to tell the others, it felt like more than he was able to hold. Cloud braced himself against the file cabinet, burying his head into the cold steel. Aggression surged, he slammed his fist and tossed the file into the air. The sheets of paper rained across the room, slowly tumbling along the air. Cloud lifted his head, his eyes had welled. ” We're all just like him. ” Cloud spoke, as his tearful eyes drifted through Raiden to Tsuna then to a face up sheet of paper on which the title read “Shinra Internal Report: JENOVA Project Nibelheim Mansion Experiment(s)” and was dated just over two and a half years prior, the newest file he had found. ” All three of our names are on that report, and worst of all it's authorized by a Shinra scientist.. Avelia Snow. ” Cloud threw his fist against the file cabinet once more, unable to explain what they were, allowing the report to say it all. Cloud's feelings were torn, his drive to avenge Avelia and Kili were deep seated, the pain of their loss was very real and fresh. At the same time, she had known all along what they were. He wondered her role in it in all, had she freed them out of remorse? Or perhaps worse could she have been working with Genesis? He couldn't answer those questions, and it pained him.
— OOC Talk: The report to follow. Also, Avalia's connection should finally bring Snow into the story fully.
— Dated: (we don't know actual dates.. lol) Signed: Dr. Avelia Snow —
Continued testing of the four main subjects Cloud (ID-O6273), Zack (ID-S144), Tsuna (ID-CM3), Raiden (ID-T67) have shown considerable genetic absorption of the implanted JENOVA cells. The recent improvements on the genetic splicing by Hojo's lab have helped the genes finally take a stable hold in these four subjects. No degeneration symptoms have shown themselves and like Sephiroth (ID-S1) the cells seem to have merged with the subjects own DNA. Hollander would kill for the genetic read outs for these four, I highly suggest he is kept in the dark about these findings.
Notes: › Subject ID-CM3 has shown some signs of mental degenration, though the cellular fusion is completely stable. My thoughts are his personality read out was flawed or incomplete upon his entry into the program. › The Turk, Subject ID-T67 has shown a remarkable ability to recover from the genetic splicing, showing very little signs of fatigue or mental faculty loss as Cloud (ID-06273) did. › On that comment, Cloud's intitial reaction and subsequent genetic poisoning has mostly been corrected.
Her research into Sephiroth had made the situation slightly clearer and she now fully understood the danger that Cloud, Tsuna and Raiden were in. “And I guess that means me as well.” She muttered under her breath and headed downstairs to the others to find Cloud searching through the filing cabinets. Suddenly, in outrage, he threw a heap of papers across the room and held up a single document to Tsuna. Snow couldn't imagine what would happen next. As Cloud mentioned her sister's name, she felt her jaw drop an inch. Contain your emotions, she quickly thought, composing herself to look as normal as possible. “May I see that?” Her voice stuttered, trying hard to hide her feelings. After Tsuna had had the chance to read it through, Snow took it and read it in her mind. Avelia, what is this? Where are you? Tears began to well up within her eyes as she thought of how long it had been since she had heard from Avelia. She looked to Cloud, doing her best to keep cool. “This woman, Avelia Snow, do you know her?”
As CM-3 read the paper, the grip of his sword released to normal tension as if shocked by what he was reading. He passed the paper to Snow and stepped back to give her space to read, “Yes.” As CM-3's word came out, his sword sprung up just in front of Snow's neck. CM-3's killer intent was back on his face. He cared little about the information. All it said is the information here he already had and it was stable inside him, nothing important. Except the name Avelia Snow on the paperwork. Even Tsuna knew that Snow was most likely a fake name, but the assumption was a pseudonym, but it may be a surname.
Using his free left hand, CM-3 pulled out his green die with still a speck of crimson inside, “She may be the red speck inside my die.” He looked at Snow and put his head to the side, “We once saw her as a comrade, but I have a feeling you saw her as a sister.” CM-3 paused as he let his words sink in, giving Cloud a look out of the side of his gaze, “So tell me, Snow.” He almost spit the word with as much anger as he usually did ShinRa, “Is that a pseudonym or surname?”
— OOC Talk: Hey clerith, just want to let you know that WoH is reopened and much simpler than before, both system wise and much smaller numbers. Rinoa can be easily augmented into the new system all I'd need to know is what equipment you want, it's all bought now and changed, and abilities. We just started a new event and added Midgar as a planet, there's also a person from Deling City who joined so if your interested in giving it another shot, just post on your original application and we can go from there. —
Raiden was casually searching through the documents in the cabinet when Cloud came down the stairway. It was fairly obvious that he was desperate for the answers they searched for, so Raiden moved aside and let his friend take over the search. As Cloud was rifling through the files he stood off to his side, doing his best to read them over Cloud’s shoulder until finally his friend settled upon one file; Raiden felt his heart sink as he read the file over his friend’s shoulder; Cloud threw a mess of files all about the room in a fit of anger, and offered the file to the others to read over its contents. A sudden flash of memory tore through his mind as he dwelled upon the contents of the file, and bits and pieces of his past started to come together for the first time since the night of the fire. Visions of the tests performed on him in the mansion, and his own feelings on the matter came surging back to him in that moment and the truth it revealed left him with a deep sense of shame. ‘I’m such an idiot; to have willingly submitted to this… and for what? Money.’ Raiden thought as he cursed his own greed. Desperately he wanted to inform his friends of his own part in this, but he was too afraid of how they might react to even try. No matter how much his inner demons might trouble him, Raiden couldn’t stand idly by as the group started to turn upon each other. “Enough.” Raiden said quietly, in an almost uncharacteristic fashion. “We don’t have time to be threatenin’ each other right now; we got what we came here for, so let’s not overstay our welcome.” Raiden could only hope that it was enough to dissuade his friend from threatening Snow. They didn’t have time to waste fighting each other right now. “Not once. As far as I’m concerned she’s still one of us; what she may or may not have done in the past doesn’t change a damn thing about that.” At that he turned his head toward Snow, and folded his arms while staring at the woman. “I won’t speak to the matter of your relationship with Avelia, that’s your business—we knew her though, but…” Raiden turned his gaze toward the ground for a moment in an attempt to find the right words. “She was a friend of ours—and we failed to save her before Genesis got to her. Best that you don’t know the rest.” Raiden flashed a sharp glance at Tsuna as he spoke, a subtle warning to his friend not to say anything else on the matter of her fate. Regardless of everything else, they had failed to save her and Kili from a gruesome fate. That was their burden to bear, and no one else's.
The storm of emotions raged around Cloud, erupting and manifesting itself from even greater gales which tortured the minds of the three men. Their past had finally coming to light, and with it a torrent of anguish. Cloud watched as Tunsa lost control, unable to accept the truth as it was. He listened to Raiden's words of response and knew them to be true. Avelia had been one of them, as far as he knew she had been the one that manufactured their escape. His gaze had shifted to Snow, her features, her stance, they spoke to him now. She was of the same blood, he was sure of it. Fate had played them once again, but it continued to put people in their path that were important, it was all still at their grasp. ” Yes we need— ” Cloud started to speak, cut off by the sound of the door upstairs splintering. The sounds of boots on the floor boards above tremored, they had company. ” to get out of here. ” Cloud finished his sentence, now unnecessary. Muffled voices shot back and forth above, the only words Cloud could make out “The targets are probably still here”.
Snow barely twitched as the sword pressed against the flesh of her neck. A tear streamed down her face as she thought of her younger sister and her possible involvement with Shinra. She knew that Avelia had found a job working for Shinra as a materia researcher but was sure she had not treaded into the maleficent side of the corporation. Just an innocent scientest, naive and unaware. “Snow is my name. That is all you need to know.” CM-3 lowered his sword as Raiden tried to pacify him. Then, as Raiden broke the news of Avelia's death, Snow could no longer keep her emotions in. “No…” Her lips began to trembles and her shoulders jolted as she sobbed softly. “She was…” Snow paused for a breath, wiping her eyes and composing herself. “Avelia was my sister.” She took another deep breath, telling herself she had to keep calm. At first, that was all she heard, then she registered the name Genesis. “Wait, Genesis? What is that?” Suddenly, loud noises errupted from upstairs. They were clearly not alone. “We should discuss this later.” And with that, took Cloud's advice to get out of there.
“It's too late for that,” Raiden muttered as the sound of muffled voices shot back and forth from the floor above them. With practiced motion he released his weapon from its scabbard, holding it tight in his left hand. “we'll have to fight our way out–and pray for a miracle.” In the aftermath of his declaration Raiden lifted his right hand up slightly, his Time materia glowing brilliantly alongside his All materia. With a flick of his wrist he released the magic within; the entire party was now under the effect of haste, as they would need all the power they could muster in order to escape the situation at hand. “Here goes… something.” Raiden said with a half-hearted smile as he started up the steps.
At the sound of people upstairs, CM-3 reluctantly dropped his blade due to his allies wishes. Giving Snow one last scorching look before head back up the stairs, “This isn't over.” Even though he walked, the haste made his speed similar to his running. His sword scrapped lightly against the ground like nails on a chalkboard. First they had taken the yeti kill away, one he would remember for all his days, and now they took away the infiltrator away as well. His blood lust wouldn't be held off much longer and would be sated somehow.
The sensation of speed overcame Cloud as Raiden unleashed his haste spell on everyone. He felt light, quick, it was a feeling that had always excited him. His heart raced as the gravity of the situation set in, there after all was only one way out of the basement and upstairs was surely crawling with Shinra personal by now. Following Raiden Cloud took the stairs two at a time, quickly passing the shattered remains of a door as the entered the large main room. Ahead of them three started Shinra grunts turned watched as Raiden and Cloud exited the basement stairwell. ” We can't fight off an entire Shinra force. ” Cloud spoke to Raiden and the others who were surely following behind. ” Running is the best option. ” He continued, his own sword now in hand. Cloud held his other hand out, pointing and opened palm upwards. The room filled with a surge of static energy before a arc of lightning jumped from his hand towards the three grunts, the white hot light erupting and then fading as quickly as it had come. ” Move! ” Cloud shoted as he turned for the door to the lobby, left ajar by the three grunts. Ahead of him more grunts were entering into the smaller lobby, they would have to defeat them to pass.
— OOC Talk: three more grunts entering the lobby between us and the door outside. Grunts are nothing for us by now.
A burst of adrenaline rushed throughout Snow's body, releiving her of the sudden grief she was feeling and replacing it with an overwhelming amount of energy. She had never experienced such magic before and was suddenly in the mood for a fight! The three grunts ahead had appeared just at the right time. A smirk half crossed Snow's lips as she adjusted the leather gloves on her hands before bolting forward at the central opponent. Leaping into the air, she spun her right leg around, turning 360 degrees mid-air, before bringing her heel down upon the head of the grunt. As he hit the ground hard, she followed up with the shuriken on her back, inserting it into his spine as though he were butter. Satisfied with her kill, she stood over the dead body and smiled.
“Of course we can't,” Raiden started to say as Cloud lashed out at the three grunts with a deadly lightning spell. “but we don't have much choice other than to force our way!” In truth he wasn't sure that they could escape from this situation to begin with; Shinra wasn't likely to give up the chase now that they had caught the scent. In the end the only option left to them was to struggle for their very survival. As yet another group of grunts came through the door into the small lobby, but before Raiden could make a move to attack Snow charged into the fray, striking at the central unit without remorse. “Ain't bad,” Raiden declared as he took a lone step toward the exit, and their enemies, one of the materia in his bangle shining brilliantly. With a mere flick of his wrist a pair of lightning bolts burst forth from the materia, arcing through the air until each made contact with one of the two remaining grunts. “but c'mon; was he really worth all that attention?” Following that he easily strode past the rest of his group and out of the door to the lobby, already prepared for their next encounter.
CM-3 let the others climb the stairs to the lobby first as he paused before ascending the stairs. Grabbing his materia die, the former experiment pointed a '3' at the stacks of paperwork. A fireball manifested from the die and hit the paper igniting a small fire that would grow as it caught more fuel. Having a feeling he wouldn't be able to come here again, it was better to just let it all burn. He continued to walk up the stairs with haste speed so he could enjoy the flame that he had started.
As he entered the lobby, the sight of single grunt by itself caused a great smile to appear on his face. Running full speed, CM-3 put the die away and ran his sword through the stomach of the grunt, lifting him in the air. The grunt struggled slightly as CM-3 paused then threw him at the nearby wall. Thanks to haste, he could keep up with the thrown body so as soon as it hit the wall, his blade hit another part of the grunts stomach. With a smile, he looked him in the eye and watched the life leave it. As he removed the sword from the body, it fell with no resistance. Without even removing the blood from his blade, CM-3 moved back towards the exit, “We're gonna wanna hurry.”
Snow offered Raiden a sly smerk as he commented on her approach to battle, then watched as he annihilated the other two grunts with poweful bolts of magic. She laughed a little and her smile widened, “Well that is just cheating.” With the three grunts out of the way, they all moved forward up the stairs to the lobby, where they were confronted by yet another grunt. CM-3 had taken the opportunity to burn the place down, so Snow continued forward as quickly as she could. From her side, a lone grunt appeared, ramming the butt of his gun hard into her chest. She reeled backwards, alarmed and unsettled by how she had been so unresponsive to defend herself. The grunt raised his gun to fire but she was quickly able to roll forward, her legs acting like scissors to trap his legs and bring him down to the floor. Once there, she straddled his waist and drew her shuriken across his neck. “One more down. These bastards will pay.”
The three moved past Cloud, bursting one after another with purpose into the lobby. Cloud could not see what unfolded, as he turned looking back down the stairs from which they had just come. A flowing torrent of pain welling up inside of him as he cast it aside and made for the exit with the others. Cloud moved into the lobby with speed, turning towards the flickering growing flames which were expanding to his right, consuming the desk and files which sat atop it. The entire building would surely burn, Tsuna's intent would be seen. Ahead the frigid cold air from the open door outside mixed with the growing heat of the fire, Cloud pushed past the others into this torment. His blade shimmered in the light of the fire as it cut down the lone grunt standing between them and the outside. ” There will be nowhere to hide. ” Cloud said solemnly, his mind made up that he would not be taken alive, that emotion ringing true in his voice. ” So we'll have to kill every last one of them, or die trying. ” Were the last words he said before he moved through the door, into the cold. The cold hit him hard, the streams of wind flowing casually through the streets, fenced in by the buildings which lined them. Shouting could be heard all around. Cloud looked to his left, back towards the center of town, he saw the Shinra operatives moving towards them. Their lights danced in the dimness of the street light, there were to many to count. He looked then to his left, into the barren landscape of the north, no shelter would be found there.
— OOC Talk: I apologize for my long delay. I'm back, so let's get going again.
Post edited 1:22 am – October 22, 2014 by sanarian
As the building caught fire around them his heart continued to hammer in his chest, while a jumble of thoughts rushed through his mind one after another. It was so painful to think about, yet Raiden couldn't help it–they had finally found the truth they had sought, but the answers had only made things worse. Unlike the others this fate had been his choice, and it left him with a deep sense of shame. Not only that it had revealed that they were, in fact, no different from Sephiroth–which begged the question, why were they struggling against him when they were of a kind? 'How the hell am I supposed to know what's right in this fucked up mess?' When it was decided that they would fight their way out, or die trying, a sinister grin spread across his lips. It wasn't until after they made their way out of the burning building, and into the cold, dark streets that he spoke up–the words heavily influenced by his rampant thoughts. “If we're nothing more than monsters,” Raiden started to say as he wore a twisted expression. “then we might as well teach them why they shouldn't bother us.” At that he turned to the oncoming army and thrust his weapon into the ground at his side, leaving it standing upright. Raiden knelt down upon his right knee, and placed his right arm flat against the snow-caked earth. A brilliant, flourescent green light began to shimmer from one of the materia in his armlet for a brief time before fading away. For a short time nothing happened, but then without warning what could only be described as a wave rippled through the ground until it reached the enemy in the distance. When it at last it reached its intended target the earth itself began to rumble, twist, and sunder beneath the enemy's feet. Raiden had unleashed the full extent of his Earth Materia upon the enemy and everything within their vicinity. Raiden didn't hold onto any hopes that it would do more than thin the enemy's ranks, but it would surely serve to damage the enemy's morale.
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