(no subject)
Summary: Thesi has a little chat with Aial, and reveals a few of her dark secrets..
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Traverse Town - Back Alley
This alleyway leads to the back doors of some of the main buildings and shops on the other side. There is also a high fence at the end of the alleyway that peaks over the rest of the town. Numerous crates and boxes have been dumped here, along with a large blue dumpster for obvious reasons. There are also various stray cats and other street animals who have made their home here.
Contents:
Aialsted
Obvious exits:
[leads to 'Traverse Town - Upper Level']
It is a dark and stormy night..Which is never a good sign, especially in a town shrouded in eternal darkness, and crawling with even more heartless than before..A rumble of thunder here, a flash of lightning there to light up a rainy sky, and boy is the rain coming down hard tonight..And then, as if that wasnt bad enough, a mysterious portal suddenly materializes from the deepest darkest recess of the eternal twilight town, as points of violet light swirl and coalesce to open up in the middle of the alley..And who should step out but a certain 'loyal SOLDIER general' of Shinra..Though this time she is clad in all black; a long black gown bearing the heartless insignia upon the collar she wears on her neck..And of course that unmistakable mark of the Rook. in her hand she carries that long, deadly glaive of hers, its end still tinged in fresh blood..As for her last victim? Well, interestingly enough, it seems to be none other than herself, for her neck is still covered lightly in blood, and there is an almost crazed look in her eye.
Unfortunately, the heartless here seem to have been corrupted so much that they dont even recognize her, nor should they, as she is not exactly a Shadow Lord either (which begs the question, what the heck IS she, then??) and she's suddenly surrounded by a whole horde of them, though they hardly look like they're about to come to her aid. Instead, as the portal dissipates behind her, they slowly crawl, fly and slither towards her, ready to attack, ready to kill.
And Thesia? She simply smiles as she twirls that deadly weapon with expertise in her hands. Let them come, she could do with a little bloodbath right about now..Let's just hope she's not hopelessly outnumered here.
Well. Aialsted tends to key his Heartless to be /decidedly/ vicious. ...The storm, indeed, is an unexpected, but quite pleasant, occurence, for the master of these Heartless, here, the one commanding this horde that holds Traverse Town itself ransom. ....But whom should he see, there, but one...dressed in so much black. He is /behind/ the portal, right now, as she arrives...And my, my /my/, but is /this/ what he sees?
...Yes. Yes, it is. The Shadow Lord smiles, from behind Thesia...And steps out from behind a corner, pulling out his revolver. "..Good evening." ...He shoots. ...At the Heartless. Not Thesia. Mmhm. Yes.
Thesia of course, hasnt missed a beat in the attack as she rips through a good group of the creatures like a bread through butter..Though she doesnt stop there, slicing her glaive through them in a place that'd likely hurt the most, torturing the poor things when they're already dead as if trying to scratch out the very memory of their existence with her weapon..Hearing a noise behind her, she turns, lifting her weapon to slice through YOU too..But pauses at the last expression, slender brows arched in sudden surprise and shock...Dammit..Not HIM! Not here! Oh hell...She's about to reply before another creature lunges from behind and she narrows her eyes, twirling around to face it, cutting it quickly down to size and beating it to a bloody pulp. "Grrrr...." she growls as she digs into it..Indeed, she seems to have a lot of steam to let loose, and well..Now things are gonna get just a little uglier now that her little secret is out. Alas, she's too busy felling the creatures one after the other to really talk at the moment.
...Aialsted had never known his comrade to be so very...Vicious. And he's not displeased. Most of the Heartless she's fighting, upon looking at them, don't bear his mark, anyway. As Thesia turns to strike /him/, however, he simply smiles that same, insolent grin that he's had since the two have known each other.
...But it might be fun to talk, a little. Meanwhile, however, Aialsted shrugs. He may as well join in. The gun is holstered, and the sledgehammer comes out, proceeding to..Well. To smash things. "Is everything al/right/, Thesia?"
"Oh yeah, everything's just FINE! Why wouldnt it be!!?" oh sure, Rook just tried to...Seduce her, and she nearly bought it, nearly believed he actually LOVED her, only to learn that he wanted to use her..Or was it really Rook, using Horai's feelings of Thes to control her? And now..She may just be having to face the reality that she'll never see her Horai again..That she'll have to join with the very creatures she despised so much and stop fighting Rook if she wants to keep even his very memory alive..Oh, and let's not forget Aialsted's sudden an unexpected appearance, and knowing that he'll probably turn her in or worse, kill her! Afterall, why would he protect her against the Imperial Power? He's probably just dying for an opportunity to stab her in the back! Grr....
She simply turns then, swinging her weapon around to hack at the heartless that seems to be about to pounce you from behind, nearly hacking your own head off in her own blind rage..Or at least coming very close to it. "Incase you hadnt noticed, we're being attacked here!!" she growls as she notices your idle chitchat while she does all the dirty work...Grr..There's another flash of insanity showing in her catlike eyes again..Whatever happened to her, anyway? Hmm of course, this is all the Heartless' fault! It's because of them that her life is ruined!! That's why..She must destroy every last one of them!!
....But Thesia doesn't know Aialsted at all, does she? No, no, his loyalties, when they were working together, were always to the squad above ShinRa. After all, it was such /fun/ with them. ...It's sad, even, to watch her. ...Or it would be. He's changed, himself. He shakes his head as she yells, and quietly continues to help her.
Well, well. She's cracked. ....He always knew that it would happen sooner or later. "Yes, but when's that become new, hm?" He grins, and smashes into a Heartless directly behind Thesia, grinning as he does so. ...Don't think he doesn't notice her clothes. He does. Oh, he /does/, at that.
Her? Cracked? Not really...She's always had a rather...Feral side to her, just waiting to be freed. Virge had seen this side before, so had Kuro. She just doesnt trust Aial much with her deepest darkest secrets. Like, oh, this for instance. Still, she continues to slash through the creatures rather tirelessly, though it hasnt yet dawned on her why exactly HE is helping HER instead of trying to kill her right now..Why?? Did she..Miss something?? No, he's been part of her squad for a few years, and yet she never really fully KNEW him the way she knew her other SOLDIERs. He was always a mystery to her, which annoyed her to no end of course..Like now..
"You just dont get it, do you..I'm your commander remember? Why cant you ever follow orders?" heck, she's been promoted to General now and with good reason. Probably only Rufus and the Execs are higher up than her, but does he listen to her now even? Not a chance! Grr...She leaps forward then, hacking quickly through the rest, probably even slicing through some of the ones that he was gonna strike down until there are but a handful left that scurry off into the deepest darkest corners to hide..Phew..Now comes the tough part..Facing her former subordinate..And now that she's let off some steam, she seems to calm down just a little, at least enough to be able to reason with perhaps..And more importantly to answer questions which no doubt you probably have many..
Oh, she might not realize it, but Aialsted is quite certain that she's not stable, at this point. It's his business, to know madness at will. ...And no, she never did. But then, Aialsted kept things that way--their natures are fundamentally different. It becomes...Difficult, for her to understand someone like him, he thinks. ...But it's hardly something that kept him up at night. No, no, he liked teasing the other. It's fun.
"Funny, Thesia. I thought by now we were friends." He grins, but it's not mocking, this time. ...And so she has. But she knows full well that chains of command have never mattered to the dark-haired acrobat. No, no, Shinra's as much a circus as the other ever was, and always has been. ....And as the Heartless leave...?
Aialsted crosses his arms, looking over Thesia and raising an eyebrow. "..Nice dress. I always thought you should wear more black, Thesia."
And as the dust settles a little, she's breathing a little more heavily as she still holds her glaive between herself and him, eyeing him warily..No...she doesnt trust this guy at all, even though they had fought many great battles together, always watching the other's back..No, there was always something off about him, yet at the same time she always yearned to know more, to know what it is that made him strong..And a soft frown mars her elven features now as she clutches that weapon tightly, half expecting him to strike her down right there and then. "Friends? Are we?" she laughs a little, shaking her head, "You sure have a funny way of showing it, dont you.." but still..He came in at the last moment, helped her as he always had back then, so why does she still feel wary about him? "Tell me..Why havent you attacked me yet? I suppose you must have seen..Everything.." she sighs, staring down at her glaive then, which is covered in even more blood than before. "They'd probably promote you..Isnt that what you always wanted? More power?" yeah..That was always the main difference between the two of them. She cared about people.He didnt..At least, that's what she had been led to believe. Thus begins the true test of friendship perhaps. Or maybe this is just the end..?
"Hm? Nah. Power's no fun if you're enjoying it alone, hm?" He grins, and shakes his head. ..Why hasn't he attacked her? Well, the obvious answer is that /he's your boss's boss/, but he's not planning to get into that /just/ yet. "..I've suspected since that knight took you away in Vector, to be honest." He shrugs. "But really, do you think /I'd/ turn you in? If I'd wanted a promotion, I'd have shut up and followed orders more often." No, no, Aialsted, back then, wasn't after /power/ so much as he was after...a good time. ..And he's certainly not averse to communicating that. His weapon, though? It goes right back to his side, as he nods.
"..However. I think you and I ought to have a talk, hm?" His manner perhaps seems a little more honest than usual. But only a little. "...Like as to how this came about. ...There was always the possibility of something with you, but I can't say that I expected it." ...And he also seems to know more, or at least be reacting differently, than a normal SOLDIER ought to, in this role.
No, you dont know her at all either..Heck, SHE doesnt even know herself that well really, and it took a near stranger yet a kindred spirit somehow, to reveal to her the power hidden within...Hmm..And yet another darker, eviller side of her, the side that always desired such power for herself, and yes, the black DOES look good on her, somehow, as if..Maybe she could have been something more had she chosen another path in life, instead of becoming so wrapped up in her emotions..And falling for certain vituous Paladins turned Heartless Knights..Alas, was she always to live such a cursed life?
Still, if he wanted to kill her, he would have done that already..Right? Or, perhaps he simply wants information from her before he does the dirty deed..And still she hasnt entirely let down her guard yet, though she leans against the nearby wall, staring at her glaive thoughtfully now. She shrugs a little at the question, though a rather..Sad smile touches her blue lips now, "Isnt it obvious by now? I thought you would have figured it out..Aialsted.." she looks back at you then, her gaze cool, guarded yet, a little..Curious, inquisitive almost. Hmm, always the trickster, and so difficult to read no matter how hard she tried. Still, he'd figured out at least part of it before, and had even seemed...Concerned about her, curiously enough. "You were right before. I have..Business with the Heartless Knight Rook, but..It's not what you think..I'm not joining with the heartless against the Imperial Power..At least, not by choice.."
..So, it's Rook that's dragged Thesia into this, hm? Briefly, Aialsted considers simply killing the knight. He's caused no end of trouble, thus far. ..His expression, however, doesn't betray these thoughts. ..And Aialsted has a bit of a bias, where black goes, too.
..He could have, sooner than she realizes. ...Oh, information, it's true--he's always been a fiend, for that. "Business, hm...?" Aialsted gives Thesia a long long, walking a bit closer. "..Somehow, Thesia, I doubt that you could join against the Shinra. ...No." He shakes his head, pointing a long finger at Thesia.
"You don't belong with the Heartless." It's a statement of fact. He isn't trying to redeem her. ..He just /knows/ He is, after all, the expert.
"...So, tell me more. If I'm going to be helping you, here, I need more information."
Wha...Help? Did he just say help her? "Ugh..But..Why would you want to help me? You have everything to lose..And nothing to gain by it.." though, she's still a bit flighty it seems and as you come nearer, she hops back a few paces, still eyeing you warily, still weilding that great bloody glaive of hers as if she were getting ready to protect herself should the need arise..No, she still doesnt trust him fully, even though, so far at least he seems to be on her side. But then...So much has happened to her in the past few weeks, and the esper in her is still there inside her head, wild, untapped, confusing her thoughts, messing with her mind.
"Why do you say that? You dont even know me...Maybe my place IS with the heartless afterall.." Or is it? She doesnt even know anymore, she's never felt so lost before.
...Actually, that's not quite true, though Aialsted could see where she could say it. Still, though, he just grins back. "And when has that ever stopped me? You remember the time when I replaced /his/ ammunition with lollipops, don't you?" He laughs, shaking his head. ...He's clearly not worried about the glaive. ...And good. Thesia always was smart, that way. Trusting Aialsted tends not to be the..best idea, in most cases.
"I say it because it's true. Trust me on this, Thesia. ..I would know." He smiles, softly. "..And on the contrary. Have I ever left one of my friends to rot before?" ...No. Though, arguably, Thesia could say that she hasn't seen him with any...Well.
Ugh...She SO doesnt like his sense of humour. It's just...Well, creepy. and while most people would totally consider Kuro the creepier of the two (heck, most people wouldnt find a 'pretty boy' to be the creepy type afterall!), Thesia will probably never trust you entirely. In fact, she lets out a short laugh as she continues to watch you warily, "Trust...You..? what exactly are you up to these days, anyway? Havent seen you around the base in a long while.." And no, she didnt even think he HAD friends, unless you count that terribly silly and horribly naieve girl Kaelin. A pity she doesnt know the true Aialsted. Heck SHE doesnt know the true Aialsted, and she knows pretty much everyone else in Shinra quite well, considering she was born and raised in the place. Still..He's always been smart and cunning, and just maybe he can help her with her problem. Cuz right now she's at her wit's end..And time is running out..
"Alright..." she sighs, lowering her glaive a little more, actually seeming to relax a bit..Maybe he really DOES see her as a friend, though she's not exactly sure why, afterall, she hasnt exaclty been NICE to him. "But, I dont know if you can help me really..Rook..He wasnt always like this, honestly. He was once..An important person to me.." of course, she decides not to go into the details, how she was his guardian, how she had grown to love him, and it was ultimately that love for him that led her down this dangerous path. Still, her eyes may say as much, and they even seem to soften a touch at the name. "I..Was his guardian, but when the heartless came, I couldnt protect him..The Shadow Lord known as Juno had kidnapped him, brainwashed him, fed him with lies and deception, turned him against me. I tried to fight her, tried to rescue him, but the two of them..Together they were too strong for me.." and as she speaks, she absent mindedly touches those three angry scars across her chest, scars that are not quite so obvious anymore, yet still seem evil enough, perhaps even writhing with the slightest hint of dark energy. And the mark is unmistakable; the mark of the heartless, or at least of Juno's heartless. No doubt Juno had tortured her, as well..
..Most people are like that, with him. But then, that's largely the point, too. ...He and Kuro...? Heh. Well, no.
He has friends, alright, and they're the /perfect/ friends for Thesia. ...All the same, though, whether she believes him or not, he can help. ...He doesn't answer, yet, his question about his activities. No, he's going to listen, first, to Thesia, here. "..I see." The Shadow Lord Juno, hm? He'd never liked her, anyway. So damn dull.
...So that's what those scares are from. ...Juno tortured /his/ squadmate, had she? Well, if she weren't already gone, he'd kill her himself.
"...Juno is gone." ..He takes a moment, opening his abilities, to ensure that there is no one listening, no one in the area. ...And there is no one. Which is good. He's not in the mood to track them down.
"...So, you want him freed, then?" ...Fascinating idea.
Well..Yeah..Isnt that obvious? She nods slowly, "Yes..I want to free him, if I can..Only I don't know how." After a moment's thought, she actually lowers her weapon all the way, allowing it to dissipate before taking a cautious step towards you, at least to close the gap a little..Hmm..And it seems she actually trusts you a little more now, though still not entirely of course. "I thought..Maybe if I could get him to remember who he used to be, it'd be enough..But now, it's like Rook is too powerful for Horai.." a soft, exasperated sigh escapes her lips then, clenching her fists lightly, "Ugh, I just don't know enough about the heartless yet.."Hmmm, and what's this about Juno?? She raises a slender brow, peering at you a little curiously, "Huh? You know about Juno? So…What happened to her then, exactly? Is she….Dead?" hmm, interesting..
Aialsted doesn't bother smiling like he usually might, making an insolent comment or two, as Thesia approaches. Instead, he nods, considering, his arms crossing as he leans against the wall beside him. "...I see. Not a bad plan. That's how they work, half the time, they change who you are. Especially with Juno." Juno. Aialsted nearly sneers as he mentions that name, before looking back to the other SOLDIER.
With that question? He grins, almost menacingly, though the menace isn't directed at Thesia. "Good question. ...If she isn't, she'll wish she were."
Thesia shakes her head, eventually coming to lean against the wall next to you and sighs as she stares up at the glimmering moon in the sky..Ugh, what a depressing town, why does it always have to be so dark all the time? Kinda makes her all the more depressed and hopeless feeling right now, though.."'They?' What do you mean?" she frowns, peering back at you warily again, "Aialsted..Is there something you're not telling me? Do you know something more about Juno than you're letting on?" or perhaps..About the Shadow Lords or heartless even? Geez, why does he always have to be so mysterious and creepy all the time?? It's so frustrating! And SHE's supposed to know everything, being HIS boss and all...Grr..
She clenches her fists then, kicking at the gravel at her feet, looking impatient, "If *I* find her, I'll make her pay.." she frowns, shaking her head and peering back at you again with that demanding, piercing gaze of hers as if she were trying to get inside your head as she always does..But to no avail.."Geez..You're so weird sometimes, and here I thought you couldnt give a damn about anyone but yourself..Or is it just that you have some ulterior motive in mind, hmm? Anyway, Horai already has his memories back, or at least some of them..The problem is, the darkness within his soul is twisting those memories to suit his own evil needs..Ugh..He's using MY feelings to get what HE wants..These memories..They just arent enough.."
You could look at the darkness, and feel sad--or you could look at the stars, and see twinkling lights of possibility, all branching out before you. It's all a matter of perspective, that's what Aialsted would say. But that's not what they're talking about. "You know me. I make it a habit to know everything, eh?" He grins, glancing back to Thesia from the sky above, for a moment. When Thesia gives him that gaze, again? ...He just looks back, still smiling, a bit. "Hey, I always cared about my friends. Just because I don't run around giving people hugs doesn't mean I don't have a concern, eh? ...But I'm not what matters to you, right now, I can tell." He seems to be making up his mind, for something, as he nods, looking over to the other wall.
"Alright, Commander. You've got it. I'll help you."
Thesia blinks, looking rather surprised, "Well hey! I didnt say we had to HUG or anything! I mean...SOLDIERs dont hug each other, that's just kinda...Tacky!!" she cant help but laugh a bit at the very thought, shaking her head, "But, does that mean that you have to be so secretive and mysterious all the time? Because it feels like that sometimes you know, and I just hope you're not getting yourself into more trouble than you can handle, cuz then I'll have to come bail you out and embarrass you and all and then you'll look like a total idiot, not that'd enjoy that or anything, of course.." well actually what she means is 'Hey! You're my friend too, and believe it or not, I actually give a damn about you too!', not like she'd actually say that to your face of course, though she does smile a little, and nods slowly. "Alright, so you're gonna help me then?" her expression softens a little then into a not-so-sarcastic smirk but more of a genuine smile as she nods slowly "I..Really appreciate it, but...Do you even have a plan in mind? I imagine you must have thought of *something* afterall, you're pretty smart and all....Right?" she pulls her gaze away from the stars again, glancing back at you once more and trying not to look too desperate here!
Aialsted just grins. He's got the image in mind, too, and it's damn funny. Tacky, eh? That's about right. He's tempted to pick up the habit, but...No. "'Course it does. It's part of my charm, eh? I wouldn't be me if I weren't a troublemaker." He catches the underlying message. ...It's kind of nice. He's already saying it, though, outright enough. So, when she goes on? "That's the plan." What's the plan? Well, helping. You won't really get all the details. "Of course. Depends a little bit on stealth, but that always was one of my best areas. He smiles back. It's nicer than usual, but he's still who he is, eh? "...Just leave it to me."
"You? Charming? Hmph..Could have fooled me, you've always been a thorn in my side..Though you were always one of my best SOLDIERs all the same..It's a pity really, that you could never learn to take orders like everyone else. Heck, you could have even surpassed me and become the next general instead.." she sighs, "Pity, really, though I'm still dying to see how you'd fare up against me.." and she smirks a little at the thought, an almost dark glint in her eye..She's already seen how you fight against fiends, it might actually be a worthy battle - and a great honour to fight you herself, not to mention a boost to her ego, but at the moment, she's got more important things to think about afterall and her expression hardens once more, getting more to the point. "Hmm..So..I just have to trust you, huh? guess there's a first for everything.." she frowns though, a fleeting glimpse of worry showing in her golden eyes. "But Aialsted? Just promise me one thing.."
"See, that's just part of the charm. It's secret, that way." He laughs, shaking his head. Compliments? Now, there's something new. Looks like he has to try to destroy the world before she'll start issuing those. "Hmm. Could be interesting to try out, sometime. And maybe, but command is too..Limiting, for me. You know?" The grin's back, and Aialsted considers, next. ..Waiting, for Thesia to talk, again. It's not like he's in a rush, after all. ...To the point? Sure. Ego boosts aside, directness can be welcome. As she talks about trust, he shakes his head, laughing softly as he pretends to be wounded. At the last statement, though, he stops, eyes sliding back to Thesia's, maintaining eye contact.
"..And what's that?"
[
She narrows her eyes, peering cooly back at you, almost challenging so..Can she really trust this guy, even having known hims as long as she has? Buut...It's not like he's ever stabbed her in the back before, right? Though, being on guard and a tad paranoid has always been one of Thesia's characteristics too, along with a fiesty temper of course..Is it a wonder really, that these two never got along all that well? All the same. "Limiting, huh..Yeah, I guess you always hated to watch out for anyone but number one, unless it could somehow benefit you in the end..And yet, maybe that's why.." maybe that's why you were always so strong in battle, and she resented you all the more - because you didnt, or couldnt care, while she..Was always so caught up in her emotions and in her feelings. Like, this for instance..
And it causes her to frown for a moment as she steps nearer, perhaps a little TOO near for comfort, as she suddenly reaches out and grabs your shoulders (or tries to) so that you have nowhere to avert your shifty gaze and find a way out of a very important question. Or just simply, lie. "Aialsted...Promise me you wont kill Rook..Even if he's a monster on the outside..He's still Horai on the inside..Promise!" And as she speaks, her grasp - icy as it is - tightens a little on your shoulders as if to let you know her own strength - and what might happen should you answer the wrong way, even as her gaze is almost...Pleading, at that.
Of course you can. It's Aialsted, the prankster. Sure, he'll switch out your ammo with gummi bears...But he's there to make sure that you don't get killed, too. "Life's no fun when your friends are dead." He dismisses it offhand, with a shrug. They always had been in conflict. It could be it, though. There's a certain strength, in freedom, after all. That's what he's always been--Free.
He allows it, not moving out of her way as Thesia attempts to grab his shoulders. He doesn't avert that shifty gaze of his, keeping eye contact as she asks this question that's suddenly so important. Strong, as he'd expect. He pauses, a moment, studying her outlook, as if he's getting a bit of insight back into her soul, too. Pleading, eh? ....Alright, though.
"I promise, Thesia. I won't kill him."
Eh, what's this?? She actually got a PROMISE out of him? No snide smirking, or laughing, or stupid, insensitive comments for once?? What..Is this for real?? And again, he surprises her and she really wishes she knew what was going on inside that crazy head of his..Grr..Still, the promise is enough for her to loosen her grip, in fact letting go altogether as she takes a step back, actually a couple of steps back, reaching skywards as she summons that mighty glaive of hers once more, still dripping with the blood of countless heartless upon its deadly dual bladed surface. "Alright then.." she says after a while, nodding slowly. "I....Thank you, Aialsted, I guess I'm in your debt.." no, she has no snide comments of her own to make this time, and she simply smiles softly and salutes, "Guess I'll see you around, SOLDIER.." and with that, she turns swiftly, and vanishes in the same manner she came, being swept off into the inky black vortex of the heartless portal, her destiny? Who knows...
Aw, but you know Aialsted--he's just full of surprises. When you don't expect it coming? That's the perfect time to take any action, for him. Of course, that's not the only reason. As Thesia speaks, he simply keeps that same expression, watching, as she goes, offering a salute of his own. ...Just a little off-time, like always, but a salute, all the same, accompanied by a slight grin. As she departs? ...Aialsted drops it, leaning back against the wall, shaking his head.
"Quite the interesting development, old friend..." Laughing, he glances up at the stars. "I won't kill him, though. Never said a thing about /hurting/ him. But I won't kill him."
Looks like this time, it'll be two birds with one stone. He'd needed to teach that Rook a lesson about interfering with /his/ people, after all...
.
Traverse Town - Back Alley
This alleyway leads to the back doors of some of the main buildings and shops on the other side. There is also a high fence at the end of the alleyway that peaks over the rest of the town. Numerous crates and boxes have been dumped here, along with a large blue dumpster for obvious reasons. There are also various stray cats and other street animals who have made their home here.
Contents:
Aialsted
Obvious exits:
[leads to 'Traverse Town - Upper Level']
It is a dark and stormy night..Which is never a good sign, especially in a town shrouded in eternal darkness, and crawling with even more heartless than before..A rumble of thunder here, a flash of lightning there to light up a rainy sky, and boy is the rain coming down hard tonight..And then, as if that wasnt bad enough, a mysterious portal suddenly materializes from the deepest darkest recess of the eternal twilight town, as points of violet light swirl and coalesce to open up in the middle of the alley..And who should step out but a certain 'loyal SOLDIER general' of Shinra..Though this time she is clad in all black; a long black gown bearing the heartless insignia upon the collar she wears on her neck..And of course that unmistakable mark of the Rook. in her hand she carries that long, deadly glaive of hers, its end still tinged in fresh blood..As for her last victim? Well, interestingly enough, it seems to be none other than herself, for her neck is still covered lightly in blood, and there is an almost crazed look in her eye.
Unfortunately, the heartless here seem to have been corrupted so much that they dont even recognize her, nor should they, as she is not exactly a Shadow Lord either (which begs the question, what the heck IS she, then??) and she's suddenly surrounded by a whole horde of them, though they hardly look like they're about to come to her aid. Instead, as the portal dissipates behind her, they slowly crawl, fly and slither towards her, ready to attack, ready to kill.
And Thesia? She simply smiles as she twirls that deadly weapon with expertise in her hands. Let them come, she could do with a little bloodbath right about now..Let's just hope she's not hopelessly outnumered here.
Well. Aialsted tends to key his Heartless to be /decidedly/ vicious. ...The storm, indeed, is an unexpected, but quite pleasant, occurence, for the master of these Heartless, here, the one commanding this horde that holds Traverse Town itself ransom. ....But whom should he see, there, but one...dressed in so much black. He is /behind/ the portal, right now, as she arrives...And my, my /my/, but is /this/ what he sees?
...Yes. Yes, it is. The Shadow Lord smiles, from behind Thesia...And steps out from behind a corner, pulling out his revolver. "..Good evening." ...He shoots. ...At the Heartless. Not Thesia. Mmhm. Yes.
Thesia of course, hasnt missed a beat in the attack as she rips through a good group of the creatures like a bread through butter..Though she doesnt stop there, slicing her glaive through them in a place that'd likely hurt the most, torturing the poor things when they're already dead as if trying to scratch out the very memory of their existence with her weapon..Hearing a noise behind her, she turns, lifting her weapon to slice through YOU too..But pauses at the last expression, slender brows arched in sudden surprise and shock...Dammit..Not HIM! Not here! Oh hell...She's about to reply before another creature lunges from behind and she narrows her eyes, twirling around to face it, cutting it quickly down to size and beating it to a bloody pulp. "Grrrr...." she growls as she digs into it..Indeed, she seems to have a lot of steam to let loose, and well..Now things are gonna get just a little uglier now that her little secret is out. Alas, she's too busy felling the creatures one after the other to really talk at the moment.
...Aialsted had never known his comrade to be so very...Vicious. And he's not displeased. Most of the Heartless she's fighting, upon looking at them, don't bear his mark, anyway. As Thesia turns to strike /him/, however, he simply smiles that same, insolent grin that he's had since the two have known each other.
...But it might be fun to talk, a little. Meanwhile, however, Aialsted shrugs. He may as well join in. The gun is holstered, and the sledgehammer comes out, proceeding to..Well. To smash things. "Is everything al/right/, Thesia?"
"Oh yeah, everything's just FINE! Why wouldnt it be!!?" oh sure, Rook just tried to...Seduce her, and she nearly bought it, nearly believed he actually LOVED her, only to learn that he wanted to use her..Or was it really Rook, using Horai's feelings of Thes to control her? And now..She may just be having to face the reality that she'll never see her Horai again..That she'll have to join with the very creatures she despised so much and stop fighting Rook if she wants to keep even his very memory alive..Oh, and let's not forget Aialsted's sudden an unexpected appearance, and knowing that he'll probably turn her in or worse, kill her! Afterall, why would he protect her against the Imperial Power? He's probably just dying for an opportunity to stab her in the back! Grr....
She simply turns then, swinging her weapon around to hack at the heartless that seems to be about to pounce you from behind, nearly hacking your own head off in her own blind rage..Or at least coming very close to it. "Incase you hadnt noticed, we're being attacked here!!" she growls as she notices your idle chitchat while she does all the dirty work...Grr..There's another flash of insanity showing in her catlike eyes again..Whatever happened to her, anyway? Hmm of course, this is all the Heartless' fault! It's because of them that her life is ruined!! That's why..She must destroy every last one of them!!
....But Thesia doesn't know Aialsted at all, does she? No, no, his loyalties, when they were working together, were always to the squad above ShinRa. After all, it was such /fun/ with them. ...It's sad, even, to watch her. ...Or it would be. He's changed, himself. He shakes his head as she yells, and quietly continues to help her.
Well, well. She's cracked. ....He always knew that it would happen sooner or later. "Yes, but when's that become new, hm?" He grins, and smashes into a Heartless directly behind Thesia, grinning as he does so. ...Don't think he doesn't notice her clothes. He does. Oh, he /does/, at that.
Her? Cracked? Not really...She's always had a rather...Feral side to her, just waiting to be freed. Virge had seen this side before, so had Kuro. She just doesnt trust Aial much with her deepest darkest secrets. Like, oh, this for instance. Still, she continues to slash through the creatures rather tirelessly, though it hasnt yet dawned on her why exactly HE is helping HER instead of trying to kill her right now..Why?? Did she..Miss something?? No, he's been part of her squad for a few years, and yet she never really fully KNEW him the way she knew her other SOLDIERs. He was always a mystery to her, which annoyed her to no end of course..Like now..
"You just dont get it, do you..I'm your commander remember? Why cant you ever follow orders?" heck, she's been promoted to General now and with good reason. Probably only Rufus and the Execs are higher up than her, but does he listen to her now even? Not a chance! Grr...She leaps forward then, hacking quickly through the rest, probably even slicing through some of the ones that he was gonna strike down until there are but a handful left that scurry off into the deepest darkest corners to hide..Phew..Now comes the tough part..Facing her former subordinate..And now that she's let off some steam, she seems to calm down just a little, at least enough to be able to reason with perhaps..And more importantly to answer questions which no doubt you probably have many..
Oh, she might not realize it, but Aialsted is quite certain that she's not stable, at this point. It's his business, to know madness at will. ...And no, she never did. But then, Aialsted kept things that way--their natures are fundamentally different. It becomes...Difficult, for her to understand someone like him, he thinks. ...But it's hardly something that kept him up at night. No, no, he liked teasing the other. It's fun.
"Funny, Thesia. I thought by now we were friends." He grins, but it's not mocking, this time. ...And so she has. But she knows full well that chains of command have never mattered to the dark-haired acrobat. No, no, Shinra's as much a circus as the other ever was, and always has been. ....And as the Heartless leave...?
Aialsted crosses his arms, looking over Thesia and raising an eyebrow. "..Nice dress. I always thought you should wear more black, Thesia."
And as the dust settles a little, she's breathing a little more heavily as she still holds her glaive between herself and him, eyeing him warily..No...she doesnt trust this guy at all, even though they had fought many great battles together, always watching the other's back..No, there was always something off about him, yet at the same time she always yearned to know more, to know what it is that made him strong..And a soft frown mars her elven features now as she clutches that weapon tightly, half expecting him to strike her down right there and then. "Friends? Are we?" she laughs a little, shaking her head, "You sure have a funny way of showing it, dont you.." but still..He came in at the last moment, helped her as he always had back then, so why does she still feel wary about him? "Tell me..Why havent you attacked me yet? I suppose you must have seen..Everything.." she sighs, staring down at her glaive then, which is covered in even more blood than before. "They'd probably promote you..Isnt that what you always wanted? More power?" yeah..That was always the main difference between the two of them. She cared about people.He didnt..At least, that's what she had been led to believe. Thus begins the true test of friendship perhaps. Or maybe this is just the end..?
"Hm? Nah. Power's no fun if you're enjoying it alone, hm?" He grins, and shakes his head. ..Why hasn't he attacked her? Well, the obvious answer is that /he's your boss's boss/, but he's not planning to get into that /just/ yet. "..I've suspected since that knight took you away in Vector, to be honest." He shrugs. "But really, do you think /I'd/ turn you in? If I'd wanted a promotion, I'd have shut up and followed orders more often." No, no, Aialsted, back then, wasn't after /power/ so much as he was after...a good time. ..And he's certainly not averse to communicating that. His weapon, though? It goes right back to his side, as he nods.
"..However. I think you and I ought to have a talk, hm?" His manner perhaps seems a little more honest than usual. But only a little. "...Like as to how this came about. ...There was always the possibility of something with you, but I can't say that I expected it." ...And he also seems to know more, or at least be reacting differently, than a normal SOLDIER ought to, in this role.
No, you dont know her at all either..Heck, SHE doesnt even know herself that well really, and it took a near stranger yet a kindred spirit somehow, to reveal to her the power hidden within...Hmm..And yet another darker, eviller side of her, the side that always desired such power for herself, and yes, the black DOES look good on her, somehow, as if..Maybe she could have been something more had she chosen another path in life, instead of becoming so wrapped up in her emotions..And falling for certain vituous Paladins turned Heartless Knights..Alas, was she always to live such a cursed life?
Still, if he wanted to kill her, he would have done that already..Right? Or, perhaps he simply wants information from her before he does the dirty deed..And still she hasnt entirely let down her guard yet, though she leans against the nearby wall, staring at her glaive thoughtfully now. She shrugs a little at the question, though a rather..Sad smile touches her blue lips now, "Isnt it obvious by now? I thought you would have figured it out..Aialsted.." she looks back at you then, her gaze cool, guarded yet, a little..Curious, inquisitive almost. Hmm, always the trickster, and so difficult to read no matter how hard she tried. Still, he'd figured out at least part of it before, and had even seemed...Concerned about her, curiously enough. "You were right before. I have..Business with the Heartless Knight Rook, but..It's not what you think..I'm not joining with the heartless against the Imperial Power..At least, not by choice.."
..So, it's Rook that's dragged Thesia into this, hm? Briefly, Aialsted considers simply killing the knight. He's caused no end of trouble, thus far. ..His expression, however, doesn't betray these thoughts. ..And Aialsted has a bit of a bias, where black goes, too.
..He could have, sooner than she realizes. ...Oh, information, it's true--he's always been a fiend, for that. "Business, hm...?" Aialsted gives Thesia a long long, walking a bit closer. "..Somehow, Thesia, I doubt that you could join against the Shinra. ...No." He shakes his head, pointing a long finger at Thesia.
"You don't belong with the Heartless." It's a statement of fact. He isn't trying to redeem her. ..He just /knows/ He is, after all, the expert.
"...So, tell me more. If I'm going to be helping you, here, I need more information."
Wha...Help? Did he just say help her? "Ugh..But..Why would you want to help me? You have everything to lose..And nothing to gain by it.." though, she's still a bit flighty it seems and as you come nearer, she hops back a few paces, still eyeing you warily, still weilding that great bloody glaive of hers as if she were getting ready to protect herself should the need arise..No, she still doesnt trust him fully, even though, so far at least he seems to be on her side. But then...So much has happened to her in the past few weeks, and the esper in her is still there inside her head, wild, untapped, confusing her thoughts, messing with her mind.
"Why do you say that? You dont even know me...Maybe my place IS with the heartless afterall.." Or is it? She doesnt even know anymore, she's never felt so lost before.
...Actually, that's not quite true, though Aialsted could see where she could say it. Still, though, he just grins back. "And when has that ever stopped me? You remember the time when I replaced /his/ ammunition with lollipops, don't you?" He laughs, shaking his head. ...He's clearly not worried about the glaive. ...And good. Thesia always was smart, that way. Trusting Aialsted tends not to be the..best idea, in most cases.
"I say it because it's true. Trust me on this, Thesia. ..I would know." He smiles, softly. "..And on the contrary. Have I ever left one of my friends to rot before?" ...No. Though, arguably, Thesia could say that she hasn't seen him with any...Well.
Ugh...She SO doesnt like his sense of humour. It's just...Well, creepy. and while most people would totally consider Kuro the creepier of the two (heck, most people wouldnt find a 'pretty boy' to be the creepy type afterall!), Thesia will probably never trust you entirely. In fact, she lets out a short laugh as she continues to watch you warily, "Trust...You..? what exactly are you up to these days, anyway? Havent seen you around the base in a long while.." And no, she didnt even think he HAD friends, unless you count that terribly silly and horribly naieve girl Kaelin. A pity she doesnt know the true Aialsted. Heck SHE doesnt know the true Aialsted, and she knows pretty much everyone else in Shinra quite well, considering she was born and raised in the place. Still..He's always been smart and cunning, and just maybe he can help her with her problem. Cuz right now she's at her wit's end..And time is running out..
"Alright..." she sighs, lowering her glaive a little more, actually seeming to relax a bit..Maybe he really DOES see her as a friend, though she's not exactly sure why, afterall, she hasnt exaclty been NICE to him. "But, I dont know if you can help me really..Rook..He wasnt always like this, honestly. He was once..An important person to me.." of course, she decides not to go into the details, how she was his guardian, how she had grown to love him, and it was ultimately that love for him that led her down this dangerous path. Still, her eyes may say as much, and they even seem to soften a touch at the name. "I..Was his guardian, but when the heartless came, I couldnt protect him..The Shadow Lord known as Juno had kidnapped him, brainwashed him, fed him with lies and deception, turned him against me. I tried to fight her, tried to rescue him, but the two of them..Together they were too strong for me.." and as she speaks, she absent mindedly touches those three angry scars across her chest, scars that are not quite so obvious anymore, yet still seem evil enough, perhaps even writhing with the slightest hint of dark energy. And the mark is unmistakable; the mark of the heartless, or at least of Juno's heartless. No doubt Juno had tortured her, as well..
..Most people are like that, with him. But then, that's largely the point, too. ...He and Kuro...? Heh. Well, no.
He has friends, alright, and they're the /perfect/ friends for Thesia. ...All the same, though, whether she believes him or not, he can help. ...He doesn't answer, yet, his question about his activities. No, he's going to listen, first, to Thesia, here. "..I see." The Shadow Lord Juno, hm? He'd never liked her, anyway. So damn dull.
...So that's what those scares are from. ...Juno tortured /his/ squadmate, had she? Well, if she weren't already gone, he'd kill her himself.
"...Juno is gone." ..He takes a moment, opening his abilities, to ensure that there is no one listening, no one in the area. ...And there is no one. Which is good. He's not in the mood to track them down.
"...So, you want him freed, then?" ...Fascinating idea.
Well..Yeah..Isnt that obvious? She nods slowly, "Yes..I want to free him, if I can..Only I don't know how." After a moment's thought, she actually lowers her weapon all the way, allowing it to dissipate before taking a cautious step towards you, at least to close the gap a little..Hmm..And it seems she actually trusts you a little more now, though still not entirely of course. "I thought..Maybe if I could get him to remember who he used to be, it'd be enough..But now, it's like Rook is too powerful for Horai.." a soft, exasperated sigh escapes her lips then, clenching her fists lightly, "Ugh, I just don't know enough about the heartless yet.."Hmmm, and what's this about Juno?? She raises a slender brow, peering at you a little curiously, "Huh? You know about Juno? So…What happened to her then, exactly? Is she….Dead?" hmm, interesting..
Aialsted doesn't bother smiling like he usually might, making an insolent comment or two, as Thesia approaches. Instead, he nods, considering, his arms crossing as he leans against the wall beside him. "...I see. Not a bad plan. That's how they work, half the time, they change who you are. Especially with Juno." Juno. Aialsted nearly sneers as he mentions that name, before looking back to the other SOLDIER.
With that question? He grins, almost menacingly, though the menace isn't directed at Thesia. "Good question. ...If she isn't, she'll wish she were."
Thesia shakes her head, eventually coming to lean against the wall next to you and sighs as she stares up at the glimmering moon in the sky..Ugh, what a depressing town, why does it always have to be so dark all the time? Kinda makes her all the more depressed and hopeless feeling right now, though.."'They?' What do you mean?" she frowns, peering back at you warily again, "Aialsted..Is there something you're not telling me? Do you know something more about Juno than you're letting on?" or perhaps..About the Shadow Lords or heartless even? Geez, why does he always have to be so mysterious and creepy all the time?? It's so frustrating! And SHE's supposed to know everything, being HIS boss and all...Grr..
She clenches her fists then, kicking at the gravel at her feet, looking impatient, "If *I* find her, I'll make her pay.." she frowns, shaking her head and peering back at you again with that demanding, piercing gaze of hers as if she were trying to get inside your head as she always does..But to no avail.."Geez..You're so weird sometimes, and here I thought you couldnt give a damn about anyone but yourself..Or is it just that you have some ulterior motive in mind, hmm? Anyway, Horai already has his memories back, or at least some of them..The problem is, the darkness within his soul is twisting those memories to suit his own evil needs..Ugh..He's using MY feelings to get what HE wants..These memories..They just arent enough.."
You could look at the darkness, and feel sad--or you could look at the stars, and see twinkling lights of possibility, all branching out before you. It's all a matter of perspective, that's what Aialsted would say. But that's not what they're talking about. "You know me. I make it a habit to know everything, eh?" He grins, glancing back to Thesia from the sky above, for a moment. When Thesia gives him that gaze, again? ...He just looks back, still smiling, a bit. "Hey, I always cared about my friends. Just because I don't run around giving people hugs doesn't mean I don't have a concern, eh? ...But I'm not what matters to you, right now, I can tell." He seems to be making up his mind, for something, as he nods, looking over to the other wall.
"Alright, Commander. You've got it. I'll help you."
Thesia blinks, looking rather surprised, "Well hey! I didnt say we had to HUG or anything! I mean...SOLDIERs dont hug each other, that's just kinda...Tacky!!" she cant help but laugh a bit at the very thought, shaking her head, "But, does that mean that you have to be so secretive and mysterious all the time? Because it feels like that sometimes you know, and I just hope you're not getting yourself into more trouble than you can handle, cuz then I'll have to come bail you out and embarrass you and all and then you'll look like a total idiot, not that'd enjoy that or anything, of course.." well actually what she means is 'Hey! You're my friend too, and believe it or not, I actually give a damn about you too!', not like she'd actually say that to your face of course, though she does smile a little, and nods slowly. "Alright, so you're gonna help me then?" her expression softens a little then into a not-so-sarcastic smirk but more of a genuine smile as she nods slowly "I..Really appreciate it, but...Do you even have a plan in mind? I imagine you must have thought of *something* afterall, you're pretty smart and all....Right?" she pulls her gaze away from the stars again, glancing back at you once more and trying not to look too desperate here!
Aialsted just grins. He's got the image in mind, too, and it's damn funny. Tacky, eh? That's about right. He's tempted to pick up the habit, but...No. "'Course it does. It's part of my charm, eh? I wouldn't be me if I weren't a troublemaker." He catches the underlying message. ...It's kind of nice. He's already saying it, though, outright enough. So, when she goes on? "That's the plan." What's the plan? Well, helping. You won't really get all the details. "Of course. Depends a little bit on stealth, but that always was one of my best areas. He smiles back. It's nicer than usual, but he's still who he is, eh? "...Just leave it to me."
"You? Charming? Hmph..Could have fooled me, you've always been a thorn in my side..Though you were always one of my best SOLDIERs all the same..It's a pity really, that you could never learn to take orders like everyone else. Heck, you could have even surpassed me and become the next general instead.." she sighs, "Pity, really, though I'm still dying to see how you'd fare up against me.." and she smirks a little at the thought, an almost dark glint in her eye..She's already seen how you fight against fiends, it might actually be a worthy battle - and a great honour to fight you herself, not to mention a boost to her ego, but at the moment, she's got more important things to think about afterall and her expression hardens once more, getting more to the point. "Hmm..So..I just have to trust you, huh? guess there's a first for everything.." she frowns though, a fleeting glimpse of worry showing in her golden eyes. "But Aialsted? Just promise me one thing.."
"See, that's just part of the charm. It's secret, that way." He laughs, shaking his head. Compliments? Now, there's something new. Looks like he has to try to destroy the world before she'll start issuing those. "Hmm. Could be interesting to try out, sometime. And maybe, but command is too..Limiting, for me. You know?" The grin's back, and Aialsted considers, next. ..Waiting, for Thesia to talk, again. It's not like he's in a rush, after all. ...To the point? Sure. Ego boosts aside, directness can be welcome. As she talks about trust, he shakes his head, laughing softly as he pretends to be wounded. At the last statement, though, he stops, eyes sliding back to Thesia's, maintaining eye contact.
"..And what's that?"
[
She narrows her eyes, peering cooly back at you, almost challenging so..Can she really trust this guy, even having known hims as long as she has? Buut...It's not like he's ever stabbed her in the back before, right? Though, being on guard and a tad paranoid has always been one of Thesia's characteristics too, along with a fiesty temper of course..Is it a wonder really, that these two never got along all that well? All the same. "Limiting, huh..Yeah, I guess you always hated to watch out for anyone but number one, unless it could somehow benefit you in the end..And yet, maybe that's why.." maybe that's why you were always so strong in battle, and she resented you all the more - because you didnt, or couldnt care, while she..Was always so caught up in her emotions and in her feelings. Like, this for instance..
And it causes her to frown for a moment as she steps nearer, perhaps a little TOO near for comfort, as she suddenly reaches out and grabs your shoulders (or tries to) so that you have nowhere to avert your shifty gaze and find a way out of a very important question. Or just simply, lie. "Aialsted...Promise me you wont kill Rook..Even if he's a monster on the outside..He's still Horai on the inside..Promise!" And as she speaks, her grasp - icy as it is - tightens a little on your shoulders as if to let you know her own strength - and what might happen should you answer the wrong way, even as her gaze is almost...Pleading, at that.
Of course you can. It's Aialsted, the prankster. Sure, he'll switch out your ammo with gummi bears...But he's there to make sure that you don't get killed, too. "Life's no fun when your friends are dead." He dismisses it offhand, with a shrug. They always had been in conflict. It could be it, though. There's a certain strength, in freedom, after all. That's what he's always been--Free.
He allows it, not moving out of her way as Thesia attempts to grab his shoulders. He doesn't avert that shifty gaze of his, keeping eye contact as she asks this question that's suddenly so important. Strong, as he'd expect. He pauses, a moment, studying her outlook, as if he's getting a bit of insight back into her soul, too. Pleading, eh? ....Alright, though.
"I promise, Thesia. I won't kill him."
Eh, what's this?? She actually got a PROMISE out of him? No snide smirking, or laughing, or stupid, insensitive comments for once?? What..Is this for real?? And again, he surprises her and she really wishes she knew what was going on inside that crazy head of his..Grr..Still, the promise is enough for her to loosen her grip, in fact letting go altogether as she takes a step back, actually a couple of steps back, reaching skywards as she summons that mighty glaive of hers once more, still dripping with the blood of countless heartless upon its deadly dual bladed surface. "Alright then.." she says after a while, nodding slowly. "I....Thank you, Aialsted, I guess I'm in your debt.." no, she has no snide comments of her own to make this time, and she simply smiles softly and salutes, "Guess I'll see you around, SOLDIER.." and with that, she turns swiftly, and vanishes in the same manner she came, being swept off into the inky black vortex of the heartless portal, her destiny? Who knows...
Aw, but you know Aialsted--he's just full of surprises. When you don't expect it coming? That's the perfect time to take any action, for him. Of course, that's not the only reason. As Thesia speaks, he simply keeps that same expression, watching, as she goes, offering a salute of his own. ...Just a little off-time, like always, but a salute, all the same, accompanied by a slight grin. As she departs? ...Aialsted drops it, leaning back against the wall, shaking his head.
"Quite the interesting development, old friend..." Laughing, he glances up at the stars. "I won't kill him, though. Never said a thing about /hurting/ him. But I won't kill him."
Looks like this time, it'll be two birds with one stone. He'd needed to teach that Rook a lesson about interfering with /his/ people, after all...