[THNMY, locked to jenova_nexus]

[irametdolorem]

((continued from hereThe thrum of the great engines, the smell of the mako - these things do not escape Sephiroth's notice. But they are, perhaps, of less importance now as he crosses the few remaining steps that separate him from the tube that holds Jenova

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[jenova_nexus]

Jenova senses the change, the return to the dim and enclosed reactor, but she can do nothing.

She does ease up the pressure on Sephiroth's mind, but she still calls, pulls, siren-sings to her legacy. Closer, closer yet, Sephiroth....

Meanwhile, they're not alone - neither Cloud nor Terebas had bothered calling out, not when they'd seen what was happening, instead sprinting to close the distance. Cloud makes it first, naturally, Teré just making it through before the Nexus fades behind them.

[irametdolorem]

And closer he comes, indeed - freeing Masamune from its place on his back (and jostling a few jet-black feathers loose in the process) before using the hilt to smash the tube open.

And although he make no indication of it, Cloud's presence is noted and Jenova might note a wisp of concern for his sake threading into the anger.

[jenova_nexus]

And she CALLS -- but not to Sephiroth, though he likely hears it as well.

Cloud stiffens in shock, mako-brightened eyes widening as he pulls in a breath.

'Cloud?' Teré turns worried attention from Sephiroth to him, and tries to split it between them. 'What's she doing?'

Cloud has the heel of one hand pressed to his temple. '...So that's what it sounds like....' He shakes his head hard, like he's clearing water from his ears, and reaches for his sword. 'Sir?' He knows Sephiroth should be fine, but what should he be doing? And how does he make her stop that?

[irametdolorem]

"I'm fine," he answers without turning away from his attempt to shatter the glass of Jenova's tube. "But I doubt you should try coming closer." After all, it's only by sheer force of will that he's ignoring the siren-call that still pulls at his very being - a call that is, for a moment, amplified as she calls out to Cloud - and he doesn't want to find out to late that Cloud isn't quite so able to resist the call.

[jenova_nexus]

If he can - they're touching now, and some of his skin is bared - so close so close so close, if only she weren't still practically frozen by the seals...!

Cloud keeps his distance from Jenova, a bit shamefully, but if The General is having problems-- 'Yeah,' he says, and then winces. 'Yes, Sir.' He backs up further and then heads for the door, drawing his sword. He'll need a moment to ready himself.

Teré keeps clear of Jenova, but doesn't follow Cloud. 'I'm going to go get those feathers,' she tells Sephiroth, and edges around him and his burden. Leaving evidence like that behind messes with her MO, man.

[irametdolorem]

Sephiroth nods at Teré's comment, more concerned about keeping himself under control this close to Jenova. And out of respect for Cloud he won't come much closer than he already is. But at least he's past the worst of the mako puddle at least by the time he stops.

If Jenova's still trying to get into his mind, she'll find it even harder to get into his mind than it was shortly before they somehow ended back in the reactor, as all of his systems are on full-alert now.

[jenova_nexus]

Cloud takes a few moments of silence and a deep breath, setting himself - he's practiced this a lot since Zack taught him, but can't be too sure this time.

As Teré heads up the broad cable toward Jenova's platform, she sees a flash of bright light and hears the sound of the energy-blade slicing across the floor into the doorway. The resulting noise is quite impressive - she turns back to see the door is mostly out of the frame, and Cloud is moving forward to finish the job.

Jenova has tried that, and she can tell, so she relies for now on the call of her cells, in some places only millimeters from his. She is, however, trying to get to Cloud, who has a line of tension down his back as he beats the door out of the frame.

[irametdolorem]

It's taking an almost inhuman amount of willpower to do so, but Sephiroth is still managing to resist the call of the Reunion - now less of a low insistent hum and more of a full orchestra (with choir). But he's determined to to see this through one way or another.

However, the amount of focus he's having to spend means he doesn't exactly have any willpower to spend attracting her interest away from Cloud, so Cloud will have to deal with her call on his own. He will, however, not be going any further until Cloud is out the door just to be on the safe side.

[irametdolorem]

For the most part, the ones that were jostled loose near the tube itself are the only ones he lost, although every now and then the motion of Masamune against his wing knocks another one loose.

When Cloud looks him over, he'll find that he looks almost General-standard unless the onlooker knows him well enough to spot the tension in the way he's moving, or the fact that his pupils have constricted to mere slits in concentration.

[not_greens]

She'll retrieve them, snatching them out of the air when she can. Maybe she can start stuffing a pillow.

Cloud can read Sephiroth at least a bit, so his brows contract a little in concern, but he heads back out. It's after nightfall, the air chilly. A moment later, he straightens at the sudden lack of Jenova trying to claw into his brain, and he turns back toward the door, climbing the steps he'd just descended--

--Inside, Jenova has turned all of her attention back to Sephiroth, desperation fueling her sharp, silent, urgent demand. Reunion - completion - together - touch me - come back!

[irametdolorem]

And it might be a very good thing that he heads back inside, as there's a sharp hiss of breath at Jenova's redoubled efforts as he nearly drops her.

He would not be a pawn of the Reunion, would not let Cloud suffer that way, wouldn't let Zack suffer that way! A burst of desperate anger lashes through the link between them - a burst of raw emotion that Cloud might be able to feel as well if he's close enough.

It might be a good idea to get Sephiroth away from being in such direct proximity to Jenova.

[jenova_nexus]

Cloud sprints toward him, sword in hand, protective and clearly ready to attack Jenova himself, while Teré approaches from the other side, hand raised. 'Sephiroth?!' Weirdly, they were almost in stereo there.

Jenova does not let up. He is PART of her, and he BELONGS with her, as do all the others, but HE is most important, first amongst all of them and it is time he JOINED HER.

[a_quiet_key]

They'll take him out of the reactor altogether, pausing at the stairs leading to the ground - frankly, they'd both rather be further away, but while Cloud is amazingly fast now he can go no further and be at all sure he'll get to her in time if he hears Jenova begin to fall.

Teré touches Sephiroth again, to guide him away from the open door, at least; Cloud will take up position in front of it, to keep watch.

'How do you feel?' That from her, a warm and concerned murmur, as she watches him.

[irametdolorem]

There's a pause before he answers - although Cloud will notice that whatever link had allowed him though glimpses of what was going inside his head is now closed once again.

"I've been better," he finally admits.

[a_quiet_key]

Cloud, well, he was trying not to see anything, but he does notice that. He's not sure how to feel about it being gone, but won't be sharing that tidbit.

Teré smiles very slightly, drawing him further from the door with her, if he'll allow. Not far, just a few paces. 'Do you want to sit down?'

If it helps, Cloud is totally focused on Jenova and not on his commanding officer possibly needing to recover himself a little more.

[irametdolorem]

A very very faint hint of a smile there. "It would ... probably be for the best."

Of course, he can't do that very well with Masamune strapped across his back like that. Fortunately, that problem was relatively easy to fix - as he carefully slid it off his back, before setting it down nearby.

Sitting with his wing out was a slightly more awkward proposition, but he figured he'd find some way to manage.

[not_greens]

She's going to go right ahead then, being careful of his wing as her arms go around his neck and she presses close. There are some advantages to not being one of his soldiers.

And here's another: 'You,' she breathes against his neck, 'are a dumbass. You are such a dumbass.' She actually is kind of angry, but the affection and relief are considerably stronger.

Cloud? Is agreeing. He's just not going to say so, or look like he is. Yet.

[irametdolorem]

"Perhaps," he agrees. "But I doubt either of you would have been able to carry her so far."

And he'd done a decent job of fending off her insistent pull at least, so that ought to count for something.

[a_quiet_key]

'I wouldn't have tried,' she says, face still against the side of his neck, leaning across him so that she's almost, but not quite in his lap. 'I'd have fried her there in the tube, or ... something.'

Cloud is dividing his time between eying the area, his friends, and the inside of the reactor; someone has to be the watch and the steady one, so he'll do the best he can. But he can't quite stop himself from chipping in. 'I think she means leaving the Nexus like that, sir.'

Teré nods. That's a good part of it!

[irametdolorem]

A faint smile at that. "Perhaps I would have, had I been sure the Nexus would have let me."

That and he was kinda pissed, and there had been that damnable call to deal with. And outside of the Nexus, there was a risk of her falling into the Lifestream, like he'd mentioned.