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icedark_elf Apr. 8th, 2007 12:49 am)
icedark_elf Apr. 8th, 2007 12:49 am)Title: Preparations
Author: GW Katrina aka![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
icedark_elf
Beta:forgottenlover
Series: Nibelheim Burning
Wordcount: 1,528
Rating: PG
Warnings: Crazy Zack? Though if you have read the others, you should know this.
Summary: Plans are coming together, pawns set into place.
Previous stories found here.
Preparations
“No.”
It was a flat voice, the type a person uses when there is no chance of their mind being changed.
“Absolutely not,” owner of said voice continued, eyes burning as he looked at his friend. “We are not doing this.”
“Why not?”
“I will not leave you to be captured.”
Zack glared. “We have to leave someone behind. I’m not leaving Spike to end up in prison, even for a little bit, and the whole point is to get you out of Shinra’s reach. How can we do that if you are the one who is left? And we can’t leave whoever it is that ends up in that fourth spot, as I don’t know if they can be trusted.” Sure, the orders had said squad of Sephiroth’s choice, but it hadn’t taken long after his submission of himself, Zack, and Cloud to have a reply come back informing them that a fourth would also be assigned.
Aeris and Cloud were watching the entire discussion as if it was a tennis match, heads moving back and forth as Sephiroth and Zack argued in eerily calm voices. They were waiting, just to see if Sephiroth talked Zack out of it before trying it themselves.
“I won’t be there long, I’m sure. They’ll probably just want to talk to me, and find out what happened. They can’t cover up you and me both going missing at the same time, Seph. It’s not feasible. I’m almost as well known as you at the moment. Spike, no offense, but you they could just vanish, and nobody would care. Not to mention they’ll be looking extra hard if both of us go poof, Seph.”
He was just as calm as Sephiroth was, but without the iciness to it. That was how the others knew that Zack was going to win this. Sephiroth was agitated, as much as they had ever seen him, and Zack was totally calm. And he had several good points.
“That’s the plan,” he said again, seeing his win in Sephiroth’s eyes. “Spike, you are the -most- important part of this. Think you can do it?”
It was a plan that nobody would have expected from them. The Zack that everyone had known would have been horrified by it. This one....
Hojo had done something very, very bad.
Slowly, Cloud nodded. He knew that there were going to be people hurt, and maybe a few would die, but they weren’t important. Not really. Just a few. “I can get that set,” he said, nodding. “Just do me a favor. My mom lives there, and a girl named Tifa. Could we make sure they aren’t one of the ones that get hurt?”
Sephiroth nodded, and Zack looked at Aeris. “Think you can get where you need to go and have things set up by then?”
After a moment of thought, Aeris nodded. “I do. Mom will be happy. She’s been talking about getting out of this city for a long time, and the thought of us getting away from Shinra will help.”
Now Zack looked at Sephiroth. “Seph? This is the best chance we have. Please? I’ll be fine. Really.”
A long silence, then Sephiroth gave one stiff nod. “I do not like this,” he said. “But I will go along with it. Zachary, if you end up damaged due to this, I will be most upset with you.”
“I’ll be fine, Seph. Spike, you need to call your mom, see if she will help?”
Cloud nodded, and pulled out his phone, moving away so they could keep plotting.
They only had a week to get things set up.
Not a lot of time for things to be prepared, but long enough.
///
Jacson did not know why he was here. He did his best to not fidget, and stood at attention, eyes focused on the man’s desk.
The glitter of Mako reflected off the scientist’s glasses really didn’t help Jacson’s nerves, and was also part of the reason that he refused to look directly into the man’s eyes. He was just a regular trooper. Sure, he had applied to the program, but he didn’t know why Professor -Hojo-, of all people, would call him aside like this. As much as Jacson hated to admit it, he wasn’t really anyone special.
After a long, long few minutes, the professor shut the folder he was reading and looked at Jacson, and he forced himself to get rid of the few twitches he hadn’t even been aware of. This man made him even more nervous than General Sephiroth did. Everyone knew General Sephiroth only cared about a few things, and as long as you did your job, he would ignore you. The professor, though, he was the one who could make or break SOLDIER careers. A few words from him, and everyone knew he could get someone pushed into the program, or shoved out, never to have a chance.
And, of all things he wanted, Jacson wanted a chance.
He would do anything for that chance.
“What would you do if I told you that I have a spot in the next group of SOLDIERs waiting for you?” Hojo asked suddenly, eyes fixed on Jacson. “That if you do one simple task for me, I will assure your spot in the program?”
Eyes wide, Jacson couldn’t answer for a moment, then gave a strangled sound and a nod. “I’d do it, Sir.”
Hojo’s smile made a shiver curl up Jacson’s spine. That was not a good smile, and he wondered if he would have blood on his hands by the time this was over. But...that was his job. He was here to be trained to kill.
An envelope was offered to him. “You are going to Nibelheim with General Sephiroth and his squad. In Nibelheim, there is a mansion, owned by Shinra. I need you to go to the basement of that mansion and add the set of orders in that envelope to the stack on the desk. Directions of how to get into the basement and how to find the desk are also in the envelope.” The man’s eyes burned through Jacson’s mind. “Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir.” That was it? He could do that.
“It must be done the first night. Accomplish this, and your position will be waiting for you when you return.”
Jacson could feel himself brighten. He was going to be a SOLDIER! Saluting, he waited to be dismissed.
This was easy. Just a set of orders to be added to the pile.
Nothing bad at all.
Now to get prepared for the mission to Nibelheim.
///
Watching as his witless pawn moved out of the room, Hojo wondered absently if the child would even survive what he was sure would happen in Nibelheim. The birth of a god. If he did, it would not hurt anything to start the process, though he doubted anyone would live to see it through.
Now, just a few more pieces to place, and then he would see the conclusion of his grand experiment.
The orders would be place, and after he “asked” Sephiroth to collect a few specimen files from a place located when he would no doubt find the packet, and notice the numbers saying what SOLDIER said orders were given to printed on the outside....
Well, maybe it would break the dependency his child seemed to have on the lesser mortal. His son was a god to be, and should not be tainted by some jungle brat’s “humanity.”
Hojo wondered if that second of Sephiroth’s would survive Sephiroth’s wrath at learning of the betrayal. Well, so it would seem to Sephiroth. Hojo had plenty of copies of the man’s signature, it was easy enough to forge it saying the orders were accepted.
Hojo wondered if anyone in that town would survive this birthing process.
Jenova would be pleased to finally see her son, to see how strong and powerful he had grown to be. She would be pleased with Hojo’s fine work, and a god would be born.
Still, it was possible that the little nuisance might survive. Well, if he did, Hojo could simply collect him and continue his previous studies. Even when Sephiroth took over the world, Hojo was sure his son would not mind.
After all, what use would he need with a betrayer such as the specimen?
Pieces falling together as he looked at it from every side, Hojo nodded, pleased. It was going to be a beautiful thing. Over twenty years of hard work and experimentation coming to a head, and what a glorious thing it would spawn.
Pleased with himself, he collected a pad of paper. If the pest did survive, he wanted to have plans of what to start testing first.
A good scientist was always prepared.
///
Sephiroth did not like any of this. Too many ifs, too many points where it could slip. Too much danger for someone he was...protective of.
But he trusted Zack. It did not mean he would not set his own safeguards into place.
A good general was always prepared.
Author: GW Katrina aka
icedark_elfBeta:
forgottenloverSeries: Nibelheim Burning
Wordcount: 1,528
Rating: PG
Warnings: Crazy Zack? Though if you have read the others, you should know this.
Summary: Plans are coming together, pawns set into place.
Previous stories found here.
Preparations
“No.”
It was a flat voice, the type a person uses when there is no chance of their mind being changed.
“Absolutely not,” owner of said voice continued, eyes burning as he looked at his friend. “We are not doing this.”
“Why not?”
“I will not leave you to be captured.”
Zack glared. “We have to leave someone behind. I’m not leaving Spike to end up in prison, even for a little bit, and the whole point is to get you out of Shinra’s reach. How can we do that if you are the one who is left? And we can’t leave whoever it is that ends up in that fourth spot, as I don’t know if they can be trusted.” Sure, the orders had said squad of Sephiroth’s choice, but it hadn’t taken long after his submission of himself, Zack, and Cloud to have a reply come back informing them that a fourth would also be assigned.
Aeris and Cloud were watching the entire discussion as if it was a tennis match, heads moving back and forth as Sephiroth and Zack argued in eerily calm voices. They were waiting, just to see if Sephiroth talked Zack out of it before trying it themselves.
“I won’t be there long, I’m sure. They’ll probably just want to talk to me, and find out what happened. They can’t cover up you and me both going missing at the same time, Seph. It’s not feasible. I’m almost as well known as you at the moment. Spike, no offense, but you they could just vanish, and nobody would care. Not to mention they’ll be looking extra hard if both of us go poof, Seph.”
He was just as calm as Sephiroth was, but without the iciness to it. That was how the others knew that Zack was going to win this. Sephiroth was agitated, as much as they had ever seen him, and Zack was totally calm. And he had several good points.
“That’s the plan,” he said again, seeing his win in Sephiroth’s eyes. “Spike, you are the -most- important part of this. Think you can do it?”
It was a plan that nobody would have expected from them. The Zack that everyone had known would have been horrified by it. This one....
Hojo had done something very, very bad.
Slowly, Cloud nodded. He knew that there were going to be people hurt, and maybe a few would die, but they weren’t important. Not really. Just a few. “I can get that set,” he said, nodding. “Just do me a favor. My mom lives there, and a girl named Tifa. Could we make sure they aren’t one of the ones that get hurt?”
Sephiroth nodded, and Zack looked at Aeris. “Think you can get where you need to go and have things set up by then?”
After a moment of thought, Aeris nodded. “I do. Mom will be happy. She’s been talking about getting out of this city for a long time, and the thought of us getting away from Shinra will help.”
Now Zack looked at Sephiroth. “Seph? This is the best chance we have. Please? I’ll be fine. Really.”
A long silence, then Sephiroth gave one stiff nod. “I do not like this,” he said. “But I will go along with it. Zachary, if you end up damaged due to this, I will be most upset with you.”
“I’ll be fine, Seph. Spike, you need to call your mom, see if she will help?”
Cloud nodded, and pulled out his phone, moving away so they could keep plotting.
They only had a week to get things set up.
Not a lot of time for things to be prepared, but long enough.
Jacson did not know why he was here. He did his best to not fidget, and stood at attention, eyes focused on the man’s desk.
The glitter of Mako reflected off the scientist’s glasses really didn’t help Jacson’s nerves, and was also part of the reason that he refused to look directly into the man’s eyes. He was just a regular trooper. Sure, he had applied to the program, but he didn’t know why Professor -Hojo-, of all people, would call him aside like this. As much as Jacson hated to admit it, he wasn’t really anyone special.
After a long, long few minutes, the professor shut the folder he was reading and looked at Jacson, and he forced himself to get rid of the few twitches he hadn’t even been aware of. This man made him even more nervous than General Sephiroth did. Everyone knew General Sephiroth only cared about a few things, and as long as you did your job, he would ignore you. The professor, though, he was the one who could make or break SOLDIER careers. A few words from him, and everyone knew he could get someone pushed into the program, or shoved out, never to have a chance.
And, of all things he wanted, Jacson wanted a chance.
He would do anything for that chance.
“What would you do if I told you that I have a spot in the next group of SOLDIERs waiting for you?” Hojo asked suddenly, eyes fixed on Jacson. “That if you do one simple task for me, I will assure your spot in the program?”
Eyes wide, Jacson couldn’t answer for a moment, then gave a strangled sound and a nod. “I’d do it, Sir.”
Hojo’s smile made a shiver curl up Jacson’s spine. That was not a good smile, and he wondered if he would have blood on his hands by the time this was over. But...that was his job. He was here to be trained to kill.
An envelope was offered to him. “You are going to Nibelheim with General Sephiroth and his squad. In Nibelheim, there is a mansion, owned by Shinra. I need you to go to the basement of that mansion and add the set of orders in that envelope to the stack on the desk. Directions of how to get into the basement and how to find the desk are also in the envelope.” The man’s eyes burned through Jacson’s mind. “Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir.” That was it? He could do that.
“It must be done the first night. Accomplish this, and your position will be waiting for you when you return.”
Jacson could feel himself brighten. He was going to be a SOLDIER! Saluting, he waited to be dismissed.
This was easy. Just a set of orders to be added to the pile.
Nothing bad at all.
Now to get prepared for the mission to Nibelheim.
Watching as his witless pawn moved out of the room, Hojo wondered absently if the child would even survive what he was sure would happen in Nibelheim. The birth of a god. If he did, it would not hurt anything to start the process, though he doubted anyone would live to see it through.
Now, just a few more pieces to place, and then he would see the conclusion of his grand experiment.
The orders would be place, and after he “asked” Sephiroth to collect a few specimen files from a place located when he would no doubt find the packet, and notice the numbers saying what SOLDIER said orders were given to printed on the outside....
Well, maybe it would break the dependency his child seemed to have on the lesser mortal. His son was a god to be, and should not be tainted by some jungle brat’s “humanity.”
Hojo wondered if that second of Sephiroth’s would survive Sephiroth’s wrath at learning of the betrayal. Well, so it would seem to Sephiroth. Hojo had plenty of copies of the man’s signature, it was easy enough to forge it saying the orders were accepted.
Hojo wondered if anyone in that town would survive this birthing process.
Jenova would be pleased to finally see her son, to see how strong and powerful he had grown to be. She would be pleased with Hojo’s fine work, and a god would be born.
Still, it was possible that the little nuisance might survive. Well, if he did, Hojo could simply collect him and continue his previous studies. Even when Sephiroth took over the world, Hojo was sure his son would not mind.
After all, what use would he need with a betrayer such as the specimen?
Pieces falling together as he looked at it from every side, Hojo nodded, pleased. It was going to be a beautiful thing. Over twenty years of hard work and experimentation coming to a head, and what a glorious thing it would spawn.
Pleased with himself, he collected a pad of paper. If the pest did survive, he wanted to have plans of what to start testing first.
A good scientist was always prepared.
Sephiroth did not like any of this. Too many ifs, too many points where it could slip. Too much danger for someone he was...protective of.
But he trusted Zack. It did not mean he would not set his own safeguards into place.
A good general was always prepared.
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damn this is getting good!
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Will be a messy, messy time.
Glad you are enjoying it.
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And Seph wouldn't be Seph without a backup plan. *smirks*
Are they gonna find the coffin in the basement too?
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Seph is very...well versed at making sure he's got backups.
Maybe. Maybe not.
*grins*
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Hojo doesn't know Seph very well, does he? As if Zack would work against one of his glomp victims and current snuggle bunny.
Do me a favor, would ya? Read my comment on the last chapter, there's a bunny there that I'm hoping will catch your fancy. ^__^ If it doesn't, oh well. I'll just have to write wolf!Zack myself. Though you'd do it better.
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::hisses at Hojo and the ambitious slimeball::
Hah! Underestimated that jungle brat's tenacity, damn you! ::gives Hojo a rude gesture::
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And is it normal to have the urge to see Hojo hanged, drawn and quartered (and preferably toasted afterward too)? If not, can I settle for wringing his neck?
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...I... ugh. I think my brain broke. And the impending FF7 madness to come. Guh. I may or may not have Aeris voices (or Aerismuse voices) waving giant neon colored flags now. ...I think I need another chapter.
This whole universe makes me want to point at Hojo accusingly and yell (in a voice very much like a four year olds), "You are a very. Bad. Man."
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I saw your wolfbunny, and I'm dodging. *nods* I write zoofic. >.> That covers most of my "I want to write them all animally" urge.
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*hums evilly and roams off*
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Hojo fucked up, and he has no idea how much yet. *grins*
Yes, he does underestimate Zack, which is good for everyone.
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Zack said they feared a crazed Sephiroth. So they are giving them one.
And, apparently, that's a common response, especially to my Hojos.
I know he gets his in Gracious. Here...I'm not so sure.
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Brain breakage. I win!
He is a bad, bad man. And he doesn't care one whit that he is.
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*Pouts at Hojo* And I know if I point ANYTHING in Hojo's general direction, he'd be apt to shoot at it. Or try and cut it off. Then come the experiments... *shakes head* That guy really needs new hobbies. Or a vacation. Or pie.
Oh gawd. My Aeris voices just giggled over Hojo experimenting on Aeris!pie.
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(+1 of horrible reviewness skillz :D)
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oh dear. no she wont be pleased. She'll be flaming pissed when he tells her to fuck off *grin*
"Still, it was possible that the little nuisance might survive. Well, if he did, Hojo could simply collect him and continue his previous studies. Even when Sephiroth took over the world, Hojo was sure his son would not mind."
*slow blink*
Hojo, what the hell crack are you smoking?
And why the hell aren't you sharing?
Screwed. They are all so very screwed. That Flushing sound? That is Hojo's ass as his carefully laid plans upchuck.
*walkes off singing doom-de-doom-doom-doom*