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Post by mistervillainman on Nov 4, 2006 4:16:59 GMT
Rufus looked from the child to the mother, then back at the child...
"Pleasure to meet you... Son." He said, shaking the boy's hand.
Rufus knew he was entering uncharted waters here... Nobody had formed an alliance with a child of Jenova that had come out in one piece... but this was a slightly different set of circumstances. Not only that... But he never thought he'd actually be admitting to having a son.
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 4, 2006 4:17:55 GMT
kamen drained a lot of his renewed energy to get reno almost fully back to normal. he was still fairly tired and a little weaker but a whole lot better.
nikky giggled and nodded giving him back his hand. ''sorry.... girl instincts.'' she laughed and kissed his cheek.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 4, 2006 4:35:36 GMT
Reno kissed hers in return. "It's OK... I can deal with it, yo." He stretched out slightly, feeling the return of his true body... but he couldn't help noticing Kamen looked a little wiped out. He grinned slightly and twitched his fingers... a slight glow traveled through the floor and touched the soles of Kamen's shoes... A little pick me up, kid. You help me, I help you. That's the deal.
He gave Nikky a hug... I'm out of the danger zone... for now. But we gotta get to work on this Aztar guy, or it won't last too long.
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 4, 2006 4:41:39 GMT
nikky smiled and nodded. ''yeah.... gotta have em sometimes eh?'' she laughed.
kamen was slightly shocked and jumped a bit before relaxing. he looked over and flashed a weak smile and nod. that it was.... he couldn't help but sound sad.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 4, 2006 4:42:05 GMT
Fruxas smiled at his father, obviously pleased. Xima was similarly pleased... she nodded to Rufus imperceptibly. Well done, Rufus... that was very nice.
She placed her son on the floor and bent down to his eye level. "Let me tell you what, Fruxas," she said pleasantly. ""Why don't you go outside and practice with your new toy while your..." She glanced up at Rufus and let out a dry chuckle. "While your daddy and I have a little talk about some grown-up things, OK?"
Fruxas nodded, shouldering the Orphan's Curse. He made his way towards the door, only pausing for a moment to look at the clones... still just standing there...
"Fruxas," his mother prompted insistently.
The child looked back at his parents and beamed at them both before turning around and going outside.
Xima straightened up. "My son needed a father... I appreciate you're willing to take on the responsibility," she mused. "Of course, I'd rather like to have a daughter..."
She returned to business. "Since we're been standing here talking... among other things... Amnesty and her little friends have been on the ridge above us, hatching conspiracies... shall we take what we can and slip away, or shall we stand here and fight? Either solution is equally palatable to me." She stood back, waiting for an answer. "And don't worry about Fruxas... he is well-equipped to look after himself in a fight."
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 4, 2006 4:49:59 GMT
Rude gave up on the Sacrifice. He came back out into the passenger area to find Reno looking like himself again... "Holy C***t," he muttered. I can't take much more of this...
He came over to Reno. "I see you're feeling better, partner," he said quietly, his real meaning hidden.
Reno nodded. "Yeah, I'm cool for now..." he said. He nodded towards Kamen. "The kid gave me a hand there, yo."
Rude looked between the two and decided to just accept it. "Fine. But we should still get this show on the road."
Reno shook his head. "Not without Ami and Squall. This is their shindig, yo... we wait for them." He sat back with Nikky. "But all the same... you got a point, partner. They have been keeping us waiting an awful long time." He made eye contact with Rude... I haven't lost ALL of my maturity yet. I know we have to get a move on... but just the same, Ami and Squall have gotta be with us.
Rude nodded. Understood. He turned away to get a drink. My partner waxeth telepathic. Good grief.
Reno gave Nikky a squeeze. "Well, let's get ourselves in gear, sweetheart." He stood up and check out his EMR, to see if it needed recharging yet...
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Post by mistervillainman on Nov 4, 2006 4:54:04 GMT
Rufus sighed in annoyance.
"They insist on destroying anything that I own... Well... I have an idea..." He said, grinning darkly as he explained his plan.
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 4, 2006 4:54:43 GMT
nikky yawned and nodded. ''hmmm.... should a go with the curved knife or a short sword?'' she grinned at reno. she was just being mean.
kamen avoided their convo and focused on keeping reno stable. he was trying to find less draining ways to do this.... but figured it was the only way.
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Post by mistervillainman on Nov 4, 2006 5:04:08 GMT
Dimitri woke with a start, voices still screaming in his head and he looked around, groaning in pain as he climbed off his cot. He heard activity outside his cabin and figured that the others were getting ready to move out. He pulled on his coat and donned his sunglasses, grabbing his gunblade before heading out into the hall to find the others.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 4, 2006 5:05:55 GMT
Reno thought that over... "Hmmm, that's a tough one... I say short sword," he said, pretended he didn't know what she was talking about. "Sticks a little better..." He grinned at her.
****
Xima's malicious smile grew wider and wider. "I told you once, our cruelty is perfectly matched," she agreed. "Let us go on with that course... you see to collection." She diverted her eyes towards the door. "I'll ensure they're all properly... distracted."
She moved closer towards him. "Distractions are one of my specialties, you have noticed." She offered up one kiss, to appease her more basic impulses, before joining her son outdoors.
I know you would eventually yield to me... my fever has never had a cure.
She headed up towards the Ragnorak, leaping over the jagged stones of the Crater...
"Fruxas, my son," she called back to him. "Come. We have some work to do."
Fruxas let fly one last bolt, which shattered a stone about thirty feet away, before leaping up the the cliffside after her with agilty and speed no ordinary five year old (or even twenty five year old) could match...
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Post by mistervillainman on Nov 4, 2006 5:09:48 GMT
Rufus watched them go and knew he'd played his cards right already... then he turned his attention to collecting the necessary components, running the training programs for the clones as he did so. Their programming would be complete within 5 minutes and they would be on the same level of combat ability as all the gnats that continuously pestered him and quite possibly Xima as well... and if they werent, training with her would bring them up to that level soon enough...
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 4, 2006 5:11:16 GMT
nikky's grin grew wider as she holistered the short sword to her hip. she flipped a few knives and small explosives before attaching them to her hip as well. a longer knife was belted to her boots.
kamen fidgetted. reno.... do you wish for me to accompany all of you? or stay back and make sure your energy levels and such are close to normal? his voice was quiet and unusually calm.
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Post by mistervillainman on Nov 4, 2006 5:15:21 GMT
Dimitri entered the prep room where the others were located, leaning on his gunblade. He looked over at Reno.
"Your looking much better... Whats going on?" He asked.
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Post by *~Nikkole~* on Nov 4, 2006 5:22:36 GMT
being equally curious, nikky looked over at reno. she raised a brow. he did look a lot more like himself than he did an hour ago.... her gaze shifted to kamen, who looked away.
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Post by Amnesty Lazuli on Nov 4, 2006 5:22:45 GMT
Rude went back into the storage bins, looking for a better gun... I don't think my fists will be enough for this round...
Reno heard Kamen's message. I think you better stick with us... we don't know just what it is we're dealing with here... He turned to Dimitri. "Long story, bro, I'll tell ya later. Come on, we're getting this show on the road!"
He looked in on Amnesty and Squall, still holding each other on the edge of her cot. She had honestly been trying to let the story come out, but every time she was right on the verge of telling him, a sob would come up and block her throat, choking her...
"Hey, guys, come on," he insisted. "Ami, you OK, yo?"
Ami looked at him with red rimmed eyes. Define OK.
"It's time to move, yo," he prompted ever more vigorously. The pre-mission jitters were setting in... "Let's go, people! Let's go!"
Ami looked into Squall's eyes. "Squall, I..." She sighed and dropped her head. "It'll have to wait."
She should have been relieved, but she felt horrible... she got up and prepared to follow the others, splashing water into her face and retrieving her swords. She looked back. Oh, Squall... Grief racked her body. I wish I could summon up the courage to tell you...
****
Xima approached the ship boldly, the Evil Twin in hand. She knew her double was too headstrong to consider the obviousness of her diversion...
****
Rude glanced at the viewscreen for the exit hatch as he got out one of Kidd's sniper rifles. "What the h**l..."
Reno felt her coming. "Oh, s**t..." He looked at the viewscreen too. "That's her. That's Dark Ami."
Rude's mouth settled into a hard line. "Xima."
Amnesty felt a deep, dark echo in the depths of her soul, and knew her time had come...
She rushed out into the passenger area, just as a long silver blade sliced through the exit hatch.
Xima came through it, her son right behind. "Miss me, Red?" Xima asked of Reno, who stood there remembering his encounter with her at the Forgotten City...
"You already killed one half of me, sister... that's all you're gonna get!" He pulled out his EMR, but he found someone holding his arm back...
Amnesty was standing there, staring at Xima, her hand on Reno's arm.
The pair regarded each other.
Both spoke at the same time. "You don't deserve to live."
They pulled their swords and charged at each other...
Meanwhile, Fruxas entered the room like a tiny blur of dark energy, zipping across the floor and over the walls, shooting out bolts at his enemies...
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