Guard Duty

Freezing winds blew against the grain of my grey fur, making it flow in a dark manner. I stood, a quiet sentinel as the current guard. I wasn't one to travel from my homeland, so I would only leave when my duty called for it. Since becoming a Paladin, no demons appeared for me to have to deal with, so I did my best to merely do my duty. Today was my day to guard Mt. Gagazet and my Village from any fiends, as well as stopping any wanted criminals and such. I stood dutifully over my post at the entrance to my village which served as a passage to Mt. Gagazet. I looked onwards with sleepy eyes and without sound, I stared out to see who would enter, my shift was soon coming to an end, only a few more minutes.

Jayda's boots were merely shuffling through the gravel against the dirt path with slow, sliding steps of her worn out suede boots as her furrowed brow glared at the device in her hand. As the winds blew again, one of her hands slapped against her beaten cowboy hat that was once white, but now rather a grungy beige with a few mud stains. Luckily her beaten long duster coat was zipped up to protect her from the frigid temperatures as the fingers of her other hand continued struggling to get her hand held device to work properly.


Finally, her bright hazel eyes looked ahead for the hundredth time to see a lone figure standing off in the far distance, and as she ventured closer, Jayda could easily tell it wasn't a human. With her bountiful knowledge of countless races throughout so many worlds, she quickly identified the lone figure as a Ronso. She knew their reputation to be a proud race, and most weren't the hostile type unless their territory or comrades were threatened. With a boost to her hopes and her steps, Jayda trudged up the path through the whipping winds and waved to the Ronso with an eager smile and calling out with her usual thick southern accent. "S'cuze meeee!!! Ah think Ah'mma lost, sir! Mah locator seem'd tah take a fart an' Ah needs tah find sumplace called the Moonflow tah help out sum Hypellos....." By the time she reached him, Jayda was a little out of breath and chuckling at her misfortune at being lost. "Yew can be honest.... jus' how dopey lost am Ah?"

My eyes probably weren't betraying me at this point, but what I believe I saw was a stereotypical cowgirl, walking towards me. Not to say this was unbelievable, as one can never know what one can get from travelers. As she got close enough to me, I heard her start asking of her location, as she was apparently trying to get to the Moonflow. Her linguistic skills were heavy on the ears, but she was understandable. Besides, I didn't have much to speak for myself in the area of linguistics. "Few hundred miles... too far north," I said in my nearly incoherent Ronso speak. I looked at her wearily, trying to see if I recognized her from somewhere... but nothing seemed to ring a bell. "Never seen you, who are you Human?" I inquired.

Jayda's hazel eyes slowly widened with disbelieve at the Ronso's answer. Her jaw nearly fell to the ground. "A few... hundred miles!?!?" She sputtered in shock for a few moments trying to figure out how she came to be so horribly lost before slumping her shoulders in disbelieve with a great heavy sigh. She spared a deep scowl at the worthless device still in the palm of her hand before shaking her head solemnly and slipping the device into one of her coat pockets.

After slowly sliding her hat off in defeat, Jayda looked back up to the tall Ronso with weary eyes. "Name's Jayda.... Ah'mm frum anuther planet, which is whay Ah'mm sew lost. An' whut would beh the name tew the honorable Ronso Ah'mm speakin' to?"

I looked upon the female human as she almost collapsed with what I could only assume was both confusion and disappointment. Something that was a common thing to feel when hopelessly lost. I felt compelled to apologize because it felt like it was sorta my fault, "I sorry." I was still getting into the swing of this whole common language being spoken differently as she spoke a nearly incomprehensible jumble of hard to translate common. Trying to get what info I needed out of it, I could only decipher her name, Jayda, a telltale-sounding 'another world', then what I could roughly translate as an inquiry towards my name. I looked at her carefully, and deducted that she wasn't a bounty, at least that anyone would bother hunting, and I decided to give an answer. "I... am Lonan Ronso," I said having a hesitation in my speech so that I could use proper common for a moment, so that I would have had a proper introduction

Jayda couldn't help but at least force a weak smile up at the Ronso who appeared a bit taken back by her unexpected visit, as well as how to possibly handle her predicament. Although he seemed slightly uncomfortable or confused, she at least appreciated his gentle tone with her, which one would least expect from first sight of such a race. Although quite tall in stature, as well as obviously powerful by their feline physique, Jayda had often heard people describe Ronso's as soft spoken.


As the winds picked up again, Jayda didn't give a care this time as to how her long auburn hair was tussled about as she looked up at Lonan again with a sigh through her smile. "Well nice tah meet'cha, Lonan.... umm..." Her bright hazel eyes shifted nervously about their mountain surroundings, yet not out fear. She simply felt embarressed for her own directional mix up. "Since the Moonflow seems tah be sew very far away.... wuld yew happ'n tah know where I can gets me a guide? Them little Hypello critters are countin' on me tah be there..."

I was actually a little worried for this person. I could probably have mentioned that the global positioning systems that would lead to the moonflow didn't exist without the aid of an Al Bhed system hacker, but since I was a Paladin of Yevon, I was never to speak of those blasphemers. Nothing against them, but it wasn't good to use. I shrugged, "I guess I can show Jayda." It was a Paladin's duty to aid civilians to find their path. Metaphorical or not, I was as well versed in the geography of Spira as any tour guide.

I nodded and heard more footsteps. "Guard is changing... I free for 3 days to lead you there," I said as I started walking forward. The new guard taking my point as the guard for the next couple of hours, I was set to go on ahead. "Please follow, and keep guard up. Calm lands full of fiends, dangerous," I spoke. With that I started twirling my Bahamaut Kunai around my finger. It was skillful, but it was also very impatient looking. I wasn't upset, but I had a nervous habit of seeming impatient.

Jayda's face lit right up as if someone surprised her with a new puppy when she heard Lonan's offer, even if he spoke with monotone in his voice. "Aw Lonan! I can't thank yeh enuff! I'll ev'n pay ya fer yer servcices once we get thar!" A huge sigh of relief swept through her lips just as another Ronso appeared to which Lonan explained was the next guard to now relieve him of his duties. She gave the newcomer a friendly wave, but as all Ronso's were, she received a skeptical glance before a curt nod as the new guard passed by them.


She nodded eagerly to Lonan's instructions, having to trot at times between her walking pace to keep up with the Ronso's long stride, but she didn't mind at all while making sure that her pistols were loaded and the safety check to each of them before holstering them at her hips again. Presuming Ronso's weren't much for casual chit chat didn't harbor the young gunner's friendly social nature as she shuffled up to Lonan's side again to keep up with him and with a beaming smile. "Seein' as we gawt quite the trek ahead of us, might as well geyt better aquainted, righ?" She started off by holding out her slender hand towards him in a hand shake offering. "Ah know we alre'dy introduced ourselves, but it sure is nice o' ya tah help me out! So what else do Ronso's do fer fun besides guard mountains and help wayaward lost folks?"

As I continued my escort and Jayda began following, I heard profuse gratitude from her. As she said something about paying me, I had to interrupt that portion, "You do not have to pay. Lonan take you because it my duty as Paladin of Yevon." As the walking continued even further... she started to try and acquaint herself with me. I was friendly enough I suppose, but my soloist attitude made me a little weary of things. She was asking what we did for fun aside guarding mountains and escorting travelers. "Well actually..." I began, "Ronso are proud race who learn from fiends how to fight. We travel and accept all challenger, be them fiend or person. I not enjoy such luxuries. Yevon's teachings make me only fight fiends and hellspawn." I looked at my twirling kunai, with a blink and saw that there was getting to be a feint pink glow to it. "Darkness lurking ahead..." I said.

[ ┌∩┐(◕_◕) to you, Mr. Sephiroth]

Fury had seen Jayda at the front of the small Ronso village he had been sent to by Shade to establish a trade route. The fact that he had seen her there at all piqued Fury's interest. What in the hell was she doing out there? Fury quickly finished up the negotiations with the village leaders as soon as he saw her and began to follow her down the winding road. Seeing her with the Ronso made him smile, she always did find a way to surround herself with animals, even if they weren't really animals.

He followed her along further, and was just about to leave when someone emerged from the shadows.

Sephiroth

Fury remembered him from when he had invaded his home and tried to make off with his girls. Luckily, Fury was too far away and too well hidden for the one-winged angel to see him. It was then that he activated his cloaking. He watched as Sephiroth activated his mischievous spell, ensnaring Jayda and the Ronso in it's deadly grasp. It was time to move. Fury crouched, tensing his leg muscles as the AMP technology took hold. He then silently took off into the sky, the AMP tech sending him soaring into the air above the group. As he floated there a moment, looking down on them before starting his decent, he activated the beacon to his ship, summoning both Dusty and the rest of the crew.

He made himself like an arrow in the sky as he descended. He was moving faster than he ever had before. He had to get there, because.. because this just won't happen. He won't allow it. His arm fought against the g-forces as he reached for the grenade on his vest. He was almost there now. There was no way for any of them to know he was there. He thought how Jayda must feel right about now, afraid that she was going to die. But there was no other way. Fury's hand grasped the grenade and pulled. This was it.

He flipped in the air, and tossed the grenade, which was just as invisible as Fury was. It flew and dashed against Jayda before exploding, sending a puff of ice out that dissipated the spells that constricted her. Unluckily for the Ronso, it only effected one person so he would still be stuck.

Fury didn't have much time to do anything other than that, though. He finished his flip, bringing himself around to face Sephiroth. And then collided with him. Since he was completely invisible, there would be no way that Sephiroth would be able to respond to him. Fury's body crashed into Sephiroth with such force it created a crater around them. He tumbled along, grappling the one-winged angel the whole time until they came to a grinding stop. Fury lay on his side next to the man and started to try and stand. He felt a sharp pain in his side and when he looked down, he was surprised to see Sephiroth's famous sword piercing his side. He chuckled as his vanish dissipated, making him appear next to Sephiroth. He drew his pistol out and aimed it at the man laying next to him and said, "I think she can tell me herself."

Just then, the Kestrel appeared in the sky and aimed all of it's guns down at the two. Dusty roped down from it and landed next to Jayda. He pulled out his shotgun and aimed it at Sephiroth. This was about to get interesting.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Cryo-grenade

Cloaking Device


800 - 50 - 30 = 720 MP remaining

Class Ability: Steal used on Sephiroth's sword.

Being caught off guard in such a stupid way already had Jayda angry enough, but to be caught unawares by one such as Sephiroth was the worst scenario anyone could foolishly walk right into. Just as her hands instinctively went for her pistols at her sides, her body suddenly went still, only able to breath until something unforeseen gripped around her throat, constricting her breathing while lifting her slowly completely off the ground. Jayda could only glare her hatred and silent threats at his arrogant grin as he taunted her, while various ways to may him suffer went spinning through her mind, mostly starting with chopping off his ridiculous hair.


It wasn't until he mentioned Fury that her sanity nearly snapped. Was it some form of hint that Fury would be Sephiroth's next target? Then she thought of the girls.... and Jayda's instincts went ballistic. Every ounce of her rage went into her fierce will, somehow forcing her limbs to snap free into a kicking frenzy, yet Jayda still found herself ensnared by whatever power had her by the neck and tightening fast.


What came next was a flurry of actions that left the young gunner thoroughly confused due her struggle for air and limited movement. All she knew was Sephiroth was suddenly tackled before her own body was tossed aside and collapsed to the ground. Through her frantic rasping coughs, Jayda heard the familiar voice that led her eyes to widen in disbelief, and now staring in shock when seeing Fury several feet away on the ground and bleeding by Sephiroth's sword. Even though Dusty was at guard beside her, one doesn't think smart when caught up by sudden waves of emotions that led her to tear off after Sephiroth from behind with her guns blazing their rounds at his back. Even though she knew of Sephiroth's abilities, even if she didn't hit him, at least the distraction would buy Fury more time.

Suddenly my blade's runes wet from a light pink to a crimson blood red. I saw that there was a huge evil before me... and man with a single wing with long silver hair, holding the longest nodachi that I had ever laid eyes on. Along with him were three things that I could deduct were summons. Suddenly there were way more runes around me, glyphs and such, the same that were surrounding Jayda. I could only get myself the hell out of there, as I made a handseal, and replaced myself with a crudely put-together wooden replica of myself and hid just behind a large mound of snow. I kept my breath silent, and saw that Jayda was saved by a man who managed to get the dark figure's sword away from him. Jayda looked dazed, and I became immediately worried. I would say nothing as people would soon come to notice my escape. I remained completely silent, and made another handseal, and I was suddenly under the Vanish Status, completely invisible now.

---

Spells Used
Ninja Art: Replacement - 30 MP (20 Remaining)
Vanish (Class Ability- Ninja) 1/5 posts consumed.

((OOC: The clock is ticking.... Fair warning, I'm posting within hours.))

And Lonan, you're spells are null and void. You know the rules. You posted your Profile AFTER you posted.))

((OOC: Let's see..... I waited 4 days.... I think that was long enough for anyone who wanted to jump in))



Just as Sephiroth was about to deliver his finishing strike on the pathetic girl, his body was suddenly lurched through the air by some unseen force that led him to crash hard against the ground with a violent roll, but finely trained instincts brought him swiftly on hands and knees to stand once more and discover the very one who attacked him. His teal shaded gaze narrowed with what appeared to be amusement, rather than threatening, as Sephiroth smirked at the man upon the ground pointing his gun straight at his chest. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Mr. Leonhart. Although I must applaud you for effort and stubbornness." With a slow blink and a slight tilt of head, he sensed another weapon aimed at his back by the faint click echoing into the air. Yet Sephiroth's arrogance chose to remain upon the blood spilling from Fury by the mishap of the Masamune striking through the man due to his careless attack. ”Still.... I would think you much smarter in your tactics, Fury. How disappointing.” His hand slowly extended, using his Dark Manipulation spell to rip his sword from Fury's side and securely back into his own hand before hearing rushed footfalls coming from behind him.


Using his Samari ability, he dodged every one of Jayda's bullets, as his Manipulation Magic now turned on her, lifting her form from the ground and bringing the girl's back up against his chest to block whatever attempted fire from Fury's gun should he shoot before blasting another blow of Darkness energy into the ground to produce a massive wave of snow and dirt into Dusty's direction to obscure his vision as Sephiroth leaped into the air to land beside the helpless Ronso. Seeing the threat of the airship within the sky, Sephiroth knew there was no time to be wasted by mere pests and gathered his powers once again to grip the feline creature by invisible force to then toss his feeble form hard into the mountain wall alongside the trail to then transfer the the energy of darkness into the rock to have a landslide come crashing down. "Why I do believe this is becoming quite entertaining."


Knowing the multiple weapons upon the airship would prove quite the challenge, Sephiroth produced the same wave of snow and dirt again from the very ground to cloud the entire area with debris. What one couldn't see, one couldn't strike. With his silent, fluid movements, Sephiroth was found still directly behind Jayda after the dust settled with his long blade stretched across the girl's neck and pressing against the skin, nearly breaching through the flesh over the jugular. Now.... Sephiroth's heightened gaze returned to Fury with a slow sneer lifting his upper lip. ”Checkmate, my friend. What will it be, hmm?”


[url=https://finalfantasy.forumotion.org/t3724-dark-manipulation ]Darkness Manipulation[/url] x 5= 100MP
Click name for spell information if needed

Simon Crowley was, if nothing else, a scientist.

Spira is one of the few worlds to have the concept of Summoning figure prominently into it. Aeons, corporeal poltergeists generated by a petrified human called a Fayth, were the main source. Such a strange method intrigued Simon. Human force generating a summoned creature... It wasn't something he'd ever heard of. To that end, he found himself in Zanarkand, hours ago. ...Only to find the Fayth of that world were long gone. Using his in-built computer to capture images of the glyphs, to perhaps study the methods, he elected to take the mountain pass over Mt. Gagazet before calling the Detachment.

Simon Crowley was, if nothing else, a soldier.

Mt. Gagazet was home to many fiends. Creatures formed of the remnants of human souls. ...The concept disgusted Simon. He was killing things that may have, at one time, been innocents. Not that he had a choice, the way they attacked him. Truth be told, he anticipated this. In all his time, researching and experimenting, he had to make sure he wasn't losing his edge. At the moment, he was carrying his shotgun, the Deling Jackhammer, in his left hand. His right hand was, as it always was, the cybernetic Death's Hand. The magic system he used, the Cast Card System, was set up on his belt. To protect him from the elements and fiends, he was already clad in the Civilian Survival Armor. For all that he didn't see much action, Simon was a man prepared.

Simon Crowley was, if nothing else, a tactician.

"Commander, we got a weird transmission from Fury and the Kestrel. Jayda's near your position, and she's in danger." Came the voice of Helmsman Grier. The Detachment was waiting for him in low-earth orbit around Spira, as was the norm. There was no sound. The signal from the Deatchment was translated directly into neural impulses. Likewise, he could think, and the crew would hear him.

"Location, now." Simon thought back. Quickly checking his gun and his hand, he then pinned the shotgun under his right arm, pulling cards out of his belt in anticipation. His hand, still holding the cards, went to the module on his hip, flipping a switch. Normally, the device called out the Cast Cards' names. With that flip, the item was set for silent running.

"You're about 10 meters away, they're around the bend." Came the reply.

In a moment, Simon slotted in the Clear Cast Card. His body, and armor, and weapons, vanished, completely invisible to the naked eye. Before he rounded the corner, a blast of snow and soil was sent back, from the assailant. A distraction, but, hardly a screen. He saw the silver-haired man holding an impossibly long nodachi to Jayda's neck. ...He smiled in the suit's helmet. He'd never know what hit him.

His blast had cleared the ground of snow, and some soil, leaving only dirt for him to walk on. As he treaded, slowly, toward the assailant, he slotted the second card. Trick Cast.

On the cliff above them, four copies of Simon, clad in the obnoxiously bright red armor, appeared. They then leapt down, landing around Sephiroth. One of the copies crumpled in a heap, clutching its leg and screaming in pain. The others ignored him, training their shotguns on the silver-haired man. ...The injured copy was part of Simon's plan. Its screaming would cover any sound he made during the approach. He grasped and drew his shotgun from under his arm as the three standing copies started talking, over the screaming, each one in unison.

"Hah! Nice try, you overly-pretty psychopath!" The clones shouted.

Covered by the screaming and taunting, he slowed as he approached the assailant. The air was tense. If he wasn't careful the man could feel him.

"Did you really think your little surprise attack was gonna be enough to stop SeeD?"

He was next to the man. it was now or never. Raising the shotgun in his left hand to take aim at the swordsman's head, Simon reached out with his right hand, with Death's Hand. The metal fingers wrapped themselves tightly around the blade, gripping tightly, pushing it against the palm. His thumb swing forward, over the fingers, clamping down, providing more stability. Once he was sure he had a tight grip, he locked down the joints in his arm. As close to the base of the blade as he was grasping, the swordsman would certainly be hard-pressed to do much with the blade. As the joints locked down, the vanish failed. Simon grinned behind his helm, like the cat that got the canary.

"You're gonna have to wake up earlier in the day to pull off a stunt like that."

The seemingly injured copy then rose to his feet, laughing uproariously.

"YOU JUST GOT OWNED!"

(Math time. Clear Cast and Trick Cast used. 40 MP each. 80 MP used total. 200 - 80 = 120. 120 MP remains.)

Telira was heavy enough that she really shouldn't have been going anywhere away from Balamb, especially after the whole sequence of events in Rebena surrounding the loss of her airship. So what was she doing not only away from Balamb but all the way in Spira?

Well... she was looking for Jayda.

Yeah, it wasn't a good idea to wander around when she'd started getting twinges in her belly like her twins were starting to think they wanted larger accommodations, but she really didn't want to go into labor without Jayda around since she was still a bit... overwhelmed by Brix and Crystals knew she wasn't going to approach *Shade* about being with her during this time.

She'd heard that Jayda might be in this area, and so was trudging towards what was rapidly becoming a full-blown battle site in complete ignorance of what she was walking into. She realized it quickly, though, when she turned a corner and saw the mess of people and one guy with long white hair holding a sword... at Jayda's... throat...

Okay, one of the cardinal rules of surviving life is that a person doesn't threaten a pregnant woman's friends just before she goes into labor, and Telira *needed* Jayda's comforting presence during what was going to possibly be the most stressful time of her life.

She was barely aware of the others around, enough to note the blood in Fury's side (she remembered him from the short-lived Convention of World Leaders in the Universal Multiplex) and she definitely noticed Simon (his arm alone was memorable enough to let her know who he was and that he was, in all likelihood, a good guy... or so she hoped). There was a feline man with a single horn nearby... but she couldn't do much to help everyone...

... or could she?

She cloaked herself in crystalline energies, masking her appearance so that hopefully she didn't get herself or her babies hurt during this incredibly stupid move, and then she waddled as fast as her feet could carry her to a central point between her four potential allies, and then unleashed a flurry of spells, as fast as she could speak the incantations.

Haste, on all of them as that was distance related. That would enable her to retreat from the immediate vicinity, as well. And making it easier to speak quickly, too. Crystals, she wished she'd had this version of the spell back when she was facing Chaos with her friends.

Cure, on Fury. No one else seemed injured and the injury seemed non-vital so the higher power Cura didn't seem called for. She could always use that one later if there were more injuries to handle.

Esuna on all four of them, Jayda, Fury, Simon, and the blue-furred one she didn't know. She wasn't sure what all would be weighing them down, so she figured that she was better off safe than sorry... particularly since Jayda's life hung in the balance.

And then Protect and Temper, both, on Fury, Simon, and Jayda. Expensive, but worth it to her mind.

And then she double-timed it away from the fighting to seek a protected corner somewhere while her Invis held. She was useless in any sort of melee combat in her condition, a fact that was painfully apparent from the way her belly was clenching when she finally reached cover.

Her children were going to be fighters, and they wanted out.

(Numbers...
Invis - 30 MP for 3 posts, 2 more to go
Haste - 40 MP for 3 posts, 2 more to go - affects all allies within 20 ft radius, so she *should* get all the combatants with that
Cure - 10 MP for Fury
Esuna - 30 MP for 4 targets
Protect and Temper - 30 MP x2 = 60 MP per target, 3 targets so 180 MP
Totals = 30 + 40 + 10 + 30 + 180 = 290
Total MP = 400 MP, 400 - 290 = 110 MP remaining)

Cypher was currently sitting in his office in Bevelle, his body racked with pain still after the assassination attempt. How he could have been so careless, he still didn't know. If it wasn't for Salamander, he would be dead at the moment. Still, as it was, the flames that were used to purify his body and burn off the poison left him in much internal pain, as several of his organs were burned, as well as his veins and blood. It would take some time before he was going to be moving from his office, which was currently a hospital bed with note pads everywhere as he tried to continue doing his duties while recovering.

Also in this room was a computer system he could work with and communicate with several different areas. He currently had scout teams deployed all over Spira to look for different Elemental Fiends for Project Crystal Future. He had been getting reports from time to time and it was almost time for another one when the computer started to beep.

'A little early...'he thought, before painfully stretching over and signaling the machine to start communications

“Ah, Team Tnykuh, you're reporting a little early. How are things going?” he asked, sitting up a bit more and hiding the pain from his face.

On the screen was the masked face of an Al Bhed male, who had looked away as Cypher sat up in respect, before he started to speak.

“Commander Cypher, we were on the trail of a next of Blue Elemental, when we started to hear hear the sounds of a struggle. We got closer and...well, look for yourself,” he said, before direction the Sphere Comm to start viewing behind him, showing the makings of an intense fight. A female with a strange hat was being held captive from someone with compensation problems and long, silver hair. What on Spira was going on? That was when the Sphere Comm looked up at the massive airship above them, as well as the amount of power being used to create a storm that threw one of the Ronso off into the mountain.

Cypher clenched his fist tightly, before nodding his head.

“I see...keep recording, get in as close as you can without being noticed. Thieves most of you may be, but your lives come first, understand?! Find out whatever you can!” Cypher demanded, his eyes widening at what he was seeing.

The leader of Team Tnykuh nodded his head, before looking at the other three members of his team.

“Cbnayt uid! Juela naluntanc uh syqesis, jetau uh rekr nac! Kad yc lmuca yc oui lyh, pid meja du damm dra dyma! Ku Huf!” he said, his voice imploring the importance before the other three nodded and ran off, each one taking a different position of the fight and recording with the Comms they had. Each one was just out of sight, but they were recording and sending the live images straight to Cypher's computer.

He quickly pressed another button and a large Ronso, dressed in black armor from head to toe, walked in.

“Arcana...get your team together as fast as you can. Even if it's already over, I'm sending you to Mt. Gagazet...” he said, looking up at the Death Knight Ronso. Arcana nodded his head, before heading out, quickly gathering his team of Four Ronso Knights, two Al Bhed Gunners, and a Hume Black Mage. They were going to be taking the fastest route there, which meant by Hover Bikes. Even then, it would take a few hours, but like Cypher said...they were going for other reasons. Hopefully, picking up the dead wouldn't be one of them.

((Translations
Tnykuh - Dragon
“Cbnayt uid! Juela naluntanc uh syqesis, jetau uh rekr nac! Kad yc lmuca yc oui lyh, pid meja du damm dra dyma! Ku Huf!”
Spread out! Voice recorders on maximum, video on high res! Get as close as you can, but live to tell the tale! Go Now!))

If looks could kill, Sephiroth would have smoldered into a pile of ashes from Fury's eyes. He reached down and grabbed at his side with his left hand while his right held the pistol aimed directly at Sephiroth. He was just squeezing the trigger back when he saw Jayda rushing in from behind. He couldn't fire and risk hurting Jayda, so he stayed his finger. That's when the most excruciating pain erupted from his side. The sword that was lodged there was yanked from his side and over to Sephiroth's hand, who in turn deftly swiped aside Jayda's defenses and took her hostage once more.

Dusty had tried to follow after Jayda when she took off, but was sent flying backwards by the debris Sephiroth had sent his way. he lay there in a heap in the deep snow, trying to regain his barrings. Meanwhile, the Kestrel was in a similar boat. They couldn't see through the thick mass of debris to make an accurate shot at Sephiroth, and with too many friendlies so close to him, they didn't want to risk a hellfire missile. So, they lowered themselves, trying to blow the debris away with the engines, with no luck.

Fury looked at Jayda. He tried to give her a look that said it was going to be ok, but his face curled downwards into a sneer when Sephiroth said there were no more moves. There was always a way. And since Sephiroth was taller than Jayda, if Fury was steady enough he could just make the sho-


Fury's thoughts were interrupted by a screaming and... taunting? Fury knew that voice. He swore under his breath as he realized Simon had shown up. At least it was a distraction. That was when he felt something under him moving. Eventually, the creature wiggled it's way out from under him to reveal itself. "Rambo, what the hell are you doing in there?

The squirrel looked at the scene and said, "Taking a nap until your fat ass landed on me." The squiggle cocked his head to the side as he looked at Sephiroth. At first, he thought it was Skittles, but then he realized, that this man didn't have that dumb look in his eyes that Skittles portrayed to well. This man was the enemy! Rambo jumped up on Fury's chest and said, "I'll take care of this, Boss." With that, he disappeared from sight.

Fury struggled to his feet, suddenly feeling stronger, almost like someone had cast a spell on him. His wounded side, melted together, healing perfectly. Someone did cast a spell on him! He could feel that the healing wasn't the only spell he had on him, and though he didn't know what exactly was all bestowed upon him, he knew he would find out.

Meanwhile, Rambo was on the move. He sprinted straight towards Sephiroth, putting his gas-mask on as he ran. He knew what he was going to do. He could hear the multiple Simon's yelling and griping in the background. The perfect distraction. He bound at full speed towards the evil man and just as he reached his feet, another Simon appeared and grabbed the man's sword. Again, things couldn't have been working out better than if he had planned them himself. He leaped into the air and landed on Jayda's shoulder, right next to Sephiroth's sword. He pulled out the canister of gas and shoved it into Sephiroth's mouth as he responded to Simon. The canister opened, enveloping the area with the toxic gas. Rambo pushed Jayda away from Sephiroth and tackled the now mini-one-winged-angel to the snow. He stood above the man with his guns drawn and aimed at him.

Fury, using the increased speed from the haste spell, saw this and rushed over. He grabbed Jayda and helped her to her feet. He then aimed his own gun at the smaller Sephiroth and said, "King me."