towerofanimus | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters: Reno and you
Setting:
Floor 25 - Meadow: Hand to Hand Fighting Lessons (any day after his sign up post)
Floor 32 - Forest Island: Lurking about here picking berries
Floor 26 - Morgue: Meeting with Tseng (and Zelda) (closed)
Floor 1 - Cafeteria

Format: Either
Summary: See setting. This is an open post!
Warnings: TBA

--Meadow

Reno was here at promptly 0900 in the morning. Though he had actually gotten there earlier to prepare, he didn't mind if students were a bit late. That just gave him an excuse to give them extra work- mostly running around the meadow in lapse.

Oh, and this time he has some weights made out of lead he had made in the workshop. Better be prepared if you mess up!

--- Forest Island

Secretly, Reno darted around the island looking for berries. He had a nice bucketful already, yummy, delicious, juicy looking berries too. These were intended for some of Rusty and his finest wine, made with their revised still that was conveniently hidden somewhere near by. Wouldn't want one of the kids or someone else to stumble on it.

Whistling, Reno felt pretty good. The punch back at the Blind Date had done its job, giving everyone a good time, and it... gave him a strangely satisifed feeling. Their efforts were appreciated, you know? Who cares how long it took to make the stuff anymore. This was a sure ticket.

---Morgue

There was a reason why Reno had chosen this place. Nobody except the creeps came down here, not liking the reminder of death, even though in this place death was a joke. Chances are that people wouldn't be here to overhear what he was going to tell Tseng.

The chill from the freezer units had him rubbing his hands together, but he wasn't sure if that wasn't also partly nervousness. He had felt sure of himself and confident when Tseng wasn't here, like he knew exactly where to go and what to do, but now... he didn't know anymore. Tseng was the one person he actually did have to answer to here, his old loyalties flaring up, though months had weakened them slightly.

Shiva knew how Rusty was feeling, if Sparky himself was this antsy. Maybe he should go talk to him after this...

Either way, it was time.

---Cafeteria

He had started taking his meals regularly here again, after the food stock he and the others had built up ran out, though he still had some leftover nutribars hidden at the bottom of his closet.

That wasn't to say he trusted the food here at all, always opting to make something for himself instead of eating what was served. Usually it was a sandwich with the most innocuous ingredients he could find. This month's menu looked like something out of the Gi Tribe Family Dining arena, and he knew what kind of food those people had eaten.

His mood was somber during breakfast, quiet and not prone to talking. This was a trend ever since the ill fated plot of Ganondorf's. It had hit Reno pretty hard, sending him into that same laid back attitude he had acquired right after returning to Shinra. He was a man with many things on his mind, not a one nice.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"But it is also extremely valuable."

A feminine voice chimes in then, its owner having heard bits of the conversation as she entered the chilly morgue. Zelda can't completely suppress a shiver as she makes her way over to the two men, but still, she tries to present herself with confidence. There is apparently a rather large mess on her hands, and she can't afford to dwell on her embarrassment from earlier mistakes.

"I apologize that it all had to come to the surface in such an ungraceful manner, but Reno's work has done a great deal to keep others safe from the Tower's less-than-upstanding prisoners." She doesn't know how to solve the problem, not with how little she knows about the Turks themselves, but hopefully she can at least diffuse some tension.

Edited 2012-07-25 07:08 (UTC)

"Yes, I'm fully aware that the less people who know, the better," His tone still hadn't gotten any warmer, though he did stop for another sip from his cup. Tseng had been more upset at other things, before, but this was pretty high on the list. And he knew how difficult it was; one of the reasons why he didn't send Reno to do that sort of thing. You needed to be ready for it, and that didn't mean you thought you were ready. Others needed to think you were ready, too.

Tseng heard her footsteps before she spoke. While he was respectful, bowing his head, that didn't change the fact that this was a major screw up, and it could get people killed. Zelda would not be able to diffuse the tension; Tseng would do that himself, but not showing any of it while she was there.

"It's not the manner in which it came up in that's the problem," Tseng took another sip of the drink, letting himself feel the burn down his throat. "It's the fact that without the proper information, I've now put my subordinate, and other people, at risk."

He paused, tucking a stray piece of hair behind his ear. "There is nothing to be done with that, now. We need to deal with the fallout, now."

Inwardly, Reno sighed. He knew Tseng wasn't pleased at all, but maybe there was a way of salvaging it.

"Hey, it's not so bad. I'll join up myself, that way if he asks I can say I'm bein' the faithful spy and gettin' in good with the Fellowship, and I've got you on my side and using Xion. But I'll have to feed him information, that's where things are gonna get tricky."

He gave Zelda a glance. He didn't know her, their contact had been brief and infrequent at best. "Might help if you told me something tonight. Plans, ideas, anything."

She certainly hopes Reno knows what he's doing, after pulling it off for this long. And as much as she hates the idea of deliberately giving the Evil King information, she is not beyond seeing the reasoning behind it.

She frowns, thinking quietly to herself for a moment. To be honest, she was hoping the meeting itself would solidify any plans they might have, but maybe...

"... Tell him you have seen me discussing installing guards at the entrances for the council. He will not risk losing face in front of so many by attacking it, but he may still attempt to infiltrate it himself out of spite." She's learned from his actions at that blind date party, at least. "Even if he does not tell you how he might disguise himself, we can use process of elimination to pick him out of the crowd and keep watch on him."

That's the best case scenario, at least. Reno's glance is returned, followed by one to Tseng, waiting for their opinions. Perhaps with a bit of anxiety - she'd... really rather not be made a fool of twice in one day.

He didn't actually know who the bad guy was in this case. Ganondorf? He'd never really heard of this name until now. Gandalf, as well, but he seemed to be on the "good" side. This gave him pause, though; was there really a good side, in all of this? He was familiar with picking a side that was neither good nor bad, but the winning one, in the end. Was either side really one or the other?

Even the "good" side had it's downfalls. Tseng didn't actually care too much what side won, in the end, so long as his people got out of this alive. What he was slowly beginning to realize, was that "his" people might turn out to be more then just the ones from home.

"That may work, if what you say is true about him," Tseng turned to Reno. "What is he like? Would he believe you if you said I was on your side?" He then turned to Zelda.

"You cannot hold a council meeting that only pretend to be one. Anyone could figure that out, easily. What are you willing to lose, to do whatever it is you want to do with him?"

"I think so, trick is if he think's I'm on his side..." Reno fell silent after that, his arms folded around his rib cage, listening to Tseng's questions and Zelda's response.

"Ganondorf is from my world. His vendetta is ultimately with me," she says remarkably calmly for a seventeen year old against a Demon King. At this point, it's something of a fact of life for her in this Tower, much like it was during those seven years she spent running for her life.

But what is she willing to lose? That's... difficult to pin down.

"... Engaging him directly at this point would be folly; I merely wish to keep an eye on him, to ensure that no one is hurt during this council. Getting people to finally work together towards finding a way out of this Tower is too important to sacrifice because of him."

She sighs. "We have hardly kept our actions under lock and key. If the success of the council and Reno's position rides on allowing Ganondorf to listen in on our discussion, then... so be it."

"Then it's settled, in that regard," Tseng nodded, looking at Reno. "You will tell him about the guards, which will allow him to then come into the room and listen in on the council."

Looking back at Zelda, he also gave a sigh. "I am truly sorry that it has come to this. In the future, I'm certain all information will be shared with those that need it."

Which allowed him to look back at Reno with a frown. "And now, once you've proven your worth to him, you'll need to also help me prove mine, or, at least my worth to you." One hand slid back into his pant's pocket. "Princess Zelda, I don't want you to think I don't wish to help you. My offer still stands, that whatever you may need me for, I will do my best. If it means more meetings, here, then so be it."

"I'll do better, I'll tell him I'm going to be a guard. That way he'll probably be there for sure." He had his arms folded defensively, irritated that Tseng was making so much of it.

"The last meeting we had, I got them halfway convinced they should ally with the 'good guys,' if only to get 'em to do the dirty work of findin' a way home.

If it happens, don't trust anybody. Some of them, like Ritchofen. They're not just nasty, they're insane." He didn't want to get into what happened during the break in, it was bad enough remembering without Tseng needing to know, too.

"We can go over plans for ya to meet him later, if ya want."

Edited 2012-07-29 07:23 (UTC)

Tseng didn't say anything for a moment after that, picking up the glass he had put down on the table.

"Not just yet. If he hears about me, then he'll probably ask you, or seek me out. Let's not think he won't be wary of you telling him about bringing someone new into the fold," He took a sip. "A list of names might be needed, even if it's only in our heads. Writing it all down might be a problem."

"You need not worry about me misunderstanding. I am well acquainted with the need to keep secrets. Being Reno's ally amongst those deemed insane and immoral may very well be where you will do the most good."

That said, she listened quietly to the two men, thinking over what she could do to help from her side.

"... Ganondorf is a man attracted solely to power. If he feels you can be manipulated into serving some purpose for him, he will seek you out."

Of course, that doesn't answer how they should go about doing that, but perhaps it's enough for a start.

"Yeah, I got the sense from him he'd be doin' a lot of that. Don't worry though. I'm smarter than people realize." He's giving Tseng a glance out of the corner of his eye with that.

"All I got to do is tell him Tseng's from my organization back home and things'll be good."

He rubbed his hands together. "All right, list of names. I told Rusty and Rude about the spying thing. Rod should know about it, too. They're back up in case shit gets bad. The alliance... Ganondorf, Xehanort was there for a time. Ridley, that dragon thing. Majora. Ritchofen. Girahim, and Kuja. There were several others there but I didn't catch their names. Got a description in my report book though."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only