[Video] un: honoranddreams

[wingsofamonster]

[Before the feed starts up a dishevelled man drops down upon the bottom steps of a shrine to catch his breath. They'd attempted to explain matters to Angeal, which was all well and good, if he had been able to fully focus on what he was being told.

Now he sat. He ran a hand through his hair and looked over the metal case he'd been offered.

A communication device.

Time to reach out and touch somebody.

He flicked the device open and spent a minute or two looking over the buttons before he hit what he thought was the right one, and was pleased to see the screen light up. Angeal was pleased. Though his expression remained as grave as ever.]


Is this Heaven? Or Hell?


[A look around and a sound crackled, a heavy sigh that didn't translate well over the grainy image.]


Or something else...? [A pause. And then...] I am Angeal Hewley. And I don't belong here.


[He was supposed to be dead, after all. Now he could feel the cold stone of the stair under the seat of his pants. Could feel the cold breeze ruffling his hair, it tickled his cheek. A dead man shouldn't have been able to feel these things.

Angeal was very confused.]

Comments

video; un: afairguy

[fairlyheroic]

[the answer at first is clattering and cursing, because as soon as he went to respond Zack dropped the damn device and sent it skittering across the table and almost to the floor and it's only through some grace of something that he didn't break it.

And then when he finally can look at the screen properly, he's at a loss for words. Because sure he's thought about it, maybe even wished for it once or twice, but he didn't expect for Angeal to actually show up. Even if he knew he shouldn't]

Angeal—

[ironically, his first clear thought is to ask the man himself how in the world he's supposed to respond to this]

—it's neither. Neither of those.

What the hell, man! Who introduces themselves like that?!

[wingsofamonster]

[After having woken up, when he was not supposed to have been able to wake up, Angeal had been plagued with many questions. He was very confused. And so maybe his thinking was not as sharp as it could have been.

He was distracted. He was uncertain. And he truly believed that there had been come kind of mistake...

Then to further Angeal's confusion a sound like breaking and rattling came through the device in his hand, followed by language that caused him to frown.

At least for a moment.

When the picture righted itself and a face came into view, the frown cleared and became a look of shock.

And even that lasted only a moment as the shock gave way to mild amusement as Zack scolded him.]

A very, very confused man introduces themselves like that. One that didn't expect to see a familiar face here...

[Especially because Angeal felt that must mean that Zack was dead too...

And now he felt a wave of sadness.

He was making himself dizzy with all these changing emotions. It was a good thing he was sat down.]

[fairlyheroic]

You're unbelievable.

[it's muttered just loud enough for the device to pick up and despite his best effort, his lips twitch into a brief grin. The emotional whiplash Zack has him both wanting to pace as well as sit before the lightheaded feeling he has makes trip or something even more embarrassing, but he ends up just standing there instead.

There's about a half-dozen things he can say next, maybe he should try to clear up the confusion first, explain that there's more familiar faces and people who will find his face familiar, but instead -]

It's good to see you.

[wingsofamonster]

I'll take that as a compliment.

[There's a smile in return, small as it may be, it was no less genuine. A smile that softens somewhat at the next comment.]

It's good to be seen. But Zack... [He paused (for dramatic effect?)] ... What did you do to your hair?

[fairlyheroic]

[he looks absolutely confused for a moment, his free hand flying up to his hair like he has no idea what Angeal means before - that is the last question he thought he'd get]

I changed it?

[wingsofamonster]

Hm...

[Totally judging right now. He kind of liked the fluffy puppy look.]

For a bet?

[... Maybe teasing. Maybe.]

Voice - un: Act_V

[rhapsodist]

Since when does Heaven or Hell look like a far eastern city, Angeal? And you have been Wutai.

[Wutai was not that similar to Nippon, he knew. There were some similarities, but the culture was still quite different. Even he remembered that much.]

Besides you are not dead yet, my friend. Or else you would not be here.

[There are no actual dead people here, just those taken up their deaths from what he had gathered. But not when they are actually dead. A boon, if he were honest. But also did not know what to make of this. To make of Angeal. It was similar with Sephiroth, although he couldn't hide this time. Someone was bound to tell him eventually.]

[wingsofamonster]

Wutai this place is not...

[The reply was near automatic, but trailed off as he realised just who it was he was replying to.

And that the one speaking was doing so in a way that caused an ache in his chest.

'My friend', Genesis said... Angeal peered at the grainy image of the device in his hands and thought that maybe Genesis looked... different? Maybe it was his imagination? But it still took Angeal a moment to reply.]

You're certain about that? I'm certain I died. I remember that much.

[rhapsodist]

[The grainy feature of the video would hide the fact that Genesis was a bit older now, but it wouldn't hide the long hair that he now had. It was tied into a braid and draped over his shoulder, the usually short layers having grown out a bit. His bangs sorely needed a cut.]

You remembered dying, no doubt. But death's door you did not reach. You reached another door. Many times, am I correct?

[The glow in his eyes, while colorless in the video, was also prominent as he looked at Angeal. They, too, appeared weary and older.]

[wingsofamonster]

[That was definitely what he was seeing. Hair was different but the face, and voice was the same. Mostly. Angeal was confused by what he was seeing but he had no way to reconcile what he was seeing with the memories of Genesis he still had.

He didn't immediately reply, picking over his words carefully...]

Correct. There was a door, in the end. And then I was here, wherever 'here' is.

[rhapsodist]

Here is Gaia. A different Gaia than our own and one that had seemingly been stuck in a time loop for awhile. It has since been able to move forward and we are to help that along with the power of kizuna, or bonds.

[It seemed Angeal had not been paying attention to what the NRL would have offered in information, but he could hardly be blamed. If Angeal had come here much earlier in his time, then he knew the man would have taken the time to get as much information as possible.

Being near death, however, would certainly change priorities.]

Sephiroth is here as well.

[voice] un: midnightrose

[infernaltouch]

Well I can tell you one thing for sure, it's not Hell.

[A deep, monotonous voice rings through the device.]

[wingsofamonster]

[Angeal was pressing more buttons and learning more about the communication device he'd been gifted, when a voice spoke to him through it on a burst of static.

He frowned down at it for a brief moment before he raised it to his ear, much like the flip-phones from home.]

One mans Heaven can be another mans Hell. But if this is neither, it leaves me with more questions.

video; un: warder

[beshackled]

[In grainy sepia does the face of a young man appear; one adorned in dark robes, a white mask, bird-like in its shape, hung about his chest.]

Are you in need of directions? If you are lost, I can spare the time to help you find your way.

[wingsofamonster]

[Robes and a mask? That was certainly a style choice... But the offer for help seemed genuine enough.]

Can you be lost if you don't know where you are to start with?

[beshackled]

[The young man's brows draw together in confusion.]

Is that not the very essence of being lost?

[Not knowing where one is, not knowing how to get where one wishes to be. Both are potential circumstances of being lost.]

[wingsofamonster]

It depends on your point of view.

I don't know how I arrived here and don't know where I'm going. I suppose I am lost, in every sense of the word.

[The only thing Angeal knew for sure was that the stairs he sat upon were stone.]

[beshackled]

Have you any friends or colleagues that might be here?

[He says, not having looked or listened to any of the responses to the man's initial transmission.]

'Tis possible if any are here that they might be able to provide you a place to rest, if temporarily.

video | un: bossturk

[necessarycruelties]

[ Seeing ghosts from the past shocked Tseng at first, especially when he first spoke with Zack, but it has become part of everyday life in Nippon at this point. Their timelines are different, the things they’ve experienced varying wildly with some even living lives on planets, in worlds that aren’t the one he knows.

Angeal is a face he hasn’t seen in years, and somebody he’s only thought about recently due to his friendship with Zack. He wasn’t a large presence in Tseng’s life when he was alive, but he’s familiar with him, with his life, with his history… So, he feels like he has to say something to the man. Especially since he knows that his arrival will be a topic of conversation with Zack in the next few days. ]

Fortunately for you, we’re in neither heaven nor hell. [ A pause ] Were you not paying attention during your orientation, Angeal?

[wingsofamonster]

[The new face that appeared on the screen before him was... vaguely familiar. It took him a handful of seconds to pin a name to the face of a man who clearly knew who he was, if he was using his name so freely.

Like with almost everyone else he had seen thus far, this Turk didn't look quite the same as his memory of him did. Which was one of the reasons why he had some trouble remembering the name of the man.]

That remains to be seen. [A pause of his own, then a huff of a laugh.] Afraid not. I should probably go back and ask some questions when I have a free minute.

[Video] un: Masamune

[silversoldier]

Angeal.

[ Sephiroth puts everything he has into that one word, and it is a lot. All of his feelings, the things he never got to say, those he never will admit even to himself. It's all there for the other man to hear. Sephiroth really can't help it. He's had years to think about his past now and years to heal from it, but with the dynamic nature of the environments and timelines he's been in, there's always been that spark of, he would say, increasingly foolish hope, that he would see Angeal again. And now here he is just like that. ]

Where are you?

[ Does Sephiroth look a little older? Are his expressions slightly easier to read? Things to ponder, but the smile gracing his lips is real either way. ]

[wingsofamonster]

[Genesis had said as much, but looking down at the little screen on his communication device and seeing Sephiroth smiling at him... Angeal had to wonder about the dream-like quality of this world all over again.

Even the weight of that one word, his name spoken in a voice he had never heard from Sephiroth before, felt unreal. Surreal. But there was no denying it was.

His own smile held some regret to it. A touch of sadness. His actions had put Sephiroth in a difficult place. He had, in essence, abandoned his friend on a fools errand and had died before he could make anything right again.

Maybe he was able to have a second chance here?]

Sephiroth... [A low chuckle and a smile.] It's good to see you, too.

I'm outside of Zacks place right now. Where that is, I couldn't tell you.

[silversoldier]

[ With everything he's learned, Sephiroth thinks the socially acceptable thing to do in this situation is probably to let those two have some time on their own and so he tamps down on that initial blast of excitement he felt and blinks several times. He might know the 'right' thing to do and he might be willing to do it, but that doesn't mean it still doesn't take a bit of effort sometimes. He'd much prefer to go full nuclear and blaze a path there right now, but... ]

Come find me, after you're finished.

[ Sephiroth sends him a location that isn't too far from Zack's place. It's a park and he'll be there, waiting, as long as it takes. ]

[wingsofamonster]

[Angeal looks away from the screen for a moment to look at the location he'd been sent. He had no idea where it was but the directions were, in typical Sephiroth fashion, concise and with some luck he would find his way there. Eventually.]

I'm finished now. I'll come and meet you.

[He was sure Zack wouldn't mind overly much if he wandered off for a short while.]

[Video -> Action]

[silversoldier]

I'll be waiting.

[ With that, Sephiroth cuts the connection and makes his way to the park. Angeal will find him standing with his back to him and considering the many and ample trees there. Nearby sits a park bench next to a zen garden and a little distance away is a small pond where someone is cultivating koi. The only thing that seems out of place in this idyllic Nippon scenery is Sephiroth himself with his SOLDIER uniform and outlandish hair. He has several native outfits and he does wear them but there's something to be said for the familiar and one never knows when and where an opponent might present themselves. ]