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[undyingcrow]

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[firstsoldier]

[It's Sephiroth! And his voice is a bit more tightly controlled than usual. By the faint sounds in the background he's still prowling the mess outside the convoy.]

Add a new hypothesis to our situation. I have strong reason to believe this is my planet, or some alternate version of it.

aww yeee, Sephiroth is in the HOUSE

[undyingcrow]

[A fascinating theory, to be sure...]

It's funny. A few times, I've encountered Husk monsters remarkably similar to the Shadows within the cognitive world. Those Anzu, for instance.

[firstsoldier]

And the zu, levikron and others are well known to me. But these.. particular creatures I encountered in the hospital are no natural monster. They're creations at the hand of a very specific scientist dabbling in experiments with living things.

[undyingcrow]

That is odd.

[It's so much more specific than the Shadows born of human myth and cognition. It's tied to specific events in Sephiroth's history...]

It would be hard to dismiss as coincidence. The question is, what does it mean?

[firstsoldier]

It means that parallel worlds exist, and mine is not the worst possible outcome of the Company's ambition.

[Is that the faintest sound of disgust in his otherwise even tone? Yep.]

This one is more advanced in ways than mine, destroying a moon is far beyond us, as is mutation on this scale.

[undyingcrow]

But there's something else that I find odd.

[He hums, soft and contemplative.]

The events of this world overlap significantly with Serph-san's. A broken moon instead of a blackened sun, humans turned into stone rather than encased in metal, but transformations to monsters and horrific experiments remain a common element, along with a search for "Nirvana."

To say nothing of the items I received from home a few months ago, calling cards that had no business being here. So, even if we take parallel realities into account, there could be more to it.

[firstsoldier]

[There is a low noise that sounds like disagreement.]

The sun and moon have little in common besides being in the sky and to human gaze looking about the same size. In reality they are nothing alike, and one being reduced to rubble is not similar to another being black. Furthermore, there is a significant difference between total petrification and the husks that unleash monsters. I acknowledge that both seeking a place called Nirvana is a commonality, as are horrific experiments .. which are hardly isolated to this world, my own and Serph's.. but the other two test the limits of what counts as 'significant overlap'.

[In spite of the words, his tone is polite.]

Items being here from your own planet and time are a far more significant thing to make note of. That should be pursued. You seem perfectly sensible; think about it longer than vague surface similarity. In any other setting would you even begin to weigh as the same something as absurd as, forgive me for putting it this way, 'two unexplained and completely different alarming things happened in the sky on different planets, but since it's a celestial body in the sky it's kind of the same thing'?

text.

[phantomshow]

[After Ren’s got his head back on straight and no longer affected by Infernal traits, there’s something very important he needs to say to Akechi.]

Are you busy?

[undyingcrow]

Not particularly.

[And they do need to talk, clearly. A lot happened last month, taking its toll o n Ren.]

[phantomshow]

I needed to talk to you about something. In person. Is now a good time?

[undyingcrow]

Yes.

I'll meet you outside the van.

[phantomshow]

I’ll be there.

[He’s already there, in fact - leaning against the side of the van, staring down at his shoes, hands resting in his pockets. Waiting. Anxious.]

[undyingcrow]

[Akechi approaches with a calm, neutral expression. He's in his chimera form currently, even if he could have shifted at any time.]

So, what do you wish to discuss?

[He has his suspicions, but best to let Ren speak for himself.]

text.

[phantomshow]

[On one of the last days before the Convoy leaves the mountains, Ren slips away to spend some time exploring the terrain. When daylight fades into moonlit night and Ren hasn’t yet returned, Akechi will receive the following message from him:]

Kotone’s gone.

[undyingcrow]

I see.

[...]

Where are you?

[phantomshow]

Would you be mad if I said I don’t know?

[undyingcrow]

Not angry, no. Merely concerned.

[Damn it, Ren. How did you even get lost?]

I'll just have to follow your scent.

[phantomshow]

[Yeah, that “scent following” thing will never not be weird.]

I can try making a spotlight? But it probably won’t be very big.

[undyingcrow]

Feel free to try. Whatever gets you back to 'civilization' in a timely manner.

[Yeah, sorry Ren. He is putting that sniffer to work. Beware...]

belated and backdated to just after haru arrives

[phantomshow]

[After a good 15 or so minutes of unsuccessful attempts at negotiating with the van to unlock like it’s a Shadow in a Palace, Ren concedes defeat. He flops back onto the bed with a heavy, exasperated sigh, then turns to face Akechi.]

What do you think - should I try being funnier?

yesss, car shenanigans >:3

[undyingcrow]

You could always try intimidating it.

[Akechi rolls onto his side, fiddling with his phone. Perhaps he should put on some jazz to help ease the irritating tension this situation brought on.]

[phantomshow]

I think Mona-chan knows I’m too fond of him to actually follow through on any threats.

[So he’s about as intimidating as a soap bubble. Also yes, Ren named the van after his cat-shaped friend who also happens to sometimes be shaped like this very van. It’s not weird, he just misses Morgana! Anyway.

Ren turns on his side to face Akechi and reaches to drape an arm around his waist. Maybe this is the van’s way of prompting Ren to have a difficult conversation he’s been debating on how to approach.]

Hey, [he says, softly,] can we talk?

[undyingcrow]

[...Of course he'd name it after Morgana. Well, Akechi won't question it. It seems... insensitive.

Heaving a sigh, he accepts Ren's partial embrace.]

Well, it's not as though we have anything better to do.

[phantomshow]

About Haru? She’s here, you know.

[And it would be absurd to not acknowledge the awkward position in which that places all three of them, given their history. Ren worries his bottom lip between his teeth for a moment as he studies Akechi’s reaction to his words.]

You OK?

[undyingcrow]

I know.

[His tone is flat, neutral.]

I already agreed to aid her with her gardening pursuits.

[It won't make up for how he wronged her, but it's something.]