This is the Moment of Truth

[turks-reno.livejournal.com]

Characters: Cissnei, Reno, and Rude
Progress: In-Progress
Summary: In which the Turks encounter the time loop looking for a tree.
Location: Lindblum, heading toward Qu's Marsh
Date: August 18, 1804
Warnings: Reno's filthy mouth

They had a goal, finally. And it was all in thanks to Tifa! He, Rude and Cissnei were off to Qu's Marsh that day, to search for this bizarre tree the martial artist had told them about.  Whether they could get the Crystal Chalice to react to that tree, they weren't sure.  But at the very least, they could see this damned thing in person - which hopefully would give them some more insight as to what the hell it was. 

He re-entered the inn with an armload of supplies, as they had figured they might not make it back from the marsh in the same day - some food, three packs, and a tent with bedrolls for them that could attach to the packs.  And he looked rather puzzled upon entering.  "Hey, Rude?  Cissnei?" he asked as he dumped the items onto one of the beds in the room.  "I could have sworn the bakery next door has the exact same stuff in it as yesterday - including the daily special.  Same customers that were there yesterday morning for breakfast, too."  He frowned, shaking his head, then began packing one of the bags, passing the free one over to the girl. "Sorry, it's probably nothing.  It just seemed so damned weird at the time..."

Items were carefully set into the sack, making sure that he had room for everything they'd have to bring - including something *fun* for their overnight - marshmallows, chocolate, and cinnamon-sugar crackers.  If they were going camping, then damnit, Reno intended on having at least a tiny iota of joy.  Cissnei *did* know how to relax a little - he knew that from their stay at Costa del Sol babysitting Zack.  He'd wager that despite being as job-focused as she could be, even she could appreciate smores.  And he knew damned well that Rude would enjoy it too, though he'd likely not express any more than an affirmative grunt in his direction for it.

Once his pack was finally loaded and closed properly, he cast a quick grin to the girl he'd worked with so long ago, and his partner of many years.  "Ready?  You guys have everything you want to bring?"  The chalice.  A few containers to stick any samples they might be able to collect in.  Whatever might be useful, since they really had no idea what they were going to face out there.  "Think maybe after this trip, we could check out Midgar?  I don't care if it's in ruins and overgrown... it'd be nice to see it again.  Something else familiar in this messed up world."

Comments

[shurikenfemale.livejournal.com]

"Really? The exact same thing?" she asked as she began to pick up all of the supplies Reno had picked up for her. She twisted her lips in thought. "You know... something happened too here. There were these bird calls, but it was like clockwork." Cissnei shrugged. "But they're birds so who knows." She noticed the snacks Reno bought yet didn't mention it. Always up to something, that Reno.

She grabbed the chalice from the table and mentally checked off a small list she had made. Reno had bought everything, so she nodded. "Midgar?" Cissnei paused. "Yeah, sure. Maybe we'll find something from one of our times."

[turks-reno.livejournal.com]

Reno gave a little nod. "Yeah. Same damned thing. Maybe they had leftovers? Or extras of whatever they use to make it." Shoulders rose and fell - it really wasn't a problem. Yet.

"Bird calls? Strange... But then, landing face down in the dirt after a bright flash of light, and being handed a phone by a moogle..? That ranks rather high on my weird-shit-o-meter, too. So maybe it's just something about this place? I'm still tryin' to get used to it."

He brightened when Cissnei mentioned she'd have no problems with visiting Midgar, and glanced to Rude. "I know it'll be strange, seeing the old place run down and all, but... it's a piece of home, yeah? And right now, any reminders from home are damned welcome. Besides... imagine just how much any alcohol in there's aged! We're talking some really, really strong stuff!" Of course he knew it was probably too dangerous to drink it, but he was feeling rather playful at the agreement to go.

He walked toward the door, shouldering his pack, then held it open for his two companions. "Let's get going. Otherwise, we'll have to camp before we get to Qu's Marsh."

[shurikenfemale.livejournal.com]

"If you get alcohol poisoning," Cissnei began, "don't expect me to take care of you." Even though she knew that she probably would get him back to full health, she still made the threat sound very plausible. She adjusted her fingerless gloves to fit more properly then swung the pack on her shoulder. Cissnei felt ready to go do something besides wallow in confusion and something akin to misery. Now that she was with Reno and Rude, she was more comfortable. A big fucked up family, she remembered Reno's words. Immediately she scolded herself for cursing unnecessarily.

She walked out, Rude following closely behind. The inn was somewhat full, but they managed to dodge and move this way and that between the combination of Sky People and native Gaians. "I hope you know how to get to Qu's Marsh, I've never heard of the place."

[cyke.livejournal.com]

Rude had been pretty silent up until now, not surprisingly. The fact that Reno was looking at this whole marshland misadventure as something more akin to a camping trip notwithstanding, there was something ... off about this morning that he couldn't seem to place until after his two associates had relayed their own experiences.

"It's been the same with me. Deja vu," he finally concluded out loud. If all three of them could feel it, then it obviously wasn't mere coincidence. The best part was that the whole groundhog day phenomena wasn't even their most pressing issue at the moment.

"One of us should probably pick up the boss."

[turks-reno.livejournal.com]

He frowned. Rude was right - the camping trip, now that they knew the President was here, should either be postponed, or they should split up. But someone needed to go and pick up the boss. Quick, too. "It's a few days journey to that port, you said?" He arched a brow at Cissnei.

"Well, little lady, what do you think? The Chalice is your quest, and you know I'll help ya however I can. But Rufus is our," he gestured between himself and Rude, "President. He -could- be a huge asset to your quest, too." He remembered how the blond man had wrapped Kadaj around his little finger, playing him and feeding him just enough information to keep him interested, but not enough to show his cards, so to speak. Kadaj had practically been eating out of Rufus' hand till the big reveal came, yet all the while, Rufus had made Kadaj feel like -he- was in charge.

It had kept the remarkable fighter away from where he could do some real damage, for the most part. And left Reno and Rude to take care of the other two brothers without interference from their leader who had proven himself capable of kicking their asses straight into next week in a matter of minutes. Ouch.

"I don't know how much you remember of him, but... he's good, Ciss. And I'm not just sayin' that because he's the President. His father couldn't hold a candlestick up to Rufus ShinRa's mind. Plus... well..." Did he want to say that Rufus had learned a great lesson following the events of Sephiroth's first 'Reunion', and Meteor? Even more after Geostigma. He sighed, then looked over to Rude.

"So I guess the choices are: All three of us go and pick up the President, then head to Qu's Marsh afterward," and surely their supplies would keep till then, "Or split up, and one of us picks up the President, while the other two go to Qu's and check out that tree."

Either way, the President would be picked up. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. "It's your Chalice, though, and I know you want to figure out what's up about it. So yeah. Your choice, Ciss. If you want to split up, Rude'n I'll figure out who's going with you, and who'll get the President."

But he had to throw out the option of delaying their little camping trip, at least until they had the blond leader safe and sound in their little group.

[cyke.livejournal.com]

That might have been pushing it. Somehow Rude didn't think that Rufus would be too pleased to have one of three Turks arrive to pick him up at Warjilis. He wasn't sure what the President's stance on Cissnei was just yet, but he assumed that she was expected to fall in like just like everyone else. As much as they wanted to investigate this marsh place, Rude wasn't about to put his neck on the chopping block when it came to the president.

"I think he's expecting all of us." No sense beating around the bush, right?

[turks-reno.livejournal.com]

There was a split second of 'oh' on Reno's face before shaking his head and setting down his own pack. "The food'll keep, I'm sure. So long as we're back within a week or so..."

He spared a glance at Cissnei, offering a small, apologetic smile. "If Rufus is expecting all of us, then he's expecting all of us. The Marsh'll have to wait then." He looked somewhat apologetic at the girl, but shrugged. "Hey, look on the bright side. You get to meet the all-grown-up Rufus ShinRa. I think you'll like him."

And that was that. "So one night overnight turns into one week or so. What do we need to bring with us then? And do we need to book passage on a boat or something?"

[shurikenfemale.livejournal.com]

Cissnei looked down at the Chalice then at her fellow Turks. "I... yeah, let's go. Might as well." Her curiosity had to be put aside now that the President had arrived. President Rufus, she was going to have to get used to that. Would she like him? Well, if Reno was vouching for him, he had to be decent, right?

"If we need to book passage," she said as she crossed her arms, "I have nothing to pay it with." The strange little Chalice had to wait but she held some hope that maybe, just maybe, she could convince the president to let them find out more information about it. If two different people had it, it had to be of some importance.

[turks-reno.livejournal.com]

He couldn't help it - Cissnei looked rather down at the idea of putting her self-imposed mission on hold - a hand reached out and patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry. We'll look once we get back. I'm sure the President will see the benefits, right?" He had to. Cissnei said more than one Sky Person had a chalice, which meant they likely had some sort of purpose here, right?

And if they had a purpose, then the Turks should be doing everything and anything to find said purpose! Surely someone like Rufus ShinRa would understand that. Though... he couldn't quite see the man, with his pristine white suit, trudging through a swamp. And yet Rufus had gone through many things that Reno hadn't pictured him doing before he'd upped and done them. Like shooting at Kadaj before flinging himself off that damned roof.

He glanced at Cissnei, then flushed faintly and nodded. "Same here, actually. I've been barely scraping by here. Didn't come here with much, except my EMR and myself. Sadly." He glanced to Rude hopefully. Was there a solution?

[cyke.livejournal.com]

And here he thought they were supposed to be ready for anything. If Rude was irritated at the prospect of his two companions being broke, he didn't show it. Then again, that wasn't exactly uncommon for him either. He stood silent for a long moment, before finally relaying that he "had it covered"--if only for the fact that Rufus had singled him out specifically to see to it that they all arrived in Warjilis in a timely manner. Covering the cost of travel between Lindblum and their intended destination was a small price to pay if it kept him off of the president's shit list.