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Characters: Dr. Cid, Nanaki
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Someone needs to learn to stop trusting scientists...
Location: Wutai (at night in the town square)
Date: After this.
Warnings: Dr. Cid is insane and not a friend to the animals, and Nanaki is made of teeth and claws.


The trip to Wutai hadn't been too long, all things considered -- Nanaki could still remember running up the entire island it rested on in his world in chase of Yuffie and the party's materia, and then running about the whole city (and the mountains). Of course, the village hadn't been practically burned to the ground then. In bad shape, yes, but not this.

He had to find Aerith, but Nanaki saw nothing wrong with stopping to speak with Dr. Cid first. The man wanted to examine the Water Mirror he had found, and while the red creature had promised to return it to the Queen in Alexandria, there was no rush. Besides, with what he had learned about the mirrors, it could be used in trying to get them all a way back home. It helped open a door to a different world, a place called Terra, after all; what was to say that it couldn't be manipulated to open doors to others?

Making his way toward the part of Wutai that wasn't scorched, Red kept his eyes open for both the scientist and Aerith. The sooner this was over with, the sooner he could go back and be there for Shelke.

Comments

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As of lately, all of Dr. Cidolfus Demen Bunansa's planning have gone awry in some shape or form, leaving the good doctor in a terribly foul mood. With an almighty scowl matching Vayne Soldior's heated glare, the doctor was in no mood for any more surprises this week. He was bitter, horribly bitter today since his failed attempt to secure a piece of manufactured nethicite from the Treno auction.

Some nameless bidder hiding under the veil of anonymity managed to out bid the good doctor even when he tossed up nine thousand gil for that little chuck of rock. While he was certain that the bidder must have hailed from Ivalice, Cidolfus couldn't figure out who that man was. This auction was just one of many failed events that have transpired this week. The doctor failed to secure the Black Materia from Aerith, some floozy from the slums claiming to know of its power and he failed to meet with Kefka as planned (although now Cidolfus rather not meet with the ardent at all.) To top this mountain of failure with a gigantic flag, Cidolfus didn't have enough time to examine the giant crystal within Alexandria's grand palace all thanks to Kefka who managed to torch an entire city in less than twenty-four hours.

In short, this has been the most miserable week of Doctor Cid's life. Everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong and the regal doctor was about to SNAP!

Sitting upon the edge of a beautifully sculpted fountain of a nameless beauty that had her arms raised towards the heavenly night sky, the moody research sat there with his legs crossed dressed in his usual mildly flamboyant attire. He knew that Red XIII, that strange lion-like creature, was on his way. This would be the only opportunity the researcher would have to capture the beast, so failure is not an option.

"Ah, welcome!" Dr. Cid greeted once he spotted the creature emerge from the shadows.

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Like the good doctor, Nanaki wasn't exactly having the best time of it either. Unlike him, however, his troubles mostly stemmed from other people. Shelke was running out of mako, Denzel had arrived with geostigma, and Aerith had run off to Wutai with two strange men. On top of that, he missed his friends that hadn't shown up, especially Vincent Valentine. The other man had been the one to help him keep it together when he had been torn in two. Between his long lifespan and the fact that he wasn't fully animal but wasn't human, either, Nanaki had been going through things, and Vincent had been the one to help him. Without knowing when he would see his friend again, he couldn't help but slip back into the doubt again.

His flaming tail made his presence rather obvious in the dark, but Red had the advantage of better senses than humans. He had seen Dr. Cid and approached, nodding once to the scientist before hopping up onto the fountain to be more on the man's level. "Thank you." Letting his tail hang over the outer edge as he sat, careful not to let the flame touch the water, Nanaki smiled slightly as he looked around.

"Partially destroyed or otherwise, I was always fond of Wutai." They had said no to Shinra's offer of mako reactors, after all. They were a proud people, and Red was proud to call the princess Yuffie his friend. There probably wasn't time for smalltalk, however. He had to find Aerith and return to Shelke and the others, and Dr. Cid was probably a very busy man. "I supposed you want to see the mirror."

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As the creature approached, the doctor couldn't help but find himself honestly awestruck by this magnificent beast. It possessed a somewhat sandy firebrick hue, it's fur looking as it glowed in unison with the oddly placed flame at the end of it's tail. It was a creature that remarkably looked similar to a Tchita Upland couerl, minus the dreadful headgear and webbed feet, but the creature also looked vaguely reminiscent of a wolf as well.

Red XIII was an odd little thing, odd enough to gain the scientist's interest more so than that ridiculous magic mirror. With the Rooks already activated and hovering about in stealth, this poor creature was about to find himself ambushed by about a dozen or so electric little machines armed with dreadful lasers.

"The mirror, if you will. I know there are plenty of people bidding for this little gem but I rather be the first to see it in person." He replied quickly with a faint grin upon his face. While it may have seemed as if he was unarmed, the good doctor did well to hide his signature pistols under his heavy coat. It was rather cold here in Wutai, the winter chill that lingered upon the mountaintops fluttered down to cloak this city with icy temperatures.

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Nudging the mirror forward, keeping a paw on it to ensure that it didn't fall into the water, Red nodded. "I checked my map after we last spoke. I was told this should be in the Water Shrine; if that is true, there might be a second found in the Wind Shrine -- unless it has disappeared, like this one did. As for the other two parts of the puzzle... I have no idea."

One ear twitching, Nanaki suddenly turned his head, frowning slightly. He'd thought he had heard something... More than likely, one of Cid's Rooks had accidentally brushed against something, but he didn't know that. Pulling the mirror back to him, he stood, trying to find the source of the noise.

He suddenly had a rather bad feeling about this.

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Barely listening to a word the beast was saying, the doctor let out a slightly bored sigh as he glanced over the mirror for a moment. While he was sure he would have more time to research this trinket in private, Dr. Cidolfus wasn't that intrigued with it. With that said, once the creature started to stir once one of the Rooks flew too near, Cidolfus stood from the fountain and began to walk away from his four-legged guest.

"A puzzle you say." The doctor began. "Every puzzle has its clues but it always up to us geniuses understand it's hints." Cid said as he glanced over towards Red XIII with wide grin, one that definitely spoke of how mad this doctor truly was.

"You see, a puzzle is not a puzzle unless the clues are vague yet blunt enough to be understood by the ones who wish to solve it. If the clues are too vague, the meaning of them will be easily lost and those who seek solve it will be deterred by its difficulties." Beginning to pace back and forth now, the doctor's words must have seemed well rehearsed.

"However, if the clues are too blunt, well, that's hardly a challenge!" He chuckled happily. "It would be too boring and not the worth the time of that genius man to solve such a puzzle. Alas, it would seem that the mirror you keep is not worth my time after all."

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He had seen madness before, though never so cleverly disguised as this. The grin, the way the doctor spoke in the manner of an actor reciting lines, and the words themselves -- a puzzle not worth his time, indeed. Slipping off the fountain, the mirror back in his possession, Nanaki twitched his tail, ears flattening against his head.

"Then what it is you want, scientist? I have been a specimen before. I can assure you that I will not become one again quite so easily."

He didn't have time for this. He had to find Aerith, convince her to return without strange men following her, and then get back to the others. He had to be there for Shelke, and instead he was up against a man who, though he hadn't created Sephiroth, was likely just as mad as Hojo. He had to return the Mirror to the Queen, and really, Nanaki just wanted to go home. At home, he had Vincent to help him face the loneliness inside, to meet with him as long as he lived (long past the lives of their other friends). At home, he was not human or animal, but both; a hero of the Jenova War. Here, he was viewed as something strange once again; the speciman, Red XIII, and not Nanaki.

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Chuckling faintly once the beast interrupted him, Cidolfus took this moment to adjust his spectacles a bit. "My, my. You are certainly jumping the gun, aren't you?" The doctor replied in a humored tone. It seems as if this poor beast has been caught in a similar predicament before. Such a shame really, especially since the esteemed researcher hoped he would be the first to examine such a wonderful specimen.

"No matter. I suppose you won't heed my words but you better die because of your foolishness." Outstretching his hand towards the night sky, Dr. Cidolfus snapped his fingers. "Awaken my dear Knights, your 'King' commands you!" If Red XIII were still uncertain of what this madman's intentions were, now would be the time that any doubts he had regarding Cid would be tossed to the wayside. That strange mechanical noise gotten louder as the Rooks from above descended upon the square. Emerging from the darkness and within the gleam of a few working street lamps were a group of flying orb-like machines that circled around the doctor. There were five of these Rooks, each possessing a black stone-like gem within their nearly exposed cores.

"Ah, the Knights have awakened." The doctor said with a faint smile. "While they are just prototypes, I trust that they shall get the job done."

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Ears still pinned back, Nanaki snarled, carefully making sure to get a good look as well as count the Rooks. He had a bit of a blind spot, thanks to his scarred right eye, and this was not a good situation. Six enemies versus... him. Great. That said, he couldn't quite help but harass the scientist.

"You would kill a member of an endangered species, if not the last? And here I thought you, at least, might have brains beyond the last scientist. But then, you're only human." That lingering distaste for humans beyond those he has come to befriend coming back in full force, Nanaki snarled, keeping his teeth bared at the doctor. He had no doubt the man was the weaker of the six, though likely made up for it through sheer cunning, but if he could get him to surrender...

Casting a Fire spell at the doctor, Nanaki turned and did the same to one of the Rooks, only to panic after the flames disappeared. What was this? Casting another, jumping onto the fountain as he did so, the red creature spat out a curse that he had likely picked up from his time with Avalanche. The stones were absorbing his spells. Cunning indeed, then; that meant Red had to bring the fight to him.

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Looking rather pleased with himself as of now, Dr. Cid fought back the urge to roll his eyes once the beast began to rant. "Honestly, it is not as if I could simply ask you follow me to my laboratory. I am sure you would have declined if I asked nicely." Smirking still once the beast attempted to cast magic upon him, the doctor honestly wished he could kiss his own brilliant self right now. The manufacted nethicite within these robots have a thirst for magick that can never be filled. Therefore, when Red XIII tried to cast his spell, the nethicite within these Rooks siphoned his mana.

"Ingenious design, no?" The doctor laughed aloud. "The stones within their core drain the essence of all magick users. Not even you, my four-legged friend, can outmatch such power." Snapping his fingers, four of the Rooks surged forward to gather around the fountain with their rifles aimed at Red XIII. These four were the prime aggressors of the group while the others acted as mages by buffering these Rooks with all sorts of support magic.

“Now, tell me.” The doctor continued once more. “Shall you come quietly or will I be pressed to use force? Whatever you decide!” Cid already knew he had this battle won.

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"Humans. You care nothing about the natural order of things. All you do is destroy. What will you do when you science fails you, doctor?" It was slightly unfair to the human race as a whole, but he was trapped. Humans had captured him, had been killing the Planet (had saved the planet, too, but they didn't count as 'human', not to him), had done awful experiments on people like Shelke, had caused so much death and destruction that Nanaki was, quite frankly, going a bit insane. And now there was another man, another scientist, someone he had thought could at least help find a way to get them all home... capturing him yet again, failing to see the consequences -- believing the consequences were above him.

It was unlikely that he had ever wanted to give in to his feral instincts as much as he did now. He could see arteries, the faint hint of a pulse; he knew where to bite and how hard. But the Rooks changed things, and the Water Mirror, too -- and Shelke, wherever she was, sick and dying through no fault of her own.

"...I will come. But I keep the Water Mirror with me." There was no real reason to, but he had made a promise, and he would do his best to fulfill it... somehow.

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The doctor's brow twitched subtly took a fierce jab at his love for science. While he knew that human error is possible, Dr. Cidolfus Demen Bunansa liked to view himself as flawless in every way. In his belief, only average people are capable of faults but someone of his ingenious grace can never truly fail. "You speak bravely for a mere beast." Cidolfus grumbled as he slowly made his approach near the fountain. Aiming one of his pistols at Red XIII, it was now his turn to pick at the creature's mind.

"While some may claim that Science lacks any art, I do like to view myself as an experienced 'maestro' within such a subject. Within the hands of an uneducated man, Science is nothing more than brutish club wielded by mere Neanderthals. However, in the hands of a 'maestro', Science takes the form of something far greater than you can ever appreciate." Closing the gap between them, the doctor stood before with such a smug grin.

"Oh? It seems all I had to do was ask nicely after all."

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The scientist was wrong. He wasn't a mere beast, and that was the problem. In fact, he often considered himself more intelligent than most humans. He wasn't human, and would never be seen as such. He knew full well that many found him a curiosity, an intelligent 'pet' and little more. He also knew that, no matter how close he was to people, they would often be disgusted by some of his more bestial habits and even his diet.

Nanaki was beginning to have quite enough of humans, to be honest.

"Your mind is closed. You believe you are superior, and that will be your downfall. I have seen it happen." As for 'asking nicely', Red was resiting the urge to simply jump onto him and maul his face, mostly because of the pistol pointed at him.

Actually, pretty much only because of the pistol pointed at him.

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"For a man who managed to defy the very gods who once enslaved humanity with deifacted nethicite, of course I pride myself in being superior to most common men and beasts." The doctor replied arrogantly with a lengthy prose to follow. "You see, despite how dimwitted the average man may be; there is always another man with far greater wisdom than the fool before him. Thus this explains why humes in general tend to fair better than our four-legged friends." Snapping his fingers, the Rooks spread out a little further away from Red XIII but not far away enough that their lasers would miss if the animal decided to lash out.

"Come! Follow me, dear specimen." The doctor commanded as he turned about face to lead the feline towards the estate he shares with Wutai's latest consul. "Do not linger, Nanaki." He teased in a sing-song voice.

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Nanaki was torn between ignoring him, justifying him with a response, or trying to rip Cid's head from his shoulders. Snarling instead, tail lashing from side to side, he instead followed, baring his teeth at Cid's turned back.

He didn't notice that his phone had fallen, or that Cid had crushed it after a brief accidental recording. "I hate to be cliche, but someone will notice I am missing. Your machines are useful, I'm sure, but do you really think they will save you?" The answer was probably 'yes', and likely for good reason, but he refused to believe that his friends wouldn't be able to get past them.

That was, if they came... They had to heal Shelke and Denzel, after all, and well... He was just Nanaki, Red XIII, the strange companion who was helpful and fine with being cuddled in the middle of the night, but not part of their family. Not really.