revivalproject | Seeking Out A Good Friend(s)

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Seeking Out A Good Friend(s)

WHO: Cloud Strife, Reeve Tuesti (mini-c), Following Cloud is Tony Stark. Eventually Vincent Valentine will make an appearance. -- Everyone's piling in Reeve's room.
WHERE: Reeve's Room
WHAT: Right after this thread
WHEN: See above
WARNINGS: No one is going to die. No one is going to get hurt. Cloud needs to tell the other two (Reeve and Vincent) about this planets familiarness to their own. Oh, Geostigma, is making a slight appearance. Because even a super soldier can only take so much of that ickiness and I was heavy hinting at it in the previous thread. death is mentioned. I'll update as I go, I'm being terrible right in the beginning but it'll go to replicator talk I promise!

Cloud could do nothing about their current situation. Finding an exit had been near impossible, he's thought about that. He still thinks it's some kind of social experiment being done. It could be a mental training exercise. Cloud shuddered in those thoughts if this would be an actual test within SOLDIER. He knew that mako infusion could make anyone go crazy if they didn't have a strong will. It's not an easy thing to think about but also he's been told to not continue worrying otherwise it'll eat at you.

There's plenty of people here to find comforts in. He's more combatant of Cayde and Tony because of Tony wanting to get under his skin. He grits his teeth knowing that he's dealt with plenty of people like that. Cloud's constantly trying to prove himself and it still didn't truthfully matter where it went. Being here had its own struggles. He relived so many memories but he also knew how to handle things as they come at him. He's done too many planning that ended up in failure. People died, people got hurt, he couldn't do anything in those moments. Even when learning of an immediate threat there were times where he wasn't there to help. It was slowly starting to eat away at him. He couldn't really help anyone here at the moment. He could potentially die here tomorrow because of his own illness, he's got a lot of shit on his plate already. Bringing that topic up on a first date is a real mood killer.

As he wandered through the hallway, he would start weaving as if not really following that straight line forward. He recognizes what's happening and he's not going to be all that happy about it. Cloud puts his right hand up against the wall and leans against it with right shoulder. Cloud grabs hold of his left forearm shortly after squeezing harder than he had at the table. Why now? He felt his heart beat pulsing within his ears. Cloud shuts his eyes as he focuses on his breathing to try to calm the fast beating before he continued on.

He's thankful that he doesn't feel any wetness that he normally does. Cloud bandaged it enough in case something happened. But he's going to ran out of supplies eventually. After regaining his strength he stands up straighter and gains his composer to mosey down the hallway. Once he's in front of the name plate he wanted. 'Reeve Tuesti', he gives three sharp knocks with his knuckles of his right hand.

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Vincent eyed Cloud at the greeting he had received once the man noted his arrival. He then looked to the unfamiliar man as they began to inquire about being turned on before their distinct startled state overtook them. Vincent was unmoved. After composure reclaimed the stranger, he announced his next action, and Vincent waited patiently. The comment about the bat did not move Vincent any more than the man's approach to the door frame. His crimson eyes held fast to the stranger's face. Vincent moved, likely too little too late, to permit the man's departure from the room.

Vincent remained off to the side of the door frame, as he concluded the stranger would return with someone else. Reeve clued Vincent in on the meaning of the mentioned bat. His crimson eyes moved to Cloud, first the young man's face, then a glance to his arm. Reeve's request prompted Vincent to relocate into the room, finally. However, as he passed Reeve, he flashed Cerberus to the man - indicating he had his weapon here.

Vincent stood against the wall, near the door, and folded his arms. His eyes returned to Cloud.

"Reeve! How else am I supposed to protect any of you from an actual threat without one? I tried explaining to Tony and Cayde what my reason is. I won't think of a work around next time. A baseball bat can be used for a sports game. Next time I'm going to ask for a guard baton." Cloud gives a shrug since he's tired of explaining himself. It's as simple as that. He looks at Tony while tilting his head a little and shaking his head.

Maybe Reeve will be quick enough to get Tony out into the hallway. Cloud knew what Reeve wanted him to do with Vincent. For now, he remains quiet until both Reeve and Tony were out into the hallway. Cloud stays against the drawers while turning his attention on Vincent. His eyes locking with Vincent's crimson ones.

That whole baseball bat thing seemed to resolve way too fast, that wasn't nearly the grenade Tony thought he had tossed over his shoulder, and Vincent was really committed to the spooky bit. Tony had time to clear his throat awkwardly before the guy was stepping back for him, and by then Reeve was hounding him again, making Tony complain, "I'm going," as he tried to make his escape, both hands gesturing intently in the direction of wherever Jon was like Reeve had already told him to. Wait, Reeve was coming, too, that was a good thing, those other two seemed to respect him enough not to go looking through his underwear drawer while he wasn't there.

Maybe just on the wrong side of curt, wound tight enough now that he could hear the high frequency feedback in his skull, Tony turned on his heel to snap, "What?" in a low voice like it had been Reeve he had been sharing some secret with in the first place. He hadn't even been sharing one with Cloud, that was a brief truce. It was all of the rest of them in that room that had a web of secrets that Tony felt strangled enough in to start whispering. Realizing belatedly how unnecessary that tension was, Tony waved an apology for the snapping and sighed as he scrubbed at his brow with his knuckle and tried to explain again, "I just-- I came to get the sketchbook, old man."

The sight of Cerberus made Reeve go pale, just for a moment. That was a more terrifying sight than anything else he had seen since coming here. Someone, at last, had gotten through armed. But Reeve wasn't going to mention it. Hopefully Vincent would mention it to Cloud, so the man would know they weren't in danger.

Without another word to Cloud or Vincent he slipped out after Tony, closing the door after him. If he had any clue what was going on in Tony's head, he would have assured the man that Vincent was far more than merely spooky. However, that wasn't a conversation to be had here.

"First, if you're going to apply the term 'old man' to anyone, please reserve it for Vincent. He's older than I am by a good deal. Second, if you needed paper, all you needed to do was ask, Tony. I would not hesitate to provide."

They were right outside the door, and Vincent was far more interested in why Reeve purposely split the group. Old.. reserve it for Vincent.. Vincent huffed and about the time Reeve mentioned sharing paper between the two of them he figured there wasn't much more that would keep his interest. However, he kept his ear out to hear what he might pick up. Vincent remained near the door, and his focus returned to Cloud. "Why am I here?"

Cloud waits for the door to shut fully before he finally pulls himself away from the drawers. He slowly steps towards Vincent while watching his movements. Not sure if he'll follow through with Reeve's order of twisting his arm. Vincent really didn't need to. "The entire planet is basically a life source. The power plant here is apparently ran on crystal rods in which you charge them with the planet life force. I don't think I really need to explain anything further. I broke the one thing granting everyone supplies."

There comes a shrug while he glances away. "You know same shit, different day in the life of Cloud Strife. I had a mild attack out in the hallway. I--" He bites his bottom lip while looking at Vincent.

"You know I don't want either of you to see me this way, right?"

To Reeve's first statement, Tony lifted the hand away from his brow, frozen in the air and unsure where to go from there because it hadn't quite been a volley he could catch, and went, "Okay?" as Reeve continued. Not that he was under any delusion that Reeve was fond of the nickname, but he didn't have to kick Tony down as well as out. He got it, stop coming around and saying things to him, fine, and Tony slouched back to lean against the wall, letting his hand drop to curl in the front of his shirt. He didn't really need the extra information to find Vincent completely inscrutable, he already knew that was a puzzle that was going to take him a while. "Like, Cayde old...?" he muttered, not really expecting an answer at all, talking to himself more than Reeve like he needed something to occupy him while Reeve got through his second point.

"No--Listen, that would be great, thanks a million, but the book you gave me, the one I did the work for Mini in. We were talking about the power thing, and I remembered that battery pack I drew up for you, and, you know me, total airhead, got distracted while doing it, it's stupid, I've got some notes, I think I did the whole thing backwards, you know?" That was at least one too many words, Tony could tell, and he tried to make up for it by continuing, "I've already got one set up by the replicator anyway, hydro powered, not that stupid idea at all, so I should give you that one so you know how to use it..." He took a breath an abruptly finished, "Do you yell at him like that a lot?"

"I'm not certain exactly how old Cayde is, but I would assume younger than that. Still, if you really do enjoy calling me old man, I'm going to have to see proof that you're more than a decade my junior, and not just trying to insist upon your own youth."

There is nothing wrong about being in your thirties, after all.

For a long moment Reeve is silent, carefully considering Tony. Total airhead. No. No, that didn't describe Tony at all. Even when he'd been hurt he'd been... lucid. Very much so. He didn't even point out how silly it was to use a water-powered battery in Mini, all the problems it would cause frequently opening and closing him. So he considers for a long time, looking at it from all the angles he was used to as an executive, as a man who had to play on the levels of having rivals cut you off at the knees every day. And...

He thinks he gets it.

"'Don't share it around,'" he quotes what Tony said when he'd been shown that design to Reeve. "That's what this is about, isn't it? Something has occurred to make you fear you placed your trust in me in error."

Reeve was proud of himself, at how he managed to keep his voice level, his face blank, managed to keep the feeling of betrayal at bay. It didn't matter. The technology was Tony's, he had no right to complain about it.

"I will of course tear the pages out and return them to you. Not that it matters much, if Cloud damaged the replicator. Without it, I shall not be able to acquire the parts necessary for the work. I thank you for your interest in the project."

Cloud is... an easier topic. One that hurts less. One that he can stay composed for far more easily.

"Yell at Cloud? Hardly. Use a tone to suggest I'm disappointed but that I shall not press him? Yes. Cid and Barret are the ones who yell. But given how great our need for the replicator is, I could not help myself. Especially when I do not believe he should be armed at this juncture. No, it would be futile to yell at him. In the end, he does what he wants."

Vincent cocked his head, and his eyes moved to Cloud's arm. He recalled Cloud's words in his dream world, the geostigma. After waking from Cloud's dream, he had spent time reflecting on their history. Cloud's cure waited for him on Gaia, although, if Aerith came, perhaps the power of her healing spells could cure him. Vincent had also spent some time reflecting on Jenova and her poison. Vincent considered, for the first time regarding Jenova's curse, was the impact the afflicted felt being off Gaia: was it worse, less, or the same? Cloud was the only person here with the disease. Vincent sympathized with Cloud's position, his mild-attack, while at the same time being curious to it from an utterly emotionless perspective, an objective perspective. However, Cloud was more than a person of interest; they were friends. Though it might behoove them to know more of the symptoms in this world, it was up to Cloud to allow his friends in on his status.

Despite the other elements of Cloud's statements, the core of the conversation was the young man's geostigma. Not a supply machine, not the world's state of affairs. While those topics are separately important, the more immediate concern was for Cloud.

Cloud packed around a lot of guilt, and Vincent could empathize with him on that front. It didn't make sense for Cloud to hide this, with all their adventures, all the things they've seen out of one another. Or maybe his intention wasn't to protect, only to share that he didn't want to be seen this way. Whatever way that was. His crimson eyes fell from Cloud, and for a moment, he was silent. He could hear voices outside in the hall but could not discern the words, nor did he care to, Cloud had his undivided attention. I don't want either of you to see me this way..

Vincent takes a deep breath in through flared nostrils. His lungs fill, and his chest rises. "See you." He contemplates. When his demons surface, does Cloud see Vincent in each of them? His eyes settle on Cloud's arm. "That isn't you." It was a part of Gaia's monster, surfacing from within Cloud.

The silence of the room reminded Cloud of the time Vincent was in his mind room. It didn't matter where they ended up Cloud would always welcome the quiet nature of his friend. At times that would help settled mindlessly wandering thoughts. He had brought up a lot of guilt himself while being here. He doesn't need to continue to pile it on. Cloud wasn't purposefully hiding his symptoms. They hadn't really shown up until recently, that could be do to all of the stress finally getting to him. He needed to tell someone about the replicator, he needed to tell his friends about the planet information he found out. The immediate fear had been his own death happening before he could tell anyone. That guilt lingered on the back of his mind and pushed him, but he wanted to remain strong in the eyes of those that didn't know.

Cloud's eyes drift down ward as his lips pull into a frown. He knows that Vincent's demons can be scary. He would have been able to help his friend from doing something he may regret. Cloud could very well still do it he's weaker and unsure if he can. "It may not be any different from our world. It's been acting up more recently."

Vincent didn't have to really say anything to get Cloud to reply to what he needed to tell him. "The symptoms are not good. Seizures, hallucinations, the black oozing, you already know that it ends in death." He shakes his head while looking back at Vincent.

"If Tony truly is keeping tabs on everyone, he's going to find out at some point. I could easily pass out at any given moment and he could or anyone could walk in on that. You've seen it happen in the forest." Cloud then goes silent for a few passing moments before quietly adding. "I think I need to be around company the rest of the time I'm down here." Babysit him Vincent or hand him off to Reeve if the other man even wants to do so after this situation.

Meanwhile, every time Tony was around Reeve down here it seemed to only be damaging. While Reeve managed to carefully keep his cool, Tony grimaced, none of his distractions working the way they were supposed to in this situation and leaving him feeling exposed and defensive. Even Reeve knowing that felt like a liability, like all Tony had done was roll over and showed Reeve his weak point in his blustering and now he knew Tony didn't want anyone else to get their hands on the designs. And he felt like an asshole for it.

Trying to justify the fracture in trust, Tony gestured vaguely back at the closed door and whatever the fuck was going on in Reeve's room-- something certainly had occurred, and Tony still didn't know what it was, but it didn't seem like Reeve was trusting Tony with any of that information, either. 'Thank you for your interest in the project' was ice cold enough for Tony to abandon the gesture, both hands over his heart and focus on the floor between them. Tony didn't know Reeve. Hell, Reeve didn't know who Tony was, he had no reason to be sharing what went on behind his closed doors; Tony was the one that had blurred those boundaries, and he knew exactly why. "He still needs a power system," he muttered, mostly to himself again, not about to push Reeve to let him help with the 'project' after that and shaking his head apologetically for even saying it, sorry, that was still pushing. "Do you still need Jon...?" he asked so Reeve didn't have to answer about the power system, thumb pointed to offer to go and only realizing then that that hadn't really been the truth, either, but Tony was still going to do it for him.

In the room Mini had returned to the bed, and while mostly listening in to Cloud and Vincent, now found himself sent to a small task by Reeve. The toy moved to the bed and was now digging under the pillow to grab the sketch book and start dragging it out. He had to get it to Reeve.

"He does still need a power system," Reeve confirmed. And his own eyes went to the floor as well. They're both a bit of a fool, not that they know it. Reeve sighed and looked up at last.

"Tony, I... May I at least know what I did?"

Vincent listened intently to Cloud's concern. He gathered Tony was the stranger out in the hall with Reeve. He wasn't quite sure what Cloud meant about the other man keeping tabs on everyone. The notion made sense from a tactical position, such as if Tony had a background in security, paranoia, research, or something that would support his interest in collecting data from others. Cloud sounded as if he didn't want Tony to discover the geostigma, as he appeared reluctant for Tony finding out rather than being told. Vincent's eyes cast down to the small plush doll waddling toward the bed. The doll seemed to have another mission. "You can stay with me." Vincent offered. Though, he was sure Reeve had offered the same. Vincent then looked to the blond. "I would consider the illness would be different here than it is on Gaia." His eyes focused on Cloud's arm. "Jenova isn't here to claim the afflicted."

If asked Cloud would have said not exactly snooping. But he didn't really trust Tony enough with Geostigma. Would Tony care if he knew someone could potentially die at any second? Cloud didn't really get a reaction from him about the planet protecting itself and going after humanity. Tony had a chance to follow that story path but all he cared about was the replicator as he should to keep giving everyone their much needed supplies. But it reflected a concern that Cloud wasn't sure if Tony truthfully cared about other people. Tony stated he wanted to get everyone off of this rock, that didn't mean protect them while doing so or caring. Cloud watches Mini head to the door with the sketchbook. "I do not mind who I stay with, as long as I stay with someone. I think I have enough problems to deal with."

He gives a small nod at Vincent. "If it stays only to me, then we don't need to worry about anyone else suffering through this. I wouldn't wish it on anyone here." Cloud watches Mini wondering what the doll could be after now, but Vincent or him would make sure Mini will be let out.

The honest answer to Reeve's question was, "Nothing," so Tony offered it with a smile that was brief, but Tony met Reeve's eye before it was gone. "I was..." Without a proper way to explain himself without making Reeve uncomfortable, Tony made a gesture starting with a circle of his hand curled in front of his face to try to demonstrate his tunnel vision, he was compartmentalizing and that was a problem he was working on but it was what kept looping Reeve into these awkward conversations. "I wasn't reading the room," Tony tried instead, and he didn't mean that room exactly but he gestured back toward Reeve's door again and all of the tangled parts of his life that Tony hadn't considered while writing his love letter.

Mini still didn't pay attention to Vincent and Cloud as he got the sketchbook free and once it was free the doll wrapped its arms around the pad as best he could and jumped down from the bed to start toward the door. Of course it looked pointedly up at Cloud and Vincent ad then to the door, as if asking them to open it for him.

Reeve, meanwhile, frowned as he followed Tony's gesture.

"I don't understand. What could Cloud and Vincent have to do with your designs? I trust them with my life. Neither of them are very of the mindset of an engineer. But if your concern is that they might see it, then I have no problem returning the design to you."

What? Is that what it was. Yep, Reeve doesn't get it.

Vincent joined Cloud in observing the doll dancing in front of the door. The replica of Cait Sith mimed before the barrier; however, Vincent didn't move to open the door. He didn't think it was up to him to pierce the boundary between the two secluded areas, regardless of wanting to satisfy the doll's demands. Vincent looked to Cloud, "you're not contagious." He promised. With Cloud's comment about not minding who he stayed with, Vincent felt his previous assumption of Reeve having already offered his room was correct. He was sure nothing but Aerith's magic would help Cloud, but he wasn't sure if there was some reprieve here Cloud could access to aid, in the least.

"How often are your attacks?"

Cloud watches Cait Sith pointedly stare at them to make a move for the door. He would have gone for the door but at Vincent's question he didn't move right away. There's a tiredness on his facial expression. Although they had been forced to sleep, Cloud didn't really seem to be getting sleep at times. That would have caught up with him eventually. He sucks in his bottom lip, rolling it between his teeth before puffing them back out. "I will talk your word for it, Vincent." Reeve and Vincent seemed to be from maybe after his current time point. As weird as that was he's adjusting knowing that they know his future in some way. But here it's a bit different. He still needs to find a cure but for now he's dealing with it head on.

"Their starting to show up more recently. At the beginning of being here it wasn't too bad but being in the tunnels... well..." He looks at Vincent. "My nightmare is always lingering. But you know this. I haven't hallucinated yet. But I feel a bigger flare up might happen."

He's going to admit to that. "Usually during those is when all the other symptoms happen plus the oozing." Cloud then goes toward the door giving Mini an apologetic smile as he opens the door enough for the doll to go out. Mini needed to complete his mission.

If that was an explanation Reeve was going to accept, Tony wasn't going to argue him out of it, pressing his lips together and opening his empty hands in an empty apology before flattening them protectively back over his heart. Completely disobediently, Tony's mouth opened to ask, "If I had just said that, would we have avoided this...?" and he flicked one finger to encompass the tension between them that Tony had no idea how to diffuse now. "Listen, if someone had rocked up to me and said, I think your friends are freaks, we've got an issue, I'm pretty sure I would have been pissed." That wasn't a bad excuse, though. It wasn't a great time for the door to crack open, making Tony slide another inch warily away from it, but it wasn't entirely incorrect that Cloud had been the one to make Tony reevaluate who's hands his designs should be in.

I think your friends are freaks, we've got an issue.

Strange how the statement actually only earned a chuckle from Reeve. It's not an inaccurate statement.

"They can be unnerving. I've seen Cloud take down massive dragons larger than buildings with little assistance. And Vincent's abilities are impressive. I just wish I understood."

Because clearly he still didn't. But with the door open and then closing behind Mini, he crouches down to take the sketch pad. Without thinking much about it, he hands the whole thing over to Tony. If the man was that against Reeve having his designs, it's better that the other man take them out, so he could flip through to convince himself that Reeve hadn't copied them.

If there were perhaps a few less... professional drawings that may or may not involve Tony in them in some way, well, he isn't going to apologize.

"I'll figure something out for Mini. The crystal rods are out, if they really are potentially draining this world. And with Cloud having broken the replicator, I suppose replicating solar-cells would be out of the question. So I'll..."

He doesn't even know. He wilts a little.

"I'll figure something out. So take the designs, feel free to make sure I haven't copied them. If you've lost faith in me by the company I keep, then I cannot change that. My loyalty to them matters. They... did a lot to fix the mistakes of my life, stopping the company I worked for. While I don't always agree with Avalanche's methods, they at least opened my eyes to the damage I was doing, and caused me to make the right choices. If that doesn't earn loyalty, I don't know what should."

Hallucinations were not foreign to Vincent, nor were the nightmares tailing Cloud. Cloud was right, and Vincent did know what the young man meant. He took in a breath, held it in his chest, then exhaled before he leaned back against the wall. His arms remained crossed over his chest. His eyes moved down to eye Cloud's feet. "There might be something here that can help." His eyes lift back to the blond's face. "Give it time."

Vincent didn't intend to listen in on what was being said in the hallway, but he heard the word pissed after some inconclusive words prior to that clear one.

The blond takes in a breath as he grips the door knob but quickly lets go of it so he doesn't accidentally break it off. Cloud slowly leans forward to press his forehead against the cool surface of the door. He shuts his eyes while he waits for Mini to leave the room. Gloved hands move to press on the door and he shuts it shortly after the doll leaves.

Cloud then turns around to face Vincent with a frown. He really didn't want to be the one to become between Tony and Reeve's trust. But it's also their own personal business that he didn't catch while being at the table with Cayde and Tony. Cloud walks back over towards his silent friend not really wanting to be near the door later.

"We will have to search for a cure." He sighs softly. "Jon told me while being in his mind room to search for Billy or Altair. He kept bringing up how it seems to be magic based after I briefly told him about the Lifestream. If Reeve... truthfully needs the Engineering datapoint, I can pick up a different one...."

Cloud trials his sentence before softly saying right after. "Or keep it to assist him and then switch later."

The laugh was unexpected enough that Tony tensed again, watching Reeve carefully before he could return a belated, hopeful smile, not sure if that meant they were diffusing or getting worse. At least Cloud's dragon story had a witness, Tony had no reason to doubt that one now. Hungrily, Tony took the book, hugging it to his chest and melting with relief, eyes closed briefly to remind himself not to trust like that again because his heart couldn't take it. He had cut a warpath through his own friends to keep this same design out of anyone else's hands, he knew better, they slept together once, he was an idiot. What else was new?

Reeve's loyalty to his friends wasn't really in contention, he had no reason to justify it to Tony, so Tony said, "No," one hand up but not quite leaving the book with a shake of his head. Then, "No," again, because the repulsor tech wasn't the only solution, it just was the only one Tony had to protect and he wasn't doing it because he didn't want to help, "the hydro battery, you use it on the replicator." Finally, he tipped the book away from his body enough to flip through it, trying to prove to Reeve that he wasn't just abandoning him and hurriedly searching for the schematics for Mini's structural development that he had proposed to point out that there wasn't much adaptation to do for a solar cell, "The storage is the issue with solar," the RT hadn't even really been for him, only to find Reeve's personal drawings that made his fingers stutter and twitch. Dropping his hand to the page, the other clutching the book tightly, Tony hissed with a pained whine, "What are you doing?"

"I don't know what you want me to answer that with," Reeve admits with a shrug as he stooped to take Mini into his arms. A defensive posture, absolutely. He even looks vaguely ashamed. "Can you really say that there have been times that you've thought about something you can't have and got distracted? I draw to get distractions out of my head and onto paper."

And Tony's a rather sizable distraction.

"Please, can we just... pretend you didn't see whatever you saw, have you take the designs, and then pretend I never... that we've never been anything but friends discussing how to deal with this planet?"

"This machine you broke.. is it capable of creating materia?" If so, it could create something familiar from their home; furthermore, "Even the Great Gospel manual would be helpful in at least answering what we need to learn it." If there was a manual for this spell, there was enough reason to believe someone else other than Aerith was capable of learning it. Vincent had enough faith they would figure it out, between the three of them.

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ugh, how can he deny his new son (cait sith)

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