Crossing the Ice Frontier

Crossing the Ice Frontier
Date of Scene:	27 June 2013
Location:	Zanarkand Ruins
Synopsis:	Montag on a mapping and scouting mission encounters a strange survivor in the ruins of Zanarkand. Shortly to his surprise Soan also shows up seeking Ryusei who'd managed to get a call for help out to her classmates at the Alexander Academy.
Cast of Characters:	Montag, Soan Sagittarius, Ryusei Isshiki

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Ryusei Isshiki has posed:
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSkr6wBUmoI Themesong to set up the mood! Because, let's face it, this situation mirrors that other one quite well!)

Ryusei was not having a good day.

Wait... That was an understatement. Ryusei was having a HORRIBLE WEEK. After the whole vanishment of her entire world for causes that transcended her understanding, the Isshiki heiress had walked around the icy plains of the Northern Continent and had found a city. Unfortunately, that city was empty, the buildings were razed to the foundations and it was full of crawling beasties, and some of them didn't look friendly at all. Her only companion in this desolate place was the chatter of a radio that, for some godsforsaken reason, was still functioning despite who knows how many years out in the open. It was not that much of a good companion, though, because the arguing and talking was starting to annoy her.

Thankfully, some people had promised to come to help her. Good timing, too, since she had started hearing noises outside her makeshift shelter in the middle of the ruined stadium, and she wasn't sure that it wasn't any more of those strange beasties that seemed keen on sinking their teeth into her.

"I hope they hurry. Otherwise, they are gonna find a frozen skeleton when they arrive. Brrrrrr, so cold!" Ryusei said to herself, trembling and holding her sides tightly.

Montag has posed:
Montag seldom could mix business with pleasure but his orders to check out the ruins for possible salvage operations. Not to mention gathering other information another world the Shinra may have to deal with? Allowed him to get away from the madness of the office poltical scene. He was out in the wild just him, his gear and his gun. Memories of his father teaching him to hunt and survive in the wilds came back to him but he didn't think much of the Yevonites. They were afraid of things that solved problems, made lives better. He does not see a damned city he sees a place where people once lived, laughed, loved and carried out their business. His camp was high on one of the old building in what might have been a home or office. Montag had made use of the fact it was only accessible by flight or grapple to reduce his odds of an encounter with hostile monsters.

he takes a moment to adjust his gear for before he activates the grapples and is on his way down he swings through the city rapidly the old stadium is his next target and he might be seen zipping along the sky line as he catches one of the intact higher bleachers perched up there in military gear with a helmet that has some sort of optical goggle set up covering the upper portion of his face. He'd be easy enough to spot he's not expecting any living people here.

"What the? Is there someone down there?"

Soan Sagittarius has posed:
This has apparently become a race between Minette Odam and Soan Sagittarius to find out where this fellow person of the Academy has been refugee for... what, few days, more or less? Soan has been searching of where she might be, but, unfortunately, the world is rather large, her description rather sparse. Until more recent ones, anyway.

Minette went to the Kaipo desert. Already, she had lost. Poor Minette. Then again, Soan Sagittarius, Rogue Prodigy, cheats.

It's very easy to mark himself and jump away in the distance by using the clouds, even more when the skies are as blackened as they are right now in the local area. The ruins makes it easier for DRAGOON MAN to come down from the skies, the mist covering his approach as he lands on the ground. The armoured man looks around, making sure nothing sees him, then drops off the armor with a brief flash of light. Soan Sagittarius readjust his jacket, moving foward as he flick up a flash light.

In the distant echo, he hear voices. "Ryusei Isshiki?" The young man lets out, a bit more loudly.

Ryusei Isshiki has posed:
Ryusei sighs lightly as the annoying comm chatter seems to die down after a while. At last, some peace and quiet after all that mindless chitchat. Of course, that was little consolation when you were out, in the cold, eating only raw crawling critters for lunch. That would soon be over, she hoped.

Ryusei's ears perked when she heard the sound of something, or some/one/, coming down from the sky and landing on the ground with a resounding 'SLAM'. Then, the sound of a voice shouting, calling out her name.

Rescue had finally arrived! Getting out of her makeshift shelter, Ryusei jumped up and down, waving her arms in the darkness and shouting. "Over heeeeeeere! I am over heeeeeeeeeeeere!"

Soan Sagittarius has posed:
Soan looks up at the shout, squinting at the ruins and waving away one of the will-o-wisp that hangs around. The whole place stinks of CHaos, or Darkness. He can smell it, but... it's a sort of different smell. It's mostly /stagnate/, he'd suppose. He waves his flash light, he spots the flailing, jumping up and downs.

"Hey!" Sagittarius lets out, waving his light to be seen from the distance, upward from the bit of building he was standing on, begining to climb down.

Montag has posed:
Montag is not looking for a fight as he swings his way down to the arena floor where Ryusei is he's not looking for a fight and he calls out as he comes down.

"I was not expecting to find anyone alive in this ghost town! Locals think it's cursed ground! Cause people used machines or some insanity. Hold on I'm coming!"

He has no orders against helping anyone or there being issues to know what's a bunch of angry Luddites gong to do to the Shinra Military even in shambles as it is some days. Either way he's now coming in for a landing the last grapple pulls back into it's housing and her rises from where he landed.

"I see ya the name?s Morgan Montag. Shinra Public Security forces. I was scouting the region didn't expect anyone here. Hell of a place can only guess what it used to be like. Anyhow, how did you end up here?"

Soan gets a look as another person shows up, there's nothing chaos or darkness about Montag at least he's just a guy sniffing about the ruins.

"This is become a party at this rate, YO! Ain't looking for a fight if your here to pick the ruins there's plenty and then some."

Ryusei Isshiki has posed:
Ryusei runs in the direction of the waving light when she sees it. She's feeling cold and dirty from the whole ordeal, but she's extremely thankful of finally finding another human.

When she finally reaches Soan, she stops and pants for air, hands on knees. "Ha... Ha... I was already thinking I was a goner. I don't know how longer I could have--"

Just then, someone else appears, or rather, something! An airship comes down from the sky and secures itself to the ground, then a man comes out of it and introduces himself. Ryusei is used to seeing airships, so she's not all that surprised, but the appearance was sudden.

"Wow. I ask for rescue and two rescue parties come. Coincidence? Anyways..." She coughs a little. "My name is Ryusei. Ryusei Isshiki. I am from Galianda. As for why I ended up here..." She tries once again to find an explanation, but the only thing she can do is shrug. "Your guess would be as good as mine. I only know that last week I was studying at Alexander Academy, then suddenly everything vanished and I was in the middle of this cold wasteland when I recovered consciousness. I'm still wondering what the heck am I doing here."

She turns around to look at Soan and bows down politely at him. "Thanks for coming, by the way. I am in your debt now."

Soan Sagittarius has posed:
Well, what do you know, there was someone else in the massive, expansive ruins, Soan thinks to himself as he climbs badk down, landing with a quick roll into the dust at the same level as she is standing in.

"Indeed, indeed. My apologises that I took this long of finding you since the first time you've spoke to us on the radio -- the World of Ruins is quite vast, indeed." The Rogue speaks as he dusts himself off elegantly, approaching the lost woman with a smile. The other man that appears, however, do bring him a little off guard. Shinra Public Security forces. Out here? This far? That's rather surprising. No reasons to be hostile to him, however. He seem quite decent.

"And I am not offering a fight, sir. I am only here to rescue my fellow, here," The Rogue says, waving an hand toward Ryusei, smiling, before turning to face her fully. "I am Soan Sagittarius, it's good to see more of us that's made through the fall." He says, returning the bow with his head. "I... have much to say, when we are in a safer area."

Montag has posed:
Montag says "I see, Miss Isshiki."

The name sounds Wuttian sure but he's aware of similar cultures who are not the enemy of all he holds dear in the world after all. So he thinks a quirk of the universe and nothing more He listens for a moment and pauses thinking about what the young lady has said.

"I heard of the school."

Didn't Rufus have a meeting with someone from there a while back? Wither way he reaches into a pouch and pulls out an energy bar.

"If your hungry you can have this. It's not the best but it should fill you up a bit. Humm sounds like the darkness spat you out. Ya we should get moving being down on this level of the city for long is asking for trouble. Anyhow mind if I come along a bit I been out here for quite a while on my own mapping this place."

Ryusei Isshiki has posed:
Ryusei blinks a little bit when Soan mentions the name of this place, the World of Ruin. "World of Ruin? So... I am no longer in Galianda..." She blinks again and rises her eyebrows, jawdropping when he says his name. "Soan Sagittarius? You are the guy who got a scholarship by managing to sneak his hand in the pockets of the Director of the Rogues' Department and steal his wallet?" She chuckles lightly. Of all the people who could come to rescue her, turns out the one to do so is one of the most famous faces at Alexander Academy. "Normally, I would ask for an autograph, but as you can guess, I am not in the best of moods for fangirling right now. I've had to munch on big creepy crawlies for a week already. My stomach is asking something more edible, my bones ache a little and I feel shivers running along my spine every three minutes or so. The sooner we get to a warm place, the better." Ryusei laughs, taking her whole ordeal with humor despite it being a potentially life-threatening experience.

She then turns around to look at Montag, blinking as she sees the energy bar being offered. "Something actually meant to be eaten! Gimmegimme!" She greedily snatches the bar from his hands, unwraps it and devours it in question of a few seconds. "Om nom nom nom nom!" With a gulp, she finishes it, then sighs pleasantly as she feels the energy coursing through her veins. "That really hit the spot! Thank you!" She bows down to Montag in gratefulness, then turns back to Soan once again. "Let's get going, then. I can't wait to say goodbye to this heckhole!"

Soan Sagittarius has posed:
"Please," Sagittarius replies, waving a hand, not skipping a beat of modesty, or fake modesty for that matter. "That's just a simple story that got disorted out of proportions." He mostly say on the subject, his attention returning at the ShinRa Sec man, carefully observing him over. He seems friendly enough, and is offering food -- something he did not do the first thing he has when he's met Ryusei. As if reminded, Sagittarius reach into a shoulder-held back, pulling out a canteen filled with water, handing it over. "And here's something to wash it over.

The Rogue remains on edge, looking around the area. Nothing forbodes well in this place. Too much sorrow. Too much death. Too much screams of glories past. He don't fully know what this place is for, beyond being important to the local faiths. He'll have to invesigate that further. "Yes... I'm afraid we are not in Galianda. There is much to say, many we should likely save for when we are somewhere more hospitable." He says, grimly, turning around to start leading the way, but not before offering Montag a bow. "Thanks you for your help, sir. It may be best if we get out of here together, then."

Montag has posed:
Montag says "Only thing around here to eat is the fish trust me I have tried even then I had to beat off several monsters the damn things exploded into like glowing sparkles I don't even know."

he laughs seeing Ryusei devour the food and seems for a moment. He looks back to Soan for a moment and nods for a little bit and he's not going to press it.

"Right then, watch your six, if you head down the old high way south it's pretty clear of monsters, and leads out of the city mostly unobstructed by wreckage. I'm going to snoop about here then get back to my camp before dark as damn this place is strange. Never seen anything like it."

He turns to head off heading for part of the arena and moment later his Grapples fire off but he calls out.

"If you end up in Goug feel free to say hi."

Ryusei Isshiki has posed:
Having finished eating, Ryusei gladly takes the canteen offered by Soan and opens it, taking some long gulps of water to quench her thirst. Having had her feel of stuff to eat and drink, she sighs and hands the canteen back to Soan. "Thanks. The only water I have been able to drink in here didn't really feel like it was drinkable at all. It sufficed for the time being, but some actual sustainance is very welcome." Soan then mentions that all those stories were exaggerations. "Eh, whatever. What matters is that you are a face of renown in the academy. Although I never had the chance to talk to you. I guess the Isshiki family and Ice Frontier inc. do not ring any bells for you?"

Ryusei hums as she sees Soan in tension. Truth be told, she didn't blame him. This place was creepy. Cold, desolate and full of scary noises. Not to mention those lights that floated around and seemed to constantly stare at you. Not a good place to make a picnic at, that was for sure.

When Montag gives his goodbyes to them, Ryusei turns back to look at him and waves. "I will make sure to remember that! See you around!" That done, she looks at Soan, eager to leave these ruins. "Well, you are the one who knows where to find a safe, warm place, so please lead the way? I'm ready when you are."

Soan Sagittarius has posed:
Soan watches Montag grapple away, giving off a wave at the ShinRaSec man, giving him a nod. "I will!" He shouts after, leaving him along wqith Ryusei. He takes his canteen back, smiling at her. "You're quite welcome, I'm sorry that I took this long in finding you. That is quite some admirable survival skills you have to survive here for that time."

Soan replaces the canteen into his back back, sealing it up carefully. "That's not too surprising, the Academy was..." He pauses, furrowing his brows. "It was huge. It is very hard to talk to everyone you meet in these circumstances." He says, begining to walk toward the same cliff he came of from, taking out a small device and, after aiming up, similarly throws off a grapple upward. He pulls on the rope, making sure it's solid, then begin to climb.

Ryusei Isshiki has posed:
Ryusei lets out a laugh and scratches the back of her head. "I think that the only reason I've been able to hang in here for longer than three hours is the fact that I have iron guts. Seriously, you do not want to know what I ate and drank while I was here. It didn't look edible at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure some of the things I gobbled up were tainted." She follows Soan along, grabbing onto the grappled rope and climbing along him to the best of her abilities. "My mother and siblings often joked about me being able to survive from eating zombies and behemoths. Exaggerated, of course, but nevertheless I've been told by medical staff that I have quite the hardy immune system even for a Titanic."

Soan Sagittarius has posed:
Using the ruins as a way to hold himself, Soan climbs upward with very little difficulty. It is, after all, something he does rather regularly, holding the conversation. He chuckles at what she says, shaking his head. "Then you know a lot about exagerration, even if they have an ounce of truth into them." He says as he pulls himself at the top, kneeling down to hold the rope tight, while he's there. "It'll be useful for you here. This world... is quite different."

Ryusei Isshiki has posed:
Ryusei doesn't take much longer than Soan to climb up to the top, what with being a trained martial artist and thus being pretty fit. When she reaches the top of the hill, she dusts herself off and stretches her arms. "Yeah, I know quite a bit about exaggeration, but you know what they say. You never know the truth until you see it with your own eyes." She feels uneasy when Soan talks about this world being quite different. "I have the feeling that I'm not gonna like what you're gonna say right now."

Soan Sagittarius has posed:
Soan coil the rope back, rolling it around before replacing it once Ryusei is at the top. He nods, somberly, thinking over in his mind of how to bring this up. It's not the first time that he's done this. It never becomes any easier to bring people into the somber realities of this strange world. "That's very likely." He says, standing back up as he looks around, before focusing on her. No way he wont be looking at her while he says it, he owes these people that much. "Galianda is gone. It's been swallowed by creatures of Darkness called the Heartless, that invaded it and destroyed it's Heart. Where we stand now, are fragments of other worlds that suffered the same fate."

Ryusei Isshiki has posed:
Nothing could have prepared Ryusei for what Soan was about to say. At all. When he says it, with all the honesty in the world, her self-confidence crumbles for the first time in a very long while. "Galianda... Gone?" Her mind perused through all of the memories she had of her home. Rotarl, the city where she was born and raised. The academy, where she had so many good experiences, made so many good friends. Her family. All of those were gone, devoured by Darkness.

She looks at the ground, unable to look at Soan in the eye as she reminisces about all those things that she was unlikely to ever see again. "I guess I am the first Isshiki you have ever seen in one piece in this world? No news about my mother Mashiro, or my sister Akane, or my other siblings... Am I right?"

Soan Sagittarius has posed:
Soan could have softened the blow a bit. But in the end, they all have to go through that. Or at least, so far, they all have. Sagittarius refuges himself in his self-assured outward cool confidence he projects, slowly nodding his head. "Yes." He says, his voice not quite following the bluff that he's trying to pull, some strings pulling against it. He reach an hand toward her shoulder, perhaps for comfort. "I'm... afraid you are, Ryusei."

He takes his hand back, looking away at the ruined landscape, shaking his head. "I'm sorry."

He may not have a known family, but what he did have, was close enough. Perhaps ties just as strong as them, if not more. Not hearing the Dragons and the Dragoons has been something he's had to adapt to. "Maybe... some might come up. We really don't know how it works. We know... it's possible to restore parts of destroyed land, but, we have not found anything yet related to Galianda so far."

Ryusei Isshiki has posed:
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cechTJVled4 Sad moment theme song is go!)

Ryusei closes her eyes and takes a moment to try and fight back the sadness welling up in her. As far as she knew, she could very be the only person in her whole family to have survived the whole debacle caused by these creatures, the Heartless. Her entire family could be dead, or who knows what other fate those monsters may have had in reserve.

She tells herself that she must be strong, that she must behave like a good heir and look forward without fear, but can she really do that when it is almost assured that her family is dead? Can she pick herself up when there's almost nothing worth fighting for?

Her mind is in the middle of this tribulation, her heart shouts at it. Idiot! Why are you acting like this? Mother is strong! Surely the world ending is not gonna kill her just like that!

And, as stupid as that sounded... It managed to put a slight smile back on Ryusei's face. Yes, deep inside, she knew that they were well. "It's okay. I'm sure... I'm sure that they are doing well right now. I just need to be patient." She sighs, then places her hand on Soan's shoulder. "Lead the way, please. We should get going."

Soan Sagittarius has posed:
Soan returned her the smile, giving a brief, sharp nod in return at her. Good. She took it far better than some other people have. Then again... there's no real good ways on how to take this. This is an unfair situation, on each and every single one of them. Hope helps. Help helps a lot. That is what keep them going.

"Who knows what the future holds." The Rogue says, reaffirming himself as he takes his hand back, turning about to look up ahead. He, himself, is pretty sure that he's the only Dragoon that managed to survive the fall of Galianda... but there is others here. But that is Dragoon Man. Soan Sagittarius had little family, beyond his friends at the academy. Very little that ties him, beyond very specific things.

"Then let us go. I know the way." He says as he begins to walk.

That is partly a lie. He knows where to go -- from above. Pretending you can't jump a city block in a single leap is a feat in and of itself.