A Researcher's Inquiry V

A Researcher's Inquiry V
Date of Scene:	17 November 2013
Location:	Goug
Synopsis:	Chita returns to Goug with the intention of catching Rhia for a discussion. He does get ahold of her. However, things unexpectedly go south, creating a situation that was perhaps inevitable, yet undesirable all the same. And all the while, a certain someone eavesdrops.
Cast of Characters:	Aerith, Rhiannon Zellen, Chita
Tinyplot:	A Researcher's Inquiry

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Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
It was rare for Rhiannon to leave the comfort of her lab and all it's wonderous scientific glories. But on this day, she was absent. The lights in her lab were off and the various employees of the building all breathed a collective sigh of relief. The air felt as if it had been relieved of a certain tension. At least temporarily.

It was because The Wutai Witch was out today! Visiting a branch facility to stock up on some lab materials. Chemicals and other implements to be used in research. It was serious work! Having finished with that task, Rhia had long left the facility and was on her way back to the Shinra Main HQ.

Coming onto the city block that led to the building's front doors, the oriental woman held a mid-sized box of supplies in her arms, humming a faint tune to herself as she went. My, wasn't she in a good mood?

She surely wasn't expecting any company either.

Chita has posed:
Having stopped by to speak with Rhiannon about something, and been told that she was out and wasn't quite sure when she would return, Chita had accepted such and stepped back outside the Shinra HQ to leave and planned to come back later. Of course, as he was walking away from the front doors, the blind Viera wandered carefully with a pole held out in front of him. Not the typical 'Blind person' whack the pole around thing to avoid hitting something so much as 'Hey, I can't see move aside please' kind of thing.

It generally worked, only the occasional bump and most people didn't try to blame the blind fella for such.

As he walked along, though, he stopped and his ears wiggled a bit. Sure, there was a lot of sounds going around, but something stood out. A strange sound that he heard now and then, but generally only from a certain individual, due to the shoes they wore clacking against the ground. "Rhiannon?" he asks aloud as he stood there, trying to pick up exactly where that sound was coming from. Given his ears were an extra foot atop his head he was probably quite easy to spot, even for a short hume.

Aerith has posed:
She rarely came this close to Shinra's headquarters, for obvious reasons.

When she did, she wore a pale gray cloak with a hood to hide her features, to at least maintain some semblance of anonymity. After all, the Turks, ShinSec, and several other entities that wanted her either captured, exploited, or dead would be all over her if she just waltzed in.

That said, the place still had some very good stuff for sale, and the shop was open for anyone who had the money for it. So as Aerith walked out with her goods, she was surprised to find...

No, wait.

Images flashed through her head at the sight of him. Things she could not un-see or ignore, any more than the fact that water was wet. It only took a brief moment, but she was no longer surprised to find Chita here.

Nor was she surprised to see someone she never hoped to see again... and she found herself fortunate that she was anonymous for the time being.

Rhiannon. And she was in a good mood, which meant trouble.

Aerith moved to the cover of a nearby building and made her best attempt to pick up any bits of conversation she could. She'd promised not to hurt the amoral witch... but she would be cursed twice over if she couldn't find out what was going on here.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
"Mmhmhmmmhmm~" Rhia's humming continued as she came closer to the front doors, weaving through a few passer bys. Completely minding her own business, mostly out of a lack of care for the average man, Rhia was ready to head inside and return to her lab work.

But then her name was called. Here, out in the street. That was actually vaguely annoying. Like being stopped right when you're all geared up to do something. "Oh?" But the voice was familiar. It only took a cursory sweep of her surroundings to pinpoint the origin of the voice.

Rhia might not be the tallest person, but there was no missing those ears. Smiling in an amused way, the scientist forged on ahead, coming to a stop right in front of Chita. "Well, if it isn't the blind man." She greeted cheerfuly, waving up at him despite knowing he couldn't see. "Is there something you needed today? Hmmn?" And then her tone turned a bit mischievous. "Or are you just frustrated and seeking another night of stress relief?"

A giggle followed that joking assumption and she shifted the weight of the box in her arms a bit, staring up at the viera and awaiting his response.

Chita has posed:
"...really now." His tone was a mixture of amused and, honestly, a bit embarrassed he got called out on such. "My intention of coming here was... not that, no. However I would be lying if I said that is not an appealing thought, or offer, unsure which." To that he stuck his tongue out at her a bit childishly only to rest both hands atop the pole he had with him and leave it standing in front of him as he 'looked' down towards Rhiannon.

"I had actually come to learn something from you, though those inside had informed me you were not there at the moment and something about being unsure when you would be back. Lucky me hearing those shoes of yours out here." His own choice of attire today was actually rather banal, a simple pair of black slacks and a button-down flannel shirt, the top couple of buttons undone.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
"Perhaps it was. Or perhaps it was not. Who knows?" Speaking cryptically as usual, Rhia shrugged her shoulders lightly while keeping hold of her supplies. Hearing that the viera had wanted to learn something, she arched a brow. Ah, she wondered what that could be. "You wanted to learn something, hm?"

Tilting her head a bit, braids swaying with the motion, the scientist stared up at him for a moment before asking. "And what, pray tell, might that me?" She smiled again then and added. "I was under the impression that you were all ready to go and do something silly all on your own now."

Chita has posed:
Hearing something strange when she shifted, it took him a moment to realize she was holding something. "I could carry that for you if you like." He wasn't sure how much of anything that was there, though he had assumed she had just went shopping for something or another, possibly food or supplies. "And yes, I did wish to learn something, though I do feel rather odd talking about such out here in the open where anyone with bad intentions could hear things."

Not that he actually had any remote idea they were being snooped on. That's just how he was, he didn't like talking about /business/ out in the open. "And yes, I was, and quite am ready to take further steps towards my goal and plan. A question came to mind, though, and possibly an important one - and I had hoped to find some answer to it first. Not that I have proof you would tell me the truth, but I also cannot imagine you have a reason to lie about it either."

One hand dropping off the pole and holding itself palm up towards her, as if offering to carry whatever her load of stuff was, he added, "I have a room rented at a nearby inn if you care to speak there? Or would you rather speak further at your lab?" Not that Rhiannon could see such, but Chita rolled his eyes at his own remark, knowing full well he was going to be teased now for inviting her back to his place despite not having said it with any intentions.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
"Inviting me back to your room?" Rhia gasped dramatically, taking the bait without a single ounce of shame. "Oh my, you truly are an animal!" Giggling to herself, Rhia spent a few moments beside herself with mirth before eventually sobering up a bit. "...Indeed, I suppose we should talk elsewhere."

She took a moment then to stare up at Shinra HQ, considering her options. She really did want to get back into her lab and continue her work. She was performing experiments on Leida's blood! That was always fun! But...ah, she could perhaps spare a bit of time for a detour.

"No need for you to carry anything. Hold on a for a moment." And with that, she turned and walked into Shinra HQ, leaving the box at the reception desk with orders to have it sent up to her lab. That out of the way, she soon emerged outside and spoke again. "Okay, lead the way~"

Aerith has posed:
Right, they were moving.

Now came the part where she would have to make several choices, some of them potentially bad. But as long as she determined just what Chita was attempting to accomplish, it would be worth it. Considering his plan was not a good one to begin with, getting further into it would not be advisable.

But she wouldn't stop him from doing it. That didn't mean she couldn't find out the particulars of this... new step... so she could drag him out of it when something went wrong.

Note the key word here: when.

Chita has posed:
"Less an animal and more a creature of habit." Chita responds casually as he took a slow breath and sighed it out, enjoying the giggle despite it all. How did such a crazy, moral-lacking evil scientist have such an adorable giggle anyways? He never did understand that. Well, the cute ones always were crazy.

When she excused herself he nodded and tried to figure out where he was again briefly. He was walking down the sidewalk, but which way was he facing? Where was the nearest street, the nearest wall? Sigh. "Hey." he said softly as someone walked next to him, "What way is the closest wall?" The Moogle started to point before smacking his forehead with a palm and flitted up before saying, "That way, Kupo." and pulling his hand roughly towards the wall. "Thanks." Chita responded and walked over towards the wall, coincidentally next to where Aerith was in the alley nearby. He didn't know she was there as he leaned against the wall nearby.

A grumbling sound came out of him as he said, "Sometimes I wonder if I really am just making up excuses to see her." The remark was more grumbling at himself than anything. Eventually Rhiannon returned and he stood up from his lean against the wall and said, "Alright then. Well, the inn is..." he turned a bit towards Shinra HQ, pointed a finger, then slowly turned and nodded his head to the left, "Down that way to the left. I think." He gave the street name and address to possibly help if she knew.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
Listening to the address instructions, Rhia folded her arms into her sleeves, a characteristic motion from her when she was doing nothing else, and looked up in thought. "...Ah, yes, I know where that is. I suppose you will have to follow me then."

Nodding to herself at that, Rhia turned and began to walk off, leading Chita through the streets by the sound of her shoes. It didn't take too long before they had arrived, walking through the doors of the inn. passing the front desk, the one on duty recognized Chita as a guest and allowed them to pass. Up the stairs they went then.

As they did so, Rhia spoke up. "So, room number?" She asked casually. The whole time, the woman was unaware that they were being followed. Imagine her amusement if she knew they were.

Chita has posed:
He followed along quietly, one hand resting on her lower back as he did, an excuse, perhaps, to get close, but still a decent enough way to make sure he didn't lose her in the crowd and wind up taking a half hour to get there on his own. Once they got there, though, and the question was asked, he nodded up and said, "Fourth floor, room sixteen." Normally Chita was quite perceptive even with his blindness, quite good hearing and a sense of smell, but Aerith didn't seem to register, to him, as having some distinctive sound he could associate with her. Aerith's normal choice of boots were a lot more common than the platformed shoes that Rhiannon wore.

And with that, he points towards where the elevator is and up they go to said room, which he opens with a card key and steps inside of.

Once inside he stretches and reaches down to his pockets to take out a few belongings and set them on a nearby table, wanting to avoid accidentally having them fall out of his pockets in a chair or on the bed when he sat down and missing them. "Wish to have a seat, Rhia, or would you rather stand?" As he asked that he walked towards the bed and leaned against the end of it, one leg bent and his hands on the bed, faced towards her. The room itself was quite simple, a chair, a bed, a side room with a shower and bathroom in such. A TV that was likely not even used and, not having thought about it, he hadn't even turned the lights on, leaving the room quite dark and the only light coming inside would be the light filtering through the curtains that he'd never bothered with.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
Upon locating his room and entering, Rhia immediately took note of the darkness. But then, she couldn't fault the blind man for not turning on the lights. Instead, she turned them on herself as she stepped inside, closing the door after. "I believe I will have a seat." She responded after, moving to set next to Chita on the edge of the bed.

"I had never asked before, but; are you permanently blinded?" A random question to be sure. But hey, she was curious. "It has been a while since that 'accident' took place, yes?" Not that she was worried about him ...Maybe. It was for science! Yes.

Chita has posed:
"Possibly." Chita's response came as she sat down next to him, though he didn't seem too upset about it. "I have continued to get the healings done as I was instructed to, though it has not helped much. As weak as I am to magic... I am lucky it did not kill me." he paused there then turned towards Rhiannon and leaned to playfully phbtt against the side of her head, carefully, though he was a decent judge of distance up close. "That is why, at the hospital, you laid me onto the floor so easily with that magic of yours, though I am not sure you realized that at the time. Be careful with that, hm? If something happens to me, I doubt the others would let you finish your research. It is only by my request, and refusal to say who you are, that they have not stormed Shinra to drag you out by the ears and crucify you."

The lights being on didn't even register with him, there was no reaction to it all beyond an ear having flicked at the sound of the switch.

Aerith has posed:
First obstacle; getting into the building. It wasn't that hard to do, she just had to wait a bit for them to go in, then head after them. She waited for them to get into an elevator before getting a room for herself, just for the day, and taking a seperate elevator up.

The room next to theirs would have to do, and she removed the cloak and hood immediately, putting her goods onto the bed before heading over to the wall and pressing her ear against it.

What they said was garbled, but she could still make it out. This would have to do...

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
"Oh?" She intoned lightly, giving Chita a sidelong glance as he explained his weakness to magic. No, she hadn't realized it at the time. Especially because she didn't bother to look back to see her handiwork that time at the hospital. But what he said after was a bit more intriguing. For better or for worse.

"Oh my, if I did not knew better, then I would think that you were blackmailing me." She smiled at that and added. "But tell me; if you do happen to die, who will be there to tell anyone about what I have done?" A pause then as Rhia slowly came to realize something from one of their past conversations. "...Ah, besides that one mysterious person whom you refuse to name." Yes, there was that loose end. And there was no dragging their identity out of Chita. Bah.

Chita has posed:
"Ah, but I will not die, that is just it." Chita said rather simply. "Hades made certain of that after all, or something of the sort. I know not exactly what, but I will likely never go to the underworld. Maybe I will come back as a ghost or something." A rather morbid chuckle comes at his own expense. "And hardly blackmail. I am not the type and you know that. But... I am not ignorant, either. If I am gone or incapable of carrying on with my intentions, someone else will have to do it their own way."

There was actually another who, to an extent, knew about Rhiannon. He didn't say such, though. Unintentional insurance. No matter how fun it was to play with the deadly creature, it's always nice to have some antidote ready if it bites, so to speak. And with that, he laid back onto the bed and rested idly with his hands behind his head, knees and feet dangling over the end. "As far as what I had meant to ask..."

He thought about how to word it then said, "The weapon, did you design it for your own purposes and research... or were you designing it for someone? I cannot recall. I did not wish to inadvertently take it to whom you were making it for, with all the effort I have put into keeping it out of the wrong hands."

Aerith has posed:
There. There it was. The question she had been waiting for.

She hadn't been listening intently for anything, just for the right question. And thus, her patience rewarded her. This Black Beast was a dangerous thing in the wrong hands... Spirits, it was dangerous in ANYONE's hands! But if she knew its final purpose, then she could at least be ready for what happened. What she would do about it would come later.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
"My, you certainly do have a penchant for getting yourself into worlds of trouble." She mumbled, resisting the urge to laugh lightly at his expense. And then finally it came. That question. "...Mhmhm...You know, I was wondering if you would ever ask." Rhia revealed, staying upright as she rest her hands in her lap.

"And the answer to that question is...a secret~" She winked playfully, though he couldn't see it. Mostly for her own amusement then. And like that, the buildup to the answer fell completely flat. "Though, I do need to see it now that I think about it." She went on to say, glancing at Chita. "You have with you, yes?"

Chita has posed:
Normally Chita wouldn't press the issue, but he did say, after she brushed it aside, "No secrets, Rhiannon. I want to know and I expect an answer. I have played to your intentions for quite a long time now, I have acted to protect you of my own choosing and, quite frankly, I have always been good to you despite the fact that I do consider you completely without your sanity."

His tone and voice were as soft as ever, enough that when he added, "And if you wish to see or handle the weapon, it will only happen if you tell me, to my satisfaction, the answer to that." He had bent over backwards with this one, though mostly it was for his own sake of feeling good about himself or not feeling bad, were such the case, for having caused someone pain or their demise. Still, he did think she should at least feel remotely grateful enough that he'd played along that he was entitled to the answer to that question.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
"....Ehehehehe~" And with that, Rhia broke out into a giggle fit. "No secrets? I hardly find myself obligated to share with you even the slightest detail. All that I gave you, I did out of sheer amusement. You are nothing more than a means to an end." Rolling her eyes, Rhia raised a hand, index finger extended and glowing blue.

"And surely, you did not discount the fact that I would have countermeasures, did you?" With that said, she began to draw out a small summoning circle into the air with her finger. "There was a reason I so freely gave that weapon to you." And then as if interrupting herself, she made an aside. "Oh, and I have a name for it now! The Black Omen! Catchy, hm~?"

She wasn't helping the whole crazy thing now. "Ah, but where was I?" The scientist mused to herself, having paused in the middle of drawing the circle. "Oh yes! I so freely allowed you to keep hold of it all this time because...I can reacquire it any time I wish."

Aerith has posed:
Aerith grimaced. So that was the trick, was it.

She only wanted him to have it because it served some purpose that she wasn't giving away. If she wanted to, she could get it back and do something unspeakable with it. Chita would be no better off... in fact, everyone would be far worse if this were to fall into Shinra's hands.

The Black Omen... sounded far worse than what Chita called it. It didn't help matters at all that this thing had to eat hearts in order to be complete. Aerith managed to restrain herself as she continued to listen. Rhiannon was definitely not helping her odds, though she didn't quite know it yet.

Chita has posed:
Chita laid there, listening and actually rather angry now. After all that, after everything, that is how it was? All he had done, and as good as he had been in not simply shoving a spear through her... and he is a means to an end? She could take it back at any point? He felt the bit of magic and, despite not knowing what it was, did not exactly like that she was doing such as she spoke about taking it back at any time.

Thus, unless she responded faster than he moved, she would find herself grabbed and pinned to the bed with him atop her, each of his hands grabbing hers, fingers laced between hers, and squeezing them tightly. With his face near hears Chita growls out, "Now listen here, Rhiannon. Just because I have been good to you and have gone out of my way to avoid any situation that would cause you harm... do not push me on this. I have spent far too long coming up with a way to deal with this situation. To finish the weapon, to keep you from harm, to keep you from harming others and... quite honestly I am beginning to care little if you get hurt or are in pain."

It was a strange contrast to how the Viera normally was, especially since he was squeezing his hands even tighter, nails probably digging into her at the moment quite heavily, as if making his point. He was trying to make her rethink how she treated him, and how she thought of him, and while he'd feel bad about this later it was a necessary evil in his mind. "So think carefully before you run your mouth again. You have been lucky. Do not push it. Or you may find out just how much of an animal I truly /can/ be."

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
Rhia is too busy finishing drawing the circle when she found herself grabbed and pinned. With the spell abruptly interrupted, the circle dissipated. Meanwhile, Rhia just stared up at Chita from she lay on the bed. Her expression for once was of surprise and pain, but it eventually edged back out into a smile.

"Is that so? Well you should know that it was never your concern to have in the first place." Her smile grew a little wider as she spoke on. "All of this protecting, thinking, and dancing around is all because you chose to do it. Therefore, to hold anything against me is laughable." Anything besides killing countless people and feeding them to the Black Beast anyway.

Despite the fact that blood was slowly beginning to run from her hands from Chita's nails digging in, Rhia remained amused and mocking, as if she truly did not fear death at all. "If you are attempting to scare me, then sadly, your attempt has failed gloriously." She would have playfully poked his nose if she wasn't pinned right now.

"Find out just how much of an animal you can be? What do you plan on doing in this position? Raping me? Or perhaps you will take the most obvious solution and finally just kill me like you should have from the very beginning." If it wasn't obvious before, then now it was. Death was a joke to her. A complete joke.

Chita has posed:
"No." he said softly. "I would not stoop to such." His grip did not loosen in the least, not taking the chance that she was going to simply blast him away against the wall if he did. Instead, he stayed right where he was and listened to what she had to say. And his response, finally, was rather simple. "I know you do not fear Death, and there can only be one true reason why. Well... two, now that I think about it. Either you think you could continue to learn and study things after you die... or likewise, you know Hades will not let you rot away in the underworld and could use that to your advantage."

His voice was soft as he continued to hold her to the bed, the grip slowly tightening even further until he finally stopped squeezing harder and stayed still entirely, legs carefully positioned so she couldn't simply jerk a knee up and hit him right where it would hurt the most. "The only thing that matters to you is knowledge. You want to know everything. The only thing I could ever hold over you... is your own ability to learn or further science. I would have to take away your ability to think, to learn..."

But how could he possibly do that? "You see... if I take your heart, or find some way to destroy it, or release it, I surmise you will no longer be able to amuse yourself with your hobby of knowing things."

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
"Both incorrect, but interesting guesses nonetheless." She responded casually, testing his grip by attempting to move a bit. He held strong, and thus she was stuck for now. Kneeing him between the legs would have been a good option...if her wait wasn't being straddled. That's out then.

Thus, all Rhia could do for now was listen as Chita theorized the possibility of destroying her heart. Either that, or taking it somehow. "...Oh? And how do you plan to do that?" Any thoughts or feelings she may have had on the matter, she did an excellent job of keeping suppressed. And truthfully, she could think of an immediate way to accomplish the task.

Not that she would tell him.

Chita has posed:
"A rather fitting way, I think, may work. The same way you stole the hearts of all those in Goug when you unleased the Black Beast upon them. I may not know everything... but I think I know more than enough to finally use it and keep you from abusing my good nature ever again. I /have/ been good to you, Rhiannon, and while I do not expect you to be grateful, I never thought you were so ignorant that you would push me this far."

Leaning close, Chita whispered against her ear, "One last chance before I take your heart here and now. You have pushed me far too much, Rhiannon, to ignore your intentions any longer." As sad as he seemed... like this was hurting him... there was no bluffing in this. There was no deceit. Hades' curse prevented such. She had pushed him to the point where he would voluntarily break his own moral code if he had to and hurt her to keep everyone else safe, if she refused to buckle at this point in some fashion. He didn't want to... maybe it was really that obvious he had started to grow feelings for her. Why? Hard to say. Perhaps he just had a thing where he wanted to keep others safe, and became attached to those he did.

Regardless of that, though, her fate was in her hands at the moment.

Aerith has posed:
Aerith's eyes widened. So he was really going to do what he should have done earlier? She almost couldn't believe it... then she remembered Hades' curse, and did believe it. Entirely. This was no bluff.

She wouldn't tell him, though. Rhiannon was beyond any sort of morals or sanity. She could have just unleashed the Black Beast on Goug simply for sadistic curiosity, or because she had nothing better to do. Aerith hadn't the faintest idea... and she didn't want to know. The one thing she did know was that it was about to get explosive. Chita had been manipulated one time too many, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

But she elected to do nothing, for now. No, let this be a lesson... not everything in the darkness could be trusted.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
"....Aha, so you have a brain after all~" Rhia smoke gleefully, grinning after in a way that was just creepy. "...But do you think that would actually work?" She added after a moment of silence. The question hung in the air for a few moments. Heavy and uncomfortable.

And then she spoke again. "Then I propose an experiment." The scientist said freely. "I can think of twelve different ways to escape from you grasp right at this very moment. All twelve of them just might kill you." A pause as she let that sink in. "...But rather than that, why don't you go and use the Black Omen on me. Go ahead and try. If you truly believe that it will work."

Grinning wider as she goaded him on, she said it again. "Please, do try, my dear~"

Chita has posed:
"ENOUGH!"

Chita's voice raised as he raised up and slammed her hands back against the bed, growling down at her, "I tire of your attitude! After everything I have done for your purposes, as lenient as I have been with you in not jailing you or killing you outright, you act like this?!" Her behavior had confused him so much that he actually felt rather sick about it. The likely painful grip on her hands began to slacken just a bit before he shifts out on top of her in an almost sensual manner, hands pulling hers above her head and together before he pulls his right hand free and pins both of her hands down with one hand. She might be able to pull them away at this point, though it may surprise her that...

The Black Omen appeared in her right hand and he gripped it by the hilt before taking the blade tip of the malformed weapon and jabbed it into her side, hard enough to cut through the clothing and force it directly against her bare flesh, possibly even cutting into her. He wasn't actually trying to /stab/ her so much as force her to experience the same torment and pain he had when he first touched that bare blade. The pain of all those lives.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
"You are angry simply because you fail to understand." Rhia responded evenly, continuing to smile patiently despite the current predicament. "You try so hard to understand, and yet, you know deep down that you can't." Her hands are then re-pinned with one of his. "Why do you continue to try? Why do you care so much?"

She wasn't pleading or fearing for her life or anything. She was just curious. Simple scientific curiosity. "For one to try so hard for such an impossible cause..." She trailed off, watching as the Black Omen was called forth.

"...I would almost suspect that you were in love with me."

And then came the stab. Or close enough anyhow. Tearing through her dress, the blade cut into her skin somewhat as contact was made. The effect was immediate.

'Please, help me!'

'What did I do to deserve this!?'

'I was going to propose to her that day...'

'This isn't fair!'

'Mommy? Daddy? Where are you?'

Rhia's eyes glazed over as the countless thoughts invaded her mind. Rather than scream and cry from the overwhelming feeling that would likely cause lesser men to buckle. "....Ehehehe...so these are the kind of thoughts that dwell within this weapon." She mused to herself, apparently still in control of her mental facilities. "...How pathetic. No wonder these fools' hearts succumbed to the beast. Truly a sad display of strength and will." ...This woman was something else.

Chita has posed:
Chita has always been a gentleman of sorts. He has fought women, knocked them out, used his weapons in the past to deal with females... but something he has never done is ball up his fist and hurt a woman with his bare hands. Out of combat.

Out of anger.

As he knelt there over her, the weapon pressed into her side, he listened to what was happening, unable to see. And then she laughed, and spoke, and a rather feral sound came from his throat. An angry growl, as if he was trying to hold back from strangling Rhiannon where she lay and killing her.

She just laughed at a childs suffering... she /laughed/ at the last thoughts and fears of a child that was consumed by that weapon. Of all the countless people who had lost their lives. Of all the memories he had to work so hard to stomach the pain from...

She LAUGHED.

"I... was." he mumbled softly before he snapped. He snapped, and using his grip on her hand he attempted to twist her arm the wrong way and, with all intention and purpose of making her suffer and scream in pain just like them, attempted to break her arm at the elbow, backwards. "DON'T YOU EVER LAUGH AT A CHILDS PAIN YOU...!" he couldn't even finish his line of thought he was so angry, so disgusted. He had never been brought to this point in his life where he wanted to break someones neck with his own hands.

Aerith has posed:
In the other room, it was a different story.

Aerith covered her hands over her mouth to hold back her squeals of terror. The oppressive aura of the Black Omen was back, and this time it was fueled by Chita's willingness to act. It was still hungry, and it wanted more than Rhiannon's heart. It wanted everything in this city to fall to the blackness, and never come back. Oh, but it especially wanted her...

Yet something held it back, made its aura retract from her. The fear was not something that could go away easily, but it abated just enough for her to regain some of her senses. Aerith took in a few breaths, made her best attempt at slowing her heart down, just to get the sound of the pounding blood out of her ears. Yet at the same time, she could hear it.

Rhiannon was laughing at something... and then the words she said almost made Aerith cry. She'd caused that much death and suffering, and she laughed at it. Chita's roar, his shout, just about made her ears ring again. But it made her heart calm even further, and she lowered her hands and smiled.

There it was, his truth. However violent and brutal he was right now, the one thing that still stood true was that he could not let the innocent suffer, whether alive or dead. His sense of justice still remained.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
And her arm broke. It broke, bent the wrong way.

But there was no cry of pain, no scream, no tears. Just a grimace and a cold sweat forming. "...Ugh...I suppose it is impossible to completely dull pain receptors..." She grumbled to herself for a moment, staring at her twisted arm. Dull pain receptors? What has this woman done to herself anyway? ...Well, some people knew. But they weren't here now. Only they knew the true extent.

"Ah, but I suppose this is an opening." Completely uncaring of her arm, she used her legs to quickly scoot backwards, enough to kneel and then jump over him, even if her other arm broke in the process, it hardly seemed to matter to her at all.

Chita has posed:
How was one /to/ respond to such? With one hand on the weapon and the other having still been laced into the fingers of the hand on the now-broken arm, her lack of response past the grumbling, that he could tell, and her sudden movement caused him to try and roll over and grab towards her. Despite being a Dragoon, he was practically laying on top of her, flat, before that. He didn't have the chance to react.

What he did have the chance to do, though, was to summon a spear into each hand as he turned and raised up and listened for her to land.

He listened for any sound of her touching something in the room before throwing both spears at near point-blank range right at her body. He wasn't playing.

He aimed those spears knowing full well that they would likely hit her in the chest or stomach and probably pin her to the wall if she didn't have some way to avoid them. Blind or not, he could still figure out where things were with his ears to a point. And this room was quite small.

Aerith has posed:
Okay, now it was explosive.

Aerith pulled away from the wall, having heard all she needed to hear. She made her way toward the bed, just near the center of the room, and folded her cloak. The ruckus in the other room didn't bother her in the least, now that the Black Omen returned to whatever space it occupied when Chita wasn't calling it forth. Whatever happened to Rhiannon was none of her business... yet.

They'd talk later, Chita and her. And she hoped to all that was sacred that he would tell her what she wanted so badly to hear...

That the gloves were off.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
Indeed, the moment she landed, Rhia found two spears thrown in her direction. With her remaining arm, she held a hand out and erected a magic barrier. The spears clashed against it, struggling for a moment before eventually losing their power of velocity and falling to the ground. "My, my, so violent." She spoke casually, staring her broken arm again.

But then something strange began to happen. All of the blood that may have escaped her body or was still running down from her hand and sides began to take on a rainbow hue. All of the blood particles floated, becoming airborne as they re-entered her wounds. Her cuts and bruises then began to close and heal without any proactive spellcasting from the scientist.

More unnervingly however, the bones in her broken arm began to shift, returning to proper shape. Once it was done, which only took a couple seconds, Rhia tested her wrist again before nodding. "Annnd done~" Using that fixed arm, she opened the door leading out and waved cutely, only for her own amusement again. "I believe I will be taking my leave now. Do expect the Black Omen to vanish from your possession very soon. After all, I continue to hold control over it." She continued to smile as she stepped out and then added one last bit. "With this, our dealings are over. Tata~" And then the door shut, leaving Chita to his own devices.

Rhia sighed as she walked down the hallway towards the elevator. "Quite troublesome. I suppose I need to take up the experiment yet again..." And she disappeared into the elevator after, descending to the lower floors.

Chita has posed:
"If it does, Rhiannon, I will personally make sure that the world knows who you are and everything you have done... and if Shinra tries to protect you, I will bring them down on top of you. If you ever try to reclaim this weapon, Rhiannon, or make a new one, or I hear of you harming another, your life is forfeit, if you care or not." Chita calls out after her as she leaves as he tries to stand and reaches for his weapons, but in his haste and blindness he winds up stumbling and landing on the floor of the doorway as she moves to leave. Then she was gone.

And the moment the elevator closes and starts to descend Aerith(And Rhiannon) could hear him slam his fist into the floor probably hard enough to injure it in anger. How could this day have devolved into this... how did he come so close, possibly gotten to the point of, losing everything he had worked towards over the last so many months.

Aerith has posed:
Aerith heard the sound of something slamming down from the other room, but it only made her turn her head for a brief moment. Ah, but she could feel his pain and anger... and it made him feel for him that much more. "To find out this way," she muttered, "Is the worst thing of all." With that, she tucked her folded cloak beneath the pillow, put her goods away, and lay down for a bit of a nap. She'd gotten the room after all, might as well use it.

Rhiannon Zellen has posed:
She heard a faint thump, and looked up as the elevator descended. "......" She had no words. Without heeding Chita's warning at all, Rhia resumed the drawing of the summoning circle while taking the ride. She completed drawing it into the air in due time and held a hand out to cast the spell.

There was a flash of light and then the handle of the Black Omen appeared. Without any protection, Rhia grasped it and pulled. "And now to take this back to where it should be."