Wutai Shore Line

[phauxx]

Phauxx had been walking the shoreline for what seemed like days. Waiting for some kind of sign of life, he didn't even see fish in the water which made food scarce. He was down to his last bit of rations and two MRE's. Phauxx had still seen no sign of Exdeath yet, but he wasn't too worried, his opponents hadn't shown up yet either so he just brushed it off.

Fox on the other hand was doing just fine, he managed to stomach the grass along the shore line and even caught a few smaller birds to eat. Fox tried to share with Phauxx but Phauxx protested insisting that since Fox had caught it, it was his. Besides, MRE's weren't so bad, once you got past the face that the calorie count in one meal was enough for almost a day and a half. Phauxx choked them down anyway, making sure to 'enjoy' every last bit of it.

Phauxx was still wandering around where boats usually dock when approaching Wutai. He was throwing a stick out for Fox to retrieve. After about the fourth time he threw the stick and it made it half way to Fox when it splintered and there was a massive splash exploded from what seemed like nowhere.

Phauxx looked out to the water to see what looked like a crater in the shallows of the water, as if a comet had just landed on the shoreline. Phauxx kind of shrugged and grabbed another stick and threw it to Fox who went on his merry way retrieving it.

Phauxx worked his way up the crater and peered down into it only to see what looked like a hand sticking out of the ground. "Holy hell?!?" Phauxx hopped down into the crater and began to un-bury the hand. Slowly but surely he reached the arm and then the shoulder and the head of what appeared to be a soldier of some sort. He finished un-burying him and then pulled him out and carried him out of the hole.

Phauxx carried him out of the reach of the water and grabbed some dried wood and used a fire materia to start a camp fire. He turned his attention to the abused and beaten man. He focused on the bleeding areas and began to bandage them up, he tried to wake him but no response, he appeared to be breathing but it was very shallow. Phauxx did however notice a very familiar symbol on what appeared to be the mans talisman. He looked it over a bit and then looked at the ring he was wearing, the markings were almost identical.
Maybe a friend of Mateus'?
Phauxx continued to work on bandaging the man's more minor wounds. All his severe wounds had been dressed, now it was just a matter of will power keeping man alive.

Fox worked on gathering whatever he thought was edible, mushrooms, gyshal greens, anything that might help the man when he woke up and began to pile them to the left of his head.
Phauxx just sat and hoped that when the two did come, they would see the fire and maybe think this is where they were supposed to dock or something along those lines. However Wutai was a big island and they could break shore anywhere. He had a pretty good feeling about where he was at though, he already had one stranger drop in, why not add a few more.

[emperorzerox]

All Staniv could see was Mateus face as he slept. That demonic face laughing with its hands over Wutai. People wandering aimlessly through the streets.

"Do not frown. Nothing is beyond my grasp. Life, death even the Lifestream shall come under my rule." Staniv now was standing where he fought Mateus before.

"I now offer you a chance. Serve me and anyone you have lost, I can restore. Nothing is beyond the power of the God-Emperor." Staniv suddenly felt a burning sensation a\nd woke up lying on the beach. Two others were there as well looking at him.

"Ungh......" Staniv tried to get to his feet but he was unable to stand. One of his legs was badly bruised.

"what happened.....I remember...a demon in gold." Staniv sat up and tried to figure out what happened until something strange headed their way. It was a large group of Adamantoise swimming southwards towards Wutai. On the back of one was what looked like a huge breed of Fang. The beast spotted the fire and hopped across a few Adamantoise shells and stopped nearby.

"Have any of you spotted a female Firecat?" Nanaki asked as he left the water.

[phauxx]

Phauxx stared in awe of the adamantoise swimming by. "It's the beautiful scenes in life you have to stop and enjoy." At which point Fox pawed at him a little bit. Phauxx looked down at her, "What?" She pawed again, "No I'm not giving you anything out our emergency pack, you have been catching food all day and you're still hungry." She gave him a nudge and then nodded over toward Staniv, "Oh him."

Phauxx cocked his head to the side. "What are you talking about now? I found you after you fell from the sky into the shoreline. I unburied you and treated your wounds . heh . You are one tough SOB I'll give you that dude." Phauxx looked back over to the adamantoise and noticed Nanaki coming over toward them on their backs.

"Wow, we are getting all kinds on the shoreline here, looks like all we have to do is wait and eventually the others will join us."
Phauxx looked at the Nanaki as he jumped off the backs of the adamantoise. He asked his question and Phauxx just kind of shook his head. "Fox here is a Firecat. She can be kind of mean at times but I don't think she is who you are looking for." Fox gave Phauxx a mean nudge like, 'don't talk about me like I'm not here' and Phauxx just laughed a bit. He then looked Nanaki over for a second. "Do I know you? I dunno, I feel like I know you from somewhere."

Phauxx scratched his head, "I'm usually really good with names but I am just dumbfounded right now." He tried to remember as best he could but the name just wouldn't come to him.

[emperorzerox]

"I know the feeling. Its just a smell I'm getting. Like a smell from my childhood or from a few years back, but I'm sure we met. Maybe it was when I was going bgack home with Cloud" Nanaki then looked back at Fox and sniffed her.

Two females now? Did Grandpa know? Nanaki thought to himself. Staniv looked over and thought he was hallucinating.

"Mr Nanaki?" Nanaki looked at Staniv but didnt recall his name.

"Oh hi. You were at the Pagoda when Yuffie was training. If i remember right, you were third weren't you?"

"Yes. Stanivs' the name and I am the mage of the tower. Im honestly shocked Yuffie outsmarted me but Im guessing her journey with you helped her blossom into the fine warrior she is now."

[phauxx]

Phauxx tilted his head to the side again began to scratch behind his ear like there was a strange burning sensation. "You're friends with Cloud? We have to have met then, I grew up in the same town as him. He is a bit older than me and I wanted to follow in his footsteps but my father wouldn't let me. He kept rambling on about me being meant for bigger things." Fox leaned forward a bit when Nanaki sniffed her and she shook her head and gave a bit of a sneeze. Phauxx nudged her, "You think he thinks you smell any better." She barked and nudged Phauxx.

"So Stanivs, how are you feeling? You need some food, Fox here gathered some wild creatures we can cook something up for you to help you get your strength back." Phauxx motioned toward the wild rabbit looking creatures that Fox had caught.

Phauxx looked back to Nanaki, "You mentioned Yuffie, Yuffie Kisuragi?" She must be the female warrior that Mateus wanted me to assassinate. "Isn't Wutai her home town? I think I have heard her name mentioned a few times in town while I was there. Is she the last one coming?" Mateus did say there was a female warrior and something like a demon that was traveling with her. Phauxx threw another log on the fire which instantly caught on fire and burned with a gentle warmth that made a very relaxed atmosphere.

[emperorzerox]

"Thats right. She was born and bred here in Wutai." Staniv said reffering to Yuffie. "She was always trouble at times, but I was sure she meant well. She can deny it as much as she wants, but shes more like lord Godo than she realises." Nanaki moved closer to the fire and stretched himself to relax. His ears though were suddenly alerted to something. Something sinister.

Mwahahaha. The emperors assassin is certainly accustomed to beasts Exdeath was on top of a hill now overlooking the camp site. He had been there a while but until the female and demon appeared, Exdeath was going to remain at a distance.

"Most parents tend to be like that" Nanaki responded once he began to relax. My Grandpa often said the same thing of me and each day i wonder....Have i done him proud?" Nanaki got to its feet and went away from the fire again. Staniv yawned as he hadn't slept since this palace appeared.

"All I need is a good sleep I think" Staniv said as he lay down. His body in a state of sleep before his head reached the ground. Nanaki looked towards Wutai and the smell of the corruption coming from it was growing.

"This infection. I fear that its spreading."

[phauxx]

Bred in Wutai? "So she was born and raised here huh? That explains the stories." Phauxx just gave a chuckle and watched as Nanaki stretched out next to the fire. Phauxx noticed Nanaki's ears perk up and he felt it as well. This presence from Wutai, Exdeath, should have figured he would be late.

Phauxx took note of the question that Nanaki posed, "Proud huh? I don't know if I have made my father proud. I . . ." he looked down at his feet and tapped them together a bit, "I lost contact with him at a very young age. After that I became a mercenary, whoever paid me the best would be the one to gain my loyalty." He gave another chuckle, "Stupid right? I figure if I can just get enough money then maybe, just maybe I can find out who I am? Maybe find my birth parents." Phauxx sighed a little bit, "but no one seems to know who I am. I have been all over the world searching for answers and each question I ask just gives me another question in return. It tends to get rather annoying." He gave a short laugh.

Phauxx heard Staniv say all he needed was a good nights sleep. "Well that's good, at least it means you're feeling better." Phauxx dug into his bag and pulled out a blanket, he tossed it over to Stanivs side and Fox, who was already next to him, tucked him in. She then curled into a ball at his feet and began to dream as well.

Phauxx looked at Nanaki questionably. "Infection? What kind of infection?" He leaned back against a boulder and gave a yawn, it had been getting late, maybe a good nights sleep is what everyone needed.

[emperorzerox]

"I'm not even sure infection is the right word for this. But lately the lifestream has been acting strangely. Almost like its polluted by something." Nanaki sat to think why the lifestream would indeed change like this.

"The Calamity has been dead a long time, but as an Alien and not a being from this world, is it possible her presence in the planet is making it sick? Like some kind of virus?" Nanaki spotted Staniv was now out like a light with Fox resting near him. Phauxx wasn't too far from being asleep himself either. Nanaki decided to stretch his legs a little now after all the standing still he did getting over on the Adamantoises.

"Be back in a minute. Just need to stretch the muscles a little. Slept a lot earlier so I shouldnt need a rest until tomorrow at least." Nanaki walked away a small distance and stopped near some rocks. He looked up and knew Exdeath was there. Exdeath moved down in front of him.

"Another lost Firecat. The Emperor is summoning all mindless beasts to him." Nanakis tail shook as he looked at Exdeath. This guy just reeked of wrong. Nanaki was almost certain he was just a suit of armor flowing with the corruption.

"I'm not mindless. None of us are"

"Mwahahaha. I disagree. A female is at the emperors side and she seems happy to be drooling all over him. Why I'd almost say she fancies him..." Nanaki's body just shook with rage as Exdeath kept mocking this female. Nanaki knew nothing about her, but was convinced she was the one.

"Now I am needed elsewhere beast, so i expect to see you at the palace soon." Exdeath vanished and Nanaki was unsure where to go. He decided to return to the camp for now.

[phauxx]

Phauxx yawned again. "Yeah, I dunno what to say. I really haven't bothered myself with the affairs of the world. The world turned its back on me long ago." Phauxx picked up a few small stones and began to throw them one at a time into the waters as they gently crashed down on the sands.

Nanaki stood up and mentioned stretching and Phauxx just nodded, "Alright." He tossed a few more rocks and dropped the remaining in his hand on the ground next to him. He closed his eyes and tried to get some rest.

His eyes closed and he heard his father once again, "Project Unt . . " as his barrier crushed him. Those words just repeated over and over in his dream. He wrestled around on the ground for a bit in his sleep as the words bothered him, haunted him, devoured his every thought.

Phauxx awoke suddenly and in a cold sweat right as Nanaki wandered back into camp. He gave a chuckle, "Stupid dreams." He picked up the rocks by his side and started to play with them, examining them one at a time then tossing them to the side.

"So how was your walk?" He asked Nanaki, who didn't look the same as before he left for it.

[emperorzerox]

"Strange Id say is the easiest word to use here. I thought I knew about all the armor the Wutains wore but this last guy I met a minute ago. His armor definitely didn't look Wutain. He almost seemed like a talking soulless suit of armor. Its so strange." Nanaki yawned as he tried to think more about what Exdeath was. Exdeath though was back on top of the hill overlooking the camp sight. Most of the adamantoises had now passed by and were walking towards Wutai.

[phauxx]

"Strange?" Phauxx raised his eyebrow. "Like haha strange or what?" Phauxx chuckled. "And soulless armor? You must mean Exdeath . . . he is one of Mateus' followers. It is just a suit of armor that has the tainted lifestream flowing through it." Phauxx stared at the ocean, "Yup, wandering around Wutai you hear about these things." Phauxx dropped the rest of the rocks on the ground next to him.

Phauxx yawned, "Ya, I wonder what it looks like now, when I left everyone was wandering around like mindless zombies." Phauxx leaned back against the boulder and closed his eyes. "Oh well, things will work out, they always do for some reason . . . or . . . another." He slipped away into a deep sleep, he needed it after the training he did the day prior.

[phauxx]

Phauxx's eyes opened slowly. The sunlight stung and it pierced his pupils. He hated mornings, always had, always will. Phauxx looked around to find everyone else still asleep. "Geez, I hate mornings." He rolled over and curled up trying to get a little more sleep but he was wide awake now. He sat up giving a yawn as he stretched. He leaned up against the rock behind him and looked out to the ocean.

What the hell, they should have been here by now. I really hope they didn't bypass us. What the hell, by this time I could have gone to midgar and finished my previous mission. Phauxx's mind wandered to Midgar and the parents that their child to forget about them. "Geez, when are they going to get here. Did they stop for milk and cookies along the way or something?" Phauxx was getting really bored.

[emperorzerox]

As phauxx mentioned milk and cookies, Nanaki slowly woke up. His stomach kinda reminding him it needed filling.

"Oh you're waiting here for someone? Well if they're coming by boat they would need to pass by here at some stage so unless they passed while we slept, they must be lost, or late." Nanaki got up from his lying position and suddenly dove into the sea. He opened his eyes underneath and saw way more fish than hed ever seen before.

Looks like all the predators are busy Nanaki thought as he chased the fattest fish he saw. This golden Bass was easily the same size as the firecat which might have intimidated some other creatures. Nanaki noticed the fish escaping so he used Sled fang and caught the fish. He was going diagonally too so he flew out of the water and landed on the sand with the fish' tail in his mouth. Gripping it anywhere else was impossible.

"Hope you like a golden Bass. These beauties are very rare. Must be because the monsters are moving"

[phauxx]

Phauxx kind of shrugged it off. "Yeah, I'm waiting for some people. They seem to be taking longer than expected." Phauxx scratched his chin as Fox woke up next to Stanvis and Gave a bit of a head shake. She looked at the camp fire and noticed it was out. She gave her head a shake and the Materia around her neck began to glow and small plume of fire erupted from the dormant logs.

Phauxx looked at the flames, "Looks like Fox is hungry." Phauxx chuckled. He looked back to Wutai, "So what do you think is happening there?" Phauxx just looked off into the distance. He couldn't see Exdeath but knowing him he was nearby watching, observing, waiting.

Phauxx looked back to the group and then at the ground. "Sometimes you just wish you change the world. It's a shame that there really is nothing you can do to change the world. It seems you are always stuck under whoever is trying to take it over." Phauxx picked up a handful of small rocks and began to throw them into the ocean again. I am sick of this crap, what is taking them too long.

Phauxx glanced to the right and then back at the water. They're here. Phauxx leaned forward and a puff of sand appeared on the boulder where his head was. "Son of a . . . " Phauxx rolled to behind the rock, "Did you see where it came from?" Phauxx asked Nanaki. "I didn't see where it came from." Fox grabbed the blanket Stanvis was laying and tried to pull him to safety but she didn't have the strength to pull him.

"Damnit Fox, get over here." Fox turned to him and the fire materia on her collar began to glow and a flame spouted right next to Phauxx's head. "Geez, I have him covered, lets go Fox." She gave a snort and hopped to behind the rock. "Damn snipers."

Phauxx poked his head over the rock and ducked just in time for another puff of sand to appear where his head was just momentarily. "Mother . . . Ok, Nanaki take cover somewhere before they start shooting at you." Phauxx pinched the bridge of his nose. Ok, what to do, what to do. This sniper was good, too good. This wasn't just another jockey out of the academy, this was a seasoned shooter, someone who could hit a soup can at over a mile.

"Ok, Nanaki, what I need is for you to draw his fire for a couple shots so I can get his location. Then take cover again, I can take the rest from there." Phauxx waited for Nanaki to acknowledge him, he needed the distraction so that he could tell where he was and eliminate him.

MEANWHILE

1.2 Miles away from the beach on the hillside was Geoffrey, sighting out his target. "Damn, this guy is fast." He waited for his next openeing to shoot then noticed the Firecat just standing there. He looked down at his orders and noted that it wasn't in his orders to kill random associates of this characters but he did take note that there was a Firecat that was also listed on the mission brief paper that was to be eliminated as well. Geoffrey saw Nanaki and assumed that he was the Firecat mentioned and adjusted his sights.

He measured out windspeed, temperature and humidity and adjusted as needed. He was a crack shot and did all his math in his head. Moving targets were never his strong suit but he could hit a fixed target within an dime of where he needed at 1.8 miles so he was naturally appointed the case. He took aim at Nanaki after adjusting his scope and sent one round from his .308 custom down range at the firecat. The bullet would reach him before the sound would but there was about a 5 to 6 second flight time so anything could happen.

[emperorzerox]

As Geoffrey took aim at Nanaki, the firecat cast a fire spell to get a fire started for the fish. The smell coming off of the huge bass was overwhelming. Exdeath saw a flash from his perch on top of a hill and initially didn't care, but then an idea came to him.

If the Emperor thought these two visitors would be a threat, maybe its in my best interest to keep them alive for now. Exdeath vanished from his perch (to the right of Geoffrey) and soon materialised beside him. His blade moved over Exdeaths shoulder and pointing towards the sniper.

"I need them, at least for a while. Once I'm done you can destroy them if you so wish, but now is not possible."