[Voice/Action]

[thenightmarebegins]

[...the return is disorienting. Vincent notices that he's somewhere near one of the lakes and at least that gives him some vague idea of his location. He takes a moment to collect his thoughts before he finally opens his journal.]

...Could someone inform me of the date?

[That done, he's going to... just remain where he is for a while. It's later in the day by the time he starts trudging back to town. Unfortunate for him, the aftereffect of mallynapping has left him temporarily stuck in Chaos form despite being mentally himself. So he'll be looking very monstery if you run across him.]

Comments

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

[About two weeks, then. Of course that information is less strange than the appearance of people from home. He's trying to decide if he's still hallucinating, but perhaps if he keeps talking he'll regain some grip on reality.]

Cloud... You've returned?

[No, this won't seem confusing at all.]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[...you know, it makes sense that Vincent has been here and practicing radio silence. Cloud would have been more surprised to see him walking around.]

Looks like, though I don't remember being here before.

So you've been here? You sound weird- are you okay? [He can't really see that picture too well.]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

It's not uncommon for such memories to vanish entirely...

[He's deliberately trying to make it harder to see him, of course, so he isn't helping with that image thing.]

I've been in Luceti for over a year, but... the Malnosso are known to abduct people for individual experiments.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

So-

Wait, are you all right? Where are you?

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

I'm fine. [Not fully, but he will attempt to keep saying as much in the grand tradition of Vincent-ish distancing. There is a quick glimpse of his Chaosy form as he moves the journal a little.] The effects when they return us... dissipate gradually. Time is needed.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

...Vincent are you Chaos right now?

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

...My consciousness is trapped in his form.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[He sees this.]

Are you sure you don't need some...y'know, help? [Damage-control help, that is.]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

I'll avoid crowded areas. [...as if this technique will work perfectly. :|] ...I'm on my way back to town.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

I'll come meet you.

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

Take your time. I'll be... a while.

[Despite being in Chaos form he's completely worn out. Still, he would prefer to get inside and away from people as soon as possible... so he trudges along to town as hastily as he can manage.]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[It isn't all that difficult to track Vincent down. Cloud just has to follow the whispers of "what the hell is THAT" before he comes across...Chaos.

Oh Holy.

It's just a little bit terrifying; every time Cloud's seen Chaos it's been when Vincent is tearing some evil monster or thing into ribbons. It's very strange to just see him dragging himself through down like everything's normal.]

Vince- Vincent!

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

[At least he's in control, although it's a strange experience all the same. But Vincent would rather they run in fear, since Chaos should be treated as a potential threat to anyone. He turns at the sound of Cloud's voice, making an effort not to get too near anyone along the way.]

Cloud.

[He's still stuck in the mindset he was in two weeks ago, so he stares intently at him when he reaches him. After a moment, his mind is finally made up that he hasn't just been hallucinating people from home.]

...No illusion...

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[It's...really strange to see this form and not be in a frantic battle frenzy. But Vincent is definitely in control, and he seems pretty out of it so it would probably be wise to get him somewhere out of sight before some well-meaning do-gooder tried to attack him.]

No, it's not. C'mon, I'll walk with you. Where are you living?

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

Community Building One.

[Yes... all he wants to do is sleep this off.]

Cloud... have any others returned besides you?

[Mostly he's thinking of threats. He has not yet been able to realize any silver-haired people around after all.]

wow that icon is terrifying

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

Tifa has. And...Aerith and Zack.

[Cloud doesn't mention that crazycake Black Clone he talked to the other day. No need to agitate Vincent when he's tired and all Chaos'd up.]

:D!

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

...they were all here in the past, as well.

[The Malnosso do have a habit of bringing people in waves, and he's fearing they may see one or more of their adversaries return. But that can be dealt with later.]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

So I've been told.

None of us remember being here before. But we were, weren't we? [Vincent wouldn't lie about this. Vincent...isn't really the lying type. He just doesn't talk if he doesn't want to say something.]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

[What he knows tends to be a need-to-know basis type of info. Although he is concerned about who else might show up, he won't create unneeded panic ahead of time.] All of you. Even... including dangerous individuals from home.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Cloud hesitates again.]

Dangerous individuals like who? [For Holy's sake don't say Sephiroth or Jenova. At least let it be someone pathetic like Palmer. Or even the Turks, Cloud can deal with the Turks.]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

[He would much prefer dealing with the modern set of Turks, himself, since they can at least be allied with. The murdering silver-haired type of enemy on the other hand...]

Sephiroth for a time... and for a while, his Remnants.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[There's that word again.]

His Remnants?

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

[Even in the post-kidnapping weirdness, it doesn't take much for him to shift into Serious Explanation mode. Gathers his thoughts a little, because this means there's... a lot which Cloud hasn't been through. Not all of it is yet relevant to tell.]

After his defeat, Sephiroth's will lingered in the form of three separate individuals, each possessing their own personality and consciousness. Yet each of them... represents a fragment of him. For that reason, they should be considered just as dangerous.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

You're kidding me. That bastard still hasn't died? [Cloud scowls and drags his hands through his hair in sheer aggravation.

Okay calm down. He should probably tell Vincent about the one he met then, Chaos'd up or not. At least they'd reached the building, so Vincent can get into his room and rest.]

[chaotic-dirge.livejournal.com]

[That's good. Vincent is looking forward to sleeping off the experiment. But he gives Cloud one of those piercing stares. Who cares if it looks creepier in Chaos' form.]

Unfortunately, he was stronger than we anticipated. We must remain wary for any of them to appear.