http://coldhardfisting.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] coldhardfisting.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] trans_92011-04-04 05:59 pm

A bone-chilling test! Literally.

It had only taken Snow a few minutes after waking up to realize that he still had his powers. As strange and unfathomable as it was (for crying out loud, he saw that it was gone), there his l'Cie brand was, easily noticeable on his left forearm and, from what Snow could recall, in the same form it was in right before he had lost it. But then again, he couldn't be quite sure, he wasn't very keen on studying the mark very closely when he did have it - he just knew that it had been pretty well along. A round, eye-shaped pattern inside of a rectangular brand, arrowed edges branching off in all directions. But it was no longer the deep black color that it had been, it was glazed over in a dull grey. And though it made him uneasy to see the brand there again, he was relieved that it was at least frozen. No ever-present countdown to turning into a monster.

He had felt the rush of icy powers when he tried to use them down in the pod chambers, even though they had been promptly cut off by one of Stacy's tentacles. So Snow'd be able to fend for himself (and protect Serah. Which was ten times more important than fending for himself, really), since despite what he'd read and what he'd heard so far, he was skeptical of many things. He had dealt with enough to easily trust some voice in his head that later reprimanded him and ordered him to follow the rules when he had no idea what was happening. He never did like rules, and he especially didn't like the idea of some giant talking creature trying to play puppeteer with people and simply expect them to go along with it. He'd had enough of that. So having his powers back was a point up in feeling even a little more safe.

But as he stood in the city, in an area large enough to both test this out and for any passersby to easily spot him, he had one more thing he wanted to try. "Let's see if you two are still here, too." Snow spoke, seemingly to nobody in particular. He raised his arm, a small, ice-blue orb forming around and rising from his brand. "Shiva!" he called, and a glyph-like pattern materialized in mid-air in front of him. From it rose two figures, completely contrasted from the other. One dark, one light - the summoned sisters looked more like robots of some sort, adorned with chains and huge, bulky pieces of metal. The large wheels clearly visible on their bodies gave the (very obvious) impression that the two could combine into a vehicle of some sort. They landed gracefully in front of Snow, who just smiled widely at the them.

"Hey! Long time no see!" he greeted with a wave. "I can't believe you two wound up sticking around, too! At least getting around'll be a little easier, now."

[identity profile] twilit-midna.livejournal.com 2011-04-04 10:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well, well." Midna had wandered into the area largely by accident; she was trying to find her way around the ship and update her maps at the same time. She hadn't expected to find a familiar face in this strange city -- at least not so soon. But there Snow was, with a pair of spirits of some sort.

"I didn't know you were a magician."

[identity profile] twilit-midna.livejournal.com 2011-04-04 10:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"A second time? So you lost them before?" Midna is no stranger to lost powers, but at least now she's got a little extra insurance to pad the old magical bank account. The two sisters don't look like anything she's ever seen before, though.

"Run into anyone you know?"

[identity profile] twilit-midna.livejournal.com 2011-04-04 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh? Well, good for you." Midna didn't begrudge Snow his happiness at being reunited with his Serah again. She didn't even really mind that he hadn't answered her other question, no matter how curious she was about it. Snow was an odd human.

"Maybe I should come meet her sometime, see if she's as... unique as you are."

[identity profile] twilit-midna.livejournal.com 2011-04-04 11:49 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hmph. Well... I guess it couldn't hurt. Not that I need the company or anything." Yeah. She couldn't help adding that last bit.

"...No. I have no memory of being 'picked up' by this place at all." And that's something that worries her. "The last thing I remember, I was in Hyrule. We were finally going to give that no-good charlatan a taste of his own medicine, and then... and then all of a sudden I'm in this thing's stomach with goop all over me."

"Sounds like everything around here is a long story. But if those abilities are useful, then it's a good thing you got them back -- magician or not." She paused. "I read over this Omniwhatsit here that there's some kind of mysterious magical tower that appeared on the ship. I wonder if it has anything to do with what's going on?"

[identity profile] memory-hax.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 01:40 am (UTC)(link)
The surge in power tingled at the edge of Phillip's mind as he turned towards it. Rumbling to a halt on the HardBoiler, he pulled his helmet off to stare at the sight of the two graceful looking summons. "How interesting," he said, touching his chin in thought.

Wasting no time, he walked over to Snow with a spring in his step. First the skinless man, now this? It was like a learning experience frenzy! "Hello!" he exclaimed with more zest that had been in his voice for ages. "Are they your friends?"

[identity profile] memory-hax.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 01:58 am (UTC)(link)
"Ah. I know a few things about trump cards as well," agreed Phillip, thinking mostly of CycloneJoker Xtreme and the once-in-a-blue-moon Xtreme Gold.

"Phillip," he said, offering a hand in greeting.

[identity profile] twilit-midna.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
"Not the kind of behavior you'd expect from someone who wants a favor from you, hmm? I like my memories nice and intact, thanks."

Midna looked at the two sisters, then back at Snow. "Mind if I ask who they are? I've never seen spirits like that before."

At the news that Snow had already racked up a violation of his own, she crossed her arms, frowning. "Already got one? I heard about those Punishments. They're not something I ever want to see again -- you'd better be careful about those things. What'd you get it for, anyway?"

[identity profile] memory-hax.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 02:38 am (UTC)(link)
"A few months at least, since before the new years clocked over and more than two pod releases, counting this one." replied Phillip, appreciating the handshake. Good and firm, like Shotarou's.

"I work in the library, although there's a lot of other things that I like to do around here. Settling in can be a little bit of a shock, depending on your first impression."

[identity profile] memory-hax.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
Phillip nodded. "I was recruited into a strike team several months ago when a Node was discovered on a planet within our course. Lead by Hellion, we fought to destroy it before it caused any damage, or was able to join up with their main "fleet" as it was. There are also several other people, the majority of the crew in fact that still are awake from over one year ago, who fought against a major assault on the planet of Zokez. Logs of that are available as well."

Phillip looked over at Snow, conviction in his expression. "They are real. And unprepared, can overwhelm anyone in an instant. Fast, cold, merciless."

[identity profile] twilit-midna.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
"Sounds handy. But don't they talk?" Because so far, neither of them had said a word, though they seemed to understand Snow, at least. "And why are they connected to that mark? Did you form some kind of pact with them?"

"Oh. Well, hey, just don't try that fourteen more times, and you'll be fine, right?"

[identity profile] memory-hax.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
"There's a lot of secrets on Stacy, and things that we ourselves are in the dark about. Neuropathy is working around the clock to work with Stacy's numerous AI's, as well as Command working hard for access codes to her main controls. So far, we've made contact with the Dialgig Commands and the united groups against them."

Phillip sighed a bit. "It really isn't something you can actually agree on until you see it for yourself. The amount of people who would actually believe everything at face value are slim, for obvious reasons. But working together is a big problem since the ship comes with its own baggage with the people at large."

[identity profile] memory-hax.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
Phillip had to give off a short laugh at that. "I don't think anyone would for that matter. There's a certain level of unease within the crew about listening to anyone claiming them to be a "higher power" for good reason."

Nodding, Phillip smiled at Snow. "If you need aid, I am always available at the Atori Tea House. I'm afraid our rooms are currently full at the moment, but we do also have room at my own place just a half a block away known as the Narumi Detective Agency. It's spartan, but enough room for a few beds."

[identity profile] memory-hax.livejournal.com 2011-04-05 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes they do actually, but I see. That's not a big deal. There's a lot of couples on board, so finding a place to stay would be easier to do once we can get a few of the habitable city buildings cleaned up," explained Phillip.

"The crew quarters work just as well, but they're organic, like most of the ship. At least with the city you have regular buildings."

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