*The Lounge is quiet -- too quiet. The site itself has gone unattended since the power struggle of almost over one year ago. The actual time was one year, one month and 12 days since it had occured, not that anyone was counting. And since that one single yet irefutable battle, the site had fallen into the hands of those who had once been in Demosthenes control were in charge. Demosthenes. The woman with that name didn't even feel that she deserved the title of the great Greek orator, the demogogue, and thus seeks to cast it off but finds she cannot until the impossible happens and the site is retaken*
*The doors to the Lounge open, and in walks those who cast off their chains. Rufus, who once had been the proud leader of the rebelion, has thus been overthrown by Reno who is taking his leadership role very seriously*
Reno *Stands off to the side, tapping his foot impatiently with his arms are crossed* "I know she's not gone. Oh no, she wouldn't abandon us to take over even if she HAD lost interest, and here we created a revolution. She's lying in wait, making plans to rise up and snatch it out from underneath us when we're least expecting it..."
Elena: *Rolls her eyes* "Oh, get over it. She hasn't even counterattacked in almost a year, what makes you think that she even remembers us? Get. A. Life. Reno."
Reno: "How do I know? HOW DO I KNOW? I'll tell you, doll. Him." *Points off to the side*
Sephiroth: *Walks out of the shadows* "Heheheh... You all think you know so much. You forget that I'm still the only one who can cross the dimension barriers in this place."
Tifa: "Yeah, what's up with that? I mean, we did take over completely. Shouldn't control over that revert automatically back to us?"
Rufus: "No. The dimensional barrier in between these universes was only set to allow access for Sephiroth, Demosthenes, and one other through. I've studied the settings thoroughly and nowhere in the data core suggests that it is connected in any way to the control center of the site."
Reno: "How do you know all this stuff?"
Rufus: *Mumbles something unintelligably*
Elena: "What?" *Cups a hand around her ear* "Speak up, we can't hear you."
Rufus: "I said I LIKE TECHNOLOGY! Okay? You happy now?"
Cloud: "Wait, wait, wait! What I'm wondering is what other person has been in our midst that has the power to move through the dimensional barrier without our knowing? This could have been a powerful tool long ago. So who could it-"
Aeris: "It was me."
Cloud: *Surprised* "You?"
Tifa: *Accusing* "You!"
Reno: *Laughing* "You?"
Aeris: *Nods* "Me."
Cloud: "Why?"
Aeris: "Oh, like I've got nothing else better to do that to tell you every single event that goes on in my life? I may be good, but I'm not some purile child who needs daddy's permission to wipe my ass. I mean butt! Butt! Not ass at all."
Tifa: "I think what he means is how did you get the power?"
Aeris: *Shakes her head* Think for a moment, Teef. Which two have the ability to go through dimensional barriers?"
Tifa: "You and Seph."
Aeris: "Right. Now, everyone who has died in this room raise your hands."
*Sephiroth and Aeris raise their hands*
Aeris: "We can go through the barrier because we were dead. Our spiritual essence is aligned less closely with the Planet, allowing us access to other realms."
Sephiroth: *Raises the blade of his sword to her throat* "Don't call me Seph."
Tifa: "Oh, come off it. We kicked your ass once before, and we can do it again easily, so stop acting like a jerk."
Reno: "Yeah, Seph. Remember who's in charge."
Sephiroth: "She and her little group may have beaten me once, but as I recall you haven't." *Raises sword*
Reno: *Grins evily* "And as I recall, you once told me you'd let me call you Seph once I had as much power as a certain young woman who used to control us. Gee, I wonder who has all that power now..."
Sephiroth: "...Shit."
*Meanwhile...*
ChikkaChika: "So, you want me to leave the safety of my site in order to help you wage a coup d'etat on the very same people who threw your fifteenth birthday bash?"
Demosthenes: "Yeah, pretty much.
ChikkaChika: "Cool. I'm in."
Demosthenes: "Huh? Well, uh, I actually thought it would take more to get you to agree... I had all these pie graphs and flow charts and stuff..."
ChikkaChika: "I've been waiting months for you to use me in there to help you take back your control. I was beginning to think you forgot about it."
Demosthenes: "Eh heh. Me forget? What a preposterous notion." *Looks away sheepishly*
ChikkaChika: "Uh huh. Sure."
Demosthenes: "Alright, Ms. Skeptical, here's the plan..."
*Back in the Lounge...*
Sephiroth: "I need a second."
Rufus: "What for?"
Sephiroth: "Sepuku. Ritualistic--"
Rufus: "Ritualistic Japanese suicide. I know. You're actually going through with it?"
Sephiroth: "No matter how long ago I gave my word, I gave it. I do not go back on my word."
Rufus: *Looks at him skeptically* "Oh really? And what do you call breaking your oath in SOLDIER? *Sephroth looks sheepish* "Oh, how about the time you torched the town you were supposed to protect?"
Sephiroth: "I think this is enough of a trip down memory lane. Do you accept becoming my second?"
Rufus: "Why me?"
Sephiroth: "The sad truth is you're the only one I trust around here who is somewhat sane."
Rufus: "You are aware that you will revert back here though, right?"
Sephiroth: "Any reprieve from this hell is better than none."
Reno: *Yelling from outside the Lounge* "I need security upped on these new cameras! I need to be able to tell who is from this dimension by body heat signature!"
Rufus: *Sighs* "Sometime later, eh? I've got to deal with the paranoia king right now." *And off he goes*
Sephiroth: "Hmph." *Starts to walk off*
???: "Oh, Sephiroth..."
Sephiroth: *Spins around, drawing his Masamune* "Who dares to enter? The Black Materia strays not far from my hand, impertinent fool."
???: "Relax, Seph. I've come to, shall we say, set things back into order..." *And then the mysterious one throws off her disguise*
Sephiroth: "And from the shadows she doth come... the wicked goddess, clothed in the eternal flame of darkness and light. Hello, Demosthenes."
Demosthenes: "I would have prefered cake and balloons, but this will do nicely for my return." *She pauses* "Have a seat, Sephiroth. We have much to talk about."
Sephiroth: "Why have you returned after so humiliating a defeat at the hands of Reno? As I recall, you were banished."
Demosthenes: *Makes a face* "I'm trying to be dramatic here, if you don't mind. You're really ruining it for me with the telling of reality." *Waves her hand* "Oh well, it doesn't really matter. I can make do in a pinch."
Sephiroth: *Just stands there.*
Demosthenes: "Reno took my power from me. I want it back. No one -- and I mean NO ONE -- takes away what belongs to me. I know you're not happy, Sephiroth. For some reason you've got a twisted power complex that makes you want power but only if a mother figure is above you in the chain."
Demosthenes: *cough* Weirdo. *cough*
Sephiroth: "What was that?"
Demosthenes: "Something in the air?"
Sephiroth: "Hmph."
Demosthenes: "You help me out, and I'll keep you from falling on your nice shiny sword. It would be such a pity to stain it because of Reno..." *Pauses* "Things are going to change."
Sephiroth: "...We have a deal for now. Despite our strength, we'll need others."
Demosthenes: *Smirks* "That's being taken care of as we speak."
*In the hallway...*
Rufus: "Why doesn't he have the grease monkey Cid do this? I was the president of Shinra Electric Company for crying out loud..."
ChikkaChika: "I think it's 'cause you're cuter."
Rufus: "AHHHHHH!" *Jumps up in the air, equipment falling all over the floor* "Who the hell are you?! Security!"
ChikkaChika: "Shhhh!"*Puts a hand over his mouth* "If I let go, will you be silent?"
Rufus: *Nods*
ChikkaChika: "Okay."
Rufus: "Normally I wouldn't mind being gagged by a beautiful woman, but somehow I think that's not why you're here."
ChikkaChika: "You're not my type."
Rufus: "A pity."
ChikkaChika: "I'm giving you an offer you can't refuse. A chance to be free of that red haired dope by Demosthenes."
Rufus: "Let me guess: Blah, blah, blah...Reno stole her power from her...blah, blah, blah... she wants it back... blah de blah, no one ever takes power from her. Do I have it down, or should I continue?"
ChikkaChika: "Actually...yeah. That was pretty true to form. So...yeah. Heh."
Rufus: "I'm in. Anything to escape Reno's incompitance."
ChikkaChika: "Cool! I, uh, didn't really expect it to take this short of time... I had this whole speech planned out, and she won't pick us up for a few minutes because of the whole timing thing."
*Awkwardness ensues*
Rufus: "Yeah. So..."
ChikkaChika: "...Yeah. Um... I cried when Aeris died?"
Rufus: "Ah. I heard it was sad."
ChikkaChika: "Yeah. So did I." *Picks a peice of lint off her shirt*
Rufus: *Coughs* "How long until she gets here, again?"
Demosthenes: "Now."
Rufus and ChikkaChika: "AHHHH! Don't do that!"
Demosthenes: "Sorry. Sephiroth is ready to do his part."
Rufus: "You got Sephiroth to help?!"
Demosthenes: "You're shocked why?"
Rufus: "Actually, it's not that surprising. Don't know why I responded like that. Weird. It's like I couldn't control my voice..."
Demosthenes: "Anyway, here's the plan..."
*Later... In the Control Room*
Rufus: *"Fixing" security cameras* "We're all set, Reno."
Reno: "That's nice." *Comes up from behind Rufus and knocks him out with his tazer* "Take five."
Sephiroth: *Holds the Masamune to Reno's neck* "Funny. I thought that was my line."
Demosthenes: "It's over, Reno. Hand back control to me, or face the consequences."
Reno: *Snaps his fingers, and the rest of the Turks come running* "Things have changed, young grasshopper."
Demosthenes: "Reno, you took my power from me. I want it back. No one -- and I mean NO ONE -- takes away what belongs to me. Got it?"
Reno: "You have no idea who you're dealing with. You're not dealing with little Reno anymore; you're dealing with a Turk with power."
Aeris: "And you're dealing with one PO'd, Lifestream weilding, magic using, Holy calling Cetra. Bring it on, I'm gonna beat you like Meteor!"
Reno: "It's sad to say, but I have never been more attracted to you than I am right now."
Demosthenes: "You're far outnumbered. So let's talk turkey -- a new year with new rules."
Reno: "...Okay. Let's deal."
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Demosthenes: Blah, blah, blah. I don't own any of the characters. If I did, would I honestly be writing this? ...Yeah, I probably would. Just better, though.