The Observatory

[ultimecia]

[glow=purple,2,800]In a matter of nothing, Ultimecia warped out of the many walls of Castle Oblivion, followed by the ever lost Jenova, seeking answers. They were in a room, where walls seemed like mirrors, and the reflexions would go on and on. Ultimecia walked forward, and with every step, it was disorienting for one not accustomed. The images reflected would be of them, and others...

There were not ordinary mirrors, for, they were enchanted to view the worlds around this one, an omnipotent room, called the Observatory. There was even a time, when one of these mirrors was 'stolen,' and somehow came into Maleficent's possession...yes... it came from here.

"Beautiful, is it not...?" said the witch, turning to see if the woman was catching up to her, "...the laws of time, do not apply here... the images you see, are what happens when past, future and present are one. "

Ultimecia paused and looked around her, her wings twitching a little before wrapping about her form. "Welcome... to my home."[/glow]

[serpentoflore]

Jenova found herself in a place that was quite beautiful. For some reason it wasn't at all scary for her to end up. There was an old, ancient feel that seemed to resonate within her. "This place is truly beautiful." A smile came onto her face naturally her body moving without worry for some reason beyond her understanding. "A place where time is not still...but seems to remain so."

[ultimecia]

[glow=purple,2,800]Somehow, out of nowhere, a table and two chairs appeared in this room, followed by a blur on the table surface to reveal hot tea, and a few sweets. Ultimecia sat, it seeming normal to her, and reached for a small chocolate orb, starring at Jenova, "Even this room... out of formalities...has its own observation." she shrugged, placing the chocolate in her mouth, and letting it melt there.

"Sit." She motioned Jenova to the empty chair, "You have all the time in the worlds...here... why not enjoy your stay?"

Ultimecia knew better... just as she knew Shantotto was helping someone forbidden magic within Castle Oblivion...

...This made the witch very angry, even though, Shantotto was doing her a favor for once. Balance was being held... for now.[/glow]

[serpentoflore]

Jenova sat down on the chair, making sure that her body was respectfully placed in the chair. For some reason she couldn't seem to figure out, this woman held an inner peace she had not seen for quite awhile. There was no chaos or light, just a neutral existence that let her think. Her hands settled in her lap while her mind began to think properly. She could speak to this woman and not fear being rather awkward.

"I was torn from Cloud's body." She spoke, pulling the tea closer to her. "The creature called himself Atticus, and told me that he could send me to the Promise Land if I did a task for him." She placed the cup to her lips, taking a small sip. When she had placed the cup down, she spoke again. "For some reason I wanted it, but why? I know not the reason I truly desire it. All I have are these memories that I cannot truly say are my own."

[ultimecia]

[glow=purple,2,800]"Again, what is the promised land?" Spoke the witch, reaching for a small cookie this time, able to disappear in one bite. She ate with fine decency, and would now and then, offer the woman treats. "Look around."

Jenova would find all the mirrors white before attaining many images from the words. A rather disorienting feat, where Garland, Beatrix, Lilith, Lexia, Vivi, Gabranth... EVERYONE, was being monitored... along with places, turn of events, and theoretical analysis of what IS to become an event.

Ultimecia stood, to stare at one of the mirrors, looking at a certain "past," one with a spiky, blond haired man stood, before splitting into two. She turned a moment to Jenova, looking with an expression of solitude, "Your birth is recorded here... along with the birth of another." she paused, "Where... I wonder... would you feel most at home?"

Something at the corner of her eye caught her attention... a certain white mage in Shantotto's study, learning magicks which she should NOT even set eyes upon. Ultimecia tensed a moment, before taking a deep breath, reviewing this anomaly, before seeing the many posibilities of these outcomes within seconds.

...

...

... She needed to go home soon, if anything. Oh, what a chat will she have with her fellow witch later.[/glow]

[serpentoflore]

"When I am tied to Cloud, I have only a menacing existence. Part of me desires to learn what I truly am." She spoke, beginning to understand something. She did not seduce because she wanted to, but because she thought she had to. "I wish to be separate from the person I have been preying on. Even if it means that I will lose what I am aware of."

A completely different existence, not tied to Cloud or even those he had. She wanted to be her own existence, with a purpose. To shed the appearance she had now...and become what she truly desired to be.

[ultimecia]

[glow=purple,2,800]"You always... have a choice, Jenova." she finally addressed her by name. Turning to the mirror to see now, once a man with blond hair, now a man with black hair with Jenova, but only for a split second until he awoke elsewhere. " To have a menacing existence or not... it is yours and yours alone... to decide."

"Run away from home... and find another, if that is what you desire." Again, Ultimecia spoke in riddles. This one pertaining to returning to form the man called Cloud, or to leave such life behind, and start a new. The witch turned in place, and walked back to her seat, watching still the learning White Mage, and her progress.

"Hm..." [/glow]

[serpentoflore]

Hearing her name comforted her the most. "I believe that even if by myself I am a menacing existence, I will acknowledge it. That is what I choose." She spoke with a smile, her hands holding tighter to the cup with the excitement of the thought. To be able to truly be her own person with her own goals... Her eyes closed for a moment, imagining the possibility.

[ultimecia]

[glow=purple,2,800]The witch watched the woman... she was very good at watching, for it was what she did most of the time... observe. Jenova was free to do as she pleased, to look at her history if she wished. Like she said... it was her choice.

" To seek what you wish..." she started, reaching over for a small cookie again, "...open your heart... and ask." [/glow]

[serpentoflore]

Jenova closed her eyes, digging deeper into her mind. Her eyes seeing what seemed to be a person that seemed to wander through space and time. Her hands slowly went to her lap, eyes opening a little. She could forget everything that Cloud had, discard it in order to pursue a new life. One where she was not going to force herself to be in such a dark state.

"I wish...to see what I have forgotten." She spoke, looking to the mirrors.

[ultimecia]

[glow=purple,2,800]Ultimecia had a look of almost regret. She would turn her head softly, and look to her side, the mirrors in front of Jenova becoming pitch black, and soon, it would spread to the rest of the room. As if in a 3D experience, the observatory came to life, and the life stream seemed to be passing by them, its song ever calming, and beautiful to the ears. Soon, people began to walk past Jenova, dressed in white robes with gold accessories, looking to be a peaceful tribe... It was the Cetra.

Ultimecia watched not her surroundings, but the girl, carefully eying her emotions to this.

...Then a meteor came, and from it, a woman with silver hair would emerge, looking upon her visitors of the Ancient City whom saw her as a God of peace, and restoration. Oh, little did they know, that this woman was quite the opposite, and still, she indulged them in delusions of grandeur, inspiring them on a lie, and fulling such belief until she was able to fully heal. Even told them the stories of a place called "The Promise Land."

Hell broke lose once she healed from her Heaven's fall, and with a cackle, and malice she turned on the very people which helped cure her. Jenova could see the woman murdering the Cetra, the loving Ancients, out of greed for the Promised Land, wanting to one day find such a peaceful place...

...her motives were not so clear--

"Enough," said the witch, and she swiped her hand across her vision, her room returning to normal, that peaceful serenity filled with many images. She sighed, and sat, crossing her arms and tilting her head to the side, "Now... you know what you are... and you still have a choice... two paths have opened, so which...shall you take?" [/glow]

[serpentoflore]

Jenova didn't know what to say at first, her mind processing the images. It took quite awhile before she spoke again. "I believe... That the fact I have chased after something I lied about proves that I need to be separate from such a creature of light." Her eyes gained a gentle hue, though the darkness was quite prominent. "The path I choose is the one that will be what I desire, not what Atticus chooses." Her body began to slowly change, throwing away the vision of the female Sephiroth to replicate the image of Jenova in the memories.

Standing up, she bowed to Ultimecia. "Thank you for what you have provided. I know what path I wish to walk now."

[ultimecia]

[glow=purple,2,800]Ultimecia gave the girl a smile, clearly, she was not lost anymore. She walked in front of the woman, watching the image she had become. The woman's wings curled around her own form, feeling a bit of cold from what was to happen. This room was always so empty, and again, it would become so in a matter of seconds.

"...Then stand there no more, Jenova." She spoke in that sultry voice, everything around the woman becoming a blur, even the witch.

** If Jenova was to blink from the disorientating blurs, she will find herself standing a few feet away from the table, in that room back at Cornelia. **

The witch stood there, somewhat sad her company had to leave... and speaking of... it was about time, for someone to leave as well. She composed herself, before growing a stern look.

** Time Warps to Shantotto's Study ** [/glow]

[Shantotto]

[glow=teal,2,300]Shantotto's rift had opened a table with treats spread throught. Out stepped the taru stretching her little arms. "Oldmecia ... I trust your still about?" Shantotto remarked. "Though this mess was not of mine, everything will be fixed in due time. O~hohoho" Shantotto was still not going to admit she had anything to do with the troubles that had come to rise, nor was she going to admit running from it.

She walked walked to the empty chair across from Ultimecia. After sitting she began to contemplate of her other mage recrutes...[/glow]

[ultimecia]

[glow=purple,2,800]** From Shantotto's Study*

Ultimecia was indeed there, still on that comfortable chair, starring at the pastries and treats, and further, toward the empty chair. She felt the presence of another...the midget. Her eyes looked dully over to Shantotto, before looking back to the pastries, seeming tired, but not from exhaustion. She rested against the back of her chair, the feathers at her collar tickling at her neck as a cool air made its way about the room through small portal openings. Her wings stretched to rest easy against her form, while feathers continued to fall from their endless supply, only to disappear before touching the floor.

She tilted her head back, and from her headgear came a soft 'click.' The golden threads that held her hair together loosened, and the hair that was held in that horn-like state fell free and loose down and upon her shoulders and form; A sea of silver. The reddish pink tips that gave them that sharp look, and the shell-like adornments fell with a light 'ka-ping,' vanishing afterward to avoid mess.

She would part her lips a little and inhale a bit of that cool breeze, and exhaled slowly. [/glow]