It went against the grain for Veld to outsource help on such a personal matter. If he'd had his way, this whole thing with his daughter would have been Turk Business - all caps, full stop, no exceptions. But beggars couldn't be choosers, and while all his Turks knew how to handle magic - hell, Vincent was good at it - the fact was that if you wanted an actual practiced expert, you needed SOLDIER.

It was a sure bet the Firsts were sharing information, even if only between the four of them, confirmed when Richards didn't seem surprised in the slightest to be called on.

Veld wasn't even surprised when Zack and Kunsel came along. Aerith, however, was a bit of a surprise. "Well, full house."

"We had ideas," Zack said.

"Yeah, actually I think we might have some partial solutions," Richards said, playing with the bangle around his wrist. "Cause I finally put those dots together about 'embedded summon' and you asking about magic addiction and stuff. Surprised I didn't think of that sooner, I've been in that boat. Spent a whole campaign in Wutai on mage duties, came back practically drunk on it."

"And how did you recover from that?" Veld asked.

"Very, very carefully," he said. "See, thing is, when you're using that much magic regularly you're flirting with burnout too. And magic addiction plus burnout is a one-way trip to psychic shock."

"Because when you're burnt out you can't use magic at all, which means you can't wean yourself it," Zack said. "Nasty situation."

"Now, obviously her situation is different in some ways," Richards continued. "It's passive magic use, which means it's affecting her channels differently than active use. I won't go into all of that unless you want me to, but basically what that means is it takes a lot longer to burn out. And that's what we need to maintain."

"Passive use?" Veld ventured. "How do you maintain that? I was under the impression that 'constantly active materia' wasn't a thing."

"Yes and no." The swordmage made a so-so gesture. "Just having a materia equipped in something touching you means you have a constant connection. It's not enough to make an obvious effect on your stores, and it won't be enough at first. And there are a few materia that are constantly active that have a slightly stronger pull - Chocobo Lures, for example, don't have to be 'activated' they just… work. Because they're tapped in. Added Effect is another one. Elemental, too. They're rare but they exist."

"If we can't start with those, how exactly is it relevant?" Veld asked.

"Context," he said. "The big thing right now that we need is a way to precisely control how much magic is flowing in and out. And I have a step-down solution to that. First assessment is with a Sense, prior to surgery, to figure out where her magic reserves stand, and how much the Summon is taking out, how fast. And then we MP drain her to match."

"Passive magic loss," Veld murmured thoughtfully.

"Exactly. It does what we need, but isn't as hard on her," he said. "I mean, it's not pleasant, but there are things she can do to help mediate the effects of it."

"I thought the Osmose materias took set amounts," Veld said.

"Sure, if you use the default spell," Richards agreed. "But you spend enough time using materia, you learn to cast in fractions. How to start something and jerk it back, control the ebb and flow of it. It takes time and refinement that not everybody puts in the work for, partly because most people don't know it's possible, partly because it's so much work. But we've got a few of us who can switch off doing it."

"He's going to teach me," Aerith said. "And I'm going to talk to Rayleigh about seeing if there's anything I can do to heal whatever damages the materia use has left on her."

"Traditional healing magic can't be used for burnout issues," Veld said.

"I know," she said softly. "But I have options."

He smiled softly. "Alright. If you're sure."

"You know I can't watch someone hurting when I can help," she said.

"Thank you, then," Veld said quietly.

Aerith nodded. "I'll do what I can."

"It's appreciated." Veld sighed. "So. You've talked with Rayleigh and she thinks this is a viable strategy for handling weaning her off any magic addiction."

"Viable, and safer," Richards said. "She gets burntout, we're screwed. You can't have her casting summon-level daily to wean off. And I don't even know that that would register the same way. She's used to a steady flow; maintaining a steady flow, and steadily decreasing it, seems the best bet."

"That's going to require someone sitting with her around the clock, casting mentally demanding spells constantly," Vincent said. "Is that safe for the casters?"

"We'll have to switch off regularly," Benji said. "And be very careful. But I mean… there's a life on the line. We're going to have to risk it."

"Even for someone outside your little circle," Veld mused.

"SOLDIER pays their debts," Richards said flatly. "You gave us Zack back. Got him help. Got rid of the threats that might have put him back in danger. I mean, you've got some favors due, Director. No better time to cash in."

"No, there isn't," he agreed quietly.

"And it's fitting," Kunsel said. "Can't imagine you've got any more good karma coming your way these days than we do. Might as well take advantage."

"That wasn't a complaint," Veld said. "I just feel better understanding motivations."

"Yeah well. We're paying a debt," Richards said. "Simple, cut-and-dried. You gave us our brother back. We'll get your daughter."

"She may not be eager to accept SOLDIER help," Veld warned. "I'm not even sure she'll accept mine."

"Yeah, well, she can resent you after we're sure she'll live," Richards said. "I can cast Sleep over a block if I have to. I've put down other Firsts. I think I can get an untrained vigilante just fine."

"I don't think she carries defensive materia," Veld said.

"Nono, a block. Like, a neighborhood?" Richards sketched out a square in the air. "I'm talking distance, not defense. I can take her out before she even knows to activate it."

Kunsel snickered at the look the two Turks treated him to. "Benji used to go toe to toe with Genesis in competition. The man's a First for a reason."

"What's the cost for a spell that big?" Vincent asked.

"Several ethers and a couple minutes to catch my breath," he admitted. "But it's saved lives before, ending a situation before it can really get hostile. The problem is, once people know you can do it, they can prepare for it. So it's not a trick I use real often."

"I love how 'I hate to be predictable' is your reason for not using an exhausting spell regularly," Kunsel said. "Classic, Benji."

"I am SOLDIER through and through." He laughed.

"So it seems," Veld agreed. "That… has promise. I hesitate to just capture her and do all this without her consent, but…"

"But we're talking about saving her life or letting her die knowing you could have helped, and parental concern is winning out over ethics," Kunsel said. "We get it."

"Yeah." He sighed. "Yeah, about like that."

"Look, give her a chance first. Talk to her. Try to win her over. There's no reason we have to use brute force right out of the gate," Richards said. "But if we do… it's an option."

"Good to know," Veld said.

"…could I learn that?" Vincent asked. "I am, after all, more likely to see her before any of you, if she's tracking Veld specifically."

"Yeah absolutely." He nodded. "You've got the stores for it, which is the big deal."

"Actually, you could probably learn to drain her too," Kunsel said. "Anyone with the patience and focus to be a sniper has the mental focus to do that sort of pinpoint work."

Vincent blinked, smiling faintly. "I'm beginning to see what Veld meant."

"Yeaaaah, I've got a reputation with the Turks," Kunsel admitted, grinning shamelessly.

"Mmhm."

"…did you seriously go digging in Turk stuff? Kuns?" Zack arched a brow.

"I figured a man partnered to the man who went on to become the Director of Administrative Research probably had a reputation I could dig up," Kunsel said. "And I was right."

"…I'd be interested in what you found," Vincent said.

"As would I," Veld agreed. "And where."

"Midgar boy born and bred, Director - I know this city inside out, and what dark corners to peek in if I want some info," Kunsel said. "I'm not handing those sources over. But I'd be happy to share what I found out."

Veld nodded. "Fair enough."

"But we've got some training first," Richards said. "The more people on this project the better. I'll be tagging our general, too; he's got more MP than he knows what to do with right now."

"I really kinda do," Zack admitted. "It's bubbly."

"Bubbly?" Veld arched a brow.

"He's hyper aware of his levels; he'll adjust," Richards said. "Comes with the heightened senses with this last boost."

"Uh huh." Veld didn't ask further, though he glanced at Vincent thoughtfully. Vincent, who had always known him far too well, just shrugged in answer to the unasked question, and he let it drop for now. "Is there anyone left who's actually fought her?"

Zack clicked his tongue, thinking. "I… y'know, I don't think so? She's not the take-prisoners type; the only one that got away was Sephiroth, and that was more a mutual break off of the fight, if I remember correctly."

"Yeah, they matched blades once, but it was interrupted," Kunsel said. "She held her own, though, which says a lot. There wasn't the sort of destruction that said he was giving it his all, but I doubt he was playing either."

"Checking himself for the sake of not wrecking everything, but still plenty lethal against your average opponent, yeah," Zack said. "Sounds about right. I mean, the man could one-shot a Grand Horn and not disturb the dirt if he felt like keeping it tidy."

"He could also cleave entire buildings into chunks when it suited him," Veld said. "There had to be a middle ground for him."

"And apparently her, when she's inclined," Kunsel said. "But I definitely wouldn't send less than a First tier enhanced after her. Which, I mean, you've got that."

"I'll make sure he doesn't confront her alone," Vincent said. "Though I would very much be interested in those lessons in hiding my energy."

"You got it." Richards nodded. "We should probably get started, then. No telling when she'll come."

Vincent nodded. "Let's go."

"I could hang out with the Director til you're done?" Zack offered. "I've been exercising this morning, I'm technically supposed to break between activities. Doc's orders."

"Be my guest. I'd like to have a word with your soulmate and he behaves better when you're there." Veld smiled faintly at Kunsel's sputter. "Lunch sound good?"

"Lunch sounds great." Zack grinned.