Chapter 8: For gamers, being assumed dead is no excuse for not playing (even for noobs)
Sephiroth emerged slowly, his mind reluctant to wake up completely, refusing to leave the pleasant feeling he had been basking in until then. For the first time in a long time… he felt good. Things… finally made him feel like they were in their place. Even the weight on his body… seemed normal to him. And even more than desirable, he thought vaguely. For his brain, still half asleep… everything was perfect. Both the body resting on him… and the one that was snuggled up against his left side.
He shivered when he felt Zack move a little against him (the body on his chest was too light to be his, and it must have been Caroline), the boy burying his nose in his neck, snuggling a little more against him. His libido… was starting to get a little more insistent (he could vaguely feel the Puppy brush his morning wood while stirring, his leg passing over his and Caroline's), but not yet to the point of being unlivable. It was more… a nagging urge, but not unbearable. A sigh escaped him as he gently caressed their partner's back, his hand then coming to rest on Zack's, whose arm surrounded the young woman. At that moment… the most important thing for him was to feel them against him… even if it excited him a little, especially since the boy also had a morning wood, although his own was much less pronounced.
Firmly, he pushed back any desire and excitement, making them back away until he completely lost his erection. Now wasn't the time for that. The silverette estimated that it would take at least two more days, maybe three, for the youngest to be in top shape. And there, he could give free rein to his frustration. But not yet, he said to himself regretfully. All he wanted for the moment was to savor their presence. Even if Zack was starting to stir a little more, visibly emerging from his sleep.
"Zack, stop moving," mumbled Sephiroth lazily.
The black haired man started with surprise, before sighing.
"Sorry Seph… but it's been a few minutes since I started to really need to go to the bathroom…" replied the young man, sounding embarrassed. "I really didn't want to bother you, but…"
"But you still need help walking," Caroline murmured sleepily. "If that can reassure you… you're not the only one who needs to go."
The silverette couldn't help laughing at the conversation.
"How did you call this kind of discussion again, Caroline? A "turn-off" right?" He asked with amusement, making them laugh.
"That's right, Seph," the young woman chuckled. "Even if right now… we're not really in the middle of rolling in the sheets. But it's clearly not the envy missing you, right?" She asked gently, leaning on his chest, looking at him with affection and amusement.
Sephiroth kissed her tenderly, glad to see that she didn't hold it against him for his all-natural reaction, since he could feel every bit of her naked body against him. The boy's plaintive and pleading groan finally made him decide to move, knowing that the poor man didn't yet have the strength to walk on his own, Caroline sliding to the side without protesting. He didn't know if he wanted to continue with the game he had tried the day before, Ni no Kuni if he remembered well, but he would not have been against trying something new, he told himself thoughtfully, thinking about what they could do today.
Helping Zack to go into the bathroom, he continued to reflect on the subject as they finished dressing up, ready to eat breakfast, hungry. Finally, he decided to ask as they entered the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Chuck had left much earlier in the morning, and therefore hadn't prepared anything in advance, knowing that it would be completely cold by the time they got up… so it wouldn't be good.
"Caroline?" Sephiroth asked softly.
"Yes?" Replied the latter, taking out what was needed to make pancakes.
Chuck had warned them the day before that he had a mission he couldn't escape that day if he didn't want to alert Hojo to the fact that something was going on at his place... even if he had to have serious doubts despite everything. And now that Zack was mobile… he wasn't going to do everything for them. Once the Puppy was fully recovered… he expected him to participate in the maintenance of the apartment and the rest.
"Do you have another game from your home that I could try?" He asked curiously, taking out the ingredients she asked for.
The young woman smiled at her, starting to prepare the dough as Zack passed her the weighed ingredients, such as flour or sugar.
"Already tired of Ni no Kuni?" She teased him gently, smiling, making him laugh.
"No, but if I trust what I saw when you took out the… game disc, right? You have a lot of games, and I wonder if you have many different genres and types."
Caroline giggled in amusement, letting him mix the dough, as he had more strength than she did.
"Not exactly, I always preferred the fantastic and the fantasy… and I will explain the difference to you another time," she assured them, "more than the others. One genre that you won't find with me is gore and horror," she admitted with a slight shiver. "I hate those. Except Slenderman… but that's a special case. A friend gave me the game, challenging me to finish it… and collecting the eight fucking pages. It's hell."
Sephiroth snort in amusement, handing her the bowl of dough, and watching her grab a pan, putting it on the burner. He knew she was able to cook, even if it wasn't worth what Angeal used to prepare… but there was something different about what she was doing. And part of him… appreciated the way she took care of them like that, he thought, watching her pour a ladle of dough into the pan. Without mothering them, and waiting for them to return the favor… what he planned to do as soon as possible. She didn't have to take care of all the meals, he told himself firmly.
"I see… well, was seeing enough bodies in pieces to not want to see it in a video game," recognized the silverette with some sorrow. "Especially… after Nibelheim. So you don't have to worry about that side."
"And I never liked that either," added Zack, watching her cook. "Never understood much of the interest people had in seeing blood spurting everywhere… even if it's perhaps because I am a SOLDIER," he said thoughtfully.
The young woman shrugged, turning the pancake with a confident gesture.
"Who knows, Zack. After, as we say, tastes and colors aren't discussed," she giggled. "But otherwise, yes, Seph, I have games of different genres. What style of gameplay would tempt you?" She asked gently.
The concerned thinked for a long time, wondering what might interest him.
"Something strategic?" He said finally. "With exploration and puzzles? Which changes according to your choices, if you have that."
Caroline smiled tenderly at him, kissing him on the cheek, tiptoeing up for that.
"You're lucky, Seph, I have a game that brings it all together. And in addition, your reputation changes depending on the choices you make, and the faction you join."
"Is that true?" Zack asked with interest as she served him first, Sephiroth serving him a drink.
"Yep. All right, boys, in this case, it's time for me to introduce you to the wonder that is The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," she chuckled. "After we've eaten."
"Cool!" Said Zack enthusiastically. "Bon appetit!"
And he attacked his portion, making the other two laugh. Breakfast finished, they moved into the living room, the black haired man already relying less on Sephiroth to walk, even if he still found it difficult to move. They didn't know if House would come by that day, even if Chuck had told them he would send a message before if that was the case. After all… he had to get his hands on other Mako injections. He had been lucky the day before… but you couldn't count on it too much all the time. And those for the Turks would not do the trick, these being too diluted.
Taking out the CD cover she used to store her games, with the exception of collector's editions, Caroline turned two "pages" before finding the right disc. Turning on the console, she ejected that of Ni no Kuni, replacing it in its pocket, inserting Skyrim into the console, letting Sephiroth start the game as soon as it was available. At least, she said to herself when she joined them, the televisions had the same connection system on Earth as on Gaia. Settling against the silverette after he started the game, she smiled when she saw Zack leaning against him on the other side.
"By the way Seph, don't be surprised if there are some weird things going on in the game," she chuckled. "The studio that developed the game is called Bethesda, but fans call it Bugthesda."
Zack laughed when he heard that, even as Sephiroth snickered softly, watching the start of the game.
"Is the game that glitched?" Chuckled Zack, making Caroline laugh.
"You have no idea, Zack. Trust me, they didn't earn that nickname for nothing. This is not their first game, however, but it is still riddled with glitches. Some are usable, and can be useful, others are just fun but nothing more, and others can corrupt your backup," she admitted. "Unfortunately, I don't know them, and luckily I never came across them."
"I see…" said Sephiroth with amusement. "And now?" He asked as his character finally got off the cart.
"Now you create your character," she explained. "You can choose the race, gender, and the markings it will have on the body. As well as give it a name."
"Interesting… a cat?" Chuckled the silverette.
Zack laughed when he saw this, before wincing slightly in front of the lizard men.
"Ewww, not my thing. And is it me, or do humans have ugly faces in this game? Although the elves are no better," he muttered when he saw them.
Caroline shrugged.
"Men are a bit ugly in the game, and women are better, I think. Afterwards, as you can see Seph, each race has its own special talent, and different statistics. Personally, I took a Khajiit just for fun, and I made it a ram-tank, that is to say someone who hits hard and takes hits, even if the race is more made for stealth and burglary. Afterwards, you can do whatever you want with it, it's the highlight of the game."
"It's fascinating…" muttered Sephiroth, scrolling through the races again, finally deciding on the Khajiit, starting to create it. "Is this normal for the names?"
"Yes, these are names somewhat related to the "culture", if you like, of the race. They're a bit randomly mixed, but they have ready-made names for you, so just choose the one you like best."
"It's not Dr. Creepy who would have let you discover a game, anyway," Zack mumbled, making the other two shiver.
"No, for sure," admitted the silverette. "Speaking of him… he never tried to kidnap you again?" He asked Caroline softly. "Or did he learn his lesson?"
The two men knew how determined the lunatic could be when he wanted to. Sephiroth… hadn't forgotten what he had done to him in the hopes of forcing him to bring Caroline to him. At first… he had resisted because Genesis and Angeal had taught him that it was OK to say no, sometimes, no matter how much suffering he endured, and also because he laughed too much when he saw Caroline slap the redhead down. Then… he got attached to her. And in the end… nothing could have convinced him to abandon the woman. She tilted her head to the side, drawing their attention, her expression thoughtful.
"Well… there was this first time… as well as a second… about six months later? And this was the last time he dared to set foot on this floor, as far as I know."
"What happened?" Asked Sephiroth, a mixture of curiosity and anger burning inside him, even as he absently continued playing, trying to escape from the area where his character was supposed to be executed.
"Let's say… he had forgotten to take into account a little detail," Caroline answered softly, a slight sadistic smile on her lips.
She then began to tell what had happened to her captivated audience, Sephiroth trying to master the game at the same time. It was more difficult than Ni no Kuni… but not insurmountable.
oOo
Half of the SOLDIERS on floor #42 were chatting in the relaxation area, preparing for this month's gaming tournament. It was taking place later than usual, due to the fact that some missions had lasted a little longer than expected, so, as soon as all the inhabitants of the floor indicated that they were available that day, they organized the tournament as soon as possible. It was an opportunity to meet, exchange gossip between squadrons, and so on.
Pip turned to the elevator when he heard it open, and laughed when he saw who it was when the person entered the relaxation area. The Turks didn't necessarily get along very well with the SOLDIERS (often accusing them of having everything in their muscles and nothing in the head, the latter replying that they, at least, could get rid of a monster by themselves), but Zack had proved that it wasn't necessarily impossible, and that a SOLDIER could be friends with a Turk, even if some thought that Cissnei wouldn't have been against for more than friendship… if the Puppy hadn't ended up with Caroline. No one had dared to ask her the question, however, the young lady having a hell of a kick. And enhanced or not, getting hit in the balls still hurt just as much. However, this Turk in question was a hardcore gamer, and had therefore become a very good friend of the SOLDIERS who lived on this floor. They could feel he was still looking for his marks and style, much like Rude with his sunglasses or Reno and his aviator glasses and his scruffy outfit. But they never would have seen him with such monstrosity.
"Oye, Kenny, you getting eat by this orange monstrosity or what?" Joked Naxus, his attention drawn to the laugh of his friend.
The unintelligible answer made the other SOLDIERS laugh, Keitaro asking him to articulate between two snickers, and the young Turk did so, lowering his orange scarf for that, the latter having stifled his words.
"Nah, it's my mother who sent it to me for my birthday when I told her that we were only allowed black or midnight blue for our suits."
He then pulled the scarf up under the laughter of the SOLDIERS, revealing only his brown eyes that sparkled with amusement, under a mane of brown shaggy hair. The discussion then deviated a little, Pip and his friends telling him about their small group, which they had renamed "BB Dragon Protection Squad", and explaining the reason for the name change to the others. Shivering when adding that if they wanted to join, they had to see it with Papa Dragon, cutting short the envy of the vast majority. Going to talk to Lieutenant Nokia was the most terrifying thing to do in general, even if he had calmed down a bit these days, and the only person who had ever dared to approach him without fear had been the Puppy's girlfriend. The SOLDIERS present that day watched her with a mixture of shock, respect and admiration at her lack of fear of the old warrior, and everyone who saw her do it at the time respected her more than anything at her courage. And most missed her presence. Kenny asked them for details, obviously intrigued, but few of the SOLDIERS in attendance had even spoken to her, unfortunately, and the others hadn't known her.
Chuck's apartment door opened at that moment, silencing the conversations in surprise, with everyone who was there curiously turning their heads in that direction. Was BB Dragon going to dare to take her first steps outside the nest? Pip wondered, curious and amused at the same time… as well as worried. The Lieutenant wasn't at home now, being on a mission, explaining their surprise. They couldn't see the apartment door from their position, but they heard it close almost immediately after opening, arousing their curiosity. A few seconds later, however, a young Guard Dog different from the majority appeared in front of the entrance to the common area, stopping to watch them carefully. Its coloring surprised the SOLDIERS, being really unusual. The animal was mainly light gray, only his tentacle, legs and snout being darker, even having black marks around his eyes, giving the impression that he was crying. The puppy looked at them attentively, clearly suspicious but not really hostile.
Pip suspected that it was Trico, however. Impossible to be mistaken, seeing where he came from. Naxus warned them that it was best to leave him alone for the time being, the animal likely seeking to explore and perhaps mark his new territory. He had been able to see the medal on the animal's neck when the latter had turned briefly in their direction on hearing them speak, the golden and blue diamond shape pendant effectively displaying a "Trico" slightly crushed to hold on the small surface, the collar of a clear turquoise blue surrounding his neck without hanging.
"As long as he doesn't pee all over the place, or worse, for that…" muttered Robby in disgust.
Naxus shook his head.
"Unlikely, he doesn't seem more stressed than that. For now, at most, he will use the base of his tentacle. We will smell nothing. Another Guard Dog, however, can easily smell it."
"Good then," Robby sighed, relaxing. "Liam is late, though," he said looking at his PHS. "I don't know what's the hold up… but he's going to have to hurry a little."
Keitaro shrugged, not much interested in their friend's delay, preferring to watch Trico explore the surroundings. The animal was sniffing all over the corridor without getting too close to the common area for the moment, visibly intrigued, ignoring them almost completely, only his ears twitching from time to time when hearing them speak. He quickly decided that they weren't a threat to his mistress, recognizing three of the voices in particular. Raising his head at hearing the elevator open, Trico relaxed when he saw that it was simply a SOLDIER, and ignored him almost immediately, even if the latter paused, surprised, seeing him.
Liam joined his friends, cautiously bypassing the unusual, disoriented and somewhat wary, Guard Dog. Which continued to sniff all over the corridor, ignoring the common area for the moment. Even if he stayed close by, apparently intrigued by the humans present.
"Guys, where does the dog come from?"
"From the Dragon's Lair," Kyle replied, coming out of their apartment. "According to Nax and the others, he adopted him about a month or two ago."
"Ah. Is this related to BB Dragon?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow, watching the Guard Dog rub his tentacle on surfaces.
"I think, and in my opinion, it's related to Dr Creepy," replied Antoine, arranging the snacks. "So who is missing?"
Pip glanced at the list, comparing the names to those present.
"Vance, Kain, and Matheos. Do you have any idea where they are?"
Antoine nodded.
"They were responsible for getting the booze and the grand prize. I don't know about you, but I want to drink a little, personally… even though I know I will never get piss-ass drunk now," he admitted.
The elevator doors opened even as he said that, leaving a SOLDIER loaded with bags, who stepped forward without losing time, being careful to not shake the bottles too much. Pausing just a second when crossing the Guard Dog, before deciding that he didn't want to know. It was safer for his sanity, he suspected as he made his way to the common area.
"And that's probably a good thing, you were hitting on everyone passing by when you were drunk when we were cadets," replied Vance, placing the bags near the table, taking out the bottles.
"But at the time, I was single," replied Antoine. I hope I can win at least a few rounds today," he added, not hiding his hope. "I would love to be on top for a change, it's been a while since the last time."
Antoine was usually the one who found himself under when they slept together, being technically the one with the least Mako, but all three could agree that Kain was the "dominant" of the trio. Not exactly because he was the strongest (at least not only), but mostly because he had established himself as the "leader", if you could say, in bed. Vance didn't care, to be honest, but he had to admit that putting dominance in play like that brought some spice to the night. Of course, with their gaming levels being close enough, everyone had a chance to be in control to have sex. Kain generally accepted his fate with good grace, even though he still grumbled a bit.
Finally, the two stragglers arrived, Kain brandishing triumphantly a piece of paper, Matheos following him with an amused expression.
"I have the ticket!" He trumpeted in a triumphant tone. "You better deserve it, I almost had to fight with a badly mouthed schnook that stinked of perfume from 10 meters away to get my hands on it!"
"What if the winner is gay?" Liam asked in amusement, because he was.
"Then he will put it back into play at the next tournament, quite simply," replied Matheos, grabbing the pass despite Kain's good-natured protests. "Personally, I would not say no to a VIP ticket for the Honey Bee."
"At the same time, you still haven't been able to hook yourself," Liam noted. "I know you're straight, but still. Though, I don't say no when you come to warm my bed," he added with a lecherous wink, making the concerned laugh. "Are you sure you're straight? Because you're a fucking god in bed."
"Thank you for the compliment," replied Matheos, bowing dramatically in response. "And allow me to return it to you. But even if you have a very nice ass, you're not my type."
The other SOLDIERS laughed in response, attracting Trico's attention, curious. The latter had finished marking the corridor area between the elevator, since that was where most of the odors were concentrated, the rest of the corridor clearly unused. He was now interested in the common area, the humans inside ignoring him almost completely, seeing that he wasn't aggressive. Slowly, he approached, sniffing the hands that stretched out in his direction for that, but moving away as soon as they pretended to get closer to touch him. Naxus gently chased him away from the table, which Trico had approached smelling the food, interested. The puppy didn't react aggressively, however, seeing that the human was amused and not hostile.
With everyone finally present, Pip kicked start the tournament, the SOLDIERS starting to play the first game on the list, a one-on-one fighting game. Quickly, the players got lost in the game, the spectators cheering them on or gently booing them according to who lost or won… or managed to turn the situation around at the last second. Pip sat down on the couch after a while, placing himself near the edge next to which Trico had sat down, watching the tournament with curiosity. He had finally determined that the humans present were at least neutral for his little mistress, if not trustworthy, at least for three of them. Like the one who sat next to him, slowly reaching out in his direction to pet him. The SOLDIER took the risk of trying to touch him, seeing that he seemed relaxed, his tongue hanging calmly to the side. He was however ready to withdraw his hand immediately if Trico became aggressive, but it wasn't necessary. The Guard Dog let himself be pet without reacting too much, his ears barely twitching. He even quickly began to wag his tail and tentacle, visibly enjoying the petting, making Pip smile.
The tournament was just beginning to be in full swing as Pip handed to Trico a cookie after a few minutes of petting him, the animal sniffing it delicately, ready to accept it, when the elevator stopped at the floor, the doors opening and attracting the SOLDIER's and the dog's attention. Pip was surprised, knowing that Chuck was on a mission for the day, not to return until late in the evening, and he didn't think Tseng or Veld had any papers to bring him, especially in his absence. And apart from these two, he didn't really see who could have a reason to come here, all those supposed to be there already being present. Trico, however, had smelled a scent he recognized, and immediately jumped to his feet, showing his fangs with a growl terrifying enough to make those present mark a pause in the common area, surprised… as well as Dr. Creepy who had barely appeared in front of the entrance to the area… just before the Guard Dog attacked him, the creep having only the time to turn his head, turning pale when he saw the animal jump at him all fangs out.
The blood curdling howl that Hojo let out was loud enough for even Caroline to hear it, the woman falling from the sofa in surprise, her heart pounding. Terrified, she approached the door as carefully as she could, peeking into the eyecup, growing pale in spite of herself at the sight… as well as the screams she could still hear. She couldn't make out much, because of the distorted image… but it was more than enough to realize that Trico was attacking a person wearing a lab coat. And she didn't know any scientist well enough for them to come to Chuck floor, knowing what had happened the last time with Hojo… except this one of course. Seizing a chair in the kitchen without hesitation, she used it to block the door, before moving away as quickly as possible, running to take refuge in her room, barely taking the time to seize her PHS.
Regarding the SOLDIERS, none had reacted after the first moment of surprise during Trico's sudden attack on Hojo, contenting themselves with looking at the scene with a certain detachment. Kenny was even giggling in his corner, his camera in hand as he filmed the scene, his laughter muffled by the orange monstrosity he wore. Originally, he had just planned to film the gaming tournament… but this was even better. Liam began to pass the popcorn on to the others, contemplating how the animal was literally shredding Hojo's leg. The SOLDIERS couldn't restrain a grimace as Trico shook his head furiously and relentlessly on the leg, especially at hearing the bones give way, the crunches making them shiver despite themselves. However, everyone agreed that he deserved it. The dog literally dragged the scientist on the tiling, as he shook his head hard, projecting blood everywhere. He continued to try to defend himself, screaming like a pig that was slaughtered, without any effect. He also seemed to have completely forgotten about the SOLDIERS nearby… but that wouldn't have changed anything anyway.
None of the SOLDIERS would have intervened to help him, even if he had begged them desperately. And if he had still been alive, the SOLDIERS knew that Sephiroth would certainly have watched him get ripped apart by Trico, who continued to snarl furiously. Naxus didn't want to know how the Dragon had trained the Guard Dog to attack Hojo, and only Hojo, but he noted in the back of his mind to think about buying him his favorite beer. And maybe something nice for BB Dragon too, he thought to himself, detached, watching Trico attack the mad scientist. The poor girl had a right to get something comforting, if she had ever heard him scream… which was more than likely, given the volume of the madman's initial scream. Even an ordinary person could have heard it… and if she was playing in the living room as usual… she most certainly had heard him.
Finally, the dog got tired of attacking Hojo when he lost consciousness, his screams reduced to groans, before going completely silent as the blood loss became too important. It was everywhere, but it bothered them less than his presence. Unmoved, Matheos approached the scientist lying on the ground, unconscious, and leaned over him. A light touch of the tip of the foot against the shredded leg drew a slight whimper of pain from the creep, but nothing more, and the SOLDIER grabbed his collar without hesitation, holding him at arm's length with a disgusted expression, then pulling him towards the elevator, which luckily hadn't been called to another floor. Pressing the call button, he dropped the nutcase in the back of it as soon as the doors had opened, before pressing the button for the infirmary floor, jumping out before the doors closed.
During this time, the others had calmly returned to their apartments to fetch cleaning materials, mopping up the blood spilled on the floor with indifference, continuing to discuss the games planned in the tournament, suggesting to change when they were finished with their task, the interruption making the current round null. Pip was busy congratulating Trico, giving him cookies while cooing "Who's a good dog? Yes, it's you! It's Trico!" to the young Guard Dog, to the general amusement. Even Naxus and Keitaro did it, drawing chuckles from the others and making the animal wag his tail (and his tentacle) with joy.
A good half hour later, the corridor was as clean as possible for SOLDIERS accustomed to cleaning traces of their activity (mainly mud and monster blood) as best they could, even if Liam wrote a little note to Zina's attention, warning her of what had happened and the fact that they had tried to clean up as best they could.
The tournament then resumed, the SOLDIERS confident that Dr. Creepy would certainly not set foot on the floor again for at least a good week… if the doctors did their best to treat him. Except that the madman was universally hated by 99% of the people working for the company, except for the President and some members of the scientific department. So even if the real doctors treated him... there was little chance that he would keep his leg. And if he did… he would need a brace until the end of his life. In any case… he would never walk without suffering again. And after all he had done… it was fine with them.
oOo
Sephiroth had abandoned the game after a while in Caroline's story, pausing the game, giving her his full attention, just like Zack. The latter having cravings for murder even worse than what he could have had when he was in Hojo's hands. Trico, hearing her talk about the creep, had come to sit down in front of the sofa, placing his head on Caro's lap, the latter petting him. Sephiroth and Zack quickly followed suit, congratulating him gently, making him wag his tail with satisfaction. When Chuck had trained him… he had quickly memorized the fact that his mistress was terrified of the man the old SOLDIER had made him learn the scent. Whenever he said his name while speaking with her, he could smell the scent of fear in the air. Making him even more determined to protect her if he ever felt him approach. And obviously, it had worked, because he had never smelled him in the elevator again.
The silverette could also see how traumatizing the event had been for her, especially knowing that Nokia hadn't been there to comfort her for hours, that she had spent locked in her room, wrapped in a blanket, trembling with fear. Without hesitation, he opened the console menu to make sure his character was safe, before placing the controller on the coffee table in front of him, then drawing Caroline on his lap, wrapping her in his arms to comfort her. The young woman flinched briefly in surprise, not yet used to Sephiroth taking the initiative, but she relaxed almost immediately as he began to purr softly. The sound hesitant at first, before it became more regular and stronger, her companion taking comfort in this phenomenon which had been, until then, unusual for him. The previous times… he had done it unconsciously, reflexively. This time… was the very first one he tried to do it voluntarily, remembering this discussion between Caroline and Zack, years earlier, when the Puppy asked, puzzled, why a child had calmed down when his cat had come to snuggle against him, purring. She had told him about the soothing effects of cat purring on humans, explaining that there had even been studies one her homeworld about it. Unfortunately, he couldn't hear the end of the conversation, but he never forgot it. And the fact that she compared him to a cat not long ago… made him want to try to comfort her that way.
He could feel that it was working, feeling her relax completely against him in just a few moments, Zack also coming to join the hug, kissing her tenderly. The three lovers stayed that way for a long time, savoring an embrace that they had rarely been able to indulge in outside of sex, Sephiroth being unfortunately too busy with his work to be able to afford to do it often. However… his stay in the Lifestream had allowed him to understand certain things, notably what Caroline had said to him when she spoke of burnout or nervous breakdown. His constant work overload, without the slightest rest, had gradually worn out his nerves, unable to rest or to change his mind long enough, and her… "kidnapping" had been the last straw that broke the chocobo's back, metaphorically speaking. If he ever returned to his post as General… the silverette had every intention of refusing a similar workload. And if Hojo ever tried to force him to come into the lab… well, he would have no remorse for sicking Lieutenant Nokia on him. Quite the contrary.
He couldn't tell how long they had stayed like that… but they reluctantly parted, Zack resuming his position on his right. Caroline, however, didn't resist when he moved her slightly on his lap, leaning her against his chest after retrieving the controller to keep playing. Resuming the game, he tried to orient himself in the cave, looking for the exit. After a few moments, Caroline advised him to pick up everything he came across.
"Why?" Zack asked, curious.
"Because a lot of what you harvest can be used in alchemy," she explained, "Especially to allow you to make poisons, healing potions or to recover your magic, and so on. Don't forget to search all the enemies you kill, Seph," she added, seeing him go away without searching a body, "Some like humans or other humanoid races can allow you to loot… or recover if you prefer," she chuckled at his confusion, "Weapons, armor and more, which could be much better than what you could buy. And above all… it's free. Besides, if you already have them… it's easy money."
"Really?" Asked the silverette, intrigued, going back to search the body he had left behind.
"Believe me," assured the young woman, "In certain games, what you can loot is sometimes much better than what you can buy. Another game I love, NieR Automata, makes you play androids, robots in human form, in a post-apocalyptic universe. In the game, you can boost them by equipping them with chips, but the problem is that if the merchants sell them to you… they take the maximum amount of space for their level to equip them. The best is still to kill a maximum of enemies to recover the chips which they sometimes drop while exploding, as some, at the same level, take up to three times less space to equip than those which you can buy, even when you merge them. And let's not talk about the items needed to improve your weapons or earn money by selling them."
"You seem to know a lot," said Sephiroth with amusement, making her laugh.
"It all depends on the game, Seph. NieR Automata is one of my favorites, so I know it almost by heart, just like Ôkami. Others like Horizon Zero Dawn or Skyrim, much less, even if I finished them. Little Nightmare too, especially because it's quite short. Getting the last trophy, however, was hell."
"Why?" Zack asked curiously.
"Because you have to be able to finish the game in less than an hour… and without dying once," Caroline explained with a grimace. "Trust me, I've spent hours trying to unlock it. Especially because of certain passages which ask you for millimeter precision, and to know them by heart, because every second, or almost, counts. And you don't have a death meter… so the only way to know if you've had the trophy is to go all the way."
"You're a hardcore gamer then?" Zack asked with affection and respect, stroking her cheek.
"It all depends on the game, but generally yes," she nodded softly. "Ah, and don't forget to make your character taste every ingredient," she suddenly added, "That will let her know the effects and what they can give in an alchemical potion."
Sephiroth snickered softly at hearing that and did so, snorting in amusement at the effects on his character. The woman had shown him how to switch from subjective view to third-person view, and he had to admit that he preferred the second. And it was more fun like that, he thought to himself, killing an animal she had identified as a bear.
"Have you finished many games at 100%?" Zack asked after a few more minutes spent advising the silver man. "In our own games, I mean."
"Some," Caroline admitted with amusement. "Hellus of Singnar, Monster Rumble Smash or SOLDIERS Kart Rumble, for example, where I managed to unlock all the characters. By the way… did you know who the legendary character is, Zack?" She asked, her eyes twinkling in amusement.
"No, I never had a chance to find out who it was," admitted the Puppy. "So you manage to unlock it then?" He asked eagerly.
"Oh yes, Zack, and after shedding blood and tears for that!"
The two men listened to her with fascination once again, Skyrim finding itself once again relegated to the background… and it would certainly not be the last.
oOo
Caroline couldn't help but cry out with joy when she finally won the number of races required to master the character she was playing, namely Sephiroth. His gameplay was pretty… peculiar in SKR, even if it made her laugh, since his character was throwing fish at the opponents to slow them down. Since the designers didn't seem to have known much about his habits, to compensate, they took his cat eyes and silver hair as a base, associating him with a cat. They had at least been accurate enough for Genesis and Angeal, she thought with amusement, leaving the race selection, warning the squad that she was going to get her reward, making them laugh.
Genesis or Angeal, it was all about the theme, she said to herself, chuckling. The redhead's kart was in the form of a book, Loveless to be exact, and his character dropped quotations at irregular intervals, not to mention the fireballs that he swung in all directions when he got his hands on a bonus in the shape of a Banora White, making his victims both lose time because it slowed them down and their bonuses. Geal's, on the other hand, resembled a large flower pot, and he had made her laugh with amusement when she saw it, especially since the seat had the shape of a sprout of some kind. And his special attack consisted of growing plants in his wake, the latter deploying without warning if a player had the misfortune to roll over it, trapping them for about 5 to 6 seconds, and making them lose a lot of places in the ranking.
Going to the character unlocking menu, she selected the last one she had left to discover. The character was blacked out, making it difficult to identify because of that, and even with the contours it was difficult to guess who it was. Zack, it was impossible to go wrong with his hairstyle. One detail about him, however (and one that had amused her), was that his hairstyle had been changed after a game update, keeping his character physically pretty close to what he was in reality. Sephiroth, on the other hand… his hair wasn't really the right shade, and let's not talk about his eyes, she said to herself as the character she had unlocked found itself under a cone of light. Her second partner's eyes were more blue than turquoise in SKR.
Her thoughts came to a screeching halt when the character finally revealed himself… hesitating between completely blue screen and bursting out laughing. Chuck had been… "immortalized" as a video game character? She wondered, watching her game, confused and vaguely amused. The old SOLDIER had stayed home for almost three weeks after Hojo's second attempt to kidnap her… even though he hadn't reached the door this time. After that… she more or less threw herself headlong into SOLDIERS Kart Rumble to try to forget the nutcase, unlocking several characters one after the other. It was only this one that resisted her… but she ended up unlocking it in the end anyway.
A doubt suddenly crossed her mind, her eyes traveling on the shelves next to the television, on which there were various figurines, ranging from her amiibos (which she had miraculously been able to put in the bag) to her NieR Automata figurines, or her little statue of Trico, from The Last Guardian. Chuck had almost nothing on it before she got there… except a trophy. This apparently commemorated the "Winner of the most unforgiving kart race ever held". Until then… she thought it was a real kart race. The fact that the trophy had the same shape as the game logo had been a coincidence for her… except that apparently not.
After a few moments, she ends up speaking again on voice chat, cutting off her friends snickers, asking them if the fact that Chuck has a character in the game had something to do with the famous trophy in his living room.
"Oh, we have to show you this video, BB Dragon!" Pip exclaimed with joy, cackling.
The others quickly confirmed, and a few moments later, the young woman found herself contemplating a race… which could be described as pure and simple chaos. She recognized the track, which was one of the longest and hardest in the game, including 15 laps, and with turns everywhere. And to top it all off… It was a race where ALL players played Chuck. She couldn't help laughing at the race, the players insulting each other in vocals, and making messy low blows, the only thing to differentiate them being the color of their kart… and the nickname displayed above. She blinked when she spotted Tuffdog01… who was already in the firsts, of course. Caroline quickly snickered when she saw him calmly climb back in the lead, sending a player out in the void here and there, or dodging a frog, which was hitting another driver. He was the only one to not be hit by a penalty, quietly taking the best bonuses to send them on others.
The race lasted a good ten minutes, during which she laughed to tears when he saw him literally humiliate the other players, the latters almost enraged at his mastery of the game. Her friends were also laughing while watching Papa Dragon thrashing his opponents, the race being in "every man for himself" mode, allowing everyone to try to pass in front.
The players insulted Chuck when he, unsurprisingly, won the race… before yelping in surprise as he finally deigned to turn on his mic, snickering softly.
"Nice try kiddos, come back in a century to try to beat me!" He cackled in the video, sounding barely younger.
He then turned off his mic and disconnected, ignoring the players' cries of despair and disbelief. Caroline was just laughing… as well as impressed. She never really thought he was a gamer… but that explained a number of things. She had thought that he had borrowed his friend's card (he had never mentioned him by name, just saying that he was part of his original squad) when he had spoken to Pip and the others… not thinking that it could be his. Even in their shock. Softly, she wondered if he would agree to play with her if he had time. She would have liked to try Hellus of Singnar… but not alone. The game was like an FFVII version of Apex Legends or Overwatch (or Fortnite, even if she hadn't liked this one at all visually), and it wasn't a game she would have played herself… mainly because it wasn't her type of game, and therefore she wouldn't have spent money on it. She had certainly invested in a few games that she would never normally take, but… Caroline had above all the hope of being able to introduce them to Zack, and perhaps Genesis. Sephiroth… she hoped with all her soul that Chuck could do something for him.
Calming down finally, she returned to SKR, deciding to have a little fun with Mini-Chuck, as she decided to call him in her head. It was going to be particularly fun, she thought with a smirk. Cackling at hearing the cries of despair when the race started, the players cursing her for taking this character. Especially when they saw that Pip and the others had decided to do the same. An entire squadron of Chucks was enough to push some players to rage quit, obviously, she thought with amusement when seeing some nicknames disappear. Too bad for them, she thought, grabbing a bonus in the shape of a bright star, knowing that it allowed a character to use it's ultimate move… and bursting out laughing when his character sent a bomb on a player, lighting it with his cigar.
Frankly, it was worth to suffer so much to unlock it, chuckled Caroline in her mind. He was really OP, and it was felt, she told herself, continuing the race. Enjoying playing… even if she missed Zack. She would have liked to share this achievement with him, the thought with sadness. She was sure… that her boyfriend would have been proud of her, she thought, a tear running down her cheek sadly.
Pushing these thoughts from her mind, she focused on the race. She wanted to win it, to show that she deserved to have unlocked the Chuck character. And it was fun to beat up these idiots, she said to herself fiercely. She recognized certain nicknames… who hadn't been very nice to her at times. It was time to make them swallow their words! Caroline growled to herself, swinging a frog in their direction.
oOo
Sephiroth and Zack laughed when they heard her recount this episode, the woman promising to show them the video as soon as possible. The silverette continued to play Skyrim for the next few days, also returning to Ni no Kuni, enjoying both games in their own ways. However, he wanted to play their games too (Gaia's anyway), and he let Caroline know almost timidly. The latter had explained to her lovers that she had ended up exchanging her number with Pip and the others, to hear from them during their missions. The Puppy had no problem with that, and he kindly let their partner know. He knew very well that she was faithful to them, and was therefore not jealous that she had exchanged her number with other SOLDIERS. And he had no intention of forbidding her to make friends. It was a sure way to lose her, he was perfectly aware of it. And she was too precious for that.
Sephiroth being not sure if he wanted to speak in public chat in the immediate future, they started with SOLDIERS Kart Rumble. It was also a good thing to allow him to play games a little more nervous than what he had tested so far, without immediately disinteresting him. The silverette had quickly taken to the gameplay, doing much better than Caroline at first, even if he was clearly a beginner. But for once… Sephiroth laughed at making mistakes and failing to do something the first time. Because he knew there would be no punishment if he failed. At most… he would lose a few places in the ranking. Zack even had the idea to offer him what he called… positive reinforcement. The better he was in the races… and the more he was… inventive, he would have said, in bed.
The latter had always been very enthusiastic when they had sex, but he was even more active with his idea. And Sephiroth certainly didn't intend to complain, on the contrary. The black haired man had recovered faster than House had thought, surprising him a little, he had told them. Just eight days after he woke up… Zack was in full health again. And that night… the silverette's predictions turned out to be true. He had almost been happy, in a way, to be so frustrated. Because just like himself the first time… the young man was very… demanding with Sephiroth. Almost aggressive. And, in contrast, very gentle with Caroline. The woman… hadn't been so exhausted this time, to the general confusion. They hadn't really asked themselves any questions, however, assuming that she had simply built up her stamina with them… not to mention that she herself had admitted that she was very frustrated.
Zack… had also revealed to them a small detail about the doors, to which they had never paid attention until then. But that explained why Sephiroth had never heard them when they had sex while he was in the apartment. Seal Materias were embedded in the door frame, each at level 2 at least, unlocking the Silence spell on it. Of course, there were runes to channel the magic, muffling everything coming from inside the room… but not blocking the sounds coming from outside. Letting them know if someone needed them in an emergency… even if a rune activated visibly on the door, a bit like a "Do not disturb" sign hung on the handle.
At least that meant Chuck wouldn't bother them… and that was a good thing, Zack needing almost as much time as Sephiroth at the time to burn out his frustration. And by doing that in the evening… they avoided embarrassment in front of Chuck, the latter being able to pretend that he wasn't aware of anything, unlike if they had done that during the day, which would have forced the two males to use a cushion to sit on. He wasn't sure if Zack could stop himself from blushing… or Caroline. Given the variety of possible sexual positions… the poor girl often found herself sore at the end, even if they tried to be as gentle as possible.
The silverette shook his head, pulling himself out of his thoughts. Today… he wanted to try another Gaian game, Hellus of Singnar. He was starting to do well on SKR, the game being relatively easy for him, his biggest problem being more with remembering the different bonuses and their effects than knowing when to use them or speed up. They had also not connected in the public chat, instead remaining in private, with Sephiroth not really keen on public speaking… even though he doubted the players would believe in him being alive. They would probably think he was a voice actor or an impersonator, he told himself, grabbing his controller, his companions sitting around him as usual. Caroline had patiently guided him through every game they had played so far, making him smile when she told him that the other players bemoaned the fact that she was his… mentor, in a way. All because she had managed to unlock the Chuck character in her games… which was, apparently, extremely difficult to accomplish, and for good reason, as he had seen. His power was clearly superior to all the other characters, and Caroline had explained to him that in the universe of gaming, this type of character was called "OP", that is to say overpowered. Playing it… was a guaranteed victory for sure.
It made him smile, to be honest. He was supposed to be the most powerful SOLDIER there was, the monster… the perfect weapon, he corrected in the back of his mind, and yet the most powerful character of any game you could play a SOLDIER… was Lieutenant Nokia. Caroline had also shown them the video of the infamous "All Chucks" race, as it was called, and they couldn't help but laugh at the sheer chaos of it. No one had ever tried to repeat the feat… but Sephiroth had to admit that he would have paid a lot to see it live.
Anyway, he sighed as Caroline turned on the console. He could now play with them… and he had to admit he liked it. The relaxed atmosphere… pleased him, because he could finally participate. The woman had told them that she was going to introduce them to her friends, The BB Dragon Protection Squad, as they called the group after she joined them. It made them laugh… because they had to admit that Chuck did indeed reminded them of a nesting dragon. Especially when he had pulled them aside once Zack had recovered, serving them a little speech that could boil down to "If you ever hurt my adopted daughter, your pieces will never be found, even with the Turks' help." Afterwards, Zack had explained to him that it was the kind of speech a father made to potential mates of his daughter, and that it was more or less normal… as long as he didn't prevent her from making her own choices. Even though it had been the most terrifying moments of their lives.
Sephiroth wasn't planning on doing her any harm, however. He honestly doubted he could, anyway. Just the idea… was making him almost physically ill.
oOo
The blonde stretched with a sigh, before being shaken by a violent fit of sneezing, cursing his awkwardness. Of course, it had to be him, and not the others, who ended up in a frozen lake, with temperatures approaching -40 °C. At the same time, he told himself with a sigh, he was generally a bit apart from the others because of his weapons, and also because he wasn't particularly comfortable in melee or sword attack. His gunblades were strong, but not enough to kill a Behemoth without giving in first. Usually he stayed a little bit off to try and blind them, and if he managed to slip a bullet down the monster's throat, it was even better. But there, one of the pack members hadn't been present in the den, probably gone hunting, and had totally caught him off guard. The good news, he told himself as he turned on his console, was that the others hadn't had too much trouble killing him, and had fished him out quickly afterward. Even though Specs gave him a firm talk down when he saw the condition of his leg. The latter had the art of making them feel very small, the blond thought amusedly to himself.
Even though he was stuck in the apartment for the next week, it had been worth it, he thought. And beside, BB Dragon was supposed to introduce a new player to Hellus of Singnar, and he wanted to see that. Logging into the game, he went straight to the central plaza, where all the players appeared when logging in. Greeting the other players, he went straight to the other members of the Squad, although not all were present today. And the group remained relatively small, most SOLDIERS not daring to ask Papa Dragon for permission to join. And seeing as he was coming to question them in person… it was scary enough to piss yourself in fear. But hey, it was worth it, the young man said to himself, going to chat with his friends while waiting for BB Dragon. The young woman seemed nice, if a bit shy, and the Squad members loved her. She was kind of like a sister to them… even though he knew a few wouldn't have been against it being more. But she had made it known that she was settled, even though her boyfriend was apparently on an extended mission, for those who insisted a little. It rarely lasted though, because Papa Dragon would interfere if it ever dragged on, and players quickly understood why he got the nickname for those who still didn't know… or had forgotten.
The notification that someone had logged in caught his attention, and he turned the camera, smiling when he saw that it was BB Dragon who had just logged in… using General Sephiroth's avatar, one of her favorites from what he had seen, along with Fair's. Once, as a joke, he'd asked her if she'd been fucking both to use these two characters all the time. Her "Classify :P" had made him spit out his soda through his nose in surprise, making her laugh out loud, he was sure. He had never dared to ask for details, partly because he didn't really want to know, and partly because asking would confirm his suspicions. As far as he knew, the Puppy (as Fair was nicknamed) had never had more than one girlfriend. Some had said he would have been in a three-way relationship with a girl in the slums, but the young man had never really believed it. Fair was clearly head over heels with his girlfriend, from the little he had seen, and from the few rare conversations Specs had overheard in the Turks' office, he didn't feel that way for the Flower Girl, as she was apparently known. He treated her more like a little sister, according to his friend, so he didn't believe in the fact that she would be part of their relationship. The General, on the other hand… he found it easier to believe it, for the simple reason that she had never bragged about sleeping with him, unlike countless women or SOLDIERS. Especially since when questioned, they ended up confessing that this was not true. And as the saying goes… it was those who talked about it the most who did the least.
"Sephiroth" greeted him, just before another player appeared next to the character, this one looking like a young man in a Mog costume, showing that he was a beginner. Pro, as his friends called him in vocal chat, raised an eyebrow when he saw her connect into the public vocal, surprised. Curious, like everyone else, he immediately switched to vocal, just in time to hear her speak to… Masamuneko? He couldn't help but roll his eyes at the nickname, possibly just another fan of the General.
"Alright Seph, connect your mic now."
Mic crackling
"Like this?" A rather deep male voice asked.
Pro blinked, puzzled, feeling like the voice was vaguely familiar… where the hell had he heard it? He winced in spite of himself at the explosion of voices in vocal, panic reigning in the chat, even bordering on hysteria.
"OMG IS THAT THE GENERAL'S VOICE?"
"DON'T BE STUPID, HE IS AN IMITATOR OR AN VOICE ACTOR!" Another yelped.
"HE IS DEAD YOU DUMBASSES, THAT CANNOT BE THE GENERAL!"
And so on. He was on the verge of muting everyone when BB Dragon spoke again, ignoring the people half-screaming, imitated by his partner. Immediately silencing them to spy on the conversation… and not discreetly at all.
"Okay, so I'm gonna play your character, Seph, alright? I can always change after if you want."
"You know that it is extremely disconcerting to see myself, right?" "Seph" replied, sounding slightly… annoyed?
Chuckling, the young woman responded quietly amid hissing/screaming that it couldn't be the general, the latter having never played a video game, not to mention the fact that he was dead.
"Don't worry, it will work out. It was weird to see you at the beginning too."
"My hair color is wrong," "Seph" grumbled. "This isn't the right shade at all, and let's not talk about the eyes. Or even Masamune! She isn't long enough, and most importantly, she isn't in the right shape at all."
BB Dragon snickered.
"And yet, this is the game where she looks the closest to the real one. You should see SOLDIERS Kart Rumbles or Monster Rumble Smash. It has absolutely nothing to do with it. Sometimes the games are not realistic."
"Reassuring," was the sarcastic response.
"I'll have to show you your character in SKR, Seph. You're really cute in it, you know."
"I'm not cute, Caro," was "Seph" deadpan response, making "Caro" laugh.
"To me you are, Seph. Alright, I'll show you how to control the character, take a look at how I do it. To jump, use that key, alright?"
"Alright."
More and more players were logging into the session, wanting to watch what they assumed was a disaster foretold regarding the supposedly dead and legendary SOLDIER General playing a video game. And most of all… apparently following a girl's instructions. Whereas he had never approached a woman on his own! The two were completely ignoring the other players, focused on each other. Sephiroth's character suddenly jumped up, followed by the other after a delay. He then struck a blow with Masamune, imitated by the new player (can't be the General, he's dead guys!) with his character, who used a sword too. Making players realize that they had to be in the same room for him to see the keys on her controller, hearing the young woman gently point out to him what action each key or combination of keys did. The hysteria was almost general now, with dozens of players watching the noob trying to impersonate the deceased General, and the girl playing along with it. Some were reluctant to attack him, not knowing if it was possible for the General to actually be alive… and if he did, who could dare be so familiar with him.
"Is this real?" A player asked, his voice growing high. "Is this really the General?"
"Nah, impossible," answered another, unusually calm, "It must be a troll or a voice actor. Someone who knows him well enough to imitate his inflections, I can't see anything else than that."
"One of the SOLDIERS who were with him all the time?" Asked a third.
"Impossible," said another, giving the impression of shaking his head. "The only ones close enough to him to be able to imitate him so well were the Puppy, the Scarlet Mage, and Mr. Honor and Pride."
"Who tells us he's not a ghost anyway?" Asked a player. "And if so… when are the others going to come and haunt the game?"
Some nodded softly, knowing he was telling the truth. The General had relatively little interaction with the rest of the SOLDIERS, staying in his corner most of the time. And after his friends disappeared… only the Puppy had been mad enough to dare approach him. Well, him and his girlfriend. But even she was gone… so that couldn't be it.
Pro sincerely regretted not having gone to get something to drink and snack on before. The last thing he wanted was to miss this whole drama, it made him howl with laughter. He at least thanked his forethought, having started a recording at the beginning of the chaos, he absolutely had to show it to the others! And luckily he had cut his mic, he knew some who wouldn't have liked him making fun of them. There were SOLDIERS who could really be mean… though few would take it out on BB Dragon. The last ones to harass her online… got a very personal visit from Papa Dragon, and got traumatised for life. But at least it was effective, impossible to deny it.
oOo
Caroline shook her head as she saw Sephiroth grumble, visibly struggling with the boss. Simone… wasn't exactly difficult… if you were at the right level. Sephiroth was unfortunately sub-level, and there were easily 6 or 7 levels of gaps between 2B and Simone, considering this was his very first time playing it. The woman hadn't sought to guide her companion, unless he asked, respecting his desire to experience the game on his own, warning him when his questions might reveal key elements of the scenario. The silverette got used to the video game world pretty quickly, for someone who had never played in their life, with the instinct of wanting to experience the game for themselves as much as possible.
So she let him do so, telling him just what there was to know about the chips, and which were best or most suitable, depending on what he found. Even though now he might have some pretty good chips fitted, having been lucky, but he just didn't have the level needed to win without too much trouble. He needed at least five more levels minimum, she told herself, watching him lose again. Sephiroth had at least heeded her advice about saving whenever the opportunity arises, Caroline thought, deciding that the next time he was defeated, she would suggest that he reload his last save to go train in the desert.
She looked up curiously as she heard the door open, though a glance at the clock told her it could only be Chuck. He always came back around 7-7:30 p.m., reluctant to come home too late despite the fact that he couldn't get his hands on that pyromaniac little shit of Genesis. Perhaps the risks of Hojo attempting something through his subordinates were minimal… they were not nonexistent. Regardless… they had stopped locking the door from the inside, especially since Zack had fully recovered. It allowed them to spend more time together, plus, and even if they didn't let go of their guard… Hojo wasn't really their main concern.
Caroline blinked in surprise, however, when she saw who Chuck had literally just dragged in the apartment, holding him tight by the collar.
"Angeal?" She breathed softly, attracting the attention of her companions.
The latter immediately raised their heads, completely forgetting the game, their gazes coming to fix on a sheepish Commander, who was alive. Obviously lost and disoriented, but alive. Obviously… things were shaping up to be even stranger than she thought, thought Caroline absently, watching the colossus staring at them, hesitant and lost.
To be continued…
Hehe, I'm sure you expected it to be Genesis, right? Don't worry, we'll see him in the future too ^^ But come on, we can't have Angeal without Genesis. The two are inseparable ;) You will know more about his return in the next chapter ^^
And yes, the console profile was that of Chuck ^^
He was a hardcore gamer when younger, and over time he racked up a nice collection of trophies, as well as the rarest and hardest to unlock characters. And he's still capable of kicking the asses of young players who think they are experts, even though he's not had as much time to play lately, which is why he put his console away.