Disclaimer: Do not own Squeenix characters. The original character, Koarin Creisse, belongs to LunaTiger and myself. He's been around about 8 years, and isn't going away anytime soon, much like my obsession with this series. Please do not use him without permission.
Summary: Sorry this chapter is so brief -- I tried to continue it and realized the next part would be better off on its own. This is the intro to Koarin, explaining how he ties into the whole bit. He's been our OC for so long, but in so few published fanfics, it's like bringing your kid out for the first day of kindergarten. Hehehe. Please stick with me to the next chapter, this one is more expositional; plot development will come shortly after. Thanks. R/R is always appreciated, I'm trying some new things with this story and would love (any kind of) feedback. You can tell me to jump off a bridge, if you'd like. I may take you up on it!
Dr. Koarin Creisse could not believe what he was reading. After months of studies, mounds of paperwork, presentations, and whispering in the ear of the corporate big wigs at Shinra tower, here in front of him, in black and white, forty pages thick, was the proposition for his own section of the laboratory to be used for environmental research in the affects of mako reactors on the surrounding ecology.
"The Centre for Mako-Ecological Study and Environmental Balance". Not the most stately title, but it still shone like gold to him on the monotone ink and paper.
Shinra had come under fire from several environmentalist groups as of late in regards to the reactors' harmful impact on the environment in which they were placed. Shinra owned most of the media outlets, so controlling the rush of opposition was simple, at first -- but the independent groups caused enough racket after a while that new reactor sites were being shot down and heatedly debated by concerned townsfolk, creating an awkward relationship with their potential clientele.
Shinra finally caved and took Koarin up on the offer to run an eco-motivated department on the tower's science floor, partially as a PR boost, he was sure, but also hopefully to make the reactors themselves more Planet-friendly. He had come to terms with the fact that mako energy was here to stay; people had already become spoiled off of it, and the Planet was suffering in lieu. That part, he hated -- botany was his true love, and to see people's greed for convenience causing harm to the Planet seemed completely arrogant and against all good taste.
Though, instead of futilely fighting the conglomeration, he decided to work toward first proving his case to the proper boards of executives in an act to make the reactors themselves less harmful, then, hopefully, some years in the future, perhaps substituting an entirely new, eco-friendly energy source.
To even begin, however, he would have to be able to get conclusive proof of how exactly the reactors were damaging the surrounding land. Even though damage was obviously being incurred, the big wigs still denied it until solid tests pointed out the exact, spot-on issues, meaning mountains more paperwork and tests. Still, foot in the door. He couldn't complain.
Koarin allowed himself a giddy smile and resisted hopping around in little circles. Instead, he took a slow sip of the warm tea he kept at his side and stretched his fingers, bringing up a program on his laptop to begin typing his letter of acceptance. He had not even hoped to begin such a letter previously, lest he jynx himself. But now...
As he typed, he thought back at all the work he had to do to get to this point, all the reports and information gathering, the hours of sitting alone, studying results with his head in his hand. He thought back to all the side missions he took, on his own time and penny, collecting samples and statements before anyone would pay attention to him. He would have to drop his deign for the media and its obsessive harping -- their arguments against the Shinra had actually landed him the job, the best position he had ever had the opportunity to pursue.
He remembered the one mission Shinra actually sent him on overseas to check the mako reactor at Gongaga, a little country town overseas, where reports of abnormalities had begun to arise. He remembered being so excited to receive the request, immediately confirming through his superior, being told he would leave the same evening. He had not been the slightest bit nervous, despite not being on a helicopter in over five years. His mother had made sure he was well-travelled as a child.
He remembered walking to the helipad mid-dusk, wind rushing through his hair and tossing his lab coat about furiously. He had tried all he could to keep it all tamed, quickly wrapping up his hair in a long ponytail and holding tightly onto his briefcase, not letting the wind rush into his sleeves and threaten to whisk the coat right off him. It had already started to get dark, the sun having set below the rooftop, the light diffused, as always, by Midgar's looming pollution, casting everything in hues of purple and orange.
As he drew closer, he remembered how his jaw dropped as he saw someone lean in to speak with the pilot, then turn toward him, eyes like bright green lights on the side of the helicopter, silver ribbons thrashing in the turbulent wind. He would've never thought someone in SOLDIER would be his escort on a trip like that. Much less...
That was the first time I met him. Koarin slowed his typing, fingers coming to a rest on the keys.
Sephiroth had been quiet, but not at all unkind. He seemed interested in his work, asking many questions. It seemed he had not been fully briefed on the mission, more or less just told to show up and accompany him. After Koarin got over the initial shock of meeting Sephiroth, they had had several interesting conversations on their way overseas, though none too personal; Koarin had always heard him to be a guarded person, and, having just met him, wanted to say nothing to set him off right off the bat. He had heard much, actually... some stories seemed more realistic than others, but there was no guessing with someone so ...
Hm, Koarin thought. Even in retrospect, he's difficult to define.
The helicopter ride had been smooth, almost peaceful, watching out the window as the moon hit the waves as they flew over nothing but water. Sephiroth mentioned they were lucky to have Tseng as their pilot rather than one of the other Turks. After a while, Koarin had dozed off, occasionally opening his eyes to glance around; Sephiroth stayed awake, mulling over paperwork he had brought with him, piled to one side of his seat. His eyes glowed like a nightlight, full of mako. Koarin thought he saw them through his eyelids when he closed his eyes, once or twice.
The trip ended up being little more than a PR stunt, demonstrating Shinra's deep, heartfelt, ecological interest by arriving in person to confront claims of instability at the reactor and have a few pictures snapped of the two of them, scientist and SOLDIER, a combined front of concern; one tactical appearance of authority to thwart accusations of Shinra's deign for their customers.
Though mostly silent during the whole media snap, Koarin couldn't help but feel Sephiroth's presence overshadow him. He was fine with it, using the time advantageously to collect samples, regardless of who in the corporate office would be willing to pay any mind; his results would speak for themselves, it would just take tenacity and patience. As for Sephiroth, he seemed to be the company's fix-all salve in charismatic military form. He seemed to realize it, but did not seem to embrace that part of his job in the slightest, rather, passively enduring it. Still, work was work. Koarin did not mind his company. Quite the opposite, actually.
........
Koarin yawned a bit.
'Sincerely,' he finished his letter, leaving room for his signature in ink. He saved the copy, printed it, and closed his laptop. He leaned back in his chair a moment, eyeing the ceiling. He tipped back and forth, listening to the chair squeak as his thoughts drifted.
He had only seen Sephiroth briefly since then in passing down the hallway. It had been two months since their trip together, and the two had barely spoken. Once, he saw him coming from Hojo's lab, looking less than healthy, but he failed to divulge anything when asked, and Koarin didn't want to press it. He had worked in the laboratory long enough -- thankfully, not under Professor Hojo, but in an offset department for independant study -- to know that the professor could be less than humanitarian at times, and hoped that wasn't spilling over into his favourite plaything (Sephiroth was present on the laboratory floor far more than any other member of SOLDIER he had seen). He was unsure of what the SOLDIER regime was, or what it had to do with the laboratory, but he could only imagine the brutal amount of tests that Shinra would require from one of their best.
Someone needed to tell the professor to stop and smell the flowers now and then, lest he be completely absorbed by the colder side of science. Koarin, however, did not expect his suggestion would be well received. Perhaps he would brave the courage after a few months in his new position, but for now, he was comfortable ignoring the creepy old man.
Koarin's fingers fiddled at the cellphone in his coat pocket. I wonder... how he's doing?
He hesitated another moment before pulling the phone out and glancing over his contact list. Still in his phone from the mission (Shinra always required you to stay in contact with your escort on business missions, and so -- surprisingly, at the time -- Sephiroth's number was relegated to him), Sephiroth's name loomed, bright and intimidating, on his Shinra-issued cellphone.
He had professed an interest in his work. Surely he would be interested to hear of this new development, ...right? It was big news. Koarin had an urge to tell the world, though most people would warn him against getting too excited. Few people would understand -- Sephiroth, he hoped, being one of the few.
Koarin hit 'send' on the call with the slightest bit of hesitation, hoping he would not be interrupting anything.