Midgar Wastelands: The Dragon

μ - εγλ 1999 November 10

The Old Man squinted behind his thick blue spectacles. The natural light burned his eyes without the thick filtration. He leaned heavily on his gnarled cane pockmarked with the glowing Materia stones. He was missing his right arm. The sleeve of his dusty purple jacket just hung, fluttering in the wind. He loved seeing the dragon move so freely. It was one of the few joys he had left in this world.

The Wastelands disgusted him. Devoid of nearly all life, the city of Midgar had sucked away the life force of this once beautiful countryside. Now, miles upon miles of barren wasteland stretched in every direction from the toxic city. Shinra. Their Mako Reactors. Let alone everything else that they've done. What damage would the dragon do if it reached the city? How many would it kill? Could it destroy the Shinra tower? No.

No, SOLDIER would save the day. The old man scoffed. Abominations. Humans bathed in Mako Energy, gaining an artificial infusement from the Lifestream. The Planet cried out in pain every time one was born.



The dragon dipped beneath the clouds, swooping low across the wasteland rocks and crevasses. It was searching. Hunting. The creature perched on a large rocky outcropping and scanned the wasteland. Where was its quarry? The dragon was predominantly bipedal, dark blue scales and a horned head. It haunched forward on its powerful arms as it searched. The creature gave an ear splitting roar. Had it found its mark?

Ruby was hiding between a rock and a hard place to try and catch her breath. There wasn't much else to hide behind and this thing looked like it could eat her in one bite. She was sure it had her sent already, and she wouldn't remain hidden for long. Honestly, her safest bet was to hide in a crack somewhere small and out of reach. But if she did that the plan might not work, it needed to look like a threat to Midgar.

She hadn't truly understood just how big the dragon was going to be when she agreed to this plan. Her clothes were dirty and torn in all the right places. She really hoped that the plan would work and she wasn't in over her head, or that at least that the old man wouldn't let her get killed if it didn't. Did he have enough control to do that? She hoped so.

The dragon's MegaFlare erupted from it's breath, carving out a huge gash in the rock, frightfully close Ruby. It narrowed its eyes looking at her and darted forth smashing it's jaws into the rocks to bite at her. The crevasse was too narrow for it's large jaws however. It backed up and peered into the crack then reached in with an open claw.

Shit shit shit! Could she go deeper into the spot she was in? Was there a way out?

She had already pressed herself as deep into the rocks as she could. The only path now was to dark out into the open and try to run for it... or get grabbed by the dragon big enough (and aggressive enough) to eat a people.

Ruby really wished she'd spent more time working on her cardio.... But she'd have to run. She saw a chance and took it.....

75 dodge
0 running..... Shit.

-20 for the speed of the Dragon's claw.

Chance of Success: 55%

The member 'WaW' has done the following action : d100 Reel

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'd100' :

Result :

She darted out of the crevasse, narrowly avoiding his claw and began to run across the wastelands. She was free! Heh, this wasn't so bad, right?

Then the scaled talons wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the ground...

Ruby screamed looking around frantically for something, or someone that could help her. She really hoped that old bastard was watching. She managed to grab a hold of her rope dart with her free hand, the other was pinned to her side, knowing it wouldn't be much use against a dragon but maybe she could trip it? There was no way that'd work right?

25 combat
20 sabotage

The member 'Genzy' has done the following action : d100 Reel

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'd100' :

Result :

The dragon shrugged off the rope dark with ease and landed with a ear-splitting roar on the rugged rocks. It tossed Ruby from its hand, looming over her as it neared. Its massive maw dripped saliva. Bahamut stretched its wings then went in for the kill...

From afar, Tellah watched, barely breathing. The red materia glowed in his cane brightly as he exerted control over the dragon. He should stop it. He knew he should stop it. But then this would be for nothing. He had to give it a bit more time. Hang on, Ruby, he thought. Just a moment more.

The black motorcycle gleamed for only a moment, catching Tellah's eye. A single rider out from Midgar in the morning light. A long silver mane billowed in the wind. The rider cut the motorcycle sharply, steering it up a jagged rock formation before leaping off. The motorcycle fell harmlessly away with a crash.

The man was wearing a black trench coat with silver pauldrons. He landed in the dirt just ahead of Ruby with a graceful, if not superheroic landing. He wasn't facing the dragon.

With cat-green eyes he studied her. His features were sharp, perhaps noble and he was tall, slim, and off-putting. Something about him... The dragon pounced.

The man whirled around wielding a wickedly long katana (was he holding it before?) and cut the dragon in two in one stroke. In a flash of light, the dragon dissipated.

It was over.

Tellah fell to the ground, clutching his chest. The exertion.... He had to breathe deep and recollect himself. The rest was up to Ruby.

Well this is it Ruby thought. She closed her eyes and braced for the impact of teeth. But it didn't come. Instead she hear a motorcycle? God damn it worked. The Dragon was distracted by the newcomer as he landed in front of it enough to drop her and she landed hearing a pop from her ankle at the dragon's feet. At least she wouldn't have to fake it now. The dragon lunged forward and in the blink of an eye the fight was over.... And the dragon was dissolving into nothing.

"Thank you" Ruby said staring at the sliver haried man. "I would have been that thing's lunch if it weren't for you" He was much more handsome than she'd expected. She stayed on the ground breathing heavily trying to calm herself down as she looked at her ankle. "I think it's just a sprain," she paused for a second, tried to stand up then promptly sat back down. "Damnit" she cursed.

The man stared at her with a near blank expression. What was he thinking? After a moment, he looked over at his motorcycle, noticed it was trashed. With care, he sheathed his long sword and slowly walked over to Ruby where she sat down.

He towered over her. He squatted down and looked her close in the eye. Something about him was more predatory than the dragon. In total silence, he removed one of the black straps of his coat and tied it securely around her ankle until it was immobilized. The man stood and he scanned the horizon, for a moment he peered to where Tellah had once stood. After a moment, the man turned toward Midgar.

Finally, he said, "It will be a long walk. I hope you're good company." Then he knelt down, picked Ruby up and began walked toward the city.

As he looked her in the eye her conviction began to waver, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. She felt small and vunerable, yet she couldn't look away, his green eyes seemed to stare into her soul. But then he started tending to her ankle. She winced as he pulled it tight. "Thanks again," she smiled as he stood.

"I'm Ruby, by the way." She said a after a moment of him scanning the horizon. He was so focused she wasn't sure he heard her.

Finally, he said, "It will be a long walk. I hope you're good company." Then he knelt down, picked Ruby up and began walking toward the city.

She was about to protest, but decided against it. It wouldn't have been much of a protest with a bum ankle. Plus he was stronger than she expected...

"I like to think so." She laughed. Her hand brushed against a portion of his bare chest, she pulled her hand back, blushed and looked away slightly embarrassed.

The walk, for his part at least, began in the accustomed silence. Unnervingly, he rarely blinked, if he blinked at all. After fifteen minutes he said, "Sephiroth. My name is Sephiroth. It's nice to meet you." He was a young man. The best Tellah had discerned Sephiroth was seventeen or eighteen, though he expected some sort of celebration when he formally came of age. Still, his voice was smooth.

"That was a summon. Were you alone, Ruby?"

She smiled. Talking was a good start. "It's nice to meet you too Sephiroth." Her shirt was torn showing a good bit of cleavage, she was beginning to wonder if girls weren't his thing with how stoic he was acting. But maybe he was just awkward, can't be easy to be lauded as a hero so young... Maybe she could lighten the mood a bit. "You know I don't usually let guys I just met sweep me off my feet, but I think under the circumstances I'll make an exception." She smiled again with a bit of a chuckle.

"That was a summon. Were you alone, Ruby?"

"The girls must eat you up in Midgar." She laughed again. "So I was riding a rented chocobo to Midgar, work at home is real slim right now, anyway I was minding my own business when the dragon came out of seemingly nowhere. The chocobo freaked and threw me off. I ran as best I could... I could hear it screaming as I ran... It didn't take very long for the dragon to catch up to me I tried to hide but couldn't get deep enough so I tried to make another run for it when it caught me." She paused "I didn't see a summoner, though there had to be one somewhere, I don't know why someone would want to pick on me. I'm nobody special."

Charm 80

The member 'Genzy' has done the following action : d100 Reel

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'd100' :

Result :

Sephiroth actually managed a slight smirk. He stopped his tracks. "I suppose that's far enough." Then walked her over to a large rock and sat her on it. "Here they come."

Indeed, here they came. Truck after truck of security guards and numerous SOLDIER members on motorcycles. Sirens were blaring. A man with dark skin and what seemed like the mix of a SOLDIER uniform and and a suit got out of the lead truck. He had a standard issue SOLDIER sword strapped to his back, a peppered beard, and a scar down his cheek. His eyes glowed faintly like Sephiroth's. "Sephiroth, do you care to explain why you defied orders?" the man asked in a bellowing voice.

"Director Martino, I went to slay the dragon."

"We had it covered," the Director said.

"I had it covered," Sephiroth explained. He stood with crossed arms next to Ruby, apparently unphazed.

The Director's demeanor suddenly changed. Rather than an angry drill sergeant, he looked back at the assembled battalion and back at Sephiroth. He sighed, hung his shoulders and walked up to Sephiroth. With his back to his crew he said, "Kid, we've talked about this. You have to let them feel like they matter. You can't just... Oh, who's this?"

"This?" Sephiroth asked, turning to Ruby. Did he forget she was there? "This is Ruby. She's..." he trailed off as if searching for he words. Would Ruby interject?

"Lucky Sephiroth got here in time. I'd be dead if he hadn't shown up when he did." She smiled and looked up at him. turning back to the director, she continued. "I'd come over to shake your hand but..." She motioned to her injured foot.

She'd hoped to be alone with him longer but meeting the director wasn't a bad thing.

The Director raised an eyebrow. "You couldn't wait for a camera crew Sephiroth? Truths would have enjoyed this. Regardless, I have your next assignment. We should get you back to HQ. I'll have my men sweep the area for any other threats."

Sephiroth nodded and then turned to Ruby. "She was headed ot Midgar. Can your men get her there safely?"

"Of course," the Director said.

Sephiroth started to step toward the gathered vehicles but stopped. "On second thought, Director, she can ride with us while you brief me on my next assignment."

"Sephiroth, that's not necessary," the Director said.

"Nonsense. Why dispatch two vehicles back to Midgar? The wastelands are quite vast. I'm sure you'll need all the resources you can muster." With that, Sephiroth swept up Ruby and took her to a truck...

This was good... "Thank you for the ride." She wondered if talking to truths would be a good idea... they might pay for a story about Sephiroth... She didn't know how he'd react to that though. "So uh... You're pretty important huh?"

Sephiroth and Ruby sat in the rear passenger seats of a rather large military truck while the Director and an 3rd Class SOLDIER operative drove the vehicle rather bumpily and quickly toward Midgar. He stole a sidelong glance at her however briefly.

"Important?" He turned to stare out the window. "I suppose the Company values my skills." He looked down at his gloved hands, then over at Ruby. "I'm not sure if I'm important or not."

The Director glanced over his shoulder at the two but said nothing. He simply lit a cigar and let the truck take them.

Sephiroth looked down in shock at the woman who leaned against him. He raised one eyebrow the slightest amount at her. "What's the mission, Director?"

The Director dropped down a mirror to stare at Sephiroth. "Sephiroth, you can't keep collecting pets. This isn't like that behemoth pup you found."

"The mission, Director."

The Director sighed and tossed his cigar out the window. "You're flying to Junon where you'll take a ship to Costa del Sol."

"Not Wutai?"

"No," the Director said. The truck his a rather large bump bet kept going. "Are you familiar with Dio Manderville?" The Director handed Sephiroth a dossier that he began to flip through slowly. "Head of Manderville Inc., one of the last potential rivals to Shinra Co. He's tried stealing our proprietary mako reactor information for years. He owns most of Costa del Sol and has plans to build some sort of amusement park out in the Corel Desert."

"Shouldn't I be headed to the warfront?" Sephiroth asked.

"Things are stable there for now. We're testing some new SOLDIER recruits before we send you back out. Dio runs Club Duel--a fighting ring where anything can be gambled. The President wants you to gamble for Manderville Inc."

"Fighting for entertainment?" Sephiroth asked.

"That's right," the Director said. "What better way to test you?"

The truck started up a long highway ramp leading up into Midgar proper. Within minutes they'd be at the airport.