icedark_elf (icedark_elf) wrote in rp_prompts, @ 2009-01-24 05:22:00 |
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Entry tags: | ladynero:icedark_elf:tb:ffvii |
Naming Pt Two(Ten Set 04 # 7-Yes)
Continued from here.
Smiling, she stood, then offered her hand to him. "It was mostly due to the materia. Which means nobody else we'll face will be ready to deal with it."
"Those things you summoned were unexpected," confessed Abel, taking her hand to stand up. He settled his wings against his back.
Catarina let out a delighted laugh. "I can see I'll have to find some place for you to train out of the way of prying eyes."
"The first was Bahamut, the second Leviathan. Picked the latter up during my bouncing." She shook her head. "Didn't do much good once you took off again."
"I don't enjoy being wet," Abel replied, walking back over to the group and picking up his bottle again.
Rolling her eyes, Catarina pulled him around so she could get to his wings. "Your feathers are a mess."
"The Tetra kept your bolts from hurting me," she said absently, watching as the other woman started to do something with the feathers.
"Tetra? What is that?" inquired the Professor, perking up. Abel curled his arms around his knees and relaxed as Catarina preened his feathers straight.
Lifting an arm, she showed off the item. "You get it when you use a morph on a cactuer." Zack smiled. "Turns...fire, lightening, ice, and earth attacks into healing actions."
"A very handy little trinket," agreed the Professor, looking at it.
"I have a few more in the rooms back at the Vatican if you'd like one."
He chuckled and shook his head. "Unless there is a way to replicate their properties in a scientific way, I'll pass."
"No idea. The scientists back home never dealt with things much, other than making sure they worked with materia."
"I'm afraid that unless it had circuitry and electrical currents, it's a bit beyond my scope of knowledge," he confessed with a rueful smile.
"Well, if you'd like one to wear, let me know anyway. It's a nice little safety measure." She stretched, feeling her back pop, and then collected her drink again.
Leon chuckled and motioned her over. "Here, let me help you a bit," he offered, gesturing to a spot in front of him.
Abel was softly purring and relaxing under Catarina's hands, his eyes drowsy with contentment.
"So, were we satisfactorily entertaining?" Zack asked as she moved as requested.
Leon grinned and attacked her shoulders, massaging with strong, firm strokes. "To the point of making the rest of us feel inadequate."
She purred, eyes shutting. "You have about a million years to stop that."
"Damn. i hate working on a time limit," he teased.
"I'll throw something at you later. And it was fun sparring like that. I don't get to go full out very often. Oh, Abel, any injuries? You heal so fast I didn't think to ask."
She got a loud purr in response.
Hughes stood up and started laying wood down for a fire. "He is fine, apparently."
"I guess I don't need to use a cure then." Zack shook her head, and looked at the others with a small smile.
"What was that last one you hit him with?" inquired the Professor as Hughes started the wood burning.
"Confuse. I used Wall around myself, plus there were the basics like Quake, Fire, Ice."
"He was confused all right," remarked Leon, digging his thumbs into a tight knot in her back.
She gave a low groan, feeling something give.
Leon rolled his eyes and gave her a slight push. "Lay out so I can attack those stones you call muscles properly," he ordered.
Slowly, she did, crossing her arms and resting her chin on them. Mmm, back massage. "I almost used a Haste and a Stop, and if that confuse hadn't worked, I would have."
"What would those have done?" inquired Leon, straddling her hips before really going to work on her back.
"I would have gotten faster, and Abel would have been frozen in place."
"That sounds almost kinky," teased Leon, digging his fingers into her muscles.
"Only to you." She made another low sound, eyes almost shut, the glow still shining through. Had the mako surging from that little bout.
"Don't you know by now that Leon is our kinky slut?" teased Catarina, stroking the folded wings with a soft touch before patting Abel between them, encouraging him to put them away. He sighed and the wings were absorbed into his back as he shifted back, almost dozing.
She just gave a lazy sound. "Figured that one out."
Chuckling, Leon pressed hard against another knot. "Perhaps later, I might show you what else my hands are good for?"
"Flirt."
"Offering," he countered with a smirk.
"Maybe I might be convinced. Maybe. Later. If you haven't put me to sleep yet." She gave a stretch under him, enjoying the back rub. "Haven't had one of these since my last pregnancy...."
"You have children?" inquired Leon, his attention shifting away from sex.
There was another soft growl from Abel.
"Two, somewhere in the multi-verse. Yami and Enala."
"Little princesses with their mother's beauty?" Leon grinned and glanced over at Abel, recognizing the possessive light in those blue eyes for what it was. So, their resident Crusnik had feelings for their fighting beauty?
"I know my -son- got his parents spiky hair. Enala looked like her daddy, from what little I saw of her. All that fluffy silver hair."
Leon clucked his tongue. "Should I feel sorry for him, having all that hair?"
"I'm pretty sure it was going to grow in multi colored." A sigh. "At least they are with good people."
Bending down, Leon pressed a kiss to her neck, getting a louder growl from Abel before it was cut off. "My sympathies for not having them with you."
Cracking open an eye, she rested her cheek on her arm so she could eye Leon and Abel. "They are with good people. That's the best I could hope for them."
"That is all a parent can hope for if they cannot be with their child," agreed Leon, leaning back to sit on her hips, perfectly comfortable as he started in on her lower back.
Catarina quietly moved out of Abel's way on the pretence of getting something to eat, but her and the Professor exchanged knowing glances. It wouldn't take much to push Abel into pouncing.
"Better there than taken to some of the worlds I've been to." She let loose a long breath, forcing herself to relax more.
"They are with their papi? Yes?" inquired Leon, a small smile on his face.
A grimace. "No. One is with a family who had several small kids already, and a version of their father lived there. The other is with another family. I...wish that they were with their fathers. I really do." She was quiet, wondering what things would have been like if she had any control over where she jumped and how. She wish she could have taken her kids to the worlds their fathers lived on.
Leon shifted so he could pull her up into his arms, whispering soothing things in Spanish.
Zack blinked at the sudden change, and gave him a small smile. "Like I said, better they stayed on the worlds they were born on then traveling with me. Some of the worlds have...not been the best."
"They were unable to keep you from jumping?" Abel inquired, his heart aching at her words.
"The kids? No, they were in their cribs. Didn't want to hurt them."
"Bah, I refuse to believe that you could hurt a child," snorted Leon, pressing a kiss against her temple
"Yes, but I don't want to do that whole 'smother' thing either," Zack said wryly. "And it's the past. Can't change it, so no point in worrying over it too much. They are with people who care about them. I could get that much."
Leon shook his head and bent down to kiss her lips. "What a remarkable woman you are, Zack Fair."
She gave a slightly surprised sound, then poked him in the forehead. "Subtle, you are not. But thank you."
Snarling, Abel pounced them, pulling Zack away from Leon. "Mine!"
Leon just sat there, sprawled on the ground with a smug smile.
"Excuse me?" She blinked, startled at the sudden change in people.
"Was wondering when you were going to pounce," teased Leon before glancing at Zack. "You think it's normal for him to accept one of the new people under his wing to the point of sharing a room with them and training them?"
Zack rolled her eyes. "I'm better than Esther. Maybe that's what it took."
Abel curled around her, holding her close as he buried his face in her neck.
Catarina giggled. "No, it's something else. He wasn't like this with Noelle or any of the boys here."
Leaning against him, Zack just made a confused sound, reaching up to pet his hair.
"He's been giving you possessive growls all night," remarked Leon, tilting his head to watch them. "Betcha it was the fight that cinched it."
"Oh?" She shifted some, and then just got comfy.
Hughes nodded. "You are the first to best him in a fight. You are safe for him."
"Only Tres has ever beat Abel in a fight, but while he has some feelings and emotions, he's not human," added the Professor with an apologetic smile towards Tres.
"The more I hear, the more you remind me of Seph," she murmured at the man holding onto her.
Abel just purred back, nuzzling her throat.
Leon smirked. "Aside from the claiming part, this is how he usually acts when buzzed on rum."
Giving a low shiver, she let him nuzzle away. "I'll remember that."
Leon climbed back into his seat and dug into the food as Catarina brought a couple of sandwiches over to them.
She wasn't sure how she felt about the situation, but she was a fan of snuggles, and so just pet Abel as best she could and let him snuggle away.
Smiling, Catarina offered her a sandwich. "If he starts pushing faster than you're happy with, deck him."
"I will," Zack said, taking the sandwich.
Nodding, Catarina shoved the sandwich into Abel's mouth. "Eat, Abel."
He huffed but obediently ate the sandwich.
"No crumbs down my shirt, please," she said, teasing, and patted his leg.
"Just give you an excuse to take it off later," grinned Leon, getting a small growl from Abel.
"Leon, you're trying to get thumped, aren't you?"
That got an innocent look from Leon. "Whatever makes you say that?"
"Because you're trying to get Abel to thump you," Zack said, quirking a brow at the man.
"Catarina, pounce Leon," Abel stated, and with a giggle, Catarina threw herself at Leon, tickling him.
Zack laughed, watching them, shaking her head.
Abel rose to his feet and tugged Zack back to the benches, getting out of their way.
"You are going to cling a bit, aren't you?" she asked, going along easily enough.
"Do you mind?" he inquired, pulling her back down on the bench and curling around her again.
"I guess not. Snuggles are usually pretty nice."
He purred and nuzzled her throat, breaking off long enough to sip at his bottle.
"Let me know if you are going to decide to start nibbling, okay?" she asked, finishing off her sandwich.
He purred in agreement, curling her closer.
Giggling breathlessly, Catarina let Leon pull her back up onto the benches where the others were nibbling and drinking still.
"So, see why I hold back now when we spar at the Vatican?" she asked conversationally to Abel.
He nodded. "Same reason I do. Don't want anyone to know how destructive you are."
"Make with big boom times now."
"I'll find some place where you *all* can train quietly and out of sight of the Inquisition," announced Catarina with a smile. "That way you can get these gents into shape, Zack."
"Me get them into shape? It'll be the other way around, I think. Like I was saying, I'm getting out of shape."
"Abel is our strongest fighter and you were able to beat him," the Professor remarked, shaking his head. "You might think yourself out of shape, but when compared to us, *we* are the flabby ones."
"Abel's like fighting a dragon. A very, very smart dragon."
"And he is faster and stronger than vampires with the same ratio that they are faster and stronger against ordinary humans." The Professor sipped at his bottle.
"I should remind you I was built to be a killing machine."
"So was I," murmured Abel i her ear.
"For everything, or did you have a primary target," she asked with a murmur.
"Methuselah," he confessed.
She patted his leg again. "We were a big more generalized. Course, from what I can tell, you guys have a wimpy world."
Leon huffed and curled an arm around Catarina. "We fight vampires and she calls us wimpy."
"You don't have random plant life attacking you, let alone other predators."
"She has you there, Leon," remarked the Professor with a grin.
"When you get ten foot tall plants that breath poison start coming out of the woodwork, let me know."
"Bah, don't say that too loud or someone might get ideas," drawled Leon, taking a drink from his bottle.
"Like the Order," agreed the Professor.
"I can list off a ton of things that eat people from my world. Which was why I was surprised when Abel started talking about 'superior predators'."
Catarina sighed. "In a way, I'm glad that we only have Methuselah and their toys to fight, but there are days when I wish there were more things than just the same old same old.'
That got a muttering of "Hear Hear" from the rest of the group
"If you guys did, I bet you'd have limit breaks." Zack mused over this idea.
"Limit breaks?" The Professor perked up a bit and even Hughes looked interested. "What are those?"
Zack thought about how to describe it. "You know damage is inevitable, right? Well, if you take enough, it triggers what amounts to a super attack. Usually once you get one, you start getting others, and they do -large- amounts of damage."
"Sort of like getting a rush of adrenalin to finish your attacker off before they finish you?" theorized the Professor.
"With explosions."
Leon chuckled. "I could get behind something like that."
"They are nice. Exhausting, but you don't tend to need to fight so much after letting one go. Best theory I heard was it was a survival tactic." She smiled. "I'm sure some of you will see one, eventually. Not sure if I could teach someone how to access one or not, but I -know- I can teach people how to use materia."
"That's what you call that stuff you were tossing around right? The fire and ice?" clarified Leon, his eyes dancing.
"Yes, let's give the pyro more excuses for explosions and fire," drawled Hughes.
She held up an arm again, this time pointing towards the green globe there. "Quake. A magic materia. I have others that enhance your health, your magic abilities, how fast you are. Others that let me manipulate enemies into attacking each other, confuse them, transform them. Plus ones that heal up injuries, and, of course, summons."
"How do you tell them apart?" inquired the Professor.
"Practice, mostly. Habit. They each have their own...feel. That, and color helps. Reds are summons. Greens have effects like element attacks, cure, things like that. Purples tend to be enhancing ones. Yellows help you manipulate things. Blues tend to be linking ones. Like an All. Link a fire to an All, and you can hit everything you designate a target all at once with fire."
"That sounds like a fun toy," purred Leon only to grin when Catarina jammed an elbow into his ribs.
A dramatic sigh. "He only loves me for my materia."
"Considering his favorite weapon is a grenade launcher, I'm not surprised," remarked Abel.
"We're taught to use them from the start of our training. Though it seems there's always at least one person who used a fire on a dragon."
"I take it that's not a smart thing?" chuckled Catarina.
"Fire heals dragons."
Leon cackled as Catarina giggled. "Not smart at all," sighed the Professor, shaking his head with an amused smile.
Zack smiled, and finished off her bottle, setting it to the side.
"Want another?" offered Hughes, holding out an unopened bottle. "We normally pick up enough that each of us has two each with four going towards Abel."
"Thank you," she said. "So, just out of curiosity, what's it like to get drunk?"
"Depends on the person," Leon remarked, settling in to relax. "Some people drift on good feelings and pleasant memories. Some get morose and weepy, and others are just plain mean."
"Luckily, we're a bunch of mellow and happy drunks," added the Professor.
"That is good. I think there would be lots of destruction if any of you were mean."
"Definitely. And possibly dead bodies," remarked Leon with an absent shrug.
Zack just shook her head, using Abel for a leaning post.
The Professor nodded. "Quite true. We are all deadly with our training when it comes to normal people. Hughes is unmatched in speed and swordsmanship. Leon has his throwing disks and sheer strength. I have my intelligence. Catarina has her cunning. And Abel..." He shrugged with a smile. "And now, you are added to our happy little group."
"Me dumb fighter. Me make boom things." Her tone was dry.
Catarina snorted. "That and forty dinar will get you a cup of coffee."
"Not if I blow up the coffee first."
The professor sniffed, starting to sway a bit where he sat. "Nonsense my dear. You have a fine head for tactics despite your dumb fighter routine."
"Thus why I'd blow up the coffee. Deprive others of caffeine."
"You cruel woman," moaned Leon, falling sideways to land with his head in Catarina's lap as she continued giggling. "Deprive grown men of their caffeine."
Abel snorted and curled his arms a bit more around Zack. "Which is why I prefer tea."
"Which is why tea places would be next. It's part of my nefarious plans of world conquest."
He growled softly and lightly bit her neck with blunt teeth. "That's torture."
A shiver down her spine. "I find it to be sound tactics."
"But we thought we were your friends?" pouted the Professor, his eyes dancing despite his drunken state. "You're being mean by taking away the *tea*."
"All right, all right," Zack said with a sigh. "I'll save a few tea and coffee places for you guys."
"Or you could open your own after bombing all the others and make a fortune to the poor, starved caffeine-addicts," offered Catarina, a bring smile on her face.
"Oooh. I like that. We will have to be cohorts."
Grinning, Catarina leaned over to offer Zack her hand in agreement when Leon shifted, sending her off balanced and crashing into Zack.
Catching her, she let Abel play support. "Hello there."
Abel barely shifted to support their weight, watching over Zack's shoulder. Catarina lifted her face from Zack's chest and blinked up at her. "You have a very nice chest."
"Thank you," Zack said, helping the woman sit up. "It does seem to have its share of admirers."
She grinned as she sat up, still leaning a bit against Zack. "Maybe we'll give the boys a show later?"
That got a wolf whistle from Leon and a cheer from Hughes.
She was so toasted, Zack was sure of it. "Maybe." Though the cheer from the blond got a slightly surprised blink. Okay, cheerful drunks.
Catarina's smile changed to a bit of a smirk. "We'll have to do something about the possessive one though." She nodded not so subtly towards Abel who had started petting Zack's stomach with slow strokes.
Scritching the back of Abel's hand, Zack made an amused sound. "When you make a move, you really make a move, don't you, Abel?"
He purred into her neck, nuzzling her as he enjoyed her scent.
Catarina snickered. "It's the rum. Lowers his inhibitions, and gets rid of the guilt and angst he carries."
"It's cute. He's snuggly when we sleep, too."
Catarina nodded. "Very snuggly." She sighed a bit wistful. "At least before I got too big to sleep in his bed."
"You had started your cycle, Catarina," drawled Abel, looking at her.
Zack shifted, and gave Catarina a one armed hug.
"So? I still could sleep in your bed," pouted Catarina, snuggling into Zack.
Shaking his head, Abel took another long drink from his bottle, blinking in surprise that it was empty.
"He does get poofy about the oddest things," Zack agreed. She had already learned that one in the last few months.
Groaning, Abel grabbed the second bottle and twisted the top off, taking a long drink before he could continue. "Ladies, to be blunt, what exactly does your cycles consist of?"
Catarina blinked at him, apparently not understanding the question due to the alcohol she had consumed, as Kate giggled a bit embarrassed.
Rolling her eyes, Zack shook her head. "You haven't seemed to have a major issue with me yet."
"I have more control now, and you have noticed that the window is usually open during those times," stated Abel.
"Would it be an issue if you fed properly?" she asked, now curious.
Abel closed his eyes. "It's still *blood*. You can be full of food and still salivate when a good meal is carried by, yes?"
She scritched his hand again. "All right. I was curious about it." She gave him a wicked little grin. "Poor boy. Surrounded by tasty people."
"Must be why he goes for so many walks in the gardens," remarked Hughes. "All that fresh air.'
Shaking her head slightly, Zack patted Abel's arm.
"Can we talk about something else? Please?" begged Abel, tilting his face up to stare at the darkening sky.
"Has the Queen of Albion found her missing Heir yet?" Leon inquired, glancing at the Professor only for the Professor to shake his head.
"Missing heir? That sounds interesting."
"About fourteen, almost fifteen years ago, her son was assassinated," reported Kate. "But he managed to hint to her that he had a child hidden away. The Star of Albion, the Prince had named the child. Apparently, a star shaped birthmark is how the child could be identified as the Royal Heir."
Abel groaned and slapped his forehead. "The gods are laughing. I swear they are."
"That is something that could lead to issues," she said, glancing at Abel. "Especially when Abel starts talking about laughing gods."
"Esther is the Ancient Hebrew word for 'Star', and the brat has a star shaped birthmark on her side," groaned Abel, rubbing his temples. "I caught a glimpse of it when she was changing back into her habit and out of the dress Count Gyula had put her in."
"You mean that that opinionated, shallow, bit of... of..... is Albion's next queen?" sputtered the Professor, his eyes wide.
".... Why is it always those types? Honestly." Zack shook her head. "Someone is going to have to do some retraining of her attitude."
Catarina giggled. "Can we use the flogger on her? Or would she enjoy that too much?"
Rolling his eyes a bit, Leon pulled her back into his lap. "You apparently have had enough if you're drunk already."
Shaking her head, Zack rolled ideas over in her head. She didn't know what was going to happen after this. If that girl really was the heir to a world power here, there would be issues. "Didn't you say that Albion had a vampire population?"
Abel nodded. "Yes. It's no secret that Albion's political power comes from their Lost Technology, but it's not well known that it's their vampire population that actually creates it."
The Professor let out a low whistle. "That could rock the political boat should they rise up."
"What is her attitude towards vampires? I've not interacted with her before today."
"Hostile but not openly so," mused Abel, a thoughtful look on his face. "I'm not sure what her attitude towards them is since the source of her hostility is dead."
"Fun times. I always hated politics." Sighing, Zack leaned against Abel some more.
"Unfortunately, we're stuck in them since we have to deal with rogues all the time," grumbled Leon, shaking his head.
The Professor sighed. "Do we tell her about her heritage or not?"
"No," stated Hughes. "She will only become more spoiled with the information plus become a target to assassins."
"Do you tell the current ruler about her?"
"We should send a carefully worded letter to her letting her know the child is still alive and is currently protected," sighed Kate, an irritated look crossing her face.
Zack nodded. "Letting her know the kid is still alive might cause some interesting reactions."
Abel grumbled. "I could send one through a few contacts I know, keep the trail muddied."
"Poor dear," Zack said with a smile, patting him on the arm.
"I don't want to use them too often because that draws attention to them," Abel confessed. "And this will be the second time this year."
Leon snapped his fingers. "So *that's* how you got the fairy kids hidden so fast!"
Fairy kids? She would have to ask later. "This is end up being an interesting letter, won't it? I mean, you have to let her know without giving away too many details, that someone in her family is still alive."
"We actually met about thirty years ago," Abel confessed, a thoughtful look on his face. "If the letter comes from Lord Night, then she'll believe it faster."
"Lord Night?" parroted the Professor, raising a brow. "Do tell, your lordship.'
Zack turned so she could see Abel better with a small grin.
"Nightlord was the name I was going by at that time," confessed Abel with a shrug. "I had helped save her and her son from an attack, and she joked that I already had a title when she heard my name."
"What prompted the name change?" Zack asked. She was finding out more about Abel tonight than the whole time she'd been here so far.
He shrugged. "I started out as Nightroad. That was the name the military gave me and my siblings. We became 'Nightlord' when we left, and since then, I had been bouncing between the two names about every fifteen years."
"Simple, if effect, way of throwing off people who are trying to find you. If they're casual about it, anyway."
He shrugged. "I'm distinct enough with the silver hair that anyone asking about would find me."
"As I said, casual. The type who goes by paperwork." She shrugged. "You are very comfy to lean on, you know?"
"No I didn't," he remarked, holding her a bit closer.
Chuckling, Zack shifted until she was comfortable against him again, looking around again. Everyone was relaxed. That was a nice thing to see.
"Hey, Catarina, do we have permission to smack some sense into Esther if she doesn't obey a direct order?" drawled Leon with a smirk.
Catarina frowned faintly. "IF she doesn't obey an order and risks the safety of a mission, take whatever actions you deem necessary at the time."
"How often does she go on missions, anyway?" Zack glanced to where the main gathering was, even if she couldn't actually see it. "I know she isn't a full field agent...."
"She's still in training and hasn't been on a mission yet," the Professor announced with a shrug. "But it is just a matter of time."
"How have you managed to stall her for so long?" Because even Zack had been on a mission or two. Low grade, nothing really happened missions, but she got the feeling that was more luck than anything.
"Me," smirked Leon. "She can't even get me winded in hand to hand let alone beat me, and until she can get me at least winded, she can't go on a mission."
Zack snickered. "Oh, that is funny. She's tiny. And I don't mean body size. Her arms are too thin to have any major muscle development."
Leon grinned. "I figure, I'll be able to stall her for a few more months unless she gets sneaky and starts underhanded tactics."
"But that's not proper," sniffed Kate in a good imitation of Esther's tone when she saw the alcohol.
"She'll learn eventually that underhand tactics are the way to go during fights." Zack wrinkled her nose. "Even more when you are trying to do things like assassinations or such."
"Now if we could only get the head of the Order in our cross hairs," grumbled Hughes, nibbling a bit more at the food. "That would be someone I wouldn't mind putting my sword down long enough to pull a trigger."
"Most assassinations are a bit messier than that. But, yeah, sounds like this person causes a lot of issues." Zack snagged a bit more food herself. Hungry again.
The Professor nodded. "A great many issues. Every one of us has been touched by the Order in some way. Leon's wife was murdered and he was framed for it. Hughes lost his family. I lost my reputation and career in Albion. Kate was so severely injured in an attack that she's still recovering. Catarina's family was assassinated..."
Abel just held her, not adding to the conversation despite the speculations that were behind his teeth.
Zack sighed. "No wonder you were so willing to do what you needed to keep me here," she said, looking at Catarina. "Any experience fighter is one you want."
Catarina nodded, starting to sober up some. "Noelle might not have been a heavy fighter like the boys here, or you, but she had brains and cunning."
"Always a good combination," Zack nodded. "Especially if she has brute strength to call on if needed."
"That was us," agreed Leon with a grin. "Brute strength."
"We thump," Zack grinned. "At least that's what a lot of troopers thought back home."
Leon's grin grew. "We're big many men. We beat things until they stop moving."
Zack nodded. "Well, except for the manly men part, I fit that. But, yeah, we were the 'go in and make them stop fighting back' group."
There were a few chuckles all around at that. "It's a nice name, but if we called ourselves that, no one would join," pouted Leon.
"You already have short, snazzy name. Though we were called pretty much what we were. In nice big letters." Zack worked her way through the bottle some more, getting that nice, not drunk, but tingly feeling she got when alcohol and mako interacted.
Catarina frowned at her and poked her with a finger. "I still don't have a codename for you. Why are you being so difficult?"
Leon pulled Catarina back into his lap, whispering soothing things in Spanish.
"I don't do it on purpose," Zack pointed out. "I was Seph's SiC, but you guys aren't exactly military. A lot like SOLDIER, yes, but you have a totally different structure setup."
A sudden smile spread across Catarina's face. "Archangel!"
That got a confused sound from Zack, and she blinked at the woman.
Catarina nodded. "You will be Archangel."
Abel rolled his eyes. I'm not sure I want to know."
"What's an archangel?" Zack looked to the others. She still didn't get a lot of cultural references.
"Archangels are among the most powerful angels in God's army," the Professor stated. "They include the warrior angel, Michael, who is the general of the army, and Azrael, the Angel of Death."
"Our gods have an army as well, but it's for the Ragnarok." Zack said. "When they met their end and the world started again."
"You haven't spoken of your religion before," mused Abel. "Why don't you tell us about it?"
"Well, you have the jotnar, the giants, and the two branches of gods, the Aesir and the Vanir. The gods eventually made peace with each other, if a bit strained at times, but were at war with the giants. Eventually, there would come the great battle, on Vigrid. After it all, the gods will be dead, and humans will live in a renewed world." A shrug. "We have a lot of stories. Loki the trickster, Odin the all knowing, Freyja the beautiful, valkyries, all sorts of things."
"Valkyries? What are those?" inquired the Professor as everyone else focused on Zack, curious.
"Battle maidens. Choosers of the slain. They chose how lived and died during battle and took those who were worthy to Valhalla to become the Einherjar. Those were the ones who were to go with the gods to fight the final battle." Zack grinned.
Leon grinned. "I think that fits you better than Archangel." Catarina nodded, a smile on her face.
Zack snorted some. "At least it's something I recognize."
Catarina nodded, her curls bouncing with the motion. "All right. You'll be Valkyrie."
"Looks like I get to join the rest of you guys in having multiple names," Zack told the others.
"Codenames are to keep us from being targets in official reports," the Professor remarked with a shrug. "Even if we do call each other by them outside of missions."
"Some people in this world have far too many names. You people have an obsession with them," Zack pointed out.
"The only name I truly want to know is the one that belongs to the Contra Mundi," sighed Catarina, curling up in Leon's lap.
Giving a low hum, Zack thought about it. "You ever think to offer up money for information."
"Budget," they all sighed in frustration.
"Too bad you don't have a materia market here. I'd be able to help out." Zack thought about it. "Or that you can't side contract out as mercenaries."
"Trust me, if I had the money, I would find a way of buying out von Kampfar's contract," purred Catarina, her eyes closing slightly. "But even by selling everything I own, it would barely get enough to keep the department running for a few months."
"What about this Lost Technology? What's it like?" She was poking things over in her head. Zack was sure that everyone here had probably gone over everything, but maybe her questions could trigger something.
"Programming computers, various heavy weaponry, any form of entertainment more advanced than radios," explained Abel with a shrug.
"And no matter how good Abel is with Lost Tech, there's only so many hours in the day," added the Professor.
"And no monsters to kill for goodies," she said absently. "Have you ever thought of sub-contracting? Splitting profits with someone who does have the time?"
Abel shook his head. "Again, we come up with the problem of someone understanding it enough to be able to reproduce it."
Leon sighed. "What we need is someone with a large treasury willing to open their doors for us," he remarked before grinning at Abel. "Think the Albion Queen would be willing to bankrupt her kingdom for us?"
"Albion found people who could." She sighed, thinking about it. "And my tech is...different, from your guys."
"Albion has an entire population working for them," remarked Abel, a thoughtful look on his face. "I wonder..."
The Professor sat up a bit. "You have an idea, Abel?"
Squirming some, she looked at Abel as well, curious.
"I might know someone who could help," Abel stated. "But I haven't spoken with them in years. Hopefully, she's willing to help."
"Who?" Zack asked, still curious. "You got other Queen's in your past?" It was a slight tease.
Abel blinked and blushed slightly. "Actually an Empress."
"You know the Empress?" gasped Hughes, his eyes nearly falling out of his head as the rest of them stared at Abel, stunned.
Zack closed an eye. "The Empress would be...the one who is over the Methuselah, right?" She tried to recall correctly.
"Yes, and I haven't seen her for *years*." Abel hesitated, wondering how much he should tell the others.
Zack gave him a small smile, and patted his leg. "You know all sorts, don't you?"
Leon chuckled and shook his head. "Don't know why I'm surprised. He's older than dirt. Plenty of time to make friends of all walks of life."
That got a faint blush from Abel as he sipped at his bottle.
"Again with the red," Zack teased lightly.
His blush darkened and he ducked his head, trying to hide behind his bangs.
Catarina grinned and tugged the ribbon out of his hair. "That is more successful," she teased as his hair fell around him and Zack.
Curling a bit of silver around her fingers, Zack gave the man a soft smile. He did remind her of her Sephiroth.
Leon hummed, eyeing Abel appreciatively. "I know women who would kill to be half as lovely as you, Abel. Your beauty is enough to give a man thoughts."
"Is this the part I'm supposed to be possessive back?" Zack murmured to Abel, still smiling. She liked the guy well enough, and her jumping had taught her to snag opportunity when she could.
Abel blinked at her, the red blush still staining his cheeks, but his lips curled slightly in a welcoming smile. "If you wish."
"Grr, mine," she said to Leon, grinning more.
Smirking, Leon started crawling over to them along the stone bench. "You can do better than that, or I'll take the lovely one for myself." He paused and looked at them both, smirking. "Of course, I might just take *both* lovely ones."
Abel snickered and curled around Zack with a smirk. "Mine," he purred before dipping down to kiss her.
Zack made a sound that sounded highly amused in the back of her throat as she was kissed, and kissed back. Oh, they were going to have a talk later, but she didn't see the harm in some kisses.
Hoots of laughter and catcalls filled the air as Abel pulled back, a dazed look on his face.
"Be careful, you guys, or I might start throwing things at you," Zack said to their audience.
"Oh like what?" leered Leon. "If it's articles of clothing, please do."
She flipped him off. That was one gesture that seemed universal, at least what Zack had seen.
That got even more howls of laughter as Leon clutched his chest and fell backwards. "You slay me with your cruel words!" cried Leon.
"Too bad your libido's not the first thing to die," taunted Catarina.
"You'd wonder what doppelganger had taken his place if his libido vanished," Zack tossed out.
Catarina nodded. "True. Wouldn't be my Dandy Lion without his randy libido."
Zack snickered. "Isn't that a nice trait to have everyone associate with you."
Leon smirked and pushed himself up on his elbows. "I am a Spaniard. We are the lovers of the world," he purred, his grin inviting.
"So you keep saying," Zack said dryly.
"But I have not had a chance to show you," he purred, crooking a finger at Zack.
Catarina giggled and pounced him, kissing him much to the delight of everyone gathered there.
Zack shook her head, trying to not laugh at Leon's attitude. "Something tells me you'd bite him in the not happy way if he really tried to show me his talents," she said in a low aside to Abel.
"Maybe nibble a bit," murmured Abel, nuzzling her neck. She did smell very nice. "A reminder that not everyone is available."
"He certainly acts like he wishes. Don't know how serious he actually is about it," Zack hummed, letting her head fall some to the side to let him have more room.
"He tests and prods, and if someone is open to his advances, he'll take them to his bed," Abel murmured, drawing his nose up the throbbing vein in her neck. Such a submissive pose, the baring of a neck, but such a turn on as well.
That sent a shiver down Zack's spine, and she shifted some. "He's like a big stuffed bear, as far as I can tell."
"He is, all soft a cuddly. Unless you piss him off. Then the Lion emerges," he murmured retracing that trail with small kisses.
"Big booms time," she teased. "Having fun?"
"You smell good," he purred, burying his face in her neck. "Very good."
Zack squirmed some more. "Thank you."
A hand fanned across her belly as the other latched on to her hip, holding her in place as he continued purring into her neck.
"You know, that's sensitive skin," she said in a low voice.
"A vulnerable place, major veins close to the surface. A sign of submission and surrender if you bare it to another since you are placing your life in their hands," he murmured.
"Don't know about all that," she said, nudging him with her elbow. "But I know you are making me squirm."
"Are you complaining?" he asked, stopping his movements. If she didn't want this, he could still release her now.
She pretended to consider it. "No, don't think I am. If I really protested, you'd have gone flying over the whole "mine" thing."
Purring louder, he used the hand against her belly to pull her tighter against him before it moved a bit lower to rest over her abdomen.
Zack chuckled, snuggling closer.
He sat back a bit farther on the bench and pulled her with him before resuming his nuzzling of her throat. "If I claim you, you're not leaving this world without me."
She was silent to that one, petting him, leaning into him.
"I am serious about this. Where you go, I go, no matter where it is, and if you try to ditch me, then you will be chained to my side," he warned.
"And I though Leon was the kinky one."
"Alcohol is a wonderful thing for lowering inhibitions and taking away masks." He flexed his fingers over her abdomen, stroking slightly. "The thought of you with another man's child makes me furious even though you had them before you met me."
That got him a bop in the leg.
"I'm possessive, I admit," he chuckled, nuzzling her again. "I don't begrudge you your happiness where you found it."
"I should hope not, or there'd be another fight going on here."
He purred and licked her throat.
Another squirm. "Just remember, I did have a life before this place and I am my own person."
"Yes, I know, but you won't be leaving me alone." He slipped both arms around her waist, holding her tight as if afraid she'd suddenly vanish right then.
She patted his leg. "I don't plan on it"
He purred and nibbled lightly at her neck, enjoying the feel of the vein throbbing under his lips.
Again she bared her throat some, eyes cracking open to see what the others were up too. Though Abel was distracting.
Catarina was being kissed by both Hughes and Leon as their hands stroked her and each other.. The professor was watching everyone with a delighted smirk, and Kate had vanished. Tres meanwhile had taken up more of a guard position instead of just a watcher one.
"Everyone seems cozy," she said, hands on Abel's arms.
Abel ran a casual eye over them before returning his attention to Zack's neck. "Professor's a voyeur," he mumbled, scraping his teeth over her skin.
"So I see," she said in a low voice.
"If you want him to go farther than just necking, you'll have to start it off," The Professor remarked, his voice carrying despite it's low tone. "He's honorable that way."
There was a low growl from Abel before he went back to his attention on her neck.
"Perhaps later," Zack said with a low purr.
The Professor merely nodded and returned his attention to the trio which were getting a bit more active.
Rubbing her cheek against Abel's hair, Zack hummed. "We do have our own rooms after all," she said to Abel.
He purred louder and scraped his teeth against her neck again. "May I taste you? Here?"
"That doesn't sound kinky at all," Zack said dryly. "But I know what you mean." She looked at him, eyes gleaming. "All right."
He shifted, letting his fangs drop, and lightly dragged the sharp points over her skin, hoping to get her use to them before he bit.
She watched him as best she could, trying to stay relaxed.
Still purring, he gently slipped his fangs through her skin, releasing her blood, and moaning as it sparkled over his tongue.
Zack kept herself from tensing up, listening to the sounds he was making, and trying to make sure that the mako didn't cause him issues.
His hands flexed on her, kneading, and he sipped and purred. Not even vampiric blood tasted this good.
Tracing her fingers along the back of his hands, Zack let her eyes shut, humming softly.
With a small whimper of loss, he forced himself to pull away even as he licked the little blood that slipped from the wound before her body healed it.
"Take it that it didn't taste bad," Zack mused, opening her eyes to look at him again.
"Too good," he whimpered, closing his eyes as he savored the last of it. He could feel it flowing through his body, warming him.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Didn't want to stop," he confessed, a soft sigh spilling from his lips.
"Don't worry. I'd have thumped you." She grimaced. "Though now I fear what would happen a vampire got some."
That got a possessive growl from Abel as he tightened his arms a bit more.
Zack snorted. "I don't plan on it happening."
"Good," he purred, nuzzling her neck again. "Mine."
She chuckled, and shifted and brushed a kiss over his hair.
Purring, he curled around her, content to remain like that.
Zack nuzzled his hair. "Comfy."
"Yes you are."
"Let me know when you want to head back in." She wrinkled her nose. "Though we're going to have to run the Esther gambit, as I'm sure she's still waiting for everyone to show up."
He chuckled. "We'll drug her. Very easy to do."
"Evil man."
"Never claimed to be a saint."
"No, you didn't at that. Bed hog." She grinned.
He chuckled again, lightly biting her ear. "That would be the pot calling the kettle black, my dear."
"No, no, I'm just a leech."
"That too."
This time she was the one who nipped, catching his chin.
That got a delighted purr and a flicker of red in his eyes.
Zack smirked at him.
"Kitten has claws," he purred, bending down to catch her lips again.
She nipped him again.
"And teeth." He chuckled, pulling her closer to feel his body's reaction to her.
"And I think we're probably going to break something when we get back to our rooms," Zack said, still smirking.
"Then we'd better put a request for a bed in before we do," he remarked.
"Sounds like a promise there, boyo."
"Definitely." He bent to kiss here again.
Zack gave a low hum as she pressed up into the kiss.
He pulled her even closer, a deep purr rumbling in his chest.
Nipping at him again, Zack curled an arm around him, the other hand still playing with a bit of silver hair.
He pulled back just far enough to look into her eyes. "Room?"
She studied him for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Sure. I doubt the others will miss us."
He rose to his feet, a bit unsteadily with her in his arms, and started back up the hill in a roundabout manner.
"I'm going to laugh if you drop me. Just so you know."
"Since I'll probably fall first, we can laugh together."
"I'll mock you like mad. Just a warning."
"Noted," he grinned, staggering a bit before continuing on to the house.
She eyed him. "Do you want me to walk so we get there in one piece?"
He snorted. "I'm only a little drunk. I can carry you fine."
"More drunk than I."
"So? I like the feel of you in my arms." He grinned at her.
"You are a sap, sir." Zack said with a teasing look. "Complete and total."
"I cannot deny that without becoming a liar," he announced, primly.
That got a laugh from her, and she nibbled on his jaw some.
He purred softly and quickened his steps into the house. He knew all the secret ways in and how to avoid everyone on his way to what was considered his room when he was there.
"I see you are in a hurry."
"I want to explore you and see how you taste," he murmured, nipping at her ear. "Plus avoid Esther."
"She'd make sniffing sounds at us."
"Let her sniff. She's a spoiled child," he murmured, spotting a flicker of red and hurrying before the person could turn the corner.
She started to giggle. It had been a bit since she was in a situation like this, and she found herself enjoying the interactions.
He quickly climbed the back staircase that the servants typically used and slipped along the hallway to his room. "Made it," he sighed, closing the door behind them.
She nuzzled his throat. "So the avoidance worked, hmm?"
He purred and shifted her just enough to reach behind him and throw the lock. "Yes."
Looping her arms around his neck, she gave him an innocent look. "Now why did you lock that door?"
"Keep nosy nuns out," he remarked with a smirk.
"And what will we be doing that you want to keep nosy nuns out of?" The innocent look was still there.
He started walking over to the bed. "I'm sure we can think of something."
"I'm sure." A sudden thought hit her. "And I hope someone things to grab our things."
"Tres will. It's one of the things he offered to do during these gatherings," he murmured, placing her on the bed.
"He's a nice guy. We'll have to do something to say thank you," Zack said, reaching down and starting to undo her boots.
He brushed her hands away and started unfastening her boots himself. He had watched her remove them enough times to know how they went on.
Setting her hands on the bed, she watched him with a small smile, eyes half-closed as she looked at the man.
He tugged her boots off and placed them next to the bed before tugging his own off, setting them right next to her boots. Then he started working on his robes.
Zack slide to put her feet on the ground, hands reaching up to tug playfully at his robes, fingers moving to help get him out.
He chuckled slightly. "You probably know how these things come off better than I do," he teased.
"Just because I'm used to fighting without the half dozen layers you guys feel the need to run around in...." she muttered. "Not to mention when you hit the ground and all the little bits and pieces dig in." Not that her mutters stopped Zack from working on his clothing, looking up to meet his eyes.
He reached out and ran a hand through her hair. "And you fight so gloriously too.
"You just like me because I hit hard."
"You're not breakable. I can use my full strength and speed with you and you won't break," he purred, leaning closer to kiss her. "And you can return the favor."
Curling her fingers into his robes, she tugged him a little closer as she leaned up into the kiss.
Purring, he reached up to cup her face as he tasted her lips again.
A slow purr into the kiss, then used her grip on him to drag him onto the bed next to her.
He willingly went, arms wrapping around her as he fell onto the bed, never stopping the kiss.
This time, she laughed, snuggling close.
He chuckled and shrugged out of the robes, leaving him in just his pants and socks, before cuddling close.
Nipping at him, remembering his reactions earlier to nips, Zack reached up and dealt with the magnet she wore for her blade.
He purred again, eyes going slightly lidded at the feel of her teeth, before he bent his head back to expose his throat.
Zack nuzzled along his throat.
Purring louder, he held her tightly and then rolled them over until she was sprawled on top of him.
Shifting, she braced her knees against the bed, shifting so she could see his face better. "Hello there."
"Hi." He grinned, stroking his hands down her back, enjoying the feel of her muscles under the thin shirt.
That got a slow arch into his hands, and Zack moved to get another kiss.
He nipped at her lips and pulled her shirt out of her pants to stroke her lower back.
Hands resting on Abel's belly, Zack kneaded her fingers, pressing more into the kiss.
He squirmed slightly as his pants grew uncomfortably tight. "We have too many clothes on," he murmured against her lips.
A slow shift of her hips, and Zack smirked. "Seems like."
He growled softly and tightened his fingers on her hips. "Tease."
"Your point?"
"You're the one in position to do something," he remarked, reaching up to drag her shirt off of her. "Since my hips are rather... trapped at the moment."
Instead of doing anything about pants, she curled down after her shirt was off and nipped at his collarbone.
That got another growl and he arched into the bites as his hands roamed across her back, tracing the muscles there with his fingers.
Chuckling, Zack did it again.
"Tease," he gasped, his eyes flickering red.
"Yes."
He growled deeper and arched into her.
She kneaded her fingers further down, watching his reactions.
His eyes flickered again as he tried to arch into her touch
"Reactive."
"For you, yes."
Zack chuckled, fingers playing with the top of his pants now. "Nice to hear."
He bit his lip, whimpering slightly at that touch.
"Such pretty sounds." She brushed a kiss over his collarbone and set to work undoing clothing again.
He tried not to squirm too much, but she was *right there* and everything felt so good.
A bad idea came to her, and Zack curled down and nipped his belly, still working on getting his pants undone.
He growled, digging his short nails into her back at that move.
Grinning, she nibbled along the pale skin, sliding her fingers under the fabric, following the lines of Abel's hips*
"Zack," he whimpered, trying to get more of those touches, both from her fingers and teeth.
"Yeeeess?" she asked, nuzzling against the skin.
"Please..." He tightened his fingers again.
Lifting her weight up on her knees, Zack tugged at his pants.
He managed to lift his hips again even as he tried to relax the hold his fingers had on her back.
She got his pants out of the way. Then she settled again. "Better?"
"Be better without these," he murmured, his fingers sliding to the top of her own pants.
A slow rock of her hips again. "Really now?"
He growled and clenched his fingers on her hips. "Yes," he whimpered
Deciding to have some sympathy, she quickly worked on getting her own pants unfastened.
Purring in delight, he stroked his fingers across the newly bared skin, enjoying the softness of it
Zack just made a pleased sound, and then did a bit of wiggling to get out of her pants. "Again, better?"
"Much," he purred, pulling her closer again.
"So, we are two very naked people," Zack said brightly. "Good thing you locked that door, hmm?"
"Definitely," he purred, slipping a hand to stroke where her legs met her hips.
"I can just -imagine- how improper this is." Zack shifted into the touch, dipping her head to nuzzle again.
"Propriety is overrated," he purred, tipping his head back.
"I agree with that one." She nuzzled at his throat, rolling her hips under his hands, and then bit him.
He growled and shifted her enough to slide into her, purring loudly at the feel of her tight heat gripping him.
Zack shivered, biting harder, and rocked slightly to settle comfortably.
A growl slipped into the purr but he stroked her back as he waited, tense, for her to adjust to him.
Letting go of the bite, she nuzzled him again, shifting more. It had been a while, but holding still time was over now.
He purred and planted his feet on the bed, giving him leverage to move with her.
Sitting up some, wanting a better angle, Zack gave him a smile as she moved. Yes, definitely nice.
His hands slid from her waist to cup her breasts, thumbs rubbing across the taunt nipples.
Shivering, Zack gave a him a small noise in response, hands sliding over his skin, just exploring for now.
"SO lovely, my Valkyrie," he purred, letting go a little bit of his control to drop his fangs and shade his eyes red.
"Never gonna live that down, am I?" she asked, voice catching here and there as she spoke.
"You are," he purred, gently scraping a claw across her tight nipples.
She dug her nails into his chest, just a little, shivering at the contact. "Brat."
He purred louder, arching his chest into her nails. "Tease."
"Least I kept my promise." Zack curled to nip at him again.
He scraped his fangs against her skin when she got close enough
Zack gave a slightly harder rock that before, nipping his shoulder.
Growling, he slid his hands from her breasts to her ribs, urging her to sit back some as he curled to take one of her nipples in his mouth, teasing it with fangs and tongue.
Zack groaned. "Orally fixated." Not that she minded. Not in the least.
"Crusnik," he managed to mumble around her flesh as he sucked a bit harder.
A shiver down her spine. "Gah...."
He chuckled and rolled his eyes up to look at her, burning red meeting glowing violet, as a hand reached up to play with her other nipple.
Digging her nails in again, she drew them down his chest.
That got another welcoming growl as his eyes flashed, and he nibbled at the flesh in his mouth.
She did it again after getting that reaction. The red marks didn't last long at all.
His hand fell from her breast to slip between them, stroking her as they moved.
That got a guttural groan, and her eyes slid shut.
He trailed nipping kisses up to her neck, pausing long enough to nibble along her collarbones.
She leaned into the contact, making pleased sounds at him.
He nibbled at her throat, nuzzling the smooth skin. He couldn't even tell where he had bitten her earlier.
Lifting her chin, she exposed her throat to him, actions speeding up some.
Taking it as an invitation, he buried his fangs in her throat, a purring growl as he drank from her.
A shiver-shudder, and she could feel the goose bumps stand up on her skin.
His free hand slid down to stroke her cheeks, dancing between them with soft pets.
Zack tried the nail thing on other places she could reach, and traced them down his side.
He growled louder, moving faster and a bit harder.
This time, she growled back, and Zack met his actions.
Biting a bit deeper, he pulled her even closer as a finger teased her back entrance.
That wasn't something she had expected, and she cracked an eye to look at him.
He pulled away from her throat, licking the wounds before moving farther up to claim her lips.
Abel tasted like blood and the bitter tang of Mako, and for a moment, Zack had a moment of deja vu. Still, she kissed back, shivering at the building sensation. He was good at this, she would have to admit.
He could feel his desire curling low in his belly and knew he was getting close a lot faster than he wanted.
Brushing more kisses against his face, she groaned slightly, her motions getting a little jerky.
"Fly my warrior woman," he purred into her ear, fighting his own climax.
Breath short, she wasn't unwilling to follow that at all, and the contact was nice. Pressing her face against his shoulder, Zack listened quite happily, breath catching.
He thrust one last time before quickly sliding out of her, painting their skin with his release.
Relaxing against him, she cracked an eye open to look at the mess. "Shower time soon."
He nodded. "Forgot the protection," he admitted with a blush.
Chuckling, Zack kissed his jaw. "Still, gonna need cleaning up later."
"Later," he agreed, curling his arms around her as he resumed his human form. "After some cuddling.
Sliding to the side, she stretched out next to him. "Sounds good."
He curled her close and nuzzled her hair, softly purring as he slowly relaxed on the bed.
Zack rested her hand on him, just petting lightly.
Slowly, he drifted off to sleep, still purring, but content and relaxed for the first time in months.
Grabbing part of the blanket, she cleaned them up as best she could, and relaxed, half-dozing. What would happen next would be interesting, but she would enjoy this while she could.