King of the Cats

Cloud: People overestimate me.

It seems that the latest tweaking to Cait Sith’s ambulatory systems has paid off, though the dextrous way in which Reeve watches his creation scale down then swiftly trot across the under-plate areas seems… Well it is far, far more than even he had anticipated, and he was the one manipulating the codes. Once more Reeve is struck by a thought, though it was more an abiding knowledge that wells up to the surface when he marvels at the wonder that is Cait Sith.

There was more to this little cat than met the eye. There was more to their connection. That connection that he could feel, thrumming with a significant resonance deep within. That he could sense, from the basic five through to nociception and proprioception and beyond, almost as if they were his own. Yes, Cait Sith was no longer beset by what had plagued him during their last truly separate mission of importance. Where he had to be put back together much like the simple toysaurus form that he was based upon, and when Reeve had relinquished some margin of control to a Turk in order that she could pilot the feline through a basic remote device. In his minds’ eye an overlay of phantom limbs dart nimbly through the metallic islands, and, for a moment, Reeve is both awed and humbled at the same time.

Though he has no time to dwell on this significant understanding, for there is an urgency lodged powerful in his chest and mind, one that is apparently very much shared by his feline counterpart. Reeve has done what he could beforehand. As soon as the conversation with President Shinra and Gyaha- Heidegger had concluded, in fact. Preliminary plans for reconstruction are ready to be taken to his staff should the cat’s mission go awry and several members of urban development with families in the sector have been left suggestive missives to relocate. 

The Urban Director could not risk warning the populace, despite his own wishes to do so. Those were the clear orders from a President who cares little of the people or the city, nor the flawed logic in dropping a plate all for the sake of some measly propaganda. Besides, if there were to be a warning, he would have had to ensure it had been done properly so as not to cause a mass panic, and that ship had sailed from the moment he stepped out of the Presidential office. 

What plan they had come up with was… well, bonkers at best, folly at worst. Reeve did not fully trust in how Tseng would react should Cait Sith be discovered. He would hope for some sort of clandestine resolution should it occur. After all, the Turk was specialist in covert ops and not exactly a stranger to the occasional treasonous behaviour either. There were times when Reeve believed that their relationship to be one of mutual understanding in their respective duties to serve, that Tseng had actually felt the concern that was so apparent in his voice when Cait Sith had been attacked back in Gonganga.

Yet Tseng was not Veld, and they did not go aways back. Though that (now) carefully crafted cool demeanour hid a man equally determined to protect his own, much like his old friend, Reeve had also seen Tseng take some serious mental leaps in justifying questionable behaviour. Even if it were on behalf of his Turks and certain others - the other man seemed determined to be the villain of the piece sometimes. 

No, Reeve could not trust in his relationship with Tseng regarding this. Even less so the potential reaction towards Cait Sith from the partnership of Rude and Reno that he knows on Tseng’s own authority have been tasked with disconnecting the plate from its supporting struts. They were Turks, they got the mission done. No matter what. It is just in this case, the mission is to drop a massive chunk of metal upon which thousands reside onto the thousands that live under them. Reeve, and by extension Cait Sith, could not stand ‘idly by’ and let that happen without at least trying to stop it, madness or folly be damned. 

Hurry. Hurry. Almost there. Hurry. 

A shared sentiment echoes in their minds as the cat tumbles and hurdles across the metal hanging platforms at a dangerous speed to match the thrumming of his heart. It is then that he sees them through Cait Sith’s eyes - writhing shadows at the periphery of sensors, though his booted feline continues to careen on through with nary a whisker twitch in their direction. An artefact on the lens causing distortion perhaps? That would explain Cait Sith’s lack of reaction, even though the once surprisingly nimble footed speed appears to have slowed…

No, not now! Not when he’s this close! 

Reeve opens his mouth to shout out, snapping it shut as he reminds himself of his particular environs. The proverbial has not quite yet hit the fan, but the corridors and staff of Urban Development are on alert and waiting on his signal. His office is currently empty, but for how long he would not hazard a guess. The thought crosses his mind to call out to Cait Sith - what are those things?! Why aren’t you reacting to them? But he knows the little cat is out there doing his very best to save Midgar from this shortsighted disaster. Even via his mind there was little point in holding Cait Sith up with questions. Not when they both have work to do. Getting to the support column terminal was the main priority, and if that was not to occur… well, Reeve has his entire workforce on hand to receive his orders. 

Reeve notes that Cait Sith’s movement speed is noticeably down now, almost as if he was… being held back somehow and a sinking feeling plummets deep into his core as he sees, he hears, and he feels the tremors wracking through that little constructed body. A wretched gasp for air and Reeve hunches over his desk, as Cait Sith falls to the ground and the metal plate shrieks downwards in front of them. One clenched fist echoing a gloved paw on different metal, several miles away. Reeve can almost feel the heat burn at his own whiskers, the tang of toxicity in his mouth and lungs, the rage of his dearest creation.

Once more he is struck by their connection, for Reeve should feel rage. Hot and incandescent, like the flames razing Sector Seven to the ground before their eyes. But instead inside he is cold, he is numb. Desensitized by the events perpetrated by Shinra that he has bitten his tongue against, time and time again. 

It is only through Cait Sith that anger, that mournful sorrow is expressed.

Feeling given feline form. 

A sharpened perspective pierced through closed crescents. 

He was done biting their tongue until it is too late.

“It’s okay.” He murmurs in response to the cat, shaking his head at himself and pushing up off from his desk - for it was definitely far from okay, they both know that. 

“For now, can you get back safely?” Those phantoms holding them back were nowhere to be seen and the surrounding chaos of tragedy should hide one small booted cat readily enough, “I have to start making calls.” 

Reeve’s voice is firm, all the authority and professionalism that is to be expected of a Director coming to the fore alongside his cool capacity in a crisis. He pulls out and grasps at his almost comically large sized phone screen before he continues… and it is then that his tenor cracks momentarily under the weight of their shared understanding.

“You know (You know)… I’m sorry too, Cait Sith,” His knuckles are white against the smooth surface, “Please. Hurry back.”

@kingofthecats

Although their minds were linked, Cait Sith did not see what Reeve saw through the feed. Even though his tiny feet felt like lead and the wind itself was working against him, at no point did the feline see the shadowy figures blocking his path or slowing him down.

"Right, on my way back now," he sighed and let his mind wander, blurring their connection so he may have a moment of privacy that was not mixed with Reeve's own feelings of guilt. Cait Sith paused long enough to turn around and look back at the burning wreckage below, fairly certain he saw something zip through the air as the plate collapsed but it had been too far to confirm just what it was.

"How about a quick prediction before we go?" He asked, pulling out a pack of cards from his chest compartment pocket and beginning to shuffle the deck. Drawing a series of cards, he laid them down in a specific order on the concrete floor in a manner that seemed to mean something to him as he read the names aloud and mentally drew a connection between them.

"A golden egg of opportunity will fall into your lap. Hmm, I wonder what that means."

Not sure how to interpret this particular fortune, Cait Sith put the cards away and made the long trek back up the tower. This was supposed to be their golden opportunity and they wasted it because of Caith Sith poor timing.

It took a couple of hours for the catdoll to make it back onto the upper plate and ride the elevator to floor 63 (who uses the stairs anyway?). By the time he returned to the Urban Development Department, it was already sunrise and employees were running back and forth between offices, paying no attention to the walking robotic spybot as they talked with colleagues, juggling stacks of paperwork, or seemed to be glued to their PHS devices.

Weren't these the night shift staff? Why hadn't they gone home yet? Did Reeve call everyone in?

A flash of white and Cait Sith snapped his fluffy head around, his crown nearly falling off his head as he spotted a familiar doctor in a white labcoat walking with purpose as a trail of lab assistants followed in his hurried footsteps.

"Now what is he up to?" the feline asked, head tilting curiously as he watched Hojo disappear around the corner. He turned his gaze back in the direction of Reeve's office and back in the direction of 

“Label me as you wish. Though I am not particularly inclined to refer to myself as a ‘mercenary’,” he replied, feeling an odd sense of relief that the robot had chosen to follow him. There was no bitterness or hatred in the other, merely curiousity. It was rather refreshing.

“And yes, I search for that Ex-Soldier. He is a dangerous one, is he not?” he gave the cat a smirking side glance, fully aware of the irony in his statement.

Pointed ears perked up and Cait Sith’s ever-present smile seemed to shine even brighter under the street lamps.

“Good thing I have plenty of experience chasing down renegade SOLDIERS, now don’t I?” he joked back. Dropping down on all fours, Cait Sith shot past the cloaked man and leapt across the road. Climbed up the drainpipe against the building he slinked through the smashed-in window and looked back at Sephiroth’s silhouette. 

The compliment (and flirting) came easily to the Miqo’te who barely paid any attention to the reaction to the words, instead looking between the human and the doll as his questions were then answered by the cat.

It was nice to hear that the cat, Cait Sith, seemed to have a good deal of faith in Maru’s ability to fit in, despite Maru having his doubts around the seemingly uptight Commissioner.

He was quiet as it was explained to him the ‘relationship’ between man and mechanical doll and he’d be lying if the technicalities of it made any sense to him. It was fascinating that Reeve had made the little cat but it boggled his mind that Cait Sith was also technically Reeve, in a manner of speaking - even if it was Reeve given time to grow and develop in a different way (if he was understanding the explanation correctly).

“That sounds incredibly confusing and mentally taxing in a way I can only imagine,” he admitted, rubbing at his own head. Felt like he might just get a headache even thinking about it. It was a hell of a lot to take in for someone who’d half expected to be turned away at the door but it would be worth it for the chance to fit in somewhere, to be useful to someone and perhaps even to have some stability around meals and warm places to sleep if he got a wage or a barracks to stay in.

“I think I’m pretty happy not having someone talking directly into my mind. And if someone could see through my eyes too? They might be watching me pee…” he joked with a small shake of his head. “If I catch Cait Sith watching me shower though, I’ll know exactly what’s going on,” he announced with a playful sticking out of his tongue.

The light-hearted joke had Reeve freeze up in shock, mouth agape like a goldfish as words seemed to fail him.

"I would never abuse my position as Commissioner in such an improper manner with one of my employees," Reeve fumbled as Cait Sith bent over laughing.

"I don't know, if Maru is the one going into espionage it might not be me catching him in the shower-.

"Stop encouraging each other!" Reeve interrupted, the flush of his face now spreading to the tips of his ears. He coughed into his fist and attempted to compose himself as Cait Sith ruined the illusion by continuing to giggle into the carpet. "If you are ever in need of anything and cannot find me, simply seek out Cait Sith and he will relay the message."

This place was determined to mock him. The black and white catdoll made no move to get up off the floor and Reeve, desperately wanting an escape from this conversation, gently ushered Maru out of his office a gentle touch to the fair-haired man's lower back.