Chapter 2: To Midgar

Jenova had forgotten about Cloud's motion sickness.

Its rather irresponsible of her on principle rather than concern, she's seen him killed off early a few times because of it after all if she recalls correctly. Its nothing that annoys her, she's very used to those with her cells wracking their sickly bodies heaving out more of her cells churning in their stomach as an increasing vector of contagion. The only thing the boys heaving does do is briefly draw attention of those nearby on the ship, but it also has the benefit of making them shy away as well. Jenova is certain she will pass muster under brief inspection, but until she is firmly 'comfortable' in this sole body, keeping her awareness limited from the rest of her cells scattered across the world, she'd rather any attention sent her way to be minimal.

She rubs small circles on her so-called son's back, idly contemplating if genetically altering him enough to eliminate the defect and then pulling out is worth it for less exposure, but decides against it. Even she is not immune to temptation, and genetically changing one small thing about Cloud would lead in to a desire to change more, and she will not turn him into her true child again. If she must use her power to modify others, it must be with purpose, not idle amusement. She contemplates the paltry beginnings of Cloud Strife, he's not the first that has stood against her so strongly, even before this world. 'Mountain Town Bumpkin' isn't the worst label her enemies have begun from, if she has to pick one, 'Young Sex Slave' rising to world hero would be her most chagrined. If only because of the weak and powerless beginning yet had actually managed to contest her; the slave had noticed the infection spreading and understood it for what it was, and things had become... irritating afterwards. It hadn't saved that world in the end, but it had lengthened the duration of her struggle by at least half a century. That soul had been a fine feast when all was said and done.

They had opted to travel light. Both of them carrying a single backpack apiece, his on his back, hers tied to her waist, bumping against her leg with every step to know if it was being rifled with. Each had a spare set of clothing, dried foods, a few tools and weapons. She allowed Cloud a hunting knife only, because she can faintly recall that children are not suppose to actually carry weapons in most civilized societies, though outer reaches and harsher areas generally ignore this. Jenova could wield a sword and cleave through a human or a monster's body, bones and all, easily enough even without Mako pumping through the host's veins, but opted instead to buy a shotgun for the journey that she kept strapped across her back as to not drawn attention to abnormal strength. This world was at an awkward stage, most tended to shift away from melee weaponry, which ironically made it easier to spread if her enemies didn't know how to handle close-combat as bullets did little against her swarms. This world however still held a mixture of melee and ranged, though most feared a gun more than a sword unless it was wielded by a SOLDIER, which was her purpose in getting a gun. She could influence any regard SOLDIERs had towards her easily with her cells in them, so there was no need to prepare for them. Knowing her targets, her audience, and how to manage resources was something she knew of in spades.

She had, after all, eaten the souls and minds of many a leader.

They had struck out from Nibelheim and headed southward, monster populations had yet to heavily rise in the aftermath of several reactor issues such as the Gongaga Reactor explosion that had leaked mako everywhere. The natural seepage from normal reactor functions was, of course, starting to mutate and increase the presence of monsters, but not anywhere near the level it would become over a decade from now. Thus far, she'd only had to fire her shotgun once, in warning, that had scared off a few miserable misbegotten creatures. She had made sure to steer clear of Cosmo Canyon, the nose of the intelligent feline that generally joined Cloud's group was... something she wasn't sure she could counteract yet. Pheromone and scent was a delicate issue to handle for those kind of species, not something she generally needed to concern herself with for humans. SOLDIERs had a better sense of smell, yes, but not close to the degree the feline would have.

They had managed to hitch a ride from Gongaga up to Corel with a few coins. There, she had made her second major, calculated decision. After tucking away Cloud securely in the inn, to make sure he never actually met the man, she 'sought out' Barret Wallace. Indirectly of course, she had no desire to speak to the man after all. The only thing she wanted was to take away potential enemies, in this regard, she would show mercy. She was, after all, not inclined to be noted as 'a woman who wandered in and out during Wallace's sudden unexplained death'. No, all she did was take away one of the reasons that would lead the man to fight and continue AVALANCHE after the first failed.

She volunteered in the inn's kitchen, which many a miner and their family came to eat at. She watched Wallace and his wife with predatory intent, cutting her finger and slipping blood into the woman's meal. She was not there to infect, oh no. She was there... her lips twisted in amusement... to preserve a life. Even if Shinra hadn't destroyed Corel, the man's wife would die to her illness within the year of when it would have been wiped out. Any life of Jenova's other selves she had watched, when the man's wife, along with Corel survived, he had no reason to leave, and rarely did. So when her cells slip into the woman, she kills the budding infection and then disposes of her cells. She has no further desires of this place, and has several years yet to make sure the town is not destroyed.

Ironic, in a way, that war and strife usually furthered her cause. But not this time, no, she wants this world peaceful and complacent, giving her more time to plan and act. Ignorance and complacency were just as lethal to a world as the confusion and uncertainty of conflict. If things went her way, no one would have a clue of who and what she was until it was far to late...

Corel was a more rougher town, a sexual favor to get passage to Costa Del Sol meant nothing to her. Honestly, the things one could get for instinctual acts was amusing, and if it didn't generally come with reputation loss, something she would have abused in Midgar. She had of course been right to conserve money. The price of a pair of ship tickets was... unexpected, something she had never paid attention to in any life, but came back to bite her in planning. To the point where the few coins she had used to get to Corel might have been an error. She ends up having to volunteer to work within the ship when she wasn't looking after the boy for more money, Cloud was too sickly to be of use in any working regard unfortunately. She was going to have to start in the Midgar Slums and work her way up, there was no way she could afford a plate apartment, at least, not without abusing her infectious abilities to control people and steal the money, but she wasn't willing to risk anything with that.

Cloud's eyes are wide with wonder when they land in Junon, or perhaps wide with relief from being on solid ground. A large city is certainly a new experience for the young boy. She wants him dependent on her for the time being, so she keeps him close, warning him of strangers. He gives her a solemn nod, clutches his hand in hers, and gives anyone who takes more than a second glance at them a suspicious look. Its a minor thing, but even the beginnings of distrust and devotion must begin somewhere, in others for the first and towards her with the second. He wont be her son, but she will still claim his allegiance. Its an... oddity, to be sure. Its not something she generally bothers with, she doesn't need the devotion of those infected, though she does take advantage of it when it happens, not to mention the occasional doomsday cult that had helped speed things along once or twice during past consumptions.

The path to Midgar isn't as treacherous as it would be in the coming years. Through the mountain caves and across the swamp isn't necessary at the moment, there is still a kept road through the hills and mountain pass that hasn't fallen to either an avalanche or AVALANCHE, or whatever it had been that had taken it down in various lives she had witnessed. Not to mention the SOLDIERs patrolling it. The Wutai War must not quite be at its height yet for Shinra to actual bother with employing SOLDIERs in public safety positions...

"Ma, why are their eyes glowing?"

Jenova blinks once, her only surprise at the question. The boy hadn't heard of SOLDIER yet? When exactly had his early admiration of Sephiroth started? Unimportant she supposed. "They're called SOLDIER, men somehow turned stronger than monsters, made strong to keep us all safe."

"Somehow? You dun know Ma?"

Jenova shook her head. "News don't travel that far to ol' Nibel much. If its more known around here, I s'pose we'll find out."

One of the SOLDIERs stalking the mountain path overhears them at a distance, and appears bored enough to talk with random civilians, approaching, "It's a Shinra process, tightly guarded secret. Only those who are able to pass through a rigorous training process, boot camp, and testing are chosen to be made a SOLDIER."

He gives Cloud a challenging look. "Think you could handle it, kid?"

Cloud tilts his chin up, a stubborn look on his face. "If I wan'ed to, I could. I'm Strife tough."

The SOLDIER laughs and claps Cloud on the back of his shoulder, sending him stumbling. "Sure kid, that's the spirit."

Cloud scowls at him, and attempts to bat away the hand reaching to ruffle his hair, but finds he can't, eyes going wide when he tries and fails to even budge it. "You're strong!"

The SOLDIER grins. "You might be 'Strife tough', kid, but I'm SOLDIER tough."

He laughs and walks away, waving back at them as he goes without turning. Cloud glares at the man's back, flustered, before he turns and kicks at the road. Jenova doesn't comment on that, merely saying, "Lil' arrogant, but seems of a nice enough sort."

She waits for it, and is moderately impressed Cloud manages to hold it in until they are out of the mountains. "Think I could be a SOLDIER, Ma?"

She smiles at him, amused. "I know you could," even if it usually ended up being SOLDIER-by-experiment.

Midgar is, as ever, a trash-heap of metal and depravity that crushes down on the poor and the weak.

They barely have enough money to afford renting a run-down apartment. "Ma, I liked our old house better."

"I know Cloud," she soothes, "I don't much like this place either, but we got'ta start somewhere."

They spend the first day cleaning up and cleaning out their apartment. The second, she spends getting the normal human necessities out of the way. Finding Cloud a slum school to go to, locating a job and setting up an interview for it, buying initial groceries for food, meeting with and determining that her neighbors are as worthless as the rest of the pathetic humans in the slums. The third day... she goes on the prowl...

The Ancient is already with her adoptive mother, Jenova observes the child silently, a mechanical blank look still etched on the girls face. Not yet fully learned how to exist outside of Hojo's laboratory, though she appears to try to interact with other slum children, most likely at the elder Gainsborough's insistence. The Turks are already watching her as well. Potentially mentally vulnerable at this age, but to interact with her would draw attention. Risky as well, that the Ancient might feel something, or through her the Planet. Jenova is confident in the mask she wears, but not absolutely so. She will leave the Ancient alone for now, if they encounter eachother, then so be it, but it will be by happenstance rather than intent.

She scouts out, whether through stealth or eavesdropping, the status of the slum. Don Corneo, an unimportant blip in the overall fate of the world, rules down here. His prostitution and drug ring operate in plain sight. She's seen collectors beat down those who cannot pay their 'protection money', and knows that might be one of her first obstacles here if they bother with a random woman. They might, extorting everyone seems to be their job. She could simply kill them, but again, that draws attention. Its annoying, but she will deal with it if it comes down to it.

The job she chose was carefully selected. A secretarial position at the Midgar Times News Station in Sector Eight. A job that would keep her relatively informed of events in Midgar. A job that wasn't exactly looked down upon, perhaps slighted or ignored, but could lead in to a higher position there or elsewhere. Her goal would be to eventually end up in Shinra Headquarters, but not yet. As the main entertainment sector of Midgar, it was the busiest in multiple ways that could be useful. She could easily blend in if she so chose. It was also possible that she could encounter people of influence from Shinra here. The most frequented sector by SOLDIERs as well, if she wanted to slowly, not quickly, but slowly gain connections with them. Finally, and perhaps most immediately important, Sector Eight had LOVELESS Avenue, which meant she could keep a relative eye on Rhapsodos.

She is not sure at this point if fixing Rhapsodos or letting him wither and die is the best course of action. So many things could spiral out of control if she lets it happen, but on the flip side, if he's still standing when she begins the distant active part of her destruction of the world, he will most likely oppose her. There is also the possibility that Minerva may heal him herself, it hasn't always happened in the lives of her other selves that she has glimpsed, but it is a more common outcome. It is something she has to think upon, not to mention, what happens to Rhapsodos will affect both Sephiroth and Hewely as well, then through Hewely, Zackery Fair. That little gnat has had a surprising amount of influence in various lives she has witnessed.

She will have to think on it.

She arrives at her interview and shakes hands with the man greeting her, digging her nails in briefly to seed cells into him to influence his judgement. She'll destroy them after, but she will not allow this to chance...

"I'm sympathetic," offers the man towards the end of the interview, "To a young single mother starting over in a new, unfamiliar place. I'm willing to give you a chance, but if I may make a suggestion...?"

"I'm always willing to listen and learn," offers Jenova with a fake charming smile.

"You might want to make professional clothing one of your first purchases," he says, amused.

Jenova blinked, glancing down at her more rugged mountain town clothes. "Ah..."

Such a trifle thing as mortal clothing appeared to have slipped her thoughts. "I'll have something better after my first paycheck."

The man hums, giving her a considering look. "As a favor, I can make a small loan, so long as you agree to pay it back..."

She gleans his thoughts, its a test of personality, and counters it better. "I would, but would it not be simpler to take it out of the first paycheck?"

That gets a smile out of him. "True. Very well. I'll meet you after work to find you appropriate clothing, then I expect to see you here starting Monday at six'o'clock sharp."

"Thank you sir, I appreciate it."

She lays in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling while waiting for the next day. The groundwork has been set, but the progress will likely be slow and tedious for the next few years. She has patience, she's recovered from near single-cell defeats, tediously spreading and overcoming over hundreds to thousands of years before returning to devour those who had forgotten her. Not ignoring the millions of years transit between planets. She did generally have an entire planets worth of knowledge and culture to assimilate during the travel time she supposed. Regardless, a few years of tedious mortal existence is nothing in the long run, and will help her learn how to more properly blend in...