A Goddess and an Alien Parasite [Minerva]

Jenova looked upon the terrain in all her naked glory. Okay, she didn't really care about her looks but it certainly hadn't been a pretty sight, her body. At least, not until now.  Beforehand, when she had become dormant, Jenova had to push her innards to the outside while her body tried to recuperate. Unfortunately, because of the Cetra her body had been twisted terribly by the sealing and even further when the scientists had discovered her. Jenova, despite herself, found it amusing regardless. Granted, she disliked how deformed her body had become due to the experimentation and sealing but she always knew her body would one day become whole again. Ever since the Remnants, her head had been freed from the box it had been sealed within and due to the strange energy she was sensing, she had been able to become whole again. Whatever happened had given her body a regenerative boost and now, here she was.  Oh, how she planned to have a "family reunion".

"And quite the family reunion it shall be!" Jenova giggled to herself.  Even if she was stark naked right now, she didn't care.  Being in the nude didn't really seem to bother her.  It didn't occur to her just yet to put some form of clothing on.  She could summon clothes in an instant.  It was how Kadaj, Loz, Yazoo and Sephiroth summoned their own clothing. 

Since Jenova was whole, a lot of damage could be done.  Even far more damage can be done if she were to summon back the Remnants and her precious Sephiroth.  Oh, how the destruction of this world was going to be quite the lovely sight to see!  She couldn't wait for that moment.  Unfortunately, another power seemed to be as lively as her own just now.  Being what she was, it wasn't hard for Jenova to locate the goddess that was a part of The Planet.  No doubt, Minerva also sensed her suddenly spike up in existence as well.  With the strange energies in the air, Jenova wouldn't be all that surprised if Minerva sensed it as well.  The bothersome woman might try to confront her.  Then again, they never did in the past.  The two never really had to.  If anything, Aerith's contacting and forcing out the Lifestream to counter Meteor had been what thwarted Jenova's schemes along with her son, Sephiroth.

"Matters not...I will corrupt whatever I come across and turn it to my side as I turn it inside out~!" Jenova mused aloud.  Oh, what fun it shall be!  Even if she was thwarted again, Jenova would just be coming back again and again.  She wasn't an easy thing to do away with.  Whether it was because she was just a tough organism to kill off or really was an alien goddess was left up to debate.  Jenova regarded herself as one, as did her sons regarded themselves as gods.

Caress the one

Reaching, searching for something untouched. Hearing voices of the never-fading calling

Minerva had felt the shift. Aqua eyes shifted to the side from where she sat in a realm far from her own. The goddess Etro had been killed, leaving a gaping hole in her wake. With Cosmos off at the moment, she was the one that was overseeing the various realms. It was troubling, this...shift. This chaos that was poisoning and threatening the entire existence of...well, anything good. Minerva couldn't brag that she always took the serene route that Cosmos would like to see from her, but she was far from the evil that lurked. The darkness that she had assisted in holding back seemed to be creeping up on them. Despite their current efforts, it was as a slinking dog in the shadows, shifting ever closer and waiting for a chance to strike. Minerva would not give it that chance. With a determined look on her face, the goddess turned her head and her body began to glow.

Yet, something caught her attention. Pressing her palms to the throne, the woman rose to her feet. Damnation. A frown was carved as if in stone across her otherwise flawless features. Why had it taken so long for her to feel the presence which could only be one being. The Calamity of the Sky. Had the presence of the chaos and darkness blinded her so that she had not seen it right away? Or had it been her distance from Gaia's planet itself that had done so? Either way, Minerva's eyes flickered back toward the throne. Without Cosmos here...but she would deal with that later. Her duty first and foremost, was the protection of Gaia, and this menace...was not one she could leave to the hands of the mortals. There could be a count on one hand of times where she had stepped into affairs of mortals to correct or fix things. The last time 'Jenova's' form had been complete was one of those times - as was her guidance and assistance of the last Cetra.

Without a second thought, Minerva clasped her hands in front of her and waited as lights began to flicker around the figure that was otherwise still. The beam of light that signaled her disappearance was also what heralded her coming. The bright light was what shone the moment before the goddess stepped once more onto the planet of Gaia. For a moment she remained still, before her aqua eyes lifted to settle on the Calamity before her. Naked...the sight of her repulsed Minerva. "Calamity from the skies.", she finally addressed her. "Perhaps Jenova is more accurate.", she said a moment later before shifting to fully face her. "How fitting, that mortals would grant you a name and keep you as a prize on display."

Notes: None! Wearing: Her full armor Setting: Gaiaaa wilderness Tagged: Jenova Words: 504

made by Δ ashy of caution  shine

While Jenova stood there in her birthday suit, surveying the scene before her. Already, her mind was thinking of how beautiful it would be to see it all withered out and nothing but a dry wasteland. What energy would such a place give her? It would be enough to take over it entirely and then use it as a vassal to travel to the next world. Alone with her, her children will be at her side and then more of her would corrupt the worlds around the universe. It’s all Jenova really cared about; power and corruption.

As she stood there, she sensed a familiar presence. It made the light blue alien goddess furrow her brow ever so slightly with a bit of a narrowing of her glowing red eyes. Oh, she hadn’t forgotten the goddess that meddled in the affairs with the Cetra. It was because of them that her body had been twisted when she had been sealed away. She had already been a grotesque thing to see when the humans had found her. Those despicable humans! They had cut her body up and used her cells for experimentation. Thanks to their foolishness, she had gotten out of her dormant state but only telepathically before Sephiroth helped her further. The seals on her were too strong for her to move on her own so she had him cut her head from her body. She could regenerate a new one anyway so long as she was separated from her dead body. It began the regeneration process.

Now, due to some odd twist of fate and energy, here she was again. She was a whole Jenova, not a twisted and deformed one. Oh, what a terrible but lovely smile she had on her face. So long as she could call upon her “children” things would get dangerous from here on out. Then, she sensed that presence. Frowning, Jenova turned as she sensed the presence just several feet from where she stood. A beam of light proceeded the being’s arrival before the figure of the Goddess Minerva appeared.

As the Goddess’s eyes fell upon Jenova, there was a noticeable look of disgust upon her face. Admittedly, Jenova wasn’t exactly thrilled to see her either. She was a light that Jenova wanted to quash out quickly but could not for the simple fact that she could end up burned if she wasn’t careful. As Minerva shifted to better face her, she spoke. Jenova simply narrowed her eyes, giving Minerva an obviously unfriendly expression before responding.

”Hmph, laugh all you will. You’re just upset because you couldn’t effectively get rid of me. I am a reminder of your failure and now, here I am again, whole.” As she said this, Jenova extended her arms outward to either side of herself as if she were showing herself off even though that wasn’t really the case. She wasn’t interested in Minerva in any way. If anything, she was simply rubbing it in Minerva’s face that now she was dealing with a complete Jenova once more. Minerva knew what she was dealing with. Jenova, the last time she had been whole, had almost killed all life on Gaia and the Cetra had nearly been extinct because of it. It could end up worse now due to the fact Sephiroth would follow her every whim, as would his Remnants if she were able to revive them all.

”Your precious Cetra might have been able to do what damage they had done to me but I am patient. Your foolish mortals were what had awakened me. By creating Sephiroth with the use of my cells, they had sealed their own doom. It was because of him that I was able to come out of my dormant state using telepathy to guide him. By extension, my body began its regenerative properties the moment he cut my head from my seemingly dead body. Now, here I am, complete!”

Jenova let out a laugh at that before focusing more on Minerva. She didn’t lash out at her. It wouldn’t be wise considering the power either of them had. Jenova might want to corrupt and destroy this world but not until after she found a new home to do the same to.

”So what brings you here? It’s not like you to directly challenge me. You have the tendency to use others to do your dirty work although I shouldn’t be talking…it is rather fun sending out others to do your bidding. I guess that’s one thing we appear to have in common.” Maybe Minerva sensed the energy in the air too?

Caress the one

Reaching, searching for something untouched. Hearing voices of the never-fading calling

Minerva could only be tried so far before she lost the patience she held. Despite what she was - a goddess that soothed the planet and sought to better the mortals on it - she was also a goddess of battle and war, one of action, rather than slumber. Jenova tried that patience merely by being in her presence, and Minerva couldn't help but feel the strong urge to take up her blade and battle the calamity of the skies back to the crater and for eternal slumber once more. But the fact that Jenova was in her full glory once again could only mean she had her entire strength back as well. If that was the case, she was a force to be reckoned with, and Minerva would be drawn into a long, weary battle that could tip the scales in either of their favor.

The decision grated on her nerves. Minerva should put this fiend down and ensure the safety of Gaia, and every other realm across the universe. If she defeated her, she could bypass much suffering and death, and well she knew it. Jenova would not be content unless she was bleeding mortals - and Gaia - dry to use as a vessel for destruction. If she allowed Jenova to leave here now, she knew not how much would happen before she was put down. But she knew she should err on the side of caution in this situation. Jenova was indeed a force that could rival Minerva, and she knew it. If she lost the battle - or was even wounded or some strength taken away, there was nothing to say she would have the ability to hold the chaos back as she was now spending part of her energy to do.

"My only failure, alien, is that I did not step in to change the tides of the war sooner. You slaughtered many that could better Gaia, and for that you were put down like the beast you are." Minerva didn't have to be told why Jenova was whole again - she already knew what the Chaos that was spilling from Valhalla could do - but it disturbed her greatly that this had been one of the consequences of the chaos. How many more terrors were going to be brought back simply because of the evil that was trying to flow through the planet itself? She feared what that would do to her beloved Gaia - and the innocent mortals on it.

Minerva scoffed at her explanation. "You have always been so quick to view yourself as higher and better than the mortals you look down on. It is true they lack our strength singularly, but in league with each other, you were no match for their forces." True, Minerva had aided the Cetra herself, given them both her strength, and her appearance - never had she revealed herself to so many mortals before or since - but ultimately, it had been their own power together that had ended Jenova's reign of terror.

She clenched her jaw in anger at Jenova's words. It was true. The one failure in her actions since her beginning was not stepping in to aid the Cetra sooner. If she had, perhaps they would still walk Gaia today. In times past, however, she had felt that the mortals needed to be able to band together to defeat the various disasters thrown at them. She had not shielded them, and for that her loyal subjects had been slaughtered. It cut her deeply, then, and now. Like a reopened wound, Jenova's words cut into her. But she refused to allow her to know of her anguish over that situation. She felt the memories of every Cetra that had given their life to destroy Jenova in the lifestream. "I have come to find out what your intentions are.", she finally admitted. Anyone could change, and while she highly doubted that Jenova would change, she would give her the option. "You may leave Gaia and I will not destroy you. If you choose to stay, it is a declaration of war and I will view it as such."

Notes: Poor Minerva, all her hatred Wearing: Full armor Setting: Gaia wilderness Tagged: Jenova Words: 725

made by Δ ashy of caution & shine

Jenova knew that she had been pushing buttons but she didn’t care. She was fully aware that the two could end up fighting. However, she knew Minerva was wisely holding herself back if only just barely. After all, this was a complete Jenova. This wasn’t a body part acting of its own accord. It would take a lot to defeat Jenova again. Unlike then and now, Jenova had confidence that people wouldn’t unite like the Cetra had back then. Of course, that was her arrogant thought.

”Ah, yes…the moment you failed your precious Cetra. Now, they are extinct. Your last one was murdered by my own son, Sephiroth!”

When Minerva had called her a beast, Jenova just giggled at her. ”Oh, that hurt! How could you, Minerva?” Jenova taunted. She knew that she was getting on the other’s nerves. As the subject turned to the way Jenova had looked down upon the mortals, the smile disappeared from her face then.

”Ah, but I highly doubt they can ever reunite once again. Your precious Cetra might have been able to but those who have replaced them? There could be those out there that would challenge me but not everyone would be of the same opinion. Not only that…but your new mortals are far easier to manipulate and take over from within!”

Eventually, likely sick of their conversation, Minerva cut to the chase. She had wanted to know what Jenova’s intentions were. The alien Goddess or just alien organism in general had listened as Minerva gave her two options. Leave Gaia and she would not fight her, remain and there would be a war.

”You want to know of my intentions? What makes you think I would tell you so easily? No matter…I will humor you.”

A dark grin appeared on her face then before she finally told Minerva what her intentions were. ”I plan to do what I’ve always have done.” She scoffed at Minerva’s claim that she would consider it a declaration of war.

”Do what you will. I will only come back again and again. You cannot get rid of me no matter how hard you try~! As for leaving, I don’t think so. I’ve four family members here that I wish to have a reunion with.” The question turned to what Minerva would do now. Would the two do battle right here and now or would the thwart each other by some other means?