[He's really been putting this off for too long. Part of it was the snow, part of it was that he kept trying to ignore the problem by ignoring the linkshell he'd been given. But when the snow melted and he was left with a desert, he'd checked it... and heard familiar voices.]

So-- What needs to be done?

[He didn't feel the need to beat around the bush or introduce himself. If they knew him, they knew him. If they didn't, they could ask.]

If your only hope for redemption was gone... what purpose would there be to anything else?

[That out of the way, Kain heads off alone to Brood, somewhere in the wilderness outside of Mysidia.]

[Genesis opens the shell in his hand and peers inside, long auburn bangs sweeping down to slightly obscure one of his dazzling blue eyes, which just barely took the focus away from the pendulum like swing of the silver earring that kept making an appearance. A deeply melodic voice talking lightly to himself as he moved the shell about before steadying it.]

Well... lets see how this works then. The strange little creature said to just talk, so...

[With a bit of a shrug and then came the scary commander face, as the eyes became cold and serious.]

This is General Genesis Rhapsodos of SOLDIER, ordering any all other ShinRa Military personnel to answer immediately.

Hello up there, surfacefolk. This one's gonna be important, so make sure you clear out your ears.

Those girls that little miss sunshine up there was so grim about? They're not that bad. Strong, sure, but you can still beat 'em around. If they're causing problems, you can kick some butt to distract them while you get folk outta there. It's not the smartest of ideas by a long shot, but if you don't have any choice then it'll get the job done even if you'll be sore for a while afterwards. So! Here's what I'm going to suggest.

These shell thingamajiggers? Can do all kinds of stuff. See this?

[She holds up a dark blue linkpearl - it's identical to the normal ones in everything but its colour.]

It can make these. They're different from the normal kinds, they can only send messages to people who have one that's the same colour. They're good for when you need to keep in contact with specific groups.

So I'm gonna make a group for people who can fight those girls if they need to. Or fight in general, to help people out. Calling 'em the Talons. If you're tough and you're willing to fight if someone needs help, let me know and I'll give you one. Then if you run into one of those girls, you use it to call for backup. Anyone who's close will rush over there. If nobody is, I'll start up the Falcon and get people over to you in a jiffy.

If you don't have one but you're in a jam then just send a message out with the normal shell but...I dunno, think dark blue thoughts. I dunno how it works, but it does. It'll get the message to all of us.

Oh- and there's another. I already talked to little miss sunshine up in Mysidia about this one. It's pretty much the same, but without the fighting. But you can do both, if you feel like multitasking. If you can heal people and you want to help out, ask her about it and she'll give you one of these, too. It's a red one. If you're hurt or you find someone who is, just use the shell and think about red stuff and someone who can heal'll get to you. Again, if nobody's nearby I'll get them closer.

The dwarves'll be supporting anyone in either group all the way - if you need airship travel anywhere or if you need your equipment fixing up then we'll handle it for you, dwarven smiths're the best you'll ever meet, just say the word!

...my group's better, by the way.

[OOC: I'll be answering this with both Porom and Luca, just consolidating both posts since they're pretty much on the same topic.]

[ Zack peers into the Linkshell, up close and personal. ]

Is this thing on? Man, I'm talking to a shell, this has got to be a hardcore hallucination right here.

[ He clears his throat. ]

Uh, anyway. Look, I'm trying to get to Midgar. I know I was on a beach and everything, but this is going kinda far, isn't it? This is some kind of island? I must have seriously hit my head.

And I lost my friend, too. He's kinda short. Well, shorter than me, but not like short, I guess. He had blond spiky hair, like this…

[ Zack gestures, but he's using both hands, so the Linkshell waves wildly around for a few seconds before he realizes what he's doing and stops. ]

His name is Cloud and he wasn't doing really good, so I've seriously got to find him.

Thanks, I…guess.

[ The Linkshell turns off, but then comes back for a second. ]

Oh. Yeah. And whoever replaced my materia with marbles, you're gonna answer to me, you got that? It was a pain in the ass to get those back when I woke up last time!