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[weartearrust]

"This is Angeal. You know what to do."

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[weartearrust]

Huh, canning in an oven. Never tried that. Meat was a bit easier to get than fruit, we could just go hunting the local monsters. Of which there always seemed to be an endless supply..

Nope, not from Earth! But ordinary is ordinary, whether it's labeled Earth or Gaia. I like to think some things are universal, like yard sales and pressure cookers.

[weartearrust]

This ship.. makes things more complicated in some ways, doesn't it?

[Sephiroth isn't the kind of person to casually date. If he's chosen to invest himself, and was ANYTHING like the man he used to be, then he was going to be planning long term.

Longer than the Barge.

But it isn't .. just about Sephiroth. He's observed Cloud for a while too, and it wasn't hard to tell that the blond needed SOMETHING in his life.. 'meaning' was perhaps too trite, but everyone needed a focus, and he didn't seem to have one. That this focus is the man who ruined his life was ..well, strange, but love worked in strange ways.]

Don't forget this is about you too. What you want, your happiness. I'm hoping that you'll have some things in common on that angle and can enjoy them together. But if you start sacrificing just because you care about someone .. you're gonna wind up unhappy. And that's how relationships end.

[punched_hitler]

That'd be the difference. Not so many opportunities to hunt in the city where I grew up. But also fewer monsters, it seems.

[That does make him laugh, even though it can't come through over text.]

Isn't that the truth. It's nice to find things that seem to be universal truths, though. People are always people, no matter where they're from, I think.

[weirdnecro]

Ah, Young Adult. I mean, my view is kinda skewed because I'm old, si.

[She chuckles quietly. She'd only worry more for Cloud if she knew how vulnerable he had been the past few years.

She's quiet for a minute or two, thinking of what Angeal said.]

A killing tool, huh. And one likely fawned over in the public eye, touched and expected to be little more than a doll, perhaps.

[She hums.]

I appreciate your candor, especially since this came out of nowhere. Thank you Angeal. I hope...him making the choice will make a difference for him, in the long run.

audio | backdated to the start of the port

[colorofthesky]

Hey. Have you done any exploring yet?

[weartearrust]

Oh, hello Zack. I haven't overmuch, though I've been planning to. It's not every day you get to visit another planet, after all.

[colorofthesky]

Yeah, some of the places we go are actually fun sometimes! I think this is supposed to be Earth?

[ You know, that place most of the Barge is from. ]

Do you wanna go with me and look around?

[weartearrust]

I still can't believe they actually named their planet 'dirt'.

[It's the funniest thing he'd heard of in a long time, and apparently still finds funny, by the low rumble of laughter. A chair scrapes.]

Sure, why not. I've got permission to disembark, but I'm not putting on anything fancy.

[colorofthesky]

Right? I think some of the other planets near this one have more interesting names; I just don't remember what they are off the top of my head.

[ Aaaaand his smile brightens even though Angeal can't see it. ]

Great! I'm off the ship already, but I can meet you where we get off.

[weartearrust]

I'll be down in a few, let me find my boots.

[Look he'll wear comfortable clothes everywhere else but boots are a necessity, he's stepped on too many nails and kicked too many rocks to EVER go without a good pair if he can avoid it.

And he does turn up eventually, in utterly ordinary teeshirt and jeans, fairly standard for when he's not in uniform even in their own world. Here, it'll blend in just fine, heavy combat boots and all.

Later on he'll head out with Shaw, she needed some rest and relaxation too and he would FIND a way to make sure she got some, but until then.. sightseeing!]

[colorofthesky]

[ Zack is also dressed casually. There are fetch missions to do, but there’s time for a little fun and exploring first!

He smiles when he sees Angeal. ]

So it looks like we landed in the middle of some kind of festival? Or something?

There’s other ships, too.

[weartearrust]

[And no need to work on any kind of real disguise in order to blend in! It's pretty much all human! ... Except for all the ones that aren't, a few picked out even at a distance. Huh. He hadn't had the impression a modern day Earth was interstellar.

If either of them get any looks it's probably going to be because they are considerably more fit than most people attending Stockwood.]

Music thing, I heard. But the venue really doesn't look like any kind of concert I've ever been to. Ships like ours or just.. travelling folks?

[colorofthesky]

[ Blending in is good. And it really does help that there are other ships so they don’t stick out so much. ]

Uhh, I’m not sure. I haven’t asked yet, but we could probably ask some questions. Most of the people here seem pretty chill.

[ A pause, then- ]

It seems less like a concert and more like…I dunno, a block party? Only…bigger?

[weartearrust]

Might find out just by keeping an eye on what's going on.

[He's content with that. Blatant eavesdropping, seeing what people are doing. There's no need to rush, surely. There's time to slow down a little and take their time getting questions answered.

Maybe enjoy some music.]

Can't say I've ever been to a block party, so this should be new all around. Let me know if you spot anyone selling carrot fritters.

[colorofthesky]

...hmmm. Probably.

[ There's other stuff to comment on, but he gets held up by one item in particular: ]

Carrot fritters? That's a thing?

[weartearrust]

Of course they're 'a thing'. Pretty good too, like a nice crispy hash brown without any potato and a bit of sweet to it.

[A perfectly good street snack as far as Angeal is concerned.]

I'm pretty sure you can make fritters from just about anything.

[weartearrust]

Aw, you don't sound that old.

[..Is she? He doesn't know.]

Cloud's a good guy. I know he is. And Sephiroth ... used to be. One of the best. I'm a little biased in hoping maybe Cloud can bring the best out in him again.

[weirdnecro]

Flattery will get you everywhere. I'm surprised you don't have a partner, with you being so sweet.

[Her voice is light and playful, before her tone sombers.]

Cloud seems like a good kid. Just confused sometimes. Sephiroth...well. I think he could be, if he wanted to try.

I might just bother Sephiroth, if only because I like his energy. Sometimes, it's nice to be around someone with his kind of...low keyness.

[weartearrust]

I did, once. Two of 'em in fact.

[Not that kind of a relationship.. but one that should have lasted a lifetime anyway. He sounds cheerful enough about it.

But Genesis is gone, and Sephiroth doesn't remember. It's shaken off quickly before it can become melancholy.]

I don't think Seph's had a reason, since coming here, to bother to try. He's got a reason now. We all need something to motivate us, you know? I'll be rooting for both of them, either way. If nothing else comes out of his boat trip, maybe at the end of it they'll still have that.

[nimbuster]

In some ways. But if it wasn't for this ship, I never would've been able to talk to him and work things out like we did. So, net positive, heh.

[It's not a joke, but it's not overly serious, either.

Cloud takes a moment to consider what Angeal's said.]

Right. I wouldn't worry too much about me - Sephiroth's determined to focus on what I want no matter what I say, because he doesn't think he wants anything. I know he's wrong, and I'll prove it to him. But - thanks, Angeal. I'll keep it in mind, too.

[weirdnecro]

Lucky them. Was it romantic or platonic?

[If one of them was Sephiroth and it was romantic...well, she's going to be good and not picture that.

Right now.]

You mean for Cloud? Mm, maybe. If Cloud nudged him along, because...Sephy seems not exactly comfortable but kind of...

Apathic maybe? Or comfortable. It seems easier for him to not try.

Which is why I'm planning to bug him.

We could do it together if you like! I'm planning to read to him. Any suggestions?

[weartearrust]

Jury's out. I know how I felt, anyway.

[And he'd botched it. All of it. Was it really just the degradation, or his own flaws?]

I think Cloud can goad him into doing things. And it might do Cloud some good too, he needs some confidence.

[.......]

Actually, yes. See if you can find the G edition of an epic poem named Loveless.

[weirdnecro]

Aaaaah.

[Love was love, and it sounds bittersweet on Angeal's side. But...who knows. And maybe Angeal could find other kinds of love, given the chance.]

If Cloud didn't think I was so batty, maybe I'd nudge him. Eh. Maybe I'll see if he can adjust to me, then I'll nudge.

...Loveless? You think they have that in the library?

[weartearrust]

I think just being a friend will help Cloud out. Everything else is gravy. Everyone needs at least one strange friend, don't they?

I've found pretty much EVERYTHING is in the library if you look hard enough.

[weirdnecro]

I mean...it does make things more fun.

But...sure. I'll look for it. See what happens.