witchesreign

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[BBS]

This system is a little old. Guess it's all you got without towers for a PHS system. Name's Strife. Is there anyone else from Gaia here? I was told that it might be possible... but I am not holding my breath. They also explained this SeeD place as being a kind of school for fighters. Is it true they are not associated with any country or political power? Sounds too good to be true... As for this... Whatever this is. What exactly are they expecting in return? Information? S.

[ooc; Strike outs are personal thoughts. Cloud is just a tiny suspicious of the good people of the Garden. And you want to switch to action, Cloud is currently holed up with Fenrir in the garage. ]

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[ The name pops out at her first. She reads the whole message again to make sure she's not seeing things--and takes note of that mention of a friend and a plan to be mercenaries (is that really something he was planning to do? He doesn't talk too much about the past)--but she's stuck on that last part. It's Cloud, and her response is rushed and enthusiastic ]

It's been so long since I heard you use it! I thought "Strife" was a first name. I suppose it would be a good name for a fighter, maybe a little too good. I think "Cloud" is better. It's you. Where are you? Have you been okay? It's been so long! And hey, how come you didn't ask about any of *us*? :( (I'm teasing, don't worry. I'm really happy you're okay.)

[ The past is a touchy subject but that part he does remember, Zack talking on and on about fighting for people against Shin-Ra - a pleasant drone that helped against the Mako-green sickness in his skull. ]

I figured it would work better until I can figure out what is going on here. I was in a classroom trying to figure out this schedule stuff, but now I am in the garage working on Fenrir. The storm that brought us here banged up the motor. I'm fine. The stigma is gone and... I'm better now. I didn't want to get my hopes up. I missed you. S.

[ In the garage working on a... gummi ship? How did that manage to get brought with him? Aerith wants to see this, though seeing him is of course still top priority. She writes a quick reply: ]

Then I'll bring you up to speed about this world, and you can tell me more of what's been going on with you. [ Like that "stigma" thing. What's that? Is he from the future? Ah, she hoped there wouldn't be more trouble, but... maybe it was inevitable. As long as they got through it, that was the most important part. ]

I missed you too. [...] I've missed everyone. Leon was here, but he went back a few months ago. But eventually we'll see everyone again! Don't go anywhere, I'll be there in five minutes.

[ Which means if he's sending a response back... she's not going to see it, because she immediately leaves her desk and heads off. She's not running (that would be disorderly and rude to everyone else), but it's a brisk walk.

...That sprouts flowers everywhere she steps, because her powers are still being affected and she's not mindful about restraining them at the moment.

So Cloud is going to be treated to an odd sight of a girl identical to his dead flower girl striding into the garage with forget-me-nots and lilies trailing after her, sprouting up in whatever cracks they can find in the asphalt. But the only thing Aerith finds weird is that Cloud's "Fenrir" seems to be a huge motorcycle, not a gummi ship; she gives him a bright smile and wave as she walks over. ]

Welcome to Garden, Cloud. Not quite as nice as Radiant Garden, but it really isn't a bad place.

[ Leon? Cloud blinked at the reply, almost ready to answer but when he read the part that she would be down there in five minutes, he didn't bother to respond. He would hear about everything when she made it to the garage.

So turning away from the computer, Cloud went back to taking Fenrir's engine apart, laying out the pieces on a grease smudged cloth after checking each one for any damage. So far it had been mostly grit and sand caught inside the gears, but sooner or later he was going to find something worse.

Then he heard Aerith's voice. Setting everything down, Cloud turned around and smiled even though she was trailing flowers after her. But what she was saying did not make sense. Radiant Garden? Was this going to be another awkward conversation with someone almost familiar? ]

Aerith... Thanks. It seems okay so far.

You got through the storm okay? [ She leans forward, looking him over, and nods to herself before looking up at his face. ] Well--at least you don't seem too much older! Time Compression can be a funny thing. I think I must be from the past for you. I didn't recognize everything you mentioned.

A few scratches but nothing major. [ Nice thing about having a SOLDIER's constitution was how minor injuries never lasted long. ] I guess it is. I didn't recognize half of what you said either.

Really? About Garden? [ Because...that's the only thing she talked about that could have confused Cloud--she hadn't talked about recent events at Radiant Garden at all. Unless--her eyes widen, a hand rising to cover her mouth before it sinks back down, clasping in front of her chest, over her heart. ]

Oh... Wait, Cloud, why were you asking about Gaia? Why not Radiant Garden--Hollow Bastion? You know what those are, don't you?

I'm sorry, Aerith. I've never heard of them before. [ He saw her reaction and took a breath, figuring that now things were going to get strange between them. She looked so much like the Aerith he knew, but it was just too good to be true. ]

[ Strange was right. She looks at him a few seconds longer before her head bows, her eyes darting away. ]

It happened again...

[ She should probably say something more than that, but for the moment she can't think of what to say without sounding upset and she knows how Cloud--her Cloud--takes that sort of thing. She's by Fenrir anyway, so she crouches down and makes a show of looking at it before finally adding: ]

It's a quirk of Time Compression. People who look the same, but aren't.

I'm getting the feeling that it's not just that. Different histories and times all of them mixed up because of what that Time Compression has done.

[ He picked up a spark plug and rolled it over in his hand, not exactly looking at it. ]

But that doesn't mean we can't still be friends, right?

[ She looks over to him, her expression easing to a smile as she moves a little closer. ] Of course not. Even if we got each other confused, it already feels like we can get along well. That's not a bad start.

Yeah, not a bad start at all. [ He put the plug down and wiped his hand off on the leg of his trousers before turning back to Fenrir. ] So I guess we should start at the beginning and get to know each other again.

Cloud, you'll get your clothes all messy that way. [ It's not so much scolding, but it is an obvious reminder, one she's used to giving. Blame Cid. ] Since we already know names... hm, we could say something that's important to us? I've been in this world for over a year now, but my real home is Radiant Garden. It's a beautiful world full of flowers. I think that's why I'm being followed by these now. [ She laughs, running her hand over several nearby lilies. ] I want to make Garden a good place for everyone to stay. Until we can go back to our real homes.

I don't have a cloth to use. [ Her and Tifa both. His answer is pretty automatic even as he pauses in digging out more of Fenrir's engine and fetches a couple cloths to use for his hands. ]

A world of flowers... That sounds nice. Midgar is gone mostly. The ruins are being used to build the city Edge, which is where Tifa and I live with the kids. We took in a couple orphans, giving them a home and a life, and when 7th Heaven isn't open, we go help up with building things or other families that needs some help.

Gone? [ She echoes that, frowning slightly--she's sure Midgar is important if he'd mention it being gone--but then she focuses on what he says afterward. ] Wow... you're so busy. What do you do for fun?

[ ...Wait, Tifa sounds like a girl's name. Fishin' just a little here. ] Tifa is... a friend?

Meteor got rid of most of it. [ He pauses and gently wiped down a large coil, removing the gunk caught up in the coils. ] I deliver packages and letters all over Gaia or hang out with friends. I like to keep busy.

[ He frowns and works out a small stone caught in the coil with his nails, trying not to scrape it too badly as he does so. ] We grew up together. She's the only other person that survived the destruction of Nibelhiem.

[...Two homes destroyed? What a turbulent past. Just like the Cloud she knew. Aerith frowns slightly, her hand clasping. At least he seems to have a normal life now. ] It's a very important bond to have.

I kept busy with my friends, too. They mostly left the flowers to me, but otherwise, we would all work together. And then when it was time to take a break, Yuffie and I would team up to drag Leon away from the work and find our Cloud. [ She giggles. ] He wasn't so good with socializing. He's learning.

Yeah, it is. I know that now.

[ He listened to her talking about her friends, shaking his head a little about that Leon guy and Cloud. At his name, he chuckles, setting the coil down next to the other pieces of his bike. ] I'm not that social either.

I'd say you're doing all right for yourself right now. Full marks.

That's only because everyone drags me out all the time. If I had my way, I'd probably be a crazy hermit with chocobos living in my bedroom or something.

You sound happy enough for a would-be chocobo hermit.

If you want, I could show you around Garden when you're done with your bike. Fenrir, you called it?

Nah, I can't be. Yuffie keeps on referring to me as a gloomy rain Cloud.

[ Yes, he is poking fun at himself. Usually it would be hard to tell, but he is sort of smiling when he said it. He looked down at the engine parts and over at Fenrir before looking at her and nodding. ]

That would be nice. I'll have to flush out the old oil and gas and rinse everything anyways before refueling Fenrir. Sand and rocks got inside of everything.

[ Aerith giggles. ] Didn't you know? You should be a perfect bundle of energy, just like her!

Ah, sounds like a lot of work... but for such a nice bike, I'm sure it's worth it.

There's not enough energy in the Lifestream to make me close to being like her.

[ He hid that smile as he ducked under Fenrir, lifting the bike up onto blocks and positioning a couple large buckets under the tank before opening them. He had to start the gas draining with the use of a tube and some suction but soon he had it going. ]

It's something that I can leave over night, same for giving the parts a bath. Then tomorrow I'll just have to put everything back together and refill the tanks. Fenrir is a good bike; a friend help me customize a Hardy Daytona from the old SOLDIER stores.

Hm? [ She doesn't know what Lifestream is--though she understands perfectly well what he means without knowing the one word, so the wry comment still makes her smile. ]

A friend... [ Hey, if they both knew Yuffie, then a mechanically-inclined friend? It immediately brought to mind one name. ] His name wouldn't be Cid, would it?

[BBS]

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and then i had work

ahh, work. the bane of rp.

it is :<

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