animus_network | 004

[Oh, hey, someone who's actually looking for one of the people she's looking for too.]

Reno- Sparky... he's not around right now. At least I think. I haven't seen him since the monsters were everywhere. His name's not gone from the door though.

[Which means he hasn't "left," the way some others have.]

I hadn't checked his door. Thanks.

[ A little awkward pause and then he decides to introduce himself. ]

I'm Cloud. Do... Have you known Sparky for long?

You're welcome.

[Her eyes widen a little, since... Reno had actually mentioned Cloud once. So this was him?]

I'm Xion. [She smiles a little at the mention of her friend, and while Cloud can't see it it probably shows in her voice.] Yeah. Since... not long after I got here.

...I think he said something about a Xion. That he was hoping you learn how to fight a little?

[Xion blinks, a little started.]

Yeah! Well... I know how to fight, but he's been teaching me how to fight differently than I do back home.

[Sort of. Her current style is actually kind of a mix between home and here.]

It's always a good idea to pick up several styles. I've done it and I guess he has too, being a Turk.

Huh...

[She's... never really thought about it. Though maybe that was a little silly of her, given how long she's been training with him.]

What sort of kinds do you know?

Mainly? I'm pretty good with several sword forms and I know a little about hand-to-hand. I've got my own special moves as well.

Still here. What's up, man?

[Zack sounds about as tired as Cloud does. Clearly neither of them's been sleeping well.]

Just checking up on everyone. I want to make sure that you didn't leave.

[ It may sound a little possessive but he just couldn't handle seeing anyone leave just yet. ]

Have you seen any of the new floors?

[ And after a while... ]

Zack? Are you okay?

...Zack?

[ And this is where he goes into sheer panic mode because he said he was here, dammit! ]

If you want.

[He sounds just as tired]

We can meet on the track.

Tifa always nags at me to be an adult and talk first, toss out the door second.

[ The joke doesn't sound as good when delivered with a yawn. ]

Alright. Any specific time?

I doubt you'd toss me out the door Blondie.

[He doesn't really have a reason to.]

I'm usually there or down in the pool in the morning.

Only if you get Tifa mad. Then again, she would toss you out the door, not me.

Alright. I'll see you soon.

[ Go figure, but Doc hoped it wouldn't have had to be useful. Ah well... ]

You don't have to thank me Cloud, is there anything else you needed?!

It's a good sword.

Not right now, but if you need anything, just ask and I'll see if I can get it.

For now I'm fine but I'll tell you if I run low on material.

Be sure to look after yourself! I've noted recently we had more arrivals but more disappearances as well.

[ ...Zack. ]

I will. You take care too.

[Its okay, Cloud. Elena isn't miffed you forgot bout her. That was kind of the thing with Turks, they were meant to be forgotten. So no harm, no foul.

However, she can sympathize with his audible exhaustion and its audible in her tone. She's been having the same sleeping issues. How exactly do you rest in a place you can't trust?]

This is Elena. I'm still here, unfortunately. And I've not seen Tseng in some time, so I'm not sure of his whereabouts.

Edited 2012-09-13 12:24 (UTC)

[ He KNEW he was forgetting someone, but it has been a busy few days and he was still trying to wrap his mind around the whole whale business. If this was video, he definitely would have the chocobo-caught-in-a-headlight look. ]

...You haven't heard from him? That might be bad.

[To which Elena would have waved it off, after a short laugh. It also wasn't in Cloud's favor that she'd been laying low, so her presence could have easily been skipped over.]

....No, I haven't. In fact, I'm not even sure if he's still around. We crossed paths momentarily, but I didn't get any information as to where he was staying.

Is something going on that I should be aware of?

[ He is still very sorry about it. Really. WHAT KIND OF HERO WAS HE TO FORGET THE LITTLE BLONDE TURK? ]

I see.

...Did you see anything in the last few days? Like people turning into monsters?

[WHO HE HELPED RESCUE OFF WUTAI MOUNTAIN NO LESS. Don't worry, Cloud. She forgives you.]

....I saw it, yes. And I had the displeasure of experiencing it. Did something happen?

[ HE KNOWS HE KNOWS HE IS TERRIBLE. SOB. ]

I ran into a couple of them... Ever think that this place is just here to screw us up more?

Odd....I didn't see you around. But that was probably for the best - Rusty was turned and we had ourselves a nice little fight...

[There's a short pause before she gives a short, cynical laugh]

At times, yeah. I didn't think it was possible, knowing how messed up we were before arriving - but it seems we all have more ways of being beaten and broken.

...I had found Rusty. [ Nope not going to say another damn thing about it. It was horrible enough, really. ]

Don't let this place do that to you.

Mmm. Were you able to help him?

[Too bad, Cloud, she's going to ask anyway. Because she was in the exact same boat and did not know that dying was necessary to bring her back to normal. But at least she'd been lucky and had somebody she at least know kill her.]

....I appreciate the concern. But don't forget, I am a Turk, and it will take a hell of a lot more than turning into a monster to break me.

[ Just sort of nods with a soft 'Mmm'. It still shocked him a little. ]

I know. Turks can still be hurt.

[That's all she needs to hear.] ...Thank you.

[Oh, but those other words he says, she wasn't expecting those. She knew that he knew what had happened and damn Valentine for being a tattle-tale. There's a short pause and her voice cracks against her wishes.]

We know how to bounce back, no matter what the circumstances.

You're being awfully kind, Cloud. Kinder than you've been to the Turks - to me - in the past...

[ He'll just shuffle a little. He just gets tired of killing people. ]

Yeah... I don't think that we ever did our world any service by fighting each other all the time. We should have learned how to cooperate better, and to do that... well... that's something that should start with the people first.

[That feel, she knows it quite well. Killing people eventually got boring and, well, tiring.]

No, I don't think we did. Which was a shame, when ultimately we were both fighting to stop the same thing. And you were able to do what we couldn't.

I never boded any ill will against you personally, Cloud. It was all business.

I have a lot to fight for. [ Friends that don't give up on him, people that he never met before who still look up at him, the creatures he sees during his deliveries. ]

I know that. [ Now. ]

I can't speak for the others, but...thank you. What you did for Gaia did not go unnoticed. At least by me.

[Because, if it weren't for him, perhaps the entire world might have been destroyed by Meteor. And, if it hadn't been for him, those god damn remnants would have still be walking the planet.]

It seems we get to have a fresh start here, in some semblance at least. I owe you for what you've done, so...if you need anything from me or if I can be of any help, let me know.

[...]

[ Oh how he has no idea how to respond to this sort of thing because he doesn't feel like he deserves it even though he does and HELP ME ZACK. So he sort of blushes and clears his throat. ]

I just did what I thought was right.

Thanks. I'll remember that.

[Aren't you glad this is voice only, Cloud? If it makes him feel better, Elena is feeling all sorts of awkward and, by the way she's shifting in her seat, playing with the invisible lint on her suit, she's feeling just as uncomfortable. They were enemies before - that wasn't exactly an easy bridge to gap.]

I know. Its part of your MO. Otherwise you'd have left that little ninja friend of yours and I hanging on that cliff.

[See that? She's bringing up THAT incident just to lighten the mood. Don't you feel special, Cloud?]

I wouldn't leave anyone in that kind of situation, even if you were trying to shoot me earlier.

[ Maybe it was a little of the naive mountain boy, but he always wanted to help people out of tough spots. ]

Not to mention it was Don Corneo. DON. CORNEO.

[You can actually hear her shudder over the phone]

Every woman alive was cheering with joy when you and Reno knocked him off that cliff.

You know, I wanted to climb down there and make sure he was a grease smear.

He had hit on me too.

[She can't help herself any more and gives a short laugh.]

I pity whatever rock he landed on - it would be forever stained with Corneo for the rest of eternity.

[And there's a short break.]

....I'm afraid to ask, but....how did that even happen?

I feel sorry for whatever ate on him.

[ And he'll pause because ooops, she didn't know about that now did she? He had thought it was common knowledge among the Turks. ]

I... snuck into his headquarters in search for Tifa.

[ Please don't make him say it. ]

Those poor animals...

[You can't see it, Cloud, but her eyebrows are up and she's looking excited, like a kid a Christmas. You see, since she got captured by Don, Rude and Reno refused to tell her about a certain incident that they constantly snickered and chuckled about for years without ever telling her.

Then, of course, shit hit the fan and it was quickly forgotten.]

....You must have looked pretty good to not only sneak in but then get hit on...

[Nope. She's not going to even ask, Cloud. Not even going to ask.]

[ He is surprised. Since he had thought all the Turks knew about his cross-dressing to sneak into the Don's playroom thing. He just sort of is turning a bright red because umm, yeah not gonna say it right now. ]

...It was all Aerith's idea.

[They were the meanest mentors ever, Cloud. Let her tell you horrible tales on how they teased her for weeks after the Wutai incident.]

.....Smart girl.

[Yeah...don't mind that awkward silence.... She's pretty sure Aerith's death is still a taboo subject.]

Edited 2012-10-05 22:23 (UTC)

Yeah... Yeah she was.

.......Sorry.

It's okay.

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[voice] agkshdfj I'm sorry this took so long orz

[voice] no worries :3

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[voice] and yes, this is as late as it is!

[voice] no worries :3

[voice] because Reno doesn't check the network all that often

[voice] cloud wasn't going to track him down

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