[Video]

[inemeraldfaith]

[At first, there's just audio as Aerith is figuring out how this little trinket works. A phone would be easier, wouldn't it? As video comes on, she lifts a hand and wiggles her fingers in greeting.]

Hellllooooo!

[If it seems like she's too cheery, that very likely might be the case. Despite the situation and bizarre circumstances, she's chosen to approach all of this with a great deal of optimism. Smile, and the world smiles with you, goes the saying.]

I understand a lot of us are kind of going through the same thing and it's probably very easy to focus on what we don't know, but I thought it might be kind of nice to have the reminder that we have a common goal. So whether you arrived here with friends or without them, you're not alone! You have the rest of us, too.

[Gesturing to herself, she continues.]

My name's Aerith and I didn't arrive with very much, but if there's something I can help you out with, make sure you let me know and I'll do my best! Also, if you're having trouble finding a place to stay, I'm sharing a room here with my bodyguard, but I'm sure he won't mind too much if we make a little more room for you.

[You're welcome, Cloud.]

Comments

[inemeraldfaith]

I don't really think much of anything I've been involved in has been 'normal.' I've known some interesting people that were doing interesting things. So I feel like I have a good grasp on facing things that maybe others couldn't.

[She looks thoughtful, resting a hand to the bottom of her chin.]

I'm not going to say I'm insensitive to some of these things. It's not that. I think I'm just very good at keeping calm in strange situations or unfamiliar ones. Kind of like the one we're in now. Most of us are in a world that we aren't native to. I'm not complacent about it. I just understand where I think priorities should be.

[Which is to say, she thinks they ought to be looking out for one another.]

[twelfthsong]

An emotional support sleepover?

[ It’s not really fair of him to distill everything she’s said down to that, nor does he actually mean it because what she actually said, revealed a lot about her character to him than he had been expecting to get in return.

His response, in his mind, is a joke. An awful, not very funny joke. At least he has enough self-awareness this time around to realize that it might not be a very funny to Aerith. ]

I’m kidding. If you can handle this situation with little problem, I’d like to learn more about these not very normal things so long as you were interested in sharing.

[inemeraldfaith]

[Some people might actually take that response as a little hard. Instead, Aerith isn't necessarily like that. A joke or not, she's inclined to find it more a good idea, honestly. She almost considers saying as much too, until he reveals that he's teasing.

Doesn't keep her from smiling, though.]

Hm...! Well, I think a little mystery is exciting, so you'll have to earn that kind of information! But I feel like you might have some stories to share, too. I don't see any reason why we can't exchange some!

[twelfthsong]

[ Thank god. He's run into too many people who seem all too sensitive to his bluntness (wait a minute that's not right. It's not other people that are the problem. Somewhere Clara is flicking him in the head hard for that one).

His lips quirk a little higher and the twinkle in his eye sparks at Aerith's response. This particular incarnation of him had always been more receptive to cheek and mischief and there's something in her reply that resonates with him. ]

Don't tempt me with a mystery. We've already got the biggest one on our hands here. [ By his tone of voice though, it clearly says that he loves mysteries and the more there are, the better. ] A story for a story seems like a fair trade. We may as well take after the locals.

But I'll let you get back to your emotional support sleepover first. We can chat another time — we have all the time on our hands after all.