expiationnet | [Video]

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[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.]

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Is it, now?

[He sounds amused rather than skeptical, and one corner of his mouth twitches towards a smile, though doesn't quite reach.]

I wonder. Do I give off the impression of someone willing to guard? [Never mind the fact that he most certainly is. It's a poorly-kept secret, all told.] That's quite generous of you. Of course, I still worry that I was unknowingly vulnerable in your company.

Well, you give off the impression that you probably have friends back home. And if you have friends, you probably care about them even if you don't say so. And if you care about your friends, you'd probably protect them, even if you weren't going to admit to it.

[In short, this is all a very verbose way of saying yes, he seems like someone willing to guard.]

Now, if that's all a secret, I'm good at keeping those! I won't tell anyone anything you don't want them to know! Probably.

Quite presumptuous, aren't you?

[Note, however, that he doesn't say she's wrong. She isn't, by any stretch, though he's not used to others being able to read him so easily.

Maybe he's begun to lose his touch. All that business with revolutions and apprentices has softened him, he supposes.]

I do have something of a reputation that demands protecting, but it means little here. My name carries no weight in this place. You hardly need to worry about keeping secrets, though I appreciate your willingness.

[She certainly is and Aerith doesn't look the least bit ashamed of that. Maybe it's because she feels like her observation skills are rather on point. Besides, it's not as though she's spoken factually. When she shares her assessment, she's careful about how she words it.

He's free to correct her, after all. He doesn't, but he could.]

When you say it like that, you make it sound like you're a prince. [Says the flower girl with a bodyguard.] Is there something about you that I should know? I'm not, like, committing a weird faux pas or something when I talk to you, right?

No, no, nothing of the sort.

[Though something about her teasing strikes him oddly— hasn't he heard that somewhere before?

No, of course not. Nobody in Ivalice would mistake him for such, even considering his family's past influence.]

Quite the opposite, in fact— I'm a sky pirate.

[And proud of it, from the sounds of it.]

Oh, that's nothing like a prince at all, is it?

[Couldn't be further from. She's quiet and thoughtful for some moments. Sky pirate. Sky pirate. Where has she heard that? She shouldn't, in all truth, know what a sky pirate is, but...]

So is this anything like pirates in a book? Do you just steal things... in this sky? Is that how that works?

[...Stealing anything sounds like it might be kind of hard, honestly. Why steal when you could just ask nicely for it?]

Edited (i'm fucking up all of my tags don't look at me) 2023-02-25 06:19 (UTC)

It certainly isn't. For one thing, I have a great deal more freedom than any who might be unfortunate enough to find themselves trapped within palace walls.

[He says so with confidence; both his own experiences and those of some he considers very close friends have only seen fit to reaffirm his belief that freedom is the far better choice.]

However, simple though it may seem, you're not far off the mark. We fly to the furthest corners of Ivalice, uncovering ruins and treasures long forgotten. We've no ties to anything or anyone.

[He sounds quite proud of that part.]

[Aerith is relatively certain if a prince really wanted to, if they really couldn't stand it, palace walls wouldn't trap them. At least, that's how she perceives it. If she was a princess and she was confined? It wouldn't last long. She has too much adventure desiring to course along her veins.]

Ivalice.

[It's another pause in consideration. The way it rolls off of his tongue is like most everything else he says. Smooth and fluid. Seamless. Like water if the flow of water was a language. She wonders why it gives her pause the way it does.]

That sounds exciting! I want to uncover ruins and go treasure hunting! You get to be on an airship and everything, right??

[Aerith lights up so much that it's in every facet of her personality. The eyes, the smile that takes her mouth. She practically glows.]

Indeed I do.

[He smiles warmly in turn; it's not uncommon for sky pirates to be romanticized back home, but he rather thinks they deserve it. Daring heroics, far-flung adventures— what's not to romanticize? Many children dream of becoming sky pirates once they're older, and some of those that manage are among the best in the business.

Well, almost. He wouldn't rank any of them above himself, of course.]

Being captain of my own ship is the best part. With freedom like that, one can fly wherever they like without having to answer to anyone else, and do so on a whim if they so choose.

Oh...!

[Did she just squeak? She may have just squeaked. It's a familiar little thrill that travels up her before it fades into something a little more natural and manageable. She can just see it now. Aerith Gainsborough, Treasure Hunter Extraordinaire! Exploring dangerous ruins, looking at the coolest treasures, and getting to see all the sights of the world!

She is probably dreadfully transparent then.]

That sounds so cool! But also complicated. But also cool!! I bet flying is great. If you can fly, you can go anywhere. Even places where people can't find you.

[If she didn't worry so much about Elmyra, she'd make a wish to do something of the same. But there's no way she could ever leave her behind. Not for too long anyway, no matter how much Elmyra might want her to live and experience life for herself.]

[It's precisely the sort of reaction he loves to see in regards to his profession, one that's all too common back home— something he's never tired of since taking to the skies, perhaps because he feels the exact same way about it himself.]

That is part of the appeal, for some.

[He's not saying so, but it's him— he's ~~bitches~~ 'some.']

Not a care in the world— apart from the bounty hunters, of course.

[One corner of his mouth quirks upwards as he offers a wink.]

[She's taken along for the proverbial ride, which seems all very well and good, but is abruptly halted by the notion of bounty hunters. Of course, a normal person might look at this and take it for what it is. That as with all occupations, there are some hazards on the job.

If one wants to consider piracy a job. (It certainly is for pirates, but probably not their victims.)

Aerith, however, as she just doesn't view things the way that most people do, sort of barrels right along with it.]

Somehow I don't feel like bounty hunters are particularly scary to you. I bet you can handle them with your eyes closed!

I do try to keep one open, just in case.

[To say that bounty hunters aren't cause for concern would be flat-out untrue, but none have ever managed to catch him, despite their best efforts— he and Fran have learned to deal with them quite handily over the years. An inconvenience, at best, and having a bounty on his head is a point of pride at this point in his career.]

They make for good stories, in any case— and close shaves make the most thrilling tales, I've found. Besides, there's no denying that being in such demand means a certain degree of success when it comes to my line of work. Not easy being so popular, but I do manage, even without a bodyguard of my own.

[She looks positively enthralled by what he's had to say so far. But she's immensely intrigued by the idea of daring stories of danger. Just listening to him, he sounds absolutely fearless. Everyone's afraid of something, however, so it occurs to her that maybe his fear has nothing to do with piracy or facing bounty hunters.]

Ohhh. You don't strike me as the sort to need a bodyguard. If anything, you seem kind of self-sufficient to me. But to be fair, you're a sky pirate. I'm not. I'm a flower girl. Those are two very, very different things, you know! I actually need a little protection sometimes. But if I was a sky pirate instead, I'd be a good one!

[Maybe. Except the stealing from people. She'd probably be giving things to people.]

Do flower girls typically need protection where you come from?

[A genuine question, rather than a criticism. Ivalice is quite dangerous in its own right, even in what many would consider to be the most civilized of locales— certainly there are plenty of people who would benefit from having protection from time to time, if it were something that were available to them. Unfortunately, there aren't a great deal of bodyguards for hire, and most people who really needed them would be unlikely to afford them.]

You do have the confidence for piracy, I'll give you that.

If I ever meet another flower girl, I'll let you know, but to my understanding, I might be the only flower girl of Midgar.

[She suspects, however, that it's highly unlikely someone else back home would have such an interest. Aerith doesn't bother to clarify or further explain, feeling that as she's said already, it's all he needs to know.

Instead, she's much more interested in his evaluation of her person. The confidence for piracy. She can't help but preen.]

Does that mean if there's an opening you'll call me?

I'll take it under consideration.

[He's softened a bit, perhaps, when it comes to taking would-be pirates under his wing, thanks to Vaan, though it helps a great deal that this is only jest.]

I can't imagine it will be anytime soon, however. I'm currently missing my ship— and I've yet to determine if flight is something people around here have managed. Still, only a matter of time. I'm not inclined to remain grounded any longer than I have to.

[Which is to say that he'll find a way to take to the skies again, given half a chance.]

Oh, I didn't even think about it. I bet it's hard for someone who's used to being in the sky having to be stuck on the ground.

[And she has no idea if they even know anything about sky travel. Do they have a space programme or something equivalent to it? Aerith is beginning to doubt it.]

The only thing I saw was a ship for the water, I think? I don't know if it was operable, though. I haven't even seen anything that would be appropriate for something that takes to the skies. Buuuuut, it's not like I know much about that kind of thing anyway. I'm definitely probably not the person to be asking. Couldn't hurt to check with the locals. If they look super confused when you do, I think that'd be answer enough.

It is something of a challenge, but I've faced worse. Given the opportunity, I'm determined to rectify it.

[He may not have always been a man of the sky, but it's long since become a part of who he is. Of course, finding such an opportunity here means resigning oneself to the fact that he's rather stuck at the moment, which he is less than inclined to do. Rather troublesome all around, in his opinion.]

I'll be asking around, at the very least, though if you do happen to hear something, I trust you'd pass it on. I imagine I'll find out rather quickly, as you say, but perhaps the natives will surprise me. I can't say I fully understand them. I'll admit, I'm still suspicious of most of them.

Probably safer to be suspicious, actually. Not overly so, but just enough to understand there might be more to all of this.

[There is probably something more to all of this. Things here are too nice to stay this way. Something's going to go wrong eventually. It would be better to expect the unexpected.]

If you find anything out about airships, I wanna hear all about it! I've always wanted to go on one, so I really want to see one, too.

Do my ears deceive me, or does that sound like the beginning of a compromise regarding our differing approaches?

[He smiles, and despite how very irritable he'd been during their first meeting, it's both warm and genuine, moreso than the cheek he'd been giving her even a few moments before while discussing his chosen path. Of course, it's all rhetorical— he doesn't expect a real answer, but he'll admit that he's enjoying the fairly easy banter that's begun to spring up between them.]

That said, I'll be certain to let you know. For now, it seems like you'll have your hands full, regarding that invitation you made in your first message. Something tells me your bodyguard might have some opinions about that. No doubt we'll cross paths again soon, flower girl.

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[Video]

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He's definitely bitches.

He's absolutely bitches.

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setting us up to wrap!