[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

video;

[crybabyhero]

[Is there a bit of a pinkish tinge to his cheeks as he jumps in to reply? There sure is. If you don't mention it, he won't either!]

Any guys who need a room can hang with me until they find a place instead! I think that'd be better! Your bodyguard probably thinks so too!

[inemeraldfaith]

[Aerith, being of sound and observant mind, may take note of it, but... Who's to say he just hasn't gotten a little bit of sun?]

I don't get it. That's just the same invitation I made, right? Or are you saying you're going to open up your room to people, too?

[And evidently this one goes right over her head.]

[crybabyhero]

[He stutters helplessly when she so clearly misses the point. It's not often he finds someone more clueless than he is.]

Ah- I mean, I guess... But like! For dudes.

Girls can't go inviting strange guys back to their room like that!

[inemeraldfaith]

I don't see what the big deal is. It shouldn't matter if someone in need is a guy or a girl. Everyone needs the assistance.

[Takemichi, are you a kid...]

Besides, how do you know they're going to be 'strange?' Aren't you being a little presumptuous?

[crybabyhero]

[Technically, no. Also technically, yes. It's complicated. He is complicated years old.

More relevantly, he is horny and virginal and the opposite of smooth.]

They're strange because they're strangers! Y'know, stranger danger?! Don't take candy from the guy in the van with black windows???

Any guy who wants to share a room with a hot girl definitely has ulterior motives!

[inemeraldfaith]

[...
Wait. When he says 'hot girl' is he referring to her?

Aerith laughs a little, easily sliding right past that as she is wont to do when it comes to compliments over her person.]

Well, I'm not alone, so it's not like anyone who joins us is just sharing a room with me. I think I'm pretty safe this time. But I also don't think, given the situation, that anyone's first priority is going to involve doing something to me.

[crybabyhero]

Maybe in a normal place where everybody's normal. Not in some weird fantasy world where everybody's a criminal!

Just-! [LJAKLSDJFAF WORDS ARE NOT WORKING.] Seriously, promise you'll at least be extra careful, yeah? People can do some really messed up things when they're scared and angry.

[inemeraldfaith]

[But what if not everyone's a criminal? Couldn't it be that some of these crimes just might not be true?

Regardless, she doesn't want to cause anyone concern, honestly.]

Yes, yes. Okay. I'll be extra careful. If it makes you feel any better, no one's taken me up on my offer, so maybe my bodyguard scared them off already.

[crybabyhero]

Hope you pay him really well then.

[He chuckles, a forced injection of levity after his outburst.]

Sorry for freaking on you. I'm just... on edge, y'know? Something's definitely gonna go wrong soon, and I don't want it to happen to someone so nice.

[inemeraldfaith]

[...He sounds like Cloud then. Always about the money. And honestly, she hasn't really paid him anything out of her own pocket. Does she look like she's made out of gil?

Regardless, she smiles. His concern is coming from a good place. Could be a trap, but she's pretty sure it's not.]

No, I understand. We don't know anyone here, so it wouldn't be out of the ordinary to be cautious. It might not seem like it, but I'm being careful. I won't do anything intentionally to make you or anyone else worry.

[She can, at least, agree to that.]

[crybabyhero]

[Holy shit, they don't know anyone here. Which means he's definitely been shouting at her as a complete stranger, just as strange as the guys he's warning her against.]

Oh! That's right. I'm Takemichi Hanagaki! I'm part of Touman, uh, the Tokyo Manji Gang. Some of my friends from the gang showed up here too, so if anybody mentions that name, you can trust they won't hurt you.

They can be pretty crass though.

[inemeraldfaith]

[Some people might look at this information as if it's a little questionable. Members of a gang and all of that, but honestly, after the whole Wall Market fiasco thing, Aerith is relatively certain she just might be unshakeable. It doesn't appear to be a terrifying discovery to make.]

Oh, you have friends here!

[Yes. That's what she's really taking from all of that. It's one thing to be making friends in this place and it's really quite another to have some from home. Much the way she's been so fortunate to have Cloud.]

Well, Takemichi Hanagaki— [Did she get that right? She's doing her best here.] —If they're as nice as you have been, they're all welcome over, too. I know that appearances can sometimes be deceiving. Sometimes the people we think are the most intimidating, aren't actually intimidating at all.

[crybabyhero]

[Takemichi can't hold back a choke of laughter. No, they are definitely intimidating. Takemichi is the odd duck of the gang, literally recruited because the leader of the gang wanted someone to scold him for the shit he was pulling.]

Y-Yeah. [He manages with a knowing and apologetic smile.] They're really good guys, but they're not like me. Sometimes I think they could take down a real army if they tried.

[invinciblemikey]

... takemitchy...

[crybabyhero]

[Oops, that would be the roommate calling.]

it's okay. i can sleep on the floor.

[invinciblemikey]

im not sharing my space with strangers. do you want me to move????

[crybabyhero]

no!!!

i just don't want her to get hurt!

[invinciblemikey]

she has a bodyguard tho?

[crybabyhero]

[Takemichi's instinct is to say that the poor guy doesn't deserve to have to work overtime, but then again, his offer just means that Mikey's gonna have to work overtime instead.

Whoops.]

sorry. i wasn't really thinking.

[That's normal, though.]

i just got worried. one guy can only do so much, even if he is a bodyguard.

[invinciblemikey]

u can ask her if u can help the bodyguard i guess

just don't die

[crybabyhero]

i feel like if i did that i'd just become one of the strange guys i was telling her to stay away from.

[invinciblemikey]

yeah but ur pure of heart ig

[crybabyhero]

[Omigosh, Mikey, what does that even mean???]

i think you have me confused with a disney princess.

[invinciblemikey]

well you sing and the delinquents come to you

(he's just pulling on michi's leg now.)

[crybabyhero]

LKAHJSDFAHSK

I'M NOT GONNA SING FOR YOU MIKEY