[Video] Continuing to help out

[cartierfirstclass]

[Zack's pretty decent with tech since he needed so much of it for his previous job, so the charms are fairly easy for him to get used to. He just hasn't had much use of it since his arrival.

However, his conversation with Cloud hasn't left his mind so he wants to share it with the others.]

Uh, so, my name's Zack Fair. Before I got here, I was part of an organization that did a lot of fighting and protecting. It's been sort of peaceful here, but I know there're monster attacks that happen outside of town and a few of them have gotten pretty close from time to time.

And, well, some people weren't so helpful during our food shortage and the trading trip with the people of Rumpitur. If we want to keep good relations with the native people of Aldrip in particular and Expiation as a whole, we should probably be more involved in trying to keep the peace. I'm not the best person to run something like that, but I'm all for helping if someone else could. Guess it just depends on how many others are interested in helping out with this.

[He rubs at the back of his head, feeling a bit self-conscious as the charm continues to film him.]

I dunno. It was just a thought. If you're up for something like this, let me know. We can talk.

Comments

(voice to) text.

[mercedis]

I can help out as needed. I'm not too expensive to hire just yet.

( a joke, since he'd do it anyway regardless of pay. )

[cartierfirstclass]

Nice to know, man. It looks like we'll need all the help we can get, if we want to team up with the natives and give them some sort of basis to trust us to not screw them over.

[Zack.... actually hadn't thought about money, believe it or not.]

[mercedis]

Might need someone to organize all this...

Are you taking names? Don't know how many people have offered, but there seem to be a lot of questionably strong people here.

[cartierfirstclass]

Yeah, I'm hoping that someone's not me. I'm good at leading small parties and bigger ones for short periods of time, but that seems kinda boring long term.

Well, you're the first to respond, but I hope others do offer. Could use some competent people to get those of us with less than honorable intentions in line.

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[murderingjustice]

[Akechi is sitting at a cafe of sorts when watching the video. He had, too, witnessed a rather dubious acts during their trip to Rumpitur. Nothing too serious but he knows that could only be the tip of the ice berg. The beginning of a snowball effect etc etc.

He sips from his coffee cup (trying not to grimace at the taste) and then answers]

What kind of activity did you see happening at Rumpitur?

[cartierfirstclass]

[Zack's not sure what to make of the fact that this guy is drinking he obviously doesn't enjoy. Seems strange, but people do weird things in his experience.]

You mean besides people outright stealing from people trying to help us and picking fights? Isn't that enough?

[murderingjustice]

[look, it's part of his serious & mature high school act and taking care of his caffeine addiction.]

Hm. I didn't see any fights personally but acts of thievery? Yes.

The Rumpiturr were rather generous but that doesn't mean they will not retaliate, depending on what was stolen.

[cartierfirstclass]

[Sounds boring. But he's also the guy who kills time by doing squats. So, what does he know.]

It wasn't anything super big, but the people of Rumiptur didn't take to kindly to being stolen from, so they were a little annoyed. I don't blame them. Stopping the thieves and those causing issues shouldn't just be left to the people of Aldrip, since there are so many of us that aren't from this world.

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[suicideprototype]

Leading a group like this feels like it'd be quite difficult.

[Seeing as at least a few of them are likely literal criminals. All of them, if whatever brought them here is to be taken at face value.

Anyway, he's already gone through the misfortune of having to lead a group like that once, so he's in no rush to volunteer himself.]

I wonder if we should send Rumpitur an apology gift...

[cartierfirstclass]

It does seem like a lot of trouble, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. I just know that I can't be responsible for the whole thing. I can lead small groups, but all the stuff that comes with an organization what I think we need... That's too much for me.

[So, Zack will throw himself into the fray and be a body out there doing the hard grunt work, but he'd never be able to do anything like what Lazard did with SOLDIER.]

I'm not sure what sort of thing we could send to them, but everyone that I met there seemed really nice. So, a gift might not be a bad idea.

[suicideprototype]

When we went, they seemed most interested in ores, didn't they? We're right next to the caves, so that's something we have easy access to that they don't.

[Which is something to take advantage of.]

It'd be nice if we could get them something a little more unique — something that they could keep around that would make them remember us favorably. But failing that, we can always just give them material they can use for crafting.

[cartierfirstclass]

It makes it convenient. I know a lot of different stuff can be found in the caves around here, so that's a point in our favor.

Although, if we give them enough, we can maybe get more trading between Aldrip and Rumpitur so that if there's something else that happens in either town, it takes less time for help to arrive.

voice

[meiren]

Do we want to keep good relations with the people here?

[ Curious? Yes. Being contrary for the sake of it? Also yes. ]

[cartierfirstclass]

[This is a joke, right?]

Of course we do. I mean, we're here and the native people don't really have much of a choice about us being here either. So, doing things that harm them is bad for us. If we can keep a good relationship with them, it'll make our time here easier for everyone.

[meiren]

We don't have a choice either. What if they do something that harms us?

[ Like accuse them all of being criminals, for one. ]

[cartierfirstclass]

It's true we don't have a choice any more than the natives do. That's why we should work together with everyone to make things easier for all of us.

Also, I'm not saying we just sit back and accept anything that is actually hurting us, but starting feuds with the natives is just a bad idea. Trust me. Going to war with people who have a better clue about the ground you're fighting on is always hard and causes a lot of unnecessary pain.

Voice

[quizpersona]

No solution comes to mind!

[Here's a cheerful chime in. As one of the ones caught doing a dubious act—]

But I do admire your gumption. Will you manage to bring something together before anyone can a become repeat offender? ...I'll look forward to finding out!

[cartierfirstclass]

[He's known a few troublemakers in his day. And this guy seems flippant enough that he probably wasn't on his best behavior as of late. Not that he is going to call him out on it.]

I'd like to think we can get something together before we have a lot of trouble between the people they're calling Chosen and the natives. We've got to all coexist, and I don't know about you, but I don't really want to fight with innocent people everyday. There's enough about this situation that sucks without us adding to all the trouble.

[quizpersona]

I say go for it! I think you and I can agree that it would be troublesome if rule breaking became the status quo around here. It would be irrational.

[Troublemaker indeed but most of this isn't meant as mockery even though it probably sounds like it should. It's conversational.]

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[sisterlyshield]

[Did she hear fighting and protecting? Not that she necessarily wants to fight, but she does like the latter. Pretty gutsy of him to start calling some people unhelpful during the whole refrigeration situation, though. Just because he's right, doesn't mean...

Well. No. Maybe he should say it.]

Someone else was making mention of something like this. He was offering nighttime assistance to people I think, who needed it. Marc, if you know the name. He might be interested in this as well. Even if he's not, I am. I protected people back home and also fought creatures that lived outside of the city proper. I think we could benefit from something like this and maybe put some of the locals' minds at ease.

Re: video

[cartierfirstclass]

[As much as he's willing to take Aerith's teasing, Zack's outgrown the pure selfish desire to be a hero. He just wants to make sure that the people he cares about and innocents are safe from danger. He doesn't want to fight, but he's good at it, and if he has to for others, he will.

Maybe that's why he wants to do this.]

No, I don't know the name, but always willing to meet new people. Your job sounds like my old job, so I get that. I just hope that us showing that we're up for making sure that other Chosen don't get out of line means that they can trust us as a group to work with them, even if some people are trouble individually.

[sisterlyshield]

I think we’re making a good impression so far. At least, I haven’t heard about anyone causing issues. Not to say that it’ll never happen. To my understanding, most of us just want to survive and are willing to do whatever we need to, to make that happen. As long as we keep making nice with the locals, I see no reason we can’t put something together for security.

I’ve admittedly already been doing that on my personal time, but I wouldn’t hate having others to do it alongside. You can consider having my support if this is something you’re serious about.

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[inemeraldfaith]

I'm not surprised to hear at all that you want to do this here. You didn't consider doing something different?

[She guesses it would be easier to do what he's familiar with, but...]

Is there anything I can do to help out? I'm sure Cloud would be willing to help too, if you haven't talked with him already.

[cartierfirstclass]

[He can't help but smile as he sees her face and hears her voice. He's still having a time getting used to that again after being separated for so long.]

I'm not sure that I'm skilled enough to do anything else. Maybe farming? I haven't done that since I was 14, so can't guarantee I'd be any good. Guess I'll just have to stick to what I know, right?

I already talked to Cloud. He was the first one to reply, oddly enough. As for what you can do, I don't know. You can do whatever you want, Aerith. I'll support it.

[inemeraldfaith]

Well, I don't think it's about what you know. I think you should be chasing down something that you've never had. Something you want.

[But it might not be that simple for him. Zack wanted to be a part of Soldier, she thinks, even if she doesn't fully understand why that is.]

I think as long as you're happy, that's all I care about. Just do what makes you happy. As for me, I was asking what I could do to help you out. Because this isn't really about me, right...?