expiationnet | audio.

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audio.

( as always, he's trying to make this as short as possible, but it's hard to even know where to stop with the way his voice carries into the charm. it's likely going to come out all wrong, but: he figures it's like posting something on the notice board in the slums. no one's going to listen to it, right? )

Looking to head back out into the forest to see if there's any trace of the people that went missing.

Figured it might be best to find someone, or someones, to come with me. Not looking to become one of the missing myself.

Some questions if you're considering it...

One, are you afraid of ghosts?

Two, how do you react when you're scared?

( --and then, with a measured sigh: )

My name is Cloud. Blonde hair, big sword. If you're worried, I'm pretty good at keeping people alive, but.

( imagine if he had just, you know, done a video. )

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It's hard to say. I guess since we left I've had more dreams about it. I wouldn't say more in frequency. Just more than I'd expect to. Maybe it's because of what we experienced there. I can't even say what it was that we experienced.

Is it safe for you to go back out there then? I...don't want to make things worse.

Is it any more safe to make me stay behind? It seems like to me it'd be the same. The location probably doesn't matter. I understand why you're worried, but I've dealt with worse.

I know. I can't stop you, anyway. I know better than that. Just be careful.

You’re right.

[He couldn’t stop her. Probably. There are likely some circumstances that would warrant her taking his concern a bit more in mind, but they haven’t reached that just yet.]

I promise not to do anything to intentionally worry you. I just don’t want you to go without me.

And why's that?

Because we're friends. Because I care about you. Because I'm afraid something will happen if I don't go with you. If I can protect you, then I should.

Aerith. ( it's a sigh, but it's good-natured and quiet. ) It's okay. I'll be fine. But just to be sure, I understand you coming to keep an eye on me. Might get into trouble otherwise.

[She deserves that. Of course if the roles were reversed, Cloud wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. Maybe that's the bodyguard in him talking. Maybe it's something else that the two of them have off and on danced around. Who can say for certain.]

See? There you go. You just admitted that you'll probably get into trouble if I'm not there. [Not exactly. He said 'might' but it's close enough. She'll take it!] So I'm gonna come and that's that.

So now we do everything together, is that it? ( at least he sounds amused even in his slight exasperation. ) Or just things where you think I'll get into trouble?

You don't want to do everything together? You're gonna hurt my feelings if you keep that up. I don't think you'll always get into trouble. I just think this time it's a possibility and I want to circumvent that if I can.