ARRIVAL.

[insusurromods]

𝑰𝑵𝑺𝑼𝑺𝑼𝑹𝑹𝑶: 𝑨 𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑳𝑫 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑼𝑻 𝑫𝑬𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑵𝒀

𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 you moved under your own power. The shadows that dwelt in the corners of your vision vanished, the world is bright and the shackles of destiny fall from your liberated limbs.

You're free.

But before you can take that next step, before you can alter your fate, a terrible howling fills your ears. It's an ill wind full of malice, one that rips you off of your feet and back, back, back from this chance to seize your destiny. The shadows coalesce into a single entity, its hands locking around your throat. It cannot let this stand.

You think that maybe this is the end. The world goes dark as it rushes past you, this is the end.

Except you wake to the feeling of rain on your skin.

The cliffs around you bare the scars of a fierce battle. Before you, a massive city faces the sea. Behind you, greenery sprawls for miles. Midgar has never looked so beautiful, but it has also never looked so unlike itself. The Sister Ray points proudly towards the sea. A bustling city crawls out from its shadow, looking wealthier and more robust than the slums ever did. You don't have long to ponder this.

Because you aren't alone. Others are coming to, looking just as confused and uncertain as you do. Some are battleworn and bloody, as if they were pulled from a fierce battle. Others appear to be in perfect health, as if they were simply pulled from a long slumber, though no less confused and lost. The howling that filled your slowly begins to fade, and as it does, the rain begins to clear.

𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐀𝐑 is within a few hours walking distance. 𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐌 lies not much further in the opposite direction. There is no presence urging you to walk to one or the other, no voice from on high telling you what path your feet should walk. Underneath this infinite blue sky the choice to go - or to stay - is entirely yours.

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐃𝐎 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐓?

Comments

[ambitiousblond]

If I fall asleep, wake me up as soon as we're ready to go or if you hear anything.

[It was going to be hard to actually let himself rest after everything that had happened during the last day. The pure adrenaline he had been running on was starting to taper off.

He still stifled a yawn, not wanting to openly show that the exhaustion was weighing him down heavily. Maybe there wasn't any harm in getting an hour of sleep while he could.

He moved over so Tseng had room to join him on the bed since he wasn't going to come outright and say he preferred for them to stay in the same room. He didn't care if it made anyone talk about if it was appropriate.]

I don't want to stay here longer than we have to.

[detao]

( Tseng allowed himself to mentally celebrate the prospect of a good long rest. He was anticipating at least four to six hours of sleep. His body feels heavy, and his mind began to fog with the memories of the last day or so. The unpleasant nether phenomena creep upon him like dread for what might come when he does sleep. Would his dreams depict further horrors within the abyss of his guilt? Would there be a face to his fears within the darkness, or would it continue to manifest as the dark reaper with endless appendages reaching for him with sharp accusations?

The dread weighs on his shoulders, Tseng is even more exhausted than when he first sat on the bed. He feels Rufus move beside him, and he takes the invitation without hesitation. Horrors may welcome him when he finally slips into the void or nothingness. Either way, Tseng prepares for the journey by settling into the bed next to Rufus. It isn't long before he falls asleep. )

[ambitiousblond]

[Rufus watches Tseng settle on the bed and close his eyes. The last of his determination to remain awake has vanished and his eyes drift closed before he could remind himself not to sleep for very long.

For all intents and purposes, he's dead to the world as soon as he's asleep. Normally he's not a deep sleeper but he needed the rest. It's not until several hours later that he suddenly sits up, feeling disoriented.

He had no idea how long he had been asleep, everything felt disjointed and he couldn't quite connect the pieces of how he had ended up here for a few minutes. There was light coming through the curtains covering the window- he had slept longer than he had intended.]

Tseng- what time is it? Are things ready?

[detao]

( Tseng wakes with Rufus' sudden words. He sits up next to the president and brings a hand up to his face to wipe at his tired, gritty, eyes. The hand drops to his lap, and with a heavy croaked voice he responds. )

What? ( It then occurred to him where they were and what the situation was. He pulls on the sheets, freeing his legs from beneath them to the bitter cold air that settled in the room. Darkness also developed while the two of them were asleep. Tseng moves over to his clothes and pulls on his trousers. The unfamiliar clothes were the best he could hope for in a fit without having access to his tailored suits. Such a worry was quite low on the priorities, in any case. After Tseng slips on his shirt and steps into his shoes, he heads for the door. )

I will see to things.

[ambitiousblond]

[Rufus feels like his entire body is weighed down by lead- getting up was going to be more difficult than he anticipated. He knew that this would happen- even though he had been running on fumes once he had crashed it would be hard to get going.

He watches Tseng get dressed, trying to hold back a yawn as he nods.]

I'll come with you.

[Otherwise he risked slipping back into the comfortable bed and slipping right back to sleep. It took a great deal of effort to pull himself towards the edge of the bed, pushing away any exhaustion.]

If we're ready to depart I want to be ready to go.