insusurro | ARRIVAL.

ARRIVAL.

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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Does he remember a little girl in an oversized cowboy hat? Yup. Clear as day. Does he remember a kick-ass MMA pro fighter with abs for days and legs for centuries? Nnnnnot so much.

It is. Kind of coming to him now. Like maybe he knows her from somewhere. Anyway, she's not on her own here! Zack is gonna help her get to her feet and brush a little dust out of her hair and now she's good as gold. Right? ]

Was just about to ask you the same question. Looks like—

[ Uh-oh. Here it comes. It's the voice, the pang of regret that comes with it, a suddenly fleeting image of a girl all crumpled up on the landing below him. ]

Holy shit! Tifa!?

[Did he-? Did he just check her out??

N-no. Probably not. Right? No reason to blush. Cuz she's not. At all.]

Yeah, it's me. It's been a long time. I'm glad you're okay.

[She actually means it. She'd been really angry, give years ago, but she's grown up a lot since then.]

[ The hand hovering over Tifa's shoulder slips right into his hair instead. Oof. Now he remembers a loooot—and none of its good. Even if she's being chill right now, those words are still ringing in his ears—

I HATE you.

Can't say he blames her. He wonders how it's been, harboring words like that for. Oh. Wait. How long has it been? Dammit, he should have read Kunsel's texts. Why does he never ever do that? ]

I'm glad you're okay. I, uh...

[ The part of his head that's still all Zack and just wants LOVELOVELOVELOVE and most importantly for everyone to love him wants to do some explaining here. Something to ease the awkwardness that's been probably definitely a couple years building between them. But the mature part, the part that's been carrying Cloud across the better part of a continent, well, it recognizes that there is no excuse for him. For any of them. ]

Thank you. For being... kind. I probably don't deserve that.

[It took her a while to get here, to a place where she could be kind. She's reconciled that Zack wasn't to blame. Shinra was. Sephiroth was. Zack had been trying to help, she just couldn't see it at the time.]

That's not true. I was... I wasn't thinking straight. Back then. I'm sorry, for what I said.

Whoa—hey. None'a that.

[ Zack's got both his hands on her shoulders before he can convince himself not to do it. Sorry if they're still a little bloody. He's mainly concerned with looking at her with that smile on his face that's still got that same comforting affectation, even after all these years. ]

You don't have anything to apologize for. Not to me, not to anybody. You got that?

[He's just like she remembers him. Like he hasn't changed so all.]

Thanks, Zack.

[No sense in arguing with him. She'll just nod, and accept it. They're okay, now. She honestly never thought she'd get the chance to straighten it out between them. Small world.

Or is it?]

So you wouldn't happen to know how you got here, do you?

[ Literally so small. Like....insultingly a lot smaller than he remembers. He's pretty sure he can see Kalm from here, which doesn't make a lick of sense. ]

Uhhhh... I've been here.

[ There's just a flicker of something. Pain, regret. Nausea. Tifa's eyes on him keep it from creeping too far past just that little guttering glimmer in his Mako-bright eyes. ]

With a friend of yours, no less. You didn't happen to run into him on your way here, didja? Bout yay—

[ Hand up to his chest. Must be This Strife to ride. ]

—small, hair like a golden chocobo, shyer'n a cactuar in an open field?

[She looks at him, puzzled, for a moment. How could he have been here? He wasn't here, before whatever caused her to black out. And what friend??

And then-]

Wait. Are you talking about Cloud?

Yeeeeah, that's him!

[ Part of him feels a little bad teasing Tifa like this when she's all out of sorts and obviously displaced. But y'know. Cute girls and all. Some things you just can't turn off. ]

You see him anywhere? He's—uhhh...

[ But it can be muted. Just a little. ]

He's not in the best shape right now. But he's gonna get better. I'm gonna make sure of it.

[ He pounds a fist to his chest. SOLDIER's honor. Still means something, even if the word itself means something else. ]

What are you talking about? Cloud was just with me, and he was fine. Or as fine as any of us are, after everything.

[Now she's worried. Very worried. What happened? Where is Cloud? And Barret, Aerith, and Red?

She grabs Zack's arm, her grip insistent, eyes intense.]

What happened? Did Sephiroth come back again?

[ Zack interjects along the way. A lot of "but—" and "wait—" and then, finally, "Sephiwhat?" Eventually, Tifa grabs his arm and Zack decides you know what, this is too confusing.

To deal with on an empty stomach, that is. ]

I'm thiiiinking maybe... somethin' kinda funky is going on here. Okay. Here's the plan. Let's regroup... over there.

[ His un-grabbed hand points to Kalm. ]

Nothin' some waffles and coffee can't sort out, I'm sure.

[She opens her mouth, but the protest dies, turning into a sigh. Boys.

But maybe he's right? She's getting the feeling something is more off, than just the surface here, herself.]

Yeah. Maybe you're right.

[She looks towards Midgar, but doesn't suggest it. Kalm would be better. Midgar might be too dangers right now.]

We should get out of the sun, at least.

That's the spirit!

[ Tifa's worried about the sun, meanwhile Zack has brightened so much that he's probably radioactive. Proceed with caution, Tifa. Or don't, because Zack's got a hand on her shoulder to help guide her down the mountain. No way he's gonna let her fall. ]

Just let me know if the sun gets to be too much for you, hey? I wouldn't object to carrying a cute girl into town.

[Jeez, was he always like this? She shakes her head, in amusement.

Then leaps down to a ledge below them, tight and controlled. She looks up and gives him a sassily modest shrug.]

Maybe you letme know if you need carrying.

[ Zack follows suit, though touchdown isn't quite so smooth for him. Lots of forgotten ouch has him landing with a wince, but you wouldn't know it from the grin he fixes her with. ]

What was that? Ahhhh, I feel faint...

[ As he wavers theatrically against Tifa's side, bumping her shoulder gently. ]

[She returns the shoulder bump with one of her own.]

Don't goof around. At least, not until we're on solid ground, okay?

Yeah. All right. I can do that.

[ Zack falls back a little. Sword's off kilter, y'know, gotta fix it. He's not enjoying the sight of Tifa strolling on ahead or anything. That'd be a strict violation of the brocode.

He catches up soon enough, smile gleaming. ]

You look like you've been busy. Haven't seen guns that big since Junon.

[ There's a sly little glance at her arms. Damn, girl. Maybe she could carry him all the way to Kalm. The prospect is looking better and better all along. ]

[She gives him a bashful, but flattered glance, at his compliment.]

Yeah, I've been training a lot the passed five years. It's come in handy.

[She absolutely could carry him. She might even be able to throw him.]

What about you? What have you been up to?

Oh. You know.

[ Five years? ]

Just... livin' the best of what the ex-SOLDIER life's got to offer. Road-trippin' 'round the world with my best friend, meetin' up with old acquaintances... dodging Turks in the jungle.

[ None of this is a lie, but it feels bad to say it this way. ]

The usual.

You traveled with Cloud?

[She's on that rather quickly. Cloud hasn't shared much of anything, about his time in SOLDIER, or after. When was there time, really?

Sorry, Zack. You're checking her out, and she keeps bringing up another guy.]

[ Yeah, wow. Way to make a guy feel guilty for enjoying a nice pair of gams. Not that it's gonna stop him. Apparently it's been five years since he's seen a girl—who wasn't trying to kill him. ]

Oh yeah. I've been keepin' him safe and outta trouble for you, no worries there. We were just on our way to Midgar when, uh...

[ He waves a hand around. ]

This happened.

Wait. What?

[She stops, and turns towards him. This isn't adding up.]

Cloud was just with me, right before... [Before??] whatever it was that knocked me out. He's been with me for a while. Months.

[Has it been months? Who knows. Time is weird on Gaia.]

Hnh?

[ Zack has to dig his boots in to keep from bumping her again. You think he'd be more graceful outside of Showoff Mode but... Nah. He's just not. ]

With you? But he's...

[ Zack's shoulders roll. He doesn't want to worry her with Cloud's... Situation, so he's gotta suck it up, try to look thoughtful instead. ]

What do you mean he's been with you?

[Why does everyone think hiding big problems is a good idea?]

I mean, he's been in Midgar, working as a mercenary. We've been working together, against Shinra.

Pfffwhat.

[ But... Cloud is... Zack is looking over his shoulder, like he'll suddenly spot the guy, even though he's combed the whole area about a thousand times in search of him. ]

Ti— I'm...

[ Goddamn his head is hurting. ]

I'm tellin' you, he was right here with me not more'n a few hours ago. In Midgar? What...

[ Oof, his heart is skipping a beat. ]

What year is it? That explosion must've...

[ But the bodies. And the blood. And his wounds. None of that adds up. ]

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I'm living for this thread omg

Kdkdkdkd I'm so glad ME TOO

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