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

[goons]

[He enjoys the quaint decor just about as much as he can.]

Do you want any furniture?

[Just an off handed comment while he offers Elena a forkful in the middle of whatever she's in the middle of.]

[petitepistol]

[she takes the forkful quite happily-- this tastes pretty good! she wonders if it was homemade or store-bought...not that it matters too much but still. might have to rob this place more often...

Elena pauses]

Did you see something that caught your eye?

[goons]

No, I don't think this is my style. Too much color in their wardrobe..

[What polite burglars. Only taking the unnecessary items and leaving anything that might actually be worth something. Oh, and a touch of property damage.]

Maybe we can work something out and get a key. [Rude barely gets out the words before going for another bite. There's no way that was store bought. It was delightful. Or he was hungry, either way, he's not going to return the cake. Reno had to try some of this.. if the thing lasted long enough to make it back to HQ.]

[petitepistol]

[at this point they're going to end up polishing this off in no time at all. maybe the resident will be endeared by the poor, misguided folks who broke in.

Elena chuckles]

You could do with a nice Hawaiian shirt or two.

[goons]

Hawaiian shirts aren't my style.

[There's a pause there. A simple stipulation.]

Unless we're on vacation, of course.

[petitepistol]

Come on-- change it up in a casual, non vacation setting! Surprise everyone around you, shock 'em.

[goons]

I wouldn't just shock them. I would become a laughingstock.

[He curiously goes through some other stuff in the room and finds a bright yellow sundress in a floral pattern.]

I'll wear it if you wear this.

[petitepistol]

[a tiny snort]

True, you'll be a regular comedian--

[she takes one look at the dress]

That's not that bad. It's been awhile...

[goons]

[He's only being a little bit of a troll, though it would be difficult to tell with how unexpressive he looks as he holds the dress up to her looking back and forth between them for maximum cheese.]

It's literally the female equivalent of the floral button up. The only downside is there's nowhere to hide a gun in there, hm?

[Rude holds the dress up to himself, quickly determining he would be too big to fit in it. As if that was ever even a question.]

[petitepistol]

[alright, looking at him hold it up to his big barrel chest makes the floodgate burst-- she's cackling, nearly falling over]

Nnnoooo, that's not your color, you're right! And Rude, c'mon, don't be silly. I still have plenty of places to hide a gun.

[goons]

[At this point Rude cocks his head to one side squinting at her, not sure if she's joking or not. He shouldn't be surprised though. Elena did always have a way of having a deadly weapon ready whenever needed...He just doesn't know HOW she does it. Maybe it's a mystery that wasn't meant for the eyes of man.]

I'm almost positive my color is black and everything here is floral pastel.

[petitepistol]

[yeah it's probably better for man to never find out. ladies need their secrets, after all! she nudges him with an elbow]

I think you could pull off.....blue. Sky blue.

[goons]

[While she might be right, he doesn't know whether or not he wants to confirm her suspicions since it might involve changes to his dress code off the clock. A scary thing, really.]

I'm not so sure about that, but we aren't really operating under any official capacity, are we?

[He tosses aside the dress and goes back to the food he'd kindly borrowed from the kitchen.]

[petitepistol]

[shes always watching, Rude. always waiting. she's going to know....a disturbance in the force]

Mmm no, not at this moment. But you never know-- stranger things have happened.