insusurro | 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

[her shoulders drop to a relieved sag. she really, really didn't want to fight anyone at the moment, so it's nice they're at an accord, even if it's pretty weak. now they can hopefully figure this out!]

Mostly what's going on-- when..we are? Because all this isn't supposed to be here. I mean obviously, but Midgar looks....wrong.

[Shelke made a thoughtful sound under her breath, pausing the map and reaching up to point a finger at the screen.]

Midgar itself is mostly intact, although in significantly better shape than it should be. Deepground is as well. But this.

[She tapped a section of the map where the Sister Ray could be seen.]

This appears to be Junon. As if the entire port city had replaced sector two.

[She wouldn't have believed the map if she hadn't seen part of it on her way into the city.]

[she scoots the box closer so she can squint at it, eyes flickering across the bright display. she takes a deep breath.]

Alright. Okay, so that's not an illusion, at least...as far as we know...

[she's not worried!! not at all. nah!]

Replaced as in it looks like it was always like this or like something...smooshed Junon here?

[Shelke didn't answer immediately, her eyes flaring back to orange as her fingers resumed their rush over the keys. This time she was only silent for a minute before she drew her hands back and her eyes faded to normal again.]

I can't tell from here. The only way to know for certain would be to go and look at it.

[And even then she didn't know if it would be obvious or not.]

[she's right. hands on, eye to eye experience is the best idea. it'll solve all the theories or at least speculating into a spiral of paranoia.

but what if, when they go in there, there are other, fake versions of her comrades? of her bosses? of other staff? what if there's another her-- no, don't think that]

We're going to have to get you new clothes.

[Shelke turned and hopped off her crate, landing with a little 'mph' and reaching a hand out to grab the edge and steady herself. She really needed rest, but who had the time...]

We can-

[She was cut off by Elena's rather frank idea.]

What? I-

[She looked down at her Tsviet uniform, watching the faint pulsing of the blue lights. The turk was right, but...]

This...ah...this suit contains the mako I need to survive, I do not...

[She trailed off, and for a moment the uncertainty and even a little bit of apprehensive fear that appeared on her face probably made her look like an actual nine year old child her body claimed she was.]

I...have not worn anything else in ten years.

[Elena softens a little. She's been through some tough stuff, she can tell. In ten years...! And she thought the Turk suit had some traction all this time. She gives Shelke a small smile]

How about we just start with something to go over your outfit? That way your health won't be in any danger and we don't go crazy over shopping stuff. [Elena means herself, she absolutely means herself]

Is that okay? I wouldn't make you or anything. I just think we could sneak in easier.

[Shelke's gaze flicked away, studying a spot on the ground for several seconds before she nodded.]

That...should be fine.

[And then she hesitated as she looked back up.]

But I do not have any money.

[another nod, nearly a sigh of relief-- she didn't think Shelke would fight her over this or anything but it...might be a weird thing, it feels like it should be a weird thing?]

It's on me. [she holds up a hand as if expecting a retort--] This isn't pity. We owe you, that's all.

[Shelke wasn't actually going to refuse. It was Elena's idea, after all.]

I will pay you back.

[She hadn't really given much thought to money before. But it wasn't as though the banks in midgar were any more capable of keeping her out than the Shinra network was. Hm.]

Where do we go?

[She's assured Shelke will find some way to pay her back, either in gil or something of equal value. But that does beg the question, where to go...she shrugs one shoulder and rises from the box]

I think there's a couple of boutiques around the corner, plenty of cute things await!

[Shelke nodded. Shopping. She had known how to do that, before everything had gone wrong. Now it filled her with a kind of apprehension that she didn't feel when fighting monsters or even Vincent.]

Okay.

[Was all she said as she moved to follow the woman, not quite taking two steps for every one of Elena's, but close. Years of having to keep up with Azul had at least taught her to move more quickly in her time-frozen body, even if it wore her out.]

[they can do this...they can do this! it'll be. they'll sneak in there without sneaking at all (she belongs there after all!), they'll get to the bottom of this and...and figure out how to fix it. that all encompassing fixing of whatever this is is a little overwhelming to think of.

But shopping! focus! shopping. Elena leads her to the first boutique, a quaint little place that looks as pretty and inviting as the other three lined down the block. this one has flower wreaths in front of it. She ushers the other girl in with a grin, her eyes automatically scanning the shelves and the mannequins around there]

Alright! This'll be good.

[To say Shelke was a bit overwhelmed would have been a remarkable understatement. She could barely recall what she wore during the hazy, lost years of her childhood. And it wasn't as though her options would have changed much, considering what Hojo had done to her. So the racks and racks of clothing in the store they entered, the mannequins and shelves, all full of clothing (most of it probably too big) had her eyes a bit wide, her steps faltering once they were inside.]

Ah...

[A soft, hesitant sound, that trailed off into a sigh.]

I do not to where to start. My sister always took me shopping, and that was so long ago...

[She was glad Elena had pressed her on things like that. Looking like a child but acting like an adult had gotten her strange enough glances since she'd started helping the WRO.]

Sorry.

[her gaze flickers back to Shelke, she takes in the hesitance, the reluctance not in the shopping but in everything that goes with it-- style. Elena offers her another smile, gives her a thumbs up]

Hey, that's no problem. This is what I'm best at, y'know! I take pride in my talents.

[she ushers her to a circle of racks which appear to possibly have her size, best guestimation, and she begins to take some items to drape across her arm: some blouses, a set of shorts or two, a nice jacket from the display by a mannequin nearby]

How about this? If any don't feel right just let me know.

ARRIVAL.

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