melodiesoflife | Go West, Young Man

Entry tags:

Go West, Young Man - Cat and Mouse log

Who: Cloud and whoever else he runs into
When: November 16th to the 21st
Where: Aerilon
Summary: Cloud journeys to Aerilon to help track down information, but also forgets something VERY important
Warnings: None

Airship

I'll be a hero. I'll work hard and I'll make my friends proud, both the ones from Gaia and the ones I've made here. Cloud felt bad for being a burden in the last two incidents, and those were the thoughts on his mind as he set out for Aerilon. From the sounds of it he might be able to get himself some better gear and maybe find someone to help train him in gunblades in particular.

He just forgot one thing.

Cloud groaned as he slumped against the railing of the airship. Even with the wind whipping around on the deck, the weight of his armor helped alleviate any fears that he might fall off. That wasn't the problem though. His stomach was very vocal in its displeasure of his choice of transport, and his face was well green for the past hour. His lunch had already disembarked to the plains below, but all he could do was wait out the ride. Mako was keeping his distance, not wanting to get anything caught in his fluff, but Cloud couldn't blame him. Hopefully they'd be landing soon.

Aerilon Streets

After taking some time to recover from the flight, Cloud and Mako set out into the streets to find clues. The place was more crowded than expected, and Cloud found himself happy for the bulky armor he was wearing. He noticed a few folks keeping their distance from him as they walked along, not wanting to take the risk of picking his pocket. If he had shown up in his mage clothes he was sure it he might have been in a bit more prickly a situation.

He found himself having to watch his step though. He wasn't used to being the tallest person in the room, not that he was short, but being surrounded by moogles, tarutaru and hypello meant he had to take care not to trample the smaller folk. Now and then he stopped to question a group about the moogle he was seeking, but eventually he stopped at one of the inns. He wasn't old enough to go into a bar at home. Would it be okay here?

O'aka's Shop

Cloud and Mako stood dumbfounded at the pricetag in front of them. The body armor and weapons he'd been seeing all looked impressive, but as soon as he entered the shop his eyes were drawn to the mounted armor that was on sale. It was similar in style to the one that had he had faced down some months ago and somehow he had the knowledge to pilot one. An aid of the Magitek Knight Job and his crystal no doubt.

"What do you think, kupo? Can you use it?"

"Yeah...I don't suppose you have any gil hidden away?"

"N-no, not that much, kupo..."

Three million gil. And that was the sale price! He could hardly imagine anyone other than President Shinra or the owner of the Gold Saucer ever having that much money. He'd been able to save up a decent amount from his job at the ranch but that was only about a hundreth of what this cost.

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A tap comes to one of his shoulders, trying to get his attention as he looks at the Job on display.

"You think something like that is going to make you a "hero"?"

When he turns around, there's his childhood friend standing not but a few inches away from his face. The woman smiles as if the month before had been nothing but a dream.

"Leaving town without telling me. Just how far were you looking to go?"

Cloud jumped a bit at the sudden interruption. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed Tifa sneaking up on him. A now familiar blush came over his face quickly in response to her presence.

"Oh, uh...I dunno, maybe. It'd be nice to pilot one of these rather than fighting it eye to knee." But that wasn't the only thing she asked. He rubbed the back of his head as he continued, "I dunno, I just felt like I needed to get out and do something. To find the moogle who caused all the trouble. I guess I didn't really think it through."

Please please please don't let her have been on the same airship flight he was on.

She comes within closer proximity, almost touching her nose to his as she leans in to give him a better look.

"Mmm hmm~ And just who would you be piloting against, huh? Rather brave of a guy like you to hop aboard an airship, what with you getting so easily sick to your stomach from all the turbulence."

Oh, she saw everything Cloud. She hasn't been working with terrorists just to cut doilies for their drinks. Sneaking about had become a necessity, and something she'd gotten rather good at in time.

Her breath is on him, her lips parting as they grow closer and closer to his own.

".. Cloud?"

"I dunno, those Imperial guys if they ever show up again. I don't know what they want, but I'm not going to lose to them a second time." Cloud huffed indignantly. He was still sore about that loss. He was a magitek knight now, right? He should be able to handle piloting that thing!

However his moody anger quickly faded when he realized how close Tifa was to him. The wind from her breath blew away those thoughts of heroic battle, and he was once again completely focused on her. His lips quivered as all number of scenarios ran through his mind, "Uh...y-yeah?"

A single finger raises to poke him on the nose, what little space still left between them no expanded as she backs away from him with a welcoming smile.

"Your shirt. It's not tucked in."

Before allowing him the chance to correct it, the woman takes to the clothing sticking out from the few pieces of armor he wears. She pushes it into the waist of his armor, adjusting his belts from him as she aides to keep his attire looking proper. She does this while a slight rouge comes to her cheeks, the hint of blush that comes from realizing that she's taking care of him even in this world.

"We've got to make sure you look the part of a hero, don't we?"

She catches his eyes, looking back to him as her lips slowly open to silence. Tifa stays there, stays in that youthful sight of his, looking back and staring at him as memories flood back into her waking thoughts.

Cloud's brain almost explodes when she taps him on the nose. His cheeks are a hot red as she starts to fuss with his clothing and he makes vague and feeble attempts to push her away, growing a bit more urgent as some people turn to stare, "Ah! Tifa! I got this! Hey! Come on!"

But she was looking out for him, and that was important right? He just wanted to be able to return the favor but right now she was making him feel like a little kid.

It wasn't so bad though.

"So...uh...why did you come to this city?" With so many options to pick, he was wondering what made her choose this one.

She crosses her arms over her chest, smiling with such confidence that she's practically beaming. Through the few strands of hair which fall to her eyes, she looks to the younger Strife with a glimmer in her auburn eyes.

"Why?"

It's endearing to see that he was just as clueless. It made sense, however, considering that he was much younger than his counterpart back home. She lets out a soft sigh, shrugging her shoulders and keeping her desire to be forward at bay.

"Figured I'd do some window shopping. I heard there was some decent equipment out this way, might as well take a look while I've got the chance. You?"

The girl is going to take the poor boy to an early grave at this rate. Still, her smile is infectious and he feels all the better to see her like this. This is the Tifa he remembers, even if he missed a few years.

"I was looking at the gear too, but I was trying to track down information about that moogle." He could go on, but his expression says it all. He's angry that his dear friend was toyed with the way she was. He's angry that people he knew like Sephiroth and Kobato were used as pawns. He didn't want to see his friends hurt and feel guilty for being tricked as they were.

Fate and near misses made it hard for him to get ahold of her after the incident, but he was well since past avoiding her while trying to think of what to say. He'd never hold something like this against her and he could only hope she'd begun to forgive herself. "Do you...want to go see what food they have here? I haven't eaten in a while."

She clasps her hands behind her back, taking a single step back and leaning forward as she gives Cloud a once over. The brunette gives a slow nod of her head, keeping her gaze on him as he speaks and puts up the suggestion.

"I imagine you're pretty hungry after that Airship ride, huh? Do you want to pay even or should I pick up the tab? After all, you're the one asking me out to food."

It's becoming too much fun to try and get a reaction out of him, full well knowing that she shouldn't be treating him this way. Every moment with her childhood friend needed to be savored, or at least that's what she tells herself while in his company. He has yet to be stuck into a tube, so she'll do what she can to make the most of their time together for however long that might be.

Cloud's heart is thumping away a merry tune as Tifa so casually accepts his suggestion. Does this make it a date? What's going on here? What is his life? Is this really real or the afterlife.

"Uh, I got some extra money. I could cover us both if you want." He's thoroughly redfaced as he shuffles his way to the door. He has no clue what they have around here but there has to be something tasty. "What would you like to have?"

"Anything is fine with me. Tell you what, you get us this time and then I can get the both of us next time?"

She follows close behind him, smiling all the while as she can see how flustered the poor fellow is.

"We should talk about what we've found so far, concerning the Black Mage Moogle, I mean. You've been searching for him too, right?"

"That works." He's flustered, but he's enjoying himself. The irony is that while this is a familiar friendship to her, it's one that he's first feeling out for the first time and he doesn't want to leave her unimpressed. Good thing future him laid the ground work, not that he really knows.

"I haven't found much so far. There's a room at a hypello inn under his name, so I'll keeping an eye on it in case he comes back." It's pretty much a random shot if he does, but someone has to do the stakeout.

Looking around he nods in the direction of a noodle shop, "How about that?"

"An Inn, huh?"

She puts a finger to her lips, thinking over it while giving Cloud a playful, suggestive look. Perhaps she's putting it on a bit too much? Easing up and relaxing, the woman becomes a lot more casual in her responses, instead of trying to get a fluster out of him.

"Noodles sounds good. Nothing super heavy. We need to stay on our toes. Good to know that the food here isn't all too different from food back home."

Cloud's face went briefly lobster red at that look, but before he could sputter anything about it 'not being like that' he saw her relax her pose a bit. A joke. It's just a joke Cloud. Calm down. Smiling, he forced himself to relax to and simply walked along with her.

"We're part of the lucky ones. There are others who are apparently from worlds completely unlike this one or Gaia. I wonder why that is."

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Go West, Young Man - Cat and Mouse log

O'aka's Shop

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