melodiesoflife | Go West, Young Man

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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."

Go West, Young Man - Cat and Mouse log

Re: O'aka's Shop

Re: O'aka's Shop

Re: O'aka's Shop

Re: O'aka's Shop

Re: O'aka's Shop

Re: O'aka's Shop

Re: O'aka's Shop