[OPEN] 001

[shear_trigger]

Who: Squall Leonhart + Open
Where: Hospital + Library
When: July 11
What: After a turbulent first few days, Squall goes to the hospital to check on a certain crystallized friend. Or you can find him studying at the library.
Warnings: TBA


[ Aqures Ixen: Hospital ]

[After his arrival, Squall had learned that Zell Dincht had been here too, although some time ago before him. Concerned and also curious about the state his friend was in, Squall had made his way through the city with the help of his moogle to the hospital.

He wanted to see this crystal stasis for himself.

After asking around and finally finding where Zell was being kept, Squall frowns deeply. There was Zell just as Selphie had said. He didn’t look like he was in any sort of pain but the crystal stasis was somewhat alarming. So this happened if they broke or lost their crystals.

Blizzara peeks out from his collar and made a small sympathetic whimper. He reaches up and rubs her ears.]

It’s alright, he looks fine. We’ll just have to check in once in awhile. And at least Selphie is okay.

[Anyone passing through could see Squall observing his friend. He might talk about it if approached correctly, he might not. He hasn’t seen Laguna yet.]

[ Aqures Ixen Third District: The Historical Center’s Library ]

[Squall finds himself here quite often the first few days, looking over books and reading whatever catches his eye. It makes him calm and his headaches go away and he’s able to shut out the noisy city just a little bit. It’s also a plus that this place is usually pretty abandoned for the most part.

Squall sits reading the History of Crystallis. It was better place to start learning about this place than anything. His moogle Blizzara lays napping on the table, her head propped up on some discarded books.]

...

[Squall might welcome other visitors for the right reasons, that being sharing information or other helpful conversations. Or bother him, dare you!]

Comments

<3

[thegreatninja]

[Yuffie comes to the Hospital regularly though she doesn’t do so by any normal means. The skilled ninja walks up the wall of the ward and puffs through the window in a cloud of smoke. She hates that they’re bared or that people think the crystal’s might come to life and kill everyone… again.

With a sigh she moves next to the crystalize form of Zack and places down some flowers. She knows a lot of the people here; she’s been here for a long time.

Yuffie catches sight of Squall and her eyebrow rises curiously. She isn’t in a good position to sneak so she just walks to his side.]

You knew Zell? [She remembers him too, he’d been cool.]

<333

[shear_trigger]

[In other circumstances Squall might have found himself exasperated to see the bright girl again so quickly, but as he watches her place flowers down at another crystal he keeps his attitude to himself.]

Yes. He’s a good friend.

[His gaze wanders over Zell again briefly before he looks back to Yuffie.]

When this happens, is it painful for them?

[thegreatninja]

Nope.

[Her fingers lace behind her back and her tone was very matter-of-fact.]

I was like that for a time too. It’s a lot like sleeping. Though when it happened to me it was only for a week or so and I aged four years.

[Dark almond eyes look over at him.]

That’s a weird feeling.

Are you worried?

[shear_trigger]

[His eyes widen slightly at her story. But he’s relieved as well. The magic in this world was … interesting. To say the least.]

...Not so much now, I suppose. As long as he’s fine for now.

[Blizzara peeps softly in his ear and he nods.]

You know a lot about what’s going on. What else can I do to help around here?

[thegreatninja]

[Yuffie snorts which doesn’t sound at all attractive despite her cute little nose.]

That’s a loaded question, you know that.

[Her head falls to the side and she releases a slow breath while her eyes turn towards the still figures of her friends.]

If we knew what to do I don’t think I’d have been here for as long as I have. [For once Yuffie sounds serious.] There is a lot to cover as far as what’s happened. The short-short version you probably got from your fluffy friend there.

We don’t know how to stop the calamity, or Garland or Palitutu or anything else. We don’t know how to get home and all we really know for sure is that our crystals are somehow connected to it all.

[sesenta]

[Now that Akane is aware of other Heroes of Light arriving in the city, she's done her best to keep an eye out for anyone with a Moogle that she doesn't immediately recognize.]

[But it isn't as if they're crawling out of the woodwork, so after a few days, she just decides to relax and go about her business. There are a few reasons for her to visit the library. One is to get a book on proper rabbit care. At school it was easy, since all she had to do was feed them and clean the cage. She needs to know what to do in the winter, or when it rains, now that she has a little rabbit of her own to care for.]

[The second is to do more research on jobs. Akane already knows she's pretty much garbage with any sort of physical combat, so that means taking a look at some of the jobs with strong magic might. She picks out a few books, then looks around for an empty table. There are plenty of them. And there's also one table with...gasp! A Moogle! And someone she's never seen before! VICTORY!]

[Excited, Akane hugs her books to her chest and hurries forward. She keeps her voice quiet, since it's a library after all, but she can't just idle by and let this opportunity pass.]

Excuse me. You're new here, right?

[She beams.]

I'm Akane Kurashiki. Nice to meet you!

[shear_trigger]

[Squall feels the muscles in his back go tense as the girl comes over to him and greets him. He’s jostled out of his concentration on his reading and he slowly looks up at the girl. On the table Blizzara barely stirs.]

Yes. [He says simply.

He glances back down at his book. She was awful cheerful. Why did this keep happening to him? Was there a sign on his back that said "sunshine personalities sign up here"?]

Squall.

[sesenta]

[...Ah. This is sadly familiar. Akane's smile fades a few notches. It's pretty obvious he doesn't want to be bothered, and she knows better than to ram herself inside people's comfort zones. It's bad enough she chased off her roommate with her attempts at friendship, she'd rather not repeat that.]

Nice to meet you. Just thought I'd say hello, you can go back to your reading.

[Akane bows over her books and retreats to an empty table at a respectful distance.]

[shear_trigger]

[Squall watches her retreat silently. He actually felt a little bit bad for scaring the girl off like that, she looked genuinely apologetic for disturbing him.

But Squall is awkward and not a great conversationalist with strangers so he doesn't say anything and returns to his book...

On the table, Blizzara stirs and wakes up, slowly stretching and peeping at him. Squall reaches out and pet her lightly before she looks at Akane and peeps at Squall again.]

I don't know. [He says quietly to the moogle.]

[sesenta]

[What was that sound? Akane pulls her attention out of the book at the sound of the peeping. Is it a baby bird? Eventually her focus wanders back toward the young hermit and his Moogle companion. Wait, did the Moogle make that sound? How cute! She giggles quietly against her hand before looking back at her book. Her Moogle's far more talkative and...well...somewhat on the crass side. This is the first time she's heard one of them peep. The two must be awfully close if he can really understand what his companion is saying.]

[She glances over again, looking like she desperately wants to ask a question...but she holds herself back, her expression softening into a quiet smile before she returns to her reading.]

[brandnewday]

[Hibiki doesn't really see Squall at first. Her expression is difficult to read because she keeps looking down at her feet instead of directly at the crystal statues, but when she does lift her head she looks sad. Who wouldn't? This is the strangest combination of a hospital and...almost a morgue. They might be alive, but it's still terrifying.

She snaps alert when she hears Squall speaking, not aware at first that he's not speaking to her.]

H-huh? Did ya say somethin'?

[She's a little on edge. She knows what she's looking for, she just hasn't found it yet.]

[shear_trigger]

[Squall's gaze flickers to Hibiki when she speaks, but he's not entirely sure if she was speaking to him or to someone else at first. He looks around briefly before regarding her with a careful stare.]

Not to you... [Not with a rude tone, just simply informing her.]

[brandnewday]

Mm, yeah, that'd make sense. I've never seen ya before, I'm just lookin' for someone.

[That's why they're all here, isn't it? She feels a bit flustered because this place sort of kinda feels like it should be respected, yet here she is bothering a complete stranger because she'd completely spaced out. Typical her, she figures.]

I'm real sorry to ask, but you haven't seen a girl who looks kinda like me, have ya? She's, um, one of the crystal ones.

[shear_trigger]

[Squall frowns slightly. "One of the crystal ones." Was that all they were to people now? He regards Zell with a frown before turning back to Hibiki and studying her face.]

I might have seen her somewhere down there.

[He points, not completely sure, if they were going by her similarities alone.]

[brandnewday]

[Well, she's not about to call them dead bodies or statues, so crystal people doesn't seem so bad to her. Then again, the person she's looking for kind of makes her a little bit unique.]

Thanks. I'll go check that way, then.

[Or...so she says, but she looks a little uncomfortable.]

Is that a friend of yours?

Hospital

[pole_position]

[Pyrrha happens to be in the hospital as well when Squall visits, staring sadly at a blonde-haired teenage boy encased in crystal. She doesn't notice him standing there at first - if she had, she certainly would have tried harder to hold back her tears and the quiet sobs. It's only after a minute or so that she hears Squall's moogle speak up, and there's a surprised gasp as she tries to collect herself.]

O-oh...! I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone else was here.

[shear_trigger]

[There's an awkward moment of silence when Squall doesn't reply, unsure how to go about being near someone who was crying. He thought about leaving and coming back to study Zell later to let her experience her emotion in peace.

Did people really treat their friends in crystal stasis like dead people?]

Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on a private moment. [He offers carefully.]

[pole_position]

No... no, it's all right.

[Pyrrha closes her eyes for a moment, taking a breath to finish regaining her composure.]

I was just visiting a friend.

[shear_trigger]

[Squall nods. He was doing the same thing, though not getting as emotional about it.]

I am too. I'll get out of your way.

[He'd come see Zell later, he felt awkward seeing another person cry.]

[pole_position]

No, it's all right, I should be on my way.

[Time for an awkward politeness war.]

Late with Starbucks- also I am so sorry about him

[free_spirited_wind]

[Bartz does not spend a lot of time in the hospital, but even he has friends in crystal stasis. The hospital staff isn't too fond of him though because he always tries to bring Boko jr. in with him. What have they got against chocobos? It's only by chance that he's passing that room and hears a very familiar voice. He pokes his head in the room curiously.]

Squall?

[And then his face lights up in a bright smile.]

Squall!!

[Squall needed a tackle hug, right? Sure he did.]

You never have to say sorry for Bartz. Squall on the other hand...

[shear_trigger]

[Meanwhile in Squall's world a sudden stranger is latching to him and shouting his name. Squall reels, his back and neck going stiff from the sudden confusion and discomfort.

He immediately grips the stranger hard and pushes at them to get off.

Blizzara flutters up and away from him in her own panic.]

Who the- get off!

[He's not impressed and not comfortable. Sorry Bartz, he doesn't know you. In other circumstances this might have gone differently but...]

[free_spirited_wind]

[Actually getting immediately pushed off is probably what would've happened even if Squall did remember him. So it hardly dampens his spirits. He simply allows Squall his space but keeps smiling brightly.]

It really is you! I haven't seen you in forever!

[Just. So happy right now.]

[shear_trigger]

[Squall just stares at the stranger his gaze cold. There's no recognition in his eyes at all. Was this person mistaking him for someone else? Was it one of Selphie's friends?]

I don't know who you are or what you're talking about.

[free_spirited_wind]

[His expression falters, and there's the faintest hint of disappointment in his eyes before he recovers his smile.]

Ah.. so you don't remember either...

[Bartz really should be used to this by now. Why does it still hurt?]

Don't worry about it. Terra and Cloud forgot too.

[So did Sephiroth. Bartz is beginning to wonder about this. Why is he the only one who remembers Cosmos and Chaos and that crystal stuff?]