(Untitled)

[gardenerofgaia]

[Video - Locked to Cloud - Normal filter - 50%]

[This starts in the hallway, with Aerith moving from her and Zack's apartment to Cloud and Tifa's as she records. Of course, since Cloud is gone...the filter is bad. (Lifting a note from Noel's example!) Bold is unfiltered/public. Italic is easily hackable, as even normally, the filter is only 50

Comments

[wingenvy]

[To hell with the journals. As soon as he gets the message, Zack will be thump-thump-thumping down the hall to find her.]

[gardenerofgaia]

[Aerith leaves Cloud and Tifa's apartment as soon as she's done recording--she doesn't want to be in there at the moment--but then she draws a blank about where she does want to be. Back in her and Zack's apartment, to the flower shop? Where...?

The sound of Zack's heavy footsteps soon distract her from those disjointed thoughts, and she looks up for barely a second before reaching to grab a hold of his arm, pulling closer to him.

She'd tell herself it's irrational, he won't disappear; unfortunately, it's obvious that it's not as irrational as she'd hope.]

[wingenvy]

[He's not about to protest- hearing that Cloud's gone makes him need the company, if only for his own reassurance, so with a sharp inhale his arms wind around her to hold her back.]

[gardenerofgaia]

[Her forehead rests lightly against his chest as she looks down at the ground, still pulling her thoughts together.] ...All his things are gone. The room's bare. Like he wasn't even there... [She shakes her head. Lets go of Zack's arm, instead smoothing the fabric of his sleeve back out, her hand still resting over his arm when she's done.]

[action]

[coveralls]

[Hope you don't mind this sociable young man plopping in the seat next to you. He can't really tell she's upset, but she's drinking cocoa and he's curious.]

Bar cocoa? Any good?

[action]

[gardenerofgaia]

[She's not doing the best at staying in the here and now--once again, she's surprised when she hears the plop of him taking a seat. It takes a look at him, down the bar, and back to him before "bar cocoa" clicks.] My hot chocolate? [She smiles.] Yeah, it's great. Ask Buffy to make you some.

[action]

[coveralls]

I'll have t'ask her. It seems a little odd to come to the bar and ask for cocoa of all things. [he gives a goofy, lopsided grin] You'd think a bar would deal mostly in the alcoholic variety of drinks--Hey, that wouldn't have Kahlua in it, would it? Cause then it'd definitely be bar cocoa.

[action]

[gardenerofgaia]

No, no Kahlua. [She shakes her head a little.] I'm just not a drinker, honestly. But I'm sure she could add some in to make it "bar cocoa".

[likevegeta]

[ and andrew has a nightly ritual of popping in for a drink. it meant getting out of the house and warm tinglies all over.

he's tucked away in his usual spot, kicking his feet bath and forth on the stool while sipping something through a straw. it's not very strong. he wants to walk home and jonathan probably won't humor him if he calls for an emergency pick up. ]

[gardenerofgaia]

[Getting back into her nosy routine--the alternative seems to be spacing out and that's no good. So she peeks over and spots the feet-kicking--]

A little restless, there?

[likevegeta]

[ a glance up at the voice. the straw is still dangling from his mouth. ] Huh? [ oh. he drops the straw back down, smiling. ] Um.. Yeah, I guess so.

[gardenerofgaia]

[The dangling straw brings a much-needed giggle to her lips.] I thought alcohol was supposed to relax you. What are you having, anyway? I just have hot chocolate. [She tilts her cup slightly (it's only half-full) to show the brown liquid inside.]

[action]

[wise_maiden]

[It's not usual for Raine to be stepping in at Good Spirits, though it's... a change in atmosphere, which is quite needed.

She didn't expect to see Aerith there, either, and not at the Flower Shop, though it was hard not to miss that broken filter... and the implications of it. Or maybe she had nosily poked into the other ones as well -- it's not as if they were particularly well locked. But she'll wait and see what the woman says, first, if she's noticed.]

[action]

[gardenerofgaia]

[Raine's hair is eye-catching, and Aerith is a bit surprised to see her there--but then she's a bit out of place too, isn't she? Even if Buffy does know how to make good strawberry hot chocolate.

She knows from her own nosiness that Cloud and Raine had talked before, knew each other before, so she fiddles with her hot chocolate before calling out:]

Hi, Raine. I didn't expect to see you here.

[action]

[wise_maiden]

Hello Aerith. [She does give her a small smile in greeting.] I've only been in here a handful of times, to be honest. What about you?

[action]

[gardenerofgaia]

Oh, two or three times. I told Buffy how to make strawberry hot chocolate so I can have my favorite drink.

Um... there's something you should know. [She fiddles with her cup, though she keeps her eyes on Raine.] Cloud's not here anymore.

[Voice] /totes late

[goldenfirefly]

[Having been concerned about the garbled filter, Stella did her best to hack the rest and see what was wrong. She's not very good at this, but if she tries hard enough-

... Oh. Cloud...

She raises a hand to her lips, then clenches her fist and lowers her head. No, no... This woman must be suffering more right now. So, Stella swallows down whatever emotion she's feeling and speaks quietly.]

Are you all right?

[Voice] but always welcome!

[gardenerofgaia]

[At least Lightning's response had prepared her for hearing from others, but still... she doesn't really want to think about how she's doing; it's not pleasant, and it won't bring Cloud back. She takes a slight breath, trying to muster up a smile for her voice.]

It wasn't the kind of surprise I was trying for... but I'll be okay.