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You like the guns, or is the Barge too much?
The guns are cool. Not a fan of the implication that they're used against innocent people, but the guns themselves? Badass.
[Finally, Shaw stops wiggling around, coming to rest with her right ear pressed against Root's chest. If she's going to be bedding down with a creepy comatose person, she likes having the steady thrum of her heartbeat in her ear.]
The Barge is... dizzying. It's hard to explain without getting into more backstory than you're probably interested in hearing, but I've had my fill of things that look real, but aren't. So much of the Barge is just more of that, you know what I mean?
[Finally, Shaw stops wiggling around, coming to rest with her right ear pressed against Root's chest. If she's going to be bedding down with a creepy comatose person, she likes having the steady thrum of her heartbeat in her ear.]
The Barge is... dizzying. It's hard to explain without getting into more backstory than you're probably interested in hearing, but I've had my fill of things that look real, but aren't. So much of the Barge is just more of that, you know what I mean?
"It's just---it's the stakes. They have to be just right. The narration hash to make sense, the motivation has to be big enough. I wouldn't have done it if I thought there wasn't another way, Aerith."
It's a complete non-answer.
It's a complete non-answer.
I mean...guns can be pretty cool. As a concept.
[Like magic, like swords, they could hurt people too. Also...it looks like you're cuddling Shaw. Just...noticing that.]
But what they can do, not so great. And...I can understand that. The Barge offers a lot of illusions.
Like freedom.
[Like magic, like swords, they could hurt people too. Also...it looks like you're cuddling Shaw. Just...noticing that.]
But what they can do, not so great. And...I can understand that. The Barge offers a lot of illusions.
Like freedom.
Aerith watched him. She saw him, drowning, and trying to bring out a line. Trying to swim for shore.
"There's no way to know. We don't know what we would have done if it had been different." Her voice was soft. "Who did you hurt Alan? What were their names?"
"There's no way to know. We don't know what we would have done if it had been different." Her voice was soft. "Who did you hurt Alan? What were their names?"
Oh no, I know that's real. I was thinking more...
Well, couple of things.
[You're doing great Shaw.]
Like...as wardens, we don't get to leave at any time. And we went through the same thing when the boat flipped.
Maybe I'm not using the right word but...yeah.
Well, couple of things.
[You're doing great Shaw.]
Like...as wardens, we don't get to leave at any time. And we went through the same thing when the boat flipped.
Maybe I'm not using the right word but...yeah.
Oh yeah. I don't know Google, but I'm familiar with the idea.
[Thanks Shinra.]
But yeah, like that.
[Thanks Shinra.]
But yeah, like that.
Collins nodded and then added, "You can ask tha 'admiral' bastard ta make modifications as you see fit. Weapons that'll only work in tha Enclosure or make them incapable of harmin' anyone. Make 'em not fire except when certain people are holdin' 'em. Nonsense like that."
He didn't sound very enthused by the suggestions but he was being honest. Most of the things he said were based off what he knew some wardens had done by requesting it from the bastard entity that ran the Barge. Collins figured that it might make Aerith feel more safe if she had such restrictions on any weapons she might bring into the mix.
"If that still don't make ya fit yer fancy, I'm sure tha Enclosure can probably whip up something that includes weapons that can't be taken out of its space since they're only illusions. We can just do that."
He didn't sound very enthused by the suggestions but he was being honest. Most of the things he said were based off what he knew some wardens had done by requesting it from the bastard entity that ran the Barge. Collins figured that it might make Aerith feel more safe if she had such restrictions on any weapons she might bring into the mix.
"If that still don't make ya fit yer fancy, I'm sure tha Enclosure can probably whip up something that includes weapons that can't be taken out of its space since they're only illusions. We can just do that."
He feels restless, discomfort clawing at him, making him want to move. He rises, restless pacing suiting him much better for this conversation--if he even wants to say anything to begin with.
"If there was any other way--if I hadn't been there for years, if I hadn't have been so desperate to do it, I..."
He's spinning on his heel, emotion rising, jaw tight and voice raised. He's glaring at Aerith but it's not directed towards her whatsoever.
"I tried everything else. You have to understand that."
"If there was any other way--if I hadn't been there for years, if I hadn't have been so desperate to do it, I..."
He's spinning on his heel, emotion rising, jaw tight and voice raised. He's glaring at Aerith but it's not directed towards her whatsoever.
"I tried everything else. You have to understand that."
Aerith didn't move where she was sitting. Instead, she watched him, her gaze calm and her hands on her lap. She could hear the desperation, the need for her to understand what he had done, the people he had hurt. The guilt.
The glare didn't hurt. Because it wasn't about her. None of it was about her.
"I know." She didn't know. But it was something he needed to hear. "But you're avoiding the question Alan." Her voice was quiet. He was also avoiding the fact that he was desperate, and he hurt them.
She understood the desperation, but he still hurt them.
The glare didn't hurt. Because it wasn't about her. None of it was about her.
"I know." She didn't know. But it was something he needed to hear. "But you're avoiding the question Alan." Her voice was quiet. He was also avoiding the fact that he was desperate, and he hurt them.
She understood the desperation, but he still hurt them.
Alan stills again, pacing ceasing. He's not ready for the full story yet, but Aerith's words are firm and gentle, cutting through the truth of things and Alan's self indulgent bullshit in a very familiar manner.
He's not ready to say. Not fully. But he brought this up, and he owes Aerith an explanation, even if it's not the full one. Especially after everything that's happened. He grits his teeth, running a hand through his hair to tuck the length of it back behind his ears.
"I hurt someone very close to Saga as a means of motivation. Something to drive her to the horror story and put her in a position where she could help me. That's why I'm here."
He's not ready to say. Not fully. But he brought this up, and he owes Aerith an explanation, even if it's not the full one. Especially after everything that's happened. He grits his teeth, running a hand through his hair to tuck the length of it back behind his ears.
"I hurt someone very close to Saga as a means of motivation. Something to drive her to the horror story and put her in a position where she could help me. That's why I'm here."
She was pushing. She knew she was. But it felt like this was something that he needed to say, without all of his excuses and lies that he was giving to himself. He was drowning, and he grabbed onto what he could in order to escape and survive.
Everyone did foolish things when the chips were down. She had done the same, and it cost her her life. And that was still causing pain for the people she loved years later.
"You hurt Saga so she'd do what you wanted. As a story hook." She considered this. And she pushed herself up, moving to dust off her knees. But she didn't scold him, or walk away. Instead, she looked up at him with her bright green eyes.
"Have you apologized?"
Everyone did foolish things when the chips were down. She had done the same, and it cost her her life. And that was still causing pain for the people she loved years later.
"You hurt Saga so she'd do what you wanted. As a story hook." She considered this. And she pushed herself up, moving to dust off her knees. But she didn't scold him, or walk away. Instead, she looked up at him with her bright green eyes.
"Have you apologized?"
Aerith gets up, too, but Alan can't meet her gaze. He tries--a little shift to those green eyes before purposefully looking away. The brunette's got it in one.
"No." A pause. That's not right. He furrows his brows. Subconscious slip--he knows he should. Properly. He does his best to fight off the sudden burning feeling in his chest, clenching and unclenching his fists, fighting off his own personal thoughts and forcing himself to stay focused.
"Yes," he corrects himself, crossing his arms. "Before the barge, when we were working together. She knows."
"No." A pause. That's not right. He furrows his brows. Subconscious slip--he knows he should. Properly. He does his best to fight off the sudden burning feeling in his chest, clenching and unclenching his fists, fighting off his own personal thoughts and forcing himself to stay focused.
"Yes," he corrects himself, crossing his arms. "Before the barge, when we were working together. She knows."
It's hard to meet her eyes when she was looking at him and expecting answers.
"She knows what you did? Or she knows you regret it?"
Aerith didn't approach him. But she watched him, her gaze neutral, hands clasped in front of her.
"Because those are two different things Alan." And it sounded to her that there wasn't any apology. And Saga would have figured it out. She was clever.
"She knows what you did? Or she knows you regret it?"
Aerith didn't approach him. But she watched him, her gaze neutral, hands clasped in front of her.
"Because those are two different things Alan." And it sounded to her that there wasn't any apology. And Saga would have figured it out. She was clever.
Aerith frowned, thoughtful. Those were good things to know but...well.
"Sure, the gun could be stolen...but if there's an emergency, I'd just want it to be a normal gun. That way, it'll be less complicated."
Aerith shook her head. She might toss it to Cloud, or someone else who knew how to use a gun. If they were stuck in another hellscape, She'd rather be armed and arming those who needed it without fussing over details. Funny enough, for her it wasn't an issue of safety.
The idea of someone turning the gun on her didn't occur to her.
"Why don't we just go with the Enclosure for now? We can find the one that works best for me without wasting bullets." She decided. "And you can demonstrate with all sorts of models. It might be better to go with a gun from Earth for me, rather than Gaia."
"Sure, the gun could be stolen...but if there's an emergency, I'd just want it to be a normal gun. That way, it'll be less complicated."
Aerith shook her head. She might toss it to Cloud, or someone else who knew how to use a gun. If they were stuck in another hellscape, She'd rather be armed and arming those who needed it without fussing over details. Funny enough, for her it wasn't an issue of safety.
The idea of someone turning the gun on her didn't occur to her.
"Why don't we just go with the Enclosure for now? We can find the one that works best for me without wasting bullets." She decided. "And you can demonstrate with all sorts of models. It might be better to go with a gun from Earth for me, rather than Gaia."
"I'm taking care of it." Alan's words are short, curt, and immediate--when he does look at Aerith it's with a stern look, close to a warning. Anger rising. It's not fair to Aerith--none of this is--but Alan's stubbornness is bleeding through.
Aerith took it as a warning. She bowed her head, and slowly nodded.
"Okay." She told him. "All right." Some things, it seemed, he wasn't ready to face just yet.
"Okay." She told him. "All right." Some things, it seemed, he wasn't ready to face just yet.
Hi. We haven't talked, but I could use a hand with some healing in steerage.
[Rosita herself sounds a bit breathless but calm; someone nearby in the background is breathing painfully, and spitting the occasional swear in Spanish.]
[Rosita herself sounds a bit breathless but calm; someone nearby in the background is breathing painfully, and spitting the occasional swear in Spanish.]
On my way.
[She couldn't understand what the person was saying but they sounded...pretty angry.]
Are you in danger?
[She couldn't understand what the person was saying but they sounded...pretty angry.]
Are you in danger?
Not yet.
We'll see how this bitch feels once she can sit up without spilling her guts on the floor.
We'll see how this bitch feels once she can sit up without spilling her guts on the floor.
[Aerith, surprisingly, offers a sigh.]
Well, let's hope she decides not to mess with the healer.
I'll put her to sleep if I have to.
Well, let's hope she decides not to mess with the healer.
I'll put her to sleep if I have to.
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