[ i think it's absolutely hilarious if sephiroth stabs cloud in the shoulder where he already has an arrow wound, so of course it succeeds. it doesn't go through the whole of it before he's tugged back, and he's still reeling from sephiroth's words when they see zin's wife.
and then they're on the ground and he stares, blankly, at the ceiling of the cave, heart racing. his mind is a million miles away.
but sebastian's sniffling makes him blink as he turns to him before he shakes his head, sitting back up ]
... Pretty sure Zin is the one who saved us, here. [ he doesn't tell sebastian he would've gone even if he hadn't, because it's too late now. it's happened. ] ... Sorry, Zin. We haven't been much use as protection so far, huh?
[ he's looking out at that fog. he still looks a little like he is not totally there, but i'm sure it's fine. ]
[ i think we stole actual bandages going by what sen had in her house
but yeah, cloud will blink back fully to the present before casually grabbing the bit of arrow sticking out of him and YANKING. with a pained groan, but like. he still does it.
[Sebastian may bandage Cloud up! Once Cloud is relatively fine or so much as he'll ever be, they can proceed.
Thankfully, that was the last obstacle, so the rest of the trip is uneventful. Zin gathers the supplies they need, and they all head back. Imagine if I was like "you have to pass through the fog again and get re-traumatized" but no apparently it's a one-way thing.
Once they're all back at Zin's house, safe and sound, Zin will give them a light bow.]
Thank you for accompanying me, despite the great pain it has brought you two. With this, I'll be able to finish the vase... and maybe one day, my wife will reawaken to be able to see it, even if it's only as a corrupted human-turned-fiend.
Now, as promised, your compensation...
[He looks as though he's thinking for a bit, before he lifts up a vase.]
You were asking about the calamity before, right? I can't imagine that you'll want to carry a vase around, but here, take a look. This vase has a depiction of what ████████ allegedly looked like, before they became unrecognizable as a fiend—at least, based off what my grandparents told me, when I was growing up.
[If they take a look, they'll see a young-looking figure dressed in blue on the vase, appearing as though they're crying into their hands by a set of graves. Zin then puts it down.]
Don't worry, now. That's not all I'm giving you, before you think I ripped you off!
[He rummages through some drawers, before he holds out what looks like a VHS tape with the Starlight Hotel logo on it.]
Not too sure what this is, but maybe it's valuable elsewhere? You could sell it for some money.
Next... I saw before that you had a compass on you? May I take a look?
[ cloud squints at the figure, pensive. someone dressed in blue... two graves... ]
And this happened around here, right?
[ but he'll take the vhs tape and put it in his jrpg inventory for now. straight into key items you go. he's letting sebastian deal with the compass like he is not also dying of curiosity at it. ]
I believe I made it, actually. [He examines it.] Ah, yes, this is definitely one of my works. Seems like it's broken, though... Give me a moment, and I'll fix it right up.
[He dashes off to what looks like a workshop area, taking out his tools and fiddling with the compass. After a bit of time, he returns to Sebastian and Cloud, holding the compass out.]
There you go. Should be working now! Consider it part of the compensation package.
[They'll now see the compass needle shaking, as though moving depending on where they hold the compass.]
We kind of... stumbled upon it. [ is the easiest way to explain that, but he looks at Sebastian with a nod ]
I think that should be out cue to get back on the road, then. [ he looks at the man's wife and... frowns a little ] Good luck. With everything.
[ but cloud absolutely wants to go stop the apocalypse now that they have a time and a vague idea how it starts AND a working compass that might be a totally normal compass. ]
You too. Times are difficult now, but perhaps one day, the world will be a better place. Now, I have a vase to finish up! I wonder how it'll turn out...
[But before he immediately goes to his work, he'll at least see Sebastian and Cloud out, waving goodbye as he does.
The compass... points them back to the Time Channel! Hopefully it's not just pointing north and that's a coincidence. Are they ready to go back to the void?]
[Back to the void they go! ... Back to familiar mindless wandering through emptiness across an indeterminable amount of time, as they follow along the stream.
Eventually, though, the stream branches into two, leading into different directions into the (void) horizon. What now?]
[ cloud just groans but while sebastian checks the compass he'll look to see if there's a difference to either side of the stream. any sound in the distance. a speck. anything? ]
[There is no difference! However, the compass is pointing specifically in the direction of one of the branches.
I'm going to assume they will thus follow that one, unless you're about to tell me "actually they would go in the OPPOSITE direction of the compass, thanks." Eventually, the path will lead them to another glowing archway.
Holding the compass, they will intuitively know that this archway will take them to the year 11XX.]
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guestservices) wrote2022-07-10 05:39 pm
no subject
[ he sniffs and wipes his eyes with his free hand. ]
I know you warned us, and... I knew it probably wasn't real...
[ he turns his head slightly in cloud's direction, though he doesn't make any attempt to meet his eyes. ]
Sorry you were stuck saving me again.
no subject
and then they're on the ground and he stares, blankly, at the ceiling of the cave, heart racing. his mind is a million miles away.
but sebastian's sniffling makes him blink as he turns to him before he shakes his head, sitting back up ]
... Pretty sure Zin is the one who saved us, here. [ he doesn't tell sebastian he would've gone even if he hadn't, because it's too late now. it's happened. ] ... Sorry, Zin. We haven't been much use as protection so far, huh?
[ he's looking out at that fog. he still looks a little like he is not totally there, but i'm sure it's fine. ]
no subject
[He's looking out at the fog for a bit too, before he shakes his head.]
Well, we're almost at our destination—but perhaps we should take a moment to get you patched up.
[hello sir your shoulder? Presumably Sebastian still has his looted supplies.]
no subject
[ rummaging around in their makeshift bag for whatever they brought that passes for bandages... ]
Here, just— uh, well, take out the arrow first... and then hold out your arm!
no subject
[ i think we stole actual bandages going by what sen had in her house
but yeah, cloud will blink back fully to the present before casually grabbing the bit of arrow sticking out of him and YANKING. with a pained groan, but like. he still does it.
anyway have at the shoulder, it's fine ]
no subject
Thankfully, that was the last obstacle, so the rest of the trip is uneventful. Zin gathers the supplies they need, and they all head back. Imagine if I was like "you have to pass through the fog again and get re-traumatized" but no apparently it's a one-way thing.
Once they're all back at Zin's house, safe and sound, Zin will give them a light bow.]
Thank you for accompanying me, despite the great pain it has brought you two. With this, I'll be able to finish the vase... and maybe one day, my wife will reawaken to be able to see it, even if it's only as a corrupted human-turned-fiend.
Now, as promised, your compensation...
[He looks as though he's thinking for a bit, before he lifts up a vase.]
You were asking about the calamity before, right? I can't imagine that you'll want to carry a vase around, but here, take a look. This vase has a depiction of what ████████ allegedly looked like, before they became unrecognizable as a fiend—at least, based off what my grandparents told me, when I was growing up.
[If they take a look, they'll see a young-looking figure dressed in blue on the vase, appearing as though they're crying into their hands by a set of graves. Zin then puts it down.]
Don't worry, now. That's not all I'm giving you, before you think I ripped you off!
[He rummages through some drawers, before he holds out what looks like a VHS tape with the Starlight Hotel logo on it.]
Not too sure what this is, but maybe it's valuable elsewhere? You could sell it for some money.
Next... I saw before that you had a compass on you? May I take a look?
no subject
looking at the image on the vase with interest... he kind of wonders if those graves are still around here somewhere. ]
Oh— no, this might be really helpful, thanks!
[ he blinks when the subject of the compass comes up, but he quickly gets it out and hands it over. ]
You're familiar with compasses like this?
no subject
And this happened around here, right?
[ but he'll take the vhs tape and put it in his jrpg inventory for now. straight into key items you go. he's letting sebastian deal with the compass like he is not also dying of curiosity at it. ]
no subject
Yes, so the story goes.
[Then, he nods at Sebastian.]
I believe I made it, actually. [He examines it.] Ah, yes, this is definitely one of my works. Seems like it's broken, though... Give me a moment, and I'll fix it right up.
[He dashes off to what looks like a workshop area, taking out his tools and fiddling with the compass. After a bit of time, he returns to Sebastian and Cloud, holding the compass out.]
There you go. Should be working now! Consider it part of the compensation package.
[They'll now see the compass needle shaking, as though moving depending on where they hold the compass.]
no subject
[ not even a lie.
seeing the needle on the compass move now, he takes it back excitedly and turns around in a few different directions to try it out. ]
This is great, thanks! We didn't know if it was broken or if there was just some secret to it that we didn't know.
no subject
I think that should be out cue to get back on the road, then. [ he looks at the man's wife and... frowns a little ] Good luck. With everything.
[ but cloud absolutely wants to go stop the apocalypse now that they have a time and a vague idea how it starts AND a working compass that might be a totally normal compass. ]
no subject
You too. Times are difficult now, but perhaps one day, the world will be a better place. Now, I have a vase to finish up! I wonder how it'll turn out...
[But before he immediately goes to his work, he'll at least see Sebastian and Cloud out, waving goodbye as he does.
The compass... points them back to the Time Channel! Hopefully it's not just pointing north and that's a coincidence. Are they ready to go back to the void?]
no subject
Do you think maybe this will help us tell what year we're going back to or something?
[ ... ]
With all these weird coincidences so far, it kind of feels like we're supposed to be doing this, doesn't it?
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[ they're hitting all their quest markers! ]
Which means hopefully the next one will be the last, and we can stop whatever happened back then to ruin the world.
[ but yes, cloud is ready!! for!!! more time travel!!!!! with their friend the magic compass!!!! whee ]
no subject
Eventually, though, the stream branches into two, leading into different directions into the (void) horizon. What now?]
no subject
[ um... is the compass pointing toward one of the directions if they look at it? ]
no subject
[ cloud just groans but while sebastian checks the compass he'll look to see if there's a difference to either side of the stream. any sound in the distance. a speck. anything? ]
no subject
I'm going to assume they will thus follow that one, unless you're about to tell me "actually they would go in the OPPOSITE direction of the compass, thanks." Eventually, the path will lead them to another glowing archway.
Holding the compass, they will intuitively know that this archway will take them to the year 11XX.]
no subject
This is it, right?
[ let's gooo ]
no subject
[ they go to the clearly marked path, thank you compass, ]
no subject
They go through the archway, onto the year of 11XX, to face what they've come this far to prevent: the day of the calamity.]