aerialassault | 006 [Action/Audio]

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006 [Action/Audio]

[Action: Locked to Souji Okita]

[Consciousness crept upon him slowly, like a migraine. It slipped in through the window panels with the sun and stung his eyes, but for once Cliff did not want to awaken. He instead rolled over with a groan, burying his face under his arms and promising himself another ten minutes.

But a nagging sensation in the back of his mind kept sleep at bay. He knew in his gut that it was something important, something that was blue and white...

...Fayt.

His eyes snapped open as he crashed into the memories. The dogs and the cultists were all a blur, but the spear stood out in his mind. It was only when he sat up that he registered the not-entirely familiar surroundings and the warm body lying by his side.]

[Action: Locked to Fayt Leingod]

[He messed up, and there was no way to fix and forget about the mess that he had left for everyone to deal with in the battlefield that was once Zompania. It was afternoon by the time he returned to his apartment in the ground building, wearing a fresh set of denim jeans and a comfortable tee-- both of which fit because of some miracle. The dark shades he wore were new, as was he bag he carried by his side that contained the clothes he borrowed off of Souji and yet another set of loose white pants to add to his small collection.

Entering as quietly as he could manage, Cliff did a once-over of the apartment to make sure that things were still mostly as he left it. The Vac whirred and hummed patiently as it made a pass over the carpet, and Cliff found himself smiling.

At least that was still functioning.

After throwing his belongings into his room, he made for Fayt's. A quiet knock was the only warning he gave before he nudged the door open...]

[Audio: Open to All]

Yo. It's Cliff.

[It was dark by the time he reached for his journal, but he didn't care. There were plenty of other people that he wanted to see, but there was no way he could go visit them all in one day.

This was the next best thing.]

Can I get a headcount of who all's here and a tally on the damage? And, is the bar open?

[He'll be heading there later if he get's confirmation. For once, he plans to drink unil the damage doesn't look so bad.]

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Oh...

[Not having a great frame of reference for this, she hesitantly picks it up and turns the glass around in her hand, studying it like it was some sort of mutant bug juice. Was this really a terribly good idea? Drinking something she didn't know anything about?

Swallowing thickly, she raised it up to her lip and took a sip. Sweet was right. A hint of bitterness to it too, but not unpleasant. Not what she'd expected at all, in truth.]

Hummm...

[Another sip, this one slightly bigger than the first. How...odd it tasted. Different, and a bit warm going down too.]

What did you say this was called?

It's an apple cider, [Cliff repeated, carefully taking a grateful sip of his own.] I dunno the brand, but it's definitely from Earth. I think it's name was... [something close to the Federation standard trade language, but that was too many words.]

...English. I think that was one of the old languages on Earth.

Cider. [She takes another sip, setting it down with a frown before looking at him.] English is a language, yes. Not mine, but it's definitely a language. What...does that have to do with the drink, though?

I mean, if we somehow make it home with our memories, that you might have a tricky time finding it in Japan. Maybe. I dunno exactly how alcohol imports work in your era.

Oh. That...shouldn't be a problem.

[She stifles a little laugh.]

Unless I go back with memories and the body I've grown into, I'll be fifteen again.

--oh. Right.

[Embarrassed, he downed more of his drink and tried to recover.]

Once you get old like me, it gets easy to forget how much growing up young people do in such a short time. Sorry 'bout that.

Well I've grown up quite a bit. Not...taller, but a bit more mature.

[She picks up her drink and takes an actual drink of it now, having gotten a bit more used to the taste.]

I'm honestly not sure I'd rather go back to what I was like when I arrived.

[He believed it. Sometimes the difference that only a few years could make was truly amazing.]

Yanno....after being here for over a year, I don't think I'd want to either. I've met too many cool people, and even learned a couple things. It'd be a shame to lose that.

[She expells a breath and nods.]

I'm not sure I really want to give up all this. I'm stronger, certainly, and older. But I've changed. I know I have. Harry-san and Pa...[She catches herself from saying Papa...] Helios...have been good for me I think. I feel like I can actually interact with men, and not want to just...ignore them entirely.

[Cliff glanced over at her from above the rim of his glass, brows lifted in surprise. He set it down-- a tad too harshly this time, to more of his embarrassment-- and leaned back in his seat, suddenly curious.]

Wait. You don't like men?

[As a man himself, he hoped that he wasn't pressing.]

Romantically, I think you already know that I don't like men.

[Rei leans back and sighs, shaking her head. That is a loaded question, and one that has had shifting answers over the years.]

But under normal circumstances, no...I don't dislike men. I just found it really hard to trust them for a long time. I still do, to a point, find it difficult. Especially boys my age.

[Her shoulders rise and fall in a half-hearted shrug.]

My...biological father...wasn't really a good person. And neither were most of the men in my life at home. Mamoru-san and Motoki-san were alright, but we weren't close. It wasn't really until I woke up here that I found guys who proved they were trustworthy.

...Well, that can't be a fun way to grow up.

[He frowned at this, thoughtful. While he didn't entirely know the customs that were in place in 20th Century Japan, family was family regardless. Having part of that fragmented even a little bit could screw a person up.]

At least you managed to find a way to get some peace here, though. That counts for something.

[She snorted, a bitter exhalation of annoyance rather than sadness, and took another gulp of her drink. She's starting to feel a bit warmer, her cheeks turning slightly pink as the alcohol begins to affect her. She's small, barely 100 pounds wet, and it won't take much.]

My mother died when I was young. My father didn't even go to the funeral. He was too busy with his work. I grew up with my grandpapa, in his shrine. That wasn't so bad. It was lonely at times, but at I had him and Phobos and Deimos. And it was better than being around him.

We haven't really spoken since I was ten, and I prefer to keep it that way.

[Although it would take longer for Cliff, this is still his third drink of the night-- he was more apt to contemplate the vagaries of life and travel down memory lane with his friend.]

Can't blame ya if that's the situation 'bout it. Growing up at a shrine is better than with a jerk, and ya did some friends along the way too.

I did. Two crows and an old man. Most people stayed away from me, at that age.

[Her smile grows wan as she drinks more.]

Because of my abilities.

Yeah-- the fortune telling, right? Lot's of people get nervous around what they don't understand.

And my other abilities. The control of flames...the psychic empathy. And I talked to crows.

[Cliff hummed thoughtfully, finding himself pondering once again over how closed minded people could be over what was different.]

Everyone talks to their friends, even if they are animals. And....if it's worth anything, I think those things you do are pretty cool.

Well, you're a space man. And you have friends who do symbology.

[She huffs a laugh, tinged with a bit of scorn.]

The people where I'm from don't even believe those things are possible. And those that do think they're evil.

True, I am a space man...but, anyone who'd bothered to talk with you can easily see that you're anything but evil. You're smart and helpful and kind've a brat sometimes, but definitely not evil.

Hey! What do you mean by that!

[A brat?!]

[Cliff grinned.]

What I mean is this right here. [He reached over and poked the side of her head.] It's a compliment-- Fayt and Maria are both brats too, and so are lot's of other people. Like Souji. It ain't a bad thing at all!

[Sigh...

Rei just takes another drink.]

Fayt-kun saved me, you know.

Oh-- did he?

[It was interesting. Neither Souji nor Fayt was telling him much about anything that happened during the times they were separated in Zompania, especially for the latter part of the week.

...he would need to ask about that later.]

Yeah.

[She looks down at her leg with a frown.]

There were two elites. I killed one, but in the process...my leg.

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