01 [voice]

[cetrary]

[ Despite the circumstances Aerith's voice sounds strangely chipper. In fact, you could go so far as to say she sounds bright and cheery. The complete opposite of how someone probably should feel given both the circumstances of their own world and the circumstances of their arrival in this one. That's Aerith though, someone has to be the cheerful one and she's content to be that person. Besides, she's had quite a lot of experience hiding how she really feels about something. ]

I bet people get pretty exhausted by newcomer questions, huh? I really only have one right now, so I'll try to make this short and sweet! All I want to know is if this place has anywhere that people can grow things that wouldn't be in anyone's way. [ She pauses for a second. ] Wait, maybe there's two things actually! Can people open businesses here? I used to sell flowers back home and medicinal herbs. It always made the people around really happy and something tells me people in this kinda situation might need some happy.

[ Another brief pause and then she laughs lightly before speaking again. ] Oh, wait-wait. Maybe there's actually three. If anyone hears this and also lives in the Gray building, I hope you like flowers!

Comments

[monochromatically]

[Mono wasn’t paying a lot of attention to the network, the interference that he generated got kind of annoying some days. So at first he sort of tunes it out while he’s going about his day, until he heard the woman say ‘Gray Building…’

So there’s a crackle of static and a quiet voice speaks up curiously.]

Flower’re nice… They’re colourful. You said the gray building?

voice

[mostlycloudy]

[He's honestly relieved to hear her voice. After what they'd just been through, and all of this, he hadn't known what to expect. Knowing she was there was a comfort, way more than he expected.

...wait.]

The gray building?

[cetrary]

That's one of the best things about them, they add color to otherwise boring places! [ And dreary places. Although, really, everything was one of the best things about flowers. ]

I did indeedy, do you know it?

[cetrary]

Bodyguard, is that you? [ She sounds strangely relieved and her cheerful tone drops to a more realistic and even tone for just a second. ] Mmhmm, that's where I got placed I guess.

[monochromatically]

[Colour is especially nice when you’re used to muted tones and cloudy skies. The fact that he’d ended up in the gray building had nagged at him since he arrived, though it would definitely be weird to have a neighbour now.]

Uh-huh, I live there… I didn’t think anyone else was gonna, it’s pretty empty.

text

[tessellatedflood]

A flower shop sounds delightful, and medicinal supplies would make it an even greater addition to the community! I'm no authority on the matter, but I hope that you don't encounter any opposition to the idea.

[cetrary]

Well, I guess it'll be up to us to liven it up some then, won't it? Must've been a bit lonely if you've been there by yourself.

[cetrary]

I'm glad there are people that agree! Obviously I'm not familiar with the wildlife here yet, but I'm pretty good at identifying useful plantlife. I bet I'll be able to find things to help if medical supplies would be useful.

I hope I won't either. But even if I do, I can be pretty convincing when I want to be.

[monochromatically]

[Yes, yes, it was.]

It was okay… Kinda quiet. A different quiet, weird if you peek in the rooms no one lives in. They all look like they should have people.

[There’s a little rustle amongst the static, fussing with his paper bag. He kind if wished he could have gotten to know his new neighbours a little better before they moved in, but he could sneak around and probably still keep an eye on them.]

The roof is nice though, you can see a lot of stuff.

[cetrary]

I kinda know how that is. There's an area outside the church where I'm from that's almost completely abandoned. People used to live there, but now it's just empty kinda sad looking buildings. [ It made for a more convenient escape that way though. Nobody was there to care about them jumping from roof top to roof top or get mad at all the noise she'd been making. ]

A good roof is always nice, especially ones with a view. Are the roofs here good for moving around on? I did that for the first time recently and it was pretty exciting.

[monochromatically]

Yeah? [Mono could definitely relate to abandoned areas making great escape routes or ways to avoid people.] It’s a lot like that, maybe not so much now if people are gonna start living there too.

[The voice did perk up a little at her next comment,]

The one on the top of the gray building is a nice view? But some of the roofs in the city are really good for moving around, it’s great for avoiding busy streets.

voice;

[asthecroweflies]

I don't mind them really, but there are plenty of abandoned flower gardens around and I'm sure nobody'd mind. Sure, you can open a business. A friend of mine did before she went home. [At least he hoped Yuna went home.]

The situation's not too bad, but I haven't really seen a florist. I'm sure they'd appreciate it.

[A beat.]

What...sort of medicinal herbs do you sell?

[cetrary]

It's nice to know there are some things about this place that aren't that different from where I'm from. [ As much as she'd wanted adventure she was also a bit frightened by the idea of being in a brand new place with brand new people. ]

Ohh, I'll have to keep that in mind then. It's always good to know how to avoid the busy areas. Do things get super busy here?

[mostlycloudy]

Yeah. [There was something he liked about being called Bodyguard. Part of it was being glad she remembered him at all. After everything they'd just done, it was hard what was going to happen.]

Me too. I guess we're neighbors.

[cetrary]

Hmmm... do you think it's something to do with the singularity? [ Did they do this somehow? It's kind of weird they'd both end up here at the exact same time. ]

Sounds like I've got someone to help me decorate then!

[voice]

[allagain]

There is much land yet unclaimed in the city, and growing plants could surely only help to stimulate this star's stagnant aether, so I doubt anyone would wish to stop you from making use of any suitable plots, either for growing or selling. And, personally, I would much like to see it.

[mostlycloudy]

I don't know. I was in a weird place before I came here.

[and that was his fear too, Aerith, that they'd done something they couldn't undo, that...this wasn't where they wanted to be.]

Is that really a high priority right now?

[monochromatically]

[He’s a little hesitant to answer that, Mono has begun to realize that his normal is quite abnormal compared to other people’s…]

I think it is sometimes? Busier than I’m used to. There’s a lot more people than where I’m from.

[Well… Normal, talkative people, that is.]

Sometimes you gotta climb up the side of the building though, people don’t always like you creeping around inside.

[Obviously, perhaps, but Mono was used to sneaking through houses and buildings.]

[tessellatedflood]

I'm sure that you'll be able to make a good case for it. Having a place like that would make the community healthier and more colorful, with virtually no downsides. I'm Noah!

[cetrary]

Really? Sounds like finding somewhere to get things started won't be nearly as hard as I thought it'd be. [ At least that was kind of exciting to hear, it'd give her something to focus on that could hopefully take her mind off it. ] Stagnant aether...hmm? What do you mean by that, if you don't mind me asking.

[cetrary]

I guess I have something to start working towards then. It'll be nice to have something specific to do. I'm not really sure what this place really wants with us yet. Is anyone?

I'm Aerith. It's nice to meet you, Noah. Or meet you as much as text counts as meeting someone.

[cetrary]

What kind of weird place? [ Until she knows how much he knows she's not going to say too much. ]

Of course! What else should the priority be?

[cetrary]

So far it seems like there's less people than where I'm from. [ But it was usually pretty crowded where she was from. That was part of the charm of the slums, at least in her own opinion. ] What's it like where you're from?

[ She chuckles. ]

Ah, that's good advice. I wouldn't want to make anyone angry by creepily creeping around.

[cetrary]

I'd like to have more than just a little flower garden, but maybe I can start small and move out. [ Not that it takes her long to grow things, but she doesn't need to let people in on that quite yet. ]

It sounds like I've arrived at a perfect time to fill the florist position then. [ Clearly, a very important position. ]

Ohh...different things. I used to gather things for a doctor in the sector 5 slums to help his patients with a lot of different things. Sometimes it's stomach pains or salves for wounds. Things like that.

[allagain]

Ah, forgive me, I am but recently arrived in this world myself and still forget that not everyone's home is as versed in aetherology as my own. Aether is the essence of life and magic. I would need certain instruments to determine the exact nature of the problems, but even without them, 'tis plain to see that the aether of this star is sorely unbalanced.