Nida | FF8 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
skyward_eyes) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
aterat2020-09-03 02:24 pm
skyward_eyes) wrote in aterat2020-09-03 02:24 pm
Open Logs
Who; Nida, OTA
What; September Catch-All
Where; Abandoned Manors, At the Harbor, At the Window of your room, Outside of the Pub
When; Early thru Mid September
Warnings; CW: Final TL includes references to alcohol abuse, and could lead to other topics such as suicide, death of loved ones, memory loss, and abandonment issues
1. Exploration is Nine Tenths | Abandoned Manors, OTA
If there was one thing that Nida had learned, it was the importance of keeping busy. Anything else and you just ended up going mad. Already he'd flirted too much with madness in his life. No, Nida wasn't risking that at all, especially when there were things to see and do.
There was currency in knowledge, and Nida was nothing if not a mercenary intelligence agent. Sure, he tried every day to kill the detachment of SeeD Nomura, but the boredom didn't help. So he found himself, in the early afternoons or when he was otherwise not busy, hopping fences, climbing walls, and otherwise slipping in to the various abandoned manors to explore.
And, senses heightened as they were by the magical spirit in his head, he could sense someone sneaking up on him. He turns on his heel quickly, wrist flicking in that just right way to get a tanbÅ to slide from the sheathe on his forearm, and thus under his coat, and into his hand.
"Who's there?"
2. Seaside Dreaming | The Harbor, OTA
Early mornings were the best time for this. Early mornings when the air was cool and the humidity was entirely from the proximity to the water and not it just lingering in the air. Early mornings where the bay is awash with dawn light. Yes, it's beautiful, and all at once it does and doesn't remind him of home. The other worlds never offered him this, never threatened him with constant reminders of Balamb Garden.
In the mornings he slipped from his room and braved the false dawn to find his way down to the harbor. From there it was a simple matter to go to his favorite stretch of the area, hopping along what were clearly once the pilings of a dock. Once he was out as far as possible he sat down carefully, balancing on the water-worn piling with remarkable ease given it wasn't that big of a piece of wood. But he seemed comfortable. For now.
Of course, a stiff breeze or an unexpected noise might well send him tumbling into the water. Good thing no one was going to sneak up on him, right?
3. Come To Your Window | Your Dorm Window, OTA
One thing people who had met Nida in previous worlds could tell anyone was that the man was prone to climbing. In the last world that had taken him, it was not at all uncommon for him to enter and exit the dorms through windows, climbing up and down with the ease that spoke of long experience. This evening was no different. Left to his own devices Nida had opted to keep his climbing skills up to snuff, which meant he had selected one of the dorms at random and started up the side of it. His goal?
He had seen from lower down a dorm room window with the light on and the curtains slightly parted. It takes a bit of time, but soon Nida was up at the level of the window, peeking through the curtains. And, if what he found included a familiar face, he rapped at it lightly with his finger tips, his arms crossed on the sill and his feet braced against the exterior wall to keep him up.
Strangers, however, might just be shocked to see a face in their window. How rude of him. He'll just move along. Please don't scream. Or, you know, come to the window and tell him off. He's not picky. Except about the not screaming thing.
4. Moment of Weakness | Outside of Pub, OTA [CW: References to alcohol abuse]
Night time is the worst. Once Nida used to love it. Made sense, he had been trained to be a man of the darkness, and his love of the evening sky was pretty intense. But... Ah, there was a key word, right? But. But he had lost so much. But he remembered now too many nights spent caught up in the work. But he didn't remember as many nights doing things in the other worlds. But the darkness always brought memories. But. But. But.
Tonight he stood outside of the tavern, watching the door, bathed in welcoming light. There had been a time when he would have no problem going in, slipping in and just embracing the offerings of the place. The companionship. The food. The drink. It called to him, even now. A glass to drown his sorrows. A glass to numb the pain. But from there it would be another glass. And another. And another until he had no funds and he had fallen back into a pit he'd worked so hard to climb out of.
"Hyne," he whispered under his breath as he watched the door open and close, disgorging another group of residents who had just finished a meal and drinking. "We need another damn place to eat in this town. Several."
Because each meal was a new temptation, and he didn't know how long he could last.
What; September Catch-All
Where; Abandoned Manors, At the Harbor, At the Window of your room, Outside of the Pub
When; Early thru Mid September
Warnings; CW: Final TL includes references to alcohol abuse, and could lead to other topics such as suicide, death of loved ones, memory loss, and abandonment issues
1. Exploration is Nine Tenths | Abandoned Manors, OTA
If there was one thing that Nida had learned, it was the importance of keeping busy. Anything else and you just ended up going mad. Already he'd flirted too much with madness in his life. No, Nida wasn't risking that at all, especially when there were things to see and do.
There was currency in knowledge, and Nida was nothing if not a mercenary intelligence agent. Sure, he tried every day to kill the detachment of SeeD Nomura, but the boredom didn't help. So he found himself, in the early afternoons or when he was otherwise not busy, hopping fences, climbing walls, and otherwise slipping in to the various abandoned manors to explore.
And, senses heightened as they were by the magical spirit in his head, he could sense someone sneaking up on him. He turns on his heel quickly, wrist flicking in that just right way to get a tanbÅ to slide from the sheathe on his forearm, and thus under his coat, and into his hand.
"Who's there?"
2. Seaside Dreaming | The Harbor, OTA
Early mornings were the best time for this. Early mornings when the air was cool and the humidity was entirely from the proximity to the water and not it just lingering in the air. Early mornings where the bay is awash with dawn light. Yes, it's beautiful, and all at once it does and doesn't remind him of home. The other worlds never offered him this, never threatened him with constant reminders of Balamb Garden.
In the mornings he slipped from his room and braved the false dawn to find his way down to the harbor. From there it was a simple matter to go to his favorite stretch of the area, hopping along what were clearly once the pilings of a dock. Once he was out as far as possible he sat down carefully, balancing on the water-worn piling with remarkable ease given it wasn't that big of a piece of wood. But he seemed comfortable. For now.
Of course, a stiff breeze or an unexpected noise might well send him tumbling into the water. Good thing no one was going to sneak up on him, right?
3. Come To Your Window | Your Dorm Window, OTA
One thing people who had met Nida in previous worlds could tell anyone was that the man was prone to climbing. In the last world that had taken him, it was not at all uncommon for him to enter and exit the dorms through windows, climbing up and down with the ease that spoke of long experience. This evening was no different. Left to his own devices Nida had opted to keep his climbing skills up to snuff, which meant he had selected one of the dorms at random and started up the side of it. His goal?
He had seen from lower down a dorm room window with the light on and the curtains slightly parted. It takes a bit of time, but soon Nida was up at the level of the window, peeking through the curtains. And, if what he found included a familiar face, he rapped at it lightly with his finger tips, his arms crossed on the sill and his feet braced against the exterior wall to keep him up.
Strangers, however, might just be shocked to see a face in their window. How rude of him. He'll just move along. Please don't scream. Or, you know, come to the window and tell him off. He's not picky. Except about the not screaming thing.
4. Moment of Weakness | Outside of Pub, OTA [CW: References to alcohol abuse]
Night time is the worst. Once Nida used to love it. Made sense, he had been trained to be a man of the darkness, and his love of the evening sky was pretty intense. But... Ah, there was a key word, right? But. But he had lost so much. But he remembered now too many nights spent caught up in the work. But he didn't remember as many nights doing things in the other worlds. But the darkness always brought memories. But. But. But.
Tonight he stood outside of the tavern, watching the door, bathed in welcoming light. There had been a time when he would have no problem going in, slipping in and just embracing the offerings of the place. The companionship. The food. The drink. It called to him, even now. A glass to drown his sorrows. A glass to numb the pain. But from there it would be another glass. And another. And another until he had no funds and he had fallen back into a pit he'd worked so hard to climb out of.
"Hyne," he whispered under his breath as he watched the door open and close, disgorging another group of residents who had just finished a meal and drinking. "We need another damn place to eat in this town. Several."
Because each meal was a new temptation, and he didn't know how long he could last.
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"I was never the annoying one. Too separated from the normal circles to manage it."
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Jacob moved over to his couch and took a seat. He dragged a hand down his face and looked like he was slowly starting to relax again. He'd been shaken but Nida's interruption had helped him relax, even if it wasn't on purpose.
He smirked. "Do you want to be the annoying one? I could give you some pointers."
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"The last place I was, I worked as a mechanic, and made sure that my brother's forge had materials to work with. The place before that I ran a dojo and helped with the guard. Here I... have less marketable skills. The guard works for now."
But the forge, he still might consider it.
"Hell no. That's not my job in party distributions. I'm happy being the quiet one."
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"That sounds pretty cool. I worked as a mechanic too. I miss it and it hasn't even been that long. I really like fixing things." It made him feel useful.
"I don't think you're all that quiet. We talk a lot but I guess I don't really know a lot about you yet. Hopefully I can change that."
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"I loved it. Had a motorcycle my boss let me work on when it was slow. I loved my baby so much."
Oh come on, you haven't met Zell, there's the talkative one. But the other comment softens Nida's expression just a touch more.
"I don't know, you might have to offer me a cup of coffee or tea if you intend to interrogate me."
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"So a motorcycle? What model? I had a car I was fixing up but I didn't get her running before arriving here."
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"Kawasaki Ninja. Don't know the year. Bought it in the last place so I hadn't heard of the brand before. The paint job was amazing, all stars and galaxies..."
His hand came up without thinking to touch the chain at his neck with the paired rings.
"I named it Wiccan. I don't even remember why. Matching helmets too, with short range transmitters and receivers in them. Was a great way to talk to people without the AI overlord hearing. Plus the way you could get someone to press up against you was nice."
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"That's a sexy bike. I've worked on a few of them. They're pretty good with cooling for a motorcycle but suck in the rain." He reached into a cabinet and pulled out a jar filled with a thick amber liquid. "Honey?"
He paused awkwardly. "For your tea."
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"Didn't rain there, except for one night. There was no weather. And yes, a bit of sweetness is always welcomed in my life."
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"Really? Not sure I'd like that. I like riding my motorcycle but there is something comforting about the rain." He was also born in Maine, where it rained a lot.
"Cool." Jacob quickly finished up the tea before spooning a healthy amount of honey into the mug and pushing it across the small kitchen table towards Nida. "Tea's done. So do we start the interrogation now?" He smiled a little at his own horrible joke.
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But he takes the mug and leans against a counter because sitting is for the weak.
"Who is interrogating who? I warn you, I have training to let me resist most methods."
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"What if we just go back and forth? You ask me something and I'll ask you something. Sorta like a go-to-know-you thing?"
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God he misses coffee.
"Favorite type of rain."
Because people who loved the rain knew there were types.
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"What about you?" He paused and then quickly added. "That isn't my question. I wanted to know something that you liked about this place." It was easy to complain but harder to find that silver lining. Jacob really sucked at finding the good in bad situations but he was trying his best.
no subject
"Heavy downpours without thunder. I like to listen to it beating against whatever shelter I have," Nida offers with a smile. He really wanted to just sit in the middle of such a rain right now.
"As for here? There are plants. The last place didn't have any living things but us. No bugs. No animals save what pet-stores sold. I missed it all. Trees and gulls and rats included."
His turn for a question.
"Favorite food you miss from home."
All the while as he speaks, he plays with the rings on the chain, as if they were an anxiety shelter for him.
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"I don't think I could live in a place without plants." He was one of those kids that grew up playing outside.
"Instant mac & cheese. It tastes a bit like cheesy plastic but it's good. What about you?" He paused long enough for Nida to answer and to think of another question.
"How many worlds or places like this have you been too?"
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"I've never had it. I miss curried pies. Of course I don't know how to cook so I couldn't make one even if I wanted to."
He's a bit more tired by the question asked of him next, though. Was too many an answer? His hand clenched tightly around the rings. Two worlds, no memories of value.
"This is my third instance of this specific kidnapping."
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"If I'm honest, I don't know how I feel about all this. It's crazy right? I mean, you have some experience but I'm not sure that makes it easier." He took a sip of his drink and then placed it down on the table. It was warm and perfect drinking temperature but Jacob was getting distracted by their game.
"What do you want to do here? Do you know? I haven't really figure it out. This isn't really a go to college and start a family with a white picketed fence kind of city."
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"I'm a guard now. I figure I'll stick with that for a while. IT's something I know how to do. I've been trained in violence since I was very young."
Vague statement is vague indeed. So he instead follows with what he hopes is a specific question. Two actually, since Jacob stole a second.
"Favorite place in the city so far, and have you gotten off your ass to look into a carpentry shop yet?"
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"My favorite place is probably the harbor. There is a building there. I managed to get onto the roof and I can see out at the horizon. It's a pretty awesome view."
It wasn't easy for Jacob to get up there but he had really good upper body strength.
"Why have you been fighting since you were young?" He thought about Sam. How she had lost her parents to the war and had been taken in at a young age by Carin. "You don't need to go to far into it. It just reminds me a bit of my best friend Sam. She lost her parents when she was young because of a conflict and grew up learning how to protect herself and... I guess become a solider of sorts. It's... complicated."
no subject
Ah, but there's the question, bringing things back to where Nida's not the greatest at dealing with. Not yet.
"I'm a war orphan raised in an academy where the best of the best become an elite mercenary force. The first time I had a weapon in my hands was when I was nine. The first time I killed something was when I was eleven. Granted it was a monster, but you are sort of... forced to grow up fast where I'm from."
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He took a sip of his tea and then continued, aiming to help Nida relax. "Her full name is Samantha but she'd be pissed if you called her that. She was the first real friend I had-" It sounded like there should be more to the statement but Jacob's voice trialed off.
"Right. We were asking questions. I lost track. I think it's your turn."
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Yeah, he needs to deescalate just a touch to calm himself down.
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Jacob smiled. "I would eat my favorite food constantly. It's pizza and I have eaten it every day for a year and I'm still not tired of it." His head tilted to the side. "What about you?"
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"I'd rather give it up. I'm pretty used to not having it here," Nida mused, thoughtful as he takes a moment to miss seafood curry.
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