Trading Up... Or Is It Down?

[ersatzknight]

Who: Seifer and OPEN
What: Meeting people and exploring
Where: Edge
When: Sometime shortly after his arrival
Warnings: Language likely

7th Heaven Hotel

Seifer admittedly hadn't had either the energy or much of anything else to pay attention to half of what was going on. He'd found the hotel that was set up for people showing up out of nowhere, grumbled his way through getting a room, and promptly face planted in to the bed once the door was locked behind him.

The young man who'd emerged nearly a day later looked... better than the one who'd walked in. There was a certain magic to sleeping and a hot shower. Better wasn't great though, and there was only so much that could be done short term to get himself not looking like he'd been dragged backwards through a nightmare.

A nightmare he'd... deal with later.

The basics of survival mattered more; he had shelter and water, at least for the moment, but no idea about the food situation in this place and no money on him to buy any in the city beyond.

Seifer stepped from the elevator to what seemed to be some kind of lobby-ish-thing and looked around for someone to ask questions of. He'd left his (currently tattered) coat up in the room, though Hyperion hung on him still. Coats were replaceable, gunblades might not be if he got chased out of here.

"Hey, uh... anyone here?" he called out, not spotting anyone immediately.

Around The City

Seifer eventually gets away from the hotel, keen to explore Edge and get a sense of what this place had going on.

There was a few things he was looking for as he strode through streets like he knew what he was doing, some sort of public library, somewhere willing to hire him, and a weaponsmith. Not necessarily in that order, but those where the top three priorities of what he wanted to find.

The biggest thing he hadn't wanted to find was, apparently, sitting on the edge of town like the flying fortress belonged there.

The sight of Balamb Garden had a vicious sort of clawing guilt rise in his throat. He knew who'd likely be there, though wasn't sure if it would be worse if the place was abandoned instead.

More things to watch out for, but to avoid rather than seek, at least for the moment.

Seifer had found a wall to lean against, rubbing his hands over his face and letting out a heaving sigh. He hadn't noticed that he'd sunk down in to a squat, though he did crack his fingers apart at the sound of someone approaching and glare out.

"What?"

Comments

7th Heaven Hotel

[maternalheart]

[They were having a steady influx of people coming in these past few days, it was becoming a common occurrence. She was writing out the menus for the week, those that the kitchen staff should follow and on the phone with supply while she paced the hallway. Cloud and Zack were doing everything they could to gather funds to keep everyone happy.

She was doing the labor part, which was fine, but she missed Cloud and Zack sometimes too. It just wasn't the same without them around. She checked the list one more time to ensure they had money for every single supply on the list and couldn't forget about the spices! Those were sorely needed.

As she round a corner, she heard him before she felt herself bumping into the young man that showed up earlier yesterday. She stopped talking into the phone and spoke quickly.] Yes, that sounds wonderful, Jasper. Please get on it right away, I'll email over the copy of ingredients we need for next week.

[She hung up the phone, placing it in her pocket and turned to Seifer with a small smile.] Hey. I hope you find the amenities to your liking and you slept well I take it?

[ersatzknight]

I slept, sure.

[There's a shrug, it hasn't been good sleep but certainly better than it had been lately.]

I uh... Didn't catch a lot earlier... Tina Wasit? What'll I owe you for putting me up?

[maternalheart]

[Tifa smiled.] Tifa Lockhart. To be fair, nothing at all. You stay is free until we find a way to get you back home.

[ersatzknight]

Right... back home.

[He's not thrilled about that, not really.]

Is there... breakfast included on that? I don't mind doing dishes or whatever around the place to help out in exchange.

[maternalheart]

Do you not want to go back? [She's not surprised, a few other people who came through didn't want to go back home either. Unsurprising indeed.]

Yes. As much breakfast as you want, for now. If you want to do dishes, you can but it's not necessary, sweetie.

[ersatzknight]

Not much to go back to.

[It's the short version anyway.]

I don't need a buffet, just... something half decent.

[maternalheart]

I see. You're more than welcome to stick around if that's what you want.

[She nods.]

Follow me, it's breakfast now. There's a whole stack of food to choose from. [she's surprised he's going after the meager meal when he could have the whole buffet at his disposal. Of course, she doesn't know his story, but it's telling.

She turns, heading toward the dining hall. Once there, Seifer will see other guests meandering around, half asleep and some wide awake. They're getting plates of delicious looking food, there's even juice and milk directly shipped from Kalm.]

Around the City

[silverwinds]

[Fujin was scouting the area, it was an everyday thing now that she and Raijin did this, just to make sure no one went unnoticed. She was stealthy, quick on her feet. Rinoa had taken to calling her a raptor. She wanted to smack Rinoa upside the head for it, or at least kick her in the shins.

As she made her way around, she came across what looked like a young man standing not too far from the Garden. Okay, it was more like a leap, a hop and a bound away from garden but still, he was standing there. Something about his stance, even leaned over told her she knew this person but she couldn't place it.] EXCUSE ME?

[her voice was loud, yet a bit soft and all over firm. It carried when it needed to.]

Re: Around the City

[ersatzknight]

[That voice was familiar, one he'd heard probably a million times.]

Fu? You're... here?

[Of course she was, she'd been on the Lunatic Pandora and thus near the epicenter of whatever he'd done. Whatever he'd helped her do.]

I-

[Didn't know what to say, what to do other than stay where he's crouched and... let whatever she decides to do happen.]

Re: Around the City

[silverwinds]

[She hadn't seen him in two months, but she knew it was Seifer. Her intuition never stirred her wrong.] AWHILE. [Meaning she'd been here awhile.]

[She sighed, understanding why words were failing him. It was Seifer for crying out loud but at the same time, she knew he was thinking of all Raijin, her, and him had been through.] OKAY? [Are you okay? it was a question she knew he wouldn't have trouble answering or he might. He wasn't the way he used to be.]

Re: Around the City

[ersatzknight]

[A sigh, fingers pushing up in to his own hair.]

Glad you're safe, even if this ain't home.

[He doesn't answer the question of if he's okay or not, only shrugs.]

I'm... I fucked up, and there's no going back and... I'd get it if you don't want to stick around anymore. I did a lot of damage and didn't- Hyne, I just wanted to-

[A shake of his head.]

Doesn't matter what I wanted.

[silverwinds]

BETTER. [better meaning no one knows who you are here besides those at Garden. You have a clean slate.]

[She feels like it's coming close to one of those times she talks fully again. She waits a few ticks and instead sticks to her one word answers.] STAYING.

[She gives a small smile, hoping he sees it for what it is. An invitation to be her bestfriend despite all that. She isn't holding the past to him, it's done and what they couldn't fix? She's not bothering with it.] DOES. [It does matter.]

[ersatzknight]

Maybe, but I know what I did Fu and how... damnit it was me doing it. I wasn't possessed, just... off the hynedamn rails.

[That was the sticker, wasn't it. That he'd been him and not some poor innocent taken over by magic.]

I don't deserve you, or Raijin either.

[Her smile does get him to give her a little one.]

Far as how I'm doing... feel like I got run over by a pack of chocobo and forgot to drink water for two days kinda headache.

Around the City

[maybe_im_a_lion]

Squall had taken to patrolling lately. It was something to do, he needed something to do, and it gave him time to think. And think.

He wasn't thrilled at all to see Seifer on the street, but he couldn't say he was surprised either.

"That figures that even you'd show up here," he grunted.

Re: Around the City

[ersatzknight]

Just the guy that Seifer had been hoping to not run in to.

"Yeah, well... we know how hard to get rid of I am." he shrugged, "So what's it gonna be? Drag me to Garden since it's here and find a room to lock me up in or... round five?" He asked, a calculating expression on his face as a hand drifts towards Hyperion in readiness.

"Rather go down fighting, if I get a choice about it."

Re: Around the City

[maybe_im_a_lion]

Squall just watched him warily. "Depends on what you're doing here," he said. "Are you planning on helping any other overpowered sorceresses wipe out the world?"

He still didn't understand why Seifer had done that. Why anyone would do that. Ultimecia had intended that only she would live. Seifer had been signing his own death certificate to help her.

And yet, he had survived like the rest of them. Was he from that time point or another? Squall wasn't sure. For now he kept watching, thinking.

Re: Around the City

[ersatzknight]

"Depends. You gonna get sent on half baked missions to destabilize entire nations? If you think there was some.... Grand plan of mine there, I got a tropical vacation package for you in northern Esthar."

There's a defensiveness to his tone, but more one of deeply ingrained habit than actual threat. Seifer's gaze flicks around, assessing escape routes.

"Why, there a Sorceress around that's not your girlfriend?"

Re: Around the City

[maybe_im_a_lion]

“Maybe you didn’t actually set out to do it, but it still happened,” Squall replied. He stayed on guard, watching, not sure if Seifer was a threat right now or not. He was inclined to say No, but he didn’t want to let down his guard.

He grunted at that comment. “There’s some pretty powerful people here, like the guy who got us into this mess.”

Re: Around the City

[ersatzknight]

"And I'm the face of all of it, with Edea cleared of blame by being possessed at the time."

Seifer wasn't stupid, he knew what probably would be called for back home.

"Guy? You mean this isn't..." He waved a hand. "Her fallout?"

Ultimecia. Time Compression. All of time and space twisting in on itself to a singularity for... Whatever reasons she'd had.

"Also, power had jack-all to do with it."

Around the City

[imjustaman]

A tall man with long silver hair was looking at him. “I apologize for intruding,” he said. “I was just walking past.” He wondered if Seifer was a newcomer but didn’t like to randomly ask.

Re: Around the City

[ersatzknight]

There's absolutely no recognition in Seifer's face as he raises an eyebrow at the tall silver haired man. "It's a public street, hard to intrude." he pointed out, standing from his crouch and rolling a shoulder.

"...you a local?"

Re: Around the City

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth wouldn't expect recognition from a visitor, unless his agonized network post was seen.

"Yes, I am. Are you?"

Re: Around the City

[ersatzknight]

"Nah." Seifer shook his head, "I'm looking for a weaponsmith who knows both guns and swords, you know anywhere half decent?" He asked, arms crossing in front of him. "...or a decent library that's got stuff on history and how this place works magically. Though I've a feeling anything in the history section is probably bullshit, considering the ruin out there. Written by the winners and all that."

He gestured vaguely in the direction of what was left of Midgar with that.

Re: Around the City

[imjustaman]

"I'm afraid I don't know the current situation regarding weaponsmiths," he said. "There is a library. I can take you to it. But as far as what happened to Midgar ..." He heaved a resigned sigh. "The loser will tell you the same thing the winners will. A madman wanted to become a god and tried to damage the Planet in order to do it. The Planet retaliated. Midgar's destruction was one result." Wutai hadn't fared so well either.

Re: Around the City

[ersatzknight]

Seifer nodded along, letting out a hollow kind of laugh. "Only the planet? Seems kinda rookie level for godhood, the bitch who collapsed all of time and space kinda outdoes that." he replied. "Luckily whatever magic got played with to drag people here... means I still exist. Should probably thank the guy, but what kinda gift basket do you get for that?"

He's mostly thinking out loud, blowing out a sigh.

"Doesn't explain anything about what led up to now, socioeconomics and politics... but yeah, Library. I'll get you lunch for playing tour guide?"