songerein | { stroke of midnight }

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{ stroke of midnight }

STROKE OF MIDNIGHT

Although the Masquerade is being held on the night of the Fourteenth, some new problems arise in the days after. This log is split into two sections, the Masquerade and Around Town. Everyone is free to participate in either or both, whichever catches your interest.

More details on everything can be found here and here. As a reminder, events double as our TDMs and information can be found here with arrival details here. Any outside characters participating in the log are canonly logged as appearing in Songerein in February and will remain in Songerein from the IC date of February 14 through 28. TDM only characters can only thread within this log. Anyone who apps in and is accepted will have their character count February as their first time in the game without any disruption, so all content will carry over. Those who do not apply will disappear which should not seem too unusual, however players in game can choose to retcon and pretend a character was never there to begin with if it would be easier; or even think their presence was just a dream.

IMPORTANT! All outside characters MUST have "TDM" in their subject line, even if you might not app. This will help people differentiate those who are already in the game and those who are not.

TDM threads are required for samples. Refer to the Game Info for general information and feel free to toss any questions here. Reserves will open Wednesday, February 22nd and Applications will open on March 1. Our next cycle after won't be until JULY.

TDM Toplevel Link Directory (click to view, updated 02/22)

Avatar: The Legend of Korra - Korra
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Iroh
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - Miriam
Chainsaw Man - Power
Dr. STONE - Dr. Senku Ishigami
Elsworld - Noah Ebalon (Nyx Pieta)
Final Fantasy VII - Cloud Strife
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core - Zack Fair
Final Fantasy XIV - Erichthonios
Final Fantasy XV - Noctis Lucis Caelum
Final Fantasy XV - Prompto Argentum
Genshin Impact - Shikanoin Heizou
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist - Solanaceae
Katekyou Hitman Reborn - Hayato Gokudera
Kingdom Hearts - Ienzo
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Link
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Sheik
Marvel Cinematic Universe - Kate Bishop
NieR: Automata - 9S
Percy Jackson & the Olympians - Jason Grace
Percy Jackson & the Olympians - Nico di Angelo
Persona 3: FES - Shinjiro Aragaki
SinoAlice - Sleeping Beauty
Tales of Arise - Shionne Vymer Imeris Daymore
Tales of Symphonia - Kratos Aurion
Tales of Symphonia - Martel Yggdrasil
Tales of Zestiria - Mikleo
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Sena
Your Wings and Mine - Shealtiel

We will request any thread submissions for certain prompts during AC and TDM threads will count. For more information, refer to the Game Notes.

I. MASQUERADE

It's time for the masquerade and the carriages will start arriving before sunset. Upon arrival, everyone who leaves the carriage (or mercilessly spat out if they try to resist) will be greeted by fairy godmothers with an eye for the most dramatic and extravagant fashion. It's a masquerade, after all! For those who already arrive with their outfits, the fairy godmothers may add a little embellishment here and or just change it completely if they think it could look better. For those who did not, they will create a whole new outfit that would fit the wearer perfectly—with magic of course. They will also create the masks and half of the glass slipper brooch that everyone will wear. The masks are enchanted so that regardless of obvious personality or physical traits, they are somehow unrecognizable at first. While it is possible to figure it out through interaction, or if it's someone they already know well, it's more likely they need to reveal their identity first. These outfits can be kept even after the masquerade is over.

A. Get in the Carriage. As the pegasus drawn carriages begin to arrive to transport those who have decided to attend the masquerade, there is some commotion from others. The pair of coach mice—who are only about four feet tall—can be found smiling and cheerily squeaking about the masquerade as they grab and literally throw protesting individuals into the carriage, whereupon the door will immediately shut behind them. Ho ho ho, it'll be such a grand time! Will anyone try to help the poor soul? Or perhaps help the mice? Maybe you're a struggling victim instead. Should anyone want to try and drive the carriage, they might have a chance…but good luck having the pegasi listen to them. Eventually the carriage will land and take them to the front of the castle where the masquerade is hosted.

B. Half of a Pair. Near the entrance, everyone is encouraged to pull out one or more of the shoe brooches contained in a large bowl. The rules are simple: 1) use the brooch to lead them to the person wearing the other half; 2) spend whatever time or activity with them, be it general socializing, a dance, a walk in the gardens; 3) keep the brooch or return it to a designated "Used" bowl. The brooches will absorb whatever kind of dreamotion energy is formed between the two, and the stronger it is, the brighter (if positive) or darker (if negative) it will glow. The interaction can be romantic, platonic, or hostile. For those who do happen to "click" and wish for some privacy, there are numerous terraces and balconies available. Some are public, but there are quite a few with curtains, so be sure to close them to signal the balcony is occupied!

C. Dancing in the Air. The main draw will be the dance floor, and the ballroom is wide and spacious to accommodate numerous pairs to dance to their hearts' content—the music is played by enchanted instruments so they'll keep going without much of a break! Of course, what makes this dance floor truly special is how it uses dreamotion energy to lift everyone up—literally. Pairs who are having a fun time may find themselves floating up and dancing in the air instead of on the ground. Somehow they can maintain some balance…but it's just as easy to lose it.

D. Royal Banquet. There are numerous tables one can use and be served an assortment of foods. In fact, one could make special requests and somehow the dragons serving will be able to make it, or at least as close as possible. One just has to imprint the idea of the dish onto a special card that the chefs will use to recreate it. There are also two bowls filled with special tear drop chocolates, one with only white, pink, and red, and the other filled with the other colors. The "game" is to randomly choose one from each bowl and share a kiss depending on what is picked.

E. Out in the Gardens. Every castle has extravagant gardens, and this one is no different. Filled with numerous pink, red, and white flowers, the gardens have their typical fare…with not so typical effects.

Extravagant mazes that one could easily get lost in are common, but what's special about these gardens is that the flowers will emit a soft, sweet scent that will feel as if they are walking through a dream. In fact, the section they are going through will begin to change to look like a place from their world and must now find their way out. When this change happens, only those who are in the area will be affected and no one else can enter the area until the main person affected gets out. Those inside can help, and there are no threats—it's all in simple fun…unless the place evokes certain memories and emotions for the person. Might not be as fun for them, then.
A crystal greenhouse where the temperature is perfectly warm (or cold!) and houses various different flowers. Here some may recognize flowers from their world, the scents also creating nostalgia. There are instructions left that indicate anyone can try to help grow the flowers. The key ingredient will be dreamotion energy, and should they succeed in creating a blossom, a small marble containing a symbol of their home. There are also special daisies that can be used to play the "they love me they love me not" game. If the last petal is "they love me," then become extra flirty and clingy. If it's "love me not," they become angry, jealous, and possessive. The effects only last for a short time…unless they keep plucking flowers.
The white fountain in the center of the gardens will have a bit of a musical playful side. It will splash colorful water at any who pass by, chime-like notes playing out as it does. But if one were to drop a flower that has absorbed positive dreamotion into its water, it will calm and let people sit to look and relax. There is also a strange frog wearing a crown that claims to be a prince. For those who believe its words that a kiss will free him from the curse, they will be sorely disappointed as nothing happens and the frog just laughs and hops away.

II. AROUND TOWN

A. Mask Up. Attracted by the masquerade, some enchanted masks have found their way to town and are now finding their way onto people, be it by tricking their victims to be put on or just forcibly latching themselves on. Depending on the type of mask, the wearer will behave based on a festive, dramatic emotion. While wearing the mask, the dreamotion that is projected is stronger. Examples are angry emotions will cause tremors and cracks on the ground, happiness could blind people or will cause confetti to fly everywhere, while sad ones will cause clouds and drizzling rain to appear overhead. The only way to remove it is to somehow make the other person feel the opposite of whatever emotion the mask is using. Once the mask’s emotion is countered and stabilized, it could be removed or even fall off if the countering emotion is strong enough. Masks can also be captured and collected before they attach to someone.

B. Special Messages. Throughout the month, valentine's are being delivered to people all over town. Some are even receiving some from the fae and dragons who live outside… Perhaps some caution should be had from those. Regardless, while the messages are brimming with both platonic and romantic (and questionable) love, the messengers are a bit… Well they need help.

Insightful Mockingbirds. Special mockingbirds are flying around and perch on random shoulders. They have the ability to "read" a person's thoughts and repeat them out loud. Without warning. Hope there aren't any secrets because that bird is going to make it public, especially if it's an observation or thought—good or bad—about another person. Good luck shooing it away, too—it'll stick around for a while because it might enjoy sowing this bit of chaos.
Arrow Delivery. The group from last year have decided to use their prank arrows for good and start a business in delivering special Valentine's messages via arrow. A "shot to the heart" in the less literal sense this time! While some of their archers are skilled, others are…less so. Some are hitting a bit too close to comfort or way off the mark. Some messages are going to the wrong person entirely. Help avoid, retrieve, or even deliver these messages around town.

C. Candy Kisses. A special assortment of flat bottomed, tear shaped chocolates are currently selling like hotcakes and can be found practically everywhere. Their main selling point is they come in different colors and each color has a special effect that will make the eater want to kiss the person near them in a certain way (see chart). Some people are deliberately swapping the wrappers around, so be careful!

D. Bleeding Hearts Return. It's Valentine's, yet Cupid is nowhere to be seen. That is because he's still corrupted from last year and now he's thirsting for love, any love. Using the Bleeding Hearts from last year, Cupid is using them to gather all that jealous, possessive love, but of course that's going to make it worse. We're not tackling Cupid here, but the main goal will be helping those who are afflicted by the Bleeding Hearts and purifying them via dreamotion instead of just destroying them. Purifying the Bleeding Hearts with pure love—romantic, platonic, familial, reminders of how they are loved and cared for by others—will help Cupid. Of course this could backfire and make the person feel worse, so be careful!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Tifa had spent the better part of the night twirling on the dance floor and being whisked about, but even she needs a moment of reprieve from playing princess for a night. After splitting off from Eustace to mingle a little, and to try finding some of her other friends under these masks, she finds herself back at the brooches. It was a good idea—implementing a fun way to interact with people she might not have found herself meeting tonight, or any night for that matter, and there's no shortage of interesting people around these parts.

She's already heading back towards the ballroom proper with two more in hand when she hears a voice calling out from beside her, and a sharp, nervous feeling suddenly pricks at the back of her neck. For the briefest of moments, she swears the thick, metallic smell of mako fills her head, and everything in her vision turns an ominous blueish-green. She feels like that voice is distantly familiar, but it's so difficult to place, and it's all so fleeting that she hardly has time to piece it all together before she's turning around to the source of the voice.

It's a good thing her face is concealed, because at least her black wolf mask helps to hide the confusion finding its way into the wrinkles of her brow as she looks at the man searching for his partner.

And as luck would have it, one of the brooches in her hand shimmers brightly in response, the very same green that his is sparkling.

Tifa holds it out in her gloved palm as she slowly approaches, though her suddenly tense body language and her sheepish laugh and smile to match it speak volumes.]

... Looks like you got off easy with that one.

[She motions to the green one he's holding in his hand.]

[ Zack was use to the unexplainable; materia, mako, and heck- even SOLDIER themselves verged on the line of wondrous. Yet no matter what it was, he still found himself discovering things far beyond his understanding... these shiny brooches being one of them.

Sure, he had passed the entire scenario off as a whacky, exhausted induced dream, but even he was impressed with what his mind could come up with. Especially considering the person who actually approached with what seemed to be the other half of his missing piece.

Huh, so it actually worked.

The man smiled warmly behind the mask, giving the brooch a small shake between his finger tips to confirm that yes, they were both glowing the same type of green. ]

Figured this would be easier than spending the entire night hunting [ you ] this pin down. They're a lot of people here. [ ... Or was that suppose to be part of the game? Who knows.

He could instantly clock the slight unease she was giving off along with... something else? Huh. For a second he could almost feel like he's heard that voice before. There's a brief moment where he pauses to try to place it, but dismisses it in order for the silence not to linger on for too long. ]

Looks like I got pretty lucky. [ Another pause, but this time he walks forward to extend the brooch next to hers, watching them glow brilliantly beside each other. ] The name's Zack. Guess we're suppose to use these to get to know each other, right?

[Tifa had been prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt—to put all of that sudden and inexplicable ease behind her, and she'd even been genuinely smiling by the time he shook his brooch at her, but as soon as he says his name, there's that same sharp, prickling feeling that makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, and make her stomach twist with discomfort.

It dredges up those distant memories again, those fragmented pieces of her past that come in and out of focus. She's forgotten a lot of it, but she remembers enough to recognize that name... even if it is just the slightest bit. Enough to know who he is, and how she knows him.

Trying to play it off as just nerves, Tifa closes her fist around her brooch and tucks it behind her back, and there's a pause that's only seconds, but to her, it feels like it's being stretched into a whole lifetime. From the moment she curled up on that cold floor to now...]

Zack...

[Tifa tries to force a smile.]

It's nice to meet you.

[She doesn't introduce herself just yet, wanting to buy herself some time to think.]

[ The tension building between them could barely be sliced in half with the Buster Sword... which, admittedly, he wished he had with him. (Angeal was going to have his head for sure wherever he was). And while Zack was not able to read people as well as others could, there seemed to be a large shift in her behavior, especially when he stated his name.

His face looks apologetic when the brooch is pulled away from his, but his smile remains regardless.

Her voice. Something about seemed so familiar, yet as he continued to rack his brain nothing could quite seem to come to mind. Instead he'll continue to hold his hand out with the brooch even as Tifa retreated. ]

Hey... I'm not making you uncomfortable or anything, am I? [ Might as well get straight to the point. Saying that she looked uneasy was well over an understatement and only having just met her it didn't feel right for there to be any misunderstandings from the beginning. ]

I swear I'm not flirting- honest to Shiva!

[In the moment between when she offers her greeting and he responds, she wonders if maybe she's overthinking things. There was no way that it could be, could it? She can't say she remembers everything that night, especially the moments following her encounter with Sephiroth, but... she remembers saying some terrible things. To him...? To that man who was only trying to help her?

No, there's no way that it could be the same person, and this is all just a freaky coincidence. Same name, similar voice. That's all.

And when she hears his voice again, pulling her out of those thoughts, she does feel a little bad for making him worry.]

N-no, it's fine! Sorry...

[Tifa smiles again, a little more genuine, but still crooked.]

You just reminded me of someone I know. But... [Wracked with guilt now, Tifa looks to the dance floor and opens her hands to show off the brooch.] How about we dance? We have to fill these things up anyway, don't we?

[No, she's still not giving her name. She wants to be sure first.]

[ Still no name, huh...

He's not going to pressure her, especially considering her entire demeanor was looking to find an escape- had he possibly come on too strong? The thoughts were quickly dismissed with her next sentence however, and that at least allows him to smirk a bit under the mask. ]

Someone you know? Sorry, I don't know if we've ever met before. [ ... Had they? The more she spoke, the more of the air of familiarity pinched at his nose. While he wouldn't consider himself having the best memory of all, he did at least take pride in remembering those he did come in contact with, at least for a little.

Besides, he wouldn't forget someone who looks like that.

He'll take any opportunity given to push past this bit of awkwardness surrounding them as he molds back into his usual self upon the request. ]

If you don't mind me having two left feet. [ He chuckles lightly before finally offering the hand that wasn't occupied with the brooch, fingers beckoning for Tifa to take hold. ] Be a shame to waste this opportunity, after all! Not like I get to attend something like this very often.

[ He may have gotten an email before about some kind of military ball that Shinra was trying to host but... eh. May or may not have ignored that one. ]

[There's a moment where all of the tension in her shoulders leaves her when she sighs, grateful that he's agreed, even without a name. That's all part of the intrigue of a masquerade, isn't it? If she could just figure out if her intuition is right about him... It usually is on most things, but in this case, she's not sure if she wants it to be.

Still, she'll also gladly take any opportunity to leave behind the awkwardness that built up.]

Well, it's a good thing that I've got two right ones. [As in she's danced plenty of times before this. But before they head onto the dancefloor—] ... Do you need me to lead?

[She doesn't want to make assumptions!]

[ He's grateful some of the tension has passed, but that's not going to stop him from being a little more observant than he normally would have been when it came to something like this, especially with her first reaction to seeing him. There could be a number of possibilities as to who she was, or if she actually knew him. Perhaps she actually worked for Shinra... a new Turk, perhaps? He could never quite piece together their whereabouts, but something in the back of his mind doubted this.

He'll continue to go through the list until more clues were available. Until then... wait, did she actually try to use a joke?

Alright, now they were getting somewhere! ]

Heh! I got this- no problem! [ He thumbs his chest with the brooch hand, flashing her a dorky smile of sudden confidence. ] Dancing can't be that hard. Bet I could even do it with my eyes closed!

Alright. Let's see what you're made of, then.

[The statement is twofold, at least for her. Tifa continues to eye him with curiosity, but she can easily brush off her hesitation as she offers him a hand so that he can take the lead on this.

The music itself is a slower waltz, so at least it's something easy to dance to. Even if he didn't know all the steps, he could figure it out, and she could nudge him in the right direction if she needed to without wounding a man's pride too much.

That, and it's the perfect tempo for her to continue to ask questions...

So, as soon as they are out in the safety of the dancefloor, she finally gives him a better once-over... and she notices something she hadn't before.

... His eyes.

They pulse with the same green hues that strike so much familiarity in her that Tifa almost trips on her own feet when she realizes where she recognizes it from. She would know it anywhere, even if it has been over a year since she last saw them in Cloud...

Mako.]

Ah—sorry.

[She tries to distract herself with an apology as she rights herself, but she's catching herself staring again.]

Guess I'm the one with two left feet after all.

[ So he may or may not have been a little too confident while making the dancing statement... but there was no possible way he could back out of it now. Just gotta think of it like fighting, right? Remember your footwork and don't fall on your ass.

He manages at least, with Tifa helping from time to time when he almost fumbles. His movements are awkward at best; stiff and unfamiliar as he leads her through the motions.

Yet as he attempts to twirl her in rhythm with the music he spots it. The way she kept looking into his eyes.

He manages to catch her when she trips fairly easy. Tifa was so light in his arms and nothing compared to what he was use to lifting. And although he could sense the awkwardness forming in the back of his mind, Zack manages to smile down at her, giving her a small wink. ]

Pretty unique, right? [ He remembered when he use to boast about his eyes- the true pride and staple of a SOLDIER. He loved the way people he stare, because then they knew who he was... what he stood for.

But now he wasn't so sure. He still had his pride, his honor. Those were two things he'd never throw away, not after the words were passed down to him.

Regardless of all of that... he was still a 1st Class, and always would be. ]

It's alright if you wanna stare. [ He'll even give her the opportunity to look closer, now leaning in and using a hand to pull back a little on his mask to his forehead, fully revealing his face to her. ]

Edited (SORRY I KEEP ADDING AND TAKING AWAY) 2023-02-22 17:07 (UTC)

I wasn't—

[Staring. Except that she was, just not for the reason that he thought.

But she doesn't have time to even finish because he's lifting his mask and revealing his face, and everything hits her all at once. She knew the green had looked so familiar, but she couldn't be sure. No, she didn't want to be sure. She spent all that time trying to convince herself that what she was seeing was not what she thought it was. That it wasn't the green ring of mako, the telltale sign of a SOLDIER. But he's right—they are unique. So unique that Tifa could easily pick them out in a crowd...

So unique that it makes the scar on her chest suddenly feel like it's on fire, and like she's back on that cold metal grate inside the reactor. It's a memory that she's long since locked away, pieces forgotten, but even those quickly begin to fall into place. He was there... that night.

"Hate you... Shinra... SOLDIER... and you... I hate you all!"

She trips again, stepping right on his foot this time, and she has a little more trouble finding her balance this time, but before she can stop it, his name falls from her lips...]

Zack?

[He had said it already before, but there's a distinct note of recognition in her voice now. She really is staring, though it's not in awe of the mako in his eyes, but it's with fear and confusion as she clings awkwardly to him to save herself from falling.

And he might feel a sharp, quick zap of electricity against the back of his neck. One that comes from somewhere else in the ballroom as watchful eyes stare on...]

You're that SOLDIER...

Edited (it's my turn) 2023-02-24 22:28 (UTC)

[ Sure, it was all good and fun to tease around a little, but the more she stared... the more that tension began to build up again. It prickled in the back of his mind as his eyes studied her, closely, as if he was trying to read her thoughts.

His attention broke briefly when she misstepped, and oh my god did heels hurt (he was only use to wearing practically steel-toed boots, okay) but through that sudden and surprise bit of pain he was able to steady Tifa with a firm grip on her forearms. Those strong, military built arms kept her upright, and a small squeeze indicated protection against the hard flooring underneath them.

She said his name again, a bit differently this time, and immediately knew something about this was off. There was a familiar tone in her voice... but from where?

It's Zack who will be doing the staring now; bright mako eyes quickly scanning over her face, her lips, her eyes... anything that could possibly give him some sort of recognition to her. It wasn't until what she uttered next that caused his heart to sink in place.

"You're that SOLDIER..." ]

... Tifa. [ It wasn't a question, it was a confirmation. Slowly the pieces began to be put back together in his mind, and small flashes from the last moment he saw her flashed together in some sort of sick horror style movie.

It wasn't an image he was proud of remembering.

He continues to hold her in his arms, mouth slowly opening to form some kind of coherent response, but the zap against his neck jolts his thoughts back onto the dance floor. Wh- where did that come up? (And why was he getting hurt everywhere he goes around here!?) He'll peer around cautiously, not yet determining if it was from an unknown source or from the growing headache he was beginning to experience over this not-so-friendly reunion.

Wordlessly Zack will position Tifa into a formal and upright position and as he releases her a free hand will move to rub the back of his neck. He doesn't make eye contact with her, not yet, but his gaze will move towards the balcony on the other side of the room. ]

Should we... head outside for a sec?

Edited 2023-02-26 20:46 (UTC)

[It all instantly starts to feel like some crazy dream, like she's back on Gaia, back in Midgar and stuck in a twisted nightmare of her past. Like everything from back then is coming back to haunt her, turning what was a beautiful dream into a terrifying one as, like him, everything flashes before her eyes again. The air around them even grows hotter, and she can feel it burning her lungs...

She's stuck in those memories for a moment, only pulled free when he speaks again. Her eyes, wide, flick up to his before she's glancing around... and then removing her mask to fully reveal her face. There's no point in hiding her identity now that he's figured it out.]

Yeah. Let's.

[Lest she burn this whole place down.

There's a door leading out to a private terrace nearby, and she tries to hide the tension that's pulling her lips and brows into a frown as she turns on her heel and leads him outside, all while rushing through what she could even say to him.

What do you say to someone whose last words were "I hate you"? Looking back, she can't fault him for any of it in the end, but... seeing him only brings back those awful memories. Brings up all that hatred and anger for Shinra and SOLDIER that she's put behind her for now. She never thought she would see him again—she had no idea if he even made it out of there after the fires, but this world does like to pull fast ones on her, doesn't it?

So, once they're outside and the door is shut and the curtains pulled closed, Tifa still doesn't turn to face him, and instead... She looks out to the gardens below.

...

....

After a moment of silence, she finally speaks up with a quiet, unsure voice.]

So you made it out of there...

[ Though the walk to the terrace was not far, every step towards it felt like Zack was running a mile. He could feel the heaviness in his legs as he struggled to follow along, and the choking heat of the air surrounding them made hard to breathe.

She had every right to be angry. Every right to hate him and to never speak to him again.

To him, Tifa had only been an innocent bystander suddenly caught up and ultimately hurt by Sephiroth- by Shinra's actions. Her town and livelihood was compromised by a secret they chose to keep.

And, through proxy, one could say he was just as much at fault. He had followed Shinra, most times blindly, into situations deemed "classified". He was a SOLDIER. A project created by Shinra and a badge he had longed to wear ever since leaving home at such a young age.

But seeing Tifa's back to him, that same back that uttered those words to him years ago, made him only realize what an idiot he was. How he wasn't strong enough to protect her. How he wished he could have seen this coming.

...

He was pacing behind her when the curtains were closed as the rush of anxiety made it difficult for him to stand still. Hands pressed firmly to his hips, a frown large and full of regrets. ]

I... guess you could say that. [ The end of that night came as a daze to him. He remembered getting injured heavily. He remembered Cloud facing off against Sephiroth and defeating him. He could even remember how proud he felt that it was finally over... but there was something else, too. Whispers of scientists and his body too heavy to move. "Test subject" and laughter.

His world being in complete darkness.

Zack shakes his head violently to clear the thought. Instead he'll continue to pace, eyes averting to the ground and then to her back again. The process repeating time and time again. ]

Tifa, listen. [ He began, his voice low and honest. ] About that night... I'm sorry. I really am.

[ His fists clench tightly against his waist as he keeps that fiery distance between them. ] You don't have to forgive me, but I'm glad you're alright.

[His apology falls so heavily onto her shoulders that she has to brace herself against it, her eyes shutting tight as memories of that night continue to crawl forward to drown out every happy memory she's created since then. She knows that she can't hold it against him—that she has no right to hold onto this grudge, especially here of all places, where she wants to live a life separate from that one on Gaia that's filled with anger and a silent seeking of vengeance. She wants to live without that burden, and she had been, but now...

It's finally caught up and found her, just when she was starting to think that she could run and be free from it, even for a little while.

The quietest, saddest laugh escapes her in a sharp exhale, and Tifa shakes her head.]

It's fine.

[Is that an acceptance of his apology? Could be, but her voice is heavy. She isn't sure 'alright' was the right choice of words to describe how she felt in the aftermath.]

I don't know what happened in between, but I made it to Midgar after that.

[ The response was as expected and even if it sounded like forgiveness, the heavy air outside of the castle spoke volumes towards the opposite. He wasn't expecting anything right away, not after all that had happened, but at least the initiation was there.

There may not be a way he feels like he can make it up to her... but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

Her openness to continue a conversation emboldens him enough to take a step forward, meeting Tifa at the edge of the balcony. He keeps his distance, resting his forearms against the structure and doesn't meet her gaze. Instead he'll look outward to finally taken in the view from outside since arriving.

Should he tell her about what happened? Would that make anything better? He wasn't too sure... ]

You went to Midgar? [ There was the small opening he needed. The one small diversion to help the conversation along. That's where he was trying to head, too. He was almost there, in fact, before being carted off into this strange world. Would he have met her there?

Perhaps they would be having the same conversation they were having now. ] Funny, I was doing the same thing. How long have you been here- er, were there?

[ He's slowly trying to poke at the barrier around Tifa, trying to help her open up more. Zack always found himself being more relaxed the more he talked and this was certainly no exception. ]

I may not pay attention all the time but I'm pretty sure I've never seen Midgar look like this. Unless one of the sectors got a fancy upgrade.

[Though it's quiet and more breath than anything else, Tifa does laugh a little at his observation of this world. It's nothing like Midgar. The sky, speckled with stars, stretches as far as her eyes can see, beyond what she's capable of even imagining. She's seen the sea, the clouds, and even other worlds that she would never have been able to experience because of this place. Things that she missed out on while she was stuck underneath the plate in the City of Mako.

This world truly is beautiful in every sense of the word... which is why she's hesitant to let her thoughts get dragged back into that other place. One that she still often thinks about, but not so strongly anymore.

It feels so far away...]

Five years.

[She finally gives an answer.]

Midgar's not exactly the sort of place you want to start over, but it was the only place that had what I needed at the time.

[She glances at him again through the corner of her eye.]

You were there, too?

[ He could feel the air around them slowly beginning to loosen up, and for that he was grateful. Little by little he was going to keep chipping away at her until she gave in- that was his usual way of doing it, after all.

Never forcefully, of course... but he was persistent for a reason.

Midgar was the only place he wanted to start over. Aside from being under Shinra's thumb it was a place he could try to lie low and make another name for himself. Become a mercenary or really anything that would pay him enough. And... it's where she was.

He shakes his head to clear the thoughts momentarily before allowing a sigh to escape his lips. ]

Midgar was home base for me, so a bit of back and forth. I was stationed there, after all. [ He crosses his arms at this point, trying to keep from moving his hands around nervously. ]

After... that... I, uh, actually tried to make my way back there. Almost made it too before this weird pitstop.

[ He'd rather not going into the details unless he has to. No, not yet. Tifa was already being overloaded by so much and didn't want to add more to her plate. So instead he'll catch her gaze with the tiniest of smiles. He... does notice something about the way she looked out into the gardens, and instantly his interest peaked. ]

I take it you like it here?

[This time, she does whirl around to look at him, peeling her gaze away from the gardens below with a touch of surprise. No one's... really asked her that before, if she likes it here, which is a bit of a strange thought. Everyone sort of accepts eventually that this is where they will be for a while, and Tifa is among them, but she was never made to think about her answer.

... Not much these days, anyway.

There is something gentler in her expression, and a little less sad. He's still trying, and she'll at least give him this much. It's a much better topic than Midgar anyway.]

Yeah. I do.

[She's... happy here, and that much shows in her smile, and the way that the glass moon she wears around her neck shimmers a bright yellow, as does her brooch.]

Been here for over a year. ... Haven't actually been back for almost two, though. Was somewhere else before this.

[ Zack wasn't exactly expecting that reaction, and it startled him briefly. But... it was sweet, cute even, that he was slowly beginning to see a side of Tifa he had briefly met before.

It was subtle, and while he was sure the years had molded her into a different person, seeing that smile did help a lot. She was a lot stronger than she looked, and Zack admired that about her. ]

Heh. Traveling around, huh? Well... I'm happy for ya.

[ It's his turn to peel away from the balcony as he twists his body around so that his back is leaning up against it. And while he casts his gaze to the sky, he laughs again. ]

I mean who wouldn't like it here? Free clothes, food, and... what, a castle? Might as well slap a crown on you and call you a princess or somethin'.

Ah... I wouldn't go that far.

[She wishes that she still had her mask on, because that comment does bring about a flush to her cheeks.

He should really be careful, Eustace's ears are probably tingling right now—

But it does get a laugh out of her as well.]

This place has its perks, I guess. There are a few of us who have been here for a while, so you get used to everything else.

[ HE SEES IT. That's a mission accomplished for him, at least! ]

Awhile? Think someone did mention this being some kind of dream world. [ He pauses, take a moment to glance at his hands and flexing his fingers. ] It feels so real.

Well, we're all real. And so is this place.

[Sort of. Not even Tifa knows how to explain it, but that's the tapirs' jobs to do it, not hers... So, she just folds her hands together and sways on her feet, looking back out to the gardens again.

But yes, mission accomplished, Zack. Just get Tifa to talk about how much she loves and adores this world and the people in it, and all that tension seems to slide right off her shoulders. She can still feel it twisting her stomach with nerves, but it's worlds better than it had been even a few minutes ago.]

Real enough that... [Hm... Should she tell him? What's the harm, really?] I got married.

[ He... might admit that when the tapirs tried to explain to him what was going on when he arrived, he didn't quite follow. Maybe he should have listened a bit more intently.

But that will be for a later time, he supposed. For now he was just happy their conversation was turning a bit more normal. ]

Did you? Man, that's—

[ ........ wait. ]

—Hang on, married!? [ Zack can't help but balk at her response, his mouth agape with surprise.

Here!? What? HE HAS SO MANY QUESTIONS. ]

half of a pair, maybe theirs is a little later into the evening? 👀

👀 YES YES I'M READY

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