theclipper_tlv | Video + Spam (CW: unintentional self-harm)

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Video + Spam (CW: unintentional self-harm)

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[Cloud is very reluctant, but also very... worried, to say the least. This isn't a place he recognizes, and there are far more new faces than he recalls being on the Barge. Everything feels completely wrong, and he was already dealing with distortion and confusion.

He's giving the camera a very sharp glare.]

Who the hec-... [Okay, no - what the frick is this shoot? UGH.] Where is this? ... Why is this?

[That just leaves the what, but he's fine with not getting that answer, just yet. Duck ALL of this, really.]

SPAM

[Otherwise, people are welcome to find him just about anywhere he has access to. Catch him trying to kick a door down - HELP him try to kick a door down, if that's more your thing.

Additionally, he might be trying to test the durability of the knives around here (by using other knives to sharpen it), in his efforts to get the stupid device off of his wrist. It... goes kind of badly, however, and he completely slices into the palm of his own hand. Given that his knife was still fairly dull in some places, it somehow hurts even more than it was ever meant to.]

Dang it- That's not what I was trying to say, darn-...! [AUGH] Screw it.

[He throws the butter knife at the wall. If someone happens to be walking by.... Whoops?]

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[Hua Cheng looks down at the knife, allowing himself a few moments to be deeply unimpressed before regaining the smile he usually wears here.]

It looks like you could use some help!

Hey, Cloud. We're on a different ship.

What'd the Authority tell you about it? I didn't get much myself, but--

[A soft huff of breath, like a verbal shrug.]

Unless you've got a key to remove this thing, I'm not interested.

[He's immediately wary of this guy, of course. New place, new people, no memory of how he got here... Something about the whole... medical aspect of this place is doing him no favors, either. His anxiety is currently attempting to push its way through the roof.]

It can't be removed, even if you cut your hand off with a butter knife. [Not that he'd recommend that. Besides, he doesn't think that would be particularly achievable.]

But we can't have blood getting all over! It's not hygienic, or good for people's nerves.

Yunlan...?

[He makes a quiet sound of frustration.]

I was just told I was being... picked? By someone similar to the Admiral... then I wound up here. You're the first person from the Barge I've talked to.

[Despite the clear and understandable anger, he's managing to keep his voice calm.]

Where are you now?

[He bites back the urge to make it perfectly clear just how little he cares about anyone's nerves. His nerves aren't exactly steady, and he can't imagine anyone else from the Barge is going to be particularly calm! Huff.]

Like heck I-... [He lets out the most annoyed sigh as he rolls his eyes over the stupid censoring thing.] I don't care if anyone gets bothered by a little blood.

[ ... Another sigh escapes and he drags his uninjured hand over his face for a moment. He doesn't feel like getting into a fight over a stupid cut.]

But... fine. Not like I have much else to do right now. What needs to be done?

[He could add a cheerful line about the importance of thinking of others, but arrival can be disorienting and he is capable of being... he would call it 'nice'.

So he settles for just pulling out a bottle from a pocket, tone going more business-like, though still cheerful.]

Here, hold out your hand.

I'm afraid that won't do you much good if your goal is to get in.

[Comes a soft, deep voice belonging to a tall man. He walks over a bit closer, but overall doesn't seem bothered by the display of aggression. Nor is there any move to further dissuade Cloud.

Instead, he looks to the Patient.]

I could provide you with a tour of the Treehouse [that is, the place of the door Cloud was trying to break into] if you wish.

Edited 2022-08-02 01:00 (UTC)

[Sooooo much wariness is showing, but he does slowly hold his hand out, palm up. This guy feels a bit like someone who'd smile while pouring pepper juice into a wound.]

Like this...?

[There's a flicker of wariness as he stares the taller man down for a bit. It's almost like he's planning to claim he was just excited to see the tree. Really.

But that fades as he steps aside.]

Just how big is this treehouse, that it requires an actual tour...?

They said a little more to me. Something about three different ships getting the chance to pick.

So there ought to be plenty of us here. One-third, give or take. I'm down in...

[ugh]

The common room at the bottom of the tree? By the blue and yellow bookshelf.

[To be fair, it is a very large and impressive tree.]

It's as tall as the combined height of all these floors. Were we able to view nature outside it, I imagine it'd be quite spectacular indeed.

[Achilles takes the key hanging from the lanyard around his neck to open the door.]

Instead, it serves as... well, an outpost of sorts. Or an observation tower, I've been told.

[He then steps aside and gestures Cloud in.]

Personally, I generally use it to keep an eye out for anyone who I think might benefit from some company in the moment.

[Hua Cheng would argue, in his defense, that pouring pepper juice into a wound is very funny, so it's hard not to smile. But he has more important goals than his entertainment, so the smoke from the bottle just settles onto the wound, knitting the skin back together.]

Exactly. There now, that's a little quicker than pulling out the band-aids with the cute pictures on them.

[Sephiroth doesn't like this anymore than Cloud does ... he especially doesn't care for the general feeling of this place. The barge was annoying enough. This is somehow worse.

At least he's somehow managed to track Cloud down who is apparently trying to kick down a door. Sephiroth steps up behind him rather silently for someone of his size, almost to the point if Cloud backs up any he might just bump into him. It's hard to say if that's on purpose or not.]

You are only going to draw attention to yourself.

You are you and this is here. Why is a very good question, but I have a preference for Z.

[He doesn't notice until he does, in fact, back up a little. It was for the sake of trying to throw more weight into his kick.

After spinning around, there's just the faintest swell of relief - both felt and shown. Of course, it's only because any familiar face is better than no familiar face. Or so he's convincing himself. Anyway.]

So what?

[Faintly, he entertains the thought of using one of the Assistants as a door ram. With a sigh, he folds his arms over his chest.]

Seen anyone else from the Barge? The only other one I've talked to is Yunlan.

[And, of course, Zack is main one he's asking about. He does wonder if Connor and a few others are okay, but there's only so much he can do, as things stand. Best to focus on one detail at a time.]

Now, that isn't how it's done.

[ The blue glow is something that they all share, but his eyes have a greenish tint to them, and his smile seems far brighter than it should be. There is a kind of classy rich tone to his words and he simply picks up the knife and tilts it to the side before setting it down in the dirty sink. Then he holds out his hand. ]

Let me see, Strife.

[Sephiroth is a little pleased by the way Cloud spins around like a startled cat. Getting the jump on the shorter man is always something of a pleasure. So there's a bit of a smirk there, just a hint of one anyway.

At the question he'd sigh were it not beneath him, though one almost manages to slip out.]

It is unfortunate, but I cannot tell if Zack is here or not. My powers are even more affected by this place than before.

[And he hates that. Though at least he answers Cloud's unspoken question almost like he read his mind. Which he can't, he just assumed that's who Cloud really wants to know about.]

Otherwise I have not heard from anyone holding any importance.

Helpful. Thanks.

[That's said so dryly.]

Got any less confusing words of wisdom?

[WOW. You wipe that smug look off your face right now!!

Cloud's looking annoyed, at first. Then he looks both annoyed and concerned over the words.]

... Great. [While he does prefer Sephiroth being less of a threat (towards anyone stupid enough to pick a serious fight), there are... far more downsides in the current situation.] Then... let's look for him the old-fashioned way. Maybe... ask around, see if anyone saw someone matching Zack's... description?

[But even as he says that, he's realizing something. One hand is lifted, and he lightly rests a finger against his temple. No headache, this time...? He doesn't know how to feel.]

[He hates everything about the first part. The quiet sound he makes gives as much away. But, okay. Blue and yellow bookshelf, bottom of the tree.]

Be there soon.

[Cloud doesn't have any kind of plan, beyond meeting up. Once he does get to the specified area, he looks around.]

[Zhao Yunlan is also not a big fan. In fact, he's far enough from a fan of the idea that his tirade is probably the reason he's a patient here. He waves from his spot perched on the corner of one of the brightly colored picnic tables when he sees Cloud looking around, and gestures him over to find a seat. There's the picnic table, there's a comfy sofa, there's a gosh-darned beanbag. For the things that don't matter at all, the Clipper gives them plenty of options.]

Hey there. Have a seat, take a deep breath, you look like you could use both those things.

[In he goes. He takes a moment to look around, eyebrows lifting a bit.]

Oh...

[Very big, indeed.]

Guess this would make it easy to spot anyone. Although... I imagine it'd be kind of difficult to get to someone quickly enough, in an emergency. If you were all the way up top.

[The more annoyed Cloud looks, the more smug Sephiroth becomes. It's a never ending cycle.

He does hate to admit it, but they will probably have to look the 'regular' way. He's not going to say that Cloud is right though.]

Is this is a task you wish to split up for or ...?

[Are they going to explore this place together? Whichever is fine, but Sephiroth would rather not risk getting separated again.

He also takes note that Cloud doesn't seem to be grabbing his head in pain like all the other times Zack's name is mentioned. Is that this place or something else? Questions to deal with later he supposes.]

[He doesn't wannaaaa...]

We probably... [A quiet sigh...] ... shouldn't go our separate ways until we know more about this place. So, let's stick together, for now.

[UGH.]

[Little does Cloud know he's sealed his own fate.]

As you wish. If he's here he'll make himself known sooner or later. He's not one to keep quiet forever.

[Cloud is never getting rid of him.]

[Countdown to regrets.

Cloud nods, and then turns and starts walking in a direction that's different from the one Sephiroth just came from - since he highly doubts he would have missed Zack, of all people.]

What do you make of this place so far?

[It's hard to miss Zack, that'd be like missing a rampaging puppy. Impossible.

Sephiroth moves to follow Cloud, but eventually moves mostly beside him.]

It feels fake. Forced. They want happiness and contentment, but their methods are much like the propaganda of Shinra. Make others believe in their ways, and keep reminding them until they do.

[His brow furrows.]

... Why do band-aids need cute pictures?

[That sounds like a waste of ink and time. Who's gonna be sitting and gazing at their band-aid to enjoy tiny art?]

[He shrugs.]

Before coming here, I'd never seen any band-aid.

I can only assume that the Nurse finds them - better that way? If it's not standard.

[He nods.]

So far, the only big difference I'm seeing is there's too much protection. It feels like someone could start coughing, and staff would climb over themselves to help put a stop to it.

[... Which, hey, sounds like a great idea if they need a diversion at any point.]

But who knows what else they'd do in their attempts to hold control. If the staff were to somehow lose it, I wonder how they'd act.

[That's a thought. Would the person controlling the ship have a melt down? He's not normally one for random chaos, in fact, he generally despises it. But in this case it might be warranted.]

[He does need to take a breath and maybe relax a little. Somewhat reluctantly, he does sit not too far from Yunlan.]

Guess... technically, I don't have anything better to be doing, right now...

[Sitting, talking... watching the area around them...

Problem is, this has him feeling antsy. Like he really needs to be doing something else. But, for now, he can manage it. He lets out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. The next thing is asked a bit reluctantly.]

Has... this kind of thing ever happened before? That... you know of.

Never.

[So he doesn't know if they're going to be able to get out of it.]

The Admiral stopped in at dry dock for repairs some years back and wound up stealing a different Barge to get everybody out of there, but that's the only other time I've heard about the Authority getting involved.

As if I'd know. But I'm gonna guess it has something to do with our little Authority-enforced pit stop.

[Instantly, he's tensing up. That voice... those eyes...]

You're-...

[Of course, thanks to this place - or, maybe it's more thanks to the one running it - Cloud's memories are both better and worse (it depends on individual perspective). Reaching for specific memories of that time doesn't physically hurt, but... it also doesn't do him much good. Right now, this is someone who's roughly as (un)familiar as Zack has been, give or take.

He's had some time to grasp at a few figurative straws, since his arrival to the Barge, but none of them truly help. Cloud's also completely distracted from the last thing Genesis said, too, as he's too busy staring. And asking really obvious questions.]

... Working here, too?

... 'Pit stop' sounds way more temporary than they're likely going for. I'm guessing they think we'll just willingly move in.

[With that, he lets out a sigh, shaking his head. Fortunately, he can pick up context clues, with this.]

I'm gonna find out who all's here. Uh... what's your name?

Sure, but I wasn't exactly talking about that part.

The name's Xigbar.

Turns out it's shockingly difficult to keep up, when I just barely had an idea of what was going on, before this.

[Being the new guy is never fun in any situation, but this whole thing took it to a new level of confusing. He frowns a little at the name. Zig... bar? His mind unhelpfully draws up the word "zig-zag".]

Cloud.

[Even if his name might already be known, it's a sorta-habit.]

If you want the basic rundown, all you had to do was ask.

[Not that... Xigbar immediately jumps into the explanation, mind. But the offer is there.]

I'll keep it in mind.

Didn't feel like asking the same questions other people already did. And... I was in the middle of reading more on it when we got shoved into quiet time.

[Naturally, by then, it was too late. There's a brief moment of hesitation before he nods.]

If... you don't mind, I'd appreciate a simpler rundown later. After I've had time to get my bearings.

Sure thing. Just drop me a line and I'll see what I can get cleared up.

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Video + Spam (CW: unintentional self-harm)

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