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dualislogs2019-11-24 12:52 am
bravers) wrote in dualislogs2019-11-24 12:52 am
But the night begins to turn your head around
WHO: Cloud Strife and Vincent Valentine.
WHAT: Exploration!
WHERE: Between Dualis and the swamps.
WHEN: late November.
WARNINGS: Violence, and lots and lots and lots of introspection.
[The past few days had been pretty shitty. Pretty shitty, of course, was an understatement. Cloud, himself, had mostly wanted to withdraw- to separate himself from everyone that knew him, and honestly? Stay there. It'd be safer for everyone if he did. Better, too.
So much had happened since he found himself at Dualis. Enough, for instance, for him to forget the despair that'd come immediately after the temple of the ancients, as well as his desire to leave everything and everyone then and there. He'd met people, with their own problems, their own insecurities, their own screwups that made everything personal feel smaller. Helped, or at least listened, to a few of them too.
He'd almost forgotten. That was more of a realistic assessment. Because it'd come back. Zack had told him most of what he'd long since blocked out- what'd happened in the Shinra manor basement at Nibelheim before their escape. And, honestly...? What Zack couldn't explain, travelling Gaia in his absence had filled in the gaps Zack couldn't explain. And worse- Time in Dualis, the very time that'd originally helped him- had filled the gaps in further- creating a clear and unarguable picture of everything, at its ugliest.
So leaving the city was easy. He'd originally agreed to go with Vincent. And... honestly, he... shouldn't be around people from Gaia. Not for a while, at least. Not until he understood himself better, understood what exactly the truth meant. But...
Vincent isn't the same as everyone else. He's different. Whereas anyone else would ask questions and voice opinions loudly, he doesn't. Any misgiving or opinion Vincent tended to form stayed inside- at least until it became useful to voice it. That, as well as the fact he's not entirely sure Vincent's entirely in the know about the events of the past few days.
So here they are. They've met earlier in the day, and they've got ready. They have approximately three days worth of food, basic camping equipment and his bike's been charged to full, with some extra battery packs just in case. They're hurtling through the wastelands, toward a point where the ground looks... different.
Minutes pass. Or is it hours? He's not entirely sure. The scenery's the same, the only difference is the trees in the distance actually look like trees now. But there's a lurch in the ground- and the engine gives a high-pitched shriek. Mud splatters underneath the tyres- and a few revs as he changes gears aren't exactly enough to make passage any easier. The ground's being chewed up around them, the speed slowing and slowing until its a crawl.
It's obvious. The ground's now impassible on this thing. The types are half-buried, and he's pretty sure even Shinra's (admitted) knack for making decent engines isn't going to be enough. So silently, he switches the engine off, stepping out from the thing with a squelch as both of his boots hit the ground.
He looks to Vincent.]
Next couple of hundred yards looks like it'll be on foot.
[No use losing their only way back, after all.]
WHAT: Exploration!
WHERE: Between Dualis and the swamps.
WHEN: late November.
WARNINGS: Violence, and lots and lots and lots of introspection.
[The past few days had been pretty shitty. Pretty shitty, of course, was an understatement. Cloud, himself, had mostly wanted to withdraw- to separate himself from everyone that knew him, and honestly? Stay there. It'd be safer for everyone if he did. Better, too.
So much had happened since he found himself at Dualis. Enough, for instance, for him to forget the despair that'd come immediately after the temple of the ancients, as well as his desire to leave everything and everyone then and there. He'd met people, with their own problems, their own insecurities, their own screwups that made everything personal feel smaller. Helped, or at least listened, to a few of them too.
He'd almost forgotten. That was more of a realistic assessment. Because it'd come back. Zack had told him most of what he'd long since blocked out- what'd happened in the Shinra manor basement at Nibelheim before their escape. And, honestly...? What Zack couldn't explain, travelling Gaia in his absence had filled in the gaps Zack couldn't explain. And worse- Time in Dualis, the very time that'd originally helped him- had filled the gaps in further- creating a clear and unarguable picture of everything, at its ugliest.
So leaving the city was easy. He'd originally agreed to go with Vincent. And... honestly, he... shouldn't be around people from Gaia. Not for a while, at least. Not until he understood himself better, understood what exactly the truth meant. But...
Vincent isn't the same as everyone else. He's different. Whereas anyone else would ask questions and voice opinions loudly, he doesn't. Any misgiving or opinion Vincent tended to form stayed inside- at least until it became useful to voice it. That, as well as the fact he's not entirely sure Vincent's entirely in the know about the events of the past few days.
So here they are. They've met earlier in the day, and they've got ready. They have approximately three days worth of food, basic camping equipment and his bike's been charged to full, with some extra battery packs just in case. They're hurtling through the wastelands, toward a point where the ground looks... different.
Minutes pass. Or is it hours? He's not entirely sure. The scenery's the same, the only difference is the trees in the distance actually look like trees now. But there's a lurch in the ground- and the engine gives a high-pitched shriek. Mud splatters underneath the tyres- and a few revs as he changes gears aren't exactly enough to make passage any easier. The ground's being chewed up around them, the speed slowing and slowing until its a crawl.
It's obvious. The ground's now impassible on this thing. The types are half-buried, and he's pretty sure even Shinra's (admitted) knack for making decent engines isn't going to be enough. So silently, he switches the engine off, stepping out from the thing with a squelch as both of his boots hit the ground.
He looks to Vincent.]
Next couple of hundred yards looks like it'll be on foot.
[No use losing their only way back, after all.]
no subject
[Vincent's new firearm, three barrels of rage lined with silver that connects to a chain holding specially set materia, is a new addition to his arsenal. It allows the marksman with a penchant for magic to do both at once, and he makes quick work of finding the lightning materia in his hip pouch, affixing it to the grip of his gun as he moves, seemingly weightless, to the far end of the thick branch from which he's been watching.]
Draw it on land if you're able. I'll take care of the rest.
no subject
[Bait he is. He's fine with it of course, since... well, he tended to be bait in most situations. There's a crash of filthy water as the ripples hit the edge, and is churned up into about 300-400 pounds of scaled, jawed, snapping muscle. There's no shot yet- but that's fine too. He trusts Vincent. The shot'll come when it's most effective. Not a moment before, or after.
So, he draws the creature further out of the water and into the mud- moving the atlas in a slash. It's not intended injure, or maim. It's too close still to the water's edge to risk actually engaging it, lest he be dragged into the water by it- instead, the slash is meant for the air. To simply catch the low light the ancient-looking trees and glare it into the creature's face, to antagonize it into giving up its advantage.
It works. The creature ambles forward at a far greater speed than Cloud would have thought four stumpy, odd-looking legs would be able to afford it- and he's quick to bring the atlas back in a glance against the end of its nose. It bellows, but the strike isn't enough to stop it.]
no subject
When Vincent alights beside Cloud, gun still at the ready, the beast is still twitching.]