open ✨ tell me, is something wrong?

[starshower]

Who: Tifa Lockhart & YOU
What: August catch-all
Where: Around The Void
When: When the threads happen
Content Warnings: N/A

𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪'𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵. 𝚌𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚌𝚑 ★ 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝 ★ 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚌 ★ 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚍 ☁

Comments

✨ lemon cello church

[starshower]

[Another advantage of being the barmaid at the hottest place in town? She hears everything, and recently, she's heard something about new buildings materialising around The Void. A church, from what she's learned, and upon checking it out for herself, she discovers that it's not just any church, but one that Tifa's been to before—the one in the Sector Five where she, Cloud, and Barret had retrieved Johnny's stolen wallet. Guess Seventh Heaven wasn't the only thing they dragged down here. She wonders if the other two know about this being here... meanwhile remaining unaware that this is the church of a certain flower peddler.

As she passes through the front doors, she keeps her eyes sharp for anything that might look out of place, but so far, everything is just as it should be: the tall windows, the patch of flowers decorating the ground, and even the giant hole in the ceiling, which she pauses to stare up at before continuing to the altar. Or rather, where the altar should be.

Getting closer, she sees that it isn't an altar at all, but—]

Cakes?

[She leans in, hands on her hips, with an amused quirk to her lip.]

These seem a little too good to be true, don't they?

[rotomphone]

[ while Raihan isn't as much of an alcoholic as some people from his world are, he's dropped into Heavenly Blanc every so often to see what's new and chat with Tifa. he'd heard about some of the new buildings from her; obviously they sound like they're worth checking out, so he suggests that they give it a shot together. there's strength in numbers, and they've already proven that they make a decent team, so why not?

Raihan isn't a particularly religious person, but he takes care to walk through the building with respect when the doors creak open. he makes sure to remind Duraludon to do the same; his large body means that he has to take care not to crush any flowers, but he's determined not to!

he looks up, noticing the hole in the ceiling. Hammerlocke Stadium had something similar... interesting. he opens his mouth to mention it, but Tifa's question cuts it off. ]

Cakes?

[ well that's clearly more important! he jogs up to her side, letting out an amused chuckle when he sees that yes, she wasn't kidding there are cakes here, displayed neatly in a glass case. ]

They've got to be. Do you think they've got traps rigged up to them or something?

[starshower]

[At least Raihan and Duraludon are good company. She learns more and more about them and their Pokemon every day and is grateful for them answering the hundreds of questions she always seems to have about them. If anything, it makes for a decent conversation topic on their journey, but now they've found themselves standing together at a cake display in the middle of the Sector Five church.

She taps carefully on the glass, but nothing happens.]

Whoever left 'em here, I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt, but...

[Her brow wrinkles.]

Things haven't exactly always gone smooth around here. I mean, isn't it a bit strange that they're just here on display like this? Almost like they're trying to get us to reach in there and grab one...

[rotomphone]

[ they're excellent company, thank you very much! Raihan is more than happy to answer any questions Tifa has about his world and how it works, and he asks an equal amount to her in turn. it's not like you get to hear about different universes every day, even if those universes are exponentially less cool because they don't have Pokémon in them. ]

I mean, it could be alright? But come to think of it, I haven't seen any other food around here yet.

[ the edibility of the living creatures they've seen already notwithstanding, cakes being the first "food" item to appear is an odd choice, to say the least. he's not actually all that hungry, either... ]

Definitely. Pretty as they are, I'm going with my gut feeling... and I'm more of a pie guy, anyhow. [ he grins. ] What about you?

✨ wall market

[starshower]

[Darkness be damned, Tifa is finding this so-called "Market". First Seventh Heaven and now the church, this place hidden away in the caves sounds a little too familiar to not be what she thinks. It takes her a while to find her way through the tunnels of Mount Silver, but at least it gives her vision time to adjust enough that she can make out where she's going. Still, she loses her footing here and there along the way, until she reaches the cave where it stands.

Even now, there's no mistaking it. Wall Market—she'd recognize it anywhere, with its run-down aesthetic. She doesn't need the neon lights to work to know that there's a sign right in the middle of its entrance with its name, and a Supergirls one to her right.

Her exploration leads her to a food stand—one she's never been to before, though she never did spend much time in Wall Market. This one is a barbeque stand, and while the barbeque itself isn't working, it was still the smell of food that drew her here. Not that she's hungry—she can't remember the last time she felt like she needed to eat—but it's still strange that there's food in the first place.

Of course, wandering through food stands and an entire sector in almost pure darkness isn't easy, but who was she to ever wait for someone to figure shit out? That still doesn't change the fact that she's being very, very care—bang!]

Crap.

[Anyone who happens to be exploring the area at the same time (or with her) will hear a clattering followed by a very tiny gasp of surprise, and then her speaking from somewhere inside.]

Guess not even the best of us can beat the dark...

[bridge_princess]

You're taking it better than I would have.

[There was light. Not much of it, but just enough for the person to avoid banging their feet on something. It came from glowing green eyes that gave the blonde a sort of eerie look in the surreal dark of this place. She'd heard a rumor there was something in the caverns, and finally curiosity had gotten the better of her. And, well... living underground for centuries had some uses, not to mention that if her powers weren't working, at least the eyes could do a spooky glow.

Besides, being in the caverns meant fewer people around, right? Fewer people was ... easier to deal with. She was feeling drained by the sheer amount of socializing she'd been doing lately. But she caught sight of Tifa in here and started to walk closer.]

You're the barkeep aren't you? The one that had the party.

[starshower]

[The green glow that appears is definitely appreciated—having some light is better than the alternative that they've been suffering through. Her own eyes, while adjusted, still can't see several feet in front of her, so she's been knocking things over and walking into them left and right since she got here. Not even the most agile can get around that.

She snickers at the comment, a little embarrassed by her blunder, but she is taking it all in stride. If she took it any other way than being able to laugh about it, this entire sidequest into The Void would be far worse for her than it is.]

The one and only! [Well, Ren too, but he's not allowed to serve alcohol at the bar.] Tifa Lockhart, at your service.

[She gestures with a wave, hoping that Parsee can see it.]

Not sure what I was expecting when I came all the way out here, to be honest. I can hardly see a thing... but this is definitely Wall Market...

[bridge_princess]

[The upside of glowing eyes was that they didn't need batteries and didn't burn precious oxygen that they currently didn't need to breathe. Not great for making things less creepy, but at least their very immediate surroundings were clearer than they'd been. Parsee gave the woman a once over and made a little 'tch' sound, biting her lip and stuffing a part of her down for the moment. Other things to do than compare. Instead, she offered a nod of the head to the wave.]

Parsee Mizuhashi. I man the bridge out back. Ren could probably tell you more... not sure why he puts up with me hanging around, but he does.

So, another piece of your world. And the bar... is like a piece. How many from your world are there? I wonder... is it a one on one thing? Will it stop at the one?

[theforgottenboy]

[Cole had already explored a good chunk of the caves- as well as he could, with all the obstacles- before light decided to act differently, so he at least had an idea of where he was going as he tried to find his way through in the dark. Except he's pretty sure this place hadn't been here before. Is this new, too?]

[A place like this isn't very familiar at all, and he has some difficulty navigating himself. It feels like more of a maze than the caves.]

[When he hears that noise he startles, but then moves towards it when he hears a voice nearby, trying to find his way to her.]

Hello? Are you hurt?

[starshower]

[Tifa startles at the voice—she's not the greatest about sudden noises in the dark—but when she recognizes it as Cole's, she breathes out, a loud sigh of relief coming from inside the stall.]

Banged my side real good... And something fell against my leg.

[It's a bit on the sore side, but she'll manage, even with a small limp. She tries to navigate to the counter of the stall where she sets her palms down to steady herself, eyes squinting to make out his silhouette in the dark.]

What're you doing all the way out here?

[theforgottenboy]

[It's not too hard to find her once she answers, and he comes to linger in front of the stall.]

I was looking, for answers. Then this place was here, where it wasn't before. Do you need help?

[It's hard to tell in the dark if she was injured very badly, but she does appear to be able to stand, which is good.]

✨ heavenly blanc

[starshower]

[Most days—if you can call them that—are pretty normal around Heavenly Blanc. The bar is always open to those who would like to stop by for either a place to relax or drink, or have a quiet place to talk or think, and Tifa is, more often than not, somewhere nearby. Right now, she's behind the bar, starting another shift as normal as any when the bell on the door jingles.

She greets whoever enters with a smile.]

Hey! The usual?

[By now, she can easily remember the favourites of the people who frequent the place (what'll it be?) and she's already grabbing the supplies before they've taken a seat. Everything is normal up until... something breaks in her hand when she reaches for a glass beneath the counter. It's wet, and kind of slimy, and when she lifts it back up, her fingers are covered in... egg!?

She'd be more surprised... if this was the first time this has happened.]

... Not again.

[halloflamer]

[Blue is definitely what one might call a regular- if anything could be regular in a place where there was difference in points of time. But he was always popping in for a break from whatever he was doing, for a change of pace if nothing else, for a coffee if it was Ren on shift, or a shot or a beer from Tifa.]

[He cheerfully raises a hand in greeting as he pushes through the doors, taking a quick glance around to see if he spotted anyone else, and nods to her friendly greeting.] Vodka and OJ, you got it!

[He pops up a seat at the counter, and he's just about to ask how things are around the bar when he hears the weird, wet crack of something, and then Tifa's groan.]

Huh?? What happened? [Blue tries to lean over the counter a little and peer at whatever that sound was.]

[starshower]

[The glass in her clean hand gets slammed onto the counter, while the other lifts higher to reveal her hand smeared in egg whites and yolk, dripping all over the floor and the bar. She doesn't even move to clean it up immediately, but instead, leaves it there just to drive the point home—to who? Certainly not Blue. Maybe this is some kind of defiant middle-finger to the universe.]

Egg.

[She sounds... tired all of a sudden. Absolutely Done.]

They've been everywhere in the bar since the party...

[halloflamer]

Eggs? Whaddaya got eggs laying around down there for!?

[He says it almost jokingly, but obviously it's for real.... He blinks with a sympathetic frown at the drip of yolk from her hand as she grumbles at the universe, and looks about to see if there was a napkin or something he could hand her.]

...Sheesh, that's real weird though, huh? [He scoots over to a pile of napkins on the side of the bar counter and tugs one over to her. He's sure she has bar rags in the back there somewhere, but he should be a gentleman and help!] Any idea where they came from? Are the Pidgey getting inside here? Seemed to me like they were happy to stay on the roof, but...

[forethinking]

Hey, I'm back.

(Tifa makes great virgin cocktails, and while he wasn't expecting one, it's not a bad surprise. Ren strips his blazer to hang and take the apron to replace it when he hears the crack.

He frowns.)

Again? Where did that come from?

[starshower]

[She just shoots him an irritated look, not at all directed at him, but... well.]

Under the bar.

[At that, she checks for any others that might be on the shelf below, but it's all just glasses. How convenient that it was just the one, placed with her supplies. Well, might as well clean it off... With it dripping all over the counter and the floor, she struts over to the sink and pulls her gloves off to run her fingers under the water.]

Did you put that one there?

Re: ✨ heavenly blanc

[bridge_princess]

[She flopped into a seat at the bar later in the .... honestly? She didn't know. She'd been experimenting with a water clock and while others had said time seemed weird it had proven how weird it was. Without anything like the sun or the moon or any other method to keep time, it wasn't possible to tell.

Either way, it had been... time since they'd seen each other in the Wall Market. But not enough time that Parsee was actually hungry. The lights were still not working right, so it was gloomy in here with only the light coming through the windows. She settled her elbows on the counter and grunted.]

Something amber or clear. Stiff. I have a headache and I want to forget it. [The headache's name might be Ren. It might also be Kaiba.]

... those chicken things are everywhere aren't they?

[starshower]

Not the chickens so much as the eggs...

[Just an odd observation she's made over the past few... days? in the bar. She's only come across two or three of them, but for every one chicken she finds having wandered inside seeking shelter from the wind, or a safe place to hide, she discovers five eggs, placed in random spots around Heavenly Blanc.

Including beneath the counter, where she keeps the glasses.

After washing her hands of the dripping insides of the egg, she pours Parsee a glass of something amber (which I can't be bothered to name because I know nothing about alcohol), sliding it over to her from the other side.]

Well, hopefully this'll do the trick...

[She sounds unsure of herself, because the booze hasn't been doing what it should be lately.]

Something happen?

✨ wildcard

[starshower]

( Want to do something else with Tifa? Leave a prompt here, or hit me up via PM or at crystariums if you'd like to plot something specific! )

chicken! hunting!! ... or general exploring, and we'll see if the chickens come in

[yinception]

[Things are changing every now and then in this world. Since everything was new to start with, realization comes slowly in some cases, just as it comes with the subtlety of a hammer to the head in others. But the latter cases are fine, too. If nothing else, it brings home everything else that may be changing without it being all in-your-face, and that's as good a reason as any to go exploring.

That, and it's not like there's a whole lot else to do here, anyway. Not that Wuxian would mind spending his every waking moment (which is every moment, as it happens) in the bar, but even drinking gets boring after a while.

The company, however, does not! Which is why he's going exploring with Tifa.]

Since there is wind now, do you think we'll get rain soon? [He taps his chin thoughtfully.] Or would snow be more likely to fall, since there's already snow on the ground in some places...

they definitely will

[starshower]

I hope not! [She slows in her step, looking down to examine herself, and then gestures.] Until some new shops pop up with something warmer to wear, I'm hoping the wind is the worst of it.

[She's already experienced the snow on the mountain, having appeared in the ruins where the rain had transformed to snow as the world created itself around her, and it was cold. Even Midgar didn't get that chilly – not with the sunlamps beaming down on them all day.

Her arms stretch up above her head, and that brings her gaze up to the sky, or lack thereof.]

I don't mind the wind, but what I wouldn't give for some real sun for once... y'know?

[It's been so long...]

☁ closed to cloud

[starshower]

[It isn't that she's not grateful that there's a place to stay now, but there is certainly a lot left to be desired in terms of aesthetics in the new apartments that have sprung up near the lake. Her nose wrinkles as she leads Cloud inside the room that she's claimed for him, conveniently located right next door to hers, and she offers him a crooked smile when she turns to him, gesturing at the room and trying to come off as enthusiastic as possible.]

Well? [But it's short-lived when she catches sight of the dirty sink... Her shoulders slump.] I know it isn't much, but I think it'll be better once we get them cleaned up.

[She wanted to be quick about grabbing him this one, so she hasn't had the chance to tidy either her room or his. That would come after.]

It's no Stargazer Heights, that's for sure.

[And that's saying something. Those apartments weren't the most luxurious in Midgar, but they were... homey.]

[memorate]

[ Even if there's no need for sleep in this world, it's good to have a "home base", so to speak. He no longer has to carry a giant sack of inventory if he can just leave his things here, so that's a plus! To be so close to Tifa's living quarters brings him comfort, too.

Honestly, he can't complain, even if it seems like she's expecting him to. ]

It'll have to do, right?

[ Setting both his sword and bag of belongings aside after he enters, he takes another inquisitive glance around the room. She... wasn't kidding about the cleaning thing, huh. He waves his hand near his face, trying to fan some of the stench away. ]

Let me guess... the manager isn't around.

[starshower]

[She had expected him to have something to say about the rooms—honestly, who could blame him?—but when he sets his things down, she's relieved, even as he fans the air around his nose.]

No Marle this time to keep everything in tip top shape, so we'll have to do it ourselves.

[If she were the landlady here, she wouldn't be standing for any of this. She'd be up in a jiffy to scold whoever left the messes and wouldn't ease off until it was cleaned. For now, this will have to do, and she doesn't mind helping Cloud clean up and getting settled. They may not need to sleep, but having a place to call home for now, that isn't the bar, would be kind of nice.

Tifa crosses the room to open the fridge, only to find yet another jug of spoiled milk inside. Making a face, she shows it to him and tosses it into the trash can.]

See? Already off to a great start. I'll help you with the rest of it, promise! [She claps her hands.] And we should try and get one of these rooms for Aerith, too.

[That way, they can all be together...]