(ley line)

[anciently]

[ Perhaps the light, female voice is familiar to those who hear it, recognizable as belonging to Aerith, or perhaps it's a stranger that you suddenly have chatting in your mind. Either way: ]

Hi there, everyone! I won't take too much of your time.

How many people have gone home from here and come back, and...how many have just...gone?

Just wondering. Thanks.

[ Those even a little familiar with the flower girl might note the uncharacteristic curtness to the message, clipped in tone and lower in energy than her usual... ]

Comments

[rotomphone]

[ the voice familiar, yes, but it's the tone that he doesn't recognize. he's used to Aerith's voice being much cheerier, which means that it's his turn to return the favour she's extended to him several times over already. ]

Sounds like you've gotten enough answers. [ he'd just be repeating what others have told her. right now, he's more worried about why she's asking in the first place. ] Anything else you want to talk about?

[anciently]

Hmm... [ Raihan, she Appreciates you. Aerith smiles faintly on her end, humming as she thinks it over. ] Nothing, really. But I wouldn't say no to some company if you're free to hang out for a bit. Heavenly Blanc?

[ She needs a drink, at least, if he'll humor her... ]

[rotomphone]

Sounds like a plan. I'll meet you there.

[ he trusts that she'll open up if she wants to, but the least he can do is offer his presence as company - perhaps with his usual boisterousness turned down a bit, in favour of reading the room. he's already leaning behind the bar counter when she arrives, looking up from his phone to greet her with a wave and a small smile. ]

If I can't buy you a drink, I figure the least I can do is make you one. [ if she's up for it, anyway. if not, he makes a mean ice water. ]

[anciently]

[ Aerith enters, coming to a brief halt when she sees him behind the counter rather than at a table, but she quickly adapts, offering a faint smile and a wave herself as she approaches and takes a seat. ]

Well, that's really kind of you. I could definitely use one. [ Something a little stronger than water, maybe. Aerith shifts slightly in her seat, folding her hands over the counter as she sits in silence, thoughts competing to be given voice inside of her. ]

So... That new communication system is really something, huh? I've never really seen anything like that before...

[ says the person who spoke to a guy in a dream sequence, but okay ]

[rotomphone]

[ he'll move to sit at the bar once he's done his due diligence for both of them - Blue isn't around to bartend, and he'd hardly expect Ren to, so that leaves him and his lack of experience that he plans to make up in sheer unfounded confidence. fake it 'til you make it! ]

I'd say it's common decency for a friend. And I'm not about to let a pretty girl drink alone, so, [ he nods to the bar. ] any preference?

[ he'll be pouring himself some bourbon to nurse - the next best thing when he can't have a domestic brew from home, and easy enough to prepare with a couple of ice cubes. ]

No kidding! That's pretty much the last thing I expected to come from an earthquake. [ and the fact that no one got hurt because of the tremors is a stroke of luck, frankly. he'd been worried about an avalanche from Mt.Silver hitting the ground. ] There are Pokémon and humans with psychic powers where I'm from, but the latter are pretty rare.

[anciently]

Hmm... [ She smiles lightly as she considers the question, watching as he fixes his own drink. ] I'll have what you're having!

[ Why not, right? It's...an occasion. Albeit a bleak one. ]

That's for sure. The last earthquake I remember brought that weird dream...the one where we all saw how things got to be in bad shape around here. [ She shakes her head, as if dismissing the uncertain memories of that time. ]

Really? Guess that doesn't surprise me. Pokémon are pretty amazing... [ A beat. Then: ] - Wait, humans with psychic powers? You didn't tell me that people can do things like that, too!

[ Where he comes from, at least. In her world, of course, they have the materia. ]

Even if they're rare, that's amazing.

[rotomphone]

Excellent choice! You always struck me as someone with good taste.

[ his lips quirk into a small smirk as he grabs her a glass with a couple of ice cubes. ]

Don't remind me. I still have no clue what was going on with that... besides feeling like the world was out to give me some personalized anguish. [ he says it casually as he pours her drink, to brush off how much it bothered him. he doesn't need to dwell on it again - Aerith saw him at that low point with her own eyes. ] Good times, right?

[ it certainly was not, but he'd rather be flippant about it than allow the mood to sour more than it already has. they didn't meet here to talk about him, and he's (perhaps surprisingly) cognizant of that. ]

You'd think so, but the ones I've had the pleasure of dealing with sure don't let you forget it. [ Galar's Psychic-type Gym was by far the most famous family with powers in the region, but it was their holier-than-thou attitude that struck badly with him. there's only so much cockiness you can play up before it starts becoming irritating - he'd made a vow to himself to go dark on social media for good if he ever got that bad. ] And stuff like that doesn't matter on the pitch, anyhow! It's your battling skill that you're judged on.

[ but enough about that - both of them have drinks now, and he refuses to neglect them. he raises his glass to her, in offering. ]

So, what are we toasting to?

[anciently]

Glad my true nature came across so easily! [ Aerith returns the little smirk as he fixes the drink, waiting patiently, mind soon drifting back to the loss at hand... ]

Yeah. Good times... [ Not so much. But, neither of them are likely to dwell, and they'd already - sort of - worked through all that. So, for now, she just heaves a sigh in opposition to what the void had inflicted on him back then. ]

That right? Well, I guess it is something to be excited about...but, it sounds like they go a little too far. [ Sure, it's pretty amazing, but not to the point of lording it over other people! ] I'm sure it doesn't come in handy at all during battles, anyway.

[ Like he's saying. Unless they somehow manage to cheat, which she assumes they get their comeuppance about, should they try anything fishy like that... ]

Hm? [ Oh. Her mind wipes completely blank in the moment she's asked for something positive to volunteer here, but then she focuses back in on Raihan in front of her and her expression relaxes. ] ...To good friends. How's that?

[rotomphone]

Being proud of what you can do is all well and good, but it stops being cute when you start thinking you're better than everyone else for it.

[ which at least shows that even he has a limit. Raihan may sing his own praises until the day is done, but he makes certain that he doesn't put others down in the process. he learned a long time ago that an attitude like that doesn't get you anywhere - it took some hard lessons to figure it out. all of that showboating came to light in battle, at least. if you're going to brag, you at least need to have the skill to show for it - there's a reason why the Psychic-type gym has been stuck in Galar's minor league for some time now. ]

I like it! [ he meets her expression with a smile - not a wide grin like she might be used to seeing, but something a little more thoughtful. ] To good friends.

[ he taps his glass to hers, taking a decent-sized sip to solemnize their toast. he exhales with a slight furrow of his brow, remembering exactly how sharp hard liquor can go down. as he does, a thought occurs to him. ]

You know, I've run my mouth about my world more times than I can count, but I haven't heard too much about where you're from.

[ he knows that half of this bar - Seventh Heaven - is a part of it, but that's about all. ]

[anciently]

That's for sure. Well, maybe one day you or I will meet someone will those kinds of abilities who also has their ego in check.

[ She laughs lightly at the thought, and then smiles more broadly at the clink of their glasses. Aerith doesn't hide her expression as the drink goes down, and though she doesn't burst into a coughing fit, it's clear that the booze hadn't been a smooth sip, either. ]

Hm? [ Oh! That's true, she supposes, reflecting on their past conversations. Aerith's smile retreats to something a little more polite and restrained when he asks about her world, and she nods in acknowledgment about the lack of sharing to this point. ] Sure thing. What do you want to hear about? Anything in particular?

[rotomphone]

Let's hope! It'll be a breath of fresh air for me.

[ psychic powers are hella cool in theory, but only if the person who uses them is equally cool! but that's enough about that - they have alcohol to drink, and he can't help but chuckle a bit when he sees that both of their reactions are a bit sour. there's no need for comment on that - their faces say enough.

he takes note of her expression, too - he'd rather not pry into something she doesn't want to talk about, especially since she'd been so down earlier. ]

Whatever you feel like sharing, I guess. Anything that makes it unique? [ his world has Pokémon; what about hers? ]