★1 Hit ☼ [Accidental Video] ☆

[premiumheaven]

-ou know what's dumb? That we're just now getting to Cherrygrove. I got her a week ago! [Hello, Route! Have a Tifa! The video is a bit wobbily and seems to be from down below, next to her.

She huffs and crosses her arms.]

I'm sure it didn't take me this long last time! But who knows. [She shakes her head] It's been six years for me! [She hums a bit.]

It still feels really surreal you know? I mean...when I left you were a Marowak. And I had a lot more pokémon. It feels like a dream. And then I woke up to flames and burning and---[She stops walking and cuts herself off, a small shuddering sigh escapes and she looks up at the sky]

I technically met Aerith here for the first time...I didn't know she was scared of the sky and now she's-- [Tifa shakes her head and keeps walking]

I wonder how long it's been for you. Not too long I hope! I remember time working differently over here! I turned sixteen here! [She laughs.] Turned sixteen again when I got back home, though.

Hey Johnny... [Tifa looks down at the 'gear, smiling. Soon enough though she furrows her eyebrows.] Johnny...I let you carry that thing because for whatever reason you really wanted to...don't tell me you wanted to record something... [The little Cubone makes a sounds and Tifa reaches down towards the 'gear] I told you not to turn this thing o--[Off it goes!!]

Comments

1/??

[strongestoftheturks]

[Is that...?]

2/??

[strongestoftheturks]

[There's a loud crash and clutter from this side of the feed. The Pokegear literally goes flying, having accidentally slipped out of someone's hands. Soft cursing aside, some's picking up the gear but hesitating to even address Tifa in the first place. It takes six seconds before the gear is abruptly turned off; what a weirdo.]

3/??

[strongestoftheturks]

[Except no, a moment passes before the feed is turned back on. Still facing the wall, but it's obvious that the other person is at least making an effort to try and address.

DEEP BREATHS RUDE.

4/4 Locked Voice Call

[strongestoftheturks]

[OK, he's had time to rearrange his face back to its normal, poker-like state. And he'll be taking the opportunity to lock this feed, because this is a conversation that would be best kept in private. And switched to a voice call as well.]

...Tifa.

[This man needs no introduction. A pause, and then...]

What's the last thing you remember?

[SMOOTH MISTER. REAL SMOOTH.]

Locked Voice Call || You're such a QT, Rude

[premiumheaven]

[Wow, what's happening here? Tifa isn't sure if a pokémon got a hold of someone's 'gear and decided they wanted to answer her or what....but then there's a voice she recognizes and while she would've normally been on guard, 1) they're she's in Johto and 2) He's actually pretty cool....for a ShinRa employee]

Rude.

[Her way of greeting. There's a smile in her tone. But then she's a bit serious when she answers his question, she remembered how this worked.]

Meteor was nearly on top of us. It was the day before our planned date to go fight Sephiroth. [A slight pause]

So are you from my future or my past?

Locked Voice Call || be easy on him Tifa

[strongestoftheturks]

[ Ok, no hostility is a very very good start. It also sounds like Tifa has done this whole parallel timelines scenario before, so he can skip the explanations. Though he has to raise an eyebrow on his side once he hears when she's from. That's a a few years back but not as bad as the difference between him and Val had been at least. ]

Two years ahead.

[ He hesitates; there...shouldn't be any repercussions to letting her know, right? No one remembers their time here when they go back anyway. ]

You guys. You did it.

Locked Voice Call || But it's fun to tease.

[premiumheaven]

[She doesn't say anything for a moment and then she sounds so relieved]

Thank Minerva. Thank Aerith....I-- [She gives a shaky sigh.]

Thank you, Rude. At least I can stay calm while I'm here. Thank you so much.

Locked Voice Call || No fair, you know he's such a dork on the inside.

[strongestoftheturks]

[Rude allows himself a small smile; there's something to be said about these tiny good deeds he does every now and then. They do make him feel better. Especially when they involve his crush.]

Yeah. You guys, umm...kicked ass.

[...OK he should stop with the compliments or he is going to end up more tongue tied than he is now.]

...you umm. You been here before? Before this time, I mean.

Locked Voice Call || It's what makes him a QT ♥

[premiumheaven]

[He can't see it, but she smiled at the compliment.]

Oh! Yes. It's apparently been two poké-years but it's been six years for me. I was only fifteen when I arrived.

How long have you been here for?

[strongestoftheturks]

5 months.

Reno was here too, but he left. And Valeria...don't think you know her, but she's from Gaia too.

[premiumheaven]

Valeria....[The name sounds familiar, give her a second.]

Wait...was she here before? Like, did she ever mention being here before? [Because she vaguely remembers a person she didn't know being from Gaia, Tifa always got excited when she found people from her world.]

[strongestoftheturks]

Yeah. She left, then she came back.

[premiumheaven]

I think I met her briefly. I'd mentioned Chocobos and she knew what they were. Long dark hair? A Turk?

[strongestoftheturks]

That's her.

[He's somewhat reluctant to talk more about Val; Turk business is Turk business after all, so for a moment he's silent as he struggles to think up something else to say to switch the topic.]

...so. Are we...ok?

[As in, 'she's not going to start pounding him the second she sees him', ok?]

[premiumheaven]

Um....

[She's quiet for a few moments. Mostly to tease him, but also because she needs to think about that for a second. Even though he was a Turk, they'd gotten a long even back home. When they were off the clock, there was no fighting. And now that they're here...?

She laughs a bit.]

Nope...

I'd like to think we could be more than just ok. Can we be friends here? If that ok?

[strongestoftheturks]

[Rude frowned slightly on the other side, well aware that she was playing with him a little; just like the other girl who used to be in his life, Tifa knew exactly how to tease him. Was he really just that easy a target?

But teasing is definitely one step above merciless pounding.

Shock and panic quickly subsides to elation and he's quick to answer her question.]

That's...more than ok.

[And for once, she'd probably be able to hear the relieved smile in his voice. It's a rare drop in his poker act, and sure enough when next he speaks he's back to being serious.]

Are you travelling with someone?

[premiumheaven]

[Well, it was nice to know that Rude was able to show a couple more emotions. Reno was always the loudmouth so she hadn't really gotten to know anything about the quiet Turk.]

Just with my little Johnny! [At his name, the Cubone makes a small noise.]

[strongestoftheturks]

[Oh, she's travelling alone...? Give him a few minutes to quietly tear himself inside between asking if she's looking for a human travel buddy and keeping mum.]

...you, umm...looking for anyone? To travel with.

[premiumheaven]

Not particularly! [She chuckles]

But if you're offering, human company would be appreciated.

I have no icons for this.

[strongestoftheturks]

-!!??

[Please excuse him for a few seconds, he has never done well with outwardly expressing his emotions. Right now his Pokemon are staring with bewilderment at the amount of fist pumping he's doing and all the silent screaming.

Fast forward eight seconds and he's back on the line, stoic(?) as ever.]

...ok. I'm going to Azalea for the badge. Maybe...we'll meet there?

oh no, what a cutie

[premiumheaven]

[And Tifa's oblivious, if not a bit concerned over why he's taking a while to get back to her. Unless he wasn't offering...?

Oh! There we go.]

Sounds good! Hopefully you won't get there waaay before me. I'm not all that close, but I shouldn't be getting lost in the cave this time.

she brings out the dork in him

[strongestoftheturks]

It'll take me about a day.

...I'll give you a day's start.

[Said utterly seriously; it's up to Tifa's discretion whether he's really meaning it, or if he's joking. Spoilers: it's the former.]

good, he can't srs all the time

[premiumheaven]

A day! Oh my, and then you'll leave me behind, will you? Poor me.

[C'mon, she knows he's actually a pretty nice guy....even though he's a ShinRa in employee.]

[strongestoftheturks]

[OK, that's definitely a joke. His radar isn't that broken!]

...are you suggesting you can't make it?

[Two can play this teasing game.]

[premiumheaven]

Little ole me? Why you know how delicate I am! And you would leave me behind knowing that? How cruel.

[Tifa's enjoying this more than she should]