audience: aerith

[mygod]

Comments

[mygod]

I didn't, but you weren't exactly subtle.

[ so they guessed and it's fine it's fine they're not upset ]

But essentially, yes. Though I can understand that's a horrible answer to be told that you can't save your own life that was just handed back to you.

[residentflorist]

[thanks famine. she pouts a little because damn let her be subtle. (she's not always great at it.)]

It isn't really that. But if we aren't able to stop the ritual and we die here...that's it, isn't it? Our souls can't return to where we came from. [listen she's very determined to make sure cloud and yuffie do not get sacrificed but she is very well aware that even if she survives here she's going back to being dead back home. so she'd at least like to know the what-ifs.]

[mygod]

Probably. But everyone dies eventually. To be clear, we are trying to make sure that you don't all die here and so soon.

However, if you all manage to live through the ritual, who's to say that you have to be resigned to dying again?

[residentflorist]

Everyone dies eventually. [which is both just repeating it because she agrees and also partially an answer to the question itself. it's complicated. she doesn't want to really be dead, of course, but she also knows that this was how it had to go. and now she's the only one who has the power to stop the meteor. if she doesn't go back exactly where she does, who knows what sephiroth might do?

she does not say any of this, but she's thinking.]

Yuffie would say the same. [yuffie's already decided that they're bringing aerith home, and that isn't something that's lost on her. she does not mention cloud.] But with the planet...if we're not there now, things are still progressing aren't they?

[mygod]

[ mention cloud. what about my hets ]

Hmm... We didn't complete the entire summoning ritual for all of you, so I can't say for sure. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't.

Will your entire world fall apart because you three are gone?

[residentflorist]

[some stupid queer-het doesn't know she's dead man idk what to tell you.]

Yes. [just. outright yes? sephiroth will nuke the entire planet if they don't stop him and that's kind of a problem.] I know the others are going to do what they can to try and find Sephiroth, but Cloud and Yuffie have to get back to help stop him. And I have to stop the meteor. [somehow.]

[mygod]

You like to say words as if I understand the context, but I'll clarify for you that I don't.

[residentflorist]

[welcome to the aerith experience yeah. she's at least aware that so many people are from so many worlds, so she'll start with a base question.]

How familiar are you with magic of any kind?

[mygod]

Not at all, but your companion mentioned materia. She was also very loud and overdramatic when I said I wasn't familiar, so I got some explanation from that.

[residentflorist]

[just closes her eyes.]

Materia is very, very important to her. [not for anything useful, yuffie's just like this.] Where we're from, materia is made from mako...and mako comes from the planet's lifestream. But...the black materia's different. It was created when a tribe, the Gi, stole a sacred materia from the Cetra. The Cetra are those who have a connection to the planet...they can hear her will and speak to her, connect with her and protect her. A long time ago, the Gi's world was destroyed, so they made their way to the planet. But because they didn't come from her...she rejected them. What comes from the planet will return to the planet, but since they didn't come from it they had nowhere to return to. [bitches couldn't die.] Their wish was for salvation and to no longer exist, and that desire fueled the creation of the black materia. It had the power to destroy the entire planet. It would destroy the Gi and grant them their wish.

It was taken from them by the Cetra and hidden so no one could use it, but recently it's been taken. Sephiroth knows where the black materia is, and his goal is to use it to destroy the planet. And in destroying the planet, he would become all-powerful. We can't let that happen, but I'm the only one who can stop the meteor.

[i miss when i didn't play from squeenix actually.]

[mygod]

[ help help help ]

And where is it that you come into this? I understand the piece now about Sephiroth. [ sure they do ]

Do you belong among the Cetra?

[residentflorist]

[impressive given most of them don't entirely understand sephiroth but she seems happy that they got the point. so she nods.]

I'm the last one. [so you know. not returning even if she's dead could be a big problem!]

[mygod]

And you are meant to return to the planet?

What will happen if you do not? Or is it something that you never considered before, and thus the answer is unknown?

[residentflorist]

I guess you could say I already have. [it's a little complicated to explain where, exactly, she might be but she is aware she's connected back to the lifestream now.] But...it would probably mean Sephiroth can summon the meteor if there isn't something to stop it.

[so it's the latter, she hadn't considered it since it was just a given she'd figure out what she's doing no matter where she is.]

[mygod]

So how exactly does a young woman stop a meteor after she's already died?

[residentflorist]

[great question.]

Through the lifestream. The black materia's hidden for now, but Sephiroth knows where it is. If I can use the planet's power, we can find a way to stop the impact.

[aerith, tapping "the power of prayer" on her poster while also going "what."]

There isn't another choice.

[mygod]

Sounds dire.

[ there's really no way around it ]

So you three need to be returned or else the entire planet's doomed, is it?

[residentflorist]

That's right. [yeah. she's not going to beat around the bush there.] We left behind a lot of people who are also probably going to be really worried they're gone, too.

[mygod]

Something tells me you aren't alone in that camp.

[ plainly ]

Is there a reason why you share this with me? I understand making appeals to those with more power than you, but at this moment we wouldn't be able to stop time for your world. We also don't know for certain that it's still going without you.

Or is it just to share what you have at stake?

[residentflorist]

[that's a great question.]

The latter, I think. [...] I wanted to know how this was possible, and this isn't something I can talk about with either of them.

[that aside:]

Would it be easier to ask questions you might have answers to?

[mygod]

[ hold on ]

You're keeping secrets from the two companions that you expect to help you save your world?

[ whoa gutsy ]

I do not have a preference, as long as you do not ask me any personal questions. Otherwise, I am not opposed to learning about each of you, or answering what I can about your situation.

[residentflorist]

[hey. hey!!]

No. It's one of the last things Yuffie remembers. And Cloud...[...well. problematique.] It's better for him to believe what he believes right now.

[MOVING ON. she makes zero promises not to ask personal questions later, but she'll behave For Now.]

Our matches. How exactly does the reward work for finding them? I know it's a power boost, but wouldn't that just alert the rest of the cult that we have powers that could help save ourselves? [what are the actual benefits here.]

[mygod]

So that's a half-yes, actually.

[ a curious hum.... they almost sound impressed. gaslight gatekeep girlboss aerith ]

On the contrary, it'll probably help you defend yourself but it probably will do everything short of tampering with the ritual. However, along with enhanced powers, you will also be able to have a wish granted if you can find your monster match. It sounds like you have some things that you can use yours for.

[residentflorist]

[thank you she will.]

So the wish is for all of us, too. [she really did misunderstand that and thought there was only a wish for the cultists, but somehow that still isn't entirely enough to sway her.] But that wish can only be granted if we stay alive, right? And there's the risk of being killed if your match is taken out instead. High rewards, but with a high risk attached.

[she could maybe use a wish but again, if she dies, how the hell is she going to get back or use it? this all sort of ties into the same issue.]

[mygod]

Not necessarily. It can be granted immediately, so you could find your monster match and wish your world saved without having to lift a finger to get back to it.