[Voice//Video] Two-for-one!

[gardeningaia]

[Backdated to Thursday afternoon / Voice / 20% filtered from Claire Farron (good thing she wouldn't know how to hack anyway)]

Say, does anyone know a Claire?

Oh, and Zack? Need to hear from you. I promise I won't laugh at you being ridiculously shorter than me for once~ [So. He might. But just a little, honest!]

[TODAY / Video]

Whoa--whoa!

[Contrary to the icon, that voice sounds like Aerith's normal, female voice, if rather startled...and distant. Right now, the video only shows the fairly blank wall of Aerith's room in building 4. There's a pause, some water running, and then one door down the hallway opens and closes and the door to her room opens. She comes over to the journal immediately, looking over it to turn it on before realizing it already is.]

That's funny. A little too funny! (Why is it turning itself on?! And right after I changed back...in the bathroom. Thank goodness it couldn't catch that.)

[...Aerith is completely unaware that her second effect began nearly as soon as the first ended. So, unaware of what's broadcasting, she simply puts on a smile after a few seconds.]

...All right! I think everything's back to normal for me. So that's an experiment. Well, I've never cared for them much before, and I sure don't now! Changing minds and bodies like it's nothing... the Malnosso are creeps. (But that's so scary. Everything I remember changed.)

Well... I won't let them get to me. [She gives a firm nod, even if there's a touch of uncertainty in her expression.] Is anyone else back to normal? These last for about a week, right? Mm, I'm glad to be female again. I think I'm much cuter this way~

[Responses to the Thursday entry will be handled by male!Aerith; Saturday's entry has a fully normal Aerith...besides the accidentally shared thoughts, of course.]

Comments

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Mm! You're being terrible to me right now. I see that look.

--Anyway, I was wondering if you ever liked anyone in SOLDIER. [WELL. Not the most gracefully asked question (when does she do graceful questions), but the answer might give some indication about whether "she" was in Shinra or not?]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Cloud flushes from her neck all the way to her ears and she immediately busies herself with her journal again.]

Well-

I mean there weren't all that many women in the army so it was mostly guys twenty-four seven. I kind of got used to being around them all the time. [Thus the ugly boy haircut and the manly clothes.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[...that is a very interesting shade of red you're wearing today, Miss Cloud.]

For being used to the guys, you sure do blush at the thought of them~

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

I'm not-

You're just asking a bunch of personal questions. I'm not blushing at the thought of guys. What the hell.

[Brb just denying everything over here.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

I'm asking you girly questions, that's what you don't like. [She can't really hide her laughter.]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

Yeah well. [Girl talk has never been her forte.]

Maybe I did, I dunno. I don't remember a lot from back then. [Except she definitely remembers having a few crushes on a few certain first class SOLDIERs. But Aerith already knows about the Sephiroth one and that topic is taboo.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Okay, okay. I won't press you. [She never has wanted to press Cloud on his shaky memories; no need to make him feel uncomfortable. ...I mean, uncomfortable in a way that's not just embarrassment. |D]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Oh good, this conversation is done. Cloud was afraid she'd work out that Cloud had a crush on her boyfriend. That would have been...bad.]

Anyway, it doesn't matter now. I'm not going to be living for the past anymore, so the present and the future is all that really matters.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[So...much...awkward...]

Ah. [She leans over Cloud again with a smile.] I'm glad to hear it. That's the best way to live.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Cloud tilts her head back to look at Aerith, expression softening. Her eyes dart away guiltily for a moment, before she peers back up at her friend with a determined look on her face.]

Except for one thing.

I'll find a way to get you out of here and back to your mother. I promise.

Sob, this boils down to ".........."

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[She's asked Cloud to get her home before, as her bodyguard. But she couldn't this time. She just...couldn't, couldn't create that obligation. She touches Cloud's forehead lightly, just below the hairline, holding back some strands. At a loss of how to respond; she's not surprised Cloud offered, but how should she answer? When she's caught in between wanting to shield him from any more guilt if something goes wrong, and throwing herself into that hope... That uncertainty shows in her face.]

NO WORRIES

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[And above her head, too. In a way. Cloud sees flashes of the times she'd had her little meltdowns, and the times Aerith had been feeling alone and uncertain. Cosmo Canyon, in the Ancient Temple, when she'd attacked Aerith-

Things she wanted to forget.]

Hey.

[She reaches up to rest her hand against Aerith's cheek; it's still calloused, but softer, more delicate than it usually is. Oddly enough it's that touch that makes her feel like something's wrong with how Aerith's skin feels against her fingers, but she can't tell exactly what.]

Don't worry about me. I'm not that mess you met before. I'm the one you wanted to meet, the one you were talking about at the Gold Saucer.

I promise I'll do whatever it takes to get you back home. Even...even if one of us leaves here without the other, I'll fight and fight until I make it work. I swear.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

...Ah... [She smiles at that, wavering but genuine, slightly leaning into the hand. The images above her head melt away, replaced by flickers of happier moments: of Cloud helping her, of them traveling together.]

[He wanted to do this. He had always wanted to help her. She couldn't expect that to change now, could she? And it made her so happy.]

Then, I'll have to think really hard for something nice enough to pay you back, bodyguard. Something special. It's a big job.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Cloud smiles slightly- then her eyes narrow. There's something wrong with those images, now that she's looking directly at them. Something...]

Aerith...what are those over your head? Is that an experiment?

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Huh? [Sweet moment broken, Aerith looks up.]

You're right, it's another experiment. They show people's thoughts. It's so annoying!

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Her thoughts? So then...]

...Aerith, why are you thinking of me as a guy?

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[Her face goes blank with surprise for a split-second, but then--] Oh, for goodness' sake--!



[She huffs, wrapping her arms around herself.] Because I hated it when everyone was telling me I should be a girl, so I thought you'd rather not hear that you're supposed to be a guy.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Cloud stares at her thoughts; it takes a moment for what Aerith said to sink in and she scoffs, shifting her weight and opening up her journal again.]

Right.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

What is that? It's the same as how I was last week! Now it's so unbelievable?

[...Well. She wouldn't try persuading girl!Cloud. Except for the part where she's acting like she just made that up. :I]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Well yeah because now it's HER.]

You really think I could be a guy? [She shakes out her journal irritably.] I don't even look like a guy when I try to.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

That's because it's easier to add those than to hide them. [Guess. Where. She's. Pointing. ...Okay there are other reasons why girl!Cloud doesn't look like a guy when she's trying, but.]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Cloud flushes, scowls and slaps her journal down to cover her breasts as if they were suddenly OUT IN THE OPEN.]

That's not what I mean and you know it.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[Uwaaah, Cloud's so shy~]

What if your guy self looks like a girl when he tries? --When he tries. Otherwise he looks like a guy.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

Why would my guy self try to look like a girl? [Cloud is pointedly NOT looking at Aerith, so she misses that interesting tidbit there.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Even if you were a guy, we'd still have to rescue Tifa from that pervert Don.