gardeningaia | Voice & Action

[ There's a fib of a Feather under the shade of the barracks after noon; she's got the sundress on, but Aerith is undoubtedly not new. She knows where she is, and after she gets past the jolt of terror that strikes when that last painful blow is remembered, she knows why she is there. She's plenty upset, and she's also angry and tense as she returns to house #41, keeping near the side of the street and under the cover of buildings for the brisk walk. She'll stop if a friend calls to her, but otherwise make a quick excuse and keep going; she really, really wants to go back to what's become her home here.

After stopping in at the house and checking in with her housemates--and letting herself have a good cry to help get it out--she goes and makes a journal post from her bedroom.

She takes a big, deep breath, first. ]

I'm back... this is Aerith. I hope no one [ else ] was worried, but it's... better now. I'm back. I'm not hurt.

...Is it...normal to see nothing when you die? Like you just stop... I'm sorry, ignore that. What a stupid thing to talk about!

[ ...It doesn't help to keep thinking about it right now. As she handles any responses that come, Aerith goes and does something extremely mundane and calming for her. She checks on all the flowers, at home, at the flower shop, and at the memorial garden, with the wolf Daisy close by her side. He's being more protective than usual right now. ]

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...What if our presence here was accidental? The Malnosso claim to wish to send us home. The local afterlife rejects us. If we were here deliberately, none of that would be happening.

...The Malnosso aren't so different from us. They want to go home too. [ And remembering what Bil said--about having to go through "nasty" old age so many times because he was always returned to life--is a bit unsettling. She shakes her head, trying to clear away that thought. ]

You're probably right, though. I'm just upset. I hope you're right!

Perhaps that is why they draft us. To see if they can work together with us, to achieve our common goal.

[But even if that turned out to be the case, Cecil would have a lot of trouble believing them.]

It'd be nice. No one wishes to believe that a whole people could be so cruelk for no reason.

Mm... That's not an excuse for what they do.

...We've talked before, haven't we? You sound familiar.

That's quite possible. I do believe I've heard your voice previously. ...We spoke about lamps, I think?

...oh, right. Your world doesn't have them. [ Thinking back is a small distraction, and Aerith is taking any she can get. ]

It's a shame, too. I found one the other day that would match our main drawing room beautifully. It was the exact same color as the carpet.

[ There's some time interspersed between the replies, as she's also working on flowers, but she does come back to answer. ] Wait, you live with your friends back home, too?

With one of them, in theory. However, he's not been home for some time.

[Understatement of the year.]

My son also still lives at home, in our world.

Traveling?

How old is your son?

Something like that. He's rather busy.

Eighteen. The perfect age to start spreading his wings- the metaphorical ones, at least.

Ah...or stretch his legs. You sound really happy with him.

I am. As much as a father can be with his son and more.

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