;reminiscent hart!

“I know…how can they live with themselves with all that they’re doing to the planet? I just don’t get it.” Expression hardening, Jessie shook her head. “But I guess that’s what separates us from them. I’m not sure I want to understand why money is more important than morals. Stopping them though? That we can do.” Jessie shifted to peer over the rust-eaten pipes, through billowing steam.

“Looks like we’re clear. Once we’re inside I’ll set the bomb, then we’ll have ten minutes to get outta here and rendezvous with the others. I left our decoy bomb with Barret; once he hits the detonator on his side, ShinRa’s soldiers should be drawn to their position and away from us.” Rising from their position, she headed toward the nearest ladder before hesitating, casting a glance over her shoulder in Tifa’s direction. 

Her small smile from earlier returned.

“Don’t worry about them. I’m sure they can handle whatever comes next.”

She doesn’t know and she doesn’t care. All that matters was finishing this mission so she could be further away from the reactor smog and all of the festering secrets hidden disgustingly well beneath processed shimmering green more than ever. She wants to see Cloud, to know he’s safe despite always being paired with Barret she’s not sure what concerns her more- the fact that they manage with Cloud and his nonchalant attitude towards the planet and it’s inevitable suffering or the fact all of their previous missions together have been a surprising success.

... but it won’t last forever. She nods towards Jessie and presses ahead carefully.

At her words alone, Balthier’s lip curls and he huffs in annoyance. SOLDIER- a product of ShinRa and one he didn’t wish to partake in but was forced to by his own father. He hated the SOLDIER program, he hated Shinra, and he hated the man that helped bring him into this world.

“Was,” He corrects bitterly, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. “Mind keeping your voice down? It took quite a bit of effort to lose those men you speak so venomously of, I’d rather stay off their radar, thank you.” It took a fake death and some pretty long months to convince ShinRa that the previous SOLDIER named Ffamran mied Bunansa had suffered his untimely demise in that crash. If they found out he was alive and well and was the man behind the pirate Balthier, they’d kill him for sure.

“I’m not with them, sweetheart. Me and ShinRa? We’ve broken up. They’ve hopefully forgotten about me by now and you sitting there speaking so loudly isn’t going to make sure of that. My name is Balthier. I’m a simple man looking for a meaning in life. Nothing ShinRa about me.”

Oh...

She’s a little less inclined to distrust him after such a not so startling revelation. ShinRa was well known for their underground activities and even hunting down their own ‘runaway’ kind if it didn’t fit their world dominating agenda. She huffs in response to the gathering of voices just behind them, eyes turning towards the veil of darkness and the sudden shuffle of footsteps gaining.

It wouldn’t do either of them any good to attract that kind of attention.

She’s quick to move past the man claiming his militaristic roots were cast away, nodding towards the nearest back alley with a makeshift gate tucked precariously into it’s furthest corner.

maybe her.. sort of persuade cloud to go to the gold saucer was a good plan. that way, everyone could unwind from all that fighting they been doing and sadly enough, it will only continue once they reembark on their travels. to aeris, it seemed all she knew now.. was fighting.. fighting this.. fighting that. but turning her attention to the fighter, the brunette could see the kind of facial expression that was presented. this only concerned the flower girl. she knew how strong tifa was. maybe stronger than aeris herself. but people can be strong for who knows.. how long until they break down.

probably right now.. what tifa needs is a pick me up and maybe a reassurance of words would also help too. she wasn’t sure of what was going through that woman’s mind. but she had a hint on what it might of been.

seeing a sad look on the fighter’s face and her head leaning against her folded arms, aeris couldn’t help but frown. before speak, she had took a step forward and wrapped her arms around the other female; hoping this helped a bit. ❛ i am.. not going anywhere.. not until the very end. ❜ at least that is what she had thought. even herself wasn’t sure of what would happen at the end. besides finding more about herself and.. stopping sephiroth for good. ❛ but.. i promise i won’t leave you guys. especially you. you were the first person i really met when coming on this journey. and my life been so much.. better. as silly, it may sound. ❜ she said before pulling back and a bright smile formed on her lips, hoping that small embrace had cheered her up a bit.

She perks at the flower maiden’s words albeit a touch tiredly. All of the glittering lights and carnival like clamor in the background sure was putting her to sleep. The Gondola lurches once they reach their return stop and she’s ready to head back to their room at the hotel just until that embrace has her grounded in a different kind of emotional means entirely. Awash with happiness and perhaps a sudden tinge of regret Tifa immediately returns the embrace before helping guide them both back onto the boarding platform.

Sometimes words were just words after all.. but something about them coming from aeris felt sincere and special as if someone truly was looking out for her from above. Absent mindedly rubbing at a padded elbow almost nervously she pulls loose chestnut strands that had fallen free during their ride behind an ear and offers a placate smile.

Prompto smiled sadly. He knew Tifa was right. He always did his best to stay OPTIMISTIC, but it had been 8 years now. 8 years that their kingdom was full of darkness, with daemons everywhere. The blonde had never considered himself a fighter, but because he was Noctis’ best friend and retainer, he had to keep fighting. He had to make sure his friend still had a kingdom when he came back. Sometimes, he feared Noctis wouldn’t come back though, or that he would, but once it would be too late. And it was seriously starting to scare him.

“I know, I know.” He assured with a brief chuckle. “I just… worried for all of them so much, all the time. I miss the time I was traveling with my friends all the time.”

Despite the sadness of their atmosphere the barmaid remains ever alight with hope as do the patrons who frequented the remnants of the bar taken by the dark blight. She lights a candle between them and inches it forward in attempt to brighten his mood if even a little. Their reality was harsh- she knows this... but it didn’t stop them from hoping. Hope was their light that the darkness could never take.