here he comes [ squall and 3 open threads ]

[awall]

WHO: Squall Leonhart
WHERE: South Village (fountain, then inn, then house 16)
WHEN: Oct. 31st (morning, late morning, early afternoon)
OPEN TO: Any!
WARNINGS: None now!

---

Fountain Foundation / Morning

Water. Again.

At first, Squall could only register that annoyance. He was taken out of his familiar settings again and tossed into water again. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. His actions were mechanical at first, and he refused to think about the consequences of this new setting. He had to swim towards the light. He had to pull himself out of the wet fountain to the cold fall air. He had to search in the backpack for a coat.

But once his immediate survival was secure, he looked around himself with a little more interior trepidation. It didn’t look like a dangerous landscape, but that was about the only good mark. He didn’t have his gunblade or his clothes…or Griever.

It was when he noticed the loss of his necklace that he really paid attention to his magenta clothes. They were far from his normal blacks and greys, and he didn’t like them at all. Nor did he have a good feeling about the device around his wrist that he couldn’t remove.

But with typical determination, he leaned back on his heels, crouched, and stared at the buildings and the cornfield.

Well, Leonheart. What’s it going to be this time? he thought to himself, trying to keep his thoughts away from his friends and family. He had to understand his surroundings. Then he could worry about where they were…and whether he would see them again.

When he noticed someone nearing the fountain, he rose to his feet and made eye contact—he should probably say something, but verbalizing wasn’t his strong suit, even now.

INNformation / Late Morning

An important job for both SeeD and…whatever he was in Traverse Town and Hollow Bastian…was information gathering. A mercenary and a member of a restoration committee could not succeed without having as many details as possible.

Thankfully, the first step for information was not very many steps. He went into the hotel—inn—and looked through the Public Records. Things that had happened, people and what they could do…

It was a lot of information to take in. It reminded him of the SeeD classroom, with lesson after lesson after lesson. Still, it would take him more than one reading to remember this without knowing more context.

He leaned back against the wall and rubbed his forehead. No sign of his comrades. No sign of anyone he had even heard of. Hyne, this is starting all over again.

House Hunting / Early Afternoon

Squall knew he could stay at the Inn, but he didn’t entertain that thought very long. He was prepared to make relationships and form those teams to do good with this village, but it was something completely different to want to live right next door to someone he didn’t know.

A part of him was also drawn to something a little…larger. Nothing would be as large and well designed as Garden, and he didn’t really mind not being in charge of that, but the house in Traverse Town wasn’t big enough. Merlin’s house was a much better base, roomier, and he wanted to find something that could be like that again. He wanted not just a place to sleep, but a place his team could meet.

Not that he had a team, but sooner or later, he would have one. It would be difficult and depressing at first, because he could never replace his friends, but this wasn’t about replacing them. It certainly wasn’t about forgetting them.

He didn’t wander far to choose a house that seemed abandoned, judging from all the dust. Keeping the door open, he started to sort through all the rooms to check for any problems.

Comments

House Hunting

[to_defend]

7 isn't house-hunting so much as she is momentarily squatting while she wraps her head around this place. Still, it's important to know thy neighbor, and when she sees someone moving into a house near to the one she's briefly inhabiting, she'll sneak out and steal closer for a better look.

Do you ever get that feeling, Squall, that you're being watched?

Because this time you are.

Crouched by a window, peering in, learning to abate her breath to diminish her presence in this moment, 7 watches.

Re: House Hunting

[awall]

His survival in part demanded being aware of his surroundings. Although he thought the house was empty, he was still prepared for it not to be. There could be Heartless, or monsters, or just stray animals. So as he made his new bed, he did sense that he wasn't quite alone.

It might only be a figment of his imagination, but he knew he better recheck the room. If he intended to sleep here later that night, he had to be sure it was completely secure. Tucking in the corner sheet tightly--military corners--he went to one window in order to open it more for more light.

The fact that she was sneaking behind that very window was an unintended bonus in getting answers more answers about this new world.

[to_defend]

7's curious with what he's doing with the bed. What do humans do with beds?She had some vague idea but, honestly, she hadn't been too focused on them or their habits while she and the other dolls were running for their lives.

She watches longer than is safe to keep her stealth, and realizes belatedly that he's headed right to her window. She darts back, pressing against the side of the house, hoping that her last minute dodge was enough to keep herself hidden. Her breathing isn't exactly something she's learned to still, yet.

[awall]

He opened the window wide and pulled back the shades as much as possible to let in the light. Living without electricity and without fire magic to start lights was going to be an adjustment.

But when he did that, he heard something. It was a faint but distinct sound of...breathing? He might be weaponless at the moment, but he nevertheless leaned out the window to catch sight of the spy.

"Who...are you?" And was she a friend or foe?

[to_defend]

She eyes him without moving, but when he doesn't immediately attack she edges away from the wall.

"7." Her eyes dart from him to the window, inside the house, "You ... live here?"

It hadn't been her plan to actually engage in conversation, and now she's wondering if it'd be feasible to just cut and run.

[awall]

He was told he could choose an empty house, and so he nodded at her question. "I do now. I'm Squall."

He didn't expect much in terms of conversation, and he probably wouldn't even be offended if she ran. He would be confused, but not offended.

Nevertheless, he saw how wary she was, and he surprised himself by saying, "Are you new? Do you need living quarters?"

[to_defend]

"I'm new, yes." It's a calculted response, intentionally only answering one of his questions. If she felt she did need quarters - and couldn't just exist darting house to house - she'd find it herself. At least, that's what she's thinking at this point.

"Are you new?" His house certainly didn't seem settled. "Have you seen any ... others?"

[awall]

He wasn't going to judge short, calculated responses. Sometimes less was more. He noticed that she didn't quite answer his full question, but she had her reasons. He wasn't going to pry. He wasn't that type.

"Yes. I've met a couple of people. It's...quiet, so far." People didn't seem dangerous, that was, in the village. He might have just been lucky so far, of course. The records at the inn had certainly shown him that things could and would get crazy.

[to_defend]

"Quiet is good." There are different kinds of quiet, though, and she's become used to it being a punctuation between noisy, dangerous sentences. "The people you've met - what were they like?"

Since there do not appear to be immediate threats - yet - she's shifting focus on trying to find her friends.

[awall]

Seven was right. Quiet was good. Squall was happy to be left alone plenty of time.

Squall frowned at the question, thinking it over. It was hard to describe people succinctly, especially those he didn't really know at all. Short conversations couldn't tell him much.

"They...don't seem dangerous." Good start.

[to_defend]

"Good. That's - good." She'd become so used to running from humans and fighting their constructs that it's a little daunting to think she maybe wouldn't have to hide. She wasn't going to chance it on one testimonial, but it was nice to hear.

"Were any of them named like me? With numbers?"

[awall]

It was wise not to take one person's words for things. None of the people he had interacted with seemed to be lying to him, but he didn't know. But any world that provided the necessities to live at least had that going for it.

He thought carefully about the people he had met and shook his head. "No." After a pause he added, "I'm sorry." He knew it was hard to be without your comrades.

[to_defend]

She does seem crestfallen, shoulders sagging slightly. It wasn't a given that they'd be here, but there'd been so few of them to begin with that every friendship counted. Even though she'd been off of her own for much of the time, it'd been for those friendships that she'd fought.

It's hard to think about making new friends here, with everything she'd had to deal with already, but she manages to glance over at Squall and give him a small, guarded smile.

"Thanks, though."

[awall]

Squall knew that reaction very well. He never wanted to show how upset he was without his friends, but the new world without anyone he knew had way of knocking the breath out of you.

And the thought of making new friends was just exhausting.

But it was easier this time. He nodded at her thanks. "If I hear anything, I will let you know. Be careful out there, all right?"

[to_defend]

She's not expecting the offer to follow up, but tilts her head appreciatively.

"Is there much here to be careful of?"

The humans so far, surprising as it is, haven't been much of a threat. If there's something out there, though, she wants to know about it.

[awall]

Squall wasn’t traditionally friendly, but he made efforts to take care of his communities. Especially if they were people without others here to look out for them.

“Not that I’ve seen or heard, but you can never be too careful in a new world.”

[to_defend]

"I've never had to deal with a 'new world ' before, but that definitely sounds like good advice."

She likes to think she's always ready for a fight. In fact she'd much prefer it to this awkward idle chit chat with humans.

"Is it preferable to have a house?"

[awall]

Squall nodded. "I've had an experience like this before. That's why I'd say stay on your guard, and find some people you can trust."

Even if that were him. At least he didn't do much in terms of chit-chat.

The question surprised him but he nodded. "Unless you prefer surviving outside. But shelter is usually better for protection from both weather and others."

[to_defend]

People she could trust. That's going to be the hard part. Still, right now Squall is a pretty good contender.

"It's what I'm used to but, it's different here." There's life, and weather, and she's too big to hide properly. "What does the weather get like here, do you know?"

[awall]

He readjusted his posturing, learning more comfortably against the window. The cold air couldn't tell him everything about the weather, but it told him something.

"I'm not sure, but it's cold and likely to get colder. Rain. I'm not sure whether we're in an area for snow."

[to_defend]

It was a certain amount of uncomfortable, but so far she'd been dealing with it. Rain, though, and snow? She shifts and shakes her head.

"It didn't do that where I'm from."

No, it was a constant; cloudy and dry. Besides a slight wind that moved the ever present cloud cover around in shifting waves, there really wasn't much else. "Guess I'll have to find a house, too."

[awall]

Squall was a little surprised it never rained where she was from. That didn't sound sustainable. Balamb was very nice, of course, and it never snowed there, but the ocean weather brought its own uncertainties.

"I'd advise that." He wasn't going to offer his house again--just yet--but he wouldn't refuse her, either. She seemed to want her space, though, and he respected that.

[to_defend]

It will, eventually, but it hadn't yet from her perspective.

She nods, taking a look around at the other houses. She would want one for herself, perhaps one that wasn't quite so close to any others. "I guess I'll have to put that on my to-do list."

[awall]

He nodded. "If I get any more intelligence, I'll let you know." If he could count on someone as a tentative ally, he wasn't going to lose it.

[to_defend]

She steps back from the wall, getting ready to head on her way.

"I appreciate it." She gives him a little wave, and then turns and heads back to where she'd left her bag.

Ally was a good word for it, and she appreciated the gesture.