(no subject)

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

...what is this? Bugenhagen's machine...?

[Cloud frowns, and anxiously tugs at his gloves to tighten them just in case. He takes a brief walk to explore the area, though his eyes are drawn to the sky several times and he can't seem to concentrate. As a sort of nervous habit -oh Holy help him, if he's stuck in his own head again- Cloud began to mutter to himself as he started for a nearby bar.]

I was in Midgar...went to sleep in a tent outside. Tifa was there, Cid was there. Barret's in Kalm with Marlene. There was that building...

[Cloud pauses; that building. He'd written it off as exhaustion, residual hallucinations. A memory that wasn't quite what it was supposed to be. But- Wait, he'd gone back inside. ...why had he done that?

He stops just as he passed through the door, a hand to his forehead and brow furrowed in confusion. Damn.]

Comments

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[What-

Oh. Drive-by advice. Cloud is familiar with this type of conversation.]

Um- thanks. But how exactly does that...y'know, work?

[lamb_of_gold]

[Just FYI. I read your app and nearly choked on my water I was laughing so hard]

I, unfortunately, do not understand the mechanics behind it.

pfffft thank you

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Well that is unfortunate. But Cloud doesn't want to really try here because you look kind of stupid standing still and thinking real hard.]

...is that how I ended up here in the first place?

~!

[lamb_of_gold]

Entering the woefully out-of-place building is what brought you here initially.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[This look.]

I meant here as in...y'know, here. [He waves his hands. Obviously HERE.]

[lamb_of_gold]

And I told you.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[It's like he's a cryptic explanation magnet. It really is. Cloud's expression is dry and he gives a nod, waving his hand as he continues on his way.]

Right, thanks. Good to know.

[lamb_of_gold]

[Calling somewhat after him] If you return home, you'll find that no time has passed. Everything will be as you left it.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[...should he just...keep walking by and let this guy continue to spout advice at him? Is that the best way to get answers? The direct approach doesn't seem to be working.

He pauses, then returns and folds his arms.]

And I guess you don't know how that works either.

[lamb_of_gold]

There are many aspects of this Machine we still don't know of. I do know, however, that it has a habit of playing fast-and-lose with the passage of time in relation to this Plane - A week to you could be months to those here. Conversely, an hour here may have passed as days in your home reality.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

Whoa- [Cloud holds up a hand at that.]

You mean that while I've been here chatting, back home I could've been missing for days?

[lamb_of_gold]

Ah, no. I mean that were you to go home now and have a chat of the same length, days may have passed here. Conversely, you could be at home for weeks and return to find only minutes passed.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

Oh. Oh Holy...good.

Geez, don't scare a guy like that. [Although Cloud's eager to get home and check to make sure that's true. He just can't concentrate long enough to think himself back, what with all this information he's being told.]

[lamb_of_gold]

My apologies. It seems I misspoke.

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

No, it's fine. [Cloud probably just misunderstood anyway. He does that a lot.]

But I- yeah. I'm just gonna... [Awkwardly remove himself from the conversation to absorb all of this.] Sit down.