IC Inbox

[dadication]

"Busy. Leave a message."

[Text | Video | Voice | Action]

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Voice

[gr1m]

You nearby?

[Around 'noon, and it's pretty easy to tell he means the farmhouse- yet he hadn't really bothered to look outside.

Something quiet in his tone.]

Voice

[dadication]

[As promised, it seems they are comfortable enough to establish a link that isn't text-based. He notes the change in Gabe's tone immediately, alerted that something is up.]

I can be in about ten minutes. What's going on?

Voice

[gr1m]

Rather tell you in person than over these things. Knock and come on inside, be in the kitchen.

[Wasn't anything he wanted to talk about in a fashion tat wasn't face to face.]

Voice -> Action

[dadication]

Right.

[So it was bad news. 76 steeled himself and made his way to Gabe's property within ten minutes, having run the entire way with all of his gear on. He tried to think of what would cause Gabriel to call him out of the blue like this.

He arrived, knocked on the door and slipped inside, moving near silently through the house. He'd been given a tour enough to know where the kitchen was at least, and he made his way there, coming to a stop when he caught sight of Reyes. He hesitated for a moment then reached up and removed his tactical visor.]

What's wrong?

Perma-Action

[gr1m]

[There was the faintest hint of marigolds in the air of the kitchen, even if there were no flowers in sight. While the house was an even sort of comfortable temperature the kitchen itself felt... cold, almost empty despite Gabriel standing there at a counter. Hands rested against it, smoke curling from him as if his form was ready to rip itself apart.

Just barely holding it together, because he had waited days to go and see, to confirm suspicions when he'd gone by to drop something off at the base. Had to return with a bird and a cat—]

Ana's gone home.

[Name on the wall, back where she belonged and just the two of them here.]

[dadication]

[Soldier: 76 had been told about the wall, but he never bothered himself with going around there. As far as he was concerned, it wouldn't affect him much, if at all. So the fact that Gabe's kitchen was so cold and feeling oppressive, he didn't immediately consider the wall as the source.

This news hit like a wave. It crashed across his consciousness, and he stared dumbfounded at Reyes. His expression was mix of disbelief and shock. He had only just arrived, only just started talking to her. How could she be... gone?]

...you're certain?

[He stood frozen in the doorway. He had dealt with a lot of loss some years ago, but otherwise, he kept himself relatively alone. He carried around enough ghosts on his shoulders.]

[gr1m]

Yes- I looked around her usual places to see if her amulet was still here, and after a few days I went to the wall of names.

[He very rarely went there, only when he noticed someone was gone and there was no sign of a lonesome amulet or a crystal statue of them somewhere. The final confirmation was always the wall, and he had no doubt the list of new names that had appeared there was pinned on a board.

Finally, he pulled himself from the counter to face Jack and take just a few steps closer. At something of a loss, because she was back where she needed to be, but...]

She's gone.

voice ; late november

[blitzcheer]

[ Is Soldier 76 one to be suspicious when he gets a hum through the amulet from somebody he doesn't know? It's difficult to say if he will know who it is reaching out to him when the thrum this early afternoon comes, only that there is someone trying to get in contact with him, and they don't mind waiting a while for him to 'pick up'.

Because even Tidus isn't sure if he'll get through to the man. Is it possible to just think and want and bam, it happens?

But, when it turns out it is: ]

Hey, guy with all the great adult advice! [ That would be a lot more sarcastic if Tidus wasn't just relieved to get the connection going. It still is a little anyway. ] What's up? You still interested in magic and doing anything?

voice ;

[dadication]

[What the...? If 76 was expecting anyone to contact him who wasn't Reyes, he was surprised when elevator music began to be hummed along in his head, and he froze as he waited as if this was a trick of this place.

He was deathly quiet on his end of the connection until Tidus' voice sounded, and it identified the kid to him. He issued a low grunting growl of acknowledgement. Right, this guy.]

Don't tell me you've come for adult advice. [He doubted it was that at all.] Are you actually contacting me to 'hang out'? [Please ignore the fact that he sounds both incredulous and suspicious.]

voice ;

[blitzcheer]

[ Of course this guy would ask that, and despite the vaguest sense of discomfort over the line in general (look, amulet calling is weird, okay), a brief feeling of amusement comes over. ]

No. [ Well. ] Not like that. There's a job going for some weird creatures that've suddenly been attacking people around the warehouses at the port. They know how to drag them out, but sometimes they start flying and they get too fast.

I remembered that weapon you've got. Why don't we work it together? You can see what it's like to speed up!

voice ;

[dadication]

[This conversation was already a bit baffling, but he supposed he was more comfortable knowing that the invitation was for a mission rather than for developing closer interpersonal relationships.

Missions he could do without issue. They had done one before, and no one had been badly hurt.]

I saw that job, yeah. Are you going to flip around cheerleading or something?

[He suspected Tidus knew a thing or two about that sword he carried around, so he was mostly just checking.]

You're going to cast magic on me. What does it feel like?

voice ;

[blitzcheer]

[ Well hey, the guy knew. Good, that meant less work in explaining! There's an unimpressed sensation for the cheerleading comment, but at least the guy got there in the end. ]

It's like...feeling loose? You're faster, your body feels faster, but it's not like you can't focus. You're just speedier!

[ Wow don't you miss this guy's explanations of magic. Tidus knows it's not the most helpful, so he quickly goes on: ]

Lemme try it on you and you can see for yourself. If you don't like it... ...it'll wear off eventually! Or I can try slowing you down with more magic? Uh...

voice ;

[dadication]

[Loose was an interesting way to describe speed magic. He couldn't say he had a problem with that when he stretched before heading out, but if he didn't make him feel like garbage, he would take it. Or at least try it.]

Speed generally isn't a problem, but we can try it.

[He was feeling more confident with this mission, and at worst, at least he would be momentarily entertained. Kid could keep up a good line anyway.]

Let's stick with one spell and leave the rest to time itself. I'm old, so let's not push me too far towards a shallow grave with experimentation. [He's done enough of that in his time.]

[gr1m]

You around the house?

[It was easier to use the crystal than just call out, more so when he was milling about in the backyard, having cleared out snow and was checking on the lantern that was helping keep the property safe. Those little butterflies made of hope fluttering about it and sort of flitting about the entire property here and there.

Really, it kept the dread away but still allowed snow around the farm- Gabriel had been checking on Roxy, making sure that her stable was still keeping in warmth for her. His own paw prints visible in the snow from where he'd been pacing about a little after.]

[dadication]

[Jack hadn't thought that he could contract any illness these days, but of course he was wrong and of course this place turned it all on its head. He had seen the odd wolf-flu going around when he was in town, but he hadn't thought much of it. It wasn't until he had contracted it himself that everything shifted priorities.

By that point, the full measure of winter had set in, and he found a particular advantage to his new form. He was so white that he blended into the snow, which meant he accidentally started some of the animals. Others seemed to take his pacing rounds in stride. He had learned a little on changing, but it was as fickle as the rest of this place, so he ended up wandering as a large hulking wolf until he could convince his body to change back.

Today he had used the advantage of being human to shovel snow off the roof. Better to be safe than sorry. He was finishing up when he received the message, rubbing a gloved hand over his head.]

On the roof. Just finishing up. You need me?

[gr1m]

[On the roof. Of course he looked up and could see some of Jack's figure up there, just mentally confirming that, tail wagging a bit under the long coattail. Okay. Good.]

Yeah. You can finish that up, but I'm down in the backyard right now.

[So in other words Reyes was going to be waiting outside for Jack to get down from the roof. Cold wasn't bothering him and he figured that was due to the black fur that for the moment went along his spine and shoulders, down his arms a bit almost like accents. He wasn't fully changed in to a wolf, but enough to know he'd also caught the illness.

It was fine with him, ears carefully tucked under his hood to help keep them a bit protected from the cold.]

[dadication]

[Backyard. Jack turned where he was standing and could see the outline of Gabe's form in the snow, nodding his head. He returned to work, shoving off the last big patches of snow. It was better this way, aware another snow fall was likely to come and he wasn't about to risk the roof cracking under the weight. A safety precaution he had always done at home and for the barn.

Once done, he skidded and slid down to the edge of the roof and simply jumped off to land on the ground. The impact was nothing to him physically, but apparently his whole flu affliction took it to mean he needed to suddenly buckle over as he dropped the shovel and twisted himself up, retaking the form of a large grizzled old wolf who had once been gold but now was almost completely white.

He rose from the pile of snow that he had fallen into, shook himself off and sighed, trotting over to where Reyes was still waiting. At least he could still talk.]

I can't tell who gave whom this stupid hairball disease.

[gr1m]

[Gabriel snorted a bit, and of course a hand moved and ruffled up fur between ears before going to rubbing and scritching at those almost affectionately. Like he couldn't resist and damn well wasn't about to. Why should he? Was just the two of them around and no one lived close enough, all of his neighbors were a few miles apart as was.

This was fine.]

Doesn't really matter since we've both got it, right? Hell, pretty mild considering what else there could be.

[Less sick and more... furry.]

[dadication]

[Jack was not living his best life. His changes were erratic, sometimes painful, and they weren't always leaving him in the same condition. Sometimes it was a partial change, sometimes mostly a change and other times a whole change. He missed functional thumbs whenever he was in this form, but he had figured out doors, some tools and didn't mind being able to run about as quickly as a wolf.

He grunted as Gabe decided to pet him, ramming his head against the older man's hip and then side, using that as a way to scratch his white muzzle. Gabe was pack, and thus, the older man was the most comfortable to be around.]

You call this mild? I can't use a can opener or a shovel. [Well, he could if he could grab it in his mouth, but that wasn't the same!]

Did you need help with something?

you know wheeeeeeeeeen

[gr1m]

[Well, things had started to settle down again. Return to what was basically 'normal' for a place like this, things moved on and it still felt like there'd always be something more. That could be nothing more than the start of something else.

Still, things settled, and Gabriel was coming back from running a few errands, leading Roxy to her fenced in area as he unsaddled her, taking bags with him towards the house itself—]

Jack? I'm back.

[Dogs had no doubt sounded something of his return home already, perking up without barking since his movements were familiar to them.]

New addition to the house

[dadication]

[Jack hadn't meant to bring it home, had meant to give it to the chocobo stables. The parents had obviously been killed in a struggle and most of their nest had been destroyed, but a single egg had survived. He thought it might be dead already, replaced as it was under a bush, but he had taken it when there was faint peeping from inside.

He had tucked it into his jacket to keep it warm and gave up on his hunting outing to head back towards the farm where he could take the road to the stables. He had good intentions, but the egg hatched there in his coat and the wet uncoordinated little creature imprinted on him when he had gone about cleaning out his coat.

It was a little light blue thing, all wet fluff and pitiful as it scrambled to stay close to him as its only source of warmth. Back in his jacket it went where it snuggled into the heat and rode along for the walk back. It had dried and fluffed up by then, finding some coordination on the floor of the house. Dogs didn't bother it, and it eagerly peeped along at his heels, trying to hide under him and ended up just sitting on his feet.

He was still grappling with the idea of keeping it when he heard the call of his name. The dogs had already lifted their heads at the sound of Roxy. He opened the front door to the sight of Gabe with saddle bags, opening his mouth to announce the fact he might have brought home a chocobo chick.

Before he could, the ball of blue fluff hauled ass out the door, peeping and chirping to take up the now 'acceptable' spot on his feet. It looked up at Gabe and peeped curiously while Jack sighed heavily.]

So much for the explanation first. [His socked feet were warm, okay? He bent and scooped the blue chocobo up and let it nestle into the crook of his arm.] So... in case it wasn't obvious, I found this on my hunting and gathering trip. Hatched in my coat on my way to take it to the chocobo farm.

A baby

[gr1m]

[Roxy heard the noise and was curiously moving to the closest part of her area to where they were as she could. All curiosity at a sound she of course knew what that was. Leaning over the bit of fencing as she could with a curious wark of a noise.

Gabriel meanwhile still had bags in hand, an eyebrow arching rather high for a moment at the sudden appearance of the little thing. Looking between it and Jack for a moment.]

Must be from when all of those wild ones were running around- and it's still here. [Which meant it would be staying, surely.

Huh.]

There's no taking it to the farm now, I don't think.

[dadication]

[Roxy was pretty obvious, and he stepped outside to allow her a good look at the chick who recognized its own kind and chirped excitedly. He let them have a moment together, even if the blue fluff ball was content to stay in the crook of his arm where it was safe and warm now that they were outside.]

That's what I thought. There was a struggle, so I expect they are either dead or disappeared. The nest and some other eggs were busted up. This one had to have rolled out.

[He shrugged a touch helplessly. He hadn't meant for it to hatch as it did, but he also hadn't wanted it to die trapped in an egg either.]

It's pretty attached to me so far, but maybe other chocobos would break that bond?

[gr1m]

[Roxy was very, very happy to see a little one and even lowered her large head enough to be closer. Cooing softly as she leaned against the fencing; surprisingly gentle for such a big bird, really.

Gabriel had his bags better slung over a shoulder so he could free up a hand and was getting a good look at the little blue chick himself. Same size as Roxy had been and looked healthy.]

Probably, wouldn't be surprised if this little fluffball may be the only thing left of that nest. Must've been ready to hatch it it did on you, too.

[He let out a breath, shaking his head slowly.]

They're extremely social, it makes other bonds that don't get replaced.

[dadication]

[The two birds seemed to very much like each other already, the little fluffball flapping underdeveloped wings and chirping out a little sing-song. It did not rise to bustle towards Roxy though, apparently safe and satisfied being warm at his arm and body. It was very cute, more than it had any real right to be.

He turned so Gabriel could inspect the little chick. It took to the observation by chirping and seeming to beg for food. Jack hadn't the knowledge of the feed for this species as chicks.]

I checked around, but the other eggs had been smashed. It clearly was. I only made it halfway back when it hatched, so I brought it here. I figured you'd know what to do with it.

[He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He figured he probably shouldn't have opened his jacket and imprinted it, but what else was he to do?]

It would be better with someone else.