video (feel free to move to action)

[losthere]

[The screen flicks on to reveal a serious faced young man with hair that has little interest in the laws of gravity and eyes that glow a faint, eerie green. The background behind him appears to be a fuzzy lime green.

Except for the velociraptor sitting at the table wearing a top hat and monocle and delicately sipping tea from a very fragile looking cup, one claw carefully extended.

Cloud seems to be ignoring everything but the screen.]

I need a motorcycle. If anyone can help me find one, I'd appreciate it.

Comments

Video; they're his REAL final limit break. He's been practicing since he was 16

[losthere]

[The eyebrows stay low and the look in Cloud's eyes isn't any more friendly. But the tremor goes down through him, somewhere deep and dark and buried. This... guy. Thinks he knows him. And Cloud - can't remember. Trapped in the Cycles he was the same as everyone else. Just as sure of who he was as they were. Just as memory blank as they were. He was even ahead of the Cosmos side, little bits of memory like glints of broken glass that sometimes jerked inside him in the darkness. Here though -

He doesn't like the way it feels and somehow dislikes the vulnerability even more in front of the man on the other side of the screen. He'd remember, if the red head had been in the Cycles. He would. Right? So the words come out bitten off, a raw wound poked too close.]

I don't know you.

mystery solved ;) Now if we could just figure out where Cloud's half skirt came from

[reno4prez]

[His brows draw together even more at that response, and he just stares at Cloud for a few seconds. Then, abruptly, his entire demeanor changes; his joking, carefree attitude disappears completely, replaced by a much more serious countenance.]

Cloud, seriously... what's going on with you? You really don't know me?

[losthere]

[It's the way the other man's face changes, something in his eyes, that has Cloud not shutting off the screen the way he'd been prepared to do. The way his thumb had already been moving to do, anticipating mockery or more nonsense. They're too close to where he feels vulnerable, too close to a flaw that runs all the way through him and his first instinct, his strongest instinct, is to deny it and ignore it. To protect it.

And yet his thumb hesitates.

no. today we're off duty]

Who are you?

[reno4prez]

The name's Reno. [For all that he seems dumbstruck by such a question in the first place, he answers plainly enough. Weird shit always seems to be happening to people - to heroes - like Cloud, so for now, he'll have to just roll with it. Hell, in the big picture, having to fill in a few memory gaps for the guy probably isn't even all that extreme.] Of the Turks.

[He pauses, tilting his head slightly as he watches Cloud through the screen, eyes sharp for any minute sign that he might be triggering some memory.]

I work for ShinRa Electric Power Company, owned and operated by Rufus ShinRa. You and your people... well, let's just say we didn't always see eye-to-eye, but that's in the past now.

Any of this ringin' a bell?

[losthere]

[He listens, letting it sift down through him and there are glints in the broken darkness, reflections he can't catch. kidnappings. assassinations. DON'T STEP ON THE FLOWERS!

A head shake to rattle bits back together, before he drifts, before - whatever would happen if he let all those broken shards out at the same time. A frown. Flat denial.]

No. [it should be a full shut down.

...except Cloud's blue eyes come up again and fix on the screen, stubborn refusal that doesn't quite hide the lost feeling.]

Why is it in the past now?

Oh my god I wrote all of the things. (@_@) Also stole your means of slipping in quotes for a moment!

[reno4prez]

[He has to take a deep breath and let it out slowly as he ponders how to answer to that, because damn, Cloud just asked the money question, didn't he? Leave it to Cloud to cut right to the chase, even when he doesn't actually remember what the hell it is he's asking about. And the answer isn't so simple, either, because Reno isn't even certain that it is all in the past. But they'd been trying. He and Rude and all of them - they'd been trying to make amends.]

Because we lost.

[It clearly makes him uncomfortable to be the one talking right now, and his eyes become unfocused as he stares at something nonexistent near bottom corner of the screen, his weight shifting from foot to foot. This is Rufus' territory - or Tseng's - someone who was specially trained to speak and placate, but definitely not someone like him, whose words usually just end up making things worse. Reno had never bothered learning that particular PR skill they all would have had him master, and now, when he's alone here and the only one who can do this, he can only hope that he doesn't fuck up royally like he did last time, when he'd stupidly appealed to Cloud by saying they could rebuild ShinRa together.]

Because we lost, and we didn't even know we were the villains until we did.

[ ...those left alive have a lot to atone for... ]

But we figured it out, yo, once... [ ...the day of the explosion... I managed to get out... ] ...well, we got the picture.

[Shaking his head suddenly, as if to pull himself out of some unspoken reverie, Reno forces himself to lift his gaze, meeting Cloud's eyes because he isn't one for hanging his head in shame - he never has been, and he never will be - even if he's got a lot of sins to answer for.]

[...seriously, though, how are we ever supposed to atone for that..? ]

And so we started tryin' to make it right. And to be frank, you guys might never have been able to save the planet again if we didn't. [He reaches up, running a hand through his hair in a nervous gesture.] So I know I ain't your favorite guy or nothin', and honestly it'd be kinda effing weird if I was, but... Well, we worked together once. For the greater good, you know? And that changes things.

I thought it was amazing. Reno just blew me away. and steal all you want, that's how I got it ;)

[losthere]

[It's not often he wishes he could remember. The other do - did. But him...

Somehow it feels familiar, going through things, waking up each day and not having anything beyond the immediate present. He resents the gods that took his memories away from him - but it doesn't bother him. He finds it easy not to think about and when he does... the rare times he does he feels the littlest twinge of fear, something that turns him away. Because - what's in his past - maybe it's that bad. Maybe he's better off not knowing.

So it's not often he really misses his memories - but he does now. Brows down, frowning, watching the man in front of him go through something that pings somewhere deep inside Cloud. we didn't even know we were the villains until we did...

Cloud knows what it feels like to realize you're a villain. He can't say he tried to atone for his though. Not really. He just... stopped. So his eyes are serious as always but there's a hint of...

they were allies, hn?]

All right. [It's acceptance, complete and total the way only Cloud does things and the quick, chin jerk nod afterward seals it. All right. The other man is from his past. All right, Cloud believes what he says. All right, they're allies. All right, Reno.

Which means it's back to business, for both of them apparently.]

Where's Tifa?

Hey, he's trying! And now if I only actually knew where our Tifa is...

[reno4prez]

[Reno lets out a long breath of relief that he honestly hadn't even realized he'd been holding. And just like that, apparently he's in the clear. He'd had no way of knowing whether or not he was just digging himself into a deeper hole with Cloud, but god damn did it feel good knowing that he hadn't managed to alienate one of the only familiar faces in this place in the span of a single conversation. He'd been trying hard not to dwell on it - to just go with the flow each day - but if's completely honest with himself, he's been freaking out just a little bit, what with being completely alone and directionless in an alien world and all. Now, though, what with both Tifa and Cloud having been sighted, now he feels like he's standing on at least somewhat solid ground again.]

Looked like she was in Crystalden, when I talked to her. That was a little over a week ago.

lol - don't worry. Cloud will drag Reno along on the hunt. They're allies, right? >:D

[losthere]

Hm.

[There. Back on more comfortable ground. Except then his brows come down again and he's not sure. He wants to make sure she's safe. Keep her safe. And yet - he's not sure he should see her. Or rather let her see him. Things were - complicated the last time they'd talked, what with him threatening he'd fight her next time they met and all and - of course he's not going to fight her. It's just - maybe being away from him is better for her here the way it was there. Except - it's not as if there are gods making them chose sides and so far as far as he can tell no one from his side has shone up. So - is she safer with him or without him?

And even time muddled and memory blank it never occurs to him to wonder if she'd actually want him around.]

Crystalden. [how hard can it be to find someone in this place?] She was all right? [aaaaaand there's the sudden tick inside him that has him collecting teammates no matter where he goes -] Where are you?