touchscreens | 002 ✗ video.

[ The second time around, these terminal things are a little easier to figure out. Zack still hasn't gotten the hang of their finer workings (see: anything other than Record and Send), but at least he's past the fifteen minute delay stage.

And he hasn't smashed anything - there's that. Technically, he's still in debt for the last computer he touched. But that's beside the point. ]

I didn't think it'd be this hard to find a decent weapon shop around here. They're usually front and center, y'know? [ Right next to the Items Shop and the Inn, generally. This is very basic city planning. ]

But I probably should've guessed. There's not exactly a lot around here to fight... [ Which is weird, and makes life a little boring - but it definitely isn't a bad thing. He shrugs, flashing the screen a lopsided smile. ] So what I'm saying is, if anybody out there's had better luck, I wouldn't mind a recommendation or two. I can't be the only one who wound up here unarmed, right?

Oh, yeah, and uh... [ He runs a hand down the back of his neck, looking around indecisively (as if that's doing anything to hide the faint hint of color climbing in his suddenly uncomfortable expression). ] If somebody wouldn't mind holding my hand for a while, I'd appreciate it, too. I kinda let that get away from me.

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Uh... Sorry?

[ He grins sheepishly as he leads her over toward an empty table (the chairs already preemptively pulled around so that they won't have any trouble holding hands while seated - conveniently). ]

It's just in my blood. Most Gongagan men are tall.

No, it's just-- not what I was expecting, is all.

[She tugs on her hair absently, strands coiling around her fingers in a nervous gesture. She gives the chairs a sort-of surprised look, but doesn't comment, instead settling down with a primness that is probably unexpected, considering her armor.]

Gongagan? I've never heard of any kingdom that sounds like that- I'd ask if it's near Chon'sin, but all things considered, you probably don't know where that is either.

Kingdom? [ Okay that's hilarious. His slightly incredulous look turns into a laugh, and Zack shakes his head as he slumps into his own seat (with no amount of primness). ]

Gongaga's just a little village. A few huts, a lot of dirt, and a big jungle - and a reactor, of course. Most people don't know it's there, to begin with.

Is, uh, Chon'sin where you're from?

Oh- well, I'm just used to people saying what kingdom they're from before anything else.

[Severa's face immediately flares red- gotta love how much a blush shows when you're a redhead- and she ducks her head some.]

Though... reactor? What's that?

[A pause, and then she adds-]

No, I've only visited Chon'sin- I'm from the kingdom of Ylisse.

We don't have any of those, where I come from. [ Unless they're imaginary kingdoms in silly plays.

He shrugs, smiling a little at her renewed blush. If she keeps that up, she's going to be in danger of passing out from the head rush. ] Reactors are kind of our trademark, though, I guess. They're big ugly buildings full of pipes and gears, and somehow all that stuff refines mako into power the people can use.

It's all pretty high-tech stuff. [ Which means he has no real idea how it works. But that hardly seems necessary, now. ]

What's Ylisse like?

Then what do you have?

[Kingdoms are not silly, Zack they are v important ok.

--and don't worry she actually does that with enough frequency that she's pretty used to it.]

That sounds like kind of an awful thing to have in your village, honestly.

[But home is home, she supposes.]

It's a big country, with a lot of open countryside and a royal family that really goes out of their way to protect it. [Never let them know she said that.] It's a pretty great place.

I dunno - towns?

[ He shrugs. THEY'RE JUST VERY SUPER UNORGANIZED ON HIS WORLD chaos reigns.

And that's kind of reassuring maybe (except not at all).

At least her unsurprisingly apt opinion of mako reactors gets another laugh out of him. ] It kind of is. Unless you're in Midgar, a reactor usually means there's nothing else around for miles.

[ Which, yes, doesn't mean he loves his home any less - but it does do a good job of uglying up the landscape. ]

Sounds peaceful. No big cities or anything?

Well, I guess what works for Ylisse doesn't work for everyone.

[Though she thinks that sounds like a recipe for a lot of trouble, especially with regards to criminals and brigands.

She only goes slightly pink when he laughs this time, and frowns a bit, curious.]

Are they really so terrible?

[Because that sounds really depressing to her.]

But I mean... there is the capital- Ylissitol- but other than that and a major port town or two, most places aren't terribly big.

It depends on your point of view, I guess. The power they supply makes peoples' lives easier, but... The company in charge of them does a lot of bad things, too. I grew up near one, so I always thought of them as a necessary evil.

These days, I'm not so sure I wasn't on the wrong side of that one, too. [ As wrong as he was about everything else, it wouldn't be such a shock.

Waving over a passing waiter with his free hand, he grins away that briefly sobered expression. ] Ah, hey, order whatever you want, okay? Since it's on me.

So it's excused because of what they provide, huh?

[She doesn't know how powerful this company might be, she doesn't know what the circumstances are, but she does know one thing, and she squeezes his hand lightly even as she shakes her head.]

There's no such thing as 'necessary evil'. Just evil that people are afraid enough of not to stand up to. And sometimes that's the way things are, but other times... other times, someone eventually has to fight for the right thing.

[She frowns a bit at how easily he dismisses the subject though, but nods slowly, peering through the menu with a glance before making her decision.]

--and alright. Thanks for that too- you don't have to though. I can pay for it myself.

Yeah. And because there's no way to stand up to ShinRa.

[ Not without a death wish. But that's life. (Or it was.)

The look on his face is unreadable for a moment, almost considering (with a pensive kind of depth that his first impression probably suggests he isn't capable of), but the smile and change of subject wipe that away, too. ]

Yeah, but I picked the place. So if you don't like it, I'll owe you, anyway. I'd rather pay up, now, just in case.

You'd know best, I suppose.

[But the idea of letting something like that continue doesn't sit right with her. She does keep a curious eye on him as his expression changes, wondering what it is he's thinking that he's not saying.

She decides she doesn't want to push her luck, and leaves well enough alone.]

...alright, fine. But eventually, I'm going to have to pay you back somehow.

002 ✗ video.

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