edgeoflife | Hot damn! | OTA at your own peril.

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Hot damn! | OTA at your own peril.

It might have mattered to Laguna more if he wasn't already outside. His hair was up in a high ponytail, arms bare and tank top sticking against his chest a little. He was walking the city, jacket tied around his waist. There was a lot still for him to check out, and it seemed he was one of the few people who wasn't suffering.

The summer was great, who wouldn't want the summer?

Maybe all these people who just lost their air conditioning. Laguna probably wasn't helping by looking genuinely pleased by the warm air.

This was honestly better than lingering inside though, weeping over the loss of cold blowing air.

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"It only hurts my pride, to be honest." He crouches down carefully, undoing the laces of his shoes. Luckily they weren't entirely covered. Getting the shoes off were still a bit of a struggle but soon he's free, sitting heavily on the ground.

He turns to look at the bracer on his arm then gives Cloud a thumbs up.

"This thing is awesome! And that ice is cold, this is going to work great!" He gets himself to his feet, shaking his arm again.

"Alright! Let me try this again, I think I got it now."

Laguna closes his eyes for a moment,expression turning more serious before he extends his hand towards the wall. A far better blast crashes against the wall, ice spreading rapidly over it. But lord, that did take the breath from you.

"Your turn I think."

"... if you're sure." Cloud hopes so, but maybe Laguna's inexperience with handling materia really did help in this situation and ensure that the Blizzard hitting at his feet didn't do any damage. But, even so, judging by how his shoes are frozen to the ground, he's going to have to stay until they've melted out...

He snorts, reluctantly amused, at the enthusiasm Laguna shows after freeing himself and nods. It might work... Will probably definitely work, Cloud thinks, watching the second Blizzard slam into the wall.

"You got it quick," he says softly, taking his bracer back and snapping it on his wrist again, shifting on his feet and judging how he feels. Yeah, he should be able to cast another one without much issue - and it'll be good practice, too.

"Okay..." Nodding, he straightens up and stares, slightly off to the patch Laguna made, and focuses. The Blizzard crunches into the wall with a blast of cold air, and Cloud slumps a little, then stares at the actually pretty large spot they've now covered in ice, and that was definitely better than his first try.

Walking over, Cloud unceremoniously plops himself down onto the floor by the wall, closing his eyes as the cold radiates out from the frozen patch of wall.

"Must be talent."

Laguna was laughing though, not serious. It was difficult to focus, he wondered how efficient it was in battle? What other uses could the Materia have in a daily life? Why was it as uncommon as it was? Things he was going to look up.

As he moves to sit next to Cloud, letting his legs lay out straight. He taps at his phone, moving through the extranet.

"So this worked out pretty well. You going to invite anyone around to enjoy it or is this going to be your private spo--Hey! The bathroom!"

He nudges Cloud with his shoulder. "We could have done it in a bathroom, like in a bathtub! Lay out a towel over it and just lay all in it like... like a reverse hot spring."

Snorting softly at the laughter, Cloud shakes his head. This was a good idea, but it's not going to be very fun to move from this cool spot after it's all melted away...

Startled at the nudge, Cloud blinks his eyes open and peers up at Laguna, a soft noise of consideration slipping out.

"... bathroom with a tub would've been much easier," he agreed, smiling at the idea of a 'reverse hot spring'. That was a funny way to phrase it. "And I'm sure we're not the only ones who thought of something like this."

Couldn't be, Cloud was sure, but he'd certainly bring it up to a few people and help if they were interested. Either by just giving them the materia or after he'd rested.

Why did Laguna have to think of the best ideas after they already used the worst idea first? Oh well, at least Cloud would have something to keep in mind next time he wanted to do this to keep cool. Which, considering the heat, would most likely be relatively soon.

"Maybe, but they probably thought of the bathroom idea before I did." He sighs, leaning his head back against the ice. His eyes were closed, hands resting in his lap as he soaks in the cool against his tanned skin.

He was going to have to wait for his shoes to defrost. So he could sit here with Cloud for awhile.

"...Are you here by yourself? In this world I mean."

"You weren't with these hypothetical people anyway," Cloud points out, but doesn't look back to Laguna until the question. There's a small smile on his face now, one which he's not even aware of, even if he looks a little worn down too as he shakes his head.

"No... I thought I was, but I'm not. But..." he scrunches his nose, a frown replacing the small smile, "Zack's from several years into the future compared to me. Or... the present? I think it's the same date here as where we're from."

And he'd never catch up to that because he was - had been, whatever - dead. Cloud closes his eyes again and swallows down a lump in his throat, then shakes it away, determined.

"It's good you have people. Even if they're off set in time from you."

Laguna noticed the little frown, the internal struggle the boy seemed to have. It had to be hard, to be lifted out of the stream and see a different world and the same faces but far ahead.

He weighed a moment before bumping Cloud's shoulder.

"It's hard. I know. My... my son was just born. His mother passed away and he's waiting for me with his sister."

He's staring at his hands, touching where his wedding ring had been before the Lifestream robbed him of that too.

"We're both losing time with our loved ones. Or..lost time. But there's still plenty left right?"

His somber expression shifts into a grin again and he ruffles Cloud's hair.

Cloud has been silently listening, frown twitching deeper when Laguna mentions he has a child, and he would have said something if there suddenly wasn't a hand in his hair.

"Hey--!" Ducking away with a huff, Cloud shifts away a little before he settles back again, running a hand through his hair. Not that it necessarily does anything but get the spikes back into their former (dis)order.

"... maybe... they'll figure it out soon, and you'll be able to go back to them," he says quietly after a few moments, hoping, like for Terra, that whatever the situation with the Lifestream is, that it'll get solved and people could maybe... at least choose to go home or not.

He only technically has any time at all as long as he stays here, Cloud's sure. If he goes back, he'll doubtlessly not get out on the other end alive.

"Maybe! One can only hope."

He keeps his voice bright and hopeful. He sounded happier than he was. He wasn't depressed or anything but like many from the Lifestream he had been yanked from his life.

"In the mean time we should focus on the here and now. Try to enjoy what we have."

To distract from the reality of the situation because Laguna was good at avoiding things.

"I guess," Cloud frowns, but nods as well. Unfortunately, while he certainly is happy to be able to spend more time with Zack, he can't help but be very aware that Zack and Riku would, of course, rather be home, where they should be. And he...

He shrugs, turning the bracer with its slotted materia around in his hands. Probably shouldn't feel guilty about getting this much, at least, but he does.

"It's not so bad... But this is happening because something's wrong with the Lifestream, and that's... not good." None of them wanted to be here (Cloud was uncertain if he wanted to or not, unless he somehow could go back alive), but this Planet was suffering as well, even if the only symptom so far was people from other words and those who should be dead appearing.

Laguna looks thoughtful, wondering if he could find some bright spot in that. He hums, looking up at the ceiling then holds up a finger.

"Its full. That's all. Something terrible happened here, with the whole Meteor right? Maybe so many people like.. died and now the Lifestream is trying to spit the extras out. Right?"

He squints a little, trying to find a reason for the different worlds...

"....So... the other worlds is.. ... is the Lifestream ran out of options and is like, Oh no, Just grab whoever at this point. Giving this world like a ton of people."

Then a huge grin crosses his face as he leans his head back.

"So it chose the best of the best to come help bring this world to a new prosperous age!"

Well, if nothing else, the idea doesn't sound completely improbable, at first. But the more Laguna elaborates, the more Cloud is left staring incredulously, unsure whether to be amused or just shake his head.

"That's a nice idea," he finally manages, biting his lip and muffling a snort, "... I don't think that's it, but... it's a nice idea."

Doesn't change the fact that people doesn't belong here, though, and that they, like Laugna, Terra, Zack and Riku and everyone else are being pulled from their own lives.

Laguna puts his hand against his heart, as if Cloud hurt his feelings.

"Are you saying I'm not the best my world has to offer? You know, I ended a revolution and became president of a country before coming here!" He brushes his shoulders gently, giving a smug smirk. "I'd say I could bring in a new prosperous age."

Yeah right. He had no idea what he was going to do as President of Esthar. It was a good gig but it certainly trapped him in one place and prevented him from the dreams he'd wanted to achieve.

Like actually being there when Raine gave birth.

"I'm sure it'll be resolved. Like how the power is still out and we're all suffering slow agonizing deaths."

Another snort comes out, almost laughter this time, and Cloud shakes his head as he puts the bracer and the materia away - he'd like to freeze the wall again, even if it's still time before the effect's gone even a little, but he can tell it's better to wait.

"... You'd have to compete with Rufus ShinRa for that, I think... and maybe the head of the WRO as well?" Cloud frowned as he tried to remember his name... Reeve, something? Oh, right. He was - had been the head of the Urban Development department at ShinRa.

"It wouldn't be out, if the reactors were still running," Cloud said slowly, then shook his head, "... but it's better that they aren't."

He hadn't understood the scope of it, at first, and thought it stupid they were all closed down before viable alternatives had been found, but when he'd found out what had happened... then yes, much better they'd been closed down as soon as possible.

"Ah, the ever illustrious Rufus ShinRa. I'd love to meet the man." He laughs, shaking his head. He knew Reno had wanted him to be an employee or at least a consultant. He would have to think further about possibly taking the job..

"I saw those reactors. I've heard a bit here and there. Mostly people complaining. But there's sure to be different options."

Laguna had been trying to remember how things worked in Esthar. Esthar was technologically advanced. If he could possibly help that would earn him some friends at least.

"I'll have to think about it. Anyway, I'm actually pretty cold. I could use some sun." Weird to say but..

"They use the Lifestream, that's why," Cloud said with a shrug, "and I'm pretty sure... if you could offer some alternatives or ways to develop what they're trying to do already, the WRO would probably want you."

If he understood things right - ShinRa was a very different company nowadays, so the WRO seemed to be where Laguna would want to go in that case. At the comment, Cloud nodded and then twisted around to eye the wall behind them.

"... sitting here much longer we'll probably end up with wet pants," he said with a soft snort, "and I should probably go back." But at least he did feel cooled down now, something which would hopefully last the whole way back to the apartment.

Ah, another company that might want him. This would be weird, having to find a new job. He really did want to do the sky taxi thing but... If he could be helpful maybe he should actually do that.

But could he remember how things worked..? He knew vague ideas. The capturing of electricity, the usefulness of wind energy when it was around. But details..? That's what engineers were for right? They probably already thought of a lot of that stuff though...

"Yea, true. You can make a little cold tub for yourself in your apartment if the power is still out."

Laguna chuckles as he shifts forward. He fits his feet back into his shoes, tying them nice and tight before yanking them free of the thinned ice.

"I'll you around!"

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Hot damn! | OTA at your own peril.

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Cloud has a crush~

He admits to nothing!!

ACCEPT YOUR NEW FATHER FIGURE

... WELL OKAY what's one more

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