edgeoflife | Summer Solstice

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Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice Fair

The sun is shining, the Mognet is working again, and the summer solstice fair is here! The WRO hopes to makes this an annual thing, but this is the first year they're doing it. Everything you could ever want from a fair is here and open to the public.

*Fair Rides: Ferris wheels, a mini rollercoaster, that thing that looks like an octopus and spins around--the WRO spared no expense to make sure everyone would have fun here today. There's even a gravity ride that takes you up to the top of a pole and then drops you!

*Food: So much food. So much unhealthy food. Funnel cakes, hot dogs, burgers, ice cream, you name it. And it's all fairly cheap too, since the WRO promised to pay for half of what the merchants sell!

*Carnival Games: And most of them aren't even rigged! The Gold Saucer donated games for the fair and there are so many games. There's your standard shooting games, some basketball games, a dunk tank, hoop tosses, you name it. A few are rigged, though, so buy beware! There's also a few card tables set up in a tent for those who like their games a little less wild.

*Speed Dating: ...yeah, the WRO has no idea. This came with the Gold Saucer stuff, along with a Cait Sith and Moogle mascot pair that will coax anyone they can into sitting down and participating.

*Job Fair: With the influx of new arrivals, both native and Streamers, some employers see a golden opportunity to get some jobs filled! In one corner of the fair is another, mini-fair fill with tables and presentations on various workplaces: the WRO, ShinRa Tech, the volunteer emergency services of Edge, and the Highwind Air Taxi Service, just to name a few. Anyone of working age is welcome to wander in and have a look around.

Of course, the fair is taking up the entire center of Edge, so there's lots more to see and do!

[[Feel free to make your own top levels! Welcome to Edge of Life!]]

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Ooh. So some of the other worlds...are actually like this one all over again? Weird. But it means I have a sister!

[ She was an only child and the last of her kind, this is exciting! And then Aerith remembers what happened to her and what might have happened in any world with Sephiroth and that is much less exciting. Her grin falters.

Stop ruining things, Sephiroth. She continues, still speaking cheerfully. ]

How did you two know each other?

"Don't tell Cloud, but it was Teioh." Aerith sits down opposite Zack, looking at him with a goodnatured smile, but also with a natural curiosity. This is definitely not her Zack--looks very much alike, yes, feels very alike, but not same. A little older, judging by his face. "Nice to meet you. How about...nope, skip...what is your favorite color?" she reads off of her second card picked from the stack, flicking the first one aside. They may technically be meeting for the first time, but she feels relaxed already and leans back in her seat as she waits for his response.

Well, didn't he look absolutely bored. It was actually amusing, it reminded him of the recruiter who had recruited him into the military. Bored. Knowing damn well this wasn't necessarily the best decision for young men and women looking for opportunities.

"Laguna Loire. Recently elected president and also more recently deposited into this world by a shiny green lake. Wish it was the other way around, but unfortunately...?"

He shrugs, then looks around at the table.

"So. What is 'ShinRa Tech'? What would I be doing?"

"Capable enough." Rufus was still young, but was learning rapidly. It was clear to see he would bring the reborn ShinRa Tech to great heights. And hopefully if he had children, someone would curb their ambitions if need be. Or even Rufus's.

"Nothing eventful, since the Geostigma."

Not in Edge. Outside of Edge, there were a lot of things going on. Monsters needing culling and so forth. Vincent found bounties to take advantage of often.

Vincent appears at Tseng's side rather suddenly, simply melting out of the crowd to join the Wutai Turk in his stroll. He was silent a moment, before choosing to speak. It was only to allow Tseng the moment to now Vincent was present.

"President ShinRa is more like his father than he would like to admit. Stubborn and prone to cutting his nose to spite his face."

Perhaps speaking to the more level head that was Tseng would at least give him the access he needed.

Terra raises her hands quickly, shaking her head.

"There are a lot of people who were dead before though. I don't want them to lose this chance at life! If... If I need to start over for good people to get to live again then I want that, I can do that..."

She might want to go home but there would be no way she would do so if it meant people who had the chance to live lost that chance.

"So.." She picks lightly at the grain of the wood on the table. "Do you know what you want to do here...? Have you found any opportunities?"

Well at least ruins weren't a new thing for Terra. She'd seen ruins of many places that had been homes to people she knew. It was horrifying, but... Catastrophic events often led to sorrowful places.

This story sounded similar, though it hadn't been a meteor that hit her world. It had been a continent, and there was no magic to repel it. It was magic that had caused it though. Perhaps their worlds weren't that different.

"You definitely have a really... strong outlook. This would be too much for me to handle." Perhaps she was handling things better than she would have expected of herself but.. to die then to return to so much in ruin..? Aerith was strong.

"What are you going to do now..?"

Zack peered at the assortment of fancy fish the game booth had to offer. He had no idea what to even look for in a pet fish. For all he knew these were all terribly unhealthy and would die in a day or two.

"I want it to live in a tank on our kitchen counter. I think it'll look nice, and add some life to the apartment." And he could convince Riku that taking care of it was a good learning experience. That was what good parents did, right? Probably.

After another moment of looking he nodded to the lady. "The calico one with the long fins." It looked pretty, and as healthy as any of the others as far as he could tell.

"Having fun so far?"

The voice made him jolt upright and left him staring at the woman across from him. She'd died here, he'd been told. So this must be the doing of the Lifestream. But was she this world's Aerith, or his?

Don't tell Cloud... So she was from this world.

He relaxed a bit, a small bittersweet smile melting slowly onto his face. The last time he'd seen her...

"Blue, like the sky," he replied once he remembered how to speak and be polite. "Are you still afraid of it?"

"Pointed ears?" That got Reno's attention. Vincent wasn't one to lie or joke around, at least not with the Turks. There had been a lot of strange people coming out of Mideel who qualified as "Streamers" -- and if there really were two Clouds and two Zacks, it meant the Lifestream was accessing other universes or something else weird. Doubles of people didn't exist normally. And people with pointed ears weren't usually from Gaia.

"Who was that?" he asked.

Reno shook his head with a nervous smile. "Seein' one of you again is weird enough. There's really two now?"

He'd heard the rumors. Rufus wouldn't lie, and he doubted anyone would lie to him. But it was easy to justify it to himself, too, with all the other confusion of the Streamers. Someone could have seen a Streamer that just looked like Zack. Or, there really were Streamers from other worlds and parallel universes, and somehow that Zack got spit out on this side. Or... or some other alternative Reno hadn't even thought of yet. It was a hard thing to come to terms with.

"Liadrin, she said her name was."

There was a distinct disinterest in his tone. He didn't think the pointed ear girl was a threat. There were bigger potential risks that could crawl out of the Lifestream that he was more concerned with.

"What have you all figured out about Mideel so far?"

He kept the question casual. Just two people discussing current events.

"You've got everything else for it?" Cloud asked, definitely not looking to the woman who was now getting Zack's new fish ready for him - wasn't like she could say anything since Zack had won fairly. Or unfairly, as the case may be. Cloud wondered if the fish were all rewards here because the game was rigged...

"Huh?" Looking up, Cloud blinked. Caught between nodding and shrugging, he let out a little noise, about as ambiguous as the gesture had been.

"I... wasn't gonna stay long," he admitted after a moment, "not like I can try most of the rides. But I guess so?" He'd relaxed when running into Tifa, and was doing so again, compared to earlier.

The whole speed dating incident with Riku had gone... better than he'd thought it would, basically. Glancing sideways up at Zack, Cloud bit his lip and then added, "I... talked to Riku. We ended up at the same table."

Zack would find out later anyway, probably.

Cloud felt himself flush when Terra mentioned that there was people who'd been dead who'd come through - there was more than him that applied to?

"Well, maybe everybody won't have to go home, only if you want to?" Of course, there might be no choice - Cloud was sure that whatever was causing this would have to be fixed, because this wasn't normal behaviour for the Lifestream, and that probably only meant bad things for the Planet.

Shaking his head, Cloud glanced away and shrugged.

"I don't know," he said softly, frowning at the people milling about without seeing them, "the place I was employed at before doesn't exactly... exist anymore, I don't think, and aside from that there's not much I can do."

That was a mix of Cloud's usual lack of self-confidence and an honest look at his current skill-set.

"... Not that many will be interested in hiring a sixteen year old," he muttered with a shrug.

'Her Cloud' huh? It was cute and the noise she made was close to laughter but she didn't mind. If they were going to make a distinction she supposed there had to be some way to talk about both Cloud's without overlapping them and confusing things. Hearing that he's suggested the same thing -

"Great minds," she teased, tapping the side of her head. "We'll have you on a bike in no time at this rate."

And then she gave a little nod and a bounce on her toes before turning and heading over to the stand.

"One flavored ice, coming up!"

Terra notices the flush to Cloud's cheeks. She smiles softly, hoping the same thing he hoped for.. But she had a feeling he was one of the dead come back. She would choose to stay if it meant he could live, certainly. He was very kind.

"I'm sure you have more skills than you think but at the same time..."

She tilts her head thoughtfully. "...You could lie and say you're older..? Or maybe just start at something... entry? Build up some new skills, non-military skills..."

There were a lot of different options. And Terra was glad she had met someone as confused as she was.

"We can work together at finding somewhere. Then we can have at least one friend in whatever new thing we start doing."

A little embarrassed when Tifa almost laughed, Cloud ducked his head. But it was so awkward this thing. How was he even supposed to talk about himself, when that meant someone else instead of just him?

But still, he smiled at the comment about the bike and nodded, feeling cautiously excited about the possibility, and followed Tifa the rest of the way over to the booth. Now that she'd brought it up, he realised some flavoured ice didn't sound like a bad idea at all.

Her suggestion made Cloud laugh - a short, startled amusement that nonetheless was genuine, and he ducked his head, hiding his chin and the tip of his nose in his scarf, but probably not obscuring the slightly mischievous smile completely.

"I... did do that. Lie about my age, I mean, when I first got employed." He'd only added a year, but still. Cloud wasn't sure now if they really hadn't cared (not improbable) that he was a year under the recruitment age or if they'd really believed he was just a bit on the small smile.

Letting out a soft sigh, he nodded.

"I think I'm just... I've been trying for a thing for two years and now it's... not possible," gaze dropping again for a moment, Cloud grimaced. Because he was, had been, dead, because SOLDIER didn't exist here or anymore, because this was a different (but same) Planet altogether.

"... I like that idea, though," he said softly, looking back up and nodding determinedly, then frowned briefly, "if you... like people, maybe there's cafés you could check..?"

She quirked a brow at his comment about her eyes, but shrugged, still smiling. This wasn't so bad, at least. So long as it was mostly talking, and no one actually expected her to go on a date...

"Silvermoon? It was nicer before the war, but I suppose that's to be expected, eh?" Liadrin shrugged at that. "Lots of greenery and sculptures. Wide arches, cobblestoned streets. It's supposed to give a sense of openness, I expect. The smaller countryside villages, most of them echo its architecture, where and when they can. Pretty, save for where the Dead Scar lies. That is where the Death Knight, Arthas Menethil, drove his undead horde through our lands, and to the Sunwell."

If her eyes were a little distant, now, well. The memories weren't incredibly pleasant, but he couldn't be blamed for that. It had been a perfectly innocent question...

"So, if you're a native, or close enough, what can you tell me about...all this?" the elf asked, spreading her hands to take in their surroundings. "I am curious, but I'm not particularly sure where to start."

Even mixing the juice with the ice would be wonderful, if that's possible? Just enough to flavor the ice. Indeed, not too sweet!

[She had missed out on much of the Northrend campaign, but from what Liadrin had heard, it hadn't been much to miss. Ice was more than pleasant on a summer's day, but months upon months in the stuff, with little respite--save for the cradle of life that was Sholazar Basin--did not appeal to the paladin. She'd take heat over cold any day.]

Liadrin. A pleasure. Do you do this often? [Curious, there.] You must be a good listener. Or do you get tired of it? I am not certain I would, but...I admit I am more the doing type.

[She can't help but chuckle a little, at that.]

"Perhaps to you!" Liadrin laughed. "But I have yet to try it. Still, it does not sound entirely unhealthy, so."

The blood elf nodded, a small smile still curving her lips.

"You mean in the morning? Quite, if you are up to it. If not, I am fine with later, if that suits you better."

He wasn't one of her paladin recruits, to be tempered like steel, after all.

"Some things are not so easily forgotten. I would think war, be it in large scale or small, would be one of those things." Still, she inclined her head in acknowledgement.

Liadrin mused over his question a moment. "For now, looking. I am not so certain, being what I am, and new come at that, I would be an easy hire for the things I am good at. But I understand that. One does not make a sword from untempered steel." She would never let one of her green recruits go into the Ghostlands untested, were she back on Azeroth.

Likely, she kept getting bogged down just because she was such an oddity. But the Sin'dorei had expected that, to a degree. And on some level, she was aware that the WRO wanted Streamers to have a good name and a good reception. So she at least played along, as best she could.

She lifted her gaze to follow his head tilt, lifting a brow. "You sound as if you've some experience. I expect I do need a job, at some point. Do you think I would be accepted, there?"

Fitting in was a bit of a stretch, so no need to say that.

"I am still not sure about that. I feel as if riding a dragon, or even one of the Alliance's gryphons, would be safer."

Those could be reasoned with, after all. A mechanical contraption...No. No. Call her craven, if you must, but even the Matriarch had her limits. She had just come upon one.

At the similarity between his hair and the chocobo's feathers became apparent, she stifled a chuckle, lifting her hand to hide her smile. It was hardly malicious, but it sounded...rusty. As if she were far too serious, most of the time.

Likely because that was the truth.

"We have black, white, blue, green, red, and pink hawkstriders, at home. Sometimes they wear fancy barding." Although sometimes, with the feathery crests they possessed, Liadrin felt they looked something like troll headdresses. No accounting for taste.

"Perhaps I shall have to try, though. A soothing blue, maybe. Still, thank you. I appreciate your help." She bowed to him, then. "I am Liadrin. You are?"

She isn't organically friendly, but she really is trying...

She laughs softly. He was so sweet, Terra was certain they would be able to et pretty far with putting their heads together. They seemed to have a similar situation going on, being lost without anyone else.

"Its okay. We can try for something else and we can succeed because we have each other." Her shoulder bumps gently against Cloud's.

Ah, a cafe..? She wondered if she'd be able to do that. She knew what it entailed, a lot of people to deal with.. she was certain she could.

"Only if you promise to come with me..? We could work together!"

"I worked there some years ago."

Nice and vague. It was better to not horrify her with the details. It might deter her from applying but it was better now. They might want to hire her as an equality case. Look at them, they were hiring Streamers. Obvious streamers, with pointy ears and everything.

"It would be good to learn this world's technology with hands on experience."

As if he had any right to tell anyone they should learn the new tech. But Vincent could see it was troublesome not knowing how to do anything with these phones and computers.

"It is the biggest local company as well."

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Summer Solstice

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Sup, 'wonk'

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OH MY GOD AERITH.

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seem like a good place to wrap it up?

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:D Yeah, works for me

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