UN: Aerith » Video

[inemeraldfaith]

[Aerith could text and maybe she ordinarily would, but given that this is her very first time making use of Etraya's network, she decides she would rather own all of her words and let them be attached to a face.

So on she pops making a peace sign with her right hand just outside the Louvre in the Jardin des Tuileries.]

Helllooooo!

I've been here for a little bit, but this is the first time I'm giving a real hello. I'm Aerith, but I might have told you my name was 'Ree' or 'Ri' or some other variation of it. I sold flowers back home and maybe I might want to do that here, too? I'm not sure yet. It's nice to meet you!

A bit ago I was one of the people who came from Pollux and had been living with the fae for a few months, if you can believe it. I haven't exactly reunited with everyone who I had met while I was there, but I'd like to if you decided to come back with everyone else.

I also wanted to say thank you to everyone who was worried about me not making my way back. As you can see, I'm in one piece and one hundred percent here!

[She opts for not making any commentary on any of the dreams she had and the various people she might have reached out to in said dreams even before they found her on Pollux. That may just have to remain another one of those unspoken secrets that Aerith seems to carry.

She moves her video to show the gardens off.]

If you like flowers, you should come visit the Louvre. They aren't mine, but the very nice man who curates the museum is letting me help take care of them! Please come by and say 'hello;' they'd like that very much!

[When the camera moves back onto her, she lifts a finger.]

With that out of the way—I'm actually looking for someone. Back on Pollux there was a very nice man named Jean-Napoleon who said he was going to show me some more gardens here. I'm officially stating that I'm hunting you down and I would like to collect on this invitation!

And of course, I'd be very thankful for anyone who can point me in his direction!

[But also, you know, please come to the gardens—and her church—and say 'hi' to the flowers.]

Comments

audio | un: stendhal

[maellum]

[She had an actual reply, really, but there's just a sputter of airy laughter! This is the best thing she's heard in a minute.]

Not Here ♥

[inemeraldfaith]

[Aerith is happy to be of service! Prepare thyself for a future of more!]

[maellum]

[Sciel is killing her, but she supposes she should eventually say what she came here to say--]

I think you're talking about my father.

[Father, big brother, guardian, whatever. You think he's haaaaandsome!!!]

[inemeraldfaith]

He has a daughter?

[She really tries to disguise this, but fails miserably. He definitely didn't look... old enough (???) to have a daughter?]

I had no idea. To be fair, we mostly talked about plants. [Okay. Let's be real here.] Welllll. I talked a lot about plants and he was very, very nice and listened to me.

[maellum]

Adopted.

[Maelle, you brat. She's actually glad to not be the subject of conversation, so plant talk? Wonderful!]

He's a very good listener, yeah. I bet he genuinely enjoyed it. You're going to make his day, letting him show you things.

[inemeraldfaith]

Oh!

[She will, without a doubt, be asking him about his adopted daughter the next time she sees him.]

I was a little worried I might have talked too much. I was able to get him to open up a little, but I didn't want to press too hard. Your father, adopted or not, seems like a very wonderful guy. The gardens he was talking about—he called them the hanging gardens. When he found out how much I liked flowers, he thought I'd appreciate seeing them. And I think the museum's curator talked about them, too.

[maellum]

I wouldn't worry about talking too much with him. He's used to it.

[He lives with some people that love to yap like they get paid for it. And as much as Maelle loves to tease Gustave, she'll never deny anyone who sees him for what he is.]

He's the best, actually. [Not that she's biased or anything. She's glad this is audio only, because her expression stills at mention of this "curator," but she doesn't ask. Nothing good to be found there, surely.] It's a beautiful place. If you like flowers, you'll love the ones there.

[inemeraldfaith]

[He's the best actually. Just hearing it makes Aerith feel incredibly warm. How wonderful that he has someone like this here for him. With him.]

I'll look forward to seeing it then. I'm not sure I've ever met a plant I didn't like, but truthfully, there are a lot more plants here than I really ever saw back home. [At least, definitely not in Midgar.] It's hard for me not to be a little in awe of how many there seem to be here.

[maellum]

[A plant nerd. She seems sweet--no wonder she and Gustave got along.]

The gardens he'll show you are from home. One of the best spots in the city.

If he doesn't decide to pay attention soon, I'll tell him he's being summoned. He's doing something or other at his work bench.

[inemeraldfaith]

Oh, you don't need to do that. I don't want to bother him if he's busy. I just wanted to know if anyone knew who he was. Since we couldn't give our real names on Pollux, 'Jean-Napoleon' was all I had to go on. And I had a feeling he didn't have any antlers normally.

[Probably, but who is she to judge, really.]

But so I don't talk your ear off about flowers, you should tell me something about yourself. Something you like? Otherwise, I'll feel bad for dominating the conversation.

[maellum]

He keeps busy but he's not busy. He needs to remember to go outside every now and then, too.

[Usually Maelle's job, but she doesn't mind being relieved of her duties every now and then. The more friends Gustave has, the better. He's always been someone that people like.]

Me? I like... dueling. Gustave's not so bad at it. And... I don't really know much about flowers, but I like looking at them.

[inemeraldfaith]

[Sounds like something she would say. Sounds like something she has said, actually. Aerith likes Maelle immediately.]

Duelling. [A pause.] Duelling? Like... [She tries to think of a good comparison. Has she ever seen something like that? Cloud fights, but that's not really the same.] Like with swords? You're not like, a soldier, are you? Military?

[maellum]

I use a rapier, yeah. We're expeditioners. Jean-Napoleon can tell you about all the times he couldn't defeat a teenager. Or, alternatively, the few times he bullied one and happened to win.

[All said with good humor. Either an old man like Gustave can't keep up, or he's guilty of picking on a teenager. Truly no winning.]

[inemeraldfaith]

[Rapier.
Expeditioners.

...Researchers? Aerith's head is spinning. She is going to ask Gustave so many questions he might just become buried in them.]

He doesn't really bully them, does he?

[Sweet summer child Aerith.]

[maellum]

[Maelle laughs. The idea of Gustave genuinely bullying anyone is absurd.]

Nah. Just me. He's too nice to actually bully anyone.

He has jokes, sometimes. He can be pretty funny.

[inemeraldfaith]

[He bullies her, but she's laughing. She... enjoys it? No. He doesn't actually bully her at all. She's teasing.]

Does he? I must have caught him by surprise. I think he spent his time with me being more uncertain than anything. But I also think I just have that effect on people. I can be a little... much. Sometimes.

[Usually not intentionally.]

[maellum]

Nah. He can be awkward.

[Like Maelle herself isn't. But she's seen him stumble over himself before a pretty lady. Maybe this is... that?]

Probably all him.