Time and Tides Archives

With regard to technology, Ashe's philosophy tended to involve pressing whatever buttons, pulling any lever until the desired response came about. At least, it had been when she'd tried to steal away in the Strahl without Balthier's knowledge. Keeping the blanket wrapped firmly around her the princess stepped forward until she stood behind Tidus, looking up at the vast metallic structure.

Her physical discomfort was growing, though it didn't show that much as she looked to the others present, awaiting. "It's possible there are fiends - we must, at least, be prepared."

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In the back of his mind, he wondered if this Garden was a bit more solid than a ship. He didn't like the able of being relegated to a bucket. He breathed a sigh of relief that at least he had a few more moments until finding out.

Locke placed his fingers upon his weapon, preparing himself should they unexpectedly find themselves in battle. "Nothing in there could be too bad, right?" While it wouldn't surprise him to find the Garden inhabited, he secretly hoped it was empty and they could get on their way.

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"If there is, we'll deal with it." Rydia nodded grimly, her expression set. She stood near Ashelia, ready to do what she could to protect the woman. Hopefully, their paranoia was just that, but the summoner would not be overly surprised to learn that fate wanted to mess with them a bit more. She shoved as much as she could into her pack, so that her hands could be kept free, then approached.

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"I don't know," Rinoa replied to Cloud. "I guess we'll figure that out later. And I'm fine; Locke was there to look out for me."

She gave Locke a grateful smile before stepping up to unlock the entrance. Quite a crowd had gathered behind her now, worrying about whether there would be monsters inside.

"We'll see," she said. "Open sesame!"

The doors creaked open, revealing an entranceway covered in dust. Some of it blew up from the movement of the doors, and Rinoa's nose twitched before she sneezed.

"Looks like nobody's been here for months... But we're in! Yes!" Unable to contain her delight, she punched the air and hugged the nearest random person before leading the way in. "There's plenty of room for all of us. I'll give you guys the grand tour."

Once they reached the foyer, Rinoa began to explain the general layout, starting with the most important areas: the dorms, the cafeteria, the cockpit. The foyer looked empty, but that didn't mean there were no monsters at all. The party would have to remain on their guard until they properly cleared this place up.

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Well, Cloud was stood beside her... so of course he was hugged. Tensing up for the split second, he followed Rinoa in, drawing his sword and clenching his gloved fingers around the hilt of it. "Anyone even know what date it is?" It was a random question but he had a point.

Still, even if there were fiends in here, monsters of any kind, he was pretty sure they'd handle things with the miss-matched group they were in.

"Okay... lead the way, Rinoa." He gave her a light smile and a firm nod.

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Tidus had to grin at Cloud's surprise on being hugged - clearly the guy didn't really do the random touching thing. But he kept Brotherhood out, ready just in case anything did pop up.

And the vigilance, for him at least, couldn't end just yet, monsters or no. For one thing, Lulu would kill him if he dropped his guard on a woman with a baby on the way, even if he theoretically wasn't the only one looking after her now. So Tidus glanced back at Ashe, then looked at Rinoa. "Hey, does this place have an infirmary or a medical bay? We're probably gonna need it."

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This 'Garden', Ashe mused as she took in her new environment, listening to Rinoa's explanation, could be described as a flying building, more than any airship. That thought was broken as Cloud's question reached her ears - it had been summer, July, when she had gone to sleep the very night before waking in Troia, and now...

"Unless the colder weather is characteristic of this continent..." she replied, a hand soothing her lower stomach, "It is summer no longer."

An infirmary? Grateful as she was for the others' aid (getting through this alone would have been a prospect nothing short of terrifying) Ashe had no intentions of giving birth under such circumstances, or with two months left to go. She didn't comment, however, knowing any medical facility could be a blessing for any others they may find, people injured or in need of treatment.

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Locke scanned the area, marveling at the size of the place. It brought a small smile to his face to think of how Edgar would run through here. With that brought the realization that there would also be many corners for something to hide in.

He knew that Cid would be anxiously awaiting the return the Eiko, but he couldn't allow her to be attacked by some hidden monster.

"I won't be much help in the cockpit. I'd like to look around."

Sensing that Rinoa was likely about to give him that look again for adventuring instead of rescuing, he hastily added his intention of cleaning out the garden.

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"Oh, yeah, it does!" Rinoa answered Tidus. "Why, is someone hurt?"

Looking around, she spotted Ashe and hurried over to her. "Ashe, are you okay? You're not about to have the baby, are you?"

She touched the ring at her neck unconsciously, warming the cool metal as she often did when feeling anxious. There was so much to do and she wasn't sure where to start. She wasn't really used to taking charge, but she wanted to prove that she could do it. These people were relying on her.

"Okay, um, do you guys wanna split up and look around, or should we stick together? It's a pretty big place. I don't want anybody to get lost."

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"There are signs around, right? Let them explore, and clear the monsters out, if there are any." Looking to Tidus he gave him quite a stern look. "Stay with Ashe." A direct order, masked as a friendly suggestion. He then looked to the princess herself. "You should get yourself checked out, just in case."

He really didn't want to be helping deliver a premature baby while trying to pilot an airship he had no idea how to fly and possibly battling with his air sickness. "Rydia, you should stay with Locke. Then no one is alone and we can get moving." Resting his hand on Rinoa's shoulder, he gave them all a light smile. "We'll get back to the people we care about, we've just got to help everyone, first."

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"I think Ashe is right, but beyond that...." Rydia shrugged and raked a hand through her hair. There were bigger concerns at hand, but the shift in seasons was still troubling to her, too.

Rydia considered Rinoa's words, frowning in thought. "We should check it all, just to make sure there's no surprises. Maybe we should stick together for the time being, then we can split off as we like, once we're sure everything is as it should be?"

She was curious about the place anyway and wanted to volunteer to go with Locke...but until they were certain nothing had managed to barge its way in, perhaps a little paranoia wouldn't hurt. Besides, a tour would be useful for later.

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Surprised by Rinoa's sudden display of concern, Ashe shook her head in response. "It is not yet time. I will be fine, now we are inside," she said softly, watching as the other girl paid attentions to her ring, just as Ashe herself would do whenever thinking of Rasler. They had spoken over the device; he was safe and well, charged with the challenge of delivering Lulu's baby. Cloud was right, they would return to their loved ones, and the thought spread warmth through her, just as the fire had done.

He was also right to suggest she should be examined, a nod signifying her agreement - but examined by whom? No-one else was aboard, were they?

So, she was to stay with Tidus. Ashe had no objection to that, anyone bearing a sword as sizeable as her own treaty-blade surely knew how to handle themselves.

"Where do we go from here?"

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Locke was used to working by himself and in smaller groups. So while exploring this new location with Rydia was appealing to, he did have to admit to himself that this Garden was huge. It would be easy even for him to get lost in something this complex. It also worried him that should anything happen, text messaging would not be the most expedient form of communication.

"A small tour could be useful with our sky phones not working well."

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Cloud gave a slight sigh, rubbing at the back of his neck. "If you guys want to go on a tour, go. I'd rather we got this thing going." He really didn't see a point in all of them going walking around the place on a tour, making Rinoa play tour guide and wasting time. What were they going to achieve by wandering around Garden? They certainly weren't going to get to their friends any faster.

"Rinoa, just tell me which way to the controls. I'll figure something out." He might have come across as angry, but really, Cloud was scared. He had no idea how Tifa and Aerith were, and while he was sure Zack was able to take care of himself... and even if the girls could take care of themselves too... he was worried. Frightened they'd gotten hurt.

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Yeah, he came across as angry. Tidus rolled his eyes at Cloud's order, then just had to break in. "Look, it'd be really, really stupid for people not to know where the important places are, right? Including you. I mean if you want to go up to the bridge or whatever this thing has, fine, go ahead, but we've gotta be careful. We're probably not gonna get this going right away anyway."

Tidus talking sense? It happens, occasionally. And he was probably just as scared and worried as Cloud - Kefka had taken Yuna, and he was all the way over here and couldn't do a thing to find her until they'd gotten back to the mainland.

But right now the here and now was important. "Look, is there a map of this place around somewhere? Then we could all split off to where we needed to go and know basically where everything is."

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So many contradictory opinions. Rinoa found herself naturally gravitating to Cloud because he seemed used to taking charge, but Tidus was right. She nodded at both of them.

"I can take you to the bridge if you want, but we can't go yet anyway. We can't just abandon everyone still lost on the continent. I'm not leaving until we have as many refugees as this place can hold."

It was the right thing to do, she was sure of it, even though she was eager to return to Squall and her friends. Rinoa was very stubborn when she wanted to be.

"And there isn't a map, exactly..." she answered Tidus. "Not a physical one. I think they have an electronic one on the computers, if you could get them working."

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Silently, Ashe considered the arguments being presented before her. It wasn't unreasonable that people wanted to make haste back to the people they cared for; Gods know, she wanted nothing more than to find Rasler again, the prospect of remaining on the Garden for any great length of time was indeed a concern - however, Rinoa was right. From what she had learned over sketchy messages across the network, most everyone, if not all, had been displaced.

The others couldn't be abandoned.

"If we can acquire a map and pinpoint the locations of those lost within this continent," Ashe tried, then, "We can collect them as quickly as possible, that we may all be returned to our loved ones."

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Rydia sighed at Cloud's tone but said nothing as Tidus beat her to it. The idea of a map made sense, but the summoner looked doubtful upon hearing it was electronic. "You'll have to show me how those computers work, then--I don't have anything close to them, where I'm from."

She nodded at Ashe and Rinoa, agreeing wholeheartedly with them. "I want to go as much as anyone. Kefka might have killed--" At that, she paused and turned away so no one could see her expression. Her voice was firmer a moment later. "But we won't abandon anyone. I know at least Eiko is on this continent and there's others stranded with her. Doubtless there's many others scattered across the towns here. No one will get left behind." Well, unless they wanted to be, but that was different.

There was nothing she could do for Cecil, as much as it tore at her. At least she could still help others.

Edited Date: 2009-11-09 06:03 pm (UTC)

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"I wasn't suggesting we leave anyone behind, but there are people further north. Isn't your friend over on an island somewhere, Tidus? And the little girl, Eiko, she's up north." Cloud shook his head slightly, crossing his arms. "Staying down here is only going to prolong their wait."

He shifted his weight, a little anxiously at that. "I'm sure that there are rescue teams going out, but Galbadia Garden is enormous. Isn't it better we make a sweep of this continent then head for the Mist Continent and see who else needs picking up?" The very fact they seemed to assume he was being selfish enough to want to head home without rescuing other people had seriously irritated him, but sometimes he knew he came across the wrong way.

He was just a difficult person to understand and everyone took him the wrong way once in a while. Even Tifa, although that was rare. He wanted to rescue people just as much as everyone else, but they had taken him wrong.

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At least they weren't attacking him for it. Get that many strong personalities together and there were bound to be clashes. Tidus still didn't look too pleased with Cloud, but at least the conversation hadn't devolved into a fight yet.

And fortunately it seemed that there probably weren't monsters in the place, or something would've turned up to chew on them by now. They weren't exactly being subtle.

"I've got friends all over the place. We all do." Rydia's concern about Cecil was mirrored by his concern over Yuna, but at least he knew she was alive. Somewhere. "We'll get as many people as we can, starting with Lulu if it's possible, then head back. It's the best option we're gonna have for awhile."

And Tidus looked at Rinoa. "I'll take a look at those computers if you want me to. We might have to get them going to make this place work, and who knows, maybe it'll make the phones work better." He knew how to type and wouldn't break anything, at least. And electronics didn't fall into decay when left unused, fortunately.

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Rinoa shook her head - not because she was disagreeing with anyone, but because it was just too much to take in.

"Okay, okay," she said, trying to make sense of it all, "so... Map, infirmary, dormitories, cafeteria, the bridge. We wanna look around, unpack, clean this place up, then get moving, right? Maybe all at once, I don't know. But I know I'm only one person and I'm tired and I don't wanna try and fly this thing just yet. I'll take anyone who wants to come up to the bridge - there's a computer and an intercom thing there. Okay?"

She didn't wait for an answer; she started moving towards the elevator, gesturing for everyone to follow.

"Leave your stuff there if you want. I don't think anyone else is here to steal it. Come on!"

If a couple of people wanted to wait there, that was fine by Rinoa. And if they were so keen on a map, she'd find them a map.

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While he was indeed concerned about his friends and comrades, he was resigned to the fact that he was limited in what he could do for them at the moment. He knew he couldn't get this Garden moving. He knew he didn't know his way around.

He knew he would do whatever he could to help, but listening to everyone argue only served to bring a grin to his face. As they continued bickering, Locke burst out laughing at the sight.

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The tension in Rydia's shoulders eased a bit as she turned around. Everyone was on edge thanks to what happened to them and those they cared about, that was all. She tried to ignore any irritation felt, knowing that a blow-up wouldn't do them any good. Instead, she raked a hand through her hair and nodded. "Fine, let's go to the bridge."

Rydia darted Locke a puzzled look at that, then set down the supplies she had brought aboard, out of the way so that no one would trip. She was more interested in finding a map at the moment, and with that in mind she followed Rinoa to the elevator. The supplies could be retrieved once she had a better sense of the layout--and truth be told, the Garden gave her the impression that any supplies she brought was unnecessary, anyway.

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