open invitation, come one, come all!

[more_than_words]

I'm not really sure this is the best introduction. 

Oh no.  Don't get me wrong.  I do like the chance to get out and I think it's wonderful having a place for everyone from all the games to meet and get the chance to hang out together.  New places to explore as they open up sounds like fun too.   edge_of_sanctuary has a very nice ring to it.  It's not too ominous sounding.

I just think you could have introduced me with a little less innuendo and a little more...

{sigh}

Yes.  I suppose it could be worse.  You could have titled it My Other Ride Is a Chocobo.

So, thank you.  I guess...

Comments

[more_than_words]

{well, this is possibly one of the stranger moments of her life, talking about kittens with her worst enemy. He's not talking in circles though or swinging his sword around or throwing parts of alien at her.

He hasn't even tried to set anything on fire...

So this would be pre-crazy Sephiroth and if so -

if so she feels bad for him.

Maybe a kitten would have changed everything. Not even Sephiroth would dare upset a kitten by not being home in time to feed it dinner.}

I think pets would be good for SOLDIER. They could be grounding. It's important to be loved unconditionally for exactly who you are.

So what did you name her?

[creepy_son_of_a]

[Cough. Not exactly pre-crazy but, his AU let him keep some sanity and recover most of it later.]

Strife... It was the first thing that came to mind.

[It's a mystery howmun magic but, he now has said kitten in his arms. It is a pale orange and has bright blue eyes. The pale orange was close enough to blond for his mind to make the leap.]

[more_than_words]

{Tifa's still adjusting to dealing with Sephiroths outside of the 'attack on sight because he's going to try to hurt what you love' mindset. The last one she ran into was more interested in baking an apple pie...}

You named her after Cloud?

{he does seem to have a limited group of people he could pull names from and she's going to pretend, for the moment, that there's nothing suspect about that particular name choice just to keep them both comfortable.

It is an insanely cute kitten.}

[creepy_son_of_a]

I did. Her coloring reminded me of him and since I don't expect he'll show up in Daear any time soon there shouldn't be any harm in it.

[Sigh.]

And I suppose since she's my first pet there will be a bit of strife as we get used to each other.

[more_than_words]

{she sees the dorky word play you just did there, Sephiroth and the adorable kitten in your arms isn't helping either. She's spent so long with him being the monster in the closet. Her mun's been kind enough not to tell her this is him after the Nibelheim madness took over. The conversation still feels a bit surreal.}

Daear? That's the place you're living now?

[creepy_son_of_a]

It is. Mundane seems to believe I have a chance at a halfway normal life there.

[And kitten is getting squirmy so he'll set her down on the floor for now. His hair is close enough to the ground that that may not have been the best idea...]

[more_than_words]

{she's not entirely relaxed so she's not going to bend down to try to lure the kitten over and leave herself vulnerable but she will watch it with a small smile for a moment before looking back up. Her voice is very serious when she quietly says:}

I think a normal life would be good for you. And everyone else.

[creepy_son_of_a]

[He's just going to scan the area to make sure there isn't anything around that would go after the kitten before he feels comfortable enough to take his attention away from it for a few moments.]

I'll have a chance to find out. Perhaps only relatively normal though. Daear has its quirks.

[Strife's attention has been caught by Sephiroth's hair swishing a little as he turns his head. She's staring transfixed and might be doing a pre-pounce butt wiggle that cats often do.]

[more_than_words]

Relatively normal is as normal as it gets. {she sounds like she's speaking from experience. Looks like it's kitten determination against SOLDIER reflexes.}

What kind of quirks?

[creepy_son_of_a]

[He looks down in thought. The kitten is behind him out of view and currently out of mind as well.]

Secretive priests, an insane witch, the possibility of cults who worship otherworlders, monsters from other worlds appearing seemingly at random...

[One or two more kitty butt wiggles and POUNCE]

Gah!

[Good thing the small weight now clinging to the bottom of his coat and chewing on the end of his hair is obviously the kitten or he might have reacted violently.

Strife attempts to climb a little higher to get a bigger mouthful of hair but, her claws are a little stuck in the leather and she's having a hard time of it.]

[more_than_words]

{he might not have been paying attention to the kitten but Tifa has been and she saw that coming a mile away. Which is why she's just going to put her hand over her mouth and nod as if she's been paying close attention to everything he's been saying up until the attack. Because - she was. She's good at paying attention to more than one thing at once.

Throat clearing. Serious. This is serious. Also, sorry, she's still not relaxed enough to be within arm's range. You're on your own when it comes to kitten extraction.}

It sounds a lot like Shinra.

[creepy_son_of_a]

[Sephiroth just tugs his hair out of the kitten's mouth and pulls his coat up with one hand so he can reach Strife with the other. He carefully detaches her from the leather and holds her up in front of his face. She meows at him adorably, he sighs and shifts her into a more comfortable position against his chest.]

Strife, more fitting than I first thought.

[And getting back to the conversation. He'll just hold onto the kitten for now and deal with any squirming.]

Not that much like Shinra. The priests seem willfully ignorant of events outside of the small island they control and they don't seem to have any desire to expand their power.