Video; UN: pinkmemory

[inemeraldfaith]

[At first, there is only audio...]

Hm... I think... like this and—

[The video feed turns on, revealing Aerith in all of her glory, wonderment gaze and more. She looks... bright. Cheery, all things considered.]

There we go!

[Lifting a hand, she wiggles her fingers in greeting.]

Hi there. My name is Aerith and I'd like some opinions onnnnn...

[She turns her camera to show off... her familiar, a Cerulean Drake.]

What I should name them. I'm still getting acquainted with things here, but this seems like a good place to start and a good way to get familiar with some of the other faces here.

I'm not very particular, but maybe something to do with the colour?

[She thumbs at her chin curiously as she looks over to it. No, she still doesn't have any ideas and up until now, she's just been calling it her 'friend.']

Comments

[cameprepared]

Yeah, definitely. But we'll figure it out eventually.

[For now he's just the dog, the furball, and a bunch of other nicknames.]

I'm Claire though, it's nice to meet you Aerith.

[inemeraldfaith]

Likewise, Claire.

[Her head tilts thoughtfully.]

Have you been here long or are you a bit like me? Somewhat new.

[cameprepared]

A month, or so? I'm not quite totally new, but I'm still new-ish, if that makes sense.

[It feels like a lot longer, though.]

[inemeraldfaith]

Makes perfect sense to me.

[If Claire, after a month, doesn't have a name for her dog familiar, then there's little reason Aerith should be too hasty for her own.]

Are you here on your own or are there others from your world here, as well? I've heard some conflicting things from others where that's concerned.

[cameprepared]

I was at first.

[Claire looks back over her shoulder at someone moving around in the background. Just a quick shot of a young girl, blonde, maybe twelve, reading quietly.]

I'm not on my own now. Sherry, a friend, showed up the same day you did, I imagine.

What about you?

[inemeraldfaith]

[Sherry. The same Sherry she's met? It's possible. Very likely if an initial impression is correct.

But then, Aerith has had a history of knowing things she, for all intents and purposes, shouldn't know. That may not hold true in Camelot. She has yet to determine that.]

I know a Sherry. Met one, I mean. Might be the same!

[Her head tips and her smile grows.]

At least one person I know from my home world is here. I'm not sure I could think of anyone better to have this adventure with.

[Cloud is all well and good, but Tifa offers some levity. Although in truth, it's likely Aerith would have been perfectly fine on her own, too.]

[cameprepared]

Yeah? Little kid, blonde hair?

[That's something. Sherry getting out and being sociable, that's nice.]

And hey, lucky! It seems pretty random, who comes and who doesn't.

[inemeraldfaith]

Yes, that's right. She was very sweet.

[And seemed in a bit of a sad position too, but Aerith won't say that part. She can't forget what Sherry said about not having many friends... Maybe because it resonates with her so deeply.]

You're right, also. I wasn't expecting to see anyone here from my home world. I found it a pleasant surprise, though neither of us have figured out why we were the ones chosen yet.

[cameprepared]

She's the best. I'm...kind of her caretaker, now I guess.

[You know, after watching her mother die and killing her dad because he'd turned into a monster.]

It seems to draw in a lot of people who are survivors. That's the one common theme I've seen.

[inemeraldfaith]

[Caretaker. Not a sister. Not a mother. Caretaker. It's a word with a certain kind of weight to it, and Aerith can empathise a little.]

I'm happy she has someone she can rely on from her world being here. I can't imagine what it'd be like for someone so young to be here on her own. [Not that she's discounting Sherry's ability to handle being in a new place. Sherry seems fearless.]

That's an interesting theory, too. Survivors. I guess I could fit into that, too. Maybe it's because we're capable of surviving that we were chosen.

[Aerith makes a note to share that with Tifa when she sees her next.]

[cameprepared]

[Claire's too young to consider herself a mother. Not at nineteen. Caretaker just feels like the right word, and Sherry is ferociously capable on her own.]

It'd...be hard, I think. I admit I struggled a bit, at first. But she'll be fine.

[She will make sure of that.]

And yeah, I think that's part of it. Who better to save the universe than the people who survive.

[inemeraldfaith]

I think a little struggle for all of us would be expected. I'd be surprised if I heard someone say they didn't.

[Even herself, who doesn't appear on the outside terribly fazed by her situation. But sometimes her outside doesn't necessarily reflect her inside.]

Let's hope we don't disappoint anyone with their lofty expectations. [But she's smiling. Confident. They're all here for a reason.]

[cameprepared]

I'm sure we'll be fine.

[Claire sits back up a bit straighter.]

It was good meeting you, Aerith. I'm sure we'll cross paths again.

...hopefully you come up with a good name for bluebell there.

[inemeraldfaith]

I'll be sure to let you know once I've picked something out! Thanks for your help.