victory_road | [Video - 001 | Action

[Network]

[Cloud's frowning softly when he appears on the network, attempting to figure out this strange device he found on his person upon waking up. It's similar enough to the phones he's used for him to at least get it turned on but it's still strange enough that it has him unsettled.

As does the strange sword...thing.]

...Tifa? Barrett? If either of you are seeing this, I would appreciate an explanation.

[Because this had to be some sort of strange joke.

The camera gets jarred around as Cloud suddenly side steps and when it does focus again anyone watching can now see a Honedge as well, one that the blonde is eyeing rather warily.]

For where I am and what that is.

[Because he really wasn't keen on believing anything that man had said. His first thought had been 'fiend!' but he'd seen a lot of fiends before. Fought a lot of fiends. This? This was just...yeah. No. Whatever it was he didn't want it.]

I also want to know where my motorcycle is. I'd like to get back to Edge sometime today.

[Action]

[Shutting off his new little device--Pokégear?--Cloud tucked it away into one of his many pockets, the backpack he'd been given slung absently over his shoulder. Beside him, the Honedge he'd received from the professor was peering at him in a wary yet curious manner, sizing the blonde up almost.

At least that's what it seemed like to Cloud.

The blonde frowned before making himself look away, glancing around the town itself before he focused on the road leading out. He couldn't be on a different continent, that would be just a little too over the top for whatever sort of prank this was.

Had to be.

With that in mind the blonde started walking and made it a few feet before he paused and glanced over his shoulder. The Honedge was trailing behind him and immediately stopped when he did, an odd sound coming from the creature that had Cloud's frown deepening.]

Find someone else to bother.

[Because he really didn't want anything to do with this. He had way too much stuff to be working on back in Edge.]

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Come back, Burun! We won!!

[As if that wasn't completely overkill going in without level matching Pokemon. Mafuyu returns her Pokemon into the ball and returns it to her backpack, swapping it for a potion. This is the point in a schoolyard brawl where she'd carry her fallen comrades to the infirmary, but out here, the best she can do is medicine in a squirt bottle.]

Here, you can use this. It's medicine! You just spray it on a wound and it stops bl-- [She looks down at Honedge's completely metal body.] It stops, uh...

[A beat, then she squats down to spray the Pokemon anyways, using her sleeve to buff the blade of whatever teeth or scorch marks her Pokemon might have left behind.]

Anyways, it's fine. See? It's fine.

[Cloud relaxes the slightest bit when he realizes that the other isn't going to kill his sword thing and he relaxes even more when she kneels down and sprays it with some sort of weird healing potion. The Honedge let's out an odd sounding twill of a noise before it's drifting back to Cloud, sheathing itself in the process and letting out a faint hum.

Strange sword was strange.]

...I'm going to need to practice a lot more.

[His gaze shifts back to Mafuyu as he frowns a bit and slowly holds his pokedex up.]

I'm assuming this will help me figure out battles more?

I dunno, I guess. [Whoops, that came out a bit flippant and rude. She stands up and rubs the back of her head, thinking of how to clarify.] It tells you lots of stuff, but the best way to learn is to go out and do it. If you're always looking at the screen, you aren't looking at your Pokemon. Your opponent's Pokemon. The battlefield. You can't see anything. So just learn the attack names and put that thing away and fight.

[Ha. Does that sound like good advice or what? She looks a bit proud of herself, but mostly it's because she hates reading, hates memorizing, and is only good at fighting fighting fighting until it's ingrained as second nature.]

I'll battle you any time you want, so long as we're all stuck here with nowhere to go.

[Cloud frowns a bit but it's a thoughtful frown. This was more like actual fighting--the kind he did when he was in the army and even after--than he had initially thought.]

I'll try that next time.

[Reading up on his strange sword thing was going to be his first priority and then he'd give it a go.

The frown fades away into a more grin like expression and he shakes his head in amusement.]

I appreciate it. And may take you up on that until I can get on the road.

[A pause.]

Don't I owe you money or something for losing?

[He was pretty sure he'd been told something like that.]

Oh! Oh yeah. Pony up, kid. [SHE FORGOT. She appreciates the honesty, but that isn't enough to show mercy on his wallet.] How much you got? Give me half. Or if you haven't eaten yet, I'll take half your food instead.

[She grins, holding out her hand for whatever meager earnings she can get from a newcomer. No shame in this one.]

Consider it an investment. If you can ever beat me, you can take your money back, plus half mine.

[Alright he may be new to this but he gets the feeling she's attempting to play him right now.

Thus, the dry look as his Honedge hovers at his side looking equally as unimpressed.]

That sounds like a lot for a simple battle. I'm pretty sure that's not how it works.

[He had listened to some stuff, after all.]

What're you so reluctant for? It's just half your stuff.

[She gives him a suspicious look for the briefest of moments. Maybe he's secretly loaded and she should just mug him and take everything he's got. But no, no she'll be nice. Maybe not half, but enough to at least cover the cost of that potion she used.]

It's the same anywhere you go, P100 here, maybe 200 if I'm really really lucky. And since you're new, you can't have lost a lot yet, so just tell me what you have left.

Half the stuff that I just got and won't be able to replace until I get a job.

[He doesn't like this game she's playing but he knows that he has to pay up. And she did heal his pokemon...]

I have 1500 left.

[That doesn't mean he has to tell the truth though.]

No way, that's it? That's kinda sad.

[She looks pretty disappointed, as she started off with double that much and still somehow spent the bulk of it her first week here. Hence heckling other trainers for money to make a living. But even if it's just half she takes, he can't live off that much, so it's basically leaving him and his Pokemon to die. She makes a face, trying to think.]

Then... I'll take an IOU. When you get that job and strike it rich, you gotta treat me to lunch one time. How's that?

[Well, at least she's responsible about it. And now he feels kind of bad for lying but...it was habit. Way too many people tried to con you out of money back home so you had to be careful.

And he didn't exactly have any powers or his own sword here.]

Sounds far to me. I guess that means we need to trade contact information.

[It's a good habit to have, though most people here are honest citizens unlike Mafuyu... She's pleased though, for getting a free meal out of the deal, and doesn't hesitate to bring out her Pokegear and bring up her profile.]

Ah, yeah. Here's the ID number you can use, and my name you're not allowed to forget 'cause I beat you. [She points out her full name displayed underneath a headshot, and a short string of numbers.] Show me yours too.

[She reminded him so much of Yuffie that it almost made him miss that annoying little ninja brat.

Pulling out his pokegear, Cloud messes with it for a moment before he finds the information and shows it to her.]

This, right?

That's it, yeah! [She glances down, taking the number to memory right away before looking down at his name. His name, but like.] Is that your real name? They're words.

[And there goes one of his eyebrows lifting.]

That's what names generally are. Words.

Yeah, but like actual words. It'd be like calling me Black Winter. [Both taken from parts of her name, but a name like that isn't as cute as she wishes it could be. It's actually kind of threatening... like a brewing ice storm.] I'll call you Strife, 'cause it's cooler.

Strife.

[Well, it wouldn't be the first time.

Cloud just shrugs.]

Fine. If that's what you want.

[Mafuyu grins at the permission. It's so much easier this way when she gets what she wants.]

Then I'll catch you later, Strife! You gotta go battling and earning before we can meet again!

[Yep. She's definitely like Yuffie.

Great.]

Sure thing, kid.

[Video - 001 | Action - New Bark Town]

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