006 - Puzzle Pieces - Video with a Filter

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

[Cloud looks rather exhausted and, if anyone knows him well enough, they can see his blue eyes have that hint of green that is always worrying. He's fighting his base instinct to take out all his rage on everything around him. He's pale, looking unwell, but that might have something to do with the fact he hasn't eaten yet.]

Marlene, Denzel, I'll be home soon. I've got to help out in Alexandria. Be good for Barret when he gets there. I'll see you guys soon.

[He pauses, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. His headache is like a harsh screaming in his ears.]

( Filtered to Fang )

[Video/Action in Alexandria]

[tantalusdame.livejournal.com]

[Everything's going to catch up with Ruby at some point. But 'some point' isn't now. She's hardly grinning and laughing when her face appears on the screen but she's nowhere near as distressed as she maybe should be. Her makeup's covering whatever effects the nightmare that has been the last week or so has had on her, blush putting fake colour back into her face and white powder masking the dark circles under her eyes. The exhaustion comes out in her voice, though, and she sounds detached, almost uninterested.]

...I'm gon' be stayin' in Alexandria for a few days. I got- I got friends down at the place I used to work who could prob'ly use an extra body for repairs. But-

Any folk in Lindblum able to do a lady a favour? It ain't much, I just wanna know how much damage's been done to the theatre district. Anyone able ta check for me? ...I don't want Blank to be comin' home and not havin' a place to go home to.

[The possibility of Blank returning any day now is what's helping to keep her going for now. Some small part of her still believes that if they can just stick together, the scraps of Tantalus that are left on Gaia, then everything will somehow be okay. Because Tantalus are experts at making things okay. Her tone warms a little at the thought and is that almost a smile? She sounds a lot more like Ruby than she did before.]

The Costa Faguita survivors, they're all safe at Wutai or the Skysea by now, right? They all doin' okay? Minwu, did you ever sleep after all that? Sorry I had ta bail so suddenly...

[And once the phone is turned off? The actress needs a freaking drink. The pub at Alexandria was thankfully spared too much destruction, proving at least to Ruby that there is at least some good left in the world, and is loud with toasts to heroes and dead friends alike. Ruby joins in every toast, practically shouting her throat raw when they drink to the fallen queen.]