What I think of him wasn't my concern. He spoke to me of the world he came from, and I recognized Shinra from your world. After our last conversation, I decided it was safest to double-check.
[ Which is to say, he had been worried that Aerith would be in danger if Cloud was notified of her presence. But this is an awfully casual text, so... ]
[ uhhh that is a COMPLEX QUETION. (It isn't, but Aerith isn't sure if she should elaborate, and how deep that should go. It's not like she wants to scare anyone...?) ]
pretty much! cloud's got the green light. he knows about me, too. everything.
[ That's a relief. It had just been the one meeting, but honestly, he had liked Cloud. Just like he had liked Aerith immediately after meeting her. Is there something in the water over in their world? ]
He told me that they were in charge of an organization he used to belong to but managed to escape. And that they own the city he's from. It was all very much in line with what you've told me.
[ Also, he thinks he may have some sort of memory problems? We're just not going to talk about that one. ]
yeah, that would be SOLDIER. says he was first class, but he ended up beneath the plate and i met him not too long enough. he was doing mercenary work, and i hired him as a bodyguard... mine!✨
hey, by the way. were you worried about me, kim?
[ He kept her secret, and immediately messaged her... honestly? She's deeply touched. ]
[ But she's a special case to bodyguard, isn't she? ]
I wouldn't go as far as to say I was worried. But I was concerned, yes. [ He gets protective. ] Though I see now that I shouldn't have been. Still, if you hadn't already run into him, you deserved some advance warning.
i'm sorry about that. really. [ Not as sorry as she could be, honestly. ] i appreciate it. if you happen to run into any guys named... rude, reno or tseng. yeah. those are the ones to avoid.
Don't apologize for that. You didn't ask me to. It's my own decision.
Rude, Reno, Tseng. Got it. If I ever meet anyone with those names, I'll be sure to let you know. They're a part of Shinra, I take it? Or Soldier?
[ Aerith probably doesn't need voices in her head to know that Kim's already written the names down in that trusty blue notebook of his. In many respects, Kim is nothing if not predictable. ]
[ This is why Kim continues to be one of her favorites, and a time honored Party Member. ]
thank you.
that's pretty much it. Shinra owned SOLDIER. its a combat focused force, there's a police task force, military... they promote it a lot. some of the guys in SOLDIER have fan clubs. sephiroth was a big one back in the day.
[ Oh man she probably should tell him about Sephiroth. At some point. Well. ]
[ Kim has long since wished that the RCM would get more public trust and support, but... ]
Honestly, that's more unbelievable than anything else you've told me about your world. I can't imagine. How did they manage to win such public support? Beyond, I assume, advertising their more good looking members.
you read right! it's kind of like being a war hero. well, i guess it's the same thing, actually... it's not really that hard to imagine once you know, i think. you have to pretend you live in a world without any of these things. electricity, running water, power in general... and then one day, a company just...brought all that to your doorstep! all that innovation and convenience that you can't get anywhere else, running on an infinite, powerful source. incidentally, you probably figured out how i fit into that, havent you?
shinra electric power company has all the money they need to do whatever they want, including promote their police and military like celebrities.
So it's all coming from the same source, is it? I've heard of monopolies, but a monopoly quite so all-encompassing is quite a feat.
[ And not in a good way, from what he knows of Shinra. ]
I can make a stab at what they'd want from you, yes. And why you would hire a bodyguard. But would I be right to assume you weren't aware he was previously affiliated with SOLDIER when you hired him?
it is, huh? that's what it's like down where i'm from. shinra is pretty big, and you know, the bigger they are, the harder they fall...
i was actually! his clothes are the standard SOLDIER first class uniform. i just guessed that he'd do mercenary work for me. and by merc work, i mean keeping me safe! funny how it worked out that way.
[ If they fall. That's one thought he decides not to voice. ]
That was bold of you. Clearly it paid off, or else you wouldn't have told me not to worry about it. But weren't you worried? That he would give you away?
aww. you gonna work your charm on him? can i come on your date then??
[ No shame, this one. ]
maybe, but that's not as fun as teasing him for as long as possible about it. you should see his face when i do. he wouldn't let me mention it to my mom, and i swear, he went scarlet when he interrupted me! he's so silly.
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[ Which is to say, he had been worried that Aerith would be in danger if Cloud was notified of her presence. But this is an awfully casual text, so... ]
You two are friends, then?
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pretty much! cloud's got the green light. he knows about me, too. everything.
what'd he tell you about shinra?
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[ That's a relief. It had just been the one meeting, but honestly, he had liked Cloud. Just like he had liked Aerith immediately after meeting her. Is there something in the water over in their world? ]
He told me that they were in charge of an organization he used to belong to but managed to escape. And that they own the city he's from. It was all very much in line with what you've told me.
[ Also, he thinks he may have some sort of memory problems? We're just not going to talk about that one. ]
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hey, by the way. were you worried about me, kim?
[ He kept her secret, and immediately messaged her... honestly? She's deeply touched. ]
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[ But she's a special case to bodyguard, isn't she? ]
I wouldn't go as far as to say I was worried. But I was concerned, yes. [ He gets protective. ] Though I see now that I shouldn't have been. Still, if you hadn't already run into him, you deserved some advance warning.
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i'm sorry about that. really. [ Not as sorry as she could be, honestly. ] i appreciate it. if you happen to run into any guys named... rude, reno or tseng. yeah. those are the ones to avoid.
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Rude, Reno, Tseng. Got it. If I ever meet anyone with those names, I'll be sure to let you know. They're a part of Shinra, I take it? Or Soldier?
[ Aerith probably doesn't need voices in her head to know that Kim's already written the names down in that trusty blue notebook of his. In many respects, Kim is nothing if not predictable. ]
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thank you.
that's pretty much it. Shinra owned SOLDIER. its a combat focused force, there's a police task force, military... they promote it a lot. some of the guys in SOLDIER have fan clubs. sephiroth was a big one back in the day.
[ Oh man she probably should tell him about Sephiroth. At some point. Well. ]
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[ Kim has long since wished that the RCM would get more public trust and support, but... ]
Honestly, that's more unbelievable than anything else you've told me about your world. I can't imagine. How did they manage to win such public support? Beyond, I assume, advertising their more good looking members.
[ Sex sells. ]
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it's not really that hard to imagine once you know, i think. you have to pretend you live in a world without any of these things. electricity, running water, power in general... and then one day, a company just...brought all that to your doorstep! all that innovation and convenience that you can't get anywhere else, running on an infinite, powerful source.
incidentally, you probably figured out how i fit into that, havent you?
shinra electric power company has all the money they need to do whatever they want, including promote their police and military like celebrities.
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[ And not in a good way, from what he knows of Shinra. ]
I can make a stab at what they'd want from you, yes. And why you would hire a bodyguard. But would I be right to assume you weren't aware he was previously affiliated with SOLDIER when you hired him?
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i was actually! his clothes are the standard SOLDIER first class uniform. i just guessed that he'd do mercenary work for me. and by merc work, i mean keeping me safe! funny how it worked out that way.
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That was bold of you. Clearly it paid off, or else you wouldn't have told me not to worry about it. But weren't you worried? That he would give you away?
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[ Sorry, Uncle Kim. ]
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A fair hourly wage, health and dental benefits and two weeks off per year?
1/2
✨me✨
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what if they're even more fruitful?
cant risk it.
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Do you mean to say that yours wasn't fruitful?
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i'm waiting on cloud to cash in his payment. so i guess... it depends on your point of view...
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[ Cloud is a handsome young man. Too young for Kim by half, but still. ]
You could always remind him.
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[ No shame, this one. ]
maybe, but that's not as fun as teasing him for as long as possible about it. you should see his face when i do. he wouldn't let me mention it to my mom, and i swear, he went scarlet when he interrupted me! he's so silly.
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