Ah, that explains it. Perhaps she'll recognize you when you come by? That would be quite the reunion. She speaks very fondly of the children she takes care of. By the sound of it, it's this... city above that has an orphan crisis. Sometimes they come down the elevator trying to leave town.
I wouldn't underestimate me on that one, though. I know my way around bands of thugs, let me tell you. More than likely I would have had them lining up to eat out of my hand, uh, some way or another.
Ah, she wouldn't want to see a dirty old mutt like me. I guarantee you the only thing I kept from my childhood was the pout and the ability to pull off the kicked puppy look. She'd... Ah, nevermind all that. I'm more curious about how you'd get a gang of miscreants like them to eat out of your hand. I'm sure you could pull it off with my old one, but I want to know anyway.
I'd love to be able to answer that, but the truth is I really don't know. Trouble has a way of becoming my friend through a series of strange and oddly specific circumstances. I never can predict whether I'll survive half the situations I find myself in, and yet somehow...
Well, for example, I once traveled aboard a spice ship that was overtaken by pirates. I wound up being spared and actually joined their crew once they found out I was a physician, on account of a few of them needing medical attention. Journeyed with them for quite awhile after that, in fact. One of my better adventure stories. But not the most unlikely to have happened.
That settles it: as the ex-leader of the Gnoles, I'm calling dibs. If I wasn't already on my way, I'd be packing my bags to do so now. Can I keep you? I'm keeping you until you need to head back to wherever you came from.
Especially considering your line of work. I can think of at least three gangs who'd fight to the death for their own personal doctor, and I think you're a little too pretty to be taken in by them 😉
Keep me? Haha, if that's what you want to call giving me a place to stay and a warm meal, then sure, you can keep me. But there, you see? It happens exactly like this. Not that I'd call you "trouble."
Do you happen to need your own, personal doctor? Maybe I can give you a checkup. To earn my keep, of course.
I'd be insulted if you didn't call me trouble, sweetheart.
Though you're offering, it'd be rude to say no, wouldn't it? So long as we keep any thin, sharp instruments out of the equation, I'll behave myself if you want to take a closer look.
Hmmm. Do leech teeth count as "thin, sharp instruments"?
I'm kidding! You're out of luck, anyway; I haven't any with me. I'll be needing to visit an apothecary if I want to be of any real use to anyone here, but we can keep our examination strictly bloodless for now. I'll just test your reflexes, instead.
Leeches? Good god, man. If you want to see me bleed, just use a knife like everyone else.
That, and.... I'm not sure how well using an actual leech would go. Someone in Wall Market probably has some for sale, but where would you even keep them?
I can't say I have. I've almost had one latch onto my face when I first joined the military, though.
[They're so much cuter than their tinier, pond-dwelling cousins, yet so much scarier. He hates it :(]
Considering the sort of shit people are into down there, it wouldn't surprise me if they had them to be completely honest... Speaking of which, you're going to want to get on that elevator and come topside in about ten.
You wouldn't be the first to say that. It'll be fine, I promise. The only thing you need to be worried about is how loud that thing is, but... You have my word that nothing will happen. For as bad as people talk about Shinra here, they do know how to build some things to last.
What? Sure you are. You've got plenty going for you! And you're still young, besides. It's way too soon to throw in the towel on your blissful future with some lucky person.
Fair enough. It's not for everyone, that's for sure. I imagine the sort of person you'd want to be with would make you feel free regardless of whether you wear a bit of jewelry or not, rather than tied down.
Who says I'd settle down with a girl, anyway? As far as preferences like that go, I'm all over the road 😉
You'll see her, though. Soon. Once you're off the elevator, I want you to head... I think left? Assuming things haven't changed too terribly much since I was last here, there ought to be a sandwich shop with a yellow bird on the sign. Just keep heading down the street from there until you see me.
Also very fair. But you said, uh Well. I can't wait to meet her. I'm on my way up. It's not my safety I'm worried about in this thing, I just... god, it's loud, isn't it? What a ruckus. I don't know how anyone can sleep through that noise.
You're not from a very big city, are you? If it helps, Midgar is a little... quieter in some places compared to here. Topside, anyway. It'll be noisy down below where we'll be going, but it's more the people who're noisy than anything else.
( the elevator opens. julian's answer dies the second he steps out into junon proper. he stands there, transfixed at all the huge buildings, the bright lights, the dozens of people, and the fucking cars for so long the doors almost close on him again. he has to scramble out, and then he stands there gawking and kind of petrified on the street corner until someone barks at him to ged'oudda heah and then he's. just. frantically following roche's directions and going "left."
[He really can't help himself by laughing out on the street, his phone cradled delicately between his hands as he stares down at the message. Luckily he's gotten himself a nice little spot staked out by a good ol' banged up humvee that's seen some better days, but it's still military thus most of the locals tend to give it a wide berth. The drivers? Nowhere to be found, but they're most likely getting trashed in the nearest bar.]
Oh, baby. Baby, come here. Keep your phone close and... I'd say follow the dulcet tones of my voice, but that's pretty hard to do over texts. Just keep coming. If it helps, look for a big red metal beast, because that'll be your ride out of here.
[Could Roche easily kick it into gear and go down the street looking for him too? Of course. But then there's too much of a risk of missing Julian, and then he'd get lost in the city and no one needs that :(]
( this is... terrifying, honestly, but he's also fascinated. or he would be if he wasn't more or less totally lost in an unbelievably loud, dirty, smelly, crowded city. people keep looking at him like he's nuts, what with the eyepatch and the piratey peasant garb, but that's the least of his troubles. he knows he doesn't have to hide his face or be concerned about being caught in a place like this, so he doesn't have his mask with him.
good thing or he'd really be drawing stares. then again, most of the military guys around here have masks... )
Red metal beast? How am I supposed to tell that from all the other What are these Carriages? Why are they so loud Oh! I see the bird. The sign. Are you
( and here comes julian up the way, frantically looking from his phone to the area around him. he's having a hard time pinning anything down, let alone spotting roche or his red metal beast apart from everything else there is to see. he's... pretty visibly overwhelmed, honestly, but it could be worse. he's not about to have a breakdown or anything like that, at least. )
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I wouldn't underestimate me on that one, though. I know my way around bands of thugs, let me tell you. More than likely I would have had them lining up to eat out of my hand, uh, some way or another.
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Well, for example, I once traveled aboard a spice ship that was overtaken by pirates. I wound up being spared and actually joined their crew once they found out I was a physician, on account of a few of them needing medical attention. Journeyed with them for quite awhile after that, in fact. One of my better adventure stories. But not the most unlikely to have happened.
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Especially considering your line of work. I can think of at least three gangs who'd fight to the death for their own personal doctor, and I think you're a little too pretty to be taken in by them 😉
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Do you happen to need your own, personal doctor? Maybe I can give you a checkup. To earn my keep, of course.
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Though you're offering, it'd be rude to say no, wouldn't it? So long as we keep any thin, sharp instruments out of the equation, I'll behave myself if you want to take a closer look.
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I'm kidding! You're out of luck, anyway; I haven't any with me. I'll be needing to visit an apothecary if I want to be of any real use to anyone here, but we can keep our examination strictly bloodless for now. I'll just test your reflexes, instead.
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That, and.... I'm not sure how well using an actual leech would go. Someone in Wall Market probably has some for sale, but where would you even keep them?
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[ modern medicine is about to blow his FUCKING mind ]
At any rate, if they're sold where we're already going, that works out perfectly.
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[They're so much cuter than their tinier, pond-dwelling cousins, yet so much scarier. He hates it :(]
Considering the sort of shit people are into down there, it wouldn't surprise me if they had them to be completely honest... Speaking of which, you're going to want to get on that elevator and come topside in about ten.
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Oh
Up we go, eh? Alright, I'll... be up there shortly. I don't much like elevators.
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I'll swear it on my girl if I've got to.
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Roche, are you married?! You absolute cad. You should have told me!
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n
o
no
don't be
That's absurd
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Is that this mystery girl, then...?
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You'll see her, though. Soon. Once you're off the elevator, I want you to head... I think left? Assuming things haven't changed too terribly much since I was last here, there ought to be a sandwich shop with a yellow bird on the sign. Just keep heading down the street from there until you see me.
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Well.
I can't wait to meet her. I'm on my way up. It's not my safety I'm worried about in this thing, I just... god, it's loud, isn't it? What a ruckus. I don't know how anyone can sleep through that noise.
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( the elevator opens. julian's answer dies the second he steps out into junon proper. he stands there, transfixed at all the huge buildings, the bright lights, the dozens of people, and the fucking cars for so long the doors almost close on him again. he has to scramble out, and then he stands there gawking and kind of petrified on the street corner until someone barks at him to ged'oudda heah and then he's. just. frantically following roche's directions and going "left."
he only has one thing to say: ]
What the fuck
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Oh, baby. Baby, come here. Keep your phone close and... I'd say follow the dulcet tones of my voice, but that's pretty hard to do over texts. Just keep coming. If it helps, look for a big red metal beast, because that'll be your ride out of here.
[Could Roche easily kick it into gear and go down the street looking for him too? Of course. But then there's too much of a risk of missing Julian, and then he'd get lost in the city and no one needs that :(]
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good thing or he'd really be drawing stares. then again, most of the military guys around here have masks... )
Red metal beast? How am I supposed to tell that from all the other
What are these
Carriages? Why are they so loud
Oh! I see the bird. The sign. Are you
( and here comes julian up the way, frantically looking from his phone to the area around him. he's having a hard time pinning anything down, let alone spotting roche or his red metal beast apart from everything else there is to see. he's... pretty visibly overwhelmed, honestly, but it could be worse. he's not about to have a breakdown or anything like that, at least. )
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