[LOG] Avenue J(E-N-O-V-A) - It's As Close To Friendship As He Gets Right Now
WHO: Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife
WHEN: June 25th, 2008
WHERE: Balamb Garden
WHAT: Now no longer on the crazy Jenova juice, Cloud calls Squall to apologize for beating the crap out of him. Squall takes it about as well as can be expected.
WATCH FOR: Revenge.
[RADIO] To Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife radios:
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: *click* ...Leonhart speaking.
[RADIO] To Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife radios: It's Cloud.
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: ....
[RADIO] To Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife radios: Listen, about ...everything. I'm sorry.
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: ....
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: ...Meet me at the Balamb Garden foyer.
[RADIO] To Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife radios: ...How about tomorrow? They're discharging me from intensive around then.
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: Fine.
[RADIO] To Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife radios: Okay. Tomorrow. See you later, Squall.
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: *click*
Balamb Garden is somewhat less relaxed than it had been previously. The attack on the school did kind of put them on alert. The incoming 'visitor' isn't helping things. While Squall had convinced the headmaster that he knew what he was doing, the faculty were still not happy with the situation. So they've taken several precuations, not all of which are visible.
For Squall's part, he's standing there, in the foyer. He doesn't need the crutch any more, and has pretty free movement for the time being. He is, however, wearing his gunblade this time. Now, we see.
In contrast, Cloud carries no weapon. No bracers, though he is wearing his leather gloves. No SOLDIER belt with its emblem covered by a plain metal plate, either, nor the leather shoulder-guard with its Cloudy Wolf carrying a ring in its jaws.
Without these things, he might seem a little... underdressed for the occasion.
The eyes are still the same. Mako-green and slitted; he's lost some weight since the ordeal began (as well as some color), but otherwise has no telling limp or other sign of discomfort. He was discharged from the hospital with a clean bill of health - and a truckload of aches and pains, but those, he was assured, would pass with time.
Cloud is accompanied by two IPA guards in uniform, helmets with glassy visors concealing their identities. They, much like SeeD's watchful eyes, are here to keep on alert in case the blond does anything unusual. The former would-be SOLDIER lifts his gaze to sweep over his surroundings. "...Quite the welcome."
And back down to-- "Squall."
"I came here to apologize." And then, more quietly: "...Are you alright?"
Squall merely walks towards the delivery man turned monstrosity, silently, as Cloud speaks. The SeeD waits, patiently, for him to finish talking.
At which point he moves to punch Cloud very hard in the face. No words. No hint of anything in the eyes. Just the simple action of balling up a fist and swinging it.
He doesn't, however, walk away.
SOLDIER (and of course, those like them) have a keen sense of impending danger or harm. Their instincts are sharpened by whatever benefits are granted by JENOVA's cells and mako infusions. Cloud's, moreso, but the only sign he's aware of that fist is the fact his gaze flits to it when it's formed before he returns to meeting Squall's eyes. Levelly.
He takes the swing without flinching away - even against his own instincts - but lets it turn his head as the punch follows through.
It hurts as much as expected, which is why Cloud keeps his eyes closed for a long moment before reopening them and straightening up. "..." He tongues the inside of his mouth a moment, and isn't surprised he can taste copper at the back of his teeth. Squall doesn't screw around, does he? "Forgive me."
Squall remains silent. He stands there, for a moment, staring Cloud in the eye.
And then, he does something odd.
He grabs Cloud by the scruff of the neck. Oddly, in a manner not dissimilar to, say, how a cat would carry a kitten.
He then proceeds, resistance or no, to drag Cloud towards the fountain. And throw him in.
"Huh?" is not the most intelligent answer Cloud could give such a sudden change in circumstances. As a pair of bemused guards look on, he stumbles to keep up with (what) the SeeD with a hand on his collar (what is he DOING), not sure, at the first, what the hell is going on.
Needless to say, this is cleared up quickly when he's thrown, bodily, into the fountain.
It is also needless to say that Cloud sits up FAST, giving his head a quick shake that sends a spray of water flying. "Pfah! What the HELL, Leonhart!?" sputters the former would-be SOLDIER.
(Hm. That was about as satisfying as I'd thought it would be.)
Squall let's Cloud sit in the water for a while, staring at him, still wordlessly, then, finally...
"Now we're even."
The look given to Squall is a flat one, at first, his hair dripping in his eyes. After a moment, he lifts his hand out of the water to rake his bangs out of his face, and, thanks to a sodden glove, only manages to get it even more damp. He peels off his gloves and tries again, climbing back out of the fountain. "...Even."
He holds out his right hand, palm up. "Fine."
The SeeD may still have the social graces of an anti-social rock, as he stares at the proferred hand for a little while.
However, after what seems like millenia, he extends his own hand to shake Cloud's. "Fine."
My, he HAS come a long way.
It's okay if he has the social skills of a CINDERBLOCK, even; Cloud still considers every step forward a monumental development. Because he, himself, understands just how difficult it can be. To push onesself outside of one's own imposed limitations, those boundaries drawn to keep others out. Changing anything can be a serious pain in the ass. It's -uncomfortable- and risky.
He grasps that hand for a firm shake, and, provided there are no more punches or shoves into fountains forthcoming..
Let go. And tip over his gloves, pouring out a bit of the collected fountain water. "Guess that's it. I have to go back to the Hub for confinement. See you when this is over. Right?"
Squall has gotten his licks in. For the moment. Like he said, they're even. He nods.
"Right. When it's over."
What he doesn't mention, however, is the Garden Festival Committee membership card he slips into Cloud's pocket as he leaves. Now he just needs to give Selphie the rest of that information.
What? You didn't think you'd get off THAT easy, did you?
His right hand goes to his pocket. Trying to get on a sodden leather glove was next to impossible. However, he could still use pockets. It's fortunate for Squall that he happens to be using the one that does not have a card smuggled into it.
Cloud leaves it at that, walking towards the guards.
He hasn't the foggiest IDEA of what Squall has planned.
WHEN: June 25th, 2008
WHERE: Balamb Garden
WHAT: Now no longer on the crazy Jenova juice, Cloud calls Squall to apologize for beating the crap out of him. Squall takes it about as well as can be expected.
WATCH FOR: Revenge.
[RADIO] To Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife radios:
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: *click* ...Leonhart speaking.
[RADIO] To Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife radios: It's Cloud.
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: ....
[RADIO] To Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife radios: Listen, about ...everything. I'm sorry.
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: ....
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: ...Meet me at the Balamb Garden foyer.
[RADIO] To Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife radios: ...How about tomorrow? They're discharging me from intensive around then.
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: Fine.
[RADIO] To Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife radios: Okay. Tomorrow. See you later, Squall.
[RADIO] To Cloud Strife, you radio: *click*
Balamb Garden is somewhat less relaxed than it had been previously. The attack on the school did kind of put them on alert. The incoming 'visitor' isn't helping things. While Squall had convinced the headmaster that he knew what he was doing, the faculty were still not happy with the situation. So they've taken several precuations, not all of which are visible.
For Squall's part, he's standing there, in the foyer. He doesn't need the crutch any more, and has pretty free movement for the time being. He is, however, wearing his gunblade this time. Now, we see.
In contrast, Cloud carries no weapon. No bracers, though he is wearing his leather gloves. No SOLDIER belt with its emblem covered by a plain metal plate, either, nor the leather shoulder-guard with its Cloudy Wolf carrying a ring in its jaws.
Without these things, he might seem a little... underdressed for the occasion.
The eyes are still the same. Mako-green and slitted; he's lost some weight since the ordeal began (as well as some color), but otherwise has no telling limp or other sign of discomfort. He was discharged from the hospital with a clean bill of health - and a truckload of aches and pains, but those, he was assured, would pass with time.
Cloud is accompanied by two IPA guards in uniform, helmets with glassy visors concealing their identities. They, much like SeeD's watchful eyes, are here to keep on alert in case the blond does anything unusual. The former would-be SOLDIER lifts his gaze to sweep over his surroundings. "...Quite the welcome."
And back down to-- "Squall."
"I came here to apologize." And then, more quietly: "...Are you alright?"
Squall merely walks towards the delivery man turned monstrosity, silently, as Cloud speaks. The SeeD waits, patiently, for him to finish talking.
At which point he moves to punch Cloud very hard in the face. No words. No hint of anything in the eyes. Just the simple action of balling up a fist and swinging it.
He doesn't, however, walk away.
SOLDIER (and of course, those like them) have a keen sense of impending danger or harm. Their instincts are sharpened by whatever benefits are granted by JENOVA's cells and mako infusions. Cloud's, moreso, but the only sign he's aware of that fist is the fact his gaze flits to it when it's formed before he returns to meeting Squall's eyes. Levelly.
He takes the swing without flinching away - even against his own instincts - but lets it turn his head as the punch follows through.
It hurts as much as expected, which is why Cloud keeps his eyes closed for a long moment before reopening them and straightening up. "..." He tongues the inside of his mouth a moment, and isn't surprised he can taste copper at the back of his teeth. Squall doesn't screw around, does he? "Forgive me."
Squall remains silent. He stands there, for a moment, staring Cloud in the eye.
And then, he does something odd.
He grabs Cloud by the scruff of the neck. Oddly, in a manner not dissimilar to, say, how a cat would carry a kitten.
He then proceeds, resistance or no, to drag Cloud towards the fountain. And throw him in.
"Huh?" is not the most intelligent answer Cloud could give such a sudden change in circumstances. As a pair of bemused guards look on, he stumbles to keep up with (what) the SeeD with a hand on his collar (what is he DOING), not sure, at the first, what the hell is going on.
Needless to say, this is cleared up quickly when he's thrown, bodily, into the fountain.
It is also needless to say that Cloud sits up FAST, giving his head a quick shake that sends a spray of water flying. "Pfah! What the HELL, Leonhart!?" sputters the former would-be SOLDIER.
(Hm. That was about as satisfying as I'd thought it would be.)
Squall let's Cloud sit in the water for a while, staring at him, still wordlessly, then, finally...
"Now we're even."
The look given to Squall is a flat one, at first, his hair dripping in his eyes. After a moment, he lifts his hand out of the water to rake his bangs out of his face, and, thanks to a sodden glove, only manages to get it even more damp. He peels off his gloves and tries again, climbing back out of the fountain. "...Even."
He holds out his right hand, palm up. "Fine."
The SeeD may still have the social graces of an anti-social rock, as he stares at the proferred hand for a little while.
However, after what seems like millenia, he extends his own hand to shake Cloud's. "Fine."
My, he HAS come a long way.
It's okay if he has the social skills of a CINDERBLOCK, even; Cloud still considers every step forward a monumental development. Because he, himself, understands just how difficult it can be. To push onesself outside of one's own imposed limitations, those boundaries drawn to keep others out. Changing anything can be a serious pain in the ass. It's -uncomfortable- and risky.
He grasps that hand for a firm shake, and, provided there are no more punches or shoves into fountains forthcoming..
Let go. And tip over his gloves, pouring out a bit of the collected fountain water. "Guess that's it. I have to go back to the Hub for confinement. See you when this is over. Right?"
Squall has gotten his licks in. For the moment. Like he said, they're even. He nods.
"Right. When it's over."
What he doesn't mention, however, is the Garden Festival Committee membership card he slips into Cloud's pocket as he leaves. Now he just needs to give Selphie the rest of that information.
What? You didn't think you'd get off THAT easy, did you?
His right hand goes to his pocket. Trying to get on a sodden leather glove was next to impossible. However, he could still use pockets. It's fortunate for Squall that he happens to be using the one that does not have a card smuggled into it.
Cloud leaves it at that, walking towards the guards.
He hasn't the foggiest IDEA of what Squall has planned.