[Action/Accidental Voice]

[shrouded_reaper]

What's this?

[The book's odd. Maybe he can sell it for some quick gil. That's his plan for now, so he takes it with him, oblivious to it recording him. BUT. There's one thing about arriving that doesn't work to Shadow's favor. That being the lack of normal clothes. He's thrown off by that, feeling exposed without his face covered, or anything he

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[preciousgeneral]

[Celes is also wandering back home from the town when she sees someone sneaking around wearing new feather garb. Of course, she's never seen Shadow without his customary all black getup, so she's not going to recognize him. Still, she's a helpful sort to the new people so she's going to follow him into one of the places he ducks into.]

Need some help? I can give you directions to the clothing store.

[shrouded_reaper]

[Celes. He freezes and stares at first when he sees her, and that she has clearly seen him. This place gets weirder. But now, a dilemma. He can tell she doesn't recognize him so far, and maybe it can stay that way... if he can get the info he needs from her quick enough.]

Clothes and weapons.

[preciousgeneral]

[She smiles at him at first, then her expression goes to confusion when she hears him. That voice sounds so familiar somehow. No, she'd need to find out more before she could say for sure.]

That I can help with. It's not too far away. I'll show you.

[Because she's so not letting him out of her sight quite yet. Not if it's indeed another familiar person, though she doesn't recognize that face at all, just the voice. Whoever he was, he's new, he had to be confused and she didn't want to make it worse than it had to be. So she's going to walk in the direction of the clothes shop first and motion for him to follow her. She'll point it out once it's in sight.]

[shrouded_reaper]

[Shadow follows behind her, still wary, still tense and on edge. She hasn't said anything more, so, maybe he can still get away with this. Glances to the store in question. Doesn't look like it'll be hard to lift something from.]

Good. Thanks.

[He's trying to talk in a slightly lower tone than normal, and not say much. Will it help? He can't be sure. But he's going to walk into the store now.]

[preciousgeneral]

[Once he goes in the store, Celes ducks just out of view so she can watch him come out. If her instinct is correct, someone far more familiar will walk out of the store and she could give him a more proper greeting then.]

[shrouded_reaper]

[Inside, Shadow's taking as sneaky an approach as he can with the clothes. He has no idea that the precaution isn't necessary. But he'll do so as he goes around and picks things up, eventually slipping in a room to change. He's bothered by the fact that they appeared to have everything he'd want, right there... it all identical enough to his old clothes to be his old clothes. What's going on here? He waits a little while. Is Celes still out there? Knows he's got to take caution, but there's no chance he's going back out unmasked.]

[Finally, after giving it some time, he emerges.]

[preciousgeneral]

[And she's still hiding in the alley when he emerges and she definitely recognizes him then. Still, she can play like she didn't see anything, because obviously he didn't want her to see what he really looked like.

Though she had to admit, he was a handsome man. But then, considering his profession, that was probably not a benefit. Still, she could puzzle that out later. For now she should greet another of them. It really was strange just how many of them were showing up, first Edgar earlier, now Shadow. This really was very strange indeed.

So she'll casually walk up to him again and she's going to pretend like it's the first time she's noticed him.]

Shadow! So you've been brought here too?

[And no, Shadow gets no hug, Celes knows he'd not want one and she'd like to not be stabbed in the back even though he has no weapon yet.]

[shrouded_reaper]

[He's surprised that she remained. But while there's annoyance over being seen, it's pushed aside, shoved down, all but forgotten for now. Left unspoken. He'd thank her for that were he not wanting it brought up. There's too much about this place that bothers him.]

Where are we?

[He's kept them all at a distance, so it's what he expects and wants as far as greetings go.]

[preciousgeneral]

[He's one of them now as far as she's concerned, all of them really. He'd helped to the best of his ability with Kefka on the Floating Continent, and that was appreciated.]

A strange place called Luceti. It's not our world, and we all now have wings.

[He would have seen Celes' earlier, but since she's pretending this is the first time she's seen him, she's going to turn a bit so he can see hers. They are white with blue edging.]

It's not a bad place, but we can't go home, at least willingly. [She pauses for a bit, unsure if she should say more, but he's not likely to ask.] Besides me, Locke, Terra, Setzer and Edgar are also here. You're welcome to stay with us if you wish it.

[shrouded_reaper]

[Takes that all in, running it over in his mind. He's never heard of Luceti, and wondered about the wings... and a lot of them are here...]

I'll consider it. What's keeping us here?

[preciousgeneral]

[She smiles at his response. Considering it is good enough for now.] A barrier keeps us here. Attempts have been made to break it, but nothing anyone here can do is capable of breaking it.

[shrouded_reaper]

[It's also a good way to keep things diverted to the things he wants to discuss. Because 'barrier' implies 'boundary set by someone' and... no, he's liking the sound of this less and less. He doesn't take to being trapped.] A magical barrier? Who set it up? Why bother keeping us here?

[preciousgeneral]

[Yeah, barriers suck, don't they?] It was set up by a group we know as the Malnosso. As far as why? To keep out dangerous things from the outside and to keep us in so they can use us as test subjects from the way things look.

[Be glad Celes and Locke were around last month, they actually have a good amount of info considering how relatively new they are. They ask questions and observe well.

And she's looking at him carefully still pretending she hasn't seen him before now to notice that he's lacking his weapons still too. She also is wearing a sword that doesn't appear like one of their world, so he can tell they can get weapons.]

You'll be wanting your weapons too, right? That store is nearby also. Why they take our things just to place them in shops in a place where money doesn't exist is beyond me, but we all have to deal with it until we find a way home.

[shrouded_reaper]

[He eyes her, taking this next part in. But as far as most of that's concerned, the weapons are the important things. The rest can get figured out later.]

Sounds like the Empire... Where's that store?

[preciousgeneral]

[She points out the weapons shop.]

It is somewhat like the Empire. And the people who wish us harm are a lot like Kefka. If you'd like the basic info about this place, there is a guide written that I can send to your journal.

[shrouded_reaper]

[Heads in that direction.]

The journal... You mean this?

[Holds his up. And here he was planning to sell it off...]