the ninth focus [video]

[resolvetolive]

[ There's a properly dressed Hope this time around. He's donning a sweater but since the video isn't showing his lower half, no one will know that he's wearing shorts and that's good. Leaning forward on the table, it looks like he's down in the bar area of Tifa's. Seated by one of the windows close to the door, the place looks a little empty

Comments

[Video]

[armoredpenance]

[Hopefully Hope doesn't mind the suit of armor looking at him curiously -- as curiously as metal can manage anyway.] Are there more people coming than usual?

It's really nice of you to offer something like that though. I bet a lot of people feel pretty lost and cold. [Not that Alphonse knows for sure. Heat, cold, all lost on him.]

[video] . . . woobie battle?

[resolvetolive]

[ Not at all! He's a little surprised at first, but the stranger on the other side sounds friendly enough. He offers a smile and tilts his head.] A little, yeah. It's kind of weird, actually.

I-It's nothing, I'm more than willing to help. What about you, are you okay?

[video] . . . ahahaha yes

[armoredpenance]

[Alphonse nods a little.] Well, I guess I'm a part of the weirdness then!

Mm-mm. That's something! Things are better when people help each other. Oh? Me? I'm all right. I'm lucky, not to be alone here. I found my brot-- [He trails off abruptly.]

[video] that'll break my heart ahh--

[resolvetolive]

[ Hope grins.] That's not a bad thing at all! Everyone's a little weird here, but I think that's good than anything else.

Huh? [ He leans in a little.] Something wrong?

[not_horny]

Are you a resident?

[resolvetolive]

Huh? N-No, I was brought here the same as a lot of us. Are you new?

[not_horny]

Yes.

Everything is not as it should be...

[resolvetolive]

Nice to meet you then. I'm Hope.

You mean everyone being brought here?

[Voice]

[rewritethesky]

[Watches then smiles bashfully.] Were you heating something Hope?

[video]

[resolvetolive]

[There's a smile at the voice, and he looks to the watch.] Yeah, it got a little cold 'cause I wasn't paying attention, but it's good now!

How've you been, Naminé?

[Video] ...That was supposed to be video /facepalms

[rewritethesky]

I-I'm good, I guess. It's been pretty quiet lately, although... those holidays were... sort of nice. [Looks away uncertain for a moment, and then back again.]

What about you?

[video] adkljsad xD /patpat

[resolvetolive]

They were, weren't they? That was my first Christmas ever, so I think it was pretty memorable. [ He offers her a grin.]

Things have been fine on my side, not much I can really say.

[karates_doors]

[click! Have a somewhat tipsy picture, Hope. Ran's still learning the ins and outs of her watch. She waves at him from her bed in the clinic, still buried under a perpetual stack of blankets. Frostnip = not fun]

It's nice to meet you too, Hope-san! My name's Mouri Ran.

What's Seventh Heaven?

[resolvetolive]

[ He waves back to the new face, smile apparent and refusing to leave. He does hint at worry at the blankets-- being sick here's not fun, he knows that much. And 'san'? Oh, he can do this, Conan taught him. Kind of. ]

Um, d-does that mean I call you Mouri-san too, or do I use 'neechan'?

Oh, Seventh Heaven is the bar my friend Tifa runs. She's letting me stay in one of the rooms upstairs, and I can stay down here as long as I don't mess with anything I shouldn't.

[karates_doors]

[thinks about that for a moment]

You can call me neechan if you want to, though I don't think I'm much older than you are... [and somehow he doesn't seem the type to use slang like Hattori] A bar? Does she run it all by herself?

[that can't be easy to do in a place like this, with or without help]

[resolvetolive]

Mouri-neechan then, o-okay. [ He shakes his head to the second question.] Kind of. I help her sometimes when she lets me, but that's about it. It's not that bad.