The Lion Sleeps Tonight

[gunbladescar]

I am exhausted. I've spent the past two days, scouting this entire place out. Zell was right. I couldn't get the crystal to work at all, but it was worth trying. I do have a new idea, but I can't do it by myself. And it definitely requires more planning

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[spirited_hero]

[gunbladescar]

I'm vaguely aware of the annoyance in Zell's voice. It seems like more than usual. I don't know what he's so upset about. I've been standing on this pathway.

"Cottages don't work," I say as he approached. I'm feeling a little deflated that my sleeping plans have been nixed.

[spirited_hero]

[gunbladescar]

I don't turn around when I hear him hesitate. I just continue staring at the cottage. I do glance over at him as he assesses the cottage. I thought it was mechanical not magic. Next thing I'll be hearing is that X-Potions don't work either. Or Phoenix Down. That's not magic at all. Curaga is magic. GFs aren't magic, but they do use it. Come to think of it, I haven't heard from Shiva since I got here. I mutter her attack "Diamond Dust," but once again, nothing happens.

I look over at Zell and he seems very irate about something. I wasn't paying attention to the last thing he said so I think for a moment trying to recall his words. He's pissed off at me. That's what it was. That explains that look.

"Why are you mad?" I ask with curiosity. Maybe it has to do with his first question about where have I been, but maybe he's mad that I wasted a cottage. He always did keep our inventory organized.

[twilit_seeker]

Riku hadn't expected to bump into Squall again so soon, but he guessed he shouldn't be surprised. Squall was new and probably wanted to explore as much of the island as possible. So finding Squall out in the woods while doing a little exploring of his own was almost to be expected really.

"Looks like cottages don't work here either. Sorry man," he said sympathetically. Squall looked even more tired and grumpier than the last time they'd met, so Riku made an effort to be civil. That and he knew Zell would have a fit if he got into a fight with Squall.

[gunbladescar]

"...Yeah," I say, noting that he seems less cranky than the last time we met. I still pay close attention to his position. He's still wearing the blind fold so obviously he's still hiding things.

At least he didn't call me Leon.

"Too bad," I say, sadly, though my tone of voice is probably pretty monotone at this point. I'm not sure what else could disappoint me.

[twilit_seeker]

Squall was less disappointed than Riku had expected him to be. Not being able to use magic had been annoying for him and devastating for Zell. Either Squall was starting to accept the limitations placed on him by the island or he just didn't care that much. Riku wasn't sure which.

"Yeah it is. I was hoping maybe it would be different for you, but I guess not. None of Zell's items work either." Riku glanced at the cottage on the ground. It looked just like the ones from his world. Yet another weird coincidence.

"Any luck trying to find a way off the island?" Riku doubted that Squall had been any more successful than the rest of the island's inhabitants, but he felt it was worth asking. Sooner or later someone had to figure out a way to get home, right?

[gunbladescar]

"I guess I miscalculated what was magic and what wasn't. I thought it was mechanical." I exhale slowly.

"No way off the island, but I suspect you figured as much." It's not accusatory, just factual. "I do have an idea though."

[realnicetrip]

Call it intuition or maybe just jumping to conclusions, but Harry was pretty sure he'd seen that look of frustration before. It was the same sort of fed-up expression that Zell got when talking about how magic didn't seem to work here; it was probably a long shot, but the combination of that frustrated expression and the stranger's oddball dress sense made Harry wonder if he was from a similar neck of the woods.

He'd been on his way to the Compound to grab breakfast, but he wasn't in a rush, so he slowed his pace.

"You okay there, buddy?" he called.

[gunbladescar]

"Not really," I say in almost a deadpan way if only this situation were funny. I stare at the cottage as though I might be able to will it into working. Of course, nothing happens so I turn toward my company.

"Cottages are supposed to turn into cottages. Hence the name," my voice refuses to have any sort of inflection at all and everything I say is sounding flat, monotone... maybe even tired.

[realnicetrip]

"Cottages?" Harry said, frowning, his gaze moving from the stranger to the ground and back again without finding any explanation immediately evident. "You want a cottage round here, you're gonna have to build it."

He grinned, reckoning his suspicions must be right. "Let me guess. You're used to magic, aren't you?"

[gunbladescar]

I nod. "You didn't?" Not everyone used magic back home, but he looked like he had the build to be a SeeD or soldier of some sort and they always used magic.

I remember something Zell had told me about a place called Earth. Maybe that's it, or maybe it's something else.

[themonsterhere]

Despite having been on the island for a good few weeks, Kiden was still in the habit of sleeping rough. She knew of the Compound's existence, of course, and would occasionally crash there; more often than not, however, she'd take a nap in the tall grass or under a tree, and then wake up eighteen hours later, disorientated and confused.

Today was such a day. Grumbling to herself, Kiden got to her feet, raked her fingers through her unkempt hair, and idly began wandering down the path. She was dully aware of being hungry, and so decided to head in the general direction of food, but didn't pay much attention to where she was going.

When she came across somebody, Kiden shoved her hands into her pockets and yawned enthusiastically.

“Hey, baby,” she said, “What's up?”

[gunbladescar]

"Baby?" I repeat incredulously. I close my eyes and rub my forehead between my index finger and thumb. I'm too tired for this.

"Name's Squall," I say after a moment, turning to face her. "Squall Leonhart." You know the drill. It's lionheart not Leon heart.

[themonsterhere]

“Yeah. Y'know, general colloquial term,” Kiden said, trying not to grin. “Nothing too serious.”

With that, Kiden decided that she was bored of standing, and flopped down on the ground. She hugged her knees against her chest, and squinted up at him.

“Squall, huh. Cool name. Think I like that even more,” Kiden said, and then extended a hand, “Kiden Nixon. Hey.”

[gunbladescar]

I watch her flop down on the ground and hug her knees to her chest. She reminds me of a blond Selphie or a female Zell.

Kiden Nixon. It has a beat to it, but it's no Leonhart. Not her fault though, we don't get to name ourselves.

"Hey," I say. Conversation is awkward for me. So I stand there, staring at the cottage, thinking about everything that isn't going well.

[gunbladescar]

At this, I turn around. "You're telling me potions don't work either? That's not magic, that's medicine." I sigh.

I imagine Zell almost hitting himself in the head with much enthusiasm and then I imagine there was probably a lot of cursing and Zell being Zell. I'm sure it was a funny sight.

"How'd you lose them?" I ask, following the clue he'd given.

[gunbladescar]

I nod, willing to let the issue go. I'd only asked because it seemed relevant.

"Losing them or having them makes no difference it would seem. This whole pack is full of useless magical items," I say looking through it. Phoenix Downs, cottages, potions.