Midgar Continued...

[gotitmemorised]

Continued from here.

Axel didn't think that the self-given mission was going too badly, all things considered. Nobody in Midgar suspected a thing, that much was clear, not even Aerith. He listened to her, the apprehension and questioning near-disbelief in her voice and actions clear. Despite his desperation to get her and them out of there, he found it to be a fairly understandable response to such a suggestion. It wasn't exactly an easy story to believe. He had to wonder what he would have done or said in her position. Laughed, probably.

As for her question... that was a little more difficult to answer. He glanced at Saix, a disturbingly disguised Saix, at that, and scratched the back of his head.

"Not a lot," he sighed. Way to sound convincing, idiot. "Whatever they're going to do, they intend on blowing all of the reactors. When one went, it destroyed the residential area in the immediate vicinity, right?"

Of course, that wasn't the worst of it. Not this time.

"If they blow all of them ... the support pillars don't stand a chance and neither does anything below the plate."

Comments

[innatelunacy]

Saix frowned, speaking to Axel directly. "You're not really thinking of indulging this idiocy?" It would be better for all of them to simply leave. Saix disliked entertaining unnecessary delays, but there was also the concern of how it would appear if they tried to lead a exodus, even a small one, out of Midgar.

[gotitmemorised]

Axel nodded at Aerith, risking a reassuring smile even though he wasn't quite feeling one. The expression faded when he directed his eyes at Saix and he scowled slightly.

"This is her home, Isa." He paused and tried to make a convincing case of it. "If this happened back home, would you just leave without trying to help at least a few people?"

He wasn't talking about Rabanastre. The use of his real name was a good indication of that.

[innatelunacy]

Saix glowered at Axel, replying, "You recall what happened last time, I'm sure."

He regarded Aerith, who looked back at him with a stubborn resolve that seemed familiar and said, "This is a foolish venture. You will die, and you will take us with you. We came to rescue you, and only you. Will you get more people killed for the sake of your own conscience?"

[hearstheplanet]

Aerith frowned, putting her hands on her hips as she faced Saix. "When did you forget how to act like you have a heart?" She asked him, looking severe herself. The wording wasn't deliberate, exactly, but it successfully touched a nerve with Saix anyway, and he stood a little straighter, a little more indignant, as she continued, "Millions of people are going to die, and we can't stop it, but I won't give up on the ones we can save. Even if it's only one more person, it counts."

She looked at Axel, her mood shifting. "I need you to ask as many people as you can to come here. I have something I need to do." She offered him a lopsided smile. "I'll try not to take too long."

[gotitmemorised]

"We'll do what we can." Axel nodded, and then turned to Saix. "Come on."