Sharp Exit

[innatelunacy]

They'd managed to avoid the worst of the trouble on their exit from Midgar's ruins, much to Saix's quiet disappointment. They ran into a couple of relatively weak Hollows, new and of low concern, which were quickly dispatched. Saix had hoped for a bigger challenge, but it was probably for the best when they were followed by a shellshocked flock of refugees.

The Turks left for Edge once they'd cleared the rubble, a silent, mutual understanding having been reached with them that it would help no one, now, to continue whatever unfinished business was on the cards. Some of the refugees went too, claiming family, or friends who could help them, but the largest number stayed with the party until they reached Palumpolum. This was, it was reasoned, as far as they could safely take them. Word would be spreading around Edge by now that there had been survivors, and that increased the risks. Rumour travelled faster than feet, and neither Axel nor Saix wanted to run headlong into a welcoming committee that might recognise them for Ryoka.

Aerith, fortunately, agreed. She'd been nervous when they first came out of the shadow of what had once been Midgar, but once they'd travelled further out, to where the wilds of nature shaped the land, instead of the technology of men, she'd seemed to relax and take it in stride.

"Do you want to bring her back to Rabanastre, or do you have somewhere else in mind?" Saix asked of Axel, once the city of Palumpolum was part of the horizon again, instead of breathing down their necks. He was, grudgingly, impressed; Aerith was a city girl, but she hadn't made a single grumble when they'd travelled, which was more than could be said for the refugees that had stayed with them.

Comments

[gotitmemorised]

Axel liked the look of Palumpolum, but knew better than to stick around for any longer than absolutely necessary. Even though the crawling sense of worry and dread had abated since the destruction of Midgar -- small comfort in the wake of the biggest disaster of Spira's modern age -- it would take a while for the worry of being recaptured by Midgar's forces to be completely gone.

"It's up to her," Axel said, shrugging. "She's earned the right to make a decision."

[hearstheplanet]

Aerith was coping with the long ride okay. It had become uncomfortable after an hour, and then painful, and now her legs ached and she was pretty sure her bum had dropped off and been left behind somewhere. She sure hoped it had, anyway, because it was going to hurt come morning if not. But, all that aside, she'd kept up, and her chocobo had been extremely well behaved, which was a relief.

Now she could feel her stomach rumbling, and she was really looking forward to getting off the chocobo and getting some rest. The scenery was beautiful, lush and green, and the sky felt like it was swallowing her, but she also felt... connected. The way she always had at the church.

[tozasemurcielago]

Ulquiorra moved fast, too fast for most to see, and deflected the incoming blow with one hand. The deprotect hit, but Ulquiorra barely flinched. Aggravatingly, he kept one hand in his pocket.

Another quick movement fired a bala blast at Axel. He was as inexpressive as Saix at his most linefaced, but he'd still noticed that Axel was quite clearly experienced. As experienced, perhaps, as the berserker he accompanied, and even a little more resourceful and forward thinking.

But he still couldn't win this fight. "Yes," he answered.

[jawmask]

Grimmjow, about to release, had this process cut short as, despite himself, he stared at Saix's attack on Luppi. He knew Saix was damned powerful when he was limit broken, but with what he did to Luppi... he couldn't help but watch in near-horror at the ease in which he smashed him around.

And then he failed to react when Saix hurled the now-unconscious Luppi at him. The weight of the smaller Arrancar thrown at such speed knocked him off his feet and he only barely managed to avoid accidentally cutting his own ally with his ready blade. He lay there, momentarily winded.