[Hojo's already getting everything he wants, all he gets now is horrible demises, if all goes well.
And for Sephiroth, there's another moment of relief when the motorcycle actually starts exactly the way it's SUPPOSED to; he wasn't kidding about it never being run anywhere. That first start, it had to be important. The first mile. The first everything.
In a town like this, with more ponies than vehicles, the sound of the engine starting has definitely drawn some attention!]
I don't know what the roads are like here, but why don't you give it a try? It probably won't bother the horses too much.
[They have to be used to worse, right?? The train comes through all the time!]
[He (mostly) doesn't even care if he scares the horses a little, they'll get over it. Besides the initial startle, the ones at the station don't even mind; they're probably used to the train anyway.
Zack twists the gears a bit, letting it rev in place a moment, just enjoying the thrum beneath him. And then, perhaps unexpectedly, he offers his hand out, scooting forward in his seat a bit to make room.]
[It is a surprise, by the way he is for several moments visibly riddled with uncertainty. ..But it must be okay or he wouldn't be offering, right?
He's still cautious when he nods after a moment and takes the offered hand. Motorcycles are NOT a common form of transportation for him, and there's wings in the way, but he knows his way around a wing enough to move feathers around so they're not uncomfortably pinned, and try to settle himself in such a way where the long blue and white primaries don't get scorched by the engine or mufflers.]
[Zack laughs, and he won't have to worry about those feathers for long, because with a moment of focus, they are phased into his back, leaving just a scattering of stray feathers in the air (very Angeal-like, not that Sephiroth would know). When Zack tilts his head around to grin at him, the change in his eyes are gone, reverted back to their original mako-blue. It gives him the extra space to get more settled, as well as let him hold on to Zack without a mouthful of feathers.]
[Angeal is a complete unknown! .. For now. That would change quickly if he was sent home and stayed there long, but until then, he is a mystery, and the wafting stray feathers gleaming white and blue in the light are purely a Zack thing, and strangely fascinating. One hand reaches to catch one gently, even as it's noted that once more Zack's eyes are once more luminous blue, with ordinary round pupils.
That. How? What? Maybe he was hallucinating it? Wishful thinking maybe--
But the warning to hang on does get immediate obedience, captured feather still held onto as best he can regardless. He's keeping that, if it doesn't get blown away.]
Just warn me if there's a hole in the road or something!
[The feather is all his, if he cares to keep it. Zack doesn't even notice him grabbing it, already turned forward. Rather, he laughs at the request, the asshole.]
Only if I notice it first!
[No promises he will! He fears no road holes! With another rev, he kicks in the acceleration, and the bike starts moving, thunking noisily off the station platform, taking off at an unreasonable high speed down the road. Good thing for SOLDIER reflexes, he's dodging the poor Gram residents like a pro.]
[Know what's entirely not comforting: THAT. It's certain there's a protest somewhere under the roar of the engine beyond the yelp that can be heard as the motorcycle and its passengers crash right off the platform and into the street, but it's hard to make out.
It's probably nothing. The bike handles it with ease. It's not made for the average citizen, designed for a tougher breed and the nonsense that would inevitably result in, and little things like dropping off a platform and pelting down a road not made for motorcycles is child's play, there's barely a squeak from the suspension.
Another good thing for being SOLDIER, Sephiroth clings like a startled barnacle and his grip would probably be incredibly uncomfortable without anyone of their durability involved. He'll probably relax a bit soon.]
[For all his silly posturing and laughter and reckless speeds, Zack is actually a pretty decent driver. He makes it through the more crowded zone without so much as clipping any poor pedestrian, he does avoid the worst of the road bumps. He's noisy, mind you - having the time of his life, he's whooping over every sharp curve, as the bike turns like a dream, revving with enthusiasm - but out in the more open area of Gram, riding down the road through the woods, it's really nice. Just a fun ride on an awesome motorcycle. Who could ask for more?]
[This is .. all a first. He hangs on like his life depends on it and does his best to not throw anything off balance.
Zack's obvious glee is infectious, but he's ever subdued in showing any of it, ticking a box in the back of his mind to add a third thing to the tiny list of things he could call 'fun' and finally loosening his grip somewhat and sitting back a little. There's no point in saying anything, it wouldn't be heard anyway with the way the wind whips past. Using Zack as a windbreak, he can look around a bit as scenery goes by; he hasn't been in this area much. Visiting it like this..
It.. is nice. More than he thought it'd be, noise and wind and all. For a moment, his hold (sans the feather still clenched in one hand) tightens again, a brief light squeeze of silent thanks. For bringing him along? For everything else? Maybe all of it.]
[At some point Zack reaches a crossroads, and rather than pick a direction, he slows the bike down to a halt, allowing it to rumble comfortably idle beneath them, and turns back towards Sephiroth.]
How you doin' back there, holding out okay? I was thinking I'd drive you home, but if you'd rather go somewhere else I can switch to that.
[The third option of "get off and get yourself to wherever" does not appear to be in his cards.]
[He is! .. Utterly windblown, and he probably has a leaf stuck in his hair from some tree or other they passed, but otherwise he seems to be doing fine!
Okay maybe he gets the bike thing now. He's not planning on getting one of his own, not yet, but Zack's delight is no longer a mystery and he's glad he decided to go with one as a gift. It worked!]
...Oh. Um, do you know where I live?
[Did that ever come up? Sephiroth doesn't seem immediately against the idea of Zack knowing, he .. he could be trusted, right?]
I don't mind here if you don't, it's not that bad of a flight back.
Huh... not really. But if you tell me the neighbourhood, I can at least take you there.
[If Sephiroth doesn't get to know where he lives - which, fair, honestly he'd rather the kid not end up accidentally lurking around where Cloud and Aerith take shelter - he's fine with not getting an address in return to keep the playing field even. Whichever Sephiroth chooses is fine.]
[As long as Aerith and Cloud didn't show up at his house, it's probably fine. In turn he really, REALLY doesn't plan on going anywhere nearer Gram than the train station unless it's some dire emergency, but his only real objections would be everyone knowing where he lives.
Zack is probably fine knowing. It wasn't like he was going to be constantly dropping by, and thus potentially luring Cloud to see where he's going.]
Oh, Lapine. The Burrows, not far from the river. It's not a bad place, people leave you alone.
[For the most part. There was an endless parade of spirits that realized he's living there by himself and 'just happen' to make too much of this or that and he'd be doing them such a favor if he just took it off their hands..]
Zack laughs, turning down the road towards Lapine and taking a more leisurely pace this time so they're not completely drowned by the engine.]
I grew up in a jungle! Plenty of mucky swamps, there. You'd be amazed where people will live. ...Lapine does sound real nice, though. Any time I pass through, it looks cozy.
[Also the swamps around Gongaga are way nicer than Exile, but anyway.]
[Wait no there were other towns and villages out there. Mideel kind of was hot wasn't it? He'd never been.
Rhadore was completely tropical, but that wasn't likely at all. Lapine is nice, and not at all swampy, and he really can't.. guess what it would be like growing up in a jungle. Or. Anywhere but a lab.]
[It didn't stop one of the Turks! .. That had to be some loyalty on Tseng's part. He shakes his head; Gongaga is too small and inconsequential for him to have been told about so far. Eventually it'd come up, every town with a reactor would.]
I .. don't really have an opinion on mushrooms. They exist.
[He didn't encounter them enough. Especially not giant ones.]
They're supposed to be healthy to eat. Were you glad to leave? Not.. friends and family, but the climate.
[Zack probably doesn't even know that. Never asked, was never told...
He laughs at Sephiroth's answer, the sound carrying well in the wind. Mushrooms sure do exist.]
I dunno! I didn't hate it or anything, it's just all I ever knew. I like being warm more than cold. Didn't miss getting lost in the woods, though. Or the frogs.
[No sooner does he ask that his expression settles into annoyance behind Zack's back. As soon as he takes more than a moment to think about it, he knows why.]
They're monster frogs aren't they. Are there monster mushrooms too.
Of course. [Everything is either completely harmless or a monster and there is no inbetween at all. Everywhere was the same thing, and yet somehow he hadn't really thought of ordinary cute little treefrogs or something being dangerous.
Leave it to the Planet to find a way.]
That's not how they reproduce is it? Pow, you're a frog, no need for tadpoles, every frog you meet might have been a person at some point and now they're amphibian martial artists.
Oh, wow, I never thought of that. There were people who disappeared into the woods and never came back, so maybe... you don't get their powers, though. If you punch somebody as a frog, you can't change them into another one.
[That would have caused so many more problems, if that were the case. Thankfully when you're a frog you remember you were once a person.]
Being a frog's like- everything's so huge! And wet. And sticky. Walking on two legs when they bend like a frog's do is so weird, too.
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And for Sephiroth, there's another moment of relief when the motorcycle actually starts exactly the way it's SUPPOSED to; he wasn't kidding about it never being run anywhere. That first start, it had to be important. The first mile. The first everything.
In a town like this, with more ponies than vehicles, the sound of the engine starting has definitely drawn some attention!]
I don't know what the roads are like here, but why don't you give it a try? It probably won't bother the horses too much.
[They have to be used to worse, right?? The train comes through all the time!]
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[He (mostly) doesn't even care if he scares the horses a little, they'll get over it. Besides the initial startle, the ones at the station don't even mind; they're probably used to the train anyway.
Zack twists the gears a bit, letting it rev in place a moment, just enjoying the thrum beneath him. And then, perhaps unexpectedly, he offers his hand out, scooting forward in his seat a bit to make room.]
Come with me!
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He's still cautious when he nods after a moment and takes the offered hand. Motorcycles are NOT a common form of transportation for him, and there's wings in the way, but he knows his way around a wing enough to move feathers around so they're not uncomfortably pinned, and try to settle himself in such a way where the long blue and white primaries don't get scorched by the engine or mufflers.]
.. Okay. I think.
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[Zack laughs, and he won't have to worry about those feathers for long, because with a moment of focus, they are phased into his back, leaving just a scattering of stray feathers in the air (very Angeal-like, not that Sephiroth would know). When Zack tilts his head around to grin at him, the change in his eyes are gone, reverted back to their original mako-blue. It gives him the extra space to get more settled, as well as let him hold on to Zack without a mouthful of feathers.]
You better think about holding on, then!
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That. How? What? Maybe he was hallucinating it? Wishful thinking maybe--
But the warning to hang on does get immediate obedience, captured feather still held onto as best he can regardless. He's keeping that, if it doesn't get blown away.]
Just warn me if there's a hole in the road or something!
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Only if I notice it first!
[No promises he will! He fears no road holes! With another rev, he kicks in the acceleration, and the bike starts moving, thunking noisily off the station platform, taking off at an unreasonable high speed down the road. Good thing for SOLDIER reflexes, he's dodging the poor Gram residents like a pro.]
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It's probably nothing. The bike handles it with ease. It's not made for the average citizen, designed for a tougher breed and the nonsense that would inevitably result in, and little things like dropping off a platform and pelting down a road not made for motorcycles is child's play, there's barely a squeak from the suspension.
Another good thing for being SOLDIER, Sephiroth clings like a startled barnacle and his grip would probably be incredibly uncomfortable without anyone of their durability involved. He'll probably relax a bit soon.]
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Zack's obvious glee is infectious, but he's ever subdued in showing any of it, ticking a box in the back of his mind to add a third thing to the tiny list of things he could call 'fun' and finally loosening his grip somewhat and sitting back a little. There's no point in saying anything, it wouldn't be heard anyway with the way the wind whips past. Using Zack as a windbreak, he can look around a bit as scenery goes by; he hasn't been in this area much. Visiting it like this..
It.. is nice. More than he thought it'd be, noise and wind and all. For a moment, his hold (sans the feather still clenched in one hand) tightens again, a brief light squeeze of silent thanks. For bringing him along? For everything else? Maybe all of it.]
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How you doin' back there, holding out okay? I was thinking I'd drive you home, but if you'd rather go somewhere else I can switch to that.
[The third option of "get off and get yourself to wherever" does not appear to be in his cards.]
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[He is! .. Utterly windblown, and he probably has a leaf stuck in his hair from some tree or other they passed, but otherwise he seems to be doing fine!
Okay maybe he gets the bike thing now. He's not planning on getting one of his own, not yet, but Zack's delight is no longer a mystery and he's glad he decided to go with one as a gift. It worked!]
...Oh. Um, do you know where I live?
[Did that ever come up? Sephiroth doesn't seem immediately against the idea of Zack knowing, he .. he could be trusted, right?]
I don't mind here if you don't, it's not that bad of a flight back.
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[If Sephiroth doesn't get to know where he lives - which, fair, honestly he'd rather the kid not end up accidentally lurking around where Cloud and Aerith take shelter - he's fine with not getting an address in return to keep the playing field even. Whichever Sephiroth chooses is fine.]
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Zack is probably fine knowing. It wasn't like he was going to be constantly dropping by, and thus potentially luring Cloud to see where he's going.]
Oh, Lapine. The Burrows, not far from the river. It's not a bad place, people leave you alone.
[For the most part. There was an endless parade of spirits that realized he's living there by himself and 'just happen' to make too much of this or that and he'd be doing them such a favor if he just took it off their hands..]
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[He's not sure the tires could handle deep snow or swamp. But otherwise...!]
You like it there?
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[Who would willingly live in a swamp?? Lapine is plenty nice enough.]
.... Yeah. It's not as advanced as Midgar but it's.. got other nice things.
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Zack laughs, turning down the road towards Lapine and taking a more leisurely pace this time so they're not completely drowned by the engine.]
I grew up in a jungle! Plenty of mucky swamps, there. You'd be amazed where people will live. ...Lapine does sound real nice, though. Any time I pass through, it looks cozy.
[Also the swamps around Gongaga are way nicer than Exile, but anyway.]
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[Wait no there were other towns and villages out there. Mideel kind of was hot wasn't it? He'd never been.
Rhadore was completely tropical, but that wasn't likely at all. Lapine is nice, and not at all swampy, and he really can't.. guess what it would be like growing up in a jungle. Or. Anywhere but a lab.]
..What was it like?
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[That would've made his involvement in the war pretty awkward.]
Ever heard of Gongaga? [He's expecting not.] It's humid most of the time. Pretty wet and squishy. Tons of mushrooms. You like mushrooms?
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I .. don't really have an opinion on mushrooms. They exist.
[He didn't encounter them enough. Especially not giant ones.]
They're supposed to be healthy to eat. Were you glad to leave? Not.. friends and family, but the climate.
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He laughs at Sephiroth's answer, the sound carrying well in the wind. Mushrooms sure do exist.]
I dunno! I didn't hate it or anything, it's just all I ever knew. I like being warm more than cold. Didn't miss getting lost in the woods, though. Or the frogs.
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[No sooner does he ask that his expression settles into annoyance behind Zack's back. As soon as he takes more than a moment to think about it, he knows why.]
They're monster frogs aren't they. Are there monster mushrooms too.
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[Even Midgar has weird monsters, formed from normal animals, inanimate objects... it's the world they live in.]
The frogs are kind of the worst, though. If they punch you, you turn into one yourself!
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Leave it to the Planet to find a way.]
That's not how they reproduce is it? Pow, you're a frog, no need for tadpoles, every frog you meet might have been a person at some point and now they're amphibian martial artists.
[And now he's thinking about it.]
I wonder what it's like to be a frog.
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[That would have caused so many more problems, if that were the case. Thankfully when you're a frog you remember you were once a person.]
Being a frog's like- everything's so huge! And wet. And sticky. Walking on two legs when they bend like a frog's do is so weird, too.