video ; @thundaga

[astraphilia]

[ hello and welcome to Boredom Hours, sponsored by one too many midafternoon beers and a perpetual inability to not immediately make his ennui everyone else's problem. today's host is... Reno!

when the video starts, it's to a shockingly decently framed shot of Reno doing the hooligan squat on the front stoop of his apartment building. he's got a lit cigarette hanging from his mouth, and once he's sure that the video is rolling he takes a long drag of it before he speaks. ]

Sup. I'm Reno. Some of ya may know me from my colorful past as "guy who got yanked into pool by tentacle monster."

[ probably nobody knows him that way but it's fine. we are not concerned with strict veracity here. Reno blows a neat smoke ring and grins the kind of grin that means he knows he's being a pain in the ass. ]

I was thinkin', y'know, there's only so many of us. Probably ain't a bad idea to get to know each other, right? [ he gestures with his cigarette as he speaks as if to underscore his words. ] We need some conversation starters. Some icebreakers, y'know? Everybody's favorite highlight from their corporate bonding retreats.

So! [ he holds up a hand to count on.

one finger. ] Two truths and a lie. Post 'em, let other people guess. I'll leave mine too. Shoutout to the blond girlie who had that party a couple months back for this one.

[ two fingers. ] Hot or not. Or smash or pass, whatever you wanna call it. Post yourself and let people vote, if you're brave. Or post your friends if you want to fuck around. You can all see my face right now so count that as my submission.

[ three fingers. ] Creativity exercise, open prompt. You can go anywhere, be anybody, do anything you want. The world ain't ending and there's no war or whatever the hell going on. Who are you and what are you doing? [ brief smoke break, and then Reno stubs the butt out on the cement, exhaling as he says, ] Me, I wanna make mediocre coffee for minimum wage and not worry about shit except makin' rent.

[ and lastly, four fingers. ] "Reno, this is fuckin' stupid and I don't want to do it." Okay, nobody's got a gun to your head. We ain't even got guns here. Do what you want.

[ his four fingers curl in so he can offer a cheerful, if a bit manic, thumbs-up before he reaches out to turn off the video.

just before he touches the button, though, he pauses as if something just occurred to him— ] Oh, shit—also, drop map pins for your favorite restaurant in this place. I'm in the market for new eats, bonus points if it's spicy.

[ okay, now he's gone. ]

Comments

[astraphilia]

Yeah, hey now! [ Reno's laughing at it, though. ] "Give it another chance," he says, right after admitting he drinks it adulterated...

[ Reno has nothing against the cream and sugar addition, per se! but the coffee in the Turk lounge was always shitty, and he was rarely in there long enough to really develop an appreciation for it. ]

Leavin' aside the necessities like water... good liquor if somebody else is payin'. If I'm payin', mostly beer.

[nomoresharks]

Somehow I'm not entirely surprised to hear that. You seem the type. [One teasing turn deserves another!]

I've always been more for wine myself, but I must say many of the drinks I tried at that party were wonderful. I should have made more of an effort to remember their names.

[astraphilia]

Oh, yeah? [ teasing is even more fun when you can give and get, in Reno's opinion! ] What gave me away, huh?

You should ask the eyepatch guy. Daan. I think he was the one makin' em at the party, he'd probably know. Or you can describe 'em to me and I'll do my best.

[ the former option will get more accurate results, but the latter may get funnier ones. ]

Can't say I was ever much of a wine guy... too fancy for lil ol' me. Champagne ain't bad though.

[nomoresharks]

Oh I do like champagne. There's something about the bubbles that's quite satisfying.

Ah yes! I do remember him. I believe I've had one or two conversations with him in the past as well. Though even without a description and response, I'm curious to hear your recommendation.

[a grin]

And as for what gave you away... [He lifts a finger to his lips] I'm afraid that will just have to remain a secret.

[astraphilia]

Recommendations, hmm? [ Reno sits back a little from the camera as if that'll help him give Hythlodaeus a slow once-over. (it doesn't actually help, since he can only see as much of him as the camera captures, but no matter, it's the vibe that's important here!) ] For someone who likes it sweet and satisfyingly bubbly...

[ a pause while Reno considers the options. any kind of champagne cocktail is probably too on the nose, considering. after a second he grins slow, just a little wry. ]

There was a bar back home that did a sparkling wine cocktail with citrus and berry and rose that was un-fuckin'-believable. [ and sadly Reno doesn't trust himself to replicate it well. alas... ] I wonder if I could find somethin' like it around here...

[nomoresharks]

[The camera suddenly faces the ceiling with only the briefest moment of Hythlodaeus's sleeve in the way to block the view as he pulls over a notebook and pen.]

Sparkling wine with citrus, berry, and rose... There.

[The notebook is set aside and phone picked up once more]

And now the flavors have been noted for the future. If you should find it before I do, would you point me in the right direction? I might be persuaded to save some for you in return if I should be the luckier of us.

[astraphilia]

Sure I will. I'll even buy ya a drink sometime if you're willin' to experiment.

[ "buy" yes, he knows there's no currency here, it doesn't matter. it's the principle of the thing! ]

Say—did I ever get back to you about the Lifestream thing?

[nomoresharks]

Of course. Always eager to try something new.

[Especially if Reno's recommendations are anything like the drink he just mentioned.]

But as to the Lifestream, nay, I don't believe you did. Why do you ask?

[astraphilia]

No reason, talkin' to you just reminded me I meant to.

[ but then the mall happened and... yeah. there's honestly a real chance that Hythlodaeus forgot entirely about this conversation, but in case he's been living his life in incurable curiosity about the state of the Lifestream in Gaia: ]

It ain't a river, like the one you have. It's the whole cycle on its own, people go into it and come out of it and while they're in it they're just in it.

[nomoresharks]

[Perhaps not his whole life, but his curiosity shines just as bright as it did at the party, interest dancing bright in his eyes as he sits up a little straighter]

Fascinating! A cycle entirely unto its own. Running in a sort of loop, perhaps? Curious that they remain themselves the whole time, however. The prevailing theory with the Underworld is that one is slowly stripped down to the base of their soul while within, the better to prepare themselves for rebirth.

Is this also the case with your Lifestream?

[astraphilia]

Somethin' like that. I ain't gonna pretend I'm an expert, but as I understand it, not everybody stays in one piece. Just the special ones.

[ the mako-touched like SOLDIER, or the Cetra like Aerith, or those who now carry Jenova's cells inside them, hosts to bits of an alien species, like all those who died of the geostigma.

damn. as always, the thought of Sephiroth remains a real damper on the good times Reno's having. ]

The only time I've seen anyone come outta the Lifestream, he came out just the same as he used to be, only shittier. I don't know if he had much of a soul left by that point either way.

[nomoresharks]

Very different from home indeed. It would take a skilled hand from the outside to accomplish a similar feat. I suppose it's possible one's personality could change as a result, but I can't say it with certainty.

[The change in mood hasn't gone unnoticed]</small. That said, if this is an uncomfortable subject to linger on, we may change it if you would prefer.

[astraphilia]

Eh. [ Reno shrugs a little. ] It ain't uncomfortable exactly. Just a pretty recent memory.

[ he grins and it isn't even fake. he's more than willing to put aside all thoughts of Sephiroth and his fucked up clones(?)/brethren(??)/children(???) for the time being. ]

Glad I could satisfy some of your curiosity about it, though. If I stumble on any more revelations I'll give you a call.