onepassingnight | 001st Secret ☽ Born to be free

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001st Secret ☽ Born to be free

[The road is wide and long, losing itself in the horizon where land merges with the sky. The landscape keeps changing at a sickening speed, while the motor roars like a hungry lion. With the empty road ahead and behind, the car trunk filled with suitcases, a flaring sun above and the wind blowing strongly as the speed increases. It's a road trip, there's no doubt of it, though the goal of the trip may be something foggy in the mind, probably as that doesn't matter, the fun here is the trip itself after all.

Tsukuyomi smiles widely as he sits in the driver's seat. It's a dream, he knows it, only in a dream he would be able to drive and feel so well with himself, but he doesn't care. For once it's a dream where there's not even one trace of those nightmares he usually has, so he welcomes it happily. The car is a white colored two seats, enough space for just him and a companion, with the roof open to allow the wind and the sun to hit them directly, speeding through the road at a bit more than 120mph.

It's a cry for freedom. One of those moments of "feeling alive" for him. If only dreams could be real.]

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[there's a twitch to his own lips at the answer. Something about the kid in the driver's seat is almost too energetic not to feel the effects of, like the sun reflecting off water.]

Cloud.

[his voice is soft and low but it carries easily over the wind in the dream. He swears he's seen that smile before but he can't place it. And he's fairly sure he'd remember the driver if he'd met him before. His eyes shift back to the landscape ahead of them. It's starting to trickle through that this must be a dream and not one of his.]

Where are we going?

[Tsukuyomi hums loudly, obviously thinking. Where are they going? Are they even going somewhere at all? He knows there are suitcases at the car trunk and they are definitively driving to get somewhere... But where was it again? Even if it's his dream he can't think of anything, probably because all he wanted was just to drive and have a road trip. At the end he laughs happily.]

I wonder! I can't really remember where we're headed, but this is nice too, isn't it? To drive like this, free and fast. I'm sure we will get somewhere, all roads do, but I don't think I really care about the destiny!

Uhm, but if you want to go somewhere in particular I'm sure we could get there too! There must be signals along the way.

[there's a certain draw to being destinationless, Cloud will freely admit. The feel of the wind through his hair and the sun on his face. For the first time in a long time, he lets himself tip his head back to enjoy it for a long moment. Freedom.

Except he's already found his freedom. It was right in front of him all along. He just has to figure out how to make it work.]

No. Nowhere if fine. Just as long as I'm back home in time for dinner.

[He laughs loudly at that, happily and carefree.]

Yeah! I should get back home before dinner as well or mom will get angry at me and leave me out!

[He would eventually be allowed back in, of course, but he would still have to spend a while out. And probably end not getting any dinner. Oh well, maybe he could go and mooch on one of his friends dinner or something, but he still would prefer if that didn't happen.

Tsukuyomi looks up at the sky with the sun shining up there.]

It's still early though, we can enjoy this road trip for a good while yet, right?

[Cloud's eyes lift to the sky and that sun, bright and encouraging in it, and his face relaxes a little more, edges of his lips curving upward. No motion sickness and an open road ahead of him?]

Yeah.

[yeah. He thinks that's fine and so he shifts back into the seat, relaxing as he folds both arms behind his head and looks up.]

Yeah, that sounds fine.

[Tsukuyomi agrees with a smile and the road keeps spreading in front of them, longer and longer. Slowly the landscape starts to change, through the mountains, through a forest, through flower fields... The roar of the car is rivaled by nothing around them and it feels comforting, at least for the boy driving the car.

It's amusing, how easily he just knows how to drive the engine, how to make it roar more or take a curve smoothly and with only minimal reduction of the speed. How easy it's to drive even though the car goes at a speed that it should give him little time to react to anything. It's so clear it's a dream, but he doesn't mind it, he likes it even with a man he doesn't know sitting besides him. It feels comfortable, nice, a road trip with another guy, just two guys and the long and open road. Both of them will have to return home before it's late, but for now they are just here together.

The landscape changes once more and soon they are driving down a country road surrounded by huge cherry trees among other trees. The few and scattered pink and white blossoms of the cherry trees mix with the dark green leaves of the others easily and naturally. Running along the side of the road is a dirt road even at the high speed and the distance the marks of carriages can be spotted easily on it. Tsukuyomi takes a deep breath, the scene of the flowers and the trees mixing nicely and making the whole trip even more delicious.]

[Cloud doesn't mind the travel but his eyes take in the scenery as it shifts. This isn't his world, it's easy to tell, and he suspects it belongs to the boy next to him instead. When it shifts to country and cherry trees, Cloud inhales as well, letting the new scent mix into his lungs. There's no hurry in his words as he says:]

Stop the car for a minute.

[Tsukuyomi only looks at him briefly even as he starts to slow down until the car stops, making sure to move it to a side of the road even if they have yet to see anyone else driving along. Cloud didn't seem in a hurry or annoyed when he asked to stop, neither seemed sick, so the boy doesn't worry. Instead he takes the chance to look at the road and take in the scenery.]

Mmm, so pretty. I love the aroma of cherry trees.

[more used to trucks and bikes than cars, Cloud hops over the side of the car instead of messing with the door, ambling down loosely to one of the lower hanging branches. His eyebrows are down as he carefully inspects it, finding the best thin strand with the most just opened blossoms on it. Very careful not to jar it too much, he breaks off the thin branch, careful to keep it a clean break. It's only a dream but sometimes things carry over from dream to dream and just in case they do, he'll keep this. Walking back to the car, he hefts himself easily back in.]

Thanks.

[Tsukuyomi observes the other curiously as he returns.]

Wanted to keep a memory of the trip? Or is it a gift for someone?

Gift. If I still have it when I see her.

[he's a little self conscious about it, so he'll ask:]

Who would you bring something back for?

Uhm... For mama or papa or even for Shingo! It's natural to want to bring something back for your family when you go on a trip, right? And if I find something I know they would like maybe something for my friends.

[He nods to himself, that sounds right, they are his friends so it's natural he would think of them during a trip if he finds something they would like.]

If we pass through a village maybe we could stop and check a souvenir store or something!

[Cloud's used to stopping in each new shop in a new town and today seems like the kind of day that's meant for easy things. Given that this is not his dream he's fairly sure the shops won't hold materia and weapons but there's no reason he can't still see if there's anything for the kids or Tifa or even something annoying and chintzy to saddle Barret with. When they reach a town - if they reach a town - he wouldn't mind. For the moment though, he simply settles the delicate flowers down near his feet so the wind from the drive won't fray them and nods, a dip of his chin.]

Yeah. And lunch.

[He had to say the magic word, didn't he? Just as Cloud says that there's a loud rumbling sound coming from an empty stomach that seems to get excited at the mention of food. Tsukuyomi can't help to blush in embarrassment even as they zoom over the road.]

Yeah... I think getting lunch is a great idea.

[He laughs nervously.]

I don't think I have eaten anything since yesterday's dinner, to be honest!

[the rumble earns a upward twitch of Cloud's lips.]

Then when you find a roadside place to stop, we'll take a break and get something.

Sounds like a plan.

[He laughs again, still embarrassed but at the same time still content. It still takes a bit before the scenery changes into a road that crosses a small village. From the looks of it it's one used to have tourists, with several stores of food and souvenirs right besides the road. One could zoom by with an arm stretched and grab everything on display on the stores basically.

They don't do that though, instead Tsukuyomi parks at a side of the road.]

This looks perfect for a stop, don't you think? What do you want to eat, Cloud?

[The kid is basically already out of the car as he talks.]

[the energy and the talking feels familiar too but Cloud still can't put his finger on it. It's easy to get carried along with it though and, even if he doesn't respond with the same level of speed or enthusiasm, he can't help but feel lighter inside because of it. Climbing out of the car as well, he'll pause to look around before shrugging. Part of what he enjoys, both about traveling and about dreams, is trying new foods. This is Tsukuyomi's dream. Cloud's interested in seeing what his world's food is like.]

You pick. I eat just about anything.

[even slightly questionable 'specials' at even more questionable diners.]

[Cloud has no idea what he has just unleashed. Unless Cloud resists Tsukuyomi will grab his hand before going to the closest food stand there is.]

Okay! Then let's start checking out the ramen here! And we can go have some takoyaki after that. Ah, there's an okonomiyaki restaurant too, we have to check that after!

[Hopefully Cloud is hungry. Very hungry, because Tsukuyomi is likely to drag him to all the food stands and restaurants along the road. It's okay, he will probably make the way back to the car by stopping at every souvenir store while going in the opposite direction than he is now.]

[he doesn't resist the hand catching his. Usually he's adverse to touch by strangers but for some reason this one doesn't set him off in any way. Instead it's almost familiar and he chalks it up to the childlike enthusiasm and innocence of the gesture. He'd no more shrug off a child than he would Tsukuyomi's grip. Instead, he lets himself be dragged wherever the blond whirlwind wants to go, curious about the food and more than willing to eat as much as is set in front of him. Cloud's body stores food reserves because he burns it all off so fast with his metabolism. Go ahead, Tsukuyomi, let's see how far the two of them can eat their way through an unsuspecting roadside village.]

[It'd a dream. And it's Tsukuyomi's dream, so most likely they will be able to eat as much as they want without anyone kicking them out. That's the best part of dreams, he can eat as much as he wants. The bad part is that it's not real.

But that doesn't deter his enthusiasm as he drags Cloud along to every corner of the village that offers food.]

Ne, where are you from, Cloud?

[He's not sure why he asks, it's just a dream after all, right? But he likes it, and it feels strangely real at the same time, as if it's a dream different from others he has ever had. It feels natural to ask, as if they were really meeting for the first time.]

[Cloud's good with being dragged around and after a bit he even finds himself keeping pace, just as curious as to what the next taste will be as Tsukuyomi's enthusiasm. He knows it's a dream. He's still amazed someone so small can pack away so much.]

Edge.

[he knows it's not going to have any meaning to his companion but it just seems natural to answer anyway, surprisingly not awkward considering.]

It's built on the edge of the Midgar ruins. My - family's there.

[and because he really is curious, not just to be polite, he asks:]

How about you?

[That's one of the great mysteries of life, but has always been that way. He's also a bit of a messy eater, not too terrible but he will most probably end with some bits of food on his face as he eats enthusiastically.

Indeed Tsukuyomi has never heard of the place, but he has never been good with geography anyway.]

Is that why it's named Edge? Because it's built at the edge of the ruins?

[He laughs a bit, he's honestly curious even if the question may seem a bit silly.]

I'm from Azabu-Juuban, in Tokyo! I live there with my parents and my little brother. Have you ever been there?

Yeah. We're creative like that.

[Cloud's humor may border toward dry but he's definitely starting to lay claim to it again. Given the way he's had to work out even the simplest things sometimes, it doesn't occur to him that the question is silly. His head does come around, blue eyes focusing on Tsukuyomi though at the mention of where he lives. Cloud's been there before himself. In his dreams at least.]

I know some girls that live there. Ami and Usagi.

[Tsukuyomi's smile drops a bit as he looks at Cloud, confused for a moment. Out of the two only one name strikes his attention the most at the moment. But it's just a name, and this is just a dream. He smiles, chasing away the confusion.]

Really? It feels as if the world is really small when that happens, doesn't it? You meet someone that you have had close to you for years but never saw, or someone who knows your friends, or something like that. It's as if there's no real distance at times.

I've a friend named Ami, but I don't know any Usagi that currently live there. Maybe I've missed her, do you know where does she study or something?

[Cloud doesn't catch the confusion and at the question he simply shakes his head, a brief movement.]

I've met them in dreams. The same way we are now. Ami's going to be a doctor, or already is. Usagi just - [there's a small smile] Usagi just doesn't like to study. Unless it's food.

001st Secret ☽ Born to be free

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dun dun DUN!

so so so so sorry for the late orz I missed this tag

no problem. It's easy to do when notifs are sent to email

still sorry though orz

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