[She doesn't even finish the word when she sees the heart appear, and her own writing stops, the L turning into a blotch of ink on the page. She breaks out into a wide smile, her fondness practically bleeding through the page as she draws a heart that loops right through the one that he did.
Followed by the words:]
I love you.
Please keep me updated. If I don't hear back from you in an hour, I don't care. I'm coming to find you.
[She stares at that message for a long time, forgetting herself and that she still has a cafe to manage while he's gone, but as her anxiety begins to mount again as that hour goes on, seeing those words and their little drawn hearts together helps to soothe some of that.
Only some.
Because when she doesn't hear back from him after that hour, she writes back to him. She does give him some leeway, knowing that it would be impossible to make it exactly, so whenever he does see it, he'll first find a small sad face with the words:]
[And that anxiety will not leave until she finally does hear back from him, Tifa staring at her journal, peering at it every chance she gets while she waits for his writing to give her an answer.]
[It's definitely not reassuring. Especially because she has customers waiting on their food... So she will have to leave it to Lyria and the dogs to take care of while she's gone, and to close up shop when the customers have left.
For how long? She doesn't know, but if Eustace tells her to go there and stay, then that's what she's going to do.
So, her answer will take some time to come back and when it finally does, her handwriting is far from the neat penmanship it usually has. It's shaky, and her anxiety practically bleeds through the page.]
[And it's... A lot more than they're going to expect.
Written like a standard report, Eustace writes about the hidden city, Orkili, found beneath the Wastelands, the exact coordinates something they can pull with the tracking device now. He'll do a quick description of the city, of its technology and its people, and how they've lived using a type of reactor that converted nightmare energy into a sustainable power source.
However, there's been a breach and this is where the past thefts are tied in. They attempted to gain more dreamotion to keep it stable, but it was not enough, and now there is a threat of a complete breakdown which would mean nightmare energy destroying this city and potentially reaching Reverein and who knows what else is hidden out here. For some reason the people are still stubborn about directly asking for help, but the situation is too dire now.
Plans of evacuation are being made and Eustace requests for assistance to be prepared. Requests to prepare high amount of dreamotion to be sent to the city. He'll make an announcement to call to the rest.
After that there will be the flurry of exchanges as everyone rushes out, until at least it will just be Tifa and her only connection to Eustace.]
[It's a lot to take in for sure, and Tifa just stands aside while he exchanges information with the researchers, peering in to read each message exchanged back and forth until they finish.
And finally... after all is said and done and they all rush to prepare their assistance, she's left in the room with her journal. Alone... With only Eustace's words on the page to comfort her.
She's going to need a moment to gather herself, as if he were right there looking at her. As if he could see her trying to steel herself for the news that's about to come. The conversation she was dreading. So, it'll be a while before Tifa finally writes back. She doesn't know what to say at first, so...]
[Where Eustace is, he sits back in the chair and desk he had been borrowing for this. The sirens are still blaring, but its dulled by the room and he just rubs his brow, collecting himself.
And when he looks back at the journal, now quiet, he just sighs and sits back forward, already flipping to a new page so he can write to Tifa again...but she beats him to it. Staring at the words, he feels a longing ache as well as a guilty twist in his heart before he responds.]
No.
But I could use your help here.
[Truthfully...he would rather she didn't. Rather she stay safe out there. However, as he stares out the window to see everyone rushing here and there, he knows she would never want to do that.]
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But this is a different situation.
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[It all sounds so harsh over writing... but she is only gently prodding.]
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I know. I'm sorry. I'm just
It's hard for me to sit still while you're out there doing god knows what and where.
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I know, and I'm also sorry. But we should be about halfway.
I'll keep you updated.
[AND THERE IS ANOTHER MOMENT OR TWO BEFORE a little heart appears.]
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[She doesn't even finish the word when she sees the heart appear, and her own writing stops, the L turning into a blotch of ink on the page. She breaks out into a wide smile, her fondness practically bleeding through the page as she draws a heart that loops right through the one that he did.
Followed by the words:]
I love you.
Please keep me updated. If I don't hear back from you in an hour, I don't care. I'm coming to find you.
[That's mostly a joke. Mostly.]
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But he'll smile, and his words will carry that same warmth and fondness.]
I will.
Love you.
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Only some.
Because when she doesn't hear back from him after that hour, she writes back to him. She does give him some leeway, knowing that it would be impossible to make it exactly, so whenever he does see it, he'll first find a small sad face with the words:]
How are things?
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We might have found something. I'll contact later.
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[And that anxiety will not leave until she finally does hear back from him, Tifa staring at her journal, peering at it every chance she gets while she waits for his writing to give her an answer.]
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Go to the Observatory. I need to relay them our findings through our journals.
And I need you to stay with them for the time being.
[...It's not exactly reassuring.
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For how long? She doesn't know, but if Eustace tells her to go there and stay, then that's what she's going to do.
So, her answer will take some time to come back and when it finally does, her handwriting is far from the neat penmanship it usually has. It's shaky, and her anxiety practically bleeds through the page.]
Okay. I'm here. Eustace, what's going on? You're scaring me.
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Go to the researchers, the ones who recognize you. Tell them Alastor and I found the device and I have a report on our findings.
I'll explain everything to you and everyone there then.
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But she will do as he says and update the researchers...]
They said to go ahead.
[And she's going to wait with bated breath, her heart beating a thousand miles a minute, anxious for an answer.]
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Written like a standard report, Eustace writes about the hidden city, Orkili, found beneath the Wastelands, the exact coordinates something they can pull with the tracking device now. He'll do a quick description of the city, of its technology and its people, and how they've lived using a type of reactor that converted nightmare energy into a sustainable power source.
However, there's been a breach and this is where the past thefts are tied in. They attempted to gain more dreamotion to keep it stable, but it was not enough, and now there is a threat of a complete breakdown which would mean nightmare energy destroying this city and potentially reaching Reverein and who knows what else is hidden out here. For some reason the people are still stubborn about directly asking for help, but the situation is too dire now.
Plans of evacuation are being made and Eustace requests for assistance to be prepared. Requests to prepare high amount of dreamotion to be sent to the city. He'll make an announcement to call to the rest.
After that there will be the flurry of exchanges as everyone rushes out, until at least it will just be Tifa and her only connection to Eustace.]
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And finally... after all is said and done and they all rush to prepare their assistance, she's left in the room with her journal. Alone... With only Eustace's words on the page to comfort her.
She's going to need a moment to gather herself, as if he were right there looking at her. As if he could see her trying to steel herself for the news that's about to come. The conversation she was dreading. So, it'll be a while before Tifa finally writes back. She doesn't know what to say at first, so...]
Are you coming home?
[... she just gets right to the point.]
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And when he looks back at the journal, now quiet, he just sighs and sits back forward, already flipping to a new page so he can write to Tifa again...but she beats him to it. Staring at the words, he feels a longing ache as well as a guilty twist in his heart before he responds.]
No.
But I could use your help here.
[Truthfully...he would rather she didn't. Rather she stay safe out there. However, as he stares out the window to see everyone rushing here and there, he knows she would never want to do that.]
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I just need to know that you're going to be okay. I can't do that when you're all the way over there and I'm here.
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What I meant is, I need you to come here. There will be transportation provided to take you and others to the city.
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Unless you don't want to come?
[Last part is sent mostly in jest...but never hurts to check.]
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