View source for The Voice and the Snake

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2012/11/11
|Location=Manhattan
|Synopsis=Auron learns from Synestria of the possibility of attack on Manhattan by Baron and offers his services.
|Cast of Characters=Synestria, Auron
|pretty=yes
}}

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's a rather quiet evening in Manhattan at the moment, especially in central park. However, despite warnings of it being dangerous, Synestria is out for a stroll. She walks with a definite grace through the park, and even has a few people looking her over as she walks, but none pose a real threat to her, even the pair of goons that run close to her, but get a real uneasy feeling as she looks at them......

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>See <b>this time</b> Auron knows what he's doing.<br /><br />This will be the second time he's visited Manhattan. It's strangely comforting, even if it's full of idiots and moronic drivers who don't really care if they hit pedestrians or not. Overall the place reminds him of Dream Zanarkand. Ironically, that was the place that he was the safest, and most secure. Even if every time he stepped outside, he was bombarded with reminders of the Great Jecht, their hero and star player of the Abes.<br /><br />This time in Manhattan, he looks the part. He doesn't seem to be carrying his sword, firstly. Secondly, he's dressed a little differently -- a burgundy dress shirt with a coal-black blazer and slacks, a black tie. Humorously, he still has his heavy boots on. But the slacks make them a little less noticeable.<br /><br />Yes, he does indeed have an overcoat on. Yes, it is indeed red. Burgundy actually. And yes, it is indeed closed around him, and his left arm is indeed tucked in it.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Synestria walks on through Central Park and quite noisily walks up behind Auron. "Greetings Ser Auron." She says quietly as she walks up next to him. "Strange to find you in Manhattan. I figured you wouldn't like someplace like this."

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Auron pauses at the sound of the walking, and turns to look over his shoulder at Synestria. He turns to the left, so he can see her with his good eye. He'll see that she ends up on his left as she walks next to him, too. That way he can see her better.<br /><br />The statement about not liking the place draws a soft, amused chuckle. "...I spent some time in a modern city in my world." It wasn't <b>technically</b> in Spira, but that's neither here nor there. A pause, and then he continues, "...It was the closest place I had to a home. This place reminds me of that city. A little."

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Synestria says, "I know how that is, Sir Auron." She says softly as she looks over the skyscrapers around them. "Have you heard about the battle that occured at Balamb Garden a few days ago?" She gets right to the point, doesn't she?

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>A battle? Now this Auron has not heard about! And so the brow of his visible eye raises as he turns a glance to her. He says nothing, merely fixes her with that inquisitive glance. It's a clear, if silent request for more information.<br /><br />Of course... he has no idea what a 'balamb garden' is either, so that might affect the explanation somewhat.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Synestria says, "The only reason I know of it is because I work with a certain David Xanatos, of Xanatos Industries. He went to help out Balamb Garden against the forces of Baron recently, and.....I'm pretty sure Baron will find a portal to come to manhattan. Not unreasonable since he attacked Balamb when they stopped Baron from taking the Baron Plains."

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Auron waits until Synestria has finished speaking, and then a moment more still, before he speaks again. "...I see," he replies quietly. He lets a moment of silence pass, while he looks up at the skyscrapers. It almost seems like that's all he's going to say on the matter.<br /><br />Then he tilts his head down, to look at the city at large. He doesn't look at Synestria as he says the next. "...I've watched two metropoli fall. That's one too many." As if he didn't mind the other one falling. Then he turns to look at Synestria. "...Where can I find this David Xanatos?"

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Synestria says, "I have watched one city fall as well, Auron. I do not wish to see another city fall to evil, Auron." She says before gesturing towards the south. "It's not hard to find Xanatos' headquarters. It's the one skyscraper that goes above the clouds.......and has a castle resting at it's top." She then smiles and touches Auron's left shoulder. "Thank you, Sir Auron."

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>...What is he doing? Yuna still needs to be found, Sin still needs to be defeated, Jecht still needs to be freed, and Braska still needs to be avenged. Auron doesn't have <b>time</b> to dawdle around with things like this. Even if it is a major issue, Sin is still here! But then... Jecht would never forgive him if he let this go on. And he offers a half-smile, one that's somehow a little sad. He looks up to the sky.<br /><br /><span style="color:#B22222"><b>(<i>'...Hold on just a bit longer, Jecht. I'll find a way to free you. You have my word.</i>')</b></span><br /><br />Synestria's thanks draws a small, more subdued half-smile from Auron, and the line of his brows relaxes. "...Jecht would say it was the right thing to do." Here he pauses, and shakes his head slightly. "...Which always meant trouble."

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Synestria says, "Your friend would be correct, Auron." She says softly, noting his half smile. "Because last I saw, baron was using Heartless."

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>And <b>that</b> draws the smile right off his face. Auron frowns at hearing this. "...Are they." It's hard to tell if that's a question or not, actually. But nonetheless, his resolve seems not to waver. "...Perhaps we were fated to meet."<br /><br />He has something personal against Heartless and whatever makes them, after all. They've tried to destroy Luca -- twice, that he knows of -- And that's all that's left of Spira that he's aware of still existing.<br /><br />There's something else, too... but it's not something he'll discuss yet. There's a worried frown here, but whatever's on his mind, he doesn't mention it.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Which draws a wry smile on Synestria's face. "Of course, you already know I fight the Heartless as well. Such beings are unnatural and are pure evil. Though, some people have said the same about my race as well." She says softly as she leads Auron south, towards the Eeyrie building. Yes, the name is another way to say 'creepy building'. "One of these days, I imagine I should ask why someone that is in your.....state, can hold onto himself to keep fighting."

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Auron nods as Synestria notes that she fights the Heartless. This seems like it would be a legitimate threat to freeing Jecht, too -- these things could poison Sin further. He's also following her as she heads towards the Eeyrie, keeping silent, listening to her speak.<br /><br />Then she brings up his... 'state'. And he frowns slightly. Still, she didn't outright <b>ask</b> him. And he's never one to venture information. Instead of venturing information, he offers a quiet "...Mn." He does note, "...My... 'state' is not something that this David Xanatos needs to know. It doesn't hinder my fighting."

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Synestria smiles to Auron. "It's fine. It's not like he can tell anyways." She says poking him on the shoulder. "If you get my drift. There are things he doesn't need to know anyways, about both of us. I won't tell him and you have no reason to tell him either. Though, I have heard of friendships going beyond your state and into the next life as well."

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Auron is visibly relieved when Synestria notes she has no reason to tell Xanatos about his state. And he also nods when she mentions his knowledge of her own. No, he has no need to tell anyone else about that. As for 'catching her drift'? "...I do indeed," he agrees.<br /><br />A friendship going beyond death, and into the next life? That... draws his brows to pinch, and a lump forms in his throat. The soft, almost choked sound of almost-speech is probably lost amongst the hustle and bustle of the city. But then he swallows hard, clearing that lump. "...I hope so." His voice is a rough whisper.<br /><br />Since death is all that awaits him, even if he accomplishes his aim, the thought of being able to still keep in touch with Braska and Jecht in their next lives is... really the only hope he has....

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Synestria says, "I hope so as well, Auron. I'll be living hundreds of years past your own death, and those of my other friends, so I hope so." She says with a shrug. Of course, she had to earn her own friends first. She did hope to count Auron as one of them.

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Auron has kept his voice down thus far, so everybody and his brother won't hear them talking about being dead, dying, and living hundreds of years. But then, her statement about living on. It draws a pause from Auron. Living on past his death? "...You already are," he notes quietly.<br /><br />There's a clue about his 'state'.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>This causes Synestria to slow a bit, and a pointed look to Auron. "You mean....you already are? And what I....'taste' is.....something else?" She's not completely shocked.....but she is....if it makes sense.

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>...Oh. So she <b>didn't</b> know?<br /><br />When she slows, Auron stops entirely, and turns to face her, brow raised inquisitively. "...What did you think it was?" he inquires. There's no sarcasm here, just an honest question. He only has a Spiran worldview to see from, so he's not sure what else she could have thought about his 'state'.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Synestria says, "You taste differently, Auron. And snakes smell better with their tongues." She says with a tilt of her head. "No, what I tasted was what was flying around Luca that day. I believe the people called it 'Pyreflies'?" She says as she walks into a secluded part of the park. "Do Pyreflies mean you're dead?"

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ah. The pyreflies. The mixed aromas of river water, ozone, and coldness. And in the case of Unsent, unresolved emotions. If such things have a scent. And in Auron's case, all that and the scent of tears. These are the things the Guado can smell when he is around.<br /><br />Apparently they're also things that Synestria can smell.<br /><br />However, there's her question to answer. He shakes his head slightly, and follows her into that secluded area. This is not something that everyone needs to hear. Because it's time for some figurative gut-spilling exposition.<br /><br />"...No," he states. Then he explains, "...Pyreflies are... formless, empty magical energy. 'Unsent' can use that energy to manifest after death." He won't just drop a whole block of exposition on her head. He will let <b>her</b> ask for the information she wants.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Synestria smiles a bit. "Unsent, hmm? I can only imagine if you have something to take care of that is truly important if you're still here." She says softly, but then begins to walk again. "Just let me know if something is important to you, Auron. I'll help if I can....."

:'''[[Auron]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>"...Mm. I have promises to keep," Auron replies simply, to the mention of having something important to do that keeps him around. He'd already failed to keep them once. He's not going to screw that up again if he can help it. As she begins to walk again, Auron does as well, falling neatly into step a few paces behind and to the right of her.<br /><br />The offer of her assistance draws a brief closing of his remaining eye. "...Thank you." Because they're going to need it. The last he knew, none of the Spirans knew how they were going to beat Sin.

:'''[[Synestria]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Synestria nods quietly. "All right. Lets get into the building and see if we can't get Xanatos' attention, especially when it comes to me." She says softly as she nudges Auron. "Come on." She says before heading into the Eeyrie building......and hopefully, Xanatos was in....