genessia | 1st shot // action

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1st shot // action

a. Bay area

[Reno's not entirely surprised that he feels like he's had the best sleep he's had in a long time. With a job that requires sleeping lightly and the most recent catastrophes he's had to contend with, sleeping that heavily is a rarity that normally requires a not insignificant amount of booze beforehand.

More disconcerting is everything else: the fact he's woken up in a pod he doesn't remember finding his way into; the fact that none of his current surroundings seem at all familiar; the fact he can't remember anything at all between being with his fellow Turks and a recently-cured Rufus and shoring up somewhere new.

Frankly, it's a miracle he hasn't already thrown the box on his chest into the water already, given what could be in there. Even when he opens it - after making as many checks as he can to ensure it's not rigged to explode - he's none the wiser. He's never much good first thing at the best of times, and this is a hell of a lot of new to process.

Eventually, he makes it as far as the hologram. But he's wire-tense, senses on full alert and always with half an eye on the box he's still yet to remove the contents of, and as he listens to what is supposedly the full story it's with a slight scoff of disbelief, curses muttered beneath his breath.]

And right when I thought we were done with the bullshit for a little while.

b. The bars of Genessia

[For as cautious as he can be, for as cautious as he's been while he's tried to process the reality of what he's dealing with, Reno's never really been the sort to get too caught up in fretting over things. Once he's had time to process the basics - kidnapped but probably safe, with no apparent expectations save to live - and to perhaps do a little scouting out of the main city just in case - he figures there's really no point getting too worked up about things. Not to say that he's not keen to get back to what he knows but, well. He's got money in hand and the city has bars. Maybe he can consider it a vacation.

And so he makes his rounds of the bars within Genessia City, staying long enough to get a feel for how the atmosphere runs and if it's the sort of place he'd go back to. He finds himself drawn rather more to the dive bars, those that seem to cater to a broader range of people - partly because he hates the snobbishness of the posher places, more because he figures people-watching is a good way to learn about a place and for that, better to hit up the more varied places.

Not that it especially shows. On the surface, with his slouched, open posture and laid-back expression, he seems like nothing more than another bar patron. Only the sharpness of his gaze would give any indication that he's quite ready and willing to deal with any situations that may arise, for all he really just wants to chill out and drink a while. If company comes his way - for curiosity, or because he's spent too long watching someone and they've taken notice - all the better.]

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[ Gren made the decision to not drink home alone for the reminder of the week. After boldly admitting to drinking in excess in someone's video feed and then proceeding to clink his glass to his phone in cheers Gren figured that it may be time to rein in the liquor a little. Just a little.

So now he finds himself at a bar among the other boozed up patrons. He's sitting off by himself at some little wobbly table meant for two. He thought the isolation would lend to obscurity, but now he sees that it hasn't. Some redheaded guy is looking at him. Maybe the guy saw his response to that girl's video and was doling out judgement or maybe Gren just looked pitiful. In any case, Gren stares back and tucks a hand under his chin, batting his lashes in an exaggerated fashion. That usually puts an end to the staring. Straight guys can't handle it. ]

[If it's anything that's caused Reno's attention to linger on the stranger by himself in an obscured area of the bar, it's habitual paranoia. True, the guy could just not want to engage anyone right now and that's fine, but in a place he barely knows, even with booze taking the edge off, he's not about to trust anything about the people around him.

Of course, that doesn't stop him from being, well, Reno and shame is a concept that became foreign to him some time ago. The come-hither look isn't enough for him to risk venturing closer yet, but it's all met with a smirk as he takes another swig of his beer, showing no indication that he's at all flustered.

It takes a lot more than that to get his feathers ruffled.]

[ Oh, so his tried and true won’t do? Gren continues to watch the other guy as he downs the last of his drink. He has another idea and the booze has emboldened him just enough to execute it. He places his empty glass onto his table, his fingertips rounding the rim of it for a moment before he stands. Decided.

A direct approach could either alleviate the staring, spark conversation, or get his ass kicked. Any of those options are better than being burdened by the anxiety of not knowing why that guy is watching him. So, he approaches him with all the self-assuredness garnered from years of experience. Once he closes in on the guy’s table he leans down and braces himself against the back of the empty chair across from him. The motion was smooth, only stirring a long lock of hair that falls over his shoulder. ]

If you’re gonna enjoy the view you should at least buy me a drink.

[Though it changes nothing on the surface, the moment the stranger makes his approach is the moment Reno is taking note of route to exit, potential obstacles - perhaps potential weapons, if it comes necessary, though he's pretty sure he doesn't want to get into trouble for property destruction this early into his stay.

But outwardly, he simply settles back into his seat, gaze sharp on the stranger but not unwelcoming - he's cautious but that doesn't mean he's not still extroverted.]

Well someone's sure of themselves. Who says I'm enjoying, hmm?

[He's not not appreciating it, but that won't stop him playing.]

[ Gren’s surprised by the guy’s willingness to engage. Surprised, but not bothered. This beats the reticence of a nondescript and distant gaze. This is more to his liking.

He smiles at the question, shrugging and causing another cascade of hair to fall over his shoulder. ]

Do you normally stare at things you don’t like?

I watch a lot of things. Especially when I'm in not so familiar territory.

[A risk, perhaps, letting slip that he's a new arrival. But it's enough to lend weight to the correction he makes - because if he's interested enough to truly stare, for good or ill, he tends to follow it up.]

Why, you got a problem with cautious curiosity?

[ Gren’s brow furrows with understanding. A newcomer. He can relate to that being newly displaced himself. He straightens, pulling out the chair he’s been leaning against and sitting down. ]

I guess I can’t fault you for being cautious. I’ve been here for less than a month. It’s weird.

'S one word for it. 'Course, a month's a little longer than I got so maybe there's something to it.

[Maybe. He's not taking anything at face value right now.

Which isn't to say he can't pursue that line of thought, in his own fashion.]

Then again, weird can mean a lot of things.

For me it meant waking up from being dead. That normally doesn't happen to dead things. At least not from where I come from.

[ Gren won't linger too long on that subject. It has a debilitating effect on his mood. ]

You'll find that most of us don't hail from the same worlds. They're fantastical and just beyond my comprehension. I'm still trying to figure out what a Pokemon is. You were smart to stop here. You're gonna need a lot of booze.

Well, that'd explain a lot except I'm pretty sure I hadn't bit it just yet. So really just begs more questions.

[Like why would they bother to revive the dead just to have them play house in a brand new world. If they can bring the living, why waste effort on the dead?]

You say that like it's just the booze I'm here for, though I won't say it's not helping. But you're saying not everyone here's from Gaia.

[No reason they should be, he supposes, when this is a whole new world anyway. Not something worth getting worked up about, at least, unless it proves to be a direct issue.]

So then you are here for the sights.

[ Gren smiles. He doesn’t have much else to add to the conversation about this place being a clueless newcomer himself, but he’s always game for more flirting. He pokes around in his breast pocket, drawing out a lone cigarette and lighting it. ]

Not the sights you're thinkin' of.

[In a better mood, he might have played along - hell, in a better mood he might not have needed the prompting. But there's a lot he's still processing, enough that he's a little more serious than he normally might be.]

I just figured, lot of loose lips around bars. And that sometimes means useful info.

[Not always, but that's a given. He's been at this kind of thing long enough to know that.]

Maybe if you’re interested in local fashion disasters or who’s shacking up with who. That’s about all I’ve heard anyway.

I get that you’re displaced and it’s alarming, but you’re not in any immediate danger. It seems like people try to make the most of it and live somewhat normally. I mean, you’re given housing and money right off the bat. It’s jarring, but it’s not that bad.

[ He shrugs, exhaling a plume of smoke. He doubts his words will give the guy much comfort. He doesn’t seem like the type to trust easily. Gren can relate to that. ]

[He gets that the guy's trying to help him see the positive side. He's not sure it's doing much for how much he trusts the place, or this guy in particular when there are still so many unanswered questions.]

Sure, if you wanna believe there's no strings attached. Personally, I'm more interested in what they're expecting in return. No ruling body's this generous just for the sake of it.

[Not any ruling body he's ever come across, anyway, and given that he works for the company which was once the true ruling power of Midgar, he thinks he knows a little about that.]

[Bulla works in Genessia city now and then, and she's been contemplating going to the Dream Docks at some point. At some point when she knows she'll have someone with her. The sight of Aizawa waking up with a bad injury was enough to reinforce that while that kind of thing is a rarity, it's still a possibility. And given that she's probably pissed off a villain from one friend's world who's here, she'd rather not put herself in a more vulnerable position than necessary.

She's around the area when she spots the redhead.]

New arrival, I take it?

[He's not sure if he should be surprised or not that he's been found out so easily. If this is where everyone washes up, it's probably fair to assume it has more to do with where he is than how he is - but that doesn't necessarily make the question an innocent one.

He turns to regard her, posture tense but not overly so - he's not looking for trouble right now but that doesn't mean he's not preparing for it.]

Depends who's asking.

Just me. I arrived here a couple of months ago, myself.

[She notices the tension, and tries to do what she can to not add to it. So she keeps enough distance back that she's not entering his personal space, and keeps her body language open and easygoing, arms down at her sides and in plain view. She doesn't want to make anyone more anxious than they already are finding themselves in a strange place.]

I'm not an expert or anything, but it's been enough time to sort of get used to being here. I can tell you where you might find stuff you need, like groceries, clothes, and so on.

[That she's not being overbearing wins her a good point or two, though it's not something he'll fully appreciate until he has time to process things.

Still, he's not so sure about that whole getting used to being here thing. Doesn't strike him as something he ought to be doing, really, though he's gathering quickly enough that alternatives are thin on the ground.]

I'm guessin' a way out ain't one of 'em. How often's the whole welcoming spiel updated anyway?

[Not that he trusts it any better but finding out more about it might be a good start.]

Unfortunately, no. I think that if anyone's found a way out rather than being sent home as randomly as they were brought here, that they don't get the chance to come back and tell anyone else about it.

[Statistically, someone had to have at least come close to the truth at some point, but that doesn't mean much if they can't share the information with anyone else.]

I haven't come back to listen to it a second time, so I'm not really sure. Maybe someone from the Schnee company would know? If I'm remembering correctly, I think they're the ones who created the welcome message so it would be less scary for newcomers than just arriving with no information whatsoever.

Well, can't say I blame 'em. Even if they got the choice, who's to say the opening would still be there when they got back?

[Because if anywhere is being watched, Reno would almost put money on it being the places where the exits are. He doesn't mention his other thought, that anyone who found an exit and tried to walk away from it was taken care of - in the Turk sense of the phrase - before they could spill to anyone else.]

Well, they must be pretty sure of themselves, putting a target on their backs like that. Get someone in the wrong mood and all they're doing is giving 'em someone to blame.

[And that, Reno suspects, means they've got their share of enemies already.]

Maybe they haven't discovered anything that the powers that be have a major problem with yet. It's possible they could even have someone on the inside to make sure that they're not discovering anything they're really not supposed to.

[It's not a particularly pleasant thought, but she will admit that there are worse places someone could wind up. She's heard of one especially horrible one.]

They probably have pretty high security. Plus, their head office isn't anywhere near the docks where people wake up.

[She had decided while she was in places that were low end, Lilith was the current form to suit the situation.

Bars were just some of the places that she was used to. As she twirled a drink she currently had she was pondering over her next move in this place before downing it in one. It burned slightly she was sure of that as the liquid went down her throat, but it was soon gone as she looked at the now empty glass.

That was until she turned the door opened and couldn't help but look over.]

You look like you can handle your alcohol.

[For the time being, Reno's not lingering too long in one place. He's restless, with so much unknown, without the security of knowing where he is and where he's going, and he figures better to put that energy to better use than seeking out trouble.

Not that trouble can't find him anyway. But at least he's trying.

How long that'll last remains to be seen. Still, he's in a good enough mood that he won't shun company that openly addresses him.

He offers her a broad grin, slipping into a seat next to her.]

Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?

You don't look like them.

[She gestured over toward the man who was currently leaning over the bar and seemed to be passed out cold.]

Those who cannot handle there drink always have a certain air about them, I guess.

Eh. Can't say I haven't worn that look in the past.

[Though he'd only really allow himself to get that wasted if he was among the handful of people he'd trust to ensure he didn't wake up dead. Most of the time, his need to stay alert just in case of trouble - or work, which often amounted to the same thing - tempered his desire to push his limits beyond what he knows he can handle.]

And what about you? Either you just got started or you're not exactly a lightweight yourself.

[He had raised her hand, getting the bartenders attention and got him to come on over for the time being. When he stood in front of her she was quick to order the whiskey once again.]

I drink to ignore the drunk perverts here that think it's acceptable to do things one wouldn't normally consider sober. Mostly cat calling right now. But the idiots try, so I ignore.

[She shrugged slightly. If they tried anything more she knew that she would hit them. She didn't care if anyone saw either.]

[With the bartender in their direction anyway, Reno hits him up for a beer before returning to the conversation at hand.]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Things they wouldn't dare to try when sober, maybe. But that's still not answering my question.

[It's answered the why, perhaps, and it's not like he even cares if she does answer him on how much she can actually handle. But he can still point it out.]

[When the drink was finally in front of her she wrapped her hands around the glass, swirling it for a moment, looking down at the brown liquid.]

If you meant the question about how much I've had already. That was only my second. This is my third.

An' you're not exactly on the light stuff so guess I won't have to worry about you joining that guy over there in naptime.

[Not that he would anyway. He's nothing like invested enough to care about how she ends up - hell, might even prove entertaining. But it's not like he's not used to being around women who can handle their liquor as well as if not better than he does, either.

In the meantime, he'll just take a swig of his own beer, attention split between her and their surroundings.]

Usually, I stop after so many when everyone is passed out drunk. It's always an interesting sight.

[Her group were always a bunch of lightweights really. Usually, she would have only had four before he found herself surrounded by passed out people. But here she didn't know what to expect so she was always careful about what she did. At least for the time being.]

Though sadly, I never do anything while they are out like I've seen around here. I mean I don't get the purpose of drawing on someone's face.

Not unless you're around for the reaction.

[Safe to say Reno has been guilty of just such a thing in the past. At least if he was doing that, he was usually staying out of the more dangerous type of trouble he could land himself in.]

Why would I want to see a reaction to it?

[She didn't see the point of it still. But might as well learn a few things at least.]

Because it can be entertaining? What other reason would there be?

[Really, it's not like there's any other purpose to drawing on someone else's face so he figures it's not so hard to narrow it down. But then maybe it just comes down to someone's sense of humour.]

So people do those things for entertainment value. Nothing more and nothing less? I think I can understand that.

[Not that she would ever really actually do it herself. But she played with her drink for a moment before taking a sip.]

I will also play nice and the next round is on me.

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