Rondo

[residentflorist]

code

Helianthus
Named after its tendency to turn to face the sun.
Helianthus comes from Greek helios, "sun" and anthos, "flower"
Adoration, loyalty, and longevity

Comments

weekend zero, saturday

[residentflorist]

[ever since he asked her that specific question, admittedly rondo has been on her mind a little. you don't ask something like that without having an important reason why. but she also sort of thinks that with their slightly bleak circumstances they really should be looking out for one another, and it's why the moment she sees rondo again around town (likely near the pyre) she immediately throws an arm in the air to wave. she's managed to get her things back and she's changed into her original clothes, hair pulled back into its braid, but she smiles fairly easily as she approaches.]

How are you doing, Rondo?

[flameguard]

[ rondo is in fact near the pyre! he's sitting, holding out a fairly large sword - large for a normal person, not like, cloud large - and looking at it. for the first time, his expression is more thoughtful than really smiley, maybe even a little sad, but when aerith gets his attention, he turns his head and immediately perks up, waving right back with his free hand as he pulls the sword back down.

he's also got his hair tied back now, thank god, and is looking more knightly than before. ]

Oh, Miss Aerith...! [ he immediately dips his head in greeting, proper as always, and his smile returns to his face. ] I'm... alright. I certainly feel much better having my uniform. What about you? Were you able to retrieve your things, as well...?

week 0, monday

[flameguard]

[ good monday afternoon!! today aerith can find rondo in... a faceoff with one of the crows. he's staring at it. it's staring at him. they are both basically t-posed as if one of them is going to move at any second. rondo has a note in his hand.

(a tumble weed rolls by)

and then with a - ] Hrrraah!! [ he goes rUNNING TO TRY AND CATCH THE BIRD which immediately squawks, pecks him right on the top of the head and flies out of his grasp. ] - Owowowow....Aw, no...

[ good morning.

aerith may also notice that across his back, an inksplatter on his cloak reads - Leaving her behind. ]

[residentflorist]

[what the

WHAT IS HAPPENING, she's watching this crow peck rondo and fly off.]

Rondo! [BIRD?! she does, in fact, notice this and in turn he might notice that she has something scrawled across her arm under her bracelets as she tries to wave this bird down. GET BACK HERE BITCH.] How long have you been doing this?

week 0, friday

[flameguard]

[ OUR DEATH WHO WE WERE GOING TO BEFRIEND THIS IS SO BAD

anyway ill say this is like immediately after inves, by which i mean once the fog has cleared enough rondo is rushing around trying to find as many people as possible, and when he spots aerith, his expression, serious and focused - there's definitely a flicker of upset obvious in those big baby blues - shifts into something a little more relieved. ]

... Miss Aerith...! Are you alright?

[ if nothing else. o i forgot. upon him getting closer, something else becomes immediately obvious - across his chest, the shadowy tattoos of the week appear to have multipled. the shadows and ink coalesce in more than one spot, spattering a perfectly white cloak. not being strong enough to protect the people you care for. not being strong enough to protect the people you care for. not being strong enough to protect the people you care for. not being strong enough to protect the people you care for. ]

[residentflorist]

[NOOOOO OUR DEATH!!!

anyway yes, aerith is of the same mind. she's bolting to find people because there are still so many people alive and everything is happening so much. but she sees rondo and turns, dashing ahead toward him.]

Rondo! [give her a second to cough and clear her throat.] This isn't...what happened? How did this happen?

[she doesn't quite answer the question because she's too busy being :tails: about someone being DEAD and BURNT but she sees the words on his cloak and now her attention is split there, too.]

w0 saturday

[residentflorist]

[she's sitting in front of the church staring in the direction of the pyre because she doesn't want to go there right now. but she sees rondo ahead of her and she lifts a hand, inviting him to join her.]

Those nine hours went by way too fast, didn't they?

[flameguard]

[ oh this is a mood. rondo has been kind of hovering around the fire - not because boothill is there, really, but because of what it should mean to him and how here it's dissonant wrong. when aerith waves him over, though, he makes his way to her and bows, polite as ever, and then... comes to sit down.

he just looks kind of sad. sad puppy. ]

Too fast indeed... [ uweh. the black text on him says it happening twice. ] ... I thought... I wish we could have had just a little more, but it was so dangerous, at the end...

w1 monday

[residentflorist]

[today aerith is on the island and she's at the ranch! specifically, she's inside the barn of this ranch, holding a little kitty in her arms and giving it affection scritches while she's outright staring in absolute bafflement at the horse in its stall.

likewise, the horse is staring right back at her.]

...um? [please help.]

[flameguard]

[ HELP

here comes rondo! he's actually probably coming to fetch a brush to see the very same horse, so when he sees aerith, he brightens up! ]

Good morning, Miss Aerith...huh? [ and then looks at her

and then looks at the horse... ] Is...something wrong?

w1 wednesday

[residentflorist]

[after the disaster of the harvest festival, you would think aerith would leave!! but no!!! instead, she's sitting amongst a patch of wild, blooming flowers away from the center of town and closer to the beach. she's not exactly hiding, but she's not seeking anyone out either. it's why if rondo happens to pass this way, he will find that she...seems to be talking to the flowers themselves.]

...so, yeah. I know it wasn't real, but...makes you wonder if what they said is true, right? It's hard to ignore sometimes.

[flameguard]

[ oh, the flowers....

rondo's only just recovered from this exact same sensation, so when he spots aerith alone, he thinks about it for a moment, pausing in his steps... and then, eventually, he comes closer, folding his hands together in front of himself. there's a long pause - it feels even worse to eavesdrop - before he finally speaks up. ]

...Miss Aerith?

week 1, friday

[flameguard]

[ everything is bad forever!!!!

rondo is at the pyre again after the posters appear. he's got a wet cloth pressed into his cheek, and is pretty much just staring into the blue fire, mouth pulled into a tight line, shoulders stiff, though his expression is like - clearly, obviously upset, his brows knit together.

it's fine. everything is fine! nothing is fine. ]

[residentflorist]

[she'll silently drift up to him, carefully resting a hand on his arm to let him know she's standing there.

she's about to say something else, but she sees the cloth and frowns.]

Rondo, what happened?

w1 saturday

[residentflorist]

[where is the boy...she's going to be off wandering through the island first and then the town again to try and track rondo down. whenever she approaches though, she comes up beside him and carefully lays a hand on his shoulder.]

...today was rough on all of us, wasn't it?

[flameguard]

[ the boy is out by the fire! he loves this blue fire it may be creepy to everyone else but rondo sacred flame rondoson finds it deeply comforting. and besides, he doesn't want to go far - though he's not within eyesight or earshot of erin, he is kind of keeping guard.

when aerith comes up to him though, he looks up. he looks... tired. a little frustrated, though he still manages a tiny smile. ]

Very much so, Miss Aerith...

w2 monday

[residentflorist]

[we're in the town, but lingering near the woods! and it means aerith is lifting a hand in a wave to get his attention!]

Hey. Wanna come see what's out there? I could use an escort! [she's teasing, of course, because aerith can take care of herself...but there might not even be time for them to leave before rondo sees a time she wasn't always able to. i could not decide where to cut off so you get until 7:20, enjoy. zack's combat translated to a real person's view included in mem.]

[flameguard]

[ well, he's smiling the second he sees aerith - an ear to ear beam, because aerith is one of his favorite people in the village, but when the memory hits, it throws him off guard. he realizes, a few moments in -

this must be zack.

rondo can't help it, really - his first impression of zack is that he's impressive - strong. that he's the kind of person that rondo wants to be. a soldier, a fighter, someone able to protect the people he cares for, and he smiles along with aerith as the memory goes, even flinches a little at his initial comment. strong like a monster? no. no way.

though he's never really had a love story in his own life, rondo can recognize one when he sees it. his heart's warm, watching them interact, but it feels a little bittersweet to know what he knows, too.

... ]

... Did he ever? [ he asks, recalling what aerith said before. ] Show you the sky.

w2 thursday

[residentflorist]

[we used to have so many nice animal crossing houses to rest in, and now we have garbage again. wherever rondo is, aerith is giving him time to heal up and/or be dunked in the swamp before seeking him out. when she does approach, she's quiet and waiting to make sure she doesn't startle him.]

...if it still hurts too bad, we don't have to talk much. I wanted to make sure you were okay.

[flameguard]

[ he has been dunked! state of healing is ?? atm because capitalism but otherwise. rondo's just resting somewhere, a hand very gingerly resting over his heart. when he sees aerith, he gives her a little smile... ]

It's okay. Just... can't yell for a little while. That's... probably a good thing? [ mr shouts a lot. ] Thank you for your help, Miss Aerith...

week 4 saturday

[flameguard]

[ YAAAY

god. what a day. rondo is just kind of sitting somewhere? he's just sitting somewhere outside, arms wrapped around his legs, staring up at the sky. he also occasionally just like

lights on fire with blue flame, but it fades and melts away. fades and melts. it's fine!!!! he is so fine!!!!!! ]

[residentflorist]

[she will come and just sit next to him.]

...well. They bubbled her. That's a start. [but it's scary to not know what's next.]

w5 monday

[residentflorist]

[bounds up to him with all the bright-eyed energy an optimism can have.]

Morning! Think you have some time to spare and hang out for a little while? We can go exploring if you want, or we can go get a meal and just catch up.

[flameguard]

[ oh we are matching each other's optimism freak because rondo's emotions are exactly the same!!!! he brightens, delighted, and puts one hand to his heart, then bows in greeting. ]

Miss Aerith, of course I have time for you. I've missed you so very much - I'd be happy to do either! Is there a place you like to eat?

[ tailwag emotion ]

w5, thursday!!!

[flameguard]

[ wow today has sucked balls

anyway i dont know how breakins work but there's some nebulous space between i think SO rondo's coming to check on aerith as soon as she's settled and her immediate crowd of wellwishers (cloud) is having slightly less anxiety about it and making some space...

she better be in a bed. he's knocking on the door and then poking his head in. ]

...Miss Aerith...?

[residentflorist]

[she is at her apartment! cloud is out doing cloud things (probably checking on the baby chocobo) but it means that he can knock on the door and find that it's easy to open! welcome. here is the general view, though the bed is obviously bigger and there are a few more bookshelves filled with crystals and books and plants. there's also what looks like a large cozy sitting chair and a small table.

all of that aside, she's awake! she's curled up on the bed, and her wounds look closed so all of her blood is now inside blood. however she also looks unnaturally pale, and when she looks at him her eyes are glowing a little. she's also keeping her eyes only halfway open. light sensitive...

the emotions are a little quiet, but she does smile.]

Hi Rondo. [happy thursday.] Making the rounds?

w5 sunday

[residentflorist]

[it has been a Sunday, hasn't it? she should go back and rest because recovery is still a thing, but today she seems to be browsing the bakery section of scaresco. also as of post-trial her skin has color again and her eyes are no longer glowing. the choker's missing, too.]

Are you a cake or a pie person? [an innocuous question, yes, but she thinks it's fair to ease into conversation after what just happened this week.]

[flameguard]

[ rondo is wandering around plucking supplies off of scaresco shelves... today he has a bunch of haircare products? there's 13-in-1 shampoo in his cart

however! he perks a little when he's addressed and leans over, his emotions warming up immediately at the sight of aerith - especially an aerith looking better. ]

... Can I say both? [ help, ] Or - is it sweet or savory pie? If it's savory, definitely pie, but oh, a hot apple pie is the best...

[ a beat, and he remembers his manners - bowing with one hand on his chest. ] Hello, Miss Aerith! Sorry.

w6 friday

[residentflorist]

[we are at scaresco! aerith has a cart, and she's steering it around through the aisles, occasionally tossing some things into it. it looks like a nice fluffy blanket, some skincare stuff, shower gel, shampoo, candy, a big squishmallow...

but she waves when she spots rondo.]

Well...not really what I was expecting, but I guess it's a start.

[flameguard]

No... me either.

[ rondo comes up to join her - he also has a big fluffy blanket in his arms that he's kind of waddling with and no cart because thats what smart people do ]

Are you making something for Yuffie...?

w6 saturday

[residentflorist]

[later after the insanity of the day, aerith is probably on the floor of the cat store gently letting the creatures climb all over her. she has a jamba juice? she's making herself a little more scarce so cloud and yuffie can have time alone and doesn't seem all that rushed. but when she hears footsteps passing by out in the main part of the mall she sticks her head out and waves.]

They have a lot of work ahead of them.

[flameguard]

[ god that's a mood. he's just

gonna come sit on the floor next to her. and then flops over. let the cats crawl over him and consume him. ]

... they do. [ blegh!!! ] Thank the Flame that Miss Mumu was alright, but... I'm afraid of what they're discussing, today. I wish we could see them.

w7 monday

[residentflorist]

[in the greenhouse today, aerith is busy wandering through the rows of plants to check for their new growth and prune some of the dead leaves, etc. but she waves to rondo from where she's at amongst some vines.]

Morning. Ready for the final countdown?

[flameguard]

[ i'm absolutely ignoring the chaos of cursegate right now

rondo perks up when he sees aerith! his emotions do a little !! of joy and he gives off some animal crossing flowers, trotting right over. ]

Good morning, M - Good morning, Aerith! [ correcting! tailwag... ] Something like that, at least. It's been a chaotic day, and things have only just begun...