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003. [video/action]

[ Aerith pops on screen looking a little winded, and maybe just a tiny bit frantic.

See, she has this Materia - a tiny little ball of glowy magic, courtesy of her mother - and she's managed to lose it.

There's no telling where the thing is. Usually, she tucks it up tightly in her ribbon, but recently she's been pretty distracted with the arrival of some of her favorite people, and maybe she's let her routine slide just the tiniest bit.

Whatever the reason, it's now gone and after she's turned her room upside down in her search, she figures she'll put out a message on the network in case anyone's found it. ]

I was wondering if anyone could help me out. I've lost something of mine. It's green and about this size. [ And she props her little device on a side table, so she can stand back and make a shape with her hands. ] It's not big enough to really stand out, but it's not small enough to fall through any cracks or vents.

[ She picks up her device again, sighing. In all the time she's had her mother's Materia on her, she hasn't lost it. Not like this. Especially not in a mansion that likes to throw monsters and tricks their way. ]

I'm going to look more through the mansion, but if anyone comes across it, give me a heads up?

[OOC: Just a heads up - she won't be finding it anytime soon, but everyone is welcome to help her. Also, feel free to run into her anywhere - she'll be searching high and low and through the grounds. ]

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[So it's a memento from her mother who passed away... Martha imagines that has something to do with Aerith being a Cetra, like she explained before. That's not the important point here, though. No, this marble or orb or whatever it is -- it's the only thing that Aerith has left of her mother. No wonder she's so upset.

Martha's about to offer her condolences, even though she doesn't think there are any words that will really suffice, but then Aerith moves on to explain what the orb actually is. Materia...? It's not a term that she's heard before, obviously, but she's intrigued to hear that they can actually help someone perform magic. She'd also like to know if anyone could learn to use it, or if it's only compatible with people from Aerith's world.

Speaking of that... Martha had heard about Zack, but Vincent too?] Do you mean Vincent, err, Valentine? [That name is still ridiculous, as far as she's concerned, and she doesn't think that opinion's ever going to change.] I met him. Zack, too. Zack was quite a bit more friendly, I have to say.

[When they reach the diner, which is surprisingly empty (it must have to do with the time of day), Martha looks around before nodding to Aerith's suggestion.] Good idea. [She starts moving to the back of the diner, where the kitchen is.]

No... don't feel silly for worrying... it's important to you...

[ Aerith's searching her area thoroughly, actually getting down on her knees and carefully moving the flowers aside. Even though she's in a rush to find her Materia, she's still being gentle. No sense in destroying the garden in her search.

Not that she thinks she actually could but her experience with magical gardens is very limited.

After about ten minutes, she looks over at Kirigiri, calling out to her. ]

No luck so far?

I actually checked it with Martha earlier, but didn't find it anywhere. At this point I'm probably going to start checking the basement.

[ Not that she's been down there at all, but who knows. The mansion probably likes playing a few tricks. ]

Everyone keeps asking if maybe someone stole it, but I don't like to think something like that happened.

[ Even if she sounds a little unsure about it. ]

Luckily, there's no need for paperwork. If there was, I'm sure I would end up doing that more than actual searching.

[ Hey, she knows by association paperwork is no fun at all. ]

I'm actually retracing my steps now. I get the feeling I'll have to start making some new steps, though. I wouldn't put it past the mansion to hide it in the attic or something.

[ She's kind of convinced the mansion is just messing with her. ]

Hmm, not much else. It's very unique - when you look at it closely, it seems like there's something moving inside.

[ That 'something' being the Lifestream, but that would involve a long, drawn out story she can't sit down and tell right now. ]

Last time I actually saw it was the other morning. I've been pretty distracted recently, so I wondered if maybe I misplaced it. It's never happened before, though...it's all very weird.

Thanks, Zack.

[ And she'll make her merry way to the library. She wasn't too far from it, anyway - today it seems to be on the second floor, and she's just finished with the clinic. She's standing out in the hallway, fiddling with the bracelet Annie made for her out of nervous habit. ]

[ Fine, she'll get a laugh for that. And a slightly more vacant look for the details she adds, because Philip is trying for a healthier diet by limiting his Weird Crap From Other Worlds to two servings per week.

Okay, okay, he'll listen though. Not that he's about to mount a search, but if the thing accidentally rolled down the basement stairs, hey, he's your man. ]

Green ball. Magic dud. Got it. As long as it won't electrocute me when I try to pick it up...

[ Magic balls. Always bad news, far as he can tell. ]

Er, last time you had it and where?

I don't blame you. Hopefully someone will be able to find it.

[ Aerith's not surprised that Martha's already run in to Zack - he's friendly and easy to talk to - but Vincent is a little more difficult to pin down and she smiles. ]

That's Vincent. He's not the most social, but he's a friend.

[ Aerith follows Martha to the kitchen, her eyes scanning the whole area as best as she can without crawling around on her hands and knees. Hopefully, it won't get to that point. ]

They both showed up at the same time, and it's got me all turned around. I'm happy that they're here, and it's been so long since I've seen Zack... [ She trails off as they enter the kitchen, shaking her head. ] Is it bad that I keep hoping more of my friends show up? I feel like this isn't something I should wish on anyone.

good luck with that. place likes to play hard to get from what i hear

[Not that he'd spent much time trying to find it, books aren't really his thing.

Once he's made his way out to the gardens, he heads straight for the pond, checking to see if maybe someone'd picked it up and tossed it in for luck... Not that luck is gonna do anyone much good here. After walking the perimeter and squinting into the murky water- and scowling at the fish that look like they're having the time of their lives just chilling in there- for a good twenty minutes, he gives that up as a lost cause. He's gonna help her look, but his line is sticking his hands all over the bottom of a pond with god only knows what livin' in it. For all he knows they got a goddamn lake monster waiting to drag him in and drown him.

He does poke around the gardens a bit more, though, hoping to spot it along the hedges; when that turns up nothing and he's reached the entrance to the caves, he sends her another message.]

you been down in them caves at all

Magic.

[ This is the face of a man who is being slowly worn down by the ever-present claims of magic. The only thing that's keeping him from completely snapping is reminding himself that these are other worlds with different rules than his own. Maybe, just maybe it's some kind of science in the guise of magic. That's what people in the middle ages thought, right? Actually he doesn't know much about the middle ages since he usually tunes out the older nations when they start rambling about it. ]

Y'all are gonna give me a stomach ache, y'know. I'll keep on the lookout for your family heirloom since I know how those things can be precious but... you ever tried. I dunno, not magical solutions?

[ Zacharie's laugh is surprisingly deep. Unsettling to some, annoying to others. At least he's not trying to meow. ]

Traditionally? I take credits, though most people here don't seem familiar with that currency. In lieu of that I can easily accept bartering for goods, services, or information, particularly items and skills that are unique to other worlds.

Fortunately I have a small abundance of luck tickets, so the price isn't nearly as steep as some of my other merchandise.

And what a nightmare that would be. [He helped invent paperwork, so he knows how terrible it really is.]

Hm. I have heard this business about a "mirror world." Perhaps it ended up there? [Honestly, he shouldn't be helping her at all. Good deeds and such, that's the angel's job. But then again, the angel isn't here, and they've made a habit of picking up each other's slack when necessary. He's just gonna have to balance this out with something wicked.]

That is pretty weird, if it's something you keep on you all the time. You think you might have set it down for a second and someone with sticky fingers decided to pick it up?

[Vincent is a friend of Aerith's? Martha's surprised to hear that. She'd sort of been thinking that he would be a bit more like Sephiroth. Someone who Aerith had a history with back home, if not a very good one.]

I could handle not social. [She mutters it, half under her breath.] It's the fact that he pointed a gun at me first thing that made him a bit difficult to deal with.

[If Aerith's really Vincent's friend, though, then there must be something more to him. While Aerith seems like she would get along with just about anyone, Martha doesn't think she would befriend a bad person.

When she brings up the fact that she wants other friends of hers to show up, Martha just sends her a sad smile.] No, it's not bad. I think a lot of us feel that way. It's easy to get homesick here, after all. And in the end, no matter what you wish, it's up to Wonderland, isn't it?

That's exactly what I was hoping when I made the video. [ Small sigh. ] Or maybe it will just reappear in my room by some force in the mansion. I've learned to expect anything here.

[ His text is met with a laugh, because he's right - it does like to play hard to get.

And she goes off on her own quest, with some help from a few others. No matter how many corners she looks in, how many tables she's peeked under or how many books she's made faces at, there's still no sign of it.

She's resigned to the fact it'll have to be outside somewhere, because she's surely checked everywhere else, right? Maybe not the roof, though. She was up there a while ago...

Aerith's shaking her head over the whole situation when she gets his text. ]

No, I had no idea there were caves. Are they near the gardens?

[ She doesn't think there's any way that it would be there unless someone purposely took it to the caves, but she can't help feeling a little curious about them. ]

[ She tilts her head, looking like she might be fighting back a smile. Aerith may not be aware of his magicstential crisis, as it were, but she can tell he's not a big fan of magic. ]

Well, right now I am. I don't always depend on magic, you know. [ She might even be verbally wagging her finger at him! ] It's only recently become available in large amounts because they found a way to manufacture it from the Lifestream.

[ Is she slightly messing with him? More like she wants to see what he has to say about a magical stream that gives life. ]

[ She gives him an amused look. ] There won't be any electrocuting, I promise. Just a harmless little ball.

[ Now, that's the question. It's been such an automatic routine for so long she really has to comb back through her memories. ]

I remember seeing it for sure two days ago, when I was about to leave my room. I picked it up and after that... [ There's a shrug on her end. ] I've had it with me for almost as long as I remember, and I've never lost it before. Just one of those things you stop thinking about after so long.

[ For someone who's managed grow used to Cait Sith's weirdly high pitched laughter, his does make her feel slightly uneasy. Mostly, though, it's the mask. ]

I could use a little bit of luck... [ She looks unsure for half a second before finally giving in: ] Okay, name your price. Luck can't hurt, right?

[ Now, that is something to consider. She hasn't really moved past the 'my Materia is gone' stage, but now he's got her thinking. ]

It could be. I've heard the people on the other side do that kind of thing. [ And she's covered up her mirror as best as she can. Still not too great, though, sheets only do so much. ] That would mean someone over here would have been switched with their mirror. I'm not sure how to tell the difference between them, honestly.

A couple of others have suggested it.

[ And she's still so hesitant about taking that road unless it's absolutely necessary, but it's hard not to be a little paranoid. ]

It's possible that could have happened, but I think more likely it just fell on the floor and someone might have picked it up.

[ Though Vincent's reaction isn't entirely surprising to Aerith, she still winces. Not the best way to make someone's acquaintance, but Vincent certainly does have a way about him. ]

I guess you're the first person who ran into him here, aren't you? When I finally talked to him, he'd mentioned that he spoke with someone. I just didn't know who.

[ Maybe she'll try to scold Vincent into apologizing later, but she can't promise anything. ]

It is. It's such a weird feeling, to not be in control of something as simple as going home. [ She's even starting to grow homesick for Midgar. Or really, Elmyra. There's a big sigh on her end, and she puts her hands on her hips, taking a quick look over the counter tops in the kitchen. ]

I didn't think there would be so many places for it to hide in. [ Under a table? Under an appliance? In some dark corner behind some shelves? Hopefully not in the food, but she thinks someone would have noticed that by now. ] I'll start over on the left side, we can meet each other in the middle?

You're probably right. Someone would have to be a real klepto to want a marble that bad.

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