[Voice Post]

[digger]

[A soft whimper.]

... I don't feel so good... I can't move...

C... can someone help...?

Papa... I... don't think I can finish it...

Comments

[cetrafied.livejournal.com]

Simon?

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

H... huh...?

...Aerith?

[cetrafied.livejournal.com]

It's me.

[pause]

Are you losing feathers?

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

They're all gone... I-I don't know why! I didn't do anything, but they kept falling off...! I-I'm scared... I don't wanna die...

[cetrafied.livejournal.com]

Cloud would never let that happen.

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

.....

Y... yeah... Papa wouldn't...

I-I'm sorry... I'll try to be a little stronger...

[Voice]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

Simon! You too...?

I'll be right down. Sit tight kiddo, don't be scared.

[Voice]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

Papa! I...

S... sorry... I had to use the journal again...

[Voice]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

...Simon I don't care if you use your journal. I just didn't want to talk about that certain thing over the journals.

[Voice]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

Oh... u-um... I didn't know if I gave it away again...

[Voice]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

It's fine. I'm on my way down; I gotta leave my journal, it's a tight fit.

[Voice]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

O-okay... I'll just wait here...

[Action]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[And Cloud somehow squirms his way down the tunnel, into the halfway-completed cavern below, coughing a little at the dust in the air.]

Simon?

[Action]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

[Simon's curled up in a ball at the very end of the tunnel, goggles on, the wings bare-boned, feathers scattered all over the place.]

P... Papa, I'm over here...

[Action]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[It's real dark, and even with Mako eyes it's kind of hard to see; luckily, Simon's goggles are on, and there are several lamps nearby so he can see his work. So of course Cloud sees the feathers and freaks the fuck out. He darts to Simon's side and gently lifts the boy up onto his lap.]

Holy- Simon, what happened?!

[Action]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

[Simon immediately reaches out and clings to Cloud's shirt, trembling in fear. He's not in pain, but it frightens him to be so weak and helpless.]

I-I dunno... they just... fell out on their own... I'm so tired, Papa...

[Action]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Well, Cloud wraps his arms around Simon and glances back at the hole before stalling.

There was no way he was going to be able to wrestle Simon up. There simply wasn't enough room for the both of them to fit.]

[Action]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

[Simon curls up against Cloud's chest, relaxing a little now that he's no longer alone. It's a huge relief.]

Sorry I couldn't finish it, Papa... I-I'll try tomorrow, okay...?

[Action]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

[Cloud sighs and rests against the wall, stroking Simon's hair and decidedly not looking at the sickly, skeletal wings on his son's back.]


You won't be doing anything until you're better.

[Action]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

[Simon hesitates, wary of the answer, but finally asks out of fear, needing reassurance.]

I'm... gonna get better, right? I don't want to die again...

[Action]

[herobydefault.livejournal.com]

Of course. [Cloud's answer is without hesitation, and he strokes Simon's hair as he gives it.]

You're going to be fine.

[Action]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

[Cloud's swift answer is enough for Simon, and he relaxes, closing his eyes. It wasn't so scary anymore.]

[Voiced]

[goldenfirefly.livejournal.com]

S... Simon?

[Voiced]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

M-Miss Stella...

[Voiced]

[goldenfirefly.livejournal.com]

You feel it, too? I'm... I'm so, so sorry, but I can't... I can't move, either. And I don't want to leave her...

[A weak whimper from Sophie lets Simon know what she's talking about.]

[Voiced]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

That... scream? Y-yeah...

It's okay... Papa came for me. I-is Sophie okay...?

[Voiced]

[goldenfirefly.livejournal.com]

Thank goodness... Cloud will take care of things, I promise.

She's... She won't eat. She won't cry. She's... I-I don't know what to do.

[Voiced]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

Y... yeah...

M-maybe she's sick... the noise made people sick, right? But Papa promised I won't die, so... so Sophie won't, either. It'll be okay, Miss Stella...

[Voiced]

[goldenfirefly.livejournal.com]

I think she is, too, but... if he's promised, then I'll believe him.

[Oh, how she hopes he's right. It wouldn't be the worst thing to happen if she died from this, to her, but Sophie...]

Thank you, Simon. We... We'll all be okay.

Re: [Voiced]

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

Y...yeah... definitely. Let's believe in Papa... and ourselves...

[emerald-archive.livejournal.com]

Simon? Hey, where are you? What happened?

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

U-um... ask Papa, he says I can't tell anybody what I'm doing... at least not on the journals...

My wings broke... I think, anyway... the feathers fell out.

[emerald-archive.livejournal.com]

All right, I will.

Mine did too, Simon. You're gonna be okay. Is anyone there to help you? Otherwise you're gonna hafta tell me where you are.

[dawndigger.livejournal.com]

Oh... you too...? Huh... Papa came to get me, so... I think I'll be okay...