In Zanarkand

*Yunalesca watches her leave with a blank expression.*
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"But what if we're still stuck here tomorrow? We might as well go see the game."

Jecht<Talk to Johnny at the gate after midnight, if you change your mind. He'll fix you up. As for me, I'm gonna go practice for a bit. You know, sometimes, when I'm swimming in the deep, boundless blue, I start to wish that I was born a whale.>

"...What?"

Jecht<Huh? Oh...nothing.>

*Jecht turns & runs off like a spaz.*

*Hitomi continues on her way, glancing over her shoulder at Yunalesca.*

"A... whale...?" Ingrid asked confused as hell, "Well, now that that is over and done with, can we get back to more pressing matters, like getting out of here?"

*Yunalesca just continues to watch her without saying anything.*
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"That depends. Do we really want to leave that bad?"

*Hitomi continues on her way.*

Ingrid is almost speechless, "Yes, yes I do." Then Ingrid thought for a second. This place is free of Sin, this is Spira in its finest hour, why would I want to go back to risking my life in a Spira divided by race, religion and hate? Ingrid held out her hand, "Wait! I mean... I guess we don't have to be in such a rush to get out of here..."

*Hitomi ends up at a point in the road that ends in NOTHING BUT ALLEYS, EVERYWHERE, with Yunalesca STILL watching her creepily.*
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"I think I know what you mean."

*She walks out towards a low bridge & tosses a rock off of it, into the ocean.*

"I...don't think I really care. About Sin or the Yevon conspiracy. Or Spira in general. Does that make me a bad person? Maybe it's because I'm...you know."

[My choices have become severely limited.]

*With nowhere else to go, she enters an alley.*

Ingrid takes a spot next to Luna and looks out at the ocean, "If you're a bad person then I'm even worse. I thought I cared, up until I started to think about it. What sense does it make to go back to a world that hates itself?" Ingrid let out a sigh, a bit ashamed, "It can't be so bad to live in a place untouched by hate, can it?" She asked, "A place without Sin, without war." Ingrid ran a hand through her hair, and let out another sigh.

Maechan<Shame the real Zanarkand is nothing like that.>

*Luna looks back to see Maechan behind them.*
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*Maechan is walking down the alley from the other end.*

*He listens to them talk with an expression of shock on his face.*

Ark: <Are you people stupid!? Have fun, I'll be looking for a way back home.>

*He runs off.*

*With a final glance over her shoulder, she proceeds down the alley.*

Ingrid looked back as well, "What do you mean?" She asked, a bit cautious at having her conversation overheard.

Maechan<I believe I already explained to you that Zanarkand was destroyed in a war with Bevelle. This is nothing but an elaborate fake.>
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*Ark runs past Yunalesca on his way to the Hall of Infinite Alleys. He sees Hitomi slip into one.*
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*The alley leads to a street of the city lit up all in red.*

[The color red. I hate the color red.]

*Despite this she continues.*

*He turns back and looks at Yunalesca.*

[So weird.]

Ark: <Hum...hello?>

*Someone grabs her by the arms & turns her around. She finds herself again staring down cleavage. This time, it belongs to a woman with a black dress, matching hair, & blue eyes. She looks Hitomi over.*

<So, are you here for money, fun, or both?>
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Yunalesca<Not to be frank, but who are you, & what do you want?>

"Let go of me."

Ark: <I'm sorry, I needed to talk to the Grand Summoner or whatever... Do you know anything about him?>

[I don't think they have ever seen an Al Bhed around here...]

<Oh, don't be like that, we're all here for one of those things. It's not like one just wanders into the red light district unaccompanied. Why, they'd have to be stupid.>
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Yunalesca<My dad doesn't like to be bothered.>

"Let go of me."

Ark: <Your... your dad?! You need to let me talk to him, please! I want to go home and I can't, not without his help.>

<This is going to interfere with intimacy. Don't tell me you're one of those boring ones that only likes men.>
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Yunalesca<Calm down & get away from me, or I will use magic on you.>

*He shakes his head.*

Ark: <I'm sorry, but I really need to talk to him.>

"Let me go!"

*She squirms away from the prostitute and backs away with a stare full of nails.*