middleofsomewhere | Under the Sea: Conclusion and aftermath

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Under the Sea: Conclusion and aftermath

Ritual

The jellyfish is no more and as red team take stock of their injuries, or collapse from exhaustion the lights zip around them, singing their song of joy. They gather around the light that had been inside the jellyfish and now that it has been released it is obvious this light is different. Stronger. They surround it and the song gets even louder as they begin to move towards the plinth.

In the caverns where the purple and orange team are there is a stillness. For those in orange team still in the cavern they can only hope that the instructions they gave out had been followed. Luckily for them they have been, Purple team have done a remarkable job of defeating the crabs and cleaning the temple. The priests gather around the shell on the alter, arms linked together in prayer as they seek to re-sanctify their temple. As their prayer begins they will invite the voidtreckers to join them, though no one is forced into taking part in the ritual. They suggest that they use their strange wrist jewellery to open communication with their friends in Bui.

The monster on the beach is defeated and though the fight is still raging against the crabs, a beacon has been built and lit. The islanders who are not fighting gather around it, linking arms, drawing any voidtreckers who don't object to joining them into the circle.

The song begins hesitantly, almost as if everyone has forgotten the words and only half remembers the tune. The SCA translates, the prayer is simple, a blessing on the land and its people, deliverance from the darkness and hope for the future.

The light from the jellyfish reaches the plinth and is set upon it. The song heightens and the light shoots upwards, blinding in its brilliance.

Through the dark storm clouds a light streams towards the island, most of it towards the beacon on the island though there is a break away light that goes towards the train, where some of orange team have set up a second beacon. It swirls around those on the train roof, singing a song of happiness and bounces back towards the island.

The light reaches the main beacon and hits it with a strength that lights up the whole sky. The light splits more solidly into two and speeds off over the ocean. Light pours into the underground caverns, not caring about the ocean and rock in the way, the light pools into the shells, the caverns glow warmly.

Outside the storm calms, clouds roll back, the sun shines. The sea stills. The wind stops. The sun is rising, a beautiful dawn. Any monsters left scuttle away, vanishing into the ocean, away from Bui.

Those with any powers that they couldn't reach before find them returned in a rush. Those who can sense life find this world teeming with it. A song that dances between every plant and creature.

Some of red may have evacuated to the train but those who stayed to see the ritual through, the world around them seems to melt away and they find themselves back next to the rock pools. Among their number there are some confused looking islanders who intrinsically draw closer to those who helped free the lights.

Orange and Purple

Down underwater there's noise and a babble of voices as the citizens of Bui wake up. There's a shimmering around the city now, like a shield though they can pass through easily. Parents scramble to locate their children and all check on loved ones and friends.

The familiar voice of train announcements is heard through Orange team's SCAs. Orange return to the VoidTrecker Express. Once everyone is on board it flies low over the ocean, skimming the waves.

In the underwater temple the priests finish sealing the ritual and then it is time to begin the return trek. There are no monsters this time and after a few hours, as they emerge onto the first of the sandbanks they will find the VoidTrecker Express is waiting for them.

Red and Blue

The monsters gone, those of the island gather everyone from the rock pools and for a few hours everyone sleeps.

At about noon the islanders begin to stir, begin putting things to rights. Wood is moved from the strategic points to more communal campfires on the beach. Any dead monsters that haven't been gathered for food have been washed out to sea, disappeared into the depths. They begin to prepare food and won't turn away any helpers. Though those who have been fighting are encouraged to rest.

The islanders bring blankets and start to gather. Everyone is exhausted but the children, in the way of children find the energy to play in the sea and the sand.

Beach Day

Early afternoon the train lands on the beach and everyone gets a holographic message to their SCA.

Mission successful. Well done Voidtreckers. Enjoy the rest of your day. You will find suitable clothing in the dressing room. A new recipe has been added to the kitchen information points.

The dressing room is indeed open once more, this time it holds swimsuits of every style, shorts, t shirts, wraps and beach skirts. Sun hats and sunglasses can also be found. It's a bit of a mush mash but they should be able to cobble together something other than their uniform wet suits.

Time to laze around on the beach or for those who still have energy swim or play. A few hours later a ripple across the water brings some of those from Bui and they swim or lounge on rocks to talk.

Food and stories

Food is cooked and shared, the islanders will happily try the voidtreckers' offerings and share their own. As the sun begins to set they gather around the fires. Stories and songs are shared and there's even some dancing for the brave.

Voidtreckers can choose whether to sleep in their own beds or spend one last night on the island before the train flies off into the sunrise and into the void.

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Stop being a dweeb, dweeb.

"I'm being serious!" Unfortunately for Inigo! But Tidus's voice does lighten, a light shake of his head given. "Just go easy on yourself. So you'll be better ready to fight another day."

After all, burn out too soon and there'll be no getting up tomorrow, right? ...alright, maybe not that severe, but close enough with Mr. Too Good For Rest!

"Anyway," and he gives Inigo an anyway, a move from the subject deliberately (because he really doesn't want to be some old nag), "You think you'll help Blue again? Or go back to Purple?"

Hah, the joke is on Tidus, because Inigo will be able to fight even without rest! Witness the magical power of having adjusted your body so much that you can fight for days on end if you have to.. until your body just shuts down entirely and you collapse and don't wake up for a good while. But look, that's clearly just a small detail...

Not to mention that the other has thankfully already changed the subject. The question just makes Inigo shrug slightly though.

"It depends." Usually he would have been a bit more decisive with his answer, but the fact that one of his favourite people on the train - NO, NOT YOU, TIDUS - is more or less permanently helping out blue now sways him a bit. "I'll probably be sticking with purple. It seems like blue has enough going for them to not need the extra help. I mean, you did see that huge lion thing, right?"

Don't break this ship apart, Inigo...!!

"That lion that showed up for five minutes on the last day?" Which sounds meaner than Tidus really means, considering he goes on, "it was a big help--" get it? big? "--but I don't know about Blue having enough. We were really stretched thin over those ten days. Red team had it tough too!"

But then, he brought this up before with Inigo, didn't he? And the guy didn't really seem all that concerned about how covered or not the other teams were, which Tidus remembers only then. Still he frowns a little, not entirely dissuaded from continuing.

"'Less there's a reason I don't think I can help, I think I'll go with either Blue or Red." ...but saying that, he rubs the back of his head, remembering something else. "Long as Yuna doesn't mind...she weren't happy when I said I was switching teams."

Honestly, Inigo doesn't get why Tidus keeps making such a big deal out of this. Especially with how often people appear and disappear here. There's no telling which team will need the help more or not by the time the next mission rolls around, so it's sure not something Inigo is going to worry about now of all times. He can roll with things as they come.

But before he has the opportunity to say anything about that, there's something else catching his attention. He gives Tidus a curious look.

"Yuna?" He doesn't think he's heard that name before.. But it's got to be someone on the train, judging by what Tidus is saying. "Who's that? Your girlfriend?"

He makes a face like a grimace at that--not disgusted by the suggestion, but complicated, aided by the long drawn out "Nooooooo..." that comes with it.

And then a deep sigh that slumps his shoulders after that.

"She's...we're..." Um. "We're from the same world. I was her guardian, and we were close. But...it's been two years since we've seen each other. I said I'd stick with her no matter what! ...but."

It's a surprise why his voice even brightened earnestly in that moment at the end there, the way it then drops with the sagging of his posture, his shaking head.

"I don't regret coming to help, but...I dunno. Maybe I do? She was happy to see me when we got together again, but."

But the one easy way to make Tidus an unsure, uncertain mess: Disappointing Yuna. He's even rubbing the back of his head.

Boo, why did it have to be all serious and complicated! Here Inigo was totally ready to tease Tidus with his maybe-girlfriend-or-maybe-not-girlfriend, but then Tidus has to get so vulnerable about it. There's no way Inigo can still tease him then in good conscience. He doesn't actually want to hurt the other's feelings if he can help it.

".. why did you leave her side then? If you maybe regret it, I mean." He tilts his head a little, seeming to consider it. "I mean, if you just would've asked me, 'hey Inigo, fill in for me with this team so I can protect someone important to me somewhere else', I totally would have done that for you, you know."

Granted, Inigo would have been going with the blue team anyway because of the whole water problem, but still!

"It's nice of you to think of our group as a whole, but that's no good if it comes at the price of your personal feelings." (Says the guy who was getting scolded literally two minutes ago for refusing to take breaks.. But that's different. Clearly.)

"Yeah, but--I really thought the villagers needed more help than a bunch of priests, you know? And they did! And Yuna can take care of herself. I know she can. But..."

It's difficult, complicated, maybe more than it should. But Tidus can't help it, falling into a small silence before shaking his head again.

"Protecting her's all I've done since I left home. It wasn't long, but I took it seriously. She was on a journey back then to defeat a monster in our world, and life's changed since then...but it feels almost like I let the others down by not going."

And how pathetic does that sound? Groaning, Tidus ruffles up his hair in both hands, letting out an exhale after as he tips his head back.

"I know, it's too late to take it back now. I shouldn't be thinking about it!" That's what Inigo had told him before, after all. "I'll make it up to her later."

That last part is much too relatable. No matter that Inigo was the one who gave Tidus that advice in the first place, he too is an absolute expert at kicking himself over past actions he can't change anyway.

But maybe that's why he should help Tidus out by not focusing on what's already done, but what can still be done, right?

"Why don't you get her a gift? Something--" Romantic, he almost says, but he's not sure Tidus is ready for that level of teasing in this mood, so Inigo quickly swallows the word back up. "-- meaningful? If you two are from the same world, you could get her something from back home if you've got the points for it. I'm sure she'd understand the intention and feelings behind it."

"Yeah?" Huh, a gift? He'd been already planning to cook her a meal, but a gift on top...

Tidus considers it for a thoughtful moment, his posture straightening back up as he looks at Inigo. "How many points do we usually get on these missions?"

Would he be able to afford anything for her? It wasn't as big a question as what he would get her (he might need to think more about that), but it might be a while before he'd be able to get anything, if he only got something like, say, ten.

".. you know, I'm not quite sure."

Inigo scratches his head a little. He does seem to be thinking about it for real, but he's coming up blank... Although this time it's at least not due to him being an idiot or anything, it's just that it's hard for a medieval boy to remember that the ICPs can show point totals.. He's always just been winging it.

"If you're coming up short, you can always ask me though. I won't be able to buy stuff from your world, but if I have some points sitting around I'm not doing anything else with anyway, I don't mind spending them for you."

"Well, we can worry about it later. I'll see what I can afford first."

Or break his relationship down entirely with Yuna and then regret his existence instead. That's also an option. But until then, Tidus brightens some, smiling.

"You should treat yourself too! What've you gotten from that thing?"

Not to be incredibly nosy, but.

Inigo's reaction is very, very telling. He doesn't even have to verbally answer, because he just gives Tidus the blankest look once he hears that question.

It's so obvious that Inigo never buys anything for himself. He doesn't even seem to be able to think of whether he even used that machine at all or not..

"I.. I mean, I got some bears for the bear drive.." But even that wasn't for himself, huh.

(Yes, he's kind of hopeless when it comes to doing anything for himself.)

"Bears?" Huh, what, bear drive? Wait, does he care? Not more than telling Inigo: "Get something yourself! What, you haven't even gotten some chocolate?"

Man, Tidus could do with some chocolate. Maybe he'll stop being fussy and buy himself some. ...if he has the points for chocolate and a gift for Yuna.

He leans a little closer towards Tidus ~~no homo~~, looking obviously confused, yet at the same time like he wants to keep said confusion on the downlow. You know, in case someone is watching them and sees Inigo looking so terribly uncool!

"Is.. buying chocolate a mandatory kind of thing?"

Listen, he's just not used to all these modern things yet.. Is this some modern ritual Tidus is about to enlighten him about? The Ritual of Buying Chocolate?

Is Tidus's confusion at Inigo's question allowed? Because he blinks, but also does consider it with a thoughtful glance off to the side.

"No...it's just the one thing I remember." Well. "That and sweets."

Because he was looking at snacks for a movie night sometime before the mission rolled round. And he might be able to think of more of the shop options--and some do slowly return--but those aren't important!

But there is a small pause before he thinks to ask: "Have you had chocolate?"

Inigo is silent for a moment at that question.

And that silence? It's so very telling. That's not a question anyone should have to think about, and yet Inigo's two braincells seem to be very hard at work over it regardless...

"Is that the stuff in the cans?" Nailed it. (No.)

...

Inigo.

"Let's get you some chocolate," Tidus simply says (with a smile, a very very amused smile), not about to think that the chocolate they do have on the train actually comes in cans. "And if you don't like it, I'll eat it!"

Oh, and just to make it fair-- "I'll buy the sweets!"

Pictured: Two Mature Young Adults.

Maybe it's the amused smile. Or maybe it's Inigo's natural penchant for dramatics.

Okay, let's be real, it's mostly the latter.

But whatever the reason, Inigo narrows his eyes a little as he looks at Tidus.

"Tidus." He makes even his name sound so weighty.. "If that chocolate turns out to be really disgusting, then you will have broken our sacred bond of trust and friendship. You understand that, right? Do you accept that heavy responsibility?"

Can't you just say 'yeah sure' like a normal person, Inigo.

No, surely this is the most serious of commitments being made, and Tidus understands this. Humming audibly and folding his arms, even closing his eyes, Tidus presents the absolute picture of deep consideration for this potential contract.

"If it means I get free chocolate?" Tidus questions, but then quickly decides-- "Sure, sounds like a fair trade to me!"

The end of this friendship is totally worth a free chocolate bar. Especially when it turns out to be a sharing size!!

"Are you saying our friendship is worth exactly one piece of chocolate to you?!"

Inigo doesn't care how supposedly good it is, it can't be good enough to replace an entire friendship, surely! (Except that he isn't really offended at all, he's just dramatically going along with all of this. Look at his mock offense! It's so good, it's practically practised.)

"I'm hurt. I'm so hurt! I think I might just throw myself straight out into the sea after all!"

"Hey hey! Not before you get my chocolate! You gotta try a piece before you start making judgments."

No, even Tidus isn't that into chocolate (he likes more chocolate-covered foods, even!), but here they are being two very serious guys.

"And if you wanna give me your points too first..."

Thanks.

He moves a hand up to dramatically grab at his chest. Like he can feel the pain directly in his heart!

"So that's what you were out for all along.. Just my points.. I can't take this anymore!" He quickly stands up. "I can't take this anymore! I'm leaving..!"

Inigo is already halfway through dramatically taking a step away before he turns back to Tidus, the dramatics fading in less than a second. ".. Honestly, though, I really should go look to see if my boyfriend is actually out there having fun right now. I'll see you later, alright?"

"Your boyfriend?"

Sorry, did Inigo just admit to having a boyfriend? Tidus's expression goes from surprise to--well, two fingers coming up to his mouth and the appropriate sound being made.

And he laughs after, at the same time he takes back his hand to wave Inigo off.

"You never told me! Go see him! Don't get caught getting up to anything," he adds with a sly grin.

Thankfully for all of the things Inigo is easily ashamed of or embarrassed about, his boyfriend is so not on that list. He's proud of his boyfriend. Yeah, he got a great catch! No teasing can do anything to shake him up about that!

"I'll tell you some other time!" He dismissively waves a hand, a grin on his face despite Tidus' whistling. And teasing. "See you!"

And with that, he runs off.

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Under the Sea: Conclusion and aftermath

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