middleofsomewhere | Event: Healing Waters

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Event: Healing Waters

"Good morning passengers, it is day twenty three of the month of Grasshopper. All passengers of the Voidtrecker Express require rest. Next stop Jema’grethy Island. All passengers prepare to disembark."

It is a very strange morning message that rings through the train on the morning of day twenty three but as the passengers of the Voidtrecker Express wake their screens glow with the colour of the void and a holographic screen pops up for them to read.

World #2554098133741: A world once inhabited by an ancient civilisation and now preserved as a historical site, nature reserve and well-being retreat. It is famous for its relaxing hot springs, calming atmosphere and beautiful beaches.

It is a popular void-traveller destination, particularly among void missionaries as a place to rest and recuperate after difficult missions.

The Voidtrecker Express will spend three days here, arriving today and leaving on day twenty six of the month of Grasshopper. The dressing carriage is open for your convenience.

It is time for a holiday it seems!

Preparation

For those who go to explore the dressing carriage they will find a variety of beachwear and wetsuits. One cupboard has a pile of tents and groundsheets in all four team colours.

One cabinet is exclusively filled with beach towels, in a kaleidoscope of colours, designs and patterns. Another is filled with different shapes and sizes of plain towel dressing gowns. There is even a cabinet with buckets, spades and small rock-pooling nets.

It seems they are in for quite an adventure.

Arrival

"Shortly arriving on World #2554098133741. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

The train lurches and rattles as it leaves the void they will get a glimpse of silver-purple sky and a beautiful ocean below.

However some passengers might be a little more than distracted, one staring at that table for a second too long, another seeming lost in thought for a couple of seconds, a longer than normal pause in a sentence. They see a vision, a glimpse of a life that is not their own. Not all at once, but here and there as the train descends to the island.

But then it is gone and things are back to normal. Just in time, as they come to land.

Jema’grethy Island

The train has landed on a grassy ridge, overlooking a beautiful beach of white sand and the ocean beyond. It is warm, but not too hot, a cool ocean breeze cutting through the heat making it pleasant. Behind them is a grassy plain, changing to forest in the distance. There is the sound of birdsong in the purple sky. To the west the land is more craggy, the silhouette of a fortress in the distance. In a word, it is idylic. A sense of peace permeates the island.

A little more worrying is the volcano-like structure in the north. But even a quick glance will show it is not a typical volcano. There is no smoke and the liquid slowly running down it in rivulets is pink and blue.

Exploring the passengers will find beautiful beaches, ragged cliffs to walk and caves to explore. Where it is more craggy the beaches are made of pebbles- perfect for rock pooling.

The place has no people, but it is clearly maintained. The eastern beaches have racks of shallow boats, both canoes and one- or two-person sailing dinghies. There is also a small building in which scuba gear is stored, along with several waterproofed manuals and instructional literature.

Ruins of ancient houses are scattered across the island, but the main settlement is built into a rocky section in the north-west that has been secured with ropes and stairways cut into the cliffs, perfect for scrambles and hikes.

There are no living quarters, but there are sheltered sections with basic toilet facilities marked as camping grounds in five different sections of the island - by the hot springs, within the ruined fortress, beside the harbour, on the eastern beaches, and on the northern face of the mountain.

Hot Springs

To the west are the hot springs. They have both outdoor and indoor areas; the indoor areas being wooden loghouse saunas, changing rooms and storage sheds, whilst the outdoor areas are a tiered series of pools spilling down the side of the mountain and shaded by brightly flowering trees. The waters are hot, mineral-rich and soothing.

Perfect for overly stressed, world weary Void heroes...

(OOC: More setting information is here, please feel free to go wild with the setting and have a fun and relaxing time. You can use this post as a catch all for your holiday or make your own posts on

middleofsomewhere. More information about how the memory event is structured is here!)

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[ Inigo looks up, catching that grateful grin, and it's enough to make him feel slightly bashful. He wasn't too sure whether or not Roland would like it. He knew the other at least wouldn't make fun of him over it or reject it outright, but he was afraid he might only go along with it out of politeness, or because he didn't want to make Inigo feel bad..

But that grin is so genuine. Inigo smiles too, but a moment later it switches to surprise as the other guy speaks up. ]

Ah-- N-No, that's not what I meant at all! [ It's as if the fact that Roland is just teasing him is going miles over his head. Inigo nearly trips over his own words in his hurry to make sure there is no misunderstanding here. ] It's a good thing! It.. It means you're committed! I admire that about you, Roland!

[ At least he simmers down a bit after all that sputtering when the other asks that question.. His cheeks are still a little pink, but Inigo seems to be giving it some genuine thought as they walk. ]

I.. I suppose mother is very much like chrysanthemums. Those are really pretty, but they usually don't start to bloom before autumn.. So they are almost like a reminder that even though the dark and cold times of winter are coming, there are still beautiful things in life, don't you think..?

[ He shoots Roland a small smile. ]

Mother was like that too. Someone who brings light into any darkness.

[ He chuckles as Inigo attempts to clarify. An easy arm falls around the other, holding his opposite arm so they walk in tandem to the beat of a sunny day. ] Relax. I was just kidding. Thank you, though. I admire you too. I'll still do right by you. By all of you.

[ It's when Inigo talks about his mother that gets Roland to look pensive, watching the road more than the direction they were headed. His smile, which was just moments ago playful in its edge, has quickly turned fond. The grip against Inigo's arm is steady, as if holding him in place despite having to walk side-by-side. ]

What's her name? [ He glances at Inigo, and Roland's voice turns quiet, as if in reverence. ] Your mother, the light to your darkness. Your reminder of the beautiful things in life.

[ As always, it's not hard to keep Inigo by his side like that. The moment that arm is around him, Inigo instinctively moves a little closer towards Roland, just sticking as close by his side as possible while they still walk.

Even the Complicated and conflicted emotions that always arise in his heart whenever he speaks of his mother can't stop that. ]

Olivia. [ He can at least tell Roland this much. There are plenty of things he could say about his mother without revealing anything he doesn't want to talk about, or anything Roland doesn't know already. ]

Mother is.. She's so sweet, and beautiful, and kind to absolutely everyone she meets.. [ The way Inigo speaks is also obviously fond, even though he doesn't look directly at Roland as he does so. ] She married my father, even though she was just a commoner.

[ Roland does know Inigo is royalty, after all - thanks, Tidus!!! - so he's sure the other can put the pieces together as to what that makes his father then. ]

I'm sure it's because he also saw just how amazing she was.

[ Roland loosens the hold of his arm and just listens quietly, allowing Inigo's feelings for his dear mother to wash over him. It's not a difficult task, even as they get closer and closer to their destination, canopied trees and verdant plains slowly surrounding them. The way Inigo's voice falls into a comfortable pitch, a credence of love and assurance; the way he opens up about her so easily, even when Roland can feel that the task of talking about his past is always a tense subject with Inigo, for reasons Roland could only presume. ]

[ But there's no better start to discovering the truth of someone's soul than with knowing how they took care of their mother. So after Inigo's short tale, and as they cross into the forest's first grove, just green trees and shrubs all around them, Roland speaks with a fondness to match the young man next to him, arm falling back down to his side as he walks a few steps ahead to breathe in deep. ]

Olivia. [ He nods. ] A wonderful name for a wonderful woman. With the way you speak of her, it's enough for me to paint a good picture of who she is. Though I'm sure it's a poor comparison to the real deal, heh.

[ Roland throws him an encouraging smile, eyes gleaming with sentiment. ]

Though I do believe more than a king choosing a simple woman to marry, [ Because he wasn't about to call Inigo's mother a commoner, no. ] it's the fact that her son is a living testament to her love that convinces me she's as great as you say she is.

[ Phew. Inigo is more glad than he thought he'd be to enter the woods - at least the covering of the trees makes wearing all the clothes he does a little more bearable. It's still warm, sure, but it's a lot easier without the sun shining down on him.

.. although then there's the way Roland is being.. well, as Roland as ever. Somehow it's like he manages to put a bit of encouragement in everything he says and does, and Inigo isn't quite sure how to deal with so much positive attention other than to duck his head a little as he tries to process it. ]

Well.. I'm glad if it gives you a positive image of her. She really is amazing.

[ And Inigo misses her so, so much, every single day since he watched her wilt away from illness.

Not wanting to think about that, he shakes his head, looking at Roland again. ]

How about you? Or.. um, I mean-- [ Not his mother, surely Roland's mother is dead, right? How can you be 73 and still have a living mother? ] Do you.. Do you have a wife back home?

[ He moves into the shade partially for Inigo's convenience, but even Roland has to admit the weather was a little too warm for his liking. The breeze helped though, and now that they were sheltered by the leaves filtering the sunlight, he finds the nearest tree he can and leans against it, the back of his head resting well on the bark. His eyes start closing, peaceful and content -

- and he does not bother to open them even when Inigo asks him that question. He crosses his arms over his chest, so usual and so like himself, that it hides well any particular feelings he may have had over what he says next. ]

Hm. I did. She was...a strong woman too. Stronger than me, that's for sure.

[ All spoken in the Past tense. He smiles wistfully, not quite creasing the corners of his eyes. ]

[ Past tense.

That's not going over Inigo's head. Especially not since he was so careful with the tenses he was using, not wanting to imply too much that his mother was long dead. Roland, however, seems a lot more upfront about it.

Usually he'd try to hide his emotions a little better, but as Inigo looks over at Roland and notices the other's eyes are still closed, he allows his expression to drop slightly in sympathy and sadness. It must have been rough, losing his wife.. Inigo remembers his own heartbreak from when Yuki left, and they were only boyfriends. He can't even imagine how much worse Roland must have gone through. ]

.. well, you're really strong too, Roland. [ Inigo finally speaks up, letting his hand brush past some nearby flowers growing on a bush as he speaks. ] So if she was even stronger than that, she must have been amazing.

[ He actually chuckles at that, looks bright and amused, as if he wasn't just talking about his experience as a widower now. But Roland isn't actually too jovial, nor was he downtrodden. It was a curious mix of speaking fondly about someone, with a hint of admiration. That sparkle in his eye was full of life, as he uncrosses his arms and watches Inigo drift closer to the flowers, flowers again. He seems to really like them. ]

Heh. Thanks. But I can hardly take a single ounce of credit for the kind of woman my wife was. Let's just say she...knew me the best. And accepted the life I dragged her into, when I got voted in as president. [ He pauses, then makes a gesture towards Inigo with a free hand. ] Err, king.

[ He walks closer to Inigo now, and starts mimicking his movements, bending down by the hip to look at the colorful petals up close. They smelled just as sweet as the syrup. Though his expression now falls neutral, his voice is laden with love, even if that love has long passed. ]

She kept me grounded. Filled in the gaps I couldn't. [ He plucks a flower out of the bush and twirls its stem around as he straightens himself back. A small smile is on his face as he hands it to Inigo. ] To this day, I really think I was dating out of my league. She was too good for me.

But she loved you. [ Inigo briefly wonders if this is the way his father would have talked about his mother too. It's not like he ever was able to find out, but.. he likes to think that there at least would have been just as much love in Chrom's voice when talking about his mother as there is in Roland's voice as he speaks of his own wife. ]

.. Isn't that what's important?

[ He takes the flower from Roland's hands. ]

I mean.. I understand it must have been.. hard. Carrying on without her. Suddenly feeling the gaps that she must have filled in before.. [ Inigo grows quiet for a moment, but then reaches up to put the flower in Roland's hair. ] But from everything I can see, you're doing your best.

[ He is only slightly taken aback by the flower in his hair, but his lips fall into a warm smile as he touches it carefully, keeping it in place so it doesn't fall out when he moves. Inigo's gentleness continues to surprise him.

'She loved me, huh?' Roland turns away somewhat, only to busy his hands with more flowers on the bushes, studying them, then eventually plucking some into his palm. ]

Hm. Yeah, I guess you're right. And I loved her too, even if I wasn't very good at showing it. [ He takes his time picking at the flowers. ] Heh. Inigo, my best...probably could use a bit more work. I can tell you that much. But, thank you.

[ He eventually stops and collects the flowers with two hands now. He faces the young man next to him, holding them out. ] Teach me? [ Another smile. ]

[ The question is met with a slight hint of surprise in Inigo's eyes. Honestly, despite being much more open - given the opportunity - about his love of flowers than his love of dancing, he still expects people to think it silly at best, embarrassing at worst. So that request? He sure doesn't see it coming.

But the surprise easily melts into a smile, and a moment later Inigo is already granting the request. The boy gathers the flowers from Roland's hands for a moment to put most of them down - leaving two of them in Roland's grasp so they can work on those without Roland's hands being full. ]

Why are you so hard on yourself, Roland? [ He doesn't look at the man as he says it - instead staring at the flowers still.

Rather than taking the flowers himself and demonstrating it though, he instead puts his own hands gently on top of Roland's own, guiding them to start tying the stems together. ]

I understand that being a king, or.. well, a president, I suppose, [ He wants to make sure to get the terminology right, since he imagines that title is important to Roland! ] puts a lot of pressure on someone's shoulders. But I haven't seen you be anything but incredibly kind and hardworking. If you do your best even harder-- ah, careful, those stems are fragile-- then you might just explode!

[ With the first two flowers tied together, Inigo hands the rest back to him, trusting him to be able to chain those on himself. He smiles. ]

Or, well, I suppose there are a few areas where you could use some pointers.. Like how to not worry everyone around you by walking around with a bleeding leg and pretending that's alright, for example.

[ Roland's hands are unused to this. He fumbles while he listens to Inigo speak, and at the warning of being too rough, he apologizes with a glance up and a sheepish smile before his fingers move the way they need to for a chain to form. The only thing he can lean on is his ability to learn as he goes, and eventually, after Inigo speaks and the flower chain is beginning in earnest, he's gotten himself a pretty good rhythm.

He keeps his eyes peeled on the flowers until it's time to get another one to attach. He's strangely focused on it, like he doesn't want to make a mistake. He even sits back down slowly, so the flower pile that Inigo sets down isn't too far from his reach. ]

Well now, I think I was alright in the end. I had someone extremely capable around to help me, after all. [ He smiles jokingly; a moment that is now a fond memory recalled in an instant. The flower bracelet grows a little longer, now. ] If...it comes across that I'm being critical of my own actions, it's only because I've been told it before, or I know myself well enough. You're right. When you're on top of that stadium, leading the charge of a country relying on you to make the call for the people, you have to be hard on yourself. [ When you're lax...Well. He wasn't here to talk about consequences. ] I guess that bled in everywhere else in my life, too.

But, if you can help me find new perspective, then I'll do my utmost to adjust. Heh. You're good at that. [ At helping him see a little bit more than what's in front of him. Roland's trying, at least. But he knows he can't unlearn his lifetime of habit, or shed his pain away. Still, he has people around him now, like Inigo, who show him different ways of serving. The flowers in his hands are attaching together, stem by stem, but they lack the elegance of the bracelet on his wrist. It's elementary, a little rough around the edges, and when he holds it up now...it looks to be more of a necklace than anything else.

Roland manages not to look too embarrassed. ]

Edited 2020-08-30 19:29 (UTC)

[ Despite the fact that an attempt at making a bracelet obviously failed, there's no sign of recognition of that fact on Inigo's face. Instead he just smiles at Roland - widely, eagerly - as he looks at it. ]

Oh, it's so pretty! Can I try it on?

[ He reaches out for it, and if Roland will let him, he carefully takes it out of the other guy's grip and puts it around his neck. There's no hesitation about it, no embarrassment whatsoever. Just a big smile, like this was the intended outcome all along.

Inigo moves to rest his hands on his knees, but the smile doesn't fade, even as he speaks. ] I don't know how good I really am at that, but.. I'd hate to question your judgement. And if I could do as much for you, I'd just be glad.

[ Because even with Roland as his paternal figure here, Inigo would feel awful only receiving and taking from the other. He feels much better giving something in return, even if it's just taking out the old compliment cannon every now and then to make sure Roland knows he's as great as he is. ]

Maybe that's just how you ought to see this whole outing, you know? Not just the island here, I mean, but everything when it comes to the train. A chance to meet now people, to see new perspectives.

[ Roland looks at Inigo wear the flower necklace, though he crosses his arms in disapproval. Not at Inigo though, no... ] I'm sorry. That was supposed to go on your wrist. I guess I should I have done it like you and measured your hand first.

[ Not that Inigo seemed to mind the mishap, but he thinks differently, even in small things like this. And that's what Inigo was saying to Roland, wasn't it? Even as they sit beneath a canopy of trees, sweetness from the vulcano permeating the air around them, comfortable and warm. Inigo is asking him to stay here, right here, at that moment. Allow others to come and go as they were meant to. It's not a new concept - Roland was used to accepting things as they are - but he just can't seem to trust the circumstance completely. His body language is a stark contrast to his younger companion, who looked like he was thriving in the fields. Roland sat stiffly, one leg always propped up, as if ready to spring into action. ]

Hm. [ He looks up and squints at the bright sunlight. Despite staying under shade, he was still feeling warm. ] And you believe that, pup? Even though you know what kind of dangers we get ourselves into every time the train drops us off without a choice, off to alien words that need help? [ Roland's brows furrow; he's lost in his headspace again. His eyes drift close. ] That...that's okay with you?

I think it's cute like this too though...

[ It's not a real protest though. Inigo is not the rebellious teen here, after all. It's half-mumbled, like it's more just a slightly pouty observation. He likes his flower necklace!

But it doesn't feel like a very important point though. Not when Roland continues speaking, making Inigo curiously peek up from the flowers hanging off his neck. The words feel serious enough that he wants to give them his full attention and consideration.

Even though the answer isn't something he has to consider much at all. It feels so natural to him. ]

Of course.

[ There's no sign of hesitation. Not even any sign that Inigo is trying to force anything or cover up any sadness. This is just him speaking from the heart. ]

I mean.. I don't like that the people important to me are in danger. [ Even though he knows so many of his friends here can fight and protect themselves, it doesn't fully stop him from worrying about them. Inigo fully well remembers his all out panic when he saw Gerome get buried under rocks. ]

But I don't mind being in danger myself. It's better if I'm the one in danger than someone who doesn't know how to fight or handle those situations at all. [ His gaze turns downward again, and he idly plays with his flower necklace as he speaks.

But there's a small smile on his face. ]

As long as I can help even one person who would have been worse off otherwise.. Then it will have been worth it to me. All of it. I don't even care whether I know that person or not. Everyone deserves help when they're having a hard time.

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Event: Healing Waters

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wow that was a gross typo, im so sorry

don't say the s-word so loudly, ree will hunt you down

S-S-S-S-S-SORRY!!!! >:(

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