Event: Healing Waters

[voidtreckermods]

"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!)

Comments

[blitzcheer]

"Good!" Tidus grins, all in tone at the comment by Inigo. Flashing his good mood Taiki's way too, though he should really be focusing on this swimming thing.

"I'll need to get you to show me how well you shoot a blitzball! We can both do that on land. I'll show you both some moves!"

Tidus's definition of 'rest' can be broad.

[longforgottenpromise]

"Okay." He smiled, "But we do need to let Inigo rest properly, or he won't be able to swim later."

Inigo really sounds tired and as enthusiastic Tidus is they probably don't want to push things all at once.

[flatteries]

Thank Naga that Taiki is here to look out for Inigo's energy levels. Especially since - despite the fact that he really is tired - he can't fully deny a friend whatever he may wish.. As evidenced when he speaks up again.

"Well, I could probably try to shoot one at least once after Tidus's demonstration.."

[blitzcheer]

"Let's see about that later," Tidus says--or a save from any promises being made now. Fortunately they're getting closer to the shore, and Tidus tells Taiki to mind the ground. They might just end up sitting their butts underwater if they're not too careful!

But once they get around there, Tidus gives Inigo a tug forward, bringing him closer in. "The ground's under us. You feel it?"

[longforgottenpromise]

Taiki nods and does just that, being careful of the ground and finding the sand beneath his feet.

"Yes, you can walk again now." And from here it wasn't far at all to shore.

[flatteries]

"Okay.."

Inigo still sounds a little breathless. It's not even like he put in the most effort during this last part, since he was mostly being tugged along, but this whole experience sure has been taking a lot out of him so far.

"Just-- give me a moment.."

He makes sure his feet touch the ground first before letting go of both of their hands. Inigo turns around so he's facing the beach rather then the ocean with some relief on his face at the sensation of land underneath his feet, and he shakes his head to get some of the water out.

Then - said moment later - he grabs a hold of both Taiki's hand and Tidus's hand once more, and he starts running, dragging the other two ahead despite his exaustion. Just running on the sheer elation of being here with his friends.

"Come on, come on, it's break time!"

[blitzcheer]

They're up on their feet, the sand soft under the water, and softer still out of it. Tidus isn't expecting much movement once they're upright, shaking his limbs off like a dog from head to toe, and then--

--and then he's being tugged, a "hey!" escaping his throat, legs dragged to turn and follow, unless he wants to faceplant. And he doesn't, actually!

"Hey-!" Again! "What happened to being tired?! We coulda kept swimming!"

Not that Tidus sounds put off. He's laughing, trying to look where he and Taiki are getting dragged to.

[longforgottenpromise]

Taiki is also expecting Inigo just to collapse the moment they reach dry land because he seemed so exhausted. Yet his hand is grabbed and he finds himself being pulled up the beach, stumbling over his own feet. He laughs slightly.

"It seems Inigo found his energy again."

It is good to see, he had been a bit worried and now to see Inigo so energetic, Tidus so flustered, it was nice to be with the two of them no matter what Inigo had planned!

[flatteries]

Inigo doesn't even answer Tidus's laughing accusation, or Taiki's remark. Instead he just keeps on dragging the other two, across the wet sand near the sea up to the dryer, softer sand in the distance. He makes sure it's a spot free of rocks or anything else that could hurt, and once he's found a good place for it, he just lets himself drop down into the soft sand, dragging the other two along by their hands.

"There, much better. Let's just nap here."

.. Apparently not all energy has been refound yet, huh. Though it's hard to tell just how serious is about that remark.

[blitzcheer]

Plop, and down they go. They don't all need to find the sand under them as Inigo does, but it's easier to than resist, at least for Tidus. And the apparent drain of the last of Inigo's energy gets another quick laugh out of him. What a guy!

"Inigo's not just gonna nap anywhere, huh?" Heheh! The sand is easily clinging to Tidus's legs, but he doesn't mind, letting them stretch out. "Sure you don't wanna go for a jog first?"

Don't threaten him, Tidus!!

[longforgottenpromise]

"A nap sounds good." He let himself be pulled down into the sand, it was warm after the coolness of the sea. He smiled at the warmth of the sun and tilted his head towards Tidus, he really had so much energy!

Taiki isn't quite as exhausted as Inigo seems to be, but he still doesn't think he would be able to jog just now either.

[flatteries]

Is Inigo still just lying face down in the sand?

Yes. Yes, he is. For a moment it's easy to assume that he has actually already fallen asleep right after speaking those earlier words, but a moment or two after Tidus and Taiki's exchange, there's a soft groan.

"Just bury me, it'd be kinder.." No jogging!!

[blitzcheer]

He looks as innocent as anything when Taiki turns to him, but his smile evolves into a wide grin at Inigo's suffering between them. Picking up a hand coated in sand and ruffling Inigo's hair with it.

"Just kidding! Gotta make sure he's really tuckered out."

No, the real answer is just teasing him. It's always teasing.

[longforgottenpromise]

"I think he really is, he worked hard. So he deserves a rest."

Taiki lifted his own hand as well, to place on Inigo's head gently, trying to brush the sand out, but mostly just getting more sand on him.

[flatteries]

There's another soft groan, but it's quieter this time.

And a moment later he goes quiet entirely. Seems like Inigo really was exhausted enough - though not just by the swimming, but also the mental exercise in trying to avoid thinking too much about the horrible vision he had this morning - to fall asleep right there. He hasn't even noticed the sand in his hair, especially since the hair ruffling is exactly the kind of comfort Inigo needs to fall asleep like this.

Look, he'll watch Tidus's blitzball demonstration when he wakes up, okay. And swim more. But just give him ten minutes here.