Fierce New World- Mission Start!

[voidtreckermods]

"Good Morning passengers. Today is day six of the month of Jelly." The voice echoes through the train as passengers wake up in their beds. Not long afterwards their SCA’s glow with the colour of the void and a holographic image will appear.

Preparation and Arrival

They have a short time to prepare for their mission, enough time to read their briefs, make decisions, meet in their teams and gather anything they may need.

A few hours later there is another announcement. "Shortly arriving on System #2207385. All passengers get ready to disembark. Next stop world #2207385. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

The train judders as it leaves the void, the colours from the windows turn into the blackness of space but quickly white as the train descends into the entrance of the biosphere.

The doors of the train open and passengers can enter the large white-walled holding bay. Currently, they are the only vehicle inside. There are four large doors around the bay each labelled with where they lead. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

The doors open easily, and their SCA’s show a basic route, though the non-linear nature of the sectors mean that obstacles will need to be navigated. While they are in a closed world, there is a day and night cycle: the panels far up above are designed to make it seem like there is a natural sky, brightening and dimming every ten hours.

Red/Summer

Empty Streets

Wide streets divide sealed-off factories and manufacturing pods that tower up towards the ‘sky’. It is hot here, though the fumes from the factories are vented out, leaving the air breathable if overly warm.

Sometimes the pods are not yet finished, empty shells that can be sheltered in. There are also stations for living, with plumbing and basic amenities scattered through the sector. Places to rest as they move towards the center and the Great-Summer that they seek.

Helpmates

Where factories are still being built they will find Helpmates, operating machinery or moving materials.

They will not pause in their tasks for long but are programmed to answer questions so can be drawn into a conversation. Or, if the Voidtreckers are unfortunate, they will find those that are malfunctioning turning on them as they approach.

They aren’t too difficult to fight, but can do some damage with the machinery if they manage to take a Voidtrecker by surprise. They can be fought with weapons or magic, or for those that think to use the panels they can be shut down outright.

Wild Weather

Though warm, the corridors remain a constant temperature that is not too unpleasant for people. For the most part. Unfortunately, due to the malfunctioning state of things routes may become impassable. Boiling air, freezing blasts, electricity crackling across a pathway.

Their SCA’s do a good job of warning them, allowing them to change direction or shelter in nearby buildings.

Purple/Autumn

Exploring

The Autumn sector is the least complete of the sectors, with shells of habitation pods and not much else. No one is expected to live here until nearing the end of construction, and so the pods are unfurnished, many missing doors, some missing internal walls.

Outside the streets are wide and clearly made to be pleasant to walk on; it is airy, bright and spacious, if a bit eerie due to the quiet.

There are panels on the walls, to call Helpmates to appear. Here they are primarily for helping citizens, giving directions and offering aid.

Malfunctions

Since there are more helpmates there is more risk of them malfunctioning. They attack with or without weapons, using any tools they can pick up to attack. They can be fought with weapons or magic, or for those that think to use the panels they can be shut down.

They won’t chase people into the houses, their privacy programming preventing them from doing so.

Turned Around

The roads seem simple, built in a grid pattern around the houses. However, whatever is going wrong here is affecting the very streets themselves. Sometimes there will be a wall where there wasn’t before or roads go in circles. Sometimes they find themselves at a dead end, trapped until structures shift again.

Their SCA’s do their best to keep up but it can take a while for them to reroute and by the time they do, that path might be blocked too!

Blue/Spring

Patchwork Forest

The Spring sector houses the hydroponics and pastoral sections. It alternates between grazing land and more heavily forested areas with rows of pine-like trees in a checkerboard pattern, with empty plots interspersed. Walkways divide each square, but all squares appear able to move about as required, as though on a conveyor system.

There are clear walkways to avoid stepping on any newly growing plants. In the grazing land live flocks of camelid creatures resembling alpacas with blueish wool, on average a metre and a half tall at the shoulders. Helpmates appear here as if on a timer to feed the animals and tend to plants.

Destruction


If the Helpmates here malfunction they attack anyone nearby, cause havoc to any farming equipment and frightening the animals.

They can be fought with weapons or magic, or for those that think to use the panels they can be shut down. The panels here are less obvious than they are in the more urban sectors, low to the ground, looking almost like energy panels. But once they know what to look for they will be able to use them to shut down the Helpmates.

Stampede

Frightened animals are likely to flee and unfortunately in this case it means rampaging across the grazing land to the newly growing trees.

They will need to be calmed, returned to their grazing lands and the plants restored. Or it might be that the Voidtreckers can stop the Helpmates before the creatures get too spooked.

Orange/Winter

Exploring

The Winter sector’s primary concern is life support. Huge banks of air scrubbers form artificial cliffs, while other sections are tanks filled with water in varying stages of processing or recycling.

The paths here are a lot narrower than they are in other areas, sometimes requiring moving between pipes or scrambling over layers of railing.

There doesn’t seem to be any easy or straightforward path through the sector, their SCA takes them on wild winding routes through the machinery.

Help or Hindrance

The fluctuating temperatures here are causing problems with many of the pipes, several sections are flooded, others are in danger of being so.

There are patch kits in easily opened panels, designed to be used by the helpmates and indeed there are many helpmates out.

But some are less helpful, those that are malfunctioning are more likely to cause more damage than they are there to fix. They will attack any one who tries to interfere with them. They can be fought with weapons or magic, or for those that think to use the panels they can be shut down.

Patch Job

Once the malfunctioning Helpmates are dealt with the pipes still need to be fixed. The patch kits do not have any instructions but are simple enough that anyone with a basic knowledge of how to fix things should be able to figure them out- though the more knowledge and expertise they have the better the fix!

For those that don’t, many of the jobs will need more than one person and so for those that don’t mind taking instructions they will find an extra pair of hands is always welcome.

Comments

2A

[flatteries]

Please, Roland.

Please.

This place is already incredibly unsettling enough to Inigo. Sure, it's probably weird to just about everyone, but the fact that Inigo isn't used to modern technology at all means that he absolutely can't adjust to a place that looks the way this does. So sterile and devoid of life, everything just hard and metal and plastic and fake. Even a field full of Risen would be more comfortable. At least those would be familiar.

But is what Roland is saying making it better? Of course not. Absolutely not. The discomfort is so obviously on Inigo's face that the feeling is practically radiating off him in waves, growing more uncomfortable by the minute.

So when the other guy starts walking again, Inigo lets out the longest whine as he drags his feet along after him.

"F-Father, why did you have to say that?!" Please, the stress is bad for the baby!!

[adregem]

He's glad that Inigo chose to seek him out for a place as frosty as this. Roland is similarly in a heightened state of awareness, with only the barest hints of recognition despite already lived in the modern world.

Though the Great Autumn harbors a certain spirit of utopia, where Roland can see mindful placements and a clear effort to mimic green habitation, there's just so little actual warmth that it all seems rather distant. How could anyone build a home in a place this downright creepy?

Roland stops for a second to give Inigo time to slowly catch up before he moves again, walking a bit more languidly so as not to separate the two of them. He'll keep up his dry sense of humor as the perfect distraction for the both of them.

"Well, if it helps any, the good guys win in the end." Roland answers, with only a hint of a smirk on his face, his delivery otherwise far too neutral. "Or...do they? Heh. Wanna watch the movie when we get back? The alien is only made of prosthetics anyway. Fake stuff. It's quite fascinating, really."

See!! Harmless off-brand Sigourney Weaver alien franchise talk! Don't mind him as he stops to the side again, peering into a set of pods with way too much interest gleaming in his eye.

[flatteries]

"Quite fascinating?!"

Really, Inigo likes seeing different sides of the man he's come to call his father. It's nice seeing beyond the business-like serious attitude the man sometimes puts up. It's especially nice to see the things that interest him, that amuse him, that make his eyes light up with energy.

.. though he's not so sure about this one.

"I-Is that the kind of thing that passes for fun where you're from? Why would people want to watch something scary running around?" Granted, Inigo's view of it may be muddled slightly by the fact that scary things running around was just a reality for him back home..

He's still following Roland though! Waddling after him like an obedient little duckling. Even as Inigo is having a minor crisis while trying to think about this.

[adregem]

"Can't say I know the definitive answer to that one. Some people watch it for the adrenaline rush. Others just like getting scared." Roland says first, before immediately adding with the same lightness he lends his previous sentiment: "As for me, I'm into the production value. The kind of props they use to make the alien look realistic. It's crazy how imaginative people can get when they tell stories, even if they're scary."

Come along, little duckling puppy of his. Roland reaches out a hand for Inigo to hold, though he does use this to tug him along to another pod which he studies without the glass casing separating its bare interiors from the rest of the world. He doesn't quite let go of his hand, but he seems to peer into it for way too long...

...and for a moment, turns absolutely serious as he goes, "Do you think this was made to fit people? Let me see if I can lay down. Help me in?"

[flatteries]

Inigo doesn't seem to be studying their surroundings quite as closely. It could be that he has less interest in them, considering they're really nothing but odd to him. But it could also be that his mind is still lingering on Roland's words, considering them. Inigo never even knew movies before he ended up on the train, and even now he still feels like he doesn't have a full grasp on them..

But it's still nice to hear about what Roland is into. It makes him want to pay more attention too next time while watching a movie. To try and see what Roland sees in those effects.

(Though maybe not with some scary alien movie, thanks.)

Inigo is snapped out of the thoughts by the sudden question. It makes him give Roland a wide-eyed, confused look.

"W-What?" He doesn't let go of the hand just yet, like he's trying to keep Roland from doing it. At least for a few moments more. "Why would you want to do that? That thing looks so.."

Inigo frowns.

"It really doesn't look like it was meant for people."

[adregem]

"Doesn't it? I kind of got a different impression, but maybe that's just me..." That's definitely just Roland though, considering he's falling back on an experience that isn't quite realistic. Movie magic was one thing, but this wasn't some set after all. Maybe Inigo had a point. He hums quietly to himself before he grasps the hand that continues to hold him, stepping away from the pod he was ready to experiment with.

Crisis averted?

"Then this means we have to keep looking for more clues." For a minute, he looks a bit frustrated, a baffled sort of expression passing over his face like he's not quite sure where to go. And boy, was that ever the correct assumption to make. Another glance at the Great Autumn and even Roland is stumped. "...Though if I'm gonna be honest with you pup, if this was some alien movie? Heck, there should be something happening in the script by now. Who even sent the distress signal?"

What was the threat?

[flatteries]

Thank Naga, no dumb, dumb circus scenarios of Roland getting stuck in a pod and Inigo trying to pull him out of there. The day is saved. For now.

But that expression on his face - the kind where Roland seems unsure of where to go next? Inigo won't blame him for that one, at least. That's very much how Inigo feels right now. And though he tends to look to the older man for guidance, there's very little guidance to be had when they're dropped into these odd surroundings without a clue about what to do.

"Maybe those.. things we're supposed to look for?"

Things? People? The mission description was so vague that Inigo doesn't even know who they are!

"You know, that.. Great Autumn they were talking about in the mission description? But I have no idea what or who that could even be. There doesn't seem to be anything around here but those odd.. things."

Helpmates. He means the Helpmates. But even those go far beyond medieval understanding.

[adregem]

"Hm. Good point. Though maybe just to play it on the safe side...Let's locate the panels before we start hunting for Helpmates." He turns to Inigo with a sharpness to the edge of his frown and the crinkle in his brows, knowing that missions are always when he's most tense. Regardless of the goal it seems, red sky or not.

"Better chance of shutting them down or resetting them if they end up wanting to hurt us."

Though the consequence of it would still be unknown to him, it's better not to take risks in a place this suspicious from the start. He nudges to a particular direction with a bop of his head, eyes on his SCA but his hand already reaching out for Inigo again, one to hold and help lead as needed. The act of it already quite normal to Roland, and something he looks for even without prompting.

[flatteries]

Of course Inigo's hand fits right into Roland's the moment he reaches out for it. It's practically instinctive at this point. Inigo doesn't even have to think about it. He's mostly just thinking about what Roland is saying instead, but before he's even done with that, they're already moving hands, Inigo moving right along with the other.

(He may also be pondering the meaning of the word resetting, okay.)

"It's alright." Inigo doesn't sound too bothered, though it's hard to tell if the light tone is natural or him putting it up on purpose. It could be either with the way it sounds right now. "I've had to deal with one of those things already. They're not very strong. The robots during the last mission were much worse."

[adregem]

"That's true. But we shouldn't let our guards down so easily. We don't know what's causing them to go crazy yet. Last thing we need is a surprise attack in a place like this."

And what a place it is indeed. Even with the hand in his, Roland feels disturbed. It's just a vast nothingness that he can't understand. There's no one to ask questions, and if a Helpmate comes, there's a chance it'll go haywire first before they can even prod at it for help. Pods are unfinished, barely functional...homes barely resembling their namesake.

He hums deeply, a breath audible.

"I know that place messed with our memories, but I'm missing Jema'grethy real bad. At least the island was by the beach, with nice fresh air." His chuckle is not one of joy. When you start wanting to return to past missions no matter how much they messed you up, you know it's gotten bad.

[flatteries]

Sheesh, that is bad. Not that Inigo can't understand it. He doesn't like this place either. Not the way it looks, not the way it constantly changes, not the way it's so devoid of life.

But in the face of it seeming to bother Roland badly enough that he'd long for that island that exposed them to their own and other people's worst memories, Inigo can't whine about it himself. He shifts modes instantly, as instinctively as he always does at these times, and tugs a little on Roland's hand.

He's got a plan.

"Father, I know we have a lot of ground to cover, and that we should keep moving.. But could we maybe stop and rest for a moment?"

[adregem]

The tug is acknowledged instantaneously. He stops walking and already, his brows are meeting in the middle as he gives Inigo undivided attention. On regular train days, Roland can be expected to treat such a thing with more fondness than apprehension. But on a mission? His calm turns into a weapon - not that this is his intention when he hears what Inigo has to say. The concern on his own face is evident.

"Of course." Roland replies immediately, already leading them to the side where the cover of half-constructed pods lend them some semblance of privacy. Not that there was anyone to look at them, here. "What's the matter? Are you okay? Do you feel sick?" He adds, giving him a fair assessment with sharp eyes. Obviously, Roland doesn't quite understand this was more for him than Inigo.

[flatteries]

Inigo gets the impression really quickly too. But on the other hand, is it so bad if Roland thinks it's for Inigo's sake? At least it means he'll actually give in and rest, unlike when Inigo would reveal it's actually mostly for the older man's sake. So maybe a little white lie isn't so bad.

He shakes his head, smiling slightly. "I'm just a little tired." Not really, but whatever! He knows that should work. Especially since he's always so good at hiding his fatigue that outwardly not really looking tired shouldn't ruin the whole thing. "You know, because of this place's entire.." He gestures with his hands. "Everything."

Dumb modern technology.

Inigo's already moving to sit down, his back leaning against one of the half-done pods. ".. Come on, sit down with me."

[adregem]

Roland, how are you so weak to them, honestly.

There's not a hint of doubt that Roland completely falls for Inigo's sleight of hand, metaphorically speaking of course, even if a part of him wonders when he was able to grow this honest about overworking. Was it not just a few worlds ago that Roland had to trick Inigo himself into taking a break and taking a nap in his tent because he wouldn't admit to being tired? Yet here they are, dancing around each other once more, too similar to quit or let the issue go.

Roland plants himself next to Inigo, one knee raised against his chest. He pats his free shoulder, the one closest to Inigo.

"All right. Rest against me. I'll keep watch over you. Be still for as long as you like. I don't want you collapsing due to stress."

[flatteries]

"Thank you, father."

That quiet thanks is something Roland immediately gets in return for being so willing to go along with this. Even though Inigo thinks the idea of him collapsing because of stress is laughable - he's cultivated this whole 'Inigo the Invincible' thing for years, okay, he's not ready to let it go now! - he will accept the possibility existing in Roland's head just for now.

Just for this. Just for Inigo leaning his head against Roland's shoulder, cozily snuggled up to the other's side. Like the only bastion of warmth and companionship in this empty, wide technological desert.

But he doesn't sleep. Inigo's eyes are still open, and a moment later his Arms Band glows, summoning something to his hands.

It's flowers. A whole bunch of purple flowers. Obviously not from this place, since there doesn't seem to be any greenery here as far as the space stretches out before them until it hits an oddly placed wall.

No, these are ones Inigo took along from previous missions, exactly for this kind of scenario. If they ever ended up in a place without. And he knows the reason Roland would long for the island isn't because of what happened on the volcano.

It's for this, right? The quiet, relaxing moments he must have shared with other people. If that's what Roland longs for, then Inigo will give it to him right now, no matter how unsuited the setting is. (Maybe something like this is what he should have done back during the last mission too - if he hadn't been too busy freaking out himself to think of it.)

He takes Roland's hand into his free one, but just so he can drag it over to rest on top of Inigo's legs. It's easier to work on it that way.

And that's exactly what Inigo is starting to do. Starting to weave flowers along Roland's hand and arm. Rings, bracelets, circling up almost like a glove, though he's only just getting started when he speaks up again. Relatively softly.

"I think.. at a moment like this, my mother would have said something about how every place is just what we make of it with the people around us."

[adregem]

There it is again.

From time to time, it emerges. Peaks out from the cracks and crevices of the facades they play, but Roland knows it immediately when he sees it. The moment Inigo takes his hand and rests it upon his leg, the flowers catching his attention as the only colorful thing in this entire dome, Roland takes a hold of it before the recognition escapes him. It's the unmistakable sight of the kind boy who he had met so long ago, who had helped him when he was stitching himself back together, who thought of Roland more than Roland thought of himself.

He's here again, by his side, and it melts him thoroughly and utterly. If his limbs grow lighter, almost limper by comparison, it's only because he wants Inigo to know without words that he's more than okay with this. That even as he understands now, the real reason why Inigo asked for a break, he's more than willing to grant both of them such a reprieve.

Roland takes in a deep breath, his chest rising visibly at the motion, before he exhales just as audibly, eyes coming to a close for a second before he looks down at where they're joined by the flowers weaved into links around his hand. And what beautiful flowers too. His free hand attempts to touch the soft petals but he draws back at the last second, too frightened to disturb Inigo and accidentally bruise them at the same time.

So instead, Roland rests his palm against his own lap and watches. Listens to the words Inigo tells him, smiling warmly as more chains are created like flora crawling up a vine.

"She's a well of wisdom." Roland says kindly. His head leans to the side too, planting his temple against the crown of Inigo's hair. "And what would you make of this place then, if that were true? Hm? What would you say if you looked back on this mission after we board back the train?"

[flatteries]

There doesn't seem to be much time necessary for Inigo to think about the answer before it's already leaving his mouth.

"That it was annoying and dumb."

Okay, maybe that's not entirely in the Spirit of Olivia. But Inigo, even while trying to be eternally optimistic, is just a tad bit too much of a teenager to not admit that truth. What else is he supposed to say about having been dumped into a barren place like this and forced to walk around and avoid walls without much purpose or sense of direction?

He really doesn't like this place. Not one bit. But his hands don't still, gently weaving the flowers across Roland's arm and hand even now.

"But that I was certainly glad to have my father by my side." An eternal truth. Not to mention-- "And even Tidus came along with us. Just that is worth a celebration."

Not that Inigo doesn't admire his bro for always going where his help would be necessary the most, but he knows he misses Tidus when he's not around. He likes being with just Tidus, or just Roland.. but things feel more complete with the three of them.

"And Taiki too."

Look at all these people important to him gathering together.

[adregem]

It's hypnotic, the way Inigo is both so gentle with the weaving without losing the firm touch needed to create chains upon chains against stem and petal. He doesn't mean to get lost in it, but Roland inevitably ends up staring at the handiwork crawling up his arm until it forms something akin to equipment that he could be enchanted with on any other given occasion. Who knows? Maybe someone on the train could do that for him? And the sentimental value of the flowers Inigo is sharing with him isn't lost on Roland either. The same thing happened in Jema'grethy...and some of those flowers are still preserved perfectly in his hammerspace, what weren't lost in his hair when he tried to braid it that one time.

Roland doesn't quite chuckle at Inigo's words, but he doesn't disagree, humming subtly instead. He figured Tidus came to Purple this time around for Inigo and Taiki, the moment he glimpsed the kirin and his pup before mission start.

"Right? I was shocked too. It's once in a blue moon he decides to take his trip around missions with Purple first." Okay, now he chuckles, remembering their short exchange. "Though it doesn't look like he's getting a lot of action on the mission right now. Then again, that's not something I want to wish for either. I suppose it'll be a blessing in disguise if we can minimize casualties this way."

He hasn't seen Taiki fight yet too. Doesn't even know at this point his aversion to blood, or what real kirin's like him can do when provoked.

The fingers of his opposite hand make a second attempt to touch the petals. So far, he's not even bruising them, feathered caresses to commit the texture to memory.

"Where did you get these flowers, pup? Did you grow them in the greenhouse?"

[flatteries]

"Ah.." The answer to that is a little awkward. The last thing Inigo wants to do when it seems that they're finally having a calmer moment in this odd place is to ruin it by reminding Roland of the last mission. Of them standing underneath a sky that looked like it was on fire, of them standing in front of a funeral mound. So rather than going into specifics, he just shakes his head and says: "I took these along on a mission."

There, nice and vague. No time for bad memories. Especially not since Inigo makes sure to quickly speak on, not giving Roland's mind too long to linger on it.

"You should do me a favour and try convincing Tidus that the purple missions aren't always like this, father." This is just giving him a bad impression of them now! The one time he goes along with them, and things are all boring and weird like this! Sure, it's good since it means they can easily keep Taiki safe, but what if it turns Tidus off from wanting to go with them ever again, huh?

The movements of his hands slow a bit as he seems to think.

"I know it's selfish, and I know it's better for him to help out other teams that need it, but.. I really wish he could be with us more often. It feels better when it's the three of us together. Like at the hot springs back on Jema'grethy. Sure, it was kind of ridiculous back there, but.. also fun, right?"

[adregem]

He doesn't push for an explanation, merely humming pleasantly at the answer. Inigo likes flowers. It need not be so complicated, and you could acquire different things on the train anyway. So he stays content, their shared warmth radiating in waves.

"Well, I think Tidus isn't looking for excitement when he goes off to mission hop, Inigo." He chuckles as a response, though he's not one to ignore what Inigo is actually saying. His desire to see them together again, or at least, more often than not. He can't deny it either. The energy was different when the three of them spent missions together, whether in awkwardness or in shared competition; in the pleasant little lulls of activity between missions or when someone isn't quite sure of a pancake recipe that embarrasses the other. Roland wouldn't have it any other way. So he allows himself to be honest, briefly intertwining his fingers to hold Inigo's when the chance comes as he weaves flowers back between knuckles.

"And hey, that's not selfish at all. If you ask him to come, I'm sure he won't hesitate to spend time with Purple during missions. I'll try harder too. With our powers combined, he won't be able to resist. Heh."

[flatteries]

Inigo doesn't quite expect the sudden hand holding, but of course he's not going to protest it. It just stops his work for the moment. Otherwise Inigo is very much more than content to just sit here and hold his father's hand for a bit.

"You think so?" About Tidus not being able to resist, that is. Inigo isn't so sure. Tidus is pretty headstrong when it comes to the things he wants to do, after all. And that's actually what Inigo likes about him. That he's so passionate, that he always figures out what he wants to do and just goes for it like that.

And he wouldn't want to get in the way of that, just because Inigo thrives with his friends around.

"I'm not so sure he's that weak to us just yet." Inigo keeps his tone light as he says it though, a smile on his face. Like he's just joking.

[adregem]

"Well, we'll see about that. He doesn't know what we can do together, after all. He'll wear down and give in. Then, it'll be the three of us off to do some...crazy adventure on an alien world all over again. Hot springs or none."

He lingers where there hands are joined, imagining such a scene vividly in his mind's eye, before he slowly lets go and allows Inigo to continue the task of creating a gauntlet of flowers around his wrist. It's making some progress, as the trail of it grows more and more colorful the higher up the braids are being done. And the image of it - of what Inigo loves to see, to experience even on dangerous missions - is for his sake too. He wants Inigo to know that he's not alone, that they all care about one another and nothing's wrong with wanting to spend time with people who are close to you. Perhaps the best time to do it even, is when you're off the train and there's more experiences to be had in between tasks.

The Roland of old would never have even entertained such a notion. The work always coming first. He wonders if Inigo too, has seen a similar change in himself.

"Like right now, there's so much...nothing going on. I bet you he'd start daring us to do something silly, something wild that we couldn't do onboard. Otherwise, he'll get bored real fast." He tilts his gaze up, meeting an artificial sky, before chuckling. "Or even crazier still. Why don't you and I follow him once in a while? To another mission? We could surprise him."

Coming from a Team Lead himself? Oh, Mister President! How could you!

[flatteries]

It's a vision Inigo can easily imagine too. It's even possible right now - for Tidus to suddenly find them, to run around some corner and start some sort of shenanigans with them. Inigo sure wouldn't be surprised if it would suddenly happen under the current circumstances. It's not like Roland isn't fun, and it's not like Inigo himself isn't fun either, but.. neither of them can truly live up to Tidus's energy when it comes to things like that, huh?

It's a nice thought though. Inigo likes thinking about it. Even with as bad as the train can be, he's still glad he just got to experience this. To be this close with other people, to show them his true self without hesitation.

Even as he speaks up, he's still smiling a bit.

"That may just be the most irresponsible thing I've ever heard you say, mister team leader." But it's not scolding in any way. Inigo is laughing, his eyes forming small, smiling crescents. Roland does often seem more loose when it comes to the kind of suggestions he makes around the two of them, huh? Inigo can't imagine him suggesting that kind of thing when it would come to anyone else, just ditching his work like that.

[adregem]

Roland laughs quietly under his breath, a gentle ringing in the otherwise eerie silence of the dome, joyfulness betraying the true age of his soul. The chances of him actually doing that are slim...but for the twin teens? Those odds are bound to change, quicker than blinking.

"Ssh. Don't tell on me now, Your Highness. I don't want to get into trouble." He nudges Inigo's shoulder gently, before resting his temple against the side of his head. "We'll be back to Purple before Glor notices I'm gone. I can play hooky too, if I want to."

He obviously won't, but hey. Things change. People change. And it's growing more and more pleasing to Roland to start helping out other teams more actively in the next missions to come.

[flatteries]

"Who thought I'd ever hear you being this cheeky."

Inigo finally seems done weaving the flowers around Roland's hand and wrist, letting go to admire his creation for a moment before moving to hold the hand in such a way that he won't squish the flowers on it - as if Inigo was weaving them in such a way that would still allow easy handholding access. Inigo knows handholding is kind of inevitable when the two of them are together, after all.

And once he's holding the hand, he leans in a little, his own smile slightly mischievous too - but mostly just happy.

"I think we're being awful influences on you."

Although maybe not exactly awful. After all, Inigo thinks it's a good thing that Roland is getting a bit more loose. The guy deserves to have fun every once in a while too, rather than always having to focus on his duty.

Roland has done enough for said duty already, after all.