middleofsomewhere | Fierce New World- Mission Start!

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Fierce New World- Mission Start!

"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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Polo...!"

The map still isn't updated, so Roland continues to trek as close as he can to the voice that rings in an otherwise empty district. But he must have made a mistake, since that 'Marco' was loud enough to be heard, but diminished in volume. Which means he took a wrong turn, or jogged in the wrong direction. Roland clicks his tongue against his teeth and turns back, eyes darting to and fro the bare pathway then back to his SCA which still hasn't changed according to the new walls built around Tidus.

"Marco?" He alternates, huffing slightly in pace. "You know, this would really be a good time to have a flying broomstick!" Roland shouts out to add, both to break whatever tension might be forming between an increasingly annoying situation and to remind himself that if he could magic himself up these walls safely, this definitely wouldn't be a problem...!

Keyword: safely!

Ugh, seriously - and Roland wanted people to split up! The wall was never-ending from where Tidus was looking, but it was difficult to distinguish any turns that might have been around a corner when there was nothing to tell one white wall from another. An open space available to him on one side, but that didn't get him and Roland paired up again.

Wasn't this more of a maze at this point than any sensical street design? None of it made sense. But making sense was rarely the result of something screwing up.

"Rol?" --But also, this exchange of Marcos and Polos didn't sound like it was working out great; the older man's voice heard, but becoming more distant, words dulling. Did Roland take a turn somewhere? Did he? Tidus turns to look the way he came, a slight curve in the path made by the wall.

Shit. Shouldn't Roland just be on the other side? C'mon!

Oh boy. The problem escalates and Roland can barely hear Tidus's voice. The wrong turns create paths that diverge, and he just doesn't notice it, but walls popped up as soon as he returned to a place he thought would lead him to where he needed to go...

"Damn." He curses to himself, soft and short, not quite out of breath but he's getting a minor case of heightened claustrophobia. Seeing walls and roads that were not there before, with a map that can barely keep up on his watch. "Tidus!" He shouts as much as he can, with as much force as his diaphragm can allow him. The name is repeated, hoping an echo will carry his voice. If all else fails, there's always the SCA comms to get through to Tidus.

"This isn't working. Gotta think." Finally, he convinces himself to stop. Moving around, following the vestiges of a waning voice, it's not closing the distance or the gap between them. So he'll wait for a moment to look around, gather his bearings, then tinker with the SCA. Scrolling to find Tidus's name, his frequency to hone into. This at least, wouldn't be impeded by magically appearing and disappearing walls.

Though he also does think about what Tidus is doing himself, to reconvene. He hopes they weren't running circles around each other.

This is so as stupid as being back in Bevelle's temple.

Sure, that had what looked like pits of darkness and singular, no-return tracks and there wasn't giant walls blocking one's path, but it's the same, annoying puzzle that was getting in Tidus's way. His feet slid, about to continue down the path he was going, then backtracking to the way he came. Did he? Whatever, it's the way he's deciding to go when the SCA beeps and vibrates, and Tidus taps it, his earbuds not in, but not necessary. He'll keep his wrist up.

"I'm jumping over!" No ifs, no buts! "Go back the way you came, let's try and meet somewhere near to where we were. Or stop, I dunno!"

He isn't stopping his quick-paced walking yet. He wants to be somewhere close to where they both got separated.

"What?"

Roland immediately stops and looks up at, blinded momentarily by the flash of whatever light source comes from the biome and the sky they've crafted for the terrain, but ultimately swiveling his head left to right already in pursuit of a body he's sure to recognize even at the distance. Said distance is the very reason why Roland's expressing his concern, replying back through the comms.

His steps are taken with hesitation, but who is he to stop Tidus when he's got an idea this cemented in?

Plus, Roland's got no other options apart from asking Spider to help. But getting lost in a maze isn't warranting of Black Squad, so he eventually relents and starts a light jog to an approximate location, his map already adjusting somewhat at the very least.

"Damn, alright. Here. I think I'm back. There are two new walls I distinctly don't remember being around when I left to find you, so it's anyone's guess." A pause before he chimes in again, a bit more worried than the last message that pushes through. "What are you planning to do to jump up? Give me a warning." Or an idea, please!!

Edited 2021-01-22 16:38 (UTC)

Is he anywhere near to where he was before? Tidus finds he can't tell. There's no landmarks, not even the odd splotch of colour that one would usually be able to use to pinpoint roads travelled before, no odd patch of grass or light to give signal to what's new, what's not.

And why these walls, anyway? But for the bitter note they inspire, Tidus focuses on the private exchange between himself and the one in his heart; the gathering of a spell and energy, a position picked when he doesn't want to keep on searching, guessing. Another voice trickles in below from the lowered SCA, and Tidus manages to catch some of what's said. A warning?

"Don't worry, I'm going now!" That's warning enough, isn't it? And there's no room for magic and chatting, so Tidus adds, for one last exchange: "Just watch out, don't wanna land on you. Alright, gotta go!"

Tidus doesn't disconnect the call, but that cheery note is the one he leaves on before there's a sound - a gushing, a noise of rushing water, "You're driving!" audible or not above it from the device.

And there's a similar noise about a yard away from where Roland is, their locations not too near, nothing to be seen until a figure thrusts forward over the top of the high wall, casting a shadow down below as with a cry...

"Yeaaahh!"

...there comes one apparent adult riding what appears to be a bubble of water down over to his side. Fortunately, the water cushioning their drop--

"--guh!"

Okay, or maybe it reaches the ground too quick and bounces Tidus off his ride, knocking him over and scattering with him the multiple of higgledies previously inside the water ride.

it's ok though, they were already at ground level.

Between another passenger's apparent water skills and Tidus's own penchant for the element, Roland had no idea this was the mission where he finds every opportunity to get soaked; or almost. Ironic for where they are, a place drier and colder and more stagnant than anywhere else he's been stationed thus far.

The brief warning gives him little reprieve, until the cry from above and the shadow that covers him like a blanket are too close for a complete dodge. His boots and pants are collateral damage, though thankfully that's it for his clothes when Tidus comes crashing down, the little blue sprites bouncing about and rolling on the floor with squeals ringing in the air as they return to form.

The face Roland makes as he walks forth to offer Tidus a hand up is not new, though if anything, it's more serene than it is displeased. As if such an instance was expected despite the cautionary note he ended up expressing to Tidus earlier.

"That's one way to do it." He goes. "Welcome back, pro. You wanna stand and see if you sprained anything?"

Man, Roland never warned him how finicky a Water Slide could be to use. Not that Tidus ever considers that his use of a Water Slide isn't the usual means that people go for. But then, it's not really a complaint. The winds might be somewhat blown out of his sails as he lifts his back off from the ground, but he lets out a small 'woo!' as he blinks, returns to all his senses. Does he have all of them? Feels like it!

Tidus hears Roland first before he actually takes note of his presence there, reaching out and accepting the hand extended.

"Just soaked. Nothing to it! ...well, I guess I need to work on landings more. Hey!" His mouth hasn't been broken any by the way it's working, Tidus up on his feet and now looking at the wall that once annoyed and separated them in a new light.

"This place is perfect for practice! Nothing attacking us and all these walls in the way? We should make the most of it!"

"..."

Apart from the stare he grants Tidus, incredulous at the suggestion, there's a tiny voice at the back of his mind convinced that he's right. There might be no other mission where such a thing would be considered safe - between juggling civilian protection and actual collateral damage.

Still, who would Roland be if he didn't fight such an instinct on the get-go, opting for the cut and dry route before he relents?

"Do you think that's a good idea? Do we have time for something like that? We're technically on the clock here."

It's an honest question from a truly curious guy. And because he's unused to doing things that may not be directly related to finding answers.

"The clock to where? We're going in the same direction, and there's nothin' around. What's the big rush?" He could usually understand Roland's concerns, but Tidus spreads out his hands now to the scenery of boring about them. One that hasn't changed for hours, now - if one doesn't count the shifting walls.

"It's not like I'm going to stop moving! I'm just going to jump some walls whenever they show up." The flash of a grin, and he adds innocently, "And I can practice carrying some company over with me too! What do you say?"

Don't you love getting involved with Tidus's ideas around magic, Roland.

Curse his professional jargon. Trigger warning on those clocks, Roland, please.

He makes a sound as if almost relenting to the idea, but the angel on his shoulder is trying its best to pull him back into the light. Don't, this is dangerous and you have a mission to attend to! Answers that need to be unearthed! Mysteries unfolding!

And yet. The point still comes across as rational. Tidus really hit the nail on the head here. They usually got a couple of days to themselves to investigate too, so Roland wonders if today might be the day Tidus wins.

Boy does he ever.

His expression is one of great skepticism, but the steps he takes towards Tidus is one that encourages; he's not turning it down. "How would you go about it?"

We will never get over the clocks.

"Okay." Okay. He's got to actually be serious and thoughtful about this, and Tidus prepares for this sell, hands spreading out with palms facing down at his sides. Unknowingly, but perhaps fortunately, Roland questioning him on this is making Tidus have to lay down what he's going to do than just rushing into it.

"You remember how we did it back in the games room? Like that! And over by those electrical towers. I summon some water under us and I put a little oomph into it-" you know, some oomph! "-to get it moving, and Gibbs makes it bigger and takes us over! It's simple."

Wow, simpler than he figured it'd be to explain! There's absolutely nothing he's missing here.

...

...

"...Just, uh...my smooth landing isn't so smooth. I'm not really used to turning off a spell." So to speak.

This elevator pitch is inspired, and that's not sarcasm for once. In fact, it spurs Roland to come up with a solution as soon as he can think of it. If the problem is just to make sure they're safe and sound down below, then -

"I have something. We can try it. At least it'll be safer than landing on nothing."

What is he talking about? Let him reveal it to you step by step. First comes the initial surprise, the glow of a higgledy coming out of someone's heart no longer a shock to either of them. But it's not the pfire sprite that he usually holds close, oh no. This one seemed...special.

'Hiig.'

Roland crosses his arms and looks to Tidus. "He has a trick up his sleeve that can cushion the fall. I've seen it help with other things apart from combat, too. Trust me."

The said higgledy begins to dance in place, excited at the thought of helping Tidus out. He'll never guess it.

Edited 2021-02-01 15:38 (UTC)

Hibber-Gibbers, in his re-joined form, squeaks delightfully at the presence of the other high higgledy; bouncing over to be in closer proximities to it and even to join in on the dance. A different, unbaffled kind of surprised compared to Tidus (then again, maybe Gibbers already knew - who knows what these higgledy get up to!), who needs a moment to confirm to himself that no, that isn't Bamoosh with a new look. ... ... right?

"Uh. Wait." Hold up on this trust thing, the pulled brow knotting at the middle where they both meet. Pointing a forefinger at their new companion. "There something you wanna tell me?"

Please let's not do this cool reveal act that you love so much, old man! Keeping higgledy secrets like this!

It's a party right now, with all this synchronized boogieing!

And it dawns on him that he's been feeding his new buddy all by his lonesome all this time, so there was never any chance to make proper introductions. That, or he's not in the mood to make excuses for his cool guy act okay! Roland glances over at the crowned-caped higgledy, a small little sword in his hand though it looks more like a twig than an actual weapon, before looking back at Tidus with a straight face.

"This is Rannygazoo the Resolute." Finally, his expression breaks with a small smile. "Another high higgledy. We saved him too, back home. He was hiding inside of me, of all places." Usually he'd stop there and get to the business of the experiment at hand, walls waiting for them to traverse, but...He hesitates before speaking, though its an earnest addition to the train of thought.

"If Gibbs is for hope, and Jumblie is for joy, this one is for determination." He looks away for a moment before settling back on the dancing little ones having a blast. "I guess I just needed to be reminded of what that felt like. To keep going, one step at a time."

Roland shakes his head, forcing the moment to pass. As it must. "So. Ready for our daring contribution to your plan?"

You can miss a higgledy just hanging out in your heart? is what Tidus thinks, some conceding on the fact (well, maybe he forgets about Gibbs being in there sometimes too...) that doesn't really go anywhere as he listens to Roland. Whatever the case was with this Rannygazoo guy (Rannygazoo? What a name), something in particular sure happened when they found him. A story for another time.

"What do we do?" Tidus asks, a way of approval. He looks from Roland, glancing to the higgledies, a hand resting on his hip. "You want us to do what we did now and leave the rest to Rannygazoo?"

...Tidus scoffs as soon as the name leaves his lips, holding back the width of the smile that wants to form. Okay, that is even more hilarious to say than to hear. Please don't call him out on this giggle.

"Uhuh. You got it."

He definitely doesn't, but you can't stop that amused glance thrown Tidus's way for a split second either! Don't ask him - it's not in his wheelhouse to name higgledies. Roland turns back and for a second there, it looks as if Rannygazoo and him are meeting eyes, with the smaller one stopping completely to stare, communicating in silence. Then he nods, and suddenly...disappears in midair. Roland walks to Tidus's side, ready for the move.

Hibber-Gibbers too, seems to understand inherently what's about to happen, but doesn't quite say specifically what he knows. Instead, jumping back into Tidus's arms, crawling up to his shoulder in proud standing. Hyping him up, as one might in a game ready to unfold. Where's the rock music when you need it?

"Trust the little guy. He's connected to me, after all. Have I ever let you down?" Roland jokingly taunts, though he knows he'll receive a similar joke in return, a jab at his...being Roland, or whatever strikes Tidus's fancy today. Still. Its an easy thing to say now that he knows precisely how they'll land. So he gets ready for it, waiting for the cue.

The said higgledy in charge of their safety is nowhere to be found, at least not where they can see.

Edited 2021-02-04 14:10 (UTC)

The rock music is in their souls, baby.

"Well, I'll think about that one." --but he's not going to pass up on the joke, just as Roland predicts, his right hand making a so-so gesture for the fun of it before Tidus curls into a fist. Brought in towards him, his eyes closing as the water begins to form from underneath his feet.

And it's with the water becoming visible that Hibber-Gibbers uses his newfound perch more as a jumping board. And, with a salute - down he goes. Disappearing into the water that then expands, raises; the flow a continuous circulation within a disk-shaped platform. Tidus opens his eyes, relaxing some of the tension of his shoulders, if slowly so. Looking over to Roland, nodding his head.

"Get on!"

Time to get this thing flying...!

"Here goes nothing!"

That should just be Roland's catchphrase for every time he agrees to experiment on their magic together, Tidus's penchant for taking huge risks rubbing off on Roland's more conservative instincts. He hops on the disk-shaped water platform, the feeling no longer as alien as it once was on the island, and there's an inherent trust that he places on Tidus's shoulders the higher up they go, until they see above the tops of strangely disappearing walls.

"W-Whoa! Gah!"

Don't mind his sounds as he tries to steady himself, bracing his core, arms tensed out by the side for balance. Oh his higgledy better not let them down. Literally.

"Aren't we high up enough, Tidus...?!"

Doing this with Gibbs is a lot more work than it looks, though it's fortunately the kind that still puts more of the effort on the higgledy- not a high ask, when it's concerning the skill and control of water of a water-aligned being. But it's Tidus who has to keep the water in motion, which for him just means in its summoning state; a small obligation in actual energy, but its the continuous part of it that Tidus needs to keep going.

So, he should really care about how high or not high they are. Right? When he hears that worrisome call to him from his pal, his buddy, his old man of the train-

"Higher?" He's not even sold behind the idea as he says it, but there's something about the moment itself that convinces him; that in-the-moment recklessness that might be all him, might be more Gibbs than will ever be known. "--Higher!"

And higher they go, a burst of water growing louder in their ears, the world below them stitching closer together, more detailed the farther they get. But Tidus isn't looking down but up above, the way ahead when their travel starts to arch. Eventually, when Gibbers feels like it.

'Does he think this is funny?!' Roland thinks in a flurry of panic, but the answer is obviously yes. A long resounding yes. Or Tidus just has a completely different version of fun that Roland's never going to understand, but here they are. There's no turning back when the wind kissing his face is sharp and cold, the spray of water dampening the bottom of his pant legs and parts of his skin. Too high up even for someone who's used Water Slide to go down thousands and thousands of miles deep into an Abyss at the bottom of the ocean. Whatever calm Roland tries to exude at this point has all but disappeared, his hands to his sides gripping Tidus's sleeve while he braces himself internally for whatever end comes.

"Tidus, this isn't practice!" He tries to shout amidst the ambient noise. At the same time, his heart is practically calling for the second higgledy to manifest now that the downwards arc towards the ground begins, descending faster and faster, gravity doing the rest.

"-Aaaaaaaaawwwhoaaa! Now's a good time to come out!" Which he doesn't say for Tidus's sake, but it does stir Rannygazoo's crowned little head to pop out from beneath them, some ways away still, appearing as dots in their vision. Ten others surround him, jumping in glee. Then, a bright flash of light greets the two riding the disk of water. Where once stood small, tiny little sprites; now, an almost six feet tall giant higgledy knight bellows out deep from its hollow armor, no longer high-pitched in squeal but an echoed cry that sounds almost inhuman. The sword in his hand is planted sluggishly into the ground, so that its arms are able to hold up its huge shield right in front of its body, the width covering his entire breadth, ready to meet the spray of water in full force.

'Higgle! Brave souls, it's time for a most wonderful landing! Piiiggle!'

Get ready to use the shield to ricochet to safety - ! Thank goodness for Hibber-Gibbers's synchronized understanding of the plan in advanced!

Edited 2021-02-10 14:18 (UTC)

"Just chill!" comes Tidus's response to Roland, swallowed up by the surrounding air. Even with the man right next to him, clinging onto him with a grip that Tidus won't ever make fun of, he wonders if he hears him, but he won't bother calling a second a second time. It's exhilarating to him, this daring rush of about them; the height secondary to the way his nerves become giddy and bewildered all at once, but he doesn't shy away from watching the returning view below.

"Wooooooohoooooooo!"

Which might explain that joyous cry as they advance back towards ground level. Tidus has his own grasp on the side of Roland's shirt, more for balance than fear, his other hand pressed to the side of his forehead, the length of his arm attempting to be used as a shield to keep his eyes drying out (no, it's not working out). Fist still squeezed tight, as if some reminder of the connection he's meant to be keeper. And through the same synchronisation with his own higgledy, Tidus knows their landing is coming; giving Hibber-Gibbers nothing but the faith louder in his heart than anything he could affirm with words. What he does speak, he does for Roland, tugging on his fabric of his shirt.

"Get ready!"

Everything happens, and it happens quick, but not as quick as it may seem. Hibber-Gibbers brings them downward but follows no exterior pull but his own. Gravity? What's that? No concern of Gibbs's, as by the time the shapes of walls and paths that make the unfinished city become more life-sized than toy, the air is nearer to a breeze than the hissing it was high above. They meet the shield, and there's a sensation under them that can only be described as a bump; the disk of water indeed bouncing off from the shield, it ascends only by a few feet and then lands on the ground -

and bursts, Tidus falling backwards with a "wah!" and taking Roland with him, to join the collection of water higgledy and Hibber-Gibbers already thrown around.

There was an error here, but it wasn't Gibbs's. Right now though, there's no room for figuring that out; only the sound of laughter coming from Tidus, the back of his clothing becoming thoroughly soaked.

Don't forget the squealing (happy) higgledys, either.

From the apex till the descent, the noises coming out of Roland are a mix of what could be actual laughter with a healthy dose of inaudible, nonverbal sounds. But it's too hard to tell when he's trying his best not to actually scream. As if his voice could outdo Tidus's anyway; the grip against his shirt makes for an appropriate balancing act between the two of them on the water slide side by side, until he's tugged and forced to brace.

Why does Roland have a feeling something else influenced the higgledy knight waiting for their descent...? This definitely doesn't feel like it's part of the plan he agreed on before Rannygazoo disappeared out into the wide open dome. But whatever reservations grow in his mind are useless at the point they're incepted. Rannygazoo lifts the shield at the wrong angle, whereas the original plan was supposed to be to help them softly land on their feet. So at the impact, and the subsequent pull towards the ground, Roland rolls onto the wet ground, completely soiling his clothes, with the entire charade ending as he manages to stare up at the empty ceiling of their already suspicious mission.

There's a lot to take in here, between the ringing of Tidus's laughter and the sharp cries of higgledies who seem to believe they were successful in this venture. Rannygazoo is actually on top of Roland's chest, dancing that higgledy dance, telling him in the very back of his mind that he thought this was the most appropriate course of action.

Traitor. He answers inwardly. But on the outside, Roland is heaving, smiling but not quite, a hand on his forehead while his other arm is laid out to the side. So much for a safe, TRUST ME WHEN HAVE I EVER LET YOU DOWN experiment.

"This is insane," he manages to breathe out, the grin finally forming more soundly on his lips. "I can't believe we've never had a single experiment of yours actually follow-through with the plan." Roland's definitely not angry, but as he sits up to squeeze the water from his ponytail, it's also quite clear he's a little bit more amused than he should be.

"Are you okay? Did you land fine?"

Edited 2021-02-13 11:41 (UTC)

"Don't blame me!" comes Tidus's protest, whatever else could follow -- explanations, reasonings -- put aside as Gibbers comes to Tidus's head in all cheerful glory. They know what happened, but are ether of them flustered or disappointed in themselves? Not at all, by the cool jiggy the higgledy is continuing to do along with its other watery brethren, the chuckle that Tidus is lifting himself off his back with.

He doesn't know what there's to complain about, really. This went pretty well, in Tidus's opinion!

"I'm fiiine," he drawls easily, following that up with a shake of his head like a dog trying to dry out its fur. Included: mouth noises like 'hughgughug' as it does so. "Nothing's gonna knock me out easy! I just need to work on my side of helping us fly more. Keeping magic going isn't easy, you know!"

Even with a water-gifted being like Hibber-Gibbers on his side dealing with the actual water and directing. But Tidus should probably think about picking himself out of this puddle he's in, slow as he is to get up and onto his feet.

"How about we try it again closer to ground?"

Is Tidus actually a dogfolk, though???? Do dogfolk even do that when they get drenched? Roland has questions...and a look to throw his way, while he can get away with it. Settle down, boy...

And while Roland could say something about that too - wanting to ask how it feels to channel pure magic the way the others can with their wands, spears, swords, weapons - today is not the day for it. He squeezes his ponytail from base to the tips of the strands, not quite shaking himself out of water the way Tidus does, but coming to stand carefully in his own puddle. Eyes on the pro as he decides there's no saving his hair today, so it's re-tied back into a bun instead.

"I just called you crazy for that stunt, and your first suggestion is we try it again?" Should he be expecting a different outcome at this point. "Okay, what are you changing apart from the height? Is that all? That makes a difference?"

Look at Roland still not saying no, though.

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blitzcheer - 2021-02-22 18:50 (UTC) - Expand

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adregem - 2021-02-23 16:58 (UTC) - Expand

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