middleofsomewhere | Let's Get Down to Business

Let's Get Down to Business

Let's Get Down to Business

On day twenty two of the month of Llama a message comes up on the ICP's.

Voidtreckers have many questions about what happened on system #93426194992 and the entity that was encountered. Analysis shows that the entity on system #93426194992 was also present on systems #86525656412355 and #2207385.

Though it is not known what that entity is, it is clear that it possesses some level of mind influence and complex illusionary magic.

There is a void nexus on system #62138 inhabited by a religious order that, due to their close proximity to the void, employ mental techniques to help with such illusions.

We will be visiting system #62138 for three Days. The Voidtrecker express will remain with the Voidtreckers during this time and due to the nature of the void nexus it is highly advisable to sleep on board.

System #62138 is a wet world. All Voidtreckers will be safe but are advised to keep their SCAs on at all times. This should be the standard on all systems.

THE VOID NEXUS
From the windows of the Voidtrecker Express, passengers see the Void Nexus as a vast island surrounded by darkness, punctuated with rivets of colours running through the sky that casts a glow of blues and violets as they descend closer to the surface. The world faintly blurs the way one’s sight does when sinking into the depths of an ocean, the train manoeuvring around tall rocks that rise like digitates, a sea-green hue deepening over the rocky land outside.

The train doors open from each carriage, and luckily it’s not a flood that welcomes them but clammy air cool to the skin. They come out to a section of land sparse of more than tunicate-like plants under their feet, pools of silvery water otherwise sunk between small pathways that lead like bridges forward.

Which is likely their destination, a vast coral-like structure with a high opening awaiting them - and as they get closer, a being far taller than any of the Voidtrecker themselves.

ARRIVAL

They are met by a tall robed figure. First glance will show them to be a deep purple in colour with a domed head and long tentacles sprouting from their chin that sway slightly when they move. Still they nod deeply and their mouth moves into a shape that could be interpreted as a smile.

"Welcome to those of the VoidTrecker Express. Your arrival was foretold and we have awaited you. Please accept our hospitality."

They lead them onwards, explaining that outsiders are always welcome here but ask them to remain within the public parts of the temple. They further explain that their order is for the most part a silent one. There is no restriction on the voices of guests but they should not be insulted if the members of the order do not answer.

Once a small tour has been conducted the Voidtreckers are left to their own devices to train or explore as they see fit.

IT'S A TRAINING MONTAGE
Going through to the back of the temple will lead them outside once more, the gentle sound of falling water greeting them at what seems to be a distance. But yet - faint as it is to see, glistening in translucent silvers and pinks - the water is quite near and wide, spilling from the high mountain cliff that borders in an otherwise enclosed space. The pool takes up a large portion of this garden, of coral reef and circled stone pathways where every step must be considered, unless you’d like a surprise trip and dip.

Fortunately, the silver water here is light. Submerging yourself in it or sitting under its flow, you won’t find the hard rush of its weight over your heads and shoulders, and the same weightlessness follows you going under. You find that you can breathe and when you come away from the lake, your body and clothes are lightly damp at most.

Still, there is plenty of ground to walk along without going over the pool. However, the first steps of learning mental fortitude against illusionary obstacles will take you into...

[ MEDITATION. ] To combat irrationalities is to iron your own reactions to them. You are instructed to sit where you find it comfortable: those unused to mental training should keep to the shoreline, while the more intermediate may find taking the stone steps out to large limpet-shaped shells - sizeable to fit 3-4 people each - a better challenge. Those more daring should sit under the waterfall or to go into the water’s depths, where you at least don’t need to worry about breathing, or even getting that wet.

To get wet isn’t the purpose, fortunately. The purpose comes the moment you close your eyes - for as soon as you do, you feel. You sense. Some other, some thing, a presence your mind decides must be there. This sensation is lighter by the shore, but sitting above the water or submerging yourself inside it brings it stronger against you. In truth there is nothing there, no one but the other Voidtreckers, but the spell of the water - or is it the void within the water? - makes your brain think otherwise, logic not welcome company.

Being in groups can help ease the effects through the SCAs, but otherwise, true control comes down to yourself. Breaks are recommended, as there’s no point wearing down an already exhausted mind. Your mind is your defence. Strengthen it. Wield it as a weapon.

[ Combat. ]

Though not exactly what they are here for Voidtreckers will notice that this order of void worshipers train in a form of martial arts. They train outside, using the watery air as part of their movement. Training is done in large group sessions and without weapons. It has a strong focus of listening to the world around them and fighting in a way that makes them one with the world, using the environment to their advantage.

Even though that might not seem the most useful to people who won't be fighting in an environment such as this world, it is at least a good form of exercise.

Any voidtrecker who is curious is welcome to join in the training and those that show especial interest can take more specific lessons aimed at beginners.

TRAVELLING THE NEXUS
[ OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE. ] While the lake and surrounding temple will help to strengthen one’s mental defences with perseverance and training, there is more that can be done away from the temple, and the island is free to be explored. The Voidtrecker Express is stationed where it dropped everyone off, and returning to it will offer everyone a mental relief regardless of the levels of their ongoing training.

The marshland continues beyond the train, one route mostly made by the natural stone pillars that rise up from the ground like stalagmites. Higher cliffs can be climbed by those who wish to, if just for a higher view, curiosity, or privacy. From wherever you look, this island gives off the same impression as most of it already has: sea-like.

[ PLANTS. ] Underfoot, there is not earth-like grass or flowers, but seagrass, kelp, algae and more. They grow along the stone, idly waving as if submerged in water and pushed by unseen waves. Strange blue plants with purple-tipped tendrils will wiggle if touched, while at the higher levels, small bulbs of some kind cluster around the size of a fist. Types of plankton make the gnats of this nexus, too tiny most of the time to be noticed as more than dots to the eyes.

[ CREATURES. ] Also, don’t forget the fish. As tiny as a pinky finger, as big as a hand, the size of a human; they swim through the air, not particularly caring for the Voidtreckers, but also not looking to engage with them. The larger of the fish travel higher than the smaller, and those as big as whales farther up than even the taller cliffs can reach. For those that have any ideas of hunting, they will know - mysteriously, as if recalling the thought - that they should go for the larger fish, and not harm the younger, smaller ones. Those are tastier, after all.

[ STONE FOREST. ] Travel low or high, the way will take them to what appears to be a forest that spans across a large portion of the central island. But as the rest of the nexus is, this is no ordinary, woody land. Its trees are stone, coral, rising high and jagged, the water in the atmosphere denser in this jungle of rock. It turns the world a sea-green to move through, with plants and coral everywhere to be seen. The air denser, thicker, leaving small droplets of water on skin and clothes.

There are no real paths than the spaces between the ‘trees’, but there are guides to find your way to somewhere: pink jellyfish, or something of the sort floating around. They are the shiri as the monks call them, and looking upon them will tell you they will help you find where you need to go, that they will aid you if you get lost and think of them. And for those whose thoughts lean such a way, they will know that harming them will bring a greater injury to the individual who does so tenfold, and they will find no guidance at all on this nexus until they have repented.

Read: Enjoy being stuck on the train for the rest of the stay.

[ CONCH LAKE. ] For those less destructive, a short travel through the stone forest will lead them to a lake, with what can only be described as a conch shell gazebo accessible in its centre. Bubbles float up and around, balls of water made to linger by whatever strange force controls this place. They can be made to bounce away and around with a touch, and respond to being thrown as a ball might. Just, watch out: They like to burst at random, no matter the force used, scattering as tiny beads all over the air.

The water here is different from that around the temple, its colour more blue, but closer to aqua than what many are used to. Yet diving into it will have the similar properties that allows one to hold their breath for much longer than usual, and to move with an ease, like floating weightlessly. There’s no worry if they close their eyes here, a peace radiating from the pool; like a refuge from the trickery that lurks no matter where you are in this nexus.

Climbing out of the pool will have you damp, more appropriately soaked than the temple’s lake. There’s nothing like towels or a great way to dry off, but you can sit and hang around under the conch gazebo if you like.

Or perhaps messing around isn’t what brought you here, but the four iridescent slabs of stone that stand at intercardinal points at the edges of the lake, that speak of the Trials to the mind when you look upon them.

THE FOUR CAVERN TRIALS

There are four caverns, four trials, with each slab suggesting their test. Upon deciding where you will go, a shiri will come to guide your character through the forest to where the stone trees part, and a half an hour walk will lead Voidtreckers to a vesicular cavern.

You know as you approach the cave’s mouth that the shiri will guide you out if you need it, but they stay outside, leaving those searching for advanced training to journey on in themselves. Passengers descend, dots of light coming through the multiple holes above to illuminate the way as you go deeper into the cave.

And you won’t have to go far to find the crystals in any of the caverns, though there’s many pathways to go deeper in. Attacking the stones to break them won’t do much, but when you put your hand on one…

The illusions start, pulling in anyone nearby.

[ CAVE OF PERCEIVING. ]    Bend deceiving labyrinths into your own path.

What is real? What is not? This cave holds a large underground river flowing through it. The water is not too fast flowing or deep but it is cold enough to be a shock if anyone falls in.

Fall in they might for their task is to cross the river. The river is filled with stones large enough to hold a person as they cross. However not all of those stones are real, some are just illusions and if they step on the illusionary rocks they will fall through to the river below.

It is possible to get by on trial and error but the task will not be considered complete until they force their minds to see through the illusions are perceive the one true path.

[ CAVE OF ENDURANCE. ]    Wounds bleed and skin burns only to bodies that believe it.

This cave may differ between Voidtreckers. Sometimes it is a monster they must face or an environmental challenge to battle through.Perhaps the searing heat of a fire or the low altitude and freezing temperature of a mountain top. Perhaps a lizard with claws and teeth. The important part is not defeating the threat but to neutralise the damage. It's not real and the mind can overcome it.

All the caves are probably best faced in groups but this was especially so. They are unlikely to be able to make the damage unreal to start with and so there is likely to be a fight or struggle before they succeed.

[ CAVE OF HEART. ]    To accept crafted desires is to invite everlasting grief.

Here they are in a beautiful place. A meadow, a forest, a rocky beach. The weather is beautiful, not too hot not too cold. A little further in is something they want, something their heart yearns for.

They can't see it yet but they are sure they will, if only they go deeper into the grass, the trees, the water. It is there, just out of reach.

To pass this test they must walk away. Turn around and leave despite their heart calling to them to go deeper.

[ CAVE OF MIND. ]    Craft a weapon from your own vulnerabilities.

Fear does not have to be a weakness. The cave is filled with a lake and in the centre there is a bubble of water, it contains something they fear. They can't see it but they know it is there. Perhaps a person, a place, an object.

Facing a fear is one thing but this task asks for more than that. To accept the fear as part of them, to turn it into a strength to protect others.

This trial is the most personal and perhaps the most difficult. They must step into that space, knowing that they will face what they fear whilst also knowing that it won't be real and use that knowledge and acceptance to bring down the entire illusion, bubble, lake and all.

art sources: alien / landscapes / waterfall / caverns

OOC Information

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nevermind his water ball being thrown completely off-course; so is Tidus, nearly stumbling and losing his balance above with that awesome leggy up throw that he was doing, does, and then SOMEONE comes along with their big loud voice!!

Thankfully, there's no visits to medical necessary, Tidus spinning around to look at Inigo, then at the sky.

"Wh-what?! Where?!"

He's not looking high enough.

Sorry, bro. Maybe Inigo will have time to appreciate your cool moves later.

Right now there's important business to be had. Inigo's excitement about this fish doesn't seem like it's cooling down anytime soon - after all, he's definitely thinking of how much fun it might be to catch that fish. And just how much food they'll get out of it.

"It's there!" Inigo points up - way up, mind you.

In fact, before Tidus might even notice the fish itself, he might just notice the huge shadow it casts over them as it swims by, all the way up there.

"Can you see it? Isn't it huge?! It can be our trophy!"

It's not hard to miss the fact there's giant fish swimming around. They're giant, they cast shadows everywhere whenever they go by. ...they're also incredibly high up, and what did that mean for their real size, if their forms still would drape the ground closer to their level into a shroud of shade?

Tidus looks up - and he's dubious. For once the guy to be so.

"Yeah, but... how are we gonna attack it? We can't stab something like that thing once. And we need to get up there!"

Bro! They might need like, a plan? For once? This seems like it needs a plan.

"Aww, Tidus! Come on!"

It seems that Tidus most definitely has to be the ideas guy today, since it seems that a near-childish excitement has taken over Inigo. He looks like a kid who's just been told he's going to an amusement park - just that excited at the idea of somehow taking out this big fish, even though it does seem pretty impossible between its potential size and the height it's floating at.

"Aren't you a flexible guy? And a water guy! I bet you know some great way to get up there."

.. yeah, Inigo definitely isn't helping with working out the concrete details, other than providing excitement, huh.

There's just a figurative puppy tail wag.

'And a water guy'! What does that even mean on a world he's never been to before!? Does a nexus count as a world? Tidus is counting it as a world for now. But for his disbelief, he doesn't voice it - unlike his expression - while he attempts to scan the area; as if he might find some kind of staircase or obvious 'lift' that has Inigo thinking they can even get that high. But it's nothing but water...

And then, where does the idea come from? His mind, or the fellow in his heart? When his eyes blink, widening, and he looks back at Inigo not entirely sure, but-

"Gibbs might be able to get us up there." That took care of one problem, with another idea following with some puzzlement. "And I can-- try stunning and making it drop!"

You know, with that one spell of his.

Inigo grins. "See? I knew you could do it!"

(Thanks, Inigo, for your contribution.)

"If nothing else, he could maybe do that thing again he did back on Nion!" You remember? Inigo hasn't forgotten. If not just because Roland's reactions to the whole thing were so dramatic. Inigo just thought it was fun, so he doesn't mind repeating it here - and with there being more water than back on Nion, Gibbs could maybe even do it himself without needing Tidus's help. "As long as its skin isn't so strong that my sword can't pierce it, I should be able to take care of it. Especially when it's stunned."

So, you know, it can't try to eat Inigo in return or something. That'd be awkward. Rest in peace, Inigo, swallowed by a huge fish.

"You're looking at a hunter, after all!" Look how proudly he's puffing out his chest.

Despite really not being the main contributor here.

Back in Nion - nearly tickle Roland to an early grave? That's where Tidus's mind goes, along with throwing the high higgledy like a stun bomb, but doing the latter here when they'll need him to reach the target isn't going to be the smartest course of action. Even Tidus can see that.

But it's not so bad - at the very least, it can't get bad. If they can't get their fish, then what's the worst that'll happen? And Gibbers, a fly on the wall for most of his thoughts is in agreement with the test. There's a glow to his chest that Tidus wordlessly approves the meaning for, and from out of it comes the tiny blue creature.

Tidus shuffles his feet, resigned to this plan. Waving out his arms as, well - nowhere to go now than to their destination.

"Get ready then! We'll need to catch up! Gibbs?"

The higgledy doesn't need Tidus's spell with the water surrounding them in the air. So with a twirl as it jumps, disappearing, water condenses from the atmosphere itself and makes a platform for the two guys to step on where Hibber-Gibbers was, raising up higher as a forever expanding pathway.

Just like in Disney movies!!

Inigo doesn't hesitate before stepping onto the platform. Gibbs's powers have never failed them.. well, other than the times when water just got everywhere. But other than getting a little wet, Inigo has never suffered any negative side-effects from the little higgledy using his powers.

So doesn't even worry about Gibbs dropping them. Instead he's very calm as they're moving higher and higher up, just looking around them. First there's the small fish, but the higher they go, the bigger the fish seem to get. And they exist in all sorts of colours and shapes, unlike anything Inigo has ever seen.

He didn't grow up near the water, after all. He wonders if this is maybe a little more normal to Tidus.

Inigo already makes his sword appear out of his band, holding it by his side.

"Are you ready with that stun spell? I think we're getting close now. And we don't want one of those things to catch us by surprise!"

.. especially since they're starting to look really big, now they're getting closer and closer.

Spoilers, this is nothing like anything Tidus has seen. He's seen fish, sure, plenty, but he's never had any reason to go down deep or explore, always sticking to the city. A city that was wondrous, but a different sort from the awe that laying his eyes anywhere around this nexus inspires.

Nevertheless, Gibber leads them on a wide path that chases after Inigo's fish. A fish that doesn't move that fast, but still needs to be caught up with, in both height and distance. The air - or whatever one would call the space above ground - feels different to their bodies, the swirling colours of the void that coat the sky coming closer above their heads.

Though it's their destination that Tidus focuses on, ignoring the weightier feel to his body. Is it real, or just his imagination? Listening to Inigo instead, and seeing that the creature isn't that far now...

"Soon as we get close, I'll jump on its back and strike it from above! You stay with Gibbs or come with!"

In case a bro wants to jump too. He's been practicing sweet flips with his grav con, after all!

And honestly, the idea of jumping and riding on the back of a giant fish was really pumping Tidus up. This was going to be so cool...!!!

"Of course I'm coming along! What do you think I am, a baby?" Please, like Inigo is going to skip out on such a cool idea. He too loves the idea of just jumping on that fish and riding through the air on it, while trying to take it down. It's like an action scene from one of those movies they watched. ".. no offense, Gibbs."

Look, he's not saying Gibbs is a baby for staying, he's doing important work! He's just saying Inigo himself would be a baby if he'd stay behind!

Even though he knows it's risky. He has the grav-con with him, but who's to say if it would work here, when the air here feels more like some weird kind of water, almost? And sure, Tidus can make the jump without it, so technically Inigo should be able to do so too, but..

.. well, the chance he'll just plummet is very real.

But he's not going to let that stop him now.

"I can make it." Brave words for someone who actually isn't as confident about this as he's making it sound.

Does Gibbers know what to be offended by? Where in their watery path even is Gibbs in all this? Who knows, but there's no show of offence, and whether or not the pair consider it, the higgledy is going to be their safety catch in case anything bad happens.

But what could go wrong.

"Well-!" The word is said, called out on a breath as Tidus starts to pick up a pace, from a walk to a jog, turning quick into a dash- "Get ready!"

Because their big boy is coming in, larger than anything below - larger than even Tidus comprehended from below or halfway to meeting it, tail fin waving slow and sluggishly.

It goes better than anticipated: Tidus does a graceful jump onto the fish's back, blade ready and coming down to stun it, and Inigo following him on with cool slicing moves. They plummet back down to ground riding on the fish's back, and it's a little worrying but otherwise VERY. COOL.

That's not close to what happens.

Because there's resistance even before Tidus really realises it, but Gibbers does, though the higgledy doesn't stop trying to push forward to get them into a good spot. The thickening air becomes rapidly more so the closer they get to the giant monstrosity of a fish just trying to enjoy its life, an aura about it of a body adjusted for its climate, and who knows what else in this nexus so exposed to the void?

Tidus's run becomes less so, though stubbornness makes him try to push through it. The turned away tail fin swings slowly in their direction-

And it's like a tidal wave coming to knock them back - Inigo, Tidus, and higgledy, unmorphed from his watery transport, the three thrown.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

With Tidus's acoustics to be their background music as they knock into fish, flung down into what can only be described as an inky, marshy pit.

Welcome to unknown land.

This is so not going as planned. It was a stupid plan. A dumb plan. Who would come up with an idiotic plan like this in the first place?!

(Inigo, of course. This is totally his fault for wanting to go after the big fish that way.)

But right now they're just flying(?) through the air(?). It's hard to realise how anything is working in this strange place. All Inigo can parse is that they're moving way too fast and entirely in the wrong direction, just helplessly flung around the the force that tail movement created in the air. He tries to move, sure, but all he finds he's able to do with this force is uselessly flailing his arms around like a toddler without actually getting anywhere.

He doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know if they could just swim in this air-water, but then again, Inigo isn't good enough of a swimmer to be able to move against this current. And what if they do nothing? Will they just fall flat on the ground, all their bones broken?

He doesn't want to find out.

So Inigo does the only thing he can think of doing right now: calling for help. Hey, at least it's the tiniest bit more helpful than just screaming.

"G-Gibbs, do something! Please!" Please don't let them die like this, little pal.

b-bro, are you judging his yelling?? rude.

Luckily however, Inigo's action is a good one. There's a squeak (debatable if it's heard under the stress and flying), and Hibber-Gibbers uses quick thinking of his own, enveloping the three of them within a bubble of water that's fast forming, large as he draws swiftly from the water in the atmosphere.

Granted, this means Inigo and Tidus can't breathe, but do they need air where they're going? Which they smash into after a few seconds - a smashing that's just a loud plop!, black inky mess splattering up high into the air, coming around their sphere of safety.

Imagine one large ball of water in an ink pond, smaller bubbles of inky black hovering around in the air. It's all very beautiful.

...if not for the breathing issue the boys might be thinking about. But don't worry, as there's no time to, as their bubble ball is bounced and bounced and bounced, direction and reality a lie as they're shaken around, until Gibbers finds them a surface to land on, and pops them from their protection.

And there's the little high higgledy, squeaking at the two, arms waving upward and spinning in place in joy. 'Young hearts, we made a successful landing!'

Nevermind that Tidus is groaning with his back against the floor, trying to stop the world from spinning.

Inigo would like to come off Mr. Fish's Wild Ride now, thanks.

Not that he isn't used to action. And fighting. But flying through the air in a water bubble while being unable to breathe? That's not exactly an experience he's used to, and it's one he'd never like to get used to. Because he'd never like to experience it again, ever.

Which means that for the moment they're just two miserable boys on the floor, groaning and whining as they try to get their bearings.

The only thing that gets Inigo to move even a little is that he doesn't want Hibber-Gibber to go unthanked for his action, so he sticks up a weak thumbs up.

"G-Good job, pal.." It's more a groan than actual words. By Naga, he's going to be sick. "Ugh.. Tidus, you alive..?"

"No," comes the very muffled groan, but even the hands on his face can't mask the absolute dramatics Tidus is going through. Then again, is it really dramatics if he and his stomach feel like they got spun into a washing machine?

He thinks he's going to be sick. Or a guy just needs a good moment to lay about in misery, while Gibbers - after giving Inigo a cheerful hig hiiig! for his good manners - has started to jump on his two little feet in an attempt to go after the many bubbles just floating around where they are.

Whenever the two humans feel the desire to actually get up, they'll find themselves beside....what looks like a tar pit. Bubbles slowly forming at its surface, then popping off and floating up - popping properly in the air. Everything looks a lot more dreary this side of the island.

...wherever this exactly is.

It definitely takes some time for even Inigo to sit up.

But once he does.. well, he's not entirely sure he wouldn't rather have stayed down, especially when he realises that this place looks absolutely nothing like the one they were in a moment ago. He's glad they didn't fall into the tar pit, sure, but that's just about the only lucky thing they've got going for them here.

He rises to his feet, and a moment later there's a tiny fish curiously floating in his face (making him shriek and almost stumble a step back, but thankfully he manages to retain his balance) before it quickly slips away, moving back higher up.

What has their life become.

Inigo steps over to his fallen friend, starting to shake him - and probably not really helping the nausea going on.

"Tidus." Nudge. "Tidus." Nudge, nudge. "Tidus, I think we're lost."

DID IT HAVE TO BE RATTLING.

Gibbers has ascended to higher heights once there's any substantial life in either of the boys, coming up with the cunning plan of making bubbles of his own to keep up his fun and games. Mind, 'substantial height' being about level of either of the guys standing up. A normal height for them, a massive mountain for the higgledy!!! hig hig!!

But oh, right. Tidus and Inigo. Tidus and Inigo, an unfortunate combined pair in this moment, in that one is rattling the other, and that other happens to be Tidus. Who was getting over his dizziness before someone decided to reintroduce it, and for it gets flailing limbs smacking at whatever they can knock above them.

Like, say, a face.

"Stttooopp iiiiit!"

Guhhhhh! He rolls onto his side, giving himself a second to breathe, and then finally opening his eyes to the world. Okay, he's picking himself sloowly up... into a seated position. Maybe. Attempting, anyway.

"That was...soooo lame. We didn't even get to touch it!"

What is he talking about?

Oh, right. The fish.

"Ouchouchouchouchouch--"

This is just turning into a circus show now. What is Inigo supposed to do in the face of those hands slapping at him, other than to start whining out loud and flailing his own limbs? It's only when Tidus relents that he can suck in a deep breath again before proceeding to rub his poor face.

Geez, you try to help a bro come to his senses, and this is the thank you get!! Inigo has the most thankless existence ever!!

"Tidus, did you even hear me?!"

IS THE LACK OF FISH TOUCHING REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT HERE AND NOW.

Leaning mostly on his arms, he's got his eyes half-open blearily, squinting at the world around him with a disgruntled expression more suited for being rudely woken up.

"Huh? Sure." And he doesn't bother to swing his gaze Inigo's way as he gives him a reply, eyeing the black pit in a way that shows he isn't sure he's seeing what he is. But no, hat sure is...a thing? A thing.

"Where'd we land? Is this...ugh. I can't swim in that." He shuffles back some more, finally shifting his weight onto his butt and letting his arms rest in his loosely made lap. Gaze going up.

"Nowhere good to fish here." Pah! "Gibbs! Where'd you take us?"

Apparently, he's spotted the bubble hopping friend up about, who only 'hig hiiig!'s in response. Thanks, pal!!

"I can't believe-- why are you thinking about touching fish? Or swimming?!"

Granted, at least the annoyance with the lack of a good fishing spot can be understood, considering what they were trying to do only a moment ago. Before they failed so spectacularly.

But Inigo is way too freaked out right now to react to this in such a - relatively - calmly annoyed way as Tidus is. Inigo is now just standing, pacing back and forth nervously. It's a small miracle he doesn't accidentally launch himself straight into the tar pit.

"We have no idea where we are. What if we're really far away from the temple?! What if we'll never find the way back?!" Why yes, his voice is rising in volume with each and every word. "Della is going to kill us if we don't show back up in time..!"

Look, usually he'd say either Roland or Taiki, but he doesn't want to think about them, too worried it'd dig into his sadness.

(Also, yes, of course he knows they could just evac. But that knowledge sure isn't at the forefront of Inigo's freaking out mind.)

Edited 2021-06-18 20:39 (UTC)

"Eh? Hmmm..." Tidus gives another eye around where they are, the pit burping its bubbles getting him to tilt his head. --but oh, right. Their situation.

"Well, we'll just evac back to the train if we can't find our way back there on foot! Or we can use Gibbs to get a higher view."

Be astounded to see Tidus in control of the one braincell! ...but also, it's very likely because he had to use evac back on that snow planet trip they took, so it being an option comes easier to his mind.

(Not that he thought about it to get unstuck from being locked in the room, or figured to use it when his SCA started to beep when it was time to leave- not until the very last second, anyway.)

He finally gets up to stand on his feet, brushing at his trousers as he pipes up far more confidently than the worrying Inigo: "Hey, this is a great excuse to go looking around! What if we find something cool? Let's take a walk around. Think about the bright side!"

And with that, Tidus gives a pumped fist. The tar-ink pit burps again.

Thanks, tar pit, for burping instead of swallowing them alive.

And while Inigo has nothing against the idea of exploration in and of itself, it's a different thing when they didn't set out to do so originally, nor do they have any idea where exactly they are. What if people notice they're missing and start worrying about them? (Even though the people who'd do that the most aren't here in the first place.) What if they end up in danger? What if--

Let's face it, Inigo is just being a fussibutt as usually, and the moment Tidus starts walking, Inigo is already trotting after him, even as he's making slight whiny noises as he goes.

"But Tiduuuuuus!" The one braincell truly is with Tidus at the moment, rather than with him. "What could even be there? It's all just plants. And not even the fun kind!"

Wait for Gibbs!!! Who is jumping from one bubble to another as he makes them manifest, yet still needs to take great hopping jumps to get to each one. It's a life when you're this small!!

"Let's enjoy the sceneeery!" Meanwhile, Tidus is more than happy to give the whining protests at his side some fight back, fun and jovial in response. It's not very pretty on this side of the island, but...! "You see those water funky colourful things that look like rock? You know, the stuff I feed Gibbers sometimes? We should get some of those! Or look for one of those big shell seats! Stick them in the garden car! Wouldn't those be cool?"

Tidus doesn't really have decorating on the mind, but the thoughts come thanks to Inigo. ...not that he thinks the other guy cares for that stuff either, but!

Inigo just wants his flowers, bro. Not seaweed!

But at least there's one part of what Tidus is saying that interests him. Not really the decorating necessarily, but when he mentions the higgledy's name, Inigo kind of glances over in the direction of the little thing that's still tagging along with them.

At least if they find some stuff here to thank him for helping them, that means this whole exploration wouldn't have been for nothing, right?

"Hey, Gibbs, is there anything around here you think looks yummy?"

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject