middleofsomewhere | Swirling Consequences Start

Swirling Consequences Start

On day Seven of the Month of Quicksand as passengers are beginning their day there is an announcement over the ICP system. “Attention voidtreckers and passengers of the Voidtrecker Express. Please give your attention to the following message from the void ministry.”

A blurring of the screen and it fades into a video of an elderly woman, skin a swirl of purple and blue sat behind a dark wooden desk hands folded neatly in front of her.

“Greetings crew of the Voidtrecker Express. I am commander Orlaith of the void ministry. As you will be very aware, you were recently involved in a dangerous and somewhat foolish experiment of the tethering system which we assume was initiated by your voidcraft. We received your call for emergency assistance, and were able to stabilise your craft enough to allow it to focus on ensuring crew safety. We are under the understanding that it was a crew member who used the emergency signal given by the Inspection Arm of the ministry, and that member should be commended. So too should you all, for we have reports that the crew of the Voidtrecker Express took part in a risky and difficult anchoring task to ensure the safety of all. As ever, the crew of the Voidtrecker Express exceed expectations for a crew with no formal training.

However, in less positive news, the actions of your Voidcraft have had a ripple effect throughout the void. Worlds that are non void active have reports of seeing void activity in their skies, with residents reporting dreams and uneasy feelings. In void active worlds there are more serious incidents. We have voidcrews in thousands of systems working towards stabilising the void access points.

We understand that after such an ordeal, your crew may be exhausted however we do need your help. System #5739 is a hub world that is extremely void active. It is used to weathering void storms and the barrier between the world and the void is thin. However, it is currently experiencing an unprecedented amount of void activity and world bleeding effects. We need a team to go in and help the citizens there, clearing out any issues and helping stabilise things from within.

The people there know about the void, and are used to void travellers. However, try not to stir up any extra trouble.” The last sounds almost exhausted. Their reputation may precede them.

The video ends.

I assume no one has any objections as voidtreckers have chosen to work with the Void Ministry. Please see your mission briefs. This is not a catastrophe mission."

They have a couple of hours before landing, a few hours to study their briefs and prepare for what is to come. Teams might chat, people might give out equipment gathered over the months, some of the passengers who have been on the train since the very early days of the month of Apple may have advice to give.

Either way a couple of hours later there is another announcement. “Shortly arriving at System #5739. Exiting the void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...”

SWIRLING CONSEQUENCES: START

WEARY WANDERER ~ FOREST ~ SCRUBLANDS ~ FARMLANDS ~ COMMS

QUICKSAND 7-10 ~ TEAM OBJECTIVES ~ LOCATION INFORMATION ~ OTHER DETAILS
ASK QUESTIONS ~ SHENANIGANS ~ TEAM PLOTTING ~ MISSION TASKS/REWARDS

ARRIVAL

The train shakes as the view of the void leaves its windows, giving way to a cloudy and wet sky in its descent. There's a small bump, and they land on a set of tracks that lead them uphill. Grassy mounds can be spotted on either side, occupied by sheep, goats, and the occasional six legged antelope grazing. In the farther distance are secluded farm houses, or small clusters of buildings.

Things don’t seem so bad, until the clouds spark with colour that sends animals running, far skittish for anything they're used to.

The sparse hills give way to more trees as the train weaves through them, until finally comes to a stop at a small station, no more than a raised platform in the woods. With a sigh, the train doors open, and passengers can walk out into the clearing. Once everyone who wishes to leave disembarks, the train sets off once again, flying up into the air and out of sight.

"Oh good. You’re here!"

Looking over, voidtreckers will spot a young girl at the edge of the clearing.

"Ma said we should expect some void heroes any day now. She’s put some stew on."

And she’s off. For any who wish to follow her, she leads them to an inn, The Weary Wanderer written on a sign. It’s a large inn, larger than might be expected in such a remote place, and the innkeeper Albany quickly organises rooms and food for any who wish it.

“Well, there’s a whole lot more of you than there was.” She takes in the group after Maia explains that they are from the Voidtrecker Express. “Storms are getting worse, we’re getting reports of stampedes, landslides and monsters coming through the colours.” She explains. She has some maps of the area and happily allows her main common room to be turned into a planning station. She’s clearly used to void travellers.

THE WEARY WANDERER

The inn has a large and open floor, the entrance close to where a fire crackles, chairs and a table beside it. To the right are places for eating, and kitchen doors that lead in and out, while to the left is where a counter separates another route to the kitchen, and to the family's own private quarters. By here too are the stairs leading up into the bedrooms, with some also available on the ground floor.

There's enough room for the voidtreckers to squeeze into the front at once, and the tables can be joined to create a more team atmosphere.

The problems are everywhere it seems. Farms need help, dralite chicks need rescuing, and their parents reassured before they go on a murderous revenge spree. Voidtreckers can stay or plan or jump right into things - the forest and scrublands are the closest to reach with both behind the inn, while the farmlands will take half a day to reach. Alabany will mark on the maps where to go for the farmsteads, or ones she knows about, and allow her inn to be used as an intiial base.

For those whose skills lie more in cooking and maintaining camp, she will happily take their help in the kitchens, or suggest They go down to the nearest farmsteads and lend a hand there. It'll take about half a day on foot to reach the nearest few, but many hands are needed. They will have better tools for moving debris and making repairs; she has a few, but not enough for everyone, and she'd rather they be used around the forest if anywhere. She needs those!

Albany will warn about the dralites, and to plug your ears if you're going through the forest. Their screeching can stun and slow people even at a distance, and with everyone worked up, it makes it hard to get through. They happen to like bugs, and a fruit called matts - similar to dates, fruits that grow off certain small trees in the forest.

YELLING HEIGHTS: FOREST

Location of: Dralites, young and old, their nests; monkeys, voidblobs (uncommon), fruit cups and purple stars. Displaced people.

The Yelling Height's forest reach spreads far, wrapping around the lower third of the great Ciyesia mountain and its budding fellow heights, with trees as tall as redwoods making up most of its wood. This gives plenty of space for travellers to move through, but the treetops create thick canopies that shroud the world below, the dots of penetrating light visible in contrast. Against some trees can be found what look like bushes, and there's plenty of them around, along with moss; but looking closer, these have hollow middles, made up of pin needles, twigs, feathers and all sorts. Some have been ruined, some have eggs inside.

High-pitched cries can be heard echoing, but it can be hard to tell how far, or what distance they come from - there's too many, making what should sound distressing, sound like a racket. While there's paths that can be followed, some of the wood has fallen, with ways disturbed by rubble that's tumbled all this way down from the mountain. There are signs to aid - those that haven't been knocked over - to give some sense of direction. Still this wood is hard to navigate, and Voidtreckers will want to be careful about rushing in without a plan. Trouble lurks in all manners...

Dralites can be found scattered around this forest, big and small - Albany will tell them as much. The youngest are easy to locate, unable to fly, and make a lot of noise. Slow-moving and dragging their heavy wings, they need help moving with any speed. They can be found alone, or attracting the attention of the great chinchillas or monkeys (who see them less as prey, and more as something to bully and take out their frustrations on).

Some will accept help from the first person that approaches them, jumping on them and wrapping their wings around their neck or head, clinging on and accepting them as their ride. They will need to be returned to their nests, and will reject any nests that aren’t theirs. It'll be very similar to escorting a toddler, often throwing screeching fits if they don’t think their helper is trying hard enough, which can make it difficult for people to move around.

They are hard creatures to please, even so more the adults who are furious that their nests have been disturbed. As large as a sheep with larger wings and powerful talons they might just swoop down and grab smaller unsuspecting voidtreckers and carry them to their nests as workers to help fix them. Some of these adults may be near their nests, or will be seen swooping around above-head at startling speeds, searching for their young.

There are eggs that have gone missing too. A place they can hatch safely is essentia, since they can easily become pray or be snatched by the monkeys who live in the forest and steal from the inattentive.

As well as helping the dralites, there are herbs that can be collected here. Purple Stars are leaves that grow at the top of tall trees. These can be found deeper into the forest, and are different from the other trees by their branches only growing at the very top, their bark stripy. They will need to be climbed, or flown up to - not getting startled by adult dralites is essential, or becoming target practice to the monkeys. They have rocks.

Deep in the most dampest sections of the fores, Fruit Cups grow in a tangle around spider plants, that will ensnare the unwary into it’s sticky grip. For every few flowers, there's a wide trapping of the spider plants, vines impossible not to get stuck to. But as difficult as they are to collect, they are useful, and the potions they make will be handy to the communities that require help. Some voidblobs have gotten trapped here too, and they'll become active once people get close.

YELLING HEIGHTS: SCRUBLANDS

Location Of: Farm animals, some voidblobs, great chinchillas, farmers in need; ruined paths, craggle leaf. Some dralites, mostly adult. Displaced people.

The trees eventually give way to a mix of rock and dirt, stone jagging up from the ground underfoot that travellers will need to watch out for. Vegetation is littered around, patches of shrubs as often easy to catch the eye as grazed grass poking out around mossy-coated stone. There are paths, or were, but only the remains of them can be found, the area reshaped by landslides.

Animals can be found isolated or in some groups, spooked by any newcomers around, and the odd shepherd trying their best to get their herds under control. But there's further trouble than blocked paths to deal with - because these jobs can never be simple.

The farmers' plans are to bring the grazing animals back down to the lower ground and to their farms, but they'll need help clearing up paths and guiding them off the mountain and back to their farmsteads. Not only will it mean moving debris and locating animals, it will also mean protecting them from the predators in the area - and other trouble.

The horned goats, often a worry on these slopes, have grown even more aggressive. They ram into herds and farmers alike, even attempting to send them rolling. They need driven off, away from the herds. The chinchillas are also more aggressive, running rampage through the hills and attempting to down the livestock and to take them back to their nests.

There will also be sightings of the voidblobs for the more unfortunate, dubbed such by the locals. Gelatinous and luminescent, they are a mess of what were likely multiple creatures that have been fused together, patches of fur and teeth and claws held together with thick veins of colour. They attack indiscriminately and without reason, and are difficult to take down, never responding to blows of any type. You only know when they're taken out by when they stop moving - otherwise, they will continue.

During the first night there is a disturbance on Ciyesia. Trees are felled, the mountain seems to rumble and more animals flee, spilling panicked down the mountain to the farm lands below. For whatever aid is giving to the area on the first day, this event causes more damage to the surrounding areas.

LOWER LANDS: FARMLANDS

Location of: Voidblobs (common), great chinchillas, a few horned goats; ruined pathways, farms in need; people to craft balms and potions, access to tools.

While not as high as the Ciyesia mountain, nor as shrouding as the blanketing forest, the rolling countryside shows its sloping and uneven distance, varying fields split by tones and sandy paths - or what should be sandy paths. But the damage to the earth is noticeable, chunks of the various mounds ruined, broken at parts. You can see trouble, ensuing or approaching, just by looking around long enough.

And the biggest trouble will be reaching it.

Buildings squeeze against fields and fencing, separated far from anyone that could be called a neighbour. But there's a few of what can be called villages, where trades are conducted and visitors are sure to stop. There's usually a singular inn, but people looking to call on the help of a void traveller to help with this mess. They can promise hot meals and some goods in exchange, but first needs to come the help.

Though moving the herds closer to the farms is a sensible idea that doesn’t mean the farmlands themselves are safe. Landslides have cut communities off, some of the chinchillas and horned goats have made their way down the mountain and angry dralites stalk the plains looking for their young.

The shaking of the earth and the landslides have caused damage and debris. Trees have been felled bolders moved, barns and houses have been damaged. There’s a big clean up operation required. Farmers have wheelbarrows and shovels and Albany has some more that can be borrowed. It will require a team effort to clear the roads and make sure essential supplies get where they are needed.

Most of the farms and villages have protections in place, but they are overstretched and exhausted. Villagers take turns patrolling, protecting the herds and the people from creatures should they be goats, chinchillas or the new and terrifying void blobs.

Extra people to set up perimeters are very welcome, as are those who can drive the creatures back into the forests. It’s not just the homes themselves that need protecting but also the paths between them, so voidtreckers and others can deliver supplies to the further afield communities.

Making the herbal remedies will mean finding the right people for it, but locating the villages is a good bet. Tinctures and teas are the best method, boiling the plants and breaking them down over hours. Even if you're not experienced, people being around to help monitor the pots and bottle them will be helpful. The craggle leaf are good as they are to feed upset livestock, but also as medicine, for helping against the voidstorm's headache-inducing effects.

FROM THE VOID...

DISPLACED PEOPLE: Once or twice a year, people can be found in the Yelling Heights, wandering around dazed and confused, hailing from a whole other world. Since these storms have begun there have been at least two a day, perhaps more that have yet to be found. They have no memory of arriving, some might not even have memories of who they are, or where they come from.

For now they need found, gathered in once place and care given to them.

VOIDBLOBS: The voidblobs, as they have been dubbed by those who have seen them, are truly monstrous creatures. Perhaps once multiple creatures they have been fused together, a mess of fur and teeth and claws held together with thick veins of colour these creatures have one instinct and that is to kill.

They are rampaging, strong in their urge to destroy. Fighting them is difficult as nothing seems to slow them down until they die, it’s hard to know how hurt they are and injury doesn’t seem to stop their brute strength or will to kill. They rarely will stop and fight either, requiring a team just to keep up with them as they will lash out and fight but keep rampaging on, drawn towards groups of people or creatures. They can be found anywhere.

VOIDTEARS: For now, it's Red Team's task to find these tears and secure a perimeter on them - a difficult enough job that will take the first few days of the mission. They aren’t visible except in the storms, and so finding them requires braving them, where the wind sings with void music, rain pouring with hail, and a strong sense of unease growing until it too unbearable to endure. But the exact point of the tears must be found: a spot where the kaleidoscope of colours shines down onto any under it, only visible in that area.

STORMS: These are scattered around the lands, never moving despite the clouds that do. In the storms, the voidtears pulse with colour. Being near them is uncomfortable, and there is always the risk of a voidblob coming through. Being near the voidtears for too long even outside of voidstorms will lead to headaches, and so it is wise to rotate who is guarding them.

THE FIRST NIGHT: Late into the first night, there will be loud noises, the earth rumbling and a worrisome show of lights as the full moon hangs in the sky above. There may be word from fellow voidtreckers what's going on, but either way, this disturbance will bring out trouble into the night, breaking fencing and some buildings that were on their last legs.

OOC NOTES

OOC Post ~ Questions ~ Shenanigans ~ Tasks Check-In & Mission Rewards
This log lasts for 7-10 Quicksand, with the next log going up on the 21st March (11 Quicksand). Please remember that we will be determining the progress of the mission by task objectives being fulfilled, so PLEASE visit the task objectives toplevel and let us know what your character has been working towards! We accept handwaves (especially if your character is around but you're on hiatus), but actual thread links will count more towards success!

An extra list of prompts for ideas, arranged by team (click):

RED TEAM

You've either wandered into a group of voidblobs or see some approaching. They're annoying on their own, but as a group, they can cause serious damage.

The voidstorms are easy to find by the literal storms they bring, but the tears themselves? They're a pain to, only visible once you're right under them. How will your character persevere in the search? Flying, if you can, might seem the quickest option, but a closer level to the sky seems to make the headaches and disorientation worse.

You've somehow been convinced into fixing up a fence during watching the perimeter. Yes yes, that's important, but the area is clear for now, and what if an animal gets loose? More hands will get this done quick.

BLUE TEAM

What kind of people will you find out there in the wild? Someone desperate for an offer of aid, or someone suspicious, distrusting? Are they even human, or some other race - or sentient object?

The dralites aren't good at in any way but wailing. But their eggs are unique, obsidian in appearance. So if you see a monkey carrying any such thing, or see one being carried by a great chinchilla - that's no lucky lump of goal. That's your way of calming down the ticking time bombs of angry parents.

PURPLE TEAM

Farm work isn't your chore, but the farmers need all their herds before they go anywhere, so you're getting involved whether you want to or not.

Make a good impression on the farmers, and they're likely to help you out. Need to borrow tools? Or can you convince the farmers to let you and your friends borrow some, passing them onto the people who need them?

ORANGE TEAM

Herb collection is hard enough with tall trees and spider plants but watch out for the monkeys who want to steal the prize.

Once herbs are collected they can be made into potions. They aren't too difficult to make and Albany has recipes if asked.

Herbs aren't the only things monkeys want, there's a group converging on a dralite nest, those eggs look very shiny.

ALL TEAMS

Distance is a real concern. Who will go where, where are places and people in need? Scouting is a good idea, and so is organising who will be best, where. ... or, you can just go and do your own thing.

Image Sources: Top header - Tavern - Farmlands - Void coours

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

In hindsight - after Tidus tells them about it - the plan isn't that surprising. Of course Tidus is always carrying a secret weapon with him like that. All three of them do in their own way. And it's not like Inigo hasn't seen Tidus use the little higglepal on plenty of missions before..

Though this is a new way of using Hibber-Gibber entirely. It makes try to conjure the mental image in his mind, trying to imagine water blasting away the debris..

...

"Is that how it works?"

At least he doesn't seem sceptical now. Just confused as to whether that sort of thing would work or not. Tidus seems so confident about it, and he's much more of a water expert than Inigo, so he's.. probably right..??

(Please, this is too much work on Inigo's single braincell.)

Surely Roland would also know more about this than Inigo though. Or be able to figure out more. That's what he's the local responsible adult for, after all.

"You're essentially proposing a water cannon. Right?"

Said local responsible adult is curious enough to continue entertaining the idea, outrageous as it is. What he might usually dismiss as a terrible plan is slowly making a little bit of sense. They had so much ground to cover, and so little time and resources to do it. Nevermind that none of them had any actual equipment to speak of that would make this task of clearing paths easy. Where's a 21st bulldozer when you need one?

He meets Inigo's hesitant gaze. Roland's been humbled about the madness behind Tidus's methods once already, so if this was as sound a plan as any, then he's willing to try it. Though one can never take the skeptic out of Roland's constantly churning thoughts...

"Hold on. What happens if you can't control the current downstream? The debris it sweeps away might hurt people we haven't found yet-"

Something clicks. A puzzle piece in place. Roland withholds a deep sigh, rubbing his forehead in realization.

"-You want us to do that, don't you?" Get rid of possible obstacles, citizens or wayward souls alike. Damn. Did they both just walk right into that one?

Is that how it works?

"Why not?" comes the sensible, logical response. Why not! And he would go into more, but Roland is here with the imagination that's seen far more cartoons than Inigo, and Tidus's grin spreads.

"You've got it!"

A water cannon, a high-blast of water to act as a debris mover. Has Tidus ever done it before? No. Is that reason in his mind not to try? Absolutely not. His mind is already working with ideas and approaches, even as Roland is already at it with his own concerns. Sensible concerns - because Tidus doesn't want to hurt anyone with this idea - but, pah. This might ruin his fun!

"We don't have to spray it too far!" Roland is asking a question, but let's considering the logistics first!! "You've seen how we do the water slide - if I do a bigger spell and get Gibbs to control it, he could make a big ball of water and-"

He winds up a fist-

"--Punch the mess away!"

And kapow to the air!!

Inigo's mind is still definitely stuck on the idea of a water cannon and what it might be like. It's nothing he's ever seen, after all. He imagines it's just a blast of water, but it's a little less regulated in his mind than it most likely is in Tidus's own - with Inigo's mind taking the idea and carrying it away to turn it into something wilder, almost like a tsunami.

.. still. Tidus seems confident about it, and Roland doesn't seem like he dislikes it, so maybe it's alright after all? At least to try?

"Well, it would sure beat having to move all of that ourselves.." That is a giant plus, for one. Inigo has already spent way too much time trying to manually get rid of all of this stuff, thanks. "And if Tidus is right and it can't hurt anything, then I guess there's no reason not to try it."

Other than Inigo's confusion, but he figures maybe he'll just get it the moment he sees it happen before his eyes?

Roland is trying his best to poke holes at this plan, but honestly? Until he can see it for himself, there's no reason not to try. It sounds ridiculous, but no plan ever came to fruition because of naysayers who played it too cautiously.

That and to both Tidus and Inigo's point...there was just so much path to clear out. They're fit from all the missions in routine succession every two weeks, but that didn't mean they could lift massive rock and broken infrastructure with their own two hands.

He shakes his head and concedes.

"Do you want Inigo and I to scout ahead? Just in case?"

Listen to them both be on board!!!

Alright, more like Inigo being dubiously on board in a 'I'm not sure what's going to happen but it doesn't sound too bad' way, and Roland being cautious. Which is Roland, and isn't a disagreement, so that's pretty much a positive. Tidus will take the semi-compromise, a "Sure!" quick and cheery out of his mouth.

"You two check, then you just whistle if everything's good! Then me and Gibbs can get ready and charged up!"

Which comes with a fist pump, appropriately, 'cause you know who's getting fired up? This guy! And if Inigo thinks about dallying too long to give Roland 'dear father are you sure about this' looks, Tidus will be sure to make shooing motions.

Wow, Tidus, let Inigo be a precocious medieval boy for a moment here without threatening to blast him with your water cannon!

.. though he's getting the impression that if they don't hurry up, they might really get blasted by said water cannon, no matter whether it's accidental or on purpose. So rather than dilly-dallying around for too long, he just grabs Roland's hand and is already starting to run off to check, tugging the man along with him as he goes.

P-Please hurry, dad, he doesn't want to get wet! It'll be a pain in the butt!

"We should hurry up, so we can make sure to get out of the way in time!"

Inigo may not know what's about to happen, but it doesn't sound like anything that'd be good for him if he got in the way of it. And that's all he has to know in this particular moment here.

Roland follows dutifully, letting Inigo tug him towards the lower end of the path. Debris was an understatement. The damage around the field ranged from small branches and twigs, to mounds and mounds of lumber and rock. Tidus's water cannon plan probably won't roll the heavier chunks of debris away, but if he and Inigo can cut some of it down to smaller bits, it'll help the flow.

He lets go of Inigo's hand momentarily to summon a chunkier looking sword from his arms band.

"Let's split the task, pup. One of us chops up the big tree trunks, the other tries to break down the big boulders that rolled downhill. Flip a coin for it?"

Then, just before they decide on who's who-

"Tidus, give us a second! Not yet!"

Just in case.

Listen to all that thinking and doing and action up there, leaving Tidus and Gibbs all on their own. A duo who are having their own exchange at the layout and what they could be doing.

Could Gibbs make a waterslide that went through the mess and then pick it up after? --No, apparently it doesn't work like that. What about if we took water magic, and...?

So Roland gives his call, but it prompts Tidus to call back:

"WHAT IF WE MADE A WATER BOMB? WE CAN SPACE OUT THE MESS!"

And also: water bomb.

Inigo is already patting himself down, like he's looking for a coin. .. even though most of his stuff is definitely in his arms band, making the very action of patting himself down completely useless. Call it force of habit.

And it's not even like he gets beyond a: "Sure," to the man either way before Tidus is already calling out..

.. which makes Inigo instantly turn his head in the direction of his teenage friend, frantically ~~calling out~~ screaming across the lands:

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO ANYTHING THAT HAS THE WORD 'BOMB' IN IT!"

Wow? Did you hear that, Gibbs?

...

"WHAT ABOUT A SMALL BOMB?"

(You know he had to.)

"Stop that. No bombs!"

Way to get Roland to enter the fray. He has a better idea to save them time, before the crazy guy a few meters away starts entertaining wilder ways to do the job. He picks up a pebble close to his foot and makes a show of gripping it inside his left fist to Inigo. Then, puts both hands behind him, away from sight, and presents Inigo with both his fists closed.

"If you guess where it is, you get the rocks to clear out. Ready? Go."

Roland saves the world from a Tidus and Inigo screaming competition on the spot here.

But even with that quick intervention, it still seems like he can't fully save this situation here. Because when Inigo looks the guy directly in the face, his gaze is way too frantic to calmly go along with this entire work division thing.

"R-Roland, let's just not do this. Okay?"

N-Nervous? Inigo? N-No way, he's not sounding nervous! You're sounding nervous! You're all sounding nervous!!

"He's going to shoot us with water while we aren't looking! Let's just get out of the way and let him do his thing first!"

Meanwhile, Tidus is down below, away from the chaos he's already caused before testing out anything. Gibber balanced on his arm as he has his back to the other part, grinning to his higglepal.

"Bet Inigo's close to crying up there." Heh heh. "Like I would!"

"Oh, he wouldn't dare d-"

It's a little too late for Roland, the puppy eyes hitting him pretty hard up front. He takes a step back and decides to discard the rock in his right hand, shaking his head.

"Gah- okay. How about this. Why don't you head back up there with Tidus, and I'll just make one last check so we're absolutely sure there's nobody along this path." Logical! Roland's hands drape over Inigo's shoulders with calm, quiet confidence, his smile steady.

"You can stop him from using that water cannon on me if he even thinks about playing a prank while I'm not yet back. I'm counting on you."

At least there's one thing that will remain true no matter what - apparently that patented Roland Touch that the other is pulling off here definitely will calm down Inigo, no matter what happens. Even though Tidus is close to what's going on here with his prediction in the creepiest way..

But Inigo just nods, even if he's not fully sure if he can fulfill this duty. It's a heavy one, after all. Tidus is a prankster! Especially when it comes to old men!

After telling the other an, "I'll-- I'll do my best," Inigo does move back up until he's back by Tidus's side, watching Roland gradually grow a little smaller until Inigo is back at his fellow teenager's side, now pouting at him instead.

".. were you really going to throw a water bomb at us?"

Waiting is soooo boriinnng.

But Tidus does spot Inigo as he comes closer, and he does try to make out if there's a pot that he's wearing. And sure enough! He isn't looking very happy, but Tidus does wonder why he might be alone.

So Roland can keep an eye on things up there? Regardless, he would be asking about that, except Inigo speaks up first.

Tidus scoffs instantly. "I was talking about the ground!" He reaches out and ruffles at Inigo's hair playfully. "Is Roland ready? Can we get this going now?"

Come on come on, let him and Gibbs do their thing already, pal!!

He doesn't go far. There were no people, barely any animals along the immediate vicinity, and much more debris than expected. It'd be a challenge for anyone to get through this mess, but they had very little choice in the matter of using magic to clear away a useable path. He shakes his head and tries to trim the fat quickly; his sword reappearing in his hand, with cold, calculating strikes that cleave branch and trunk. The boulders would have to wait.

Roland isn't a particularly loud person, even when he has to raise his voice, but this isn't a problem that occurs to him in the moment. He continues to hack away at bigger pieces of debris that cut smooth against a magically-enhanced sword, turning his head over his shoulder to shout: "Get ready, almost done!"

(Here's to praying the message successfully travels the distance.)

Does the message come across?

Maybe bits and pieces of it. But thankfully Inigo is up here now, enduring the hair ruffle with that same pout still on his face - because he was fearing for his life thank you! No matter how irrationally so! - and relaying what Roland told him.

"I think he wanted to break some of the bigger stuff up into smaller pieces." And as Inigo glances over in the direction of where the man is working, it does seem like that's what he's doing. "He said he'd be done with it soon."

.. Inigo pauses, before remembering: "Oh, and he told me to stop you from firing water at him."

Because Inigo is clearly such a fierce bodyguard. Who could stop Tidus from doing something when the other feels like it.

Obviously.

'Oh, and he told me to stop you from firing water at him.'

"Would I?" A hint of playfulness, an opportunity presented to Tidus, and nevermind the more pressing calls from above coming down to them. The curled smirk isn't necessary to emphasise how untrustworthy he is, but there it is, and he's now on the move to do this getting ready thing that Roland was yelling about.

They're in front of the road, the debris they want to blast, and so Tidus kneels closer to Gibbs level as he sets him on the ground before him. But then there's a pause, a "Back?", and Tidus stands to move some more away from the higgledy.

"You want to stand aside," he says with Inigo, nodding. He can come next to Tidus or stay standing up with a better view of what's to happen - either way, they'll need a safe distance for what's to come.

There's no reason for Roland to doubt that the twin teens were at it again, full trust placed on not just Inigo, but for both of them that he'd get out of this escapade completely dry. During his trek back, he takes a moment or two to slash away at other pieces of debris.

Just to make it easier, see?

But he never really stops per se- Roland just makes timely stops here and there to ensure Tidus's plan went without a hitch. He looks up and rounds a quick corner, opting to take the long path uphill.

"Coming up!"

Tidus doesn't have to tell him twice. Inigo is immediately stepping back, absolutely determined to be outside of the blast radius, if he can help it at all. It's why he doesn't even stand close to Tidus, instead a few decisive steps behind the human and higgledy pair.

He's staying dry, thanks. No Splash Mountain for him, pals!!

Once he's sure he's going to be safe, he calls out towards the man moving in their direction.

"Roland, hurry..!"

Not that Inigo truly thinks Tidus is going to prematurely fire now, but..

.. well, you never know what could happen. Especially if a higgledy happens to get bored!

"We're firing!" Tidus calls louder, as human and higgledy work to combine their powers. The Water Slide spell, mingling with Tidus's magic and Hibber-Gibber's own natural abilities. Tidus gathers his magic - his energy - to strengthen its ability. Tidus is the boost, the button to the operation, while Gibs is everything that makes it run.

"Three...! Two...!" Gibbs rises from the ground, water swirling and forming around him into a ball of it, trembling as more gathers and gathers. Visible for Roland to see, and tries to give Roland time.

"You better be outta the way!" Is one last delay to the countdown, a pause before "One!", Tidus's fist clenching tight, giving as much preparation as he thinks he and Gibber can handle.

"Gibs!" he shouts, throwing out his hand, and the ball of water goes flying. Smashing into debris of stock and dirt, to whatever else was buried underneath, bulldozing and sending a mess flying up into the air and around as nothing manages to stop what Hibber-Gibber has become: A sphere of destruction.

That will eventually stop by crashing into somewhere and exploding, but that's a somewhere out of sight, and there's the new clear road to take in first.

(And the splattered dirt thrown around, and if one old man was caught in the mess.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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