Jema'grethy: Memory Cave

[voidtreckermods]

Passengers see a vision, an instance of someone's life, before just as suddenly - they find themselves inside a cave. It is light, a strange moss glowing on the walls and ceiling illuminates the cave nicely, and it is large enough for them to pace around in without trouble.

They're not alone. In the cave with them is another voidtrecker; maybe someone they know well, or maybe someone they've only seen in the aisles of the train. But they are together in this cave, and they will come to find out that it was one of their memories that the other witnessed. And them, one of yours.

The cave has no exit, at least not yet. They know that it will, eventually. When the time is right.

But for that time to come, they first must talk...

(OOC: Memories can be written either in this post or over here)

Comments

[flatteries]

...

"If you could go back to any place you want, would you rather go back to Zanarkand or Spira?"

Maybe it's not entirely fair on Inigo's end - ignoring a question that's a little hard and painful in some ways, only to ask the other guy a question with that exact same potential. But Tidus did ask him about his own world, and if last time was anything to go by, they won't be able to leave here until they talk about stuff like this.

So they might as well then. Inigo figures the other will tell him if a question is too much. And yes, for this hypothetical example they're imagining Zanarkand isn't some dream place and Tidus is a dream boy, okay. It's because the question isn't about that to Inigo - or, well, not mostly about that, which shows as he elaborates.

"I mean, I get that Zanarkand is.. your place. But.." Inigo's voice trails off. Thinking about the memory he just saw, just felt - and Yuna's face, and all of Tidus's feelings surrounding it. "You know, with Yuna and all.."

[blitzcheer]

If he could go back to any place... in truth, it's an easy answer. One that he doesn't need to delay in giving, but there's still a pause, a twist to his much and a furrow to his brow. A slump to his posture that's brief, like the sigh he gives.

"Spira," is his answer. "If I went back to Zanarkand..." He pauses. "...Zanarkand's the reason that Spira had to deal with Sin. We never knew what was going on."

He shakes his head. "I can't go back to that." Not knowing the truth, being oblivious. He couldn't go back one way or another, but the thought of his home brought up a mix of emotions he never knew how to translate as other than uncomfortable, bittersweet. It was his home, but it couldn't exist without hurting everyone else.

And it was hard to remove that, even in hypotheticals.

Tidus looks at Inigo then, asking, if starting a little awkwardly: "What about you? Do you think about what you want? You could go to school, learn about flowers." Even-- "Get a boyfriend?"

If Inigo's going to bring up Yuna, then Tidus gets to bring up potential love interests.

[flatteries]

Inigo breathes out.

"Come on, can't we talk for a moment about you without it turning back to me..?" If he didn't know any better, he'd say that Tidus doesn't want to talk about himself here - but Inigo is well aware that'd just be projecting, considering that's just the way Inigo always feels about himself and his own story. His own past, present and future.

But he still can't help but say it. Lightly. It's not full on teasing, since Inigo doesn't grin, but the intent is there in the sentence all the same. Like he's trying to keep things a little light in the face of how little Inigo wants to talk about this stuff - ever - and the awkward tone Tidus is using when he asks it in the first place.

"No, I.. really don't think about it though. It feels like it'd be too much, you know? I don't want to think about that stuff until I've settled everything here. Until we've saved everyone who left the train."

It's way too hard for him to imagine some idyllic future when he is still way too busy focusing on what needs to get done in the present first. Especially with how much Inigo always tends to lose himself in his idea of his duties in the first place.

[blitzcheer]

Is he being unfair here? Admittedly, he has been trying to turn it away from himself; not because he's against it, but it wasn't so long ago that Inigo had been in tears, weeping over what he saw and felt. But he does keep it in mind, even as Inigo does answer his question anyway, nodding his head quietly once he's finished speaking.

"I don't think we're different." In his answers, and questions... "We both want to focus on the present. What comes next - that's difficult. You've never had a life outside fighting the Risen all the time, and I don't know how I'll be going back. But it's not bad."

He pauses, a smile pushing up along his lips.

"You should get some books about Aremica and think about the future - a future where you don't have to fight anymore! That's great!"

[blitzcheer]

And then his hands come up about four seconds after.

"--But I'm not trying to avoid talking about me!"

W-whoops!!

[flatteries]

At first Inigo still has the same look on his face as a moment before while he's listening to Tidus talk.

Until the other gets to that last part, that is. It's at that part that something within Inigo and in his expression almost seems to crack. He sucks in a slight breath of air, but when it comes out, it's as a laugh. It's not some real big hearty laugh, but it seems genuine, even with the edge of something more awkward hanging around it.

"Are you sure? I don't know if it sounds like that!"

He's teasing, okay. Just teasing! He can't help it, with the way Tidus delivered that last part!

"You do know that we'll still have to do this two more times, right?" If last time was anything to go by. Inigo doesn't assume it'll be any different now, considering this seems similar enough. "Next time we're starting with you!"

[blitzcheer]

Tidus groans in his way, an exaggerated pah that's clear to the ears. Arms crossing like a huffy child, far from being totally sincere. (But, just a little.)

"One of them was about my old man, I know it!" And what a good reason to be huffy over. Pre-prep huffiness! "There's nothing to say about him you don't already know. This place should hurry it up and make the bond already! What else do we have to say?"

Really! They're closer to one another than to anyone else on this ride. They should be getting back to their sandwiches and lunch!

[flatteries]

"Are you complaining at a cave, Tidus?"

Yes, Inigo is definitely more than just a little bit amused now. The previous teasing was a little bit amused, but this is definitely more amused than that. Something about the other's regular complaining makes this entire situation feel so much more normal, even though they're dealing with something that is - if not technically - very weird.

It makes comfort blossom inside of Inigo's chest like a flower, and he steps closer to sling an arm across the other's shoulder.

"Shouldn't you be glad? I won't see anything that I don't know about yet, unlike some stranger would. Right?"

Right, bro? You haven't been keeping anything from him, have you?

[blitzcheer]

He'll complain at whatever he wants! But he might look somewhere between huffy and sheepish when Inigo points out what he's doing - complaining to a cave, that is. Gaze going sideways, even if Tidus knew what he was doing. But Inigo doesn't have to make it sound like that!

(Sound the way it is.)

But he'll take the arm coming around his shoulder, moving away from the wall of the cave to make it more comfortable for the both of them; earlier huffiness dissipating to nothing more than a fond giddiness. A different experience entirely from when he last went through this, forced into it.

"Nothing," Tidus answers confidently, not missing a beat. "I'm a live blitzball game - what you see is what you get!"

...some people might talk about books, but who needs books when you have sports?

"How about you?"

[flatteries]

Inigo releases a breath.

It's still amused, but.. there sure is something more wry in it too. Something wry that he doesn't bother to hide at a moment like this. If he's calling out Tidus for complaining at whatever inanimate object has crossed his ire today, then Inigo ought to own up to some facts himself as well.

It's only fair, isn't it?

"Honestly, I don't know if I'd do this if it was anyone but you."

Literally anyone else! Even people Inigo is super close to, like Taiki and Roland. Even Inigo's good friends, like Jingyi and Esteban. No one knows quite as much about him as Tidus does, and he'd definitely like to shelter some of them from the rougher parts of Inigo's life.

But with Tidus, it feels.. weirdly comfortable. Even if he did cry all over the other like a little baby only a few moments ago, but those are details. Mere details.

"I don't think you'll be surprised by anything else that ends up popping up."

[blitzcheer]

Tidus smiles at Inigo, listening to him. I don't know if I'd do this if it was anyone but you. They're on the same wavelength, and he knew, but it's gratifying to hear regardless. It's why Tidus why, why Inigo agreed - why they're doing this at all.

He was curious, sure, but if Inigo hadn't been here for him to ask, would he have picked anyone else?

He's sure that he wouldn't have.

"We should try thinking about a good memory and seeing if this'll show us it next time," Tidus suggests, a lighthearted thought just as the light of somewhere else washes over the space, turning Tidus's attention away to look back. A way out of the cave has opened up, appearing as a glowing exit; a feeling given that it's the way to go, whenever they're ready.

"--Hey. Looks like the cave listened to me!"

About not making them hang around.

[flatteries]

Or maybe the cave is just trying to prevent this from being too sappy. Either way - it's sparing Tidus here in some way, isn't it.

Inigo shakes his head, half-laughing as he says: "That's a total coincidence!"

Not that it even matters whether or not the cave gave them a way out because Tidus asked for it or not. It's just in the nature of boys to have joke arguments about everything, right? At least - it is for these two idiots.

Then he's already stepping forward, heading in the direction of said exit.

"Come on, let's get out of here and head to the water!"

S-So Inigo can at least make an attempt at swimming?

Maybe?