merriment 16 ; video (before platform stop)

[blitzcheer]

Yo, anyone see the large item order we can pick now?

...

What's the biggest thing anyone can think of. Hey, gimme some ideas!

[ LET'S SEE WHAT THEY CAN GET?? PUT IN YOUR SUGGESTIONS, VOTE FOR WHAT YOU AGREE WITH.

Edit: Tidus will have on the video in view a whiteboard (since he's in the standard coach), with a list of choices.

- BOUNCY HOUSE/CASTLE
- POTTERY WHEEL?
- ARCADE MACHINE - Lethal Enforcers, NBA Jam
- YOU CAN'T VOTE FOR MY MOM
- BOMBCHOO BOWLING ALLEY

Enjoy his mess of a handwriting.

Edit 2: Also, very importantly: ] Hey! Everyone! Tell the train to let us buy carriages!

Comments

[flatteries]

[ Apparently Tidus just randomly turns into an aspirational coach.

Thankfully Inigo knows to not make jokes about the whole fixer thing, since it seems to hit some sensitive side of Tidus - so he holds back on those. Instead he just releases a breath, and despite there seeming to be some shyness still about him, he does say: ]

Fine, fine, I'll try it sometime.

[ And probably give up halfway. BUT.. TRYING. OKAY.

.. he pauses, almost awkwardly, but then asks: ]

Did you decide on what big thing you wanted to buy yet? [ Let's go back to that. It's great. It's not Inigo-centered. He loves it. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ TRYING!!!

But oh, right, there was more to this pause in shopping, wasn't there. Tidus looks back at the board, narrow-eyed and mouth lopsided. ]

...I dunno. An arcade machine sounds cool. [ Even if it comes with mom jokes. ] I didn't get a lot of ideas, but... hey, everyone's busy. [ So, can't complain.

But, looking at Inigo: ]

You got any?

[flatteries]

[ P-Pah! Don't call him an octopus in front of Dennis?! Inigo's face is definitely getting red over here, but he huffs, trying to not engage in this tease war.

Because he knows how this works. He'll lose. He always loses!! ]

Dennis, did you ever carry people on your back for your job?

[ SHIFTING THE FOCUS. AWAY. THERAPY SESSION OVER. ]

[flatteries]

Well, I don't think a ballista would actually be useful enough for anything to buy one..

[ And that's the only big thing he can think of. Please, what big things did they even have back home in Ylisse? He can't think of anything that would be even remotely useful on a train..

...

wait.

Inigo is in the middle of that thought when he seems to realise something. When he looks at Tidus again, his eyes are wide. ]

They had-- they had an arcade machine back in Diagad! [ Duh, of course they had. But it seems like Inigo isn't trying to make that obvious of a statement. It sounds more like this is the leadup for something else he's trying to think of, but is having a hard time fully reaching so easily. ] You know, that one! The one! The one with-- with the dancing!

[ Inigo suddenly looks so excited as he recalls that. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ ...oh right, he brought up about a ballista. ...what's a ballista again? He's about to ask Inigo then, when the sudden grand idea that comes to the other guy in that moment.

Arcade machine? Diagad? --dancing?


--ohhhhhh! ]

Dance Dance Resolve! [ Riiiight! Tidus remembers that one! And seeing how excited Inigo is remembering it too: ] Hey! Buy it!

[ Great idea! ]

[weifinder]

( He could absolutely help it, he could not laugh, but it's just amusing in a way that's easing an edge he doesn't usually acknowledge. Culture divides, he thinks, but it's novel, really, always novel what's so unknown to each other here. )

No, no, only those born or adopted into the Lan clan wear the ribbons, so that'd be Sizhui, the one you've known longer, each of the Lan Zhans, each of the Zewu-juns, and more recently, Jingyi. Even the Wei Wuxian's who are married into the Lan clan wouldn't wear the ribbons, that's a family inheritance, ah? You can ask any of them for more information, I don't know so much about the specifics.

( Only that rabbits worn them in Lan Yi's caves and the binding of one acts as a barrier to killing attacks against outsiders. Touch ribbons only at the sufferance of the one allowing it, yes? )

Mah, here, as one who can tell you that meeting yourself is both enlightening and unsettling, it's the things you thought you knew but clearly were not the same which jar the most.

[flatteries]

Yes! [ Inigo immediately exclaims the moment Tidus mentions the name. That had been it! With how wild the mission had gotten, Inigo almost forgot about the better parts of its first half - and that arcade machine had been an absolute highlight.

Thinking that they could actually have that with them on the train is making him so much more giddy than a moment ago, any fussiness about the handwriting deal totally gone. ]

I'll definitely get that one! Which one did you want to get?

[blitzcheer]

Uhh- [ Oh man, should he get one of those from Diagad too? ] You know, one of those Cassie mentioned sounded like one with guns. 'Lethal Enforcer'? Those are a lot of fun. Maybe I'll try buying that!

[ And then whine if it doesn't have guns, and then play it. Perfect! He's a genius. ]

But hey, there's nothing you could buy either? Like... something dance-y!

[flatteries]

[ Inigo isn't sure if he played that one back there. But really, the dance one was so much fun, so hopefully all of these arcade machines are just fun to play.

He's momentarily pulled out of his dance arcade machine-induced joy though, instead giving Tidus a look that seems at least half-confused. ]

What kind of big thing would you need for dancing? [ Isn't the whole point of dancing that you can do it virtually anywhere, without anything?

.. He's thinking though, just because Tidus is mentioning it. And maybe it's since they were talking about Diagad, but Inigo does remember using something to dance there.. ]

...

What, you want to see me poledance?

[ What's missing here? Inigo's total lack of awareness of any suggestive themes around poledancing. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ ....Jingyi brought up poledancing, didn't he...

But it's very different when Inigo does it, a baffled scoff coming out of him first, and then- ]

You wouldn't poledance. You wouldn't dare!

[ Please! You can't joke about poledancing, you coward!! Tidus knows your truth! ]

[flatteries]

I did it with Jingyi! Back in Diagad! [ The reaction flies out of his mouth so quickly, like an instinctive defensive reflex.

Maybe it's since this is Tidus - and this sort of thing just comes naturally between the two of them - or because it's about dancing of all things, but Inigo can't help but feel like he has to defend himself here.

Hence why he's quickly shaking his head. ]

We took classes together. It was actually kind of fun?

[blitzcheer]

[ What.

What?

This is Tidus, staring at Inigo. Gawking, gobsmacked. This truth that has been unveiled? He doesn't know what to say, and when he says it was fun- ]

...You danced [ danced ] with another guy?

[ With that guy...!?

Wait a minute. There's a pause. ]

This is the same guy who wants to punch someone in the face, right?

[ Got to double-check he's for sure he knows who Jingyi is. ]

[flatteries]

[ Inigo sputters, like Tidus caught him redhanded in the middle of some sort of crime.

Or maybe that's just because Tidus is so good at making it sound that way. ]

It was in the illusion! [ It sounds like he's making excuses, but he's not! He wasn't as shy about it in the illusion, probably since there were less ways to hide it there?! He sure doesn't know what his illusion self was thinking! ] It wasn't like that!

[ But after a few more moments of sputtering, Inigo seems to give up.

For the moment, anyway.

He lets out a sigh and then finally, finally nods, pulling a hand through his hair. ]

And yes. Yes, that's the one.

[agoodsoul]

[Poor Inigo. One day he'll get a one up on Tidus, then it'll be different!]

No I haven't, but s'possibility for sure.

[Oh, okay. He sees what's going on here. Good diversion!]

What, you think I couldn't carry you? Or Tidus? Look y'gotta be strong to be a firefighter.

[blitzcheer]

[ Pfft. Tidus squints narrow-eyed at Inigo for a moment before flipping back his head. Arms folding! ]

It wasn't like that. Sure! You ran off real fast the other day after he made that call out...

[ He'd started to look away, but with that observation, Tidus snaps his focus onto Inigo. Examining. ]

Was that an illusion too?

[blitzcheer]

See? Now he's dragging you into it! [ Is this really a diversion. Tidus spreads out his hands in a conceding motion. ]

Alright! Go and get back rides! And if Dennis starts sharing our room, I want a warning.

Or you can order a room for the night.

[flatteries]

[ ...

Sweet Naga. For a blissful, blissful moment, Inigo had totally forgotten that the entire train had been able to hear that. His face starts to light up instantly, and his mouth opens and closes a few times like a goldfish while he tries to find out how to use words again. ]

I-- No, it's--

[ PLEASE, TIDUS, YOU'RE THE LAST PERSON HE'D WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS WITH. ]

I just-- you heard him, right?! He was hitting on me!

[flatteries]

[ Look at Dennis. A great, amazing friend, who quickly goes along with it when Inigo is trying to change the topic.

And then there's this devil over here, dragging the subject right back by its hairs. How does Inigo live. ]

Wow, Tidus, maybe he wants to carry you!

[ DENNIS DID MENTION YOUR NAME, DUDE. ]

You could totally carry Tidus, right, Dennis?

[blitzcheer]

[ Tidus's eyes go wide at the revelation, and then.... they narrow, under the weight of his '--wait' brow, trying to remember anything that Jingyi said (which to Tidus comes first as 'I want to punch a guy because I'm nosy into my bro's affairs'), but, his brain is trying to slowly... ]

...Really?

[ ...work?? ]

[adropofsunlight]

Yeah, Tidus here figured you'd like to help with something since this is related to art.

[She was aware that the other liked this stuff at least.]

[blitzcheer]

Heyyy. [ Now there's another voice he likes to hear. ]

Yeah, did you see? We can buy bigger items now. Rapunzel knows about these things called pottery wheels - you ever see them? What do you think about them for the train?

weeps in ??? canons i guess,

[jan_ken_hacking]

[There's not a whole lot of good ways to respond to that information, and honestly, Tidus is doing pretty great all things considered!

Still.] The first time, we restored it; we used 'Rayshifting' to travel to the singularities creating the events, and removed what caused the singularities to happen.

[As for the how, hooboy.] ...a being called 'Goetia' needed the energy created by burning '7 timelines'; they wanted to create a world where 'no death, suffering, or sadness could occur'.

[One could argue Goetia meant well...but it didn't change what he did to get there.]

[flatteries]

Yeah.

[ With his face as red as a tomato, Inigo is trying to figure out how to distract Tidus from this thought. Or any thought related to that situation at all.

.. he glances at the whiteboard, desperately thinking-- ]

Do the kids want that pottery wheel? [ H-Haha, a random subject change? He doesn't know what you mean, bro! He's fine, it's cool, he's not sweating bullets here. ]

[blitzcheer]

[ It would be very easy to ask 'what's Rayshifting' like the protag that asks too many questions that he is, but you know, when she gets to the villain with a bad plan part- ]

Ugggghhhh, [ listen to that groan, ] one of those guys? There's always someone out of their mind everywhere.

[ Tidus has no respect for that plan!! ]

So you can't just get rid of that guy again?

[ Since, he's the singularity....right?? ]

[blitzcheer]

[ Oh.

ho.

ho.

ho.

Tidus is coming over to the table Inigo's sat in front of, leaning over with a grin on full view. ]

So? [ So? ] How'd it go, stud?

[ There is no distracting Tidus, fool. ]