poi 16, library; video

[blitzcheer]

Hey guys! [ As soon as the video feed cuts in, so does Tidus's voice, a smile and a hand raised to the screen. He's by one of the tables, breaking the 'be quiet' rule of all library spaces for a good reason - the reason which is spread out on a table, showing a selection of bottles, equipment, and even plants - one of which glows a soft gold. ]

Welcome to the newbies! I wanted to talk some about the healing we've got for people to take when they need it - plus, there's some making I was thinking some of you might be interested in - these!

[ He's grabbing a small pouch, removing the contents, and bringing a view of small green sweets sitting on his palm. ]

They're candies made from the plants we've got here. [ He nods back, and still in view is the golden plant, as well as less glowy variant. ] We've got a bunch growing, and they can be made into salves too - they're from Roland's world, and he got a book that tells you how to make them! But-

[ But- Tidus chuckles. ]

Well I've never made them before, and Roland hasn't either! Sooo... I was figuring we've got enough people here who're good at making with herbs and in the kitchen - how about we figure it out? Give people more options for healing. Then we don't have to pay for 'em. [ Heheh! ]

There's plenty of the plants in the greenhouse if you wanna try on your own - thanks, Persephone! - and the book on them's in the library. I'm gonna put some of these [ he holds the sweets back up, while also putting them back in the bag ] into the supply locker, so you can check them out. Try making them whenever you want!

[ He can't figure out the tie right now, or it's just a little too distracting. But Tidus is quiet, before he looks up from the pouch to the screen, and then to the side. His tone shifts. ]

And... if you ever worry about taking supplies when other people need them, don't, okay? Carry them with you. If you need to know how they work or just wanna ask about them, you can. And you can ask people to buy what works where you're from too. A bunch of the potions we have - they saved me more times than I can count back home. And I know Trunks swears by senzu beans.

So - yeah. [ He pulls a smile, small as it's turned. ] Drop by the library if you want! I've got an alphabet to count 'til it sticks.

[ Heh. ]

Comments

[bakegarasu]

[He's having A Day.]

Should've asked the train for the book I had at home, but I remember enough about it. Shouldn't be that hard to show people, if you want to learn.

[blitzcheer]

Sure, I'll hang around for it too - no reason not to. [ Learn, brain, learn! ]

You want me to see if there's any books on potion making around here just to spruce your memory?

[ Just to tick off what Otoha remembers about potion-making against another source? You can do that, right. ]

[bakegarasu]

That might be a good idea. I can show you some of what I know now, if you’ve got the time.

[And staying busy is going to make it easier to not deal with what he’s feeling! Win-win, and totally not a problem.]

[blitzcheer]

[ Right now? He looks thoughtful. ]

Welllll- [ welll- ] Sure, why not? Just gimme a sec to tidy up and look around. We need to move to the kitchen?

[ He does remember Raven brewing things in there before. ]

[bakegarasu]

Kitchen might be better... just in case something goes wrong. It'll be easier to clean up there, after all.

I can meet you there.

[blitzcheer]

Alright! See you in five.

[ It's a chance of scenery, but it's not too bad. Everything is easy to gather in the suitcase taken to put the mish-mash supplies into one easy-to-retrieve place. But knowing where to look or how to find a useful book - that's a pain. A pain that's more than five minutes, but Tidus manages to keep it from being more than ten when he finally makes his way to the question.

Downstairs or upstairs, he'll appear - and with a crate in his arms, filled with a bundle of the green tiny plants, no larger than an indoor potted chive. ]

[bakegarasu]

[ Otoha moves pretty quickly, so he's already there when Tidus gets to the kitchen. He's picked upstairs mostly to be out of the way and has pulled out some bowls to mash things up in. He nods at the younger man when he shows up. ]

Anyone interesting show up today?

[blitzcheer]

[ He sets the plants down, hoping there's enough there for a potion test. At least they've got more stocked away. It leaves him humming, thinking about the day's platform. ]

Looks like we lose Orisa, and a new metal bear person shows up. [ One robot for another, that is to say. But for the casual observation he says it with, his mood just drops with a sigh. ] I'll miss her. Hope she'll be okay 'til we can find out for sure.

[ Until they can make sure. ]

[bakegarasu]

Metal bear person. ... Sure.

... Person from my world left, so. Not the best morning on my end.

[He starts to pick up the plants and examine them, trying to stay casual. It's... hard, though. He's never been good at goodbyes, and his always tend to be ripped away from him rather than a pleasant goodbye.]

[blitzcheer]

[ The casual friendliness drops, falling into something sympathetic and less light around Tidus's person. He frowns, looking at Otoha. ]

Oh, man... I'm sorry.

[ It's difficult; one upon a time, you'd hope they were going back, pretend they were. Now... it's difficult to find some upside to offer. Leaves him a bit lost of what else to add.

He sighs. ] All this stuff's happening around us, but we still can't change what we want to.

[ Making sure people were safe - at least not who-knows-where, in what state. ]

[bakegarasu]

I'm... I'll be okay. I'll see her again.

[He has to believe that. If he doesn't, he doesn't have much hope to hold on to. And there's been precious little hope in his life, so he's going to hold on to what he can.]

We'll find ways to change it. We just have to put our heads together. Or at least most of us do - I'm no good at that kind of technical thinking.

[It's a little bit of a jab at himself, but that's fine. He knows he's not the Smart Guy in the room. Any room. But he tries.]

[blitzcheer]

You and me both.

[ Got room in the 'not smart club', buddy? Because Tidus will take a seat easily, humour to his tone. If only he had Seto's brains, Taiki's ability to keep it together, Hera's brain for looking after others. ]

But we can help them along the way. There's plenty people I want to see get back home. [ Would it help? Maybe... ] When I arrived, I showed up with the girl I was into. Yuna. She disappeared...two months after.

Train will have to kick me off before I give up making sure she's back home safely.

[ That's a promise. ]

[bakegarasu]

... That sucks.

[There's no more elegant way to put it, and even if there were Otoha wouldn't use it.]

[Losing someone he cares about... at least he's not alone. At least other people know what this pain feels like. He's gotten better at reacting to emotional pain - it's less intense now. But he doesn't really want to have it...]

Yeah. We're going to find them. All of them. We'll follow the tethers and pull them back like a fishing line.

[blitzcheer]

Now that's an idea I can get behind!

[ Aw yeah. How will they do it? Tidus doesn't know yet - but they'll figure it out! Though, speaking of how... ]

I wonder why we can't just do that now? Wasn't that what everyone was doing back on that fake world, with the anchors? Let's do it on the platforms!

[ It's so simple! Why not try it? ]

[bakegarasu]

I... don't know how to do it - I was kind of in the middle of the fight. But if we can figure out how, maybe we can pull people back.

We'll have to ask around, but there's got to be a way to modify it somehow...

[... Wait. Right. They were doing something. He got distracted.]

[blitzcheer]

[ Can't work and talk, Otoha? Not that Tidus will know what to do to help, other than pass over some herbs if he wants any. Otherwise, his mouth is free to blabber on...! ]

Hmm, yeah. Maybe someone's asked the train - [ oh ] Man, how long's that Q&A gonna take to get back to us?

[ Pah, how long has that been now? A month? ]

[bakegarasu]

[He can try. He starts to crush up some of the herbs and add a little water.]

No idea. I probably should have asked something, but anything I could have thought of other people said way better.

[blitzcheer]

[ Hmm. ] Yeah, but I'm not sure I care about the curfew as much as some people.

[ It's lightly said, nothing too judging than just a memory from that. He can see what Otoha's doing, and, without anything for his own hands to do... ]

Uh, can I help? You need any more herbs mashed up?

[ He'll get itchy just standing around...! ]

[bakegarasu]

Yeah. We'll mash them until it gets to a sort of pulpy mess, and then we'll start picking out the more solid bits from the more liquid bits.

[At least, that's what he did with the yokai and their herbal medicine.]

I don't really care about the curfew. I know I'm one of those people who doesn't sleep much without just passing out.

[blitzcheer]

[ More solid bits... ... at least he can just follow Otoha's lead in both direction and watching, which is good. Let him just go and get another mortar and pestle!

Which, as he does: ] I'd care more about it if there was anything different between night or day, but you can't even star watch here. [ Just void watch, which is a bad idea. ] Or you know, going out! Around a city or some open land-

[ Aha, he's got something close enough to use. Time to head back over. ]

Where're you from anyway? A kingdom or tech-using city?

[ Usually, kingdoms didn't come with 'tech-using', in Tidus's experience. Save one. ]

[bakegarasu]

Shinjuku, in Japan. It uses technology. I didn’t even know that magic existed until a week before I came here. I nearly died, and then the city’s will picked me to defend her.

[His voice cracks slightly, but he keeps going. He has to.]

There’s yokai - monsters from folklore. But they only exist as long as people believe that they do, and most people don’t anymore. So they’re getting sick and dying. A Karas - a city’s guardian - has to keep the people and yokai in their city safe.

[blitzcheer]

[ Huh. Tidus comes back to the counter, with the mortar and all. ]

So... what were you protecting them from? --You're protecting the yokai?

[ He's heard that word before, briefly. But here - if anyone sounds like they need protecting, it's the monsters. ... whatever monsters mean, in this case. ]

[bakegarasu]

From each other, in some cases. Or from outside threats - in my case it was the previous Karas who went crazy and tried to force people to believe by terrorizing and killing humans.

[He’s thought about Eko’s plan over and over, but it still doesn’t make sense to him.]

Only a Karas can kill a Karas, so she found me when I was dying and saved me.

[blitzcheer]

Eesh. [ It's more of a response to the first part, which isn't so surprising. You get weirdos on any planet. And off planet. ]

So, you're a real Guardian type! For a whole city. No wonder you stepped up and wanted to help Red Team.

[bakegarasu]

Yeah, pretty much. Which is kind of funny, given my past... I was usually the one attacking people rather than defending a place.

... But I care about Shinjuku. It's my home and I've never really left before this place. It's... everything to me.

[Hm.]

Not in like... a creepy way? But it's the place I know and care about.