video from sleeper 1, Fiddlesticks Day 12

[enthunder]

Hey. Dunno if anyone was waiting to see how stupid the 'random clothes' option was before trying it, but I finally spent points on new clothes. So, here's a review... I guess.

[ She rummages next to the ICP, and holds up an ornate jacket, a black dress printed with red rose petals and a pile of wool and linen that she can't quite sort out in time for the camera before she gives up and puts it down again. ]

In short, they're not bad. Not great for missions, but they're, [ She lifts her hands to do airquotes ] 'not to be worn on official Voidtrecker business' anyway. It's fifteen points for an outfit, though... so, maybe see the spider instead if you're low.

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one fear.jpg

[enthunder]

The morning it's gonna stop at another platform, the computers all update and you get points. My theory is... some kind of reward, for playing nice with other 'heroes', so it'll keep you poor at first, make you need it.

[ Hey look, she's a cynic after all ]

Spider does a deal for one outfit for one snack for newcomers, which is pretty stupid until you realise you arrive with exactly enough points to buy that.

[blitzcheer]

[ Ugggh, way to bring down the mood with that cynicism! It's not like it doesn't sound like a fair guess, either. ]

I'll see what I get first. Whatever the train allows me, [ he adds as a quiet, snarky aside. ] I was stuck in my sports uniform most of the time I was with Yuna, so shirts and pants are an upgrade.

Any idea how often we do a platform stop? This thing's been going on for...five months, you said?

[ He remembers something about five months, he thinks. ]

[enthunder]

Good luck. [ She's starting to get trickles back of failed random clothing experiments. ]

Stops are twice a month, on the first and sixteenth. So... we're due one in four days.

[blitzcheer]

Yeah? Can't believe I'm gonna go through that from the other side already! Just being on that platform all of the sudden from wherever you were is...

[ He trails, not because it's not something that needs to be said, but the memory of the day is still fresh in his mind. How strange everything was...

...and geez, half of the things he said...! ]

[enthunder]

If it helps, you weren't the worst platform encounter I've had.

[ She pauses. Reconsiders. No, maybe he was? ] ...

[blitzcheer]

Huh? ... ... .. Hey, isn't that my line? I don't think that's how that works!

[ Excuse you, Miss Stabby Stab. You don't get to quietly reconsider that title!

Fortunately, Tidus only sounds slightly huffy before he thinks back on that encounter himself. ]

What would you do anyway if you met one of those Chaos goons? Fight 'em? Then what?

[ Given how quick she was to pull a sword (and teaspoon!) on him. ]

[enthunder]

[ She ignores the bluster. It was neither of their finest moments. ]

Fight 'em is the whole plan. Show whoever arrives that we're not just gonna roll over. They're mostly power-hungry assholes, so fighting's all they understand.

[ She shrugs. ] But then, maybe they don't remember. Then we get to figure out if they were as big a pain in the ass in their world as they were in that one.

[blitzcheer]

[ don't try and make him share the burden of your bad decision....!

But maybe he should have held onto his offence when he was apparently part of these guys. 'Fighting's all they understand'? Tidus makes a clipped sound, mouth slightly tilted. ]

I can tell you, I care about a whole lot more than fighting, [ he says eventually. ] So maybe gauge first, fight later?

[enthunder]

You're different. [ She makes a gesture off-screen towards... the train. She has no idea where Yuna is. ] Yuna and Jecht both insisted you'd been brainwashed. It's why Jecht saved you. Those other guys... When Chaos told them to destroy, they enjoyed it.

[blitzcheer]

[ Tidus's expression falls, the conflicted twist of his mouth turning more tightly pinched, uncomfortable. He vaguely remembers what Lightning told him, some of the details forgotten in the haze of the moment, but being reminded now... that he was against his old man and Yuna... ]

Yeah, but, so... wasn't that I wanted too? [ There's no comfort in the thought, but- ] If I was with them... was I really the only one brainwashed?

[enthunder]

[ She has to pause to think about it. Eventually she shrugs, clearly uncomfortable at the thought. Tidus had always just gone after Jecht like a dog with a bone. The others... They seemed too invested in Chaos's plans for it not to be their own will.

But then, for all her own complaints, she'd fallen into line in front of Cosmos. ]

Could be there were more. But we're not gonna find out unless one of them shows up and plays nice.

[ She sighs. ] Tell you what, if I recognise someone, we'll talk to them together.

[blitzcheer]

Alright! [ It's not exactly cheer, but Tiidus livens his voice. She's compromising because of him, so he's got to concede. ]

And if they try playing dumb, I can try... [ he looks up, a quick pause ] ...seeing if they talk to me if I pretend to know about this Chaos guy!

[ Trickery! How hard can it be? ]

What's the deal? We just want to take out Cosmos and destroy the world or whatever?

[enthunder]

[ She huffs out another laugh. It's not entirely pleasant, as far as sounds go, but it's closer to their previous mood. ]

Right. Cosmos is the goddess of harmony. Chaos is the god of discord. We fight, and whichever side comes out the loser get purged-- lose their memories. Then you do the whole thing over again... Until one of the gods falls, I guess.

Think you'll remember that?

[blitzcheer]

[ ... ]

Yeah, I got it. [ Except whatever mild pleasantry had been gain is lost as Tidus recognises what doing it all over means. ...what he'd not like it to mean, but for as easy as he'd like to ignore it- ]

You got any idea how long it's been going on for?

[ He aims for casual, for being indirect. Mentally steeling himself for whatever's to be said.

If there was anything mentioned about repeats in this bizarre war Yuna, Lightning, and his old man got dragged in, then--that was a part he hadn't remembered. ]

[enthunder]

[ Yeah. She guesses that wasn't the best direction to take this in. ]

We were on the twelfth cycle... that she remembered. Cosmos hadn't been doing great on the 'winning' front for a while. Don't know how many of those we'd been involved in.

[ She glances around, and seems to startle. ]

Right, you want to talk more, we can take this off the ICPs.

[blitzcheer]

[ Twelve. A potential twelve, a one too many. It's an ugly sudden weight on the entirety of him, and when Lightning startles and cares about discretion, Tidus is a second slower to engage. But there's an escape there, too--an escape he can be thankful for later. ]

No, it's fine-! You came here to talk about your clothes, didn't you? I dragged you into this.

[ Tone apologetic, his hands lift into view of the screen. ]

Sorry. They looked good, by the way! Hope you get the occasion to wear them all. [ And he pulls his mouth out of its pursed state, aiming for something lifting. ]

We just got done with a mission. Let's save it for another day. [ The ends of his mouth tug. ] Enjoy yourself!