voidtreckernet | horseshoe 22, voice

And... I know Nita and Dairine and I can share information between Spot, Nita's manual, and my sense of the Sea. But it seems like the rest of the train runs on the paper we give newcomers.

Is that a bad thing? Unless we got a kind of computer just for info...

Doesn't work like that, pro. But I'll keep it in mind for a future purchase. If not me, then somebody else who's non-magical can use it.

[ One Arms Band to one person! The rules are the rules, Roland just follows. Doesn't make them. Or you know, he could keep it in his Armory locker. Magic really isn't his strong suit, and he's learned to accept that. Tidus though, seems to have an affinity for it regardless. Maybe he could stand to have a smartstick? Or was his blitzball considered a ranged weapon...? ]

[ Also, this water show was going to wreak some havoc on the flooring. Still, Roland watches the display with wide eyes and lightly crossed arms over his chest. He's getting the hang of it, and Gibbs seems to be lending his strength to it too. Studying the scene, getting a grasp of the geiser and its size, Roland hums quietly until an idea comes to him. ]

You know you can absorb Gibbs and make your other moves stronger, right? [ Roland tilts his head slightly. ] Just something to think about when you practice. He's like a walking water battery pack, heh.

[ THE RULES AIN'T TIDUS'S DAD!!!

The tiny higgledies are gathering themselves up with gleeful squeaks and body language. ...and slipping back over again, but you have to wonder if it's on purpose or not, given their affinity to water (but then, their affinity isn't to the floor). Tidus looks over at Roland and his suggestion, then back again. ]

Can we do that water slide like that? With him in me? I'll still need to practice anyway - the time magic's what I'm good at, not this. [ Well. ] I mean, I'm not bad, but compared to people who really know their magic, you know? I never learned to do much with it except the basics for a fight.

Yes. Pretty sure it can work, still. [ Roland joins in on watching the higgledy scene before them. Forgetting that the water is collateral damage, but really, what's the worst the train could do to them? They're already doing chores for it. ] Though to be honest, you'll need to ask Gibbs yourself how he can help you. He might even surprise you, combining your quick spells with his magic.

[ He touches Tidus's shoulder, as a natural inclination, a grasp of hand against him before he lets go. ] Take that strength and work together with your new partner on how to be better. You've both got this. You hit those trolls pretty hard on Irivar with your magic too, you know? What's a pro athlete without a little bit of training, off-season?

[ Roland smiles, an encouragement to keep going. ] Besides, it could even be as simple as enhancing physical moves, too. That's how I seem to utilize magic the best.

Nah. Anything else we can add over time. A work in progress. [ Aha! ]

I'm not that desperate to dry the points account. Maybe I'll think of something before the next train stop.

[ Now reformed, Gibbers hops and skips back to them, sliding as well on the wet residue left behind in its ride. While Tidus's cool is being teste by that hand that comes to rest reassuringly, confidently on his shoulder; the point that Roland is trying to make secondary to the stir of emotions that rise up onto his face. As a frown, wobbly as it is.

But then Roland speaks a language he can understand, moving out his dominant right hand, his brotherhood blade being brought out, bubbling inside and out. ]

I can use it with physical moves. My blade's all water! [ Yeah!! Please don't mind how twitchy Tidus suddenly is, like he needs to move a lot!! ] I can show you right now, in a fight! What do you say? Wanna take me on!?

[ YEAH YEAH LET'S GO! Gibbers is squeaking in approval, coming up on the pair --

and when he gets close enough, he'll jump into the blade, more the azure of its blue that much more so. ]

I hear you. Still sitting on my points for a bit. But you need extra, I’ll help!

[He is up for that.]

But I couldn’t tell you how they accumulate. Same as you and Roland, I just don’t know.

I think Roland's gonna tear all his hair out tryin' to figure it out before we get an answer. [ Pfft. ] I wouldn't bring them up to him.

I mean, I bet he scribbles about it in his notebook, but you know. He's not so young under that face of his.

[ Uh oh. Now this is something Roland didn't think of. He takes a step back, only because he's not sure where this sudden surge of energy comes from. But seeing as he's done exactly as was advised - the combination of water on water making things so much bluer than they used to be - Roland knows he's going to have to help him train now. He shakes his head, slightly amused but mostly a little apprehensive, summoning his own sword; dark in contrast.

Thank goodness they're already at the gym. ]

Something tells me you're going to be walking out of here with some pretty impressive moves. All right, let's do it. I'll be your moving training dummy. Come on.

[ Roland falls into stance. Where he's steady and waiting for movement, Tidus is already light and bouncing on the balls of his feet. If anything, this is bound to get interesting. ]

Edited 2020-10-31 19:23 (UTC)

[ He's bouncing alright, giving his legs and back the stretch they need and then righting himself, getting his footwork ready. ]

Lemme show you what a legendary guardian looks like! [ He's allowed to call himself that, right.

He's doing it anyway.

And someone may want to check elsewhere in the rulebook of 'Is that allowed?' when Tidus puts to work his connection with Gibbers to a quick test, the spell of a water sphere shaped like a certain blitzball circulating and forming in his left hand, pulling back for a throw in the few seconds it needs to be deployed. A cheap shot, not a very hard-hitting thing, a move more to distract Roland while Tidus comes in with a leap following it: defying physics as he swings his body to change his angle from being direct on, but then coming with his body and blade swinging for Roland in a full-circular assault, leg kicked out too.

Think fast, Roland - or block fast. ]

Oh, he's one of those types! I get it. [He laughs,]

Captain's second in command is like that. Always has to know all the rules and shit, poor guy. Still be nice to know it! Ah, well. We get points and that's just how it goes.

Anyway! We got a basic layout right now and bunch of people hitting the feedback--

AH! [There's a snap of his fingers.] Last thing! What about one of those chalkboard things for like if someone makes extra food for people? Maybe. Could be useful and only waste involved is chalk dust.

[ Hm-? ]

Oh yeah! Hey, I got a few of those last mission. We can spare one - don't know how popular they are anyway. [ Might as well, right? ]

We'll need a good place to put it. We don't want that getting knocked over. Looks like it'll shatter into a thousand pieces if we do.

Yeah one good knock and that's all over. [Hm, where to put it though?]

Let's see...out of the way of foot traffic is a must. But we don't want it where people have to get their shit from either. [Wait.] Hey, wait a minute. I've never been called down to get a package from here. Is it Luggage where they get it from? Where do those packages usually show up?

So we don't mess up and put it there either.

Here we go.

[ So much for a second water slide, right? But this is still something he'll put his heart into, a version of Roland that's mostly present during missions; brow furrowed and eyes locked on to his sparring partner. Thankfully this is Roland's first instinct anyway, because whatever advice he gives Tidus about combining his power with Gibbs is catapulting into a move executed so quickly, Roland was this close to missing that block. The sphere of water does exactly what it was intended to do, but he recoils just enough to block, block, block! His sword is raised close to his chest, his face, bracing his arms as Tidus commits to a flurry of moves. It pushes him back somewhat, but rather than roll or evade, Roland absorbs as much as he can before he pushes on the ball of his foot, parrying as soon as Tidus halts. It's enough momentum to hopefully, throw Tidus off-balance somewhat so he can disarm from a sweeping vertical slash to the side. But it's a conservative movement, wanting him to get a feel of the tide of the fight more than wanting to win. ]

[ Tidus doesn't have the confidence to fight a parry when it meets him, not at this stage, ~~not when he might know how better at them Roland is than him~~. Better to back off and to remove fancy sword work from the equation, be prepared for the counter-blow that comes and use the fuller of his blade than have a smarter answer.

A pause, but not inactive. Tidus jumps diagonally, sprinting on the tips of his feet, an art to how he moves. Swift, confidently; keep Roland on his toes too, or not--when he sweeps like he's gliding, dashing in with his feet aimed to knock Roland off his. ]

[ He's reading every move carefully. Tidus is indeed, fast. Quick on the draw, but a bit too proactive and not reactive where it would count. Roland's face is stony as he moves to evade that sliding kick to get him to fall, would have forced him into a surrender. The barrel roll is well-timed, and he pivots right away to slash and meet Tidus's sword from beneath. Where Tidus is attempting to disarm Roland with maneuvers that are sprightly and jumpy, Roland is more steady, not moving unless he has to block, evade, or counterattack.

Right now, he's too busy on Tidus's form and how he's faring on a one-on-one. If he'll use the power of a higgledy to do more stunts, and to begin with, Roland doesn't even know the full extent of Tidus's moves and skillset apart from what he's seen in Irivar, or in the gym...

He's cautious, keen. ]

It means we need to store the paper for people who arrive, especially for things we keep in our head. We don't understand when and why people leave the train. If no one makes that information public, it gets lost.

[ ??? Oh- ] Did you wanna share the info that you and Spot and Nita have then? I mean-- sure, sharing info's good. You can put it in the library. That might be the best spot?

[ Since it's where you expect to find info. ]

You want me to help you? If you wanna, uh... stay a whale.

I mean, I can write, but it's harder to control ink to the precision to be clear at tiny sizes.

No problem then, I can help! Then I'll type it up so it's neat and tidy when people actually read the final copy. How's that sound?

We can work on it in the garden or somewhere. Where do you usually hang out?

Early one morning in the month of Bassoon, about a year ago by my time sense, we were awakened by the train announcing that the Ministry Inspectors had boarded the train, and that we should all have our tickets ready to present to them. We all experienced a feeling of foreboding, and our cabin doors were suddenly locked. In all the carriages, we heard a sound kind of like choral singing, but it also sounded like crying. Maybe that was a sound from the Void as the Inspectors breached our transport. Reigen and Renee and Jessie and I heard the stomping of metallic boots outside in the passageway, and then the Inspectors came in, two of them. I pulled out my goblin sword and dagger and asked them what they wanted. They told us that an anomaly had been recorded -- whatever the hell that meant! -- and that we must show them our tickets. I asked them what they meant by an anomaly, and they didn't give me any information, just said that we passengers were all an anomaly. Reigen argued that it was the train that was an anomaly, not us, since none of us had been asked for our permission before being taken aboard. The Inspectors demanded that I drop my weapons and threatened to take action if I didn't. I eventually did, because I didn't want to get my roommates killed. They took my ticket and read off my stats, and they did the same with my roomies' tickets. They also said to Reigen, "If you believe you have been kidnapped, coerced or press ganged into service onto this transport you may come with us to file a report and your case will be looked into. The ministry takes allegations of trafficking using void transport seriously and all cases are dealt with robustly." Reigen said he'd go, but he wanted to take his advisor, me. They agreed, and we went with them.

They never asked us any questions, and they managed not to answer ours. They never gave us any contact information.

As I said, I don't remember the journey to that dingy little white-walled Ministry office, nor the journey back to the train. There was nothing but a desk and some forms to fill out. Reigen dealt with the forms, and then we were returned to the train via the Luggage Carriage. We were only gone for a day, apparently.

Edited 2020-11-06 04:47 (UTC)

[ okay

okay, maybe he took that all in?? Did he? Tidus hopes he did. It takes him a second to say anything, but... ]

Okay... [ Let's just repeat that a lot, inward and out. ] So all the doors locked -- but they could get into rooms, but you couldn't get out? And they haven't been heard from since except for that time they sent a message out to everyone in the void. And the train instantly tried to block that.

[ That's their timeline with the ministry so far, it sounds like. He wonders why the ministry hasn't been in contact with them since, but - that has to be because of the train, right? ]

No one else went? That you know about? Just you and this Reigen guy?

[ The contact may not go as intended, but the blade keeps Tidus protected, and he has a way of getting back onto his feet: with a spring that's aided by the tip of his blade on the flooring, for no more than a second before he's up.

But that higgledy in his blade is getting animated, and Tidus can sense it: a gleeful impatience in his heart, inspiring a laugh that might tell Roland something is up -- if the obvious aqua-gleam of Tidus's aquatic weaponry didn't in the moment before he readies it. A preparation that might be too early, too showing of what he's about to do since he needs to run in, except--

Tidus slashes the air, and in the motions, strips of water in the shape of those strikes come out, firing at Roland from that distance. And when Tidus is so agile, does a guy like him need to continue to assault straight forward, when he can jump up, send more strikes like shots at Roland from above, and break out into a run to send more from other directions? ]

[ It's good he was paying attention like this; if he had been one second too late to the draw, Roland would have gotten hit with the blades of water without a doubt. The first wave of crescents hit the edge of his sword in defense, but to absorb more than that would mean he would be pushed too far back. Blocking didn't protect him from getting hurt, after all; only deflecting it, cushioning the blows.

He moves as fast he can, but he's being rushed. Tidus's strategy was clearer than ever: rather than face Roland head on, he was attempting to force his hand by overwhelming him. And Tidus certainly had the energy to do so; to keep this up until Roland would be forced into a corner. No, he isn't that easily flustered. Tidus's jumping reminds him of a creature they often fight in the second world, relying mostly on the same strategy of jumps and quick moves to catch opponents off their guard.

But all he needs is that split second the magic runs out. There's always a cooldown, there's always an end to it. It can't last forever. When he is granted it - that gap, that pause, however short it is - Roland moves with purpose. Pushes himself, burn in his thighs, as he performs a basic combination that focuses every slash, strike, and thrust only on Tidus and nowhere else. It's a string of five, six, seven attacks, not letting up the form. ]

Defense up, Tidus. Let's go.

[ He says, neither encouraging nor condescending. Roland is spurring him own too, almost like lending advice. Whether or not he'd take it, is a completely different matter altogether. Regardless. ]

horseshoe 22, voice

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