IC Inbox for Empatheias

[nofarplaneyet]

Messenger Bird/Voice/Image/Action

*If you want to harass an old man, feel free. Expect dry humor in return if you're trying to be smart.*

Comments

[blitzcheer]

[ Glacian is already receiving Tidus's attention as soon as he takes a hold of the reins in one hand, ruffling the side of her face and laughing lightly to her kwehs.

But he is listening to Auron, and tips his hand not occupied by petting when he speaks up. ]

So if this thing transforms into whatever's around, a chocobo's not so bad a target.

[ Then again, looking at Glacian...and those big pretty eyes... ]

Er... is it?

[ Are they going to get offended if they attack a fake chocobo...?! ]

[nofarplaneyet]

[He chuckles a little bit.]

That's right. You know these ladies can cast Ice, right? So we can have them nearby and then if things get rough, we can have them be the cavalry.

So c'mon, let's ride.

[blitzcheer]

Yes, sir!

[ The salute is in the swing of his voice only, but clear enough, before Tidus is moving with Glacian down the street to reach the gate they need. It's a quiet cool night, and it's not until they reach the threshold between the city and outer land that Tidus, with the map already in one hand, unfolded from the squares that still dent the paper, waves it in gesture. ]

You want me to read this, or you? This whole place is like a second home to you by now, right? [ A huff of a laugh. ] Still dunno how you get to own a restaurant and inn.

[ If only co-owner of the latter establishment. Still! ]

[nofarplaneyet]

You can be the leader of this expedition so just let me know where to go.

[The later comment does get Auron to laugh.]

You stick around enough and get to know people, weird things happen.

[blitzcheer]

[ He makes a noise to go along with the slight shrug of his shoulders, a 'fair enough' in response. Though being a leader -- or that particular word being used -- is making Tidus scramble to remember the directions given to him along with the map.

Fortunately, they weren't that complicated. Shouldn't be hard to follow, anyway, as long as Squall hasn't infected him with his terrible sense of direction via being around the guy too much! ]

Spira's pretty normal compared to this place. All the stories you hear about other worlds...then there's everything that happens here!

[ There's an incredulous quality to his voice, a kind of scoff, and then Tidus is giving the command for Glacian to speed up his trot, just to get them going once he's confident they can follow the dirt road created by caravans that travel to and from the city. Picking up his voice to keep up conversation: ]

What's the weirdest world you've ever heard about? Got any good stories?

[nofarplaneyet]

[Auron motions for Shiva to hurry after her sister as they travel on to their destination.]

The weirdest world, hunh? I don't know the name of it, but I heard some weird things about it from someone no longer here. They have communication devices called phones but they look like little bricks people carry around. They're a little bit like spheres but instead of recording information, you play games on them. You can also transform into some battle armor and part of it is a strange mask over your face.

[Someone may be misremembering information from a certain Phantom Thief, but it was fun.]

They also have a song they sing before battle.

[blitzcheer]

Bwuh?

[ Okay, he asked for strange and he got it. ]

So what, they're some kinda pop idol fighters? [ He asks it incredulously. That's what he's getting out of this? ...sorta? ] They sing at the fiends too?

[ Somehow, he's almost expecting a yes. Otherwise, what's the singing for. ]

[nofarplaneyet]

No, I don't think it's like that.

[Not that he quite understands that, exactly.]

They were thieves and they stole treasure. They taught me a song and assured me it was for getting ready before battle.

[Auron then proceeds to sing (not too badly either) "Eye of the Tiger".]

[blitzcheer]

[ Tidus can better imagine the whole scenario once Auron brings them up being thieves; like some ragtag group from a children's book, breaking out into a hearty song more out of fun than the necessity he was imagining before (because hey, you never know--there's some weird powers here). Now they've got far bigger bellies, transforming costumes be damned.

But that's a short-lived imagery once Auron breaks out into the song, which with his already deep voice isn't bad -- but Auron suddenly singing like this, Tidus balks at it before it starts to tickle him into a smile. Chuckles some, because he can't help it.

The pair of them on chocobos, an open landscape and Auron singing -- it's certainly not home, but it spurs some sentimental reminder of when it was just the two of them. At happier times, anyway.

Feels like a lifetime ago.

Tidus doesn't interrupt the singing, no matter for how long it goes on (maybe he just likes hearing Auron spontaneously singing--as odd as that is, too). If only his hands weren't busy when it comes to an end, or he'd give a clap. It's okay though: he knows how to sass with his words. ]

Wow, Auron, so that's what you were up to before, huh? Hanging out with bandits and singing songs into the night? Now you're pretending you're just an ordinary citizen doing honest work!

Or was it Regis who set you on the straight and narrow again? [ Don't mind the absolute story of your life Tidus is making up here-- ] Which by the way, thanks for keeping quiet about that lil' detail when I showed up!

[ Chiding about things 5-6 months old by now? Why not. ]

[nofarplaneyet]

Why yes, Tidus, good of you to notice that Regis does make me a better man.

[It's as much sass as Tidus gives, but Auron is rather amused. Not to mention Tidus' gripings.]

Would you honestly have wanted me to lead with that? Glad you're here from Spira, I have a lot to explain and by the way, I'm married to a man?

[blitzcheer]

Uhhhh, yeah?!

[ That comes with an abrupt stop from Glacian and Tidus, the poor chocobo having to deal with Tidus's sudden tug to make them turn, resulting in Tidus being flung forward some, but not off the chocobo's back.

Tidus doesn't seem to mind or care either way. More importantly is the hand he now has free to wave in nonsensical gesture. ]

You coulda told me when you introduced him! 'I've been stuck here for years, also I got married'? Would've made as much sense as everything else about this place!

[ And far more important than a history lesson on the Arehtei. ]

Did you even date back in Zanarkand?

[nofarplaneyet]

[It is interesting how much more interest Tidus has in him here, as opposed to him just being a constant in the young man's life. But then again, neither one of them were big on talking about feelings.]

Do you think I would have hid something like that from you in Zanarkand? No, I never dated anyone. Just...didn't seem important to me.

[blitzcheer]

[ Does he think Auron would have...? It's a more loaded question than Auron perhaps meant, but it does make him think--what does he think about Auron, and who he was? It's been so easy to see the change in him, and for Tidus...

He looks conflicted by the answer, but he doesn't dawdle where he's stopped, clicking his tongue and giving Glacian the go-ahead to resume, to that job they're meant to be doing.

The first signs of their potential trouble -- or of trouble -- aren't too far from in the landscape. As the ground dips smoothly ahead of them, there's scorched earth that interrupts the grassy plains, stakes pointed upward painted bright to signal recent danger in the area dotted in different areas that catch the eye.

Looks like they're going the right way, anyway. ]

[nofarplaneyet]

[He follows the young man, spotting the change in the landscape about the same time as Tidus does. He reins in Shiva to go more slow and careful.]

So right around here, hunh?

[blitzcheer]

Guess so. [ But there's no big giant 'lake' that he can see. Just a big ol' mess, some fog in the distance...

Tidus scans the area some more, and then, rather productively: ]

Heeeeyyy! You big dumb lake! Come out and fight us like a m-- ... lake!

...

...



........


Well that didn't work. [ Guh. ] You wanna wait here a while or run around 'til something happens?

[nofarplaneyet]

[Auron fails to hide a snort of amusement.]

Sure, I'll go ahead and do that while you think of something more creative to taunt a body of water with.

[blitzcheer]

[ WOW, Auron? ]

Then why don't you show me how it's done!

[ He wasn't going to sit around on this hill by himself. ...but if Auron's going to be like that, maybe he will! (until he gets bored)

By sight alone, it's a hopeless one: no body of water to be seen, and they're the only ones around, even the barn and its fencing showing no animals outside, though they could already be indoors with the approaching night.

There is that mist in the distance, however--slowly drawing into the land, though it doesn't spread out as one might expect.

But is a mist really suspicious? Or was it a good idea to leave the map in Tidus's hands, when he's more accustomed to Zanarkand's city map than those a more outdoorsy kind? ]

[nofarplaneyet]

[Well, Tidus wanted to lead the expedition and far be it for Auron to stop the young man when he's feeling motivated.

The mist is a little odd, though. He dismounted Shiva and bid her to stay put with a little pat.]

We can investigate that on foot and if we get in trouble, the girls can help out.

[blitzcheer]

Now I gotta walk?

[ While saved to a mumble, someone's whining just to whine now, but Tidus follows it up by dismounting, if with a huff. That's just the effort of getting down, obviously.

(not!!)

But it's actually nice to get on his feet, as much as Tidus likes riding on the back of chocobos--being back of control of his limbs is always a plus. With the freedom to move back in his legs, he gives a quick jog on the spot, just to loosen up the muscles. ]

Still more interesting than changing bed sheets!

[nofarplaneyet]

A little manual labor will not kill you, kid.

[He dismounts Shiva and tells her to stay put for now. He unsheathes Masamune from his back, getting it ready for any kind of altercation.

Although he does wonder if you can stab water to death.]