voidtreckerexpress | A NEW PLATFORM [INTRO POST JANUARY]

A NEW PLATFORM [INTRO POST JANUARY]

On the Train

Despite whatever Voidtreckers may have learned or how they feel about those revelations - or reminders - of the precariousness of their situation, the train flies ever onward.

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Poi. Points have been updated on the system."

With points updated, everyone can spend the morning shopping. Most people will be expecting the second announcement that comes a few hours later.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. The weather is dry but there is a chill to the air and a strong breeze." A lurch and a jolt, and the windows fill with the fog that means they are at a platform.

The doors open. As usual, those who leave first notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Dairine, Okada Izō, Rapunzel, Satoru and Siebren; all pass across the platform, not looking back. And then they're gone, disappeared through the barriers and into the fog beyond.

But on the platform itself there are thirteen new faces. Wearing hoodies in all four colours and in various states of confusion.

For New Passengers

At first all they can see is steam billowing around them as they come to their senses. As their eyes adjust, they find themselves on a platform. The platform is long with a grassy mound behind them. It is blustery and the air is cold, they will be glad of those hoodies.

They are standing, in clothes that are not their own and a style they might not even recognise. They are carrying a rucksack on their back. For a moment it seems to just be them, alone on the foggy, windy platform; then the fog begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

Thirteen figures, all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. Then there is a roaring sound and out of the fog arrives a train. Jet black with gold writing on the side. The Voidtrecker Express. There is a hiss as the doors slide open and out pours a strange assortment of people, over a hundred at least. Some are human, some are less so. Most are wearing the same hoodie in one of the four colours, red, orange, blue and purple, though some are sporting different clothes in a variety of styles.

Behind them, the doors close, and the train is cloaked in the same fog that hides the world beyond the platform.

The Train

After a short time, perhaps ten minutes or so, the fog clears and the doors hiss open again. Those from the train may encourage those on the platform to board. It’s not like there's anywhere else to go and even if there was, you feel a pull. A need to board, a feeling that staying on the platform would lead to something terrible. If that is not enough, there are plenty of people on the platform now, to encourage them onto the train.

Each ICP shows the same message and next to the screens there are stacks of leaflets written by those on the train, with further information (see
'Publications'). The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, with cans of corned beef lining the shelves.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. Those from purple who go to find their prize will find a large box containing a gingerbread train for them to share. Plenty enough to go around, even for the largest team.

New passengers will find their ticket allows them into their cabins. In most rooms, the occupied beds are obvious, leaving the spotless, empty spaces for the newcomers. Room is tight but there are storage cubbies at the head of each bed, beds fold up and the bottom bunks double as benches for the small table. There is storage under those benches full of spare blankets and pillows.

Snow Time: Rock Garden

Winter seems to have followed from Osiga and nested in the rock garden. There's a chill that nips in the air and a light snow (real snow) fills the air. A thin cloudy haze at the top of the carriage seems the source. Yet the kaleidoscope of the void will assure that this is no timely world stop.

People might have seen it occurring the night before. Snow falling heavy before tapering off with an odd precision, leaving a heavy blanket over the carriage 'ground'. By morning of Platform Day, a miniature winter has descended, ripe for snowforts, snowballs, angels and snowmen.

It's not just the climate that's changed. Many statues and rock features are missing or moved. Digging below the snow reveals soil now frozen but providing a barrier between the bare floor of the carriage. Keen eyes will see changes are made with safety and available space in mind. The fountain has been emptied but the pond and streams are frozen solid, allowing intrepid spirits to try slide-skating over the surfaces without the risk of breaking through. The mosaics are still around, and enchantments are in place to protect paintings and paper decorations from damp. Any plants have been sent to sleep or taken to safety.

The benches are still around. Paths and bridges are covered with fresh snow, but, as the day goes on, it's trampled down and or scattered. Najaran's woodfolk may be glimpsed near Jingyi's shrine or hiding in the shadows of rocks and statues still present, perhaps even buried in the snow and peeking out. Shy around humans, though those with pointed ears or Hylian lineage may find an easier time interacting.

There are signs on both doors of the carriage warning of the change and mentioning the dressing carriage will have winter gear, and it does: with hats, scarves, gloves and ice skates in a variety of sizes. Dispensers with warm drinks such as coffee, hot chocolate and hot water for tea are available in the Games Carriage.

Early the next day, the snow will be gone and the gardens returned to how they once were.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers taking advantage of the fresh air, and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, but they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view again as it picks up speed.

"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express." A female-coded artificial sounding voice echoes throughout the train. "Please take the time to read the passenger information displayed on the Information and Communication points and familiarise yourself with the layout and emergency exits."

The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog-filled sky.

"Entrance into Voidspace imminent. New passengers are advised to remain seated. Entry into Voidspace in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

A shudder, a jolt, a lurch to the left. A flash of light, colourful and blinding. As quick as it happens it is done. The train seems to steady itself. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colours.

Welcome to the Void!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The letters translate well enough across, or else there wouldn't be a point to Esteban learning fingerspelling. The only reason he has to use it is to name his friends properly after all, because while the letters translate, the word does not unless Esteban knows the sign for it.

It makes for Special lessons when he can get them.

"Inigo has a sweet tooth?" he asks instead, curious.

Hang on. Backtrack. Maybe he shouldn't be prodding out here; he knows Tidus spends a lot of time with Taiki and Romeo after all. But Esteban had already defaulted to Inigo because though he knew the others by sight, he'd never really had a good conversation with them.

Welp. That's what he gets for not thinking-- again.

"Y' don't have t' answer that." Besides. He can ask Inigo himself. Seems to fit though.

And listen, Tidus may be teasing, but Esteban is fully happy in stealing the candy anyways. It's not the best part-- the gingerbread is-- but he's not about to sneer at extras.

If it wasn't for what Esteban tacks on, Tidus would've figured that Esteban's gotten to know Inigo well. But he doesn't need to answer? He raises an eyebrow, if briefly.

"It's not a secret." If that's what Esteban's worried about? "Yeah, big one. I mean, he'd probably let you have his share, if you begged-" He makes a gesture to the gingerbread train. "--but he'd make some really sad eyes about it. Watch you eat it, die inside."

He's joking, by the smile he's wearing, but he also looks pretty sure of these events. Absolutely sure.

Tidus folds his arms comfortably, not in a rush to pick from the train.

"You friendly?"

"Yeah, he's my friend!~" If Esteban could somehow manage to bottle up a ray of sunshine, it wouldn't be as bright as the grin he sends his companion at that moment.

"An' there's no way I'd do that." Esteban would never. "Besides! The fun's in sharing it, I find." It's his way to share anything bright and positive with anyone around him after all! He reminds himself not to eat too much right away-- nibbling again-- because he wants to give some of his sweets to Ryo anyways.

Is that allowed? Well; it's not like they're being policed anyways. And it's not like he would care even if it wasn't.

"Lucky, most of the friends I made are with purple anyways, so it's easy 'nough t' share~" They all have a portion after all. The half-elf's not sure how to portion it out but they all have some claim to it. The challenge will be not to hoard it all to himself.

"Then 'gain, half the train 's dressed in purple," he wonders aloud. "Wonder why?"

It's a grin - a statement - that gets a small laugh out of Tidus. A good kind, appreciating the reaction. Good for Inigo to make friends, but especially someone enjoying him like this guy!

"Dunno," he admits, and he's starting a slow walk, again eyeing the train snack, wondering about a piece to take. Screw it - he can just take whatever, right? Not his fault if he takes too much. But he isn't reaching for any bit just yet. "It's always been like this. Orange and Purple the biggest teams - I tried getting the train to swap me over to Blue or Red ages ago." He looks at Esteban briefly as he admits it, then back to the treat.

"Blue and Red get as much work as we do. Purple." A beat, and he scoffs lightly. "But I don't care, whatever's up with the picks. I'll do what I want! 'Specially on the missions."

That is... a lot of the train functionality that Esteban hasn't had a taste of yet. They had a mission just a few days(?) ago, but the mention of splitting the teams up hadn't come up as far as he knew. He vaguely, vaguely recalls a pamphlet he's read through, back when he had arrived, but this was getting a bit far in his memory, so he's not sure anymore what he'd read up on it.

Everything had been so hectic once he'd boarded. Funny how his life could now swing from absolutely changeless to all-too-much-at-once, and information slipped here and there through the cracks. He does seem to recall there being no need to "stick to their team" or something like that, but... yeah.

"'S it possible t' change colour? An' if we can't, d'es it matter?" If they're not supposed to stick in a single team, does it matter the colour of clothes they wear? Then again, it's easy to ask that when they're prodding at a snack provided for the purple team specifically.

The conversation has taken up most of Esteban's attention by now, and his eyes never waver away from Tidus as he paces lightly. There's a slight furrow in his brow as he tries to make sense of everything-- again-- tossed at him. "'F Blue an' Red have fewer numbers, c'n we make up our own rules 'bout it?"

Tidus is breaking, or trying to break a piece of a wall. A slab of gingerbread, without making a mess. ...maybe. Possibly. Time to see how it goes, though Tidus isn't in a rush. He looks over at Esteban, now and then.

"Our own rules?" He doesn't know what Esteban means, but- "Do what you want. Some people like sticking to their teams, but- it's about what you wanna do, y'know? And only one guy's changed teams."

But more important: does Esteban know what teams do? He wonders (was he around for that fake mission?), but decides to ask before jumping straight into it:

"What do you know about the missions? What the teams usually do?"

Oof, that strikes him hard.

Esteban has been trying, but, see, most people aren't super forthright about this, and those that are usually brush him off. Still, he tries his best to answer. Also, the last-- and first-- "mission" he'd been on was a supposed "vacation" where Esteban had absolutely gone off on his own to see the sights and only understood something had happened because... well. It was kind of a weight onto the passengers ever since they came back.

He'd read up on what he'd missed(?), but that had also been its own piece of work. Esteban hates corporate speech, and reading's not his thing to begin with.

"I know there was a mission that happ'ned on an underwater world, an' people killed giant crabs." He counts down, trying to sort through what little he's gathered. "An' one where there was some mind-magics that messed ever'one up." He'd almost cursed along that sentence, still cringing at the magics that could influence the mind. He hoped everyone who'd encountered it... had support? He's not sure, but there is definitely empathy in his thoughts.

"Oh, an' one of them the world burned down."

Listen, he's tried, but... maybe he doesn't have the right questions when he's attempting to gather the information he seeks.

The world burned down... Tidus wonders for a second which one that means, but figures quickly it's the failed one. The failed mission where no one could save it - the world that's likely gone.

The list through - the talk about missions - makes Tidus ignore the gingerbread train for now, wiping his fingers together.

"Mmm. Well- every time a mission comes round, each team colour has a job, right? So that first mission you mentioned, the underwater world? That was my first. That was..."

He's wiped his hand now on his shirt, black and short-sleeved.

"Purple had to help a bunch of priests go into some underwater caverns to get to a place. Fighting crabs, something or other; Blue stayed and protected the villagers, the whole island. I was with them," he adds with a nod. "We were fighting all the time, day in, day out - it was always dark 'cause the sky got covered!"

But, anyway. "Orange had to go underwater to find out what was happening to a city or something down there. Then Red Team had these whirlpools - they were kinda whirlpools? Set inside a ring of stones." He gestures out, trying to create a visual for what he means.

"They went in, and they had to fight some stuff? But there was like a... spirit chamber, I guess? I don't really get it, but there were spirits in there, and some big monster causing trouble."

Which...is a lot more detail than he meant to get into, and missing the main point, so he brings up his fingers, ticking one off for each team.

"Blue gets some fighting or protecting around people, Purple gets fighting, Orange gets repair work or investigating, and Red gets a lot of fighting."

That is... a lot.

No wonder no one really wanted to linger. They mentioned vague things, a few shards of a mostly broken and difficult path. Esteban had been naive; had known he was naive, but Tidus' words smack him a bit-- a lot harder than he expected.

Good.

"Thanks for tellin' me this." He's a lot more subdued than a few minutes ago, but Tidus helped, he really did. Esteban prides himself in being an optimist, in seeing silver lining in storm clouds, but this likely would have gotten him killed or worse, gotten one of his friends killed. It's a good thing he has time to adjust before... whatever else comes their way.

Fighting for days.

He's going to have a lot to think about now.

He's naive and foolish, but not so stupid as to reorganize himself around this. He knows there's a fight club, had even shown up at their last meeting; but it had been relaxed and slow, so he hadn't considered the potential danger-- again. He'll have to take them up more seriously this time around.

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

"'S there ever a mission y' were proud of?" He asks instead, because Esteban knows he needs a bounce back, knows he's going to have to keep looking for the colours in the grit that was presented to him.

Tidus notices the shift in Esteban - how couldn't he? Maybe not immediately, but once he pays any amount of attention, the sunshine in the bottle could be brighter now, than the Esteban-shaped sun it came from.

He's the source for it, and while he doesn't feel guilt, Tidus works to contrast it. His mouth tugs up into a smile that's warm, sympathetic, soaking into his words, his voice.

"I was really proud of that first one." The underwater city with the crabs. "Gyueran - that's what they called it. We fought for days, and it was tough, real tough. But you know? We helped them. They didn't know how to fight - and we stopped them from losing everyone. Inigo-" he says the name with a small laugh. "--That's the only mission where he went with another team. He usually sticks with Purple. But that one, he didn't know how to swim, so we got to hang out!"

It's an aside, might seem random, but it came to Tidus as an example of one of those people who stick with their team. A face they both know too.

But, it is an aside. An aside before there's a twitch to Tidus's smile, a tiny dip.

"We do a lot of good in all of them. Helping people, planets. Blue - they've been getting more animal-rearing jobs lately." Said with a nod, directed at Esteban. "If that's more your thing. You know, whatever you feel comfortable with - there's a bunch of fighting, but there's more than that. And when we leave..."

He raises one of his hands from where it raises over an elbow.

"...we leave somewhere saved."

Rude! He'd been trying to cheer himself up, but Tidus had to go and pull him along! It brings a snicker to the half-elf, soothed despite himself, and his nose scrunches a bit as he teases.

"Keep it up, an' I'll call y' Sunshine." He threatens, half-kidding. Darn.

Everyone here is too kind. He doesn't understand how he's managed to find himself in a train full of people as varied and as bright as he has, but he is thankful for it all. Wandering around had been freeing, but he had missed this-- missed knowing people, missed staying around them.

"I know you have." Esteban doesn't quite consider himself in this yet-- after all, he's just arrived and hasn't quite gone out and helped anyone quite so drastically as the more experienced trekkers around. "So, hey, Tidus?" He grins, bright and earnest again.

"Thanks fer savin' them." He doesn't know these worlds. He doesn't know who has been saved, who has been lost. But it feels-- all over, it feels like they don't get thanked enough. For their pain, for their struggles. For what they have given to these worlds.

Esteban is a paltry substitute, but he hopes it helps his friend anyways.

"What kinda threat's that?" There's a smidgen of surprise inside the mock protest, bewilderment; the edges of it amused, even if he doesn't get it. Okay, so maybe he does after a second - that he's sounding sappy, but Esteban asked! And Tidus will puff up his chest some, adjust the hold of his arms, his smile more of a smirk from the humour.

But it does twitch again, when he hears where his name follows. A thanks, and in truth, it's different - never really hearing it that often. Not always the case, but there's a reason it makes him bite at the back of his bottom lip.

(Because he wonders as well - when was the last time he did feel as proud as he did on that first mission? When lately, it's been all the more despairing, just something he wants to get through so he can one day help save themselves than everyone else.)

"Yeah, yeah." He won't give up his good mood on display because of it, lifting his chin at Esteban. "Now who's being Sunshine? I'll throw you over to Blue - you can go make the animals and people happy!"

"'t's a cruel, horrible threat," the half-elf smirks, trying his best not to break his charade. It lasts all of a few seconds at most as he follows it up. "I'm gonna make you my friend." Horrible, horrible fate. You're doomed, Tidus!

Like Esteban doesn't already consider him a friend. There is nowhere to hide.

He perks up at being mentioned to be tossed at Blue though; he does so like animals after all.

"Think I'll have t' tame wyverns? I miss th' wyverns." He hasn't seen one in forever, not since he'd moved back to the Moon Mountains. He even found himself missing their absolutely horrid breath, funny as that was.

"Oh no," hedrawls, just for that one word and the threat is friendship. But Esteban looks to be in better spirits again, so Tidus don't mind returning to the train again.

You know what? He's going to take wall, for sure. And some of the snow-icing!

"I only know what a wyvern is thanks to Inigo." So, not sounding so hopeful for Esteban, is it. "You know what a panda is? We had them on a mission."

It doesn't take a genius to see that Esteban is confused at the notion, brows pinched and a slight tilt to his head. He's traveled quite a bit, but no panda that he knows of; though it sounds kinda rolly-polly.

"What kinda animal 's it?" He asks, curiously. He's nibbling at his cookie again, humor returned and brightening already. He always bounces back, but it does help that Tidus is just as cheery as he is. He wants to ask more about the blond across from him, but their conversation has been leading itself so far, and he's not about to change their direction unnecessarily.

What kind of animal? "Oh, geez..."

He's broken his piece of wall, but he'll leave it with the rest of the train, so he can start making wide circular motions. "So it's big- big big-" Which he means tall, waving a hand somewhere around his own height, "-or smaller-" down goes the hand, "--but chubby tall. And they're kinda round? Furry round. Round head, and round bellies-"

Now he uses his own body to make circular motions in front of. Hands at the sides of his face, and then a bigger belly.

"--and covered in purple fur. Blue Team had to deal with them a few missions ago." And the memory now has a laugh in his voice, even if it was more of a pain back then. "We had these fuse boxes-- uh, like boxes stuck with electricity in them, that make things run like they do around here."

Here, the train. He figures Esteban can get the gist with 'electric boxes'.

"Anyway, they made noises, so the pandas kept trying to get in them and break them! So Blue Team had to find ways of shooing them off, but those things? They just wanted to mess around or fall to the floor! Like real big, lazy babies who wanted to chew on anything in front of 'em. And those things could chew."

"The pandas had the fuse boxes?" He's very confused; the jumble of words does not feel real to him. (Briefly, he wonders how half the train deals with his own blabber. He's pretty sure he's likely just as bad, but see-- Esteban doesn't realize it when it comes from himself because he already knows what he's talking about.)

He wonders what he would have done in the situation, but the solutions he comes up with are... too little, too late, if he's honest. It's not like they can help now; and anyways, each mission is different-- completely different from what he hears. He'll have to figure out his own solutions to odd problems.

"Didja find them something diff'rent to chew on?" It's a light prod. If Tidus knows about it, he was likely there, right? He wonders what Tidus came up with at the very least.

Oh, right. Forgetting about explaining where a fuse box would be.

"No no- it's a box attached to a wall." Wait, time for his visual charades as he makes a square shape. "There were buidings, then a fence around the building - a tall one. And the boxes were on the back of the buildings. Boxes made noise, pandas went over."

There! Easy description! Easier than his tales of dealing with the pandas - which are a mixed bagged, for different reasons. Tidus's mouth tugs to a side as he thinks.

"Well, it was Blue's job, so I didn't get involved - I was helping the Purples and Reds clear up the buildings and some danger. The Blues were trying to move the pandas somewhere away from the buildings? --it was a big jungle, forest place." For a better idea.

"I had this idea we could stick some of these long tree things that were around the place. They were thin?" Here, time for a circle shaped made with his hands.

"Not too thin, but not like big tree trunks - they were easier to move and cut down! So, stick them around the boxes, make a small barrier. We did it with a few of the boxes!"

Sounds good, right?!

...excpet. "...but, uh, I saw later some of the pandas trying to eat them, soo..."

He shrugs, hands lifting with the gesture.

"Hope they found other stuff to chew."

"Fuse boxes on the buildings, the pandas were going for the fuse boxes." Got it.

Okay! That makes... more sense. He thinks. Or at least he thinks he follows. 'Dians, all of this is getting confusing, but he's having fun regardless. Tidus' explanations might not always make sense to him, but he's enjoying the descriptions regardless, and anything that can help him prepare for the missions before he goes on one is-- he'll take what he can get.

Though at this rate, Tidus really isn't going to be able to eat any of the gingerbread, just because Esteban is always asking him more questions. He chuckles at the realization, and tries to keep himself quiet long enough for his companion to actually take a few bites.

"Yer a good storyteller," he says instead, shuffling to the side of the suitcase he's sitting on to allow his companion to sit by his side if he wants. "Lots of people just kinda skip right ov'r th' details so it's been hard to have good stories." It might be jumbled a bit, and Esteban has to make sense out of puzzle pieces, but he's having a good time regardless.

A good thing Tidus wasn't planning to eat it! But when he sees Esteban move, the offer there, he does pick up the piece he snapped off and makes it disappear - right out of his hand, walking over to join Esteban. Don't mind if he does! And with a view of that ridiculous gingerbread train to haunt them (delight, some would say) the entire time.

"I know it gets confusing with the stuff you know and don't know." He waves a hand dismissively. "But hey, nothing wrong with that. How're you doing on the train anyway? With everything? I guess in general too. There's both a lot around... but you can go stir-crazy finding things to do anyway, or being stuck in the same rooms all the time."

At least, so's always been the issue for Tidus. Worse some days than others, but he'll never not miss the freedom of an outside that's accessible.

No stashing stone? Esteban's gaze is most assuredly fixed on Tidus' hands for a few seconds as he speaks, and he has to almost physically restrain the questions that are squeezing down his throat because for once-- once-- someone had the time to ask him a question amidst the deluge of his own, and he's not about to ignore them.

"'Dians; that's a bit complicated." The half-elf snickers, choosing to be amused at the question. "I'm havin' fun, an' everyone's super nice, so it's... warm." He mentions, trying to convey to his companion what he means. "But I do miss th' open road. An' the weather. An' the moons!"

That last one is even more important simply because the moons had been so integral to Esteban's understanding of time. The cycle of floods-no-floods had dictated his life far more often than not, and even without Eriat tidally locked overhead, he'd always seen her in the distance. But there were no moons here, and even less of any manner of open sky. He did miss that.

Had the Icegrass moved on to the Silver Moon month yet? He wasn't even sure. The months seemed... shorter here, somehow.

"But I can keep busy." It's not all that bad, after all. "Amaya's teachin' me how to sign, an' I've been practicin' my dances pretty much every day. Does make me miss my rope dart an' my staff though; I'm gettin' sick of my poi." Which, considering they were his favourite, said a lot about how this was getting to him.

Moons. Not just one moon, but two moons. But Tidus gets it: good people, but so little outdoors. That's what makes him get annoyed, the restricted space where you can't enjoy an ever expanding sky.

Even being stuck on Osiga - with its miserably cold, and if it was coated in darkness forever - would be better than the endless carriages, and a window view that made you dizzy to view before long. At least to Tidus, but he's curious when Esteban mentions dancing (oh?) and his poi. His poi, huh?

"You dance with a rope dart and staff?" Let's ask about that first. "What do you do? I've seen a staff dance," and he even remembers right then, of course he's seen a staff dance!, "--but a rope dart?"

What was that.

Esteban has Learned His Lesson, on the very first day that he has arrived on the train. The poi are now never far from his side, after he's had to explain to no less than five people in under an hour what he was talking about. And now, the rope dart.

At least this one isn't too complicated.

"It's a rope 'bout--" he pauses here, trying to think of whether the other might understand the same measuring units, before tossing that out the window. "-- twice as tall 's I am, attached to the wrist--" here, he taps the inside of his left wrist twice, before going on. "-- an' you control it with yer main hand."

"Think it used t' be a weapon, so it's called a dart, but mine's just sand so it's pretty harmless. Ish." He'd received enough bruises from it to know, after all; most of his tools were potential weapons; but not ones he ever considered effective on any measure.

"Momentum an' cradles makes for a fun show." He really should take the suggestion and make a show for the train at some point, but it would feel so shallow without fire. He wonders if there's any chance he can try to make a show, potentially in the rock garden, without causing any major panic; but then he'd need so much materials that he just doesn't have.

Harmless in the way that anything can be a weapon, technically - Tidus gets it. More than a care for bruises, he's trying to imagine this rope dart. It sounds simple enough, but how does it move? Look in action?

...it's a little more interesting than just lone dancing, Tidus has to admit (sorry, Inigo). He wants to ask to see it, but the problem is the lack of one (1) rope dart, so, with a little brain power:

"You think it'd be hard to make one? We got a bunch of rope from the last mission," the last real mission, "and some other material. Maybe something we can turn into a rope, if the other's too thick? I can ask around 'n' see who knows 'bout weaving." He's waving a hand, rather into the idea, pointing out the way to the row of carriages out of sight.

"There's a bunch of people here good with their hands! Just 'til you can get a real one? I'll ask Webs if she'll take a commission on! She makes everything with spider thread!"

Possibilities! Opportunities!

"Spider silk's horrible with fire. Goes fwoosh in a snap." His fingers snap and a wave of his hand imitates the fire it would cause-- but this is more of an automatic reaction than he means. He knows that he can't perform with any variation of spider silk, but Tidus had been talking about practice until he can get a real one.

Nevermind that Esteban isn't quite sure where he might get a real one. The materials are simple enough, in theory but he still doesn't know what's in the train shop or not-- he's barely managed to catch onto the voting system this morning, and only because he'd wanted-needed the weather effect just to feel the tiniest bit settled into his own skin.

Anyways-- back on track.

"It would work for practice, but not s' much for an actual performance, an' I'd feel bad makin' them weave that much rope just for practice."

Then again, considering the sheer amount of time on his hands, Esteban bets he'd be using even the practice rope an hour or more per day at the very least. It's not that bad of an investment, actually. And the rest is just a matter of finding a counterweight he can adjust-- sand is an easy one, but it could be anything, really.

The frown of concentration on his face is slowly clearing up as he considers it, brightening as the idea seems more and more likely.

"But it would work," he nods, more assured now. "I'd just need a rope, a pouch, an' a counterweight." If he can make the pouch bright red somehow all the better; as it helps him keep track of his distances. But it's not an overly complicated project.

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