(open)

[flatteries]

Who: Inigo, Tidus (aka the two shared braincells duo) and you!
Where: The standard coach
When: Horseshoe 17
What: Inigo and Tidus are handing out free stuff because Tidus is the train's official sugar daddy.
Warnings: Probably nothing, will edit if necessary.

---

Hey guys, forget about that public breakdown the other day. Today Inigo is on the ICP with a big smile, seeming as cheerful as ever. It's fine. It's cool.

"Good day, everyone! Tidus and I brought some things back with us from Irivar to share with everyone. So why not come over to the standard coach and see if there's anything you'd like to take with you, hm? We have quite the selection! Oh, and.. erm, Taiki, Roland, Bryn and Della.. If you could make sure to come see us, we'd appreciate it! Otherwise I might have to send Ti--"

Before Inigo can even finish the sentence, there's an offscreen obviously very Tidus-y voice calling out, "Inigo! Ask for Sakura too!"

Inigo huffs, turning his gaze to the off screen source. "I was getting to that!" (No he wasn't.) Apparently he accidentally pulled his ticket off the ICP as he starts moving away from it too, because the feed just cuts out. Just come get some sweet stuff.

---

Their set-up in the standard car is a simple, if messy, one. They have a few of their offered freebies on the same table they occupy, each guy facing the other, sat by the wall. From the immediate front, fragrant bags sit no bigger than a palm, a variety of scents better to tell when held to the nose. Whetstones sit stacked mostly on top of one another, and then a cluster of hair ribbons and circular hair ties behind them. Behind the bags are a few scent oils--basically, perfumes, if not very big. There's a few to choose from, but...

...not as many as there are the soaps, which take up a half of the table in their choice. It's like a lush shop here of choice, different colours and sizes.

And Inigo and Tidus? Sit there, either playing cards or fiddling through the paper craft book available from the art supplies where the old library used to be.

A chalkboard sits balanced, with the words 'FREE 2 TAKE' written in big letters. In case you missed the public announcement.

1:
Come up, and have a look. Ask about what they've got.

2:
Or while you're here, maybe you can help Tidus, who pipes up to ask-

"Hey, quick question. How long 'til you're comfortable hugging someone?"

(ooc: as a note, all threads on this will be threeways! please enjoy trying to handle both teens at once. you can't seperate them.)

Comments

[blitzcheer]

"A little noise is worth the time taken out of the work you want done though, huh? Cooking, washing, ice cream..." --oh, he didn't meant to say that last part, but it did end up stuck in his brain after Inigo's story shared. Too tiny a goof to care, Tidus carries on easily, relaxing into his seat. "Not that it's worth being stuck here, unless you and your friends like the vacation from home. Have you heard about the missions we have? They sound like anything that'd happen where you were?"

Because who knows what kind of life this guy came from? Other than a rather low-level world of technology, but that was only one point, and even Inigo's own world had gates that could transport people to other planets. What stood out in this person's world?

Other than the hairstyle.

[flatteries]

Inigo stays quiet for a moment, still working on the other's hair - with quite some concentration, judging by the look on his face. Though he is still making sure to pay attention to the conversation at the same time. He can't help but agree with Tidus's assessment that these machines, while so, so weird, can be really convenient. It sure frees up time, at least.

But more than that, he is more curious as to Sizhui's answer to the other's question. Inigo may come from a world where combat is normal, where kids are taught to held swords, but if experience on the train has taught him anything, it's that not all worlds are like that. What is Sizui's like, despite at least being on a similar technological level as his?

[deferences]

Whatever Inigo's doing, it must be somewhat intricate or else he'd imagine he would've finished by now. Not that Sizhui's complaining, he's used to taking plenty of time each morning when doing up his topknot and securing the hairpiece, but he never could have imagined someone else might want to spend so much time touching his hair. He, too, agrees that the noise is worth how much easier it makes some tasks. “Yes, it is quite convenient,” then he tacks on with a soft laugh, “Especially for sweet frozen treats.”

Is anything worth being stuck on an unknown contraption in the middle of a void nobody's ever experienced? Well, maybe a few things are, though none of those are what they're technically talking about. “I suppose a vacation isn't the worst thing? And sort of! Back in my homeworld, I am what's known as a ‘cultivator,’ which is someone who protects people from all kinds of things.” So, it's safe to assume Sizhui will do alright with the same thing here, even if he's never been on a mission yet and hasn't got a single clue how they might actually turn out.

[blitzcheer]

"A cultivator?" Tidus repeats it, the word used in that fashion - familiar, and steadily coming back to him. A conversation back on the beaches of Gyueran. He raises a hand to give him a moment, as his brain works back that far.

"That's the... is that the same as the people who fight the dead? Uh... or use them? I don't remember that well..." Well, he'll concede somewhat sheepishly, "--That probably isn't the same job as the one I heard about."

And that isn't very descriptive, is it? And Tidus knows by now that none everyone deals with the dead rising again in their own worlds, fiends made by the leftover remorse of those deceased. He might've just walked into a weird and awkward situation here....

[flatteries]

Cultivator. The word doesn't ring as familiar for Inigo. And usually thankfully Tidus's description would help, but in this case whether it's thankfully or otherwise is very much up in the air. Something about that very specific wording feels like it freezes Inigo's blood inside of his veins.

The people who fight the dead.

Inigo wills his mind to not travel back through memories, instead doing his best to force it to stay in the here and now. He's rather glad that Sizhui can't see him like this, but he can't quite hide the way his expression gets really awkward and uncomfortable for a moment from Tidus.

He tries to force it off his face though, instead working on the way his hands nimbly finish up Sizhui's hair - having finished putting it up. He gives Sizhui a small pat on the shoulder to indicate it's done before moving to instead sit down next to the other, though not quite joining the conversation just yet.

[deferences]

Sizhui waits patiently while Tidus takes whatever time he needs, his hands lacing together then disentangling some moments later. When the answer eventually comes... well, it isn't at all wrong, but it's understandable why Inigo might be uncomfortable; there's only so many ways one can explain cultivation without something coming up about the darker, demonic side of it.

“Yes... sort of. While we do fight the dead, we also fight other atrocities? Like demons, monsters, the undead, too. There are some who use demonic cultivation, which involves using them.” He won't go into a whole ton of detail since Tidus seems like he's set on believing it isn't the same thing and Sizhui's loath to argue the semantics.

Awkward for them, perhaps, though this is something he deals with all the time. It is good he can't see Inigo's face at the moment or else he'd feel terrible.

The touch on his shoulder catches his attention, has him lifting one hand to glide his fingertips over the braid across his crown, a soft gasp of astonishment following the gesture. “Oh! Wow, this is...” he lets the remark momentarily trail off, shifts to bring both his arms around and bows, a brilliant grin overtaking his features once he's straightened up. “Thank you, Inigo, it's amazing.” Even despite not being able to see the back all that well yet. Also: bless Tidus for already giving him one of their names, that way he just needs to ask him for his. “And you too, although I do not know your name.”

[blitzcheer]

Tidus blinks, not comfortable in his explanation, but superficial in how he's actually feeling. Spira making him numb to the morbid detail that one battling some form of the undead - their memories, their loathing, whatever fiends really are - to how another may find discomfort in such talk. Until he happens to raise his gaze from Sizhui, sees as the guy speaks the look on Inigo that both puzzles and concerns him.

It's a flicker, before he returns to Sizhui, a small 'oh' escaping him as he explains. A whole world more than what he listened to, but that likely hadn't been relevant to the one discussing it.

Nevermind though. Sizhui raises, cheerful and pleased, and Tidus lets out a small pleased sound before turning a thumb on himself. "Tidus! Too bad we didn't think to buy some mirrors. Inigo went wild back there. You're gonna have a repeat customer."

He grins, adding to the positive mood, to bring Inigo's attentions back to hair than anything of the conversation.

[flatteries]

Inigo will gladly latch onto this topic change, thank you very much. Even though it involves praise for him - which is always a difficult topic to navigate, especially since he doesn't want to look all dumb and flustered in front of a potential new friend - that still is so much better than any talk of the dead.

So he smiles, waving his hand a little.

"Not really, it's nothing that special! You can easily do it yourself with some practice." Inigo sure doesn't consider himself an expert, after all, yet he can do it. "Remind me to teach you someday. It looks really good on you. You're a good-looking guy!"

[deferences]

For the best, really, because while he'd be glad Tidus understands, he's far happier talking about a subject that's less uncomfortable for Inigo's sake. Even though it seems like another thing that's awkward, yet in a more embarrassing sort of manner rather than actual distress.

He chuckles softly at Tidus's enthusiasm, glad the mood can be lifted by something as simple as an amazing hairstyle. (And that's what it is: fantastic! Almost as fancy as Nie clan braids themselves, which is funny, considering their earlier discussion.) Sizhui obviously isn't too worried about not seeing the style right away, but is certainly excited to get his chance whenever it arises. “I'm sure I will find a mirror to properly examine it sometime later in the day.”

The compliment has his cheeks flushing, his own smile softening, but still very much present. “Thank you,” he acknowledges, doing everything within his power to not reach up and touch the braid a second time. “I'd like very much to learn it from you one day. And anything else you'd be willing to teach me, I would appreciate that, too! Until then, I'm afraid he's right, there is a likely chance I'll come to you again.” A moment's hesitation before he remembers, he ought to probably give his own name in return. “Tidus, Inigo. My name is Lan Sizhui, but you both may call me ‘Sizhui’ if you like.”