voidtreckerexpress

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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.)

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"A while," Tidus admits. "It wasn't that long, but it felt like forever at the time. Everything was a wreck -- I showed up outside first and had to swim in, and it was freezing too. All stone, and everything was damp!"

He thought was going to freeze to death, but, well, they can skip that.

"It was lucky I did get out. Some Al Bhed ended up finding me -- even though they thought I was a fiend at first. Sometimes that happens there. You get Unsent hovering around lookin' like humans, but they're too far gone. But!" on a cheerier note, "they let me on their ship, and I got some food and water from them!"

"I am glad they managed to help you."

He smiled, "People from my world can't survive being blown over to earth unless they are still in their egg fruit, when they are taika, born on earth. But sometimes people from earth blow over to our world. They arrive in the sea of stars. They can't even speak the language or anything... I was lucky. Because I am a kirin, I can be understood but even I couldn't read or write... I still need a lot of help." Which was a little embarrassing, for a minister.

"Was the language the same for you? Or did you need to learn it?"

Wow. Tidus listens to that, trying to imagine it-- a sea of stars catching his imagination in particular, though it's not the point. He wonders, but answers firsst-

"No- I mean, I did learn one. The Al Bhed actually talk a different language from everyone else, so when I met them, I had no clue what they were saying!" ...well. "Uh, still don't sometimes, but I tried learning. I can say a few things!" he says brightly, happily; proud that he can, but in a more modest way than his usual hardy spirit.

"One of my friends is an al bhed, so I wanted to know! But everyone else...other than accents, we all talked the same language. We were still in the same world." So that makes sense, right?

"But what happens to people...-- the people from Earth? Who get blown over where Tai is? Do people there know about Earth?"

He nodded, it did make sense since they were in the same world. Even if Tidus' part was different. He nodded at the question though. "Sort of. They call it Hourai and it's sort of a mythical place, where the streets are made of gold. A fairy tale beyond the sea of stars."

He shook his head, "But when people arrive in my world they are called Kaikyaku." He explained, "It... I guess it depends on the kingdom they arrive in. Some try and help them where others do not treat them as kindly. Some people blame them for the shoku, that is the storms, that happen when the worlds clash together."

Which wasn't fair, kaikyaku did not cause the storms, they were victims of them.

"Sounds like I got lucky on Spira! Two worlds clashing together..." Wait, he heard something like this before. Or a concept close, except- "Is this like...what you call parallel worlds? Where they're side to side but they don't usually interact? Except these...storms that happen. That blow people around."

...which is weird to imagine. But it sounds more magical than just your usual idea of a storm.

"I think so yes." He nodded, "I don't really understand it myself..."

But a parallel world sounded right, they were two worlds that usually did not interact until they did.

"Some people can move from my world to earth purposefully, but it causes shoku so is very dangerous. For the most part though they are separate, one cannot know the other."

"So the shoku's the storm...and it's people moving around that make it?" Hmm. Why's that, Tidus wonders--but it doesn't sound like Taiki knows even if he did ask. So it's curious, but not worth getting serious over.

"Is the sea of stars near the sea of clouds then? That's it, wasn't it? Like a sea around the mountains?"

It may not be a literal sea, but also, he remembers there being something fantastical about the way that Taiki talked about it.

"Lord Gyousou might know more..." After all Lord Gyousou had lived in their world all his life and he had lived a long time, Taiki had still barely learning how things worked.

He shook his head, "The sea of stars is on the edges of the world..."

He is sat in front of art supplies, he smiles and takes a new piece of paper before sketching out a map. "This sea here." He points to the sea on the outside of the main ring of kingdoms. "That is the sea of stars. The sea of clouds is up... If you stand on the earth it looks just like the sky would in any other world. But it is the sea that separates the normal world from the world of immortals."

Can Tidus take a seat by Taiki for this one? This is going to be easier to look at the map with, noticing right away how more like an...insignia it reminds him of. Like those in the temples of the fayth than somewhere real.

But-- that's probably creative liberties. Tidus takes in what Taiki says instead, humming.

"Ohh, so-" he points a finger on the map, in no particular place. Just to tap it. "Immortals live on another world? Or is it a mountain? --You told me about a mountain once."

At least, he's pretty sure. Wasn't there a mountain in the sea of clouds?

Taiki is happy to have Tidus sit next to him as he shaded parts of the map, adding to it idly as he spoke.

"Yes... The imperial palaces, and other important palaces... They are all on top of mountains so large that they go above the sea of clouds. That's where those who are immortal, like the king, live. If you are in the imprial palace it is like being on an island in an ocean, but really it is on top of a mountain and from below what you are seeing as an ocean is the sky."

It might sound strange, but then again Tidus' world was strange too, it had buildings built on water, or under water...

It's odd... but it's true, that - while Zanarkand was normal to him - even Spira had fantastical sights. A forest made mostly from water. It'd be interesting to see.

"Does the king at the top have anything to do with the rest of you?" He goes from the middle of the map, circling his finger around to indicate the other kingdoms. "I can't believe how many kings there are."

Look at all these. --Wait. "Are all these kingdoms?"

"Of course, if a king doesn't pay attention to their kingdom they wouldn't be a very good king." There's an edge there, in his voice, though he is quickly distracted by nodding.

"Yes, all of these are kingdoms, except this one in the very centre." He pointed to the landmass in the middle of the inner sea. "That is the yellow sea... It's... On earth we would call it a desert. Mount Hou is there, that is the place where Kirin are born."

He traced his hand over the map. "The rest are all kingdoms. Twelve in total."

Tidus may catch the edge... or he's just baffled by the set-up. Actually, even more so as Taiki goes on. Though maybe he understands with a little more thought:

"So the kingdom at the top is the one in charge, and you all get along? There's no fighting? You just rule over the different lands?"

If it's like that, then maybe Tidus can understand. All those movies about kingdoms usually have them fighting or ... definitely not in charge of each other.

"It's less a kingdom of its own..." He paused for a moment, "All the mountains, they are far away from each other, so even to fly over the sea of clouds... It takes a long time to get to another kingdom."

He smiles, "Each king rules their own kingdom and does not interfere with any other. Invading another kingdom is against the Way, even interfering with another kingdom is something you have to be careful about."

It hadn't surprised him at first, he had been a child and not one who thought of violence or war but compared to earth it was a very peaceful world. Even if in other ways it was more dangerous and difficult for the people who lived there.

"I get it now!" It's like a click, everything falling into place. "Hey, that's not so bad. Whenever I hear about other worlds, even Spira in the past, there's always someone or other fighting with a people over there." He gestures a distance.

"So I figured you guys were all separate, but you're just separated by where you live." At least, in a sense, right?

"Do you ever go out of your kingdom? Tai?"

Was there really a reason to?

He nodded, "I went to Ren once." He pointed at the very opposite corner of the map than Tai. "Renrin, the kirin of Ren, helped find me when I was a child lost on earth, so Lord Gyousou sent me there on a diplomatic mission to give our formal thanks."

It had been a very interesting time and he held very fond memories of the kingdom of Ren and their farmer king.

"I've been to Kei as well." He pointed that out too, "Keiki was so kind to me when I first was living on Mount Hou, he had so many troubles of his own but he did his best to teach me about being a kirin and Kei-ou is a taika... That is, she grew up on earth, like me. They were who found me back on earth last year, alone with the king of En and Enki, Hanrin and the king of Han and Renrin and my friend Risai." He sighed sadly.

"I caused a lot of trouble for them all." Risai had told him that cross kingdom collaboration on the scale it had taken to find him had never happened before, he feels pretty bad about taking up so much of their energy.

Tidus listens, following the different names of Kingdoms, of people; thankful for the reminder of what terms mean as they come, building ever slowly that picture of Taiki's home world.

He hums though, a low sound of dissent at that latter remark. Thinking at first, but-

"I wouldn't look at it that way. It's pretty remarkable, if you ask me. All those people came together to help you out. I'd definitely want to do my best to make it up to them. If that means being a good kirin, then..."

He turns to Taiki, giving him a nod, a smile. "You know a lot of good people. Work hard, and be a good person back!"

Taiki nodded, because Tidus was right. The only way he could make it up to them was to try his best. So many people relied on him, so many people cared about Tai and he...

He had failed them. But all was not lost, as long as he and Lord Gyousou still breathed. They would get back and they would retake the kingdom.

"Yes." He smiled at him, "Sorry, I've spoken so much! You should tell me more about Spira... Um... if you wish to I mean..."

"You kidding?" Tidus's smile only brightens, a small laugh. "This is the most I've heard about where you come from! It's great, I know how much you love Tai. You sure you don't wanna talk more about it? Unless you want to hear more about Spira too," he offers. "Then go ahead and ask me - tell me candidly!"

If that will work to get Taiki to be selfish.

"Oh." He blinked at Tidus, surprised at his enthusiasm but then he smiled softly. At least he hadn't been annoying Tidus by talking his ear off about Tai.

But now he was in a conundrum, Tidus making him choose like this. He is silent a little while, thinking. He doesn't mind talking about Tai, especially if it's not annoying to Tidus. But he does want to know about Spira too...

"Um..." Would talking about Spira be painful for Tidus? He doesn't want to cause him harm.

"I'd like to hear more... But you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to share... I just like knowing more about you."

"It's fine." There's a small shake of his head. "I'll tell you whatever you wanna know. Spira..." And where to start? Tidus has an idea, bringing his forefingers to the closer edge of Taiki's paper, to make a very rough shape.

"It's kinda like this shape, right? And there's a few tinier islands, but that's the main continent. You have the old Zanarkand somewhere up the top, but nobody used to go there 'cept summoners - it's all ruins now, or was. Then Bevelle... that's the biggest city left in Spira. It was where the main religion heads went, or stayed. Or most of them? But they had a Ronso leader too who was part of the religion, and a Guado too, and the Ronso lived on a mountain, and the Guado had their own place. Anyway, they were called Maesters, and they were the closest people to... rulers, I guess. Kings. They had their own army and told people what was right. People respected them."

And it's close to the same thing as any other ruling power, isn't it?

If Taiki wants to ask anything, he can. Or Tidus can keep going on easily.

Taiki watched as Tidus drew the shape with his finger and tried to imagine it as much as he could as Tidus spoke, listening carefully.

Zanarkand was the place where Tidus was from, or at least a... not real version of it. The place Tidus had let be destroyed. Taiki still doesn't know everything that Tidus holds in his heart and he doesn't want to push him too far again.

Perhaps that is cowardice on his part. But instead he asks, "So Spira was led by religious rulers? What was their religion like?"

His own world, despite the gods, despite the fact that kirin followed the will of the gods to chose the rulers of the kingdoms, didn't put much stock in religion and when they did it was through the Taoist or Buddhist temples, many of which could be traced back to Kaikyaku of old, who had brought their religious beliefs with them through the shoku.

"Yeah," he starts, mouth already twisted as he starts thinking how to explain while speaking. "It started with Sin appearing. They pushed the idea that Sin was born because people became too reliant on machina, was using it for wars, getting greedy - so it was their punishment. Spira's punishment. People losing their way from how they should really be living - that kind of thing."

That was the basics of it, wasn't it? Always how he heard it. People losing their way. Because of machina.

"I don't really know all the nitty gritty of it, but people believed it. There was a summoner called Yunalesca who was able to defeat Sin, and nobody else had done it with machina, so people believed it because of that, I guess. Everyone stopped using machina, and if you were a Maester or a summoner - 'specially one who defeated Sin - you were respected."

He pauses, taps his forefinger idly.

"The actual leader or figure of this thing though was called 'Yevon' - his teachings. Except Yevon was actually the guy controlling Sin, used to be someone from Zanarkand." He looks at Taiki, shaking his head. "Messed up, huh?"

He listened, frowning as he did so. Sin was born because people became to reliant on machina. Machinery?

"So people were lied to? They believed someone who was actually behind it all?"

That was terrible, that someone would control something, do harm to people and then twist the situation to their own ends.

He nods, if not inwardly confident if there wasn't more to the story, but -- wasn't that basically it?

"Yevon -- or Yu Yevon, he wasn't around after Sin was. He's the guy who summoned Sin, but it fried his brain, and he was stuck inside Sin - bringing it back, re-summoning, all that. I guess they just called the teachings the teachings of Yevon because..."

He pauses in thought, then shakes his head. "Actually... I don't know why. The place where the Maesters live, Bevelle -- those were the guys who Zanarkand and Yevon were fighting in the war. The war that had Yevon summon Sin."

He folds his arm, mouth tilting.

"It was a whole mess. I don't know how many people it at the start: a lot of machina still runs in Bevelle. Nobody was willing to try anything different, anyway - plus, if the teachings turned out to be wrong... no more power for the guys at the top."

It was the ugly truth he remembered as he spoke. The head of the Maesters running to the farplane the second the option of sacrificing summoners was permanently off the table.

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