voidtreckerexpress | [open] and if it gets too rough, just yell

[ There's a few sputtered half-protests, none of them getting close enough to a full sentence to make sense. Mostly since Inigo is trying too hard to fire off too many of them before Tidus fires off that spell of his own.

He does move to hold out his arm, but the only thing that could be understood by any rational human being that Inigo does get out is a high-pitched: ]

W-Wait, is that what you're aiming for? Where are you aiming?! You have to tell me this in advance!

Think quick!

[ Words said, and a second later, the spell goes off: golden rings surrounding where the arms band is, catching as well the human wearing it. Speed and flexibility course through Inigo like a breath of fresh air after being submerged under water. A spell that makes him faster, but in both body and mind.

Haste. Because what else is Tidus going to try for than that?

Let's just see if Inigo realises what's happened. ]

That isn't an--

[ The spell is already being fired off before Inigo can fully finish that sentence, which means that the words just change into a shriek halfway through. Usually he'd be doing more, try to dodge it or something, but this isn't a real battle. And the whole point was for him to just take the spell, so Inigo is at least not being a coward and moving now it's been fired off. He can do this! He can be a (shrieking) man and take this spell!

...

But then there's nothing.

No splash of water shooting him back against a wall like he expected. Or even any other magical blast Tidus could conjure forth.

Inigo is just standing there. Still very much the same. ]

Wait, did you trick me?! Did you not fire anything off? Tidus, this isn't funny!

[ He takes a few quick, firm steps in Tidus's direction.

Or at least, that's his intention. But with the addition of the haste spell that Inigo didn't quite realise yet, it means he's suddenly moving forward much quicker than anticipated, just dashing straight into Tidus.

Enjoy. ]

[ Tidus doesn't fall or topple from a simple knock. It's abrupt and hard, Tidus assessing it as he sees the way Inigo moves, reacting to what he knows in some form is going to come. His hands reach around the back of Inigo's shoulders to grab at him for support, but he might miscalculate just how hard of a thump it is that Inigo comes at him with.

No, it's not the knock alone that makes him topple -- it's probably the added weight he just introduced to himself by clinging onto Inigo and tugging him down with him.

It's a half-drop, of tangled legs but his back not finding the ground. A laugh erupting from Tidus just for the share dumbfoolery of the whole thing, a giggle that catches in his throat and doesn't want to stop tickling. ]

You forgot what Haste looks like?! What else did you think I was going to do! [ Hahaha-! ] You fall for it way too easy!

[ But, have a clap on the back anyway, bro. ]

[ Inigo groans.

He kind of wishes they did fall on the ground, just so he'd be able to roll over onto his back and just lie there groaning. Please. This is all he wants in his life right now.

But alas, it's not his current lot in life. Instead Inigo is just awkwardly hanging here now, all tangled up in Tidus, very rapidly realising the error of his ways in the sort of way that only leaves him able to groan about it. ]

I can't believe this.

[ What else is he supposed to say! He can't believe this! ]

Why did you cast Haste on me?! I thought you were going to fire something at me! [ He doesn't even quite attempt to untangle himself from Tidus yet, because he's just too offended to. Why, bro? Why this? ]

Do you want me to? I know Fire. Water? I'm better at Water.

[ Said as innocent as anything, 'cause 1) what else was he going to answer with and 2) Inigo deserves no better than these dulcet tones. ]

[ ANOTHER GROAN.

That's also the only answer. A groan. That kind of question doesn't even deserve a yes or no, especially not when Tidus is saying it that way!

At least Inigo tries to detangle himself from Tidus now. Carefully. Until he's standing back on his own two feet again. ]

Do you really learn magic from having spells fired off at you? I mean, you wouldn't be asking that over the ICPs if it wasn't true, but it feels kind of ridiculous. Like you're playing a prank on yourself.

It's just the arms band I want 'em to target. [ But alright, let him get back up proper onto his feet. Dust off his hands on the sides of his trousers, lift up his wrist with the band on there. ]

That's what Roland did when he taught me a move for Gibs anyway! Just fired the thing right at it. ... somehow. From a book.

[ He shrugs. ] How else am I suppose to get the arms band to learn it?

[ He would take another method, but what else would that be. Some mystical...transfer without firing??

(not a thought Tidus has had) ]

.. oh.

[ Well.

That makes it all a lot more reasonable. It's visible on Inigo's face too, the progression from being all grumbly one moment, to slowly coming to the realisation that this sounds a whole lot less bad the next moment. ]

That's such a weird way to learn things though! [ Especially since Inigo, co-owner of their shared braincell, can't think of a different way either. ] Roland's world is so strange. If he hadn't demonstrated it, I'd say he was the one playing a prank on you.

Beats having to learn it for real! Speaking of, did it work for you?

[ Tidus looks at where Inigo's Arms is -- as if he'd even be able to tell anything about it, despite size or shape. ]

Try and use it, have a go! Cast the spell on me!

[ Yeah just go and do it, Inigo!! You know how to cast magic via the Arms, right!! ]

[ Inigo raises his hand to eye level.

Looks at his ring on it.

Looks over at Tidus.

Then back to his ring.

...

There's a good ten seconds or so of total silence, before Inigo says: ]

How do you cast a spell? [ Not even from the Arms Band, no.

Just.

In general. ]

---- ...

[ That's the sound of nothing. A mouth opening to explain, then realising

how do you tell someone to cast a spell?

...

Tidus closes his mouth, and then- ] Let's ask Roland.

[ His jaw just about drops to the floor. Of all the answers to that question he may have been expecting-- ]

Didn't you cast a spell just a literal moment ago?!

[ BRO? Bro. Bro. ]

Nnnnyeeah, but I don't know how to describe it! [ He gestures both hands at himself, and- ugh. Pauses in his protest and leans his weight on one foot as he hums and haws on trying.

After a moment, he extends his hands. Gives one a 'here' wave. ]

Give your hands. I'll... if you know the feeling, it's just- taking that, turning it into what you want. It's not easy, but- [ ugh ] I can explain if you know the feeling!

You know, if you wanted to hold my hands, you could just ask. [ Is Inigo joking? Probably, right, considering what he's saying. But at the same time he's using such a serious tone for those words, rather than anything joking - although that's maybe since he's more focused on what he's doing rather than what he's saying.

Since he is moving over towards Tidus, extending his hands to him in return. ]

Like this? [ He doesn't know if Tidus wanted to actually grab them or do something else, okay!! So here they are, just.. awkwardly hovering, don't mind him.. ] It's not a weird feeling, is it?

Yeah yeah, [ Tidus gives the sass, whatever it is, all the same. Taking the hands with a frown; bottom lip poking out some, a thoughtful thing. ]

You'll see- [ earns his next fuss, and Tidus is looking between the hands, as if he's waiting or judging something. Though, it's not completely wrong. ]

Back on Spira... there's a lot of energy in the air, and it's really that we turn into magic. But then, there's magic that we... do all that stuff with. [ Listen, as one guy turns very smart words into very fumbled ones. ] So when I use magic, or I try and learn a new spell, there's this...way of concentrating, a kind of feeling I learned to zone in on, and then I have to transform it into the power I want. That's why it's easy when I get attacked with it - 'cause then you really know what you're trying to do back! 'Least, that's how it became easier for me...

[ Did he really need to speak about it? He isn't sure himself, a small huffy exhale let go, a shake of his head taken. ]

Here, when I caste Haste...

[ He closes his eyes, a breath taken in, his fingers pressing in on their grasp of Inigo's hands. From below and around him comes a breeze, like air raising upward. But this close, and with Tidus stepping in closer to Inigo, the sensation around him can't quite be called air or wind. It's closer to a tension, a substance; a manifestation of energy flowing about him, rolling off his skin. Tidus squeezes at his left hand as he always does when casting a spelling, and the energy comes together there, gathering in that hand pressed tighter.

Opening his eyes, he can hold it there. A giddier energy held in his hand and Inigo's hand, until - it goes, released as Tidus unclenches his grip. ]

--Did you feel anything?

[ Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. ]

[ It's hard. Both following the explanation - especially since even as he's listening, Inigo is thinking of his own world, pretty sure the magical energy doesn't come from the air there, though he guesses he never did ask Laurent much about it - and then trying to feel what Tidus is trying to share with him.

But he's trying. Inigo really is, even though it's so hard, even though he feels like he can't do it. He shuts his eyes, even shuts his mouth. Not saying anything, just wanting to focus on doing the best he can here.

Even once the energy fades and Tidus asks that question, Inigo doesn't answer right away. He just lingers for a moment, eyes still closed, frowning. Thinking. ]

I.. I think so. [ Maybe not as noticable as it'd be to anyone who uses magic on the regular, but there did seem to be something, even though Inigo isn't sure it was magic. ]

Kind of like.. the feeling of something spinning..? [ He now gets why it's so hard for Tidus to put into words. ] I don't know.

[ He grunts behind teeth, a dissatisfied acknowledgement. ]

That's why we should ask Roland. He might remember something better when he learned! Magic was all, stopping and feeling and breathing for me. [ ha- ] Wouldn't be surprised if I woke up one day and forgot how to do magic altogether!

[ He throws up his hands, a joke, but both true and untrue at the same time. Some were too second nature now for him to forget too easily, but his style was so convoluted to a far simpler manner, that it always showed itself whenever he tried better. Even now, his Fire was weak, his Thunder subpar.

As much as he wanted to help people learn, he just had no clue where to start. The blind leading the blind, as they say. ]

Hey, you can still do it!

[ It's not meant in a jealous way. More than anything, it's encouraging. It may not be the main topic here, but Inigo sucks at letting someone put themselves down even in the slightest while he's present and not saying anything about it.

He reaches out, a slight encouraging knock against the other's side. ]

Even though you had trouble mastering it, or can't really explain it, you still learned how to do magic. That's pretty amazing, you know. It must mean there's some sort of talent in you. [ Even if it's just the talent of sheer perseverance.

Inigo laughs as he pulls back his arm, now scratching the back of his own head. ]

Maybe I'm the one who just has no talent for this whatsoever. That could be the problem too.

[ Maybe someone else would easily have recognized that feeling coming from Tidus as he cast a spell. ]

Stop putting yourself down before you even get to try! [ Now it's Tidus's time to nudge Inigo, to chide him as a friend. ]

I don't believe it. You need to find the right spell, the right teaching! That's what Lulu taught me. Some people are better at different spells, and how they pull them off! But I'd still leave it to Roland knowing how to use spells with the arms. I don't know if the guy knows how to use them any other way.

[ Does he? He's drawing up a blank right now thinking about it. ]

He got a spellbook though, from the world he was in. I wonder if that was just for higgledies though?

[ Hmm. He's got wondering out loud at that point. ]

[ Maybe you're just having a little too much faith in him, Tidus. Maybe he isn't the right class to be able to use magic!!

But rather than disagreeing, or protesting that claim, Inigo thinks. He knows it's unfair to disagree when he was saying the same thing to Tidus only a moment ago, after all, so maybe it's better to think on the other things his friend is saying.. ]

We have spellbooks where I come from too.

[ That much Inigo knows, even if he doesn't know how to use magic. But he's seen Laurent use those plenty of times.. Same with their enemies. ]

But I'm worried it'd be a waste of points if I'd order one and then couldn't do anything with it.

[ SOLO CLASS IS FOR LOSERS. WELCOME TO FINAL FANTASY the right one.

But Tidus sighs, a small sound of exasperation. ]

Let's just call Roland first! [ Does he need to repeat this again! ] We're trying to skip the learning process here. Just go ahead and go, Roland, alert! over the comms, and he'll come running and we'll figure this out. Okay? If you can use magic off the arms, then who cares about books!

[ See! Eezy! ]

[ DO THEY REALLY HAVE TO CALL DAD THOUGH.. AND LET HIM KNOW HOW MUCH INIGO SUCKS AT TRYING TO LEARN MAGIC...

But Tidus has repeated it so often at this point that Inigo realises that - one way or another - he isn't going to escape this fate. ]

Okay...

[ But he's still dragging his feet as he moves over to the ICP. Except the dragging isn't enough to stop him from still saying-- ] I'm not going to say that though! It was for emergencies!

[ But as he inserts his ticket into the ICP terminal, he's at least not going back on at least calling out to Roland. ]

Hey, we're-- um, I mean, I'm.. looking for Roland. Can you please come over to the training gym? If you have time.. And if it's okay with you.. Thanks..

[ A very convincing message. Although, let's be real, Roland is even more likely to come running when Inigo says it like that, isn't he. ]

[ Thanks for respecting the SUPER IMPORTANT CALL SIGN, INIGO -

- but back to the matter at hand. The ICP sounds off, and it's not by any cabin specifically. Not that it changes things, Roland is immediately looking up from his book until the little announcement ends and he's already off on his feet, walking to the training gym without a peep.

The book doesn't quite make it in his hammerspace, instead accompanying him nestled under his armpit while long strides cross over to the said car, where twin teens await him. So accustomed is he to the call of either one of them that he doesn't question or wonder any more. He is called, so he goes, and it's as simple as that. Though training could mean simply, they need him for sparring or some sort of help. Interesting. ]

Chief Consul reporting for duty. [ He stops just short of the two, free hand on hip. ] What can I do for you both today?

Hey, can you tell Inigo what an arms band is?

[ Whatever greeting Inigo wants to go over and give Roland, he can, but Tidus will have his own from where he stands, delightfully cheery and with his arms swinging temporarily behind his head.

It's not lost on Tidus however, how often this has come up. Has he asked for anyone more than Roland for questions? Oh, and it's never just about the arms band, is it? ]

Maybe about Spider Squad too?

[ There we go. Look at this face of innocence. ]

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