and then things were never quiet

[blitz_acing]

Who: Tidus and You!
Where: The Plaza
When: Late Morning
Style: I'll match the style of your preference.
Status: Open!



[At first there's water. Comforting. Refreshing. The familiarity of being soaked as if immersed puts him at ease. Keeping his eyes shut, he can almost pretend he's back in the ocean, warmed by the sun's rays, and somewhere close to the surface all his friends are just waiting. Waiting for him to resurface.

She's there, too.

He refuses to open his eyes, afraid of what he might see. But he could only keep running for so long. Why couldn't he pretend? He had all the time in the world now. If this was the afterlife...maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.

It's the voices that convince him to open his eyes...and does he gawk openly once he does.]

Whoa.

[He stumbles around at first. He probably looks confused and out of it, but he doesn't care because that's how he feels. There are other thoughts on his mind, one in particular loud and obnoxious enough to where it's practically screaming in his ear: Why was he still around? He looks down at his hands, very hesitant to do so, and drops his jaw entirely when he realizes they're solid. His expression might make one think his palms grew fish fins, or something.

Not that he's not happy to exist, or anything, but this place, cool as it is, is a far cry from the Farplane. He presses his hands to his face, gloved digits running through his hair, before dropping his arms. Sure, it feels real, but--]

What if it's a dream?

[Only one way to find out.

Lifting his hand up, he curls it into a fist, smacking his arm.]

Ow!

[Well, that answers that.]

Comments

[theholywarrior]

[ Still remembering what it was like to awake with years worth of water in his ears, Patroklos couldn't help but pity the newcomer who arrived today. He was idly passing through the plaza in search for work, until he stumbled upon the lost wayfarer. At first he said nothing to the other teen, almost hesitant to say a word until the boy smacked himself in the arm. Letting out a light chuckle at the loud "Ow!" that followed, Patroklos finally decided to approach. ]

Now why did you go and do that?

[blitz_acing]

[Startled that someone was speaking to him, Tidus spun on both his heels to face Patroklos. Once the initial shock wore of, he was actually relieved to be spoken to. Despite feeling confused, he visibly brightened, more certain that this was no dream. It made too much sense, and why would he imagine something so complex?]

I've always heard that if you aren't sure that you're dreaming, you should pinch yourself to make sure it's real. I just wanted to be extra sure.

[theholywarrior]

[ Patroklos took a quick step back when the newcomer suddenly turned around. He honestly didn't mean to startle him but it couldn't be helped. ]

Oh? Sounds a like an unnecessarily painful ritual.

[ He couldn't help but chuckle again. ]

I can assure you that this is no dream for had it been such, I doubt any of us would've ever dreamed of Vatheon.

[blitz_acing]

It can be, but it's the easiest way to find out. Except for those dreams where you can feel stuff. I guess then you're out of luck.

[Tidus paused, hesitant to voice the question on the tip of his tongue. He didn't want to seem any weirder than he probably already appeared to be, but he had to ask. He glanced at the ground, as if it could provide him with the answers. Raising his eyebrows, he glanced at Patroklos.]

Vatheon? Are you...from here?

[burntviolet]

[ Hanako has been here for about ten days, but she's still not familiar to this place. He barely ever goes out of her apartment, and the few times she does, it's only to furnish herself with food. It was today's case, as well, until she stumbles onto a boy who's as soaked as she was when she was first brought here.

...

Well, one small good deed shouldn't hurt too much, right?

Hanako approaches the boy carefully, holding one of the towels available in her hand. ]

... May I help you?

[blitz_acing]

[Looking at Hanako, he slowly starts to smile, a cautious sort of hope in his eyes. Of course, the first question he asks is:]

You can see me?

[Yes, Tidus, ask the obvious and make yourself stand out even more. He blinks, noticing the towel.]

Oh... Thank you.

[burntviolet]

... Yes, I can?

[ What kind of question was that? Well, he doesn't look too upset at least. ]

You're welcome... this sort of thing happens to everyone new that comes here. Um, getting soaked, I mean.

[blitz_acing]

So I guess you carry extra towels often by now, huh? Good thing for me.

[He smiles, taking the towel and starts to dry himself off.]

I probably needed the shower though, considering where I just was.

[bufudine]

[Serph tends to hang around the coral at this time of the month; there's always the chance that someone from his Tribe will be arriving.

But instead he finds a guy punching himself.

Um.

Is he doing that because he needs someone to spar with?]

...Do you need someone to punch you?

[Because Serph would be perfectly okay with punching this stranger if he wants to be punched.]

[blitz_acing]

[Tidus jumps at first before he relaxes. He scratches the back of his head, a little embarrassed that someone saw.]

Uh...no thanks, I think I can handle it. If you could tell me where I am though, that would be helpful.

[bufudine]

[No? Well okay then. He nods.]

This is Vatheon, a city that draws people from other worlds.

[If it isn't already obvious from Serph's weird clothes.

Actually, you know what? Why do all the explaining when he has a brochure in his pockets that can do just that? Serph's fishing it out from his pockets and holding it out to the newcomer.]

This explains most of the basics.

[blitz_acing]

It must be an incredibly powerful city.

[Currently, Tidus is staring at Serph's close, wondering if those brass colored things are plugs.

He takes the brochure and skims over it, eyes flickering back up.]

You have a Defense Force?

[ai_can_cook]

[Ai passes by]

You know, talking to yourself is oftentimes the first sign that you need a mental-checkup.

[You should talk, Ai]

Jarring, isn't it? I'm still getting the hang of this place myself.

[blitz_acing]

Me? In need of a mental-checkup?

[Tidus laughs, a bit forcibly, and crosses his arms.]

You mean that you're not from here either?

[He stares at her, eyes wide.]

[ai_can_cook]

Nope! Everyone I've met was pulled here from elsewhere themselves. Me, I sort of came from a place I didn't belong to, either, so... it's just another trip for me, really.

[Ai stretches, cracking her back]

But I haven't seen a blonde with brunette roots before. Is that some sort of special effect or something?

[bear with her - she's from the late eighties/early nineties before bleach was popularly used]

I've always wanted someone to notice that. XD

[blitz_acing]

You've had this happen before? That's someting we have in common.

[He puts his hands up to his roots, trying to tug them down enough to see them. He hadn't had the chance to bleach his hair on Spira. Were they that noticable.]

Uh...no! It's from swimming all the time. The sun lightened it.

[Yes. The sun.]

[stayb100ponyboy]

[Huh. New guy, obviously. New guy punching himself. Equius is always interested in people who share an interest in punching things, so he approaches and wordlessly offers the stranger a towel.]

[blitz_acing]

[He stares at Equius, then at the towel, before he gratefully takes it.]

Thanks.

[He vigorously rubs the towel against his hair, trying to dry away some of the water until he's satisfied.]

It's a good thing I'm underwater. Who knows when I'd get a towel otherwise.

[stayb100ponyboy]

You're certainly not the first one to show up here and need a towel.

[Equius knows; he's never far from a good dry towel.]

[topsseifer]

[Pffffft. First time anyone has hit themselves to see if it's real.

Hayner snatched a fluffy towel as he approached.]

Maaaan, would it be easier if this was a dream. Nope. That [He jerked his thumb over to the coral] THING brought us here.

[blitz_acing]

Huh? What thing? [Tidus squinted his eyes, shielding them with his hand as he glanced at the coral, looking around for whatever person Hayner was talking about. It was odd to address someone that way, but maybe he was just resentful for being brought here.]

[topsseifer]

The coral. Apparently it has some ability to drag people here. It's crazy. Really crazy. [And just going to toss the towel at the blond.]
The thing even has the guts to stick a mark on us. I don't mind tattoos, that doesn't bug me. What bugs me is they don't even ask. At least let us pick the design. It's kind of...girly.

[unshelledbullet]

[It's one of the last days where new people are expected to arrive, and Squall changes his usual walking route to go by the plaza just in case there were some last minute arrivals.

Lo and behold, there was.

For a second, he stops and stares because wait, is that Zell? However, one look at the guy's face tells him that no, it's not. The guy's skin is also too tan anyway.

...but judging from the newcomer's words and actions, it might as well be Zell's alternate dimension incarnation. And without thinking, Squall picks up a towel and tosses it at him.]

Welcome to your new home.

[blitz_acing]

[Unprepared for the flying towel, Tidus walks right into it with a startled shout. Despite this, he manages to catch the towel, and eyes it before he looks at Squall. Scar. Check. Hard to read expression. Check. At least he wasn't wearing sunglasses, or carrying some jug of liquid. That would be really creepy.]

Thanks? You seem accustomed to this.

[unshelledbullet]

I've been here a while, and new people start appearing at the same time every month.

[He'd hand over the handy dandy welcome brochure if he had one.]

This is Vatheon, and no, I don't know how to go back to where you come from.