adregem | 000 - voidtreckerexpress Universal Contact Post

[ Tidus is slower at the apple, for no other reason than feeling slower in usual in general. It doesn't make his pace sluggish--though it feels it, to him--but there's a disinterest being carried in him. Not as much now however, with this simple goal of supplying someone with a better distraction than.

Auditing. ]

Yeah. You read numbers and to find out the secrets of the train. [ Said in the dull tone it deserves. ] You gotta have more than that. Geez, I really do need to get people into more sports, don't I.

[ Ah, but he's not in the mood for playing any himself, and they've passed through the gymnasium now. But he can sigh about it to himself, a task for later. ]

I used to follow sports news and results... or just whatever was happening in the city. I'm not that big into fantasy stories. [ Which most of the books seemed to be...or about trains. Whatever. ] It was more fun goofing off and reading about whatever on this network that connected you to bunch of different stories about other things. And you could watch videos, like the stuff in the cinema car. Or listen to music.

That'd be fun to have around...but I dunno if a magical kidnapping train's gonna let us have access to a thing like that.

[ A thing also known as the internet. ]

[ After having his own version of a hellscape nightmare plague his mind, depriving him of restful sleep, Roland can understand why one would normally behave a little more listless than usual. Perhaps Tidus hasn't yet shaken off all that he experienced from the mission, and that was fine. So Roland doesn't question it, why the apple he went for is still untouched, why there's a certain dryness to his tone that's uncharacteristic of how he usually sounds. These thoughts are quickly replaced by the realization that Tidus describing...social media.

One: his original world had technology. Two: Evermore had technology. ]

There's...a tablet called a Leafbook, from where I come from. I could try asking for it on the onboard shop. See if it can get some entertainment. [ It might be a fat chance - what, did the Voidtrecker have wireless tech? - but it sounds like a nice gift to give Tidus, seeing as how many favors Roland already owes him anyway. ] Other than that, heh. I can't help you out with sports. We had tons of sports when I was President, but truth be told, I never really followed any teams or news. Got invited to inaugural games, first pitches, but that was mostly it. [ And this is the first time Roland openly tells anyone else on the train that he used to be king, that before being an advisor to one, he was once the leader of his own nation too. Is. ]

Is that your goal, today? Gonna get an old man a new, cool, sports hobby? [ ....he says that really cringey for some reason.... ]

Edited 2020-07-27 15:27 (UTC)

Uggh. Do you have to try 'n' be old?

[ Please stop being intentionally cringey, Roland, it's not fair for the actual hip young and cool Tidus who doesn't get called 'Mister' by a ten year old kid! ]

No, no sports, my head isn't in it today, [ he admits, since there's no shame in it. It's been a day since they got back from the mission, and there's a certain level of focus and movement he doesn't want to be involved in. ] A video game. It's called VR. It's upstairs.

[ Which as they come to the end door of medical, go through the small gap between cars and Tidus waits on the other side of for Roland, there is indeed a set of stairs waiting to the side as they come in, usually easy to ignore if you weren't looking to stick around in the car. Tidus tilts his head towards them and then goes on, skipping some of the upper steps with his feet hitting the upper landing with a thud.

On this end on the room, there's space; a nearby rope barricade that keeps separate the larger gaming pieces that can be seen off to the side--jenga, connect four, big enough to stand up and play with--and the screens and controllers that sit against the nearby wall. ]

We put on a headset, and there's a few games we can go for. There's one with a sword and shield, magic and all that--we'll do that one. I know most of the layout of the game.

[ Because the other he's remembering is a racing game, and Tidus really doesn't want to deal with that in his eyes right now. What he wants to do is go over to the set-up and take one of the floor cushions, plopping down with a small sigh, his apple in his lap. ]

[ He doesn't entertain his quip since it gathered the intended reaction. It was almost funny to poke at his buttons this way, but Roland can't ignore what he says, can't risk letting someone he's promised to look out for get troubled beyond relief. He quietly follows him up the stairs, marveling at the amount of games he had left unexplored. With his arms crossed over his chest, apple core discarded on the way to the cab, he listens intently to the instructions, and follows Tidus' lead on all accounts. ]

A game with a sword, a shield, and some magic. Art imitates life, indeed.

[ He doesn't quite plop down as heavily. He takes his time, folds his legs over the other and sits in a similar fashion, and whatever is handed to him he studies carefully, one eyebrow quirked up and a finger under his chin. It was technology that looked similar to what he saw back home and in Broadleaf, but if Tidus knew him any better than he did before, Roland and tech weren't exactly a match made in heaven. ]

Alright. So how do you play? What are the rules, and how do we win?

[ He figures the best way to take Tidus' mind off of things, whatever it may be, is to play, literally, with his plan to give Roland a new hobby. It also may please him to know that Roland, for all his tactical advice and strategist specializations, is currently fumbling with the set-up that took Tidus seconds to put on. Wires are jumbled, the controller is upside-down...he's figuring it out piece by piece, which might be a bit too slow on the uptake for someone who's already used to gaming. ]

[ Tidus has more than enough experience dealing with people from lesser technological worlds, that when he hands Roland the gear, the headset and controller, and then soon spots the guy fiddling with it like there's a hidden mechanism to open it up to the candy inside, Tidus puts down his own bits and bobs and reaches over-- ] You hold it like this, both hands- wait with that one, [ he says in indication to the headgear, knowing he should explain this one part at a time.

So, perhaps surprisingly, it doesn't bother him or make him impatient the way Roland is acting. He wouldn't mind asking him about the Leafbook thing or whatever later either, but for now- ]

'kay, so this thing. [ Holding up the controller. ] Everything you can press on that stands out does a different action. This is for moving- [ that would be the stick- ] and these are going to be for fighting, ducking, other actions. I'll let you know once we get in the game.

First though, I need you to not press anything 'til I tell you. But you gotta put this on your head. [ Now the odd headpiece come into play, and Tidus picking up his own. ] It'll let you see the game like you're in it. We're gonna see a different screen first to get into the game. It's called a menu. You'll get it when you see it.

[ 101 Video Games. ]

[ The controls look intuitive enough. The grip on the device are ergonomically designed to fit perfectly in his hands, so when he's instructed, it doesn't take him too long to adjust and follow accordingly. When all is said and done, he looks...a little too serious still, shoulders stiff and straight, his brows furrowing to the center as if he's waiting for a big surprise to come popping out. Every instruction is memorized in a snap, as Roland nods in comprehension, fingers moving in time with Tidus' pointers, memorizing it by action. This was not the games of his youth, no marbles, arcade sticks, and clunky buttons lining up coins waiting for your turn on the machine. ]

Got it. Won't press a thing.

[ The...visor? Helmet? Headset...was strange. Despite his visage, not a wrinkle or blemish on his skin, it looks foreign on Roland, like he's not meant to be playing games on magic trains to try and get himself back on track, get a new hobby, a suggestion from...a friend. Yet here he is, willing himself to enjoy something that seems more of a fit for Evan and Tani. Why not? He lets go little by little, slotting the piece against his eyes and sitting still, unused to the sensory deprivation of not being able to see or hear clearly. ]

I'm guessing this is going to be one heck of an immersive experience if we have to cover our eyes for it...Okay, I'm ready - [ He smirks, though if Tidus already has his visor on, he probably won't see it anyway. ] - captain.

[ There's no getting a stiff to relax with the snap of one's fingers (not that Tidus tried that), so he's not worried about how Roland looks or appears, more than he seems to be listening and following him. Which he is, and fortunately, without too many questions either.

But Tidus does catch the question, to make sure the headset looks right on Roland, before slipping on his own. ]

Right! Don't worry, I'm a pretty fair captain!

[ Maybe. Who knows. Regardless, Tidus presses a button, and through the visor a menu appears for a list of games, visible through both their headset. Tidus picks the first, 'Knight Quest', and a cartoon opening begins to play showing the ideal of a knight--multiple knights even, but similar in their style of outfit--as they travel through forest and fortress to reach the evil wizard atop a giant tower.

So much for Tidus keeping away from the fantasy stories.

Once that's over, the actual title screen appears, and Tidus selects into Campaign Mode, which leads to... a character creator! ]

Alright, now I need you to press a button. Can you press-- [ wait, let him--Roland will feel a bump on his shoulder, and then a hand over his fumbling at the controller. ]

Can you press this one?

[ He thinks he has his finger over the right button...! ]

[ The flurry of images, colors, and sounds jolt him to be much more aware than he bargained for. Roland instinctively grips harder at the controller as his eyes attempt to keep up with what is being displayed in the headpiece, his own head tilting from left to right as the landscape moves in the directions he chooses. It was a fascinating, almost nauseating experience. And they haven't even begun to play yet. ]

Heh. This is...kind of cute. [ Will would probably watch cartoons like this...He loves storybooks. ]

[ The word 'campaign' has a different meaning for mister president, but he is overly prepared for whatever lies ahead in this game. He looks down, forgetting that he has a headpiece on, and then feels out the buttons as Tidus' own fingers grasp the right controls. ]

Oh, hold on, let me try and -

[ He...presses the wrong button. It takes them out of Campaign Mode and into Options. ]

Tell me the button, I'll press it. Sorry.

[ He momentarily pulls the headpiece up so he can glance at the interface, trying to memorize it. ]

This is the problem with VR...

[ It's a mumbling, and Tidus pulls up his own headpiece with a sigh as he actually uses his eyes meant for seeing to look across at Roland's controller, tapping the right button. ]

This one. It'll be awkward at first, but you'll need to press the buttons it shows you when we go back in. Don't worry how long you're taking. It's better than carrot counting.

[ Yes he said that before and he's saying it again, so what. But with it said, Tidus slips back on his VR headset to get them back to the character creator screen.

And should Roland hit the right button this time, a second idling figure to be dressed and designed should join the screen with Tidus's to be made fabulous. ]

Just because I'm good at counting doesn't mean you have to discredit the effective system we've got going at the stores, Tidus. [ His chiding comes across as light banter, a joke, with his fingers finally finding the right button and there he goes. He lets out an audible "wow" as his eyes feast on a...person. On the screen. His main character. He experiments with the buttons, moving the cursor around for options. ]

Alright, so we have to get them ready for the adventure first, right? Heh. Good. It's true to life. You've always got to dress to impress.

[ He wore a three-piece suit to a fake hearing in Goldpaw, of course he'd say this. Roland is slow in the controls but he gains some momentum when his hands get used to the placement of the buttons. He takes his sweet, sweet time, making sure his character Looks The Part of the adventurer, oddly detailed as far as the game will allow him to be.

Like really oddly detailed. Making sure the clothes were right, the colors complimented each other. Hair coiffed just right. ]

Let's see...That wouldn't be very practical. How about this...?

[ Once Roland has been added to the screen, Tidus starts fiddling with his own character, deciding the type of build and hair before moving on after onto clothes. He's the type to make his character as close to he is, so of course he's got muscles and looks absolutely like the perfect guy out of a teenage girl's--or boy's--magazine.

But for the time he takes on style, somehow, it's Roland that takes even longer. And when he hears what he hears- ]

Dooon't you take forever thinking 'bout what's practical, gramps. It's all aesthetics! Only thing that matters for that is the class you pick. This down here.

[ One of the last options to be chosen, that also picks your weapon. The main default is a sword and shield, but then there's a staff, bow and arrows, magic-

Tidus settles on archer, just because. ]

[ He actually sounds mildly offended at that. ]

Hey, don't discount the power of looking the part!

[ But he does take his cue since Tidus was finished way before he even got to weigh the options of having a different hair color. He rushes his character selection, and ends up with...a rather typical looking hero, a little rough around the edges, but has a regal feel to it, your standard young adventurer. His character is tall with bright blonde hair and sky blue eyes. ]

These games are so detailed. We used to just do all of this manually, y'know. Read them in choose-your-own-adventure storybooks, play as figurines on a board...Heh. Technology sure is something.

[ He cycles through all the classes. He sees Tidus' archer, and hums in thought. His first instinct is to pick sword and shield, but since this was a fantasy roleplaying game, he decided to live out a different class instead. He clicks on the Magician. ]

There. [ The loading screen pops up. ] ...I hope I get a broom to ride on, this time. [ ???? ]

What tech did you have where you're from? [ Tidus asks as the wonders of technology is admired, since it's small but interesting curiosity to figure out: how many people had little to no tech in their worlds, what level of it did they have? Not many people ever seemed to have Zanarkand's level, but, well...

That other comment is going to get a far more puzzled thing, however. ]

What?

[ what?? did he hear you right old man, does Tidus want to know. ]

Tech where I'm from? [ Or tech where I was born? He leaves it ambiguous for now. ] It's a lot like this, I suppose. I had the Leafbook in Evermore, and it was connected wirelessly to other devices so I could keep track of everyone around the world. I used to own a tablet too, back in the day, but I used it mostly for...official duties. [ AKA Tidus' favorite word, work! All in all, Roland isn't tech-deprived at the least, but he's never been like Tani and Bracken who took to technology like fishes in water.

If his own hacked online journal was of any indication. He's still bitter about that. ]

There's a country called Broadleaf, allied with Evermore. They're probably a bit more hi-tech and sci-fi than my own world. Maybe I'll get to show you what I mean, if we see it in that picture book?

[ The loading screen is finally done, and their characters render at last. He smiles - they look really good! And for the first time since Tidus asked him to play the VR console, Roland feels a bit excited. So much so that a bit of his elderly facade breaks by just a tiny bit, and his excitement bleeds into his follow-up. ]

A broom. Y'know, witches and wizards in those stories fly around on brooms, casting spells and curses. I used to think with all the magic in Evermore, I'd get one delivered to me. Turns out they still used boats and airships, just like back home. Color me disappointed.

[ Tidus hums, and it doesn't sound so foreign to him what Roland describes. Names of brands he's never heard of before, but that's to be expected. He wonders if to add anything himself? In Zanarkand, or if, In Spira...

He decides to go for neither, and lets the conversation go on as it does. On the screen they're in a hall before a pair of grand doors that a red line of carpet slips under, other characters around them of the appearance of castle servants. That's what the interior looks like: a castle that glitters with care and riches. ]

I dunno why you'd wanna ride a broom, [ tbqh, ] but hey, whatever you want. [ But anyway, the game-- ] Use the left stick to look around, you should see me--the right one'll let you move.

[ And indeed, Roland should see Tidus--or Tidus's character, with his quiver and arrow peeking from behind his back, dressed like a Proper Cool Anime--is stood there facing him. There's no need to rush and progress the game before letting Roland get used to the controls. ]

Hey now, don't knock it till you try it! It looks kind of fun to me. [ And he doesn't doubt that if he had a chance to ride a broom, god he would. He would do ALL that cool movie stunt stuff because guess what, you wanna woo Roland? Bring him to the movies!!! ]

Left stick to look around, right one to move - [ Roland echoes the instructions clearly, and it doesn't take him long to get it done. It almost looks like his own avatar is checking Tidus' character out since he's still clunky with the camera controls, but he's impressed at the attention to detail. Of course, he would choose a sporty one. Heh. ]

[ Roland's own Mage is...perhaps not as spicy as Tidus' character, but he looks like he's ready to cast a mean spell or two! He starts running around in circles, though the movement is dizzying. Very dizzying. ] Ugh. My head. There's a lot going on!

[ Why ride a broom when you can ride an airship?? get better tastes roland ]

Yeah, it's pretty bright in this first part. Next part's darker. [ A lot darker. ] You wanna move on and see how you do there?

[ They can always switch to the bigger screens at least, but this is the guy's first time, so best to see how he adjusts to it first. This wasn't what Tidus figured he was going to be doing when he rolled out of bed that day, but hey, it's not so bad. None of this is serious thinking, and he likes that there's no need to rush. ...for now. But he's taking his time, hanging by the door to the next room and waiting on Roland's decision. ]

[ Jokes on you, HE HAS!!!! /blows Tidus raspberries!! ]

Taking off my training wheels early, huh? I can respect that. Let's do it. [ Roland speaks as if he was on an actual mission, and maybe he is. He wants to know if this is something he can do in his off-time, right? So he gives it his all, tries to enjoy it, and it's not hard to do so. It's an objectively fun experience. He controls his character through the door and enters the next area. His character hits lots of walls - the depth of perception is still a little skewed - but they make it through and he takes what Tidus gives him and leads the small party out. ]

Where's our mission? Do we slay a dragon? Rescue a damsel in distress? Save the world from impending doom?

[ In sharp contrast to Roland's stillness as he plays, the character he controls jumps around in circles, runs wherever he goes. ]

[ roland PLEASE nevermind this experience isn't that chill.

They're in the courtyard now, since Roland doesn't know the definition of chill, a ring of land and garden with a fountain as its centrepiece. Plenty of room for Roland to go zoomies around, while Tidus gains twenty years to be the guy going slow and sighing on the inside. ]

One thing at a time, alright? We gotta meet the King's adviser, then he'll make us go through an underground dungeon so we can find a portal over to another island.

Weren't you complainin' about a headache a second ago?

[ Yes, he's here and calling Roland OUT. Like this isn't exactly what he did the first time he played with Light. ]

[ The more his character sees in the game, the wider his grin in real life. He feels light, and it's a comforting warmth that tingles and excites in a way that tugs at his heartstrings. It's almost ironic given his life in the Second World was basically...this. ]

Heh. The King's adviser? I didn't know I was in this game.

[ BA DUM TSS, please laugh, he's here all week. He chuckles and tries to follow Tidus, who starts leading their characters where they need to go for the first mission. He jumps half the time instead of just walking, and when he's not jumping, the running continues. He stops ahead of Tidus' warrior from time to time, like an excitable puppy waiting for their master to catch up. The difference between the player and its avatar was so striking, it was funny. ]

Dizzy. And I got used to it. Cut me some slack. Now, hurry up! No slowpokes on this adventure.

[ GO AHEAD CALL HIM OUT, he'll just run circles!! Somehow, he was able to get his giant staff out too. He leans down and presses the button combination again. The avatar cycles through stances. ]

If you're an old man in a robe... ohhh wait.

[ YEAH YEAH HE WENT THERE, GRAMPS. Alright, Roland got a scoff out of Tidus before he said that, but he's still getting all the sass because Tidus is never forgetting that you old, Roland. Not his avatar though, clearly, going around the place like a puppy indeed. Has Tidus found it? Has he found Roland's Youth.

There's a few jars along the way that Tidus stops them at, pointing out- ] You should check 'em, there's potions sometimes. [ Because Roland needs the true RPG experience.

But they're getting closer to where they need to be, a door guarded by two soldiers in full armour blocking their faces with their helmets, and the mentioned 'old man in robes' waiting with them, still in that RPG 'will only be activated when you go to talk to them' manner. The adviser is the cliche of his profession: wise bordering on pompous, but loyal in his speech. He explains there is a magical mirror that will take them where they need to go, but it is deep within the underground, lurking with monsters. But with the mirror he gives them (a quick 'Magic Mirror Added to Equipment' popping up on the screen) they will be able to use it.

Good luck, brave adventurers...! ]

Ready to be a hero?

Please. Look at this guy, he's nowhere near as good looking. Plus, I've got better hair. You can't deny that.

[ 48 is the new 20 and you're going to have to live with it, PUNK. He draws his weapon out and starts firing the entire list of his basic spells in succession just to destroy the ceramic jars lining the throne room. He has so many questions because why would you even put your resources inside JARS, for everyone to see and take from??? Logistically, these games need to be more true to a real kingdom! But he doesn't voice this out, instead he plays like he's trying to do five different things at once. His eyes scan through the text as the old adviser speaks and he's reading it quite fast, but he's also jerking his character around to get more Potions like he was instructed to do so, and the game mechanic doesn't seem to stop characters from moving around. The text box just stays in place while Roland's mage farms potions and leaves a wake of destruction. ]

I don't trust him. I'm willing to bet he's going to play a weird part later on. Have you played this game before? Don't tell me.

[ Yes, Tidus. Yes you found his youth. So now you're going to have to suffer. You thought President Serious was bad, wait till you meet President Geek. As soon as the instructions are given, he readies himself for the real action, his body tensing up like a coiled snake. ]

I was born to be. [ He clicks the prompt away and the loading screen sweeps them into the first dungeon. I've always wanted to say that! ]

[ You know. He could have just approached the jars and take the goodies that way, but no. This is the true face of Roland and Tidus is taking notes. Such as, wow this guy is having a lot of fun for someone who was just wasting time calculating the number of carrots.......

And he's trying to guess the plot of a dumb 'defeat the evil wizard' game. Please.

The dungeon is exactly as it sounds, long narrow stone corridors with prison cells barred by cold, hard steel. There's the sound of dripping water leaking from somewhere afar, the flickering torches burning endlessly on hooks from the walls. It gives off a chill regardless from visuals alone, the faintest of background music tinkling away in their ears. ]

So- You wanna go first, or me? Since you're born for this. [ ... ] Plus, you'll probably fire a fireball into my back if I did.

[ There's also the fact he's an archer, and while neither of them are up close and personal classes, his is less so. It's not as if it's difficult to see where they should go, though there will be a few dead ends. The game is kind, not throwing them straight into a fight.

Regardless of who ends up going first, Tidus will ask as they start to move, casually: ]

Ever been thrown in jail before?

[ He hums out his intrigue as the opening layouts play out, showing them the first floor of the dungeon. Every textured surface, every pixel in perfect place, really brings him back to a different time and place. This is the one time he takes his character to a complete standstill as his fingers move the leftmost joystick, just tilting the camera side to side, all around, up and down, taking it all in... ]

This reminds me of a place we had to run away from. It's been so long since then.

[ Though the game does lack a certain sense of danger and urgency than his actual experience. He was escaping a coup with Evan then, the first time they ever met. A lifetime and a half ago, now... When he's done assessing the dungeon, his avatar bursts to life again, staff out and his stance ready. He smirks, happily taking the lead from Tidus' archer with a characteristic seriousness you'd attribute to Roland any day. It's just a game, bro. ]

Of course I'm going first. I have to protect my ranged unit. That's just Strategy 101. [ .... ] And that's really funny. I'm a professional, I've never had friendly fire and I'm not about to start in a game, I can tell you that much! [ PUNK! DELINQUENT! ]

[ He moves his character a little too fast, exploring like he's on a sugar high. This causes him to fall off platforms, get wet in ditches, and clip his character against dead ends, but it's all part of the fun for Roland. Eventually, they meet their first fight - a couple of generic looking bats and slimes with a skeleton thrown in, again, looking awfully familiar from the monsters he's seen in Evermore except more kiddish and less menacing. His mage...charges up at them, hitting them with his staff with weak melee before he casts fireballs up close. He goes through this motion to help Tidus shoot from relative safety before he hears Tidus' question. ]

Sort of. If you count Sky Pirate jail time, sure. [ He kills a slime! He uses a basic ice spell and it's more effective than the fire! ] Evan and I were cuffed and we got this close from getting thrown off a cliff to our untimely ends. [ Another falls under the staff of the mighty Roland! Someone should really tell him to stop casting magic while jumping. It looks cool but it's disorienting. ] Have you? I can't imagine, you're such a nice, polite boy. [ You can practically hear the smirk dripping off of his voice. ]

[ IT'S JUST A GAME, BRO.

But for someone taking a game so serious, what kind of mage bothers attacking with their staff?! What a waste of time, but at least with Roland rushing on ahead, it gives time for Tidus to pull out his own weapon and attempt to use it. For all his own professionalism and sense of done it, i'm a pro over how to get from Point A to Point B, he's never played this class before, going for the standard sword and shield.

The bats are the fussiest, but luckily the skeletons' hitboxes don't care about the spaces between their rib bones, and when they're hit, they flail their bony arms up in a stun. It makes it easy work for Roland to knock them with magic. ]

What're you tryna say? [ Cheeky! Tidus isn't taking that! ] I got thrown in jail 'cause some jerk kidnapped my girl! And there wasn't any nearly for us--they dumped us into dungeons full of fiends so we'd get kill!

But we didn't 'cause we're better than that. [ yeah everyone else who died that way are chumps!! There's a treasure chest awaiting down one of the forks in the path, and Tidus's character kicks it open with a foot, revealing armlets found to be equipped. Thank you, he will. ]

000 - voidtreckerexpress Universal Contact Post

make him, man!!!

does your girlfriend know how r00d you are !!!

she loves him faults and all /sparkles

ree are you really going to make roland play VR, im in STITCHES

YOU BET IT, OLD MAN.

"HI WELCOME BACK TO OUR CHANNEL TODAY I'M TEACHING A BOOMER HOW TO VIDEO GAME"

this can only go well

famous last words i see

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