melodiesofkupo | trace of nostalgia [video]

[Tidus is out by the water on the Curti Center island, as he usually is. There's a sunglasses-wearing moogle, Zunne, sunning on the beach behind him. But for anyone who knows Tidus, it might seem more odd that his eyes, usually bright blue, are now red.]

Hey guys, me again. I hope everybody's doing okay after that trip---and if you've run into any chocobo eaters, rest up. They're really tough!

Anyway, I've just been thinking. Does something about this place seem off to anyone else? I don't really know how to explain it, I know it sounds crazy, but I can't help but wonder why we're really here. It's just...I see these little things everywhere that are familiar, but they aren't? And I have to wonder if something big's lurking out there that we should know about?

Maybe I'm just homesick. Or hungry, that could be it.

[Distantly, from the Moogle's direction: 'How astute.' Tidus mumbles and ducks his head.]

All right, he's right. That's enough. If anybody's still up for blitz practice, I'll see you tomorrow!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Well hello there, Tidus! You are greeted to a wave and a yawn from your housemate who may or may not have been partaking in the enjoyment of sleeping in if the bedhead and sleepy eyes weren't indicative of that already. The feed from the camera shifts as Selphie sits up and tilts her head thoughtfully as she ponders his question for a bit.

Guess who also got to go play with a Chocobo eater?]

I don't there's really any way for us to find out what's going to happen until we get a bit more information from the natives of Vaikuntha. I totally hear ya on the familiar-but-not-familiar feeling of a lot of places in this world but it doesn't seem like it's a bad place.

We could always start taking notes of what we know and start compiling information as we learn more about what's going on.

[Selphie hadn't caught Tidus's first post about Blitzball as she regards her friend with a puzzled look.]

Blitz practice?

Yeah, definitely. These slates are probably good at recording stuff, and I'll have to remember to when I see something.

[A beat, and he smiles, hoisting his ever-present ball into the camera's view.]

Blitzball! It's one of those weird coincidences I was talking about. I'm a pro player back where I come from, and the same exact sport with the same ball and the same rules is here too. Which I thought was great at first, because that's an easy job, but then someone reminded me that that's pretty unlikely if you think about it.

How did that happen? Did someone from Spira come here before me and Rikku, or did someone from here end up there thousands of years ago? Now I'm wondering if it was that O'aka guy's ancestor. We had an O'aka the twenty-third back in Spira, and he was a merchant too.

It'll come in handy and I'll definitely help!

[Selphie nods eagerly as she totally gets where he's coming from.]

Oh, that's what I've heard about from the locals around town! How does it work? Maybe I'd like to play with you sometime! Yeah... it's like when I picked up the Stave Master asterisk. Even though I have experience using one of the weapons that it focuses on, I had to start at square one and start over. I'm using it as a time to refresh myself on the basics and fighting with a staff is just the right amount of challenge right now.

[It really makes it hard to worry about your friends if you're so wrapped up in something new.]

That I couldn't tell ya to be honest but you've seen that game Triple Triad, right? That's totally from my world! Same rules and playing styles and everything. So if O'aka is from your world and Triple Triad is from mine, there's no telling what other similarities there are.

Huh. I wondered. Card games aren't usually my speed, but it looks like people are really into it. And the pictures were neat. If a little weird.

[He nods, thinking this all over.]

Yeah, learning to use a sword was enough of a pain the first time. I didn't forget how to blitz, so practicing for that really helps me re-focus.

It's a sport played underwater, in a giant sphere pool in a stadium. There are two teams in there, and they fight for the blitzball, trying to shoot it into the other team's goal and keeping the other team from shooting it into their goal. There's a lot of bruising and tackling, and it's tough to do all that and hold your breath, but the intensity's part of the fun.

I just finished tryouts for Myste Aura's team, I'll let you know if I make it!

[Selphie can't help but laugh.]

My friends from home are way better than I'll ever be so if you ever wanna learn, you'd wanna hit them up for sure!

Underwater, huh...? Sounds a bit soggy if you ask me. I can't hold my breath for very long so I'm down for learning how to play but I don't think I'm ready for professional sports.

[The perky brunette grins confidently at her friend.]

C'mon, Tidus! You've got this!

Hey, it's okay. Sometimes you've just gotta kick back, let off some steam, and have fun with it.

[His answering smile's just as bright.]

You're the best, Selphie.

So when do the lessons start? Not in the pool I hope... please not in the pool.

[Seriously, you're dealing with a board certified klutz here. Start with the basics.

She ends up beaming at Tidus.]

Thanks!

Beach first. The sand's good for any rough and tumble, and just being near the water is nice.

[He's so proud of her.]

I'll see you soon!

Lemme hunt down some sneakers and I'll meet you down there?

[Bruises and all.]

You got it.

[He grins and turns off the feed, pumping a fist. Some time later, she'll find him stretching, having changed back into the outfit he'd worn on arrival. His new blitz uniform wasn't ready yet, so an old one would be fine for water activities.

He greets her with a big wave, kicking up the ball at his feet and catching it.]

Hey, how're you doing? Ready to have some fun?

[Selphie wasn't entirely sure what one wore to practice a new sport that they'd never heard of and had eventually settled on a comfortable pair of shorts and a t-shirt with a simple pair of sneakers completing the look. Said t-shirt was doing a pretty good job of covering up the still healing bruise from a certain Chocobo Eater who shall remain nameless.

~~Stupid Bob, the Chocobo Eater.~~

Selphie waves back enthusiastically before running up to join Tidus.]

Hey! I'm hanging in there!

[She looks at the ball in his hands curiously before asking the obvious question:]

Is that a soccer ball or a volleyball?

Awesome! And this---is a blitzball! Here, want to catch?

[He waits a moment before tossing it---she has time to try to catch or dodge. She'll notice that it's a fair bit weightier than either. Not bowling ball weight, but there's definitely some power behind it.]

Might be a bit heavy, but you'll be tossing and kicking it in no time! Just get used to it---all the grips for underwater play and stuff.

[Selphie manages to catch the ball with ease but is definitely surprised by the weight of the ball. She'll toss the ball into the air a couple of times before she's tempted to give it a kick.]

So where do we start?

trace of nostalgia [video]

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