[Video]

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

[Like a few people, Tidus isn't too happy to have ended up where he did. This place ranked pretty low on his Favorite Memories of Spira list, after all. But unlike other people, he sounds downright annoyed by it.]

Okay, whatever's doing this, it's not funny! Knock it off al- whoa!

[The camera shakes wildly for a second as Tidus throws his body weight to one side to not miss the turn that's going to save him from plunging off the end of the runway before straightening out. Even worse, he got dropped in the middle of the maze and not the beginning - he couldn't even backtrack out the easy way, and has to ride everything all the way to the bottom working on memories that are now closing on two years old.]

Come on, this is nuts! I don't care if it's Garland or Lufene or whatever, just leave us alone so we can liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive!

[...He missed the second turn, though.]

Comments

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

[He'll be keeping his fingers crossed for you then.]

Good luck.

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

Thanks - what about you, you doing all right?

[He'll just be turning right here...]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Nothing I can't...

[And the he sighs, because seriously, was he really just about to lie to Tidus?]

I'll be fine.

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

[Fun fact: Tidus can smell lies. No joke.]

Okay, that doesn't sound good - what's up?

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

[Yeah. Plus, you know, it's harder to lie to you friends.

He sighs, before twisting the camera, allowing it to show the vast wastelands before him. He was obviously standing above them, but it only made the view all the more lifeless.]

This, mostly.

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

[Good Cloud, you're learning.]

[But Tidus pauses for a moment - fortunately on a tributary of the maze and not the moving pathway - to peer at the desolation. Somehow, even with knowing Cloud and getting to know Tifa and everything, he hasn't quite heard the whole story of Cloud's past, so he doesn't know what that place is.]

Wow... kinda reminds me of Mushroom Rock, a little. Why're you there?

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Ever heard of Midgar?

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's where you guys are all from. I ended up in the ruins when I first got here.

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Yeah. What you're looking at? Is the real thing.

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

...You gotta be kidding me. Why aren't you in it?

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

I'm not really sure.

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

[...He's giving you that look, Cloud. He doesn't buy it.]

You don't have any idea?

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

[And it's one of his better lies too. Damn.]

Zack... died here. On this cliff. I think... that's why I was brought here.

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

[Wide-eyed staaaare... Zack? Zack had died? Man, he seemed so alive...]

[Then again, he guesses the same thing can be said about him.]

Hey, when I get out of this, we've gotta have a long talk, okay?

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Is that a demand or a request?

[Hint, he'll do it no matter which one it is.]

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

[And Tidus grins at that - not the cocky one, or the kind of self-depreciating one. Just an honest, good, Tidus grin, like he's saying everything's gonna be all right.]

It's a promise.

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Mm. Good enough.

[And for once, he actually smiles back. Not the normally cocky smirk he usually gave, but a real, genuine smile, one that caused his eyes to sparkle with it's light. Only his friends could ever manage that, and he was glad to count Tidus among them.]

I'll let you know when I'm back.

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

Okay. And we... should probably get the rest of the guys in on this. Firion and Cecil, at least.

[Because... he's realizing now that thanks to all the world-shifting, they don't know his story anymore. Better to tell it all at once, rather than three separate times.]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

What, finally decided we need to play catch up?

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

[And that smile's disappearing, Cloud. Tidus isn't frowning or anything, but he certainly looks serious enough that he undoubtedly means what he's about to say.]

More like this place is reminding me of stuff - stuff you guys need to know.

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

I think... there's a lot we all need to know.

[There hadn't been a lot of time to talk about their personal lives. This was a second chance to know each other in a different light. It was kind of... nice.]

I'll get a hold of Firion if you can handle Cecil.

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

We'll figure it out once we're not stuck in these places. Catch you later, Cloud?

[He needs to finish this maze ASAP.]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

[Such a derp, Tidus.]

Don't get lost. [He can't come save you.]

Call me when you're done.

[And hanging up now. He's gotta go find a way off this cliff.]

[waterblade.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sure. [And he does too. It's time to reach the chamber, then find his way back up again.]