voidmissions | [M15] ENEMY: UNKNOWN

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[M15] ENEMY: UNKNOWN - THE INTERVIEW

On opening their eyes, Voidtreckers will feel a sense of disorientation, a dizziness to their vision and inside their head. Both clear quickly, letting them remember where they came from: in the midst of a mission, some unknown entity jumping them, and then —

They're here. Wherever here is.
They stand in an empty room. The lighting of the room stings their eyes after how dark the rest of the station has been. The walls, ceiling and floor are all bright white, tiles. There is no visible door, no windows.

After the disorientation comes fear. The hairs on the back of their neck stand up. For those with danger sense, these senses are going haywire, even though any other abilities are still not working. The feeling can be pushed down, it is similar to the air of expectation at the start of a horror film, the anticipation of fear rather than being in a truly dangerous situation. It might be that they have been on the train long enough to have felt it before.

Heavy footsteps sound, it is almost impossible to tell where they are coming from as the echo through the empty space. The feeling of dread grows until part of the far wall slides open with a mechanical hiss.

Filling the doorway are two huge figures, around seven foot tall and bulky. They are in large metal suits, almost like power armour, black with highlights of gold. They wear a mask that covers their whole face. It is impossible to see the figure inside at all. Their breathing comes through heavy and raspy and when they walk their footsteps are heavy. The door closes behind them and their presence makes the room feel smaller. One of them scans a green light over the voidtrecker.

"Do not be alarmed. Under sections ninety six of Inter-dimensional law and on behalf of the Void Ministry we have intercepted Voidcraft designation Voidtrecker Express as part of ongoing investigations. You have been taking part in a simulated excercise to gauge your skill and strength. No harm shall come to you or your crew, you are protected by inter dimensional law. You have been chosen for questioning and we ask that you comply. You have the right to refuse our interview but we have the right to hold you until our investigation is complete or one week in standard void time has passed, whichever is longest. Complying with us will ensure our investigation is more efficient."

The inspector talking pauses here, as if giving the voidtrecker time to take in that information.

"Do you accept our interview?"

ENEMY: UNKNOWN

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The idea that this was all a massive set up is alarming in some ways, what kind of people have the means to do this and on such a large scale. Fooling the train seems, difficult at best.
When Tidus describes the experience, Wangji looks a little disturbed.
"I did not hear much, before but yes. The invisibility was...distressing. Normally I can sense most foes but here we are all stripped back to our base selves."

An internal shudder.
"I do not suppose you have any other ideas of how to pass the time here?"

"I've got a couple books or magazines if you're bored?" Tidus suggests. He wouldn't have anything else to offer that was already around - Wangji would know that better than him - but since they're on the subject, he takes a moment to recall, and makes a magazine appear from his arms band/hammerspace. There's a flashy imagery of some type of being in a uniform holding a ball.

"You like sports?"

Because spoilers on the types of magazines Tidus likes.

Really, there’s only so much introspection Wangji can take. Sports he may not know but the printed word is the printed word and he will take most things at this point.
“I am not fantastically familiar with them. You obviously enjoy them.”

He will take the magazine and consider the image on the front.
“Do you play or spectate?”

"Play!" Tidus answers easily. "Back on the train, but that's-" he taps the magazine cover once "-my life back home. Or was, before - all this."

There's a pause in the clarification, but he waves his hand. Really, meaning more than this room and just the interview, but their entire situation.

"But I think after this trip, I can do with treating myself to some new ones. Sheesh - one from mission to this whole mess. Train better not stop shop orders if it finds out what's happening."

Wangji finds the enthusiasm for sport about as amusing as it is confusing. It's nice to see Tidus so happy about something he seems to care about though. He examines the picture and-
"Is this man... floating? Is this water polo?"

The games doesn't look like anything he knows, even peripherally. He looks up when Tidus says he plays professionally, "That is very impressive for your age, you must be very good."

He starts leafing through the magazine in order to find out more, eyes moving fast over the text.
"I was unaware we could order from our own universe to this degree, I know you can ask for objects but perhaps I can request some publications I have undoubtedly missed since coming here."

"Water polo?" Hasn't he heard that before? But Tidus can't remember where, so- "He's in the water. It's an in-water game; you're underwater 'til it's over, with the team with the highest score! I know, most people can't stay under that long."

It's always the point that comes up, so he'll get it out of the way, but not with any real weariness over it. Instead, he watches Wangji read idly, or at least the pages he ends up moving between.

"This isn't from my world, but I got this old style book from my world once, so you should be able to get whatever you want too! What's the kind you read back home anyway?"

Some opera-y...texts?? That seems so like where the Wangjis come from.

The idea of playing a game under the water is interesting enough, but the enthusiastic response tells him he's picked a good subject for Tidus (even with the slightly exasperated ending.)
"How fascinating. I assume there is magic involved in your propulsion? Are there set roles to play in the... Is the water in a particular shape?"
He was going to say 'field' and then realised that couldn't be the name for obvious reasons.

He intently reads through the pages about the sport Tidus is referring to.
"I have a few unread academic texts I wanted to finish, but if it is not that precise an order then I will refrain. Especially as it would be costly to order an article I would only read once."

He flips a couple of pages as he thinks about what he reads at home.
"I read many things, when I was younger I read mostly non-fiction but now I have broadened my scope. I like to read poetry to relax."

"Well back where I'm from, we have blitzball spheres - sounds just like what it is!" That is, a sphere. "They do some stuff to the water to amke it easier - in blitzball spheres anyway. But our water's not as heavy as some of the worlds we've been to with it. But... I think we're just more into water games than most places."

Ergo, more people are willing to learn how to hold their breath for a really long time. Totally the way it works.

But he listens as Wangji answers his own curiosity, figuring that the guy could always share the book out once he was done - but, that wouldn't give him anything new to read, personally. He hums thoughtfully.

"You can get a bunch of poems in a book at least, right? Don't read them myself. But... maybe you can try going, 'a big book on this or that'. Whatever academics you're into. Thaat's...like science, right? People talking about research they did into somethin'?"

"A sphere of water? Is it in a container to make it spherical or is it magic?" Wangji does look as enthused as he is able to, eyes visibly brightening at the idea. Sports are not familiar territory at all but a whole new world sounds enough to distract them from this place.

He nods while Tidus discusses his options for books, noting the lack of enthusiasm. Tidus is definitely not most of his written work's target audience, but perhaps they can meet in the middle.
"You read sporting material exclusively? Or do you have another preferred genre?" He tries not to smile too much (his version of bursting into laughter) at how Tidus describes his academically focused options. "I do occasionally dip into fiction, but yes I suppose a 'large book on the history of modern china' might achieve a result. Academics are a little like science, yes. Research into a subject to improve our knowledge, or to spread new methods of understanding. I was a lecturer, so I needed to know what others were trying to say in my area of expertise. I suppose I no longer need to do that here."

"It's...tech," he says, with that hesitance that comes from a guy who only knows that much about what he's talking about. "We have a bunch of tech like that. Maybe there's magic involved, but I couldn't tell you - I'm no tech guy."

And barely a magic guy, for someone who can use magic.

"I like sports! Haven't found anything that hits the spot like team talk does. But a lecturer, huh?" he goes on to remark, eyeing Wangji in a new way - noticeably, but with a playful lift to the tips of his mouth. "I could see it! You should do whatever's fun for you. What about checking out different Chinas?" Interest even lights in Tidus's own eyes. "You could compare them all, see if they're the same or different!"

How about that?

How Tidus talks about 'tech' is how Wangji would describe any modern technology from his home. He knows it works, but he couldn't tell you how or why and has had to pay for expensive repairs more than once because of it. Wangji nods, "Not your area of expertise, you are a player of the sport and not the builder. Much like we live in houses but we are not architects."

"It is good to talk to people you trust about a shared interest." Wangji concurs, thinking about it. He would be terrible at team talk even if he did play sports. "What does team talk typically involve? How to beat your opponents?" As you can tell, Wangji has never really been on a similar team outside of a life or death moment. He's not the kind of person most people would think to invite to play with them at the weekend.

"I typically was asked to talk about given periods in history or an interpretation of it. Living through it offers a unique experience. I also taught martial arts classes and cultivation theory, but far less frequently." Wangji does look interested at the idea of multiple chinas, mulling it over. "There will be distinct differences, it could be an interesting perspective to read on alternative outcomes in history." He practically smiles at Tidus now. "I am not very skilled at fun, but perhaps you can introduce me to new methods."

Wangji's got it. Tidus nods at the comparison, happy for it, and he answers easily to the query. "You talk about that with a team - when you're with your own blitz team. But I mean casual-like; talking about who's good on what team, what their history's like, if you saw so-and-so's last game!"

There's an energy as he speaks, not animated, but a familiarity and comfort that even with the non-descript example, it's a length of conversation he's been involved in plenty.

But as the conversation moves onto Wangji's career, the remark of not knowing fun despite the smile that's found its way onto the man, Tidus leans to give Wangji a friendly bump to the arm with his fist.

"Hey, your fun's whatever you like! You should get a bunch of articles, see what you find. But if you ever wanna try out a sport? You know, I know a pal who'd be good for you to meet. He's from a kingdom, part of politics; don't know if you're into that, buut - his name's Taiki. You met him?"

Wangji nods, pleased to have grasped the concept. He listens intently to the 'team talk' topics, looking a little like he's making notes in his head but happy to be doing so. "Potentially the rival team's previous matches? What you expect them to repeat in that game?" He thinks this sounds a little like warfare, which he does have practise in.
Wangji watches Tidus emote and enjoys listening to someone talk about something they love. The punch to the arm is taken with nary a jostle, he looks down at it for a second - more than a little surprised and then back up as Tidus continues. The name he mentions doesn't ring any bells, but if Tidus vouches for him he trusts Tidus's judgement.

"I suppose a sport would lend itself to keeping myself active. I do not think there are many options on board the train?" He tries to imagine a sport like volleyball and can't make it fit in the carriages. "I have not yet had the pleasure, I am mediocre at best with politics so I may have little to offer."

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[M15] ENEMY: UNKNOWN - THE INTERVIEW

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