touchscreens | 001 ✗ video + action.

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001 ✗ video + action.

Oh, hey - I bet it's working, this time!

[ To the technologically impaired, these terminals are a little daunting - who knew you had to take your gloves off to work a touchscreen? Not to mention the thought of hooking up to some nebulous and well-populated network. He may or may not have spent the last ten to fifteen minutes talking to nobody, slowly realizing he was talking to nobody, and then trying again to figure out how to get to the Help tab.

Anyway, it's definitely broadcasting, now. Maybe. Probably. He's not trying again if it isn't. (He might.) ]

Am I really talking to all the other, uh, visitors out there? I guess that's pretty handy. Though... It feels like I've been doing a lot of talking, lately, and not a whole lot of actually getting to know the people I'm stuck with. [ Which more or less translates out of polite doublespeak to: he's tired himself out trying to figure this place out one way, how about FAQ round #2? ] So I thought, why not just ask? A little old-fashioned, I admit, but... I've got nothing to lose.

[ He shrugs, smiling thinly. ] So tell me about yourselves, okay? Or your 'worlds,' or whatever. And just 'cause it's no fair if I don't start, I'm Zack. I used to wanna travel, when I was a little younger. [ A pause, and a little more genuine humor leaks into that smile. ] I guess I sure got my wish, huh?

[ There's only so much aimlessly (but alertly) wandering around a foreign city a guy can do, so Zack's taking a break from that to ...aimlessly wander around the common floor of building #1 (having significantly more luck with the video games than with the terminals) and along the walkways between buildings (for the view, naturally).

He's not in great shape - it's actually a lot harder to remember to maintain contact with total strangers than he would've expected it to be - but he isn't exactly falling on his face, either (not that he'll be turning down any free hugs, regardless). And, of course, anybody who crosses his path - and doesn't make themselves too busy for him to accost, post haste - will most likely be finding themselves in a conversation. However one-sided. (He's not picky.) ]

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A monster? [ Zack, on the other hand, is sitting forward. Now there's a terrifying thought; pure mako might cause mutations, in nature, but it's not the root of SOLDIER's problems - or anyone else's, that he's aware of. And casting spells? Never. ]

Are you serious?

[The question surprises Lloyd.]

Of course I'm serious. You mean that's never happened in your world? No one's had any problems because of their Ex- their materia?

[They are talking about the same thing, right?]

Well, not... Normal people.

[ Like Genesis, for instance - he was not remotely normal, and neither were any of the totally suicidal shenanigans he pulled, in Banora. ]

And not just from using it. You can find materia anywhere - even kids play with it. If people were turning into monsters just from that... [ ShinRa would have a helluva lot more to cover up, and he's not sure even they could make that kind of problem go away. ]

I didn't mean just touching it. [As far as he knows, nothing bad's ever happened from just that.] It's only bad if you mount it on your body without a Key Crest. I don't think that's easy to do by accident. Unless maybe if you swallow it.

[Man, that's a disturbing thought.

Something about what Zack said, though...]

What do you mean, not normal people?

I meant more like casting with it. [ It's not like materia requires a lot of skill to use - just energy, if all you want to use is a basic spell. Now, aiming that spell in the right direction and not letting it backfire and all that, those are probably where skill comes in.

Swallowing materia is also not something he'd like to think on long.

Nor is that question, really, from the look on his face. ]

People who... Misuse that kind of stuff. It's not important.

You don't have to equip your materia to use it? [Lloyd frowns, then rubs the back of his neck as he tries to piece that together with what Exspheres can do.] Maybe we're not talking about the same thing after all. Even if you put an Exsphere on a weapon, it still has to be attacked to something. You can't just... use it.

[People who misuse things... Lloyd nods his head soberly.]

I think I get what you mean.

[Enough that he'll let it drop. Zack doesn't look like he wants to talk about it.]

Well, not if you don't want to. [ He's had enough Summons nonchalantly tossed his way to know that much. ] I guess that is a pretty big difference, though. You can use materia just by holding it in your hand.

Why's an Exsphere have to be attached, though? Isn't the magic inside of it, too? Or the, uh, knowledge? [ Because it's science, not magic-magic, and if you call it that without knowing what it means, someone will make you look like a dumbass for sure. At least if your name is Zack. ]

Not exactly. Exspheres... It's more like they boost your own abilities, letting you do stuff you could do anyway, except you don't have enough mana by yourself. Like... most people can jump only a couple of feet, but my Exsphere lets me jump a lot higher. Maybe six or seven feet. Or because I have enough mana, I have enough that I can push it out and use it in my attacks. I could show you if you wanted to go outside.

[His techniques aren't really something he should casually throw around inside of a public building.]

But my Exsphere has to be attached to me because it needs to be directly connected to the mana in my body. If it's not, it won't work for me.

[Then, because he's curious-]

How does materia work?

Materia gives you abilities you wouldn't have, otherwise. There's your basic magic, special, independent kinds, and then others that help you boost your skills. Like running faster, or scoping out your target.

[ Which is sort of similar, but not really the same. Zack shrugs. ]

Materia needs a lot of energy, too, but all you need to know to use it is how to tap into the knowledge inside. Like I said, even kids can do it.

Unfortunately, I don't really have any on me. But I wouldn't mind seeing what your Exspheres can do, either way.

Huh. Definitely different. [He's already warming up to the idea of them, though.] Is there any catch to using them? Anything bad about them?

[Leaning back just a little, he takes the opportunity to size Zack up. Sure, he could just go outside and show off a little, but Zack looks pretty strong. Maybe they could take it up a notch.]

Maybe we could spar. You know how to fight?

Nah, not really. You'll get real tired, if you use a powerful spell too much, too fast - or if you're not used to casting - but all you need is an Ether or an Elixir, for that. Or a good night's sleep.

[ It's all pretty good. Aware that he's being studied, to some degree, Zack shoots a look right back at him - one that turns disbelieving at Lloyd's next question. ]

Do I know how to fight? Are you actually asking that to a guy who looks like this?

I get the same thing if I use my techniques too much. Eating and sleeping help, too, and it's way cheaper than using an elixir.

[If you can even find someone who will sell you one.]

I usually just stick to orange gels or pineapple gels if I don't have time for food. I don't think I've ever heard of an ether.

[Finishing up his casual assessment, he can't help but flash Zack a teasing grin.]

Hey, for all I know, you could just really like lifting weights! How do I know you're not all muscle and no skill?

Tch. Tell me about it...

[ He just finds most of his in boxes in the desert and caves and sometimes on deserted islands, like a normal person. As expensive as everything else is, he has no interest in knowing the price of an Elixir on anybody's planet.

Lloyd can consider his grin met and raised. ]

Muscle tone's nothing without the stamina to back it up. I'm all about calisthenics; none of this is just for show.

[Lloyd has yet to find anyone who would sell him one, but he assumes that such a person has to exist somewhere. Someone has to make them before they wind up in the most god-forsaken places in the world, right? Lloyd has no doubt that they must charge an arm and a leg for them, too, because even the cheapskate shopkeepers who buy things back at a fraction of what they're worth are willing to pay thousands of gald just for one, assuming Lloyd had been willing to sell.

He definitely catches that challenging glint in Zack's eyes, and hey, who is he to back down from a match? Especially one he proposed to begin with! With a glint in his own eyes, he starts to stand up.]

I've got plenty of callouses, too. You wanna get your weapon, and I'll go get mine? We can meet up again outside.

[ Well - that gets his grin to fade, self-consciousness creeping in in lieu of confidence. ]

Uh... Actually, I'll have to take a rain-check, if we're talking armed combat. I don't have anything on me.

[ His sword's kind of on loan (permanently), and he didn't get to bring any materia over, either. Maybe there's some in the shops, around here - but he hasn't exactly had shopping on his mind, in recent weeks past. ]

Oh.

[Oops. Yeah, a sword would kind of be an important thing for this. Lloyd's enthusiasm deflates, though he tries not to lose it completely.]

Well, maybe when you get a new sword, then? Or maybe you could borrow one. Just for the spar. [A pause, then he rubs the back of his neck and hesitantly offers-] I have two. I'm just... not used to using only one.

[That would probably really throw him off.]

Edited 2013-09-05 11:39 (UTC)

[ Zack shakes his head, a little discouraged, himself - but not enough to have completely given the idea up. ]

Nah, yours are probably a little lightweight for me, anyway. [ And he wouldn't want to throw off Lloyd's groove (where would the fun be in fighting with both of them handicapped?). ]

Okay. Let me see what I can find, and we can meet up again, later. Then we'll fight.

[Just about any sword would be lightweight compared to what Zack's used to wielding.

Lloyd hasn't seen it, though, so he can only guess at the difference between his swords and Zack's. Even so, it's a fair point. His swords are fairly light, as swords go, meant to be wielded with just one hand. Trying to adjust to that would probably be just as awkward for Zack as it would be for Lloyd to have just one. Considering that, he nods. He's still disappointed, but hey, at least, it could be worse.

He smiles.]

Deal. Hey, do you know how to call people on those computer things? You could leave me a message there.

Uh, yeah, sure. I'll figure it out.

[ Maybe.

Eventually. TECHNOLOGY IS NOT HIS FRIEND. But he can usually get by with it, and since he's already figured out the posting things bit, he can probably get the rest. Oooor he can just shout into the network at large, whatever. ]

[Come on, Zack! If Lloyd can figure it out, anyone can! Never mind the fact that it took him months to work it out and probably still hasn't mastered it. That's totally beside the fact.

Or shouting. Shouting works. Hey, nothing wrong with announcing to the world when you've gotten your hands on a really cool sword!]

Great! And I guess until then, we could still hang out sometimes. This was pretty fun! I kind of wish I didn't have stuff I need to do. I think I could play this game for hours.

[Grocery shopping. Something he can get away with putting off for a little bit. Just not forever, because, you know, food.]

[ Technology is not his friend it does not appreciate his efforts to get to know it.

But he will definitely make an attempt. Maybe not a very good one, but an attempt. ]

Sure. I wouldn't mind trying to get all the way to the end of it, sometime. [ Grocery shopping, eating, sleep - so many things to get in the way of video games and so little time to veg out in front of them. ]

[Don't worry, Zack. Lloyd is forgiving with technology fail. He'd be a hypocrite if he wasn't.

Standing up somewhat reluctantly, the teen holds his hand out to Zack.]

So, see you later, then? I should probably get going.

[ Zack holds out a fist to his open hand, instead, smiling again. ]

Catch you later. Just be ready to lose when we meet again, all right?

[That wasn't what Lloyd had been expecting, exactly, but he recovers and curls his own hand into a fist, which he bumps right into Zack's. Casual male solidarity for the win.]

Hah! Speak for yourself! I'll have two swords and you'll only have one! That's two hundred percent sword power!

[Welcome, Zack, to the world of Lloyd's math.

Fist bump accomplished, he gives a light wave as he turns.]

See you, Zack!

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