memesofeternity | TEST DRIVE MEME

A. RETRIEVAL

Dreams fade slowly, and awareness returns in increments. The hum of machinery, the smell of recycled air, the murmurs of others waking up around you.

The interior of the ship has been outfitted with cots for those Biggs and Wedge retrieve from the Dream Width. Outside of the makeshift infirmary, windows set into the walls of the worn lounge area offer a view of space.

It’s time to meet your fellow new arrivals who have been brought together on Biggs and Wedge’s airship. None of you know how you came to be here or where you are going, and the door to the cockpit is locked as the pilots focus on navigating the treacherous obstacles of the Dream Width. You might as well take this moment to introduce yourself to your fellow travelers.

B. CURTI CENTER

There’s an almost overwhelming aura of excitement in the tower as researchers rush to document this unprecedented number of interdimensional travelers. Over the commotion, the leaders of the Center struggle to explain, ‘Welcome to Vaikuntha. We don’t know why you’ve been brought here, but this is your new home.’

The staff will do their best to help the off-worlders settle in. They answer the questions they can, provide maps and pamphlets about the world and the destinations within it, and even guide the arrivals to a neighborhood where housing has been provided for you. Yes, due to the strange influx of arrivals, you’ll be expected to share, but the Curti staff are doing the best they can under the circumstances.

Experiences like these bring people together. Perhaps you are the only one here from your world, but at least you are not alone in this experience. Others are right beside you, learning the same information, planning trips to visit the same new cities, checking out these Job things, and settling in to their new (temporary) homes.

C. UP IN THE SKY

There’s a whole new world to explore. It’s almost enough to distract from the fact that there’s one place you can’t go- home.

You are on an Airship, the main mode of transportation between the major cities of Vaikuntha. While the majority are owned by airlines, perhaps you hitched a ride with a friend that has their own. You can go anywhere in a matter of hours — One can only hope you don’t have motion sickness.

D. GUILDS

Proud representatives of the Guild are lined up, ready to demonstrate their skills for the new initiates. Make sure to stay behind the designated line, this might get dangerous.

So you want a new Job? You'll have to first travel to the Guilds, sign the papers, go through the orientation and introductory lectures, and get basic training. Afterwards, you can freely chat and practice with your fellow members, celebrating your new powers, and checking out your new wardrobe.

E. LET'S BE ADVENTURERS

Separated from all of your material possessions, connections, and everything you know, and really, what you’re left with is time. Better try to make the most of it.

Enough expository banter. It's explorin' time. Maybe instead of spending every day in your room, you'd rather spend it living it up in the city of Lavode, or betting on Chocobo Races in Sparks Goldsaucia. Or maybe you'd rather go and explore the caves and ruins near Arito. With Airships and Chocobos at your disposal, you can go nearly anywhere!

F. SIDEQUESTS

Maybe you’re telling yourself, ‘I didn’t sign up for this.’ But wait, you did. At least it pays.

It all started when you checked the Quest Board. All you wanted was a few gil to spend, and here you are in the wild, hunting for a Malboro Vine. Or maybe you are in some ancient and decrepit ruins looking for an artifact. Or you could be asked to be janitor for a week. Consider yourself lucky though, at least you don't have to do that alone.

G. GET A JOB (THE OTHER KIND)

You’ve got a Job, but Claire keeps sighing and muttering about layabout space-people not earning their keep, so it might be time to seek out Employment as well.

There are plenty of opportunities to earn some gil in Vaikuntha, no matter where you choose to settle down. Your iMog slate includes listing for employment opportunities. Hopefully you can find something you can live with so that you can start saving up for an airship or the security payment for your permanent housing.

H. MOGNET

*Ding!* You’ve got Mog-Mail!

Thankfully, you can instantaneously chat with your friends around the world thanks to you iMog Slate. And unlike old-fashioned Moogle Letters, you can even send messages to everyone in a blink of an eye! However, despite the change in technology, the old tradition of Mognet Strikes have never gone away. Nobody knows any more whether the Moogles have legitimate reasons to go on strike or if they are just lazy. But today, Mognet is down, and to get information you have no choice but going to the public boards or risk message corruption and mishandling.

I. RANDOM ENCOUNTER

The ground trembles, and out of nowhere, something hostile appears! ~~Is that battle music playing?~~

You were minding your own business walking around, and suddenly monsters attacked you! Time to put to use the skills you've learned with your Jobs! Will you try to fight on your own or seek help? And remember, you die in random battle, you die FOR REAL. There’s no shame from running from enemies that are a higher level than you!

J. WILD CARD

Feeling inspired to create your own prompt? The power is yours!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Yeah, I hear you," Tidus nodded sympathetically, flopping down onto the grass. "I mean...I'm a blitzer, that's fun most of the time, but before that I had to work odd jobs after school to pay for lessons."

He looked up. "What do you need to pay for? I'm sure they understand that you're not making money yet---so they'd feed you, right?"

Hope tilted his head at Tidus. "You mean that weird underwater sport? That's from your world too?"

That was a weird coincidence. He leaned back on his hands, letting the Slate slide off his lap for now and onto the grass.

"Just the usual essentials, I guess. Clothes, toiletries, things like that. I would assume room comes with food, but I would have to ask before I commit. But I don't really want to be without at least a change of clothes unless it's all uniform."

But then what about off days? He sighed in frustration. He knew being an adult was difficult, but geez. Just how coddled had he been on Cocoon? He rubbed his face and leaned forward again to take the Slate. "I'm probably better off part-timing both, at this rate."

"Yeah. I was the star player on my team back home, so it's nice to go back to something familiar. Even if it is a little weird."

He leans forward, listening to Hope's concerns with a frown. Back in Zanarkand he'd had Auron reluctantly minding him after his mother died, but this kid was all alone, and barely older than he'd been then. That's what compels him to keep talking.

"I know adults can be pretty demanding. They want you to have it all figured, to get perfect grades, do everything right...and it might take a bit to find a job, 'cause they worry about that kind of stuff. But I could help you out a bit 'til you got one! I'm not a starting player yet, but even reserve blitzers make way more money than we need."

Hope blinked a bit in confusion at Tidus, not quite sure how to take the sudden generosity from the older teen. He didn't really have the same thoughts about adults, considering he had been the youngest of the group. But Tidus looked to be about Vanille's and Serah's age. They had to take care of themselves too, if he remembered right, and here this guy was offering to help.

"I... uh, are you sure? I mean, we only just met and all. Why would you want to take in a kid like me?" Hope asked. His friends had come together for each other due to being l'Cie and eventually becoming family. On Pulse, everyone was family. Was it the same here too? They all shared a common issue, after all. Even after what he'd been through, things like this sometimes still surprised him.

Tidus smiled, but it didn't stretch his face like usual. This was a more wistful expression.

"I can tell you're a pretty responsible guy. And...I guess I just want to be the guy I wish I'd had when I was younger. My parents left when I was a few years younger than you."

He glanced up at the sky, sorting through memories. "One of my old man's friends came along to make sure I stayed alive, but he was no fun at all. Pretty sure he hasn't smiled in at least fifty years. I just...know what it's like, I guess."

He offered his hand then, with an awkward chuckle. "Oh, and my name's Tidus by the way. Could've mentioned that."

He returned the handshake with a laugh, although he was thoughtful as well. "I'm Hope. And... well, I guess I can't really relate. I... hadn't been without my parents for very long. I'm worried about my dad, but mom's..."

He paused, biting his lip. He never really did grieve properly about that and he didn't quite want to start now. Perhaps later, when he could be by himself.

"My mom died recently. So... my dad's all I got left. And the friends I made when she died, it..." Man, it was a lot to say and there was no real way to explain it. "A lot was happening. And now it's like everything just... stopped? So I'm worried about them. But if you're really sure about taking me in, I'd... I'd really appreciate it. You won't regret it, I promise."

Tidus had to laugh (internally, of course). The circumstances might be different, but...still, he understoo

"Your friends were like your new family, right? I could help you look. I...have friends like that too, but I'm sure they'll be fine without me."

Whether he was fine without them was a different question. "And I already know I won't. And I promise I'm serious about this. So...is there anything you want to get today?"

He knew broken promises all too well, and he wouldn't leave Hope with that.

"I'm not sure where else to look," He replied with a nod. "But yeah, they are my new family. I've looked for them since I got here. I don't think they arrived with me, at least not yet."

People are still being pulled out of the Dream Width, right? Maybe it was just a matter of time.

He tilted his head in thought, glancing down at the iMog tablet. "Well, I was trying to see about getting a job. I honestly don't know what I want from this place. You already got your Blitzball, I don't have anything." What would he have done had he not been crystal at home? Look for his dad and probably figure out a way to return to some semblance of a normal life. "I guess going to school would be the thing for me to do. But this place is all new to me, I don't really want to be holed up in a dorm."

He sighed and laid back on the grass. "How do you choose a path when you got so many directions to take?"

Tidus joined him, blinking up at the clouds. The shapes were fascinating...a wing, maybe. A horse. A girl. Why was it that everything reminded him of her?

...well, he knew why. But he could leave that alone for now. Hope needed some help, and he totally wasn't qualified, but he had to give it a shot.

"Up til now, it's kinda felt like everything in my life was decided for me. This is the first time in a while I've really felt like there's nothing pushing me to do a certain thing...but I guess I'm trying what worked for me the first time. Looking around, making friends, and just...helping out where I feel like helping out, I guess. You can still do that after school, right?"

Hope nodded. He could understand that.

"I kind of just had an uneventful life until recently. After that, things were just moving very fast, I found out a lot of information that was too much to take in... A lot happened and the world's changed. And now it feels like everything just came to a sudden stop and I don't have a seatbelt," He remarked softly. "However... just looking around, making friends, and helping out... Yeah, I think I can do that after school. One step at a time, right?"

"Yeah...after something like that? Definitely."

If only he could tell Hope how much he related to that. His entire life had been twisted and turned upside down several times in a matter of weeks, and if he was honest? He was kind of tired of it. Even if there were now people he missed terribly.

"One step at a time, and you can go anywhere you want to! Well. Almost anywhere. There are still some places I wouldn't go until I work on my job some. Did you get one?"

Hope nodded. "Yeah, I went with Chemist. It's... something different than what I was used to, but I think that's what I wanted since I was given a choice this time."

He had no choice about becoming a l'Cie, learning magic, summoning an Eidolon, having to fight and kill.

"What did you choose?"

Tidus grinned. He'd read about that job, and it sure sounded familiar. "My friend Rikku did something like that. Making new things from items---it's really strong if you know what you're doing."

As for him? He toyed with his new wristband, considering the weight of it all. "Me? I'm gonna be a ninja this time. I think the flexiblity will help me with blitz, and I've always been more of a hit and run kind of fighter."

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