[OPEN] A World Exchange

[tantailizing]

Who: Zidane, ANYONE
Which: Interactive Dream, Open
What: Madhuri suggested a dream exchange to see what Zidane's world is like. Never say that a theater kid doesn't dream big especially when it's of Lindblum.
Warnings: No present warnings.

It stands tall - high and near to the clouds, a mountain range merged with billowing towers and massive ticking gears, whose encompassing walls are sealed by a massive mechanical gate bearing a fitting falcon crest upon it. Around, the skies are filled by airships big and small - the biggest circling and docking within the hanger within the most peak building while others soar to-and-fro - out of the protective natural borders, but also between the levels.

Yes, while the peaks catch the most attention, there’s still equal amazement to the sloping buildings and roads; businesses, residents, and entertainments of all kinds through the bustling city. But nay, another look from how the buildings and various districts all line up towards the castle on top, this is a kingdom - protected, prosperous… and rebuilding in some ways. Best to take a second look perhaps at the residence too for strictly expecting humans in this dream would be an error as humans, anthropomorphic animals, and normal animals can be found wandering the roads, their clothes of early century’s periods but also not.

What a curious dream to wander...

I. Business District

Seems to be the place where most dreamers (and ‘travelers’ within the dream) arrive after walking along the footpath through a great stone arc and its gate. The guards posted seem to pay no mind, but considering the number of travelers, adventurers, and other folks walking by, a dreamer is one amongst the crowd. Walking up the main red cobblestone road leads one past a line of tall apartment-like buildings to the left, an inn mixed between them, and on the right, a station where an aircab departs from. To walk further down the road is to enter the market square. Alice and Dragoos’ Armory and Medicine Shop, Polom's Action Figures, Pepe's Milk Shop, Ivan's Fish Stack, Milla's Oil Shop, Grandma Pickle's corner stand, the list goes on, but the crowds are spaced and easy to navigate through.

Should one continue on a straight path instead of going further into the marketplace towards Wayne’s Synthesis Shop, they’d find themselves entering yet another residential area, but one who’s path leads to a church. It seems more for show than anything - a place to take refuge or offer prayers to whichever deity they believed as opposed to anything truly organized.

II. Industrial District

The area is in the most disrepair but thriving all the same. Steam is bountiful as are the constant grinding gears between thundering hammers as establishments are built up again. Reconstruction has been underway for a while which fortunately does leave enough for the wandering dreamer to explore. Its main square after departing an aircab is in the most need of work still, but one can admire the statue honoring ‘Cid Fabool VIII’ with its impressive mustache. One might also note the abundance of cats in the area left to wander about and that stray further should one walk forward.

Once past all the construction, dreamers can reach yet another residential-like area and tavern. Given the way the district’s residents appear to work constantly, a tavern would be a welcomed place for downtime. Looks like today’s special on the blackboard outside is ‘Senor Sabotender’. Try not to drink too much because getting drunk in a dream is very real. Still, if one is up for the idle banter with the ‘locales’, step inside, have a seat at the bar, and Bobo will see about getting you set up momentarily.

III. Theater District

This district sits at an impressive height should one notice from the aircab station and stepping outside, there’s a different vibe. Time is of the essence as the station clock turns and bells chime somewhere in the district, and the explorative dreamer may notice signs posted for performances, the directions to various theaters, and even to a few art galleries and studios. There’s not much to see at the galleries right now, but there has been an open studio recently. Oh well, maybe next time dreamers could catch it.

As for traveling on and down the stairs to the right of the station, thus begins a long (and perhaps dizzying) walk down Theater Avenue’s cobblestone way where plenty of actors and stagehands make their homes again housing clocks and bells and even gears - time is of importance when you’re a performer it seems. Or perhaps just viewing the Falcon’s Gate from the hill is enough - just make sure to hold onto the railing for most dreamers are likely not Dragon Knights.

Finally, should those decide to continue down Theater Avenue and descend a further flight of stairs, they would finally reach the main theater of the district itself, Fuegert Memorial Theater. Unfortunately, there’s a crowd barring entry and tickets are likely sold out for the performance, but hey, there’s plenty more to explore of the kingdom.

IV. Grand Castle

Too bad, it doesn’t seem like there’s a way to reach the castle. From each district, dreamers can only look up towards it and the airships that occasionally disembark.

… unless.

Comments

[starshower]

[At some point after wandering into this dream, Tifa had completely lost track of time. There was so much to do, so much to see... and while she has been through a few dreams here and there, none were as expansive a world as this one. Better that way—all of the previous dreams she'd been in were nightmares, but this didn't feel like one. This felt like a happier memory belonging to someone... a dream of a place cherished by the dreamer's heart, if the amount of care and attention to detail put into everything is any indication of that.

She's gone through every district so far. She's ridden on the aircabs from the business district, seen the church, stopped for a drink at the tavern which had been the highlight of her visit thus far before she wound up in the theater district. While there are no performances, it's plain to see that this is the place to go for them, what with all of the signs posted advertising the next show. Maybe if she sticks around long enough, she'll be able to catch one!

But there's something, or rather, someone else that catches her attention first. Seated near the window is a familiar blond head of hair, and she wonders if he's the dreamer, or just another who'd stumbled in and decided to pause for a breather? At any rate, Tifa doesn't wait to approach.]

Taking a break?

[tantailizing]

You could say that. It's a looot of work keeping something of this size.

[Because most dreams were kind of small and focused in a single area of the dreamer's life - or dream - right? Zidane was purposely focusing, building his dream with intention. Easily people could now wander around the Lindblum he constructed in his dream from memory, but that's about it. If he tried dreaming of anywhere else right now, Lindblum might disappear.]

[Standing up, he grins.]

What do you think? Pretty awesome, right?

[starshower]

Wait...

[Colour her both surprised and incredibly impressed. Pretty awesome would be an understatement, if she ever heard one.]

This is your dream? Thought you might've just stumbled in same as me.

[She has to pause once more to look at the city around them—at the buildings, both small and tall that tower high above them.]

How're you keeping all of this up!?

[tantailizing]

Nahhh... someone suggested we exchange worlds through dreams. It's not all of my world obviously, but I'd say it's a good start.

[It's not only impressive, but it's where he was raised. How could he not start here? Though, her question has him rubbing his neck.]

Honestly, not sure. I know some of the finer details aren't there, but I'm gonna trust people not to try slipping through all the alleyways here. Aside from that, it's been a place in my mind for years - it almost feels natural.

[starshower]

I guess, if you know it inside out, it might not be that hard.

[There's a sort of whimsical wonder in Tifa's voice, as she silently ponders to herself if it's something she might be able to do—to recreate an entire city to the best of her ability, or at least parts of it so that others could visit. She's thought about it, but it was never something on grand a scale as this!

Leaning against the outside wall next to the window, Tifa looks out to the streets.]

So, what exactly is Lindblum, and why's it so important?

[Besides it being a major hub of some fashion, this must have some significance to Zidane.]

[tantailizing]

We'll just have to see what happens when I do this again.

[Because he most likely will, but he needs to figure out just which tidbit he's okay with showing people right now. The person he originally intended to show around, she wanted to get to know his love life, but she had to be patient.]

[Shaking his head of those thoughts, he smiles.]

Besides being where I grew up? Lindblum's one of the great four nations on this continent. It pretty much leads our world on technology, and only strengthened itself since the Regent developed the steam engine. Everything once Mist-powered is switching to steam.

[starshower]

[So, this is Zidane's hometown. Well, town would be an understatement because of the sheer size of this place, but it's undeniably fitting for him that besides the initial shock of being here at all, it doesn't come as too much of a surprise now that she's seen some of it for herself.

Her brow does arch at the information, though. It reminds her a little of Midgar—leading in new, cutting edge technology... although it doesn't seem as bad as sucking the life out of the planet.]

Mist-powered? How's that work?

[tantailizing]

Eh, you'd have to ask the Regent... or one of the engineers if they're still not arguing about where the engine should be on a ship. The most basic explanation I can give is it pulled Mist in and generated energy off of it.

[He shrugs.]

But since Mist has been dealt with, it's better we've moved into steam. It wasn't very reliable anyway trying to get anywhere else.

[starshower]

[All of that seems way above her breadth of knowledge, so she just laughs it off.]

Well, I'll believe you on that.

[She's much more interested in the city itself anyway, rather than what powers the airships that come and go from here, and now that she knows that this is where Zidane grew up, it's even more intriguing. The building he's sitting in has caught her interest mostly, and she perches an elbow on the windowsill to peer inside.]

So, is this your humble abode?

[tantailizing]

[He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck.]

Some of that probably didn't make sense, huh?

[Well, he's always willing to explain if she asks, but they can move on. Looking around, he nods.]

Yup! It's mainly me, the guys, and the Boss that live here. We also plan everything and start practice here before getting on the airship. Haha, I probably should've cleaned up a little even in a dream, but I can't say I remember it being too clean all that often.

[starshower]

[She shakes her head.]

I think it's cute. It gives it a lived-in sort of feel, you know?

[The messiness. If it were her, she would prefer that her own home would be left exactly how she remembered it being. It wasn't messy, but there were things around that anyone could easily tell just by looking at it that a family lived there. It makes the place that much more endearing.]

May I?

[Come in, she means, as she gestures through the window, and then to the front door.]

[tantailizing]

I guess it does.

[He misses it, but they all have to move on someday, right? And at her question, he nods.]

‘Course! Come around and I’ll let you in. Just be careful with some of the floorboards.

[starshower]

[Tifa soon disappears from the window and there's a knock on the door seconds later.]

Knock knock! A bit of a fixer-upper then?

[Not that it matters here in a dream world, she's just being cute.]

[tantailizing]

[He opens the door, grinning.]

A little late for that fixer-upper, but come in! Come in!

[It's definitely not the biggest space for people to be living in, but it's shelter.]

[starshower]

[She peeks in, as if this is her first time seeing the inside, and like this is also the first time Zidane has seen her, and she gives a little wave from the other side of the threshold, and even a playful curtsy.]

My, what a lovely home you have!

[It's certainly bigger than any of the spaces that Tifa had lived in, and although it feels and looks a little cramped for a lot of people, it feels... homey.]

So, this was the place the famous Zidane grew up in. It's very... you.

[tantailizing]

[He'll grin and playfully bow back.]

Such a compliment. Please, make yourself comfortable~

[Quite cramped for a whole crew, but they made due.]

Aw, stop. Though, it's more 'Tantalus' than me alone.

[starshower]

[She will in a moment, after she takes a better look—or rather, wander—around the place, pausing to check out any small knickknacks or photos that might be hanging or framed somewhere.]

Tantalus? That your roommate?

[She can't recall him ever telling her about this Tantalus person, either here or in Camelot, and if he has, then it's a very distant, vague memory that she can't quite pinpoint. Either way, she'd like to hear more about it, and what kind of person this is given the state of the place.]

[tantailizing]

[There's knickknacks... maybe too many knickknacks. And weapons; plenty of weapons, but closer inspection shows most of them are practice props.]

Nope! Tantalus is the name of our troupe!

[Weird, had the version of him she met before been cagey, or had that conversation not come up? Hm... probably hadn't come up.]

[starshower]

Theatre troupe?

[It's presumptuous but given that she was told this was the Theatre District, the conclusion only makes sense. Not to mention the prop weapons scattered about, and there's a sword that she picks up to discover that it's a lot lighter than she assumed it would be that she overcompensates and almost knocks something over with it. Oops!!

Plus, Zidane seems the type who could be a part of one if he really wanted to be. He has the glowing personality for it—a personality that reminds her of another dear friend from home that enjoyed being up on stage as well.]

[tantailizing]

Yup! Tantalus Theater Troupe, Lindblum's traveling troupe aboard the Prima Vista II!

[Zidane seems unbothered by the near mess Tifa almost makes with the sword. Yeah, these ones were for practice, but only until they were ready to use their real ones. Still, no one's here besides them.]

Haha, they're probably out performing now anyway if they're not home. That's fine.

[He did that on purpose.]

[starshower]

[She's just going to set the prop sword down where she found it and will look but not touch.]

You think so?

[What she wouldn't give to see a performance put on around here...]

Think if we hurry, we could catch a show?

[tantailizing]

[He nods.]

We'd normally have a few people back if it wasn't a performance.

[Probably just had the usual keeping an eye on the place.]

We can see about the Theater here.

[starshower]

Well, what are we waiting for!?

[There's so much to do and see that it's a little overwhelming, but if she can catch a show before the dream is over, she'll be glad for that much.]

You'll need to show me the way.

[tantailizing]

I can't promise we'll be able to see the show this time, but let's see how close we can get.

[Walking back over to the door, he holds it open for her.]

After you~

[starshower]

[On their way out, Tifa pauses at the door to give him a flourishing curtsy—it's the best that she can do.]

My, such a gentleman!

[With a playful smile, she wanders back out into the streets.]

So, are we going to look for a vantage point instead of going right to the stage?

[That's what it sounded like, anyway!]