Bummer [Zidane/Open]

[Blank]

This was starting to be a real drag. So far Blank couldn't say he had done anything really worthy of Tantalus and that felt pretty weird. The guy died for his craft, so yeah he was kind of figuring he wouldn't give it up here in this weird musical hell, but things just hadn't been working out that way. Blank went to class, he studied, and dear god he went to bed at a decent hour. If Blank could be any less Tantalus he might lose his cool.

But just to make up for it, the man was being a pretty big dick. Aloof was the way to go, Blank thought as he settled in. Seemed like everyone ran through the lounge at one point or another, but at the very center was what seemed to be an old registration desk. The place everyone was forced to come before going any further into the school. That was where Blank settled in.

Center of attention, man of the school. Whatever he wanted to call himself, Blank just wanted to sit there like some cocky asshole so he could feel better that he hadn't been stealing or dirtying his character in other ways. Blank wasn't good at being a pure good-guy. It made him feel uncomfortable. Even just helping out where he could felt weird unless it was directly for a member of Tantalus. Even the time he helped out Zidane just after the guy got kicked out of Tantalus for the millionth time was just... weird.

At any rate, the redhead threw his attention back to the present where he was working on being as jackassish as possible. Just sitting in that desk in what was once a front office felt pretty hilarious, but whenever a confused new student would stumble around Blank tried to speak up with a short, "You need somethin'?" The harsh sounding question was enough to scare off pretty much everybody, but it wasn't making Blank feel as good as he would have hoped.

Turns out being a dick wasn't as fun as being a thief. Blank wondered if acting a bit like Marcus was a good idea or not, because that's kind of what he felt like he was doing. Not that he'd call his Bro a dick to his face, but hell Marcus was kind of that. Blank sighed and let his head loll back, deciding it would probably be better to be a bit nicer. Cocky he could do, but cruel was probably a no-go.

[Zidane Tribal]

Prerequisite.

What a self-important word that was. It was just so snobby Zidane might hate the word and its meaning, but at the moment he was busy hating the book he was flipping through. Several more nestled in his pack dangled from a strap at his shoulder, swaying with every step like a second, heavier, and far more useless tail.

How was he even supposed to fit it in a sentence? "Oh, sorry," he grumbled bitterly to the air, "can't catch lunch with you. I'll be too busy studying for my prerequisites." Unwieldy word.

What probably bothered him more than that was the fact that he hadn't gotten anywhere. Not the first iota of info on how to get back home, and no sign of anyone familiar. Though, considering the few individuals he'd talked to seemed convinced they literally died to get here, maybe it was better if it was just him. He didn't like leaving Dagger alone, but...

At least she didn't have anything to fear. None of them did, because if this was death, it wasn't so bad. Zidane hadn't expected to even exist beyond life, considering what he knew of his origins--but if he did, then why wasn't Vivi here.

Maybe that bothered him too. Maybe all those things converged and pried at his mood like a rock in his shoe, grating harder and harder against his toes, but Zidane wasn't about to admit any of that.

So instead he blamed the word. It was a good thing the hall was empty, so he could talk to the air if he wanted. "Yeah, you hadn't heard? You gotta do these prereq--prereqs!" Hey, that was better! "Oh--lunch? Nah, I gotta work on my prereqs. I know, it's tough studying, but I guess I'm just that kinda guy. Maybe hit the library for coffee~?" He hadn't exactly meant for it to turn into a practice flirt session, but in his mind's eye Zidane already saw the bespectacled blush and giggle. "Ever heard of Helen of Troy? Cuz my history book says she wasn't half as--" And then said history book hit the ground with a faint cloud of dust when Zidane turned a corner and saw the only other soul in the Lounge.

"Blank?"

But that lightning strike of joy was tempered by dread thundering into his chest.

Is it my fault he's here?!

[Blank]

Since he'd exhausted his little inner monologue Blank was left without his defenses. Without his covers and his games he was just a dead kid without a friend in the world. Depressing, Blank thought with a deep frown. The dead part was probably what was most emotion inducing. It meant no more familiarity, no more friends, no more--

The young man stopped his thoughts as if he had just dropped them like the blond dropped his books. The first thought that flooded back in to the red-heads mind was "Zidane doesn't study!" Naturally the thief was pretty skeptical, but all of his previous frustrations at being so mundane hit him like a punch. Was even Zidane susceptible to something like that? "Yeah," Blank started, looking his friend in the face. It was amazing to so suddenly have this link back to home and life, but it was hard to stay happy for too long.

As far as Blank could tell there wasn't any massive time warping when it came to the death/summoning, so that meant Zidane probably died around the same time that he had. As unlikely as it was for Blank to die in a conflict it was even more unlikely that his friend would. Zidane had saved everyone after all. "Alright what is this shit?" Blank started seriously, pushing himself up from the desk he'd perched in.

Blank walked around the desk, approaching his friend sternly. "Not only are you studying," He started, picking up the fallen book, "But you let yourself bite the bullet? Damn man, you aren't the Zidane I know." Blank smiled just slightly as he held out the history book.

[Zidane Tribal]

The thing about Blank was, well, he was hard to read. That belt over his eyes meant they were just a dark flicker that Zidane caught every once in a while, inscrutable, and the rest he kept so guarded out of habit. That said, it wasn't impossible--and of course time spent in and out of Tantalus meant Zidane knew it if a growl meant nothing or a shrug meant he was about to get decked. So he didn't shrink from the aggression in Blank's stride, not sensing anything truly dangerous, and came out of that fog of shock with a belated "What're y...?" when his best friend bent down for the book.

Bite the bullet.

Something cold trickled down his spine. He'd have his friends believe that death never scared him, not even when he faced it down with them, and to some degree that would always be true. But Zidane wasn't immune to the visceral fear of it--especially where his friends were concerned. He might not have been sure before, but suddenly the reality of the thing was being offered to him with a wry grin and a book, because the moment Blank told him so Zidane knew it had to be the truth.

Was he morbid for wanting it to be more, he didn't know...tangible? Or maybe less tangible, since this place didn't seem at all like the kind of religious paradise he'd encountered now and again in stolen texts, nor the private nothingness he'd expected for himself once he found out the truth behind his existence.

All that was just a passing thought, though. He was here, Blank was here, and if this was death, they'd gotten off easy. Maybe that had to do with beating Necron in the first place? What if they couldn't die? That made a hope swell up with painful quickness because he still hadn't...

Vivi.

He dodged that slew of regrets with a wry look to the glint under that belt. "Tch. You really think we're dead?" he asked a little too casually, taking the book back with a playful snatch. Making it obvious that such a fact absolutely wasn't bothering him at all, so don't worry, was easier around people he hadn't known his entire life. He at least didn't need to be babied and comforted--

Does that mean I can't see her again...?

Yet.

Maybe Blank was right, too. Zidane hadn't felt like himself since he got here, not putting up with classes and teachers and barely getting in what homework he did do in time, and if anything this new information just rattled him further. Not that he'd show it. "Pretty pessimistic for the Blank I know, so I guess that's gotta be you," he added, gesturing with the floppy, worn cover. His eyes softened a little, and despite the likelihood he'd catch crap for it he knew it was worth it to play the sap for a moment. "Missed you, man."

[Blank]

Things certainly were complicated since he died, there was no question about that, but still this felt so weird. Zidane dying? Blank dying? Both ending up in this weird place? Really it all felt too surreal for the thief, but he supposed that journeying to Terra couldn't have been terribly different for the rest of the team.

Blank didn't go himself, but he heard about it. Zidane and friends had been through so much that is anyone should have been able to handle this transition well it should have been them, but Zidane didn't seem so sure. There was something about his friend that just seemed wrong. Maybe when he asked if Blank really thought they were dead. Casually.

No there was something seriously off about the whole thing. Zidane didn't remember somehow. Blank remembered the very instant he died and that was why there was no question about it. No questions even casually. It made Blank's hair stand on end just thinking about it because it meant this conversation was going to be a lot harder. A lot more awkward.

Blank was so distracted with those thoughts that he missed out on teasing Zidane for his moment of softness. Instead he replied quietly, "Yeah missed you too man." It was clear there wasn't going to be a whole lot of playing around until the serious issues were attended to first.

"I guess..." Blank started slowly. "I mean.... You know all these scars? How many I got and how painful they look?" The redhead jabbed his thumb back at himself to point. "Well I remember how I got'em all. I remember it pretty damn well because they all hurt like a bitch. Before I came here though I remember running a pretty routine heist with Tantalus. I don't know where you were at the time though."

Blank paused. It was almost painful to talk about, which was weird to the man. He was almost entirely convinced he was over the fact that he died. "Anyway. I remember that heist clearer and better than any of the scars. I remember the very instant I... died. And if you don't know for sure you're dead then somehow you don't remember because it's not something I can doubt. Not something I can ignore."

[Zidane Tribal]

[OOC: WOW I SUCK AT THIS. But I needed the muse for this one, so here goes.]

He wasn't expecting Blank to get somber, of all things. Sure, the concept of being dead rattled him more than he'd like to admit, but it was more creepy than anything. The idea just wasn't real to him, so hearing it pour out of Blank in a low, heartfelt admission like that was beyond strange and only drove the point home. Of course Zidane could remember those scars, too--he'd been there for some of them in fleeting, lacerated moments and fumbling for a Potion with red-sticky hands and Oh shffBlank, man, hang on, just hold on we're gonna make it out--so hearing that even those tough ones didn't hold a candle to the moment of truth...

He'd known from the beginning that Blank wasn't playing around. Simple insistence would've worked, and then Zidane would've worked out a way around it. They still would work out a way around it, but now that assertion didn't come so easy. It was so much easier to feel defeated when they really were dead, and when someone as reflexively familiar as Blank was so utterly clear on this point.

Zidane resisted.

"...Man," he whispered, taken aback. "I didn't know." It was the closest he'd get to an apology until Blank forced his hand, and he really hadn't meant to stir up something that potent. But the fact that Blank could remember so well where he couldn't still posed a problem. If Tantalus had been out on a heist--but then, he'd married Dagger, right? No. Well, yes--Conde Petie, so technically. But he'd come back, and then...it was fuzzy. He'd accepted that before, when there wasn't such an unquestionable fact of his demise, and worked around it--but now it seemed essential. Who'd been with him? Had Dagger...?

And the same selfish part that threw himself down into the roots of the Iifa Tree after Kuja wondered. How'd it happen?

But that just seemed so far removed. Despite being dead, they were both here and completely fine, so Zidane couldn't wrap his head around the notion despite knowing without a shred of doubt that it was true. As long as they were still aliv--well, still...in existence, there had to be hope. He'd accept the incontrovertible truth of the matter once they'd tested it to the point of futility, and not before.

"Dammit--so...! That means there could be others?!" No way was Blank on that heist alone, but Tantalus didn't usually screw this stuff up. Sure, in their line of work there were casualties, so if one went down on a heist--but fuck, that one was Blank, and if he went down, there was no telling who all--just the thought was enough to put Zidane's heart in his throat. He ran a hand through his hair and stopped to scratch agitatedly, seeking optimism where it didn't exist. "What am I saying? They can take care of themselves."

Unless.

Uncertainty turned his head back toward Blank. "...Right?" Because asking "what happened" was too hard, and he didn't want to send Blank's mind back down that road if he didn't have to. This was the same crew of the Prima Vista that landed in the Evil Forest and got out unscathe--mostly unscathed. That had been a scary time too, but never once did it cross Zidane's mind that Blank might be trapped forever behind that twisting stone, just as he was hellbent now not to be bound to Symphony for a regret-laden afterlife.

[Marcus]

Marcus hadn't been there long, but he was already pretty sick of the place. The idea that he was stolen from his grave to come here to protect it only to end up sitting in really pointless seeming classes all day long was just weird. The only thing that really kept Marcus going was the thought that he'd find Blank and then they could find a way home somehow. Dying the way he had just felt too surreal anyway so he wasn't going to accept that it happened just yet.

Tantalus was a group of professionals and they weren't just going to let themselves die like that. Marcus hardened his resolve by telling himself things like that as he made his way through the school. Since coming he tended to devote his free time to wandering aimlessly hoping he'd run into Blank eventually because he knew that the other man had to be there somewhere. If he wasn't then he was just gone and that certainly wasn't something Marcus was going to accept.

It was bad enough he had to see his friend collapsed on the ground. God all that blood. No, blood never seemed so red before! It was wrong. A lie. Something. Anything but Blank being... For a split second Marcus thought he saw blood on his hands again, but after a quick blink the moment passed. The man grunted and tried not to think about things like that. It got a whole lot easier when he heard some people talking just around the bend in the lobby/lounge area.

For a split second Marcus stood there frozen, making sure he was hearing things right and not just having another little episode. If he was an emotional guy he might have threw a bit of an excited fit, but Marcus wasn't that guy. His heart did skip a beat though, which was more uncomfortable than anything. But Marcus was positive he couldn't mistake the two voices he heard, one of which he fully expected and the other that knocked him flat on his ass.

Slowly he walked around the corner to peek into the lobby, double checking that he wasn't losing his mind. There was something serious going on between Blank and Zidane though. Blank was speaking in such a somber way and it was clear that Zidane understood how uncomfortable that sort of thing was. Marcus' Bro was talking about how he died. The memories stung Marcus' eyes as he blinked, promising to torment him for some time.

Then Zidane retorted with something. The concern in the way he spoke made it clear that even he was having a hard time with things. If anyone should have been handling things well Marcus assumed it should have been him. Zidane saved the world for god's sake. "Yeah they can take care of themselves man. Especially your lady. Garnet could lay you flat on your ass with her Eidolins in no time," Marcus said strongly as he walked into the situation sternly.

The man figured if he could be casual enough he could make the situation a little easier. Especially for Zidane if he talked about how strong Garnet was. Blank could stifle his own emotions just fine.

[Blank]

Blank's heart dropped a little as he thought about what he just sputtered out. Yeah he wanted Zidane to understand what was going on since he didn't seem to, but this just felt like overkill. Blank was shit with emotions and doing this probably wasn't a very great idea. Especially when Zidane really seemed to grasp what he was saying, how he was saying it, and responded in a similarly sober manner. I didn't know. The three words made Blank feel like he had just done something pretty ass-like.

Then Zidane said right in that way that let Blank know he wanted to know what happened. He wanted to know what went down when the heist happened to make sure no one else got hurt in the process. It wasn't really an unusual question considering they were all like family their entire life, but Blank wasn't sure he could answer alright. It was clear that his death effected him more than he would like to admit or else he wouldn't have been sitting there getting emotional with Zidane. It was too unlike him. Death wasn't really something Blank every got used to despite the scars that littered his body.

"Yeah they... I mean..." Blank started softly, probably too quietly to hear. The truth was he remembered one thing as he was dying that really disturbed him to the core and that was-- "Marcus!" The red-head's attention bolted to his friend the instant he heard his voice. He said something with a light joke in it, trying to ease Zidane's worry, but the fact that he was where he was at all would have been a bit of a letdown.

Blank recalled the moment that so disturbed him as he looked at Marcus. The man was standing over him. Kneeling down. Dirtying his hands with blood just to try and save him. "Marcus is right Zidane. Dagger is capable of protecting herself so the one chick you're really worried about is cool. As for us, well we've always lived on the edge and we've done some pretty crazy shit. Based on the fact that you're studying and we're stubborn as hell I bet we'll find a way home and you can get back to smooching that girl of yours."

Once that was said though Blank turned to Marcus and got a serious look on his face. "You better not have went pansy on me man. You slipped up for me didn't you?"

[Zidane Tribal]

The soft unsteadiness of Blank's voice in that moment was a jolting, dizzying feeling. Of course, Blank had always been more of a pessimist--maybe he'd call it "common sense" but Zidane called it "pessimism"--so while he didn't take it to mean the worst, Zidane knew that the situation had been all kinds of screwed. He didn't like being so out of the loop, either. Despite the fact that Blank might be just as clueless as he was, Zidane opened his mouth to press, but the voice that spoke wasn't his.

"Marcus!"

Marcus... The dual feeling of relief and regret was strange, making Zidane's eyes shine with recognition at first sight before dulling with hurt. Knowing that both of them met their ends like that, and he wasn't there...

He could see something in the way Marcus looked to Blank, and Blank to Marcus, like a chord of understanding. They'd always been close as hell, but being there for those final moments changed a guy. Zidane could only imagine what it was like seeing someone alive who'd last been fading...right there beside you...

Hey! Don't you go dying on me, alright?![/i][/b]

Realization made his tail lash, suddenly bristling with agitation, but the reassurances on Dagger's account broke through the reverie. "...Yeah, you're right." The usual energy was gone and he couldn't bring himself to fake it. If anything had happened to her...was it selfish to want her here? And what if--ifKujaalreadyfoundawayhomethen--but Zidane pushed those thoughts to the back burner. Selfish or not, he'd rather deal with whatever mindset Kuja had now from the same realm--and the rest of it didn't matter because they'd find a way home.

One way or another, he'd see her again.

So, having slipped the worries off his shoulders like a cowl--one he'd have to wear again eventually, but not for now--he was free to indulge in an impish smile at Marcus's expense. "There's a softy I didn't see comin'!" Not the most delicate treatment to give the subject, sure, but he didn't expect Marcus to take it harder than a jibe--the fact that it was somewhat akin to poking a sleeping bear in the eye notwithstanding.

The familiarity had him set two hands on the desk from behind, vaulting up and into a slouch like this was Tantalus's hideout where everything was a chair, and a thought struck him out of the blue. "Hey..." One gloved hand found his chin in a thoughtful stroke, so as he spoke he offered it palm up in a suggestion. "Since this afterlife is so literal, what if it's like this because we beat Necron?"

Immortality. Scary thought, all things considered, but for the time being...

[Cinna]

Cinna couldn't really say he was used to the idea of being in an entirely different world yet, but the instant he tried some of their coffee he felt a little bit more at home. Sure it wasn't a very intelligent way of judging a place, but no one ever really accused Cinna of being the smartest of the bunch. Cup of coffee in one hand and a small pastry in the other, Cinna finally set himself to the task of looking around the school he would be living in.

As much as he wanted to just sit and munch in the Cafeteria all day he was actually shooed out! The thought stunned the man for a moment before he grabbed a last snack, leaving with a slightly incomplete feeling. Being deterred from his snacks really reminded him of the scoldings he used to get from Baku for being late thanks to food or coffee related distractions.

Things sure had changed since then and Cinna thought he should have been more broken up about it. A long sip on his coffee eased the man's thoughts though. This was most certainly not covering up his feelings with stress eating/drinking though. That wasn't why he was fat or anything. A slight frown crossed his face for a minute before other things fully caught his attention.

To anyone else it might look like an oddly matched bunch of guys who just happened to know each other, maybe dislike with how tense it looked for a couple long moments. Cinna knew much different though and while his first thoughts should have been about why his friends were there it was something completely out of the subject.

"I didn't think I would run into you guys or I would have gone and brewed more," His frown was wide as he held up his coffee cup.

[Marcus]

It was hard to remain all casual and relaxed in the face of people he never really imagined he'd be seeing again, even for someone like Marcus. Blank acting pretty cool made it a bit easier on him though and focusing on what he blabbered out about Garnet made things feel almost natural. Like before they all happened to die. Didn't seem possibly considering what they'd all been through, but there wasn't much arguing with that fact at the moment.

"Slipped up? Me?" Marcus grunted slightly and looked away with a frown. Blank hadn't changed and Zidane didn't seem like he had either, which was something. "Whatever you can shove it man. I know I can still kick your ass," Marcus started, adding in a mumble, "Save your life and you're still a dick to me." And even if it was utter shit, it was just how the team meshed.

Zidane said something after that though that made Marcus wonder. "Because of what happened with Necron?" The man shot Blank a look before glancing back to Zidane to address things. "I guess it's a possibility considering... you like beat death, but I can't tell you I don't think it's not out there. Then again everything about what happened was pretty hard for most people to wrap their heads around."

The man thought he might go on, but another person arriving distracted him from things. "Wait what?" Marcus turned to see who was speaking only to be confronted with a fat little man holding up a cup of something. Coffee? That would be then only crap he could be talking about. Marcus couldn't help but roll his eyes before realizing what Cinna being there meant.

"Why do I have a feeling that you died by cake or something?" He asked in a clipped blunt manner. It was probably something that was inappropriate to joke about, but Tantalus didn't really work by normal conventions. They all knew each other far too well for that.

[Blank]

Being so caught between two specific emotions was something Blank hated, but it had never been so overwhelming as it was in that moment. One thing that the bandit wasn't going to do though was let it get to him when both Marcus and Zidane seemed to be doing their best to make things as relaxed as possible. The truth of the matter was that no matter what they would all make every effort to return to their lives. Blank just hoped that it would come soon.

Blank crossed his arms and kept a serious face as Marcus spoke though, nodding lightly. "Well if that's what you really think," He started slowly, looking away almost listlessly, "Then I guess I'll just have to prove you wrong soon, yeah? We can all get into some friendly matches if that's how it's gonna be and I can beat your face in with your actual permission. Doesn't get much better than that." When speaking of friendly matches Blank of course looked over to Zidane with a slight grin, as invitation.

Teasing aside, there were other things that the guys needed to think about that Zidane started in typical Zidane fashion. The way that the monkey-tailed idiot made himself comfortable reminded Blank of the way things always used to be, so when it came to talking about things it got a lot easier for Blank to focus. "Marcus is right about that. It's a crazy concept. I'm not even sure if you could call being here 'an afterlife' based on what those..."

Blank paused to get the word, frowning like it was annoying to remember all the god damn terms he'd started learning since arriving in the word. "The damn mage people that brought us here- you know who I'm talking about- what those guys said. Everyone in this place seems to think that what happened with us was pretty fucked up and certainly not on the normal path of things. Wouldn't it be a bit high and mighty to assume what happened in our world could actually change something in this one?"

He had more he thought he could said on things until another voice, then Marcus, distracted him. The red-head hard a hard time entirely containing his surprise to see fat little Cinna standing there, though it was a bit less surprising when he saw what he was referring to. Coffee in one hand and food in the other. It couldn't get a whole lot more Cinna than that. "Seriously? I wouldn't doubt the death by food concept," Blank said with a slight grin.