Isn't this where.....

[strangerpeople]

REUNITED AT LAST

[Living and dead have reunited. That is all well and good. However, all these trains and cars and starships mean nothing by themselves - many of you may be wondering precisely where they are headed, and the answer presents itself soon in the form of a yawning portal in the middle of space. Yawning, calm, so as not to be mistaken with the writhing and twitching of the wefts - it seems to belong, or at least to be accepted as a cosmic inevitability. And this is what all of the dubious spacecrafts sail into for now - it is just barely large enough for all of them to go in one at a time, and to come out on the other side of the wormhole.

That appears to be some kind of airspace. Those curious about the place they're going may want to open the stained glass windows of the trains to get a much better view of the scenery they're descending on. The landscapes are mostly gorgeous, looking from a distance as though they were painted with watercolors, although some may think it also looks a bit, well, haphazardly patched together. For the trains, there is a floating dock above the land that looks brand new, and an elevator to take down to the ground. All other ships can find an easy landing space in the meadow, like the weird UFOs they are. Nevertheless, there is a path to follow from there, leading to a castle in the distance. It is a path lined with wonderful flowers and trees... and also a chaotic smattering of other trees that don't look like they quite belong. Sheets of dry lasagna make up the bark of the spaghetti trees, their inexplicably cooked pasta hanging like a weeping willow as marinara drips from their meatball fruit. The smell is overpowering, but don't let that ruin the trip. "In fact, it would be better if you let it work up an appetite", the cheerful voice of 707 suggests as he leads the pack up the trail like a hyperactive boy scout leader.

Finally, the doors of the castle open up. The halls are full of doors, each glowing from within - some of you may recognize the names of your homes, and others may not. But going past them, there is an enormous arch that is named The Hall of the Beginning as indicated by the carvings on it. Inside is a table that will be familiar to one of the strangers. It is the table that the original 15 Titled met at the beginning of Nirn, and it's overflowing with a feast even more grandiose than the last time. All of the drinks and cuisine you've been missing for so long is here - from sugar-spiced coffee and bubble tea, delicious scones as good as an aunt's, ridiculously spicy takeout wok, popcorn, philly cheesesteaks and the most perfect star shaped peanut-butter-jelly sandwiches known to man, a big toblerone on a long silver platter, three types of ramen, beer, so many grapes, melon bread, something labeled "dead chicken" that is obviously just a regular roast chicken.... it definitely seems like there were too many cooks here, but cooks with their heart in the right place. Some other favorites of the strangers will also be among the chaos if they look hard enough, but certainly, somewhere, it was deemed that they should have a celebration feast.

But then, you are not strangers any more, are you? Everyone here is a familiar face now, and there are even more familiar faces waiting around the table. The ones who wrote the letter, 707, Halley, Maka, Alexis, and Cardia are already there coming and going, but occasionally many others will stumble through one of the many doors. People from the games who had not fallen to IT. People from home, people you love. What we have here is a nexus and a party all in one. Here, there will be as much time for goodbyes as you like - or, as the hall suggests, new beginnings.]

Comments

[beguiledcard]

[ He... gives the food a long, considering stare, but there are a few (possibly understandable) reasons he doesn't have much of an appetite. Going as long as they did with it tasting how it did? He already struggled with appetite when under stress before winding up in that place, so to create a food = sandy association?

Yeah, it might take a bit.

Anyway, the biggest reason he isn't bothering with food is... there are a lot of people to focus on right now. A lot of faces he hasn't seen in . . . varying lengths of time. Some people might be getting stunned staring (read: people he hasn't seen in far too long), while others might get a light pat on the back (read: people he's actually expecting to see).

For anyone who hasn't seen him in a while, one thing to note is that he doesn't have glasses.

And for those who have seen him in the past couple of weeks, or so, his demeanor's definitely shifted from what it was when he was stepping out of that van. He's a lot deeper in thought. A lot more reserved.

Maybe he's just tired. ]

[incendiarize]

[It....tastes like food.

It had on the train out of hell, too, but now it's really sinking in and Arthur could start crying again. He looks at Akira not eating and loads another plate to shove at the older teen. No skipping, you. No ending up like him.]

Eeeeaaaaat.

[beguiledcard]

[ He makes a point of wrinkling his nose in a Very Disapproving Way, though it eases into a small smile. ]

All right, all right...

[ With a sigh, and partially without thinking too much about it, he very lightly ruffles Arthur's hair before taking the plate. ]

Iiiii promise to try?

[incendiarize]

It tastes.

[Sand barely tastes, but this food tastes.]

Welcome back, Akira.

[socialhacktivist]

[Some things can change, but it won't be enough to stop Futaba. All her tech and gadgets are safely tucked away elsewhere (under her table (yes, it's her table now she specifically claimed it)) so she's completely and utterly free to tackle-hug him without fear.

Her face is completely buried in his chest and she's clinging to him with all the force you'd expect from an octopus. There aren't words, but-- there are some soft, muffled noises coming from the direction of his chest.]

[beguiledcard]

[ To say he falters and is momentarily unsure of how to even react would be an understatement.

To say his hands - no, more like his entire body - start to tremble and he completely forgets to breathe for a solid minute? Much warmer.

And, at first, he's forgetting to be worried that... she won't be able to feel a heartbeat, at all. He isn't even worried about the fact that he's openly crying in front of all these people, because he's too busy wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a secure embrace. He's got her. He doesn't plan on letting go until she decides to let go.

For now, he doesn't say anything - nothing could ever coherently express how he's feeling about the moment. ]

[earietale]

[And then there’s Barbara. For her, seeing Akira like this...it’s weird. Off. Like a cheetah without it’s spots, or an Akita with the fur pattern of a zebra. She recognizes it, but it’s so different from what she’s used to.

She walks over, a little hesitantly.]

Um...hi.

[beguiledcard]

[ He blinks, looking up. There's a brief pause, though no recognition crosses his face. ]

Hey...

[ There's a dim smile as he gestures with a hand. ]

Some party, huh?

[earietale]

[She holds back from frowning, but the smile gets a little more forced.]

Yeah, really is. Think I’ve only been to one other like it, really.

The...mall, right? That’s the one you went through?

[pursuitofbeauty]

[Seeing that face, regardless of the mood it might be reflecting at the moment or the lack of glasses, leaves Yusuke's heart leaping in his chest. He wants to crawl out from under the table and unfold himself. He wants to run to Akira and sweep him into a hug that will surely shock the other boy.

But halfway out of hiding, he freezes. There's no concealing what guilt and pain have etched into his face and body. What will Akira think of him? He crouches there, unmoving, staring in obvious and pained longing and not feeling the tears starting to run down his cheeks.]

[beguiledcard]

[ That-... oh........

Yeah, that's Yusuke.

That's Yusuke crying and looking miserable...

A shaky breath escapes before he walks over, crouching a bit with a somewhat watery smile. ]

Hey.

[ Without another word, he holds out a hand for Yusuke to take. With Yusuke acting this way, he will try to be gentle. Even though every part of him just wants to gather him up into a hug. ]

[pursuitofbeauty]

[Akira doesn't have to worry about holding back. Yusuke takes his hand and allows himself to be helped to his feet, but as soon as he's standing he's flinging his arms around Akira in a shockingly uncharacteristic embrace. There's no hiding how much he's shaking as he mumbles into the other boy's shoulder.]

Please, I beg of you... do not hate me for what I've done....

[biddentodance]

[Minato feels it, like a weight dropped on a sheet stretched taught across a frame. The pulse of the stick on the drum, the contact point of each beat tugging at the rest of the batter head. What, exactly, he feels, how he feels it, those are questions that might not be answered.

He doesn't know this other teen. That doesn't stop him from finding a moment when Akira is seated somewhere and quietly setting a hot cup of coffee near him.

From one very tired boy to another, you look like you need it.]

[beguiledcard]

[ Coffee...

Coffee that won't taste like sand...

He stares at it for a moment, and sorry that... it's seemingly causing a flurry of emotions to briefly slip through the surface, his hands just barely trembling when he reaches to take it. Breathing isn't necessary, but he manages a slow breath and holds a blink.

And when he looks at Minato, it's with a momentarily uncertain look. His brow furrows just a bit as he looks back to the coffee, and then gives the stranger a small nod of gratitude. ]

Thanks.

[ He takes a long drink of it. ]

[biddentodance]

[He has his own cup, too. Casually sips his coffee while Akira deals with the revelation of tasting his.]

Looked like you could use it. [He's guessing this other teen is from the most recent incident, based on how tired he is...which means let's not talk about that, not directly, unless he brings it up.] Not half bad coffee here, thankfully.

[werewoofing]

[Ren!!! Ace still likes Ren. Ren is a Good Boy. So he's pretty quick to approach, except...

This one doesn't have glasses, and doesn't smell like Ren. This one smells....somewhat like a fox? Like he's been playing with a fox recently. And just generally different.

But, the teen is still tired, and still seems sad. Is he sitting on the floor? If so, please enjoy the dog laying down next to you, resting his chin on your leg. If not, he'll just nose at Akira's leg a bit. Cold nose.]

[beguiledcard]

[ He might smell like fox, death, and a few other people around here, but! Definitely nothing bad or Super Dangerous, if that helps.

When that head starts resting on his leg, he looks over and gives the good dog a smile. ]

Ah... Hello there.

[ The smile is very tired and... dog instincts might pick up on a lot of sadness, even as he smiles. Even as he reaches out a gentle head and scratches new friend behind one ear. ]

[werewoofing]

[And not like snake, that's important. Ace leans into the scratches, yes, that's the spot, right there--]

Hello. [He's kind of used to people understanding him, at this point. It's still weird. But he understands it's a Thing, now.]

[comesaround]

[ It's not too long before Karma walked over, a strawberry bubble tea in one hand that looks half finished. He's wearing something of a soft, relieved smile, even as he notes the shift in his friend's demeanor. ]

It's safe to eat the stuff here, Akira. It actually is real food, I promise.

[ There's something a bit tired about him but yet, so much more at ease now. ]

How are you holding up?

[beguiledcard]

[ Karma gets a forehead resting on his shoulder and a slow, somewhat forced exhale - it's just like before, in fact. Breathing not quite being right, and all. Akira isn't... practiced in forced breathing being done in a believable pattern, yet. His voice is quiet when he finally responds. ]

... Does this answer the question?

[comesaround]

[ In some way, he wasn't quite expecting that reaction, but also wasn't something he minded. The off breathing hadn't gone past his attention either, but he wouldn't bring it up yet.

Mostly just glad to have his friend back, no matter the circumstances. So that meant he just, after a moment? Wrapped his arms around Akira to give him something of an actual hug.

As least as much as he could while holding a bubble tea, that is. ]

Sure does. I can't blame you for being tired. Especially with what I saw earlier, interacting with some of your... friends from home?

[ After all, he had only caught the tail end of that before and went by the way the other had been interacting with them, making a guess on their relation since they were people he didn't recognize at all. ]

Gonna be alright?

[foolishjustice]

Akira-!

[Guess who's been worried sick. Goro looks pretty tired himself as he rushes over, though he stops short of a full on running hug as he sees how exhausted his boyfriend looks.]

[beguiledcard]

[ His breath outright hitches when he hears that voice - Goro managed to catch him in the middle of a forced breath... Since he's trying to practice doing that more... normally, again. The last thing he wants right now is to wind up freaking some random person out? So...

But, anyway. The more important thing is Goro's right there, and Akira's expression is already crumbling into one of both longing and relief. He closes the space, yanking his boyfriend into a hug. Then he's whispering, ]

I'm sorry...

[byanyother_name]

[Speaking of tired, Akira is maybe going to eventually end up with his boyfriend slumped against him, head laying on his shoulder, eyes closed.

Even with the temporary Composer boost, he kind of stretched himself today.]

[beguiledcard]

[ While he isn't outright falling asleep, he's definitely dozing off and on...

He shifts a little bit, one arm gently wrapping around Kurama as he rests the side of his own head against his boyfriend's. He's going to start gently humming a song - somehow, he's managing to sound pretty awesome right now.

Either way, he won't be moving or bothering Kurama anytime soon. Sleep well, boyfriend. Or try to. ]