15strangers | Isn't this where.....

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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[for some reason, this Osomatsu is more popular with ladies he's met. weird. now that he's seen Akko, Emma was next on his list. and he wants to hug her, too. if it's okay. for now, he moves over to get close, gripping her hand to make sure she is... well, alive]

Miss Emma! I-I'm sorry... we didn't get to... talk... a couple weeks ago...

[his voice is cracking, like this is very emotional to him. Emma's super important! like family. his eyes are glassy, but he manages to keep from blubbering at her. thank goodness]

No, no, you have nothing to apologize for!

[She's alive! Warm and with a heartbeat and everything. She grips his hand back, bringing up her other one to place it on top of his.]

With everything as crazy as it was, it was a wonder we got in as much conversation amongst us all as we did.

Still... knowing you had to do all that again, I've been worrying myself sick. It's wonderful to see you hale and hearty.

["hale and hearty?" adorable! he actually laughs at that, just a little, patting her knuckles with his free hand]

How'd you manage that, anyway? I heard something about a portal?

Oh, that...

Well, we had found a car plagued by static where we were trapped. Once we cleared it, it appeared functional. And Proto Man mentioned that he had seen some of those little white creatures going through a portal, and the lot of us decided to use the car to investigate.

It... it was not a pleasant ride.

Ah... Yeah, the Kyuubey.

[he nods]

I'm sorry it wasn't fun. Seeing you all, though... it was really encouraging.

Yes, those. It's a shame, really... they're rather cute.

[Why do the cute things have to be evil?]

Aha... well, if it helps, every minute of it was worth the motion sickness many times over. I don't regret it for an instant.

And I'm glad it could help you. I think it was encouraging for us, too, that we actually could make it back to you all.

[right? Kyuubey are actually adorable... though, just in looks]

I imagine that would help, a lot. I dunno what you all had to go through, but it sounds like it was pretty rough. Like, just as bad as what up-top was facing.

I'd say the conditions were similar, although at least we weren't being put through the same awful "game."

It wasn't until we ran into that girl in the last place we were at that we were being forced into anything like what you all were going through. But it was just very... well, dead. Hopeless, and... honestly, just boring as well.

And we had each other, at least, but... when you're all going through that hell together, it starts to wear on all of you.

[aww...]

Yeah, no kidding.

[honestly, that hopelessness wore on Osomatsu, as well. he had a lot of loneliness to work through]

But! You're here now! We all are, even if it seems hard to believe.

Yes! We are.

[She breaks into a smile at that. It's hard not to.]

Honestly, I still feel like any minute now it'll turn out to just be a dream, but... I'm so happy. Having everyone back and all of this, I think it's more than any of us ever dreamed of.

[a dream... that would be super sad. Osomatsu is trying to just roll with the punches, but any second he could be swept away again. he doesn't want that!]

What are you gonna do, now that you're back?

Isn't this where.....

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