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

[ There was a multitude of things he expected when it came to Nagisa and Karma was positive that he had won this little bout of theirs due to that. In both the aspect of the kiss being a method of distracting the other, but also intending it as a more direct way of trying to tell Nagisa his feelings.

Karma had fully intended to see the ridiculously cute blush as Nagisa pulled back, possibly sputtering out of embarrassment. He was skilled in getting nice reactions from the smaller boy in the past, and he figured it would be no different now. He'd felt his back hit the ground and briefly even spotted those blue eyes widening, but then something was just inherently wrong in the relaxing that followed. There was no blushing or sputtering like he'd predicted, just too-sharp eyes that cut deep into his very being as Nagisa pressed into the kiss more intently.

To say his goddamn mind went blank out of surprise in the following seconds was an absolute understatement.

His heart fluttered in his chest as his own eyes went wide, cheeks suddenly VERY warm. This damn kiss did something a freaking sentient, creepy talking brain couldn't do, and that was render Karma Akabane completely speechless, embarrassment flooding his body as the Kiss of Death took it's toll on him. He barely even registered that Nagisa was holding down his wrist with one hand, not even able to form coherent words or think much right now. At least it would appear that all he had with him in the pockets of his coat, was a second, smaller knife along with some carefully wrapped elemental formula vials. One pocket even having them wrapped in a very familiar crescent moon tie that Nagisa would recognize.

Congratulations Nagisa. You've won this fight. He couldn't even retort to what the other had said at this point. ]

[Fifty-eight hits in eight seconds. Not bad. He takes the time to carefully remove the wrapped bottles - he isn't sure what they are or what they're wrapped in, with his face occupied with Karma's, but he can get them out of easy reach. He can also remove the second knife, stabbing it firmly into the ground. Target is disarmed and left reeling.

A total victory.

Nagisa pulls away, sitting up, though still not climbing off Karma just yet. How out of it is the other teen? He wipes his mouth.]

I'll have to give that an A-. Thanks for the assist, Naoya-sensei.

[Though....now that comment catches up with him Wait, why'd Naoya--]

M-M-Make out?! That was- Okay, it was, but that's an assassination technique!

[The man - Naoya - cackles.]

Call it that if you want, Nagisa, but I know what I saw!

[He flicks another seal at the monster and it disappears. Naoya catches it neatly before it falls.]

Karma, correct? I'm Naoya. I've been living with Nagisa and a number of other people from our group. You could say I'm the inventor of your field of study.

[ A lot had happened to him in the past months to say the absolute least and nothing at all affected him as integrally as this did. Maybe it was just due to the fact that he'd spent months away from Nagisa, feelings building up to the point where he didn't hide them anymore and had accepted them to be love. That very same feeling that had essentially caused his brain to short like an overloaded circuit once Nagisa had turned that simple kiss against him in a more-than-effective way.

If this had been literally anyone else and this had been a sort of distraction tactic to get the upper hand? He easily could have taken control back and not been nearly as affected, but that love amplified everything x1000 and succeeded in allowing Nagisa to win a LOT easier than ever intended. No wonder IT hadn't been able to handle such a thing when it held such overwhelming power.

He was only somewhat vaguely aware of the things being removed from his pockets and the knife as it was stabbed into the ground, but he couldn't find the strength to push Nagisa away or act in any other way that he wanted to. It was like his limbs had become filled with lead, and only as Nagisa pulled back, did Karma realize entirely what had happened. Something that did not help dissipate any embarrassment, but as he tried to pull what was left of his dignity back into place, that was when he finally saw it. The reaction he'd wanted, but only coming after he'd lost.

Somewhat dazed eyes focused more on Nagisa now, about to say something when the other spoke up and drew his attention over to him at last. Mentally he was kicking himself, trying to even figure out what to say but he was goddamn tongue-tied and he hated it. ]

...Yeah. That's... me. You probably know Vita and Jonathan, then...

[ Ugh. Words.

He made a small face as he tried to kickstart his stupid brain, but with it came more near-crippling embarrassment for a second as he looked back over to Nagisa. Trying to think of what to say or how to say it after such an... experience. ]

I really hate losing... but... hey. Not the worst way it had to happen, I guess. It's... okay since... it's you. [ A soft laugh escaped him, but he only felt his cheeks grow hotter. That kiss had scrambled his thoughts too much. Why couldn't he just say it as easy as he had before? Was it because this Naoya guy was here too? ] I... spent the last... month and several b-before that... waiting. I just... wanted to say it to you. The whole... I... I love you... thing.

[ ...Okay. Can't look at him now. Or Naoya. God. This having feelings thing was awful. Make it stop. ]

[ So there's an Akira - this one wearing glasses and watching all of this from the sidelines. There's a dim smile as he slides his hands into his pockets. He looks genuinely happy about all this, and even lets out a quiet laugh as he turns to keep walking.

He'll let Karma finish having his moment - no interrupting the lovebirds (and Naoya, smh). ]

Isn't this where.....

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