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

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*round 6

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.]

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[...so many people just...forgive him so easily...he just-]

It was selfish, though. I didn’t get any confirmation that they’d go after my family, let alone people I actually know. I didn’t even think about Ris or Mithos or anyone else from the train getting there and talking to them before the Kyuubeys got there. I didn’t even think...think about what would have to happen after. That...if I really wanted it to happen, a third person would have to die.

Even if someone else did something like it...at least he could say he it was for more than just a couple people. He knew what he was doing-he was sure of what he was doing. I just...did something stupid without even knowing what would really happen if I didn’t do it.

I’m grateful that you’re not holding it against me, but...I’m still not sure I deserve it.

[He just sighs and looks down at King. Just looks at the expression on the other's face and feels his chest rise and fall for a few breaths.]

I don't trust those things. I don't trust that they won't mess with whoever they can get their little paws near. Even if they didn't go after your family or people you knew, desperate people would've been taken advantage of.

I... can't say I didn't actually try to make a deal with one, but apparently dead people don't qualify.

[He raises his hand like he's about to move it near King and then just drops it.]

Sometimes to do things... you have to kill more than one person. I lost track of the number I killed individually.

[He's not sure what's worse, hearing that. Would it be the fact that he's killed people before, and a lot of them? Or the fact that the only reason Jun isn't a magical boy is because he was dead when he tried to make a deal? Either way, it gets a chill running down his spine.]

It still would’ve been hard, trying to live with it. Worse, since the other options were all good people. I knew they were all good people. And if you knew the people you killed were good people...I’m sorry. For everything life and your world has put you through. No one should have to go through that kind of thing. Even if they weren’t good people, I’m sorry you’ve had to go through so much.

[This isn’t even about him being a kid and doing this stuff-anyone having to go through it sounds like a horrible fate.]

I might know someone that could help, if you’re up for it. A therapy dog. He’d be able to believe everything that’s happened, after all the stuff in space London. And he’s probably gonna have a lot of patients, after all of this.

[Himself included.]

[He hesitates and sighs, running his hands through his hair. His voice is quiet as he speaks.]

... I watched thirteen battles before mine. Even omitting all of the details, I watched a version of Earth become doomed to destruction each time. I watched everyone in both contracts die before me. None of us were over fourteen.

[He lets that sink in for a moment before continuing.]

If we lost, our version of Earth would be destroyed. You won by killing the pilot. Two robots, forty-eight hours. One of the versions of Earth served as a battleground.

... But I was stupid and let the pilot escape, and he could have been anywhere on the planet.

S... so I had to kill everyone on the planet, one by one until I found him.

[He winces. He knows that logically, talking about it will help... but that doesn’t stop him from hearing the brief burst of voices screaming out in agony and terror.]

[Hearing it...even if he didn’t go through it himself, he has to wipe at his eyes to keep the tears from coming. It’s awful. Horrible. Worse than he could’ve imagined.

He’s not resisting any urge this time. He’s making himself taller and hugging Jun, trying to give him some form of comfort-any comfort. He’s earned it, after going through so much.

He doesn’t say anything. He’s not sure if words could really help at the moment. Hopefully this’ll be enough to do some bit of good.]

[He jerks back in surprise at suddenly large dog, but doesn't fight against the hug. It's strange, but he's gotten used to hugs a little bit more. But it's strange feeling it from someone who's warm and alive, with a heartbeat under his chest.]

[But stranger still is the... he doesn't believe in auras or crap like that, but there's a paternal feeling that he's entirely unused to. That sort of relationship had been tried from both of them, but it had never worked. This... this is weirdly comforting. He relaxes slightly, but then hiccups a bit like he's about to start crying. He sniffs and wipes at his face. No. Tears aren't okay.]

[It takes him a minute, but eventually he finds some words that might be able to help the situation.]

I won't lie to you. What happened to you, and what happened to those other kids...it wasn't okay. It was the opposite. One of the worst thing I've ever heard. And from what you told me before, if I was given a chance to, I...don't think I could hold back, if I met the man that tricked you into doing to much. Add everything in the mansion to that, and I wouldn't be surprised if you just think that life is against you, or something similar.

And...if you want to cry, I'm not going to blame you. I think I'd be the last person to blame you, at this point.

... No. It wasn't.

[His throat is rough and his whole body tenses.]

Mansion just made hallucinations worse. I don't... I don't know if I...

[His voice breaks off as a sob tears its way out of his throat. He hadn't cried. Not for Kana, not for himself, not for Akko at the time. It feels weak, but another sob comes from seemingly nowhere - ah. No. It's him. It's him and he's crying into King's chest and it's not stopping, why is it not stopping, he should be better than this.]

[He doesn't say anything. Not at first, anyway. Just trying to comfort him. He rubs circles onto Jun's back with one paw, and doesn't object to the tears falling on him. Jun has every right to cry, and like Hell is King going to stop him.

He'll only speak when Jun is ready. Until then, it's comforting and staying silent as the shoulder to cry on.]

Was months ago. Shouldn't be crying.

[He sniffs and tries to get his tears under control, but it's not working very well.]

It doesn’t work that easy, though. You can’t just...get over something like that, even in the span of months. Stuff like that...it’ll effect you for the rest of your life.

But...it can get better. I promise you, it can get better, even if it will take a while, and even if it’ll still effect you. It can and will get better.

I thought I wasn't going to have to live with it. None of us would. The ones who went last would need to live with it longer, but not too long.

... It's not like we got a manual on how to deal with this.

[Subconsciously, he feels his blood boil. The man that tricked him-tricked who knows how many kids-not only lured them into a dangerous situation where they could die horribly, but it was a situation with a guarantee to die. If the man were here...

‘But it’s not time for that,‘ he thinks, calming himself. There’s nothing he can do for it, so it’s no use getting worked up over, at least at the moment.]

Well, you’re going to have to now. It’s...it’s not fair, I know, but that’s the way things are going.

And no, there isn’t. But what helps...is people. People that are close to you and care about you. People that know how to deal with trauma and PTSD. People...people that will want to help you.

... I've never been that good at people, honestly.

Well, if it helps, it doesn't have to be just anyone that cares about you. I'd recommend the people that care about you a lot, that you also care about a lot, for a start.

It won't be easy, not in the slightest, but...if you want things to get better, for something like that not to hurt as much, that's the best thing I can tell you. People help, even if it's hard to talk to them.

... It's not fair to put it all on her. She went through a lot, too. I don't... know. There's no one outside of here who I can talk to, and it's not... it's not like people here need me to pile more stuff onto them.

[…right. Anyone he's likely to be close to is either dead, or dealing with a lot of trauma themselves. He'd be worried about shoveling all of that onto others as well...but then...]

Then maybe you could confide in each other? It's what Caleb and I did. Instead of just forcing ourselves to deal with it on our own, we talked with each other. We were there for each other for these things. And if we hadn't been there for each other...I'm not sure either of us would still be here.

And if that's still not good enough...I'm willing to help. I'm probably not as close to you as others, but I'd like to help where I can. And if that means shouldering a burden, why not. It wouldn't be the first.

[Yeah, he's dealing with a lot of stuff. But he'd rather be dealing with even more stuff like this kid deal with so much on his own.]

I can... I can try. I don't know if... we'll have to see what the situation is when we get to her world. I don't know if her family will accet another person, or if she lives in dorms...

[Hm. Worth asking.]

I don't... you shouldn't have this stuff put on you. It's bad enough that I can't seem to deal with it. I don't want any of it to fall on her.

Edited 2020-03-08 06:22 (UTC)

Well, we've got more than a couple worlds to spare, now. And a way communicate through them, and probably a way to travel through them quick enough. I'm sure someone would be willing to help, if she can't.

[He would be himself, if not for the already present crowding in the wolf house.]

That's why I'm offering. Everyone else...it seems like everyone else dealt with a lot worse stuff, before these things. Meanwhile I was just trying to be a dad, all of the worst parts of my life behind me. I think...I think I could handle it, if I needed to.

[And he's starting to think he needs to.]

... I'll find a way. I'm not leaving Akko. Not when we just... found out how well we work together. And she has school to go to, still. I'm not going to take her away from that.

[School is super important, King.]

... I. Well at least you were trying to be. That's more than some people could say.

…oh.

[Oh, that's cute-DON'T SHOW IT YOU'RE HAPPY FOR THEM KING BUT YOU DON'T NEED TO MAKE THIS WEIRD

He has to take a deep breath and actively resist smiling for him. Solutions for that kind of problem...oh!]

Caleb's got a lot of gold. I'm sure he'd be willing to give you some, and help where he can.

[Be a fake guardian and all for Jun buying a house. Or something like that.]

Do you want to talk about that? About...about dads?

[From the tone of his voice, it seems like he can understand it being a hard topic to talk about.]

... I think it's more documentation that's going to be the issue. I'm less worried about the money than I am that. I don't exactly have my family register or some other kind of identifying documents on me, which might be a problem.

... I. I don't know. I mean I don't really know what it's like to have one that acts like the ones everyone else seems to have. And it's too late, I think.

I...feel like that’s something we can work out. Just need to find the right official and get the things that absolutely necessary and it’ll be done with. There’s lots of people that don’t have officially records, I’m pretty sure. Taking of that shouldn’t be too hard. And worse comes to worse, I have a feeling we can find someone that can fake some documents.

[With the diverse number of people that get pulled into these things? Someone has to be good at forging, right?]

...who says it’s too late? That...you can’t find someone that does fill that role? That’s more like a traditional dad?

That would be useful... I'll need to talk with Akko and see precisely what I need. I'm not totally sure if her world's Japan matches up exactly with mine. Alternate Earths...

[He presses his lips together and tries to fight off the weird feeling he still has even thinking about that.]

I... because I'm going to be in a new world. And one where I'm the only one from my world. It's not like I'm going to go get adopted again. Even if I wanted to, there's not many people willing to take n someone my age, I think.

It’ll...definitely be a little different, if what I skimmed from her file was correct. You’re gonna have to get used to magic, at least a little bit.

[Have fun dealing with magic school Jun.]

I’m not to sure if that’s right, actually. I mean-yeah, you might be the only new person going to her world, but...everyone is still going to be able to talk with each other, I’m pretty sure. And...I think someone would still want to take you in. Just because you think no one would take you in, doesn’t mean you’ll be right.

[It’s surprising, how nice people can be sometimes.]

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