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

[mermaidkin]

There's different flavors... of coffee...? It's more than... than something you're not energized when you don't have, huh...

[That's it. That's what gets to Hiyori. This detail about daily life that was taken away from him, that it's hard to immediately remember after so long in a swamp of efficiency. So long just manipulating people, thinking about what appointments he did and didn't have, that he's completely blindsided by the idea that Karma wouldn't get him something because he would only want to get something after knowing for sure Hiyori would like it. To the point that he ended up making this remark that could easily be taken in a way different from his intention, as "I waited for you so damn long, I reached another circadian rhythm cycle". He waves his hand, trying to puff away this idea, but - ugh, it's happening, tears are coming to his eyes, pressing his knuckles to his temple isn't making them go away. Hiyori lets out an icicle of breath.]

Sorry, it's just been a long time since I had to... even think about how much it hurt to—well. You know what. When I was in... a place I didn't anticipate staying long, I'd take it with... one cream and two sugars.

[comesaround]

Mm-hm. There's a pretty wide variety of flavors if you can get your hands on them.

[ For so many weeks he'd gotten used to seeing the forced, brainwashed Hiyori that it was still so entirely different in getting to see the other teen's true, real emotions fully coming out. The first having been at that final trial, and now with catching sight of those very real tears welling up in Hiyori's eyes that stopped Karma short.

Shock even flashed across his face briefly, though it soon melted into something much softer as he smiled once more. A gentle one, to be sure. He then set his drink down on the table and made to stand in a fluid motion, one hand splayed on the table's surface. ]

No need to apologize. I get it.

[ He turned, looking over his shoulder at Hiyori, his smile turning into more of a grin now. ]

I'll be back in just a few minutes. [ So he heads off on his own and sure enough? He comes back pretty quickly with a cup of coffee that he moves to hold out to Hiyori without so much as a second thought. ] There. I put in exactly what you told me, so make sure to enjoy it.

[ There was something about his words and the look on his face that spoke so many volumes. He'd never just go out of his way to do this for anyone else. Right now was a rarity and he did it just because he figured Hiyori needed it now than ever; something simple that he hadn't the luxury of enjoying in some time. ]