charcoalfeather | Post-Trustfell Catchall

Post-Trustfell Catchall

It wasn't easy when Rakka returned to Glie, though it wasn't like she could expect anything less then that.

But Rakka was happy to have come back home at all. Rick had done that much for them, after who knows how long they searched. But finally, she was back in Old Home, she had never been happier to see it's worn stone walls. The worst of her return comes with the rest of the older Haibane freaking out when they see her-- turns out that they'd all assumed she'd taken the Day of Flight weeks ago.... Which meant all her stuff was divided up among the other residents. Whoops. Besides that, everyone else seemed just fine.

She works hard to return to the life she had, the one she can remember. The reconnecting is slow and mired by tearful reunions, most of her friends can hardly believe what she's been through... but to some degree, they're eager to hear her stories of an outside world, no matter the world's current state. Rakka makes sure to leave out some the more violent parts of her time at Graceside, but they're just glad to see her safe and sound.

The mildly isolated building made a perfect home to the strange creatures that she had brought back with her; a bird made of clouds went over great with the rest of the residents... the 'dragon' slightly less so, but they would both always have plenty of space to spread their wings. That was important to Rakka.

Old Home was Rakka's home again, and other survivors dropping by for a visit would always make her happy... But, being the former school it was, you might need to look around for her.

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[Elise is always up for calling on the others. Sometimes even bringing some produce or friends from her estate, because nobody tells her what to do -- is that a freaking cow.]

Hello! It's good to see you as always!

[Rakka often expected some of her friends to drop in unannounced, that's just the way it is. And little bits of help and souvenirs from the other worlds never hurt!

....That said she has to pause when she notices what Elise has got with her.]

Elise, hello! It's great to... [Her stride falters a bit.] Is that a cow?

Oh, she's very well-behaved! Isn't that right, Stollen?

[The cow moos happily and is that a sparkle aura, what.]

You see, she hasn't been getting out as much lately, and I thought, if I'm going to be a hands-on farmer now instead of ordering my servants to do all the work, what's better than bonding with your friends?

You're doing all that for your cow? That's great, Elise! I'm sure you'll be a great farmer! [That is... uh, a sparkly aura. Oooh. So anime. But Elise is developing into a better person! That's a cause for happiness.]

...But, um.

[Oh boy here we go]

Edited 2016-05-10 07:50 (UTC)

...There's a rule against livestock in the building or something like that, isn't there.

...Um. [Well.

Probably. Maybe, she'd have to check before they could let it in. How would the Young Feathers even react to seeing a cow out and about?]

Actually, uh, I just wanted to ask you about her. Why is her name... "Stolen"?

Stollen. It's a pastry! I like to name my animals after food and such. It helps me keep all of them straight.

[Well it still sounds like "stolen" to Rakka. And probably will.]

Oh... Well, I've never had a Stollen before. [because what else can she say to that? Questing why Elise names her farm animals after food?]

Do you want to pet her? She's very friendly!

[The cow seems happy, snuffling around at all these new things.]

You... mean I can? That's alright?

[She. She hasn't been around many farm animals. Chickens aside.]

Of course! Come now, it's all right.

[The cow in question moos happily and walks up to Rakka.]

She likes people, after all.

... Well...

[Oh boy it's coming towards her. Rakka's only experience with livestock was still the chickens they'd had back in graceside- did that prepare her well enough? Well, if it's anything like the Pokemon she's got...

Arm reaching out, she slowly places her hand on the cows head. It... is more pleasant then she expected!] H-hello there, Stolen!

[Mooooo. The cow nuzzles Rakka and Elise happily pets its back.]

What did I tell you? It's completely fine. You're already used to chickens, after all.

[...Aaaaaaaah

Rakka continues to pet the cow more openly.]

W-well, that doesn't mean I've had any experience with other farm animals, Elise.

[...] But he is really cute.

Of course! All my animals are cute. But I should tell you all cows are "she."

......oh.

[ o h ]

You haven't spent much time on a farm, have you?

[pot and kettle, elise]

N-not for lack of trying!

[really. She's been very busy since she came back.]

Farms in Glie are mostly run by humans. Haibane almost never have jobs in them because we live too far away for it to be worth it.

I didn't even know you had humans here.

...I didn't really mention it, did I? [Eehehe.... heh.]

In my defense, I couldn't even remember that for the longest time.

That's right, you couldn't remember much at all, could you?

No, I couldn't remember anything, not even my name.

[She turns to continue patting Elise's cow, continuing the conversation while doing so.]

It was strange... kind of like becoming a Haibane all over again - but, obviously I didn't know that. I only got all my memories back after I... You know.

[Those neck scars do stand out, don't they?]

Your life sounds a little complicated, and that's without all that business.

[ Asuka isn't typically one to make many visits to other worlds; her own requires so much attention, after all, especially given her absence. Thankfully, things had been quieter than usual, and with Unit-02 out of commission, Asuka wouldn't have been able to do very much even if she was there, which gave her plenty of time to catch up with the current state of things at Wille, and do some R&D of her own into Rick's tech. Thankfully, despite their lack of funding, Asuka was able to whip up a device of her own...which was harder than she imagined, but, if nothing else, worked to give Wille more resources to go up against whatever SEELE was planning next, with the added bonus of letting her go out and see just where her friends came from.

Hopefully she'll be forgiven for coming by unannounced, but, she's found some downtime even in the wake of all the mayhem back home. So maybe, just maybe, Rakka will find a familiar redhead just sort of wandering around Old Home, soaking it all in. Atop her head is an equally familiar bright red hat, just a bit worn, the crocheted butterfly pin tangled up in the spaces between the crimson yarn as though it were a bug caught in a web, just to make sure it's as secure as can be...and in her hands is a black cat, content to just be asleep in Asuka's arms for the walk. ]

Mein Gott, Minka, can you be any more lazy...

[ She knows she can't understand, but, it's the principle-- ]

[Welcome to a world that's basically nothing like yours in the slightest, Asuka. Glie is a simple place, even the hustle and bustle of the town isn't that hard to deal with. Old Home itself should be pretty receptive towards her, if she happens to come across any other Haibane, they'd at least point her in the right direction!

Boy she wanted to travel more then she did. See the worlds and all of their sights? Still, she was just a fifteen year old girl... apparently. And portal gun access was in short supply ever since she came back... Not that she's not fine with being home, it's just. So many things!

Maybe it was for that reason why Rakka could appreciate others dropping in to see her. Case in point: Asuka. Many bends and mazes existed in the former schoolhouse, which, Rakka supposed, made it a bit of an adventure. And, by now, she knew the better part of the home like the back of her hand (with a little help from a map). Doot doot here she comes, happening around a corner and slowly stopping in her tracks.

Is that...]

Asuka...? Asuka!

Ah, there you are! I was wondering how you could go through this place all day without getting dizzy...

[ Frankly, it's a little nostalgic. An abandoned school building. She hasn't been to a classroom in a decade and a half, but even seeing an abandoned one like this one reminds her of back when she actually was the age she looked. As she peeks into the rooms, she can't help but think about her old school life, maybe consider what she might have done differently had she been given the chance to do it again...maybe she would have tried to talk with Hikari a bit more, or played her WonderSwan in class a bit less.

It occurs to her that Graceside was a school, too, in name only, but, one could hardly consider that anything like an academy.

Ah well. Hindsight's always 20/20. Still, when she sees Rakka, her face gets a bit less contemplative and her features soften. The cat, to its credit, is still sound asleep, even as she hustles over to where Rakka stands. ]

I kept getting turned around, but...it's good to see you again. I'm sure Minka here would be happy, too, if she didn't sleep 20 hours a day. ...Sorry for coming by on such short notice, though.

[ Or, well, no notice. ]

Edited 2016-05-26 09:35 (UTC)

[Rakka could almost feel a similar sense of melancholy nostalgia to the old building. But she had never been around to see it in its heyday, or even really heard much about how it was a human school before being given to the Haibane as a sign of goodwill. Nowadays, they've been re-purposed into storerooms, classrooms for the younger Haibane, and rooms for the older ones.

And the same thing occurred to Rakka at some point. But Old Home was far different from Graceside. ]

Oh, sorry... we really should put up signs or something.

[shakes her head] No, no it's fine! I'm glad to see you! It's been so long...

[Mordecai Benmont Jiminy would not allow Rakka to visit Mars. Even if he hadn't lost the Force Galactic or Sparks wasn't busy with his new wife (everything was going totally great, he's certain of it), the place was far too dangerous for someone as unbelievable innocent as her. How do people end up so kind when the universe is so cruel.

Well, maybe it's as Susan suggested. The Sparks Nevada universe is a messed up place.

Old Home is...decidedly nice so. Mordecai would think that it was some kind of sheltered hidden civilization, free of the evils of modern society or whatever. They probably don't even have a bar.

At least. He thinks. He didn't bring any booze with him because Rakka is underage and under no circumstances will he break space law.]

Mornin', folks. I'm here to meet with Rakka, I'm an old friend of hers. Uh, she mighta mentioned I was coming...?

[Rakka had wanted to visit Mars multiple times after the events at Graceside, she wanted to visit all the other worlds at least one, take in the sights in them. But among them, Mordecai was one of the most vehement deniers of this request. "It was just too unsafe" it seemed. Come on, she'd learned how to use a knife!

Bleh. Okay. She'd stay away, for his sake. But visits were always nice!

Old Home is definitely nice, as far as places for the Haibane went. Still, if he looked out among the plains he'd be able to spot the main town within walking distance.

Moreover, Humans aren't seen often at Old Home, which makes several of the Youngfeathers (think children with wings and halos, Barkeep) come up to look at him. But still no sign of-oh, there she is.]

Mordecai! [Rakka jogs over, a broom in hand, dust staining her dress.] I'm glad you made it!

[Children. Usually adorable but weird to to deal with. Mordecai smiles at the children, out of the whole "being polite" principle, but he makes no other gesture towards them. It's probably for the best he and Harriet never had children. Or the lack of their own children caused his kid skills to get rusty. Who knows.

They stare at his scar on his forehead, he stares at their halos. He doesn't get why these amnesiacs had to look like the angels he sees on Space Christmas card. Evolution must have had fun in this universe.

The pondering is cut off with Rakka showing up. He steps away from the crowd of young Haibane and waves at her.]

Rakka! Did I come too early? [Eyeing the broom.] I don't mind headin' over already if you're still cleanin' up.

[They notices the scars, but most of them know better then to ask about them. Most. They were just kids, of course, full of wonder at the unknown and this strange man that happened to grace their doorway.

Thankfully, they're quickly ushered away by a few, older Haibane, Rakka's age again with the standard wings and halos. It's something she really had to explain to the rest of her friends sometime. Though, did she even full understand it?]

No, not at all! [She waves the broom lightly in her hands.] We're just wrapping up our summer cleaning. It's an important to the Haibane here that everything's clean for winter.

[..ah] I-I'm actually finishing up, if you want to wait a little longer?

Sure, wait out here, wait inside, inside's preferable. [There's chairs and things to look at and stuff.] I got you a present.

[Indeed, there is a small package under his arm. It's wrapped in plain green paper with a stick-on bow, but the intention is what counts.]

[There are definitely so many things to look at! But yes, there are plenty of places for Mordecai to sit if he so pleases.

But as Rakka registers what the Barkeep has said, she's suddenly deeming the whole cleaning thing kind of silly to be working on right now, right?]

Really? [A spark of curiosity registers in her eyes. A dilemma forms.] I... I mean, I can take a break right now, since you came so far just to say hello?

[and bring her a gift apparently. awww]

[Bringing gifts is one of the key rules of visitation politeness. Unless you were at the friendship stage of dunking on each other every minute, you had to bring something.

Plus there was extra wrapping paper had had to be used up.]

Can't say no to that. Why not reward yourself a bit with a good friend? [Meaning him. He's a good friend.] It ain't, like, a mess or anythin'?

[Clearly it shall be a few more visits yet before they have reached that stage of their friendship. And Barkeep surely has the advantage on Rakka in terms of dunking skills.

Wrapping paper is such a rarity in the Haibane area, given how it can hardly be given out used. Rakka's delighted even seeing it.]

Not, not really. [She beckons him inside to the main room of the large home. It's pretty roomy in here, with a large dining table and many chairs set out for the occupants. Old Home is always sort of messy. It's like living with a bunch of birds.] So, what is it? The gift?

[He grins, setting the present on a clean part of the table and taking a seat.] Why don't you open it and see? That's the point of wrappin' it up.

[Pushes it closer to her.]

[Rakka makes sure to pull of a seat near to him.

Real close to him. And that present.

He really just has to say that she can open it before Rakka's digging into the wrapping paper. He's got her really curious. Whatever could it be?]

[Underneath is a paperback book, the cover painted with the colors of a red desert and a dark cloud of space dust. Once the paper is completely off, the writing on the front is revealed:

Under the Milky Sky by Rebecca Rose Rushmore.]

She's one of the best western sector novelist in my time. This one's a favorite of mine, don't worry, it's age-appropriate.

[Some of her later stories contain...rather salacious scenes. There's kissing in this one, but nothing that he would keep away from an innocent young person.]

'S about a former space marine retirin' to her home planet after a war and findin' love. I took a lotta inspiration from the settin' descriptions in my own writin'.

Aaah....

[The wrappings are brushed away, tossed and forgotten immediately. She'll have time to clean everything up late, right now was special.

And nothing was as special as a gift from a dear friend, like... other-universe literature!! He'll be able to spot Rakka's face filling with joy as his explanations go on.]

Wow! It's really thoughtful of you, Mordecai, thank you! [She'll definitely read it when she gets the chance.] Now I'm kind of sad I don't have anything to give to you.

No need to worry. [He holds us a hand.] The host don't give the guest a gift, that's how it works where I'm from. Once you come to Mars, then you gotta think about givin' me something' small.

[And she's going to come never. No one in their right mind visits Mars for fun.]

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Post-Trustfell Catchall

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FINALLY REPLIES...

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whoop whoop late train rolling in

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