24th moon [It is a 4th, and it is a wall]

[vibrafinal]

[Today, on the roof of house 9, there is a Cecil. A Cecil that is quite possibly staring at you, wondering where you came from, and pondering whether to invite you in for lunch. Bother?]

Comments

[purewhite]

[Come now, you know where your wifey came from, right Cecil? Rosa remembers Luceti and is walking up the road to house 9 when she spots someone on the roof. Upon getting closer, she sees who it is.

So with a smile, Rosa will wave.]

Cecil, how are you faring?

[paladinlost]

[Why, yes, of course Cecil knows where his wife comes from.]

Rosa!

[But he also knows that the distance between the roof and the ground is too large right now, which is why he jumps off and runs towards her.]

[rising_drive]

[Is that... Cecil? Kain leaps up to the roof to join him.]

Cecil, it's been some time since I've last seen you.

[paladinlost]

Really, Kain, I'd hardly call a few hours 'some time'.

[Completely confused and unaware of any mistaken identities, here.]

[rising_drive]

Ah, perhaps not in your perception, but it's been somewhat longer in mine. Although I've never seen this place before... is it a new Haven?

[That has to be it, right.]

[paladinlost]

It's not any sort of haven. It's Luceti, and- Oh, you have no wings.

[Geez, you'd think he'd have seen that earlier.]

[rising_drive]

[And Kain stares at him, at the realization-]

-and you have wings, how strange. What's happened to you, Cecil?

[paladinlost]

Luceti happened. It does that to everyone it takes.

[That explains so little, somehow.]

[rising_drive]

I'm almost afraid to ask more of what you mean by that.

[paladinlost]

People are brought here in waves, find themselves with wings that are necessary for their survival and stay in the village until they are somehow sent home.

So I heard there was this 4th wall going on...

[lastoftheredwings]

[Hopefully you know where your son came from, Pops. Because he's walking through this village trying to figure out where in Gaia he's turned up and how the hell he's going to get back from here before he's late for dinner with Ursula. Because she *will* kick his ass if he's late.

Although, on second look, he might seem... different. He's 20 now and wearing paladin's armor *and* a wedding band.]

Really? Where? << >>

[paladinlost]

[Oh yes he does! ...Or at least he will once his brain gets past the hang on I know that person wait could it be? stage and registers all those nice little details and the fact that they mean ~the future~. As it is, he's now staring with a complete lack of subtlety or shame, his mouth hanging slightly open.]

XDD I've missed you babes

[lastoftheredwings]

Uh, Father?

[You feeling ok? Why are you staring? Also... why are you on that roof?]

We missed you too♥

[paladinlost]

Ceo... dore?

[Finally, confirmation! He doesn't stay on that roof very long.]

...You've grown so tall...

[First parental observation, of course.]

*blows kissies*

[lastoftheredwings]

You say that that every time you see me. Pretty sure I've not grown any more since my birthday.

[Well, maybe. He might actually quit somewhere in the next year, now that he's of a height with Cecil. And that would also be an admission he's seen you at least in the last month.]

So do you recognize this place? Close to Troia?

[Will deal with how he got here later. First things first, directions.]

*huggles forever*

[paladinlost]

Since which birthday, I wonder...

[It's an important concern, but still much less important than Ceodore's very presence and his own obvious confusion.]

I do, but it's not anywhere close. This is Luceti. A whole other world.

[lastoftheredwings]

[Forget the birthday. That is NOT the news that Ceodore wants to hear, if the sudden onset of locked and angry jaw is any good hint.]

That shouldn't be possible. We stopped Garland. No one's left Gaia for over a year now.

Why didn't Mother say anything?

[For that matter, why didn't he feel you go missing in the first place?]

[paladinlost]

[He understood absolutely none of that. That's not a very good sign, as far as he's concerned.]

...I believe we might be having two very different conversations. Who is Garland, and why did he or she need to be stopped?

[ex_pyrophobia426]

[And a certain tiny girl is staring up at him with wide-eyes.]

Cecil?!?

[paladinlost]

[And there's the ultimate proof that something strange is happening. Cecil lets himself slide down the roof.]

Hello, Rydia. Did you just arrive in the village?

[ex_pyrophobia426]

[Rydia nods and rushes over to cling to him.]

Uh-huh! We were on the ship and then I was here!

...why are you wearing all that? Did you lose your real armor?

[Because...dark knight. You're still supposed to be one, to her eyes.]

[paladinlost]

[She can cling as much as she wants. He has plenty of headpats to offer in return. But how does he explain...?]

I... thought those colors would suit my coloring better than the other armor. Do you have an opinion on the subject?

[ex_pyrophobia426]

[Rydia looks up at him and thinks it over.]

I like being able to see more of your face. And you have nice hair.

[Priorities.]

[paladinlost]

[Her priorities earn her brownie points.]

Why, thank you. I must admit I enjoy having the opportunity to style it.

[ex_pyrophobia426]

I'll help!

...but we have to find Edward and Yang first, and get out of here. Rosa needs us!