[ $ 3 ]

[strangelyliteral]

[Action]

[The house is empty. Sure, Buffy and Jack had gone on missions before and disappeared, but this was different. The cozy touches that had made rooms rooms were all cold and bare. Maybe some things were left - nothing special. Not many things of true trinket value. Gifts? Maybe they were gifts. And some weapons, but not as big as the usual stash.

One confused cat left to paw around the rooms.]

Just you and me left, huh, Cupcake? And she said she'd still -

[Be here. She was so sure she'd be here. And was Spike still around? She'd have to go searching. And check that house by the sea to make sure they hadn't secretly moved out on her, after all...

Anya's hair is darker and her expression is fairly grim today as she moves around the village, checking certain spots - visiting the bar for a drink or two before she can't stand it. The barracks, to check for signs of her housemate, knocking a few dummies around. She will eventually end up at the beach after that, and drop in to check the place she first arrived. Cullen house and the old fort. Empty, cold, dark. And she stands out there for a while in the cold. Perhaps alone, perhaps not.

Then it's the trek back to seven just before dusk. Anyone who doesn't know by now will have to be told. She sits in front of the fireplace, malt in one hand, cat curled up by the other, and stares at the book. And finally picks up the pen to write, with purposeful letters.]

[Written]

Buffy's gone. The Pirate Captain too.


Thought you ought to know.

[And she leaves it at that. No preamble, no real closing statement. Will people want to talk? Ask questions on how cryptic the statement seems? Probably - and they're more than welcome to do so among themselves.]

Comments

[goldenglasses]

[Buffy? He's a little surprised to hear that. She's become one of the familiar faces around Luceti. He can hardly believe to hear she's gone. Then again, once in awhile people who have been here awhile do come back after a period of time. It's hard to know, but for her sake he'll hope she's finally gotten a break and is home.

Then, the Pirate Captain not too many of those left here.]

Pirate Captain? Do you mean Jack Sparrow? [Best to be sure then assume.]

[written]

[strangelyliteral]

Yes. That's him.

I checked all the usual places. Boat's still out there too. [So there weren't any impromptu, runaway trips. Even if they had been planning one for Valentines.]

[written]

[goldenglasses]

[He taps his pen against his leg for a few moment. Letting the information sink in a little bit. Both Buffy and Jack gone. Jack got him in trouble constantly, but it gave Luceti some life and fun.

Suppose for now the bakery was safe from bear raids.

Finally he responds.]

Thanks, for letting us know.

[Probably for the best that they left together, but he decides not to voice that part.]

[written]

[strangelyliteral]

No big. Figured it should be said. [Buffy seemed to have a lot of friends, and Jack Sparrow... was Jack Sparrow. He had that sort of crazy aura that drew people in.

Though Anya was sure not to let herself be drawn.]

[written]

[goldenglasses]

It's appreciated. Will you be alright? [Being the first to notice them both missing Vash guesses that she was either living with them or was at least close to both of them.]

It's hard to lose a friend, let alone two at the same time.

written;

[ahappylie]

I'm sorry to hear that your friend has returned home.

[Someone who had been here even longer than him - and she's left? Souji knew her through the years in various ways, but it had been awhile since they'd last spoken.]

Will you be alright?

written;

[strangelyliteral]

We aren't fr

[She was taken off guard by how presumptuous and personal that was. And at the same time, confused. Why should any strangers care how she's feeling, anyway?]

Yeah.

I'll deal. I think she always wanted to go. Even with all her reasons to want to stay. Pretty sure the biggest is gone, too.

written;

[ahappylie]

The pirate captain? I suppose that would be a motivation to want to go. It's still unfortunate, though. She's been here longer than most of us.

written;

[strangelyliteral]

So I heard.

Isn't that be a good sign for people? The going home, for those that have them. Especially after so long.

written;

[ahappylie]

Sometimes it is a good sign, yes, but the one going home isn't the only one to think about in these situations.

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

[Reading those words are like a blow, and it's difficult for Aang to process. Aang finds himself remembering his first day in Luceti, when Buffy spoke to him and they talked about elements. And he remembers two different first meetings with Captain Jack that both were bizarre in different ways - one of those ways involving a full bladder and an empty coconut shell.

It made sense in a way. Everyone went home eventually, especially after being stuck there for a long time. But Buffy and Jack had always seemed different. He'd been so used to seeing them together that he'd forgotten they were from different worlds. It often felt like they were a part of Luceti more than anything. Suddenly, it felt like there was a big hole in Luceti's population. Buffy, Jack, everyone who'd gone home over the past months... He knew it was a good thing. They finally get to go home, and maybe they finally get to rest. But on a self-centered level, Aang can't help but wallow in the pain of missing his friends. And he knows he's not the only one who might feel like this; that they were dear to Katara, too, and she knew them even better than he had. Even beyond that, it felt like a blow to the community of Luceti. The rest of them were still stuck there, after all, and as good as it was for them to be free of this place, the rest of Luceti was now short two experienced veterans who could have helped to guide them through whatever trials were to come, including the only Lucetian who was known to have beaten the General before.

Aang opts to speak. There's just some hurt weighing him down as he asks the important question.]

Are they gonna be happy?

[written]

[strangelyliteral]

[Replying verbally is the last thing she wants to do now. Maybe she can be tricked into it, depending on what's said, but for now she's firmly not speaking. Not when there's that malt to drink anyway. Though she nearly spits at the spoken words. Happy? How the hell should she know that? Though happy where Buffy was concerned? The time for that was likely long past.

But she was alive, even if she shouldn't have been. She had a purpose at home, even if she was drifting here. And she'd be going back to an Anya-free world. Surely she'd have joy in that, if she knew.]

Probably?

I don't know about him. She had things to do. And they won't remember here, will they? No.

[voice]

[savedtheworld]

I guess you're right. Unless one of them has any special memory power I never heard about... I guess they won't remember.

It's good that they're home, and I hope that they're happy there. It's just... sad they won't remember. [He remembers how happy they looked, like a model couple of Luceti. Jack even once ranted to him about marriage and estimated how many numerous children Sokka and Suki would have. But... just like most of the couples he had come to look up to in this place, suddenly they were swallowed up. Gone.

Now they're just strangers who will never know each other.

There's a slight sniffle that's audible from Aang's side.]

That part's still sad.

[written]

[strangelyliteral]

Kind of tragic in it's own way. Most love stories are.

[Voce]

[savedtheworld]

I guess they are, even though I wish they weren't. [At least his and Katara's future sounds happy from what he knows so far. ...Until he remembers that she'll end up outliving him by at least seventeen years.] Did you ever hear the one about the Cave of Two Lovers?

Voice

[bonesandmore]

[He's seen numerous posts about people leaving, but in his short remembered time here, he didn't know any of them. Jack and Buffy though? ...its a hard pill to swallow.]

Damn.

[written]

[strangelyliteral]

[Now this was more what she was expecting, not that she really knows what to say.]

Yeah.

Have a drink in their honor, or something.

Voice

[bonesandmore]

Considerin', that only seems appropriate.

[But there wouldn't be any pretty blond to pour him his favorite drinks without needing direction, or Jack to steal bottles of Romulan Ale for them behind her back, and nobody to stumble drunkenly down the streets with.]

You already take your honoring shot?

[written]

[strangelyliteral]

Several. Could always go for another.

Re: [written]

[bonesandmore]

Seems like I've already fallen behind then. Think I'll go catch up. If you feel like joinin'... [Well, it's pretty obvious where he'll be.]

[Voice]

[knightofratatosk]

Gone? You mean... gone home?

[It's a strange concept to process. Buffy had been here nearly as long as he has, to the point where he honestly can't remember her NOT being in Luceti. He's not sure he can imagine Luceti without her, either.]

[written]

[strangelyliteral]

You got it. No more Buffy to pour drinks, no more pirate to make a nuisance of himself.

[Voice]

[knightofratatosk]

Oh. But... that's a good thing. I mean, she'd been here for such a long time. She deserved a chance to go back home.

[He doesn't sound entirely convinced of that, though.]

[Voice]

[strangelyliteral]

She didn't think she'd get one. Guess she was proved wrong after all.

[Voice]

[knightofratatosk]

Yeah. It's hard to believe that you really can go home when you've been here for such a long time.