and we'll raise a glass to ass in a final goodbye

[airlockedmods]

On behalf of the Empress Kristen of New Earth, you and a guest are cordially invited to attend a party in your honor.
The party will be held on the Thirteenth day in Fourthmonth, 6975, at New Earth's Sexbang Park.
It will be our esteemed privilege to see you again.


The invitations arrived through space and time. Some arrived months ahead, some only weeks. But the victims of Airlocked all receive an invitation marked with the royal seal of New Earth.

The same section of the park has been set aside to provide privacy. There's with every kind of food imaginable, including a food truck that purports to serve Authentic Vegetarian Flavortown Cuisine. The man running it certainly looks like he wouldn't be out of place among the colorful population of Flavortown.

The statue is still there, standing tall and proud over the fountain. The forests have grown even more lush and the gardens even more verdant in the year since you last found yourselves hosted here.

Prince Daniel, now nearly five, is eager to do his princely duty and to greet every newcomer as they arrive. His mother, beautiful as always, follows behind to supervise her son and to make sure that her guests feel at home.

Welcome back to New Earth, Champions. Enjoy your stay.

((Welcome to the one year anniversary log! Here is the OOC post with the rules, but to sum up, this log is for former players of Airlocked to dust off their beloved characters and reunite with old CR. While each character's invitation includes a +1, you're free to NPC this person or to not choose one, if the character you would choose was played by a non-Airlocked player during the endgame log.

In your toplevel, feel free to include as much or as little as you'd like about what your character has been doing over the past year! We ask that you leave all CRAUs from other games at the door, even though we are blown away by just how many of you loved your character development enough to take them with you into other games.))

Comments

episode ardyn spoilers

[burninglight]

(ooc: so hey in light of actual canon let's just pretend ardyn's brother's name was always somnus WORK WITH ME HERE.)

['The fate bestowed upon a man cannot be changed.']

[So had been divine edict, issued and accepted in a time temporarily forgotten. There was no escaping the ending that had been foretold, not even from the very beginning two millennia ago. An entire planet and all who lived upon it made pieces on a chessboard, blood against blood and brother against brother all at the will of a god who couldn't settle his own war.]

[It felt like an eternity ago, even to one who understood 'eternity' better than most. 'I'd be more surprised if you hadn't lost all concept of time', Verstael had said--and madman or not, he'd been right about that. A year or so since the mansion, another since everything had ended, and yet Insomnia seemed so much longer ago. And it all felt...impossible. Lately he almost feared that he'd blink and it would all be gone, another hallucinated delusion amidst hundreds. That his fate truly was inescapable, and all of it for nothing.]

[But it didn't, of course. Every morning early afternoon in the past year he woke up to the same life, the same reality. Ardyn was nothing more remarkable than an intergalactic actor hopping between roles on varying soap operas. Which was more than a bit surreal if he thought about it like that, but what could one do? Ardyn loved the popularity, and more than that his true motivation was to be sure that this time, people remembered his existence. Modern technology certainly did make erasing all records of a person much trickier, after all.]

[Today wasn't the sort of day for such dismal thoughts. In fact Ardyn looked bright and cheerful for the most part, dramatics and charisma out in full force as he greeted just about anyone enthusiastically. (Or avoided them unless they chose to talk to him, in certain well-deserved cases. And also possibly ducking Noctis, because reasons.) Luscinia held her usual perch on his shoulder, but now he was also trailed by a massive black-feathered chocobo who occasionally tried nibbling at his hair.]

[As the day wore on, eventually he'd take up some space off to the side, sitting out in the sunlight with his back to Philomela and writing in a small notebook--occasionally, he might have even been heard humming to himself as he often did.]

['Adagium' faded as the legend and fearful hushed whispers it had been, and someone else had taken its place entirely. No longer the fallen king, prisoner of fate--no longer imprisoned whether by chains or his own rage. He was just a mortal with a family, one that would never dare turn on him even if the very gods deemed it necessary.]

['Ardyn Tenmyouji-Church' was very much alive, liberated from destiny and solitude alike, and he was very much going to stay that way.]

[unrhysonable]

Ardyn!

[ Rhys zeroes in on him immediately, and honestly, they've both never looked better. The yellow and black arm is gone, as well as the blue of his ECHOeye implant. Instead, it's a silver arm, as well as an eye that actually matches closer.

He's also got a pair of angel wings, tattooed on the other side of his neck. But more importantly, he looks happy. He strides over and raises a hand, gently punching him in the arm. ]

Hey, you look great! Man, it's been, like, forever, right?

[deathcured]

[ Noctis, however, is not having that.

It's been a year, and Noctis has had a few visitors. More than a few (including, shockingly enough, a certain Food Network host that had nearly given Noctis a heart attack), but one in particular... hasn't really been around.

He can't really say he doesn't understand, because he does. Likely Ardyn thinks he doesn't have a right. But Noctis isn't about to let Ardyn keep thinking that, and they're here, so...

He approaches Ardyn, drink in hand, an easy smile on his lips. ]

If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were avoiding me.

[repakaged]

My Tallest!

[Kip of course has rocked up, stylish as always in a pastel purple blazer that plays off his green skin and brings out the purple in his big purple eyes.]

I saw you on that episode of Frightening Days in Trolla X8! I almost didn't recognize you in that hard light, until you started your lines.

[cameupshort]

Hey Dad.

[Handshake-to-hug combo? Handshake-to-hug combo.]

You're looking good.

[tenimuho]

I like your birds.

[Oda doesn't know a chocobo from an ostrich, but he knows it's big and pretty, and that's good enough for him.]

How are you?

[daughterofthemark]

[Arianna's spent most of the past year putting off actually going "home" to Caledonia, instead going back and forth between an apartment next to Yuuri and Junpei's and continuing her adventures in High Lagaard, where she and her adventurer friends have in fact killed several dragons. (The icy-looking whip she's carried some of the time, conspicuously absent today, is an acquisition from one of these adventures.) Everyone here probably already knows all this already, because she's also been attempting to visit literally everyone.

Recently, though, she's finally gone back to face the proverbial music. So it's probably no surprise that most people haven't seen much of her for the last month or two--a princess can't disappear mysteriously for nearly a year, under circumstances where the optimistic conclusion is that she ran off with a peasant boy and the realistic conclusion is that she died horribly, without there being consequences.

It took a lot of convincing to get her parents to let her bring the consequences with her, but when Arianna arrives and curtsies politely to Prince Daniel, she carries in her arms the young Princess Phaedra Caledonia. She has her sister's eyes.]

[cameupshort]

Arianna!

[And Finn's going in for a hug, but- baby. He stops.]

You, um. Didn't just find that, right?

[a10tionplz]

[Asking when the Doctor's invitation arrived is actually a pretty tricky question, given his less than solid connection with a linear existence. But at some point, a little blue box at least some of the other Champions are familiar with wheezes itself into reality in a secluded corner of Sexbang Park.]

[When the Doctor emerges he- looks like he might've been busy? Or more likely he's spent some time -relatively, anyway- without consistent company and his sense of fashion has suffered even further. There's a straw hat, and a lei, and sunglasses- it's not a great look, even by his standards.]

Fountain's still the same, I see. You know, I almost actually missed it.

[He seems cheerful enough, but almost too aggressively so? It's probably fine.]

[ratherdoweddings]

I don't think this is that kind of party, but you definitely look festive, Doctor!

[shikosuki]

[ For the majority of people who survived Airlocked, unless they went out of their way to visit him, they haven’t seen Choromatsu all year. His brothers were thoroughly done with space and he had stayed home this whole time with them out of duty and homesickness. But it was hard to resist an invitation from a queen and the chance to see everyone... even if he’s still convinced many of them are better off never seeing him again.

He looks the same way he did back when this whole mess started, like he’s gone completely back to normal. He hasn’t even aged, probably just the effect of his world’s “back to status quo” effects. He’a ditched his familiar green hoodie for the more formal blue suit he and his brothers always wear when they need to dress up. If not for the way he still occasionally holds his forearms or the more wary look in his eyes you wouldn’t be able to tell how NOT back to normal he is... not by looking anyway.

He’s also completely alone.

After indulging the little prince and explaining to the royals that his family couldn’t make it he takes a walk around the park, checking out the greenery and feeling about as awkward as a fish out of water. ]

[repakaged]

Nice fountain, huh?

[Kip asks, giving it a wide berth but also still drawn to the scene it depicts.]

Y'know, it's kind of a bummer I never got to meet them while they were here. They seemed like some pretty cool dudes.

[in4apounding]

Salutations! I've missed you so much!

[That's probably the greeting your getting, if you've ever talked to Penny for any length of time. She- looks exactly the same, because what is aging, though she has dressed up this time around.]

[For those of you who shared a season with her, she's presenting a small gift - simple pendants of very small crystals in varying colors.]

Normally Dust crystals are very volatile, but they need to be in contact with Remnant's atmosphere to combust, so they should be safe? They're encased in glass for extra protection, but- um, maybe leave them behind when you visit, just to be on the safe side. But this way it's like you've got a little piece of Remnant with you even when you're at home, too!

[lmafo]

[ HEYYYYY GURL IT'S UR BFTYKOBIF (best friend that you killed once but it's fine), dressed up... fancy also? I'll figure it out later. ]

Oh hell yeah! Gimme that potentially explodey rock, girl.

[serrata]

[ It's already been a year.

And yet, somehow, it's only been a year. Yuuri still can't quite get her head around it.

There's some things that she's still getting used to – introducing herself to people as Tenmyouji instead of Wakasa, talking about college and not high school. Infrequently (but often enough to have become a bit of a running joke) she refers to Sangen-Jaya instead of Yongen-Jaya and earns herself an odd look or two.

Most of it, though, has come as naturally as breathing. Fussing over getting Ruu to and from school, making time to spend an evening with Kurumi, Yuki, Miki and the others so they can all be sure they're caught up with each other. Coming home to her family and knowing that she – and all of them – are safe and sound. That one was the hardest to make stick. But with a year of blessedly mundane and wonderfully average life at her back, she thinks she's finally managed it.

She's dressed up for the occasion, like she usually does, and still has her hair hanging long and loose, with that braid of hers tied with the usual red ribbon. She seems... different. There's not much of a physical change, save for an inch or two of length to her hair, but something about the way she holds herself is new. Much of that anxious, nervous energy that seemed to be always under the surface is gone and she just seems happy, really and fully relaxed in a way it was very unusual to see in her before. As a shock to no one, not being in mortal peril and having a stable and happy life does wonders for your mental and emotional health. Amazing!

For the most part, when she's not keeping an eye on Ruu out of the corner of her eye, she's making sure to aggressively mingle and catch up with the people she hasn't managed to visit since the last time they all got together. She'd had a wonderful year and she's sure everyone else has too – and she wants to hear all about it. And if you happen to ask Yuuri about her year then – well, apologies, but you're going to have to put up with some gushing. Depending on who you ask about, you might get Twitterpated Wife Rii-san, Embarrassingly Doting Mom Big Sister Rii-san, or Extremely Proud Club President Rii-san and she has a million and one updates to give you. She just loves her family very much and wants everyone to know it!!

Once the day wears on a bit, she steps back a little from the crowds and finds herself a nice shady spot under one of the trees to sit. She's not wallflowering, she just wants to take a few steps back and take it all in – the bustle, the chatter and the general happiness in the air. It's a warm, spring day, all of them are alive and, she'd like to think, all happy.

It's a wonderful thing to be alive, isn't it? ]

[burninglight]

My, I haven't seen you in...

[Sitting nearby with a snoozing chocobo and a notebook, Ardyn frowned in mock thoughtfulness and tapped the pen in his hand against his head.]

Ten minutes? Good heavens, practically forever. How did I get by?

[ardyn...]

Bit tired, princess?

[cyan_maid]

[What a birthday.

What a year.

It's not that it's been terribly exciting - though it has, in a way, been the liveliest and most beautiful span of time Jane has ever existed in so far, and she'd traveled, goodness had she traveled - but it was peaceful. It was hers, and her time was free to give and share. Free to experience.

Although she knows very well that the gathering is going to be at the park again, the one with the ridiculous fountain, she dresses very nicely anyway, feeling more at home in magenta than she had a year ago. She greets everyone with the brightest smile, the warmest hug, and yes, everyone gets a personal tin of cookies, the contents reflecting each person's particular tastes and dietary needs. Never doubt the tenacity of a Crocker. And - and there's just - so much to catch up on, even if it hasn't been that long since she's dropped by to see you. There are new Polaroids of her little herd of Chocobos and of all the shenanigans her funny, teeming adoptive family now get into. There's laughter, there's quips, and the possibility of a pie to the face - her sylladex is still quite functional, after all, don't put it past her to have filled it with tins of whipped cream - and while the underlying sadness and gloom is still there in her, would always be there, it seems...time has begun to fill in the cracks, somewhat. New memories sprout up from them like sunny dandelions and lush clovers in a sidewalk. There are still nightmares and long days, moments of tormented thoughts, but Jane is resilient. They all are. This she knows, and this she believes, and this is something she'll remind you of, should you seem to need it.

She's likely to stick by Xander and/or Lightning, but for the most part? Jane's just happy to see you.]

[burninglight]

Ja~ane!

[uh-oh.]

[A large bird nudged gently at Jane's shoulder, a small bag tied with a magenta ribbon held delicately in her beak and held out in offering.]

Before you say anything, I have a gift for you, darling. I do hope you like it.

[cameupshort]

[WHO WANTS TO SEE FINN'S NEW METAL HAND no, he's still in one piece, by some miracle. He looks- tired, but happy to see everyone. His outfit is pretty simple, but at least manages to avoid looking like someone who's been running and fighting for most of the past year. The Resistance is outnumbered, underfunded, and outgunned, but they've been keeping up the good fight.]

[It's been a lot of guerilla, dark-ops kind of action, hitting and running, trying to wreck the First Order's supply lines, stealing what they can, taking care of the increasing number of kids and war orphans somehow ending up in the Resistance's care. Keeping them off the front lines as long as possible.]

[It's been a long year.]

[A lot of which he'll be trying to avoid, unless you really press him on it. This is a good day, he doesn't want to saddle everyone with the realities of galactic warfare.]

[nojohnyouare]

...Hello. [bow] Are you okay.

[ratherdoweddings]

[Yurika shows up in a cute dress and runs up to anyone she knows, smiling and waving.]

Am I glad to see you! Not that I'm not happy with home, but getting married is stressful enough without trying to keep the war from restarting. I've missed you all so much!

[stitch_in_time]

Hello!

[So now this is happening, sorry not sorry Yurika.]

I've been told we've probably already met.

[nojohnyouare]

[Mai's brought a friend and a Bear-san, and she can be found stuffing her face, playing with any pets who are around, or awkwardly staring.]

...Hello.

[tenimuho]

Hello.

[As talkative as ever.]

Are you two friends?

[helladoptera]

[ Everyone's favorite hipster absolutely puts in an appearance, dressed up for the event like so many others here in a fairly simple dress, but there's a red and black plaid shirt unbuttoned over it. She's so good at dressing up fancy, you guys.

She's taking pictures here and there - there's a very nice polaroid camera around her neck. Come say hi!

Or if you'd rather her approach you, she's definitely doing way more of that than she would have a couple years ago. ]

Hey! Wanna take a selfie?

[deathcured]

[ Hell yes he wants to take a selfie. And look at that, there's a good dog too. The sweetest shibe. Noct grins and pulls Max in for a hug. ]

Only if your dog-sister can join in.

1/2

[stitch_in_time]

[At some point during the festivities, a small blue box that's familiar to at least some of the former Champions grinds and wheezes itself rhythmically into reality, giving a small, clunking thud as it settles into solidity in a secluded corner of Sexbang Park. Again.]

2/2

[stitch_in_time]

[After a moment or two, the door clicks open and a short-haired man in a leather jacket emerges, looking like he's not sure if he should be annoyed, curious, or worried as he carefully locks the TARDIS door behind him.]

Okay, neat trick, gettin' post out to me, love to know how someone managed that.

[He flashes the small envelope containing one of the invitations everyone's received.]

Not sure if it'd be more impressive or not if it was a wrong addressee. Hello, I'm the Doctor.

[tenimuho]

[Oda is here. The kids are at home being babysat - Oda's learned how to let them out of his sight for an hour without having a heart attack.

He has a couple copies of... huh, is that a book with his name on it? He still can't assume that anyone actually wants one of his books, but if they did, he would be happy to give them one.]

It's been a while.

[in4apounding]

Salutations, Mister Oda!

[Implying she hasn't been in near constant contact with Zombina anyway.]

[tokenflavortownie]

[It's really been an entire year. My, how time flies.

And yet so much has happened it already feels like a lifetime. Pyrrha Nikos didn't return to Remnant at first, as she found herself sunk into a life of Space Politics for several months, which she took the position of ambassador to Flavortown. Her return to Remnant had to wait, but when she did manage to return, there were hugs and tears all around, with an awkward conversation or two, or five.

There's no easy way to explain how you went off to your death but ended up in space prison instead.

Throughout it all, she missed her friends, her new family. Of course Pyrrha isn't going to turn down an invitation like this! She's here, lasersword-free for once. And casually dressed. Hair's still short, that isn't going away anytime soon.]

Hey! It's so wonderful to see you again!

[She'll say this to anyone she meets, regardless of when you last saw her. And you're getting a hug from the Invincible Girl, one that may or may not lift you off the ground.

Just accept that she's happy to see you.]

[ratherdoweddings]

Pyrrha-chan! I've missed you! You've been working really hard, haven't you?

[motherfucking_ghost]

[beep beep shawna's stupid gang incoming]

[Church of course arrived with Ardyn, spends a fair bit of time by him, but they're both social creatures and perfectly functional adults. Occasionally, out of the blue, he is accosted by a black chocobo. Pay no mind; this is perfectly normal.

Not much has changed visually. No new tattoos, same casual with notes of blue style, same jewelry, same hair. Mostly he just looks more content, if more tired. More grey in his scruff and at his temples. Maybe you've somehow come across his youtube account where he's started putting up some meager videos, mostly some attempts at let's plays.

He's not single but always ready to mingle!!!]

[burninglight]

[In the middle of writing whatever it was he was doing in that notebook, Ardyn tilted slightly to the side annnnd bonk, leaned up right against Church's shoulder.]

Hello, darling.

[damnfourthemerald]

[The nice thing about being able to just go is that he doesn't have to rely on the Doctor for all the travel. It's nice, don't get him wrong, and weird in all the best ways, but it's also nice to be able to take a break.

Which is not something he ever thought he'd catch himself thinking.

Shadow is as furry and unaging as ever, and while he tends to stick close by Thomasin, he's not as clingy and desperate as he once might have been. He can show off his speed if you want, unhindered by any stupid limitations in place. But mostly he's going to be chill. Alert, definitely, but chill.]

[playthedamncard]

[WHO THE FUCK IS FLYING A JET SO LOW oh it's in the shape of a big ol' dragon? Then you know exactly the fuck who is flying a jet so low as to be able to leap out of the cockpit, make a three point landing, and then remotely park the jet outside the garden. It's scalie mcfucksdragons, that's who, being a dramamonger as always. (He could say it's for his boyfriend but that's a lie, he would've done it anyway.)

Kaiba's looking dashing and dapper and obscenely rich as ever, hair having grown out even longer and clipped into place with a long, ornate dragon clip. Of course. His attire this time around is much more white-themed (perhaps as opposed to Akira's typical black?), with accents of blue. Gee, wonder where he got that color combo from. It's a mystery.]

[sayurisays]

[Oh, look, someone else who's blue, has way too much money, and probably also goes to way too many social obligations they hate but this time there are friends here. Sayuri puts on a practised smile to approach and stand about a metre away, bowing slightly.]

That was an impressive entrance. Sayuri doesn't suppose you do that all the time?

[brokencode]

[A year ago, the sights and sounds of the festivities had almost overwhelmed Angel. They'd given her time to recover, given them all time tor recover, but after a decade spent in solitude, and nearly a year spent dead, Angel could barely stomach the assault on her senses.

Things are different, now. After spending a year in a bustling city, settling down with a slightly over-dramatic man and a robot with boundless energy, parties like these aren't as overwhelming. Her wedding to Rhys, of course, had provided plenty of practice.

Clad in a knee-length sundress, it's easy to see that her time on Earth had done her body just as much good as it had her mind. The ghostly pale pallor that she'd maintained for most of their captivity had given way to a glowing complexion. Moreover, the bruise-like smudges beneath her skin that had marked where the eridium had stained her from the inside out had finally begun to fade.

Nevertheless, a year was hardly enough time to clear the ghosts from her mind. She still has nightmares, still wakes sometimes feeling like needles are pressing into her limbs, like her veins are filled with purple sludge. In other dreams, she's trapped, sometimes in a mansion, sometimes in a sprawling town. In those dreams, she knows she's only seconds away from dying. The faces always change, but one thing remains the same.

It's always one of her friends.

She does her best not to think about those dreams now, though. Instead, she flits about the party, visiting with those she'd come to call not just friends, but family. Sometimes, she keeps Rhys close by her side, hands intertwined with one another. Other times, she prances away from him, chasing after distant friends and exploring whatever sights she can.

Occasionally, though, the weight of their shared experiences catches up with her. It's during those times that she excuses herself to the edges of the party. Sometimes she sheds a few tears. Other times she simply stares up at the sky and tries to will both her heart and mind to stop racing.]

[burninglight]

Is that-... Angel, is that you?

[Ardyn was looking better himself; an entire year older, which was in itself a stunning change for him. His hair was just the same mess as ever, but longer and in a thick braid tied with a blue ribbon.]

My, you look spectacular, I'd almost not even recognized you.

[neverheardofhim]

[Not far from the food and food trucks there sits two tables. The first is piled high with books, all sporting the same cover and all signed in a fanciful script. The words "Murder for the Masses" are laid over a backdrop of towering prison walls. By the looks of it, there are more than enough copies to hand out to those involved with the events that finally came to an end one year ago.]

Kirkwall's new best seller. [A man short in stature and large in charisma says to anyone that passes. He wears a familiar, unbuttoned shirt -- one that gives way to an absolutely stunning chest, or so he likes to think.] Figured plenty of horrible prisons in Thedas, and just as many madmen who'd think it fun to lock folks up and watch them kill each other for fun.

[Some of Varric Tethras's best works had been based off his life. This one was no exception.

When he isn't trying to peddle his newest creation, though, Varric can be found at the other table. Two casks of liquor sit on either end ("Dragon piss" is what Varric calls it), and a deck of playing cards sits in the middle. He hands out drinks, clinks his mug against anyone who will accept, and mutters toasts to good health and 'freedom from anymore bullshit.'

He never stops smiling. Regardless of how he feels, of how wary he'd grown over the course of their hellish journey, he knows what the people at this party need. It certainly isn't a grumbling, grimacing dwarf.]

[tuskenlancer]

[ He may be smiling at everyone he meets, but CT can see right through the facade. She knows how he feels about being back here, reliving the memories. Being back in Thedas might have given him enough distance to write a book about it and laugh over drinks and cards with his friends, but to the person who'd been at his side ever since they'd both been brought back to life? The person who'd helped him work through it all, just as he'd helped her?

He's so clearly tense and uncomfortable, he might as well be screaming.

She watches him for a moment from across the room, her brow furrowed in thought as he hands a book over with a would-be easy grin. As soon as the new reader turns away, though, CT acts, moving across the room and sliding in beside Varric to twine her fingers in his.

It's his left hand, and even now, weeks later, she has to stop for a moment, rubbing her thumb against the thick gold band around his finger in quiet wonder. Sometimes, she still can't believe it really happened. That she really got this lucky, despite it all. ]

Hey.

[ She speaks quietly, glancing down at him, the worry still sligtly creasing her forehead. ]

Are you okay?

[theundertaken]

[One year later.

It simultaneously seems like it's been years, and no time at all. Max lingers around the edges of the party; he'd chosen to come here, but it's still a little overwhelming to be around all these people at once. Maybe it's just always going to be. He looks a little more put-together these days. His beard's trimmed, and though his hair is still long, it's tied back out of his face.

There's a ghostly Pokemon hovering around near him. Though it's obviously interested in the proceedings, it never gets too far away.]

[nojohnyouare]

[Bear-san wanders up and starts to... are those short bursts of vacuuming him trying to sniff in the direction of Max's Shuppet? Mai bows and approaches as well.]

...Hello.