Nexus. Machiya in the Fun Park and The Mall. Family Reunions and Cupcakes

[dens_extra_pups]

Gawl: *home alone after Kouji and Ryo went into the mall to get things for the machiya and Masami went with a woman in DnD clothes to get a lamp that the woman said they could have* *bought something that looks FUN from a passing peddler, and now he's in the little backyard busily hooking up the tube that his string of water balloons is on and using the hand pump to turn on the water* *watches with glee as the balloons fill up one by one till they look like a string of plump little round sausages, and then pulls them off the hose and has a drink and a face wash before turning off the water* *this done, he creeps over and listens to the voices from the yard next door. A man and a woman seem to be talking about how you can't run over clean tea towels after they've been set on the lawn to dry. Decides that they need something better to talk about and starts a concentrated mortar attack by pulling balloons off the string and flinging them over the wall*

woman: *SHRIEK*

man: What the?! *gonna scale the wall and yell at the neighbor*

Gawl: *cackles insanely and hits the guy right in the face with the next balloon!*

man: *startled squawk that might sound familiar*

woman: Ack! Genji! are you okay?

Gawl: *flings a couple empty strings of balloons over, and then peeks himself. He already knows who this is, because Kanae told his family while showing them the way here* Wow, I hadn't realized getting old would make me so LAME! *cackle*

Chiharu: *MURDER in her eyes as she runs into the house*

Genji: *water dripping from the end of his ponytail, and off of his clothes and face* *challenging look in his eyes* I'll show you old! *scaling the wall again with the intent of getting Gawl in a headlock*

Gawl: *aims for the face again!*

Genji: *gonna try and catch the balloon and give it back!*

Gawl: *catches it and throws it back, laughing heartily*

Genji: *notcuss*

Chiharu: *back with the bucket of balloons she was planning on using on Kanae*

Gawl: HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DON'T THROW A GIRL AT ME, YOU JERK!

Chiharu: *pelting Gawl with balloons now!*

Genji: *going for the roof. Aerial assault time will happen shortly*

Gawl: *flees toward the bath house, cackling all the way as his string of balloons slosh around his neck* AHHHHH! SHE'S GONNA EEEEAAAAT MEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Chiharu: GET BACK HERE, GAWL KUDO!!!!

Gawl: *into the bathhouse, and then shoes first into the ofuro* MY OWN PRIVATE BATH! YESSSSSSS!!!!!

Chiharu: That's cheating!!!!

Gawl: *does a Killroy over the side of the old fashioned bath*

Chiharu: ...You are such a doofus. *amused*

Gawl: *wiggles his eyebrows*

Genji: *silent as he approaches. Climbed down from the roof without a sound, and will now burst into the bathhouse behind Chiharu* NO PEEING IN THE OFURO!

Gawl: *screams like a girl and submerges, but then comes boiling out in full roar* I DIDN'T, YOU CRAZY JERK!

Chiharu: *QUAILCHICK*

Genji: *throws one of the water balloons he nabbed from the bucket right at Gawl's face, and RUNS*

Gawl: *happy bellow and follows* Come back here, Grandpa!


elsewhere


Masami: *follows the tall, quiet woman through a cave entrance and down a sandy bottomed cut, then into a round cave with a fine sand floor. Looks around and sees an old car seat, and behind it a box with some straw and animal skins in it* *hands on hips with indignation on the tall woman's behalf* You've got to be kidding. There are so many gorgeous houses around, and you're stuck in this dump??

Mirden: *blinks and gives Masami a puzzled look as she sets her basket of groceries on the Caddy seat* It's comfortable. And besides, I'm a Worgen. *won't mention what else she is, or what she was*

Masami: *blank look of confusion* Worgen? What's that got to do with anything. And how is this comfortable? It's too dark to even see anything.

Uther: *looks in and makes a curious sound*

Mirden: *chuckles* I could show you, but it'd be difficult for you to see. Let's just leave it at the fact that I can see in light levels that are lower than a human's ability, and my boyfriend and his brother and sister-in-law don't need a lot of light either. *moves to greet Uther*

Uther: *wuffle wuvvle* Who's dis, Mama?

Mirden: This is Masami. She is from Genji's reality of origin.

Uther: *happy squee* Why Masami come?

Mirden: She came to get that lantern that I felt was too bright for in here.

Uther: Ohhhh. The yucky light. *looks around* Ufer get?

Mirden: Please.

Masami: *watches the funny little horse-like thing trot out of the room, and then looks up at her hostess* Seriously. Why a cave?

Mirden: It's a lot nicer than what I was used to before.

Masami: *eyes bug out* Still. Why not have a place with a real floor? And running water? Electricity?

Mirden: Electricity would feel uncomfortable. As would a floor that separates me from the natural world. As for running water, there's a stream nearby that works just fine.

Masami: *looks at Mirden like she's insane, and then gives a squeal of shock that's followed by a roar of outrage as something bumps into her rear* That's my BUTT! *whirls, and looks down at a confused Uther with a Coleman battery lantern held by the handle in his mouth* Oh. Thanks.

Mirden: *soft snerk*

Masami: I'm supposed to take that?

Uther: *nods and nickers*

Masami: *takes the lantern. Turns the knob*

Uther: *hides his eyes with a wing*

Mirden: *hand up to block the too-bright (to her) light*

Uther: Too much light.

Masami: Huh? *looks down at him*

Mirden: It's too bright for this place, but it should work well in your home.

Masami: *hastily turns off the lantern, and then blinks in what seems like total darkness to her* Well... thank you. I'd better get home and make sure those three idiots don't burn the place down or something.

Mirden: They haven't. Kouji and Ryo went to get things for your house, and Gawl, Genji, and Chiharu are having a water balloon war.

Masami: *blinks* I'll kill Gawl if he makes a mess. Wait. ...How do you know what he's doing?

Mirden: As I said, I'm not human.

Masami: *gives her an uncertain look* So you're psychic?

Mirden: Not exactly. I just hear more things than humans, including what the Greatest Creator says.

Masami: *shifty side glance as she wonders how to get away from the creepy religious weirdo* Ohhh kay...

Mirden: *as she moves to give Uther scritchies* I'm not religious. I'm just a messenger.

Masami: *suddenly bustling* Sure. But I'd better get home. Thanks for the lamp. Let me know if you ever want it back. *fiddles with her PINpoint and presses the button to go to the coordinates that Kanae gave her*

Mirden: *soft chuckle as Masami vanishes*


back at the machiya


Ryo: *smile on his face, and his hand on the head of a lion size black and gold cat* Sirius needs somewhere to stay. I said he could bunk with us.

Sirius: *gleaming black, with golden markings around his neck and ankles, and also a fine gold edging around his shy golden eyes. His fur is very short, very soft, and tightly curly, and his expression is quiet and interested*

Masami: ... Is he a lion? *raised brow*

Ryo: He's an LOLcat.

Sirius: *nod nod*

Ryo: *looks at Kouji* *slightly surprised look* You look kinda frizzy.

Kouji: Some of the electronic components had static. *is also looking at you like you've grown a second head, Ryo*

Sirius: *steps forward, knocks Kouji over, and then starts to lick his hair neatly back into place*

Ryo: *hand behind his head. Embarrassed look* Yeah. That's how we met.

Masami: ...

Kouji: *boggling*

Gawl: *goes running past, being pelted by water balloons courtesy of Chiharu*

Ryo: *catches a glimpse of something going past the open front window* Wow, what was that?

Gawl: NO SURRENDER! Bahahahaha!

Ryo: *relaxes* Oh. There he is. *turns back to the others*

Chiharu: YOU HAVE TO SURRENDER SOMETIME!!!

Masami: Okay, so the creepy religious lady was right about that.

Ryo: What creepy religious lady? *goes to help Kouji up as Sirius quietly mutters that he's done fixin'*

Masami: That redheaded lady who was carrying groceries earlier, and said she had a lamp we could use.

Ryo: Oh. I didn't see her. Did she really have a lamp? *looks at the silent Kouji to see if Sirius broke him or something*

Kouji: *giving Masami a "..." look now*

Masami: Oh, yeah. *holds up the lantern* She said it was too bright. I think she's nuts.

Ryo: *gently* You think everyone's nuts.

Masami: The woman lives in a cave, Ryo.

Ryo: A cave?

Masami: It was a sand floor out in the sticks.

Ryo: Oh. *glances toward the earthen kitchen floor* Ours is just beaten down clay.

Masami: *sigh* Don't remind me.

Gawl: *yelp* Hey! Climbing up on the roof's cheating, Genji!!!

Sirius: *sudden chuckle, and then leaps out through the shop window, easily clearing the counter. The next thing to be heard is him scrabbling onto the roof*

Ryo: It's not that bad. Right, Kouji?

Kouji: It could always be worse.

Ryo: Yeah. Like the red-haired lady's cave. *looks around* When's dinner? *doesn't even blink at the yell of mock terror from Genji*

Masami: That pamphlet Kanae gave us mentioned some place called "The Black Dog" and the diner we were in earlier as safe to eat at...

Ryo: Oh. You're not going to cook? *no reaction to the sounds of water balloon battle from above*

Masami: Not tonight... Today's just been too weird.

Ryo: *slight droop* Oh.

Genji: *falls past the window and lands with a sodden SPLAT*

Masami: ... *hurries out to make sure Genji's not hurt*

Genji: *laughed himself off the roof. Is soaking wet and wheezing, but unharmed other than a few bruises* Oh man. I haven't had so much fun since I got here! *wheeze!*

Masami: ... Is everyone around me insane?!

Genji: *opens his eyes and grins at her, then curls up in another laughing fit as a rumble from his belly is echoed from above* Ahahahaha! I better start dinner.

Masami: ... *brain-broken expression is a go*

Sirius: *looks over the edge of the roof, and then jumps down. Lands neatly beside Masami, not bumping her at all, though his soft fur brushes against her hand*

Genji: *pulls himself up and heads for the door* You want to give me a hand, Masami? We can make enough for both our families.

Masami: ... Might as well.

Genji: Okay. *pauses on the doorstep* Hey, Gawl!

Gawl: What? *moving to climb down*

Genji: Do you want to go into the mall and get a cake? You guys are just moving in, so maybe we should have a party.

Gawl: *perk* Yeah!

Masami: *sniff* He'll eat any cake he sees.

Gawl: It's called having taste, Masami.

Masami: Do you actually taste anything before it goes down your maw?

Ryo: *sigh* There they go again.

Sirius: *quiet mutter as he looks down bashfully* Loud...

Kouji: *quietly* You'll get used to her.

Sirius: *doubtful look but only scratches his cheek on Ryo's hand*

Genji: *back out and offers Gawl enough money for a nice cake and something for his belly too*

Kouji: *to Sirius* Why don't you go with Gawl, and keep him out of trouble?

Sirius: *nods and pads over to look up at Gawl* *soft, sheepish mutter* Kitteh go wif U.

Gawl: *blink blink, nod* Cool. Let's go. *grin*

Sirius: *bright look from those shy eyes, which sparkle again as he remembers the fun he just had on the roof with this new friend* *pads ahead of Gawl, and then stops and looks over his shoulder to wait for the boy*

Gawl: *following at a leisurely pace*

Sirius: *sudden scoot back and bites Gawl on the butt, then runs as fast as he can for the entrance that leads between the fun park and the mall. His short soft fur would be poofed if it could!*

Gawl: *yelp! Gives chase!*

Sirius: *enjoys a wonderful game of tag! Hides and leaps out at Gawl, and yowls appreciative terror as Gawl returns the favour*

Gawl: *laughing and having fun as he and Sirius play*

Sirius: *springs out at him again! Paws spread out fiercely!* Rower!

Gawl: Grr! *laughs and tries to get the LOLcat in a playful headlock*

Sirius: *paws at the arms headlocking him and squirms and pretends he wants to bite. But then he stops and looks at the sign nearby* Oh. Caek shop there!

Gawl: *looks up, letting Sirius go* Let's get that cake, then.

Sirius: *rolls to his feet, and then pauses* *soft awe* Ohhhh. Cuppycaek shop there 2!

Gawl: ... Which one should we go into? *likes both ideas*

Sirius: *whispers* Cuppycaek shop majjik! Not always there.

Gawl: ... That settles it then! To the cupcake shop!

Sirius: *pads beside him toward the neat little shop with the window full of flowering plants that frame a picture of beautifully decorated cupcakes*

Gawl: *stops to admire the plants, feeling a bit sad as he remembers someone dear to him*

Sirius: *stops just inside the little shop to look at the big fish tank in the wall and the three red goldfish that are busy pushing gravel around on the bottom*

Gawl: *will enter the shop, mind full of memories*

woman: *stands up from checking something behind the display counter. Is slender, middle aged, with pink hair pulled back in a simple roll, and a pretty apron over a long skirt and a soft top* *softly* Welcome to the Cupcake Shop, may I ... *gasp* Gawl?

Gawl: *startles* *staring now* *quietly* Natsume?

Natsume: *quick consultation of her PINpoint, and then she's fumbling with the gate in the counter and trying to get it up. Nearly mashes her fingers in the attempt*

Gawl: *hurrying forward* *will catch the gate and keep it from falling on Natsume's fingers*

Natsume: *shoves at the gate again till it's out of her way, and then she's in his arms, regardless of his soggy state, and crying nearly hysterically*

Sirius: *scared kitteh! Ears are flat and eyes are wide as he crouches and watches*

Gawl: *shoulders shaking as he hugs Natsume tightly*

Natsume: *cries for a long time and wears herself out pretty well, but finally draws in a deep breath and pushes away* *quietly* You're wet...

Gawl: *quietly* I got into a water balloon fight...

Natsume: *little laugh, and then she puts her hands to her face and cries a little more*

Gawl: *soft ack, hug, comfort*

Natsume: I'm alright. I'm... I'm alright. *looks up at him wistfully* The others? Ryo? Kouji?

Gawl: They're back at the machiya, with Masami, Genji, and Chiharu.

Natsume: *shock and dismay* Masami too? Ah... I don't know who those others are.

Sirius: *quiet approval to the fishies* Soft voice.

Gawl: Genji's me. He got thrown back through that time tunnel thing... Chiharu's his adopted kid. And yeah, Masami's there, too. *blinks* Oh! And we've got another family member we just added today. *will look over his shoulder* Sirius, come say hello to Natsume.

Sirius: *peeks uncertainly, not sure he won't get in the way*

Natsume: *recognizes another shy soul and holds out one hand* *softly* I'd really like to meet you, Sirius.

Sirius: *turns away from the fish and pads over to gently rub the top of his head against her hand*

Natsume: Ohhh. You're so soft.

Gawl: *pleased that the meeting is going so well*

Sirius: *bashfully* Soft ladeh... *shuts his eyes and pets Natsume's hand with his cheek*

Natsume: *smiles, and then looks back to Gawl* I never thought I'd see any of you again. It's been such a long time.

Gawl: *confused by that* But it's only been a few weeks...

Natsume: *shakes her head slightly, looking down at Sirius* I've been here for twenty years, Gawl.

Gawl: ... *boggling*

Sirius: *peeks* Kitteh 'n Gawlpeep need caek.

Gawl: *blink blink* Oh, that's right. Genji sent me to get cake...

Natsume: *soft laugh* I have three flavours of cupcakes today. You can have all of them.

Gawl: *will get out the money Genji gave him and offer it to Natsume*

Natsume: *shakes her head and puts her hands behind her back* No. I'll get the cakes. I have green tea, red bean, and peach cream.

Sirius: *worried look for Gawl*

Gawl: But, Natsume... *confused*

Natsume: *looks up from putting beautifully decorated cupcakes into a box and smiles a quiet, sweet, bright smile* You don't charge family.

Gawl: *small nod* Right...

Sirius: *watches the filling of box after box with the little cakes* *softly* Mama come to parteh 2?

Gawl: *perk* Yeah, we're having a housewarming party, do you want to come?

Natsume: *again that smile, made brighter by tears and the love shining past it* I'd love to.

Gawl: We can walk there, it's not too far. We're living in a machiya by the fun park. *grin*

Natsume: *wonderingly, as she sets the last cupcake into the little holder in the box* Fun park?

Gawl: *nod* It's a really big amusement park inside the mall.

Natsume: *as she closes the box* Oh! I didn't know.

Gawl: We didn't realize it until someone told us... *slight shrug*

Natsume: *bit of a smile as she pushes the cake boxes toward him* But you haven't been in the nexus very long. Do you think you can carry these?

Gawl: *as he reaches for the cake boxes* We've been here long enough to go to a Rock 'n Ride... And long enough to meet the lady who runs the blanket factory.

Natsume: *little embarrassed laugh as she takes off her apron and comes out from behind the counter* I didn't know there was a blanket factory either.

Gawl: We only found out about it last week. The lady who runs it, Den, is nice. Kinda on the crazy side, but nice.

Natsume: *thoughtfully, as she walks beside him to the door* I haven't left my shop since it opened. This will be the first time.

Gawl: How long ago was that? *curious*

Natsume: *ducks her head* *softly* Twenty years.

Gawl: ... Well, you can always come visit us now. *grin*

Natsume: *little smile* Yes. *watches Sirius pad along on her other side for a moment*

Gawl: *will tell Natsume all about what he and the others got up to after the time rip happened*

Natsume: *listens intently till they pass through the big doorway and into the cheerful music and laughter of the fun park. Then she's distracted and amazed*

Gawl: *explaining about some of the rides now*

Natsume: *squeaks as she sees a tall figure coming to meet them*

Kouji: *got worried when Gawl and Sirius didn't come back in a timely manner and came looking for them*

Natsume: *quietly, one hand raised uncertainly as she consults old memories* ...Kouji?

Kouji: *surprised expression is a go* Yes?

Natsume: *tries to speak, but can only cry*

Sirius: *worry worry. Looks up at her, and then looks at Kouji. Pleading glance for Gawl*

Gawl: *one armed hug for Natsume* *quietly, to Kouji* We found Natsume.

Kouji: *so surprised, and then he's moving to hug the pink haired woman as well*

Natsume: Oh, be careful of the cakes. *but she's hugging Kouji and trying hard not to cry anymore*

Kouji: Cakes?

Gawl: Yeah. I went to get cake, remember?

Kouji: *as he takes the stack of boxes* I thought you'd come back with a single cake, Gawl.

Natsume: *softly* But you see, Kouji. I make cupcakes. *looks up at him and gives that little smile*

Sirius: *silent nod nod*

Kouji: ... I'm not sure how long those will last, given who will be at the party.

Gawl: *THRRPT*

Natsume: But a large cake wouldn't have lasted long either.

Kouji: ... *small nod after he thinks about this for a moment* True.

Natsume: *looks around again with quiet wonder at the rides and people* So there are machiya here.

Kouji: *nods* Yes. Genji's family lives next door to us in one of the machiya.

Natsume: ^_^ I think we have enough cakes for two Gawls.

Sirius: *playfully headbutts Gawl in the butt for trying to sit on him*

Gawl: Awk! Why you! *laughing and moving to gently roughhouse with Sirius now*

Sirius: *even shy kittehs love to play. And nom hair. Which he does after Gawl falls down*

Gawl: *laughing and playing happily*

Kouji: *very slight smile as he watches*

Natsume: *watches the hair nomming, and then the hair fixing that follows* I don't think I've ever seen Gawl look so tidy.

Kouji: *very soft snort, hand over mouth*

Gawl: What are you talking about, Natsume? I always look good. *grin*

Sirius: *sits on Gawl's butt and looks from Kouji to Natsume, his soft golden eyes quizzical*

Kouji: We should head back... Before they send a search party. *so much amusement in his eyes*

Sirius: *quick glance over his shoulder toward home, and then bounds away and disappears among the trees and people*

Natsume: *softly* How did you get an LOLcat, Kouji?

Kouji: Ryo met a woman named Kae Yau near the beginning of our time here in the Nexus. She sent Sirius, who knocked Ryo down, nommed his hair, and gave him the letter Kae Yau had sent with him.

Natsume: *slight nod* I know Kae Yau. She likes my pepperoni cupcakes.

Gawl: *picking himself up off the ground* What's she like?

Natsume: *hides slightly* She's nice. Very kind.

Gawl: Cool. *grins and dusts himself off*

Kouji: Let's get going. *moving to stand a bit closer to Natsume, protecting her*

Natsume: *takes his arm* Yes. I can't wait to meet everyone.

Gawl: *will lead the way after getting the cake boxes back*

Kouji: *contentedly looking forward to a quiet afternoon and evening with everyone who's dear to him as he follows Gawl and leads Natsume home*

((Written with random_xtras))