#Cats celebrated his return but he was lost and confused in the new atmosphere and ended up in river clan where he met sokka and katara

[goodbye432]

I think it would be really interesting to see the mentor relationships, especially seeing Iroh and Zuko and what their exile would look like in a smaller world like warrior cats. I think the idea of it being Ayla at the same time works too bc there are star clan prophecies and it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to make aang the center of one after shadowclan tries to start expanding too far and fighting

@goodbye432 Idea and I was wondering what you'd think.

What if I turned this au into an art series? We could take a look at the relationships between the Gaang and their clan mentors or if we switch it up to where it's warrior cats , but ATLA and I can show what the main cast of that would be.

[thecocopowder]

Up We Go

It's too loud in this bar.

People and copious amounts of alcohol consumed did not make for a great recipe. The Rangers vs Islanders game is on television, still going and neck deep into its beautiful violence. A handful of Long Island fans cheer as Lundqvist lets another goal pass him, he's really slowed down or he could be stunned by Barzal's beauty - like who knows these things?

The battle for the Hudson is nigh...

...and Kageyama Tobio does not give a shit.

*

He waits by the bar and exhales loudly as he watches Akiteru talking to some of his teammates from NYU. Tsukishima is headed his way with a couple of beers in his hands. They agreed to go on this trip for varying reasons - Tsukishima, though inept with expressing his feelings obviously wanted to see his brother, while Kageyama's scouting for places to play for a sports exchange program that he qualifies for.

Tobio'd heard that NYU's team is giving Columbia a run for their money this season. And since Akiteru's playing for NYU and put out an open invite for him and Tsukishima to join one of their practice games - he thought it would be best to check the team's strength from that vantage point.

"You ok, King?" Tsukishima asks while setting a Stella Artois in front of Kageyama. This he finds rather offensive so he gives the blonde a withering look. "Really, Tsukishima?"

"Relax, King. We got a ways to go. The night is young. My brother said that after the game we're going to late dinner. Shawarma, like the Avengers." His words drip with sarcasm but the smile on his face is amused. Tsukishima is a study in contrasts. Tobio is fine with this and he takes a swig and makes peace with Stella.

"Do you like the City?" Surprisingly it is Tobio that speaks this time around and he sets the bottle down to look at his friend. Tsukishima pauses to think about his answer, the mouth of the bottle rests against his lower lip. He ponders before forgoing words and simply shrugs his shoulders.

Tobio understands this - it's a big bustling, electrifying place - but like Tokyo it also has a lot of dark corners and a fat underbelly. He guesses that they've grown up and after living in Tokyo for years, they've learned the business of big city life.

"But I'm really glad you agreed to take this trip." Tsukishima says.

"It's beneficial for my game." Tobio agrees.

*

It's been a hard year.

Tobio doesn't like to dwell on that, doesn't like the idea that there are things that matter that he can't control. The past year wasn't kind to say the least. He could only remember a few good days. All the other days he wants to forget. Because there were times when he felt like he was a blade of ice. That nothing and no one could touch him, simply because they all ended up getting hurt. He tightens his hold on his beer bottle and resists the urge to throw it across the room.

"You doing ok, King?" Tsukishima asks for abouth the Nth time that night.

"Yeah. Just a little overwhelmed by the noise."

"Hockey is a big deal here. And it's the play-offs. Not to mention that the two teams " Tsukishima gestures to the tv " are arch-rivals for pride and territory, New Yorkers take that kind of thing seriously."

Tobio looks on and slowly nods as if to say - who doesn't?

Akiteru calls out to his brother and Tsukishima excuses himself and Tobio is once again left by his lonesome. He pulls out his phone, like a normal Millennial and browses through his apps and accidentally taps on his voice mail. The archives appear on his phone and there's a drop down with more than a dozen messages for him. He's named this folder - Mom.

Tobio closes the app and switches to Instagram to zone out for some mindless entertainment.

Everyone around him yells in celebration.

The Hudson is safe.

The Rangers win.

*

Tobio wakes up to sunlight pouring through a great window facing the water. It dawns on him that waking up somewhere in Brooklyn is the same as waking up anywhere else. His mood is dialed on the wrong channel yet again and he feels like sinking back once more under his sheets. He wants to go back to sleep and not have to deal with the world for a few hours. But the smell of coffee and the quiet chatter nearby piques at his senses and he slowly sits up.

He sees the Tsukishima siblings at the table, eating their breakfast while talking quietly among themselves. It's Akiteru that notices him first.

"Oh, Tobio did we wake you? Sorry about that."

"No. I was awake and it's...I'm good." He pulls himself together and stands to fix the sofa bed he slept on.

Akiteru's apartment is big by Brooklyn standards but having three grown men, standing over six feet each - made for a tight fit. But they make do. He joins the brothers after he brushes his teeth and is pleased to find out that Special K Red Berries is a good enough breakfast. They linger and enjoy their coffee - ample yet comfortable silence follows.

"Uhm, I was thinking that after practice today we can go to La Palapa in Bowery for dinner." Akiteru says "There's a small community of Japanese Students here, we keep in contact, some of us closer than others. I told some of them that you guys were in town so they want to meet up."

Akiteru looks a little worried as he looks at his brother then at Tobio. Like part of him wants them to agree and the other part of him is guilty for not asking them about it first.

"King?" Tsukishima says and his tone implies that is Tobio is in, then he is too. In all honesty, Tobio just wanted Volleyball out of this trip. That's it. He doesn't want affinity, celebration. All he wants is to get lost in stone cold purpose because in the end, it's all he has. How could he go back to anything else when the one person he was working so hard for is gone?

But he's also not a heathen, he's been extended kindness and generosity by the Tsukishimas and the least he can do is be a functioning house guest. He looks at them and gives an affirmative "Yeah, I'll go."

*

Tobio did not expect the day to turn out like this - to be surrounded by NYU players and complimented for his skills. He did play a good game and blended well with the team. He feels that he should consider this when it's time to decide which team to join for the exchange program.

Tsukishima is in the stands with a couple of other spectators, opting not to join practice and be truly JUST a tourist on this trip. Tobio surmises that he's also busy on his phone nurturing a budding relationship from afar.

Akiteru approaches Tobio.

"That was a great game. I hope you decide to join us when the time comes."

"Thank you. I will definitely consider it." Tobio answers quietly. "We should get ready and make our way to Bowery soon. That's where they'll meet us."

*

La Palapa is a famous Mexican restaurant at Saint Marks Street at the Bowery district of Manhattan. It's a bustling place with a lively atmosphere. Tobio looks around and spots a group of mostly-Japanese men and guesses that it's their table. Akiteru leads them and initiates the greetings. Some faces are familiar to Tobio but an introduction always helps. Most of them are volleyball players after all. They play for different schools/teams but most have their roots in the Japanese high school volleyball circuit, which is how they know of Tobio Kageyama and Tsukishima Kei.

He's not good with names but he tries to be cordial to everyone.

"Oh, no need to introduce me. He knows me."

Tobio looks up, even Tsukishima looks from where he's standing and zeros in on the familiar voice. Tobio stands his ground as he looks over five people, straight at a smiling Oikawa Tooru.

Now, they weren't friends or anything of that sort but Tobio's always treated Oikawa with reverence. An elevated sense of respect from a protege to his mentor. Granted that their history has always been contentious at best, from Tobio's point of view, Oikawa is a standard he wants to live by. A current that helps him navigate an otherwise confusing world. So at that moment he felt calmer, a little bit more focused.

Tobio feels a little bit happier.

"Tobio-chan, how are you?" Oikawa stands and meets him half-way. They shake hands and the younger man feels himself smile. "It's nice to see you, Oikawa-san."

They make their way to where Oikawa is seated and proceed to catch up.

*

It turns out that Oikawa is in New York for a year because of school - he has to finish a program before he returns to the West Coast to finish his degree. He is a consultant for his college team but not an active member. And he also plays with NYU some days, just to stay in the game and keep close to the community. Tobio thinks that this is how Oikawa will always be.

A social creature.

Though they make small talk with the other people at their table, they also keep up a conversation that is just for them. About Miyagi, their respective friends, college and life as they know it. Tobio is careful answering his questions and he knows that his upperclassman knows this but maintains his jovial smile throughout dinner.

Tobio wonders if Oikawa keeps up with the goings on of the lives of his former teammates or the people in their circuit back in high school. He wonders if Oikawa's heard about the past year and if it should matter here in another country, another time and seemingly another life.

Turns out that Tobio does not need to wonder that long as Oikawa prattles on about people they know, they used to play against, people that Tobio should know more about since they were his former teammates. Turns out that Oikawa does put in effort when it comes to communication.

"...and it really surprised me that Chibi-chan and that baby cat from Nekoma ended up together! I am happy for them!" Oikawa smiles a little and narrows his eyes "Were you even listening, Tobiochan!"

"I was. I am happy for them too. But I couldn't make it to their engagement." Tobio says curtly as finishes off his cerveza.

"No one expected you to come, Tobio-chan. Everyone understood." Oikawa watches him from across the table. Tobio finds it hard to swallow but he gets by and nods.

So, Oikawa does know.

*

Dinner winds down and while most of the party wants to go karaoke, Oikawa takes initiative and tells Akiteru that he'd like to catch up with Tobio a bit more over after-dinner coffee. Tobio in turn approaches Tsukishima and assures him that he knows how to get back to Akiteru's apartment and would call first to coordinate if they were back from karaoke.

Tsukishima looks wary - although not one to baby anyone, he's taken to be the responsible one for Tobio. He sighs eventually and relents and approaches Oikawa to give him his number and his brother's address and make him promise to get Tobio back safely.

And if Tobio hears Tsukishima tell Oikawa that Tobio's been through a lot the past year - he pretends not to hear that. He doesn't want to think about it. He just wants to be present.

So, on he goes.

*

They end up somewhere in Mercer Street for some after-dinner tea/coffee and sweets at Georgetown Cupcakes. They're delicious and delightful. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Oikawa swears by it. He insists on treating Tobio.

When they get their order, they find a nearby and well-lit seating area so they can enjoy their sweets. Oikawa takes a bite of his cupcake and beams like a laser gun. This makes Tobio smile before he takes a sip of his green tea.

"You look like a little kid, Oikawa-san."

"Don't you know, Tobio-chan. I am Peter Pan."

Tobio has half a mind to remember who Peter Pan is and he shakes his head. Oikawa did love to gesture with his arms wide open, like he was flying, like he was lost in vast open space. Good grief. Tobio realizes he's being cheerful. "Yeah, looks like you never grew up." It's said in jest.

And Oikawa takes it, when normally he would never. Tobio is the only exception, because Oikawa knows that Tobio has few but dear things that he holds close to his heart - volleyball, friends and most important of all - his Mom.

Oikawa knows that he is the anomaly in all of this because he is not volleyball and he is not one of Tobio's friends. But he knows he can reach him in places where most people can't. Oikawa knows this because in all the years that he's known Tobio, he's always been two steps behind the older man. It could be a conscious choice for Tobio or maybe he doesn't even realize it or it could be pure circumstance that they end up in convenient vicinity all the time. It's just something that Oikawa's noticed. It's not creepy or a bad thing because in his mind, it might just be the universe giving Tobio a hand with everything that's been going on in his life. And the universe deems that Oikawa's the best one for the job.

"Mmmm.Mmmmm.Mmmmm." Oikawa polishes off his cupcake and gulps down some coffee.

"You want some more cupcake?" Tobio offers half of his that he can't eat anymore.

"Okay. I don't want this to go to waste!" Oikawa takes the half puts it all in his mouth. Tobio almost spits out his tea because the other man looks funny. And he grossly talks around the cupcake in his mouth.

"Glad you are having fun on my account, Tobio-chan."

"Sorry. It is funny. Sorry..." He continues to chuckle and looks at his shoes trying to calm himself for propriety's sake.

"Don't stop laughing, Tobio-chan. It's alright. Laughing is not a crime." Tobio breathes and his laughter tempers down to a thin smile because what Oikawa says is true. It's not a crime. It's okay to laugh again.

It's okay.

"I don't feel like myself. I haven't felt like myself in a while." It evokes a calm acceptance in Tobio and as he says this, he knows that he can never say this to anyone else because Oikawa is the only one that he trusts to understand this feeling of losing a part of yourself.

"Oh, Tobio. How could you? How could you ever feel like your old self again? When you've already changed. This is the new you. The Tobio that's alive even after his Mother's passing. It's the Tobio that breathes even if it's hard for him to find reason to."

"I can't begin to explain the pain, when it's just empty space there." "When someone, something's been a part of you and suddenly it isn't there anymore - the feeling of your senses searching for it - it's called phantom pain." Tobio hunches his shoulders and looks down at his empty cup. "She was once there. She was once alive. Right there beside me."

"It can also mean just longing."

"I feel like my whole life's just tipped over to the side. And there are days when I feel that I can't ever get back to who I was before all this." It's the most he's said in a while. It's the most he's shared of himself in a long time.

"I'm afraid there's no going back, Tobio-chan. We can only go forward from here. make the most of who we are and what we have." Oikawa looks at Tobio intently, conveying the weight of his words and the ferocity of his conviction. "When I had to stop playing volleyball because of my knee injury, it was devastating. But then I realized that the only one that can keep me away from volleyball was myself. I don't play anymore but I'm still part of it. The only person that can keep you away from your Mother is you...Tobio-chan. If you choose to forget her or to honor her as you go through life."

Oikawa stops as he sees Tobio's eyes glass over with emotion.

"There are messages." Tobio brings out his phone and shows the unheard voice mails that his Mom had left him because he refused to talk about the possibility of her dying with her. He just wanted the present. For them to keep each other company for as long as possible. Tobio refuses to listen to these reminders, signs that she was - ready to go. "She told me she had left all these reminders. If I listen, if I hear then it's real..."

"It's okay to listen to them, Tobio-chan."

"I can't cry."

"Why not? It's okay to cry. I'm here for you."

Kageyama Tobio holds on tightly to his phone before relenting and Oikawa takes the phone and plays the messages.

...Tobio, on weekends don't forget to clean your room... ...Tobio, my love. Remember your grocery essentials, I made a list, it's on the refrigerator door... ...Tobio, just one cup of detergent is enough for one load, remember to separate your whites from the colored clothes... ...Remember to eat other foods, curry is not enough... ...Check the expiry date of the milk you drink, ayyy I don't want you to get a tummy ache... ...Stay warm in the winters...did you know that "Top of the World" by The Carpenters was playing when you were born... ...Tobio...I am with you, even when I'm not beside you. In every game you win or lose, I am with you...you are my greatest joy and the best gift life has given to me...

And the glass breaks - the ice inside Tobio melts and in that hapless nowhere location in the middle of Lower Manhattan - he cries. He realizes why he's been holding on to his self-control so hard, realizes why he's refused to let go all this time, the fear of not having anyone protect his shattered soul, the fear of not having anyone protect him while he tries to pick up the pieces and put himself back together again. But now, Oikawa's here. 

It's okay...

Tobio clasps his hands together and tells himself to feel all this pain, let it go and move forward.

He feels a gentle hand on his back, moves up and holds his nape gently. It's been a hard year for Tobio and sometimes it's felt like time refused to flow, caught in stasis that he can't get out of - Oikawa's light is medicine and so he moves towards it. Tobio closes his eyes as he clings to Oikawa, letting the older man hold him, shield him from an ever-moving world.

"Whatever happens, Tobio. Remember that you can only honor her memory by living the life she gave you and doing the things you love." Oikawa whispers this against the strands of his jet black hair.

And for the first time since his Mother's passing Tobio responds, Tobio exhales.

*

"You have my number now, right? Don't lose it or I'll be upset." Oikawa smiles as he climbs the stairs of the brownstone with Tobio. The latter received a text message from Tsukishima that they're back in Akiteru's apartment.

"I do. When I decide on a university, I'll contact you, but I'm seriously considering NYU." Tobio says with a glimmer in his eyes.

"I can go for that. Make sure to beat Columbia and make them cry, Tobio-chan!" Oikawa mockcheers Tobio on and does a little jig behind him as they reach the landing. This make Tobio smile and he finds it in himself to tease back just a little "Are you cheering for me or is it because Ushijima Wakatoshi is vice-captain for Columbia?"

This makes Oikawa laugh - loud and hearty.

"BOTH!" he says with mirth and slings a careless arm over Tobio's shoulders. Oikawa lets go and steps back so he and the younger man are face to face. He doesn't count on Tobio bowing gently and sincerely.

"Thank you for what you do for me, Oikawa-san."

"I feel like our lives are forever running in parallel, Tobio-chan. No matter where you and I go, we are next to one another. We'll be fine. We might not be excellent, but we'll be fine."

Tobio nods to agree and he steps back only to be pulled by Oikawa in a great bear hug. He closes his eyes and tries to commit this to memory because it matters. Oikawa holds on tight and thumps the back of Tobio's shoulder gently. There is no grand gesture, no dramatic goodbye.

There is only them.

[marymosley]

New Orleans For Lent

Despite missing Mardi Gras and coming to New Orleans at Lent, I have had a wonderful time in the Big Easy. In the immediate aftermath of New Orleans, the trees were still full of beads and the restaurants full of open seats. Now to augment the travel blog with some hits and misses.

First, to start with the highlight of any trip to New Orleans, I spent much of a day at the World War II museum. At the risk of being repetitive, I must start by noting the simple fact that the World War II museum is now the finest military museum in the world. As a history buff, I have visited military museums in various countries. However, New Orleans has a museum that second to none and should be a source of pride for all Americans.

I started my visit by again watching the incredible film narrated by Tom Hanks. The award-winning  4-D film, Beyond All Boundaries, is in the Solomon Victory Theater and features military equipment and environmental elements bring a striking realism to the experience. It is an amazing experience as real weaponry rises from the stage and environmental changes connect you to the scenes unfolding before you.  I always find the film incredibly moving. It is something that every citizen should experience.

The museum this weekend had historical buffs dressed as soldiers from the World War II. These are incredible volunteers with a wealth of knowledge about the period. It is a sad statement on our times that I do not have a picture of one volunteers who was dressed as a German soldier. He had a legitimate concern that he would be ostracized by a society that is increasingly intolerant and judgmental on such matters. Had I shown his picture, he was afraid of the backlash over wearing a German uniform. Many would simply distress the fact that he was participating in a recreative and educational exercise.

One of my favorite displays is the B-17 “My Gal Sal.” The Flying Fortress developed mechanical failure on a mission and the crew was able to put her down on an icecap in Greenland. Unfortunately, the propellers were dug into the ice and the generator operating the radio would not work without the engines. So the crew used a handsaw to cut the propellors to get them to turn. They were able to run the radio and another crew made an incredible landing in a nearby lake. After the rescue of the crew, the crashed plane was left in Greenland for decades until, thirty-one years later, the wreck aircraft was found and carefully broken down into parts on the icecap. It was then painstakingly restores and eventually added to the museum displays.

The museum is a delight because every corner seems to have an artifact and a story to tell like the helmet with a hole in it from a Corporal Kenneth Kassel. Kassel lost his helmet after landing on Omaha beach. Another soldier tossed him a helmet and said “You might need this.” Kassel was shortly thereafter hit in the head and the helmet saved his life.

There were also the fake paratroopers used in D-Day to confuse the Germans. Some were equipped with explosive mortar rounds to make the Germans believe that they were a landing force. There is an Enigma machine, one of the most classified items of World War II. The capture of the machines allow the allies to crack the German code.

Here are a few more pictures:

I also stopped by the nearby Civil War Museum (previously known as the Museum of the Confederacy). It is the oldest museum in Louisiana and, while small, contains some amazing weapons, uniforms, and tree trunks from Civil War battlefields.

Now for the food. Let’s start with the biggest disappointment. Whenever I return to New Orleans, I am eager to include a blog entry on my visit to the Napoleon’s House. I love the building and its history. For decades, I have returned to have Pimm’s cups and enjoy the atmosphere of the bar and restaurant. However, my visit this weekend was shattering. For years, locals have told me that I was ignoring the slipping standards at the bar. This weekend, I ordered a Pimm’s cup and it was perfectly undrinkable. I have enjoyed the drink for over 30 years, but it tasted like syrup on ice with no little or no alcohol. It was so dreadful that I left it on the table and asked the manager if they had changed their recipe. He insisted that they had not but this was not the drink that has brought many of us to this institution. In addition, the restaurant has lost its sense of identity. It is poorly managed and, while its food was never its selling point, there seems little attention to quality. It has become a tourist trap and it is a real shame to see its decline. I still believe it is worth visiting but Napoleon’s House seems in self-exile.

I have more luck at other restaurants. I returned to Felix’s for my favorite Charbroiled oysters and gumbo. It was fantastic.

I also visited for the first time Cochon. It is a celebrated restaurant and I had their signature oysters dish, ribs, and Cochon dishes. Frankly, I liked the ribs the most (with delicious pickled watermelon chunks on top) but everything was good. I was not overwhelmed by either the oysters or the Cochon (which was a bit dry) but they were still quite good.

My best meal this trip was at Pascal’s Manale Restaurant on Napoleon Avenue. I went there for dinner and it was exquisite from start to finish. I had the Fish Pascal, which is a drum with their signature shrimp on top. It is usually fried, but (in a rare moment of restraint) I had it broiled. It was incredible. The gumbo was also divine. This is a wonderful choice for dinner. It remains popular with locals and offers some of the best local dishes in New Orleans.

Here are a few other pictures from this wonderful city from an Irish parade to a French Quarter marching wedding to a cat grave dressed up for Marti Gras:

New Orleans For Lent published first on https://immigrationlawyerto.tumblr.com/

[vio1315]

ALSO 14 BC APPARENTLY I CAN"T READ?? Like that's one of the most interesting ones on the list anD I SKIPPED IT BY ACCIDENT

You are the kindest to me, thank you xD

14. Your OC finds themselves in your universe and you are their only contact. How well do they handle the adjustment and how would you try to help/hinder/contain them?

We go through the main 6 first, as always. And this reply can be extra long now that it’s a separate thing~

Skye would be so confused, but also pretty eager and easy to handle. Like she’d wanna get back home for sure, cuz heck, she has a family that needs her, but along the way of trying to figure out how to return, she’d be learning as much as possible. She’d be a regular wikipedia dweller as soon as I showed it to her. I’m assuming she’d magically be able to speak English, too. She’d think computers were like the most awesome thing ever, and nothing would really top it. I would help by googling solutions to getting her home and also teaching her how to navigate this world. I bet she would enjoy memes, actually. I’d introduce her to microwavable meals and I think this would be another highlight for her. She would love documentaries and probably cry a bit while watching them because they’d remind her a little of home 

Gill would be probably 3x as anxious about things as Skye. He needs to get home like yesterday, and he’s already decided it’s impossible, but that won’t stop him. Despite this, he’s well mannered, and restrains showing any of this. He’d take some pains to learn cultural differences so he could operate better in this world. When he got more comfortable with the assurance that ‘time isn’t passing there, I promise’ he might chill enough to try and learn all the languages at once. Just for funsies. It’s relaxing. He’d probably act more like a grandma on a computer than Skye. Like not being able to nail down which bar is a search bar and which isn’t so well. Won’t stop writing like it’s a personal letter even when I explain it’s more polite not to. He likes googling things, but shies way far away from it when I explain that there’s bad sources, and he ends up being more of a library gremlin. It’s familiar, yet he can also get books shipped there, and heck, how nice. He probably thinks the lack of magic is total bs, but he keeps watching surgical shows. Probably watches the news 3 days straight when he discovers it, and then is quickly done with it and actually bothers with the computer again whenever there’s something current he’s interested in. Takes notes on everything. Thinks all the paper I have lying around is super cool. Eagerly has a special notebook for stuff he wants to tell people when he gets back. I help in the same way I help Skye, just with more reassurance. Oh, I also tell him that white hair is popular and people dye their hair that way (ON PURPOSE EVEN) so everyone will think he looks cool. He’d appreciate that.

Marth is the actual worst about wanting to get back home, and stays focused on it for much longer, even when I keep saying it’s something only I’ll be able to do for him -once I figure out how- 

My poor son is very anxious for most of his stay as he can’t stop worrying about the others, even when told time won’t move there until he gets back. -I would tell none of them that I wrote them, so I can never quite convince him- I would probably sign him up for the nearest horse therapy thing I could get access to, or just horse riding in general, and that would help actually. He could hold my dog the other times, or visit my niece or cousins. This would help. He’s not a nerd like Skye and Gill, so he wouldn’t get too into the computer, though he’d be really blown away by some technology, I think a lot of it would just seem too similar to magic to him. Though he’d lowkey be really excited that he could use it too. He’d probably force me to do responsible things a lot, though. Like ‘Clean your room or I will remove everything from it and put it outside’ and like 

‘we’ve been sitting inside all day while you stare at that thing’ 

‘I’m researching how to get you back’ 

‘no, this sounds too familiar, no. We’re getting food and also going outside’

‘but don’t you want–’ and then I am forcibly removed from my room. 

I would probably help him by lowkey trying to teach him about mental health things, but he’d sabotage this by only being interested in what people he knows could have. I’d also never be able to leave him alone because he would absolutely go out and continue trying to interact with people as if he was back in his universe despite KNOWING BETTER because I TOLD HIM how to interact with them, but he’s a little troll that way and realizes there’s not many consequences. This is also his tactic to get me outside more. He’s troublesome, but also amaze, I have acquired another dad

Kydin would be really lowkey about how panicked he would be, because he always hides this type of crap, but internally, he’d be freaking out hardcore. Out of everyone, he believes me the fastest when I tell him that time won’t matter. And as soon as I explain things to him, he’s immediately turned all the panic into excitement. He’d drag me out and try to make friends despite me being like ‘uhm, you won’t be able to see them again once you go home so making friends is gonna be heartbreaking’ Nah, he doesn’t care. When someone mentions facebook in his friendship questing, I have to show him computers and facebook, and sign him up. He has like 100 friends the next day. He knows gossip about everyone in my neighborhood, and about people I’ve never heard of. He gets into TV hardcore. He particularly likes dramas, soap operas, comedies, and musicals. The comedy one is odd because he doesn’t get half of what’s supposed to be funny, he just likes the atmosphere of them. He stops me from researching a lot to try and get me to watch a movie with him. When I refuse too much he’d go out to a theater. Eventually he’s applying for jobs so he can go places with his friends. He’s basically started a new life within like 3 months. I ask him if he even wants to go home anymore, and he very genuinely and sentimentally tells me that he can’t wait to return home. He knows more celebrity gossip than I’ve known in my whole life. He knows more gossip about me than I know. When he finally does return home, everything in my community is disrupted. Who will they hire as a babysitter? Who will they get advice from for their woes? Who will help with the charity bake sale? Who will be the friend who you can ask to watch your dog while you’re away no matter how short of notice? WHO WILL CLIMB A TREE TO SAVE THE CAT AND ALSO MIRACULOUSLY SURVIVE THE FALL FROM SAID TREE? 

Nobody knows, we only know that we will never be able to live life the same way again

Ariella is… an interesting one. She sees that she understands nothing of this world, and she’s angry about it. Why do we hug people when we see them after some time apart? What are we? Barbarians? And how can we speak in such a lax manner? Despicable. She will not hear of things like ‘different culture’ and ‘please calm down’ or even ‘it’s probably not super legal to carry around a real sword, oh gosh please stop’ NO, we are the ones who are wrong here. When I tell her that I’ll find a way to get her back, she feels satisfied with this, and somehow this is my actual job now. If I leave for work, it is cause for all kinds of scolding. How dare I. 

Eventually, Ariella has decided that I’m one of the good ones, and there’s not so much scolding, though the sarcasm is more than I can handle anyways. She can never quite figure out how to interact with me in a way that makes me consistently happy, but she tries in her own way. She likes to go out on her own, and inevitably I follow from a distance. The world isn’t ready for her. I wasn’t ready for her. She discovers things like the news, and I show her how to use google, and soon she’s complaining to me about politics and certain laws that I had no idea existed. She does not notice when I have lost interest. 

One day I catch her humming something from Disney, and refuses to answer how she knows it. Another day I hear her singing something from a screamo band. I never tell her that even though she’s singing it like a normal song, I’m well aware it’s from a screamo band.

She thinks running water is the most amazing thing in this world. She watches a lot of makeup tutorials once she discovers youtube. She likes to correct them in the comments. In the end I make her her own account so I don’t lose face. I avoid her a little bit, and she’s okay with this.

James is probably the least concerned about his new surroundings of anyone. He’s used to crap not making sense. He’s more surprised when he figures out it’s real, but still the most chill about this. He gets a job almost immediately, because he’s not okay with me supporting him. He decides his own rent after I keep refusing, and leaves money in my drawer. He’s fairly drawn to TV, but ends up doing a lot of research into his areas of interest. He rarely asks me direct questions and tries and figures things out on his own. After I’d taught him enough to use google, he actually used that for everything, and was the only one who grasped the concept quickly and stuck with it. This doesn’t mean he was at all good at understanding everything, as even google used a lot of terms he wasn’t familiar with, and inevitably I would find him struggling with something and just explain it in simple terms to him. He would always apologize for bothering me. 

After some time he’d figure out that I’m not incredibly wealthy, and act a little more relaxed in some ways, realizing we’re essentially equals. He talks to me a lot more then, and lets me help him more. He starts doing all the yard work, and is really shocked when without prompting I give him permission to have a small garden. Tools like the lawn mower and such kind of frighten him, and at first he tries to avoid using them. With time he ends up really liking them. 

He’s absolutely shocked when he learns that humans and animals are basically all there is. He keeps listing things like ‘centaurs’ and asking if they exist, and has no idea how to handle the fact that they don’t and never have. He finds it sad, and feels like they went extinct instead. 

I would absolutely tell him that his feelings towards Ariella were mutual, and because he’d avoided mentioning a thing about his home to that point, he’d be very defensive and concerned for awhile, but eventually start asking questions. He’d start asking about if magic really didn’t exist here as he tried to figure out how I could know. I’d let him talk to me about everything he had to keep secret and complain as much as he wanted. He would resist at first, but he’d eventually do this quite often. 

He ends up liking cars quite a bit, and is the only one who would be allowed to try and drive them, and aside from Kydin the only one who was very interested in them at all. Y’know, past the normal ‘oh gosh what is that’ stuff.

He’d be the only one to even suspect that I wrote his world and such, but honestly it’s only because I would only need to be open with him about it. He’s the only one who needs that kind of assurance that someone knows all the stuff he’s seen so he can speak freely about it. Ultimately he decides it’s something else though, because even though he’s the most open about being fiction, he ultimately can’t accept it. Particularly since he’s gone through such crap, and he can’t believe someone chilling on a couch with him showing him how to work netflix would be the one who did that.