The End - [Active / Open]

[daisychainmods]

Characters: EVERY CHARACTER in Manhattan!
Content: It's time to say goodbye...
Location: The DRT Room on board the Ultimatum.
Time of day: The remainder of time
Warnings: Expect some sadness, tears and hopeful promises...
Notes: This thread will be party-style. You are free to make your own subthreads, and know that you can tag into ANY SUBTHREAD

Comments

[bozakcommander]

Kang really was going to miss the friends he'd made in the past four months. After finding and exchanging goodbyes with Harry and Fletcher, he scanned the room, searching for any of the others he needed to speak to and readjusting the bag on his shoulder. His height gave him an advantage in more ways than one; he could easily see over most everybody's heads, and it made him more easy to notice as well.

[squishyarms]

Damn right it made Kang more noticeable. He was like a beacon. A veritable lightning rod of awesome. And if Riza even thought about going through that portal without saying goodbye to him, she knew he would hunt her down and beat her up for it.

All right, so he might not actually have done any of those things, but hell, would you want to risk it?

"How you holding up, commander?" she asked as she approached, giving him the title purely as a joke.

[bozakcommander]

"You know I'm retired, Riza. If you're going to use a title, use the right one," Kang smiled down at Riza. "I'm going home, back to my nation and my family. But... I don't want this to be the last time I see some of the people here."

Placing a hand on her shoulder, he gave it a gentle squeeze, "I'm going to miss you."

[squishyarms]

"Yeah, yeah, fill me in on the name change later," she told him dismissively and laughed. But she got serious pretty quick. "I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do, honestly. But I wasn't going anywhere without saying goodbye to you." Among... others.

She rolled her shoulder back after the squeeze and grinned at him. "Wherever I go, it's not gonna be the same without you."

[bozakcommander]

"I would have kicked your ass if you had," Kang chuckled, shaking his head. "Won't be the same without you, either. Whatever you choose, if we find a way to keep in touch and visit each other's dimensions, you are more than welcome in Teyr. I think you'd really like it there."

[squishyarms]

"You know, I had a feeling you would." Riza returned the chuckle, glad that she'd guessed someone's reaction right for once. "I'll find a way. I'm not much with technology, but I care about too many people around here to let you all get away that easy." And if that didn't work, well. "The next time I'm at a bar, I'll drink one for you, too."

[bozakcommander]

"We never did have a proper drinking contest, did we? The one at that party got forgotten. Next time, though, you bring the tequila, I bring the cactus juice, and we'll see which one is stronger and who passes out first. Deal?" Kang grinned.

[squishyarms]

"I can't agree to that enough, man." Riza laughed full-on this time, appreciative and already looking forward to when they would meet again. "The best part is that I won't have to go searching for any. I hear Americans have nothing better to do but get drunk. And dick around on computers."

[bozakcommander]

Kang laughed as well, hard enough that his wingtips shook. Once he stopped, he tilted his head to one side slightly, "You'll love that, I bet."

[squishyarms]

"Not gonna lie, it's a big plus." Ugh. Was she going to bring the mood down with serious stuff? Yeah. Yeah, she really was. "If that's what I decide to do. I'm still working on it."

[bozakcommander]

His smile fading a bit, Kang looked down, and then back at Riza, "What about your brother, and the royal family? I'm not saying you should go home, but you were adamant before about taking care of that. Have you changed your mind?"

[squishyarms]

"I don't know, Kang." She sighed. It really wasn't what she wanted to think about, but she had to anyway. Her time was running out. "I never really gave a crap about the royal family, and I'm starting to think Hime doesn't know where my brother's killer is." A pause. Not the first time she'd admitted it, but it still sounded strange. "But if I go back there and I find him and I avenge Lobo... what else is there? I won't be able to come back here. I won't have the rest of my pack." Man, now was not the time to get all mushy and crap.

[bozakcommander]

"I gave this advice to another friend of mine. Whatever you choose, make sure that you can live with yourself afterwards. You're the only person that's guaranteed to always be there," Kang said, quietly.

[squishyarms]

And Riza fell silent. Kang had a point, and somehow she'd never bothered to think of it. Worrying about the people she cared about, the people she'd be leaving behind. Being bound by duty, by honor, by so many things. Things that were important. Things that mattered.

She hadn't really stopped to think about what she wanted to do. What she had to do to feel better about herself. She found herself lost in thought for a moment and forgot to answer Kang.

[bozakcommander]

Kang stayed silent, watching her for a few seconds before placing a hand on her shoulder, "You've still got a little bit of time to think about it, Riza."

[squishyarms]

At his touch, she glanced up. She couldn't even force a smile. She could lead a pack, but she couldn't lead herself. "Let's hope I end up making the right choice."