Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end [Open]

[sugarforteatime]

Characters: Everyone on the Way, ever
Content: The Way is closing, one last call for alcohol
Setting: All over the Winding Way, anywhere you'd like. Way is still in Licere
Time: All day and night
Warnings: Sadtimes
Notes: This is the Winding Way's closing log. Feel free to post here all through the hiatus. L and Vash are leaving and the crew knows

Comments

[fallingjunkyard]

Despite everything, Joshua had never considered that the Way could... would, be decommissioned.

Despite everything, he'd grown fond of the theatre ship.

Even though Joshua was an advocate of remembering the good times and the memories he'd built upon this ship, he couldn't help but feel a little sad that it was coming to an end -- as all things did. Where would he go now? If this had been a year and a half ago, that answer would've easy.

He wanted to think, and even Gunsmoke and its noise wasn't the best of places, he didn't want to be away from the bar. It was the only reason he was seated at the bar instead of mingling, a drink on the table. Joshua hadn't taken any of his though, just traced the rim of the glass with a finger as he thought.

[eighthmelody]

The announcement that the Winding Way was going to be decommissioned was disorienting. Over the time he had been there, the Way was more than an airship where he worked. It was a home, and losing it made Ness feel like he was losing a part of himself as well.

He could go home, his real home in Melior, he supposed. However, he loved airship life and everything that came along with it. Perhaps he'd seek out another airship, but he knew it wouldn't be the same. The Way was special to him.

But maybe he could still be happy, even if it wasn't the same.

It was too much to think about now, and he had one last day here, and if he wasted it, he would regret it.

Ness got himself a drink and wandered through Gunsmoke, chatting and saying his goodbyes to various crew members before spotting Joshua at a table. He made his way over and took a seat.

"Hey."

[fallingjunkyard]

Joshua lifted his gaze from his glass at Ness' approach and leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs. Here was the reason he just couldn't get up and leave the Way so easily. The Joshua of a few years back would have cringed at the idea of being so attached, but the Joshua of now didn't mind it.

Resting his hands on his lap and smiling, Joshua opted to skip greetings. "What do you plan to do now?"

[eighthmelody]

The very subject Ness was trying to not think about. He still didn't have a definite plan, but he was pretty sure what he'd do for the time being. He remembered when Joshua asked him something similar. He had replied that he was going to stay with the Way as long as possible, and now he could no longer stay.

"I'm not completely sure," he admitted. "But I think I'll go back to Melior and stay with my family for a while."

It would be good to see them again.

[drinkitlovelife]

Kurumi sat at one of the tables, sighing and taking the petals off a white rose she hadn't dyed yet. There was no point in buying more dye now when she'd have to lug it off to wherever her new home would be. She'd tried to act uninterested, but that only lasted for about a minute and a half, tops. This wasn't fair. It wasn't fair it wasn't fair it wasn't fair.

Would she have to go home? She didn't want to go home. And so she left it up to the flower to decide, picking off petals one by one and dropping them into a mess on the table.

[fartn_thndrblts]

Quentyn hadn't gotten to know many people on the ship, having been on board for only a couple weeks, but it was still sad to hear about. Finding another ship shouldn't be hard, but...it wasn't himself he was really worried about. He imagined some people had been part of this ship for a long time, and it'd be hard on them.

He spotted one face he knew at least a little; it was the young lady who showed him to a room when he first arrived. He approached the table and climbed easily into a chair and then up onto the table beside her. Once settled he realized he...didn't really know what to say. He watched her a moment as she plucked at the petals. He...decided he'd not interrupt, would just sit quietly by her unless she decided she wanted to talk.

[drinkitlovelife]

"Hi." She waved before pulling off another petal and dropping it on the table. "This is really stupid, isn't it? Vash gets attacked or run over or whatever they're calling it now, we lose him, and then Ryuuzaki decides to shut the whole ship down for no good reason. I thought we had better luck than this."

[fartn_thndrblts]

He still didn't know what to say. "I'm...sure he has his reasons." That...probably wasn't the right thing. He tried to think quickly for something maybe a little better to talk about. "Do you know where you're going to go?" Okay...that probably wasn't the greatest either, but it was a little safer ground...maybe.

[fatherofcute]

Hughes leaned back in his chair lost in thought as he watched the rest of the crew milling about. He'd come to love these people. He knew he wasn't supposed to become so attached, but he just wasn't the kind of guy that could remain completely...unattached. Some he was closer to than others, some he liked more than others or knew better, but...he really had come to love everyone in the crew. There were certainly a number of them he'd miss dearly.

And like everyone else this brought up questions of where he would go. Would he be heading back home? Would his employers find him another ship? He didn't know yet, but would soon find out.

For now though, he intended to spend his final hours saying his goodbyes...after he finished this drink...unless someone approached him before that.

[fire_water_wood]

A gentle tug on his pantleg would bring his attention down to the puppet silently climbing up into his lap.

Harlequin didn't say a word, just pulled himself up and settled himself curled up against the man's stomach. He'd lost one family . . . and now he was losing another. At least they weren't dying this time.

At least he'd get to retain one of them this time.

[fatherofcute]

Hughes gave Quin a hand up, gently wrapping his arms around the little puppet. He hugged Quin to him, one large hand softly rubbing the puppet's small back. "It'll be okay, Quin..."

[fire_water_wood]

"I-I know," Quin murmured, pulling a breath and sighing it back out. "It's still sad, though." He looked up at the man who had adopted him like he was a real boy. "Where will we go?" It wasn't a despondent question - more of a practical one, really.

He perked at a thought. "Are you going to go home? The one where your wife and daughter live, I mean. Maybe I'll get to finally meet Elicia?" He'd really like that.

[sugarforteatime]

Personally, despite how much he figured he should be trying to be friendly, L figured there wasn't much for him left to do. He was currently hiding off in a corner, thinking about a few things, how much easier his life would be without the Way, but also thinking of all the little things he would miss.

It was a strange and difficult feeling, now. He was unused to it. But he took his cup of tea in hand and tilted it a few different ways before taking another sip.

[fire_water_wood]

It took several long minutes of debating with himself before Harlequin worked up the nerve to approach the man in the corner. The Living Marionette had only spoken to his captain a scant few times and seen him even fewer. Still, he might never see him again after this, and he didn't want to regret never trying.

Quin approached to within a respectable distance, speaking softly. "Captain Ryuzaki...?"

[sugarforteatime]

He looked down at Harlequin, feeling just a little awkward about the whole situation. He could admit it to himself, at least in the privacy of his own mind, that he was something of a coward for shutting down the Way. He had done it to spare Vash's feelings and the pain he would inevitably feel if anyone on the Way was injured because of him. L would then feel very bad about the whole circumstance. In essence, all he was doing was sparing himself the emotional difficulty of Vash's upset. He was a little too emotionally immature to recognize that, really, however.

"Yes, Harlequin? Is there something I can do for you?" He had made a promise to himself that everyone on this ship was his responsibility, and he would help them as he was able.

[fire_water_wood]

Harlequin tucked back a bit but offered the captain a friendly grin and shook his head. "No, sir. I just... You've already done quite a bit, actually."

He shifted from foot to foot, nervous - it wasn't often that he dared to address someone important, certainly not so directly. But he knew it was all right this time. "Sir . . . I've heard that you weren't originally captain of this ship, but you stepped up when one was needed. I know I've only been aboard for a short time, really, but I think you've been doing a really good job. You kept the ship together, and it seems like everyone's been through a lot. And this ship and everyone here gave me a place to be when I was lost and needed a home. I . . . I just wanted to . . . t-to thank you for that, sir." Not sure what else to do, he swept off his hat and offered a bow as he said the last.

[fire_water_wood]

Harlequin slipped quietly into the Gunsmoke, keeping along the wall so as not to be underfoot, and made his way to a table. He climbed the chair and up onto the tabletop itself, then set is back against the wall to . . . well, people-watch. Family-watch.

Once more, he was losing his home and his family. At least this time there was plenty of warning and time to prepare. And no one was dying. He would try to keep in contact with everyone over the network. He wasn't really losing anyone, just wouldn't be physically with them as much. Everything would be okay.

He kept telling himself that as he memorized each face and voice around him, fighting down the bittersweet grief.

[fallingjunkyard]

Joshua was just on his way out of Gunsmoke when he spotted the puppet on the table. He considered just slipping past like he had with most of the crew, but remembered his limited observations of the puppet. Harlequin seemed incredibly child-like to Joshua, and he was fairly sure he'd be devastated.

He could easily walk away, and there was a good chance he'd never see Harlequin again.

But for once, Joshua decided to... maybe, try not to leave things on a bad note on the behalf of someone else. Even though Harlequin was fairly new, he was still part of the Way, and by extension, part of the fond feelings Joshua kept of the airship.

Approaching the puppet, Joshua took a seat by Harlequin's table and grinned. "What's this? No smiles tonight?"

[fire_water_wood]

The little puppet looked up . . . and managed a small grin. "Oh, h-hi, Mr. Joshua. Ah, no, sir, I guess not. Or anyway, not as many." He looked down. "I'm losing another home. But - " He raised his eyes to Joshua. " - at least this time my family isn't going to be dead, just . . . s-scattered." It was sad, he'd miss them all - except for Daddy, he was staying with Daddy - but he could find comfort in that at least. He wasn't losing anyone, not like he had before.

"What about you, Mr. Joshua? Do you know where you'll go after this?"

[fallingjunkyard]

Joshua loosely curled a hand under his chin as he thought. Did he really want to disclose his private life to this little puppet? In the end, he decided not to; he still liked keeping some semblance of secrecy.

Leaning an elbow on the table, he shot Harlequin a sidelong grin. "Who knows? I travel wherever the winds take me. Say..." Joshua took on a slightly more thoughtful tone as he continued, "... have you heard of this little adage, Harlequin? 'Home is where the heart is'?"