Stuck In The Wrong Place

Same Old People, Wrong Destination

Today you get a message from the Malnosso. They’ve found a way to send you home. You’ll remember Luceti, but it’s a one way trip. You’ve said your tearful goodbyes and prepared yourself for the inevitable return home. One moment you’re in Luceti, the next you’re not.

But nobody ever said the Malnosso ever got everything right. Sure, you’re not in Luceti anymore. Yes, you’ve lost your wings and barcode. But this isn’t your world. It’s some other world and now that you’re cut off from the Malnosso, you have no hope of ever getting back home. Which means that wherever you’ve ended up, you’ll be spending the rest of your life there.

On the up-side, you’re not the only one stuck here. Someone else from Luceti, also alien to this world, is stuck with you. With the common bond of being strangers to this brave new world, it’s inevitable you’ll stick together. But for how long?

Considerations

1. You can go to any other world you want! It just can’t be one either of your characters are from. You can make up something like a fantasy world, something from a sci fi, or something just like the modern world. Or you can pick a canon neither of your characters belong to.
2. Ideally they should both be from different canons altogether. But this isn’t required!
3. There’s supposed to be no way back. Even genius characters ought to find it impossible. But does that mean all hope has to be lost? For those who have been gone from Luceti a long time, it might be fun if they were given a chance to go back to Luceti and be trapped again.
4. For an optional extra level of complexity, give consideration to your character’s appearance or to their abilities. Will they stand out in this new world? Will they have to hide what they can do? Or will they even be able to use their powers if the source of their powers is gone?

Prompts

1. Day One - You’ve both just arrived on this world and by chance, you run into each other. Two heads are better than one. Now you just have to figure out what to do next.

2. One Week Later - You’ve been in this world a week. Things are starting to sink in. So is the idea of being stuck here. It’s time to start thinking about the long term.

3. One Month Later - Now that you’ve both been here awhile, you’ve learned the ins and outs of your new home. You’re making a living and getting by, but you still think of home.

4. Six Months Later - It may not be home, but you’ve learned to be comfortable. By now, your relationship with your fellow Lucetian has certainly evolved as well.

5. One Year Later - It’s been long enough that you sometimes wonder if you ever did live in a place like Luceti. So what’s life for you like in this whole new world?

6. Other - Don’t be limited by the above. This could be two weeks later or twenty years later! Of course, you can always time skip once you’ve established what you want to do at one time period.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[In the grand scheme of life in this new world, Nephry had faired somewhat better. No background to speak of, and no family in sight, and...well, and resigned to her fate.

It was all complicated. She hadn't landed in a large city; she found herself in this one on a sort of holiday, combined with the chance to look for work that rested more in her field of expertise. Politics in this world were so different.

Seeing a slumped-over form inside a coffee shop - that wasn't out of the ordinary at all. Teenagers here did those things. It gave Nephry a sudden sharp longing for Auldrant and the little family she had there, to see the disinterested brown-haired boy napping at a table. A sharper one followed, for a less distant place and time and...family.

After obtaining her drink, she approached that same table, remembering not to tap his shoulder as she might have someone his age in Luceti. These people had much more personal space. Instead, she raps her knuckles on his chair.]

It isn't safe to sleep in public.

[Slipping in and out of consciousness, the moment he hears something rapping on his chair, his eyes snap open and and he sits up. He'd learned the hard way just how unsafe it could be to sleep in public -- that is, if you aren't holding all your possessions in front of you, your arms locked right to prevent theft.]

[He's probably not immediately recognizable. Hair color aside, his usual hair-tufts are tied back and hidden behind a hat -- which also serves to hide his green-roots. His clothes, though not exactly dirty, are pretty clearly well-worn and perhaps a few sizes too big.]

[On reflex, he pulls his bag closer and very nearly jumps to his feet -- until he notices the person standing there. He has to double take.]

[And then he has to look away. A coincidence -- and a painful one. That has to be it.]

Thank you, ma'am. I... must have just dozed off without realizing.

[She is more recognizable as herself - glasses, hair in a low bun instead of the higher style she once favored, and an off-white winter coat. It's no wonder he had such a startling moment. Something about his voice gets to her, too.

After a glance around at the crowd in the cafe, Nephry moves to the chair across from him.]

May I sit? It's one of the only empty chairs.

[And of course, try as he might to keep his line of vision low, there's a strong desire to look up and delude himself that this coincidence could be something more. It wouldn't be the first time he's fooled himself into thinking he was seeing someone he knew, whether in reality or in his dreams -- though this would certainly qualify as the most vivid dream he's had so far.]

[But there's a part of him that wants nothing more than to cling to that. This woman looked and sounded so much like Nephry, so much like the woman he had come to think of as his mother, that it was enough to make his heart ache with just one glance. As painful as it would be to wake up, for the chance to really see Nephry again, he could handle it.]

[When she suddenly asks to take a seat across from him, it only seems to further cement that theory. But he simply nods -- he knows how these dreams go. The moment he becomes too involved in it, he'll wake up. He only needs to prolong that moment... if only for a few minutes.]

[To think, he could be sitting here in a cafe with Nephry! It's enough to bring a smile to his face, though a wistful one. As she takes a seat, he brings his bag down into his lap and reaches out for his drink, pulling it closer and holding it between his hands -- it still felt warm.]

[For the most part, Nephry looks at the table or at her coffee while she drinks it. Most people here found no solace in sudden companionship. After years of needing to form those bonds in order to survive together, emotionally, it was a difficult habit to undo. She noticed him looking at her after a while, and looked back, smiling slightly. Who was in charge of this child?

Because despite the distant look in his eyes and his politeness, he was a child. In too-big clothing, at that. She wondered if he had anybody at all.

And there was something about such vivid green eyes. Nephry caught herself staring, and blushed.]

I'm sorry, you...you just remind me of someone. ['A boy I used to live with' hadn't ever gone over well with people.] Of my...my son, I suppose. [They accepted that more readily. That she could remember having, somewhere in the world, a son.]

Your son?

[The words almost catch in his throat. It's a dream, he wants to tell himself. He just still dreaming. That's the only explanation. Nephry is back on Auldrant along with all the others... and he was sent here because he had no home to go to, right? That's the only explanation that made sense.]

[But be this a dream or reality, he finds he can't just be satisfied with staying silent. It wasn't everyday someone approached him to talk -- outside of a few casual acquaintances around the city, he didn't talk to people very often these days. And if he really did remind this woman of her son, perhaps it would make her happy if he were to talk with her? He still keeps his eyes low, not sure he'd be able to keep his voice steady if he were to continue looking up.]

What was he like?

Hm? Oh, he...he was a very sweet boy, and always considerate of others. You have eyes like his. [Blushing just slightly, she taps the edges of her cup with her fingers.] That was...perhaps too personal of me to say.

[Gently, he shakes his head.] It's all right. I understand how you feel...

[He pulls his gaze up, taking in a short, quick breath of air when he looks at her again. So his eyes were the same? Now that he's looking, he can see that hers are too.] ...to be honest, you remind me of someone as well.

Really? What a coincidence. [No prompting and no prying. What boy his age wanted to share his life with a total stranger?]

It is, isn't it? [His looks back down at his drink, his expression falling.] A coincidence...

[He sighs softly, before reaching up and tugging off his hat, setting it down on the table in front of him. Maybe he should go. This wasn't real... and not because he was still convinced it was a dream, but because Nephry wasn't here. No matter how much he wanted to believe otherwise, this woman just couldn't be...]

[A glance in the right direction elicited a surprised sound.]

I've never met anyone who colors the top of his hair before.

What? [Oh. His hair's been growing out. He reaches up for a second before quickly replacing his hat.] Oh. It... was just a mistake with some hair dye, is all. I'm sorry if it surprised you.

Apologizing for hair is silly. Why did you choose green? [The same color green as your eyes.]

Ah, well... it wasn't supposed to be green. I think I accidentally left it in too long, and it discolored it.

[So he says, but his eyebrows have a very clear green tint beneath those brown bangs.]

After all, green hair in New York... would just be strange, wouldn't it?

Around here? I have seen all variety of colors. Granted, it doesn't present the best image in the minds of these people, but...mm. I suppose some form of discrimination is everywhere, even over silly things like hair.

I rather like the green. [She hasn't noticed his eyebrows.] It's one of my favorite colors.

[Just... a nod. The people here weren't nearly as kind as those he'd grown to know and love in Luceti, and nothing like those who respected him so much back on Auldrant. The first day he dyed his hair was probably one of the first real good days he'd had here.]

It's a nice color, I suppose. I'm more partial to plain colors myself. [There's a soft attempt at a laugh here.] Especially where my hair is concerned.

[That laugh. She flinches. It's so familiar.]

I'm sorry, but- but may I ask for your name?

[The sudden question gives him pause. Was this related to what she said before about her son?]

[Or...]

...it's Ion.

[Had she been taking a sip as he spoke, she'd be choking on it now.

Ion.]

It's very nice to meet you, Ion. [A smile fights for purchase on her lips.] I'm...I'm Nephry.

...Nephry?

[His eyes widen, and for a moment he forgets to breathe.]

[But then just as quickly, he looks down and falls silent... and when he looks up again, there's a sad smile on his face.]

I suppose... that means this is a dream after all, isn't it?

I should hope not. [Not that she can breathe or believe it either.] I would hate it if I wasn't real.

...Six months ago?

Yes. Six months. [His voice sounds weak -- he wants to believe it, but there's still a part of him that's afraid he could wake up any minute. He's at a near-loss for words.]

Is... are there any others?

I don't know of any.

[And now she has so many questions, it seems like she can't manage to ask them all first or fast enough.]

Have you been here all this time?

[He nods. And then nods again to her question... but not before reaching up and wiping at his eyes a little. He's been alone all this time -- and Nephry was here. She was here...!]

[He isn't thinking about the implications of what her being here means just yet. He's so happy to see her, he just can't think of anything else than this right here. Still wiping his eyes, he looks up and smiles through tear-filled eyes.]

I... I missed you.

I missed you too. Oh, if only I'd known about this, that you- I'm sorry you've been alone.

[Even if he...found a family, or something, in this place. It wasn't the same as Auldrant, or even Luceti. It wasn't Home.]

Same Old People, Wrong Destination

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