124 Open after arrival to the city

[grigorichord]

Who: Maka, Crona, and anyone else who would like to jump in~
Open: Closed and then open!
When: Day 124
Where: The Skyway
What: A very confused Maka arrives on the Skyway and is found by Crona.
Format: Action
Warnings: NA


[This wasn't the first time Maka had woken in a strange place with no idea how she'd gotten there, but it was definitely the first time it had happened when she hadn't been on assignment or in the middle of a fight. No, the last thing she remembered was having dinner with Soul, getting ahead on her reading for class, and then going to bed.

Then nothing. Nothing that would explain how she had gotten to this place, whatever or wherever it was. She couldn't feel anyone nearby, though she could see a city in the distance, and her fingers clenched and unclenched a few times as her hands wished for the familiar weight of living steel in her hands.]

Okay, whoever's behind this, you can come out right now and show yourself! There's no point in hiding! [The words echoed back at her off of familiar looking crumbling ruins that she tried very hard not to think about. When she received no answer, Maka lifted her chin and started forward. Whatever was going on, she would get to the bottom of it and find her way home, but right now that meant finding someone who could give her some answers. With that mindset she started forward along the path ahead of her.]

Comments

[blackblooded]

[They need to practice flying. Before, back home, before Maka and Shibusen, Ragnarok had been in charge. But now it's Crona's turn to decide where to go and how to fly, and they need to practice. And sometimes, the Bastion is too small and too crowded.

So Crona and Ragnarok fly over the Skyway on dark wings, exploring.]

[grigorichord]

[Thankfully, Maka had passed the strangely familiar looking buildings a while back, and now was passing through varying architectures that were too different from each other to possibly be from the same time or place, though they all had the common ground of decimation and decay.

Every once in a while she even passed an eerie looking statue of humanoid figures, their faces etched in eternal terror, but she didn't look at those for more than a glance before choosing to ignore them.

Now that the city was closer, she could feel a few life signs in the distance, but the whole place was so disorienting and her thoughts so anxious that she wasn't paying close attention to her perception.]

[blackblooded]

[Other people wandering the Skyway isn't that unusual of a sight, but other people wandering around alone is odd. So Crona points, says "over there", and Ragnarok responds with a beat of wings and they drop lower.


... that... that looks like Maka. Crona drops down to the Skyway itself, behind the person who might be Maka, wings folding but not vanishing. One cautious step forward, then another, but Crona still isn't ready to call Maka's name. It might not be her.]

[grigorichord]

[A soul suddenly flashes into her radar at close range, and Maka snaps her body around, fists up and ready for a fight.

As soon as she takes in the figure before her, her stance changes and she lifts a hand to cover her still open mouth.]

Crona?

[blackblooded]

[One step forward, then another, and then Crona's stumbling, running towards Maka because it's Maka. Maka who will probably be caught completely off guard by Crona initiating a hug.]

[grigorichord]

[To say she's surprised at the hug (or at Crona's presence) would be an understatement.

Maka had left Crona behind to defeat Asura. It had barely been a few weeks since that had happened, but it still feels as fresh in her mind as if it was only a few minutes ago.

However impossible this is it doesn't matter because Crona is here now and all Maka can do is wrap her arms around her friend and hold on tight.]

Crona!

[blackblooded]

[Crona just clings to Maka. Crona was never expecting to see Maka again, not after the boy Maka was here and gone again, not after Miss Marie vanished.

But Maka is here, and Crona is starting to cry.]

[grigorichord]

[She feels Crona begin to cry, and Maka pulls the meister closer.]

It's okay, Crona. It's okay, you don't have to cry. [As she says it, she does her best to wipe her own damp eyes with her fist. Maka pulls back just enough to give Crona a watery grin.]

I'm so happy to see you.

[blackblooded]

[Crona's torn between crying and smiling and laughing because Maka is here and Crona doesn't know how to deal with that at all.

So the meister smiles and wipes away tears with the cuff of a robe gone threadbare and tattered and just hugs Maka again.]

I..... I.... I thought I'd never see you again!

[grigorichord]

I promised, I'd come back. I promised, didn't I? [She laughs and blinks away the rest of her tears. She didn't come back for Crona but Crona is here somehow.]

Though it seems like you came for me instead.

[blackblooded]

[Maka didn't promise anything like that, but that's okay, that's fine, that's such a small detail it doesn't even matter.]

I... I missed you.

I didn't know you were out here! I came on the Skyway looking for fabric because I need new clothes, you know? [And Crona's rambling but it doesn't matter, because Maka's here and Crona's hugging her and doesn't want to let go.] S-so I thought if I had fabric I could ask Kaoru to make me clothes, since this has some holes in it. I almost asked Paarthurnax to come with me but he's so big I wouldn't have been able to explore and I probably wouldn't have seen you.

[grigorichord]

[It's only been a few weeks but she has missed Crona so much.]

The Skyway? [Maka finally pulls back to look around again.]

Is that what this is called? [She was beginning to thinks she had ended up in some sort of soulscape but the sheer size of it had left her doubtful.]

I don't understand. Kaoru? Paarthurnex? Crona what is this place? How did we get here?

[blackblooded]

[Crona's certainly not letting go, even if that means just holding onto Maka's hands. A nod.

Right, Maka needs to get caught up with everything.]

T-this is the Skyway. The Bastion is over there. Um... they said a-all the worlds were destroyed and we're the only ones left.

[amnesiadragon]

[Walking around the Bastion near the apartments is what seems to be a young man. Seems to be, until Maka activates her Soul Perception.]

[The blue soul she sees is shattered, like someone scooped out half of it. It's still functional, but clearly strained. Still, there's a sense of huge power under it - fire, force, and a sheer love of people. The man stops, and scratches his head.]

[... Was he going to go out on the Skyway again? Maybe he should take a day off...]

[grigorichord]

[Her soul perception is on as a constant buzz in the back of her head, but she doesn't take a close enough look at the nearby soul to catch the depth of the brokenness. Still, even just the short glance she does take is enough to reveal the strain, power, and intense love of people.

Maka stops and turns down a hall, curious about the new presence.]

Ah, hello.

[amnesiadragon]

[He perks up when he sees a new person.]

Oh! Hi! How are you doing?

[grigorichord]

[His soul isn't exactly the strangest one she has ever seen, but it IS fascinating. Maka think it's probably weird to tell him that though so she just smiles a little awkwardly.]

I'm okay. Or as okay as anyone just getting here can be. Are you new here as well? [It occurs to her that she has no idea how often people arrive.]

My name is Maka.

[amnesiadragon]

[He's used to weird things, it's okay.]

I haven't been here too long... though I've been here longer than I've ever been in one place before. I'm Ryu. It's nice to meet you.

[grigorichord]

You too, Ryu. How long is that exactly? I don't even know how long this place has been around...[All of this is brand new to her, and she's still overwhelmed by her own questions and confusion about the situation.]

[amnesiadragon]

Almost... ten days, I think. That's a long time.

[grigorichord]

T-that's all? [When he said he'd been here longer than he usually stayed in one place, she'd thought it must have been for much longer.]

I guess you used to travel a lot.

[amnesiadragon]

Well, I've only been awake for a few months...

[grigorichord]

Were you injured? [It occurs to Maka after she's asked that maybe the question was personal, but then she's already asked it so no use in taking it back.]

[amnesiadragon]

No, I just hadn't come into existence yet.

super late tag is super late, feel free to drop it, sorry!

[grigorichord]

...huh?