Reunion

[not_the_philistine]

Visitation Day came and went and Goliath still had not seen any of his clan in what felt like, and might have been, years. He still had not seen Elisa since she was nearly killed in his sleep, then vanished angry at him. There had been several times like these before, when the gathering of new crew members has been too painful for him to attend, knowing that his clan would come from elsewhere and at other times, and so podpops offered him only one chance at reunion with a loved one.

Disappointment had settled on him again, and he warded it off with productiveness. Elisa's car shone with the evidence of regular care, but the rest of the castle needed maintaining. He would invite more people in to work in the gardens, dispose of more of Xanatos' things - but first, he felt there was more still to gain by researching the Mayan sun amulet that he hoped could give him control over his waking and sleeping. It would be a good idea to contact Lupin again, but at the moment, it it pleased Goliath to conduct his research in solitude.

Deep in his reading in Castle Wyvern's library, he didn't hear footsteps until the door had already been opened behind him.

[EDIT: Subthreads now open for other characters to comment, starting with the Drunken Dragon]

Comments

[newyorkbynight.livejournal.com]

His first question wasn't something that Elisa could answer easily. She didn't remember the words or the bitterness with which they'd been spoken.

The second question, however, was even more difficult. She'd meant what she'd said that morning, but, at the same time, they'd barely scratched the surface of what needed to be said. The world was so much bigger and so much more complicated than it had been. Maybe that was a good reason to stop hiding from her feelings.

"And that'd be the ship's fault, not yours."

She relaxed a little when Goliath calmed, then, impulsively, wrapped her arms around him for another hug.

"It's good to see you, too."

[not_the_philistine]

They had a lot of serious conversations ahead of them. But just then, it was enough to Goliath just to hold her, and be comforted that he could.

Two of the Manhattan Clan - would they be the Transmigration 9 Clan now? It sounded better than the Stacy Clan - were reunited. Perhaps this time, they would stay that way. Perhaps that also boded well for a reunion with the rest of the clan.

It occurred to Goliath that he was hungry, and so might she be. "Elisa, this ship allows me only six hours awake, but I have most of those hours before me now. I would show you the ship before my next rest, if you would like to see it."

Better that he introduce her quickly, too, to the people he considered trustworthy.

[newyorkbynight.livejournal.com]

She was rather hungry - she hadn't eaten a proper meal since before she'd fallen off the waterfall - but she'd had so many other things to think about that food had been pushed to the back of her mind.

A tour, however, was exactly what she wanted.

"That would be great. I've seen the observation deck and the weapons locker, but that's it."

She'd headed for the castle as soon as she'd realised that he was on the ship.

[not_the_philistine]

"We should visit the Drunken Dragon first."

It was close, and a good social hub.

"I probably owe Kang my thanks again."

[newyorkbynight.livejournal.com]

"The Drunken Dragon?" she repeated, stepping back out of the hug and giving him a bemused smile. She hadn't been much of a social drinker back in Manhattan - she'd never had the time, before or after meeting the clan - but she understood the importance of a bit of down time and she was certainly eager to meet Goliath's friends. "Sounds like fun. But it might be a while before I can buy a round."

She hadn't heard anything about money yet. Did they even get wages?

[not_the_philistine]

"Kang does not charge for drinks. When we barter, it is mostly in favors."

Goliath had never been a heavy drinker for good reasons - it usually took too much to affect him in Scotland, and he hadn't had access in Manhattan. He hadn't minded it then, and didn't mind now - after all, the last time he'd drunk to excess, it went . . .

Well, not badly. Nobody had gotten injured. Everyone had survived the hangover. But Eva had a few embarrassing stories to tell that absolutely no one else in the multiverse otherwise did.

"It's a good meeting-place. There isn't much real food on the ship, but most of the crew gathers there at some point."

He offered her his arm. They could walk through the city streets any day of the year here without causing a commotion. That might not lose its novelty for a long time.

[newyorkbynight.livejournal.com]

Nobody had mentioned Goliath's alcohol related indiscretions to Elisa yet. She'd be both amused and surprised to hear the story. He wasn't very good at relaxing at the best of times.

"I'm going to miss New York food," she said, thinking wistfully of the cafes and hot dog carts that she'd frequented at home. Maybe she'd even end up missing the awful excuse for coffee that they served at the station.

She hesitated for a moment before taking his arm, but only so she could grin at Goliath and savour the unexpected opportunities presented by life on the ship.

"But I could definitely get used to this," she finished, slipping her arm through his.

[not_the_philistine]

"You won't have to miss it."

The Sensoriums would have to come up earlier on their tour than planned.

He smiled at her last comment, his agreement left unspoken as he lead her from the castle.