yellowthirteen | The Ninth Sortie (Action, Voice)

[Thirteen awoke early in the morning, as usual. He's still got that streak in him, and he got ready as though it was any other day. On his way to the living room, he passed by Goroh's bedroom, his door ajar. Unusual, considering they usually kept it closed to discourage Tao from getting inside. He knew Goroh wasn't around because of his kidnapping, but he figured maybe the racer had returned, so he quietly knocked and opened the door.

The room was empty. All of Goroh's belongings by now long gone, the room bare, as though no one had ever been there at all. ...Except, for that one thing painted on the wall. An arrow?

Thirteen walked over to it, and looked it over. Pointing down. He kneeled to the floor, and quickly noticed the loose floorboard at his feet. Prying it up a little bit, he discovered an envelope, presumably full of letters. Leave it to Goroh to figure out how to cheat the system. He of all people would be the one. The pilot quickly retrieved the envelope and opened it, finding several folded letters inside, each taped shut. One of them was addressed to him, so he opened it and read it over.

A mix of melancholy and amusement found its way into his voice as he chuckled lightly at the samurai's message. Still Goroh, even when he was gone. He was going to miss his friend, and knowing he'd probably never see him again hurt quite a bit, but... at least Goroh had a life, and a happy one at that, to go back to. He knew Goroh didn't really care for it here, so he got exactly what he wanted. Of all the ways for David to lose a friend, this was probably the best one he could hope for.

...Of course, this meant breaking the news to everyone else. That would be the hard part.

So... he'd start with Litchi. That was going to be the hardest one. And then he'd go around delivering Goroh's letters by hand to the people who they were addressed to. Dr. McCoy was hopefully at the medical center, and Buffy would hopefully be at the bar.

...And after that, he'd announce it over the journal system. For whoever else might care.

[Voice]

To anyone who was acquainted with Samurai Goroh, he's been sent back to his own world. ...That is all.

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[Actually? Due to a happenstanceishly whole week off from Good Spirits, Buffy won't be found there. But she does catch the message, later.]

What? Really? [Pause.] Good on him, I guess.

[Ah, there she is.]

...I'm sorry you had to get the news like this. I went looking for you at the bar, but I couldn't find you.

Oh, God. Don't sweat that. Taking a bit of a vacation and--well, news is news. All I can really do is thank you for giving it in the first place.

[Quiet, while she pins down the voice.] You...live with him, right? Lived. I never know which tense to use in these situations.

Yes. I'm David. I share a house with him and Doctor Litchi Faye-Ling. Shared? ...Guess I don't know either.

...But he left something for you. Is there a time or place I can give it to you?

Will you be around later this evening?

[She figures she could stop by before patrol.]

Yes. Wherever you want me to be, I'll be there.

How--uhm--accommodating. [She sounds quietly grateful, really.] Shortly after eight? I'll try to be as on time as possible.

[Litchi, also an early riser, was already awake as well and in the kitchen. Her usual early-morning energy wasn't quite up to speed today, the weight of Tsubaki's injuries and Noel's worries beginning to bog her down. Not to mention the nagging feeling that something just wasn't quite right...

Shaking her head, she let her gaze drop from the wall down to her steeping tea. It was most likely just worry over Tsubaki bothering her. Everything would be fine.]

I understand. I'll be around.

[At a quarter after eight, there is a knock on the door.]

[...And Dave makes his way into the kitchen. He hesitates for a moment when he sees Litchi looking so pensive. But he knows this has to be done, and waiting will only make it worse for both of them. He keeps his tone level, or, well, as level as he can.]

Litchi... we need to talk about something.

[And he'll be the one to answer the door, giving as much of a smile as he's able to muster.]

Buffy. Good to see you. Please, come in.

Don't mind if I do. [Her smile is also rather subdued. Polite window dressing. Losing someone--even someone as by times stressful to know as Goroh--is always tough in this place. The trick came in focusing on how much better it should be to be home.

She steps inside.] I was gonna bring something over--y'know, like cookies? But then I remembered that bringing food to a house in a situation like this smacked way too much of funeral. So I ditched that idea pretty fast.

[Thirteen actually chuckles at that remark.]

And the last thing he would want us to do was think he was dead. Still, the thought's appreciated.

[He moves over to a table and picks up Buffy's still sealed note and holds it out to her.]

This is what he left behind. ...Remember who it's from when you read it though. If it's anything like the other ones I've delivered today, it'll be typical Goroh.

[She glances up from her teacup, worry flickering across her face. Please don't be Tsubaki...]

David...? Is something wrong?

I'll be sorely disappointed if he doesn't get his jerk on about how much of a single mom he's left me to be. [She takes the letter, clarifying casually:] I mean...with the fight school and him totally ditching me on it.

[She takes her time opening the thing.]

Edited 2010-11-06 06:45 (UTC)

...Oh, that. Yeah, he talked a little about that. ...I'm just glad it's not what it first sounded like.

[He's just going to do this fast. Beating around the bush won't help.]

...Goroh's room is empty. Completely.

[Litchi stares in blank shock for a moment or two. Completely empty... that can only mean one thing. And with as much as Goroh pulled pranks on them, she's sure he wouldn't go to the trouble of moving everything out silently just for a few laughs.

Her gaze falls to the tea again, her shoulders tensing. It hurts, of course, but... this is what he's wanted for so long. He'll be home with his wife and everything he's missed so badly.

...But it still hurts. A lot.]

I.... I see. That's... [Come on, Litchi, don't make this harder than it has to be.] ...I'm sure he's glad to be home.

[He can see her tense up and look down. He draws nearer to her and puts a hand on her shoulder.]

I'm sure.

[She glances up at him again, managing a weak smile.]

I-I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be upset about this. He's wanted to go home for so long and now... [And now she's being selfish and wishing he could have stayed. She shakes her head.]

...Thank you for letting me know.

...It's only natural to be upset about it. Even if it's what he wanted, we're still going to miss him. He was our friend, after all.

...And he left something for you, actually. [He pulls the note out of his jacket pocket and holds it for her to take.] There were a few of these left in a marked floorboard in his room.

I see. ... Thank you for letting us know.

[ McCoy is at the medical center, although he does see the transmission made by David and he even makes a comment about it to himself. Maybe he would drop a message for the bearer of good (shouldn't that be bad?) news later when he isn't liable to put his fist through a wall.

And that's without his knowledge of the letter. Oh dear. ]

Zero's gone? [Is that a tinge of regret in April's voice?] Guess it's better this way.

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