unknownseas | There's always a lighthouse

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endgame

There's always a lighthouse

And just like that, you wake up in the basement of a lighthouse in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There's a circle of 25 pods in the middle of the room, and two more in a room off to the side, and you can imagine who is in which.

An elevator to the side of the room leads up to the ground floor (or to the first sub-basement, if you want to check out the machine that brought you here), where you can for the first time in weeks look out a window and see the sky. Its a beautiful sunny day, with a strong breeze on the grassy ground of the island where the lighthouse stands. Have you ever been this happy to hear seagulls?

You're free. Whatever comes next, you're free and you won. Take some time to relish your victory, won't you? Reunite with friends you thought you had lost, go forth and just... well, enjoy this.

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[ How long has it been since she's heard that voice say her name? The second her ears catch it, she's already spinning around to catch her on reflex, stiff limbs be damned. She has more than enough strength to keep herself from getting bowled over when Mira rushes towards her, and just like old times, she's scooping her up in her arms before she even gets a chance to think about it. ]

Hey there, stranger. Did you do something to your hair?

[ She's grinning from ear to ear, but she's trying hard not to let the lump in her throat bleed into her voice. The sight of her's already got her misty-eyed. Good grief.... ]

[ She's still wearing those glasses, too. Never took them off. But more than that... it's so good to hear Ema's voice. To see her. She missed her so much; Ema really is her best friend. And it had been so different to not go through the last weeks with her. She'd left a space there, when she was gone, but seeing her now... it's like it's getting all patched up.

She holds tight onto Ema, and she's not doing a thing to hide the fact that she's crying. Mira isn't sure she could if she tried. ]

M-maybe a little!

[ She keeps holding onto her, but she pulls back a little to look up at her. ]

I missed you so much, Ema.

[ They really do look good on her. And knowing they still match, after all this time...well, if she thinks about it too much, she's really not going to be able to keep her tears aside. ]

I missed you too, Mira. Every day.

[ She ruffles up her hair and laughs to herself... ]

But I was watching, every Friday. Wouldn't take my eyes off you guys for a second. I couldn't be more proud if you tried.

[ And she's glad, too, that she has the chance to do more for her friend, that she can leave her with more than keepsakes and photos and memories. Thanks to her, and everyone else, she can be there for Mira for real, from now on. ]

I already owed you big-time, but this is something else, huh?

[ Ah... They really were watching, huh? She wipes at her eyes and gives a breathless little laugh. It almost doesn't feel real, strangely enough... Or maybe not. Everything in there is just as every bit real as anything that'd happen here. It's hard to forget those feelings. ]

I'm glad we made you proud, even in spite of everything. [ Some of that was an utter disaster, but they're here. That says enough, doesn't it? ] As for owing me... You absolutely have to take me back to your home. I think you owe me a burger, right?

[ She doesn't actually think Ema owes her. Just being here, being her friend, that's so much more than enough. But it feels so good to have her back, she's not going to argue. ]

And a huge crêpe to top it off, stuffed to the gills. As if I'd forget...

[ It's absolutely the least she can do. Showing her around, letting her do touristy things, letting her meet her friends, and Lana...

There's an utterly unsightly sniffle from her end, as she thinks about being able to see her sister again, after all this time. She's still smiling like a doofus, so she looks more than a little silly, but she trusts Mira won't judge her too hard for it. Maybe tease her, but not judge. ]

You can come by whenever you want. [ She shakes her head a little bit, just to get the tears off. ] My door'll always be open. You're never gonna be alone again, Mira.

I wouldn't ever let you forget.

[ Ah, there it is... She's not surprised, honestly. They mean a lot to each other, after all... And when Ema says she'll never be alone again-- She knows. She's known for a while, but hearing it is different. It takes everything in her to not start crying again. ]

W-well... I'll hold you to that. And for the record... you can come visit Della and me any time. Though, I'd love to meet Lana. [ A pause. ] I won't even tell her how you're getting all teary-eyed.

Probably.

Ohh, you're still secretly a little troublemaker! I can't believe you!

[ She rubs away at her eyes with the sleeves of her labcoat, but just for a second before she squeezes her tight. She hasn't had banter with her like this in what feels like ages, and it has her face hurting, from how much she's grinning to herself... ]

But if you really want to embarrass me, you just have to show her my crochet project! She'll bully me forever if she sees it!

[ She worked way too hard on it with Rose, for it to come out looking like it did. ]

I'll make it up to you with a huge one, just you wait and see...

[ Despite the fact that she's still teary-eyed herself, she laughs. ]

As if you expected anything else!

[ But... oh, yes. She wipes at her eyes, and remembering when she'd found it-- well. It hadn't been her best moment, but that's to be expected, right? At least she'd had people there for her. Thinking back on it... there's no way she would've been able to keep her head up without them. ]

Well, now I just have to... [ Does she mean it? Unclear, but she laughs softly. ] We can make one together, how about that?

Fine, fine, we'll add that to the list, too! And, on top of that, I'll have you know that I've been practicing since you smoked me at the arcade. I'm not the weakling you beat down so mercilessly, long, long ago!

[ Picking up as though she had never left. Talking like she's never going to, in spite of everything. Or maybe because of everything.

Either way, it's the kind of friendship she wouldn't trade for the world. ]

So you have to let me get a rematch in sometime, okay? Before I get rusty again!

I expect no less of you, Miss Skye.

[ She laughs and nudges her gently. It's-- it's like nothing ever changed, almost. Even if she knows she's always going to be haunted by what she's seen and experienced... Mira's thankful for Ema. She's strong and steady, someone she's truly lucky to call a friend. ]

Hmm, Lana can referee for us... just in case someone tries to pull any tricks.

[ Only one of them learned things from Therion, and it isn't Ema... ]

You really think I would try something dishonest like that? Gosh, I had no idea you thought so little of me. You wound me, Mira Delacroix.

[ Mira, of all people, should be able to tell that she's the exact opposite of wounded. But she doesn't try particularly hard to act like it. ]

Unless you happened to get a bit sneakier, while I wasn't here to keep you on the straight and narrow? You've had a couple of bad influences around here, you know...

Some of my favorite people are sneaky!

[ It's not wrong... But she clears her throat. ]

Bad influences! I have no idea what you're talking about, and I certainly will not confirm nor deny if Therion has been teaching me things.

And how quickly we forget that my job is to catch people when they're being sneaky.

[ She lowers the glasses on top of her head to her eyes, just to give her a little reminder. ]

Therion may not have been teaching me things, but I sure taught him a thing or two. I won't make it easy for you to be slippery around me. Especially now that you've shown your hand, heheh...

[ Ah.... checkmate. ]

Well, we'll be sure to give each other a challenge, then! I can see it now... The Mystery of the Missing Snackoos....

O-oh! Wait a minute, my bag!

[ She was so caught up in the euphoria of...you know, being alive, she forgot all about it, but..! She does indeed have it now, and while it is indeed overflowing with corked vials of chemicals and loose papers, she seems to know exactly where to look.

The clear plastic bag of chocolate-covered crunchy snacks is in pristine condition. That cinches it. This is Ema Skye's best day ever. ]

Mystery solved! Go on! I've only been talking about them nonstop since the start of this whole mess!

Ah, look at that!

[ Mira peeks over, just to snoop a bit... Oh, goodness. ]

How in the world do you find anything in here?

[ But she laughs a little and takes the bag... and once she pops one in her mouth, her eyes light up. She at least has the grace to not talk with her mouth full. She can be a gremlin, but she has manners. ]

You really weren't kidding!

Aren't they so good?!

[ They're her favorites for a reason! ]

The way the crispy, fried middle complements that creamy chocolate coat! That combo of sweet and savory! And if you have them with coffee, gosh, forget it!

[ Her enthusiasm for something so mundane is really quite something, but, hey, food tastes best when you share it with the people you love, right? ]

I told you I'd never, ever steer you wrong! ...Oh, and for your information, there's a very scientific method to how I organize things, thank you very much!

I definitely understand it now.

[ She laughs and... yeah, she's yoinking another one, before she hands Ema the bag. ]

If I don't give them back, I'll definitely eat them all... And while that's not a bad thing, I think it's probably not a good idea to have something so delicious so soon after... [ all of that.

It's fine, though. Mira softens a bit. Even in spite of it all... there are so many good feelings floating around. ... Sure, there are some less than positive, but you know, with this group, that's no unexpected. Besides... her own feelings, and the feelings of those she loves most, are more than enough to blot those out. ]

You'll have to teach me your methods.

We have all the time in the world for that now, right? ...Good food, good laughs, and good company, I mean. You'll never have to sweat that again.

[ She, on the other hand, feels like she is about ready to keel over, after not eating actual food for...well, a while. On top of the couple of days the lot of them spent in the trial room, without access to the kitchen or the dining area... ]

So? What are you gonna do from here? I heard you're going back with Della, for one...

[ Wherever she winds up, and whatever she gets her nose into, she wants to make sure she's not too far behind. Not that she's worried about her. But whatever Mira does, Ema has to support her, however she can. That much, by now, should probably go without saying. ]

[ Underneath that, she hears that she'll never have to be alone again. And it means the world to her. For several terrifying moments, during the confrontation with Maelstrom, she'd thought she'd have to go back to her own world, never to leave again. But they hadn't accepted any of that. Mira knows it wasn't because of her, but--

She's relieved. So relieved that it makes her dizzy. The grateful smile she gives Ema, she hopes, says that. ]

Mm, well... I do have something to do back in my world first, remember? [ She nudges her gently. Ema was the one who put the idea in her head, after all. ] ... Actually... I don't want to drag you away from any pressing matters, but... what do you say about joining me?

[ The way she says it... well, she's hopeful. But she knows Ema might have important things to do, so there's certainly a bit of hesitation there.

... Alright, more than a bit. ]

You could put "talked to actual gods" on your resume if you wanted.

I was hoping that'd be first on your agenda.

[ She says, with an impish little smirk and half of a Snackoo between her teeth-- ]

Even if I had something urgent on my hands, I'd drop it for something that important, Mira. I was going to see if I could help Ghostworth and his lady in red track down some persons of interest, but that can absolutely wait. And unless things got really crazy at the forensics lab without me there, nothing at home is more important than helping out my best friend in a pinch.

[ She puts out her fist, for a quick bump. ]

Screw the resume. And screw anyone else who tells me that I'm not going. I already promised you that I'd help you however I can, remember? I wouldn't break it at the last second, not for anything.

[ Ema... You're gonna make her cry again. She sniffles a little, before bumping her fist against Ema's. ]

... Have I told you that you're the best? Y-you really are. The best friend I could ask for... at least, best girl friend. I'm still counting Aiden, you know. [ Okay, deep breaths. She smiles, though, bright and open. ] I bet you could really give them an absolute earful.

I'm looking forward to it.

I'm fine with having the number two spot! Anyone who messes you isn't gonna hear the end of it from me!

[ When the two of them bump fists, her eyes suddenly light up-- ]

Follow my lead on this, okay?

[ She bumps the top of Mira's fist twice, the bottom of it once, and goes back in for a normal pound...before reeling her hand back with an open palm and a "pchew!" sound effect, like a kid on the schoolyard, and capping it off with a high-five. ]

And now we have a secret handshake.

[ Ah, she missed that look. It reminds her of the look Ema gets in her eyes when she talks about what she does--that passion, that excitement. That Mira's seeing it now, when they're just talking like this... well.

It makes her so happy. And curious, though that's resolved pretty soon. Never underestimate her ability to learn quickly, because she follows Ema's lead easily. ]

A secret handshake! I've never had one of those, actually... [ But she laughs a little, and nudges Ema. ] You're the biggest dork I know, Ema Skye.

And I'm proud to call you my best friend.

[ Ema can't keep herself from laughing. It's true, that was pretty dorky. And under any other circumstances, she would probably be a bit embarrassed to do come up with something like that, like she's about ten years younger. But the mood is so much lighter here than it's been in months, as though the way she feels in the softer moments she usually has with Mira has been amplified a hundredfold. ]

Two titles I'll wear with pride. Maybe one a little more than the other.

[ She's never felt so...well, alive. Of course, she was never really dead to begin with, but, even so! ]

And when we get Noah back, that's exactly how I'll introduce myself. "I'm Ema Skye, forensic investigator, Mira's best friend and the biggest dork she knows--"

There's always a lighthouse

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