Fourth Floor Common Room: Saturday evening

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal was happy. Really, truly happy. He was back in Fandom, to stay, this time, and everything in his world was going well.

There was really nothing to be unhappy about! So, in minor celebration, he was participating in an uniquely Fandom activity: Pizza and television.

There were a number of pizzas, because he'd determined those were the rules if you brought pizza to a common room: you always brought enough to share, and Karal was sitting on the couch, slowly flipping through the channels as he tried to work out what everything was.

Altra was sprawled across the back of the couch, contributing snarky commentary. Luckily, only Karal could hear it, though anyone watching might wonder about his apparently random moments of laughter.

[ooc: it's a common room, so of course it's open, and there are moddable pizzas for all!]

Comments

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

Inara was on a quest for honey for her tea, but wasn't having much luck. She abandoned her search entirely when she spotted Karal, lounging on the couch with Altra. "Karal! You're back!"

Thank goodness.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Inara!" Karal jumped to his feet and hurried over. Altra, being a cat, stayed where he was, but he did lift his head to look at Inara. "I am, I returned yesterday," he explained, reaching out to hug her.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi was hungry and she could smell the pizza all the way down in room 423. "Mind if I grab a slice?" she asked.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Not at all! Please, help yourself," he replied, smiling in welcome. "I believe it's one of the rules of the common room: pizza is only permitted if there's enough for all."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Thanks!" said Hoshi, grabbing a slice of cheese pizza. "I'm Hoshi, by the way. I don't think we've met yet."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I think you're right. It's good to meet you, Hoshi. I'm Karal, from Karse, and this," he nodded at the large cat lying on the back of the couch, "is Altra." Altra inclined his head before turning his attention back to the TV. "His manners are somewhat lacking."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

She hugged him back, tightly. "I was worried you wouldn't make it back. You're well?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"That was a worry we shared," he admitted. "But it all worked out! Everything fell into place and all is well and--" Karal laughed lightly. "There's much to tell you," he said as he leaned back.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi was more of a dog person, but she'd never met a cat with any sort of manners before. "What a nice kitty! Hello Altra," she said, letting the unfamiliar name roll over her tongue. "Karse? Where is that?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Altra's ears went flat and he glared at being called a 'nice kitty.' "Umm, he's actually not a cat," Karal said quickly. "He's a Firecat, a person, just shaped like a cat." He chuckled as Altra's glare was suddenly turned on him "You are," he told the 'cat, before turning back to Hoshi. "And Karse is a different world, but I'm not certain where it is in relation to here."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"I see," said Hoshi. That must be why the names seemed so exotic even with her knowledge of languages. "I'm from Kyoto, Japan, which is from this world, but I'm from about 140 years in the future. Don't ask me how that happened."

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I can't wait to hear all of it!" She sat down near Karal, but close enough to scratch Altra's ears should he be so inclined. "I'm afraid I don't have as much to tell you."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"This island is very strange. It was explained to me as a dimensional nexus point, which I still don't quite understand, but I have heard of Japan! It's--" He tilted his head, trying to picture the atlas he'd read. "It's a series of islands, isn't it?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Altra, as it turned out, was so inclined and he lowered his head. :You could pat me since you're just sitting there,: he added for good measure.

"Altra! Inara may not want to pat you, did you ever think of that?"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"No, that's fine," she laughed, reaching out to scratch between his ears, then began petting him in long strokes. "I was hoping he wouldn't mind, but it seemed intrusive to just assume."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"That's right," said Hoshi. "It's fairly close to China, in the Pacific Ocean. Kyoto used to be the imperial capital and it's a really beautiful city."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Her reward was a deep purr and a very smug look directed at Karal.

Karal smiled and shook his head. "I'm not sure Altra would ever object to being patted," he said, settling back against the couch. "Have you been well, Inara?"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Maybe not, but it's still polite to ask," she said, still petting Altra and figuring he'd move or ask her to stop when he'd had enough. "I have. I may have fallen apart on poor Gavin once or twice, but otherwise, I've been very well, thank you."

Although she remembered speaking to Luke, that wasn't the kind of information that she would pass on, even to one of his friends.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He nodded, tucking the information away. "Karse is completely landlocked," he offered. "It must have been amazing to grow up with the ocean so close."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Fallen apart?" He looked at her in concern, and Altra purred louder. "Did something happen?"

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I met the man who is my future husband over Parents' Weekend," she said grimly, "not only is he an ass of epic proportions, but apparently I suffer a grievous head injury, because there's no other reason why I'd marry him! Also, he's not Gavin. Which, I know it's silly, but...there it is."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"We end up eating a lot of seafood, that's for certain," said Hoshi with a chuckle. "The islands were all created by volcanoes so there's also a lot of snow-capped mountains. It is very beautiful."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"It sounds not that different from Karse. We have mountainous areas, nothing high enough that they catch the snow, but very rocky. It's harsh, sometimes, and the winter can be brutal, but," he smiled, lost in memory, "it has its own appeal. I miss it sometimes."

[solo_sword]

Jaina hadn't wanted to stay in her room, and she'd been able to pick up where people were, which was why she ventured up a floor to the common room. "You went all out," she said, taking a seat on a sofa.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I believe it's a rule," he replied, smiling at her. "Pizza must be shared. I'd hate to get in trouble for bring only enough for myself."