Home again
As the train pulls up, the humans watch in amazement as shapes and colors emerge from the empty blackness. The first form recognizable is a ladybug. Then trees, grass, houses, a lake, and suddenly the train is stopped at a real train station and Janet is cheerfully welcoming them to their new old neighborhood. This Janet is clearly more relaxed than the Janet they met on Earth. She is once again able to change the world with just a thought and an upbeat bing! The only thing she cannot change in her environment is the humans themselves. She still has not told Jason her feelings and their past, though she has confided it to Eleanor. The latter catches her not-robot friend looking warmly at Jason as his eyes light up like a toddler at Christmas.
"Oh dip!" Jason exclaims to her. "When you said you were gonna re-make a neighborhood I thought you meant like out of old car tires and cell phone batteries! This looks like a REAL place!"
"It IS a real place, Jason." Janet opened the doors. "I made it!"
As Tahani, Michael, Chidi, and Eleanor climbed out the train's second set of doors, Jason put his toes out tentatively and tested the ground like the temperature of a swimming pool. His face lit up and he leaped out and jumped up and down to check if the ground was sturdy.
"Oh Michael," Tahani exclaimed, "It's perfect! I can't believe we have spent centuries together already, it must have been just wonderful." She paused. "Besides the fact that you were torturing us, of course."
Michael laughed uncomfortably. "I do hope you like it. Come this way, let me give you the grand tour. Again. This time, I promise you'll get to remember it!"
Eleanor and Chidi followed their friends as they took in the sights. By this time they had each had glimpses into their past lives here. Eleanor took Chidi's hand and they shared a smile.
Welcome! Everything is . . . delicious.
The six friends entered the neighborhood with Michael in the lead. "This is the town square," he gestured towards the circle of restaurants interspersed with clumps of trees. Jason noticed a butterfly and skipped after it.
"During the reboots it was often frozen yogurt restaurants, exclusively." Michael explained. "But this time there will be variety! Tahani, see that facade that looks like Vienna's Cafe Central? When you go inside, you'll find a tea shop that is just as you described to Janet in your answer to, "What is your dream restaurant?" They even have afternoon tea with those smoked salmon finger sandwiches. And a formal dress code!" Tahani's face lit up and she gazed at the ornate sign that spelled out Matcha Do About Nothing.
"Eleanor, there's The Crustacianarium, as you requested." Eleanor pumped her fist. "Yeaaaaaaah! Thanks Mikey!" She went for the door but Chidi held on to her hand and gently reeled her back in to stand with the group.
"And, at Jason's request, there will still be a frozen yogurt shop." Michael sounded a little exasperated at this and muttered to Tahani, Eleanor and Chidi, "I'm sorry you guys. I tried to convince him to switch to ice cream, I even suggested that he could have those little gummy snacks in the shape of Jaguars players. Nothing worked.
"Chidi, you're still welcome to pick a restaurant, if you can decide on one." Michael added.
"When you decide on one," Eleanor said, smiling at Chidi.
"There's also The Slice Guys and Now you Sashimi, and Janet will add more after we meet and learn the tastes of the new residents."
Michael looked up at Jason, who had climbed halfway up a nearby maple tree while they were talking. "Uh, Janet-" he began, but Janet had already bing!ed some jalapeno poppers into existence. Jason climbed down and joined them as they walked into the residential areas of the neighborhood.
Jason's glee is on the house
"Janet and I have come up with homes for each of you to live in here," Michael said. Now, Jason, your house is-" He pointed.
Jason's eyes were huge. "DOPE! A BOUNCY CASTLE?" He ran towards what was indeed a giant bouncy castle featuring Jaguars colors. "Homie, this is even better than I imagined! I don't even need a bed, I will sleep under that TREE!" He went inside and began jumping.
The rest of them looked past the bouncy castle to a two story house with a slide from the top floor into the adjoining lake. A sign out front read "Jason's House, complete with Bud Hole."
Michael looked at Janet and raised his eyebrows. "What?" She said. "I added it after we finished the neighborhood plans. I knew Jason would love it!"
"Woohoo!" Jason whooped in the background.
"Janet, will you check on him later and make sure he knows he has an actual bed?" Michael asked.
Janet gave him a thumbs up. "You got it!"
A bold new plan.
"Now that the point system has been fixed, there are many new people who will be arriving in the Good Place." Michael explained as they continued.
"The accountants and the Good Place staff have the onerous task of re-assigning literally millions of people into the Good Place after being incorrectly sent to the Bad Place. They need to wipe memories of centuries of torture, build new neighborhoods, and welcome each group of residents. This has never been done before.
"And the demons won't be too keen to let any of the miserable mayflies leave their torture chamber. This job may take the rest of eternity." Michael drifted into his thoughts then snapped back out, his optimistic tone ringing back in their ears.
"But we don't have to worry about that! Our job is to welcome the first residents to go straight to the Good Place in more than 500 years! So, we really want to do everything we can to make them comfortable. Tahani, I'm wondering if you would throw a welcome party for everyone?"
Tahani brightened, "Oh Michael, I'd be delighted! I'll start working on the menu and decor immediately! And of course, we'll need to scout a proper venue -"
"Ah yes," Michael smiled. They rounded a grove of trees and their eyes landed on the magnificent mansion that had been Tahani's home for so many of the reboots. "Will this do?"
"Oh my! Michael this is just extraordinary!" Tahani gasped. "This will be perfect for the reception!"
"Tahani, this ginormous palace was yours in the fake Good Place." Eleanor said. "Well, some of the time. Of course you'd live in this oversized frosted cupcake in the real Good Place."
"My-!" Tahani looked lightheaded. Janet binged her dizzy couch for her to collapse onto.