This is where Returner really comes in. And it starts to show that I get Masato's family and given names mixed up. And…geez, that's all I really have to say. Hard to gush about stuff I wrote a year ago, I guess! Pardon boldness where one might expect de-italics; that simply didn't provide enough visual emphasis for my purposes.

Generation of Unity

"You punched a customer?"

The phrase was only an echo of many similar questions that had been flung at him during job interview after interview. Ryou had done his damnedest to keep the story from leaking to his potential employers, but his old boss was a tricky one and somehow his misdeed was now linked inexorably to his name. He would have given up the job search long ago if his parents hadn't insisted that he get work or move out of the apartment they were paying for until he got into university. And leaving the apartment wasn't an option anymore, what with Indou having become a permanent fixture there.

"Look at all the trouble you caused me! Every problem I've had since I first started playing The World seems to have stemmed from you and your stupid schemes…" Ryou muttered at thin air, since the man in question was out shopping for groceries. Ryou was in the process of making dinner for two, which had startlingly become habit over the past month or so. "And your stupid face, and your stupid way of talking…" He punctuated each point by violently lopping off another slice of carrot.

His speech was interrupted when the apartment door banged open and shut, hailing Indou's arrival. "I'm back," the man announced needlessly as he strolled into the tiny kitchen and dumped armfuls of paper bags onto the table there. "I picked up a newspaper on the way home. Good news." He waited until Ryou finished chopping vegetables and turned to look at the taller man's beaming face.

"CC Corp has finally decided to take most of the blame for the AIDA incident and its results. Seems authorities finally unearthed enough evidence to make them take responsibility."

"Oh, and is Hell freezing over? Are the weathermen calling for showers of blood? Because it sounds like the world might be coming to an end…"

Indou laughed, but also gave Ryou a sideways look. "Don't you understand what that means? I'm not a wanted man anymore!"

When Ryou didn't respond right away, Indou's face began to fall. "Well, I thought that might be cause for celebration," he added, hoping to provoke some reply.

"I guess we can start by packing your things up," Ryou said slowly.

Indou looked hurt, and sidled out of the kitchen. When Ryou finished cooking and called for him, there was no response. He poked his head out into the living room, but it was empty. Face taking on a serious frown, he peered around the sofa, wondering if Indou had left and if he had, how he had managed to do so silently. "Indou-kun?" he called again, wondering if he was in the bathroom. The sound of a vague response came from Ryou's bedroom.

"I told you not to go into my room, it's creepy," Ryou complained as he opened the bedroom door in a huff. Indou sat at Ryou's desk, wearing his headset and typing rapidly. "What are you doing on my computer, you jerk?"

"Oh, he's found me. Hold on." Indou spoke into the mic before removing the M2D to face Ryou. "Shino is on."

Ryou faltered in his blustering. "You're talking to Shino?" he said dumbly.

"I owed it to her. It's the first opportunity I've had to talk with her or anyone online since the Rebirth. Well, really talk to them, in a normal setting. She's very understanding…" Indou trailed off, looking pleased but distant.

"She is," Ryou confirmed sharply. "Now either tell her you'll be back in a bit, or say goodbye. Dinner can't wait forever." He felt like an exasperated mother as he stalked back to the kitchen and began eating before Indou could catch up. He couldn't very well force the man to cut short his first venture into the World in nearly a year, during which a lot of dramatic things had happened, but he still didn't like the idea of someone else using his headset or computer, or even his chair for that matter. Thankfully that soon wouldn't be a problem, and maybe he could even move back in with his parents to lighten his financial load. The apartment would be very quiet after Indou left, and with no job he'd be spending a lot of time there, alone.

After a silent meal, Indou returned to the computer while Ryou did the dishes absentmindedly. Just as he was finishing, the older man left Ryou's bedroom to lie on the couch, mentioning offhandedly that the computer was free. Having nothing else to do, Ryou finished cleaning and logged on.

He was immediately greeted with an email from Shino.

"Haseo, Ovan talked to me earlier. I'm very happy to see him well, but what he told me about you troubles me. Your reaction to his return is not what I expected. He seems eager to forgive you, but that didn't stop him from describing how you've treated him since you first saw him in the real world—and even if he is willing to accept this treatment, I cannot."

Ryou grimaced at the screen, wondering when Shino had turned into such an imperious person. But then again, the Twilight Brigade had been a second family for all of them, and she probably just wanted them to get along better…

"I recall the night we visited ∆Hidden Forbidden Festival. You said what you intended to tell Ovan when he returned: 'Welcome back.' But Haseo, have you even told him that much? You had such a fond look on your face then, but now I think you are probably always scowling. What has changed?"

That ended the message. Ryou sat in silence for a few minutes, turning the thought over in his head. He had said that, back then, hadn't he? And he could almost remember how he had felt. There had been aching, knowing it could be a long time before he saw his old friend again, but also a sort of pride knowing Ovan had saved The World and still had the strength left to return. There hadn't been any of the resentment he felt now. What had changed?

He left the bedroom with a sigh, not feeling up to playing at that moment. In the sitting room, Indou was sprawled on the sofa, sloppy-looking as ever. His eyes were closed, but Ryou couldn't be sure if he was still awake or not. Blushing hotly, trying not to think of how much his ego was wounded by admitting defeat, he bent over the back of the couch and muttered, "Welcome back, Ovan."

It wasn't until Ryou had skulked back into his own bedroom to kill monsters and let off some steam that Indou let a broad grin cross his face.