(Spoilers from Campaign 2 Episode 141, it has been a lovely ride, and I will admit, this mostly going to be me getting a bit into my own personal fantasy, but I hope it is enjoyed.)
Home, Again.
Caleb, a little grayer in his hair, stands on the beach staring out into the ocean, a wide smile on his face as he turns and sees several small forms racing about, clashing fake swords, delving into the water cautiously, or just doing what children are want to do. Veth's little "camp" had picked up steam, numerous children from across the breadth of Nicodranus coming to learn how to be, well, how to play at being adventurers. He'd managed to take a bit of time off from the academy, nervous still about the prospect but...he'd been drawn away for an excellent reason.
His family.
Nine years had passed since their battle in Cognouza. Nine years since they had become the unsung, though oft whispered. heroes of all of Exandria.
He'd seen them all from time to time across the years, coming together for birthdays and moments of joy and surprise, but now, was a time for true celebration.
He turns and spots Veth and Yeza, standing shoulder to shoulder nearby, watching the waves roll in, hunting perhaps like he was, for the behemoth that was the Nine Heroez to pull into port. On Veth's hip is a little girl, with a mane of curled, wild hair much like her father with a deeper skin tone like her mother: Molly.
Veth turns and looks up at him, "Do you seem anything?"
"Not yet, but they'll be here. I can't imagine they'd miss this for the world." Caleb responds, squeezing her shoulder before reaching down, letting the gently cooing Molly take his finger and squeeze.
He turns and looks back, spotting several other figures arrayed across the beach that he had reached out to in the planning of this event.
Shakaste is perched on a rock, telling a soothing story to an enraptured crowd of kids, which included Luc, and to his amusement Twiggy, who had arrived at the party seemingly out of the blue.
Running towards him, chased by her youngest adoptive siblings is Kiri. Veth invited her family to partake of Nicodranus and allow the kids a bit of fun during the summer months.
Kiri skids to a halt kicking up sand, standing almost to his chest now, several makeshift bandoleers and her collection of tinkered baubles resting on her chest and along her belt. She smiles up at him widely, chirping excitedly.
"Come on! Beau, Yasha! She's probably a good egg!" Kiri warbles, mimicking several voices she'd heard, tugging on his and Veth's hands.
Laughing, Veth passes Molly to her husband, and the pair allow Kiri to drag them all the way to the edge of the beach, where Beau and Yasha are approaching. They both look a bit older but more at peace, Yasha dressed in dark but less severe clothing, hints of Dynasty garb on the both of them. He also notices two figures walking a step behind them, looking a bit shy.
"I missed you!" Kiri crows, darting for the pair and hugging tight to their legs.
"Hey, Kiri," Beau says with a soft smile.
"Hello, Little Bird," Yasha says, giving Kiri a head scritch.
She coos cheerfully before darting back up onto her perch and scanning for signs of the others.
Beau looks at Caleb and wraps him in a tight hug, "Hey, Professor."
"Expositor," Caleb mutters, wrapping his arms around her and then doing the same to Yasha, who practically picks him up off his feet.
Beau kneels and hugs Veth, whispering, "Chaos Crew!"
"Almost." Veth states, "Hopefully, she'll be here soon."
Caleb looks past his dear friends and blinks in surprise as he spots Beauregard's Mother and younger brother TJ.
"Oh, uh, hello, thank you for coming." Caleb mutters, rubbing the back of his head, "I don't know if you remember me. I'm Caleb Widoghast."
Veth narrows her eyes slightly at Beau's mother: "Veth Brenatto."
"Clara, I do remember you," she remarks, nodding to them both briefly.
"Good, because I-" Veth begins only for Beau to place a hand on her shoulder.
"Down, Veth," Beau remarks, earning a chuckle from Yasha.
"Fine," she remarks, still giving Beau's mother a bit of a stink eye.
"Please, make yourself comfortable. There is some food and drink nearby, and blankets to spread out as you wish," Caleb states.
"Thank you," Clara says, turning to leave the four of them while TJ hangs back next to his sister, looking up at her uncertainly.
"Go have fun." Beau says, pointing to Luc and Kiri, "Those are the other kids I was telling you about, just don't get into too much trouble, okay?"
TJ gives her a shy grin, "No promises."
And then runs off, Caleb noticing the small sticks that he wears across his back.
"A chip off the old block, eh?" Caleb asks as Beau throws an arm around him.
"Not exactly, way more shy!" Beau states, looping her arm around Yasha's as Veth grabs his hand, "Four of the Nine, any words on the others?"
"Not yet, but they'll come," Caleb says.
"Good, I brought you all flowers from our garden." Yasha states, holding up a new book, filled to the brim with dried flowers, "You both look very good."
Veth smiles: "I'm with my family, and even more are on the way; I'm wonderful."
Caleb nods: "It will be good to see everyone again."
"Speaking of everyone," Beau states, unlooping her arms from her partner and friend, "Yo, Shakaste! I think it's past time you and I compared notes on some things."
Shakaste turns from his story to Luc and the other kids, the former getting dragged away by Kiri for a conversation with TJ, while Twiggy looks around him and her face widens in a deep grin.
"I mean, I agree, but I thought this was gonna be a day of fun, not work?" Shakaste remarks with a knowing smirk.
"I can do both," Beau says with a shrug of her shoulders as she walks towards them.
"I have notes too!" Twiggy cries, darting towards Beau and beginning to ramble, while Yasha turns and walks towards Yeza, the pair beginning a softer conversation as Yasha, ever so gently gives her hand out for Molly to play with.
Caleb and Veth end up sitting shoulder to shoulder on the beach, waiting and watching as their friends and number of children mill about them and are deep in conversation, when the sound of a firework going off draws all of their attention.
There is a collective jump amongst the party, the more martial figures immediately going on the defensive, with Yasha pushing Yeza behind her only for it to be quickly revealed to be Kiri once more, tearing away from Luc and TJ, now shouting.
"Jester! Jester! I missed you!"
Not a moment later, Twiggy is peeling off as well, with Veth, Caleb, Beau, and Yasha at a more sedentary step behind as approaching them arm in arm is Fjord and Jester, wide smiles on their face, Nugget loping ahead of them and teleport tackling Luc, who falls with a laugh as the dog begins licking his face.
Behind them, walking arm and arm is The Gentleman and Marion, followed by Orly and Vandren, and next to them, to Caleb's surprise, is Caliana.
"Kiri!" Jester cries out, sliding to her knees and wrapping the young Kenku in the tightest hug and spinning her about, revealing the swaddled bundle on her back which giggles in surprise at the momentum.
"And Twiggy!" Jester cries, drawing the gnome into a tight hug as well before ping-ponging to her friend with deep, tearful hugs and cheek kisses, going from Veth to Yasha, to Beau, and then to Caleb.
"Veth, so, about the Detective Agency...I'm sorry that I've been so busy...but." Jester began as she hugs her.
"Don't worry, Jessie, I'm glad you're here," Veth says, hugging her tightly.
"Yasha, my god, you look so beautiful! I missed you so much!" Jester cries, running her fingers through flower-filled hair.
"Thank you, Jester, I missed you too." Yasha states with a soft smile as she looks down over Jester's shoulder into the teal face of a small Tiefling toddler, the hint of a tusk coming in on the left-hand side, "And this little joy."
She tickles the bottom of his chin, eliciting a laugh, a smile widening on her face: "Hi, Charlie."
"Beau!" Jester cries, pulling her into a bone-cracking hug.
"Hey, Cutie." Beau returns, hugging her back and patting her cheek.
Jester giggles and then turns to hug Caleb, a soft but deep embrace, "You look very happy, Caleb."
Caleb whispers back, "I am happy. So very, very happy."
Fjord walks up next, looking down at Veth: "Veth."
Veth looks up at him with narrowed eyes, "Fjord."
They stare at each other for a moment before wrapping each other in a hug, "You look good, Fjord."
"I feel it." he returns, "And so do you."
Yasha and Fjord clap hands together with a smile while Beau comes in on the other side and punches him playfully on the shoulder.
"You know neither of those hurt as much as they used to." Fjord states with a grin.
"Good, where's Kingsley?" Yasha asks.
"Well wouldn't you know it...the tricky bastard went off and made himself into a pirate." Fjord said with a laugh, "I...I don't know if he'll be here."
Yasha looks down a bit crestfallen, "Oh."
"This does mean, though, that I need my old first mate back if she has an inkling to come to sea, just for a bit." Fjord said with a slight smile, looking to Beau.
Beau smiles and shares a look at Yasha, who shrugs but smiles softly. "Maybe, maybe."
"Nice to see you again, Caleb," Fjord says, pulling him into a hug.
"Nice to see you too, Fjord," Caleb says.
"Gangs almost all here; it's been quite a while, hasn't it," Fjord says.
"It has." Caleb agrees as he watches Jester place her son into the arms of her mother and then scoops up Kiri and twirls around with a laugh.
"Mighty fine to see all of you again, ain't that right, Miss," Orly says, nodding to each of them and nudging Caliana.
"OH! Yes, of course. Hello, again, Mr. Caleb, Beau, Yasha," Caliana states, with a nervous bow before looking at Veth and opening her mouth a bit awkwardly.
"It's Veth; good to see you again, Miss." Veth says with a smile, "How have you been?"
"Well, I..." Caliana begins, blushing slightly, only for Jester to spin by interrupting.
"We found her when we stopped her in Port Demali! Kingsley did actually, and then we caught up, and Fjord managed to convince her to join our crew, and she has been very helpful with the magic things at times like you were Caleb, and sometimes she scares the living daylights out of people that try and steal from us!"
Calianna blushes deeper, "I don't mean to."
"She's a good crewmate, and a good friend, speaking of which." Fjord says, turning to the older man beside him, "Vandren, this is my family, not everyone, but most."
Vandren gives them all a once over, "Eclectic group. Makes sense. Nice to meet you. Any drink to be found?"
"Yes, right over there," Caleb says, pointing towards a large picnic table.
"Right, Orly, let's get to it," Vandren says, clapping Fjord on the shoulder and heading over, followed by The Gentleman, who gives each of them a respectful nod, kissing his daughter on the cheek as he passes.
Marion smiles at them all, "I'm glad to see you all healthy and hale. You've all had quite the journey."
The assembled Nein shared a look, "That we have."
Jester smirks and then speaks up, "Speaking of which..."
She enters into a tirade of her and Fjord's most recent adventurer's interrupted at times by Fjord and a more tentative Caliana, while the others listen, sitting down as the sun hangs lower and lower in the sky, Veth's students heading for home, leaving the children adjoined to the party alone to chase each other, play fight, and ride about on Nugget. Charlie spends much of the time in his Mother or Father's lap, occasionally being passed to Yasha, who at one point ends up holding him and Molly in a moment of what Caleb could only describe as awed bliss, as their respective parents got drawn away by something.
A while later, Luc turns to trying to entertain them, showing off the few cantrips he'd learned to the other kids, including the assembled Shusters, and TJ. Kiri makes a game of picking at him after a bit.
As he begins talking about how strong he will be, Kiri walks up and pokes her beak directly into his ear.
"Kiri! Don't embarrass me in front of my apprentices!" he cries with a bit of a blush as Kiri made a joking kissing sound, gesturing to Molly and Charlie who stared at the pair in the muddled, joyful confusion that is Toddlerhood as they rest on their respective parent's laps.
"I don't think a little peck is all that embarrassing." a low voice states, drawing the assembled Nein's attention to a tall figure, his staff glowing a low pink, a wide smile on his face as Caduceus Clay approaches with several others in tow.
"Sorry, I'm late," Cad says, not even pausing as an elated Luc races for him and jumps into his arms, "I had a few friends to pick up."
Calliope waves, "I'm just his tagalong."
Behind her stands Nila and her son, Keg, quickly dashing out a cigarette and looking more than a little awkward, with Reani at her shoulder.
"Hello again," Nila states with a soft smile as the other curious youngsters readily approach her son.
"Long time no see, heard y'all did some really good work." Keg states with a smirk, sharing a look with Beau, walking over, and hugging Veth.
Reani darts over to Jester, wrapping her in a hug, then several of the others, cooing over the babies for a second before tackle-hugging Beau and then Caleb.
"Hey, Reani," Beau says, looking a little awkward but still happy to see her.
"Hey guys, also thank you, Caleb, for sending him my way."
"Him?" Caleb queries, a bit confused.
Clay walks up, hugging Fjord deeply, and then Jester and Yasha: "God, it's good to see you all again, but as I said, I had some friends to pick up."
And out of the shadows, melting into view with a soft yet nervous smile on his face, comes Essek Theylas.
"Hello everyone." he states, eliciting a few gasps and a tackle hug from Jester, "And let's just say Reani, and I have been working on...seeing all the colors and shades as it were."
He gives Beau a pointed nod.
Reani smiles, "He's a sweetheart."
Caleb gets to his feet, walking over to Essek with a cautious smile, "Welcome back to the Mighty Nein."
"Glad to be back...if just for a little while, it will be good, to..." he pauses, looking deeply into Caleb's eyes, "Take a bit more time with you."
As Jester lets him go, Essek slowly glides towards Caleb, and he feels their fingers intertwine, a soft smile growing on both their faces.
He turns and notices a few smirking faces amongst his friends, while the adjoining members are beginning to shuffle about and begin conversing, Reani and Twiggy hitting it off like an unending wildfire, while Keg mills about before choosing to sidle up to Caliana and begin asking her questions, Shakaste sits down next to Caduceus and begins to query him on how everything is going in his neck of the woods.
Fjord looks around at his family as several fires roar up around them. TJ, Kiri, Luc, the Schusters, and Asar are sitting around their own cooking marshmallows, watched by Clara, who has found herself the subject of affection for Nugget, his large head now splaying across her lap. Jester is sitting between Fjord and her Mother, Charlie asleep on her lap, head on her mother's shoulder, with her and Fjord holding hands. Beau is leaning against Yasha, next to Yeza, holding Molly while Veth sat between him and Caleb, with Esseek on his other side, their fingers just the faintest bit intertwined. A bit back from the fire, behind Fjord and Jester, Nila, Cad, and his sister are leaning forward, Cad's hand resting on Fjord's shoulder. Calianna sits next to Fjord, while Reani and Twiggy sit across the fire from Yasha and Beau. Vandren, The Gentleman, and Keg are deep in conversation at the nearby picnic table while Shakaste and Orly are seated between the Nein's fire and the kids, the former humming along as the latter plays some softer music.
"Gangs all here finally." Fjord remarks, "And on a beautiful night too."
"Well...almost all of them are here," Yasha states, somewhat sadly.
"No, everyone." a familiar voice states, as coming across the sands is Kingsley Tealeaf, with Marius in tow.
"Hi there, Angel, there was no way I was missing this party, especially since Joybuzzer reminded me every day about it," Kingsley states, kissing the top of Yasha's head as he walks by, doing the same to Jester and then clapping Fjord on the back and gently hugging Caliana as she scoots over.
"You too?" Essek asks with a knowing smile.
"So it would seem." Kingsley returns as Marius walks by, headed for Orly.
"Kill anyone yet?" Fjord calls out after him.
"No, Captain." Marius returns with a sheepish grin.
"Pity, good to see you still breathing, Lepual." Fjord states with a smirk.
"Likewise, Captain," Marius states, falling into a seat beside Orly.
Keg turns at the arrival of the newest figure and does a triple take before walking over and clunking to the ground next to Reani and staring at him.
"You...are making me extremely uncomfortable," Kingsley states with a smirk.
"Yeah...sorry, this is a little weird, honestly." as she turns to Beau, Veth, and Caleb, and mouthed, "Why didn't you warn me?!"
Beau blinks, "Sorry."
Kingsley chuckles, "Right, this is awkward, but I've got time to catch up with whatever that is and the rest of y'alls stories in a moment. Cause I need a fucking drink!"
He crows that with a laugh and a second later, he is mimicked by a surprised Kiri which is then picked up by Luc, who instead starts yelling: "Well, get a fucking drink then!"
He and Kiri begin to chant that back and forth turning it into a bit of a song, which Orly chuckles at and begins to play a bit of a jig, eliciting a few smirking laughs from the others, while Kingsley blanches a little bit.
"I feel like I'm a bad influence," Kingsley states as he stands up.
"Oh, we all are." Fjord agrees.
"Most of us." Cad amends with a smile.
Caleb chuckles, gripping Essek's hand a bit tighter as he smiles as well, listening to the chaos begin to pick up around him, as Kiri and Luc begin to dance around them, drawing others to join them as Orly begins to play in earnest, joined by Marius, as he draws a lute from his back. First Beau and Yasha, then Yeza and Veth holding Molly, then Fjord and Jester with their son between them, Marion and the Gentleman, Keg shrugs and begins tapping her foot while Twiggy begins dancing by herself, twirling in a flurry of spinning skirts, leaving Caliana, who is quickly offered a hand by Reani, taking it with a vibrant blush' Kingsley looks about before offering Cad a hand with a smirk, who shakes his head just looking about contently. Kingsley shrugs only for Calliope to vice grip his hand and twirls him away while Nila and her son are the last to stand up and dance, with TJ joining his older sister and her partner. Caleb shoots Essek a questioning look, who smiles and stands, resting his forehead against his silently, before in the moon and fire-light, missed by all but a cloaked green figure at the edge of the revelry their chins tip up towards each other into a soft, gentle kiss.
Caleb is glad to be home.
It has been a glorious ride, folks, with a wonderful ending.
Catharsis abounding.
Caleb as a Teacher.
Veth and Cad returned to their families.
Fjord and Jester sailing the High Seas.
Beau and Yasha possibly settling into the Xhorhouse.
The not-so Dreadful Pirate Kingsley Tealeaf and his ship Mollymauk.
It seems like when we see them again. Perchance we'll get that confrontation with Uk'Otoa.
To each and all of you, I hope you've enjoyed my scribing ways! One last cheer for the Mighty Nein!
And to a Thursday soon, with a whole new cast of characters in a wondrous new setting.