do ya need a break from modern livin' part 1

[tadeadshi]

WHO: Hamada Brothers, Honey Lemon, Gogo, Ken, Shinjiro, Akihiko, Minato, Jaime Reyes, Magicman, anyone else tangently involved in this travesty
WHERE: De Chima, then on the road
WHEN: June 10 - *waves hand vaguely cough*June17*cough*
WHAT: A bunch of teenagers pile into two cars and road trip to California
WARNINGS: exactly what you'd expect on a cross country road trip - a lot of yelling at some point



Months of planning and coordination and the day finally came this road trip could start. De Chima #1 has Akihiko's smaller car and a larger rental van parked outside and both half-loaded with luggage, camping gear, coolers and room for everyone else's things. Tadashi himself is sporting bags under his eyes from having gone and bailed the Pines twins and their uncle out of Heropa jail and taken them home in the wee hours of the morning before finally getting a few good solid hours of sleep. It only hit him the day before that half the trip goers likely haven't met the other half...

It should be fine. Until everyone gets there and packed and ready, he's just going through his phone's map and gps to make sure he's got the route taken care of.

Comments

[maglevflash]

[Gogo walked down the street from #4 with her last bag slung over her shoulder. She'd managed to do some shopping the day before for everything else she suddenly needed last minute, and she had to say she was quite prepared for whatever this trip entailed.

Which, beyond their end game, she still had no idea what they were going to do. Just what she needed after this past week, to be honest.

She still moved stiffly as she packed her bag into the van, but the bruising was manageable and she was determined to pretend they didn't exist.]

So...how many people are going?

[tadeadshi]

[He definitely sees the way she's moving and if he knew she was banged up? He'd offer healing, but until then, all he can do is watch and make sure she's okay.

What a question though. He picks up one of Hiro's bags to load it in.]

Well, it was originally going to be maybe four of us? And now it's ten all together.

[maglevflash]

[If she was the type to ask for help...

Besides, Tadashi has an amazing aunt, so it all works out.

Gogo whistles and leans against the van.]

So you, me, Honey, and Hiro. Anyone else I know?

[tadeadshi]

Uh... Our housemates here [he nods to the house] and a couple of their friends, Ken and Jaime.

[With their luggage in, he starts packing them in a little tighter to make more room for when the others get here.]

[maglevflash]

Jaime?

[That gets a surprised, almost alarmed reaction. It couldn't be the same guy. Not that she wasn't going to be thrilled to see him, after everything that happened, but well. She didn't quite expect to be faced with seeing him awake this soon. Without preparing, or something.

But...it'd be good to see that he's okay.]

[tadeadshi]

[The recognition makes him smile. Awesome, that's one less introduction he has to make.]

Good, you now him. Great guy, good friends with Shinjiro and Minato.

[maglevflash]

....maybe this won't be so bad after all.

[She smirks teasingly.]

[tadeadshi]

Oh, did you doubt me?

[He gives her a teasing nudge with an elbow.]

C'mon, I've got coffee or whatever made if you want any before we go.

[maglevflash]

Yes please.

[She pushes away from the van to head towards the house.]

And it's not that I doubted you, but two weeks stuck in a car with the lot of you? You realize we're all going to be insane by the time we get home, right?

[orangehoodie]

A lot.

[He says, when he hears her question as he walks up. This is a number Ken's used to since SEES has ten members, but this is his first time going anywhere but Tartarus in a group that's the same size, and it's also been a long time since he's been on a car. He's got a duffle bag that's only seems big because of the size of the child who's carrying it, and he's got a second backpack that he's stuffed with all of Koromaru's necessities. Who, by the way, had run forward and is now coming around to stand between Gogo and Ken with his tail wagging happily. A new face!]

I think Tadashi-san's one of the only people who kept track of the whole roster.

... Good morning.

[maglevflash]

[Gogo's crouching down to greet Koromaru properly, offering a hand out for him to sniff before she tries petting him.]

I could have asked him sooner, I guess. [Things have been happening. So many things.]

Good morning. I'm Gogo.

[orangehoodie]

[There's hardly any need for the sniffing. Koromaru does it because there's an offered hand so why wouldn't he? but if she's here then she's a friend of his friends and that's all that matters. He's immediately licking her fingers.]

Things got kind of hectic. I didn't know where we were going until a couple weeks ago.

[He sets down his duffle bag to hold out a hand.] I'm Ken Amada. Nice to meet you, Gogo-san.

[maglevflash]

[She'll be more than happy to lean closer to ruffle his fur and pet him properly. Who's a good boy??]

Nice to meet you too, Ken. I probably learned about the same time you did, to be honest.

[She wipes her hand on her leggings and then reaches up to shake his.]

[orangehoodie]

[Oh now we're talking. Who's a good boy? He is! He is, of course! He leans right into her pets as they're given, tail wagging.]

I'm not surprised.

[He takes her hand to shake it, brief and polite. For a boy his size it might be surprising in its firmness.]

You're one of Hiro's friends from home, then.

[maglevflash]

[You are obnoxiously friendly, pup. That's okay. Gogo submits herself to having fur all over her clothes. It's an interesting exercise in multitasking to not get bowled over while shaking someone's hand.]

That's right. I went to school with Tadashi; met Hiro through him.

[orangehoodie]

[He's patient, at least. He's used to being around all sorts of people, and once Gogo's shaking Ken's hand he comes down from his excitement and just sits in front of her with a grin on his face.]

University, right? I've never really spoken to college students before I met Tadashi-san. How is it?

[maglevflash]

I like it. It's not for everyone, but I like the challenge it gives me. It allowed me to build whatever I wanted.

[Back to casually rubbing his head, just behind the ears. Less excitement is definitely easier for her to handle right now. Good boy.]

[hoboagogo]

[He knew there would be two girls coming (Or, rather-- to his knowledge there were two coming, since he wasn't entirely sure of the situation with Joel and Ellie. And the only descriptions he'd been given was "Extremely chipper" And "Intense."

So Shinjiro's going to hazard a guess on who this is.]

Gogo, right?

[Shinjiro calls over from where he'd been flipping through his phone and sitting against the open trunk of his own car- a dark red four-door, shiny and relatively new looking, but already bearing plenty of Stuff in the trunk.] I still ain't clear on who all's coming. As many show up before we kick off, I guess.

[maglevflash]

Who's asking?

[Intense is one way to put it. Gogo hadn't had very much warning who was coming beyond her own friends. She'd known there were others, but despite being told she was coming a couple weeks ago she'd never had the opportunity to meet the other road trippers.]

I'm not sitting in anyone's lap if we run out of room.

[hoboagogo]

Shinjiro Aragaki. Am I right, then?

[And he can't say he blames her for not wanting to share a spot- so he shrugs.] If there ain't any surprises, we should be good. Ten of us and a small dog- and my car's a five seater, and Tadashi's got a van rented. So that's a seat apiece.

[An amused huff, and he gestures a hand uselessly.] But if you're worried, then you might wanna call dobs on a place now. Put something on it, or whatever.

[maglevflash]

Gogo Tomago. [Got it in one. Though honestly if he were forewarned then there really wasn't anyone else she could have been.]

Nah, who wants to be That Guy on a road trip with strangers? The actual spot doesn't matter to me.

[hoboagogo]

[A nod. He's good with abbreviated meetings.]

I figure whoever's gonna be That Guy probably doesn't give a shit what anyone else thinks. But if worst comes to worst, you could always share with the dog. Or get someone on your lap.

[Hey, options.]

[maglevflash]

[Acceptable options. She nods in agreement.]

So you all know each other? [A gesture towards the rest of the group.]

[hoboagogo]

[He nods.] Me, Aki, Minato, Ken, and the dog are all from the same place- and we share a place with the Hamada's over there. And I used to live with Jaime.

How 'bout you?

[maglevflash]

Just Tadashi, Honey, and Hiro. Dash' texted me not long after I got here telling me I was going and that was pretty much all I got.

[The planning abilities of her friends, orz. Geniuses, the lot of them.]

I sort of met Jaime before today.