Welcome to Gaia! ::

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Germany went ahead and took Andrew's hand so as to not lose the little state. However, he did allow the state enough room to at least lead the way in the search for the room Alistair described. So far none of the rooms fit, but then when the house went from looking like Vash's rich hoe in the Swiss mountains to something straight from a typical horror movie, he had a feeling something must have happened.... And the best he figured was that perhaps Arthur had found Alistair. Only one way to find out.

"Come on, Andrew, let's go upstairs und find Arthur und your Bruder Landon...." He picked up the tot and stuck him on his shoulders once more and proceeded back to the stairs. He cautiously maneuvered the stairs, which moaned with each step he too with the threat of letting him and the child he carried fall through. When he reached the top of the stairs, he could hear people talking and went in the direction of their voices. Eventually, he found them and sat Andrew back on his feet.

So now that all four were here, what now? Did the ten minutes already start, or did it begin when they all arrived? He walked over and could see Lili in what looked like her bedroom in Switzerland. She looked a little tired in each mirror.... Had she stayed up waiting for them? Well, whatever the reason she looked sleepy, he looked to each version of her as he tried to figure out which could be her... Maybe the one in the school's girl uniform? Landon pointed out the one of her in the men's uniform and frowned. "Don't be silly. She's very subconscious in vhat she vears, und zhere ist no vay she vould ever dress like..." He looked to Arthur, who seemed to recognize something about this version of the missing little principality. "Arthur.... Vhat is it zhat you know zhat ve might be missing out on?"

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Christian walked in through the back door of the house after everyone had already gone upstairs. He could hear some of their footsteps up there, so at least he might vaguely have an idea where to go if he found more answered. He walked through the dark house with his cellphone out and used it as a flashlight. Wow. Such an old house. It was nice to see it looked left alone. One of the saddest things to see was an old house like this torn apart and trashed by hoodlums. The worst cases were when said hoodlums decided "Hey, let's summon a demon!" and then painted incorrect pentagrams and such all over the place and left the melted down candles all around since they were too stupid to do anything about the summoning right... He kept looking when his eyes fell one something for a moment.

Hello~! What's this? A family portrait perhaps~? Now this could be promising......

Arthur turned around to find that Landon had also found the room. But it would of really helped if the Californian had knew Lili before hand, then the Englishman could of justify the speculation. "We're not here to sight see." he grumbled. "Also, a bit of warning, if you will." The state really should of turned off the flash since it was bothering Alistair.

Ludwig and Andrew appeared just shortly. "The last time I can recall hearing from Miss Lili was during that day where male students had suddenly become females and female students to male... Well Lili was one of the ones that fell victim and she had asked to borrow some of my clothing since I would be close enough to her height." he answered. There wasn't much more explaining needed for he was sure Ludwig knew of which day it had been.

The annoyance in the Californian's voice caught the Englishman's attention. He had a feeling that his camera wouldn't perhaps work well in an area that was created by spiritual magic, but nonetheless he decided to have a look, only to find that Alistair appeared to not like the flash photography at all. Even he and caught sight of the few 'glitched' moments to see the 5 year old boy inside. Poor child. "You said there was a problem with the camera? Perhaps I should take a look. After all I had spent quite some time in the photography field myself." Extending out his hand to see the camera quickly before it completely died off. Once he got a look he noticed that where Lili would of been, wasn't. But that was only in three of them. "Wait a second. There!" Pointing to the very mirror left that contained the Liechtenstein nation, the one with a boys uniform.

I have rules in my territories:
*Follow my orders
*Call me -sama
*Don't complain about my food

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Germany felt a little out of the loop and tried to get a peak at the camera before the battery completely died off. That really was strange though how it ended up looking with the one Lili dressed as a boy being the only one to show up...

"Camera died, right?" Christian called out from the door way as he walked into the room, the front half of his body covered in dirt from when he fell part-way off the drop off behind the house along with some scratches and bruises showing from the beating he had gotten from some of the fall and drag back up. He walked over to Landon's camera and checked it out before handing it back to his brother. "I really am disappointed in you, Landon. I thought you of all people would know spirits tend to drain the battery life out of most technology to help them communicate better. It's called Electromagnetic Field. it's also part of why when he gets too close the air feels cold and why, in some cases, people will suddenly feel really tired or sick when a spirit touches them. I sort of expected with all the movies and shows you do, you'd know basics like that..." Christian turned to Alistair and smiled politely to the boy who now looked to him in confusion as to who he was.

"Ah, my apologies. I'm Christian Jones, Andrew's older brother. You're Alistair StClair, am I right?" Georgia watched as Alistair flinched and held his head slightly as he seemed to think something over.

Germany huffed and frowned unhappily Georgia as it looked like he was somehow causing the doppelganger pain. "George, vhat are you--" Georgia pointed to the mirror of Lichtenstein dressed in Arthur's clothes, his eyes not leaving Alistair as though he was watching a patient in a hospital recover from amnesia. Germany sighed and faced the mirror nervously. "I hope you're all right on zhis vone..." Alistair had said something about walking through the mirrors.... So Ludwig treated it like it was a door frame and simply stepped through. To his amazement... It actually seemed he had walked into Lichtenstein's room.

Landon stood up and glowered in irritation at Christian, but the Southerner’s words made unfortunate sense. So that was why he couldn’t see three of his pictures properly… He pouted anyway. “Well, I don’t get involved in every single movie I make,” Landon said self-righteously. “Undead ones happen to be in the not-so-liked category, so I don’t remember much on spirits at all. Although, given the new movie trend, I suppose I’ll have to get back into that…” Irritation at Christian’s reminding him of his own lack of memory quickly gave way to amazement as he watched Ludwig simply vanish through the mirror with Lili decked out in a boy’s uniform—the only one that had worked right in the picture. “Whoa! That’s so cool!” he exclaimed, as if this was a novel occurrence to him. Indeed, Landon hadn’t seen it anywhere but the big screens. “What are you waiting for, guys? Let’s go!”

But before he could charge into the cool mirror-door, Ludwig and another girl emerged from it, holding hands. The Westerner halted in his tracks and stared at her for a moment. Even if the girl was a little ragged, she had an air of nobility about her… This must be the Lili they had all been searching for.

Landon had to confirm it anyway. “So you must be Lili,” he stated questioningly, studying her face. Once she got her hair and clothes in order, he could certainly see her as the pretty principality everyone else on this mission seemed to know her as. Not wanting to seem rude, the Californian extended a hand to her. “I’m Landon Blackwell Jones, of California. We all came to rescue you as soon as we heard. We’re glad to see you’re not hurt.” On an impulse, he bowed slightly, but balked at kissing her hand as he remembered seeing the gentlemanly actors do in some movies.







Out of San Francisco: Last post tonight. I love happy endings. biggrin || This night should be called Ninja Night, since we all got it, but Armelle and English will all get it much worse. XD || Cute Lili layout, Kiki!

England smiled seeing that Christian returned and since he found the child's last name, he assumed the state had found the information that was needed. A familiar voice from behind did cause him to smile even brighter. "You are fine, Miss Lili. And welcome back." the brit made a short bow in respect as a gentleman. Arthur chuckled. "No need to fret. I have plenty more where that came from. It took a bit for the the Englishman not to roll his eyes at the state trying to be proper. Although England was together with America finally, that didn't mean he was okay with anyone getting close to Lili.

Miss Fairy fluttered her way to the nation with delight and even twirled around in the very dress the girl had made.

"We should probably leave soon. No telling just long this illusion will last." he whispered to the others.

I have rules in my territories:
*Follow my orders
*Call me -sama
*Don't complain about my food

((I would do formats, but..... ******** it. Gotta make this fast.))

Georgia looked down to his brother and smiled as he gathered the small tot into his arms and snuggled him against himself to help warm and comfort the other. "I know Andrew.... But it's time we all went to where we belong and got the rest we deserve..." He looked up to Alistair and smiled lightly to the ghost that was now looking to him curiously. "That includes you too, Alistair. You need to move on and go to the after life. I'm sure your parents have been waiting a long time to be reunited with you and would like it if you were to go home to them..." Georgia reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small painting he had found while exploring the house. He held it out for Alistair, and anyone curious enough to look to see. Sure enough, in the painting, was a little boy exactly as Alistair looked now, but younger and nestled between a young couple who were smiling as happy as the child was.

Germany looked to the painting and then looked to Lili, who smiled up to him. "Lichtenstein.... did you figure out what he looked like and his name and told them to him to help him out." Lili gave a small nod and, once Landon had shaken her hand and given her a kiss on the back of her hand, she retracted it and folded her hands neatly in her lap. "It wasn't hard. I came here in the afternoon after the whole incident where everyone switched their gender. When I first met Alistair, he seemed really lonely and upset, so I offered to stay with him for a little while." She closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly and continued with, "As soon as we came up to the house, I saw the graves and went ahead and paid my respect to them. Of course, I took note that there was only one child's grave, and I figured it might be Alistair's. Then, when we first got inside before he made the house a little less scary for me to stay in, I saw a picture of him and his family and, since he was still making himself look like Vash, I drew a picture of what Alistair would look like if he was closer to our age." Germany frowned lightly. He knew Lili meant well, but her over-kindness to all was going to be the death of her, just as it was when Prussia and Lichtenstein first took him in as a child... No wonder Switzerland was always worried about her safety. All these years and she was still too polite and naiive for her own good. "So vhat about him going as you to zhe Multicultural Festival?"

"Hmm? Oh, that...." Lili placed a finger on her lower lip and looked down. "I didn't want anyone to worry about me while I was gone... Plus, Alistair still seemed pretty lonely and sad, so I told him to go ahead and go in my place." She folded her hands in her lap once more and smiled softly. "When he came back, he seemed much happier and really excited from all the people he met and all of the sweets he had eaten. It really was cute. He even told me about how he became friends with Mister Andrew and a girl whose name he always seems to change... Alistair, what was it?" Alistair had sort of blanked out while staring at the painting of what the tall blond holding Andrew said was his family. He blinked for a moment before he grinned and answered with, "Miss Uke'lani."

Georgia chuckled lightly, somehow able to figure out he was probably talking about Hawaii, who had said she'd met Alistair at the event. "Alistair, do you miss your family?" Alistair looked to Christian sadly, and the mirrors that had been in the center slowly faded away as the room dimmed and began to take on its original appearance of a child's room with toys that had been left mostly untouched for who knows how long. "I do... But I think my parents are mad at me. They didn't talk to me for years, and then they went away somewhere and never came back..." Christian leaned down to the ghosts level and gave a small, sad smile. "Alistair... They didn't talk to you not because they were mad at you, but because you died a really long time ago... You said something about the drop off in the backyard earlier, right? I'm thinking maybe you were playing too close to it one night and fell.... Am I right?"

Alistair stood still and his eyes got wide for a moment. He got really quiet before suddenly squeezing his eyes shut and holding his head like it hurt. He then bit his lip and nodded lightly. "Y- Yeah.... I... I almost forgot.... I did fall.... That's why I thought momma and daddy were mad at me... Because I didn't listen to them and played too close to the drop off..." Christian pulled the scared and crying ghost into a hug and allowed the poor young child to cling onto him for a moment. "They aren't mad at you, and they never were. They just didn't know where you were." He pulled the child away from him and looked to Alistair with a soft and gentle look. "So, what do you say? Think you're ready to move on now?"

Alistair turned and looked out towards the door leading into his room. He gave it a nervous look before he turned to Georgia and grinned with a small nod. "Yeah! I'm ready! I'm not scared any more..." Alistair gave a quick hug to each person in the room, especially taking his time with hugging Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein whispered something into his ear and the young boy nodded before he waved to them all and walked out the door, disappearing.

And with that, the gloomy aura of the house seemed to be lifted.....

((Alright, let's call it the end and move to the next day, shall we? You guys have fun! See you in about a week!))

Landon stood back as Christian pulled out an old picture and showed it to Alistair, who seemed to recognize it. Then the stories spilled out, with Georgia and Liechtenstein supplying all the details on how they had separately found Alistair and solved the mystery. As the Californian listened to all this, he couldn't help but imagine that this would make a good movie... Granted, the idea (of helping a ghost who had more or less kidnapped a live person to their decrepit abode pass on to the Afterlife) was a slightly tired one, but the US did seem to be in a sort of occult mood. He made a note to ask Christian about it later--or even involve the rest of their party in the scene.

The changes in the house as Alistair disappeared were curiously mirrored in Landon's own heart as he smiled faintly up at the patch of sky the ghost phased out of. Not only had he cleared up his misgivings with Christian (even though Rutilio was still another matter), he had also gotten a fair adventure out of all this. Even better, the purpose of this mission was so thoroughly beneficial and so well-staffed with Disciplinary Committee members that there was no way any of them could get in trouble for it.

His reverie was broken by a now-familiar youthful voice asking winsomely if the game was truly over. The Golden State gazed at the baby Volunteer currently nestled in Georgia's arms and, after a pause, nodded slowly. "Yeah... We're done for tonight," Landon answered; then, to hold true to his promise and forestall any potential negative reasons on Andrew's part, he added, "It's too late right now to play, but if you want to, I can find you tomorrow at lunch and play, okay? Where do you think you'll be...?" he asked, tailing off. Likely Tennessee would be in his dorm, unless he somehow regained his normal physical age between now and lunchtime. However, many states did have a penchant for running off...

California felt a massive yawn coming, and he stretched widely as it escaped his lips. That mission had taken longer than he had expected; and a significant portion of it had been filled with bickering against America's wrongheaded and ill-fulfilled plan. This was quite a late hour for anyone to be up and about; he really should be off to bed. The Westerner gazed around at everyone and read the same look of exhaustion on their faces. Seeing no reason to wait around longer himself, Landon stepped back and raised a hand in farewell. "Well, that was fun. I'm signing out now; see y'all tomorrow!" With an extra wave to Arthur and his brothers, he turned and walked away for his dorm.








Out of San Francisco: A delayed "closure" post.