Perchance to Dream

[gloriouslygood]

Who: Shaun Gilmore & OTA
What: Waking up at home & reaching out to the Nein



I. Waking Up in Emon

It was a shock to wake up in his own bed in his richly decorated home in Emon. Shaun knew immediately it was home from the feel of the sheets around his body and the familiar scents of incense in his room. That strange island could have easily been passed off as a dream except for the ring on his finger which was not there when he went to bed.

At least, it wasn't on his finger here in Emon.

Shaun was immediately out of bed, quickly dressed, and then began to send out rapid messages. He check in with Sherry to see how much time had passed, none, and how the business is, fine. She asked if something was wrong and honestly, Shaun didn't know how to answer.

He told her he planned to take a trip to Wildmount to see about expanding the business. He couldn't see her but he knew she rolled her eyes in her reply of "okay boss".

Oh, it was good to be home.

Then he began to message Vox Machina. Keyleth first, then Percy and Vex, and Pike. Were they home? Were they okay? They should come to his shop or his home, they should compare notes on their experiences. Or he could come to them. Whitestone might make the better meeting place.

Still, he wondered... was it real? It had to be real. It felt real.

---

II. Wildmount

After a week or so of getting his affairs in order and doing a bit of investigating Shaun set off on a journey. He hadn't traveled like this since he was a younger man but he had to be sure his new friends were home and taken care of as well. He couldn't just wait around Emon until they showed up at his door, though that would be the smarter plan. Sherry could run the business until he came back.

His plan was very simple. Find the Mighty Nein and set up a teleportation circle wherever they had settled. They would all be able to come and go as they pleased then. There would be no long sailing trip or riding horses from city to city. In the blink of an eye they could all be together.

Shaun made brief stops in Nicodranas, Zadash, and Rexxentrum for potential store locations. This was, objectively, supposed to be a business trip. Then he went north. Very north to where his new friends said they often settled.

"Hello?!" He called, voice booming out with its usual jovialness. "I'm looking for the Mighty Nein. I've heard they're a worthy band of adventurers. Possibly good customers for a businessman such as myself."

When he saw them, he grinned. Look at them. Happy, healthy, and home.

Comments

[gloriouslygood]

Whatever plans Fjord has, Shaun is confident he'll discover killing the Goddess of Death and Faith will not be as easy as he imagines. He hopes, with time, Fjord can come to accept and understand Vax's fate. He's a paladin after all. He knows a thing or two about faith.

"I could have waited for all of you to make your way to me," he admitted with a little nod. "But I'm a man of action when something matters. I wanted to see you all."

And if they hadn't been here, Shaun would've gone home and waited for when they did return and find their way to him.

[halforc]

"I thought there was thirty years between our companies," he muses, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. "You arrive home just like this? In our timeline?"