[SWE] Festival of Lights - 318 PC

Hadama inclined his head in friendly greeting to Zavien as the other man passed by arm-in-arm with Lena - much to the Tidebreaker's curious delight. Thalassa's passage drew his eyes as well, but the young woman was lost in her own thoughts and he thought better of interrupting her. The lantern she carried tugged at his heart, a familiarity to its design that sent a shiver of worry down his spine, but then Sohalia approached and his relief distracted him for the moment.

Their reunion was a brief one before Flora arrived, and Hadama gave his co-ruler a soft smile and a deep bow of welcome from his seat upon the bank, mertail trailing into the water from a lifetime of habit and instinct even if it was no longer needed. He was content to settle back and let the reassurances and explanations pass between friends - and siblings, as Mateo joined in - without interruption.

Deciding it was just as well to give them some time to themselves, he finally withdrew from the water completely and shifted to legs, standing and stepping away from the water's edge with surprisingly silent steps for such a large man. He was not going far; only to a nearby vendor with the spiced and spiked cider, collecting four cups (a good thing that his hands were proportional to his size, to carry them all) and returning to the trio to offer the drinks silently to each.

The Festival was in full swing, and the lights and sounds and lanterns and food and everything else was a little overwhelming. Especially given that it was a night full of emotion. With her new magic, it was all Alys could do to keep her focus. Some people were glad, like they were, to have something to celebrate. Others were sad, for those they had lost. And there were many other emotions, too, each more complex than the last as they passed by this person and that, each fleeting feeling adding to Alys's discomfort.

"That does sound wonderful," Alys agreed, squeezing Talyson's hand, but it was a little more muted than normal. Hopefully he would remember what she'd told him about her magic and wouldn't hold it against her. But before she could respond that she'd like to take a look at some bits and bobs at one of the stalls by the donuts, a familiar voice interrupted, and Alys turned to smile distantly at Sah. "Oh, hello, Sah. I see you've beaten us to the sweets," she added. "We were just about to get some donuts. Would you like to come?" After all, for all that Tal called Sah a frenemy, she knew that he wouldn't mind the hunter accompanying them for a while before they mingled with the rest of the crowd. And maybe a distraction would give Alys some time to gather herself.

ALYS GLASSE

Rhiannon

Deimos greeted her and then moved on, leaving Rhiannon to her own devices in the crowd. She couldn't blame him - he was clearly popular - but it left her feeling a bit out of sorts all the same. Deimos might have known plenty of people here, but Rhi most certainly did not, and so she shrank from the throngs of people and towards the trees, where she could leave her lantern and then see who else she might know in the crowd.

Her lantern deposited, she saw Talyson arrive hand in hand with a woman who she assumed was the partner he so adored. Whether or not Alys deserved his affection... well, that was something that Rhi was determined to find out. So she made her way over through the crowd, shooting the courier a grin before turning her predatory gaze to Alys and sparing a glance for Sah. "Hey Tal," she said. Then: "Hi, I'm Rhiannon. You must be Alys." And then she glanced again at the hunter, who she was sure she'd seen around Halo but couldn't quite name.

they say looks can kill and I might try

i know i should trust my gut
'cause i know that there's something up

The young attuned isn’t all that interested in knowing each and every tidbit about everyone – but she is curious about the big players out and about here in the woods as she snags a candied snack from a table precisely at the time Nova hooks her arm into hers. “I think it’ll be kinda sad.” Caly says quietly to her sister around the bite of candy, frowning back at Vesper before she goes to snake her arm around his in turn after popping the rest of the candy into her mouth.

He doesn’t have to read everyone’s minds if he doesn’t want to. It’s probably a lot, after all.

So instead, Caly focuses instead on quietly watching everyone mingle, chewing slowly on the piece of candy before their father’s joining them. “Good.” Calypso says playfully toward Jack, catching on the dry amusement. “That was the whoooole goal.” She flashes him a sunny smile, one wide enough to wrinkle the matching star tattoo on her eye before she softens.

“Jokes aside an’ all that, I’m glad you’re here. I’d give ya a hug but..” We’re not really on those kind of terms I don’t think.. Comes a slightly more honest answer, a shrug of her shoulders – it’s a ploy at prying that he’d likely see right through but it’s worth an attempt anyway. If she was on good terms with her old man, perhaps she’d be able to learn more ways to be sly and cunning like he was.

Calypso

i just hate the place that that path would lead me down

Koa

There's going to come a day when you feel better
You'll rise up free and easy on that day

Koa is late to the festival, but he arrives with lantern held in hand. The crowd is a large one this year, but familiar faces stand out among them - chief, of course, being Flora. Despite the letter from Ronin confirming the Doubletake's resurrection, Koa's held a deep, sharp fear since the day that broadcast swept through his mind, casting a shadow over his heart. He'd thought about going to her, writing to her, wanted so desperately to do something for the girl whose love had never been his. And now as he catches that fleeting glimpse of a golden head the young Dragoon can feel his feet shifting, his body begging him to go to her, to sweep him in his arms and confirm she's alive, to touch her, to hold her--

He doesn't.

Instead he walks in the opposite direction, swallowing the thundering of his heart. Deimos is a welcome beacon in the crowd, and Zavien and Lena a familiar balm. Koa slides in among the trio (quartet, really), trying to affect an easy smile despite the multitude of emotions clouding his mind. "Hey, guys. Lena, looking lovely," he greets the Caretaker, offering a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Erebos, I swear you're going to be as big as your daddy soon!" He grins at the little boy, offering his hand for a fist bump or high five.

"I saw our... friend, in the crowd." Trying to seem nonchalant, Koa casts a sidelong look to the Warden. "Did he get to see a healer? He wasn't feeling well, last time we spoke."

---

Koa has a lantern for his mother

And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air
Just when that day is coming, who can say?

Evie

There's no greater vengeance
Than learning to enjoy again

She drifts back to Deimos after a private moment with Sam's lantern that she'd frankly needed, glad to see him swarmed by so many people instead of waiting idly in her absence. Though he'd likely have preferred the latter. Smiling as she approaches, waving at the familiar faces mingling around him, Evie drops a kiss on her husband's bicep with a murmured "be right back" before heading toward Amhran near the cotton candy. There's a somber tone to Deimos' exchanged with Zavien, and though she understands it, she doesn't want to join in it. Not tonight.

"I think it's a little disappointing that the different colors never taste different," she comments as she comes up to Amhran's elbow (almost literally it feels some days). Buying one for herself - a different color than her son's, so he can verify it for himself - Evie plucks a piece off with her fingers and grimaces slightly at the immediate stickiness that ensues. Still, not as sticky as a newborn manages to be, so it hardly deserves a shudder. "It's a flaw in our design that too much sweetness will make our stomachs sick don't you think?" Grinning at the demigod, she pops her finger - and the fluff stuck to it - into her mouth. He may not agree given his vegetarian preferences, but Evie is a fiend for the sugary confections of the world.

- - -

Evie brings a lantern for Samuel

Therapy is tiring
But so is hiding how you feel

to be lit up from within

vein by vein

When no one seemed to be intrigued by the duck décor, Melita narrowed her eyes. She would have to up the ante, or leave them amidst other thresholds. Winding her way towards the table of food – and remembering to grab herself some (donuts, and some little cinnamon spiky things with cookies, and oh some cider), she decided to place the toys where food had been. In place of empty portions, there laid a pink one. A purple one. A gigantic black one. One purposefully meant to look like Ludo; rags and all.

Satisfied, and figuring some would pick them up to give away or whatever, she skipped off, back to her lanterns.

to be the sun

MELITA

and the only solution was to stand and fight

Playfully flicking the crimson ends of Evie ’s hair as she hastened towards supervising Amhran’s impending sugar rush, his attention could hone and focus on the Dragoons, including Koa and all his inquiries.

Though, Erebos would be the first to oblige, giving another squeal at Zavien and Koa alike; his impersonations at a wink thereafter weren’t quite up to par however, interpreting it as multiple and fast blinks. “Thank you,” the Sword murmured in kind, before the infant’s focus was on Koa instead, hands reaching and opting to grab a finger instead of a high five or a fist bump (he’d yet to experience either of those). “You can share that,” motioning towards the note now in Zavien’s hand, “with those you are close to.” A hint, perhaps, that none of it should be going towards Dahlia.

As for mutual “friends” (Deimos would not use the term to describe the Flood in any capacity), his eyes followed to where Sunjata simply seemed to disperse into the evening; though he wasn’t about to speculate why. “He took a…swim,” which wasn’t far from the truth, even if it had been involuntary. “He is feeling much better.” In infected terms, anyway.

DEIMOS

More than satisfied with the smile and incomprehensible gurgle of a greeting, Elizabeth grinned widely. Her night was made already. All thanks to little Erebos and his infectious childish joy. Certain that Deimos had plenty of other people and matters to attend to, she gave him a polite wave before departing. "Enjoy the festival!" 

Making her own way to the cider, she spotted Hadama again as she grabbed a cup. He appeared to be in the middle of an... interesting group of people that she didn't recognize. Not wanting to intrude, she gave him a subtle smile and nod of her head. Hearing the sweet voice before her eyes found the seer again, Elizabeth turned to pick Alys out of the crowd, offering a wave if noticed. She was immersed in conversation with Talyson and Sah, so the therapist decided to settle on a nearby bench to people watch. She noted a particularly strange ginger placing rubber ducks? in place of food items with an unusual level of glee. It made Elizabeth smile as she took a sip from the warm cider in her hands. Overall, most people seemed to be in much better spirits than she would have expected from the event.

Elizabeth Fraiser

I will not be another flower, picked for my beauty and left to die.

The expression on Vesper's face reveals Nova's error in thought. She tries not to be too obvious, but her smile falls slightly as a pang of guilt and concern for her brother. Can we do anything to help? If she needs to scare people away from them, she'll do that. If she has to keep humming or clinging to him like a balm, she'll do that. If he wants to leave (as disappointed as she'll be), she'll do that. Her siblings come first, and it hurts to see him in pain. 

Nova discards the discomfort like a piece of annoying lint on her clothes when Vespy draws attention to where Jack and Flora stand. She wonders if people coming back to life are a 'common' occurrence here since there's pleasant surprise but no shocked chaos around the event. However, she doesn't have much time to linger on the curiosity as Jack makes his way to them. She snags a piece of Calypso's candy, laughing lightly as she pops it in her mouth. "To be fair, we didn't even know you were dead until you were alive again." And she's already seen him alive and 'well' when they left offerings for Safrin. Do people bring lanterns for those who 'have died' or those who 'are dead'? Seems like an important distinction that she doesn't want to puzzle over right now. 

Smiling brightly at the Captain, she tucks a stray piece of pink hair back with the gold strands as she rocks forward on the balls of her feet. The movement accentuates her own white stars speckled across her cheeks. She shoots him a playful wink. "I guess a 'welcome back' is in order." Unlike Caly, she doesn't get all sappy about it. The past is the past, and he's obviously standing before them, still as snarky as ever. Maybe when he stays dead, she'll think about what they might have missed out on as 'father'/'daughter.' For now, her mind is a bright rainbow of amusement, not a cloud in sight.

Nova

I will be wild, difficult to find, and impossible to forget.

we are just bodies of the faithful stacked dozens by the roadside

She doesn’t appear as herself tonight. She can’t explain why. There’s a sick, roiling anger in her stomach that feels like grief and guilt, but she calls it by another name. Her hair is mousey brown and plain, dimming the inherent glow of her presence. Height and bone structure are beyond her power, but green eyes and freckles occlude what might otherwise be a familiar face.

She keeps her hood up, watching. Solitary. But not an uncommon state of being during a festival such as this.

The lanterns hung by her hand are ill-fitting - recreations were all she could manage to barter for on her way here from Torchline. The true lanterns still sit safely in King’s End. Her eyes move to Sunjata at the thought as if drawn by cosmic intent; his back is as familiar as her own heartbeat, even when retreating, and the paleness of his face is a glimpse at best. She steps instinctively toward him, then pauses. 

Remi and Ronin are here. She knows they must be, though she hasn’t seen them. And though Hotaru has no idea what has transpired during her headlong flight to Torchline after hearing the transmission, there’s a very different reason she doesn’t want to catch their eyes. That same twisting, sickening feeling in her stomach from before strengthens in agreement, so Hotaru turns the other way and quietly departs. 

- - -

Hotaru hangs lanterns for Ru’in, Enzo and Rexanna before immediately departing (so doesn’t need to be counted!)

HOTARU

Mateo

who are these people?
I just woke up in my underwear

"Cazzo - scusa--" Mateo hisses automatically the moment Flora gasps in pain, his fingers flinching away from her even as she turns towards him. "I am sorry, I did not know--" His broken sentences continue as the Doubletake tucks herself against his side, Mateo swiping at suddenly wet cheeks and wrapping his arms around her as carefully as he's able; he manages little more than a watery smile for Sohalia and Hadama's departing back.

"You have nothing to apologise for - you died," he all but whispers, pressing a soft kiss or two to her forehead and her cheek. "I just - I did not know, and I..." Letting out a long and shuddering breath and letting his tears fall freely this time, Mateo steps back to give Flora some space. "I am very glad to see you, that is all," he tells her in a tight voice, glancing to the Tidebreaker and readily accepting his drink with a murmur of thanks.

"I suppose this is more of a celebration than a memorial now," he says, and though his smile doesn't quite reach his eyes, he wastes no time in draining his cup.

no liquor left on the shelf
I should probably introduce myself

Isla

to share the space with simple living things, infinitely suffering

"Mm, when you say you were not allowed any, does that just mean that you'd sneak some instead of drinking it in view of everyone else?" Grinning at Everest over her shoulder and accepting the glass from him, she already knows that the child version of the aviator would never have dreamed of disobeying a rule, but that doesn't mean Mateo wouldn't have taken Ever's share as well as his own. Speaking of the botanist, she glances automatically towards Flora as she seems to be swarmed by people, Mateo among them, and the Remedy winces.

"I didn't realise he wouldn't have known," she admits in a whisper, glancing fleetingly back towards Sunjata only to see the Flood looking quite sick to his stomach and then actually fleeing the proceedings. Blinking her confusion, she turns to Ever and raises an eyebrow. "Was it something we did, do you think?" she asks. Sipping at the cider - and it is very good, as the aviator had hinted it would be - she makes a mental note to send a letter to Sunjata when they are back on Torchline's shores.

For now, with people continuing to arrive at the festival (Remi and Ronin among them, and she raises her glass in lieu of a wave), it's difficult to keep her focus in one place. Well, apart from on the man at her side, of course.

fighting off like all creation, the absence of itself

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Everest

Chuckling under his breath, the aviator's eyebrows raise in a slightly baffled expression as he gives his head a shake. "Mateo did, but...well, it was against the rules, Isla." Emphatically said as if he couldn't even believe he was having to justify why he hadn't done something he was told not to do as a child.

Following Isla's glance through the crowd, Ever watches the way his oldest friend seems to curl in on himself despite the smile plastered across his face. "I, uhm--" Blinking, he too glances toward where Sunjata is disappearing through the trees. "How could it be? Besides, I'm not wearing any of that Spinebloom that you said smells so bad." He chuckles, trying to ease the concern currently tightening Isla's smile. "Do you want to go after him?"

even if i had to lose you to know you,
i'd still be that temporary phase that you grow through