When you smile it takes a while

Maea

I see you when you chase
All the dreams inside your head

"So what's it like, having a bar?" Maea asked, reclining in the booth like she'd half melted into the upholstery. A half-empty plate of sliced fruits and cold cuts had been pushed aside to make room for a journal, but the pages remained untouched. Slowly giving up on getting any writing done, the albino woman indulged Nova's cattiness with fond exasperation. The girl was growing on her, threatening to become a fast friend at this rate.  

Like a miniature halo, her companion had settled on the top of Maea's head. She could sense its thoughts speeding like gasps against her mind, a flutter as soft and distinct as its light. Together. They were together again, and all the world seemed brighter for it. All of a sudden Maea could appreciate that fondness for glitter and color that Nova seemed to embody, down to the very peppy slogans that popped up occasionally in her outfits.

I see you when you laugh
And when you love until the bitter end

Table by Skylark

When it rains, look for rainbows.

Bedecked in a glittery pink dress, Nova propped her elbows on the edge of Maea's table. "It's so fun! We fixed it up so it feels like ours now! See the new chandelier?! And the cushions?! And the window?!" Her fingers pointed out each aspect from the crystalline lighting fixture with twinkling stars to the various obnoxious patterns of dark blues, purples, and reds that still somehow worked together to the bright colorful stained-glass window that now sat near the bar. 

Giggling, she wiggled her fingers and added some sparkle to the air. "I like helping make the drinks too!" She wasn't very good at getting the ingredients right, or the ratios, or the names, but she sure made them look pretty!

Nova pointed at Maea's drink, swirling it with her magic as she looked up at the companion sitting between the Ancient's horns, a dazzling smile on her face. "Who's your friend?" Her head tilted curiously, eager to hear what and who it might be and whether she might be friends with it.

When it's dark, look for stars.

Nova

Maea

I see you when you chase
All the dreams inside your head

Noting each new feature with suitable enthusiasm, Maea had to admit that the changes added a certain flair to the otherwise seedy bar. Enough to freshen it up without taking away from the familiar flair - and she was especially impressed with the stained glass window, the hues and vibrancy a dazzling point in the otherwise dusky light. "I like what you've done with the place," she nodded approvingly, as she returned to watch her drink get bedazzled. "Did you know I almost had a bar, too? I lived in Halo at the time, and a friend of mine was working on opening the Kraai. We were making up drinks and everything..." Sighing wistfully, Maea sipped at her drink. The thought of Weaver always put her in this kind of mood; they'd only just met yet got along so wonderfully, it left her wondering what might have been if Maea hadn't died - if Weaver too hadn't passed away.

At the question, she was pulled back to the present. Smiling, Maea reached up to cage the wisp in her hand and held it out for Nova to inspect up close. "Shii, this is Nova. Nova, meet Shii - my companion. Mort allowed us to reunite recently, and we're very grateful to be together again."
Pulsing softly upon the palm of her hand, Shii whispered in a voice so faint it was just barely there. The words couldn't quite be made out, but the tone was friendly with a streak of ever-present mischief, a heartbeat away froom breaking into laughter.

I see you when you laugh
And when you love until the bitter end

Table by Skylark

When it rains, look for rainbows.

Her smile dazzling more than the chandelier behind her, the stars on her cheeks nearly illuminating with the force of her pride. "Thank you!" Nova didn't pick up on the mournful undertones of Maea's experience, leaning forward to share her own in childish glee. "Oooh! Really? I've been to Halo a few times! I even went hunting there." Sah had become a good friend whom she often ran into, and Deimos had even shown her some of the capabilities of air magic. It was colder than she preferred, but it gave her a chance to show off the thicker clothes that didn't make sense to wear in Torchline. 

Then the topic was shifting to the companion, and Nova clasped her hands to her chest as Maea offered her palm forward to display the orb of light. Its chiming whispers brought forth another bright smile and a bounce of her toes. "You're cute, Shii! And your voice is so sweet! Do you like to sing?" Not having met a will-o-whisp before, she didn't know if they could, but she liked the soft notes of its voice, curious if she could hear more.

When it's dark, look for stars.

Nova

Maea

I see you when you chase
All the dreams inside your head

It was just as well that Nova didn't pick up on her moods, or the conversation would turn dour very quickly. As it was, Maea was content to let herself be swayed back to lighthearted chatter, rather pleased to get a reaction before the topic changed again. "Nice. Did you catch anything? I miss the ningo skewers they sold at the market - do they still have them?"

Expanding with pleasure at the attention, Shii answered the girl by squeaking out a partial drinking song, a whispered echo of one they heard a few tables down before Nova joined them. Swaying this way and that, the little wisp danced along to the tune and settled onto the table before the hybrid once it was done, clearly expecting praise. Amused, Maea clapped; it was too bad Nova couldn't feel the smug self-importance that oozed from the glowing speck.
"Don't encourage 'em, or you'll be singing too before you know it," she warned, wise from experience.

I see you when you laugh
And when you love until the bitter end

Table by Skylark

When it rains, look for rainbows.

Beaming, she nodded her head. "I did! I caught a luxere!" Technically, Sah caught it, but she felt like she'd helped enough to take some ownership of the kill. After all, chasing and roaring were hard work, and she wouldn't hear otherwise as she tilted her head in a very feline manner. "I'm not sure. I didn't spend much time in the marketplace, but those sound good! I'll have to try them next time." And with her track record, it wouldn't be too long before she found herself wandering out that way again. 

Shii's performance distracted her from any other thoughts of Halo, her face brightening enough to almost match the glow of the will-o-whisp. Nova giggled and gasped appropriately, giving a round of applause that attracted the attention of some of the other customers. "What a beautiful voice you have!" It sounded just like starlight to her, twinkling and soft in the dark night sky. So when Maea joked about singing together, she jumped with a light clap of approval. "That's a great idea! Why don't we all sing?!" She hummed around the smile on her lips. "Do you know any good songs?" There was no arguing with her at this point, only the option to sing what Maea knew or something random that Nova came up with.

When it's dark, look for stars.

Nova

Maea

I see you when you chase
All the dreams inside your head

Maea's stomach dropped at the suggestion. Casting a wild look about the room, there were far too many people around that could overhear, and she hadn't prepared, and singing to these people felt entirely different from that time she'd gone on stage at the festival.

"Aah, I don't know," she murmured, twisting uncomfortably in her seat. "I don't like drawing attention..." Unfortunately, Shii was chirping enthusiastically and zooming in dizzying loops around their heads, raring to go. "But I don't know any Torchline songs," Maea tried again, fingers tightening around her drink like it was a lifeline.

I see you when you laugh
And when you love until the bitter end

Table by Skylark

When it rains, look for rainbows.

Not really caring for nerves or anxieties, Nova was about as dizzying as Shii. The air around her shimmered as she bounced on her toes. "That's okay! Not everyone here is from Torchline anyways." Sure, they had their regulars, but there were plenty of visitors to add to the variety of characters. Music also happened to be the 'universal language,' and she doubted anyone would care even if it sounded awful. She'd heard plenty of their songs. It wasn't hard to believe that Maea's would be an improvement from their usual collection. 

Convinced that the woman couldn't say no, Nova jumped up on the edge of a stool, waving her hand to get the crowd's attention. "Alright everyone! I'd like you to give a big welcome to Shii and the Ma-shii-nes, your musical entertainment for the night!" Her exuberance was becoming a normalcy in the bar and the starlight that appeared around them was met with soft chuckles and rolling eyes, knowing that there was no stopping the girl. They'd just have to suffer through a few minutes of whatever glittery chaos she dusted them with. 

Nova beckoned Maea forward, a giant grin on her face as she prepared to sing, dance, or magic her way along to whatever the woman chose to perform.

When it's dark, look for stars.

Nova

Maea

I see you when you chase
All the dreams inside your head

When her weak objections were summarily ignored, Maea begrudgingly allowed herself to be dragged out onto the floor. Blushing a pretty scarlet at the many eyes suddenly turned her way, she was uncomfortably aware of all the ways she stood out from the rest of the Hanged Man's clientele. Covered from neck to toe where others barely dressed at all, pale and unable to tan no matter how long she spent under the Torchline sun, awkward and prude where most everyone else learned from swaddling age how to dance and party and drown their sorrows. Always she had been a stranger here, and no matter how many times she visited, that didn't seem to change.

Shii drifted past her on a whiskey-infused gust of wind. The bobbing light drew the eyes away from Maea, towards something else that was even stranger than herself, and a tune started up somewhere at the back of her mind. Neither drinking song nor dancing melody was it - just a lullaby, short and hauntingly bitter sweet. As she began to hum along, her voice filled the room. Softly at first, hesitant and embarrassed, then with gradually building confidence. The words... she'd forgotten how they went a long time ago, yet as she repeated the melody a second time, fragments began to come back to her.

"Tell me a tale of the Heralds, my love,
A tale of their blessings and warnings
How we may heed them and live one more year
Then sing me a song of new mornings

Bring roses for Safrin, for Safrin my love,
For the Lady of Starlight and Healing
She'll bless you and summon a light to your door,
To stave off the dark until dawning..."

There were more verses, many more, but she was so shocked to actually remember the first two that Maea simply repeated those, over and over. With the simple melody Nova might find it easy enough to join in with - and no doubt she wouldn't mind singing praises to her mother anyway.

I see you when you laugh
And when you love until the bitter end

Table by Skylark

When it rains, look for rainbows.

The song started out a little slow for her liking, but as Maea gained confidence and a few in the crowd began to hum along, she could feel the energy picking up. Nova joined in with her chiming voice, swaying to the music as small twinkles of starlight shone around them. She failed to get the words right even once, but that didn't stop the beaming smile on her face as she danced around with Shii, uncaring what other people thought. 

Only once Maea had sung through the chorus to her content and the people were mostly smiling did Nova pause the flowing of her movements to stand in front of the Ancient. Her dress shimmered as she came to a halt, bouncing lightly on her feet. "See! That was great! Everyone loved it!" Except for the unsavory grump in the corner, but he didn't count. Nothing made him smile. 

Tilting her head, she asked excitedly, "Do you want to sing another one?"

When it's dark, look for stars.

Nova

Maea

I see you when you chase
All the dreams inside your head

Nova's beaming face filled her vision and some scattered applause pulled her out of the moment. Blushing furiously and feeling a bit light on her feet, Maea held her hands up in a disarming gesture.
"Uh, sure. But you pick the song this time - I'll back you up, alright?"

Mostly she wanted to melt into the booth and disappear completely, but knowing Nova there was no stopping this now. At least Shii was having fun, zooming around the starchild and pulsing in beat with the rhythm like a drum on mute. Maea did dip back to their table to take a deep draught from her drink, and thus bolstered by liquid courage she prepared herself to sing and dance until she literally couldn't anymore.

I see you when you laugh
And when you love until the bitter end

Table by Skylark

When it rains, look for rainbows.

She didn't notice Maea's discomfort, finding it strange that anyone would not enjoy the attention of the people. After all, the slight buzz of energy was infectious, feeding into her own excitement and making the room shine with the warmth of laughter and twinkling stars. Her smile was brighter than the glow of Shii zipping around the room, and she had no intentions of letting the moment end so soon. 

"Alright!" Nova then broke into a very inappropriate tune that she'd overheard some of the locals singing, her enthusiasm making up for the slight lack of pitch and understanding. The people didn't seem to mind, laughing and joining in as they linked arms through their drunken stupors, singing away any worries that might have followed them into the bar. 

[FIN]

When it's dark, look for stars.

Nova