Light 'em up

[starcharter]

Characters: EVERYBODY
Date: sundown on November 29th to sunrise on November 30th
Location: A plaza in Earth
Situation: The population of Keeliai could use a little warmth. So Chekov set stuff on fire and invited everyone over.
Warnings/Rating: None, but please put something in your comment header if necessary.

On Wednesday, everyone received the following audio message (and text attachments in English and Russian) from (1) Pavel Chekov in their inboxes:

“Hello. I would like to invite you to a bonfire in Earth sector on Friday at sundown. Please feel free to bring friends.”


A plaza in Earth sector is buzzing with activity-- most of it from one young man. He spends the day lugging folding tables and pushing wheelbarrows of supplies into the plaza. As the day wears on, several entrepreneurial kedan set up stands. By sundown, the plaza is lit up with three large, roaring bonfires. Most of the ice and snow has melted away, leaving a few patches here and there in the furthest corners of the plaza. One patch a bit away from the fires is completely devoid of snow and ice-- it's a sort of dance floor or performance area. Some music is playing out of one of the upper windows of the buildings overlooking the plaza. It's varies from quick and frenzied to slow and soothing. Of course, anyone is welcome to claim the floor to perform a magic show or do a little singing of their own.

There's a hodgepodge of various folding tables set with the essentials: raw vegetables, the closest equivalent of marshmallows Chekov could find (next to the chocolate and graham cracker substitutes), and sausages. There are skewers and tongs lying around should anyone need them. He also brought a few jugs of water, which are refilled periodically. It's not much, but it's the best he could do with a limited budget and not a lot of time. The kedan have taken the opportunity to sell what Chekov couldn't bring-- hot beverages and food, blankets, scarves and gloves, and several other simple wares.

It's not a grand setup, but there are roaring bonfires, food, and good company.


(Posting this slightly early because of Thanksgiving chaos. Let me know if you have any questions)

Comments

[superieure]

[How did you just appear out of nowhere? (Kidding, she heard you coming). Monet takes one and tries it, chewing slowly, then she nods.]

They're adequate. Have you tried roasting them, yet?

[laylaknowsstuff]

[Another mutant power. And/or she learned it from her BFF Doom.]

These ones were roasted. They just cool down quick. Y'know, I always wanted to try roasting them myself, when I was a kid. Not the sort of thing you could do in an orphanage, though.

[superieure]

[In Monet's defence, she doesn't do things like these... often. Or at all. Unless teasing Paige was part of the bargain. Ev had been alive, then, it meant more.]

There's a free seat over there.

[She starts walking, expecting Layla to follow.]

[laylaknowsstuff]

[And she does follow, munching on her nuts.]

Having fun?

[Normal conversation is hard. Just FYI. When you don't have something to slip into the conversation? How do people just chit-chat?]

[superieure]

[She's not expecting that loud munching and just scowls a bit before she tunes it out in favour of the crackling fire. Enhanced hearing and sight weren't always about what you perceived, but what you didn't. Picking a seat, she crosses one leg over another and holds out a hand for another chestnut. Normal conversation is hard when there's no mysterious client coming through the door, but Monet, quite dangerously, thinks she could get used to some peace and quiet.]

By a certain definition.

[Namely, 'not hers'.]

There's a sale. Some of those trinkets are actually fit to wear.

[laylaknowsstuff]

[Seriously, super sight and hearing sound great in theory, but in practice? They have to suck. Though, that's kind of how it was with most mutations, Layla was sure. Oh, cool, you can read people's minds quickly becomes, oh my god, these voices won't shut up I'm going crazy.

Knowing the future, seeing the patterns, what choices lead you to where, could totally be awesome. If you were a Disney TV character. Gazing into the future, life isn't a breeze. The theme song got it right.

She slid into the seat opposite Monet, before depositing a chestnut into her hand.]

Huh. That's nifty. I've been meaning to update my wardrobe. D'you think they've got striped stockings here? [She's making a joke. Laugh, Monet. Be friends with the petite blonde who got Jamie killed. Accidentally. It'll be great.]

sorry for late!

[superieure]

[They all sounded great in theory - but Monet quickly tired of hearing and seeing everything at once. Learning to filter it all out to what was important (such as Rictor calling for her), made it much easier.]

[But she was still privy to people's surface thoughts, couldn't block the sound of their hearts beating faster when she walked in. She affords a smile, because hey, Layla's trying to make a joke, and what kind of friend would she be if she didn't at least play along, but it's a little halfhearted.]

They do, a few of the better boutiques in Earth, but it's not in season, Layla.

no worries!

[laylaknowsstuff]

[Layla won't say anything. She can only imagine how hard it must be for mutants with enhanced senses, or telepathy. She didn't envy them. Not by a long shot. But crowded situations like this had to take a toll on you.]

Well, that's a pity. [She pops another chestnut in her mouth.]

[superieure]

[Monet sighs.]

You could at least act like you care.

[laylaknowsstuff]

My favorite accessories have gone the way of the Dodo. How will I survive?

[A pause as she looks at Monet.] If you want me to swoon, it's not happening.

[superieure]

[She raises an eyebrow.]

I would catch you, you know.

[laylaknowsstuff]

[She slings an arm over Monet's shoulder.]

Good to know.

[superieure]

[Monet casually picks another chestnut and eats it, actually enjoying a friend's company, for once. She rarely thinks of X-Factor specifically as friends, maybe a kind of strange family that she's declared herself part of. Certainly she doesn't expect to be close to Layla of all people but Layla's all she has, and she despises loneliness far more than anything else.]

[laylaknowsstuff]

[And Layla knows loneliness. She knows it far too well, and has always, since the beginning, wanted to be friends with this strange sort of family. They don't trust her, they hate her, but she considers them all friends and family. It's nice to know that, hey, maybe this time, they really are her friends.]