[EVENT] Bonfire Night

[ironwood]

Characters: ALL!
Date: February 21st
Location: Various.
Situation: It’s cold. Time to cuddle up and make bonfires for the warmth.
Warnings/Rating: Add warnings as needed.

As night falls the city’s lights take something of a unique turn. Instead of being lit by millions of paper lanterns, Keeliai is tonight lit by the flames and warmth of dozens if not hundreds of fires. Some of them are small, not much more than warming hearths in a barrel on a street, but others encompass squares and boulevards.

The fire lighting procession winds through the city’s streets, beginning at the first bonfire in Fire Sector. By the time full night has arrived, that procession is a snake illuminated by dozens of torches, parting from the main parade to light smaller fires in smaller streets. It ends, finally, in Central, in the Courtyard of Public Opinion, whose bonfire is second only to the initiating one in Fire Sector.

In some areas an exchange of goods arises, mostly in terms of woollens and other warm clothes and blankets. Though food is considered a public resource on this occasion, bartering small knickknacks, songs, stories and even other woollen items is not uncommon an exchange.

Meals are shared among kedan and Foreigners, commoners and emissaries--primarily stews, soups and other foods easily baked in the coals of the fires. Everyone brings food, and what isn’t contributed to the pot is nevertheless shared around after preparation. Although some bonfires are markedly wealthier than others, food and shelter is spread around to make sure everyone is safe and warm. No one goes cold and alone on this night.

---

LINKS
Fire Sector (main bonfire) | Water Sector | Metal Sector | Earth Sector | Wood Sector | Central Keeliai

OOC Notes
The five Bresilykian emissary NPC can be found moving from Sector to Sector and partaking in the various traditions of each, and so can be engaged anywhere, while the Keeliai NPCs generally are staying in their respective areas as detailed below. Please put the name of the NPC you're requesting in the subject line of your tag if you want to interact with them. Thank you!

Comments

OTA!

[needmetoo]

It was still cold out, really cold, but with much warmer clothes and a scarf and the fires about, it didn't bite nearly as hard as it had on the day she got here.

The water district so far had been just... enchanting, almost. Between the warmth of the fires, the fire and water creating plays of color and light, and the music weaving its way around her, Xion couldn't help but be slowly drawn out of her nervousness. Because at first nervous is what she was. Keeping to herself, avoiding crowds, arms wrapped around herself even as she stared around in awe.

Slowly that faded, however, and while she still doesn't approach the crowds, her posture eased and those who looked would be able to find her, spinning in time with the music, or perhaps humming along - though given the improvisational nature of the music it was hard to really keep to the "tune."

Still, it was probably the happiest she'd been since arriving here. And before that, in some ways.

[backwordscompatible]

So many people were dancing that evening. Some familiar faces, some not-so-familiar...and a young girl who seemed to loosen up with each and every spin. She looked happy; the feeling was almost infectious by the time Zatanna got around the lightly clapping her approval.

"You look like you're having fun."

[needmetoo]

Almost immediately, Xion's arms fell back to her sides, even drawing behind her as she spun around, face coloring as she realized she had an audience. Ducking her head, she glanced shyly up and over.

"Y-yeah," she stammered, "It's... really nice out."

Not the weather, the weather was still miserably cold. But the overall atmosphere. The music, the dance of water and color.

[backwordscompatible]

How precious.

"Oh, no, please. Don't stop because of me. I was enjoying it."

[needmetoo]

"Um..."

Xion couldn't help it. It was hard to really recapture that sort of carefree enchantment she'd had only a moment ago. She trieb to turn and refocus on the performance. But in the end, she was still fully conscious, the whole time, of the other nearby. Eventually she started to sway in time with the beat, a far cry from her carefree dancing earlier, but an improvement, maybe.

"It really does sound nice, though doesn't it?" she added finally.

[backwordscompatible]

A shame. But she couldn't force Xion to dance anymore than she was willing to get up there and do it herself. That wasn't her kind of spontaneity.

"The music?" Nodding her agreement. "I've been here a long time, and I'm not sure I've ever heard the locals play music like this before. It's so...peaceful isn't quite the word I'm looking for, but similar to that, you know?"

[needmetoo]

"I... I'm not sure," she said finally.

Her hesitance came not from nervousness this time, but from actually not being sure. She thought she got the general jist of what Zantanna was talking about, but so far as actually being able to put words to it? Not so much. The Organization had not been the greatest environment to learn to articulate how things felt.

She hesitated, before adding. "I've never heard anything like it before."

[backwordscompatible]

"What kind of music have you heard?"

Assuming, of course, she had heard music. But since Zatanna had no reason to assume otherwise, she felt comfortable in her question.

[needmetoo]

"Um... not a lot, really," she admitted in reply.

Sometimes she thought she'd hear strains of something, in the halls of Beast's Castle, or else through the streets of Agrabah. But she'd always been busy, always moving, and the music had to be grabbed in bits and snatches, rather than savored and enjoyed like right now.

With that thought in mind, she added, "I'm glad I can hear it now, though."

[aquanimity]

After a while, Aqua has taken to wandering the district, catching snatches of different songs and beats. The candy Milyn gave her is working wonders; the warming sensation compliments the heat of the fires, beating back any residual traces of cold that would otherwise grip her. She is careful to conserve the bag, though, intending to hold on to the majority for later use, when bonfires are not nearly so plentiful.

It's during this wandering that she spots a familiar figure, some distance from the crowds, looking more cheery than Aqua had seen before. She smiles broadly and approaches, calling out to the girl when she is close.

"It looks like you're having fun." Aqua is happy to see it, too. Though Xion is still avoiding the crowds, she is certainly more relaxed than the first time they met.

[needmetoo]

Xion's reaction to Aqua was quite similar to her one to Zantanna, however the familiarity left her slightly less flustered. She still dropped her arms, still ducked her head. But her face wasn't quite as flushed, and there was a bit of smile on her face.

"Yeah," she admitted, lifting her head and turning to look at some of the fountains and shows, hearing the melodies weaving themselves onto the air, some of them rough and unpracticed, others quite fine indeed. "It's all so beautiful."

[aquanimity]

Aqua gave a small, friendly laugh at Xion's reaction; it was nice to see the girl smile even a little as she lowered her arms. And it was only moment before her head lifted again, drawn to the sights around them. Aqua followed Xion's gaze as the girl looked around. "It really is. I've never seen anything quite like it."

She smiled. "It's almost enough to make you forget the cold, isn't it?" Speaking of, she was starting to feel the warming effects of Milyn's candy wearing off. Aqua pulled the bag out and offered it to Xion. "If you're feeling a little chilled still, try one of these. A kedan woman named Milyn gave them to me; they're very good."

[needmetoo]

Still not overfond of the cold, Xion barely hesitated before taking the candy and examining it briefly.

"Thanks," she said, popping it into her mouth. She made a bit of a face at the taste, but the warming sensation helped more than make up for it within moments. Even with her warmer clothes, she'd still been a little cold, staying huddled when she hadn't been spinning around. But now her posture eased significantly.

"It really helps a lot," she added around it, vaguely gesturing at the celebrations. Because while it was indeed almost enough to forget about the cold, it was only almost.

[aquanimity]

"It does," Aqua agreed as she pulled another piece out for herself. "I almost want to add to it myself." She looked at the nearest fountain; a jet of flame was being expertly weaved through the spouting water, in time to the loudest music. Aqua itched to try something, but she had no desire to ruin the improv of the kedan.

As the warmth from the candy spread through her once again, she turned her focus back to Xion. "I am glad to see you're enjoying yourself," she said sincerely. "It really was disorienting, arriving here."

[needmetoo]

"Y-yeah," she agreed. It wasn't... well, it wasn't the first time she'd fallen asleep and woken up somewhere else, even in recent weeks. But it'd certainly been the most jarring. "I've never been somewhere I couldn't leave before."

She was so used to being able to pop in and out of worlds. In some ways she almost feels a little bit trapped. She's been dealing with it well enough, for the time being.

Still, that was a thought for another time. Instead, she turned to Aqua, slightly curious. She pauses, then asked, "What would you do?"

To add to the celebrations?

[aquanimity]

"There are worse places to be trapped than here," Aqua mused, "but it is still a bit frustrating." Being in the Realm of Light and not able to travel freely... yes, that was frustrating, almost taunting. "We're lucky to have been able to travel the worlds before, though. Most people never leave their homeworlds."

She perked up at Xion's question. "I was thinking some colored lights, maybe, to illuminate the water. Or to brighten up the night sky." Aqua looked around at the nearby fountains. "I don't want to interrupt one of the ongoing performances, though."

[needmetoo]

Lucky, huh...? Truth be told Xion never knew any different. Everybody she'd had close personal contact with - even the Organization imposter - had to have been able to travel worlds. By pure experience, the idea of not being able to travel worlds was more foreign than not. Was she really lucky?

Frustrating she could agree with though.

At Aqua's words though, she glanced over at her, then at the nearby celebrating kedan. Yeah, she could understand what she meant, and yet...

"Maybe we could go somewhere else?" she suggested. The Water Sector was pretty big, after all. There had to be some part of it that wasn't host to a current performance.

[strokeofgenis]

Genis had primarily kept to some of the other districts instead of the Water District. He had wanted to see the main event up in Fire, and he had briefly walked around Earth with his sister before ducking back through the Hotel because he heard rumours about how amazing the display was over in the Water Sector. And he was not disappointed in the least.

Of course, Genis is going to have one of those glittering gumballs in his mouth, and that alongside the blankets and the fires are keeping him warm this night. Well, that and running around like any excited 12 year old would. Everything is enchanting and amazing, and he just can't help but feel exhilarated by the prospect and promise of everything.

Which is why he won't necessarily see Xion in his path as he's walking from hither to thither, and he'll accidentally bump into her.

Oof!

"Ah, I'm really sorry about that! I didn't see you there!" Genis says the moment he discovers that he bumped into a fellow foreigner instead of a kedan.

[needmetoo]

Thankfully Xion was able to keep her balance - getting bumped into by a stranger was nothing compared to some of the blows Heartless tended to land from time to time. So she did stumble a few steps, but was able to recover fairly easily, turning towards the person she'd bumped into.

"I-it's okay. I should've been watching," she stammered. She'd gotten too caught up in... well, everything. Gotten distracted.

... His voice did sound familiar though didn't it? Now that she stopped to think about it.

[strokeofgenis]

"No no, I wasn't paying attention, honest—"

And likewise, Xion's voice sounded familiar too. And Genis will practically do a double take. Before stammering a bit himself.

"Are... you... Xion?"

I love how their faces match

[needmetoo]

"Yeah," Xion answered, a little startled, though his response helped her realize where she'd heard his voice before. On the network, one of those people who'd replied to her first post there...

With that in mind, she added, "You're... Genis, right?"

[strokeofgenis]

Genis is a little startled, admittedly, but he's now also sizing up Xion as well, realising that not only is Xion a girl but also a girl that looks to be about his age. That's enough to cause Genis to be a little bit flustered as well.

"Y-yup, that's me, Genis! Right," he says, trying to put on a brave face. "It's nice to finally meet you!" And suddenly Genis is looking everywhere, as if trying to find a topic to talk about. "So... uh, have you been enjoying... the festival?"

[needmetoo]

"Oh! Yeah..." There was something a little strange about how he was reacting, but not in a way she could really put her finger on. She tilted her head and leaned forward a little, curious, but decided to let it pass for now.

Instead she turned and glanced all around at the festivities - the water and the fire, the music...

"I've never seen anything so beautiful, really," she added, "Or heard."

[strokeofgenis]

Genis immediately puts a hand behind his head, kind of bashful and more than willing to distract himself momentarily from making an utter fool out of himself.

"It is kind of nice, isn't it?" he says quickly, half turning away from Xion and toward the festival. "I've not actually been to this sector before, so it's kind of amazing to see it all. All the water, all the fire everywhere. And the music." And he blushes again. "All the nice-looking people."

Still, he turns to Xion with a rather embarrassed expression. "So... do you want to g-g-g-g-go and walk tog-g-g-g-gether? Spend some time doing... th-th-th-things?"

[needmetoo]

"Huh? Oh... sure," Xion replied, a little bit sheepishly, "This... is only my first time ever going to a... festival, I think? Or... anything like this, really."

There really did seem to be something odd going on here, though. "Are you okay? You aren't cold are you?"

He hadn't stammered that much when they'd talked last... and the last time Xion had stammered that much, she'd been suffering from some mild frostbite.