[EVENT | TAVIMBI] HAPOYELA'S BLESSINGS

[ironwood]

Characters: Come one, come all!
Date: March 5th
Location: The Sabonile Temple, in Hatal
Situation: The Foreigners, as well as many prominent kedan, have been invited to the great Temple of Hapoyela in Hatal, where the Sabonile priest class wishes them to participate in a celebration!
Warnings/Rating: Character nudity in the after-feast comment. Indicate content warnings in subject headers as applicable.

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According to the Sabonile priests, Hapoyela wishes to properly welcome the Foreigners and the kedan to the full scope of Tavimbi's hospitality, and has instructed the clergy to organize a suitably impressive celebration for the citizens of the oldest living Great Turtle. All Foreigners, as well as many notable kedan including the Family heads, are invited to attend a grand feast and celebration at the Sabonile Temple, one of the largest buildings in all of Hatal.

The clergy has promised an evening of good food, lively entertainment, and the magnificent blessings of Hapoyela. At the same time, the Sabonile will be hosting a soup kitchen in the Temple's courtyard, feeding the hungry and the poor, as dictated by their religious tenets and beliefs.

While those who receive an invitation to the event, which the Sabonile consider a sacred charge from Hapoyela, are not required to attend... it could be seen as a disrespect to their deity.

MOD NOTE: For the naked after party section, soul gems are still allowed to be worn. If your character isn't up for stripping down, they can excuse themselves from that segment of the evening, which will have no negative repercussions with the Sabonile. In this case, they will simply do a wave-over blessing from Hapoyela around the person, and bid them a pleasant evening before they go.

Comments

[lordhotman]

"Yeah, kind of. More like a spiritual leader, really."

But yeah, he would kind of have to agree about the one person thing. Zuko wouldn't want that job either really. He's seen how it's put such a burden on Aang. But somehow he manages to get through it. For as gentle and kind as he is, he's a strong guy.

"No, the wings came from another place that I was brought to. Kind of like how we were brought here. Instead of soul gems, you got wings."

Now he's got both.

[omnivident]

"That's awful." Leo blurts out, just a little too loudly-- enough to make a few strangers shift their gaze at them. Yikes, awkward. Back to indoor voices. "Sorry- it's just that...why would anyone force that on you?"

After all, a soul gem was one thing. A bracelet or an earring was something that one could easily get accustomed to-- little to no interference at all. A pair of wings, though...that was a whole different tale.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that...they should have at least taken them off when you left."

[lordhotman]

Even Zuko stares at the sudden outburst. Yeah it was pretty awful, but he had kind of gotten used to it. "They kept us alive," he said simply. The environment was not friendly to people from outside of it.

"If they took them off, I would die. I was hoping when I got home they would just disappear, but I guess that won't happen."

[omnivident]

Leo had the feeling that their 'They kept us alive' was similar to how Jerusalem's Lot was 'No big deal' for him. Nevertheless he doesn't pursue the subject, not wanting to hurt Zuko's feelings.

All he can think of saying is: "You never know. Maybe something good will happen." With a sheepish shrug, Leo serves more soup for guests, a small smile on his face. He hoped the best for this guy, he really did--

--wait, who even was this guy? "Also, uh, what's your name? Sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Leonardo Watch. Nice to meet you." He begins to raise a hand, though stops; what if he doesn't shake hands? Awkward, much.

[lordhotman]

"Yeah... maybe." Sorry if he doesn't sound convinced. He had been through a lot at Luceti and there wasn't much in the way of good that he associated with the place. At least, nothing good that didn't come from the friends he had made there.

"Oh... Uh, I'm Zuko. Nice to meet you too." While shaking hands wasn't the customary Fire Nation greeting, he still knew of it. This he shook Leo's hand with a smile.

[omnivident]

Leo could that Zuko isn't very convinced by his attempt at lifting his mood-- no celestial object was needed to know that. "Well, at least this place isn't as bad, right? Besides the occasional glare from a citizen, I think it's an okay place."

He would much prefer to be at home, but that went unsaid. It was obvious enough, and he didn't want to start whining about stupidities.

At least the greeting didn't go as awkwardly, happy to see that his handshake was returned with a smile. "How long have you been here, though?"

[lordhotman]

"A few days," was Zuko's reply as they shook hands. Yeah he hadn't been there long and he was still adjusting. But Leo was right, atleast it wasn't so bad. There were no shifts, no drafts, and no sacrifices.

"What about you?"

[omnivident]

"About the same." Leo replies, thinking about the fiasco that had caused him. "I was nearly blind for a day or so. Not fun at all." He was basically forced to stay the first day and a half in the hotel, waiting until his eyes began functioning like normal again.

"I was lucky, though-- my boss from back home, he's here too." Sure, Leo would have been fine without the Klaus' presence, but it would have been a lot harder to get adjusted. "Do you have anyone you know here?"

[lordhotman]

Zuko blinks in surprise at that. "I lost my firebending for a day too, but why would you be blind?"

To be honest though, a day without his bending was to him a fair trade for getting it back again at full strength. In Luceti it never was any more than half strength unless they were on drafts or something.

"No, not really. I was told my friends used to be here but they're not anymore."

[omnivident]

"No idea." Leo responds, a little too quickly for someone that would be telling the truth. "Guess they just made a mistake." It could happen, right? Maybe?

Probably not, Leo reasoned out, but hey, he was just hoping that Zuko wouldn't push the subject. Plus, the conversation had already shifted on its own. "Ah, I see..." He mumbles, feeling bad for even bringing up the subject. "Sorry for bringing it up then...it must be hard."

[lordhotman]

Yeah that... didn't seem right. But Zuko decided not to comment luckily for Leo.

"I'll manage," Zuko says, though there is a melancholy tone. He missed his friends already. But he would manage, he always did, some how.

[omnivident]

"Sometimes we can't do much more other than manage." Leo says, settling the ladle down now that less visitors were passing by. It seems like he's talking from experience, and well, he is.

"But, well, a friend basically told me that it's okay. In his own weird words, but yeah. One step at a time." He pauses for a moment, and then chuckles out of embarrassment. "Sorry, that must have sounded really strange and dumb."

[lordhotman]

"No," Zuko said quickly. "That actually actually sounds like something my Uncle would say. Sort of." Maybe not those exact words, but the thought was there.

"Even if it was, being around the friends I have, I've heard a lot weirder and dumber."

Isn't that the truth.

[omnivident]

"You're telling me." Leo replies with a scoff, Zuko's last sentence resonates with him, especially with the strange group of people that he called 'friends'.

"I used to wonder at times if I was the only sane guy in the team. They were- well, are the strangest people I've ever met." And yet, he couldn't help but miss some of their strange antics. Well, the ones that didn't involve getting hurt, at least.

[lordhotman]

Zuko laughed a little.

"Our group is a mixed bag. But being around the Avatar, you kind of come to expect the weird."

Every time he was around Aang, people would always ask if these things always happened. And in every case he had to reply with a yes. He said this though with all fondness. He loved his friends, they were like his family.

[omnivident]

"I understand how that feels. Where I come from was really chaotic. I don't think that weird begins to explain half of the things that happen there on a daily basis." Ah, someone here for more soup-- Leo serves them some, expression filled with nostalgia.

It was true. Jerusalem's Lot was the strangest place in the world. The most awful city, one that Leo wouldn't dream of promoting for anyone. "But you kinda end up enjoying its weirdness, somehow. Though I would never recommend it for anyone going on vacation."

He laughs, feeling much more comfortable than how it all started out. Thank god Zuko hadn't ended up being as intimidating as he first appeared.

[lordhotman]

"My world was in a war for 100 years, and it was started by my country. So I think I understand," Zuko says.

Perhaps it wasn't as chaotic as Leo's, but war certainly wasn't something to sneeze at. He had lived through plenty of chaos himself. And then another person showed up, and Zuko dished out some soup for them too.

[omnivident]

"Ah..." Yikes, how awkward. Leo definitely didn't mean to bring such a sensitive subject up. Christ, couldn't you be any more insensitive? "Sorry to bring that up. I, uh, didn't mean to."

[lordhotman]

"It's okay," Zuko said while waving it off. "It's over, and we're rebuilding things."

Though that did seemed rather distant now. What with being in Luceti for a year and now finding himself here.

[omnivident]

"Hm..." Leo nodded silently, serving a few more plates as he thought of something to say, to change the subject or something. But he found it incredible how this person could just continue moving onwards, despite all the difficulties placed before him.

"You must be really patient to keep moving after all of that." He pointed out. "Kinda enviable."

[lordhotman]

Patient? Oh Leo, you sweet summer child. If only you knew.

"There's nothing to envy, really. I just did what I had to. For my people and the world, and I can't even take credit for it. It wasn't easy."

[omnivident]

"Well, the fact that you did the right thing despite how difficult it might have been is what's enviable." Leo said, with a small chuckle. "We don't always have the strength to do what's best for everybody."

[lordhotman]

"My father always considered it a weakness," he replies, scooping some more soup and handing it off to someone as they came through.

It was strange to be talking about home like this. He didn't really talk about it much anymore. Everyone from home already knew what happened, and well, it just wasn't a topic that came up often with anyone.

[omnivident]

Now that was something that took Leo by surprise. Eyebrows raised, he can't help but feel bad for Zuko. "Doesn't sound like he was the dad of the year." He said, his tone obviously sarcastic. Sure, the real comment was bordering more on, 'Wow, what an asshole.' but he, at least, had some manners.

"At least he's not around here. I think so, at least." How easy would it be to spot someone with that kind of attitude in this city? Leo wasn't too sure, but it probably wouldn't be too difficult.

[lordhotman]

"No, he isn't," Zuko agrees. There was many things about his father that was terrible, and not just in regards to himself. Ozai had done many awful things. And Leo wouldn't be the first to think that way about him, by far. Despite it all though, he was still Zuko's father. There was still a part of him that wanted them to be family again, even though he knew that was probably impossible.

"Yeah, I think we would know if he was."