[OPEN EVENT] Weekend Winter Wonderland

[wintershepherd]

Characters: All?
Date: March 8th-11th
Location: All of Keeliai
Situation: It's been a stressful month thus far for a lot of people, but Jack is determined to Make All The Happy and decides he needs to get back to his wintery roots by giving the city a proper snowing.
Warnings/Rating: People high on snow glitter?
NOTES: Actionspam OR prose, whatever is preferred! (Settings were just easier to prose.) Make your own thread headers if none of these suit! ♥



Jack had spent the last three hours balanced motionlessly on the top of a flagpole, head tilted back as he listened to the wind and the sound of the city below. Where is Winter? it asked. I'm here! the spirit replied, but he knew it didn't mean his physical presence. He'd had too much on his mind and too much in his heart and in that sense he had indeed been absent these last few weeks.

Eyes closed and thoughtlessly trusting, he tipped forward into open air, letting the wind catch him and hurl him upward into the misty cloud cover that scudded across the stars tonight. At his touch they thickened, fat and pale grey against the indigo backdrop and Jack swirled them up, the motions so ingrained in him they felt just like breathing. In the small hours of the morning snowflakes began to fall on the sleeping city, specks at first but then quickly becoming heavier.

Now with a fresh canvas to work with, Jack was really in his element. He could never have done something like this back home, not anywhere in his world. It would have been too strange, too inexplicable, drawn too much attention. But here on the turtle, things were different. There wasn't really a semblance of normal and Jack poured his imagination and heart into the things he wanted most to share, and from the snow rose gleaming swirls of snow and blue light, forming things of exceptional detail and delight.

By the time the sun rose, a solid three feet of the snow had blanketed the city, glistening and crisp and Jack went rocketing down the streets, rapping on doors and windows to leave spirals of frost on every surface.

"Whooohoo! Snow day! Get up sleepyheads, everyone come out and play!"


THREAD STARTERS
Ice Skating | Snowball Battle | Sledding Hill | Ice Cityscapes | Kids Playground | OOC Plot Post

Comments

[philosophe]

[Excellent, they shall be very well-armed in that case.] I used to play in it quite often with my sisters when I was younger. The snow in Paris is -- dingy and dull, compared to all of this.

[dracobin]

[A careful sweep of his tail brings up the beginnings of a knee-high fort of his own, which Temeraire begins to reinforce absently.]

I am not sure how often it snows in Britain, as I have not often been there for the winter. But you have sisters! I did not know that. Are they younger or older sisters?

[philosophe]

They are younger, I am the oldest child in my family. [He's settling his small pile of snowballs down behind the fort, helping with that reinforcement.]

My father was a printer, he died when I was at school in Paris.

[dracobin]

[The mention of Combeferre's father's death gives him pause as he packs another clawful of snow at the base of the fort. Temeraire hasn't spent so much time among polite society that he knows much about how this sort of thing works. But if Combeferre, like all his friends, is also dead now, then--

But better not to say it directly. The field around them is alive with laughter, and it seems wrong to speak of it here.]

That must have been hard on your sisters, and your mother.

[philosophe]

[He can guess what Temeraire's thinking, though of course it would hardly be polite to bring it up now. He shall, in that case, continue chattering rather aimlessly (or so it seems), bending to help continue with their fort.]

It was. They are wed now, however, and my mother is well taken care of. [He looks up at Temeraire after a moment, curious.]

I should like to know more of your friends, if you are willing to speak of them.

[dracobin]

Oh, of course, I do not mind in the slightest. There is Laurence, he is my captain, of course; then there is Lily, a Longwing, and an acid-spitter; and Maximus, a Regal Copper--he is over a hundred and twenty feet, larger than any of us, and still growing.

[He grows quiet for a moment. Ordinarily he would not mind coming here at all, if only his friends were here--or just Laurence, if he had to choose.

Then he gives the fort another careful pat and looks up at Combeferre.] What would you like to know?

[philosophe]

[He considers this thoughtfully, settling his snowballs down behind their small wall.]

Oh, anything you would be willing to speak of, I think. Do you know much of the other species of dragons? What sort are you, if I might inquire? Do they all have certain specialities?

[A little laugh.] Forgive me, I am overeager.

[dracobin]

You need not apologize; it is much the same as if I had grown up in a world entirely without humans, and encountered them for the first time here. [Temeraire gives the questions a moment's more consideration, then settles into a more comfortable position behind the fort. This could take a while, but he is happy to talk of dragons, particularly to a scholar.]

There are a great many breeds of dragon in Britain alone, and they vary greatly in size as well; Greylings, for example, are not much larger than horses or cows, if you have those, and the biggest Regal Copper I know must be at least ten times my present size. Most of them do not have any abilities--that is to say, beyond flight, I suppose--but there are a few breeds that spit acid, or fire, and these are very greatly valued in armies in the West.

As for myself, well-- [he puffs up a little with pride--] I am a Celestial, which is a Chinese breed; there are only eight of us in the world, and traditionally we are the companions of the Imperial Court. Only there was a misunderstanding, or something very like, which is how I came to be in the Aerial Corps.

[He pauses expectantly, glancing at Combeferre to see if he has any questions thus far.]

[philosophe]

I know, but I do hate to overwhelm you with so many questions at once. [He only wishes he had something to take notes with. Mental ones will have to do for now, until he can get back to his lodgings and write all this down.]

[He is listening attentively, hands buried in his coat to keep them warm for the moment.]

Yes, we have horses and cows --but that is fascinating, the size differences alone...and do you all hatch from eggs, then?

What sort of misunderstanding was it?

[dracobin]

Of course we hatch from eggs, but Jehan has recently told me that it is not so for you--is that true?

[He shuffles a little in his seat; the snow around him is already beginning to melt, and the feeling is a little unpleasant.] Well, I am a twin, to start with; rare enough for any dragon, but almost unheard of for Celestials, and the first egg--my brother, Lung Tien Chuan--was to be made companion to the Crown Prince of China. As I understand it my egg presented something of a problem, as any companion I chose would be certain to be seen as a competitor for the throne, and they could certainly not have that; and so, when they heard that Napoleon had recently declared himself Emperor, they found it sufficient grounds to have my egg sent to France, and so kept out of the way of the Imperial Family. But the French transport bearing it was captured by a British ship, and I hatched on the way back to England, and that is how I came to be in the Aerial Corps, with Laurence as my captain.

[He pauses, then adds quickly:] Not that I should like at all to be Napoleon's companion instead, now that I have seen what he has been doing in Europe. Lien may keep him, for all I care.

[philosophe]

It is quite true, yes. I shall explain it for you at some point, if you like.

Ah! I see. And have you met your brother and his companion? Where have you and Laurence travelled together? ...What is the Orient like?

[He will more than likely pass along some of this information to Jehan later, but right now he is terribly curious.]

[dracobin]

Oh, yes, very briefly, and we have been to a great many places: China, and then across the Taklamakan Desert to Turkey, and on through much of Europe. We are only recently returned from Africa.

And China is-- [He pauses, gathering his thoughts.] I do not think words can do it justice. It is vaster than I imagined it, with pavilions and dragons as far as the eye can see, working peaceably with people. I did not think it was possible, before I arrived, as it is not so in Europe, but now I have seen that anyone might be persuaded to live alongside dragons, so long as they are introduced to it reasonably.

[philosophe]

Oh, how wonderful that must have been! I have only read of those places.

[He listens intently, nodding in agreement.] I have only -- lived alongside you, and not precisely, of course, since you are in the Fire District, but if all dragons are as civilized and reasonable as you are; I certainly can see how it would be done.

[dracobin]

I have not yet been to France, though, because of the war; I should dearly like to visit someday.

[So reasonable, 'Ferre. He knew he liked you for a reason.] Well, there are ferals, of course, but one cannot really blame them for trying to steal cows, or attack people, if they have not been taught not to do so. It is the same with people, if they are not properly educated, is it not?

[philosophe]

Perhaps you shall! If you do you might go to the Alps, that is where I am from, outside Lyon. It is quite beautiful there, though I must admit to some bias.

[A nod.] It is, unfortunately. I am of the firm belief that education will lead to progress, which will then lead to the changes that we all fought for at home.