lifeaftr | Light up the Night - [BACKDATED to 2/5]

Light up the Night - [BACKDATED to 2/5]

Who: Ammy + Anyone interested
What: Fireworks show for the Lunar New Year!
When: Evening of 2/5/19
Where: Monkey Compound
Warnings: None so far, tag as needed!

[It's about noon when a message is posted to the Message Rock, as well as over the Stones of Farspeech - an elegant writing in kanji with a translation below. The voice is foreign, not often heard and possibly lost from most peoples' memories, but it sounds...excited? There's definitely a chime-like laughter hidden in the depths of it.]

All interested in a beautiful sight, please show up at dusk at the Hana--eh...the Monkey Compound. Drinks - for the elders among you - and some snacks will be provided, but I encourage you all to pack a box lunch.

Those unable to attend...I'll try to make sure you see it. Thank you.

[How very enigmatic indeed.

Still, those that do show up as the sky begins to change into a purple-blue color, dotted with small, glittering stars, will see that the Monkey Compound has been done up a bit. There's a line of small, flowering cherry blossom trees creating a lovely arch by the entrance, and little paper tags have been hung from a few of the branches, holding pictures of a tiny boar, or piglet, and a prayer written on the opposite side in kanji.

Inside has a very, very pleasant air to it. Much different than what this place used to be. It's laid with fresh, clean, springy grass and flowers, and a bountiful garden off to one side, which looks a little barren...probably because most of the foods have been harvested and laid out neatly on a bushels of palm fronds. Fresh vegetables and fruits from Ammy's garden, ripe for the taking and eating, if you're more the rustic type. There's also fire-roasted fish, skewered on a stick and cooking nicely by a crackling bonfire. Eat, enjoy, converse with neighbors and friends alike! Drinks have indeed been provided for the adults, a large barrel of sake with a ladle to pour it into one of twelve dishes. And yes, a bowl of water has been added to the side to rinse them off.

The centerpiece is a very basic shrine put up with a folding wall, once white in color but painted over with a beautiful portrait of a boar rolling a round firework, and a tiny, ceramic figure on a boar topping a little rock pile. Below the statue is an offering of sake, a single sakura mochi, a grilled fish, and some flowers. That is where the wolf will be when you first spot her.

For...a moment, at least. Because once the sky grows truly dark, and the embers from the bonfire has crept to soft, orange glow, a whistle will wheeze its way through the sky as a streak of light soars up, and up...before it explodes in a puff of white sparks. Nothing exciting, more a call to attention.

A minute passes, then another, and the're movement by the far end of the compound as the wolf readies everything she needs. A few final touches--...there! All ready for the show to begin.

And what a show it is.

The fireworks are beautiful and vibrant, coloring the skies in a vast array of rainbow hues, dancing like they're actually alive. True artistry, and a blessing from the God of Explosions, Bakugami (and the local rabbit god, who provided a number to help make this work). An explosive force meant to open the gate for a blissful new year - full of color, full of life, and bountiful in all things that bring happiness and joy to those with good in their hearts.

Happy Lunar New Year. ♥]

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That is probably them, yes. We had never had anything like that before - certainly never anything self-aware.

[Although, hold up:]

After the Greek hero...?

...Greek?

[The fuck is a Greek.]

[You might say it's Greek to him!]

A culture from my world. They have a story about a hero called Heracles...it's very strange, stories like that seem to exist in the exact same state in many different worlds, even if they have nothing else in common.

[ayyyyyy.]

We name our important things after celestial bodies, actually. We have many fairly prominent places within the Empire named after stars, and even some of those who have seceded from us continue to name things in that way - there are guilds named for the Leviathan, for example, and for Brave Vesperia as well.

Heracles is one of our constellations. I don't know precisely who named it or decided what it stands for; I assume it was the ancients. But I do like the meaning behind it, and Heracles is important to me. So I found it appropriate to name it that.

Oh, how nice! It has been quite a while since I saw the stars in my world...I am not quite sure if the humans even have the same constellations as we did.

What is the meaning behind Heracles?

Extraordinary strength, primarily. The wit, intelligence, and ingenuity to overcome that which strength can't. And the courage to see everything through.

As I said, it's important to me. I wanted its name to reflect that.

That is a nice meaning.

[Sounds like someone's better at naming things than, cough, certain people.]

The Heracles of my world's myth was a powerful hero descended from the gods, with strength far beyond any other human. I suppose that is still a little similar. [also there's all that stuff with Hera and him killing his wife and all but like. that's not important right now!]

It sounds it, yes.

[This is all actually pretty cool, as far as he's concerned; he's always been interested in things like this, even before they actually became relevant to him in any way.]

Most of the stories behind the stars have been lost to most of us, I'm fairly sure; I know I certainly don't know them. But I'm sure the seafarers have a better idea of them than I do, seeing as they use them to navigate.

I think the only story that's still widespread among us is the one regarding the Goddess and her brother - the time the son and daughter of Terca Lumireis saved the world from destruction. Does your world have extensive mythology, then...?

Oh, yes, from many different cultures. Greek and Roman myths may be the most well-known, simply because of how much influence the Roman empire had in its day. Though, of course, that was a human empire.

[aren't they all]

Humanity has always been more populous than my kind.

[Oh, that's... Hm.]

The monsters back home vastly outnumber us, to a point where most can't leave the cities; those that do are generally combat-trained in some way or another, or they're adept with magic of some sort. Our numbers have also been down since the war; even if we consider the Kritya to be close enough to us to count for some of our population, there are still very few of us by comparison.

The idea of multiple kingdoms, multiple civilizations and empires like that is a bit foreign to me.

Humans were the only ones to ever have such things in my world. We lost...a great many monsters in the war. Even before that, there was only one Kingdom of Monsters.

[.....]

From what I understand, there are hundreds of human countries now.

I see...

[He'll turn his attention back to the trees at that, taking them in for a moment. They still bother him, but again, they're familiar.]

Our population has always been somewhat low. My world simply doesn't care much for having living beings on it in general, it seems; we've dealt with world-ending cataclysms a few times more than any place really should. We appoint people that are responsible for keeping humanity at peace, and to ensure that another cataclysm doesn't come to us, and to defend the world in the event that it does. That's been my position for the past fifteen years or so.

Edited 2019-02-26 02:24 (UTC)

Oh, goodness. That is...quite a lot of responsibility.

[That's just a Lot, but that's not quite in Asgore's vernacular.]

What must you do to prevent a cataclysm?

Well... You can't. I knew that it was a hopeless fight when I accepted my station, and immediately before I was brought here, I failed in my task.

[He doesn't...actually sound as troubled by this as he should, though it's in the odd, jarring sort of way that he sometimes sounds generally unaffected - it's merely a statement of fact as opposed to something he's going to get upset about, as harsh though it is.]

I'm content in the knowledge that I died defending the world. It may have been for nothing, but I can't say that I regret trying.

...oh.

[Asgore himself seems more troubled by in than Alexei appears. He regrets asking.]

It was noble of you to try. Still, I'm sorry.

...Thank you.

[It's something that he finds himself more receptive to this time around, taking it in rather than immediately prickling at it and denying it; if anything, the words are calming, and he takes a moment to settle a bit.

The task was futile, but the attempt was worthwhile.]

I've never regretted that I was the one chosen, you know.

[And that's...easier, gentler, less blank beneath the words; regardless of everything that happened, he genuinely does mean that much.]

I knew what the outcome would be, but I loved the world, and I fought with all I had to see my dreams for it realized. I can't possibly regret that. It was difficult, of course, but it was always an honor.

So perhaps it's unfair to ask, but try not to concern yourself too much for me.

[Asgore listens somberly. Does he regret having been king? He hadn't after the war - but then, he did not begin that.

It doesn't matter; this isn't about him. He smiles a little.]

Well, I shall make the attempt. But if you would ever like someone to talk to, I shall be around.

That's kind of you; perhaps I'll take you up on the offer sometime.

[He doubts he will, really, at least when it comes to anything too important; but the offer is nice anyway.]

Assuming, of course, that you don't mind that I'm apparently the sort to get needlessly intense during parties - you do have my apologies, I'm not the best at casual conversation. ...Clearly.

[And that's far lighter than anything else; he's...a Mess but at least he realizes it eventually.]

Oh, goodness, you do not have to apologize for that. We had frequent parties in the hospital I told you about before...

[You know, between all the murders]

I suppose my own idea of what a party should be like is not what it was.

Doing what you could with a terrible situation, or...?

[...Like, he imagines it's that and not just you people being the most morbid individuals alive?]

It started as an attempt to pull the group together, so that we could avoid violence. But...yes, it quickly became that. It was often a little easier to be with others after...events.

[Oh. You know, he sort of assumed this setup was just a perpetual bloodbath? As opposed to people deciding that perhaps murder was not in fact the proper course of action and violence could be avoided at all.]

...It often tends to be, yes. It isn't nearly the same, but I've found that being with even one person is comforting after something traumatic occurs.

[It isn't the same, but it's close enough to make him realize that the whole thing sounds like something the Council would have loved; Ragou or Fialen would have been all over forcing people through things like that, from what he understands of the situation. Cumore would have loved it as well, granted, if he could pick out the participants...

Thankfully all of those people are nonissues now.]

...The same offer you've given me is likewise extended in your direction, you know. Should you wish to discuss things.

I appreciate that; thank you.

[Asgore smiles, even though he's probably not going to do that. He'd like someone to talk to, but he doesn't know Alexei all that well. And his problems are all his own fault, anyway.

Here's a less fraught topic:]

Do you enjoy tea?

[...Oh, um.]

I do, yes.

[He kind of sucks at making it? But the tea itself is fine.]

Do come by if you would ever like a cup. My tea plants have had their first harvest. I will probably be leaving most of it at Denny for everyone to use, but I have missed being able to offer people a good cup of tea.

[aka here's a slightly lower-stakes invite]

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ideismo - 2019-02-28 01:39 (UTC) - Expand

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journalname - 2019-02-28 02:18 (UTC) - Expand

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