[Lantern Festival]

[soul_mods]

Characters: Open to all
Location: Death City
Rating: Gen?
Time: November 2, 8pm
Description: Unless the city goes up in a blaze, nothing will stop the world from participating in the Lantern ritual they have every year. This year is more solemn than usual, though.

Comments

[Outside the Clinic] [OPEN]

[slghtlylessfake]

[Tavros hadn't given much thought to the lantern festival when it was announced. It had completely left his mind until now, when word of it buzzed through the clinic. He wasn't sure why he bothered, seeing as he had no lantern to let go, but he borrowed one of the clinic's wheelchairs so he could go out and see it anyway

[dai_mon_dai]

[Like Tavros, Masaru had mostly forgotten the festival. Rituals of grief were things he gave full attention to at the time, then let pass over him like water. After all, wallowing in the past was the worst way to honor the dead, in his mind.

Even so, when he say things being set up he had take a lantern. It may have been for Agumon, who he had gotten killed and yet somehow returned to him just before he was taken to this world. It may have been for the father who walked away 10 years ago and vanished like the wind. Or the hundreds of beings Kurata had killed and he wasn't able to save.

Or none of these. Either way he was still holding it as he walked down the street, and when he spotted Tavros. Masaru approached, offering a smile to the troll] Hey Tav, liking the show?

[slghtlylessfake]

[His smile faded when he was distracted from his thoughts by Masaru's voice, though only because he was surprised to see him. It was back within a moment.]

Oh, hey Masaru, uhh, it's been a while... yeah, it's really beaautiful, and nice, uhh, though I guess it's supposed to be a sad thing, really...

[He looked back up at the lanterns again, then at the one Masaru held.]

Oh, you have one?

[dai_mon_dai]

Yeah man, don't see you out and about much.

..and I don't think it's sad, personally. I mean, when I die I think having a whole city remembering me with something like this would be pretty damn cool, right? [He held the lantern close to his chest (carefully, so not to crumble the thin paper), the candle inside making his face flicker with warm light.]

I think it's more... hopeful then anything else? I dunno, I'm no good at this kinda thing. Wanna see? [That said he offered Tavros the lantern, for a closer look]

[slghtlylessfake]

When you put it that way, I guess it does sound pretty cool... and, hopeful.

[He'd never really thought about that. Would anyone remember him like this once he was dead, too?

He hesitated a moment before nodding, not expecting the offer. He took hold of it, carefully, as it seemed pretty delicate. He looked down at it in his hands, his grin fading again. It was such a gentle glow... He kind of wished he had one too, so he could let it go and watch it float away with the rest of the fairies.]

It's... really pretty.

[dai_mon_dai]

Kinda weird, how little things are like that. They're kinda like fireflies or something. [He scratched the back of his head, unsure what to say next. Then--]

It'll look cooler once it goes up. Ya better toss it before all the other ones are gone.

[slghtlylessfake]

[He looked away from the glow to stare at Masaru.]

What, uhh, but, this one is, yours...

[He could feel a little bit of childish hope rising, but he pressed it back down. This was Masaru's.]

Whoever you, uhh, want to remember with this, you should be the one to, let it go, right?

[dai_mon_dai]

[Masaru didn't say anything for a moment, eyes slitting with a burning mix of of anger and determination, though not focused on Tavros himself. Just before coming to Death City he had refound his Partner, and avenged those dead on Kurata in the most basic of ways.]

Don't worry about it, I've already dealt with my dead.

[And just as quick the tension snapped, and he laughed]

Anyways, who knows when you'll get another chance! Just do it already!

[slghtlylessfake]

[Tavros thought he'd maybe offended him somehow, but Masaru spoke before he could apologize, and then he was laughing. It was a little confusing, but he went along with it, smiling at him and nodding.]

If you're, sure...

[He looked down at the lantern again. He considered just letting it go to see it float up, but then he figured he should do this right and remember someone who was gone. He thought of Tinkerbull first. Then Aradia- he wasn't sure if she counted, since she had only been sorta dead, and then she was a robot, and now she was alive again- anyway. Then he thought of the entire troll race- they were all gone now, and maybe they needed someone to remember them, too. And everyone who had died yesterday right there in Death City. And whoever Masaru had lost too, since it was his lantern

[just_0k]

[Once she walks away from Kurt, she spots another familiar face. One she's been dying waiting to see. Aradia smiles as she watches Tavros look up into the sky. After everything they have been through together, she still feels awful for not being able to fix his injury. She knows that he would have been culled if Sgrub never happened. If she wasn't there to make sure he wasn't.

She makes her way over to him, leaning a hand on one of the handle bars of the chair.]

Hey.

[It's really the only thing she can manage to say at the moment.]

[slghtlylessfake]

[He feels that someone took hold of his chair before he hears her voice, and his eyes widen slightly as he turns to look at her. It was weird, seeing her alive again after all this time... but not in a bad way.]

Aradia... uhh, hey...

[He smiled at her too.]

I've missed you.

[just_0k]

[If only he knew that she sprouts wings. She smiles wider at the thought. He would love that.]

Sorry I never came to visit. Got caught up in some things. [She pauses, glancing up towards the sky. It sucks not having all of the time in the world anymore.]

I visited Vriska the other day, after they caught her.

[slghtlylessfake]

It's okay, uhh, I've been getting more visits than I, really expected to, anyway...

[His smile fell a bit as he looked down for a moment. It dropped completely when she mentioned Vriska. He'd almost forgotten about her, with what happened last night and his introspective moment just now.]

Oh... um, how is she?

[just_0k]

Terrible. [Frown.] But she deserves it.

[Aradia shakes her head.] How are you feeling?

[slghtlylessfake]

[He didn't respond to that, just looked down at his knees.]

Uhh, I'm okay, or, I will be, which amounts to the same thing, really, so...

[just_0k]

[There is a beeping noise, then, from Aradia's communicator in her pocket. She did write a post, today during break... And she's so tired, her blanket pile is calling...]

We should do something once you and the city heal up.