Festival: Light of Memory

There has been an overall somber feeling in much of Yamato during the Firefly Festival. Items are left in tribute at churches and individual homes have small tributes set up to lost loved ones. Even the most active inns and taverns have traded overly enthusiastic songs and drunken escapades for stories of those who have left this mortal realm.

It is hard for some of the Landers to understand, seeing the Adventurers as something close to immortal. Yet, it seems as if they all share this emotion of loss. As such, they have been invited to join in one of the yearly rituals.

The caravan of people began from the Town of Beginnings hours ago, making the long journey towards the shoreline. There is a hushed quality to the proceedings, though a few people seem to share stories now and again, if only as a way of sharing grief and passing the time. Eventually, the group finds themselves on the beach, the Landers spreading out, some in small family groups and others individuals against the darkening sky.

Among them, there are a few people handing out the small lanterns which are the iconic part of the ritual. The Adventurers are offered some if they wish. The devices are made of simple materials, meant to burn for a few hours once lit, and then eventually return to the earth.

As night begins to take hold, a larger bonfire is also being stirred to life, creating a place where people can gather once they have completed their sendings. There are a few carts from the local taverns which have kegs ready to tap. As the group is largely made up of Landers, they will probably all travel back together, but not until it is late into the night and people are deep into their cups.

(OOC: This is a casual, open social scene. It will not be GM-driven. Characters will be offered lanterns to light if they wish in honor of those they have lost. There is a bonfire, stories being told, drinks to be had, and grief/memories to share with others.)

Goldenblade has arrived a bit early, having completed the project she was working on and sailed back in time to participate here, close to home, in this melancholy event. It's somber, of course, as she collects a small lantern. In honor of her wife, though she was never in the game. In fact, the game was supposed to be a distraction from her grief, among other things. And it's fulfilled that role well, she's been so busy she's hardly had time to grieve. In fairness, it's been some time since she lost Hanako, but for a festival like this, it's only respectful to honor her this way. Having lit the lantern, she releases it, watching it drift slowly away, to find what destination it will.

Uncharacteristically not in her nurse's uniform/gi, Uta today is in proper formal attire befitting the circumstances. She stands on the shoreline for a moment, gaze lost in the distance as she faces the wind which ruffles her hair.

Moments pass, and with economic gestures, she navigates her menu. Two items shimmer in her hand, two items which she, kneeling down slowly, places down on the sand.

It's two round stones, barely larger than a potato, but smooth like pebbles and rounded the way a zoomed-in drop of water would look to an insect: almost spherical, but flat at the bottom and squished slightly at the top.

They both share similar, and different decorations; the part which is similar, or rather, identical, is that both have a pair of eyes and an open-mouth smile drawn on them in charcoal. The part which is different is that one has some cloth glued to it, cloth folded in such a way to create the illusion of cat ears and a cat's tail; the other also has something glued to it, but in this case it's a conical felt hat, with little stars decorating it.

"I promised you back then, and I renew my promise. I shall never forget you, Mizuki Jr. and Neville Blobbottom!"

Rylen is among those who has made the long trek to join those who have come to the beach for the ritual of lantern lighting. The usually jovial Beastmaster seems to be taken by the somber mood, having walked in relative silence for most of the way from the city. He'd stayed on the outskirts of the Lander caravans, acting as a guard against the nearby monsters while listening to what stories are offered out by Adventurer and Lander alike.

When the group arrives and starts to spread out, he almost seems to be gathering his own resolve. Grief has always walked beside him like a shadow, though it isn't something the man often lets other people see.

One of the nearby Landers offers him a lantern and he seems to hesitate, then reaches out to take it, giving a nod of appreciation. "That obvious, huh?" He tries to smile, but the gesture doesn't quite reach his eyes. For now, the man gets a pat on the shoulder from the Lander.

So, Rylen stands, holding the lantern, seeming to watch the starlight reflecting off of the still water, tryin to come to grips with his own emotions.

Finally, time for some fun and entertainment. Meaning that Kotono is there... with Miyako of course.

The two Spriggans arrive rather quickly, and Kotono decides to go find a booth selling food so that they can enjoy a bite to eat together. "After we fill up we'll check this place out."

Uta performs some traditional memorial rituals, and when she feels she's honoured her Lost Slimes enough, she turns around and... spots Rylen. Her usual enthusiasm upon spotting him is nowhere to be seen. She bites her lower lip, and after a short pause, and she takes short, careful steps towards him.

Reluctant to make eye contact, she approaches with her hands behind her back, almost certainly fidgeting as she looks down and away. "Hey," she greets, and waits for him to reply.

    Merek makes a way to one of the shorelines while he takes a moment to light a lantern in memory of people. Not just to that fiance', he offers one to everyone. He thinks about it all. The man takes a drink from the flask with him.

    Yuuki is definitely not her upbeat self as she makes her way here with the caravan of people. She spent most of it simply staring off into space.

    Now that they've arrived, Yuuki nods somberly as she is passed one of the lanterns, proceeding to light it. She stares at the flickering flame for a moment before setting it free. As the small floaty thing sets off, Yuuki watches it go. She actually manages a smile, if a sad one, saying, "You would have loved it here." There's a brief pause, before she adds with a short laugh, "And probably done a way better job than me!"

Goldenblade watches the lantern as it drifts away. A tear rolls down her cheek, and she takes a ragged breath as she contniues to watch the collected lanterns slowly drift. Memories, 50 years of them, filter through her head. She whispers softly, "I would rather be home with you, even with all the years weighing us down. They weren't as heavy as all that."

The Doctor of Tolbana is present, in a sense. The sense of rememberance and autumnal regret looming over the whole of Yamato has been a palpable thing. It's impossible to not feel at least somewhat affected by it all. For those who have lost even their worlds, for whom there /was/ something good in the world-that-was, there is much to mourn indeed.

For some more than others.

...For some, this 'celebration' is just a waypoint to mark yet another year of mourning.

Prophylaxis releases a lantern of his own, standing in silent vigil alongside a certain Absolute Sword. He knows who it is she mourns. She knows who it is he mourns.

Or rather. She knows how many he mourns.

"Another year," he sighs, quietly. "...How many more will it be, I wonder?"

How many more until he can stop feeling the pang of guilt. Stop seeing their faces?

He shakes his head and looks to Yuuki with a sad smile, "I think she'd be glad to know how much you've accomplished. It's not everyone who can claim the title of Absolute Sword, you know?"

    Mizuki has swapped out her jacket for a dark grey hooded mantle, though she leaves the hood down. The rest of her casual outfit is black, so that works well enough, she supposes.

    She's in her late 20's, and fortunate to not have lost anyone she was close to. Earlier during the festival she mourned Alexandria, but somehow that doesn't seem appropriate now, as she listens to the Landers telling stories of departed friends and loved ones.

    She surveys the adventurers she recognizes who are lightning lanterns. Goldenblade... that makes sense. She's old so probably has had a lot of people she knew die. Mizuki can't remember if she ever mentioned her wife...

    Her ears pick up her name, though, from... Uta?

    She heads over to the spriggan. "Wait, one of the me-slimes at the lab died? What happened to it?"

    Wait... 'Mizuki Jr.'?

    Mizuki's face goes from curiousity to :| "...These are the slimes from when we first went to the culvert, before you learned how to capture them, aren't they..."

    She shakes her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize they really meant so much to you." She holds her arms out for a hug, if Uta wants.

Estelle has actually changed her outfit for this evening. Her starry dress has been swapped out for a more formal, and more ritualistic, outfit; that of a miko, with the pure white kosode, hakama, and hair bundled up in ribbons. Though the hakama and ribbons are black instead of the traditional red.

She's deployed a table and chair form her inventory there on the beach, small brass lanterns lit at the outward corners, and a number of divination tools set out on the table in front of her; a deck of cards with a stylized star on their backs in silver, her bag of lots, her spyglass, and her star charts. There's also a stack of slips sized properly for ofuda, with a brush and ink pot, and a small basket of reeds to let lanterns be lit from her lamps.

The vixen offering soft words to those who come to her table, and performing divinations for those who ask; revealing to them what the future holds, through their preferred medium. Mostly through the stars that shine down upon them, occasionally through lots or tarot. She has a somber air about her, tails still, as she offers condolences and hope to all who come seeking it.

It's a side of her rarely seen, without any of her astral obsession bleeding through. She's not here for her studies, for fun; the Astrologian is here to offer comfort and wisdom to all who ask, as best she can.

Rylen takes a slow breath, then seems about to step forward when Uta's voice catches him. It's like a splash of cold water to his senses, drawing him out from his own thoughts. "Oh..." It takes a moment for his brain to reboot, it seems. "Hey, Uta." Not the usual elaborate greeting that he manages for them, but it is acknowledgement as he inclines his head.

For the first time, his eyes seem to sweep over some of the other shere. Settling momentarily on Yuuki, Prophylaxis, and then Goldenblade. It's a stark reminder about how little he knows about some of the people behind the avatars.

Still, he holds the unlit lantern, "Seems like everyone carries something with them, don't they?" Sure, it might just be slimes that Uta is mourning, and Mizuki's expression has him managing the faintest of smirks, but everone is allowed to grieve in their own way.

"Somehow, it doesn't seem right to try to mourn someone that still feels like they're with me. This game... It must have pulled her character design from me somehow. She didn't live long enough to play." He murmurs, perhaps a bit cryptically.

Goldenblade has not talked much about her wife, in truth. She only came up during that one event where she was under the influence of some mind-altering chemical, and forced to relive an agonizing time in her life. But that's a memory now, too, and more easily forgotten for being unpleasant. Her kids had recommended coming here, to the game, as a distraction, and she's trying to make good on that effort. But this seemed like an appropriate time to honor her wife.

    Yuuki gives Prophylaxis a smile and says, "Hopefully many more? That way they will continue to be remembered."

    She then gives a brief laugh, rubbing the back of her head, "Yeaaah, I guess so... But still, she was so much better at the guild leader thing than I ever was!" She scratches her cheek in thought, "Still don't know why they made me the leader after her."

Uta smiles at Mizuki, but holds out a hand as if for saying "don't worry, it's okay", about the hug. "They are indeed. But... I have had time to internalize. It's fine by now. The bulk of the grief is gone, yet, still, the remembrance persists sempiternal." A short time later, she adds, not without a tinge of embarrassment, "...and I still can't capture them."

She listens to Rylen with the due somberness, and there's even a glint, that spark of intelligence and wonder, when Rylen mentions that the game must somehow have extracted a character design from him. She does have an idea about what he might be talking about. Might as well take the opportunity. "Speaking of that... I... there's..." Uta's nervous hand scratches the back of her head as she looks for words. "...there's a thing I've been meaning to ask you about that, but... couldn't... didn't think it... was afraid it..."

She trails off, shifts her head to still look at the ground, but at a different spot. "I've been thinking about all those monster handling lessons you've given me. About how monsters can't really love you, how they are driven by their instinct, and the only way we can get them to cooperate is to impose our will on them..."

The Spriggan begins to squirm at this point. "Well, I've been thinking..."

She breathes in, but it feels more like she's heaving her lungs in preparation for pushing massive weight off her chest.

"...Does that apply to your summon as well?"

One can see her wince as she asks the question. As if the question was hurting her as much as she feared it would hurt him.

There is something in that hesitation of Uta's that has Rylen looking at them more seriously, likely trying to figure out exactly what sort of question had been lurking underneath the surface. When she eventually comes around to the question at hand, his brows furrow.

He opens his mouth as if wanting to say something, but then hesitates, seeming to really think about the question. "Honestly... I don't know." He answers Uta with a faint shake of his head. "Summons are spells. They utilize our magical energy to manifest. It's possible that it works like any other monster, but... I guess I never really have thought about it that way." He looks down at the lantern in his hands, "If I'm doing that, it certainly isn't intentional."

He gives a soft sigh then, "I know it's not really her. All that's left of the real person is ashes in a monument outside of Tokyo." Still, his expression has some fondness there, the good with the bad. "I guess I've always found it a comfort that there is somehow an afterimage of her, though. Like a ghost in the machine."

He looks down again, "She would have loved this place."

Erufu has come here while she's not lost anyone important she may have come to mourn the loss of connection to people in her old life. She was lucky to have two friends with her in this new world. Still, she's alone at the moment she'll pull down her hood as she arrives to look about as an old Pooka hands her a lantern she thanks him for it and will move on to light it and let it float away into the water. Whatever she thinks of she'll keep to herself and she muses for a moment. She'd half-forgotten the name she was born with. AS this goes on she'll wander her way to Estelle smiling at her.

She'll wait if there is a line and when she can finally speak and smile.

"I'm curious to what my future holds if you would care to see."

    @emit
    Mizuki lowers her arms and looks between Uta and Rylen somewhat awkwardly. For a long moment she's not sure what to say. Rylen finally explains who he's here to mourn, sort of. She just bows her head slightly.

    Eventually she asks, "What's sempiternal mean? I actually haven't heard that word before..."

    Miyako has been silent and solemn on the way here, having actually looked up what the festival really means to the Landers. She nods quietly to Kotono, adding, "Go ahead and get me something," as the taller Spriggan moves away to the food-seller's booths. "Whatever the locals are having will be fine." She takes a seat by the shoreline, her back to the bonfire, and looks out over the calm waters and the soft waves rolling in to the beach. She sings to herself, quietly, though easily overheard by anyone who might wander nearby.

        o/~ Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens
        o/~ Bright copper kettles, and warm woolen mittens
        o/~ Brown paper packages tied up with strings,
        o/~ These are a few of my favorite things...

"Haha, I suppose that's fair," Prophylaxis answers with a helpless shrug. "Even in another world, their ghosts haunt me. I don't think I'll ever be free of them, but I suppose it means I'm never without company."

He pauses, then reaches over and pats at Yuuki's shoulder, "I can think of a few reasons. If nothing else, you're a magnet for trouble. Maybe they thought you'd be a little less prone to falling headfirst into danger if you had to do administrative stuff on the side?"

"Or maybe it's just because you're a better leader than you give yourself credit for?"

"And, tonight, that is what I'm here for." Estelle replies to the Pooka who's come up to her, before she gestures wide at the tools in front of her; the bag that jingles and clatters when her hand brushes across it, the deck of cards, and the telescope. "Do you have a specific question, or should it be a more general reading?" The fox cants her head, at that, ears twitching to the side.

"This festival is all about the Stars, though I'd need to know your birth date for the best reading. The Tarot is also a valued tradition and tool, if not what this evening is about. And lots are a complicated little thing, but still might grant some insight into the right problem." She folds her hands on the table in front of her, silver eyes staring up into Erufu's green as she awaits the answer.

Ordering what she thinks Miyako will like, Kotono joins Miyako and starts to sing along as she hands her the food she ordered. "I hope you like it. I tried to think in terms of what you usually order." She giggles. "I mean, I try, right?" She then joins the singing along again.

Uta replies to Mizuki, "oh... it's a fancy way of saying 'eternal'. I like my fancy words."

"There is a lot of wonder in this place, I agree," Uta replies to Rylen without skipping a beat. Still tempered with the appropriate somberness, there's a hint of relief at having gotten such a question out of the way.

She turns to look at the Pooka. "You know what? I wasn't going to bother with a lantern, but I'm getting one on her behalf." And that said, she darts out towards where the Lanterns are.

Only to come back one moment later. "...and maybe one for Xander. He technically /did/ die, right?" Off she goes again.

And returns /again/. "And one for you, Mizuki! You died to, if I recall correctl- OH! That reminds me, is that offer for a hug still valid?" She nudges her head sideway towards Rylen. "I think he needs one, can you hug him for me?" And that said, she makes a beeline for where lanterns are being handed out.

    Miyako nods quietly, cradling the food into her lap and taking a sip of the drink, barely breaking time in her song. She does manage a small, warm smile as Kotono joins in.

        o/~ Cream-colored ponies, and crisp apple strudels
        o/~ Doorbells, and sleighbells, and schnitzel with noodles
        o/~ Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
        o/~ These are a few of my favorite things...

    Walking in line with the others , Setsuna bows his head in thanks to the young one and brings the lantern to the shore line and looks at it. A little charcoal pencil is retrieved as he scribbles names on it, 'Koichi', 'Saika' and a few others before placing it in the water gently. With his hands shaking he shakily tries to summon up a flame for a moment before a deep breath steadies him enough to create the flame and light the lantern, " Sorry kid. I'd hope to be home by now... " It seemed like he wanted to say more but it doesn't come out. Instead he simply stands up and steps back for a moment as he watches with a solemn expression..

    Mizuki nods at the explanation... and then just kind of stares blankly at the suggestion that she and Xander should be mourned. "Well, yeah, but... we didn't really DIE die, we came back... or rather, we're still here." And then Uta suggests that offers for hugs are transferable and after trying to work out whether that makes sense of it Mizuki just shrugs and holds her arms awkwardly out to Rylen.

    Also her ears turn towards Miyako and she is trying very hard NOT to burst into song singing along. It doesn't seem like it would be appropriate now.

"Um..." Rylen raises a finger to try to point out to Uta that the temporary death in the game likely isn't what the sort of rituals are meant for, but as she darts around with her usual energy, he just slowly lowers his hand and shakes his head, unable to avoid being at least a little amused by it. "Thank you, Uta." Is what he replies, softly.

Mizuki's offer for a hug is met with a lift of one white eyebrow. So, he just offers a companionable one-armed sort of hug that doesn't last longer than would be commonly comfortable. "And, my thanks to you as well, m'lady. It's... a rough night." He lifts the lantern.

"I should go light this." And so, he goes to do just that, walking down towards the ocean, using a faint bit of fire magic to light the lantern before crouching to place it down at the water's edge.

"I never got to say goodbye, so maybe this will have to be good enough." He bows his head. No, he hadn't lit it in honor of his sister, despite his earlier comments to Uta. Still, once the light moves off into the water, he adds, "This world is just as much yours as it is mine, Kyo. Let's keep living in it for a little while longer, okay?" Apparently, he has embraced the 'ghost' in the machine.

Goldenblade spends a last few moments lingering, staring at the lanterns as they drift off, then with a heavy sigh, she'll start to make her way back. She offers nods to the few here she knows, smiling wanly, but not interrupting. It's private moments for everyone, she supposes.

    "Maybe! Wake seems to be fine with it and that's saying something. Though if they expected me to be less, gung-ho I think the term is?" She laughs, "Then that was their mistake!"

    Yuuki then punches Proxylaxis in the shoulder, "And don't beat yourself up about the ghosts." Yeah, that's what Yuuki is for. But she continues, "Each one just means another person you tried to help. And you did help. Maybe not forever. But then nothing lasts forever. So every little bit counts!"

Erufu says "I'm thinking I'm just looking for a general reading. I'm curious about the broad strokes for things." Her eats twitch slightly and she thinks for another moment as she'll wait her turn. "So you seem to be settling in pretty well with this? I know a little bit about them."

There was a series of games she'd been fond of involving the use of Tarot cards a lot. She returns the gaze with a curious look on her face. At one time she'd think it was a joke or a scam? In this world, it seems to hold actual power.

    Mizuki adds a back pat to the one-armed, redirected hug, then steps back and nods, watching him go. She wonders who Kyo is, but... Should she pry? It's not like Rylen is an NPC and some bit of backstory might be important to know for a quest later. She turns and follows Miyako's song..

        o/~ Girls in white dresses, with blue satin sashes
        o/~ Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
        o/~ Silver-white winters that melt into springs
        o/~ These are a few of my favorite things...

    Miyako still hasn't touched her food, or moved from her spot, just staring out at the water, remembering, singing.

        o/~ When the dog bites...
        o/~ When the bee stings...
        o/~ When I'm feeling bad
        o/~ I simply remember my favorite things..
        o/~ And then I... don't...

    And she stops, choking up, tears staining her cheeks. She closes her eyes, resting her head on arms folded over her knees.

    As Setsuna's lantern floats away he finally pulls himself together enough to move closer to the bon fire and simply watch the flames. After a few moments of staring at the bonfire he retrieves a bottle of Tolbana's whiskey, and places it next to where he is sitting. His eyes watch all the others around him for a moment before they just turn back to the fire. He could only hope the warmth of the fire would dry any tears before they appeared.

The song seems to be ebbing away by the time Rylen turns himself back towards the bonfire. The lantern he had set into the water is now one among hundreds that float there, looking like their own unique set of stars in the dark water.

There are still lights flickering up and down the beach, some families taking their time to complete their lantern lighting, others having already finished and simply watching the blinking firelights in the darkness.

Slowly, the Beastmaster approaches the bonfire, the warmth of the light on his features, though they still carry some hint of sadness. "You should have come, too, dumbass." He mutters, likely referring to someone who who he had invited but had not come with him. "But... I get why this would be harder on you than on most." He runs a hand through his silver hair.

"Probably shouldn't tell him that Uta lit a lantern in his honor, though." No, telling Xander that Uta honored him among the dead probably would not sit well.

Kotono is singing along, but then she notices something isn't right with Miyako. The Spriggan is... crying?

Almost immediately, a sense of concern and sympathy comes over Kotono's face. "Miyako? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" She leans in closer, sliding an arm around Miyako. "Please, tell me!"

With those words, and no birthdate forthcoming, there's a nod from the vixen. "The cards it is, then. And I have been settling well, yes - following my passions, and doing what I can to help." She reaches for the Tarot deck, shuffling the cards three times, tapping the deck's side against the table, and then flipping out a card atop it - and the image plays into Estelle's stellar theme.

The image on the card is Ara, the Altar, with a feminine shape imposed behind it, her arms spread. "Your Past. The High Priestess, teacher of sacred knowledge and hidden mysteries. She sits upon threshold of the conscious and subconscious, passing between those two realms. Are you one who relies on intuition, perhaps? Or are you a seeker of secrets, digging into mysteries?" One finger taps the card, a soft hum leaving the Cait Sith. "Or, perhaps, she represents the transition between our times Before and After the Apocalypse, in her position as one who reveals that the world is not always as it seems, and something profound is in play."

Corvus and Crater stare up from the next card, as it's set beside the first. "The Present. The King of Cups, Master of Emotion, Creativity, and the Unconscious Mind. You are someone, here and now, who is true to yourself; you hold your own course, steadfast in your beliefs and morals. You're a compassionate soul, as well, bonding based on an understanding of others..."

The last card is... empty, but for the silver border. A black field that seems to drink in the light. "Your Future. Death, the end... and a new beginning. It isn't /your/ end, no, this card is misunderstood. It's just the closing of a chapter. The shutting of one door, and the opening of another. Change is coming, or necessary. You need to be ready to let go of what weighs you down, and prepare to grasp an opportunity that will present itself."

"It's either that or they figured that they'd never be bored with you in charge," Prophylaxis answers with a chuckle. "I imagine you don't give them much room to breathe."

And then... He is punched! How awful! How barbaric!

Prophylaxis feigns the hurt with all the subtlety of an entire candied ham. "Ugh! If only I could! But these hands, Yuuki. These hands cannot help but crash straight into my face!! It is my curse, I'm afraid." Second only to the curse of his foot being magnetically attracted to his mouth at the most inconvenient times.

"...I'm sorry," he says after a quiet moment. "I should be there with you. In Olympus, I mean," he gestures toward the flickering lights atop the water, "Share the time this world has given you. But even here, I can't help but be The Doctor. I can only hope that you'll keep this foolish old man in the loop whenever you get into any trouble. You know I'll drop everything to come help you if you call for me."

    Miyako looks up, turning her head to face Kotono, even though she doesn't open her eyes. She just reaches up one arm to wrap it around the other's shoulders and lean close in. "That was..." she pauses, sniffling, then continues. "That was my mother's favorite song. It just..." She sighs and looks down again, but keeps hold of Kotono, the food and drink forgotten in her lap. "They're... they're gone... *I*'m gone..."

Removing the food from her friend's lap, Kotono attempts to bring Miyako into her lap. "They're not gone," She says gently. "I know it seems impossible, but we are going to find a way out of here. We just have to be patient." She draws the Spriggan closer. "You're not alone, trust me. You're not gone. You're still here." Her voice is gentle and soothing. "I still understand how you feel, trust me I do." She hugs Miyako tighter. "Just let it all out."

Erufu had a reason for bypassing her birthday she is sticking to she's a 2000-year-old elf, that may be a wanderer from a far-flung plane of existence. Or maybe it's she wants nothing to do with who she used to be before being pulled to Yamato. Either way, she watches with interest and seems pretty eager to know what Estelle will see. The cards start to be pulled she looks at the cards with interest. Her ears twitch as Estell give her fortune to her. She seems to react well to the part about the new world and the old.

There's some things to think about after all she puts some stock in that now.

"That is certainly some things for me to think about. I will say this I don't wish to return to the old world, so I can see Death fitting. I am starting to think such readings have power, as many things I once thought did not."

If she could only drag Orcbalg to something like this!

She will bow in thanks to Estelle.

"Thank you I'd not take up more of your itme and I'm certain many others would like to have you look into what may lay ahead for them."

"The Stars have led me to hidden secrets in this land." Estelle replies, voice soft but tone firm. "Power finds itself in many things." She bows her head, though, to acknowledge the thanks. "But I am glad you found meaning in my words, all the same. The reading may become more meaninful in time. Good luck, and may your path be lit by the heavens as you stride forward into the dark." The cards are picked up, and shuffled back into the deck. Once more, she taps its side on the table, before setting it with her other tools.

She settles back into her chair, after all, hands folded on the table. Her silver gaze wanders the crowd, as the 'elf' steps back, looking for others who approach for wisdom and revelations. There's a light flick of her tails behind her, but they soon settle.

    Setsuna's eyes finally unblur enough to notice a potential distraction. Standing up he slowly approaches Estelle's fortune teller station taking a moment to nod his head in greeting to Erufu before looking towards Estelle. " Good evening. So am I right to guess you are telling fortunes?" There may be a sign of apprehension on the necromancer's face most likely because the last fortune teller that he went to tried to suck the life out of him, literally. "Yu don't use dice do you?"

    Miyako rests her head against Kotono's shoulder, eyes still closed. "'ve been putting off thinking about them for months... but today..." She falls silent again, holding back further tears.

Gently running a hand through Miyako's hair, Kotono leans in closer. "You have to feel those feelings, Miyako. Please, just let it out. I'm here for you." She keeps her embrace of Miyako strong and tight. "If you hold it in, it'll get worse."

"I am indeed, Setsuna." The vixen replies, before shaking her head in answer to the second question. "Astragalomancy is something I could do, but I don't keep the dice for it; different metals and carvers make them fickle things. Every die is a different oracle, to attune to and learn the foibles of. Though I have a feeling bone dice match your fortune well." She spreads her hands, indicating the charts and glass, the deck, and the bag of lots. "These are the ones I know best, and so these are the methods I offer on this festival evening."

Her hands settle back on the table, gaze fixed on the necromancer's. "Still, I'll need a birth date to read your stars the best, seeing how things align now with the moment of your birth and first breath. I can still beseech them, but it won't be as certain." One tail flicks behind her.

    Setsuna looks at the options and takes a seat finally, " No I am under the impression dice don't like me. So lets avoid them all together. " As he looks at the wares of fortune telling he takes a moment to debate his options wisely before pointing at the bag of lots. " How about we try that , it seems rather far removed from the dice concept. May 21st, 1980." As he waits for a moment he is probably proving himself to be the worst customer for Estelle, the chatty kind. " So how are you doing this evening?"

    Yuuki pffts and waves Prophylaxis off, "We're doing fine. There are plenty of other people out there that need you more. Besides, I've had you as my doctor for YEARS! It's only fair that I lend you out to others for a bit. I'm not going anywhere." She grins, despite the uncertainty of such a statement.

    She then laughs, "Oh, don't worry. It's more fun dragging you into everything that I can! Means I don't have to worry as much about keeping an eye on my HP and can just go crazy!"

    If there was ever a place or time to let one's grief show, this is certainly it. Miyako just slumps there in Kotono's arms, letting it all out, tears streaming down her cheeks. ... Definitely unhealthy to've held it in this long. She can't afford to, she's told herself. She has responsibilities. ... Not tonight.

Still holding her friend tightly, Kotono continues to cuddle Miyako and play with her hair. "That's it, Miyako. Just let it out," She coos soothingly, rocking her back and forth slightly. "It's all right, just let all those tears out." She never expected to be letting her friend cry on her shoulder tonight, but Kotono doesn't mind doing it either. After all, that's what friends are for.

"A Gemini, hm?" The vixen's tone is teasing, there, even as she picks up the bag of lots and gives them a good, hard shake. Crystal, bone, metal, ceramics, and glass rattle within the bag, the sound building into a clacking crescendo. And then she tips it over the table, and all the lots spill forth. Some are marked with symbols, others are not. None of them leave the table, all of them falling into a vague circle on its top. She gives a soft hum, as she picks them over - a finger tapping here and there, as her tails swish behind her.

She's tracing out patterns, it seems, and turning them over in her head. Her ears twitch and flick, silver eyes skimming along the greater whole. "... You've seen success, of late." She murmurs aloud, tone pensive. "And others envy it. They scheme and grasp, trying to take some fraction of it for themselves - by disrupting things and sowing chaos. Things are changing in the world around you, and you should watch for its consequences."

She tilts her head one way, then the other, and sweeps the lot back into the bag. "Rely on what you know, trust in those around you, and press forward. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, though it may seem distant."

    Setsuna listens to his fortune and nods his head slowly as he listens. At the mention of success his right hand instinctively begins to play with a ring on his left hand and yet his face continues to appear sour hearing it all, until the end. At least in the end there is light. " I see. Thank you very much. I also appreciate the end is much cheerier then what I was last told. Light helps. " Standingup he gives a bow, " Again I apprecciate your time."

    "Still, I can't help but feel guilty about it," Prophylaxis answers with a groan of utterly reprehensible self-pity. "But I guess as long as I get to be your doctor in dungeons, it still works out."

Still...

They have been afforded time. Time more than anyone had ever thought possible, both due to miracles of Yuuki's own will and the strange circumstances that trapped them in this world. Is being trapped in a place far away from any manner of reasonable research material any excuse for stopping in his work?

Maybe... there is something that could be done? Time to think about a treatment. And if they /have/ been transfered, mind and soul, into this cyber-space... Then maybe that is a sort of treatment in and of itself? But then...

...There are far too many philosophical questions being raised for a simple memorial ceremony. Prophylaxis sighs and shakes his head. "Well, anyway. We're going to be building a bath house up in Aincrad. You should bring the rest of the Knights up one of these days, once it's done. I'm sure I'm not the only one who misses nice, hot water."

"There is always a light, for those willing to reach out to it." Her tone is somber, gaze serious. "Even in the deepest darkness. It's merely reaching out, and taking that hand, that can be difficult." She offers her own towards him, palm up. "Trust in your bonds, Setsuna. Stand by your comrades. And cleave to your ideals." Her smile is soft. "Though I don't know what shape your darkness or your light will take, in this case. But it's there."

If he takes her hand, her grip is firm as she gives it a brief squeeze, before setting it back on the table. If not, she doesn't react but for pulling it back. "And never trust dice; they're fickle, as I said, and poor for open questions. You never know if you're asking the right one."

    Miyako eventually cries herself out, just slumping against Kotono and clinging to her. "I promised I'd be there for them," she whispers. "My brother... nephew..." She sniffles again. "And I can't. I'm off having fun /here/."

Nodding sympathetically, Kotono says, "I know how you feel. I really do." She sighs a little as she looks upward. "My family... I hope they're doing well too..." She looks at Miyako again. "But don't give up hope. We're going to find a way out someday I'm sure."

    Setsuna smiles and nods his head, " Of course, though I fear like all darkness, it takes the same shape as the light that cast the shadow." Taking Estelle's hand he smiles at the offered hand, "No think I am done with the dice, and the vampire fortune telller they belong to. Again I thank you for adding some light to the evening. " He would begin to walk away before turning back and asking, " Perhaps one night when you are not working we can discuss some other things. I think the amount of bonds I have when it comes to comrades are not as many as I would like, and absolutely much flimsier then I need. "

    Miyako nods, and finally lets go of Kotono, pushing herself to her feet. "Come on," she mutters, taking a quick look around, then walking over to pick up a lantern. "I need to...."

    She trails off, not completing the sentence, just shaking her head and selecting a lantern. She whispers into the paper as she walks down to the shoreline, a series of names, those left behind.

    "Goodbye," she murmurs as she places the lantern on the water. "Be safe... be blessed... be happy."

    That done, she reaches out to Kotono again. "Come on. I have no intention of spending tonight sober."

Also releasing a lantern as well, Kotono follows along with Miyako. "I understand. Let's go, and then we'll find a place to rest after. I know how you feel, but I don't want to risk anything happening after."

"A good call, it sounds like." The Astrologer murmurs, of dice and vampires. She settles back in her seat, though, tails giving a light flick. And another, when he turns back to face her. "And I am always open to a chat. Just find me under the stars one night; they should guide our paths, if you seek me." There's a wink, there, and she turns back to handle a telling for a Lander, a soft and quiet reading of the stars to guide them with the wisdom of their star-bound ancestors.

    Mizuki following leads to... Miyako. Crying. Mizuki hesitates, standing off in the darkness of the evening. Another, apparently closer friend of Miyako's steps up to comfort her, and sensitive ears pick out what she's mourning; apparently the people outside, and... themselves? They're not dead, they're here...

    Although, Mizuki's refused to commit to any one hypothesis about what happened, but certainly, it may be possible that they are trapped here, functionally forever, never to see their old lives again. This ACTUALLY being another world seems impossible, but that theory Uta mentioned about them being copies -- or even if they're not copies -- that remained in CyberConnect's servers, which have been started up who knows when in the future...

    She hangs her head slightly. It's too sad to even imagine seriously. Her mind -- whether meat or metal -- recoils at the thought, and forcing herself to feel what that would mean is like forcing herself to touch hot coals. She can't.

    Even then, they're not dead though... only their old lives. But is the life of a 21st century IT guy really better than the life of an adventurer? Is that a loss worth mourning? He spent so much of his life immersed in imaginary worlds anyway, and now he's stuck here; it's kind of what he always wanted, isn't it? Even if he'd rather have been Mycroft Hellfire than Mizuki. There are friends he's cut off from... but many of them might be in FM World, still reachable one day. His parents and grandparents, he'd never see again, but...

    The catgirl sighs and sits in the sand, tail flicking back and forth behind her. She shakes her head. It's not worth thinking too seriously about. They don't KNOW what happened. They have to find out, and, if possible establish communication with the old world... the outside world. And then they can find a way for EVERYONE to get what they want.

    She stands up and starts to turn away, but freezes. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but... she has sensitive ears! Miyako and Kotone mentioning being there for family... it suddenly hits Sam to think of it from his family's perspective. If his brother is in FM World now, then that would mean his parents have lost both of their children. THAT shakes him. Whether they're visiting hospital beds somewhere, or... or something else happened and the bodies were buried, bodies without minds in them... If it's at all possible, he has to let them know he's okay.

    Mizuki shakes, fists clenched. Then sighs. Nothing is going to get solved tonight, at any rate. She wanders the beach.

Silver eyes are still scanning the beach; people are starting to clear out, now, as the night grows deeper and the hour late. But the vixen's gaze lands upon a familiar face, shaking as she paces the sands. There's one last look around, considering... and then her hand strays to her deck, spreading out three cards in one smooth motion.

The black expanse of Death. Canpus, howling up at the Moon. Andromeda, surrounded by a chain of stars - reversed. Her fingers drum along the spread for a moment, staring down at it and considering its meaning as a whole. An End, and a Beginning. Fear and pain, spread along the past and reaching into the future. A loss of focus, frustration and delay, or a closure denied. A soft hum leaves her throat, before she flips them back onto the deck and rises to her feet. She extinguishes her lanterns with a flick of her fan, and a soft, strange whistle.

And then her steps carry her over to the pacing were-tiger, silent as the lapping water on the shore... and she reaches out to the shorter woman, hand going for a shoulder to try and gently squeeze it, before her arms open in a silent offer. She might not know the source of that pain, but she can do her best to soothe it... if Mizuki is open to it.

She keeps silent for now, though, to let the Werefang open up at her own pace.

    It would look like Merek's been listening to folk, watching folk, trying to make a little bit of sense, to it all, while he watches the people along the shoreline. He nods a bit to Mizuki, Miyako, Estelle. Then he walks along to try and find a few things to do, a few laterns to offer.

Mizuki notices someone else has approached while she was lost in thought, looking up at that shoulder-squeeze. She doesn't really know Estelle well -- it's hard to shake a vague prejudice against psychics, mystics, fortune-tellers, astrologers and the like, even if such things might be REAL in this world -- but she doesn't /dislike/ the star-fox or anything. She accepts the hug and hugs back, then squeezes tightly for a couple of seconds before relaxing. "...Thanks. I guess I kinda needed that. Ya know, I've tried offering hugs to others since I figure it's something a giant fuzzy cat would be good at, but seems like people don't want them." She looks thoughtful. "Although, maybe it's because some of the people who sound like they need a hug the most are guys trapped as cute girls."

The fox's pale arms wrap around the tiger, as the hug is accepted - offering what comfort she can, even as a stranger. This means those fluff fox tails curl in, too, in the patented soft treatment. Pressed in close, there's a floral scent to her; perfume, no doubt, to cover the aroma of the trail. And if there's any hesitance from Mizuki's disbelief in the past - they have adventured together - no ill will shows through. Just... comfort, as best she can offer it.

"... a lot of people cling to the familiar," she murmurs softly, "and public displays of emotion /are/ frowned upon, back home." Estelle murmurs softly. At least in Japan, which most of the sever is from. "But, tonight, I am here to offer comfort and wisdom to those who need it. And... pardon my intrusion, you look like you do." There's a light squeeze of her arms. "The fuzz is nice, though."

"If you want to talk about it, we can take a seat here in the sand or wander over to my table. Otherwise... well, I'll offer my company regardless, and the offer of a seat is still open."

    In soviet Yamato, fluffy tail touches you! "Oh, right. People don't look Japanese in here, so I kinda keep forgetting." She looks at Estelle, then turns to look out over the water. "It's not that... well..." She sits down, then leans back... before pushing off slightly with her feet so her butt leaves the sand long enough for her tail to slup underneath so she doesn't lie on it as she lies back on the sand. Well, on her cloak, which thankfully keeps the sand off her... except her hair, which is now under the cloak pressed into the sand. Damn. Well, that's what menu-washing is for. "I overheard someone else grieve. I didn't mean to, but... sensitive senses. They were mourning, or saying goodbye to, everyone they knew... and to /us/. Presumably in the sense of the lives we'd have had outside."

    Mizuki looks up at the stars. "I think it's premature, but... it's frustrating, not knowing. We won't know for a long time what really happened, and what our situation really is, as far as our ability to ever contact the outside world again. For many of us, our lives here are pretty good, but..."

    She takes a deep breath and sighs. "If this happened to the whole world? If my brother is in FM World now? Then my parents just lost /both/ of their children. Whether they're visiting hospital beds wondering if we'll ever wake up, or whether..." She looks to the side, turned away from Estelle, "whether our mindless bodies were buried as empty husks and we're not in them anymore... That's got to be hard on them. It's not fair. We need to contact the outside, even if we have better lives in here... but we're not going to make any progress on that tonight. That's all I was thinking..."

    ...

    "...I wonder if an enigma piece could do it, somehow..."

"It is easy to forget, yes." The fox agrees, taking her own seat beside the cat. If she minds the sand in her tails, she keeps that hidden, too. She just sets her hands in the sand behind her, supporting herself, and looks to Mizuki. Studying her face and body language as she speaks, taking it all in together. She considers it all, turning the words and ideas around in her head, and composing a response. It means she's silent, for a long moment, after that soft, musing idea.

"People take loss in different ways." She starts, keeping her words in low, soothing tones. "We've all lost contact with our families, for those of us who still have them. Cut off and separated by whatever is at play in this world." Her tails curl and sway along the sands, as she turns her gaze skyward. "And that idea, of mourning our presence here, isn't /wrong/. People mourn lost opportunities all the time; a wedding they couldn't get to, a birthday they missed, and anniversary lost in the shuffle of a busy life. And that's all normal."

She turns back, silver gaze seeking blue. "There is hope that we'll return to our lives once more, yes. That we'll find our way home. But we will have lost time, and that will have consequences with family, careers, and other things. To recognize that.... /is/ important. To consider us dead to the outside world is premature, yes, I will agree. But taking the time to acknowledge the loss, contemplate it, and find the strength to move forward? That's healthy. Commendable."

"As for your brother... I don't know. But, perhaps it could be discovered." Estelle leans forward, reaching a hand out to rest it atop Mizuki's. "The Oracle Pieces are a power to see across time and space, greater than any Divination can. If you have one, or can get your hands on one... I have no doubt that it could answer the question of if you brother is here, even half the world away. But back to Earth? That I don't know, and can't even begin to guess." Her fingers squeeze around those fuzzy ones.

    Mizuki nods a bit, looking up again. "I guess it's true, we'll have lost time and opportunities... but even that, we don't know how much. Maybe time is sped up in here and will have barely passed in the outside world. Or maybe it HAS been months..."

    Using an oracle piece to see her brother? "I wonder if that's really the best use of one... but then, I'm the kind of person who saves all my fullheal items for the final boss and then doesn't even use them all... Still, I might want to talk with an expert on such items, figure out just what they can do..."

    She sits up and turns to Estelle. "Speaking of which... Ah, no, I can't ask you how fortune-telling works here, right? Whether you're just doing the same thing you did outside to entertain people or if you're interacting with some game system, if you reveal your tricks than your skill isn't as valuable." She scratches her head. "But, I guess divination isn't the same as oracle... Anything you know about it you'd want to share?"

"Yes. We won't know until we find a way to check in with home." Estelle's tone is soft and sad, there. "Time moves at its own pace, but there's no way to know what that is between the two." A sigh, and a shake of her head. "But! There are some things worth sacrifice. You just have to decide what they are." She's silent for a moment, after that.

"... I did a reading before I came over with the Tarot, a glimpse into what might be troubling you. A bit quicker than consulting the Stars, without more knowledge of you." The fox admits, turning her gaze to look over the waves, and the lanterns floating on them. "Your past was Death. A change in circumstances; the end of one chapter of your life, and the start of another. New possibilities opened before you." There's another squeeze of Mizuki's hand. "Your present was The Moon. Fears and worries, emotional pain, projected along the present and future from the past. A time of uncertainty and illusion. Your future The World, Reversed. The mark of one seeking closure, but too attached to move on. Frustration and delays in goals as the past and your worries hold you back, or perhaps drive you to paths with unintended outcomes."

She closes her eyes, there, tails flicking a bit more energetically in worry. "Find a way to put this behind you. Not to bury it, or let it eat away at you - but to accept it and move on. Listen to your heart and use your best judgment, while letting your friends and comrades support you." She lays back entirely on the sand, hands resting on her lap. "Like trying to reach out to your brother, and at least find confirmation there. Or, perhaps, not knowing is what might be best. As I said; take the time to listen to your heart, and follow it. You know what's right for you."

    Mizuki makes an annoyed grunt when told there was a tarot reading for her, but listens. The past is change? "You must get that a lot, reading Adventurers." she can't help but comment, dryly.

    "Uncertainty and illusion? That goes for all of us. Emotional pain and worry, during a festival of mourning? A future of being torn between the old and the new? You don't need any magic powers to come up with /that/. But I suppose it's not a bad way to highlight it for conversation... perhaps someone more superstitious would be put in the mood to be more receptive to advice."

    She sighs. "I appreciate it, but... I /wasn't/ dwelling on it, not until tonight happened to put me in the mood to think of it. But..."

    She squeezes Estelle's hand in return. "Talking to you gave me the idea of using an enigma piece... and you gave me the idea of using an oracle piece, so thank you. I'll research those, when we get back to town. Although I may have to journey to Ninetails..."

    She looks at Estelle, then out over the water, and smiles. "I don't know where it will all lead, none of us do, but having a clear path forward, at least for a short distance... knowing what next step to take, that puts the mind at ease."

    "...What about you though? What will you do?"

"Not always. For some it's the Tower. A massive, negative upheaval. Ruin and despair. Others the High Priestess, who reveals that the world is not what it seems, and that something profound is in play. Perhaps the Hanged Man, for letting go and seeing new perspectives. And then there are many where it doesn't touch on the Apocalypse at all, focusing on the trend of their life before it." The fox spreads her hands, there, while careful not to strike the cat. She turns her gaze up towards the stars. "Mine own was the Six of Swords. The loss of the familiar, and a venture into the unknown. It can be forced, it can be willing, but it will force development and self improvement - even as you reflect on the baggage you carry with you."

"My present was the Two of Pentacles. A juggling act of priorities and responsibilities; the rush of handling many things, and moving back and forth between them." There's a wry grin, there, and she looks over to her table, then to Mizuki. It's obvious she's giving up something to be here, this evening, doing this for strangers and acquaintances. "My future the Star. A reward for endurance; a renewal of hope and faith."

"As for what I will do, going forward? What I've always tried my best to do. To support those around me, to help light their path, and to reach for the heavens." One hand raises towards the stars there, as if to grasp them. "Because it's never wrong to try. And even a single spark can light the dark."

    Mizuki just blinks as Estelle describes the other tarot cards that are often drawn for adventurers. "Those are all vague enough to fit most of us. These are literally horoscopes." She feels bad pointing that out to someone being so nice, though. "I'm sorry, I can't help noticing it. But... again, thanks for your support." She looks back at the table. "I may not really get the WAY you phrase this stuff, but I think I get the sentiment -- that there is an order, even if unseen, to all of this, and if we persevere, things will get better -- maybe not in the exact way we want, but if nothing else, then by trying and getting stronger, we'll be in a better situation than if we give up." She looks back to Estelle. "I can see you want to get back to it. For tonight, I'll relax, and I hope you enjoy yourself too. ...I feel better now, than when I was, even if only briefly, dwelling on frustration. Thanks."

    Behind the cat face, the socially awkward nerd desperately tries to thread the needle between logical observations about all this fortune telling but expressing thanks for the sentiment without coming off as insulting. Did he manage it, or is this going to explode in his face? ^._.^;

"Horoscopes are even vaguer." The fox points out, lightly. "There are patterns and flows to these, and in the emotional context the cards assign. But, the goal is to give hope and comfort. And that seems to have been achieved." She picks herself up from the beach, dusting some of the sand off of her hakama and from her tails. "And you're not the only one to doubt. So don't worry; I've long gotten used to it."

She gives the Werefang a soft smile, and then ambles back towards her table. "Have a nice night, Mizuki. Good luck on your search for answers, and may the Stars light your path." She doesn't actually relight the brass lanterns on the table, though. She actually starts packing things up, given how late it is and how sparse the crowd has gotten. She does seem to do one last reading before the packs the cards up, though, shuffling the deck, dealing out the grid of three, and murmuring their meaning to the wind.

... but then they're put into a case, and stored in her inventory along with everything else. She raises a lantern up, lighting it with a soft murmur and sending it up to join the stars on high.

Meanwhile, a long distance from where everyone is gathered.

A single figure is moving in the darkness. Doing mysterious things.

The figure snaps out of its trance-like rapture, looks left, looks right, as if for making absolutely sure that nobody is around.

And then blinks, seemingly realizing something.

"...wait, where is everyone?" She looks down at the lantern she's holding. "...did I stray this far from the gathering?"

Uta sighs. "Oh, great, I did it again."

She lights her lantern, and releases it.

She follows it with her gaze, until it is a dot on the horizon.

"...I miss you, reliable brain..."

    Merek watches the star lanterns after Estelle speaks with Mizuki, he seems to generally be by himself on one point of the shoreline. If he eventually will see Uta while she's coming back from what she's doing, he will wave and say, "Be well!" Then it's back to watching.