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 Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:47 am
Before he could make his way over to Jianyu, Kiran saw the red headed Lunarian from yesterday's checker game take a seat at the table with Jianyu. He started toward him anyway when a shout called his attention away. Kiran turned around to see Yue Lao. He smiled at her near mishap, though calling him a fiend for all the people around to hear probably wouldn't have done him much good.
Kiran made with his way through the crowd over to her. As he reached Yue, he noticed another girl had joined her. He hesitated, wondering if he should interrupt them. But Yue had called out to him. It would be rude if he didn't at least greet her. "Hey, Yue," Kiran said as he came to stand with the two girls. Xiuying smiled and nodded her greeting. She was less annoyed than yesterday since Kiran wasn't getting sucked into a game of checkers this time.
Then he turned to the other girl. Kiran didn't recognize her. "Hello, I'm Kiran." Xiuying elbowed him in the ribs when he stopped there. "And this is my sister Xiuying," he quickly amended.
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 5:39 pm
More people arrived. The place was no longer quiet. Cui made a heavy sigh and adjusted his mood. The noises did not fit today's occasion, but a war was going on, and there were many people to remember, as well as many people to remember those who needed to be remembered. The group of academy students over there had already started a small conversation. One of them floated by, her outfit too bright for the solemn night. Cuiyan did not have time, or perhaps he did not even try--- to respond to Li's words before the female walked away to join the rest. Cui allowed himself to inch away from the shadows a bit to get a closer look at who they were. The candles provided some light, although not enough for him to tell everyone apart. It wasn't his fault in the first place, for the young noble was not the most friendly and social person in the world. There were many students he had not met, from both sides, and those that he had met before did not leave much of an impression. Save for a few of course, the rude female who dared to challenge him, and another, perhaps no longer a student, whose immature manners and quick temper must have left an impression on the most insensitive individual. Cui squinted. He did not see Jianyu, but he had no doubt that the captain was within the group. Somehow, the young noble was quite sensitive to pick out people he recognized, be it through faces or sound.
But today was special. Today was not the day for child play. Cui made no attempt to join the conversation. Instead, he looked over to the graves. The young man paused, then a smile curved upon his face, but with a sadness buried within. He strolled over to the gravestones, reading each names engraved on them with the help of candle lights. He made no stop at any one of them. There was no need for him to, these people were not ones he wanted to remember. In fact, he stopped at none of the gravestones. It was quite obvious, his parents were not among them.
Or, more precisely, Cui would not know if his parents were among them. He had no memory of who they were, or even what their names were. All he knew was that they were dead, and were now among those lost souls that perhaps remembered by many.
Of course they would be remembered by many people. They were great people, after all. Cui was sure he wasn't the only one there who would pay remembrance to his parents. Although he was quite certain that he was the only one who didn't know who their names were.
Ironic, wasn't it? He was their closet relative, yet he did not know anything.
But still, he came, and kept coming every year. After all, this was the only time he could pay some respect to them, to thank them for being great people, and to make promises to them that he too, would be just as great, or even greater.
At the end of the gravestones Cui stopped and turned, still holding the candles carefully in front of his chest. "Well, father, and mother, I am here again..."
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 6:23 pm
Jianyu's eyes slid towards Sakngea as he spoke, resting his head in his hand. Around them the quiet voices of Lunaria's many citizens drifted through the crowds, calm and collected rather than the bustling noise of normal life. It was unusual, but not unpleasant; a sort of relaxing, respectful silence that made those around them feel comfortable as they remembered those that had lost their lives.
"I am sorry for your loss," Jianyu said, bowing his head in a gesture of respect towards Huang. "May those that have passed on rest in peace this night."
It was very near to the standard greeting, but Jianyu meant it quite seriously. Although Sakngea was a Noble - and an obnoxious one at that - tonight was not the night for petty fights and squabbles. His fingers found the cloth of his eyepatch and Jianyu brushed over it almost subconsciously, moving his gaze towards the crowds.
"A strange calm, indeed." he murmured softly, his voice barely above a whisper. He stood up, somewhat abruptly, and took his candle in his hands, bowing again to Sakngea.
"Please excuse me," Jianyu said. "But I must go pay my respects to my grandparents."
There was only about fifteen minutes left until the Candlelight Ceremony, so Jianyu walked briskly, pausing only briefly when he saw Yue standing with - Kiran, of all people - and SiMa Li. He gave the two a nod in greeting and brushed a quick kiss to Yue's cheek, indicating he would talk with her afterward. Bidding them all farewall, Jianyu made his way to the wide, expansive lawn that held most of Lunaria's graves. It stretched out far - too far - in all directions, seemingly endless.
He walked silently, eyes vaguely passing over one or two of the names on the headstones, but he did not stop to read them until he found where he was looking for and it was only then that he slowed his pace. A bittersweet smile touched his lips as he knelt down in front of the double grave, his fingers brushing off some stray petals that had drifted onto the cold stone.
"Ní hǎo, zǔmǔ," he said softly. "Ní hǎo, zǔfu. It has been quite a while. I hope you are faring well, wherever you are."
Jianyu's fingers found the beads in his hair, and he twisted them absently, feeling the wood beneath his skin.
"I hope you are happy," he whispered, his voice so low it was barely audible. "If you are, could you..perhaps send me some happiness as well?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:04 pm
Li's smile was charming, in a way, though when she approached Yue, it seemed almost distant. "'My Lady,' Li?" Yue laughed, shaking her head. "I guess that's a habit and you're just being respectful, isn't it?" Yue was about to stretch, when she realized how restraining her kimono was.
It took Yue a second to remember what Li was talking about, when she apologized. Yue hadn't dwelt a lot on the events of the first festival day. It all felt distant. Jianyu, the attractive female Lunarian, the angry young Noble... Everything was a whirl of faces and sounds and sentiments. "Sweetheart, don't worry about apologizing to me. I'm not the type to look back, or take offense, especially not from someone as charming as you," Yue said, winking.
Li definitely caught her off guard, asking about the 'kirin.' She had to blink slowly a few times, before Kiran walked up, and jump-started her memory. "Why, now that you mention it, this is the kirin right here. You'd better watch out though, he's pretty fierce," Yue joked back, finding Li's playful tone endearing. She turned to Kiran and prompted, "Aren't you, fiend?" That was her response to his greeting. Yue looked at Xiuying and waved, grinning. "He's pretty lucky to have you with him; he looks good by association," she told his sister.
When Jianyu approached, Yue couldn't help but beam, and she tilted her face instinctively to receive the friendly kiss to the cheek that was, so commonly, his greeting. She opened her mouth to speak to him, but he was already bidding farewell. Yue's hand reached out to grasp at Jianyu, to try and hold him for just one second, but he slipped away. She watched him leave, her face concealed from the others. When was afterward? A strange sort of gravity settled over her. Before she looked back, she wrapped the feeling up and locked it, buried it in the part of herself that no one was allowed to see. The part of her that lived in a pile of blankets at home, that was often a little flustered and worried. Essentially, the part that she considered least-Yue. When she turned back to Kiran and Li, she was smiling, all traces of her emotion seared from her features. She, very badly, wanted to go after him at that moment. But whatever grieving he had to do... Yue thought that for once, if only for the last fifteen minutes of the festival, she would let him speak with his elders. Yue was always there, anyway; he didn't need a festival night to see her. She would be by his side whenever.
"I guess I shouldn't be distracting you two, but rather letting you see this evening through to its natural conclusion," Yue admitted, rocking back on her heels. "Nevertheless, for whatever there is to celebrate, I'm pretty happy to see you both." Yue reached over to Kiran and tugged on the edge of his vest, smiling. She blew a kiss at Li, again, no matter how much she wanted to reach over and clasp the female Lunarian on the shoulder. Yue was normally not even this reserved, but something about the light of the candles made her feel more somber.
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:41 pm
"Ah," the femme started, turning her smile onto Kiran as he introduced himself. "So you are the fearsome kirin! A pleasure to meet you, Master Kiran." Clasping her hands in front of her hips, she bowed to the male before doing the same to the indicated female, turning her bright eyes between them. "Lady Xiuying - a lovely name," she added kindly, straightening her posture and smiling in a content type of way. Much more pleasant than the boisterous one from the first day. "My name is SiMa Li - a pleasure to make your acquaintance, and might you find peace on this day." The celebration of those lost wasn't just for the fallen, or so she believed; there was nothing quite like closure to make the heart fonder.
Her gaze flicked only briefly to Jianyu, uttering a polite, "Master Qian," as he passed before settling her attention upon Yue. She found the other's laughter to be positively bubbling, a warm and well-received sound of mirth if ever there was one. "Yes, Lady Lao," she agreed with a slightly apologetic bow of her head, "does it upset you?" Li wasn't against calling her fellow Lunarian's by their given names, but she generally only went with permission - and even then, something comfort took precedence. Having met Yue, Jianyu and Huang on such an evening as the last, she wasn't sure when she'd find herself at ease around any of them. The light dismissal of her apology and the teasing wink made the lotus-haired female smile, lifting one of her hands from her candle to press her fingers against her lips, trying to hide her amusement. She could respect such forwardness and blunt honesty!
Kiran being called a fiend only served to make her giggle behind the digits, wrestling her mirth back into a bemused smile before lowering her hand to clasp the candle again, watching the three with interest. Were they Legion, she wondered? Did it matter to Yue, one way or another? Li didn't have much time to ponder such sentiment, listening to the Legionnaire's heartfelt well-wishes and echoing them whole-heartedly. If she would be able to light her candle with the three in the middle of the street just then, she'd count herself lucky; surely those that had passed and whom continued to watch over them all would be content to know she was in such good company.
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Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 10:29 pm
Huang was surprised at the amount of visitors that passed by these graves. For all the years he had known, no one had passed by like they did tonight. So many ones that had been lost, So many that had drifted. Huang sat in silence, his friends thoughts drifted over him. It didn't seem like so long ago that yuan had been alive, That Huang didn't act the way he did now because of Yuan's death.
His thoughts truly drifted to his friend's lost and he could fill the bitter resentment and hate for the nobles who he had put at blame for the loss of his light. Nobles, did they feel like this? Today on this day, they were Lunarians. Huang remembered his owns words and sighed. He had truly changed from his younger self. It was mostly due to his master, and others. Huang wouldn't be him, if not for their influence and guidance.
Getting up, He bowed to Yuan before running his hand over the grave.
"Forever rest my mind, and know that I will live for you. As happy and well as you would be here today. Do not worry for me up there. I'll see you again." Huang smiled before returning to his stoic face and straightening his clothes. As he passed the other graves, He noticed a green haired Lunarian, who had been slowly reading the names on the gravestones. He hadn't stopped at any of them, nor did he place his candle at the ends of the graves.
Huang cocked his head as the boy stopped turning to face the graves and said something lightly. His candles cradled to his chest. Huang moved quietly nearer to the boy before speaking.
"Are you lost?" Huang cocked his head again, "If you cannot find your remembered ones? It is said that the candlelight will always find those we have lost. No one will be in the dark." Huang bowed his head before wincing. He had intruded unnecessarily on the time of this youth's mourning.
"Excuse my immodesty,.I didn't mean to intrude in your time of mourning." Huang bowed his head again before walking over the graves that Cuiyan had walked before, he to took the time to let his candle flicker over the names, imprinting the names of so many lost. Such a waste to see the light of life dulled by the overwhelming amount of death.
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Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:37 am
Kiran chuckled at the name, which he seemed to be stuck with now. His sister gave him a confused look, not understanding why Yue was referring to him as a fiend. "I guess I can be a bit fierce when I put my mind to it. But what's this about a kirin?" At SiMa Li's comment, Kiran caught on. Hearing kirin along side his name made him realize how similar they sounded. "I think the pleasure is all mine, Lady Li," he said with a bow to Li.
Xiuying waved back to Yue, blushing mildly at her comment. Her face darkened even more when Li complimented her name.
Throwing on a cocky smile, Kiran nodded to Jianyu as he passed them. If the kiss to Yue's cheek was any indication that she was on the Legion side like Jianyu, Kiran decided to pointedly ignore it. For one, he had enjoyed their previous encounter and didn't want to ruin a potential friendship with the messiness of the war.
The cockiness left his smile as he returned to the two lovely ladies standing with him and his sister. "We were just meandering around," he explained with his usual shoulder roll shrug. He had actually been looking for someone to sit and talk with until it was time for them to light the candles they had been given. His parents were probably up at the graves paying their respects to his grandfather. "Are you ladies remembering anyone important this year?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 7:28 am
What should he say? Cui pondered. There were many things that happened this year. He had entered the academy, he had met new people, though most of them unpleasant. However displeased with his experience, they were all things worthy of being told. The young noble stopped staring at the grave that may or may not be of his parents', and shifted his attention to the sky. The sky was clear, allowing the moon and the stars to shine brightly under the night veil. He breathed softly, and murmured a "where should I begin?" Before he could start however, another young man's voice interrupted his thought, forcing him to snap his head back to reality.
Cui kept his face sideways and sent the intruder a glance out of the corner of his eyes. On this day, everyone was dressed formally, so just by looking at the other did not give Cui a clue on who he was. Cui did not know this man, other than the fact that he too, was among those who came to remember the dead. The young noble listened quietly to the other's words. He knew Huang possessed no ill will against him, yet Cui could not help but to feel a tinge of annoyance at the sudden interruption. In fact, the other understood well what he did. The young noble shrugged and nodded as a rather careless response. There was nothing else to say: Huang's further actions indicated, again, that Cui didn't need to give a full response. Instead, he moved away just as the other followed what he did earlier: reading over the names on the graves.
Cui didn't walk very far before discovering another Lunarian kneeing in front of the gravestones. It wasn't a strange sight considering the occassion, although Cui wished that he could be alone. That way, nobody else would be able to find out how lost the young noble was, and how pointless it was for him to come here. At least, according to other people's opinion.
Shaking his head the young man decided that it was time for him to leave the place. He needed to find a place where he could communicate with his parents by himself, alone, not disturbed. To leave the graveyard, however, Cui had to walk toward the man in front of him. He sighed, and approached the other as quietly as possible, making an effort not to disturb the other in his prayers.
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 2:58 pm
 The Festival of Spirits is drawing to a close. Nearly all of Lunarian's citizens standside by side on Main Street, their shoulders pressed together, Legion and Noble alike. In their hands are their candles, the soft, flickering flame the only source of light in the dark night that stretches out around them. It smells of smoke and spices, no voices and no other sounds heard except for the quiet shuffling of footsteps as people make room for others.
It is nearly time, now; almost of everyone gathered. On one small part of the street stands a Legion Captain, his dark hair twisted up against the back of his head, one side of his face shrouded in shadows, half hidden beneath a black cloth. Next to him stands a young man with pale teal hair, serious and quiet.
Across from them is a young Noble man with green hair, his face covered by an almost angry expression as his fingers clench and unclench around his candle, and beside him a young woman with curling magenta hair twisted into an elegant braid, along with another young woman, her dark scales and fins contrasting sharply with her light hair. There is a young man with dark blue hair and bi-colored eyes, another with violently red hair separated into two thick plaits, and next to him a small, golden-haired young man with a tiger at his feet. There is a dark haired Fighter, a brown-skinned young woman, and a pale green-haired youth with light eyes and a surly expression, as well as a tall, slender young woman with tumbling, violet curled hair.
Legions and Nobles both. Dropping their titles, their alliances, all for the sake of these three days, this one night to remember those that have passed on; to remember the dead and honor their memories, their hearts, and their souls.
It is silent. They raise their candles.
And very slowly, quietly, blow the flames out.
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