Welcome to Gaia! ::

Celest Tsukuu turned her eyes skywards during her and her lusus' trek from their plains-located hive to the festival that glowed warmly in the distance. Her lookstubs reflected the bright pinpoints of light that immortalized her blessed brethren deep in the nether of space. Out of habit, she searched for the familiar clusters of various constellations; giving a sharp-toothed grin in the direction of the legends splayed out across the infinity of night. She touched the carefully painted cards hidden within her robes as she stared. Each celestial body she'd painted upon the cards willed the troll to interpret their meanings; as though the stars were desperate to depict what the future held in store for her and everyone else on that night. She fought hard against the urge to slip one of the cards from her robes and read whatever message the skies had planned for her. Instead, she turned her attention to the wingbeast by her side.

"I predict that this one will be an especially interesting lack of day for us, beloved mother." Celest spoke in a practiced monotone, doing her best to keep the stutter away from her carefully constructed consonants and vowels. She looked at her lusus out of the corner of her eyes, hands wringing together nervously. The harpybeast's lips parted in a soft oh of amusement. Then, in a calm and hushed tone, she offered her response.

"Most interesting indeed, young prophetess, for I am feeling quite joyful to be with you again on such a beautiful and especially miraculous occasion. I look forward to the memories that will doubtlessly be made. It is my hope that there will be a multiplicity more for us to share. On this night, and the many nights after." She stretched out one of her long wings and allowed her feathers to brush across the top of Celest's think pan. The tealblood closed her eyes in response to the gesture. She enjoyed the feeling of comfort that blossomed in her chest, suddenly very thankful for her mother's calming touch. It helped her along the path of settling her guts and squashing her fears as they approached the festival grounds.

The pair hadn't left their hive in what had felt like ages. They'd been much too busy with their work of studying the night skies to venture far from their lawnring, and when their lookstubs weren't glued to the stars, they were most certainly glued to one of the many books that filled their vast library (or, in Celest's case- her collection of cards). Having felt isolated for so long by her quiet study, Celest was happy to attend the festival. More happy than she had been in quite some time. She was eager to make conversation with her fellow trolls, though in the past her anxieties had tugged ruthlessly at her guts whenever situations arose that she might have such a chance. HarpyMom had dubbed her socially inept. She stuttered over words and her voice barely rose above whatever din surrounded her, causing the troll that was the focus of her conversation to ask again and again that she repeat herself until she'd be forced to blush and duck away in shame. She was too focused on whatever opinion other trolls might have of her, and her lack of self-confidence ate away at her nerves until she was nothing but a jittery mess of no eye contact and nervous ticks. Time after time, her lusus had attempted to correct such social flaws... Time after time, the harpybeast had failed.

The Festival, however, was something that always proved to flare an unusual sense of confidence within the youngling. With everytroll's eyes turning skywards, Celest could unleash her vast knowledge of astrology without fear of being seen as an oddity. She delighted in the promise of the festival's events; as they seemed to get better with every passing sweep. She, too, took pleasure in the thought of sampling the mooncakes that would doubtlessly be provided, having proclaimed the food as her absolute favorite during the festival just before this one. With the amount of trolls she already saw strolling through the booths and meandering from event to event; she had high hopes in thinking she'd be able to tempt someone into forking over their beetles so that she could read their fate with the help of both her lusus and her mystical miraclereading starcards. She rubbed her fingers at the corner of the starcards, finding solace in their worn edges. Some of her nails were still flecked in the paints she'd used to transform the ordinary playing card deck into her own glorious starcards, used to predict the future based on the past that had been forever immortalized by the constellations that had inspired her since the very beginning of her short life.

She'd practiced her readings time and time again; though, thus far she'd only managed to convince her own lusus to sit through them... and while the harpybeast was more than happy to oblige the young troll, Celest longed to incorporate other trolls into her beloved hobby; to show them just how interesting the skies- and the future- could be. Though the events and the food and the prizes were all quite tempting, the little troll was truly there to spend the night surrounded by her peers. More than anything, she was eager to share words with the festival's attendees- and perhaps even... make a friend?