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The Lantern Festival (7) : Scientists have been hard at work trying to understand the strange, glowing qualities of the luminescent caterpillars found in the caves by the reservoir. The caterpillars still shrivel up if they are taken out of the caves but their glowing secretions have been processed into an organic paste that can withstand the outside world. The city is selling paper lanterns infused with various seeds. The glow paste is full of minerals to support healthy plant growth without risking damage to the environment; all lantern purchases come with a small packet of activating power that will heat the paste up enough to mimic the effects of a candle without the concerns of flammability. When the glow paste loses its heat, the lantern will return to the Earth and upon the first rain (or any contact with water) the paper will dissolve and the seeds may begin to grow. All proceeds from the lanterns are put right back into the community to support local conservation and environmental protection efforts.
After the last time he'd been out powered up, this time he went out powered down, at least at first. Brioche had mentioned more about the festival, and he wanted to see what it was like and how trade and festivities were now compared to what he knew from back then.
With some money packed and more clothes borrowed from the closet in the apartment, he stepped out and wished both the mauvian and the other, normal, cats a good night. It felt odd still that his appearance was just different enough with that item they'd made for him, but he still didn't like things rubbing against his sides where his scales normally were.
It made things easier, though, made the other humans only look at him for his appearance in the normal ways instead of with fear or uncertainty. So he worked his way through the stalls, smiling and talking with the owners to haggle where he could and learn of what sort of things happened in this festival.
At the sight of lanterns, he paused, remembering things from time long passed, and asked if he could purchase a few. They were apparently part of the festivities, something else about them and how they were biodegradable, a word he didn't quite understand, but it had to be something positive if it was being used to sell them.
With his wares and a free trinket thrown in for his time, he parted from the main area to head towards one of the hills to view the sky and the festival from a better vantage point. Once he was sure he hadn't been followed, he set his purchases down and pulled out his henshin, breathing out a relieved sigh as he felt fresh air on his scales with the appearance of both his fuku and Changian features. He preferred things this way, even if most humans were still as they were all those years ago.
Kyuseisha no Hikari
