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Someone is always celebrating something in Destiny City and that means that fireworks are incredibly common. One night, a series of beautiful, shimmering lights illuminate the sky. It’s a gorgeous display, more so than usual. The air is clear and the lights glisten--and keep glistening. Even after the fireworks end, anyone who watched them will see lights as if reflected through crystals. The display makes everything seem more charming and beautiful. While some may find the experience disorienting or distracting, it’s not uncomfortable or unpleasant. It has the strange effect of making everything seem more appealing--even things that might otherwise be distasteful, painful, or unattractive. Mood may be improved, but effects fade after an hour or two.
Samir was never one to miss a good display of fireworks, and he had a soft spot for New Years just because of it. He had many fond memories, with many important people. This year was different than most, but he was already adapting.
Fireworks though, those were always the same--and there was no shortage of celebrations in Destiny City. Nobody here needed a reason to celebrate, but it put him in a better mood just to know that someone out there was happy enough to want to let the world know.
He had been having a decent enough day, though he'd have been lying if he didn't say it was a bit lonely. A part of him wanted to power up just to have an excuse to see if anyone was up to no good.
He didn't want trouble, just company.
But then, when you powered up you always found company.
Tonight was a remarkably warm night, considering that it should have been a typical chilly winter night. He'd climbed onto the roof of his house, a cold beer in one hand and a plate of warm dinner in the other. It was an excellent vantage point and he'd snuck up here more nights than he could recall, just to enjoy the night sky. Some nights, you could even see the stars.
Tonight, there were too many city lights--but then, he wasn't there for the stars.
They had been setting off the fireworks intermittently, all around him. A few fireworks went off, nothing spectacular--and then, the display. There was a wealthier neighborhood not too far off in the distance, and on certain holidays he found that their light shows were even better than the ones the city put up. Of course, they tended to have their fireworks go off for several nights before and after the holiday, but he wasn't complaining. Even the dogs didn't seem to mind the booming of the fireworks.
The fireworks were different than usual, and if he'd had to place why it might have been because it seemed almost like watching through cracked glass. Every burst of light exploded like a small star and reflected off of what he assumed were ice crystals in the air. They looked like finely cut diamonds hung on strings in the sky.
To say that Samir stared would be an understatement; his eyes were fixated on each and every little burst--and when the show was over, he remained seated on the roof, staring into the sky as he waited for more. His meal was untouched, forgotten in the display. He was hungry, but he couldn't bring himself to miss even a second of the lights--and now that they were ended, whenever he blinked he felt like he could see the shadow of their image--fresh and beautiful, with a renewed sparkle.
All of the loneliness he'd felt earlier in the day withered away. Instead, he felt oddly rejuvenated--boyish, even. Like he should go on adventures. Like he should run into town and find more fireworks. Like he should run out and get his own.
The concerns of the day, of the week, of the month, faded in that moment. He had an appreciation for the city lights that he didn't remember before, impressed how they seemed to glimmer magnificently now, too.
Somewhere along the way he had returned to his meal, but he stayed upon the roof long into the night, just appreciating the city around him.
It was far better than his usual curses for all its tricks and trouble.
He went to bed full and happy, if not just a bit chilled.
