The Meteor Shower (3) : It wouldn’t be a star festival without a meteor shower! Right on time, a beautiful array of shooting stars graces the night sky. This time of year is unnaturally clear and it’s incredibly easy to see the stars. Most meteor fragments appear to be little white or yellow lights streaming across the sky, but if you watch closely enough you may find that some of them seem to be a whole rainbow of colors. The scientists have reported that it’s just different components burning up as they enter the atmosphere, but there’s something undeniably magical about it.
It was an annual tradition, really. Not just for Sonora, but for all of Destiny City, she was pretty sure. This beautiful rainbow meteor shower, streaking across the sky in all its glory--it really was something special.
Last year, when she'd watched it from the roof of her apartment complex, she'd just been Jupiter Butterfly Kayne. Not that there was anything wrong with that in general, she liked being Jupiter Butterfly Kayne, but it was indeed a fact that she had only been an ordinary girl, with no idea what lay ahead of her. She had gotten her first taste of magic last year at about this time--meeting Kaifeng and Demeter and Almadel--and it wasn't long after that that she'd found herself made anew.
Now, Jupiter Butterfly Kayne was also Sonora, Squire of Ida, and it had been a pretty crazy year.
This year, she was watching the meteors from atop a different building, and she was watching them as Sonora, and it all felt.....especially magical, somehow.
She could feel a Senshi nearby, and she'd be happy to chat--but in a minute, she promised herself. She'd go look to find another person in a minute. For now, this rooftop's brick half-wall was the perfect height for her to lean on and watch the sky.
ShootingStarrySky
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2024 7:56 pm
Beautiful rainbow colors lit the sky as Halia. No, as Aruna walked the rooftops. Everything had become so surreal lately, awakening as a senshi and learning she, in fact, was someone important. Or at least far more important than just Halia Westfein, the civilian. She had powers she had never even dreamed of, learned there was far more in this city, and in this world, than she could have ever fathomed. It was mind blowing to her, and just as magical as this meteor shower she found herself watching.
A particularly gorgeous shooting star crossed the sky and she sighed dreamily, waiting for it to fade before hopping carefully to the next roof. She found herself to be far less afraid of things if she walked around as Aruna, and found exhilaration in keeping to the rooftops. She knew there was a serious side to it all, but she couldn't but see the wonder and magic in being a literal superhero.
Sonora was not alone on her rooftop anymore, it seemed. She heard the footfalls of someone else landing on it, and turned her attention, however reluctantly, away from the sky to smile at the Senshi that had joined her. Being entranced by the sky was no reason to be rude, after all.
"Gorgeous view, isn't it?" She asked, and there was a lilt of reverence in her voice. Really, it was just....so much. So beautiful. And part of Sonora was glad not to be taking it in alone. Such sights were always best witnessed with friends, old or brand new. "I'm Sonora, of Ida. Nice to meet you," she introduced herself, casually.
Hopefully this was someone at least a little chatty. But if not--even if she only got a name--perhaps they could still watch the sky in companionable silence. That, too, would be lovely, at least in Sonora's opinion. Even if she wasn't normally one for silence, some things....well. Some things even inspired her to shut up and watch, chatty as she was.
ShootingStarrySky
Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2024 9:52 pm
The sound of an unexpected voice made Aruna jump, nearly losing her footing. She hadn't expected to run into anyone else and had to remind herself that she clearly wasn't the first person to think of rooftop viewing places.
"It really is. I've never seen anything like it before." Her voice was soft and full of wonder as she looked towards the person speaking. "I uh. I'm Aruna." She gave an awkward smile as she introduced herself, still quite unused to it all. "Pleasure to meet you as well. I hope I didn't bother you? I didn't think about who else might take advantage of rooftops." Her cheeks colored a bit, though she hoped it was dark enough to hide just how awkward she truly was.
Another few beautiful lights streaked across the sky and Aruna gasped softly in awe, utterly mesmerized by it all. "I've never seen a meteor shower before..." In truth, she had always managed to miss a shower whenever the opportunity had presented itself, be it falling asleep, not being in the right area, cloud cover, or something else.
Oh, good! Apparently her chitchat wasn't entirely unwanted. Still, the poor girl seemed startled, and Sonora frowned a little.
"Are you okay?" She asked. She seemed like she was, but...better to make sure, Sonora figured. "It's nice to meet you, Aruna. And no, no bother. Things like this are always nicer with company, I think."
She looked back up at the sky, and sighed contentedly.
"I saw this one, last year, not a few weeks before I became a Knight. It seems like we've been getting it around this time every year for the past two--I wonder if it means anything." Hard to say. There were, of course, scientific explanations for the vibrantly colorful meteors--but in Sonora's heart, she wanted to believe that they were more magical than simple falling space rocks.
ShootingStarrySky
Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2024 10:18 pm
"I'm alright. Just....wasn't expecting to run into anyone. Which is objectively silly, I suppose. Sorry if I worried you." Another awkward smile, this time accompanied by a laugh. Sonora seemed friendly and Aruna was thankful for that. She had yet to meet others like herself, so with any luck, she hoped she might make a friend.
"Hmm... If it's only been for the past two like this, maybe it does mean something. Even if it doesn't, it's still breathtaking and I hope it continues." Her smile this time was warm as she gazed up at the sky. "I know I would like looking forward to seeing it every year, at least."
She fell silent a moment, chewing the inside of her cheek as she contemplated her words. "You....said you became a knight just last year? Do you...mind giving me any advice? I've been Aruna for less than a week and... well, it's intimidating. Incredible, but terrifying at the same time.."
"Oh, not at all," Sonora waved a hand. "Rooftops are popular for people like us. Being able to get up here on your own makes them great for traversing, and you don't get caught in the crowds if you're out early in the evening." It all made sense, at least as far as she was concerned.
"As far as I understand, it's been happening for about...fourish years, now? I hope it continues, too--it's such an incredible sight." She sighed, fondly. "I always knew this city was magical. It just felt...right, getting it confirmed."
She tilted her head to the side, thoughtfully. Only a week. She'd been so afraid, only a week in. So unsure of herself and her place.
"There's a bench, in North End Park. Not every day, but a lot of the time, there will be a Senshi there. Pretty boy, long blue hair, dresses like a fantasy dancer--he's been a Senshi for a really long time, and he's got a lot of friends he can put you in touch with. That's my best advice: make a lot of friends you can call on." She wrinkled her nose. "And if you get a bad feeling, trust it. Your instincts are probably better than you think they are."
ShootingStarrySky
Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2024 11:09 am
'People like us.' It was such a simple phrase, but Aruna found herself smiling. She had never been part of a group before, always ending up on the fringes of gatherings at best. The feeling of belonging to something, being a part of something, made a warmth bloom in her chest.
"A.... fantasy dancer?" Aruna looked like she was trying hard to imagine what that could entail. "I will definitely keep an eye out. I'm guessing he's rather easy to spot."
'Trust your instincts.' Her nose wrinkled at that. She was famously bad at making the right call when something was bad. "I will....do my best on that front. I'm not exactly....great at that. Or making friends...."
"If you can't picture what I'm describing," Sonora said, "you'll know as soon as you see him. Oh! He glows, also. Pretty pink glowy flower lines." Hopefully that made Kerberos identifiable enough. And anyway, there was only one blue-haired Senshi that sat on a bench in North End Park super regularly, as far as Sonora knew, so....
"You'll get better with practice," she said. "And you've already made a friend, yeah? Me!" As far as she was concerned, it really was just that easy. Aruna was her friend now, she had decided it. "This whole magical girl thing is a super great way to meet people."
ShootingStarrySky
Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2024 9:32 pm
"He....glows? That's a thing we do?" Her eyes were wide in surprise as she checked herself over to make sure she herself wasn't glowing without her knowledge. "That...I'm going to need to take a second to wrap my head around that." Truly she was flying blind on this whole senshi thing, learning as she went.
When Sonora called herself her friend, Aruna's eyes lit up as bright as the sky, a genuine smile lighting the rest of her features. "That makes me incredibly happy." It was the first friend she had made in ages and her heart felt light. "I guess you're right about that. Makes sense that people like us would gravitate together."
"Not everyone can do it," Sonora said. "I don't really know exactly how it works? But I guess it happens if you get really connected to your planet or Wonder?" She shrugged. "I haven't really asked about the details, sorry."
She really ought to. It was fascinating and pretty, and probably had more upsides than just glowing. But, well. She was willing to leave that on the "figure it out" pile.
"Anyway, it was total luck that we ran into each other, butt he best kind of luck, I think." She laughed, a delighted little sound. "Hey, do you want to maybe patrol together? Just do a quick circuit of the street, make sure nobody's doing anything nefarious, and then we can both head home?"
ShootingStarrySky
Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2024 10:28 pm
Aruna shook her head. "No need to be sorry. You still know a lot more about all of this than I do. I feel like I should keep a notebook or something to write things down that I learn, or want to know, just to keep track of it all." She laughed softly, enjoying the comfortable conversation.
"I....think that I would really like that. If it's not any trouble to you or anything, that is! I don't want to be an interruption or a bother!" She waved her hands a bit, not wanting to spoil Sonora's night if she had wanted to continue watching the stars in peace.
"Ooh, that's not a bad idea," Sonora said. "Stick a notebook and pen in your subspace, take notes--I carry one, but that's because my special magical Knight communicator is a signet ring, so it only works if I stamp paper with whatever I want to send."
She stretched, and glanced down the street.
"I offered because I want to. So, let's go."
What an especially lucky night. These meteors, Sonora decided, were definitely a good omen.
