Alice was out walking in the snow there was a set up of a Christmas market she decided to visit to see if she could get Neona a present. Perhaps something that was pretty and made noise? But what do you get a ghost that can't do much? Alice seemed conflicted as she walked through looking at different things.
There were music boxes but they all were mechanical and hand made. They all needed to be wound. Which, wasn't an issue if she was there, but when she wasn't she had no idea what Neona would do to get it to play music. Still there was one that looked absolutely adorable and she couldn't pass it up. The music box had some whimsical patterns of flowers across the box itself but when you opened it, there was a small fairy that twirled as the music played.
It was as she was paying for the box she noticed the lights had a pattern to them, something like a Morse code. However she didn't understand what it was flashing. She tilted her head curiously, "Have your lights always flashed in that pattern?" She decided to inquire but the shop keep looked confused and shrugged saying they didn't notice a pattern in the flashing.
It was odd when she looked away the lights were actually still, not flashing at all she'd noticed from the corner of her eye. She wasn't sure how long she'd seen the flashing but realized she'd noticed it just then. She wondered if Neona was trying to reach her?
There was a pause as she thought about finishing her shopping in a hurried manner and zipping up to her wonder, but . . . yet she felt like she would've known if it was Neona trying to get her. Alice looked at the bag in her hand and decided to continue shopping, for the moment at least. She picked up a few more trinkets for various people she knew who she thought might like things. There was a pause though when she came to a small vendor stall that was selling things like wind chimes, rain chains and other such nick-nacks that made noises. A wide smile spread across Alice's face as she searched out and picked out some of her favorite things from the booth.
She made sure they held the same whimsy she felt for her wonder when she was a knight, the rain chains she picked up had flowers and butterflies. The wind chimes had pretty birds on them and there were a few other things she picked up that were in the same theme setting. "I'm glad I found you. I was looking for things like this."
She told the shop keep and got a card from them. She listened as they explained they made most of this stuff themselves and just seemed excited in general, though she was eventually distracted by the lights once again sending the message that she couldn't decipher. She pursed her lips and eventually excused herself from the shop keeps company, "Sorry I really must go. I'll let you know when I need something!" She promised since she couldn't wield she felt like this might be the best answer.
As she finished venturing through the stalls she continued to see the message but wasn't sure who it was coming from or what it meant. Which was starting to bother her. "I really need to go check on Neona." She muttered assuming that it was perhaps something bad had happened but then she was curious why he wonder wouldn't just yank her if that was the case.
Shifting as she continued to walk and seemingly confused why no one else say any of the lights doing this she looked at the calendar and decided when she wanted to go visit her wonder and give Neona her presents. Trying not to let the lights keep bothering her was difficult because it was always the same pattern, the same message that was unknown.
Alice also paused, debating Neona couldn't open presents so she wondered if she should do gift bags maybe? Pull the things out for her ancestor and show them as she figured out where to put them? That seemed reasonable right? Alice spent the rest of her night trying not to worry about the code she couldn't decipher and figure out the best way to give the things she bought as presents.
Alice paused for a moment realizing she needed hooks or something to hang them with too and decided to make a shopping list of things to pick up before she returned to her wonder, she wanted to make the trip right after Christmas was done, but she wasn't sure if she should do it then or right before new years. She still had a lot of work to do on her costumes she planned on wearing to parties as well. There was a frown as she opened the door to her townhouse that she finally arrived at without realizing it. There was a moment or two while she stood there looking at the lights in her house.
"Oh no, not these too." She muttered before collapsing in a chair and pulling out a pen and paper to record the lights pattern in a dot dot dash code. She wasn't sure she could figure out what the code meant but she figured she'd damn well try since it was so persistent.
No one else seen it which also bothered Alice, and the fact when she looked from the corners of her vision she couldn't see the message was annoying. But she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep without at least giving it a good try to decode what was being sent. There was a momentary pause when she thought maybe she needed something hot to drink and she really should take off her coat before she lost herself into this project of decoding an unknown message. So she fetched her favorite mug, brewed some warm tea and got a bagel for a snack, then settled back down to record the message. If nothing else, she'd feel better she'd gotten it on paper even if she couldn't solve it.
Illuminating Conversation (3) : This time of year there are lights hanging everywhere. They come in different colors, different styles, different patterns of illumination. You might not remember when it started, but when you looked at a display, you noticed the lights seemed to be flashing in a specific pattern. When you look away, you might be able to see out of the corner of your eye that they return to normal--but any time you look at them, they repeat the same unique sequence. It’s not just one light, either; almost everywhere you go you can find some light repeating the pattern. Is something trying to send you a message? Could it be Morse Code, or something else? A coincidence? Either way, you can’t seem to decipher the message and it’s getting to you. Especially because no one else seems to notice it.
