A Well Earned Celebration

[bravenewmods]

[The battle was over and the god Reshiram defeated, driven away by the aid of Union and its allies. The city was safe, by and large, and as the news spread throughout the peoples of the tundra, they began streaming back into the settlement in droves. Dirty, ash-coated faces were filled with relief and gratitude when they saw that it wasn't just a rumor and that their home had indeed been spared. Not everyone was so lucky, but they'd weathered worse, of course. The people of Glacier endured, as they would always endure, and they were also a people that repaid their debts. And they most certainly all agreed that they owed their rescuers a debt.

So, as night fell after the battle, a great celebration was prepared in the center of Glacier. A wide square was cleared away in a matter of hours, and the people gathered what they could in a show of thanks. Tables of food, bonfires towering into the night sky to keep out the autumn chill, and throngs of cheering wellwishers lined the area. Warriors of glacier, men carrying swords and women all bearing axes offered enthusiastic handshakes and claps on the back. Music of all kinds was played, though tribal tunes full of horn and percussion, chanting and yodeling, and even some brass groups dominated the soundscape.

A platform for various elders was set up, and they offered speeches, of course...but those were somehow dwarfed by the presence of the divine beings that were waiting silently for the proceedings to end. Some of the gods that had come to the aid of the war parties had apparently decided to stay, though their reasons were as mysterious as they themselves. The humans would have their time, and the Servants would mingle freely throughout the evening.

Food, of course, is set out in piles. Meat, fish, arctic berries, and various pastries and the like line table after table. A smorgasbord of Glacier specialties, each with a new and unique flavor all their own, and some (such as the stew) possessing a smell that only a native could probably endure. Akutaq in particular seems to stand out among the worst offenders, but the Glacier natives seem rather fond of it, and offer it to their rescuers with great gusto.

And the rewards do not stop at simple meals. either. As the speeches begin to wind down, a woman some might find familiar walks up onto the stage carrying a singularly massive trunk and dropping it down onto the wood with a heavy thud.]

Southerners! You have done a great deed this day! We, the people of Glacier, would like to thank you and honor your sacrifice! Few would do as you have done, coming to the aide of strangers against the might of that dragon...and you have accomplished something we did not think possible. To that end, we would like to present you with the first of many gifts, a token of our gratitude and a promise that should you need it, we will come to your defense in a time of need!

[And then with a sharp kick, she cracks open the trunk and reveals a veritable treasure trove of three different stones to be distributed by her subordinates.]

Rest well, and enjoy the festivities! You are welcome here, for as long as you like! Eat, drink, and be merry within our halls!

Comments

[wise_maiden]

[They were surrounded by gods. The energy levels of those beings couldn't be called anything else, as much as it would have been nice to have dismissed the words of others as myth or an untruth. Seeing was believing, and that entire battle was something she hadn't been prepared to face. The weight from the encounter, let alone the other experiences along the way was hitting her fully, and now there were just too many different thoughts to keep straight.

- For most of the time, trying to get her head together, Raine sits and writes about the experiences in her small book: detailed notes about the battles, their foes, the state of the city, the appearance of the gods, even the people of Glacier, and Union's own... hero force. If she's not careful, she just might miss out on the celebration by being too caught up in her note-taking. Maybe an interruption is in order ...

- Though the times she does seem to remember on her own that there's a party going on, she can be found taking an interest in the culture, the different available meals, sometimes musing aloud on what the recipe could possibly be and whether it could be adapted.]

[allergictoloveletters]

While I am all for recording data and writing down what happened to ensure it can be learned from and remembered, you have not looked up in quite some time, Raine-san.

[Ami held out a glass to Raine, tiny bunches of frost gathered where her fingertips touched the glass.]

You did very well, and I know we wouldn't have done as well as we did without you.

[wise_maiden]

Hm? [She blinks and looks up with a slight start, though smiles faintly, carefully closing the book around the pen before reaching for the offered glass.]

Thank you, Ami. That's very kind of you to say... I was in over my head, coming along like this. I'm just grateful I didn't slow you all down.

[allergictoloveletters]

You provided defense and healing moves while we could focus on more offensive actions, that is just as incredibly important as anything else.

[She clasped her hands behind her to keep them safe.]

You did well, even if you felt unprepared.

[wise_maiden]

[Raine herself is wearing gloves; she has a feeling by the frost on the glass that the drink might just be a little too cool for consumption right now, so she just holds on to it.

She does duck her head slightly at the continued praise; having attention drawn to her actions was not what she had expected. Or was used to for that matter.]

If anything it's also made me more aware of the effectiveness of those spells... I did learn a lot from it.

[allergictoloveletters]

Well, then that is what is most important. It was your first time in a battle, correct?

[wise_maiden]

As an active participant anyway. [There's something slightly distracted about the way she responds, thinking back on what she's experienced in Sanctuary, and shakes her head slightly.]

And I had never seen a being that powerful before all of this.

[punchesyu]

Yo! So you did show up, huh?

[He calls, as he slides over to her and takes a seat next to her as she's taking notes. He has a big plate of food- plenty of meat of course- that he offers over to her. Not all of it, but if she wants some, she's more than welcome. There's no way he can't be a little happy right now, they'd won.]

Are you seriously doing work while this party's going on? C'mon, relax!

[wise_maiden]

[Raine glances up at the sound of the familiar voice next to her, though it takes a moment to put the voice to the face - ah. Yosuke.]

So much has happened... it's important to keep a record, you know.

[But she'll close the book carefully anyway, as she lets her attention wander to the plate instead.] Thank you. It's certainly an unique cuisine, isn't it?

[punchesyu]

Yeah, and half of it's not bad. [He guesses now would be a good time to record things, since it would be fresh in their memory. That's okay. He takes a bite of the roast, happily swallowing it.]

But, you might want to be a little careful around the stew. It smells like total death! The recipe has got to be a complete enigma!

[wise_maiden]

Maybe they'll share the details about the recipes if we ask. They've had to make due with what was available to them after all. Doesn't it make you curious?

[punchesyu]

A little. I might be able to whip some of this up if I can get the recipe. Nothing too fancy, of course. And definitely not whatever that is.

[He eyes the stew again. It reminds him of Fuuka and Rise's cooking...]

I'm already having horrible flashbacks just thinking about it!

[wise_maiden]

Some potatoes might help improve it... [That's almost too sensible for Sanctuary-cuisine like thinking.] Or maybe some lemon? Or Caldarean spices?

[windyflower]

[As Fuuka smiled at the party before her, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow when she spotted a woman nearby. While she was tempted to sit next to her, she didn't want to seem rude.]

Mind if I ask what you might be writing, miss? It seems like it must be really interesting if you're putting all your attention on it!

[wise_maiden]

[She glances up, tilting her head at the unfamiliar young woman in front of her.]

Me? Ah, it's just something of a record of what's transpired here. There are a lot of details, so I wanted to get them written while it's still fresh...

[windyflower]

Goodness, you seem really hard at work! Although, I think it would be nice to relax while you can! I don't think it would be good for your health, miss!

[Takes one to know one]

[wise_maiden]

Well, this was meant to be a relaxing activity... [That's what all workaholics say. Still all the notes and sketches was probably going overboard.]

I'm not very used to celebrations like this.

[windyflower]

Then do you think you might need some help? I know I can get that way too whenever I start a new project! I had to have someone to tell me to relax sometimes!

[Not to mention how jittery Fuuka could be as well]

All you need to do is talk to people and...have fun?

[wise_maiden]

Oh... well, maybe...

[Usually her brother would be one to poke her if he saw her going overboard with her studying, but he was tucked away with strangers in a school in Union. As it is, she stammers slightly as she considers the concept, mostly taken off guard by it.]

Honestly you make it sound so simple. This whole situation isn't exactly normal...

[untalented]

[It was an encounter with gods and yet another new culture. Waver himself was itching to write everything down as well, but he knew that he would miss valuable details if he buried himself in his pens and books now. There would be plenty of time on the passage back to Union, and in the days after they returned.

He planned to commit everything he could to memory, analyze and synthesize the data within his own mind, and write out his findings once they were all able to recover from the affair.

Finding Raine bent over her books was hardly a surprise for Waver-- such behavior was natural for any academic from Sanctuary, and he could both understand and respect that. Even so, there were limits.]

You'll want to take a break, [he said when he approached, with two cups of hot tea in his hands and an understanding look in his eyes.] It's getting dark-- and I've heard that there's magnificent lightshows at night sometimes when you get this far north.

[wise_maiden]

[Raine had been hoping that the note-writing would help her relax and regain control, but the fact is that there's just too much to cover. Plenty of things that could be easily committed to memory if the whole experience hadn't been overwhelming.

She glances up from a half-sketch and written notation about one of the gods - she really needed to go about finding out their names, honestly - to take in Waver's approach. The darkness wouldn't have been a problem to handle, but an opportunity to take in the lights?]

... ah, you're right. I had forgotten about the possibility of those out here. There have been quite a few amazing sights already. [The destruction aside, of course.]

[untalented]

[Waver handed her a mug of the hot tea and passed a cursory glance over her rough sketches and notes. It was easy to see what she was trying to do.]

I have a friend who's a photographer, if you want to get visual record of the things out here. I'm not entirely sure if she brought all of her equipment, but it's worth asking about.

...It might save your hands, too. It's rough working with a pen in the cold.

[He took a sip of his tea, gladdened for the heat and warmth that it carried.]

It's also good to see that you're okay, Raine. I was wondering about how you would do out here.

[wise_maiden]

I am glad to see that you are well, also. This entire situation is... I don't have enough words to describe it.

[Even with all her writing. The cold's done for most of her pens, but that's what pencils were for, too. Raine had a pair of gloves, though they were in her lap now, given some of the finer details of her sketching attempts. She sets down the pen, grateful to exchange that for a nice warm mug instead.]

If your friend is willing to share, that would be a great help.

[untalented]

She's also a Ranger, so I'm sure she won't mind if it's for the sake of helping others understand more of the world.

[He cleared a space on the ground nearby as he spoke and sat down, making himself as comfortable as he could in the bitter cold.]

...As I mentioned before, this isn't the first time Union has helped another civilization fight a god. It's strange to think about, honestly.

[wise_maiden]

[She nods, then sighs softly as she takes a sip of the tea.]

I imagine that's why they were immediately looked to, to take care of this. The way some of them charged right in... even the sheer enormity of what they were facing didn't seem to phase them.

[And that was... disturbing? Admirable? It was no wonder the gods had come to join them in the end. Unsettling.]