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

[niepokonany]

[Feliks pouts, swiveling to keep the rough wooden goblet in his hand out of Waver's grasp.]

Huh? Come on, I'm totally not done with this yet...

[untalented]

Yes, you are.

[Standing on the tips of his toes on his boots, Waver reached up to try to pull that blasted goblet from Feliks' hand.]

Last I checked, Fairy-types weren't immune to poison. This-- this is to keep you out of trouble.

[niepokonany]

I'm so not, it's still got like half the wine in it!

[This is probably a bad thing to play tug-of-war with, but Feliks can't just let him take it away, can he?]

[untalented]

And how many have you had?

[Waver wasn't going to just let go-- even if the wine spilled all over his furry hood, dragon-singed ear-flap cap, and the tiny pathetic little ponyta-tail he had his hair tied into underneath everything.

So stubborn, for one so small...]

[niepokonany]

...A couple?

[Feliks uses Baby Doll Eyes!]

Like I've been counting...

[untalented]

A-a couple?

[Waver stared, the Baby Doll Eyes settling on him wth full effect while he was caught up in the arguing. He stared at Feliks, as if confused....]

Just...a couple? But, that doesn't....

[He trailed, brows furrowing as he tried to recall exactly what it was he had been trying to do here.]

[niepokonany]

[Savior, he loves that move. Being Fairy-type is the best.]

[Feliks quickly chugs the rest of his drink, then grins at Waver as he presses the cup back into his hands.]

Ok, you can have it now!

[untalented]

Huh--huh???

[He fumbled the now-empty cup and fires a glare at Feliks. Gods-dammed Fairies...]

That's not an invitation to go get more!

[niepokonany]

Oh, come on, Waver, you've seriously gotta relax more!

[He laughed, sparkling brightly.]

[untalented]

There's 'relaxing', and there's 'making a fool of yourself'. The last thing we need here is more people thinking you're an idiot!

[Pooooooouuuuuuuut.

Awkward as the attempts are, he really is only trying to help.]

[niepokonany]

How come? It keeps them off their guard!

[Feliks isn't insulted, at least -- just amused by Waver's attempt, which strikes him as somewhat pointless. He slings an arm around the other boy's shoulder affectionately.]

Since when have I cared what people think of me, anyway?

[untalented]

Well, you see, that's--

[There was no trying to pull out of that casual grasp, even if he could have broken out in an instant. Waver just stared at the snow beneath his feet, cheeks reddening in his embarrassment.

How exactly was he supposed to tell someone who was so much stronger than him that he was worried?]

[niepokonany]

[Feliks sort of notices Waver's discomfort, but keeps his arm around him anyway, because whatever, they're friends and hugs are nice!]

Anyway, you think I'm an idiot, right? How come other people don't get to?

[untalented]

Because it's not their problem!

[The words came out a little.....ferocious? Possessive?

Anyone else who called Feliks an idiot would have to deal with a pint-sized magus tearing into them for that offense.]

[niepokonany]

[The ferocity of the response catches Feliks off his guard, and for a moment, he just stands there, blinking, trying to work out why on earth Waver would care that much about something like that.]

[When it hits him -- that Waver, so like him in the most unexpected of ways, is being protective -- he starts sparkling again, pulling him into a proper hug. Friendship has always been a rare treasure for him, and maybe for Waver too, and he finds himself incredibly grateful for it (and unsure how much is just him being drunk enough to be a little overly emotional. Probably not too much.)]

You don't need anybody else doing your job?

[untalented]

[The hug was surprising-- perhaps because of his own inexperience with people and general everyday interactions. Waver's eyes widened in surprise and he froze for a second, not entirely certain about what to do in this sort of encounter, before finally settling on wrapping his arms around Feliks as well.]

No one else would do as good a job, [he muttered, resting his chin on Feliks' shoulder and resigning himself to withholding any complaints as sparkles flew everywhere. The two of them really were oddly alike, and it was something that Waver appreciated more than he knew how to describe.]

....Okay, Yuuna might, but she has a lot of other things she's doing too. No need to bother her with anything unnecessary.

[niepokonany]

[He held onto him for a few seconds before letting go, still glimmering happily.]

Yeah, you're probably right. Better leave it to someone who knows what he's doing!

[untalented]

I don't know if I'd go that far...

[He looked up, his ears still red from his own embarrassment.]

But. Thank you.

[niepokonany]

Oh, so you don't know what you're doing?

It's cool. I don't, either, but I've ended up with some pretty cool friends from making it up as I go along!

[untalented]

[Of course he didn't know what he was doing. He was in the wilderness and in the cold; the only thing of value he's managed on this expedition was helping discover a beautiful rainbow dinosaur!

Waver scratched at his cheek, mulling over this.]

Then, I guess that's all any of us are doing, isn't it? No one's really written a book about how to handle everything in life.

[niepokonany]

[Unperturbed, Feliks bumped his shoulder lightly against Waver's.]

I mean, like, everyone's life is different anyway. The best we can do is probably just help each other try to figure it out along the way.

[untalented]

[There was truth in those words. Once again, Waver found himself reminded of the technical definition of 'union', and how the people of the city that carried such a name always took that definition to heart in every action and every decision.]

Yeah. That sounds about right, doesn't it?

[niepokonany]

That's what I figure, anyway.

[This is all getting a little philosophical for him, though... Which means it's time for a distraction.]

...Come dance with me!

[untalented]

Eh...Eh?!

[There was no fighting off Feliks and his sparkly energy as he dragged Waver into the fun.]

But aren't you-- I've never danced before!

[niepokonany]

[Dragged was absolutely the right term. Feliks had long since come to the understanding that sometimes it was best to just pull Waver along into things first and worry about talking him into them later.]

So? You're smart and stuff, you'll figure it out!