Welcoming Festival

[theguidebook]

Who: Everyone!
What: Let's welcome the new folk! Festival time!
Where: Summer Forest
When: June 1st, evening
Warnings: None!

It's pretty amazing what magic can put together on short notice. Where tranquil forest stood just hours ago, there's now the obvious signs of a party—and it's all for the people who just got here! Hopefully everyone's dried off by now so they won't catch any chills! Strung up among the trees are paper lanterns glowing lightly and illuminating the area. There's food from all sorts of places set up on tables among the trees, and games are scattered about, with citizens of other worlds manning them. There's also a bonfire in a clearing away from the trees, if you want to get away from all the hustle and bustle… but why wander away? Have fun and socialize, after all, Avalar is your new home!

Comments

[letteropener]

While true, that's not a very good solution for the long term... nor can we depend on reliable meals being provided for us like this. [She gestures with a sweep of the wing to the party, such as it is.] Our goal is a long-term one, and thus we must prepare for the long-term.

[pauldron]

You say that like we can prepare anything in the dark. [They have to be getting this food from somewhere. If ways to get to "other worlds" are out of the question, then there's a source here somewhere. Maybe an orchard or farm, or fish in the water.] We'll have to look in the morning.

[letteropener]

Light is not a problem, if it comes to that.

The residents, at least, seem friendly. I hope they can aid us in at least the small things. Still... I may need to prepare a shelter for everypony here for one night.

[pauldron]

[Everypony? ...okay then. Lightning shakes her head, crossing her arms over her chest. It's not that the offer isn't appreciated, it's that they can't always rely on this...woman. They have to get by on their own at some point, like always.]

I think we can manage to sleep under trees tonight. [if anyone can even sleep at all. It's been a strange day.] It doesn't look like it's going to rain.

[letteropener]

We can, but I see no reason to.

[Celestia glances to the nearest tree, then concentrates. Golden light surrounds that tree as it does her horn -- then in a flash, the trunk expands dramatically, swelling outwards to reveal a hollow inside that could more than serve as a shelter for several.]

[pauldron]

[Pardon her, Celestia, but Lightning's just going to stare for a moment. Sure, she's seen odd things over her time back home, and the things here are just adding to it, but that...well. That was something else. That looks like it might just keep them all inside tonight!

When the moment has passed, she looks back at Celestia with a rather odd look in her eyes. Just what are you...]

You sure you should be using so much magic like that?

[letteropener]

My own magic feels unaffected... beyond having no sense for the sun. But it is not the sun I am used to, so that isn't surprising. I may be unable to raise it here, but that is not reflective of the situation.

[pauldron]

[Raise the sun. No matter what Fang and Vanille had explained about Pulse and its sun and the stars, that still makes her think of the fal'Cie. Her lips press into a thin line as she looks back at the tree. What's the cost of this, she wonders. Her dragonfly buzzes at the tension in her shoulders--you idiot outsider stop freaking out already--but keeps on braiding parts of her hair without slowing.]

Right. [frown.] Of course it's not.

[letteropener]

I do mean that. [She looks at the woman full-on now, her wings spreading slightly farther than their normal display rest.] This world is a wild one -- it is used to taking more care of itself than Equestria. I can sense that easily.

[pauldron]

Then why bring us all here? [Celestia gets a look.] If the world can take care of itself, wouldn't it be able to fix itself without them having to drag us here to do it?

[letteropener]

I'm sorry, I don't think I've been clear. On Equestria, the seasons, the weather, and the day and night cycle are controlled by ponies, except in certain wild places such as the Everfree Forest. This world, on the other hand, feels as if it requires no such intervention in any way. These processes occur on their own... or do not occur at all. [She isn't quite sure what she's sensing with particular regard to the seasons, and has chalked it up for a more detailed look when time permits.]

The magic of this world would be a different matter.

[pauldron]

[Controlled by ponies. Intervention. The look on Lightning's face gets a little sharper, a little more distant; this sounds too much like the fal'Cie for her peace of mind after what happened to her family just hours earlier, and so she steps back and continues to ignore the buzzing of her dragonfly.]

Sounds like you're speaking from experience. Your world run out of magic too? Is that how you can tell the difference here?

[letteropener]

[Celestia shakes her head.] No, I can sense the difference between here and home, that is all.

[pauldron]

[That's all. When are things ever that simple? Not for a long time. Lightning looks back to the fire, still crackling cheerfully.]

Right. Lucky you. [To have some sense of what's going on, even if it's just the differences...must be nice.]

[letteropener]

I'd consider it luckier if I could solve the problem. All I can do is verify that it is indeed what we have been told... which is no small thing, but not one that will get us closer to our goal, or one that even promises we have the whole story.

[Celestia is realistic, perfectly aware that some measure of deceit may be in play here.]

[pauldron]

No, but you still know more than we do. That puts you ahead of us. [there's that distant look again. That they're telling the truth is the thought that didn't cross her mind, not that they're lying. She's guessed that much already.] For whatever that's worth in a place like this.

[letteropener]

But I have told you, and that puts on equal terms again.

[She considers the human woman's attitude, the look in her eyes, her words... then lowers her head slightly, growing somber.]

It will be all right.

[pauldron]

Right. [Her "you go on believing that" goes unspoken, but after a short and rather sharp nod that gets her dragonfly buzzing in annoyance, she turns and walks away, still on the hunt for some quiet place to eat. This is going to be an interesting time, to be sure.]