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]

[In the midst of this party stands a pony -- tall, proud, and with a tail and mane that wave as if caught by a breeze only they feel. The colors within them wave as well... just not in synch with the actual hair.]

[And she has a horn, and wings.]

[Despite the deep-set anger and alarm she feels at having been so unceremoniously dropped her, her outside demeanor is one of calm serenity as she examines the food tables, and offers a quiet smile to anyone who approaches.]

[pauldron]

[At least someone appears outwardly calm. Lightning herself is still a big peeved--and damp--and she's making no efforts to hide her bad mood. It doesn't help that her dragonfly continues to play in her her hair, weaving strands together into some messed up braid while Lightning looks for a place to sit and think...and maybe eat her meal in peace.

She's not counting on the peace, even if she steps around Celestia without an impact. Excuse her--she'll deal with tall ponies when she's not feeling a step away from having her temper explode.]

[letteropener]

Forgive me for being forward, but if you would like, I can assist you in drying off.

[As thoroughly understandable as a bad mood is in the circumstances, perhaps she can at least alleviate one source of it.]

[pauldron]

[Lightning stiffens in surprise--there is a talking horse what the hell--before she gives Celestia an actual look. Talking horse with a horn and wings. What were those called again? Heck if she can remember from her childhood bedtime stories now, but she seems...friendly enough.]

If you're offering, I guess.

[She shrugs, while her dragonfly gives a buzzing snicker. Honestly, these outsiders are so silly!]

[letteropener]

[A moment's concentration brings warm golden light around Celestia's horn, and a moment later, around Lightning herself. The magic spell dries, warms, and even fluffs and cleans clothing just a little bit, so it doesn't get stiff or starchy.]

[pauldron]

[Magic itself isn't a shock, not after the past few weeks and today, but this is definitely a useful spell. She warm, dry, and her clothes are clean. They haven't been this clean since before Pulse. Huh. A spell like that would have come in handy.

She doesn't smile beyond a tiny upward quirk of one side of her mouth, but she does nod and sounds a bit less cranky now.]

Thank you.

[letteropener]

You're quite welcome. Given the circumstances, it is the least I could do.

[Still peaceful, still serene, but Celestia is no more pleased to be here than Lightning herself is.]

[pauldron]

It's probably the best thing we've got right now. [A glance around, and she frowns.] I don't see anything else working the way it should.

[If things worked the way they should, none of them would be here. That's what makes it hard, really.]

[letteropener]

My wings, my legs and my magic are working. I'm not familiar with humans, but I suspect you'd have a harder time walking if your body was giving you trouble. And I think we can also say our minds are functioning as well.

Given all that, we have the necessary foundation to begin addressing the bigger problems.

[pauldron]

Right. [A snort. Sure, this...horse has a point, but even with that where are they even supposed to start? It's not like they can fight without a target, and the locals milling about are downright friendly.] I don't suppose you've got any ideas on where we can start addressing those problems?

[letteropener]

[As it happens, she does.]

Finding out what is expected of us -- both in the larger and smaller senses.

[kigaru]

[...Was that a winged unicorn.
It looked like it was.

Don't mind Shinta all up in your face, Princess Celestia.]
Are you... are you real, Miss?
[Well, he can't be sure!]

[letteropener]

[She lowers her head politely, spreading her wings a little more.]

I am as real as you are. I imagine I must be as strange to you as you are to me.

[kigaru]

[Oh, wow! She can talk too!]
If only the Cheer Girls were here... Is this your first time seeing a human, Miss?

[letteropener]

It is. We have no humans on Equestria.

[For all that, she's not panicking, or really acting terribly surprised... but then, she's been around a while and has seen many strange things.]

[notoutofyourhat]

[There's a curious native wandering over, Princess! She seems kind of awed, even.]

An alicorn...? I didn't think your sort existed! [She pauses.] Or at least, not in Avalar or the Forgotten Worlds. I'd only read about your kind in books before!

[letteropener]

Perhaps we do not. I am from Equestria, where alicorns are certainly not common, but very real.

[notoutofyourhat]

Equestria... Wow... [Please give her a moment, she's still kind of amazed.

Okay moment over, she'll try acting somewhat normal now.] O-oh, right! My name's Bianca. I'm a sorceress in training.

[letteropener]

Hello, Bianca. I am Princess Celestia.

[She bows elegantly -- not choosing to elaborate on her own job title.]

Is magic common here, then?

[notoutofyourhat]

[Oh, a princess! Even more reason to be awed! She curtsies in return.]

It is, but... the magic here in Avalar's been disappearing lately. Same with where I'm from, the Forgotten Worlds.

[letteropener]

And this is why we are here, or so I'm given to understand?

[As calm and peaceful as she remains, nonetheless, the time for casual chat has passed.]

[notoutofyourhat]

That's right. At least, I think it is. The appearance of every newcomer replenishes just a little more of the magic.

[She frowns a bit.]

... Though, I guess it's more accurate to say something's draining the magic instead of it just disappearing. We don't know what.

[letteropener]

That is a problem.

However, you could have asked.

[Her voice is not too sharp; after all, she does not know who claims responsibility for this yet.]

[notoutofyourhat]

Nobody had any idea this was going to happen. The portal that brought you guys in opened up just today and we don't really know where it came from.

[... That or she's just not sure how well "oh yeah a book did it" would go over.]

[letteropener]

I see. Then the first place I would prefer to start is in gaining a greater understanding of the magic of the world.

[She privately wonders if the magic has enough self-awareness, in some capacity, to act in its own defense this way.]