Public Festival of Rain | Ord Providence

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora spent a few quiet moments considering Rayne's thoughts about the rain.

"I'm inclined to agree. I grew up in a farming community, and we were grateful for the rain. Without it, there would be no harvests."

Without the harvests, they could not feed their people.

Questions about romance often left Cora a stuttering, blushing mess, so she was curious to see how another girl her age would react. Rayne's musings were surprising - she didn't shy away, and spoke with what was assumed to be the relative honesty of a young woman.

"Monsters are indeed real."

Her head bobbed softly in agreement, but she didn't probe further in regards to what monsters Rayne had seen, nor did she offer her own experiences.

"Doesn't that make you feel vulnerable, though?" She chose a different thread to follow, curiosity peeking into her tone. "There's nothing more exposing than baring your soul to someone. Especially if they don't reciprocate your feelings, or use them to manipulate you."

Syala

 

[Syala]

Syala stopped for a moment. A farming community? Perhaps a prime place for her to raid in the future...No. No. She was trying to be friendly right now. Having thoughts about invading other planets wouldn't exactly help with making friends now, would it?

"Water is important to everything. Life. Growth. Food. Though it can also be quite destructive. Same as anything in the universe. Fire. Warmth. Cold. Each one of them can be important but deadly in their own way...Sorry. Sorry. I'm being such a downer, aren't I?"

She giggled at that, shaking her head afterwards as Cora said that monsters were real. She was curious as to what the other woman had experienced but like Cora, Syala didn't pry. She'd probably have to come up with some form of lie for the monsters she had faced herself, and she didn't really like the sound of that. Though the next question caught Syala slightly off guard.

"Are we not always vulnerable to something? Old age, the weather, society. My people believe that devoting yourself to the one you love, even if they don't reciprocate is the most important thing you can do with your life. And I was born from the manipulation you speak of. So...whilst it might be something that makes you vulnerable, it is also a natural part of life."

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

A somber smile curved Cora's lips.

"Not at all. It's good to hear someone else's outlook, lest I live my life in my own head."

She glanced upward towards the domed ceilings. At least they didn't get creative and add it any artificial thunder – Cora hated thunder.

A glint from one of the craft stalls caught her attention as they continued to move through the crowd, and Cora brought them meandering closer. On the table sat an array of accessories – earrings, neckalces, and other jeweled trinkets.

"Oh, these are lovely." Cora smiled to the craftsman behind the booth, an elderly Godoan male who smiled back affably, but otherwise left the two young women to browse. The Padawan's fingers drifted over a slim barrette made of thin silver vines twining together, a glittering blue stone set in the middle.

"Your people?" Glancing upwards, Cora took a more attentive look at Rayne. "You're Nagai, aren't you?" The same species as her friend Jand Talo, but very…different. The Nagai Padawan she'd known was very stern and didn't emote as dramatically.

Her fingers never left the hairpin as they spoke. Slow and subtle as the tiny rain drops that beaded on the tent above them, she suffused trickles of Light into the metallic accessory.

"Is that what you want to do, Rayne? Devote yourself to someone?"

Her eyes flickered upward, searching the girl's face.

"Or do you want something else?"

Syala

 

[Syala]

"Heads can be a scary place. Be it someone else's or your own. You never know what someone might be thinking...and you never know what you might do to justify your own way of thinking."

On the other hand, Syala would have loved it if there was thunder and lightning. Just the crash and explosion of noise echoing through the skies. It was easier said than done, however, and she just sighed to herself as she skipped and followed Cora off towards the stall, looking down at the jewelry. She was not overly a fan of jewels if she was honest. Far too shiny, but "Rayne" on the other hand? Perhaps she'd like jewelry more than Syala did herself.

Strangely enough, however, Syala decided to be somewhat honest with Cora about who she was. Cora wasn't as...annoying as most people Syala met. So trying to build some form of friendship would be nice, even if the basis of it was built upon a lie. "I'm half-Nagai. My father is some human noble. My mother is his bodyguard. He...uses her love for him to protect himself. Even if he'll never love her back. Or at least that's what I assume. I haven't met either of them." Her excitement seemed to have bubbled away slightly, whilst she spoke before shaking her head to turn back towards her bubbliness, clapping her hands together.

"Devoting myself to someone? No. No. My mother has taught me how ridiculous something like that is. Why would I ever do something like that? I haven't met anyone in the Galaxy that I'd rather devote myself to, than myself."

She shook her head at that, glancing down at the hairpin for a moment before Syala pointed out at a bracelet that had some kind of blue gem on it. Did Syala know what it was? Of course not. But that wasn't important as she then glanced back over towards Cora.

"I think this could be nice for you. It goes with your eyes. Blue, and blue."

Corazona von Ascania

 

[Felix Faraday]

The New Temple of the Goddess - Festival of Rain - Ord Providence
Rayne Lo'to || @OPEN

"No windows," Felix hummed as he repeated Rayne's words before talking to no one in particular, "I like windows. The sun rising and the sun setting through the glass."

A small remark to fill the silence as the pair continued through the line before entering the New Temple of the Goddess. Rubbing the soles of his shoes on an entrance mat, his shoes squeaked a little from the rainwater as he stepped onto the solid floor. Delicacies and foodstuffs of all kinds and culinary styles dotted the various tables. Everything had its place and design as the walls, tables, and ceilings decorated with the colors and symbols of the Godoan people.

Felix's grin grew two sizes bigger. His stomach rumbled with glee. A step forward before taking a moment's pause. Waiting for Rayne to take the first step.

And once she was off to grab food of her own, Felix stretched his neck from left to right before stretching his arms and fingers in front of himself.

Time to get to work.

When Rayne turned around after procuring her pizza, she would turn around to see Felix with a full plate. Literally. And more. A stack of food precariously balanced in one hand by Felix as his other hand held a singular and simple fruit: a lone banana, in all its yellow splendor. Meanwhile, a second glance at the stack of food would reveal sandwiches and cakes and all manners of appetizers put together with, surprisingly, a manner of care and thought. Almost like a little building or house.

Well, he did say he was starving, right?

But it being held by one hand and looking a little less than stable would give anyone a little anxiety. If Felix felt worried, he certainly did not show it. Instead, he was studying the banana for a few moments and glancing at her every so often.

"Look, Rayne! The power of potassium! They have bananas here!" Felix giggled happily, "I've been craving a banana since forever!"

His gaze fell on her and a small laugh followed, shaking his shoulders and his arms. The pizza hanging out of her mouth painted a humorous image for his eyes. The plate of food wobbled for a moment before steadying in his hands.

"Looks like you found the pizza! That'll just about complete my meal," Felix chuckled, "The cherry on top so to speak. Honestly, I might be too stuffed to try dancing after I'm done with all this."

A thought flickered across his eyes right before he opened his mouth, almost saying something and gesturing the banana towards her, before closing it shut. It might not be a good idea to ask the question he was thinking of, all things considered. For now, perhaps a different turn in the conversation was needed.

"You want to find a place to sit or you want to grab some more food?"​

 

[Rayne Lo'to]

Ord Providence
Tags: Felix Faraday

The hell? Rayne reacted, sort of finding it hard to process what Felix had said.

She was signing with her pizza hanging out of her mouth, a confused look on her face as she tried to process everything that had hit her rather blindsidedly. What did he even say? It wasn't super important regardless, she decided, but it was weird how much food he had grabbed. Yeah, that was odd.

The banana thing was odd. That seemed like a joke that was either tasteless... or more likely about her being yellow. She did frown a little bit. The idea of being banana colored was not something she found amusing.

I don't need more, she decided, content with her one slice. You... can eat all of that? Without dying?

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

The story of Rayne's parents pulled a disapproving frown onto Cora's face. She'd found love to be a tricky, irrational emotion. Like any drug, it was impossibly addictive and had the capacity to cause catastrophic pain.

"I can see why you wouldn't want that." She murmured, no small amount of sympathy touching her words. "I can imagine it must be frightening, to devote yourself to someone entirely. And dangerous."

She glanced to the bracelet her companion pointed out and smiled.

Cora raised a hand, signaling the booth attendant over. A few credits, and the hair clip she'd been caressing, gradually infusing with threads of protective light, was bought and paid for.

Turning to Rayne, she slipped the clip over the red strands that framed her face, securing her hair with the bejeweled pin.

"Taking care of yourself is very important. Is there no one you'd want to look after, though?"

Syala

 

[Felix Faraday]

The New Temple of the Goddess - Festival of Rain - Ord Providence
Rayne Lo'to || @OPEN

Felix frowned, almost deflating entirely as his arm lowered with the banana. She did not smile at his excitement over a banana, instead frowning. Had he said something wrong? A second glance at the banana and her followed. He had been excited to find the fruit, but now his entire demeanor dampened as he lowered the plate of food as his shoulders slumped.

His mouth stuttered for words, but he settled on simply closing it and remaining silent. Instead, he waited for the awkward silence to be broken by her before listening to her question.

"Ah, yes!" Felix grew an awkward smile followed by rubbing the back of his neck, "I'll be fine! I am starving after all! I just hope it doesn't impair my dancing later."

A weak laugh followed before he sidestepped around her and grabbed ahold of a few slices of pizza. Did he grab too much food? Inhuman or not, was this normal? He was starving, but there was also the fact that food was so good. So tasty! How could he ever quite get enough until he was more than full? Relaxing his shoulders and sighing, Felix raised his head up and his demeanor inflated once more.

Felix pointed and gestured towards a pair of seats before walking in that direction. Setting his plate of food down on a table, Felix pulled a chair for Rayne and himself and sat down when Rayne herself sat.

"So, got any plans for the festival? Anything you really want to do?"

Settling into his seat, Felix grabbed a slice from the top of his little food pile and took a bite. Then another. And another. Until he began mowing down that slice rather quickly and moving onto the next.​

 

[Syala]

"Frightening? No. No. Fear controls you. I control my fear. I'm...not afraid of devoting myself to someone. I just see it as something pointless. What would devoting myself ever do for me?" Syala shrugged her shoulders as Cora spoke. Frowning ever so slightly at the Sympathy. She didn't like the idea of being pitied. It was her life and parts of it might suck, but it was her's and no-one else's.

She watched as Cora bought the hairclip, tilting her head in surprise for a moment. Until Cora slid the hairclip onto Syala's hair, catching the Half-Nagai by surprise as the light of the hairclip tingled for a moment. Perhaps it was reacting to the dark side inside of Syala, or maybe Syala was just embarrassed to be handed a gift by someone. Either way, the Half-Nagai just seemed to snatch the bracelet that she had pointed out to Cora, paying for it and then trying to get it onto the woman's wrist. "I don't like owing people..."

Syala sighed afterwards, shoving her hands into her pockets as Cora asked if there was anyone else that Syala wanted to protect in life. At this precise moment in time? She couldn't think of someone. Shaking her head afterwards. "Not really. You maybe? I mean, you're my first friend I've had since leaving home." Which was technically true. The other Sith she had worked with were more like...accomplices, or workmates. Cora was the first person who had actually gotten her a gift...Even if it was technically for "Rayne" and not Syala. "How about you? You must have someone?"

Corazona von Ascania