This Day We Honor The Dead (The Atrisian Empire, OPEN)

[Garith Darkhold]

Atrisia, the day of the dead...

The White Castle, the Ancestral home of the Togashi Clan proudly stood over looking the Atrisian City Shiso. The sun set about a couple hours before mid day gave off ample warmth upon the city. It being a summers day and holiday all people where about. The city was busy as they headed to their family homes or to cerebrate in the streets. The streets heavily decorated in festive colors and decorations adding to the local mood.

Set up in across the city were festival booths serving food , carnival games, and other amenities. There were even carnival rides within one section of the city. People were happy forgetting about politics and focusing inwards to their families and friends.


Hyogo, The White Castle

Standing within the parlor Yokuni looked out the window. Taking a sip out of a glass near full of whiskey he looked out over the city of Shiso. The Kansai province. The land that the Togashi Clan governed. The day of the dead. A day to pay respect to the dead members of their families. It was a important three days for the people of Atrisia.[member="Arabella Darkhold"] was behind Yokuni, one of his daughters. This was her first time at one of these festivals. She did not likely understand the importance of the day. “So, are you getting used to Artisia?”, it seemed like a safe question. What other topics was he supposed to talk to his adult daughter about? The weather? Smashball?

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

Arabella had been contemplating many things as she stood there behind her father, watching the back of his head. He had not yet explained to her where he had disappeared to for those days after the faint message that had been received. A woman's voice she thought.

What was his question, how did she like Artisia?, "I am still working on knowing all the customs. What about this day Father, how do you honor someone who is dead, long dead?" She had read many customs where they left food, drinks, prayers, lit candles but did any of that pertain to this. And what was her roll in it, what was she to do? She did have another question, one that she found interesting at least, one what would her name be if they converted it an artisian name? And two who was her mother?

[member="Togashi Yokuni"]

 

[Apos Xiangu]

Among the Festivities

The wind tugged at Apos' face as he spun at break-neck speeds, riding aboard the Spinning Typhoon and it's unrelenting rotation of absolute fun. Straining to not only control his facial expressions but also to actually move, Apos finally stole a glance to his left to look at the young lady next to him. He couldn't see her face, but her raven hair caught his attention as his eyes drifted down to admire her waist. A few moments later, Apos guessed that she felt his attentive stare and in kind forced her head to turn and look at him. Afterwards, her cheeks expanded, causing Apos to shriek away after screaming;

"Hold it!!"

And with all of the will-power she could exude, she did! Her eyes tightened as white liquid forced itself through her mouth and began to drip down her chin. Apos' eyes bucked wide open as he attempted to scurry away from her. Nothing would spoil his day like getting vomited on, then like clockwork, the ride stopped. The girl heaved and vomited inside the space, and Apos looked at her in a comical, yet disgusted manner. Originally, he wanted to talk to her and perhaps spend the day with the young lady, but nope! He looked around the room awkwardly before he turned and walked out of the spherical ride.

"That...was gross."

 

[Garith Darkhold]

Yes [member="Arabella Darkhold"] mother, would that be something if she had just shown up without invitation. “What is the traditional way to honor the dead. Well go to the family shrine here on the castle grounds. Bring gifts like wine and food. Lite some floral scent sticks and the pray to them. Offer them thanks for the gift of life and the honor they had brought to the family. Also to enjoy the next three days. This is very much a celebration of life. It is a reminder of where we came from. It is also a reminder that to cherish each day we have. Is the tutor I had acquired helping with learning the local customs and the every day life here on Atrisia?”

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

She thought about it his words. "Yes the tutor is fine, he is very thorough each day with what I need to learn" she was still thinking about family. "I cherish life each day father, it is hard at times not understanding why" in this she was a hurt child trying to find her way in a darkness that she did not understand and no amount of learning customs was going to change that.

"my mother would not want me" There she said it what had plagued her mind all along. She did not expect that he would have an answer. He had never answered her questions about her in the past. So nothing would change for today.

"When do you want to go to the shrine father?" She asked knowing that it must be done.

[member="Togashi Yokuni"]

 

[Garith Darkhold]

[member="Arabella Darkhold"]

Yokuni took the glass away from his lips. There was a hard topic that was going to be discussed today. “That is a hard topic Bella. One that you did not know all of the facts. Truth is I did not know all of them until recently. We are going to be expecting guests today. Do not go anywhere. You still have two and half days to pray at the shrine. It is important you are here when our guest arrive. If you are not I will be very displeased. Your brother should be arriving here today too.”

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

[member="Togashi Yokuni"]

Arabella smiled, "I have not seen him in some time it will be good to have him home" She paused though, "guests, father we rarely if ever have guests. Who are these people that have been able to finagle an invitation here?" She wasn't being a smart alec, or sarcastic she was truly surprised that they were having guests.

They must be important, some client, some warlord, but would he tell her. "Father you usually know everything" that to was a truth, he knew more usually than he let on.

 

[Garith Darkhold]

[member="Arabella Darkhold"]

Yokuni stopped looking out the window and looked directly at his daughter. He was thinking maybe it would not be wise to just surprise his daughter. Maybe he should tell her the truth, or maybe some of it tell Arianna got here. “The Queen of Alderaan is going to be our guest. As well as her daughter princess Faith and hopefully her son prince Theo. There is some things you should know before they get here”, he took another drink trying to hide is own feelings behind the bit of the whiskey, “She is your mother and Faith and Theo our my children. It is complex and it is better I wait tell she is here, so we can explain what happened together.”

Why did he feel like he was on one of those Holo day time talk shows?

 

[Apos Xiangu]

Brown pupils lingered throughout the crowded area as he recollected himself. There were very few things that could completely destroy a first impression like vomiting, and Apos was having none of it. Their disconnection came as no surprise to the young Atrisian however. Up to this point in his life, Apos had yet to develop any meaningful relationships with anyone. His lifestyle was one meant for a loner. All the time spent in the dark gave Apos the notion that his relationship with the shadows would prove more hardy than any actual sentient could provide. Thoughts like these clouded Apos' mind constantly, and every time he pondered on his loneliness it saddened him.

But he would persist. His will was like iron, and he'd avoided sulking in corners so far. His frustrations were usually relinquished through training or field work, so his time spent alone was usually spent sleeping. Thankfully.

Turning his head, Apos' eyes fell on the White Castle. A magnificent establishment as well as a long-standing symbol of the Togashi Clan's consistency, fortitude, and lineage. Apos wondered if they'd open their doors for visitation as he shifted under an uncomfortable sense of hunger. He retrieved a few credits from his pocket and stood in line at a food-stand to order a few biscuits.

 

[Arabella Darkhold]

Arabella did not know what to say he had said her mother was coming, and that there were more siblings. She looked at him he had had children with a woman. She wasn't sure how to handle any of that. She moved back to sit down.

"When will they be here?" It was now all she could think of her mother was coming.

[member="Togashi Yokuni"]

 

[Garith Darkhold]

[member="Arabella Darkhold"]

She was shocked, that was t be expected. He came over and sat down in one of the chairs across from her. This was all rather odd to him as well. There was questions to that he had that how he could let this happen. “There are supposed to arrive some time today. I’m not sure how I feel about all of this. You children do have a right to know your parents.”

 

[Garith Organa]

He did not get along with his father [member="Togashi Yokuni"] very well. Garith had a far more gentler soul. He embraced the light when his father was trapped in the past and his anger. Today was not about him and his father it was about family. Being the living holocron of his memory Garith could see the importance of the day of the dead.

Truly it was a miracle was not inflicted with the maladies his father suffered from. He could have paid his respects at the family shrine and not even entire. No Garith went in because of the message he had received from his father. He was to met his mother for the first time.

This was good. It was time for the family to heal from old wounds. To convene and look to the future. They needed each other. They needed each others strength giving each other hope to forge ahead into destiny.

“Yes we do”, he came in as his father said they had a right to know their parents. Garith went over to his sister [member="Arabella Darkhold"]. A single action could mean far more then a few words. He did just that. Garith hugged his sister. In that single action he conveyed more then a few words could. Genuine feelings that he cared and missed her.

 

[Theodosius Organa]

[member="Arianna Darklighter"] [member="Faith Balor"] [member="Alyesa Praxon-Organa"] (That is if Alyesa wishes to come)

It to terribly surprising that Theo made the trip with his mother and his sister? Well possibly two of his sisters. During the trip on the transport Theo had said nothing about where he had been. Or why he left Hapes ignoring his mother’s orders. He was far more quieter then he normally is. He did come though. It took a little bit of convincing but he came.

Looking out the window of the speeder he sat in the back with his mother, Faith, and maybe Alyesa. He just watched the streets pass by and the Atrisian people. He seemed a little emotional disconnected right now? Maybe that was it. Maybe he was just hiding something. He was acting far to mysterious to know exactly what he was thinking.

 

[Muad Dib]

Three days of honoring the living and the dead, life and the afterlife. To some the idea would be odd, strange even. But it made sense to Muad Dib. Standing in the streets filled with festivities he looked around with a wry grin on his face. He stood out a bit dressed in his brown tunic and tan trousers tucked into his boots that were laced to his knees. His belt held two sheaths. One for his lightsaber, safely hidden from view, and one for his curved skinning knife.

Blue eyes glowed with an inner light as the wind tossed his already disheveled brown hair. Stubble lined his cheeks. But despite his appearance he moved through the crowds almost accepted as one of their own during this holiday. But not quite. Perhaps it was the hard set to his jaw or the slightly manic spark in his blue orbs. Either way he was not asked to join in the revelry by any of the participants. Which was fine for Muad.

Reaching into a pocket as he walked he pulled out a case and opened it to pull out a death stick. placing it between his lips he raised his fingers to the end but paused as memory was refreshed to the planet's population views on force users. With a shake of his head he pulled out a pack of matched and flicked one to life on his finger nail. Breathing in deep he sighed exhaling a light blue cloud of smoke as he pocketed the case and matches.

Walking on he whistled to himself as he headed toward the white castle standing on the horizon.

[member="Togashi Yokuni"] [member="Arabella Darkhold"]

 

[Arianna Organa]

Arianna was nervous after all the yelling at one another they had done when each revealed the existence of their children. It was hard to believe truly, and what had complicated everything was the poor communications. Each had tried to talk to the other but there had been no response. Each assumed the other did not care, so each isolated themselves and their children.

And now they had four children, all the same age. Theodosius and Faith raised by Arianna, Garith Jr. and Arabella raised by Garith Sr or Yokuni as he was currently called.

Four children she thought, Four children. My god. What were they like? Did they look like her?

And he still had no answered fully his reasons why he had done it. Faith and Theo were both meeting her at Shogun. Arianna could only laugh at all of this.

"Your Grace, we are on approach and cleared for landing" Arianna nodded, Garith had guaranteed her safety while on Shogun. She trusted him, she knew he would keep his word he had many times even on the days they had disagreed so much that they each walked away to be lost in their own thoughts.

He hadn't changed at all, while she had grown older. She didn't look quite the same her face was older. Did he notice such things? Probably not. But she did especially today.

Upon landing Arianna had agreed to go with Garith's House Guards, and she would only bring her captain of the guard, Captain Lyndon. Walking down the ramp emotions were high she kept her Captain close, and looked at those before her. He called them his monks, monks. If the monks were as dangerous as him there was no reason to worry. Nope.

The handoff was made quickly, Arianna nodded to those who now surrounded her. It was just a short time when they arrived at the Togashi Ancestral Home. She remembered what he had said about them. She remembered everything. Her children lived her? Well they must not have lacked for anything he would have made sure, she felt.

Then they showed her into the room where they were waiting. Arianna saw Garith and smiled, but then her gaze settled on the children. They had dark hair like him, and beautiful blue eyes like her. What was she supposed to say now?

"Hello" What was she to do, she wanted to hug them she wanted to say how sorry she was that she wasn't there.

Spoiler

@Garith Darkhold [member="Garith Darkhold JR"]. [member="Arabella Darkhold"] [member="Theodosius"] [member="Faith Balor"] [member="Muad Dib"]

 

[Abaigeal Burke]

Kalia had come here today to be along the side of her husband and honor the dead in a festival. She thought it strange at first but than as she truly thought of it the concept made sense. It was a way to honor those whom had been lost and tell their stories. It's wasn't nearly as morbid as others would make it out to be.

She was glad that Garith was going to try and get along with his father. He didn't have to be at odd with his family just because she was with hers or at least part of it. Her cousin was still one of her best friends despite the fact that they both had gotten married and were living separate lives.

This day would be interesting indeed seeing as Garith would be meeting his mother for the first time. Kalia wanted to be here incase things went south which she truly hoped they didn't. Gently she squeezed his hand.

[member="Togashi Yokuni"][member="Arabella Darkhold"][member="Garith Darkhold JR"][member="Muad Dib"][member="Arianna Darklighter"]

 

[The End Narrator]

Alyesa said nothing as she sat in the speeder close to @Theodosius. Her hands remained clasped together in her lap in yet another awkward moment of her life. She hadn't been around her family in quite some time, well most of them except [member="Faith Balor"]. Her eyes remained fixated on the floor, lost in thought for a brief moment before she turned and looked at Theo. "So, I guess things have been alright?" She inquired softly.

OOC - Something to break the RP ice cause I have no idea where I am!

 

[Muad Dib]

He had made two more stops along his way. One was to buy some sort of meat on a stick, which he surprisingly enjoyed, and another to buy a round loaf of sweet bread. Munching on his snacks he continued along watching the revelers participating in traditions steeped in their heritage. As an outsider he found the actions of the crowd interesting in the least and entertaining at the most. As he passed several jugglers he had the urge to set the objects on fire just to spice it up. However, he resisted the urge.

Strolling along he found himself wondering, just briefly, what it would be like to have a family tradition that was so ingrained in you that it was a part of your identity. These people didn't play the festival but lived them. You could see it in their eyes. Of course Muad was also able to sense the sincerity within that was mirrored on the exterior.

Finally Muad found himself at the front gates which were closed. Standing at the gates he slowly sat, crossing his legs, and placing his forearms on his thighs. Closing his eyes he opened himself up to the force and tentatively reached out, not wanting to intrude but rather to merely let his presence be know.

[member="Garith Darkhold JR"] [member="Togashi Yokuni"] [member="Arabella Darkhold"]