Gathering Post

[lcrpg_npc]

The Queen's official birthday celebrations might wait for the better, brighter weather of June, instead of the actual date just passed, but there was no lack of things to do in London this week, even if it was cooler and damper than the week before. St. George's day festivities were scattered throughout the city, competing with celebrations of the four hundredth anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Getting around the city could be even more difficult than usual on Sunday, with multiple streets closed off for the London marathon.

There were exhibits - everything from graphic design to a survey of Sicilian history to the influence of underwear. And the same level of diversity could be found whether you were in the mood for music, theatre, good food, or late night fun. There was something for everyone, and no matter your plans - or lack of plans - you never quite knew what you were going to find, or who might find you.



[Week long gp! Tag in, tag others, and check in daily to see who's joined in.]

Comments

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

Sunny thought about that. Parakeets were small, and they didn't eat very much. And, truth be told, there were times she wouldn't mind a little companion. "I think I could work something out," she said, her mind already going over what supplies she'd need and what spellwork she'd need to do so Philip could come and go at times she wasn't home.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

Philip peeped happily, bouncing in place.

"I thought you liked staying with me," Winter pouted.

Philip sang a little song, fluttering over and landing on Winter's shoulder, giving him gentle pecks and grooming him between chirps.

"I suppose that's true. Keats isn't very fond of birds... Well, yes, of course I'd let you visit. I'm a very good host..."

By the time Philip was done, Winter seemed to be sulking less, and the plump budgie fluttered over to see Sunny, tugging on her earring and singing a happy little tune.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

Sunny laughed, not bothered with the way Philip was chirping right in her ear. "Anyway, people read and watch sad stories for all kinds of reasons. One of the reasons is it helps us understand and deal with why bad things happen to good people."

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

"Oh? Why do bad things happen to good people then?" the pixie asked curiously.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

"It's a deceptively simple question," Sunny said. "But I think this play at least says that some of the reasons are that everyone has faults, and those faults trip them up. Lear gives away his kingdom but still expects to be treated like a king because he's too proud for his own good. What's worse, his pride blinds him to the fact that his older daughters don't actually care for him, they just flattered him to get what they wanted. Sometimes people just take things for granted and don't see how good they have it until what they've got is gone, like Lear was with his third daughter. And sometimes..." her expression turned a little mischievous, "sometimes other people suck and just happen to good people."

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

"Oh," Winter said softly, his little pixie heart sinking as he listened to her words."That's so unfair though," he said softly.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

Sunny risked leaning over enough to kiss his cheek softly before letting Philip have her earring back. "It is. But sometimes it helps to know that sometimes when things go wrong, it's never as simple as 'I was bad, and I deserve it.'"

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

Winter nodded a little, then wrapped his arms tightly around himself.

"Do you think bad things ever happen because you do deserve it though? Do you think... Do you think a person can be cursed?" he asked quietly.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

"Only if someone else is awful enough to curse them," she said, expecting the question.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

"What if someone had been bad though, in the past. ...What if they had been shallow and vain? Do you think life would punish them always for that?" Winter asked nervously.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

"What, like all kids are? Hell no." Sunny knew what he meant, and she wasn't trying to be flip. It was true. Everyone started out shallow, everyone started out vain. Then they grew up and got less stupid.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

Winter seemed to perk up a bit at that, but uncertainty lingered.

"I did bad things though, Sunny. Aspid told me I was pretty, that I was the fairest of my kind, and I liked it. I let him come visit often, even though some of my kin were wary of him," he confessed- And it was something he'd never really admitted before. Willy and Phouka both knew that Aspid had been kind at first, but he'd never before admitted that he had, in a way, encouraged the wizard's affections.

It was something he felt guilty over often.

"Pixies died, they burned, and I was to blame. I allowed evil into our home, because I like being praised. ...I am- I am not a good pixie," he admitted. "I am vain and wicked."

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

For a second, Sunny's face was pure silent fury.

Then she took a breath through her nose and made herself calm down, not wanting Winter to think that she was angry with him.

"No," she said quietly. "No, Winter, that's called grooming. He pretended to be your friend to take advantage of you. That is a case of a terrible person happening to someone, and it's completely and entirely his fault."

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

Winter so badly wanted to understand all the things Sunny explained to him, and he looked troubled as he tried to understand how he was free of blame. Yes, Aspid had manipulated him, but- But he had allowed it. Wasn't that bad?

His head tilted, and it was obvious the pixie was thinking very hard- Much harder than usual.

He was silent for a long while, then finally spoke. "I was tricked," he said slowly. "Tricked, and- And hunted. Like the goblins hunt fawns. They use their nature against them, so they can put their arrows into them easier. ...Aspid hunted, and my family, my kin, they were struck as well when he finally took up his bow."

For so long, Winter had always quietly believed he'd deserved Aspid's cruelty. That he was cursed, punished for being vain and shallow. Now though... Now he was starting to understand that wasn't so.

"I was a fawn, and Aspid was the wisest goblin."

It was freeing to come to that realization- Though it was frightening as well. Believing himself cursed had been a crutch for so long. A safety blanket, or a way to write bad things off as bad luck. ...It was frightening to let that go.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

Sunny kept quiet and let Winter work his way through this train of thought. He was clearly having a moment, for better or for worse, and she didn't want to interrupt.

She reached up and cupped Winter's cheek, stroking with her thumb.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

Winter leaned into the touch, then eventually settled against her, unusually quiet and still.

Philip chirped softly, nibbling on Sunny's hair.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

Sunny put her arm around Winter and stroked his curls. She stayed quiet a long moment. "You're a good pixie, Winter," she murmured. "And I'll beat the shit out of anybody who says you're not."

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

"You are scary Sunny," Winter said, practically cooing like a dove at the attention. "...I like it," he added with a cheeky grin. "I wish to be scary like you one day."

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

"Do you know how to throw a punch?" Sunny asked, faintly amused.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

"I know how to sling ice," Winter grinned deviously.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

"You should learn how to defend yourself without magic, I think," she said, considering. "It's always good to have other ways."

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

"I don't think pixies are build for combat, Sunny. I've never known any to fight. ...Though that would be fun," he added with a wicked little grin, as though he was imagining some sort of pixie fight club.

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

"It's good to know how to punch someone out without breaking your hand," Sunny said with a sage nod. "Especially when you're small and skinny."

Re: Sunday afternoon

[winter_wisp]

"I'm not small, I'm very big for a pixie," Winter huffed, puffing up a bit. "And I aim to be plump one day."

Re: Sunday afternoon

[akatawitch]

Sunny didn't ask why anyone would want to do that, though she kind of wanted to. "Big for a pixie, small for a person. I only learned to fight because I was a skinny little girl and my brothers couldn't be there all the time."