ϡ - Chapter ThirtyOne; Celebrating Two Years [Action|Voice] Backdated to the 9th

[folklorist]

[ It's a nice day today isn't is Luceti? If you're wandering around the village today you'll notice one stand filled and piled high with donuts. Not just any ordinary donuts, no, these are called Gogoşi and they're a rather delicious little treat from Helios' home, Romania. Donuts without holes and filled with a sweet chocolate filling. That's not all though! There's pretzels, and some little chocolate sponge cakes filled with almond cream as well. They all line the table in no particular order and there's also hot chocolate, tea, and coffee for anyone trying to fight off the cold of the day. ]

Two years...it really doesn't feel that way. I-I suppose a lot of you having been here for longer think the same thing. But in truth we all take time and change differently. We've all been through the arrival, which might I give a warmest of welcome to all our newest! And we've seen things and watched people we care deeply about, and have experience this fascinating and more often than not slightly insufferable place with, go away just as quickly as they came. People we never even dreamed of ever meeting and people we never want to ever leave. [ He laughs a little and there might be a slight tinge of sadness within it. ]

That's not to say Luceti should be given all the credit for making such profound friendships between people here, but well, it does have a very prominent part in it. Still home is home no matter what and I'd like to think of this place as my second one if you will.

I-I also wanted to, um, give back to everyone for being here not-not just for myself but in general. Together as a village we're quite something through thick and thin, always there for one another, always trying to help when it seems like nothing could possibly get any worse. We're rather amazing when you think about it given everything that's been thrown at us and then some. [ He'll stop his sappy rambling before he gets all emotional, okay? ]

S-So if you're hungry or in need of a warming up I've setup a little stand in the town plaza with hot coco, tea, and coffee. Anyone is free to stop by and I do mean anyone including all you New feathers! There's plenty to go around. I've also made some, some desserts from my own home just a few little treats.

[ Because even he, being an adult and knowledgeable in traveling, still sometimes has a touch of homesickness every once in awhile. But it's not as bad or even as prominent as it used to be. Luceti really has changed that much of him, that's for certain, and he's actually rather glad for it. ]

Comments

[folklorist]

Not really, no. Just fry the dough and then fill them with whatever it is you'd prefer inside them. Cheese, jam, chocolate. All sorts of combinations to use! They're unsurprisingly varied that way.

[ He smiles. Her enthusiasm is endearing and it makes him happy as well to see. Even if it's something small like this, Helios enjoys giving back to the village as a whole. ] I'm glad you like them.

[i_am_not_cute]

[She finishes swallowing her current bite before speaking again.]

So you've been here for two years, huh...?

[folklorist]

Yes. Two years and counting. It's amazing how fast time seems to go by here. [ He smiles and takes a small sip of his hot tea. ]

But I suppose I should thank the people here for that.

[i_am_not_cute]

[Pao-Lin nods.]

There's just so many nice people here -- I've made a lot more friends in Luceti than I did back home. [She laughs.] Though I think that's also because I don't have to deal with my job getting in the way, too.

[folklorist]

[ Helios looks...mildly taken aback at the mentioning of a job. Pao-lin couldn't be more than seventeen. But there were some teenagers who did have full-time jobs at that age. ] You have a job that requires that much time back at home? It must be very important then.

[i_am_not_cute]

Yep! I'm a Hero with HeroTV, so I have to catch criminals and save civilians on a regular basis. [Leaving out the fact that she does it to score points and promote her sponsors. She'll get to explaining that little detail sooner or later.]

[folklorist]

A hero? It sounds rather dangerous... [ he hasn't seen the extent of Pao-lin's power though. ] ...but I'm sure you can take care of yourself, hm? How did you come to take up such a job?

[i_am_not_cute]

The CEO of Odysseus Communication was looking for a Hero to sponsor for the show, and when they heard about me from one of their scouts, they thought I'd be a good choice because I could already fight and because my NEXT ability -- the ability to generate lightning -- was pretty useful. So once my contract was worked out, I moved from Hong Kong to Sternbild to start this job. I've been working with HeroTV for about four or five years now, I think.

[folklorist]

NEXT ability...does everyone have capabilities like that? Or is just...for certain people and simply easier for them to embrace and break into?

[i_am_not_cute]

People are born NEXTs, so you can't learn how to be one or anything like that. At least, as far as anyone knows. They're still not really sure what causes someone to be a NEXT.