Like thunder screaming out for a flash of lightning

[flawed_immortality]

[Cor's not great at this whole party thing, especially as this time it's not just a family gathering but intended for the friends they'd made here as well. The video starts with Cor sitting in a cushy white and grey striped armchair, a stone fireplace beside him glowing warmly. It's a classy set up and far above the townhouses they've been in.]

It's New Years, celebrations are in order. His Majesty, Ignis, and I have obtained a larger space and we'd like to offer our home for the festivities. Feel free to stop in, have some snacks, and await midnight with us.

[Locked from Regis]
[He looks a little paranoid at first, double, then triple checking that he's done this right.]

It's also his Majesty's birthday. He's always eager to sweep it under the New Years celebrations but he has no reason to shy away from any such celebrations here. Don't let him.

[Action - Party Start~]
[The new house is really very nice. It's nothing compared to the Citadel but it is very nice. Clean and homey with the accents of warm wood that, if Cor didn't know better, he'd have thought was reclaimed.

There's a fire in the hearth, hor d'ouerve trays laid out on the kitchen counters. The replicator is of course available to anyone who wants something specific, though you might be surprised to find she responds to voice commands and is distressingly cheerful to talk to. The house is open for examination! Go on, explore folks, mingle away.]

[Action - Midnight]
[As chill as the night is Cor makes a point of slipping through the crowd throughout the evening. There's a number of Lucis Caelums and other magic users as well. So when the time comes near he does his best to usher everyone into the backyard, or at least onto the back porch.

He's certainly not the one to lead the countdown, no someone more energetic can do that, but at the final count a series of spells get fired into the night sky. They may not be traditional fireworks but a few Flares, Thundaras, and spells he has no names for will work well enough, don't you think?]

Comments

par-tay

[meridio]

[ Sometime after delivering Era's present to Regis, Somnus finds himself beside a wall, watching with folded arms. Deliberate movement catches his eye and, indeed, Era cuts a striking figure—more so when he's accustomed to a plainer sight. She catches his other eye when she goes after his brother.

The resultant dance is clumsy and innocent. He observes them for a brief while before turning his attention to the rest of the partygoers, allowing them what privacy they can be afforded in an event like this. Eventually, his gaze settles back to what's become the dance floor, and this time it locks with that of Era. ]

[astralera]

[ Era takes a small break after parting ways with Ardyn, pulling out a bottle of water and taking a long drink, then tucking it away, then retrieving both her FLUID and a small make-up bag. After fishing out her tube of lipstick, Era uses her FLUID as a mirror while she freshens up.

Only once her attention is no longer on assuring her lipstick remains in the lines of her lips, Era notices Somnus in the background of her camera app. She turns to look at him over her shoulder, raising a brow as she catches his gaze. ]

[meridio]

[ He holds her gaze for another moment before canting his head to look elsewhere. It isn't as though he was spying on her, and the absence of urgency in his movement indicates as much. He's just people-watching. ]

[astralera]

[ How boring, Somnus. While she knows he may not be fond of social gatherings Era does know he loves his family, and being here will make his family happy, even if he would likely beg to differ. She also knows he is likely to focus on the past and what he sees as a destined future, thus...

There is the distinctive tempo of heels on hardwood as Era strides up to Somnus, holding out her hand for him to take much like she did a short while ago with Ardyn. Perhaps this brother will be less afraid of his own feet — given what she's experienced of them so far, she imagines it to be a fifty-fifty chance on this being one of the unfortunate qualities they share. ]

[meridio]

[ He never said he was fun.

It's hard to ignore the sharp footfalls when they're getting louder and closer, because he knows what that means. He cranes his neck just in time for the hand to enter his line of sight, then lifts his head to look at Era. Although he doesn't take the hand, Somnus unfolds his arms. ]

He and I are the same. The art of dancing was not taught to us.

[ Somnus, however, says this in a matter-of-fact tone. It isn't a rejection—only a statement of fact. ]

[astralera]

You are irritatingly similar in many, many ways, but I know you are more familiar with the dance of combat than he is.

[meridio]

[ How ironic. Half the reason he's more familiar is because he was trying to compensate for what he lacked that his brother possessed.

His eyes flit to her hand, then back to her face. Wordlessly, he accepts her hand. ]

[astralera]

[ With his hand now in hers, Era leads him back to where she had been dancing. Given that she wants to take the opportunity to talk (though she does know better than to hold out hope of an actual conversation), she shifts so that the steps of her dance will keep them close enough for relative privacy. ]

I had meant to track you down sooner, but found myself preoccupied with the holidays.

[meridio]

[ With little to no prior knowledge of the process, he follows suit. Where she guides him, he'll go. Although he may drag his feet more often than not, his steps will carry no reluctance.

And if he looks down, as he does now, it's to watch Era's face instead of the shuffling of their feet. His silence invites her to continue. Most likely, she means to tell him about their last encounter. ]

[astralera]

[ She leads the dance without issue issue, though does her best to do so in a way that makes it harder for him to drag his feet. ]

I've an ability called the Echo that grants me certain gifts, the most notable of which are visions of the past. [ Seeing no reason to tip-toe around the subject, Era dives straight into it, as she is wont to do. ] I lived through a selection of your memories.

[ Era hopes it goes without saying that this isn't something she can exactly control, given how inopportune a moment she was struck by it. ]

[meridio]

[ The explains everything, doesn't it. It's a troubling disclosure, but not enough to trip Somnus, who dedicates a portion of his attention to recognizing a pattern behind Era's movement. He doesn't have to ask if she glimpsed his memories on purpose or not: That he had to call his brother for help is answer enough. ]

Which memories?

[astralera]

[ As she thinks of how best to describe each one, Era spins away and back quickly in beat with the music, skirts flaring and tail tucked close enough to keep from inadvertently slapping anyone.

It gives her long enough to gather her thoughts together, and in the next moment she resumes their previous dance positioning. ]

You lost a game of chess again. But you didn't mind losing, because your brother really is amazing. You were so happy he would hold your hand and spend time together with you.

[ She frowns, the hand that still holds his tightening briefly. ]

...You sent your soldiers to find him, seeking to converse with him. You thought he abandoned all prospect of discussion. You didn't know that he thought you sent those soldiers to kill him.

[ There is a lot more she could add, but instead she keeps it brief. ]

Later, you meet. His words are broken by a cough, and you attack him.

He holds Aera's corpse. The Scourge oozes from his face like tar, and bursts from his body in tendrils. People scream and flee. He's a monster now, though still your brother. Your duty is to end his suffering.

[ The more she speaks, the more detached she sounds; careful to keep from feeling emotions that were difficult enough pry herself free of to begin with. ]

Standing on a pool of black, staring down at his corpse and hers.

Meeting again, millennia later. You ask not for forgiveness, but understanding. He is infuriated—

[ For the first time Era doesn't quite land her step, heel slipping, threatening to roll her ankle in a way that promises discomfort. She startles, adjusting her positioning immediately, tail shifting to improve her balance as she does.

Despite doing her best to detach herself, remembering Ardyn as he was and could be was distressing to her all the same. Era brushes it off, pushing forward to the last memory, which she's certain he will know the context of. ]

'You love him. That's why you suffer in silence.'

[meridio]

[ She slips, but rights herself before he can reach out to halt the potential fall.

The memories she gleaned from him span his early years and jump to his recent past. It doesn't surprise him that his brother thought that when things were coming to a head (and, though erroneous then, is deserved now). What surprises him, if by a margin, is the recital of Pyra's words. Although he doesn't miss a step, he momentarily narrows his eyes. Did Era experience the context for those words?

No matter. ]

You collapsed when you were struck by these visions. Are there other side effects?

[astralera]

I've never collapsed from them until this world. It has always been as though I've been struck in the head and staggered, but never to such an extent.

[ Though she imagines part of it is the damage her soul has taken between Deerington and Havenwell. As for other 'side effects'... She gives a small shrug of her shoulders. ]

Now that the Echo is stronger, I feel as they do during visions. It it difficult at times to separate what is mine and what is theirs.

[meridio]

[ Is that why she called his brother thus, he wonders. But that this gift is getting stronger is troubling news when he considers earlier implications. ]

Can you not control it at all?

[astralera]

No, and I know of no other Echo bearers who can. It is all passive.

[ It is just as well that she chose to discuss this while dancing, since it helps with her focus. ]

My partner and his ilk have what they call the 'Gift'. It seems to simply be the Echo, albeit with far more control.

I believe if I can learn to control my soul as they do, I should be able to control the visions.

[meridio]

[ He glances at her horns. Emet-Selch has no such appendages, but there's clearly more than meets the eye to that ancient being. ]

And if you are not able?

[astralera]

[ She frowns, averting her gaze. ]

I will be able.

[ With how potent her visions are as of late there is no other option. ]

[meridio]

[ Single-minded words. He understands the sentiment, though, and he doesn't nearly understand the Echo enough to say more on the matter. Emet-Selch is there for that.

Wordlessly, he turns his attention to the next step of the dance. By now he's recognized the pattern, and it's only a matter of moving with more grace and syncing his steps with those of Era's. ]

[astralera]

[ She lets the silence linger, feeling no need to break it. On these universes beyond her own, Era has spoken more than she can remember, and it's nice to not feel the need to. Dancing with only the music humming through her horns is enjoyable, and so is not needing to worry about her shoes getting dirtied by the feet of her dance partner.

After one song ends and another begins, Era changes the steps and breaks the lull in their conversation. ]

Has he spoken with you yet?

[meridio]

[ Kept on his toes, he divides his attention between the new steps and her question once more. It's easy to know whom she means. So she really was responsible. ]

He has.

[ Somnus volunteers no more. He and his brother's conversation is private and intimate. He won't share the details with another. ]

[astralera]

[ She has little interest in the details, though she does have a few lingering questions. ]

And did you manage a conversation?

[meridio]

We corresponded.

[ It was conversation enough, and technically is still ongoing. Everyone is getting what they wanted. ]

[astralera]

[ She brightens, clearly pleased. ]

Don't let this chance go to waste, even if it may amount to naught.

[meridio]

[ Hasn't the chance already been seized? While his heart swelled with devastating relief from words of affection, his apprehension has grown since. He fears this will all amount to far more than it should. In contrast to that of Era's, his expression is decidedly gloomier, though not overly so. ]

I shall do what I must.