Hikari no Matsuri - "The Light in the Forest" - Stageside
A few small tables with two chairs each are set up alongside the edge of
this stage, which is essentially a wooden dais about two feet off the main
floor, and a curtain separating it in half from an equally-small backroom.
It feels a little cramped, almost like an afterthought. Despite this, the
place is hopping like nobody's business, as a rave seems to be taking place
complete with lights, people, and thumping tunes!



look siren
Like many siren seen in Fa'Diel, Mollianne bears the unmistakable traits
that define her avian heritage. Strong, deep-plumed legs of white feathers
transition into formidable talons that possess their own brand of
captivating deadliness. From her back sprout two majestic wings, expansive
and of pristine white feathers, which easily dwarf her small frame in a
display of ethereal beauty all their own. Her eyes mirror the serene
surface of the ocean on a tranquil evening, which peer through tousled
auburn bangs that frame her youthful features in a perpetually-disheveled
yet endearing bob of short hair. Around her neck is a pendant in the shape
of a small egg or teardrop, which often seems to find itself concealed
within the embrace of her ample chest. All of this is wrapped up in a
petite package, as she stands scarcely taller than five feet in height,
although her wings would bestow upon her a couple of additional inches if
they were included in the measurement. Within her smile seems to reside a
unique brand of her own personal charisma, a perpetual aura of ease and
warmth that exudes friendliness and approachability.

Mollianne is using:
a translucent Soul Gem
a dark blue hooded jacket, with the front fully unzipped
costume adhesive, helping prevent wardrobe malfunctions
thin black fingerless gloves, reaching to the elbow
a frayed denim miniskirt


look hikar
The established mascot and face of the Festival of Lights, Hikari is a
young woman that looks like she's pushing into her late teens or early
twenties, and though her expression and demeanor come off as demure, she
carries a regal sort of flair about her that seems almost unnatural, yet
fitting at the same time. Far too many blonde curls nearly hide her shining
green eyes from view, though she seems to be trying to make an effort to
avoid this with a butterfly-shaped hairclip pinned at her left temple. It's
not uncommon to see her smiling at something, as if she had nothing in the
world to worry or fret about.

Hikari is using:
a fuzzy pink headband with a plush unicorn's horn
a bright pink, short-sleeved crop-top
a bright pink miniskirt, with a unicorn motif
warm winter boots, colored white and rimmed with synthetic
faux-fur


look per
Some people give a very distinct impression that they need to be
approached carefully, and Persephone is probably one of them. With
unabashed haughtiness, this girl looks and acts in every way like a
fairy-tale-centric spoiled princess, though the pierced silver ring through
her left nostril and black-painted fingernails seem to clash pretty heavily
with such an initial perception. Though it's obvious that she'd probably
rather be anywhere else but here, she seems to be at least TRYING to put up
a front, but her success rate seems to vary quite widely. A long stream of
orange hair trails down her back, tied with meticulous care into two
equally-long braids.

Persephone is using:
a black turtleneck sweater, with a snug and warm neckband
a black miniskirt with a gold-trimmed hemline, with jet
-black leggings underneath
sturdy and durable white winter boots, laced tightly and
rimmed with fur


Mollianne seems way too engrossed in the rave to pay much attention to anyone
specifically, including you. The huge swarm of people all vying for her
attention probably isn't helping!

Persephone is pretty engrossed in the music, notable by her eyes being closed
and her head bobbing loosely to the beat. Might be better to leave her alone
for now.

Hikari says 'Oh hi! Did you come for the party, too?'
Hikari has to yell very loudly over the crowd and the music.
Hikari says 'It's a good time to let loose and have fun! I haven't ever done
anything like this before and I hope it isn't the last time I do, either!'
Hikari laughs.

Kaze jumps around preternaturally high, head banging almost in time to the
music.

Having had a 'quiet moment' interrupted, Sunflash is sitting at a table up front
but off to the side. Trapped.

The "Light in the Forest" Tavern is the place to be tonight, full of hopping
beats and frantic crowds all looking to get their groove on. Colorful lights
swirl around the room from several laser projectors overhead, washing over the
otherwise-dim tavern lobby. Glow-sticks and other similar-accessories are
everywhere, and it's very hard to hear basic conversation without screaming to
do so.

Hikari, Persephone, and Mollianne are busily enjoying themselves in the midst of
the crowd, each one engaging with the music and the people around them in their
own ways, but no-doubt making the most of this night while it's available.


Sunflash might be buried under a pile of glow-sticks. Or at least, that's what it
felt like. A small swirl of semi-translucent white flickered about his head as
he let himself just...observe the chaos in somewhat muted fashion.

In the back end of this corner of the tavern, the DJ is helping keep the music
pumping, and at one point gestures wildly in Mollianne's direction, who takes
the signal and excuses herself from the center of the crowd, which parts easily
and smoothly to allow her access to the stage. Her taloned feet scrape a bit
noisily as she pulls herself up onto it, her miniskirt wafting a bit against her
feathered backside as she does.

Some people don't need to have a conversation. Sometimes a drink is all you
need. Aludra has enough, at least. The towering Giganto redhead provides trunky
legs for the forest, among the rest of her. She looms steadily, drinking from a
mug of coffee while others party a bit more heartily. She's taking it easy for
now, unlike some people.

Kaze continues to rock out with wild abandon. It's a bit like moshing, except he
isn't hitting anyone hard, just bouncing off of things like he weighs
practically nothing.

Mollianne takes a moment to adjust her headset and check herself as the music
and beats from the established party atmosphere continue to bop and jive around
her. She seems extraordinarily focused, her lips a thin line as she goes about
her preparations for her upcoming performance, and she stops to answer a
question from an approaching Hikari, voices lost within the party going on
around them.

Mollianne seems to nod something affirmative enough for Hikari to be satisfied,
and she goes about blending back into the crowd and joining Persephone
elsewhere. Mollianne checks her jacket again to make sure she's not falling out
anywhere, and places herself in the center of the small stage, head lowered,
hands clasped together in front of her, and wings unfolding just slightly.

Most of the crowd continues to engage with the music and light-show, as the
colors fan out and provide a dazzling display over the darkened tavern interior.
Everyone's having a really good time, and even Persephone, for all of her
reservations and haughty attitude, seems to be pretty caught up in the rave-like
experience.

Hikari is capitalizing on this, as well, giving the impression that she doesn't
get a chance to do things like this very often.

A large black stand next to the stage suddenly flips on, displaying a red LED
screen. The following flashes across its screen: "Now playing: 'True...'"

Sunflash lets a frown slip across his face. Again with the nagging in his head.
Why was she so damn familiar? Was it recent? Old? He spaced out for a few
moments, chewing on his problematic memory.

Mollianne's stance seems to be the signal the DJ in charge is waiting for, and
the music swiftly and seamlessly transitions from a generic dance beat into a
separate song composed, initially, of a simple thumping intro beat that
gradually increases in intensity. Mollianne unclasps her hands and raises her
head slightly, with all the careful preparation and awareness of a seasoned on-
stage performer.

As the beats gain some heavy bass and a looming synth rushes in, Mollianne
places a hand on the side of her headset and begins to sing. "Mou, soba ni wa
inai, te wo tsunagu koto mo nai; tonari ni ite, waratte kureru, sonna koto mo
naku natta..." Her voice is low and pronounced, emphasizing each syllable
delicately but insistently.

A light techno melody flows into the mix, but the beat generally remains light
compared to what it was before.

A large black stand next to the stage displays an LED interface, with bright red
digital letters that display the following: "No longer by my side, no longer
holding hands, not even there to smile - it's all just gone."

Emouse lights a color-changing glowstick and holds it.

Many of the party-goers continue dancing to the beat of their own drums, but a
good chunk of the crowd has turned their attention toward Mollianne and her
performance, several issuing catcalls and shrill whistles of appreciation.
Hikari and Persephone have wound their way through the dancers to a thinned-out
side section, to get a better look.

Sunflash has his train of thought derailed by the song change, which results in
him dismissing his sound barrier and leaning back in the chair with his arms
crossed. Might as well partake in the music.

Mollianne raises her head more fully, her expression growing stern as the tone
of her voice intensifies to match it. Backing synth joins in the thumping beats,
gradually bringing up the dance atmosphere. "Wasurerarenai namida afureta, kitto
au koto mo nai kara" Molliane turns her head sharply, gesturing with a suddenly-
clenched fist.

"Sou, nagatte iru no modoranai kamei nante...!" The music really begins to lift
at this point, and Mollianne begins tapping the back talon of one of her feet
against the stage, absorbing herself into the incoming groove.

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following: "The
tears I can't forget are overflowing, and I know we'll never meet again; even as
I wish for your return, I know that it's just a futile struggle."

More cheering, more catcalls, hooting and hollering, much of which gets drowned
out over the rancorous beats. Persephone and Hikari are seen conversing about
something as they watch Mollianne on stage, but they can in-no-way be heard over
everything else going on.

Most of the spinning overhead lights have turned to focus almost solely on the
stage at this point, as well, cascading a neon rainbow of color over Mollianne's
form and the stage as a whole.

Mollianne struts purposefully across the stage, no differently than if she were
along a catwalk, her hands occasionally offering gestures that measure the beat
alongside her voice. "Inakunatte kara sonzai no ooki sa shitta; atari mae sugita
kara, daiji na koto wasureteta~..."

Mollianne whirls an about-face, turning her back to the crowd and holding one of
her hands out to her side, flexing her fingers in what might otherwise be
perceived as a menacing display. The beat continues to rise into a crescendo,
accompanied now by a rapid-fire drumbeat that gets only faster as the music gets
louder and the beat gets heavier.

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following:
"After you disappeared, I realized the magnitude of your existence; it was so
obvious that I forgot the most important thing."

Sunflash almost visibly freezes in place as he reads the translation, noticeably
tensing. Well, if anyone could see him anyway.

Kaze briefly stops dancing and looks a bit distant before going back to it, much
subdued and distracted.

The lights over the stage suddenly slow down and partially diminish; twin blue
lights shine down upon Mollianne.

Molliane suddenly raises her fist into the air, and at that moment, the raving
music ceases and fades into a solemn, synth-laden choral hymn, as angelic,
wordless voices fill the tavern lobby with a somber background melody.
Mollianne, fist still raises and back still to the crowd, picks up her song with
a spiteful-sounding tone, emotion very clearly inflected in her voice.

"Dare no tame ni egao de iru no? Dare no tame ni ikite yuku no?" As she sings,
her fist very gradually lowers to her side. "Oshie-te hoshii anata no hoka ni
irunda to... watashi ni dekiru koto; sore wa anata wasureru koto?" Her fist
fully lowered, Mollianne looks over her left shoulder, that side's wing lowering
so that her anger-laced face can be seen clearly.

"Kitto, shinakya ikenai? Hontou ni dekiru..?" The angelic voices overhead offer
a sharp contrast to the tone of her voice, which is fairly aggressive. A rapidly-
incoming background drumbeat seem to be readying in the background, preparing
for something big.

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following: "For
whose sake do I smile? For whose sake do I live? I need you to tell me, is there
anything I can do besides forget about you? Truly, do I have no choice? Is it
something I can really do..?"

Several of the up-front party-goers have stopped their raving entirely to focus
on Mollianne's performance, Hikari being one of them. The sheer awe on her face
is an expression shared by a couple of others nearby, while Persephone just
seems to smirk, albeit impressed in her own way.

The colors over the stage come back to life and proceed to spin and swirl, but
then a pair of strobes suddenly turn on, positioned at either upper corner of
the stage, flashing purple lights across the dance floor and over the crowd
thereupon, really kicking the party into high gear!

The earlier drumbeat gradually becomes louder, and the music suddenly crashes
down upon the dance floor in full force! Drums, synth, bass, it's all there, all
at once, accompanied by the earlier choral melody.

This sudden onslaught of music spurs Mollianne into action as well, as she
issues a slightly-less-aggressive refrain of the previous chorus, her body now
moving heavily with the music to match her voice and hand gestures, letting the
lyrics out as if they were an extension of her soul.

"Dare no tame ni egao de iru no? Dare no tame ni ikite yuku no? Oshie~te hoshii
anata no hoka ni irunda to... watashi ni dekiru koto; sore wa anata wasureru
koto? Kitto, shinakya ikenai? Hontou ni dekiru..?" The drums rapidly close in
again as Mollianne nears the end of her chorus, bringing everything to a head
once more.

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following: "For
whose sake do I smile? For whose sake do I live? I need you to tell me, is there
anything I can do besides forget about you? Truly, do I have no choice? Is it
something I can really do..?"

The crowd goes into a frenzy when the music comes upon them, and Hikari can be
heard screaming with delight from the corner as she really gets into the groove,
a bright orange glowstick gripped tightly in one of her hands.

Kaze perches at the side of the auditorium drinking his slurpee and examining
the performance with various detections spells active.

There appears to be a statue where Sunflash was. Or might as well be, except for
the barely visible cyan glow....growing around him? Lights are weird in here.

The music swiftly recedes into a slow but steady thumping line, providing a very
brief interlude that segues into the next stanza. Very gradually, a measure of
the beat returns, and Mollianne turns to face the audience once more, her tone
relaxing slightly as she begins to sing again. "Nee, tatoeba moshi, guuzen aeta
toshita nara..."

A faint smile crosses her lips, but is betrayed by no small measure of pain in
her brilliant aquamarine irises. "Futari de warai atte, hanaseru youni naritai
ne?"

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following:
"Hey, suppose by some chance we met again... wouldn't it be nice if we could
laugh and talk together?"

The crowd is in full swing at this time, dancing, moshing, grinding, you name it
- the party is upon them, and they are one with it. Persephone seems to have
left Hikari's side at some point and can be seen enjoying herself with a few
others nearby, finding her stride and engaging with the music.

The purple strobes wind their way around the room, casting their flashing lights
across the churning bodies of the crowd as the rainbow light show focuses on
Mollianne and the stage.

Mollianne hangs her head slightly, one hand coming up to loosely place itself in
the middle of her chest, between the open flaps of her jacket. The music's beat
intensifies somewhat, and that erstwhile smile remains on Mollianne's face.

"Itsuka owari ga deru koto wakatteita; mitomeru koto dekinai, watashi ga koko ni
ita~..." She raises her face as the drums roll in again, bringing with it the
full force of the music to crash down upon the tavern lobby once more!

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following: "I
knew that the end would come someday; yet, here I remained, unable to accept
such a thing."

Hikari waves her glowstick wildly over her head, bouncing up and down as she
cheers for the siren on-stage. She is but one face among many in the crowd, but
boy if she isn't trying her best!

Emouse says 'intense.'

Some people rave for a living. Others are the rave, and wish they could be as
good a glowstick as Sunflash was. The glow was certainly noticeable now,
although he didn't seem to notice...yet.

With the music now in full force, Mollianne builds herself up as well, launching
into dance mode and getting into the groove along with the countless other party-
goers in the room, using her hands and voice as vessels through which her
emotion flows.

"Dare no tame ni egao de ita no? Anata wa nani wo miteita no? Okoe-teiru no wa
yasashii anata no shisen; dakedo mou mienai, anata to kokoro wa doko ni mo...
satta omoide oite, watashi mo oite~..."

The music builds to another climactic rise as the lyrics for the chorus
conclude, and then disperse once more into the familiar synth-laced choral
hymn; as it does, Mollianne promptly collapses to her knees, head lowered, face
hidden from view amidst the tousled bangs of her auburn hair.

The scene is dramatically picturesque when matched against the solemn voices in
the background, a shot of beautiful, visual despair that arguably seems very out-
of-place in a dance-rave setting such as this one, but carries an ethereal and
atmospheric quality all its own.

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following: "For
whose sake was I smiling? What were you even looking at? I remember your gentle
gaze, but now I can't see or feel you anywhere. The memories you left behind, I
will leave behind as well."

The rainbow effects and strobes, all at once, cease; a very pale blue light
shines down on Mollianne's collapsed form, rotating slowly in a tight circle
around her. Many of the ravers also stop dancing as the tone abruptly shifts, a
cavalcade of mixed expressions, uncertainty, and everything in-between.

Still, some people seem to believe that it's part of the act, and one person
from the far back shouts, "WE LOVE YOU MOLLY! WHOO!" Several people clap in
approval and appreciation. Hikari, for her part, seems not to know if she should
be cheering or helping Mollianne, making it apparent that she hasn't been to
many (or any) of her performances.

Everyone raves their own way, indeed. Aludra raises her coffee in salute to a
performance well done, before finishing the steaming brew in one gulp.

Emouse glances at the lyrics and sits up, watching Mollianne and the glowing
Sunflash with a raised eyebrow.

Seeming to come from every corner of the tavern, a low and pained, whimpering
moan gradually rises, increasing in pitch and intensity over the course of
several seconds; it very much sounds like Mollianne, but at the same time, does
not emanate at all from where she still kneels on the stage.

Several people look alarmed, but just as many others are unable to hide their
grins, aware of these kinds of special effects. The circling blue light around
Mollianne doubles, bringing a second one to rotate around Mollianne's form in a
figure-eight-style motion.

Kaze starts casting Esuna and checks himself.

As the pained vocal reaches a high pitch, it spontaneously disperses.
Mollianne's head snaps up and the choral hymn dissipates along with it,
dissolving into a slow but insistent, bass-laden beat.

Her eyes are hard but misty, taking on that same aggressive inflection from
before. "Mou ichido aitai, wakari aitai, nukumori kanji~teitai~... ana ni aitai,
hoka ni wa iranai, sore dake de ii~..." She bares her teeth slightly, both small
fangs prominent and emphatic in her stance.

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following: "I
want to see you once more; I want to understand, to feel your warmth... I want
to see you, and I don't need anything else, that alone would be enough."

The drums come rolling in along with a faint synth keyboard score, as Mollianne
gracefully rises to her feet. She holds one hand outward, fingers spread, palm
open, as she gazes upon the audience, her expression taking on an empty
hollowness to coincide with the erstwhile aggression.

"Aishiteiru, mada omotteru, kokoro no naka de omotteru; sunao ni narenai,
tsutaerarenai, mou shikata nai~...!" This last syllable becomes a keening wail
that seems to reverberate off the walls of the tavern, an impressive acoustic
display that truly demonstrates Mollianne's abilities as a siren. The music
seems to hang in the air for just a few second following her voice fading out.

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following: "I
love you, and I'm still thinking it, deep in my heart. Unable to convey my
honesty, there's nothing else I can do..."

Much of the crowd gradually begins to get back into the beat, and seeing that it
was all part of the show, Hikari also gets back into it, waving her glowstick in
wild circles above her head.

Perhaps less lost in the glowsticks than he'd like, the glowing around Sunflash
has managed to coalesce around his head. Not horribly bright, but certainly a
touch more than the crowd. Good thing he's off to the side despite being near
front row. Still hasn't moved, either.

Emouse eventually relaxes back into Poring squish as the crowd calms, eyeing
Mollianne cautiously.

The lights abruptly all come back in full force; the twin lights over Mollianne
dissolve back into a spread of colored lights spinning about the stage area, and
the dual strobes from before flip back on as well, sending the party back into
the fervor it was just a short while before.

With one more push, the beat drops once more with full musical might, striking
up the trance power to maximum! Mollianne, too, takes to the stage with full
energy, her limbs becoming extensions of her voice and putting on as much a
visual show as a vocal one. "Dare no tame ni egao de iru no? Dare no tame no
egao datta no? Shiranai hou ga jibun no tame dattari suru no?"

She glides gracefully across the stage, every pivot, step, and pirouette
carefully calculated to match the rhythm of the beat. "Watashi ga kimeta koto,
sore ga anata wasureru koto..."

And then she pauses in mid-stride, just briefly, almost as if in slow motion,
glancing across the audience as tears glisten in the corners of her eyes, but
then is right back into the thick of it. "Na no ni, 'sayonara' dake ga, ienai
no~..."

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following: "For
whose sake do I smile? Whose smile was it for? Is it selfish to do things for my
own sake? Even though I decided to forget about you, I can't seem to be able to
say 'goodbye'..."

The halo around Sunflash starts to almost burn brightly before he almost jumps
out of his chair in time with Mollianne's pause. The light seems to try to zip
up and away before the Hylian snags with a sudden bemused look. This is followed
by carefully sitting back down and relaxing into the chair.

Several nearby patrons jump a little at Sunflash's sudden upstart, but chill
their grills when he sits back down, assuming he must've just had a brief
epileptic seizure or something from the lights.

Amidst the crowd, Persephone suddenly re-emerges and, with a goofy smirk, sneaks
up behind Hikari and gooses her, eliciting a shriek of surprise from the latter.
Pesephone busts up laughing and so does Hikari; Persephone coaxes Hikari into
following her into the crowd to dance while there's still song left to do so,
bopping and bumping along with the frenetic beats.

Mollianne follows the music into the final chorus, returning herself to the
beginning and putting all her energy into it, perhaps borrowing the energy of
the crowd to stay on top of her routine. Her voice is clear and insistent, one
hand balled into a fist as she seeks to finish what she started.

"Dare no tame ni egao de iru no? Dare no tame ni ikite yuku no? Oshie~te hoshii
anata no hoka ni irunda to; watashi ni dekiru koto? Sore wa anata wasureru koto"
Her eyes raise, toward the ceiling, and she lifts one hand between the two,
peering between her outstretched fingers.

"Kitto, shinakya ikenai? Hontou ni dekiru~..?" She abruptly stomps her taloned
foot as the lyric completes, bringing on the choiral vocale once more to drown
everything else out. This, too, gradually fades out as Mollianne remains
motionless, staring at something unseen between her fingers and the tavern
ceiling above, holding the pose for all of the dramatic flair it can offer.

The large black digital display next to the stage broadcasts the following: "For
whose sake do I smile? For whose sake do I live? I need you to tell me, is there
anything I can do besides forget about you? Truly, do I have no choice? Is it
something I can really do..?"

As soon as the choir fades away, it is almost-instantly replaced with a
nonspecific rave-style dance beat, giving Mollianne the opportunity to exhale
and come down from her performance high.

She tucks her wings in tight against her back, and as many, many people surge
forward to give her props and ask for autographs, Hikari and Persephone continue
to dance and jive with the music, enjoying themselves for what is arguably the
biggest thing that makes the festival such a great place to be: its community.

Emouse thinks, 'Hmmmm.'

Kaze tries to keep an eye on the siren as he moves through the crowd casting
restorative spells as he perceives the need.

Sunflash can't help himself at this point but to give a set of unseen and
unheard claps for the performance. The light from earlier is apparently gone,
and Sunny is simply left to enjoy the music for a time.

Mollianne seems a little winded from her performance, but makes no small effort
to entertain and attend to the crowd's needs as they flock to her, offering a
worn-out smile that, for those actually paying attention, feels more than a
little forced and in-genuine.