Power/Swap Event

[spoofer]

Characters: Ensemble cast, any/all characters of Xistentia!
Summary: Power fluctuations across Xistentia affect not only the electricity of the city, but also the supernatural abilities of the residents. Will you get caught up in the chaos, or try to help out the next poor bastard who accidentally sprouted telekinesis overnight? Check out the mod announcement!
Date(s): Month of March 2018
Warnings/Notes: Potential violence/accidents

Power/Swap Event

That sing the ecstasy of the soul and senses

Blackouts & Brownouts (March 10-13)

Early Saturday evening, the power goes out across Xistentia. Of course, if you were out in the woods roasting marshmallows or hunting elk, it doesn't make much of a difference until you approach the city and find the twinkle of lights has gone out. However, if you were enjoying some of the city amenities, it's immediately obvious that something is very wrong. Almost all stoves, lights, stereos, and heating systems cease to work. Television is right out. Devices running on indepedent power— such as cars, and cellphones and earpieces that relay the daemon network-- continue to work as long as they have battery power. Fortunately, by now the weather is fairly mild— dropping to a crisp 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15 Celsius at the deepest part of the evening, but far from intolerable for most people. While some have fears that D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. may raise its ugly head while Xistentia is defenseless, F.A.T.E.S. issues an assurance that all remaining power is being routed to interdimensional defenses. Mostly, it's the anxiety and boredom that people have to contend with. So maybe you'll be part of the service passing around lanterns and candles, running patrols to prevent theft, or helping to charge up devices from the handful of people who have developed generator technology throughout the town. Some dubious genius even developed specific electric blankets that convert positive affect from cuddling and shared sympathy to heat output that can be calibrated for maximum comfort.

Or maybe you'll take advantage of the rise of community spirit in the nighttime, and come together to drink and tell stories in the one part of Xistentia that seems to continue to offer a little light— the Temple. There, people congregate to play a drinking game of truth or dare, or possibly complain about them millennials and their dependency on technology.

On the third day, residents begin to find that their daemons are malfunctioning a little. Accidental shitposts, distorted audio, and bizarre typographical errors are the least of it. It's as if your sentient personal assistants have gotten terribly drunk, though they reassure you that it's just part of the repair process...

Swaps and Supercharges (March 14-24)

On day four, the power comes back on and the daemons begin to sober up. It's awesome.

Except that that's when everybody's supernatural powers promptly go haywire.

For some, this is a sudden amplification of powers— superstrength or speed suddenly doubling in measure, or stone skin and magic swords will suddenly jolt into activation in the middle of brunch. A couple of werewolves wake up fuzzy on the morning after a new moon, whereas several wizards find themselves casting unintentional, messy spells while mumbling "shit" over something ordinarily innocuous. Arguably worse, a few people find their powers nullified. It's easier to manage, assuming you arranged your life so that a normal person could go about it. You may have to help one of our local giants escape from their seventy foot suburban home through a towering window, though.

And then there are the swaps. You'll hear about it on the network mainly— people squawking in dismay, that not only have they lost their old powers, but now they have something completely new. Keep your eye out— maybe someone will need your help, managing a terrifying set of abilities and weaknesses that you are familiar with.

NPC Swaps

Though many PCs have powers available for swap, several NPCs have also unleashed their abilities into the pool! Brief descriptions are below. Players may choose to handwave some off-screen help or instruction from these NPCs, or try and figure it out with the help of PCs.

1. Telekinesis— 2 tonne maximum left (equivalent of a player vehicle), may throw or catch knives. Special feats, such as flight, may also be available but require study to master.
2. Elemental Control
   • Hydrokinesis— 15 cubic feet of water may be moved at one time, such as the volume of a square room of 'typical' adult bedroom height. This volume may be shaped or hurled around with the force of an ocean wave (for surfing, rather than storm). Water cannot be generated, but with effort and concentration, it may be pulled from the air or smaller bodies at a distance. Bodily transformation into water is an option.
   • Pyrokinesis— the ability to generate and manipulate flames. Fires will start small, such as fireballs the size of a fist, and be fairly easy to maintain. However, with greater effort, larger, shorter-lived fireballs may be summoned for attacks, such as they may destroy 1 normal passenger vehicle in one shot. Bodily transformation into fire is an option.
   • Terrakinesis— shockwaves through stone/earth/sediment or 15 cubic feet of earth may be moved at one time. Characters may raise pillars or shields of earth for offensive purposes, generating enough destructive force to flip or destroy a car in a single shot. With less offensive goals, they may reshape landscapes. Bodily transformation into earth/stone is an option.
3. Touch Telepathy - Characters may read or affect the thoughts of others by coming into physical contact with them, with effect proportional to effort. Weaknesses will include that the target's willpower can overcome the ability, as characters learn to detect intrusion over time; they may also suffer from difficulty 'shutting out' the thoughts of others that they touch. Opt-out/consent pages will be required.

OOC Note: Changes to powers will be temporary, lasting throughout the month of March before reverting. There will however be the opportunity to make them permanent if you desire. For this, please keep an eye out for the next announcement, which will include a signup for long-term ability conversion!

Comments

Era ☘ FFXIV

[astralera]

MARCH 10th ☘ NAMEDAY

[ Era is twenty-seven summers today.

It was on this day what feels like eons ago that she chose the name that would be hers. Never has she regretted her choice. It is her identity, alongside that of the Warrior of Light: Era Ra, the Raen adventurer.

And now she supposes that Lady de Borel can be added to that list, though Era is fairly certain she will never use it.

She has never celebrated her nameday before - there has never been the time - and is left at a loss as to what to do for it. Era hasn't spoken a word of it to anyone else, deeming it unimportant for others, but that doesn't mean it is unimportant to her. Perhaps she can treat herself to a nameday cake?

Yes, that sounds like a perfect idea. A cake for her and Aymeric to share. Something to distract her from her current melancholy.

Changing out of her training clothes and into a fresh pair of jeans and a warm sweater, Era finishes up by placing a flowery hair ornament above her regrowing horn to distract from it. Satisfied that she doesn't look dishevelled she then hops onto her Chocobo, Peki, and rides back into the city in search of some manner of dessert to partake in. ]

{ run into her on her way into the city, browsing shops before the power goes out, buying a cake, or after the blackout on her way home. or even in the woods earlier in the day! }

☘ AMPLIFICATION

[ Era has always been incredibly powerful, felling gods and armies alike, but Xistentia put a noticeable dampener on the potency of her more destructive abilities. She adjusted to it rather quickly - she doesn't often use her full strength, after all - yet the past few days Era has noticed her spells have been more... impressive every so often. It is inconsistent, which has slowly been driving her mad. She likes to be in control of herself, keeping her abilities in check. Never expending more aether than she needs for a spell. Never using more force than necessary.

It bothers her enough that she cuts her training sessions short whenever it happens, which leaves Era to fill in the time with crafting, gathering, exploring, or hopping on Peki to visit the unicorns.

She notices it in other ways as well while running errands in the city, when Era frequently finds herself reacting to something someone does before they do it. This is something that has never happened to her outside of combat before and is more than a little disconcerting. Her standard abilities going haywire is something she can cope with, but if the Echo continues flaring up Era will be half-tempted to just lock herself in her apartment until it stops, lest she be shown something she really would rather not see. ]

{ can be found training in isolated areas of the beach or forest, exploring the forest, or wandering around the city. if you would like Era to have an Echo vision of a moment of your character's past please contact me via Plurk (froakie) or Discord at Era Ra#4916. alternatively if you would like her to react to something your character is about to do/say let me know in the thread itself!

feel free to contact me if you have any other ideas in mind as well - I am open to plotting. C: }

Re: Era ☘ FFXIV

[shadowmarshalllucask]

[The Shadow Marshall followed behind his O.W.L Daemon as he stopped as he looks over at Era. He found himself having a strange new power that he had no idea how he got and it felt so weird. He found himself having a ability to move earth, just small at first as rock moved around him. But he sighed.

(OOC: You can have Era tell some of Lucas's past)

[astralera]

[ It isn't really any of her business - especially not when it is someone she doesn't know - but the man's sigh catches her attention. And, given current circumstances Era hazards to ask: ]

Is aught amiss?

[shadowmarshalllucask]

[Lucas eyes Era cautiously, still not sure of the new world.]

I have a lot on my mind.

[astralera]

[ Era tilts her head to the side. Her body language indicates she's open to hear more, though she isn't curious enough to pry. If the man needs an ear - or horn, in her case - to listen she can spare some time. ]

amplification - woods;

[pillz]

[it's a random flash that she catches, which is probably annoying enough. even apart from the fact that the boy that the vision is of has always annoyed the fuck out of her anyway, all by himself. the rude kid she'd met at the mingle, months ago, skinny, spiky hair, skinny jeans, and something spiky about his aura too. it's either that, or slime.

but the flash of vision she gets isn't him the way his spikes and slime normally sit. instead, he looks young the way that people do when they're out of their depth and uncomfortably feeling. his eyes are damp, so he's being careful not to blink; his voice cracks and he has to pause, sharpen his tone, say something meaner, to patch it over. it's kurt on the other side of it, blue-skin and pointy tail. an angel of a boy, despite his demonic appearance. she hears it, the choppy, messy, broken conversation between the boys. every word traded in panultima.

but the next minute

the vision's over. and there are footfalls in the woods, but they're just here in xistentia again. kavinsky is trampling along the forest road, a leather jacket zipped to his throat. whistling off-key. his dog-shaped daemon bounds at his heels.]

[astralera]

[ The forest had always been her place to escape when Era needed time to herself and her thoughts, or to just train until her thoughts no longer mattered. Aymeric had some reservations about her going out exploring again so soon after her Incident (Era will take what happened to her grave - not even her husband will ever learn of the absolutely mundane thing that sent her home), but for all of her lingering exhaustion she needed to move. Taking a few days to rest with Aymeric was more than enough recovery in her mind, and now she needed to make up for missed time.

It's as she's returning to her training site nearer to the city (engagement ring and wedding band now firmly back on her finger) that Era is unexpectedly struck by the Echo. The vision it grants her drills into her skull a bit more fiercely than she's accustomed to, forcing her to her knees rather than simply staggering her. She digs her fingers into her scalp as she's shown a memory she would rather not see (far too invasive, even for the Echo); two boys conversing. She recognizes Kavinsky, and while Era only has passing recognition of Kurt normally the memory allows her to recognize him immediately as well.

I care about you. A lot.

Thanks, I guess. Say you're welcome.

If it weren't so obvious this was the Echo Era would have though she were feeling her own emotions for how similar they were to her own. Wishing for affection and love, yet believing you don't deserve it. Putting on a façade; a strong face. Not allowing yourself to be weak. The fear of opening your heart to someone lest they shatter it.

Insecurity. Guilt. Self-loathing.

Era comes back to self-awareness lightheaded and breathing hard, legs weak and hands shaking. She clasps them together, absently running a finger over the rings on her left hand in an attempt to calm her racing heart. It beats in her chest like a hummingbird in a cage, uncomfortably loud in her skull.

The boy in her vision must be nearby, else she wouldn't have been struck by it, but Era doesn't have the faintest idea how to broach the subject with him. It had never occurred to her before how much of an invasion of privacy the Echo truly was, mostly because in the past it had only ever shown her what was needed, in some way. She turns to look to her daemon for comfort though the most Emeraldd can offer her is a warm body to lean on while she catches her breath.

Perhaps she does need to convalesce a few days longer. The Echo has never drained her so thoroughly before. ]

[pillz]

[you know, the funny thing is, kavinsky is having a good day. or night, as the case tends to be for vampires. he isn't thinking about kurt-- well. he's always thinking about kurt, lately, but he doesn't know he's thinking about kurt. he's playing with his daemon now, picking up a stick to throw. yelling at her, cheerful abuse that's less gross and cruel than usual. jumping over a patch of mud, urging her to do the same. clapping when she succeeds.

(he'd been thinking, for awhile, that he'd invite kurt along for one of their walks— it seemed like the kind of thing kurt might want to do, while he was pretending to be normal and mundane as such bullshit as walking.) (sometimes kurt likes to pretend to be normal.) (kavinsky had been thinking: maybe he would too.)

(but it doesn't matter anymore.)

then he sees her, the small woman with her horns and scales. there's a visible twitch of reflex on his face-- he almost says something obnoxious. but he's well fed and physically active, and more aware of his regrets lately, even if he's still not nearly as aware as he should be. so he waves at her and calls out,] Sup, Era. You trying for some alone time or you wanna show Moonshined some of the sweet local stanky spots?

[astralera]

[ If Era didn't just have a vision of Kavinsky's recent past she likely would have been both surprised and suspicious. As it is, she is merely faintly amused by the relatively polite greeting. She still feels shaky and weak, but she's recovering quickly enough that she can stand and over a casual wave in return.

She has no idea what to say to the young man. It isn't as though she intended to see such a private moment but she did and he deserves to know.

Era also has no idea what in the seven Hells Kavinsky is asking her. ]

Hello. I'm unsure of what you mean by 'stanky', but if you're in search of a particular plant I can direct you to it.

[pillz]

Plants? [kavinsky lapses into a pause. for a longish timeish dog owner, he really doesn't know very much about dogs. this should come as a surprise to no one actually.] I mean maybe plants. She likes to roll around and rub on stuff that smells bad, mostly. Like uhh, laundry that didn't dry right. Or the ground when something died on it a couple weeks ago.

You know, stuff like that. [he casts his hand out high over his dog's head, and she leaps up on her hind legs, butting his palm with her muzzle. a smile ghosts over his face. then his eyes cut back toward the au ra.]

Hey woman. No offense, [which almost always means he's about to say something offensive, but!!] you look like shit right now. [which he does not actually mean offensively, referring to her sweats and pallor, but it naturally comes off like a laugh at her expense.] Sup? You hungover? There's this remedy I know about, no raw eggs--

[astralera]

[ Having raised a wolf pup on her travels Era is quite familiar with their fondness for rolling in things she would rather they didn't. The first thing that comes to mind is one of the trees nearby, where the ground below is occupied by a few rancid fruits no longer protected by the frost.

She can't help the way she frowns at the address - being called 'woman' has no positive connotations whatsoever to her in Eorzea. Inevitably it has meant disrespect at the very best. ]

No, I'm not suffering of bottle-ache. I had a vision.

[pillz]

['bottle ache.' that's evocative enough that he doesn't even bother trying to make fun of the foreign use of language. he smiles at her for an instant, fangs glinting in the dim light of the early evening. then he steps forward, leading his dog toward her.]

You had a vision, [he says.] If that's a kind of superpower, that superpower must be a bitch to have. You want some water? I could get water.

[maybe visionaches operate like hangovers. or most other ills of the body, which tend to be improved somewhat by water.] Food, too. I'm fast. I could get you whatever. [moonshined-- his dog daemon— comes trotting, overtaking him. she comes to press her damp black nose against era's knee, then up at her hand.]

[astralera]

[ There is a split second where Era fights the instinct to ready herself for an attack - a habit she fights with regularly (and will never seek to break, for it saved her life countless times), especially when she is not in top form - before she settles again. If she really were in any danger her Carbuncle would defend her after all.

But Kavinsky being so... considerate is strange to Era, even after the vision she had. She shakes her head in the negative to his offers. ]

My thanks, but I have sufficient food and beverage on hand.

[ Having raised pups before Moonshined's behaviour is far from unfamiliar territory. Perhaps it's different with daemons, but Era treats her as any other canine regardless; a gentle scratch along the lower jaw, tracing it until her fingers circle back around to the daemon's ears. She gives the cartilage connecting ear to skull a good scratch before moving to massage Moonshined's scalp in an absent manner. ]

My visions are always uncontrolled, and almost always of moments in a person's past.

[ Era glances up at Kavinsky and sends a silent command to Emeraldd to be on the defensive, just in case. Young men are strange beasts in general in her experience and Kavinsky is the strangest of them all. ]

I saw a young man confessing he cares for you, and your rather poor reaction to it.

[pillz]

[the flutter of disturbance through era's posture at first doesn't freak kavinsky out. it's not exactly an unusual reaction for a vampire to draw. and it's not an unusual reaction for joseph kavinsky, specifically, to draw. he was pretty brain-damaged by the time he got to eudio, really. punched in the head an awful lot.

it's not odd to him at all, that he's offering to help. it's easy to offer to help when you get to show off your magic superpowers. historically accurate. and yeah, maybe he's a little bit less of a bastard than he was some years ago, but that was several kidnappings and manslaughters ago, so.] Cool, [he says, super chill. but then she says that.

she says that whole other thing. she says that last line there. and he stops dead on the grass a few yards away, a hilarious expression on his face-- disbelief, mostly. era ra does not pull her punches.

we have all just witnessed a murder, basically.]

[astralera]

[ As long as it's not her own murder Era is more or less okay with this.

Chin lifted so she's able to look him in the eye, Era gives him a few moments to absorb what she said before continuing. ]

Caring for someone is frightening. Someone caring for you in return is even more so. [ Boy, does she ever have experience with this. ] If you cannot respect yourself enough to accept these feelings, you should at least respect him enough to let him decide who to care about.

Everyone deserves love, Joseph Kavinsky. Even monsters.

[ Even the evil she's been fighting her whole life. Because perhaps if the Ascians knew love they would cease their plots. Perhaps if Zenos had been truly loved he wouldn't have done what he did.

Era is of the belief that if there was more love in the world there would be less evil. ]

If you have not apologized to him yet I would suggest that you stop sabotaging yourself and do so.

amplification;

[shadowblends]

[as much as he hates to admit such things, kurt's found that keeping his emotions in check has been harder than it usually is. a small part of him consistently wishes throughout the day he hadn't come to xistentia, but the stronger, more firm part reassures him that just because he's in a rough spot, he can't give up on the other friends he's made here.

going out on a limb like he'd done with kavinsky wouldn't be an every day thing and the longer he focused on it, the worse it became-- which is exactly why the azure-skinned boy's decided that distracting himself will be the best course of action.

unfortunately, while his powers have suffered somewhat — small, sporadic teleports that he seems unable to control — it's nothing like what poor era's going through. back home, putting up wards around one's mind was basic training for all of them, but on xistentia? he's unaware of any telepaths or those that are retrocognitive, especially ones that he could be in close proximity to where they might hear and see his thoughts. bits and pieces of a conversation she should already be familiar with, a past-time, yet the words are still very fresh in kurt's mind.

it's taken every fiber of his being to not cry (again), to not message kavinsky and apologize because he's done nothing wrong. well, aside from being straightforward and unsurprisingly, that has consequences he'd been braced for, but not quite accepting of.

he approaches with curious timidness, iridescent eyes blinking at the girl gathering things up. some recognition comes across his face before he clears his throat and forces the slightest smile.] Hello, [he greets quietly.] Would you object to an offer of help?

[astralera]

[ were the Echo anything similar to telepathy Era likely would have begged Hydaelyn to take it away from her, but luckily it is only a minor inconvenience every now and then, showing her old memories needed to gain an understanding of the person whose soul she has connected with. She was usually only struck by an Echo vision of an enemy's past, though there were rare occasions where she was granted memories of her allies and only ones of those moments was on purpose.

Era was also usually only struck by a memory vision once or twice a moon, if not less. So even with the irregularities she's experiencing with her powers she is not expecting another one so soon after her experience with Kavinsky. ]

...I would not.

[ Era looks up at Kurt curiously, head tilted to the side and sympathy alight in her eyes while the rest of her expression is decidedly neutral.

She has no need for any help gathering the various herbs and insects she intends to collect for alchemy training, but neither is she going to turn away the young man's help. Even without the powers of a telepath it's clear Kurt has much on his mind, and Era unfortunately has a good idea of what is bothering him. ]

Have you experience with plants?

[shadowblends]

[he doesn't quite know it yet, but he's sorry for whatever emotions end up getting inadvertently tossed era's way. kurt usually does well when it comes to keep them under wraps; he's never been in a position where he has needed to handle these sorts of feelings, though.

regardless, he meets her gaze with very little effort, attempting casualness by allowing his lips to curve somewhat higher.] I do, actually. [considering his house is full of them. things like succulents, aloe vera and jade, ponytail palms and snake plants.]

Are you looking for a certain type? Like, there are some better for cooking and others that are more suitable on a medicinal level.

[which makes him remember the incident where kavinsky had been burning, how he'd pondered the idea of using foilage to soothe his damaged skin. a happy thought, though he shakes his head anyway.]

[astralera]

I am gathering a bit of everything. For potions, poisons, and edibles.

[ The potencies of most plants are reduced if any of their leaves, petals, or stems are roughed up too much. As a master botanist she has no issue gathering them successfully herself (countless hours spent harvesting medicinal ingredients for the sick have made sure of it), but she will give the young man the benefit of the doubt. If he knows enough that there are varying uses for different plants then he must know enough not to damage them during gathering.

Era pulls out a satchel and holds it out for him. ]

Just collect what you like. It should be a help regardless what it is.

[shadowblends]

That seems like a proactive idea. Planning ahead and such.

[he's thrilled to be given the chance to help, accepting the bag with a grateful quirk of his lips.] Thank you, [he murmurs.

and at first, the azure-skinned boy simply gets to work, meticulous, yet gentle while he fidgets with the plants. how quiet he's being is uncharacteristic of him, although era and kurt haven't spent nearly enough time together for her to notice ... have they?]

How have things been for you? I know it's been a while since we last spoke, so. [they should catch up! talk about things that have nothing to do with him!!!]

[astralera]

[ Being proactive and planning ahead... Yes. Yes, that's why she's doing this. Definitely. Not just because she's a packrat and a glutton and isn't recovered enough yet to train as she usually does. Haha ha ha... ]

I am unaccustomed to the limitations of a single climate. [ it's actually pretty annoying, being unable to teleport from the heated deserts collecting cactuar clippings and then go to the Coerthan tundra to gather icetrap leaves, then La Noscea to pull rubycress root from ponds... ] To make up for this I have been gathering a few times per sennight.

[ what she is accustomed to is relative quiet while gathering. that, in combination with not actually knowing Kurt that well, means Era doesn't find anything odd. she also knows it's very likely he has what happened with Kavinsky on his mind, and she is not inclined to interfere with that any further.

to Kurt's question, Era answers quite simply: ] I have been wed. We will have a ceremony proper in a few moons.

[ and also Estinien turned up (late as always), but that would have no meaning to the amiable young man. she also went home for a spell, but that goes without saying considering the current length of her hair (and also she doesn't want to think about it). ]

You will be welcome to attend if you enjoy such things.


(( waiting for the thread with kavinsky to wrap up a little bit more before the Echo kicks in here, because timelines are g r e a t. ))

[shadowblends]

[okay, well-- on the off chance that he happens to find out otherwise, should someone question why they were gathering things, he's going to claim exactly what's already been said. he's none the wiser, unless he asks (which he won't), so open and shut in this case.]

I'm sorry, but 'sennight' is foreign to me.

[meaning it's a word he's never heard before. hopefully, his bluntness doesn't come off as offensive, since that's never kurt's intention.

despite his quietness, he's no less observant. he notices the difference of her hair and had thought to question it immediately, but that isn't usually the best thing for the beginning of a conversation. usually.]

You're getting married? [the second wedding he has heard of this month!] Congratulations are in order, then.

[his smile widens ever so slightly, the hand not holding his bag raising to settle across his chest.] I'm flattered, Era. Is there anything in specific you and your significant other may need? I could bring it as a gift! [a beat.] Or would you rather I leave it a surprise?

[wedding gifts are still very new to him, okay?]


[ooc: oh yeah! that's totally fine c: i understand what you mean ]

[astralera]

It means one week. [ She had to stop herself for a moment there from saying 'eight days', since to her that's what a week is - not these weird seven day stretches of time. ] Aymeric, Estinien, and I are all three of us from a world that uses less 'modern' vernacular.

We've taken our vows already, so it would just be a ceremony. [ Era inclines her head in acknowledgement of his congratulations. ] My thanks.

[ His question momentarily confuses her - gifts for a wedding? She hasn't actually been to any before, so that's a bit of a surprise to her. ]

Do not worry over a gift for Aymeric and I need for nothing. A majority of our loved ones are absent, so the wedding is meant more to be a party that others might enjoy. [ She pauses for a moment, then can't help but add with a small, satisfied little smile - ] And it's the perfect opportunity to wear a beautiful, impractical dress for my dear husband.

[ It's going to be so beautiful and impractical and Era just hopes it makes her even fractionally as beautiful as Aymeric looks every day. ]

[shadowblends]

Oh, okay. [he could've figured it out on his own eventually, but her information is well-received. kurt prefers understanding things, especially when people are from a world that's completely foreign to earth.] Nothing wrong with that at all. [people have told him his own speech could use less formality; he hasn't changed it at all, though, aside from some additional slang he's learning.]

Vows already done or not, you're welcome. Any ideas for your ceremony? [having already discussed wedding plans with rosie, perhaps he'll have some insight? or rather, he can pretend he might and use it as an excuse for small talk.] Such as flowers?

[as he asks, the heart-shaped end of his tail dips around and plucks a large blossom from its vine, curling gently beneath the petals so he can present it to era. his smile curves higher, prominent canines dipping over his bottom lip.]

As you wish. How generous of you to offer other people enjoyment on such an important day. [a chuckle escapes him at the aforementioned unsuitable formal wear.] I'm sure it will be lovely anyway.

[and although he's never met aymeric, it's likely he'd say she looks just as magnificent as her other half.]

[astralera]

Yes, most everything has been decided upon. The flowers were actually the first thing to be chosen. [ There are some Ishgardian traditions that aren't steeped in blood caused by the theocracy's lies and cruelty, such as the one behind the favoured bouquet of an Ishgardian bride.

Era smiles at the young man's antics, though it's as she reaches to accept the bloom that she's struck by a vision. It staggers her; she presses a hand to her forehead and lets out a barely audible grunt of discomfort. Luckily she's stronger than she had been during her last few visions, leaving her able to stay on her feet this time.

What she sees is... Annoying to her, if she's being honest. Certainly the Echo is activating when it shouldn't, but being shown absolutely useless scenes is beyond frustrating. The Echo is meant to aid her in her journey to rid Hydaelyn of darkness, not witness teenage drama.

At least Kurt's view of it is less irritating in retrospect. It's less self-loathing and a sort of... hurt frustration that Era can relate to. Personally she agrees that Kurt shouldn't have said anything at all. Certainly he should have known Kavinsky wouldn't have reacted with overwhelming positivity? Especially if Kurt knows him enough to have grown to care for him in such a way.

Era is too tired to bother explaining what the Echo just did. Instead she takes a breath and states quite bluntly: ]

If things have yet to be resolved just give Kavinsky the continued space to work out his issues, all while making sure he is aware you have not given him up for a lost cause.