Luma Party!

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

Need a distraction from current events? How about the stars that seem to have come down to earth to play and frolic? Wait, those aren't stars... are they? They have eyes, make cute squeaking sounds, and float about. They also seem to love candy.

And among them, standing on a hill with a telescope, was a tall blonde woman in a long flowing blue dress. She seemed fairly nonplussed and calm. A table near her had a teapot and teacups, and a plate of strange crystalline candies.

What will you do?

Comments

[will_be_god]

Wait, Cynthia? Where had she--

No, that wasn't Cynthia.

Cyrus wandered closer anyway.

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

Rosalina looked up from the eyepiece of the telescope, glancing Cyrus's way. "You seem curious," she observed. "Am I such an unusual sight?"

[will_be_god]

She still looked so much like Cynthia that it was hard to shake. "You simply remind me of somebody," he replied in a flat voice. "That said, I see that you are interested in astronomy. Perhaps we may discuss it."

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

"I admit, that's not something I hear very often," she said with a small hint of amusement on her voice. It was difficult to pin down her feelings. And as Cyrus approached, he might notice her blue eyes sparkling with an almost otherworldly glow, as if there were literal stars in them.

"You're welcome to join me. Please, help yourself to tea if you wish," she told him.

[will_be_god]

"I will." He had come to appreciate the taste as well as the process of making tea, but now it was simply out of thirst. "It is not often that someone here appreciates the greater cosmos."

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

"Far more than you may realize," she commented enigmatically. "The universe in all its grandeur and magnificence... I've seen galaxies born, live, and die. I've traveled the stars, and it never loses its appeal."

[will_be_god]

That had been his goal, what he had lived for...

"Have you heard of an artifact known as the Red Chain?" It was worth a shot.

[ihateplumbers]

"GO BACK TO OUTER SPACE," suggests a kindly sounding voice that is not at all mean-spirited, "UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO STEAL YOUR SHIT ALL OVER AGAIN. I DON'T CARE."

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

What a loud, horrible sound that was. She knew there was danger in it, but she'd seen too much in her life to be cowed by him. "Disappointing that you refuse to learn your lesson, no matter how many times it's taught to you," she said simply, looking back to her telescope. "This does not have to be unpleasant."

[ihateplumbers]

Nope, he's already holding a Luma in his claws. And squeezing.

"They make such cute sounds when you squeeze them," he cooed.

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

The tiny star baby shrieked in pain and fear, and Rosalina's heart threatened to stop in her chest. She raised her wand. "You will NOT harm my children," she warned him. "Release my child, or suffer the consequences."

[chaoticninjitsu]

POOF. Have a chameleon ninja that hasn't been watching you for a while or anything, trying to determine if you're friend or foe, nope...

"Greetings," Espio said in monotone as he de-cloaked at her side.

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

Rosalina didn't seem too fazed by the invisible ninja suddenly appearing by her side. She regarded him with curiosity, but a lack of surprise. She was used to different life forms and knew Sonic and his friends from the Olympics, and she smiled.

"Greetings to you as well. Would you care for some tea?" she offered simply, not questioning his motives, appearance, or presence.

[chaoticninjitsu]

Ironically, Espio was surprised at her coolness. While he found no issue in "appearing out of thin air," he was used to a flail or two at this point. Her calmness was refreshing.

"Tea would be welcome, yes." He bowed graciously and awaited his cup while eyeing the dancing star people things. "I noticed you from afar and became curious. We don't see many new faces thanks to the strange anomalies preventing our departure. What brings you to the area?"

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

Rosalina nodded, taking the teapot and gently pouring out a drink for the new arrival. She offered the sweet tea to Espio, returning to join him. "The same as you, I'd imagine," she said simply, pointing towards the moon.

"Something is upsetting the balance of the cosmos. I felt a duty to find out what..."

[trustycrowbar]

"Hmpf." Gordon grunts as he hefts the astrophysics books and papers he'd grabbed from the library. Well, technically he'd BORROWED them, but it's not like the due date meant anything what with the moon having an earlier return date than anything he could check out at this point. Mostly it was just to keep the librarian happy.

One thing he learned as a grad student: ALWAYS keep the librarian happy.

Muttering a few equations of motion under his breath and realizing a couple might fit together in a way that was useful to him, he reaches for a pen from his pocket. It isn't there. He glances around. "Where's my--"

Then there's a helpful squeak, and he turns around and spies a helpful star that had been floating behind him with the pen he'd dropped.

"... ... ...Thanks." He plucks the pen out of his hands, and the baby star seems to alert his perception to the frolic and tea that had been going on just in the distance while he was too in his head to notice.

"What...?"

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

The squeaking sound of the Lumas alerted Rosalina's attention to the new arrival, and she turned to see who was there. The Luma that helped Gordon gave an excited squeak and both bounded and floated towards Rosalina, leaping into her arms. She caught it, giving it a hug and smiling warmly.

"Hello," she greeted. "I see you've already met my children," she commented.

[trustycrowbar]

"--Hello." He begins awkwardly, straightening up and taking in the sparkly celestial gamboling on the lawn.

"Your... Children?" He asks, nearing her with books in tow and thoughtfully staring at the chubby star things nearest him. He isn't sure what to make of this. What are they, glittery tadpoles? Why do they squeak? Where did they all come from?

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

"These are Lumas," Rosalina introduced them, gesturing to the star creatures bouncing about at play. "They're young stars, who haven't yet decided what they wish to become when they grow. And so they stay with me. I feed them, care for them, and see them off when it's their time to take their place in the universe. So you could say, I'm their mother."

This was followed up by a small chorus of giggling Lumas calling out "Mama!" and laughing happily. This caused Rosalina to smile warmly.

"What brings you here?" she asked Gordon.

[trustycrowbar]

"Oh you know. Just. Gathering research material on how the universe works."

This scene is serving as a monkey wrench in the works, judging by the nonplussed stare he's giving the whole thing.

"I, uh, was under the impression that stars were a little bigger than this... Even the young ones."

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

"They are," Rosalina told him. "Though that is because the Lumas are not yet stars. They have not decided whether they wish to become stars, planets, comets, or even galaxies... That is why we travel, to find their place in the cosmos."

She laughed slightly. "You seem confused," she commented.

[awakeningwill]

Zero was more curious about the stars than he was the tea party, really. The fairy-like way they floated, their shine and energy all reminded him so much of Cyber-elves.

He wasn't a terribly personable reploid, but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy the company of elves in his silence. Did they eat E-Crystals too? He held a small piece out to them.

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

The Lumas that were nearby took a look at the E-Crystals in his outstretched hand, seemed to sniff at them, and then decided they didn't want to eat.

The tall, elegant woman with them came up behind Zero, holding out a handful of the strange candy like rocks. "I think you'll have better luck with these," she told him, offering them to him.

[awakeningwill]

Look, they were both offering strange rocks, how was he supposed to know what kind of rocks they preferred?

Cautiously, he eyed her, before tentatively taking one of the rocks from her hand. "What are they?"

[ladyoftheshootingstars]

"They're Star Bits," Rosalina explained with a patient smile. "They're edible star pieces. They're the favourite food of Lumas across the universe."