<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/4z0g8rq.jpg?1)</div><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 13pt;"><strong>Sunrise Blade</strong> (She/Her)<br/><strong>Time:</strong> Year 1, Night of the Shining Sky<br/><strong>Tags:</strong> <em>All Happy Spirits</em><br/><strong>Actions:</strong> <em>Listening</em></span></span><br/><hr/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 13pt;">The goddess listens as the spirits speak.<br/><br/>"Thank you Agi." She says as the fiery lion of lucky colors tells her she has changed. Water fills her eyes as the warm spirit snuggles up to her. "I'm, I'm so glad I made you happy." Where the grove was fading and crumbling before, it ceases to, the love of the spirit giving her enough fortitude to at least stop the destruction of the place she has built up for so long.<br/><br/>As Rime approaches her, the goddess leans into the hug, letting her body rest against Rime's cool figure for a moment. "Thank you." She whispers, voice halting. "Thank you." She repeats, a few drops of her tears falling towards Rime's shoulder, turning to snowflakes before they land.<br/><br/>Aqua flows around her, hugging her from the back as Rime does from the front and Agi nuzzles to her side. The goddess seems a bit relaxed now, letting herself lean back into Aqua's hug. "I think I know that now." She says, sounding more at peace. All around you, the grove is pushing back now, establishing itself once more, becoming its own special place again thanks to the reassurance of the happy spirits.<br/><br/>As Wish speaks, the goddess finally smiles again. "I remember all of those times." She says, eyes closed as she pictures them. "The icicle loops were my favorite. I'd never seen that before." She takes a deep breath, a hard one, but a deep, peaceful breath, and opens her eyes. "You are right." She admits, nodding, smiling, "You've made me so happy too. I, I must let myself feel it, or all of this was for naught." The grove seems solid now, fragile, but solid. <br/><br/>At Cor's words, she nods her head in respect. "Thank you." She says softly. She knows the stone fox understands how long these words will last. <br/><br/>Her eyes fall on Rin, watching the fire spirit with a mix of hope and apprehension. She knows that Rin is deep in thought, and tries to respond to her carefully. "I do not know what the nature of the Grumpus is." She admits, "I know only what you have told me of him. If he was here when I arrived I did not see him." <br/><br/>She continues to listen attentively. "We used to think we were being responsible." She says wistfully, looking up at the many-colored night sky. "More than that, we used to think we were doing the right thing. The noble thing." She sighs, her breath coming out like fog in the cold winter night. "Be careful, responsibility can become quite complicated..." she looks like she might say more, but silences herself.<br/><br/>As Rin stares at the ground, the goddess moves to her, gently so that the other spirits who are embracing her may walk along if they wish. She drops to one knee besides Rin and wraps her arms around the fiery spirit. "I would miss you." She says, looking like she may cry again, but not out of pity this time. "I would miss you so much." She admits, hugging Rin close for a moment, before she eases off of the embrace and moves back to look Rin eye to eye. She pats the fiery spirits face fondly. "Thank you. You are right. I do have a role to play even if I do not leave this Grove." <br/><br/>She lets Rin go as Bubble speaks, and she picks up her sword again. The blade is sheathed, she holds the scabbard with both hands, a mixture of reverence and trepidation in the way she grips it. <br/><br/>Her eyes are sad again and she glances down. "I understand." She says softly. She glances up at the serpent, a wistful smile on her face. "A long time ago I considered going into the stars with him. I wish I had been as wise as you already are."<br/><br/>She glances down at her sheathed blade. She thinks for a moment. "It is yours." She says simply. <br/><br/>And like that, blade is gone from her hands. And Sunrise Blade is gone as well, the form of the goddess that remains is one you know much better....<br/><br/></span></span><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/16ZCeQa.jpg?1)</div><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 13pt;"><strong>The Spirit of Blossoms</strong> (She/Her)<br/><strong>Time:</strong> Year 1, Night of the Shining Sky<br/><strong>Tags:</strong> <em>All Happy Spirits</em><br/><strong>Actions:</strong> <em>Finding Herself</em> </span></span><br/><hr/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 13pt;">Bubble can feel the magic of the sword has joined her. How exactly she cannot say, nor does it take a physical shape, but she can sense that if she wished for it too it would form again in front of her. The magic of the sword is strong, very strong. Being one with it now, Bubble can sense that Blossom, Sunrise, whoever she is, told the truth about it. It is horribly powerful. It is not even really a sword. It is whatever Bubble might wish it to be. A spike. A club. The chomping jaws of a giant shark. All or none of these things.<br/><br/>Blossom reaches out and strokes Bubble's cheek gently, if the spirit allows her to.<br/><br/>"I am sure you are thinking to be rid of it." She says, understanding. "But I know of no way to destroy it, and I should not have it, not if I am to remain and caution the young spirits away from the path I took."<br/><br/>"It is a very big, very dangerous world out there. Bigger and more dangerous than even I truly know. Maybe you will find a way to swim through it in peace. But if you wish to join the Serpent, move quickly."<br/><br/>Indeed the magic of the many colored snake seems to be passing along with the night. With the power of the sword, Bubble finds she can indeed swim through the sky, up towards the many colors of light. <br/><br/>"Goodbye." Blossom says, her face both sad and happy, but more happy than sad. There is an optimism there that was not before. Is she thinking Bubble may succeed where she did not, or is she proud of the little spirit the way a mother bird is watching the young leave the nest? Perhaps a little of both.<br/><br/>"And for the rest of you." Blossom turns the spirits who have stayed. "You will always be welcome in my grove. But you have taught me now, perhaps more than I taught you. But I will pass this wisdom, and what I knew before, on to the next happy little spirits that come to me. Maybe some of you will stay on this island with me, and we can teach them together. Or maybe you will stay with the mortals, or the beasts, and just come to visit me from time to time. I would like that. Quite a lot." <br/><br/>Indeed as you all rest for a moment, a small little thing has floated in. Just a little drop of joy. It seems almost strange to you that you were once so small, so innocent, so blissfully unaware. It floats over to where Rin has left her popped corn and takes a happy little bite, giggling to itself.<br/><br/>Blossoms smiles and leans down. "Hello there, happy little spirit. I'm called Blossoms, welcome to my Colorful Grove. Would you like to meet my friends?" <br/><br/>The rest of the night passes peacefully, quietly, lovingly, for those who stay. <br/><br/>As the sun begins to rise you realize, it is now nearly a year since the Wise Old Elephant first asked you to show her babies the island. Was that what started whatever this path is you are on? Was it something else? Nothing entirely? A year ago you might not have even wondered. And now, you cannot help but wonder about it all. But mostly, you wonder what does the future hold? <br/><br/></span></span><hr/><br/><em>The Night of Shining Sky has come to an end. Moving things along in the next post!</em>