Stronger With Those Daddy Issues

[missrecalled_mods]

Waking to bird song isn't exactly shocking in Auradon, but it seems... louder than usual on the first morning of the event. And there is a reason for that. Auradon has been visited by a rather large flock of Golden pheasants. An odd flock as experienced birders might notice there are only the brightly coloured males in evidence. But there isn't much time to think about that because with them comes... a complication.

Now this is Auradon, of course, so the only mess the birds are dropping are bright colourful feathers. But the feathers, like the flowers last month randomly trigger a memory. Once again the memory shows in 3D, looking the most solid to the one who touched the feather - and unwittingly contributed the memory. No one can interact with it, and no matter how solid it looks, the figures and places and things in the memory can be walked through with ease. Well, physical ease, anyway. The memory, once again, will not be from the perspective of the one it belongs to; they and their companion or companions will be observing from a third party perspective, thus allowing a person to see their own face in the memories without the aid of a mirror.

The memories this time are memories of fathers and paternal figures. Generally good memories. After all, this is Auradon.

If one interacts closely with the birds or their feathers they might also have strong vivid dreams of their paternal figure. Again, genrally happy dreams given this is Auradon. While the birds will fly away after two weeks, and the feathers will lose their power to share memories at the same time, for every day spent handling the birds or feathers during the event, the character might have up to that many day of intense dreams after.

Comments

[smilingarmor]

Sylv was a bit surprised to see her emerge from the foliage, but smiled a bit nonetheless. "They do tend to, don't they?", he said. "Though to be fair, I was just a silly young thing back then, and didn't know any better."

[queen_butterfly]

"I find that age is seldom a determining factor in one's ability to decide what appeals to them, to strive for." She eyed him, absently petting the bird still relaxing quietly on her shoulder again. "What had been your goal back then, if I might ask?"

[smilingarmor]

"Back then?", he repeated, thinking back. "Back then I don't suppose I had one. Well not one of my own at least. I'd been training to be a knight since before I could walk; I would stay in Puerto Valor, and follow in my papi's footsteps. It wasn't what I wanted, really, but I thought I might... grow into it you know?"

"But then one day, a few years later, the circus came to town! It was so, so fabulous! I can't even describe it; it was... love at first sight. I knew from the moment I walked into that tend that I'd found my calling; getting up on that stage and making people happy? That's the life for me. And though I may regret how my papi and I parted ways, I've never regretted my choice to go into show business. It's just so wonderful, bringing people joy and seeing their faces light up with smiles, you know darling?"

[queen_butterfly]

"I do. One might be surprised, how many times a kind word can change someone's life, or even save it." She gave him a bit of a smile, though there was something sad in it. "I do miss visiting the humans' villages... playing with their young ones, 'returning' items I 'found' to those that needed them...." A silent sigh to herself, looking back down to the bird she was petting, moving her hand to scritch its cheek more, and it tilted its head to lean into it. "At least I can probably look forward to resuming similar, when I return home.

"I don't suppose there's anything I might do here, to assist your efforts?" A slight pause, as she hadn't quite caught on before she'd offered, distracted as she was by the conversation preceding her words. "Or... ah.... I suppose I could at least clean the kitchen again...?"

[smilingarmor]

Sylvando smiled. "Exactly!", he said. "And I'm sure you can darling. After all, a lovely person like you is sure to brighten people's days."

"As for helping me, that would depend on how squeamish you are, and whether you're willing to leave behind your little friend. The birds I've taken will need to be cleaned and dressed, and much of the meat frozen to preserve it, none of which I suspect he would particularly like."

[queen_butterfly]

She seemed to be debating on how to answer for a few seconds, before finally sighing. "Nor is it anything I've ever had experience with, to be honest. And... I don't know that squeamishness is a factor, precisely? But my kind does not... ah...."

She reconsidered; the dragons had, at least while they'd needed to, as they hadn't had any effective choice in the matter. And the fairies, herself included, preyed upon the garden pest insects, in their earlier life stages, as well.

"Well... not once able not to.... But I know humans are different." She shrugged, eyeing the bird she was holding, and gave it another few scritches and a kiss on its head, readying to set it down, though it didn't look like it wanted to go. Why would it, when it was getting attention? "I wouldn't know where to start, but if I could possibly assist somehow...."

Knowing about the carnivorous part of the food chain was one thing. Getting involved for the first time in just about forever would be another, though. Maybe she could at least take care of the cleanup as he worked? But realistically, she might well do just about anything he'd need for it, short of actually using the knife herself, if he were willing to direct.

[smilingarmor]

"It's quite alright, Malia darling," he said. "You're likely not the only one here who's new to the task. But never fear! There are parts of it that are rather self-explanatory, and the rest of the time just having someone to talk to will help move things along nicely." Dressing game wasn't a particularly pleasant or exciting process, after all.

[queen_butterfly]

Well, that, she could absolutely endorse!

"...So what I'm hearing is, it may be an opportune time to regale one another with more stories? Perhaps of one of the numerous times that that friend of mine convinced one of the human rulers with more ego than sense or kindness to do something publicly humiliating?"