A Night of Lanterns {All of District Eleven}
May 23, 2018 0:18:42 GMT -5
Post by Arrows on May 23, 2018 0:18:42 GMT -5
A Night of Lanterns
This is an entire District Event Kirito has decided to put on. The idea is during the day there are booths set up with food, games, and lantern crafting. At night, everyone releases their lanterns with some kind of note or trinket attached to them. The purpose of these lanterns is to remember someone, to send a hope or wish, or really anything you can come up with! My idea is that this will be a big thread of One-Shots, but please feel free to post however many times you'd like and with however many characters you'd like!
I'll kick this off!
This is an entire District Event Kirito has decided to put on. The idea is during the day there are booths set up with food, games, and lantern crafting. At night, everyone releases their lanterns with some kind of note or trinket attached to them. The purpose of these lanterns is to remember someone, to send a hope or wish, or really anything you can come up with! My idea is that this will be a big thread of One-Shots, but please feel free to post however many times you'd like and with however many characters you'd like!
I'll kick this off!
Dawn was just beginning to breach the cold night covered horizon when the last of the packages left. To every house and to every farm and business the posters designed by Kirito's young cousin Kyoshi were being delivered. Aside from the announcement which with sweeping speed was now spreading, endlessly more details were continuing to arise for Kirito to finalize. From food options to the exact locations of booths everything still was in need of one last stamp of approval. The amount of stress which riddled Kirito's body left him sweaty and silent within the confine of his office.
It wasn't until noon that Kirito broke the bond between him and his desk to venture from the hellish halls of the Justice Building for a few measly minutes. Words of the event whipped louder than the summer winds as Kirito stood listening to the chatter creeping through the District Square. Children broke into runs of excitement well adults stood heavy with questions and confusion. An event like the one Kirito had organized was far from the normalcy of District Eleven life.
Back inside the Justice Building bodies flew in and out of Kirito's office faster than the bolts of lightning which followed Kirito from the factory of his nightmares. There was always another problem to be sorted or another booth to be adjusted. Although the event had been in planning for months, now that it was the day before heads became hectic. Constant reminders to keep calm and relax ushered from Kirito's mouth to his workers despite the growing worry which hung from his heart like weights. It was during this absolute chaos he continued to remind himself of why he was doing this.
Several months had passed since the conclusion of the 78th Games. Again with Harbinger by his side Kirito returned to the District with two bodies devoid of life, frozen in death. Again Kirito witnessed their bodies become buried beneath the ground. Again the idea of failure tainted his head and filled the district with the reminder of death. It was during all this eternally familiar sorrow and grieving that Kirito went to see him, to see Iain.
Above the grave of his young cousin, Kirito lit a candle and set it softly onto the ground wrapped around Iain's capitol-crafted coffin. The light although small and a flame flickering in the wind brought tears to Kirito's eyes, but not only out of sadness. The tears which flowed freely from Kirito's eyes, both artificial and real, were also filled with the memories of Iain's smile and happiness. For the first time in a long time, Kirito felt as though he was able to shine a light onto such a dark spot in his heart. It was because of this moment Kirito wanted to give the District a chance to put light back into the darkness, with memories and with dreams for the future.
When all the chaos had died down and the day of the event began Kirito welcomed everyone and told them that the lanterns would be released an hour after sunset. Words of what to say at his speech later in the night haunted Kirito throughout the day. But Iain was by his side every step, reminding him every moment of the importance of healing. Kirito was once a healer, he needed to do something good to help people heal and feel again.
As the sun began to sink further down into the darkness of night Kirito took to the stage looking over the faces of those who came. By this point the worry was gone and the words solid as stone. Many of these people were broken just as he was.
"Tonight we light these lanterns to remember, to dream, to wish, to heal. We are a district and a people that knows loss, but we are also a district that is strong with hope. Tonight we light these lanterns to honor our loved ones who have passed and to put light into the darkest places inside of ourselves. Tonight as a community we come together."
As the last words of Kirito's short speech fell from his lips he lit his lantern and watched as the world around him turned to light. Then in a soft motion he let the lantern lift into the air and instantly Iain's laugh filled his ears. He remember his jokes. He remembered his joy. He remembered everything that he was too hurt to before. And for the first time in a while Kirito felt only contempt.
It wasn't until noon that Kirito broke the bond between him and his desk to venture from the hellish halls of the Justice Building for a few measly minutes. Words of the event whipped louder than the summer winds as Kirito stood listening to the chatter creeping through the District Square. Children broke into runs of excitement well adults stood heavy with questions and confusion. An event like the one Kirito had organized was far from the normalcy of District Eleven life.
Back inside the Justice Building bodies flew in and out of Kirito's office faster than the bolts of lightning which followed Kirito from the factory of his nightmares. There was always another problem to be sorted or another booth to be adjusted. Although the event had been in planning for months, now that it was the day before heads became hectic. Constant reminders to keep calm and relax ushered from Kirito's mouth to his workers despite the growing worry which hung from his heart like weights. It was during this absolute chaos he continued to remind himself of why he was doing this.
Several months had passed since the conclusion of the 78th Games. Again with Harbinger by his side Kirito returned to the District with two bodies devoid of life, frozen in death. Again Kirito witnessed their bodies become buried beneath the ground. Again the idea of failure tainted his head and filled the district with the reminder of death. It was during all this eternally familiar sorrow and grieving that Kirito went to see him, to see Iain.
Above the grave of his young cousin, Kirito lit a candle and set it softly onto the ground wrapped around Iain's capitol-crafted coffin. The light although small and a flame flickering in the wind brought tears to Kirito's eyes, but not only out of sadness. The tears which flowed freely from Kirito's eyes, both artificial and real, were also filled with the memories of Iain's smile and happiness. For the first time in a long time, Kirito felt as though he was able to shine a light onto such a dark spot in his heart. It was because of this moment Kirito wanted to give the District a chance to put light back into the darkness, with memories and with dreams for the future.
When all the chaos had died down and the day of the event began Kirito welcomed everyone and told them that the lanterns would be released an hour after sunset. Words of what to say at his speech later in the night haunted Kirito throughout the day. But Iain was by his side every step, reminding him every moment of the importance of healing. Kirito was once a healer, he needed to do something good to help people heal and feel again.
As the sun began to sink further down into the darkness of night Kirito took to the stage looking over the faces of those who came. By this point the worry was gone and the words solid as stone. Many of these people were broken just as he was.
"Tonight we light these lanterns to remember, to dream, to wish, to heal. We are a district and a people that knows loss, but we are also a district that is strong with hope. Tonight we light these lanterns to honor our loved ones who have passed and to put light into the darkest places inside of ourselves. Tonight as a community we come together."
As the last words of Kirito's short speech fell from his lips he lit his lantern and watched as the world around him turned to light. Then in a soft motion he let the lantern lift into the air and instantly Iain's laugh filled his ears. He remember his jokes. He remembered his joy. He remembered everything that he was too hurt to before. And for the first time in a while Kirito felt only contempt.
