Of Wings, Boat, and Lanterns
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By meiniann
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The ocean shimmered beneath the moonlight, lanterns floating like scattered fireflies, carried more and more further to the horizon by the gentle waves.
Meanwhile, Mirae floats around by the shore. Hovering just in front of a wooden boat painted in pale blue.
"Should we...go by boat? Or should we just fly?" she mumbled aloud, looking back and forth at Ceci that is now standing next to her, her own wings, and the boat itself.
Ceci tilted her round head a little and blinked. Then chirped once.
Mirae puffed her cheeks, "I mean...we could just fly, you know? I'm a Tortuvina, you're a Sphowlx. It'll be a total waste if we don't use up our wings properly!" she continued as she flared her wings dramatically.
Ceci didn't react.
"Then again," she sighed, "It's a tradition. You float the lanterns, then you set sail, follow them, and go back by midnight. It's always like that,"
She looked out at the water again and chuckled, "And if we start flying instead...who knows? Some...historian might have a breakdown and ban us from the rite for breaking the old tradition,"
Ceci let out a squeak, then floats towards the boat.
"That's it! We shall go for the boat!" Mirae exclaims as she took the paddle, "Besides, you do have a point. Set sail to follow the lantern to the edge of the realm? It's kinda poetic,"
She pushed the boat off shore, before flopping down inside dramatically. Her soft pink mist puffed out instantly, making her looked like a cloud of cotton candy with wings and adorned with strings of flowers.
Mirae gave a test row as the boat creaks softly and carried them to the herd of lanterns.
Ceci toddled forward to the very front of the boat. Chest fluffed out with pride, tiny wings flapped in excitement. Like a captain of a winged and elegant voyage.
"Alright, Captain Ceci!" she giggled, "I row while you keep those sparkly eyes of yours on the water! We need to find our lanterns, got it?"
Ceci chirps in fierce determination and squinted out at the glimmering waves.
With that, Mirae began to row the boat gently, careful not to rock the boat too hard. Each stroke cut through the glowing ocean like slicing through a pool of stardusts.
The boat bobbed gently between other lanterns. Some bore ribbons, others drawings, while a few had wishes written on it.
And around them, other Faians sailed with each of their boats, giggling and pointing at the glowing lanterns, whispered to one another. One Candle Noodle even played an instrument, filling the night with soft tunes of music.
Ceci leaned down as lantern after lantern floats by. A particular one caught her eye as she flaps her wings and chirps at Mirae in excitement.
"Nope, definetly not ours. Nice try, though! I appreciate that," Mirae sang, dodging the lantern gently.
Ceci went back to focus on the water once more, squeaks and jumps at the sight of another lantern. Mirae stared at the lantern Ceci might refer to, which is...a heart shaped lantern.
She shook her head, "Still no, sweetling. Mine has strings and beads, remember? While yours is extra sparkly with sun and flowers drawings on it. Try again!"
Ceci let out an upset and a rather angry squeak in reponse, before turning her head back to the ocean.
At one point, Ceci nearly tipped herself off the boat for trying to reach for a bright purple lantern with a glowing star in it.
"Ceci!" Mirae gasped, lunging in a speed of light and bit Ceci's tail right on time, catching her mid-fall. She placed the Sphowlx back to the boat.
"This is not a diving trip!" she exclaims at her pet, who is now too stunned to chirp like she had been through a series of traumatic events.
Mirae took her paddle and continues to row, "You don't even like water," she huffed, "You once screamed when I accidently water you in the garden,"
Finally, Ceci squeaked again. Now shaking her tail that is a little messy from the saving.
The chaos went down after a couple while. Mirae paddling gently, while Ceci—still sulking a little from before—watches over every lantern that passed by their boat.
Until suddenly, a hopeful chirp bursts out from Ceci. She flapped her wings in a quick motion, pointing her whole body towards one soft lantern adorned with beads and a smaller lantern trailing behind.
Mirae squinted.
"...That's it!" she exclaimed, "That’s our lanterns! Great job, Ceci!"
Ceci squeaked in triumph and took flight off the boat.
"Eh?! Ceci wait! You can't just storm off like that!"
Mirae rowed the boat as fast as she could, water splashing softly as her mist curled tighter around her. Meanwhile, Ceci zipped right up towards their lanterns and hovered above them triumphantly.
Then, she froze.
And looked down.
There was no solid surface. Just the ocean. And lanterns.
Ceci yelped, then somehow managed to balance on one of the nearest lantern, wings outstretched, eyes wide.
Mirae stifled laugh as she finally reached her, "Pft! Ceci, you silly little thing! You do realize that you can fly right?"
Ceci blinked at her owner. Then squeaked in pure embarrassment.
Mirae gently took her back to the boat, "Ceci, sweetheart, you're not a fish. You're an airborne fluffball with beak and four stubby legs. We should stop you from trying to drown yourself,"
Ceci floats and immediately nuzzled to Mirae's wing and hid her face in the pink mist.
Mirae giggled and turned her gaze to the lanterns, now drifting right alongside their boat. The larger one glowed by the flora within, while the smaller one was decorated with blue glitters and a messy sun drawing.
She reached out and gently brushed her wingtip over the lantern's surface, as the water carried them gently forward, waves soft and slow. The ocean had became a blanket of moving light with hundreds of dreams float together in a form of lanterns.
Time passed like a wind, and before long, the moon had climbed high and the stars began to blink slowly.
It's midnight. And the rite has reached the end.
Mirae took one glance at their lanterns, then tilted her head up to the sky. Then, she looked at Ceci, who still sat quietly at the edge of the boat, watching the lanterns drift further.
Mirae reached over with a wing and gently patted her Sphowlx.
"I think...it's time," she whispered, "We should go back by now,"
Ceci puffed up and squeaked softly. Not happy squeak. But also not fighting it.
Mirae picked up the paddle and turned the boat around slowly, careful not to make waves. The glowing reef in the distance beckoned them back. Then, she took a deep breath, and began to sing—voice soft as seafoam.
"Drift, drift, O light on the sea,
Carried by wishes, and soft memory.
Glow like the hearts that silently yearn,
Guide all our lanterns until we return.
Whisper our names to the stars up above,
Swirl in the tide, in laughter and love.
The moon knows our hopes, the reef knows our sighs,
So drift, little lanterns, 'neath midnight skies..."
Her voice wove through the waves, soft as the mist around her. Ceci curled up into a soft featherball on her head, finally relaxed. She let out a happy squeak as the boat drifts gently back towards the shore.
The flock of lanterns glowed behind them, slowly vanishing into the wide, open sea.
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Submitted By meiniann
for [RR] Set Sail
Submitted: 2 weeks ago ・
Last Updated: 2 weeks ago
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