hugtopia_logs | much wedding such wow

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much wedding such wow

♥ Who: Era & Ardbert & OTA
♥ Where: Lup's Fabulous Mansion
♥ When: Evening of December 12th
♥ What: Wedding Ceremony (invitees only) & Reception (OTA)
♥ Rating: PG-13

☘
INVITEES

{all invitees can bring a +1 if they choose}
• Lup
• Honerva
• Emet-Selch
• Ardyn
• Regis
• Noctis
• Prompto
• Ignis
• Lunafreya
• Lance

The mansion will open to all offworlders who wish to attend the reception — no invites needed for that!

THE CEREMONY (INVITEES ONLY)

Takes place in a cozy outdoor garden beneath a starry night sky. There are comfortable benches set up with enough space for everyone invited, as well as a not-insignificant number of reserved seating for people who cannot attend. The aisle is bordered by thistles, and lit by warm lanterns. At the end of the aisle is a small platform beneath an elf tree decorated with fairy lights.

Carbuncle leads the procession, acting as the 'flower girl' by shaking a basket of petals around as it trots along. It is followed by Era, who is walked down the aisle by Regis, and waiting for her at the end is Ardbert, flanked by her chocobo and his amaro, all looking very dapper in their tailored coattails and ties. She wears a long robe so deep a grey it looks almost black, and her face is obscured by a mask. She carries a artichoke bouquet.

When she steps up to meet her betrothed he lowers her hood and removes her mask. They're both smiling, clearly head-over-heels for each other. Her bouquet is handed over to Seto for safekeeping, knowing Peki would simply eat it (though Peki reaches over with his long neck and promptly eats it anyway).

There is a priest (grabbed at the last minute from the nearest temple) ready to begin the ceremony. It goes quickly and with hardly any fuss. There is no mention of gods or religion—just loyalty, commitment, and love. Hythlo, their amaro chick, is the ring bearer, and does an admirable job (even if he does run to Noctis instead of Ardbert at first).

In the end Era's vows are very simple: "I love you."

Ardbert abandons the vows he came up with earlier, following his wife's lead with an equally simple: "I love you, too."

Their first kiss is short and sweet. Ardbert has his fingers twined with hers and she can't stop blushing, looking shyly down at the ring on her finger. Familiar with her discomfort in being at the center of attention, Ardbert jovially ~~pulls the aggro~~ calls out:

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go eat!"

THE DINNER (INVITEES)

The meal will be held place in a second room made to look like another section of the garden from the ceremony. The dining tables are rustic picnic benches lit by warm candles in crystalline cups. Overhead is a balcony of arched branches, decorated with fairly lights and strings of crystalline beads (1).

Now devoid of her robe, Era wears a dress with flowing skirts that glitter like the night sky and a top as white as the Light that joined her and her husband together as one. Her hair is loose for once, and her auracite pendant hangs openly from her neck for all to see, as well as the scars on her back she rarely reveals.

The meal is largely made up of hearty, traditional foods like creamy lamb stew, potatoes of all kinds, myriad other vegetables, warm and buttery dinner rolls, various beverages (including both pomegranate and caelumfruit wines), etc., though if there's nothing that tickles your fancy available one of the moogle attendants will do their best to fulfill specific requests. The dinner will be served up to a maximum of nine courses, so hopefully you brought an appetite. Era sure did, and can be found stuffing her face alongside Ardbert in a way most unbefitting a bride, but very fitting for a Warrior or Light.

At the end of the meal they cut their two cakes (one apple-pomegranate and one ice cream), and when Ardbert smashes a slice of cake in Era's face he smartly chooses the non-frozen one. Despite having agreed to smashing cake in each other's faces Era is so excited to eat cake that it completely slips her mind, leaving her blinking up at Ardbert in utter confusion as bits of cake fall on top of her plated slice. (She finds it all very funny once she clues in, as does Ardbert).

**note: invitees will have their dinner first, but there will be food available throughout the reception! it just will be more of a buffet than a proper dinner.

THE RECEPTION

The main reception hall is a recreation of the main hall of Fortemps Manor, albeit a little smaller (1, 2, 3, 4). There is plenty of seating for those who wish to relax in a comfortable chair, or some peace and quiet to snack on finger-foods.

To the left of the main foyer is a medium-sized room with bright, focused lighting suitable for excellent photographs. The garden area is where one might go for that sort of background, but in this room guests can choose from a number of options - a few spots somewhere in Havenwell if they want a more grounded picture, or a different city entirely, an ocean view, a crowded party scene... plenty to choose from. Whatever is selected will be magically projected onto the opposite wall and floor where anyone can pose.

Prompto has been asked to act as the wedding photographer, though he won't be constrained to this room, so guests may have to find him or someone else to help. If they do not have a photographer handy, they can pass their camera or communicator over to one of the mansion servants who is standing by at the door, a semi-translucent floating moogle. The moogle will politely take any photo that the guests ask for until they're satisfied.

On the opposite side of the foyer is a large square area with a beautifully patterned floor, tiled and sturdy, well-suited for dancing or moving about, if guests wish to spend a little time prancing in their lovely outfits. Small cocktail tables and comfortable chairs line the outside area for when you need to rest your feet, and one corner has a band of moogles playing music, switching instruments in and out as needed between songs depending on the mood they're going for. None of them are singing, but there is a microphone if anyone feels like getting... impromptu. Just don't ruin it for everyone else... the moogles also double as bouncers on command.

A small room off to the side of the garden acts as the combination restroom/powder room, with segmented areas for privacy as well as a space to freshen up, cool down, and escape the rest of the party for a bit. It's as fancy as the rest, all marble and gleaming tile, clean and softly-lit. Imagine the nicest hotel bathroom you've ever seen, and that's about what to expect from this room.

MANSION NOTES:

• anything taken out of the mansion that was created within it will dissipate into smoke once passing through the portal, so no food, furniture, or servants can be stolen. (go ahead and try, though.)

• though only a handful will be visible and working at any given time, there are 100 servants hiding in the woodwork somewhere. anyone who causes enough of a ruckus that the bride and groom wish them to be removed will immediately be swarmed by moogles and tossed out the door.

• the mansion is active for 24 hours or until dispelled, so feel free to party as long as you want, unless the happy couple (or Lup) decides it's time for you to go the heck home already.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's the expression shift that alerts him; combined with the unusual urge to leave, it's enough to let him know that something's up.]

Are you okay? Did something happen?

[ Another flash of guilt precedes her quickly looking away. That is to say, yes, something did effect her, but she remains smiling. ]

I, ah-- [ In the end, she shakes her head. It's not appropriate to bring up here. ] I'm sorry. [ She gives his hand another pat. ] It's just me-- I'm a little tired, that's all.

But if you're not, really. Stay and... be with your family, and enjoy yourself. Who knows when there will ever be another wedding to celebrate with them here.

[Yeah, no. There's no way he's letting that go, now.]

I've pretty much talked with everybody and done all there is to do. No sense in staying if my date's on the way out, right? Five minutes, promise. Meet me at the door.

[He tries not to look worried, but he's surely feeling it. This doesn't seem at all like her. He'd prefer not to leave her side at all, in truth, but it might be better to let her get out of here rather than drag her around for goodbyes first.]

[ She wants to protest-- and that had been her best one. A wedding, a beautiful wedding in another world, with the guests all a found family celebrating together? She had been the only unwelcomed one, an intruder. And he, he is central to this family. He should stay.

This had been her trying not to have what's effected her effect him, too.

But in the end, she nods and goes to wait for him at the door. ]

[He's careful with his timing, not taking any longer than he'd quoted to track down a couple of people to say his farewells with a vague explanation and scooping up a napkin with a pair of chocolate sweets on his way past. He steps out of the mansion and heads over when he spots her, holding his hand out, mouth open to offer- ah.

His hand is empty.]

...I was gonna give you a chocolate, but I guess that doesn't work out here. [He gives her a tentative, lopsided smile.] Settle for a hand instead?

Always...

[ Her hand finds his without complaint. It feels warm in her palm. For a second, she allows herself to be grateful for his presence, because she's comforted by his casual smile, as always, forgetting her worries as she looks at him. He's come out to her. He's with her.

But that moment masses, as she remembers that this. This is indeed being selfish, for the reason he's out here. ]

Noct, you... didn't have to leave with me.

I didn't want to stay without you.

[He wouldn't have been able to, seeing her like that, but saying that would just make her feel guilty so he keeps his damn mouth shut. Rather than linger here, he gives her hand a tug and starts walking them down the road back towards their house.]

[ She walks with him, not bothered by the chill of the night air despite the dress she wears. He might be just as comfortable what with the heat she radiates.

As they walk, she remains silent for a block or so, her gaze lowering to the pavement. ]

....Was I that obvious?

[He hadn't intended to press her until they got closer to home, or somewhere private; when she speaks first, he's a little surprised, but he's ready to listen.]

...Kind of.

[It'd taken him a few seconds, but he got there. At this point they both just know one another too well.]

A year ago you might've fooled me.

[ Indeed, it does show how close they've grown where he can simply tell like this. She'd say it would be an error on her part for allowing herself to be so easily read by him, but... No, that's not the right way to think in this case, either. She can let him know. They're together. ]

I'm not sure what to say. [ Idly, her hand swings in his. She doesn't mind this night, the fake stars above, the breath that puffs out with her lips as they walk. ]

Other than that, it... really was a wedding like no other. It was so full of love, and joy, and dancing and... [ A terrible ache, too, that she realized too late. ] I hope more will celebrate their love in the future.

Yeah... not bad, for a party.

[He agrees, of course, that it was lovely and full of everything he's sure that Era hoped it would be. But truthfully he is a little relieved to be leaving it as well. He'd enjoyed himself, but he never fully lost his own lingering bittersweetness about the event itself, at least not for long. Speaking with Luna and finding a kindred spirit in her mood as well... that had been hard.

Speaking of, though- maybe that'll cheer her up a bit, before they dive into the root of whatever this is.]

Luna likes you.

[ It's been quite the night for them both. For a moment at the party-- when she had been dancing with others, conversing with them, too, and specifically dancing with him... She had been happy. She had, for a few moments, forgotten about the one wedding she had attended in her long life, so long ago. She had forgotten about returning to her home. They had talked about the future.

The future, because it has more meaning than it ever did before, when he mentioned it himself.

... ] I like her, too. We're-- [ Somehow, it's easier to say this word when it comes to Lunafreya. She's graceful and lovely, and, Pyra suspects, just a bit lonely. Just like herself. ] friends.

I truly wish for the best for her in this world.

[Friends... it's what he'd hoped for, of course. He wants his loved ones to love one another too, if possible, for there to be a little less strife in his circle than there's always been at home. So perhaps Luna isn't the cause of her upset, then.]

...I'm glad. I- ... I shouldn't have worried. [They're both so kind, of course they'd find kindness in one another as well.] So why...?

[ What follows is a heavy sigh. She hadn't wanted the night to end like this, what should have been a wonderful night for him, celebrating the wedding of a loved one with other loved ones, not led away from them just because she couldn't keep her expression in check in front of him. ]

I try, Noct. To be human. Or to seem human. [ She feels as if something heavy is weighing down upon her shoulders, and her footsteps slow. The pavement she watches as they walk is the familiar path back to their house. ] Human enough to have a family and not... hurt others. [ It hurts speaking this all aloud, when she doesn't.

She looks up, finding herself trying to smile, but failing. Something derisive occurs upon her lips as a result. ] But I'm... really just playing a role which I'm bad at, aren't I.

[ It feels like a betrayal of who she is to even admit something like this-- as if she's feeling sorry for herself. How can she feel sorry for herself, when this is the truth? She isn't human, she hadn't ever meant to be human.

...So she shakes her head, quickly uttering-- ] Ah, I'm sorry. I--

[ Suddenly, she feels as if she's a mess. Perhaps she didn't know how much this effected her until now. ] I'm sorry.

[He listens, quiet and concerned, his brows furrowing as he tries to think about what might have caused this, or if it came from her own thoughts. Once she starts apologizing, though, he abandons trying to imagine the source and instead stops walking, holding fast to her hand so she'll stop with him. He tugs on her hand, urging her to face him, and his eyes seek out hers, solemn and sad.]

Why bother trying?

[Ah- no. that's not right. He shakes his head.]

No- I mean it, but not like that. I meant- humans aren't a hive mind. We all behave different, because we're different people. You don't have to act like anyone or anything but you.

[A little hypocritical perhaps, coming from him. He's done his share of pretending to be someone he's not, and she knows this. But she's also been one of his strongest supporters when it comes to being himself, pursuing his own interests, being honest about his feelings. He's hoping she might take her own advice.

In truth, part of what she says frightens him. To have a family. To not hurt others. Being a part of this family made her so happy. What changed? Because if she tries to imply she doesn't feel that way then he won't believe a word of it.]

[ When he stops them and she turns, her smile carries obvious grief. It's a look of defeat, resignation, and the mourning is for the attempt made at... sometime. A being human, perhaps. ] I am being me.

But...that "me". [ Distress, now, crosses her eyes, and brow lowers as her voice quiets, as if she's still arguing with herself. She wants to believe otherwise-- she truly does-- but words have cut where they've hurt her most: the humanity she thought she had cultivated up until this time. ] It's just pretending to be human. Even when I speak the truth, I sound dishonest. I'm untrustworthy...

[ Just as they had reconvened as the night had ended, she brings her other hand up to overlay his. ] Someone so untrustworthy.... [ Her hands tighten, as if she's still attempting to hold onto the hope that he provides. ] they shouldn't be in a family.

I... don't understand. I don't know where this came from... did someone say something to you? Who thinks you don't belong?

[His eyes narrow, growing fierce and protective. If someone said she didn't belong in his family, he might just have to throw down. No one gets to decide that but them, and they've accepted her already. What happened that's left her so rattled, when she was so joyful during their dance? None of that had felt dishonest, he'd had not even an inkling. Secretive perhaps, feeling some quiet sadness, but he'd been guilty of that as well, and still felt an honest joy.]

[ Her shoulder tense, suddenly gripped with the conflict of if she should have said anything at all, much less continue to speak. Her eyes cannot find his, and instead, she watches how her hands remain with his. This is what she should believe in, the reassurance that she is with him, or that she has his support. At least, she believes she does. Shaken by this, and by what occurred a few months prior, it seems that her sorrow is finally breaking through.

She frames her answer with this, her fingers brushing over the top of his hand: ] Someone who cares deeply for you, and who wants to protect you. Era. [ Her care for Noctis is evident. Siblings, if not by blood then by everything else. ]

Can you imagine-- having someone you completely do not trust with your family to a wedding... [ That she had been such unpleasant company to Era is... she'd never want to put undue stress on her, or make things awkward, but she had, and she hadn't realized it until it was too late. How had she not seen it this entire time?

The only other wedding she had been to was Addam's five hundred years ago. Freshly formed upon the earth, as Mythra she had remained aloof then. Only in retrospect are her memories of the celebration pleasant, with something she recalls seeing so many she loves being joyful; but at the time she knew she was regarded suspiciously, a danger to all those there for what she was. Perhaps it would have been right, too, for Addam to not have brought her. His wedding would have been far more joyful without her present. Much like this one should have been, she shouldn't have come. ] How close I am with the rest of your family, it doesn't matter. [ She had only been allowed to attend because she came as a plus one. She would have been unrecognized as part of this family otherwise.

A moment passes, and she exhales, repeating as emotion begins to overcome her: ] She warned me not to harm you. With any inaction or action of my part. [ And what happened? She still ended up hurting Noctis in that time. ] She only cares about you... and she recognizes-- the truth. That I am only playing the part of a human, of which I've never meant to play. That I can be dangerous to those she loves. [ To the point where she would not trust her with her siblings. Noctis is her sibling.

This body of hers, all a construct. This personality of hers, patched together during a time of strife, imprinted with humanity but their fear as well. ] She doesn't want me to harm you. I am dishonest, I am evasive. A child for being amazed by how amazing others are. She cares. She really cares. [ She repeats again, more softly this time. Era cares, Era cares, Era cares. This point must supersede any pain Pyra feels-- so she tells herself, but currently, she's crippling with grief. It's okay. It's okay if someone cares and they hurt her because of it. ]

[Era...

Gods. Immediately he wishes it was someone else, some stranger he could remain furious at for hurting Pyra like this, for damaging the hesitant confidence she'd begun to find in herself and what they've built as a pair, as a family. If it was someone else he wouldn't have to forgive or be fair, he could simply discount whatever they said and rail at them for saying it. Forget them, he'd tell her. They're nobody. They don't matter.

Era, though. Era is a complication he hadn't anticipated, and some of the building fury deflates into newfound sadness instead. That his family would clash with one another and cause harm like this makes his heart ache. What triggered this exchange? What made her say something that would make Pyra lose all confidence, that she'd doubt her standing with all of them in a matter of hours at most?

His hand drops hers, only so he can move forward and pull her into a swift hug, his arms tight around her back. He holds on like nothing in the world could make him let her go.]

This is what matters, [he murmurs at her ear, his voice harsh and intense, still holding some of that anger but now more for the words that were said than the one who said them.] Just because she cares about me doesn't mean she's right about you. She doesn't know.

[Era doesn't know everything they've shared with one another, the open honesty they've found together, the love and trust and support that he's come to rely on Pyra for and that he's tried so hard to offer in return. She doesn't know how often his doubts have been dragged to the surface through Pyra's encouragement, when with most he would bury them deep in his heart, bury himself in them until he suffocated under their weight. She doesn't know that his life without Pyra at this point would be devoid of so much joy. That it would hurt so much more to lose her than any harm she could ever do.

His arms tense a little, instinctive, protective.] She doesn't know, [he says again.] Someone who cares should know better.

[This isn't okay.]

[ She feels wretched for confessing her pains, because for so long she has been without an avenue to do so, suppressing any. Much like how it didn't feel right to enjoy a wedding when she had been responsible for taking that opportunity for others to have weddings within her own world when Torna fell, it doesn't feel quite right to admit any of this. Not when Noctis has suffered so much. Her internal concerns feel so... miniscule in comparison.

But. It feels better in his arms, and the reassurance helps. She hadn't thought she was so weak to need such reassurance, when he's given it before, but here she is, feeling feeble enough to feel-- terrible. ]

H-...how. [ The word tumbles out between her lips, even as hands weakly rise to his back. ] How... do I be human? A... true and sincere one. I thought I-- [ She thought she was being as sincere as she could, aside from being too afraid of revealing of what she was. She thought she was being as sincere, or at least coming off across it, because she truly did love that wedding, she loved seeing everyone there to celebrate such a beautiful union. Is it so child-like to be in wonder of what is beautiful? Is she untrustworthy because of that? ] ...I thought I was doing so well.

[ Even Noctis had said she's as human as could be. Somnus had reassured her before. There have been others here, that do not know what she is, and-- she believes that the trust her. Trust her at least to not hurt them, either. What had gone wrong, here? Where did she go wrong? ]

[His jaw clenches, and he can't respond for a long moment, trying to restrain that sudden surge of anger. When is the last time he's heard her this upset? Has he ever? It's like this one instance cut through a support pillar holding up more fear and insecurity than he was ever aware of. He'd known, since their fight, since her true self was revealed to him- he knew she struggled with the idea of being human enough to satisfy the needs of those around her, to be accepted and considered to be a person, not a weapon or a thing one fights a war over. He'd fought back against it before. He'll do it again.

But how. How. How can anyone look at her and not believe she's worthy of trust or affection or kindness? Have her interactions with Era truly been that different?]

Pyra... think back. About how much has changed since we got here. Remember how you wouldn't even talk about your world with me? You dodged every question, you always distracted me from digging too far. And it took me a while, but I caught on. I let you know, and... I waited. Figured you'd tell me when you were ready.

[His hand lifts, brushing gently through her hair.]

Now... I know about your home. I know about you, your crystal, Mythra. I know you're not human, and that's okay. You let me in, and it was okay. You let me earn it. You trusted me. Not everybody gets it.

[He draws back a little so he can see her face, giving her an earnest look; he'll wait, as long as she needs, for her to look up.]

You're doing fine. You're doing great. She thinks you aren't because she doesn't know, and the only one who can prove she's wrong is you.

[ Things have changed....

She first stepped into this world fearful as could be, guarded, but loving all that she had seen, everyone who she had met simply because they were there. She had a fear of hurting them, because everyone had been wonderful.

He knows she's not truly human, but as he's said before, she's human to him. She has humanity. Perhaps there are others who think the same, too, that she's not simply playing a role for which she never studied. There are those that trust her.

He saw her flame for the first time in the palm of hands after months of her refraining from using such power. He had been in awe of it, like it was beautiful. His expression alone had been enough. ] I-- [ She leans the side of her face against his shoulder, inhaling slowly. (But, Architect, even that is a construct, isn't it? Having no lungs or heart. Should each breath taken in with emotion be considered a lie, too?) A moment passes where she holds him tightly, and then she relaxes against him. It's impossible not to feel small or inadequate in this moment, but she knows that, at the very least, he is not one to judge her for being weak. She had slipped, and he had caught her, he had held her. It happens to everyone, occasionally slipping and falling, especially when it becomes too much to bear.

She's silent, reflective, tearful for all of a few moments more as she holds him.

When he pulls away to look at her, her eyes are misting. ] Do you trust me with those you love, Noct?

I do.

[His answer comes without an iota of hesitation. People can call him reckless or foolish for it, he doesn't care. If she's lied to him it hadn't been malicious, and he can't imagine her ever intentionally hurting him or someone he cares about. Time and time again she's been kind, and the things that she hides has never stopped her from being his friend, his support, his love.]

I would, every time.

... Ah--... that means.

It means so much, when you say it. [ For reasons she's mentioned before this day: his goodness.

There's a tired, quiet, swallow. She pulls back one hand to wipe beneath her eyes, her smile small and apologetic for slipping in the first place. She wishes to be better than this, not lost and unable to see because she's trapped by the thought of failing to be human enough for that trust. ]

You make being human look so easy. [ That kindness, that compassion. When Mythra was making her, she had wanted Pyra to be better than she had been, and a part of it had been all the goodness she had seen in others. If that goodness is a core part of humanity, then... she can still be inspired by it, and do better. He says she's doing a great job-- and coming from someone as good as him is significant. ] Sorry, I... [ Another apology. She smiles meekly. ] All of this... for all this time, I suppose effected me far more than I thought.

[ No. Not just effected her. It hurt her, and its ripples becoming tidal waves at the end, shaking her foundation. She feels a little better now, stable, if only because she can trust him, too, and trust what he says. ]

That's part of being human, too.

[He lifts a hand, brushing it over her cheek just below her eye where the tears had threatened to drop. That lost smile, the misted eyes, this fear and grief she's feeling, it's all normal. It's real. There are some things even the best actor in the world can't fake, and for all her hiding she's really not a very good liar.]

Hey- you know what's real?

[His hand shifts, dropping down to curl around hers. He lifts both together and presses her palm to his chest, where beneath the layers of his suit, his heart is pounding fast despite his demeanor. A quiet betrayal of the worry, anger, and hints of panic he'd felt, watching her struggle and doubt herself, fearing a repeat of the fight that had almost torn them apart.]

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