no one and nothing can break through

[predecir]

[Well! That sure did happen!

Bruno does not organize an afterparty. He's not a party organizer in general - that was Wu. But he knows he was completely useless, if not downright actively unhelpful, during that whole thing, and he already feels guilty enough. He has to be useful somehow. Otherwise, why's he even here? 

So, before everyone can leave the teleportation circle in the dining room and all go their own separate ways, Bruno mumbles something about making food and takes off for the kitchen. He'll be there for a couple of hours, whipping up some quick chicken sancocho, with Olive on rice duty. Azul can be in charge of actually grabbing people and bringing them in - god forbid Bruno do anything like that - but if anyone does happen to be there to take one, he'll make them up a bowl. Otherwise, he's just gonna leave it all warming on the stove. 

There's also some arroz con leche simmering for later, if anybody wants dessert! He'll put cinnamon in it, and then add some hot chocolate to the lineup as well. He's no Julieta, of course, but at least he's made something? It's not enough, but it's...something.]

Comments

[draconite]

Who knows. If we linger too long on the thoughts of madmen, I think we might be at risk of going mad ourselves.

[ She says it lightly enough, but she's shifting from one foot to the other with the discomfort of someone who knows they're about to ask a very delicate question and isn't quite sure if they're up to the task.

Eventually, though, she just has out with it. ]

Have you... left anything for him? An offering. It's the done thing, where I come from. [ ... ] It might... help.

[strongestfeelings]

...No. I hadn't thought of trying such a thing. [An offering... It's not half a bad idea. ]

Thank you. You didn't need to-- you-- [Stella takes a breath. Bryn knows. She doesn't have to say it. So Stella just crosses her arms before her, uncomfortably.]

I'm glad it wasn't you. [...that killed him.]

[draconite]

[ She doesn't smile exactly – it's definitely not the time or place for it – but the corners of her mouth twitch a bit and her expression overall softens just a touch. ]

So am I. After seeing you hold yourself back there, I have no doubt you would've followed through on the warning you gave me this week, tenfold.

You're quite strong.

[ It's a rare, unqualified compliment. ]

[strongestfeelings]

What, are you surprised? [Stella asks it, her tone condescending, to mask her own surprise. She had always hoped of being capable of powers so great-- but it had always been a question. She'd unleashed her wrath before, but when it came time to control herself, to muster them-- she'd always fallen short.

As awful as the trial had been, it had given her a situation where she had needed no restraint. And she'd been able to shine.

It was terrifying.

It was thrilling.]

It's to be expected. My mother is the most powerful fairy in all of the Otherworld.

[draconite]

Being impressed isn't the same thing as being surprise. Though I suppose I am, a little. It's easy enough to throw around big words and big threats but not everyone can follow through on them.

[ She says it with a tone that implies she and Stella are among those few who can. ]

What sort of power is it? Strictly light magic? It must function quite differently between our worlds.

[strongestfeelings]

[There's a little glow to her, that wasn't there before--- it's pride, but also literal light.]

Yes. My powers are all light based. Many people think it's all about pretty light shows, but-- as Jasper found out, it's much more.

[draconite]

It's interesting. It burns like flame, doesn't it? As I know it, magic like that would be in the domain of fire elementals and those who command heat and flame. But in your world, that's the domain of light. Am I correct?

[ She's being a little nosy, but one of the only good things about this place has been learning about other sorts of magic. ]

cw: radiation, c....ooking.... people....?

[strongestfeelings]

Not necessarily. There are fire fairies, and while both can create heat, there are still differences. [... Though it's an interesting thought. Perhaps it had been in part due to this, that she and Bloom had brought each other so much strength. It was definitely that, and not the shared trauma.]

Light can create heat. Have you ever watched a child burn ants, with only the sun, and a glass? It's like that.

And if you expose a human being to enough light-- the brightest light-- light so bright you can't even see if-- you can make the very molecules of water inside them boil. You can roast their organs, force them to shut down, one part of their body at a time, leaving only their mind, and their heart---

Of course, I'm not anywhere near that point. Blinding is the best I can do.