in darkness, seek joy.

Warrior of Light (DRG) from Final Fantasy XIV - Affiliated with Isola Radiale - surrender not to sadness, and see beyond despair. Walk free, and bear the light for others to follow

[starlightdive]

Lilli Belrose | Hyur Midlander | Dragoon | Warrior of Light

dragoon /drəˈɡo͞on/ n. 1. lance wielding knights that have perfected the art of aerial combat through nimble jumps and dives.

A fierce fighter with near-unshakeable courage, and an endless love for the world and its people.

Lilli's no stranger to travel, even between worlds, so being in Spirale isn't that strange to her.

You know those days where you're like 'this might as well happen'?

A bit dumb, but like, affectionately. Would believe that a kilogram of steel weighs more than a kilogram of feathers.

Likes sports and surfing, and hates sitting still for too long.

Her usual solution to problems is hitting it really hard, and if that doesn't work, hit it again, harder.

The large jagged scar down the side of her face is from her near-transformation into a lightwarden (a monster of pure light that only lives to feed on others), leaving her half-blind. Still working on adjusting to not having depth perception.

The scar on her back was from battling the dragon Nidhogg.

Though she's been through a lot on her journeys, she refuses to become cynical. She believes that life is worth living simply by loving the people around you.

Loyal to the bitter end. You've befriended Lilli-- Lilli will now die for you.

Her last brain cell is heart shaped.

[starlightdive]

// ...ooooorrrr never mind on that break, the shop managed to get my computer back to me same-day so I'm back in action!

[starlightdive]

@corvisque

"My apologies! I wasn't in your way, was I?" Lilli steps aside at the booth she was browsing, giving him a better view of the items on display. A routine job had turned into an impromptu shopping trip; she loved browsing the markets when she had a spare moment.

"...he's not in your way either, I hope."

She grabs the misbehaving dragonet from his spot on the counter, where he was probably searching for a snack to snatch...

[starlightdive]

@kleinstar

"Hey, have you seen a dragon around here?" Lilli skids to a halt in front of the guy, careful not to bump his sketchbook as she does.

"Not one of the big ones!" gesturing with her hands, she tries to approximate the size of the dragonet she travels with; how to describe him... cat-sized?

"He's a young dragon, I think he was chasing some sort of animal. Did he happen to come by here?"

[starlightdive]

@robustdragonheart

"Ah! It's you again!" Applejack had seen her before Lilli did, taking off after his fellow dragon before she could stop him.

(...at least she doesn't seem too bothered by him...)

"You must have been right about that connection- he really seems to like you!"

[starlightdive]

@existentialismee

"Hey, Watanuki? Can I ask you a strange question?" Following up on his invitation for tea, Lilli had brought a few snacks along, as well. She sat cross-legged, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"I've known you for a while, but I realized I don't know a lot about this shop. What exactly is a wish granting shop, anyway?" It's said with a sheepish laugh. "You'll have to forgive my ignorance; if you deal in magic, I'm not well-versed in the subject. Never had a talent for it, myself."

[starlightdive]

I've been making a bunch of new icons for her, so here's a small starter call for Lilli! Leaving it uncapped for some (likely short) starters!

[starlightdive]

// Gonna try to get some writing done today (including my starters + replies!) and then I have to drop my laptop off at the shop for a few days, so I'll catch up on anything I owe once I get it back!

[starlightdive]

I've been making a bunch of new icons for her, so here's a small starter call for Lilli! Leaving it uncapped for some (likely short) starters!

[starlightdive]

so lilli's got a new gig,

[depenndable]

"Fortunately, the trinket is modular....And a little useless." All on purpose, it was just a simple circuit she'd built to pass the time.

"Now, let's see!" Aubrey gingerly plucked the device, and began reassembling it. And just like that, the machine whirred back to life and began spinning once more. It was like those simple toy dolls that could fly. And once it flew off the base.

It spun...

Directly into the lit fireplace.

"Oh my! Why don't we forget this happened!"

[starlightdive]

"Wha-HEY!" Lilli dives after the weird device as if to intercept it, but she's not quite fast enough. The machinery goes up in flames.

...like a moth to a flame.

For a moment, the two women stand side-by-side, staring at the fireplace, dumbfounded.

"I assume it wasn't, uh. Supposed to do that." Her gaze is drawn to the other machinery scattered about. None of them look like they're supposed to be self-destroying robots (though she's no expert).

"What sort of things do you usually make?" She can't help but be curious after that particular display. Making sure not to touch anything else, she surveys the other tech stuff scattered about.

"I'm no engineer, myself... obviously. But I have friends who have built some pretty incredible things. I appreciate the science of machinery, even if I have little talent for building or using it."

[depenndable]

@starlightdive

Her constructs thus far in the city have been rudementary at best. Regardless, that didn't change the fact they were functional. And she'd stumbled upon someone toying with her engineered work.

Instead of speaking up, she stared. Waiting for the right moment to speak.

Once her presence was acknowledged, the only words that escape her lips are:

"Are you having fun there?" She's definitely using her mom voice...

[starlightdive]

Shit, shit, shit. If she just puts this back here, and, uh... where did this piece go again?

"Oh!" Lilli stands up straight, nearly dropping the cable in her hand. "Is this stuff yours?" Clearing her throat, she hands over the wayward cord, running a hand through her hair.

"I wasn't trying to mess with anything! I bumped it and one of those wires came off, so I was trying to put it back like I found it." A glance back at the machine. Something had started beeping at one point...? That probably wasn't a good sign.

"I honestly don't know what I did, I was just trying to plug the thing back in..."

[lalaluuz]

Stringbean, for her part, had made her dislike of the strange flowers growing on her witch very well known right from the first. Even now, she angrily chewed at a bloom that had recently popped up, in an attempt to remove it.

Luz, meanwhile, spun the chilled can she was passed between her hands, stalling on opening it. "No, not... really? More like discomfort, so far. And... to be honest, it's almost waking up a weird phobia for me? Of stuff growing out of my body? Basically, I'm trying not to think too hard about it when they show up."

She chewed on her lip before asking, "What about you? Are you and Applejack holding up okay?"

[starlightdive]

"I get that." Lilli knows a thing or two about having your body taken over by something else; never fun. She wonders what kind of life the young witch had led to lead her to fear such things...

Sipping her own drink, she leans back in her chair. Luz looks tired; way too tired for someone her age. Someone who's seen too much too young, and she can't even find any peace in this damned place. It's not right, Lilli thinks.

"We're surviving. I think Applejack has eaten so many of the glowing petals that he glows in the dark." She's only pretty sure she's joking. Her gaze falls to the Elpis flower petals that had fallen closer to Luz. Grey with anxiety, dull violet with guilt and fear...

"Have you ever heard of Dynamis?" It's said without really thinking... ever since these weird plants started to bloom, she's found her filter a bit lacking. (even more so than usual).

"Strange question, I know. But it's a kind of energy... not really magic, I think? But it reacts to strong emotions." Twirling a glowing flower in her hand, she examines its petals.

"These flowers are sensitive to it, and change colors and brightness based on how people are feeling. See? Stringbean is a bit agitated, so her flowers are red." Lilli tosses the bloom in her hand across the table, where it lands in front of Luz. The petals shift, colors dancing in shades of purple and grey.

Lilli doesn't say anything. She won't make Luz talk about this stuff if she doesn't want to; but the flower serves as an open invitation.

I'm here if you need someone.

[ostentumm]

"I ain't much of a gaaaaaardener!" He's learning at least, thanks to working at Aerith's flower shop, but STILL!

A singular bulb-shaped flower sprouts at the top of Oliver's head when he removes one from his arm.

"I BET it's those guys' doing! You know, the stars?" Oliver is certainly not happy. He huffs and puffs, but eventually the kid manages to calm down with one single stomp.

"How come your flowers glow?"

[starlightdive]

The stars... she knows of them, but she wishes she knew more about them. No matter what she's tried, she hasn't been able to get close enough to even see one of them. But she wouldn't be surprised if the fiendish flora was also their doing...

"Hm?" Pulled out of her thoughts by Oliver's question, her attention returns to the plants in question. "Oh, these? They're Elpis flowers... at least that's what we've been calling 'em." The petals nearest her emit a soft gray light, while some of the petals closer to Oliver have brightened to match his energy.

"Their glow is a reaction to strong emotions. The color and brightness change depending on how people are feeling." She gently plucks the flower from atop his head, twirling it between her fingers.

"What I don't entirely get is why they're here, and why they're growing like this. Are any of these flowers you recognize?"

[lightblume]

"Tragically, I live here," Early on, she remembers it feeling that way. Maybe it was more akin to a dark comedy when it came to living among the fae, but she was more than used to it now, at least. "It hasn't always been easy, but thankfully, I learned from someone in the past how to mind them."

"Some advice, since you intend to keep visiting..." Brave, she'll give her that. "Learn their names. And never make bargains." Not that it needs to be said, considering the type of people they were. "That, or hope that I'll come along again to lend you a hand. Which is likely, considering I find this forest peaceful."

"A question for you, now..." Since she, too, was curious. "Are you a friend of Dar'khol Moshantu? You both give a slightly similar..." How could she say it? "Well, let us just say you have a similar way about you."

[starlightdive]

Nodding along, Lilli idly passes the apple from one hand to the other. Help when needed, but don't agree to deals. Learn their names, but don't let them have hers, if they're anything like the fae of Il Mheg. Once upon a time she learned their rules, she can learn these, too.

"I doubt I have the fortitude to live here," Lilli admits, "but I would quite like to keep visiting, if the pixies are all right with it." Her gaze moves to the flowers, the trees, the fluttering of wings just out of sight. "It reminds me of a place I used to spend a lot of time. I befriended the fae of another world, once, though I know no two are the same."

She wonders how this woman came to live with the fae... would it be rude to ask? Before she can decide, the stranger's next question registers.

"Oh! You know Dar!" Lilli's face lights up at the mention of the warrior. "He's a dear friend, yes. I suppose we are a bit similar... perhaps because we both spent so much time in Eorzea?"

[starlightdive]

@lalaluuz

"Oh, here. You got another one..." carefully, Lilli picks a flower off of the girl's arm. They just keep popping up... it's maddening how stubborn the things seem to be.

She sits down across from Luz, sliding a can of soda across the table as she looks the younger girl over. She's been worried about the kid, though she isn't sure how to bring it up without coming off as overbearing. The weird flowers were as good a chance as any to check on her, at least, so she invited her over.

"You doing OK?" She brushes a few petals off of her sleeve as she opens her own drink. "No pain or anything from the flowers? I know some people were saying they hurt." Not that she would know anything about that... there's a hiss of dissatisfaction as another one of the damned things pop up on her hand.

"Guess I just wanted to make sure you and Stringbean were hanging in there. Crazy place we live in, after all."

[ostentumm]

@starlightdive

"GAHHHHH!!!!!" Oliver yells, plucking as many of the flowers as he can with a fistful! "AS IF THIS'LL STOP ME!" Actually, he doesn't last long. Where he removes the flowers, only more sprouts appear. "I don't get it!!!!" Why was this even happening?

[starlightdive]

"Woah, hey! Careful— wouldn't want to hurt yourself trying to get rid of those things. I've found they're pretty stubborn." When she moves, a few glowing petals fall from her sleeve, fluttering to the ground below.

She hasn't seen Oliver in a while; not since those weird ruins they explored together. Since she watched him...

...

another vine creeps along her arm as she chooses not to think about that particular memory.

"I don't know why it's happening, either." she brushes a few flowers from her own skin, only for new ones to replace them in short order. Stubborn and persistent.

"Ha...think someone in the city took up gardening and is making it everyone's problem?"