"You would not believe your eyes if ten million fireflies lit up the world as I fell asleep. Cause they'd fill the open air and leave tear drops everywhere. You'd think me rude but I would just stand and stare."
Their hands locked together as they walked down the pier, the Firelight Festival in full swing. Icy and Darko would be meeting up with Bloom and Sky shortly. After a particular embarrassing show down (in which Bloom and Icy had managed to wreck a foreign town) the Magic Council ordered that--in order to escape much jail time--both parties go on something of a double date in an attempt to make peace. The four hesitantly agreed that the Firelight Festival was their best bet, I mean how could they possibly screw up there? "Is this where we were supposed to meet?" Darko asked after much waiting.
"Yes. I told her to meet us at the fountain at the very heart of the party. My instructions were very clear." Icy said leaving no room to assume that she was anything but precise. But in reality she may or may not have forgotten to mention which of the 3 fountains to meet at. The two (still hand in hand) stared up at the hand-crafted paper lanterns--and after that scene grew tiresome--the little magic sparks that floated amid the crowd.
" I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly it's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep.'Cause everything is never as it seems"
On the very opposite side of the festival Sky held Bloom in a soft embrace. "You sure we got the right fountain?" Sky asked.
"Actually no, in fact we probably got the wrong one, unless Icy is a no show...but she wasn't that clear as to which fountain we were supposed to meet at." Bloom admired. But what did that matter anyways? The night was still young and the weather perfect; lukewarm with a slight hot breeze. It was on nights like these in which Bloom was so glad she hadn't gone to bed. The festival had a very dream-like feel too it, and Bloom would much rather live a dream than simply live it.
"Perhaps we should go find Icy and...that other guy." Sky suggested.
"Darko? Yeah, that's probably a good idea, she's gonna throw a fit." Bloom remarked.
"'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightning bugs as they tried to teach me how to dance. A foxtrot above my head a sock hop beneath my bed the disco ball is just hanging by a thread."
"Shouldn't we be off to find the other two?" Darko asked.
"We don't go to them, they come to us." Icy lifted a brow.
"If you say so..." Darko trailed off. "But can we at least play one of the festival games as we wait, like Lucky Ducks?"
"I hate ducks." Icy hissed and folded her arms over her chest.
"Ring toss?" Darko asked.
Icy sighed. "Fine...ring toss. Once."
Darko took Icy's hand and pulled her through the crowd. "Don't cheat."
"How can I possibly cheat at ring toss?" Icy asked.
"I don't know, you're...you." Darko shrugged. The man running the stand gave the two of them a set of rings as he went through the rules of the game. "Now watch how the pros do it." Darko said smugly as he missed the targeted pole horrendously.
"The pros are shit." Icy rolled her eyes before randomly flicking her own ring. It landed right on the pole.
"Oh come on!" Darko yelled as a shower of congratulatory sparks danced above Icy's head.
"Leave my door open just a crack
(Please take me away from here). 'Cause I feel like such an insomniac. (Please take me away from here). Why do I tire of counting sheep?
(Please take me away from here). When I'm far too tired to fall asleep"
Bloom and Sky worked their way through the crowd, eyes fixed upon Icy's unmistakably unique hair. "Icy!" Bloom yelled. The witch turned to face her as she carelessly tossed another ring (which again found it's target earning a string of cusses from Darko, who still hadn't one hit).
"It's about time. Watching Darko play this game is painful." Icy muttered. This earned a laugh from both Bloom and Sky. Maybe this silly festival wouldn't be so excruciating after all.
"So where to first?" Sky asked.
"I'm hungry." Darko pointed out.
"There's a really nice candlelit restaurant back that way." Bloom pointed in the direction they had just come from. Icy shrugged and took the lead. They once again cut across the crowd. Icy glanced over the menu until something caught her eye; sparkling peppermint wine...the expensive kind too. Icy grinned, none of them would be sleeping tonight. She took a bottle and swiped her credit card.
"To ten million fireflies I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes I got misty eyes as they said farewell.
But I'll know where several are if my dreams get real bizarre 'cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar."
"You are going to buy food to right?" Bloom asked.
"I see nothing else I want to eat." Icy shrugged.
"Who put her in charge of the money?" Darko asked
"You did." Icy reminded him.
"Can you buy the cinnamon chips for me...please?" Bloom requested.
"What about the rest of you?" Icy asked. The men placed their orders and she relayed them to the waitress. The four sat around the table discussing the incident that had lead up to this moment and reminisced about times past; Bloom's freshman year and Tritannu's era came up the most. Darko completely out of the loop.
"10 minutes to the Twinkle Flame catch." Came a voice over the intercom.
Icy snorted. "What kind of name is 'Twinkle Flame?'"
"I think it sounds like a fun time." Bloom gave her input.
"Why not give it a go?" Sky asked.
"Perhaps Darko can actually do this one. You know how to play catch right Darko?" Icy asked.
"Yes!" Darko stated a bit defensively. With that the four walked to the heart of the party. A shower of sparks rained down into jars that rest open in each of their palms. Bloom's eyes met Icy's momentarily. Despite what Icy wanted everyone to think, Bloom noted a happy sparkle in the woman's eyes--and not a hint of loathing or resentment.
