[center][h3]The Avenger - Tuesday Evening Skies[/h3]
Lvl 15 Ms Fortune (111/150) Lvl 8 Sandalphon (38/80) Lvl 5 [color=ef6069]Grimm[/color] (8/50)
Junior, Rika, & Edward’s [@DracoLunaris] Blazermate, Sectonia, & Roland’s [@Archmage MC] Geralt, Zenkichi & Edelgard’s [@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN] Ace Cadet, Pit, Primrose & Therion’s [@Yankee] Juri’s [@Zoey Boey] Roxas, Ganondorf, & Captain Falcon’s [@Double], Celica’s [@Sadu]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 653[/center]

To Sandalphon’s relief, almost every Seeker of Light in attendance offered a few words for the sake of the departed, however long they happened to have known them. The veteran’s size got mentioned more than Sandalphon would have expected, but for the most part everyone echoed the same sentiments about courage, capability, and sacrifice. Even in the strange and unpredictable circumstances afforded to them by the ebb and flow of the heroes’ grand campaign, both Goldlewis and Midna had made quite an impact on those around them, be it in times of war like the battle against Skyworld’s corruption, or in times of peace like the Carnival Town roulette. They hadn’t just been soldiers; they had been natural leaders. In the coming days, with official leadership a hotly-contested subject, their loss would be keenly felt.

Thanks to everyone’s efforts, with each person sharing something new so that neither fallen comrade went unremembered, both Goldlewis and Midna were thoroughly eulogized. There was no weeping or anguish -nobody knew the two personally enough for that- but there were a few teary eyes, especially among the service’s youngest attendees. Luckily, the prevailing mood in Stolen Moments wasn’t one of dejection and misery, but respect and honor, with many vowing to not let such selfless sacrifices be in vain. Though this was Sandalphon’s first time heading such a ceremony, she was well aware of just how important they were. From a purely pragmatic standpoint, none of them could afford to forget that death could come for any of them at any moment. That vital knowledge made survival all the more precious, both for themselves and their allies. Furthermore, this bonding activity would help solidify them not just as assets, but as allies.

[i]If only everyone was here.[/i] Even if she was capable of doing so, Sandalphon would not forget those who had spurned this event. It was well beyond both her abilities and her purview to attempt to divine their reasoning, but to an extent, their reasoning did not matter. Unity and trust were important. Of course, participation hadn’t been required, but one's actions still reflected on one's character. Whatever their reasons, the absentees should still have come. To not even as a formality was to make a conspicuous statement. She could only hope that this was not the beginning of a trend, and that no problems would arise from th

Once all the speeches concluded, Sandalphon raised her glass. She’d filled it with a snifter of the mead Sectonia chose, finding its honeyed flavor very compelling. The gentle, warm light of her halo swirled in the golden liquid. “To the fallen.”

Her toast marked the end of the service. With their drinks covered by Sandalphon herself, the Seekers could filter out from Stolen Moments and disperse into the Avenger with what the fallen would have wanted in mind. Among everything the attendees had said, it was some of what Ms Fortune’s said that weighed on the archangel most keenly. [i]We better all become friends.[/i] Nobody wanted a silent funeral, intercut by rote condolences and vague sympathies. Hopefully, everyone would be spending more time together and getting to know one another better, in whatever time they were allotted.

[i]If only.[/i]

After a minute or so of uncharacteristic hesitation, Sandalphon sent Zenkichi a message. A light screen would pop up in front of him displaying a letter, and at that point tapping the screen would display the succinct contents of her missive. It read, [i]Mr. Hasegawa. I would like to request a brief, private audience with you in the Bridge. If this is acceptable, please rendezvous with me there at twenty hundred hours. Thank you. Sandalphon.[/i] That was about five minutes from now.

Since it was only about eight o’ clock in the evening, and quiet hours were not yet in effect, the Avenger was still full of activity. In the Vehicle Bay, Celica’s massive Skell was undergoing examination from the two foremost authorities on otherworldly tech amongst the Lost Numbers: the nopon Lulubi and Tora, much to the latter’s delight and the former’s chagrin. This machine would take time and effort to repair, and no doubt some specialized parts, but with these two on the case one could probably just expect some miracles.

An unusual duo, the knowledgeable Professor Koa and the lovely seamstress Anais, could be found working on a project in the airship’s main workshop they were keen to keep secret from any Seekers, at least for now.

A certain someone, stranger to some but old friend to many, had just arrived aboard the Avenger via Fulton recovery, and would soon find herself in the Training Center to put it -and herself- through their paces.

In the Mysticenter, Gronk Moldbreak happened to be testing rotfly cocoons in various kinds of medicinal potions in order to improve their flavor for the sake of the Lost Numbers’ children. 

Bracket Brace could be found in the kitchen, finishing off the standard cleanup routine. When she wrapped up and began to take stock of the Lost Numbers dwindling food stores, the realities of feeding a much larger -and hungrier- fighting force than usual would quickly begin to set in.

Lakota, Dawn, and their daughters had just spun up the movie projector in the Common Room in order to watch Blood Puncher, a cheesy old-fashioned action flick. Anyone could join them if so inclined, and out of everyone, it was Grimm of all people who’d shown up. His Grimmchild seemed to like playing with the little girls, after all, and after missing dinner in favor of Celica’s nightmare flame, Grimm himself seemed interested in the complimentary microwave popcorn.

Though normally happy to serve as the Avenger’s janitor, the slime girl Gillian happened to be walking Caesar tonight. Clad in her heavily armored Haimatsu diving suit, Gillian followed the Great Pyrenees wherever he wanted to go, and would prove to be just as friendly as Caesar to anyone who happened to meet her for the first time.

Once Celica saw herself out of the infirmary, Eleison busied himself with fabricating new medkits. Making these consumables wasn’t exactly easy, but each one could be the difference between life and death, so the cleric worked tirelessly to prepare the supplies for tomorrow’s deployments. Though the act was somewhat meditative for him, he wouldn’t say no to a little help, either.

Finally, a couple youngsters seemed to take a particular interest in the Seekers themselves. The identical twins Bartholomew and Marguerite, universally known as Bart and Marg, were debating among themselves about which Seeker was the strongest, their wild speculation and ill-informed judgements conspicuously within earshot, as if to tempt the heroes to set them straight on the matter.