Eternal Lights By: Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged characters You have been warned.
A drape of darkness envelopes the world, sparkles of light decorate the sky, and a full moon harvests its light over the careening grasslands below. A forest of dark green trees of various heights and billowed branches canvas the land with more shadow than open areas. A village near its center by the largest tree, its gnarly bark curling over in a topsy-turvy manner. The candle-laden lights of each corner burning brightly. The inhabitants of the town walked to and fro, chatting about nothing in specific.
It will soon be the night of eternal lights, an astrological event considered by many in Runeterra to have astrological significance. In Bandle City, the night in question was one in which everyone was given off the next day. Meteor Showers were expected in addition to the occasional shooting star that lit up the skies above the town. Each in every year it brought people out to the various open fields to enjoy star gazing.
Hailun was one of many who partook in the joy that came with the event. He had long been a kid who enjoyed stargazing and even went to the local planetarium, on occasion, before he had moved to his new location. The young yordle had not partaken in the night of eternal lights since relocating but the event was quickly approaching and one for which he had no specific plans.
Some of his friends had been talking about the event, though it was by no means a big topic of conversation between anyone at Bandle Academy. It wasn?t until Kennen brought it up that Hailun remember that it was happening soon. Kennen wasn?t exactly the biggest stargazer but being out in the open helped him focus when he meditated. Hailun had been wondering if anyone else planned on going out to watch the stars but hadn?t inquired much since he wanted to fit in more than anything else.
When Kennen approached him about the event, his interest was more sparked than it would have been otherwise. Kennen was a pretty quiet kid who only socialized with a small group of kids and Hailun felt lucky to be one of them.
"Did you know the stars will be falling in the sky soon?" The bigger boy asked.
Hailun looked over at his friend and thought about it for a second. It didn?t take him that long to realize what he was talking about. Once he did, his interest sparked and his eyes lit up for a moment.
The Red Panda nodded his head and looked into the other cub?s eyes. "Yeah, sure. When is it supposed to happen?"
"For the next few nights. It?s supposed to be clear too." Kennen said as he tried to recall the last weather forecast.
Hailun smiled. "Sounds good. What time are you thinking?"
"Probably just after Dinner. We can meet by the bandle tree and go from there to the hill overlooking the village."
The smaller yordle nodded. "Alright, I?ll see you there."
The two separated shortly after, going their ways down the halls to their classes. The school had not done anything special as the event wasn?t a holiday or anything of the like. Still, Hailun?s mind drifted for the remainder of the day. He was able to complete whatever tasks he was given but the distraction was still there. Once the bell rang for lunch, he was glad to have a break so he could plan for the night ahead.
Lunch normally was nothing significant for him. He wandered into the large cafeteria where many of his age-mates were already sitting down. Hailun was still daydreaming and wasn?t? paying attention. Eventually, he ran into another kid, snapping him out of it for the time being.
"Sorry about that." The Red Panda said to the other kid whom he didn?t recognize at first.
The kid was small and his eyes seemed squinted, almost as if they were closed. The smaller yordle said nothing, not seeming bothered about the obstruction. Hailun tried to refocus himself now, feeling bad about the fact he had walked into someone else. Continuing, he made his way to the line which was pretty small.
Hailun noticed Gnar was just in front of him. The orange fur of the boy was pretty distinguishable among the rest of their species as most of them had darker earthen tones in fur. The Red Panda reached in front of him to touch the smaller yordles shoulder to get his attention. The orange yordle turned around and smiled once he realized who it was.
"Gnar!" The boy?s oversized teeth showed prominently.
"What?s up?" Hailun struggled to come up with a better question to pass the time.
Gnar snorted a bit. "Yada Ga."
"Oh? How were your classes today?" The Red panda asked as he had yet to see the other boy until now.
Gnar sighed. "Gaja Do..."
"Heh, well I hope it will get better. Are you going to watch the meteor shower tonight?" Hailun couldn?t help but wonder if the other yordle had the same plans he did.
Gnar?s face looked confused. "Gnar??
"You should come. Kennen and I are going tonight. Maybe you and I can do it tomorrow if you want."
The orange yordle shook his head in agreement before being called up by one of the lunch workers. Although the conversation didn?t last very long, the line had already dissipated meaning they were the next people up for food. Gnar was the first one to get his lunch, picking a more meat-based variety while Hailun opted for the more vegetarian option. Once they had filed through the line, they made their way to an open table.
Most of the tables were full by this point. Finding an open seat was proving to be difficult as they made their way through the center of the room. They looked around, searching for a sign of an open chair. It took them a few minutes but eventually, they found one Gnar and Hailun pushed their way into an open chair near the end of a table. It was the chairs closest to the wall as well as a small window that overlooked one of the school gardens.
Once they had settled in, Gnar wasted no time in chowing down on his food. Not even bothering to pick up the wooden utensils that were provided with the dish. The wetness of the cold meat slapped around on his fur, leaving some trails of saliva behind. Hailun watched as his friend put on a show of a rather primal eating habit. Though he said nothing, he wasn?t sure of what to make of it.
Gnar caught him staring and gave him an awkward glare back, cocking his head to the side a bit. Hailun shifted his attention back to the front of him, as he didn?t want to make a big issue of it. He began nibbling on his fruit salad in front of him, rotating his head around to watch what was going on in the cafeteria. Some of the kids were running around, shoving each other before being picked up by one of the few staff members present.
He looked back over at Gnar who was now sipping away at a carton of milk. The white residue that had slid off from his snout, slid down the sides of his cheek. The orange yordle reached up to wipe the mess from his mouth. Hailun couldn?t help but giggle, looking over at his friend who looked back at him once again.
"Gnar?" A confused look overcame the smaller yordle.
Hailun said nothing and reached over to clean the other cub?s mouth. Gnar?s overly large teeth rested just over his closed lip, making it more difficult to run his finger straight across in a fluid motion. Gnar had a confused look on his face, standing there idly and allowing him to do what he was doing but still unsure of what to think of it.
"You had something on your lips and face," Hailun said, slapping his hand down to flick some of the salivae from his finger.
Hailun allowed his hands to rest once he was finished cleaning up the other boy. The two sat across from one another not saying a word for a few seconds. Only the chatter of the other kids provided some background noise.
"So did you want to go?" The Red Panda restated the question that was plaguing his mind.
Gnar shrugged and nodded. "Gnar!"
"Cool. Sounds good. We can meet under the bandle tree tomorrow and go together." Hailun said while smiling at the smaller cub.
The two continued to eat until a whistle was blown, indicating that the lunch period was now over. Hailun and Gnar made their way out of the cafeteria and back into the hall, separating and going their separate ways.
The rest of the day went by fast with an extra gym class filed in towards the end of the day. It was considered recess since the kids had been behaving better as of late. It was a chance for some physical exertion since many of the teachers didn?t allow them to be up and about. Hailun was always one of the first ones out of the halls to the school play area. The Red Panda rushed out making his way to the center of the courtyards.
A group of young yordles was already kicking around a ball. Hailun ran to join them, recognizing a few of them but not knowing their names. The kids had already organized themselves into teams. The Red Panda made his way to the side of the field, where he waited to be picked up by one of the team. He noticed Gnar was coming his way and soon the orange yordle joined him.
They watched the kids in front of them kick around the ball in a makeshift game of soccer. The students that had volunteered to be goalkeepers were nowhere near as prepared enough to protect the goal. Eventually, they stopped and noticed that the two yordles were waiting on the sidelines. Gnar and Hailun were forced to split up since both sides of the ball were already equal.
Gnar wasn?t one to normally join in friendly competition but since he saw that his new friend intended to, he wanted to see what it was all about. Hailun on the other hand had played the other sport enough to know how it worked. The Red Panda took defense, just as he did on the lacrosse game the other day. The renewed match began at the center of the field with two of the kids facing off to get control of the ball.
Gnar?s side was the one to win control of the ball with the girl at the center kicking the ball backward with her heel. The ball reeled back towards Gnar who wasn?t entirely sure
what to do with it. Some of the other kids yelled at him, the orange yordle reacting just as the ball became idle at his own feet. The orange yordle kicked forward, just hard enough that the ball was distanced from him.
It didn?t take long before Gnar?s wayward kick was intercepted. Gnar watched as the ball was collected by another kid, but again did not know what to do and ended up just standing there. Luckily, the other kids were able to pick up the slack. Once the ball had stopped, Gnar was shown to the side of the field. Hailun wasn?t about to allow him to be sidelined so he stepped over and joined him.
"Come on, I?ll show you how to play." The Red Panda said to the smaller boy.
He took his friend over to the back of the field where some trees overlooked one of the goals that had been set aside in a smaller field for the younger kids. They hadn?t been arranged properly so Hailun had to move one of them so that they could shoot at something. Gnar looked at the ball with interest and picked it up, bobbing it over his head with ease. The Red Panda watched with interest as the other cub performed the difficult trick with an issue.
Hailun snapped himself out of staring for the second and snagged the ball just as it was popping off the other boy?s head. Gnar grumbled for a second before Hailun started to kick the ball back and forth. At first, Gnar wasn?t able to ably kick the ball off the tip of his biggest toe. Gradually the orange yordle was getting the hang of it. Before long the Red Panda was showing Gnar how to shoot the ball.
Gnar made a few easy shots into the net, picking up the basic skills with ease. By the time the one-on-one coaching session was over, the rest of the kids had vacated. The sun hadn?t yet begun to set but it was apparent it was getting late since the street lamps were already being lit in preparation for the dark of night. Hailun looked over at his friend who was bouncing in place from the sudden lapse of activity.
The Red Panda began walking before looking back to make sure that Gnar was following him. The orange yordle followed before long. The two talked together from the field towards the center of the town. Neither said a word for the entirety of their trip, as they weren?t sure what to talk about. It didn?t take long before they reached Gnar?s home which was an odd structure set among the otherwise earthen colors.
Gnar?s house was made out of the bones of some felled beast, draped over by the scarred hide of an Elderwood. The Elderwood was an ancient beast of the Frejlord that was said to have descended from the Yeti. To this day Hailun had never seen such a thing and its skull now lay before him. The jaw of the beast was large enough to serve as an abode for a small family. Its eye sockets are used as windows to look upon the outside world. A singular drape covered the entrance.
Hailun looked upon the structure for a moment but said nothing. It was an odd building compared to the rest of the town. He had never seen anything like it. Gnar began to walk forward, separating himself from the other cub. Once he reached the door, he looked back towards the other cub and waved at him. The Red Panda waved back at his friend and yawned. It had been a long day and he was looking forward to returning home.
The young yordle returned home, making a brisk pace as the moon was now pining overheard. Its glazed blue light looked upon Runeterra with an omnipresent glare. Hailun craned his neck upward so that he could look into the sky above. The sparkling lights of stars starred back at him in multitude, each of them gleaming in a dark abyss. Once he was done looking, Hailun continued on his way.
After he made his way home, he was greeted by his parents who had already returned home from work. His father was in the middle of making dinner but stopped what he was doing to greet his son. The family was a tight one that had already firmly established itself in the community.
"Hiya, Hai. How was school?" His mother with a polite smile as she was in a chipper mood.
Hailun smiled back at his mother. "It was good. I?m going to hang out with some friends for the night of eternal lights."
"Oh? You found someone to go with you?" His father asked him before hugging the boy.
The Red Panda nodded. "Yeah, two of them."
"That?s great. We?re glad you?re making more friends." The family separated for a moment
They made their way to the kitchen where the father began finishing off what was left of the meal. He was preparing some stir fry so the lacquered floor.
"Do you need some help, dad?" Hailun asked and headed over to where his father was toiling over some steaming hot pan.
The older yordle shrugged and allowed his son to take over. It wasn?t the first time the boy had made something before so it wasn?t like he hadn?t done it before. Hailun took control of the pan and moved it around, causing the vegetables to shuffle. The boy?s parents looked on from behind and sat down before long. It didn?t take much longer until it was done cooking and he served up the dish to the plates on the table before him.
The meal was hearty and well cooked despite it being the first time he had cooked that particular dish. The mother joined in first with the father joining after drinks were poured from a carton of milk that had been delivered earlier that day. Once everything was prepared, they were all ready to eat. They dove in and began chowing down on the cuisine in front of them. Not a word was said as they gorged themselves upon the food until it was all gone.
When the meal was down, it was time to clean up and get ready for the end of the night. The entirety of the yordle family cleaned up together as they always did. Cleanup never took that long since they had long ago established the tasks they were responsible for. Once everything was finished, they retired to the living room where an older man lit a fire for them to gather around. It was a chilly night since it was almost the autumn season.
Hailun and his mother sat opposite one another with the father going to get a board game to occupy the rest of the night together. The board game was an old iteration of Mahjong. The Ionian classic game had been handed down by the ages and had versions that involved only one player or multiple people. The family had played it many times and it was a favorite leisure activity for them.
The yordles began the game without delay, with the mother setting out the tiles on the ground and distributing tiles to each of the players. The rule for this specific set was to score a Chi, which involved a set of three tiles in the same suit or consecutive tiles of the same suit leading to the largest value in the set, which usually was a lotus tile. The mother served as the dealer as she normally represented the house, so her husband and son were to be a team.
They worked through the majority of the deck until the combination was reached. The boy?s mother did a good job at keeping them from getting the full set but when they did they announced the winning phrase "Chi". When everything was said and done they cleaned up the tiles and got up from the ground. It was getting late and almost time to head to bead for Hailun so his parents nodded at him, motioning for him to make his way to his room.
Hailun walked down the hall and into the wash area to clean himself for the night. It usually took him pretty long to bathe since his fur was almost full this time of year. The boy always took his time in the bath since it was relaxing and soothed his aches and pains, even when he did no physical activity. Once he was done, he retired to his room and allowed rested until he fell asleep.
The next day came before long and with it came the rising of the sun. Hailun arose from his bed and quickly dressed into his normal school clothing. He was looking forward to the day, for he remembered that it was the night of eternal lights and he was to meet with Kennen. He rushed to prepare his lunch and gather his things for his bag. Before long he was out of the door and on his way to school, taking longer strides than normal in his walk toward Bandle Academy.
The day went slower than normal. He was rather distracted the entire day and each class crept by rather slowly. He was able to tackle his assignments even though his mind was deterred by the event in front of him. As the day began to expire, his excitement continued to increase and a sense of nervousness overcame him. Once the day ended, for the first time in a while he rushed out of school to join in the huge rush of people going out the door.
Once he was outside of the school, he waited for a moment. The Red Panda was certain that Kennen would be waiting for him as he had forgotten all about where he had planned to meet him later. After a few minutes of waiting, he saw the last few of the kid?s exit from the school?s front yard. He didn?t see Kennen anywhere and thought about it for a second and finally remembered that he had discussed meeting at the Bandle Tree later that night.
Hailun decided that he would stop at home to drop his stuff off so that he could hang around town and do whatever to pass the time. He made his way home, looking around occasionally to see if he could see any of his friends. Since had left later, he was just about the only one walking. Occasionally a carriage would pass but there were no signs of people he knew. Once he got to his house, he dropped off his things.
He knew his parents were not home so he didn?t bother to check to see if they were there. He continued on his way back to where the Bandle tree was. It wasn?t a far walk from where he lived and with each passing step he made, he became even more excited. The area was a wooded one that was overlooked by large oak trees that canvased the area with darkness. At the center of them, was the largest and eldest
of all of the greenery in the area.
Hailun treaded his way over to the tree, looking upward at its knarled face. Fay creatures sprung up all around it and lightened the otherwise somewhat dark area. Coiled roots twisted and turned around its base. Some of them curled around the base of the tree, shooting off in every which direction. Golden portals lit up all around the various spots of the tree, each of them too small to serve as a transport to other realms.
Hailun approached the tree as a gust of wind rushed by. The branches of the tree bent back and forth with some of the leaves falling from the canopy above. Only a few rays of light broke through the thick brush above but it was enough to illuminate the area. The Red Panda looked around as some squirrels scattered around the ground before him. He wondered when Kennen might show up and looked for a spot where he could sit down and relax.
The yordle found a spot under the roots that had shifted in such a way that they provided a natural curve for him to put his back against. The dirt of the ground offered little comfort for his behind but he figured that standing up wouldn?t be much more comfortable. He eased up his legs so they angled up against his chest. He began to wait, occasionally looking over at the squirrels who were gathering nuts and skittering to and fro.
Hailun noticed a nearby acorn and picked the thing up in his palm. One of the squirrels watched him closely as he had taken their intended snack. The yordle realized the creature was staring at him and opened up his palm before offering it up to the small rodent. Slowly the creature began to approach him and took slow methodical hops toward him. Eventually, it was close enough to snatch the acorn from his palm.
Once it grabbed the acorn, the thing skittered away with as much speed as it could muster. Hailun shrugged and looked up. Sure enough, Kennen was there standing in front of him. No longer wearing his school uniform, the yordle had dressed down into something more casual. A simple t-shirt with some canvas shorts. Hailun felt silly that he had not changed out on his own but that didn?t matter now.
"You?re here early," Kennen said with his arms folded across his chest.
Hailun nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I was bored."
"Me too. What do you want to do until the sun goes down?" The standing boy approached the one who was sitting.
The Red Panda hummed and thought about it a second. "Hmm. I?m not sure. Do you have anything in mind?"
"I have a travel shogi set with me if you want to play for a bit." Kennen reached into his pocket and pulled out a foldable board game.
The brown yordle joined the other boy on the floor and folded his legs so that he could fit in the somewhat small space with his friend. The two boys began to set up the board and began playing in full. Both were somewhat familiar with the game but it was a hobby that Kennen took rather seriously. Of course, Kennen came out on top as he knew many of the tricks to win the game and wasn?t ashamed of using them.
Kennen and Hailun continued playing the game until the sun began to fall. The cracked rays of light through the canopy above became increasingly dark red and the amount of light that filtered through was less and less until it was completely dark.
"Come on, let?s go to the hill," Hailun said as he picked himself up before helping the other boy do the same.
The two friends began to head out of the wooded area until they entered the same open area where they had watched fireworks together. Already the sky was lit up with stars, sprinkling across the sky with streaking beams of white light. Hailun tugged on Kennen?s hand to make him go faster. Once they were at the top of the hill, Hailun sat down and patted the spot next to him. The bigger yordle sat down next to him and the two of them looked up into the sky.
Already stars were streaking across the sky. Beams of light lit up, bending in curves as they stretched beyond the horizon. Hailun?s eyes were already fixed on the show before him. Kennen couldn?t help but smile at the boy who was very much transfixed on the show that was unfolding in front of them. Soon the bigger yordle turned his attention upward and joined in watching the cascading stars.
They continued to watch the sky for some time, neither of them saying much and remaining silent. Only the sound of crickets and nearby wildlife disrupted the otherwise serene environment. As the night continued, the moon began to grow increasingly covered by some clouds that had blown into the area. A breeze persisted through the night as the two sat under the stars enjoying the twilight.
After some time the moon became entirely covered, making the starlight the only source of illumination in the sky. It was almost pitch dark and neither of them realized how late it was. Tolls from the central bell tower rung from afar, signaling that it was the middle of the night. Neither had realized how quickly time had passed and both panicked when the sound echoed in their ear.
The two of them popped up, eyeing each other eye to eye for a moment. Kennen took Hailun by the hand once again and led him off the hill and back into the shrouded area under the canopy of the bandle tree and its surrounding foliage. As they moved some nearby wildlife scattered through the area, not paying much attention to them but still avoiding their presence. Once they re-entered the town their stomachs growled, reminding them that they had not eaten.
It was too late to get food now and both of them knew that. It didn?t take them much longer to arrive at Kennen?s house. An old Shenke hut that sat among traditional Bandle homes. Its placard roof is set between thatched tops. They stopped for a second in front of the house, looking at each other once again. Kennen reached around to hug the other boy, doing so tighter than normal.
It was a show of affection, which Hailun wasn?t expecting and he stood there a moment at a loss for words. Kennen didn?t give him much of a chance to think about it before walking away. The Red Panda slowly waved at him before watching his friend walk into his home. The boy remained there for a moment once Kennen had disappeared, thinking to himself. He wasn?t entirely sure what to make of the situation and it made him confused.
A reoccurring grumble from his stomach reminded him that he was hungry and snapped him out of his sudden moment of stupor. He hurried home, making rather quick progress. Once he arrived home, his parents arose out of bed upon hearing him enter. They confronted the boy who was out way past his curfew. The parents weren?t mad so much as they were worried. The confrontation didn?t last long before it was settled, as they were rather tired.
After it was resolved, the husband and wife couple headed back to bed, and Hailun was left alone. The boy?s mind was still awash with what happened but his hunger had clouded his mind and couldn?t think straight. The Red Panda to the kitchen and grabbed whatever leftovers were in the fridge, not worried about if they were warm or not. His parents often left stuff for him in case he got hungry as sometimes he went in for a nighttime snack.
The boy yawned and stretched as he ate, muffling the own sounds that he was making. Once he was done eating, he made his way to his room. He knew he had to take a shower since he had been outside all night. His body was lethargic and not moving as quickly as he wanted to. Just as he was getting near his bed, the thoughts of skipping the shower skipped his mind but he made his way to it anyways.
He rushed in bathing, quicker than he had before just allowing the water to cover his body. Upon exiting, mostly naked from the bathroom his body shivered. The window was open and Moonlight draped in through it as the wind ruffled his sheets. He didn?t even bother to soap up as he wanted nothing more than to just go to sleep. When everything was said and done he retired to bed. It didn?t take long for sleep to overtake his tired body and dreams soon occupied his mind.
It had been a long day and both his body and mind longed for rest. His dreams that night were visited of that moment again, of Kennen hugging him and almost fantasizing about it. Though the focus did not last long, it was long enough for him to recall the following morning. Only wondering even more when he awoke and his mind came around. He couldn?t be sure why he kept thinking about it.
The next day was much like the last. His mind was occupied only by yet another playdate but this time with Gnar. He wondered how the more hyperactive yordle would respond to the calmer ambiance offered by the event. Gnar was one of those kids who was always up and about. Hailun spent most of his morning lazing about the house and didn?t feel the need to go out until before lunch.
It was already noon and the sun blazed its fiery scorch over Runeterra. Hailun casually walked down the street, looking for something to do. It had been a lazy day until then as the boy had spent most of his time toiling away indoors working on some calligraphy. He was trying to learn the art of the written language so that he could get better scores in school as art was something he was far from a master in. However, it was also something he wanted to work on since he found it both appealing and relaxing.
Once Hailun got tired of it, he wanted nothing more than to go outside. The yordle made his way outdoors and was greeted by a mostly cloudless day. He shielded his eyes from the sun to offer himself a bit of shade. It was warm out but without much humidity so the temperature didn?t bother him much. The cub made his way to the community park, which was a short distance from the outskirts of the village itself.
Several horse-drawn carriages passed by as he was casually walking down the cobblestone paved streets. As
he approached the park, he saw no one that he recognized. Some kids were running around playing catch with some tennis balls that had found their way out of the courts nearby. Hailun looked over their way to see if he knew any of them. From afar most of them looked younger than himself as most of them were small.
Hailun continued walking past them and looked around to see what he could do to pass the time. It was still a while before he was supposed to meet with Gnar and he didn?t want to waste the entire day waiting around. Eventually, he came upon an open lake that sprawled beyond where his eye could see. Looking into the water, several people were already in the pond, enjoying the cool offering that the water had to offer.
The boy stood there idly and looked at himself. He wasn?t dressed for any sort of swim but in Ionia, it was not odd to enjoy the water in naught but your skivvies. He began to take off his shirt and shoes, looking again to the lake to see if anyone was watching what he was doing. The cub was old enough to have a minute sense of vanity. Though he undressed plenty of times in front of his schoolmates, public unclothing was a different issue entirely.
Once he realized no one was looking his way, he followed by taking off his socks and shorts. He placed it all in a singular pile at the side of the lake before going over to take a dip within. Hailun took slow and methodical steps into the water. The pond was cool against his skin as he waded out towards the deeper area of the shallow shore of the lake. It wasn?t too cold that it bothered him but still, he took it slowly.
Hailun continued until he was about waist-deep in the water. He allowed his arms to float for a second before submerging them as well. The yordle bent his knees and allowed himself to almost entirely be covered by the water. His head was still above the surface, allowing him to breathe but he relaxed and closed his eyes for a few moments. It had been a while since he?d been able to swim but he was enjoying himself.
It didn?t take long for him to get bored, just floating there and he began to swim around the shallow area of the lake. He was a decent swimmer but he wanted to avoid the other people who were around. He continued to swim around in circles, stopping only a few times to give himself a break. While he was doing that a mysterious figure was checking out the activities at the lake.
Hailun didn?t even notice the shadowy figure approaching his bundle of clothing. Little did he realize it was Gnar, who had happened to stumble across his friend. After realizing it was Hailun, the orange yordle decided to play a trick on the other cub. Gnar crept up as quietly as he could to where he saw the bundle of clothing. Once he was within arms reach of it, he looked into the water to make sure Hailun was still occupied. The smaller boy watched as his friend continued to backstroke casually in the water.
Gnar swiped the bundle of clothes, leaving only two small twigs behind. Deciding to make a game out of it, leaving enough of a clue for the other boy to discover him. The yordle dropped twigs leading into a brush where he hid and wait. The cub giggled as he waited patiently. It wasn?t long before Hailun got tired of just lazing about in the water. He stood up and waded over to the shore.
As he was emerging from the water, Hailun looked over to the spot where he had stashed his clothing. The moment he realized it was missing, he raced out of the water and looked around to see if an animal had picked it up. The only thing he saw was the trail of twigs. They were close enough together that he took it as a sign. There was mischief afoot and he was going to figure out who was behind it.
Hailun covered himself, knowing full well he was mostly naked. He looked around to see if anyone was watching. Gnar was spying on him from the nearby bush, still cackling at his little trick. The bigger yordle overheard the laughter. It was more than loud enough to be audible to him, but he couldn?t make out who it was. He began to follow the trail of sticks and with each step he took the sound of laughter grew closer and a little louder.
Within seconds he stared at the very same bush where Gnar was hiding. The orange yordle had muffled himself but moved around enough to cause the shrub to rustle. Hailun lurched inside, just as Gnar hopped out from within. The bigger boy plopped forward on his face, landing square on his chest. The other yordle holding the bundle of clothing proudly in his hands with a huge smirk on his face.
"Shu shu pana!" Gnar laughed between his own words.
Hailun picked himself up. "Come on, Gnar...give me my clothes back."
"Shugi Shugi Shugi..." The orange yordle wiggled his butt at the other boy and ran away from him on all fours.
Hailun slowly picked himself off. His body was now dirty and littered with branches and leaves that clung to his wet body. He decided it would have to wait as he gave chase after the other boy. Gnar kept a small distance between the two, following along the shore of the lake. Looking back once to make sure the other cub was keeping up. Doing this was more than enough to give Hailun the opportunity he needed to capture the other yordle.
The bigger boy lept forward and attempted to tackle the other cub. Gnar hopped out of the way just in time, leaving Hailun to crash back into the water. The red panda smirked at the other boy, not seeming annoyed by the other boy?s antics. Now a muddy mess, Hailun stretched forward once again. Gnar gave in this time, allowing himself to be tackled as the two rolled around in the mud at the shore of the lake.
Gnar lost track of the clothing as it fell from his grasp. The two roughhoused for a few seconds and laughed the entire time, Gnar?s garments becoming just as filthy as they were. Once they had settled down, Hailun looked around for his clothing which had scattered into the same mud they were just rolling in. As he picked it up some mud glopped off of it. The bigger boy reached into the lake with the now dirty clothes and shook it a few times in an attempt to get rid of some of the filth that now covered it.
Even after a few times of ringing the clothing, there was still a faint brown tint to the clothes themselves. Gnar chuckled again, trotting off into the water with the mud from his body slopping off it in little chunks. The orange yordle dove into the water, not even bothering to take off his clothing. Raising his head and spitting some water as he looked back over at the other cub with a big grin on his face. Hailun smirked and followed after him, throwing the clothes to the side on the shore once again.
Hailun sprinted forward and canon-balled into the water, splashing Gnar in the process. The smaller boy did not attempt to shield himself, instead pushing water back in hopes he would get some revenge. The red panda kept himself submerged, going right under the other boy and tugging him. This caught Gnar off guard, who lowered himself to see if he could spot the mischief. However, the water was much too murky to see anything.
The two emerged before long, pushing waves of water at each other one after the other. It didn?t take long for Gnar to get tired of it, inching himself forward against the waves and wrestling Hailun under the water once again. The two spun around, neither being in much control of the situation as they rotated back and forth. They continued this for a few moments before surfacing and splashing each other one more time.
The sun was beginning to go down and the sun peering down into the lake was now somewhat being blocked out by a combination of the clouds above and trees overlooking the area. The two stopped and started walking out of the water together, both boys dripping wet as they emerged from the deeper end of the lake. Hailun grabbed his wet clothes from where they were stashed and the two boys made their way from the lake.
Hailun stopped by a log and put on his clothing. He was soaking wet regardless and so was Gnar, so the fact they weren?t dry didn?t matter much. Once he was dressed again, they made their way out of the park. Some people who passed them by stared at the soaking wet cubs but neither boy paid them any attention. After they were back on the main streets, the two of them spotted some food vendors in some trucks aligned along the side of the cobblestone curbs.
One of them featured the Ionian crest, so Hailun figured the vendor must be specializing in dishes that came from the region. An idea came to his head as they passed just behind it. He tugged on Gnar who wasn?t quite prepared enough to put up any sort of resistance. Hailun brought him to the front of the small wagon underneath the awning that was hanging over top of it. The bigger boy looked up at one of the servers who stationed the tent.
"How can I help you two?" The woman said as she peered down at them from the risen platform.
Hailun looked over up at her with a smile. "Can we have a large bowl of Chomuri?"
Chomuri was one of Hailun?s favorite dishes back in Ionia. It was primarily steamed rice with vegetables, boiled in Mushroom oil. It was often served alongside tofu and various spices.
"What flavor spikes your fancy?" She asked as she relaxed on the wooden bar that provided her a serving area.
The red panda hummed. "Perhaps Kung Pao style?"
"Sounds good. Coming right up then. Hang tight, kids." She walked away from the opening, leaving the two alone for a moment.
"Gnar?" The orange yordle asked as he still wasn?t sure of the other boy?s intent.
The bigger boy looked over at the smaller one. "I?m just ordering us food before the star show tonight."
"Shugi Shu..." Gnar hadn?t forgotten about their little playdate but he didn?t think the other cub was serious about it.
Hailun frowned for a moment. "Oh come on. It will be
fun. I promise."
"Ra." The orange yordle tried to force a smile.
It wasn?t much longer until the woman came back with a small dish on a bamboo paper plate. She placed it on the wooden surface and held out her hand, waiting for payment from the cub. Hailun reached into his pocket. Luckily the coins he had were still there from earlier. He handed them over to her. She looked at them strangely as they were still wet and smeared with muck. She shook it off and looked back at him.
"Do you want to change?" She asked after she had verified the amount in the pile.
Hailun shook his head and took the plate from the platform and brought it down to his chest level. It smelt sweet and he could see the sauce had been plastered on there as it shone against what sunlight was still shining down. He reached over and guided Gnar over to a small wooden bench. He sat down and held the thing out as he waited for his friend to join him and take a load off.
Hailun saw that only one wooden set of chopsticks had been provided for the dish. It would be the first time he?d have to share a pair but the idea didn?t bother him that much. The food steamed with billowed somewhat transparent white clouds. The smell of it wafted up to his nose and made him feel more hungry than he already was. The red panda patted the space next to him, waiting for Gnar to sit down.
Gnar finally joined him and Hailun wasted no time in digging in, picking up some of the noodles with his two sticks. The bigger boy reached over with the two sticks in his paw, the noodles dangling off.
"Try it. I promise you?ll like it." Hailun held it right under Gnar?s nose so it would tantalize him.
The orange yordle did not turn down food and bit down it rather aggressively, almost nicking off the tips of the chopsticks in the process.
"Oh, my. Was it good then?" The red panda held back a chuckle at the other cub?s eagerness to eat it without giving it a taste first.
Gnar nodded with a smile on his face then burped. "Gnar!"
Hailun was glad but then realized they didn?t have a second set of chopsticks to share from. Gnar didn?t hesitate and began eating the food with his fingers. This caught Hailun off guard who hesitated a second before digging in himself. It wasn?t long before they finished off the entirety of the dish. The red panda looked over at his friend who had the sauce of the dish spattered all around the other cub?s mouth.
"Hang on, be right back." Hailun walked back over to the meal wagon and retrieved some napkins and cups of water from the same woman.
He returned with the two cups, handing one over to Gnar before sipping on the other himself. Once he was done, he offered his paw over to the other cub to help him back to an upright position. Looking over at him, Hailun noticed that his friend still had a mess around his mouth. The red panda pointed at it and Gnar looked confused. His friend rolled his eyes before reaching over to clean it himself and showing it to his friend.
The orange yordle looked at it but didn?t seem bothered by his mess, licking the residue from his friend?s finger. Hailun stared at the other cub, not sure what to make of the rather odd reaction to his cleanup attempt. Once they had finished their drinks, Hailun tossed the paper cups in a nearby disposal bin. He decided it was time to head to the big hill for the star show. Gnar felt himself being tugged along, following along in suit to not allow for him to be taken control of.
It was a few minutes before they reached the hill near the Bandle Tree. The sun was already setting and the light looked dark red as it suppressed itself on the horizon. Hailun continued to lead him up the hill until they reached the top. The two sat down together at the peak of it, overlooking the city lights that sparkled in the distance. Hailun eased himself back into the grass, enjoying the breeze against his still somewhat damp fur.
Gnar looked over at him curiously and followed in suit since he didn?t want to seem like he felt out of place. The two laid there idly for a few moments, looking into the stars. Hailun remained just as fixated on the dark skies as he had been the night before. Gnar tried just as hard to focus, though distracted by the occasional buzz around his ears. The sounds of various crickets and other insects filled the air as the two sat there idly for the remainder of the night.
Once the moon had fully risen, several shooting stars blazed across the sky. Neither said a word as some nearby owls screeched and hooted. Eventually, the swarm of insects became unbearable and they grew restless. The two boys picked themselves off and scooted off from the hill. Gnar was ready to scamper off without another word before he was stopped by the other cub.
"Thanks for coming tonight. I hope you enjoyed it, even if it wasn?t your thing." Hailun said while smiling at his friend.
Gnar nodded and trotted off into the distance without another word. Hailun shrugged it off as no big deal. He?d had a full day and was tired despite being lazy for most of it. He yawned as he made his way off the hill and back into the city. Followed along with the street lights and sang to himself an old Ionian folk tune as he made his way back home. Once he arrived home, he was greeted by his father who forced him to strip off his still muddy clothes at the door.
After he undressed, Hailun retired to his bathroom to take a shower. His body was still somewhat itchy from the omnipresence of bugs outside and he wanted to be rid of it. he spent more time than usual in the shower as he felt more dirty than usual and the sensation of warm water on his body was relaxing. He stood there in the stall, staring into the water as it sprayed down water on his fur and skin.
After a while of just standing there, he went about the process of cleaning himself, making sure to get all of the nooks and crannies of his body. It was a long taking process that took him much longer than he intended. Once he finished, he finally stepped out of the shower and made his way back into his bedroom to get into his pajamas for the night. It had been a long day and he wanted nothing more than to relax. Besides tomorrow was another school day and he didn?t want to be tired from class.
Slipping into a bed was relaxing for his tired body. It had been a fun weekend, one that he hoped he could repeat in the future. He had made two good friends and was hopeful that he could make more in due time. Only time would tell if that would be the case. He stared out the window once more before allowing his eyes to close. It didn?t take long before exhaustion consumed him and he fell asleep.
