Chapter Text
"And then he asked Rhon Ron to make the food!" D'rena exclaimed.
"Rhon Ron? That Kobold guy who made you eat that lizard meat? That you promptly threw up because you find even Garlean Mayonnaise spicy?" Nero replied.
D'rena should have been offended, but instead, she burst out laughing.
The time of the makeshift Moonfire Faire was nearing.
Nero's shard transferring device-thingy had been fully repaired as the Talos Stoneworks really put an extraordinary amount of work. Stalls were beginning to prop themselves up across the land between Gatetown and the rest of Kholusia. Wooden plinths dyed in various shades of yellows and blues or completely undyed and remaining a dull brown colour. Nero himself had grimly stayed put for the event (D'rena wouldn't have taken no for an answer). Now the two of them sat overlooking its construction, pleasantly sharing stories (as pleasant as you could with Nero around.)
The trip had provided an opportunity not as unpleasant as D'rena had once thought. The weather across almost the whole of the source was cooling but was still mostly pleasantly warm. The preparations weren't as difficult as she had originally thought, and of course, D'rena couldn't say no to a few nights spent at the Pendants (regardless of its seemingly unending Shoebill infestation problem.) Even Nero had amused himself on the trip to this so-called primitive land lacking magitek.
"I'm never trusting Chai-Nuzz around explosives ever again," Nero said. "Not after today anyway."
"Wait, did something happen?" D'rena said, a mocking tone to her voice.
"I tried to teach him how to make those fireworks that you wouldn't stop going on about. To say he tried is an understatement."
"Really?"
"Yeah, and don't worry your fluffy ears about it. I think he's got the hang of it, kinda sorta."
The stalls were becoming complete with their bunting, flying flags in various colours, red, green and blues. People from all across Norvrandt had arrived by sea or by amaro had started to arrive on the Kholusian shore. Giggling and chatting to one another. D'rena pulled Nero's hand and pulled him forward. "Now, you better come with me."
Kholusia began to buzz to life as the sunset rose. Patterns of pink and orange lit up the sky. Tiny balloons lined the muddy desire pathways. Festival games of hook-a-duck and Chocobo Plinko. Lacklustre prizes of stuffed Amaros hung together by weak threads and little plastic buckets and spades.
"Oh, look." Nero was pointing to a stall at the far back. "Is that Rhon Ron? Never thought I'd see a beastman so integrated into regular society."
D'rena rolled her eyes. "Stop saying beastman as if it's a relevant category."
Nero shrugged." Regardless, I'd be curious to try what you seemed so scared to try. You know, I bet I can stand spicy lizard meat far more than someone of a soft Eorzean pallet by far."
"Oh, and you expect a Garlean to be able to cope with spicy heat?"
"A rugged Garlean from the harsh world of the provinces, my dear."
That very much sounded like a challenge. "I'd like to see you try!"
As D'rena and Nero raced each other, dodging the numerous amount of people who now lined the street. The joyous laughter and ramped curiosity warmed D'rena's heart dearly. The emotional warmth (far different from the sticky, burning warmth of the summer) but it did, in fact, make the light of the levin moons much more bearable. D'rena tugged gently on Nero's still-sleeved hand (it was as if he never took off that long Dalamud red-dyed ironworks shirt) and then pulled him forward. Nero was far lighter than he looked. D'rena could likely lift him with one hand.
"D'rena, D'rena we did it! Yes, yes, we did! Everything you asked for, it's all here, all of it!"
D'rena's eyes widened. Rhon Ron's stall was massive, spanning almost all the way down to the coast. Various other denizens of Mord Souq buzzed around, behind the counter Elves, Hume and other Mord. Drops of glass shaped like blue and orange crystals hung from the interior. But the most surprising thing was that the whole counter was decked from one end to the other with the exact foods that D'rena had requested.
There was nothing truly unusual about them either. They weren't bright green or bright red. They weren't covered in grubs or whatever else. They were, in fact, as D'rena thought they were going to be.
D'rena was so incredibly impressed with the artistry. However, she was slightly disappointed that she wouldn't get to force Nero to eat spicy food.
"Well, where is the disgusting lizard meat that you wanted to force down my throat?" Inquired Nero.
"It's not here because they actually managed to do it. The Mord made everything that I asked for!" D'rena exclaimed.
"Yes, yes. And you had a lack of faith in the Mord. Shame on D'rena, even if she did provide that shiniest of shinies!"
Nero tilted his head. "So this is the Moonfire Faire food that you were practically screaming to get ahold of?"
"Yes! It is!" It's all of it! No skimming from Rhon Ron! What is it that D'rena wants and needs."
"Two cocktails and a Costa del Hielo, we'll be sharing it!"
"Anything for you valued customer."
"Wait!" Nero snapped. "Ugh, I didn't tell you anything about sharing food."
"Consider this my treat then, on the house."
D'rena took the drinks and glimmering tray of frozen delight into their palms. Tip-toeing their way to the selection of chairs and tables donated by the residents of the Eulmoran outskirts (it was the best they could do.)
From the outside, the Costa del Hielo (or would that be Mord Souq del Hielo) was the pristine picture of how D'rena had described it, from the outside anyway. But the taste was yet a mystery. D'rena remained apprehensive, even though it looked in every single way just like the Costa del Hielo that she had eaten the year previous, glistening, fresh fruit dribbled along the side; the frosty topping seemingly evercool — there was still a good chance the Mord had added their own 'spark' to the recipe that D'rena had not seen. She was still half expecting a mouth full of worms.
At least Nero getting a mouth full of worms would be funny.
"Well, eat up," D'rena said as she passed Nero a spoon.
D'rena squeezed her eyes tight and winced as she pushed the spoon through the fluffy dessert and placed it in her mouth. Until her eyes opened again in shock.
She was close to dropping the spoon. Her hands were shaking in shock.
It was good. No. It was better.
How did they do it? How did the Mord make this?
The icy sweetness clung to the back of the throat, and the wispy scents gave the entire dish an almost floral aroma and taste. The fruit was as juicy as if it had been picked from the vine early the same day. It mashed with the roof of the mouth just perfectly, never dwelling too long upon the palette but not washing away with a single bite.
It was fresh. It was daring. It was Mord Souq del Hielo.
And D'rena needed to eat it all before Nero did.
Unladylike as it was, D'rena scoffed the rest of the Mord Souq del Hielo. Digging into it spoonful after spoonful of chilly goodness. Her ears wiggled in bliss.
D'rena's trance remained unbroken until Nero shook her on the shoulder.
"D'rena? D'rena?!"
"Huh?" She blinked repeatedly.
"You've spilt the ice cream thing all over your shirt."
"I have?"
Nero grabbed a tissue and started brushing D'rena's messy shirt of little icy shards.
"Well, that was alright. I'd still think that Garlemald would have more education concerning frozen puddings, however!" Nero said as he brushed the food away from D'rena's mouth.
"What are you saying only alright!?"
Nero smirked and then chucked in turn.
The two of them then spent hours milling around the rest of the Faire. Despite its limited scope, Nero and D'rena had forever found something that poked their interest during that short span of time. Most of them had involved Nero winning the variety of Moonfire Faire games, many of which were rigged but many more of which could be exploited by Nero.
Nero was never without magitek gadgets, and Norvrandts, who had never seen such devices before, were usually too shocked to do anything about it. The most stunned expression had come from the 'shoebill shooting gallery stand' owner, watching Nero use a real gun to shoot down wooden shoebills. D'rena won the grand prize of a small ceramic depiction of the Great Serpent of Ronka — D'rena wondered if it was worth it.
The sky was darkening now. The Kholusian coastline had strayed away from light pollution, and there were no such ceruleum fumes rising into the air, leaving a field of stars above them. During her pirating days, D'rena must have been told each of the constellations as she waited upon the ocean in the depths of the night. The constellations in Norvrandt were bound to be vastly different in some way, and it wasn't worth asking Nero anything about stars (he would certainly scoff at the idea of the sky having flowery legends behind them.) It was a shame that during D'rena's preparations that she'd never got to learn about the Novrandt view on the heavens.
"So, are you ready for the fireworks?" Nero asked with a smirk on his face.
"Wait, so they are going ahead with the fireworks?"
"Chai-Nuzz might be a walking disaster with things that have the potential to explode, but he never said he was giving up — for better or for worse."
Other denizens of the towns and the whole shard had now huddled down to the edge of the coast. Anticipating an array of fireworks, no doubt. And despite her earlier apprehensions, now she was very much anticipating them too.
Speaking of Chai-Nuzz, D'rena thought that she could hear him in the distance somewhere — spraying some curse words into the air.
Not long shortly after the was heard, Chai-Nuzz himself hobbled onto the scene as if he had hurt his leg falling over (multiple times). He was also wearing a pair of thick-set gloves, entirely inappropriate for the summer, even at night.
"Sorry for the wait, everyone; the fireworks, uh, will begin shortly. Now make sure you stand back, well, far enough back so that they can't injure you by flying off course."
Chai-Nuzz bowed and stuttered out, "We still hope you enjoy what we've prepared and the first ever Eulmore Moonfire Fes-Faire." Chai-Nuzz bowed politely before running in the other direction."
The wavering crowd carefully stepped back. D'rena failed to watch her step, collapsing into Nero's chest.
But she barely realised. Mayhaps because she had expected Nero's chest to feel like skinny rock, it was instead surprisingly soft. Like a cushion but not a particularly high-quality cushion. Somewhere between squishy and firm.
However, what she did notice was Nero's hand slowly relaxing on her shoulder, causing her to look up with a glare.
"Scared of the fireworks are we now?" Nero mocked.
"Nonsense I-"
Boom.
D'rena jumped back. Nero gently tapped on the shoulder that he had grabbed onto. "Seems like you might be."
"I'm not at all scared of fireworks. In fact they…"
Were rather pretty. Not the best, and certainly nothing like the source's Moonfire fireworks, but they were still rather pretty. Shooting across the sky, all manner of oranges, yellows and reds. Sometimes forming images such as roses, birds, crowns and even one of Vauthry dying (all very important images to Eulmore).
D'rena felt her heartbeat slow as she grew used to the sounds of the screeching of lights across the sky. She wanted to live for the moment. And that moment was an attempt at Eulmoran fireworks, and Nero's surprisingly soft chest — his blue eyes almost purple in the warms lights looked down at D'rena with a cheerful glint.
"Your little jump like an Opo-Oppo indicates otherwise!"
D'rena laughed back at Nero. "And How do I know you're not a little scared too?"
"Well, I did see Chai-Nuzz almost burn several of his fingers off and lose several dozens of makeshift rockets. It would not surprise me if several of these little wooden stalls burnt down right now from a stray spark, causing an out-of-control inferno of near-deadly proportions."
"Mayhaps I'd die in your arms in this case?"
Oh, Byregot, that did just slip out.
"Would not seem like such a bad fate to me."
D'rena took the opportunity to comfortably draw closer to Nero. Comfortably, unlike the cramped and tumultuous journey here, D'rena was free to stand anywhere she wanted and yet she chose to be here. Brushing the very bottom of his chin gently.
Nero's head tapped D'rena's hair, parting her bangs with his fingers. He kissed the top of her head.
They would return home tomorrow if they were not smoke and ashes.