Submission (#8829) Approved

Aresia and the Great Starfall Faire Checklist

 

Aresia remembered the Starfall Faire very fondly.

 

At least, she remembered the Faire fondly.

 

The preparation was another story.

 

It had started several days before the celebration, when Aresia had decided that she was going to be completely prepared for the event.

 

Completely.

 

Absolutely.

 

No forgotten belongings. No last-minute scrambling. No frantic running around.

 

She even made a list.

 

That, Aresia decided, was the first sign that she was taking things seriously.

 

She sat down with a small piece of paper and carefully wrote everything she thought she would need.

 

Lantern.

 

Check.

 

Food.

 

Check.

 

Blanket.

 

Check.

 

Little decorations.

 

Check.

 

Something to drink.

 

Check.

 

A few shiny things because there was absolutely no reason not to bring shiny things.

 

Check.

 

Extra supplies.

 

Check.

 

Her favorite little trinket.

 

Check.

 

A second list in case she lost the first list.

 

Aresia paused.

 

She stared at the paper.

 

Then she wrote it down.

 

Second list.

 

That seemed responsible.

 

Very responsible.

 

Unfortunately, Aresia's definition of "prepared" quickly became much more complicated.

 

She began wandering around her room, collecting things.

 

She picked something up.

 

"Do I need this?"

 

Probably.

 

Into the bag it went.

 

She picked up something else.

 

"What if I need this?"

 

Definitely.

 

Into the bag.

 

A third object caught her attention.

 

"What if I suddenly need this?"

 

Into the bag.

 

Soon, Aresia's bag had become less of a travel bag and more of a portable mystery.

 

She had no idea what was inside anymore.

 

She opened it.

 

There was a blanket.

 

Some snacks.

 

A decoration.

 

Several pieces of string.

 

A handful of pretty stones.

 

A completely unrelated object she had no memory of putting inside.

 

A second snack.

 

Three more stones.

 

A tiny ornament.

 

And her first checklist.

 

Aresia blinked.

 

She pulled out the checklist.

 

Everything was checked.

 

She looked at the bag.

 

Everything was probably inside.

 

Probably.

 

That word made her uncomfortable.

 

So she unpacked everything.

 

Then packed it again.

 

Then unpacked it a second time because she was convinced she had missed something.

 

She hadn't.

 

Except for the lantern.

 

Aresia froze.

 

"The lantern!"

 

She immediately scrambled across the room.

 

She searched beneath blankets.

 

Behind furniture.

 

Inside containers.

 

Under a pile of decorations.

 

Nothing.

 

Her ears flattened.

 

She searched harder.

 

Then she remembered.

 

She had already packed it.

 

It was in the bag.

 

Aresia slowly turned toward the bag.

 

She opened it.

 

There it was.

 

The lantern.

 

Exactly where she had put it.

 

Aresia stared at it for several seconds.

 

"...Right."

 

She decided not to tell anyone about that.

 

Eventually, the day of the Starfall Faire arrived.

 

The Grand Faire would be held in Nalnalo, Ealei's capital, while festivities could be enjoyed elsewhere throughout Eyre. Aresia had been looking forward to seeing all the decorations, enjoying the festival atmosphere, and, most importantly, watching the stars fall across the sky. 

 

She was ready.

 

Probably.

 

She checked her bag again.

 

Lantern?

 

Yes.

 

Food?

 

Yes.

 

Blanket?

 

Yes.

 

Decorations?

 

Yes.

 

List?

 

Yes.

 

Second list?

 

Yes.

 

Aresia smiled proudly.

 

She had remembered everything.

 

She took several steps.

 

Then stopped.

 

She slowly looked down.

 

Her favorite little trinket wasn't there.

 

Aresia's eyes widened.

 

She immediately spun around and ran back.

 

The frantic search began again.

 

By the time she finally found it, she had somehow managed to knock over half of the things she had so carefully organized.

 

She stood in the middle of the mess, holding the trinket triumphantly above her head.

 

"I KNEW I WAS FORGETTING SOMETHING!"

 

There was a pause.

 

Aresia looked around.

 

She had forgotten the trinket.

 

But she had also forgotten to bring the second bag she had packed.

 

She stared at the doorway.

 

Then at her enormous bag.

 

Then back at the doorway.

 

"...I don't need it."

 

And off she went.

 

The Faire itself made all the frantic preparation worth it.

 

There were decorations everywhere, colorful lanterns glowing as evening approached, food and festivities filling the air, and elnin gathering together to celebrate. The Starfall Faire wasn't limited to one tiny corner of Eyre. While Nalnalo hosted the Grand Faire, the spirit of the celebration could be found throughout the regions. 

 

Aresia wandered through the festivities with wide eyes.

 

She tried food she had never tasted before.

 

She admired decorations.

 

She found shiny things.

 

She probably bought something she absolutely did not need.

 

And eventually, after all her running around, she found somewhere comfortable to sit.

 

Then she looked up.

 

The sky was breathtaking.

 

Stars seemed to fall across the darkness, streaking through the sky alongside the moon during the Celestial Vigil. 

 

For once, Aresia didn't check her bag.

 

She didn't count her belongings.

 

She didn't make another list.

 

She simply watched.

 

All the frantic preparation suddenly felt very small compared to the enormous sky above her.

 

Aresia smiled.

 

She would remember this.

 

The lights.

 

The food.

 

The decorations.

 

The laughter.

 

The falling stars.

 

And, unfortunately, the part where she spent nearly an hour searching for something that had been inside her bag the entire time.

 

That memory would probably follow her forever.

 

As the Faire came to an end, Aresia gathered her things and stood.

 

She checked her bag one final time.

 

Everything was there.

 

She nodded proudly.

 

Perfect.

 

Then she took three steps before stopping.

 

Her ears perked.

 

She looked down.

 

Her second checklist was missing.

 

Aresia stared at the empty space where it should have been.

 

She sighed.

 

"...I knew I should've made a third list."

 

And with that, Aresia walked home beneath the fading stars, already planning how she would prepare for the next Starfall Faire.

 

This time, she would be organized.

 

She would be efficient.

 

She would remember everything.

 

And, most importantly, she would make three lists.

 

Just in case.