Holiday Writing Challenge || December 24

Candlelight || scottishfae

ONE PIECE || I do not own One Piece, nor do I make anything from this story.

PG-13 || Romance, Fluff, Sapp

WARNINGS || None

PAIRINGS || Usopp x Nami (hints of other pairings)

SUMMARY || The Mugiwara crew find themselves on an island preparing for its winter festival.

CHALLENGE || 2013 Holiday Writing Challenge – December 24

They turned around the island slowly. There was a slight wind that allowed the Sunny to navigate towards the port quietly. Everyone was on deck looking over the valleyed village that seemed to be glowing in hues of white and yellow. The breeze carried sweet smells and beautiful voices to them.

“Why are they doing that?” Luffy asked.

A trail of candlelight bobbed from the village center up the winding paths to the top of the highest point.

“Why does anyone do anything?” Zoro answered gruffly.

“It’s probably a local holiday or tradition,” Robin cut in. “Almost every island has one, though many no longer celebrate them.”

Franky was behind the wheel and effortlessly guided them into port. They docked and set their lines against the aged and decorated pier. Deep green, evergreen garlands were wrapped around each post and more candles were lit leading down to mainland.

Sanji was on ship-watch duty for the night so was the only one to stay onboard when they disembarked. “Look for open supply stores first,” he reminded them as he left for his kitchen.

They stopped when they hit the dock and the crew turned to Nami. She pulled out six separate bags and handed them out to all the guys. She pulled out two more, slightly larger with coin, and looked to Robin. “Would you like to get supplies or me?”

“I don’t think it matters. It seems like most of the town is headed up the hill, which I believe is where I’m going first.”

Nami looked up at the small balls of flame that were slowly ascending. “Good point. Would you mind if I joined you?”

The rest of the group tentatively agreed to at least walk together through the main street to see if anything was open. It was almost completely deserted. A few specialized eateries, mostly specializing in sweets and breads, were open and frantically making their goods, but almost all the shops otherwise were closed. Not seeing where he could purchase anything of the alcoholic nature, Zoro – with Luffy in tow because no one trusted him with so much food alone – stayed with the group.

As they reached the village square, they saw that the last of the villagers were collecting together. There were two lines to go up the two main paths and at the base of the path four volunteers were handing out and lighting candles. There was very little talking amongst the collected mass, but the singing from high above them was clearer in the square.

“You think we can carry candles too?” Luffy asked, looking at one of the lines.

“Why don’t we get into the lines and see,” Robin advised. “Zoro, take Luffy, Brook, and Chopper and jump in that line. Nami, Franky, Usopp, and I will go in the other.”

“Ous,” Luffy cried, startling the villagers into open glares and earning him a smack on his from Nami and Zoro.

“Behave, or they won’t let us up there at all,” Nami hissed.

The group separated out with Franky and Robin leading the other group in line. Nami noticed that the larger-than-life man stood especially close to the other woman. She reached out to grab Usopp’s arm. Bringing him closer, she motioned for him to look at the couple in front of them.

“Yeah, they’ve been dating for awhile. Haven’t your known?” he whispered into her ear.

“No, how did you know?”

He gave her a nervous grin and scratched at his wrists. “Well, Robin kind of knows about us and she told me about them at the same time.”

“And you didn’t tell me,” Nami’s voice went low with anger.

“I-I’m sorry, would you believe it just slipped my mind?”

“No.”

The line was moving ever so slightly and they continued to huddle together as they made their way to the bottom of the path. The other line was going slightly faster, it seemed, as the other part of their crew were ahead of them. Though, since she wasn’t paying attention, it could have been Luffy skipping line.

“How did she find out about us then?” she continued talking to him in a hushed, but annoyed voice.

“Weeeeell,” Usopp stalled. “She kind of heard us one night.”

“Heard?”

“Yes.”

“And where were we?”

“I was on watch that night. Seems your voice carries from high altitudes.”

Nami rolled her eyes and turned away from him. “Last time I do you a favor, next thing you know Sanji will know and he won’t make me any more delicious treats.”

Usopp snorted and looked away with a frown. “You could be married and he’d still do that.”

She relaxed some and turned back to face Usopp. They were moving again and she reached out and looped their arms together and grabbed his hand. Usopp seemed startled at first but then relaxed and smiled at the woman so close to his own height. They were an odd couple, both knew that, but they had been drawn to each other because of their similarities. Neither were devil fruit users. Neither were monster fighters. They were just regular people with a dream and nakama who they wanted to protect.  

They could see the people handing out the candles now. It was an older gentleman in a deep, red suit and a long, white beard. A black sash was around his upper arm indicating that he was a volunteer, as the others were wearing the same thing. As Robin and Franky reached him he looked up startled.

“You aren’t from around here,” he commented.

“No, just passing by. We saw the lovely ceremony and were curious.”

Not sure what he was expecting, they watched as he relaxed and his kind smile return. “Of course, you’re welcome to join us. This is an old holiday tradition for us. A celebration of our love, our joy, and our desire to pass both on to our children and fellow man. You might be strangers, but I can tell you’re good people,” he brought a finger up to his nose and tapped it twice. “It’s a gift.”

He reached down and grabbed four candles and handed them out to them in turn. “They’ll light them at the next stop, once you begin climbing, we ask that you remain quiet, unless you know our songs, and then you’re welcome to join in.”

“I take it the main events happen at the top of the hill?”

“Yes, I can’t say you’ll find it terribly exciting, but maybe you’ll find yourself inspired by the spirit.”

They walked forward with the line. Their candle lighters were slower than the other line and it took several tries before each of their candles were lit. Behind them, the volunteers joined the line, their jobs done and ready to partake in their festival.

Their ascent up was like a wedding march. Everyone seemed to know the beat as they slowly went up the path. It took them through a wide view of the island the sea around it. Even the ocean, which had been storming just the day before, seemed to be calm with the atmosphere from the villagers.

The four said nothing as they climbed, as instructed, but as they finally reached the top both Robin and Nami gasped. All the villagers were packed together on the highest slope. In the middle of the area was a large tree, it’s trunk wider than the Sunny in both width and length. A group of men, women, and children dressed in red robes were standing around the tree facing out and singing the songs they heard before. The music was lilting and brought chills to the young woman. Usopp held his candle out a little further so he could bring her closer to him in safety.

The singing began to quiet and a single voice of a man came through the crowd. Neither Usopp nor Nami could see the speaker, but Franky informed him that it looked like he might be the mayor.

“Good ‘morrow, my dear friends,” he began. “I want to welcome everyone on this eve of our most important and favored of holidays.”

There was a murmur from the crowd as excitement seemed to be building.

“Tonight we light the Khair tree – the heart of our island, of our village, and of our homes. We light it as a symbol of all those that came before us, and all that will come, with the hope that they will find all the joy and love we here have and are ready to spread amongst each other.”

Again there was a stirring in the crowd and similar statements were shout out by different people.

“It is time,” he finally said and the choral music sprang to life once more altogether louder than it had been prior.

Nami looked around trying to see what was going on, but her view was limited. She could just see the man she assumed had just been speaking walk over to a small box. It opened with a creak and he grabbed something within it. “Happy Khair Eve, my friends,” he called once more before pulling down on what he was holding.

There were several clicks then a hum of electricity before the tree in front of them all began to glow. At first it was just a soft, yellow glow around the trunk, but it seemed the lights were old and began to power up slowly. The trunk began to glow brighter as another section of lights above it, this time a pale pink, turned on. Section after section, the giant tree was lit with varying colours of light. Crystals were hung all over the branches and took the light and filtered it out into rainbows of colours out into the night’s sky.

Many in the crowd began to cheer, others to sing with the choir. Nami just stared up, watching as slowly the entire tree became lit. It was finally topped off with a glowing, orange star at the top.

“Wow,” Usopp said, all other words lacking.

“Wow indeed,” Robin added.

The crowd parted slightly as the rest of their group found them. Even Luffy was unusually quiet as he greeted his friends and watched the tree twinkle.

“I’m glad we were here for this,” Usopp confessed. “I don’t think I’ve seen anything as pretty.”

He squeezed Nami’s hand gently as he said it and took his eyes briefly away from the tree to look at her. She returned the squeeze and leaned against him. “I’m glad I was able to see this with you,” she whispered to him.

Usopp leaned forward and caught her in a brief kiss. He pulled away and settled against her once more, ignoring Brook and Chopper’s exclamation.

“Shut up,” Zoro commented. “They’ve been together for awhile. No big deal. I’m surprised you didn’t know.”

“How did you?” Robin asked.

His face stained red but he ignored the teasing woman. They let the noise of the villagers overtake them once more as they stood in awe at the tree again. They all hoped Sanji was able to see it from the Sunny.

“Happy Khair Eve, guys, whatever that is,” Luffy cut in.

They laughed amongst themselves.

“Happy Khair Eve,” they all repeated.

They stood there in the light, many of the villagers turning and heading back down to their homes – their candles extinguished now that the tree was lit.

“Guys, no one better tell Sanji. I want my damn parfaits still.”