Tiny Dreams

Family Lunch

"Come on! You don't wanna be last, do you!?" Metal joked, Aqua racing against Metal for the first seat at the table they pulled out for lunch. Copper was there with Bolt, Skull, Cube, Oil, and many others that joined in for lunch. Many of the tiny creatures decided to skip out on lunch and return to their jobs or games. Aqua reached the table before Metal did, Metal being impressed by the fact Aqua had more energy to run faster. By the time they've sat down, everyone joined the two.

Copper and a nature-related lumalight placed down series of cut out cardboard, acting as plates. Small seashore shells that were collected were set as the cloche, keeping trapped the heat that freshened the food set on the table. Food? Why would a lumalight need actual food, they're spirits! Yes, but lumalights have the mind of a human, think like one, act like one, and talk like one. In other words, lumalights take inspiration from humans on how to live society.

Aqua was the first key witness to notice a human's true nature. Yet again, she was not the first to see how cruel humans truly are from the experience of death. "Copper! Where were you?" Metal asked his friend, both of them conversing into something Aqua didn't understand, a certain fellow taking a liking to their new visitor. "Howdy do! My name is Grass, what's your name, sweet pea?" the country-like lumalight questioned Aqua, her regaining conscience from spacing out.

She did her hand signs, Grass understanding where she was coming from. "Ah, I see! Say, would you like to sit by me and my buds? We've got lots to share" Grass spoke, Aqua leaning over the table to see two other lumalights that were talking with one another. It seemed fun over there on the other end of the table, Aqua agreeing to sit with them after asking Metal for permission. So she tugged on the overalls of Metal, gaining his attention.

"Aqua, you need something?" Metal asked, Copper, waiting for Aqua to request what she desired so Metal and him could resume their convo. In hand signs, Aqua begged if she could go and chat with the other spirits on the other side. Of course, Metal didn't feel a need for her to ask, he simply allowed it because he trusted her. "Sure! Just don't touch Fire" Metal warned Aqua, her taking her departure to visit Grass and his friends on the other side.

"Hey! Welcome to our side of the table, you're welcome to sit anywhere you'd like" one spirit with fluffy white cloud hair gestured, Grass staying stood up to allow Aqua to choose her seat. The decision was made, and between Grass and fluffy boy was where Aqua sat. "I'm Windy, but you never experience anything with me, I'm just here to liven things up" Windy introduced themselves, Grass clearing his throat. "Technically, that's my job, pea brain" Grass scoffed.

Aqua being in between the two didn't do anything necessarily, all she could do was be the barrier between two opposing sides. As Grass was going to punch Windy, Aqua attempted to stop Grass from hitting him, placing her hand on his which only made his arm extend past her, and faze through Windy, touching Fire. This caused Grass' hand to well up in flames, alarming Metal to jump into action. Before Metal could run for the emergency water bucket, Aqua poked Grass's hand.

The fire that was once fuming over his arm was now decayed, and Grass's hand was perfectly fine. "That was a close one" Metal shrugged off, Copper realizing how calm Metal was behaving. "Too close, we almost lost another one thanks to those two loose screws" Copper sighed, replanning how they would save each lumalight still alive in case of life and death situations. Grass kissed his hand with the knowledge he could have lost it for good. Windy was relieved he didn't cause Grass' death.

The only one who didn't care that Grass was on the verge of death was Fire. Fire did not want to be here, he was dragged by Copper and Metal to live with them since their goal is to keep lumalights alive for as long as they can. They've gone this far to making a miniature city of their own, so the two wouldn't stop there just yet. "I insist you stay away from Fire, he's a nuisance to have around, but only helpful when we need heat and energy" Grass warned Aqua, her glancing over to Fire.

He seemed tired and fragile, as though Fire gave up on life completely. Were they waiting for something tragic to happen to themselves? If Fire were to make it obvious, Copper would send Fire into house arrest and keep him supervised for twenty-four hours. "Help yourself to the water on the table, even some salad" Grass suggested, munching into the bright green celery. Aqua tried out the celery, enjoying it with the water she had on the side. Windy didn't need to eat at all.

The same went for Fire, the two had no appetite for eating. Windy would absorb the oxygen around him while Fire absorbed the carbon dioxide in the air, the two helping to filter out bad air, and spread around clean and decent air. This helped the lumalights breathe better in the toxic and stinky sewers. "Aqua, are you almost done with your food down there!?" Metal shouted down the table, Aqua signaling a thumbs up. Metal smiled from that response, proceeding to converse with Copper.

Whatever Metal wanted to show Aqua, it seemed very important to him. Grass and Windy kept making small comments on each other, the two gettings nowhere in the talk, Aqua ignoring the two arguings, and raising herself off the chair, bringing her tray to Metal, and him feeling her presence behind her. "Cool, you're done! Let me show you where you'll be bringing your trays" Metal noted, excusing himself from the table. Aqua and Metal went to a broken pipe where the water kept flowing out.

The small spirits used this pipe to their advantage in cleaning, bathing, and collecting it for future water lumalights in need of drinking or other things. "Here is where we do lots of things like clean, bathe, and store water. This is where you'll most likely visit the most since it's the cleanest water we have" Metal informed Aqua, her leaning in her head to let the water ruin her bubbly hair. Now the once bubbly and transparent hair was drooped over her eyes, flat on her back.

"Aw, you look kinda cute with your hair like that! Come on, we have to get our trays cleaned so we can use them later during dinner time" Metal reminded Aqua, the two finishing off the trays, and heading off to more parts of town Metal was very eager to show off to Aqua. This friendship Aqua has grown with the other lumalights has made her realize this was her home, and that these spirits were her family. The only one she'll ever have in her life.