Candlelit Night

There were candles everywhere and Emilia loved it.

While candles and other open flames came with the risk that all things fire did, such as lighting up things that were preferred unlit and possibly burning down one or all the burrows in the neighborhood down around their ears, she still considered candle light far superior to all other forms of artificial- or magical- lighting.

First there was the flickering of the light, soft and soothing, the waving of the flame as it shifted and swayed as if dancing. It was calming and she could spend all day staring at one if allowed. Similar to the ocean waves, though thankfully lacking the loud shrieks of glee coming from other buns in the area as they splashed through the water in delight.

No, the candlelit night of All Sinner’s Day was far more quiet and peaceful than the summer days by the beach could ever be.

There was also the warmth of the numerous flames, spread all over to blanket the world in their soft glow. Instead of peppering the open road with fire, her particular neighborhood had opted for paying for the slightly more expensive floating candles that hovered above their heads and far out of reach of the more rambunctious and newly adult buns who frequented the area.

In her opinion, a significant part of why candlelight was far superior to other forms of light was because of the warmth they emitted. It was comfortable to sit surrounded by the many small flames, even on the colder October nights, though they were not quite as warm as actual open fires or the lit fireplaces she occasionally saw in movies. (Emilia was not one for lighting her own fireplace, even though she had one. Really, it was far safer for her to just burrow into her nest of blankets and pillows than it was for her to bring flames anywhere near her prized cow plush collection.)

Another reason candles were superior to magic crystals or other forms of light was a far more subjective one (though many would argue that all of her points so far were far too subjective to be even remotely objective). Unlike magic crystals, which were often far too bright to look at directly, candles were pretty. Especially when you filled a room, or hallway, or an entire street (like her neighborhood had) with the little lights.

It'd been made a requirement to turn off or cover all other forms of light in the area to make the most of the light from the candles and really bring out the full glory of the aesthetic. There’d been much grumbling about it from her neighbors, but in the end they’d all agreed that it was, not only for the best, but entirely worth it.

Like little stars, the candles had been scattered judiciously around the neighborhood. In trees, on burrows, and hung at varying levels. The only place the candles had been particularly concentrated was by the road: the only place the general public was allowed to traverse. After all, they didn’t particularly want to be liable for any injury idiotic buns might gain by tripping over someone else’s mailbox. Not to mention the damage strange bun tourists might cause if they knocked over some of the candles in more… precarious locations.

Emilia was just glad that her burrow, in particular, was particularly out of the way, and so unlikely to draw any sort of attention. Though she supposed there was a slight risk that some of the more frisky might choose a nearby location to try and escape the watchful eye of the Home Owner’s Association buns that were perched in their little portable towers at regular intervals along the road.

Well, she could scare off wayward buns with the best of them, so she wasn’t particularly worried. (Gluttony horns, while not particularly rare, were quite useful when it came to give other buns mini-heart attacks. For some reason, they never quite expected a gluttony sin to stampede them, even after the numerous news stories of buns being injured when coming between a gluttony bun and food.)

For now, though, Emilia decided to contemplate it no more and just sit back and relax, her small mountain of snacks by her side, as she observed the flickering lights and occasional shadow of passing buns. This was probably going to be one of her favorite events by far, and she was going to enjoy it to the fullest…!

… Or maybe just until she finished off the last of her snacks.

After a few hours of relaxation, a few of the candles started to sputter as their wax-covered strings ran out of wick to burn. Right on time, the slightly grumpy member of the HOA (who’d been voluntold to replace the old wicks) came by with a large bag, as they exchanged and relit the candles that’d been going out.

Emilia was really glad she’d not been chosen for that job. Unfortunately, she’d have to get up either way, as she’d just run out of snacks… She was hungry….