Cǽrvelle-The Journey

Day 74, 1st day of the Month of Joy

I woke up to trumpets blaring outside, and someone was bouncing up and down on my bed. I panicked for a brief second before my eyes could focus, sitting up straight in alarm, before I simply saw that it was Alexandra, a look of childish excitement upon her face.

"C'mon Collin!" she said, bouncing up and down on the bed in her nightclothes, before falling on her back next to me. "It's the first of the year! Wake up and celebrate!"

"Geez Alexandra... did you have to wake me up so violently?" I said, although I could feel myself smiling along with her.

"Oh, get out of it Collin, you should be celebrating!" she exclaimed, bouncing off of the bed before coming over to my side, pulling me out of the bed, until I was tiredly standing at the side of the bed. "Now get dressed and we'll go out for breakfast!" she exclaimed happily, before giving me a quick kiss on the cheek and skipping out of the room, leaving me thoroughly confused.

I sat back down on the bed and rubbed my eyes, leaning over on my knees until I was ready to get back up again. I slowly got back up and crossed to where my outfits was lying after I had discarded it last night, but finding it still soaking wet from last night's rain, I opted for one of my other outfits, but not before hanging last night's up on a hook. I grabbed my cloak and headed downstairs, where Alexandra was already completely dressed and ready to go, skipping around the room with far too much energy.

"C'mon Collin, are you ready to go?" she asked, skipping over to me as I descended the stairs. "Let's go get breakfast somewhere nice!"

"Hold on, I literally just woke up!" I exclaimed, leaning over the dining table and strapping all my various weapons on, until I finally clasped my cloak closed. "Okay, let's go. Just don't go too fast, I still need to wake up."

Alexandra giddily skipped to the door, holding it open as I went through it, while she strode down the hallway, and we descended to the lobby in the elevator, crossing the busy lobby and exiting into a true flurry of activity. In the middle of the street, a parade of various machines and floats marched along at a steady pace, all brightly painted while cheering citizens all lined the sidewalk, clapping as each float made its way past. Alexandra tried to stop and watch as a giant swam made its way down the avenue, but I pulled her along, until we finally made it to a breakfast restaurant, and I pulled her inside the brightly lit establishment. We were greeted by a cheery-looking leopard, wearing the restaurant's uniform.

"A very good morning today!" he said cheerily, and I sighed, but Alexandra quickly replied, "It is a very good morning, isn't it? Have you seen the floats for this year's parade?"

"Yes, they truly are magnificent." The leopard replied, and I stepped in to avoid a lengthy conversation.

"We were wondering if we could get a table for two please?" I asked, and he nodded, still smiling.

"Of course!" he said, grabbing two menus. "Right this way, please."

We followed the leopard upstairs to a table right near the windows, where we could easily see the parade as it went past. Alexandra took her seat quickly, angling herself to stare out the window, pointing every time a particularly magnificent parade float went by.

"Collin, look at some of these!" she exclaimed, after the 4th or 5th time in which I ignored the parade floats she was pointing at. "You should be happy, and celebrating! Why are you so dreary and miserable?"

"I'm not dreary and miserable, Alexandra." I explained, continuing to read the menu. "I'm just tired and hungry."

"Well, you just slept, and you're about to eat, so snap out of it!" she exclaimed, before turning out the window. "Oooh... look at this one!"