we're lost 'til we learn how to ask, so please, please just ask (part II)

We continue from part I, with part II, and Aby in midair. And we'll start introducing the story in sections (sadly, grabbed from the web, not the exact version Zack read in voice):

[13:49] Aqua Aura Firecaster - Hai Wan (nerthuschild): oh!
[13:49] Saazerac (saazerac.atheria) marvels at Aby "oooh"
[13:49] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) smiles happily at the wings

The Tale of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl

A young cowherd named Niulang (Chinese: 牛郎; pinyin: niú láng; literally "[the] cowherd"), came across seven fairy sisters bathing in a lake. Encouraged by his mischievous companion the ox, he stole their clothes and waited to see what would happen. The fairy sisters elected the youngest and most beautiful sister Zhinü (simplified Chinese: 织女; traditional Chinese: 織女; pinyin: zhī nǚ; literally "[the] weaver girl", the star Vega) to retrieve their clothing. She agreed to do so, but since Niulang had seen her naked, she agreed to his request for marriage.

[13:49] Kaneha 金葉 (kaneha) gasps in awe
[13:50] Varahi Lusch: hard life!!
[13:51] Varahi Lusch: sees the river appear!

She proved to be a wonderful wife, and Niulang to be a good husband. They lived happily and had two children. But the Goddess of Heaven (or in some versions, Zhinü's mother) found out that Zhinü, a fairy girl, had married a mere mortal. The Goddess was furious and ordered Zhinü to return to heaven. (Alternatively, the Goddess forced the fairy back to her former duty of weaving colorful clouds, a task she neglected while living on earth with a mortal.)

[13:51] Aqua Aura Firecaster - Hai Wan (nerthuschild): beautiful
[13:52] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) smiles warmly at dharma and invites him to sit on the grass with her.
[13:52] Varahi Lusch: beams at the heavenly being sure to visit our humble Earth!
[13:53] Varahi Lusch: oooooh

[13:54] Varahi Lusch: cool water after a long journey!
[13:54] Eddie (edwardmccooper): oh yes
[13:54] Tóng Tǐ 统体 (goswamitulsidas) wide eyes beams.. and reaches out to grasp
[13:54] Eddie (edwardmccooper): and I think that this is a kind of story party
[13:54] Varahi Lusch: O.O
[13:54] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): It is.
[13:55] Tóng Tǐ 统体 (goswamitulsidas) beams

On Earth, Niulang was very upset that his wife had disappeared. Suddenly, his ox began to talk, telling him that if he killed it and put on its hide, he would be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife. Crying bitterly, he killed the ox, put on the skin, and carried his two beloved children off to Heaven to find Zhinü. The Goddess discovered this and was very angry. Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratched a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever, thus forming the Milky Way between Altair and Vega.

[13:55] Zeta (zeta.blackheart): Blackmail ;)
[13:55] Varahi Lusch: a Chinese tale!
[13:56] Beta 1465: summons a yinglet to cuddle and enjoy the show with
[13:56] Aqua Aura Firecaster - Hai Wan (nerthuschild): uh oh
[13:56] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Do we have a yinglet?
[13:56] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): awwwww
[13:56] Varahi Lusch: ah! a short time together!
[13:56] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) wipes her eyes.
[13:56] Sammy (samantha1492): Well that sucked
[13:56] Zeta (zeta.blackheart): They had 2 children, *and* they were happy. Definitely a fable.
[13:56] Sammy (samantha1492): Whoops... sorry!
[13:57] Zeta (zeta.blackheart) giggles "Wrong window, Mine?"
[13:57] Varahi Lusch: s'ok Sammy... it kinda does
[13:57] Varahi Lusch: :D
[13:57] Varahi Lusch: beams at cowherd going the extra mile!
[13:57] Varahi Lusch giggles

[13:58] Aqua Aura Firecaster - Hai Wan (nerthuschild): awww
[13:58] Khaing Zar (raigann): Oh! I know this legend
[13:58] Tóng Tǐ 统体 (goswamitulsidas): ^^
[13:58] Tóng Tǐ 统体 (goswamitulsidas): :))
[13:58] Varahi Lusch: ya magic Empress :D

Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar and takes care of their two children (his flanking stars β and γ Aquilae or by their Chinese names Hè Gu 1 and Hè Gu 3).

[13:58] Tóng Tǐ 统体 (goswamitulsidas) walks up the bride with wide eyes opening his arms

But once a year all the magpies in the world would take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge (鵲橋, "the bridge of magpies", Que Qiao) over the star Deneb in the Cygnus constellation so the lovers may be together for a single night, which is the seventh night of the seventh moon.

[13:58] Aqua Aura Firecaster - Hai Wan (nerthuschild): once a year better than never
[13:59] Aqua Aura Firecaster - Hai Wan (nerthuschild) grins
[13:59] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst) applauds wildly!
[13:59] Varahi Lusch: awwwwww
[13:59] Sammy (samantha1492): I gotta fly, Love y'all, I'm proud of ya Abs, you're beautiful and the show is wonderful. Bye Xoco and friends, have a great time!
[13:59] Varahi Lusch claps her hands
[13:59] Beta 1465 claps
[13:59] Aqua Aura Firecaster - Hai Wan (nerthuschild) claps happily
[13:59] ڰۣۜღ αsɦ ڰۣۜღ (genieluvs) whispers: Beautiful
[13:59] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Tragedy with a sweet ending.
[13:59] Swoan Dipoa (dipoa) waves
[13:59] Kaneha 金葉 (kaneha) applauds
[13:59] Zeta (zeta.blackheart): Later, Mine! *kiss*
[13:59] Varahi Lusch rises and claps!
[13:59] Lexus Melodie: wonderful
[13:59] Catori Mistwalker: lovely enactment : )

[13:59] Lexus Melodie: ★ (`'·.¸(`'·.¸ * ¸.·'´)¸.·'´) ★ A*P*P*L*A*U*S*E !!! ★ (`'·.¸(`'·.¸ * ¸.·'´)¸.·'´) ★
[13:59] Aqua Aura Firecaster - Hai Wan (nerthuschild): well done!
[13:59] Tóng Tǐ 统体 (goswamitulsidas) bows respectfully
[13:59] Tevor Zenovka: a beautiful story and a love performance

[13:59] Aby Tî Qí (aby.kiyori): Bows in respect to you
[13:59] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) applauds
[13:59] Varahi Lusch: so important to continue to tell these tales of love!
[13:59] Khaing Zar (raigann): waves to Sammy
[14:00] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): marvelous, aby!
[14:00] Khaing Zar (raigann): Beautiful, Aby
[14:00] Lightweaver Balan: lovely
[14:00] Elizabeth (ellybot): Was great
[14:00] ڰۣۜღ αsɦ ڰۣۜღ (genieluvs): Amazing! that was dreamy!
[14:00] Aby Tî Qí (aby.kiyori): thank you so much Gos and Zack!! ME APPLAUDS!!
[14:01] Justine (justinejohndory.amethyst): wonderful acting, tong ti!
[14:01] Aby Tî Qí (aby.kiyori): Lexus!! I am so happy you are with us :DDD
[14:01] Tóng Tǐ 统体 (goswamitulsidas): Yay.. tunes.. marshmallows?
[14:01] Varahi Lusch: smiles proudly at her new Companion!
[14:01] Lexus Melodie: Aby ♥ that was beautiful congratulations
[14:02] Aby Tî Qí (aby.kiyori): but before we want to have Varahi'S words?
[14:02] Varahi Lusch: hehe i will speak a lil
[14:02] Varahi Lusch: come on stage with me aby
[14:02] Varahi Lusch: ne? And then Lexie Melodie performed live for the crowd. She has a lovely voice.

[14:07] Kaneha 金葉 (kaneha): To Aby! Gan bei!
[14:08] Zeta (zeta.blackheart): Ayahue!
[14:08] Varahi Lusch: and now to music... which communicates muchly where direct speech cannot ne?
[14:08] Tevor Zenovka: To Aby! May your path be beautiful and inspiring!
[14:08] Aby Tî Qí (aby.kiyori): I may thank you all, especially Sa, Tong Ti and Zack and of course Lady Varahi but also Khaing Chieftess of the Xoco - they all helped me to make that party happen...
[14:08] Varahi Lusch jogs aby's elbow and grins

All in all, a lovely, laid-back, peaceful event, one, I think, very reflective of the Companion Aby will be. I'm learning that the Wo Men Dai, the announcement of the end of a Companion's training, and her or his official festival of registration, is only guided partially by Guild tradition--mostly, it's formed of what the Companion in question wishes to share with the world of their heart, their understanding, their wisdom, and their gifts.

I'm looking forward to more of these.