Agatha walked down the streets of Mechanicsburg, arm in arm with Gil and Tarvek, enjoying the day. The two had 'just stopped by for a visit'. The fact that is was St. Valentine's Day had not been mention but neither of them were exactly denying it either. She was really glad they were both here, even if she did have to put up with annoying remarks from the Castle.
As they headed to the Sausage Factory Coffee Shop to see Vanamonde she idly looked around at all the decorations in the town. She was a bit surprised at all the hearts. For some reason it didn't seem like something the people of Mechanicsburg would go for. Of course, being Mechanicsburg, some of them were more anatomically correct then others. She decided to ask her seneschal about it.
After ordering some drinks (with Agatha staying well away from any caffeine) Van explained.
"The tourists love it. Holidays are always a big draw. The locals don't celebrate most of them though. Mechanicsburg has some festivals that don't tend to match up with the regular calendar much."
"Really?" she asked.
"Oh, yes. One of your earlier ancestors was very interested in rituals and mystic significance. Tihomir Heterodyne was convinced that the solstices and equinoxes were biothurmicaly significant and could be harnessed somehow. Of course no one knows what for. He was obsessed with discovering the correct rituals and declared that feast days would be held at these times. In the interests of scientific discovery he tried as many different rituals and traditions as he could find or make up. I believe he died while hopping backwards on one foot wearing pink and green spotted robes and fell off the platform he was on."
"How high was the platform?" asked Gil.
"Not that high, it was the fact that the platform was suspended over a vat of acid that was the problem. None the less," Van continued, "as a town, we did end up with a bunch of celebrations that don't quite match up with those of our neighbors. The Heterodyne Boys put an end to a lot of our more interesting ones but the main four are still celebrated."
"How are they celebrated?" asked Tarvek in a way that suggested he wasn't sure he wanted an answer.
"Oh, different ways at different times. To be honest they all end up as an excuse for a lot of food and drink and dancing around a bonfire. Or a number of bonfires depending on peoples enthusiasm."
"Is there anything I have to do?" asked Agatha.
"Well, The Heterodyne tends not to get involved in much other than the party to the best of my knowledge but I must admit that may not have always been the case. I think all you need to do is some basics as a master of ceremony. I'll have to check with my grandfather, he might remember. I'll write something up to explain everything, shall I?"
"Oh please do." Agatha said, relived, "There's so much I still don't know since I wasn't raised here. I'd hate to do something wrong just because everyone already assumed I knew something and I didn't."
"Agatha your people love you," Tarvek reassured, "you're doing wonderfully. No one's going to be disappointed for you not knowing everything straight away."
"I don't say this often but he's right," Gil agreed, "You've already fought off multiple invasions and freed the town from a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions. No one cares if you mess up a few minor things."
"Quite right." Said Van, "Besides, anything a Heterodyne wants to do is the correct thing to do. You don't have to worry." Van gave a small bow, "And as your seneschal I will always help you with any questions you might have."
"Thank you." She said gratefully to all three men.
After some more small talk they left the Café to continue their walk.
"I'm looking forward to seeing these festivals now." Agatha mused. "We traveled a lot when I was younger so I know things can be different from village to village but I never really thought about how they could be divided up in to spring, summer, autumn and winter festivals."
"Did you have a favorite?" Asked Tarvek.
"Probably Christmas. Isn't that everyone's favorite." She smiled remembering, "Although now that I think about it Adam and Lilith would always light a candle on the 21st and allow me to open one gift in advance. It was usually a book."
She smiled nostalgically before drawing herself out of fond remembering, "What about you two?"
"Christmas wasn't never the best for me." Said Tarvek, "There was always a meal with the immediate family and terribly awkward small talk. No one wanted to be there but we had an obligation. You can imagine how much I didn't look forward to that." He sighed, "When I was younger at least we had presents from Santa. We'd put our shoes outside our rooms and if he was impressed with the traps on our door he'd leave us sweets." He looked over to Gil, "it was celebrated differently on Castle Wulfenbach if I recall."
"Yeah, we used socks instead of shoes and I don't know where your family got booby traps from but if we were good we'd get sweets. If we were bad we were told that Santa would steal us away and use us for parts to repair his worker constructs." He saw Agatha's look of shock. "We were never really worried, after all we knew Von Pinn would never let us be taken away."
Agatha took a moment to reflect that she might have been the one with the town full of monsters and enthusiastic minions but she also the only one who had anything remotely resembling a normal childhood. Everyone know it was the Krampus that would come if you were naughty. And the worst he would was beat you with a stick. But that was all childish nonsense of course.
"Was that your favorite holiday then?" she asked.
"Oh, no. I always loved All Hallow's Eve. Thinking about it now Castle Wulfenbach collected so many people from all over Europa we ended up mashing a bunch of similar celebrations up. I think the old Celtic festive, Martinisingen and St. Andrew's Day got rolled together at the end of October. Either way it was an excuse for a kid to dress up and runaround annoying everyone stuffing their face with sweets. What more could you want as a child? I dressed as a Jägermonster one year when I was about ten or so and decided for some reason that my costume wasn't complete until I had a real Jäger hat. I ended up falling onto one of the Generals when they were in meeting and tried to escape with an experimental clank I built as a distraction. It almost worked." He shook his head, "I got in real trouble for that."
Agatha giggled at the mental image as Tarvek rolled his eyes muttering something about fishing for hats. She turned to him, "What was your favorite? You haven't said."
"Humm," he thought, "Probably the midsummer ball. It's the end of the debutante season so all the dreary coming out parties would be done. It's seen as one of the biggest chances for people to show off to rest of high society."
"Sounds boring" needled Gill.
"Philistine." Tarvek scoffed, "You have no idea the amount of prestige that could be won or lost at a midsummer ball. People have been made or broken just by hosting one."
"Not literally I hope," asked Agatha.
"Well not usually." Tarvek replied. "Have you through of hosting one yourself?"
"I wouldn't know where to start." She said a bit disappointed, she had never really been at a ball just to enjoy one before. She was pretty sure it was different then if you crashed one. "I did promise Violetta fancy dresses though. Will you be holding one?"
"I don't think Sturmhalten is up for hosting a proper midsummer ball yet. And I wouldn't dream of hosting one if you were also doing so."
"Could you help me host one?"
"I would be honored my Lady."
It was Gil's turn to roll his eyes. That hadn't been remotely subtle for one of Sturmvoraus' schemes. Why couldn't he just ask?
"Would you both be able to come for all the festivals in Mechanicsburg?" Agatha asked them both, "I'm not even sure what they are yet but I'd love for you to be there."
"Absolutely."
"I'd be delighted." The two answered simultaneously.
"Thank you." Agatha smiled.
It was at this point Zeetha bounded up, "What are you guys doing?"
"Oh we're just talking about different festivals, did you know Mechanicsburg has four main ones? The next one is the spring equinox." Agatha replied.
"Oooh, a spring festival? Is it a fertility celebration? Cha-cha-cha" Zeetha did a little dance as Agatha blushed.
"No." she said, "or at least I don't think so. I hope not."
Tarvek decided to be a gentleman and rescue Agatha from the conversation.
"We were discussing our own traditions. Do you have any you'd like to share?"
"Well I'm not sure I could describe Skifander fertility rituals before my poor zumil catches fire,"
"Zeetha!"
"But the spring equinox? We do have something." She looked over at Gil.
They were both still a bit awkward about the discovery that they were related. Happy, since at least they liked each other well enough, but still, awkward.
"There is a ritual done on the end of the first quarter of the year." She said a bit more thoughtfully, "It's usually performed by sisters but it for families so any blood relation can do it. I've only ever preformed it with my mother."
"Do you want to do it with me?" Gil asked hopefully. He could still remember the years when he thought he had no family at all. The fact that the one he found out he had was a mess didn't deter him.
"Can you Dance?" Zeetha asked.
"Yes," Gil replied in a way that was bit more of a question then an answer.
"Good." She grabbed Gil's hand and started dragging him off.
"Wha-"
"We have less than a month for me to teach you something that can take years. We've got to get started now. I hope you're a fast learner."
"Well this is going to be interesting." Tarvek mused as Agatha looked on and smiled.