"The Blue Apple Festival"

The Gift Trees of Analeasia (AI)

**"The Blue Apple Festival"** is the 6th episode of the 1st season of Alternate Void: The Five Pillars. The episode reunites Camus with the Windaguards, and Selena's first festival in the Analeasia.

## Episode Guide

*Analeasia's annual spring celebration kicks off, and the mystery behind these blue apples has Selena curious.*

## Sypnosis

Adjusting to a new life in Analeasia, Selena Orlani wakes up and gets out of her bed in her new apartment near the Sanofi Medical research hospital. As she goes through her morning routine, she checks her landline to see what calls she has. A few from her family, but one from the palace attedant themselves and one from Olivia. Refusing to listen to the one from the queen, Selena clicks on the palace attendants voice message to listen to it while she brewed a pot of coffee. The attendant mentioned how her monthly clinical lecture to the Analeasians would need to be a little shorter, as the masses would be leaving the palace early for the holiday. Confused, Selena looks at her calendar and notices the tect "Blue Apple Festival" on the board, but was confused, given that it wasn't a national holiday.

At the Analeasia International Airport, Camus Hatana walks off the plane and towards the gate, where his father was already waiting to see him. He asked about his mother, only to learn that she was getting some work done before the long weekend would occur. Camus nods and proceeds with him towards the car, where he asks his dad to just take him straight to Windaguard Palace. A man can be seen behind them talking briefly to another man before walking off.

Selena wanders into a conveniance store where she gathers a bunch of stuff on her way to the palace. As she gets to the front of the line, she realizes she forget her wallet on the way out of the door. As she is about to place the stuff down and walk out the store, a man who was in the line behind her agrees to pay for her stuff as well. It turns out this man was Camus, and he too was stopping by the store on his way to the Palace, although unknown to the both of them. Selena thanks him before she grabs her stuff and begins to walk out the door. Camus' father asks him if he knew her, where he just shrugged and figured she had somewhere important to be.

At the palace, Olivia was going over the different plans for her annual "Blue Apple Hunt" she performs around the city. As the castle was decorated with various different apples and decorations for the holiday, the entire staff seemed to be on board with the idea. Olivia would go on to squeal like a little kid commenting how Blue Apple Festival day was one of her all time favorite events every year. Vincent had to remind her that she had her own work to finish up in her study before she could get ready for the festival, but Olivia mentioned that she had some other personal matters to attend to before that.

Camus and his father entered the front of the palace as the attendants helped carry their things. Mr. Hatana would go on to his wife's office while Camus walked over to where Olivia was decorating the halls. Camus asked Olivia where Xander was and she mentioned how he was in the garden helping out with some different drinks for the holiday appreciation for the people who weren't going to be with family for the festival. Camus laughed and noted how he remembered this place looking just as festive the last two years for the holiday, but Olivia was really going all out this time. Olivia would admit that she was doing it to help Selena, who probably had no idea that the holiday existed at all to try and feel like a part something in the city. Confused, Camus asked who Selena was and why she was making such a fuss about it. Just as Olivia was about to explain, Vincent let her know that she was in the courtyard ready to come to the castle.

As Xander was in the garden preparing for the holiday dinner, he tried to sample the different "ciders" that were being prepared, only to have Josephine try and stop him from doing so. Xander couldn't help but just laugh and try to look around for things to do, although it seemed he was only getting in everyone's way. Josephine told him that eventually Olivia would probably want his help downstairs, which Xander quickly called out as a lie, but figured he could get to talk to Selena while he could to try and impress her on his skills about apples.

As Selena was granted entry into the palace, she was greeted by Olivia with Camus around as well. She quickly recognized Camus from the store and seemed surprised that he didn't introduce himself earlier. She almost instantly then recognized him as Chancellor Hatana's son and apologized about her leaving her wallet at home and that she would find a way to repay him somehow. Camus insisted that it was no trouble, and that he himself was surprised that the woman he helped out at the store had close ties to the royal family as well. Selena tried to downplay the situation, mentioning how this was only to help the medical knowledge of doctors in Analeasia. Despite that, she asked Olivia if she could procede to her lecture. Olivia nodded, telling her that her boyfriend, Henry, would escort her this time to the medical wing where the doctors were waiting, and that she hoped to speak with her briefly before she proceeded back to her apartment.

With Selena's leave, Vincent told Olivia that she needed to get work done before it all went away. Olivia finally having given up fighting agreed to work for a few hours and told Camus that she also hoped to meet up with him for the festival dinner. As Olivia proceeded to her study, Camus was caught off guard by Vincent, who had somehow snuck up on the man as he was in thought. He asked Camus if he held an ill feeling towards Olivia, and promised he wouldn't tell her regardless, but simply wanted to know what was on his mind. Camus told Vincent that he was never truly fond of rulers being determined by birth, and that he always wanted a good leader to show their attributes rather than be given a title. With that in mind, he said that he couldn't speak on Olivia yet, given that she only had a couple months of ruling to show for it. Not wanting to bore the Chancellor's son, Vincent told Camus briefly that she too shared similar thoughts, and that if he truly wanted to know for himself about the divinity or right to rule by this family, he would have to answer the questions himself-- even if the process seemed hard. The moment however was shattered when Xander busted through to the front looking for Selena, only to find that she wasn't there.

As the day passed and the city continued with their preparations for the festival after sundown, Selena could be seen wrapping up her lecture with the doctors, telling them that she looked forward to sharing more research in the coming months, and hoped to see progress from everyone as well. As she proceeded through the wing nearly unattended, she was finally stopped by Henry at the door of the palace, when he asked if she planned on saying goodbye to Olivia before leaving. A little annoyed, Selena mentoned that the Queen had fancy party stuff to attend to, and probably assumed that she (Selena) would be leaving anyway. Henry boldly told Selena that Olivia specifically wanted to meet with her today, and even hoped that she would stay for the dinner. Selena seemed really annoyed, but she was swayed when Camus also vouched for Olivia, stating how this meant a lot to her, and that Selena being there would mean a ton to Olivia as well, and if anything, she could consider that her end of the convenience store favor.

As Xander and Olivia continued the last preps in the garden and with many guests having already found their seats, Olivia looked out to the seats to see that Selena wasn't there. When Olivia asked Vincent about when the lecture would end, he noted how the doctors who were in the meeting were already here at the dinner, meaning it had ended some time ago. Olivia seemed slightly dissapointed, but was called over by Henry and Camus who were at the garden's door.

As Selena overlooked a balcony to the city, Olivia came through to talk to her. Selena would explain how she really didn't want to depend on the royal family and that she simply agreed to give the lectures and trainings to the doctors of the castle, and not attend rich people dinners. Olivia told her that she wanted her there given this was her first major holiday living in Analeasia, but Selena still seemed annoyed, telling her that a pity invitation wouldn't help the situation. Olivia would then walk up next to her on the balcony and pointed to the streets where the festival would take place, asking if Selena knew anything about the history of the holiday, and the significance it has to the people. Selena, now furious, mentions how this holiday means nothing to her just as the city is also nothing in her eyes as well, and the fact that Olivia still wants to be friends with her is a major flaw in the queen's judgement. Olivia then proceeds to explain the story of how the first Blue Apple Festival came to be.

Over 250 years ago, the first settlers of Analeasia were given special seeds from a tribe of ancient warriors who lived in nearby mountains. They would plant these seeds in the city, where they would be granted with a harvest on one day every year to help and curb food shortages that may have aoccured in the early days of the settlement. While the people could freely grab as many normal apples from the tree as they pleased, many people who held dreams and aspirations noticed that a blue apple would occasionally be pulled from the tree instead of a red one, sparking the notion for a hunt. As legend has it, the ones who ate the Blue Apples would experience good fortune for the upcoming year, or even see their desires be answered. Since then, every year, people would hunt for these apples, and each person would grab into the tree, hoping their desires would be enough to see a blue apple of their own.

Olivia mentioned how the most touching part of the holiday to her is the fact that no person in the city is barred from the event, and that anyone can frelly grab into the tree in hopes of the good luck, and it truly depends on one's desire to make it happen. This dinner Olivia hosts is for the many people who don't have proper families to enjoy the holiday with for various reasons, but that they can come together and be their own family in preparation for the festival at sundown. Olivia then tells Selena that while she doesn't have to attend the dinner, or even participate with the group, she hopes that she at least find the desire to keep going, and hope for a better Analeasia, and world as a whole. Selena, having been taken back by the Queen's words, agrees to the dinner and the holiday, mentioning how she can't truly complain if she doesn't experience it.

The dinner commences and the group can be seen laughing as people interact with one another. As the sun goes down, and the dinner looks over at the city to see the sprouting of the trees for the event, many montages of speeches can be seen, and people laughing with one another as they look upon at the many people wandering the streets of Analeasia. Finally, Olivia and co. get the chance to go look for the Blue Apples themselves as well.

As they go over the routes for the trees, Xander mentions how he's going to go ahead and get his apple first, since he worries that they are going to run out of blue one's before he gets there, despite Olivia's reassurance of how that isn't the way it works. Still skeptical, Selena wants to know if the entire thing is true. Olivia mentions how the entire way the trees work is a mystery, but that doesn't chance the fact that they know your heart. As Henry tries to get an apple first, he pulls a traditional apple and mentions how it tastes great as always. Selena also reaches in to pull out an apple, but like the others she has seen, this one was also red, raising her doubts about it all.

The men from the airport can be seen looking over at the group from a building. One of them is on the phone with someone as the other seems to be getting looks through binoculars. The only thing they note is that they see them and that they'll eventually get her seperated from the crowd. As they begin to pack up, a man in a dark room on the other side of the line tells them that he knows they won't fail, even if it may seem like it, which raises the uneasy thoughts from the men.

As the group continues on with their hunt, they all declare their dreams and hopes. Henry wants to become a distinguished man of business in the world, while Camus wants to become a soldier. Olivia tells everyone that she wants to be a terrific queen, although she doesn't know what that means yet. Selena, feeling the pressure from the others to also contribue, mentioned how she wanted to be the most knowledgable doctor to ever live. They all stuck their hands in the trees, only to find none of them could pull out the apple, to which Olivia declares that this tree must be one of the unlucky ones.

The men walk past the streets, realizing that they might've lost track of Olivia. Xander bumps into them and apologizes but asks them where they were heading. The two men told them that some of their friends were looking for a brunette girl and some of her friends. After describing Olivia exactly, Xander laughs and says he doesn't know where these people might be. He mentions how they kind of sound like his friends, although nobody simply goes looking for them. The two parties go on their ways in opposite directions.

A brief flashback to a man can be seen. He is walking down the streets of a newly built city, as he overlooks the trees in the grove. The man smiles and begins to pick apples to his heart's content, all the while looking up and expressing his gratitude for every little thing in the world. He finally stumbles upon a tree in the center of the grove, where he overlooks the tree and smiles, before going forward to put his hand in it.

In the present, the men can know be seen looking from an alley way at the group. They can be seen notifying some other people in the alley that the Queen and her friends would walk by shortly, and that they should engage in their operation. Xander walks by and comments how he remembers them and asks if they found their friends. As Xander looks and sees that it was Olivia and the gang they were looking for, Xander gives a blank and confused look before realizing they were looking for Olivia themselves. Understanding the situation, Xander tries to punch one of them in the back of the head before the other one engages in combat with him as well. A brief fight breaks out eventually seeing Xander get the upperhand. The men tell the others to quickly take out the Queen before people notice. All while Xander looks in horror. He tries to scream but nothing comes out as he looks at Olivia.

As the two men jump out to attack Olivia, she whips her head around, sticking her leg out in a swift motion to send the three men flying into the alley way they came from, almost as silent as they approached. Xander and the two men just watched in awe as Olivia collects herself and shakes her head before continuing to walk as if nothing happened. As Xander and the men try and collect themselves, the two men begin to run away all while Xander chases them until they get away. Shocked at what happened, Xander just looks at his "Blue" Apple (spraypainted), and begins to walk towards the group, but not before seeing the men in the alley way unconcious almost 30 feet from where they tried to ambush his sister.

The group finally reaches a tree near the center plaza, where it looked more marvelous than any other in the city. Xander quickly joined them, to where Olivia asked if he would simply remain with them for the remainder of the festival, completely unaware that Xander had witnessed the whol e event. As everyone tries to take more apples, this time results in the same as everyone just laughs and eats the apples together. Selena, looking at everyone, seems to have a new thought in her head. She looks at Olivia and Xander before taking a deep breath and reaching in to the thick leaves and brush of the tree. She grabs hold of an apple and pulls out a crisp royal blue apple, to her shock. Henry comments on it and mentions how Selena must have a year of good luck in store for her or something. Xander comments on his too, but Olivia tells him spraypainted apples don't really count and dares him to eat it anyway. Selena just looks in awe and wonder as she isn't sure what to make of it.

The group begins walking back, as a car pulls up with Vincent rolling down his window. He offers rides to everyone but Selena politely declines and mentions how her apartment is just around the corner. Vincent nods and gives her medical bag from her lecture, letting her know she left this in the room. Selena thanks Vincent before walking away, but he ushers her over briefly. He tells Selena that he understands her situation, her mistrust, and her reason to be skeptical. But assures her that Olivia means well. He chuckles, having a moment of deja vu from the same day, but tells Selena that she is in the city for a reason, and that blue apple she has is a testament to it. Selena tries to play it off and mentions how this is simply a kids game and that Vincent only says all that because he is the Castle steward. Vincent nods and laughs, but leaves Selena with a word of personal opinion, he does not agree because he is the steward, he is the steward because he agrees. He wishes Selena a good night, and the rest of friends wave to her and tell her to get home safe.

The men who assaulted Olivia are seen nervously dragging their friends while two of them wait anxiously on the phone, apologizing to the "Capo" for failing to capture the Queen. The "Capo" responds, telling them that although it seemed dire, they didn't fail. Olivia knowing they exist is actually the perfect part to their plan, and they'll pull some strings to get her in an even easier situation to apprehend.

Selena walks through her apartment door and slouches as she tosses her stuff on the ground. she slumps back over to her landline and looks at the apple before pressing the missed call buttons. Olivia's words can then be heard from the machine from her earlier calls, telling Selena that if she needed anything, that Olivia would personally see it through, and hoped that Selena would recognize her intentions as a friend. The man in the flashback can be seen pulling and holding an apple similar to Selena's and the words utter from both of their mouths: They wish to know the meaning of it all.