Submission (#11) Approved

On the surface, Pippin is a playful and careless character. It is easy to mistake him for a thoughtless fool who does nothing but play games, have fun, and make trouble, and to most who first meet him, he truly appears as nothing more than such.
Always presenting a bright smile or sly grin on his face, Pippin’s carelessness often results in him pulling unwilling participants into his hijinks unintentionally. Because of this, it’s common for others to look down on him and see him as being merely “immature” or idiotic.
Though Pippin’s carefree nature can certainly be problematic at times, he truly desires nothing more than to bring smiles and joy to the world around him, regardless of what others think of him. He cares not for disputes or disagreements and has a heart that lacks grudges. After all, such negativity and resentment only further weigh down the soul, does it not?
Perhaps some may look down on the freedom within Pippin’s heart. After all, it is quite a dangerous thing to be so free that you forget the memories of what once hurt you, but Pippin still continues to live as he always does. He lives only by the breeze of the wind - following it as it pulls and pushes him to whatever adventure awaits him.
Despite this, the one thing that shines brightest in Pippin’s heart is love. He holds love deeply within his heart for all he encounters and all that he sees. Luminite, human, creature, fauna, to him, all of it is deserving of nourishment, joy, and release. It is this that he holds above all other truths in life, and it is this that he yearns to find community and companionship through.
His desires and values have led him astray at times, sometimes leaving behind those he loved the most in search of new adventures and new hearts to touch and free from the binds of an erroneous life path. To Pippin, the new is always the most exciting and freeing, and it is that which he seeks above all else. Through these mistakes and the ones he has hurt, though, he has come to learn the value of his own presence, eventually learning to pull the breaks and stop himself from pushing too hard or pulling too far away from those he claimed to give his heart to.
Now, he has settled within Pleiades. Still, he looks up into the sky with a head full of wonders and dreams about the adventures that are awaiting him beyond the atmosphere of this small planet, but no matter how much those stars whisper his name, beckoning him to see all they’re hiding, he has made a promise not only to himself but to all those around him.
This is my home now.
This is where I’m meant to be.
No longer will I forsake the ones I love.
I’m staying here until I’m ready.

As Pippin learns the value of presence and consistency, he has taken on the responsibility of being the yearly lead organizer for Stellaestum. What better task is there to prove your loyalty and truly show your dedication to the ideas of companionship and celebration than to direct the festival that celebrates such?
Though he found initially himself stressing over all the technicalities that come with such a festival, the years of experience that this new life has brought him have caused him to grow more comfortable in what he would consider to be more “mundane” tasks and routines.
Besides, a creative and inspired mind like Pippin’s is incredibly useful for such events, is it not? With so many adventures in his past, Pippin has experienced an immeasurable amount of things that space has to offer. With such an expansive mental library, coming up with new and exciting activities is such a breeze!
Despite this, he finds himself growing frustrated at the confines of what tradition demands from him. Being a nostalgic soul himself, he recognizes and finds value in the repetitive celebrations developed over years of festivities, but the little voice in his head always beckons for him to scrap the old and bring in new and exciting events. After all, what good are traditions that you, yourself, haven’t experienced?
Though these events may lack a nostalgic factor for Pippin, he knows that throughout the years, especially once he leaves Pleiades behind, he will close his eyes and drift off into daydreams about the good old days. The partying, the drinking, the baked goods, the stargazing, and, of course, the breathtaking lantern-lit nighttime sky at the very end of the festival.
Even now, in the months when Stellaestum has long passed, in those quiet moments where he sits by himself, he can almost taste the smell of fresh apple pie as he watches the lanterns drift into the sky.
…Perhaps the old isn’t so bad after all.