015 | Sky Full Of Stars

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Tanabata Festival
When: All day July 5
Where: The Near Shore
Summary: The Heavens are throwing a party and you're invited!

Edit: OVERFLOW is here!



With Tanabata drawing close, the Heavens have decided that there is nothing wrong with a little celebration for the annual occasion. So they have invited everyone on the Far Shore as well as a large number of people from the Near Shore to attend a festival for Tanabata. Tanabata festivals are not uncommon in this area, so the Near Shore residents are none the wiser, though some of them are a little uncertain about where this street they've never heard of popped up from...

Tanabata is a festival held to celebrate the one time a year that the lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi can meet across the vast expanse of the Milky Way. Many birds have been working their tail feathers off to create a bridge for the two lovebirds and that bridge - perhaps unsurprisingly - touches down on this street, in the middle of the festival.

The Heavens have prepared entertainment, food stalls, and as many tanzaku as might be needed for everyone to write down wishes, along with plenty of bamboo stalks to hang the wishes from.

New arrivals will find themselves ushered to the festival and offered traditional clothing after their normal briefing at the Meeting Hall.



Stalls

There are festival stalls of every kind present, all run by shinki dressed in white robes and bearing the golden chrysanthemum of Amaterasu. Many of them seem a little bruised still, but they are happy to smile for anyone who comes to the stall they are running. There is food, games, and drinks available of all kinds, so feel free to roam around to your heart's content sampling everything that you can.

Performance

A large stage has been erected at one end of the festival street. The Heavens know that there are many talented gods and shinki present, so they are more than willing to clear spots in the scheduling for those people to perform. Anytime a Far Shore resident isn't on stage, there are plenty of Near Shore acts to go on, ranging the gambit from traditional music and instruments all the way to a rock band that has somehow found themselves here for the celebration.

Wishes

Pieces of paper called tanzaku have been strewn about a number of bamboo shoots all over the festival. There are brightly colored decorations on the bamboo and the papers themselves exist in every color of the rainbow as well. Attendees are encouraged to write down any wishes they may have and hang them from the bamboo, a normal Tanabata tradition. Wishes can range from 'I want a soda' to 'World peace' and anything in between. Obviously, some of these wishes may not be able to be granted during the time of the festival, but gods and shinki alike are encouraged to answer any wishes they can as well.

NOTE: Please report any wishes your characters answers to the first comment on this post along with a link to where the wish is answered. There will be small bonuses awarded for answered wishes.

The Bridge

As stated previously, the bridge that will allow Orihime to meet her lover touches down in the very center of the festival's street. It may be made of tiny pieces, but the bridge itself is sturdy. While it may not be able to take just anyone who sets foot on it across the Milky Way, you are allowed to walk along the bridge yourself, though you will always find yourself turned around after a short time and heading back towards where you stepped on. Lovers in particular are encouraged to walk the bridge together to deepen their bonds, but be cautioned! If you walk onto the bridge with someone, you might start feeling affectionately towards them even if they are your sworn enemy! Such is the power of love on this day.

In Summary:

• Enjoy the festival
• Watch some quality entertainment
• Make and/or answer wishes
• Meet Orihime
• Traverse the bridge
• Have fun~

Comments

[candyconsumption]

Well, with your help on mythology, I was able to learn more about my god and a friend of mine. And in relation to that, I was able to go to Greece with Zero.

...Though I didn't get to go to India with my god, however. He decided to sleep in that day.

[lostinshadows]

Mm, that's good to here. How was Greece? I've only ever really traveled to Norway.

[A blink.]

That's a shame.

[candyconsumption]

I've never heard of Norway before. Was that where you went to?

Greece was nice, though. Nice weather... and the local gods were pleasant as well.

As for Sasuke-sama, he's a bit of recluse, so it's hard to get him out to do much of anything. [ They've only done one prayer in the entire time they've known each other to boot! ] ...He's also very overprotective, for some reason.

[lostinshadows]

It was. It has a large pantheon, too, like the Greeks.

[That earns a curious look.

Overprotective? Yet lazy?]

Overprotective?

[candyconsumption]

That must have been interesting...

Sasuke-sama generally lets me do what I'd like, but... hmm...

It's strange to say, but somehow he always has an eye on me... perhaps it's part of his powers. I'm supposed to be the one protecting him... but he won't let me.

[lostinshadows]

Maybe we should take a trip ourselves so you can visit it.

[Sasuke? Lavi tilts his head to the side, curious.

That--That sounds like someone he knows. Being the protected instead of the protector. It makes him wonder if there's something else going on, but:]

I wouldn't think on it too much. There are some other ways that you can still protect your god without risking yourself too much.

[candyconsumption]

That could be fun. There's a lot to learn about this world I'm in.

[ Not think too much on it, huh... ]

I suppose as shinki we're not supposed to think too much. That's how you end up with ayakashi, after all...

[lostinshadows]

Have you been to Tokyo yet?

[Ah, oops.

Lavi shakes his head.]

Yeah, but it's also good to think about the life we have now, yeah?

[candyconsumption]

I have, yes, for a prayer. Tracking down a thing called 'yakuza'. I suppose they are gang members. I took the pictures while Sasuke-sama fought.

[ But at the thought about their current life... ]

Yes... I don't know what my other life was like... but I am warming up to this one.

I have promised myself to pet as many cats as I am able... and eat a decent amount of sweets.

And yourself? Do you enjoy this life?

[lostinshadows]

You took...pictures? [This Sasuke really does sound like someone who doesn't want Itachi to fight.

It makes him curious since Itachi does look like he'd be able to handle himself well in one.

At hearing his resolution, he laughs a bit.]

Then let's roam the stalls and see what kind of sweets we can get you to eat.

[A pause before he smiles.]

Yeah, I do.

[candyconsumption]

Yes, all I did was take pictures... Sasuke-sama took on five or so men at once, and so easily... [ There is some admiration in his voice. ] He's in the middle of teaching me some martial arts... it seems I have a knack for it, luckily.

I'm glad you're enjoying things as they are now. But yes. [ A nod. ] Let's get something to eat. What about yourself? Do you want something sweet or are you wanting something else?

[lostinshadows]

Mm, that is a good thing. You wouldn't mind a spar with me some time, would you?

[Lavi chuckles.]

We can try something sweet.

[candyconsumption]

No. I wouldn't mind. I don't know every much yet... so you'll have to go easy on me. [ He smiles, pleasantly. ]

All right. I've managed to try plenty of things while I've been here... festival sweets always seem to be in a tier of their own.

[ There's a pause. ] Oh, one thing... about your wish... [ Okay yeah maybe he took a peek. ]

[lostinshadows]

I've had some shaved ice earlier. That was pretty good if you hadn't tried it yet.

[A pause before he glances at his wish.]

Ah, so you did see it then. [He doesn't sound upset that he did; it comes out more thoughtful than anything.] What about it?

[candyconsumption]

Shaved ice? That sounds good... [ He recalled seeing someone eat it in a shop: covered in mochi and whipped cream and fruit... he started walking towards the stalls. ]

What about people do you not understand?

[lostinshadows]

[There's a bounce in his step as he follows Itachi.

However, he pauses briefly at the question and he shakes his head.]

I think people are just difficult to understand in general.

[candyconsumption]

People are... [ And he looks up towards the sky in thought for a moment, before offering a nod. ] Yes, well...

...I can agree with that. But perhaps we're not made to understand, just sympathize, when the time comes.

[lostinshadows]

[Lavi tilts his head to the side.]

I suppose that's reasonable enough.

[A smile.]