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

[festal]

R-really?

( She sounds surprised and there's a rising lilt in her voice.

Thinking about gods, she tends to think of divine and perfect beings or great and destructive monsters. She certainly wasn't the latter but she was far from the former as well. To be such a mediocre person and be told they would have to be a god... she didn't feel worthy. But hearing that there's someone else out there that is alike in her some way makes her feel a little better. )

And.... d-do you like her?

[lostinshadows]

[He nods.]

I do. Although, some people might not.

[And that's fine. Not everyone can like each other, after all.]

[festal]

( It's impossible to please everyone and she understands this but it doesn't stop her from feeling anxious still. )

If I may ask... w-why do you like her? ( she's taking notes right now! ) I want... to be good when I meet m-my shinki...

[lostinshadows]

[That's a loaded question, Sakura.

Lavi pauses, tilting his head to the side.]

Mm, she's kind. She makes me want to protect her. [There's more but:] I'm sure you and your shinki will get along fine, though.

[festal]

( She knows it's a personal question for sure and she's quiet as she listens. If she's going to ask something so personal then she should pay close attention. It isn't much and she isn't going to press it but... the relationship between a god and shinki seems similar to that of a lord and their retainer... at least, the desire to protect seems the same. )

I see. ( She sounds thoughtful, mulling over what this means for now. ) If... if it's the same as what I'm thinking then... I believe things will be fine as well.

( A moment of silence and she explains, )

Where I'm from... I have two very dear friends who protect me. I'd known them both since I was very young so i-it was easy to choose them but here... ( Her voice trails off, quietly, ) I only hope the one I meet will be my friend too.

[lostinshadows]

[Kind girl, who may be more than she appears.

It makes Lavi smile.]

All you have to do is keep on walking and hope things will go fine.

[He tilts his head to the side, contemplative.]

Do you think your friends could be here?

[festal]

. . .

( She doesn't answer right away. Hana and Subaki have always been close behind her. Even after she left he court to follow Corrin, they'd found and followed her. )

I hope so...

(
... But here, there was a chance they could come and not remember her.. )

But if they don't remember me then...

[lostinshadows]

[Ah...

Lavi gives her an encouraging smile.]

Then you can make new memories together.

[festal]

( A selfish part of her wants to say, but they won't be the same memories but she keeps it to herself because she knows exactly how childish that would sound, especially when he has a point.

But would they even care for her if they didn't know who she was? They'd both come from families that had always served the royal family. It's why they trained their entire lives to be chosen as royal retainers. They'd certainly become friends over time but would they become friends again without that connection? Well, it would only mean it was her turn to work for their friendship instead of the other way around, right? )

You're right. ( Because regardless of her concerns, he is right. ) ... You're very kind. W-we've only just met and you've helped me so much already, Lavi. I t-truly can't thank you enough.

[lostinshadows]

[So many burdens a god has to bear.

He doesn't feel envious of them at all. But he does give her another encouraging smile.]

No need to thank me. After all, I just can't leave you alone without answers since you're new here.

[festal]

B-but I feel like I can't thank you enough. ( She's always going to be in Lavi's debt and she'll find a way to repay it. ) If there's anything I-I can to do in return, please... let me know?

[lostinshadows]

[Lavi blinks a bit in surprise. It quickly eases.]

I will.