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]

( She can't help but turn a little pink in the cheeks. While she likes her name very much, it's a little embarrassing when others comment... )

And you're... a shinki, correct? Have you been here for very long?

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto shakes her head.]

No, I only just arrived here myself.

But I believe I am a shinki, yes. That was the title I was referred by earlier when I was turned away from entering the meeting hall. Apparently, shinki are not allowed inside.

[festal]

Th-that's right...

( It didn't seem very fair at the time but given the information that was presented... it made sense.. )

H-hopefully that isn't the case in the future... ( Because it seems like important information is given out in there and shouldn't everyone be privy to that? Perhaps they mean for the gods to relay it to the shinki but wouldn't it be best to be more direct ) Have you found your... god yet?

[fortune_detective]

[Her smile now looking a little more solemn.]

I have not. Though, in fairness, I have not been looking for very long yet.

[Still... if the pairing of a god and shinki were so important, wouldn't her god have wanted to be there when she arrived? Or at least relatively close by?]

[festal]

. . .

( She's quiet for a moment, glancing around back at the crowd and the festival around them. )

Then... If it's all right with you, p-perhaps we can help each other. I haven't met my shinki either so... shall we look together? And m-maybe we can enjoy some of the festival too.

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto watches Sakura nervously glance at the crowd. She can already tell where the other girl's mind is at, so she smiles friendly and polite when Sakura asks if she'd like to search together.]

I would like that. I could certainly use the assistance myself, and I would be more than happy to extend to you the same courtesy.

[An idea quickly comes to Naoto, and she retrieves a light-blue cell phone from a pant's pocket. A few button presses, and she pulls up her contact information on the screen, showing it to Sakura and explaining her gesture.]

Should we get separated by the crowds.

[festal]

( She gives Naoto a small smile but it's quickly replaced with a more inquisitive one the moment she pulls out her phone. She recognizes it-- she was given one herself when she arrived-- but... she'd never seen one before arriving here. She can see Naoto's name and some.... numbers? Symbols? Vaguely, she figures out this is a way to contact her... like sending a letter to an address. That's what she meant when she said that last part, right? )

Will this really help?

( What is technology when you live in JRPG feudal Japan with magic... )

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto watches the girl for a moment before realizing that she does not seem to know how to work a cell phone. She tries to offer a helpful but quick tutorial on how to send instant messages which Sakura seems to understand more or less.]

If we get separated and you become scared, just send me your location over text. Or you can press this button [Naoto indicates the green call button with her finger.] to speak with me over the phone. Either way, I'll come find you as quickly as I can, okay?

[festal]

( More or less. She gets the idea somewhat but it's all strange to her, still. All of this makes her wonder what the rest of these little applications are but those clearly aren't important right now. )

I see. ( Mostly. ) Thank you.

( What a strange device all the same, though. Useful, certainly, but strange. She nods once as if making a note to herself and then gives Naoto a small smile, )

Sh-shall we go, then?

[fortune_detective]

[That wasn't entirely too convincing, but, considering this is apparently the girl's first time operating a cell phone, Naoto suspects this the best she's going get. She turns to lead them back out into the crowds heading towards the festival, but she then stops for a moment. Turning back to Sakura, she offers her hand again.]

Would you prefer to hold my hand again? At least until we get out of the heavier crowds?

[festal]

( She'll do her best, okay!! )

Ah... ( She looks at the hand presented to her and frowns. Is it really okay? She can hear Hana and Subaki screaming from realms away that a princess shouldn't be holding hands with some boy she's just met on the street but...
he's been so kind and helpful so far. It wouldn't be forward at all to accept it and she reaches out to take it. ) Thank you.

O-only for the heavier areas, though...

( Small steps. )

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto smiles reassuringly and nods.]

Only for the heavier spots. Hold tight, and try to stay as close to me as you feel comfortable.

[The flow of pedestrians did not seem too strong, but better safe than sorry after all. When Sakura takes her hand, Naoto begins to lead them back into foot traffic.]

Ready?