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

[lookingforhead]

[Even if she's using her phone, she's at least facing Naoto. So while she seemed to be isolating herself with the helmet and the phone, the rest of her body language seemed open.

But at the question her shoulders drop and the helmet gives a sad shake.]

I'm not sure. I'm trying to make sense of all of this too. I've only just...I don't know.

[She's happy to meet another newcomer, but the bigger picture isn't exactly a situation she's thrilled to be in considering.]

[fortune_detective]

I see. You are a new arrival as well.

[Well, Naoto doubts then that she'll be able to get any meaningful answers from her. Yet, it seems rude to simply ditch the conversation there and move along. Instead, she gives the woman a friendly smile and a slight bow in greeting.]

Well then, if it is of any comfort, you are certainly not the only way perplexed by everything that has happened. My name is Naoto Shirogane. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.

[lookingforhead]

Celty Sturluson. Likewise.

[She looks around, watching as everyone else mills around them. Despite her imposing form of dress, for a moment her uncertainty lets her more gentle side sneak through. But then a moment later she's back in the conversation and her guard is up again.]

At least it's nice to know I'm not alone in this. Hopefully we'll find our answers soon.

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto tilts her head slightly to the side, watching Celty's body language. Her attention focuses back on the cell phone when Celty holds it up for her again.]

Yes, I hope so, too. All that I was told was that my assigned god would be able to fill me in. However, I've yet to locate them.

[lookingforhead]

[Celty nods and then taps the chin of her helmet thoughtfully.
She makes a little show of thinking before typing once more.]

I'm in the same situation. They told me to visit the Tanabata festival so maybe I'll find my god there.

[fortune_detective]

Yes, I was told to find my assigned god at the festival as well.

[Naoto turns to look momentarily at the steady flow of people walking past them towards the festival grounds. She sighs, some of her exasperation with this whole situation finally starting to bleed through.]

You would think they'd try at least a little harder to make it easier for a god and a shinki to find one another. Sending everyone to one location may seem like the best solution, but considering the sheer number of people likely to be at the festival...

[Naoto shakes her head, turning back to face Celty.]

It's going to feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.

[lookingforhead]

[The helmet bobs, Celty nodding in agreement.]

Maybe it's something that has to be felt. Otherwise I can't see why they can't just introduce us when we arrive.

On the other hand I'm not sure I'd have taken it any better if it was forced on me like that. At least we have some time to think about all of this.

Not that we really have a choice though.

[Despite this she has a feeling there's nothing nefarious at work here, but she still feels entitled to dislike how it's being handled.]

[fortune_detective]

[Continued in the Tanabata Overflow]