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

3/3

[lostinshadows]

["Don't. It's ok."

Lavi can feel himself relax at her words.

She has her arms wrapped around him now, returning his embrace and for once, he's not bothered by such physical contact. (Why would he when he was the one who initiated it?)

It doesn't escape his attention that she's tensed, as if she isn't used to it either, but she's clinging onto him now and Lavi nearly does the same. Not clinging, but holding her as if she's become an anchor. She isn't, not in the way Cardia and Allen are, but she's definitely someone Lavi knows he can trust to knock some sense back into him.

Allen: The fading Sun.

Lux: The silvery glow of the moon that only appears in the midst of shadows; the dim light of the horizon from where the Sun rises.

They're both bright enough that it's enough to leave Lavi in the shadows, but he's alright with that. He can't move in the light like they can, but the shadows are where he feels most at home.

It's where he can help them best.

So, it doesn't take long until he has his other arm wrapping around her as well.]

[rememberher]

[ Look. It's a thing she does and she's mildly sensitive about it. Just. Don't.

And don't doubt yourself, Lavi. She wouldn't want that for you at all, not after sounding so sure of yourself in your convictions. In the desire to fight together with someone who so desperately wanted (needed) him by his side. And while she couldn't be sure if this was a good idea or not, she would help in any way that she could. To make sure that it was.

You two were a pair of stubborn, hardheaded, frustrating and lonely souls, and she would be damned if she let either of you down.

Standing there with both arms wrapped around him, she can't help but smile and realize in that instant–

Ah, maybe she was too. Stubborn and lonely.

Not wanting to break that mesmerizing spell of silence but knowing she would have to eventually, Lux's grip eased, settling into something less urgent and desperate and more comfortable. ]

Does your goddess know?

[lostinshadows]

[Forever gravitating towards each other without knowing the cause - it seems to be the highlight of his life right now.

But he can relate. After all, was this really going to be a good thing in the end? No one knows, but it's up for them to decide, isn't it? There's no turning back now; their only choice is to walk forward into that future not one of them knew about.

In a way, they were all stubborn and lonely.

As she eases her grip on him, asking him that question, Lavi's eye flickers over to something over her head. Not quite looking, not quite wanting to answer.]

......

[So he gives a nod instead. He suspected Cardia has somewhat known, but at the same time, does it make him selfish for wanting both her and Allen to be there? But it's not something he wants to say yet, not until he can talk to Allen.

Cardia is always number one, though.]

[rememberher]

[ Ah, then he's further along than she expected. Somehow that doesn't surprise her, knowing the sort of person was; she and him were so very much alike in that respect. Planning and anticipating, making sure to leave nothing to chance. Of course he would talk to her. Then she approved?

Or was that a difficult conversation as well? Because from what she knew, the other girl wouldn't. But to be so certain, so sure that this was the right thing to do, and to not (outwardly) hold any guilt or regret–

That's a relief; she smiles gently against him before slowly moving back. Not out of the embrace, but to make herself more comfortable there, the top of her head resting just shy of his collarbone. ]

I want you to come by the church when you can.

[ Its quiet. ]

I need to see what you can do, and the same goes for you.

[ Because this is how she fights; and she was adding a bishop to her chessboard. ]

[lostinshadows]

[Lavi inclines his head a bit.

He can understand that.

It's weird to still be holding Lux, the same person he's blown off before and then kept calling back to him because in a way, he knows she is able to understand what's going on and how to understand him in ways that neither he nor Allen really know.

A nod.]

Alright, I will.

[But when will that happen? He's not sure.

He's made a resolve to fight with her, with Allen.]

[rememberher]

[ Then what? Lavi, that's such a silly question, and one that is so simple to answer that it should come as no surprise that he hasn't figured it out.

They fight together, laugh together, cling, cry and share their pain together.

But more than that, the simple answer?

They exist.

BecUse where Allen might tell him to live, that as long as they continue to press forward, they were still alive. But ya different.

(No heartbeat. Not a single one between the three of them.)

Smiling quietly she tips her chin up slightly. ]

Don't think I'll go easy on you, either. No secrets; I need to know everything.

[ Train him like you train yourself. Don't hold back. Learn. Push. Figure out where the breaking point is. ]

[lostinshadows]

[Being put through training; somehow, that doesn't surprise Lavi. He's been doing some training himself, and training with spells with Kairi as well as his Borderlines.

While he's sure it's to be different considering it's Lux, he's not too worried.

He chuckles.]

If you say so.

[Because there will always be secrets, especially in fighting. He's willing to go along with her, but there are still some secrets he'd like to keep to himself. Somehow, in the back of his head, he can still hear that voice from his dreams taunting him.

You don't want to figure out his breaking point. Lavi has one, but Bookman Junior is another story completely.

He smiles, pulling away.]

You oughta get back to the festival. There's still a lot to enjoy.

[rememberher]

[ Feeling him pull away, she reacts in kind, taking a step back. And while he seems quick to dismiss her, to assume that she had any number of other places to be (she might, for all he knew)...

Nope, that isn't going to work, and grinning up at him, she looks almost smug about it. ]

I am enjoying myself, thank you very much.

[ You called her here, and they had a moment. He's stuck with her for at least a little while longer. Bending down to pick up her container of takoyaki, she continues to smile radiantly. ]

Even more now than I was before.

[lostinshadows]

[Lux always seems to be a busy body. It wouldn't be surprising if she has other arrangements.

He makes a soft sound, almost amused.]

Well, glad I can help make your evening enjoyable then.

[rememberher]

[ Seems to be? Lavi, you wound her! But that's beside the point.

And smiling at him like she has some kind of secret, she whirls around a bit, suddenly feeling much more free and easy about things. Genuinely cheerful and bright. ]

Can I see you later? After you've taken care of things?

[lostinshadows]

[He watches her, placing a hand inside his pocket and simply looks on in amusement.

This is definitely a side of her he's only managed to catch a glimpse of once when they went on that shopping trip together.]

Sure thing. [A smile, strained yet fond. A semblance of who Lavi is and not the other persona that often takes over when he's around her.] I can just send you a text later after Allen and I have talked things out.

[rememberher]

[ What? She can't be serious all the time! And seeing that bit of a fond smile pull at his lips, and the way he seems to relax with one hand in his pocket, Lux exhales deeply.

All right. This is good. This will be good. ]

Of course, of course. Please, take your time. I don't mind at all.

[ Pausing for a moment, her expression smooths over, countenance shifting to something more subdued. Measured but only there's such there's such a weightlessness on something that felt so heavy.

Like the three of them could finally start moving forward. ]

Oh, and Lavi?

[ Her head tilting to the side, she keeps her distance. Physically. But emotionally?

For once, there's no wall, and where she might have kept vaguely at arm's length, there's no distance here. Standing side-by-side, shoulder to shoulder, metaphorically speaking. ]

Thank you.

[lostinshadows]

Mm. [He's a little grateful because after his talk with Allen, he's going to seek out Cardia.

After all, she still comes first.

There's a pause as he looks over at her, silently inquiring. A comrade in arms, right?

At the thanks, genuine surprise masks his face.]

Thank you?

[rememberher]

[ He looks and sounds so surprised, and at that she almost laughs. Because ah, he doesn't realize what he is about to set into motion.

Giving them all the ability to begin moving forward.

So instead, her smile grows, both hands holding the container of food that was no doubt getting cold now , and bending just slightly at the waist: ]

That's right.

[ Were you expecting a thorough answer, Lavi? Sorry! ]

[lostinshadows]

[Lux, you confuse him and sometimes, that's not alright.

But he'll let it pass for now.

So he huffs a bit, shaking his head.]

I'll see you later then? Still got a whole evening to enjoy the festival.