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

Celty Sturluson | OTA

[lookingforhead]

A) The Stalls

[Celty stands out as she roams the stalls of the festival. She remains confused at her arrival here, but there's something about the festivities that makes her feel at ease. Something familiar about it all. And yet it's in this ease that she perhaps neglects a certain point of style.

The yukata suits her well enough, black cloth with a patterning of pink and blue and purple flowers on it. It's a gentle image despite the mix of dark and pale tones. But there are two problems that make her stand out in the crowd. First of all is the way she's tucked the right side of the yukata over the left. A beginner's mistake, but a symbolic one nonetheless. The other, and more obvious, is the yellow motorcycle helmet she wears as she wanders about.

She stands at the back of the crowd at every stand, observing but not participating in any of the events. It's difficult to tell if she's merely shy or making a point of standing back, but there's certainly many things about her that make her seem Other to the people around her, even as the crowd flows past.

Perhaps it's that, for the hours she spends here, she never approaches the font of the lines to get food?

The bridge

[The woman in the helmet pauses on the bridge. Her curiosity and stubbornness has lead to a few failed attempts to cross it and now she just stands at the railing, the lights of the festival glinting on the visor of her helmet as she looks out to the street below.

One hand rests on her chest, a sense of melancholy and loss filling her and making her all the more aware of her lack of a heartbeat. She's missing something but she can't quite place what. Something important perhaps, but something she feels is beyond her now.]

C) An Accident

[With the crush of the crowd, collisions are a thing that are sure to happen. People bump into each other all the time in daily life, and a festival is no different in this regard.

The real difference here is that the impact has jostled this woman, and in her own distraction her motorcycle helmet has fallen to the ground. While the hollow sounds of its impact ring out, more attention is drawn to the sight where it once was. A pale white neck ends in a murk of black smoke that twists and curls off into the air. There is no head to speak of beyond that point.

Celty seems as shocked as anyone else about the sudden unveiling. But if she can't scream, will someone else do so in her stead?]

C s-sorry

[returnedfromtheline]

[It doesn't take much for Yukine to get squished in a crowd his lack of height doesn't help, and unfortunately he stumbles with a sudden shift in the crowd.
He's about to go back on his way when a clamor of voices suddenly picks up right beside him.]

Kyaaa-!

Oh, crap! Holy shit!

What the hell?!

[Turning around to see what's going on, he finds himself ... not having to look far up for once. (That's one way to put it.)

Gaping at the headless woman for a long moment, he snaps out of it long enough to grab her by the wrist and drag her away from the crowd. His foot taps the motorcycle helmet as he walks by, unaware of its significance, or potential camouflaging abilities.]

Damn it, you- you're a spirit, right? Crap, I hope everyone forgets about that quickly. Ugh, what do you do with wandering spirits though? Should I find a god? Would it be okay to name you though?

[So Yukine mumbles mostly to himself as he leads her behind the nearby stalls. Once they are out of dodge he turns on her, and is unsure where to look. ...That puff of dark smoke? (For sure not her chest. For sure.)]

You- you're missing your head, 'y know? B-but other than that, you okay?

For the record, Celty is about a head shy of 5'6"

[lookingforhead]

[Celty just 'stares' back in kind. It's hard to put a finger on it but there's a look to her neck and the black 'smoke' that she's looking at him just like he is at her. And then a little puff of shadow rises up like a blush or a choked noise.

The shadows only get thicker as he grabs her and pulls her along, making her stumble as she tries to reach back for her fallen helmet. It's no good though and soon the crowd closes around it as she's lead off to the cover of the stalls.

She's been shuffling this whole time and by the time he stops and finally turns to face her there is a cellphone thrust into his face. The shadows at her neck are a billowing stream now which actually do a good job of helping provide them cover.]

My helmet! It's still back there!]

She's headless and still tall... XD

[returnedfromtheline]

Huh-? [He leans back a bit to read the text on the phone shoved in his face. She can hear him but can’t talk? What the heck kind of spirit is she? But that thought is put on the back burner as he reacts,]

That’s what you’re worried about? And what’s with all this black stuff-- [He shivers and backs away, a creepy thought occurring to him-] You’re not like, bleeding out, are you? Do you need the helmet for that?

[Although he doesn’t move back into the crowd yet he does cast a glance back the way they came, trying to see if he can spot the helmet while he waits for her answer.]

[lookingforhead]

[The deeper importance of the helmet was lost to Celty since her transition to the far shore. But while its origin was a mystery to her she still knew she arrived with it and it helped her to avoid standing out in the crowds.

With all his questions and with few answers to offer she turns and acts on instinct. She turns to face the crowd, reaching out towards where the helmet had fallen. Her shadow surges, and black tendrils whip out at ankle height. They sweep across the ground carefully avoiding any people, snaking around in search of the helmet.

One of them snares it, and with a sharp pull it's yanked back to her, along with the other shadows. All of this takes scant seconds, and nobody seems alarmed or the worse for wear about it. To them it just seemed like it got darker briefly.]

A

[bussounoshima]

[Celty isn't the only woman standing back from the crowds. Sharak Sanzo is stood a little ways away by a stall, people watching with a serious look on her face. She hasn't bothered dressing up for occasion, instead wearing her usual priestly robes and sutra, with a wolf tail tacked onto the back. Yukata aren't really her style.

Occasionally her eyes drift over to Celty, at first not very obviously. She's just watching the crowd, Celty is part of that crowd. After a while though, the stare becomes more deliberate.]

Re: A

[lookingforhead]

[Celty doesn't mind the clothes she's been gifted on her arrival, but she can't help but feel a little uncomfortable in them all the same. A recollection of using her powers to serve as her clothing has filtered in, though the specifics of those memories flit away like butterflies. It is nice though, and she imagines she might either keep it or attempt to copy the style again in the future.

Her distraction drops off when she notices the stares of the unpriestly looking priest nearby. She turns away at first, but her helmet keeps turning back towards the other woman, her appearance reflected in her visor.

It's not long before the two are staring at each other outright. Celty finds herself feeling drawn to the woman, but at the same time the look on her face runs a chill down her back. The woman reminds her of a police officer, and for some reason that terrifies her. She turns away and begins to walk at a quick pace, hoping the other woman loses interest or the crowd keeps them separated long enough for her to get away.

[bussounoshima]

[A good, old-fashioned stare down. Sharak waits a moment after Celty takes off before following her, keeping just a few meters behind her.

She's getting the same feeling she had with Kainé, back when she first arrived. Well, the assholes finally decided she needs a permanent shinki- for a moment she entertains the thought that they don't approve of Hakkai's "freelancing" before putting it aside. Not important. For now, she's curious about this woman. She needs to find out more about her.

Obviously the best way to do that is to keep following Celty through the crowd, easily dodging past people and keeping her within sight.]

[lookingforhead]

[Celty on the other hand doesn't know what that pull towards this person means. She knows she's dead. She's been told that she will meet her 'god' and things will be explained. But this person, there's something about her that makes her wonder if they changed their mind?

She does her best to lose her but clearly it's not working. It's also abundantly clear that she IS being followed and this isn't just coincidence. The smart thing to do would be talk to this woman, but a conversation isn't a place where she has the advantage. Time to make things a bit more even.

She ducks away from the crowd, moving into a wooded area behind some of the stands. She doesn't go far, far enough to make sure that she's followed, but when Sharak gets close enough she springs her trap, raising a web of shadows to obstruct passage long enough for her to thrust her phone out.]

Who are you? What's going on here? How did I die?
How CAN I die?

C

[revolutionfalcon]

[The sound of something hitting the ground catches Shun's attention, and his attention snaps to that direction as if he's expecting some kind of threat. When he sees the yellow helmet, though, his gaze moves to the figure behind it...and the immediately obvious lack of a head. Though he draws back slightly in surprise, it doesn't last long - he's met weirder here already - and as soon as he notices there's humans who seem to have seen the impact, he heads over, grabbing the helmet on his way past.

Clapping his hands sharply to draw the attention of the crowd and then shooting a glare that sends several of them scurrying off, Shun shoves the helmet at the woman before putting himself between her and what remains of the onlookers. He's not exactly pushing her away from them, but there's definitely an urgency about his manner that says he's trying to hasten her on from the people who actually saw what happened.]

Put that thing back on before anyone else notices. They'll forget about it in a few minutes anyway, but in a place this crowded, the less attention you draw, the better.

Re: C

[lookingforhead]

[If it wasn't for the press of the crowd Celty would have made more effort to get her helmet back herself. As it was, it quickly got pushed away from her by the shuffling feet of those around her, so she's very grateful when Shun recovers it.

As soon as he hands it back she puts it back in its place, resisting the urge to run away from the pressure of his glare herself. She moves with him, clearly understanding the situation, not in any mood to cause a panic either.

There's a tap on his shoulder and then a hand being held across it, the glowing screen of her phone tilted slightly towards him so he can see the text without blinding him.]

Thank you.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun twitches slightly at the tap on the shoulder, a reflexive reaction to the contact, but the fact that they're in a crowd means he was at least prepared for the possibility of getting bumped, so his usual more violent reactive insticts are capped for the moment. He glances at the phone briefly to scan over the message, raising a brow, but it's hardly a surprise that she'd need some other method of communication than speech when she doesn't have a head, so the reaction doesn't last long.

It takes him a moment to decide what to make of the words, since he tends to consider thanks a bit of a waste, but he merely sighs quietly and gives a short nod to at least indicate he understands.

Once they clear the press of people into an area a little quieter, Shun turns towards her, looking her over a bit more thoroughly, as is his usual habit with new people.]

I assume you're new, so I don't know if you know yet, but it's hard for us to get the attention of Near Shore people unless we go out of our way - if you'd taken off the helmet rather than dropping it, I'm not sure anyone would have noticed. And they'll forget about it not long after you leave, so if it happens again, just getting out of the crowd would probably make things easiest for you. [His tone is neutral and straightforward, and he doesn't seem at all bothered by her circumstances after that initial moment of surprise at seeing her lack of a head.] It makes things annoying trying to deal with them for business or whatever else, but it's useful for situations like this.

[lookingforhead]

[She straightens up briefly at his comment about attracting attention and what could have been. While the prospect of being able to openly walk without covering up is interesting, she's more pushed in the direction of being a little put off. It's not like she WANTED to lose her helmet in that collision.

But she keeps her temper and listens, despite the fact that she feels like he's talking down to her even in spite of his tone. Her helmet shifts left and right, looking over the people who are walking by and not even sparing them a glance.]

So I really am dead? Or whatever this is? What am I supposed to do now? [She was ushered off with a brief explanation and the assurance that someone else would fill her in. It wasn't really the best handled organization here. Plus she still wasn't sure how it was possible for her to die in the first place.]

B just because

[missingache]

[Roxas had seen the helmet in the crowd. It had made his heart clench and stomach feel like it was dropping. He knows that helmet.

Curiosity gets the better of him and he soon follows her to the bridge. There was no way this could be one of his best friends from Koriko, he hasn't gotten that lucky yet, but he can still see... Preparing for heartbreak, Roxas approaches her with a smile.]

Are you waiting for someone out here?

[lookingforhead]

[Celty looks down at Roxas, the visor reflecting his face. She's been slowly putting together that only those who are also related to the Far Shore are the ones who have been approaching her or really acknowledging her presence.]

I'm not sure
I'm supposed to be looking for my god but
Somehow this bridge makes me feel sad.

[missingache]

Finding your god can take a while sometimes. There's a lot of people here.

[There's a flicker of sadness that crosses his face before Roxas looks at the bridge. A shinki... So the name Ewen would mean nothing to her then. This was still the same headless woman he knew, definitely, but not the one who he left behind.]

This bridge is meant for people who love each other, or could love each other. I think I'd feel sad too if I didn't have anyone to cross the bridge with.

B

[subtract]

[He's been avoiding the bridge ever since the... incident he had with Ekko, but he pauses when he sees the glint of a visor overhead, and the silhouette of its unique design. Most people might assume she's just a motorcycle enthusiast who really likes wearing a helmet all the time, but it reminds Add more of a Nasod's head...

Which is probably unlikely, but. A guy a can dream, alright?

He passes by the bridge three times before his curiosity becomes too much. He takes a few cautious steps onto the bridge, trying to get a better look at her without risking the loss of his sanity (when does the spooky love bridge curse kick in? he'll be fine if he only goes this far, right?).]

Hey. What are you doing up here?

Re: B

[lookingforhead]

[No such luck. And the significance is lost on Celty too, but it's here with her now so she assumes it was important somehow and is content to leave it at that. Besides, it's been useful for her personal cover as she tries to mingle. She hasn't figured out her powers to make more subtle disguises yet.

At the least, it doesn't seem she's far enough along on the bridge just yet to trigger any effects, and when he calls out to her she turns her gaze to glance in his direction.

She doesn't reply, just responding with a shrug. Mostly it just seems like she's people watching.[

[subtract]

((continued here))

A - Stalls

[pure_radiantics]

[Kairi's wandering around in a pale yukata early in the evening, looking around for someone. As she's passing by the stalls, she can't help but notice the cat-head mask She knows Dust and knew a werecat and then there's Davesprite too, so now she's wondering if maybe this another animal-like humanoid.

She approaches with a smile.]

Hi there! It's nice to meet you. My name is Kairi.

Re: A - Stalls

[lookingforhead]

[Celty seems a bit surprised as Kairi approaches her so directly. It's not simply the way that the near shore residents have been ignoring her as long as she doesn't do anything to stand out. But even then she's found herself more comfortable in that solitude even while among the crowd.

But at the same time, she's not so rude as to ignore a friendly person approaching her. She offers Kairi a nod before slipping her phone from her yukata sleeve and types up a response.]

Hello.
Celty.
Are you from the Far Shore too?

OOC

[pure_radiantics]

Overflow link here!

A

[skepticstarbuck]

[Among the many things that make her stand out is the fact that she's wearing what looks like a motorcycle helmet with kitty ears on it. Scully watches her curiously for a few minutes as she makes her way to the front of a line to buy one of the fish-shaped (but not, she's been assured, fish-flavored) pastries.

It is, actually, pretty good. And the strange woman in the motorcycle helmet looks like she's looking for something. Scully heads in her direction, taiyaki in hand.]

Excuse me, can I help you? You look lost.

Re: A

[lookingforhead]

[The helmet certainly stands out in the crowd, especially with the yukata she's wearing. Still, she seems to be doing as best she can to melt into the crowd as the crowd is working at ignoring her.

In fact, as Scully speaks to her she seems a little surprised about being noticed, pointing at herself at first and then shaking her head. But then instead of speaking she fishes out her phone to type up a reply.]

Ah. No. Just looking around. I'm new around here

[skepticstarbuck]

[... Is she mute? Or deaf? Scully leans over to read the text on the phone, hesitating for a moment on new before she recognizes the character. At least she didn't seem to have any trouble understanding Scully's question.

Just in case, Scully looks up from the phone screen so that the other woman can see her mouth while she replies.]

I've only been here for a few weeks myself. Did you just show up today?