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

[madcuriosity]

Alice hadn't meant to hit anyone, and now she was going to be in trouble. She was sure of it. She didn't want to be in trouble, it was an accident! Alice was very near to getting upset when Johan came to her, and in a rush she tried to explain the accident. It was all just bad aim, you see, she hadn't meant to hit anything other than the bottles so she could win the plush cat! It's a very lovely plush cat, after all, and she'd never seen one so big!

But inevitably, Alice finally, slowly, calmed down and with a heavy sigh nodded, clearly upset.

"It- yes it's mine."

[rainbowmaster]

Johan watches, bemused, as he listens to her explanation. He smiles.

"Hey, no worries. It was an accident." The only person who got hurt was the unfortunate shinki, but he's sure the other would be alright. Well, he hopes, anyway.

Johan hands her the ball. "Here you go."

[madcuriosity]

She hesitated, if only for a moment, before taking the ball back and looked back at the bottles, frowning. She wondered...

"Oh um... excuse me... it... oh ah never mind," she blushed, quite embarrassed and not entirely sure it isn't cheating.

[rainbowmaster]

"Hm, what is it?"

A blink or two as he follows her gaze. "Do you need help?"

Johan doesn't mind helping her out. This kind of game can be tricky.

[madcuriosity]

She gave a small nod.

"Would you, please sir? I don't wish to hit someone in the head... again.... twice." She gently pulled at her thumbs and fingers. "And I really want that purple cat."

[rainbowmaster]

He lifts his gaze from her to the toy she was talking about. It almost reminds him of Ruby with the same shade of color before he turns back to her.

"Sure, I don't mind. You just want that purple cat?"

[madcuriosity]

"Well that's the thing, sir," she gestured up to the purple cat that was as big as she was and then back to the bottles. "To get it, I have to knock down every single bottle from the shelf. There can't be even one on its side on the shelf, all of them fallen down."

[rainbowmaster]

A thoughtful look masks his face. It doesn't sound impossible at all; just perhaps the right kind of aim and throw would be enough? In fact, Johan thinks it might be even a little bit fun since it's been a while since he's done anything like this.

He grins. "So just knock down every bottle, huh? Sounds like fun."

[madcuriosity]

"You'll help!" Alice brightened considerably as she kept a hold of Johan's hand and was practically bouncing. "Oh, thank you so much! That would be splendid! It ah- that is what you meant, isn't it?" she asked as she guided him over.

"Oh! Ah, if you're to help, I should at least get your name and give you mine in turn. It would be rude otherwise!"

[rainbowmaster]

He laughs and nods. "Yes, it is."

Johan allows himself to be led over, a smile on his face. Her excitement is definitely contagious, and at her words, he smiles wider. "My name is Johan Anderson. And yours?"

[madcuriosity]

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Anderson!" she was practically bouncing as they got to the stand. The shinki running the booth. "My name is Alice, Alice Liddell," she offered a one handed curtsy since she was holding his hand with the other.

"Um... could we try again, sir?" Alice asked the shinki and the shinki merely shrugged, stepping to the side so that they wouldn't get hit.

[rainbowmaster]

"You can just call me, Johan." He gives her another smile, this time amused when she gives him a curtsy. Playing along, he gives her a gentleman-like bow before straightening and laughing. "And the pleasure is all mine."

Johan gives a nod to the shinki as he stands to the side before looking at the bottles. He concentrates, looking at it critically, before he tosses the ball at the bottles and watches it all get knocked down.

[madcuriosity]

"Alright Mr. Johan!" she giggled.

As she watches him throw it, with far more ease than she had, she watched the last bottle roll and roll until it rolled right off the shelf. She jumped in glee, clapping.

"You did it! You did it!" the shinki reached up and got the purple cat for Alice, having known her desire since the beginning. She hugged Johan while she waited for her giant purple cat. "Thank you thank you thank you!"

[rainbowmaster]

He's a bit startled when he's hugged, but is quick to cover it up with a smile.

"You're welcome, Alice." Johan looks over when the shinki returns with the gift, nodding to him in thanks as he accepts it before he presents the prize to Alice. "And here you go. One big purple cat for the lovely miss."

[madcuriosity]

"IT'S SO BIG!!" she exclaimed as she hugged the giant cat that was almost as big as she was. She couldn't even get her arms completely around the purple kitty. She hugged onto it as tight as she could. She then looked over to Johan.

"You should name him! You helped me get him so he's a bit of yours too!"

[rainbowmaster]

Seeing her so excited, hugging the toy so closely to her, is enough to make him laugh. It's a joyful laugh, content with the young girl's energy, especially considering how much she really wanted that prize. However, the laugh stops as Johan's taken by surprise, looking at her.

"Are you sure you want me to name him?"

[madcuriosity]

"Well, so long as you don't give him some sort of awful name or something crass, I don't see why not, Mr. Johan!" she smiled. "Would you feel more comfortable coming up with his middle name?"

[rainbowmaster]

Johan gives her a smile.

"Yes, if you don't mind. It's your toy, so you can pick out his first name."

[madcuriosity]

She adjusted the giant plush so she was staring it right in the face. She tapped her chin.

"OH! I know! I shall name him Rupert!"

[rainbowmaster]

"Rupert, huh?" How very English sounding, it almost makes Johan miss home, but he chuckles.

Peering down at the toy, he grins. "Then how about his middle name be...." A thoughtful look. "Callum?"

[madcuriosity]

Continued here