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]

( Sora may be a little too much energy for this princess to handle... )

Riku... ( A Hoshidan sounding name but she can tell he isn't from Hoshido. This boy looks like he would fit in more in this realm than her own. ) I-It's a pleasure to meet you as well.

Have... you had a chance to make a wish yet? It's a custom in this realm, I believe...!

[dreamprotector]

[Maybe now, but they'll work up to it.

He shakes his head at the question.]

I haven't yet, but maybe I should!

[He heads towards one of the bamboo shoots and picks out a brightly yellow paper, before turning back to Sakura, realizing that he's missing something to actually write his wish.]

Uhh... do you happen to have a pen?

[festal]

Oh! ( She looks around. Where did she get her pen from? ) Th-there are little cups near some of the trees... ( She looks down at the one she's in front of and sees a few markers left. She's quick to take it and holds it out to him with both hands, ) H-here.

[dreamprotector]

Thanks!

[Man, he really should have just looked closer. But anyway, his wish… what to wish for actually? It takes him a moment to think of something – he's already proven his worth, has against each and every of his own expectations made Keyblade Master… and anyway, if he gets free wishes he's not going to use them for himself.

'I wish for Sora to make it back safely.'

With Xehanort still out there, likely still aiming to make Sora into a vessel… and without Riku there to help him out, that seems like a good use of his wish.]

There we go.

[He folds up his paper, then walks over to the tree to tie it up right next to Sakura's wish.]

[festal]

( She gives him space as he writes, careful not to see it. Wishes are personal things, a secret pact between wisher and the heavens alone. Once it's tied and left to hang on the branches, she bows her head in quick and silent prayer for the heavens to grant their wishes. It's then that a thought crosses her mind, )

It's interesting... M-making wishes and hoping for the gods to answer our thoughts and prayers when... some of us have been told we're g-gods ourselves.

( She supposes there's some meaning there-- to not rely on the gods when they can make a difference themselves. )

Ah... sorry, I was thinking out loud...

[dreamprotector]

[He is thankful for the little privacy… not that his wish is so incredibly secret, but the thought still counts.

Once he's done Riku just stands under the tree and the wishes for a second, wondering what to do now… he knows no god to pray to, the religious teachings of the Islands that he was taught in his childhood seem so far off. It's been long since he's offered a pray to anyone or anything, his believes shifted thanks to his journeys.

Maybe now and in this world… maybe with this 'gift' of godhood that was entrusted to him they'll have to shift yet again.]

You don't have to apologize… it's really an interesting thought.

[He reaches up to rub at the back of his neck, gaze drifting along the masses and the scenery.]

To be honest I have no idea yet, what I'm supposed to do as a god. How I'm supposed to help people with the power I have and that I was given…

[Especially when he's only just made Master… not that he isn't up for this, but still.]

It seems like a lot of responsibility.

[festal]

That makes the two of us.

( She frowns, looking up at all of the wishes on the branches. These are just thoughts and prayers from a single day. Granted, this is a special day specifically for making wishes but she can hardly imagine how many people make daily. She can guess based on the number of visitors she would see at the temples back home but what about those who made prayers in the privacy of their homes? At the small shrines scattered about the land? Answering prayers would surely be different from merely guiding them. )

I think... you and I have a lot in common. ( Yeah? Yeah...! ) You're a new god too, right?

( Based on what he just said. )

Perhaps... perhaps we can help each other get used to things.

[dreamprotector]

[Answering prayers… light only knows what that's like, but Riku is more than willing to do his best.

He nods in answer to her question; she is right, he is a new god as well, then smiles faintly as answers.]

I'd really like that.

[He may have been absolutely ready to face this by himself, but still… having someone else to face this challenge alongside with makes it seem a little less daunting.]

[festal]

( Sakura is in a similar situation. Like Riku, she was prepared to go about this on her own if only so she wouldn't inconvenience anyone. But it's good to have someone she can count on for help. It makes everything seem more manageable. )

M-me too...! We can figure everything out together.

Have you... met anyone you know here?

[dreamprotector]

I'm sure we'll manage.

[He blinks at that question, surprised by it.]

No… and I'm not really expecting to.

[The worlds are a large place after all, and what are the chances that the Heavens have called anyone here that he knows? Oh Riku, if only you knew...]

Have you?

[festal]

Oh...

( Isn't it a little unfair to celebrate when others aren't as fortunate? But when he asks, she nods and though timid and reserved, she smiles warmly to herself, )

My older brother and sister. ( And what a relief that had been. ) They're also gods here s-so they even remembered me! Th-there are others too... so perhaps we can find someone for you too.

[dreamprotector]

[Things are as they are, so Riku wouldn't say so.]

Lucky you!

[There is no sarcasm in his voice, he truly means his words.]

Well, I don't have any siblings but who knows… maybe my best friend will show up sooner or later. This is exactly the kind of trouble that he attracts.