[ OPEN ] CULTURAL FESTIVAL

[coastal]

Who: Anyone and everyone! Yes, even you.
When: IC Date: 6/9 || OOC Date: 3/20
Where: Centered in CERES Academy but spilling out into the streets!
What: It's all fun and games until someone chokes on cotton candy or gets a black eye from jousting. The player plot of the cultural festival!
Rating/Warning: Totally PG, family-approved fun! Please poke me if this changes.

Flyers have been up for the past two weeks, students have been all atwitter (whether this is good or bad chatter is up in the air), outside help has been enlisted by a bunch of weird adults and finally the day has dawned upon us.

The cultural festival is here.

And it looks like stepping into an alternate dimension of Cerealia, a far cry from the Hunger Games that many had to endure just days ago - and maybe that's the whole damn point. Wander around, have some greasy comfort food, and win a stuffed animal to muffle your tears into or something. It's all gonna be okay.

I » PREGAME-FESTIVAL Let's back up a little bit. Set-up for the festival was intended to begin at 8 PM the night before to allow all groups an hour - maybe even two! - to set up their booths so that everything could be pristine and ready. . . . . Of course that didn't happen. So here you are, in the gym of the school where it looks like a crafts store went to die. Don't slip on the glitter glue! Don't touch that feather boa, the drama club might need it! Is that a soccer ball while everyone else is trying to prepare? Do you want to die? The clock continues to tick later and later, a groan coming from everyone in the room when it strikes 3 AM, but there's nonetheless an air of dedication here. Everyone's working - are you? - and this seems like a great time for caffeine overdose and some late night confessions.


II » WELCOME Whether it was through hard work or sheer dumb luck, the festival is underway!! There are sounds of yelling, students competing for patrons - "Care to have your fortune read?" or "Check out this kickass magician!" - or cries of defeat - "That balloon game was impossible - how am I going to get my McCeres plushie now?!" and "What's up with that scavenger hunt?" - You can already hear the sizzle of deliciously greasy food in the distance mixed in with whatever terribly Teen Pop mix they've got playing in the background. It's a little hard not to feel excited! Or... maybe it is, given the fact that you might not have wanted to end up here in the first place?! But the festival is spilling out into the streets! Pushy teenagers and teachers alike might've just tried to corral you in here like cattle to a brightly-colored, teeny bopper slaughter....

But if you look like you're not at all interested in having fun, this may be the time when a snowball smacks you right in the back of the head, suddenly implanting the idea of.... fun?


III » INFLATABLE HELL Whether you were running after reading some horrible gossip about you or getting way into playing the part of a fleeing criminal in the mock trial, you've found yourself in what every single carnival needs and deserves: a bounce house. But wait - that's not all?! Apparently this is some kind of inflatable course from hell as you realize that once you enter, there's even more waiting for you. Yes, that's right, welcome to the squishiest obstacle course of your life. When you make it to the end, you still have one last task: joust for your honor against the person that you've ended up with or break out your intense sumo knowledge for the exact same thing. The student overseeing this area just nods solemnly with an air of 17-year-old sage wisdom. "There can only be one."


IV » ANIME FOOD So that's what you're here for. Well congratulations friend, they've got every sort of carnival contraption or festival delight and dish - apparently this is where the culture can be found! But... but oh god, what's that? The hell is that?! Apparently there's an eating competition for these heart attacks if you really wanna try your luck.

Also hey - is this cotton candy really sticky to anyone else? Careful, don't reach too close to that other person or you just might end up stuck together...?!


V » AFTERPARTY So... where were you after the school festival officially concluded? Were you in the middle of a food coma? Were you trying to steal a giant sumo suit before they could be closed down? Were you caught on the ice of the frozen swimming pool? Drowning under the weight of discount flowers? Hopefully, you're not caught up in the craziness of a cleaning crew turned cleaning competition... or are you?

Either way, there's no way that this party is going to end with a fizzle.... but rather with a bang! Literally. The sky is lit up with a sudden firework, followed by another and anotherandanotherandanother-- except don't those... seem to be a little close? They're deafeningly loud and blindingly beautiful and perhaps that what covers up Lili's distressed screech of, "Those weren't authorized!" Hopefully all the little sparks extinguish in the air before they get too close... Kindly help make sure nothing catches on fire? Stand there and actually enjoy the show? Start a lawsuit for your sudden bout of blindness and deafness? Your move.


VI » WILDCARD ME UP For the record, there is a medical tent for anyone who gets a little too violent excited during the events. And besides all the festivities mentioned here, there's also the typical bunch of carnival games and prizes, too. Maybe even a maid cafe. Also hey, is that smell of something burning... normal? Do we have a fire on our hands?! Or is there some other type of carnival gimmick that you really love but didn't get written up here? Feel free to make it right on up! Have fun, everyone!

Comments

[psycholawgy]

[ II ]
[ it's all fun and games until athena spots a cute and GIGANTIC dragon plushie amongst the prizes.

oh. it's on.

and she keeps missing and missing her darts which is annoying and she's already throwing a tantrum until she just.

goes up the counter and steals it. so now she's lugging around a half-body sized dragon plushie while running around the stalls. careful! she may bump into you! ]

Sorry! In a rush!


[ III ]
[ a certain someone has taken down every single obstacle course…r (?!) at the joust portion of the course. . . and she's waiting.

and watching. . .

and when somebody new comes, she immediately points her inflatable weapon at them. (that's you btw) ]

I hope you are prepared to lose.

[ don't be intimidated by the few unconscious bodies lying around the area. athena is harmless. :) ]


[ IV/V - closed to Merlin ]
[ after a certain someone's magic show and once the festival's died down a bit, athena looks for him amongst the crowd, still lugging the giant dragon with her. ]

Hey! I got you something. [ she's so excited as she presents it, too. hope he likes it! ]


[ WILDCARD ]
[ hit me with any prompt! athena is not a student so she'll be an outsider visitor or whatever you'd call them. she'd also be loudly participating at the mock trial as an unwanted commentator.

other than that, hit me up with anything, or if you'd like to plot, my plurk is sytry! o7 ]

III

[monology]

[When Felix emerges from the obstacles, he's already pretty tired and groans when he spots the final challenge of the joust. But, then, this girl looks pretty interesting.]

Oh? Pretty big talk for someone who doesn't know who they're up against.
[He picks up the other jousting stick, casually.]

I should say the same to you.

[psycholawgy]

[ she really doesn't know, but what she's good at is martial arts. she'll be able to put up a decent fight, at the very least! ]

On your mark.

[monology]

[Well if she tells Felix later than she is in fact just a civillian he'll still be pissed off that she gave him a fair fight. So, that's good.

That said, he doesn't even wait for the "go," as soon as he steps up onto the platform he's jabbing at Athena's ankles. What a jerk.]

II

[good_ideas]

[Shiho's hands reach out to steady the plushie when Athena crashes into her, and...wait...]


....Did you steal this?

[All because she couldn't win it???]

[psycholawgy]

[ oh, it's her.

the traitor.

her eyes narrow as she holds the dragon closer to her. ]

I'm paying Hawke for it when I gather the money. What's it to you?

[good_ideas]

[Says the one in the process of committing a misdemeanour!!]

Nothing.

But if you're going to steal, make it money or something?

[Not a dragon plushie. Shiho keeps judging.]

II

[bewrightback]

[And now there's a boss trying to regain his bearings after Athena bumps into him.]

Athena? [He blinks in surprise.] How did you win something like that?

[He could stand to sound less surprised.]

[psycholawgy]

[ oh! well, if she's making a run for it and bumps into her boss, that's okay! phoenix can defend her later on. :) ]

Oh, hey boss! [ she hugs the dragon tighter. ] I may have... paid Hawke instead of winning it.

[ she hasn't paid her yet. she just stole it. ]

iv/v i almost typed purple as pureple and i'm laughing at myself help

[sortileges]

[ It's a lot easier once things have wrapped up, because he can wander a bit further afield to look around the festival. Lili's done a good job, even if it's a little surprising she started something like this to begin with.

One thing he doesn't expect, however, is the fact that Athena is wondering around with a giant something. When she presents it over to him, he's surprised to see a purple dragon in her hands. Maybe it makes some sense considering at the carnival he won a huge ass dolphin for her but still--

He can't help but smile. Good to know that despite being an embarrassment earlier hasn't changed anything. ]

You know dragons really aren't this colour, right? [ But he's definitely happy, considering he takes it, and gives it a light squeeze with one arm. He reaches out with his free hand to pull her in by the shoulder, giving her a hug. ] Thank you.

[psycholawgy]

[ ah, yay!!! the smile is like the sun rising in the dawn. it's radiant, it's beautiful... maybe someday, she'd see the sun rise with merlin. someday.

her face mirrors the smile, and when she's pulled in, she returns the hug twofold. ]

Do you like it? I thought of getting you a plush, too, and I thought a dragon was totally apt.

II

[babermetrics]

Whoa, whoa, what the hell, Athena?

[It's not like the sight of Athena running around is that surprising; she's got just about as much energy as anyone Leon knows. But what the hell's she doing tearing around with that huge thing? When he takes the big purple plushie tail right to the face, he sputters and stumbles backward, narrowly avoiding a kiosk. Look what you have wrought!]

What're you even doing?!

[psycholawgy]

[ oh whoops! she recognises that red head, so she has to stop and look back. possibly the tail of the dragon hitting leon on the face again... SORRY. ]

Oh, hi, Leon!

II

[swordboning]

[ATHENA...

You know what, Archer is just going to stop her by grabbing the back of the collar of her shirt. HE SAW WHAT HAPPENED.]

Hold on one moment.

[He doesn't like cheaters, AKA, people who made this game.]

Stealing is fine but there can be a more satisfying ending.

[psycholawgy]

[ fdsakjg she kicks a bit but stops when she realises it's archer. ]

What are you going to do?

III

[faithfulflame]

[Rei smirks as she levels her own inflatable quarterstaff at Athena, a little nonplussed by this display of competitiveness. She's kind of tickled by the behavior in her friend, and she's willing to play along.]

I don't know about that, Athena.

[It's not like she's going to cheat and transform or anything, but she's maaaybe going to give Athena a hard time anyway. And abuse the spell Archer's taught her.]

[psycholawgy]

Just because you're some kind of magical girl doesn't mean I won't go easy on you!

[ she hasn't lowered her stick yet, either. she waits, instead. ]

II

[usefulanalysis]

[Ema's just sitting there, manning her station as one of the school volunteers when she catches sight of Athena. She hops up, going to say hi, since her booth is pretty quiet...when she notices her friend yanking that prize and booking it from another booth.]

H-Hey! Athenaaaa!

[psycholawgy]

[ ah, hey! it's ema! she has to skid to a stop then jog back a few steps to say hi. ]

What's up?

[ nothing wrong going on here, nope. ]

II

[zerotohiro]

[Considering the fact that Hiro's already smaller than Athena, when she bumps into him with that dragon he has to catch himself so he doesn't knock over someone else's booth.]

Dude, watch it! [He looks up then and realizes it's Athena, blinking in surprise first at her and then the dragon.] Athena, what are you doing?

[psycholawgy]

[ whoops! she knows that voice, at least, so she stops and spins, hitting a random passerby with the dragon. ]

Hi, Hiro! What's up! I'm doing nothing out of the ordinary!

[ :D ]

[shroudedinsecrecy]

[Images of a giant dragon running straight towards her brought about flashbacks of the last game, and Iris nearly let out a frightened shriek--until she realized she recognized the voice behind it.]

...Athena?

[psycholawgy]

[ she skids to a stop and waves. ]

Yo, Iris!

III

[feminine_carnivore]

[ Chie is here. Like a green dragon she appears, perched upon her platform, with one leg raised up in the crane style. There's no way she's being taken out here!! ]

You might have beaten someone else, but there's no way I'll accept losing here! I fight for honor!!

[ She's.... taking this a little seriously, swinging that nerf stick around like a practiced fighter! ]

[psycholawgy]

[ wow, and here we thought athena was intense. ]

Woah, calm down. This is just a game, alright? [ she spins the stick so it's on her other hand now. ] That you're about to lose, anyway.