[ 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

iv

[carcinoma]

[ lop's actually a little overwhelmed by the dearth of choices here, frozen in indecision as he hovers near the food aisles, and having his thoughts so abruptly interrupted by someone is actually a bit of a blessing. ]

Ah -- Kashuu! [ it's a split-second decision, but he remembers kashuu's last name being a bit harder to pronounce and it's probably better not to keep butchering it. ] Of course!

Do you have any suggestions for where to start? Everything looks so strange but interesting ...

[adornmental]

[An energetic welcome is always best! Kashuu's quite pleased, giving a little jaunty wave with his free hand before pointing toward a stall that seems to be selling steamed buns.]

Some of that, maybe! Oh - but I guess it depends on the kinda stuff you prefer. Like, there are reeeally big sweet apples if you like desserts! There's a ramen stand back there, too, and some sorta sandwich-eating competition. And one booth has like, the hottest peppers ever. Super hot! I totally saw someone walk away from there crying!

[That sounds more like a torture booth than a food stall...]

[carcinoma]

[ he can only really recognize about a third of the foods here, and he certainly isn't familiar with anything exotic. eyes wide as he follows kashuu's gesturing, he stares at each stall with open fascination. ]

Um, well. I can't really eat meat, but everything else sounds amazing ...

[ he's drifting a bit towards the steamed buns as he speaks though, drawn by the enticing aroma. ]

[adornmental]

Most of those things you can get meat-free, except that sandwich thing. That looks like it'd be a real bad time anyway, though.

[Because really, who actually has that much room in their stomach for food. WHO...

Once he catches Lop's attention drifting over to the buns though, he'll point that way himself before starting to trot in that direction.]

They've got some veggie ones here! I've tried the meat ones and the dough and sauce are really tasty, so those should be fine, too. Is this where you wanna start?

[carcinoma]

Um! Well, they do look really good.

[ lop looks just a little embarrassed at that, sheepishly raising his hand to shift his ear back. how should he say this ... ]

If you think they're good, I'd like to try some. But, if it's alright with you, would you let me buy something for you?

[ halfway through his sentence, he peeks at kashuu's reaction to make sure he's not saying anything out of line. ]

It's not much, but I wanted to thank you for your help last time, and -- it sounds like you'd know about what's good here, too! So, it would be a win-win situation?

[adornmental]

[He definitely doesn't seem adverse to the suggestion, if nothing else! Surprised, definitely - but it's a pleasant sort of surprise, and he's smiling soon after.]

Wow! That's really nice of you. I mean, if you don't mind doing that or anything, how could I turn down that kind of offer?

[Free food from a nice person, a double victory!]

I'll try one of the veggie ones with you then, if that's okay.

[carcinoma]

Of course! Just a moment!

[ his face lights up as soon as he sees kashuu's smile, and lop's still beaming as he trots over towards the stall. it doesn't take him long to return with two veggie buns, carefully held in their paper wrappers. ]

I hope I got the right one? [ he hands one over to kashuu before curiously look at his, squishing it a little in his hand. ] It's even softer than it looks ...

[adornmental]

Looks right to me!

[THEY LITERALLY LOOK IDENTICAL FROM THE OUTSIDE-- But maybe Kashuu just has a good sense of smell, since the veggie ones are distinctly more... barbeque-y. Gotta have lots of sauce to make up for the lack of meat, clearly.]

It's a nice texture, right? Like biting into a saucy, spicy cloud! [Why.] Except these ones aren't too spicy. Be careful when you bite down too, since it'll be super hot on the inside and if you bite too hard, the filling can come out the back.

[carcinoma]

Um, alright.

[ sounding just a little intimidated because gosh, kashuu, you make this sound so scary, what with the retaliating boiling-hot spicy filling ... ! but as soon as he takes a timid bite, lop looks very pleasantly surprised. ]

Ah, it's good! I've never tried anything like this before! [ it's a big change from the blander flavors he's used to back home. he can't help looking a little enchanted, honestly. ] Is this similar to food you had back home?

[adornmental]

[LOOK the molten insides of a hot steamed bun are an enemy to all and Kashuu is doing a sacred duty by making sure poor Lop doesn't end up steaming his hands off or something...

But he's definitely looking a little excited in turn, if only because he's a goober who loves it when people like the things he shares or enjoys.]

Mmhm! It's a pretty close taste to the buns I've had back there, actually. If you like it, I can show you some other stuff from my home!

[carcinoma]

Yes, please!

[ it's a prompt, earnest response, much more forward than his meek demeanor so far, and lop looks a little sheepish as he takes another small bite of his bun. ]

I, um. I've never really seen much outside of where I grew up. And all of this is very new. So -- I'd especially like it, if I could learn more about where you're from.

[adornmental]

[An enthusiastic answer is almost always likely to get an equally enthusiastic response from this punk, if nothing else. He just nods right away, clearly pleased with the idea of being able to just throw all the stuff he knows around, as if he hasn't had a human body for just a little more than a year...]

Sure, sure! I'll tell you anything you wanna know. I mean, I haven't really been around that long either, but I've tried a lot of food! [Like the overexcited fool he is...]

This place is pretty good for people who haven't had a chance to look around much back home, I think.