estoria | [ OPEN ] CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Entry tags:

[ OPEN ] CULTURAL FESTIVAL

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 » PRE~~GAME~~-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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

So we can find 'em and tell whoever's doing it to aim higher! It'll be fine.

[He has a perfectionist streak too, but the festival planning was Lili's baby and not his so he doesn't feel the same strict sense of responsibility, okay...

Also, a bright red firework bursts in the sky a little too close for comfort.]

Ooh— That one would look really nice higher up in the sky!

Stop getting distracted!!

[KASHUU?? PLZ.......

Regardless she's going to stomp off now because she really does need to stomp this before anyone goes deaf?!]

Now isn't the time to appreciate the art of fireworks when they could set something alight!

Sorry, sorry!

[BUT OFF HE'LL GO following after Lili, because clearly she can't be left on her own to deal with this!]

They're still pretty even if they're a little lower than they should be. It's too bad they're dangerous, 'cause a front row seat like this is much better than seeing them all the way up in the sky.

[This is true, Lili might actually kill a man right now.

But "it's too bad they're dangerous" just manages to get a withering look back at him from Lili. Really...??? The way that swords treat danger is so irritating sometimes!]

... Just assist me in making sure no one gets hurt, alright? Perhaps then you can enjoy it in the meantime.

[Before Lili destroys whoever was the cause of it.]

[SWORDS LIVE ON THE EDGE. Kashuu doesn't even seem to notice he's said something dumb, since the look he gives her is just a dopey "????" expression, basically.]

O-kay! No problem. There aren't any fires so far, at least... Or I don't see any smoke, anyway?

[Or hear screaming! ...Wait, no, there it is.]

[THE SCREAMING IS CONCERNING.

And it makes Lili walk a little bit faster, shaking her head then.]

If there are any, it's your job to put them out, okay? I have to make sure that whoever started this is stopped first...!

[Delegating... and also showing how much she trusts Kashuu because the fate of this festival is now partially in his hands?!]

[HE WON'T LET HER DOWN. He's pretty used to having things delegated to him anyway, so this is comfortable...]

Got it! I'll do some scouting!

[Keeping an eye on Lili while he does so...

But ah, yeah, that sure is a booth that's catching fire off to the left. TIME TO GO. Kashuu grabs some water from one of those fish-catching games and starts running toward it.]

[Please don't let there be any fish still in that water, Kashuu.....

But Lili doesn't even flinch when he leaves her side, all too used to having her attendants run around and do the same thing. Oddly enough, now that things are getting set on fire and there's explosions, this feels familiar?! (A little achingly familiar and she clenches her hand as if someone's going to try to stab her again tonight. Hopefully not!)

It's not too long before she finds some of the NPC hooligans, not too far from the booth that caught on fire - probably laughing about their """success""" and that's probably why Lili's not hesitating to reach up and slap them both. Hard. Kashuu might be able to hear it from where he's standing-]

What do you think you're doing?! Imbeciles! Don't you realize what kind of danger you've put people in?!

[It's a bit of a regal tone that's collected dust since she arrived in Cerealia, but never let it be said that Lili's lost her nobility tendencies.

Whether she's done first or Kashuu's done first, she's still going to be seething - and then running to go help him with the rest of the unlit fireworks in her arms.]

[If there is it's fine, they can just be roasted and eaten...

THAT SAID, Kashuu does indeed hear the telltale echo of two Fierce Slaps and dang, he's sure glad he's never been the recipient of that. R.I.P Mutsu and Tsuru who are apparently just going to take all of the bludgeoning for the rest of the team...

By the time Lili runs over, Kashuu's mostly put the fire out, and the booth itself doesn't even seem like it's taken much damage. Part of the sign has been eaten away by flames and is soaked through with water, and some of the the wares are damaged beyond repair, but the entire thing isn't burnt up.]

I see you got things under control over there pretty fast, huh?

[ . . . well. At least the festival's over. She's inspecting the damage as she arrives, not even noticing Kashuu entirely until he speaks and then she'll glance over to him with a blink and a sigh.]

If I can't be expected to handle a bunch of stupid teenagers, then it would be pitiful, wouldn't it?

[To be... honest.... There's a sigh as she just sets her hands on her hips and looks back to the booth.]

Well... at least clean-up is being handled by other people.

["Rock Lee will fix it."]

I'll stick around to help out, too.

[Because Kashuu HATES CHORES, but he's also used to being pushed into him, so now it just feels weird if he witnesses or causes a mess and isn't there to clean it up...]

But hey! Now that we've got these, we should fire a few off properly.

[ . . . . . Lili just looks to him and gives a sigh with a look that half-irritated and half-amused.]

You really want to, don't you....

[And like. Lili's really bad at denying Kashuu what he wants? If it's an inherently bad idea normally she can turn it down but if he wants to light off a few of them properly then....]

... We can go to the roof to do so, I suppose. The higher ground will make it easier to make sure nothing will get burnt.

[if... he really wants....]

I do!

[LORD... At least he's not shy about admitting the things he wants. As long as they fire these off at a distance, he's sure it'll turn out okay!]

So let's go, let's go - we can check once we're up there to see if anyone else needs help, too!

[But he assumes the area will be fire-free, or else he wouldn't be acting so carefree about it... EITHER WAY, turning on his heel and setting off for the school! Time to go full shoujo and shoot fireworks off the roof.]

[A quiet mumble to herself:]

I wonder if this is even allowed....

[ . . . . that said, she's kinda just shrugging it off?! O-Oh. Apparently Lili's fine with being rebellious as long as she's the one doing it... #hypocrite. Regardless she'll follow Kashuu easily enough, trusting that everyone that's assigned to cleaning (Genos and Lee are the ones she knows on the team and they're always terribly efficient for her, so that's fine).

Time to fuck off from responsibilities and light some fireworks. At least they make it back up to the roof rather easily, the sun completely set now and the lights from the rest of the colony also helping to light up the sky. Even Lili has to admit-]

... This would be rather pretty.

[If Lili's not going to be a stickler for the rules here, Kashuu sure as hell isn't, either... He doesn't even go to school, what are they going to do! Kick him out??

So up to the rooftop it is, and once they're there, Kashuu bounces his way over to the railing overlooking the festival grounds and makes a happy noise.]

Come get a look at this! We can shoot 'em off a little to the left so there's no chance of debris falling on anyone or anything down there. But they'll get a clear view that way, at least.

[He's so happy....]

Yes, that sounds acceptable.

[And she's starting to get a little excited too?! If they can responsibly fire off fireworks then... surely, there's no harm in that, right? It'll make Kashuu really happy at least, and she can't deny that it'd be nice to observe fireworks properly this time around. Last time it was such chaos....

So she'll move to join him by the railing, adjusting the fireworks that she has in her arms so that they can be lit soon.]

Do you think that they'll enjoy it? Even if it was a little scary earlier....

Of course! Fireworks are super pretty, and if they're shot up this high, the bangs won't be super loud or scary anymore.

[He's also holding his hand out, ah... For one VERY IMPORTANT REASON.]

Can I fire off the first one? I've always wanted to shoot fireworks! [He's never handled explosives before?! It seems exciting! Especially since it's explosives-for-fun and not explosives-for-war!]

Can you tell what color they are by looking at 'em? I want a red one.

[Kashuu handling explosives, god help us everyone.

Except Lili doesn't think this is a bad idea?! Someone help Lili. No, instead she's going to look through the ones in her arms and is assuming they're color-coded. So she'll hand him a red (like cherries, she thinks) rocket without much fuss along with a small lighter.]

Here... But I saw soot on the clothes of the boys I took these from, so make sure you don't linger after it's lit.

[That's how it works, right? She's assuming. She also doesn't want his good mood to be ruined by being dirty....]

[Nothing can go wrong here, a sword handling explosives for the first time ever in a non-combative situation... IT'S FINE, THIS IS FINE.

He does very much look like a kid on Christmas when he's handed the firework and lighter, either way... This is exciting. See, he's been looking forward to celebrating all kinds of things since he got his human body! But since he arrived in Cerealia before the holiday season hit back home, he's mostly just been stuck with things like murderous santa and weird explanations of Valentine's. Being able to actually experience a Real Legitimate Festival kind of makes up for all of those flops...]

Oh— Okay! Thanks for the heads up. Just set it up and run then, yeah? [GOOD THING since his mood really would have taken a hit if he ended up getting sooty... #kashuustruggles

But since he's in the know now, he'll just start setting the little stand up! Unrolling the fuse! Putting the firework in the tube!]

You ready? I'm gonna light it!

[AND HE DOES.]

[SO HE DOES.

Lili's not sure what she's expecting, standing over by the railing as she is and watching him to make sure that he doesn't do something dumb and light himself on fire or anything. Luckily that's not the case! No, instead she watches the rocket disappear into the sky with a crackle and a fwoooosh, lighting up the sky in a bright burst seconds later. It was red - but also had bits of yellow and orange mixed in, a warm splash of color against the sky even as the boom echoes a few moments later.

Still though, she's amazed as her hands grip on the railing and she stands on her tiptoes to see it properly now that she doesn't think it's going to cause any damage-]

Wow, you did that...!

[The carnival below them chatters with some interest as well, more 'oohhs' and 'aaahhs' than screams now and that manages to make Lili all the more pleased.]

[There's just The World's Most Pleased Grin from this sword, who seems simultaneously proud and satisfied and excited and amazed that a firework from up so high in the sky can still be really, really beautiful.

But he's also buzzing from one thing to the next like an overeager puppy, so it's not long after the last sparkles have faded that he turns to her, pointing at the bundle of fireworks.]

Now you do one! You should do a blue one so we can match!

[Ah, so satisfied by the smallest things...]

How is that matching...

[Nah Lili, just accept that this is the truest Red Oni, Blue Oni experience there is.

Regardless she'll take his suggestion easily enough, going over to the bundle of remaining fireworks and picking out a blue rocket. From there she moves to the same position he did, taking a moment to double-check and triple-check that this won't be going anywhere that it'll cause problems for anyone, and then repeating the same motions to prepare the rocket. Then she holds the lighter in her hand.]

Ready?

[NOT THAT SHE WAITS EITHER.

No... she's just going to light the fuse of the firework and then run back to his side, eyes glued to the sky to watch the firework light it up again.

It's... exciting, she thinks. Exciting and nice to be able to share a moment like this with another person, especially someone that she li...ke..... appreciates as much as Kashuu. It's the first and last break that she'll give herself all day.]

Red and blue go together, that's how!

[A TRUE RED ONI, BLUE ONI EXPERIENCE... This is how colors work as he knows them, okay. Why would Yasusada be blue, otherwise??

But with that little nugget of wisdom set out, he'll just watch as she sets up the firework and waits for her to come back, fixing his eyes on the sky overhead. The burst of blue sparks is very pretty - deep but refreshing like the parts of ocean where sailboats and water skiiers go.]

That one was so bright! [He claps a little, clearly delighted, making a dumb face AS USUAL when he's very happy. If this is a break, they've got to make the most of it, though!]

Which color next? What've you got?

[He's... so happy.

Lili's too amused for a moment, her mouth coming up to cover up a small smile at how easily entertained he is at something like this, to actually give him an answer. Ah, pardon her Kashuu, she's apparently distracted by feeling a positive emotion... It's funny, really.]

Ahah... I believe we still have yellow left? There should be white and orange as well. Perhaps we should light them wisely.

[Lili... An endearing reaction, if not also like, Lili why please feel positive emotions more??]

Like, ration 'em out? Mmm... [On one hand, that would make them last longer. On the other, it would mean having to go more time without setting off fireworks, and that's just sad.]

Let's do a... yellow one, then! Maybe it'll kinda be like a little sun burst.

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