[ 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

II

[prosecutory]

[That's a quick, bright...and possibly forced smile, judging from how she was grumbling angrily a moment ago. It had made him stop and stare in the first place, but once she has his attention, he clears his throat.]

My apologies...you are the organizer?

[coastal]

[A little forced! But it's just as polished as anything else. Regardless, she's just going to tilt her head at the question, politely and demurely.]

That's correct. May I be of help to you somehow?

[prosecutory]

Yes, I'd like to know where the mock trial will be held.

[His tone and manner are respectful, and he makes no comment over her slightly forced smile. It's rather understandable if she has to deal with trouble among her ranks on the day of the event itself...]

[coastal]

[Yeah, it's stressful to say the least. Regardless she looks thoughtful at that, the smile easing off her face easily enough.]

Ah, right. The mock trial being administered by... the Wright Agency?

[She has every stand here memorized like the back of her hand. She nods and then begins to walk, glancing over her shoulder back to Edgeworth.]

This way, if you would.

[prosecutory]

Correct.

[Let's see how Wright does with organizing a trial instead of just defending at one.]

[Edgeworth quickly follows after her, keeping up.] Thank you very much. You are...?

[coastal]

Lili An. It's a pleasure.

[Probably the most polite introduction she's had this entire time... but you know, talking to someone who already looks rather Professional and Imposing on top of being in the role of the organizer manages to make that easy.]

And you are....?

[prosecutory]

[A nod, and a small but formal smile.] I'm Miles Edgeworth. It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Lili.

[coastal]

[So formal... Yes, she's getting plenty of flashbacks here. Regardless, she at least knows how to act in polite conversation.]

May I ask why you're looking for the mock trial in particular?

[prosecutory]

As a lawyer, I'm very interested in watching it unfold. [That's true enough.] And I know the members of the Wright Anything Agency. Phoenix Wright in particular is an old friend.

[Now also literally old because wow, his best friend is now in his 30's.]

[coastal]

[Oh.... Oh! It all starts to click in her head then.]

You're a lawyer? Did you know someone by the name of Apollo Justice then?

[because all lawyers obviously know each other

lili's worldview is very simple]

[prosecutory]

[So far, it seems like many, if not all lawyers imported from other worlds came from this particular world. He blinks in mild surprise, not expecting the conversation to take such a turn, and nods.]

Yes, I did. [By his point in time, he shouldn't know Apollo Justice yet, but there you are, he did know the defense attorney.] He's also part of the agency.

[coastal]

[ . . . well.]

I see... He said that he would tell me about the law system in your lands but... I couldn't find him not too long after I even arrived.

[prosecutory]

[Oh. Ohhhhh.]

He's no longer here, but you can learn about it if you can attend the mock trial. [It's the next best thing, if Lili could take time away from her busy schedule for that...]

[coastal]

[ . . . . . if she can take the time is the true question.]

I... hope you don't find me rude to ask but - how long would it take?

[prosecutory]

Probably an hour, or an hour and a half. Two, if Wright accommodates a lot of witnesses.

[He strokes his chin, and glances at his watch.]

I don't think anyone would mind if you had to leave early. You can ask the rest of us about what you missed. [They were following the same law system anyway, so any of them were qualified to answer her questions.]

[coastal]

Really....? You wouldn't mind answering questions about the law system in your world?

[Since she doesn't think she'd have time to really sit and observe given the rest of her responsibilities...]

[prosecutory]

Not at all, Lili. In return, I'd like to hear about yours.

[He can do it for a respectful, responsible girl like her. Lili seems like she'll be listening very attentively and asking all the right questions.]

[coastal]

[ . . . ahah.

There's a moment of hesitation because she doesn't know how to explain besides-]

There currently isn't one in place.

Laws are in place, of course, but enforcement is upheld by soldiers who receive orders from the Generals, the strongest warriors of the lands, or directly from the King himself.

[prosecutory]

[No wonder she's so interested in his.]

Does your king make these laws himself, or does he have advisers or a council to assist him?

[coastal]

[Life is hard when you come from the Stone Age.]

The King does have his advisors and the Generals also act as his council. However in the end, he does have the ultimate authority on what gets passed as laws.

[prosecutory]

I assume he also has the final word on what happens to criminals?

[He could be assuming wrong, but it sounds like a reasonable assumption if the king could veto any law that gets passed and if there was no definite system in place.]

[coastal]

Presumably so. That said, he's so far removed in the capitol that sometimes he doesn't get involved in the actual affairs within villages until much later.

[unless he goes incognito

because soo-won's a really weird fucker]

[prosecutory]

Well, in most legal systems, there is a head, be it royalty or no, and he or she delegates that power over localities to subordinates.

[A pause.]

But the courts are usually separated from that head and other lawmakers, to keep political influence away from them. This is the system in my country.

[coastal]

[ . . . . Lili blinks.]

Separate it?

Why?

[What a foreign concept.]

[prosecutory]

Powers are not concentrated in one person or one group of persons to lessen the possibility of abuse. Plus, the courts must be impartial, which means they must be free from any influence from those who make the laws and those who enforce the lawws.

[Separation of powers must truly be so foreign to many people.]