estoria | [ OPEN ] CULTURAL FESTIVAL

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[ 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!

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[Hopefully the first couple of rockets caught his attention...

But!! He'll flip his lighter out, ready at the end of the fuse.]

I'll count to three and then we'll light both of these, okay? Ready? [And he'll wait to make sure she is before starting:] One... two... --three!

[GO GO SQUAD. He'll set his fuse alight and immediately rise from the ground to scoot away to the other side of the roof.]

[GO GO GO TEAM.

Lili's mimicking his actions precisely, moving at the same time so that both of their fuses can be set alight and ignite the rockets in perfect unison. She's just making it to the other side of the roof when the dual fwoooosh goes off and she watches both of them light up the sky in flashes of white and yellow, the type of fireworks that linger a bit longer as they make designs that shower downward in twinkling lights.

Don't mind Lili's bright-eyed awe and starry wonder as she claps her hands and looks to Kashuu with a bright smile, the light still lingering in the air.]

We did it!

[nerds.]

[SUCH NERDS. But Kashuu seems just as delighted, pretty much bouncing on his feet as the dual fireworks go off in unison and shower down gold and white sparkles. He claps his hands together and then POINTS, as one must do when excited.]

That was per-fect! They looked so good!

[Gold and white isn't his thing, but it's still a very aesthetically pleasing color combination...]

D'you think he saw? I hope so!

I hope so too.

[Though that much is punctuated with a short, happy giggle even as Lili's hand comes up to her mouth to try to obscure her smile a moment later. It's such a foreign sensation, this sort of light-heartedness that comes from the delight and magic of fireworks and also doing something for someone she likes and also with someone she likes.

She never would've gotten to experience this back home. This pleasant, weightless feeling.

So she turns to Kashuu with a smile, amused and charmed by... well, a little bit of everything.]

I never would've thought to do this before. This was a good idea.... Thank you.

[The thanks just makes Kashuu look even more pleased, which is apparently somehow physically possible...]

Mm, you're welcome! I'm glad I can share things like this with you. It's a memorable first fireworks show, y'know?

[Kashuu's always a sap about making memories and other gushy gross things like that, so naturally he's extra pleased that his first time seeing fireworks at a festival has-- well. Had a rocky start, honestly, but a rather lovely finish. And no fires! Good work, team.]

One left, huh?

It's your first...?

[She hadn't realized that...! Hmmm, now she's trying to think of how to make this last firework really special. There's some glancing around the rooftop, trying to see what they can use to their advantage... but then there's Lili's CereVice sitting there and she seems to get an Idea.]

Oh!

Have you taken any pictures today...? There should be one of you lighting a firework... maybe?

[She had such a strong start and then

she started wondering if it was a dumb idea...... help]

Ooh, that's a great idea! Actually, if we could figure out a good way to set it up, I can stick it on an auto-timer and we can get a picture together! Is that okay?

[Pictures of himself are perfectly fine, of course, but this is for the sake of immortalizing this great moment!! It'll be even better if they can both be in the shot, clearly!]

You can use mine and I'll send it to you later!

[He's already reaching into his pocket to pull out his ever-present handy dandy CereVice!]

Together....?

[OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE WAS EXPECTING. There's a little bit of a blush rising to her cheeks just because that's so unexpected?! Why does Kashuu want her to be in the picture... what.... what's going on....]

I... suppose that can be arranged, yes. Though I don't understand why....

[She'll take his CereVice anyway so that she can figure out a way to set the camera so it can take an at least fairly aesthetically pleasing picture?!]

[Lili, why are you like this all the time about everything, honestly...

But he'll let her have the camera and just sort of hover nearby while she works on setting it up.]

We can wedge it between my shoes to hold it in place or something, if you can't get it to stay upright.

Wedge it in between your shoes? I have no interest in letting your complaints of getting dirty ruin a perfectly fine evening. If absolutely necessary, we'll use mine.

[Lili... What do you think of Kashuu....

Regardless, she seems to work something out with the spare lighter so that neither of them have to dirty their feet! Good work, team. Regardless, she makes sure that Kashuu has the other one and nods once.]

Go get into place. I'll set it for five seconds - that should be sufficient, yes?

Hey! I wouldn't complain if I'm the one who decided to take my shoes off in the first place!

[...Okay, but that may not be entirely truthful...

But thankfully Lili's a blessing who saves them both, and Kashuu will raise his lighter-holding hand in a semi-salute.]

Mmhm! Five seconds works just fine. Ready when you are!

[He says, and then starts moving over to the area to set the orange rocket up.]

[Uh-huh, yeah. Lili's just going to shake her head slightly because how can Kashuu still manage to complain when she's trying to do him a favor?

(Hypocrite.)]

Alright, five seconds starting... now!!

[GO GO GO TEAM - except this time it's just for a neat little picture. Lili's rushing over the second she sets the timer to go and well... it's easy for her to give a practiced smile, it really is. She's a noble who's been taught to keep her real opinions to herself, after all.

Yet when she joins Kashuu to light the firework, the smile is admittedly a little less practiced and a little more genuine and easy than she'd ever want to admit.]

[Kashuu's smile is just as easy, if only because most of them usually are. He's someone on the exact opposite end of the spectrum - he's never been taught to keep his opinions to himself, so he's just as expressive in his happiness as he is with his sadness or anger or anything else.

He's still smiling even after the camera's flash goes off, and he turns his attention back to Lili and the rocket.]

Ready? Let's light the last one together.

[The suggestion gets Lili to turn to him, eyes still blinking and readjusting after the brightness of the flash. She tilts her head at his words, looking to the singular lighter in his hands since the other is being used to prop up his phone-]

Hm? How?

Here, hold on over my hand like this!

[Holding the lighter, and thus his hand, out toward her! COME ON LILI time to go full shoujo.]

[ . . . . NO, SHE WASN'T READY-]

Wh-What? No, I can't do that...!

[TOO FORWARD.

You expect too much from her, Kashuu.]

[HE DID, HE WAS A FOOL...

But he's not letting this go so easily, either. He just furrows his brow and lifts his hand toward her again!!]

Come on, just long enough to light the firework!

[Lili's current thought process: as;ldakdf;lkj

Eloquent.

But her own brow furrows a little bit when his hand is lifted toward her again! And she can feel her face turning red too.... EMBARRASSING.

The thing is though - that the fireworks really do seem to make Kashuu happy and - it's not that Lili personally cares about his happiness, no! (Liar.) But it's her job as the person in charge of the festival to make sure that everything goes well and that everyone enjoys themselves to the very end and that just so happens to include Kashuu! Even if he wants to do this really unnecessary thing where they light the firework together?! Yeah. Yeah, apparently.

So there's definitely another moment of hesitation before she makes a small, quiet affirming noise and reaches out to put her hand over his - and pretend it doesn't embarrass her further or make her red up to her ears. There's absolutely no way that she can meet his eyes right now either.

Fine.

You got your way, Kashuu.]

[AS HE OFTEN DOES. What a spoiled punk brat, honestly...

But he practically beams when she humors him by complying with his ridiculous and unnecessary request, and then starts moving their hands together toward the fuse.]

Okay! On the count of three, then. Ready? One... twooo--

[He flicks the lighter on at the same time that he shouts "three!", and once it's caught, he'll be pulling her hand back and moving to run away from the platform.]

[Super ridiculous and unnecessary!!

But regardless Lili finds herself watching intently because honestly with her hand just covering his and him having control of the lighter, it's not like she could do much else. Then the shout of "three" and the flick of a flame come together in short order and that's it, she's being pulled before she can think twice!

Honestly she almost nearly trips over her feet.

They make it to the other end of the rooftop safely enough though, Lili turning just to catch the last orange rocket light up the sky, having flown especially high for an especially large burst of color with an explosive bang!

She can't quite find the words for it but that was... really fun.]

Wow! That was one of the brightest ones yet!

[He bounces to his toes, clearly delighted with the display and watching until the very last twinkles of orange fade out into the night sky. ...And then he finally lets go of Lili's hand, which he'd been holding onto the whole time like an embarrassment.]

Thanks! Doing 'em the right way made them a lot prettier, I think. I'm sure the people down there really had a good time, too. Now it's like a real proper ending to a festival, right?

[Such an embarrassment.

Still though, Lili just pulls her hand back to herself, holding it back up to her chest in a gentle clasp with her other hand, valiantly ignoring the realization that yes she was holding onto his hand during that time and she hadn't noticed?! Be still, her embarrassingly fast-beating heart.]

... Yes, I think so-

[From what she knows of festivals. They're supposed to have fun, right? So...]

You don't need to thank me for anything. If you're happy then I've just managed to do my job.

[What a nerd, gosh.

But he's still got a sappy dumb smile reserved just for her!]

You're the one who made it all possible, so I've definitely gotta thank you. You kept everyone on track and things came together so well 'cause you put your all into it!

[So even though it was a joint effort, of course he has to thank Lili specifically!]

And you were the one who came up here with me to fire off the fireworks.

[No.... No, stop this!

Words like "You're the one who made it all possible" are not helping her situation at all! Her heart's beating so fast she feels like she might pass out?! (Okay, nothing so dramatic.) But it's embarrassing and it makes her so... happy at the same time and she doesn't know what to do. Even though it's something small like this - just a festival that was supposed to make everyone happy - being praised for it almost manages to bring tears to her eyes.

Still though, she can't quite take all the credit and so she's just going to fight through her embarrassment and tripping her words to tell him something Very Important.]

B-But...

I... wanted to do all that. [The fireworks part especially.] And - through all of it... even when it got really annoying or late... Even though you were mad at me—!

[You were with me through everything.

Why can't she say it? Her mouth almost forms the words but they get caught in her throat, her face turning even redder.]

Thank you...!

[TOO LATE NOW!! They're on the train to shoujo hell, apparently...

But Kashuu listens attentively as he always does when he knows Lili is struggling extra hard with getting something out. That usually means that it's extra important, after all - and even though it's not surprising to hear, it still has him smiling brightly.

He could say "thank you" again, because he feels that would be appropriate too, but in the end he settles for something a little more detailed.]

Y'know, even when it got late or annoying, or people accidentally stepped on the banners, or we had to go get coffee for like twenty people at the crack of dawn, I had a lot of fun. Everything about this was fun!

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coastal - 2016-04-08 22:48 (UTC) - Expand

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