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Who: Hawke + Merrill + Anyone who comes to visit their balloon booth
When: IC: 6/9
Where: The Cultural Festival
What: Hawke and Merrill try to run a con. It goes just as well as you'd expect.
Rating/Warning: None!

HAWKE AND MERRILL

[ today at the cultural festival, there is a certain booth crammed in amongst all the other booths. it's bright and colorful and very much open to the public. the most noticeable thing about the booth are the stuffed plushes surrounding the edges -- plushes of mosley, bellona, and all kinds of fantastical creatures (dragons, unicorns, three wolves howling at the moon, etc etc). on the wall of the booth and the main attraction of it, is a wall filled with different brightly colored balloons and a sign that reads “BALLOON GAME”. pretty straightforward, huh?

then there are the two manning the booth: hawke and merrill. hawke, just as scruffy as usual with a t-shirt that reads TRUST ME, I'M A DOCTOR and merrill, elfy and pure. as your character approaches, they'll catch a conversation between the two friends. ]

You can't just tell them how to play, Merrill. It's a whole process, you have to convince them! Let them figure it out themselves and say nothing while they do it.

— But Hawke, if we don't tell them how to win, how ever will they— [ merrill's voice lowers to a slightly muffled whisper. nevertheless, she isn't being too discrete. ] Oh, I see. It's a trick, isn't it? You're always thinking ahead, Hawke.

First, thank you, I try. Second, no, no. Not a trick. [ hawke, stop lying. ] A challenge! They have to use their wits. Will the dart pop the balloon? Will they pop enough to win the prize? Will they use all three chances wisely or have to pay to play again? Only the Maker knows, of course.

But we're hoping that the dart doesn't pop the balloon, yes?

[ does this question even require an answer, merrill? unfortunately, hawke's actual answer is drowned out by the buzz of the fair but their booth is open and they're waiting for any sort of customer so, uh...

... step right up? ]

HAWKE

[ as the day goes, hawke decides to give merrill a bit of a break (or told her to go enjoy herself at the festival because she kept BLOWING THE CON -- either one) and hawke takes over the booth completely. hawke is charming and personable to those who approach the booth and encourages multiple attempts to win a prize. surely, you'll get it next time! surely. she even lets a few people win (if only to keep up the integrity of their reputation).

but at one point during the festivities, anyone who comes across hawke will find her at the booth, sitting on the table and leaning against the booth wall, arms crossed over her chest and... asleep? yes, hawke is asleep on the job.

you're welcome to wake her up. or not. you do you, friend. ]

MERRILL

[ with the culture festival wrapping up, merrill found herself levied with the grand, insurmountable task of breaking down the booth. she had to be useful somehow, seeing as how every time she cut in during a transaction, she ended up ruining the con.

this would be easy (easier, at least) if the booth wasn't so— so fancy, but unfortunately, it was way too future-y sci-fi for merrill to figure out. there were hinges in places merrill didn't know hinges could even be, and merrill had forgotten to ask hawke for the instruction manual. she decided, then, to just wing it — she moves to a nearby hinged corner and begins to fold it, when suddenly, it electronically takes over and flips wildly, causing merrill to fall on her back. damn.

when she gets up, everything looks good except... oh, well, it looks like a plush got decapitated. the three wolf moon plush was now a two and a half wolf moon plush. she grasps the head tentatively, wondering what to do now, when she sees someone approaching. she scrambles to her feet, hoping it isn't hawke.

when she sees it isn't, she sighs, holding out the... head. ]

Ah... you wouldn't happen to want a headless wolf for your, um, collection, would you? I'll gladly give it to you if you help me fix — fix this.

[ she waves over to the booth rather sadly. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ wtf merrill don't put yourself out there for people who don't deserve it. hawke throws a baffled look at her before gently reeling it in. ]

We have to be thematic, serah. Win the game, win the Mosley toy. If you don't like the theme of the prizes, I'm sure you can find something less challenging for you to play.

[Kaneda tilts his chin up in that arrogant manner of his, palm open and ready for them darts.]

I didn't say I wouldn't take your challenge. And I guess I could give that thing to somebody.

Oh! So you would like to play, then?

[ you're giving her mixed signals here, kaneda, she's a simple girl don't toy with her like this! she'll walk on over to get three (3) darts. ]

Hawke would probably prefer if you paid before I gave you these. I'm sure you're good for it! It's only ten credits.

[ whoops hopefully Hawke wasn't trying to hike it up more than that!! ]

[ hawke just waves a dismissively towards merrill. ]

Of course he'd like to play. I think his ego is just keeping him from outright saying it. Is that the problem, serah? Are you too shy to admit you'd like to have some fun?

[ hawke, why are you a dick? but no, ten credits is a solid offer (for now) and hawke will plop three darts in kaneda's hand no problem. ]

[IS he good for it........

he looks offended she even asks that of him!! and with a rather aggravated look, forks over the dough]

It has nothing to do with ego. Just a man's will. And shy ain't in my cast list, lady.

[he'll take those darts and make a big show of posing and aiming for a second.]

[ merrill's just going to lean in real close. she can't wait to see if he gets it! ]

Ah, don't mess it up! —I suppose saying that doesn't help, does it? I'll be a bit quieter.

[ is he?? either way, his bank account is being charged ten bucks so let's hope so, kaneda. those overdraft fees are definitely not something to mess with! ]

I, for one, hope you do mess up because it would be funnier.

[ at least she's honest?! but yeah, that first dart isn't going to hit anything. when kaneda throws it, it's just going to sink right to the ground like ma...gic... or something. whoa, crazy! ]

See? Hilarious.

[Kaneda curses, so loudly, and throws down another dart on the counter of their little booth with finality.]

What the fuck is that?! What kind of shitty stakes do you guys have for this thing?

[annoyed as hell and suspicious, he tries again.]

[ SWING AND A MISS sorry, kaneda, it looks like the stars aren't aligning for you. that one manages to connect, but it bounces right off as if it hit a wall. ]

My! What terrible luck! I can't imagine how that happened.

[ can you really not, merrill.. ]

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