[ open ] 'cause baby you're a firework

[onethousen]

Who: Open mingle for any interested Cerealians! Or those who come by the park coincidentally.
When: ICly whatever Friday is happening during Event 33.
Where: The Park in the Residential District.
What: In an effort led by a ten year old and a sword that is not ten years old, Post-Robocolypse Cerealia gets a fireworks, watermelon, bottled water, and BYOB (bring your own blanket/beer/barbecue) late-summer early-fall afternoon celebration. That ends with the fireworks. Nothing can go wrong! (Anything you so desire can go wrong.)
Rating/Warning: There's watermelon to be cut and fireworks to be set off, so potential injury and fire involved.

---

There's very little formality to the whole of the affair. Anyone who wants can wander into the park, a few tables set up to hold water bottles, the area clear of debris and former robotic gardeners. Any dangerous areas of vegetation have been carefully marked with CAUTION — POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS tape. There are several watermelons carefully corralled together on the ground, paper plates, and a bag for trash tied to one of the tables.

Nearby, there's also a whole table of fireworks, from the handheld to the relatively safe to set off to the this probably should only be handled by a professional, but no lighters; all of those are kept over with the water bottles. Safety First!

The later afternoon is for slicing and serving watermelon and water (or any of the foods that people may choose to bring), with Chihiro at least fully encouraging people to use weapons to cut the watermelon (...) and turn it into a kind of impromptu show. Once the skies are dark enough, the fireworks will begin. Anyone willing to help out will be generally welcome, and sparklers and the smallest fireworks are around for anyone to grab hold of and have fun. The truly big fireworks are going to be set off at the far end of the park by a few brave, intrepid souls. (Unless someone keeps Chihiro away, that includes one ten year old.)

Pray they don't like themselves on fire or explode themselves, especially as almost every person at the party is probably guaranteed to not be fully functional. What can go wrong? Let's have a watermelon and fireworks show!

Comments

[onethousen]

watermelon daze

[ ( i ) To anyone who has shown up with a weapon in tow, there's a good chance Chihiro will carefully weigh her options before eventually extending them an invitation: ]

Do you want to cut one of the watermelons?

[ ( ii ) To those who've shown up who do not have any visible weaponry, or anything that doesn't look like it's useful for cutting or smashing watermelons (she has standards for her entertainments), Chihiro is holding up a plate of cut slices of watermelon as an offering. ]

Would you like some?

sparkler wars

[ ( a ) If you're roughly around her age, or anyone Chihiro feels more relaxed with (does she know you, has she smiled for you, then you may count), there's a decent chance that once the sparklers come out and she sees you with one? She'll stamp a foot and dramatically point her own sparkler at you with an exclaimed: ]

Ha!

[ Not that she's actually dueling or even getting close enough for sparks to generally fly at anyone else (it's rude enough to be pointing). Almost immediately after, she'll grin and break into laughter before running away, sparkler held out to her side. ]

Betcha can't catch me!

[ There is literally no one she knows in Cerealia who cannot, actually, catch her. Probably. Unless they're presently blind, deaf, or, well, unable to have full use of their body.

( b ) The clearly incapacitated and strangers aren't greeted with any dares to catch her. Instead, she smiles and trots closer, carefully holding her sparkler out to the side and further away from them. ]

Did you want one of the sparklers too?

the big ones

[ Small children and large fireworks should probably not cross over, let alone when said children have had difficulty with vision loss off and on the last few days. None of her blind spells have lasted for more than an hour, which she's thankful for. It'd really suck to miss the whole firework show, though the whine as they're set off is kind of ear rending.

She's rolling out a fuse so that it can be lit from a good four meters away, joining the array of other such fuses as if she has any idea what she's doing. (She doesn't.) ]

Think this is far enough?

[ And, with another pause, expression serious for the time being: ]

Will we see them really good from over here?

[ Everything will be entirely fine. ]

during the fireworks show

[ Disaster or not, at least some of the fireworks go As Planned. Chihiro's even watching them with wide eyes and a small, happy smile on her face, hands held up to her chest. It's a small, happy moment, after a whole lot of unhappy ones.

She's in a good enough mood that when her vision cuts out again, she just makes a muted noise of frustration... and keeps on staring skyward. ]

At least I got to see some of them.

[ It's not a total victory... but heck if it isn't a meaningful one in and of itself. Though forgive her if she ends up flopping down on the ground and lying on her back. She can at least concentrate on hearing the fireworks even if she can't see them.

... Which might be problematic if she's still near where they're being set off. Sparks, sparks, stay away, come again never??? ]

Fireworks

[powertotearer]

This is generally a bad idea. Eiji doesn't like explosions enough when he's fighting, but in normal human form, the sound and shockwaves are bad enough he's shaking.

He's ready to go home when he sees Chihiro lying way too close to the fireworks.

"Chihiro, move!"

It should be enough just to warn her it's not safe there, maybe go over to help, but he's not thinking that clearly. Thus, screaming and running over at full speed.

Sorry about making you panic too now.

what a lovely evening in the park tbh

[onethousen]

Chihiro jolts up, hearing Eiji call out and not hearing or feeling anything immediately off. Then again, she hears the whine and screech of fireworks heading skyward, the boom that echoes back down once they explode, and it doesn't sound threatening so much as happening.

Yet she can't see, and so she rolls over and pushes up to her feet, arms out at her sides for balance as she whips her head this way, then the other way, trying to hear what Eiji has seen. Darting around without knowing where is liable to get her into trouble all on its own.

"Which way?!"

She calls back in turn, heart beating frantically against the confines of her chest.

Re: what a lovely evening in the park tbh

[powertotearer]

That's no good--she's going even closer now.

"No, not that way!"

He closes the distance, determined not to let her get too far away--he absolutely can't let himself fail another little girl. He can feel ash falling down on him, but the blast pressure from the close explosions is what worries him--they're too close, and she's going to get hurt.

"Over here, follow my voice!"

[onethousen]

She hesitates, lurching backward and stumbling. She doesn't run, because a blind run when she doesn't remember what her surroundings look like feels like a bad idea. Which is how Eiji now has Chihiro trying to keep very calm and walking with big lifts of her feet toward where she thinks he's calling out from. Her arms are held out to her sides so she can keep her balance, brow furrowed as she concentrates on the way her feet feel as they touch ground and she hopes there's nothing planted right in her way.

Honestly, with all the smells and sounds, she can't tell if something really is burning too close to her, or if this might be part of what Eiji had mentioned before about not being okay with fireworks. She's also not trying to figure that out yet, instead steadily trudging forward.

[powertotearer]

It is, admittedly, mostly him not being okay with fireworks. And he'll admit it when he finally gets out of panic mode. But he's not even close to that until she's close enough that he can try to take her hand.

"I'm going to try to lead you farther away. Where it's safer."

[onethousen]

She tenses and jumps when he takes her hand, because without visual aids, it's a surprise (albeit a warm one). She relaxes as he's speaking, changing her gait so that she's keeping her feet low and skimming over the ground to bump into any obstacles or inform herself on changes in the ground before she steps down hard and injures herself.

"Are you okay, Eiji-san?" Either way, she nods, allowing him to lead her where he will.

Sparkler Wars.

[faithfulflame]

[With everything going on, Rei hadn't really had a chance to respond to Chihiro's broadcast Both IRL and IC but she hadn't missed it. She'd kept to herself, watching the goings on until the sparklers cropped up. As a child that was always her favorite, and so she plucks one up, watching it with a thoughtful expression.

But when Chihiro runs up and throws down the challenge, she grins and starts off after the little scamp. She needs this, in the wake of all these absent friends, just a chance to cut loose.]

You really think so? I'll give you a headstart just to prove you wrong!

[onethousen]

[ Her laughter trails along behind her as she bolts away, racing across the shadowy landscape of the park with little in mind except evade, evade. Her heart hammers in her chest, and unlike so often here, it's simply the exertion and the adrenaline born out of silly, ridiculous, pointless, innocent fun.

... While running with a sparkler. (Let's aim for no fire hazards tonight.)

She doesn't even call back to Rei until she thinks she's being actively chased: all it is right now is laughter and enjoyment of the moment. ]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei, ever swift on her feet, rushes after Chihiro after about thirty seconds of a head start. She's able to gain ground quickly, long legs and happy laughter enough to buoy her along. She's needed a break, and this is it.]

I'm gaining on you! Best run faster!

[onethousen]

[ She laughs again, putting on a not too serious burst of speed. She's not trying to really escape here; anyone who's seen her running like she is wouldn't mistake this for the same thing.

Which is good. This? This is just for fun! ]

Nooo you won't!

[ Time to play dodge around the landmarks, which are, well. Fountains and trees. Chihiro runs around the fountain, sparkler held out over the water. Sparks reflect back up the bobbing lights being held over their mostly still waters. ]

[faithfulflame]

[Rei barks another laugh and hops up onto the fountain, leaping up after Chihiro. Her hair goes flying every which way as she sails through the air, landing a few feet behind the girl with sparkler still in hand.]

Don't look behind you then!

[She reaches out, deliberately not putting on a burst of speed of her own, just to keep the chase going a few more seconds, fingers juuuuust out of reach.]

[onethousen]

[ Don't look behind her. Rei says that, and in so saying, Chihiro absolutely doesn't look back.

Haku had told her the same thing. The purple of her hairband catches the light, a glimmer of protective magic as Chihiro puts on a burst of speed and rounds the fountain, staying in that just out of reach area beyond Rei's fingertips.

She keeps running, still laughing.

But at no point does she ever look back. ]

sparklers

[queenofminiskirts]

[Normally, Kaoru would be right in the middle of everything and just enjoying the experience. Unfortunately, with her powers occasionally going on the fritz she's sitting on the outskirts of the gathering and pouting instead.

A part of her is nagging her that she shouldn't even be here, should have just walked on by when she saw what was going on in the park and it makes her feel guilty, but surely, if she keeps her limiter on and stay away from people it should be fine, right?

She's muttering to herself about ruined festivals and cute girls playing with sparklers, with her head tucked against her knees when Chihiro approaches.]

Um. [She looks up and her expression could best be described as surprised and maybe a bit frightened. But it eases back into a smile quickly enough as she holds out a hand.] Yeah. That'd be nice.

[onethousen]

[ Chihiro offers her best, restrained smile, handing over the unlit sparkler. She likes having a chance to invite people in to enjoy themselves for a moment; maybe it's therapeutic, or maybe it isn't, but it's nice to be inclusive either way. ]

Here you go. I've got matches for lighting it, unless you want to try and use mine to get yours going too.

[ She glances at her sparkler as it throws off countless bursts of golden light. ]

The matches might be a better idea.

[queenofminiskirts]

We could use the matches. [Kaoru agrees with a nod.] But it'd probably be faster to use yours.

[And she holds out her own sparkler. It's just a sparkler, what's the worse that could happen?]

Did you plan all this?

[onethousen]

[ Everything could explode and everything they love will die.

... That, however, seems exceedingly unlikely from two sparklers meeting, so Chihiro moves herself and holds out her lit sparkler to the unlit end of Kaoru's, waiting for it to join in the hissing and sparking of light. ]

Mm, I had help! People were willing to do all sorts of things to make it happen. I wouldn't have thought of half of what they all did.

[ She's never had to before, and she's noooot so sure she's going to be thinking "party planner" is a career option she's into. ]

[queenofminiskirts]

[Well, you only live once.

Kaoru waited patiently for her sparkler to be lit before she pulled it back.]

It's been a while since I've played with one of these! I haven't touched them at all since coming here.

[She should just buy some and she can try lighting them with Shiho, Kaz and Minato.]

I'm sure you also had some ideas they didn't think of! Like actually doing this in the first place.

[onethousen]

[ Chihiro's smile is small and pleased. Awh... she likes you, Kaoru. You've officially passed Chihiro's very difficult friend vetting process. (The one where she has no friend vetting process.) ]

Mm! I thought it would be nice to do something fun, with how everything's been lately... we're heading into fall now, but it seemed like we could still say it's summer enough for fireworks. Sparklers are really nice, though. They're easier to share with friends. You can even write things out with them if you're fast enough.

[gaian]

when the fireworks begin:

[Karl is at least partly here as supervision, because he knows that Chihiro means well, but there are so many things that could go wrong here, and he's kind of learned to hope for the best but expect the worst.

Still, nobody's dead from slicing the watermelon (hopefully??), which is good. Less so is his vision deciding to cut out, but he simply resigns himself to waiting it out. He's staying far away from any sharp and pointy objects—aside from his halberd—and sparklers, at least.

Except then the fireworks go off, and when he's far more used to hearing explosions in battle than he is to relatively harmless bursts of colours, his instincts go into overdrive first. Swiftly rising to his feet as he tenses, he holds out his weapon, before he realizes that—oh. Right. They're setting off fireworks, aren't they?

Letting out a sigh (of relief, mainly), he lets himself relax again.]

during the fireworks:

[Thankfully, his sight returns before the end, allowing him to enjoy at least some of the display. Sitting on the ground, halberd lying by his side with one hand over it in case, he stares up at the sky. Admittedly, his period of blindness has made him a bit melancholy; more than he's already been, over the sense of loss that's permeated through him for the past while (exactly what is he forgetting?).

Absent-mindedly, more to himself than anything:]

... The sky is blue.

[Karl's powers of observation are amazing, clearly.

... But really, even after having been in Cerealia for some time, it still feels like he's in Ishgria sometimes, with its peculiar—and mostly red—skies, and his state of tension and reminiscence doesn't help matters. With that said, as desperate as he is to return, a part of him is relieved to not be there, right now. The colony, for all of its own oddness, is closer to home than the land of demons is.]

during;

[onethousen]

[ Vision comes and goes, but the important part to her is how it keeps coming back. She'd prefer no more pendulum games with any of her senses, but she can also admit that for relative levels of danger... losing her sense of touch would probably be more dangerous in the long run.

Right now, however? She can see, and nothing's exploded into flames and wreckage so far, so she considers this an overall success. Which may be why she mayflies from person to person that she knows, talking or listening or simply observing.

When she kneels down next to Karl, it's to hand over a small slice of remaining watermelon. She caught what he said, turning it over in her mind before settling on: ]

So are you.

[ In a thoughtful sort of tone. Karl hasn't been the only one acting melancholy to degrees. Chihiro isn't surprised; things have been weird and getting weirder for a while. ]

... though I don't mean your hair.

[ She adds as an afterthought. He's also blue there. In fact, it sounds like he and his friends are pretty colour coordinated... almost like super sentai teams. It's an unimportant thought that flits by as she sits there for the time being. ]

[gaian]

[He glances at Chihiro, and like that, it's as if a switch has been flipped on: he takes the watermelon, all smiles again, and his tone light.]

Haha, it's true that my hair's pretty blue, huh?

[Definitely didn't come from Barion, so he probably got it from his mother, whoever she may be. Karl doesn't bother to ask himself that question often. It's not really important, all things considered.]

The fireworks are really pretty! It's been a while since I've seen any.

[He's not going to address the topic of his melancholy. He's been struggling with it in various forms since long before Cerealia, at any rate; this is simple enough to deal with. (Lugina had the right of it, when he called his self-centered brand of "kindness" weakness.)

Just face what's ahead of you. You can't hold anyone back.]

[onethousen]

[ It's what she expects from Karl. She returns his smile with a small one, knowing that's pretty much how it's always going to be. One of his adult friends might be able to break through; but she's young. People have different defenses they put up, or different expectations from, the young. Accepting the inequity of it is simply the sensible thing to do. (But it is, perhaps, why she finds she enjoys spending time with those who lack certain human concepts of interpersonal relationships more than she knows how to say.) ]

It's pretty, and it's blue, so both those things are probably true.

[ She agrees, resting her hands in her lap. Her head tips back, looking skyward... the afterimage of a firework burns against the darkness of the evening sky. ]

Mm. I'm not sure how long it's been for me, but it was nice to see some of them.

[ Not all, but eh. Some is far better than none at all. ]

I'm glad you came to watch them too.

[gaian]

[Karl stifles a laugh, though it still comes out as a snort.]

First time I've been told that my hair's pretty.

[Not exactly the most manly of adjectives, but whatever. Unlike Lugina, Karl doesn't take pretty as an insult.]

Why wouldn't I? I did practice cutting watermelon for a reason, right? [He did not partake in today's watermelon-cutting with weaponry, because he still thinks that's a very questionable idea, but.] Besides, I was kind of worried that someone would accidentally set themselves on fire.

[onethousen]

[ She gives him a sideways look. ]

Hair doesn't care if it's on a man or a woman or a boy or a girl or a robot, I guess. It's pretty on everyone.

[ A firm nod of her head to all of that; heck, beautiful is another word, just not one she'd apply to Karl. At least he's amused instead of insulted! (She still thinks his rebuttal of the emoji is a silly, silly thing.) ]

Reluctantly. [ She points out, but she's smiling, and she's teasing at the same time. She's still very... tentative when she teases Karl. Like she's never quite sure how it's going to go over, all things considered. ] Mm, is your ice okay to use on people?

[ Or was he just straight up planning to be damage control? She appreciates that too.................... she hadn't even thought to bring along a fire extinguisher. There's a mental check mark for "next time." Whoops... ]