[ 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

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. ]

[faithfulflame]

[Which is just as well. Once they do round the fountain, and start out into open ground again, Rei finally does put on that last burst though, aided a little bit by a spell of her own to boost her speed and her hand closes around Chihiro's shoulder. Just hard enough to show she caught her, before letting go.]

Got you! But what a chase it was!

[onethousen]

[ Chihiro comes to a skidding stop, laughing as she finally turns her body and looks at Rei. ]

You did! No fair, I almost had it...

[ She's smiling and in no way serious. Her sparkler has mostly burnt through, but as it sputters through the end she dances away, turning in a circle. ]

Almost, but not quite!

[faithfulflame]

[Rei's own sparkler has finally burned itself out as well and she blows out the last few embers before spinning and taking a seat on the lip of the fountain.]

Almost. You're really fast though. And there was something in your hair...

[onethousen]

Huh?

[ She waits for her sparkler to finally go dark, jogging back over to Rei and plopping down on the side of the fountain next to her. After carefully laying her stick on the ledge by her side, she pats gently at her hair, misunderstanding what Rei meant. ]

Like what? Do I have leaves there?

[faithfulflame]

[Rei chuckles, making sure to douse her stick in the fountain just in case, and then pats Chihiro's hair.]

No, I felt a magic charm there. Do you have a protection spell on you?

[onethousen]

[ Chihiro's hands pause, then slide back toward her ponytail. ]

You felt that?

[ She lets her fingers brush over her hairtie. ]

It was probably this. Zeniba and No Face and Boh and the little bird helped weave it for me. It's a protective charm... I just hadn't thought anyone would notice.

[faithfulflame]

Of course. I can feel magic in the air.

[She wouldn't be much of a magician if she couldn't, now could she?]

It's a good magic, I think. It's definitely keeping things away from you. Even if it only works a little bit some of the time, that's better than nothing and never, right?

[onethousen]

[ this just in: Rei and Timon from The Lion King may actually be related!!! (No.)

Chihiro tightens her ponytail, letting her hands fall away to rest in her lap after. ]

It's an important gift my friends made for me. I think it's always working to protect part of me, even if it's not a big magic.

[ She turns her face to Rei, offering her a small smile. One hand comes up to rest over her heart. ]

It always is going to work right here.

[faithfulflame]

[Rei lets one hand drop onto Chihiro's thigh, giving it a friendly squeeze.]

It is. That's how magic works, you know. If you believe in it hard enough, it will always be there when you need it.

[At least, that's been her experience.]

I'm glad you have it. I was worried when I saw your broadcast, but you seemed to have everything under control.

[onethousen]

[ She nods, feeling like she also believes what Rei says is true. Belief powers things. It's something this place even depends on in a way. The power of connections? The people that they each believe in.

She kicks a foot out, letting her heel tap back against the side of the fountain they're sitting perched on. ]

I didn't mean to worry anyone. [ Still... intent doesn't change reality? So instead, she'll focus on: ] I'm glad people came and are having fun today.

[faithfulflame]

[Rei nods and lets the girl's leg go, folding her hands in her lap, letting her feet sway back and forth.]

I know you didn't. And from where I'm sitting, I think everyone's definitely enjoying themselves. [She waves at the assembled guests.] This is what everyone needed, I believe. A real morale booster.

[onethousen]

[ Chihiro feels a smile steal across her face. It's nice, she thinks. The people who came enjoyed themselves, and that's all she'd wanted. She can't fix most things, but she can do something like this, can't she?

Though she's under no illusions of being a party planner in the future. ]

Mm, I think it went well. I'm glad to see people smiling... or at least not looking lonely on their own.

[faithfulflame]

[Nah, a clever girl like her should dream a little bigger!]

Yes, I agree. Admirable job there, Chihiro-chan. Anyone who's here, at least, certainly won't be lonely. It feels very traditional, like a proper end-of-summer party.

You had fun organizing it, yes?

[onethousen]

[ Did she? She cants her head to the side as she considers if she had or not. ]

I think so. It's fun working with people for something we can all enjoy together at the end.

[faithfulflame]

Exactly. That's why being a part of a team is so wonderful.

[Speaking from experience here.]

You get the satisfaction of success, and seeing other people succeed at the end, and you're a part of that too. And this is a great success. Maybe I should have you plan my next birthday party.

[onethousen]

[ She's startled into laughter, brief as it is. Rei's a sweet person to say as much. ]

I am learning. If you really want...!

[ She kids, relaxed and tipping her head back to stare at the night sky overhead. ]

I haven't been part of many teams before. Not outside of classwork.

[faithfulflame]

I'd like that.

[She really would. Especially if it gives Chihiro something to do.]

And no? Well, you're a part of one now. Just like all of the rest of us.

[onethousen]

[ Chihiro nods, letting the topic of party planning slide for the moment. She... likes this feeling. It's a nice one, all around. ]

I'm glad. I mean... I think we're doing better things together than we'd be able to do on our own. Because we're a team.

[faithfulflame]

Exactly. Now...why don't we go find a seat for more fireworks, hmmm?

[Standing, she offers a hand to Chihiro, already putting fun first. For once.]