spellbinders | [WORLD TWO | SUNSU FESTIVAL]

Entry tags:

[WORLD TWO | SUNSU FESTIVAL]

Who: All coven members, and more!
Where: Anmung Tower and about a mile radius from the base of the tower!
When: Day 174
Open/Closed: Open to All

For those coven members who come from worlds with Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, etc., they'll likely recognize Sunsu as a version of similar holidays. While there aren't any religious over or under tones, there's snow falling, a high level of merriment and cheer all around.

That isn't to say Sunsu isn't without a bit of meaning and lore. Certain stalls are focused on a minor history of Sunsu, a holiday stemming from the story of two lovers, Princess Xin and one of her ladies in waiting, who proved to the Princess' father that their love was worthy of marriage by blessing each other with a fabulous gift. Depending on your taste and place in life, Sunsu can be more romantic or more family-based. Sunsu is marketed as a holiday that focuses on blessing and giving to those that you cherish in life, and receiving a blessing or gift symbolizes uniting people together forever.

Because of this meaning, there is a certain romanticized overtone to Sunsu, though of course others celebrate in their own way. It's a holiday of togetherness, and everyone in Shehui seems to be in on the holiday spirit. There aren't as many monitors around, the streets around Anmung tower are packed with families, newcomers and couples alike. Are you ready to get into the spirit of the season?

personal shopper

As the day goes on, more and more festival decorations are going up -- which this may also be a job you've been roped into! With the sun falling steadily in the sky, the true beauty of Shehui can be seen as night creeps in. As per the request of the lottery winner, almost every structure in Shehui around the Anmung tower, including the famed structure, is illuminated with brilliant, twinkling lights in gold and red colors. Some areas are lit by different colors, like the nearby Huhu Coffee House that's building is wrapped in green lights, while Xi Park is filled with a soft pink variety on trees and fountains.

Streamers and banners are hung everywhere, with some offering simple seasons greetings, while others are making passers by aware of sales and wares to be sold.

sort

and

three

physical traits

At midnight, the Sunsu event is supposed to culminate in a fireworks show -- and it does! To commemorate the day being over, fireworks of many different colors are being displayed all across Shehui, further illuminating the evening. It's almost as if it's truly daylight again, between the fireworks and Anmung tower.

What is going on?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Shopping for Str[A]ngers
[The list that 9S has been given is...extensive, to say the least. Some of the names listed on it are practically incomprehensible to him, and he tries to sound a few of them out as he walks, list generated on a screen hovering in front of his face. It's transparent at least, so he can avoid running into people.

It's just that he has no idea what he's looking for]

Maybe if they'd included an image, or a description...

[He frowns, stopping at a corner and scrolling through the list with idle taps at the screen he's projecting. Whatever in the world is a xylophone? It's certainly nothing that he's ever heard of. It must be related to sound in some way, he thinks, but then that's only if Earth's linguistic conventions apply]

A Horse of a [D]ifferent Color
[9S is skeptical about what, exactly, he's looking at. He's seen records of what horses are supposed to look like, though millennia of war with machines has guaranteed he has never seen one for himself. As such when presented with the prospect of a carriage ride, 9S circles around the vehicle and stares at the creature that's supposed to pull it]

How much weight can this thing pull? [He peers around the...horse-like thing...at the carriage driver] I'm...heavier than I look.

[Over twice what a boy of his size and apparent build ought to weigh, in point of fact. But most of them aren't made of various alloys and synthetic materials]

Here to Prov[I]de Support
[The panic swells in an instant, the distant pop of fireworks drowned out by an explosion that's soon followed by screams. People run about, trying to avoid a threat that they can't identify, and the panic does nothing for organization. People of various species rush this way and that, bumping into and knocking one another over.

A little girl drops her stuffed animal, some two-headed fluffy thing with large eyes, and when she halts to collect it someone nearly bowls her over. 9S is faster, scooping the child up with the inhuman grace all YoRHa possess, sidestepping an incredibly tall creature that lumbers by]

You could've been hurt, you kn—

[And then the child starts wailing in a high pitch that makes his auditory sensors thrum, far more shrill than a human voice is capable of, and 9S grimaces. What's he supposed to do now?]

[W]ildcard
[Have another idea? Hit me up here!]

d. closed to cr

[ jude is standing by one of the picture booths, contemplating it with a thoughtful hum. there are quite a few people that come to mind he'd like to take a winter memento with, but the streets are so flooded it's more than a little difficult to just pick his friends out of the crowd.

but when, by some miracle, jude spots you, he gently sneaks up and grabs your arm to tug you toward him with a familiar, eager smile on his face. he gestures toward the booth with his free hand, tilting his head. ]

So, I was thinking...

[ who can deny that hopeful look? ]

[ jude is nursing a wine cooler — he's not underage by shehui standards, he assumes, but he is a lightweight, and he doesn't want to do anything reckless. there's a light buzz clouding his head, fuzzy and pleasant but not too strong to handle, and drinking always makes him feel particularly affectionate.

will you join him? talk to him? drink with him? convince him he's had enough before he gets in over his head? or, as an added bonus... are you going to be a terrible influence and perhaps attempt to persuade him into trying some of that red stuff? ]

[ who is jude looking for, exactly? well... there's no way of telling just why he's meandering through the crowd looking back and forth, but when he spots you, he points a dramatic finger and parts his lips in a surprised gasp.

what are the odds? ]

It's you! I finally found you! I've been looking everywhere for you!

[ jude takes a few strides forward until he's sort of up in your personal space. chances are, you have no idea what is going on or why he is talking to you, but hey, he seems pretty hyped about it, whether you're a stranger, an acquaintance or a friend. just what is he talking about, exactly? ]

h/i.

[ after a long and busy day shopping, walking, more walking, stopping by stalls, and even more walking, jude is more than ready to lie back and take a break to see the fireworks. he's always liked things like this; he's easily captivated. ]

They're beautiful, aren't they?

[ he turns to you. feel free to relax and enjoy yourselves until... well, until prompt i kicks in. ]

wildcard.

[ hit me up with anything your heart desires, or drop me a PM to plot something out! feel free to also use this prompt for something like gift exchanges. ]

closed to cr

[ akira hasn’t wandered into the mess of affairs completely. rather, he’s lingering by the edge near the coffee house, admiring the strand of green lights that are illuminating his current place of employment. a hand clasps at his chin and he looks quite pensive, all things considered. but why? when he spots a familiar face, he turns to you, hand still firmly in place, and lifts a singular brow that’s partly obscured by his mess of curls falling in his face. they’ve gotten longer since he’s been stuck here for so many months. ]

I would have gone for white … or brown, really. Green doesn’t seem appetizing.

f – open

[ ddr. he hasn’t been able to play that for years. back in tokyo living in attic presented itself with special and noise constraints. ddr was not amongst the list of activities one should do above a café. but before that? before that he loved going to the local arcade to play, since there was not much else to do in his suburban town. he’s now turning to you, stranger or not. ]

I challenge you to a duel.

wildcard (everything else) – open

[ akira will be hanging around the festival, pretty much dabbling in every activity. want to take an awkward carriage ride with him (gee, I’m not calling anyone out with this?) or snack and sip on some juice to catch up? want to romantically watch fireworks? have at it!! ]

closed to cr

[ honestly, a festival is a great distraction. These worlds are beginning to wear on her and while he’s remained upbeat, sarcastic and rarely serious, it’s draining. One can only pretend to be apathetic about the world for so long. You start to get attached. Not like she wasn’t admittedly already attached to the ragtag group back home (even if she told herself over and over and over again she wasn’t) but… but this is all sorts of complicated and weird. so catch magilou in a rare moment of repose, sitting on top of one of those wonky and crazy “horse” drawn carriages. Her legs are crossed and she’s glanced down at her snowboots. She looks deep in thought.

at least, until she spots you! and then a smirk overtakes her expression, partly obscured by her scarf. ]

Oh? Come to join me? How kind of you, I’m absolutely flattered! Be still my cold, cold heart!

fireworks – open

[ these are fascinating. It isn’t a big deal back home – not really – but these are god damn impressive. this witch is charmed. It definitely shuts her up for a moment or two until she’s looking towards you. whether you are a stranger or not, she leans in closer, and closer, until -- ] Hmmm… [and closer! right up in your personal space!]

You know what they say about fireworks, don’t you?

wildcard (everything else) – open

[ again, down for anything you might want to do! established cr or not! ]

g – open

[ this game seems absolutely mindless. while it took a lot of initial poking and prodding from locals to even get him to go to this festival in the first place, it’s taking even more to keep him there. especially with as useless of a game as passing around a red envelope. no one’s exactly explained the rules to him yet, which is probably for the best. maybe he won’t be as offended if you hand him one under the description of ‘grumpy’ or ‘arrogant’ or ‘standoffish.’ or maybe he’ll be really offended. who knows. either way, he’s doing his best not to stand out and to just watch from afar. it isn’t exactly his thing, being on the sidelines, but he hates crowds. he hates celebrations. he hates all this pointlessness. ]

Is there something you needed? [ said in the most terse way possible! ]

h – fireworks

[ this is the only redeeming aspect of this get together. while he isn’t particularly charmed by the fireworks, it’s something similar. that, and observing the night sky now comes with a plethora of mixed emotions and thoughts. which is odd for him. It’s really odd. he’s still got the cup of water he’s been nursing the entire night (no alcohol thank you very much) and he’s out by one of the picnic blankets. no he’s not sitting on it, how dare. he’s just standing there, observing… presuming he’s alone. ]

Tch. As if it should be any surprise that the constellations in this wretched place are all wrong… [ it’s murmured to himself but loud enough for you to hear! and he’s squinting at the stars beyond the fireworks as if they’ve personally committed a heinous crime upon him. which to be fair? it’s kind of true. ]

wildcard

[ everything else! please ruin this guy’s night and get him out of his shell – or something. ]

Jude Mathis.

[ This doesn't sound too good. Hibiki approaches him the moment he spots his friend in the crowd and shakes his head in disapproval. With that said, he walks away...

...only to come back a minute or two later, with his own fancy drink. ]

Drinking alone is no good.

[ Who are you and what have you done to Hibiki. ]

Hibiki?

[ jude blinks, in clear disbelief. ]

Are you... actually lightening up a little, for once?

[ sorry, the truth hurts. ]

Appetizing? They're just lights.

[ but jude can't hold back a laugh. ]

It's good to see you, Akira. It's been a while, hasn't it?

Maybe.

[ Just look at this deadpan. It's literally screaming I'm so chill, man. Just look at me. ]

Today is special, after all. What would you say to a toast?

[ jude gives him a lopsided smile, a little unsteady. he still has his bearings, but the alcohol has an undeniable effect on him. ]

I'd be honored. A toast to what?

[COINCIDENTALLY, Mikleo has also been looking for Jude to give him his present, and also they didn't have anything set up beyond that -- so that reaction to seeing takes him a little aback, and he hastily hides the wrapped boxes behind his back]

Yes? What?

( d )

[ Hibiki's been standing in front of this certain photo booth for quite a while trying to embrace the whole idea of taking photos and editing it later. Yes, this one has the editing option. ]

Why would I want to edit anything? [ There's a sample of an edited photo on one of the walls and Hibiki can't help but squint. He might look weird standing here alone and giving his opinion rather openly, but does he look like someone who cares. ] This so-called blushing effect is ridiculous.

[ Again, what is fun. It seems to be a recurring theme with this guy... ]

( e )

[ After having a wine cooler, Hibiki's eyeing the nearby stall that's offering alcohol...or rather he's eyeing the bottles containing that red liquid. The champagne-like drink didn't affect him much, so maybe that's not too bad of an idea. ]

What I am even doing.

[ He says, a few minutes later, holding a small glass of red vodka and clearly having second thoughts about this. ]

( f )

[ With all the DDRs occupied, Hibiki wanders around Chips! and examines what kind of arcade machines they have here. There's also a claw machine...but he doesn't stop by, he knows better than that (now, at least). A little while later, he stumbles upon a fighting game arcade machine which looks somehow interesting. Instead of inserting a coin, he'll study the combo list for every and each playable character after taking a seat in front of the machine. ]

This doesn't look half bad.

[ The seat next to him is empty, feel free to join him? ]

( wildcard )

[ if there's anything else you'd like to do, hit me up here, PM this account or PP me at koohii! ]

[ The more jobs, the better—that might as well be Hibiki's motto for his whole stay in Shehui. Instead of being a personal shopper, he ended up in one of the stalls. It's truly impressive how much goods are there, most of them useless, of course. But maybe, just maybe, a few death glares will be enough to sell some stuff.

That's not how retail works, but...okay. ]

Hm? [ Oh, another weird item. Great. It's not the first one and definitely not the last for today. And there's a tag, too. ] A xylophone? What a weird name for an instrument. Who would want this anyway...

[ Time to put it away...when he notices someone standing nearby, in the corner. The downside of this stall isn't just the peculiar items, but the location is somehow weird as well. It's rather far from the other booths, but maybe it's not such a bad thing, in the end... ]

Excuse me, are you lost?

[ That person has been standing there for a while, so he might as well ask. ]

( d )

[ In Riko's eyes, the Sunsu festival isn't really much different than Christmas...at least not until she experiences a cultural shock upon seeing the horses. Or, more like, horse-like creatures. Four legs and two arms? How does this even work... ]

This...this might be a bit too much...

[ Too much? Oh, please, have a discount! The person in charge of the whole horse-drawn carriage rides business is definitely in the giving mood, so Riko ends up sitting on one of the seats sooner rather than later. Although that's not exactly what she wanted. ]

Excuse me, it's a misunderstanding...

[ Too little, too late. Another person getting a discount and joining Riko might be you...if that is the case, she'll smile sheepishly and begin with a: ]

Am I the only one who thinks that these horses are...

[ It's difficult to find an appropriate word to describe them for some reason. ]

( f )

[ There are so many arcade games to choose from, but Riko can't quite walk away from one of the older ones. Moreover, she's been playing the same classic medley over and over again. It's not even that she's gotten any misses, she simply enjoys these melodies this much. If she realizes that someone's been watching, Riko will start to mess up some notes trying to look behind her shoulder. ]

Oh, would you like to play? How long have I been here—one hour?!

( wildcard )

[ if you'd like to do another prompt or something entirely else, go for it! i can write us a starter too, feel free to pm me/pp me at koohii so we can work things out! ]

[ While waiting for her friend to show up, Riko finds herself standing near a history stall just before the storyteller begins to share the tale of Princess Xin and her lady in waiting who have fallen in love with each other. Just before the love confession part, Riko feels that someone is tapping her shoulder. She might or might not have forgotten about everything else about her, to be honest.

When she realizes that the person is Chika...well. Her face becomes just as red as the drinks they sell at the stalls. ]

Chika-chan...!

[ The storyteller's "You always find a way to make my day a little brighter, I love you dearly!" rings in Riko's ears as she turns to the other girl. ]

Shall we get going?

[ Maybe she'll look up how the story ends later...yes, it might be better that way. ]

[Well. That was not good. Yusuke was dazed for a moment by the explosion but he shakes it off quickly and starts looking around for anyone who needs help.

Like Nines, for instance. Yusuke's not good with small children either, to be honest, but he at least can step in and take the little girl away from the poor android and pick up her plushie in the same movement]

Here, is this better?

(F)un and games until someone loses an eye

[ it's not exactly viable for him to be able to play any combat games, but Mikazuki has found himself a pretty good alternative to it; a vintage punching game. You know the ones that people like to show off in. He stops for a moment to watch some people (drunk and raucous and happy, and something of a memory stirs in his expression) have a go at it, and steps to examine it once they've moved away to some other game.

The punching bag (? pad? whatever it is?) resets with a creak and a white of of metal and gears and Mikazuki waits for it to stop, before drawing his good hand back to go for a punch.

If you're nearby, you just saw this scrawny shorty beat the high score like nothing else. Ding ding ding! The machine's gotta be broken, right? ]

(G)reat, now I gotta fly this thing

[ you're doing your own thing this festival and really enjoying yourself; eating, drinking, being merry, maybe hanging out with the special people in your life... well that's all about to change.

Mikazuki comes to a stop in front of you, peering down at the card in his hand and back up, before he nods decisively like he's come to a sort of conclusion made by war generals and not some stupid holiday game. ]

You, come with me.

(H)elp me with this cosmic fuckup

[ Fireworks.

There are too many shapes and colours of it, more than Mikazuki had first assumed from his limited experiences with them. It comes at the end of the night, signalling the day being over, of new beginnings, maybe, but Mikazuki thinks back to the icy blue flowers against the void of space and thinks it appropriate.

He's sitting (by himself, with a giant picnic basket enough to feed three people at least) on a strip of grass in the park with a good vantage point of the view. It's also fairly quiet, being a little further uphill from the crowd who's happily gone for the blankets on the ground against the night's chill.

Demolishing an entire vegetable quiche by himself. Someone come and make him look less like a loser, please. ]

(J)UST DO IT

[ wildcard style!!! hit me up for ideas via pm or sdat @ plurk!!! ]

Edited 2017-12-21 19:59 (UTC)

Mikleo!

[ pale hair, purple eyes, a passion for history and an inseparable best friend... it had to be mikleo. ]

Sorry, I must have startled you—

[ he realizes, belatedly. ]

Er, I was playing a game. You're given a list of character traits and you have to go find the person in question. I'm lucky I got you. I'm supposed to grab you and go exchange this red envelope for some credits—

[ he rubs at the back of his neck, flushing with mild embarrassment. it all sounds so childish, putting it into words. ]

Er, when I voice it aloud this sounds sort of... anyway.

So. Yeah. Forget the game. It's good to see you! Are you enjoying yourself?

C) Shopping for gifts

[ It's not that Mio meant to wait until the last minute. He's just been..distracted, that's all. But at least he's getting it done? He knows just what he's looking for, it's just a matter of finding it. He's carrying a basket along with him too, filled with fresh baked cookies in case he runs into anyone he knows! See, he's multitasking.

Eventually he finds it, the perfect gift for his Secret Sunsu recipients. He clasps his hands together excitedly. ] This is just what I wanted to find! Ahh, now I need to pick which ones... [ He looks through the options and then spots someone nearby. ] Hey, you. Which one do you like? [ They're capes. With animal ears on them. He's pointing between a cat one and a bunny one. ]

D) Trying to have some fun

[ Mio is hanging around the soft pink lights in Xi Park, kind of scuffing his feet against the ground. He knows there's fun things to do, but he has no one to do them with. With a sigh, he's about to give up altogether when he sees someone else who doesn't happen to be doing much. ]

Hey! [ He calls them over, waving. But oh, gotta play this cool. He's not lonely or anything! ] You look like you're alone. I will offer you my company for the festivities! Look there! [ he points past them at the street. ] There's a horse and carriage waiting for us!

[ He turns back to this new company. Pretty please? ]

G) You look like...

[ Of course, being a kid, he easily gets involved with a game of XiXi. He wants to experience everything at this festival and forget about having the blues! So he opens up his red envelope and reads over the contents before he goes searching for just the right person.

When he spots a potential candidate, he runs over in a flurry of lacy robes and reaches out to either grab onto your arm, or full on hug his arms around you. ] You! You are my prisoner now!

(Wildcard)

[ feel free to come up with your own prompt, or hit me up at

taroutachi for plotting! ]

Well. [ Hibiki can't help but smile back, Jude looks so amusing right now. There's no point in telling him that, though... ] To friendship, for starters. What do you think?

[ Playing it safe for now...but it seems that he has some kind of a plan. ]

c;

( Okay, well it's not like he didn't already do all of his shopping -- sort of! Emil got 80% of it done a day or so ago, but he's still looking for last minute small things. It also makes him feel better and fully grounded in the holiday, not just a casual observer in this foreign place that celebrates foreign lesbians in a way he doesn't fully understand.

While Emil isn't usually one to put weight into the opinion of others when it comes to taste, it's also hard to branch out ICly if he's just shopping and minding his own business, sooooooo: )

Can I ask you something? ( This may be how you feel about a certain item or just an opinion in general; spin the wheel. )

e

( Once the distraction of buying gifts wears off, Emil still feels a clunky pit of negativity residing in the bottom of his stomach. For as unsavory as he once thought alcohol was, his last experience with it wasn't at all unpleasant, although a little foggy in places. The trick is drinking just enough to not really care about how disgusting it tastes.

Since Shehui is essentially just giving the stuff out on Sunsu...well, he can't help but indulge a little. He got handed one of the red bottles but quickly found a garbage can to toss that into -- it was a little too much like that fermented shrine booze, and he's in a paradise city. There has to be something better! He's settled for the almond-tasting, clear liquid that's being handed out in clear bottles. It also won't stain his clothes at all if another bustling street person runs into him; that mistake was almost made with that red mess.

It's easier to rest his feet and sit down away from the noisy crowds for a moment. Usually Emil doesn't mind the fuss, but sipping on one of these alone sounds good -- for now. )

d; closed to cr

( Being alone and inebriated doesn't last very long. While Emil isn't exactly a quiet introvert, being buzzed makes him feel slightly more unfiltered and uninhibited than usual. There's no hidden attempt to try and look good or be impressive, he's just goofy and inquisitive and won't shut up.

It's perhaps an easier pill to swallow if you know him -- and look! He found a friend (you) wandering out in the festival with him! The difference is noticeable, as Emil gushes about anything he finds interesting. )

What are they doing? ( He's asking this about a crowd of people gathered around a rectangular, enclosed space on the street; he doesn't recognize this as a photo booth. ) What is that? Something fun?

( let's do a fun thing, friend!!! )

h/potentially i;

( After a few hours with no alcohol intake and a sharp need to get out of the house, Emil isn't much for walking and dealing with pushing through the crowds at this point. There are so many parks and open areas in Shehui, it's easy enough to find a park to lay down in -- and he doesn't look like some homeless bum when he does it because everyone is doing it! Bonus points.

Of course he'll get up and make his way home once it sounds like the place is exploding, but he also wouldn't say no to company in the meantime. )

[Velvet arrives a bit late to the festival because… y'know, she's Miss Grumpy Antisocial Pants. While she has noticed that drinking is a popular pastime in Shehui, it hasn't occurred to her that the alcohol laws might be laxer than what she's used to.

Back home, she was underage, which worked as convenient excuse to avoid the stuff – even as she broke a dozen other laws. The circumstances here are much less dire, but still, she's prickly towards the entire concept. Rather than encouraging Jude, it's going to have to be the other way around if he wants her to join him.

When Velvet sees him, she puts a hand on her hip.]

… Is that juice?

[Seeking his own escape, it doesn't take too long for Lalli to find the alcohol, but he opts for the red one, if only because he thinks it's prettiest. Bad decision, but he's Lalli. It's normal. He catches sight of Emil right away -- he's a scout, it's what he does -- though it takes him half his drink before he musters up the courage to approach.

Unfortunately, he can't quiet his stubborn ways enough to bring himself to speak first. He'll just lightly tap at Emil's leg with his toes and gown another gulp.]

[As one might expect, the mutant horses are the first thing that catches Velvet's eye – they look like daemons more than anything she's seen in a while, save for maybe those zombie boars. And Geir.

She notices Magilou second, and the witch appears to be lost in thought. Good, maybe Velvet can sneak away before she–

Oh.]

Join you for what? You really want to ride around in that thing?

[Speaking of cold, cold hearts.]

( Honestly, he didn't have any desire to stay long. Escape for a moment is about as much as Emil wants before the feeling of loneliness claws at his mind and he certainly hates that. Why did he leave Lisko at home?

Being the oblivious goof that he is, he doesn't know he's being tapped by a familiar foot for a moment. Ugh, he really doesn't want to be bothered by some other world, alien stranger. )

Can I -- ( The "help you?" is lost in him as he swivels and sees...oh.

It's not like their fight was super dramatic or anything, but he's still a touchy baby and doesn't like anyone being cross with him when he knows they have a reason to be!! He can't be angry when there's a small, responsible part of him that knows Lalli's right!! )

Hey. ( Usually he's the one who comes to Lalli after formulating a reconciliation plan -- his past experience with Lalli coming to him after an issue involves some shaking and yelling so just let him drink this awkwardly and stare somewhere elllllllse...... )

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

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[WORLD TWO | SUNSU FESTIVAL]

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