[WORLD TWO | SUNSU FESTIVAL]

[spellbindmods]

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? A ▢ For some coven members, Sunsu is a day of work. This work may have actually started early in the morning, which is when the beginning of the Sunsu festival begins. Those who volunteered to work at the festival will be paid handsomely, but they'll have to work hard for it! One such job up for the taking is personal shopper which can be completed with the help of another person -- lucky you! This requires making your way through the streets of Shehui, looking for gifts and items that you're likely unfamiliar with. B ▢ Other volunteers are lucky enough to be stuck in stalls where there are at least chairs. Almost anything and everything is being sold in Shehui, and it's your job to push whatever goods you're being hired to peddle. The good news. You get 10-20% commission! The weirder or more ridiculous the item, the higher your commission! C ▢ Others may not even be working. You've been exceptionally naughty and decided to skip out on your Sunsu shopping until the last minute! Whether you're looking for a last minute gift for your Secret Sunsu recipients, or you're being a horrible friend and neglecting those you love until literally the last day, you've still got time to get some gifts!

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. D ▢ Sunsu is certainly a togetherness holiday, and everyone in the coven must have at least one friend or loved one they know in Shehui -- at least a casual acquaintance? There are a lot of things around Sunsu to do in groups or pairs (three ain't a crowd, here!), from stupid picture booths to horse-drawn carriage rides. Well, those creatures certainly look sort of like horses, if horses had four legs and two arms. In the spirit of togetherness, grab a friend or three and enjoy yourself. You've earned it, right? E ▢ Sunsu is a festival, and what's a festival without drinking? Drinking is actually a pastime that is popular at Sunsu, with local signboards discussing the historical significance of drinking in Shehui a long time ago. (If you're inclined to notice, all historical signboards have a sort of whimsical vagueness about them, as if they're discussing a myth or legend, not actual history). There are three types of traditional alcohol in Shehui that are made on Sunsu. One, a red concoction that is strong, reminiscent of a type of vodka. Two, a clear liquid that has a distinctly almond taste; akin to beer but with no fizz. Three, a pink, champagne-lite that is comparable to a wine cooler -- for you kids and lightweights out there. These drinks are also essentially handed out with very few stalls requiring you pay for them. Some stalls are extremely beer-focused, even promoting drinking contests with cash and gift prizes! F ▢ While not completely close to Anmung tower, Chips! is running a special promotion tonight! All games that aren't table gambling are completely free! If you're an introvert who just wants to DDR the night away, you're welcome to spend your night here, as pathetic as it may be. You're also welcome to escape the Anmung crowds, only to find yourself in a different type of mob inside Chips! -- it's better with a friend, though! G ▢ Closer to the base of Anmung tower, a festival game is taking place. Called XiXi, this game involves receiving a red envelope and finding a person who fits the criteria within that envelope. When you do, take the person to a table and receive a credit prize of 500 and a small basket of pastries and fruit. It's popular with children, but adults are allowed to get in on the fun too -- a lot of people treat it like a mixer. There's also no limit to how many times you can complete the challenge, as long as you don't use the same person twice! These criteria can be physical traits, more embarrassing personal qualifications...anything you can OOCly think of!

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. H ▢ In one more relaxing prompt, you're allowed to enjoy the fireworks. There are several parks that have set up watching points, including blankets on the ground and pre-made picnic baskets you can buy. After a busy day, whether working or playing, it's nice to be able to sit down and simply observe the night sky. I ▢ This doesn't last forever, though. About 15 minutes into the show, there's a disruption in the typical fireworks booming, instead replaced with a very large and ominous bang. These explosion sounds continue until there's a decidedly larger explosion sound that appears and feels a lot closer than the others. While there aren't any signs of fire or debris, the Sunsu festival is thrown into chaos. People are running, stores are closing immediately, and inner city speakers are announcing an emergency and for all residents to return to their homes immediately with escorts available if necessary. It's impossible to see what the source of the sound is here, but it's obviously abnormal. Will you help people in the panic? Where are those friends you've spent so much of the night with? What is going on? J ▢ Wildcard! Have another idea for a prompt? Try it out and tag around!

Comments

[armigers]

Not the only one in need of practice.

[ The only jab he can muster towards Prompto's words as exhaustion creeps up on him. Too many challenging thoughts in his head that night, the last of his recklessness sucked right out by the kiss a few seconds ago -one he initiated. One he's already regretting completely as sobriety touches the edge of his senses, and he wants so badly to shut that part of his brain off, live like a normal kid for just a little bit longer, stretch these careless seconds into an eternity.

But they're gone, and Luna's still waiting at the end of a boat ride he can't tell if he'll ever finish. Waiting, eager, welcoming, warm. He can't do this to her, can't do it to himself, can't do it to Prompto, either. But want and reason exist on wholly separate continents, and he'd be lying if he told himself it hadn't sparked something fresh and titillating inside him, the promise of all the experiences he neglected to fulfill as a teen.

While everyone was going on first dates, holding hands, fixing each other with dreamy-eyed looks, he kept his face buried in his books, tried to blot away the fear that his father would die too soon. There hadn't been any space in his mind for anything else but grief and occasional glimpses of happiness, but that's changed. Fear replaced by curiosity replaced by impetuousness. He could keep going right now or he could stop, take a breath, resolve to rethink this tomorrow, let the sun clear up his head a bit.

Intoxication is making him too willing, too agreeable, and sleep is safer for once. Nightmares familiar where as Prompto's mouth, his body, everything about him, is an uncharted minefield, and he's just smart enough not to run blindly into it at the moment. Hopefully, he'll understand; hopefully, he won't hate him later. Just two friends being overly comfortable, but it's done, it's out of the way. Curiosity fulfilled. ]

I'm good here. Not moving right now.

[ He doesn't think he can even if he wanted to, his body suddenly weighing 1000 lbs too many, and he's the sort who can sleep just about everywhere. If Prompto wants to move him, that's all on him, but he's done. ]

Wake me up in a few...

[ Hours? Days? He doesn't care right now. ]

[argenteums]

[ There's guilt, for certain, and there's uncertainty, but as for regret... he can't really muster any, if only because he didn't hate it one bit- nor does he think this is changing anything for them.

Beyond the fact that he's just liking the idea of kissing Noct more and more...

But he can't demand it, nor can he want it without prompting. He can't force his friend to journey there with him when he's still not sure if he's ready for such a thing- they're still two guys, and while it's never mattered to him, confident enough in himself to be able to appreciate the attractiveness found in his own gender... he still does like girls, right?

Yeah... he still gets funny in his head when he thinks about Cindy and that pretty dragoon, and a lot of the other girls he might have glanced at in certain states of dress.

So it's odd that one kiss could make him feel an even more interesting twisting feeling inside of him for his best buddy who- without a doubt, is quite attractive, for a guy. He finally sighs, turning his head towards the sky and leaning back on his arms. ]

Right, right. Sleep on, Beauty.

[ He's got a lot to think about anyway- which the explosions coming up might not help, but the few moments of respite he does have, well-

He'll let his mind do its work until then.

And he might just sneak a picture of Noctis like that-

Just for the memory. Might never get to kiss him again, after all. ]

[armigers]

You too...

[ Words murmured tiredly as Noctis curls up tighter, closes his eyes, dreams he's back in his world, on the boat to Altissia -or maybe earlier. Back in Insomnia, laughing and smiling as they take down some monster together at the arcade. Back to the days of sharing sodas on the street, back to the days of falling asleep on Prompto's shoulder, mid-marathon of some obscure show.

A dozen times, Prompto could have and should have pushed him away, but he stayed where he was, a comforting presence, the only one who lets him act his age and doesn't heap upon him every single responsibility he'd incurred since he was a child. Who knows how long he'll have this freedom? If it will all disappeared when he's married and officially wears his crown, if he will feel fulfilled or just regret everything he hadn't been able to experience.

The thoughts continue to spiral inside of his head as he unconsciously seeks out the heat from Prompto's body, tucks his own head into his shoulder and hides for a little while. Let him stay here is his unconscious plea, words that will never see the light of day as Noctis' fingers curl around Prompto's shirt.

In the distance, the fireworks are already dying down, leaving them both alone in the veil of the night where wandering eyes don't reach. ]

[argenteums]

[ He wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. From the moment he felt the encouragement, over an act he'd only done because he'd been so lonely that hoping for warmth and friendship with a little wounded puppy was the best thing he had to hope for. Lady Lunafreya's letter, to the hope that someone would want him to be a friend to someone they cared for...

He wouldn't want to be anywhere else at all. Because for the first time in a long time of that lonely life, someone else had wanted him to be with them. Someone had believed that he'd make a good friend to someone else...

She didn't know him, and he didn't know anything beyond the fact that Noctis was a kid who wandered about alone at school. Approaching him was one of the best moments he could think of, and he watches as his best friend- his first kiss, finally relaxes. The both of them remain unaware of the interruption they'll face soon, but in this moment-

He can welcome the silence, for a bit more, because he can spend it by his friend's side.

Just a little while longer. He doesn't know who he's wishing to. Just let me stay by his side a little while longer.

For the memories Noctis will take with him- for the smiles they'll bring him. Just a little more.

He wants nothing for himself, beyond a little more time where Noctis and him can be. He can only hope that the time he does get is time Noctis will cherish just as much as he does.

He can only hope, and he lets the silence settle around them, the breeze holding a comforting chill as he brings a hand over Noctis' to keep him there. ]