Autumn Festival (OPEN)

[stringmods]

Who: EVERYONE
Where: Virgo Ward
Summary: Autumn Festival Log! You're all invited!
Warnings: MELONS
Ahh Autumn. The time for harvest, and the normal national holiday that falls on the 24th and 25th. Demons? Angels? Magic? Well nothing's been put on pause, but even the Anoli need to relax once in a while...

With that free time, what's a newcomer like you to do?

Well Hinoto-Ri has much to offer! As they seem to be the only standing city in...well, anywhere, they've tried to merge and adapt as many festivals around the world as they can.

Ergo this Fall festival is a mixture of everything the world could offer. Corn on the cob, Pumpkins, Yaki Imo (Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes), Ramen stands, Falafel, caramelized apples...

A giant dragon is tied down in the middle of the waters. At night, you can see a few pixies hover close to it, keeping other monsters at bay. The streets have been decorated as well.

But most importantly, the upper Virgo Ward has been turned in a giant festival area...even more so than usual! Now the millions of stalls don't just try to sell things to you, they sell things to you thematically with this fall! Giant pumpkins and fresh produce made in Libra and Capricorn..did you know that Capicorn has an amazing giant apple orchid, protected by the office of Wands and Swords? Try out some free samples! One taste is enough to convince you that having Persona to irrigate the fields ass a crispness to the fruit..right? Winter outfits...hats are in this year! Listen to some of the new music groups, and get pumped for the upcoming movies!

There is giant mooncake in the middle of all the tents and stalls. Don't worry about the money! Everything's free today! It is a time for sharing and family and...

...being thankful for what you have. No matter how small it might be.

For a city of survivors, Hinoto-Ri is certainly trying to have a good time.

You should join them.

Comments

[independent_dollmaker]

1

Alice could probably handle the influx of information about what's just happened to her, OR she could handle being amidst a huge festival crowd. Both at once, though, is a bit much.

After just a few minutes of wandering the festival grounds, Alice decides that this is quite enough, and quietly excuses herself out towards the quieter fringes. There, she finds a bench to sit on while she lets the situation sink in. It seems serious, but, well... someone will probably take care of it. Just wait until those two get here.

Which is not to say that she's going to ignore the festival completely. Shanghai will come in handy here...




2

Out and about amidst the stalls and festivities is a doll! It seems to be moving about on its own, sometimes walking and sometimes floating as it drifts from sight to sight. Sometimes it tries to buy things, which is difficult since it doesn't seem to be capable of speech.

Every now and then, it leaves the grounds to meet up with a magician on a bench by the edge of the festival, before going back out again.

2

[misery_hates_company]

Hmm.

The doll is interesting. Some sort of familiar, perhaps? It doesn't seem intelligent.

She doesn't really pursue it, mind, but rather watches it dart around curiously. She'd dearly love to take a closer look at it, but if there was someone controlling it, it would no doubt be more trouble than its worth.

She continues vending her luck tonics, but eventually sort of wanders approximately where the doll is constantly heading. Hmm. A new face, it seems. She observes for now.

[independent_dollmaker]

At this particular moment, the doll is bringing some of that yaki imo back to its master. The magician thanks the inanimate object graciously, before sending it back out into the crowds with a flick of the wrist.

She does not seem to have noticed the witch observing her.

2

[travelingtheworlds]

Sasha can be quite prone to distraction, and the sight of a floating doll is enough to get her to stop what she's doing (sampling more food, no doubt) and follow it around. Eventually, the doll leads Sasha back to its source: Alice. She gives Alice a friendly wave before speaking.

"Hello! Is that little doll yours?"

[independent_dollmaker]

"Yes, I made her myself." Shanghai turns and gives a theatrical bow.

2

[greyerrant]

A huge armored warrior watches the floating and walking doll with interest, trying to ascertain the mechanism it is using to move around. He watches it almost like a dog would watch something that doesn't look tasty, or threatening, mild bemusement suggested by the grey-plated knight Errant.

Re: 2

[independent_dollmaker]

Lousy space marine, you're making Shanghai nervous! Or you would be, if she was sentient, and not a remotely-controlled inanimate object with no free will.

After a while of being followed, the doll spins around to face the knight, adopting something vaguely reminiscent of a defensive stance. No weapons, though, so it looks like it's just supposed to mean "I'm on to you".

[maxwells_silver_scythe]

Duo wanders the crowds. If he's going to show up mysteriously in a strange city he's never heard of, then doing so in the middle of a festival is a good time to do it. Gives him a good chance to mingle with people and get a feeling for what this city is like. He can sense that these are people who normally don't have a lot to celebrate. They're throwing themselves into it like they're desperately trying to forget tomorrow. It's a bit unnerving.

On the other hand, those sweet potato things smell really good, and he's very hungry. Perhaps there's no reason you can't perform initial reconnaissance and enjoy a festival at the same time.

"I'll take two Yako Imo please."

[belfire]

Well then.

Well then.

It wasn't every day that Kazuya was whisked away by some mysterious power and dumped in the middle of a brightly coloured, energetic festival without any explanation. He wasn't overly concerned - after all, since becoming the King of Bel, he had mastered the ability that demons had in slipping back to the world of demons - but the strangeness of the situation kept him there.

The battle against God was growing stale at this point, so maybe having a quick break exploring this place would do him some good. Spend a few hours pretending to be human again, eating his weight in sweets, looking at the fairies and decorations, and then go back to resume his reign over demon kind feeling very refreshed and happy.

Brilliant plan.

It was with this reasoning that Kazuya began to stroll around the festival, his dark cape billowing behind him, and his crimson eyes taking in the sights.

[meaningdies]

... Naoya stopped. Even in his drunken haze he could tell who that was. He staggered towards Kazuya. He didn't feel like he was angelic... and that power could only mean one thing.

"... Kazuya." He attempted to smile a little bit, but he couldn't. Ugh. Alcohol and feelings are a bad mix.

[belfire]

Kazuya stopped when he saw his cousin, his expression one of wry amusement. Oh, Naoya was drunk - god he could practically smell it from over here even without his enhanced senses. That only meant...

"Naoya, what poor karaoke place have you been torturing this time?" he joked, striding over to him with an easy smile. Since taking on the mantle as the Demon Overlord, he had maintained that close relationship with his cousin, even though he knew that he had simply been a pawn for him in the end. At first he had felt a bit angry and hurt over it, but now after some time and perspective? It didn't change much. Naoya was still his cousin and would still help him, and that was all that mattered.

"Are you the reason why I'm here? Did you and Loki decide to zap me to some weird place for a joke?" Kazuya asked once he was close to his cousin. He pressed his hand over his nose though because - damned demonic senses. He could barely stand the smell of alcohol this close. "Wouldn't put it past you when you're drunk..."

[demifemme]

There were certainly a lot of lanterns and lights here, as with any festival, but what about a person producing their own light? That you don't see everyday, and yet, here is one. She is wearing only shorts and shoes, and the black tattoos(?) covering all of her skin have green borders that glow brightly in the semi-darkness of the evening. For now, she's not doing much of anything, standing a bit away from the kiosks and festivities, looking around confusedly, her lips a hard, thin line and her fists clenched tight.

[ghost_shield]

His obnoxiously never-ending quest to "feed" a ghost stops briefly. Lights? Now what could possibly be causing liholy crap that woman's not wearing a top.

He blushes profusely, looking away. "Uh... sh-should you be dressed like that in a place like this?" he asks, stammering.

[destinedwaters]

There had been plenty of convincing involved in even getting her this far. That this wasn't a dream, that she was no longer lost within the darkness and clinging on to the hope of being reunited with those she cherished most once the darkness faded around her. So much time had passed since then, so many faces and voices that had nearly been forgotten until she recalled her name--recalled theirs in the bright light before meeting the man in a mask and awakening here. Finding herself in a new city and being taken to some government building and given a few things wasn't exactly new, though the last two times it was more of awakening with those items or having to find them herself.

Getting a small typed explanation on the COMP was definitely a welcomed change of pace, even though not much seemed known just yet. However, the words said about why they were having a festival... it's what hit the closest to home. So after hiding the shades offered for until her eyes could adjust to the sunlight again in her kimono and changing (not exactly in that order, mind), she too was wandering around in the festival. We won't talk about how she got there, okay. One of her skills without a Persona is Teleporting short distances.

''Be thankful for what you have, however small it might be,' huh...'

The wayfinder she tucked under the folds of her clothing felt heavy, but for as long as they are apart... she would at least try to enjoy herself and to smile again. For them, and for herself. Though really, she should probably focus on finding a job to support herself first...
fuck it, let's party because hey, FREE FOOD 8D
...Okay, so the free food wasn't helping her more, ahem, "logical" approach. What would you expect from someone who had lived off ice cream ingredients for a few years?

[greyerrant]

A huge armored figure is helping himself to quite a bit of food nearby, not removing his helm to eat it, just stuffing it into pockets in a massive belt that is hung around his waist, which also carries several munitions magazines, grenades, and a huge, toothed sword of brutal design.

[poweryetunknown]

Neku had wandered towards the festival as well, drawn by the music rather than the need to be convinced. He still couldn't believe that everyone could see him, that he could interact with people - from what he could tell he was alive again.

... Holy crap was that shoyu ramen? He headed over and grabbed a bowl, not really watching where he was going. He was still used to people just ignoring whatever space he was in, so he bumped into the young woman with a small yelp.

"Hey, w - ... uh. Sorry."

[plunderbunny]

She had been planning on throwing a big party to celebrate the (hopefully permanent this time) demise of LeChuck once they reached land. Instead, Elaine found herself going through a bunch of government rigmarole. She knew from experience that stuff was only mildly fun when you were the one doling out the paperwork. It was a pleasant surprise when she was finally turned out into the streets to find that there was, in fact, a big party in progress and everything was free. There was also plenty of food; a good thing since she was famished. Now all she had to do was decide what to start with...

If anyone was giving her strange looks over her attire (a pirate costume? It ain't Halloween, lady!), she doesn't appear to care.

[a_pirate_meant_to_be]

She's not the only one getting odd looks for her retro attire. Someone else seems to be making a bit of a ruckus over SOMETHING. Sounds like he must've fumbled one of those sweet potato things and is currently, well, handling it like a hot potato.

Let's see, clumsy, pirate, looks like a flooring inspector...

Now what are the odds of THAT?

[electricyousei]

[Ruri peers at the woman with her usual deadpan expression and shrugs]

Are you celebrating international talk like a pirate day?

[pistolsakimbo]

Trying to check out a place was difficult when you were incapable of looking at everything at once.

Yet here's a young lady dressed in purple and pink that's making her best effort to do just that. It was one thing randomly showing up in another world, it was another to show up with so much stuff going on, most of which Rune had never seen before in her life. And was it all... real? She could see that things were growing -- trees, grass, the food didn't have that obvious manufactured smell to it -- but she couldn't be sure if it was all for show or not.

And the buildings, and oh damn, THAT DRAGON. And there were pixies hovering around it too! She didn't want to get too close to them -- sure pixies existed on her world as well, but mostly as a barely proving rumor; the stories she heard had them as highly territorial hags with wings. They didn't look like hags, but she wasn't going to take her chances... and besides, she was already getting distracted from them by that giant cake. Why were they calling it a moon cake, though? It didn't look anything like a moon! Well, whatever, it looked delicious.

Rune bounced in place, waiting for her turn at some of that, before she got distracted yet again by the various vendors trying to sell stuff. There was so many different things here, she didn't know what to check out first!

"Wow..." she squeed softly to herself. "Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow...!"

[fateaversion]

Would Rune get distracted by a kitten similarly wowed by the sights?

By this point, Sissel has realized that he can commune with others - ghost tricks were a useful skill, and while he'd yet to really make a real communication with anyone... she reminded him of Kamilla, and home. At the moment, the little red-scarfed kitten was settled on one vendor's stalltop, seeming to watch her with his slitted eyes - whenever he wasn't taking in the other sights.

Humanwatching was a hobby of his, after all.

Although, perhaps he should just take up spectating as a general hobby. Really, there was so much more than humans here, and they were all proving themselves interesting in one way or another. He kept having things remind him of home, though he'd yet to meet someone who reminded him of any of the police officers he'd met.

He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, really.

Still, you remind him of Kamilla, Rune.

Approach the strange kitten?

[travelingtheworlds]

Upon seeing a fellow enthusiastic soul, Sasha just sort of sauntered on up to Rune, a cheerful spring in her step. "Enjoying it here?" she asked, raising one hand in a friendly wave.

[greyerrant]

A huge armored figure stands by the dragon, bearing a similarly enormous sword and gun of some sort riding lon his hips. He watches her bounce in a hyperactive manner, suggesting a certain stoic tolerance, or some degree of bemusement.

[dancingonapin]

[This place was insane... he'd barely gotten settled, a single day of confusion and trying to get used to living in a brand new apartment rather than his happy little bookshop... someone must be punishing him because none of this made sense.

Then again... whoever was punishing him must like him an awful lot to punish him with a whole grand festival with free food and attractions. The hustle and bustle isn't something Aziraphale's used to, he's certainly not one for interacting with strangers, but it's something to take his mind off of the stress this sudden change in worlds has been causing him.

He walks around the festival absently, nibbling on a caramel apple as he stares at the lanterns and other Japanese decorations. Those who can sense immense power... might just be picking up a vibe from him that he's not quite as human as he appears.

Bother the angel?]

[ontheirside]

[Gabriel had sensed that power and, as he approached the source, he was hit with both curiosity and apprehension. He'd been running from home for so long, it was a little awkward to be seeking out another angel.

But they were both here and, as far as the Archangel could tell, the only ones; it made no sense to avoid one of his brothers...especially since this wasn't one of the ones trying to kill him.

He hoped.

Gabe approaches while Aziraphale is looking at the lanterns, coming to stand beside him.]

If you like the apples, you should try the pie. It's pretty good.