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

[misery_hates_company]

"Luck tonic! Get your luck tonic here! Each comes with a free fortune! Perhaps it'll be a good one! Oh ho ho ho!"

It seems someone else is joining in on the entrepreneurial spirit. There are several bottles of tonic with an envelope tied onto each. They're a bit steep, but they seem to be selling well enough. But do they really bring luck...?

[otakuro]

"Daikichi - Great luck. 'You will meet a seller of luck tonics.'"

Hopefully, Misery is accustomed to Atsuro's completely unfunny idea of humor at this point as he appears in front of her stall.

"How much are you selling this stuff for?"

[misery_hates_company]

"It would seem your fortune came true, then! Oh ho." She seems mildly amused, at least. Which is probably a good thing.

"Oh, a trifle. Really, they're party favors compared to the sorts of things I brew. But a little extra money for a little bit of wishful thinking never hurts, does it?" she replies. Although it's not really THAT much of a trifle, but it's at least within the realm of being CLOSE to a trifle. Maybe.

[otakuro]

"I'm surprised you churned all of this out so quick! ...What'd you end up making them out of? Or is that some sort of trade secret?"

He leans in closer to examine the bottles of unidentifiable liquid. If they're clear, he'll squint and swirl one around in his hands.

[misery_hates_company]

"I'm afraid I can't reveal that! It loses the magic otherwise. Ho ho ho."

In all honesty, it's a bit of flavored sugar water with a slight bit of bitterness to make it seem like it's a medicinal thing. But nobody has to know that, do they?

[otakuro]

"'I'll take one!'... is what I would say if I had any money except Macca, which apparently only works if you want to buy demons. Sorry." Atsuro shrugs and replaces the luck tonic. "But I already got my good luck tonight, right? It never said I would buy one of these."

[misery_hates_company]

"Ho ho, fair enough. Some say that luck is what you make of it, hmm? I just like to think my little formula helps people make more of it." She leans back. "So, have you been making the most of this grand little gala?"

[otakuro]

He shrugs again.

"...It's nice." A relatively noncommittal answer. "I guess it reminds me of home, a little. Autumn festivals aren't that big of a deal. Moon-watching is more of a... couples thing."

[misery_hates_company]

"Deary me, is that a tinge of regret in your voice? Perhaps Auntie Misery could cook up a nice love potion for you! It'll cost you dearly, however," she replies, a twinkle in her eye.

[otakuro]

"Hah. Hah. Hah." Atsuro levels an unamused expression with more than a tinge of regret. ...Maybe more bitterness. "I'm just thinking about home. They're trying to make us feel welcome and all, but it's hard not to think about what things would be like in Tokyo this time of year."

[misery_hates_company]

Hmm. "A tinge of homesickness. I suppose I should feel a little jealous, considering I do not have much I miss myself. I don't, of course." She shrugs. "Best not to think too hard about such things. Placing your mind in two places at once is only a recipe for disaster."

[endears]

That very question is what's running through Aoba's mind right now, to be honest. It's not like something like a luck tonic would be too out of place in this world, right? And he can't just ask her if they work; that would be rude! So...

"Ah, when you call these 'luck tonics'..."

[misery_hates_company]

"They bring you luck! It's quite straight-forward, dear." Of course, it would make no sense to state whether it was good luck or BAD luck. "They come with a free fortune attached! Who doesn't like a fortune, hmm?"

[endears]

... Somehow, it feels like she both answered his question and ignored it all in one stroke. Still, a fortune does sound pretty tempting.

"Then, how much are they again?"

[misery_hates_company]

"Oh, it's quite reasonable for such an amazing potion, I should think." It's hard to say if it is or not. She gives a price that sort of teeters on the edge of being overpriced and not. "So what do you say? Get in the spirit of things, hmm?"

[endears]

"Well, when you put it like that..." He isn't sure what to think right now, honestly. In any case... "I'm sorry, but that's a little out of my price range; maybe some other time?" What is having money.

[misery_hates_company]

She sighs, a long-suffering sigh. "Festival only offer, I'm afraid! But perhaps I can cure some of your other ailments sometime -- should you have the money for it. Or the materials." Apparently she's not about the freebies.

[endears]

He can tell, really. "Ah... what sort of materials would you need for something like that, exactly?" That sort of knowledge might come in handy, after all.

[misery_hates_company]

Oh ho. We have a willing servant assistant here! "Ah, that's the rub, isn't it? A stranger in a strange land, that's me. How should I know what works unless I can study all the materials I can get? And all these demons running around are BOUND to have some unique aspects to their... selves, shall we say."

She ponders, then snaps her fingers. "Tell you what. You bring me some materials I've never seen before. Something from some of these strange creatures, perhaps, or a plant of some sort -- although that might be difficult, since I've already done quite a bit of scouting of our main nature preserve myself. Bring me those, and I might give you a reasonable discount on any potions I can make from what you bring? How's that sound, hmmm?"

Nothing better than finding other folks to do your dirty work.

[endears]

... Why does he feel like he just walked into something awful here?

Well, having a chance to be useful means he doesn't care! Even if he has no idea how he'll go about this.

"That... might be fun! I mean, I can't make any promises, but I can definitely give it a shot! Was sort of stuff have you already seen, miss?" There'd be nothing more disappointing that finding something only to learn she'd already encountered it.

[misery_hates_company]

Hook. Line. Sinker.

"I'll send you a list at some point. A few images. I think that should be sufficient, don't you?" She has to admit this "internet" thing is most useful in these situations. Technology does have its purposes, it seems.

[odiousking]

"... You're doing well for yourself."

As it so happens, Oersted enters the area, his interest piqued. He didn't think that Misery would be social enough to sell her wares like this. Maybe he underestimated the woman just a little. He takes a look at the luck tonic she's selling.

He picks up a bottle.

"How can a drinker tell whether what had happened to them was through luck?"

[misery_hates_company]

Likewise, she would not have expected this man to so freely mingle among other humans. Something to be commended, she supposes. Still, her demeanor definitely softens a bit.

"I do what I can," she replies. In regards to the bottle, she says, "Well, that's the thing, isn't it? Really, if you must know, it mostly gives a bit of mental encouragement. The fortune kind of helps things along. Anything else... well, that's mostly up to the individual." She looks around. "Good luck is made as much as bad luck."

Lord knows she'd made her own bad luck frequently in the past.

[odiousking]

"In other words, it's a little more than a placebo. You're just as crafty as I thought you were."

He puts down the bottle next to all the others making no other motion.

"Though I could be mistaking generosity for craftiness."

[misery_hates_company]

"Call it what you like. People take from it what they want. Perhaps some day I could create a real one -- but I would assure you it would be worth far more than these mere trinkets." She shrugs. "Anyway, it's not so much different from getting your fortune told at a shrine or by a psychic, is it?"