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

[drakenguard]

"Heh..."

Yamato's cold mask broke, his lips curving into a little smile. How strange it was that Daichi only had claws when prodded hard enough - still, it pleased Yamato to know that he wasn't meek and soft through and through.

"Good," he said. "Your ideals are not something that should be easily swayed by another's will."

Even if Yamato thought Daichi's ideals were childish and naive, he cannot fault someone who believed in them so fervently. It was the only reason he gave his grudging respect to Ronaldo - the man may've had a stupid ideal, but he was staunch in his convictions.

[hetried]

"Huh--?"

Oh and then...Yamato wasn't angry? Geez, he's never going to get used to this guy's weird mood-swings.

"'Ideals'? I guess so... I just think it's messed up to write off so many people like that. I think most people would do the same."

[drakenguard]

"Such compassion will be your downfall, but if you adhere to that creed until the end, well, I cannot fault you for it," Yamato said dismissively, turning his gaze away from Daichi as if he was growing bored with the conversation.

"Even if it is as nauseatingly naive as Kuriki's."

[hetried]

"You keep saying that, but I dunno... I think it's more important to have compassion than to be all business like that. Especially after that week. I mean we all could've died even sooner if it wasn't for each other."

Hm... But he wasn't really good at this ideals and concepts kind of thing. It was kind of more Kaito's area, wasn't it?

"Ronaldo too. He had a lot of good ideas, you know."

[drakenguard]

Okay, Yamato's going to turn and stare at you.

"What? You mean his pathetic imaginary world of 'equality'? Please. That world would stagnate and rot to nothingness within months."

He respected Kuriki that didn't mean he liked his ideal at all. He still hated it with a burning passion. Yup. Hate.

[hetried]

Oh there's the anger ahahaha...

"Well, yeah...! I mean on paper, it's not that bad. There would be a lot less people getting suffering or getting screwed over, but in practice, the whole thing still wouldn't work. That doesn't make it inherently bad though."

[drakenguard]

Hm...okay. That's better.

"It is unrealistic. That in itself makes it 'bad'," Yamato said coldly. "To want a world that is good and equal...that is impossible. Basic human nature makes it nothing more than a pipe dream."

[hetried]

"If you're gonna be like that, yours was unrealistic too you know!"

Well Ronaldo wasn't here to defend his own viewpoint so Daichi wasn't just gonna leave him stuck up the river without a paddle! Uh, theoretically speaking.

"That week taught me that humans want to be the best and help each other. You're gonna get people that do both no matter what."

[drakenguard]

"..." Yamato harrumphed, crossing his arms over his chest. That was true... he had seen a strange amount of people, Daichi included, willing to throw their lives on the line to protect the unworthy, the weak...

'You're weak too.'

Yamato shoved that memory aside almost viciously, and gave Daichi a narrowed stare. "...think what you will. Neither of us will budge on our ideals."

[hetried]

Daichi was too busy thinking about whoah, did he actually beat Yamato in an argument sort of? Maybe? to realize if Yamato as having any horrible flashbacks.

When Yamato did speak again, he just chuckled sheepishly and held his hands up palms out in a defensive gesture. "Hey, like you said, that's a good thing, right? You just gotta know that there are other options open, y'know?"

[drakenguard]

"Isn't it weakness to abandon what you believe in for another option?" Yamato question. His expression was tensed in a slight frown, his gaze drifting over to a far off lantern.

Other options open...yes, he remembered Ronaldo and Kaito trying to recruit him after his devastating loss. Was it an insult? They claimed that the basis of Equality was to help others, even those who they viewed as enemies, and yet they knew Yamato was completely dedicated to his own ideals.

Was it weakness to cling to that ideal even to death (which he had done), or was it weakness to give in and change to another...? Yamato thought he knew the answer when he allowed Tsuutenkaku to crush him, yet now...

Hrngh. This frustrated him.

[hetried]

"I think there's a difference between ditching your beliefs when someone tells you to and just being open-minded and adaptable. If nobody ever changed their opinions or couldn't be convinced, then a lot of things would be different, you know? Not that it's bad to stick to your guns, but..."

Augh, this was hard. How was he supposed to word it really? He wasn't sure anything he was saying even made sense anymore. "Being so gung ho just kind of blinds you to other things."

[drakenguard]

"..."

Blinded him to other things, huh? Yamato's gaze didn't waver from the poor lantern he was scrutinising, but it was obvious he was mulling over Daichi's words.

If one encountered a problem with only one solution in mind, and repeatedly used that solution despite it being proven as ineffectual, then they are rigid, uncreative, and foolish. This was the basics of strategy. You had to maintain multiple possibilities and solutions and theories within your mind to adapt to the situation as it changed.

But...had Yamato fallen into that amateur trap? People only changed when the very foundations of their lives have been dragged into upheaval. Revolution only happened when it was forced in the midst of fighting. It was the only solution, his meritocracy, to finally cut out the corruption and the vileness-

Or was it? Again, Yamato believed there was only one solution to the problem, without giving thought to other compromises. He could not lead a meritocratic society, even if they were back in their own world - aside from being dead, he had lost, and him championing the world would be a direct violation of its very core principles...

Had he been too single-minded? Is that what Kaito had meant when he called him weak, then?

"...you have given me much to think about."

[hetried]

"Really?"

--Er, wait maybe he shouldn't be sounding so surprised, ahaha...! That was certainly one way to break the tension though. Cue awkward chuckle.

"Uh, I mean, cool! Glad I could help...?

[drakenguard]

Yamato nodded solemnly, but said no more on the subject. If he was found to be reconsidering his methods...

"Let us change the subject."

[hetried]

Yeah, he was perfectly fine with changing the subject, he doesn't even know how they got there in the first place haha...ha...ha.....

"Heh, so I guess it's out of the question for me to ask you about politics or the weather, huh?"

[drakenguard]

"Politics has no bearing on our current situation, and I'm unfamiliar with the politics in this city," Yamato replied. "The weather is menial talk for those without brain cells. So yes, it is out of the question."

Yamato looked about them, frowning faintly.

"...truthfully, I may leave. I am uncomfortable in such a setting."

[hetried]

Oh. Well. Now he felt kind of bad.

"Uh, right... I mean, go for it if you want, but you're probably gonna miss out on the rest of the fun...! Heh. I wonder if they'll have a parade or something later..."

Yeah, he was just going to droop a bit and rub the back of his neck. Seriously, Yamato needed to learn some kind of fun some day...! "Er, that's not really your style much though is it. Right..."

[drakenguard]

"No, it isn't 'my style'. I dislike crowded areas."

Especially in a crowd where he didn't know a single one of them. Yamato knew that sometimes he edged on the verge of paranoia, but his suspicious nature had saved his life more than once, and here, where he didn't have subordinates or the other advantages of JP's as back up...well it left him more than a little uneasy.

[hetried]

Yamato's suspicious nature was still pretty weird for Daichi's trusting nature, so it's a bit hard for him to grasp it.

"You can go home if you want-- want I should bring you some food back later?"

[drakenguard]

"Food?" Yamato looked briefly puzzled. "Like takoyaki?"

[hetried]

"Sure, why not?" Cue smile and a half-hearted shrug to accompany the 'why not' sentiment. "I'm sure it's around here somewhere. Takoyaki was pretty easy to find back in normal Japan, so I'm sure this place has to have something."

[drakenguard]

"..."

Yamato crossed his arms and thought for a moment.

"Very well. Once you have finished your business here, bring me some takoyaki, Shijima."

And that is an order B|

[hetried]

"Geez, no need to be so serious about it...!"

He knew that was basically Yamato's default but dang, he was offered! He tried to shrug it off though with a bit of a sheepish chuckle.

"I'll bring it buy your apartment later, OK?"

[drakenguard]

Yamato nodded curtly in response and then-

Turned on his heel and walked off. Yamato still had not learned how to say goodbye, or politely leave a conversation.