melodiesofeternity | Event || The Festival of Light

Event || The Festival of Light

Who: Everyone!
When: August 18th - 25th
Where: The Empire
What: The Festival of Light is here! Feel free to use any of these prompts. NPCs tag will come sometimes this week. Please mention it in your top-level if you'd rather not be tagged by a random NPC.
Warnings/Notes: N/A

EXPOSITION OF THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT
— Third District || August 18th – August 25th || 10:00 to 23:00 —
The museums in the 03rd District are open to visitors and are home to many relics predating written history. A lot of those old relics are items of archaeological interest or look like they could be really advanced technologies if they weren't broken beyond repair. Prototypes for Magitek Armor of a new age are exposed, alongside fragments of what are believed to belong to the legendary WEAPONs, machines that belong to the same category than Ultima WEAPON.

The section for Eidolons has all the Eidolons the characters have met so far as well as others yet undiscovered displaying on a gigantic wall-covering painting. The largest Eidolon on the painting appears to be a dragon some characters may recognize as Bahamut, he is so big he dwarves the other Eidolons and should one pay attention, his wings are actually the background of the painting.

Interestingly, someone has doodled something that looks like Ultros over Leviathan on the painting...

SUNNY STARLIGHT
— Ninth District || August 22nd – August 25th || 07:00 to 19:00 —
Do you really believe because it’s summer, you can escape the beauty and magnificence of Christmas? Think again. There is one thing all the nations on Vaikuntha are of one mind on: the wait from the December 26th of a year to the December 24th of the next is too long. This is why a band of Moogles, Lalafells, Bangaas and Zoras from all across the Empire have occupied half of the Ninth District. Decorated trees, Christmas music, people dressed as Santa Claus (and probably dying because of the heat), fake gift boxes as well as a very large and pretty box for donations all await you!

Kids below the age of 15 will all receive a gift if they come: plushies made in the likeness of the main villains of numbered Final Fantasy games! And when you press the button hidden on their stomach, they speak a random line. Who doesn't want a Sephiroth plushie saying "You are a puppet" or a Jecht one repeating "Cry, cry, cry" all day long?

It's like a dream come true!

MIDNIGHT AIRSHIP
— Twelfth District || August 20th – August 24th || 23:00 to 06:00 —
For the late sleepers, it is possible to board a special airship prepared by Hypellos to party up in the sky. The Airship flies all around the Imperial Territories and should characters so desire, they can ask to stop by one of the two other cities. Whether they want to dance, to eat or to enjoy the view, it might be a very fun and relaxing activity. It is also a very good place from where to watch the fireworks… Or to scout for an incoming Tarutaru and her weapon toy.

Note that all the personnel onboard are Hypellos. They are very serviceable and nice, but can try the patience of those not used to their accent. Of note, one Hypello is green and appears to be angrily stalking anyone heading for the "Sunny Starlight" event. He is quite sneaky though and will always manage to get away before being approached.

MOGNET EXPOSITION
— Ninth District || August 22nd – August August 25th || 07:00 to 19:00 —
The half of the Ninth District not occupied by Christmas fanatics is occupied by the Moogles working for the Imperial section of Mognet. Split for the regular Mognet for a decade, Imperial Mognet has managed to thrive. Imperial iMog Slates have all sorts of functions other iMog Slates could only dream of, such as games, grammar check and that kind of stuff. All of those things can be visited at the exposition! Not only that, but the Moogles are also putting on display things that have nothing to do with Mognet but more to do with Moogles themselves.

Come and visit the exposition to discover the rich and amazing culture of the Moogles! Kupo Nuts, Fur Dye, Fake Kupo Nuts, Pom Shiner, Carved Kupo Nuts, booklets titled "How to Use Your Cuteness to Exploit People," Mognet Bags, Deluxe Kupo Nuts, Sheets to Prepare Future Strikes, Mog Beds, Explosive Kupo Nuts, Kupo Champagne—

There is no end to what might be learned from Moogles!

CHOCOBO RACES
— Sen Riqeaux || August 23rd || 15:00 to 20:00 —
A Chocobo Race will be held all around the city! Will you compete? Shall you win? There are no prizes as all the money earned through the race is given to the Safety of Sparks Golsaucia movement. Those participating can bring their own Chocobo or get a temporary one from the people organizing the race. It will be a very bad Chocobo though, so they shouldn’t expect to win… Beware the Hamsters and Marlboro during the race though. It’d be a real shame to end up getting eaten while racing.

SHOPPING
— City's Outskirts || August 18th – August 25th || 07:00 - 20:00 —
On the city's outskirts are all manners of stalls by shoppers eager to make some money. You can find everything there: plushies, food, clothes, souvenirs, books and even cosmetics. Why, one of the merchant is even selling contact lenses covering nearly all of the rainbow's spectrum aside from green while another sells all kind of swords, even the supposed legendary Excalibur! This might be the perfect place to take on O'aka's Quest if you so wish!

MINI SPARKS GOLSAUCIA
— Eleventh District || August 19th – August 24th || Anytime —
Specially for the festival, stallholders from Sparks Golsaucia were invited and brought a few attractions to display what they can do. Noticeably, there is a shooting stand—Once again, a treasure chest game where characters are presented with ten chests and can open only one-- Prizes range from one Gils to gigantic plushies. The novelty this year is something called the "Kupo Boxes," Boxes you punch open and you get something: perhaps something wonderful like a 1 million gil ticket, more often than not though absolutely nothing. Will you try your chance? Be careful, your wallet might not survive it.

TOURNAMENTS
— Tenth District || August 19th – August 23rd || 10:00/15:00/20:00 —
There is a Blitzball Competition taking place during the Festival of Light! Characters are free to go and watch the matches, so long as they can pay for the tickets. At the same time, a Triple Triad competition is taking place. Characters are free to enter the Triple Triad tournament if they so wish. Characters who know Triple Triads have decent chances to win. And even if your characters lose, what matters is trying, right? There are no prizes to be won, as all money goes to the Triple Triad For Everyone associations.

CULINARY ATTRACTIONS
— Second District || August 18th – August 25th || 12:00 to 13:30 / 19:00 to 21:00 —
What would a festival be without free food and banquets? Not really a festival. In the fourteenth district, there is a banquet and many stands held by people from all over the Empire. All kind of food can be found here-- Refined food, pastries, cakes, cooked meals, etc. It's virtually impossible not to find something to like in all of this, and it's all free! There are, however, guards standing around on the lookout for Gourmands who would be tempted to ruin the fun for everyone. After what happened two years ago, better be careful.

THE OPERA
— Ninth District || August 18th - August 24th || 22:00 —
There is an opera every day for all to see for free, titled "A Goddess's Tears." It is a retelling of the creation myth, but shown from the (presumed) perspective of the Goddess of Death. The play depicts the Goddess as someone who started out as a rather sweet person, but whose life took such terrible turns she wished to die and resented life. Yet, death was too scary of a prospect for her and she couldn't choose what was better, Life or Death. As the play progresses, she decides both are equally terrible and resolves to create a world where those very notions shall no longer exist.

As the play unfolds, toward the ends the story becomes what people are more familiar with. However, rather than letting her die wordlessly, the four heroes appease the Goddess's soul by singing. As the four heroes sing, the Goddess smiles and sheds a single tear before passing away. It is said the play is very emotional, sensible people might want to pass on it.

HOUSING
— Fourteenth District || August 17th - August 27th || Anytime —
Before, after and during the Festival of Light, the characters will all need a place where they can rest. Thankfully for them, people coming with the Curti Center delegation are all given the keys to stay in one of the abandoned houses in the 14th District. Truth to be told however, those house look anything but abandoned. Why, it's as if people had been living in them up until very recently, given how either clean and ordered they are for some, or chaotic and neglected they are for others (Characters who were present in Melodies of Life will be able to notice the houses are nearly identical to what they were just before the time skip during endgame, though there are a few eerie differences).

At least, it's a good place to sleep!

ARDYNIAN DISCOVERY
— Fifteenth District || August 18th – August 25th || 10:00, 15:00, 20:00 —
Everyday, it will be possible to get wheeled motor vehicle driven by imperial soldiers and go visit one of the other cities, case in point, Ardynia! Not much is done over there for the Festival of Light, but it is worth checking out, if only for the Wizard and Jester Jobs. It is a thriving city with people from all over the Empire, and it appears to be something of a shopping center for the imperial region.

And most importantly, discover the official headwear of Ardynia: the Fedora! It is said Archaeologists have imported this fashion trend to Ardynia when they pass by, but none know whether this is true or not. While most citizens have enough senses not to actually wear this dreaded hat, those who do wear it really look dumb doing so. And those who don't look dumb look like they'd make jokes about your pet's untimely demise while you're still crying about it.

Perhaps is is best to stay away.

PARASRAYA DISCOVERY
— Fifteenth District || August 18th – August 25th || 10:00, 15:00, 20:00 —
Everyday, it will be possible to get wheeled motor vehicle driven by imperial soldiers and go visit one of the other cities, case in point, Parasraya! Not much is done over there for the Festival of Light, but it is worth checking out, if only for the Archaeologist and Catmancer Jobs, as well as the Weapon Master Association. It is a technologically advanced yet small and cozy city...

... If it wasn't for a tragedy plaguing the city: cats, cats everywhere. If the meowing doesn't kill you, the constant flow of cats asking to be pet, fed and to sit on your lap might. You may even encounter a few tired citizens paying you money to take care of the cat infestation around their house. Others however are really defensive of the cats and will hunt anyone trying to bring harm to them. Of course, the source of all these cat-related troubles can be traced back to the origins of the Catmancer guild.

But, perhaps it is a story best left for another day.

FIREWORKS
— First District || August 18th – August 24th || Midnight —
Fireworks will be launched from the Castle starting 00:00 and will end at 01:00, everyday of the Festival. No matter where you are in the city, anyone should be able to watch them with ease if they so wish. Unfortunately, it means falling asleep before midnight may be a bit hard with all the noise. On the 25th, characters will be with dining with the Empress as the fireworks happen.

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Music should be used to soothe the soul. Never to feed it negativity.

[ Alas, the sad tune doesn't stop. Instead it gets even more melancholic! ]

Do you so happen to sing?

I wouldn't expect us to have met, worry not.

[ She smiled gently and politely, before turning to the Opera house. ]

I wonder... What would have happened if she had won. Would her world of no life nor death have been preferable.

"We thought with the lesson we taught you guys, you wouldn't have dared to leave your lair again!"

"He wasn't there, Kupo."

"Do you mean to comply he knows not of our glorious existences, Kupo?" Kupade Kuptiss turned back to Vanitas "Tell us darling, didn't your fellow comrades warn you about the mighty Moogles of Light?"

[ And the music just. Doesn't stop. ]

Sad, isn't it?

[ She marked a pause. ]

It feels like her entire life, she hated living but was too terrified of dying. I wonder how true this is for most people...

[ The Green Hypello looked at the boy out of all,
His frown and Hypelish snarl reviling all, ]

Shilly! For fifty-three years I've put up with it now!
I musht shtop Shtarlight from coming! But how?

[ Then he got an idea! An awful idea!
The Green Hypello got a wonderful, awful idea! ]

I know just what to do! [The Green Hypello laughed in his throat.] I'll make a neat Shanty Claush hat and a coat.

[ And he chuckled, and clucked, ]

What a great Hypelish trick!

[ Then the Green Hypello left, nowhere to be found,
But on Starlight all the Vaikunthan he'll be sure to hound. ]

[ The woman looked clearly tired and slightly depressed, as she sipped on her coffee. ]

We're working our asses off to find a solution before it's too late, but...

[ She shrugged. ]

What am I saying. Classified information, all that shit for what it still means.

Certainly not in my youth, I can assure you of that.

[ He sighed and looked down at the hats on display. ]

Sometimes I think there might be a correlation between the spread of these hats and the world ending.

Quite possibly, yes.

[ He looked at the stained glasses. ]

You see, the Temple and much or Ardynia's foundations were built over a thousand years ago, prior to recorded history. The same holds true for most of Sen Devadatta's cities. So we're not all too sure what exactly it means.

[ The Elezen seemed a tad startled as Selphie stared at her so, and more so at her question. Regardless, she replied with a smile and a light laugh. ]

I don't think we have, have we? I have lived here my entire life. But I will admit it does feel a little familiar...

No, even a master Summoner wouldn't be able to call on him. At least...

[ The man stopped, opting not to finish his sentence. ]

You see, a local legend claims Bahamut was the Goddess of Death's very own Eidolon. In an attempt to defeat the heroes who threatened her, she infused him with her powers. The result was a creature the size of a mountain who could easily destroy worlds. We believe this is the reason Bahamut has never shown himself.

Humanity 101. If you see a human-made device, odds are it'll be used to kill someone. If you see an old device and don't understand its purpose, it was certainly used to kill.

[ He shrugged ]

That's sort of what our kind is the best at, wouldn't you say?

[ After a moment and while he was still singing, someone did indeed come by Clarus's side— Though Jessie wasn't exactly a little girl any more, nor had she appeared out of nowhere.

She was silent for a moment, and would only speak when Clarus would finally stop singing. ]

It's beautiful... Where did you hear that song?

[He was on the verge of asking whether she thought about this or his world but then he thought better of it. She was most definitively talking about Vaikuntha.]

I've heard the name before, yes. [Back in their world. Also, Noct mentioned something about Bahamut before. Nothing too concrete to go off.]

In my world, he's known as The Draconian, the God of War. Is that too off the mark? [Or is it similar enough to send another wave of unpleasant shivers down Ignis' back.]

"A fascinating question, to be sure." The smile is returned. "Whether 'tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows, or to embrace oblivion to avoid the pain of life unwanted. Of course, the argument could be made that death is not the opposite of life, but merely the cessation of it, and creating a world without life would be hardly distinguishable from simply killing everything."
Kuja sighs. "But, that's the tragedy of the Goddess's character, is it not? That she would find such a world preferable to one where she carries on existing."

It's quite alright.

[ Classic merchant. All bark, no bite. She looked down at Hope after that. ]

You are from the Curti Center as well, are you not?

...

[ Why does it always feel like if she were to keep her back turned for too long, she would find a knife there? Regardless, that was settled so no need to address this point any more. ]

I believe your proposal has merit to it. However, rather than send others do work you cannot do yourself, perhaps we could work on making you look less... "Unfriendly."

[Keith leans into that squeeze, finding himself orienting himself at the simple gesture. Drawing strength from his best friend as he calms. Not completely; he still has the awareness to remember where they are, but enough to think rationally.

He does more than just go with it; that tug is the only thing he needed to pull him in and he wraps his arms around Shiro. Firm, but mindful of the bruising he left. He knew deep down that it wouldn't, but hearing it meant so much. Yet the fact they needed to talk about how he'd withdrawn from them once before eventually had hung over his head the entire time, and if it had come up again while Shiro and Hunk were gone...

He wasn't sure where that would leave them. For all that he's grown and changed, he still doesn't know how to handle being scared without fighting back. And he had been very, very scared.]

Hard to do that while marooned on a giant space creature for two years with a long lost parent. One who just so happens to have trained a large percentage of the Blades and is very keen on refining instincts and skill when we weren't bracing for the next glimpse into the past and future.

[Oh. Someone picked up their best friend's sense of humor. He squeezes a little tighter, smile becoming more genuine.]

I have, and you don't know how much hearing that means to me.

Ignis was always up for trying new stuff and discovering all kinds of new spices he could use for his meals. Of course, he experiments a bit and tries it himself before serving it to others. It is always a pleasure seeing the look of surprise and delight on their faces.

And festivity like this- he cannot pass up. The treats he picked up are all single bites or small pieces, wanting to try from everything yet not overeating.

"Exploring," Ignis says cheerfully when Selphie popped out of nowhere. Or maybe she was always there and he wasn't paying attention because he was curiously looking at something that looked like a deep-fried, spicy tarantula.

"Some people are just capable of doing feats others cannot," Ignis says amused, definitively making a jab towards Noct. Luckily, his King is not around to hear him say this.

"Maybe. Does Ultros have something against pictures depicting Leviathan?" It's an honest question even though he actually doesn't expect a real answer. When he finally tears his gaze away from the picture, he gives Shiro a slightly quirked eyebrow. Was it alcohol or did Shiro look different back when they first met?

"No need for apologies, really. It was a rather difficult night." Also, he should be the one apologizing.

"I'm sorry if I come off rude, but... I believe you look rather different from when I first met you." Same yet... somehow older. Is it the white hair? Or the tired look he has?

Deep breath. Here went nothing.

"... I have a confession to make, Ena. I know you're a princess. I shouldn't do this, but—"

She forced a natural smile on her lips, putting herself together to look as confident as possible. Even if she wasn't at all.

"I am in love with you." She stared right into her eyes. "You are the light in my life. When I question the reality of this world, thinking about you ease my worries. Whenever I see you, all my doubts fly away and I find myself smiling."

She was going to conclude with 'Do you accept my confession' or 'Will you go out with me,' but that was too cheesy. Probably due to what sort of media she originated for. Now all she could do was hoping.

[They still get a look from the shopkeeper, but she doesn't make any comments because profit!]

Ah, those colors suit you.

[The ones that Ignis picked out for himself is similar to Noct's, only with black and all shades of green- from deep green to bright and with blue sheen when looked under a certain angle.]

Rainbow colored?

[Sorry. He's curious.]

Is it an outworlder thing? Yue's never been particularly familiar with normal people manners. He offers an innocent smile to counter her cross look, happily ignoring the trouble that might be going on. Delectable treats, huh?

...He doesn't actually know what delectable means, but hey. "Ah, sure!" The harpy carefully pulls a chip out of the bag, eats it, puts on a thoughtful look. "Mm, it's pretty tasty, but...if none of the drinks match it, maybe you need a different kind of drink? Like tea, or something."

[Well, in Souji's case, it is Heaven on earth. But, he supposed that after years of being locked with cats around is not healthy? Maybe...?

He's completely taken off guard when the bag was thrown his way, heavy and almost making him stumble-]

W-Wait! [Okay, now he's pale-] This is too much money! [This thing is heavy! He feels as if he's stealing!] I can't accept this.

No, I adored it. Seeing a live performance is always wonderful. You can really feel all the effort that went into practicing each note, each step, each word...it was magical. The story was so melancholy, too. What did you think?

[Azusa nods, following the conversation until she's asked what she's doing here. She looks down at her shopping bag. She looks back up at Finn.]

Hmm...do you want to see what I've been shopping for? I didn't think you'd be interested in such things.

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Event || The Festival of Light

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You're very welcome

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Shakyamuni Sidetrack

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foodies indeed

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