Event || The Festival of Light

[eternitymods]

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.

Comments

[mech_and_mutt]

Protector shield...?! I want one of those on mine...

[Doggone it, why didn't he think of that?! Like on that bracelet the Magitek knights gave him. Maybe someone out there managed to figure out a way to mount it on the armor itself...

--wait, what was...]

--there! In the lower part of the flying one; that's a pretty small gun... maybe that's meant for shooting down missiles that try and target it?

THE OPERA

[keymemory]

It was a beautiful show! One in which Sora both followed and did not follow. At the end of it he was confused, yet moved. Emotional for the artistic representation of what was obviously very deep displays of one’s connection to others, to the world, and to destiny. To Sora, it felt like the play was both telling in how we had this innate urge to fight against destiny and how we couldn’t avoid it.

But he couldn’t be sure.

Nunumu, his male moogle companion, was steadily keeping step next to Sora as they left the auditorium. He turned in the hall and bumped into another moogle. “Oh sorry!” Sora offered before he wiped at his eyes. He then looked to the moogle’s companion and stopped a moment before he offered a solemn, “hullo?”

[righthandstand]

[His eyes are already red, but tears continue to well up at the corners and spilling down his face. Okuyasu hiccups, not bothering to hide his face if he's already bawling so loudly.]

She--! [A loud sniff. He pats his pockets in search of a tissue.] It's so sad, they way she died!

[Reviews said that the play was a bit sappy at the end, but sappiness can strike the hearts of certain people.[

Bonnie - OTA

[kuposcreed]

A) The Exposition -

Bonnie can be seen flitting about the expo, eyeing the different pieces with an interest that her own moogle, Kuvon, seems to lack. Now and then he can be heard commenting on how her interest in scraps of metal that sit there and do nothing would be put to better use in the arts. Bonnie on the other hand has learned to tune him out a bit as she eyes the pieces of the WEAPONS, trying to recall if they look like anything the Heroes found in Palitutu's labs back home.

Of course, once she finds that doodle of Ultros she stops, her white face managing to blanche just a touch further.

B) Mognet Expo -
Bonnie does have to admit these Imperial moogles do seem to be on point. She was skeptical about the iMog slate when she was first exposed to it, and it seems that many of her gripes about it (besides the impersonalness of electronic mail over paper) have been addressed with the upgrades and innovations she's seeing here.

But the tech only keeps her focus for so long, as it does with all the other moogles in attendance. For once Kuvon and Bonnie are acting as one as they flit from booth to booth, trying some kupo nuts, gathering pamphlets, looking at new mail cap fashion, trying some kupo nuts, looking up the newest in pranking innovations, admiring artistic crafting and trying some kupo nuts. With all the swag the pair amass, it's very likely they might just bump into someone! Careful now!

C)The Opera -
Kuvon does eventually convince Bonnie to take in some of the artistic events going on at the festival, but perhaps going to the Opera wasn't the best plan. While the dancer moogle is clearly enjoying the show and commenting quietly on the staging and choreography, Bonnie has sunk into her seat as much as she can, finding the tale and the goddess all too familiar.

"Goddess? She wasn't a goddess, kupo~ She was a bad bad person kupo~"

Her mutterings get her shushed of course. Still, by the time the play comes to an end she's calmed a bit, her fears of a changed ending haven been proven wrong. If anything the ending has dredged up more familiar emotion than she expected as she sits there crying in a bout of homesickness reminiscence.

D) Parasraya -
The talk of new jobs caught Bonnie's ear, and Archaeologist and Catmancer both sounded interesting. Maybe not as interesting as Sky Pirate but she still wanted to give them a look. After all, Mary and the others would all encourage her to try to find her own way and not just copy everything her partner did, after all. No harm in trying. What's the worst that could happen?

Anyone walking through the streets and picking their way around the cats that fill them will hear a soft wailing, growing louder and then softer again. A mystery until one notices that the cat that just walked past holding a kitten by the scruff, that kitten has a decidedly moogleish pom and a cloth hood.

"Help me, kupoooo~"

tournaments:

[keymemory]

Tidus had brought up the blitzball game when Sora had just barely arrived and the brunette, despite his bewilderment, had agreed to go with Tidus. To Sora, they were already friends by principle alone. Generally Sora was pretty open to being friends with anyone and everyone regardless, but it was obvious for him to be friends with Tidus because he was already friends with Tidus.

Whatever world this was, it made sense to him, and Sora was fine with it.

“W…oah! What happened!?” Sora was trying his hardest to keep up with the tournament, but in all honesty, this was an extreme sport and looked dangerous! In the least, painful. “Eee!” He tenses.

Re: THE OPERA

[acapriciousreaper]

There's a startled 'kupo!' when Mojito is bumped into, and Kuja turns to the source of the noise, finding... oh. The boy who couldn't pick an Asterisk.
"Hm? Oh. Hello again. I don't believe I caught your name, before."

[piume]

a. ( mognet )

Standing in front of the Mognet exhibition, the young man sneered at the pamphlet in his hand.

“Poker? Did you skip that step of your education?” Offering up his newfound copy of How to use your cuteness… for his Moogle to see, Lean fully expected an angry retort of some sort - and he wouldn’t be wrong in that, having to (narrowly) evade a slap to the back of his head.

“I find it appalling that you would ever suggest I have any intentions of deceiving anyone. Kupo. Especially you, Lean.” The fluffball circled around his master while delivering his lecture. “You let empty words of praise get to your head too much.”

At that, Lean just rolled his eyes. There was no point proving himself in a pointless fight.

“... I liked it better when you were away. Are you aware I can now switch my Jobs however I want? Maybe I’ll even find a model that doesn’t require an assistance from a Moogle- excuse me,” the brown-haired man smiled gently at one of the exhibitors, much to Poker’s horror.

“DON’T YOU DARE. KUPO.

b. ( parasraya )

“Come here, don’t be shy… ouch.”

Lean didn’t mind cats, but for some strange reason they never responded to his efforts too well. It’s almost as if there was something about him that…-.

„...G-get these claws away from my face, why are you- ugh. I’m not a Chocobo!”

Surrounded by a pack of wild cats - clearly lured in by the familiar bird scent that was present all over his attire - the young Cavalier found himself at quite a loss. Not wanting to resort to acts of violence, but also not necessarily entertaining the idea of attending the imperial dinner covered in cat scratches, he began to wave his arms and kick at the air with his legs, doing everything in his might to escape his captors.

c. ( fourteenth district )

The house he was assigned was a fair distance away from the city center, which Lean found a bit surprising. There was, after all, enough lodgings in the vicinity that could house all of them freely.

He looked down at the set of keys in his hand, accompanied by a lengthy instruction on how to get there - they really had thought of everything. Was it necessary, though? Staring ahead, he suddenly realised… he knew exactly where to direct his steps.

„What is happening…?” The young man muttered to himself, feeling a soft shiver course through his body as he wandered between the abandoned houses.

d. ( everywhere, pick a location! )

Much to Lean’s dismay, these feelings of uncertainty lingered throughout the rest of his stay. He couldn’t find his place among the noisy festival audience, preferring the safety of museum exhibitions. And how much there was to witness! Though he spent a longer while studying the WEAPON fragments, it was the Eidolon Wall that truly caught his attention; one afternoon, he even took it upon himself to sit down in the corner to try to recreate the masterpiece on a piece of paper. Slates were an exciting piece of tech, no doubt - but a quickly snapped photo wouldn’t have the same impact as a careful pencil study.

He could often be found quietly marveling at the architecture of the city the Empire had kept hidden for so many years. The castle was the most obvious destination, even if the heavy security around the First District would only let him observe it from a distance - but in his search for more tangible fragments of history, he had managed to stray away from the paths aimed at regular tourists. He spent a longer while at the graveyard, from where he would direct his steps towards the monuments of the old.

„With them ended the Final Fantasy...” Reading the cryptic description over and over again wouldn’t help him picture the majesty of the original statue, and yet... he couldn’t pry his eyes away from it.

e. ( wildcard )

( Anything goes! He might seem stand-offish at times and generally won’t approach unless poked at, but he might check up on otherworlders occasionally, should he believe his assistance might be required - so feel free to incorporate that. )

A. Housing - August 17

[keymemory]

Sora had received arrangements for his own housing but at the moment he was out and about patrolling the neighborhood. The place was pretty nice, actually, and he was enjoying the stroll between alleys, blocks, and taking in the sights of the houses he passed.

He had on a small bag for this escapade, this Festival of Lights business. On top of having only just arrived he was trying his best to absorb all of the information best he could but it was a bit overwhelming. So, walks like these helped calm his mind and ground himself to the here and now. Rather than fuss and tire himself out mentally and eventually physical over worrying about all the things he had to keep in mind.

Nunumu was, of course, walking beside him. Every so often his moogle would make an adorable little chirping noise that was low enough Sora was sure the moogle wasn’t trying to get his attention and yet high enough he could smile over it. It reminded him of a cat’s purr. Just something so relaxing and appealing about the chirping.

Sora had come across a home which appeared to have the door open so, naturally, he went up the driveway and walked into the home. His trek into the home was calm, curious, and naturally the first room he found himself idling in was the kitchen. Nunumu, who was like-minded as Sora, was already opening the fridge and Sora followed after to peer into the cool space. The fridge was so clean and fully stocked! like someone had just gone grocery shopping.

“Hm, what do you guys even eat anyway?” It’s been days and days since he’s been with Nunumu and he saw the moogle eat various types of food but some sort of nuts, or whatever, were the moogle’s favorite. The question was more meant for like what were a moogle’s staples in their diet?

“We sustain ourselves from our partnered newby’s dream energy… kupo!”

Sora’s eyes widened and he looked down to the moogle with a soft huff. “What, really? Woah!”

“No…. Kupo.” The moogled made a soft noise and there was a definite huff from the small thing’s lips.

Sora rolled his eyes and moved from the fridge with a cheese stick in one hand and an apple juice cartoon in the other. “Har, har … harrrr.” He said behind his back as her heard the rustling of his moogle partner finding his own treat in the fridge.

Sora then came to the foyer and found some abandoned luggage and, being the curious and astute boy he’s been for as long as he remembered, he thought it’d be a good idea to start opening the packages to find some treasure.

[mech_and_mutt]

"Dunno. Who'd make a doll of you? wait, I guess that IS kinda the question..."

Even Red wasn't quite sure, but it was nice to see someone else be the subject of the slings and arrows of outrageous-- okay, maybe he'd been listening to this doll talk for too long.

"...Y'think they've got one of me?"

[mech_and_mutt]

"Well, yeah. If they couldn't only go for the ball carrier it'd just be two teams goin' in there and beating each other up. What'd be the point?"

"Oh! Hang on, I think play's startin' again. tch... Look at these guys-- y'think we'll be facin' them any time soon in the league?"

[acapriciousreaper]

"I suggest we find out. If they do, then someone is just making dolls of offworlders. Somehow. If they do not... it suggests that someone is... I don't know. Trying to send a message? They know me well enough to mimic my voice and make that doll say things I've said. And it all coincides with my appearing on this world. Coincidence? If it were one or two things, that I would believe. But too many variables are lining up at once. Somebody is trying to goad me into making a move of some kind, it has to be. But who, and to what end? Hmph."

[acapriciousreaper]

Kuja blinks, taken out of the moment by the question. "Oh. Ah... If relations remain open, I expect it's a possibility. It's certainly not impossible."

[AU] Papyrus | Open!

[einspine]

Museum;

[Papyrus couldn't resist the call of the museum exhibits. Eager to sink his teeth into every last facet of this new city, he can be found hovering around the Magitek exhibit with a clipboard in hand, jotting down notes vigorously. The sight of broken, ancient take brings a tiny tear to his eye sockets.]

SUCH A TRAGEDY!!! IF ONLY WE COULD SEE WHAT THESE RELICS WERE LIKE IN PROPER WORKING ORDER. OR IF ONLY THEY'D LET SOMEONE REPAIR THEM!

[But he understands the desire to preserve historic artifacts. Alas!

Later on, he can be found grimacing at the Eidolon picture. A very dry look has crossed his skull and he huffs at the Ultros illustration.]

REALLY! IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT THAT TENTACLED TROUBLEMAKER UPSET LEVIATHAN BEFORE. BUT FOR SOMEONE TO VANDALIZE THIS BEAUTIFUL IMAGE... NO WONDER SHE WAS SO CROSS!!!

Sunny Starlight;

[Papyrus can't help but gravitate to the festivities. It's so much like home. THe lights. The costumes! Though it's... weird to see so many people dressed as Santa. It raises some very unusual questions. So he can be spotted wandering from "Santa" to "Santa," squinting as he asks:]

SO DO ANY OF YOU KNOW THE REAL SANTA CLAUS? HE'S TALL. HORNED. HAS A MAGNIFICENT BEARD! DID SOMEONE FROM SNOWDIN TOWN COME HERE, AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT? THERE MUST BE SOME REASON WHY YOU SHARE SUCH SIMILAR FESTIVITIES...

[Sure, it's not like Christmas-like festivities weren't celebrated before, but there must be some connection! That, or it's a very strange, otherworldly coincidence.

Someone may want to intervene before he hassles the locals too much.]

Party Time;

[Papyrus... doesn't sleep. At least, he seldom ever does. Thus, with Frisk ever eager to catch the epic party antics, it's only natural that he'd follow suit. A) to keep a responsible eye on them, and B) to socialize and be a proper party animal.

He's even got a pair of sunglasses on, despite the goggles on his head and despite how late it is. Cool people wear sunglasses at night, okay? That's the rule. Maybe? Either way, he's strutting around, sampling some of the snacks. And drinks. Alas! Milk is not a party drink, but punch... Now that's what the cool kids have!

But while he can be spotted doing casual mingling, snacking, and drinking, it's not long until he opts to bust a move.

So yes, that is a skeleton, in shades and goggles, trying to do some crazy spins on the dance floor. The downside? Sunglasses in the dark aren't condusive to seeing well. Odds are that while he's having his fun, he might end up on a spontaneous collision course.

But it's a sacrifice one must make in the pursuit of ultimate coolness.]

Mognet Exhibition;

[Ever the nerd, Papyrus can be found gawking at the great Mognet display with big, googly eyes.]

INCREDIBLE!!! THEY HAVE GAMES? A PROPER SPELL CHECK? AND JUST LOOK HOW STYLISH IT IS, MOBY!!!

[The silence in response is enough to draw his focus away from the fancy slates, and...

Oh. Oh dear. He can spot his Moogle hovering over the little stand selling Explosive Kupo Nuts and Kupo Champagne.

All this, while reading "How to Use Your Cuteness to Exploit People."

Huffing, Papyrus turns on his heel and barrels across the floor.]

MOBYYYY, DON'T YOU DARE!

[But the Moogle's already pulling out a wallet. Specifically Papyrus' wallet.]

Aw, c'mon. You can't have all the fun-

BUT THAT'S MY MONEY!!!

[Little does Papyrus realize, most of this stuff isn't actually on sale. But what's wrong with a good prank?]

To Gamble... or not to Gamble?

[Papyrus, despite his better judgment, can't resist the call to the games. The shooting gallery! The treasure chests! It's all so stunning. So exciting... but as he stands there, glancing at the plushie prizes and other assorted goods, he can't help but fidget awkwardly.]

DRAT! I HAVE TO WIN PLUSHIES FOR FRISK AND CHARA, BUT... WHAT IF THE GAMES ARE RIGGED? HOW DO I KNOW WHICH GAME IS THE ONE?!

[Truly, this is a struggle.]

Food, Food, and More Food

[Papyrus is here for two reasons. One? Free meals are a great way to save expenses. Two, research. Because the fact is, Papyrus hasn't cooked many... varied meals. Mostly just pastas. But Kenichi encouraged him to focus on a balanced diet for Frisk, and if he's to improve as a cook, he must broaden his horizons.

So he can be spot going from stall to stall, sampling everything.]

HMM... SWEETS ARE GOOD, BUT PROBABLY NOT THE HEALTHIEST TO HAVE AS A REGULAR MEAL. CASSEROLES WOULD BE A WELCOME CHANGE FROM NOODLES, PERHAPS. AND THAT SEAFOOD DISH SMELLS INCREDIBLE! WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?!

[And yes, he's got a clipboard out. For science! And also note taking as he samples the goodies.]

Opera;

[It's not hard to miss Papyrus in the audience. Not just because of his skeletal appearance, but because of how emotive he is through the show. Many gasps. An occasional audible remark, and towards the end, when it starts to get tragic? Tears begin to spill from those googly eyes.]

H-HOW TRAGIC! HOW BITTERSWEET!

[He sniffles, clutching his chest. The song sells it. By that point, he's leaking like crazy.

How awkward.]

A Stylish Hat...?

[Sensible people will know to avoid the fedora, but Papyrus can't help it. It just looks so... classy! So cool. So cool that he can be found conversing with a hat vendor.]

OH! WHICH DO YOU THINK IS MY COLOR? DO YOU HAVE ANY WITH A STYLISH FEATHER? I WANT TO MAKE SURE I MAXIMIZE MY COOLNESS QUOTIENT, YOU SEE!!!

[His Moogle facepalms, though Pap does't have a clue. Heaven help him.]

Cats and Business Ventures?

[Eager to see all he can see, Papyrus naturally had to come to this very... furry part of the empire. Of course, while the sights and sounds entice him, he has a particular goal in mind: assisting the business ventures of O'aka!

So he moves from business to business, trying not to stumble as cats rub up against him. Every now and then, he'll stop to pet them, but they're very clingy. And purry. Maybe they can smell the spaghetti on him.

At the Hypello shop, he can be found chatting it up-]

SO YOU SEE, A BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP WITH O'AKA WOULD BE A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE YOUR RICH CULTURE WITH THE REST OF VAIKUNTHA! IT WOULD GIVE YOU AND YOUR FELLOW HYPELLO A CHANCE TO SHINE, FOR O'AKA'S AIRSHIPS ARE STATE OF THE ART! TOP OF THE LINE! WITH MANY FANTASTIC MODULES!!!

AND! BEST OF ALL, AIRSHIP TRANSPORTATION TO VAIKUNTHA WOULD-

[Just as he's about to finish his sentence, more kitties start crawling over, tugging at his labcoat and meowing and, oh great, now there's fur on his clothes.

He heaves a big sigh.]

ER... YES! THESE CATS APPROVE OF O'AKA, TOO! O'AKA IS A FRIEND TO ALL CREATURES!!!

[The shopkeep gives a perplexed look at the skeleton in question. Papyrus himself is... trying to free himself from his furry posse. But... points for effort?]

Housing;

[When Papyrus isn't out on the town or attending parties, he can be found scouring the house to make it extra tidy. More importantly, he's camped by the stove, perusing recipes to try and provide a wholesome meal for Frisk... and Chara, if they wish to stay. The offer was there, at least. Best to make 'em feel good and comfortable as they spend time in unfamiliar territories.]

Wildcard;

[Got another prompt you wanna try? Just lemme know! I'm flexible, and Pap will be all over the place.]

[littlemhigan]

"Ah!"

"On it, Kupo~!" Benny says excitedly, already flitting away with a few gil in hand. Castor turns back to Hope.

"Didn't mean te surprise ye. There's jes so much te try, I thought it might be a wiser course if I took some reccomendations."

P5 spoilers

[promiselisting]

That stare probably shaved a month off her life but it’s fine, she’s fine, 100% fine.

“I know I haven’t been fair to you since... pretty much when we met. I’ve been trying to do better but... it still shouldn’t have happened in the first place, especially since...” she hesitates with a wince, “I know how much it sucks to have something that isn’t your fault held against you.”

“So... I’m gonna try to explain, and you can ask questions too and I’ll try to answer them. But it’s... a lot.” So uh. Be patient with her?

Another deep breath. It really wasn’t worth it to figure out a beginning, figure out which of the numerous things that had happened to her and the other Phantom Thieves had been the big huge root of her mistrust of authority and anyone associated with them, and the law. So instead she starts with the most straightforward.

“Akechi sold us out,” she pronounces flatly, before twisting her mouth in a grimace, “Though I dunno if that’s exactly the right word when he meant to betray us from the moment he joined. And if his plan had worked... Ren would be dead.”

Ugh, just the memory sends a hot jolt of anger through her stomach. Anger’s better than feeling miserable though, so she welcomes it.

[littlemhigan]

Castor is admittedly surprised to see Ignis, and it probably shows on her face for a brief second before it's replaced by a bright smile.

"Course ye may!" She reaches for the offered wine and scoots over to make room should Ignis choose to sit. "Enjoyin' yerself so far, ser?"

[littlemhigan]

Castor laughs at the exchange, and to her credit, Benny the moogle doesn't join in on Mocha's side, but does flitter over to inspect the drink a little more closely.

"Ben does the same thing with me from time te time," Castor admits at last, "couse she thinks I'm boorish on purpose. Latte huh? What's it made of?"

[littlemhigan]

"Aye, but it's hard te find' sommat that flatters me so well," Castor is cooing to the vendor as she admires herself trying on a pretty necklace in a nearby mirror, "especially with colourin' like mine. Ye don't see Onyx put ye good use anymore."

There's a certain...coquettishness to her movements, the tilt of her hip, the turn of her head, the way her hand trailed down off the necklace to between her...

"Unfortunately, I'm short a little gil from the askin'. Don't suppose ye'd take a lass's promise te show yer store off if ye'd part with this for oh...five hundred?"

Her deal seems to be an appealing one because a few seconds later, she's spinning away from the stall when her eyes catch..."Oh! 'Lo you. How long've ye been standin' there?"

[hatejakku]

Well... if anything, this guy definitely seemed to know what he was talking about.

"My attention?" Finn looked back at the little fluff ball in his hands just as it meowed at him again. "You really want attention?"

"Ugh. That means it's whiny and needy. You, there! Why'd you have to tell him that?"

"Valli," Finn warned before turning to the newcomer. "It wants to be noticed that bad?"

[hatejakku]

Mmph!

[ Azusa suddenly appearing was a surprise, as usual, but she only seemed amused about his current situation. He carefully allowed her to take the plushie so he can remove the doughnut, finally. ] Ah, thank you!

[hatejakku]

Finn does a small jump at the voice, turning to see the same woman who had been in the guild with him not a ten minutes before. Great, this was a little embarrassing...

"Ah, no, I-" The cats meowed again as Valli groaned. "Maybe." Then the little one decided to be brave again once it was pulled closer to his chest and attempted to climb his shirt. "Ow! Ow! Yes, I do!"

B

[sonoftenebrae]

I haven't forgotten. [Ravus' reply carries just enough amusement to avoid being grumpy. He's in a rare good mood. The Imperial visit has given him purpose, and for the first time in a very long time, he is facing a potential enemy with allies by his side. Things could be much worse.]

The Eidolons first. They may not be our Hexatheon, but we should not discount their power.

[He grabs a pamphlet on the way in to the exhibit and passes it to Gladio, using the motion as an excuse to brush fingers. He knows the other man would rather skip to the Magitek display. Ravus won't go so far as to say 'Thank you', but he can show his appreciation covertly.]

3.

[sonoftenebrae]

[It is rare that Ravus shows much special attention to food that isn't a berry-covered dessert, but when he runs into Ignis, he is carrying a little plate with a few skewers from one of the stands. He offers one to Ignis, his expression hopeful.]

Try this. Can you recreate it? The chef said it is made from raptor meat.

[Ravus has taken a liking to this particular dish, and if the Empire stays as closed off as it has been, Ignis is his only hope.]

[modelcivilian]

Blanc's fur rose and the large moogle certainly looked like he didn't appreciate Valli snapping at Adrien.

But the blonde wasn't really paying any mind. "Yeah. Cats love affection and they'll seek it out. They're pretty good at letting people know when they want it and when they don't. Try giving it a scratch under the chin."

[boomchucka]

Selphie wandered over to the kid that Tidus pointed out and looked intently at the toy before turning her gaze back to her friend. She wasn't seeing the resemblance at all as she did a double-take and shrugged her shoulders. She went back to Tidus with a confused look on her face.

"I don't see the resemblance," she admitted.