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

when he talks to Riku he talks to all Rikus ;3;b

[keymemory]

[ Record. Time. Baby. Sora and Nunumu are treading up the stairs with arms full of snacks and drinks. Riku was such a silly thing, expecting room service. TAKESHI. Bah, whatever.

So long as he calls him the right thing, Riku won’t ever have to know Sora’s calling him Riku in his mind. Hey-oh!

Sora peeks in every room down the hallway until he finds the last one with Riku in it. For some reason, he’s not surprised but on the bed he and Nunumu dump their find. It’s then that he finally answers the question. ]

Uh, no.. I mean, look at this food.. it’s ripe for the eating. I been in loads of homes that were “abandoned” not really.. but..

[ Oh, he felt sad now. He stops talking and instead focuses on opening the fruit cup. ]

omg

[acceptedlife]

[Silly Sora; he wasn't expecting room service. He was just going to dump his things in a room and come back down. Still, he isn't going to say no.

And if he ever finds out about that, he's going to be very, very hurt, Sora.

He sighs, ruffling Sora's already messy hair.] Sorry; I'm a bit overly cautious.

[At least he apologizes before checking the seal on another fruit cup for any sort of tampering and, finding none, opens to eat it himself as well.]

[keymemory]

[ Sora huffs at the ruffle of his hair but mostly focuses on his fruit cup. He brings it up to his lips with a loud slurp; unaware of how cautious Takashi is being of his own cup of fruit. Sora had about half the cup finished before he spoke up again. ]

What’re you worried about? I mean… about this house? Think someone’s gonna come home when you’re asleep?

[ It got him thinking about his own reserved home and he wondered if it’d be as nice as this place. Hopefully it had some meals in the fridge, he wasn’t much of a cook but he’s learned a few - a few - tricks through his adventures with Donald and Goofy. Still, if there was a choice between frozen meals and making his own… he’d go for the frozen. ]

[acceptedlife]

Other than surveillance equipment...? [Takeshi asks, before thinking about it. He's not going to mention a thing about the food. He frowns slightly, wondering just how much he should tell Sora.]

This house... looks a lot like the one I lived in for two years. Even has the long scratch on the dresser from when my rapier fell from its wall mount and scratched it.

[He nods to it, and, sure enough, there it is on the left side. Right below and empty wall mount.]

[keymemory]

[ Sur...veil––what kind of sci-fi movie are they living here? Sora can't help the strange expression on his face he shoots over to the silver-haired Taketake. He also can't help the small grin to his lips, more so to do with his nickname than what the other had said.

Once the explanation is delivered Sora's brows lifted and he found himself looking around the room, he spied the mark and his eyes quickly returned to Take. ]

What?! ... Are you serious? This.. okay, so that is weird?! [ He then looks to the fruit cup and he wonders if the fruit cup was the very same fruit cup that had been here during those two years, at some point of time, and Sora brings the cup up to sniff. ]

[acceptedlife]

[At least it isn't the kind of sci-fi "movie" he spent most of the first year of his existence trapped in? Not that it's much of a consolation, but he won't mention it so he doesn't upset Sora.

Though he wonders just what Sora's grinning about. He raises an eyebrow.]

Yeah, I am. [Though he sighs.] I doubt it's the same fruit cup, Sora. Last I knew they didn't have those in Crystallis.

[keymemory]

[ Oh! Hah.. heh, hah, though.. nah.. Sora shoots a puff of air out from his nose and narrows his eyes before he throws his head back gently as if to say: I totally was not thinking that.. at all, whatsoever.. Then his expression turns somewhat suspicious: when did you get mind reading abilities.. your so weird… wait, you always know what I’m thinking.. STOP READING MY MIND.. Then he breaks the eye contact and brings the fruit cup up to his lips to swallow back some of those FRESH and delicious chunks of fruit in preservative juice.

It’s nothing like the fresh fruit at home.. but, hey, .. when in Olympus..

Sora finishes chewing his food and swallows, he then clears his throat and exhales before he takes a winded breath. ]

Sooooo; what house are you talking about .. I mean.. your home doesn’t loo—

[ Wait, is it one of those “I’m not Riku” sort of deals where he didn’t live in the same home as he did in the island…? Better play it safe! ]

Ah, I mean… what’re you talk’n about?

[acceptedlife]

[Takeshi simply crosses his arms and raises his eyebrows in a very Riku-like manner. Sorry, what was that? He didn't quite catch that. Maybe try speaking up.

In all seriousness, he simply knows that look. He knows Sora's curiosity better than he knew himself sometimes. Considering he's left to question most of himself pre-Tower, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that he knew the look. And yet...

And yet... he nearly freezes at the start of the comment. Brief flashes of the island home popping up in his mind unbidden before he shakes it off. His gaze narrowing. He's older, Sora. Far older than the actual Riku in appearance, at least. Even though he's actually half Riku's age right now.]

I've spent years away from our worlds, Sora. [He says, tone grown cold and guarded.] Did you think I lived out on the street the entire time? Because I didn't.

[His arms fall to his sides, hands resting as fists on his hips.]

In the first place I lived, that would be a death sentence. [Not that he didn't try, being forced into the same dorm room as the real thing in a point where his life was volatile.] In the second... why not use what was freely given?

[keymemory]

[ Sora gets a chill at Takeshi’s tone and he feels his defenses rise high at the sound of it, but more so, the look of his friend. He knows that look, regardless of age, he knows that tone as well. There’s a warning behind it and he lowered his eyes as he thought about the last few times he’d seen Riku. The last few times before Riku was able to pull himself back together. That’s what that tone reminded him of, that’s what the look reminded him of. You’re so preoccupied by making friends with others you’ve replaced me and Kairi..

It didn’t sit well in his gut and Sora kept his eyes down as he tried to push those thoughts and feelings out. Once he felt confident enough he looked up to Takeshi and tried to recover from his feelings and help Takeshi recognize he didn’t mean any harm: ]

If I could have been with you, I would’ve been.. I’m sorry.

[acceptedlife]

[The moment the words left his mouth, he instantly regretted it. He didn't mean to shut Sora down; only to try and get him to listen. He isn't Riku. He can't be Riku, anymore. He's experienced too much of life for himself while fully aware that he's a separate entity from the original.]

Don't apologize. [With a breath, much of the irritation is gone; yet the serious tone remains.] I'm just glad you were spared what I wasn't.

[Better some fake who shouldn't have lived was more preferable to I'd like to see you suffer with me, and yet... his eyes betray him. The sadness and loneliness he felt for years; how he missed the first person to accept him for him and not who he was based off of; who initially told him that it was his messed up memories that made him unique; special, even. Even if different versions of them existed in another time and place, it never was the same.

He'd never be remembered by anyone but the real thing and Axel, if his own version of their timeline is restored. That's all there is to it.]

[keymemory]

[ His brows drew together and he watched Takeshi for a moment. The taste of fruit in his mouth lingered in a distasteful way, but Sora knew it was more of his friend’s words than it was the food. It was so depressing he wished Kairi was here to help them both make sense of this in her cheery lens. That was the power of the three of them, honestly, if one was struggling and the second one couldn’t quite figure it out, then it was the third one that had that special key that was the answer! Just thinking about them all together brought comfort to Sora and he looked up to Takeshi.

He had a small smile. Takeshi, not Riku. Though he didn’t understand it, he didn’t know the whole story, he was sure they were friends and were always going to be friends. At least that’s what he wanted. ]

I’m glad I’m with you now.. Takeshi. [ He pulled in a deep breath and let it out with a wider smile. ] What memories I missed out on by not being with you, when you’re ready to tell me about them.. I’m going to be here to listen.

Also, to make new memories with you.