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

[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.]

What not to wear

[righthandstand]

[If Papyrus's Moogle wanted someone to talk sense into him, then they are sorely disappointed. Okuyasu, master of wearing too many accessories, notices these expensive hats on display and is lured over to the table.]

Oh damn, you're gonna look like an old Hollywood star with that!

[einspine]

[Papyrus gasps, eyes turning all BIG AND GOOGLY. He glances from the hats, to Okuyasu, his grin impossible to miss.]

ME? A MOVIE STAR? WOWIE!!! I CAN SEE IT ALREADY. THE BRAVE, DASHING ADVENTURE HERO-SLASH-SCIENTIST, THE GREAT PAPYRUS! DEFENDER OF THE WEAK. HANDSOME HEARTBREAKER. NYEH HEH HEH, IT'S PERFECT!

[righthandstand]

[Man, Okuyasu thinks to himself, this guy is loud and excitable.]

I'm thinking Humphrey Bogart? Yeah, that's his name.

[Just picking actors he recalls seeing on television.]

But you gotta get a part if you wanna be a star.

[einspine]

HUMPHREY... WHO NOW? I CAN'T SAY I'VE HEARD OF HIM. BUT I DO KNOW METTATON!!! HE'S THE UNDERGROUND'S GREATEST STAR, ABLE TO ROCK EVERY OUTFIT IMAGINABLE.

[He rubs his hands together, contemplating.]

WAIT, I'VE GOT IT! WE COULD PROCURE TRENCHCOATS. CAPTURE THAT OLD TIMEY NOIR FEELING.

Food, Food, and More Food

[4got10]

I don't know about that, Papyrus.

[Chara says, carrying a plate overburdened with anything containing a morsel of chocolate.]

I think chocolate is probably the most important food group.

[einspine]

[That... is a lot of chocolate. Granted, it smells good! Looks good, even. Certainly not a bad selection of desserts.

But he's still staring at it for a few seconds.]

CHOCOLATE CERTAINLY ISN'T A BAD CHOICE IN DESSERTS, BUT ONE CAN'T RELY ON A DIET SOLELY OF SWEETS, EITHER! IT'S JUST NOT HEALTHY.

[Says the one who was feeding Frisk mostly just pastas.]

[4got10]

Really?

[Chara says teasingly, tossing another bit in their mouth.]

I feel pretty much ready to take on the world right now! Think it might be a wonder food.

[einspine]

[Wonder food...

Papyrus squints, eying the chocolate ever-so-carefully. On one hand, desserts in high amounts still probably aren't healthy, but what if it is a wonder food? What if the chefs of this empire have discovered ways to make healthy and delightful desserts? It's quite the dilemma. The conundrum!

Hrmmmmm... And then it hits him, and his eye sockets go wide.]

GASP!!! DOES THIS CHOCOLATE SOME KIND OF STRENGTH ENHANCER? PERHAPS SOME INVIGORATING INGREDIENTS! THIS MERITS FURTHER RESEARCH.

Hat bros

[changelingdude]

"Feather! That's what I need! Thanks bone dude!"

A scrawny green teen is trying on a fedora and is striking poses in the mirror. His pointed ears wiggle and his fangs gleem clearly thinking he is the most stylish of heroes in this hat!

"Maybe one in purple? Or should I get the purple fedora with a green feather?"

[einspine]

Ooh! A green... human? Some other creature? Either way, Papyrus grins, offering a thumbs up in turn... because that's what the cool kids do, right? Ignoring the fact that he's not exactly a kid. More like an older teen-slash-young adult.

"PURPLE AND GREEN DO GO WELL TOGETHER! IF YOU WANT MY EXPERT OPINION, I'D SUGGEST PURPLE WITH THE GREEN FEATHER. OR BLACK WITH A BRIGHT GREEN FEATHER. THAT'S ALSO VALID! BUT THEN, SO IS BLACK AND PURPLE..."

Oh dear. What a conundrum! If only the Fashion Wizard was here to impart wisdom.

[changelingdude]

"Hmm...maybe like..." He put on the purple hat with the green feather and struck a few poses.

"Oh yeah~ Feelin' it! Check me out now!"

He spun on his heel, moonwalked a few feet and then struck a dancers pose which would have looked great...if he was actually a dancer and not just a bard in a stupid hat.

"The ladies are gonna love it right?"

[einspine]

Ooh! Papyrus gasps, then applauds. He can always appreciate good charisma, never mind posing. Ah, Mettaton would be so proud.

"WOWIE!!! I THINK THE LIKELIHOOD OF LADIES 'DIGGING IT' IS AT LEAST NINETY-FIVE!!! PERHAPS I, TOO, SHOULD WORK ON MY 'SWEET MOVES.'"

He takes a step back, then proceeds to try and do a chain of 'heroic' poses. What a need.

Stylish Hat

[eternitynpc]

My good sir, would you please consider removing that... Hat.

[ A man had addressed Papyrus as he exclaimed about the hat, and he looked quite done with everything in the world right now. He was dressed finely with a long coat, the way you'd expect a politician to be dressed. ]

We wouldn't want to popularize this trend all the more, would we?

[einspine]

[Oh! A new face. A very fancily dressed new face... who doesn't seem to like the hat.

Briefly, Papyrus frowns, glancing back to the hats. His bony brow creases, and when he looks back, he hesitates a little.]

I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THESE HATS?

[eternitynpc]

The problem is... That they exist, truthfully.

[ The despair is growing. ]

Most importantly, they do not fit a gentleman such as yourself, if I do say so myself.

[einspine]

[He raises an eyebrow at that. It's... an awfully strange thing to say.

But him, a gentleman? Interesting. Flattering! Oooh, this man clearly is intelligent and worth listening to.]

OH? WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS AN ALTERNATIVE? THE ULTIMATE GENTLEMANLY ATTIRE!!!

Museum

[kuposcreed]

Kupoooo

[The moogle wriggles and shivers a bit at Papyrus's eager comments about the WEAPONS. She's sure he only means well but the memories that come back to her and the feelings that they make bounce around in her little fluffball of a body can't simply be ignored.]

It was enough seeing just one of them in action, kupo. I don't need to see that a third time, kupo.

[einspine]

[Oh! He knows that voice, and so he turns around, frowning for a moment. That's not a good sign.]

OH! ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THESE DEVICES?

[How interesting. Though she doesn't look happy about it...]

[kuposcreed]

Kupo, I can't say if they're the same as in my world, but it's probably safe to assume it's close, kupo. It was like a giant monster made of metal. It was like a robot, and someone could control it, but it was like it was alive and angry and had a mind of its own too. The Empire used it to attack Aqures Ixen twice, though I don't know if they were in control the first time kupo....

[She sighs and shakes her head.]

We were tricked into handing it over to the enemy and it was used against the Heroes the second time. Mary stopped them from getting another, but she said Palitutu had parts of others in her secret lab. Parts like these, kupo.

[einspine]

[...Oh. Wowie. That's heavy. So heavy, in fact, that it takes several moments for Papyrus to process this.

Gulping, he casts a glance back at the relics. Dangerous, giant robots you could control... It reminds him of something Undyne wished to create. Admittedly, for as cool as it sounded on paper, the fear of technology rebelling was present there, too.

For it to have a mind of its own as well, though? That was guaranteed disaster.

Oof. Now his prior enthusiasm seems out of place.]

BUT THESE HEROES DID STOP IT, RIGHT? IF IT WAS THAT BAD, THAT IS! THOUGH HAVING EXTRAS CERTAINLY DOESN'T BODE WELL IF THESE MACHINES WERE THAT TREACHEROUS.

NYEH... HEH HEH. PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THESE AREN'T IN WORKING ORDER.

Inquiring Minds Demand to Know

[acapriciousreaper]

Kuja is having his own problems with the 'Starlight' event; he's all but given up trying to find the mysterious manufacturer of these 'dolls', and endeavored to charm various innocent men in false beards out of a small trove of black-armored, white-bearded plush toys. Unfortunately, he's distracted from this nefarious scheme by a certain skeleton's shrieking.
"I'm sorry, but who or what is a 'Santa Claus'?"

[einspine]

GASP!!! Could it be that he doesn't know? Papyrus' hands fly up to his mouth at first before he turns on a heel, lifts his chin, and raises an index finger. Kuja, beware what you have just unleashed.

"WHY, SANTA IS ONLY THE KINDEST, MOST CHARITABLE MONSTER IN EXISTENCE! HE'S A LARGE, JOLLY SOUL WITH A MAJESTIC BEARD WHO DELIVERS GIFTS TO ALL THE GOOD LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS EVERY YEAR. HE HAS A SPECIAL LIST THAT HE CHECKS NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE!!! AND ALSO, HE CAN SEE YOU AT EVERY WAKING AND NON-WAKING MOMENT.

SUCH IS THE POWER OF SANTA!!!"

[acapriciousreaper]

Kuja is skeptical. "Some local eidolon, then?" That would make sense. Dressing up in particular clothing to pay homage to a god. "Omniscience, however, does seem a bit suspect. Most likely exaggerated; goodness knows it was said how Titan could level mountains and leviathan could flood the world."

[einspine]

"WELL, MAYBE NOT AN EIDOLON WHERE I'M FROM, BUT I SUPPOSE IT IS POSSIBLE HERE." Contemplating this, he strokes his bony chin. Interesting! Very, very interesting...

"BUT I ASSURE YOU! SANTA'S POWER IS LEGENDARY. IN JUST ONE NIGHT, HE'S ABLE TO DELIVER PRESENTS TO EVERY LITTLE BOY, GIRL, AND GENDERLESS INDIVIDUAL!

WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE ONES ON HIS NAUGHTY LIST. THEY JUST GET COAL."