Entry tags:

AUGUST EVENT PT 1

premise ⬥ taken ⬥ faq ⬥ navigation

→ 8/3-8/4 School Cultural Festival

Good morning!! The crows start cawing at the crack of dawn and they're really noisy, but while they're usually a nuisance on the best of days, perhaps the wake-up call will be appreciated this weekend, as the school gates are open over the weekend for the annual cultural festival the students have been hard at work on for the past few weeks. It's an open event for family and friends to come enjoy themselves, or perhaps get dragged into helping out in a booth or two, as some of the students have called in sick or can't be reached at all. Either way, the general commotion centered around the school is probably even loud enough to be heard all the way over in Castle Ouma if you're quiet enough. I don't know how else to get you guys who still live in the castle ruins over here... Hopefully you've been hearing people talking about it all of last month? Or maybe you're a newcomer who's just woken up in the castle ruins, spent ten seconds with Kokichi, and decided to leave the forest and never return, that's also very plausible.

Involving the elementary, middle, and high school buildings on their shared campus, all the typical sorts of booths can be found, including a school play performed by the elementary school students in the auditorium in the morning, and various concerts or performances held throughout the day. In the classrooms, food stalls and cafes are common, along with haunted houses for the braver souls. Rumors say that sometimes people who enter the haunted houses never come out the other side... but never mind that. It's fine. Sports clubs hold friendly competitions outside on the field, and many cultural clubs have displays of their work to show off in their club rooms, so there's plenty to do and see and eat all around campus. Despite all the preparation, however, some of the stalls appear to be empty, others with students frantic about not having enough people to keep things rolling smoothly. Looks like the strange illness going around town last month hasn't completely resolved yet, but maybe it's best for those who are ill to stay home in a crowded place like this.

For those seeking something quieter, tucked away in a corner of the high school building next to a struggling yakisoba stand is a fortune telling tent which doesn't seem to be getting many customers. The line is short and there's no fee, so why not give it a shot? Inside, a hooded figure sits, head bowed and face completely obscured in shadow aside from their chin, illuminated by a cheap looking crystal ball placed in the center of the table. A stack of cards lays on their left, a bag of something smelling faintly sweet and spicy sitting on their right. Without prompting, the fortune teller speaks in a low soft voice, greeting you by name. Weird. Weirder yet, they go on to address you by the arcana on your omamori, be it The Fool or The Hermit or what have you, and rather than answering any questions you may have about your future, the fortune teller instead offers one of two messages:

『To return to where you hailed, you must return to where you arrived. Take with you that which bears the name of the being you have banded together to defeat, and restore what once was.』
or
『When the moon's face shines full and bright, at the cusp of night and day, return to the place of beginnings. Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai must be played, to return two lost souls to this world.』

Huh... Before you can ask any questions, however, your time is up and the next person in line is already pushing you out the seat to the exit. You can always return to the end of the line to have another go, but... curiously, when you enter the tent any subsequent times, a high schooler in uniform greets you, bright and chipper. Home? Souls?? She has no idea what you're talking about if you repeat the messages from before, but never mind that! She can read your fortune!! Maybe you'll let her show off some palmistry and— oh... your life line is rather short... Unfortunate. Never mind, we'll try tarot instead and- hm. That sure is The Tower. Oh well, time's up, next person please!

On Sunday evening as the festivities wind down, a bonfire has been set up in the middle of the field, adding to the unnaturally hot summer night. It's still pretty, though, with the sky dark and bright stars starting to peek out, blankets laid out across the grass and sweet potatoes being passed around to be roasted by the fire. Take the time to relax and breathe... because it's un/fortunately a festival month and the villagers are hype about their festivals.

→ 8/6-8/8 Tanabata Festival

While the students had been hard at work setting up the school festival, the rest of the town had been preparing for the tanabata festival, with stalls set up encircling the entire lakefront at the center of town. Yukata can be bought or rented, along with traditional hand fans to ward off the heat of the summer, and many of the typical food stalls and carnival games can be found, including stalls where you can test your luck in scooping goldfish/yo-yos/other small plastic toys, shooting targets with cork rifles, attempting the rigged ring toss that's impossible to win without cheating, or playing the lottery with tickets for free food from the stalls as consolation prizes. Maybe your luck sucks and you just want to buy stuff and that's fine too. Come with full wallets and leave with full stomachs filled with yakitori skewers, sweet or savory dango, roasted sweet potato, and the seasonal favorite: shaved ice. It's seasonal because it's summer and summer is so hot. This particular summer feels like hell and halfway through the last day, they run out of syrup, but cups of plain ice are still selling very well, so... yay...

While some of the stalls are already heavy with decoration, others are pretty sparse, with the lack of people running them. Which is fine, or intended, because there are workshops held all around for teaching and encouraging people to make decorations meant to improve different aspects of one's life: paper kimonos for artistic ability, strings of a thousand paper cranes for long and healthy lives, paper purses for wealth, colorful streamers for handicraft, wastebaskets for cleanliness, and of course, tanzaku- paper strips hung up on bamboo trees for a wish to be granted by the gods. Decorations are judged for artistic ability, with a small prize given to the best decoration judged at the end of each night.

In the evenings, stages set out along the lakeside feature folk dance performances, and decorations are collected to be lit on fire and sent off in small boats in the lake, the collection of flames giving off a soft light as the paper burns down and turns to ash, reclaimed by the lake as they sink. A reminder from the townspeople to anybody who stands too close to the lake: please do not touch the water. On the very last evening of the festival, a fireworks show is held, shooting up overhead above the lake and is visible anywhere around town, raining down sparks of gold and red, hell fire from the sky.

...Also hell fire in the woods. It's been windy and dry all month, and a small forest fire has started at the edge of town, be it from arson or by accident. The villagers cut the evening short to go help, as there is no established fire fighting service, so any and all assistance would be appreciated. Somewhere nearby, a child starts to cry, unable to find his mother. With the villagers pulled away, the night ends with the stalls left empty. Nobody comes to clean up the next morning...

→ MOD NOTES

⬥ As mentioned in the OOC plotting post, a heat wave befalls the town and NPC villagers start disappearing until the daitengu from last month is defeated. 2 more dungeon threads must be submitted before 8/11 to secure the ofuda. Lockdown continues to occur each midnight, with the school transforming into the dungeon; details can be found on last month's event log.
⬥ For the cultural festival: characters will receive a hint about either 1) how to return home (take the ofuda received after beating the dungeon boss to the castle ruins), or 2) how to summon the Velvet Room attendants (playing Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai at the castle ruins during the full moon), and are highly encouraged to discuss both messages amongst themselves. Characters may learn more about how to play Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai, date of the full moon, etc. by asking around town.
⬥ On 8/12 (ICly dated on 8/15, the night of the full moon), a mini-log will go up encompassing both of these findings.
⬥ For the tanabata festival: each character may claim one small wish pending mod approval at any time this month (comment below) for writing their wish down on a tanzaku, and 3 characters will be randomly chosen on 8/12 as winners for the decoration judging, and will be contacted at that time for the option of receiving an additional wish.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Waaa, Kido-tan, it's so cool ♡

[ Don't mind him just coming up from behind your shoulder, head popping right on your side. It's so chilly around Kido... as much as Leon doesn't mind the heat, it's nice to have a refreshing cold breeze after basking in the warmth of the crowd. ]

[ Kido absolutely minds it and hearing 1) Leon's voice, and 2) that cutesy honorific makes her reflexively turn around to sock him in the side. She doesn't even need bonus activity effects to punch people in the stomach, she'll do it whenever and to whomever she wants. ]

Didn't I say to quit it with that?!

[ You have defeated Leon! You get 3 EXP and ћ300, congrats...

After posing like Yamcha for a couple of seconds, Leon slowly gets up with a tear on his eye, whining: ]

Why??? [ Even while whining he still tries to get some free AC, leaning his head towards Kido. ] What did I do, Kido-tan???

[ lmfao Leon is the sort of monster that's not even worth fighting for such meager winnings. Kido crosses her arms and leans away from him, though she doesn't actually move her feet. ]

I said cut it out with the -tan. I don't need something cutesy like that, so just Kido is fine.

[ actually, saying it like that probably won't make it clear enough to get through Leon's oblivious skull- ]

By which I mean: Call me Kido or else.

[ He's so weak but so annoying that you'll end up avoiding him in dungeons... ]

Eeeeh... [ He's about to put up another argument, but gives up after the stern warning. ] Okaaay. [ Ears droop. (´・ω・｀)

He falls quiet for a moment (while cooling his face with Kido AC), but being someone who never knows when to shut up, soon enough he tries to strike up a conversation again. ]

Hey hey, Kido-ta-- Kido. [ Mmm~~ it feels so weird calling someone just with their surname!! ] Let's walk around the booths!! You haven't eaten, right?

[ ...She doesn't want to walk around together lmfao but she reasons to herself that being called by just her surname isn't going to stick if Leon just does it once and is liable to forget by the next time she sees him, so she might as well be around to stomp on his foot every time he relapses. ]

I ate a little before coming here, but I don't mind walking around with you.

You would? Yaaay!

[ He throws his hands up as his imaginary ears perk up and tails begin swish-swoosh in excitement. Kido reminds him a lot of Reiji, and that makes him a little more fond of her. His words are rough but he isn't actually mean, that's what Kido feels too. He still thinks Bomi-tan suits her... Or Mi-tan. :( ]

Do you go to festivals back home, Kido?

[ He's like a little kid, which Kido might have found endearing if he were actually a little kid, but hearing that he's using her name like she asked him to does a lot to calm her down and make her feel relaxed, so far removed from the usual anxiety she has around people like Leon. ]

Not really... They're always so crowded, so a rural place like this is kinda nice.

[ It's a lot emptier than she'd thought. Mostly because everybody's disappearing haha so it's not an altogether good feeling. ]

You seem the sort to go often, though. With a bunch of friends and stuff.

Ahaha, I know what you mean. I was surprised when I tried going to the summer festival in Tokyo, because you can barely walk and it's so hot! In comparison, the festival in Hirajiro is much more relaxing~ You get to see more things, too!

[ He moves his hands a lot, but is careful not to thwack Kido with it. He just can't be still for a second, an Energizer bunny... and he likes using his whole body to express himself, especially when telling a story.

At her comment, he nods, chuckling. ]

Mm! I used to go with my whole family back home in Kobe. My mom loves going to festivals so much, so do my dad and grandparents... In Kobe, everyone knows everyone, so sometimes the uncles from the neighborhood will tell me to sing for them, and they'll give me free food, ahaha!

[ He does miss home quite a bit. ]

It's a rowdy place, but people are so kind and warm. [ He looks at Kido then, still with a smile on his face. ] What's your hometown like?

[ It's much easier to talk with Leon when he's like this, chattering on about stuff he likes and carrying on all the energy and the entire conversation by himself so Kido doesn't have to do more but nod and glance his way every once in a while. She's not the greatest conversation partner, but she likes hearing about this sort of stuff, people's families— the fact that Leon has a family, one that seems close and loving and she hopes nothing bad ever happens to any of them- and even a neighborhood where everybody seems to like him.

It's unimaginable, seeing herself in his shoes. She would have no idea how to deal with it all. ]

Hm? Um...

[ Hometown... not the place she spent her childhood, not the place she grew up in, not the orphanage, not the only place or family that she could really call hers; she settles on the city where she lives with the rest of the Dan, expression settling back to something fond, from the previous mild distress of having to figure out which place was best to talk about. ]

It's a big city. It wasn't always like that... There's been a lot of construction and advancement and stuff over the past two years, so it seems busier than it is.

[ But... that's pretty much it, as far as the city itself goes. She has no real attachment to it, just that her Dan is there. ]

[ Out of the people he's known in Hirajiro, Kido's among the ones he's the most interested in, mainly because he can't seem to read her well. But there's something he really likes about the air around her (not just the free AC!!). He relies on his feelings and instinct a lot ー like how kids and animals just somehow know people with good heart. That's what probably draws him to Kido. So he pays attention to her a lot, probably more than what's comfortable.

He smiles when he notices her expression softens, even if just slightly. ]

Heeh! So just like Yokohama Station! No one knows when it'll ever finish constructing. [ Now that he knows she's a city girl, it makes him feel some kind of connection with her. ] I see! How about your family? Do you have many siblings? You always seem to have things together, like an oneechan!

[ Haha, well. If he noticed her expression soften before, he probably notices the way her eyebrows knit together now, eyes turned down to the ground.

...she shakes her head, bypassing the questions completely, and turns to Leon instead, pinning him down with a stare. ]

Isn't that because you're so childish, anybody would seem to have things together by comparison?

[ It's not a bad thing, but, like... Truth. ]

Edited 2019-08-10 20:38 (UTC)

[ Ah, did he say something wrong? Kido doesn't look too happy... ]

You think? Ahaha. Maybe you're right! I'm the only child, and my family is big, so I'm used to having all the attention on me.

[ He admits it plainly, because it is what it is. ]

Hmm... But I do my own laundry! And I clean my room... sometimes. My groupmate Reiji-kun doesn't even do that, and lets Daiya-san do everything for him! Oh, Daiya-san cooks really well too, and I sometimes come over to their room to have some!

[ Umm, what were they talking about again... ]

[ One day Leon will realize that Kido hardly ever looks happy and it's not completely his fault ):

Just a little bit his fault, with the way Kido can't help but look a little jealous when Leon talks about his friends and how close he is with them. She's right after all; he's somebody who's surrounded by loving people and quickly becomes comfortable with them, not a bad thing and she's genuinely happy for him, but still... ]

Well, good for you.

[ She still sounds a little huffy... ]

How come you call Daiya-san like that, but you have to give me some sort of weird nickname, huh?

[ If only he knows, because he's more than eager to befriend Kido!! Heck, the moment they exchange names, to him, Kido is a friend! But he'll answer her question cheerfully. ]

Mm, Daiya-san is a year older than me, it doesn't feel appropriate to call him without honorifics. [ No matter how open Leon is, seniority is a thing in the industry, and he just defaults to -san or -kun for his seniors. ] Reiji-kun is my classmate, but he'll definitely get angry if I call him with nicknames, the same way you did, haha!

[ He rubs the back of his head, smiling. ]

I just thought cute things suit you, Kido, that's why I was being insistent... but you don't like it, do you?

...Yeah, I don't like it.

[ But there's hesitation in her answer, like it's scripted rather than what she really feels inside, even though she feels embarrassed at being told that cute things suit her. She's violent and ill-tempered and she has a cold glare and a bad attitude most of the time and these are things that are constantly pointed out to her, somebody awkward and anxious and too much of a tom boy to be a "proper" girl suited for cute things and cute names. Even "Kido-kun" would've been better than "Kido-tan," although that doesn't address the problem at all. ]

So cut it out, okay? How old are you, anyways? Always acting like you're five... You remind me more of Suzume and Hayato than anybody else.

Hmm~ that's a shame. I've got a pretty good fashion sense so I like to think up outfits that suit people best... and I have a vision on what suits you best! But it's pretty cute...

[ He chuckles. It's too bad. ]

Hehe, you think so? That makes me kinda bashful~ [ She's not praising you, Leon... ] Um, wait, let me count. [ He'll start counting on his fingers and-- ] 16! I'm on my first year of high school!

[ Excuse you, Leon, but Kido thinks her outfit is pretty cool— even though it's unbearably hot, because yeah, she's wearing two jackets over a black shirt and dying- but if Leon thinks that a "pretty cute" outfit is what suits her best, she's going to have to disagree with him, despite having to admit that his sense of style for himself is pretty good. Not out loud, though. ]

Do you really have to count...? But it looks like I'm your senpai, so that means I'm the boss around here.

[ She's supposed to be 16? To match everybody else's ages in canon she should be 16 but Jin says she's 17 so idk she'll be 17 this year and after her birthday she can be 17 again ]

[ It's really a good thing that Kido doesn't say it aloud, because he'll totally get ahead of himself. He does actually think her hoodie's pretty neat, though, he just likes to think of other kinds of outfit, according to his preferences, just like when he thinks up outfits for Hibiki.

But oooh! His eyes begin to twinkle when she says that. ]

Boss! Boss Kido!! [ He salutes at her. ] What's your order, Boss!

[ Age is fake, Leon has been 16 for 2-3 years now, it's fine!! ]

[ forever 16/17 club yeaaaaaaahh ]

Oh, now that's nostalgic.

[ If anything, it's that nickname that makes her look equal parts surprised and fond. ]

People going around calling me "danchou" all the time.

Danchou!! So cool!!

[ The twinkle in his eyes become humongous sparkles as his eyes dilate in delighted surprise. Boss is cool, but 'danchou' makes it sound even more legit. Ahhh!!! ]

What kind of group was it? Detective? Phantom thief? Theatre? [ He gasps. ] Don't tell me... gangster?!

[ Kido can feel her face heat up a little at just how excited Leon looks, trying her best not to smile even though this is exactly the sort of reaction that makes her happy- being called cool is a really good feeling, right? Hell yeah it is.

But- just as she's about to open her mouth and explain about the dan, she clasps a hand over her mouth and stops herself. Because it's dangerous and they never meant to bring anybody uninvolved into it and excitedly chattering on about everything just to realize belatedly would mean that she'd have to take Leon into the group and forbid him to leave so he won't talk. The same stupid tactic Kano used, and it's a pain for everybody involved. ]

Hm... It's a secret. [ is... the best she can do, in the end, knowing that that's not a satisfying answer at all. ]

But really, we're all just a group of friends doing this and that, in the end. Not much different than how I'm with people here.

[ Just that instead of hoodies or eye powers, everybody's got an omamori to identify them. ]

[ What, it's a secret?! It should be a major letdown, normally, but that just makes Leon even more interested and impressed. ]

Ehhh!! That's so cool!!

[ He snickers playfully then, gently elbowing her. ]

Were you doing bad things, Danchou~? Is that why it's a secret?

[ It's a joke, though, he won't press if she's not giving him any more information! It's still exciting to know either way. He wishes he had joined something like that too. He loves ARP and all, but there's something very neat about 'dan's. They have this distinctive feel and dedication to them. ]

[ The chill in the air around Kido and her ghost cat becomes downright frigid when the smile drops off her face. Bad choice of words, Leon!! ]

We weren't doing anything bad, [ she says tersely, widening her stride so she can just... get away.

All they were doing was trying to learn more about themselves and where their power came from, what happened to their family and why. They tried to help anybody in the same situation as them, and tried their best to keep out of the way otherwise. It's her family she's talking about; they wouldn't do anything bad. ]

[ Even if the temperature didn't drop, the way her smile vanishes from her face is a sign enough for Leon to know that he slipped up, again. He quickly runs after her. ]

Wa, wait! Sorry, Kido... I shouldn't have said it like that. I just meant to joke around, but-- [ He's never taken it seriously when Reiji calls him insensitive, because Reiji's never 100% seriously angry at him, so this is where it finally hits him that... maybe he is, after all. ] I'm sorry...

premise ⬥ taken ⬥ faq ⬥ navigation

→ 8/3-8/4 School Cultural Festival

→ 8/6-8/8 Tanabata Festival

→ MOD NOTES

iii 8/6

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject