Welcoming Festival

[theguidebook]

Who: Everyone!
What: Let's welcome the new folk! Festival time!
Where: Summer Forest
When: June 1st, evening
Warnings: None!

It's pretty amazing what magic can put together on short notice. Where tranquil forest stood just hours ago, there's now the obvious signs of a party—and it's all for the people who just got here! Hopefully everyone's dried off by now so they won't catch any chills! Strung up among the trees are paper lanterns glowing lightly and illuminating the area. There's food from all sorts of places set up on tables among the trees, and games are scattered about, with citizens of other worlds manning them. There's also a bonfire in a clearing away from the trees, if you want to get away from all the hustle and bustle… but why wander away? Have fun and socialize, after all, Avalar is your new home!

Comments

[allthepuppets]

[There was one person that seemed okay with staying by himself, watching the party of confused individuals from a comfortable distance. On the outside, the young, grey haired teen seemed not the least bit bothered, his neutral gaze taking in everything going on around him like it was perfectly find to suddenly appear somewhere that wasn't normal.]

[On the inside though? He was livid; this wasn't how things were supposed to go, and how dare he be interrupted. He had been perfectly willing to lay his life on the line, ready to defend himself against the detective and his band of idiots. Not suddenly appear in a different world and told he needed to save it.]

[The only sign of his irritation was a hand tightening into a fist, shaking slightly, his new dragonfly flitting around in what might have been sadistic amusement for all he knew.]

What the hell's the point...?

[falsezodiacknight]

[You know who overheard that whisper?

Vaan, that's who. He's just walking past, though - still trying to find a place to hide his crystal, which is now wrapped in his cloak. He's also found his Chocobo by now, so there is a giant yellow bird behind him.]
If I knew, I wouldn't be so restless.

[allthepuppets]

[Seito let out a faint sound as his thoughts were interupted, the neutral expression on his face turning into innocent embarrassment.]

Ah... sorry. I guess that was insensitive.

[falsezodiacknight]

[Vaan gives a smile, before stopping in place.]
It's okay. We're all stuck... wherever this is. No matter what we were doing.
[Anger is seeping into his voice, though.]

[allthepuppets]

[Seito raised an eyebrow at that; oh, so he wasn't the only one rudely interrupted. Time for the innocent teenager act; if there were so many different people present, he was going to need all the information he could get his hands on. All the better to prepare for whatever may come in the future.]

Something wrong?

[falsezodiacknight]

I was in the middle of arresting some people! [Vaan says, with a pout. He sees your innocence - and he is not in the mood to stare at souls right now okay?]
Uh - they were dangerous. Trying to steal a national treasure - which got brought with me, mind you - and being a risk to all!
[...]
And then people say this is a completely different world, to boot.
[...vaan, plz.]

[allthepuppets]

...a-ah.

[It was the most awkward sound ever uttered, but on the inside, Seito was intrigued. Arresting hunh? He guessed that this meant he was supposed to be some kind of cop; he didn't look like any kind of fantasy cop he would have imagined though.]

And here I was worried about school starting up again after Christmas...

[falsezodiacknight]

[...That makes Vaan smile a bit.]
Still at school, are you?
Well - I'm sure we'll figure out what's going on soon, and get back to our own countries. We'd better, or those guys would destroy the world.

[allthepuppets]

Destroy the world?

[The concern in his voice was slightly genuine; just how many worlds out there were on the brink of destruction at the same time?]

[falsezodiacknight]

Y-yeah. The crystals keep the world in balance.
[Vaan said, matter-of-factly.]
And there's these monsters - hiding in human skins - who want to destroy them. I can actually see them, you know!

[allthepuppets]

[...uh oh. This was why he was grateful people were so easily fooled by his "innocent" charm; now he knew he had to avoid this person, at least when he was using whatever ability to see these monsters of his. Obviously he wasn't at the moment, otherwise he was fairly sure that... thing he got a glimpse of as he fell in the TV would have had this person attacking him.]

That sounds like a handy skill. Hopefully you won't need to use it here.

[markedviolin]

[You know who didn't overhear that whisper?

This lady right here.]

What are you doing over here all by yourself?

[allthepuppets]

Uh... I just...

[Go the hell away and leave me brood in peace? Well, he wanted to say that, but that wasn't the kind of response people generally liked. The dumb, fumbling over his tongue act usually got a much better response.]

[markedviolin]

Uncomfortable at parties?

[She offers a sheepish smile.]

[allthepuppets]

[Seito forced a smile on his face.]

They're not really my thing.

[markedviolin]

Ah. Would you prefer to be left alone, then, monsieur?

[allthepuppets]

It's... fine.

[He tilted his head curiously at the word; that was... French, right?]

Monsewer?

[markedviolin]

"Monsieur"-- it means "mister" in French.

[allthepuppets]

Ah... right. [He smiled sheepishly.] I'm too young for 'mister' though; Seito's fine.

[markedviolin]

Seito... [She nods.] I'm Marie! It's nice to meet you... I just wish it could be under better circumstances.

[nightlightdemon]

Maybe there isn't one. But at least this place isn't so bad.

[Naoki might glow, but he could be pretty quiet when he wanted to be. And he got within earshot of that whisper while the other teen wasn't looking. And it seemed he'd noticed that shaking hand too.]

Don't let yourself stay angry for too long. It will consume you if you're not careful.

[allthepuppets]

[Seito near jumped out of his skin at the sudden voice, glancing back to this... person? He wasn't sure; they looked human, despite the interesting tattoo job, but something was... off. Different. Interesting.]

Ah... sorry. I was just... in the middle of something important before I got here.

[nightlightdemon]

You're not the only one. [Now it was Naoki's turn to clench his hand into a fist. But only for a second, before he sighed and relaxed. He ended up just looking very sad.]

Until there is something to focus that anger against, it will do no good.

[allthepuppets]

[...hunh, he changed his attitude quick. Seito let out a sympathetic noise, though he didn't move to offer the other man comfort.]

You're right. We'll need to worry about whatever force is causing us to be brought here in the first place.

[nightlightdemon]

[Even that little bit of sympathy was comfort enough.]

Exactly. Otherwise we're just wasting energy.