Soulfasting Mingle

[bravenewmods]

Who: EVERYONE
What: Soul Fast
When: During Soul Fast
Where: All over Ninetails Vale and in people's houses, etc.
Summary: The Celebrations of Soul Fast Begin!


It's that time of year again, and all throughout Union and in particular the Ninetales Vale, celebrations are beginning. A festival celebrating the passage of another year, of remembering and honoring the dead, and of placating particularly violent spirits has begun. Soulfasting, an old Union tradition, is one of the most popular holidays celebrated, with the Ninetales Vale being overrun with people of all ages.

Children scamper through the streets of the Vale in masks and costumes, begging for candy, while surly teenagers do the same and occasionally play pranks, and adults celebrate in a variety of fashions. Elaborate, highly fashionable costumes are all the rage, and even the nobility slips out into the Vale for a bit of fun. It's not exactly a popular destination most of the year, given the high concentrations of Dark and Ghost-types but during the festival it's most definitely in vogue and teeming with people all happy to help revitalize the area for a week.

The sounds of music drift through the air, celebratory tunes, dirges, jigs, and tunes for all ages. From the Kurain school on it's hill overlooking most of the Vale, a pipe organ solemnly plays out traditional tunes, and is surprisingly cheery for a ghost school. Across the neighborhood on another hill, Hikawa Shrine has it's doors wide open to welcome visitors, with decorations of all sorts set out.

Games are set up at both locations, including Apple Bobbing, Ducklett Pond raffles, and Pin the Scroll on the Spiritomb, though there are others set up all over the Vale's plazas. Skeeball, Target Shooting, Bell-and-Hammer games, and perhaps most strangely a “Whack-the-Diglett” that's been possessed by one of the local ghosts to give the little wooden Digletts faces all hideously angry ones. Eating contests, Pokemon Battle Circles, a Haunted House (with real ghosts!) and dozens and dozens of fortune telling stands all further add to a carnival atmosphere that even the dead can enjoy!

Lanterns and faux Spinarak webs hang from every lamppost and awning, and food stalls line the streets as vendors ply their wares. Food from all over is available, and it all seems to come together around a central square between the two hills. A stage has been set up, with musicians from all over the known world called in to show their stuff. There are dance tunes from Caldera, Union Pop and Jazz songs at work, setting crowds on fire. Sanctuary has sent a full orchestra to play various classical pieces, while Citadel's famous woodwinds and tribal drums surprise and delight. And towards the end of the day, a band from Glacier comes on stage. Their music starts out slow and ambient, but after a few sets they set up electric guitars and the gloves come off. A folk metal concert, complete with an armored warrior-woman doing the vocals and several of the soldiers from the battle weeks prior (some still bandaged) backing her up. It might be a bit shocking, but some of the youth are definitely getting into it...

And then night falls, and the party atmosphere becomes a little quieter. Plays, family meals, Ghost-story tellings, and more subdued activities become the norm though there's still a contingent of rowdies at the heart of the celebration. It's then that the ghosts really come out to play, slipping through walls to greet relatives or tease revelers. For the most part they seem friendly but not always. As usual, some specters of ill-repute have slipped in among the friendly ones, and they're making trouble. Good thing you have a Warp Band to call an exorcist, right?

((OOC: This is a general mingle log, feel free to put up your own top levels and tag around! Welcome to Soulfasting, everyone! We hope you enjoy =D ))

Comments

[niepokonany]

[For a second, he looks rather startled. Nothing she's said is untrue, but people are usually a lot slower to recognize that the caring side underneath all the bravado and noise and silliness.]

[He gives her a smile, a little smaller and shyer than before.]

Yeah, maybe that's it.

[wise_maiden]

[Aw. She might not be as sparkly or as lively as the other fairy type unless she's caught up in fangirling ancient ruins, but that almost felt like a moment of solidarity.]

Maybe, indeed. Honestly, witnessing that kind of behavior was rare before coming here...

[niepokonany]

...You were from Sanctuary, right? It kind of sounds like it wasn't as normal there, from like what my friends who used to live there have told me before.

[wise_maiden]

Yes, that's right. [Her smile fades.] The oppression from Gigas aside, the society isn't... as open there. Competitive mostly. Not exactly a fostering ground for long friendships, as outward friendliness could be seen as suspicious behavior. Granted... a lot was done for the sake of appearances.

[niepokonany]

That explains a ton about Waver.

[No, no, he kids. Sort of. He says it with affection, even if it's true!]

[wise_maiden]

[Poor Waver.]

Mmm, doesn't it? I didn't really know what to think when he first told me about Union, but I can see why he prefers it.

[niepokonany]

Because we're way cooler than whoever he used to hang out with?

[Maybe he's fishing for compliments a little, now. He's not entirely used to having friends and being well thought of, and it's sometimes still excitingly novel as a result.]

[wise_maiden]

Oh, probably. There's just something to be said for having a more open and welcoming society. [As strange as it all still was to her, in some ways.] Have the two of you become good friends, then? I noticed the similar costumes, though I wondered if that was a coincidence.

[niepokonany]

[He starts glittering brightly at that.]

You noticed that? Way cute, right? I totally helped him pick his!

[By which he basically means "I picked both of them and made faces at him until he went along with it."]

[wise_maiden]

Is that so? I didn't expect to see him in a costume like that, so I can see where your influence must have come in. You have similar appearances and builds as well, which must have helped with the idea.

1/2

[niepokonany]

Right? It's kinda uncanny, except like, I'm cuter 'cause he's always making this face.

2/2

[niepokonany]

[This face.]

[wise_maiden]

[She has to put her hand to her lips to cover up a small giggle at that impression. Poor Waver.]

Oh, give him time. He'll come around...

[niepokonany]

I think he is already.

[Or he'd never be dressed like he is.]

[wise_maiden]

Besides, it's probably for the better that you both don't act the same. You can balance one another out that way, right?

[niepokonany]

But if we looked just the same, we could totally play a bunch of hilarious tricks on people!

[wise_maiden]

You probably could. Though I'm sure something that fun could easily be tiring, if people began to consistently confuse you for someone else.

[niepokonany]

But there'd be two of us! We could totally kick so much butt together, it'd be great! And we could wear different colored stuff the rest of the time, we kinda already usually do.

[wise_maiden]

Have you always wanted to have a double? Or maybe just something closer, like a sibling?

[niepokonany]

A sibling wouldn't be as fun, I couldn't convince people they were me!

...Unless we were twins, I guess?

[Which is actually a bit of a sad thought, because Fai's twin is still missing, but Feliks does what he usually does with thoughts like that and ignores the Hell out of it.]

[wise_maiden]

Hmm... well, I have heard of there being a Pokemon that can transform itself into any form it wants. That might suit your purpose... to an extent anyway. At least, it's more feasible than actually conjuring up a real twin...

[niepokonany]

There's something like that? Like, where do they live?

[wise_maiden]

I wish I knew. There's only been a rumor of them in the records because of their ability to blend in so well. Although, now that I think of it, there are Pokemon that can cast convincing illusions which may be less difficult to track down. There was mention of them in the records of what was found in the Old City...

[niepokonany]

Oh... yeah, I think you're right, I might have seen one or two of them around before?

[wise_maiden]

I've been meaning to investigate the area myself sometime. [Are those sparkles popping up around her all of a sudden? Yes, they are.] It would be fascinating to find out for certain, don't you think?