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

[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?

[niepokonany]

[Aha! A sparkle-buddy!]

Well, I totally met Krystyna down there, so there are probably some other Pokemon around there who are pretty cool!

[wise_maiden]

Is that so? What kind of Pokemon is Krystyna? I've been researching the various types, but it's so much nicer to discover them.

[niepokonany]

Well, she's a Ninetales now, but she was a Vulpix then! I've known her for, like, a pretty long time, I guess.

[wise_maiden]

That's incredible! I haven't seen either kind of Pokemon up close before, even with the notable naming of this vale... she must be quite lovely.

[niepokonany]

Oh, wait, hang on, I totally have her on my Warp Band today!

[He touches it, and there she is in all her incredibly fluffy glory!]

Ta-da! Way gorgeous, right?

[wise_maiden]

Oh! [There are still sparkles, as she admires the grand Pokemon.] I have to agree, she truly is magnificent!

[niepokonany]

[Feliks is glittering a bit himself, as he scratches the Ninetales's ears.]

I totally know, right!

[Krystyna, sensing that she's being admired, takes this opportunity to preen a bit, all of her fluffy tails swishing faintly.]

[wise_maiden]

[The costumed Pikachu comes back over to admire the fluffy Ninetails as well. Seems like it has good taste.]

Just look at that pristine fur. And all of those tails! I wonder how long she's lived already...

[niepokonany]

...No clue, actually. I can't usually talk to Pokemon or anything, and I guess I didn't ask when we first met...

[wise_maiden]

That's fair. I know there are people like that around that you could ask, but at the same time, their privacy and a little mystery can be fun too. Hmm.

[niepokonany]

It's cool, we get along well enough without words. Right, girl?

[The Ninetales gives a little trill of agreement, and pushes her head against his hand to demand ear-scratches. Yes, they manage!]

[wise_maiden]

You two must have a very strong bond. It reminds me that I still have a lot of learning to do about some of my newer Pokemon companions as well.

[niepokonany]

For sure. I get along great with all my Pokemon friends!

[Krystyna gives him a Look.]

...Except Ignacy. And Joanna.

[She nods, satisfied with this amendment.]

[wise_maiden]

...Oh? They felt comfortable enough with you to allow you to bond them though, didn't they? Or is it a matter of personality differences?

[niepokonany]

It's like, a little complicated?

Like, Ignacy wanted to "keep an eye on me" or whatever, 'cause he thought I was gonna pick on Sweetie Pie -- that's Fai's Smoochum, she was a total brat back then. He's chilled out a little, and we're kinda cool now, but he's still way too serious!

Joanna, I'm like not even super sure why she bonded with me. 'Cause I was too strong for her to kill, maybe? I don't know, she's kinda weird.

[wise_maiden]

I see... well, I'm certainly not an expert, but perhaps you just need more time with them. Even if they had their own agenda where joining you was concerned... and even if they are stubborn, surely you have something in common with them.

[niepokonany]

We're like, in it together now one way or the other, right?

[wise_maiden]

I suppose so, but it does start to feel like a lot to manage, doesn't it? I never imagined I'd have so many bonds with Pokemon. It just seems to come along and surprise you along the way.

[niepokonany]

Not really? I mean, yeah, but I kinda always got along better with Pokemon anyway, and most of them are pretty okay on their own most of the time if they need to be.

[wise_maiden]

They were independent before we came along, after all, with most of them leaving their homes to come here. If you really think about it, we do have such an odd coexistence with them.

[niepokonany]

Yeah, I guess. But I'm totally grateful that they wanna trust me that much!

[wise_maiden]

It says a lot about them. The ones that trust, and the others that don't... and they're allowed only one bond with a human, while humans can make multiple ones. [There's a wry lilt to her tone.] Not that I can exactly imagine the situation if it were the other way around...

[Pokemon bonding more than one human? Humans going to live with them in the wild? It was just too weird. Though who knew; it could very well have been like that in ancient times.]