🎉 TANABATA FESTIVAL 🎊

[eyescar]

WHO: Everyone in Neo Tokyo
WHAT: Tanabata festival! 🎉
WHERE: In the centre of the park
WHEN: 17/07 onwards
WARNINGS: N/A

NEO TOKYO TANABATA

aka operation festival funtime

As the middle of July opens, the streets outside of Neo Tokyo seem to get decorated almost overnight. Colourful origami banners hang from the trees, a mixture of tanzaku, kamigoromo, orizuru and toami.

For anyone who has been to the Sendai region in the midst of the Summer months, the decorations will look almost endearingly familiar; it's time for tanabata!

▶ 001. OPERATION: FESTIVAL FUNTIME.

The savvier of people might notice a particularly bright shock of pink hair running around in the early hours of the morning, taking part in setting up the decorations and putting together a basic layout of tables with tablecloths and various goods and prizes. Each decoration is hand made, and if you look closely you might see little golden traces throughout, giving a clue to who helped made these ones. There's something infectious about his enthusiasm and the delight, even as he gets a little more tired as the day goes on - there's nothing stopping him. Eventually, his section of the festival is set up; there are various stands, some for making decorations (bamboo branches with ornaments, more paper ornaments, origami, and various other cute and traditional arts and crafts), some space for you to take a break and have a fruity and always non-alcoholic drink and an area with a handsome backdrop for the taking of photos.

He's not alone, though!

Raidou's looking livelier than he has than in the last few weeks. He's helping the festival in an organizational capacity, while Yuji handles most other things. He sets up the stands, moves and directs supplies to the right place, picks out spots for decorations, and makes sure both vendors and visitors have everything they need. If you stop to ask him a question or ask for direction, you get a quick, polite answer before he flits off to the next task.

Once things are running smoothly, you'll find him working at one of the food booths, where he's frying up takoyaki and taiyaki. Raidou couldn't be more in his element - serving up fresh food and treats to the Outsiders and the community. You might even get your food handed to you from him with a smile.

At night, the festival is lit up with fireworks and sparklers throughout, lighting up the sky with explosions of little joy and happiness.

Throughout the festival, you can also get a free bento, delivered to you by a cute looking rabbit. The bentos come in many designs, cute, adorable or precious!

▶ 002. A DREAM IS A WISH.

One of the most exciting aspects of tanabata remains the wish-making. In the set-up for the festival, there are little posters left around near one particular booth (manned by local cryptid Choso) to explain the story of the festival and the meaning that it holds. Alongside it are an almost ridiculous amount of paper strips in various colours, left with some pens and calligraphy brushes for people to pick up and use. A big sign next to it declares the following:

Make a wish! If it's a good one, it might come true!
The directions are clear: write your wish on a strip of paper and hang it on one of the bamboo decorations. The harder you wish, the more likely it is to come true - and there are some prompts for the kind of wishes people could make, just in case you're strapped for ideas:

Academic or work successes

Prosperity or good health

Care and love for family and friends

Success in love or platonic relationships

Fulfilment of a personal goal or ambition

You might notice Yuji watching as you're tying your wishes up... Don't worry about that!

If you require further assistance in your wish-making (or even if you don't at all) Choso seems more than happy to lend a helping hand. When he isn't cutting up paper strips and sorting them out into strangely-organized piles (paper thickness instead of size or colour), he's preparing the calligraphy ink via manual inkstone grinding or offering an absurdly wide variety of coloured (and scented) markers for your convenience.

The strips of wishes can be as decorative or simple as you like, so don't stress about your artistic genius!

( ooc note: If you would like Yuji to take a shot at making your wish come true, please respond to this comment! There will be some RNG "granted wishes" that you can use in your top level and keep as a fond memory, but please note there is only one "granted wish" per character. )

▶ 003. AS THE POETS SAY.

In the centre of the festival, in the midst of a park with vibrant flowers, is a table where Yuji sits for a few hours at a time between breaks. He seems to be practically vibrating out of his seat, and when approached he launches into an explanation of this particular game:

THE SOULMATE GAME!

The aim of the game is simple: you are given a ribbon at random with a number on it. Your mission? Find the person with the matching ribbon within a time limit of an hour and win a special prize. Don't worry though... If you lose, there's a prize for not quite making it within the limit. The festival is meant to be a celebration, after all, and Yuji doesn't want anyone to miss out.

Here's the problem: Yuji isn't making it easy for people to find their soulmate. He's not left a boundary for how far you can go (in case you were tempted to hide...) nor has he done anything to make the festival less distracting. This area is set up with your traditional festival games, such as (fake) goldfish scooping, ring toss and some chairs and tables set out for food and conversation.

To make it worse? Sometimes, Yuji might pop up and give you a hint to go in a particular direction, only for it to be a total red herring. This is definitely fun, isn't it? Who doesn't love a good chase? The problem is...

Will you find your soulmate in time...?

( ooc note: If you would like to win (or lose) at the soulmate game, please respond to this comment! Go ahead and OOCly decide who your character gets paired with and whether or not you win or lose - there are different prizes for each. You can play the soulmate game as many times as you want ICly, but you will only get one prize roll per character! )

▶ 004. TINY FRAGMENTS THAT REMAIN.

NOTE: THIS PROMPT WILL REFER TO THINGS THAT ARE SPOILERS FOR JUJUTSU KAISEN CHAPTER 264 ( refering to Yuji's powers and how he uses them in a fight ).
Here's the thing: Yuji wants everyone to have fun. His dream is that people are able to find some joy and peace in the midst of the darkness of the last few weeks, and so he sinks into something that is familiar to him - cursed energy, and his domain expansion. In the early hours of the second day of his festival, you might catch him making a hand sign before a ripple of powers hits, collecting around the area of the festival like a literal bubble. Anyone on the edge of the bubble will see it like a flickering, semi-transparent void, but there's nothing to worry about... Right?

The power of Yuji's domain expansion is simple enough, in theory: it transports into the memories, digs into the heart of what people want to show. His intention is to share the tanabata of his childhood with the people of Neo Tokyo and spark some joy for the Outsiders who have been through so much. He wants to show them something sweet and nostalgic, but he doesn't quite anticipate the side effect.

Outsiders who end up stepping into Yuji's domain will find themselves able to come face-to-face with their childhood selves, and enjoy the festival together. If they're together with another Outsider, those childhood versions of themselves (shaped in the way they remember themselves rather than how they actually looked!) are visible and shared, like an extension of their thoughts come to life.

It's still tanabata, but this particular part of the festival is influenced by what Yuji remembers from his youth, and Outsiders can find themselves seeing and being able to take part in various activities:

Crayfish catching (try and get the biggest or rarest one!)

Archery (can you beat your friends and get the bullseye?)

Horse riding (and you might hear Yuji commenting on how big their faces are)

Parades (are you going to join in?)

And anything else you can dream up! It's your character's childhood too, right...?

As soon as Yuji realises his mistake (at the end of the day, lost in his own memories) he brings down the domain, but it might be too late for some Outsiders who have come face to face with their more adorable versions. Whoops.

EVENT BREAKDOWN (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. OPERATION: FESTIVAL FUNTIME: The festival is being set up by Yuji and Raidou, with support from other Outsiders to make decorations. Food and other entertainment is on offer for anyone who attends, but all drinks are non-alcoholic.

2. A DREAM IS A WISH: Outsiders are given the chance to take part in the tanabata tradition of wish making. They can decorate paper with their wish and hang it up in the hope it will come true. Yuji will be granting one wish per outsider.

3. AS THE POETS SAY: The "Soulmate Game" has characters being randomly assigned numbers and tasked with finding their matching pair to win a prize. They have an hour to find their partner and, win or lose, there is a prize for taking part.

4. TINY FRAGMENTS THAT REMAIN: Yuji uses his domain expansion to bring Sendai tanabata to life, that has the accidental side effect of allowing Outsiders to meet and see their childhood selves. It also allows them to visit Sendai itself and take part in some other minigames that are not tanabata related if they want.

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Comments

vash the stampede ( trigun: stampede / everlight )

[photosympathies]

oo1. festival funtime

( There's something about a festival that Vash the Stampede simply loves. It's so very human, full of joy and creativity, teeming with life wherever he looks. He can't help but be swept up in it from the minute he arrives, still in his customary red coat and orange sunglasses, a bright blot in the crowd. Absolutely easy to find that way, whether it's stuffing his mouth full at the food stalls, effusing compliments to whoever's there, or at the decoration tables, surrounded by an abundance of origami. )

I didn't even know this was an option! I could have been making everyone paper animals this whole time. ( Those in the know will be aware there's a small group on base who've been gifted little wooden animals, or maybe you've seen him carving away in the common areas. Now a new hobby has been unlocked and he's delighted, fingers folding with strangely inhuman speed. ) Does this look like a giraffe? I've never seen one, but they sound like weird animals.

oo2. make a wish

( There is a strange kind of guilt in hovering over his wish. It's not quite that he thinks anyone will judge him for it, but the stark black of his handwriting feels too obvious. I wish that Nai is at peace, wherever he is.. A brother that has been so unkind, so cruel, and yet here Vash is looking at the wishing branches with a lump in his throat. ) Do you think they work? The wishes?

( A weird question, but he immediately tries to laugh it off, instead leaning closer to his companion. )

Hey, what does your marker smell like? Mine's strawberry.

oo3. tiny fragments that remain

( Next to Vash there is a blonde little boy dressed in a strange white tunic. He's sticking close to the man in red, a tentative air about him that comes from the nervousness of so many people. Possibly this is the first time he has seen that many not in cryosleep, or possibly the kid is just anxious. Vash keeps looking at him with a complicated expression on his face. Hey, Mr. Stryfe, the littler version of himself pipes up, Do you think we can win a prize? For Nai? It's our birthday soon! He likes cowboys. I could get him one of those bubble things, right? They look like cowboy guns. ) Uh -.

( Oh, this is the worst. The child Vash looks up at him, eyes wide and blue. And something for Rem, too. I've never gotten anyone a real present before. Heart-breaking, genuinely. Vash hums, but then he's crouching, picking up his younger self with ease. The tiny version squeaks, flails, settles an arm around his neck, ever trusting. )

Sure. Let's go. You can see better from here, right? Show me something you'd think they'd like and we'll win it.

oo4. wildcard.

( Please feel free to hit me up at qingya or sadgaydna on discord if you want to check anything but I'm down to clown. )

2

[intertwinedfates]

[Yato only knows a little bit about Vash's relationship with his brother, but it's enough to know that the man cares deeply for him, homicidal tendencies and all. It's not unlike how there's still a little glimmer of affection Yato has for his father who's manipulated and used him all his life. So there's no way he would judge Vash for hoping for the best for his sibling.

Instead, he merely smiles, if a bit sadly, and shakes his head.]

I dunno... Normally I would say yes, there's always a chance a god would hear your wish, but here... I dunno if they're around to listen.

[Aside from the Outsider gods like himself. And there's precious little he can do at people's home worlds, unfortunately. So instead, he sniffs at his marker, accidentally dotting his nose with color.]

Ack! ...orange. Clever. It matches the color.

[photosympathies]

( His nose crinkles in amusement, but there's not much they can do about Yato's painted noise now. He doesn't have a handkerchief on him, and he's still pondering the idea of wishing. )

I guess people think it does back home too. Though I don't know if it's a God they worship or not. There's a new religious thing going around that's pretty shady. ( Thanks, Nai. But Vash is looking at his wish again, a little heartsick. ) It's a nice idea. That someone might be out there. I don't think I'd believe in it though.

( He might here. Just because. )

Are you superstitious?

[intertwinedfates]

[For his part, Yato tries to remove the mark by licking the back of his hand and rubbing it, though all he does is smear the color a bit. Idiot.]

Even shady gods can get their footing when people are desperate enough. Though hopefully it won't be of the dangerous variety. [Like the werewolf kaiju back in Brasov... For his part, Yato gently pats Vash on the back a bit, small smile on his face.] It's okay to not believe. Sometimes it's hard to have faith when you've been disappointed time and time again.

[At that question, he can't help laughing.]

Definitely! I believe in all kinds of good luck charms and rituals! Even if it doesn't seem like they help, I'm sure the effect they have on someone's morale is noticeable. Sometimes faith is good enough to just have the courage to change things for yourself.

[photosympathies]

There's so many. Meryl almost cried one time because I walked under a ladder once. I didn't realise it was a thing, but it made me wonder how many of them I'd missed before. And if maybe that was the reason my luck was so bad.

( He laughs though, unconcerned. )

Are you going to make one? A wish? Do gods need to?

[intertwinedfates]

It's possible that you've been tempting fate without realizing it! We usually avoid the number four, black cats, and leaving your chopsticks upright in your rice bowl.

[Taking up a piece of paper, he nods.]

We shouldn't need to since we're not supposed to have our own desires, but... I've always been an outlier and a weirdo, so I'm gonna do some anyway. There's several things I want to happen.

[photosympathies]

( Hang on, hang on.

Black cats? )

No way! Cats aren't bad luck, they're just babies. I refuse.

( He's going to fist fight all superstitions in the parking lot, right now. )

I don't think it's fair a god shouldn't have their own wants. Especially not any of the ones we've got here. What are you going to wish for? ( And then-. ) Wait, you're not supposed to tell me, right?

[intertwinedfates]

[Black kitties are so cute!! How could they could ever be bad luck, Yato doesn't know.]

Right?? All cats are great, though maybe the hairless ones are a little weird looking, but they're still precious kittens.

[He can see Vash tackling all the superstitions and winning tbh!]

Normally you're not supposed to, but it's okay! I mean, I could hang it up and you could just read it, so I think it's fine. I'm gonna wish for a long and happy life with Hiyori, and for our wedding to be successful and fun for everyone.

oo3. tiny fragments that remain

[blastedass]

[So many damn people. Why do they have to get in the way right now?! Fuck, be somewhere else for the next twenty minutes; he needs a clear view of the entire area!] The hell with this! [*KA-BOOM!* People yell, some dive, others guard, and a cloud of smoke blooms out from orange yellow light. Before the explosion's even finished resounding, Bakugo's launched from the top in a trail of smoke and landed atop one of the stalls. Better. Red eyes scan and scan, narrowing in the heated sunlight.

Shit, no sign of him. But he does see someone else. BOOM! His shoes hit the ground in a brief crouch before advancing. Only takes a minute to pierce through the crowd and reach his trailing red coat.]

Hey Undercut! Have you seen a blonde brat around here?

[photosympathies]

( He turns almost immediately, which means the version of himself in his arms shrinks back a little away from the noisy newcommer. He keeps forgetting about the adjustment, the ship to all of this, and how much the crowds and the noise used to unsettle him too. So hang on, Bakugo. He has to give himself a pep talk. )

Hey, it's okay. This is our friend. His name's Bakugo, and he can make some real cool lights. He's not scary.

( Littler Vash peeks at him through his fringe, blinking big blue eyes at Bakugo, his lips parted into an o of thought. He's probably way to be big to be carted around like this, but neither version of himself seems bothered, and he's using his newly repaired metal arm to take the weight. It's all gravy. )

I have seen a blonde kid. But not the blonde kid you're looking for, probably. We can help look though.

( And then, finally with some courage the pipsqueak says Can you do that again? )

[blastedass]

[Bakugo pauses with a hand half reached forward, tip of his boot chuffing dirt forward as it stops. Why the hell does Vash have a kid in his arms? ... Stupid question, why the hell wouldn't he have a kid in his arms? The guy works at the orphanage a lot. Yet there's something odd about this kid. He's older than most of the ones at the orphanage, old enough he should be walking beside Vash rather than clinging to him like a damn koala... And Vash starts baby talking. Ugh.

He drops his arm and relocates it to prop on his hip instead, keeping a few feet distance between them for the kid's comfort.] Oy, Undercut. Don't turn my awesome Quirk into a fucking flashlight.

[Wow, language, man. Who he hell did this kid's hair? It's the same kinda ridiculous cut he'd see in his mother's fashion magazines. Not something you'd be sporting in the damn mall if you didn't wanna look like a dork. Oh, Vash got a new arm? Damn, he'd want to see more about it if he didn't have blonde brat hiked on it.]

Why the hell are all these kids showing up anyways? LILITH didn't say shit about a kaiju nearby. [Not one with time+reality-warping abilities. He blinks at the question.] Do what?

[photosympathies]

It's -. ( He pauses, but then he starts laughing. Can't quite help it. ) You don't see the resemblance, huh?

( Never mind. He just gets both Vash's peering at him, the eldest one through orange tinted glasses and the younger with those strange blue eyes. He definitely seems more wary of Bakugo though, even though he blinks when he's asked a question, flushing. The explosion. Tentative, but bolder by the second. It looked fun. I've never seen someone do that before. Apart from that one time Rem exploded the kitchen. Another immediate laugh, Vash's eyes crinkling. )

Oh god, that was funny. She was so panicked.

( Poor Rem, not really knowing how to cook. )

Which kid are you looking for, Bakuboom?

[blastedass]

Stop laughing! There's not a damn resemblance except it makes light!

[Of course explosions make light! And yes, he's used his Quirk as a lantern in the darkness before. Still ticks him off if someone describes it so "nicely" to another person. Ugh. He cracks his knuckles out of frustration, then shoves one hand into his pocket when the smaller boy addresses him. Must be Vash when he was younger... He can see the resemblance... somewhat.]

How the hell did he blow up a kitchen? [This one more pointed to Vash, but both can answer. Still, he turns his un-pocketed hand over, palm up, fingers curled, and a quick flurry of explosions-- boomb-boombubomboombom! --crackles around his hand like so many little grenades going off in quick succession.]

A little shit who looks like me. [Yeah, he's got his own squirt running around the place.]

[photosympathies]

( Tiny Vash makes several excitable, awed noises. It's pretty, even if Bakugo would rather it not be described in such a way, and it's enough of a focal point that the everything of the festival doesn't overwhelm him too much. Even the older, more used to it Vash makes an appreciative sound before he fixes the brightest of smiles on his friend. ) She was just really bad at cooking. I don't think she expected having kids on the ship. Nai refused to eat whatever she made for a while, but he didn't need it as much as I did.

( Vash Jr. perks up at the mention of his brother, pipes up sometimes he eats if I ask him to! )

We should bully him less, maybe. But we don't have to worry about that right now, huh? We've got a kid to find. I'm coming with. A tiny Bakuboom? I want to meet him. Let's go.

[blastedass]

[He does not! Though he has one technique and one trick that are. Bakugo isn't going to do this for too long, mostly because there are other people around and they're starting to notice. Reactions ranging from "cool" to "BOMB!" and nobody wants that last one sending a festival stampede out the exits. He cuts his explosions and drops his smoking hand to the side before anything gets too attentive.]

Was it a gas stove? [Honestly more curious about "how" she blew the kitchen up, unless Vash meant she only burned some food. Kids and their wild descriptions.] Hmph, and she eventually won him over, huh.

[It's sad, knowing how far apart the brothers grew. Being an only child, Bakugo would never have the reference. But he knows people who have siblings. Seeing them close or far... it brings different reactions.]

If it makes him eat, bully him into the ground. [BAD INFLUENCE BAKUGO!!] Ugh, you don't have to meet him, just tell me when you spot him!

[His small self is embarrassing!]

002

[queenofkur]

Well, your wish won't come true miraculously... [A pause.] But putting it down into words and believing it'll come true? That might just give you the energy to make it come true!

[ So yes, it works. After a fashion. There may be places where it does come true in a more literal sense, if there are gods or spirits who handle those wishes. But she doesn't think this is the case here. ]

Oh? I hadn't even noticed they have a scent... [Blinks. The realization dawns on her.] W-Wait, are they the markers I got for Choso?!

[photosympathies]

He's the one who gave it to me, so maybe?

( They're neat though, he keeps sniffing his. )

You have to tell me where you got them. I bet the orphanage kids would get a rush out of them. We had glittery ones for a while but things get lost real quick around there. ( More brightly. ) Are you going to make a wish?

[queenofkur]

Really...? I may have to consider it.

[ She's been wanting to do more for the children... especially since she's never spent time with them personally due to her trauma, she's only ever managed the funds and bought things from a distance. ]

I have already made my wish, as a matter of fact. And I have no doubt it will come true, for I intend to work on it tirelessly everyday.

[photosympathies]

Self-fulfilling! I like it.

( He's glad she's out and about, looking better than she was in the med bay. Ereshkigal deserves something nice. )

Is it something you need some help with? Because I have two hands and a heck-tonne of determination.

002 + a little bit of a wildcard

[cranekin]

(While looking for his soulmate for the day, he happens to run into Vash just as he's thinking aloud,)

It depends on the god that's listening.

(He won't lie and say just say "yes.")

Hopefully, a kind one is feeling generous today.

[photosympathies]

The festival's so nice, I'm sure it would only attract the kindest, right?

( He caps his pen, finished with his wish. Even if he doesn't believe in it, he'll still do it. Nai deserves a little bit of hope. )

Are you here to make a wish, Tsurumaru?

[cranekin]

I don't think a grumpy god would pay attention today.

(He agrees. So surely, only the kindest gods are listening right now.)

Mhm. (He nods,) This is one of the best times of the year to make a wish.

(He holds up a blank slip of paper,)

I couldn't find a marker, though.

(It seems that by now, everyone has done that thing that happens when they see free pens and markers lying around......... they take them.)

[photosympathies]

Take mine!

( He immediately offers it out, helpful. ) It smells amazing, just be careful when you're sniffing it. I looked like a drunk for a little while there.

( The red nose. He doesn't have Rudolph as a frame of reference. )

[cranekin]

Thank you.

(He'll happily take it... but he doesn't really get what it means by the scent so when he uncaps it, he takes a sniff and--)

Wah...!?

(Wait, let him smell it again.)

It smells sweet? (And again...) Like candy?!

[photosympathies]

Right?

( Be absolutely delighted with him, Tsurumaru. )

I think all the other colours had different scents too. Just uh - they don't taste like how they smell. ( Oh no. ) It was an accident.

( No, it was not. )