synflux | 🎉 TANABATA FESTIVAL 🎊

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🎉 TANABATA FESTIVAL 🎊

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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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The little turtle looks up at Donnie when he gets gestured at to come around, so he steps out and fidgets a little, not sure what's going on. Instead he's reaching for Donnie's fingers to try and hold onto them.

There's no denying that's a LITTLE Donnie trying to hide, so he turns away to not stare and put pressure on the obvious kid, then realizes there's a little him kind of half hiding around Donnie's legs.

"...okay, this is odd, but they shouldn't be out here--" Though he frowns. "So you started hollering to get my attention rather than just text me to meet you here?"

"Look, it's the first idea that came to me."

Also he wasn't sure if Raph would answer his text? And he's letting the little Raph get a hold of his hand as well.

"Anyway, you're like... Good with kids?" The fact Donnie hasn't lost either of them is a good thing. But also, little kids.

The little Raph curls his fingers around Donnie's hand, watching the really big human and not understanding that it's actually him. He keeps his mouth shut and tips the helmet down to make sure his face isn't seen. They're supposed to be hiding from humans.

"So you want to foist them on me so you don't have to help or watch them?"

"No? Just it's better to have more hands on deck with, whatever this is?"

Look, Donnie can handle his little self. He knows how he works, Raph is a mystery to him. Even now, he doesn't exactly understand his oldest brother some days. But he does mean it, that he thinks it'd be better if they stuck together.

"I'm not trying to pull a Leo here," he adds, as if that will make everything better.

It takes a second before he's looking at both kids, considering what he should do about it, but given that they only had each other at that age - he can't really deny that whatever the hell is going on is probably something he should help with.

Little Raph looks up at the bigger Donnie, not sure what he means about Leo, but glances when the new big human lowers himself down to one knee so he doesn't seem so big. He squeezes Donnie's fingers a little, but listens as the man addresses him.

"Hey bud," Raph starts, voice gentle. "I'm El. How are you?"

"...m'okay..." Little Raph answers, quieter than usual. "...though D--Shiki said mean things about Ghost Bear..."

El? Really? Donnie bites back making a comment on Raph's human name, not the time or place for it. And while all this is going on, little Donnie has finished his own food and just kind of stares at his brother and this big human.

Judging Raph, in case he does anything to his brother the little soft shell will do something.

Raph doesn't do anything but just talk to this little version of himself, which is strange in its own right, but from what he's been seeing around the networks from his own attempts at understanding how the world works here - things just...get weird sometimes.

He keeps his voice gentle, just smiling a little. "Oh yeah? Well, he must have known that I was nearby and that I'd come over if I heard him say that stuff. I'm a big fan too."

That makes the little Raph perk up. "R-Really??? He's the best!"

He chuckles, not about to tell this little version of himself that Ghost Bear was a villain now. "He sure is. How are you liking the festival so far?"

The earlier nerves seem to disappear when the little Raph starts bouncing a little bit on his toes. "It's been---well kind of fun! I was lost earlier but D--ImeanShiki--found me and Donnie and we just got a snack which was tasty and crunchy and I liked it. I asked if we could do games and stuff but Shiki said only maybe later but I really want to because there's other kids around and it looks fun but I don't know if we should because there's lots of people around and and and---"

Raph listens though, not even batting an eyelash at it. "And you want to go try with your brother?"

"YES. I think it would be fun--well if Donnie wants to--we don't...have to if he doesn't want to..."

He knew finding Raph was a good idea, as the teen Donnie sits down now and watches the two Raph's talk. Honestly speaking though, he's kind of worn out. Mostly from just trying to keep an eye on his younger self, which might show on his face at he watches the two talk, not interjecting.

No, it's the little Donnie that speaks up after the Raph's are done talking.

"You can do what you want, you don't need to be around me." the youngest turtle here says.

When his brother says that he doesn't have to stay with him, little Raph looks over at him and just pouts. "Yeah but, you should have fun too...!"

The older Raphael watches the little one protest, his eyes glancing to both of the Donnies sitting on the bench. It was busy at the festival, though they were in a quieter area, and he knew that it might have gotten overwhelming. But he isn't going to stop the littles from talking to one another.

It gives him a chance to see that older Donnie looks exhausted. It's easier to tell with this human get up that LILITH gave them than the deadpan default expression that Donnie usually had.

He still doesn't know how the hell is going on that the littles are HERE. So he considers it. "Was there something you wanted to do instead, Donnie?"

"I was hungry, now I'm not, so I dunno," the little turtle answers bluntly. Honestly if it wasn't for the little turtles? Donnie would have left already, but he couldn't just leave the kids alone. Especially after finding little Raph.

But boy, he could go for a nap? But he doesn't say that, just letting the kids work out things themselves.

Raph isn't all that surprised when there's a blunt answer. It was hard to get Donnie to talk much when they were that little. He also isn't surprised when the little version of him goes over to the bench that the Donnies are sitting on and plunks himself on the ground near his little brother.

He glances at the obviously exhausted older Donnie, figuring that his batteries must be next to nil, and considers how to approach this. "If you two want to rest and everything, I can take Raph to go play a game or two."

Teen Donnie just arches an eyebrow at Raph making that offer, considering how he was earlier. While little Donnie is going to lean on little Raph's helmeted head now.

"M'not leaving Raphie," the little turtle speaks up. While he trusts his 'older' self, he found one of his brothers and he doesn't want to lose him again?

Oh he's still annoyed with his brother for the attempt to get him to take the kids, but he can see that he's exhausted and given that they're in a festival, he knew social batteries must be drained. After all, Donnie usually only hung out with them on a good day and April on most. But it also wasn't the littles' fault for this situation.

And he is pretty good with kids after helping basically raise his brothers when their father dealt with some pretty hardcore depression.

The little Raph notices the familiar weight of his little brother leaning on his head and just smiles a little, glad that they found each other again when he was lost in this place. "M'not going anywhere, Donnie."

Raphael has to stop himself from going 'aww' aloud. He clears his throat and chuckles. "Well, I guess they made their decision then."

Wow, wow, wow. That was no his intent at all!!! Okay, maybe it was a little, but he's worn out can Raph blame him for it? At the kids deciding they're not going anywhere though, Donnie sighs.

"Looks like, you wanna sit then R--El?" Seriously, what is with that name? As little Donnie is just going to stay leaning on his big brother, being quiet now.

Raph watches the littles be sweet with each other, since he remembered what that was like when he was actually little, having the brothers near like that. It was nice. The kids don't seem all that ready to move anywhere, so he starts to get up from where he's knelt down with a roll of shoulders.

"I suppose I could keep you company if you needed it," he says, moving to make sure he's not in the road from the festival going on around them. "They both got something to eat then?" He asks, taking a patch of grass to hunker down on and make himself comfortable to be able to keep an eye on all of them.

"Mm, yeah, takoyaki for them both," Does Raph even know what that is? Donnie could explain but if he did he is sure his younger self would be sick even though... "I got Donnie a plain one though."

And then after a moment, "Why, you hungry?"

Edited 2025-07-30 01:52 (UTC)

Raph listens, keeping an eye on the kids as they've gone quiet, but the question makes him laugh softly. "I'm always hungry. I'll be fine right now. I was just asking since usually a lot of excitement and full stomachs means usually---"

As if by cue, the little him yawns.

"---the urge to nap."

There's not even a yawn from little Donnie, the fact he went quiet means he has started to doze off while laying in his brother. And isn't even disturbed by Little Raph yawning.

Donatello though stifles a little chuckle though at this turn of events, and he'll offer; "You say you're fine, but if you want I can go grab you something? Since it looks like they're not going to wander off anytime soon."

The little Raph doesn't seem to mind - in fact, he's leaning a little more into the bench to let his little brother doze on him if he wants. He's always been the biggest and probably the warmest to snuggle up to with his shape.

Raph just watches the two of them being adorable, quiet and just letting them rest before he realizes that yes, Donnie asked him if he wanted anything. He 'ohs' softly and smiles. "Sure, if you're offering. Unless you want to stay here and I can go. You do look a bit tired yourself."

"I wouldn't offer if I was that worn out," Raph knows that. Donnie is a stubborn little shit, as he starts to get up.

"Also I'm pretty sure you don't have as much money as I do." Another factor to consider, he has been here the longest and thus has more kryptos out of the three turtles. "Anything in particular that you want, or should I surprise you?"

"Mmhmm," he says, noncommittally. Especially since he knows you're stubborn as hell and would also do it to prove a point.

He does got him there, because really, he doesn't have a lot of their credits. At least not yet. Might have figured out the job he got placed in, which was nice, but it didn't pay right away. Something about making sure he didn't get eaten by the terrifying kaiju or something or other.

"Surprise me," he answers with a soft chuckle, content to just sit here and watch the little be adorable. It was over a decade ago since he got to see or experience this and he kind of gets why Pops would like to watch them when they all passed out.

"... Fine, but don't complain if you hate it."

Not that he thinks Raph would complain, sure Raph rides Leo's butt about being a leader and such but complain? It's kind of hard for Donnie to recall a time that ever happened? But he's getting up and he is going to go as a pretty quick pace to get Raph something to eat.

All while the little Donnie is still dozing on his brother.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," he answers gently, his gaze looking to Donnie as he gets up with a soft smile. "Thank you."

He doesn't even think that Donnie would give him something that he'd hate. He's pretty easy to please for the most part. Right now he's feeling wistful watching the little kids doze on each other, obviously needing a little power nap with all the excitement they must have gone through.

The little Raph gives a tiny snore and smiles in his sleep.

A meh as he leaves, which leaves Raph to getting to watch the little turtles for however long it takes him to come back.

Which is surprisingly long, not his fault it's busy! But the whole time little Donnie is comfy and calm.

The meh is expected, though he knows that Donnie would rather be thanked for his effort than not. Middle child nonsense and all that. But he just lets him go, content to just watch the littles for now. A catnap will probably make them wake up with more energy and he'll have to help Donnie wrangle them, but it's adorable.

Makes him reflect on how things used to be when they were that small. Being the oldest and the biggest of them all. Helping wrangle the youngers when Dad really needed a break.

That was over a decade ago but he remembered what it was like to be the one they turned to. Of course it was bound to change, each brother was their own person, but sometimes he really missed it being needed.

He perks up when the little version of him shifts and mumbles something in his sleep, not sure if the kids are waking up or not.

🎉 TANABATA FESTIVAL 🎊

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