rekindleme | A Festival of Lights

A Festival of Lights

Who: Everyone
Where: The stable areas of Saeng Seong - mostly in the third district
When: 24th July to 31st July
Summary: The residents of Saeng Seong are celebrating their annual summer festival, and the offworlders are invited to take part!
Warnings: Inbox death may occur. System overload at own risk. SOME NPC RESPONSES WILL BE SLOW UNTIL THE ONE WHO PLAYS THEM IS PRESENT.

It's time to celebrate, to celebrate, to celebrate...

There's been a general sense of excitement among the natives of Saeng Seong for the past week or so, now; anyone who's stopped to question them about it (or has been close enough to hear them discussing it amongst themselves) will hear mentions of "the festival." On the 24th, what they're talking about becomes clear.

Each year, the residents of the city come together to celebrate the summer. Setting the festival up is an all-day affair; taking part in the festival's events will make for an entertaining week; and tearing down the booths and decorations is another extensive process. But in the end, the residents usually agree that it's worth it, and this year they would like for their would-be saviors to take part.

July 24th
On the 24th, the characters will notice that most of the city natives are moving about with a general purpose; they will find that in the Second District, in the very plaza where they all arrived, a committee of sorts is organizing volunteers and assigning them to different tasks in different parts of the open districts.

The committee needs people to help with preparing and placing decorations all over the city; paper lanterns, twinkling strands of lights, and garlands of flowers, though they'll note that the flora is fake. They also need people to set up tables, chairs, and makeshift stages at the riverbanks in the first and second districts, as well as to help redo the outdoor marketplace to make it more accommodating for booths hosting festival foods, games, and trinkets for purchase. Physically stronger characters may be asked to assist with setting up carnival rides in the free spaces - everything from a towering Ferris wheel to a carousel to bumper cars, and many others besides.

During this time, characters can also volunteer to man the booths on certain days, if they have anything they would like to contribute or would like to assist with anything.

Characters who take part in the setup will be awarded with five vouchers, good for use during the festival. These vouchers can be used for the purchase of food, admittance to rides, or to allow them to play some of the games for free.

July 25th
The festival begins early morning on the 25th - that is, the booths are open and ready for business, selling all manner of street food - crepes, kabobs, funnel cake, shaved ice, almost anything you can imagine - along with a wide variety of other things for purchase, like one-of-a-kind clothing, hats, scarves, and the like, as well as jewelry and other trinkets. There are also booths where you can get your face painted, where you can have your fortune told, and all sorts of other activities.

There are also the games. Standard festival stuff: Knock down a milk bottle, win a prize. Throw a dart and pop the right balloon, get a prize. You can play a game to catch and take home a goldfish, if you like, or try your luck at any of the other games that are interspersed with the other booths.

These booths will be operating all throughout the festival, until the closing ceremony on the 30th.

The opening ceremony doesn't actually take place until sunset, despite the fact that the booths have been operating all day. It's a simple ceremony, set at the riverside, with a speech about how summertime begets togetherness and how everyone should be thankful for the opportunities they've been given. All in all, it may be a little boring for characters with shorter attention spans. However, at the end of it, everyone lights a candle, makes a wish, and sets it adrift on the river once the sun has gone down entirely; the flickering candles will drift around the river all throughout the festival, and they never seem to burn down.

July 26th
The rides and games are going on full-force outside from the time the sun comes up, but in the afternoon characters will find that it's not as crowded as the day before. That's because there's dancing going on in the convention center - the afternoon is full of traditional group dances, the kind that are easy to learn the steps for and join in on; the natives will be especially delighted if their visitors teach them some of the dances from their home.

In the evening, it is not quite so energetic, though the dancing doesn't end. The songs slowly fade into slower, perhaps more romantic tunes, and the final dance will end precisely at midnight.

There will be refreshments available for free in the convention center during the dances, though not anything so filling as what characters will be able to purchase from the booths outside - mostly water, lemonade, cheese, and crackers. There is also a bar where specialty drinks and foods may be purchased.

July 27th
This day's special event happens after dark, though it's easy to see the preparations for it happening in the plaza where all the characters arrived - when the sun sets, a massive bonfire is lit, and many people gather, some with benches, to bask in the firelight. Some even write down the things they'd like to accomplish during the rest of the year onto slips of paper and cast them into the flames, in the hopes that the smoke will carry their wishes into the heavens.

Others gather around to toast s'mores and chat. Still others continue the dancing from the night before - off to the side to begin with, though as the night wears on they may expand into a bigger dance that will involve large groups of people circling around the fire in spirals.

Even away from the plaza, there are blazing lanterns throughout the city, and some smaller bonfires crop up in areas where it's not likely that anything important will catch fire.

July 28th
This day's festivities begin early on. The morning and early afternoon are devoted to a cooking contest - there are categories for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, and a winner for each - that both residents and visitors alike can take part in. Characters who cook delicacies from their own worlds may find the natives crowding them and asking for information about the dishes, and recipes to try on their own.

The late afternoon also has to do with food, and the characters are once again invited to take part in a variety of eating contests. There are your standard hot dog, watermelon, and pie-eating contests, as well as many others - the more daring may find themselves taking part in a contest where contestants are blindfolded and made to eat as much of rather... interesting concoctions as they can.

Characters who take part are given a voucher for use at any of the booths or rides in the festival; winners are given additional prizes. The winners of the cooking contest are determined ICly by character vote, so if there's a dish they especially love, make sure to mention that they'd vote for it so a tally can be kept! Winners of the eating contests are determined by RNG after all participants have been confirmed, with characters that have a canonical advantage (IE Maya Fey and her "separate stomachs") having more than one number that would lead to their win. Be sure to note such advantages while having your character take part.

July 29th
The extra activities on this day include showing off your physical prowess and your ability to cooperate with others.

On foot, there are three-legged races; pick a partner and try not to fall as you make your way to the finish line! There are also relay races - in teams of four - and you'll want to pick your teammates' positions well to ensure maximum speed. These races will take place multiple times during the day.

There are some other events to take part in as well: Thumb-wrestling tournaments, arm-wrestling tournaments, and outright wrestling tournaments.

At the end of the day, there will be a massive tug-of-war. Everyone who's mingling around and wants to take part will be sorted into one team or another, and then the two teams will face off.

Participants will receive festival vouchers; winners will receive additional prizes.

July 30th
The last day of the festival continues on like normal - the rides and booths are all operating, at least until the start of the closing ceremony that begins midafternoon and continues until the sun goes down. Winners of the various contests are once again recognized, the people who made the events a success are thanked, and the speech ends with a wish for pleasant experiences throughout the rest of the year.

The ceremony is timed such that there will be about twenty minutes for everyone to position themselves where they would like to be by the time fireworks begin being set off from a barge floating on the river between the second and third districts. There will be spaces on the riverbanks for people to watch from, though they can most certainly be seen from any other vantage point a character might like to try watching from, should they want to avoid the crowds.

July 31st
This day is a blur of activity as well, though not as fun as the past few days. The residents of the city are packing everything away and taking down the decorations, and they could use a little help if the characters are so inclined.

Characters who assist with the teardown will be rewarded with leftovers from the festival - plush prizes, food, maybe even some little trinkets characters have had their eyes on that haven't sold. No one's getting any fireworks, however.

Feel free to put up your own top-level comments, but be sure to put when and where the action is happening in the subject line!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Either of the more suave answers would probably just have confused Deadlock more. Or convince him this was some sneaky trick by the jet he'd fallen into. At least this way, the only thing he can blame is himself.

Well, and this place.

His face is still restless, torn between trying to play this off as some sort of joke and a scowl, simply because it's the most familiar. He knows what a kiss is, though, in theory. That...was something else.

"Doesn't matter if I like it or not." Which is possibly the stupidest thing anyone has ever said about kisses, but it's said fast, like a reflex, hiding the too-obvious fact that yes, he did enjoy it. A lot.

It feels like he's on the precipice of something, the way Deadlock's face moves with uncertainty. That the right or wrong move could tip this in the jet's favor or against. It makes Wing uncertain, his usual confidence in these matters out of reach. Deadlock had that effect on him: he's different, unexpected, upseting the calm balance of things in Wing's life.

And that's what thrills him. 'Something else' it was indeed.

"Of course it matters," The words are soft but still bear the weight of conviction. Gently he offers, "I...won't return the favor, if you didn't."

He tries one of his characteristic snorts, and fails. Because he could sense--this close against him, their EM fields tangling together--the jet's sincerity, and that sends a strange tremor through his own field, uncertain and new.

His hands shift on the wrists, optics blinking down at the upturned face. "Favor? What fraggin' favor?" Because Wing didn't mean that he'd....liked it?

He gets a sense, that like this, with Deadlock in control and able to escape at any time, it's better than if Wing had tried to pin him down and express himself in no uncertain terms.

It's still hard to concentrate with Deadlock so tantalizingly close, hard not to want to reach out in every way and pull the mech down to him, to let their fields mesh and limbs tangle. His fingers flex slowly, as if reminding them both that he's restrained but not bothering to free himself in the least.

Wing smiles, but not the kind of smile he gives to strangers or even friends. A bit shy maybe, a little coy, a touch uncertain but defiantly interested. "You kissed me. I...want to kiss you back." It's hard, exceptionally hard, not to punctuate that statement with a hip wiggle.

Better may be a matter of perspective. Deadlock would be less confused if Wing was holding him down.

Deadlock feels the way the jet's fingers move under his grip, the actuators firing, fingertips flexing. He doesn't know what he wants--whether the squirmy wiggly feeling in his belly is good or bad.

Except he does, especially in the light of the smile Wing shines up at him. His brow furrows, as though he's feeling his way along some unfamiliar and slippery edge. "....suppose it would be fair." Right? Fairness, not whether he wants it or not.

But would he enjoy it less, that's what Wing wonders.

Clearly additional exploration of the phenomena is required to help Deadlock make his decision. Surely squirmy and wiggly things can't be a real threat against one like Deadlock?

"If it's what you want." All is fair in love and war? "Or you can kiss me again, if you prefer."

As kind as the words and the cadence is, there's a husky quality to Wing's voice that says they're both talking way too much. The heat, the tingle behind his interface panel agrees, making him squirm, his field soft and receptive against Deadlock's. "_...please?"

Grah it is not about what Deadlock prefers. He's not used to having choice and preference and all that fancy rich-bot stuff.

And the squirmy feeling in his tank--did he have some sort of freaky weird parasite?--is building, like a kind of tingling pressure. He gives a sudden huff of air, as though frustrated. He is frustrated, tired of not knowing what's going on, even within himself.

But the huff fades to a sort of possessive purr, because he does have Wing pinned, at least, and he does have--kind of--a sort of advantage over him. And the word 'please' seems to pang a chord through his EM field, and his mouth lowers, less fierce than last time, onto the jet's.

Consider this Wing's first gift then: choice. Something he would have offered more of from the start if it'd been possible. And he'll be happy to wall you later Deadlock, when he knows neither will regret the consequences.

It's tense, that moment while Deadlock decides, and it feels like an eternity as the need slowly builds in him. Wing is afraid it's over with that huff, but then it changes, the purr stirring loose the tight knot of desire within him. It unfurls into the kiss, for it's not a sudden thing this time: a bit of anticipation building as Deadlock lowers to meet him, the gold of the jet's optics dimming as they shutter above slightly parted lip plates.

Wing has an ardent love of kissing, something Deadlock is just now getting a notion of. It's not just a stop on the way to interfacing, it's a unique and intimate manner of expression that words could never compete with: desire, affection, even respect and admiration, all formed into the shape of pleasure between two mouths. That's the message on Wing's lips as they brush across Deadlock's; sweet, encouraging and eager.

He's kissing Wing, but his chassis is still restless, short almost-pants of air from his vents. Because it's too much all at once for him, too much choice, too much openness, and Wing's mouth opening under his is like something deep and sweet he's almost afraid of falling into.

No, not almost. He is afraid.

He pushes back, abruptly, optics flaring, almost betrayed, the purr fading into a growl. "Kind of trick was that?"

It's bliss for a moment. Better than his imaginings, the fluttering rise in his own chassis lifting him up even if his body is actually still pinned to the ground under Deadlock.

But then it's over again, Wing loosing a small sound of dismay into the sudden empty air where their mouths had been, chasing the kiss until he no longer can, pushing against Deadlock's weight. Golds optics widen in confusion, the fluttering losing its wings as he looks into the red optics and what he sees there. He's not even sure what it is but it makes something in side him shrink a little.

"_...trick?" Wing finally gets out, a little breathless from the kiss, "N-no trick."

Wing might call it bliss; Deadlock doesn't know what to call it. It's exciting and warm and tingling and a little out of control, like that excitement before a battle, only sweeter.

He's not used to it.

So his mouth twitches, even as his glossa tastes the last of the kiss. "Right." He doesn't believe you, Wing. He flounders for a moment, remembering how they got in that position in the first place. "Diversion." He reaches for the scrap of paper, still in the jet's hand.

There's a part of him that feels the sting of offense at being doubted. But likely he set the trend earlier, when he was unwilling to admit the truth for fear of it being discarded as unwanted. And really, later when he has a chance to be honest with himself, he'll realize being unwanted is what he fears. Not physically, but period. Being discarded, alone.

He's not in a contemplative mood though. No, he's rolling in high emotion now, passion's heat flickering into something else at what sounds like an accusation. "D-Diversion!" he huffs, "But, you kissed me first!"

He's too busy being huffy and squirming, trying to free his hands, pelvic span bumping against Deadlock's, to react immediately to the grounder's grab at the paper. Oops. He could have played that better, most likely.

"Because you tricked me!" He's drawing about him all the Huff that confusion and the niggling notion that, no, really, this isn't Wing's fault, can provide.

His mouth still tingles with the kiss, and the way the jet's frame bumps up against his hips doesn't really help, so his grip on the scrap of paper falters for a klik.

"Tricked you?! ...h-how?" Wing's confusion is clear because he sees no deception in this, his interest is genuine, but that means at least half of this is his fault really. Deadlock may have started it but the jet kissed back, avidly so, and if asked about regrets he'd have none.

Except maybe the fact that he's not being kissed anymore.

Wing takes advantage of that faltering moment, trying not to think of how Deadlock is riding over his pelvic frame, twisting his wrist from the other's grip and reversing their situation, hand closing around the Decepticon's wrist and trying to reach of the paper.

"If I knew how you tricked me I wouldn't have fallen for it, would I?" He'd like to be able to blame his not-really-impeccable logic on being off balance from the kiss, from the warm slide of the jet's armor between his thighs, but, well, no, it's pretty much like his logic usually is: stubborn and paranoid.

And see? Look at the way Wing grabs for the paper again. Another trick of his, squirming against Deadlock to distract him.

Yeah? Not falling for it this time: Deadlock launches himself off Wing's body, both hands grabbing for the jet's wrist.

Wing can't decide what's frustrating him more, the way his interface array pings ready or how confusing this conversation is.

"It wasn't intentional," he tries to calm his voice, take some of the accusation (and the begging) tone out of it, only successful near the end. "I just..." Can we go back to kissing please?

But before Wing can phrase that into something articulate and tactful, Deadlock launches himself off his frame. The cool air hits the areas of his armor warmed by the grounder's presence and he gasps, startled, too slow to withdraw his hand in time.

Deadlock's frustrated, too, but he's not going to waste time trying to figure out what exactly it is. It's clearly All Wing's Fault.

"That some sort of excuse?" That Wing is so tricksy he doesn't even realize it himself? He wants to go back to kissing, too, but that's obviously, you know, Wing's fault.

Besides, it's almost as good--maybe--to realize he's got the scrap of paper in his hands. He gives a triumphant crow, brandishing it in front of the jet. "So what's this, huh?"

If Wing admits it's All His Fault, would that get him laid...?

Because that would be a pretty awesome thing right now.

Instead the memory of Deadlock's armor sliding against his is all too fresh as his armor cools; the cheeky smirk and triumphant laugh making Deadlock far too attractive for Wing's anger to gain any strength.

He huffs instead, a sound of surrender, "A dream?" the jet says, like it might be something foolish, but close to his spark regardless.

But that would just be further proof that it's all a trick, see?

Besides, they are in public and Deadlock's shy.

Shut up, he so is.

"Yeah?" He gives Wing a curious look, almost open for just a klik, before he turns to the paper, unfolding it with a smirk. Until....

His mouth flips into a scowl. Because he can't read it. "Cute," he says, sourly, balling up the paper, angrily.

The public thing can be fixed! And it's not like they have to walk back to the apartments hand-in-hand. ~~That part comes later.~~

Wing is very definitely not shy, though he does have a healthy sense of propriety and that's part of what keeps him on the ground, propped up on his elbows, rather than reaching for Deadlock or the paper again.

The other part is a small sense of defeat, and the realization that pride aside, the Decepticon knowing his little secret is not so bad. Except the big reveal isn't what Wing thought it would be. It would make more sense if not for his mistake in taking the ability to read for granted and forgetting about Deadlock's past in the gutters.

Wing stares for a moment, more confused than ever, trying not to look hurt and failing more than a little. A frown threatens his own face as a chill seeps into him that the bonfire could never dispel. "Why is it so strange that I might want to see you happy?"

He doesn't want to 'fix' it. Being alone with Wing right now would...scare him a little. He's not sure what he'd do. Oh, he knows what he wants to do. But...yeah.

His scowl falters. "W-why the frag would you want to do that? I don't even--" lies, all lies, so he cuts himself off and regroups. "YOU don't even like me!">

Better. Maybe. No. Not really.

Not that he'd ever admit that.

He knows exactly what he'd do, but that's also part of the problem. He keeps reigning himself in because he's not sure what Deadlock wants. Wing forced enough things on the mech back in Crystal City, the last thing he wants to do is add his affections to that list.

The response makes him scramble to his feet and it takes the full force of Wing's willpower not to prove Deadlock wrong through action instead of words. "But I do!" Frag, it's almost embarrassing really. "Why else would I stick around? I care about you. I... _{I've wanted you since we first met."

Oops. Well. He hadn't quite intended to say that much, maybe just mashing their faces together would have been better after all? As it is, he's advanced, hands open, close enough that it wouldn't be that hard to close the distance...}

It would be a newsflash to Deadlock that he had affections, period. It's this thing that keeps happening with the jet: pulling things out of Deadlock he never intended to say, to share.

"You wanted me to what?" Because that didn't mean what Deadlock thought it meant. That would be just....wish fulfillment. Crazy. Something.

ahdjlaksk--Is Wing going to have to spell it out right here in public? Certainly seems that way. He pulls a face: most of the answers that come immediately to mind are definitely far too descriptive for general audiences.

'Let me kiss that scowl right off your face...'
'Touch me in all the ways I want to touch you...'
'Let me spike you until the sun comes up...'
'Bend me over a table and frag me stupid...'

Yeah, Wing's had way too much time to think about this. And where is that suave charm that often comes naturally to the jet in casual conversation? Certainly not with him now when he needs it most, otherwise he'd have a flirty and irresistible response for Deadlock right now. Instead, candid truth, as boldfaced as can be. "You. I want you. And in ways best explored in private." He's reaching now, daring to touch, fingertips searching for the dark vambraces of Deadlock's forearms, "I didn't kiss you back for nothing you know."

There's a long moment where Deadlock just remains still. He might appear calm on the outside, but on the inside it is Blue Screen of Death.

He looks down at the touch on his forearms, looking more confused than anything else. "..._me." That is taking a looooong time to sink in. "It was a trap," he says, lamely, not really believing it himself, at this point, but it's reflex, because, yeah, this has to be like...a hallucination or something.

A Festival of Lights

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sorry if rough I"m kickstarting myself here. x_x

<3 You know I'll always love your tags no matter what!

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clearly I am too punchy to be doing tags...

me too

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oh god I am so sorry

I was banking on a) freak out/run or b) facemashing/freak out/run, so no dissapointment here!

oh no now i feel predictable! ;D

In RP that just means consistent characterization! :D