The Festival Continues [Day 144]

[bastionmods]

Who: Everyone
Open: Open
When: Day 144
Where: all over the Bastion
What: Day 2 of the festival because that other post filled up fast
Format: any
Warnings: none

Day 2 - Day of Hope and Bravery

Once again, at midnight, another torch arrives - this time with a horse along with the gear and bullshead. As before, they are list by Zulf. Some of the other decorations fade out, to be replaced by Yudrig or Lemaign-specific decorations like horseshoes, saddles, hammers and plants made of colored metal. This will continue to happen throughout the festival, with new decorations overshadowing old ones, but the old ones still remaining here and there.

During the previous day, conversations with a any of the NPCs (or the recently arrived Uras) will bring up the topic of the second day of the festival. Should you care to listen, you'll learn that they use the very early morning of this day to make wishes, wishes that you must think in to a horseshoe that will be left on the side of your home that faces where the "sun" would be rising (the closest approximation to "east").

Speaking of horses! There seems to be a pen with stallions! Unlike Pyth, one must ride one of these stallions and try to stay on it as long as they can while it bucks and jumps about wildly. Good luck to whoever can manage this, it is not an easy task at all! Only one person can win Yudrig's favor, because at the end of the day the stallions will all take off back to... wherever they came from. The person that manages to stay the longest, though, will win a lovely pair of Yudrig boots, and will gain a single very fast horse for the Bastion to keep.

Along with the horses, there will also be races! Three legged races, races while balancing odd objects on spoons, so many races! Most of these are for the kids to make up for the lack of kid-focused things from the day before, but adults are encouraged to help and participate.

Incidentally, respect is also given to those considered soldiers. Be it by their own mental thinking ("I am a soldier for justice/I am a protector, etc") or by their actual title (this includes exorcists, exorcists in training, rebel leaders, etc) but they will be honored on this day for their bravery, comittment and efforts. The same goes for masons. There will be a table set up with charms for the bracelets, specifically hammer shaped ones - everyone is welcome to take one, but anyone who isn't of this persausion may find them too heavy to wear. The charm can be removed, though, but remember to keep the bracelet!

With that in mind, about midday the center of the Bastion will be cleared and people will be asked if they would like to participate in a game of "Defend Lemaign". It's basically Capture the Flag, but with a singular goal in mind - only one team has a "flag" (actually a small hammer statue) and that team must defend it from the other team. Teams can be any size, but once that statue is grabbed and brought to the other side, OR the timer runs out with Lemaign still within his "temple" the game is over. This will continue throughout the afternoon.

When evening falls again, the second torch for the day will appear to be lit, this one decorated with hammers as well as the standard gear and bull. The day begins to wind down, though there are once again other things to do - this time an entire area dedicated to various sizes of building blocks ranging from small to huge. Go nuts, build what you want, show off your creations! And keep them, they will come in handy later! This is not just for kids, even if it seems like it.

There's also jousting taking place. Nothing as dangerous as true jousting - just wooden horses on tracks that have to be manually pushed along (so be sure to take a willing friend with yout) and padded poles that strike padded armor. Winners will find more charms for those bracelets that were given out as their prize, and five shards per win.

Also, something to keep in mind: Since the day is focused around bravery quite a bit, anyone who shows off a particularly awesome show of bravery (be it personal like asking someone out that you like, facing a mild fear and not running away from it, or something even more spectacular) you will inexplicably find your entire room decorated with horseshoes. Horseshoes everywhere. Why? Yudrig, that's why.

And anyone who visits Lemagin's shrine, for whatever reason, will find themselves inexplicably hit with a wave of optimism. Just for the day, though.

This night winds down much the same as before, and again the children are encouraged to sleep outside while lulled to sleep by tales of Yudrig and Lemagin's adventures.

Comments

[hellpyre]

Well, yeah. This is really fun.

[She smiles to him with the bow, but it fades a moment later as she glances at the table.]

You looked really lost in thought, though.

[yinyangfox]

Merely thinking about the past, Lady Rin. The past, the present and the future. How our choices change us and those around us. The consequences of our actions-- [ He gestures at the table and the charms. ]

--and the peculiar nature of pride. One should not be proud to be a soldier of any kind, I often think. You do what you must to protect things...but you should never be proud of it.

[hellpyre]

[Most of that went right over Rin's head, but the last part... that earned a pretty good frown. She actually looked insulted.]

... I'm proud of my father, and all the things he did when he was still alive. I'm proud of my sister for the same thing. Why shouldn't I be? Exorcists are there to help people, and I wanna be the same as them. And Exorcists are soldiers, even if that's not what they're called.

If you do the right thing to help those around you that can't protect and help themselves, then what the hell is there to be ashamed of?

[yinyangfox]

You misunderstand my words. [ He sighed softly, shaking his head wearily. ] You are proud of your father and your sister and yourself. That is understandable. Helping people is a reason to be proud.

It is unwise, however, to be proud of striking down a foe. Of lifting your hand in violence. Of giving in to baser reactions. Of killing.

Be proud of good deeds, yes. Be proud of those who do good. Only beware of what parts of those people or deeds you place your pride in. Do you understand what I mean, now? I regret the things I have been forced to do in order to protect others and wish that there were other ways, simply put.

There should be no such thing as a proud soldier. All men who do good should be humble and let their actions weigh heavily upon them, that they will never succumb to their pride.

[hellpyre]

[Rin's frown only tightened, but the sense of insult she felt at first faded, simply giving in to that expression she gained often when trying to puzzle through something she found difficult to understand quickly.

It... did sort of make sense. She never did try to go for the kill herself, even if other Exorcists did. Having heard of Shiro's many exploits, right down to how he tamed a fully transformed and raging cat sith without having to lift so much as a violent finger against him gave her the courage to believe she could be the same kind of amazing exorcist he was. One that didn't immediately turn to violence even against the most violent of their kind...]

I--... I just wanna be as good as them. As good as Dad was. I was told my flames don't have to hurt, that I don't... have t' kill demons in order to banish 'em. But it has to be my choice.

[She fidgeted, rubbing at her upper arm]

I wanna be proud. Maybe it's not right, but I wanna actually be proud of doin' the right thing for once in my fucked up life.

[yinyangfox]

Smiling slowly and tilting his head, Seimei nodded in approval, holding up his bracelet and shaking his wrist to draw attention to the charm.

"And that makes your pride acceptable. You want to be proud for the right reasons and that makes all the difference. There is nothing to be ashamed of, Lady Rin. That was never an implication I intended. You should only be ashamed if you have so much pride it blinds you to your faults. If you have no regrets, then you are not being honest with yourself. There should always be something behind your motivations that helps you strive to improve. Be proud of compassion and mercy before you are proud of violence and apathy."

[hellpyre]

Wow look at that random switch to brackets. Nowait don't it didn't happen /waves hands

She had it in her to be prideful, even arrogant, usually over stupid, pointless things like a win in an argument or a victory over a particularly difficult enemy. But that wasn't the kind of pride she always wanted to have, and recent realizations had pushed her to the things she was saying now.

Still, it was a relief to hear that from Seimei.

"... apathy is like... lack of-- not emotions but somethin' else, right?"

[yinyangfox]

"Correct. A lack of interest, more than anything. When you stop caring is when the better parts of you start slipping away. Your imbalanced nature and your passion in everything that you do are precisely what prove your capacity for great and good things, Lady Rin. You might feel negatively about your lack of control or your penchant for violent responses, but like as not and despite all that you might say to the contrary, you're still just a child," he remarked, raising a hand to stave off any retorts or denials.

"I am not speaking in regards to your deeds, nor the trials you have already endured in life. Neither am I insinuating that your maturity leaves anything to be desired. I am speaking entirely from the point of view of years. As a demon - half or whole - you potentially have an eternity ahead of you. You may see innumerable years come and go but so far you have seen only a tiny handful. You have a very long time to discover yourself and the sort of person you want to be. You also have a very long time to learn the perils of pride misplaced, but I will give you simple advice that will always help you make a better choice."

He sniffed, cleared his throat and folded his hands neatly.

"When you feel pride in yourself, it has become a dangerous thing and you should seek a way to humble yourself. When you succeed at something, always look back and remind yourself of who helped you get there and remember that anything done alone is often hollow. Always honor your teachers, your mentors and your friends in those moments when you accomplish something on your own honorably, and remind yourself that it is because of them that you have the strength and knowledge that you do. When you have no one else to look back to for your success, honor your parents, for without them you would not exist to succeed. Most importantly, no matter how small the success of someone else, share more pride in what they do than in what you do."

Offering a small nod, the onmyoji sighed, plucking idly at his charm, along on the chain.

"The nature of pride is an ugly beast that grows much too fast and easily consumes you, so you must always beat it back and never let it be stronger for yourself than it is for others. Teach your pride to be based on compassion and generosity, Lady Rin, and you will have one less reason to concern yourself about what you are instead of who you are."

[hellpyre]

Of course she started to argue, but his hand silenced her, and her mouth snapped shut noisily. Okay, he had a point. Even Night, being at least a century old if not more still considered herself young in the age of a demon. Fifteen was nothing in comparison.

Or was it sixteen now... ? She couldn't even tell anymore.

She listened to the rest of what he said, finger idly touching at the charm already on her wrist. It didn't feel heavy to her, but she had already stated that exorcists were soldiers in some regards. She, along with her friends (and to some extent her father given his past actions) saved an entire city and the entire population therein. Exorcists weren't just people who dealt with demons - they came to the aid of people who couldn't help themselves.

"I guess that's true... Yuki said when we had our exwire exam that exorcists don't survive on their own. There's a reason they work in teams, rather than alone. And... I wouldn't be alive if not for Dad..."

[yinyangfox]

A slow now was offered in response, understanding keeping the onmyoji's expression placid. She had listened and waited, and it was an improvement over conversations in the past that had involved sensitive subjects. It pleased him to be able to watch her grow.

"Even I have learning to do, Lady Rin. I tried to avoid involving myself in mortal affairs as much as possible, but the demon world is never far from that of men. Had I not allowed myself to accept the friendship and help of a bumbling young noble, I do not honestly believe I would be here now. I may very well have died more than once if not for the help of my friend. And trust that I am by my very nature a prideful creature. It is ever a hurdle I must face. I never wanted to be a soldier - I am far more content drinking tea and sleeping in a sunny spot - but I have done what I must. We all do."

[hellpyre]

The end of the world will do that to even the most stubborn souls, and hers is no exception. She never wanted to be the person people expected her to be just because of her father, but it hadn't been until recently that she had started to gain her confidence back. And with it, of course, an actual smidgen of maturity.

"Yeah well... I didn't want it, either. But it was that or let them kill me. At least choosin' to be an exorcist gave me a chance to deal back some blows to my father and his kind, and help people who actually need it. And... I wouldn't have lasted as long as I did without my friends, either."

Warily, but with a touch more joy than had been in her earlier expressions, she smiled at him.

"It's no different here, for you or me."

[yinyangfox]

"Truer words are seldom spoken," he acknowledged, inclining his head to her. Leaning back on his heels and resting his hands folded in his large sleeves the onmyoji offered a light smile.

"Things seem to be rolling at a surprisingly good pace these days. More people coming into the Bastion, even some of the native folk of this world in particular. Everyone is settling in and being granted the time to discover themselves. I dislike speaking too soon, but perhaps we'll finally have a moment without crisis or cores or any local disaster. Little hammer charm or not, I would rather relax and enjoy recent developments. Speaking of which, perhaps I should use this opportunity to speak with your misguided man of interest?" he asked, smirking faintly and arching a brow slowly.

[hellpyre]

"What, talk to Bon? ... if you want to, I'm sure he's around."

He had a good point - things were calmer and far more stable now, and had been even before the festival. It was a good sign for all of them, and Rin also hoped it continued.

Though she had honestly forgotten about Seimei's offer to speak to Bon.

"Don't see why you couldn't."

[yinyangfox]

"Mhm. Well, I figured while the festivities were in swing it might be a good opportunity. Everyone seems to be in a relatively good mood and he can be a bit...well, I do not think the word surly is entirely accurate, but it is close enough. Prickly, perhaps? Hm. No...not quite."

He tilted his head, arching a brow at the girl before nodding and heading off in search of the tall boy.

"I shall see about speaking with him if I can. I will not interrupt any fun he might be having. No need to be rude."

[hellpyre]

"Rough, I think," Rin corrected. She never really saw Bon as being all that "prickly" because it felt like something that would describe her sister more. Bon just had a lot of rough edges that took getting past to know what he was really like.

Though sometimes she did wonder if she knew him as well as she thought she did...

She shook the thought clear of her head.

"Well uhm. Good luck then!"