And in to the third day... [Day 145]

[bastionmods]

Who: Everyone
Open: Open
When: Day 145
Where: All over the Bastion
What: Day 3 of the festival
Format: Any
Warnings: None


Day 3 - Day of Pleasure and Purpose

The next lamp appears in the Bastion, this time with mirrors on one side. And of course a certain Ura gets to light it.

Oddly enough, there seem to be roses everywhere in the Bastion, almost completely obscuring any of the previous decorations. They're still there, just... buried. Behind bushes, next to vases, under mounds of rose petals. You can't escape it! They won't do anything bad to you, of course, but you might start finding rose petals in your hair, in your pockets, or lingering on your clothes as the day goes by. Mirrors also join the decorations, but besides that, all reflective surfaces (windows and mirrors) will suddenly have clearer reflections, and be decorated in rose borders. Unfortunately this means looking through actual windows will be a mite difficult as you'll see reflections more than you'll see the other side of them.

Today will also be a day of blindfold games! Guess the object! Guess how many are in this box! Place this thing in that thing! All without looking! Prizes will be given out to those who get through these blindfold games - another charm for your bracelet, and maybe two or three shards per win.

Along with these games, there's one big challenge in the center of the Bastion - a giant thorny maze. Should you brave this mess, you'll find twists, turns, awkward corners and areas just barely big enough to walk through. However if you make it to the center, you'll be rewarded with a rose ring. And not just any rose ring. This thing is special! It will allow a user to call upon rose thorn vines that will attack an enemy at will. It is restricted to three times a day on the Skyway, but it will come in very handy, especially for those with no real defensive or offensive capabilities. (That said, if your character manages to get this item and doesn't need it for whatever reason, please be kind and give it to some one who can.)

As day winds in to night, another torch appears, this time with roses. Roses going wild on this lamp. It makes it a little difficult to light, though. And oddly enough, near the gear symbol on this lamp... the roses seem to be withered. Huh.

Dinner gives way in to a sort of "desert" for the evening, a huge selection of cookies in various flavors on tables all over the place, along with tubs of rose petal ice cream that don't seem to melt no matter how long they stay out.

But those cookies are not just any cookies - they are hollow ones. They're backed with a thin indented line down the center of them, and snapping them at this point will reveal that there is paper tucked inside. It will give advice to your character that is shockingly accurate to this person, some how. Regardless of who gets it, the advice will be pertinent to them and really only them. From there you'll be encouraged to take a second piece of paper, write your fears, weaknesses or secrets that you don't wish to tell anyone yet wish to get off your chest and then drop them in a strange mirror-decorated box sitting near the monument. If you do so, you'll find yourself oddly sleeping easier tonight...

This night closes out the same as the previous ones, with stories for the children as the adults relax in to the wee hours of the morning.

Comments

Treat Table

[bastionmods]

[coolerthansora]

[It may not be sea-salt, but it's still ice cream. Roxas is up for trying a new flavor, especially since the scent of roses has been with him all day. His hair seems to have been particularly good at catching rose petals, and he gave up on plucking them out after the first hour.]

[croceamors]

So you've had trouble getting rid of them as well, then?

[Oh hey, it's this guy again. Although... He looks a bit different than usual. Is it the clothes, white pants and a zip up collared vest with a moon on the breast? He's pulled his hair back into a braid too... Definitely a different kind of day for Saix.]

[coolerthansora]

Oh, uh... What?

[This isn't awkward at all after the other day. It takes Roxas a second to realize what Saix is referring to.]

Yeah, they just- keep sticking.

[Hang on a second.]

...did someone braid your hair?

[croceamors]

[Why aren't you just willingly ignoring what happened, Roxas? That's what Saix is doing. It's not important anyway. He's pretty sure on that.]

[Saix crosses his arms and shifts a little bit.]

I did.

[coolerthansora]

[But they were trying to be sexy together... It's weird okay.]

Oh.

It looks, uh. Different.

[He might have said good but see above.]

[croceamors]

[Saix is more embarassed about the pillow fight than the attempts at sexiness, to be honest.]

That's the point. It seemed... fitting.

[coolerthansora]

Fitting?

[Roxas belatedly realizes there's something else strange about Saix's appearance.]

Is that- how you used to dress, before?

[croceamors]

It's similar, yes. I'm surprised. Considering how long ago that was and the fact that I doubt anyone in Radiant Garden would even remember me... this was the last thing I was expecting for a gift.

[coolerthansora]

Maybe it is- a little bit like Christmas. I mean, I think Santa kind of knows what people would like even if they don't write him.

[croceamors]

Well, if we were in Vatheon, it would be getting near to that time, wouldn't it? They say that this time is considered the end of the year as well.

[coolerthansora]

If we were back in Vatheon, it'd be- November 19th, I think.

But I guess it could be different here.

[croceamors]

You'd be surprised at how many places would normally start putting up Christmas decorations that early. But yes- it could be. Vatheon was never to be relied on with time anyway.

[coolerthansora]

What's that supposed to mean?

[croceamors]

When the scientists brought in people for experiments, they were able to disregard the times of their original worlds, weren't they?

[amphibian]

[SWEETS, OH MY GOD SWEETS, Aoi is in food heaven tonight. The physical plausibility of her devouring so many snacks at once is actually kind of dubious, but do you think that's going to stop her? Nope.

It'll be hard to miss Aoi stacking a plate with all of the baked goods available as she rounds the table, especially donuts, and occasionally stuffing some into her face as her plate gets too full. She's heard about the advice cookies and she's taken one of those, too, but it's sitting off to the side—every now and again she'll pick it up, stare at it almost like she expects the line to open up into a mouth and bite her, then put it back.]

[wayofvoice]

[Paarthurnax observes this strange cookie ritual for a while before speaking up where he's curled up nearby.]

Is there something wrong? I was under the impression that humans enjoyed cookies.

[Thanks, Tris.]

[amphibian]

Ehee ooeh iihf ehh— [She holds up one finger and pauses. Excuse her mouth full of pastries. She swallows and tries again.] Any human with any taste likes cookies. ...Do dragons like cookies?

[And then she realizes that she's been performing this strange cookie ritual and that it's probably relevant to the conversation. Still looking somewhat unnerved, she picks up the cookie.] Oh, this? No, it's...supposed to be some kind of magic advice cookie, I think. Not a standard super scrumptious sweet soft sugary one.

[Even she can be made a poet(????) by sweet things.]

[wayofvoice]

Tris once offered me a platter. They were not that which I am used to- [Which tends to be meat, obviously] -but in a pleasing manner.

[Magic advice cookie? That's interesting. He breathes in the smell.]

Does that trouble you?

[amphibian]

Well, yeah! Don't you think that's weird? That some completely normal-looking cookie knows exactly what's wrong with you and how to fix it?

[Talking to a dragon isn't weird at all, though.]

[wayofvoice]

No.

[His world has weirder. So much weirder.]

Besides... Advice is not a solution. It is as it is. Words that may help, should you listen to them, and guide you to a true answer, but not an answer themselves.

[amphibian]

No? Come on, that's, like, the very definition of weird!

...I dunno, that still sounds a lot like an answer. [But she speaks slowly enough that her uncertainty is clear, and she isn't staring at the cookie like it's as much of a threat anymore.] You reeeally don't think food that knows what's wrong with you is weird?

[wayofvoice]

Weirder than the very land rushing towards your very footsteps?

If it would soothe your worries, you may break one for myself and we shall see what is written on it.

[amphibian]

...

Yes. [And she sounds completely serious.]

Well...all right. Yeah, that'd help. Only 'cause you offered!

[Naturally, she takes her time choosing a cookie for him...and decides on the biggest one she can find, one with sprinkles and, of course, frosting. Chest puffed out with pride over her cookie-choosing prowess, she presents the sweet before her and gently cracks it open.

She does her very best to unfold and hold out the paper for him without looking at it, as if she could actually read it anyway.] Tah-daaaaah!

[wayofvoice]

[He leans in as she breaks open the cookie, reading it slowly. It's not in dovahzul, but something anyone could understand.]

[The chains should not be lost, but can be loosened. You are more than power and pride. Seek yourself.]

[It's read once, and then twice, and then Paarthurnax gives a slight nod.]

I see. Words to consider.