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Consort Jing, Lin Xinyao [林訢瑤] ([personal profile] tranquilforest) wrote in [community profile] acatalepsy_logs2018-07-07 09:37 pm

SUMMER FESTIVAL: TEMPLE OF BEGINNINGS



It’s something like summer here at the Temple of Beginnings, or close enough to it. The weather’s been rainy and hazy for the past little while, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find some way to enjoy ourselves, right?

The day dawns cloudy and drizzly, but people seem determined to carry on anyway. The space slowly takes recognizable shape as a festival, even if a small one. There are tents set up outside, some of which are transformed into game opportunities, complete with prizes (some of an...interesting nature), surprisingly sophisticated target shooting games, ring toss, and other activities of skill and chance. A few more become stations for the food and drink that had been prepared, and the rest consist of chairs under canopies for people to sit and talk in case the rain continues.

Luckily, as the day goes on, the rain stops and the clouds move on, until the blue of the sky is visible once again. By early afternoon, there are only a few scattered clouds still remaining, and it seems likely that the weather will hold true for the evening. Strings of paper lanterns and other decorations are brought out and hung between the different stalls, around the makeshift stage, and placed at the tables. Some pots of bamboo are brought out and set in two clusters at either end of the line of tents. Each cluster has a corresponding table with strips of colorful paper and pens laid out carefully on a table and weighted down with rocks to prevent them from flying off.

A handful of figures come out and inspect the set-up, focusing especially on a shallow ditch that had been dug earlier, now drained and lined with weighted down tarp and rocks, running parallel to the tents and curving to end abruptly just beyond the fire pit and the stage at both ends. After some discussion between them, there is a flash of flame, as though something were burning, and then the strangest thing happens. The ditch fills with fresh, clear water. Even after a few hours, the water doesn't drain away or grow stagnant, still flowing somehow despite having nowhere to come from or go to.

The sunset that day is a brilliant, auspicious red, and evening sets in with a cooling breeze refreshing everyone outside. As the first stars appear, the lanterns are set alight, the music starts, and the first performer steps out onto the stage, surrounded by floating light.



SUMMER FESTIVAL
Welcome to the summer(ish) festival for Astoria’s Circle! We hope you have a wonderful time.

Layout
Even from the buildings that are actually being lived in, the lights of the festival are visible. If you strain your ears just a bit, you may even hear some music being played in the distance, muffled by the stone walls. Why don’t you come join in?

Once arriving at the festival itself, you may be struck first by how bright it is. Light seems to be a theme, from the bonfire set up in one of the firepits closest to the rest of the complex, the lanterns strung up between the tents and stalls that are set up in a line leading from the other buildings towards the gated sparring area that you may already have availed yourself of. Just in front of that area is a makeshift stage, little more than a raised platform of wood and stone, also lit up well by additional lanterns.

Opposite the tents is the river.

It might not seem that exciting at first. It’s hardly a river, really, just a shallow trench of water about seven feet wide and one foot deep, lined with rocks along the bank closest to the tents, stretching in a not quite parallel path opposite the stalls and tents that have been set up, beginning at the stage and ending near the bonfire. The water is crystal clear and clean, and murmurs as if it is flowing from some unseen source, but it’s not clear where it is coming from at all. As the night goes on, and more people take the opportunity to make floating paper lanterns at the station located close by, the little stream itself lights up, the water reflecting the lights, and just beyond, the stars in the sky.



EVENTS:

Sign-in
While definitely not mandatory, in the direct path from the living quarters to the festival itself, there’s a table set up with sheets of paper and writing utensils where you can sign-in. Let us know (ICly!) who you are. Maybe add a fun fact about yourself. Or draw doodles all over the pages. Whatever floats your boat.

Wishes

As is traditional in the home countries of some members of the Circle, there are some bamboo trees in pots set up on either side of the little river, and tables close by with colored strips on loops of string and pens. Write down a wish, or anything you’d like, really, and hang it from the bamboo. Or, browse the bamboo yourself and see if you find anything interesting. Later on after midnight, they’ll be burned for luck!

Games
You’ll find the usual games in the various stalls, some with a decidedly cobbled together look, using what materials were available at the temple, and some with a little more sophistication, thanks to the particular gifts of those within the Circle. Try your hand at shooting a target, a game of chance, or take over a stall yourself and introduce your fellow Circle members to something you used to play at home. There may or may not be prizes involved, depending on which stall you find yourself at.

Food
You’ll find your usual fair fare, though with a decidedly cosmopolitan flair. The foods themselves are somewhat limited by what was easily obtainable within the Temple itself (or improvised), and some Circle members may have contributed decidedly experimental dishes. It really is a potluck, so take a look and see what interests you! Strike up a conversation with your fellow diners as you pick up your food and then find a table to sit at, but keep in mind that most of these are home made by others here, so the cook may be close by, listening…

Performance
What’s a festival without any entertainment? In addition to the music being played on speakers in the background by our very capable DJ, there is also a stage where you can show off your gifts. In addition to singing or other traditional performances, this is an opportunity to demonstrate any interesting abilities or gifts you might have, including new ones you may have gained upon arriving at the Temple! There is an additional sign-up sheet near the stage, so write your name down and what you plan to perform, and we look forward to seeing what you can do.

Bonfire

It’s a really big fire. Enough said (hopefully). Sit and relax, or chat with those around you. If you’re lucky, there may even be some additional entertainment. At a little after midnight, the bamboo bearing the wishes will be burned here and the festival closed for the night.

Lanterns
If you’d like to give it a try, there’s a small station set up where you can make your own lantern out of paper! You can choose from one that floats in the air or on the water (or both, no one’s policing this). Make your own design, and let it fly aloft or float on the water with the other lanterns, chat with others who are working, or just settle down by the water and watch the lanterns and the stars.


**If your character (even if you were just accepted!) would like to participate in the set-up for the impromptu festival at any point, or just wander around and ask what’s going on, please feel free! All the set-up would have been occurring in the space between the TDM and this post. If your character would like to handwave having helped set up, this post is also an option!

(( Set Up: OutdoorsSet Up: IndoorsSign-InBamboo WishesGamesFoodTablesPerformancesBonfireLanternsClean-Up ✧ or your own!))
flyingsolos: Pixiv ID: 9764 (Just an ordinary girl)

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-09 12:04 am (UTC)(link)
[ He can stare at her all he wants, because Rion is going to stare right back, undaunted. She's proud of who she is-- what she is.

Although admittedly, it is nice to talk to someone about this sort of thing. ]


I trained at an agency. I debuted with a unit three years ago. We're at five members now.
annoyings: (lighten up: everything's bad if you)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-09 12:17 am (UTC)(link)
[ huh.

though he doesn't relax a little, he nods, the universal sup nod of understanding. idol solidarity. ]
Five's the same size as mine. It gets pretty annoying with all of those obnoxious personalities together...
flyingsolos: (You think I'm gorgeeeeeoous)

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-09 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
What, no cute kouhais?

[ Dang. Sure, she and Reika argued, but her unit is precious. ]
annoyings: (things haven't been going well the)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-09 12:50 am (UTC)(link)
[ he doesn't quite laugh, but the scoff is pretty close to it. ] "Cute".

[ air quotes included. ] More like cheeky. [ tsukasa "i'm going to start a duel without telling you guys" suou and arashi "i'm prettier than you and gonna snipe your modeling jobs" narukami ]
flyingsolos: (That cute inscrutability)

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-09 04:56 am (UTC)(link)
Well, cheeky can be fun too. What are the rest of your members like?
annoyings: (my problems are a lot more important)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-09 02:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Annoying. [ izumi. ] It's two third years, two second years and a first year. One of the second years is my age, but he was held back because he didn't do his work.

[ if that gives her any idea of what they're like... ] We're called Knights, with a chess theme.
flyingsolos: (Ooh are we gonna cause a scandal?)

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-09 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
... So which one's the queen?

[ Rion barely knows chess, but who doesn't know that? ]
annoyings: (lighten up: everything's bad if you)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-09 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Naru-kun--Narukami Arashi, who's here. Always talking about how she wants to be everyone's [ airquotes ] "Oneechan", or whatever. I gave up asking questions about it.

[ because (and you guessed it) it's annoying. ] There's a king, queen, knight, bishop and rook.
Edited (fucks up my own canon) 2018-07-09 23:53 (UTC)
flyingsolos: (The girly equivalent of "yare yare")

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-10 12:10 am (UTC)(link)
I mean, I kind of admire the devotion to the name scheme...

[ although it also seems a little hardcore. ]
annoyings: (can kiss the business end of my ass)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-10 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
I guess. It's mostly just symbolism for our costumes. [ he has a bishop piece dangling from a couple of his different idol costumes, even. ]

Besides, where I'm from, most units need a theme. You need something to stand out besides just talent. That's show business.
flyingsolos: (Did you just admit something dere?)

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-10 12:55 am (UTC)(link)
It's that competitive where you are?

[ Like sure it's a thing in the idol industry, but... ]
annoyings: (and by this i mean)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-10 12:57 am (UTC)(link)
I don't know if you've ever heard of Yumenosaki, but it's one of the top idol courses in the country for boys. Calling it cutthroat doesn't even begin to cover it.

[ he shrugs a shoulder. ] If you aren't the best, you're crushed underfoot. Period.
flyingsolos: (Wait the disguise DIDN'T work?)

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-10 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
[ ... she... hasn't heard of it, but she's going to chalk it up to it being an idol course for boys. Nothing she would have been able to participate in, so it's fine. ]

Sounds... cozy.

[ Sure. ]

So why'd you go for a place like that? Because of its reputation?
annoyings: (oh my recipe's not good enough for you?)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-10 02:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Exactly.

[ because he's an ambitious little twerp, really. ] I quit modeling to be an idol full-time, there's not a chance I was going to halfass it.
flyingsolos: Pixiv ID: 9764 (Just an ordinary girl)

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-10 11:00 pm (UTC)(link)
You definitely have the face for it, though...

[ Rion is not all that shy, though she's not wording it flirtatiously either. ]

What made you decide to switch fields?
annoyings: (you couldn't be more wrong)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-11 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
...Someone important to me made a stupid decision, so I made a better one to show him the right way. [ that's... one way to put that, sena. he gets weirdly intense for a second there, but backs off with an overdramatic sigh. ]

I still do gravure often, though. My agent practically begged to get me back, and it means I can get shoots for my unit, too. Naru-kun's a model, as well, so it benefits all of us.
flyingsolos: (It was a GOOD seedy place!)

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-12 12:00 am (UTC)(link)
You're pretty dedicated to your work, huh? That's impressive.

[ Rather, she can appreciate it, even if their reasons for joining the idol industry are clearly different. ]
annoyings: well that's your problem. (if me brushing my hair w/ a rare)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-12 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Of course I am. Any idol worth their salt is. Anyone who doesn't will just sink to the bottom of the barrel.

[ ruthless as ever, but... he's always had to be. ]
flyingsolos: Pixiv ID: 267130 (Oh shit oh snap)

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-12 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Uwaaah... someone's cutthroat.
annoyings: (oh you think i need to reconsider?)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-13 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Naturally. I don't have any weaknesses to show.

[ Sounds Fake But Okay ] The idol business isn't as bad as the modeling one, but that doesn't mean I'm softening up any.
flyingsolos: (The girly equivalent of "yare yare")

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-13 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
And does the hardcore model idol have a name?

[ Oh, boy. ]
annoyings: (make long hissing noises)

[personal profile] annoyings 2018-07-13 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
It's Sena Izumi. Call me whatever you like. [ except izumi-chan... pls, ]
flyingsolos: (Oh you and your Scooby gang)

[personal profile] flyingsolos 2018-07-13 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Sena-san, then. I'm Kugayama Rion.