jikan_rpg | February | Event: Festival of Lights

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February | Event: Festival of Lights

Festival of Lights↲ OOC Plotting

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As the Lunar New Year celebrations draw to a close, all that remains is Yokohama's famous Lantern Festival. In preparation for this day, hundreds of thousands of lanterns have been carefully crafted and can be seen all over the city of Yokohama.

But while the festivities chiefly involve the culture and traditions of Zhongguo, over the years, many new traditions have risen from Nippon's own unique culture.

Lantern Festival

Held at the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations is the Lantern Festival, meant to both welcome the beginning of springtime, as well as say goodbye to the previous year. While folktales surrounding its origin tend to vary, here in Nippon, it began simply as a way for natives of Zhongguo to share their culture with the people of the East.

Throughout Yokohama, brilliant displays of intricate lanterns can be found on various streets and corners, but the real show is in Zhongguo Town proper. Every street and balcony is lit up with lanterns of all shapes and sizes, and almost everyone is dressed in traditional Zhongguo attire. Join in the festivities while they last!

Tyger, Tyger Kannai, Yokohama
While beings similar to Human and Yokai live throughout the world of Gaia, it's only in Nippon where Yokai are referred to as Yokai. Different nations use different terms, and in Zhongguo, the polite term for a "Yokai-like person" is Yaoguai. And while it may be difficult for the refugees to tell the difference, there is one thing that makes Yaoguai unique: while Nippon's Bakeneko tend to be very small, the Tiger Yaoguai of Zhongguo easily tower over nearly everyone, with some even forced to bow their heads when passing under doorways.

Due to their ubiquitous nature, the Tiger Yaoguai have become something of a staple around Zhongguo Town, and it's not uncommon to see at least one of two lending a hand at the various booths selling food and lanterns for the festival. Especially with just how much of the festivities are organized by a joint organization of immigrants to the East known as the Yaoguai-Yokai-Hanyo Friendship Association.

But despite coming from a land that isn't Nippon, it seems they still have some kind of connection to Kizuna. As such, whenever a refugee interacts with a Tiger Yaoguai in some meaningful way, be it accepting an order of food, complimenting them on their outfit, or purchasing one of their wares -- they'll briefly take on Tiger features. While this is mostly restricted to minor changes such as Tiger ears, a Tiger tail, or Tiger stripes, some may become more extreme, such as craving meat, hiding from crowds, or even pouncing on friends from behind.

But it's all in good fun and totally harmless! Except for those who completely transform into Tigers. Apparently this is a skill Tiger Yaoguai possess. Unfortunately, they'll have no idea how to assist a refugee in turning back, so they'll just have to wait it out.

Babysitter's Club Kannai, Yokohama
Most refugees know the pain of being separated from friends and family, but none feel this more strongly than the children who end up in Nippon. Unlike most refugees, the youngest children are placed in foster homes, and range anywhere from four to twelve years old. And while the native population of Nippon has come to see the Lantern Festival as a romantic holiday, natives from Zhongguo feel this is the most important time to spend with your family.

As such, the Yaoguai-Yokai-Hanyo Friendship Association has organized a "family banquet" for the refugee children, and has asked that adult refugees attend as well. This way, the children may find kinship in those who share the same culture. And as it turns out, a number of them do! Though they may have never met, all refugees who attend will find at least one child at the banquet who comes from the same world as them.

To facilitate this, the banquet hall is divided into dozens of tables, where guests are asked to go around in a circle and share facts and information about their world and culture, in the hopes of bridging gaps between people and making connections. But seeing as just stating facts and trivia gets dull after a while, the children suggest turning it into a game of two truth and a lie instead! And if you guess the lie correctly, there's a candy with your name on it waiting as the prize.

Just remember -- there's children here. So keep the facts kid friendly.

Fun and Games

Whether because of the diversity of the city they love, or because it's an excellent business opportunity, the Port market is running a number of special promotions throughout the festival period, and even for the rest of the month.

But given this is the Port Market, one should exercise caution and make sure to keep their guard up. After all, it may seem like an ordinary business sector on the outside, but the Port Market is Nippon's largest criminal organization, so it's not unheard of for their business schemes to play a little outside the law.

Amusement Parking Lot Port Market Territory, Yokohama
While Zhongguo Town is the center of the festivities, the actual best place for watching the lanterns is the harbor. Past the Port Market itself, a long pier serves as a bridge, connecting the waterfront to a large man-made island. And here sits the Port Market's crowning achievement: Daikokuen, the only floating amusement park in the world.

While not as robust as Osaka's Shinsekai, Daikokuen features a giant ferris wheel, a steam-powered carousel, bumper-boats out on the water, and an underwater elevator to give guests an up close look at some of the sea creatures that reside in the harbor.

The ferris wheel is perhaps the most popular attraction. With fully enclosed gondolas, a glass skylight to view the stars, and a bar offering drinks to patrons before boarding, what could possibly be more romantic? Well, how about bribing the operator to stop the wheel for an extra twenty minutes so riders can join the hundred meters high club?

Thankfully, there's an option to disembark at any point in the ride, provided you have the means of getting down, since the doors don't lock. Or is that just a safety oversight? Well, given how many people want to pause the wheel on the night of the festival, it's better than being trapped inside.

Bounce 'n Flounce Port Market Territory, Yokohama
With couples out enjoying the bright lights and atmosphere, of course businesses are going to take full advantage of this. One such business is offering special couples packages, with an additional price reduction for throuples. And even fourples! That's not a word, of course, but their sign sure says it is!

The deal includes a candelit dinner overlooking the pier, all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink for approximately one hour, and a private "fun cabin" with a skylight so they can view the lanterns floating above as they enjoy some physical intimacy.

Yeah, this one's a scam.

While the dinner is legitimate and reasonably delicious, the view is far from romantic. This is a business pier, so while they can certainly see the water, they'll also see mostly cargo ships and hear the sounds of steam-powered machinery. And not to mention that the water here isn't exactly the cleanest, either. Lovely!

But the biggest rip off of all is the "fun cabin" which is, in fact, an inflatable bouncy house disguised with prop walls to look fancier than it actually is. But hey, if you're into that kind of thing, it could still be a good time!

New Year, New Me

As the evening draws to a close, most will find their way back to Zhongguo Town for festival's finale. Thousands of small lanterns are released into the air, blanketing the sky with tiny lights that slowly fade out of sight as they ascend. And with this, so too do the people say goodbyes to who they were last year, and welcome the new year and their new selves.

Match Made in Love Kannai, Yokohama
While the Lantern Festival has come to have romantic connotations in Nippon, not everyone has a honey to celebrate the holiday with. But that's just fine, because the Yaoguai-Yokai-Hanyo Friendship Association has organized match-making services for the duration of the holiday period, with most matches taking place during the festival.

Ordinarily, match-making is a very traditional affair, often conducted between families rather than individual. However, given that many immigrants from Zhongguo have been unable to see family due to travel restrictions, the customs involved have changed, making it possible for the refugees to take advantage as well for a very low fee! And better yet: it's all for charity! So all the more reason to take part, even if just for fun!

First, participants will be asked to submit a brief profile for the match-maker to go over. Then, couples whose profiles seem to match will be chosen to sit and have tea together, with a list of questions for them to answer or discuss. Should they decide to take the next step, they'll be invited for a romantic stroll through a Zhongguo-themed garden, where the low lighting and soft music will hopefully inspire some romantic feelings...

But seeing as these aren't professional match-makers, sometimes the match-ups will be a little hit or miss. Especially in cases where sexual orientation has not been taken into consideration. Oops? Well, at least it's all for a good cause!

Snack Attack Kannai, Yokohama
Now all of this is well and good, but what about the food? Of course there's no shortage of delicious delectables to munch on over the course of the festival. But by and far, the most popular and classic dish is Tangyuan, balls of glutinous rice flour boiled in soup.

There's a variety of flavors to be found at various stalls, but one stall in particular seems to be the most popular. And it's no secret as to why: the food has been enchanted to contain a number of special effects.

The tangyuan flavored with any variety of fruit cause feelings of giddiness and excitement, causing even grouchy old men to skip on their heels like a child.

Those flavored with osmanthus flowers will act as though heavily inebriated, despite the treats containing no alcohol.

The pumpkin paste tangyuan are enchanted with a basic truth spell, but one out of every ten will instead produce a confession spell, causing them to blurt out facts at random that they may have been keeping a secret.

And finally, the ever popular sesame paste tangyuan is imbued with a love spell that causes those who share a bowl together to temporarily fall head over heels in love. Perhaps it's because this effect only works when a single bowl is shared that explains why it's the most popular...?

All of these effects are carefully detailed and explained on the menu, but only in the fine print. So it's possible a hungry customer may simply choose a flavor without thinking. But not to worry, as the effects are very mild and will wear off within a few minutes... unless you eat the whole bowl. It may take over and hour in that case.

OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's February event! Please direct any questions to the Question Thread in the OOC Plotting post.

• Most Lantern Festival prompts will be ICly held on the 15th, but certain prompts, such as those taking place in the Port Market, will be available all month.

• Children from player character's worlds can be nameless npcs or actual child characters from that character's canon, and may be considered auxiliary-NPCs.

• Bribes for the ferris wheel don't have to be considerable, and don't even have to be money if your character is creative!

• Yes, the bouncy house is soundproof.

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"Mm!"

Cheng doesn't really know why, for certain, but maybe it had something to do with Huaisang. "I have to let you know, the party was a complete success. Wuxian can now have his own space and I have mine."

"Oh? Did you confess? ...Did Huaisang say yes?"

Koro teases, and subconsciously takes a bite out of the tasteless jelly ball.

"No. Not so directly, at least," Cheng admitted, pondering the conversation. "Huaisang has his...shadows and demons. I have mine. We confessed as best as we can. It's good enough."

It was good enough for now, at least.

"That's a start. I'm happy for you." Koro gives Cheng his usual subtle smile, before returning to the tasteless ball he was munching on. He gives a sigh as he stares at the fragrant ball in his hands.

"As expected. Can't taste a damn thing. It's like chewing wax....I think. I don't know how wax tastes either." Koro stares at the ball with sadness in his otherwise stoic eyes. "But such is the life for a demon."

"Why--" His words faded as Koro continued speaking. "You're a demon," he stated, his head tilted curiously. Had he not been under the effects of the enchanted food, he might have had a different response.

"Well, yeah." Koro replies casually, still looking at his glutinous rice ball that he's playing with in his hands.

"I can't taste anything because demons don't eat human food, they sustain themselves with the life force...of...humans..."

Koro's casual face slowly turns into a horrified expression, as if he just realized what he said.

Evidently, Jiang Cheng was graced with a secret. It wasn't... something that was to be revealed, given the other's expression. He pursed his lips, moving to clamp a hand on Koro's wrist in the process as if that would keep him from fleeing.

"Do you kill them?"

[No. No. No no no no no no no no

Cheng wasn't supposed to know. Koro has heard things he's said about demons. And perhaps Cheng might have not been too disgusted by Koro, but when you're in an emotional state, irrational thinking goes out the window.

Koro recalls his last lives. The ones who loved him until they found out, the ones who loved him and still did after knowing, but being executed as a result...

The tortures they went through, the torture he went through... Cheng's question falls on deaf ears. And unfortunately, grabbing his wrist only triggers panic within Koro.

Koro stands up, shaking off Cheng's hand and staring down at him with frantic eyes.]

Forget what I just said. Forget...

[Koro lifts his hand, which begins to glow.]

It's not unlike dealing with a frightened animal. While the sudden rise and movement away from Cheng is startling, he himself doesn't move. He holds his hands up, trying to placate as he drops his voice down.

"Easy. I'm not going to do anything, Koro. I just want to understand."

Things he wouldn't be trying on if he weren't here in this place. His instant reaction would be to go for Zidian.

In a normal situation, Koro would try to relax since Cheng was so calm. After all, it worked with Xingchen.

And yet, something was different. Maybe it's Kizuna at play, messing with Koro's mind, since Xingchen found out right away and hadn't bonded with Koro yet. Meanwhile Koro did bond with Cheng somehow.

Or maybe the effects of the pumpkin tangyuan did more than just make him confess, or perhaps him eating magical food when he was already not meant to eat regular food did something to trigger this very odd behavior, make him overtly anxious.

Whatever it was, it was definitely doing something. Koro, who is usually rational and doing his best not to act without thinking, is trembling with fear, desperate to wipe away Cheng's memory. Xingchen knowing was already too much, but it's too late to erase his memory. And the other humans who have known have left, so Koro doesn't have to worry about them.

All of these reasons, these thoughts, the memories of his past...all are mixing together in his brain and creating an unstable concoction.

"There's nothing to understand. You're not meant to know. Misfortune comes to those who know. I'm only doing this to protect you. It's okay...it's not too unpleasant. There's no pain. You'll just feel some whiplash, and then everything will be back to how it was..."

Koro attempts to slap his glowing palm onto Cheng's head.

He saw the swing and ducked, avoiding the glowing hand. "Koro, it's okay. Really!"

As he ducked, he needed to move to his feet but he doesn't stand up to his full height. It didn't matter that Koro was still the taller one, Cheng decided that trying to be as unintimidating as possible was the best thing to do.

"Why...why are you fighting this? We are wasting time! If-"

"What the hell is happening over here!?"

And just his luck, some samurai that were most likely patrolling the area had heard the commotion happening over at the bench. Of course they're patrolling, there are probably drunks everywhere on this auspicious occasion.

"Hey buddy, you harassing this guy?"

Hah. Haha. Wonderful. Even if Koro could calm down and try to explain, seeing that he's catching attention is only causing him to grow more anxious. More people are going to find out! Koro will be captured...what will they do to him? Exorcise him? Skin him alive first, maybe?

Irrational thoughts swarm Koro's head. He cries out, and his voice has a low, downright demonic reverb in it.

"What the he—" Before the guards could fathom what's happening, Koro slams his palms on both of their faces, and they let out startled yells as they press the heels of their hands into their eyes like they had just been blinded by a bright light. Once Koro steps back and realizes the mess he's caused...he sprints off.

It all happened quickly. He had turned at the sounds of guards and had raised his hands in an attempt to calm everyone down before it got worse. And then it got worse. Before he could get two words out for the guards to stand down, Koro's glowing hands mashed into their faces and the demon was gone. Taking a brief moment in making certain those two were okay, he was off, trying to figure out where Koro had gone.

Nippon was a big place for one man to disappear into.

The guards were fine after a few seconds, standing around in confusion, trying to figure out what it was they were doing, before shrugging off and going back to patrol.

Koro, however, is not fine.

He sprints off, not really thinking about where he's going. He just wants to be alone. To be away. But it seems fate has different plans, as he keeps bumping into other festival goers.

Flash.

Flash.

Flash flash flash.

Each time he erases their memory. Each time his strength drains. It's not long before he's too tired to keep running. Falling to his knees, Koro pants and tries to catch his breath, luckily hiding himself in an alley between two buildings tucked away from the rest of the crowd.

It's not difficult to track the other; just follow the trail of bewildered festival goers. It also wasn't Jiang Cheng's idea of repurposing his Cultivator skills, either. A lifetime ago, he would have hunted the demon down to destroy it. Now? Well, this wasn't home and he wasn't planning on killing anyone. No one here had died by Koro's hand, right? Who was he to dole out justice where none was asked for?

Eventually making his way to where the other was recovering, he slumped down at the mouth of the alley, deciding not to force his way in. "You okay?" were the first words uttered, his tone level and non committal as he waited for a response.

Koro...really put himself in quite a mess. How could a day, which started out so nice, enjoying a moment together with someone who was growing and becoming closer to you, spiral into a disaster within a mere few hours? Koro lets out a quiet demonic wail in anguish that is quickly silenced when he hears Cheng's voice call out to him in the alley.

How?? How did he find him!?

In an extremely weak state, Koro is doing all he could to preserve energy, after flash after flash of stunning and erasing the memories of anyone in his lath for the past half half hour. Unfortunately, it meant his mind was no longer full. His logic and sits gone. Even if Cheng was clearly showing signs of acceptance, all Koro could think about is that Cheng knowing he's a demon will only bring him misfortune. It happened to all the others in the past.

No. Cheng had to forget. It was for the best. One person knowing is already one too many. No one should know.

Forget...forget...forget...

"GRAAAH!!" And so Koro uses all but the very, very last remaining strength he has left to teleport behind Cheng, wrap an arm around his waist, and cover his eyes with a glowing hand. He attempts his hardest to erase as much of Cheng's memory as he could. To go back as far as he could.

But would he succeed? And is it enough?

He hadn't been prepared for the face smash and with a startled cry, is temporarily blinded by the light. Cheng staggers a bit from Koro's grip, mashing the heels of his hands into his eyes as he waited for the light streaks to fade. When he can finally see, he blinks rapidly, and stares at Koro.

"How the hell did we get here? Where the hell is here, anyway? Weren't we in the park?"

Finally. Finally.

Koro is weak. To erase so much memory when a demon has already been going on a memory erasing spree can take so much out of you. But it was worth it. Cheng didn't need to know. He was better off not knowing.

Koro embraces Cheng from behind, as tight as he can in his weak state.

"It's alright...we don't need to worry about it anymore. Let's just...go home. Please."

Cheng turned his head to look back at Koro, his face in a concerned frown. How much energy had he used? When had he last eaten--for a demon, that is? "Okay. Let's get you to your place, alright? You look like a water abyss tried to drown you at least a dozen times."

During the walk, he kept close, his mind awhirl in trying to figure out how to help his friend. His demon friend. Didn't stuff like this happen to Wuxian? Why was it happening to him? And when did he decide it wasn't all that big a deal, either? Nippon, or whatever they liked to call this place...it had changed him. Beyond the physical attributes. Cheng pushed that thought aside to deal with later as that wasn't as important as taking care of Koro. Offering a comforting smile, he helped the other trudge back to his own place. He'd have a plan of action by then, wouldn't he?

"I feel like it, too." Koro responds with a breathy voice, labored.

They walk for a while, Koro doing his best not to put too much of a physical burden on Cheng. But boy was it difficult at times.

"Is Yoshiwara...far from here?"

If he's burdened at all, he doesn't show it. In fact, he bolsters the other easily enough. Cheng hums for a moment as he looks around, finally turning them to the right.

"Not much farther. Hang on a little longer, okay?"

"Okay..."

Koro clings tightly. He does his best to ease off some of the weight from Cheng, but even that's hard to keep up.

"When we arrive... don't leave me."

He didn’t turn his head, but he did shift his eyes temporarily to the other. How many times had he wanted people not leave him, yet they did anyway? “I won’t leave you,” he responds calmly, heading towards the neighborhood where Koro resided.

Once in the abode, he makes certain that Koro is comfortable before he sits at the other’s bedside. Cheng had made his decision some time ago-it was simply a matter of trying to execute it properly. Smiling slightly, he reached out to take Koro’s hand, covering it with his other one.

“I’m not as good as Xichen but… how does this energy stuff work? I can offer it like other cultivators do, but would it be effective for you?” He turns Koro’s hand over, placing his fingers over the inside of the other’s wrist, ready to offer his own qi to the demon.

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February | Event: Festival of Lights

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