The Festival of Flowers

[ateratmods]

Who; EVERYONE
What; The Flower Festival!
Where; The Circus Complex
When; 5/23 - 5/29
Warnings; None! Please warn if your individual thread would typically require a content warning.

It’s a beautiful day week in the neighborhood! With the dawn on Sunday, 5/23, it becomes apparent what everyone has been preparing for. Many merchant stalls common to the market have relocated to the circus complex for the week, streets and parks throughout the city have been decorated with the finest fresh flowers of the season. There is laughter and music wherever you travel. Yes, to spite some of the darker events of recent days, the city is awash with the celebration of life! The real party is found in the Circus Complex and the surrounding park, though. Here can be found all the trappings of a spring festival: flowers, music, dancing, singing, food. Everyone is in high spirits (and there’s plenty of those to go around, too)!


THE FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS

Days in the park have never been as lovely in anyone's memory. Flowers of hundreds of colors line the paths and fill the fields. Minstrels have set up shop in various areas of green and vibrant colors, with baskets ready for coin. Children and adults alike, crowned with flower crowns at the entrance to the park, whirl in time with the music, and all is merry. Oh, and that flower crown? Yeah, you've all got one too. It seems it's required to even enter the park itself, or the Circus Complex. People are there, ready to greet you with a smile, a warm hello, and a party favor in the form of a woven crown. They come in a variety of colors, strangely coinciding with the color of your home apartment building and key, whatever that might mean.

The longer they're among the flowers, though, the less mysteries like the colors of the crowns seem to matter. The pollen of the flowers has a calming effect on anyone who smells them for long, and the more time spent in the park amid all the blooms the more likely someone is to want to participate. There are stickball games, frisbee, hopscotch, and even a game or two of soccer being played in the more open areas.

There's food to be found here as well, all kinds of food. There is roasted meat on sticks, pretzels and other bread easily carried while wandering, sweets, and just about any sort of spring fare you can imagine! It isn't just limited to the park, either. There are street vendors in every available spot in the Circus complex.

CHOCOBO BREEDERS WANTED

The big draw at the Circus itself, the building roughly 200 meters long which houses the track on which the great birds are raced in summer, is the Chocobo Breeders Forum. Breeders from far beyond the walls of the city, in the great expanse of plains, have brought their birds for view. Investors mill about, investing coin in promising future racers and some of the more divine birds anyone in Aterat has ever seen are on display. If you've accrued a bit of coin, you can even take ownership of a newly hatched chick, but those who do so should be warned: they aren't pets. These creatures will grow rapidly in the next 6 months or so into an 8-foot tall land bird with a voracious appetite for greens and an affinity for stealing sparkly things and hiding them.

Several breeders do have stalls in their stables for rent, though, and are more than willing to let them out to fellow breeders. They'll even give you lessons on how to train your new friends to ensure your bonds are strong, whether you plan on using them as beasts of burden, travel companions, or competitively.

(OOC: If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask)

GLADIATORS WANTED

Not to be outshown by overgrown birds, the Arena in the Circus Complex is also working to coax combatants into the frey. You see, next month it seems starts the season, advertisements suggest and callers near the gates attest. They call to anyone passing by who seems they could hold their own in a fight to join a trial match while they're visiting. The Arena has weapons at their disposal, should they have neglected to bring their own, and there are prizes based on crowd approval. The crowd bets of favorites, you see, and a portion of the prize fund goes to the winning combatants. You're able to compete in groups, duos, or singles, and the prizes are better the more challenging the fight.

These fights can be against NPC opponents, friendly matches between other visitors, or even against monsters!

(OOC: If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ASK)

FOR VISUAL REFERENCE

Comments

Harry Dresden | OTA

[harrythelizard]

FLOWERS | OTA

Flowers really weren’t his shtick. Sure, he enjoyed ruffing it out in the wilderness just as much as the next big manly man, but Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden did not know the difference between a carnation and morning glory. Oh, he was aware they were two different flowers, sure, but he was not 100% sure which was which. He was an old-fashioned type of guy, though, so when he had realized exactly how much he had screwed up with Ivy he decided to bring her some flowers along with maybe asking if she’d like to have dinner with him. Not as a date, of course, absolutely not, but as a means to make it up to her.

Only, flowers had a lot of meanings and while he didn’t know Ivy well enough to know whether or not she’d even know what any of them meant, he didn’t want to screw that up on the off chance she did understand the meanings of different flowers. And so, he stands at a flower booth, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, emerald-green flower crown askew atop his head, managing to look both surly and confused in equal measure while not asking which flowers you should give as an apology. Because he can figure this out damn it.

“Why aren’t these labeled?”

It was a question posed to himself rather than anyone around, but it’s muttered loud enough to be heard.

FOOD | OTA

All that flower shopping worked up an appetite, though, and it wasn’t long before Harry found his way to the food stalls near the circus. Even with his height, it was easy to get lost in the throng of people milling around, chatting, laughing, and generally enjoying the warmer weather and the prospect of renewal that spring brings. It was hard, also, not to get wrapped up in it. Things like this just didn’t happen in Chicago or any of its surroundings, at least not in the last 200 years.

This was a real, honest to God, medieval festival and he was damn well going to enjoy it. In fact, it wasn’t long before he was helping himself to a large roasted turkey leg at a table, nursing a mug of ale along with it that made him homesick for Mac’s home brew. “Mac would love this place.” He spoke around a full mouth like a heathen, more to himself than anyone else. “As much as Mac loves anything.”

He swallowed heartily before setting his food down on the plate he’d been given atop the picnic table at which he’d had a seat and pulled out a notebook. “Thomas would think this place reeks, though.” The comment brought a smile to his face as he started to make some notes and just enjoy the atmosphere.

So the mighty wizard talks to himself when he thinks no one’s listening. So what?

CHOCOBOS | OTA

Curiosity got the guy down by the chocobo stables, the makeshift area where breeders were showing off their stock, and some were available for adoption? Harry didn’t now if he wanted to be responsible for an animal, mostly because he had no idea how to take care of a chocobo, though the ranchers around were promising lessons. And room and board, and damn if they weren’t adorable.

There was a smell to the animals that was both alien and familiar, mostly because he’d been around them so much in the city, and there was a particular chick, small enough to fit in his pocket, paler than the others, clamoring over its clutch-mates to get closer to him as he watched.

The wizard crouched down, smiling to spite himself.

“Well, hey there, little fella.” It trilled a happy greeting in response. “Feisty, aren’t you?”

Food of Course

[unbreakable_king]

"You know, I have often felt it was better to converse with company," Rhy said.

He of course assumed he recognized Harry. He didn't think there was a reason for Harry to not know him. The man moved to sit at the table, balancing a cup of tea, smiling at the other man.

"My greetings to you."

[harrythelizard]

Harry looked over, grinning before he even stood to offer a hand.

"I heard you were around, however the Hell that happened. Have a seat, Rhy."

[unbreakable_king]

Rhy smiled and settled down with help. He wanted some food too, but for now it would be this.

"I'm glad my reputation continues to proceed me," Rhy smiled. "And I'm glad to see you as well. I didn't know there were three of us here."

[harrythelizard]

"Four, actually. Ivy's around here, too." And while he wasn't exactly on the best of terms with her at the moment, she was still around and she still remembered the Sphere. "Weird, right?" He motions to the bench across from him.

"Have a seat, I'll get you a beer."

[unbreakable_king]

"I do not know an Ivy," Rhy admits, shrugging. So he didn't know that he could really comment on her.

"This is quite weird. I thought perhaps Llewellyn and I were here because of our marriage bonds, but now I do not know. I cannot fathom the minds that bring us."

[harrythelizard]

"Oh, well, she was stuck in the Sphere with us, too." He paused, realizing that wasn't something Watts had precisely said. "...you remember the Sphere, right? Otherwise this is going to get awkward pretty fast."

"Maybe it's unfathomable for mere mortals." Or maybe it's something way more contrived. That was not a comforting thought.

[unbreakable_king]

"Of course I remember the Sphere," Rhy agreed, offering Harry a nod. "Though I suppose I should well tell you that Llewellyn and I are choosing a more simple life here. No one needs to know of my heritage, if you ever learned it, or of the roles I played there. I am not hing more than an apprentice tailor and newly married younger man."

Because he really was young, compared to Harry or Llewellyn. But he didn't mind. He had plenty of life experience.

"Ah, mortality... I don't think I wish to test if I possess it once more."

[harrythelizard]

"No one should ever want to test it, either way." He chuckled, though, nodding. "Not running for mayor, huh?" He couldn't blame the guy, even though he got the impression this place didn't run on any semblance of democracy...or any sort of government for that matter. That was disconcerting.

Maybe the Aspects were in charge of all that.

"So that's it, huh? Tailoring?"

Flowers!

[gadaboutdetective]

Llewellyn was still picking some blooms out to take home with him later that day when he heard a familiar voice nearby that also sounded rather troubled…

Whether anyone was expected to answer or not, the detective moved over to look at the flowers Harry was currently focused on with a look that he could only describe as ‘lost’ if he had to say… “Labels? I presume they’re expecting people to just pick what they like, or uh— perhaps to inspire us to ask for assistance for specifics to get to know people better.” That did often seem to be a reason for these gatherings in other worlds. Maybe not the only reason, but still a reason.

Reaching out to pluck at some lavender, he lanced up at his friend as he continued. “Are you looking for something in particular, Harry?” If anyone can help with the meanings and what might be a good, old-fashioned ‘I’m sorry’ gift? It was him. Well… As long as Ivy’s world didn’t have an entirely different system than his did.

[harrythelizard]

"Watts! Stars and freakin' Stones, man. It's good to see you." Watts knew a lot of random junk about random junk, and if anyone could help him with a completely stupid male problem, it was going to be the Canadian. He ran a hand back over his hair, mussed as it was from what was clearly already a lot of deliberation.

"I...wanted to get some flowers to apologize for being a stupid man."

[gadaboutdetective]

Llewellyn’s expression shifted to something more than a little curious, one brow arching at the statement. Harry, what did you do…?

“It’s good to see you too, though being a ‘stupid man’ is a rather vague reason to be sorry. In my experience that covers any number of possible blunders.” He responded with a wry grin, looking to the flowers with more purpose now. He’d help, because he knew just the thing that Harry would need in this situation, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t want details. He was a nosy man, after all. Also stupid in very specific ways depending on the situation. “What specific aspect of ‘stupid man’ did you cover, and with who?”

[harrythelizard]

If Watts were to ask, Harry wouldn't actually know the right answer. He knew he defended his ability to take care of himself if Ivy were to lose her ability to control herself. He knew that had not been the right thing to say, but otherwise, he had no idea what had gone wrong. Only that she'd stalked off to take a nap, leaving him feeling like a piece of shit.

"It's personal? I don't know how much Ivy wants me to tell people. All I know is I said something wrong, struck a nerve, she left and I haven't seen her since."

[gadaboutdetective]

Ivy… Of course. Llewellyn wasn’t really surprised to hear that it was her. Perhaps he should have tried to look a little more surprised, but some things she’d said to him about Harry had made him suspect a few things about the two. They were both his friends, and so that meant he paid a little more attention. “Ivy seems to have a lot to worry about and a lot that she seems to carry by herself.” He responded with a small frown, beginning to pick flowers with more purpose than before.

Yes, he was going to put extra effort into this. “But! In that case, a general apology bouquet wouldn’t be amiss if you’re getting her flowers, anyway.” He added, humming a little as he grabbed hyacinth ‘to ask forgiveness,’ bluebells for ‘humility,’ peony for ‘bashfulness,’ and a few olive branches ‘to ask for peace.’ He mumbled to himself as he picked them out, so Harry could get a general idea of what it all was.

The traditional Victorian apology special, as some might call it.

“Mmm… Right— Hold these a moment.” He held them out for Harry, expecting the man to take them without really thinking or waiting to see if he would.

Hope you can catch, Harry.

Llewellyn was focused, and looking for one last thing that was necessary.

[harrythelizard]

"Yeah, she does." And it was when he tried to help her with it that she shut down on him and started avoiding him. Well, maybe she wasn't avoiding him exactly, but he hadn't seen her, even a trace of her, around their shared building since they first arrived. It sure looked like avoidance.

To his credit, Harry only fumbled slightly when Watts shoved the flowers in his arms and he clenched his jaw against the sudden assault on his nostrils from all the pollen in the various blooms.

"So...you've got an idea, then?"

[gadaboutdetective]

And Harry didn’t even have to worry about Llewellyn catching sight of his slight fumbling with the flowers. The detective sometimes got tunnel vision when he was on a mission of some sort, and right now that mission was making sure his friend had something to give to Ivy. “I do, yes…” he responded reaching past the flowers for the wrappings and a selection of ties to secure whatever flowers someone intended to purchase. “I’ve got a knack for languages? So floriography was always a bit fascinating to me…”

A bit weird, he knew, but the way he connected things and jumped around had made sense to him at the time. Then he actually started to have reasons to use it in a practical manner in the last world he’d been in, and now he was focusing on it a little more in this one(and the next random jump had been to gardening in general).

Finally he snagged a length of braided blue cloth from the selection and reached over to take the flowers from Harry as easily as he’d handed them to the wizard. “I made a few bouquets at the sphere for friends and Rhy... But! This will be my first apology bouquet. Hopefully, it will be well received…” He added with an awkward grin, starting to arrange the blooms.

Food

[neurotoxicity]

This place wasn't large enough to avoid someone completely, especially when you lived in the same building. Still, Ivy had done a decent enough job of keeping her interaction with Harry to a minimum since their initial meeting upon arrival. Though, in all fairness, she'd been avoiding just about everyone. Which, in turn, had left her rather...hungry for things beyond your normal food staples. Ultimately that had resulted in her doing something that had only made her more inclined to avoid people she actually knew. Of course there were other reasons to avoid Harry in particular, mostly in line with how strangely attractive he was to her. Whether or not that was just because of how he smelled or because of who he was as a person was...well, that was complicated. It was always complicated. The line between bloodlust and actual interest was intensely blurred for someone like her.

Either way, she had to come out eventually and so she did. It was towards the late afternoon when she wandered through the crowds at the festival. She'd really just intended to grab something to eat when she heard Harry speaking to...nobody? Himself? With his mouth full. At least there was no chance of attraction there. There was an amused look on her face as she watched him for a second and then she shook her head.

"Looks like you're not having trouble fitting in."

[harrythelizard]

Well, this was decidedly not how he wanted to see Ivy again. He'd wanted to see her again, yes, to apologize and to try to make up for being a blundering moron (which may be impossible but damn it if he wasn't going to try). It was with supreme grace, then, that he choked on what he was swallowing rather than actually speak. Behold, the all-powerful wizard in his natural environment.

After finding his breath, he laughed, both at the tears in his eyes at his choking and at himself for being such a doofus as to let someone saying hello startle him that much.

"Uh, yeah. I guess so." He slid his plate and mug aside. "Do you...want to have a seat?"

[neurotoxicity]

There was a sensual smooth quality to her movements as she came a bit closer, chuckling slightly as he tried to recover from shoving food in his mouth. At least she couldn't say that the situation wasn't comical. Though, she couldn't help but wonder why he was so...nervous? Was that what she smelled? No, that wasn't something she needed to think about too much. Just continue on the conversation as normally as possible.

"I didn't mean to startle you," she said with a silky voice that didn't even try to hide the fact that she did in fact intend to startle him. If she'd known his reaction would be like this she'd have done the exact same thing. "Are you sure I wouldn't be interrupting." She hesitated for a second before sitting down and folding one leg over the other in a fluid motion. Truthfully she probably shouldn't have sat down, but she couldn't help herself.

[harrythelizard]

He did his best to swallow what remained of his food with as much grace as he could muster. Anyone with any knowledge of the wizard, of course, would know he could conjure as much grace and charm as a Texas longhorn on a city bus, but he figured he should get at least some credit for trying.

"You didn't," which was a lie and obvious to anyone. Harry was a terrible liar. He did shake his head, though. She wasn't interrupting anything at all, though he was surprised she'd decided to actually take his invitation. "How have you been?" It was a lame question, but he still felt like a dirt bag.

[neurotoxicity]

"I did," she said with the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. It wasn't much of a smile and it was brief enough to easily be missed. Still, it was something to lighten the mood and obvious awkwardness he felt. The awkwardness was...cute. No, stop that Ivy. Don't think of who it reminds you of or that it was almost cute. That was a bad path to go down. "You're a terrible liar. I'll have to remember that." It was a good thing to take note of.

She titled her head and gave a shrug. "Existing." It was an accurate way to describe how she felt. "Yourself?" Well, wasn't this a polite and boring conversation?

[harrythelizard]

"That's me, Honest Dresden." After all the bad that had been done over the years due to his lies of omission, he tried really hard not to lie to people, but sometimes that either came with its own downfall or it was required in the first place. He offered her a lopsided grin regardless, because it was really just his usual grin and he was glad she was sticking around.

"Existing, huh? That...could mean a lot of things." He looked around at their surroundings before responding. "Getting to know the place, or at least as much as we can. I kind of get the feeling a lot of it can't be trusted, at least to know what it actually is." He realized that probably sounded weird.

[neurotoxicity]

"I guess that'll be what I call you from now on." Was she teasing? Maybe. Maybe not. Her expression didn't change to indicate either way, though her tone did seem vaguely amused.

"It can mean whatever you'd like it to," she gave him a hint of a smirk. "Learned anything?" Somehow she really doubted he had. It seemed like a lot here was just knowns or only part of a piece was known. "You really are paranoid, aren't you?"

@ food

[canaria]

“This seat free?” Sara asks in an accent something like Northern Californian, boldly sitting down by him anyway (her posture also sucks in that she's sitting on the bench with her back towards the table as she leans against it slightly) — if the stranger wants her to move, she will. She has her own mug of ale in hand, taking a swig of it like a woman who's way too experienced in outdrinking people who underestimate her petite blonde figure (she may be 5'6'', but look... her dad was a cop, she's a trained assassin, not to mention been at too many college frat parties in her younger days).

[harrythelizard]

Harry didn't mind the company, and this was a new face. Granted, a lot of people around here were new faces to him, seeing as he hadn't been around too long himself. He shook his head at her question, allowing himself to take in what he could about her from her appearance. She had a lot of confidence, that was clear, and wasn't used to getting told no, but that could either be due to her being a very capable woman or a very beautiful one. Either was valid. She carried herself in a way that said she wasn't scared to face something, no matter what it was, and that sort of confidence didn't come from another other than experience. This woman could handle herself.

"Be my guest. I'm still working on meeting people." He inclined his head in her direction, offering his free hand in greeting. "Harry Dresden." He looked toward her face without meeting her eyes, a skill that was more difficult than one would think. "Nice to meet you."