aterat | The Festival of Flowers

Entry tags:

The Festival of Flowers

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

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Embarrassment or not, he couldn’t help the small infectious laugh that escaped him at Rhy’s delight. The ducks undisturbed by the sound as they moved about, their beaks nudging at shoes to get at the seed waiting for them. Alright, it had been an accident, but now at least Rhy got to see their feathered friends a little closer.

The comment gets another small laugh. “Oh, I can assure you I was quite the disaster without you to keep me grounded.” That was conveyed lightheartedly, but it also wasn’t entirely different from the truth.

They truly were lovely little friends, were they not? Rhy smiled at the way the little feathered bodies moved and nibbled at things, including his pants leg.

"You're no disaster, you're a delight."

“And you are too good to me, dear.” Llewellyn responded, pressing a small kiss to the other’s cheek. His attention on their little feathered friends was really something, it made him wonder what else he could show his love that he would enjoy. “I think that one has decided it likes your choice in fashion.” He added, gesturing to one that was nibbling away.

Rhy looked down and jerked his pant leg back. How horrid. And he didn't like that at all.

"What a silly little creature. It's not that tasty."

He stifled a little chuckle, a playful rise of his brow at his husband. “Mm… I don’t know, Rhy. Perhaps your good taste in clothing is more literal than we could know.” Llewellyn was of course making one of his rarer attempts at a joke, but he can’t help it. The atmosphere, their moods, it seemed fitting to make the attempt.

The duck at least seemed deterred for the moment, quaking up at Rhy as though vaguely offended before it waddled over for some seed. So at least he’d have peace for the moment.

Good taste in... Rhy has to laugh there because it's so silly and wonderful to hear it put like that. He even leans against his husband a bit as he laughs.

"Maybe you're in bad taste."

He tugged the other in close as he leaned against him, pressing a little kiss to his cheek. There really was nothing he loved more than to hear that laugh, and he smiled impishly at the comment. “Am I? You’ve never told me. That seems like something I should be made aware of. However would you put up with me if I was?”

"I'm good at creating good taste," Rhy laughed. "So give me time and you will be better."

“Ah, so I’m a project? A work in progress.” He responded with a little chuckle, nudging the other lightly. “Well, you have proven to be quite capable and I’ve… enjoyed trusting myself in your hands.” Llewellyn hummed before looking down at the ducks again. This was good, lovely, and he was glad for this day. That they could share it and do so happily and freely was something he would cherish.

"I'm a king, beloved. My job is always to improve the lot of those around me. Otherwise I fail my duty."

Though he did try to hide that now. Maybe he could jsut focus on improving himself and his husband. For their own sake.

"Shall we find somewhere to sit and feed the ducks more?"

“Well, as far as I can see? It is a job you’ve been doing well with me.” He responded with a soft smile. Llewellyn knew his husband was keeping his old life to himself here, and he respected the decision. They had too much of their private lives spread about in the last world they lived, and if Rhy wanted to do things differently here, then he would support that. As it was, his husband encouraged him to try to pursue things he wanted when needed it in return.

It was new, but nice… He nodded a moment later. “We shall. I think I saw some benches nearby, and I get the distinct feeling this flock will follow us for a little while.” The detective added with a little grin, gesturing to the hoard still gobbling up the seed he had dropped.

Rhy ducked his hand into the bag for another small bit of seed and scattered it before pulling his lover toward the bench. "We should do this often if we can. It's delightful. And I miss anmals with you."

A few of the ducks had clearly figured that the other's could fight over the seed left there while they followed the source for more. Waddling with a few interested quacks after them, while Llewellyn let Rhy draw him over to the bench. Sitting down and leaning lightly on his husband, he balanced the bag on his knee so they could scatter more when they felt like it. "I would like that, it's something I rather missed? It's nice to be able to go out to parks again, and to see the things one would expect to."

Glancing over at his husband, he felt a little tug at his heart. "I miss that myself, dear." Part of him wondered if they should see what small fuzzy companions they could find here, but then... He also felt a little sad to think of replacing their pup already. Llewellyn supposed perhaps in time, though.

When Rhy sat he laid a hand on Llewellyn's knee, and used the further one to gather seed to scatter before them. That was nice. This was all nice. He had missed animals.

"Yes, I can understand missing it. Though I find myself very much missing Pretzel."

Llewellyn hummed a little, it seemed his husband’s train of thought was running alongside his own. He tried to not mention it as often, because there was little they could do about it… “I admit, I still find myself looking for him now and again. I know it’s absurd but… I don’t know, he was a member of our little family.” Taking a little seed himself, he scattered it for the ducks near his own feet.

“I’ve… wondered if we might look for a small companion to join us here, but I don’t know if I’m ready to replace him either.” He glanced at Rhy, gauging his reaction. Once Llewellyn got attached, it was hard for him to move on.

And so it was hard to imagine getting another pet without Pretzel around, but it also felt strange to not have one around.

(ooc: The fact that I have Pretzel approved and waiting in the wings to surprise them after the drama thread is making me giggle. FUZZY SON IS ON HIS WAY. HIS LEGGIES ARE JUST VERY SHORT.)

"I expect him to be in our bed come the morning," Rhy admitted. Of course in their dome the bed was recessed into the ground so the little one could just flop down into it. Now he wouldn't have that pleasure.

"I am not ready to find another little friend yet. Because we cannot replace dear Pretzel."

Though one day another pet, something different, perhaps a bird, might please.

[ooc: omg yes!]

"Yes, he could be a bit sneaky about that." Llewellyn responded with a little chuckle, why sleep in the little dog bed when he had such easy access to their own bed. He'd been spoiled, but they had loved to spoil him.

He took the hand resting on his leg and knit their fingers together to give a light squeeze. He was glad that they were at least in agreement on the subject. "No, I don't think we could ever replace him." One day another pet, but they would give themselves time to be ready for that.

(ooc: Oh gosh a bird would be really cute, and confuse the heck out of Pretzel.)

"I could never replace any of my family. Not him, not you, not my brother."

But the latter two were most definitely absent, and he didn't know how to fix that. He probably couldn't. No one ever could.

"Look at us, a beautiful day and all we talk about is what we lack."

“Mm… That’s the thing with family, you don’t replace them. They’re too important.” And he wouldn’t want to. He had two already, and he neither had replaced the other. They had been their own thing, all cherished and not forgotten. Just as Rhy was to him now, a new way, but no less important. He felt lucky to have the other in his life, and that they had gotten to stay together here.

Llewellyn wished he could do something about the last on that list, though whatever it was that had brought them and several others here together… It had seemingly ended with the four of them. Why it had brought some people and hadn’t brought others was a strange thing, and he knew it was beyond his understanding… But he knew all he could do was try to ease some of that by doing his best with his husband here, to build a different life than the one they had before.

The comments get a little glance, lifting his head from the other’s shoulder and offering a smile. “I suppose it’s hard to not sometimes, when you miss someone or several someones as it is. But! You do have a point, my love. I doubt they’d want us to be sad on a day like this…” A chuckle, “I believe Pretzel would be disappointed that we neglected eating eating these.” he added, plucking the pretzels he’d gotten for them to snack on earlier before he’d bought the seed for the ducks. The pup would have undoubtedly been begging for pieces.

The pretzels! Rhy goes in horror for having forgotten, and offers a hand out for one.

"Oh let us not make him sad. Allow us to enjoy them now, in his honor."

"I think that's certainly fitting, we'll enjoy them and the rest of the day for him." Because he was certain the little dog would have also loved the park, with all the interesting new sights and smells. Yes, if he were here, they would have probably had to chase him around a fair bit...

Llewellyn handed one over with a small smile at Rhy, before reaching for his own and taking a small bite.

(ooc: Should we ftb on this one soon?]

Rhy smiled and took the pretzel offered him. Time to eat. And if he makes sure a small bit is thrown to the ducks in Pretzel's honor, well... No one is allowed to judge him.

[OOC: How about now?]

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The Festival of Flowers

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