Summer Festival in the MGU

[crashout]

Wherever you are, whoever you are, one minute you’re at home minding your own business and the next you’ll see a shower of sparkles before you blink and find yourself teleported elsewhere.

The elsewhere, it seems, is an open grounds lined with stalls, pathways and gardens. Lanterns light up the pathways in soft glowing oranges and pinks, and even though it’s evening the weather is warm and enjoyable for a fun summer festival.

As you set off to explore, you’ll find that there are countless stalls with every type of treat you can imagine from a variety of cultures (including some from your own home worlds, strangely), all of which smell delicious and enticing. There are other stalls available with different carnival games as well. Go ahead and give it your all! Win a prize for that special someone, or just keep trying out of sheer stubbornness. Other stalls seem to be selling wares such as clothing, household items, flowers, and other things that can be given away as gifts. It seems that every time you look around, a new stall opens, almost as if this festival is responding to your every wish.

Speaking of wishes, there’s a small cluster of bamboo trees nearby as well, tables set up with baskets of arts and crafts supplies to write your wishes on the colorful paper and tie them to a branch. It’s a sweet thought, no?

And of course, what’s a festival without fireworks? Every now and then fireworks will light up the night sky, bursts of color in fun shapes such as stars, hearts, faces of people you know, whatever! Sparklers and bubble wands can also be found to play with throughout the evening near the viewing gardens. Flowers bloom and cover the area, though the paths lead to several small alcove-like areas and gazebos for those of you who wish to have a little romantic privacy. No matter where you are though, you’ll always be able to see the starry night sky.

Do try to play along and enjoy yourself for the evening. It’s only when the last firework bursts several hours later that you can actually leave anyway. Have fun!

[ooc: you know the drill, past mg characters from any of our past games, please don't make me list them again but go nuts.]

Comments

[supremity]

[ and here's this big stinker. festival goers might notice errant, silver butterflies weaving through the stalls and crowds, with a faint, tinkling glass noise as they flutter by. anyone that hua cheng knows/has positive cr with will actually be greeted by the butterflies, who come to drift around their heads and land on said person.

hua cheng himself is just drifting through, looking right at home with everything. ghost city is like this but on steroids, after all, so this is nothing new. he does take a moment to grab up some flowers as he passes by them, clearly scrutinizing the quality. ]

[dianxias]

[ hi ]

San Lang! [ that's a familiar voice. here comes xie lian! he's a little breathless, and holding a

truly gigantic thing of cotton candy. ] You simply must try this, here - !

[supremity]

[ 🌸🌺🌸 ]

Gege. [ IMMEDIATELY turning to face him, almost tossing the flowers over his shoulder in the process. but he doesn't, and instead looks curious, eying the massive - treat? ] Oh, that's certainly new. What is it?

[ opening his mouth for xie lian to feed him, i forgot how much i hated this man ]

[dianxias]

[ xie lian sees absolutely nothing strange about this at all - it's very charming, actually! - and tilts the cotton candy up a bit so hua cheng can bite off a piece. ]

It's called "cotton candy"! Not made of actual cotton, but rather, sugar, that's somehow fluffed up into this shape. There's this intricate machine that the person spun the paper cone around in! Technology is truly so marvelous.

[ smiling!!!! ] It's good, isn't it?

[supremity]

[ momf. but hua cheng's eye widens briefly when the cotton candy starts to dissolve in his mouth when he pulls back, licking his lips to get some of the sugar off of them. ]

There's not really much substance to it, is there..? But the texture and taste are both good, actually. [ he doesn't feel a particular way about it, to be honest, but it obviously sparks joy in gege, so that really is what matters here. ] Maybe we can get the machine for Ghost City.

[ like he's stolen other modern amenities. ]

[dianxias]

Oh, we should! If they have an extra, perhaps there's one we could even fix up? I'm sure one of the stalls in Ghost City could use it. They would be delighted to have new goods, and we could recycle something.

[ oh the dream..! what a perfect plan! xie lian smiles up at hua cheng, doing a little animal crossing flowers-ing himself. ]

It is a bit strange to have been brought here out of nowhere, but - well, it seems far less than last time, so I'm hoping it's just a strange coincidence, and one we can enjoy until we're able to leave. It has been so long since we've seen everyone, hasn't it...?

[supremity]

[ well. hua cheng was just going to take the one that's in use? because clearly that one's fine? but he won't say that to xie lian, and instead only nods. sure, okay, an extra that they're not using. (before they leave he'll just take the one in use.) ]

I can think of a few Ghost City vendors that would like to have one and would be able to figure it out easily enough.

[ not many others could. his citizens are idiots. ]

But at least this is rather like the winter gathering that they had, isn't it? There's more people at this one, from what I've gathered, but it could be worse.

[dianxias]

Oh, I had forgotten about that...!

[ san lang is so clever. xie lian nods, taking another bite of his cotton candy, completely unaware of hua cheng's nefarious stealing plans. ]

...I think it's nice. [ he softens, here, and obviously so. ] That we get to reunite with our friends every once in a while. Many things keep us all apart, universes aside - how nice it is just to celebrate with the people we care for. Don't you think?

[moondumplings]

[ oh..! well, usagi was in the midst of living up to her name by shoving an entire tray of dumplings into her mouth but she looks ecstatic to be interrupted by dad 1('s butterflies). she'll hold out a finger for them while she attempts to remember a whole manner. ]

Hello...! How have you been?

[ is she asking the butterfly or hua cheng? ..yes ]

[supremity]

[ yes.

a butterfly flutters down to her finger, while another goes to land on one of her hair dumplings, meandering across it and just settling in like a decoration. the one on her finger lazily opens and closes its wings, but then there's hua cheng's voice not long after the butterflies greet usagi: ]

Well enough. I see you're enjoying the festivities already.

[moondumplings]

[ her expression says she wasn't actually expecting a reply? wheezes gently with a minor heart, but it's Hua Cheng-san so tbh it's a little expected ]

Of course...! There are so many delicious treats to taste!! Have you tried them yet?

[shiftingwinds]

[im going to run at you with yona in a bit but honestly when shi qingxuan spots one of those silver butterflies out of the corner of her eye, she turns to follow its progress...

...and then chuckles to herself.]

Oooh, I feel sorry for anyone who ended up on his bad side when they got whisked off...

[supremity]

[ from behind her, like he fucking materialized out of nowhere: ] It didn't earn anyone any favors, no.

[shiftingwinds]

[she looks startled! almost like she's seen a ghost. ha ha.]

Oh, you were closer than I thought... [it's probably fine! no one seems to be getting murdered yet.] Quite the experience, wouldn't you say?

[supremity]

[ lol. he's got his arms crossed, a butterfly landing on his shoulder. ]

Enn, though I think simply calling it an "experience" is an understatement. I take it you had the opportunity of suffering for weeks on end for the enjoyment of another entity?

[shiftingwinds]

[she grimaces]

That's exactly right, and I'd assume you had the same opportunity.

[dawnblushed]

[yona is


also looking at flowers! because i have an icon for that!! she looks up from the flowers she's examining and spots hua cheng, then immediately grins.]

Looking for a present?

[supremity]

[ flower icons ]

There's some that are actually of decent quality, but a few that I think they could've trimmed earlier. [ he takes a small but full, pale peony and reaches out, tucking it in her hair neatly. ] Poor management of their blossoms.

[dawnblushed]

[she has a flower in her hair now! cute.]

You'd think they'd be better at it, if it's their business! Oh, well... [she shrugs] Are you having a good time so far?

[supremity]

I don't expect competence when it comes to our kidnappings, to be honest. [ dry and rude as always. he picks a few more flowers up while he's at it. ] The festival's good, at least. Reminds me of Ghost City, but smaller, less raucous. You?

[dawnblushed]

It's pretty fun! It's a little similar to some festivals I've seen back in Kouka, but not exactly identical...

[she hums]

But if this is what Ghost City is like, I should really drop by one of these days! If you wouldn't mind visitors, that is?

[feytality]

[ maya is following the butterflies and reaching out her hand to them, eyes all lit up like a little kid ]

[ also im obligated to tag this bc of ghost cr ]