Prelude || The Festival Of Light

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All the "Heroes of Light."
Where: Aqures Ixen.
When: The 3rd of August, final day of the Festival of Light. The Heroes of Light will awaken early in the morning.
Summary: The Heroes of Light awaken in Aqures Ixen and are informed by their assigned Moogles of what the situation and what their destinies are. This a log for them to react to the situation, meet each other and optionally participate in activities provided by the Festival of Light.
Warning: N/A

Where you were or what you were doing— It does not really matter. Not any more. Within an instant, the world around you collapses. Reality twists and shatters... Or maybe you are the one who is collapsing and shattering away from reality as you knew it. No matter what the answer is, it will only take a few seconds for you to find yourself sinking into a void, your world vanishing into the distance. There is nothing but darkness as far as the eye can see. Even you feel different: all the powers you might once have had, are now gone. It is silent, cold and it feels as though life itself is slipping out of you.

At this moment, when it looks as though nothing but a never-ending void awaits you, a red Crystal forms before you. In this void, its warmth compels you to grab it. Upon doing so, you can hear a soft, soothing voice speaking:


"Wake up."

Soon, the void itself vanishes and is replaced by distant noises of engines. Had it all been nothing more than a dream? The soothing voice repeats its call one more time, but is soon replaced with a much less graceful "Wake up, Kupo!" Hand clutched on your Crystal, the call of the Moogle may finally wake you up. But you are no longer in your world, nor in the void. You are before the Crystal of Fire, in the third district of a city called Aqures Ixen. At this point, you may realize the engine noise actually originates from an Airship flying low over the city and headed to dock beneath the castle. As if it wasn't strange enough, your clothes have changed as well. They are now a reflection of the Jobs you are wielding. Last but not least, you are surrounded by Moogles, small and fluffy creatures who are more than happy to tell you about everything you want to know, about your 'destiny' as a Hero of Light, about what awaits you.

Or at least, they will tell you everything they do know, which isn't much in the end.

Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be any citizens aside from Moogles in the vicinity. Indeed, the population of Aqures Ixen seems to be busy elsewhere in the city-- The Moogle will tell you there currently an event named the Festival of Light, which most people are attending. But you are not alone! It probably will not be long before you realize there are plenty of people like you all around, and if somehow you do not realize it, the Moogle who woke you up will be more than happy to inform you there are others like you around. Maybe with their help, you will be able to find out what is happening to you.






— Final Day —
The Festival of Light is a yearly event held at Aqures Ixen to celebrate the victory of the "Heroes of Light" over the "Calamity from the Skies" two thousands years ago, or so do the legends say. Whether people believe in the legends or not, this is an occasion for them to have fun and spend time with family and friends. The Festival is held from the 28th of July to the 3rd of August.

Unfortunately, most attractions and events are over by the third of August. Yet, there is enough to do, should the newly arrived Heroes of Light favor spending time looking at the attractions rather than panicking about their situation. The festival ends at midnight.


Theater Play
— Ninth District || 14:00 —

There is a large theater stage installed in the 9th district-- It is probably only temporary by the look of it. There is quite a crowd seated to watch the play about to unfold, as well as numerous people standing beneath the seats or sitting on the ceilings because they couldn't get a seat. After the audience grows quiet, a woman with long silver hair and green-ish skin steps onto the stage to address the audience.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Tonight's performance is a story that takes place long, long ago! At the time when the Ancients reigned over the planet, when the Calamities from the Skies landed on this world and waged war against all forms of life. When our story begins, the Ancients are on the brink of extinction and gathering the last of their forces to fight. And now people of Aqures Ixen and visitors from distant lands, we proudly present 'The 4 Heroes of Light'!"

After this, the play starts and will last for roughly one hour and a half. The main characters appear to be four Heroes of Light, respectively dressed as a Warrior, Monk, Black Mage and White Mage. Other characters include the Calamity from the Skies played by the silver-haired woman, an Ancient scientist and the Princess of Crystallis. The story appears to be a highly romanticized version of the tale the Moogles told the characters earlier. As the play unfolds, there is a love story between one of the Heroes of Light, the Warrior, and the Princess of Crystallis. At the end of the play, the Heroes of Light successfully defeat the Calamity from the Skies, but the Warrior has to sacrifice himself and die in order to protect the Princess of Crystallis.


Culinary Attractions
— Fourteenth District || Anytime —
What would a festival be without free food and banquets? Not really a festival. In the fourteenth district, there is a banquet and many stands held by people from all over the world-- People from Balicea, Aerilon, Esdham, Flence, etc. There is even a stand held by former inhabitants of the Empire. All kind of food from all over the world can be found here-- Refined food, pastries, cakes, cooked meals, etc. It's virtually impossible not to find something to like in all of this, and it's all free until midnight!


Competitions
— Tenth & Eight District || 18:00 —

At 18:00, there will be a Blitzball match opposing the teams of Aqures Ixen and Balicea in the Blitzball Stadium. It is more of an exposition match, with nothing to be won aside from glory. Anyone is free to enter the stadium to watch the match. Following this, people - playable characters included - will be allowed to play some Blitzball Match on their own, if they want to try.

At the same time, a Triple Triad competition will be taking place in the eight district, in the campus of the university. Characters are free to enter the Triple Triad tournament, and if they do so they will be given very basic cards and explained the rules. With low level cards and whatsoever no experience, odds are that they may lose to much more experienced and competitive players, but what matters is trying, right? Whilst no characters may recognize him yet, it is notable that one of the NPCs, Wedge, is taking part in the competition. It's just a shame knowing he will lose in the semi-finals.


Trano Golsaucia's Stands
— Eleventh District || Anytime —
Specially for the occasions, stallholders from Trano Golsaucia traveled to Aqures Ixen and brought a few attractions to display what they can do. Noticeably, they brought Chocobos and will organize numerous races throughout the day, on an improvised tracks running around the houses. The Heroes of Light are more than welcome to try and bet, should they want to lose (or multiply) what few Gils they have. If they feel adventurous, they may even try to enter one of the races and ride a Chocobo-- At their own risks.

Aside from this, there are some more attractions worthy of attention. There is a shooting stand-- Coincidentally, all the targets are vaguely similar to the main antagonists of numbered Final Fantasy games. There is a treasure chest game, where characters are presented with ten chests and can open only one-- Prizes range from one Gils to gigantic plushie. There is also a fortune teller Moogle, it is notable that his predictions will always include either the character suffering hell or dying soon, in one form or another. Hopefully this moogle is just a scam.


Fireworks
— First District || 23:00 —

What better way to conclude a festival than fireworks? Fireworks will be launched from the Castle of Aqures Ixen starting 23:00, and will end at midnight, at the same time than the festival. No matter where you are in the city, anyone should be able to watch them easilly if they so wish. Unfortunately, it means falling asleep before midnight may be a bit hard with all the noise.

Comments

[egyptic]

There was the absolute briefest of moments where Ankh considered rerouting his advance on Sephiroth and approaching someone else instead. The man was slightly intimidating, and even if he'd never admit it, approaching someone who looked like they might not put up with his attempts at bossing them around didn't sound like the greatest of ideas. A moment and two continued steps toward him later, Ankh threw that thought out the window, because finding Eiji and Artemis was more important than potentially pissing off a guy with possibly crazier fringe than him.

He did have the sense to come to a stop a good few feet from Sephiroth and raised an arm to gesture.

"People from my home, two men. Possibly traveling together here, possibly not. One has an Irish accent, the other doesn't have much of one. Both have brown hair, the one without an accent looks like he never brushes it." He frowned at his attire. "...Not certain about what they're wearing."

[shinrasfinest]

Irish accent, what was that? Sephiroth kept unflinching eyes on Ankh as he reeled off the details of the companions he was trying to find. He couldn't see any sign of another Moogle nearby and therefore that had to mean that this man was a native. He imagined it might be difficult to find anyone in certain crowded areas of the City today, much as it had been overcrowded in the theater with everyone rammed in every which way.

Despite the rude bearing of the black mage that had approached, Sephiroth remained mostly calm and professional. He even folded the map he was holding back into it's smaller square and straightened his posture before nodding a curt acknowledgment when Ankh had finished speaking. Some old habits died hard even within his own dream, it seemed.

"That doesn't make it very much easier." Brown hair wasn't an irregular occurrence, and there had been varying levels of unkempt styles he had observed between Aqures Ixen's indigenous citizens and the newly-arrived 'Heroes of Light' - and that's just based on his wandering in one half of a day so far. "What does the accent sound like?"

[egyptic]

Oh Ankh's Moogle was around, she just had the attention span of a gnat and was often willing to allow Ankh to swat her away. Mogishi had come to realize that Ankh wasn't especially receptive to her information-giving, so she figured it best to let him figure himself out for brief periods at a time until he was maybe a little more willing to listen to her. She was never far, but especially when he came upon another person she let him charge his way through conversation to obtain information his way instead of trying to help.

When Sephiroth's posture squared professionally, Ankh shifted his own to stand a little straighter. He was potentially trying to fluff his own feathers, figuratively, to appear larger, and it wasn't working in the least. He chuffed slightly at the question, tsking and tossing his head.

"Stupid is what it sounds like," he muttered toward his shoes, and then proceeded to fire off a few common statements of Artemis' in as best of an imitation of his accent as he could manage. "Something like that. The other one potentially talks a lot about underwear."

[shinrasfinest]

It was annoying when someone tossed their head like that and then in only a short space of seconds you had the urge to do exactly the same. Like yawning, it was contagious. Sephiroth had tilted his head a little to one side at Ankh's attempted posturing and so now needed to get a few stray strands of silver out of his face that had crept across a cheek more than they were welcome. He didn't toss his head though, so much as sharply flick it to one side in one motion, to shift them back into his style.

It mostly worked, if a temporary fix, it might not have been so much of an issue had he not been so warm.

The strange accent Ankh demonstrated did indeed sound rather absurd. Sephiroth was sure he hadn't heard anyone speak anything like that, ever before in fact. But it certainly wasn't something he would miss if it was spoken near him, it was distinctive enough. Between that and the topic of underwear he wasn't sure really if Ankh was being serious though, or just fooling around; sometimes dreams attached relevance to random objects and people for no good reason. The space between his eyebrows creased a little as he searched Ankh's face for any tell tale sign that it might be a prank. Finding none, Sephiroth shook his head for emphasis-

"I guess their oddity it would make them easy to spot, or at least overhear, but I have not seen or heard anyone like them." He set his jaw, a minute gesture to indicate that it was the end of the conversation already. However, Sephiroth's moogle had other ideas. The small white fluffblob of a creature with a tiny set of glasses on it's nose trotted forwards and pulled on the hem of Ankh's robe, lightly.

"Excuse me, Kupo." He waited for Ankh to look down, and pointedly ignored Sephiroth's glare which may well have set his fur on the back of his head on fire if he'd Materia with which to conjure the same. "It's sad that you have lost your friends. What's your name, kupo, and we can let them know you're looking for them if we do come across them later?"

[egyptic]

Ankh decided that he appreciated Sephiroth's frankness, and the fact that he got straight to the point and then shut up. It was a skill many, many people lacked, and one Ankh wished wasn't so rare. He inhaled to thank him just as succinctly, and then shut his mouth and glanced downward sharply at the moogle tugging his robes. He scrunched one side of his face.

"Ankh," he stated simply. "Artemis is the guy with the dumb accent, Eiji is the one obsessed with underwear."

Well at least it wasn't just his moogle that was ostensibly annoying.

[shinrasfinest]

Spencer only looked up at Ankh, tilted its head to one side a little as if vaguely concerned with the expression on his face. It was obvious that a lot of the Heroes felt little but resentment towards their new companions, but Sephiroth at least hadn't been particularly nasty so far. He appreciated that Spencer had information that he needed to know, and had listened well at least.

Sephiroth drew his gaze up from the small moogle and back to Ankh's face in the meantime. He couldn't very well contradict the little guy now, and if nothing else helping the other man look for his friends couldn't take that much effort being as they were apparently so distinguishable.

"I'll let you know." He finished, indicating with a quick motion of his head for Spencer to come away now. The moogle complied, happy that he'd gotten a straight answer out of Ankh and flitted up a moment later, hovering eventually behind Sephiroth's shoulder.

Just before he stepped away to leave, his manners caught up; he really should introduce in return as strange as it felt having to do so. "My name's Sephiroth. Should you need to get in touch, in the meantime."

[egyptic]

It wasn't like the Moogle was receiving special treatment-- Ankh was just kind of sour and unfriendly to everything. He continued to stare at Spencer with a sort of uncertain irritation, idly realizing he had no idea where his Moogle had gotten off to. It wasn't that he was concerned, it was really more that it frustrated him to not know when the damn thing was going to just turn back up and try to be helpful again. At least if she was constantly there he could preemptively shut her up.

Raising his eyes back to Sephiroth, he afforded a dip of his head in lieu of a nod, watching Spencer flit up to the silver-haired man's shoulder. He considered thanking him, but just left it with the curt nod. He wasn't exactly keen on thanking the Moogle, and it hadn't been Sephiroth that had offered the vague intent of assistance.

He really ought to work on not being such a jerk.