[EV-22] Tanabata Celebration!

[Zandra 0]

Zandra had been in her store the last few days, creating a special kind of crystal, then crushed it to dust. Then poured the dust into small vials. That is what she have done, while the other have enjoyed the festival together probably, she had been all alone like the solo player she have been forced to be. But even so, she wanted to help with one of the new event’s she had herd about. It seemed like they needed something called gravity dust, that could only be crafted by alchemists. But, as Zandra walked towards the place to hand it in, she passed a tree. A tree where you could hand your wishes. It sounded like something interesting. And she have time. So a detour she took. Thou when she got close to the tree, there was a lot of other people there. Some off them she didn’t wanted to meet. Not at the moment at least. ‘’I think I do this on the way home instead.’’ She said to herself and headed towards the place to turn in the dust instead.

So, they was gonna build a rail to the milky way? She wasn’t quite sure how it would work, but they did needed items she could contribute with.

‘’Hi, I guess this is where I shall hand in the dust? Ive got quite a lot, not all of it but I hope it will be enough for some of it.’’

Item Name: Gravity Dust
Quantity: 127
Evaluation Link: 

Spoiler

 

 

[Griswold 0]

Griswold looked down at the tiny slips of paper, somewhat dwarfed in his massive calloused hands. To Elda's question a response: "No, where I come from and where you were born, these sorts of things don't really exist. That and she'd be in no way to attend one of these get togethers." He'd look out upon the lake before his attentions shifted to the pair of flame creatures seeming to acknowledge one another. "I should hardly force her hand, I think it best she comes to me when she's ready." he would say to Elda in regards to Frejya, her twin. It was not his place to force himself into her life, he was content just knowing they were alright. Strange that this metal contraption on his face although took away the ability to see the sunrise in the morning, it had given the sight he needed to find them.

What would you wish for the rest of your stay in Aincrad?

Spoiler

The smith thought for a moment, but it was not quite particularly to write it out. That I continue to have a purpose with this little group of strong willed kids. It was written in plain english, he knew it it would be easy to tell it was from a foreigner but he hardly cared. He was not one to attempt to conform in most instances, at this one was no different. The pen in his grasp was small but despite the fact, he does not puncture a hole through the paper that composed the tanzaku. That metalworking required a bit of finesse as well.

What would you wish for the better of people around you?

Spoiler

He recalled the little group shortly after reading this one, and with the same urgency with lack of difficulty he writes this one the same. I wish they hold strong and together, It is much harder to work alone. It was centered toward the entirety of the guild, with no face in particular they would all stand to follow this notion. There was strength in numbers, and he'd wish that all of those trapped felt the same. Sliding the slip of paper away to reveal the next that lay dormant underneath. This next one was a bit more troubling, but he wasn't about to give in.

What would you wish for someone you care about?

Spoiler

That they live and love and find someone as special as they deserve. Written with no pause as he thought of his girls, including the one absent from his life for quite a while now. Anna, Freyja, and Elda, three blonde girls with very similar looks. They all earned their happiness and it should have been standard for a parent to wish for them to find it. They were old enough now to take care of themselves, even the littlest would be becoming of age that she wouldn't need daddies protection. But it wouldn't stop him from squishing some dirty little boy should the need arise.

What would you wish for someone you would like to know better?

Spoiler

A mental image of that idiot, the one he punched pretty hard during second lessons came to mind. Underneath all that huff and puff, he could see the tinge of a decent guy. Griswold saw a lot of himself in him and with that understanding, the pen began to move: That one gets it through his thick skull he can't bully everyone into submission. He was about to close it up when his ears rang with Elda's offering to seek out her sister, and with it he could hardly help himself from adding more:
And the other does not hate me for being gone for so long.

What would you wish for yourself?

Spoiler

Directed at him specifically, he didn't expect the wishes to take a quick 180 turn as it had. The scratching of a pen started then stopped, revealing his thoughts on parchment: That I continue to be a man strong enough to carry them on my shoulders, like the rock of the earth below them. To his girls, to the boy that in him he found some amount of direction. To that damnable moron and to the guild he kept making weapons for. He'd be there to keep them defended and prepared when their blades needed sharpening or they needed someone to talk with.

[Griswold completes Wishes #1-5]

Edited August 26, 2020 by Griswold

[Freya 0]

Freya looks at Sam with anger now. "That is my twin sister you are talking about Sam. I thought you guys were friends but the way you talk about her, I wouldn't be able to tell. From what I understand, she has done nothing but helps you and you pay her back with those words. I am going to go find my sister, you can sit here and think long and hard about what you just told me. Decide whether that was the right thing to say about your so-called friend Sam." Freya gets to her feet with the questions she had yet to look at to find Eruda. Wondering through the crowds with what seemed like people staring at her, she smirks with a small hand wave as she didn't care much for the prying eyes toward her. After a bit she sees Eruda sitting on a bench with a very large broad man. "Hey, there you are. Sam is really something else..." She looks over the large build man and back to Eruda saying "Who is your broad friend?" Seeing the two creatures sitting around and on Eruda she takes a seat on the ground, leaning her back against the bench as she looks at the questions or wishes...

What would you wish for the rest of your stay in Aincrad?

Spoiler

Reading the first question carefully and she frowns...thinking that she has been here for roughly 2 years and she has not a clue about anything. How to fight, what weapon to use when she does...what skills to take... she decides to write -I wish to learn all I can and be the best of whatever I chose to use-... Moving to the next she grins a bit finding it a bit easier to answer... pushing her legs out to stretch she reads the next question then looks to Eruda...Thinking that maybe it wasn't so easy to answer...With a small grunt, she looks back to the paper...

What would you wish for the better of people around you?

Spoiler

Tapping her pen against the paper she thinks for a moment before her wrist starts to move again. -I wish that Eruda stays living and stays the person she has become-. She doesn't remember knowing anyone else in the game besides her sister. The ring that she still had on her finger made it hard to actually know this but for now...Eruda was all she knew. That and the guy in red that saved her from the cave she had yet to figure out how she got in. She would let all of it go for so she could answer these wishes??? with a clear head.

What would you wish for someone you care about?

Spoiler

Someone she cares for... Looking to her ring again she takes it off her ring finger and places in on her other hand. If there was someone that she cared for dearly besides her sister, she could not remember them. It became real to her now that maybe there was more to what she was robbed from than what she knew. The conversation with Eruda already happened but Freya could not remember it. Shaking her head a bit as the pen in her hand started moving -I hope that Eruda can find love and friends-. Eruda wasn't very social in the real world and had no one but Freya. She only hoped for the best.

What would you wish for someone you would like to know better?

Spoiler

She thought of the people for this question. Eruda and who she has become and the person that went with this ring. Eruda was completely different from who she was and she would very much like to know the new her. The person with the other ring because Freya knew that there had to be a reason why she had it on her ring finger. Her wrist started moving with the pen again. -I wish that my sister continues to change for the best and that the person with the other ring is safe.- With a slight sigh, she gets to her feet and moves the blue wolf's tail so she could sit on the bench with Eruda and the guy.

What would you wish for yourself?

Spoiler

For myself...she starts to write but then stops. Looking to Eruda with a regretful feeling. Eruda said she already forgave her for everything and all the damage she causes Eruda but Freya doesn't remember the conversation they had. Her regret turns into determination now and starts to write every word with meaning straight from her heart now. -I wish that I can be Eruda's everything again. Fight with her in battle when I'm needed and a shoulder to cry on if she is sad. I will be Eruda's person again.- Looking to Eruda now with a smile as for now she had her thoughts sorted out. 

[Freya completes Wishes #1-5]

Edited August 26, 2020 by Freya

[Gaius 0]

Galavanting through the affair with little more than an appetite to guide him, the smells were wonderful and after offloading quite the number of coin he had his hands full. Boris was waddling with a set of three multicolored balls on a stick and nibbling away at it, having some difficulty keeping pace with the dragoon. He'd walk about and notice a small booth littered with papers and through a stuffed gullet he'd ask "What's this all about?"

"They are Tanzaku Wishes, you wanna try?" A female in bright red hair would respond despite how gluttonous he appeared.

"Wishes?"

"Wishes."

"Sounds stupid."

"You're Stupid"

"I'll give it a shot." he pulls them off the table and keeps walking, doing it more as a way to irritate the NPC than anything else. He seeks out a spot against a tree, swallowing down the last of the exorbitant amount of food he had purchased in his short trip from the stall it was obtained. "Let's see what we've got here, my Japanese is a bit rusty but hell who cares if I mistranslate it."

[Gaius receives Tanzaku]

[NIGHT 0]

Words failed her the moment her eyes ran through the pamphlet. Though the concept of making wishes held enough of an interest to her for initiation, NIGHT wasn't exactly in the most philosophical of moods for the time being. It was with venom on the tip of her tongue that she offered a few papers to her companion, tilting her head in hopes for some light reciprocity. "Here."

The Gemini took hold of them, shuffling through them to examine the leaflet first. "If you're interested."

They didn't respond with much. Movements of their snout dictated that they were scanning through the lines of text, certainly. NIGHT resumed her contemplation as she paced towards an open table amongst the crowd, taking a seat on one of its benches, spreading her materials out in a fan. They do the same with their crafts, but stood by her side instead.

Though the invitation to rest remained open to the doppel, they stayed reticent to the suggestion.

Spoiler

1. What would you wish for the rest of your stay in Aincrad?

Spoiler

This one looked more like a survey than anything. Due to its indifference, it was probably the best place to start. Her marker hovered over the colorful cardboard piece, the woman almost wanting to tap its tip against the yellow out of sheet habit. There was very little else she could imagine Cardinal doing to improve their lives; although, at the thought of the system, an endless river of problems that emerged as a mystery to her and her peers started to flood her mind.

It was unlikely to be remedied, but there the tiniest bit of hope in getting the burdens off her chest. With an irritated scowl, she jotted down her first response.

[Stop messing with us.]
[Less pain and suffering all around.]

2. What would you wish for the better of people around you?

Spoiler

What could she put down that people hadn't already known? 'Be careful'? 'Stay safe and sound'? Her visit around the forest had told her most other players had already thought the same; safety in numbers, look out for each other and best of luck to those running into battle. There was little in the way of advice she could possibly impart onto others, the player thought, until she caught a glimpse of something her companion set aside whilst moving onto the next prompt.

> [Less pain and suffering all around.]

Why exactly would they put that wish out there?

It troubled her somewhat, a vague recollection of their time on the lake. But when her thoughts fled back to her mourning her experience in the castle, she found her answer, a reflection of what she would want someone else to wish upon her.

[Serenity.]

3. What would you wish for someone you care about?

Spoiler

The answer for this one came to mind too easily. This would be a good thing, if not for the fact that she'd been preaching her suggestions to her friend since what felt like an eternity ago -- and only recently did they manage to listen, the grind of the game taking a toll on their mind and body.

In hasty, bold letter she scribbled out her words, her annoyance catching the attention of her other across the table, still stuck on one of the few papers left untouched. They glanced towards the two NIGHT had set apart from the blanks, before gazing upon their own empty page, then back to the pamphlet again.

['Take your time.']

4. What would you wish for someone you would like to know better?

Spoiler

Her previous tanzaku came down onto her mini-pile with a half-hearted slam. The woman's brief glance towards her doppel's sheets informed her of the lack of responses they could come up with. No doubt it was because the prompts themselves were personal, but a part of NIGHT wondered if it was due to a restriction of their systems rather than a lack of world view and clarity. Still, they came to mind when she'd read her next to fill, a wave of uneasiness washing over her once again as she struggled to find the words to put on paper.

Finally, she relented.

[Truth.]

5. What would you wish for yourself?

Spoiler

The slide of her wish came in quick, underneath the pile that she'd already set up. Though she hadn't imagined DAY catching sight of the paper, she wondered if beneath Amaterasu's dark gaze, their eyes had noticed her hiding her most recent slip. For the moment, NIGHT pushed the notion aside, glancing towards the leaflet for one more to answer, her small pile of sheets finally dwindling to an end.

It was the strangest one to answer. More so because she'd barely imagined to sum up her hopes in one, single phrase. But all it took was a moment's mulling over, then an awful amount of courage for the player to finally pen it down.

[To be whole.]
[Freedom. Understanding. Agency.]

 

[Setsuna 0]

A cold demeanor still dormant on her person, she would walk through the event with her eyes still troubled by her emotions that needed an outlet. It was strange to those that would look on, like a mannequin in pale white skin with clearly human eyes. She'd look for the turn in point, children almost her age with much more happiness about them. Producing a motherload of her efforts, at the behest of those before her that needed her assistance. "I believe these will suffice for your...task." the girl mutters cooly as she places them upon the table. She takes a step back as the NPC's lose their minds, keeping some distance as she removes herself as quietly as she had come.

From the corner of her eyes, she sees and manages to overhear just a simple tidbit of a conversation "Don't get a big head over it. You're just doing the job nobody wanted to do."

She'd turn to see both @Hidden and Raidou sitting comfortably on a bench, taking in the stars above them. That filthy orange and her master? "I think I understand your motives, but I will never agree with them." she comments as the parade of light above her casts a shadow over her face.

Item Name: Textile Squares:
Quantity: 174
Evaluation Link: Here/Here/Here/Here/Here

Edited August 27, 2020 by Setsuna

[Gaius 0]

While attempting to get what these little wish slips were laying down, a verbal exchange draws his attentions up for a moment to see Sam and Eruda? arguing. He'd hardly expect to see this kind of moxie from Eruda but she was really letting Sam have it. "Damn she told you!" Gaius chuckles toward Sam as the blonde rushes away, keeping himself placed upon the tree at his back, his tiny bear still only partway through the food that was purchased for it via the stalls. He tries to shift his attentions to the slips of paper below him, disregarding any rebuttal the girl with greyish hair would have in response. He was having some serious trouble, his japanese was worse than he had first anticipated. Each syllable is dragged out, like a child reading a storybook he believes he was getting them translated properly. To those that would look on, it would surely be a sight.

What would you wish for the rest of your stay in Aincrad?

Spoiler

He'd look around assuming that maybe he was mistranslating, the other players seemed troubled trying to write their desires to the wish paper. For Gaius it was hardly difficult to put his thoughts to paper for he put them to words without any issues either. That every day provides me with something new and fun to do Written rather quickly and decisively if they were all like this he'd be done in mere moments. His bear squeals having trouble with the stick, Gaius leans down and pulls the bright neon pink ball so he didn't gag on it trying to reach it.

What would you wish for the better of people around you?

Spoiler

He thought of everyone that he had traveled with so far. They all seemed so hung up on formality and tiptoeing around what they were truly thinking. With this in mind, the pen would begin to scratch away, rather aggressively. I would wish that they learn to live and let live, they get so hung up on hurting everyone's feelings they forget their own. Finished rather quickly, Gaius flips it over to the next in sequence, proud of his answers so far. However, if this was a test, perhaps he'd fail it. He looks down at Boris and his smacking lips with a smile.

What would you wish for someone you care about?

Spoiler

With those, he partied up with still ripe in his mind, after the trouble of translating it. It didn't take long before this next was written: Life doesn't need to be so damn difficult, let people support you and pull those panties out of your a** It wasn't to one person in particular but multiple who were so damn uptight, always rushing forward that they didn't experience the world around them. Yeah, it's fake, but hell if it ain't pretty. They were stuck here so they might as well enjoy the journey instead of allowing it to blaze past them at every turn.

What would you wish for someone you would like to know better?

Spoiler

This one was a bit more troublesome, mentally his words rang in his head Someone that I want to know better? he thought of his encounters before and the only person that came to mind he met only in passing that had the guts to stand up to him. That you figure it the hell out and did give that necklace who deserved it, that you are not still stuck on that s*** he writes the word as if a repeat of the ones he spoke that day, maybe it would seek her out and help just Mari find that bed she wanted all that time ago.

@Mari
What would you wish for yourself?

Spoiler

Here lay the kicker, the one that was entirely focused on the rather self centered man. He was rather content with his life, so it would reflect that which had a habit of forming. That I don't starve to death when I get lost again. It would have been strange to write that he never got lost again, like genie it could shackle him down with a misinterpretation. He liked his trips and took getting turned around as just a result of his travels. Instead, he'd be content if he just didn't die in the process to something stupid like starvation.

[Gaius completes Wishes #1-5]

Edited August 27, 2020 by Gaius

[Sam 0]

Watching Freya walk away now she places her head in her hands with her elbows placed against her knees. Thinking to herself - Shit, me, and my big mouth again. Why did I even say that about Eruda? She is my friend- Hearing a familiar voice almost mocking her. Looking in their direction she sees Gaius. Sam gets to her feet and picks up the sheets from the ground. Walking past Gaius saying "I should have never talked about Eruda like to her sister none the less. Me and my big mouth..." Seeing how all the people she came with ditched her now because she couldn't keep her mouth. With a large angered sigh, she walks to the tree that all the other wishes were hung at, hanging hers higher than the rest and she looks around for a moment before deciding to sit next to the wish tree. She takes her black book out and starts to write about the event that she was at in details that only she could read. Her words looked more like scribbles, but as long as she could read it she was fine.

[Hangs the Tanzaku upon the tree with the sign of her name]

Edited August 27, 2020 by Sam

[Gaius 0]

Gaius leaps to his feet in a rather quick flourish like a springboard you'd expect to see from a break dancer, ushering alongside Sam as she moved. "Yeah maybe, but us big mouths got to stick together. If it's how you felt, don't be too discouraged about it. Just apologize, or don't I won't tell you how to live your life." he comments spinning the pieces of twine around the branches mostly in mimicry of the girl at his side. Despite being female her and Gaius were close to the same height, although she was stupid skinny. "You really should eat food, instead of looking like you're going to crack in half on a sharp breeze." Gaius blurts out, as the girl removes a black book from her pocket. "Well I am going to see what else this place has got, have fun big mouth." and with that word, he trails off through the affair.

[Gaius hands in Tanzaku]

[Eruda 0]

Ignoring the comment about Sam as she knew how Sam could be sometimes she looks to Griswold with the last few words before Freya come along at sits. Eruda wanted to respect his wishes and say to Freya "This is Griswold, a very good friend of mine." Giving a smile toward her father as Eruda pets Raserei saying "This here is Raserei and that there, by my feet is Vulcan our Familiar's and friends." Watching the pens of both her father and Freya stop writing knowing that they were working on the same thing, she lightly notions Raserei to get off her lap and Vulcan to get off her feet before she stands. "There is supposed to be a tree around here to hang these," she says as she glances around finds a large flourished tree with a bunch of papers hung from it. Eruda turns toward the two family members as her emotions start to set in thinking that this has been something that she has wanted for a very long time. Even though Freya didn't know who Griswold really was, Eruda knowing was enough. With a smile, she says "The tree is this way. Maybe after we could go find something else to do...Together..." Taking a small breath she turns and heads toward the tree. While walks through the groups of people, somehow she felt calmer than she thought she would. Not entirely knowing why she hangs the Tanzaku upon the tree. Seeing Sam she says "Hey there, you can join us if you'd like." Eruda was all smiles now. 

[Hangs the Tanzaku upon the tree with the sign of her name]

[Griswold 0]

Lifting himself from an almost destroyed bench as it seems to rebound after he stands, Griswold looks to the blonde twins. "You girls really do look alike." he looks on with a chuckle buffeting the red kiln who was nestling with the slightly smaller wolf pup. Vulcan rouses and begins to trout behind them both, as he looks to his daughter to prove what he should be doing. Gingerly Griswold places his wishes to the tree beside Elda's. "I have some time to kill sure. Come on Sam, no use lulling around like a stone." he'd extend the offer two fold to the young axe wielder for the more the merrier. It was a strange feeling being able to enjoy a festival with his twins after all this time. In a parade of color that wasn't really his style to attend, he couldn't be happier to partake in it simply because of them alone.

[Griswold hangs Tanzaku]

[Shiina 0]

Running about the place in a crazy fashion, Shiina was enjoying the pleasantry much to the dismay of those who would attend. An elf in pale white skin offered the child a yukata, partly so she looked proper for the affair. But also so she would leave his shop, for in her perusal of his wares she'd managed to damage three. "Wow where you get these!?" Shiina barks to some children scaring the life out of them, wanting the fireworks they had for her own. They ushered her to a stall where she buys a motherload of sparklers, before running off after she was distracted.

What follows shortly after is her lighting them and sticking them in precarious places, in fruit, and on signs. Waving them around rather haphazardly she almost burns a few patrons of the event. She runs out rather quickly despite the couple hundred she had, but she couldn't be happier or more out of breath. 

Eventually, she stumbles about a table littered with papers and writing utensils. "Wha... Tanzaku!? LIT!" she rips up a bundle and every shade of color from the table, the NPC leans forward and tries to grab some of the pens from the girl who quickly turns and avoids the attempt. "Those are for everyone!"

"I'll give them back promise, I want all the COLOR!" Shiina exhumes as she buzzes away before the NPC had a chance to stop her, left hanging with a hope that she was not lying. 

[Shiina receives Tanzaku]

Edited August 27, 2020 by Shiina

[Freya 0]

Collecting her papers she gets up from the saying "We are twin so it only makes sense why we look alike," Freya was a bit confuses by the obvious comment but shrugs it off. Following from a distance as the other two head towards the tree, she stops a takes a look around. This looked way different than the events she went to in the real world with her friends. In the distance, she sees a young girl with steel blue hair, she lit up 10 sparklers at the same time and had 5 in each hand, as she jumped and twirled around like a maniac. Freya can't help but chuckle at this as she turns back to where she was heading and runs into a tall male figure with brown hair. Stepping back quickly as he wasn't there just a second ago she says "Watch where your walking buddy," as she pokes him in the chest and walks past him now shaking her head. Freya joins the other 2 seeing Sam again with a glare toward her. Seeing how Eruda treated her though, she confusingly walks to the tree and hangs her Tanzaku next to Eruda and Griswolds.

[Hangs the Tanzaku upon the tree with the sign of her name]

Edited August 27, 2020 by Freya

[Shin Kagami 0]

When the wily grin seized contrtol of my facial expressions, I was glad that I decided to have my mask on during this festival visit. The cogs started turning in my head as I was thinking what would be an extremely, distasteful joke. “Maybe I should put joke responses for everything? Or how about I just put something that others would consider chaotic or just plain villainous?” My train of thought eventually led me to a font of inspiration. Tanzakus ranged from anywhere as thanks and wishes for continued blessings to new commitments like a New Year’s Resolution. Kagami had one person in particular that she wanted to thank for her current life.

“Why don’t I just write whatever I want, but sign it as Kayaba Akihiko? I’d love to see people’s reactions to thinking that Kayaba would have trapped himself in this game along with them. After all, they think he’s crazy. What’s a bit more added to the pile?”

Spoiler

1. What would you rish for the rest of your stay in Aincrad?

Spoiler

 

As I decided on my theme, I read the tanzaku prompts. The first one appeared extremely easy. In the real world, the copy-paste answer to the copy-paste prompt would have been “good health.” But in this game and with my decided theme, my answer could be wholly different. As a player, I wanted to simply do what I enjoy doing without any regards to the consequences. I wanted to be more driven than the time that I had wasted, even if those times were enjoyable. Without a second thought, I began to scribble my answer on the tanzaku paper.

[Enjoy playing this wonderful game.]

 

2. What would you wish for the better of people around you?

Spoiler

 

To be completely honest, I couldn’t have cared less about the people around me. At least among the people I knew at the time, which was pretty much zero. As I wrote my answer to the prompt, all of the other players in the game were mostly faces without names, people without stories, and players who refused to play the game. I cherished their existence as much as I cherished the real world, without any regards whatsoever. There was only one thing that I wished would change of people. Maybe not for the better, but definitely a change.

[Learn that this game is a virtual Garden of Eden away from the real world.]

 

3. What would you wish for someone you care about?

Spoiler

 

I had failed to see what would really be the difference between this third prompt and the last one. What I wish upon strangers and what I would wish upon friends, it wouldn’t change for anyone who was in this game. It felt like these prompts were trying to remind us of our lives in the real world, but the important things in our lives were right here in front of us. Whatever happened outside of this game didn’t matter, we had no ability to observe if any we used to know have died, nor their successes or failures. In the end, I wrote down something about how people need to stop being hung up about our trapped status.

[Give up on the real world

 

4. What would you wish for someone you would like to know better?

Spoiler

I was about ready to write down whatever bullshit first came to mind after I read this prompt, but I stopped myself. I hesitated as I remembered my doppleganger desperately wanting to know why I was fine with being trapped within what it considered as this virtual hell. I never answered its question. It wasn’t something that I regretted, but it got me thinking. Maybe it’s not necessarily something that I’d wish for someone I’d like to become closer with, but it was something that I wish I knew. All of the agony, I never understood it. I don’t think I ever would.

[Why do you all hate this game so much?]

 

5. What would you wish for yourself?

Spoiler

I scoffed reading the final prompt. None of them were original and while that’s how it would be in the real world with these tanzaku, I wanted more than normal. To be fair, this prompt and the first prompt were not unbearable to think about. They were selfish prompts, something that really dictated what you would want for yourself. Something that I had gotten really good at in the past few years, but there was nothing that I really wished would happen to me other than to be happy. So in the end, I decided to write the prompt in the same theme as the others.

[For people to enjoy my game]

 

After I wrote all of the wishes down, I ended up signing them as Kayaba Akihiko. The man who trapped us within this death game. The one who I’d like to thank.

[Wish #1, #2, #3, #4, #5]

[NIGHT 0]

Two out of five. Five out of five.

In the very same way she'd kept a few of her wishes confidential, so too was DAY about the apparent second tanzaku, the entity collecting the rest of the materials they hadn't used and stacking them aside for NIGHT to pick up. The woman handed them in, back to the event NPC, all the while making sure that their companion wasn't prying over her own papers whilst her eyes had left their vicinity for the short moment.

When she returned, they shuffled over to the bamboo forest. Whilst NIGHT was more than ready with a number of strings in her pockets to hang them up, there was a hesitance with her companion to part with their coloured texts, the papers still lodged in their hands by the time the player was complete with hers.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh... It's nothing. Just..."

After a pause, they were handed over to her instead, two thumbs pointed NIGHT's way.

"I'd feel more comfortable if you did it."

She blinked from beneath her mask. A strange offer, but it was easier to go through with it than to first question them about it. "Alright," came her response, before she set them around another stalk of bamboo, alongside her own.

Seven little papers were hung in a tiny row.

[NIGHT hangs her Tanzaku.]

[Shiina 0]

Slamming down the pencils and pens that scatter about the ground in a rolling pile, Shiina skitters the papers around and begins to read them with their meaning rolling off her tongue in mutters. "Woof these, are tough boys. No time like the present." Shiina exclaims trying her best to put her thoughts on the paper, her faith. The place seemed abustle with activity, ripe with people enjoying the place, which brought her some distraction as it was hard for her to remained focused. She became rather giddy and starts to write upon them quickly in bad handwriting. They should be legible enough to read right? She'd smile with her tongue sticking out on one side of her face. The sounds of a scratching pen under multi shaded lighting, the festival was the perfect place for her to run wild once these little wish papers were filled in and hung up.

What would you wish for the rest of your stay in Aincrad?

Spoiler

I wish I keep on finding things to write music about it wasn't difficult for Shiina to think of what to write down, half due to the fact she was already feeling bored and just wanted them done as soon as she got them. Using a different pen for every line, hers would stand out amongst the rest as she usually did. She was a bit of an odd one and her tanzaku would reflect that easily with its obtuse choice of coloring. "YES, NEXT!" she yells jubilantly as she shuffles the completed wish to the side, looking intensely at the next.

What would you wish for the better of people around you?

Spoiler

She took a moment to write a response to this one, remembering Sam and to a lesser degree some others. People always seemed to get mad when people missed attacks. I hope they stop suckin', I don't really care but other people get all miffed It was a simplistic wish, just to help everyone get along. But Shiina had little more than this to offer up for faith, rather content with her life and unburdened by anything deeper. She'd slide it over to reveal the third wish, this one being just as flamboyant as the first like a work of art.

What would you wish for someone you care about?

Spoiler

That they do the things they want to, they are all so motivated The young songstress pens and pencils write this one rather quickly, being as plain as the one before it. It showed her interest in the group to be more supportive than driven. She just wanted to tag along to their little affairs and do what she needed to, if she happened to gain exp or whatever in the process it was nice but not her goals. Just being able to watch the others succeed and write a song about their affairs was her ideal day, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

What would you wish for someone you would like to know better?

Spoiler

She'd thought for a moment, there weren't that many people that she recalled working with that she didn't on the regular. But one stood out, an angry lady and the tall blonde dude who made hotdogs. I Wish he keeps on being awesome, awesome WEINER boi. she writes to the page remembering the confrontation with Nemean Lion. The song she wrote was magnificent, and it was all thanks to Shield Turtle, angry lady, and Weiner Boi and she was hoping they were doing well. Maybe one day soon the songstress would hit them up, she how they've been doing after this time apart.

What would you wish for yourself?

Spoiler

She thought about it, and if she were stronger she may be able to attend bigger more flashy battles and to that end, she writes her final wish to the piece of parchment. That I become swole and can go to more battles! and with it written she scoops up the myriad of pens and pencils that were scattered around her. Piling up the paper and patting them together like a deck of cards, she flaps them once. "All done, now back to the action!" she shouts and wonders away from the place she had set up shop and writ them up.

[Shiina completes Wish #1-5]

Edited August 27, 2020 by Shiina

[Shin Kagami 0]

After I looked over my tanzaku one last time making sure that I wasn’t missing any prompts, I quickly hung them up onto the bamboo tree and left unceremoniously to avoid any wandering eyes. I wondered what would come out of me signing the tanzaku papers in that way, if anything. Maybe some people would think of it as a sick prank, maybe others might think of the tanzaku as an actual message from the developer himself. Well, I highly doubt that anyone would really heed my words of advice. The people who aren’t fighting in the frontlines are too afraid of death, the people who are on the frontlines are exercising extreme caution. At this point, it would just be better for people to stop being so unhappy and focus on what’s in front of them instead of what they left behind. A wonderful game and events to look forward to for how many years this game would take to finish. Or if they die, whichever one came first.

[Tanzaku hung upon the tree signed under Kayaba Akihiko]

[Shay 0]

Shay had nearly forgotten about the stars that were in her inventory. Those boys needed them for something or whatever. She didn't pay too much attention to the quest details, she mainly just wanted the skill points for completing the quest or whatever rewards came with it. "Right, they were over this way I think." She says walking through the crowd of people towards the young quest givers.

The even likely wasn't going to be lasting much longer, but as long as she got the experience for attending that's what mattered. It had actually been relaxing to sit around and not worry so much about the troubles of the game. Kind of ironic that she was also progressing in the game while doing that relaxing. When the two approached the young boys, Shay pulled the little stars from her inventory and reached them out to them. "Here are the stars that you guys were asking for."

Item Name: Gold Stars
Quantity: 68
Thread Link: [here]

@ChaseR

[ChaseR 0]

With Shay starting to head right towards the two NPCs, Chase followed her quietly through the crowd. It really was a nice experience, a festival completely unknown to Chase with new culture to explore and get immersed into for the sake of relaxing. It'd done its job properly, and the SP reward was all the more motivation to participate- he didn't come here because of it though. He mostly did to get to know more about Shay and her culture, as this should hit home more so for her than for him. "I'm right behind you.", he let her know and followed until they were in front of the boys.

Then, he handed in the golden stars alongside Shay, making sure that none fell to the ground and bid them farewell before the duo started to head back to where they were. "So... Wasn't there one last thing? Something about birds?", he asked her with a grin, wanting to go through every single attraction for the sake of relaxing. Since she'd told him he needed to kick back and relax, that's exactly what he was planning on doing. So long as she was fine with him, of course.

Item Name: Golden Stars
Quantity: 104
Thread Link: Here

Edited August 27, 2020 by ChaseR

[Shay 0]

"Taming of the Magpies. You chose a bird and it'll bring you back an item from what I've picked up. Might as well see if we can get anything nice." Shay said as she continued through the crowded ways of tents and attractions. It probably wouldn't be anything insane, but anything they could get a hold of would be nice. Besides, it would be fun in the end.

Once they appraoched the tent of magpies, a person greeted. "Yo, I'm sitting in for gramps tonight. Wanna give it a shot?" She asked. Shay nodded in response and headed into the tent. She quickly picked the most confident looking of all the birds she could find in the tent. It chirped at her before flying off and bringing back with it a vial of red liquid. Clicking the item info showed it was a perfect damage potion. "Nice. I can use this for sure."

---

CD Total: 6+12+4 = 22

Acquired Blood of the Offensive - Tier 1 Perfect Damage Potion