[EV-22] Tanabata Celebration!

[Krysta 0]

Krysta chose to take a moment to herself as she left the magpie interaction booth, the experience was certainly an interesting one, and little Aquamarine was very thoughtful, whether it be on purpose, or simple luck. Whatever the case, Krysta stopped for a moment to look at the jar of frost again. The jar itself still felt cool to the touch, and the mass of frost within hadn't changed at all. Perhaps it contained an enhancement of sorts, related to frost? She stowed it away in her inventory, and continued on, before stopping again, believing herself ready to ponder the wishes...

Spoiler

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

Krysta pondered this wish carefully. She would find herself needing to decide between what is right and what is easy. Why? Simply because there was the wish for freedom, and there was the wish of an easier life within. There might have also been more, but those might have been the most common. She found herself wondering which one was right, and which one was easy. It would seem to her that the wish for freedom was both right and easy, but was it really? She definitely wanted this game to end, but would she have found Vigilon if it were not for her experiences? In the end, she was able to make a decision.

Krysta's Answer: For the strife to end, for our freedom to be achieved with our victory.

-Krysta

Spoiler

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

A fairly large topic to cover, with so many potential answers....She wanted to see the innocents trapped in this game to be free at long last, to find peace, happiness, and love. She would not stand for all of this evil to persist against them. She had seen so much done against the players, both by this game, and from renegade players who sought either destruction or personal gain from harm. She had seen many names crossed off of the monument, the game was taking its toll on the lives of many. Not only that, but just how many renegade players are there? With all of these hostile guilds existing, what was happening to the players themselves? Were some players still refusing to leave the safe zone because of these renegades? There would only be one thing left to decide upon at this rate...

Krysta's Answer: That they would gain courage and strength, and that no blade or monster forged against them would remain.

-Krysta

That was two wishes, now. She might need more time to dwell on the ones that remained. For the time being, she would continue on towards the place where the wishes were to be hung, so that she might hang the wishes once finished. Surely, she might be able to have exact answers to the remaining three wishes...despite that she had not read them yet, perhaps glnced at them, but not truly read them as of yet.

[Answered prompts 1 and 2, both are signed] [Remaining wishes: 3]

[Freyd 0]

He was as or more covered as he usually was, yet Freyd felt more exposed than ever as he wandered the festival grounds.  Rigel’s clothes were wonderfully comfortable, and his unusual combination of brownish reds and navy blues somehow managed to compliment his otherwise drab appearance and demeanor.  That he was uncomfortable with comfort might be the simpler truth.  

Everything about this place seemed lavish.  Even the most mundane munchies were meticulously crafted.  His mask granted him some limited anonymity, for which he was grateful.  The shadows always felt more natural.  To be unseen in plain sight was nearly as good.  To be overlooked or ignored was perhaps even preferable.  It enable him to walk and watch in silence while the variable cacophony of life flowed over and around him.  

He’d spotted Raidou and Kiluia at various points, each doing their own thing.  He was surprised to find the latter without his betrothed on his arm.  Those two seemed inseparable.  Sure enough, she appeared a moment later, vibrant and full of life. Vie, Katoka and Ruler – the shark bait trio, as he fondly thought of them – were all here too.  All three looked lovely, and well-worthy of flattering praise.  Firm Anima was well-represented.  He took a small measure of pride in the distinction of his guild.  They were good people, though he’d only known most of them a short time.

Watching Night emerge from the Magpie cages, he nodded in greeting.

“You might want to watch that one,” he said pointing to her companion.  She has a funny look about her.  “Thank you again for your gift.  It has served me very well.”  He walked on, noting that she had other distractions and entered the bird sanctuary she had just left, or whatever it was supposed to be.  The place was littered with cages, though they were all surprisingly clean.  A young girl eyed him from behind her strings, playing a mellow tune to sooth the agitated flock.

“Which one will you speak with,” she asked, pausing her set.

Freyd smiled and evaluated the birds.  He scored them on size, weight, build, and suddenly realized how much he was missing the point.  “That one,” he said, choosing one for no better reason than it chirping at him.

Hopping down from her own perch, the girl wandered over and transferred the preferred bird to the habitarium.  It jabbered ceaselessly at Freyd while she did so.  He stared and listened, mildly amused by its curious behaviour.  “What is it you mean to tell me?  It must be very important.  I don’t suppose you have the secret to…”  The magpie jumped and trilled anew before dipping down to the floor and fetching something suitable for its mysterious purpose.

The keeper handed him his prize.  Confused at the randomness of it, he thanked her, then promptly tossed it into his inventory pondering how to put it to the best possible use. 

@Raidou @Kiluia Seiko @Haine @Vie @Katoka @Ruler @NIGHT

Spoiler

★ Taming of the Magpies

 ID: 160685 | CD: 10
ID: 160686 | CD: 12
ID: 160687 | CD: 7

 Total: 29 | Prize: 1x Reroll Ticket

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by Freyd - The Whisper in Shadows

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

 

The vast amount of people began to crowd. This was not really his thing but whatever. He was on the hunt for games. Hand raised up and slid the mask down to make his face hidden from the prying eyes of others. Where were those games? He thought to himself. He wanted to figure out where he could play those games he often watched on shows and on anime back when it was a thing. A slight frown formed on his face but he wouldn’t give up.

The crowd began to thin around him slightly exposing more stalls. Eureka! There was the net game with the paper.  There were a bunch of guys hovering over each other playing the game he wanted to play. The seemed like a group of nice guys around his age that were doing their best to get the fish. A smile crossed his face as he managed to walk and scoot beside them. 

“Sorry guys.” He spoke to them since there was an opening for him but he had to press through one to get to it.

“Not a problem, man.” The one with the yellow hair standing spoke while scooting back allowing him to play. The others carried on as if he was part of the group.

Kiluia hunched over and smiled as he forked over the col and started to test his skill of playing the game. He hadn’t ever done this before but had read several books on how to achieve the maximum amount of weight vs. ripping the paper. There was precision involved among other things. His smile grew wider as he felt the pressure build. He kept that mask on though. The fear of finding out he was a game junkie for these types of things was a little secret he’d like to keep.

Careful..Careful..! Success! He managed to get one small fish in his little net and caught what he wished for. The fishes came in various sizes so he wanted to go after the smaller of the bunch and collect them that way. It was fun. He wanted to impress his beloved that he was able to get these things and show off.

“Hey man. How’d you do that so fast?” The one spoke with the orange hair. He had been having trouble since he got there. Kiluia smiled at him and spoke. “I think you already know but the paper is super absorbent to the water. So you have little time to catch the fish. Its designed for you to keep wasting money on it. However, speed and weight are what you need here. While you shouldn’t raise it too fast because gravity plays a role, you shouldn’t be afraid to go after the smaller and faster fish. It's a good way to start.”

“Thanks man. We been trying to tell him that the entire time.” The one in the glasses spoke to him.

“No problem!” Kiluia left the group, excusing himself. He’d have to make his wishes soon but that would be later. He had to find the little gun game where he could shoot a cork and win a toy.

 

[NIGHT 0]

The jelly looked interesting. NIGHT remembered them from a handful of videos back in the day; sweetened agar-agar filled with beautiful decorations and gradients as opposed to her local multi-coloured stack of layers. A miracle that such a delicacy would come to light in the world they were trapped in, but perhaps the system made the daunting task of crafting such an exotic treat an inevitable breeze.

Her fingers wrapped around one of the paper packages. It was cool to the touch, the player selecting the green polka dotted square rather than a striped pink. She felt a comforting weight from it shift as she retrieved it from the palm of the booth keeper in question, the yokan's surface almost slipping out of form without support.

"Thank you very much."

Then a familiar voice pepped up beside her. As NIGHT turned to glance, words failed the player to respond in kind. Instead, her eyes instead betrayed a train of surprise and horror, before they began to bleed venom, tagged with a muted growl and a scowl.

And on the other hand, her companion appeared to remain stoic. Uneasy. As they should be.

NIGHT swapped out her dessert for her mask with a delayed thought. Her gaze settled on watching her once-patron converse with the birdkeeper, fingers locating the right grip on Tsukuyomi before she raised it to her face.

Wandering eyes. She definitely looked like her, but--

The silent player didn't even need to commit her outline to memory by this point. It was with dread that she raised her disguise over to her face, a movement that was only stopped when the other player caught her in the midst of staring. She seemed not to notice, more focused on NIGHT's own identity. One simple artisan; no name known, nor nothing more.

At a better time, she would've appreciated, prized the anonymity even further than she did right now. But her chest was packed with an amalgamation of emotions, too many to label completely. Agony, suspicion, bitter-sweetness--

"The amulet has been doing wonders for me so far," she cheerily added, fingers pressed up against the chains that carried the amulet piece, and a lift of her hand raised it up. "Thank you again!"

--adoration.

The mask welded fast to her cheeks just as the stranger said her farewells with a charming smile. To that, all NIGHT could find herself performing was a hum of acknowledgement in return, a familiar light-headedness dawning on her senses. Stupid, dumb -- just as the spice flowed back into reality after much incredible work of restraint, someone must've pulled the lever on allowing her sins to flow.

And NIGHT wouldn't allow herself to be star struck once again.

@Astralin

It was a tear away from the sight of the stranger leaving that her gaze then fell upon Freyd. Almost like a kick in the head back to life, the words he'd mentioned to the other player were duly noted, before he pointed over to DAY.

Was it a warning he'd given her, or a reminder of the other side of her own personal affairs? Their yellowed cursor was growing smaller by the footstep, the blonde taking their leave in NIGHT's sentimental quiet. The player swore under her breath, anxiously looking back towards Freyd.

"Good to hear it," was the last she could offer, before she tore down the street after her own--

--Troublemaker.

@Freyd - The Whisper in Shadows

[Dazia 0]

The papers were hung, so now she just had to leave the area unseen, to avoid all possibilities of players tracing her anonymous wishes back to her. Unfortunately, her current attempt would turn out to be worse than the last. She was attempting to slowly make her way back into the settlement, but she was clearly doing a terrible attempt and her only hope was if other players weren't paying any attention. She was still moving slowly, as to not break stealth...even though she was already failing at it in terms of non-player entities around. The NPC working with the tanzaku papers would glance over to her, then return to her own business. There were currently no other NPCs in sight, but there were a few players. All they had to do was not look over in her direction... "It's bad enough that this foliage is noisy, but I'm clearly in for some trouble if anyone notices me here...at least the NPC knows how to mind her own business..." Dazia thought.

ID# 160702 LD: 5

Dazia is still in stealth, and requires LD 5+ to be found

Edited July 22, 2020 by Dazia

[Crozeph 0]

The festivities continued but to a person who has huge tendencies to distrust crowds, it seemed like a danger zone. He could see the other players enjoying themselves from the games and foods while others are hanging their tanzaku on the tree. Maybe that was the only thing he did aside from buying food from the stalls, some games might put him into what others usually call as "fun."

He ate another bowl of yakisoba while wearing the straw hat he borrowed from the boat guy who had a spare.  Couples continued to eye him as if they were pitying him or was annoyed by his solitude. Why would they make a fuss out of it? Wait, there's no fuss, just annoyance. He remained seated, hardly rowing and letting the calm water drift his boat anywhere he didn't care if a lot are couples, he wanted to be alone and the only reason he would join is if Yuki drags him into the festival. Until then, he is to remain hidden and keeping things for himself.

Thinking about it, celebrations like these are always enjoyed with someone but why was he alone? It would be nice if Yuki was here but then that would mean he'll be joining the crowd, that would be overwhelming. Such contradiction is his sickness. "Should I invite her? I did say I want to change, someone who won't be a burden to her, she even went out of her way to help me reach my current level but why do I always feel like events like this would remind me of something?" he thought. The straw hat did a good job of hiding his eyes, the azure-colored, weary yet wary eyes of his. He could've spent the time with her but why?

"I guess I never wanted to remember how lonely I was back then" a fragment of memory emerged as he ate, memories of how he was alone in his house but it was worth it. His stepmother won't be mad at his father anymore, he was out of the house and there was none to be a bad influence to his stepbrothers. A lot of family events he missed to give way for them. It was noble in his point of view but quite painful for his heart. "Hanging their wishes? Will those even come true?" he asked himself but even with that kind of thinking, here he is, holding a paper and a pen and writing what he wishes for. He smiled, seemingly amused of what he is right now "ironic, I should slap myself every time I'm like this.

 

What would you wish for someone you cared about?

Spoiler

 

"Who do I care about? There are a lot now, never thought I'd care for a lot of people. Well I did outside of this shithole also, what am I saying? There's Jacob's Ladder, Mari, Baldur, Oikawa, Shirogane, Night, and even Hidden. I do care for their welfare but there's someone I care about more than myself… Yuki. The cheerful yet brash girl who I wanted to be with yet she's not wish me right now. I just wanted her to be safe because I know being a tank can be hard sometimes and with her joining the frontlines (me too possibly) I want her to be more safe from any harm that is too much for her and when we finally get out of this shithole, the first thing I'm gonna do is look for her.

Wish #3: Keep Yuki safe for my sanity's sake.

 

 

[Vigilon 0]

Knowing that he was gonna need time to consider maybe helping out the kids by finding these gold star things, he decided to move on to another area of the settlement, maybe there would be more around for him before he did whatever he needed to get the stars...maybe he should ask an NPC. Until then, he would look around and see if anything around would get his attention. He saw some players getting their hands on some prizes over at an eccentric stall. He recognized one player who was there. "Hey, Astralin, nice to see you again. How are you?" He asked. After any possible responses, he would reply with "I see...well, this stall is worth having a look-see, so I guess I'll talk to you later."

@Astralin

The NPC who ran the stall noticed how Vigilon was taking interest in it. “Guess it's the rush hour... Anyway, this is the Magpie meet and greet. Interact with the magpies, potentially win a prize. A go for you? One try per person. We’ve got some unique sponsors this year, so...” She explained. Vigilon thought for a minute. He hated his typical chances, but honestly, he still had yet to give up. Most likely, he wasn't going to give up at all. "I'll go for it." He replied.

 

ID# 160706 CD: 12

Vigilon looked to his familiar, and asked, "Veriost, could you wait here for a moment?" The small white frost dragon woke up from her nap, looked over to Vigilon, and growled lightly, as to signal no. All Vigilon needed to do was lay down some of the yakitori he'd gotten, and the familiar's expression showed that she changed her tune. Veriost jumped down from Vigilon's shoulder and started on the skewered meat, and Vigilon would follow the NPC over to the cage where the magpies were. “Go ahead, see which one you'd like to meet." The NPC noted. Vigilon would look at all the birds in the cage. Most of them were common magpies, but there did seem to be a few others, like black-billed magpies, azure-winged magpies, and maybe a few others whose colors could potentially get them mistaken for a part of the cage...and then there was the one Vigilon noticed was looking at him. He walked over to the bird, and the two would just look at each other awkwardly. Despite this, Vigilon was ready to make his decision. "I'll go with this one."

Spoiler

ID# 160707 CD: 5

The NPC noticed which one he was looking at. “Ah...interested in Ember, are you? A vulnerable species, she is. Alright, I'll bring her over to the habitat. She was named for her color, rather than her personality, she's not fiery at all. In fact, she's very sweet, but has a tendency to be fickle from time to time..." She explained as she walked over to the cage. Fickle? Oh, shoot. "Oh shoot what did I just get myself into??" He thought. The NPC opened up the cage, and the Ceylon Magpie hopped onto her finger, then onto her head, then onto Vigilon's head. Ok, this was new. After a few seconds, the NPC would remark, “I...think she wants you to bring her over...well, in that case, follow me, I'll help you out." Looks like he was doing this. As Vigilon followed the NPC, Ember would be vocalizing in a variety of different calls and chirps. It was almost like she was trying to mimic some kind of song. Some of the other magpies began making their own calls, as if trying to say something to Ember. She listened for a few seconds, then she continued, but with slightly better quality this time. When Vigilon reached the habitat(he was moving slowly as to not disturb Ember), the NPC gestured for him to lift his index finger horizontally. He lifted it to his head, and Ember hopped onto the finger. Vigilon guessed that he had to bring his finger over to the habitat next, so he began to do that slowly. Ember waited patiently, then once Vigilon's finger was close enough to the habitat's ground, she hopped off, and started flitting around in the area, continuing her vocalizations. She then returned to Vigilon, as if awaiting something. Vigilon tried to make gestures to paint a picture in the bird's mind. Circle, flat surface, shine. The Ceylon Magpie would stare at Vigilon for about a minute or two.

 

ID# 160708 CD: 4

Total: 21(Received Supernova Yokan Block)

Ember chirped, then began looking around the habitat as if looking for something, once again continuing her vocalizations. "She trying to sing?" Vigilon thought aloud. “Probably." The NPC guessed. “She likes mimicking sounds that she finds pleasant, and tries to sing based on what she hears. There was one who came here, sang to the magpie she picked. It caught the attention of the other magpies, too. Ember here has been trying to sing that very song, it seems... She must have been really drawn to it." She explained.

Vigilon knew only one with such a voice, but he wasn't going to jump to conclusions just yet.

The vocalizations stopped, and Ember returned with a token in her beak. She placed it down before Vigilon, looking satisfied with her choice. Vigilon accepted the token. "Thanks, Ember." Vigilon said to the Ceylon Magpie. Ember let out a lighthearted chirp in response, and she would jump, using her wings to boost said jump, and land on Vigilon's head again. Vigilon chuckled. "She must have a thing for sitting on people's heads." He remarked. He would walk over to the cage, and when the NPC opened up the cage, Ember hopped into the cage, turned to Vigilon, and chirped what might have been a farewell to him. "It was nice to meet you, Ember." Vigilon responded. Then it was time for him to return to the counter and retrieve his prize.

Edited July 22, 2020 by Vigilon

[Zajcica 0]

Finally, after hours of the event being announced, Yuki would find her way here. Assuming Crozeph was already here, he was likely pretty lonely. He tended to keep his distance from others when in big crowds like this if she remembered correctly. After all the leveling that she had been focusing on in the last month, she would really need this time to relax.

She opened her menu and started to make her way to the area where Crozeph was located. Thankfully you could track the location of people on your friends list if you pulled open their name. Crozeph was here and... oh, he was out on the water. She wouldn't be able to surprise him way out there... unless?

Yuki took off her kimono and replaced it with her normal attire, then waded into the water. Players didn't need to breath, so she could hide under the water with ease. Once the marker was just above her, she saw the bottom of his boat. She swam up to it and gave it a tap to get his attention, before exploding from the waster with a smile.

"CROW! HIYA!" After everything calmed down, she calmed into the boat and put her pink kimono back on. "Oh, hey! Tanzaku! I wanna write my wishes too!"

[Receives Tanzaku]

Spoiler

Name: Zajčica
Level: 60
HP: 1410/1410
EN: 120/120

Stats:
Damage: 3
Mitigation: 202
Evasion: -1
Accuracy: 2
BH:70
BLD:36
TAUNT
THRNS:54
FL. AURA:30
FR. THRN:21

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Durandal (T3/Perfect/OHSS): ACC II; BLD I
Armor: Jack's Plate (T3/Perfect/HA): Fl. Aura II; Taunt
Misc: Casseur de Logistille (T3/Perfect/Shield): Thorns II; Fr. Thorns

Skills:
One-Handed Straight Sword [Rank 1]
Heavy Armor [Rank 5]
Block [Rank 5]
Battle Healing [Rank 5]
Parry [Obtained]
Howl [Obtained]

Extra Skills:
Concentration
Familiar Mastery: Defender

Mods:
Athletics
Stonewall
Shield Bash
Vengeful Riposte

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleportation Crystal*1
Immolation+2*6
Ration+2*5

Housing Buffs:
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Tasty: Turn 2 identical food items into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing
Advanced Training: +2 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:
Tanos Statue: +15 Mitigation for a thread.

Wedding Ring:

 

[Vie 0]

Vie had been waiting for Haine for what felt like the longest time, she began glancing over the papers and shuffling them- reading and rereading them until she couldn't help but begin thinking of her responses. The first thing she considers writing is the kanji for "Happiness" on each colorful slip, but figures that might be seen as some form of cowardice- or perhaps too many of the same may interfere with their individual effectiveness. Either way, she decides against it as her mind begins to wander while looking at the first prompt forgetting who she had been waiting to meet for a bit as she drowned in thought.

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

Spoiler

She considers her recent boulder-breaking experience with Kiluia. Daydreaming about how they had wrecked that boulder together, they had also prattled on about passion and moving forward throughout her future in Aincrad. The conclusion they found: that she had truly needed some form of purpose in this world, but hadn't encountered it quite yet. Their makeshift solution had involved exploration, having a support group around her might allow her to stay motivated in moments of strife. After a while of silent pondering she finally moves the purple marker over to the upper left corner and in big unintentionally messy font she writes "To experience many new things" the handwriting was a little childish as she was rusty, but she wanted to use Japanese characters nonetheless. Otherwise they wouldn't be tanzaku!

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

Spoiler

"The people around you," the only group she could pertain that to had been guild members. Each had been extremely supportive throughout her journey, telling their own stories and helping her through quests, allocating more advanced pieces of equipment for her to use through her travels, advising her on what she should do next for the next quest... They were essential in her becoming more confident in herself, not only that- but helping her keep her and fellow guild members from being harmed. If not for them, where would she be? Even though they were important to her what they needed was the more difficult question. She felt like it wouldn't be something physically attainable that they needed, rather something conceptually. After a while she decides on and writes down "Success and togetherness," in the same lousy handwriting. She might've needed to practice beforehand, but there's no sense in stopping now.

What would you wish for someone you care about?

Spoiler

The first person her mind races to is Katoka, she had nearly gotten killed the other day after all! The redhead had been frozen in fear of that shark which Freyd had easily defeated, nonetheless in that moment- something in her heart had dropped. Vie had been utterly terrified by that beast, the thought that it could've killed her. She really cared for this girl in particular for some reason, but the girl had also felt bad that she cared so much for her at the same time. The sympathy and worry had been unsolicited, possibly even unwanted. Forcefully pushing her mind away from Katoka, she considers writing something about the gorgeous bluenette she had also cared for... The girl could handle herself and was successful in every way she could possibly imagine (or so Vie thought), stuck between a few candidates to inspire the words written on the tanzaku, she ultimately decides to write it in thought of Katoka despite the fact that it may not be desired. Leaving the space below it unsigned she wrote, "Achievement in their endeavors".

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

Spoiler

Instead of being driven to write with one particular person in mind for this one, she considers a whole populace she has yet to encounter. The blonde women she had barely interacted with, other guild members who might've been busy instead of being at the guild hall party that had occurred the other day... There was a whole world filled with people she had yet to properly greet. Players of all sizes and shapes she had yet to thank for existing and question relentlessly. Thousands- no, millions of legends that had been unknown to her thus far... She considered why they might've not yet reached out to her for a while. Perhaps they were anxious or down in the dumps themselves... Maybe they felt just as overwhelmed as she had when she first interacted with a floor. After a while passes, she decides on a wish that may be beneficial to the group and wrote "Confidence and happiness".

What would you wish for yourself?

Spoiler

Finally, the last prompt. Vie hadn't often thought about herself until recently after conversing with Kiluia and other guild members. Self-exploration wasn't something she was very good at, nonetheless she pondered what to write in response to the question that at this point felt like some sort of survey. She reflects on the real life she had previously led, critiquing herself on her inability to approach others and properly hold a conversation. Her social skills had been lacking for a long amount of time already, and she felt like she should make up for this fact soon. Being introduced to a whole new group of people she couldn't interact with is quite... troubling. In the past she lacked any sort of relationship whatsoever. There were many people she wanted to befriend, but she never got the courage to ask someone. After a while she figures out that she truly values what she has now that she was never capable of quite attaining in reality writing, "To be accompanied by others" in a slightly smaller font as it felt a little embarrassing.

At the bottom of each one she signs a few semi-cursive Japanese characters representing her name as if by muscle memory. Her parents, though Canadians, did occasionally attempt to replicate the tradition of the country she had originated from at home as if in some attempt to get Jami to not feel estranged in the foreign world they had taken her to. (Especially when she had just recently moved there from the Japanese orphanage). Of course no passerby would know her real name, but she felt that reality's Vie cared about these people just as much as in-game's- so it only felt fitting to write an abbreviation of her real name rather than her online one as if she were playing some sort of character instead of than being true to herself as she had been.

She gets up to return the colorful slips to the lady, and just when she turned to go and search for Haine... The girl was bumped into and immediately shut her eyes- bracing for impact. When she hit the particularly rough cobbled ground she thought about how clumsy whoever had bumped into her had to be though she had no real room to judge, being quite unsteady in her kimono herself. As her eyes fluttered open, they were met with the bluenette's who she had been waiting for all this time. "H-Haine? I thought you had abandoned me!" Vie shouted in disbelief as they mutually stumbled a bit trying to get back on their own two feet. "Sorry, I sort of... jumped the gun and ended up writing these on my own," she explained picking up the scattered colored papers she had written on with dark ink. "I'll wait for you to finish yours before I hand them so we can hang them together though!" the redhead spoke while a grin appeared on her face and she stood preoccupying herself with thought and staring at the bamboo forest the booth had been set up nearby questioning its origin among other things...

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

Edited July 22, 2020 by Vie

[Hidden 1]

Having finished her papers, she stood up and was about to move to hang them up but a voice caught her attention. A familiar one at that. Turning, she would find the small white-haired girl bounding towards her at full speed. 

"Nee-chan! Nee-chan! I didn't know you were here! Let's do something fun!"

A soft smile grew on Hidden's face as she looked down to Ayame. "I came here to see what is going on." Hidden would reply. As Ayame asked her waht the papers were she would quickly reply, "Nothing really. Just something I need to hang up really quick." Hidden hung up the papers before turning back to the young girl. 'Maybe I should do what Mari did to me. Maybe it will make her feel happier.' 

Hidden flashed her a smile. "I really like this outfit, The other one seemed really overdone, but this one doesn't demand attention as much. It is really nice." Hidden reached forward in a  similar manner that Mari did and stroked the hair on the young girl's head. "On my way over here, I seen some birds. Why don't we check out what is going on over there?" Hidden would ask her. 

[Hung Tanabata papers]

@Assassin

[Assassin 0]

Assassin smiled happily when her sister expressed her fondness of her outfit. It was much simpler than the one that Ariel had made for her, thankfully. The other one was nice though and very pretty. Hidden expressed moving on, but Assassin knew enough about Tanabata to know that she would have write down some wishes.

"W-Wait, I have to write down my wishes, too! What did you wish for? Anything nice?" She asked as she looked at the prompts that asked her questions about what she would wish for. While she read them, she had to wonder what Nee-chan had put down on hers, and if any of them related to her.

"Here, let's see." Assassin picked up a pen and started to write on the papers. She would have to think carefully about the things that she wanted while she wrote them. "This is going to be so much more fun since I found you here Nee-chan."

@Hidden

Spoiler

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

My wish for the rest of my stay here in Aincrad is to be with the people who have made me happy. Hidden and Ariel have helped me be such a better person than I really was before. They have helped me not worry about the dangers of the world while I learned to actually be a somewhat normal person. I hope that I can make them just as happy as they have made me. Maybe I can become as strong as one of them. That would make me really happy. I just want to enjoy my stay for now, and worry about everything else later.

Spoiler

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

Does that mean the people around me as in my friends? Ariel and Hidden are a big part of my life right now, and I'm really glad to have them in my life. I think if I was going to wish for something specific for them, it would have to be to have their wishes to come true. Even if it means that I wasted my own wish, if they get whatever they want, then I would be happy. They are really nice people who take care of me, so they deserve to have their wishes come true more than anything.

Spoiler

What would you wish for someone you care about?

I think that means I would have to pick a single person to write about. That would probably be Nee-san in this case. She always seems like she is in a bad mood, or like she just isn't happy at all. I want her to find some way to be happy with what she has so that she wont ever be sad. I think specifically, I want every single one of her wishes in this festival to come true. As long as they made her happy, that would be amazing and make me happy. I think she deserves to smile a lot more.

Spoiler

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

Ariel would fit best for this question I think. She seems like a person who was really lonely until she met me. I hope that she finds a way to be happy with her life. It seems like she has had a pretty rough one like me. Well, maybe not exactly like me, but I think it would be best to wish that she has better life from now on. It feels like I'll write a lot of the same stuff on here, but I guess I'm a much more simple person than I thought. I don't think my wish can come true just from hanging it on a tree, but at least I'll remember its there and maybe it'll happen.

Spoiler

What would you wish for yourself?

For...me? I'm honestly not sure. There's a lot of people who are taking care of me in Aincrad that really had no reason to. I tried to make Hidden look like a fool when I first met her and she only got mad at me. Now she's become my greatest friend in the game. I don't know what else I could wish for... I guess, if I had to wish for anything for myself, it would be that I got adopted soon after leaving the game. I have everything that I need right here, so I'm only worried about what happens when I leave. I guess that means I won't be able to take my Tanzaku down when it comes true then...hunh?

[Prompts filled.]

[Hidden 1]

"W-Wait, I have to write down my wishes, too! What did you wish for? Anything nice?"

Hidden thought for a moment. 'I can't let her know embarrassing things like that.' Hidden would avert her eyes before replying, "I wished for a new pair of socks." Her voice came in an emotionless tone. She stood waiting for the girl to finish her writing, wondered what a young girl would even wish for at Tanabata. As the girl would finish she would let Hidden know that it was going to be more fun with her along. "Uh huh. Definitely." She still failed to see how she made anyone have 'more fun'. 

"Alright then, lets get moving. We don't have forever to visit everything in the area." She would begin to step back towards the main area, finding it much more crowded then she left it. Stepping up to the secluded corner with an odd assortment of items. 

“The old man sure was worried when the magpies fled earlier today…”

Hidden would shoot the girl a confused look. "Wait what?" 

“Sitting in for gramps this year, A go for you? One try per person. We’ve got some unique sponsors this year, so...”

Hidden opened her mouth to speak but she was utterly confused with this NPC's dialogue. She hadn't even asked yet, but he NPC had already begun as if to hurry her along. Hidden stepped up to the girl's bird cage. As she did, most of the magpies fluttered to other other side chirping as if giving a warning. Only one bird remained. "Guess that made choosing easy, huh?" The NPC would retrieve the bird of her and set it upon Hidden's now raised wrist. 

Hidden would begin to speak to the bird in a sing-song voice."Hello mister birdie. How are y-" The bird flew up, pecking her multiple times on the forehead in an angry protest. "Okay okay... I get it. You guys don't like me. Can you just help me out for a sec" The NPC would open the habitat filled with rewards. "Okay... just get me something you think looks good." The magpie flew into the habitat and without hesitating, retrieved a stick. the magpie would return and drop the stick on Hidden's head before flying away, never to return to the cage.

"Why do animals hate me?"

“Dang it. Gramps ain't gonna be happy for me losing one." 

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
160724	10	9	6	3	Hidden		Magpie Minigame	2020-07-22 11:55:12
160723	1	1	7	10	Hidden		Magpie Minigame	2020-07-22 11:55:04
160722	1	1	14	5	Hidden		Magpie Minigame	2020-07-22 11:54:54

 

Hidden Receives: Stick. 

 

[Crozeph 0]

Probably the best wish he has written. For his sanity's sake and for the sake of his fiancé. He finished the last of his yakisoba and tried to ease himself into lying down in the boat again. "I can sleep through this festival with ease and I'm pretty good at it too, I have eaten, a few of the wishes written, then he must rest like a heathen, if he is even one. I wonder if Yuki and Night are having fun right now. I can only watch people have fun, aside from MMOs and playing the guitar, there's no other thing I could think of that I can enjoy. Well, I do enjoy eating and sleeping so I guess that counts."

[Jaws theme starts playing]

Crozeph could feel like something was moving underneath as he felt like something tapped on his boat "probably just a koi who tried to capsize my boat" he thought as he paid no mind to it "now if I try to play that magpie thingy I might get something really good if I'm lucky, maybe I should buy Yuki a new kimono…" he gave it a thought again "…maybe she has a lot now, what about un…" a splash was heard and water fell on his face. He was startled and he quickly sat upright and screamed like a girl.

It was Yuki and she emerged out of the water like a mermaid, if mermaids had pink hair. For a moment felt like he had a tiny heart syndrome and almost had an attack but upon recognizing the face of his fiance he quickly helped her climbed into the boat and grabbed some of his tanzaku "bloody hell" he said, the shock made him utter a phrase not normal for his heritage "I thought I was gonna get abducted by a mermaid" he told her. Crozeph looked at her kimono and her face and smiled "you're always ready to dress up for the occasion whether it's a battle or not, maybe I should let you dress me some time. That might improve my fashion sense" he said as the boat and water stopped rocking "you knew I wouldn't like crowds right?"

@Zajcica

[Haine 0]

"Why'd you run off like that?"

Haine placed a hand against her chest, heart pounding as she regained her breath. She pulled away from the vivacious redhead and looked at her. The other looked stunning in her Yukata, the emerald and lush pastels drawing out the brightness in her eyes. Her bangs were pinned back with a soft, off-white lily. Haine gasped. "My, my!" She circled around the woman, taking in the floral design and gold trims decorating it. She leaned in and tucked a stray strand of red behind Vie's ears, smiling softly. "Like a doll! I love the look." She popped a ball of Takoyaki into her mouth and squealed into the bite. The umami and the sauces mixed together in a delightful symphony, she was on cloud nine among all this food. She swallowed thickly and outstretched the plate of Takoyaki, one sole ball left. "C'mon, eat up! I'm savin' room for the other goodies."

In the other hand she held a set of blank papers. She had yet to finish decorating them. "Okay, just let me finish these up real quick. I'm so excited!" She clasped her hands together. "I've never been to a festival before. Let's explore everything, kay?" She held the papers to her lips and kissed them for good luck. "Come, let's!" She grabbed Vie's hands, dainty and fragile in comparison to hers. She dragged her off the stand and and placed the papers down. To the left she perused the set of pens and stickers. Whoo boi, it was time to think hard about what she would wish for. There were only five papers and about a thousand wishes to choose from.

[ Tanzaku wishes #1-5 ]

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

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

The question jogged her thoughts. There were many ways to interpret it. She thought of happiness, how hard it was to persevere when the days dragged out. She remembered her beginnings, living in fear of what was to come. She feared death, and that one fear alone kept her evading reality. She couldn't recall how much time she'd wasted in the safe zones, stalling time in hopes that others could step up and that things would solve itself. She realized, after months of monotony, that she had to work to survive in this world. She had to grow accustomed to the fact that this would be her life indefinitely.

To stay alive.

 

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

Haine mused about it. Over the course of years, she'd seen many faces... come and go. Till this day she wondered of all those she lost touch with. She didn't want to assume the worst, but this world was a cruel one. She was struggling with the conflict within, over the disappearance of her siblings. They were alive out there somewhere, but for how long? She thought of her best friend Elyth, the bubbly soul that accompanied her on her fearless endeavours. It didn't matter how crazy the situation was, she knew the girl would be there to lend a hand. She was out there somewhere, carrying on with life without her. She could only wish her loved ones the best.

For everyone to be safe.

 

#3. [ What would you wish for someone you care about? ]

Haine held the paper close to her chest, her eyelids fluttering shut. Her thoughts drifted to her love, Kiluia. The past few months since their return had been magical, a new, foreign chapter in life. He was her pillar through hard times, by her side since the beginning. Fate had been kind to bring them together, against all odds. He was her shoulder to cry on, her player two. She couldn't predict their future, but she knew she would be by his side for as long as he'd have her. She opened her eyes and dragged the brush across the paper.

To be together forever.

 

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

The question invoked the image of a particularly fierce woman, the beautiful blonde Eruda. They shared a heartfelt conversation not too long ago, Haine admired her resolve throughout tough times. She hoped to show the other that there was still purpose to life beyond the battlefield. There was the vibrant redhead, Vie. She couldn't put a finger on it, but she reminded Haine of her sister. She grinded her teeth and refocused her attention on the task. Recovering from the loss of her siblings had done a toll on her, but she was getting better as time passed. She jotted down a quick word.

To be closer to them.

 

#5. [ What would you wish for yourself?]

Were all the questions this redundant? Haine set down the brush and scratched her head. Damn. Most of her thoughts revolved around others and the desire to understand those she cared for. She seldom stopped to think about herself beyond surface level, evading her fears and inner concerns. She carried the illusion of a confident woman, albeit deep down she was still... lost. There were  questions she had yet to answer to herself. She had reached a point in her path which led down two directions. Would she remain this way or take a chance? She sighed and picked up the brush.

To have more faith.

 

 

Edited August 31, 2020 by Haine

[Vie 0]

As she stood staring off into the distance in an idle way to give the bluenette some time to write her wishes, the girl had instead circled her. Vie could feel the intense stare the girl wore as she did so- it was as if she were trying to memorize each miniscule thread that was weaved and manipulated into the shape of a kimono. While the redhead felt judged, Haine had finally finished her analysis seemingly concluding that her attire had been satisfactory. The entire process made her blush as she had never met anyone who cared about her appearance except her parents before. It was strange to be complimented, yet at the same time oddly delightful? She was glad to experience having a girl friend (not a girlfriend mind you e.e).

Vie had finally identified the source of pleasant aroma that had invaded her senses since their encounter: takoyaki. One of the few pleasures of life she had partaken in before. As Haine outstretched the near-empty disposable trey and offered some to her, she practically jumped up and down excited to have them once again. Instead she looked at the single octopus ball in a little disappointment and picked it up with a spare toothpick while listening to the bluenette and giggling in response, 'Saving room?' she thought cocking an eyebrow and smiled simply glad to be spending time with her.

She watched the gorgeous female take a seat and write on the colorful sheets of paper, decorating each a little differently. Feeling guilty about watching over her back she averts her eyes for a moment before realizing how beautiful her kimono had been. Cherry blossom detailing towards the base, outlined in a clean white and all wrapped up with an oversized bow. Though it wasn't too elaborate, the minimalist style she chose seemed to highlight the esteemed aura about her, almost like a princess. As the female turns around her two neatly tied locks of hair turn with her. As she admires at the bluenette's cute face to match the outfit she smiles, "Just one more step and we're done and off to conquer another stall!" She begins hanging the colorful papers she had written on up on the multicolored strings that had already been quite crowded with other wishes, taking her time to place them in spaces that were less crowded than the rest though it took a little effort as she reached up on her tiptoes. 

As the redhead turns to Haine she asked, "Where to next?" her only question as she considers following her Hime to the ends of the Earth and back. She glances around feeling almost aimless and lost at her surroundings clearly stuck thinking of where to go next. Finally, she makes an executive decision and takes the girl's hand in her own, leading Haine in a direction she hoped would be less populated. The two walked hand-in-hand making polite conversation to one another and as they approached a familiar silhouette at the Magpie stall.

[Vie hangs the Tanzaku]

@Freyd - The Whisper in Shadows @Haine

[Freyd 0]

Leaving the magpie booth, his mind still reeling at the possibilities presented by his prize, Freyd looked up to see both Haine and Vie heading in his direction.  Both women looked stunning.  The quality and detail of their ensembles was further accentuated by the contrast of the vibrant blue and red hair.  Smiling and greeting them as they approached, he still felt strangely awkward without his armor.  At least he wasn't wearing that cassock anymore.  The priestly garb had served its purpose, but had drawn as much attention as it deflected.  

"You both look spectacular!  How is it that you both look so at ease?  This outfit makes me feel completely out of sorts, but I can't deny how comfortable it is."

He begged their indulgence for a moment to address one last item of business.  Wandering a short distance to where a large group of children were diligently working away to build some sort of paper train, he knelt before the 'crew boss'.  The blond boy wore a military style cap on his head and kept glancing between his companions and a set of impressively detailed plans at his side.

"Hey chief," Freyd said unfolding a water-stained flyer he'd rescued from disaster earlier in the day.  "I hear that you were looking for a few things.  Maybe this will help a bit."  Quickly punching a few UI keys, he turned to give his companions a quick wink as hundreds of gold stars started raining down all around them, much to the children's delight.

"Now, what are you two lovely ladies up to?" 

He was about to suggest a few locations of interest when he spotted Elora nearby, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets at the drastic change in her appearance.  'Don't say something stupid,' his mind counseled.  'She'll beat you silly.'

@Vie @Haine @Elora

[Freyd provides 294 gold stars to the construction of the Milky Way Rail]

Spoiler

Item Name: Gold Stars
Quantity: 294
Thread: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/19856-sp-f22-event-dont-be-koi/?do=findComment&comment=617547

 

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

The games were filled for the time being, but the smell of food was what drew him to the next stalls. The upside of doing this alone was that he could maneuver any which way he desired. The downside to being alone was that you had no one to really interact with. The smell of the takoyaki filled his nostrils and he was already next in line for that delicious food. With his mouth salivating at the thought of having this food, he had ordered 3 large orders of the food out of habit. He had realized he was alone and that she wasn’t beside him this time around.

“Damn…” He sighed heavily. Not even his familiars were around to assist him with this food. With that though, he managed to carry all of the items to the open-air table that was there. The three items were set there and he sat himself down. Mask was removed and he started to munch on the food before looking at the blank pieces of paper for the festival he was to write. Guess this is a good time to start this. I have a flat surface. He thought to himself. With that he spread the first three in front of him and began to start.

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

Spoiler

The rest of my stay? He thought to himself. What exactly would one wish for their stay? If this was the first wish, he would be plagued by the rest. There would be a variety of things he could wish for, but which one took precedence? He looked at the blank piece of paper and sighed slightly. What to do… what to do… Should he wish for good health? Should he wish for money? Or should he wish for their escape? He began writing his answer after he calculated it.

I wish for her to stay with me forever.

A selfish wish. A wish that seemed tacky and cliché in a movie. But this wish also could have been interpreted for her health and to stay alive. It was what he wished for.

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

Spoiler

He flipped the paper and read the instructions for the next one. This question seemed straightforward but also complicated like the first. “Well damn.”  He muttered to himself. The people around him were already doing well as far as he knew. He tapped his mask slightly as the thoughts started to fill his mind. However, the only thing it boiled down to was to stay alive. Who wouldn’t want to stay alive especially those he held dear to his heart. Part of him knew that they would already wish for that so should he go with something else? He started writing his answer down the best he could.

I want the people around me to find what they wish for and protect it at all costs.

What would you wish for someone you care about?

Spoiler

The next question was easy. The thought of someone he deeply care for was Haine. His thoughts had already been fresh from the previous question, but this was a little more direct. The other question about the people around him basically addressed a cover all. His mind started to imagine the question and how he wanted to just draw a picture but 1. He was a terrible artist and 2. If someone saw it, they would think he was an idiot for drawing a picture instead of actually writing the answer.

I wish for her… to say yes. When I propose…

When it was written down, he almost erased the answer. But he stared at it. It was really what he wanted for her. It would mean happiness, health, a protector, a person she could depend on, and finally a husband.

He had managed to finish one of the Takoyaki by himself. The mask was on the side of his head as he continued to munch quietly by himself. He thought about filling out the other two blank pieces of paper and finish it off but the night was still young. He figured he would be able to finish it but the games needed attending to. He was on the hunt for a ball game or hopefully the cork gun game. Since the  developers were kind enough to have the festival, he hoped they would allow this one time to have the gun game he desired to partake. "No rest for the weary." He placed the remaining food into his inventory and would feed his familiar and hers later. Eyes would scan the surveying area and he managed to catch @Freyd - The Whisper in Shadows @Haine @Elora @Vie starting to converge in a group. Eep. Gotta go fast. Sonic fast. He thought to himself as he lowered the mask to cover up his identity. He place his wishes up and would continue later with the rest after he had located his game. Hopefully no one saw him. 

3/5 Tanzaku turned in.

Edited July 23, 2020 by Kiluia Seiko

[Alkor 0]

Third, but possibly the most weighty of the prompts sat before him now. Alkor spent a great deal of time laboring over the words, despite there only being a single sentence in front of him. It was an event meant to remove the burdens from Players, if only for a moment but for Alkor, it raised a question that nothing and no one inside this world could answer.

He folded his hands neatly in his lap and stared through the mask down at the ground, his thoughts distant. What would I say now, if you were here? 

What would you say to me? The image of a person would not appear before him like it might in some quest. Aincrad could not manufacture the shape of his feelings, nor could it give voice to the pain in his heart. In some ways, that made the ache feel more genuine.

What would you want for me, if our roles were reversed?

That thought shook him. In that instant, Alkor was overcome with a strange sense of morbid relief, thankful that no one else in his family was trapped in the death game. He was thankful he was the only person in his small group of relatives who had to endure this crisis to the end. He was thankful he was the only one at risk, despite how they might feel about it.

He knew what he wanted, and who he wanted it for. He could do things to help those people inside the game with him. He could see them, hear them, and interact with them. There was only one person in the world he wanted to know was safe and sound at that moment, and he could only have hope that she was.

健康

Health.

[Prompt 3 complete]

[Elora 0]

Elora continued to write the wishes, her mind set on completing them before the end of the night. It was probably good that the prompts made her consider how best to respond to them. Maybe the time it took her to think of an appropriate answer meant that they involved topics she hadn't put much thought into. Still, it felt like she was taking a difficult test, and the pressure associated with that made her feel increasingly anxious, bordering on frustration. She tried to press herself to complete the activity faster. Maybe then the ideas would come more easily to her. 

 

Spoiler

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

The people around me? Like, in Sword Art Online? There aren't many of them I can think of...Warren, Jackpot, Freyd....and, Kill, was it? Maybe it would be better for her to answer the question in respect to her real life, the one outside of the game. Except...I don't really have any friends there either...At least, probably none that would be waiting for me to return, if they even realized I've vanished to begin with... Maybe this one is meant to be about society as a whole, or the collective of gamers trapped in Aincrad. I think for them, I would wish that...that they're able to find peace, whether it be in freedom or in death. Maybe death is a version of freedom though. Who knows if we'll ever even get out of here. I guess that if this is how the rest of our lives will be, I wish that everyone can find happiness in the cards we've been dealt.

Answer: "To find peace and happiness in their circumstances"

 

Prompt 3: What would you wish for someone you care about?

Well, this isn't much different than the other one. I kind of wish these were a little bit more lighthearted. Maybe something like "What would you like to get for Christmas this year?", yeah, that would be nice. Elora took a moment to reorient her focus. It was important that she took the question seriously instead of thinking about how she would have written them differently. The first person who came to mind upon reading the prompt was her older brother, Liam. It's been so long since we've been able to speak to each other. I think before this happened, it had been at least a year since I had seen him. Ever since he started college, he'd only really visit us for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Immersed in the stream of consciousness, Elora hardly paid notice to the lump forming in her throat or the tears beginning to well in her eyes. I just hope that he cares about me as much as I do about him. I'm sure that...maybe me being gone has made him miss classes or do worse in school...I don't want to be a burden to him...My wish for him would be that he's able to succeed without me, or even, that he does better now that I'm gone...that he doesn't have to think about me holding him back....

Answer: "For him to succeed without me"

 

[Elora Completes Wishes #2 and #3]

 

By the time Elora had finished half of the wishes, she felt like she was on the brink of an emotional breakdown. This was a horrible idea. What was she doing here, trying to blend in with everyone else? She wasn't ready to be on this floor, or to go to events like these. There was much more work to be done on herself if she was going to make friends here. She suddenly grabbed the papers beside her and stood up before making eye contact with someone in a group of people approaching her. Was that...Freyd? He was barely recognizable in such formal attire. Before she could absorb his change in appearance, her eyes darted between the two female players walking beside him. They looked beautiful in their red kimonos. Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!, she began to panic and pivot in her position in search of an escape. There were too many people congregating in every avenue of the square. She took notice of one white-haired player wearing a mask. He was practically sprinting through the crowd, swinging his bent arms as he charged forward in an attempt to gain additional momentum. He looks like he knows what he doing! Before she could follow after him, the vacant trail he had left in the crowd was immediately reoccupied with a swarm new pedestrians. As the trio continued toward her, she could feel what could only be explained as her insides stinging with an overwhelming anxiety. I didn't know Freyd had so many friends! What if he introduces me to them? Does he even consider ME a friend?! They're going to think I look so dumb with what I'm wearing!

@Freyd - The Whisper in Shadows @Haine @Vie

 

Edited July 26, 2020 by Elora

[Crozeph 0]

"Maybe Yuki is tired from all the leveling she's been doing these past few weeks" he thought as they remained in the boat slowly drifting. Somehow he wasn't getting unwanted attention now, how ironic, people looked at him as if he was living a miserable life alone inside a boat and when Yuki came in everything seemed normal. Crozeph eased himself again and gently pulled Yuki towards him with her head and back on his chest "here, you try to rest even with this festivities going" he told her. He wrapped his arms around her and held a pen and another paper to write his next wish. "I know you've been doing a lot of quests and farming to level up to make sure you're ready for the frontlines and I'm so proud of you" he added.

Funny thing though is that the lights and lanterns are not annoying in his sight anymore, he also doesn't give a shit on the noises the people made. He pressed his cheeks on her head resting "I'm sure you've done this most of the time right? I never wanted to celebrate things like this because I was alone" he looked at the lights where the festival is being held "I don’t hate it, I just don't want to be part of it. It always felt like it wasn't for people like me, or maybe that's just what I think." Crozeph held the tanzaku and began writing his fourth wish, Yuki still wrapped in his arms "even with that, you managed to change everything in a matter of minutes" he said.

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

Spoiler

 

"Even with me staying with Yuki and us deciding to get married, I still want to know a lot of things about her. How was her life before all this? What kind of house would she like outside of this game? Her favorites? Things she doesn't want to cook for me like, I don't know, bats? It might seem like a lazy thing to ask or wish for but I'm not really good at knowing people aside from what I can see, I'm dumb when it comes to asking the right questions. I wish I could know things without putting her in a bad mood."

Wish #4: Know her without cooking up a recipe for bad moods.

 

@Zajcica