Prologue: The Bon Festival

Magic is Real.

We fly over oceans, hold the sum of all recorded knowledge in our hands, and speak with relatives halfway across the world without leaving our chairs. Magic isn't just flying on broomsticks or calling down fire from the Heavens. Magic is limited only by your Imagination, and your Will to make it manifest. There's a battle going on over the nature of Reality and Mankind itself. Pretend it isn't there, or get involved and forge the Future you envision.

Welcome to the Ascension War.

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Prologue: The Bon Festival

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Nov 30, 2016 6:03 am

“Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.” - Patrick Rothfuss, The Name Of The Wind

Last year ...

A pleasant summer breeze rolls through the early evening of the streets of San Francisco, billowing the clothing of the dancers flowing down the street. The celebrants are wearing everything from traditional yukata, to simple shorts. Experienced artisans move in synchrony down the center lane, and they have been joined by many other smiling citizens of various levels of ability. Children run in and out of the dancing, joining in, playing, getting distracted and leaving. Rather than being disruptive, they add to the festival atmosphere, welcoming all to come and celebrate.
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The steady beat of drums sets the rhythm of the music, the deep thrum connecting the crowd, hastening the heart, and boosting the mood. Hired performers are spread throughout Japantown, their performances varied and educational. Between performances, they invite volunteers to come up and (carefully) try it out themselves.
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San Francisco is a varied and cosmopolitan place. The 2010 census calculated that 36% of the population wasn't even born in the United States. The street tonight reflects that fact. People of every nation, creed, tongue, or people can be seen and heard. All pouring out into the street to join this celebration of life, light, and culture. From those of Japanese descent here to honor the memory and sacrifice of their ancestors, to proponents of art and music, to anime fans, to merchants looking to do business, to random passersby that are simply taking in the sight.

The night is young, and the day is far from over ...
Welcome @Hermit and @Hayabusa to the Thread! You'll run in to Muskrat later. Enjoy!

Also, I'm generally describing a Bon / Obon Festival. Apologies ahead of time for any cultural inaccuracies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_Festival

These are the referenced Drums: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiko
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Prologue: The Bon Festival

Post by Hayabusa » Wed Nov 30, 2016 11:38 pm

It is still early in the day for June and she watches the festival for a bit, glad to see Dexter around for a bit. She could probably spend hours to talk about some of his Easter oddities and some old tomes, how they were locked away and inaccessible. At least for someone who did not know how to pick a lock or lift a key off of someone. However, they all looked like scribbles to her so there was no insight to be gained there despite not repeated attempts at it for months. The people and colorful event easily draws her away from rambling on. The whole is certainly something she would not miss. Having rolled up her sleeves in the breeze she waits only for for the smallest opportunity to let herself be dragged in and follows the first invitation extended her way.

"C'mon, it's just drums," the stage magician says to her friend with a grin on her face. "Anyone can do that!" While her fingers are nimble enough for most feats, music is obviously not one of her strongest suits as it is clear for anyone listening. Luckily she just hammers away on the drums and it's easy enough to miss.
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"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

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Prologue: The Bon Festival

Post by Hermit » Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:00 pm

Dexter shakes his head at June's comment, arms folded in a gesture that conveys his unwillingness to cave in to his companion's coaxing. An anime enthusiast and admirer of asian cultures in general, Dexter needed little to no excuse to participate in the festivities, even going so far as to acquire his own yukata, an elegant piece of deep indigo with the pattern of an oriental dragon's scaled body coiled along nearly the entirety of the fabric in shades of crimson and white highlights.

Sleeves flapping in the ephemeral breeze sighing gently through the streets, an inner part of Dexter smugly prides himself on how dashing and exotic he must look to the crowd. Not many handsome gypsy men that can pull off wearing a yukata. he thinks. The silly thought brings a slight curve to his lips. Life was still something of a struggle after all this time and yet it didn't seem quite as bleak as it once was. Finding out magick's real and you can cast it would change anyone's tune, he reflects.

Checking to ensure no errant strand had come loose from the ponytail he'd put his hair in, Dexter remarks casually to June, "The only beat I can follow is that of combat."
''At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.'' - Lao-Tzu

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Prologue: The Bon Festival

Post by Hayabusa » Thu Dec 01, 2016 11:22 pm

"Oh, Dex, that sounds far too serious!" June replies grinning and rolls her eyes dramatically. She lets her hands come to rest before she thanks the person who invited her over. After a moment she returns to Dexter. On her way she rolls down the sleeves of her shirt to cover her lower arms and hiding the tattoo of a pocket watch in a bed of leaves of flowers. From his appearance, June would have assumed that her friend might be far more interested in the festival. Obviously anything attention drawing was not the best of ideas.

"So I am pretty sure that you would not join any dance either, even if I were to do the same," the stage magician asks as she puts her hand in the pocket of her pants. "Still, there's other things going around." Lifting an empty hand between the two of them and turning it to show him both empty sides she continues. "Perhaps we should find a bit to eat first. My treat!" Making a fist and opening her hand she has several coins and a crumbled bill inside her palm. "We gotta do something fun later though. Please." June adds, lifting her hand up a bit more to put the money just below the line of sight to her eyes.
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"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

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Prologue: The Bon Festival

Post by ManWithDoor » Fri Dec 02, 2016 7:12 am

The sights, sounds, and smells invite the pair to embrace the moment. Light and fire are a large part of the celebration. Lanterns with all sorts of writing line the boulevards, the stalls, and some are even carried by people in the crowd. Some enterprising vendors have set up booths where patrons can paint their own lantern, to light and carry around. Some draw a design, keep it blank, or have the merchant show them how to write a name of an ancestor on the lantern. Even as the sun continues to set, the city remains brightly lit, the lanterns holding back the darkness of night.
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There are a multitude of food choices, from the mundane to the exotic, authentic sashimi to Mexi-melts, priced for every size wallet. The vendors are eager to deal, cash and card exchanging hands constantly. Whatever can be sought will be found with a little perusing.
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I need to not look up food at 11pm. Makes me hungry, and start to look for places open late to feed my completely unnecessary food craving. But damn does that look tasty. Midnight sushi should always be a thing.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Prologue: The Bon Festival

Post by Hermit » Mon Dec 05, 2016 4:55 am

Dexter shook his head at June's overly dramatic gestures. "I'll bite, I could go for some sushi or sashimi, but food's courtesy of me, we both know I'm the only one earning a steady enough income to afford to do this." He knew it was a harsh thing to say, but he was confident it would be enough for her to not spend her money on fare that was likely to be overpriced on an occasion such as this.

Spotting a nearby vendor, Dexter bade June to follow him with a wave of his hand as he approached the stall, already reaching into the voluminous folds of his yukata to produce his wallet.
''At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.'' - Lao-Tzu

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Prologue: The Bon Festival

Post by Hayabusa » Mon Dec 05, 2016 7:35 pm

"Ouch!" June replies but smiles, letting the loose change and note vanish in a flourish again. "It's not like I'm poor you know. I just spend what I have real quick. Just wait until I can turn lead into gold. Or maybe I should actually try out in Vegas," the magician adds as she follows Dexter. "Some sushi would be nice though."

She looks over the colorful vendors as her friend already chooses a stall to approach. "Hi," she begins beaming as she catches the attention of the merchant. Instead of staring at the food, she looks straight at him. "I'd like some with crab. Oh, and do you have those tiger rolls?"
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"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

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Prologue: The Bon Festival

Post by ManWithDoor » Tue Dec 06, 2016 12:17 am

A trio has set up a food cart, and they are making sushi rolls on the spot to keep up with the demand. They all look vaguely related, maybe cousins or something. The man handling the customers nods in the affirmative. "Hai, a Tiger Roll. Ours is spicy crab and cucumber inside, outside is shrimp, avocado, and a sour spicy sauce." He calls over in Japanese to the other two, and they get right on it. You order a couple more rolls to share, and walk away with only a reasonably smaller wallet. By and large the rolls taste fine. The fish and rice taste fresh enough, and you aren't getting that sinking feeling in your stomach that means intense intestinal regret later.
Sorry for the brief post. Feel free to chat for another round, and I'll move on the scene and hopefully pull in Muskrat next.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Prologue: The Bon Festival

Post by Hermit » Tue Dec 06, 2016 2:10 pm

Unlike his counterpart, Dexter was averse to spicy foods in general and stuck with milder fare like california rolls and shaggy dogs. Having covered the bill with only a meager lightening of his wallet, Dexter indulged in his rolls with immense satisfaction, careful not to accidentally spill his food on his yukata.

Smoky green eyes looked up from his treat to admire the vast array of lanterns strung across the streets. His lids closed shut and for a moment he stood still to bask in their lambent glow and soak in the sounds and smells of cooked food and light revelry. Sighing, he murmured forlornly, "Moments like these I wish time would stop and permit me an eternity to savor it."

In the fullness of time, a familiar voice in the back of his head chimed, such a thing might be possible.
''At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.'' - Lao-Tzu

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Prologue: The Bon Festival

Post by Hayabusa » Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:04 pm

"I do love avocado," June said smiling the vendor explained. She was glad to get a bit of food tonight and who knows how late or rather early in the day ahead it would be when the night was over anyway. If it was all up to her then it'd be just after dawn but it's far to early to say. "Thank you, Dexter. You're the best!" She added before picking up the first of the sour spicy sauce-filled sushi.

Unlike her companion, the blue-eyed woman sees no sense in shutting her eyes. It would mean to distance herself from their surroundings, the brightness, the people and the joy she can see. "You know," the magician replies munching. "I think that sounds terribly dull. "Imagine that nothing changes, nothing to play with. If nothing moves then would you or could you even interact with anything? That would mean you couldn't even turn the page of a book." She looks away from the people around them. "When you get to a point to do that, I say don't get stuck," June adds with a wink to Dexter which he cannot see, but there is a the amusement in her voice.
It's alright MWD, no worries. ^_^
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"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

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