GHOST TRICK PART ONE: Festival Log!

[indigo_league]

Who: Everyone!
Where: Either Ecruteak City or Lavender Town; please mark your toplevel comments accordingly!
When: August 13th-15th
Summary: Celebrate O-bon at a festival near you! For details, see the infopost.
Rating: Will vary from thread to thread. Warn for common triggers if something comes up.
Log:

The streets are lined with NPC-run stalls for food, games, and the assorted tchotchkes of every summer festival you’ve ever seen in your animes! There’s Goldeen Scoop, heaping cones of Swirlix Candy, Test Your STRENGTH (there are two different machines for people and Pokémon; HM04 not required); basically, if you can think of it, it’s there. There will also be a yukata rental stall if you want to go full hog on the cultural side of things. Ecruteak boasts a small stage where the Kimono Girls give a short performance once every two hours; the festivities in Lavender Town are a little quieter, but they also have Haunter-shaped ice cream treats. When you lick them, they Lick you!

On the last evening (August 15th) of the festival in either location, there will be a large bonfire and traditional bon-odori dance in which everyone is welcome to participate. In Lavender Town only, they also set paper lamps afloat in the water past the cliffs.

The closer you get to midnight on the last night of the festival, the more ghosts pop up.

Again, please say which city your character's in and note what dates/times they're there in the header of or within your top--level comment to avoid confusion. Play nice and have fun!

Comments

[atlasrising]

Rhys honestly isn't sure what he's eaten today. He's gone from place to place ordering whatever, stuffing his face full of whatever. He may not know what he's eaten, but hey man it's been worth it thus far.

"Maybe? Half of the stuff I've gotten I don't even know what it was." He shrugs, offering Walter a smile! "Wanna find out?"

[11121_assumption]

Walter nodded. Even if it wasn't...good, he could stomach a lot of foods. "I'm familiar with ice cream, but not...Moch-y?" He frowned. It looked like it hadn't been spelt right. Regardless he ordered some (drawing back a little into himself when the vendor laughed at how he pronounced it) and was received it, picking a strawberry flavoured one gently and biting it in half to try it.

He certainly hadn't eaten anything quite like it. But it was fruity and fresh and delicious and he hadn't had anything so sweet. He immediately ate the other half, as if it might be taken from him for hesitating.

[atlasrising]

Rhys has to frown at the vendor when Walter gets laughed at. Jesus, it's not like he can say it right either. Moo-chi? What kind of ice cream name is that? Just name it ice cream, really.

He tosses his money at the person dishing up the ice cream as they're given their deserts, poking at his before watching Walter eat. So if this guy never had a birthday, did he never have sweets? Presents? Birthday cake? The way he was absolutely inhaling his food, Rhys had to wonder.

Honestly, Rhys isn't sure whether to laugh because that's funny, or feel sad because that kind of confirms his previous thoughts. "Is it good?"

[11121_assumption]

Walter nodded. "Really good."

He had eaten another one before noticing that Rhys was watching him. He was quite used to people murmuring and giving him unfriendly looks, but Rhys wasn't grimacing or frowning at him. Just smiling. He honestly didn't know how to respond to positive attention. He savoured the flavour lingering in his mouth and realised. "You haven't tried yours yet."

[atlasrising]

When Walter points that out, Rhys takes a big scoop of ice cream and more or less stuffs it in his mouth, grimacing a little as the cold nips at his teeth. He takes another spoonful of one that looks kind of red, and...oh god does he regret that. It's not strawberry he's tasting.

Rhys grimaces, looking up to the vendor to see what in the hell he just ate, and- yup. Red bean. For ice cream?

He wipes his mouth with his sleeve. "Okay. That's really, really gross. Red bean. Don't try it."

[11121_assumption]

He hadn't brought the red bean. Walter had gone for flavours he was familiar with rather than take random picks as Rhys had.

It looked like Rhys didn't enjoy it as much as him, as Walter misread his initial grimace and then his reaction to the red bean flavour. He looked around, looking for another booth with a treat Rhys might like better. And maybe so he could stay with him a little longer. "Is there something you'd prefer?" He asked quietly, so quietly. He was still expecting a 'no'.

[atlasrising]

Over the sounds of the festival, Rhys can barely hear Walter's question. He bends down a little bit, but after a moment or two the question hits. Would he like something different? Oh hell yeah, because this red bean stuff tastes absolutely awful. No offense to anyone or anything, but dear god. How does anyone eat this?

"...I wouldn't mind something...sweeter. You know, like cinnamon rolls?" He looks over to Walter with a smile, before turning to look over the vendors. "Do you think they got any here? I could do with a really hot one with icing."

[11121_assumption]

"They might." Walter hadn't actually had a cinnamon roll before. Had heard of them, but never had one. He began to wander down the stalls with Rhys, looking for one that might sell what he was after. There were plenty of sweet smells however, from sugary little donuts to more foreign treats that Walter glanced over.

As they walked, Assumption tugged on Walter's arm and pointing to the ice cream. He considered it, then gave one to him. Assumption gave a cry of joy and ate it whole. If they found a cinnamon roll stand Walter wanted to try one, so there was no harm in giving Assumption some of the ice cream.

[atlasrising]

Rhys is about to give up when one glistens near the end of the row of stalls, advertising everything he wanted and more. "Ooh, thank god." He sighs like a huge weight had been lifted off of his chest, and offers Walter a smile. "You gotta try one of these. They're really really good."

He wastes no time getting in line, looking to Walter expectantly. "You gotta get in line! One does not simply enjoy a cinnamon roll without it being fresh from the oven first." The line's moving fairly fast, but he's not walking any closer until his buddy's beside him!

Oh, he noticed Assumption getting a little bit of ice cream. Cute! He offers it to Loader, but he doesn't look interested. He'll totally agree with that.

"Is it okay if Assumption has some? Loader doesn't want it." He'll point to his ice cream. "I kinda already ate a little bit of it, but..."

[11121_assumption]

"It shouldn't be wasted." Walter agreed. He joined Rhys, nodding to Assumption. "Thank you." He added softly on his Cubone's behalf, as Assumption eagerly wagged his tail at the prospect of more mochi.

He couldn't help smiling more truthfully when he was with Rhys. It was still bewildering and seemed like it wouldn't last. Like a switch snapping off the light. But it was there and Walter wanted to hold that light while he could.

"It smells amazing." Walter put Assumption down, instructing him to stay close as they near the front of the line. The rolls look different to how he had imagined they would, not like the rolls he had sometimes had for lunch.