Summer Solstice

[lifemods]

Summer Solstice Fair

The sun is shining, the Mognet is working again, and the summer solstice fair is here! The WRO hopes to makes this an annual thing, but this is the first year they're doing it. Everything you could ever want from a fair is here and open to the public.

*Fair Rides: Ferris wheels, a mini rollercoaster, that thing that looks like an octopus and spins around--the WRO spared no expense to make sure everyone would have fun here today. There's even a gravity ride that takes you up to the top of a pole and then drops you!

*Food: So much food. So much unhealthy food. Funnel cakes, hot dogs, burgers, ice cream, you name it. And it's all fairly cheap too, since the WRO promised to pay for half of what the merchants sell!

*Carnival Games: And most of them aren't even rigged! The Gold Saucer donated games for the fair and there are so many games. There's your standard shooting games, some basketball games, a dunk tank, hoop tosses, you name it. A few are rigged, though, so buy beware! There's also a few card tables set up in a tent for those who like their games a little less wild.

*Speed Dating: ...yeah, the WRO has no idea. This came with the Gold Saucer stuff, along with a Cait Sith and Moogle mascot pair that will coax anyone they can into sitting down and participating.

*Job Fair: With the influx of new arrivals, both native and Streamers, some employers see a golden opportunity to get some jobs filled! In one corner of the fair is another, mini-fair fill with tables and presentations on various workplaces: the WRO, ShinRa Tech, the volunteer emergency services of Edge, and the Highwind Air Taxi Service, just to name a few. Anyone of working age is welcome to wander in and have a look around.

Of course, the fair is taking up the entire center of Edge, so there's lots more to see and do!

[[Feel free to make your own top levels! Welcome to Edge of Life!]]

Comments

[scntstnotmunky]

At the response, Winston nods, his smile growing soft. "Family. I can understand that, wanting to protect them."

"It's a good position to have."

[shimmer_on]

Sunset blushed as she stirred her drink, swishing it around in a hand. "Another place. I live in Canterlot City normally, but my original home is another world called Equestria."

Maybe it was how Tifa presented herself, but Sunset felt she could talk to her about this. "I was a pony, a unicorn in that world. I journeyed through a magical mirror and became a human."

[backwaterpuppy]

I. - Fried Food Forever

A fair. WRO decided to hold a fair. Well, if this didn't bring back memories that made his heart ache like there was a fresh bullet wound to his chest. Memories of happy times with good friends, and lifelong bans from public intoxication for both Turks and SOLDIERs. Good times.

The games would come later. Right now, Zack had some gil in his pocket and nothing in his stomach, and the man was on a mission from the gods to find a deep fried chocolate cookie stack. They were his favorite, and this would be the true measure of whether or not this world had any worth.

"C'mon... someone has to have them," he grumbled in frustration after a half hour of searching the food stands. He was leaning against his staff,glaring at the nearest food stand as though it had done him a personal wrong.


II. - Let the Games Begin

Games of skill? Zack could handle these. He could handle them so well. The thing with the hammer and the bell? Rang every time. Throwing a ball to knock things over? Done. Shooting targets? Piece of cake. The only one that was giving him some trouble was this damn ring toss, and he really wanted to win because the booth was giving out really pretty fish as the main prize and wouldn't that look nice on the kitchen counter?

"Dammit... Is this ring even big enough to fit over the top of that bottle?" Zack finally demanded after it had bounced off for the twentieth time. "I think this is rigged. Prove it to me."


III. - Hello Ladies~ (And Gentlemen)

Speed dating. Well, why the hell not? Sure, Zack was taken back home and about to ask the woman of his dreams to marry him, but they had an open relationship, and who even did these things with the serious intention of dating anyone? No one, so there was no harm in any of this.

The ex-SOLDIER put on a charming smile and sat in his chair, reclining just a bit in his seat to let his legs stretch out. This was also a convenient excuse to rest for a moment. But more importantly, he might make some new friends, and friendship and networking were important.

He looked down at the card of suggested topics, trying not to laugh at some of them. "What was the name of your favorite racing chocobo? Really?" He asked out loud to no one in particular, unaware that anyone had come to be seated across from him.


III. - Wandering Wildcard

When he wasn't winning prizes to give away to cute girls or small children, stuffing his face, or humoring the idea of speed dating, Zack was wandering the fair grounds, looking to see what the booths had to offer, or watching the interactions of the people in this world. It wasn't home, but it was close.

[sworntoblood]

Two for two, indeed. Liadrin's pointed brows furrowed deeply.

"That, I can believe," she said. "Though I've never been, save now." And she was very, very reluctant to partake of said 'faire food'.

None of it looked healthy.

"I wouldn't eat like that all the time, I'd end up looking like an ogre with only one head. And more hair," she said, grimacing a bit.

Fair rides, etc.

[sworntoblood]

Head down. Bad idea.

Liadrin was not precisely in line, standing off to the side of one and staring. The faire rides had her boggling. Oh, certainly they were marvels of engineering...but they were not marvels of engineering that she was willing to risk life, limb, or sanity on. She was grateful to have her feet on the ground, thank you.

Besides, riding a real creature, be it one of these 'chocobos' (why didn't they call them hawkstriders, in the sensible fashion?) or a dragon or such, seemed much safer. You could tell why they spooked, after all.

So when the young human brushed past her, not paying much attetion (in her mind) to where he was going, she'd attempt to catch him by the shoulder.

"Watch where you're going, fellow! You might lose your little hawkstrider." Yes, she'd caught sight of the toy in his pocket. It, at least, brought a smile to her lips.

[scntstnotmunky]

"This is a special occasion," said Winston with a grunt, dipping said food item into a jar of peanut butter.

"I am sure it will only come around a few times in a year."

[backwatertrooper]

[The response is enough to make Cloud actually relax more properly in his seat and offer up a small shy smile, though he can feel his ears get warm at the words that follow, even if it is just a factual statement.

It's just... being talked about at all? Not something he's considered.]

I don't know... I'm sure he'd find out about it somehow. Even if neither of us say anything.

[Another little snort. This is weird. He's so used to not really be talking to other people about Zack, but it doesn't feel bad either. Glancing up, the flash of silver in his vision is unsettling for a moment, but that's fixed by actually looking up properly - sure, they look alike, Riku and Sephiroth, but there's differences too.

The age difference helps as well.]

... when did you--- [Cloud stops, looking away, feeling awkward and berating himself. He's pretty sure however Zack met Riku it couldn't have been good - his thoughts goes to his older self and what he said about Hojo - and while he wants to know, asking right now?]

Sorry.

Safety Speed Dating

[sworntoblood]

The Cait Sith mascot was there all of a sudden, steering a pointy-eared, wide-eyed female to sit across from the man. He wasn't noticing, yet.

Liadrin wasn't certain what to say. She'd had no time (and better yet, no interest) in these sort of things at home. There was a war to be fought, and hopefully won, and now, here.

She cleared her throat delicately, and decided to offer the fellow an answer. He deserved that, at least.

"I've never been owned by a chocobo, but my favorite mount is a horse. His name is Retribution, if you must know," she said, a low chuckle escaping her throat.

May as well make the best of it. The worst that could happen is she made a friend.

[sworntoblood]

"Perhaps, but that's hardly a reason to overindulge. One, you're likely to give yourself a stomach ache. Two, you might end up looking like two of you, and they'll need to find a tarp or something."

Really, as far as Liadrin was concerned, the teasing was gentle. "You don't think I'm flabby under this bag, do you?"

No, she really wasn't impressed with the outfits they'd been given, but with limited funding, she wasn't able to go out and buy herself a new wardrobe, yet.

[scntstnotmunky]

Whoa, loaded question. Winston smoothly deflected the "am I fat" question with, "It is still delicious. Mostly. Oh look, games."

Way to avoid the question Winston.

[backwatertrooper]

[He relaxes a little at that and looks down again, smile soft as the kit flops down and turns her belly up. There's a moment of hesitation - he's not stupid, after all - before Cloud risks it with the air of someone knowing it might hurt, but luckily he doesn't get his hand attacked.]

She seems pretty well-socialised already. [Glancing to her sister, still lurking by Rufus' legs, he silently understands the desire.]

Will you... keep the Wutaian commands?

[He's curious, partly because while he certainly doesn't know a lick of the language, it was clear Rufus' command on it wasn't fluent either, and wouldn't that make it harder to train them..?]

[fearedheir]

[Iseul playfully noms on Cloud's hand--her teeth are too little to do too much damage, thankfully]

Yes, but they'll learn other commands as well. They're from Wutai, so they only understand Wutaian right now. It's easier for me to give them commands in Wutaian than it is to try and train them in anything else right now.

poor elf

[exturkishdelight]

Liadrin is one of the ones he has some caution towards. She carries herself in a way that indicates a possible soldier. Those were the types that they needed to have concern with even if they don't recognize the face.

When she looks towards him and nods he returns it before approaching slowly. Children may be interested in Liadrin because of her ears and soft spot.. but they feared Vincent as if out of instinct.

Most scattered away from him. Only children that recognized him lingered, though a short glare caused them to scatter. Vincent was the scary man of the group.. The one they weren't sure was a good man or not but it seemed Cloud had a leash on him at least.

"You are a streamer." A matter of fact statement because obviously. "And a soldier?"

Well that was a question.

food!

[sworntoblood]

That looks like it's about the healthiest thing being served here. Isn't there a rule against that sort of thing?

[It's a mild jibe, and honestly, there's a smile on the Sin'dorei's face, even as she says it.]

Do those ice cones come with the juice, or is it some sort of overly sweet syrup you're serving with them? I don't mean to insult, just...everything seems terribly sweet to me, here. I suppose my taste buds just aren't used to things as they are.

[It's something of a sheepish smile that the blood elf offers, now, as she spreads her hands.] Either way, I think I've enough for that, at least.

[backwatertrooper]

"It is," Cloud said, eyeing the plush with wary distaste. If this was Zack, holding that, he would have been extremely worried. Of course, he'd have been worried even if it was cute. It was a joke---

There is came, and Cloud was tugged between exasperated annoyance both for himself and in solidarity for his older self, and swallowing a smile.

"You... um," Cloud snorted, tugging on his scarf, and then he lost the battle against his smile, "If it was me I'd be really annoyed."

He glanced away, biting his lip.

"... you should do it."

He was going to pay for this, he knew. One way or another it'd come back to bite him. It was inconceivable that it wouldn't.

so fulfilling of conversations *grnt*

[exturkishdelight]

He might be taking a lot onto his shoulders but it was primarily due to his lack of interest in the festival. The others would have interest. Tifa, obviously, had quite a bit of interest. Barret was most likely somewhere with Marlene. Anyone else here had personalities more attuned to festivities.

Vincent wasn't the type. Needless to say, the Gold Saucer had been hell when they'd been there.

He needed to acknowledge her initial concern though.

"Yes. All of us. Today though, a break."

Vincent gives a short nod at Tifa in appreciation to her being glad. He liked Tifa. She was a strong, caring woman who was thankfully there for Cloud when Vincent was who knows where.

"I will be here for some time. Though, I intend on visiting Mideel..."

[anesperience]

Yep.

She'd babbled too much. She felt her cheeks grow hot and she looks down into her lap. She had seen that same reaction in the faces of the children she'd found. Traumatized, hurt children. It was clear she triggered something in this boy.

She looks back up at him when he asked about Espers and her smile was soft, a bit sad.

"...Espers are just.. magical. Like ... people shaped Materia, I guess. They all look different, but they all were a close community.. and humans would kill them for their magic, to take it."

The tubes with Espers would always be vivid in her mind because her Father had been one of them in those tubes.

"At least, that's what I've learned. I've never been to the world.. My mother was human though. I look more like her, but my hair..." She reaches up, touching it briefly. "..It.. did look like my father's, green. Like the Lifestream but I guess when I came here.. I feel different. I don't feel like I had before."

She would always be half Esper, but she definitely didn't feel genetically half Esper here. There wasn't the same magic coursing through her.

[darkbreak]

[Come on, Cloud. Give yourself a little bit of credit here. You have a friend, a good one, who tried to save you and do his best for you. That counts for something.

But the laughs help, and Riku smiles slightly. Yeah, he can see it. If this were their home Planet he probably would have worked with the Turks to tail him on something like this. Here though, he wouldn't be so lucky but you never know.

Despite the apology, Riku waves it off with a hand. It might not be a good situation for most people to listen to, but he's at least somewhat open about his origins. It's not a topic that bothers him as much as it might bother others.]

When did I start hanging around him? [He guesses it's a question like that, and shrugs, leaning back in his chair and keepig his eyes on the table.] Couple of years ago I guess. Zack raided some of Hojo's other labs. Private, off-site locations for top secret projects. I was in mako stasis when he hit the location I was at and I guess... didn't think about getting rid of me.

[There are definite moments where he wonders why and what was going through the other man's mind. But most of the time, he is pretty grateful for it.]

[backwatertrooper]

If she'd given him a few seconds more, Cloud absolutely would have managed to avoid her without bumping into either her or the other person next in line. Head snapping up, Cloud flushed, nodding reflexively.

"Sorry--- Wait, my... hawkstrider?" As he said it, his hand brushed over the chocobo plush in his pocket and he realised what she was talking about. The little blush earlier brightened, even if he smiled a little too.

"Oh, um, yeah." Ducking his head, Cloud carefully pushed the chocobo more firmly into his pocket.

"... haven't... heard chocobos called that before," he said hesitantly, wondering if it was a local name or if this---

Wait. Actually paying attention now, Cloud realised (and wasn't sure why he hadn't realised it first thing) she must be a Streamer, given her look. He wasn't sure if the glowing eyes or long, pointy ears were the most eye-catching.

[backwatertrooper]

"I'm sorry," Cloud muttered, glancing down. It wasn't her fault he'd recently seen his home town being burned down, but it was also just... days ago. He shook his head, pushing the thoughts away.

"... that sounds... kind of like summons," he said slowly, frowning, "but I don't know if summons live anywhere than the materia they're called from. Since materia are small pieces of experience and memories from the Lifestream."

Crossing his arms, Cloud looked at Terra for a moment, and thought it honestly a pity she'd lost her green hair. She would probably look very nice with it. It wasn't something he'd say, though.

"Wonder why you lost it... But if you got it from your Esper... parent, maybe that half didn't... agree with the Lifestream?"

Different magic, perhaps? Or something. Cloud didn't have a clue.

[sworntoblood]

Oh, he was clever. Luckily that just amused her. And attributed to his good sense, strange ape or no.

"Oh, delicious, I will give you." Even if it was a little rich for her tastes. And Liadrin really wasn't sure she wanted to put that much fatty food into her body.

"We should go jogging sometime, then. Or work out somehow. Just to help you keep in shape. I am Liadrin. Who are you?"

She decided to drop the 'lady', since it obviously meant so little here.

[backwaterpuppy]

The very first thing Zack noticed, when he looked up in reaction to the voice, was the ears. He'd seen some crazy body modifications in his time, and crazy creatures with crazy ears, but these? On this woman? They took the cake. After a moment he caught himself and did his best not to stare too obviously.

Owned by a... He mouthed the words, trying to figure out if he'd heard right.

"A horse. Oh right. Uh, huh. So, did you ever race Retribution?" What an intense name. Most of the racing chocobo names Zack had ever heard had been silly, like 'WatchMeFly', 'BuiltForPleasure', or 'BuyersRemorse'.

"I'm Zack, by the way." A hand was offered over the table to the woman. If they were going to be having this strange conversation, he might as well have a name for that face.

[sworntoblood]

She hadn't been overly harsh! And it would be a sore shame to have his...chocobo...drop to the dirt.

"We have something like them, where I'm from, though I have never seen one with such a particular golden hue." It might just be yellow, you know, Liadrin, but melodrama tends to appeal to blood elves...

She bowed a little, then. "I'm not certain these...rides...are the safest of contraptions. Though you don't seem to need worry about goblin engineering, here. And I'd look terribly silly if I went to the...chocobo rides, along with the littles."

Except honestly, that's where she'd feel safest.

"Was it difficult to win one of those? I have a few coins..." Which were probably supposed to be for lunch, but even if it didn't match up to the hawkstriders of Quel'thalas, having one in her tiny apartment would make it feel more like home.

[scntstnotmunky]

Winston pouted a little but relented under her question which wasn't loaded one bit oh no. "I am Winston. Dr. Winston, but Winston is fine."

He chuckled. "You remind me of Athena, my AI companion. She often says I need to exercise more."

Hardly. They probably get each other.

[sworntoblood]

She carries herself so because she is a soldier. Like recognizes like, don't they? Liadrin also has a pragmatic streak, so for now, she's willing to be a harmless curiosity. This, perhaps, will give the fact that Streamers exist a better polish. Even if there are not explanations for such, yet.

That's not something Liadrin is good at, anyway. On Azeroth, she'd leave that to the magisters and priests; here, 'science' was what one waited on.

"I am," to the first. "A Blood Knight. Which is one way of saying such, yes." Though she didn't have anything but the drive and the training that made her these things.

"As are you. A soldier, at least." She wouldn't know a Streamer unless they said so, but the man carried himself like he was familiar with this place, at least. And he certainly was a soldier. So her response was a statement.