edgeoflife | Summer Solstice

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!]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Hard to miss any of that, and Cloud narrows his eyes, staring for a moment. Then he nods slowly, alert to the brief attention of the crowd as much as to the Turk who let herself be seen for a moment.

Because what else could she be?]

... right. Sorry.

[Not as if he's going to say anything else, really. And, glancing around and then down, uncertain what now, Cloud's gaze is drawn to the coeurl kits again.]

... what're their names?

[That's safe, at least.]

[Smart man]

Iseul and Keiko. Sisters. The one trying to climb your boot is Iseul.

[Weighing his options between his slowly melting ice cream and the novelty (and surprising cuteness) of the coeurl kits at his feet, Cloud hesitated for a moment before he squatted down.

He did, at least, made an attempt to keep the ice scream away from them while trying to pet them, though whether they were more interested in the petting or the ice cream was a good question.]

To get to the ice cream or sharpen her claws?

[Cloud's voice was dry, a tiny smile on his face as he glanced up at Rufus, and this was just a little bit weird, but with what had been happening lately, both before he... died, and after he woke up here, this was tame.]

Ice cream. They apparently got it as a treat before I purchased them and you happen to have Iseul's favorite flavor.

[Keiko stays back by Rufus but Iseul is happy to sniff at Cloud and his ice cream]

[Biting his lip, amused at the explanation, Cloud looks up again. He hesitates, though, unsure if he really should say something. Shifting on his feet, as awkward as it is while crouched down, Cloud still manages to keep the ice cream out of reach.

For now.]

... would you want me to keep this... um, out of the way, or [a pause to look down at the kit alternating between demanding rubs behind her ears and trying to get at the ice cream, and despite feeling awkward, the smile is back] can she have some?

[When Cloud looks up at Rufus, the kit tackles his hand and takes the ice cream from him. Rufus just sighs]

I don't think it matters anymore.

[There's a very startled, silent moment as Cloud stares down at the coeurl, and he laughs. He swallows it almost immediately, embarrassed, but it was there nonetheless.]

Sorry. I should've been more careful.

[Rufus chuckles a little]

It was bound to happen sooner or later. She's clever.

I guess that's what you'd want, if you choose a pet like this..?

[Cloud eyes her as she devours the ice cream she tipped from his hand onto the ground with quick, neat licks. Soon the only thing that will be left will be the cone itself.

Though, they probably won't just be pets, Cloud thinks, glancing up at Rufus. Not with this owner.]

She's clever, her sister is protective. Ideal, really, though that may change as they get older.

[So, no, they won't be simply pets.

Iseurl finishes her treat and begins to climb on Cloud for more. Rufus barks out an order in (shaky) Wutaian, though, and she backs off]

At least they're not queens. They're vicious.

They'll make a good team, then...

[Cloud really wouldn't have minded being climbed on, aside from the fact that for as tiny as she is, Iseul still has pretty impressive claws, and he couldn't help the wince when she caught a bare arm.

Then she's down again and Cloud makes sure to rub behind her ears. She did respond to Rufus' command quickly, after all, so that should be rewarded, right?]

... could you even make pets of the queens?

[Not that Cloud is a wildlife and monster expert, but aside from that far more familiar with the native creatures around Nibelheim, but he did of course have some vague knowledge of coeurls... and that included the queens.]

[She likes this human. This human is nice. Iseul begins to purr, much louder than her tiny body would indicate she was capable of.]

I know some have, but they're used only for guarding important persons and little else and even then there's a risk. No, thank you.

[Cloud shook his head, baffled at the idea. Coeurls and and guard hounds were pretty chancy as it was, tamed rather than domesticated, so why try to take even more dangerous versions of the monsters?

In the middle of delightedly petting the kit, an unconscious smile on his face from the incongruously loud purring, the earlier realisation of who this was settled in properly, and Cloud ducked his head.]

... sorry for taking up your time.

[He was pretty sure Rufus Shinra had better things to do than let him pet his coeurl kits.]

[Rufus just smiles a bit]

No, it's fine. I brought them out here to work on socializing them before I begin training them in earnest. Besides, she looks happy.

[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..?]

[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.

[Very much thankfully, and since she's not even trying to do damage, Cloud gently pulls at his hand and pushes her around, to give her something to 'fight' against, while he listens to Rufus.

He nods, then looks down to the sad remains of his ice cream, even the cone now crushed into pieces from Iseul rolling around.]

I'm sure they'll... be good for you, sir.

Summer Solstice

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