View source for 2020-08-17: The Night the Stars Went Out

*'''Log: The Night the Stars Went Out'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Character :: Neriah Parringer]], [[Character :: Jacqueline Barber]], [[Character :: Violet Salazar]], [[Character :: Lan Lilac]], [[Character :: Ivan]], [[Character :: Loren Voss]], [[Character :: Ashley Winchester]], [[Character :: Lydia Seren]], [[Character :: Seraph Ragnell]]
*'''Where:''' Meria
*'''Date:''' August 17, 2020
*'''Summary''': ''Star Festival Day is interrupted by a dire omen.''

----


 <Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
<poem>''Today is August 17, Star Festival Day. Once, a guardian from the stars landed in front of a starving young boy. Introducing himself as Rigdobrite, he ripped a chunk of his own flesh and offered it to the ailing boy. As a token of his gratitude, the boy became a baker and made Rigdobrite flavored cookies. Since the cookies tasted like shrimp, Rigdobrite became known as the Shrimp-Flavored Guardian.''


Little parochial festivals are not odd occurrences in Meria. August 17 - the Star Festival - is one of the most notable, even for those who don't believe in the Guardians.

For this evening, at least, the city centre is alive with activity. Strings of small lanterns hang from vendors and storefronts like little stars, tempting festival-goers as they meander about in search of fun. And there's no shortage of it.

There are events - booths one can pop in on. Among the most prominent is a target throwing booth - there are two moving rows of Rigdobrite dolls holding targets, and whoever can hit the most with a thrown ball with a star on it will win the big prize. There are food booths, including more than a few serving famous shrimp-flavoured cookies. (A few serve cookies that taste like cookies but are ''shaped'' like shrimp. A few more serve delicious skewers of ebiyaki.

At the heart of it all, in the centre of the square, a giant effigy of Rigdobrite has been erected - with a chunk out of him. It is, in fact, a large cookie cake in the shape of the Guardian of the Stars, and a stack of plates on a table before it ensures that anyone can meander on by and get a piece of (non-shrimp) cake.

The atmosphere is one of levity and relief - a rare evening of joy and fun in troubled times. The crowd seems to grow by the minute, and they glance skyward now and then.

Everyone, from the fairgoers to the aristocrats to even the raven perched on a rooftop, is waiting for the stars to come out on this clear and beautiful night.


(This is a social scene in which you're free to explore the Star Festival, socialize and engage each other or events as they come up. However, at some point around 9:30 EST, something will occur.)

(Ball-Throwing Game Rules: If you wish to play the optional Ball-Throwing Game, throw an attack at Neriah. The player who scores the highest damage in a given round will win the Top Prize. You may try to win on multiple rounds, but no one can win the Top Prize more than once.)
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
<poem>The Star Festival! You'd think, at such an excellent money-making opportunity like this, Jacqueline would be heading up a stall to sell all manner of star-themed goods. But no! This time, she is present here just to experience the festival for herself.
Hersll these Rigdobrite-themed decorations... they really remind her of Lydia. She hopes she's doing alright, wherever she is...

"I'm sure she'd really like this..." Jacqueline murmurs to herself, wandering through the festival with a plate of various cookies. She has acquired both shrimp cookies and shrimp cookies.

Her path eventually leads her to the Ball-Throwing Game. Jacqueline observes it consideringly. She knows how these things usually go. The game is probably rigged... but at the same time, she can't help but shell out some of her gella for a single try. She sets the plate of cookies down, though not before eating one for good luck, picks up a ball... and throws, with the weight of her experience hurling potions at enemies and alike during battle behind it...!
</poem>

 GS: Jacqueline Barber has attacked Neriah Parringer with Potion-Tossing Experience!
 GS: Jacqueline Barber has completed her action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Jacqueline Barber's Potion-Tossing Experience for 160 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Violet Salazar has posed.
<poem>Violet Salazar isn't normally the type to attend a party -- much less a ''Guardianist'' party -- but after two solid frustrating weeks of trying to book affordable passage to Marze, she's ready to blow off some steam. The midwife has traded her usual widow's weeds for a long, dark green dress, whose ill fit might be a clue that it was borrowed, bartered, or bought used.

Not stolen. She's not the type to do that.

It has been slit down the upper back to accommodate her mane, which, for a change, is loose and flowing. One might be surprised how long her hair actually ''is'' outside its usual bun. She briskly covers the perimeter of the Festival grounds and heads towards the center, availing herself of star cookies, particularly if they're free -- and eating them perhaps a mite too greedily -- and the cake, once she reaches it. "Is this from Irington Bakery?" she inquires about the cake. They're quite famous in these parts.

Her ARM is nowhere in evidence -- who'd take one to such a gathering anyway? -- but her stiletto is safely secured in its waist-sheath.

She's carrying a tankard of wine -- which she's already hitting -- and enjoying it, though a common and undistinguished vintage.

It's been a long time since she had fun. She's almost forgotten what it's like....

Eventually the Ball-Tossing Game Booth catches her eye, and she decides to give it a go. She's more spry than she looks!
</poem>

 GS: Violet Salazar has attacked Neriah Parringer with I've Brought Life Into The World and I Can Take It Out!
 GS: Violet Salazar has completed her action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Violet Salazar's I've Brought Life Into The World and I Can Take It Out for
 144 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
<poem> 
    "It's not like Rigdobrite will be upset if I don't go. I just really want to! You can come with if you like... There'll probably be shrimp, if you like them."

    Lan Lilac, shaman of Rigdobrite and Solarian 'asset', isn't really a manipulative person. There's nothing manipulative about just stating simple facts! Even if she knows that Loren Voss is easily swayed with promises of food. 

    Making sure your friends don't miss out on stuff they'll enjoy is part of friendship!

    And if she's off base by herself for more than an hour or so, people get antsy these days.

    One day, she'll...

    But for now, there's cake and cookies and yes, even the promised shrimp to enjoy. She's bought a small bag of shrimp-shaped cookies, nibbling at them one at a time as she wanders the festival. How long has it been since she's just... well, done something normal like this?
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ivan has posed.
<poem>It's Rigdobrite, Rigdobrite everywhere, as far as the eye can see... As Ivan strolls through the festival with Lydia, sampling strange shrimp-flavored cookies, he observes, "I think I'm starting to see the appeal."

Ivan admittedly always found the strange meteor shrimp god a little unsettling, but Rigdobrite is so important to Lydia... and seeing his form fashioned into baked goods does something to make him more approachable.

But inevitably, a certain throwing game catches Ivan's eye... He steps up to attempt it, training an INTENSE FOCUS upon the moving dolls as he attempts to predict the perfect trajectory needed to fatally clobber one. And then... Ivan unleashes a throw!!

His pride as a knife-thrower and an ex-assassin is at stake! (Not that a thrown ball has the same properties as a knife, but still...!)
</poem>

 GS: Ivan spends 1 Combo on Poison!
 GS: Ivan has attacked Neriah Parringer with Fire Wasps!
 GS: Ivan has completed his action.

 <Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
<poem>
    To be frank... Loren, under normal circumstances, would have given this whole thing a hard miss. Not only is this festival not about ''astronomy'' (how big a nerd do you have to be to expect a scientifically-accurate festival) properly, but it's a Lamb festival... and worst of all, it has everything to do with the Guardians.

    Or to be specific, ''a'' Guardian.

    Lan's Guardian, as if were.

    But Lan, sadly, knows the quickest way to the young man's heart, and even he was ''eventually'' swayed.

    "What's with Rigdobrite and shrimp, anyway?"

    He can't say 'shellfish' are the first thing he's considered when checking out the night sky. What ''would'' a star taste like--
    Why is he even considering this? It must be catching. First sky cake, and now...

    Lan might note that he's sticking close to her. Is he keeping that close an eye on her? Do they ''know''?
    Or is it possible that Loren is very, very, very socially awkward and feels uneasy in a large crowd?

    (One of these is more likely than you think...)

    Or at least, this is true until he spots the ball toss game.
    One of his (well-cultivated) talents is a certain accuracy with (generally irregularly) weighted objects. He watches others take their shot.

    "...Bet I could do that, easy," the medic remarks to Lan. "Right-- just stay right there."

    He steps up and after tossing a ball once to test its weight throws it at the target.

    This may be awkward because he's just stepped right up next to Ivan and hasn't yet realized it.
</poem>

 GS: Loren Voss has attacked Neriah Parringer with Easy Throw!
 GS: Loren Voss has completed his action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Ivan's Fire Wasps for 174 hit points!
 GS: Poison! applied to Neriah Parringer!
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Loren Voss's Easy Throw for 128 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Ashley Winchester has posed.
<poem>SOMEWHERE ELSE - PROBABLY IN THE MIDDLE OF A DATE

Cyre Lorentz munches on a shrimp-flavored cookie, wondering why they don't make seafood-flavored pastries more often.

RIGHT HERE - IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FESTIVAL

"Ugggghhh my hands still smell like shriiiimp," groans a distinctly blue-haired baker from near the Irington Bakery's annual stall front-and-center in the middle of the town's busy fountain square. "Now everything will ''taste'' like shrimp too. Ugh..."

Ashley Winchester... Has been busy making cookies, it seems. Of course he has been! This is the time of year where cookie-baking prowess is in greatest demand!!

But right now, he's on break. You can't spend the entire festival hunched over an oven, kneading shrimp-flavored dough like a cat having fevered fish-flavored dreams! Or so momma Irington claimed. Ashley isn't sure. Stress-baking is a heck of a way to deal with pent-up anxiety, and there has sure been a lot of that going around lately!!

But maybe there's something to it, because Marina sure looks like she's relaxing. Maybe it's just because she's not being made to play the role of THE MITHRIL CHEF today! Maybe it's something else.

Ashley takes a big ol' chomp out of a non-shrimp-flavored cookie and savors his brief rescue from shrimp-stench-stained fingers.

"...Hey, is that a throwing game over there...?" Ashley asks, lightly tugging his (NOT A) date's hand to grab her attention. Does he dare try to win the GRAND PRIZE...!? What... even is the grand prize? Is it some kind of big stuffed shrimp??

There's only one way to find out.

"Hup," Ashley... test-hucks a ball at the target. Have his days in ARMS helped to improve his ARMS!?
</poem>

 GS: Ashley Winchester has attacked Neriah Parringer with Ashley's Arms Are Still Noodly!
 GS: Ashley Winchester has completed his action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Ashley Winchester's Ashley's Arms Are Still Noodly for 166 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
<poem>This is why Rigdobrite is the best. HE HELPS THE STARVING WITH HIS STAR SHRIMP POWERS. Do other Guardians do that? I think not!

Lydia Seren, shaman of Rigdobrite and Solarian 'asset', can be pretty manipulative and she has made doe-eyes and pulled out all the stops she couldd to hint she wanted to go to this festival and well it seems to have worked out!... Ivan might not have needed much convincing.

Lydia is walking along with Ivan and adds, "See? You just haven't seen all that Rigdobrite does for society. Like fun festivals even in big cities like Meria. And also the stars, of course, which are amazing and pretty and also sometimes Rigdobrite allows me to drop meteors on my enemies which is pretty cool and such."

She picks up a ball. "Wow you throw good. I'm gonna try too!"

She rears back with the ball and throws it. "For Rigdobrite!"

She doesn't give it everything she's got though, since she is trying not to outdo Ivan but she does kind of underestimate her strength sometimes nowadays. Then shhe turns her head and looks towards Loren--and then Lan--and then Loren again--then Lan again.

"Oh man, Lan. It's been a while. And uh--"

Her eyes trail past Lan...

...Towards Rachiel Medry, HER minder....

...Who walks right up to Lan and says, "Hey Lan! Keeping Loren out of trouble huh? Or ''into'' trouble? Ehehe..." She doesn't seem to have realized Ivan is right over THERE either which might also make things awkward. This...this is a social scene! It'll be okay!!!

ALSO MEANWHILE

rMarina Irington, BAKER, does not have any mortal enemies and so she's pretty relaxed and enjoying the fact that her not-boyfriend isn't off on some dangerous adventure right now and is in fact helping make cookies like a normal person. She has also been told to take it easy after baking LOADS of shrimp cookies and she munches on one herself beffore adding, "Oh--" She looks over. "Yes iti s. Do you want to...try it out?"

She's not goinng to. It's getting kind of crowded and also it looks like the competition is pretty fierce. She d oesn't need that kind of judgement call from a festival game.
</poem>

 GS: Lydia Seren has attacked Neriah Parringer with Shooting Stars!
 GS: Lydia Seren has gained 1 Combo!
 GS: Lydia Seren has completed her action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Lydia Seren's Shooting Stars for 174 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
<poem>From a storefront behind the ball-throwing booth, two ravens, perched on the rooftop, watch Jay's approach incuriously. The storekeeper is rather more cheery about it, offering up one of the star balls to the alchemist. "Give it a toss and try your luck!"

And throw she does. Jay lobs a few balls, sending a few Rigdobrites toppling off their hooks - including one of the smallest of the target dolls. A few people in line behind her whistle with appreciation. Violet comes up alongside her and tries her luck, taking out a few Rigdobrites of her own, but missing her toss at one of the smallest and highest-value targets.

Ivan's expert assassin's aim serves him well. Rigdobrite targets go down in numbers, and a couple of high-value targets topple. Onlookers cheer in amazement

As Lan and Loren meander through the crowd, the pair can pick up snippets of conversations here and there.

    "I can't wait for the stars to come out--"
        "--Try the ebiyaki, it's delicious--"
"--heard there's a great prize at the ball game--"
            "--I'm telling you, I saw the Impetuous Friend--"

    "--and they keep perching on my damn roof--"
        "--the Rigdocake is so yummy! I love it--"

Loren's kick at the ball-toss can is not ''too'' bad. One of the chubbier Rigdobrites falls from its row - but the score ticker is clear enough.

Until Ashley makes a throw and nearly sails to the top of it. A tiny Rigdobrite doll is sent packing, and the score ticker rolls over to boost him closer to the top.

Lydia changes ''that'' up pretty quick. Her ball sails like a shooting star and takes out the highest-value Rigdobrite left on the board. With a flicker of numbers, the score counter flips - and leaves Lydia and Ivan tied.

"Nice throwing, you two!" says the gamemaster with a big grin as he delivers up the prizes the pair have earned - and each one is handed a huge fluffy Rigdobrite plush, easily five feet high and exceedingly squishy for a Guardian who is also an asteroid. Perfect for hugging!

The prizes for others are simpler. For Loren and Lan, free skewers of ebiyaki shaped like Rigdobrite; for Jay, a fluffy star pillow; for Ashley, a Rigdobrite hat.
</poem>

 GS: Neriah Parringer takes 23 damage from Poison!
 GS: Neriah Parringer has completed her action.

 DC: 1 turn has elapsed in the battle against Neriah Parringer! 4 turns remain!

 <Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
<poem>
    One would think that Seraph Ragnell, noted attempted world-destroyer and enemy of the Guardians, would not come out to a festival explicitly and specifically honoring one of the Guardians. Then again, Ragnell is both capricious and a lover of fine common entertainment. Plus she wields a Star Medium. Perhaps she has a certain fondness for Rigdobrite. Or maybe this is just a good opportunity to engage in one of her lifelong hobbies of people-watching. And possibly pranking.
    
    Right now, she's sitting on a wooden lamppost overlooking the ball-throwing game, munching on an ebiyaki skewer, tails and all. She might not have been terribly noticeable before, having situated herself above the crowd, but when she sees that Ivan and Lydia, Loving Couple, win the top prize, she gracefully hops down, lands nimbly on her feet, and saunters over.
    
    "Hey there, winners!" she lilts at the two. "Congrats on winnin'!" She winks at Lydia and attempts to clap Ivan on the shoulder as they accept their ENORMOUS Rigdobrite plushies. "Don't you two feel good about yourselves now~?"
    
    There are other people here Ragnell can and will harass. These two are just on the top of her list. Aren't they lucky?
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
<poem> 
    How big a nerd would you have to be to expect a scientifically-accurate festival? Why, you'd have to be at ''least'' as big a nerd as Captain Loren Voss, Level 99 Turbo Nerd.

    "It's a really touching story!" Lan exclaims, perhaps not totally realizing (or caring) that Loren is only vaguely invested in the minutiae of her object of worship. "You see, once there was a starving young boy..." She recites the ancient tale as they wander, occasionally munching on a cookie. Thankfully, it's not a very long story.

    If Loren sticks closer to her than most might... it's not that unusual. He's been dealing with some stuff lately. For her part, Lan occasionally glances over, as if to make sure he's not wandering off.

    It's... kind of a strange role reversal if she thinks about it too hard. So she tries not to.

    Thankfully, that's when Lydia Seren shows up, accompanied by a... friend of her own? "Oh! Hi! You made it!" Of course Lydia would, she's a star shaman as well. It's just... well, really nice to see her doing stuff like this! It eases Lan's mind a bit. That's all.

    Rachel Miedry is even less of a known quantity-- "Oh, uh, he's doing a good job! See?" Lan points him out, as if Rachel needed help finding her fellow operative. "It looks fun, honestly. Maybe I'll try too, depending on what kind of... prize..."

    there's an enormous rigdobrite plush, oh no there are ''two of them'', if she manages to win one ''where would she even keep it''?!

    It's a mercy that Loren 'only' wins some snacks. Juggling her cookies an the ebiyaki in one hand, Lan steps up to try her luck as well. "Come ooooooon, reasonably-sized pillow--!" Alas, she's not exceedingly practiced with throwing weapons -- not even 'harmless rubber balls'.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
<poem>Jacqueline soon realises she isn't alone at the throwing booth. She steps aside to let Violet in, offering her a friendly smile.

"It's a pleasure to see you, Mrs. Salazar. I feel like we hardly ever see each other outside of combat situations." She observes.

But then she looks to the side and sees... a lot of people she knows, actually!

"Oh, hello, everyone!" Jacqueline greets with a polite wave. She double-takes, though, when she sees Lydia and her expression brightens. "Oh, you were able to make it after all! I'm glad!"

...Wait, was that Loren just now, too? Was Solaris doing something? Jacqueline frowns slightly, but she doesn't call attention to it. It's for the best.

The scores are tallied... and in the end Ivan and Lydia are on top with a tie!

"A perfect tie... you two are perfectly in sync already. Congratulations on your victories! You definitely deserve it." She says cheerily, as she accepts her prize of a fluffy star pillow.

It's very cozy. This, she thinks, is very acceptable. It might very well find a place on her bed, or on one of the Carakin's couches.

But, it looks like they're ready for another round now. Jacqueline decides to go for another round.

She takes the ball in hand, focuses her power, and then hurls it! But will her aim be true...!?

While she waits for the scores to be tallied up, she addresses the others again.

"How has the festival been treating you all?" She asks politely.
</poem>

 GS: Lan Lilac has attacked Neriah Parringer with Akashic Arts!
 GS: Lan Lilac has gained 1 Combo!
 GS: Lan Lilac has completed her action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Lan Lilac's Akashic Arts for 153 hit points!
 GS: Jacqueline Barber has attacked Neriah Parringer with That Which is Known As 'Ball'!
 GS: Jacqueline Barber has gained 1 Combo!
 GS: Jacqueline Barber has completed her action.

 DC: Ashley Winchester switches forms to Musketeer!

 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Jacqueline Barber's That Which is Known As 'Ball' for 161 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Violet Salazar has posed.
<poem>"Miss Barber! What a pleasure!" Violet exclaims. "Oh, no, don't let me take your spot! Please, go ahead!" And with that she steps back to let Jacqueline take her turn at the ball-tossing booth. "You're right; it IS nice to be out of combat for a change! It's so good to have a break!"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ashley Winchester has posed.
<poem>Fortunately, Ashley Winchester has maybe met Seraph Ragnell all of once, MAYBE twice max. There's no incentive there for her to ruin his night! Though something else is almost certain to do so in her stead. That's just how festivals in Filgaia are!!

But not now. Now... Now Ashley is spending some quality time with one of his favorite people.

Also, winning cute Rigdo-themed paraphernalia from fun carnival games.

"Dang, just short of the big win," Ashley huffs, but offers Ivan and Lydia a cheerful smile regardless, "Good job, you two! You're an adorable couple, you know? Perfectly in-sync...!"

But he has something to hand over, because honestly Ashley's hair is way too tall to fit properly inside a round, Rigdobrite-shaped hat. "Marinaaaa!" He calls with a grin, and unceremoniously plops the adorable hat atop her head. "They've got that really big plush toy again this year. I can feel it in my bones, this time it's gonna be ours!!"

Ashley pumps his fist! And hurries back to the game like the boisterous young man that he should have been, rather than what ARMS demands him to be. "I'm taking another shot," he declares...! Before pitching another toss at the adorable rigdobrite figures. He feels kind of bad about it, honestly!! But this year he wants to bring that big fluffy thing home to Marina. THIS IS HIS YEAR.

...He hopes.
</poem>

 GS: Ashley Winchester has attacked Neriah Parringer with Bolt Action!
 GS: Ashley Winchester has completed his action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Ashley Winchester's Bolt Action for 154 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Ivan has posed.
<poem>Lydia extols the many virtues of Rigdobrite, and Ivan considers them, looking upward. "The sky ''would'' be pretty dissappointing without the stars... and your meteors are very important, too..." Both practically and emotionally speaking, as far as he can tell.

Later, at the ball toss, Ivan's satisfaction at a promising round of throws is marred by an electric prickle running through his awareness as he realizes Loren has entered his vicinity, some deep-down sense attempting to alert him to the presence of an Enemy.

"...You...!" he accuses, even though he was the aggressor, and Loren is the one with cause for a grudge. "What are you doing at a festival? Shouldn't you be off torturing people or whatever it is you do?"

He spots Rachiel a bit further on and harrumphs. One unnecessary fight at a time... (is apparently Ivan's policy)!

This brewing conflict is interrupted, however, as Ivan and Lydia learn that they've both simultaneously won the ball toss round and an enormous fluffy meteor plush is thrust into Ivan's arms.

"Oh no, it's not for me, I was playing for Lyd--" he turns to find her also now holding a giant plush.

"I..." he says, at a loss for a moment. "I guess we both won!"

Jacqueline congratulates them on their tie.

"Ah... thank you. Was it really a perfect tie? Wow...!" Ivan is apparently better at throwing balls than he is at grasping the outcome of competitive festival games while he is trying to diss Solaris.

''You're an adorable couple, you know? Perfectly in-sync...!'' comes some additional congratulations from Ashley.

"P-perfectly in sync...!"

They are approached by a wandering Ragnell, who manages somehow to tease them with her congratulations.

"Hello, Ragnell....I feel... medium about myself, thank you for asking. A normal amount of good." He searches the situation for something he ought to be embarrassed about. Was it accepting the toy? Probably accepting the toy.

Wait, don't fall for Ragnell's trap, Ivan, she isn't even doing anything, you're just doing it to yourself!
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
<poem>
    "The boy ''ate'' the Guardian?"

    Loren just sounds (and looks) appalled.

    This does not stop him from partaking of the various snacks, though. Not only is he a (nearly) indescriminate eater, but they're actually pretty good.

    Form-wise, it's a good enough toss with the ball. It just doesn't land in a place that gets him nearly enough points. It's not that he wants any of the big prizes, of course, it's more--

    Well, it's more about his pride. This would probably be true at almost any time, but it's particularly true now.
    He's going through some stuff.

    "Here," he says to Lan, as she steps up to toss a ball herself. "...What, you want one of those things?" He looks, as it were, dubious. He reaches for another ball.

    In another universe, perhaps he and Ivan would be pointing accusingly at each other. In this one, Loren has a rubber ball in one hand, and shrimp-on-a-stick (somehow not yet eaten) in the other. "What are you doing here--" he starts, then shakes his head. "--Looking for someone else to knife?"

    He has not yet forgiven Ivan for the terrible fate that befell his ''jacket''.

    And then he spots Lydia. If Lydia's here, then that means...

    Slowly, he tracks his gaze off towards the crowd. It doesn't take long to find her.

    Seriously? Medry's here? The young captain's shoulders sag. Great.

    "I," he tells Ivan, "am here for a ''festival''."

    As if to underscore this point, he turns and tosses the ball in his hand for the targets
</poem>

 GS: Loren Voss has attacked Neriah Parringer with Let Us Do Normal Festival Things!
 GS: Loren Voss has gained 1 Combo!
 GS: Loren Voss has completed his action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Loren Voss's Let Us Do Normal Festival Things for 114 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
<poem>Lydia says, "Wooh!" as she hefts up a giant aasteroid plush. You'd almost think it a plush of a ROCK if it wasn't for the little eyes and the tiny shrimp tail at the end. "We are the champions, Ivan!" Ashley even says t hey're perfectly in sync. "''Perfectly in sync, Ivan''!" Though honestly if you look at Lydia's grinning face and consider Ivan's stammering maybe they aren't actually perfectly in synch.

Lydia offers Ivan herr Rigdobrite plush and tries to take the offered Rigdobrite plush in exchange. "I won one for you too! Eheheh!" She seems to be in a great mood.

A GREAT MOOD THAT RAGNELL DOESN'T DISRUPT AT ALL even with the teasing. Indeed, Lydia brightens and says, "Ragnell!"

And tries to hug her with one arm and one giant Rigdobrite plushie, trapping her between a Lydia and a stuffed Guardian!

"I missed you! What are you up to? Are you taking a break from dooming the world today? You should take a break from dooming the world today because it's a Rigdobrite festival."

She nods seriously. "Because Rigdobrite's probably watching everybody to make sure we're on our best--or worst!--behavior."

Her eyes widen. "He sees...''everything''."

Is this true?!

She turns her head back to Lan and adds, "You can do it!" as she makes her own throw! Oh no star shaman good cheer double teaming?!

She's too busy to give Loren shit.

Rachiel thinks Loren is just depresed because of a big mission he's on and is stressed out about it which is what Leah told her when she worried about him in her presence. So she smacks him on the shoulder with one hand and says, "Yeah that's right! We're here for a festival! You can't stop us from having fun, ''nerd''."

Lydia says, "Rachiel you're way nerdier than Ivan.

"What--" Rachiel has a piece of paper stuck to her shoe and pushes up her glasses. "--Aw come on..." She promptly pouts, looking to Jay. "Tell them I'm not a nerd."

DON'T FORGET MARINA

Marina bites at her lip. This is... a game for couples?? That means...

She picks up a ball, firmly steadies herself, and throws it at the targets!!

She just has to tie with AShley! It'd be easy right???

It's probably not that great of a throw but she looks back to Ashley. "I think the hat would--oh!" She says, blushing as she looks away. "Right... Haha thank you, Ashley."
</poem>

 GS: Lydia Seren has attacked Neriah Parringer with Marina Tries Real Hard!
 GS: Lydia Seren has completed her action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Lydia Seren's Marina Tries Real Hard for 75 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
<poem>
    "'Sup, Jay," Ragnells says casually to the Carakin leader. "Nice arm there." She shakes her skewer at her, then bites off the last of her grilled shrimp off of it. "I'm havin' a pre'y goo' time," she says while eating. Chew with your mouth closed, Ragnell!
    
    Lan walks up with Loren! It's been a long time since Ragnell's seen either of them. She flips a hand up in greeting to the Star Shaman, then eyeballs the Solarian agent, twirling the empty bamboo skewer along her fingers. Normally, this would absolutely be time for a prank for one of her least favorite humans; normally, she wouldn't be surrounded by people who can see her and kill her buzz. Elly alone was a ''super'' downer, and it was just her and Loren that one time! Lan, being a nice person who actually seems to like the guy from what Ragnell remembers of her, probably won't be any better.
    
    So, instead, she tosses the empty skewer into a nearby trash can. Then she looks at Ivan, who is being hella stilted and awkward, and not even in a fun way. She tilts her head at him. Then she considers the darkening sky. "Cool. Cool cool cool cool."
    
    Then--awww, she gets a one-armed, one-giant-plushied hug from Lydie. Ragnell ruffles her hair in what is probably affection. "Yep. That's it exactly, Lyds," she replies, of taking a break from dooming the world. "You wanna buy me an ebiyaki skewer? Those things are &#42;damn&#42; tasty."
    
    She then observes the interaction between Ivan and Loren, with Rachiel on the side. She of course already knows of Ivan's hate-on for Solaris in general, but-- "You got bad blood with that guy in particular?" she asks Ivan.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
<poem>Lan takes her turn, and she takes it with surprising fortune for someone not practiced with the art of the ball toss. A high-value Rigdotarget goes down with a plush squeak, and onlookers clap politely for her achievement.

Then Jay steps up to the plate. Her aim is true: A fast-moving target rack full of small Rigdobrites is suddenly down a target, and Jay rockets to the top of the scoreboard with the ping of a bell.

But others are approaching, not all of them tangible. Most of the crowd, of course, does not recognize either of the Seraphim present. The only ones seeming to notice Ragnell are the ravens sitting perched atop a roofline nearby. There are four of them, and they eye her as she calls out to Lydia and Ivan.

Ashley makes his play for the BIG PRIZE... but his throw collides with a big Rig. The low-value plushie tumbles away, respectable, but not enough to send him soaring to the top of the scoreboard.

Loren tosses another ball - and his cast hits the biggest Rigdobrite on the board right in the eye. The plushie wobbles in place before finally toppling, but his score comes in just behind Ashley's. Solarian training, it seems, isn't quite enough to make the world's happiest man a star.

Marina is a star just for trying, of course. Her ball clips a Rigdobrite, but the target plush does not fall. A few people still applaud her anyway. It's all about the good feelings, right?

Soon enough, more prizes are being brought out! Jay's the one to take home the biggest prize this time around: A Rigdobrite sleeping bag! It's incredibly plush and comfortable, and one can just curl up in it like a big star cocoon.

More prizes are doled out. Ebiyaki for Marina and Loren, a snow globe with a little Rigdobrite in it for Lan, and a piece of cookie cake for Ashley.

As the group collects their prizes, a few people passing by can be heard talking.

"--can't seriously be taking that Impetuous Friend stuff seriously. She's obviously just a nut."

"I don't know, have you read her thing? The Church has done some really bad stuff--"

The sky is growing a little darker as the sun slips down. The stars are closer to coming out.
</poem>

 DC: 2 turns have elapsed in the battle against Neriah Parringer! 3 turns remain!

 <Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
<poem>"It really is." Jacqueline agrees with a nod toward Violet. She definitely appreciates these times of peace. "I hope you've been well?"

She looks toward Ivan, then, with a smile and a nod.

"It was!" She confirms.

And then, Rachiel! She's here too, apparently. Jacqueline offers her a smile of greeting.

"I-it's okay! There's nothing wrong with being a nerd, really... It just means you're smart." Says Jacqueline Barber, Super Nerd, who is not exactly unbiased.

And then there's Ragnell! Jacqueline is... well, she's not ''surprised'' to see her.

"Thank you." She says, trying very hard not to look appalled at Ragnell's etiquette(or lack thereof).

And Marina...! Jacqueline watches her give the Ball-Throwing Game a try. Jacqueline doesn't know her very well, except that she's apparently friends with Lunata from the Mithril Chef event. And so, she offers her an encouraging...

"You can do it...!"

But in the end, it's Jacqueline herself who wins this time, receiving... a Rigdobrite sleeping bag!

"This will come in handy next time I go camping with Lunata and Shalune..." She says consideringly, accepting it. It's a useful prize!

She considers going for another round,but then she overhears nearby conversation.

...The 'Impetuous Friend', huh...? Jacqueline frowns a little, and she finds she doesn't quite feel up to giving the game another go. So, she steps aside to let the others at it. Her good mood returns not long after, thankfully, as she watches the next attempts.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ivan has posed.
<poem>''I am here for a ''festival'''', Loren says, and Rachiel chimes in with similar.

"Sorry, it's too muffled to hear any space empire goons behind this giant Rigdobrite of victory." Ivan responds petulantly.

Lydia offers... an exchange of plushes, which leaves them in precisely the same situation they were before except that now Ivan's heart is warmed a little. "You won one for me too...!" he echoes softly, before remembering he is surrounded by several hostile forces and one Ragnell and trying to look tough again.

''You got bad blood with that guy in particular?''

Ivan finds he is unable to put into words what he feels Loren did wrong while he himself is practically incapacitated by self consciousness in the midst of a festival, and unhelpfully explains, "I stabbed him and he didn't die."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Violet Salazar has posed.
<poem>"I've been...surviving," Violet murmurs to Jay. "I miss my family." She steps into Jacqueline's vacated space to play the game again. Maybe she could win a trinket for her grandchildren, Guardianist though it would be.

She hopes her gella will hold out.

She doesn't expect to actually win a big prize. She may be a big stronger than a full-blooded human, but nearly sixty years of life have taken a toll.

But then, what was the alternative?

She hears talk of the Impetuous Friend, yes, she'd heard a few rumors about that. Nothing definitive, though.

She steps up to the mark on the ground and begins tossing balls. Now, if this were a ''shooting'' contest instead of a ''throwing'' one, she might've stood a chance...
</poem>

 GS: Violet Salazar has attacked Neriah Parringer with Look of Eagles!
 GS: Violet Salazar has completed her action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Violet Salazar's Look of Eagles for 173 hit points!
 [OOC] Violet Salazar says, "blu-ray *bit* stronger"

 <Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
<poem> 
    "Just a little piece. I think you might be missing the point..." Lan trails off. No matter how she looks at it, she supposes it would be weird to think about eating something that could talk.

    Picking up another ball for a second (for her) round of target practice, Lan glances over at Loren's dubious nature. "What, don't you? They're cute! Though I guess you'd enjoy the shrimp skewers most out of all the prizes. No wonder you aimed for that specific target!" Does... she actually believe he hit what he was aiming for?

    Regardless of anything Lan herself was aiming for, she accepts her precious prize with grace and requisite ooh-ing and aah-ing. "It's so cute~ thank you! Lydia, check it out! It's so tiny!" She leans over to offer the snowglobe for her fellow shaman to look at if she likes before carefully stuffing it into a soft part of her shoulder bag.

    "Don't forget to eat that or it's going to get cold," she reminds Loren. Rachiel's definitely on to something, here... Lan seems to be the one more bent on peacekeeping-via-distraction than Loren is. 

    The instant she sees Ragnell, Lan's a bit wary. They're only met once before, but the Seraph seems to still be just as cheeky as last time...! At least now there seem to be plenty of targets for Ragnell to focus on. "Hi! It's been a while," Lan replies, perhaps a bit diplomatically. She takes the opportunity to look at the board and give the ball toss another earnest try. 

    'I stabbed him and he didn't die,' she hears. Lan blinks over. "Oh, is that what happened that one time, when you had the knife stuck in you?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ashley Winchester has posed.
<poem>Shucks! Cake! Ashley's not even sure if this isn't cake that the Iringtons baked specifically FOR this game! But he gives (half of it) a try anyway.

It's delightfully unshrimpy, and very good for regenerating his pastrium batteries. The other half is about to go to Marina, when--

Marina...

Takes her shot...!

"A-ah!" It... goes bonk against a bigger doll and wins some ebiyaki. "Marina... w-were you trying to win the grand prize for me, too...?"

Ashley's heart goes doki-doki-doki, which is one more doki than it usually does. He's not sure why, but there's a strange, warm feeling in his chest...!

"...One more," the musketeer declares, taking Marina's hand. "Let's give it a try... Together! Hey, mister! You don't mind if we take our next shot together, do you...!?"

With their powers combined... Is the top prize within their grasp...!?
</poem>

 GS: Lan Lilac has attacked Neriah Parringer with Double Weave!
 GS: Lan Lilac has gained 1 Combo!
 GS: Lan Lilac has completed her action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Lan Lilac's Double Weave for 160 hit points!
 GS: Ashley Winchester has attacked Neriah Parringer with Multiblast!
 GS: Ashley Winchester has gained 1 Combo!
 GS: Ashley Winchester has completed his action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Ashley Winchester's Multiblast for 189 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
<poem>
    "Still," Loren protests.

    This has not in any way, again, stopped him from sampling the snacks. Lan's initial assessment had been correct.

    Speaking of snacks-- he briefly pulls a face when Lan assumes he was aiming for those targets on purpose, then briefly glances away from her. "S... sure," he says eventually. "That's what I was doing."

    This isn't helping his pride at all. Especially after he takes his next shot. He does okay, but not as well as he'd like. It's all the more galling for the fact that this ''isn't'' something that was drilled into him by Jugend, but a skill he developed (perhaps out of boredom?) on his own time...

    The bright side is that he's now a man with two shrimp skewers. The downside is everything else.

    Particularly when Ivan remarks to him that he ''couldn't hear him'' over the sound of the enormous...

    'If looks could kill' might be the apt descriptor for the baleful gaze Loren shoots Ivan.

    Lan likely does god's work and intervenes here, reminding him to eat his skewers before they get cold. "R-right," says the medic, who doesn't need to be told twice. He has a particular set of skills, which include packing away food at speed. He disposes of the skewers.

    Which is when he picks up another ball and Lan asks--

    The look in his eyes might tell her everything she needs to know. With force, he throws the ball at the targets.
</poem>

 GS: Loren Voss has attacked Neriah Parringer with For the Sake of Pride?!!
 GS: Loren Voss has completed his action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Loren Voss's For the Sake of Pride?! for 125 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
<poem>"Yeah! Sure!" Lydia does, indeed, buy Ragnell a skewer. Ragnell has to doom the world 15 more times before Lydia stops adoring her at the current rate things are going. She never actually gave Rachiel her wallet back so really it's Rachiel buying Ragnell a skewer here but nobody (besides Rachiel) has to know that. "I don't see many of my Cruci friends these days." She says with a faint sigh before handing it off to her. "The ebikaki is top tier. Even better than how it is back home."

Lan offers her to peek at the snowglobe. "Oh wow! That's incredible! You really lucked out there!" She assures Lan. "Um." She rubs at her neck sheepishly as the topic of Ivan stabbing people comes into play. "He was just looking out for me." She promises which may or may not be a lie.

But Rachiel's eyes widen. "Wha... Knives don't belong in Loren!" At least Jay tells her that nerds are cool. She sniffs faintly, "Thank you, Jaaaaaay....!"

MEANWHILEE IN MARINA IRINGTON LAND.

She blushes fiercely and says, "Ah--o..okay! Um...! T--together then." She takes in a deep breath, lets it out slowly to calm herself down and she places her hand on the ball with Ashley.

No matter where you go, you'll never be throwing balls...alone?!

Rachiel has somehow materialized like four skewers of ebiyaki in her hand and is working on the first one.

She nudges Lan a little and says quietly, "He's really quite sweet, huh?" She winks.

Oh no
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
<poem>Violet's throw is strong and true. Her ball sails between a couple of chubbier Rigdobrites and takes out a fast-moving small one - a high-value target indeed. From overhead, several ravens watch her throw. There are about a dozen of them perched along one roofline.

There are more of them on another roofline, and a couple more on the ledge of a taller building. The birds simply watch, intently.

Jay can catch a few more tidbits of the conversation. "--a lot of people are saying she's right, you know. I mean, how many times have you heard a priest kind of sneer at you? Look at all the things that are sins these days. I mean, aren't we doing a heresy right now just going here?"

"Granas, knew I shouldn't have talked about religion with you--"

The pair of conversationalists submerge into the crowd, moving to claim their piece of Rigdobrite cookie cake.

Lan, with a firm cast, manages to clobber a roving Rigdobrite, drawing cheers of approval. But it's Ashley and Marina who make the most dynamic move. The power of HOLDING HANDS is more than enough: Their toss ricochets off of one small Rigdobrite, knocking it down, and deflects to take down a second mid-sized target. A roar of approval rises from the crowd, followed by rousing applause and whistles of delight.

Several more ravens observe the proceedings. There are twenty on that nearest roofline alone now, with more on other rooftops, highlighted against the dimming sky by the first glimmers of starlight and moonlight.

Prizes are brought out soon enough. Ashley and Marina share the grand prize: A Rigdobrite plush designed to be carried in the crook of one's arm. There's a pullcord on it - and when pulled, it plays a little tune. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. More prizes are handed out - a set of star-shaped crockery for Violet, and for Lan, a pair of novelty glasses with star-shaped lenses.

Then Loren steps up to take his throw. His ball arcs through the air, towards the smallest, fastest-moving, highest-value Rigdobrite.

A moment before it hits, a raven swoops out of nowhere, steals his ball and flies off into the night.
</poem>

 DC: 3 turns have elapsed in the battle against Neriah Parringer! 2 turns remain!

 <Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
<poem>"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." Rachiel says immediately.

".....Your luck is just the worst, Loren." Rachiel says bluntly.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
<poem>
    It's just one of her many charm points, Jay. At least it doesn't last long, though the wink Ragnell gives her back might be as obnoxious as the lack of manners.
    
    Ivan gives a vague response. Classic Ivan. Ragnell goes with it, though, uttering a low, "Damn." She shrugs broadly, then flashes a sharp grin. "Better luck next time, though, right?"
    
    Lan greets her back. "Sure has, huh?" she drawls. She shoots Loren at Lan's side a look, then gives Lan a broad smile. "So what prize're you after--or d'you not care as long as you're gettin' prizes?"
    
    Lydia buys her an ebiyaki. Ragnell grins. "Sweet," she crows. "Thanks a bunch, Lyds!" She'll tear into that shrimp skewer with gusto. "Your Cruci friends?" she'll repeat. "Maybe you oughtta get the recipe, share it with your hometown, then."
    
    A quartet of ravens eyeball Ragnell. Ragnell wiggles her fingers in greeting at them. She doesn't dislike birds, generally speaking. Then a couple of gossiping people pass by. Ragnell glances their way, listening to the snippet of conversation, but doesn't opt to follow them to hear more. Instead, she turns her gaze back again to the deepening twilit sky, perhaps to search for the stars.
    
    Then a raven steals Loren's ball and Ragnell roars with laughter.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
<poem>
    Something by the corner of Loren's eye twitches.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Violet Salazar has posed.
<poem>Violet is startled. "But- but I- I never win anything!" Once she recovers she waits patiently while the booth operator wraps them up and bags them for her. They won't be suitable for her grandchildren, but she could always use them at her campfires. "Thank you!" She decides it's time to step aside and let others play.

Besides, she's running low on gella and wants to purchase a few ebiyaki while she still has the funds. Shrimp are a delicacy she rarely has a chance to savor -- and she misses them, having been raised in a coastal city.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ivan has posed.
<poem>"I'm not sure we've met..." Ivan says to Lan cautiously, as she joins in with a question about the knifing. Given how friendly she is with Loren, she seems to be with Solaris, and frankly these cheery surroundings don't feel like the right circumstances for mustering up a brand new irrational hatred of somebody.

He gives Lydia a questioning look about how he should respond to the newcomer, as if Lydia had been a neutral party in all this rather than trying to stop him from forging random blood rivalries with people affiliated with her captors. At least it probably won't come to blows here at the festival?

"If you are somebody horrible, can you tell me later...?" is what he finally decides to say.

Ragnell wishes him luck in future stabbings. "Yes, thank you," he says.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
<poem>"...I'm sure." Jacqueline replies to Violet, offering her a sad smile. "Well... as long as you keep them in your heart, I'm sure you'll see them again someday. I'm sure they miss you, too."

She offers Rachiel a smile, then, though she's briefly distracted by Ragnell's pointed wink.

"You're welcome!" She replies. Nerds have to stick together, after all...

She doesn't have much to add after that, as she catches another bit of the conversation. More and more people are leaning in the direction of the 'Impetuous Friend' these days, it seems... A frown crosses her face. This isn't good. Her eyes track upward, catching the sight of the ravens starting to gather. ...Did Meria City usually have so many ravens?

She looks down, though, as Ashley and Marina team up... and manage to win the top prize...!

"Congratulations, you two!" Jacqueline says, applauding in a cheery manner. She applauds for Violet, too, as she manages to win something.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
<poem>Near the big Rigdobrite cookie cake - by now well-cut into - a crowd has begun to gather, concentrated around a few dignitaries. Aldermen, merchant magnates, rich people and the like. They're checking pocketwatches and looking up.

One of them curses and swats at something. "Damned ravens!" he curses as he chases one of the birds away from his plate.

"They really are everywhere nowadays," someone else sighs.

A woman with a fine feather fan flicks it open and covers her mouth. "Ohoho~ They just like the cake, don't they? Ah, but they are so unsightly, yes?"

More ravens have, indeed, come to perch along various rooftops. It's hard to look anywhere without seeing five or six of them now. And the sky is only growing darker.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
<poem> 
    There's a minor kerfuffle about knives in Loren. "Oh, don't worry!" Lan reassures everyone cheerfully. "I pulled it out." Otherwise, appearing at a festival would probably be way less fun for the Loren in question.

    Someone nudges her gently. He's sweet? "Who is?" Lan blinks at Rachiel. She doesn't know any of the men here but Loren. It's easier to just smile at Ragnell. "I'm just glad to be at a festiva, honestly. Prizes are nice but even if I didn't win anything, it's still fun. Isn't that why you came?"

    Something black flashes past her when she's not looking straight ahead.
    Feathers.
    Flash.
    You can not succeed.

    A droplet of sweat breaks out at Lan's temple. "Uh?" She catches herself staring at the ravens on a rooftop.

    "Uh. Sorry?" she repeats herself, head craning toward Ivan. "Did you say something?"

    Something with thin edges is pressed into her hand. Lan looks down at the star-shaped lenses. "..."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
<poem>
    Ragnell looks at Ivan, unsmiling, at his polite response to her encouragement. She glances to one side, head tilting slightly, eyelids at half mast. Then she goes back to looking at the sky, taking a quiet moment to savor her shrimps. The last one, she pulls off and tosses to the original quartet of ravens that had been eyeballing her earlier.
    
    "Have a treat, friends," she calls to them.
    
    "Me?" she says at Lan. "Nah. The booth runners can't see me. See?" She waves a hand in front of the booth runner's face, then snaps her fingers in front of his eyes for good measure. He doesn't react. "So I'm just here for good eats an' a nice round o' people-watchin'. D'you not get to go out that often?" A pause as Lan is suddenly distracted by birds, to the point that she breaks out into a cold sweat. Ragnell pauses, then peers at her. "You all right there?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
<poem>Lydia looks at a raven. It looks at her.

"..." She looks around and sees a LOT OF RAVENS. She looks back to the one raven. "I don't suppose whatever terrible thing is going on can't wait until tommorow, huh?"

Ivan gives her a questioning glance, distracting her from the coming apocalypse. "Oh uh." Lydia says. "That's Lan! Solaris kidnapped her too. We're kidnapped-buddies."

She offers Lan a fist to bump should she so desire.

"And she's a star shaman too. So we're tight." She crosses her index and middle finger together to emphasize this. She doesn't mention that Lan is a 'star shaman' because she stole her medium but, well, that's the sort of thing that you don't do to your kidnapped-buddy.

Rachiel, in the background, frowns faintly as she studies Lan to see if she is also secretly robots in the shape of a person.

Rachiel nods her agreement to Lan. "Oh! Uh. Yes. I mean. It's not like I didn't just want to eat a lot of snacks and harass Loren because I'm secretly worried he's avoiding me ha ha ha...! Oh hey! Birds! Birds are something, huh Lan?"

Lydia waves after Ragnell. "Oh you know! Like Ginny and you and stuff!"

Marina's joy at winning a GIANT PLUSH is muted a bit as she looks to Ashley. "Um." She says. "...Something's strange. Maybewe should go back to the bakery..."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ashley Winchester has posed.
<poem>It might honestly be partly Ashley's fault that there are so many ravens. He MAY be guilty of leaving a few bites of stale bread out for the local birds to come munch on at the end of a workday. It's not like it's right to just let the crumbs go to waste when there are hungry birds out in the world who are in desperate need of a meal! Birds need bread too!!

But there's something more important in Ashley's life than the gathering of a literal murder of crows. Because...!

                            G R A N D P R I Z E                             

"We did it!" Ashley cheers with the kind of giddiness that you'd expect to find in a schoolgirl instead of a battle-hardened musketeer. Marina experiences the equivalent of a man-shaped puppy excitedly clasping her hands. "Haha! I knew there was nothing we couldn't do!"

RIGDOBRITE PLUSHIE ACQUIRED!!

"Here," he says with a big ol' grin... as he hands the prize over to his PARTNER IN CRIME. "I think it'll be happier with you than a mean ol' veteran like me...!" Besides, something in his heart is telling him this is the right thing to do. She must get lonely when he's away, after all.

Somewhere in the depths of memory, a vaguely Anastasia-shaped ghost-cloud rubs her ectoplasmic hands together. The plan proceeds apace...!

"Ahahaha, thanks everyone," ''now'' Ashley is acting all bashful!? But it's fine. Today's a good day. Nothing bad could ever bring today down...!
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ashley Winchester has posed.
<poem>Beat. Ashley frowns at Marina, then... "You think...? Yeah, if you're sure...?" Is she feeling okay...?

M-maybe he went a bit too far...?
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
<poem>
    "Seriously?" is what he ultimately manages to say.

    Once, he would have remembered the ravens.
    But not now.

    He glances over at Lan the once, then tilts his head slightly to the left.
    Oh. It was just a normal lull. Wasn't it?

    He shakes his head.

    That moment of concern drifts away like ashes on the wind, replaced by his own growing frustration with the game and outside interference. Loren's still scowling when he reaches for another ball. "Okay. Okay, no more messing around--"

    He puts force rather than finesse behind it this time.
</poem>

 GS: Loren Voss spends 1 Combo on Gatling, loading 1 into Gatling!
 GS: Loren Voss has attacked Neriah Parringer with Meteor Break!
 GS: Loren Voss has gained 1 Combo!
 GS: Loren Voss has completed his action.
 GS: Neriah Parringer takes a solid hit from Loren Voss's Meteor Break for 179 hit points!

 <Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
<poem>Loren Voss throws his ball with increased frustration - and this time, his force pays off. A tiny Rigdobrite plushie falls from its mount, and he finally receives his well-deserved reward. It is a Rigdobrite dakimakura.

There is no applause this time. The crowd's focus has moved... elsewhere. It's moved up.

The stars are coming out, glimmering into view, gleaming points of silver and gold against the blackness.

They aren't the only thing coming out. Crowds looking up towards the night sky in the hopes of watching the night illuminate with the tapestry of the Star Guardian are beginning to realize just how many dark-feathered visitors there are in the square of Meria.

There are ravens on every rooftop. They have seemingly emerged out of the darkness, their flight unseen in the low light - not even a flicker of motion against the stars can be made out. The birds perch in neat ranks, not making a sound. Now and then, one of them will move - a cock of a head, a ruffle of a wing, a shifting of feet.

But they do not crow. They do not vocalize. They simply stare down at the people of Meria.

    BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1aoklQCIps 

The stars have come out, but the crowd in central Meria is falling nervously silent beneath the gaze of no less than a thousand ravens, perched along every roofline in the urban centre. The birds just stare down into the square, as if they could nail every last citizen in the city to the spot with nothing more than the dark intensity of their eyes, gleaming in the lights of lanterns from down below.

On ghostly wings, a single raven descends from the mass of them. It comes to a landing atop the Rigdobrite cookie-cake. For a few silent seconds, it stares down at those gathered.

"BEHOLD," the raven announces in a deep, rasping voice, like an ages-old sarcophagus creaking open. "THE TIME IS NIGH." And then the other ravens' voices join the first, in unison. A thousand of them.

"THE DAY OF DARKNESS COMES."

                And all the stars in the sky suddenly go out.                 
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ivan has posed.
<poem>''That's Lan! Solaris kidnapped her too. We're kidnapped-buddies.''

"Ah, then you're all right," he says to Lan, who didn't seem to be worried about that. "I'm sorry you were also kidnapped."

Something, however, is happening. Faces begin to turn upward, watching the stars begin to come to the fore in the night sky. There are also many, many ravens. Probably too many ravens.

And... one of them speaks.

''THE DAY OF DARKNESS COMES.'' As the lights in the sky go dark.

With sudden urgency, Ivan whispers to Lydia, "I forgot to tell you we bumped into Neriah earlier attempting some mysterious rituals...!"

He stares up at the sky in concern. Has the ''day of darkness'' come ''now?'' He didn't even learn what it was, yet...!
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
<poem> 
    Focus. Pay attention. He can't hurt you here.

    He's everywhere. He's inside you now.

    "S, sorry," Lan tries to smile. That's what that Lan would do, isn't it? "I think I spaced out for a second." She looks at Lydia's proffered fist for an uncomfortably long moment until something seems to click, and she taps it with her knuckles. "Yeah. Star buddies!" Yeah...

    It feels like her soul tried to leave her body. It's been a while since that happened, so why ''now''? It was... it was just a weird coincidence. It was...
        just
            a

    They're everywhere. They're watching. They're him. 

    Just breathe, it's not real, you're seeing things again, it's all right, it's all right, it's all ri

    The world tilts on its axis. ...No, it's Lan that tilts, swaying on both feet, 

    crashing down

    Lying on her side beneath a starless sky, eyes wide and staring.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
<poem>
    "Oh, THAT Cruci," Ragnell says, nodding knowingly at Lydia. "Yeah, I gotcha. Haven't seen Ginny 'round in a while either, though that follows, her havin' left an' all. Probably busy makin' out with her girlfriend." She pauses when Lydia introduces Lan as her kidnapped-by-Solaris-buddy. She peers a little closer at Lan. "&#42;Really&#42;." It's not a surprise, but...
    
    Then the time comes. The stars begin to shine in the deepening night sky. However, the presence of the ravens has become overwhelming. One flies down to land on what remains of the cookie-cake, and it--and its brethren--rasp out a warning, or perhaps a promise, just before the stars all vanish.
    
    Ragnell chews on the end of her skewer for a moment. Then Lan--not so much faints, as crashes to the ground, staring into nothingness. Ragnell shoots her a wide-eyed look, briefly startled. Then she remarks to Ivan, "...I don't think she's all right."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Violet Salazar has posed.
<poem>Violet's last, and tastiest, ebiyaki drops to the ground unheeded as she gapes at the talking raven and its companions. "THE DAY OF DARKNESS COMES." She wished she'd brought her ARM with her, but who takes one to a festival? Other than hired security, of course. And bad guys.

She gulps as she notices the stars winking out. But wouldn't that be more of a NIGHT of Darkness, really?

She pushes the irrelevant thought away and gets busy formulating an escape plan -- or a defensive one, if fleeing didn't pan out. It sounded like the Day of Darkness might encompass all of Filgaia, and in that case...running wasn't really an option.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
<poem>
    He throws the ball and

    he can hear the exact moment it bounces off one of the plush toys.

    He shouldn't be able to hear that amidst a crowded festival.

    Loren becomes aware that everything has gone silent.

    The ravens croak their announcement.

    Something that even it cannot fully steal away coils in the pit of his stomach. His mouth has gone dry.

    The stars are--

    He turns just in time to see Lan crash to the ground like a freshly-felled pine tree.

    The game, the prize, even the stars -- they're all a secondary concern. He drops to his knees. His hand goes for her wrist first, then for the side of her neck.
    He's looking for a pulse.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
<poem>Silent ravens fill the air, gathering on the rooftops. Jacqueline looks at the stars... but, she can't help but be concerned.

This doesn't feel right.

And then, one of the ravens speaks. Actually ''speaks''. And others soon join it.

'The Day of Darkness' comes. And then... the stars go out.

Jacqueline inhales sharply. For a moment, her breath is caught in her throat, her mind racing at a mile a minute...This is Neriah's doing, isn't it.

She exhales, finally, and decides to set her mind to what needs to be done right this minute. This is bound to cause a panic. With this many people... it could be bad. So, she reacts quickly. Jacqueline steps forward, away from the stall, and raises her voice.

"Everyone, please remain calm! Nothing has happened yet - we can't allow ourselves to be ruled by fear!" Jacqueline calls out in a commanding tone. "If you need to leave, please do so in a calm and orderly fashion."

She's not sure how many people will listen to her, but if she can prevent even a few people from panicking...
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
<poem>ELSEWHERE

Anastasia adjusts her shipping chart.

HERE

Marina is asked by Ashley if she's sure. Before she can respond--

THE DAY OF DARKNESS COMES

"..." Marina sighs once. "...You're going to be working long hours again, huh..."

Strangely, despite this mild frustration, she doesn't seem afraid in the slightest. Resigned more than anything. Something grand is always at stake, she thinks. You can't even enjoy a festival.

"...Sometimes I think... 'Isn't life on Filgaia hard enough? Why do you have to steal away the precious time that we have with our loved ones?'. I suppose they must think they have a good reason, I think, but then I realize... It's sad."

She shakes her head.

"It's just some big tantrum." Marina says. "Sad people trying to make the world as unhappy as they are. Even though they aren't the only ones who have suffered, the only ones who have been betrayed."

She looks back to Ashley and smiles faintly. "I'll... wait for you at home, Ashley. I couldn't stop you, even if I asked, because--someone has to stop the howling." Despite Jay's calls, Marina seems ''eerily'' calm, almost inhumanly but maybe, as a baker's daughter who has seen just a glimpse of the world of heroes--she chose to live in the world that is, rather than the world that could be.

In this moment, why Marivel demures to this woman might be clear. "Just come home safe."

She turns, as if to head back home. Ashley might have a choice to make.

MEANWHILE

Lydia startles, eyes widening as the stars VANISH. This distracts her from TUMBLING LAN. "Lan!" She says, horrified as she crouches down, extending a spare hand as she channels some healing power into Lan. "Lan! Are you okay?"

But Ivan whispers to her and Lydia's eyes narrow.

"...I'm gonna give her a ''piece of my mind''."

She thinks about what Ragnell has to say though, of Ginny making out with her girlfriend.

"Lucky her," She mumbles.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
<poem> 
    It's a seizure. Loren, if nobody else, will recognize it, especially once his fingers find Lan's rapid, unsteady pulse.

    black feathers

    a thousand hands pulling her down

    Lydia pours starlight energy into her, but there's nothing to heal. She's perfectly healthy. But that's good, right?

    something pushing between her lungs, reaching for her heart

    GETHSEMANE
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
<poem>
    Ragnell stares at Loren as he immediately goes to Lan's side, the second he sees her fall, and checks for a pulse. Slowly, her lip curls. Then she bursts out an irritable sigh, more an "ugh" than anything else, and slinks into the crowd. A few minutes later, she comes back with a fistful of ebiyaki that she definitely didn't pay for, and aggressively devours their shrimpy offerings one by one. I-is she buzzsawing through the bamboo sticks, too...?
    
    Jay, bless her heart, is calling for people not to panic. As for what Ivan whispered to Lydia, if Ragnell overheard it, she is too concerned with grinding shrimps between her molars to respond to it. She does, however, pause long enough to eye Lydia and remark, "Aren't you &#42;currently&#42; on a date with your boyfriend? Why don't you make out with him if you're so jealous o' Ginny??"
    
    You know, aside from her being busy trying to heal Lan. She wasn't busy with that a minute ago, and she probably won't be a minute from now!
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ivan has posed.
<poem>The girl so recently identified as Lydia's friend goes crashing to the ground, insensible. Ivan watches with a shocked stare as someone -- ''Loren'' -- checks her for a pulse.

''I don't think she's all right.''

"I don't-- what happened to her!?" He sets the plush toy aside and looks around for some enemy who could be lurking with unseen spells. Was it the raven?

Jacqueline calls for people to remain calm.

"Is there anything I can do?!" he offers hopefully, finding that he's freezing up a little himself and wanting some direction he can use to make himself useful.

''Why don't you make out with him if you're so jealous o' Ginny??''

"I don't think now is the time for that, Ragnell!!"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
<poem>The sudden darkening of the sky is met with gasps and screams of shock from the assembled citizens of Meria - but it doesn't remain dark for long.

In the open sky, clouds surge - but not clouds of any ordinary sort. They're a deep, blood-stained red, interlaced with shocks of red lightning that dance through the churning clouds as they bloom to life and churn in strange patterns. Clouds don't move that way. They can't.

Thousands of wings spread at once as the immense flock of ravens takes to the sky. They whirl overhead, flowing into a vast vortex of darkness. The birds' voices ring in the air in an endless cacophony of overlapping caws, intermingled with words here and there.

    "HE COMES"
            "HE COMES"
                    "THE TIME IS NIGH"
"THE DAY OF DARKNESS"
        "HE COMES"
                "IT IS INEVITABLE"
    "HE COMES"

Higher and higher the raven cloud swirls, ascending into the heavens as the red lightning dances among the flock. Each rumble of thunder sounds less like a natural phenomenon and more like the heartbeat of some unimaginable THING, so vast that it defies the imagination.

With a last screaming and cawing, the raven cloud scatters, fanning out in all directions. The red clouds flow away with them, as if tearing the sky open with their passage - and before long, both the ravens and the nightmarish sky are gone.

Beyond, the stars come into view again. They glimmer innocently, ignorant of what has just happened.

Immediately, the square bursts into a babble of frenzied conversation. Individual conversations are impossible to track, but a few snippets can be heard here and there.

"--this must be an omen!--"
    "--the Impetuous Friend said this would happen--"
            "--there must be an explanation--"
"--this is so terrifying, I don't--"
                "--it's punishment for our sins!--"
        "--people, please calm down--"

Jay's rational attempts to bring some calm to the situation help - at least in the area around her. But the crowd is a large one, and fear is spreading virally. For every person Jay calms down, how many more will go home terrified to the core?
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
<poem>
    She's having a seizure, he realizes, and jerks his hand away from her neck. A look into her eyes alone would have told him that, but the pulse only confirms it.

    He works on autopilot: first sweeping the area with his gaze to check for anything dangerous--

    --but that's mostly other people. "Hey! Give her some space!" Loren orders, sweeping his arm as if to indicate how much -- the authority here for being fully within his element. Shrugging off his jacket, he folds it up and slips it under her head in case she starts thrashing around.

    "Lan. Lan," he says, repeating her name. ""Listen to me, Lan. You're--"

    And here, of all places, his voice catches.

    "...You're going to be okay."

    He glances up just the once as the birds flutter and half-rises from his knees as if he were about to leap into some sort of action.

    But in the end he just watches, silent, as if his breath had died somewhere in his throat.

    ''Why does this remind me of...''
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
<poem>Jacqueline looks toward Ivan's way.

"Can you make some light? I think it might help to have a little more around - at the very least, it might prevent people from tripping over each other. Try to make sure there's a clear path, too." She requests of him.

She looks again toward the cloud of ravens. She steps forward, staring into it defiantly.

"If he does, then we'll stop him. You can count on that." She challenges. But, their message delivered, the ravens ascend, and soon enough, the darkened sky leaves with them.

...But the aura of fear and uneasiness they've created still remains.

"It's okay, everything will be alright. We'll make it through this." Jacqueline says, trying to reassure everyone she can. She won't be able to reach everyone, but... if she can help some of them, that's good enough for her.

She'll probably be at this for a while.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ashley Winchester has posed.
<poem>The Day of Darkness falls upon the world. Ashley's head whips around to glare at the crows &#42;so&#42; fast. Like, so fast, you guys. The Hero Impulse is strong in this one...!

He turns his head back, his mouth creaking open as if about to say that he'll be &#42;right back.&#42;

And then Marina speaks, and the words die in his throat.

"It... it is," he agrees. "It is just... a big tantrum. And I think... I think I know who's responsible. But..." The panic spreads. Like a plague of terror that metastasizes from mind to mind, it propagates through the town of Meria. But Ashley's attention is... fixed, for some reason. Like he can't see it.

Maybe because he can tell that Marina is... afraid, too. He sucks in a breath and shuts his eyes tight... Then lets it flow away.

"...I'll come with you," Ashley says, moving after her. "We're going to need to do... a lot of baking. And we need to talk to your mom about doing a day-after sale. Because right now..."

Ashley looks up as the skies clear. He sighs at the panic rising all around them. "...Right now, what Meria needs isn't a Musketeer. What it needs is something to heal its soul. And that's what a Baker does best, isn't it?"

For at least tonight, it seems Marina won't have to wait worried by the window. Maybe it's just that Ashley is still nursing the after-effects of being buried under a mountain, or maybe... Maybe it's just that the thought of Marina going home with an aching heart after such a nice night...

Maybe... Just maybe...
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
<poem>"Because Lan just fell over and all the stars vanished! It's not romantic!" Lydia shouts as she frets over Lan's CORPSE.

Rachiel already stepped back, but Lydia pushes herself back up and stands back. She knows at this point Loren's specialty here. If healing magic won't work, Loren's the guy to...somehow...trust here.

"Ahhhhhh don't die Lan..!" Lydia worries aloud! If Lan dies, she'll be down one star buddy and also she would have to interact with Loren with no Lan buffer. She's not sure she can handle that!

Lan has a responsibility here!!

MEANWHILE

Ashley makes a choice.

Marina will remember this

"Ah?" She says, eyes wide. She is surprised to hear it, but maybe... not as surprised as she thought she'd be. She smiles and says, "...Yeah, you're right. We're going to need to go all out."

She gives Ashley a one armed hug, though. Was she afraid? Of course she's afraid. But through her fear she saw through the artifice for what the omen was.

''A show''

And she hurries back to the bakery. The people need them.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ivan has posed.
<poem>Ivan nods gratefully at Jacqueline, and summons his short sword, calling flame around the top of the blade and making a torch-like beacon of it.

He looks to Lydia. "I'm going to try to help sort out the crowd and then I'll be back."

He heads into the thick of the group, trying to clear a way to the exit and lead out anyone who's trying to leave amid the panic.

It's... something to do besides stare uselessly while someone has a medical emergency...
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
<poem> 
    It's like swimming. Floating in black water. She's done that before. Lan remembers.

    The evening ground is still warm from the afternoon sun. Her hearing is muffled on one side. A clamor rises and falls around her like waves.

    Lan blinks once, slowly.

    She's on the ground? "Why," she begins, and starts to sit up. Where did all these people come from?Lydia, Loren, pairs of legs. People trying not to panic.

    A starry sky above.

    "...Oh," she says, staring up at the heavens. "It's so pretty."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
<poem>
    Ragnell doesn't respond to Ivan, either when he asks if there's anything he can do (he wasn't asking her anyway) or when he tells her that now's not the time and Lydia adds that it's not romantic (which, yeah, true). Instead, she watches Lan have her seizure and Loren tend to her, demanding space and tending to her with, by all appearances, genuine care and concern. Ragnell's irritable look only grows more and more intense.
    
    There's nothing worse than seeing a humanizing side of someone you really don't like.
    
    She gnoshes more of those shrimps and looks up at the wheeling ravens and the crimson sky. She reflects that a certain someone sure has been busy.
    
    The skies clear. The panic does not. There will be more shrimps in Ragnell's immediate future, she thinks. For the time being, though, as Lan comes out of her condition, Jay works to calm the crowds, and Ivan tries to make himself useful, she hangs back at the edge of the gathering and watches in silence.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
<poem>
    Not only does she speak, but she says something coherent.

    "Lan!"

    He drops back down to his knees. Loren then grabs for her wrist. It might be a little sweet if he weren't blatantly checking her pulse, his lips moving as he counts it.

    "Do you remember where you are? What is your name, and how old are you?"

    ...now it's just blatantly clinical...

    But maybe that's how he copes.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.
<poem>"Okay," Lydia murmurs to Ivan. "Be careful, okay? I'll watch over the Rigdobrites." She figures Ivan isn't too keen on carting that all along with his flaming sword.

Lan isn't dead! Or at least she's undead. Either way...!

"Yeah." Lydia says, letting out a relieved breath. "It's real pretty isn't it?"
</poem>

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Chapter 2]]
[[Category:Chapter 2, Act 2]]