LATE SUMMER FAIR (NSFW DESSERTS)

[spoofer]

Characters: Ensemble cast, any/all characters of Xistentia!
Summary: The slow transition from summer leads to a fair, complete with whacky treats and activities from other holidays and festivals from around the Multiverse.
Date(s): August 26-September 2
Warnings/Notes: None, please mark your subject headers with content.

Late Summer Fair

I play my part and you play your game

Welcome to Xistentia's first fair, F.A.T.E.S.' excuse to mingle. The setup appears overnight on the edge of town, a nonsensical mash of themes and places from the multiverse. Haunted house and circus tent, facepainting, ferris wheel and carousel, game stands that seem to self-operate, dozens of empty shopfronts, self-regenerating popcorn stands. Pretty soon, however, the people start to come, bringing their own goods and wares. The population of Xistentia is 333, which is more than enough people to fill a fair.

As far as fair food goes, there are penis-shaped waffles^[NSFW] in various flavors, two-sticked popsicles for sharing with a partner, turkey legs, fried dough, cookies as big as your head, fried fish, fried lizards, glutinous fruits, and lembas.

And let's not forget, there is an abundance of alcohol everywhere. Beer, wine, you name it.

But of course, let's not forget the games. Many of them are low-key and prizes vary from the ability to change your daemon's color to any other natural hue, to free food, horrible writing pens, and stuffed animals. Games vary from whack-a-mole to bobbing for apples. Everything is free to eat, drink, and play, barring some excuses for barter with some of your friendly neighborhood natives.

Some games, however, are less casual if not necessarily more costly. The contests of finesse and strength come with special prizes from F.A.T.E.S. and...

THE WINNERS ARE

Note that the "prizes" do not stack. Runner-up winners will not get multiple of the same type of prize, and those who experience a critical failure won't suffer particularly severe consequences. If your character receives a dream or a "unique item," you will receive a reply to your comment on the mod announcement with more information.

Contests of Finesse

DARTS
First Place	Vanyel Greyjoy	The ability to "say just the right thing" once this week
Still Good	Era, Alec, Nico, Vex, Rosie, Aymeric, Jace, Amanda, Zeke, Kavinsky, Janus	Emotional intuition boost
Yikes	Magnus, Barclay	Daemons totally lose filter and start saying the most awkward shit
RING TOSS
First Place	Jace Wayland and Magnus Lightwood-Bane	The ability to "say just the right thing" once this week
Still Good	Era, Alec, Nico, Vex, Rosie, Vanyel, Rafaello, Amanda, Zeke, Barclay, and Janus	Emotional intuition boost
Yikes	Aymeric and Kavinsky	Daemons totally lose filter and start saying the most awkward shit
ARCHERY
First Place	Alec Lightwood-Bane	The ability to "say just the right thing" once this week
Still Good	Nico, Vex, Aymeric, Zeke, Magnus, Kavinsky, and Janus	Unique items
Yikes	Rosie and Barclay	Uncooperative powers (very minor, non-dangerous incidents) and accurate memory of silly dreams
SPARRING
First Place	Kavinsky	The ability to "say just the right thing" once this week
Still Good	Era, Nico, Vex, Rosie, Aymeric, Rafaello, Zeke, Barclay and Janus	Emotional intuition boost
Yikes	Alec, Vanyel, Jace, and Magnus	Daemons totally lose filter and start saying the most awkward shit

Contests of Strength

ARM WRESTLING
First Place	Ezekiel	Precognitive dream later that night
Still Good	Era, Alec, Nico, Rosie, Aymeric, Vanyel, Rafaello, Magnus, Kavinsky and Janus	Unique items
Yikes	Vex and Jace	Uncooperative powers (very minor, non-dangerous incidents) and accurate memory of silly dreams
HIGH STRIKE
First Place	Era	Precognitive dream later that night
Still Good	Alec, Nico, Vex, Jace, Zeke, Magnus, Kavinsky and Janus	Unique items
Yikes	Rosie and Aymeric	Uncooperative powers (very minor, non-dangerous incidents) and accurate memory of silly dreams

See also detailed dice roll information for: darts, ring toss, arm wrestling, high strike, and archery.

Kissing Booth

And what would a fair be, without a kissing booth?

Just like the rest of the fair, the odd thing is that there is of course no payment required.

Instead, a large and lovely lantern hangs behind the booth. It seems to glow a little brighter every time a kiss is transacted. It's hard to know exactly what this means, but considering that emotional intimacy lights the streets of the city, one might guess that F.A.T.E.S. is saving up this particular energy for something special.

But until then, it's a good excuse to make out.

Comments

[hasitsthorns]

"But you have," she corrects, not willing to just let it slide. "Realize that saying what I'm doing is for 'brothels' and 'alleyways' is kind of offensive. I'm not from your world, so it's not fair to tell me how things are where you're from like that's the only way."

Or, at least, that's how she perceived it. But Era says she isn't judging, despite how judgmental it had initially come off to Rose, and so she sighs. "I know that's probably not what you meant, but... Most people don't take kindly to being compared to the equivalent of what sounds like a prostitute in other worlds, I guess. But, yeah, fine. I'll drop it now."

Last word Lucy though, apparently.

"You can't save the world and kiss people too?"

[astralera]

"I said it was generally left to those places, to my knowledge, but I am sorry if you interpreted it otherwise. I meant no offense, I have no issue with what people do as long as it's not harmful to others."

She shrugs.

"My free time is spent training, aiding others in various ways, collecting currencies to purchase more stalwart equipment, hunting bounties... I rarely have time to rest, let alone consider such things."

[hasitsthorns]

... Maybe she had interpreted it incorrectly but. As long as they can move past it without further issue then she's not going to keep harping on it. Agree to disagree, maybe.

"Wow, you do have a pretty busy schedule. Still! Sounds like you probably get around to a lot of places then. No one from home you fancy, like, at all? I find that hard to believe."

[astralera]

"I have found many others beautiful or handsome, but in the same way one would acknowledge the beauty of a flower. It was not until the prison world gave me new perspective that I realized what attraction was."

So, no - not really ever. She was always kept pretty busy with defying death with fellow adventurers, befriending the Beast Tribes, slaying Primals, liberating cities... Too much idle time has left her with too many idle thoughts. Though she must admit that not all of them have been unwelcome.

[hasitsthorns]

It's... Rose can't say the concept is entirely foreign to her. Before Eudio and even in its beginnings, she could definitely appreciate aesthetically pleasing people. But she'd never allowed herself to feel anything for them. There were more important things to worry about, like. Surviving. So, to an extent, she does get it.

But she'd also felt so unhappy that way, she realized, once she got a taste of what love had to offer. What she'd been missing all that time. Don't even get her started on her first orgasm and how she couldn't believe that's what she'd claimed to not care about for years.

"Oh? So you do have a new perspective on it now though?"

[astralera]

Era supposes one could say she has a new perspective. Not much has changed on her views on physical intimacy so far, but she does appreciate the idea of physical closeness that doesn't involve healing or maiming more than she used to.

"Somewhat," she shrugs. "I understand the difference between a friend and something more now."

[hasitsthorns]

Oh. Ohohoho. That's... interesting. Rose doesn't want to pry, but also. She absolutely does.

"So, like, you got a crush on someone and realize it now?" Since that's what it sounds like what Era's saying, anyway. "Point them out for me?" 'Them' because look, Rosie's bisexual. She's not about to assume the scaled woman's gender preference.

[astralera]

"A crush?"

This... isn't a word she's heard used in this context before. "I'm unfamiliar with this slang."

[hasitsthorns]

"Right, I forget," she says, more to herself than to Era. The terminology of her day and age - slang, yes - is sometimes a bit different. Eudio had a bunch of people from around the same time. Vanyel had been pretty used to her slang, too, before long so.

"When you crush on someone, it means you like them. In a romantic way! Infatuation, I think, is the closest word to it."

[astralera]

"So an attraction beyond friendship..." She wonders how 'crush' relates to these particular feelings and eventually settles on it being similar to a crushing weight.

"Then yes, I suppose it would be accurate to say I have a crush."

[hasitsthorns]

Rose isn't actually sure, honestly, but she wouldn't call that comparison wrong either. It did feel like a weight in her chest when it came to her feelings for Vanyel. Not unpleasant, not always, but something she had noticed she was carrying around.

"On who? Are they here or back home?" She's invested now, Era.

[astralera]

"...Emmy," she turns to her conspicuous daemon with a sigh. "I'm sure you took photographs. Show one to Rose, please."

Emeraldd's immediate acquiescence should have been Era's first warning, but no - she trusted her companion not to show anything embarrassing. Which admittedly it doesn't do, but...

"Emmy!" Era squeaks in shock at the footage of her and Aymeric on the beach. Specifically while her back was turned as Aymeric removed his shirt.

As much as she would like to admire... This is a breach of trust, and she would much rather see it in person anyway. So she is quick to close her eyes. "Emmy, delete that this instant.” Era's vehemence is likely surprising to those who don't know her, but she is not always soft-spoken.

[hasitsthorns]

"Woah," breathes Rose, immediately interested. She knows that this is her friend's man, but. Dayum. That's a really tall, really fine, really shirtless man before her eyes. Of course she's going to be all about it.

"I can't blame you for crushing on that," the woman continues, shameless. "I'd climb that guy like a tree." But Era doesn't have to worry because, well. She respects other people's relationships, whatever they might be. Understands not everyone is into the new age hippie poly thing.

[astralera]

Era doesn't quite understand what Rose means by 'climb like a tree', but given her friend's nature - as well as their initial topic of conversation - she can only assume it's something sexual. She doesn't dwell on it though, because she's far too busy blushing like crazy and giving her daemon a dirty look. For all that it seems unrepentant, Emeraldd does eventually wilt under the gaze.

"He is quite handsome, yes."

[hasitsthorns]

It is absolutely something sexual, yes. She doesn't figure Era will catch the reference, however, and is thankfully right. It seems to go over the woman's head, for the most part. Which is good because it only dawned on her after the fact that was probably not a thing she should say about the man her friend is interested in.

"Super handsome," she corrects, which. Oops. She's doing it again. "Does he know how you feel?" That seems... maybe safer. Maybe.

[astralera]

"Yes, his people are rather proud of that fact."

Era had never met nor seen pictures of the Archbishop when he was younger, but imagines that Ishgard would be relieved regardless that they have a young, handsome, and kind leader to guide them.

"I have not mentioned it to him."

[hasitsthorns]

"I definitely would be too if our president any world leaders where I'm from were that hot." Canada had a pretty fine prime minister for a time there. That was about as close as earth ever got to hotties ruling any section of the world. Some people said Russia's ruler was handsome too, but... He'd always been a little too old and salty-seeming for Rosie's tastes.

"Wait, what," she adds almost immediately, like the concept of not telling him is a foreign one. It's not, actually, the woman knows all about safeguarding feelings and pretending they're not there at all. But Aymeric is also really really really hot. So: "Why not?"

[astralera]

She'd never heard of the term 'president' before, but given the context it's easy enough to figure out.

"Things are fine as they are," Era answers simply. "So why should I?"

And really, for all that people laud the differences between friendship and romance Era still has trouble deciding if it would be worth risking such a dynamic change with Aymeric. Their friendship is one of her most treasured things. The thought of ruining it somehow is utterly unbearable.

[hasitsthorns]

How strange to hear the very words she'd thought many times over in Eudio spoken aloud. Things are fine as they are, she thought when her and Vanyel were keeping things casual. When both of them danced around the fact that maybe there was more to their relationship than just having a good time. So why should I? Her mind had supplied several reasons for why she shouldn't and not enough for why she should; it drove her to run away, thinking it'd be better that way if she just tried to stomp out the feelings at the source and never talk to him again or hurt him so bad he'd never want to talk to her again.

"They might be fine now," she starts, a bit more careful with her words than before. "But that could change." They'd talked about this, a little bit. "Though, I don't know. Why settle for less when you can have more?" A pause. "Also, the whole point of being here is kind of like Eudio. Making connections, often intimate ones. He might find someone else he likes. Would you mind that?"

[astralera]

"If things change then they change. What I have with him now is not... settling."

She doesn't understand why people say that - that to remain friends is settling, as though friendship is worth less than taking a lover.

Era has heard reference to this Eudio more than a few times at this point, but this is the first overt mention of any sort of encouragement to be intimate. She hasn't actually noticed anything similar in Xistentia, but has recently noticed just how many couples there are around.

"He is not the type of man to engage in something frivolous, and were he to find someone here he cares for from another world he would not pursue it. His single-minded devotion does not only apply to his peoples."

...But would it bother her? It... might, actually. What Aymeric does behind closed doors is his business, but were he suddenly not have the time to be there for her she would most certainly be bothered. "I would mind at first, until things prove not to interfere with our friendship."

[hasitsthorns]

"If you like him, I think it is." It's not that a friend is worth less than a lover. Arguably, Magnus holds just as dear a place in her heart as Vanyel does. She loves them both albeit in extremely different ways. She'd never consider her relationship with Magnus less but she'd also never had the opportunity for more. "Like... I get it, having friends is awesome. I love the friends I do have, but when I like someone and want more I think it's better to just go for it. If I don't, I just end up being miserable and wondering 'what if' all the time. It feels like settling for less when I could have more to me."

Considering Eudio was nicknamed 'cuddle city,' she'd wonder how Era had heard about it and not the intimate relationships it fostered. Not everyone is from there but it definitely feels like Xistentia picked up on some of that world's influence and encourages people to gather energy of a similar vein. The kissing booth is proof enough of that.

"Well. It might. I don't know him so I can't say, but I know my boyfriends do tend to take priority! It's not that I neglect my friends, but when you've got a relationship like that it takes a little more attention and time to maintain it if you really want it to work."

[astralera]

"I am content with things as they are." And she honestly is. For all that she's come to realize her attraction and is finding time to be curious about romance, friendship is still enough for her.

The thing she finds herself desiring most is just affectionate contact, not necessarily intimate. She would like a hug, or the opportunity to snuggle up with a close friend more than she wishes for kisses or sex.

Era can't imagine Aymeric refusing a hug or pushing her away should she try and snuggle up to him, but she also can't imagine herself ever daring to do such a thing.

"Perhaps one day I'll feel differently, but for now all I wish for is companionship."

[hasitsthorns]

Interesting. It'd doubtful that woman will go the same way Rose had, but... it'd be interesting to see how things ended up for her and Aymeric. "If you're sure," Rose says, though it's not the blond that Era will ultimately need to convince of this fact.

"My kisses are still always on the table too though. Just for the record." She can't help but try to have a little fun after all that.

[astralera]

Kissing isn't something Era would classify as 'fun', though she's yet to try it for herself. Lips against lips is something she could do... Anything more than that is not.

"Is a person's first kiss meant to be special?"

[hasitsthorns]

While Rose might not understand, she's not going to criticize. Honestly, it'd probably do her well to learn that some things - like kisses - are maybe better in moderation than to indulge in constantly. But Rose has always learned the hard way and this will likely be no exception.

"Some people think so," Rose says. "It kind of depends! Like, mine was special because of who it was with but... Others might not even remember their first kiss or just want to get it over with so they can say they've done it."