voice; un: an.exorcist

[likethelight]

How many people are familiar with a festival called "Tanabata"? And "wishing trees"?

Lady Amaterasu isn't here anymore, but her guardian trees still are. What she would have wished I think was for people to still enjoy them and find hope in them, to keep them strong, so a few of us were going to do a small festival to honor her at the Sanctuary tree. From what I've been told of the tradition, which would be taking place around now anyway, it's something that would suit her her wishes I think. It'd be nice if we could do something at the other trees as well-- turn them into "wishing trees" as well maybe.

It'd be good for people to have something happy to look forward to as well, with everything that's been going on. I don't think she would want anyone to be sad.

[ And we're going to pointedly ignore all the Actual and Avoidable Shit going on because he'll get mad and start lecturing, and that's not his place. Wars and revenge between humans never are, and it's why his tone is as sober as it is gentle. ]

Moon Presence appeared to Miss Luna and Lady Alayne. [ He pauses. ] Sanctuary has been blessed by her, so anyone suffering ill effects for the time being might find some added relief here. Anyone meaning harm to anyone or anything inside will be repelled as well, so people needing safe harbor should please seek us out. [ Which means any party crashing assholes... Try it. He'll deadpan from the door. Is it forever? No, just for "the Beast Moon." Is he going to let that on? heck no ]

We're clearing out some extra rooms if anyone needs a safe place to stay for a while. There's no cost-- just help out however you can.

[ ooc: a wild and unexpected Tanabata event appears! I will update here with a link when the log is up, it'll be in a general open post for Sanctuary with setting update stuff for the month. ]

Comments

( video | un: duckling )

[danserai]

Can the wishes come true? Are they magical?

video;

[likethelight]

Um... [ not!!! the question he was expecting!! ]

Miss Luna and Lady Alayne... wished for the safety of everyone? And they were heard?

[ oh my god, the dots are actually connecting. she's... right?? ]

So... I guess so?

video | un: endless

[manyone]

[ The video is not well framed. Beato is just staring down at the camera. ]

Ehhh, Tanabata? I've never participated but I've heard it's supposed to be quite fun. How lovely to see a Japanese tradition here in this place.

I wonder what power wishes might have here?

video;

[likethelight]

[ He is Victorian so he gets it Beato, it's okay. The only reason his is well framed is because 1) he's been here nine months, and 2) his omen does it for him. ]

Admittedly I haven't been before as well. [ Haha, it's a little sheepish. ] A friend of mine suggested it actually, that it would be appropriate. It seems nice to try and honor the various traditions that people might have celebrated before, too.

It's hard to say. Amaterasu herself was a deity of sorts, and her trees have the power to heal corruption in the land and people... If "wishes" are hope and hope gives that sort of power -- then I think perhaps it might be the exact kind of power they need to have.

voice; un: JustD

[distant_one]

I think she'd enjoy this.

[D is going to hang up a few little hastily made sun shaped ornaments and perhaps a paper of his own.]

voice;

[likethelight]

[ D! There's a smile in Allen's voice that he responded to this. ]

You think so? I'm glad.

I think it's important we do things like this in her memory.

Video; un: lothrat

[ezra_of_lothal]

Oh, I do remember a little about this one. It's a Japanese festival.

Video;

[likethelight]

[ oh!! thank god!! he's really been hoping to find more people familiar with it!! as alas he is not ]

Oh! You know it too? [ Is it a Jedi thing? Are Jedi Japanese? ]

Audio - un: Uravity

[floatsaway]

[Amaterasu went home? Ah...that makes sense. Ochako hadn't seen or heard from her fluffy goddess and favorite wolf for some time. She'd assumed, being a goddess and all, she was just busy, doing other things, or maybe just being a canine nuisance...but this is a little more sobering. Ochako learned a lot from Ammy, and she fought at the tournament in her name.

It takes a while for Ochako to respond, turning off the video because she mostly doesn't trust herself to not look haggard. Her voice is also a little somber, too.]

Mm...I know about tanabata. It's a really fun, sweet holiday of my country...and one of my favorites. [There's a tiny smile in her voice, but it's fleeting.] People write wishes on slips of paper - called wish tags - and tie them to the branches of a bamboo plant. At the end of the festival...the bamboo and its many wish tags are sent down river, or burned, in hopes that they'll make it to the heavens...and be granted by the gods.

[There's a long, long pause, then a soft sniffle.]

...I bet Amaterasu-sama would love it if we tied our wish tags to branches of the sakura.

Audio;

[likethelight]

[ Ah, Miss Uraraka...! Shit. He should have reached out to her privately before this. He's been a bit of a coward... who needs to apologize... Later, though. This is about Amaterasu now -- and the sadness in her voice. ]

Mm... she was your teacher wasn't she? For the karate tournament. [ He'd forgotten until just now, and with that and the small sniffle his tone becomes much softer. ]

I think she'd love it too. Didn't she say that, how she hoped people would keep the trees strong with their hope? Now that's more important than ever.

[ He pauses lightly, with a small sort of smile that always has a habit of creeping into his tone. It's important to have things to look forward to when we're sad or anxious. Amaterasu is someone who would have believed that too. ]

Even if she isn't gone entirely, but just not here right now. So maybe she can still hear people that way, don't you think? Mothers like to hear from their children.

Voice | UN: ClickClickBloom

[onekindsoul]

I've never heard of the festival, what exactly do you do at it?

Also have to say. This whole Sanctuary thing you guys have put together is something special. You're all doing great work.

I'll send people your way if I run into anyone that needs it.

Voice;

[likethelight]

Oh!!! That's very kind of you to say!! We appreciate it, and please do! [ hrhgh! he wasn't expecting that on this post! warm feelings ]

And aaah, to be honest... I'm still learning that myself? [ ehehe. rip. He sounds a touch sheepish about that, but he is British and Japan was obliterated along with most of its culture in his world. ]

One of my friends has been telling me about it though. About how it was something important in her culture too, and it would be an appropriate way to remember her and everything she did for people here.

It sounds like a lot of fun and something that would help lift people's spirits. It's really colorful, and people will write their wishes onto strips of paper that are tied onto a "wishing tree". Amaterasu's tree was about giving hope to people anyway, so it seems really appropriate to use them for that.

[ oh ] And there's fireworks!

voice; un: lady

[dohaeris]

Your safe house is something special too.

[she's smiling.]

If there's anything from the Sanctuary you should like to have there, we should be very glad to help.

[except for the tree, obviously....sorry ruby...]

[Video] username: secondtolast

[icanhearscreams]

Tanbata? Here? That seems a little dumb.

It's not like the wishes are going to do anything.

[Right? Right.]

Text| un: Shadow_Puppet

[stoicsilhouette]

There's nothing dumb about honoring someone who offered a great gift to everyone here. Hope is not something everyone has to believe in, but being grateful is something everyone should be able to do.

voice; un: ghostking

[umbraportation]

[ There's a few things here that catch Nico's attention. ]

Amaterasu like the Japanese sun goddess?

[ A momentary pause. ]

Also, I'm guessing that you're Allen. Someone mentioned to me that the Sanctuary had combat training.

voice;

[likethelight]

Mn, that was her. [ He sounds surprised, and pauses as well. He sounds like he knows her but didn't... know her? ]

You knew her too?

And ah, I am. [ A little surprised! Pleasantly, but! He's still getting used to being so easily known. ] Your timing is very good, actually! We've just cleared a space to use for training with some new special dummies, and a couple members have volunteered to teach classes. Hand-to-hand especially, and general sparring of course. It would be nice to expand on that too since a lot of people have a lot of combat experience with various fighting styles.

I don't recognize your voice. [ or username ] What's your name?

un: eudaimonikos; video

[eudaimonikos]

Ah.

[Michael hadn't known Amaterasu for all that long, especially not considering the span of both their lives. But he's still sort of broken up that she's gone. Too many people have been going lately.]

Well, that does sound like something she'd like. Could be fun.

video;

[likethelight]

[ A smile, sad-sweet. He recognizes Michael from the bake-off, of course, even that had been brief and cursory. It's bittersweet to see how many people Amaterasu touched. ]

She certainly enjoyed a good time, didn't she? As long as everyone else was happy and having fun.

voice;

[mehanizovati]

Ah, so she is gone. I wondered.

[just one moment to have a feeling about that. then-] Do you need anything for this 'Tanabata?'

[cope by Making Shit, that's probably healthy right.]

voice;

[likethelight]

[ It's the only kind of coping Allen knows: burying yourself in other things ]

Oh! It's supposed to have fireworks, actually! [ perking ]

Do you think we could have some that would be safe to set off from the courtyard? Or maybe the roof? [ If they fire them from the steeple... ]

video; un: jk21a

[hearuthinking]

Too bad I never got to meet our tree-giving dog friend. Everyone seemed to like her.

So what is Tana...whatever?

video;

[likethelight]

[ She was someone very special, it's true. ]

Mm, to be honest-- it isn't something I've experienced before myself? Haha.. [ sheepish ]

It's a Japanese festival, the "star" festival. I think it's based on the story of two lovers who could only meet once a year, so people would celebrate it and the hope and fervent wish to see someone you miss by celebrating and making their own wishes and tying them to these "wishing trees". Bamboo traditionally, I think.

Overall it's a festival where people come together and celebrate the things they have and the joy at being able to see each other, I think. At least that's how I understand it from what my friend has told me of it. He's more familiar with it, Fushiguro. Most of this is also his idea.

It seems like something Amaterasu would have liked.

text; un: warden

[megatheorem]

While Viktor has me on house arrest and the infirmary is quiet, I've got nothing to do but cut paper for wishes. I volunteer.

[House arrest is absolutely not what's happening here, but we're Avoiding the Shit ITP and he's totally cool with that.]

text;

[likethelight]

He's probably just worried about you. [ haha, Viktor can indeed be a motherhen...

Also he notices that, knowing it isn't "house arrest", but will play along. It's in the best interests of calming things down and respecting their wishes. ]

Ehh? That would be great! Do you want any help? We can get you some supplies.

video; un: taka

[retsuden]

We had a festival by that name in my village. If it's the same, I... agree. She would have loved it.

[ He didn't know her well, necessarily, but he's still certain of that. He's not digging how emotional the thought makes him, so he clears his throat to try and cut that off fast. ]

If you need help with setting things up, let me know.

video;

[likethelight]

[ sensei? Allen blinks. Not quite... expecting that? That pause... that was meaningful, more emotion (maybe?) than he was used to seeing, even if he just files it away for now and smiles warmly. ]

We'd love that, whatever you wanted to help with. Even if it's just with tables and decorations. We were thinking of having it set up on the 7th and letting it run through the weekend? So everyone can have time to come by and make a wish. Viktor is going to be making fireworks, too. So we can have a celebration on the final night.

[ Pausing. ]

What was it like? In your village.

voice | un: valravn

[warminded]

Wishes can be dangerous.

[Which... probably sounds strange coming from someone as down-to-earth as Felwinter.]

But there's a power in those trees which reminds me of the Light. If this festival can give people hope, I think it's worth doing.

voice;

[likethelight]

[ It does strike Allen as a little odd, but in the sense that he realizes it sounds like he's speaking from experience. ]

Mn, you're right. When I first came across the trees... what I felt about them reminded me of my own power. The thing that lets me save souls. Amaterasu's presence felt like that too, but even moreso. Huge. Like she loved the whole world simply for existing and without asking for anything in return, to the point where she was the world

I know that probably sounds naïve, but it's true. That sort of thing can shape a tremendous amount of power.

[ So you aren't wrong, technically. Power is dangerous by definition. Allen just needs to have faith in being responsible with it. That if used right it's good. ]

So I'm glad to hear you say that. [ and... a smile creeps into his tone. just a little! a very gentle sort of one ]

I hope that means we might see you there?

voice | un: duty

[martyrofduty]

Good to have a place to take anyone needing it. I'm fine, so I'll leave the room for someone else.

[She pauses. Her voice is low, masculine.]

How do ill effects making someone a danger to others affect getting them help?

voice; un: an.exorcist

[likethelight]

[ Oh, that... question actually raises a good point. People who were corrupted or Beasts, those they mean to help most-- well, it is important to not endanger others, but they might have to be more aware of helping them outside the walls. Although they generally do anyway if they're dangerous. ]

A danger to others how? If they're corrupted or a Beast... we have ways of helping with that.

voice; un: clarke

[romancekiller]

I'm not familiar with much of either since we never really had anything like that back home. What's the festival about?

voice;

[likethelight]

Ehh, well... my friend Fushiguro knows more about it? [ haha, sheepish ] But he's told me a lot.

It's a Japanese festival, the "star" festival. It's based on the story of two lovers who could only meet once a year across a bridge in the stars, so people would celebrate it as a triumph over adversity. About having hope and the fervent wish to see each other again even when normally you can't.

Overall it's a festival where people come together and celebrate the things they have and the joy at being able to see each other, I think... and remember those they aren't able to see anymore. That seems like something important to remember here.

text; un: quibbler

[creidim]

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with this festival, but a festival certainly wouldn't go amiss. [ Luna is very much on board! ] Will there be pudding?

[ It's an important question. ]

I'm very much glad the ritual Alayne and I did worked so well. I know Moon Presence is very busy living her own life, but it's reassuring how much she stands by her word even as confident as I am that she would.

text;

[likethelight]

[ Luna!!! What an amazing question!!! ]

I don't imagine it's a traditional food, but I don't see what would be wrong with having pudding as well. Like a summer pudding! ♥ I haven't had one in over a year now I think. Or a sticky toffee!

Is it something you know how to make?

[ Did he actually include a little emoji? No. But his omen is good at translating his joy to text. ]

To be honest I never quite know how to feel about any of the Pthumerians... but she feels like the one who's the most real. The most human, and who truly cares.

I wish I could have known her better.

[Video][UN:A_Wesker013]

[subject_013]

I'd heard of this festival, when I was on business in Japan or rather the version in my world of origin. I'd never taken part, but I suppose now is a good time for it.

I would... also wish to ask a favor of you?