songerein | { flower festival 2023 }

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{ flower festival 2023 }

FLOWER FESTIVAL 2023

It's the annual Flower Festival! More details on everything can be found here.

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Battle for Dream Island: The Power of Two: Puffball
Dr. Stone: Gen Asagiri

I. MAIN FESTIVAL

The Flower Festival is in full swing the entire weekend! All over town there are numerous food stalls, music stands for dancing, flower swings in the trees, and a plethora of flower gardens to walk through. All the shops are decked out with flowers with a lot of sales going on. But this year there seems to be a lot more flowers than usual…

A. Flower Viewing. There will be numerous designated flower viewing areas around and outside of town, making it a perfect opportunity for a picnic. Food and beverages will be provided by numerous restaurants and food stalls. Flower crowns can also be made or received by some fairies that will fly around to drop them on anyone's heads who don't have one already.

B Ambient Pollen Effects. There is a lot of pollen flying around through the festival and inhaling enough of it could affect a person's mood. The effects will eventually wear off, but a good "cleansing" (ie, splash with water) will clear them up pretty quick. Possible effects include:

🌹 Rose Tinted Glasses. Rose pollen will make everything seem nostalgic and seem better than it actually is.
🌿 Green with Ivy. The flowers of some ivy are giving off some green pollen that will cause one to feel more envious than usual. Possibly to the point of wanting to wrap their target with said ivy instead….
🌻 Sunflowers and Rainbows. Pollen from sunflowers will cause one to be either extremely happy and hyper…or become so sensitive they cry at anything, be it a touching or sad thing.
🌺 Violent Violets. Inhaling too much violet pollen will cause someone to become so impassioned about something they will be quick to defend it—with violence.

C. Games. Of course it wouldn't be the Flower Festival without any number of games to entertain! Try your hand at some of these! Work together with a friend or compete for prizes! There's also a simple, easy going flower maze if a classic is preferred.

🖌 Flower Chalk. The Plaza has been converted to a giant "chalk zone," where chalk made from various flowers are scattered all over and everyone is encouraged to get in and paint to their heart's content. Some creations may burst into flower petals and fly up into the air, briefly animating the image before dispersing into the wind and creating a new space for the next creation.
💐 Flower Arrangement. Just a nice, relaxing crafts activity where participants can create whatever kind of flower arrangement they want. While dreamotion may help give it extra effects, it's not needed. There are also paper flowers available that can be dyed and used in lieu of real ones. Perfect for gifts!
🌸 Bouncy Flower Pad. Ever just feel like having fun and bouncing around giant flowers? Because this is exactly what this is. No special gimmicks or anything, just giant flowers to bounce around in.
🌱 Make It Grow. A contest for individuals to use dreamotion to grow the largest and brightest colored flower. Some are capable of growing to be as large as a house…and some flowers become rather animated. Might need to help take care of that.
🏇 Topiary Races. A cousin of the "Make It Grow" activity (or perhaps created because of it), the objective here is to use dreamotion and perhaps some gardening skills to grow a special plant into large topiary animals. The form is random, influenced by whatever dreamotion is used. They will be large enough to ride and can be entered into a special race, where at that point it's all dependent on skill and dreamotion to keep it moving! Can't grow one? That's fine, too, they have a few that one can just hop on and try to ride on.
🐝 Bee Herding. A lot of bees were used to help pollinate the flowers for the festival, and now they need to be returned to the fruit orchards out on the various farms. As part of the celebration and to promote bee awareness, the beekeepers hold a little contest to help bring the bees back. Participants must lure the bees with special fruits AND they must protect the bees from birds.

II. SPECIAL BUSINESS PROMOTIONS

There are a few special businesses that have their own stalls up during the festival, so be sure to stop by and check some of them out!

A. The Wild Harvest. The Wild Harvest is coming up on a year and a half of serving Reverein! The staff can be seen handing out floral cupcakes along with origami flowers in the color of the passerby's choosing. On the back and probably on the cupcakes' wrappers, there is the Harvest's logo. They will express that the cupcakes will look and taste better to someone in good spirits, meaning the staff are especially inclined to put on their best customer-service face. There also small samples of their new drinks called Spring Dreams, which give patrons a small view and taste of home.

In addition, if you're so inclined, a little fishing game has been set up at their stall using live koi fish of varying sizes from their pond. Nets are provided and winners can keep the koi if they wish. There are colorful jars made of tinted glass available for transport, and they also get a prize based on size of the koi caught. These range from small keychains, to glass trinkets crafted by Susato, which can be anything from glass flowers, small animals, or more useful items like glassware.

B. The Songerein Wikki Archives. The archives are here to advertise! Its one year anniversary is nearing, and Trahearne, along with his four staff members, are here to spread word of its services and answer questions about its function in the community. A few books have been brought in as examples, such as an outdated, but detailed map of Reverein. One large tome sits open in the middle of the table, acting as a guest book of sorts--anyone who drops by is more than welcome to write whatever they like in its pages.

But it isn't a festival without food or drink! The nine-foot-tall woman is handing out massive portions of freshly-roasted moa leg, and the two imp-like creatures with big ears are handing out shots of Rata Sum rum, but they're being oddly stingy about how much they're giving out. A little taste of Tyria in Reverein!

C. The Starflower Café and Sanctuary. The newly opened Starflower Café is here for all your cute food cravings! They have brought some of the animals along as well: Flutter the fairy cat, an autumn dog, and some of the corgis, so people are free to meet and play with them around the stall! While there is plenty of food to choose from at their starflower-covered stall (such as dango, crepes, and cakes, as well as alcoholic beverages for the adults in the evenings), they do have a special featured item:

The various flavours of boba tea with themes fitting with the animals. Upon drinking them, customers will sprout a new set of ears to match the drink as well as gain the following temporary traits: Milky Fox drinkers will have the sudden urge to cause a little bit of mischief. Matcha Cat enjoyers will want to search for a sunny, quiet place to nap. Chocolate Bunnies will be granted a burst of energy, and the only way to expend it is to talk someone up. Caramel Dogs will chase anything that is shiny or moving.

However, there is one more thing: drink any of these, and you will be an instant attraction for animals of all kinds. The only way to get rid of the effects is to cuddle and play with the animals. Be warned, too much of the teas and you may have bigger problems—like the Ents wanting cuddles—to deal with.

D. The Music Studio. The music studio has been open for a year in Songerein and have set up a small performance area nearby! Phantom is sometimes at the stall, and it is staffed by various talking animals as well as people with noticeable animal features (ears, tail, etc). Members of the studio will be playing an assortment of spring-themed and relaxing songs, though they'll also take requests. The stall offers various snow globes as souvenirs - the globes contain a miniature landmark from one of the dream walkers' many worlds and will play a short song from the source world when shaken.

The studio staff will also be advertising their lessons in music, composing, singing, as well as welcoming people to just hang out at the studio. They will also encourage people to attend the basic dreamotion how-to lessons that are held every weekend afternoon; they'll be taught through acting simple plays, so everyone is welcome to join in and have fun.

III. NIGHTSCAPE

On the first night of the festival, the fae will host a special dreamscape for their own version of the festival. Anyone is welcome to come on their own will, but some may find a special door appear either awake or in their dreams that will "lure" them in. And once inside, they will themselves in a dark, mystical forest and have taken on some form of a fae. Full details can be read here.

A. Fake Names. To go with the theme, everyone has a "fake name" as giving one's real name would be taboo. These can be completely new, something based on a canon nickname, or just simply shortening their first real name. Everyone will still be able to recognize each other, but no one will be able to immediately say the person's name, at most just the first letter or syllable. Only after the person says their own name can someone else say it, and if another person does say it, the named will now owe them one favor or must do some kind of task.

B. Fae Dining. The fae love to eat and drink, and within a dream, one can do so to their heart's content with little to no consequence. Well, one may feel a bit hungover or bloated upon waking, but better than the real thing, right? There's a delectable feast and an unlimited amount of alcohol available that is surely too good to pass up.

🍷 River of Dionysus. The river that runs through the forest is made of fruity alcohol. Just grab a chalice, dip it in, and drink to your heart's content. Because this is a dream, it takes a bit more to get drunk…but it's still possible. And, well, drunk shenanigans.

🍲 Careful What You Eat. Upon seeing the food one will feel a very strong pull towards it to the point that food will be in their hand and in their mouth before they even realize it. While a lot of the food is harmless, some will have physical effects. There's no tell, no specific food that does what, which makes it even more troublesome to figure out. From changing size, to colors, to growing another pair of horns or wings, gaining invisibility, turning into an animal or a random plant or object—anything. The effect can either naturally wear off over time or someone can try and help find or try to create an antidote to get rid of it.

C. Dream Egg Mosaic Hunt. Everyone is also given a white, crystal egg and are tasked to find and visit certain locations throughout the forest that have special mosaic glass just floating around. Each location has a theme, and if one can have one of their dreams manifest and reflect onto the glass, a piece of the mosaic will break and attach to the egg. Create as many pieces to decorate the egg and upon leaving the dreamscape, the egg will appear next to them and will hatch into a surprise creature. What could it be? Hmmm~ The mosaic glass will affect their future personalities.

D. A Tale of Two Stags. There is a pair of stags, one white and one black. These are legendary entities that have manifested into the dreamscape and can risk imbalance…though the fae don't seem too worried. In fact, they will reward those who are able to "stabilize" the deer with a "favor," though they're ambiguous as to what that is. The white stag must have nightmare energy used against it. The black one must have dreamotion energy used against it. Rather than killing or destroying them, just some brief encounters will help. Traps, tricks, even giving it food somehow will work.

E. Lost Your Voice. Oh the fae love their tricks and pranks, and this one is quite "harmless." Little blue wisps will suddenly ram into the back of their target's head and then giggle way—with their new voice. After stealing their target's voice, they fly off, giggling and blabber away in a poor imitation, leaving the now voiceless victim to chase after and try to signal for help. The wisp will eventually return the voice; they get bored easily enough and will want to mess with another person sooner than later. But it's possible to catch the wisp in a special glass jar that can be found growing off a tree. If caught, the person must "swallow" the wisp by pouring it into their mouth. No wisps are harmed, they'll pop back out after returning the voice.

IV. FINAL DAY

At the start of the final day of the festival, the winners of the Flower Royal Court contest are announced. Just like last year, everyone will find themselves in various costumes and with varying effects. Fortunately, they are a bit more "lenient" this time in letting people modify and take them off after a certain time has passed. But there's going to be just as much silly chaos, especially as the royal court members have a more "commanding" and "persuasive" aura that will make anyone feel swayed to obey and serve them to some degree.

Then at the end of the day, the flowerworks show will be held by the riverbank the moment the sun sets. Instead of explosive fireworks, canisters filled with flower petals will burst in the air, illuminating the night sky. Those who are touched by the glowing petals that drift and float down will be blessed with good dreams for the next few days, dreams filled with hope and leave them feeling refreshed in the morning.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"It's unfortunately ... just as terrible as it sounds?" Gen smiled sheepishly. "Better than being killed, of course! And now the threat of being petrified is gone for good, so, you don't have to worry about us, Gokudera-chan."

He hummed, and tilted his head. "Everyone could use someone in their corner. And if you haven't found that person yet ... well, I'm sorry to inform you, but you won't be alone anymore."

Gen was the type of person who would be a menace of a friend, just watch him. The kid could likely use someone on his side, anyway. He certainly remembered what it was like to be that age and feeling alone in the world.

Shaking his head, Gen explained, "Senku-chan never really wanted to be in charge of anything. And even now, people always coming to him for answers - it can be exhausting for anyone. It does help he's a workaholic - but my job is to get him to relax sometimes, you know what I mean?"

“I wasn’t worried!” Yes he was.

Gokudera’s had Mei similarly plan to make him friends, gain him some popularity. He really doesn’t think he should have any, and knows he’s probably a dangerous and problematic person to be around. Gokudera is skilled at putting in all of his effort into the wrong things, hoping for an unlikely and successful outcome. If he works hard enough, something good will happen, right?

“Are you sorry, really?” Because he has a suspicion Gen is offering himself as friendship-tribute. Gokudera doesn’t have any of his family here, isn’t sure what he’s supposed to do, but… he’s not the only one without family or friends, right? Especially with people like Gen and Mei around… Nico, Shinjiro, and Anya too. They don’t know him well… maybe Shinjiro does, but… he doesn’t seem to want to grow closer. Neither of them seem to. Gokudera’s okay with that. He’s not used to having friends, anyways.

“He told me as much, yeah.” Good that Senku has someone to help look out for him. Gokudera doesn’t know what that’s like, isn’t going to think too hard on it.

"Ah, if you weren't worried, I suppose you can just accept that humanity has been restored out of mere curiosity," Gen mused. What was the term? Tsundere? He's rather familiar with the type, even if his scientist was a somewhat different variety of one.

Gen smiled innocently. "Do I look like a liar, my friend?"

Yes, of course he did. And of course he's offering himself up as a friend-tribute. He's befriended rather awful people, of course - provided Gokudera wasn't a mass-murderer, he wouldn't even be double-crossed later. Gen was loyal to those who earned it.

"Told you about all his responsibilities ..." Gen tilted his head, "... or told you about me?"

“Why was it petrified in the first place?” Technically, that would be his future too, right? Though… they’re from different worlds. Neither Gen or Senku seem to recognize Dying Will flames, and the teen wonders if that’s just specific to his world’s mafia or if it’s just… his world.

“That’s not something that can be determined by looking at a person.” Gokudera says. He’s a pretty bad judge of character, anyways.

“Not all his responsibilities, but some… and a good deal about how you nag him.”

"That ... is a very long story," Gen said, smile faltering slightly. Because, how to summarize it all? "But, ah, in short - aliens wanted to entice with immortality, and being alien, thought that petrifying everyone for four thousand years would help convince us?"

He made a helpless little shrug, as if to say, I know exactly how crazy that sounds.

"Then you'll just have to trust me," Gen told him with a wink. He had to giggle. "Reminding him to eat and actually sleep isn't nagging him, but I suppose he's entitled to see things that way~"

“Does it look like I have anything important to do?” Gokudera has time. He’d just been enjoying the flower crowns the fairies were putting on him, a bit giddy from the pollen effects. It’s worn off, but he doesn’t remember what he came out this way for, anyways.

“Convince you of what? That four thousand years would suck so that’s better than forever? They had a different take on immortality of something?” Aliens. Gokudera would LOVE to understand them. Even if what Gen tells him sounds crazy, the teen doesn’t think he is crazy. It’s believable. Gen could convince Gokudera that he’s actually just a rubber chicken, and the bomber would hesitantly just… go with it.

“Don’t know if I want to.” He exhales smoke away, rolls his eyes. Gonna have to mull this over.

“He the only person you have to remind?”

"Fair enough," Gen agreed, and sorted through all the information he knew for the most concise story. His lips quirked. "Petrification kept us from aging. It healed wounds we had before we were turned to stone."

It even brought people back from death, but that's not something he'd share with a stranger, 'friend' he's just made or not. "It was immortality, in the eyes of the aliens. They thought we could be smart enough, that by thinking hard enough - thinking burns a sort of energy - we could break free from the stone whenever we wanted. In return, they would use us and our supposed smarts to help keep their technology going. They're parasites."

He shrugged again. "They have no idea how terrifying immortality is, or how it'd destroy society as we know it. Because, aliens."

Gen had to laugh softly, and playfully asked, "That depends. Have you eaten a healthy meal today, Gokudera-chan?"

Gokudera listens, folds his arms, and decides he’d maybe not like to meet those aliens/parasites Gen’s describing. It makes sense, but it sounds so awful, but… of course the aliens wouldn’t understand.

“I imagine those thousands of years didn’t feel so long to them, either?”

He scoffs at the question, “No. And you can drop the honorific.”

"Why would it? They're inhuman, after all. Their psychology is completely different from us. They don't understand things the way we do." Gen told him, honestly, "It's frankly a miracle that Senku-chan was able to negotiate with them."

Gen ignored the request. "In that case. I think we should go and find ourselves a snack, don't you think? It's a festival! There are delightful things everywhere."

“That’s really incredible…” Gokudera finds it so unbelievable, but it’s a world he’s not familiar with. He’s not going to assume that their future is his own.

“Yeah? You sure you don’t want another crown?” Gokudera’s still wearing at least three, and there are two that took some damage from Uri’s flames.

“Honestly? Yes I do, but not to the same … intensity that I desired it earlier,” Gen said, looking it now a little wryly. “I have no idea what came over me, it was the strangest thing. I’m not usually so jealous of something as simple as a necklace or a crown of flowers.”

“Oh, that’s not normal for you?” Gokudera asks and takes off one of the smaller crowns. It’s okay, not damaged too badly, and offers it to Gen.

“I’m not usually so sunny.” Even though that wore off when his true colors were shining through. If Uri hadn’t been involved, the interaction may have gone completely different.

Gen accepted the crown gratefully, bowing just a little. "It truly, really isn't. Thank you, my dear. You see -"

He put his crown on his head, adjusted it a little, "Showing someone you feel strongly about something when you need it will mean they're less inclined to give it to you, hm? Or at least they'll want a higher price. You've got to be just interested enough for them to offer, but nowhere near desperate. That's the trick."

Though, hm, Gokudera hadn't been acting normally, either? "You nearly punched me, I'm a little worried what would've happened if you were in a bad mood."

“But I didn’t make the crowns, and I had more than enough to spare. There’s no price, and I was trying to give you one before you threatened Uri.” Gokudera says, knowing damned well Gen hadn’t meant to threaten his cat.

“I was just being coy.” Teasing a little.

“Ah well, I have dynamite for that, but you didn’t seem dangerous,” He shrugs. “I save dynamite for when I’m really in a pinch.”

This time, it's clear Gokudera was teasing - Gen had to snicker. Looking back on it, even though it's at his own expense, it did seem kind of funny. Perhaps it helped that Gen wasn't really acting like himself then. (And later on, he could try and pick apart what made him act that way, to avoid it.) "Well, I appreciate your generosity! And I assure you once more that your little cat friend is perfectly safe from me."

"Dynamite," Gen repeated, eyes a little wide, and he didn't think it's out of line here to just look a little alarmed. Who treated explosives so casually? Well, aside from Senku? "And just how much dynamite would you happen to have on you right now?"

Gokudera doesn’t mind the snicker. Ah, the guy gets it.

Or maybe not, cause that assurance is… flimsy. “Ah, I didn’t think you were threatening Uri directly, but that you were implying I would be so careless as to poison my own cat, or that Uri is so weak as to be poisoned by flowers it was clearly not eating, and that Uri is some normal cat to begin with! That’s offensive to both of us. Were the flames not obvious enough? Uri was right on my shoulder.”

The teenager nods. Dynamite. Yeah.

“Why would I tell you that?” He takes another long drag from his cigarette, blows smoke over his shoulder.

"It's not carelessness! There were Public Service Announcements every year about this to pet owners! It's a common thing not to know!" Gen protested. "And cats-as-flames-thingies aren't a thing on my world! You have actual magic, which is, mind you, incredible - but it's not something I've seen outside of this dream!"

Would they ever be over this misunderstanding?

Gen smiled sheepishly. "Because I like not being exploded?"

“And you’d just assume I wouldn’t know that being its owner?!” Uh-oh he’s gettin a little heated now. “If it’s not from your world why would you assume to to know about it than me and warn me of a danger that didn’t even fucking exist?! Did you want me to get upset?!” Honestly… Gokudera can and will get upset over the smallest and dumbest things. He’s not letting this go, and eventually, may even refer to it with shorter (way more unflattering) descriptions. It’ll go from ‘Gen was worried about Uri’ to ‘Gen tried to kill my cat.’ Because he can’t not stir up trouble.

“It’s not actual magic! If you’re human, you have dying will flames, too!”

He’s huffing and puffing and forcing himself to cool down a little. It’s fine… the guy seems nice… it’s cool, Uri’s not out… it’s alright, getting legitimately angry wouldn’t look very good, so he’s just gonna lift his nose up.

“One stick of dynamite will blow you up just as well as ten.” Be a little more painful, not very effective, or… who knows, maybe it’ll blow up into confetti. He does have a few party bombs as well as other adaptations literally/figuratively up his sleeves.

"Wait, hang on, back up a moment, my friend." Because the only way that he could see to get Gokudera from getting so worked up over all of this - again - was to sidetrack him. Besides. He's genuinely curious.

Gen smiled sheepishly, hands in surrender, but asked, "What is this about - everyone having those flames? Even me? Are you serious?"

That does work pretty well, and Gokudera isn’t trying to get angry. He likes his pet/weapon and will get upset, obviously very easy on its behalf.

“Yeah. It’s not magic. It’s more like… a super power? Internal, not external. And yeah, the flames are just energy. Kind of like an aura or your life force. The only reason mine look like flames is because my rings make them visible.”

How was a super power not like magic? Though he'd read things about auras before, usually pretty charlatan-level stuff. Still. It's a strange dream, and Gen had certainly seen weird things at this point. The fire-cat all on its own was pretty weird.

"So, would I have to buy a special ring of my own if I would want to tap into my own ... flames?" Gen wondered.

“This is more than just a special ring… but uh, yeah. Pretty much!” Hibari, his family’s Cloud Guardian didn’t have his Cloud Ring, and every other ring he put on would break after each use!

“But you may not have a dying will that’s strong enough to see, or it may be a type that isn’t compatible with whatever ring you use. Most people typically only have one or two flame types…”

"Sounds a little omplicated-cay to keep track of," Gen said, looking lost while he was actually making careful note of anything Gokudera described. "It sounds like it'd take a lot of - trial and error to discover what would work for you."

"Unless there's some trick to it?"

“It’s imple-say, actually.” Gokudera retorts and folds his arms.

“Dying will flames, or deathperation flames are energy produced when you give something your full resolute determination. The kind of last-ditch effort that kicks in and pushes you through something difficult. It varies person to person.

I happen to have five out of the seven discovered types. It was a real headache…” he had to know himself and think ahead of himself. Things that make him similar to the other guardians, variables on his own reactions.

“I feel like it would be simple if you just… make it simple. The trick is understanding yourself and what drives you.”

Gen laughed, looking delighted. It's really unusual for anyone to quip back at Gen like that, so - even though he's still reserving judgement, he can't help but like Gokudera more.

"Determination, hm ..." Gen tilted his head and told the boy, "You must be considered very talented for your reality, then! Having so many different types."

After a moment's thought, and knowing he didn't really feel like divulging too much that was personal about himself, he asked, "Is there a power for someone who's first instinct is to run away?"

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