Festival: Sweet Tidings Fair

The Sweet Tidings Fair is one of the yearly occurrences during the Bonded Heart Festivals Usually, cities decorate an area with garlands of evergreens, accented by winter berries and colorful cloth flowers in a variety of colors.

The smell of roasted and fried food hangs in the air, combined with a sweetness that comes from a variety of treats that are sold. Alas, for most Adventurers, none of them are chocolate. There are sweet pastries of all sorts, coated with glazes and filled with fruits. There savory buns filled with savory meats that can be carried around the fair.

As is usual for this celebration, people tend to cluster in groups. Traveling parties, companions, friends, lovers, the festival is all about celebrating those connections between people. There are even certain pastries that are made pull-apart, meant to be shared with a group!

There are a number of performers offering an array of entertainment options, acrobats, jugglers, musicians. There are also artisans and craftspeople of all sorts selling their wares. People seem to use this as an opportunity to exchange gifts with those they care about, in Yamato's version of a Valentine's or White Day celebration.

But what seems to catch many people's attention is the many games of skill and chance which exist throughout the fair grounds. Many people challenge their friends, or simply themselves, trying to win tickets which can be exchanged for prizes at the end of the fair.

    Merek walks along and into the festival field, while he takes the time to put on the dark attire he often wears. The man seems to be considering that cool air while he watches from the hood, lifting a drink of tea which he bought and making his way first to the singing booth. "Ah, well this looks like it might be pretty interesting." Then he's taking a look to think about it, "I will participate!"

For once, Rylen is not amongst the performers. In fact, the acrobat who usually seems to have quite a social following, seems to be on his own for the time being. Well... except for his Peko. It seems that the Pooka has taken his Peko to the festivities as his 'date'. Likely, he couldn't drag Xander to anything that might suggest -gasp- feelings.

So, instead, he can be found near one of the food stalls, offering out one of the savory treats to his Peko, Moko, who is making short work of it, scattering crumbs in all directions. "No matter what, you always have my back, right?" The bird squawks and then snatches another bit of the bread from his hand.

"What do you think, should we bring something back for mister tall dark and brooding?" Rylen asks, as if he expects his peko to respond. Instead, the bird just looks up, ruffling his feathers uncomfortably. He... probably heard Merek singing. It was bad.

Well Rylen may of come alone, but doesn't mean his familiar face isn't going to draw attention. The attention of a certain Were Fang, standing off to the side of the beastmaster and peko where it had just been the passing crowd moments before. She's gotten really good at that stealth thing thanks to Wake's instruction it seems, if a 6-foot equine can remain unnoticed. Though the Dark magic probably helps.

"Well well look who's actually out of the barn!.. and hello to you too, Rylen," she jokes, acting like she was addressing the peko first. "Your other birdbrain couldn't make it, huh?"

Goldenblade is here for the festival, because why would you miss a festival? This one's a bit wistful for her, given her recent circumstances before joining the game, but there's been so much to do here that she's been distracted and absorbed, and both of those are good things. She's mainly wandering around, checking out the booths. Most of them are well beyond her skill level, and she smirks wistfully. There are plenty of others who fit those games perfectly, though.

Then she passes by the mallet game, and smirks. As an American in Japan, with the games calibrated to Japanese people, she always did well in those, so she will take a chance. She will get into the line to try that game, looking a bit eager. She isn't as exceptional here as she was in Japan, but it's probably her best chance. The milk jug challenge would take a huge amount of luck. The punching bag would take luck, also, but that's what she's trying next.

Uta, in the mandatory festival yukata that such episodes demand, keeps silent during Merek's performance, and when the man is done, she... remains silent for a moment further.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, Merek, and this is exactly why I've taken you in as my disciple in the musical arts. Today's performance has given me plenty of ideas for tomorrow's session."

The musical device reports a score, at which point Uta smiles at the Alchemist. "Don't worry, Merek. You'll always be a champion to me."

She cracks her knuckles. "And you'll be to this device as well, once I'm done with your training."

Still oblivious to the presence of other people, she picks up the microphone to sing, inhales and launches into her own performance. No doubt she'll start greeting people once she's done!

    It's a super shame to come to a bonded hearts festival alone. Which makes Fuka pretty shameful admittedly. Nothing new to see here. Still she loves romance and is eager to see who shows up with whom if nothing else. Well, strike that. She absolutely is here for the food and festival treats. The rest is just bonus.

    And yes, Fuka's dressed up nicely in festival gear. Which is to say, a kimono that some might recognize from an earlier party. For those who don't, it's a mint green number with lavendar leaves on it that manages to look like it belongs on the little sylph. At least, she seems to pull off the look with some grace, and even has her hair done up nicely to match the formality.

    Mind you, she loses some grace points by the way she's currently stuffing her face with a pastry.

    Fukaziroh makes her way over towards the Prove Your Strength structure, gravitating towards it the way only a mighty battle fairy would do. She ... really doesn't look like she can do this. Goldenblade's observation on Japanese people no doubt applies, both because Fuka *is* Japanese and because she's also on the small side.

    Fuka watches Goldenblade crush the Test Your Strength contest, definitely impressed. "Niiiiice." she says, whistling in appreciation. "But now it's MY turn!"

    Fuka rolls up her sleeves, squaring up to the mallet after first desperately scarfing down the last bits of her pastry. "HiiiiiiiiYAAAAAH!"

    To her credit, she *almost* does it. She's apparently a 'Hero', but not quite an 'Epic Hero'.

This is not the first time that Kauchemar has shown up out of nowhere, and it has much the same effect on Rylen each time it occurs. There is an ever so subtle jump, as if he were just a bit surprised. Luckily, he recovers quickly, offering the lady nightmare a graceful bow, "Ahh, Lady Tenebrae, always a pleasure to see you. Usually a surprise, but a pleasure none the less." When he lifts his head, he gives one of those characteristic, lopsided smiles that comes across as oh-so-charming.

"Well, I'm sure Kyo is around somewhere." He's likely referring to his pet raven. With a chuckle, he shakes his head, "But, alas, no. These sort of things aren't really Xander's idea of a fun time. Which is a shame, I think. So... instead...." He throws an arm around Moko. "I've brought Moko here as my date. Finest companion a man has ever had."

Of course, that's when a much more pleasant voice reaches his ears. "Ahh, it seems as if their highness is here as well. At least it's a nice change of pace from whomever it was that was strangling a goose earlier."

When she went to festivals back in RL, Goldenblade was a burly American male. Here, she's a small, short female, but, but, her strength is a stat in the video game, not a function of mass or muscular cross-section. So Fukaziroh probably has as good a chance as she does. On the other hand, the 'ring the bell' type games were common where she grew up, and she knows a bit of technique to use with them and there's usually a bit of advantage for shorter people, based on the hammer striking angle and the length of the manner and the height of the contestant.

Then again, maybe it's all code, and it's an RNG? She hauls the hammer back over her head, then hauls it down with a grunt, with a limning of fire as it comes down. Goldenblade sometimes leaks fire. She's like that. The metal plate is launched with considerable force, making it to the top with enough energy to ring the bell. Loudly. Well, that was a success. She hands the hammer back to Fukaziroh.

    Merek doesn't do all that wonderful with singing, and nods a bit while he thinks about it. He then takes a look along to Uta, "Well, thank you." Then he's trying to make a way to another of the games while he sneaks away from Uta! This time he will try to swing into the thing that lifts up for physical.

Who else is in attendance?

Kotono is here too. And, of course, Miyako!

"I'm glad you convinced me into coming here," Kotono says with a slight smile. "Maybe it'll be more fun than I'm expecting it to be?" She asks. For some reason Kotono was a little reserved about coming at first, but Miyako coaxed her into coming.

Miho has been forging like a mad woman, one of the regulars from Hifumis palce had managed to get Miho to go out and party. She has forgotton to parrty anc someone just accidently hip checks the Salamander into one of the Canaals. She lets out a cry at the hip bump hits and she goes flying into the water. The good news is she loses the flith debuff the badnews someone will need to fish her out possibly by her tail...

    Miyako nods to Kotono as she walks in beside the taller girl. "C'mon, Ko-chan, it's a *festival*. Those don't come along every day. We walk around, look ridiculously adorable together, hold hands and other lewd things, eat amazingly tasty and ludicrously unhealthy festival food, play dubious games of 'skill' for cheap prizes, and then we watch some fireworks."

    She grins and spins around before taking Kotono's hand. "Unless you want me to set up a stage and get the guitar out? Did you bring a hat for donations? Can't busk without a hat."

     Eliza seems to have had the same idea as Rylen, as she explores the fairgrounds alongside her faithful companion, Sunny the peko. Romance was, of course, on her mind this season, but her story hadn't gotten to the point where romance found her yet. Still, even without a romantic partner, there was much to do here. It seemed that Sunny has a good idea of what Eliza should do first, as the bird leads her eagerly toward the musical booth.

    "Ah, of course. You'd like to hear me sing, Sunny? I'd be happy to," Eliza says, stepping up to the microphone after Uta finishes.

    A small group of people enter into the fairgrounds. An imp, spriggan, gnome and a couple of pookas. The imp in particular seems rather familiar. And would likely be easily recognisable if she was wearing her usual, patented combat outfit. But she's put that aside for today's fair, wearing instead a pretty kimono, her usually free hair tied up. Of course, she still has her trademark headband on! (https://i.imgur.com/GC15zJc.png)

    Yuuki joins her fellow Sleeping Knights in visiting the various booths of the fair, the imp quickly gravitating towards some of the food stalls. But when she comes across the Punching Bag game, her eyes go wide!

    Soon enough, the line for the Punching Bag game consists of several large, burly male fairgoers, along with one petite girl in a kimono. When it reaches her turn, she gets a doubtful look from the stern Salamander, but she simply grins back at him in response. And within moments, she's wailing away at her chosen punching bag! Staying light on her feet she attacks it from multiple angles, managing to put some impressive power into her swings. And as she goes for the final blow, her headband has a barely perceptible shimmer to it!

"Yeah, I suppose it is. He probably has other matters in mind." Kauchemar replies to Rylen. At the same time an ear swivels, picking up... what we will charitably call an attempt by Merek at the Song Game. "... That's an insult to geese, Rylen, even if they are feathered assholes." Fortunately a much more suitable, and familiar, voice follows. "Aaah, that's better." She glances in that direction for a moment. Then back to Rylen. "By the way, don't be surprised if you see a nightmare OTHER than me around the ranch on occasion. It's a ... new friend," she says 'friend' with such sweet sarcasm that one who knows monsters knows that managing one is anything but friendship.

Not that she gives any more explaination that than, as she turns and makes her way towards the booth that's getting so much vocalization right now.

"Another typical festival expereince?" Kotono says with a smile to Miyako. "Of course, we can do all of those and more. And busking can wait if you ask me." She looks around and hrms. "What do you wanna do first Miyako? There's so much to do and so little time!" She sounds excited about this whole thing almost like she's a little child again.

Goldenblade accepts a few congratulations for ringing the bell, and will make her way over to the punching bag next. She's not as confident about this one, it's more of a test of skill, which she hasn't got a ton of, and technique, which she hasn't got any of. She hauls off and punches it hard, but not quite hard enough, and chuckles, making her way over to Fukaziroh, who was behind her at the strength challege. "Hey there," she says. "You lost?"

Uta's performance draws a small applause from the crowd nearby. "Thank you, thank you!", she bows.

"See, Merek, if you have paid attention to the way I was modulating the envelope, over there, you'll have noticed that it was key to control the diaphragm whenever one hey where'd he go?"

Hands on her lips, Uta looks left and right. No sign of her disciple.

"...Did I dream everything? Is Merek just a figment of my imagination, which I have made up to cope with the insanity that is- no, no way one could make Merek up. He exists. There is no other explanation."

Her looking around finally makes her notice a certain someone greeting her. "Sir Rylen of Quickfeather! What a charming coincidence to meet you at this festive gathering!", she jokes in the mock-British-royal accent she resorts to in such occasions.

"Oh, yes, it's your turn -- here, Eliza!", she says, as she hands the microphone to the farmer, and moves towards where Rylen is. Back to a more normal accent, she sighs at the Pooka's account of Merek's performance. "He sounded exactly like that..." She clenches her fist, as she stares determined towards the future, "but by the time I'm done with him, he'll sound like he's strangling a swan!"

Kauchemar gets a questioning blink. "Another nightmare?"

    Merek walks from that physical game, he did well although didn't win it, and will look to the target practice game. The man draws the bow with him and will take the time to work on it, though all the same it doesn't look like he wins. Then he waves to Uta, and will disappear again.

"Honestly, I'm never surprised at unusual creatures showing up around the ranch." Rylen smirks, rolling his eyes in a way that shows affectionate exasperation. "So long as it's under control, we're good."

While Rylen has his conversation, Moko, however, notices another Peko. The male Peko ruffles his feathers a little, giving them a preen, before trying to make sing-song notes in Sunny's direction. It seems as if the bird is as much of a 'charmer' as his Pooka companion.

"I suppose I should try my hand at some of these games, but I don't think anyone would want to hear my sad attempts at music." He knows well enough not to try his hand at something he is quite so bad at. Still, his smile remains open and social as he bows to Uta as she approaches. "Your highness. I figured it was a chance to get Moko out for a bit of festive fun."

By the way the Peko is waggling his feathers, Rylen raises an eyebrow, "Looks like he's enjoying himself."

    Miyako hmms softly, tapping her lip, the sleeve of her smoke-grey yukata sliding down to reveal her arm. "Well," she muses, "Let's save the karaoke for last, shall we? Maybe try something else first, you pick." She smiles lightly as she surveys the crowd for familiar faces. "Unless you're hungry? We could get food first."

    Fuka grumbles something about how the game is clearly rigged, but it's not a sincere grumble. She's actually rather pleased at how she did on that game. Not the strongest, not by a long shot... but pretty darned strong nonetheless. Not bad for a gamer girl!

    Still there's sooo many other games to try! Making her way to another booth, she detours to get some food first. Seeing the same woman who just rang the bell, she waits to see her attempt at this game. On the failure, Fuka groans in clear dismay and then holds out one hand. In it, she holds a skewer of some grilled meat. She offers it to Goldenblade as a sort of consolation prize. In her other hand she has an identical skewer which she intends to keep.

    She shrugs. "Got close, didn't do as well as you." she admits. "Clearly it's rigged!" she says cheerfully. "Let me try this one though."

    It's not likely to be one of her better games. She can hit things pretty hard, but she has little practice in the art of fisticuffs. Some degree of precision perhaps, but no great aptitude. Still, Fuka's never let a lack of aptitude stop her from trying, and sometimes she can surprise even herself!

For a moment, Kotono can't decide, but then she feels her stomach rumbling. "I am a little hungry. Why don't we see if we can get some burgers nearby? Maybe shakes too, those would be great!" She licks her lips before looking around for a place to get food. "And karaoke? Well, maybe we could do a duet together."

    Yuuki makes her way up to the now surprised Salamander running the Punching Bag game. She happily accepts her winning ticket from him, before turning towards the others still in line that are applauding them. Yuuki holds her ticket up with one hand and raises the other, shifting her fingers into a V shape for victory! She then heads off, giving Fukaziroh a thumbs up on the way past as she notices the sylph struggling, "Keep at it!"

    Moving on, Yuuki is starting to notice a bunch of people here who she recognises. Many of them get smiles and waves. Though when Yuuki spots a certain Uta, Yuuki runs over to her and waves excitedly, "UTA! It feels like I haven't seen you in forever!"

Goldenblade takes the meat skewer from Fuka as a consolation prize and follows her back to the punching bag to see how she does. "That's more of a skill test," she observes aloud. "The hammer game is more just raw power."

But then there's splashing in the canal, and she looks over. Someone's fallen in! She holds her meat skewer in her mouth and retrieves a bit of rope from her inventory, tossing one end toward Miho.

"So you're going to teach him is swan song? Considering how often they say he dies or finds cursed objects..." Kauchemar muses. "Yes. I've aquired one of the non were fang variety. Go ahead. Make horse riding horse jokes. I've heard them all already." Her attention turns back to the booth. She rolls a shoulder, and makes a gesture of rolling up sleeves she doesn't have. "Now, if you'll excuse me..." A bard never misses out on a chance to perform, after all.

She accepts the magic mic from the last user, and looks it over. Similar to the one used at the arenas. Good, good. She sets it back on the stand, and pulls her lute out of her inventory. Gives the strings a light twang to test, fiddles with the tuning a little, strums again. Satisfied with that result, she starts to play. At first it just sounds like someone playing the classic fantasy instrument...

Then some of the chords, despite the different instrumentation, start to sound familiar.

Too familiar to some Adventurers in the crowd.

On no, she didn't... yes she did. She is playing that song. In bardic style. But it's THAT song all the same.

( https://youtu.be/YxjY_YTksKM )

    Merek looks to work with magic pretty well and channels that into an orb, although he doesn't win. It looks like he is managing pretty well with most games, but doesn't seem to win any, next is melee and if that doesn't work well there's not a lot he can succeed with.

    Setsuna looked like a big walking bruise, a walking bruise with a malamute sized Cerberus and a cloaked body guard that had REALLY boney hands. Still despite the pain his body felt every time he moved it was worth it. That is to say he may have came straight from his fight with Xander to the fair. He was riding a victory high and felt like he was invincible at the moment, so he came to the fair to take every prize they had, or a large piece of humble pie, whichever it may be.

    Miyako nods and leans casually against Kotono for a moment, then sniffs the air as she looks around for a burger stall. "Gotta be one somewhere around here," she muses, "I can smell it." Then her gaze narrows in on a stall a few down from where the two Spriggans stand. "There, over by the karaoke booth."

    "...You're not in my memories/Because in the song of the streams, in the color of this sky,/And in the fragrance of flowers, you'll live forever."

    Eliza finishes her song and curtseys to the crowd, happy with her performance. Stepping down from the stage, she catches sight of the amusing interaction between her peko and Rylen's. Eliza leads Sunny over to the food stands. She'd take the opportunity to give him some food while he got to know the other peko. "Hello," she says with a nod to Rylen as she looks over the offerings. "I see we're both having a good time with our pekos today."

Miho does not know who at first has thrown her a roap but she'll grab it. Then use it to help pull herself in she'll look up to see Goldenblade. Someone's getting a discount on her next commision for this. For the moment the watter logged woman pulls herself out ot the canad and sputters.

"...I'll deal with the person who did that later. Also I owe you one Goldenblade."

The dip not only has he cleaned up but she's also snapped out of her mood just a little bit. Enough she might be able to have some fun before she goes back and finishes her project. She'll also boot up her menuy to dray off rather than shake over everyone.

With a smile, Kotono nods. "You've got it, Miyako!" Kotono says excitedly almost like a child. "I can almost taste those burgers right now they smells so good!" She stops as she looks at the menu then gestures for Miyako to go first. "You can go ahead, I'm still deciding."

As Kauchemar goes to give a wonderful example of how to get a song stuck in your head, even if it is one that no one wants to hear, Rylen steps back, giving a look to his Peko. "You behave, now." The Peko claps his beak, seeming happy when Eliza comes over with her peko. "You'll have to excuse him, he was raised by the Peko Army, so he's used to being around other Pekos and is probably more social than he has any right to be."

Reaching up, Rylen pats the bird. "I'm going to see about winning one of these games, alright? Don't get into too much trouble." Moko, in return, clicks his beak and then snatches the remains of the bit of bread he has, offering it out to Sunny.

Walking over to the test of aim and strength, Rylen scoops up one of the bean bags, tossing it in his hand once or twice before channeling some of his elemental magic behind it as he draws back, firing right at the milk jugs. He manages to knock most of them down, but one of them hangs on the edge for a long second before toppling over.

"Yes, still got it." He grins to himself. "Months behind a desk and I haven't completely lost my touch."

    Fuka grins at Goldenblade, failing this challenge but not taking it badly at all. "My thing's mostly hitting real hard." she admits. She flashes a thumbs up to Yuuki as the imp encourages her. She's having ridiculous amounts of fun, even if she isn't dominating the challenges like *some* people! Fuka's pretty easily amused after all.

    Still, there are still other things she could do here. She watches Goldenblade go to Miho's rescue, still grinning, and shrugs to do her own thing once more. That one thing being to pick up some small bit of festival food, naturally.

    After a bit, she comes back to the music booth. Catching the hind end of Eliza's attempt she grins, and offers a small pastry to the farmgirl. Don't question the pastry, it's good stuff.

    Her next random act of kindness done, Fuka steps up to sing. Okay, she's a little nervous. She was told not to mess with the local culture but after several of the songs she'd heard, she has to do something. She's been taught how to sing... special, particularly memorable songs after all.

    "Sensei... this is for you." she grins, not specifying who Sensei is. Then she begins to clap a beat. https://youtu.be/DqR-8928R3s?t=114

    Merek will look to the next which is melee, and he doesn't win. All the same, he seems content, he was mostly there to try the games probably.

    Miyako nods and steps up to place her order at the burger stand, leaning against it as she waits for her burger and fries to be cooked. "Maybe you should sing, then, while you make up your mind. Or try one of the others, find something with a nice short line."

Goldenblade of course makes her own gear, but she's glad to have helped Miho. "You're OK? Good!" she says with a smile, and adds, "Don't worry about it. Not neccesary," for the owing her one. As for whoever dunked Miho, Goldenblade missed that, so she'll just nod. "Er, good luck!"

She wanders back to the song booth as Fukaziroh steps up, and belts out that song. It's a bit new for her taste, and all the karaoke places she went to had Sinatra standards, which she was OK at. But without the words at the bottom, it's even harder. So she'll skip that one. She looks around at the other games. The milk jugs are possible, but would take a ton of luck.

As soon as Miyako places her order, Kotono steps up to place her order, somewhat similar to Miyako's, but different enough to be original as well. She then stands beside Miyako and waits. "I'd sing a song, but I don't know what I should sing." She blushes a little.

"Merek's been randomly breaking into song into my chimlink," Uta explains to Kauchemar, "So I thought, hey, I might as well get him to do so on pitch," Uta jokes. "That said, I don't want to sound like I'm demeaning him. The learning journey he's embarked in is not an easy one. People who aren't properly motivated are doomed to drop out..." She trails off, and glances in the direction where Merek appeared briefly. "...but I have a good feeling about him dropping off. I mean, he's far more likely to get himself killed than dropping out, but still. It proves dedication and worthiness."

She hums in concentration at the mention of a Nightmare monster. "I mean, I've seen a human ride a dire gorilla. That can't be worse." She turns to Rylen, "Oh, speaking of which. I hope you don't mind if I'm keeping a manticore in the Monster Barn, right? It'll be just for a little bit, until I deliver it to the customer. Just a few days." Lower in volume, almost mumbled, "a few weeks count as 'days', right?"

Moko's antics cause laughter and the smallest amount of head shaking in Uta. "How could one not enjoy themselves around here?", the Spriggan asks Rylen (rhetorically, of course) as she sweeps her hand around. "There's everything one needs to have tons of fun! Food! Games! Yuuki! Hey, Yuuki! Haven't seen you in forever, too!", she says, with a wave toward the imp. "My goodness, everyone is here! Hi Kotono! Hi Miyako! Oh, speaking of that, get in touch with me when you've got time, there's something I'd like to tell you, as a follow up from our last meeting!"

"Oh, look! There's Fuka! And Goldenblade! And- Setsuna! Hey, come here and get yourself medically inspected! I promise I won't fix your leg!"

    Merek appears along with Kauchemar and with Uta, "Ah, well. Music, right? I like music," the man offers along to the two.

    Setsuna does what any guy does in the fair with a monster entourage , he wanders. He wanders to and fro as he continues to wander before he hears that one of the booths are offering healing. Oh wait thats a Uta, not a booth. " Uta , I didn't now you would be attending. Shouldn't you be in the palace lands?" Setsuna wanders as he approaches and the cerberus begins to run circles around the Uta, barking loudly. " Yes yes , I know it is a Uta. You don't need to tell me. " Looking in the general direction of others he sees the gaming booths and contemplattes how well his luck will hold up.

Kauchemar bows after her little number like this was an actual performance, and strolls away from the booth. Only to have several more people lining up, intent on doing better or at least getting THAT song out of their heads by singing her own. So mission success, either way.

There's also Fukaziroh, putting some of the technique she learned from herself and Uta to good use. That gets even more of a smile out of her, and a brief nod in the girl's direction.

"Manticore, huh?" she asides to Uta as she passes. "Well, just keep a lot of antitoxins handy. Manticores have a -lot- of poisonous methods, depending on what version they've been styled after. Maybe you can teach Merek the classic music sooths the savage beast," she adds, before strolling off to inspect the other booths.

Huh. Punching bag. Most people don't expect spellcasters to be physically strong. But, being an equine, Kauchemar is hardly your typical spellcaster, either.

    Flush with triumph (and slightly with shame for borrowing such an epic earworm), Fuka makes her way away from the song booth and, with one small detour, on to another portion of the festival.

    She approaches the largish gathering of Adventurers cheerfully but without fanfare. This is probably due to the largish something she's sucking on, making her cheek bulge like she's a squirrel. Can't yell hello with your mouth full! She approaches Uta, arms outstretched... and then grabs the Pooka's hand, stuffing a largish candy into it. Nope, not a hug. Sorry. "It's something something boiled!" she claims around a mouthfull. Well, okay her words don't come out quite that clear. Garbled due to aformentioned mouthfull and Fuka apparently not being taught not to speak with her mouth full.

Goldenblade will make her way over to Uta as she calls out, drifting over to see what's up? "I heard you singing," she says, "Did you win?" She watches some of the others competing, and is entirely impressed with Kauchemar nailing the punching bag. "Impressive," she says, impressed.

    Yuuki nods in agreement with Uta, pulling a piece of meat of a long stick with her teeth and chewing on it. Wait, when did she get that!? But she adds her own take, "Fwood's gud." Swallow, "Games aren't bad too-oh hey! Hitting things hard!" Yuuki spots the Prove Your Strength booth, quickly saying, "Berightback!" The imp rushes off.

    Picking up the giant hammer, which looks especially giant in her hands, Yuuki swings it around behind her. It suddenly turns black as she activates a sword arte, causing the mallet's shape to grow even larger! Surely that's cheating!?

    And while she's not an expert at hitting things super hard-yet-Yuuki still manages to display some impressive strength as she swings the extra giant weapon around to strike the target! The resulting impact sends the weight shooting up into the epic hero range, of course!

    True to her word, Yuuki returns back to the group she had left, this time holding a second winning ticket and now some kind of bread snack which she is munching on. Though at the sight of Setsuna she gives him a wave, "Hey you! Heard you won your match! Grats!"

Kauchemar gives the punching bag a good old fashioned pummeling like the Sandbag in Super Smash Bros. She does take a step back and raise a leg as if to kick it, because she is a horse... but stops and lowers her hoof back to the ground when the stall operator shoots her a look. They need that bag to last all night! He's quick to shove tickets at her and shoo the Were Fang on her way before she decides to do it anyways.

"Setsuna actually won?" Kauchemar chimes in, having somewhere between her bout with the punching bag and now drifted back towards the gathering of various folks. "Guess he's improved since the last time he dueled me... Who did he fight again?" She pauses as she pulls out her Official EmCee referal list to look. "... Oh..."

So maybe that's why he's not here. Off brooding somewhere. Typical.

She shrugs, putting the list away. "Must of been while I was busy with one of the other matches."

"Do you speak Cerberus?", Uta asks Setsuna, with genuine curiosity.

"I should be in the Palace Lands, but I am not. I am not sure how it happened, but I don't think it's important right now. I'll just enjoy the festivities in complete obliviousness. Ignorance, as they say, is bliss. Also, I needed to meet Baroness Wake for reasons I don't remember at the moment. I'm sure it's important, but not right now. I'll just enjoy the festivity in complete obliviousness. Ignorance is bliss and yadda yadda."

Uta looks at Fuka in mild confusion. She blinks once, twice, and-

Stuffs the offered food into her mouth.

"Mmmmm!", she exclaims. "Something something boiled! My favourite!", she lets out, while pushing in bits that try to escape from her mouth.

Noticing Yuuki's rushing off, she darts in her direction. "Wait, what's that about hitting things? I like hitting things. Especially with a stick! I gotta do this too!"

She gets too excited at the attempt, and trying to show off, she zigs and zags left and right a lot before hitting, with the result of hitting the target just slightly off center. That's enough to miss the mark.

A mild groan of disappointment.

Miho catches sight of Fuka an wave to her as she's now going to get some food. Yes she came here for some festival food didn't she? She gins again to Goldenbalde and smiles again. "I'm going to get some food!" She ends up going to the nearest stall to start ordering some food!

    Setsuna looks at Uta and tilts his head left and right, "Kinda?" Is it really understanding the cerberus if Setsuna is imposing his will on cerberus? Oh well thats a question for a philosopher. He doesn't directly answer Kauchemar or Yuuki though as he to is drawn to a game. It was just a feeling but right thatt moment he had this gut feeling he needed to play the target practice booth. Stepping up with his magical eyes glowing focusing on the targets and then throws the ball at the jugs. He watches the jugs scatter with a large yell of celebration he collects his tickets and walks back over. " Thank you, and who is to say Kauchemar that when we fought I didn't let you win?" Setsuna should be careful though, he is in danger of tripping over his ego.

     As Sunny happily accepts the food from Moko, Eliza starts looking for another challenge to take on. She decides to step up to the strength test- while she might look like a tender maiden, she's built up some strength after living on a ranch for a year. She picks up the hammer and stares down the machine for a moment, before bringing the hammer down on its target with a fierce shout. She watches the weight rise, barely squeaking into Epic Hero level. "Well, look at that," she says. "Guess I'm 'epic'."

    Having done her next good deed of the day - feeding Uta - Fuka peers around. Aha! "I'm going for that one next." she notes in a muffled voice, following Uta to the magic challenge. She cheers (and almost chokes) as her friend's magic goes rampant. But when it's all over, she steps up herself and begins a chant, placing her hands on the sensing crystal.

    Those who know Fuka may duck and cover, because she's chanting her fire magic words. And that means only one thing!

    Fortunately, there's no massive blast of flame. She channels the magic into the crystal but... well, this isn't her day. Or she's trying too hard, or just restraining her magic to avoid making everything explode. In any event, though her magic is strong, it's certainly nothing spectacular. THIS TIME. Still, she remains cheerful, returning to Uta and promising to study harder for next time!

"No, I mean, when the Demon the Cerberus told you that he saw an Uta. Did you understand that?", Uta further asks Setsuna. But then, sudden distraction! "Oooh, a magical- what's this? Billiards? That 1980s thing with the multi-ball pendulum where one ball hits the line of balls and only the last one shoots up? Whatever it is, I have to try it!"

After Fuka is done, Uta grabs the main ball between her hands (is this an excuse to rub candy off her gloves? Maybe), Closes her eyes, and intones an ominous chant.

Darkness surrounds her, and the temperatured drops a little.

And then, it's a burst! The main sphere FLARES, and the rest of the line lights up so bright that everyone around has to turn and see what's happening.

Kind of ironic to use a Dark spell to light things up...

Kauchemar just smirks a bit at Setsuna in response. "Do you want to admit that you purposely repeatedly threw spells into my Flame Shield knowing the results in order to lose?" she retorts. Let his ego deal with figuring out that one. Meanwhile she wanders back to the booths. Takes note of the duck one. Reminds her of the sort of game she'd seen at fairgrounds as a youth too young to realize most of them are rigged. So she strolls over, takes a whiff of the pool, leans over to inspect the ducks...

And then just dunks her entire head in. Comes back up with a duck in her mouth, the bottom facing out. With no red spot. Alas.

When the boothkeeper shakes his head no at her, Kauchemar shrugs and bites down, snapping the head off in her mouth. The bottom falls to the ground. Some Lander kids in the crowd start to freak out because she bit the head off a duck (Even if it was fake).

"Sorry," Kauchemar replies as she spits the severed (splintered?) head out into the booth attendant's hands. "I had to do something to balance out the good karma at the previous booths. You have a wonderful night~" Strolls away like nothing happened.

Though now she has the taste of wood in her mouth. Bleh. Time to get some food to clear that up.

    Setsuna shrugs, " I just did that with Xander and it worked out ok for me. Maybe I just used you to practice that strategy " Yep the bruised Setsuna may look like he is bruised on the outside but his arrogance is invincible. Setsuna does not decide to follow Kauchemar though, insttead he goes with Uta into the magic booth and tries to imitate her strategy. However Setsuna has a handicap and can't burn all his mana to brute force this spell. In fact he hits his own personal redline of I need to not burn any more mana or my monster pals may be less friendly. Walking out of the booth his ego may have taken a little hit, but just a little one. "So Kauchemar, I heard you fought Schneider, how'd he do?"

    June arrives fasionably late, perhaps late, perhaps fashionable.... nono it's late. The woman is dressed as usual in bikini mail with her fur cloak. The small woman with her barbarian finery already has some kind of dongo she's eating off a stick as she looks about for friends, aquaintances, people she can talk into being friends or aquaintances... the beer cart, something.

    Fuka acquires a pair of small burger-type sliders, offering one of them to Kauchemar 'to get the taste of wood out of your mouth' while she scarfs down the other. "Still, that looked fun! I wonder how I'll do with the ducks?"

    Pretty well, when it comes to that. Fuka's used to keeping her eyes open and floating about easily. Such things apparently translate to good luck with bobbing for ducks. Who knew? Anyways, wet and happy, Fuka claims a second red ticket.

"He did well enough. It was a very spirited match.. but his focus on offense over defense burned him out in the end." She accepts the burger from Fuka. "Thank you, dear." Then turns back to Setsuna. "He's strong and has potent magic, no doubting that. But he needs to learn that you can't just fight another Adventurer trying to pound them with no self-preservation like you can many Monsters." And she's being absolutely honest in that assessment.

Then shoves the entire burger-type food in her mouth. It's not hard, when she can unhinge her jaw like a snake does.

    Setsuna nods his head as he retrieves a mana potion and throws it back like a shot, it is a well practiced action it appears. " Oh yes, that is his style, but had a few more crits of his had landed I may have been asking him how you did." Its true, at least it's Setsuna's opinion on the matter. "Either way , you are fighting someone named Cyrus next right? I don't think I have ever met him before. Know anything about him?" It wasn't one hundred percent true, he had met Cyrus once and had forgotten all about him.

    Miyako hmms softly, nodding to Kotono, and returning a wave to Uta's greeting... and then has to run and find herself the washroom for a brief personal emergency.

    When she returns, she rejoins Kotono and picks up their meals. "Sorry about that," she explains. "Tummy decided it didn't like last night's sausages."

    She muses for a moment. "So, I had a chance to think about the song thing... we can try the other booths, you go ahead and pick what you want to do first."

Returning to Sunny's side, Eliza gives the peko some friendly neckrubs, before getting an idea. Since she came here with Sunny, she should let Sunny do one of the challenges. The duck pond seems like a good one- there's enough space under the tent for the peko to put his neck underneath and start searching around for the lucky duck. Sunny made a valiant effort, but was unable to find a winning duck.

Miho is grinning for a moment as she head to the prove one's Strength she grins she looks at these thing with a wide grin. She sees the hammer the whole set up. Her tail swishes as she is going to do this.

"Judge me by my size do you?"

She will one suit on he hand rub them up and iwll go to take the hammer. She looks at it for a momand and says "Watch this." The poor lizard girl may be setting herself up to look foolish here as she woll take the hammer. Then move to slam it down once it's her turn!

Kauchemar raises a brow at Setsuna. "Scouting out possible future opponents, are you? Not very subtle about it... though I think you have a more pressing concern to worry about with your next opponent, but I degress." She pauses a moment to lick her fingers clean. And then decides to humor him anyways. "He's an alchemist, I know that much.... There's a good chance we'll spend more time chucking debuffs and status effects at each other than we will direct attacks."

"All right, Miyako, let's go look at other boots," Kotono says sympathetically in regards to her friend's stomach. "There's lots to see and do." If things get out of hand again, Kotono will suggest they take a breather somewhere or something like that.

    Setsuna shakes his head , " What do you mean , I looked at the brackets I fight who ever wins between you and the alchemist...right. " The necromancer suddenly felt a dark chill down his spine as he fishes out the paper wiith the bracket on it. He unfolds it and unfolds it again. Looking it over he points to the Xander v Setsuna part and then notices more of the bracket folded unded, " Huh?" He unfolds it and there is Yuukis name. " Oh..."

    Merek can be heard drunkenly singing from one of the stalls, "WHEN I WAS, A YOUNG BOY, MY FATHER, TOOK ME INTO THE CITY!" It's about as skillful as anyone that can't sing would manage.

    June stands in line eating her dongo. She says in English "Nah just your strength stat." this to Miho just before she smashes her way to Epic Hero. "Lets see... if this works hmm?" she asks taking the hammer after Miho. She pulls an ofuda from her box of rice paper and sticks it to the face of the hammer. "Alright wish me luck." she says with a laugh switching back to Japanese. "If I ring the bell you're buying me a beer." she says to Miho... who has agreed to none of this... Oh June.

Kauchemar just grins a smarmy as heck grin as Setsuna gets a realization. "Mmmhmm.... But hey. Uta has defeated her. So anything is possible, even if highly improbable." With that she turns and strolls off into the crowd, blending into the hustling and bustling numbers with little issue.

    Miyako nods and leans into Kotono again, then walks with her over to the Target Practice booth, picking it seemingly beacuse the line is shortest. She pays for a try for each of them, and tosses her beanbag... taking out one, then a second jug.. and then she misses, the third try flying high and left. "Drat," she says, stepping aside to let Kotono have a try (and the booth operator reset the target).

Kotono steps up to take a whack at it... and misses completely. "Aww, that wasn't supposed to happen!" She sighs and looks at Miyako. "Let's go try something else, shall we?"

    Miyako nods, sliding an arm around Kotono's waist as the pair make their way on to another booth. "Sure, anything you want." She pauses as she watches a big muscular gnome pummel the punching bag. "This one seems more your style, hmm?" She lets Kotono go first, before stepping up with her own assault - impressive at first, until her hand slips as she overextends and the bag comes back to bop her in the nose. She stumbles back, arms and wings flailing to regain her balance.

    When the hammer hits and crushes the ofuda there is a flare of holy light and the weight flies up the pole, and yet still it falls short. "What do you mean Sidekick.... she gets Epic Hero and I'm a sidekick?" she says pointing at Miho "So not fair... and I wanted a free beer too." Miho didn't agree to that June.. that's in your head.

Kotono does do a good enough job with the punching bag, but she goes a little too fast and mistimes one of her punches... and the bag whacks her in the face. "Ow!" She says, before shaking her head. "Let's keep going."

    Miyako nods and hmms softly as she and Kotono move along the row of game booths. "Now we match," she says, her voice muffled a bit by the bruise forming around her nose. Noticing it, she dabs a bit of healing potion on the spot, then turns to offer to apply the same for Kotono.

    "So this one should be simpler," she says, watching others try the next one. "All you have to do is hit something with a big hammer."

    Miyako goes first, this time, stepping up and taking a vigorous swing, putting her back into it! The hammer falls, the thingy rises... and rises... and falls... and falls.

    "... whaddaya mean 'sidekick'?" She turns to look up at Kotono. "Am I your sidekick, Ko-chan?"

    Setsuna was suddenly not the happiest of campers as he suddenly walks up to the punching bag and punches it and it doesn't really move. Instead Setsuna's hand hurts now as he just lets out a groan. " Damn thing is probably rigged. No one could possibly move that thing. " Then Kotono punches it and moves the bag. Yeah Setsuna is so tasting that humble pie , it isn't as good as some people say.

    Fuka sneaks up on Yuuki (or more likely completely fails to sneak up on the battle-thirsty imp) with a weapon in hand. A short pointy wooden stick, upon which have been embedded the grilled remains of something delicious. She holds up her other hand, similarly armed. "You have a choice. Duel or eat!" Fukaziroh grins, gesturing playfully with one skewer of food.

Kotono gives it a try... but just doesn't get it. "Sometimes, even the simplest things don't work out as best as they should." She shrugs before pausing for a moment.

"Sidekick? What do you mean sidekick?!" She glares a little before looking at Miyako. "Miyako's my BFF!" She says while putting an arm around the fellow Spriggan. Of course that could be putting it lightly. "Sidekick nothing!"

    Merek will make a way about the place to relax a little while.

    Miyako nods, sliding her own arm around Kotono once again. "Right. Five gets you ten they're -all- rigged," she says quietly, so as not to be accused of inciting unpleasantness. The pair of them fade into the crowd to enjoy the -other- fun things to do at the festival.

Miho scores very well on the game she grins claps her hand if she gets a prize she'll take it if not she's still smug as all get out. That tiny little lady has an impossible meough of strenght for someone from Earth. Yet she's not from there anymore nay shes' a native of Yamato now. She'll trot back into the crowd and will go to see if she can find Merek.

    Setsuna to has to wander off, he just found out he is fighting Yuuki next and needs to go find somewhere to power grind before their fight. Maybe if he goes and solos the whale or something he will get enough power to take her on, or forget what he was worrying about.

    Yuuki doesn't notice a sneaking Fukaziroh because ironically she's focused all her attention on choosing a duck. The super-focused imp stares intently at the wooden ducks floating across the water, eyes darting from one to the next, taking in all the details, looking for any differences. A keen eye is important for a swordsperson because you need to watch your opponent's moves carefully!

    There! That's it! That's got to be one of the red ones-ack, sudden Fukaziroh! Yuuki finds herself accosted by the food wielding sylph, "Wha!?" She's lost track of the duck she had spotted, "Where'd it go!? Wait... That's it!" She grabs a duck!

    It's the wrong one!

    "Nooooooooooooooooooo!"

    Yuuki slooooooooowly turns her head to stare at Fukaziroh. There's a sudden flash of speedy movement!

    Both food sticks are now in Yuuki's hands as she chews on the grilled goodness of each in turn.

    Fukaziroh SHRIEKS in the agony of betrayal as Yuuki grabs BOTH of her beloved festival snacks! "Hey those are for SHARING!" she insists, though she's trying very hard (and failing) to suppress a grin. As much as she protests, she doesn't seem to mind the dirty deed so much as she's enjoying a chance to point the finger and loudly complain.

    June spots the boss "OOoh hey boss!" she says and stuffs a dongo in Yuuki's mouth then she bends down, picks up a duck. The bottom of the duck she picks up is red, but somehow it hooks a second duck. "Ooh hey look I found the duck!" she says but the Lander running the stand informs her that she picked up TWO ducks and so she's disqualified. They do give her two pink tickets for her disapointment she she pouts at them however. "YAY Extra snacks." She says hugging Yuuki and dancing around.

    Still in mock outrage, Fuka takes a step back from Yuuki. "Fine then. You do that. But *I* am going to channel my deprivation and disappointment into... ANOTHER GAME!" she calls with a stifled laugh. "Come cheer for me, and I'll forgive ya." she offers belatedly, casting the words over one shoulder as she heads for the ball throwing booth.

    This isn't something she'd normally be expected to be good at, but Fuka does have some experience throwing balls. Mostly when annoyed during her regular tennis practice. She's actually pretty good at it. Right now though she approaches the booth and stands ready, allowing darkness to surround her in a gloomy glower of psychic dudgeon. It's a trick she just recently learned, and not only does it psych up her own abilities, it ... well, it tends to devastate opponents. But then, this time, her opponent is a stack of milk jugs and her tennis balls are bean bags. Close enough, right?

    Intensely, the little Sylph goes downtown, taking out her fury on some milk jugs.

    Yuuki is accosted with more food! But it's okay this time since she's not trying to game or anything. She noms on the dango, before saying, "Thanks, Junie! Wasn't sure you were going to make it. Did you see the other Knights around? We showed up together but I kind of lost track of them after I saw the games..."

    Fukaziroh seems intent on dragging her over to another game though. Yuuki looks at it... Throwing things. Ehhh, not really her style. But she follows over and does her job of cheering on! "Go! Go! You can do it! Teach those stupid milk jugs not to mess with you!"

    And sure enough, Fukaziroh manages to pwn those poor defenceless bottles! Yuuki cheers.

    The imp then steps up, "My aim is usually pretty terrible, but I'll give it a shot!"

    Yuuki starts throwing bean bags. Her form is definitely bad, evidence as to why she shouldn't quit her day job of stabbing things with swords. But her luck appears to be pretty impressive as despite her poor attempts she managing to get a hit in each time!

    Hit. Hit. Hit. Hit.

    Oh no! A miss! And on the last one too... Yuuki looks a little disappointed on missing the last one. But then laughs and shrugs, "Oh well. Wasn't expecting to get that one anyway." Besides, she still gets another snack for doing decently well.

    "Man." Fuka observes, somewhat disappointed Yuuki didn't win again. "I half expected you to say that and then smash your balls through the back of the booth or something!" she claims, and shrugs. "You still did pretty spectacular today, yeah? A shame you couldn't throw your sword at it!" she chortles. "Now, I'm up for more food! Who's with me?!"

    June shrugs "I haven't seen anyone but you, I didn't know I was gona show up but then I took a quest and I was around and then there were frigging sweets carts! I mean how could I say no, then there were cute girls in yukata and some cute guys... then I was trying out my Ofuda on some of the games and I won some more snacks. Then you were there and I fed you and then won but failed." she picks up a bean bag, winds up, and nails the lander in the face with it. She puts the other bags down "Uhmmm... it was Yuuki." she says and runs to hide in the punching bag booth.

    "Hooray for food!"

    And then Yuuki gets blamed for a crime she didn't commit. She blinks in confusion as June runs off, leaving Yuuki behind to be glared at by a Lander. She laughs sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head as she slowly backs up, "Ehehehe, ahhhhh, sorry?"

    Yuuki then turns and runs too!

    Having escaped the wrath of festival booth owner (you don't mess with them, they're elite level mobs!) Yuuki goes back to looking at more of the game booths. "Hmmm... Singing... Nah. Can't sing. Oh! ... Oh... Magic. Hahahahahano. Oh! Oh! That looks int-oh, already done that one."

    Yuuki unfortunately reaches the end of the gaming booths, "Whaaaat? That's it? No test of one's ability to evade things? Like running down a fenced off path while someone shoots arrows at you and you have to avoid them to get close enough to touch the guy to win?" She totally just made that up on the spot. She'd probably be good at it!

    June pokes her head out of the punching booth "Hey Yuuki come on punch a thing? Or did you already punch a thing? We need more snack tickets!" she says "And no one has bought me any beer... or tried to take advantage of me... not even once." she pouts then turns to look at the Salamander "Am I too butch?" she asks before delivering a flurry of punches and kness that really only a godhand could pull off.

    "Hmmm?" Yuuki is summoned over to the punching game, "Oh, I already punched stuff. And won, too!" She holds up a V to the Salamander, who simply shakes his head in amusement at the idea, even though he was there!

    Yuuki watches June punch the stuffing out of one of the bags, thankfully figuratively, and proceed to win. Yuuki cheers, before saying, "Eh, some people go for that? Maybe it's just because there's a lot of competition here! Too many beauties to pick from."

    June pouts "Awww, you say that, but when I grab a girls butt or snuggle up to some guy, then the people they came with get all angry and rude." she sticks her tongue out taking the red ticket. "Aww can't get snacks with this... hmmm... what games haven't I played?" She says looking around.

    "We'll be able to get something even better! What? I don't know! But it's something to look forward to."

    "Annnnyway... I'm going to go see if I can find where the other Knights got to. Once you're done with the games, come find us and we can grab a meal together?" Yuuki turns around, starting to run off, but looks over her shoulder to wave to June, "Good luck, have fun!"

    "Okies." June says and hugs Yuuki "See you in a bit, I wana get all the snack tickets!" she says brightly apparently having forgotten all the other things she was complaining about before.

"...some stitching along this line."

The Lander young woman who mans the booth watches with interest as Uta traces a line with her finger on the bean bag at the target practice booth. "Add a couple of buttons here and here, maybe adjust its shape a little, and bam! Your bean bag will look like a slime!"

"Oh," is all the Lander replies.

"Trust me, everybody will love it!", she says, and she throws the item at the target, knocking it out in a single blow. By the look of it, she's hit all the ones she's attempted to strike until now.

"...another success! Here's your next bean bag-", the Lander says, with a wince, as if bracing for something.

Uta receives the item. Blinks, her eyes going deep out of focus. She stays completely frozen for a moment, as if her brain had crashed, then snaps out of it. "Hey! I just had the best idea! You know how we could make these bean bags the best thing ever?"

The lander sighs, taking the tips of her fingers to her forehead.

    A purplish-black blur suddenly rushes past Uta and she suddenly find the bean bag plucked from her hand. The Lander woman manning the booth blinks in surprise and confusion, only to turn and realize that the bean bag has hit the last of Uta's targets. She quickly turns back, only to realize some new is standing right beside Uta, bouncing in excitement and saying quickly, "TheretherewoohooallhityoudiditUtayouwonyougetaredticket!"

    Before the Lander woman can say or do anything there's another purplish-black blur and now Yuuki is standing on the other side of Uta from before, bouncing some more with said red ticket in hand, "Seeseehereitisisn'titgreatletsgoplaysomemoreI'vealreadydonemostofthembutthey'refunsothat'sokay!" Yuuki gently but excitedly nudges Uta in the direction of the next booth, occasionally running circles around her on the way.

Uta spins in circle trying to follow the blur. "What the- What in- Wait, wait, stop-" She has to hold her own forehead much like the Lander at the booth had to do a moment before. "I haven't developed bullet time yet." She taps her chin. "Hm. Maybe I should. That would be an awesome technique."

She shakes her head as if to clear it, only to find purple streaks criss-crossing her field of vision as she proceeds in the opposite direction from where she had originally intended to head. "Look- no- we- Oh my goodness! Yuuki!" She eventually finds herself at the bag punching booth, but Yuuki zigzaging distracts her at a crucial moment. Her punch hits at the wrong angle, and the prize is, alas, lost. LOST FOREVER. Or at least until the next time the carnival rolls into town.

She sighs, and turns in the general direction of the blur. "Yuuki. You and I need to have a serious talk about this. This thing you're doing right now, well... it... how to say it..."

She bursts into a huge smile. "...would make an AMAZING combat technique. Have you considered weaponizing it?"

    Yuuki cheers-ohnoes-cheers-ohnoes-cheers-ohnoes in the time it takes Uta to wind up and punch, finally settling on an 'Oh no!' when Uta's hit finally turns out to be insufficient. She bounces around Uta some more, "DidIdothat?Sorrysorryit'sokayyoustillwinsomecandy!Andthere'smorechancestogettheredticketletsgogogo!"

    Once more she begins to usher Uta towards the next game booth, though this time she takes the spriggran by the hand and tries to pull her along. Quickly. Along the way, she says, "IcanalreadyreachprettyfastspeedswithmySonicAccelerationandDarkTempestbutspeedlikethisissoooooonotsustainabl... Woah."

    Just as they get to the next booth, Yuuki stops moving and moves to hold her head with her hands, "Woah... Not feeling so hot... Better sit down for a few moments..." She plops down on the edge of the wooden duck pond, looking a little unsteady. Then she accidentally falls over onto her side in the very shall water, "Bweeeeehhhhhhh...."

There's some interesting symmetry going on here -- all the focus Uta has put into tracking the purple streak early on has thrown her into a Focus Crash at the moment. She completely misses Yuuki falling into the water, while she works at her own duck game.

"This one! I pick this duck here!"

"That's an Adventur-"

"It looks just like Yuuki! Wow. Great handiwork! Is it the right duck?", she asks, while attempting to pull Zekken out of her predicament.

"Actually, that's not even close to being a duck-"

Uta hangs her head, crestfallen. "Aw, shoot. Thanks again for the chance!"

    It's a good thing that the duck pond wasn't very deep. Thankfully only the arm and shoulder of Yuuki's kimono are a little soaked by the water as she is pulled to safety by Uta, "Thaaaaanks."

    Even in her crash she seems to realize she kind of screwed with Uta's games just a little and so says, "Sorry..." She leans on Uta, "I would give you some of my candy... But I seem to have misplaced it... Did you get many red tickets?"

"No, that isn't the right duck, either."

"This one?"

"No."

"This one?"

"No."

"This one?"

"No! I don't know how you manage it! There are only literal Two. Ducks. Left. And you keep picking the wrong one!"

"This one?"

"NO. ARGH."

Well, looks like Uta got to actually pick a duck, after all. And by the intense look on her face, she managed to regain focus for... at least the first pick. The valid one. So, hopefully, Yuuki won't have to feel bad about that particular one. Uta is just terrible at Searching.

"Hm?", she asks turning towards Yuuki. "Oh, that. Don't worry about it, the games are just for fun. One doesn't play to win. One plays to have fun." She makes a pulling motion with her hand, and thanks to her newfound Water control, she magically extracts the liquid from Yuuki's garment. "And it's okay, I've had candy earlier. I can wait."

She blinks once again. "But... uh... let's take a look at you. You don't look so well."

Healer instincts kick into gear, and she moves to medically inspect Yuuki -- operation which requires physical contact, so she attempts the medical procedure known as 'booping the snoot.'

"Uh, I did get a few red tickets, yes... what are they for?"

    Yuuki scrunches up her nose as it's booped. But she seems to be picking up a little again as she counters with, "Mmmm, I dunno. They can both be fun and for prizes!"

    Yuuki waves her now dry arm around a bit, then says, "Wow! I think that's the first time I've actually seen magic be useful."

    As for the red tickets, Yuuki raises a finger to explain, "They are for..." Pause... "Something... Extra prizes, I think. Though I don't remember what they are. Maybe they're a secret until the draw? Dunno! But if they're secret-And extra!-they're bound to be good! Right?"

"I know, right? Water magic has so many interesting potential abilities. You have a built-in dishwasher/washing machine/clothes dryer/dish dryer/shower/garden sprinkler. One is effectively the ultimate cleaning appliance!" Big breath in, then she launches into a further, "Anything you don't know what it is is always better! If you don't get it. If it's something bad about to hit you, instead, it's definitely worst than it actually is. Usually. It's a bit of an art. Still, yes, extra prizes are good," Uta rambles on, as she proceeds with medical procedures. Seems like she's picked up on actual, physical medical procedures as opposed to merely doing everything through the menu. "Should not be too bad," she mentions after she's satisfied she'sdone. "Have a couple swigs of healing potion and chim me in the morning."

    Yuuki looks confused by Uta's logic. Although it may not be entirely Uta's logic. Yuuki slowly replie, "Yessss, Nurse Uta." She says this as if on autopilot, like she's had to deal with a lot of nurses before. Then slowly reaches behind her back for a few moments before pulling out a healing potion and taking a couple of swigs as directed. After which she proceeds to yawn. Then asks tiredly, "Can we make it afternoon? I'm not much of a morning person..."

    Pause. "Oh crap! I think I'm fighting Setsuna tomorrow morning! ... Or is that today morning? Is today yesterday? Or is it tomorrow?" Yuuki slowly headscratches.

"If you promise to stab Setsuna really hard, I'm willing to postpone the call to the Afternoon," Uta replies, in a jocular deadpan. "Tell him it's from me and I say hi, and if he can buy a bag of kibbles for the slimes on his way back from the tournament."

Uta sighs with a smile. "Well, I think that's it for today." She taps her chin. "You know what, we should have another duel one of these days. It was fun times. I haven't smacked a friend on the face with a stick in ages, I should not let those good habits fade away..."

    "Stab Setsuna really hard. And kibbles. Got it. I was going to try that first one anyway, but now I won't feel so bad about it!" Yuuki grins, but then proceeds to stretch as Uta calls it, "Yeah..." Yawn, "Should probably sleep..." She then giggles, "Smacking friends in the face with things is the best way to show how much you care for them!" Sage advice. But she nods quickly in agreement, "Another duel would be fun! Though I still don't really have a good counter for your build... It's scary! You must have put a lot of thought into it. But that won't stop me from trying again!"

Uta turns her face away to hide her mild embarrassment at the mention of 'lots of thought.' She just stares into the distance for a bit, and then, softly, she says, "I don't know if there are uncounterable builds. When there's a will, there usually is a way."

More silence, then she continues, "I remember thinking that Fukasa Yuri just had the perfect build to counter me. That her drowning magic and my lack of control over water would mean that I would never be able to breathe around her."

Uta turns slightly, just to show a hint of cheek. "And that is when I decided that I just would not take it. I would not be a sitting quacker, I would take it upon myself to endure a massive journey of training, that I would not stop working hard until I'd mastered the element of Water. I slapped buckets, sat under waterfalls, swam among monsters, I did it all. It hurt, but in the end, all the pain made it so I could finally do /this/."

As she intones a quiet, yet burbly aria, she opens her palm, which glows blue, and tendrils of water trickle upwards from the puddle on the ground created by the extraction of wetness from Yuuki's clothes.

Uta clenches her fist, the light cuts off, and the water splashes down where it came from. "But no more! Now I have control over Water as well, and just as I achieved my new powers, I've realized -- wait a minute, drowning is lack of air. I have /plenty/ of Air magic. I could just have created a breathing bubble using that!"

Uta looks at Yuuki as if she's delivered an important lesson, only to be by gripped by confusion one moment later.

"Point is!", she blurts out with a shake of her head. She turns fully towards Yuuki. "A very wise woman once told me never to stop petting the slimes. I've made that advice the beacon of my life."

Uta leans over. "Never stop petting the slimes, Yuuki."

    Yuuki blinks as Uta seems to get rather serious, slowly tilting her head further and further as she tries to keep track of Uta's point. Until it's finally made!

    Yuuki crosses her arms and nods slowly, "Ahh yes. A very wise woman indeed. It would be foolish of me to not heed her advice."

    Yuuki grins again as she says, "Not to worry though! Improving oneself is definitely one of the core tenets of being a Sleeping Knight. To always strive to be the best! And as their leader, I'm always trying to be a good example for the rest!"

    Yuuki holds up a fist and pumps it, "I'll never give up, no matter what!"

    Still making the rounds of the festival, still seeking games to suck at or candy to suck at, Fuka spots Uta looking uncharacteristically serious. And Yuuki too! She doesn't catch all the conversation since the festival's loud, but she does catch a bit.

    Engaging shark mode, in which she is both silent and deadly, Fuka approaches. Well okay her stealth depends less on being actually silent or sneaky and more on the ludicrous amounts of other distractions in the area. "I'd rather never stop petting UTA!" she abruptly cries, throwing her arms around the odd Spriggan and whirling her around in enthusiasm

    After a moment she peers over Uta's shoulder as if noticing Yuuki for the first time. The Sylph grins. "Hey Yuu~! Uta watch out for this one. She cheats and STEALS FOOD!" Fuka claims as if it's a huge condemnation. Though given her grin and something more than a hint of a laugh in her voice, she's not truly upset. Besides, she offered the food in the first place, and a duel over it. Yuuki was too quick for her, as was utterly guaranteed... so how could any reasonable person call it cheating? Reasonable, of course, being the applicable term.