genessia | Festival of Amore

Festival of Amore - Dated 2/14

Welcome to the Festival of Amore!
A wonderful festival dedicated to celebrating love of the romantic nature.

The whole park is decorated in the traditional colors of Valentine's Day, red, white, and various shades of pink. Hearts are the theme and though you won't be turned away, those without a partner to spend the evening with may get a few strange looks or start to feel rather lonely.

Festival Games
There are a number of activities to partake in, including festival games, the most popular of which seems to be the Super Ball Scooping, in which hundreds of balls float around in a pool of water, secretly marked with prizes- mostly goldfish, though there is one hidden that has a special romantic getaway to win! The challenge is that you must use a paper net, so the balls will often break as you try to get them into your bowl. Additionally, the balls are stirred up after each play of three scoops. Other traditional festival games like dart tossing, wack-a-mole, ring toss, and more. However, there is one challenge that you should be aware of for all games. You and your partner must do them together! This means two hands on the ring when you toss it! Hold the paper net steadily together! Good luck!

Food Stalls and the Chocolate Fondue Stream
There are a variety of foods from around the world available at the festival, most of which seem to have some kind of love-related theme to them. Spaghetti for two a la Lady and the Tramp, heart-shaped pizzas, pink french macarons, hearty waffles on a stick, romantic eggs in a basket, Shrimp skewers, and more.

Running through the inner circle of the food stall areas is a small stream raised above the ground with candy and fruit decorations lining it to hide the metal fondue heater that keeps the chocolate within the body of the stream warm and flowing. There are large bins of fruits like strawberries, bananas, rice krispy treat bites, and other fun things to dip in the chocolate river. It's very cute, and very chocolatey.

Paddle Boats
The large pond in the middle of the park has a number of paddle boat swans available for you and your partner to go through a tunnel of love, or simply enjoy the water and get some alone time away from the rest of the party for a good cuddle.

Live Entertainment: Eli Ayase and Nico Yazawa!
The live entertainment will be provided by celebrity idol Nico Yazawa and Eli Ayase tonight! Put your hands together for a special performance filled with their L-O-V-E for everyone! ♥ ♥ ♥ They've got a wonderful set prepared!

Feel free to enjoy the concert either by standing up close or putting down a blanket for you and your bae. Blankets are available for purchase if you forgot yours!

Fortune Telling
Love fortune telling, of course! Find out your romance's future from famed fortune teller Geneva Godiva! She won't give any truly negative fortunes of course, it's a positive occasion, so if your outlook is bleak she might try to phrase it more positively or offer advice to turn things toward the positive. Feel free to pick your own fortune- be it anything from "You might want to see a couples counselor to make it through a rough patch, darlings" or "I see triplets!" or just "Wowie, I can see clearly now- your rain is gone! Looking good for this next year, sweetie pies!" Enjoy and have fun, the accuracy of the reading is up to you, but she won't tell you that a relationship is going to sink at any point. She'll use crystal ball, tarot, whichever- but not seance or anything. It's happy lovey-dovey fortune telling!

End of the Night
The festival itself was timed with the arrival of Genessia's firefly season. The first night of fireflies rising coincides with Valentine's Day this year, so if you stay until the end of the festival, you'll be able to see the fields light up with little glowing bugs. It's a romantic sight, best seen with your partner.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He honestly wasn't sure if it was going to work again, but whatever her choice he was still going to stick by her.

It was the very least he could do after all. It was at least something he could do. When he heard her speak up a bit, he smiled a little, eyes changing a little in order to mix between the orange and the blue. He was glad that she was coming around a little, but he wondered if perhaps he should talk about it again at another date or when they were alone.

The subject was a rather complicated one after all. But he figured today was probably not the right time for it. But later.]

Alright, do you have a preference? Or do you want me to decide?

[It had only been a moment. Easier to come out of than before. Whether that was a good or bad thing, she wasn't sure, but what Hikari did know was that she most definitely didn't want to talk about it. Not right then.]

[Fortunately, Takeru's next question had a much simpler answer to it.]

You can decide.

I picked first, so it's only fair that it's your turn now.

[That seemed fair really, in his head and he knew that he wasn't going to pick a game that was too hard or mean, but easy for the both of them to do.

His eyes looked at what was on offer and soon his focus had been on the ring toss. It was easy and simple and sure, they had to play together and probably throw the rings in such a way, but it was probably one of the easier ones to do.]

How about the ring toss? The couple playing it look like they are having fun and it's not too hard. [In all honesty he just wanted to win her something, maybe that might cheer her up more, right? He was determined to end it in a positive way.]

[She looked over to the booth in question, needing a moment to spot it among some of the similarly-designed games. There was one couple in the middle of their turn, and Takeru was right: they were both smiling and seemed to be enjoying themselves, despite the fact that the modified rules were making it a little more difficult to succeed.]

Okay.

[There were a number of prizes hanging all around, but Hikari didn't pay them much attention. She was instead focused on exactly what they were expected to do, and how. There were two different ways to play. The first was what caught her interest most. It looked like a team effort at first, except they were supposed to toss the rings at the same time and at the same target. The girl kept giggling as her ring deliberately knocked her partner's off-course, to which he promptly pouted and got her back on the next turn.]

[The other one appeared to be far trickier, with both partners attempting to toss the same ring at the same time. One hand on either side. However, due to the level of difficulty, the prizes surrounding that bottle appeared to have increased in quality. And size.]

Which one did you want to try?

[Takeru had been quietly studying the methods to the best of his ability. Both seemed tricky compared to the usual method, of course, both required them to work well together, which... when he thought about it more he figured they both would do well in that area.

He was pretty confident in that anyway. Next thing to check out what there was on offer, seeing what he figured Hikari might like. It wasn't long before his eyes paused on one and that was pretty much enough to secure an answer from him.]

Why not try throwing the same ring. I'm sure we're good enough as a team to be able to do it.

[He was up to something. Probably. Whenever he smiled like that, it usually meant he was scheming. At least, this time, Hikari had a decent idea as to what said scheming involved: rings. Being tossed. By the two of them, simultaneously.]

I suppose there's no harm in trying.

[She approached the booth with him, only having to wait a short time before they were allowed their turn. The rings on this side were a little larger--as was the neck of the bottle, to add to the challenge, but still of a size where their fingers would lightly brush together in the center if they were to each hold an opposite side.]

[Their height difference would be the biggest challenge, she figured. He wasn't taller than her by that much, but it was still enough that she would have to hold the ring a bit higher relative to her own body than he.]

...this does feel kind of weird.

[She smiled sheepishly up at him. Eyes still hidden behind the shades, but seemingly reverted back to their previous green.]

[As Takeru looked at the rings in the booth it seemed obvious how to throw the rings, at least for how friends would need to throw it anyway. Looking over to the over, he couldn't help but smile. He was happy to see she seemed happier than just mere moments ago. It was enough to change his eyes back to the green as well.

He was content with the way things were right now. He was happy as well as the bright orange would mix in for the most part. It was a step at least.]

I mean it's set up for couples, so yeah it is going to be somewhat weird, but there are ways around it... I think.

[Think being the precise wording of choice here. But he had picked up one of the rings and looked it over carefully, seemed light, but not too light and bigger than normal. Holding up the ring, he was still standing next to her.]

We should try it like this first. Though is this the right height, or does it need to go higher or lower?

[She took a step back. Closing one eye and tilting her head at a few different angles. Not unlike how she would line up a shot for photographing.]

A little higher. I think. If we can throw it pretty straight and not too hard, it looks like it should land.

[...not that she wasn't partially guessing. But it was as close to a proper assessment as she could make before returning to the spot beside him and lightly grasping the other side of the ring with him.]

Ready?

[He moved the ring a little higher for a moment, looking over at her to check that where he put it was correct. It seemed to be the case when she came to hold the other side. So this could land, or it might miss, but at least they can get another go anyway.

Looking over slightly, he smiled.]

Ready as I will ever be. [It wasn't going to be too hard for the both of them to actually throw it at the same time. He first starts by moving his hand back and soon throw it forward, before checking to see if the ring they threw actually hit or if they would need another go.]

[Hikari watched the ring sail through the air. At the right height, yes, but quickly veering a little much to the right, missing the bottle by several inches. Meaning one of them had either pulled or pushed more than the other.]

[Still, she hadn't expected them to make it on the first try, and already her eyes were hovering on the second ring, trying to think of a way to overcome that challenge.]

[He hadn't expected them to make it on the first try, that was always a rare thing to happen in general, but it was enough to give him a moment to pause and think over how to try it next.

Maybe trying to throw in another way, which could always work. It might mean they have more control if their hands are in the same place. The thought of how that would work was enough to cause the blonde to turn his head away slightly as a way to be able to give a moment from his eyes to change to not give anything away about his emotions at the thought. After a moment he had turned his head back, eyes have gone to the usual orange shade.]

We can try it another way.

[The eyes should have tipped her off that he was up to something; then again, “up to something” was practically his default state.]

What way would that be?

[Takeru had moved till he was standing behind her.]

Pretty much this way, it solves the problem of the height difference so the ring should be easier to toss, at least I think that is the case.

[It also solved the eye problem without the use of sunglasses, which Takeru kept forgetting was in his shirt pocket. Two birds with one stone. He paused for a moment, before speaking again, there was one thing he should have thought about, really.]

But we can do it another way.

[She let out a soft gasp when he moved behind her. Close enough that her back was practically against his chest. Ironically, it was probably the best position for them to be in for two reasons: one, he was right that they’d have a better chance at hitting the target if they both three from the same angle...]

[...and two: he wouldn’t be able to see a blush spreading across her cheeks that shades wouldn’t be able to hide.]

No, it’s fine. We can...try it like this.

[If she said it was fine, it was fine, right? He had gone quiet for a moment. They were friends, this was really no big deal at least that was what he was trying to tell himself. He started to wonder if he hadn't caught Mimi yesterday panicking would he be feeling this awkward now?

He was pretty sure the answer was he wouldn't be. He 100% blames Mimi for it. He had managed to pick up the ring before wrapping his arms around her waist, making sure the ring was once again at the right height.

He was very glad she couldn't exactly see his face either right now considering the red that was on his face, even if it was very light. Really glad of that fact.]

Alright, let's try again, shall we?

[He’d held her like this once before. Sort of. That day at the bathhouse. Clothed in nothing more than a towel, he’d appeared just in time to catch her after getting her foot stuck in a water bucket and sliding halfway across the floor. His hands had been on her waist, and he’d smiled up at her a little too coolly for the situation. She couldn’t even look at him without blushing—no, she’d looked away and still blushed.]

[Did he have that same expression on his face now? She figured he probably did. It would be just like him to smirk teasingly while boldly holding her in such a way that a casual observer would think...]

[Not fully trusting her voice, less she be caught in a completely unnecessary stutter, she nodded in response to his question. Letting him take the lead in movement as the ring was held up to roughly the right height and angle needed. A sharp flick of their wrists later, and it soar through the air, coming to a spinning landing around the bottle neck.]

[Hikari’s eyes lit up, and the subsequent rush of pride was almost enough to get her to forget the momentary awkward—including the fact that her arm had come to rest atop his around her waist.]

[Almost]

We did it!

[He had been happy about the tose and when it landed, he admittedly was both happy and glad the thing actually worked. It gave him a moment of not feeling as awkward and managing to keep his usual smile that for the most part, though he was very much aware of where the other's arm was once the excitement of the actual win settled down a little bit.]

We did and it only took two tries. I think that speaks a lot at how good we are as friends, don't you think?

[He smiled as he slowly realized he was still holding her, so finally unwrapping his arms he moved to stand next to her once again.]

Take a pick of your prize.

[She tried very hard to ignore the sudden lack of warmth when he pulled away. It was February. Of course the air would feel chillier at times.]

Hmm? [She glances up at the array of stuffed animals and toys, then back to him.] But you did most of the work. You should be the one to pick something out.

Oh, is that what you think, hm?

[He put his hands behind his back as he was studying the prizes. He soon found himself spotting one, in particular, he was sure she might like. He soon pointed to the prize, it was a cat-like stuffed animal, more of a reminder of her own Digimon.]

We'll take that one for the pretty lady. [There was a slight hint of teasing in his voice at least, as the person behind had gotten it down and holding it out.]

It's yours, Hikari.

[Her eyes widened when she got a better look of his choice. Watching with slightly parted lips and a slow exhale when the booth vendor took down the plush, handing it to her. So caught up in the visual similarity that she accepted the gift without further question.]

Takeru...

[The plush was soft. Not quite fur. Fleece, maybe. Definitely quality material, with strong seams holding each piece in place. It fit in her arms almost exactly the way Tailmon did, and even though the eyes were different, Hikari couldn’t help see a momentary overlap of her partner in the plush’s place. Something which caused her to hold it that much tighter before peering up at him.]

Thank you.

[Her eyes peeled through the top of the shades, betraying the red-colored emotion she was feeling right then as she smiled gratefully.]

[He couldn't help but smile seeing her so happy, though for a brief moment he thought he could see the color of her eyes from the top of her shades, he guessed she must love the prize she got. After all the only other reds he was aware of was not the most positive of emotions.

For a brief moment, watching her his eyes turned to the bright magenta color before reverting back to bright orange as he was happy seeing her so happy.]

You're welcome it was the least I could do really. Now the next question is do you want to head home, pick up some snacks along the way? [He was thinking of maybe getting changed when he got back. Pajamas really did sound like a good idea for a movie night after all.]

[Pink. His eyes...they were pink. Magenta. She blinked, and suddenly they were back to orange. Unless they’d been orange the entire time. Had she just imagined the shift?]

[He mentioned the idea of returning to the apartment, and it immediately reminded her of something: the gift she had made for him, still sitting in her room on the nightstand where she’d left it.]

I think so. [There really wasn’t much else around the festival she had an interest in.] We could stop by that one convenience store along the way. I think they were having a special on all kinds of sweets.

Is it the one I am thinking of? I think it's near where we live, right?

[He had already started to walk, keeping close the whole time. He was also pretty sure that he had noticed a few girls that he met often at Moonbucks. At least he was sure who they were.

But ignoring that he carried on walking, checking on Hikari now and again, standing right by her as he did before he was sure he could see the store that was mentioned before, within the window was the sign about the sale.]

Here we go. Is there a certain kind of snack you were hoping for?

That one, yes.

[They fell into step with one another, casually making their way through the crowds and around the maze of booths. At one point, Hikari glanced up and saw his gaze elsewhere, following his line of vision until he saw a few girls who seemed to be looking at him. Cute girls. Whoever they were, Takeru seemed to recognize them.]

[The corners of her lips twitched upward.]

Still popular with the girls, I see. Even here.

[Not quite as sharp a tease as before, but still obviously made in good humor. Not that she was surprised, either. The kind of person Takeru was...impish side nonwithstanding...it was easy to see how other girls might be drawn to him. Idly, Hikari wondered if any had attempted to invite him to the festival. She didn’t even consider the possibility of him wanting to invite them, already knowing the answer to that one.]

[Beyond that, the walk back was relatively uneventful. The convenience store came into view, and she was already eyeing some of the images and displays in the window.]

Popcorn, mostly. Since we’re going to be watching movies. [Always a classic choice.] I heard they had a few different flavor kinds, so maybe we can get a couple bags and try them out.

Ah, yeah. They come by often.

[He smiled slightly during that time, he figured to tease back when they had reached the store.]

Are you jealous? [It was a tease for the most part as he started to walk toward the store, going to grab a basket the moment he stepped through, going straight to the popcorn.]

You haven't told me what your choice is yet. Movie wise. [His eyes were soon skimming over the flavors. There were a couple of interesting ones if he had to be honest and those were the ones he picked out while also going for the basic. That works out. he was soon moving on to look around, eyes looking back for the moment.]

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