It’s a special time of year and the sword army is invited to come down from their citadels and celebrate. What? A summer festival, an offering to the gods, or perhaps a special ceremony of sorts. The normally quiet, rural village at the foot of the mountains will transform for the night with lanterns, fireworks, and music all around but first! Some preparations need to be done. Did you really think you would be invited down here without having to do some work? Prepare to dance, prepare to sing, prepare for a night of fun.
1. CEREMONY PRACTICE
At the citadel, a new chore has been added to the list: ceremonial practice! The swords selected to perform at the festival will have to practice their song and dance or else they'll risk embarrassment in front of the crowds. Or maybe this entire thing is embarrassing... either way, this is your duty! Saniwa's orders! Where and when is up to you but you better be ready.
2. PREPARING THE OFFERINGS
Those who aren’t practicing have been going on a lot of expeditions lately, haven’t they? Some of the materials brought back from missions has been set aside to take to the festival and offer later. The same can be said for the crops in the field, the alcohol that is suddenly off limits, and ah… do you smell that food from the kitchen? Yeah, that isn’t for you either. These are offerings to the gods though so don’t you dare try to get greedy! Are you listening?!
3. SPECIAL CLOTHES
You can’t wear those same old clothes. They’re all torn and worn or just not appropriate at all for the type of festival you’re going to. The organization has all of your measurements and has sent special robes for the spirits and saniwa to wear. It even comes complete with accessories! What’s taking you so long? We should have left twenty minutes ago. Do you need help? Or are you trying to perfect your appearances for your big debut?
4. PERFORMANCE
Everyone is dancing and everyone is singing. Are you one of the performers? Or are they dancing to you? What kind of songs are you hearing? What dances are you watching? Did you see the ceremonial sword dance? Or maybe you were invited to dance in a special performance with your saniwa! When the performance is over, make sure to congratulate the performers on a job well done… or tease your friend.
5. PAY RESPECTS
After the festive ceremonies, a more somber moment takes place. Remember, we are fighting a war and it’s important to remember those that have fallen. The swords that were broken and damaged beyond repair are gathered up and taken to a sacred fire so that their spirits can be purified and reborn. Later, all of those offerings you have been saving are offered up to the gods for their blessings. One by one, you can come up to the shrine or fire and say your prayers.
6. SPECIAL SUMMONING
What better day to summon a sword spirit on the day you’ve made offerings to the gods and have prayed for good fortune? Maybe it’s a first-time saniwa summoning their first spirit or a veteran saniwa trying their luck. Maybe a saniwa has tried to purify a particularly corrupt sword tonight... Either way, a special spirit is going to be born tonight. Are you the spirit? Happy summoning day to you all.
7. FESTIVITIES
The ceremonies are finally over! Wow, that sure took up a lot of time, huh? There are still a couple of more hours left in the night so enjoy the festivities. Try the food, play the shooting games, win a couple of prizes. How many goldfish can you catch? Or maybe the important question is: How are you going to take care of this goldfish? At the end of the night, you can catch the fireworks before the night ends.
8. WILDCARD
Pick your own adventure.
This is a meme inspired by this plurk. What if the saniwa had to perform other duties besides just summoning swords to fight? What if they had to take part in special ceremonies? What if they had to invite their swords to perform with them? Feel free to get as creative as you want with this prompt as far as things like: Why are they celebrating? How often do they get to leave the citadel? Etc.
[That's one of the reasons why he hardly asks for help. It's always more or less awkward.
He obeys, though, trying to make her work easier. Despite recognizing that it's all assembling very nicely, he feels these clothes are too out of character for him, really. Being dressed by someone like this, as if he was a lord or something important.]
[That's okay because she understands having to do everything by yourself. She's like that, almost. She had to learn the long way.
He works well with her though, as he accepts help when he needs it, especially from someone who doesn't rub it in. And she tries her best to make him look presentable. In her opinion though, she thinks it suits him perfectly. Anyone can look good in robes.
There. He is done. Now just for hair and make up.]
I am only a guest. Perhaps I am not allowed. Let's go do your make up. [She gestures towards a chair.] Move slowly.
Guests should be allowed to do what they want. [She's always here helping them, after all.]
Not that I can move anything but slowly with all these clothes.
[He can't help but be a little annoyed, but he does as she says and sits at the chair. Ookurikara has never used make up before, so it's probably good that he got some help. He sits very still while she works on him.]
Aha...perhaps I should then? But really, it is your day.
[She tries not to laugh as he makes comment about the clothes, since it is true. How is he going to dance in all those layers?]
Well, that worked out. [And now she opens the palette to give him make up to make Taroutachi's eyegame cry. Tipping up his chin, she starts to smooth out his skin tone. It wasn't anything heavy, but even for something light they need to do a lot of work. Now she's leaning in and her focus honed in order to do his eyes.]
[It's a good excuse for him not to dance. But if he really has to, he's considering taking some of these off. Kuri no, it's not a stripping show!!
Without thinking, he backs away a little on his chair as she leans closer to him. Ookurikara is not used to people invading his personal space like that. ]
[She tries not to lean too closely now, but it's hard when she has to maintain a certain distance so that she doesn't end up ruining his make up. Her wrist flicks quickly to achieve sharpened points, but this she has to make sure without leaning into him and/or breathing. Because that probably would disturb him.
It's an entirely different experience at the moment, seeing him this close though. It's clear why they chose him. She lingers for a moment to look at her handiwork, making sure she didn't miss anything before she pulls back.]
There. You are now very handsome. Not that you weren't before, but now a mighty presence to be on stage, at least after I finish with your hair.
[Ookurikara was holding his breath too, to avoid moving and messing up her work. When she is finished, he blinks a little at his own image on the mirror. He looks like a different person.
He can't help the blushing at her compliment. He doesn't usually think of his own apparance (Mitsutada is vain enough for the whole Dategumi) but maybe he isn't bad?]
[Thanks to a layer of make up, she can barely tell that he's blushing, which is why she's unsure if he is. But it looks like he doesn't know he's goodlooking? Mitsutada really does know, so does Tsurumaru, what of Ookurikara.
It doesn't matter. Being humble is a good trait in itself.]
You're welcome. Now, time to finish it off. [She starts to comb through his hair first, brushing it neatly just so she'd be able to style it. His hair is natural and messy, not that it matters, and she can work with that. She's just used to brushing it out like this since she has longer hair. It's actually quite relaxing.]
[Oh, if he knew that, he would think make up could be somewhat useful, despite the awkwardness of putting it on.
And Ookurikara didn't expect that hair brushing could be relaxing? He usually just quickly combed it with his fingers, if the bed hair was bad enough for him to notice it, but had never paid much attention to how his hair looked. He felt good, and if he had been tense before, now he was mostly content in letting Vietnam fix it.]
She can tell that he's beginning to relax from the way he holds himself, so seeing as they still have some time, she continues to brush his hair, at the same time just stroking and smoothing out his hair with her fingers as she does so. He's usually tense and stressed, so if this helps, it might help him and his performance today as well.]
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130bladeworks2015-08-14 04:05 pm
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He obeys, though, trying to make her work easier. Despite recognizing that it's all assembling very nicely, he feels these clothes are too out of character for him, really. Being dressed by someone like this, as if he was a lord or something important.]
Are you going to dress up like this too?
no subject
He works well with her though, as he accepts help when he needs it, especially from someone who doesn't rub it in. And she tries her best to make him look presentable. In her opinion though, she thinks it suits him perfectly. Anyone can look good in robes.
There. He is done. Now just for hair and make up.]
I am only a guest. Perhaps I am not allowed. Let's go do your make up. [She gestures towards a chair.] Move slowly.
no subject
Not that I can move anything but slowly with all these clothes.
[He can't help but be a little annoyed, but he does as she says and sits at the chair. Ookurikara has never used make up before, so it's probably good that he got some help. He sits very still while she works on him.]
no subject
[She tries not to laugh as he makes comment about the clothes, since it is true. How is he going to dance in all those layers?]
Well, that worked out. [And now she opens the palette to give him make up to make Taroutachi's eyegame cry. Tipping up his chin, she starts to smooth out his skin tone. It wasn't anything heavy, but even for something light they need to do a lot of work. Now she's leaning in and her focus honed in order to do his eyes.]
no subject
Kuri no, it's not a stripping show!!Without thinking, he backs away a little on his chair as she leans closer to him. Ookurikara is not used to people invading his personal space like that. ]
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She notices what he was doing, so she stops leaning.] Ah, was I too close?
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[He adjusts himself back in the chair and tries to be still this time, knowing that she can't do it properly without getting close.]
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It's an entirely different experience at the moment, seeing him this close though. It's clear why they chose him. She lingers for a moment to look at her handiwork, making sure she didn't miss anything before she pulls back.]
There. You are now very handsome. Not that you weren't before, but now a mighty presence to be on stage, at least after I finish with your hair.
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He can't help the blushing at her compliment. He doesn't usually think of his own apparance (Mitsutada is vain enough for the whole Dategumi) but maybe he isn't bad?]
Thanks.
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It doesn't matter. Being humble is a good trait in itself.]
You're welcome. Now, time to finish it off. [She starts to comb through his hair first, brushing it neatly just so she'd be able to style it. His hair is natural and messy, not that it matters, and she can work with that. She's just used to brushing it out like this since she has longer hair. It's actually quite relaxing.]
no subject
And Ookurikara didn't expect that hair brushing could be relaxing? He usually just quickly combed it with his fingers, if the bed hair was bad enough for him to notice it, but had never paid much attention to how his hair looked. He felt good, and if he had been tense before, now he was mostly content in letting Vietnam fix it.]
no subject
She can tell that he's beginning to relax from the way he holds himself, so seeing as they still have some time, she continues to brush his hair, at the same time just stroking and smoothing out his hair with her fingers as she does so. He's usually tense and stressed, so if this helps, it might help him and his performance today as well.]