New Years Festival!

[leaderkun]

Who: EVERYONE! Chosen and Partners, Damemon, Deputymon, Starmon too!
What: The New Year's Festival and Masquerade Ball
Where: Shinjuku Gyoen in the Park
When: December 31st



December 31st has at last arrived, and despite certain events depriving the Digital World of the original creator, the people involved with the New Years Festival managed to pull through. With Roze's work already underway and the designs and directions sent out, it wasn't hard to finish what had been started.

At mid-afternoon, a general text was sent out to all the D-Terminals announcing the festival grounds as open. Going to the Shinjuku Gyoen part of the park revealed a tiny wonderland of games and food manned by Chosen, Partners and Damemon alike.

Every Chosen and Partner have Damemon helpers and shifts rotate at each stall, making certain no one is kept from enjoying themselves to the fullest.

To either side of the festival grounds are picnic areas set up with several tables, all surrounded by bright white and yellow string lights. The four rows of game and food stalls are all decorated with large red paper lanterns, paper dragons and bright string lights, allowing the festivities to proceed well after dark.

At the front of the entire festival grounds Roze's Digimon - Julie the Impmon and Musashi the Kotemon - hand out copies of a simple map. On the back of each map the times for the masquerade dance are printed in case people forgot the time from their invitations.

In the Taiwan Pavilion, from the start of the festival to the end, Maya Matlin and Ryan Evans play music on piano and cello, rotating with Neku Sakuraba who maintains a steady flow of pre-arranged music. Several times throughout the day a handful of Digimon put on a simple but entertaining Taiko drum performance. Two long buffet tables filled with food and punch stay full throughout the day and night.

Jin Uzuki teaches calligraphy at one stall, as well as performs tea ceremony and lectures on Japanese traditions for those not educated on the themes presented by the festival.

Squall Leonhart stands sentinel over the Kingyo Sukui (goldfish catching) stall.

Campbell Saunders covers the ball toss, where people can try their luck knocking down milk bottles.

The Medicine Seller mans the Okonomiyaki cart, where people are free to order any combination of ingredients and eat hot food straight from the iron.

Mikasa Ackerman covers a colorful and pleasant-smelling stall where festival-goers can choose from dozens of bananas on sticks, the fruit dipped in different flavored coatings and numerous toppings.

Shannon Vaughn and Eli Delacroix cover the stall on the center walk where those at the festival can pick up sparklers and handmade papier-mâché masks for fun or the masquerade, if they have none of their own.

A ping pong toss with water-filled glass bowls sits with a pair of Damemon attendants cheering on participants.

Next to the Okonomiyaki cart, Saori Nakagawa and Laguna Loire provide fresh Takoyaki (octopus balls) on sticks, steaming and delicious.

The local Prince, Rowan, cheerily provides personal pies or slices of ready-made large ones and chats amiably with anyone who happens to be drawn in by meat or fruit fillings inside flaky crusts.

Cheerful little Miwako Sakurada watches the Yoyo Tsuri (water balloon yoyo) cart, balloons in bright splashes of color floating in a rotating pool of water, casting a rainbow across the cloth roof of the stall.

The ever large and boisterous Rider struts around a Strongman Hammer game, jeering and cajoling the men and complimenting the women, making bets and offering arm-wrestling competitions.

Little Wily-Kit has a raised platform surrounded by cushions where people can sit and listen to her play the flupe and regale them with tales from her homeland.

Dante sits at a stall of his own, playing guitar when he's not giving kisses for donations to the festival fund.

A ring toss game where one can try to put small rings around the necks of glass bottles stands manned by two Damemon arguing restlessly about the arrangement of the bottles.

Waver Velvet and his Wizardmon stand to dazzle onlookers with card tricks and details of magic performed in Waver's homeland.

Next to Wily-Kit's storytelling and Waver's tricks, Harry Potter serves up a variety of hot drinks close to the front of the festival so people have something to warm their hands and bellies while they enjoy the festivities.

Throughout the entire festival ground, Seifer Almasy and his hand-picked group of Digimon patrol the area, ejecting trouble-makers and seeing to damages while Yu Narukami and his team keep supplies full and assist Seifer with damage control.

The festival continues on through the day until the Masquerade Ball begins. All the stalls close and people are free to dress and attend as they like. Food and punch remains present and the music continues until midnight, when masks are to be removed and the New Year begins!

Comments

[innermonologues]

Despite the whole reason he was coming to this dance in the first place being gone ( At least to his knowledge) he decided to stay at the dance. He made a promise to Roze after all that he would show up and stay till the end. He may have made that promise, but he just couldn't stay out there with all the music and happiness going around.

With a small glass of champagne in his hand he made his way out onto the Balcony and just leaned against railing. Even though he promised to come to the dance, he didn't realize he had to be so fancy like everyone else. He only came dressed in his usual leather pants and a white tank top shirt.

He took a small sip from his glass and sighed, looking a little lost in thought. It hadn't even occurred to him that there was someone next to him. It was his own fault since he left himself to his thoughts. It always kept him thinking and thinking.

[fullofthorns]

"Quite a party," she murmured with an amused expression, not immediately alerting the young mercenary to her presence or who was specifically speaking to him. She still had the same voice, but it was older, huskier, a smokey sound. It had been an alluring voice before, but maturity brought with it a new kind of promise.

"You don't feel out of place, not wearing a nice outfit? I mean, at least a mask would have been nice. They did have a stall for masks if people didn't have their own. You just insist on going against the grain?" she asked, the feathery tuft of her tail flicking in cat-like taunting, brushing against the backs of his calves and ankles.

"One would think you'd have a little more respect for observing tradition. Tsk."

[innermonologues]

He snorted a little at the mysterious person he hadn't even looked at yet. Already being scolded at even though he left to a quieter area. He shook his head and closed his eyes as he leaned against the railing a little more. Whatever, the person had a familiar voice and it sounded comforting to him in a weird way, so he wouldn't completely shut them out. At least not yet.

"I don't really know much about traditions, and I am wearing a mask, just not properly."

He tugged a small eye mask off his head from the side and waved it a little in the air before letting it dangle in his hand.

"I didn't know it'd be so fancy though... Not that it really matters."

[fullofthorns]

"Shouldn't you take it more seriously? I have it on good authority the original instigator of this celebration was pretty particular about traditions," she drawled, raising her own champagne and taking a sip, setting it aside afterwards.

"Too bad she missed the festival though, huh? I bet she would have liked trying to win a goldfish at your stall. She was really looking forward to seeing everyone," the woman remarked, watching Squall from the corner of her eye, smile sad and fond.

[innermonologues]

"Yeah... she was weird that way," He said with fondness in his tone.

"But.... it was how she was. And it wasn't bad... not at all. She was always being stupid and putting everyone above herself. So this little shindig was more for everyone else than herself. " He shifted a little and moved his hand around clanking against the rail. She might notice if she looked hard enough that he was wearing the bracelet she had bought for him.

"Her way of getting mad at me wouldn't really be much of a threat anyway. So it's not like it's that big of a deal."

He took a sip of his own glass and sighed. He swirled it around a little in the glass and stared down at it now.

" Sounds like you wanted to see the festival more though. "

[fullofthorns]

"I wanted to see the festival but I couldn't make it. I was busy with some other things that held me up," he replied with a wry smile. "In the end, I'm just glad I could make it to the masquerade. I had plans to snag a few dances before the year ended. That was a lot more important to me."

She sighed softly, leaning back against the railing as well, reaching up to scratch behind one of her large, tufted ears.

"Seems like some of the people I was going to dance with aren't gonna show up though. Or don't want to dance anymore...I shoulda known better," she murmured, shrugging slightly, eyes drifting to the bracelet with a smirk.

"Nice bracelet. Looks kinda like a girlfriend gift. Did your girlfriend get it for you?"

[innermonologues]

He lifted his hand with the bracelet on it and glanced at it. Then he moved his hand back down and shrugged his shoulders a bit.

" Well. She's a girl. And I consider her my friend. I don't really have a lot of them, so I guess that's pretty special or something. "

[fullofthorns]

"Ah, not all that special though?" she asked, pursing her lips and ducking her head to swallow a laugh.

"That's good. I wouldn't want another girl getting in the way if I were to have interest in you. You're one of the better looking guys here. It'd be really disappointing if you were already taken," she added with a flippant tone, raising her head to look skyward, licking her lips with a smile.

"Guess she's not important enough to get in the way. Lucky me."

[innermonologues]

"She has a boyfriend... but she is important so don't talk down about her like that. "

He frowned and held onto his glass a little tighter.

[fullofthorns]

"She's got a boyfriend but buys you a gift like that?" she asked, arching a brow and tilting her head to regard his from the corner of her eye once again. "Sounds like she's more interested than you are. Still amounts to the same thing at the end of the day."

She shrugged, tail slithering across the floor, a hissing whisper of scales on hardwood.

"I won't talk bad about her, no offense meant. Still, if she mattered that much, shouldn't you tell her?"

[innermonologues]

"I try to tell her... it's just she doesn't understand me. I don't even understand me much. But when I say things she takes it a different way and I never know how to make her understand." He snorts a little and gently rubs the bracelet.

"Bet you couldn't tell I'm new to this feeling crap."

[fullofthorns]

"nothing wrong with that. She's probably just young and silly. Girls can get pretty erratic with their emotions too, y'know," she remarked with a small nod.

"Not that she'll necessarily change just by growing up a little. I imagine she'll be the same, just with a little more insight and perspective into these things. Chances are she probably likes you and just wishes she knew how to help you like yourself enough to like her back. Just my opinion, though. What do I know?"

[innermonologues]

He rolled his eyes to himself a little and slowly turned to face the mysterious speaker.

"Sounds like you know a lot about Ro....ze." His eyes went wide for a moment as he looked at her. He almost stumbled even because of her tail. Well... This was probably the last thing he thought he'd see today. He seemed speechless.

[fullofthorns]

She could have reached out to grab him, help him not to stumble, but her hands didn't move. Instead, her long tail had slithered up behind him and nudged against his back, keeping him standing upright while she watched him with a quiet, warm smile.

She didn't go in for a hug, afraid it would upset him or make him uncomfortable - she'd grown a little bit, at least - even though she wanted to, and just stood there, watching him.

"Hello, Pretty Boy."

[innermonologues]

"Roze..." Was all that came out of his mouth. He couldn't believe it. She was back. She looked different... but that wasn't the important part here. She was back. Maybe his searching didn't help, but she was standing right there in front of him.

As if letting his body take control he swiftly walked over to her and tugged her head down and leaving his hands on her face to rest his forehead against hers.

"... this... isn't another dream."

[fullofthorns]

The sudden grab surprised her as much as it likely did him, but she went with it, recovering after her initial gasp and raising her hands to cup against his.

"No. Not a dream. Well I mean, not literally. I know I'm the girl of every man's dreams," she quipped, before smiling slyly and wagging a brow at him as she added in a whisper, so as not to out him to anyone, "Dreaming of me, hm? That's the best news I could come home to."

Home. Yes, she was home. Home with Squall and Dante and Musashi and everyone that mattered in her life. Though things were different, she mused, tail sliding away behind her and tucking under her skirt as she hid it, suddenly self-conscious.

[innermonologues]

He stared at her for a long while before snorting and giving her a light headbutt. When he heard her teasing he knew it was real. He knew this was really Roze. He knew that even if it didn't all go back to normal, Roze was back and he could relax a little.

"Still the same, Weird girl you've always been...." He even cracked a small smile.

[fullofthorns]

"But of course. What else would you expect? You think I'd suddenly go of and come back the picture of social acceptance? No thank you, sweetheart. I'd rather just be me, if a bit...worn out," she remarked, smiling again, the scar scar across her cheek crinkling when she did.

"Did you miss me?" she asked, tilted her head to kiss the end of his nose."

[innermonologues]

He scrunched up his nose a little bit hesitantly wrapping his arms around her and hiding his face in her neck. It was like he needed to keep close to her or she would just disappear. He didn't want that to happen. He couldn't let that happen. She disappeared once already and that was enough.

"You have no idea...."

[fullofthorns]

She blinked rapidly, moving her hands down and wrapping them around his shoulders, hugging him tightly to her. It was hard not to cry even without moments like this so she wasn't surprised when she felt a dampness on her cheeks.

"I promised you, didn't I? That you were stuck with me for good?" she laughed softly, voice a little hoarse from the effort not to sob as she pressed her nails into his shoulders, crushing him into the hug for a moment.

[innermonologues]

He didn't even make a fuss when she pulled him in tighter. He just held her more and stayed like that in her arms at least for now. After searching for her day in and day out it was finally not all in vain. He wasn't even sure how he was suppose to feel, just so many things swirling around inside of him.

"I never stopped... looking."

[fullofthorns]

"Maybe that's why I came back," she replied, leaning back a little and staring at him with a small smile. "The people that cares wanted me back enough, and here I am. I know things...are different. But its still just me. Annoying old Roze."

She cleared her throat quietly, eyes lowering after a minute, fingers drumming nervously against Squall's skin.

"I didn't want to go, you understand? I didn't leave because I had any choice. It just happened. You know I'd never leave you like that, right?"

[innermonologues]

He nodded his head and continued holding her close so she couldn't escape.

" I... know. I know you didn't...Just.... glad you're back."

He gave her a small very small smile.

[fullofthorns]

She relaxed in his arms, eyes drifting closed as she stood there, content for the moment to be held by someone who had once been so impossible with it. No sense pointing it out and potentially ruining the moment, so she'd give him all the time he wanted.

"I'm glad to be back," she remarked softly, moving her arms to wrap around herself, shifting in his grip til she practically huddled against him where she stood. "It was never worth going back. Its all the same..."

[innermonologues]

While holding onto her something seem to catch his attention for a moment. He paused a little before pulling her off of him. Don't worry though Roze. He doesn't let her go for too long. He moves her hands to the right places and places his on her as well. And without even telling her what he was doing he slowly nudged her to start moving the same way as him.

Yes, he might be attempting to dance with her without being forced into it.