(open) ☀️ beach bonfire party

[niwabi]

WHO: Everyone! You and you and yes, YOU!
WHAT: Summer Beach Party
WHEN: June 23rd
WHERE: Solarpeak Beach
WARNINGS: none for now!

BEACH PARTY

The sun is shining, a cool, crisp ocean breeze flutters across the shores of Solarpeak Beach. There's not a single cloud in the sky, the perfect day to have a party! Whether you heard about it through Yoimiya's network post, word of mouth or just happen to stumble onto the festivities, everyone is invited to Ellipsa's scorching hot Beach Bonfire Party! Grab your swimsuits, sun dresses, or whatever you feel the most comfortable in, and join in on the fun.

➤

Gonna Soak Up the Sun

Through the combined efforts of Sisu, Yoimiya, and the many kind volunteers who lent their assistance in setting up the venue, the beach party is here and open to the public! Upon arrival, everyone will be given a choice of colorful, handmade hibiscus leis or bracelets to adorn for the party. They aren't mandatory in the slightest, just a cute little thank-you gift to those who are attending. After receiving a warm welcome from the hosts, you're free to set off and have fun! Meet up with friends or introduce yourself to new people from distant worlds, the party is your oyster. Of course, there will be plenty of other activities to partake in as well. Venture forth to the fun!

Feeling brave and daring? Sitting on top of the ocean is an inflatable balance beam built especially for water jousting. Foam joust poles and life jackets (if you wish to wear one!) will be given to would-be challengers looking to scratch the itch for a fight. The goal is to assert your dominance by knocking adversaries into the water and be the last person standing. Show off your strength and become the champion of the beach!

Perhaps you might be in the mood for a bit of fun in the sand. A large area of the beach is sectioned off for the grand Sandcastle Competition. Solarpeak residents from all across the city are bustling with excitement, flocking in to watch the artists do their magic, so go wild with your creations and give them a good show! Buildings, any kind of sculpture, or even just a basic castle are all accepted, let your imagination run free. You can even drag a buddy in for a helping hand if your work of art requires assistance. For the winner, the grand prize is a summer gift basket filled with goodies for a nice relaxing spa day at home. Tucked away inside the basket are gift cards to various restaurants in Ellipsa. Don't fret if you aren't interested in participating! Anyone is welcome to walk around and marvel at the competitor's creations.

➤

A Feast for All

The hosts are bound and determined to ensure that no one leaves this beach hungry. If you're craving a cold tasty treat to stave off the heat, a bustling shaved ice stall is here to cool down roasting attendees. An endless variety of flavors are available for mixing and matching, waiting to quench your thirst. If you are feeling adventurous, there are a few questionable flavors on the menu such as Bacon, Durian, Jalapeño, Ketchup, Mushroom, Pickle juice and Seaweed. Try them at your risk or if your palette is "hungry" for something more on the "unique" side.

For those who made inquiries about alcohol, special arrangements have been made! A small pop-up bar has been set up for today's joyous occasion. The bar's pride and joy is a variety of summer-themed cocktails but you can also find other basic liquor or non-alcoholic drinks if your tastebuds are craving simplicity. To go alongside the refreshing beverages, food is also provided at this small establishment. Some of the dishes on the menu are: kebabs with a hint of rum, peach bruschetta, spring rolls, fish and chips, crab hush puppies, and a spicy jalapeño popper dip (you can also ask for the ghost pepper version of this dip if you are feeling brave). All the hosts ask is that visitors to the bar be mindful of the people who can't or aren't interested in drinking.

Decorated across the shores of the beach are tables, picnic blankets, and sizzling hot grills for the designated picnic area. In a similar fashion to the potluck that took place a while back, several tables have been set up for those who like to go crazy in the kitchen or wish to advertise their food business by bringing samples to share.

Time flies when so much fun is taking place! As the last light of day begins to fade, the stars come out to brighten up the night sky on this clear summer day. However, just because there's no more sunlight, doesn't mean the party is over. Far from it! There's still lots of excitement to be had for the attendees who wish to stick around for the night festivities.

➤

A Midsummer Night's Glow

On the middle of the beach, a blazing bonfire burns ever so brightly inside a log fire pit. Eat snacks, catch up with friends, meet new people, or get cozy with others should one be feeling touch starved. In need of an icebreaker? A game of truth or dare or telling scary stories makes for a good way to pass the time. Maybe you'll have a fateful encounter and land yourself a date before the night is over.

With a sky full of beautiful stars, a bustling bonfire, and a large open space, the atmosphere is perfect for dancing. The DJ for the evening is the bright and energetic Aimoto Rinku, here to bust out an array of sick beats with her turntable. There's plenty of fun to be had in a group conga line or grab a partner for a slow, romantic bolero, and dance to whatever music piques your interest. A small makeshift stage is also set up for those who wish to sing, Rinku will be more than happy to work with any potential performers. From upbeat EDM to ballads, all types of genres fill the air with music. Let loose, enjoy the melody, and dance the night away!

➤

Festive Mementos

For one of the hosts, summer just isn't the same without fireworks exploding across the sky. To end the evening with a bang, a beautiful barrage of fireworks paints the night sky in various colors and patterns. As a final gift to the attendees, Yoimiya has prepared sparklers for everyone to play with. There are a variety of colors to choose from, pink, red, blue, green, orange, purple, yellow, etc. No matter what color catches your fancy, with a little flick of the wand, all of them appear like twinkling stars sparkling and flickering across the stick.

To end off the light show, fireworks representing each of the seasons burst into the sky. Blue snowflakes for Winter, pink cherry blossoms for spring, a yellow sun for Summer, and red maple leaves for Autumn. After the vibrant display, a final golden ray of light flickers and explodes into a bright, heartwarming message for all of the guests. "Thank you for attending! You are all amazing! Let's have a great time in Ellipsa!"

(OOC: Make your own top levels, mingle and have fun! ♡)

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Comments

[mayoninofukucho]

[It is, yeah, but what if there is no military? Checkmate!!

The audience has... opinions on this match. They range from "Hey, is the little guy injured? He's asking for worse by stepping up for this!" over "Why is the guy who beat three dudes in a row going up against an injured man?" to "Wow, isn't this the cop and rando who were beating the shit out of each other--", but that last one in particular gets cut off by the signal to start.

Hijikata doesn't mess around. He immediately charges at Levi, intending to deliver first a jab and then, by a quick turn of the wrist, a sideways smack with the pole - and if neither does the trick he'll simply jump down hard to throw him off balance. He'll help matters with the pole again if need be!]

1/3

[wingbound]

[ It serves to put Levi in a worse mood already, his cheek twitching when he catches someone using the words little guy in his vicinity. Unfortunately for Hijikata, that works less as a distraction and more like him getting more focused. ]

[ He twists to avoid the jab, using his own foam noodle for balance, then ducks under the incoming strike from the side -- being small has its own perks sometimes! -- and finally follows up with an upward strike toward his opponent. ]

2/3

[wingbound]

[ And then he's suddenly in the air, before he can do anything else. He looks confused. Truth is, he's never fought on a bouncy surface like this, so the fact that another person jumping could affect him in any way is all new. ]

3/3

[wingbound]

[ Maneuvering in the air, however, is not. He uses his own pole to shove against the platform and propel himself toward Hijikata, even managing to wind up a quarter-spin for an arcing pole strike from the side. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[Now this is podracing water jousting!! The crowd is audibly impressed by how unnecessarily hard these two are going at it (the man who made the "little guy" remark, in particular, blurts out a loud "Holy shit!" as he sees Levi turn the bounce effect into a full-blown maneuver).

Hijikata's broad-stance'd move to block Levi's strike could very well be an instance of the famous immovable-object-vs-unstoppable-force situation - only that the foam poles, combined with the wobbly surface, really do come with different physics than a normal fight with normal weapons. Rather then being deadlocked or having a chance to quickly exchange more blows, the two opponents are more or less propelled away from each other.

Taking avail of the circumstance, Hijikata crouches and pushes himself towards Levi in a leap, intending to shove him off the platform with a hefty swing of his pole. Usually a balance beam stays put no matter how much people bounce around on it, but given the disproportional force of the attack - that'll leave both fighters on one end of it, to boot - the impact of his landing may just topple it! No matter. This bastard will hit the water first!]

[wingbound]

[ Not bad, Levi thinks, despite the angry confusion when they're somehow on the opposite ends of the beam again. What the fuck where physics on this thing even? It seems Hijikata had figured out his reach, and he's coming in low knowing Levi won't be able to duck under it this time, not with his knee anyway. ]

[ The best way may be up, then, but -- ]

[ Almost in slowmotion, he sees Hijikata land next to him, the now-empty end of the inflatable platfom lifting out of the water and into the air, higher and higher -- ]

[ He throws himself into the incoming pole to offset its force, bracing for impact, which isn't quite what he expects because it's fucking foam, but no matter. It does still sting from the sheer force of it, honestly, but Levi's not flying off into the water because he... seems to have gripped onto the noodle as well as Hijikata's arm? ]

[ His own foam pole is falling, abandoned, as he pulls at his new foothandhold to throw himself over the other man's head and use his back to launch himself further, scrambling for the other end of the beam which is growing more vertical by the moment. ]

[ The new weight distribution should hopefully rebalance it... but with how violently it's just been jostled, it might be too late--! ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[The crowd is going wild!! "Oooh"s and "Aaah"s can be heard as Levi, with the desperate strength of a man who will not under any circumstances fall into this little artificial piss water sea, grabs on to both Hijikata's pole and the man himself and launches himself overhead, kicking his opponent clean off the balance board in the process as he propels himself forward.]

--!

[Hijikata barely has time to think What the fuck kind of stunt did he just pull?! before he hits the water. With his weight suddenly gone and Levi landing closer to the opposite end than the middle, the dangerously lopsided balance beam violently falls back down, wobbling and shaking before it eventually stills.

When Hijikata resurfaces he's hoping to see Levi in the water too - as a matter of fact he's ready to rescue him if need be; who knows if titanwolders can even swim (sure, he accepted no life jacket, but that doesn't need to mean what it should mean!) -, so he's stunned to see the gravity-defying jackass dry and victorious in the little floating arena. He groans. Seriously?! How?!]

[wingbound]

[ Most titanworlders can indeed swim, as they do still have rivers and canals and maybe even lakes. Levi, however, does not, as he was raised in a hole in the ground where they didn't have such things, and the sewage puddles were not deep enough to warrant learning even if somebody wasn't avoiding them anyway. ]

[ The beam slams back into the sea, causing a mini-tsunami in the nearest few meters of the beach, and it's only by some miracle that Levi avoids getting the artificial piss water splashed on him anyway. He isn't going to tempt fate any longer, though, so he swiftly makes his way to the pier the beam's attached to and then beelines back to the beach while the referee stares after him in stunned silence for a few moments before finally clearing their throat and announcing him winner on a technicality, as he did not end up in the water. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[It's a relief (and a surprise!) to see Levi beeline his way back to the beach without so much as stopping for a victory pose. Hijikata is grateful that he's not gloating all over him... in turn he silently vows to curb his own attitude a bit. After all he doesn't want to end up full of himself like a certain local pharaoh!

Unless Levi is waiting for him at the beach, he'll slip away in the opposite direction. With any luck they'll be able to avoid each other for the rest of the day! (It'd be a shame if one of them started a fight that the other has to break up... but surely such a thing won't happen!)]