(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

[mistsplitter]

[ Childe, don't diss her choices? ]

A lot of people have been choosing "dare" already.

[monoceroscaeli]

Fair enough. Alright, let me think...

[His thumb comes up to his chin...]

Tell me about the worst bad habit you have.

[mistsplitter]

A bad habit?

[ Assuming the Shirasagi Himegimi has any flaws, Childe...

Ayaka takes a moment to think about this. ]

I suppose. . . sometimes, I lose track of time while I am working, that I tend to forget my commitments to others.

[monoceroscaeli]

[No one is free of flaws! He refuses to believe that looool]

That's your worst habit?

[That's not really that bad. He's surprised and yet not surprised, somehow.]

I suppose that can end up badly depending on the circumstance...then what's the most important thing you've been late to because of that?

[mistsplitter]

I... [ Don't rub it in, Childe. :( She's very embarrassed by this. ] Yes, unfortunately...

I try to accommodate everyone, but because of the freedom being here has provided, I take some time for myself, as well. I get carried away at times.

I almost forgot the anniversary of my friendship with Cloud. I had wanted to give him a present to celebrate it, but there was just too much to do for the festival that I was not able to prepare anything.

[monoceroscaeli]

[A friendship anniversary? He's never heard of people really doing that, but he supposes for someone like Ayaka, that's really not all that much of a stretch to believe she'd do.]

Huh. I didn't expect that, I had imagined you were late to some sort of important meeting with the Shogun...

[He was not prepared for Ayaka to say it was something so personal. Now he feels a little bad about asking.]

Surely, Cloud understood, yes? Preparing for a festival is a lot of work, and it's always better late than never, you know.

[mistsplitter]

Of course. He always understands me, but it does not make things any better. I could have been better.

[ Ayaka has no doubt in her mind and in her heart, there. The two of them have an inside joke that they're mindreaders, since they always seem to know what the other is thinking or feeling.

As for the meeting with the Shogun... ]

And I would never be late for a meeting with the Raiden Shogun. [ That is simply unacceptable. ] I would never do anything personal on a day that I am to meet her.

[monoceroscaeli]

Haha, sorry, sorry. I guess I shouldn't of used such an extreme example.

[He laughs, waving his hands in front of him as an apology for even suggesting she'd be late for something with the Shogun.]

I only meant that in the sense that it would be something that might have interfered with your official duties. Don't be too hard on yourself, though. I find it easy to do so as well, now that I truly don't have any serious commitments.

But it's your turn...I'll choose truth as well.

[mistsplitter]

[ It is difficult to remove your own expectations of yourself. Ever since the death of her parents, Ayaka has been working hard to become a proper lady, and has since become a bit of a perfectionist. She doesn't demand perfection of others, only of herself, so that she can be someone people can trust, someone her brother can rely on, and someone who would make her mother proud.

If she is hard on herself, it is because there is no room to disappoint others. Especially not after Ayato's own death, where she found herself upset with herself for not being able to help both Ayato and Thoma when they needed family most. These thoughts needn't be said out loud. Ayaka's gaze momentarily shows regret and pain upon hearing Childe's words, because she can't not be hard on herself after everything. She is not pessimistic, though, and will do her best to become better moving forward.

Sorry this got personal, Childe. ]

Hm... [ Ayaka moves on, however, smiling as she thinks of a question to ask. What is a difficult question to answer, but will also give her a better insight of the man before her? ] If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

[monoceroscaeli]

[That regret and pain does not go unnoticed under the Harbinger's gaze. Childe has never been one to shy away from touching people's nerves, but usually it's in the interest of starting a fight so he can satiate his bloodlust in some way, shape or form. He'll do it too to pull information out of people when operating within his official duties, but this is neither of those situations- and he feels like he caught a glimpse of something that Ayaka keeps under the placid, strong surface of the Shirasagi Himegimi.

A secret he may never learn, he bets.]

One meal...

[He has to think about that one. It's a good question, because he really likes pretty much most things you put in front of him, and will politely eat ones he doesn't like.]

That's a pretty tough question. One of the many spices of life are all the different kinds of food life has to offer, so choosing just one feels as if you're purposely locking yourself away from so many delightful opportunities. But since I'm being forced to choose one...

[Ayaka you hit him where it counts here!]

...it would probably have to be a recipe from my hometown. There's nothing quite like the taste of home, and we have an authentic borscht that always soothes the body and soul every time I come home after a long deployment.

[mistsplitter]

[ Food truly is important, but Ayaka does not eat to live. She lives to eat. Small stature she may be, but she does love trying out new things. And to only be able to eat one dish all her life... She would find that very, very difficult to do. ]

Borscht, hm?

[ She's definitely only heard of it, for how popular it is, but she doesn't know how it tastes quite yet. ]

From what I know, it is a kind of soup, isn't it? Even during the summer days, you would have no choice but to eat it.

[monoceroscaeli]

Hah, that it is, [he says, his face brightening,] but you don't necessarily have to serve it hot.

[He's looking pretty proud of the versatility of borscht. It is Snezhnayan, after all!]

There's a number of recipes for it to be chilled, which would be perfect for a summer day. Though you're right to assume that serving it hot would be the most popular because of the harsh snowstorms that rage across my homeland, we've also come up with different ways of serving it that are just as delectable.

[Childe grins at her, folding his arms over his chest.]

Now look, you've gone and made me hungry for some now that I'm thinking about it.

[mistsplitter]

Does it still taste the same if it's served cold?

[ Now she's imagining miso soup served cold... And that gets her to make a face. ]

I don't suppose Yoimiya prepared some for today... I'm sorry to have made you hungry.

[monoceroscaeli]

Don't worry, I'll remedy that when I return home and make a large batch for both hot and cold borscht.

[He chuckles quietly at the face that Ayaka makes, he wonders what she's thinking about.]

That solves my problem to figure out what I'll have for dinner tomorrow night. If you'd like, I will make sure you get some as well. Then you can decide for yourself how the two of them taste side by side.