tushanshu_logs | Welcome Festival | Day 06 | All Sectors

Welcome Festival | Day 06 | All Sectors | OPEN

Characters: You! And you! Even you!
Location: All Sectors
Situation: It's the sixth and final day of the Welcome Festival!
Warnings/Rating: To be updated if actual warnable material occurs.

OOC Details:
>Header threads are available for the major events of the day and anyone can tag into them, replying with others as they are interested.
>Our thanks go to everyone that volunteered their character for the special event today! Favrielle and Yue are the lucky two foreigners that will be "voluntold" for a grand demonstration in front of half the city.

FINAL DAY:
Five days of festivities have come and gone, but the sixth dawns as one final celebration across all of the sectors, with the tours of each day reinstated and the markets re-opened for all! The lanterns made during each previous festival day now decorate their respective sectors and are being lit throughout the day -- though each sector has a podium with the most beautiful of the foreigner-made lanterns on display, ready to be lit at sunset.

With five sectors and twelve active gangs spread across Keeliai, the Alderwood Commander has mobilised the entire police force to patrol all areas and enforce the laws where they have been broken. An eye has been applied to the exact deployment of officers, with the greatest congestion in the Fire, Metal, and Earth Sectors according to gang presence and criminal activity over the course of the festival. Given that the entire force is beating the shell, there are equal amounts of upstanding and corrupt officers spread about and a few juulan go the extra distance in dissuading the latter when one has crossed the line.

Evandau is again a constant presence today and he moves with such frequency through the sectors that he often seems to be in two places at once. Most of the honest kedan take his presence as a reassurance, but there is the portion that eye him nervously and avoid eye contact. There are rumours of a half dozen arrests overseen by him personally since dawn, but he has proven too busy to confirm that via idle chatter with civilians.

Despite the increased police presence, criminal activity continues to fluctuate. Many of the less savoury kedan can be seen employing their skills for their own betterment, so mind your purse and person anytime that you go into a crowd or off the main thoroughfares.

Once again, should two or more characters get into an large-scale altercation, be it with NPCs or one another, please advise Alex (

reignsdown or gmail or aim) for intervention/dispersal.

PARADE:
Roadways have been cordoned off throughout all of the sectors for the sake of one parade to trace a spiral route out from the center of Keeliai to the outer walls. Preparations for this parade have been the most secretive of all events during the Welcome Festival, but it's clear by the costumes donned by dancers and acrobats meant to participate in it that no expense has been spared.

Scheduled to begin two hours after dawn, it has drawn many kedan to the sidelines to watch. They, in turn, have been encouraging foreigners to the very front and center, where many have gathered to see and follow the path of performers as they trek through the city.

Widely agreed upon as a beautiful way to mark the final day's festivities, there are few in Keeliai that realise the parade's start is about to be usurped by a demonstration far more powerful that the grand luxuries displayed over the previous five days.

Interrupted before it can begin, all ceremony is gone when the crowds are swarmed by members of the most powerful gang in the Fire Sector and two foreigners are taken hostage, dragged onto the stage bridging the street -- a planned platform for Lieuen to make a final festival speech from -- as the leader of the gang steps up to spread an entirely different, anti-foreigner sentiment while making a demonstration that no one will forget.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Annabeth turns at the collision, ready to dive away if necessary, but fortunately it's a familiar face. A familiar face who looks like she's going for a weapon, so she takes a step back in case of a swing]

Yelena! It's Annabeth.

[It's quiet and reassuring, but she doesn't necessarily want to remove her cap just yet.]

[Yelena stops midmotion but she can't see Annabeth. Is it like Irys? Her voice in her head? It sounds as if Annabeth is right there however...]

Annabeth? Where are you?

[Tense, alert, not letting go of her knife yet.]

It's fine, I'm right here. [But something tells her staying like this won't help anything with the other girl]

[She quietly sighs, taking a quick glance around. In a quick motion, she slides the Yankees cap off and shoves it into her back pocket; she turns visible the moment it leaves her head, but to anyone looking, it's just a blue blur in her hand]

Are you okay? [Her own hand lands at the knife on her side, less out of uncertainty towards Yelena and more defensive towards the crowd.]

[Holy crap.

Annabeth is a magician.

Excuse her while she backs up a step because oh god magician and going for her knife--

But her attention isn't on Yelena entirely. At least, her body language isn't showing that she's treating Yelena like a threat. Yelena's eyes dart around and she reminds herself that Annabeth isn't Sitian. It's different.]

I'm fine, you?

[She'll ask how Annabeth did that later.]

[She recognizes that look of shock -- only a little scared, too? And that step back adds to it. Something back home, maybe, a negative connotation.]

[But Annabeth doesn't offer explanation, not right now. Her eyes are constantly looking around, watching the kedan and her surroundings.]

Yes, I'm fine, too. Were you trying to leave? [It's a bit offhanded more than a potential apology for interrupting that.]

[Yelena takes a step closer, still looking around.]

It seemed like the smart thing to do, unless you had something else in mind.

[Annabeth has a good head on her shoulders and Yelena's open to hearing ideas if the other girl has a plan of some sort.]

Nothing concrete. I've been trying to keep hostile kedan away from people, mostly.

[Speaking of, she spots one holding out a larger knife and coming right towards both of them. Annabeth immediately draws her own knife and slides into a defensive stance. She doesn't have time to slip her cap back on before the kedan lunges the knife, but Annabeth instinctively shoves Yelena out of the path and darts to the side herself.]

[She's not sure her knife works on them, and she's hesitant to try. The kedan turns and swings at her again, but Annabeth blocks with her knife and swings her leg in a kick. The kedan scowls, and Annabeth dives into a roll, coming back up and swinging her own knife, but without intent to kill. It grazes the kedan's arm, and she hones in on the cut.]

[Her knife works. Celestial bronze can hurt them. She's not sure if it's a relief or not yet. She looks for Yelena, to make sure she's still all right.]

[But the pause doesn't last long. The kedan comes back again for round two, with bonus extra anger at being injured by a foreigner]

[The instant that Annabeth draws her knife, Yelena's hand dives into her pocket. With the bottom cut out, she can grab the switchblade strapped to her thigh and open it. The other girl shoves her away and engages the kedan who tried to cut Yelena, and not about to interfere and risk putting Annabeth off-balance, she moves to get her back instead.

She watches Annabeth and the kedan out of the corner of her eye, but her focus is also on the rest of the crowd, and it isn't long before another kedan comes to try to assist his friend as Annabeth cuts it. Yelena moves in before it can get there, assuming a stance from one of the katas as it lunges for her.

Quick on her feet, she sidesteps as its knife comes for her. It doesn't leave an opening for her to counter, and so she remains on the defense, trying to find that place she did where everything became instinctive. It's harder with the chaos around them, however, and remains elusive for the moment.

Wishing she had the reach of a bow like Maren's, Yelena kicks the kedan at the knee, bringing it down but not out. It's only Annabeth's obvious reluctance to kill that keeps Yelena from going for any fatal blows herself. She doubts they'll be able to continue trading non-lethal moves with their opponents before they have to run, however. It hasn't happened yet that someone's simply given up when attacking her just because she put up a fight.]

[Annabeth notices Yelena move, and it's only after that when she notices the second kedan. She doesn't observe the other skirmish for too long, with her own still going on, but it's clear Yelena can hold her own. For how long, she's not sure, and her mind spins into calculation: how to get them both away from here.]

[The first kedan swings at her, and Annabeth parries, swinging up her own knife and nicking his arm again. She wishes she had a shield -- something to look into, later.]

[A glance around, for the quickest way to depart the area. There, a simple path with a brief dart through the crowd in hopes of getting lost among them. Once they managed to flee, it would be easier to navigate through what would likely be emptier sectors -- and she'd try to get Yelena back to hers first.]

[Another lunge from the kedan, and Annabeth ducks, bringing the knife above her head to block as the kedan stabs downward. She drops into a squat then springs herself up in a jump, kicking the kedan in the chest with both feet and knocking it over.]

[With those few moments to spare, she backs herself closer to Yelena, shortly enough away that she can speak in a low tone without either the kedan overhearing.]

We're going to have to get out of here, unless you want to kill them. But that's something I want to avoid, for several reasons right now. Are you with me?

[Two will be better than one, and she won't leave Yelena alone even if the girl refuses. Even if she has to go invisible.]

Edited 2012-08-19 06:39 (UTC)

[The kedan rolls to their feet and Yelena dances back out of the way. For a moment she flips the knife around to another grip instinctively, but she realizes soon that most of her moves are limited, weaker in this particular fight and so she flips it back, circling the kedan and slowly trying to get her back to Annabeth's again.

The kedan tries to engage her with more of a hand-to-hand style, and Yelena counters easily the more she lets herself trust her training and movements.

It goes at her with the knife again, trying to swipe across her belly, and Yelena jumps back and darts in immediately after to bring her elbow to the side of its head. Stunned, it stumbles back, long enough for Yelena to respond to Annabeth.]

I'm with you, on your mark.

When I say go. To the left, through the crowd.

[She doesn't gesture in the direction, doesn't want to give either kedan a heads up on her plans. Meanwhile, the one has climbed back up to his feet and is shouting obscenities at Annabeth, waving his knife around wildly.]

[Good. A furious opponent is often an easier one.]

Who taught you how to use that knife? The god of uselessness?

[Taunting may seem childish and often stupid, but when it works, Annabeth is not afraid to use it. And it does just like she expects: the kedan howls and charges wildly with recklessness, leaving himself completely open.]

[Annabeth spins her knife around and jabs him in the gut with the butt of the handle, and when he flinches, she grabs his wrist and quickly disarms him. His knife falls and she kicks it away. He scrambles after it.]

Go!

[And she doesn't wait, just takes off towards the left and dives into the crowd, hoping Yelena is behind her. The other girl was quick enough; she had confidence in that.]

Edited 2012-08-20 20:30 (UTC)

Got it.

[Yelena looks back just in time to dodge jab of the knife from her opponent. She responds with a jab of her own knife and lands a slice on its shoulder. It yells something at her, honestly Yelena's not paying attention because she's waiting for Annabeth's signal.

She wished she had her bow with her, because there'd be nothing stopping her from thrashing the hell out of this kedan. With a kick to it's midsection, followed by a knee to its nose after it doubles over, Yelena starts when Annabeth says "Go!"

She doesn't hesitate. Giving the kedan a shove, she takes off after the other girl, mindful of where her knife is at all times. For once she's glad she's petite and skinny, because darting through the crowds are that much easier as she follows Annabeth.]

[Once Annabeth is in the crowd, she has to duck a bit -- she's taller than some, but not all, and her blonde hair is pretty standout. She catches glimpse of Yelena behind her and sighs with relief, but that's all she allows herself. She needs to focus on weaving through the crowd as quickly as she can without drawing too much attention.]

[But she's quick, too -- athletic and agile, able to avoid collisions with most others. She keeps her knife close at her side, even though the blade won't hurt any normal humans.]

[The crowd starts thinning, and Annabeth slows to a pace matching Yelena's. She steals a glance behind them; so far, not followed. But the next part of her plan -- the where to next -- requires a question she's not sure will get an answer. But she'll have a back up if denied.]

I know you don't really want to tell me, but what sector do you live in? I can come with you, and then get back to mine invisibly.

[Yelena slows her pace only when Annabeth does, immediately picking up that they're trying to blend in now. Nothing's wrong, they weren't just fighting. No, of course not. She closes the switchblade in her hand, but doesn't put it back in its sheath, rather, she holds it in her hand, tucked against the inside of her arm so that it's there at the ready but not seen easily at a glance.

She looks over at Annabeth when she talks of going to Yelena's suite, and at this point she doesn't have it in her to be paranoid. They're safer together and while she doesn't know the other girl well, she has more reasons to trust her than not.]

It's fine, come on, this way.

[She doesn't say the sector aloud, but takes a turn and starts heading for Wood in an slightly round about way so that it might for the moment seem as if they're heading to the neighboring sector. Yelena wants more distance between them and the stage before heading home.]

You're good in a fight.

[Observant as always, and appreciating the mild detour, Annabeth picks up on the direction they're ultimately headed to. Yelena's too secretive to be absolutely direct in leading, and the lack of announcing it adds to the evidence.]

[She tucks her knife back into the belt at her side; it's easy to get out, and as much as it might simply look like two friends on a stroll, Annabeth is still on high alert from the skirmish, even if her posture suggests nothing more than the standard for what just happened on stage]

I've been training since I was seven. It's always been natural to me. [A pause, as she steals a glance at Yelena's hand where the switchblade is hidden.] You're not so bad yourself.

[For what it's worth, Yelena's secrecy is aimed more at protecting them from any kedan than protecting herself from Annabeth.

She keeps herself as at-ease looking as she can manage as she leads Annabeth to her suite, keeping casually aware of the people coming and going around them.]

Thanks. I have good teachers back home. They've been training me during the last year...[She doesn't have the same ease with it that Annabeth does, however. It's not as natural thing for her as it is for the other girl.] You haven't seen any shops selling weapons around here have you?

[Annabeth's not very used to not leading in some capacity, and she follows Yelena's path by walking beside her, trying not to step ahead; she doesn't realize she's doing it most of the time.]

[She nods at the response of training -- for only a year, it's pretty good. Good teachers indeed.]

I've seen a handful, actually. Were you looking for something in particular?

[Yelena takes a shortcut through a smaller street, a bit less visible but safe as far as she's been able to tell. To Annabeth's question, she nods.]

A bow. Not the archery kind though, it's more just...like a staff.

[With the border of the Wood sector visible ahead, Yelena relaxes just ever so slightly, noticeable only to Annabeth likely.]

We're almost there.

[She ponders this, not quite sure exactly what kind of weapon it is. Quarterstaff?]

I've seen the archery kind, and the occasional regular sort of staff, too.

[Wood Sector. She thought so. As for the relaxing, Annabeth does pick up on it, even if she herself is still on complete guard.]

[Her voice drops a little.] I don't think we were followed. I haven't noticed anything or anyone.

[Pretty much, Annabeth. It's called a bow for god knows what reason. Apparently Yelena's author wanted to make things confusing because it's not described as anything more than a staff.]

I haven't noticed anyone either...

[Though noticing a tail isn't something she's the best at. She's only tried once before. Yelena heads toward the trees with two-floor suites.]

If you could show me where you found the staffs later, I'd appreciate it.

[She's seen the tree houses before in her own exploration, but Annabeth still can't help studying them over. Actual, livable tree houses. She's always wanted to see inside, and now that Yelena willingly showed her where she lived, there's a chance she'll see the inside eventually, too.]

Yeah, I can. I remember where they were.

[The two floored suites. She doesn't walk passed Yelena, but she knows for sure the end destination as they close the distance on it.]

Thanks.

[And they're at Yelena's now. She heads for the door, giving a look back at Annabeth.]

Do you want to come in for a bit? You shouldn't...do that thing where everyone can see it, probably.

[She's being cautious and...well, if she trusts Annabeth this far she can trust her inside her place and let her catch her breath for a bit.]

[She's about to go invisible right then and there -- she does it often enough in front of people and monsters back home, though it's usually in the midst of a battle. Then she pauses at the offer, a little surprised but not showing it visibly.]

Sure. For a second. It might be better that way.

[Because it would be, and she's got the chance to keep that card a bit longer up her sleeve, in case anyone's watching. So she'll take it.]

[With a nod, Yelena leads her inside.

It's a two-floor suite, built into the trunk of a large tree. If Annabeth has seen the suites before, she'll note that Yelena's done next to nothing to personalize it. With the exception of a thing or two out of place, there might as well be no evidence that anyone lives there at all.

With the door closed behind them, Yelena slips her switchblade back into her pocket, down to the sheath at her leg, and then awkwardly looks at Annabeth.]

You can sit for a while if you'd like.

[Immediately, she's distracted by the interior. She tries not to be terribly obvious about her scrutiny, but it's probably not as subtle as she'd prefer. When it comes to architecture, Annabeth is the opposite of subtle.]

[Though she notes the lack of apparent personalization, that's not what she's really paying attention to. It's the structure itself that's holding her attention.]

[With a bit of a delay and longer than should be considered polite conversation, Annabeth remembers Yelena speaking. But she missed what the words were.]

Sorry -- I missed that. What did you say?

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