ALL HALLOWS' EVE ( OCT 31 )
In Chantes, they say All Hallows' Eve is the night where the veil between this world and the next thins, allowing the souls of the dead to walk the streets. To disguise themselves from vengeful spirits seeking to carry out their last deeds, the cityfolk wear (sometimes outlandish) costumes, allowing them to revel in peace. Lanterns all around the city are lit to ward off evil spirits; wine and soul cakes have been left out as offerings. The civilians ask that you please don't steal them... or do, if you don't care what they think.
The festivities are more extravagant this year than ever before, despite the fact that supplies are lacking. The cityfolk need something to take their mind off of the ever-growing unease. There's a wonderful feast to behold in the city square, if you're willing to spend the coin. Locally grown meats, autumn vegetables like pumpkin and squash and turnips, and — of course — delicious baked sweets of all kinds. There's dancing and singing and general merriment, the people seeming relaxed now that the goblins have been confined into one area.
The revelry is open to all, but the food costs. Those who don't wish to pay can try their hand at begging door-to-door for sweets with the children, make some trades, or literally steal candy from babies.
The goblins celebrate the holiday in their own way, too. In their house of worship, the elder leads a prayer for the lost souls of the dead. There's copious amounts of alcohol amongst the outskirts, although they're somewhat lacking in food — it's difficult to get humans to sell to them these days. Even Graldia and her men are out enjoying the festivities, but they're also on the look-out for outsiders, ready to fight if need be.
All in all, the night goes swimmingly. With everyone on their different sides, it seems they can't fight. Then, like clockwork...
All the candles in the square go out, just as they had at the Festival of Illumination. For a moment, only darkness. Then the flames ignite again to show two bodies in the center of the square, side by side: one goblin, one human. Closer inspection shows they're dead, but they have no signs of wounds or anything that could suggest they were killed. It comes with no symbol, no words this time; it seems the culprit felt they had already conveyed a strong message. The square erupts into chaos as law enforcement pushes them back, away from the square. Word travels fast as they run back to their homes. Only one man looks on, unsurprised. His costume is scarce, and those who were jailed may recognize him, the suspiciously silent prisoner. The moment he notices someone looking at him, he turns his back and walks away towards the outskirts. |
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epidemiology2015-10-30 06:42 pm
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Back home, we would make the Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon when it would snow a lot in the winter.
We ever go to a place with snow or it snow here, I will show you. It's something very popular in Edo.
[ it's beautiful ]
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[ Hard to say without sunlight. She forces a smile, hoping he feels a bit better about her ghostly attire. ]
Do you feel better now?
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What are you saying? I never felt bad.
I was just making sure. You gotta make sure this time of year.
[ make sure of what— that your friend's aren't ghosts or something stupid?
Probably. ]
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[ Being the very literal person she is, Alice has to ask what he means. ]
Ah? Make sure of what?
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[ ???? ]
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[ Since she has yet to hear of any major vampire lore, anyway. But still, ghosts? ]
Oh, then you can't ever go to England. One of the most popular things to do at dinner parties is seances. It's ridiculous, it's nothing more than a bunch of pompous aristocrats around some sort of board of letters and a planchette that supposedly a ghost moves to spell out messages.
[ That's only the tip of the iceberg. She doesn't want to see him when she tells him about post mortem photography. Even her father, the photographer guru, thought it was a bit much. ]
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W..Why do people do something like that? Hey, are they begging for a death wish/ Are they wanting to soil themselves.. !?
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[ Ghost photography is another one that comes to mind. Her father spent a lot of time trying to understand and possibly mimic them before her mother would scold them for frightening Alice and her sisters. ]
So, rest assured, you would never be missing out on an English dinner party around Halloween.
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Foreigners are stupid. Always have been.
[ humans and aliens alike. ]
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Some people become overly obsessed with death, especially after losing loved ones.
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Gintoki doesn't reply for a moment. He remembers all too well when his blade kissed the neck of his teacher and sliced the most treasured person his young life ever knew— he remembers seeing his long, silky hair flow as his head rolled across the rainy and wet grass.
Gintoki never found himself interested in death. At least not in the way Alice is speaking.
He finally responds: ]
—Some people have more time than brains, obviously.
[ aaaaand in goes the pinky finger up the nose. ]
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[ The little she knows of death masks and post mortem photography is that they're all keepsakes of loved ones who have long since past. Alice glances off to the side, nodding in agreement.
She doesn't want to add she wishes she had her family's portrait and now it likely sits in the orphanage, on the wall, without her there. Thinking of it hurts too much. ]
Then again, people are very odd, aren't they- oh, for goodness sake's Mr. Gin, stop that!
[ She grabs his arm and gives it a tug. ]
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And also glad we can move away from this discussion. ]
Oi, oii, no, you stop—! [ listen to this child protesting. Her tug successfully pulls that arm away from his nose, so the other hand crosses his chest to go up that same nostril. ]
It's lodged in there good— it could block my breathing and I could die!
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Nonsense! You're not a child! Stop it.
[ As tempted as she is to shin kick him, she refrains. Instead, she scolds him like a mother -- it's a hilarious image, aside from their costumes, from a girl who barely sits underneath the height of his chin. ]
You keep that up, and you're going to get bloody noses.