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. |
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
futurologists) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
epidemiology2015-10-30 06:42 pm
B
He finds the edge of town to frown over boundaries keeping the goblins on "their side" of the city. Not for the first time—after the fight and the new law and the curfew went into action, he'd come by often enough to catch it in practice. It doesn't sit right on him, casting them away and barring them down like prisoners, or animals, without any proof at all that it's justified. (Hell, even if there was any proof that the goblins were the cause of this, it's foolish, he knows, to think that hiding your problems away will fix them. Metaphorical or not, walls are never as foolproof as they look.)
Unfortunately, the increased activity and guard brought on by the festivities means one of the goblins watching the borders recognizes him from the fight and makes his displeasure with Eren's presence known by throwing him out. (Bodily.)
So he's sitting on a fencepost outside the limits of goblintown and nursing a bloody nose that'll probably heal before it even has time to properly bruise. Half-hidden in the shadow of an abandoned shop, in a silent and sullen sort of mood, for a change. So he almost lets Gintoki pass him by before changing his mind and opening his mouth and calling out to him. (Surely anyone wandering around at night has a hold on their nerves, right?)]
Oi! Hang on!
[Don't freak out.]
no subject
Gintoki is in a similar predicament as Eren as far as being disliked by goblins— with a little difference. There were humans that were here that refused to acknowledge him for the havoc he caused during the riots. Gintoki wounded and killed both humans and goblins— though his targets had one thing in common.
They were threatening those who were brought here.. and that is who Gintoki had sworn his loyalty to.
Eren wasn't any different, even though he hadn't met him yet. He would stand by Eren's side when it came to something like this once he realizes he was brought here by ALASTAIR.
It does get him to stop and turn around halfway, holding the lantern tight. He would strike with it if he had to. Gintoki isn't sure what this kid wanted; he wasn't sure if he was a villager who had heard of the humans he had killed and was personally offended or somebody from ALASTAIR. ]
Oi. This is a weird place for some kid like you to be out at. Go to bed.
[ Says the one still in the vampire costume. ]
no subject
His expression creases, and he swipes his hand under his nose one last time to check if the bleeding's stopped.]
I'm not a kid.
[Says the kid. It is, on some points, a matter of perspective. He's all of somewhere in his mid-teens, but he sure as hell doesn't consider himself anything less than an adult. (Because he is, for all intents and purposes, back where he's come from.) He's still dressed just about the same as always—khaki military jacket thrown over his clothes, a pair of crossed wings on the emblem on his shoulders, on his back. He tips his head over toward the lights that signal the goblin part of the celebration.]
They're throwing people out if they get too close. [Most people, anyway. Most humans. And the thin set of his mouth means he doesn't really like it, but he doesn't like the idea of Gintoki walking in unaware, either.]
Watch your back.
no subject
An unimpressed snort passes him. ]
Don't let a single bloody nose screw you over. Hey, are you useless like Yamcha? If you're really interested in getting over there, you'll figure something out and not give up.
[ perhaps there is another reason he is dressed up.
And perhaps it is because he is hoping nobody who has considered an enemy has recognized him.
But it could have just been the fact he wanted candy too.
Gintoki starts to turn. You're free to tag along or argue with him because he basically called you a wuss. ]
no subject
Yamcha? [What. The meaning and the reference flies miles over his head. He hadn't had as concrete a mission as Gintoki seems to have when he started nosing over at the celebration on this side of the city, and thus had less reason to keep trying to break his way through. But curiosity is its own reason, right?
What the hell. He shoves himself off the fence and hops to the ground to follow.]
What're you doing?
no subject
Gintoki allows Eren to follow him— he even slows his pace so he isn't too far ahead of him. We'll go into this together, he reckons. With a huff of hot air through his nostrils, he mutters something incoherent, then speaks up a little louder. ]
They seem a lot more religious than the humans. I just want to see if this night is special to them. [ For purposes. ]
no subject
If nothing else, he can actually help with that. Giving some weight to Gintoki's wondering—]
They're gathering in the bigger building. [He tips his head toward the house of worship. Venturing a guess—] Some kind of church? The militia's got a pretty tight perimeter around it.
[On the lookout for outsiders, troublemakers, nosy foreigners they don't like the look of.]
no subject
[ Gintoki snorts. ]
Everybody should just play Twister. That brings everyone together.
[ He's not being serious; it's just a dry remark, but maybe there is something that could bring them together if they really try. ]
no subject
The king's the one who decided the goblins ought to be confined to this place after that fight broke out.
[And as much as his heart is with humanity as a reflex, he has no problem calling out bigotry when he sees it. The curfew's a lot one-sided, and the goblins have every right to be resentful about it. But on their part, they seem fine with perpetuating the divide by keeping outsiders out. It's frustrating on both ends.]
The sun's still gone, and we aren't any closer to bringing it back. Even that's not enough for them to stop being at each others' throats.
[And that's little surprise—even inches away from extinction at the hands of the titans, and humanity back home is far from united. That's just within the same species. If a worldwide threat isn't enough to band the goblins and the humans together, here, what the hell is?]