EVENT ★ ALL HALLOWS' EVE

[futurologists]

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.

Comments

[counterattacked]

[It's a shit life when everyone's mad at you, huh.]

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?

[naturallywavy]

<sub>[ Truly is.

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. ]</sub>

They seem a lot more religious than the humans. I just want to see if this night is special to them. _{[ For purposes. ]}

[counterattacked]

[Purposes. Eren's skeptical of religion as a concept—he's not surprised that people find comfort in believing in something because it gives them hope, makes them feel better, but false hope is dangerous in its own right. Not to mention his only real reference for it are a bunch of crackpot cultists back home who may or may not have some ulterior motives in the works. If the same thing's going on here (or something similarly strange) it's probably worth looking into.

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.]

[naturallywavy]

That doesn't surprise me. They probably don't want humans participating in whatever it is they believe in. Well, I think that's a load of crap. They really don't know the concept of peace around here, do they? Hey, I guess that is sort of the point.

_{[ 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. ]}

[counterattacked]

[Sort of the point, yeah. Gintoki's dry humor flies miles over his head, (Twister???) so he takes all of that very seriously. In agreement—]

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?]