The Journal [Inbox]

[chippedsoul]

Use this for any IC one-on-one contact and finishing any loose ends at songerein

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[steadypulse]

Could show you some of the more savory tweaks, then. [A hand did automatically move out to help Kazuma catch his balance, keeping still for that moment needed.

An amused sort of huff escaped 76.]

If only- and it's tough walking with hooves isn't it? Took me a few weeks back in the Index. [At least whenever he was thrown in to it again here he had some advantage.

Still, there was something that caught his eye. A booth with brightly colored drinks on offer; juice mixes that seemed to have brightly colored balls floating amongst the ice and settled at the cups' bottoms. Refreshing with bursts of various other flavors provided by the edible balls.

He nudge Kazuma with a tip of his head in the direction-] How about that one? Looks like they've been getting a good deal of attention, could be good.

[chippedsoul]

Heh. I remember. You have any tips then?

[He doubts this will last beyond the festival, but it wouldn't hurt trying to avoid falling over as much while he's like this. His ears perk up at the sound of people at the indicated booth. Even at home, usually a crowded booth means it's got good stuff. From what he can hear at least, it sounds mostly positive.]

I can see why it's catching people's interest. [Colorful drinks with a possible surprise of flavors depending on what colorful balls they put into it. Looking around, there doesn't appear to be anything strange happening to the people enjoying the drink.] I'll give it a shot.

[steadypulse]

Think like you're walking on your toes- because technically you are. [Just remember it was just toe rather than toe-heel or heel-toe and maybe the stumbling might stop.

He nodded, watching a few people leave the booth with their drinks in hand. Seemed pretty happy and- well, no odd side effects to be seen. Good enough for him, and reason for the both of them to move in to line]

Same, hopefully it's as refreshing as it looks. [And any extra the popping juice bubbles within added were along that, too.]

[chippedsoul]

[On his toes. That makes sense in a way. As they come up to the front, they had an opportunity to look over their drink options. He's choosing not to go too wild with his drink, going for some kind of clear drink with a few fruit balls that turn it into a pastel bluish white. Once 76 has chosen his rainbow drink of choice, he raises his glass to him before taking a sip.

Whatever flavor he was expecting, it wasn't this. It's not bad, just taken aback by the surprise taste.] It's...like a melon cake?

[steadypulse]

[For his part? He went for something that managed to be blue with fruit balls that ranged from red to white. Looked interesting to him and he did look it over before taking a slow sip—

Melon cake, huh?]

This tastes like something called a Bomb Pop- christ, that's a nostalgic kick I wasn't expecting. [Really, he was not expecting the sudden burst of cherry, lime and blue raspberry all mixed together like that. Even with the colors.]

[chippedsoul]

A Bomb pop? [The true American drink. He takes another sip of his own drink, pondering how they determined what the drink would taste. All the drinks seem to have a random assortment of colors and balls without a system to it.]

Somehow, these drinks manage to suit our preferences. Or something close to it.

[steadypulse]

Yeah, it's the name of a popcicle with three flavors; cherry, lime, and blue raspberry. It's a classic staple, and in some places is known as a firecracker with the company that makes those. [Other flavors, but this was a hell of a classic. When was the last time he'd even had one?

Still, he hummed a little in thought.]

Either by coincidence, or it's like that by design due to dreamotion- or something else.

[chippedsoul]

[He tilts his head, looking at his drink. He imagines the taste must be intense and not so much the appearance.] Must be bursting with flavor to have a title like that.

We should come back later and try another combination. See what we get then. [Heck, what if they get a different flavor after ordering the same one?]

[steadypulse]

[A nod, taking another sip of his drink before speaking-] Yeah- they're divided in to three colors, too. Can eat it a flavor at a time, or just get them all at once depending. Real classic.

[Red, white, and blue. Called patriotic for it at times for some, and others it honestly just tasted good. Other flavors came in other colors, so on and so fourth. The middles and fruit bombs weren't bad, either-]

I'm up for it- these are petty refreshing after all.

[chippedsoul]

After a few games then. [That'll probably work up an appetite again after dealing with the kind of games at this festival.]

I believe you told me you knew a few tricks.

[steadypulse]

Works for me. [How most spent a day at these sorts of things after all-

A lot hum, a slow sip of his drink as he looked towards the gaming booths closer to the river-]

For a few of them, yes. Bottle toss, bubble darts- a few of them are similar to ones I've played. They've even got something here that's more or less skee ball.

[chippedsoul]

Skee ball...? [Is the ball skiing? There's nothing here that looks like anything he imagined.]

Well, you just pick the game and I'll follow your lead.

[steadypulse]

It's one of my personal favorite games, honestly. [He gestured towards the gathering of a line-up of the skee ball machines that they would be passing. All under a tent of course.] It's a fun way to pass the time, of course.

What do you find yourself stronger at- throwing at specific targets or something with more chance to it?

[chippedsoul]

[Oh. That's what they were. He stops to observe the game, sort of getting an idea why it's called skee ball now.]

At specific targets.

[steadypulse]

[76 could spend hours and hours with skee ball, was something relaxing to him and there was enough skill to it he could do it when he wasn't sober- when he was younger, of course. Hard to get drunk these days.

He hummed a little in thought-] Stationary or moving targets?

[chippedsoul]

Both. [Technically, as long as he's not on something moving, like a horse. Otherwise, stationary. He gives the old man a curious look after the question. Should he be divulging such information to a soldier? Maybe if circumstances where different...]

You have a game in mind?

[steadypulse]

There are a few games that fit those; Smash!, the bubble darts, a ball-and-basket toss, the pebble one and- well, that's just a few of them.

[Let's not talk about the one with the geese and hoops. He would rather not mess with any sort of geese, thank you very much.]

[chippedsoul]

[He tilts his head at the list of the suggestions. Some he recognized, some he didn't. Should he go with something familiar or try his luck with something unfamiliar...?]

All right, bubble darts and the pebble game...? I'm not sure what that last one is, but we can start with those two.

[steadypulse]

Pebble game you need to be able to turn the pebbles a specific color with dreamotion- bubble darts you just try to hit as many bubbles of one color as possible. [Either competitively, or alone.

A hand lifted as he combed those painted claws of his through his beard idly-] Basket one you're trying to toss a ball in to a low tilted basket so it stays there.

We can hit up whichever one you'd like first.

[chippedsoul]

[...Gosh, those hot colored painted claws really lowers the threatening aspect of them. But anyway-]

Bubble darts then. [Cause it sounds the most straight forward right now.] You've actually tried all these games already?

[steadypulse]

[They really did, but he didn't mind if his claws looked less threatening when he couldn't wear gloves to hide them. Some bright nail polish was something he could easily deal with-

He chuckled softly.] Sounds good to mean, and yeah. Have a favorite amongst them that's just fun, while others are a little more- well, if something catches my eye.

[Of course he walked by when prizes we changed out, just in case. Never hurt to see if someone was having trouble and lend a hand, too.]

[chippedsoul]

Huh. You really went to a lot to these festivals. [He hasn't really played any festival games since he was a kid. Maybe a few times with Naruhodo in more recent years.

He'll go ahead and start walking towards the bubble dart game stand. He observes other festive goers trying their luck. Seem pretty straight forward, though he noticed that even when it looked like the darts were going to hit, it just misses the bubbles. He'll also look to see what prizes the game had to offer.

...He's not sure if any of these would suit an old soldier like Jack. He is eyeing a sleeping wolf plush though. That's probably too cute.]

[steadypulse]

Yeah- had a few dates where we went to them, and when I was a kid I was always excited when was was around. [Bless Vincent for indulging him, honestly. The man had fun himself of course, but he'd still found it sweet that the guy had noticed how he'd perked whenever one was near.

His head tipped a bit, gesturing towards the game as people took their turns.]

Notice how they're playing music to measure the time? Don't pay it any attention, it's meant to make you a bit anxious because it speeds up. Gotta pay a little attention to the breeze and air movement caused by the darts themselves, too.

[Affected how the bubbles moved and all that.]

[chippedsoul]

A few dates? [Why didn't it cross his mind this old soldier who had friends might have been seeing someone at one point in his lifetime? Not that, it's really a big deal or anything. Not like he's pondering about his own feelings for someone right now.]

So the music is just a distraction. [Hearing him explain about the air movement being important reminds him of how archery works to be honest. Bet Naruhodo might excel at this kind of game.]

I think I got the idea. [He puts in a request for some darts. While the idea of ignoring the music should be simple enough, it was blaring rather loudly and probably intentionally at this booth.]

[steadypulse]

[76 hummed softly.] Yeah, my boyfriend at the time figured out pretty quick how much I liked this sort of thing. It was sweet, and we spent the entire day there well in to the night.

He was a good guy, he got the family he deserved last I ever saw him. [Really, 76 was glad Vincent got what he wanted. To have that family and life that- well, Jack couldn't give or have himself despite the want. Things just didn't work out.

It was a little absent, given just how easily and quickly 76 moved past that with a nod-]

It is a distraction, and works well since it's meant to also be your time limit through the song. That is where they get you, of course, with how the music increasingly picks up speed the closer to the end of said time limit it gets.

[76 stood to the side rather than playing just yet, let Kazuma have his go alone first. See how he could do and get that handle.]