Sails of Fortune arrived at the Festival scene just in time to see all the flash the elder exalted. Still he wasn't as impressed as the others around here, he spent most of his life in Yu-Shan, where wonders like these were commonplace. He still wished to mingle among the other chosen around so he went to find them.

While more and more Exalts gather in the Aerial Pavilion and below, the first floats begin to hover out onto the streets. They've yet to reach the start line of the Parade, but the movement is enough to attract an excited cloud of celebrants carrying kites, streamers and other Festival favors toward the forward end of the Street of Flowers and Firmament.

Above, low-flying battle cruisers painted over with bright Festival colors and ornaments fly toward the start line as well. What purpose they may have has yet to be surmised, but no doubt will be part of the upcoming display. Somewhere, a band of brass instruments and marching drums has started up an energetic melody, piped through the streets by unseen amplifiers.

All that's left now is for Vanileth to show himself, and the Princess to kick off the parade!
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:23, Thu 08 Oct 2009.

Dianora seems quite preoccupied herself, but her connection with Comet is much too strong for her to pass by and simply ignore. She pauses, seeing the young man there, and waves her people aside for a time while she approaches him. "Good morning, Comet. I must say it is rare I am awake so early! Now, I hope you've got yourself a good set of evening wear, because I'll be at the banquet and I'd like you there as well."

She doesn't seem to be aware that Comet might be surprised at the difference between day formal and evening formal, or that there has to be a difference. Rather than explain further, the Lunar with red-streaked hair dips her fingers into her cleavage and pulls out a freshly crystallized hard mote, printed on the surface with her crane-and-moon symbol.

"I know, you ought to have one of these already, but a basic salary just won't get you far. Have fun with this, but not too much fun, okay?" She hands the hard mote to Comet, pats him on the cheek with one hand, and before he can protest starts walking away again. "Don't worry, dear, we'll talk again more soon." Click click click, the White Crane walks away with her small army of assistants and bodyguards, headed for a nearby lift upward.

In reply to Keo Wan Sul (msg #52):

Rana shrugged and said, "I suppose it's possible. She didn't say anything like that. I think she just wanted to be nice."

Briefly, she was distracted from the conversation to look around, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Will you enter in the contest next year do you think? Maybe I could, even, depending on what I learn in the next year. That'd be neat, don't you think? I doubt I'd win, but it still would be neat."

As airships gather above, and crowds, wares, and more do the same below, a heavily cloaked figure emerges somewhat tentatively from the streets, its origin roughly in the direction of the Academy. Covered from head to toe in elegant, flowing fabrics, Morning Glow peers intently at the Festival's many manifestations.

Carefully, lightly, she steps into the main thoroughfare, dazzled and distracted by each new thing in turn. But most of all, what has her almost spinning in circles is the people. With a mixture of shyness, fascination, and embarassment, she follows different groups or people for brief periods of time, alternating between intent observation and hiding her eyes behind a fan.

In time, her erratic course leads her towards the Central Plaza, where much more is sure to delight and dazzle her...

Edit: Confusing Grand Courtyard and Central Plaza.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:45, Thu 08 Oct 2009.

Sails of Fortune, who was also wandering around aimelessly managed to physicaly cross his path with that of the Lady with the Fan, he was walking backwards, trying to get a view of everything here when he felt a strike behind him and turned back to apologize

- "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. I was watching the entire festival and didn't pay attention to where I was going."

A startled shift, layers of cloth moving aside to reveal others beneath, a glimpse of pale white fabric. Then Morning Glow regians her composure, her gloved fingers adjusting her fan to hide the coverings of her face, flickering patterns of green quickly dismissed as it snaps shut.

She bobs her head, almost turning it into a bow, and steps aside demurely, inviting Sails to pass freely with a twist of her gauntleted wrists. Still, her posture and quick, partly concealed glances suggest that she is not altogether displeased to have met the handsome Sidereal - though she has not uttered a single word over the course of the exchange.

Reading anything into Morning Glow's actions is a challenge, for she leaves no eyebrow uncovered to quirk, no lips visible to smile or frown, not even a stretch of arm to reveal or hide - all is covered, clothed in Festival colors and silence.

 Truth watched as the floats began, and made sure he was clear of the parade path. The flux of attendees conceals the movement of his sister, such is the vastness of the lower ground level.

 The unnerving pull of the gold winged Solar near the Thousand Forged Dragon is trying to find purchase on his almost limitless patience, and even with all his will, it may win soon enough...

- "From what you just did with your hands I take it you would like that I follow you. Am I correct?" Asked Sails of Fortune, trying to understand the meaning behind the Lady's hand gesture.

"I doubt I will have much time to practice with personal flight artifacts this year," he said. "Perhaps in a couple of decades. Who knows, perhaps by then I'll be flying an artifact of my own design! I'd have liked to have something I built myself in Vanileth's honor, but my project is still in its infancy... To be honest, I don't exactly know what I will be doing, except that Professor Uthar requested a flight device..."

He realized that breaching the subject might trigger another breathless flurry of questions, and so quickly shifted topics. "Perhaps we should rejoin the festival proper. I'd like to see Vanileth. Is the Aerial Pavilion opened to visitors yet?"

"Umm... I think so," Rana said after a second's thought.

"But don't we have to be able to fly to go up there?"

Firmly, with only a trace of disappointment, she added, "You should go, if you want to." She certainly couldn't fly, and neither could Arya.

"Let us now commence the festivities with a parade in honor of Journeys and Flight!" echoes Sophia's voice from the Pavilion, amplified by her Pectoral of Resplendent Speeches. Bang! go the signal flares, and the parade floats lift off from the ground one by one to start their way across Anthegenia's spine.

Almost simultaneously, the painted battle cruisers open up their hatches, releasing scores of athletes and soldiers hand picked for their aerial dexterity and acrobatic skill. Mortals in jump harnesses and Essence-users in belts of aerial mobility leap down in colorful costumes onto the floats below. Nimble, sure-footed dancers, emerging from the interior of the ship on rising platforms, release kites of avian and insect motifs into the air, where they flutter upward on the gentle breezes of Anthegenia's eternal spring.

Not every floating exhibit is directly related to the theme of the Festival, though every one of them is donated by a group or company with some interest in travel or flight, or simply in profiting from attracting visitors to the city. There are floats displaying aerial reenactments of moments in Anthegenian history, artificial dragons and other mystic flying creatures belching smoke and fire, beautiful models on pedestals exhibiting avian-themed costumes paired with extravagant, flight-capable wings, and more.

One float consists of little more than hovering rings and platforms, navigated by lithe acrobats in spangled jumpsuits and levitation belts, performing increasingly daring aerial leaps and tumbles. Another appears to be entirely made of greenery: a bed of living flowers of every hue of the rainbow, climbing vines twined around elegant arches and menagerie statues, platforms grown from bonsai style trees on which flower people wearing dragonfly wings play stringed and woodwind instruments. The Emporium of Aerial Conveyance's float is a tame cloud behemoth staffed entirely by gorgeous air elementals, throwing out flight-themed party favors and gift certificates to cheering crowds.

---

OOC: Ok Marek, go ahead and write out your float. :) Anyone else with a float idea can pitch in, too, though if you personally created it, it ought to be something you would have had time to prepare.

The Aerial Pavilion has been open to visitors for a short time now. But as Rana pointed out, you'll need to have some means of personal flight to be allowed on the Pavilion, too.

I should also note for you grounded folks that you could take a lift or walkway up to "In the Air", you just won't be able to float freely. Instead you'll be limited to the sky bridges and balconies, unless you go and rent an airship ride or a flying artifact up there.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:12, Fri 09 Oct 2009.

Rajha shrugged. "Well, I learned most of what I know about Essence on my own, so maybe I'll pick up my place like that as well." She paused and listened to Blossom's question.

"Where I'm from? I'm from the Deep Southeast, near the Bordermarches, but more than that I don't know. I couldn't find the homeland of the People on a map." She blushed a bit, switching, perhaps unconsciously, to Forest-Tongue. "I'm still learning to read a map in the first place."

"Pardon me Professor, I'm afraid I must ascend for the time. I hope to see your  secret work at the festival soon sir."

 With that, Truth  took a light step back, stretched, and shifted effortlessly into the form of a dazzling white feathered Strix, and quickly gained altitude through the maze of floats, and flying ships, heading toward the Aerial Pavilion.

Morning Glow peeks at Sails over the edge of her fan, then quickly raises it before her covered face, the green material adding an additional, and quite unnecessary, layer of concealment. She begins to nod vigorously, then pauses, and shakes her head instead, taking care not to unsettle her clothes.

Lowering her hands, she extends her gloves palms towards Sails, then moves them aside and to the left, while taking a careful step or two to the right. Not far from where the two stand, the excitment in the Central Plaza reaches it peak.

"Oh, you speak Forest?" says Edged Blossom, suddenly breaking into Rajha's native language. Rajha can tell she is not well practiced with it, but is still trying. "Teacher said I need it, when making friend with peoples of far East."

"...And I sound terrible, sorry." She returns to using Old Realm. "Anyway, in the Far Southeast, now what did Crane say? Oh! That would be somewhere past Rathess, I guess? The Dragon King lands? The largest Deliberative outpost over there is the Adamant Oriole Sanctuary. But your People may call it other things for all I know. I'm learning, too!"

The auburn haired Solar gives a smile and a shrug, then gets thoroughly distracted for a time watching the floats go by. "There's so many amazing things in the world. I feel sad that most people will only get to experience these wonders from the outside."

"So, Rajha, don't you want to head up for a bit? I was thinking of entering the races. If I did that maybe Xiulan would notice me... if she's here."
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:04, Fri 09 Oct 2009.

Just after sending the greetings message to all the dignataries the parade started, Professor Marek headed the procession and when everything begun to move he discovered what was under the fabrics.

Those who viewed it didn't understood what the pile of plates meant for a festival dedicated to air, but then the plates begun to float in the air and every step that Professor Marek took forward the pieces begun to join, first the skeleton and the inside parts, interiors and structures of what appeared to be five different models of great flying machines, one of them an indomitable sun conquest platform. Just near the end of the designated area for the parade they completed their merge and Professor Marek begun to fly surrounded by the five models and completed five circuits of flight around those present so everybody could se the human-sized ships disarm and reform themselves, showing every detail of their structures.

It ended by Marek standing just a few feet flying outside the platform where Lord Vanileth was watching the show and with one single command of Marek the five models fused their structures permanently and then Marek, who was shining by all the essence he spent for the show, made the models fly to Vanileth.

- "Lord Vanileth, the people of Anthenegia wish to present this gift to the ilustrious Shogun of Artificial Flight, he whose gifts enable the people of Creation to thread the skies and see the wonders of the land from above." Professor Marek recited while the five models approached the god.

Comet, surprised from amount of cash what Dianora just almost with shrug gave to him! He had never got this much money, having not even idea is there what limit what he can use it! But then when Dianora departs his heart lunged to go after her, but he calmed himself.

I see her later at banquet anyway. Evening wear? That's quite....formal. But consider the quest involved I need to be in my bests I guess.

Comet then carefully placed into inside vest pocket the hard mote and starts look on clothes store, which haves very stylish men clothing or tailors available.

Sails of Fortune nods to the lady and begins to follow her out of the mass of people involved in the festival.

- "I'll follow you to Yu-Shan itself." Said the young captain

Keo looked pensively at Arya. "You know, I'm in pretty good shape for a bookworm, and I could have carried you up there in no time, but I don't think your friend would enjoy the experience," he said. He held out his I AM terminal, searching for a means of conveyance for both his Solar mate and her pet, looking up to see the parade's beginning. "Oh snap, it's already starting!"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:07, Fri 09 Oct 2009.

Comet comes across an outdoor booth attended to by a pair of lovely Dragon-blooded women, one with vibrant red hair, the other with elegant black hair. The booth is marked with an ornate sign indicating a name that only recently he is now able to read completely. Thalia, the Eminent Weaver, it says, with a beautiful stylized rose incorporated into the logo.

He remembers from previous excursions into the Student Shopping Center that Thalia's clothing are the highest rated in Anthegenia and beyond, both in quality and for definitive fashion trends. With his small student salary he could not hope to afford such clothing, but Dianora's hard mote and a good student discount may well be enough for him to buy something truly impressive.

And from what Comet knows of Dianora, she would desire only the best...

Flitting through the air, Wave looks for the ADF amongst the hangars the sheer masses of people making even that usually quite simple task difficult. Everything about this ceremony was far grander than what she'd become accustomed too and so some old sensations were creeping back, wonder being one that was happily welcomed, but the feeling of being lost in the crowd was one she was less pleased to have to deal with.

Luckily she'd taken the time to memorize their colours and badges and when she pauses to catch her bearings spies the banners fluttering off one of the hangars where the craft are just now going through their final stages of maintenance, pilots waiting impatiently in the cockpits or nearby to be cleared. Swooping down past the heads of the crowds she snaps her wings back to splay them open and drag herself to a halt, feet lightly touching the hanger floor before the crystalline wings shatter and the spray of essence shards wind themselves up around her and back into the shape of a shawl while her dress itself shimmers and is replaced by an ADF flight suit, a little short-cut she'd had put in for an almost trivial fee. She hurries off to find her craft, moving with her usual kick of speed so she won't be found late.

"You're looking for something to wear young Lawgiver?" starts the black haired Dragonblooded woman, a smile gracing her pale face.  Her voice matches the rest of her appearance, eloquent and refined.  Her hair has been expertly curled into series of ringlets, each held in its place by a tiny diamond pin.  Her dress itself seems to be woven from a particularly lustrous thread, definitely not silk, or any other fabric Comet might know though.

"What is it that you are looking for?  Something dashing for the races?  Something for the banquet tonight or just something to wear around the festival?" she continues on.  "Whatever it is, I am sure we have something which will suit you."

Comet was caught on staring the clothes through the view window, he then smiles to Perfect Opal and replies; "Uh, yeah. I am looking something truly impressive and unique for tonight's banquet. But also something what is in around or bit under value of this hard mote." Comet slips out and show the hard mote what Dianora gave to him.

I hope she is not too much upset me spending loads of cash for a good set of clothes, but I get feeling she does not mind burning cash so long it is truly impressive set of clothes.

Rajha shrugged. "Maybe. I could do some checking later if I wanted."

She offered her arm. "Sure, let's go."

<To: In the Air>
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:55, Sat 10 Oct 2009.