THE TANABATA FESTIVAL

[goldless]

[ It's a breezy summer day on Isle Bermuda. There are gulls crying, a few lazy clouds, and plenty of sunshine with a cooling wind.

Today also happens to be a special event! It's time for Tanabata, and seemingly out of nowhere, a thicket of bamboo has sprung up in the trees near the shoreline. Speaking of the beach, a festival seems to be underway; there are lanterns strung up, fresh food, and plenty of goat-people selling fresh food and games.

The festival goes long into the evening, so don't miss it!

The tradition of Tanabata, as you will notice, is to write a wish on a tag and hang it from a bamboo tree. So make a wish and hope for the best! ♥ And what's this? A mysterious, female voice is drifting along, carried by the wind; ]

The bamboo leaves rustle,
shaking away in the eaves.
The stars twinkle
on the gold and silver grains of sand.
The five-colour paper strips
I have already written.
The stars twinkle,
they watch us from heaven.

Comments

[pishirogane]

[She nods]

Yes. I would be grateful.

[fabricatedworld]

[ Ib puts a finger to her chin, trying to think about what would be most helpful. ]

Do you have a phone in your pocket?

[pishirogane]

Yes, I do.

[She's never without her phone.]

[fabricatedworld]

[ She takes her own phone--the one she got upon her arrival--out of her pocket. ]

There should be a key attached to it. [ She points to the strap hanging off of hers. ]

[pishirogane]

[... Huh? Naoto reaches into her pocket and, sure enough, she draws out a phone much like Ib's.]

[She examines the keys closely while her other hand pats her pockets. Her other phone is gone. Frustrating...]

[fabricatedworld]

[ Ib's index finger rises to point out the number on her key with a small smile. ] My room is 109. Yours should be on your key, too.

...Is something wrong? [ From her sentence before, she probably already had a phone, replaced with this new one. ] Maybe your phone is back at home. I didn't have one before, so I don't know where it went, but I don't think the witch would take it.

[pishirogane]

... It says 303.

[She looks at Ib and nods] Yes, I was thinking that. Even if I still had it, it probably wouldn't work properly.

[fabricatedworld]

Then you're in the third guesthouse, and the third room on the first floor.

I think maybe the witch has something to do with these phones... I can't seem to call home or anything. [ Which is bad, because she doesn't want her parents to worry about her, but... ]

[pishirogane]

Alright. [That's easy to remember]

Yes. I doubt she would want us having outside contact if this is still 'home'.

[fabricatedworld]

I don't think it's so bad here... [ She'd like to contact home, of course, but welp. ] Sometimes friends can appear here, too. And a few people have gone back home.

[pishirogane]

... How long have you been here, Ib?

[fabricatedworld]

[ The sudden question catches her off guard! ]

For about two months... Why?

[pishirogane]

I wanted to have a good assessment. We'll be here for a while then...

[fabricatedworld]

Some people have been here longer than me. I don't know how others left, though...

[pishirogane]

Seems bizarre for the Witch to bring us here and then send us away. Perhaps she figured their usefulness has come to an end or they cannot be used to achieve her own end.

[fabricatedworld]

Maybe there's another way to get out. I mean, maybe the witch doesn't send people away, but they find a way out...

[pishirogane]

Yes, that is a theory as well. It's one should be explored.