Topic: Children's Day Festivities.

Steve Armstrong

Date: 2013-04-13 02:32 EST
The time was upon them!

The morning dawned cool, but with the promise of clear skies and the sun to add to the warmth day as it progressed. The volunteers and workers had arrived before the first glimpse of the red-orange glow of the horizon, finishing their last minute preparations and readying themselves for all that lay ahead of them.

When the gates finally opened to admit the first arrivals, they were treated to quite the eye-popping wonderland.

The grounds of Aja's petting zoo had been decorated brightly with proud banners welcoming the children and their caretakers alike, and with colorfully dressed people handing out maps to all of the attractions.

http://www.carrentalwashingtondc.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/national-zoo.jpg

Spread out around the grounds, there were any number of animals to be fed and pet; entertaining the masses with sunny dispositions, including but not restricted to:

-Calves -Puppies -Goats -Kittens -Parrots -Koala Bears -Seals

For the more hands-on children and their families, there were animals rides that took the riders farther afield than just in circles with:

-Llamas -Camels -Shetland Ponies -Elephants

The normal grounds had been expanded to include more, which had all been set up randomly within the more tranquil confines of a 'lazy river' that encircled all of the festivities. Within, water-pump powered bumperboats had been provided for relaxing rides around the park. From little pirate ships to viking longships and tug boats to little bamboo catamarans, their stylings appealed to a broad expanse of tastes if one was willing to wait for the right vessel to bear them forth!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_98rlsA23JSU/TS0-shJYM-I/AAAAAAAABic/ChnTmq_Oxs4/s1600/lazy+river.jpg

To add to the enjoyment of the ride, Zippy the dolphin appeared between shows, racing amongst the bumperboats to the delight of the patrons!

http://www.jigzone.com/p/jz/jz7/Dolphin_Ball.jpg

For those who had wished to guarantee a drier experience, the Venerable Wyrm (a youth roller coaster) was making regular runs to on an awe-inspiring 'trip through books' in which iconic images from some of the most popular children's reading material floated before them large than life as they zipped through easy turns and humps in the tracks. Nearby, the spinning tea cup ride was always ready to whip it's partakers into a dizzy tizzy!

http://www.thecoastercritic.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dragon_wagon.jpg

http://billydantersfunfair.com/rides/juveniles/images/cups.jpg

Vendors and gaming booths of all types lined the winding thoroughfare, hawking food or merchandise from a wide variety of shops within the city, all come out in support of the day. From childrens' clothes and books to meals and treats of all origins, there was something to interest all comers. Carnivals games made promise of rewards both silly and coveting, contests of various ease and difficult yielding many a fun prize!

http://www.geraldangelo.com/sites/default/files/photos/rotary_fair_booths.jpg?1302830545

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZpOdtYTZLXk/TklqikLV3fI/AAAAAAAAAoU/KAPaQlaaSLs/s800/081011_hartford_fair_06.jpg

The volunteers were out in force that day, from the unobtrusive silent citizens to well-known locals and celebrities of all levels!

Local dueling celebrity Terry King and well to-do philanthropist Dillon T. Jones were suiting up all takers for an over-sized inflatable dueling ring that boasted inflatable sumo wrestling suits and absurdly large boxing gloves, promising a hilariously fun (and completely safe) medium for would-be gladiators of all ages to duke it out!

http://www.boomerevents.com/images/source/Sumo_Wrestling_with_Inflatable.JPG

http://myfloridapartyrental.com/images/boxing_ring_bounce_house.jpg

Near it, a jumping event involving a velcro suit and a wall promised no shortage of laughs!

http://www.jasonsjumpcastles.com/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/velcrowallolier-e1330379359967.jpg

Amidst all the chaos and fun, one of the events promoters had started off his day playing victim to any and all takers. In fact, for his time there, Steve Armstrong made quite the show of razzing the crowd from his perch atop the dunk tank....providing to shortage of teases and taunts until a baseball strunk it's target and spilled him into the large tank of water. Eventually someone else would come to take his place.

http://www.inflatable-fun.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dunk-Tank-1.jpg

Opposite the dunk tank, Rhiannon Brock and Eregor would eventually set up show on a low stage to dazzle the masses with their mystical talents, providing a magic show to the delight of all.

What the celebration had to offer was varied and spread out, with many events to choose from. Security was heavy but discreet, remaining out of sight but ready to pacify any trouble without drawing the attention of the event's guests.

The continued promise of a fireworks show to cap things off in the evening was announced throughout the day!

(OOC: Here we go folks! Feel free to post interactions with the event and please, please have fun with it! Be liberal with your enjoyment and judicious with anything that might hinder the light, celebratory, and humorous mood that this was meant to provide! The are other contributors who will be adding the flavor of their own events throughout the playable, so please enjoy playing off those as well. As previously stated, at some time between 8 and 8:30 PM we will be opening a room on RDI for Live RP, hosted by myself and/or LadyAjaBird. More than likely we will use the Great Hall. Thanks again and please enjoy yourselves!)

Mairead Harker

Date: 2013-04-13 11:21 EST
Maggie was the opening act for the magic show. She stepped up onto the stage with her ever faithful dog, Trixter, at her side.

"Hi!" She smiled brightly and waved at crowd. "I'm Maggie Harker. I'm here today to show you some magic! And tell you a story about why we have four," she held up her right hand and counted off four fingers for the crowd, "different seasons!"

"Once upon a time," Maggie grinned, "because that's how stories are supposed to start!" She gave a sidelong glance to the people waiting their turn, her aunt in particular. "What' That's how you and Mama and Da and Gran ALL start stories!" She cleared her throat. "Anyway. Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named Per-seph-o-nee. Her Mama was in charge of all the growing things like the farmer's crops. When she was happy, all the fields were green and full of growing things. But when she was sad, the plants all died or went to sleep and snow came. That's a very bad thing because if the farmer's crops die then people have no food!" Her eyes grew wide.

"One day, the King of the Underplace ....his name is Hades." She nodded firmly. "He saw Persephone and wanted to marry up with her! So, he stole her!" She made wide and expressive arm gestures. "Then he took her down where he lived!" Maggie held out a flower in her hand. "When her Mama found out she was gone, she was very sad. The crops and plants and flowers all started to droop!." The flower in her hand slumped over over. "That is how we have fall." Maggie smiled a touch. "Some people calls it autumn!" She gestured toward a tree near the stage with leaves that were turning colors. "Leaves lose their green and turn all kinds of pretty colors."

Maggie drew in a deep breath and blew it out at the tree. The breath she released was frosty smoke just like in deep winter. The tree lost its leaves and was coated in icicles. "In Magic Duels, we call that spell the Arctic Blast." She pressed her hand against the bark of the tree. "Leafy trees don't die in the cold, they do something like bears. They go to sleep until the springtime comes again!" The child's face lit up like the brightest sun. "It's called hi-ber-nate!"

"Persephone was in the Underplace and she was veeerrrrrrrrrry not happy!" The little girl scowled and shook her head. "She wanted to go home to her Mama! She was hungry because she was told to never eat anything in the Underplace or you have to stay and never come out!" Maggie huffed and wagged her finger as if talking she was a parent talking to a naughty child. "That's just not fair, is it' You not eat then die and you got to the Underplace or you eat to not die and then you have to stay in the Underplace!!" She tossed her hands up. "What's a girl gotta do when she gets that kinda choice?" Maggie spotted a familiar face in the crowd and waved. "Maybe she shoulda hoped for somebody to come help bust her outta that place! But no one came in week and she was so hungry she finally ate seeds from a fruit called," she held out a piece of ripe red fruit, "a pommel granite!" A whispering voice came from behind her. "Oooh....ok." She jerked a thumb behind her. "Aunt Rhi 'n' Uncle Eregor said it's pomme-granite. Sounds kinda like how Mr. Porthos says the word apple," she mused aloud, "he's French!" She had a gleeful smile on her face.

"Demeter, that's the mama of the girl that was missing, she was getting sadder and sadder without her daughter! And I already told you what happened when she was sad! So Zeus hadda try to fix it because if everybody died from being hungry, they'd all be in the Underplace and nobody would be living on the land anymore!!" She set the pomegranate on a small table. "Zeus sended Hermes off to see Hades. Hermes should oughta been a lawyer because he could talk his way around anything! And fast, too!" Chuckles came from the crowd. "Hermes found out that Persephone ...," she looked behind her, "Hey, if they gave her a shorter name maybe they woulda got her out faster, huh?"

Rhiannon started giggling so much at that that she had to wipe tears from her eyes.

Maggie grinned like an imp when she heard her aunt laughing. "So, Hermes worked a deal so that Persephone would marry up with Hades and live in the Underplace for six month of the year. One month for every seed she ate. But she would spend six months with her mother." She rubbed her dog's head and before gesturing to the tree again. It was blossoming with beautiful pale pink flowers. "When she went home to her Mama, she was happy again and we got spring! When half her time with her mother was gone, the weather gets mostly very very warm, and we call it summer!" The tree was now bearing sweet red fruit. "So remember," she held up a single finger, "everywhere you look there are stories and magic! And this tree is a Yoshino Cherry Tree. It was planted," she looked to her aunt, "What's it called again?"

Quiet murmurs followed.

"I think I got it!" Maggie nodded. "It's for the memory of Mrs. Riley Lo, who helped out lotsa kids, but isn't here anymore. I sure hope they are treatin' her good in the Underplace!" She bowed to audience. "Thank you very much!"

Rhiannon and Eregor would follow later on with their magic act.

Icer1978

Date: 2013-04-13 23:16 EST
Not far from the petting zoo, the little dragon stood with her mate. Both bearing dragon saddles that could hold two riders at a time.

While she was not fond of the piece of equipment, she was doing it for the children, and the squeals of glee that rang out as a few children took their first dragon back rides had left a smile upon her snout.

It would definately be a night to remember fondly.

Steve Armstrong

Date: 2013-04-14 00:00 EST
The support of many a notable organizations had rolled in over the course of the event's planning and the dueling crowd had certainly been no exception.

From the wildly popular and charitable Wrecking Crew had come the sponsoring of a youth baseball clinic, lasting throughout the course of the day as children of all ages were introduced to the sport and given all the best pointers. In addition to more than a few of the Crew members themselves coaching the kids in anything from hitting and fielding, to sportsmanship and sharing the love of the game, they had managed to coax out more than a few members from the Kitsune Lions baseball team as well. Along with signing autographs and throwing out free jerseys/shirts/hats from both organizations, the baseball players showed themselves to be more than happy to help coach the participants up alongside the Crew.

http://usctrojans.cstv.com/blog/assets_c/2012/08/Rodney%20Peete-baseball-clinic-thumb-600x399-29497.jpg

Before long, many a youth could be seen running happily through the grounds decked out in Crew and Lions colors, trilling happily for the gear!

(OOC: I'd like to throw out a heartfelt thanks to the player of Myria Graziano for offering up this addition to the Children's Day playable. The participation and effort is greatly appreciated!)

Steve Armstrong

Date: 2013-04-15 01:22 EST
It wasn't just the sports heroes who turned up to support the event!

Oh, no!

The RASG had graciously turned some of their time and effort towards the celebration, going so far as to land some of their aircraft in the outer lots of the grounds. The children and their families were able to take pictures with pilots and their ships alike, as well as getting secure tours of shipboard systems (without any secrets being given away)!

As a reminder that he wasn't just a DoS Baron, Opal-holder, and general dueling sensation, Matt Simon was in attendance to head up the contingent from the RASG and he hadn't arrived unprepared.

In a brilliant stroke of creativity, the commanding officer himself chose to sponsor a paper airplane contest that pitted applicant children of plane-making age against one another in a contest judged on the looks, manueverability, and flight distance of their creations. For the few hours the contest took place, it seemed to rival the baseball clinic for popularity.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-wmHg-MVGl8/S0abpv3jZCI/AAAAAAAAPRI/AE4WtBZw3XY/s400/IMG_5228.jpg

It was even rumored that Matt himself smiled! Twice!

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.greendaily.com/media/2009/03/bamber-74428518.jpg

In the end, there could be only two winners:

2nd Place Winner, 15 year old Daniel Marte was to be treated to a day spent working in flight control with them steel-nerved men and women tasked with keeping all RASG craft safely guided!

1st Place Winner, 11 year old Reyana Resendi was to be given her own RASG flight coveralls and would be given (with her parents' permission) a fly-along with none other than Matt Simon himself!

What a way to spend the day!

(OOC: I'd like to thank the player of Matt Simon/Goldglo profusely for the contribution of this idea to the event. It was an awesome addition to the thread and incredibly creative, to boot! Thank you, thank you, thank you!)

Steve Armstrong

Date: 2013-04-18 16:41 EST
OOC:

I'd like to thank everyone who participated and contributed to the event last week. It was great to have so many of you come out and have fun.

You're the best.

-The mind behind Steve