Winter Faire

[voidtreckermods]

”Shortly arriving in World#5562102022. The dressing carriage is open for your convenience.” The announcement might be unexpected so late in the month, but soon enough further information arrives on their SCA’s.

World#5562102022: Home of the famous Winter Faire. Voidtreckers may spend the evening here. Please remember your Snowcoins. Enjoy.

The dressing carriage is open for characters to choose from an array of winter coats, hats, gloves and scarves. There are also ice skates in a variety of sizes and shapes, suitable for all passengers.

THE PLAZA

The Express comes to rest in a station roofed by sheets of ice. Streamers of light run up and along the arches overhead, sending flashes of colour through the structure at intervals. A wooden path leads through stands of sparkling trees to the faire proper.

The faire is a large one, mostly made up of a large market of wooden huts. The market is held outside; while it's dark when they arrive, there are floating lights twinkling in the darkness that illuminate the area. There is snow on the ground and a light flurry in the air, the perfect amount of snow to be atmospheric without anyone being too damp or cold.

There are both ice paths and ordinary wooden paths through the market. In the centre of the market there is a large ferris wheel, where guests can sit in glass bubbles filled with soft cushions and blankets as they view the snowy market from above.

THE ICE RINK

There are two large ice rinks, and ice paths weave through the market, with many of the eateries having 'ice gardens' where skaters can rest and drink before continuing their skating. Wooden railings run through the middle of the ice paths, both to form two one-way lanes, and to give new or wobbly skaters something to hold onto. 

There are benches at the entrance to the large ice rinks for people to change into their ice skates and cubbies for them to store their shoes; the ice paths connect to both rinks. There are also skate aids for those that need them, carved wooden animals to hold onto and push along the ice for balance. An animal that looks like a furred penguin dominates.

THE SLEDDING SLOPE

To the north of the market, there is a snowy field with a hill perfect for sledging, and sleds to borrow for any who want them. 

The whole field is deep with snow, with a well trodden path leading up the hill and sledding tracks leading down. To the side of the slope are snowpeople and snow animals, some better built than others, and plenty of snow to add to this collection.

THE WOODLAND ENCLOSURES

To the south there is a small woodland where a member of staff will allow guests through with warnings to be peaceful and not disturb the creatures. 

The trees are bare of leaves and white with snow, some with frost forming crystal snowflakes on the branches. There are indeed woodland creatures within the woodlands: deer, rabbits, strange white pompom-looking creatures. They are comfortable with people, and won't flee.

THE FERRIS WHEEL

In the centre of the market there is a large ferris wheel allowing guests to sit in glass bubbles filled with soft cushions and blankets as they view the snowy market from above. The ferris wheel moves slowly, allowing plenty of time to take in the view and enjoy the company, the soft seating, or both.

Bubbles can fit up to 6 people, though the attendants will allow groups from single guests up to six. The glass can be made one-way, so that guests cannot be viewed from outside.

THE MARKET

All the activities in the faire are free.  Everything in the market, from a mug of beer to a blown glass ornament costs one snowcoin, the snowflake tokens that passengers received on station day. Each passenger has ten to spend.

FOOD STALLS

The actual market sells drinks: hot chocolate, mulled wine, beer, spiced apple juice and cider amongst some more alien picks like a bright pink concoction that is delicious but very alcoholic; food: sausages, bread, cakes, roasted chestnuts, candied nuts, stroopwafel and a whole collection of unrecognisable but delicious things.

All are available to take out, though many of them also have a bar area where shoppers can sit, drink and people watch.

SHOPPING

The stalls don't sell much that would be considered useful, but are filled with trinkets, decorations, cute hats and other clothing, sweets, glassware, jewellery, toys… and much much more.

After a good few hours in the market, things are beginning to wind down and stalls start to close. The Voidtreckers will receive a message on their SCA telling them it is time to return to the Express. Once all passengers are on board the train will leave the ice-covered station and return back to the Void.

Comments

[nobodys_puppet]

"How do you know which is which?" she asked, curious now.

[hotheadwarmheart]

"Well if it's in a big glass tube-thing in a lab and looks like a faceless humanoid figure, chances are it's a Replica that hasn't been brought to life yet," Lea said. "If it's anywhere else? It's a statue. Even if it kinda looks like an inactive Replica."

[nobodys_puppet]

"Glass tube thing...?" she asked, curious and a little horrified, though she didn't understand that or why.

[hotheadwarmheart]

Lea nodded. "I was sent to clear all the equipment and stuff out of the facilities at Castle Oblivion, so I saw some blank Replicas that he never did anything with," he said. "They were in these person-sized tubes along the wall that looked like they were mostly made of glass and were hooked up to some monitoring equipment. I don't know whether they had something to do with how Replicas are created in the first place or if they were just being kept in there to keep them safe and ready to go if they were needed, like some kind of high-tech tupperware or something." He shrugged.

"At the time, I just thought it was a bit weird and was more focused on making sure I got everything transferred to storage in The Castle That Never Was without any of it getting damaged. Thinking back though... it was a little sad, seeing them like that. Especially after knowing you."

[nobodys_puppet]

She considered that. She had no clue what Tupperware was, but she had a bigger, more important question to ask first.

She stared down at her ice cream. "Should we... should we be going back to save them?" She asked in a whisper. Her hand clenched around the stick. She knew what the answer was. Or should be. But she also knew how much her head had hurt walking in there last time. But if there were others like her... they had to. But how could she help save them... without needing to be saved herself?

[hotheadwarmheart]

Lea considered a moment, but shook his head. "I don't think so," he said. "We'd never be able to get them safely out of the Castle That Never Was, for one thing. And I think that either Isa or Roxas mentioned that they'd be important to saving everybody and defeating Xehanort later. So they'll have to stay there for now."

[nobodys_puppet]

Her shoulders slumped. "Because we have to make sure everything happens how they remembered," she said softly, eyes closing. That meant she had to go back, forget all of this. Die again. She closed her hand tightly around her popsicle stick.

She wanted them all to be together again, but she didn't want to forget everything she's learned, all the Somebodies she met. Everything she'd done. She.. didn't want to die. Even if she knew the ending would be okay.

[hotheadwarmheart]

"Well it doesn't have to be exactly how they remembered," Lea said. "But I don't want to mess with anything that might be important to defeating Master Xehanort. If we can't beat him, not much else will matter; I don't know what exactly his plan for the worlds is, but he's made it pretty clear that it'll be bad news for anyone who's not him."

[nobodys_puppet]

She gave a small nod, hunched in on herself. He was right. If they could stop him, nothing else mattered. Especially not her and her memories. Those were always forfeit, anyway. She was just being foolish... wanting more.

[hotheadwarmheart]

Lea saw her hunch up and reached over to ruffle her hair before she got too deep into her thoughts. "Hey," he said. "No looking like that. I made a promise that I'd always be there to bring you back, didn't I? And that's a promise I intend to keep."

While they were talking the Ferris wheel was spinning, though both of them were a bit too distracted by the conversation and ice cream to notice the sights of the fair as it turned. Soon it would be stopping and beginning to unload this round of passengers to take on more.

[nobodys_puppet]

She nodded a bit, still sinking deeper before looking up at him. "But... which me will that be?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

[hotheadwarmheart]

"All of you," Lea said, without hesitation. "You'll always be my friend, and that'd be true whether there was one or a hundred of you. Though if we ever do get to a hundred, we might have to take up a collection every time we wanted ice cream, cause that'd get expensive really fast." He flashed her a grin, indicating that he was mostly joking about the last bit.

[nobodys_puppet]

She looked up at him, surprised and confused. "You... would want there to be more than one of me...?"

[hotheadwarmheart]

"Well not really want it as much as I'd be fine with it if it did happen," Lea said. "It'd probably be a little confusing at first, but it might be fun too. I'll never say no to more friends."

[nobodys_puppet]

She just stared at him in awe. It was hard enough for her just to have him and Roxas. And Taiki? she wasn't sure if Taiki counted. She only knew she and Axel and Roxas were friends because Axel said so. Best friends, even. But she still wasn't sure what made someone else a fiend. But she was constantly thinking about Roxas and Axel and sometimes Taiki and always trying to make sure they were okay and that she wasn't hurting them or something, and that they always knew they were remembered. And he was just willing to add more friends?

Yeah, that was undeniably a look of awe and admiration as the pedestal he was on got a bit higher again.