VALENTINES CHARITY - Feoveuer 14th

[thejoyrider]

♥ THE FESTIVAL OF LOVE ♥

"At the Festival of Love: Shine like thunder
At the Festival of Love: Cry like rain
At the Festival of Love: Hear my calling
At the Festival of Love: Hear my name"

...wait, who prepared this poster? The vibe it gives off is totally wrong... ah, well, it will do! ♥





I. Welcome! ♥

On Feoveuer 14th regulars of DiplomaTea will immediately notice that the place looks different. Fresh flowers, garlands and paper decorations are everywhere, all in lovely shades of pink and red. Heart-shaped confetti is falling from the ceiling, magicked to disappear shortly after touching the floor so it would not make a mess. Quiet music is filling the whole cafe, one of the many masterpieces of Amadeus Mozart and a particual favorite of Marie who picked this particular song to play. Even those who have missed Marie's flyers and announcements about the upcoming event would definitely notice that something joyous is going on inside, why not check it out and join everyone?

If you haven't heard before, the posters will explain everything. Today's event, The Festival of Love celebrates the holiday known as Valentine's Day some Mirrorbound might be familiar with. This is the day to celebrate love in all shapes and forms. Spend a wonderful, romantic evening with your partner... or your friends and family, because these kinds of love are important too! Or get some sweets and eat them all by yourself, because self love is also important! All money collected during today's event will go to aid the refugees and help those who have been affected during last month - celebration of love for your fellow woman, man and everyone else.

a. Preparations ♥

Of course an event this big cannot happen without the help of many. Making and putting up the decorations, enchanting the confetti and music, building the booths, preparing the tables, all of this and much more took almost the whole previous day. Everett will also defintely need part-timers to help tending to the increased number of custoers during the event. If you visited DiplomaTea during that time, you probably couldn't enjoy your drink in peace... or maybe you were roped into helping? Marie gives you a pleading look. Every pair of hands is useful, you know!

II. The Festival of Love ♥

Kissing Booths ♥

Two hastily made but lovingly decorated wooden booths have been placed on DiplomaTea porch. For supporting the cause with a small fee of 100 cunes the person inside will gladly give you a lovely kiss... though you are, of course, welcome to throw an even bigger amount into the donation box! The Mirrorbound staff the booths in shifts so nobody will be forced to sit out the whole event and more volunteers are always welcome... come on, don't you want to support the charitable cause? Marie is quite persuasive, she might find a way to convince you even if it's not something you would have usually agreed to ♥ Or maybe your crush is currently in the booth and this is your big chance? Either way, thank you for your support, good people!

Bake Sale ♥

Are you skilled with the cooking appliances? Would you like these skills to serve a good cause? The tables just next to the main entrance of DiplomaTea have been filled with cakes, pastries and other kinds of sweets donated by Mirrorbound - help yourself to some! You have to pay for it, of course, but all the money collected helps the charitable cause! For those who are not fond of sweet things, savory and spicy snacks are also found on the table.

Did you bring a dish? Would you like to buy something? Or maybe you are just staffing the tables and helping with the bake sale itself? All kinds of help are appreciated! Are you culinarily challenged but refuse to admit it? Thank you for your donation anyway, it is going on sale! Did anyone see the Fae who donated these cupcakes? These appear to be enchanted and eating one will cause you to say the opposite what you mean for fifteen minutes. What do you mean, Marie, we are putting these on sale as well? Could it be... that Fae was... No, impossible!

Auction ♥

Want to support the cause with a bigger sum? As a part of the main event, a couple of items will be auctioned. To show their support, the Coven donated several valuables that could definitely be of use for both Witches and Monsters:

• an ornate golden ring Fae-blessed to provide the wearer 12 hours of invisibility (which does not have to be used consecutively, it's 'turned on and off' by rubbing the stone set into it, and does not conceal the wearer from other Fae)
• a suit set and a dress that will both transform magically to fit whatever Monster form the wearer has (and will also take on the wearer's color and design preferences)
• a book on imbuing baked goods with minor luck spells - good and bad both.

Place your bids now! But that's not everything that will be put on sale today - donations from Mirrorbound are also accepted and will be auctioned! Do you have any items you no longer need and could contribute? Maybe it's something you have crafted yourself? Or a voucher for any kind of services you can provide? Whatever it is, thank you for your donation! Yes, even if it's enchanted. Especially if it is enchanted!

Not donating or buying anything? You could certainly help with the organization part! That pile of items over there... Mind checking out what we even have there and assign starting bids?

A Word from our Sponsor ♥

DiplomaTea is offering a couple of special offers on this special day, all proceeds will be donated! Extra large mug of cinnamon cocoa you can share with a special person to warm up your bodies and hearts. You can also drink it yourself if you want to, nobody will judge you and certainly not Everett. However, even if you came here by yourself... Are you sure you can finish it by yourself? How about splitting the cocoa with someone who also came alone? That's the spirit of the day! 

For those interested in a drink that can provide more thrill than simple cocoa, Everett is offering a tea blend called Ardric's Warmth. In his own words, it tastes like a live firecracker and has enough caffeine to raise the dead. And yet, this blend seems to have its dedicated fans in Aefenglom, especially among Dragons. Dare to try it? Or maybe someone tricked you into drinking some?

Inkchanted Corner ♥

Caster Cú Chulainn is doing a promotion on behalf of his and Waver's tattoo shop, Inkchanted. Still undecided if you would like to visit their place? Unsure about a permanent tattoo? You can try it out here and help the cause! For a low fee you can have Caster draw a small, enchanted painting on your skin. It can make you give off a charming aura, perfect if you are still looking for someone to spend the evening with or trying to grab the attention of that particular person. Or maybe you are celebrating self love and just want a spell that will allow you to eat a lot of sweets without consequences tonight? Perfect! Another idea? Be sure to communicate it well, you would not want to end up with an enchanted painting that gives a different effect you originally wanted... though even if you do, the magic will only work for a few hours. You can wait that long, can you?

Magic Show ♥

Trucy Wright, one of the recent arrivals to Aefenglom is on stage and about to perform her splendid magic show! Huh, that's nothing special in Aefenglom, you might think. Magic is an everyday thing for every Witch after all. However, this young lady here is not a Witch, so how does she do it? With totally real magic, of course! Get your seats and pay close attention to everything she does, but you are not very likely to notice anything - this girl is a professional, after all. In using real magic, of course! Or maybe you have similar skills? You are welcome to join her on stage and perform your own well-practiced trick. If it's not as well-practiced as you thought... well, at least you made the audience laugh? In need of a charming assistant? Just pick someone more or less willing from the audience!

III. Cleanup ♥

Tired after a busy day? Congratulate yourself on a job well done, we managed to collect a nice sum that will certainly help a lot! But before you can rest in your bed, there's more to be done. Taking off decorations, removing the confetti enchantments, washing the dishes, collecting the trash and cleaning the whole place. We cannot leave Everett alone with this mess after he was so nice to allow the usage of DiplomaTea for today's event, can we? You can stay and help, can you? Maybe there are some leftowers from the bake sale to sweeten the deal?

Comments

[morbide]

Aw, I'm just being honest. I'm not what most people would consider charming, I don't think! Nya ha ha!

[Tataru, don't call him charming and then invite him to lean in! He's already blushing! He's weak, in his heart. But he leans in as she asks, placing his hands against the booth for stability. Falling over would be a disaster, and totally embarrassing when he doesn't need that.]

I'm ready to get lucky!

[unfortunate, jarring phrasing you've got there, henry]

[seemstressed]

<sub>[Okay that's some phrasing there for sure but she doubts he's thinking of what he said in that sort of way. She had been advertising herself as "lucky" after all. Even so, it has her going a bit more pink.

And speaking of pink, Henry's cheeks are quite the color. Once he leans in she's reaching out with her hands to cup his face, smoothing her thumbs over said pink cheeks. They're surprisingly soft, as is his hair. A moment later and she's letting her hands slide to his shoulders as she puckers up to plant a kiss, first on his left, then on his right, and, as icing on the cake, a smooch to his forehead once she's pushed his bangs out of the way.

She's also, uh, wearing a bit of tinted gloss, so enjoy the remnants of your spoils on display until you wash your face Henry.]</sub>

[morbide]

[That's a mark of luck for sure, and when she's through with him, he ends up rubbing his right cheek on reflex, entirely unused to physical contact even when he enjoys it so. He ends up rubbing the gloss all over... But at least the one on the left and his forehead remains fully intact!]

Three?! [He laughs. He doesn't know if he can do more kissing...! How admirable it is, these people who choose to sit in the booth. Henry would be so overwhelmed.] I'm gonna be luckier than a black cat under a ladder, huh? Hurray! That'll happen, right Tataru? Luck?

[seemstressed]

Of course, of course! Like I said, I'm lucky.

<sub>[I mean, it's not hard to be luckier than a black cat under a ladder. Those are usually unlucky things, are they not? His surprised reaction has her grinning mischievously, ever pleased with herself. She wasn't expecting him to be the bashful sort.

Pulling back a bit she rests her chin against her hands in her booth, swinging her legs behind it. Might as well take the opportunity to have a bit of a chat.]</sub>

If it begins to wear off you know where to find me. I'll be sure to give you another.

_{[After all, he did pay up. She's mostly teasing though.]}

Not that I'm shooing you away just yet. What have you been up to? I see you've all your fingers intact.

[morbide]

[Tataru, digging herself into more of a hole without knowing it. Henry's grin widens... playfully again, upon mention of coming to kiss her for more luck. But just as quickly is it mischievous is it rendered again innocent.

Henry raises his fingers and wiggles them menacingly.]

Sure are. I said I'd come after anyone who wants to chop my fingers off, and that includes myself. Personally, I wouldn't wanna be my own enemy! I'd die for sure!

But what about you? Have you been keeping out of trouble? How 'bout in just the right amount of trouble? Oh, I hope it's the latter.

[seemstressed]

_{[He may be wiggling his fingers menacingly but it just has her laughing. Maybe she shouldn't be but she's come to realize Henry's sense of humor is a bit, er, different.]}

Just the right amount of trouble, I assure you. Enough for it to be profitable.

[morbide]

Yay for earning money, then!

[Earning money seems to be a central thing that motivates her. Good! She has a knack for survival, thinks Henry. It kind of reminds him of Anna, but with less of the ruthlessly entrepreneurial vibe. Unless... Unless Tataru's the kind of person to force people into swimsuits so she can take pictures of them and sell them...???

He doesn't know her well enough to determine if that possibility's on the table.

Henry points at the donation box for kisses with a brightness to his smile.]

Say, with luck like yours, I bet you could even get payment for kisses outside of this event. Who could turn down a bit of luck? I think the only people around these parts known to be lucky are the Puca and maybe the Fae, with the right magic... But you're a real cutie, so the only kinds of folks who'd say no to you are people with their eyes gouged out!

[seemstressed]

I'm not selling kisses, Henry!

_{[She seems...almost scandalized at the suggestion? Then again, she honestly shouldn't be, not when she's in a booth doling out kisses for, well, money. There's a pause as she holds her tongue for a moment, before she's shaking her head.]}

Not that I've anything against women who do...but that isn't the sort of profession I'm interested in.

[morbide]

Eh? Why not? It's kind of like selling a dance, right?

[Oh no, her meaning evades Henry... He knows what she's talking about, sure, but it simply doesn't strike him as all that absurd to sell. They're lucky kisses! Kind of like enchanting dances. Not so strange.]

You'd hardly have to do anything but be your charming, lucky self! Easy money, right?

[seemstressed]

It is not like selling a dance, Henry.

_{[Oh no...noooo...why does she have to explain this? Why???]}

Just because a woman can lay back and think of the Twelve to make money doesn't mean I wish to do the same. I've far better ways of making money than offering up kisses.

[morbide]

Well, it WOULD be easy! But you're the boss. Can't argue with what you wanna do.

[He's planning on making off soon, but he has one last question to cement something further into place...]

I guess Puca have luck magic... Do you think you've got that same kind of luck, like the luckiness of a rabbit's foot? Only cuter and more enchanted?

[seemstressed]

_{[Would it be easy? That's debatable. Either way, it's not her avenue of employment.]}

Lucky charm luck, if I had to categorize it.

[morbide]

Huhm! I wonder if you even still have such a charm, even after we've had all of our special powers and stuff stripped from us upon arrival...

[He makes a big show of vexation, considering heavily whether or not this could be the case. Then he smirks.]

Not like I really thought kissing you would make me any luckier. Maaaaybeeeee... I just wanted a kiss? I'm pretty attached to my doomsday-levels of bad luck.

[seemstressed]

<sub>[Tataru Taru's just played herself.

It's clear by the look on her face and the sudden flush to her cheeks that she wasn't expecting the witty, flirtatious comment. Well done Henry, well done.]</sub>

I suppose I cannot fault you for wanting a kiss from me.

_{[She is cute, after all.]}

[morbide]

Right? Anyway, thanks for the triple-kiss, Tataru! I feel like I've gotten lucky anyway, nya ha!

[With a reciprocal flush to his cheeks, Henry waves her off and skips away, seeming to be headed for the exit to the festival. He's darting away on purpose, before she can stop him in his keyed-up tracks. (Maybe... kisses overwhelm him. Oops!)]