Script For A Jester's Tear | The Je'daii Order

[Lief]

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It was a time of mischief and magic within the realm of Aurum.

Fools paraded the streets of Azar City, at the heart of which a great Firework display was in the midst of being set up. Vibrant colours lined the streets, flags and floral displays hanging from lampposts and out of the windows of towering buildings. Red, white, and black were a common theme, though a rainbow may as well have been present in truth.

An ultimatum had been brokered, for one day and one day only: in the spirit of the festivities all manner of prank or mischievous act would be permitted, provided they did not lead to the harm of another, and whoever pulled off the greatest would be named the Fool's King - a great honor in the Festival of the Fools. The title would come with crown, scepter, and even a throne in the center of Heroes Square, where a great feast would be held after dark.

The people of Aurum found any excuse they could to have fun, to find enjoyment in their lives, now that their harder days were over. If this meant recycling traditions of their ancestors then so be it.

Even the Je'daii who are, for the most part, ignorant to many of these cultural phenomenons have been invited out from their Academy to attend the Festival. Who knows, perhaps one of them will sit as the Fool's King when all is said and done...

 

[Lief]

Festivals were different all over the Galaxy.

Adiara had witnessed many over the years, as he traveled between worlds on his runs, and some were more gaudy than others. This... Was among them. The streets were lined with bunting and bright lights, talk of a firework show lingered on the lips of the youth, and everywhere he looked men and women were making royal fools of themselves. Pranks, magic tricks, some idiot had even tried to pickpocket him which he felt was entirely mistaking the point of the day.

Some of the students had come across from Ceto to enjoy the weekend, and Adiara had of course been tasked with accompanying them. It seemed as though that was to be his life, now, to bring children to various places and make sure their medical needs were tended to. It left a permanent frown on his lips, which only removed itself when either [member="Esis Nas"] or [member="Emberly Carrick"] were in sight. It wasn't as though he wanted to be the Order's known grump... But at the same time, this was not where he had seen himself ending up in life.

I left one Order... Only to end up in another...

A sudden burst of fire before his face drew him from his thoughts with a startle. Someone juggling flaming torches danced across his path with a painted grin upon his expression. He waved at one of the Younglings down at Adiara's side, before throwing the torch toward them. His immediate reaction was to reach out, to try and bat it aside, but before it reached them it turned into a flurry of coloured paper strips which fell over the children and left them giggling in awe.

It was going to be a long day indeed.

 

[Darth Athora]

Val spectated the festivities from beneath an awning on the side of a street. She leaned up against a storefront that was closed for the celebration. It was a new sense of excitement for her to experience the cultures of other peoples. It is one of the many reasons why she ventured form her homeworld some time ago. Many children ran by as they celebrated the festival by trading wet willies and tripping one another. It was an odd custom that Val had never seen before, but she still saw the enjoyment in it.

Val had no plans to join in the celebration herself, but she wouldn't, in fear of offending Aurum's people, deny any advances made against her in the spirit of the holiday. As the locals wlaked by, Val smiled at them, returning waves whenever one was presented to her. Distant sounds of music and fireworks along with laughing and cheering flowed into her ears. The day was still young and Val was intrigued to see where it would go for her.

 

[Vora Kaar]

What was with this? Its been the third time I have answered my dorm room because someone keeps knocking and the leaving! Why would they do such a thing! I know that there are no ghosts here, but whatever was happening today was really making a dent in my nerves. People finding their clothes dyed a different color, or their food tasting horrendous when in the Cafe. And me being hit with Knock-Knock runners. I seriously wanted to catch one. So, I sat out to do it. I waited at my door. My hand up and ready. My bathroom sink had been running for a bit to fill it up, so then I had quite a bit of water to control around me. Currently, the sink was still running, and I was holding the water right behind me through my Shaping.

I didn't care that it was getting heavier by the second. I didn't care that it was dripping on my floor. I could easily clean it up later. Instead I waited like a predator feline poised to strike. As soon as I heard the rapping of knuckles on my door, I threw it open and launched water down the entire hall. Pushing the... youngling.

I stopped as soon as I noticed who it was and found the child scared. Yanking the water back I rushed to his side and was throwing out "I'm sorry" and "Why would you do that." So many times the young boy could not speak. It was only when all of the water was away from the young boy and he finally realized he had been played by the person he was toying with did he speak.

"I'm sorry Miss Ao'Kami. I was just participating in the festival. If you don't want me to I can stop."
"Wait, what festival?"
"The Fool's Festival?"
"Again what?"
"You play pranks on other people for fun. It needs to be as harmless as can be so people don't actually get hurt, but you play a prank to get someone. Whoever wins gets like a throne and a scepter and a crown and everything."
"And I assume you are trying to get this throne?"

The boy nodded his head quickly. I shook my head with a smile. I thought someone was playing a cruel joke on me because I was new or something. When in all facts, it was a prank of a child trying to win in a festival. I patted my hand on his head and helped the young boy stand up.

"Go, Go play."
"So... so you aren't mad?"
"No! Why would I be mad at a child playing? Go have your fun."

The lad smiled brightly and then ran off. Even if he was soaking wet, I guess this was my first prank. Catching a prankster. Once more using my skills to clean up the water and the mess, I gathered it all and sent it down the drain of the sink just a little bit at a time. Drying myself and my floor before dressing myself in my normal robe like clothing and setting off toward the main city of Azar.

[member="Val Aranda"], [member="Adiara Drelas"], [member="Asha Hex"],

 

[Sobaan Palle]

Balloons.

He'd discovered that they had a lot of impractical uses. For one, they were normally filled with air or helium and carried around by smaller children that wanted to carry it. Sobaan didn't understand that one. Who would want to carry around a useless balloon that if you accidentally let go of would shoot up in the air never to return? It seemed more like a metaphor for disappointment than anything. No, Sobaan enjoyed the other use for balloons, which was to fill them with water and create water grenades that could be lobbed at range at someone, dousing them in water from a relatively safe distance. And to think he had several of them to work with, which meant he could get several people.

For starters there was the woman under the awning ([member="Val Aranda"]). She was standing around, leaning against the wall and under an overhang that shielded her from above, but it didn't shield her from other attacks. So he hid behind some stalls and waited for her to look the other way before he leaned back, drew his arm back, and then launched it forward, sending a water balloon sailing silently through the air, over the heads of other festival goers, directly at her.

"Stay on target... stay on target!"

 

[Elijah Black]

Jedi Knight Zylah Dvale had arrived to the planet in her J-1 Class Interceptor. It was starting to feel a little run down, but she didn't exactly live a life of excess resources. The Force would provide. The small fighter was left in one of the hangars while she moved into the streets of Azar City. She had never been to Aurum before, but now she felt drawn to it.

It was a curious festival, one she also did not know much about. But it had seemed a perfect occasion to make an entrance, learning about a new culture and people while continuing her investigation of the Force. She had anticipated to stand out in her old Jedi traditionalist outfit of brown robes and beige tunics, yet not today it seemed. Everyone appeared to be vying for attention in some manner, be it through exotic outfits or performing other spectacles. Zylah blended in as positively dull.

Seeing the awe upon the face of children made her smile. Adults competing to being this 'Jester King'. Zylah had no intention of participating, this was their day. She was happy to remain the silent observer.

Without really know what she was looking for or where exactly to look, the Jedi continued to walk through the crowds at a casual pace, exploring the city and all it had to offer.

 

[Lief]

"Master Adiiii" came the whine of one young boy down at his side, as they neared a strip filled with food stands.

With a very soft frown he glanced down at the child and shook his head ever so slightly; it was difficult at times, to refrain from succumbing to his more gruff self around these youngsters. Why had he been sent to work at the Academy again?

"Adiara, I'm not your Master." After correcting the child, something he seemed to do in excess each day, he offered him an encouraging smile. "What is it, Kyris?"

Before the boy could answer his stomach grumbled noisily, forcing a giggle from him as he pointed toward the growling subject matter. "Is it lunch time yet?"

Glancing over the sea of faces he was currently responsible for they all seemed to look at him with eager anticipation at the promise of food. Flicking out his wrist slightly to uncover his chrono from beneath his shirt sleeve he checked the time before humming. In truth he was poking fun at them, seeing how long it would take for them to grow tired of waiting.

After a few moments though he gave a firm nod and grinned.

"Come on, let's see what the stalls have to offer."

[member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Elijah Black]

Zylah was walking by the food stands, playfully observing the spectacle of the streets.

"Hello, beautiful lady!" out of nowhere her attention was grabbed by a tall man in sort of suit, its torso being a random spray of black and white dots. Curious. He was addressing a woman a little in front of Zylah. She seemed to mimic her own emotions, a mix of being a little freaked out but simultaneously intrigued.

"How are you how are you? What kind of hand will fate deal you today?" beginning with theatrical gestures, the man swirled his left wrist and suddenly in his hand he held a rose. His expression acted surprise, as if the outcome of it all had come as a shock to him. Cheesy, weird, but entertaining nonetheless. Zylah laughed.

"For you, for you! It is your guide, today, ta-tah!" In an equally theatrical spin the man handed her the flower and was again on his way. Zylah caught his right hand and stopped him in his tracks. The woman watched with mild shock, in its genuine form this time, until she spotted what his right hand actually held. "My credit chip!"

It had all been a distraction it seemed, covering his real plan. "Ohh, now now, ladies! T'was a prank!" he laughed nervously trying to excuse himself, but Zylah's grip held. "That's not how it works" she stated sternly. Zylah pulled on his wrist, speaking to him in a hushed tone "I am a Jedi. I will be watching you. The Force sees all, understand?"

The woman had rushed forwards to re-claim her money. No harm had been done in the end, and perhaps this would be an educational experience for the man. Her words had clearly had an effect. Today was about second chances, right? She hoped he would use his wisely, or a future foreshadowed to him now would become reality. Zylah let his wrist go.

This really wasn't her style, and she found it challenging not to break her stern facial expression with some form of a smile as she walked backwards, maintaining eye-contact to the now definitely uneasy trickster. As he slipped away and out of view, Zylah allowed herself a light laugh before turning around...

...and walking straight into [member="Adiara Drelas"]. And not the kind where one bumps shoulders a little roughly when passing by. She, albeit slowly, straight-up crashed into him, face, nose, everything, colliding.

 

[Lief]

The children hurried off just ahead of him, within his vision yet able to enjoy some small amount of freedom all the same.

There was so much for them to see, things Adiara himself may not have enjoyed yet knew they would. To each their own, he supposed, he wasn't going to spoil their fun. What was the point in bringing them here if he was going to be Lord Grump?

Voices soft and loud rang through the air, so many that it was hard to pinpoint any one conversation. It was honestly a little distracting, overwhelming even, so he reached toward his pocket only to find a distinct lack of gabaki. He rolled his eyes, remembering the promise he had made not to smoke in front of the children, and let out a short exhale of breath through his nose. Already a slight tremor had set in to his left hand... Perhaps he'd fetch some caf' from one of the stalls. Wasn't perfect, but it might give him the boost he needed.

Definitely didn't have the same calming effects, but whatever.

He was thrust from his thoughts by a head on collision which had him pressed up against some stranger. The audacity! When he blinked and looked down at whoever had sent him stumbling his frustration turned to surprise. He had to consciously close his mouth for fear of appearing quite the fool indeed.

"Are you alright, Sweetheart?" he inquired, as he steadied himself and reached out in an attempt to help her catch her balance also. His gaze shifted to look for the children, though they were happily watching yet another juggling act a few paces away. Satisfied, he looked back to the woman and gave her a once over to make sure she was fine.

[member="Zylah Dvale"]