⭐ o1. 7/7 « video/text »

[menphina]

[ When the video comes on, a very cheerful looking literal cat-lady will be on screen, holding up a miniature bamboo tree with colourful papers on the branches! ]

This must be the date! Hoy there, everyone! Name's Megumi, Matriarch of the Utakata Tribe! I'm a healer and huntress from the star of Hydaelyn, and it's time for a story!

[ Isn't this fun? Pay attention! She sits up with her ears wiggling enthusiastically. ]

I've heard it differently back in Yanxia on my world, but it seems like there are some people here who have a more romantic version of it! Eorzean Moonfire's just violent when you think about it but at least we wear cute outfits... Anyroad! This one's about a Star Festival!

[ She perks up. ]

The general story I've heard is that there's a Princess, and a Cowherd! The Princess' job is to weave beautiful fabric for her father, the Sky King, but is sad because she never gets to meet anyone because of her work. Her father arranges for her to meet a handsome Cowherd who lives across the river, and they eventually fall in love and marry! But because they're so distracted, they're not performing any of their regular duties, so the Sky King separates them across a river they can't cross. The lovers are in despair! Finally, the Sky King relents, allowing them to meet on the seventh day of the seventh moon, er... month at the river.

But when they reach the river, there's no bridge to cross! How in the hells did the Sky King get the Cowherd there in the first place?! Suppose the bridge plot's there for drama, but, anyroad!

[ She hates plot holes!! But, she puffs her cheeks and continues- ]

The Princess cries so much, that a flock of birds offer to create a bridge so she can visit her husband. And so it's said that when you see a bridge of stars in the heavens on a clear night, on the seventh day of the seventh month, that's the Princess and Cowherd meeting across the star bridge! I don't know how the birds made a star bridge, but they must be bloody amazing birds- But if it rains, they have to wait a year to meet again! That's so depressing!

[ Then, she claps her hands. ]

Anyroad, back home, to commemorate the day, we'd write wishes on these colourful paper strips which you should absolutely make, too! They'd be shaped in different little shapes too, and hung on bamboo branches. So, you should all make a wish too! I think you can go "anonymous" on here, so how about using this little post to make wishes?! Consider it your personal bamboo tree! Here's a little guide, but really, you can wish for anything however you want.

【 tanabata attachment 】

And if you want to make any wishes in person, I've got bamboo trees outside my clinic [ location provided ] and lots of tanzaku! Come by and make a wish!

What sorts of traditions do you have in summer? Tell me about them too! [ She sighs deeply- ] I need something new to write about, so inspire me! Oh, and if you get sick or feel sad, come to my clinic! We'll help!

✨ Matriarch, out!

[ ooc; feel free to threadjack with permission and make anon wishes or just chat! Or un-anon. Have fun! ]

Comments

text; un: lucio

[poopio]

A most engaging of tales, Megumi.
You had me rather riveted the whole way through.

Shall I ask what you intend to wish for this year?
Or will it not come true if you tell me?

[ Mortals have such peculiar requirements for their superstitions and beliefs, but he does try and humor them. ]

« text » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

Your Sky Realm doesn't have a story like this, Lucio?
And my wish is the same as it was last year.
I want to see my children and family.

If I'm not going home, I just want a way to look at them.
We don't have cameras and photographs back home.
Not like the ones here, anyroad.
What wishes do you want to make?

[Video] un: roseoftheriverbed

[saigawa]

[It's that time already??]

Oh, Tanabata! You even have the same story I know, too. Maybe I'll write and hang up a wish...

[He seems casual about it, but he is seriously considering it. But what to write?]

If it's summer, it's eating cold treats and going to festivals!

video » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

You're welcome to write up a wish as you please! What sort of cold treats do you have? I've tried somen here, and it's delicious!

text sort of action since he's at the clinic anyways; un: illdoc

[zazen]

[He wonders now if he's lost time himself, it seemed not too long ago that they had the coming of a new year, and several other events in between. Tanabata was exactly what they needed now. Something nice and relaxing.]

A riveting story, love. Well told in such a manner that it sounds reminiscent of Tanabata.

[He's one for reality, though. Cold hard facts. Maybe the fact that he is out here hanging a wish on this tree can prove that he's softened up...just a little more than people think that he can.

The wish itself is wishful thinking, but what can he do? In all honesty, he hopes that he could get back inside before his wishful thinking gets to him too much.]

« text » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

[ Is he feeling melancholy? She'll have to shake that up! ]

You were the one that told me about most of the tale, and I wanted to see if others had similar ones! (◠‿◠✿)
Did you make lots of wishes back home?
When you're done making your own, make one with me too!

un: zzz

[bust]

[ Tanabata… Yeah, Ayer recalls this story very clearly. A kind-hearted soul told him about it, but that person is no longer here. Reading the story now hits differently this time, though keeps that feeling to himself, as always. ]

Summer, huh. It's been an entire year since I got here, then.

Back home, the crew would've been having their annual beach vacation by now.

« text » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

[ She always has a giggle at Ayer's username. But it has been a while for him, hasn't it? Even though he had his sister and lots of other friends... well, she knows a few of the ones from his world, but she wonders if he's feeling homesick too. ]


A whole turn of the year, is it? I did go home in the middle for a spell, but you've been here all this time...

Did you have beaches in your Sky Realm, Ayer? Gran told me everything was on floating lands in the sky.

text | un: jinzixuan

[huakongque]

That story is reminiscent of The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, though the lovers in the version I know were married without permission and were thus separated for that reason. Otherwise, their story is the inspiration for the Qixi Festival in my world and many people, particularly women, find it all very romantic.

[Not that Jin Zixuan doesn't like the story or romance, but he does hold himself just a bit above such open revelry. It's hard being nobility.]

I am curious, what can a doctor do if one feels sad?

« text » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

I see. So in your version, they weren't supposed to marry.
I suppose that's a better explanation for separation than the father suddenly keeping a properly wedded couple apart!｡:ﾟ(｡ﹷ ‸ ﹷ ✿)
( Even if he still hasn't the right! (⓪__⓪) )

Have you heard of something called "Mental Health Counseling"?
We listen to our patients troubles and hear them out without judgment!
Some people suffer from melancholia here, and don't realize it!
So it's important to help anyone that needs it to hear them out and advise them with care, and discretion!

text; username: inaban

[dereban]

Oh, it's that time of the year, huh...

My world has a story similar to that for tanabata. It's been a while since I've properly celebrated it, though. In terms of summer-related stuff, there's a few? Ocean Day on the third Monday of July, and then obon in mid-August, which is basically a festival where, suppsoedly, ancestors' spirits return to visit their relatives.

« text » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

It's a good time, isn't it?
Those sound like fun things!
Obon sounds like another festival I've seen around the villages in my travels, too!
I've never heard of Ocean Day, though. What's that about?

text; un: daddy

[varnish]

Sooo what would our wishes do for the happy couple

if they’re supposed to do anything at all

« text » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

Who knows? Maybe it'll keep it from raining so they can see each other.
But they're supposed to bless the wishes, in some stories.
If they can't be together, they don't want the same to happen to others!

video; un: Shang Yu

[zooming]

[ Don't mind Shang Yu staring for a moment. Are those...cat ears?]

A star festival? I haven't heard of this before. Is it a big event?

« video » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

[ Those are indeed cat ears and they're happy to see him! Have a friendly ear wiggle. ]

I've heard of some worlds treating it like a big celebration, aye! A lot of people have said they've had similar tales behind their own festivities! I only saw it celebrated in a few villages around where I grew up. Don't have a story like this where you come from, handsome?

video - un: dakkisigal

[castcure]

That's a lovely story! I'll have to be sure to stop by and make a wish, once I have a spare moment!

Though you have reminded me about the Moonfire Faire... I suddenly feel a little sad that I'll be missing it. The celebration they have out in Costa del Sol is always so fun.

« video » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

You'd better! Or I'll make faces at you. Puffy, grumpy faces!

[ She's also going to make them at a certain engineer but that's for later. Still! The mention of Costa del Sol makes her ears perk upright! ]

Ah, I miss it already! The girls would come by for it too, and we'd all enjoy the battered fish together! Wonder if they're still setting up that Eorzean Nimble Warrior course though. We used to love racing across it!

text; un: smoothrhymes 🎋

[whosaysdajare]

Ah but if you think it's only a story then who'll read the wish you make❓🤔

[ Maybe he's a believer. As for her question: ]

Where I'm from we set the papers floating on a river after and let them burn like the stars in that tale. 🌟✨

« text » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

Just because it's a story doesn't mean they can't exist too, you know! (≧∀≦)

I've seen that as well! The floating little wish boats. Ahh, they were so pretty!
What are you going to wish for?

text (sn: healerprincess)

[im_gonna_heal_u]

Oh, the tanabata festival!

I haven't done one of these properly in a few years now! The story you have seems kinda familiar to the one I know, outside the names being different...

If I remember correctly when the Amegahara folk came they had something like an obon festival too.

Oh, and I'm also a healer! I've got other jobs, but if your place needs some kind of help, let me know, okay?

« text » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

Oh, the one with the lanterns! I've seen that back on my world, too—

But if you're a healer, then why don't you come on by? If you're not working anywhere else, I could always use an extra hand. We take care of injuries too, after all!

What's your specialty?

video; UN: Persephone

[ragingnature]

That's a lovely story. [ She looks a little wistful, she's such a sucker for love stories. And, no, that's no trick of the light she is as pink as she appears. ]

I don't understand how a river can't be crossed though. Even without a bridge surely it's not rushing so quickly that one couldn't simply swim across. [ Doesn't everyone learn how to swim at some point? ]

Anywho! I'm sure mortals have stories like that back home but I sadly don't know any of them.

« video » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

[ Look, people in her world are weird colours, Persephone doesn't look much different than what she knows. Plus, super cute!! Her ears perk up at that— That's exactly it! ]

Aye!! I'm guessing it was a rushing river too dangerous to cross by swimming, but it still doesn't make sense! How did the Cowherd get across the first time but not the second time? Did the Sky King float him over? God-Kings in these tales always sound so petty... A queen would have been more interesting.

What stories do you know, then? And you're not mortal?

text; un: kishibe

[penpoint]

Tanabata is pretty similar and celebrated today. It sounds like I'm not the first person to tell you that and I'm not much one for festivals, though.

I like going to baseball games in the summer, personally. Last summer was busy, so I didn't get to go.

« text » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

Nay, but I still want to know!
I've heard it called different names, so it's interesting to hear that the festival exists on other worlds too.

What's baseball?

voice | un: sousuke

[shrugsitoff]

Huh... is it really Tanabata already?

But I don't really do much during the summer. Maybe hit up the festivals.

« voice » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

Huh? Belial, is that you—?
What's with the double post?



[ Hi, Hosoyan. ]

Text; UN: EasyR

[lollipopdrops]

Oooh! So it's already Tanabata time! (=ↀωↀ=)✧

Sounds like you have everything together too! You going to have any snack, Megumi Oneechan~?

« text » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

We've always got snacks in the cafeteria! But I've got something extra special! Konpeito!

You should grab some before we run out!

voice; un: qihsae

[instaqueue]

Can I make a wish on someone's behalf?

I hope whatever you wished for comes true, Megumi.

« voice » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

If that person isn't able. It works better if you both wish together, you know!

[ There's a smile in her voice. ]

I'd like it to come true, too. Because then it means all of you get your wishes as well! You do know you can make more than one though, aye?

voice | un: konoha

[lumberlady]

You write wishes? No poems... ?

[Making wishes she gets, but... Writing wishes sounds much easier than writing a poem...]

« voice » un: matriarch »

[menphina]

Konoha!

[ She recognizes voices okay! ]

Aye, people do write poems, but writing wishes is what we do! Which one do you like?