Happy Dreamerversary!

[beautifuldreamermods]

YUMEMIGAOKA

May is always a dicey time to have an outdoor event in Yumemigaoka but this year it seems like luck's on everyone's side. The morning of the 14th dawns with bright blue skies, beaming sunlight and a refreshing breeze - in other words, the perfect weather for an outdoor festival! As it does every year, the Dreamer Union is hosting its annual celebration of the first Dreamer Awakening now fifty-one whole years ago! Damn! Today's the day the entire community comes together to say happy anniversary, Dreamers!

Part of the DU has been opened to the public for the event - while the upstairs beyond the second floor are still off limits, a number of informational boards with quick and breezy rundowns of the DU's functions and how it supports Dreamers are set up around the atrium and on the second floor. Some are informational, some are educational, and a few have trivia quizzes on them that you can answer at the front desk to get a little token for some free food at the event.

The majority of the setup is outside, though - something between a pop-up market and a festival, with colourful sparkling banners and materials lining each stall. Some are small, independant businesses from around Yumemigaoka, some are larger organizations who sponsor the DU (they've gotta keep the lights on somehow!) and plenty of food and drink vendors. A few indie artists from the community are also selling merch and art catered to their fellow Dreamers, with imagery and in-jokes that wouldn't really mean anything to normal folks.

Some particular stalls to keep an eye out for include...


⧖ Dreamery Creamery are serving up scoops of their ice cream in all kinds of crazy flavours with a massive array of toppings and cones for you to choose from. To make things more exciting, Dreamers Sage, Soleil and Prisma are all helping out at the booth and serving ice creams themed after their Dreamer selves! How does Soleil Sorbet sound to you? Maybe Sherbert Sage? Or are you going for Prisma Pomegranate?

⧖ Dice and Dash have a shaded area set up for people to sit down, take a load off and chill out with some board games! They've got a selection of games to borrow, but so long as they're not too busy, you're free to take up a table with your own entertainment if you've got it.

⧖ Dream Weavers, famous for their position as the DU's go-to tailor, is strutting their stuff with recreations of some famous and well known Dreamers' outfits! As well as selling their goods, they're also hosting a little workshop where visitors can learn some quick and simple cosplay and sewing techniques to see how these outfits get made. Dreamers Luck, Gungir and Hanako will all be volunteering and... doing their very best at the cosplay workshop!

⧖ Hybrid Colours is selling portable wares like canvas bags, keychains and postcards of the various prints/paintings available at the gallery! Since they only just arrived at Yumemigaoka, all the locations are international or from other parts of Japan. (Aleena will do face painting or hand painted 'tattoos' for kids, teens, or the daring adult and has a small table set up with a catalogue or 'surprise me!' option for it)

⧖ The Yumemigaoka Cultural Museum has their usual setup! As well as a truncated version of their installation explaining the Dream Sphere and its history, they've set up several dioramas of places in the Dream Sphere, recreated in miniature! There's some moving elements like miniature Torments bobbing around here and there and some cute interactive gimmicks, like a button that will raise and lower the water level in the miniature Vale of Sorrow or a switch to make the volcano in mini Fury Peak go kaboom!

⧖ Finally, a soundstage has been set up just a little ways away from the rest of the stalls with plenty of sitting room for the audience. Dreamer Ai-Doll will be performing a small set of songs partway through the day and the rest of its time will be dedicated to hosting a Q&A panel of a rotating list of volunteers to answer questions about life as a Dreamer or day to day goings on at the DU. Please be aware that both Angelica AND Chloe will kill you if you post cringe on main so be on your best behaviour!

There's lots to do and plenty of time to do it in - the event runs from 10AM and starts wrapping at around 4:30PM so everyone's got time to head home for work the next day. Dreamers will be able to attend the afterparty in the Dream Sphere if they'd like to but for the most part, that's this year's event wrapped up!

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Comments

[i_peace]

[and with a response like that, he can't help but worry even more... Keiwa bites his lip for a moment before opening with;] ... If you really want to go speak with the diorama maker, I don't mind taking you at all.

[hopefully with that out in the open, she wouldn't feel like this opportunity was at risk if she gave a 'wrong' answer. He means it, of course, because Keiwa is nothing if not honest. But... He hesitates, trying to think of a way to phrase this without making too many assumptions about Illya's home life. It's... A lot more difficult than he expected and so, like a somewhat clumsy tanuki, he just goes ahead and asks after a long pause]

Do you not have a good relationship with your parents?

[reluctants]

[ Oh gosh, she nods so much at that last part. It's so hard! Illya hardly even dares to bring it up with experienced Dreamers - it makes her feel all silly for worrying about it in the first place! ]

Then-- do you know any other kind of new Dreamers?

[ Illya can think of a few, but maybe she should see who Junna knows too. It'd probably be good to have a mixed group.. ]

Or maybe some way we could reach out to new Dreamers neither of us might know yet..? I wouldn't want anyone to feel excluded. [ And Illya definitely sees Junna as the smart one here between the two of them! The good ideas person! ]

[thestarknows]

Well... ah. There's a few. I haven't seen someone I know who started around the time I did.

[She hesitates for a second. Even if they pick the Dreamers they know best...

There's a selection bias, Junna realizes. That doesn't reach out to the quieter ones, the lonelier ones. The people who might need it most. She looks thoughtful.]

What if we posted about it online? With... a form, to sign up, if someone's interested? That way--that way we reach anyone who's at least in touch with the Union.

[reluctants]

[ She shakes her head so quickly when he asks that question. ]

N-No! It's fine. I really love mama and papa, and I know they love me too.

[ It's just that explaining the details feels.. weird. It often makes people give her such weird looks when she gets into it. People all look so concerned, just like Keiwa is doing right now, and Illya doesn't want that. It doesn't feel right. She should be a good girl and not cause trouble for other people, after all. ]

It's just.. they're.. um, they're not here. That's why they don't know where I am, usually. [ Kind of hard to keep track of your daughter's day trips from the other side of the world!

Illya doesn't seem to look directly at Keiwa as she slowly explains, her gaze instead darting all over the place at anything around them that she can look at. ] They're both really busy with work, and they have to move around a lot for it. It's been a while since they were last in Japan..

[i_peace]

[Keiwa listens to Illya quietly... He's still concerned - it's hard not to be, hearing that a little girl was spending so much time without her parents - but if it's work related, then there might be no helping it, no matter how much people wish it was differently. It doesn't sit well with him but Illya looks so oddly guilty]

Okay. [he sighs softly before giving her a reassuring smile] Is that why you're always working so hard? So that your parents don't have to worry so much?

I think that's pretty commendable.

[he reaches over to pat the top of her head]

But you shouldn't feel like you need to do everything yourself. We're both part of the DU, so if you want help with anything, you should feel free to ask any of us too. [a pause] Oh, since your parents are usually away, should we at least let your guardians know?

[reluctants]

Oh.. That sounds good..

[ See, this is clearly why Junna is the smart one. Illya just nods, clearly impressed by the fact she even thought of this idea in the first place..

.. even if there's still a slight obstacle. ]

But.. do you know how to do that..? [ Apparently Illya isn't really the type to post a whole lot of stuff online, given that she looks a little bit blank as she asks that question.

Then again, she kind of trusts Junna to have that ability. She can do and think of so many things! ]

[ruinedsky]

[ SIGHS INTERNALLY SO DEEPLY he can't even blame her, either, since he used to be the same. Fine. He will live. ]

I don't know if I'm good at it, but I can get by. A friend of mine taught me the basics awhile ago. If the machines are scary, you can start with hand-sewing. Here, we have some pre-cut pieces, you can pin and try to sew a tunic or a boot cover. Those are mostly straight lines.

[thestarknows]

I think I can set it up. I don't know off the top of my head, but...

[Junna thinks about it, hand at her chin.

She did take some classes on web design. Nothing really involved, but... she could check the books and resources she had.]

I think I can set it up if I study a bit.

[ruinedsky]

[ Sylvain chuckles, good natured, and takes the offered card. ]

Guerilla advertising, huh? All right, as you were.

[ He does slip the card into... his armor..... no pockets, and winks in return. ]

A little paint would go well with the costumes, after all.

[ruinedsky]

Yeah, spells tend to make a character more complicated in any game. Gotta make sure they're balanced so there's more rules.

[ NOT THAT HE. IS AN EXPERT NERD OR ANYTHING. ]

[ruinedsky]

No rules no cops no gods, huh. Scoop me up a mix of berry flavors then!

[predecir]

Maybe just a regular fighter, then...

[There's enough new rules without all of this extra stuff!]

[reluctants]

.. I can let them know. I don't think Sella and Liz would mind..

[ They're pretty permissive in that sort of way, after all. That's how Illya ended up in the arcade by herself when she and Keiwa met early on, and clearly she had been there often before too.. ]

But, Keiwa-san. .. um..

[ It's hard to ask.

Because it feels weird to ask. Because she usually keeps all of this to herself. But he seems weirdly understanding of the situation with her parents, so maybe he'll understand this too. ]

Don't you think asking for help is.. bad..?

[i_peace]

[his situation is a bit different from her, but he understands how awkward it can be to talk to strangers about it. If she says that her family is away for work, then - while he kind of hopes her parents at least take the time to call their daughter every now and again - there's not much else he can do for her, is there? Keiwa's own parents were gone, but he had his sister and their uncle's family. So he sympathizes a lot with not wanting to be an extra burden on the people around him...]

Huh? [he tilts his head slightly, confused, before shaking his head 'no'] I don't think so.

Nee-chan says a much; there are some things that can only be accomplished when everyone comes together to help. Knowing when to ask for help is as important as knowing when you can do something on your own too...

[he laughs a little sheepishly] Though it can be hard to figure out when to ask sometimes.

[ruinedsky]

[ Aww he seems kinda disappointed. ]

There are a few fighter types that get a few spells as well. Can always fall back on "whack with sword" for those.

[predecir]

Oh!

[Bruno is intensely aware of any and all signs of disappointment in people around him!]

Well, yeah, that sounds fine then.

[reluctants]

Yeah, I-- I think starting with hand-sewing sounds better..

[ Because those machines are very intimidating. The sort of thing where Illya can't help but worry that she might accidentally get her fingers stuck underneath it - which seems very scary. Hopefully hand-sewing puts a little bit less on the line? Especially since in the worst case scenario she will just have ruined scrap fabric.

So the girl nods, looking like she's trying her best to follow his explanation. ]

And a boot cover sounds like it could be cute..? [ With the right colours, anyway! ] How will I know which lines to make..? Sewing kind of seems like you're really starting from nothing.

[ Which is kind of overwhelming, but she's not backing down right now! Instead she's staring at him with big, attentive eyes. ]

[reluctants]

Amazing.. That really sounds like something you'd say.

[ Or at least - it fits her mental image of Junna, that's for sure. The other is smart! Of course she could figure it out if she'd study it a little bit, much more so than Illya thinks she herself could. She's not even all that handy with a computer, really, since she didn't grow up around them.. ]

If there's anything I can end up doing to help, please let me know..! I don't think it'd be fair to let you do all the work, it's just-- um, I think you'd be better at most of it than I'd be. But I don't mind lending a hand anywhere you think I could help!

[reluctants]

[ She isn't so sure if it's that important to know when to ask for help if you can just attempt - a-and fail, but ssh - to try and solve your problems by yourself anyway, but the part that comes after that definitely seems to capture her, judging by how she glances up at him with wide, surprised eyes. ]

Right? Isn't it?

[ If even an older person like Keiwa thinks that, then it's got to be true, rather than something Illya uniquely struggles with because she's too young or no good.. ]

Isn't it usually easier to just not ask at all? [ Because that's sure the way Illya lives her life.

Usually it's just easier to not ask, even if it makes the struggle in trying to solve the problem worse. ]

[i_peace]

Mhmm.

... Asking is the hard part to be sure. The help you get can make things easier afterwards though. Nee-chan might not have the answers, but when we put our heads together, it's... It feels more manageable when we're together.

[There's an odd pause before Keiwa shuffles a little awkwardly. He thinks back to the last time they met in the Dream Sphere and can't help but worry a bit. Does Illya think she's a burden? (Keiwa sympathizes a little too much with that)]

Think of it like when you go to school... There's a difficult question that you've tried to solve. After a while, wouldn't you go ask your teacher for help? ... It's a little like that. [he huffs a little, like he's not quite happy with that example either]

It's good to try and solve a problem on your own... [a smile] But you shouldn't feel like you need to do everything on your own either.

[thestarknows]

[She blinks. She hesitates a moment -- then Junna smiles and nods.]

I'll ask, Ilya. But... I know you'll be a big help. And I know you're very good at it. And together, I think... we can make this happen!

[reluctants]

[ Keiwa's explanation is a pretty good one, actually.

.. except there's one small problem with it.

The girl already looks a little guilty before she says it, like she doesn't want to say this and potentially undermine his efforts in explaining this to her, but on the other hand-- It feels like she should add this for clarification. So she slowly, shyly says: ]

Um, actually.. If I'm having trouble in class, I don't ask the teacher for help either, Keiwa-san..

[ Yes.

It's that bad. A complex? Illya? W-Why, of course she doesn't have one! This is totally normal thirteen year old behaviour..!! ]

[i_peace]

[he blinks at her for a moment before he sputters, the surprise of it forcing a series of giggles out of him before he could even fully stop himself]

S-sorry, I'm not l-laughing at you.

[hold on, Keiwa takes a breath to get himself back under control]

I'm just... That seems a little extreme?

After all, if there's one person you should feel safe asking questions to, it should be your teacher. [once he's over his initial surprise, he doesn't sound offended or upset by Illya's admission. Maybe some part of him expected as much, after seeing how difficult it's been for the young girl so far. Then, a little more gently;] Can I ask why you don't want to ask for help?

[reluctants]

[ She definitely looks shy about answering. For an entire mix of reasons, really - Keiwa laughing like that, her being reluctant to speak about herself, and then the fact that the answer feels kind of obvious to Illya, to a point where she's not even really sure why he's asking..

But in the end she definitely likes and trusts him enough to answer after all, even if it's a little hesitantly. ]

I mean.. Of course I wouldn't ask. There's so many kids in class. [ It's like she's avoiding directly looking at Keiwa as she speaks about this, instead nervously fidgeting with her hands. ] Wouldn't it be really selfish for me to ask for the teacher's attention when they have so many other kids to help out too..?

[i_peace]

[in fairness to Illya, Keiwa also feels a little bad about laughing at her, especially when she's being this honest with him. It was just very surprising! The sort of thing that would catch anyone off guard, really...

For now, Keiwa listens patiently. Everyone has their reasons, right? And those reasons matter to that person so... The least he could do is try and understand it. In this instance...]

Well, I get it... [a sympathetic nod] It's always hard to ask when you see that someone's already busy.

But Illya-chan is a part of the class too, just like everyone else. Part of growing up is knowing when to try and solve problems yourself... And when to ask people for help too. [he smiles warmly at her] Learning when to ask is also part of growing up! ... Or so Nee-chan likes to remind me.

Truthfully... [another laugh] It's something I forget about too.