Ingress' 10th Birthday Party Extravaganza!

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Out by the lake, there is a large construction dedicated to the 10th birthday of Lady Ingress of the House of Arch. Ingress has had birthday parties on this site before - there was a birthday princess ball her 7th year, a playground party for her 6th.

This party is different from either of those. Tom, Door, and Ingress worked on the design for months.

There are three ways to get into the birthday party.

Guests can go through the hedge maze. It's enchanted, of course, but the walls shift places at a docile rate. The path is wide and firm, so this is the easiest way to enter the party.

Guests might also try the obstacle course of tubes to crawl through, walls to climb, ropes to swing over deep ball pits, curly slides to fling themselves down. The only enchantment on this entrance are anti-falling charms.

Or guests can bounce through the giant bouncy castle!

Once they've passed through either of the three entrances,they will enter the clearing for the birthday party proper. Picnic blankets are spread out over the grass, and there are plenty of chairs scattered about. Paper lanterns float above people's heads with purple and green streamers linking them together.

A long table overflows with plenty of cold water, birthday treats, and other refreshments. There is a cake with lots of icing roses, of course, and ice cream. Each guest may help him or herself to a Wizarding cracker in a large basket at one end of the table, and there is space beside it for gifts, should guests wish to bring one. Gifts are not expected, however.

Most importantly, there is Ingress, a little girl in the comfortable gray uniform of a Herald-in-training, who is not so little anymore.

Come and have fun!

Comments

Re: Hedge Maze

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"Oh."

X considers this. Carefully.

"You are not lost?"

Re: Hedge Maze

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"Only for a minute and that's just for fun. If you get lost too long, the hedges will open up for you so you can get to somewhere. It's not supposed to be scary. It's supposed to be like a- a puzzle!"

Re: Hedge Maze

[cutting_edgex23]

X considers that, too.

"Feigning getting lost is useful?"

Re: Hedge Maze

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She bites her lip, thinking hard.

"What is feigning? I forgot."

Re: Hedge Maze

[cutting_edgex23]

"Pretending," X offers.

Carefully.

"I do not know if staying in one place would be effective, too."

Re: Hedge Maze

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"Right, pretending. I'm not sure if it's useful, but it's fun. I mean, you can pretend you're lost, then figure out the way out, and then you've solved the problem."

Re: Hedge Maze

[cutting_edgex23]

There is a moment where X looks faintly baffled.

It passes.

"Solving it is easier."

Probably.

Re: Hedge Maze

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"Um, it's like a game, too. A puzzle game. Just for fun. Hey, do you want some cake and ice cream? We have lots."

Even at ten, Ingress is learning when to change the subject.

Re: Hedge Maze

[cutting_edgex23]

"Okay," X says.

Beat.

"There is root beer, too?"

She can hope, right?

Re: Hedge Maze

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"We can get you some. We have punch and cold water for running around. But Tom can go inside and get you whatever you like."

Tom is good for stuff like that.

Re: Hedge Maze

[cutting_edgex23]

X hardly considers it.

"Water is okay."

It will cut the sugar.

A lot.

X is going to need it.

Re: Hedge Maze

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The hedge before them shifts into a new path.

"When it does that it means we're almost to the end."

Ingress is wise to the ways of this hedge maze.

Re: Hedge Maze

[cutting_edgex23]

X frowns slightly, making note of the change.

Then --

"Okay."

She will remember in case there is a next time.

Re: Hedge Maze

[smallestopener]

Ingress leads the way and with another turn and another shift of the hedge, they are out of the maze.

"I'll go get you some water. I'm practicing being a good host."

She runs ahead to the refreshment table.