Many modern holidays have rather strange origins. For instance, Christmas has its roots in ancient solstice rituals that long preceded Christianity and were adapted by the church to redirect pagan worshiping. And that's just one of the mainstream holidays. There are several holidays that are much more localized and have unusual traditions, even if they have been altered with the times.
Songkran is a holiday celebrated mainly in Thailand. It was originally meant to celebrate the Thai New Year, though it is considerably later in the season compared to other places' new years. An important part of that celebration was the pouring of water over Buddha statues, the young, and the elderly as a purification ritual. Over time, the holiday changed. The official New Year began on January 1. The water purification has become a water festival, which mainly manifested as a big water fight in the cities.
As at least a quarter of the people who had been rescued from the human trafficking ring that had settled on Heiya Island were from Thailand, they wanted to celebrate Songkran there as well. And of course, Animalians don't pass up the opportunity to have good, clean fun. Quite a bit of preparation went into this, including stocking up on water balloons and water guns.
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"So, the idea is getting someone wet so they can be cleansed?" asked Shuixing.
"That's pretty much it," said Liao.
"Sounds more like a summer thing than spring," said Shuixing.
"You do know how hot it gets in this part of the world, right?" asked Liao.
"We might not be on the equator, bur there's a reason it's called the dry season," said Huoxing.
"There's really no harm," said Liao, "I hear that Americans have water fights all the time, usually near swimming pools."
"Well, I guess we ought to get ready," said Shuixing. She turned and bent over to grab something when a water balloon splashed on her backside. She looked behind her. Huoxing and Liao both tried to look innocent, but it was pretty clear one of them threw that balloon. "I am warning you..." said Shuixing in a stern voice. The other two gulped a bit at that. Shuixing stood up and turned, a large pot of water in her hands. "Water is my element," she said before throwing the contents at the two of them.
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Visitors to Heiya Island were quick to join in the fun. Joanne and Nicole Fennel had brought their fiances to Heiya Island for a vacation, perhaps a bit of practice before their eventual honeymoons. When they heard about the water festival going on, they prepared accordingly.
"Pretty risky bringing a thin, cotton shirt like that," said Nicole, "Wouldn't want it getting too wet."
"Oh please, you'll need to do better than that to scare off your mother," said Joanne, "I got up on your stage. You think I'd be afraid of a little water?"
"They are wearing swimsuits under their clothes, right?" muttered Philip.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they actually are going commando," muttered Lars.
"I heard that," said Nicole and Joanne at the same time, their large fennec ears swiveling back.
"I thought these ears are more for heat radiation," said Lars.
"They also make it easier to pick up sounds," grumbled Morgan. She didn't know why she had to accompany them other than what was presumably humiliation.
"Do cheer up," said Joanne, "I'm sure there's a lot to enjoy here."
"Not that you'll let me enjoy it," said Morgan.
Suddenly, Nicole shouted, "Look out! It's a two-headed, four-armed snake!"
Morgan gave her a disbelieving look and said, "That's the second worst distraction I ever-" Just then, four jets of water hit Morgan, making her yelp.
"They're also well-armed," said Philip.
Morgan sputtered and wiped the water from her face. "This trip had better be worth it," she grumbled.
"Oh it will get better," said Nicole.
"And it will also get wetter," said Joanne.