Spring Celebration [OPEN TO ALL]

[stringmods]

Who: Everyone
Where: All around the city
Summary: Open!
Warnings: None

Spring had finally arrived in Hinoto-Ri, and with it, a sense of renewal. The cold winter had gone, sweeping away memories of Shadows, endlessly repeating days, and awkward Valentine's Day escapades. A great deal of the damage to the city had been restored since the previous fall(although there is still damage from the Aries battle, but what else is new) and the gentle sun shining overhead in the midst of clear skies and a fresh breeze made it easy to forget that Hinoto-Ri was such a volatile place.

Life in the city goes on. And while there was no official government-hosted festival this year, the cherry trees throughout Capricorn remain present to be enjoyed, nonetheless. The first cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom and the pink blossoms are surely the most beautiful sight there is to see in Hinoto-Ri...



Tens of thousands of trees dotted the park's landscape, but it was the Cherry trees that were the stars of the weekend, the pink petals creating a heavenly smell only enhanced by the small stalls that were busy selling hot yakitori (grilled chicken on sticks), takoyaki (octopus balls on sticks), shioyaki (Salty grilled sea bream on sticks ) and kakigori (Shaved ice with syrup, not on a stick).

The prime picnic places were being taken and families grouped together to eat homemade lunches and bento, but there were still many spots and trees to go under should you wish to do so with friends. Young couples walked hand in hand and many young students sat under the trees, reading books or playing games.

Underneath a particularly large tree, the temples and shrines of the city have once again set up an area for O-Mikuji, where it was possible to get a fortune. 5 yen is the luckiest, though any offering will do.

There are, naturally, many other opportunities for the Visitors now that the weather is warming up. Picnics in the park, trawling the increasingly lively street-side stalls for trinkets and vendor food like takoyaki and yakitori, spending more time at night fighting demons during the 13th Hour now that it's not freezing cold...

Well, perhaps the last one isn't quite so fun. But the demons, too, seem bolder now that the weather has changed - with the exception of the Frosts, of course.

[OOC - Open log for all players! Start your own threads! have a picnic under the plants, eat a bunch of food or join others, mingle to your heart's content, tomorrow the ability to buy fortunes will be posted, and your character's fates may gain something new.

ETA: Fortunes will be delayed due to unexpected real life circumstances.]

Comments

[hachitaro]

[His tail wags happily and he sits down properly, grinning.]

But it's always tasty, no matter what he cooks. Maybe Ayumu should get a job as a chef in some elite restaurant... cooking for the big shots!

[bondsofsuffering]

[Hizumi will also flop down, having finished setting everything else out.]

He's the one with God's grace! He could probably get away with it if he tried.

[melodyoflogic]

[He pulls out some cups, setting them next to the thermos, as well as plates and utensils.

And then more containers that he pulls out from under a cloth. Just how much did he pack?]

I've had a lot of practice. [And he enjoyed cooking. Besides, it always cheered his sister up when he had something nice prepared for her after work....]

But practice doesn't replace education.

[hachitaro]

Well, I bet we could find some kind of culinary school, or find someone to take you on as an apprentice. If that's something you want to do, I mean.

[bondsofsuffering]

[And Hizumi will just be picking up the containers to open them up and nonchalantly check what's inside.]

Most chefs would probably cry from joy to get an apprentice like Ayumu. He already knows his way around a kitchen - I wonder how much they could teach him?

[melodyoflogic]

[Wow, such praise.

Though no, really, Ayumu actually seems a little flustered from his expression. Hopefully Hizumi is distracted from that by the ginger fried chicken he finds in one of the containers he opens. There's also grilled vegatables as well as two containers of onigiri, and one or two other dishes.]

I had to. We'd both get sick if my sister cooked.

[hachitaro]

It's still really impressive. I can cook but it doesn't even get close to what you can do.

[Onigiri! Taro starts nomming on it, tail going a mile a minute, so they get a break from tanuki chatter for the moment.]

[bondsofsuffering]

Your sister's that bad, huh?

[And oh yes, he sure is digging into that chicken. Hopefully he'll actually remember to leave some behind for the others.]

[melodyoflogic]

She mixes up sugar and salt when she cooks. [Yes, that bad. Ayumu picks up his own onigiri from the second container, taking a bite and settling in to eat.]

[hachitaro]

[That's terrible. 8( Taro frowns but continues eating, eventually flopping over and pawing the crumbs into his mouth. He still has some sticking to his fur, though.]

I've never really done cherry blossom viewing before. Maybe once when I was younger... but there aren't really a lot of cherry blossom trees in America outside of botanical gardens and stuff. Not as many as are here.

[bondsofsuffering]

So people like that exist outside of fiction, huh...

[In a way, that's kind of amazing... He chews thoughtfully for a moment before continuing.]

It's been a long time since I went flower viewing in my world.

[melodyoflogic]

My brother took me once, when I was really little.

[He could barely remember it, though. He takes another bite of the onigiri, chewing and swallowing before continuing.]

So it's been a while for me, too.

[hachitaro]

Ah, really? Huh. I thought it was more common in Japan. But I haven't been there in a long time, so I guess I'm kind of out of touch with what people do there now.

[bondsofsuffering]

Well, we're probably a bad example. I mean, I was in the US for a few years, so I didn't exactly go then. And by the time I came back, there was too much other stuff going on.

[Remember the kinds of kids you're talking to here, Taro.]

I think most people go every year if they can set aside the time!

[melodyoflogic]

Yeah, I never got around to it.

[It was a weak excuse, if anything. The reality was he didn't really have anyone to go with.]

[hachitaro]

Ah, okay.

[He sits up again and pulls the beer out of the bag.]

Here. ... Stop being a good kid for once in your life, Ayumu, and have a drink.

[bondsofsuffering]

Yeah Ayumu, have a drink!

[Hizumi m...ight be reaching over to grab one himself.]

[melodyoflogic]

No thank you. [Bluntly. Sorry, Taro, but he's not exactly keen on getting illegally tipsy at 16. His gaze moves from Taro to Hizumi as he shoots his fellow teen a pointed look.]

You shouldn't be drinking, either.

[hachitaro]

Aw, you're so boring sometimes, Ayumu. You're a teenager! You're supposed to be rebellious and do stupid things. That's what being a teenager is all about!

[bondsofsuffering]

Are you going to tell on me if I do?

[Beer GET. He opens it up, taking a defiant drink.]

...Hey, this stuff isn't half-bad.

[melodyoflogic]

Who am I going to tell? [The only adult here was the one giving them the beer.]

Just don't get drunk this time and start babbling in french.

[hachitaro]

Please not French. I never did well in French. My mouth doesn't move that way.

[bondsofsuffering]

Vraiment? Mais c'est une si belle langue!

[Driiiink.]

Also, I think that was Swahili.

[melodyoflogic]

Whatever it was. [You got drunk in the same room as Yaiba. That says more than enough for Ayumu to be concerned, alright.]

[hachitaro]

... Sure.

[Driiiiiink. Ayumu you're boring.]

We should have more picnics now that the weather's nicer.