Best wishes in the coming year!

[fools_journey]

Who: SEES + Ryoji + Pharos + any guests they invited
Where: The cafe where the Arisato twins work. Seems they got permission from their boss to host a party there, provided they clean up afterwards.
When: Forward dated to December 31st into January 1st
Summary: Celebrating the coming of the New Year - and celebrating the fact that this world, at least, shows no signs of ending in a month.
Warnings: battle panties, some guy with a scarf flirting with all the ladies, oh and spoilers for Persona 3, in case you're worried about those at this point.

New Years eve was a time stamped firmly into the memories of most of SEES - the night when they had to make the choice between facing death and the end of the world head on or closing their eyes and ears and forgetting so that the end would take them blissfully unawares. But of course, none of them had opted for the latter, and now here they were on another New Year's Eve. But instead of sitting solemnly together, they had decided to celebrate - that they were here and alive and that the world had not ended.

And so the Arisato twins had gotten a space ready (the cafe where they worked was closed for the evening, and they'd somehow managed to arrange for its use all the same), and now it was time to party!

Comments

[GIFT EXCHANGE]

[fools_journey]

[ And part of any good party is a good sharing of gifts to celebrate! ]

[MINGLE]

[the_usual_stuff]

[Now that the Jack Frost aren't running wild out on the streets, the weather had returned to normal and the soft white dots of snowflakes drift down from the dull gray skies of the evening.

Inside the cafe, it's pleasantly warm and everything's ready, so I guess you should feel free to mingle away!]

[the_usual_stuff]

[Over at one of the tables, Pharos is seated, unaware of the signification of this date to the members of SEES or to his older self though he knew the importance of the holiday. The small child sipped his drink (milk) and watched the party avidly.]

[fools_journey]

[ Minato does come over at some point to put a plate with two cookies on it in front of Pharos. He smiles and takes a seat next to him, having also brought over a cup of something to drink himself. ]

Hey. You doing okay?

[ Pharos is, after all, a kid, deathly shadow or not, and Minato wants to make sure he's not too bored. ]

[the_usual_stuff]

[Oh gosh, cookies, do cookie go well with milk? Let's see. Pharos accepts the plate with a small smile on his pale face and takes a couple bites from one of the cookies.]

Hello. Of course, Minato.

[He's fine; observing all of the Arisatos' friends as they party is entertainment enough for him. This is a kid who is easily amused.]

[fools_journey]

Good.

[ Cookies go very well in milk! ]

Hm. Do you suppose the next Thirteenth Hour counts as this year or next?

[ This is something Pharos might know, right? ]

[nyxterious]

Hey. Are you having fun, Pharos?

[hey little bro self. It was good to have him around... ! Christmas would definitely be fun to celebrate with him.]

[the_usual_stuff]

Hello, Ryoji. Yes, I think I am! Are you?

[yo older bro self. If Pharos actually cared about the holidays beyond them granting him a chance to expression affection, he would return the sentiment of looking forward to celebrating with him and enjoying having him around.]

[nyxterious]

I am, yes! I always like gatherings like this, it's fun to talk to everyone. Especially with how long it's felt since I've had a normal conversation with all of them.

what is organization

[themortalhalf]

[At least this place has a decent kitchen.

Shinjiro arrives at the café just before the party is set to begin, bringing with him a large tray full of colorful rice cakes of various flavors that he had frozen a few days previous. It was the last of the food that needed to be brought in (as far as he knew, anyway) and wouldn't take long to thaw.

The rest of the food was being kept warm in the ovens or on the stoves, ready to be set out on the tables whenever they particularly felt like eating. Maybe they'd all wait until midnight—hell if he knew, really. Not like he had celebrated New Years all that often, except when he was a kid. Holidays, more often than not, are content to pass him by unnoticed and mostly ignored, while parties are hardly Shinjiro's forté, nor are they his personal idea of a good time (or so he has convinced himself over the years.) But here he is anyway.

As the hours pass, he can probably be found loitering in some corner or other after engaging in some mandatory conversation forced upon him, trying very hard to stay away from any of the more ridiculous games and avoiding the mistletoe some idiot had neglected or forgotten to take down. He lives for standing in corners, really. Just because he's here doesn't mean he has to be some goddamn social butterfly.]

[fools_journey]

[ Minato is not the most social of butterflies, either. Not that he won't bask in the light of the company of others, lighting beside each of his friends and being ever willing to land beside a perfect stranger. But friendliness and enjoying the company of others isn't the same as being the center of a party, and above all, Minato has always preferred to listen quietly. So it should not therefore be all that surprising that eventually he winds up loitering on the edge, too.

But unlike Scowls McAragaki, Minato is smiling a little as he holds out a cup of something or other out for Shinjiro to take and drink with a cookie balanced on the rim. And once senpai takes it (and he better not be rude and refuse), Minato looks out at the rest of the party there and takes a sip out of his own drink. ]

I hope you're not too unhappy to be dragged out for this.

[ He knows your antisocial tendencies. ]

[themortalhalf]

[ He takes the drink offered him with a nod of thanks, plucking the cookie off the rim. He may be anti-social, but at least he has a few rules regarding food.

He shrugs at Minato's question, however. ]

It's fine.

[ And... it is, oddly enough. Shinjiro has no real appetite for mingling around—never has, honestly. And there's a very loud part of him that rebels at the idea of participating in something even remotely silly—all the games and shit—like he might lose something upon doing so, besides of just feeling like a goddamn moron, but... But sitting back like this and watching people enjoy what they're supposed to enjoy—that's fine. That part he doesn't mind, but would never admit. ]

Ain't anything worth complaining about.

[fools_journey]

Good.

... we're glad you came.

[ And he smiles, because he means it. And says nothing further, because there's nothing more to say that's not just filling in space with words, and that is utterly unnecessary with Shinjiro. Besides, he's pretty sure his sister is going to want to break out the party games in a little while, and it's good to seize this reprieve while it's here! ]

[greatseal]

[Minako has been busy bustling all over, arranging the food and supervising the activities. If you're here, she's certain to have spoken with you at some point... but someone might need to tell her to sit down and just enjoy herself a little.]

[fools_journey]

Sit down and enjoy yourself a bit.

[ Conveniently, her lazy brother does just that, tugging on her sleeve and gesturing towards and empty table where he's got two cups of something and a plate of snacks. ]

[greatseal]

I am enjoying myself!

[but fine she'll sit with him since he was so insistent. These look good...]

[helenchanted]

[Someone is coming in, with the traditional Kadomatsu]

[themortalhalf]

[Shinjiro raises an eyebrow as he watches her make her way inside.]

Not gonna leave it out front?

[KING'S GAME]

[greatseal]

[Because what is a party without party games, right?

When the hour starts moving towards late, and people have loosened up a little, Minako appears with a cup filled with labeled sticks.]

Hey, everyone! Why don't we take a break and play something fun!

[themortalhalf]

[Fun? What is this "fun" you speak of?

He'll pass.

And watch silently from his corner.]

[fools_journey]

[ Nope.

Shinjiro is required to play. If he doesn't voluntarily come over, he might find himself being nudged and encouraged. ]

[themortalhalf]

[Go away.]

[empressive]

[>...Fun

>A cup with sticks.

You know, Mitsuru's not an expert on this so called idea of 'fun' you all have, but she is questioning this right away. Whatchu plannin' girl?]

A game? I hope you're willing to explain the rules for us, Arisato.

[greatseal]

Of course, senpai. This is a great party game called the "King's Game."

[She takes the sticks out of the cup and holds them in a bundle so the ends aren't visible.] Each person draws a stick... One of the sticks is colored and the others have numbers on them. The person with the colored stick is the "King" and gets to give orders to the numbers, without knowing who each number belongs to.

[The fun is only increased because they're missing Junpei to give really terrible orders.

...Although they still have Ryoji and her]

[risetocaesar]

[Akihiko looks reasonably suspicious about this King's Game business.]

What kind of orders?