Autumn Festival (OPEN)

[stringmods]

Who: EVERYONE
Where: Virgo Ward
Summary: Autumn Festival Log! You're all invited!
Warnings: MELONS
Ahh Autumn. The time for harvest, and the normal national holiday that falls on the 24th and 25th. Demons? Angels? Magic? Well nothing's been put on pause, but even the Anoli need to relax once in a while...

With that free time, what's a newcomer like you to do?

Well Hinoto-Ri has much to offer! As they seem to be the only standing city in...well, anywhere, they've tried to merge and adapt as many festivals around the world as they can.

Ergo this Fall festival is a mixture of everything the world could offer. Corn on the cob, Pumpkins, Yaki Imo (Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes), Ramen stands, Falafel, caramelized apples...

A giant dragon is tied down in the middle of the waters. At night, you can see a few pixies hover close to it, keeping other monsters at bay. The streets have been decorated as well.

But most importantly, the upper Virgo Ward has been turned in a giant festival area...even more so than usual! Now the millions of stalls don't just try to sell things to you, they sell things to you thematically with this fall! Giant pumpkins and fresh produce made in Libra and Capricorn..did you know that Capicorn has an amazing giant apple orchid, protected by the office of Wands and Swords? Try out some free samples! One taste is enough to convince you that having Persona to irrigate the fields ass a crispness to the fruit..right? Winter outfits...hats are in this year! Listen to some of the new music groups, and get pumped for the upcoming movies!

There is giant mooncake in the middle of all the tents and stalls. Don't worry about the money! Everything's free today! It is a time for sharing and family and...

...being thankful for what you have. No matter how small it might be.

For a city of survivors, Hinoto-Ri is certainly trying to have a good time.

You should join them.

Comments

[themortalhalf]

Fish can't be cute.

"Not up to the challenge?"

Aki had usually gone for the faster ones when they were kids. But did she just want to try to catch a few, or was she actually wanting to take some home? If that was the case, maybe she should be aiming for the ones that aren't so aggressively energetic. At least it was swimming, though. The mostly immobile ones probably wouldn't last long.

[greatseal]

"Only one way to find out."

She'd rather not have her new fish expire from stress the day she brings it home. Plus, now he's challenged her (sort of) so she has to make the attempt. She picks up the scoop and bowl provided for the game and leans over the tank, searching for an opening.

[themortalhalf]

There's nowhere for him to lean against—no crevice to disappear into—so Shinjiro stays where he is. He keeps just behind her, though he's forced to move to the left as a bunch of little kids shove past him. He's not going to say a word. She's on her own for this one.

[greatseal]

Minako watches with the same keen eye that she uses to counter a serve in a volleyball match. She scoops, once- and the fish darts away from the strike. Fortunately, the paper scoop doesn't tear.

Then Akihiko-fish makes the mistake of swimming into the corner. Minako seizes her chance and scoops him into the bowl.

"Got him!" Energized, she turns back to grin at Shinjiro and display her prize... and bumps directly into one of the little boys crowding around to try their own luck. She stumbles, but catches herself too late. Her side clips the tank and she topples directly towards the waiting water.

[themortalhalf]

You don't survive Tartarus without having something in the way of reflexes. So when she starts to fall, he reacts. He barely even has to think. He hardly even needs to move really, just lunge forward a step and grab her hand—her long-sleeved kimono makes it something of a challenge—acting as a counterbalancing anchor, pulling her firmly in his direction, opposite of where gravity had intended her to go.

He has no idea where the her prize went—he assumed the fish made a gallant leap to freedom while there was a distraction—but he'll figure that out later.

"Idiot," he says, letting her find her feet while some of the kids stop and stare, though some giggle, while others are completely oblivious. It certainly would have been a hell of a spectacle if she had fallen in. You can't explore the festival in a wet silk kimono. "You're gonna end up terrifying the damn things."

1/2

[greatseal]

Spectacle indeed, considering her kimono is mostly white. She at least has the decency to look truly sheepish after the rescue.

"Thanks, senpai..." It really had been close. "...Oh, the fish!"

She turns back to the bowl she was holding, but most of the water is gone and the fish is nowhere to be seen. "Oh no..."

2/2

[greatseal]

And then, a strange fluttering, ticklish feeling has her clapping her hands to her chest.

It seems Akihiko did make a gallant leap to freedom after all. Just in the wrong direction, and directly down the front of her outfit.

1/2

[themortalhalf]

It takes exactly five seconds for Shinjiro to figure out just where "Akihiko" had ended up, and just a split-second more for his face to redden.

So it's still alive then. The poor bastard. There ain't no map for where he is.

[themortalhalf]

He's also not getting his friend's namesake out of there either. The goldish is on its—his? (whatever)—own.

By some miracle the stall's owner had also been watching, and had the intelligence to figure out just what had happened. All Shinjiro has to do is hold out a hand, and he receives a plastic bag full of water, a tie to close the bag with, and an apologetic bow in what can only be sympathy.

"Come on." Better get the goldfish out before it gets asphyxiated. There's a secluded spot behind the booth. She can also have his coat. He's already taking it off.

[greatseal]

If she were less preoccupied with how weird this feels... and could also read minds... she'd be a little insulted at how Shinjiro is reacting. Really, the fish should be honored.

"--I'm sorry." Wait, why is she apologizing?! It was the fish's fault! Or that little boy. Or both.

Regardless, it was an accident, and she doesn't want the fish to die because of it. "Let's hurry then-"

And she marches with him behind the stall. If he's not going to help her she's just going to have to fish the fish out herself.

[themortalhalf]

Perhaps if Akihiko junior had any concept of where he was, maybe he would be currently dying with a little more ecstatic dignity.

He leads her to an empty corner. "Dunno why the hell you're apologizing."

Shinjiro's just not going to, you know, let his hand dive in and get the goldfish out. He can only imagine how that would look like if someone were to walk past. Shinjiro hands her his coat. It'll be big enough for her to do what she needs and not worry about anyone seeing something they shouldn't. She can even have his hat if she needs to. He'll hold the bag. With any luck, she won't need to have anything untied. He'll just... stand in front of her and keep his back turned or something

[greatseal]

"...Because you're bright red and in public." Really, this might be the brightest blush she's ever seen on him.

Fortunately he's right, and she doesn't need to untie anything to get the fish out. The coat is a little unnecessary, but since he offered it she keeps it draped around her as she rifles around and soon pulls out the poor fish from a very un-watery near-grave.

"Open the bag for me?"

[themortalhalf]

He shrugs his shoulders.

The lights were most definitely off that one night then.

But it'll go away. Give it a few seconds. At the rate she's going, he'll soon be desensitized to whatever absurd situations she can get herself into by October. Then he'll be as stoic of a man as he ever was.

He opens the bag. "Put him in."

[greatseal]

And all this coming from a man who claims to be a tough, streetwise, delinquent punk and all around not-nice guy. It's no wonder she never believed him.

She drops the fish into water. He flicks his tail once, as though to say 'About time.' (Or maybe, 'I've been waiting for this'?) Then he starts swimming circles around the perimeter of the bag, enthusiasm undampened.

"...Do you think we should still call him Akihiko?"

[themortalhalf]

We?

"I don't care what you call him." He holds out the bag tie for her to take. Might as well stop him from giving round two a go. "He's your fish. Name him what you want."

Not sure how Aki would react to the dubious honor though.

[greatseal]

"You helped, you should at least get a say." And she's still worried the fish will end up dying of stress after that ordeal. ...Although from the way he's swimming around, it's probably unlikely. It's just as durable as Akihiko himself.

"...I don't have a fishbowl either. We'll have to get one before going home." Minako, you should have thought of this part first.

[themortalhalf]

He's not going to deny that the goldfish seems durable. He has a lot of stamina for a creature only two inches long. How much time had he spent out of the water? A minute or so?

Best not push the fish's luck, though. He'll have to survive the rest of festival first. Then the transition to the bowl—though they probably should just buy a small tank if they want him to be healthy. It's a inadequate cage that kills them fastest.

"I didn't do a thing. But if you're naming him that, you're explaining things." Could maybe mess with kanji readings to Akihiko's name, but whatever. She can name it what she wants.

If the fish had been his, it likely would have remained nameless—at least in public.

[greatseal]

"I'm sure he won't mind." Besides, any objections he might have will just get ignored.

Unaware of how Shinjiro is already planning the best route for the health and welfare of Akihiko II, she finishes tying the bag and then hands him his coat back.

[themortalhalf]

He slips on his coat. Feels his sense of composure coming back. "Probably not."

He might have a hard time believing she wasn't part of his fanclub, though. He's not sure how big Aki's fanclub has gotten, but he's pretty sure Aki has more than just a goldfish named after him by now. Like imaginary future children.

"One of those things all you want?"

[greatseal]

Hey, she's no more a member than Ken is... which... might actually be true. But regardless, she just respects him as a friend and invaluable teammate. A slightly eccentric one who's fun to tease now and again.

"...I don't think it's worth risking all that again for another." She can just go to a pet store and buy one if she feels the urge to give him his own fish fanclub.

[themortalhalf]

And name a goldfish after.

He snorts. He has to agree with her on that one, going back would be risky business, though there are other stalls. He's still not sure who won the round: her or the fish. ('Did you see that, Shinji?')

He waits for her to take the lead. She's the one who wanted to go to the festival, not him.

"Wouldn't want another little kid to knock you down." It sounds mocking, but there's of more of a good-natured sense to it underneath. He has a reputation to uphold, you know. Can't just start saving people when they feel like having a bizarre moment of weakness. He doesn't have to save idiots.

[greatseal]

"You'd catch me again if that happened." Just like he'd fix her sandals if she broke one. Or headbutt a shady guy if she got into trouble. He may say he wouldn't save an idiot, but she has his number by now.

She places Akihiko into the purse she's been wearing so he won't be swung around too much as they explore the festival. Then, she reaches for Shinjiro's hand. "Are you hungry? There's great food around here! And Minato's been doing karaoke..." She got a video of that earlier, for posterity.

[themortalhalf]

He stares at her soundly as though to challenge her assumptions, but ends up just shrugging his shoulders. "Food's fine." She may have to dig his hand out of his coat pocket though. It's trying very hard to not betray its master while in public. He'll eventually let her have it if she insists, though.

"And I think your brother's still over there." Looking foolish, he might add. Minato's singing was fine; his ridiculous dance-like flourishes were not. He had passed Minato on his way here, and had stayed just long enough for the two of them acknowledge each other's presence. Shinjiro knew better than to linger there for very long.

[greatseal]

If she can't have his hand, she'll just take his arm. That's how she rolls.

"It's funny how outgoing he is when he wants to be." One of the few instances when they really display their family similarity. Even though it's the first time she's actually seen it from the grown-up version, she'd expected it. She'd met Elizabeth and seen how well he got along with her. And in the distant past, he'd imitated enough of her childhood antics when prompted for her to know he has a silly side.

[themortalhalf]

She can have his arm without protest.

He recalls where some of the food stalls are—might have to stop at the booths where they're displaying the fresh produce to see if there's anything decent to take home later when he has a mind to ditch the place and retreat back to the apartments—and starts to walk in that direction.

"You don't sound surprised."