005 | Sakura In The Night

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Cherry blossom viewing
When: Nighttime March 26, 2016
Where: A park with sakura trees
Summary: Heaven is throwing a small party to view the sakura and let everyone relax.



After the absolute disaster that happened with handing out chocolates, the Heavens are tripping over themselves to make up for their inability to properly handle the situation. They are eager to make amends and assure everyone that they are hardworking individuals who want nothing more than to make everyone's stay here enjoyable or at least pleasant. To that end, they have invited all of the gods and shinki to a lovely flower viewing, since the sakura are in season.

And by 'invited', they mean 'mandatory', of course. You will accept their apology, whether you like it or not.

It's not all bad, though. The Heavens have provided various kimonos that can be worn, if you haven't brought your own, but you're not required to wear a kimono. They would, however, really like it if you did wear them. It's very traditionally Japanese, after all.

The party is taking place at night so that you can all hide your merrymaking from the Near Shore residents and also because the night sky is beautiful against the cherry blossoms. So try to at least enjoy yourselves while you're here.



Banquet

Every kind of food imaginable is available for your eating pleasure. On top of that, there are dozens of different kinds of desserts ready to be devoured as well. For the older crowd, booze has been provided and is being served by white-clad shinki bearing the golden chrysanthemum of Amaterasu. They are, however, refusing to serve alcohol to anyone who looks too young to drink, sorry guys.

Cherry Blossoms

The blossoms are absolutely gorgeous this year, and they are at the peak of their blooming right now. Nearly every single bud has bloomed and the pink petals are floating by everywhere you go. There is an ethereal light emanating from each of the trees, lighting up the area with a soft, pink light, yet it doesn't seem to be drowning out the brightness of the stars at all. It really is the most beautiful cherry blossom viewing anyone could ever hope for.

"Secret" Corner

Somehow, the Heavens have managed to make one small corner of the grotto into a completely secluded area. There is no marking or signs to indicate what this corner should be used for, but anyone entering it will suddenly realize that this is a place for lovers to meet privately. Only those that you enter the corner with will be able to notice your presence, and you will be unable to notice anyone else's presence as well. Enjoy yourselves, young ones!

Counselling

Off to the side, there is a tiny table set up with a small, nicely written sign that reads "Gentle Counselling". On the other side of the table is a sweetly smiling shinki who is willing to listen to your problems and answer any questions you might have. She is also here to help out any gods that are having a hard time dealing with knowing about how their shinki died and any shinki that is having trouble coming to terms with the fact that they are dead. Counselling will also gladly be offered to anyone who is still pissed off or upset in any way about what happened after White Day.



In Summary:

• Enjoy the cherry blossoms
• Eat lots of good food
• Promise it's not poisoned
• Spend time with people you like
• Meet the newbies
• Have fun~

Comments

will match format;

[shufu]

banquet (sort of); ota

[shufu]

[When Horikawa learned that they were to celebrate the annual cherry blossom viewing he knew what he had to do. The banquet provided by Heaven was absolutely resplendent and when it came to the variety of food, they didn't leave anyone wanting for much. But there's something to appreciate about enjoying a traditional bento, while relaxing beneath the canopy of branches as their drop their petals like snow.

Horikawa is set up on a traditional straw mat with dozens of lacquer boxes around him filled with things like onigiri and picked vegetables and karaage and any other kinds of food associated with the event. There's even a stack of bento boxes just filled with desserts like different kinds of mochi -- sakura mochi of course -- and piles of dango. He'd invited his god and his fellow shinki to join him but there's more than enough to go around for dozen more.]

Here. Help yourself. [Is that some sakura ice cream he's offering? It sure is.]

[galactically]

[They say a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Other than music and the presence of someone who treats Sheryl as well, Sheryl, sweets is one way to win her over. She stops to take a glimpse at the amount of food surrounding this person, distracted but most definitely impressed by so many delicious treats.

Initially surprised at the offer, her blue eyes widen like saucers, but she lets out a tiny, joyful gasp at what she thinks is strawberry ice cream...]

Is that for me? Why, thank you!

[First a perfect stranger offers Sheryl daifuku mochi, now this? She must be blessed.]

[shufu]

Of course! I thought you could use some. [If they were going by palette it was certainly a good match. And Sheryl looked like someone who could appreciate the refined tasted.

Although if she's expecting strawberry she'll receive a bit of a surprise. Sakura has a delicate sweet flavor with a slightly tart punch from the pickled leaves woven through the mix. Not unlike a sakura mochi in frozen form.]

[galactically]

[Sheryl reaches for the bowl of sakura ice cream, holding it gingerly with both hands before she takes a small spoonful of it. The taste is certainly refined; it's sweet yet surprisingly tart. Her eyes widen a little at the ice cream hitting her tongue, and she makes a pleased sound in the back of her throat.]

How floral... nothing like a strawberry at all, but it still tastes really good!

[And so, she takes another spoonful of it.]

What flavor is this? It's nothing like I've ever had before.

[cloak]

[He might've breezed right on by, half-convinced one of his shinki is liable to find trouble any second and determined to prevent catastrophic injury this time, but the words seem directed at him. And that gives him pause, almost unnaturally freezing on the spot before he turns to regard the owner of that voice.

It's a face he knows - though only from video feeds on Monad's network. He'd never met this particular sword-guy before, but he'd preceded others. There were quite a few in the digital afterlife.

Would this version of that person even remember such things though...?]

...But isn't that yours?

[He gestures at the ice cream, as though the object of conversation needs to be pointed out]

[shufu]

[If he stares for a bit too long, Horikawa doesn't notice. Maybe it was a bit weird offering to the random passerby but if ever there was a time to break out of the norm, hanami was it.]

Well I made it but I can't finish all this all by myself. [Not even all the ice cream, if he's being honest.]

[cloak]

[That response gives rise to another bout of ponderous silence, before he thinks to say anything further]

...Right, you like this kind of thing.

[Making stuff. This sword-guy did that, didn't he?

There had been several of them at one time, however, Roxas doesn't exactly forget anything he does see or read]

Isn't this a lot though?

[returnedfromtheline]

[Yukine (left of center) is just walking along the path when a small army’s worth of bento boxes catches his eye. At the moment there's only one person on the mat, but that’s a lot of (very delicious looking) food. They sure know how to do a hanami right!

And as he passes closer the guy on the straw mat suddenly turns around and is holding out a dish of ice cream to him!
Well, okay then. Twist his rubber arm.]

Really? Thank you. [And he takes the offered dish carefully. With a murmured ‘thank you for the food’ he sticks the spoon in his mouth and -]

Wow-! Sakura, right? This is so good! Where did you get it from? [He’ll just be shoveling it all into his mouth with happy enthusiasm now.]

[shufu]

I'm so glad you think so.

[On one hand, Horikawa does possess a certain confidence in his abilities, whatever the source of them. On the other, as a shinki, every action and every event does carry a thread of novelty as it feels like doing everything for the first time in his very short memory. And then there's the quintessential modesty that follows to round it all out.]

Actually I made it but it's my first time... I think... so I'm sure there's still a lot to improve.

[returnedfromtheline]

[Ah, clearly a shinki then, to be talking like that. Using the spoon to try and catch every bit of melted ice cream he could he grins at the man.]

If you’re thinking of improving, I’d be happy to be your taste tester to help you record your progress. But really, it was delicious. Thank you.

[He hands back the dish and spoon, clean of almost every trace of ice cream.]

[heiancrescent]

[What better way to enjoy a hanami than with a banquet's worth of food? Looking at the generously-filled boxes, this someone has come well-prepared.

Not to mention generous.]

Ah, thank you. This is quite the treat.

[Lightly sweet, floral and yet cold. How lucky was Mikazuki to run into one of his past fellow swords with a knack for cooking.]

[shufu]

That's kind of you to say. [Really, he's beaming.] There's plenty more if you'd like to stay a while.

[And wasn't that just the ploy at work? People have to eat, this way he gets to cross paths with so many of the new and interesting people that reside here. Mikazuki himself looks particularly striking, dressed as he is for such a cultured event and Horikawa wonders how much that says about him.]

[heiancrescent]

You are too kind. I shall gladly partake then.

[A very enticing and the most delicious of ploys, though new and interesting would be a bit debatable, at least to those who still remembered. Would the Sanjou sword's mannerisms somehow remind him of the world they left?

But for now, there is food and drink to enjoy.]

Did you make these yourself? They taste wonderful.

Re: banquet (sort of); ota

[wadoichimonji]

[Zoro can't help but wonder over to Horikawa's nicely set up mat, because the onigiri seemed to be calling his name.]

No thank kid, can I just take the onigiri?

[shufu]

Of course [He reaches for them although he does struggle with what to do with a cone of ice cream -- already dripping on the warm spring day -- while he juggles a box of onigiri as well. But he manages and holds them out.]

Take as many as you like. There's ume and tarako and bonito and ah... tuna.

[wadoichimonji]

[Zoro takes the onigiri, the whole plate, and points with his free thumb to the ice cream.]

You should eat that before it's all over your clothes. Need help?

[He then raises the plate, in thanks.]

I'll eat some and put them back, don't worry. Thank you.

cherry blossoms; ota

[shufu]

cherry blossoms;
[With hanami comes a party and with a party comes alcohol and with alcohol comes a few people letting just a bit too loose. And who can blame them when the trees shimmer at their peak in the ethereal moonlight? Horikawa can.]

No you shouldn't shake them! [He stands his hands on his hips, scolding even as the tree still shudders and one branch has been rendered particularly devoid of its flowers. What a waste.]

[missingache]

[.....................

Excuse Roxas as he stares at you.]

.... why are you yelling at the tree?

[shufu]

Huh? [Excuse him while he stares back equally confused Roxas.] I wasn't. It's the...

[He turns to gesture toward the teens that had just been hanging from the tree branches, making them sway so violently, but it seems they took the distraction as an opportunity to bolt.]

Oh well. At least they stopped.

(ooc: lmao I'm sorry if my prompt wasn't clear bro but this is a great first impression either way 8|b)

[missingache]

[He looks up and... was there someone there before? Probably kids he hadn't noticed because guy randomly yelling. Oh well.]

Maybe they just wanted to help the blossoms fall down?

(ooc: it's all good XD)

secret corner; closed to Kane-san

[shufu]

As the night drags on and the food has been consumed and the party devolves further and further into drunken debauchery Horikawa -- who has only consumed a modest amount himself -- is feeling a bit adventurous and takes to wandering through the labyrinth of picnic blankets and fallen petals that dot the ground like little islands in the microcosm of their secluded park. It's that very solitude that he's seeking out as he drifts further and further from the cacophony and he thinks maybe he's found it as he comes to a area that seems shuttered off from the rest of the world by a wall of bushes and cherry trees..

It's not that he wants to be completely alone, only that he'd prefer the company of those a bit more subdued and as he happens upon the grotto he suspects those of a like mind will be waiting inside.

"Huh? There's no one here?" How strange. This place wasn't particularly difficult to find, nor was it hidden away exactly but he finds himself alone in the space that shines soft and opalescent, with the trees packed so dense that it feels private like a promise. It's so quiet that he can hear the sound of his breath, muffled with no escape and that's when Horikawa realizes it.

Blushing, he decides there's no sense sticking around, but as soon as he turns to leave he runs into someone. They're quiet a bit taller than him so he has to look up and as he does, the first thought that pops into his head is that this person is beautiful. The second is that such a thought was strange and so is the feeling of his chest constricting but he brushes it off as embarrassment at being caught in a place like this. Anyone would realize what it was for and he wouldn't want them to get the wrong idea about him.

"Sorry. I didn't see you."

[nakemen]

If everything was the way it should be, Izuminokami would have instantly drank until he was stupidly drunk. The point of these things was to enjoy yourself and he definitely enjoyed drinking. But he doesn't know anybody and he could easily meet people, easily make them fall in love with him, but he just isn't up for that now. He'd had only a little to drink and he'd tried for more. His heart just wasn't in it. It wasn't like him, but he just wasn't in the mood for much of anything.

Between this and the events back home, things he really did not want to think about, he just wanted to be in his own room in his futon. He sure as hell did not want to be here, playing god. Especially because it seemed like such a pain in the ass. He wanted to talk to the people in person who decided to do this without his permission and he'd yelled at the messenger plenty. But that hadn't done any good, though. Despite everything, this was where he was now. Even being forced to go to this stupid viewing surrounded by all these people he didn't even know.

Until he saw a familiar face and even if everything inside of him said he shouldn't follow, he did anyway because it'd been so long and this was the only face he'd wanted to see but couldn't. Quickly, he's chasing after Horikawa into this place and stares at him until finally Horikawa turns to leave and bumps into him.

Izuminokami's heart breaks when Horikawa definitely doesn't know who he is. He'd known it would happen and he wants to grab him and hold onto him. But he can't. Holding back all these feelings, he instead smirks.

"It's surprising you didn't notice me. It's pretty hard to miss a man like me, don't you think?"

[shufu]

"Excuse me?" And just like that the spell is broken. Looking at this guy now, there's such a juxtaposition between his appearance -- all elegance and refinement and even a sort of natural confident grace in the way he moves -- and the words actually coming from his mouth.

There's confident and then there's arrogant and Izuminokami veers so far into the later that Horikawa actually takes slight offense. He frowns, confusion written visibly in the lines of his face. Was there some other meaning behind it all, like a joke? He thinks it should make more sense to him. But then he remembers where they are and it dawns on him even as his face feels even more flush. He's run into some kind of deviant looking to use this place for some kind of hook up. Ugh.

"It doesn't sound like I was missing much." Maybe that's a bit rude but one has to remain firm in this kind of situation, right?

[nakemen]

The look of absolute shock is all over his face and he doesn't hide it. That is not the reaction he was expecting and now he's left trying to figure out what just happened.

"What did you just say?"

He doesn't sound angry, honestly just confused. Even if he didn't remember him, Izuminokami had thought it would be simple to just make Horikawa like him again. Even if Horikawa was the first to admit when he did something wrong, Izuminokami didn't think he did anything wrong just then. He hadn't insulted Horikawa, right? All he'd done was be confident and he didn't see the harm in that. What should he do now?