thenearshore | 008 | Sakura 2.0: You Can (Not) Have A Picnic

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008 | Sakura 2.0: You Can (Not) Have A Picnic

Who: Everyone!
What: Sakura picnic
When: Evening April 25
Where: The same sakura park as last time
Summary: Amaterasu has had a request to return to view the cherry blossoms one more time and she has decided to make it happen.

The cherry blossoms have yet to all fall from the trees, and so the Heavens have seen fit to hold another blossom viewing - this time with a picnic instead! The trees themselves do not have the ethereal glow they had last time, but there is a sweet scent that fills the air, drawing anyone inexorably towards the beautiful trees.

As a surprise, Amaterasu has sent her counselors to join the picnic as well. They can be found wandering around and enjoying the sights and foods just the same as anyone else.

All new arrivals will have been whisked away to the picnic by Amaterasu's shinki so that they can enjoy this escape just the same as everyone else. It seems Amaterasu doesn't want to leave anyone out this time, and so many of her shinki are milling around as well, clad in white with the golden chrysanthemum embroidered on their outfits.

Picnic

Dozens upon dozens of brightly colored picnic blankets have been provided for the guests to use. On top of that, pre-packed picnic boxes have been provided as well. They range from American-esque picnic baskets all the way to Japanese style bentos. Everyone is free to take as many boxes as they would like to and share among each other. Every picnic box has something different for everyone to enjoy.

Cherry Blossoms

The blossoms are falling freely now, showing that they are on their last leg of life. But the scent of the cherry blossoms has become so intense that it draws anyone who smells it towards the trees. You might find that if you breathe in too deeply or too long, it's like an intoxication equivalent to having drunk all night long. Good luck keeping up straight!

Performance

A performance stage has been erected in the park by the Heavens and there are a number of shinki who will sing and dance or perform in other ways whenever they have a spare moment. Gods and their shinki are encouraged to get up on the stage and perform as well, if they have anything that they would like to perform for their fellows.

Fire

Around sunset, the festivities will come to a screeching halt as a sudden burst of flames spreads through the trees, igniting them one by one. The spread of the fire is so rapid that it is very obviously unnatural. It will take a lot of teamwork and a large number of hands to put the fire out - or maybe you prefer to just run away. Either way, it will be hard to miss the pieces of paper that fly through the air, all bearing the same words: Down with the Heavens! Down with Amaterasu!

In Summary:

Enjoy the cherry blossoms
Enjoy the picnic food
Meet Amaterasu's counselors
View or participate in the performance
Put out the fire
Have fun~

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[ Good thing Ukoku's malevolent arms are there for him! ]

Whoops! [ He laughs, but it's a with-laugh as opposed to an at-laugh. ] Are you all right?

[ He hasn't spent much time near the trees himself, on a hunch; this would be a super inconvenient place to start being honest with people. ]

[One moment he notices blurs of color from his stumbling, and the next he's staring at someone's chest. This isn't how he imagined his day going. He blinks a few times as he grabs at Ukoku's arms back in an attempt to push himself up straight, but he's having more than a little trouble here. His face is flushed, and it takes him a bit too long to recognize who's speaking to him.]

Sorry, yes... I'm only a bit dizzy. [A bit, he says, still half slumped against Ukoku. He laughs a little, because somehow he's not sure what else he can do when he's having so much trouble performing basic functions.]

Just a bit? [ He's not even really attempting to push Jae-Ha back up; he's just letting him lean there. He is a very nice person and this is in no way dubious advantage-taking. ]

Here, sit down. [ He slides an arm around Jae-Ha's back, like any very nice person would, to help. ]

Sit?

[Yes, what a kind man he is, helping Jae-Ha after he's just run into him. He goes with what he's directed to do so easily, shifting with the arm and sitting down as he's guided to. Ah— but wait, this is that Ukoku person, isn't it? That Ni man. Right... He recalls as he's sitting that Hazel had told him specifically to avoid this guy.]

Wait— [Well, he says that, but instead of actually going anywhere he just sort of leans forward. Hello again, kind man. There's a short laugh that he can't help. God damn, he must look horrible right now—] I should... That is, there's something I should do somewhere.

[nailed it]

[ Ukoku sits down with him (and withdraws his arm, he is kind and normal), leaning back on his hands. ]

Right now? [ He doesn't sound doubtful, exactly, but he's not really hiding the humoring-a-drunk-person tone, either. ] I hope it's not important! It's okay for you to relax for a minute, isn't it? [ Of course it is, so he moves right along: ] How's Hazel?

[Jae-Ha criss-crosses his legs so that he can lean forward a bit, one hand pressing to his bangs as he tries to think. Well, at least sitting doesn't have that annoying swaying problem.

Important, though... It was important to avoid him, he remembers that. But his mind is fuzzy and he's also thinking about that flower that was destroyed so quickly, and Hazel's face—

Oh, Hazel's name comes up, and Jae-Ha is pulled from his thoughts.]

Hm? Oh, yes... He's just fine. We happen to make a great team. Your flower... [He rethinks bringing that up, actually, and blinks a few times as his fingers run down his bangs.] Well, nevermind that. He says hello.

[Hazel never approved of this message.]

Does he? [ Ukoku shoots him an inordinately pleased look. Hazel is a good kid!! ]

You know, the last time I saw Hazel, before I came here, he always had this big bodyguard guy with him. Huge! Like a tree. Since he's not here, I'm glad Hazel has somebody he can rely on. What were you saying about the flower?

[Hold on, that's new. He's distracted even further, pulled in to more information about Hazel as he tries to cope with his head fogging as it is. A bodyguard...? Why hadn't he mentioned anyone like that? Had he, and he didn't notice? No, this seems like something that should have come up a lot.

Maybe it's the word choice throwing him off so much. Bodyguard...

But the flower— he remembers Hazel's face again and his own expression dims.] I stepped on it, you see. Unfortunately... I'm just too clumsy to be trusted with something like that. I hope you'll forgive me.

[He's such an honest man. He leans forward a little, like this will help him learn more as he asks:] He had a bodyguard?

Yes! Gat, I think his name was. Last time I talked to Hazel I think he was waiting for him to kind of appear.

[ He makes a vague APPEAR gesture, which is somehow also teasing, like he's talking about a ten-year-old's unrealistic expectations. ]

I hope he's not disappointed.

Was he...?

[Not even a mention of the flower he killed, and that hand gesture is somewhat cruel, but Jae-Ha doesn't notice either of those things like this. He's busy blinking off to the side, like he's trying to look for Hazel in the distance. But he'd gone home some time ago, hadn't he?]

I should hope he's not. He never told me anything about that... [He's remembering, now, that he shouldn't be speaking to this person. It's more apparent in the way this news somehow bothers him in a way he can't put his finger on.

Well, he'll place a palm on the ground to try and push himself up. In actuality, he just sort of leans to that side.] But I should leave it for him to tell me personal things like that, probably.

I'm a little surprised he never mentioned it. [ He waves a hand. Oh well! ] But you're probably right. It's so hard for me not to think of him as a kid! He had kind of a—

[ He stops himself with a harmless, sheepish laugh. ] I'm doing it again! Well, let's just say I worry about him, sometimes.

[Jae-Ha is busy thinking that it's frustrating how he can't just jump up like he normally could when those words draw his attention again. Speaking to this man like this is kind of a rollercoaster. He's back and forth between guilty feelings in regards to Hazel that aren't deep enough to blight, and curiosity that has him sincerely worried.

His expression hides none of this with how he is now. Instead of his usual calm smile as a shield, his eyes widen a little as he looks over.]

Kind of a what?

[ Ukoku hums thoughtfully, mulling over wording: ]

His father—father figure—was killed when he was, I don't know, ten or eleven, maybe. I can't imagine how hard it must have been for him. I wish I'd known; I would have at least gone back to make sure he was all right, you know?

[A father-figure was never mentioned, but it does bring to mind one conversation he had with Hazel about how he'd intended to take over the church. That the man had died and he'd left town, instead... Was that...?]

That's horrible. [His eyebrows furrow as he looks to the side.] It's no wonder he'd hold something like that back. Who would want to remember something like that?

Rather than as his shinki, as his friend, I should— [Help with that sort of thing, or something, probably, but he shakes his head and shifts to try once more to push himself to his feet. This time he manages with a few wobbling stumbles.] I'm saying too much.

[He should have left by now, right? Ukoku's kind words aren't matching with Hazel's concern.]

No no, it's me, I've said too much. [ He follows that with a good self-deprecating smile and gets up as well, reaching for Jae-Ha's elbow to steady him, though he doesn't quite take it. ] Can you stand all right?

Yes, I think. [No, not really. He's holding out his arm to stabilize himself, and the ground still looks like it's tilting. Is that just him? Well, whatever—]

If you're worried about him, you should stop by. He's mentioned you, but I've never seen you at the temple. [In his mind, this is meant to be a dig for what is this relationship, but that sure is just a suggestion.]

[ Here lies Jae-Ha, RIP. ]

I should, shouldn't I? I'm not so worried knowing that you're there, at least. You don't seem like the type to blight him. That's good. [ It's definitely not significant that he's bringing this up or anything! ]

[Ah, blight. While thankfully he's not causing any yet, he certainly has before, and it's still fresh on his mind. So he gets a little fired up, fist clenching as he turns to face Ukoku more completely with a little wobble.]

R-right! It was only the one time, so I won't cause something like that again! [Definitely not. He doesn't realize just how bad this conversation is for keeping that promise, but oh well.] Come over any morning you'd like!

[ Ukoku smiles wider. Jae-Ha is another good kid. They're a good kid pair! ]

I'm glad to hear it! I'll take you up on that. Don't spend too much time around the trees, all right?

[He's a good kid who's realizing he's been speaking too much for too long. So, he should jump away, right/ He has the instinct to! The trees...? Well, he can't think on that for too long, or he'll be distracted!]

Yes, you're right. Take care, U... Ni! [He jumps!

Or he tries to, but he's clumsy, can't focus his strength, and moves about a foot before he faceplants in the grass.]

[ Ukoku. It's only fair that Hazel should talk about him behind his back, really.

Ukoku bends to offer his hand after a moment of deliberation (pretend he didn't notice and walk away? It's not like he's missing anything, here). ]

It looks like you'll have to get used to walking for a little while! It's not so bad.

I can't soar?

[What a childish thing to mumble in disappointment as he takes that hand, using it to slowly help himself up. Good thing he's not capable of being embarrassed right now, or he really would be.]

...Thank you. [For helping him up, he is okay now, as he pulls his hand back and stumbles a step to one side.] Then I'll be off... to walk.

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008 | Sakura 2.0: You Can (Not) Have A Picnic

cherry blossoms!!

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