22 - Harvest Moon Viewing

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Harvest Moon Viewing
When: September 10, 6 PM
Where: The Meeting Hall grounds
Summary: The Heavens are throwing a moon-viewing party!







Party Games

Children are dashing all over the moon-viewing grounds in the early evening, flying kites or playing tag and other games. Many of them are wearing cute seasonal rabbit masks made of paper, or sporting ink curlicues and scribbles drawn over their faces, if they've lost too many games.

Card games and spinning top battles, a few practice archery butts towards the edge of the park, poetry-composing competitions, and even badminton: there's something for everyone, and anyone who doesn't look too busy may find themselves offered a rabbit mask and a game to play. Or perhaps you'd like to try your hand at drawing people into your own game?

Moon Viewing

The moon rises not long after sunset, looming over the garden in hazy golden and red splendor thanks to the volcanic fumes in the atmosphere. The games are winding down as darkness falls, and the faint scent of burning incense fills the air as people settle to view the moon rise. Shinki in their festival best, adorned with Amaterasu's golden chrysanthemum, are serving the guests. They set out trays of fresh seasonal fruit (Japanese pears, persimmons, and chestnuts) and plates of mochi, serve sake, and light portable grills to cook sweet potatoes and skewers of meat.

Mazed & Confused

Part of the grounds have been rearranged into a hedge-maze made of tall, plumed grasses packed close together. A sign at the entrance reads, "Bring back my ribbon from the center of the maze,
and I'll give you a special prize!"

Unfortunately, that's harder than it sounds. The maze is full of dead ends, confusing turns, and twisty little passages, which all look alike. It's almost magical how easy it is to lose your way inside, and the tufted grass will prove to have painfully sharp edges if anyone tries to cheat by pushing their way through the "walls" of the maze.

Those who successfully find their way to the center will find a white ribbon fluttering from the top of a tall pole. If they can climb the pole, pull the ribbon free, and make it back to the entrance, they will hear the sound of a child's laughter, and the ribbon in their hand will disappear to be replaced by a round cake of mochi. Enjoy the prize!

Wild Moon

One of the children participating most energetically in the games of tag and dashing around the party is wearing an oversized gray hoodie with the hood pulled up right to the edges of his happy rabbit mask. He's not being very careful, either: he keeps bumping into other party attendees and barely taking the time to mutter an apology before he sprints away.

Although nothing noticeable happens at the time, anyone who's been tagged or bumped into by that particular child will begin to feel more emotional, quicker to react, and less self-controlled as the night wears on. Those who he only brushed by won't be too powerfully affected, but the more times that he has run into someone, the stronger the effect will grow.

(Note: This won't cause anyone to have emotions that they wouldn't feel otherwise, but both ongoing moods and temporary reactions could be amplified.)

In Summary:

• Play party games
• Relax with snacks
• Try to solve the hedge maze
• Go wild
• Have fun~

Comments

Moonbow

[freezetheheavens]

That was a good shot.

[Even if the kids did just kind of...left her. But he has been watching from the side, vaguely interested.]

[festal]

( She jumps at the sudden comment and holds the bow close to her and tight. )

Oh my goodness--! I d-didn't see you! ( Aaah. ) I mean thank you v-very much. D-did you want to try too or...?

[freezetheheavens]

[Whoops. He didn't mean to startle her.]

No, thank you. [He's rather more inclined to using swords than archery, really.] Have you always been taken with archery?

[festal]

( No one ever means to, it just happens. But knowing that she isn't in the way of any important archery training or something is a relief. )

Ah, no. I've o-only been practicing for a little while. ( Thinking, ) Less than a year, really.

( She shifts a bit, )

Honestly, I-I prefer healing over archery.

[freezetheheavens]

Less than a year? Then you have a natural talent for it.

[A blink and he eyes her for a moment.]

You're a healer then?

[festal]

( A

n a t u r a l

talent??¿ )

N-no, not at all! ( Holding up both hands (and as a result, the bow and arrow), ) Just a lot o-of practice a-and I kind of had to be g-good back home and everything...!

( Oh, thank goodness. Healing, though. Healing. She can talk about that. She'll take it. )

I am! ( She sounds a little too excited to announce that. She's still recovering from being flustered, ) I'm a m-much better healer than an archer, really!

[freezetheheavens]

[There's a slow blink at her, but fortunately, he doesn't push more. He gets the feeling she's not really used to being complimented about her skillset concerning archery.

But she does seem excited enough to announce being a healer.]

Were you the one who mentioned about setting up a clinic of sorts?

[festal]

( Oh. Was he... someone she should know? She's trying to remember. She doesn't recognize his face so maybe... it's his voice? Oh, she should have been paying closer attention but right now, she's just so flustered, )

Yes, I'm Sakura. ( Uhm, ) And... you are?

[freezetheheavens]

Hitsugaya.

[If that rings a bell.]

We've spoken once on the post you made.

[festal]

Hitsugaya... Oh!

( Of course she remembers. He was the one who gave her the idea in the first place. )

I remember! Y-you were the one... ( She takes a step back to give a quick bow, ) It's nice to meet you.

( She isn't nearly as eloquent and assure in person as she is online, oops. )

[freezetheheavens]

You don't have to be formal.

[Especially by bowing to him. Please don't.]

But it's nice to meet you as well.

[festal]

I'm sorry. ( Cheeks feeling warm, looking down at the ground, ) B-but it's just the way I am. I've always b-been like this so I don't know a-any other way...

[freezetheheavens]

[Ah. His expression softens just a smidgen.]

If that's the way you are, then even more for you not to apologize for it either. [But right. Healing.

She seemed enthusiastic more on that front.]

Have you begun to make preparations for the clinic?

[festal]

( Nodding, )

Mr. Hakkai's been kind enough to let us use some space in his school a-and his shinki, Miss Ayumu, had already begun some preparations so...

( It was an easy start. )

I've found a few healers and medics willing to h-help and... I told Mr. Hakkai I'd be willing to teach about medicine and magic in return for the space s-so we might have more help soon.

[freezetheheavens]

[Hakkai?

He really needs to meet this guy, but:]

It's good, then, that you've managed to procure a location for it. It seems that you have managed to get it situated since the last time we've spoken.

[festal]

That's right. I-I've had a lot of help.

( And it makes her so happy. She cna't help but smile just thinking about it right now, )

I'm hoping it'll be ready soon. You... could come visit it, i-if you'd like.

... Uhm, preferably in good health!

[freezetheheavens]

[That gets a slight smile from him.]

If you don't mind, I might help out at the clinic as well.

[But with the clinic up and running at some point, there's some less worry about having to find more healers to help out.]

[festal]

Y-yes, please! ( She's enthusiastic, ) It would be so much help! I would really appreciate it.

If you don't mind me asking, what can you do? O-or rather, what do you want to do?

[freezetheheavens]

I am capable of healing, with and without my god powers. [Because apparently Restoration really does come in handy for this sort of thing.] However, I can also replenish the energy of anyone else who may be feeling exhausted from whatever ordeal they go through.

[Energy replenishing, healing in general.

He shrugs.] I am familiar with first aid outside of that as well. [you gotta love being caught in battles that requires it.]

[festal]

( The gears are turning the moment he begins to list his skills. )

Energy replenishing... I don't think I've met anyone like that.

[freezetheheavens]

I'll admit that it's useful to have.

[He'll politely refrain from mentioning how overusing it can easily make him develop headaches of his own.]

[festal]

(He doesn't need to mention it because Sakura isn't oblivious enough to think a power like that comes without a cost,)

Surely, something like that m-must have it's limits, though. There's no such thing a-as unlimited energy...

[freezetheheavens]

Using it too much so far has only given me headaches.

[He's yet to really push himself to the limit with it to experience actually passing out.]

[festal]

Then it's should be handled w-with caution. ( She nods, taking note of this, ) I see, thank you.

O-oh, but.... let's not talk about work anymore. This is supposed to be a party, after all.

[freezetheheavens]

Right.

[Just the slightest hint of a smile.]

Have you been enjoying the festivities so far?