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

[boneofsword]

[Someone seems to be hungry. Not that Archer thinks those aren't light snack, he's a heavy eater after all, and his god is even worse.]

How many would you prefer instead?

[kokuyoyo]

[Carefully, Chikusa looks over his plate and then the grill.]

....How many do you think we can fit on the plate?

[boneofsword]

There's only one way to check it.

[Archer chuckles and grabs a few to carefully arrange on a plate. Then a few more, and afterwards he puts a fresh portion on the grill.]

Are you gathering food only for yourself, or for someone else? [just asking, since it's not be enough for two.]

[kokuyoyo]

[Patiently, he watches as the food piles up more, adjusting the way his fingers are positioned so that it doesn't collapse too soon. At the question, his gaze flicks up.]

...My partner. We both eat a lot...

[Or, rather, they like to eat a lot of free food.]

[boneofsword]

More will be ready in twelve minutes.

[Archer informs him. So far he had piled up all of the barbecued meat on Chikusa's plate.]

[kokuyoyo]

Twelve minutes....

[Yeah, Ken can scarf down this much in that amount of time. Chikusa carefully pulls the plate back, doing his best not to drop anything. Although him and Ken would probably eat something off the ground... Ken especially, no matter how dirty it got.]

Is this what you plan on doing all night...?

[boneofsword]

No, since I'll have to keep an eye on my god. Though I'm going to stay here for about half an hour.

[which is Archer's way of informing you can count on two more portions incoming, Chikusa. He's not going to let the two of you run around hungry.]

[kokuyoyo]

[His head tucks in against his check as he does some quick mental math.]

....So twelve more available...

[Yeah, doable.]

Your god?

[boneofsword]

Caster. Tall guy with long blue hair, usually wearing a druid garb.

[Read: easily identifiable from afar, especially in his trademark clothing.]

[kokuyoyo]

....Oh. The trigger-happy one.

[Not that he'd used a gun, but he had been very quick to turn a weapon on someone sneaking up on him.]

[boneofsword]

[That earns him a hard stare. Archer has no doubts Caster would never attack someone out of the blue, and is a very easy-going person. Which means the training grounds.]

Having quick reflexes is a prerequisite to survive.

[For a Servant, but he's not going to say that.]

[kokuyoyo]

It's not like I'm arguing.... it was just annoying at the time.

[Mostly because, for once, Chikusa hadn't been in the mood to be violent at someone too much. A bad time. Sighing, he lifts up one shoulder.]

So that's the kind of god you have...

[boneofsword]

Kind of, huh? Too bad that both him and me are alike.

[Archer smirks in that smug way of his.]

Who's your partner? I don't think I've met them.

[kokuyoyo]

Ugh.

[Perfectly and utterly deadpan. This is exactly what he needs.]

Joshima Ken.... Blond. Has his tongue stuck out...

[Okay, that's not completely fair. Ken does keep his tongue in his mouth, sometimes... Just that most of the time, he doesn't.]

[boneofsword]

I've seen some blond guy chasing soot sprites during the last training. Was it him?

[oi, he's not judging, merely trying to confirm an observation. Archer may not get involved with everything, but he takes note of what's going around.]

[kokuyoyo]

[Chikusa doesn't immediately answer. Instead, at the reminder of how fucking filthy Ken became as a result of that, his gaze just wanders away ad.... stares into the distance.]

[Finally, he heaves a sigh that might a well weigh ten tons.]

That.... was him....

[boneofsword]

[That's some heavy judging going on. Archer isn't going to comment that.]

Looks like a well match - he's lively while you're the exact opposite.

[kokuyoyo]

[Listen, he has to sleep with that mess, there's absolutely going to be judging.]

Mmm.... I suppguose so. Do opposites always match....?

[boneofsword]

[At least Caster can use shower.]

Most of the time.

[kokuyoyo]

You'd think that would be the opposite... Considering opposites wouldn't agree on things.

[boneofsword]

Do you often disagree with your partner?

[kokuyoyo]

Yes.

[He doesn't even have to think on it.]

[boneofsword]

Is it serious?

[kokuyoyo]

[That has him pause, thinking on it.]

....No?

[boneofsword]

See, that's what I'm talking about. You can disagree but you put your differences aside when it matters.

[Archer elaborates a bit.]