Multicoloured kindnesses, met by chance, one by one

[yoshinocherry]

Who: Yuna and EVERYONE. No CR? No problem, drop on by to make new friends!
When: March 21st, all day
Where: Shinju's Temple
What: Hanami birthday party yayayay

[With a blanket invitation delivered, the only matter of business left is ensuring the temple is set up nicely for a gathering!

The main attraction of the day, of course, being flower-viewing in the temple's courtyard. With light snacks and refreshments lined up at tables inside the building itself and blankets and pillows available to pick up for lounging under the flowering branches, the 'viewing' part of the day should be set. As winds blow lazily through the area, blossoms in an array of colors are occasionally shaken free from the tree, falling in gentle showers to the ground below, creating a serene, relaxing atmosphere. A handful of paper lanterns have been strategically placed around the grounds as well, ensuring that anyone who happens to arrive or stay as the sun sets can still have a good view.

Elsewhere in the temple, the room Yuna uses largely for crafts appears to have spilled over somewhat. There are a few stands set up with origami paper, watercolors and brushes arranged at a table with a few chairs, card stock, glue, colored pencils, stickers, ribbons, and most importantly, there are flowers. There are flowers everywhere. Some arranged tastefully in vases, some dried and pressed and left alongside the other craft supplies, clearly for use in tandem with whatever you feel like making with the other things left out in such a tantalizing way. Go ahead. Make some stuff.

And, while the invitation had been extended to pretty much anyone wanting to drop by, should any of Yuna's friends decide to stay a little longer, she'll let them know of a cozy hot spring bath in one of the back rooms of the temple. Towels will be provided, of course, so why not stay and have a soak to wind the day down with?

The hostess herself will be roaming about the party in high spirits, ready and willing to top up beverages, share a snack, or just have a nice chat. So - kick back! Enjoy the sights!]

Comments

Rita Mordio | OTA

[blahblahblah]

[The video had immediately gotten Rita's attention yesterday; of course she knew about Halure's tree barrier, said to be beautiful when in bloom, as short as that period is. Whether or not she'd seen it in life, as she walks into the temple and sees the cherry tree, she imagines it has to be amazing to compete with this. She'd debated, for a while, whether or not to come - she didn't know this person (or really many people here at all), but it'd been an open invitation, and the tree had decided her. She feels peaceful, safe, and she walks in with a gentle expression. Whether or not that lasts, well. That's another question.

Rita spends a fair bit of time alternating between wandering the grounds and sitting to watch the petals. She gets entranced a little more readily than she perhaps intended, but she's not complaining. When she's not doing that, she does wander by the craft tables, debating if she could do anything that wouldn't look out of place in their temple, hesitantly working on a few things on and off. She also keeps an eye out for Yuna, who seems to be all over the place, and Rita smiles at the energy. She should probably greet her, but she just seems so busy... she'll wait for a free moment, if there ever is one, and maybe force it a little if it gets too late.

But really she's just content, and for today, she can forget about everything she doesn't know, everything she can't do, about the future. For today, everything's okay. Everything else can be a problem for tomorrow's Rita.]

[yasei]

[ Obi doesn't really know anything about crafts, but he's curious. So he's observing what others makes and he takes a peek at what this girl is up to as well. ]

What're you making, Miss?

[blahblahblah]

[She doesn't entirely know what she's doing either - she's seen people doing origami and fun things, but Yuna didn't exactly leave a manual. So after one or two aborted attempts to fold squares, Rita's thrown up her hands and started working on something simpler: a long, thin strip of stiff paper, with bright red ribbon sticking out of a hole on the top and pressed flowers to decorate it.

She's picking up a colored pencil to further decorate the card stock when the voice comes across, and she glances sideways.]

A bookmark. Mostly because I didn't want to waste supplies on not knowing what I'm doing.

[yasei]

[ Creating in the face of mystery, he can appreciate that because he can understand it to a degree. ]

That's probably not everyone's approach. If you're making a bookmark does that mean you read a lot? Or that you're making it for someone who reads a lot?

[blahblahblah]

I do, yeah. I'll make one for my god in a minute. I'm not sure how much reading she does, but it'll be useful sooner or later, I'm sure. Honestly, the flowers probably fit her better than me, but I still think it looks good, so...

[yasei]

[ So, then she supposedly has a good relationship with her god. And she's a shinki. ]

If you like flowers then it should suit you as well, Miss.

[blahblahblah]

[She... has a relationship? And it's decent? She's so new to it, she has a hard time thinking about it yet.]

I- well, I guess that works. Thanks. I guess I'm thinking too hard about it.

-don't call me "miss", though, it makes me sound old. I'm Rita.

[yoshinocherry]

[There's something particularly exciting about so many new faces stopping in to see the tree - something to be said about coming to be able to trust the other residents of the Far Shore with little more than an earnest invitation. They're all in the same situation, more or less, so the more everyone here can strengthen their bonds, the easier it'll be to work together.]

It's really lovely, isn't it? [The tree, that is.] I'm glad so many people were able to come out today to see it.

[blahblahblah]

It's beautiful, yeah. I'm glad I could see it.

[She recognizes this girl from the video yesterday. Rita's just a touch nervous, but she'll manage.]

Yuna, right? Um, happy birthday. And nice to meet you, I guess?

[...okay, maybe more than just a touch. She scratches her cheek, not entirely sure how to handle herself. Parties are hard.]

[yoshinocherry]

[For what it's worth, Yuna seems to take the less than graceful introduction in stride.]

Thank you! [Said sincerely, of course.] Are you new here? I don’t know if I’ve seen you around before.

[blahblahblah]

Yeah, I haven't been around long. Sorry, even if you said it was fine, I kind of invited myself. I'm Rita.

[Wow, this is kind of awkward. Still, she bothered to come, she should try? Probably??]

You drew quite a crowd. And somehow I don't think it's just the tree.

[yoshinocherry]

[Awkward, but the effort is there. Perhaps conversations like this aren't particularly easy for her, she thinks, so approaching it with a soft, friendly touch would be for the best.]

I do think there might have been a lot of people itching for a proper flower viewing, I'm honestly pretty surprised there wasn't one held by Amaterasu-sama. [She's also fairly sure there are at least a few of people here for a free meal, but better to keep that thought to herself right now.] Whatever their reasons are, though, I'm really glad that so many people chose to come by today. A lot of the guests are people I don't actually know, [Here, she laughs lightly,] but it makes for a pretty interesting birthday!

[blahblahblah]

[The easygoing attitude makes a difference, and Rita relaxes a little bit.]

I don't know about what the others might do, but this feels right. I'm certainly enjoying myself! I'm glad you are too, even with the crowd. Having all kinds of people I don't know around would freak me out. [She shivers a little bit just thinking about it, before she smiles at Yuna.]

[timeforpink]

[ Rita wanders over when Jen is working on thr finishing touches on an origami crane. A spot of glue, a pink petal on a wing— ]

What do you think?

[ Jen asks over her shoulder, giving a small smile in greeting. ]

[blahblahblah]

[Rita glances over, nodding, with a smile of her own, before glancing at the paper thoughtfully.]

It looks pretty good, actually. I can't figure out how to fold one, or I'd be making a few myself. They'd spruce up the temple, and they'd match the decor.

[timeforpink]

I could show you if you want.

[ Jen is good at following steps. It makes everything easier if she knows what to do to reach her goal. ]

Or if not, I can make you a few in any color you want. It won't be any trouble.

[blahblahblah]

Would you show me, then? I'd make some myself, I just...

[She holds up a square with some sharp creases that look. Wrong in more than one way. Her face colors a bit.]

[timeforpink]

Yeah, no problem.

[ Jen grabs a sheet of pink paper and goes through the process step by step, at Rita's pace. There's nothing in Jen's face or body language that says she feels superior for figuring it out on her own. It's origami. It's fun, and moments like this over it are great because they bring people together. ]

[blahblahblah]

[Rita grabs a square of her own - red, how original - and follows along. Once she sees the process it's not hard, and she catches herself smiling as it's going right, but she doesn't bother to wipe it off her face. It's fine today, right?

She probably doesn't need to focus so hard on each step being just right, but that's just par for the course for her, it seems.]

[beyondtheblade]

[For as annoyed as Rita seemed when Tsubasa first found her, and Tsubasa herself, it's a sight to see her so at ease and peaceful, enough that she almost hates to interrupt it.]

Well, you at least seem to be enjoying yourself.

[She's going to gently do so anyhow.]

[blahblahblah]

[Rita is being very tolerant today. Granted, she's tolerant with Tsubasa anyway, but her tone is probably the least guarded Tsubasa's heard it yet. Which probably doesn't mean much, but it's something.]

After the other day, I think we've earned it. And... it's pretty, and peaceful. Uncomplicated.

[beyondtheblade]

[Very tolerant, indeed! It's fine, Tsubasa is used to tsunderes people with particular tempers. Rita will probably find that any attitude tends to just bounce off her, anyway.]

We do, indeed. I feel like I have a lot more to learn about how to fight in this world... I'm unused to it. It's such a natural thing for me, I didn't consider I could have bitten off more than I could chew.

[Rita may have noticed that Tsubasa straight up slept through most of the next day.]

[blahblahblah]

You and me both. Whether I've fought before or not, I have a long way to go if I'm going to keep up with you.

[Rita politely doesn't comment on Tsubasa having clearly overworked herself and then paying the price; her partner's got a larger share of work, so of course that's natural. Instead she looks up into the falling petals, silent for a moment.]

Not just fighting, either. I need to figure out what to do with myself...

[beyondtheblade]

[Hm, of course. That's an issue, and she's not ENTIRELY sure how to solve it. Helping to find a direction for Chris was easy enough. She's known Chris for awhile, she knows her life, she knows her interests, no matter how much the other girl may obfuscate them.

Rita? All Tsubasa knew was her death, and she couldn't say anything about that.]

...well, should you need any assistance with that, I feel like that's what I'm here for. Has nothing caught your interest in the last couple weeks?

[blahblahblah]

I mean, that's a lot to consider. Sure, I've seen people do things, I've read up on things, but... what do I want to do? Other than "go home", which isn't an option?

[She holds out a hand, and a single petal falls in it, before a gust carries it away. Her gaze follows it into the distance, before she gives Tsubasa her full attention.]

I wanna help people. Beyond just how Heaven itself works, I saw what happened at the festival with my own eyes. I didn't want to just walk through the damn festival watching others pitch in, and yet that's exactly what I did. Everyone needed help when the ayakashi started going crazy, but beyond getting to you, I couldn't protect anyone. And you and I both know it won't be the last time.