Book Party [ota]

[myblueskies]

Who: Romeo, Elfnein and literally everyone in the heavens. Even if you weren't personally invited every invite came with a +ALL YOUR FRIENDS and there's also a sign. Strangers are just friends these two haven't met yet.
When: 29th April. Afternoon onwards
Where: Temple Smol (Gegute's library)
What: Just the cutest book party the heavens has ever known! Bring your best book!



Arrival

You might have received an invitation, or perhaps you are just passing Gegute’s library but there is an brightly painted sign outside.

Book Party today!

Everyone welcome! Bring your best book or dress up!

Lots of tasty food!

The doors of the temple are open and once you arrive in the lobby there are more bright arrows pointing the way into the library. If you are still stuck mister Goat is at the help desk, he’ll direct any one who needs it!

Activities

The layout of the library hasn’t really changed at all, except a few tables being moved to accommodate activities and all the comfy reading cushions have been brought to a central location. All the shelves are decorated with colourful paper chains and streamers.

Romeo had really enjoyed Yuna’s birthday party with the activities to do so he had copied the idea for Elfnein’s book party! On one table there is material for making bookmarks. You might want to recut the card strips, they are a little wonky. There is ribbon and glitter and colouring pens and glue.

On another there is a cardboard box puppet theatre, painted in a riot of colours with colourful strips of material as curtains. There is some felt and other material, as well as scissors, glue and wool to make puppets with. A sign reads in childish Hirigana. Show your best book!

Food

The invitations had promised lots of tasty food and there sure was a lot! A whole table filled with tasty treats, Romeo had been very very busy! There was a whole tray of chopped fruit, another of vegetables like carrots and cucumber.

There was bread and cheese and two bowls of pasta with different sauces. Another bowl of noddles with meat and vegetables. There was a huge bowl of rice too with a tray of grilled fish and a bowl of broccoli and asparagus.

An entire part of the table was taken up by apples and things with apples in them, apple turnovers and even an attempt at an apple pie, it was a bit smushed but probably tasted fine.

There was a tray of very misshapen cookies with messy icing and another of even messier cupcakes with far too much buttercream. There were also churos and a chocolate Gateaux, these seemed to have been bought rather than made, Romeo hadn’t even known where to start it making them!

There was an attempt at making books and other shapes out of rice and vegetables packed in the two bento boxes Ebisu’s temple had given him for Christmas, but they were a bit crumbly, misshapen or just plain strange. In the centre of Romeo’s bento attempts was his magical bento box, every time it was opened there were different fancy bento creations, if the children’s attempts left a lot to be desired.

Have fun!

Comments

OTA

[medicinemaster]

Arrival

[Yaone's out for a walk when she spots the sign. A book party sounds delightful. She doesn't enter the temple immediately, instead returning to the temple to find a book and something wear first. Yaone's own wardrobe is somewhat meager, given that she has two shinki to provide for now, so she winds up going through her predecessor's belongings to find something worthy of a special occasion.

Yaone returns soon enough, however, dressed in fancy, purple traditional costume and carrying an old volume of Chinese fairy tales taken from her temple library that she's been reading. After following the arrows to the library, the elfin-looking woman pokes her head in the door, a somewhat cautious but friendly smile on her face. She's a stranger to the residents of the temple, after all, but the only she's going to meet new people is to go out and meet them, isn't it?]

Hello. I saw the sign outside and decided that a book party sounded lovely. I hope you do not mind a new visitor.

[Her tone is soft but very polite and a tad bit uncertain. Yaone's not exactly shy but she is a little bit self-conscious in an unfamiliar temple.]

Activities

[Despite Yaone's elegant dress and prim demeanor, she dives into the crafts with surprising enthusiasm. It's not long before she's carefully tweaking a set of card strips into animal-shapes and eagerly coloring them in with the available pens. Curiously, Yaone's color choices tend to be off-beat and quirky and don't really follow any sort of natural scheme though the animals are clearly identifiable as themselves.

Then she discovers the glitter and starts making them sparkly. Yaone's making herself plenty sparkly, too, as she gets the glitter all over her costume, face, and hands. She doesn't appear to care in the least though and she's all smiles as she sets aside her latest finished product to dry. Well, almost finished. She still has to decide on a ribbon of which she is holding up several as she turns to the person nearby.]

Excuse me but what to do you think of these colors? I cannot decide which one to pick.

[Given the rather technicolor nature of her bookmark, it's very possible she might try to use all of them if left to her own devices.]

Food

[Even though Yaone isn't the slightest bit put off by the misshapen nature of some of the treats available, she is somewhat a picky and health-conscious eater. Her plate is stocked with chopped fruits and vegetables along with small pieces of bread and cheese, all of which she is contentedly nibbling on while reclining on one of the reading cushions, the fairytale book she brought with her open.

Feel free to strike up a conversation with her. If someone asks nicely, Yaone might be persuaded into reading a story to someone.]

Activities

[unlucky7]

[Yaone isn't the only adult dressed elegantly but also diving enthustically into the crafts. Ginia is seated on the other side of the table, an elegant black coat over a white button-down shirt, her braided hair hanging over her shoulder with a dark blue ribbon on the end. She's folding a flower out of a piece of paper to later glue onto her bookmark.

She's glanced at Yaone's work, charmed by the colorful menagerie of animals forming. How creative! When the other woman addresses her, Ginia considers the selection of ribbon, picking out a pale pink and a rich purple.

There's a pause as she pulls her cellphone out of her pocket (miraculously free of glitter), swiftly typing away before playing message for Yaone to hear.]

The pink matches the color nicely, but the purple provides a nice contrast.

[medicinemaster]

[Yaone glances curiously at the phone but otherwise doesn't pay it much mind or why the young woman is using the device to communicate. She simply accepts it as is and carries on with the conversation as normally as she would anyone else.]

I think that you are right about the purple.

[Yaone smiles in gratitude, taking the purple ribbon and tying it carefully onto her bookmark. Afterward, she looks it over, evidently pleased with the result.]

Thank you very much, miss.

[Afterward, she looks at the flower, her smile widening.]

That flower looks like it will be a nice accent to your bookmark.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia smile and claps lightly. It's a very cute bookmark, a nice keepsake of the day too. It's nice of Romeo and Elfnein to throw such a party; a nice change of pace from all the gloom and doom surrounding them.

She adds in two more folds and a careful twist, finishing the details for the flower. A touch of glitter, a bit of glue, and it's another finished bookmark.]

You're welcome and thank you. I'm hoping the others at my temple will like it. And please, call me Ginia. I'm shinki to Ebisu and Chris.

[medicinemaster]

[It is a nice break from all of the tension hanging in the air. Much of Yaone's time has preoccupied with dispensing medical care, in frequent study, or adjusting to her new role as a goddess. She hasn't given up on finding a way back to Lord Kougaiji's side but she needs a day like this. Just a simple, fun activity with a chance to socialize and meet other people.]

It is nice to meet you, Ginia. I am Yaone. I am certain that they will. I can see that care and feeling went into making it. I have not seen paper folded in such an intricate manner before.

[Being from a world that resembles ancient China aside from odd technological advancement in some areas, she's never seen this type of craft.]

Do you mind if I ask how you made it?

[Once she's back in her world, perhaps it's an activity she could try to do with Lady Lirin on rainy days.]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia nods. She trims more paper down into squares and joins Yaone on her side of the table so she can show the directions side-by-side. It's a methodical and meditative series of folds and aligning edges Ginia patiently walks through, gently repeating motions and making light corrections as needed as a flower slowly takes shape.]

arrival

[myblueskies]

All the people who have come so far have been friends that Romeo had already known but he doesn't know who this lady she is. Maybe she is a friend of Elfnein's or maybe she is just someone who saw the sign and decided to come in! She is wearing a really fancy dress!

Romeo, who was dressed as an orange fox complete with ears and a bushy tail bounced up to her. Ah so she had seen the sign! Romeo was glad it had worked! "Oh hello miss! We don't mind strangers at all everyone's welcome at the party! We have lots of yummy food!"

[medicinemaster]

"It is very nice of you to open this up to the public, mister."

Yaone smiles sweetly at the boy, casting an admiring gaze over his fox ears and tail.

"I like your costume! It looks very good on you!"

Then there is a hesitation before she asks in a slightly sheepish tone.

"I have never attended a book party before but it sounded intriguing from the sign outside. I am not certain what a book party entails. Would you be so kind as to explain a little more about it to me, mister?"

[myblueskies]

"Thank you miss!" Being called mister makes him feel a little strange, but very grown up so he grins, he thought her dress was very nice as well!

"This is my first book party too miss!" But he's been to quite a few parties in the heavens so it hadn't been too difficult to make one of his own!

"This is the temple of Elfnein, my god! She's the god Gegute and is all about learning so her temple is this library and we have lots and lots of books and we both love reading and learning things! So the party is just to have fun with our friends and share our best books and find fun new things to read! We've got lots of food and you can also make a bookmark which is something that goes in your books so you don't forget where you are!"

Elfnein had had to explain bookmarks to him so he understands if people don't know! "You can also make a puppet to show your book or just sit and read we have lots of beanbags!"

All of this is said in one breath, Romeo is very excited!

[medicinemaster]

What a cute, young man. The energy and enthusiasm he's displaying is certainly revitalizing. Coming here had definitely been a good idea. Yaone smiles as she listens intently to his explanation. It sounds like the kind of party she would've enjoyed as a child herself, honestly.

"All of this sounds very fun. I believe that I will enjoy this book party, then. I have not met your goddess yet but she sounds very lovely. I, too, enjoy learning though I am a goddess of healing myself."

She glances around curiously when the boy mentions beanbags. Despite her elegant appearance and polite, refined demeanor, Yaone has great affection for over-sized beanbags and cushions, as shown when her whole face lights up. There's a surprising number of them in the sitting rooms of her own temple.

[myblueskies]

Romeo is happy that she thinks she will enjoy it. Everyone is having a lot of fun so far. Romeo is glad that it's a success! He sees her face brighten when she sees the beanbags and begins moving towards them. "Elfnein is here somewhere, she might be getting more glitter!" Glitter sure is popular, and it goes everywhere, their temple is going to be sparkly forever now.

"You are a goddess of healing, miss? So you make people all better? Like a doctor?"

food

[wishwing]

[ Rion's dressed up as something like a disney princess. She's always loved the idea of wearing a glamours outfit and this is a good time to use it. ]

What's your story? You look interesting and I'd like to know more!

[ Book party needs some traditional story telling. ]

[medicinemaster]

[Yaone quickly finishes the carrot stick she'd been nibbling on and beams at the girl. She shifts slightly on her cushion, silks rustling faintly with the movement, as she carefully flips through her book to the right story.]

I am dressed as the Princess Kwan-Yin, a young lady from fairytale in China. She was the heir to a kingdom and promised to marry another. However, she did not wish to do so, instead wishing to pledge her life to the gods instead. After many struggles, she became a goddess.

[It's a very, very abridged version but Yaone doesn't wish to bore the young lady with details she may not be interested in.]

How about you, miss? Your dress is very lovely.

Activities!

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako's seated not far away, working on her own bookmarks, but to be honest, she's been shooting this unfamiliar lady some glances out of the corner of her eye for a while now. She was pretty and her dress was so beautiful that Nanako couldn't help shyly peeking over at her again and again.

When the pretty lady turns to her and holds up the options, Nanako gives her her full attention, still looking a little shy, but also eager to help. ]

Oooh, they're pretty! That's a really hard one to pick, too. What's your favorite color? Do you have one?

[medicinemaster]

[Yaone's noticed those little glances now and then though for the most part, she's been more focused on the task at hand. Actually, it's part of why she's asking the girl for her input now. In Yaone's experience, sometimes offering an opportunity for the shy or quiet ones to speak can lead to conversation.]

I am not sure if I have a favorite color. I think purple is a nice color but so are red, green, and blue. There are so many beautiful colors that exist, it is difficult for me to pick just one as a favorite color.

[She smiles encouragingly at the little girl.]

How about you, miss? Do you have a favorite color? If you do, I think that I would like to use that instead.

[Whether it clashes or not isn't important to Yaone at all.]

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako looks shy for a moment before she gives her a warm smile. ]

I really like pink! And yellow, too... It's happy, right?

[medicinemaster]

[How cute. Yaone brightens visibly.]

Pink and yellow are both wonderful colors as well. I think they are happy, too. They are very cheerful. Most bright colors are though some shades can be a little too much at times.

[These choices are lovely, though.]

They make me think of flowers and spring.

[welcome_home]

Yeah! Me, too!

[ Nanako's smiling brightly now, shyness dissipating a little more when Yaone proves to seem really nice. ]

I really like flowers!

activities

[smilingbullet]

[ Do not trust the fashion sense of the man in the coat of pink and red diamonds over a white shirt and dangling green clip-ons in his ears. It's his costume but it's also not entirely far from his own fashion sense of bright colors that often clash and makes one of his gods want to weep. (But it's Hibiki, Hibiki is very dramatic.)

He happens to be a fan of origami and since he doesn't read printed books, he's making small, simplistic paper sculptures. ]

All of them would look super cute, I think. But for example how about the neon pink?

[medicinemaster]

[It's a curious costume to be sure but Yaone's not one to make hasty judgments or discourage harmless forms of self-expression. Some of her own fashion choices might seem a little strange to other people, too. If it's the way he likes to dress and is comfortable wearing it, who is she to tell him no?

Yaone picks up the suggested color, holding it against her bookmark.]

I think that is a bold color choice. I shall try it and see how I like it.

[She proceeds to tie it onto her bookmark, humming softly to herself as she does so.]

That is an interesting costume that you are wearing, mister. Would you tell me more about it? I am curious.

[smilingbullet]

[ Fashion is fun! His sense of it is not appreciated by some (but Hibikis eyes isn't really bleeding when she compains) and he only caught bits of color combination from Forrest, but he is never going to be stopped when he doesn't have to wear a uniform or "proper attire". ]

Bold is always good, often even encouraged.

[ It depends on what kind of bold that is, he supposes. Some people need to be slightly less bold in certain aspects of their life.

But D2 thinks neon pink looks cute with her creation; this is a good bold. ]

It's a bit improvised, but I got lucky- Howl, the wizard in Howl's Moving Castle, wears some colorful clothes, and I like his style, and since I like the story and all I wanted to go with that.

[medicinemaster]

How resourceful of you. I think your outfit looks very unique.

[It's certainly an unusual style but Yaone has a certain taste for eccentricity and individuality but perhaps her own odd color choices for the bookmarks she's making reflect that.]

I do not believe I am familiar with that particular story. Could you tell me more about Howl and the book he is from?

Arrival

[royaltyloyalty]

[ It took awhile, but Dokugakuji eventually decided to bring a children's fishing book. Which he nearly dropped as he realized that the person who'd just entered was no stranger, but his comrade in arms herself. ]

Y-Yaone...?

[ It's amazing how much more flamboyant and... attractive the look is to him, despite being far more conservative in terms of covering her up than he's used to seeing her. He's seen her costumes for going undercover, but this is... something else entirely! You'd think she was a princess like Lirin, or a noblewoman at the very least, dressed up in all that finery. ]

[medicinemaster]

[It certainly is a very different look for Yaone than what she tends to wear, even if her hair looks about the same it always does when she wears it down around the castle. While occasion, Yaone might experiment a little with flamboyance, it's only ever happened when she's going undercover or playing dress up around Lady Lirin. However, she's never worn anything so fancy, elegant, or refined as this before and now that she's in the company of a friend who's known her for years, Yaone finds herself feeling just a little bit self-conscious.

She heads over to Dokugakuji with her usual purposeful movement, however, there's a slightly embarrassed blush staining her cheeks at having been caught wearing clothing so above her station.]

Hello, Dokugaku. I did not know that you were planning on coming to this, too.

[Yaone speaks quietly, sounding just a little bit flustered. Apparently, she's also completely oblivious to the effect she's having on him at the moment.]

[royaltyloyalty]

Eh? [ Her statement - and even her flush - helps snap him out of his thoughts a little bit. ]

Oh, well, I wasn't... until I found out Shinji had been invited too, and then...

[ But enough about that. He tries to offer her a smile, followed by a thumbs-up. ]

Anyway, you look good. It's a great costume.

[ And of course it looks great on her too. ]