Cherry Blossom Evening Party

[wipingallout]

You have received a private message:

Throughout the week, Hamuko has messaged the vast majority of people she's met so far - and eagerly invited them to come meet at Inokashira Park starting at 5pm.

⋆🌸₊˚⊹♡❀˖°🌸⋆

You're invited to an evening sushi-party-turned-hanami-picnic-party! I've organized a bunch of cognitive chefs and performers to come to that park on the listed date/time.

I've sent this to you because you were part of one of the three teams that helped with fighting Fatalis or rescuing Falcon and Wolf (or are Falcon and Wolf themselves!!) - we've all busted our butts a lot lately, so I think we deserve to have something nice together too!

Of course, the party is open if you have any +1s or more. But before spring turns into summer, let's celebrate what we've all accomplished together!




.🌸˚𑁍.ೃ࿔*:･

The Venue...


Inokashira Park has a lovely river and trail and a phenomenal collection of cherry blossom trees. They're in the tail end of their season, filling the air with petals like snowfall.

In a large open area, Hamuko's arranged a ton of picnic blankets for people to claim and sit down on, though each blanket is HUGE to accommodate people sitting with as many people as they can handle! There are cozy pillows for sitting on too, stacked neatly to be borrowed.

There's a truly humongous row of tables laid out with an impressive amount of sushi presented. With a few trucks nearby, it seems there's a few sushi chefs making fresh platters of it to lay out through the night.

Similarly, there are food carts along the trails if you're not in the mood for sushi and would rather have some more traditional fare like dango, taiyaki, matcha, takoyaki... it's got the place lively and smelling fantastic! There's sake for the adults, and some cherry-blossomed themed mocktails for minors.

🌸𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖🎐

Activities

There's a few set out activities besides just chowing down and socializing or walking along the lantern-lit trails under the cherry blossoms! Inoshikara Park has always had cute little swan pedal boats or regular rowboats for 'rental' (not that money matters here).

The area is SO pretty, perfect for taking pictures to have as keepsakes. There's even a booth to claim a yukata and privately change into it, if you want to go the extra mile!

Finally, in lieu of a traditional band or modern concert, Hamuko has picked out a large set of speakers connected to a small karaoke stage and screen - menace the party with your sing-along! Get a little boost to your Guts!!

Comments

[paradisefraught]

After getting Hamuko-senpai's invite, Morning suits up in his festival best and makes his way to the party. No reason not to go, really. No one would understand if he declined to keep staring at the wall. Staring at the wall is nice, though, now that Dr. Maruki and Dr. Ichinose are so...busy.

(He's seen the way they treat each other.)

Anyway, he's here now. Probably by the sushi. Say hi? Or don't! He's fine.

[wipingallout]

"Morning!" Hamuko cheerfully called from across the path, hurrying over after getting matcha to drink.

"You made it!"

[paradisefraught]

"Hi, Hamuko-senpai. I couldn't resist free sushi." He grabs the nearest plate.

[wipingallout]

"Heehee, good. There's a lot of fun stuff too! Like paddle boats, or the karaoke I brought over. I'm also planning on takin some pictures along the trail of the lanterns and the cherry blossoms. Wanna do any of those with me?"

[paradisefraught]

"What do you want to do?" Morning hums, moving to follow her.

[wipingallout]

"All of those sound fun, and I'll probably hit them all up tonight - which one are you feeling first?"

[paradisefraught]

"Whichever one you're feeling first! You put it together, after all."

[wipingallout]

"Hmmmm..." dang it, Morning. She wants to pull a little more of that independent thinking out of him, just a smidge...

"Okay, help me pick between paddle boats and pictures."

[paradisefraught]

Blergh...why make him choose? "No line at the paddle boats," he points out.

[wipingallout]

"Perfect. Great way to burn off all these calories!" Hamuko beamed, stretching out her arms and back before leading the way to the little river docks. "It's gonna be pretty out on the water with the reflections!"

[paradisefraught]

"Death must not make for good exercise, then."

[wipingallout]

W... what? Hamuko stops mid-step, trying to parse what he was talking about. Joking about?

Her being dead in the first place? Dying recently from Fatalis? Or maybe that they could drown from the boat? Huh??

...Nope. No idea.

"Damn, I'm usually good at picking up jokes, I don't get this one..."

[paradisefraught]

"Uh." Morning glances at his feet. "Burn dread, burn calories, burn in hell...seems strange for dead people to worry about calories..." a beat. "That was a weird thing to say, wasn't it? Sorry..."

[dollmaxing]

After a bit of drinking and gorging on food, Ichinose eventually came to track down Morning, especially since Maruki's working on fixing someone else's sad mood.

She 'announced' her presence by wordlessly walking up to him, putting a dango skewer in front of his field of view and chuckling. From the sake smell on her and her flush, she was drunk.

"Hmm hmm, hmm hmmmm...~♪"

[paradisefraught]

"Uhm." Morning takes the dango. "Hello, Ichinose-hakase..."

[dollmaxing]

"What're you up to, Morning? And-- you don't have to be formal if you don't wanna, just Ichinose is fine! We're buddies now, right? We built my PC together!" She drunkenly giggled, absolutely three sheets to the wind.

[paradisefraught]

"Uhm." Morning takes a bite of the dango, looking away from Ichinose-hakase. "Eating some dango, I guess..."

[dollmaxing]

"Have you ever gone on the swan paddleboats, here? My parents brought me ages ago when I was a kid. They're fun!"

[paradisefraught]

"No..." Morning glances around. Where's Dr. Maruki?

[dollmaxing]

Looking around...? Oh, looking for Maruki. Hmm.

"Maruki is rebuilding a bridge with Hasegawa. So I came to check on you, myself."

[paradisefraught]

Ok, now he's confused. "I didn't know there were any bridges here!" He goes up on his tippytoes, trying to see any construction sites.

[dollmaxing]

"Hahahah! No, I meant metaphorical bridges! Hasegawa got sour about my existence, so Maruki is trying to make amends."

[paradisefraught]

"Hasegawa...he doesn't seem the happy type. Or the smart type, being honest."

[dollmaxing]

"Exactly, you get it. He's a mean old stalker. Can't stand him. If he ever bullies you, tell me or Maruki immediately, okay? We'll scold him."

[paradisefraught]

"...No need to get involved just for me," Morning mumbles, then straightens up. "I can tell him off just fine. Probably do a better job of it than Dr. Maruki! You know how he is. I taught my Dad everything he knows about standing up for himself!"