personavelvetroomdr | Cherry Blossom Evening Party

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Cherry Blossom Evening Party

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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.

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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!!

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Zenkichi lets out a small, almost resigned sigh, giving Hamuko a side-eye as she grins at him with that infectious energy of hers. She’s fresh off karaoke, practically bouncing with excitement, and that damn camera is hanging from her wrist like it's always ready to snap a photo of every ridiculous moment she can create.

"Go on the paddleboats? What if it sinks on my side, huh?" He jokes with a subtle smile. It's a shame that Akane can't go in any of them...and really maybe he should go on one of those stupid boats. This is a celebration after all, he's not on any sort of job.

He glances back before finally lowering the vessel down.

She's always on the move, making sure every guest is enjoying themselves.

"I am doing fine here- don't worry. You go have fun." Then makes quick note of the bottle of water and her state in general. "Or actually sit down for a bit- you and Akane really had the place buzzing."

"We did!! Singing is a ton of fun. I am so gonna lose my voice by tomorrow, I have a dozen more songs in me saved up to drag anyone looking like they're feeling sheepish."

She does pause to take a swig of water, at least.

"Mm! Have you had any food yet? The sushi tastes great, here!! I picked out and recruited all the chefs myself."

"Maybe you would stop being an incessant little brat for once," he shook his head fondly- not a single bite in his tone as he watched her take a swig of water. "Some peace and quiet..." The way she kept reaching out to him like that, he would call her efforts foolish if they didn't hold their weight.

Zenkichi raised a brow behind his mask, the mention of food both being a somewhat touchy topic but the mention of sushi making his heart singing nonetheless. He's so neutral about his sushi. If it weren't for the fact that Ichinose was in the same damn party as him cause everything he was looking forward to for this evening has already been ruined.

"Haven't had much of anything yet, I am still surveying the environment." His curiosity gives way as his smile tightened. "You've been at this for a while, haven't you? First with Fatalis...then the two dungeons."

"Gotta say...I miss when the park used to look like this back in my world."

"Well... maybe someday it'll get to look like this again. You might be around for that, even," she suggested, pointing at his cybernetics. "Being there to be part of the rebuild effort... however far away it is, I think it'll be satisfying, don't you?"

She looked around the park, imagining what it might look like if society collapsed. Wild, overgrown, the trees probably stripped down for resources but otherwise left alone...? The river probably fought over. Sad, but... getting things built back up would be worth looking forward to.

"And-- yeah. The fights were the reason I thought we should all celebrate. We're all here together, for better and for worse, but we should work to have what comforts and kindnesses we can while we're here."

"And there you go again," Zenkichi's tsks- once again reminded of their first meeting. "Damn, I don't know. We always thought about the prevention so far- the recovery is whatever we seem to have. Ah- it's not that relavant." He waves his hand, dismissing his own words like he had said to me. Nostalgia really was a dangerous drug.

He shifted on his footing, one hand resting on his waist as his hand wrapped around the small glass. He hadn't even realized there was a crack on its body.

"And yet here you are, alone putting in all the effort to get us along," he remarks carefully, not wanting to sound offensive or condescending. Reflective, if anything.

There's a knowing smirk. "Judging from the timing, I am guessing you were trying to defuse whatever was happening just a few moments ago?"

"Nope! I noticed you haven't eaten yet! So I came to pick on you," she teased, playfully elbowing his arm. At least, before fishing in her obi for a packet of tissues, fetching one to pass to him. "Here, your cup's dripping sake! Lemme grab you a new one."

"Uh huh," he nodded along, the corner of his lip twitching with annoyance at the elbowing. "I think you were going to pick on me regardless."

That said, when Hamuko points out the dripping sake, his eyes shoot up behind his visor. "Wha-" he blinks at the now cracked choko in surprise, seeping and soaking through his hand with the ceramic scratched against some of the initial scarring. "Oh hell... thank you," he quickly grabbed the tissue and wiped away his hand.

"Also no need...sake's pretty weak for me anyway," he waves off his hand. "Better keep my eyes peeled for the night."

"Keep them peeled, huh?" Hamuko glanced over at the two psientists drinking and chatting before looking back up at him. "They're so busy drinking and stuffing their faces, what could they actually do tonight, hmm? Especially with everyone around here ready to pounce at a hint of trouble."

Hamuko gestured to everyone else, around and about. Most people here were highly competent, strong fighters, after all.

"And I'm here! So you can take a break, Wolf-pop."

"Ichinose's planning something," he insists as he narrows down on them- still reading her lips. "Really- if she's drunk then that's good, maybe I can catch her slipping-"

>>There's a sort of fun thought I've had recently - do you know the concept of 'retro-futurism'?

"I mean- eventually? Probably? I have never seen the Ichinose in our world go off such long rambles..." He's definitely unimpressed with his investigation thus far. Zero leads. It doesn't help that his days working in PubSec had blended into his daily life or how stalkerish his behaviour truly was if he paid attention to it.

His gaze drifts back to Hamuko at her reassurance. "..." Should he take a break?

"She's completely shit-faced, I don't think she'll even remember any plans even if she does think them up," Hamuko snickered a bit.

"Hmm... if not sushi, then what about some yakitori? Or a taiyaki! They're REALLY cute over at the stand on the path, the guy is making them with red bean or strawberries and the batter itself is even pink."

Well well, Hamuko. You did seem to get his attention at the taiyaki. Where Maruki added onto her rambling by talking about labcoats and otherwise somehow even more insane shit that he didn't actually like bearing witness to, his frustration with the lack of information was subdued by the idea of something that would make this night worth it.

He stopped for a moment, glancing back at Akane who had went along to chat with other people. "I could maybe buy some of that and let Akane have it in a cognitive space?"

"Actually hold on- when are you planning to treat yourself? Or did you eat already?"

Edited 2025-04-30 23:04 (UTC)

"Eheh, well, I've been kinda grazing! I'm fine, really! I mostly just keep a couple of pieces on my plate so I can talk to people that're shy."

The act of eating with someone was a helpful way to bond, after all!

That said - that did not mean that she's actually sat and eaten, herself, yet.

"Akane will love them!! They're tasty and SO cute."

Welp, its decided. He's saving up some of the taiyakis for later. Akane didn't seem to hold any affection to foods that existed before whatever could be salvaged from the apocalypse so it would be a good way to get her to enjoy things she once did when she was human.

The irony isn’t lost on him. Here she was, nudging him to take a break, while she hadn’t even sat down long enough to finish a meal herself. That plate she carries around like a social disguise didn’t fool him. Always bouncing from person to person, spinning plates no one asked her to juggle.

"...Tch." A sigh slips through his teeth.

"You know," he starts, giving her a sidelong look—eyebrows raised, mouth tugged somewhere between a smirk and a frown. "For someone real good at making everyone else relax, you’re damn terrible at taking your own advice."

"Quit flitting around like some festival fairy and sit down for more than thirty seconds, will you?"

Then, more softly—but still with that low, grumbly affection only a middle-aged man with too many worries and too few good memories knows how to deliver:
"Party’s not gonna fall apart if you stop to breathe. You did good. So let yourself enjoy it."

"A festival fairy?" Hamuko repeated, giggling at the image - what a title!! She did feel as frenetic as a Pixie! But point taken... Zenkichi was a fussy, bossy guy.

Playfully, she tugged on his sleeve with her free hand.

"It's no fun sitting and eating alone, though. Help me out?"

"This is a trick," he playfully rolled his eyes at that. At his expense-!

The tug on the sleeve did wonders to his grumpy expression, given how much his lips twitch from trying to contain his smile or how much his gaze eased up.

"Alright, fine fine I will 'help you out.' Persistent as always..."

"Great! Let's actually get food, then. The sushi has been incredible, so go nuts on it - I'm gonna go get myself something a little more filling and sit down with it."

Considering the cognitive chefs are regularly emerging with fresh platters to replace the empty ones, it's all dazzling and tempting.

"I am definitely gonna take a 'party organizer' tax by taking anything left over once everyone goes home and keeping it myself. I finally got the mini-fridge in my dorm room working again!"

Edited 2025-05-01 00:30 (UTC)

The second Hamuko mentioned the sushi—his eyes subtly drifted.

God, there was a good spread out tonight, wasn’t there?

Tuna, salmon, sea bream, unagi, tamago, even the fancy pressed stuff with pickled mackerel—someone really went all out on this spread. He caught sight of the gleam off a lacquered serving tray and swore he could hear angels. Not real angels—probably cognitive ones—but still.

He cleared his throat, very pointedly not reacting.

"...Sushi's fine, I guess," he muttered, already halfway turned in that direction. “Not like I was thinking about it or anything.”

By the time she said "go nuts," he was already shifting his weight forward, that twitch in his lip returning like a traitor.

But then Hamuko said something about a party organizer tax—about leftovers—and Zenkichi glanced back at her, mock-serious, eyes gleaming behind the visor.

"Tax, huh? Well, you better file your claim now, ‘cause I’m about to audit this entire platter straight into the void.”

He paused. Smirked.

“Y’know. Before the sushi vanishes due to... mysterious write-offs.” He made little air quotes, then nudged his thumb toward the trays. “Can’t risk you charging me with tax evasion later, after I demolish every last one of those yellowtail rolls.”

"Pfffheheh - get your fill now, tax collector!! Just save me some fatty tuna!"

She'll just go get herself some food!! Gotta get the classics, but she also gets herself some yakisoba... it's a festival, after all! And of course she's gotten a ton of taiyaki. Some for her, some for Akane!!

By the time she makes it back to the picnic area, she's balancing three plates and a boba tea with her arms and somehow, incredibly, manages not to spill or drop a single thing as she finds herself a little seat to lay her spread out.

She could pig out a little...!! She's been really physically active lately. And she can always work it back off if she's feeling a little too sluggish and greasy from overdoing it by tomorrow.

Prioritizing the soba first, Hamuko chowed down while she waited for Zenkichi to join her again.

"Brat..." he mutters in sheer fondness as he makes note of the fatty tuna. Akane liked sushi too, he's going to save some of the yellowtail and the eel for her when they train in the metaverse.

She probably doesn't even remember how it tastes, does it?

Well.

That went awfully.

Even if he had his fill of sushi and managed to snag some fatty tuna and straight up stole the yellowtail sushi from that drunk...maniacal witch. Ugh. Ichinose Kuon. How do you manage to make his day worse by your very presence?

He borrowed some of the packaging from the vendors to save what he could for Hamuko and Akane.

His expression had soured again by the time he joined Hamuko, the package concealed within his gigantic sleeves as he settled next to Hamuko, putting down the package for her fatty tuna and sighed a heavy sigh.

"I am too old for this shit," he murmurs quietly to himself, words warbled as he rubs his face in frustration.

There he is!! And oh wow, that was QUITE a sigh. Hamuko's head popped up at him, and through a mouthful of noodles, asked, "Whuh h'pp'n?"

Zenkichi just stared down at her, arms already folding tightly across his chest like he was bracing for another incoming wave of chaos. The way her cheeks were puffed up with noodles while she tried to talk only earned her a long, exasperated squint.

"Don’t talk with your mouth full, jeez," he muttered first, rolling his eyes with the dramatic flair of a man whose soul was aging in dog years.

He tilted his head back like he was asking the sky for strength, then looked back down at her, deadpan.

"...Ichinose happened."

He let it sit there. Like it was a weather event. Or a diagnosis.

Then, more muttered under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear:

"I swear she’s genetically engineered to make my blood pressure spike. She starts saying words and my lifespan shortens."

But even with the griping, he reached over and nudged the fatty tuna box closer to her plate—still mindful, still fussing.

Man. He is REALLY bothered by Ichinose, and she gets why, but the frustration runs deep...

Taking her time to chew her food, she reached over with a free hand and gave his arm a pat.

"Did she taunt you?" Hamuko asked, scooping up the container and sneaking a piece out to eat.

Zenkichi didn’t flinch at the pat on his arm, but the way his shoulders slumped ever so slightly—like someone let some of the air out of a tire—said more than any words could. His scowl faded just enough to register as “mildly annoyed” instead of “one foot in an early grave.”

He glanced down at her hand, then away again, muttering under his breath like someone embarrassed to admit that the comfort worked on him.

Why is he getting pacified like a grumpy toddler with a juice box?

With a dismissive snort, he answered her question without really answering it.

"She didn’t taunt me. Not like that. Just—doesn’t matter. Not something you need to be tangled up in." His brow twitched slightly. "Especially not with Maruki trying to play nice and hang around, acting like everything’s fine. They’re friends, y’know. Or... whatever passes for friends with people like that."

Zenkichi rolled his neck, let out a breath, then gestured vaguely at her plate.

“Anyway. No big deal. I stole all the sushi from her. They don't refill those plates, do they?"

...SNRK...

"That is so petty. Iconic, I love it."

She'll conveniently not answer that yes, the chefs will probably put new platters out. Hamuko took a few napkins and wrapped up two of the pink taiyaki, passing them to Zenkichi to give to Akane later.

"Personally, I'm glad she's having some kind of fun, that'll distract her out of causing any trouble. I'll try and drag them out of the Palace now and then so they don't get too rooted in there and build something stupid."

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