The festival of the black butterfly at the Mysterious Wish Shop [closed]

[yuuwish]

Who: Yuuko Ichihara, Clow Reed, Sakuya Izayoi and Akira Hayama (closed).
Where: The Mysterious Wish Shop in Fayren.
When: Slightly backdated to August 7th.
What: Since Summer is the season of festivals in Japan, Yuuko decides to celebrate with the other inhabitants of the Wish Shop. Needless to say, the festival ('matsuri') she's referring to is completely made up and she's going to let the others do all the work. After all, this is Yuuko we're talking about... what did you expect?
Warnings: PG-13. Some teasing, Yuuko being Yuuko. But fortunately Clow is here to keep her in check... most of the time.

On that particular morning, Yuuko had woken up early. This was pretty unusual for her, except when she was expecting visitors. She looked particularly happy too, a knowing grin adorning her delicate and pale features and she was... humming. Had Watanuki been there he would probably have warned Akira and Sakuya that these were the signs by which the monks announced the Apocalypse.

Yuuko entered the living room, dressed in a silky kimono decorated with black and white butterflies. She walked to the armchair where Clow was sitting and reading a book, and laid a soft kiss onto his lips. Then she settled down, half-sitting half-laying, on a nearby sofa.

"Sakuya-chan! Akira-kun!" She called, after clearing her throat. "Could you guys come in here for a minute?"

Her voice was both way too sweet and too excited at the same time. She smirked and winked at Clow as she waited for the other two to make their entrance.

Comments

[sakuya_izayoi]

Sakuya was first to show up, aside from Clow, her time power creating a chilling, otherworldly distortion as she appeared in front of Yuuko. She was dressed in her standard maid uniform, an empty tray folded over one arm. She clicked her watch shut, pocketing the timepiece. She was truly deserving of her title "perfect and elegant maid."

Stone-faced as ever, she offered a bow before speaking; "What can I do for you Lady Yuuko. I've not finished the day's chores and have yet to start on the meal."

[fragrantic]

Making sure the kitchen is clean and properly stocked and that all meals are served on time is his main priority and he isn't really pleased to be pulled from his job but this was an actual job, so he felt like he had no choice to at least go see what Yuuko might want. He shoots Sakuya a look as he comes into the room - he knows he's been incapacitated for a while but he's perfectly fine now and the kitchen is his territory, there's no need for her to cook now. Then he looks over at Yuuko with suspicion. It's not hard to tell when she's up to something (though she tends to be up to something pretty often.) "Yes?"

[reedfate]

Clow had already been there, of course. He had wanted to speak to Sakura, knowing she was there in this world, now, but he had to be absolutely sure the Hands of Decay were gone, first. By all accounts, they were, and he could no longer detect their presence in the strands of fate. He and Yuuko had been lucky to escape the conflict in Fayren unscathed; they were two of the most powerful wizards present in Fayren, and were it not for the Mysterious Wish Shop's built-in wards against anyone who had no reason to be there and didn't know it's location, they likely would have had no choice but to get involved.

Clow didn't want to. Unless it was a matter of self-defense, those days were long, long behind him. Sakura was the best successor he could have asked for. He had been observing her since her arrival, and it was high time he congratulated her.

But first... Returning Yuuko's kiss, he simply closed the book in his lap, and turned toward Sakuya and Akira. Akira had been the cook they hired, but Sakuya, not to be outdone by anybody, was definitely a good cook herself, to the point where he frankly didn't care who was cooking anymore; Yuuko had chosen their employees well.

He hadn't been the one to summon them, so Clow simply smiled that typical Clow Reed cat-that-ate-the-canary smile, and turned to Yuuko expectantly.

[yuuwish]

The witch pressed her hands together as her maid and cook appeared in the room. "Here, they are! And look at those happy faces! It truly warms my heart." Sakuya's way of showing up was more impressive of course, though probably not for someone like Yuuko. And she didn't intend to show any preference to one or the other of her employees. Unless it was to tease them.

Yuuko was indeed pretty proud of her 'crew' indeed. They were highly competent and independant enough that she didn't need to go behind them and check their respective works.

Which meant it was time to see if they could take a greater challenge. And if she was to have some fun at the same time, well, it was even better, wasn't it?

Without standing up, she motioned for Akira and Sakuya to move closer and said in a conspiratory tone: "Have you guys ever heard of the festival of the black butterfly?"

[sakuya_izayoi]

Of course Sakuya was a good cook. She had to please the tastes of an aristocrat, after all. And she was always happy to fill in for Akira whenever he was having trouble in the kitchen.

Sakuya's face hardly looked happy, though she didn't seem unhappy either. So there was that, at least. Sakuya sneaked another glance at her watch before pocketing it properly before addressing Yuu.

"No. I have never heard of the Festival of the Black Butterfly. I assume it is an event from the world you hail from?" Best to just ask now...

i'm very sorry about the huge delay

[fragrantic]

Happy faces, was it? If he were to comment on those words he would only be encouraging her. And naturally, he was a good chef, he has trained himself mercilessly and is the second best in his year at the best culinary school in Japan. If he got the chance to face off against Nakiri Erina he would show everyone that he might even be the best.

"I haven't either, though to be fair I don't try to keep track of festivals." He might live in Japan now (before he ended up here, at least) but ever since he left India he has been focused on his studies and his cooking, and making sure Jun didn't make a complete fool of herself in front of people, complete spice idiot as she is.

That's okay, it happens!

[reedfate]

Yuuko had always had a way with words that even Clow Reed couldn't quite match. Right when it felt like he had something to add, it came out of her mouth instead. He could see what she was doing, trying to foster competition between Sakuya and Akira. A bit of friendly competition never hurt anybody, right?

Right?

He smiled at Yuuko's mention of the Festival of the Black Butterfly. He was starting to see where this was going, now, and the prospect excited him. He turned back to Yuuko. Whatever plan she had concocted - and he had a pretty good guess - he was eager to see it play out.

[yuuwish]

"You could say that," Yuuko answered with a small smirk and a wink to Clow. She was not planning on letting the cat out of the bag just now.

"In Japan, as you might know," she turned to Akira as she said that, "butterflies are the symbol of people's souls, whether living or dead. They are also the bearers of our greatest hopes and... deepest desires." The last words were whispered in a low velvety smooth voice.

She turned around looking through the window thoughtfully. And then, as if she had summoned it, a black swallowtail butterfly flew in and went to rest on Yuuko's hand. "Akira-kun, Sakuya-chan, you both know what your greatest hopes and deepest desires are, don't you?"

The Witch of Time wasn't about to trade their wishes for something equivalent this time. They weren't customers, after all. No, what she had in mind what both funnier... and tastier.

Pardon the lateness I thought I replied to this >.>

[sakuya_izayoi]

Sakuya was well aware of what the butterfly represented. In fact after an incident involving a certain ghostly woman she hasn't been all that fond of butterflies. Even so, she pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and folded her hands over her apron. She would play along for now.

"Yes. I'm well aware of my own personal 'hopes and desires,' as you put it." Though it was clear the Maid did not like being made to play games like this... and she did seem to know it was a game. Lady Remilia and Lady Flandre were fond of them too, though circumstances were a bit different there seeing as they were her true mistress and her little sister. Regardless, she seemed willing enough to play along, despite everything.

"I fail to see what they have to do with butterflies though, Ma'am."

[fragrantic]

Shaking his head, he watched the butterfly with a frown. "I didn't know that." The fact that he came from a different culture somehow became more apparent here than it did back home. "Though there are some symbolism between butterflies and souls in Hinduism as well so I suppose that I can see where where it comes from, to an extent." He wasn't a hindu himself but he did hear a lot of things about the main religion of his birth country by word of mouth.

"And I guess that I know..." He glanced over at Sakuya briefly, then looked back at Yuuko. "But I don't see the connection either." He also didn't like these sort of games all that much, he was too straight-forward to appreciate them. "What exactly is it that you're after with asking, Yuuko-san?"

[reedfate]

Even if he already knew what Yuuko was saying about souls, he enjoyed the little lesson regardless. Yuuko's wink was answered with a knowing smile. After that, he was now positive that he knew where this was going. Judging by Sakuya's expression, she wasn't as excited about it as he was; but her lack of verbal objections indicated that, to him, she wasn't going to refuse to play along. He was sure Yuuko would make her stomaching this worth it, however.

His bespectacled eyed turned again to Akira. He was knowledgeable, to be sure; Clow saw a lot of potential in the young man, and had high hopes for him.

At Akira's question, he turned back to Yuuko, his expression not changing an inch. This was gonna be good.