genessia | Cherry Blossom Viewing Party

Entry tags:

Cherry Blossom Viewing Party

WHO: Raye Hino, OPEN
WHAT: The cherry blossom trees are in full bloom, so this calls for a ~~weeaboo picnic party~~ traditional social gathering to relax, eat food, and admire the view. And maybe shenanigans.
WHEN: April 27, 2014 - All Day
WHERE: Genessia City - Shrine
NOTES: Feel free to make your own threads! Just indicate if the thread is open, or locked to just a few. HAVE FUN OR ELSE!

Raye had indicated that the weather would be favorable on Sunday, so when the rain started coming down over the weekend, she got angry. And she ranted at the spirits, who didn't bother responding to her demands for pleasant weather to encourage attendance at the shrine. But to her relief, Sunday morning brought blue skies after all. Whether that was the spirit's doing, or if the skies were going to clear up on their own, who could say? Raye didn't care so long as she got results.

She rushed to the temple as soon as she was dressed in order to put up the paper lanterns once more...and to throw out her blanket on the spot she thought was the best for watching cherry blossoms. If no one else had claimed it first, then she was within her rights to aggressively stake her territory, especially if she was going to spend the day with Jaune and Minako, possibly some of her other friends as well. She hoped Harry would show up, but Everglade had a lot going on, so it wouldn't surprise her if he couldn't. She'd lecture him about it later.

Hastily she swept up the courtyard and tossed feed at the chickens, trying to take care of her daily chores before the first of the party-goers arrived. She'd worked hard to make this tradition a success, and no one...no one...was going to ruin it. Or they would face her wrath.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She leaned against her hand, watching him with a warm smile as he began to go through the picnic basket, "Yeah. I kind of wish I hadn't gotten sick back then - I bet I missed a lot of crazy and fun things when you guys had were watching the sakura." She pouted briefly - just thinking about the amount of fun she missed out on..! Sigh. Oh well, she could watch the sakura with Natsu now and that was important.

"You didn't miss that much really." Or so he felt. Yeah there was bingo and everything but at that time he couldn't care less. Erza got some stinky plants for her prize at Bingo, Juvia was sticking to Gray like glue and him? He'd just sat there, arms folded over his chest thinking about how disappointed she had been. That image frustrated him even then. Which was probably why he went for such an over the top method to let her enjoy the view.

"Really?" She didn't really believe that, but if it was true, then she felt a little better at least. Not having missed out on anything and all. "Well.. At least we get to make up for it now - I can watch the cherry blossoms with you here." .. Erm. Him and everyone else that is.

"Yeah really. It wasn't all that fun." For me. Naturally he didn't say that. Nor would he have to if she used her creativity to read between the lines.

"Mmm yeah. They might not be rainbow sakura but they're definitely not bad." Natsu agreed with a faint smile before holding out a sandwich for Lucy. it was one of the non spicy ones of course.

Lucy did, in fact, wonder if that's what he meant. She wasn't going to tease him or poke him about it though. After all, if their positions were switched she'd have felt the same. Only she couldn't uproot a whole damn tree. It still floored her even now, after so much time had passed.

She grinned, reaching up to take the non-spicy sandwich. "I still can't believe you did that for me." The lengths he'll go, the things he'll do... she glanced away quickly, to clear her throat, taking a bite of her sandwich instead. The Nice. Safe. Sandwich. "I told Raye about the rainbow sakura. I kind of wish there were one here so she could see one too - but there's a definite charm to these ones. Traditional ones."

Well she would undoubtedly find a way to do something just as fitting in her own way. He knew all too well how much she cared for her friends and the guild.

"It was the only thing I could think of. It wasn't fair since you were so excited to see them. I had to do something or it wouldn't feel right." Natsu admitted, sheepishly biting into his own hot sauce sandwich and avoiding her eyes a bit like he always did when someone caught him red handed.

"Well we can always go see them again when we go home. These are special too." Even if not as flashy. Though honestly objectively speaking they were just flowers on a tree.

Naturally! In fact she would devote her time until she had just the perfect thing too. Also sheepish Natsu was strangely adorable, and Lucy couldn't help but smile (well she can't help herself to smile around him anyway) as she watched him. Funny how life worked out.

But since he was avoiding her glance at first, she was free to watch him so there. "Yeah, when this whole mess with what's going on back home is cleared up. We should have sakura viewing party again there." She glanced around, "Though I wish our friends here could come there too." They could always make one of those fakey gateways, but... who would want to sacrifice a precious memory for that? Not Lucy - especially when her most cherished memories were with him. Catching sight of their host though, she oh'd.

"Hold my spot for a second. I'm going to go say hi to Raye, and I'll be right back." She should at least be polite and say hello to the hostess before things got good~!

Funny indeed. Still if she was happy then going along with this kind of outing was fine wasn't it? Of course it was.

"Yeah there are some fun people here. But if Edolas taught us anything is that it's usually best for people to stay in the world they belong." A bit of a more serious conclusion he has come to since then. Natsu was about to continue on that when she saw their host apparently.

"Huh? Oh okay. I'll guard this spot without a doubt."

Okay so all fairness aside she's actually gone a LIIIITTLE bit longer than she planned. And perhaps both aware she was gone for more than a simple 'hi' and wanting to hurry back and rejoin him, she scampers across the lawn quickly - only for her steps to slow once he comes in sight, feeling her blush come back full force.

Dangit why did she agree to talk to Raye again?

"..Sorry about that, Natsu." Sheepishly, she settled on the blanket next to him again, glancing back towards the shrine. "We kind of lost track of the time." After an awkward pause, she added, "..thanks for saving my spot." Like ... he was going to get up and walk away? Weirdo.

Actually he was wondering about what was taking Lucy so long. Still he didn't sense any danger or smell anything bad nearby so instead he dutifully munched on his sandwiches until she finally came back. Looking as if she'd just taken a bite from one of his sandwiches.

"Lucy? You okay?"

Eep. Lucy smiled quickly to reassure him, nodding. "O-oh, yeah, I'm fine..!" She felt a little guilty about leaving him that long though. "Did I miss anything interesting?"

..she also might be sitting a little closer than before, but ack, it's not like she can move away now. Nor would she want to.

She didn't look fine but honestly it's probably for the best to not pry into that. He knows that much by now.

"Nah not really. Just more petals falling down. Had a good talk with your new friend?" Probably not the best thing to ask. Though he did naturally lean a bit more towards her when she took a seat back next to him again.

She flinched slightly at the question, suddenly focusing her attention on the blanket. "U-um. It... it was interesting...!" There that was a safe answer. Unconsciously she leaned towards him in response, and it's probably for the best that she didn't realize it or she'd get flustered. "It really is pretty out here. And her shrine is nice - very peaceful."

Interesting. That didn't tell him much but Lucy didn't want to talk about it. That much was certain so instead he decided to scrap the topic for now unless it started bothering her again.

"Yeah it is. Wonder how long it took to plant each of these and then grow them out."

Lucy tilted her head back a little to study the nearest tree, letting her back rest slightly against him. "Years, at least." She mused, "For trees of those size? Maybe five years or more, I think." She collected a handful of blossoms, raised her hands over her head and let them go just to watch the blossoms fall again, or get caught by the wind and drift away. She's being weird again.

Natsu didn't react to that slight feeling of her weight leaning on him a little. Why would he. It felt perfectly normal for him. He looked up following her handful of petals and watched them flow away on the wind.

"Yeah I guess that sounds right. Unless they used that whole giving up a memory for anything deal." Not exactly a happy topic but it was an option.

Lucy wrinkled her nose at that option, glancing towards him out the corner of her eye. "Maybe. But who would ever want to make a choice like that...?" Not a happy topic at all - especially when she knew there were people who would give up a precious memory to get whatever they wanted.

"I know I would never want to do that. Not when all of my memories are precious." The ones with him even more so.

He nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't either. Memories are treasures that you can't trade for anything." He said that with startling determination. Then again it was no secret how he treasured memories. His shrine was a testament to that.

Lucy fell silent a moment, watching him with a faint smile. She knew that's what he'd say of course. Better than anyone, he'd never give up any of his memories. She hadn't seen what he'd collected here yet, but - she didn't really need to. Except out of curiosity.

When it occurs to her that she was staring, she coughed and glanced away again, fixing her gaze on the sky, dotted with little blossoms drifting on the wind. "...say ...Natsu..." Dangit maybe she shouldn't have said anything to Raye, now she couldn't stop thinking about it.

"...what do you say we go dancing, later...?" It's.. not a date. Just... two friends hanging out. Dancing. Nothing more than that.... yeaaaaaah.

He had started his collection anew though so far it wasn't really all that big since not that much had happened other than Neveren and Justyne's rescue.

He noticed her looking his way near the end but only tilted his head curiously before she started speaking again. She seemed troubled by somethign though so maybe she would finally open up about it. Except that didn't happen.

"Dancing? Sure but where are we gonna go?" After all dancing needed music.

Even one collection from that memory was important though. "Mmm... well... there's a few places here in the city." Bold, Raye said. Ahaha, Bold ...really wasn't her style. "But I'll want to change first - I'm not really dressed for a d... ance."

Wait what?

Funny she felt that way given that the majority of those memories recently involved her in some way or another. Not that would be something he wanted to change anyway.

"Well I guess it depends where we're goin. You could dance like that at the guild no problem I bet." He wasn't picky. It didn't matter what she wore, Lucy was still Lucy.

Somehow she had a feeling he'd say that. His statement made her blush though, remembering the last time they danced at the guild. "I... could, but..."

Ahehh...heh, god what is she even thinking. "I thought it might be nice to go somewhere different once in a while..!"

Yeah that's not suspicious at all right?

Natsu is a bit surprised by her determination. She didn't have to be so adamant about it. It wasn't like he said he didn't want to go.

"Okay then we'll do that." Seriously he didn't see the problem. Lucy was just being the weirdo she was.

Yaaah, even Lucy knew how weird she was being. She just wanted to have a nice night with him without worrying about trolling interruptions from the others at the guild. ... though with her luck they were bound to see Lucy and Natsu off to dance anyway. Still, Natsu was so obliging! Not a shock, but she grinned rather suddenly. "Okay. Is there anything you want to do afterward?" Let's just push those awkward thoughts out of her head for now, before awkward thoughts become embarrassing actions.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject