genessia | 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.

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When Raye laughed so... strangely, Jaune kind of cocked a brow and grinned. What a weirdo she was sometimes... But he didn't pay it any mind, he was just happy to see her in such good spirits. When she stepped back, he looked around so he could better answer her questions.

"This is pretty cool. You know, for having the most pink I think I've ever seen in one place," He said. He also kind of expected when he and Raye were talking about it initially that their picnic with the cherry blossoms would be just him and her... But there were people all over the place! Still, if she was going for a party, she certainly succeeded as far as he could tell.

He turned his attention back to her when Karina came and interrupted. Good thing, too, because he was about to say how hungry he was. "Oh, hey Karina," He said... only to give her some kind of bemused look when she asked if it was a holiday. Oh yes, he knew exactly what Karina had done.

"Man, you ditched work, didn't you?" He asked, "Have you ever spent a full day there? Like, start to finish?"

Shame on you, Jaune McChastiser. Revealing her work ethic in front of a new acquaintance. You don't get a second chance at a first impression!

She held her head in her hand. "Having days off on a festival is normal where I come from... (some people are so culturally insensitive)".

Having masterfully dodged that bullet, Karina's confidence was strangely still in flux. She wanted to make more gal pals, and Raye seemed interesting, if only because perfectionists were always just waiting to snap.

...not that she'd provoke that! She needed a way to bounce back from Jaune's initial misgivings. It'd be a struggle, especially when she planned to just relax today, but maybe she could...help?

A teenage life lived mostly in passivity had honed her social perception skills, and she could see a crack in Raye's cheery facade. Karina had spent enough time around the eternally smiling to tell the genuine article from a front. She turned to Raye, gulping as she thought of the no doubt Herculean effort ahead.

"Is...everything okay?"

Raye looked between Karina and Jaune. It was pretty clear that she wanted to speak her mind when it came to the subject of work, but this time, she held back. She didn't know Karina nearly that well to make any sudden judgments one way or the other. But she sounded like she and Serena had similar work ethics.

Then the conversation shifted back to Raye. Her mouth fell open in a briefly dumbfounded smile of shock. She held up both hands, waving them wildly.

"Everything's okay! Ah ha ha! AH HA HA HA HA!"

Then she suddenly drooped, blowing out her breath.

"...But I forgot to buy lunch. It completely slipped my mind." It wasn't as if she could fake having a perfect plan, now that Jaune was here. She didn't exactly want to lie to him either. "I was just on my way to get something before you got here, but you beat me to it. I'll call that Geraldi's place and see if they'll deliver out here."

Jaune blinked a few times, and was immediately washed over with the feeling of disappointment that he'd have to wait for his food. He slumped a bit himself, but... in watching how Raye reacted, he had a moment of thoughtful clarity, and straightened back up again. Stepping in, he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and pulled her up against him with a playful shake.

"Don't worry about it! I'll call 'em," He said. With all his temporary pay increase s acting guardian, he's got no problem footing some of the bill too.

Karina had worked up too much motivation to be put down into her usual state of passivity. On any other day, she would've been overjoyed to see others so willingly pick up the slack.

Not this day.

If she wore sleeves, she would've rolled them up. The time to act was now, much as she loathed acting.

"No!" She shouted. Raising her voice was a rarity for her, so she took a moment to recover.

"I mean...let me handle it. I have...connections. (hosts should stay put anyway)."

She stifled her own self-satisfaction; saying it like that made her sound like an ultra-competent, top-secret agent or something. Still, she had reached out, and attempted to impress. What Raye said next would decide everything: the (practically guaranteed) acquisition of a friend, or an afternoon napping, per usual.

Raye blinked, startled at Jaune's good-natured reaction. She really shouldn't have been; if their positions were reversed, she'd fuss and SIGH and proclaim this was why she should be in charge of everything.

Thankfully that wasn't the case. "You sure about that?"

But just before either of them could make a call, Raye was surprised yet again. "Karina?" What was with the sudden objection? Looking at the girl, she could see the flare of her determination. Raye wasn't afraid to delegate where necessary, but this was her mistake that she had to rectify, not Karina's. She barely knew her!

Karina seemed so determined, though, who was Raye to deny her? Besides, in all honesty she did want to spend some time one-on-one with Jaune, so this was a good chance to do just that.

"I'd appreciate it," she relaxed with a smile. "And I'll owe you one. Thanks!"

Cherry Blossom Viewing Party

Re: Then you're in the right place!

Re: Then you're in the right place!

no subject

no subject

She needs a co-conspirator

It's a good move, Raye's hard to impress!